HIGHWAY ROBBERY
Dinner at Mr Marchurst’s house was not a particularly
exhilarating affair. As a matter of fact, though
dignified with the name of dinner, it was nothing
more than one of those mixed meals known as high tea.
Vandeloup knew this, and, having a strong aversion
to the miscellaneous collection of victuals which
appeared on Mr Marchurst’s table, he dined at
Craig’s Hotel, where he had a nice little dinner,
and drank a pint bottle of champagne in order to thoroughly
enjoy himself. Madame Midas also had a dislike
to tea-dinners, but, being a guest, of course had
to take what was going; and she, Kitty, and Mr Marchurst,
were the only people present at the festive board.
At last Mr Marchurst finished and delivered a long
address of thanks to Heaven for the good food they
had enjoyed, which good food, being heavy and badly
cooked, was warranted to give them all indigestion
and turn their praying to cursing. In fact, what
with strong tea, hurried meals, and no exercise, Mr
Marchurst used to pass an awful time with the nightmare,
and although he was accustomed to look upon nightmares
as visions, they were due more to dyspepsia than inspiration.
After dinner Madame sat and talked with Marchurst,
but Kitty went outside into the warm darkness of the
summer night, and tried to pierce the gloom to see
if her lover was coming. She was rewarded, for
M. Vandeloup came up about half-past eight o’clock,
having met Pierre as arranged. Pierre had found
out Villiers in his hiding-place, and was watching
him while Villiers watched the house. Being,
therefore, quite easy in his mind that things were
going smoothly, Vandeloup came up to the porch where
Kitty was eagerly waiting for him, and taking her
in his arms kissed her tenderly. Then, after
assuring himself that Madame was safe with Marchurst,
he put his arm round Kitty’s waist, and they
walked up and down the path with the warm wind blowing
in their faces, and the perfume of the wattle blossoms
permeating the drowsy air. And yet while he was
walking up and down, talking lover-like nonsense to
the pretty girl by his side, Vandeloup knew that Villiers
was watching the house far off, with evil eyes, and
he also knew that Pierre was watching Villiers with
all the insatiable desire of a wild beast for blood.
The moon rose, a great shield of silver, and all the
ground was strewn with the aerial shadows of the trees.
The wind sighed through the branches of the wattles,
and made their golden blossoms tremble in the moonlight,
while hand in hand the lovers strolled down the path
or over the short dry grass. Far away in the distance
they heard a woman singing, and the high sweet voice
floated softly towards them through the clear air.
Suddenly they heard the noise of a chair being pushed
back inside the house, and knew that Madame was getting
ready to go. They moved simultaneously towards
the door, but in the porch Gaston paused for a moment,
and caught Kitty by the arm.
