Chapter XVIII--More Business

by Bram Stoker

　　When Leonard tendered the eight hundred pounds in payment of his debtof five hundred, Mr. Cavendish at first refused to take it. But whenLeonard calmly but firmly refused to pay a single penny beyond theobligations already incurred, including interest on the full sum forone day, he acquiesced. He knew the type of man fully; and knew alsothat in all probability it would not be long before he would come tothe Firm again on a borrowing errand. When such time should come, hewould put an extra clause into his Memorandum of Agreement whichwould allow the Firm full power to make whatever extra charge theymight choose in case of the slightest default in making payment.Leonard's visits to town had not of late been many, and such as hehad had were not accompanied with a plethora of cash. He now feltthat he had earned a holiday; and it was not till the third morningthat he returned to Brindehow. His father made no comment on hisabsence; his only allusion to the subject was:'Back all right! Any news in town?' There was, however, an unwontedsuavity in his manner which made Leonard a little anxious. He busiedhimself for the balance of the morning in getting together all hisunpaid accounts and making a schedule of them. The total at firstamazed almost as much as it frightened him. He feared what Stephenwould say. She had already commented unfavourably on the one amountshe had seen. When she was face to face with this she might refuseto pay altogether. It would therefore be wise to propitiate her.What could he do in this direction? His thoughts naturally turned tothe missing letter. If he could get possession of it, it wouldeither serve as a sop or a threat. In the one case she would be soglad to have it back that she would not stick at a few pounds; in theother it would 'bring her to her senses' as he put in his own mindhis intention of blackmail.He was getting so tightened up in situation that as yet he could onlydo as he was told, and keep his temper as well as he could.Altogether it was in a chastened mood that he made his appearance atNormanstand later in the afternoon. He was evidently expected, forhe was shown into the study without a word. Here Miss Rowly andStephen joined him. Both were very kind in manner. After the usualgreetings and commonplaces Stephen said in a brisk, businesslike way:'Have you the papers with you?' He took the bundle of accounts fromhis pocket and handed them to her. After his previous experience hewould have suggested, had he dared, that he should see Stephen alone;but he feared the old lady. He therefore merely said:'I am afraid you will find the amount very large. But I have putdown everything!'So he had; and more than everything. At the last an idea struck himthat as he was getting so much he might as well have a little more.He therefore added several good-sized amounts which he called 'debtsof honour.' This would, he thought, appeal to the feminine mind.Stephen did not look at the papers at once. She stood up, holdingthem, and said to Miss Rowly:'Now, if you will talk to Mr. Everard I will go over these documentsquietly by myself. When I have been through them and understand themall I shall come back; and we will see what can be done.' She movedgracefully out of the room, closing the door behind her. As is usualwith women, she had more than one motive for her action in goingaway. In the first place, she wished to be alone whilst she wentover the schedule of the debts. She feared she might get angry; andin the present state of her mind towards Leonard the expression ofany feeling, even contempt, would not be wise. Her best protectionfrom him would be a manifest kindly negation of any special interest.In the second place, she believed that he would have her letter withthe other papers, and she did not wish her aunt to see it, lest sheshould recognise the writing. In her boudoir, with a beating heart,she untied the string and looked through the papers.Her letter was not among them.For a few seconds she stood stock still, thinking. Then, with asigh, she sat down and began to read the list of debts, turning tothe originals now and again for details. As she went on, her wonderand disgust grew; and even a sense of fear came into her thoughts. Aman who could be so wildly reckless and so selfishly unscrupulous wasto be feared. She knew his father was a comparatively poor man, whocould not possibly meet such a burden. If he were thus to hisfather, what might he be to her if he got a chance.The thought of what he might have been to her, had he taken thechance she had given him, never occurred to her. This possibilityhad already reached the historical stage in her mind.She made a few pencil notes on the list; and went back to the study.Her mind was made up.She was quite businesslike and calm, did not manifest the slightestdisapproval, but seemed to simply accept everything as facts. Sheasked Leonard a few questions on subjects regarding which she hadmade notes, such as discounts. Then she held the paper out to himand without any preliminary remark said:'Will you please put the names to these?''How do you mean?' he asked, flushing.'The names of the persons to whom these sums marked "debt of honour"are due.' His reply came quickly, and was a little aggressive; hethought this might be a good time to make a bluff:'I do not see that that is necessary. I can settle them when I havethe money.' Slowly and without either pause or flurry Stephenreplied, looking him straight in the eyes as she handed him thepapers:'Of course it is not necessary! Few things in the world really are!I only wanted to help you out of your troubles; but if you do notwish me to . . . !' Leonard interrupted in alarm:'No! no! I only spoke of these items. You see, being "debts ofhonour" I ought not to give the names.' Looking with a keen glanceat her set face he saw she was obdurate; and, recognising his defeat,said as calmly as he could, for he felt raging:'All right! Give me the paper!' Bending over the table he wrote.When she took the paper, a look half surprised, half indignant,passed over her face. Her watchful aunt saw it, and bending overlooked also at the paper. Then she too smiled bitterly.Leonard had printed in the names! The feminine keenness of bothwomen had made his intention manifest. He did not wish for thepossibility of his handwriting being recognised. His punishment camequickly. With a dazzling smile Stephen said to him:'But, Leonard, you have forgotten to put the addresses!''Is that necessary?''Of course it is! Why, you silly, how is the money to be paid ifthere are no addresses?'Leonard felt like a rat in a trap; but he had no alternative. Soirritated was he, and so anxious to hide his irritation that,forgetting his own caution, he wrote, not in printing characters butin his own handwriting, addresses evolved from his own imagination.Stephen's eyes twinkled as he handed her the paper: he had givenhimself away all round.Leonard having done all that as yet had been required of him, feltthat he might now ask a further favour, so he said:'There is one of those bills which I have promised to pay by Monday.''Promised?' said Stephen with wide-opened eyes. She had no idea ofsparing him, she remembered the printed names. 'Why, Leonard, Ithought you said you were unable to pay any of those debts?'Again he had put himself in a false position. He could not say thatit was to his father he had made the promise; for he had already toldStephen that he had been afraid to tell him of his debts. In hisdesperation, for Miss Rowly's remorseless glasses were full on him,he said:'I thought I was justified in making the promise after what you saidabout the pleasure it would be to help me. You remember, that day onthe hilltop?'If he had wished to disconcert her he was mistaken; she had alreadythought over and over again of every form of embarrassment herunhappy action might bring on her at his hands. She now said sweetlyand calmly, so sweetly and so calmly that he, with knowledge of hersecret, was alarmed:'But that was not a promise to pay. If you will remember it was onlyan offer, which is a very different thing. You did not accept itthen!' She was herself somewhat desperate, or she would not havesailed so close to the wind.'Ah, but I accepted later!' he said quickly, feeling in hissatisfaction in an epigrammatic answer a certain measure of victory.He felt his mistake when she went on calmly:'Offers like that are not repeated. They are but phantoms, afterall. They come at their own choice, when they do come; and they staybut the measure of a breath or two. You cannot summon them!'Leonard fell into the current of the metaphor and answered:'I don't know that even that is impossible. There are spells whichcall, and recall, even phantoms!''Indeed!' Stephen was anxious to find his purpose.Leonard felt that he was getting on, that he was again acquiring theupper hand; so he pushed on the metaphor, more and more satisfiedwith himself:'And it is wonderful how simple some spells, and these the mostpowerful, can be. A remembered phrase, the recollection of apleasant meeting, the smell of a forgotten flower, or the sight of aforgotten letter; any or all of these can, through memory, bring backthe past. And it is often in the past that the secret of the futurelies!'Miss Rowly felt that something was going on before her which shecould not understand. Anything of this man's saying which she couldnot fathom must be at least dangerous; so she determined to spoil hispurpose, whatever it might be.'Dear me! That is charmingly poetic! Past and future; memory andthe smell of flowers; meetings and letters! It is quite philosophy.Do explain it all, Mr. Everard!' Leonard was not prepared to go onunder the circumstances. His own mention of 'letter,' although hehad deliberately used it with the intention of frightening Stephen,had frightened himself. It reminded him that he had not brought, hadnot got, the letter; and that as yet he was not certain of gettingthe money. Stephen also had noted the word, and determined not topass the matter by. She said gaily:'If a letter is a spell, I think you have a spell of mine, which is aspell of my own weaving. You were to show me the letter in which Iasked you to come to see me. It was in that, I think you said, thatI mentioned your debts; but I don't remember doing so. Show it tome!''I have not got it with me!' This was said with mulish sullenness.'Why not?''I forgot.''That is a pity! It is always a pity to forget things in a businesstransaction; as this is. I think, Auntie, we must wait till we haveall the documents, before we can complete this transaction!'Leonard was seriously alarmed. If the matter of the loan were notgone on with at once the jeweller's bill could not be paid by Monday,and the result would be another scene with his father. He turned toStephen and said as charmingly as he could, and he was all in earnestnow:'I'm awfully sorry! But these debts have been so worrying me thatthey put lots of things out of my head. That bill to be paid onMonday, when I haven't a feather to fly with, is enough to drive afellow off his chump. The moment I lay my hands on the letter Ishall keep it with me so that I can't forget it again. Won't youforgive me for this time?''Forgive!' she answered, with a laugh. 'Why it's not worthforgiveness! It is not worth a second thought! All right! Leonard,make your mind easy; the bill will be paid on Monday!' Miss Rowlysaid quietly:'I have to be in London on Monday afternoon; I can pay it for you.'This was a shock to Leonard; he said impulsively:'Oh, I say! Can't I . . . ' His words faded away as the old ladyagain raised her lorgnon and gazed at him calmly. She went on:'You know, my dear, it won't be even out of my way, as I have to callat Mr. Malpas's office, and I can go there from the hotel in RegentStreet.' This was all news to Stephen. She did not know that heraunt had intended going to London; and indeed she did not know of anybusiness with Mr. Malpas, whose firm had been London solicitor to theRowlys for several generations. She had no doubt, however, as to theold lady's intention. It was plain to her that she wanted to help.So she thanked her sweetly. Leonard could say nothing. He seemed tohe left completely out of it. When Stephen rose, as a hint to himthat it was time for him to go, he said humbly, as he left:'Would it be possible that I should have the receipt before Mondayevening? I want to show it to my father.''Certainly!' said the old lady, answering him. 'I shall be back bythe two o'clock train; and if you happen to be at the railway stationat Norcester when I arrive I can give it to you!'He went away relieved, but vindictive; determined in his own mindthat when he had received the money for the rest of the debts hewould see Stephen, when the old lady was not present, and have it outwith her.