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that the police should have anything to do with it。〃
〃Ay！ ay！ Hm！ Hm！ I see brawly。 Ye'll be efter a stray sheep； nae
doot？〃
Hugh did not reply； so leaving him to form any conclusion he
pleased。
〃Ye see；〃 MacPherson continued； 〃it's no that easy to a body that's
no up to the trade。 Hae ye ony clue like； to set ye spierin' upo'？〃
〃Not the least。〃
The man pondered a while。
〃I hae't；〃 he exclaimed at last。 〃What a fule I was no to think o'
that afore！ Gin't be a puir bit yow…lammie like； 'at ye're efter；
I'll tell ye what： there's ae man； a countryman o' our ain； an' a
gentleman forbye； that'll do mair for ye in that way； nor a' the
detaictives thegither； an' that's Robert Falconer； Esquire。I ken
him weel。〃
〃But I don't；〃 said Hugh。
〃But I'll introduce ye till 'im。 He bides close at han' here； roun'
twa corners jist。 An' I'm thinkin' he'll be at hame the noo； for I
saw him gaein that get； afore ye cam' up to me。 An' the suner we
gang； the better； for he's no aye to be gotten hand o'。 Fegs！ he
may be in Shoreditch or this。〃
〃But will he not consider it an intrusion？〃
〃Na； na； there's no fear o' that。 He's ony man's an' ilka woman's
freenso be he can do them a guid turn； but he's no for drinkin'
and daffin' an' that。 Come awa'； Maister Sutherlan'； he's yer verra
man。〃
Thus urged； Hugh rose and accompanied the policeman。 He took him
round rather more than two corners； but within five minutes they
stood at Mr。 Falconer's door。 John rang。 The door opened without
visible service； and they ascended to the first floor； which was
enclosed something after the Scotch fashion。 Here a respectable
looking woman awaited their ascent。
〃Is Mr。 Falconer at hom'； mem？〃 said Hugh's guide。
〃He is； but I think he's just going out again。〃
〃Will ye tell him； mem； 'at hoo John MacPherson； the policeman；
would like sair to see him？〃
〃I will；〃 she answered； and went in； leaving them at the door。
She returned in a moment； and； inviting them to enter； ushered them
into a large bare room； in which there was just light enough for
Hugh to recognize； to his astonishment； the unmistakeable figure of
the man whom he had met in Whitechapel； and whom he had afterwards
seen apparently watching him from the gallery of the Olympic
Theatre。
〃How are you； MacPherson？〃 said a deep powerful voice； out of the
gloom。
〃Verra weel； I thank ye； Mr。 Falconer。 Hoo are ye yersel'； sir？〃
〃Very well too； thank you。 Who is with you？〃
〃It's a gentleman； sir； by the name o' Mr。 Sutherlan'； wha wants
your help； sir； aboot somebody or ither 'at he's enteresstit in；
wha's disappeared。〃
Falconer advanced； and； bowing to Hugh said； very graciously：
〃I shall be most happy to serve Mr。 Sutherland； if in my power。 Our
friend MacPherson has rather too exalted an idea of my capabilities；
however。〃
〃Weel； Maister Falconer； I only jist spier at yersel'； whether or no
ye was ever dung wi' onything ye took in han'。〃
Falconer made no reply to this。 There was the story of a whole life
in his silencepast and to come。
He merely said：
〃You can leave the gentleman with me； then； John。 I'll take care of
him。〃
〃No fear o' that； sir。 Deil a bit！ though a' the policemen i'
Lonnon war efter 'im。〃
〃I'm much obliged to you for bringing him。〃
〃The obligation's mine siran' the gentleman's。 Good nicht； sir。
Good nicht； Mr。 Sutherlan'。 Ye'll ken whaur to fin' me gin ye want
me。 Yon's my beat for anither fortnicht。〃
〃And you know my quarters；〃 said Hugh； shaking him by the hand。 〃I
am greatly obliged to you。〃
〃Not a bit； sir。 Or gin ye war； ye sud be hertily welcome。〃
〃Bring candles； Mrs。 Ashton；〃 Falconer called from the door。 Then；
turning to Hugh； 〃Sit down； Mr。 Sutherland；〃 he said； 〃if you can
find a chair that is not illegally occupied already。 Perhaps we had
better wait for the candles。 What a pleasant day we have had！〃
〃Then you have been more pleasantly occupied than I have；〃 thought
Hugh； to whose mind returned the images of the Appleditch family and
its drawing…room； followed by the anticipation of the distasteful
duties of the morrow。 But he only said：
〃It has been a most pleasant day。〃
〃I spent it strangely；〃 said Falconer。
Here the candles were brought in。
The two men looked at each other full in the face。 Hugh saw that he
had not been in error。 The same remarkable countenance was before
him。 Falconer smiled。
〃We have met before；〃 said he。
〃We have；〃 said Hugh。
〃I had a conviction we should be better acquainted； but I did not
expect it so soon。〃
〃Are you a clairvoyant； then？〃
〃Not in the least。〃
〃Or； perhaps； being a Scotchman； you have the second sight？〃
〃I am hardly Celt enough for that。 But I am a sort of a seer； after
allfrom an instinct of the spiritual relations of things； I hope；
not in the least from the nervo…material side。〃
〃I think I understand you。〃
〃Are you at leisure？〃
〃Entirely。〃
〃Had we not better walk； then？ I have to go as far as Somers
Townno great way； and we can talk as well walking as sitting。〃
〃With pleasure；〃 answered Hugh； rising。
〃Will you take anything before you go？ A glass of port？ It is the
only wine I happen to have。〃
〃Not a drop； thank you。 I seldom taste anything stronger than
water。〃
〃I like that。 But I like a glass of port too。 Come then。〃
And Falconer roseand a great rising it was； for； as I have said；
he was two or three inches taller than Hugh； and much broader across
the shoulders； and Hugh was no stripling now。 He could not help
thinking again of his old friend； David Elginbrod； to whom he had to
look up to find the living eyes of him； just as now he looked up to
find Falconer's。 But there was a great difference between those
organs in the two men。 David's had been of an ordinary size； pure
keen blue； sparkling out of cerulean depths of peace and hope； full
of lambent gleams when he was loving any one； and ever ready to be
dimmed with the mists of rising emotion。 All that Hugh could yet
discover of Falconer's eyes was； that they were large； and black as
night； and set so far back in his head； that each gleamed out of its
caverned arch like the reversed torch of the Greek Genius of Death；
just before going out in night。 Either the frontal sinus was very
large； or his observant faculties were peculiarly developed。
They went out； and walked for some distance in silence。 Hugh
ventured to say at length：
〃You said you had spent the day strangely： may I ask how？〃
〃In a condemned cell in Newgate；〃 answered Falconer。 〃I am not in
the habit of going to such places； but the man wanted to see me； and
I went。〃
As Falconer said no more； and as Hugh was afraid of showing anything
like vulgar curiosity； this thread of conversation broke。 Nothing
worth recording passed until they entered a narrow court in Somers
Town。
〃Are you afraid of infection？〃 Falconer said。
〃Not in the least； if there be any reason for exposing myself to
it。〃
〃That is right。And I need not ask if you are in good health。〃
〃I am in perfect health。〃
〃Then I need not mind asking you to wait for me till I come out of
this house。 There is typhus in it。〃
〃I will wait with pleasure。 I will go with you if I can be of any
use。〃
〃There is no occasion。 It is not your business this time。〃
So saying； Falconer opened the door； and walked in。
Said Hugh to himself： 〃I must tell this man the whole story； and
with it all my own。〃
In a few minutes Falconer rejoined him； looking solemn； but with a
kind of relieved expression on his face。
〃The poor fellow is gone；〃 said he。
〃Ah！〃
〃What a thing it must be； Mr。 Sutherland； for a man to break out of
the choke…damp of a typhus fever into the clear air of the life
beyond！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Hugh； adding； after a slight hesitation； 〃if he be at
all prepared for the change。〃
〃Where a change belongs to the natural order of things；〃 said
Falconer； 〃and arrives inevitably at some hour； there must always be
more or less preparedness for it。 Besides； I think a man is
generally prepared for a breath of fresh air。〃
Hugh did not reply； for he felt that he did not fully comprehend his
new acquaintance。 But he had a strong suspicion that it was because
he moved in a higher region than himself。
〃If you will still accompany me；〃 resumed Falconer； who had not yet
adverted to Hugh's object in seeking his acquaintance； 〃you will； I
think； be soon compelled to believe that； at whatever time death may
arrive； or in whatever condition the man may be at the time； it
comes as the best and only good that can at that moment reach him。
We are； perhaps； too much in the habit of thinking of death as the
culmination of disease； which； regarded only in itself； is an evil；
and a terrible evil。 But I think rather of death as the first pulse
of the new strength； shaking itself free from the old mouldy
remnants of earth…garments； that it may begin in freedom the new
life that grows out of the old。 The caterpillar dies into the
butterfly。 Who knows but disease may be the coming； the keener
life； breaking into this； and beginning to destroy like fire the
inferior modes