His
clerical frock-coat was of inordinate length; his boots were
aggravatingly clump-soled; by a very large white tie, masking the
edges of a turned-down collar, he proclaimed himself Evangelical.
An otherwise clean-shaven florid face was adorned with brown
side-whiskers growing rather long. A bald, shiny head topped a
fringe of brown hair.
I stared at this unexpected gentleman for a second or two, and
then, recovering my self-possession, looked enquiringly at
Judith.
"Sir Marcus," she said, "let me introduce my husband, Mr. Rupert
Mainwaring."
Her husband! This benevolent Evangelical parson her husband!
But the brilliant gallant who had dazzled her eyes? The
dissolute scoundrel that had wrecked her life? Where was he?
Dumfounded, I managed to bow politely enough, but my stupefaction
was covered by Judith rushing across the room and uttering a
strange sound which resolved itself into a shrill, hysterical
laugh as she reached the door which she opened and slammed behind
her. I heard her scream hysterically in the passage; then the
slam of another door; and the silence told me that she had shut
herself in her bedroom.
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