DOI article:
Watson, H. B. Marriott: The dead wall
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27805#0248
244 The Dead Wall
whipped his ragged soul. He rose suddenly to his feet, his face
blazing with fury.
“Danin you,” he cried passionately. “I have loved you. I have
sold my soul for you. I have ruined my mind for you. Damn
you, Dorothy. And you have no words for me. Damn you.”
H is voice trailed away into a tremulous sob, and he stood
contemplating her with fixed eyes. She laughed hardly, with-
drawing her skirts from his vicinity. His gaze wandered from
her, and went furtively towards the mantelpiece. She followed it,
and saw a revolver lying upon the marble.
“ Bah ! ” she said. “ You have not the courage.”
At that moment a knock fell upon the door ; after a pause she
moved and opened it.
“ Lord Hambleton, ma’am,” said Williams. “ He is in the
drawing-room.”
Breathing hard, she looked round at her husband. Rosewarne’s
dull eyes were fixed upon her. They interceded with her; they
fawned upon her.
“I will be there in a moment,” she said clearly. Rosewarne
moved slowly to the table and sat down, resting his head in his
hands. He made no protest ; if he realised anything now, he
realised that he had expected this. The door shut to behind her;
a. dull pain started in the base of his brain ; into the redoubts of
his soul streamed swiftly the forces of sheer panic.
Mrs. Rosewarne entered the drawing-room, the tail of her dress
rustling over the carpet. Lord Hambleton turned with this sound
in his ears, stirring him pleasantly.
“ Well,” said he, smiling, “ you see I’ve come.”
She gave him her hand and paused, confronting him. Her heart
thumped like a hammer upon her side ; her face was flushed with
colour, and her lips quivered,
“It
whipped his ragged soul. He rose suddenly to his feet, his face
blazing with fury.
“Danin you,” he cried passionately. “I have loved you. I have
sold my soul for you. I have ruined my mind for you. Damn
you, Dorothy. And you have no words for me. Damn you.”
H is voice trailed away into a tremulous sob, and he stood
contemplating her with fixed eyes. She laughed hardly, with-
drawing her skirts from his vicinity. His gaze wandered from
her, and went furtively towards the mantelpiece. She followed it,
and saw a revolver lying upon the marble.
“ Bah ! ” she said. “ You have not the courage.”
At that moment a knock fell upon the door ; after a pause she
moved and opened it.
“ Lord Hambleton, ma’am,” said Williams. “ He is in the
drawing-room.”
Breathing hard, she looked round at her husband. Rosewarne’s
dull eyes were fixed upon her. They interceded with her; they
fawned upon her.
“I will be there in a moment,” she said clearly. Rosewarne
moved slowly to the table and sat down, resting his head in his
hands. He made no protest ; if he realised anything now, he
realised that he had expected this. The door shut to behind her;
a. dull pain started in the base of his brain ; into the redoubts of
his soul streamed swiftly the forces of sheer panic.
Mrs. Rosewarne entered the drawing-room, the tail of her dress
rustling over the carpet. Lord Hambleton turned with this sound
in his ears, stirring him pleasantly.
“ Well,” said he, smiling, “ you see I’ve come.”
She gave him her hand and paused, confronting him. Her heart
thumped like a hammer upon her side ; her face was flushed with
colour, and her lips quivered,
“It