 Book 8. Chapter 8 of the Fallen Leaves. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Rita Boutros. The Fallen Leaves by Wilkie Collins. Book 8. Dame Nature Decides. Chapter 8. Early the next morning, Rufus rang at the cottage gate. Well, Mr. Frenchman, and how do you get along, and how's Emilius? Toph, standing before the gate, answered with the utmost respect, but showed no inclination to let the visitor in. Emilius has his intervals of laziness. Rufus proceeded, I bet he's in bed. My young Mastel was up and lest an hour ago, so he has just gone out. That is so, is it? Well, I'll wait till he comes back. He pushed by Toph and walked into the cottage. Your foreign ceremonies are clean thrown away on me, he said, as Toph tried to stop him in the hall. I'm the American savage, and I'm used up with traveling all night. Here's a little order for you. Whiskey, bitters, lemon, and ice. I'll take a cocktail in the library. Toph made a last desperate effort to get between the visitor and the door. I beg your paldance, a thousand times, I must most respectfully entreat you to wait. Before he could explain himself, Rufus, with the most perfect good humor, pulled the old man out of his way. What's troubling this venerable creature's mind, he inquired of himself, does he think I don't know my way in? He opened the library door and found himself face to face with Sally. She had risen from her chair, hearing voices outside, and hesitating whether to leave the room or not. They confronted each other on either side of the table in silent dismay. For once Rufus was so completely bewildered that he took refuge in his customary form of greeting before he was aware of it himself. How do you find yourself, Miss? I take pleasure in renewing our acquaintance. Thunder, that's not it. I reckon I'm off my head. Do me the favor, young woman, to forget every word I've said to you. If any mortal creature had told me I should find you here, I should have said twas a lie, and I should have been a liar. That makes a man feel bad, I can tell you. No, don't slide off, if you please, into the next room. That won't set things right, know how. Sit you down again. Now I'm here I have something to say. I'll speak first to Mr. Frenchman. Listen to this old sir. If I happen to want a witness standing in the doorway, I'll ring the bell. For the present I can do without you. Bang sure, as we say in your country. He proceeded to shut the door on Toff and his remonstrances. I protest, sir, against acts of violence, unworthy of a gentleman, cried Toff, struggling to get back again. Be as angry as you please in the kitchen, Rufus answered, persisting in closing the door. I won't have a noise up here. If you know where your master is, go and fetch him, and the sooner the better. He turned back to Sally and surveyed her for a while in terrible silence. She was afraid to look at him. Her eyes were on the book which she had been reading when he came in. You look to me, Rufus remarked, as if you had been settled here for a time. Never mind your book now. You can go back to your reading after we've had a word or two together first. He reached out his long arm and pulled the book to his own side of the table. Sally innocently silenced him for the second time. He opened the book and discovered the New Testament. It's my lesson, if you please, sir. I'm to learn it where the pencil mark is before Amelius comes back. She offered her poor little explanation, trembling with terror. In spite of himself, Rufus began to look at her less sternly. So you call him Amelius, do you, he said? I note that miss as an unfavorable sign to begin with. How long, if you please, has Amelius turned schoolmark for your young ladyship's benefit? Don't you understand? Well, you're not the only inhabitant of Great Britain who don't understand the English language. I'll put it plainer. When I last saw Amelius, you were learning your lessons at the home. What ill-wind miss blew you in here? Did Amelius fetch you or did you come of your own accord without waiting to be whistled for her? He spoke coarsely, but not ill-humoredly. Sally's pretty downcast face was pleading with him for mercy, and, as he felt with supreme contempt for himself, was not altogether pleading in vain. If I guessed that you ran away from the home, he resumed, should I guess right? She answered with a sudden accession of confidence. Don't blame Amelius, she said. I did run away. I couldn't live without him. You don't know how you can live young until you've tried the experiment. Well, and what did they do at the home? Did they send after you to fetch you back? They wouldn't take me back. They sent my clothes here after me. Ah, those were the rules, I reckon. I begin to see my way to the end of it now. Amelius gave you house-room? She looked at him proudly. He gave me a room of my own, she said. His next question was the exact repetition of the question which he had put to Regina in Paris. The only variety was in the answer that he received. Are you fond of Amelius? I would die for him. Rufus had hitherto spoken, standing. He now took a chair. Amelius had not been brought up a tad more. He said, I should take my hat and wish you good morning. As things are, a word more may be a word in season. Your lessons here seem to have agreed with you, Miss. You're a different sort of girl to what you were when I last saw you. She surprised him by receiving that remark in silence. The color left her face. She sighed bitterly. The sigh puzzled Rufus. He held his opinion of her in suspense until he had heard more. You said just now you would die for Amelius. He went on, eyeing her attentively. I take that to be a woman's hysterical way of mentioning that she feels interest in Amelius. Are you fond enough of him to leave him if you could only be persuaded that leaving him was for his good? She abruptly left the table and went to the window. When her back was turned to Rufus, she spoke. Am I a disgrace to him? She asked in tone so faint that he could barely hear them. I have had my fears of it before now. If he had been less fond of Amelius, his natural kindness of heart might have kept him silent. Even as it was, he made no direct reply. You remember how you were living when Amelius first met with you was all he said? The sad blue eyes looked at him in patient sorrow. The low sweet voice answered, Yes, only a look and a word, only the influence of an instant. And in that instant, Rufus' last doubts of her vanished. Don't think I say it reproachfully, my child. I know it was not your fault. I know you are to be pitied and not blamed. She turned her face towards him, pale, quiet, and resigned. Pitied and not blamed, she repeated, Am I to be forgiven? He shrank from answering her. There was silence. You said just now, she went on, that I looked like a different girl. Since you last saw me, I am a different girl. I think of things that I never thought of before. Some change. I don't know what has come over me. Oh, my heart does hunger so to be good. I do so long to deserve what Emilius has done for me. You have got my book there. Emilius gave it to me. We read in it every day. If Christ had been on earth now, is it wrong to think that Christ would have forgiven me? No, my dear. It's right to think so. And while I live, if I do my best to lead a good life, and if my last prayer to God is to take me to heaven, shall I be heard? You will be heard, my child. I don't doubt it. But you see, you have got the world about you to reckon with, and the world has invented a religion of its own. There's no use looking for it in this book of yours. It's a religion with the pride of property at the bottom of it, and a veneer of benevolent sentiment at the top. It will be very sorry for you and very charitable towards you. In short, it will do everything for you except taking you back again. She had her answer to that. Emilius has taken me back again, she said. Emilius has taken you back again, Rufus agreed, but there is one thing he's forgotten to do. He has forgotten to count the cost. It seems to be left to me to do that. Look here, my girl. I own, I doubted you when I first came into this room, and I'm sorry for it, and I beg your pardon. I do believe you're a good girl. I couldn't say why if I was asked, but I do believe in it for all that. I wish there was no more to be said, but there is more. And neither you nor I must shirk it. Public opinion won't deal as tenderly with you as I do. Public opinion will make the worst of you and the worst of Emilius. While you're living here with him, there's no disguising it. You're innocently in the way of the boys' prospects in life. I don't know whether you understand me. She had turned away from him. She was looking out of the window once more. I understand you, she answered. On the night when Emilius met with me, he did wrong to take me away with him. He ought to have left me where I was. Wait a bit. That's as far from my meaning as far can be. There's a lookout for everybody, and if you'll trust me, I'll find a lookout for you. She paid no heed to what he said. Her next words showed that she was pursuing her own train of thought. I am in the way of his prospects in life, she resumed. You mean that he might be married some day, but for me. Rufus admitted it cautiously. The thing might happen, was all he said. And his friends might come and see him, she went on. Her face still turned away, and her voice sinking into dull, subdued tones. Nobody comes here now. You see, I understand you. When shall I go away? I had better not say goodbye. I suppose it would only distress him. I could slip out of the house, couldn't I? Rufus began to feel uneasy. He was prepared for tears, but not for such resignation as this. After a little hesitation he joined her at the window. She never turned towards him. She still looked out straight before her. Her bright young face had turned pitiably rigid and pale. He spoke to her very gently, advising her to think of what he had said, and to do nothing in a hurry. She knew the hotel at which he stayed when he was in London, and she could write to him there. If she decided to begin a new life in another country, he was wholly and truly at her service. He would provide a passage for her in the same ship that took him back to America. At his age, and known as he was in his own neighborhood, there would be no scandal to fear. He could get her reputably and profitably employed in work which a young girl might undertake. I'll be as good as a father to you, my poor child, he said, don't think you're going to be friendless if you leave Emilius. I'll see to that. You shall have honest people about you and innocent pleasure in your new life. She thanked him, still with the same dull, tearless resignation. What will the honest people say, she asked, when they know who I am? They have no business to know who you are, and they shan't know it. Ah, it comes back to the same thing, she said. You must deceive the honest people, or you can do nothing for me. Emilius had better have left me where I was. I disgraced nobody, I was a burden to nobody there. Cold and hunger and ill treatment can sometimes be merciful friends in their way. If I had been left to them, they would have laid me at rest by this time. She turned to Rufus before he could speak to her. I'm not ungrateful, sir. I'll think of it, as you say, and I'll do all that a poor, foolish creature can do to be worthy of the interest you take in me. She lifted her hand to her head with a momentary expression of pain. I've got a dull kind of aching here, she said. It reminds me of my old life when I was sometimes beaten on the head. May I go and lie down a little by myself? Rufus took her hand and pressed it in silence. She looked back at him as she opened the door of her room. Don't distress Emilius, she said. I can bear anything but that. Left alone in the library, Rufus walked restlessly to and fro, driven by a troubled mind. I was bound to do it, he thought, and I ought to be satisfied with myself. I'm not satisfied. The world is hard on women, and the rights of property is a darned bad reason for it. The door from the hall was suddenly thrown open. Emilius entered the room. He looked flushed and angry. He refused to take the hand that Rufus offered to him. What's this I hear from Toph? It seems that you forced your way in when Sally was here. There are limits to the liberties that a man may take in his friend's house. That's true, said Rufus quietly, but when a man hasn't taken liberties, they don't seem much to be said. Sally was at the home when I last saw you and nobody told me I should find her in this room. You might have left the room when you found her here. You have been talking to her. If you have said anything about Regina. I have said nothing about Miss Regina. You have a hot temper of your own, Emilius. Wait a bit and let it cool. Never mind my temper. I want to know what you have been saying to Sally. Stop, I'll ask Sally herself. He crossed the room to the inner door and knocked. Come and hear, my dear, I want to speak to you. The answer reached him faintly through the door. I have got a bad headache, Emilius. Please let me rest a little. He turned back to Rufus and lowered his voice, but his eyes flashed. He was more angry than ever. You had better go, he said. I can guess how you have been talking to her. I know what her headache means. Any man who distresses that dear little affectionate creature is a man whom I hold as my enemy. I spit upon all the worldly considerations which pass muster with people like you. No sweeter girl than poor Sally ever breathed the breath of life. Her happiness is more precious to me than words can say. She is sacred to me and I have just proved it. I have just come from a good woman who will teach her an honest way of earning her bread. Not a breath of scandal shall blow on her. If you or any people like you think I will consent to cast her adrift on the world or consign her to a prison under the name of a home, you little know my nature and my principles. Here he snatched up the New Testament from the table and shook it at Rufus. Here are my principles and I am not ashamed of them. Rufus took up his hat. There is one thing you will be ashamed of, my son. You're cool enough to think about it, he said. You'll be ashamed of the words you have spoken to a friend who loves you. I'm not a bit angry myself. You remind me of that time on board the steamer when the quartermaster was going to shoot the bird. You made it up with him and you'll come to my hotel and make it up with me. And then we'll shake hands and talk about Sally. If it's not taking another liberty, I'll trouble you for a light. He helped himself to a match from the box on the chimney piece, lit his cigar, and left the room. He had not been gone half an hour before the better nature of Emilius urged him to follow Rufus and make his apologies. But he was too anxious about Sally to leave the cottage until he had seen her first. The tone in which she had answered him when he knocked at her door suggested to his sensitive apprehension that there was something more serious the matter with her than a mere headache. For another hour he waited patiently on the chance that he might hear her moving in her room. Nothing happened. No sound reached his ears except the occasional rolling of carriage wheels on the road outside. His patience began to fail him as the second hour moved on. He went to the door and listened and still heard nothing. A sudden dread struck him that she might have fainted. He opened the door a few inches and spoke to her. There was no answer. He looked in. The room was empty. He ran into the hall and called too tough. Was she by any chance downstairs? No. Or out in the garden? No. Master and man looked at each other in silence. Sally was gone. End of Book 8, Chapter 8 Book 8, Chapter 9 of The Fallen Leaves This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Rita Butros The Fallen Leaves by Wilkie Collins Book 8, Dame Nature Decides Chapter 9 Toph was the first who recovered himself. Courage, sir, he said. With a little thinking we shall find the way to find her. That rude American man who talked with her this morning may be the person who has brought this misfortune on us. Amelia's waited to hear no more. There was the chance at least that something might have been said which had induced her to take refuge with Rufus. He ran back to the library to get his hat. Toph followed his master with another suggestion. One word more, sir, before you go. If the American man cannot help us, we must be ready to try another way. Permit me to accompany you as far as my wife's shop. I propose that she shall come back here with me and examine poor little Mrs. Bedroom. We will wait, of course, for your return before anything is done. In the meantime, I entreat you not to despair. It is at least possible that the means of discovery may be found in the bedroom. They went out together, taking the first cab that passed them. Amelia's proceeded alone to the hotel. Rufus was in his room. What's gone wrong, he asked. The moment Amelia's opened the door. Shake hands with my son and smother up that little trouble between us in silence. Your face alarms me, it does. My son, isn't she here? He asked. Rufus drew back. The mere action said no before he answered in words. Have you seen nothing of her? Heard nothing of her? Nothing. Steady now. Meet it like a man and tell me what has happened. Amelia's told him in two words. Don't suppose I'm going to break out again as I did this morning he went on. I'm too wretched and too anxious to say anything to her. Rufus held up his hand. I see what you're driving at. It will be more to the purpose to tell you what she said to me. From first to last, I spoke kindly to her and I did her justice. Give me a minute to rummage my memory. After brief consideration he carefully repeated the substance of what had passed between Sally and himself during the latter part of the interview between them. When he looked about in her room he inquired when he had done there might be a trifling something to help you left behind her there. Amelia's told him of Toph's suggestion. They returned together at once to the cottage. Madame Toph was waiting to begin the search. The first discovery was easily made. Sally had taken off one or two little trinkets presents from Amelia's which she was in the habit of wearing up in paper on the dressing table. No such thing as a farewell letter was found near them. The examination of the wardrobe came next and here a startling circumstance revealed itself. Every one of the dresses which Amelia's had presented to her was hanging in its place. They were not many and they had all on previous occasions been passed in review by Toph's wife. She was absolutely certain that the complete number of dresses was there in the bedroom. Sally must have worn something in place of her new clothes. What had she put on? Looking around the room, Amelia's noticed in a corner the box in which he had placed the first new dress that he had purchased for Sally on the morning after they had met. He tried to open the box. It was locked and the key was not to be found. The ever ready Toph fetched a skewer from the kitchen and picked the lock in two minutes on lifting the cover the box proved to be empty. The one person present who understood what this meant was Amelia's. He remembered that Sally had taken her old threadbare clothes away with her in the box when the angry landlady had insisted on his leaving the house. I want to look at them sometimes the poor girl had said and think how much better off I am now. In those miserable regs she had fled from the cottage during the cruel truth. He had better have left me where I was she had said. Cold and hunger and ill treatment would have laid me at rest by this time. Amelia's fell on his knees before the empty box in helpless despair. The conclusion that now forced itself on his mind completely unmanned him. She had gone back in the old dress to die under the cold the hunger and the horror of the old life. He had left the house and spoke to him kindly. He rallied and dashed the tears from his eyes and rose to his feet. I know where to look for her was all he said and I must do it alone. He refused to enter into any explanation or to be assisted by any companion. This is my secret and hers he answered go back to your hotel Rufus and pray that I may not bring news which will make a wretched man. In another hour he stood once more on the spot at which he and Sally had met. The wild bustle and uproar of the costumonger's night market no longer rioted around him. The street by daylight was in a state of dreary repose slowly pacing up and down from one end to another. He waited with but one hope to sustain him. The hope that she might have taken in the dark days of her life ignorant of the place in which they lived he had no choice but to wait for the appearance of one or other of them in the street. He was quiet and resolved. For the rest of the day and for the whole of the night if need be his mind was made up to keep steadfastly on the watch. When he could walk no longer he obtained rest and refreshment in the cook shop which he remembered so well sitting on a stool near the window from which he could still command a view of the street. The gas lamps were alight and the long winter's night was beginning to set in when he resumed his weary march from end to end of the pavement. As the darkness became complete his patience was rewarded at last. Passing the door of a pawnbroker's shop he met one of the women face to face walking rapidly with a little parcel under her arm. She recognized him with a cry of joyful surprise. Oh sir how glad I am to see you to be sure you've come to look after Sally haven't you? Yes, yes she's safe in our poor place but in such a dreadful state off her head clean off her head talks of nothing but you. I'm in the way of his prospects in life over and over and over again she keeps on saying that don't be afraid Jenny's at home taking care of her she wants to go out hot and wild with a kind of fever on her she wants to go out she asked if it rained the rain may kill me in these ragged clothes she says and then I shan't be in the way of his prospects in life we tried to quiet her by telling her it didn't rain but it was no use she was as eager as ever to go out I may get another blow on the bosom she says and maybe it will fall on the right place this time no there's no fear of the brute who used to beat her he's in prison don't ask to see her just yet sir please don't I'm afraid you would only make her worse if I took you to her now I wouldn't dare to risk it you see we can't get her to sleep and we thought of buying something to quiet her at the chemist yes sir it would be better to get a doctor to her but I wasn't going to the doctor so I must tell you I was obliged to take the sheets off the bed to raise a little money I was going to the pawnbrokers she looked at the parcel under her arm and smiled I may take the sheets back again now I've met with you and there's a good doctor lives close by I can show you the way to him oh how pale you do look are you very much tired it's only a little way to the doctor I've got an arm at your service I mightn't like to be seen waiting with such a person as me mentally and physically Emilius was completely prostrated the woman's melancholy narrative had overwhelmed him he could neither speak nor act he mechanically put his purse in her hand and went with her to the house of the nearest medical man the doctor was at home mixing drugs and his little surgery after one sharp look at Emilius he ran into a back parlor and returned with a glass of spirits drink this sir he said unless you want to find yourself on the floor in a fainting fit and don't presume again on your youth and strength to treat your heart as if it were made of cast iron he signed to Emilius to sit down and rest himself and turned to the woman to hear what was wanted of him after a few questions he said she might go promising to follow her in a few minutes but the woman would be sufficiently recovered to accompany him well sir are you beginning to feel like yourself again he was mixing a composing draft while he addressed Emilius in those terms you may trust that poor wretch who has just left us to take care of the sick girl he went on in the quaintly familiar manner which seemed to be habitual with him I don't ask how you got into her company it's no business of mine I have two people in my neighborhood and I can tell you one thing in case you're anxious the woman who brought you here barring the one misfortune of her life is as good a creature as ever breathed and the other one who lives with her is the same when I think of what they were exposed to well I take to my pipe and compose my mind in that way my early days were all passed as a ship's surgeon I could get them both respectable employment in Australia if I only had the money to fit them out they'll die in the hospital like the rest if something isn't done for them in my hopeful moments I sometimes think of a subscription what do you say will you put down a few shillings to set the example I will do more than that Emilius answered I have reasons for wishing to befriend both those two poor women and I will gladly engage to find the outfit the familiar old doctor and over the counter you're a good fellow if ever there was one yet he burst out I can show references which will satisfy you that I am not a rogue in the meantime let's see what is the matter with this little girl you can tell me about her as we go along he put his bottle of medicine in his pocket and his arm in the arm of Emilius and so led the way out when they reached the wretched lodging house in which the women lived the companion would do well to wait at the door I'm used to sad sights it would only distress you to see the place I won't keep you long waiting he was as good as his word in little more than ten minutes he joined Emilius again in the street don't alarm yourself he said the case is not so serious as it looks the poor child is suffering under a severe shock to the brain and nervous system caused by that sudden distress you hinted at my medicine will give her the one thing she wants to begin with a good night's sleep Emilius asked when she would be well enough to see him ah my young friend it's not so easy to say just yet I could answer you to better purpose tomorrow won't that do must I venture on a rash opinion she ought to be composed enough to see you in three or four days and when that time comes you will do more than I can do to set her right again Emilius was relieved but not quite satisfied yet he inquired if it was not possible to remove her from that miserable place quite impossible without doing her serious injury they have got money to go on with and I have told you already she will be well taken care of I will look after her myself tomorrow morning go home and get to bed first and make your mind easy come to my house at 12 o'clock noon and you will find me ready with my references and my report of the patient surgeon pinfold black acre buildings there's the address good night end of book 8 chapter 9 book 8 chapter 10 of the fallen leaves this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Rita Butros The Fallen Leaves by Wilkie Collins book 8 Dame Nature Decides chapter 10 after Emilius had left him Rufus remembered his promise to communicate with Regina by telegraph with his strict regard for truth it was no easy matter to decide on what message he should send to inspire Regina if possible with his own unshaken belief in the good faith of Emilius appeared on reflection to be all that he could honestly do under present circumstances with an anxious and foreboding mind he dispatched his telegram to Paris in these terms be patient for a while and do justice to A he deserves it having completed his business at the telegraph office Rufus went next to pay his visit to Mrs. Payson the good lady received him with a grave face and a distant manner in startling contrast to the customary warmth of her welcome I used to think you were a man in a thousand she began abruptly and I find you are no better than the rest of them if you have come to speak to me about that black-eared young socialist understand if you please that I am not so easily imposed upon as Mrs. Regina I have done my duty I have opened her eyes to the truth poor thing you ought to be ashamed of yourself Rufus kept his temper with his habitual self-command it's possible you may be right he said quietly but the biggest rascal living has a claim to an explanation he puzzles him have you any particular objection old friend to tell me what you mean the explanation was not of a nature to set his mind at ease Regina had written by the mail which took Rufus to England repeating to Mrs. Payson what had passed at the interview in the Champs-Elysées and appealing to her sympathy for information and advice receiving the letter that morning Mrs. Payson her own generous and compassionate impulses had already answered it and sent it to the post her experience of the unfortunate persons received at the home was far from inclining her to believe in the innocence of a runaway girl placed under circumstances of temptation as an act of justice towards Regina she enclosed to her the letter in which Emilius had acknowledged that Sally had passed the night under his roof I believe I am only telling you the shameful truth Mrs. Payson had written when I add that the girl has been an inmate of Mr. Goldenheart's cottage ever since if you can reconcile this disgraceful state of things with Mr. Rufus Dingwell's assertion of his friend's fidelity to his marriage engagement I have no right and no wish to make any attempt to alter your opinion I am asked for my advice and I must not shrink from giving it I am bound as an honest woman to tell you that your uncle's resolution to break off the engagement represents the course that I should have taken myself if a daughter of my own had been placed in your painful and humiliating position there was still ample time to modify this strong expression of opinion by the day's post Rufus appealed vainly to Mrs. Payson to reconsider the conclusion at which she had arrived a more charitable and considerate woman within the limits of her own daily routine it would not be possible to find but the largeness of mind which having long and trustworthy experience of a rule can nevertheless understand that other minds may have equal experience of the exception to the rule was one of the qualities which had not been included in the composition of Mrs. Payson she held firmly to her own narrowly conscientious sense of her duty stimulated by a natural indignation against Amelia's who had bitterly disappointed her against Rufus who had not scrupled to take up his defense the two old friends parted in coldness for the first time in their lives Rufus returned to his hotel to wait there for news from Amelia's the day passed and the one visitor who enlivened his solitude was an American friend and correspondent connected with the agency which managed his affairs in England the errand of this gentleman was to give his client the soundest and speediest advice relating to the investment of money having indicated the safe and solid speculation the visitor added a warning word relating to the plausible and dangerous investments of the day for instance he said there's that bank started by Farnaby no need to warn me against Farnaby Rufus interposed I wouldn't take shares in his bank if he made me a present of them the American friend looked surprised surely he exclaimed you can't have heard the news already they don't even know it yet on the stock exchange Rufus explained that he had only spoken under the influence of personal prejudice against Mr. Farnaby what's in the wind now he asked he was confidentially informed that a coming storm was in the wind in other words that a serious discovery had been made at the bank sometimes since the directors had advanced a large sum of money to a man in trade under Mr. Farnaby's own guarantee the man had just died and examination of his affairs showed that he had only received a few hundred pounds on condition of holding his tongue the bulk of the money had been traced to Mr. Farnaby himself and had all been swallowed up by his newspaper, his patent medicine and his other rotten speculations apart from his own proper business you may not know it the American friend concluded but the fact is from the dregs his bankruptcy is only a question of time he will drop back to the dregs and quite possibly make his appearance to answer a criminal charge in a court of law I hear that Melton whose credit has held up the bank lately is off to see his friend in Paris they say Farnaby's niece is a handsome girl and Melton is sweet on her, awkward for Melton Rufus listened attentively and signing the order for his investments he privately decided to stir no further for the present in the matter of his young friend's marriage engagement for the rest of the day and evening he still waited for Emilius and waited in vain it was drawing near to midnight when Toff made his appearance with a message from his master Emilius had discovered Sally and had returned in such a state of fatigue that he was only fit to take some refreshment and to go to his bed he would be away from home again on the next morning but he hoped to call at the hotel in the course of the day observing Toff's face with grave and steady scrutiny Rufus tried to extract some further information from him but the old Frenchman stood on his dignity in a state of immovable reserve you took me by this shoulder this morning sir and spun me round he said I do not desire to be treated a second time like a tea totem for the rest it is not my habit to intrude myself into my master's secrets it's not my habit Rufus coolly rejoined to bear malice I beg to apologize sincerely sir for treating you like a tea totem and I offer you my hand Toff had got as far as the door he instantly returned with the dignity which a Frenchman can always command in the serious emergencies of his life you appealed to my heart and my honor sir he said I belly the events of the morning in oblivion and I do myself the honor of taking your hand as the door closed on him Rufus smiled grimly you're not in the habit of intruding yourself into your master's secrets he repeated if Emilius reads your face as I read it he'll look over his shoulder when he goes out tomorrow and ten to one he'll see you behind him in the distance late on the next day Emilius presented himself at the hotel in speaking of Sally he was unusually reserved merely saying that she was ill and under medical care and then changing the subject by the depressed and anxious expression of his face Rufus asked if he had heard from Regina no a longer time than usual had passed since Regina had written to him I don't understand it he said sadly I suppose you didn't see anything of her in Paris Rufus had kept his promise not to mention Regina's name in Sally's presence but it was impossible for him to look at Emilius without plainly answering the question put to him for the sake of the friend whom he loved I'm afraid there's trouble coming to you my son from that quarter with those warning words he described all that had passed between Regina and himself some unknown enemy of yours has spoken against you to her uncle he concluded I suppose you have made enemies my poor old boy since you have been in London I know the man Emilius answered he wanted to marry Regina before I met with her his name is Melton Rufus started I heard only yesterday he was in Paris with Farnaby and that's not the worst of it Emilius there's another of them making mischief a good friend of mine who has shown a twist in her temper that has taken me by surprise after 20 years experience of her I reckon there's a drop of malice in the composition of the best woman that ever lived and the men only discover it when another woman steps in and stirs it up wait a bit he went on when he had related the result of his visit to Mrs. Payson I have telegraphed to Miss Regina to be patient and to trust you don't you write to defend yourself till you hear how you stand in her estimation after my message tomorrow's post may tell tomorrow's post did tell two letters reached Emilius from Paris one from Mr. Farnaby Kurt an insolent breaking off the marriage engagement the other from Regina expressed with great severity of language her weak nature like all weak natures ran easily into extremes and once roused into asserting itself took refuge in violence as a shy person takes refuge in audacity only a woman of larger and firmer mind would have written of her wrongs in a more just and more moderate tone Regina began without any preliminary form of address she had no heart to abrade Emilius and no wish to speak of what she was suffering to a man who had but too plainly shown that he had no respect for himself and neither love nor pity even for her injustice to herself she released him from his promise and returned his letters and his presence her own letters might be sent in a sealed packet addressed to her at her uncle's place of business in London she would pray that he might be brought to a sense of the sin that he had committed and that he might yet live to be a worthy and a happy man for the rest her decision was irrevocable his own letter to mrs. Payson and the testimony of an old and honored friend of her uncle proved that his wickedness was no mere act of impulse but a deliberate course of infamy and falsehood continued over many weeks from the moment when she made that discovery he was a stranger to her and she now bad him farewell have you written to her Rufus asked when he had seen the letters Emilius reddened with indignation he was not aware of it himself but his look and manner plainly revealed that Regina had lost her last hold on him her letter had inflicted an insult not a wound he was outraged and revolted the deeper and gentler feelings the emotions of a grieved and humiliated lover had been killed in him by her stern words of dismissal and farewell do you think I would allow myself to be treated in that way without a word of protest he said to Rufus I have written refusing to take back my promise I declare on my word of honor that I have been faithful to you and to my engagement that was how I put it and I scorn the vile construction which your uncle and his friend have placed upon an act of Christian mercy on my part I wrote more tenderly before I finished my letter for her distress and being anxious above all things not to add to it we shall see if she has love enough left for me to trust my faith and honor instead of trusting false appearances I will give her time Rufus considerably abstained from expressing any opinion he waited until the morning when a reply might be expected from Paris and then he called at the cottage without a word of comment Amelia's put a letter into his friend's hand it was his own letter to Regina returned to him on the back of it there was a line in Mr. Farnaby's handwriting if you send any more letters they will be burnt unopened in those insolent terms the wretch wrote with bankruptcy and exposure hanging over his head Rufus spoke plainly upon this there's an end of it now he said that girl you never have made the right wife for you Amelia's you're well out of it forget that you ever knew these people and let us talk of something else how is Sally at that ill timed inquiry Amelia's showed his temper again he was in a state of nervous irritability which made him apt to take offense where no offense was intended oh you needn't be alarmed he answered petulently there's no fear of the poor child coming back to live with me she is still under the doctor's care Rufus passed over the angry reply without notice and patted him on the shoulder I spoke of the girl he said because I wanted to help her and I can help her if you will let me before long my son I shall be going back to the United States I wish you would go with me and desert Sally cried Amelia's nothing of the sort before we go I'll see that Sally is provided for to your satisfaction will you think of it to please me Amelia's relented anything to please you he said Rufus noticed his hat and gloves on the table and left him without saying more the trouble with Amelia's he thought as he closed the cottage gate is not over yet end of book 8 chapter 10 book 8 chapter 11 of The Fallen Leaves this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Rita Butros The Fallen Leaves by Wilkie Collins book 8 Dame Nature Decides chapter 11 the day on which worthy old had predicted that Sally would be in a fair way of recovery had come and gone and still the medical report to Amelia's was the same you must be patient sir she is not well enough to see you yet Toff watching his young master anxiously was alarmed by this steadily progressive change in him for the worse which showed itself at this time now sad and silent and now again bitter and irritable he had deteriorated physically as well as morally until he really looked like the shadow of his former self he never exchanged a word with his faithful old servant except when he said mechanically good morning or good night Toff could endure it no longer at the risk of being roughly misinterpreted he followed his own kindly impulse and spoke may I own to yourself he said with perfect gentleness and respect that I am indeed heartily sorry to see you so ill Amelia's looked up at him sharply you servants always make a fuss about trifles I am a little out of sorts and I want to change that's all perhaps I may go to America you won't like that I shan't complain if you look out for another situation the tears came into the old man's eyes never he answered fervently my last service sir send me away shall be my dearly loved service here all that was most tender in the nature of Amelia's was touched to the quick forgive me Toff he said I am lonely and wretched and more anxious about Sally than words can tell there can be no change in my life until my mind is easy about that poor little girl but if it does end in my going to America you shall go with me I wouldn't lose you my good friend for the world Toff still remained in the room as if he had something left to say entirely ignorant of the marriage engagement between Amelia's and Regina and of the rupture in which it had ended he vaguely suspected nevertheless that his master might have fallen into an entanglement with some lady unknown the opportunity of putting the question was now before him he risked it in a studiously modest form are you going to America to be malice Amelia's item with a momentary suspicion what has put that in your head he asked I don't know sir Toff answered humbly unless it was my own vivid imagination would there be anything very wonderful in a gentleman of your age and appearance conducting some charming person to the altar Amelia's was conquered once more he smiled faintly enough of your nonsense Toff I shall never be married understand that Toff's withered old face brightened slightly he turned away to withdraw hesitated and suddenly went back to his master have you any occasion for my services sir for an hour or two he asked no be back before I go out myself be back at three o'clock thank you sir my little boy is below if you want anything in my absence the little boy dutifully attending Toff to the gate observed with grave surprise that his father snapped his fingers gaily at starting and hummed the first bars of the Marseillais something is going to happen said Toff's boy on his way back to the house from the regents park to black acre buildings is almost a journey from one end of London to the other assisted for part of the way by an omnibus Toff made the journey and arrived at the residence of surgeon pinfold with the easy confidence of a man who knew thoroughly well where he was going and what he was about the sagacity of Rufus had correctly penetrated his intentions he had privately followed his master and had introduced himself to the notice of the surgeon with a mixture of motives in which the devotion to the interests of Emilius played the chief part his experience of the world told him that Sally's departure was only the beginning of more trouble to come what is the use of me to my master he had argued except to spare him trouble in spite of himself surgeon pinfold was prescribing for a row of sick people seated before him on a bench you're not ill are you terribly too tough very well then go into the parlor and wait the patients being dismissed tough attempted to explain the object of his visit but the old naval surgeon insisted on clearing the ground by means of a plain question first has your master sent you here or is this another private interview like the last it is all that is most private tough answered my poor master is wasting away in unrelieved wretchedness and suspense something must be done for him oh dear and good sir help me in this most miserable state of things tell me the truth about Miss Sally old pinfold put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the parlor wall looking at the Frenchman with a complicated expression in which genuine sympathy mingled oddly with a quaint sense of amusement you're a worthy chap he said and you shall have the truth I have been obliged to deceive your master about this troublesome young Sally I have stuck to it that she is too ill to see him or to answer his letters both lies there's nothing the matter with her now but a disease that I can't cure the disease of a troubled mind she's got it into her head that she has everlastingly degraded herself in his estimation by leaving him and coming here it's no use telling her what mind you is perfectly true that she was all but out of her senses and not in the least responsible for what she did at the time when she did it she holds to her own opinion nevertheless what can he think of me but that I have gone back willingly to the disgrace of my old life I should throw myself out of the window if he came into the room that's how she answers me and what makes matters worse still she's breaking her heart about him all the time the poor wretch is so eager for any little word of news about his health and his doings that it's downright pitiable to see her I don't think her fevered little brain will bear it much longer and hang me if I can tell what to do next to set things right the two women, her friends have no sort of influence over her I saw her this morning she was ungrateful enough to say why didn't you let me die how your master got among these unfortunate people is more than I know and is no business of mine I only wish he had been a different sort of man before I knew him as well as I know him now I predicted like a fool that he would be just the person to help us in managing the girl I have altered my opinion such a glorious fellow so impulsive and so tenderhearted that he would be certain in her present excited state to do her more harm than good do you know if he is going to be married? tough listening thus far in silent distress suddenly looked up why do you ask me sir it's an idle question I dare say old pinfold remarked Sally persists in telling us she's in the way of his prospects in life and it's got somehow into her perverse little head that his prospects in life mean his marriage and she's in the way of that hello are you going already I want to go to Miss Sally sir I believe I can say something to comfort her do you think she will see me are you the man who has got the nickname of tough she sometimes talks about tough yes sir yes I am and otherwise tough where can I find her surgeon pinfold rang a bell my errand boy is going past the house to deliver some medicine he answered it's a poor place but you'll find it neat and nice enough thanks to your good master he's helping the two women to begin life again out of this country and while they're waiting their turn to get a passage they've taken an extra room and hired some furniture by your master's own wish oh here's the boy he'll show you the way one word before you go what do you think of saying to Sally I shall tell her for one thing so that my master is miserable for one of her surgeon pinfold shook his head that won't take you very far on the way to persuading her you will make her miserable too and there's about all you will get by it tough lifted his indicative forefinger to the side of his nose suppose I tell her something else sir suppose I tell her my master is not going to be married to anybody she won't believe you know anything about it she will believe for this reason said tough gravely I put the question to my master before I came here and I have it from his own lips that there is no young lady in the way and that he is not positively not going to be married if I tell Miss Sally this sir how do you say will end will you bet me a shilling it has no effect on her I won't bet a far thing follow the boy and tell young Sally I have sent her a better doctor than I am while tough was on his way to Sally tough's boy was disturbing Amelius by the announcement of a visitor the card sent in bore this inscription brother Bokwell from Tadmore Amelius looked at the card and ran into the hall to receive the visitor with both hands held out in hearty welcome oh I am so glad to see you he cried come in and tell me all about Tadmore brother Bokwell acknowledged the enthusiastic reception offered to him by a stare of grim surprise he was a dry hard old man with a scrubby white beard a narrow wrinkled forehead and an obstinate lipless mouth fitted neither by age nor temperament to be the intimate friend of any of his younger brethren among the community but at that saddest time of his life the heart of Amelius warmed to anyone who reminded him of his tranquil and happy days at Tadmore even this frozen old socialist now appeared to him for the first time under the borrowed aspect of a welcome friend brother Bokwell took the chair offered to him and opened the proceedings in solemn silence by looking at his watch 25 minutes passed to you he said to himself and put the watch back again are you pressed for time Amelius asked much may be done in 10 minutes and Bokwell answered in a scotch accent which had survived the test of half a lifetime in America I would have you know I am in England on a mission from the community with a list of 27 persons in all whom I am appointed to confer with on matters of varying importance yours friend Amelius is a matter of minor importance I can give you 10 minutes he opened a big black with a mass of letters and placing two of them on the table before him addressed Amelius as if he was making a speech at a public meeting I have to request your attention to certain proceedings of the council at Tadmore bearing date the 3rd of December last and referring to a person under sentence of temporary separation from the community along with yourself mellicent Amelius exclaimed we have no time for interruptions brother Bokwell remarked the person is sister mellicent and the business before the council was to consider a letter under her signature received December 2nd said letter he proceeded taking up one of his papers is abridged as follows by the secretary to the council in substance the writer states first that the married sister under whose protection she has been living at New York is about to settle in England with her husband appointed to manage the branch of his business established in London second that she meaning sister mellicent has serious reasons for not accompanying her relatives to England and has no other friends to take charge of her welfare if she remains in New York third that she appeals to the mercy of the council under these circumstances to accept the expression of her sincere repentance for the violating a rule and to permit a friendless and penitent creature to return to the only home left to her her home at Tadmore no friend Emilius we have no time for expressions of sympathy the first half of the ten minutes has nearly expired I have further to notify you that the question was put to the vote in this form is it consistent with the serious responsibility which rests on the council any sentence justly pronounced under the book of rules the result was very remarkable the votes for and against being equally divided in this event as you know our laws provide that the decision rests with the elder brother who gave his vote there upon for considering the remission of the sentence and moved the next resolution that the sentence be remitted accordingly carried by a small majority where upon sister mellison was received again at Tadmore ah the dear old elder brother cried Emilius always on the side of mercy brother Bokwell held up his hand in protest you seem to have no idea he said of the value of time do be quiet as traveling representative of the council I am further instructed to say that the sentence pronounced against yourself stands duly remitted in consequence of the remission of the sentence against sister mellison you likewise are free to return to Tadmore at your own will and pleasure but attend to what is coming friend Emilius the council holds to its resolution that your choice between us and the world shall be absolutely unbiased in the fear of exercising even an indirect influence we have purposely abstained from corresponding with you with the same motive we now say that if you do return to us it must be with no interference on our part we inform you of an event that has happened in your absence and we do no more he paused and looked again at his watch time proverbially works wonders time closed his lips Emilius replied with a heavy heart the message from the council had recalled him from the remembrance of mellison to the sense of his own position my experience of the world has been a very hard one he said I would gladly go back to Tadmore this very day but for one consideration he hesitated the image of Sally was before him the tears rose in his eyes he said no more brother balkwell driven hard by time got on his legs and handed to Emilius the second of the two papers which he had taken out of his pocketbook here is a purely informal document he said being there were a few lines from sister mellison which I was charged to deliver to you be pleased to read it as quickly as you can and tell me if there is any reply there was not much to read the good people here Emilius have forgiven me and let me return to them I am living happily now dear in my remembrances of you I take the walks that we once took together and sometimes I go out in the boat on the lake and think of the time when I told you my sad story your poor little pet creatures are under my care the dog and the fawn and the birds all well and waiting for you with me my belief that you will come back to me remains the same unshaken belief that it has been from the first once more I say it you will find me the first to welcome you when your spirits are sinking under the burden of life and your heart turns again to the friends of your early days until that time comes think of me now and then goodbye I am waiting said brother Bokwell taking his hat in his hand Emilius answered with an effort thank her kindly in my name he said that is all his head drooped while he spoke he fell into thought as if he had been alone in the room but the emissary from Tadmore warned by the minute hand on the watch recalled his attention to passing events you would do me a kindness said brother Bokwell producing a list of names and addresses if you could put me in the way of finding the person named 8th from the top it's getting on towards 20 minutes to 3 the address thus pointed out was at no great distance on the northern side of the region's park Emilius still silent and thoughtful acted willingly as a guide please thank the council for their kindness to me he said when they reached their destination brother Bokwell looked at friend Emilius with a calm inquiring eye I think you'll end in coming back to us he said I'll take the opportunity when I see you at Tadmore of making a few needful remarks on the value of time Emilius went back to the cottage to see if Toph had returned in his absence before he paid his daily visit to surgeon pinfold he called down the kitchen stairs are you there Toph and Toph answered briskly brother the sky had become cloudy and threatened rain not finding his umbrella in the hall Emilius went into the library to look for it as he closed the door behind him Toph and his boy appeared on the kitchen stairs both walking on tiptoe and both evidently on the watch for something Emilius found his umbrella but it was characteristic of the melancholy change in him that he dropped Emilius into the nearest chair instead of going out at once with the easy activity of happier days Sally was in his mind again he was rousing his resolution to set the doctor's commands at defiance and to insist on seeing her come what might of it he suddenly looked up a slight sound had startled him it was a faint rustling sound and it came from the sadly silent room which had once been Sally's he listened and heard it again he sprang to his feet his heart beat wildly he opened the door of the room she was there her hands were clasped over her fast heaving breast she was powerless to look at him powerless to speak to him powerless to move towards him until he opened his arms to her then all the love and all the sorrow in the tender little heart flowed outward to him in a low murmuring cry she hid her blushing face on his bosom the rosy color softly tinged her neck the unspoken confession of all she feared and all she hoped it was a time beyond words they were silent in each other's arms but under them on the floor below the stillness in the cottage was merrily broken by an outburst of dance music with a rhythmical thump-thump beat keeping time to the cheerful tune toff was playing his fiddle and toff's boy was dancing to his father's music end of book 8 chapter 11 book 8 chapter 12 of the fallen leaves this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Rita Butros the fallen leaves by Wilkie Collins book 8 Dame Nature Decides chapter 12 after waiting a day or two for news from Emilius and hearing nothing Rufus went to make inquiries at the cottage my master has gone out of town so said Toff opening the door anybody with him I don't know sir any news of Sally I don't know sir Rufus stepped into the hall look here Mr. Frenchman three times is enough I have already apologized for treating you like a teetotem on a former occasion I'm afraid I shall do it again sir if I don't get an answer to my next question my hands are itching to be at you they are as expected back your question is positive sir sets off with dignity I am happy to be able to meet it with a positive reply my master is expected back in three weeks time having obtained some information at last Rufus debated with himself what he should do next he decided that the boy was worth waiting for and that his wisest course as a good American would be to go back and meet in Paris passing through the garden of the Tuileries two or three days later and crossing to the Rue de Rivoli the name of one of the hotels in that quarter reminded him of Regina he yielded to the prompting of curiosity and inquired if Mr. Farnaby and his niece were still in Paris the manager of the hotel was in the Porter's lodge at the time so far as he knew he said Mr. Farnaby and his niece and an English gentleman with them were now on their travels they had left the hotel with an appearance of mystery the courier had been discharged and the coachman of the hired carriage which took them away had been told to drive straight forward until further orders in short as the manager put it the departure resembled a flight remembering what his American agent had told him Rufus received this information without surprise even the apparently incomprehensible devotion of Mr. Melton to the interests of such a man as Farnaby failed to present itself to him as a perplexing circumstance to his mind Mr. Melton's conduct was plainly attributable to a reward in prospect and the name of that reward was Miss Regina at the end of the three weeks Rufus returned to London once again he and Toff confronted each other on the threshold of the door this time the genial old man presented an appearance that was little less than dazzling from head to foot he was arrayed in new clothes and he exhibited an immense rosette of white ribbon in his buttonhole thunder cried Rufus here's Mr. Frenchman going to be married Toff declined to humor the joke he stood on his dignity as stiffly as ever pardon me sir does your wife and family already do you now well none of your know nothing answers this time has Emilius come back yes sir and what's the news of Sally could news sir Miss Sally has come back too you call that good news do you I'll say a word to Emilius what are you standing there for pardon me once more sir my master and Miss Sally do not receive visitors today your master and Miss Sally Rufus repeated has this old creature been liquoring up a little too freely what do you mean he burst out with a sudden change of tone to stern surprise what do you mean by putting your master and Sally together Toff shot his bolt at last they will be together sir for the rest of their lives they were married this morning Rufus received the blow in dead silence he turned about and went back to his hotel reaching his room he opened the dispatch box in which he kept his correspondence and picked out the long letter containing the description by Emilius of his introduction to the ladies of the Farnaby family he took up the pen and wrote the endorsement which had been quoted as an integral part of the letter itself in the second book of this narrative ah poor Emilius he had better have gone back to Miss Melisand and put up with the little drawback of her age what a bright lovable fellow he was goodbye to golden heart were the forebodings of Rufus destined to be fulfilled this question will be answered it is hoped in a second series of the fallen leaves the narrative of the married life of Emilius presents a subject too important to be treated within the limits of the present story and the first series necessarily finds its end in the culminating event of his life thus far end of book 8 chapter 12 end of the fallen leaves by Wilkie Collins