The sudden death of this
man, however, before the occurrence of the tragedy, prevented his
evidence being heard. On the next day--the 7th--Hester, entering the
room with Lord Pharanx's dinner, fancies, though she cannot tell why
(inasmuch as his back is towards her, he sitting in an arm-chair by the
fire), that Lord Pharanx has been "drinking heavily."
'On the 8th a singular thing befell. The earl was at last induced to
see Maude Cibras, and during the morning of that day, with his own
hand, wrote a note informing her of his decision, Randolph handing the
note to a messenger. That note also has been made public. It reads as
follows:
'"Maude Cibras.--You may come here to-night after dark. Walk to the
south side of the house, come up the steps to the balcony, and pass in
through the open window to my room. Remember, however, that you have
nothing to expect from me, and that from to-night I blot you eternally
from my mind: but I will hear your story, which I know beforehand to be
false. Destroy this note. PHARANX."'
As I progressed with my tale, I came to notice that over the
countenance of Prince Zaleski there grew little by little a singular
fixed aspect. His small, keen features distorted themselves into an
expression of what I can only describe as an abnormal _inquisitiveness_
--an inquisitiveness most impatient, arrogant, in its intensity.
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