"I was to blame myself. I intruded upon him. He gave me fair warning."
The policeman snapped up his notebook.
"Don't let us have any more such goings-on," said he. "Now, then!Move on, there, move on!" This to a butcher's boy, a maid, and one ortwo loafers who had collected. He clumped heavily down the street,driving this little flock before him. The Professor looked at me, andthere was something humorous at the back of his eyes.
"Come in!" said he. "I've not done with you yet."
The speech had a sinister sound, but I followed him none the less intothe house. The man-servant, Austin, like a wooden image, closed thedoor behind us.
CHAPTER IV
"It's Just the very Biggest Thing in the World"
Hardly was it shut when Mrs. Challenger darted out from thedining-room. The small woman was in a furious temper. She barred herhusband's way like an enraged chicken in front of a bulldog. It wasevident that she had seen my exit, but had not observed my return.
"You brute, George!" she screamed. "You've hurt that nice young man."
He jerked backwards with his thumb.
"Here he is, safe and sound behind me."
She was confused, but not unduly so.
"I am so sorry, I didn't see you."
"I assure you, madam, that it is all right."
"He has marked your poor face! Oh, George, what a brute you are!Nothing but scandals from one end of the week to the other. Everyonehating and making fun of you. You've finished my patience. This endsit."
"Dirty linen," he rumbled.
"It's not a secret," she cried. "Do you suppose that the wholestreet--the whole of London, for that matter---- Get away, Austin, wedon't want you here. Do you suppose they don't all talk about you?Where is your dignity? You, a man who should have been RegiusProfessor at a great University with a thousand students all reveringyou. Where is your dignity, George?"
"How about yours, my dear?"
"You try me too much. A ruffian--a common brawling ruffian--that'swhat you have become."
"Be good, Jessie."
"A roaring, raging bully!"
"That's done it! Stool of penance!" said he.
To my amazement he stooped, picked her up, and placed her sitting upona high pedestal of black marble in the angle of the hall. It was atleast seven feet high, and so thin that she could hardly balance uponit. A more absurd object than she presented cocked up there with herface convulsed with anger, her feet dangling, and her body rigid forfear of an upset, I could not imagine.
"Let me down!" she wailed.
"Say 'please.'"
"You brute, George! Let me down this instant!"
"Come into the study, Mr. Malone."
"Really, sir----!" said I, looking at the lady.
"Here's Mr. Malone pleading for you, Jessie. Say 'please,' and downyou come."
"Oh, you brute! Please! please!"