THE LADY OF THE BARGE
AND OTHER STORIES
By W. W. Jacobs
BOOK 6
IN THE LIBRARY
The fire had burnt low in the library, for the night was wet and warm.It was now little more than a grey shell, and looked desolate. TraytonBurleigh, still hot, rose from his armchair, and turning out one of thegas-jets, took a cigar from a box on a side-table and resumed his seatagain.
The apartment, which was on the third floor at the back of the house, wasa combination of library, study, and smoke-room, and was the dailydespair of the old housekeeper who, with the assistance of one servant,managed the house. It was a bachelor establishment, and had been left toTrayton Burleigh and James Fletcher by a distant connection of both mensome ten years before.
Trayton Burleigh sat back in his chair watching the smoke of his cigarthrough half-closed eyes. Occasionally he opened them a little wider andglanced round the comfortable, well-furnished room, or stared with a coldgleam of hatred at Fletcher as he sat sucking stolidly at his brier pipe.It was a comfortable room and a valuable house, half of which belonged toTrayton Burleigh; and yet he was to leave it in the morning and become arogue and a wanderer over the face of the earth. James Fletcher had saidso. James Fletcher, with the pipe still between his teeth and speakingfrom one corner of his mouth only, had pronounced his sentence.
"It hasn't occurred to you, I suppose," said Burleigh, speaking suddenly,"that I might refuse your terms."
"No," said Fletcher, simply.
Burleigh took a great mouthful of smoke and let it roll slowly out.
"I am to go out and leave you in possession?" he continued. "You willstay here sole proprietor of the house; you will stay at the office soleowner and representative of the firm? You are a good hand at a deal,James Fletcher."
"I am an honest man," said Fletcher, "and to raise sufficient money tomake your defalcations good will not by any means leave me the gainer, asyou very well know."
"There is no necessity to borrow," began Burleigh, eagerly. "We can paythe interest easily, and in course of time make the principal goodwithout a soul being the wiser."
"That you suggested before," said Fletcher, "and my answer is the same.I will be no man's confederate in dishonesty; I will raise every penny atall costs, and save the name of the firm—and yours with it—but I willnever have you darken the office again, or sit in this house afterto-night."
"You won't," cried Burleigh, starting up in a frenzy of rage.
"I won't," said Fletcher. "You can choose the alternative: disgrace andpenal servitude. Don't stand over me; you won't frighten me, I canassure you. Sit down."
"You have arranged so many things in your ki