第28章

"What did you think of Panky?"

"I could not make him out. If he had not been a Bridgeford Professor I might have liked him; but you know how we all of us distrust those people.""Where did you meet him?"

"About two hours lower down than the statues.""At what o'clock?"

"It might be between two and half-past."

"I suppose he did not say that at that hour he was in bed at his hotel in Sunch'ston. Hardly! Tell me what passed between you.""He had his permit open before we were within speaking distance. Ithink he feared I should attack him without making sure whether he was a foreign devil or no. I have told you he said he was Professor Panky.""I suppose he had a dark complexion and black hair like the rest of us?""Dark complexion and hair purplish rather than black. I was surprised to see that his eyelashes were as light as my own, and his eyes were blue like mine--but you will have noticed this at dinner.""No, my dear, I did not, and I think I should have done so if it had been there to notice.""Oh, but it was so indeed."

"Perhaps. Was there anything strange about his way of talking?""A little about his grammar, but these Bridgeford Professors have often risen from the ranks. His pronunciation was nearly like yours and mine.""Was his manner friendly?"

"Very; more so than I could understand at first. I had not, however, been with him long before I saw tears in his eyes, and when I asked him whether he was in distress, he said I reminded him of a son whom he had lost and had found after many years, only to lose him almost immediately for ever. Hence his cordiality towards me.""Then," said Yram half hysterically to herself, "he knew who you were. Now, how, I wonder, did he find that out?" All vestige of doubt as to who the man might be had now left her.

"Certainly he knew who I was. He spoke about you more than once, and wished us every kind of prosperity, baring his head reverently as he spoke.""Poor fellow! Did he say anything about Higgs?""A good deal, and I was surprised to find he thought about it all much as we do. But when I said that if I could go down into the hell of which Higgs used to talk to you while he was in prison, Ishould expect to find him in its hottest fires, he did not like it.""Possibly not, my dear. Did you tell him how the other boys, when you were at school, used sometimes to say you were son to this man Higgs, and that the people of Sunch'ston used to say so also, till the Mayor trounced two or three people so roundly that they held their tongues for the future?""Not all that, but I said that silly people had believed me to be the Sunchild's son, and what a disgrace I should hold it to be son to such an impostor.""What did he say to this?"

"He asked whether I should feel the disgrace less if Higgs were to undo the mischief he had caused by coming back and shewing himself to the people for what he was. But he said it would be no use for him to do so, inasmuch as people would kill him but would not believe him.""And you said?"

"Let him come back, speak out, and chance what might befall him.

In that case, I should honour him, father or no father.""And he?"

"He asked if that would be a bargain; and when I said it would, he grasped me warmly by the hand on Higgs's behalf--though what it could matter to him passes my comprehension.""But he saw that even though Higgs were to shew himself and say who he was, it would mean death to himself and no good to any one else?""Perfectly."

"Then he can have meant nothing by shaking hands with you. It was an idle jest. And now for your poachers. You do not know who they were? I will tell you. The two who sat on the one side the fire were Professors Hanky and Panky from the City of the People who are above Suspicion.""No," said George vehemently. "Impossible."

"Yes, my dear boy, quite possible, and whether possible or impossible, assuredly true.""And the third man?"

"The third man was dressed in the old costume. He was in possession of several brace of birds. The Professors vowed they had not eaten any--""Oh yes, but they had," blurted out George.

"Of course they had, my dear; and a good thing too. Let us return to the man in the old costume.""That is puzzling. Who did he say he was?"

"He said he was one of your men; that you had instructed him to provide you with three dozen quails for Sunday; and that you let your men wear the old costume if they had any of it left, provided--"

This was too much for George; he started to his feet. "What, my dearest mother, does all this mean? You have been playing with me all through. What is coming?""A very little more, and you shall hear. This man staid with the Professors till nearly midnight, and then left them on the plea that he would finish the night in the Ranger's shelter--""Ranger's shelter, indeed! Why--"

"Hush, my darling boy, be patient with me. He said he must be up betimes, to run down the rest of the quails you had ordered him to bring you. But before leaving the Professors he beguiled them into giving him up their permit.""Then, said George, striding about the room with his face flushed and his eyes flashing, "he was the man with whom I walked down this afternoon.""Exactly so."

"And he must have changed his dress?"

"Exactly so."

"But where and how?"

"At some place not very far down on the other side the range, where he had hidden his old clothes.""And who, in the name of all that we hold most sacred, do you take him to have been--for I see you know more than you have yet told me?""My son, he was Higgs the Sunchild, father to that boy whom I love next to my husband more dearly than any one in the whole world."She folded her arms about him for a second, without kissing him, and left him. "And now," she said, the moment she had closed the door--"and now I may cry."

She did not cry for long, and having removed all trace of tears as far as might be, she returned to her son outwardly composed and cheerful. "Shall I say more now," she said, seeing how grave he looked, "or shall I leave you, and talk further with you to-morrow?"

"Now--now--now!"