Kind Hearts And Coronets Page #5

In my excitement and anger,

I listened openly to their conversation.

I've booked rooms

at Cruickshanks' at Maidenhead.

We'll go down late

on Friday afternoon.

Are you sure it's safe?

It's the most discreet place.

In fact, anonymous.

Hey, you. Get on with that parcel,

and never mind what we're talking about.

Don't you dare touch me like that!

I'm not interested

in your idiotic conversation.

If you want to add impertinence

to your eavesdropping...

we'll soon see about that.

The upshot was

that I was dismissed on the spot.

I decided to repay him in kind...

by dismissing him with equal

suddenness from this world.

His conversation had told me where I could

probably find the opportunity to kill him.

Dr. Hallward's dispensary

had provided me with a means.

With the week's wages

I had received in lieu of notice...

I invested in suitable apparel

for a weekend at Maidenhead.

It was possible

they might remember me...

but I thought it unlikely...

shop assistants being commonly

regarded as an inferior race...

who never emerged

from the other side of the counter.

I decided

to take the bull by the horns.

Forgive me. I wonder if you could

oblige me with a match.

- Certainly.

- Thank you.

- Haven't we met before somewhere?

- I don't think so.

Funny, 'cause I could have sworn

I knew your face.

- Were you at Monte last year?

- The year before.

Ah, that must be it.

Won't you join me?

Thank you. Not this evening.

We are rather tired.

I deprecated their retiring so early...

but it was hard to blame them...

for weekends, like life, are short.

The next morning,

I waited for them to come down-

and the next afternoon.

They didn't appear the whole day.

Nor the morning after.

I no longer felt sentimental.

The weekend was nearly over,

and I could hardly expect providence...

to offer me

so promising a chance again.

I was in a state of desperation...

and I followed them,

hoping for I knew not what.

I had the poison with me, but they

hadn't even taken a picnic basket.

It was possible, however, that they might

stop somewhere for refreshment.

They did stop shortly afterwards...

but not for that.

Judging by past experience,

they would be there for hours.

The rest followed automatically.

I had fortunately learned to swim

at the Clapham Municipal Baths...

though I never had occasion

to try it underwater.

I had no wish to surface

under their noses...

though I doubt if they would have

noticed me even if I had.

It was beautifully timed.

I was sorry about the girl...

but found some relief in the reflection that

she had presumably, during the weekend...

already undergone

a fate worse than death.

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