"Beverley," he said, "oh, Beverley, s-she won't let me touch her."
And so stood a while with his face hidden in his griping hands.
After a moment he looked down at her again, but seeing how she yet
gazed at him with that wide, awful, fixed stare, he strove as if to
speak; then, finding no words, turned suddenly upon his heel and
crossing the room, went into his bed-chamber and locked the door.
Then Barnabas knelt beside that shaken, desolate figure and fain
would have comforted her, but now he could hear her speaking in a
passionate whisper, and the words she uttered were these: "Oh, God forgive him! Oh, God help him! Have mercy upon him, oh God
of Pity!"
And these words she whispered over and over again until, at length,
Barnabas reached out and touched her very gently.
"Cleone!" he said.
At the touch she rose and stood looking round the dingy room like
one distraught, and, sighing, crossed unsteadily to the door.
And when they reached the stair, Barnabas would have taken her hand
because of the dark, but she shrank away from him and shook her head.
"Sir," said she very softly, "a murderer's sister needs no help, I
thank you."
And so they went down the dark stair with never a word between them
and, reaching the door with the faulty latch, Barnabas held it open
and they passed out into the dingy street, and as they walked side
by side towards Hatton Garden, Barnabas saw that her eyes were still
fixed and wide and that her lips still moved in silent prayer.
In a while, being come into Hatton Garden, Barnabas saw a hackney
coach before them, and beside the coach a burly, blue-clad figure, a
conspicuous figure by reason of his wooden leg and shiny, glazed hat.
"W'y, Lord, Mr. Beverley, sir!" exclaimed the Bo'sun, hurrying
forward, with his hairy fist outstretched, "this is a surprise, sir,
likewise a pleasure, and--" But here, observing my lady's face, he
checked himself suddenly, and opening the carriage door aided her in
very tenderly, beckoning Barnabas to follow. But Barnabas shook his
head.
"Take care of her, Bo'sun," said he, clasping the sailor's hand,
"take great care of her." So saying, he closed the door upon them,
and stood to watch the rumbling coach down the bustling street until
it had rumbled itself quite out of sight.