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Page 101
"He came to me that night, as I expected, still quivering with
indignation. Miss Norris must never be asked to the house again;
I was to make a special note of it; never again. It was
outrageous. Had he not a reputation as a host to keep up, he
would pack her off next morning. As it was, she could stay;
hospitality demanded it; but never again would she come to the
Red House--he was absolutely determined about that. I was to
make a special note of it.
"I comforted him, I smoothed down his ruffled feathers. She had
behaved very badly, but he was quite right; he must try not to
show how much he disapproved of her. And of course she would
never come again--that was obvious. And then suddenly I began to
laugh. He looked up at me indignantly.
"'Is there a joke?" he said coldly.
"I laughed gently again.
"'I was just thinking,' I said, 'that it would be rather amusing
if you--well, had your revenge."
"'My revenge? How do you mean?'
"'Well, paid her back in her own coin.'
"'Do you mean try and frighten her?'
"'No, no; but dressed up and pulled her leg a bit. Made her look
a fool in front of the others.' I laughed to myself again.
'Serve her jolly well right.'
"He jumped up excitedly.
"'By Jove, Cay!' he cried. 'If I could! How? You must think of
a way.
"I don't know if Beverley has told you about Mark's acting. He
was an amateur of all the arts, and vain of his little talents,
but as an actor he seemed to himself most wonderful. Certainly
he had some ability for the stage, so long as he had the stage to
himself and was playing to an admiring audience. As a
professional actor in a small part he would have been hopeless;
as an amateur playing the leading part, he deserved all that the
local papers had ever said about him. And so the idea of giving
us a private performance, directed against a professional actress
who had made fun of him, appealed equally to his vanity and his
desire for retaliation. If he, Mark Ablett, by his wonderful
acting could make Ruth Norris look a fool in front of the others,
could take her in, and then join in the laugh at her afterwards,
he would indeed have had a worthy revenge!
"It strikes you as childish, Mr. Gillingham? Ah, you never knew
Mark Ablett.
"'How, Cay, how?' he said eagerly.
"'Well, I haven't really thought it out,' I protested. 'It was
just an idea.'
"He began to think it out for himself.
"'I might pretend to be a manager, come down to see her--but I
suppose she knows them all. What about an interviewer?'
"'It's going to be difficult,' I said thoughtfully. 'You've got
rather a characteristic face, you know. And your beard--'
"'I'd shave it off,' he snapped.
"'My dear Mark!'
"He looked away, and mumbled, 'I've been thinking of taking it
off, anyhow. And besides, if I'm going to do the thing, I'm
going to do it properly.'
"'Yes, you always were an artist,' I said, looking at him
admiringly.
"He purred. To be called an artist was what he longed for most.
Now I knew that I had him.
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