The Blotting Book Read Online Free

time to the West Pier, and a hundred yards
farther would bring him to Montpellier Road. But it was yet early, as he
saw (so bright was the moonlight) when he consulted his watch, and he
retraced his steps some fifty yards, and eventually rang at the door of a
big house of flats facing the sea, where his partner, who for the most
part, looked after the London branch of their business, had his
pied-à-terre
. For the firm of Taynton and Mills was one of those
respectable and solid businesses that, beginning in the country, had
eventually been extended to town, and so far from its having its
headquarters in town and its branch in Brighton, had its headquarters
here and its branch in the metropolis. Mr. Godfrey Mills, so he learned
at the door had dined alone, and was in, and without further delay Mr.
Taynton was carried aloft in the gaudy bird-cage of the lift, feeling
sure that his partner would see him.
    The flat into which he was ushered with a smile of welcome from the man
who opened the door was furnished with a sort of gross opulence that
never failed to jar on Mr. Taynton's exquisite taste and cultivated mind.
Pictures, chairs, sofas, the patterns of the carpet, and the heavy
gilding of the cornices were all sensuous, a sort of frangipanni to the
eye. The apparent contrast, however, between these things and their
owner, was as great as that between Mr. Taynton and his partner, for Mr.
Godfrey Mills was a thin, spare, dark little man, brisk in movement, with
a look in his eye that betokened a watchfulness and vigilance of the most
alert order. But useful as such a gift undoubtedly is, it was given to
Mr. Godfrey Mills perhaps a shade too obviously. It would be unlikely
that the stupidest or shallowest person would give himself away when
talking to him, for it was so clear that he was always on the watch for
admission or information that might be useful to him. He had, however,
the charm that a very active and vivid mind always possesses, and though
small and slight, he was a figure that would be noticed anywhere, so keen
and wide-awake was his face. Beside him Mr. Taynton looked like a
benevolent country clergyman, more distinguished for amiable qualities of
the heart, than intellectual qualities of the head. Yet those—there were
not many of them—who in dealings with the latter had tried to conduct
their business on these assumptions, had invariably found it necessary to
reconsider their first impression of him. His partner, however, was
always conscious of a little impatience in talking to him; Taynton, he
would have allowed, did not lack fine business qualities, but he was a
little wanting in quickness.
    Mills's welcome of him was abrupt.
    "Pleased to see you," he said. "Cigar, drink? Sit down, won't you?
What is it?"
    "I dropped in for a chat on my way home," said Mr. Taynton. "I have been
dining with Mrs. Assheton. A most pleasant evening. What a fine delicate
face she has."
    Mills bit off the end of a cigar.
    "I take it that you did not come in merely to discuss the delicacy of
Mrs. Assheton's face," he said.
    "No, no, dear fellow; you are right to recall me. I too take it—I take
it that you have found time to go over to Falmer yesterday. How did you
find Sir Richard?"
    "I found him well. I had a long talk with him."
    "And you managed to convey something of those very painful facts which
you felt it was your duty to bring to his notice?" asked Mr. Taynton.
    Godfrey Mills laughed.
    "I say, Taynton, is it really worth while keeping it up like this?" he
asked. "It really saves so much trouble to talk straight, as I propose
to do. I saw him, as I said, and I really managed remarkably well. I
had these admissions wrung from me, I assure you it is no less than
that, under promise of the most absolute secrecy. I told him young
Assheton was leading an idle, extravagant, and dissipated life. I said
I had seen him three nights ago in Piccadilly, not quite sober, in
company with the class of person to whom one does not