CHAPTER XCIV.
WHAT DOCTOR STURK BROUGHT TO MIND, AND ALL THAT DOCTOR TOOLE HEARD AT
MR. LUKE GAMBLE'S.
Just as he reached Sturk's door, wagging his head and strutting
grimly—and, palpably, still in debate with Dirty Davy—his thoughts
received a sudden wrench in a different direction by the arrival of Mr. Justice Lowe, who pulled up his famous gray hunter at the steps of the house by the church-yard.
'You see, Doctor Toole, it won't do, waiting. The thing's too
momentous.'
And so they walked up stairs and into the drawing-room, and sent their
compliments to Mrs. Sturk, who came down in deshabille, with her
things pinned about her, and all over smiles. Poor little woman! Toole
had not observed until now how very thin she had grown.
'He's going on delightfully, gentlemen; he drank a whole cup of tea, weak of course, Doctor Toole, as you bid me; and he eat a slice of toast, and liked it, and two Naples biscuits, Mr. Lowe, and I know he'll be delighted to see you.'
'Very good, Madam, very good,' said Toole.
'And he's looking better already. He waked out of that sweet sleep not
ten minutes after you left this morning.'
'Ay, he was sleeping very quietly,' said Toole to Lowe. 'May we go up, Ma'am?'
'Oh! he'll be overjoyed, gentlemen, to see you, and 'twill do him an
infinity of good. I can scarce believe my eyes. We've been tidying the
study, the maid and I, and airing the cushions of his chair;' and she
laughed a delighted little giggle. 'And even the weather has taken up
such beautiful sunshine; everything favourable.'
'Well, Doctor Sturk,' said Toole, cheerily, 'we have a good account of
you—a vastly good account, doctor; and, by St. George, Sir, we've been
tidying—'
He was going to say the study, but little Mrs. Sturk put her finger to
her lip in a wonderful hurry, raising her eyebrows and drawing a breath
through her rounded lips, in such sort as arrested the sentence; for she
knew how Barney's wrath always broke out when he thought the women had
been in his study, and how he charged every missing paper for a month
after upon their cursed meddling. But Sturk was a good deal gentler now, and had a dull and awful sort of apathy upon him; and I think it was all one to him whether the women had been in the study or not. So Toole said instead—
'We've been thinking of getting you down in a little while, doctor, if
all goes pleasantly; 'tis a lovely day, and a good omen—see how the sun
shines in at the curtain.'
But there was no responsive sunshine upon Sturk's stern; haggard face, as he said very low—still looking on the foot-board—'I thank you, doctor.'
So after a few more questions, and a little bit of talk with Mrs. Sturk, they got that good lady out of the room, and said Lowe to the patient—
'I'm sorry to trouble you, Dr. Sturk, but there's a weighty matter at
which you last night hinted; and Dr. Toole thought you then too weak; and in your present state, I would not now ask you to speak at any length, were the matter of less serious moment.'
'Yes, Sir,' said Sturk, but did not seem about to speak any more; and
after a few seconds, Lowe continued.
'I mean, Dr. Sturk, touching the murder of Mr. Beauclerc, which you then
said was committed by the same Charles Archer, who assaulted you in the
park.'
'Ay, Sir,' said Sturk.
'The same murder of which Lord Dunoran was adjudged guilty.'
Sturk moved his lips with a sort of nod.
'And, Doctor Sturk, you remember you then said you had yourself seen
Charles Archer do that murder.'
Sturk lifted his hand feebly enough to his forehead, and his lips moved, and his eyes closed. They thought he was praying—possibly he was; so they did not interrupt him; and he said, all on a sudden, but in a low dejected way, and with many pauses—
'Charles Archer. I never saw another such face; 'tis always before me. He was a man that everybody knew was dangerous—a damnable profligate besides—and, as all believed, capable of anything, though nobody could actually bring anything clearly home to him but his bloody duels, which, however, were fairly fought. I saw him only thrice in my life before I saw him here. In a place, at Newmarket, where they played hazard, was once; and I saw him fight Beau Langton; and I saw him murder Mr. Beauclerc. I saw it all!' And the doctor swore a shuddering oath.