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both alighted； and the cabman lowered the box； which Harry；
glad to display his strength； received upon his shoulders。
'Let the man take it；' she whispered。 'Let the man take it。'
'I will do no such thing；' said Harry cheerfully； and having
paid the fare； he followed Teresa through the door which she
had opened with her key。 The landlady and maid were gone
upon their morning errands； the house was empty and still；
and as the rattling of the cab died away down Gloucester
Street； and Harry continued to ascend the stair with his
burthen； he heard close against his shoulders the same faint
and muffled ticking as before。 The lady； still preceding
him； opened the door of her room； and helped him to lower the
box tenderly in the corner by the window。
'And now；' said Harry； 'what is wrong？'
'You will not go away？' she cried； with a sudden break in her
voice and beating her hands together in the very agony of
impatience。 'O Harry； Harry； go away！ Oh； go； and leave me
to the fate that I deserve！'
'The fate？' repeated Harry。 'What is this？'
'No fate；' she resumed。 'I do not know what I am saying。
But I wish to be alone。 You may come back this evening；
Harry； come again when you like； but leave me now； only leave
me now！' And then suddenly； 'I have an errand；' she
exclaimed； 'you cannot refuse me that！'
'No；' replied Harry； 'you have no errand。 You are in grief
or danger。 Lift your veil and tell me what it is。'
'Then；' she said； with a sudden composure； 'you leave but one
course open to me。' And raising the veil； she showed him a
countenance from which every trace of colour had fled； eyes
marred with weeping； and a brow on which resolve had
conquered fear。 'Harry；' she began； 'I am not what I seem。'
'You have told me that before；' said Harry； 'several times。'
'O Harry； Harry；' she cried； 'how you shame me！ But this is
the God's truth。 I am a dangerous and wicked girl。 My name
is Clara Luxmore。 I was never nearer Cuba than Penzance。
From first to last I have cheated and played with you。 And
what I am I dare not even name to you in words。 Indeed；
until to…day； until the sleepless watches of last night； I
never grasped the depth and foulness of my guilt。'
The young man looked upon her aghast。 Then a generous
current poured along his veins。 'That is all one；' he said。
'If you be all you say； you have the greater need of me。'
'Is it possible；' she exclaimed； 'that I have schemed in
vain？ And will nothing drive you from this house of death？'
'Of death？' he echoed。
'Death！' she cried： 'death！ In that box that you have
dragged about London and carried on your defenceless
shoulders； sleep； at the trigger's mercy； the destroying
energies of dynamite。'
'My God！' cried Harry。
'Ah！' she continued wildly； 'will you flee now？ At any
moment you may hear the click that sounds the ruin of this
building。 I was sure M'Guire was wrong； this morning； before
day； I flew to Zero； he confirmed my fears； I beheld you； my
beloved Harry； fall a victim to my own contrivances。 I knew
then I loved you … Harry； will you go now？ Will you not
spare me this unwilling crime？'
Harry remained speechless； his eyes fixed upon the box： at
last he turned to her。
'Is it；' he asked hoarsely； 'an infernal machine？'
Her lips formed the word 'Yes；' which her voice refused to
utter。
With fearful curiosity； he drew near and bent above the box；
in that still chamber； the ticking was distinctly audible；
and at the measured sound； the blood flowed back upon his
heart。
'For whom？' he asked。
'What matters it；' she cried； seizing him by the arm。 'If
you may still be saved； what matter questions？'
'God in heaven！' cried Harry。 'And the Children's Hospital！
At whatever cost； this damned contrivance must be stopped！'
'It cannot；' she gasped。 'The power of man cannot avert the
blow。 But you； Harry … you； my beloved … you may still … '
And then from the box that lay so quietly in the corner； a
sudden catch was audible； like the catch of a clock before it
strikes the hour。 For one second the two stared at each
other with lifted brows and stony eyes。 Then Harry； throwing
one arm over his face； with the other clutched the girl to
his breast and staggered against the wall。
A dull and startling thud resounded through the room； their
eyes blinked against the coming horror； and still clinging
together like drowning people； they fell to the floor。 Then
followed a prolonged and strident hissing as from the
indignant pit； an offensive stench seized them by the throat；
the room was filled with dense and choking fumes。
Presently these began a little to disperse： and when at
length they drew themselves； all limp and shaken； to a
sitting posture； the first object that greeted their vision
was the box reposing uninjured in its corner； but still
leaking little wreaths of vapour round the lid。
'Oh； poor Zero！' cried the girl； with a strange sobbing
laugh。 'Alas； poor Zero！ This will break his heart！'
THE SUPERFLUOUS MANSION （CONCLUDED）
SOMERSET ran straight upstairs； the door of the drawing…room；
contrary to all custom； was unlocked； and bursting in； the
young man found Zero seated on a sofa in an attitude of
singular dejection。 Close beside him stood an untasted grog；
the mark of strong preoccupation。 The room besides was in
confusion： boxes had been tumbled to and fro； the floor was
strewn with keys and other implements； and in the midst of
this disorder lay a lady's glove。
'I have come；' cried Somerset； 'to make an end of this。
Either you will instantly abandon all your schemes； or （cost
what it may） I will denounce you to the police。'
'Ah！' replied Zero； slowly shaking his head。 'You are too
late； dear fellow！ I am already at the end of all my hopes；
and fallen to be a laughing…stock and mockery。 My reading；'
he added； with a gentle despondency of manner； 'has not been
much among romances； yet I recall from one a phrase that
depicts my present state with critical exactitude； and you
behold me sitting here 〃like a burst drum。〃'
'What has befallen you？' cried Somerset。
'My last batch；' returned the plotter wearily； 'like all the
others； is a hollow mockery and a fraud。 In vain do I
combine the elements； in vain adjust the springs； and I have
now arrived at such a pitch of disconsideration that （except
yourself； dear fellow） I do not know a soul that I can face。
My subordinates themselves have turned upon me。 What
language have I heard to…day； what illiberality of sentiment；
what pungency of expression！ She came once； I could have
pardoned that； for she was moved； but she returned； returned
to announce to me this crushing blow； and； Somerset； she was
very inhumane。 Yes； dear fellow； I have drunk a bitter cup；
the speech of females is remarkable for 。 。 。 well； well！
Denounce me； if you will； you but denounce the dead。 I am
extinct。 It is strange how； at this supreme crisis of my
life； I should be haunted by quotations from works of an
inexact and even fanciful descripti