The Giant's Robe. Anstey F.
do you do, Mr. Beauchamp?' he said heartily, using the nom de plume with an air of implied compliment; 'and so you've made up your mind to entrust yourself to us, have you? That's right. I don't think you'll find any reason to regret it, I don't indeed.'
Mark said he was sure of that.
'Well, now, as to the book,' continued Mr. Fladgate; 'I've had the pleasure of looking through it myself, as well as Mr. Blackshaw, our reader, and I must tell you that I agree with him in considering that you have written a very remarkable book. As we told you, you know, it may or may not prove a pecuniary success, but, however that may be, my opinion of it will remain the same; it ought, in my judgment, to ensure you a certain standing at once – at once.'
Mark heard this with a pang of jealousy. Long before, he had dreamed of just such an interview, in which he should be addressed in some such manner – his dream was being fulfilled now with relentless mockery!
'But there is a risk,' said Mr. Fladgate, 'a decided risk, which brings me to the subject of terms. Are you satisfied with the offer we made to you? You see that a first book – '
'Excuse me for one moment,' said Mark desperately, 'I'm afraid you imagine that – that I wrote the book?'
'That certainly was my impression,' said Mr. Fladgate, with a humorous light in his eye; 'the only address on the manuscript was yours, and I came to the not unnatural conclusion that Mr. Ashburn and Mr. Beauchamp were one and the same. Am I to understand that is not the case?'
'The book,' said Mark – what it cost him to say this, – 'the book was written by a friend of mine, who went abroad some time ago.'
'Indeed? Well, we should prefer to treat with him in person, of course, if possible.'
'It isn't possible,' said Mark, 'my friend was lost at sea, but he asked me to represent him in this matter, and I believe I know his wishes.'
'I've no doubt of it; but you see, Mr. – Mr. Ashburn, this must be considered a little. I suppose you have some authority from him in writing, to satisfy us (merely as a matter of business) that we are dealing with the right person?'
'I have not indeed,' said Mark, 'my friend was very anxious to retain his incognito.'
'He must have been – very much so,' said Mr. Fladgate, coughing; 'well, perhaps you can bring me some writing of his to that effect? You may have it among your papers, eh?'
'No,' said Mark, 'my friend did not think it necessary to give me one – he was anxious to – '
'Oh, quite so – then you can procure me a line or two perhaps?'
'I told you that my friend was dead,' said Mark a little impatiently.
'Ah, so you did, to be sure, I forgot. I thought – but no matter. Well, Mr. Ashburn, if you can't say anything more than this – anything, you understand, which puts you in a position to treat with us, I'm afraid – I'm afraid I must ask time to think over this. If your friend is really dead, I suppose your authority is determined. Perhaps, however, his – ahem – anxiety to preserve his incognito has led him to allow this rumour of his death to be circulated?'
'I don't think that is likely,' said Mark, wondering at an undercurrent of meaning in the publisher's tone, a meaning which had nothing sinister in it, and yet seemed urging him to contradict himself for some reason.
'That is your last word, then?' said Mr. Fladgate, and there was a sharp inflection as of disappointment and irritation in his voice, and the fold in his forehead deepened.
'It must be,' said Mark, rising, 'I have kept you too long already.'
'If you really must go,' said Mr. Fladgate, not using the words in their conventional sense of polite dismissal. 'But, Mr. Ashburn, are you quite sure that this interview might not be saved from coming to nothing, as it seems about to do? Might not a word or two from you set things right again? I don't wish to force you to tell me anything you would rather keep concealed – but really, this story you tell about a Mr. Vincent Beauchamp who is dead only ties our hands, you understand – ties our hands!'
'If so,' said Mark, uncomfortably, 'I can only say I am very sorry for it – I don't see how I can help it.'
He was beginning to feel that this business of Holroyd's had given him quite trouble enough.
'Now, Mr. Ashburn, as I said before, I should be the last man to press you – but really, you know, really– this is a trifle absurd! I think you might be a little more frank with me, I do indeed. There is no reason why you should not trust me!'
Was this man tempting him, thought Mark. Could he be so anxious to bring out this book that he was actually trying to induce him to fabricate some story which would get over the difficulties that had arisen?
As a mere matter of fact, it may be almost unnecessary to mention that no such idea had occurred to worthy Mr. Fladgate, who, though he certainly was anxious to secure the book if he could, by any legitimate means, was anything but a publishing Mephistopheles. He had an object, however, in making this last appeal for confidence, as will appear immediately; but, innocent as it was, Mark's imagination conjured up a bland demon tempting him to some act of unspeakable perfidy; he trembled – but not with horror. 'What do you mean?' he stammered.
Mr. Fladgate gave a glance of keen amusement at the pale troubled face of the young man before him. 'What do I mean?' he repeated. 'Come, I've known sensitive women try to conceal their identity, and even their sex, from their own publishers; I've known men even persuade themselves they didn't care for notoriety – but such a determined instance of what I must take leave to call the literary ostrich I don't think I ever did meet before! I never met a writer so desperately anxious to remain unknown that he would rather take his manuscript back than risk his secret with his own publisher. But don't you see that you have raised (I don't use the term in the least offensively) the mask, so to speak – you should have sent somebody else here to-day if you wished to keep me in the dark. I've not been in business all these years, Mr. Ashburn, without gaining a little experience. I think, I do think, I am able to know an author when I see him – we are all liable to error, but I am very much mistaken if this Mr. Vincent Beauchamp (who was so unfortunately lost at sea) is not to be recovered alive by a little judicious dredging. Do think if you can't produce him; come, he's not in very deep water – bring him up, Mr. Ashburn, bring him up!'
'You make this very difficult for me,' said Mark, in a low voice; he knew now how greatly he had misjudged the man, who had spoken with such an innocent, amiable pride in his own surprising discernment; he also felt how easy and how safe it would be to take advantage of this misunderstanding, and what a new future it might open to him – but he was struggling still against the temptation so unconsciously held out to him.
'I might retort that, I think. Now, be reasonable, Mr. Ashburn. I assure you the writer, whoever he may be, has no cause to be ashamed of the book – the time will come when he will probably be willing enough to own it. Still, if he wishes to keep his real name secret, I tell him, through you, that he may surely be content to trust that to us. We have kept such secrets before – not very long, to be sure, as a general rule; but then that was because the authors usually relieved us from the trouble – the veil was never lifted by us.'
'I think you said,' began Mark, as if thinking aloud, 'that other works by – by the same author would be sure of acceptance?'
'I should be very glad to have an opportunity, in time, of producing another book by Mr. Vincent Beauchamp – but Mr. Beauchamp, as you explained, is unhappily no more. Perhaps these are earlier manuscripts of his?'
Mark had been seized with the desire of making one more attempt, in spite of his promise to his uncle, to launch those unhappy paper ships of his – 'Sweet Bells Jangled' and 'One Fair Daughter.' For an instant it occurred to him that he might answer this last question in the affirmative; he had little doubt that if he did his books would meet with a very different reception from that of Messrs. Leadbitter and Gandy; still, that would only benefit Holroyd – not himself, and then he recollected, only just in time, that the difference in handwriting (which was very considerable) would betray him. He looked confused and said nothing.
Mr.