Fiction > Serialisations > London, 1896-1897 - St. Ives > Volume 13

ST. IVES. 257
knew you first as Mr. Ducie ; and you may take it that I'm Mr. Don't see." He
reached up a hand towards the valve-string.
" What are you proposing to do ? "
" To descend."'
"What? — back to the enclosure?"
" Scarcely that, seeing that we have struck a northerly current, and are travelling
at the rate of thirty miles an hour, perhaps. That's Broad Law to the south of
us, as I make it out."
" But why descend at all ? "
" Because it sticks in my head that some one in the crowd called you by a
name that wasn't Ducie; and by a title, for that matter, which didn't sound like
' Viscount.' I took it at the time for a constable's trick ; but I begin to have my
strong doubts."
The fellow was dangerous. I stooped nonchalantly, on pretence of picking up
a plaid ; for the air had turned bitterly cold, of a sudden.
" Mr. Byfield, a word in your private ear, if you will."
" As you please," said he, dropping the valve-string.
We leaned together over the breastwork of the car. " If I mistake not," I said,
speaking low, " the name was Champdivers."
He nodded.
" The gentleman who raised that foolish but infernally risky cry was my own
cousin, the Viscount de St. Vves. I give you my word of honour to that."
Observing that this staggered him, I added, mighty slyly, " I suppose it doesn't
occur to you now that the whole affair was a game, for a friendly wager ? ")
" No," he answered brutally, " it doesn't. And what's more, it won't go
down."
" In that respect," said I, with a sudden change of key, " it resembles your
balloon. But I admire the obstinacy of your suspicions ; since, as a matter of fact,
I am Champdivers."
" The mur "
" Certainly not. I killed the man in fair duel."
" Ha ! " he eyed me with sour distrust. " That is what you have to
prove."
" Man alive, you don't expect me to demonstrate it up here, by the simple
apparatus of ballooning ! "
" There is no talk of ' up here,' " said he, and reached for the valve
string.
" Say ' down there,' then. Down there it is no business of the accused to
prove his innocence. By what I have heard of the law, English or Scotch, the
boot is on the other leg. But I'll tell you what I can prove. I can prove, sir,
that I have been a deal in your company of late ; that I supped with you and
Mr. Dalmahoy no longer ago than Wednesday. You may put it that we three are
here together again by accident ; that you never suspected me ; that my invasion
of your machine was a complete surprise to you, and, so far as you were concerned,
wholly fortuitous. But ask yourself what any intelligent jury is likely to make
of that cock-and-bull story." Mr. Byfield was visibly shaken. " Add to this," I
proceeded, " that you have to explain Sheepshanks ; to confess that you gulled
the public by advertising a lonely ascension, and haranguing a befooled multitude
to the same intent, when, all the time, you had a companion concealed in the car.
' A public character ' you call yourself ! My word, sir ! there'll be no mistake
about it, this time."
Vol. XIII. — No. 54. 17