Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Brazilian Cat
"
LordSoutherton!OneoftherichestpeersinEngland!Icouldnotbelievemyears.AndthensuddenlyIthoughtofthetimewhichhadelapsed,andhowitcoincidedwithmyinjuries.
"ThenLordSouthertonmusthavediedaboutthesametimethatIwashurt?"
"Hisdeathoccurreduponthatveryday."SummerslookedhardatmeasIspoke,andIamconvinced—forhewasaveryshrewdfellow—thathehadguessedthetruestateofthecase.Hepausedforamomentasifawaitingaconfidencefromme,butIcouldnotseewhatwastobegainedbyexposingsuchafamilyscandal.
"Yes,averycuriouscoincidence,"hecontinued,withthesameknowinglook."Ofcourse,youareawarethatyourcousinEverardKingwasthenextheirtotheestates.Now,ifithadbeenyouinsteadofhimwhohadbeentorntopiecesbythistiger,orwhateveritwas,thenofcoursehewouldhavebeenLordSouthertonatthepresentmoment."
"Nodoubt,"saidI.
"Andhetooksuchaninterestinit,"saidSummers."IhappentoknowthatthelateLordSoutherton’svaletwasinhispay,andthatheusedtohavetelegramsfromhimeveryfewhourstotellhimhowhewasgettingon.Thatwouldbeaboutthetimewhenyouweredownthere.Wasitnotstrangethatheshouldwishtobesowellinformed,sinceheknewthathewasnotthedirectheir?"
"Verystrange,"saidI."Andnow,Summers,ifyouwillbringmemybillsandanewcheque-book,wewillbegintogetthingsintoorder."
