Sayfa 274 / 490

On reaching the library, he found that it was just after five

o'clock and that the tea had been already brought up. On a little

table of dark perfumed wood thickly incrusted with nacre, a

present from Lady Radley, his guardian's wife, a pretty

professional invalid, who had spent the preceding winter in

Cairo, was lying a note from Lord Henry, and beside it was a book

bound in yellow paper, the cover slightly torn and the edges

soiled. A copy of the third edition of The St. James's Gazette

had been placed on the tea-tray. It was evident that Victor had

returned. He wondered if he had met the men in the hall as they

were leaving the house and had wormed out of them what they had

been doing. He would be sure to miss the picture-had no doubt

missed it already, while he had been laying the tea-things. The

screen had not been set back, and a blank space was visible on

the wall. Perhaps some night he might find him creeping upstairs

and trying to force the door of the room.