The Man with the Red Beard; A Story of Moscow and London

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1911 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XV THE PAPERS IN THE RAIN-PIPE He was seated at his breakfast, and he jumped from his chair as though he had been on springs as I entered. I had followed hard upon the heels of his man, and so took my friend completely by surprise. I, too, was perhaps nearly as surprised as he. For in the mirror that hung on the wall beyond him an apparition, gaunt and in travel-stained uniform, seemed to advance across the room with outstretched hand to meet me. There had been no such luxuries as looking glasses in the cell I had so lately left, and six months of tortured hardships, such as I had experienced, go far to age and alter a man. I am sure that in the emaciated, bearded figure, clad in the ill-fitting warder's coat, I did not at first recognise the well-fed Samuel Mannering who had but six months past stood in Dick Berryman's room. And Dick, dear old fellow, did not seem to be able to make up his bewildered mind what to do first--whether to shake hands with me, or to fly to the sideboard and mix me a brandy-and-soda. It did not take him long to do both. Within the space of a very few minutes I was seated, clad in a barbaric dressing-gown, at the table, pouring out into my host's ear, as well as I was able to remember them, the things which had befallen me since I had last seen him. It is hard for me to write of the feelings I experienced as I sat before the cut glass and silver of Dick's breakfast table. The well-found comfort of it all, the cosy furnishings, the summer sunlight which glanced in at the long windows, did more, I think, to bring my physical strength back to me than the food itself, which I was somewhat greedily, I am afraid, devouring. At the same time I do not wish to belittle the latter--devilled kidneys and crisp rolls, together with fra...