You have corrupted many
of my servants to-day. But you didn't corrupt all of them. And because
you didn't, because you couldn't, I am alive. You would like to know how
I got out. But you will never know, Ravengar. You will die without
knowing.'
Ravengar put his hands in his pockets.
'I can only assume that you are going mad, Owen,' said he. 'I have long
guessed that you were. Nothing else will explain this extraordinary
action of yours towards me.'
'You act well,' replied Hugo, sitting down and eyeing Ravengar
critically. 'You act well. But you gave the whole show away by the tone
in which you swore two minutes ago. If there is anyone mad in this room,
it is yourself. Your schemes show that queer mixture of amazing
ingenuity and amazing folly which is characteristic of madmen. Let us
hope you are mad, at any rate.'
'My schemes!' sneered Ravengar. 'You might at least tell the madman what
his schemes are.'
Hugo laughed.
'You must have been maturing the day's business quite a long time, my
boyhood's companion, my floater of public companies, my pearl of
financiers. Yes, decidedly parts of it were wonderfully ingenious. To
sow the place with pickpockets, to get at my cashiers, my
commissionaires, and my servers. To substitute your own false
shopwalkers for the genuine article.
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