Haunted Lives - 1868 Author:Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. AN INVALID. Dacre sat back in the cab, the sole of one foot on the edge of the opposite cushion. The little man in the black wrapper sat besid... more »e him, and opposite that unknown person sat a burly gentleman, with broad shoulders and a florid face, and an expression of sly self-confidence. It was the pleasure of Mr. Dacre to be silent, and these gentlemen, as in the presence of one of superior rank, Iwhen they spoke together, did so in an under tone, advancing their heads. At last Mr. Dacre, no doubt amused by his ruminations, burst into a sarcastic laugh, which having indulged without vouchsafing any explanation to his companions, who VOL. II. 2 seemed to count for next to nothing, he relapsed into silence. This silence lasted till they had nearly reached St. Paul's Churchyard, when Mr. Dacre produced a cigarette, and with a laconic "Light, please," procured from the little person beside him that necessary appliance. The cigarette did not last long, and when it was expended he looked, for the first time, out of the window. "Is it far to this house?" he asked of anyone who might please to answer. " Quite near," said the little man at his elbow. He continued to look listlessly from the window, humming an air. They had turned up, to the left, a street near Cheapside. "If it's much further, you may go on, gentlemen, if you like, but I shall leave you and go home." The cab drew up, however, almost as he spoke. " This is it—here's the house," which he pronounced ousfie. " You'd better go and try whether he can see us," said Dacre, in the same careless, haughty way. Out got the little man; the door was already open, and he asked the dowdy maid who stood by it— "How is Mr. Gillespie to-night?" " Poorly, sir." " "Well enoug...« less