The Professor seemed to breathe more
freely as they left the neighbourhood of his house behind. He walked up
the stairs to Quest's library almost blithely. If he was aware of it, he
took no notice of French and the two plain-clothes men behind. As he
stepped into the room, he drew a long sigh of relief. He made his way at
once to his favourite easy-chair, threw off his overcoat and leaned back.
"Quest," he pronounced, "you are the best friend I have in my life! It is
you who have rid me of my great burden. Tell me--help me a little with my
story--have you read that page from the _Medical Journal_ which Craig has
kept locked up all these years?"
"We have all read it," Quest replied.
"It was forged," the Professor declared firmly, "forged by Craig. All the
years since, he has blackmailed me. I have been his servant and his tool.
I have been afraid to speak. At last I am free of him. Thank God!"
"Craig, after all," French muttered.
The Professor sat with a faint, wistful smile upon the corners of his
lips, looking around at all of them. His face had become like the face of
a child, eager for sympathy and kindness.
"You will trust me, I know," he continued. "You will believe me. All my
life I have laboured for science. I have never been selfish. I have laid
up no store of gold or treasure. Knowledge has been my mistress, knowledge
has been my heaven. If I had been a wise man, I would have ridden myself
of this hideous burden, but I was foolish and afraid.
Pages:
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358