Пробный камень
IV
”
“Buttheman’sdead,isn’the?”
“He’sdead—yes;butcanIassumetheresponsibilitywithout—”
Flamelhesitated;andalmostimmediatelyGlennard’sscruplesgavewaytoirritation.IfatthishourFlamelweretoaffectaninopportunereluctance—!
Theolderman’sanswerreassuredhim.“Whyneedyouassumeanyresponsibility?Yournamewon’tappear,ofcourse;andastoyourfriend’s,Idon’tseewhyhisshould,either.Hewasn’tacelebrityhimself,Isuppose?”
“No,no.”
“ThentheletterscanbeaddressedtoMr.Blank.Doesn’tthatmakeitallright?”
Glennard’shesitationrevived.“Forthepublic,yes.ButIdon’tseethatitaltersthecaseforme.Thequestionis,oughtItopublishthematall?”
“Ofcourseyououghtto.”Flamelspokewithinvigoratingemphasis.“Idoubtifyou’dbejustifiedinkeepingthemback.AnythingofMargaretAubyn’sismoreorlesspublicpropertybythistime.She’stoogreatforanyoneofus.Iwasonlywonderinghowyoucouldusethemtothebestadvantage—toyourself,Imean.Howmanyarethere?”
“Oh,alot;perhapsahundred—Ihaven’tcounted.Theremaybemore....”
“Gad!Whatahaul!Whenweretheywritten?”
“Idon’tknow—thatis—theycorrespondedforyears.What’stheodds?”Hemovedtowardhishatwithavagueimpulseofflight.
“Itallcounts,”saidFlamel,imperturbably.“Alongcorrespondence—one,Imean,thatcoversagreatdealoftime—isobviouslyworthmorethanifthesamenumberoflettershadbeenwrittenwithinayear.
