Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Brazilian Cat
Heworewhitelinenclothes,intrueplanterstyle,withacigarbetweenhislips,andalargePanamahatuponthebackofhishead.Itwassuchafigureasoneassociateswithaverandahedbungalow,anditlookedcuriouslyoutofplaceinfrontofthisbroad,stoneEnglishmansion,withitssolidwingsanditsPalladiopillarsbeforethedoorway.
"Mydear!"hecried,glancingoverhisshoulder;"mydear,hereisourguest!Welcome,welcometoGreylands!Iamdelightedtomakeyouracquaintance,CousinMarshall,andItakeitasagreatcomplimentthatyoushouldhonourthissleepylittlecountryplacewithyourpresence."
Nothingcouldbemoreheartythanhismanner,andhesetmeatmyeaseinaninstant.Butitneededallhiscordialitytoatoneforthefrigidityandevenrudenessofhiswife,atall,haggardwoman,whocameforwardathissummons.Shewas,Ibelieve,ofBrazilianextraction,thoughshespokeexcellentEnglish,andIexcusedhermannersonthescoreofherignoranceofourcustoms.Shedidnotattempttoconceal,however,eitherthenorafterwards,thatIwasnoverywelcomevisitoratGreylandsCourt.Heractualwordswere,asarule,courteous,butshewasthepossessorofapairofparticularlyexpressivedarkeyes,andIreadinthemveryclearlyfromthefirstthatsheheartilywishedmebackinLondononcemore.
However,mydebtsweretoopressingandmydesignsuponmywealthyrelativeweretoovitalformetoallowthemtobeupsetbytheill-temperofhiswife,soIdisregardedhercoldnessandreciprocatedtheextremecordialityofhiswelcome.
