Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Brazilian Cat
ThenearestofthesewasEverardKing,myfather’snephewandmyownfirstcousin,whohadspentanadventurouslifeinBrazil,andhadnowreturnedtothiscountrytosettledownonhisfortune.Weneverknewhowhemadehismoney,butheappearedtohaveplentyofit,forheboughttheestateofGreylands,nearClipton-on-the-Marsh,inSuffolk.ForthefirstyearofhisresidenceinEnglandhetooknomorenoticeofmethanmymiserlyuncle;butatlastonesummermorning,tomyverygreatreliefandjoy,IreceivedaletteraskingmetocomedownthatverydayandspendashortvisitatGreylandsCourt.IwasexpectingaratherlongvisittoBankruptcyCourtatthetime,andthisinterruptionseemedalmostprovidential.IfIcouldonlygetontermswiththisunknownrelativeofmine,Imightpullthroughyet.Forthefamilycredithecouldnotletmegoentirelytothewall.Iorderedmyvalettopackmyvalise,andIsetoffthesameeveningforClipton-on-the-Marsh.
AfterchangingatIpswich,alittlelocaltraindepositedmeatasmall,desertedstationlyingamidstarollinggrassycountry,withasluggishandwindingrivercurvinginandoutamidstthevalleys,betweenhigh,siltedbanks,whichshowedthatwewerewithinreachofthetide.Nocarriagewasawaitingme(Ifoundafterwardsthatmytelegramhadbeendelayed),soIhiredadogcartatthelocalinn.Thedriver,anexcellentfellow,wasfullofmyrelative’spraises,andIlearnedfromhimthatMr.EverardKingwasalreadyanametoconjurewithinthatpartofthecounty.
