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I suppose you asked him to introduce you to Dexter？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Exactly！ Dexter despises him； my dear。 He knows as well as I do
that Dexter won't go to his dinner。 And he takes that roundabout
way of keeping you apart； instead of saying No to you plainly；
like an honest man。
This was bad news。 But I was； as usual； too obstinate to own
myself defeated。
〃If the worst comes to the worst；〃 I said； 〃I can but write to
Mr。 Dexter； and beg him to grant me an interview。〃
〃And go to him by yourself； if he does grant it？〃 inquired Mrs。
Macallan。
〃Certainly。 By myself。〃
〃You really mean it？〃
〃I do； indeed。〃
〃I won't allow you to go by yourself。〃
〃May I venture to ask； ma'am how you propose to prevent me？〃
〃By going with you； to be sure； you obstinate hussy！ Yes； yesI
can be as headstrong as you are when I like。 Mind！ I don't want
to know what your plans are。 I don't want to be mixed up with
your plans。 My son is resigned to the Scotch Verdict。 I am
resigned to the Scotch Verdict。 It is you who won't let matters
rest as they are。 You are a vain and foolhardy young person。 But；
somehow； I have taken a liking to you； and I won't let you go to
Miserrimus Dexter by yourself。 Put on your bonnet！〃
〃Now？〃 I asked。
〃Certainly！ My carriage is at the door。 And the sooner it's over
the better I shall be pleased。 Get readyand be quick about it！〃
I required no second bidding。 In ten minutes more we were on our
way to Miserrimus Dexter。
Such was the result of my mother…in…law's visit！
CHAPTER XXIV。
MISERRIMUS DEXTERFIRST VIEW。
WE had dawdled over our luncheon before Mrs。 Macallan arrived at
Benjamin's cottage。 The ensuing conversation between the old lady
and myself （of which I have only presented a brief abstract）
lasted until quite late in the afternoon。 The sun was setting in
heavy clouds when we got into the carriage； and the autumn
twilight began to fall around us while we were still on the road。
The direction in which we drove took us （as well as I could
judge） toward the great northern suburb of London。
For more than an hour the carriage threaded its way through a
dingy brick labyrinth of streets； growing smaller and smaller and
dirtier and dirtier the further we went。 Emerging from the
labyrinth； I noticed in the gathering darkness dreary patches of
waste ground which seemed to be neither town nor country。
Crossing these； we passed some forlorn outlying groups of houses
with dim little scattered shops among them； looking like lost
country villages wandering on the way to London； disfigured and
smoke…dried already by their journey。 Darker and darker and
drearier and drearier the prospect drew； until the carriage
stopped at last； and Mrs。 Macallan announced； in her sharply
satirical way； that we had reached the end of our journey。
〃Prince Dexter's Palace； my dear；〃 she said。 〃What do you think
of it？〃
I looked around me； not knowing what to think of it； if the truth
must be told。
We had got out of the carriage； and we were standing on a rough
half…made gravel…path。 Right and left of me； in the dim light； I
saw the half…completed foundations of new houses in their first
stage of existence。 Boards and bricks were scattered about us。 At
places gaunt scaffolding poles rose like the branchless trees of
the brick desert。 Behind us； on the other side of the high…road；
stretched another plot of waste ground； as yet not built on。 Over
the surface of this second desert the ghostly white figures of
vagrant ducks gleamed at intervals in the mystic light。 In front
of us； at a distance of two hundred yards or so as well as I
could calculate； rose a black mass； which gradually resolved
itself； as my eyes became accustomed to the twilight； into a
long； low； and ancient house； with a hedge of evergreens and a
pitch…black paling in front of it。 The footman led the way toward
the paling through the boards and the bricks； the oyster shells
and the broken crockery； that strewed the ground。 And this was
〃Prince Dexter's Palace！〃
There was a gate in the pitch…black paling； and a
bell…handlediscovered with great difficulty。 Pulling at the
handle； the footman set in motion； to judge by the sound
produced； a bell of prodigious size； fitter for a church than a
house。
While we were waiting for admission； Mrs。 Macallan pointed to the
low； dark line of the old building。
〃There is one of his madnesses；〃 she said。 〃The speculators in
this new neighborhood have offered him I don't know how many
thousand pounds for the ground that house stands on。 It was
originally the manor…house of the district。 Dexter purchased it
many years since in one of his freaks of fancy。 He has no old
family associations with the place； the walls are all but
tumbling about his ears； and the money offered would really be of
use to him。 But no！ He refused the proposal of the enterprising
speculators by letter in these words： 'My house is a standing
monument of the picturesque and beautiful； amid the mean；
dishonest； and groveling constructions of a mean； dishonest； and
groveling age。 I keep my house； gentlemen； as a useful lesson to
you。 Look at it while you are building around me； and blush； if
you can； for your work。' Was there ever such an absurd letter
written yet？ Hush！ I hear footsteps in the garden。 Here comes his
cousin。 His cousin is a woman。 I may as well tell you that； or
you might mistake her for a man in the dark。〃
A rough； deep voice； which I should certainly never have supposed
to be the voice of a woman； hailed us from the inner side of the
paling。
〃Who's there？〃
〃Mrs。 Macallan；〃 answered my mother…in…law。
〃What do you want？〃
〃We want to see Dexter。〃
〃You can't see him。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃What did you say your name was？〃
〃Macallan。 Mrs。 Macallan。 Eustace Macallan's mother。 _Now_ do you
understand？〃
The voice muttered and grunted behind the paling； and a key
turned in the lock of the gate。
Admitted to the garden； in the deep shadow of the shrubs； I could
see nothing distinctly of the woman with the rough voice； except
that she wore a man's hat。 Closing the gate behind us； without a
word of welcome or explanation； she led the way to the house。
Mrs。 Macallan followed her easily； knowing the place； and I
walked in Mrs。 Macallan's footsteps as closely as I could。 〃This
is a nice family；〃 my mother…in…law whispered to me。 〃Dexter's
cousin is the only woman in the houseand Dexter's cousin is an
idiot。〃
We entered a spacious hall with a low ceiling； dimly lighted at
its further end by one small oil…lamp。 I could see that there
were pictures on the grim； brown walls； but the subjects
represented were invisible in the obscure and shadowy light。
Mrs。 Macallan addressed herself to the speechless cousin with the
man's hat。
〃Now tell me；〃 she said。 〃Why can't we see Dexter？〃
The cousin took a sheet of paper off the table； and handed it to
Mrs。 Macallan。
〃The Master's writing；〃 said this strange creature； in a hoarse
whisper； as if the bare idea of 〃the Master〃 terrified her。 〃Read
it。 And stay or go； which you please。〃
She opened an invisible side door in the wall； masked by one of
the picturesdis