CHAPTER V.THE WATER OF YOUTH.
Usually the fond imaginations of the night wear a different aspect in the dawn; but the visions of the Misses Semaphore had lost none of their attractiveness by morning. Though, as before said, they tried now and then to check their super-abounding joy by the cold reflection that perhaps the explorer’s widow was a humbug, and the Water of Youth liquid drawn from the nearest well, they had much ado to keep their excitement within bounds. Indeed their manner, despite all efforts, betrayed such suppressed exultation that Mr. Lorimer twice enquired of Major Jones if he thought “the old girls” were daft.
In the afternoon, punctually as the clock chimed a quarter to four, Miss Augusta, neatly dressed in black, and carrying Toutou in her arms, took her way to Gloucester RoadStation and booked to King’s Cross, whence she took a cab to 194, Handel Street, W.C.
At about half-past six she returned. Prudence, who had been anxiously awaiting her, jumped up eagerly as she put her head in at the door and said, “Come into my room,” in a voice full of mysteries.
Arrived in the centre of her own apartment Miss Semaphore turned round and faced her sister with much solemnity. She spoke no word and began slowly unfastening her bonnet string. The air seemed big with fate.
“Well?” gasped Miss Prudence, “did you see her? Is it all right? What was she like?”
Miss Semaphore was in no haste to answer.
“The Water—tell me quick, was it any good. Did you buy it?”
“Look,” said Miss Semaphore with a wave of her hand.
The eyes of Miss Prudence followed the gesture and fell on Toutou. But was it Toutou, this transformed dog? Old, shaky, querulous, rheumatic Toutou? She went nearer. There was a jolly, bright-eyed little beast, a mere puppy, slim, young, and frisky,without a grey hair in his coat, who suddenly leaped on Prudence, barking and jumping round with lively manifestations of delight.
“She tested it on him,” said Miss Augusta in a hollow voice, “and see the result. Can we doubt its miraculous power any longer?”
Miss Prudence sat down, looking quite pale and awe-stricken. This proof overwhelmed her.
“I am almost afraid of it,” she gasped. “It does not seem right somehow, does it?”
“Oh, nonsense,” exclaimed Miss Augusta pettishly. “Not right? Of course it is. For my part I think it a most glorious and beneficent discovery, and not calculated to harm anyone.”
“Did she give much to Toutou? Do tell me all that happened. Was she nice?”
“Yes, she was very nice indeed, a well-bred, good-looking woman. The house was not much to look at, and the servant so untidy; but Mrs. Geldheraus told me she had only taken apartments there temporarily, as she is leaving almost immediately for the continent. Her boxes are packed.”
“Does she look young herself?”
“About twenty-three; but she assures me she is sixty-four. I could not believe it. Sheshowed me her baptismal certificate. It was in German, so I could not make much out of it; but I saw the date eighteen hundred and thirty something quite plainly.”
“Good gracious!”
“She was ever so civil, and insisted on giving me tea, but she would make no reduction in her terms. She said she knew she was asking what would be a good deal of money for an ordinary cosmetic, but for an absolute return to youth it was ridiculously little. Many dying millionaires or monarchs would be willing to give all their possessions for even a few drops of it.”
“And then?”
“Then I spoke of requiring some proof that it was as efficacious as she said, so she offered to give me a little then and there. I was rather afraid to risk it, and said I’d prefer her to give some to Toutou first, but that she should not charge extra for that, as it was simply experimental. She agreed, and poured about half a tea-spoonful into a saucer, mixed some milk with it, and made Toutou drink it.”
“And did he change at once?”
“No, he just came back in his slow, fat way, and lay down before the fire wheezing;but she bade me watch him closely, and gradually I saw one by one the white patches dying out of his coat. Those that came last went first. Then I noticed that he breathed more freely, you know he was not asthmatic until two years ago. By degrees he grew thinner, his coat glossier, and his eyes less dim; then suddenly he sprang up and began dashing round the room in wild spirits, just as he used to. After this I could doubt no longer. Still, I told her our idea about post-dating the cheque, hoped she would not be offended and all that, but I had yet to prove if the Water would work as efficaciously on human beings as on an animal.”
“And did she agree?”
“Well, she did not like the notion at all; said she had given me a positive demonstration, and so on, which ought to satisfy me, but I insisted. She then said she wanted the money pressingly and at once, that this was the only reason why she let us have it, and made what really was for her a bad bargain. The end of it was she agreed to my post-dating the cheque two days, if I promised in the interval to take a dose of the liquid that would satisfy me there was truth in what she said, so I consented to take just a little as a preliminary, to-night.”
“Oh,—will you really? Don’t you think it might be better to go away from here first and try it somewhere down in the country, as we agreed. They will be sure to remark so on any sudden change in you.”
“I hope,” said Miss Augusta with severity and dignity, “you do not mean to say I look so old that the taking off of a few years will make a very visible difference. I am quite aware I may not look as young as I once did, but that this is so very perceptible as you seem to imply, I really do not believe.”
“Oh no! of course not. I did not exactly mean that,” murmured Miss Prudence.
She had meant it, however, so found it difficult to explain away her words. One generally does find it difficult under such circumstances.
Miss Augusta, taking no further notice, proceeded to lock the precious bottle into a drawer, and had scarcely done so when the dinner bell rang.
“Good gracious!” exclaimed Prudence, “I must run and dress.”
She hastily opened the door of her room, but the frisky Toutou was too quick for her. He darted forward and almost upset her in his eagerness to get out.
“How lively he is!” said Prudence in admiration. “Just like a puppy! How did you get him home if he danced about like this?”
“It was a troublesome business I assure you,” answered Miss Augusta, who was too much interested and excited to sulk long with her sister. “He jumped out of my arms and frisked up and down the carriage in the liveliest way, so that I had the greatest difficulty in catching him again. He was in the wildest state of delight you can imagine, barked and leaped on all the passengers, just fancy, and he has been so rheumatic for years! I could scarcely hold him under my cloak. He sprang out of my arms once and very nearly broke the bottle I was carrying.”
“How dreadful! What on earth should we have done if he had smashed it.”
“Well, fortunately he didn’t,” said Miss Augusta shortly, refusing to contemplate such a calamity.