Miss Pearl's question was awkward to answer on the spur of the moment, as may be easily guessed. Ralph had intended to lead gradually up to the object of his visit; but thrown off his guard by the sight of the dress, he had committed himself in a most untimely manner. While thinking of a possible answer which would delay explanations he stared hard at Miss Pearl, trying to guess what kind of a woman she was. From the furnishing of the room, from her looks and severe mode of dress, he took her to be a religious woman of a Puritanic cast, who had abjured1 the pomps and vanities of the world. Yet she was a music-hall dancer, and that profession did not suit either her surroundings or her appearance.
"I shall explain why I made that remark shortly," said Shawe, evading2 a direct reply as well as he was able; "and, truth to tell, my errand is not a very pleasant one."
Miss Pearl looked at the card she held in her large white hand, and pondered thoughtfully. "Mr. Ralph Shawe," she said, in her heavy voice. "Ah! yes, I remember now. Perhaps, Mr. Ralph Shawe, I can guess your errand."
"Perhaps you can," muttered Shawe, wondering what she would say.
"Sir Joseph Branwin," pursued the dancer, "told me about you, as an undesirable3 suitor for the hand of his daughter. Am I right in assuming that you have called to enlist4 my sympathies?"
"Enlist your sympathies?" repeated the visitor, staring.
"Yes. You want me," continued Miss Pearl, in a ponderously5 playful manner, "to ask Sir Joseph to permit you to pay your addresses. I shall do so with pleasure, as I have every sympathy with you and Miss Branwin."
Shawe still stared in a dazed way, as this speech completely puzzled him, and--in vulgar parlance--took the wind out of his sails. Here he had come practically to accuse a lady of being connected with the murder of a woman whom she had wished to supplant6, and this very lady was now most generously offering her assistance to forward his private aims. Shawe could not quite understand if this was cunning on Rosy7 Pearl's part or mere8 stupidity, or perhaps the liberal offer of a generous nature. He noted9 the careful way in which she spoke10 and her method of picking out well-sounding words, and mentally observed that she was doing her best to correct a defective11 education by thinking well before she spoke.
In the meantime Miss Pearl did not hurry him, as she appeared to be a singularly leisurely12 person. With her large calm eyes gazing amiably13 at him, her gracious, rounded figure, and whole placid14 pose, she reminded Ralph of nothing so much as a sacred white cow. But cows can be furious when aroused, and the barrister wondered if she would rise in her majesty15 like Bellona, the goddess of war, when she learnt the true meaning of his visit. But she must be stupid, he thought, else she would have persisted in learning straight away the meaning of his first enigmatic remark. Yet she accepted his postponement16 calmly, and was quite ready to wait for an explanation.
"I am greatly obliged to you for your kindness, Miss Pearl," he said quietly; "but I fear your offer of help is too late. Sir Joseph has had a serious quarrel with his daughter."
"A serious quarrel with his daughter?" repeated the woman, slowly, as if trying to get the idea well into her head; then she added, after a pause; "I should like to hear what the quarrel is about."
Ralph did not intend to tell her, and he was sure Branwin would be too much ashamed of himself to give the information. "Well, you know, Miss Pearl, that Sir Joseph wanted his daughter to marry Lord Anvers. She refused him, so Miss Branwin left the house, as her father was so furious with her."
"Miss Branwin has left the house? And where is she staying now?"
"At the Pink Shop," said Shawe, promptly17. He was unwilling18 to name Audrey's temporary abode19, but did so, to see what effect the name had on this calm and undemonstrative woman.
It had an effect, indeed, for Miss Pearl's white skin slowly became a vivid crimson20, and for the first time during the interview she displayed emotion. Perhaps she was aware of the meaning in Shawe's gaze when he saw this agitation21, for she gave an excuse.
"I don't think that the Pink Shop is a proper place for a young lady to stay at," she remarked frigidly22.
"Why not? You were there yourself, Miss Pearl."
"I have frequently been there, Mr. Shawe. As an artist I have to take the greatest care of what looks I possess, and I find Madame Coralie invaluable23."
"You slept at the Pink Shop on the night Lady Branwin was--"
Miss Pearl displayed more agitation, and--a rare thing for so slow-thinking a woman--interrupted somewhat sharply:
"I admit that I did, but I do not wish it to be known."
"For what reason, Miss Pearl?" asked Ralph, pressing his advantage mercilessly.
"You can guess the reason, Mr. Shawe," she replied, with heavy indignation. "I know what evil minds people have. Sir Joseph is an admirer of mine--quite in a platonic24 way, you understand."
"Of course," murmured the barrister. "I have heard of your unblemished reputation, Miss Pearl."
"I should think it was unblemished," said the dancer, speaking faster than usual. "My dear mother, who was a consistent Baptist, always warned me when I left home to keep myself unspotted from the world. Circumstances have made me a music-hall dancer, but I have always conducted myself discreetly25, and I always shall do so. Not by way of advertisement, Mr. Shawe, but because the principles, instilled26 by my dear mother, will not permit me to behave in any other way."
"It does you credit, Miss Pearl," murmured Ralph, feeling called upon to say something polite.
Rosy Pearl looked at him like an offended goddess. "I do not know whether you mean to be sarcastic27, Mr. Shawe, but let me tell you that sarcasm28 is out of place. Are you one of those men who do not believe that a woman can be virtuous29 in the midst of temptation?"
"Not at all, Miss Pearl. There are good women on the stage, and often bad women in Church circles. It is a question of temperament30."
"It is a question of doing what is right, Mr. Shawe," said the goddess, with a disdainful look. "I am a dancer, it is true, but no one can say a word against me."
"I don't think anyone has said a word," Ralph ventured to remark.
"If they did," said Miss Pearl, sharply, "I would bring a libel action against them without delay. My solicitors31 have instructions to take notice of any flippant remark made about me, and to deal with it as it deserves."
"With such precautions you must be, like Cæsar's wife, above suspicion."
"I do not know Mrs. Cæsar," said Rosy Pearl, coldly, and betrayed her lack of educational knowledge in the remark. "I attend to my own business and to nothing else. I daresay you wonder, Mr. Shawe, why, with these sentiments, I am on the music-hall stage?"
"Well," Ralph admitted, more and more puzzled by this simplicity32, bu............