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"Onlytwothings，"Isaid。"SitdownbehindMr。Dexter’schair，sothathecan’tseeyou。Buttakecaretoplaceyourself，atthesametime，sothatyoucanseeme。"
"ThelessIseeofMr。DexterthebetterIshallbepleased，"
growledBenjamin。"WhatamItodoafterIhavetakenmyplacebehindhim？"
"YouaretowaituntilImakeyouasign；andwhenyouseeityouaretobeginwritingdowninyournote—bookwhatMr。Dexterissaying——andyouaretogoonuntilImakeanothersign，whichmeans，Leaveoff！"
"Well？"saidBenjamin，"what’sthesignforBegin？andwhat’sthesignforLeaveoff？"
Iwasnotquitepreparedwithananswertothis。Iaskedhimtohelpmewithahint。No！Benjaminwouldtakenoactivepartinthematter。Hewasresignedtobeemployedinthecapacityofpassiveinstrument——andthereallconcessionended，sofarashewasconcerned。
Lefttomyownresources，IfounditnoeasymattertoinventatelegraphicsystemwhichshouldsufficientlyinformBenjamin，withoutawakeningDexter’squicksuspicion。IlookedintotheglasstoseeifIcouldfindthenecessarysuggestioninanythingthatIwore。MyearringssuppliedmewiththeideaofwhichIwasinsearch。
"Ishalltakecaretositinanarm—chair，"Isaid。"Whenyouseemerestmyelbowonthechair，andliftmyhandtomyearring，asifIwereplayingwithit——writedownwhathesays；andgoonuntil——well，supposewesay，untilyouhearmemovemychair。Atthatsound，stop。Youunderstandme？"
"Iunderstandyou。"
WestartedforDexter’shouse。
CHAPTERXL。
NEMESISATLAST。
THEgardeneropenedthegatetousonthisoccasion。Hehadevidentlyreceivedhisordersinanticipationofmyarrival。
"Mrs。Valeria？"heasked。
"Yes。"
"Andfriend？"
"Andfriend。"
"Pleasetostepupstairs。Youknowthehouse。"
Crossingthehall，Istoppedforamoment，andlookedatafavoritewalking—canewhichBenjaminstillkeptinhishand。
"Yourcanewillonlybeinyourway，"Isaid。"Hadyounotbetterleaveithere？"
"Mycanemaybeusefulupstairs，"retortedBenjamin，gruffly。
"_I_haven’tforgottenwhathappenedinthelibrary。"
Itwasnotimetocontendwithhim。Iledthewayupthestairs。
Arrivingattheupperflightofsteps，Iwasstartledbyhearingasuddencryfromtheroomabove。Itwaslikethecryofapersoninpain；anditwastwicerepeatedbeforeweenteredthecircularantechamber。Iwasthefirsttoapproachtheinnerroom，andtoseethemany—sidedMiserrimusDexterinanothernewaspectofhischaracter。
TheunfortunateArielwasstandingbeforeatable，withadishoflittlecakesplacedinfrontofher。Roundeachofherwristswastiedastring，thefreeendsofwhich（atadistanceofafewyards）wereheldinMiserrimusDexter’shands。"Tryagain，mybeauty！"Iheardhimsay，asIstoppedonthethresholdofthedoor。"Takeacake。"Atthewordofcommand，Arielsubmissivelystretchedoutonearmtowardthedish。Justasshetouchedacakewiththetipsofherfingersherhandwasjerkedawaybyapullatthestring，sosavagelycruelinthenimbleanddevilishviolenceofitthatIfeltinclinedtosnatchBenjamin’scaneoutofhishandandbreakitoverMiserrimusDexter’sback。ArielsufferedthepainthistimeinSpartansilence。Thepositioninwhichshestoodenabledhertobethefirsttoseemeatthedoor。Shehaddiscoveredme。Herteethwereset；herfacewasflushedunderthestruggletorestrainherself。Notevenasighescapedherinmypresence。
"Dropthestring！"Icalledout，indignantly"Releaseher，Mr。
Dexter，orIshallleavethehouse。"
Atthesoundofmyvoiceheburstoutwithashrillcryofwelcome。Hiseyesfastenedonmewithafierce，devouringdelight。
"Comein！comein！"hecried。"SeewhatIamreducedtointhemaddeningsuspenseofwaitingforyou。SeehowIkillthetimewhenthetimepartsus。Comein！comein！Iaminoneofmymalicioushumorsthismorning，causedentirely，Mrs。Valeria，bymyanxietytoseeyou。WhenIaminmymalicioushumorsImustteasesomething。IamteasingAriel。Lookather！Shehashadnothingtoeatallday，andshehasn’tbeenquickenoughtosnatchamorselofcakeyet。Youneedn’tpityher。Arielhasnonerves——Idon’thurther。"
"Arielhasnonerves，"echoedthepoorcreature，frowningatmeforinterferingbetweenhermasterandherself。"Hedoesn’thurtme。"
IheardBenjaminbeginningtoswinghiscanebehindhim。
"Dropthestring！"Ireiterated，morevehementlythanever。"Dropit，orIshallinstantlyleaveyou。"
MiserrimusDexter’sdelicatenervesshudderedatmyviolence。
"Whatagloriousvoice！"heexclaimed——anddroppedthestring。
"Takethecakes，"headded，addressingArielinhismostimperialmanner。
Shepassedme，withthestringshangingfromherswollenwrists，andthedishofcakesinherhand。Shenoddedherheadatmedefiantly。
"Arielhasgotnonerves，"sherepeated，proudly。"Hedoesn’thurtme。"
"Yousee，"saidMiserrimusDexter，"thereisnoharmdone——andI
droppedthestringswhenyoutoldme。Don’t_begin_bybeinghardonme，Mrs。Valeria，afteryourlongabsence。"Hepaused。
Benjamin，standingsilentinthedoorway，attractedhisattentionforthefirsttime。"Whoisthis？"heasked，andwheeledhischairsuspiciouslynearertothedoor。"Iknow！"hecried，beforeIcouldanswer。"ThisisthebenevolentgentlemanwholookedliketherefugeoftheafflictedwhenIsawhimlast。——Youhavealteredfortheworsesincethen，sir。Youhavesteppedintoquiteanewcharacter——youpersonifyRetributiveJusticenow。——Yournewprotector，Mrs。Valeria——Iunderstand！"HebowedlowtoBenjamin，withferociousirony。"Yourhumbleservant，Mr。
RetributiveJustice！Ihavedeservedyou——andIsubmittoyou。
Walkin，sir！Iwilltakecarethatyournewofficeshallbeasinecure。ThisladyistheLightofmyLife。Catchmefailinginrespecttoherifyoucan！"HebackedhischairbeforeBenjamin（wholistenedtohimincontemptuoussilence）untilhereachedthepartoftheroominwhichIwasstanding。"Yourhand，LightofmyLife！"hemurmuredinhisgentlesttones。"Yourhand——onlytoshowthatyouhaveforgivenme！"Igavehimmyhand。"One？"hewhispered，entreatingly。"Onlyone？"Hekissedmyhandonce，respectfully——anddroppeditwithaheavysigh。"Ah，poorDexter！"hesaid，pityinghimselfwiththewholesincerityofhisegotism。"Awarmheart——wastedinsolitude，mockedbydeformity。
Sad！sad！Ah，poorDexter！"HelookedroundagainatBenjamin，withanotherflashofhisferociousirony。"Abeauteousday，sir，"hesaid，withmock—conventionalcourtesy。"Seasonableweatherindeedafterthelatelong—continuedrains。CanIofferyouanyrefreshment？Won’tyousitdown？RetributiveJustice，whenitisnotallerthanyouare，looksbestinachair。"
"Andamonkeylooksbestinacage，"rejoinedBenjamin，enragedatthesatiricalreferencetohisshortnessofstature。"Iwaswaiting，sir，toseeyougetintoyourswing。"
TheretortproducednoeffectonMiserrimusDexter：itappearedtohavepassedbyhimunheard。Hehadchangedagain；hewasthoughtful，hewassubdued；hiseyeswerefixedonmewithasadandraptattention。Itookthenearestarm—chair，firstcastingaglanceatBenjamin，whichheimmediatelyunderstood。HeplacedhimselfbehindDexter，atananglewhichcommandedaviewofmychair。Ariel，silentlydevouringhercakes，crouchedonastoolat"theMaster’s"feet，andlookedupathimlikeafaithfuldog。
Therewasanintervalofquietandrepose。IwasabletoobserveMiserrimusDexteruninterruptedlyforthefirsttimesinceIhadenteredtheroom。
Iwasnotsurprised——Iwasnothinglessthanalarmedbythechangefortheworseinhimsincewehadlastmet。Mr。Playmore’sletterhadnotpreparedmefortheseriousdeteriorationinhimwhichIcouldnowdiscern。
Hisfeatureswerepinchedandworn；thewholefaceseemedtohavewastedstrangelyinsubstanceandsizesinceIhadlastseenit。
Thesoftnessinhiseyeswasgone。Blood—redveinswereintertwinedalloverthemnow：theyweresetinapiteousandvacantstare。Hisoncefirmhandslookedwithered；theytrembledastheylayonthecoverlet。Thepalenessofhisface（exaggerated，perhaps，bytheblackvelvetjacketthathewore）
hadasoddenandsicklylook——thefineoutlinewasgone。Themultitudinouslittlewrinklesatthecornersofhiseyeshaddeepened。Hisheadsankintohisshoulderswhenheleanedforw
