k Maddox that the
denial had a sublimity and pathos of its own. She dropped the bag into
her lean bosom and went out.

And the porters wrapped him in his blankets, and laid him on a
stretcher, and carried him out; past Maddox and Rankin who turned
their heads away; past Flossie who shrank a little from the blankets,
but cried softly to see him go; and past the woman standing on her
threshold. And in that manner he passed Horace Jewdwine coming up the
stair too late. And all that Jewdwine could do was to stand back and
let him pass.

It was Jewdwine's fear that made him uncover, as in the presence of
the dead.

CHAPTER LXXIII

When Rankin, Maddox and Jewdwine stood alone in the garret whence they
had seen Rickman carried away from them, remorse drove all hope of his
recovery from their hearts. They learnt some of the truth about him
from the woman in the next room, a keen observer of human nature.
Jewdwine and Rankin, when they too had paid her for her services, were
glad to escape from the intolerable scene. Maddox stayed behind,
collecting what he could only think of as Rickman's literary remains.

He found in the table drawer three unpublished articles, a few poems,
and the First Act of the second and unfinished tragedy, saved by its
obscure position at the back of the drawer. The woman owned to having
lit the fire with the rest. Maddox cursed and groaned as he thought of
that destruction. He knew that many poems which followed _Saturnalia_
had remained unpublished. Had they too been taken to light the fire?
He turned the garret upside down in search of the missing manuscripts.
At last in a cupboard, he came upon a leather bag. It was locked and
he could find no key, but he wrenched it open with the poker. It
contained many manuscripts; among them the Nine and Twenty Sonnets,
and the testament concerning them. He read the Sonnets, but not the
other document which was in a sealed envelope. He found also a bundle
of Dicky Pilkington's receipts and his last letter threatening
foreclosure. And when he had packed up the books (Lucia's books) and
redeemed Rickman's clothes from the pawn-shop, he took all these
things away with him for safety.

There was little he could do for Rickman, but he promised himself the
pleasure of settling Dicky's claim. But even that satisfaction was
denied him. For Dicky had just renewed his bill for a nominal three
months. Nominal only. Dicky had in view a magnificent renunciati