A Secret Inheritance (Volume 2 of 3)

by B. L. Farjeon

  CHAPTER XVII.

  Such a story, which Doctor Louis truly described as strange andeventful, could not have failed to leave a deep impression upon me.During its recital I had, as it were, been charmed out of myself. Myinstinctive distrust of the twin brothers Eric and Emilius, the growthof a groundless jealousy, was for a while forgotten, and at theconclusion of the recital I was lost in the contemplation of thetragic pictures which had been presented to my mind's eye. Singularlyenough, the most startling bit of colour in these pictures, that ofthe two brothers in their life and death struggle on the outer wallsof the lighthouse, was not to me the dominant feature of theremarkable story. The awful, unnatural contest, Avicias agony,Silvain's soul-moving appeals, and the dread silence of Kristel--allthis was as nought in comparison with the figure of a solitary manstanding on the seashore, gazing in the direction of his losthappiness. I traced his life back through the years during which hewas engaged in his relentless pursuit of the brother who had broughtdesolation into his life. In him, and in him alone, was centred thetrue pathos of the story; it was he who had been robbed, it was he whohad been wronged. No deliberate act of treachery lay at his door; heloved, and had been deceived. Those in whom he placed his trust haddeliberately betrayed him. The vengeance he sought and consummated wasjust.

  I did not make Doctor Louis acquainted with my views on the subject,knowing that he would not agree with me, and that all his sympathieswere bestowed upon Silvain. There was something of cowardice in thisconcealment of my feelings, but although I experienced twinges ofconscience for my want of courage, it was not difficult for me tojustify myself in my own eyes. Doctor Louis was the father of thewoman I loved, and in his hands lay my happiness. On no account must Iinstil doubt into his mind; he was a man of decided opinions,dogmatic, and strong-willed. No act or word of mine must cause him tohave the least distrust of me. Therefore I played the cunning part,and was silent with respect to those threads in the story whichpossessed the firmest hold upon his affections.

  This enforced silence accentuated and strengthened my view. Silvainand Avicia were weak, feeble creatures. The man of great heart andresolute will, the man whose sufferings and wrongs made him a martyr,was Kristel. Faithful in love, faithful in hate. Trustful, heroic,unflinching. In a word, a man. But he and his brother, and the womanwho had been the instrument of their fate, belonged to the past. Theywere dead and gone, and in the presence of Doctor Louis I put themaside a while. Time enough to think of them when I was alone.Meanwhile Eric and Emilius remained. They lived, and between theirlives and mine there was a link. Of this I entertained no doubt, nordid I doubt that, in this connection, the future would not becolourless for us. To be prepared for the course which events mighttake: this was now my task and my duty. The thought was constantly inmy mind. "As Kristel acted, so would I act, in love and hate."

  I observed Doctor Louis's eyes fixed earnestly upon my face.

  "You are agitated," he said.

  "Is not such a story," I said evasively, "enough to agitate one? Itsmovements are as the movements of a sublime tragedy."

  "True," mused Doctor Louis; "even in obscure lives may be found suchelements."

  "You have told me little," I said, "of Eric and Emilius. Do theyreside permanently in the lighthouse in which their mother died?"

  "They have a house in the village by the sea," replied Doctor Louis,"and they are in a certain sense fishermen on a large scale. The placehas possessed for them a fascination, and it seemed as if they wouldnever be able to tear themselves away from it. But their intimateassociation with it will soon be at an end."

  "In what way?"

  "They have sold their house and boats, and are coming to reside inNerac for a time."

  I started and turned aside, for I did not wish Doctor Louis to see thecloud upon my face.

  "Only for a time?" I inquired.

  "It depends upon circumstances," said Doctor Louis. "If they are happyand contented in the present and in their prospects in the future,they will remain. Otherwise, they will seek a larger sphere."

  "Is this their idea?"

  "Not theirs alone. I am partly responsible. We have talked of itoften, and I have urged them not to waste their lives in a village sosmall and primitive as that in which they were born."

  "Somewhat destructive of your own theories of happiness, doctor," Iobserved. "Yourself, for instance, wasting your life in a small placelike Nerac, when by your gifts you are so well fitted to play yourpart in a large city."

  "I am selfish, I am afraid," he said with a deprecatory smile, "and amtoo much wrapped up in my own ease and comfort. At the same time youmust bear in mind that mine is an exceptional case. It is a regretfulthing to be compelled to say that the majority of lives and homes areless happy than my own. Often there is love, and poverty stands at thebright door which opens but on a scene of privation and ill-requitedtoil. Often there is wealth, in the use of which there has been anendeavour to purchase love, which, my friend, is not a marketablecommodity. Often there are sorrow and sickness, and neither faith norpatience to lighten the load. It is my good fortune to have none ofthese ills. We have love and good health, and a sufficient share ofworldly prosperity to provide for our days. Therefore I will leavemyself out of the question. What!" he cried, interrupting himself in atone at once light and earnest; "am I entirely useless in Nerac? Do Ido no good whatever?"

  "You do much," I said, "and also do Eric and Emilius in their village.You have admitted that they are fishermen on a large scale, andpossess boats. Consequently they employ labour, and the wages they paysupport the homes of those who serve them."

  "With some young men," said Doctor Louis, with a good-humoured laugh,"there is no arguing. They are so keen in defence that they have aformidable parry for every thrust. To the point, then, withoutargument. Eric and Emilius have in them certain qualities which renderme doubtful whether, as middle-aged men, they would be in their propersphere in their village by the sea. The maidens there find no seriousfavour in their eyes."

  "Do they look," I asked, with a torturing pang of jealousy, "with amore appreciative eye upon the maidens in Nerac?"

  "Tush, tush," said Doctor Louis, in a kind tone, laying his hand uponmy shoulder; "vex not yourself unnecessarily. Youth's hot blood is atorrent, restless by day and night, never satisfied, never content,for ever seeking cause to fret and fume. You have given evidence ofwisdom, Gabriel--exercise it when it is most needed. You are stilldisturbed. Well, question me."

  "Of all the maidens in Nerac," I said, striving to speak withcalmness, "Lauretta is the fairest and sweetest."

  "Go on, my friend. I, her father, will not gainsay you."

  "Is it because she is fairer and sweeter than any Eric and Emiliushave seen in the village by the sea that they quit their home there,and come to live in Nerac?"

  "A plain question. Were I simply an ordinary friend of yours, and notLauretta's father, I might feel inclined to play with you; but asit is, my happiness here is too largely at stake. Do not fall intoerror, Gabriel. Viewing with a selfish eye--a human failing, commonenough--your own immediate affairs, forget not that I, Lauretta'sfather, am as deeply concerned in them as yourself. Never would I beguilty of the crime of forcing my child's affections. Do you think Ilove her less than you do? If it should be your happy fate to be afather, you will learn how much purer and higher is the love of afather than that which a young man, after an hour's acquaintance,bears for the maiden whom he would wed."

  "After an hour's acquaintance!" I exclaimed, somewhat hotly.

  "It cannot be said to be more," responded Doctor Louis gravely,"compared with my knowledge of my child."

  The retort was well-merited, and I murmured, "Forgive me!" Theconsistently sweet accents of Doctor Louis's voice produced in me, atthis moment, a feeling of self-reproach, and a true sense of mypetulance and imperiousness forced itself upon me.

  "There is little need to ask forgiveness," said Doctor Louis; "I canmake full allowance for th
e impetuous passions of youth, and if I wishyou to place a curb upon them it is for your welfare and that of mychild. Indulgence in such extravagances leads to injustice. Gabriel, Iwill be entirely frank with you. Before your arrival in Nerac I had aslight suspicion that one of the brothers--towards both of whom I feelas a father--had an affection for Lauretta which might have ripenedinto love. It is in the nature of things that a beautiful girl shouldinspire a sentiment in the breasts of more than one man, but she canbelong only to one, to him to whom her heart is drawn. What passedbetween us when you spoke to me as a lover of my daughter was honestand outspoken. The encouragement you received from me would have beenwithheld had it not been that I saw you occupied a place in Lauretta'sheart, and that the one end and aim I have in view is her happiness."

  "Is it too much to ask," I said, "to which of the brothers youreferred?"

  "Altogether too much," replied Doctor Louis. "It is an unrevealedsecret, and the right is not mine to say more than I have said."

  I did not speak for a little while; I was the slave of conflictingpassions. One moment I believed entirely in Doctor Louis; anothermoment I doubted him; and through all I was oppressed by aconsciousness that I was doing him an injustice.

  "Anything more, Gabriel?" he asked. "Nothing special, sir," was myreply, "but in a general way."

  "Well?"

  "Born under such singular circumstances, and of such a father asSilvain, it would not be unnatural to suppose that they might inheritsome touch of his strangely sympathetic nature."

  "They have inherited it," said Doctor Louis; "there exists betweenthem a sympathy as strange as that which existed in Silvain. I am atliberty to say nothing more."

  He spoke in a firm tone, and I did not question him further. As Iaccompanied him home we conversed upon general subjects, and I tookpains to convey to him an assurance that there was nothing reallyserious in the ungracious temper I had displayed. He was relieved atthis, and we fell into our old confidential manner with each other.

  I passed the evening, as usual, in the society of his wife andLauretta. Peace descended upon me, and in the sweet presence of thesepure women I was tranquil and happy. How lovely, how beautiful wasthis home of love and tender thought! The wild storms of life diedaway, and strains of soft, angelic music melted the heart, and madethemselves heard even in the midst of the silences. Doctor Louis'sgaiety returned to him; he smiled upon me, and indulged in many aharmless jest. I was charmed out of my moody humour, and contributedto the innocent enjoyment of the home circle. The hours passed till itwas near bed-time, and then it was that a change came over me. Sittingby Lauretta's side, turning the pages of an illustrated book oftravel, I heard the names of Eric and Emilius spoken by Doctor Louis.He was telling his wife of the impending change in their mode of life,and there was an affectionate note in his voice, and also in hers,which jarred upon me. I started to my feet, and they all turned to mein surprise. I recovered myself in a moment, and explained that I hadsuddenly thought of something which rendered it necessary that Ishould go at once to the house I had taken, and of which Martin Hartogwas at present the sole custodian.

  "But you were not to leave us till the end of the week," expostulatedLauretta's mother. "Is it so very important?"

  "Indeed it is," I replied, "and should have been attended to earlier."

  "You will return?" she asked.

  "Not to-night. You need have no anxiety; everything is prepared, and Ishall be quite comfortable."

  "My wife is thinking of the sheets," observed Doctor Louis jocosely;"whether they are properly aired."

  "I have seen to that," she said, "and there is a fire in every room."

  "Then we can safely let him go," rejoined Doctor Louis. "He is oldenough to take care of himself, and, besides, he is now a householder,and has duties. We shall see you to-morrow, Gabriel?"

  "Yes, I shall be here in the morning."

  So I wished them good-night, and presently was out in the open,walking through dark shadows.