Jack Harkaway and His Son's Escape from the Brigands of Greece
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CHAPTER XXII.
THE SILK DRESS--MURDER!
The morning after the interview between Hunston and the widow ofMathias, that woman was missing from the camp.
No one doubted that she had gone on her errand of vengeance, forHunston had told Toro and one or two others of her threats against theHarkaways; but the question was how and when she did so?
No one knew.
The sentinels who all night long had guarded each known path leading toor from the bivouac were questioned, but neither of them had seen herdepart.
Toro was rather annoyed at this; not that he had any great objection toher slaughtering the whole of the Harkaway family, although hecertainly would prefer to perform that task himself. But he could nothelp thinking that a secret path might admit foes, as well as permitthe exit of friends.
However, we must leave Toro to his reflections, and follow thebrigand's widow.
It was between one and two in the morning when she quitted the bivouacwithout being observed, and walked slowly towards the town where theHarkaways were located.
There was no occasion for hurry.
At that hour of the morning she could not hope to gain admittance tothe house where her foes were located.
A day must pass, and evening come again, before any thing could bedone.
Diana's brain was in a whirl.
Deep-seated, poignant grief for the loss of one whom she had loved withall the passion her impetuous nature was capable of, made the thoughtand hope of revenge grow stronger and stronger.
Vengeance! aye, and a terrible one was what her soul craved.
Let once the deadly blow be stricken, and what matter then even if shefell into the hands of the authorities? What matter even if her lifewas pronounced a forfeit to the law? for life now had little charm forher.
As the sun rose, she sat down a little way out of the road and tried toform some connected plan for carrying out her purpose.
But no! her brain was too confused for deep thought, and after a briefinterval she resolved to act upon no plan whatever, but simply do asthe course of events might dictate.
At about the hour when she thought the inhabitants of the town wouldbegin to stir, Diana walked into the place.
She knew the residence of the Harkaways well, but scarcely glanced atit as she passed and proceeded to a little house not far from it,where, according to an inscription over the door, one might obtainfood, drink and lodging.
Entering this place, Diana made a slender meal, and then, telling theancient dame who kept the house that she was fatigued, demanded to beshown where she could repose for an hour or two.
The old woman ushered her into a small, meanly-furnished apartment atthe front of the house.
"Do not disturb me. I will rest till noon if not later," said Diana.
"You shall not be interrupted," was the response, and Diana was leftalone.
She tried to sleep, so that she might be stronger and cooler for thebusiness she had in hand; but the excitement under which she labouredeffectually chased away drowsiness.
A little after noon the woman of the house looked in, and finding herlodger awake, entered into conversation, commencing by suggesting somerefreshment.
Diana shook her head.
"Ah, my food is very plain and humble," said the old woman. "I can'tgive you such dainties as the people over yonder eat."
She jerked her thumb in the direction of the Harkaway residence.
"What people are they?" asked Diana, with an assumed indifference shewas far from feeling.
"Some English."
"Do they, then, eat and drink the best?"
"The very best; oh, they are rich."
"What do they want here?"
"They have come to destroy the brigands; is it not droll?"
"Ha! have they succeeded?"
"No; but if they are not careful, the brigands will destroy them. Theyare so careless."
Diana was afraid to exhibit too much interest in the doings of theHarkaways, lest she should arouse suspicion.
So she simply nodded, and listened most anxiously to what the garrulousold woman would say next.
"So very careless; anyone might get into their house by the side door,"said the ancient dame.
"Well, it is their own fault if they are robbed."
"True. But it would be little credit to the robber; they think thebrigands are afraid to enter the town, so they don't take manyprecautions."
Diana treasured up every word of this.
Presently the old woman, finding her guest was not conversationallyinclined, went out again, and Diana was left alone.
The sun set, and darkness began to gather rapidly when she went out,and after going a little way down the street, returned, and sought theside door of Harkaway's house.
She turned the handle softly and entered.
There was no one in the kitchen where she found herself, but thesubdued noise of knives and forks in another apartment convinced herthat they were at dinner or some other meal.
Diana, as soon as she had ascertained that fact, glided like a spectreup the stairs, and noiselessly examined various bedchambers.
At length she decided on hiding herself in one which seemed betterfurnished than the others.
"This must be it," she thought.
And she was right.
It was the apartment of Mrs. Harkaway.
On the dressing-table was a folded paper.
Diana opened it, and found that it was a milliner's bill against Mrs.Harkaway.
"For making a pearl-grey silk dress, etc., etc."
To hide herself was Diana's next move.
Clutching her sharp dagger firmly in her hand, the vengeful womanconcealed herself behind some tapestry and waited.
Nor had she long to wait.
A light foot was heard without.
The door was opened, and a second afterwards, a graceful female formwas seated before the mirror, with its back towards Diana.
And a female voice said--
"This pearl-grey silk suits my complexion far better than I thought itwould. But it fits me badly. These Greek milliners are not to becompared with those of London or Paris."
Then the wearer of the pearl-grey silk heaved a deep sigh, and Dianasoftly moved the curtain aside a little to get a view of the person whohad spoken.
The face was not visible, but from the figure generally, Diana had notthe slightest doubt it was Mrs. Harkaway.
"I want some new jewellery sadly," continued "pearl-grey silk;" "butyet, after all, it would be scarcely safe to wear it here, while thebrigands are in the neighbourhood. But they will soon be done for."
The widow glided out from her hiding-place as the wearer of the silkdress continued--
"We have one villain safe enough, and another, Mathias, was smotheredin a chimney--ha, ha, ha, ha--oh!"
The laugh ended in a deep groan, and never more came the slightestsound from those lips that a moment before had been so merry.
Diana had struck so hard and surely that no second blow was needed, forthe first pierced a human heart.
"That laugh was an insult to the memory of my dead husband," she said."Let none dare scoff at Mathias."
Like a shadow, she glided away, leaving the wearer of the pearl-greysilk sitting motionless before the mirror. Dead!
The silk dress soaked with her heart's blood.
A few minutes later, some one entered Mrs. Harkaway's apartment, andthen arose the fearful cry--
"Help! murder!"