by Bret Harte
CHAPTER VII
The exterior of Aladdin's Palace, familiar as it already was toCarroll, struck him that afternoon as looking more than usually unreal,ephemeral, and unsubstantial. The Moorish arches, of the thinnestwhite pine; the arabesque screens and lattices that looked as if madeof pierced cardboard; the golden minarets that seemed to be glued tothe shell-like towers, and the hollow battlements that visibly warpedand cracked in the fierce sunlight,--all appeared more than ever like atheatrical scene that might sink through the ground, or vanish oneither side to the sound of the prompter's whistle. RecallingRaymond's cynical insinuations, he could not help fancying that thehouse had been built by a conscientious genie with a view to thepossibility of the lamp and the ring passing, with other effects, intothe hands of the sheriff.
Nevertheless, the servant who took Captain Carroll's horse summonedanother domestic, who preceded him into a small waiting-room off thegorgeous central hall, which looked not unlike the private bar-room ofa first-class hotel, and presented him with a sherry cobbler. It was apeculiarity of Aladdin's Palace that the host seldom did the honors ofhis own house, but usually deputed the task to some friend, andgenerally the last new-comer. Carroll was consequently not surprisedwhen he was presently joined by an utter stranger, who again pressedupon him the refreshment he had just declined. "You see," said thetransitory host, "I'm a stranger myself here, and haven't got the waysof the regular customers; but call for anything you like, and I'll seeit got for you. Jim" (the actual Christian name of Aladdin) "isheadin' a party through the stables. Would you like to join 'em--theyain't more than half through now--or will you come right to thebilliard-room--the latest thing out in stained glass and iron--ezpretty as fresh paint? or will you meander along to the bridal suite,and see the bamboo and silver dressing-room, and the white satin andcrystal bed that cost fifteen thousand dollars as it stands. Or," headded, confidentially, "would you like to cut the whole cussed thing,and I'll get out Jim's 2.32 trotter and his spider-legged buggy andwe'll take a spin over to the Springs afore dinner?" It was, however,more convenient to Carroll's purpose to conceal his familiarity withthe Aladdin treasures, and to politely offer to follow his guidethrough the house. "I reckon Jim's pretty busy just now," continuedthe stranger; "what with old Doc West going under so suddent, just ezhe'd got things boomin' with that railroad and his manufactory company.The stocks went down to nothing this morning; and, 'twixt you and me,the boys say," he added, mysteriously sinking his voice, "it was jestthe tightest squeeze there whether there wouldn't be a general burst-upall round. But Jim was over at San Antonio afore the Doctor's body waslaid out; just ran that telegraph himself for about two hours; had ameeting of trustees and directors afore the Coroner came; had theDoctor's books and papers brought over here in a buggy, and anothermeeting before luncheon. Why, by the time the other fellows began todrop in to know if the Doctor was really dead, Jim Prince haddiscounted the whole affair two years ahead. Why, bless you, nearlyeverybody is in it. That Spanish woman over there, with the prettydaughter--that high-toned Greaser with the big house--you know who Imean." ...
"I don't think I do," said Carroll, coldly. "I know a lady namedSaltonstall, with several daughters."
"That's her; thought I'd seen you there once. Well, the Doctor's gother into it, up to the eyes. I reckon she's mortgaged everything tohim."
It required all Carroll's trained self-possession to prevent hisgarrulous guide from reading his emotion in his face. This, then, wasthe secret of Maruja's melancholy. Poor child! how bravely she hadborne up under it; and HE, in his utter selfishness, had neversuspected it. Perhaps that letter was her delicate way of breaking thenews to him, for he should certainly now hear it all from Aladdin'slips. And this man, who evidently had succeeded to the control of Dr.West's property, doubtless had possession of the letters too! Humph!He shut his lips firmly together, and strode along by the side of hisinnocent guide, erect and defiant.
He did not have long to wait. The sound of voices, the opening ofdoors, and the trampling of feet indicated that the other party werebeing "shown over" that part of the building Carroll and his companionwere approaching. "There's Jim and his gang now," said his cicerone;"I'll tell him you're here, and step out of this show business myself.So long! I reckon I'll see you at dinner." At this moment Prince anda number of ladies and gentlemen appeared at the further end of thehall; his late guide joined them, and apparently indicated Carroll'spresence, as, with a certain lounging, off-duty, officer-like way, theyoung man sauntered on.
Aladdin, like others of his class, objected to the military,theoretically and practically; but he was not above recognizing theirsocial importance in a country of no society, and of even beingfascinated by Carroll's quiet and secure self-possession andself-contentment in a community of restless ambition and aggressiveassertion. He came forward to welcome him cordially; he introduced himwith an air of satisfaction; he would have preferred if he had been inuniform, but he contented himself with the fact that Carroll, like allmen of disciplined limbs, carried himself equally well in mufti.
"You have shown us everything," said Carroll, smiling, "except thesecret chamber where you keep the magic lamp and ring. Are we not tosee the spot where the incantation that produces these marvels is held,even if we are forbidden to witness the ceremony? The ladies are dyingto see your sanctum--your study--your workshop--where you really live."
"You'll find it a mere den, as plain as my bed-room," said Prince, whoprided himself on the Spartan simplicity of his own habits, and was notaverse to the exhibition. "Come this way." He crossed the hall, andentered a small, plainly furnished room, containing a table piled withpapers, some of which were dusty and worn-looking. Carroll instantlyconceived the idea that these were Dr. West's property. He took hisletter quietly from his pocket; and, when the attention of the otherswas diverted, laid it on the table, with the remark, in an undertone,audible only to Prince, "From Mrs. Saltonstall."
Aladdin had that sublime audacity which so often fills the place oftact. Casting a rapid glance at Carroll, he cried, "Hallo!" and,wheeling suddenly round on his following guests, with a bewilderingextravagance of playful brusqueness, actually bundled them from theroom. "The incantation is on!" he cried, waving his arms in the air;"the genie is at work. No admittance except on business! Follow MissWilson," he added, clapping both hands on the shoulders of theprettiest and shyest young lady of the party, with an irresistiblepaternal familiarity. "She's your hostess. I'll honor her drafts toany amount;" and before they were aware of his purpose or that Carrollwas no longer among them, Aladdin had closed the door, that shut with aspring lock, and was alone with the young man. He walked quickly tohis desk, took up the letter, and opened it.
His face of dominant, self-satisfied good-humor became set and stern.Without taking the least notice of Carroll, he rose, and, stepping to atelegraph instrument at a side table, manipulated half a dozen ivoryknobs with a sudden energy. Then he returned to the table, and beganhurriedly to glance over the memoranda and indorsements of the files ofpapers piled upon it. Carroll's quick eye caught sight of a smallpacket of letters in a writing of unmistakable feminine delicacy, andmade certain they were the ones he was in quest of. Without raisinghis eyes, Mr. Prince asked, almost rudely,--
"Who else has she told this to?"
"If you refer to the contents of that letter, it was written and handedto me about three hours ago. It has not been out of my possessionsince then."
"Humph! Who's at the casa? There's Buchanan, and Raymond, and VictorGuitierrez, eh?"
"I think I can say almost positively that Mrs. Saltonstall has seen noone but her daughter since the news reached her, if that is what youwish to know," said Carroll, still following the particular package ofletters with his eyes, as Mr. Prince continued his examination. Princestopped.
"Are you sure?"
"Almost sure."
Prince rose, this time with a greater ease of manner, and, going to thetable, ran his
fingers over the knobs, as if mechanically. "One wouldlike to know at once all there is to know about a transaction thatchanges the front of four millions of capital in about four hours, eh,Captain?" he said, for the first time really regarding his guest."Just four hours ago, in this very room, we found out that the widowSaltonstall owed Dr. West about a million, tied up in investments, andwe calculated to pull her through with perhaps the loss of half. Ifshe's got this assignment of the Doctor's property that she speaks ofin her letter, as collateral security, and it's all regular, andshe--so to speak--steps into Dr. West's place, by G-d, sir, we owe HIMabout three millions, and we've got to settle with HER--and that's allabout it. You've dropped a little bomb-shell in here, Captain, and thesplinters are flying around as far as San Francisco, now. I confess itbeats me regularly. I always thought the old man was a little keenover there at the casa--but she was a woman, and he was a man for allhis sixty years, and THAT combination I never thought of. I onlywonder she hadn't gobbled him up before."
Captain Carroll's face betrayed no trace of the bewilderment andsatisfaction at this news of which he had been the unconscious bearer,nor of resentment at the coarseness of its translation.
"There does not seem to be any memorandum of this assignment,"continued Prince, turning over the papers.
"Have you looked here?" said Carroll, taking up the packet of letters.
"No--they seem to me some private letters she refers to in this letter,and that she wants back again."
"Let us see," said Carroll, untying the packet. There were three orfour closely written notes in Spanish and English.
"Love-letters, I reckon," said Prince--"that's why the old girl wants'em back. She don't care to have the wheedling that fetched the Doctortrotted out to the public."
"Let us look more carefully," said Carroll, pleasantly, opening eachletter before Prince, yet so skillfully as to frustrate any attempt ofthe latter to read them. "There does not seem to be any memorandumhere. They are evidently only private letters."
"Quite so," said Prince.
Captain Carroll retied the packet and put it in his pocket. "Then I'llreturn them to her," he said, quietly.
"Hullo!--here--I say," said Prince, starting to his feet.
"I said I would return them to her," repeated Carroll, calmly.
"But I never gave them to you! I never consented to their withdrawalfrom the papers."
"I'm sorry you did not," said Carroll, coldly; "it would have been morepolite."
"Polite! D--n it, sir! I call this stealing."
"Stealing, Mr. Prince, is a word that might be used by the person whoclaims these letters to describe the act of any one who would keep themfrom HER. It really can not apply to you or me."
"Once for all, do you refuse to return them to me?" said Prince, palewith anger.
"Decidedly."
"Very well, sir! We shall see." He stepped to the corner and rang abell. "I have summoned my manager, and will charge you with the theftin his presence."
"I think not."
"And why, sir?"
"Because the presence of a third party would enable me to throw thisglove in your face, which, as a gentleman, I couldn't do withoutwitnesses." Steps were heard along the passage; Prince was no cowardin a certain way; neither was he a fool. He knew that Carroll wouldkeep his word; he knew that he should have to fight him; that, whateverthe issue of the duel was, the cause of the quarrel would be known, andscarcely redound to his credit. At present there were no witnesses tothe offered insult, and none would be wiser. The letters were notworth it. He stepped to the door, opened it, said, "No matter," andclosed it again.
He returned with an affectation of carelessness. "You are right. Idon't know that I'm called upon to make a scene here which the LAW cando for me as well elsewhere. It will settle pretty quick whetheryou've got the right to those letters, and whether you've taken theright way to get them sir."
"I have no desire to evade any responsibility in this matter, legal orotherwise," said Carroll, coldly, rising to his feet.
"Look here," said Prince, suddenly, with a return of his brusquefrankness; "you might have ASKED me for those letters, you know."
"And you wouldn't have given them to me," said Carroll.
Prince laughed. "That's so! I say, Captain. Did they teach you thissort of strategy at West Point?"
"They taught me that I could neither receive nor give an insult under awhite flag," said Carroll, pleasantly. "And they allowed me to makeexchanges under the same rule. I picked up this pocket-book on thespot where the accident occurred to Dr. West. It is evidently his. Ileave it with you, who are his executor."
The instinct of reticence before a man with whom he could never beconfidential kept him from alluding to his other discovery.
Prince took the pocket-book, and opened it mechanically. After amoment's scrutiny of the memoranda it contained, his face assumedsomething of the same concentrated attention it wore at the beginningof the interview. Raising his eyes suddenly to Carroll, he said,quickly,--
"You have examined it?"
"Only so far as to see that it contained nothing of importance to theperson I represent," returned Carroll, simply.
The capitalist looked at the young officer's clear eyes. Something ofembarrassment came into his own as he turned them away.
"Certainly. Only memoranda of the Doctor's business. Quite importantto us, you know. But nothing referring to YOUR principal." Helaughed. "Thank you for the exchange. I say--take a drink!"
"Thank you--no!" returned Carroll, going to the door.
"Well, good-by."
He held out his hand. Carroll, with his clear eyes still regardinghim, passed quietly by the outstretched hand, opened the door, bowed,and made his exit.
A slight flush came into Prince's cheek. Then, as the door closed, heburst into a half-laugh. Had he been a dramatic villain, he would haveadded to it several lines of soliloquy, in which he would haverehearsed the fact that the opportunity for revenge had "come at last";that the "haughty victor who had just left with his ill-gotten spoilhad put into his hands the weapon of his friend's destruction"; thatthe "hour had come"; and, possibly he might have said, "Ha! ha!" But,being a practical, good-natured, selfish rascal, not much better orworse than his neighbors, he sat himself down at his desk and began tocarefully consider how HE could best make use of the memoranda jotteddown by Dr. West of the proofs of the existence of his son, and theconsequent discovery of a legal heir to his property.