Lord of the Sea

by M. P. Shiel

  XI

  WROXHAM BROAD

  In a cottage in Thring Street, marked "E. Norfolk, E. 58, Constabulary",Hogarth passed the night, having been arrested the moment he returnedhome from the elm.

  A few minutes afterwards Margaret, who had found no Frankl at thetowing-path, came home to the ghastliest amazement throughout Thring, sothat sleep overcame the village only toward morning.

  At 7.30 A.M. Hogarth was marched to Beccles, then after aninquest-verdict appeared before the magistrates' court, and wascommitted.

  One of the witnesses in the summary-jurisdiction court had been Loveday,who had deposed that Hogarth, on leaving the chapel, was, beyond doubt,in a passion; and mixed with the crowd was Margaret, who, standingthickly veiled, heard that evidence. And thought she: "Is it possiblethat he can be giving evidence against Richard like that? And smiling,the mean, false thing--"

  She had disappeared on the morning after the arrest: and Loveday was nowracked by disquiet, wondering how she was living, though she and he werein the same train, unconscious of each other, when he followed Hogarthto Norwich; and, as Margaret stepped upon the Thorpe platform there, aJew, who was watching the arrival of every train, spied and shadowedher to the old Maid's Head, this intricate city being now crowded, theAssizes all in the air, mixed with the Saturday cattle-market.

  At ten the next morning Margaret learned at the Guildhall the addressof her brother's defending solicitor, and set out to find him, thewretchedest woman on earth now.

  But as she passed by the archway in the tower of St. Peter Mancroft,Loveday stood before her; and she started like a shying horse.

  "Good morning"--she went on past him.

  He took two steps after her. "Are you in a hurry? Can I come with you?"

  "It is quite near. Thank you--I'd liefer go alone".

  He, a delicate being, all nerves, was repelled; lifted the old clothhat; but then again stepped after her, saying: "But are you angry withme for something?"

  "Why should I be? I have no right to expect anything from you, Mr.Loveday".

  "No right? You _have_, a little, I fancy!"

  He said it at her ear with such a lowering of the eyelids, that itpierced to her fond heart, and she smiled with a "H'm!" uncertain, halfturned to him; but said: "I must be getting on--"

  "But it is most important that I should talk to you about everything.Where are you staying?"

  "It is some distance from here", she answered, undecided whether or notto give her address.

  "Ah--in that case--but still--will you meet me? Say here--this evening?"

  "I will see if I can".

  "At seven?"

  "I will see".

  So they parted, she to tread that intricacy of streets round the Market,with stoppages for enquiries, till she found the office, where shepresently sat in an inner room, veil at nose-tip, and before her at agrate stood Hogarth's solicitor.

  What, till now, for shame, she had concealed, she revealed: showing howRichard could not possibly have taken the revolver with him to the elm,since she, two days previously, had secretly given it to--someone.

  Mr. Carr, the solicitor, frowned, elaborating his nails.

  "This is very extraordinary", he said. "Whyever did you keep us inthe dark as to all this before? And to whom was it that you gave therevolver? and why?"

  "Am I bound to tell that?"

  "No, but you may be sure that the truth will be got from you. Stay--Imust ask you to excuse me now. But tomorrow morning at this hour--willyou? As for your brother, have no fears at all: he is now absolutelysafe".

  Margaret went rapidly away, not knowing whither, only returning towardlate afternoon to her inn. As she entered, a letter was handed her fromFrankl.

  "Dear Miss Hogarth:

  "It is only due to you that I should see you at once to explain themystery of this affair, so as to clear your brother, and as it would notdo for me to call upon you for obvious reasons, the only thing for us todo is to meet to-night on Mousehold Heath at 7 P.M. without fail..."

  What now was she to do? At "7 P.M." she had half promised Loveday tomeet him.

  And what had her meetings with Baruch Frankl, innocent as they were,brought upon her and hers!

  Yet Frankl _must_ be kindly intentioned, she reasoned--since he had sentthem the L50; and she thought of that agony of humiliation when she hadasked Loveday for L2, and he had refused.

  And he had given evidence against Richard with his down-turned smile.

  But he had said a word at her ear--and her crushed heart had leapt. Shedid not know what to do, fell by her bedside and prayed to be taughtwhich of the two was Richard's best friend.

  As she passed over the inn-threshold, she decided in favour of Frankl:and a few minutes past seven was on Mousehold Heath.

  Frankl hurried to meet her, and the hand which he held out was rathercold; but she did not take it.

  "No, Mr. Frankl", said she, "before I give my hand, it is only whatis due to me to hear how Richard's pistol, which I trusted to you, wasfound where it was--"

  "Well, that is only fair", answered Frankl; "that is only fair. But Ihave a carriage there, let us get into it, and sit as we talk".

  She could see no carriage in that dark, yet it stood only some yardsaway--Frankl's own.

  "I think I prefer to stand..." said she.

  "As you like. But with regard to the gun, I should have thought thatyou could have guessed how it was--but no, you always mistrust meinstead--the Jew. Don't you know that the dead man was a servant in myhouse? Well, I left the two guns in my study, and he, wanting to shoothimself, stole one, that's all".

  "It was _he_ shot himself?"

  "Why, who else? You don't suppose Richard shot him! You are as cool asthey make them".

  "Well, that was how it was! But couldn't you say that at thepolice-court--?"

  "I am _going_ to at the big trial, of course. But I was ill, am ill now,and here have I been running about all day on your brother's behalf, anddead tired--and ill, and all--and you won't let me have a rest in thecarriage--"

  "Well, as you put it in that way..." she said.

  So they walked to a motor-brougham, sat within, and as they commenced totalk again, the brougham moved.

  "Tell me", said Frankl, "have you mentioned to anyone that you had giventhe guns to me?"

  "I told Richard's solicitor this morning--"

  "That was horribly imprudent, without consulting me!"

  "I think I have been silent long enough, don't you? I didn't mentionyour name, but--"

  "Oh, you didn't mention my name! That's all right, then! Look here, doyou know--?"

  "Well?"

  "I believe you love me in your heart. Can't help yourself".

  "Oh, Mr. Frankl, do I look as if I was in the mood for that kind of funto-night, a poor wretch like me, steeped in misery, my God knows".

  "_I_ love _you_!"

  He suddenly grasped her wrist, his eyes blazing.

  "Stop--let me get out of this--" she said.

  "Wait!--I give you your chance!--Listen: I am not a man whose mind youcan read right off like a book, I twist like an eel, I am deep, I amtricky, and I never yet met the man that I didn't hoodwink. Ninety-nineper cent of what I say is a lie; even when it is the truth, it is alie just the same. But at this particular moment I am talking the God'struth: I want you! You shall be my little girl! Chuck Richard!--chuckthe swine's-flesh!--I'll take you right away--to Paris--this verynight--"

  She had arisen, alarmed by his hissed fury. "But, you are stark,staring, raving mad", she said proudly, "that is what you are".

  Frankl struck the side of the brougham, it flew, and Margaret totteredbackward with an exclamation. The next moment she sent forth a scream,the grip of Frankl on her wrist agonizing her bones.

  "Where are we going?" she cried out.

  "I gave you your chance!" was Frankl's fierce answer.

  "Let me get out!--you must be a wretch--to take advantage--"

  He put his mouth to her e
ar till it touched. "Your nice Richard floggedme like a dog! I felt the cuts to the marrow of my damned soul! Now I'vegot him in the hollow of this hand! Why, you helped me! you helped me!That's good! And I've got you, too".

  Blackness and swiftness bound her; a dizziness overcame her. Soon theywere by a great pool of gloomy water--Wroxham Broad--where hern, wildduck, and the mast of the darkling boat brooded among bulrush; andnow in three minutes more the brougham was sweeping over the lawn of alonely building, surrounded by walls.

  She, peering, saw with joy both lights and a well-dressed man and woman;and, as the carriage stopped, she sprang out with alacrity, Frankl withher, still grasping her wrist.

  "Sir", she blurted out at once, "you will help me, I know. I am a poorunfortunate woman--my name is Margaret Hogarth--"

  "We know!" said the gentleman, and, approaching Frankl's ear, asked inYiddish: "How long has she had her delusion?"

  "Only about a week, I think. She may be violent at first, but--"

  "Come in, Miss--Hogarth", said the gentleman.

  Margaret passed the threshold; the doors closed upon her...