Lord of the Sea

by M. P. Shiel

  XLI

  THE VISIT

  Frankl's Bank was scanning the agents' yacht-lists for her, when SirMoses Cohen, who was closely associated with Frankl, placed his ownthree-master at her disposal; and she set out from Bristol, with herbeing three Jewish ladies, Frankl's manager, and a snuffy Portugueserabbi who resembled a Rembrandt portrait.

  It was late at night, and Hogarth, who had lately acquired a passion forthose Mathematics which touch upon Mysticism, was bent over Quaternionsand the quirks of [Proofers note: checkmark symbol] (--i) in an alcoveof his _Boodah_ suite hardly fourteen feet square, cosy, rosy, andhomely: he sitting at a sofa-head, and, lying on the sofa, Loveday, hishead on Hogarth's thigh, escaped from office and frockcoat, in happyshirt-sleeves, between sleeping and waking.

  Hogarth was interrupted by a telephone bell.

  "Well?" he answered.

  "My Lord King", from Quilter-Beckett, "Frankl has handed to his wardersomething written: will your Lordship's Majesty see it now?"

  "Yes!" Then: "John! Frankl has yielded!"

  Up Loveday started with "Thank God!" while Hogarth: "When does my yachtarrive?"

  "At midnight"--from Quilter-Beckett.

  "She starts back immediately for England with me and Mr. Loveday".

  Now an officer entered to present an envelope, and the two lookedtogether over these words:

  "Your Lordship's Majesty's sister, Margaret Hogarth, is at No. 11,Market Street, Edgware Road, London. She goes under the name of RachelOppenheimer, I don't know why. As God is my witness, I repent in ashes.Won't your Lordship's Majesty have mercy on a worm of the earth? I aman old man, getting on, and starved to madness. The ever devoted slave,from this day forth, of my Lord King.

  "BARUGH FRANKL".

  Hogarth 'phoned up: "Give Frankl food now, and put him where it is notcold...." and to Loveday he said, "Well, you see, she is there: 'No. 11,Market Street'. And under the name of--what? 'Rachel Oppenheimer'...JohnLoveday, do you fathom the meaning of that?"

  "No--don't bother me about meanings, but shout, like her, 'O Happy Day!'I say, Richard, you remember that singing? how we would hear her fromthe forge? All day, washing, cooking--melodious soul! There was 'O HappyDay', and there was--By God, how charmingly holy! how English! And,Richard, you remember--?"

  Another telephone bell: Hogarth turned to hear.

  "Just arrived in the yacht, _Tyre_, my Lord King", saidQuilter-Beckett's voice, "four Jewish ladies, a Jewish gentleman, and arabbi, who request early audience to-morrow; they lie-to, and have senta boat--"

  "Rubbish! I shall not be here to-morrow, and even if I was--Who arethey? By the way, no sign of the yacht?"

  "Not yet. They are Miss Frankl--"

  "Who?"

  "Miss Rebekah Frankl--"

  "God", went Hogarth faintly, stabbed to the heart.

  "Miss Agnes Friedrich, Mrs.--"

  But the rest fell upon ears deaf as death, the teeth of Hogarth nowchattering as with cold, that haggard, gaunt yellow, which was hispallor, overspreading his face. So long was he speechless, thatQuilter-Beckett asked: "Are you there, my Lord King?"

  "Quilter-Beckett!"

  "Yes, my Lord King?"

  "Will you go _yourself_--for me--to them? _Make_ them sleep here, willyou? This is most urgent, I assure you. And go quick, will you?"

  That night did not the Lord of the Sea sleep: she under his roof...

  Nor did he go that night to find Margaret--nor the next day, nor thenext, though Loveday chafed: for, gyrating through the giddy air of agalaxy where Margaret was not, he forgot her.