Fair Margaret

by H. Rider Haggard

  CHAPTER XIX

  BETTY PAYS HER DEBTS

  Betty Dene was not a woman afflicted with fears or apprehensions. Bornof good parents, but in poverty, for six-and-twenty years she had foughther own way in a rough world and made the best of circumstances.Healthy, full-blooded, tough, affectionate, romantic, but honest in herway, she was well fitted to meet the ups and downs of life, to keep herhead above the waters of a turbulent age, and to pay back as much as shereceived from man or woman.

  Yet those long hours which she passed alone in the high turret chamber,waiting till they summoned her to play the part of a false bride, werethe worst that she had ever spent. She knew that her position was, in asense, shameful, and like to end in tragedy, and, now that she faced itin cold blood, began to wonder why she had chosen so to do. She hadfallen in love with the Spaniard almost at first sight, though it istrue that something like this had happened to her before with other men.Then he had played his part with her, till, quite deceived, she gave allher heart to him in good earnest, believing in her infatuation that,notwithstanding the difference of their place and rank, he desired tomake her his wife for her own sake.

  Afterwards came that bitter day of disillusion when she learned, asInez had said to Castell, that she was but a stalking heifer used forthe taking of the white swan, her cousin and mistress--that day when shehad been beguiled by the letter which was still hid in her garments, andfor her pains heard herself called a fool to her face. In her heart shehad sworn to be avenged upon Morella then, and now the hour had come inwhich to fulfil her oath and play him back trick for cruel trick.

  Did she still love the man? She could not say. He was pleasing to her ashe had always been, and when that is so women forgive much. This wascertain, however--love was not her guide to-night. Was it vengeance thenthat led her on? Perhaps; at least she longed to be able to say to him,"See what craft lies hid even in the bosom of an outwitted fool."

  Yet she would not have done it for vengeance' sake alone, or rather shewould have paid herself in some other fashion. No, her real reason wasthat she must discharge the debt due to Margaret and Peter, and toCastell who had sheltered her for years. She it was who had brought theminto all this woe, and it seemed but just that she should bring them outagain, even at the cost of her own life and womanly dignity. Or,perchance, all three of these powers drove her on,--love for the man ifit still lingered, the desire to be avenged upon him, and the desire tosnatch his prey from out his maw. At least she had set the game, and shewould play it out to its end, however awful that might be.

  The sun sank, the darkness closed about her, and she wondered whetherever again she would see the dawn. Her brave heart quailed a little, andshe gripped the dagger hilt beneath her splendid, borrowed robe,thinking to herself that perhaps it might be wisest to drive it into herown breast, and not wait until a balked madman did that office for her.Yet not so, for it is always time to die when one must.

  A knock came at the door, and her courage, which had sunk so low, burnedup again within her. Oh! she would teach this Spaniard that theEnglishwoman, whom he had made believe was his desired mistress, couldbe his master. At any rate, he should hear the truth before the end.

  She unlocked the door, and Inez entered bearing a lamp, by the light ofwhich she scanned her with her quiet eyes.

  "The bridegroom is ready," she said slowly that Betty might understand,"and sends me to lead you to him. Are you afraid?"

  "Not I," answered Betty. "But tell me, how will the thing be done?"

  "The marquis meets us in the ante-room to that hall which is used as achapel, and there on behalf of the household I, as the first of thewomen, give you both the cups of wine. Be sure that you drink of thatwhich I hold in my left hand, passing the cup up beneath your veil so asnot to show your face, and speak no word, lest he should recognise yourvoice. Then we shall go into the chapel, where the priest Henriqueswaits, also all the household. But that hall is great, and the lamps arefeeble, so none will know you there. By this time also the drugged winewill have begun to work upon Morella's brain, wherefore, provided thatyou use a low voice, you may safely say, 'I, Betty, wed thee, Carlos,'not 'I, Margaret, wed thee.' Then, when it is over, he will lead youaway to the chambers prepared for you, where, if there is any virtue inmy wine, he will sleep sound to-night, that is, as soon as the priesthas given me the marriage-lines, whereof I will hand you one copy andkeep the others. Afterwards----" and she shrugged her shoulders.

  "What becomes of you?" asked Betty, when she had fully mastered theseinstructions.

  "Oh! I and the priest start to-night for a ride together to Seville,where his money awaits him; ill company for a woman who means henceforthto be honest and rich, but better than none. Perhaps we shall meet againthere, or perhaps we shall not; at least, you know where to seek me andthe others, at the house of the Senor Bernaldez. Now it is time. Are youready to be made a marchioness of Spain?"

  "Of course," answered Betty coolly, and they started.

  Through the empty halls and corridors they went, and oh! surely noEastern plot that had been conceived in them was quite so bold anddesperate as theirs. They reached the ante-chamber to the chapel, andtook their stand outside of the circle of light that fell from itshanging lamps. Presently a door opened, and through it came Morella,attended by two of his secretaries. He was splendidly arrayed in hisusual garb of black velvet, and about his neck hung chains of gold andjewels, and to his breast were fastened the glittering stars and orderspertaining to his rank. Never, or so thought Betty, had Morella seemedmore magnificent and handsome. He was happy also, who was about to drinkof that cup of joy which he so earnestly desired. Yes, his face showedthat he was happy, and Betty, noting it, felt remorse stirring in herbreast. Low he bowed before her, while she curtseyed to him, bending hertall and graceful form till her knee almost touched the ground. Then hecame to her and whispered in her ear:

  "Most sweet, most beloved," he said, "I thank heaven that has led me tothis joyous hour by many a rough and dangerous path. Most dear, again Ibeseech you to forgive all the sorrow and the ill that I have broughtupon you, remembering that it was done for your adored sake, that Ilove you as woman has been seldom loved, you and you only, and that toyou, and you only, will I cling until my death's day. Oh! do not trembleand shrink, for I swear that no woman in Spain shall have a better or amore loyal lord. You I will cherish alone, for you I will strive bynight and day to lift you to great honour and satisfy your every wish.Many and pleasant may the years be that we shall spend side by side, andpeaceful our ends when at last we lay us down side by side to sleepawhile and wake again in heaven, whereof the shadow lies on me to-night.Remembering the past, I do not ask much of you--as yet; still, if youare minded to give me a bridal gift that I shall prize above crowns orempires, say that you forgive me all that I have done amiss, and intoken, lift that veil of yours and kiss me on the lips."

  Betty heard this speech, whereof she only fully understood the end, andtrembled. This was a trial that she had not foreseen. Yet it must befaced, for speak she dared not. Therefore, gathering up her courage, andremembering that the light was at her back, after a little pause, asthough of modesty and reluctance, she raised the pearl-embroideredveil, and, bending forward beneath its shadow, suffered Morella to kissher on the lips.

  It was over, the veil had fallen again, and the man suspected nothing.

  "I am a good artist," thought Inez to herself, "and that woman actsbetter than the wooden Peter. Scarcely could I have done it sowell myself."

  Then, the jealousy and hate that she could not control glittering in hersoft eyes, for she too had loved this man, and well, Inez lifted thegolden cups that had been prepared, and, gliding forward, beautiful inher broidered, Eastern robe, fell upon her knee and held them to thebridegroom and the bride. Morella took that from her right hand, andBetty that from her left, nor, intoxicated as he was already with thatfirst kiss of love, did he pause to note the evil purpose which waswritten on the face of his discarded slave. B
etty, passing the cupbeneath her veil, touched it with her lips and returned it to Inez; butMorella, exclaiming, "I drink to you, sweet bride, most fair and adoredof women," drained his to the dregs, and cast it back to Inez as a giftin such fashion that the red wine which clung to its rim stained herwhite robes like a splash of blood.

  Humbly she bowed, humbly she gathered the precious vessel from thefloor; but when she rose again there was triumph in her eyes--not hate.

  Now Morella took his bride's hand and, followed by his gentlemen andInez, walked to the curtains that were drawn as they came into the greathall beyond, where had mustered all his household, perhaps a hundred ofthem. Between their bowing ranks they passed, a stately pair, and,whilst sweet voices sang behind some hidden screen, walked onward to thealtar, where stood the waiting priest. They kneeled down upon thegold-embroidered cushions while the office of the Church was read overthem. The ring was set upon Betty's hand--scarce, it would seem, couldhe find her finger--the man took the woman to wife, the woman took theman for husband. His voice was thick, and hers was very low; of all thatlistening crowd none could hear the names they spoke.

  It was over. The priest bowed and blessed them. They signed some papers,there by the light of the altar candles. Father Henriques filled incertain names and signed them also, then, casting sand upon them, placedthem in the outstretched hand of Inez, who, although Morella neverseemed to notice, gave one to the bride, and thrust the other two intothe bosom of her robe. Then both she and the priest kissed the hands ofthe marquis and his wife, and asked his leave to be gone. He bowed hishead vaguely, and--if any had been there to listen--within ten shortminutes they might have heard two horses galloping hard towards theSeville gate.

  Now, escorted by pages and torch-bearers, the new-wed pair repassedthose dim and stately halls, the bride, veiled, mysterious, fateful; thebridegroom, empty-eyed, like one who wanders in his sleep. Thus theyreached their chamber, and its carved doors shut behind them.

  * * * * *

  It was early morning, and the serving-women who waited without that roomwere summoned to it by the sound of a silver gong. Two of them enteredand were met by Betty, no longer veiled, but wrapped in a loose robe,who said to them:

  "My lord the marquis still sleeps. Come, help me dress and make readyhis bath and food."

  The women stared at her, for now that she had washed the paint from herface they knew well that this was the Senora Betty and not the DonaMargaret, whom, they had understood, the marquis was to marry. But shechid them sharply in her bad Spanish, bidding them be swift, as shewould be robed before her husband should awake. So they obeyed her, andwhen she was ready she went with them into the great hall where many ofthe household were gathered, waiting to do homage to the new-wed pair,and greeted them all, blushing and smiling, saying that doubtless themarquis would be among them soon, and commanding them meanwhile to goabout their several tasks.

  So well did Betty play her part indeed, that, although they also werebewildered, none questioned her place or authority, who remembered thatafter all they had not been told by their lord himself which of thesetwo English ladies he meant to marry. Also, she distributed among themeaner of them a present of money on her husband's behalf and her own,and then ate food and drank some wine before them all, pledging them,and receiving their salutations and good wishes.

  When all this was done, still smiling, Betty returned to themarriage-chamber, closing its door behind her, sat her down on a chairnear the bed, and waited for the worst struggle of all--that struggle onwhich hung her life. See! Morella stirred. He sat up, gazing about himand rubbing his brow. Presently his eyes lit upon Betty, seated sternand upright in her high chair. She rose and, coming to him, kissed himand called him "Husband," and, still half-asleep, he kissed her back.Then she sat down again in her chair and watched his face.

  It changed, and changed again. Wonder, fear, amaze, bewilderment,flitted over it, till at last he said in English:

  "Betty, where is my wife?"

  "Here," answered Betty.

  He stared at her. "Nay, I mean the Dona Margaret, your cousin and mylady, whom I wed last night. And how come you here? I thought that youhad left Granada."

  Betty looked astonished.

  "I do not understand you," she answered. "It was my cousin Margaret wholeft Granada. I stayed here to be married to you, as you arranged withme through Inez."

  His jaw dropped.

  "Arranged with you through Inez! Mother of Heaven! what do you mean?"

  "Mean?" she answered--"I mean what I say. Surely"--and she rose inindignation--"you have never dared to try to play some new trickupon me?"

  "Trick!" muttered Morella. "What says the woman? Is all this a dream, oram I mad?"

  "A dream, I think. Yes, it must be a dream, since certainly it was to nomadman that I was wed last night. Look," and she held before him thatwriting of marriage signed by the priest, by him, and by herself, whichstated that Carlos, Marquis of Morella, was on such a date, at Granada,duly married to the Senora Elizabeth Dene of London in England.

  He read it twice, then sank back gasping; while Betty hid away theparchment in her bosom.

  Then presently he seemed to go mad indeed. He raved, he cursed, heground his teeth, he looked round for a sword to kill her or himself,but could find none. And all the while Betty sat still and gazed at himlike some living fate.

  At length he was weary, and her turn came.

  "Listen," she said. "Yonder in London you promised to marry me; I haveit hidden away, and in your own writing. By agreement I fled with you toSpain. By the mouth of your messenger and former love this marriage wasarranged between us, I receiving your messages to me, and sending backmine to you, since you explained that for reasons of your own you didnot wish to speak of these matters before my cousin Margaret, and couldnot wed me until she and her father and her lover were gone fromGranada. So I bade them farewell, and stayed here alone for love of you,as I fled from London for love of you, and last night we were united, asall your household know, for but now I have eaten with them and receivedtheir good wishes. And now you dare--you dare to tell me, that I, yourwife--I, who have sacrificed everything for you, I, the Marchioness ofMorella, am _not_ your wife. Well, go, say it outside this chamber, andhear your very slaves cry 'Shame' upon you. Go, say it to your king andyour bishops, aye, and to his Holiness the Pope himself, and listen totheir answer. Why, great as you are, and rich as you are, they willhale you to a mad-house or a prison."

  Morella listened, rocking himself to and fro upon the bed, then with anoath sprang towards her, to be met by a dagger-point glinting inhis eyes.

  "Hear me again," she said as he shrank back from that cold steel. "I amno slave and no weakling; you shall not murder me or thrust me away. Iam your wife and your equal, aye, and stronger than you in body and inmind, and I will have my rights in the face of God and man."

  "Certainly," he said with a kind of unwilling admiration--"certainly youare no weakling. Certainly, also, you have paid back all you owe me witha Jew's interest. Or, mayhap, you are not so clever as I think, but justa strong-minded fool, and it is that accursed Inez who has settled herdebts. Oh! to think of it," and he shook his fist in the air, "to thinkthat I believed myself married to the Dona Margaret, and find you in herplace--_you_!"

  "Be silent," she said, "you man without shame, who first fly at thethroat of your new-wedded wife and then insult her by saying that youwish you were wedded to another woman. Be silent, or I will unlock thedoor and call your own people and repeat your monstrous talk to them."And she drew herself to her full height and stood over him on the bed.

  Morella, his first rage spent, looked at her reflectively, and notwithout a certain measure of homage.

  "I think," he remarked, "that if he did not happen to be in love withanother woman and to believe that he had married her, you, my goodBetty, would make a useful wife to any man who wished to get on in theworld. I understood you to say that the door is locked, and i
f I mighthazard a guess, you have the key, as also you happen to have a dagger.Well, I find the air in this place close, and I want to go _out_."

  "Where to?" asked Betty.

  "Let us say, to join Inez."

  "What," she asked, "would you already be running after that womanagain? Do you already forget that you are married?"

  "It seems that I am not to be allowed to forget it. Now, let us bargain.I wish to leave Granada for a while, and without scandal. What are yourterms? Remember that there are two to which I will not consent. I willnot stop here with you, and you shall not accompany me. Remember also,that, although you hold the dagger at present, it is not wise of you totry to push this jest too far."

  "As you did when you decoyed me on board the _San Antonio_," said Betty."Well, our honeymoon has not begun too sweetly, and I do not mind if yougo away for a while--to look for Inez. Swear now that you mean me noharm, and that you will not plot my death or disgrace, or in any wayinterfere with my liberty or position here in Granada. Swear it on theRood." And she took down a silver crucifix that hung upon the wall overthe bed and handed it to him. For she knew Morella's superstitions, andthat if once he swore upon this symbol he dare not break his oath.

  "And if I will not swear?" he asked sullenly.

  "Then," she answered, "you stop here until you do, you who are anxiousto be gone. I have eaten food this morning, you have not; I have adagger, you have none; and, being as we are, I am sure that no one willventure to disturb us until Inez and your friend the priest have gonefurther than you can follow."

  "Very well, I will swear," he said, and he kissed the crucifix and threwit down, "You can stop here and rule my house in Granada, and I will doyou no mischief, nor trouble you in any way. But if you come out ofGranada, then we cross swords."

  "You mean that you intend to leave this city? Then, here is paper andink. Be so good as to sign an order to the stewards of your estates,within the territories of the Moorish king, to pay all their revenue tome during your absence, and to your servants to obey me in everything."

  "It is easy to see that you were brought up in the house of a Jewmerchant," said Morella, biting the pen and considering this woman who,whether she were hawk or pigeon, knew so well how to feather her nest."Well, if I grant you this position and these revenues, will you leaveme alone and cease to press other claims upon me?"

  Now Betty, bethinking her of those papers that Inez had carried awaywith her, and that Castell and Margaret would know well how to use themif there were need, bethinking her also that if she pushed him too farat the beginning she might die suddenly as folk sometimes did inGranada, answered:

  "It is much to ask of a deluded woman, but I still have some pride, andwill not thrust myself in where it seems I am not wanted. Therefore, sobe it. Till you seek me or send for me, I will not seek you so long asyou keep your bargain. Now write the paper, sign it, and call in yoursecretaries to witness the signature."

  "In whose favour must I word it?" he asked.

  "In that of the Marquessa of Morella," she answered, and he, seeing aloophole in the words, obeyed her, since if she were not his wife thiswriting would have no value.

  Somehow he must be rid of this woman. Of course he might cause her to bekilled; but even in Granada people could not kill one to whom they hadseemed to be just married without questions being asked. Moreover, Bettyhad friends, and he had enemies who would certainly ask them if shevanished away. No, he would sign the paper and fight the caseafterwards, for he had no time to lose. Margaret had slipped away fromhim, and if once she escaped from Spain he knew that he would never seeher more. For aught he knew, she might already have escaped or bemarried to Peter Brome. The very thought of it filled him with madness.There had been a conspiracy against him; he was outwitted, robbed,befooled. Well, hope still remained--and vengeance. He could still fightPeter, and perhaps kill him. He could hand over Castell, the Jew, to theInquisition. He could find a way to deal with the priest Henriques andthe woman Inez, and, perhaps, if fortune favoured him he could getMargaret back into his power.

  Oh! yes, he would sign anything if only thereby he was set at libertyand freed for a while from this servant who called herself his wife,this strong-minded, strong-bodied, clever Englishwoman, of whom he hadthought to make a tool, and who had made a tool of him.

  So Betty dictated and he wrote: yes, it had come to this--she dictatedand he wrote, and signed too. The order was comprehensive. It gave powerto the most honourable Marquessa of Morella to act for him, her husband,in all things during his absence from Granada. It commanded that allrents and profits due to him should be paid to her, and that all hisservants and dependants should obey her as though she were himself, andthat her receipt should be as good as his receipt.

  When the paper was written, and Betty had spelt it over carefully to seethat there was no omission or mistake, she unlocked the door, struckupon the gong, and summoned the secretaries to witness their lord'ssignature to a settlement. Presently they came, bowing, and offeringmany felicitations, which to himself Morella vowed he would rememberagainst them.

  "I have to go a journey," he said. "Witness my signature to thisdocument, which provides for the carrying on of my household and thedisposal of my property during my absence."

  They stared and bowed.

  "Read it aloud first," said Betty, "so that my lord and husband may besure that there is no mistake."

  One of them obeyed, but before ever he had finished the furious Morellashouted to them from the bed:

  "Have done and witness, then go, order me horses and an escort, for Iride at once."

  So they witnessed in a great hurry, and left the room. Betty left withthem, holding the paper in her hand, and when she reached the large hallwhere the household were gathered waiting to greet their lord, shecommanded one of the secretaries to read it out to all of them, also totranslate it into the Moorish tongue that every one might understand.Then she hid it away with the marriage lines, and, seating herself inthe midst of the household, ordered them to prepare to receive the mostnoble marquis.

  They had not long to wait, for presently he came out of the room like abull into the arena, whereon Betty rose and curtseyed to him, and at herword all his servants bowed themselves down in the Eastern fashion. Fora moment he paused, again like the bull when he sees the picadors and isabout to charge. Then he thought better of it, and, with a mutteredcurse, strode past them.

  Ten minutes later, for the third time within twenty-four hours, horsesgalloped from the palace and through the Seville gate.

  "Friends," said Betty in her awkward Spanish, when she knew that he hadgone, "a sad thing has happened to my husband, the marquis. The womanInez, whom it seems he trusted very much, has departed, stealing atreasure that he valued above everything on earth, and so I, hisnew-made wife, am left desolate while he tries to find her."