The Unforgiven Sin

by R. Twine

  ‘As far as I can see, nobody of those present here is scared by the prospect, right?’ he said with a grin. All those around him nodded their consent, smiling. ‘Man will never be able to live in peace and harmony,’ he went on. ‘Innocent blood was spilt from the very beginning. Do you remember how Cain killed Abel, and they were the children of the first-ever people, by the way! Well, has anything changed since then? No! Nothing will ever change because it’s man’s nature! Human beings can be reasonable in thoughts and cruel in deeds, and the devil’s influence has nothing to do with this. Cruelty had been embedded in man long before he met the devil. There are people capable of stunning the devil himself with their own cruelty!’ he continued with a repulsive grin. ‘All living beings are cruel! Both humans and animals… Just take a look at sharks: they feed on their own kind, as a matter of fact; sometimes they vary their diet by feeding on humans!’ The young man guffawed as if he’d said something really funny. ‘Is man in any way better in his instincts? Wars and hostilities – this was the potential he’d come to Earth with. There always were and always will be wars but we still manage to survive and we will survive again,’ he said exhaling theatrically a thin streak of smoke towards the ceiling. ‘We just have to take everything philosophically,’ he summed up, putting a clever look on his face.

  ‘I do hope this will never happen,’ said the stout cigar-chewing man joining the conversation. ‘Because nobody knows how it all might end,’ he complained.

  ‘If the necessity of a nuclear attack becomes obvious, it will happen despite all disagreements. Under current circumstances and with today’s level of technology it will only take a few minutes to erase more than one country from the face of the earth,’ said an elderly gentlemen in a coat and tails, adjusting eyeglasses on his nose. ‘Wars, however destructive they might be, always brought about major changes. Progress always follows in their wake – it has been scientifically proven! And currently we are in the stage of development, if you like.’

  ‘And when do you think this stage is going to end?’ Samuel asked suddenly.

  ‘It will never end!’ said the gentleman pompously. ‘Humanity has to evolve constantly otherwise it will not survive. People need adrenaline because its shortage breeds boredom. And the law of the jungle still applies: only the strongest survive!’

  More and more people were joining the debate; everyone was stating his or her point of view. But I was clearly aware that this was only a farce: money was the only thing these people cared for. Hard talks of this kind were just little more than a pastime. They all belonged to the same world where there was no room for such things as love and compassion.

  ‘Heinrich, I hope our banking assets are safe?’ Agella asked a pale-faced man of uncertain age, as if reading my thoughts. She stood behind us, and she asked her question loudly enough for me to hear.

  ‘Our assets and money are always safe,’ Heinrich replied readily. ‘Don’t worry, my dear Agella, you see for yourself that we’re only getting richer as time goes by,’ he said, baring his teeth in a contented smile. It wasn’t likely that Agella, who I’d seen in the Kingdom of the Prince of Darkness, played a leading role in the satanic rites. Scrutinizing one of Satanail’s human wives, I wondered how old she really was.

  I quickly got bored with the crowd in the castle. This handful of greedy people fed their energy to demons, who in turn helped them implement their ever-growing insatiable desires. I stepped some distance aside, trying to put my thoughts and feelings straight.

  Quiet music was playing; guests strolled slowly about the hall, all of them sipping champagne, whiskey, gin and other drinks abundant on the tables. It looked pretty much like an ordinary reception I’d become fed up with in the US. Samuel wouldn’t talk much, he clearly felt uncomfortable, there was an annoyed expression on his face. I wondered what it was that made him nervous – or who it was.

  ‘Dear guests, the auction is to begin in an hour, meanwhile you may indulge yourselves in champagne and refreshments,’ Agella announced loudly; then she came to me, took me by the arm and drew me aside. ‘Miriam,’ she said in a whisper, ‘I don’t want you to form a wrong impression about our party tonight. We’ll only be glad if you and Samuel become our friends. My husband and I, and our guests, are not as calculating as it might seem at first sight.’

  ‘How do you know that this is the impression I’m getting?’ I asked.

  ‘We run a closed joint-stock society, and many wealthy people would like to become its members,’ Agella said, avoiding giving a direct answer. ‘We have special selection criteria because we not only guarantee profit but also one hundred per cent safety of investments, therefore everybody who puts his or her trust in us by letting us handle their money is totally protected from losses. The financial organization we are in control of invests not only in private businesses but in the state-owned economy of numerous countries which yields high profit while the governments guarantee the safety of bank deposits by using the capital we lend them in whichever way they like. This pattern of cooperation involves the full anonymity of investors.’

  ‘Why are you telling me all this, Agella? So far, I’m not going to join your society or finance somebody else’s projects. Besides, I’m far from being a billionaire, therefore to my mind my candidacy isn’t likely to fit your standards.’

  ‘That is the right remark you’ve made,’ Agella said, smiling sweetly. ‘But when you have the opportunity and desire, you’ll be free to make investments in whichever project you think appropriate, including the projects aimed at saving our planet.’

  ‘Really?’ I exclaimed. ‘I didn’t know you cared about our planet. Will you be so kind as to tell me why you are being so attentive to my humble self?’

  ‘Miriam, we've invited you so that you will help us. You’re the only one capable of doing this,’ she started cautiously.

  ‘But I don’t see how I could be helpful to you. And who’s ‘we’? You and your wealthy clique, right?’ I asked.

  Why, of course! It was me who they’d initially planned to invite to the party, not Samuel, who was just a middleman in this story. The ring he’d bought for me was a connecting link between me and somebody else. Or it was just a pretext. They needed me at this party, it was crystal clear. Oh, my God, how naive Samuel was!

  ‘You see,’ said Agella, clearly a little nervous, ‘this is a long story. We’ll be able to continue our conversation in my study after the auction. Please, Miriam, this is very important – both for you and for us. If you lend us a helping hand, I’ll be able to help you, too.’

  ‘Who’s ‘us’? And what is it that you’re going to help me with, for that matter?’ I asked.

  ‘“We” means the powers that be,’ she replied vaguely. ‘Don’t pretend you’re not in the know, Miriam. It doesn’t become you to play the role of a silly girl. Once you’ve joined the game, mind that the strongest wins! As so does the smartest!’

  I came up to Samuel. He was standing in front of Arnaud Canilos listening attentively to what the latter was saying.

  ‘How can we cope in this world without love and women, really?’ Canilos said, giving me a wink. ‘Women are something the life of any man revolves around. They are capable of ruling this world while standing behind our backs.’

  ‘But men are superior when it comes to power and strength, aren’t they, my dear one?’ said a tall blond woman with noble features.

  ‘Kristine, my love,’ said Arnaud Canilos, seizing the initiative again, ‘women have a fine intellect and perfect fool-proof instincts. Thanks to women there’s life on Earth, my dear! It cannot be denied that if woman perishes from the face of the earth, life will cease to exist. This is why we love and value you so much! Any man possessing self-respect always gives credit to the weaker gender. Fine intellect and beauty can turn a woman into a real tigress who, when she bares her claws, can overwhelm even the tiger himself!’

  ‘I think, I’m all for what you say,’ said a tiny brunette who’d been keeping
silent. ‘Jewelry, wealth, extravagance – you quickly get bored with all this. We need something we can only get at an enormous price or cannot get at all. Something only the few can have. Everybody will always be striving for power – in any of its forms – over somebody or something. Even if a man has a lot, he will always be trying to get still more. And women are just the same as men.’

  I remembered that Robert was calling her Marise. There was a strong-willed personality hiding within this slim and delicate figure. This woman knew perfectly well what she wanted from life. I was still unaware of the role she played in this circle of people.

  There were more than fifty guests in the hall, and all of them seemed to know each other very well. Everybody felt comfortable and at ease here; everybody but me. This place was giving me the creeps and instilled in me the desire to get out of this ominous castle as soon as possible. Why did it seem to me that Michael and Samuel had an immediate connection with these people? What gave me the impression that all those who surrounded me were involved in some kind of conspiracy against me?

  ‘Attention!’ I heard Agella’s voice. ‘The auction is underway! Not all our friends are present here today; nevertheless bidding will take place anyway! You may come over here and have a look at the lots. But I’d like to remind you of the rules first: the owner of a purchased item shall keep it for a year, and if he intends to sell it, he or she shall have to wait till the next auction. As usual, barter is allowed between the members of the club. Well then, let’s begin, ladies and gentlemen.’

  We found ourselves in a weird room with no windows and no corners. There was a huge table in the middle surrounded by numerous soft chairs. After all the guests took their respective places, there still remained a lot of vacant seats. Apparently, today’s turnout of the secret society members was really far from full.

  ‘Please, make yourself comfortable,’ Agella said, sitting down in one of the armchairs standing on a small pedestal. The armchair next to her remained vacant.

  ‘Whose seat is this?’ I asked, unable to hold back my emotions. ‘Does it belong to your master? And your master is absent today, right?’

  Silence fell upon the room; everybody turned in my direction and stared at me silently. Samuel put his hand on mine; his palm was ice-cold.

  ‘Yes, he’s absent. And while he’s absent, I am in charge of everything,’ Agella replied, matter-of-factly. There was a noticeable metallic ring in her voice.

  The atmosphere in the room became electrified, but I was no longer able to stop.

  ‘I thought this seat belonged to the owner of the house by right,’ I went on in a provoking manner, staring at Robert. ‘Or am I wrong?’

  ‘Dear Miriam, as far as I can see, you want to know everything here and now. I appreciate your curiosity, because you have come here for the first time,’ Robert said benevolently. ‘Have patience, my dear.’

  ‘My dear Robert,’ I said in a very polite tone of voice. ‘I used to know some of those present here some time before – your wife, for instance. Strangely enough, she doesn’t seem to change at all as the years go by!’

  I looked derisively at Agella, but apparently she was good at self-control: not a muscle twitched on her face. I was keen on provoking them, throwing at least one of them off balance and ruining their made-up calmness. I glanced around the room studying the guests: all of them were staring back at me rather emotionlessly; only the unsavory young man was sincere enough to show his genuine feelings: he was piercing me with his icy stare full of hatred. I stared back, unblinkingly, taking up the challenge.

  ‘Charlie,’ he introduced himself without taking his mocking eyes off me. ‘My name’s George Charlie.’

  ‘Messier Charlie, what’s been troubling you since I came here?’ I asked. ‘You seem to hate me. Is that so?’

  ‘I’ve got nothing to hate or love you for,’ he countered.

  ‘Enough!’ called Agella, raising her hand. ‘Let’s get down to business.’

  The door closed with a loud bang against its iron doorframe, and we found ourselves in a hermetically sealed room. Agella took a small remote-control device and pressed a button: the round walls began to move apart slowly. Behind one of them I saw an elevator ascending from the basement, while behind other walls there were secret niches containing jewelry, paintings and figurines. The elevator doors slid open; scantily dressed young girls and boys came out of the elevator, their faces veiled. They began taking the golden trays with jewelry out of the niches and putting them on a table which started turning around slowly so that every one of those present could have a good look at what was on the trays.

  ‘What a beautiful necklace,’ Marise said, taking up a heavy piece of jewelry. Diamonds on a necklace matched sapphires harmoniously, shimmering with all colors of the rainbow. ‘It’s magnificent, I reserve it for myself,’ she said, unable to take her eyes off the piece.

  ‘This necklace once belonged to Maria Stewart,’ Agella explained and announced a sky-high price. But no one seemed to look surprised: it was as though money was of no great importance here.

  I ran through the list of lots lying on the table. All items had mostly belonged to royal families, each one of the pieces having its own story. Those were the relics which changed hands more often than not. But they ended up only in the hands of those who had been initiated into the Secret: many members were the descendants of royal families, too.

  Then they brought the paintings in. I froze in bewilderment: some of the paintings I saw were considered lost forever; there were also some unknown paintings by prominent artists. For the first time in my life I had a chance of taking in the priceless works of art created many centuries ago by world-famous masters. Many members of the club rose to their feet trying to have a better look at these treasures. The collection was really impressive. I took special interest in two paintings - one of them was already familiar to me; the other one attracted everybody’s attention: this piece of art was surrounded by legends.

  Having noticed my keen interest, Agella said.

  ‘Miriam, this room presents the masterpieces of visual art which were rescued or discovered. Many people are ready to go to great lengths to have a look at them just for once. These pictures are closely guarded by the society members. According to our rules, the participants in auctions must always keep silent outside the castle about what they saw here. It is forbidden to start talks on this subject outside my estate; everything must only be talked about here. Five out of the presented pieces of art are for sale; the other ones belong to the Master. You may see for yourself that many pieces of jewelry stayed where they’ve been before: they also belong to our patron; he alone decides what to do with them. Once a year we have the opportunity of marveling at this beauty, following which all these treasures are sent back to their secret security vault.’

  Agella was clearly trying to give some idea to me but I didn’t pay much attention to her explanations, I was marveling at the paintings instead.

  ‘I’ve got a replica of this painting… Did you recognize it?’ I asked Samuel, leaning towards me slightly. He looked at me but remained silent; then he turned away and went on studying the lots.

  The list of lots identified the item as “The Angel of Death”. Its description said that this painting kind of symbolized the real world and its connection with the world of hereafter. The list held no information whatsoever neither on the creator of the painting nor on the century when this masterpiece had been created.

  The second work of art that had me intrigued was the treasure of treasures which made the most powerful impression on me. This was a wooden shield with a monstrous Gorgon head depicted on it. She looked so life-like that it seemed she was about to take off the shield and fly into the room. The magic look in her eyes was really hypnotizing; her hair-snakes seemed to have come alive and stirred slightly. Her red mouth was twisted in a silent fear-instilling scream.

  ‘What a treasure!’ I exclaimed. ‘It’s simply unbelievable! It’s such
a pity that only a handful of people can feast their eyes on these works of art. This is the heritage of all of mankind, after all!’

  ‘My dear Miriam, the two masterpieces which have piqued your interest are not for sale. They are going to remain here forever. Only our children who will follow in our footsteps will be able to see these treasures. They are only accessible to those who really deserve to see them,’ Arnaud Canilos said cynically. ‘Not everything can be put on display. These pieces have a tremendous magical force; this is why we take care of them!’

  ‘Miriam, it’s quite obvious that you’re a creative personality. I can see your love of art. If you take such a strong liking to these paintings you’ll be able to marvel at them if you wish. We even have at our disposal several works by apostles as well as the originals of priceless books written by some of them. We keep all these masterpieces to prevent them from being destroyed by wars and vandals,’ Agella said.

  ‘The vault where we keep these treasures constantly changes its location; only three persons know about it,’ said the man who’d been silent up until that moment. ‘Miriam, soon you’ll be able to draw your own conclusions. All those present here are very serious people who know the true value of life and money.’ The man was radiating perfect calmness. ‘With an invisible hand, we rule the whole world, and we don’t belong to those who can be called free from moral guilt and sin. Just like all the people on our planet, we have our own weaknesses. Just like you do…’ The man stammered and went silent under Agella’s authoritative stare.

  Bidding had been going on for over two hours, and then Agella declared the auction closed. During all this time Samuel hadn’t uttered a word.

  It was well over midnight; all the guests went down to the basement by the elevator while Samuel and Agella and I stayed in the room.

  ‘Miriam, we have to talk, it won’t take long,’ Agella said. There wasn’t a trace of fatigue on her face.