Love Among the Ruins

by Warwick Deeping

  V

  Silence fell between them for a season, a silence deep and intangible asthe darkness of the woods. The man's mood had recovered its subtlecalm, even as a pool that has been stirred momentarily by the plashingof a stone sinks into rippleless repose. He sat with folded arms beforethe flare of the fire, watching the girl under his heavy brows.

  She was very fair to look upon, slim, yet spirited as a band of steel.Her ears shone out from her dusky hair like apple blossoms in a mist ofleaves. Her lips were blood-red, sensitive, clean as the petals of arose. Her great grief had chastened her. From the curve of her neck tothe delicate strength of her white hands, she was as rich an idyll as aman could desire.

  Fulviac considered her with a thought that leant philosophically towardsher beauty. He had grown weary of love in his time; the passions ofyouth had burnt to dry ashes; possibly he had been luckless in hisknowledge of the sex. He had married a wife of irreproachable birth, alady with a sharp nose and a lipless mouth, eyes of green, and a mostunholy temper. She was dead, had been dead many years. The man had nodelirious desire to meet her again in heaven. As for this girl, he hadneed of her for revolutionary reasons, and his mood to her was more thatof a father. Her spirit pleased him. Moreover, he knew what he knew.

  Gazing at the flames, he spread his hands to them, and entered again onthe confines of debate. His voice had the steady, rhythmic insistenceof a bell pealing a curfew. Its tone was that of a man not willing to begainsaid.

  "Therefore, madame, I would have you understand that I desire in somemeasure to be a benefactor to the human race."

  "I take your word for it," she answered him.

  "That I am an ambitious man, somewhat vain towards fame, one that canglow in soul."

  "A human sun."

  "So."

  "That loves to be thought great through warming the universe."

  "Madame, you are epigrammatic."

  "Or enigmatic, messire."

  "As you will," he answered her; "your womanhood makes you an enigma; itis your birthright. Understand that I possess power."

  "Fifty cut-throats tied to a purse."

  "Consider me a serious figure in the world's sum."

  "As you will, messire. You are an outlaw, a leader of fifty vagabonds,a man with ideals as to the establishing of justice. You are going tosubvert the country. Very good. I have learnt my lesson. But how isall this going to help me out of the wood?"

  Fulviac took his sword, and balanced it upon his wrist. The red lightfrom the fire flashed on the swaying steel.

  "Our hopes are more near of kin, madame, than you imagine."

  "Well?"

  "Flavian of Gambrevault's raiders burnt your home, slew your father,exterminated your brethren. This happened but a day ago. You do notlove this Flavian of Gambrevault."

  Her whole figure stiffened spasmodically as at the prick of a sword.Her eyes, with widely open pupils, flashed up to Fulviac's face. Shequestioned him through her set teeth with a passionate whisper ofdesire.

  "How do you know this?"

  His face mellowed; the arm bearing the sword was steady as the limb ofan oak.

  "I am wiser in many ways than you imagine," he said. "Look at me, I amno longer young; I hate women; I patronise God. You are a mere child;to you life is dark and perilous as this wilderness of pines. Yourtrouble is known to me, because it is my business to know of suchthings. It was my deliberate intent that you should fall into my handsto-day."

  The girl was still rigidly astonied. She stared at him mutely withdubious eyes. The man and his philosophy were beyond her for themoment.

  "Well?" she said to him with a quaver of entreaty.

  "First, you will honour me by saying that I have your trust."

  "How may I promise you that?"

  "Because I am surety for my own honour."

  She smiled in his face despite the occasion.

  "You seem very sure of your own soul," she said.

  "Madame, it has taken me ten years to come by so admirable a state.Self-knowledge carried to the depths, builds up self-trust. I may takeit for granted that you hate the Lord Flavian of Gambrevault?"

  "Need you ask that!"

  Her eyes echoed the mood of the flame. Fulviac, watching her, saw thestrong wrack of wrath twisting her delicate features for the moment intopathetic ugliness.

  "You have courage," he said to her.

  "Ample, messire."

  "Flavian of Gambrevault is the greatest lord in the south."

  "I am as wise."

  "On that score, this Flavian and Fulviac of the Forest areirreconcilable as day and night."

  The man stood his sword pommel upwards in the grass, and ran on.

  "Some day I shall slay this same Flavian of Gambrevault. His blood willexpiate the blood of these your kinsfolk. Therefore, madame, you willbe my debtor."

  "That is all?" she asked him with a wistfulness in her voice that waseven piteous.

  Fulviac looked long into the fire like a man whose thoughts channelunder the crust of years. Pity for the girl had gone to the heart underthe steel cuirass, a pity that was not the pander of desire. His eyestook a new meaning into their keen depths; he looked to have grownsuddenly younger by some years. When he spoke again, his voice had lostits half-mocking and grandiose confidence. It was the voice of a man whostrides generous and eager into the breach of fate.

  "Listen," he said to her, "I may tell you that your sorrow has armed mymanhood. Give me my due; I am more than a mere vagabond. You have beencruelly dealt with; I take your cause upon the cross of my sword."

  "You, messire?"

  "Even so. I need a good woman, a brave woman. You please me."

  "Well?"

  "You are a necessity to me."

  "And why, messire?"

  "For a matter of religion and of justice. Trust to my honour. Youshall learn more in due season."

  Yeoland, smitten with incredulity, stared at the man in mute surmise.Here was an amazing circumstance--robbery idealised, soul, body, purse,at one bold swoop. In her mystification, she could find nothing to sayto the man for the moment, even though he had promised her a refuge.

  "You are very sure of yourself," she said at length.

  "I am a man."

  "Yet you leave me in ignorance."

  "Madame, we are to undertake great deeds together, great perils. Icould hold up an astonishing future to your eyes, but for the present Ikeep silence. Rest assured that you shall be accorded such honour asthe Virgin herself could desire. Remember that I give you promise ofvengeance, and a home."

  The girl drew a deep breath, as though taking the spirit of the hourinto her bosom.

  "If I refuse?" she said to him.

  "You cannot refuse," came the level retort.

  "And why, messire?"

  "Your consent, though pleasant, is not necessary in the matter. I havelong ago determined to appropriate you to my ambition."