A Secret Inheritance (Volume 2 of 3) Read online

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  A SECRET INHERITANCE

  A SECRET INHERITANCE

  BY

  B. L. FARJEON,

  AUTHOR OF "GREAT PORTER SQUARE," "IN A SILVER SEA," "THE HOUSE OF WHITE SHADOWS," ETC.

  _IN THREE VOLUMES_ VOL. II

  LONDON WARD AND DOWNEY 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN, W.C. 1887

  Richard Clay and Sons, LONDON AND BUNGAY.

  A SECRET INHERITANCE.

  * * * * * *

  BOOK THE FIRST (_Continued_).

  THE RECORD OF GABRIEL CAREW.

  VOL. II.

  CHAPTER XIV.

  "I travelled for many months alone. I made acquaintances which neverripened into friendships, and seldom did twenty-four hours passwithout my thoughts wandering to Silvain. Thinking it not unlikelythat one or both of the brothers had returned to their home inGermany, I wrote several letters to them there, without receiving ananswer. This portentous silence increased rather than diminished myinterest in the man I loved as a brother. In speaking of him in theseterms I am but giving faithful expression to the feelings Ientertained for him; up to that time I had never met a human being,man or woman, who had so entirely won my affectionate regard.

  "Family circumstances rendered me more than ever my own master; I wasfree to go whithersoever my inclination led me, and certainly myinclination pointed clearly to that part of the world where I shouldbe most likely to find my dear friend. But I had no clue to guide me;to turn east, west, north, or south, in search of him would have beena hap-hazard proceeding, and to hope for success in so unintelligent asearch would have been the hope of a madman. My anxiety with respectto the fate of Silvain and Kristel never deserted me, but it was manyyears before I was enabled to take up the links in the chain.

  "During those years a great and happy change occurred in my own life.I interrupt the course of my narrative here to remark that it issingular I should be relating this history fully, for the first time,within a comparatively short distance of places in which the mostpregnant--and indeed terrible--incidents in the career of the twinbrothers were brought to my knowledge. My wife is acquainted with someportions of this history, but not with all. The lighthouse in whichAvicia was born is within a hundred miles of this spot. Indirectly itled me to the acquaintance of the lady who became my wife, and to asgreat a happiness as any man can hope to enjoy.

  "Nerac is not my birthplace, and it was in passing through the lovelyvillage on one of my visits to the village by the sea--visits made inthe vain hope of obtaining intelligence of Silvain--that I wasintroduced to her. I pass over the records of a time which lives in myremembrance as a heavenly summer. Happy is the man who has enjoyedsuch a season. Happier is the man to whom such a season is theharbinger of such home joys as have fallen to my lot.

  "When I first made the acquaintance of my wife, and for some yearsafterwards, her parents were alive, and I saw that it would be cruelto ask her to leave them. I did not put her love to such a test. Isettled in Nerac, and married there.

  "It is a solemnly strange reflection by what chance threads we are ledto our destiny--a destiny which may be one of honour or shame, andwhich may bring a blessing or a curse into the lives of others whom,but for the most accidental circumstance, we should never have seen.The doctrine of responsibility is but little understood. Thus, had itnot been for my chance meeting with Silvain in London, I should neverhave known my wife, and it seems to me impossible that I should havebeen a happy or a good man without her. Such women as she keep menpure.

  "Midway between Nerac and the village by the sea to which Kristel ledhis brother in his pursuit of the girl who was to bring them to theirdoom lies a forest of great extent, and it was in this forest, after alapse of four years, that I came once more into association withSilvain and Avicia. I was called in that direction upon importantbusiness; at that period of my life I was an ardent pedestrian, and ifthe opportunity offered, was glad to make my way on foot, withoutrespect to distance. I may confide to you that I was in the habit oftaking a great deal of exercise because I was afraid of growing fat.

  "I was unacquainted with the locality, and I took a short cut, whichproved a long one. When darkness fell I found myself entrapped in theforest amidst a wilderness of trees. Never shall I forget the nightand the day that followed. It was such a night as that upon which you,my friend, were lying helpless in the woods near Nerac. Not relishingthe idea of passing a number of lonely hours in such a place and undersuch circumstances, I made a vigorous effort to escape from the gloomylabyrinth. I did not succeed, and it was one o'clock in the morning bymy watch before I made up my mind like a sensible person to rest tilldaylight. So I sat me down upon the trunk of a tree, and made the bestof matters. Fatigued with my exertions I dozed for a few moments, thenstarted up with a vague feeling of alarm, for which there was nocause, then dozed again and again, with repetitions of similaruneasiness; and finally I fell fast asleep.

  "It was full daylight when I awoke. I arose refreshed, and gazedaround with smiles and a light heart, despite that I was hungry andthat there was no water in sight. I had no doubt that I should soonfind myself in some place where I could obtain food. Resolving upon mycourse I set forward in the direction of rising ground, from thesummit of which I should be able to overlook the country. In one partof the forest I was traversing the trees were very thickly clustered,and it was here I chanced upon the forms of a man and a woman lying onthe ground asleep. The circumstance was strange, and I leant over thesleeping persons to see their faces. I could scarcely repress a cry ofastonishment at the discovery that the man was Silvain and the womanAvicia. It was from an impulsive desire not to disturb them that Iuttered no sound, for truly their appearance was such as to excite mydeep compassion.

  "Avicia's head was pillowed upon Silvain's right arm, and his lefthand was clasped in hers. In complete ignorance of what had broughtthem to this miserable position, there was, to my mind, in this closeclasping of his hand in hers, a kind of protection, as though she weremaking an instinctive effort to shield him from a hidden danger. Thefaces of both were wan with suffering, and their clothes were poor andragged. I trembled to think that they might be in want of food.

  "As I gazed in pity and apprehension Silvain moved. A spasm of fearpassed across his face, and he exclaimed in terror, 'Avicia! Avicia!He is coming nearer--nearer! We must fly!'

  "Before the words were uttered she was awake and on her feet. She sawme without recognising me, and she sank to the ground again, with apiercing scream which curdled through my veins, so much of fear andterror did it express. Dazed, and not yet fully awakened, Silvainthrew himself before her in an attitude of protection.

  "'Silvain!' I cried; 'do you not know me?'

  "He looked up with a shudder, and passed his hand across his eyes. Itwas like the look of an intelligent animal who is being hunted to hisdeath. But a softer expression came slowly into them as he gazed uponme and saw that it was a friend and not an enemy who stood before him.I spoke no further word at the moment, for the tears
were running downhis haggard face; his overcharged heart had found relief, and I turnedfrom him.

  "Presently I felt his hand upon my arm.

  "'It is really you?' he said in a broken voice.

  "'No doubt of that, Silvain,' I said in a cheerful tone, purposelyassumed to put him at his ease, 'unless life is a delusion.'

  "'Would it were!' he muttered, 'would it were!' And then,suspiciously, 'Did you come to seek me?'

  "'No, Silvain; it is pure accident, if there be such a thing asaccident.'

  "'There is not,' he said; 'all is ordained.'

  "'One of our old arguments, Silvain,' I said, still with a cheerfulair; I would not humour his gloomy mood.

  "'Do not mock me;' and he spread his hands, with upturned palms. 'Canyou not see?'

  "'I can see that you are in bad trim, which can easily be set right.Silvain,' I said reproachfully, 'this is not as we used to meet. Icome to you with open arms, and you receive me with doubt andsuspicion. Are we not, as we always were and always shall be, friendsstaunch and true? You are the same Silvain; I am the same Louis;unchanged, as you will find me if you care to prove me.'

  "Avicia had risen and crept close to my side.

  "'Friends staunch and true,' she said, echoing my words. 'You are notmocking him?'

  "'Indeed, no.'

  "'Then give us food,' she said.

  "At this appeal I felt my pretended cheerfulness deserting me, but Icaught the would-be runaway, and held it fast.

  "'Food!' I exclaimed, rattling some money in my pocket. 'Would that Iknew where to obtain it! Here am I, starving, lost in the woods lastnight, and with not an idea now how to get out of them. Can you showme the way?'

  "'Yes,' she replied eagerly.

  "'Then I am fortunate, indeed, in lighting on you, and I bless thechance. Ah, Silvain, how I searched for you! To leave me, without evera word--I would not have believed it of you. It was as though youdoubted my friendship, which,' I added, 'is as sincere at this momentas ever it was in the years gone by.' Here there was a little chokingin my throat because of the tears which again flowed from his eyes. 'Iwent to the village three times to get news of you, and had to comeaway unsatisfied. I wrote to your home in Germany, and received noreply. We have much to tell each other. But I am forgetting. You arefaint and weary, and so am I. Can you take us to an inn where we canput some cheerful life into our bodies?'

  "I addressed this last question to Avicia, and she answered 'Yes,' andwas about to lead the way when Silvain stopped her.

  "'Is it on our road?' he asked.

  "'Yes,' she answered, 'it is on our road.'

  "He motioned to her to proceed, and she stepped forward, Silvain and Iwalking side by side in the rear. This companionship was of myprompting, for had I not detained him he would have joined Avicia. Iwas burning with curiosity to learn what had befallen my friend duringthe last few years, but I restrained myself from asking questionswhich I felt he was not in the proper frame of mind at present toanswer. Therefore as we walked onwards it was chiefly I who had tobeguile the way. I told him all that had passed since we last met,narrated adventures which in former times would have interested him,and spoke freely of my settlement in life and of the happiness of myhome. He acknowledged my efforts in monosyllables, but volunteerednothing of himself or Avicia. At the end of about an hour's walk wearrived at a village, in which there was one poor inn, and there wehalted. Before we entered Silvain said,

  "'A word first. I have been seemingly churlish and ungrateful, but Iam not so. My heart is overflowing with thankfulness; presently,perhaps, I may have courage to unbosom myself. You are as you were;life is fair and sweet to you.'

  "It was only because he paused here that I spoke: 'And will be to you,Silvain.'

  "'Never again,' he said. 'I am followed by a relentless spirit; I havebeen pursued for years by one who was heart of my heart, soul of mysoul, but who now, from feelings of revenge, and as he believes ofjustice, is my bitter enemy.'

  "'Dare I mention his name, Silvain?'

  "'I will do so. My brother Kristel. It is of him I wish to say a wordto you before I partake of your charity.'

  "'Silvain!' I cried, in remonstrance.

  "'Forgive me. I am tormented because of my condition, because ofAvicia's misery. Answer me honestly. Is it really true that you cameupon us by chance in the woods?'

  "'It is really true.'

  "'Kristel did not send you?'

  "'I have not seen Kristel since you and I last met.'

  "'Nor heard from him?'

  "'Nor heard from him.'

  "He took the hand I held out to him, and we followed Avicia into theinn, where, very soon, we were seated at a table with a modest mealbefore us. The food was poor enough, the wine was thin and common, butwe could scarcely have enjoyed a grand banquet more. I speak not alonefor myself, but for Silvain and Avicia; it was evident to me that theyhad not had many full meals lately. Avicia especially ate ravenously,and with a perfect sense of animal enjoyment, and it was only when shehad finished that a certain terror, which I had observed in both herand Silvain, again asserted itself.

  "'Remain here a while, Avicia,' said Silvain, at the end of the meal;'I wish to speak to our friend alone.'

  "'Are we safe?' she asked.

  "'I think so; I hope so. Sleep; it will do you good.'

  "'Thank you, Silvain.'

  "She was seated on a hard bench, not conducive to repose; neverthelessshe closed her eyes, and was almost immediately asleep.

  "'Poor girl!' said Silvain, with a sigh, 'she has suffered much--andin a few weeks will become a mother.'

  "We strolled up and down outside the inn and conversed.

  "'You have behaved to us with true friendship,' he said; 'and yet youcan see we are beggars. Are you prospering?'

  "I am not rich,' I replied, 'but I can spare to a friend.'

  "'We are making our way to Avicia's home, to the lighthouse upon whichI saw her for the first time otherwise than in my dreams. I doubtwhether you can turn aside the finger of Fate as I behold it, pointingdownwards to a grave, but you can perhaps help us to cheat it for ashort time.'

  "'You speak strangely, Silvain; the ominous fears which oppress youmay be bred by a disordered fancy.'

  "'In our former intercourse,' was his reply, 'was my fancy everdisordered? I advanced nothing that was not afterwards proved; I madeno pretence of accounting for the warnings I received; I make nonenow. I shudder to think of the future, not so much for my own sake asfor Avicia's. Helpless, penniless, without a friend----'

  "'You are forgetting me, Silvain?'

  "'Ah, yes, my friend, as you still declare yourself to be; I cannotbut believe you. But Avicia----'

  "'I am her friend as well as yours.'

  "'For God's sake, do not speak lightly! You do not know to what a passI am driven.'

  "'You shall enlighten me, and I maybe able to counsel you. Do notthink I am speaking lightly, As I am your friend, so am I Avicia's. AsI will stand by you, so will I stand by her.'

  "'In perfect faith, Louis?'

  "It was the first time he had uttered my name, and I held it as a signthat I had dispelled his distrust. I replied, 'In perfect faith,Silvain.'

  "'I accept it so. When I am gone, she will not be quite alone in theworld. And now, will you give me a little money? I do not ask you tolend it to me, for I have no expectation of being able to repay you. Iwill briefly explain the necessity for it. We are bound for thelighthouse. It is our only refuge, and there our child will be born.May it prove a comfort to the mother! We have fifty miles to go, andAvicia is not strong enough to walk----'

  "'Say no more,' I interrupted, 'of the necessity for such a trifle; Ican spare you more than sufficient for your purpose.'

  "I took from my purse what was requisite for my immediate needs, andpressed the purse with the coins that remained into his hand. He tookit in silence, and his emaciated form shook with gratitude.

  "'You ask no questions about these,' he said, pointing t
o his rags.

  "'Why should I?' I asked in return. 'But there are one or two pointsupon which you might satisfy me.'

  "'I cannot go into my history, Louis. If you will give me your addressI will send it to you before the week is out. Indeed, after your noblepromise with respect to Avicia, it is yours by right. It will not onlyenlighten, it will guide you.'

  "'I will wait for it, and will make an opportunity of seeing you soonafter I have read it. The points I wish to mention are these: Whileyou and Avicia were sleeping in the forest, and I stood looking downupon you, you cried--not because of my presence, of which you wereignorant, but because of some disturbing dream--"He is comingnearer--nearer! We must fly!" To whom did you refer?'

  "'To my brother Kristel. He is pursuing us.'

  "'To your hurt?'

  "'To my destruction.'

  "'Then you have seen him?'

  "'I have not seen him. I know it through my dreams, as of old. Youcould not doubt their truth when we travelled together--ah, thosehappy days!--you cannot doubt it now.'

  "'Then, what was love between you has turned to hate?' The wordsescaped me unaware; I repented of them the moment they were spoken.

  "'Yes,' said Silvain, in a tone of deepest sadness, 'what was lovebetween us is turned to hate. Ask me no more questions--in pity!'

  "'But one, Silvain. Have you any children?'

  "'None. The babe that Avicia will soon press to her breast will be ourfirst-born.'

  "To matters upon which I saw he was then unwilling to converse, I madeno further reference. He engaged a light cart and horse, and a man todrive them to the village by the sea. Then he woke Avicia, and I saidfarewell to them, and gazed after them till they were out of sight.

  "As he had promised, I received from him before the end of the week astatement of his adventures. It is now among my papers in Nerac, and Iremember perfectly all the salient particulars necessary to my story,which is now drawing to a conclusion. I will narrate them in my ownway, asking you to recall the day upon which the brothers were lastseen in the village by the sea."