RETRIBUTION.
The following morning Aaron went to the office as usual, and quickly
discovered that the poisoned arrow had found its mark. He was received
with coldness, and the principals of the firm passed his desk without
speaking to him. He observed the older employees whispering together,
and looking at him furtively, avoiding his eye when he returned their
gaze. His mind was soon made up; he would not wait for the dismissal
he saw impending, and in an interview with his employers he tendered
his resignation.
"You have saved us from a difficulty, Mr. Cohen," they said. "We
intended to speak to you before the day was over. But still, if the
story we have seen in several papers is not true--if it does not,
after all, refer to you----"
"The story is true," he said, "and it refers to me."
"We regret the necessity," was their reply; "the cashier will pay you
a month's salary in lieu of notice."
"I can accept only what is due to me," said Aaron; and shortly
afterward he left the office.
He did not return home until evening, and then he said nothing to
Rachel of his dismissal. The next day he went out and wandered
aimlessly about the streets, choosing the thoroughfares where he would
be least likely to be recognized. So the days passed, and still he had
not the courage to speak to Rachel.
"Perhaps in another country," he thought, "I may find rest, and Rachel
and I will be allowed to pass the remainder of our life in peace."
On Tuesday in the ensuing week he went forth, and with bowed head was
walking sadly on when, with a sudden impulse, he wheeled round in the
direction of his home. The feeling that impelled him to do this was
that he was behaving treacherously to Rachel in keeping the secret
from her. He would make her acquainted with his disgrace and
dismissal, and never again in his life would he conceal anything from
her knowledge. This resolution gave him the courage he had lacked.
"It is as if I were losing faith in her," he murmured. "Love has made
me weak where it should have made me strong."
He hastened his steps, and soon reached his home. As he stood for a
moment at the door of the sitting room he heard a voice within which
he recognized as that of his old rival, Mr. Poynter, and upon his
entrance he found that gentleman and his wife together.
Rachel was standing in a dignified attitude, as though in the presence
of an enemy; her face was pale and scornful, and Mr. Poynter was
manifestly ill at ease. Hearing her husband's footsteps, she extended
her hand, and taking his, pressed it to her lips. In this position
they must be left for a brief space while an explanation is given of
another incident which was to bear directly on the scene, and to bring
into it a startling color.
Prissy had conducted Mr. Poynter into the presence of her mistress,
and had scarcely done so when she was called down to a lady who had
come to see Mr. and Mrs. Cohen. This lady was Mrs. Gordon.
"I bring good news to your master and mistress," she said to Prissy
after she had heard that Mrs. Cohen was engaged. "Can I wait until the
visitor is gone?"
"You can sit in my room if you don't mind, ma'am," said Prissy, who
was greatly excited at the promise of good news.
"Thank you," said Mrs. Gordon, and she followed the servant upstairs
to a room next to that in which Mr. Poynter and Rachel were
conversing, and where, the wall being thin, she could hear every word
that was being spoken in the adjoining apartment.
"This gentleman," said Rachel to her husband, pointing in the
direction of Mr. Poynter, "has called to see you on business, and has
taken advantage of your absence to offer me a bribe."
"One moment, Rachel," said Aaron; "let me first hear the nature of Mr.
Poynter's business."
"I will explain it," said Mr. Poynter. "I have not been fortunate
enough to win Mrs. Cohen's favor, but ladies are not accustomed to
discuss business matters. You are down in the world, Mr. Cohen. It is
best to speak quite plainly."
"It is. I am, as you say, down in the world."
"The newspapers," continued Mr. Poynter, "have been saying
uncomplimentary things of you, and I have heard of a threat of further
revelation. I considered it my duty to make your wife acquainted with
these public disclosures."
Rachel pressed her lips again upon Aaron's hand which she held in a
firm and loving grasp. His face brightened.
"You have rendered me a service," he said. "Possibly I have to thank
you, also, for the statements which have been made in the papers
concerning me?"
"Possibly," said Mr. Poynter.
"Nay," said Aaron, "you said just now that it is best to speak quite
plainly, have I, or have I not, to thank you for the unfavorable
publicity?"
"I have never shrunk from the truth," replied Mr. Poynter with a lofty
air, "nor from a duty, however distressing the truth or the duty might
be. I became possessed of certain information, and I considered it my
duty, in the interests of truth, not to withhold it from the public
ear."
"I thank you. Perhaps you will now come straight to the business which
brings you here."
"It is very simple, and will put money into your pocket, of which, it
seems to me, you stand in need."
"I do stand in need of money."
"Then the matter can be arranged. Some little while since you
transferred your contracts to other firms, ignoring me entirely in the
transaction."
"For which," said Aaron, "I had good reasons, and for which you have
taken your revenge."
"God-fearing men," said Mr. Poynter, "do not seek revenge, but
justice. To continue. The firm to which you transferred the most
important of these contracts happen, at the present time, to need some
assistance, and hearing of it I offer what they need. But it appears
that you have hampered them, and that in the deed of transference you
expressly stipulated that no part of the contracts shall be executed
by me unless I bind myself to a scale of wages and hours which you
have tabulated."
"I considered it fair to the men," said Aaron, "and it is as you have
stated."
"It is my belief," pursued Mr. Poynter, "that the firm will accept my
aid if I adhere to the scale, which I decline to do. I know what is
right, and I will not be dictated to. My business here is to make you
the offer of a sum of money--I will go as far as a hundred pounds--if
you will cancel this stipulation by which my friends are bound. A
hundred pounds would come in useful to you just now."
"It would. It is likely you would increase the sum."
"Oh, you Jews, you Jews?" exclaimed Mr. Poynter jocosely, thinking
he had gained his point. "Always on the lookout for the main
chance--always screwing out the last penny. I wouldn't mind, Mr.
Cohen. We will say a hundred and twenty."
Aaron turned to Rachel and asked, "Is this the bribe you spoke of?"
"It is not," she replied. "Mr. Poynter will explain it to you in his
own words."
"I haven't the smallest objection," said Mr. Poynter. "You see, Mr.
Cohen, it is sometimes necessary to put the screw on. Who knows that
better than you? There is a material screw, and a moral screw, in this
particular case. The material screw is money; the moral screw is an
iron safe, of which, as yet, no mention has been made in the
newspapers."
"Ah," said Aaron.
"It is almost a waste of words to speak of it to you, who are so
familiar with the circumstances. This iron safe, it appears, was given
into your charge when you received the infant into your house in
Gosport. You were poor at the time, and from that day you prospered.
In a manner of speaking, you became suddenly rich. Well, well, the
temptation was too strong for you. You could not resist opening the
safe, and appropriating what it contained--undoubtedly treasure of
some sort in money or jewels. But, Mr. Cohen, there is an All-seeing
Eye."
"I acknowledge it. In the event of my refusing your money you threaten
to accuse me through the columns of the press of breaking open the
safe and stealing its contents."
"You have expressed it clearly, Mr. Cohen. The moral screw, you know."
"Mr. Poynter," said Aaron with dignity, "I refuse your offer."
"It is not enough?"
"Were you to multiply it a hundred times it would not be enough."
Through Aaron's veins ran the sweet approval conveyed in Rachel's cold
clasp upon his hand.
"You beggar!" exclaimed Mr. Poynter. "You hypocrite! You defy me?"
"You rich man," said Aaron, "you God-fearing man, do your worst."
"It shall be done," cried Mr. Poynter furiously. "You are ruined: I
will ruin you still more; I will bring you to your knees; you shall
lie in the gutter, and beg for mercy! You paragon of sanctity, all the
world shall know you for what you are!"
"You can use no harsher words," said Aaron. "Relieve me now of your
presence."
As he said this the communicating door between the rooms opened and
Mrs. Gordon appeared on the threshold.
"Yes, I will go," said Mr. Poynter; but fell back when Mrs. Gordon
advanced.
"Not yet," she said; and turning to Aaron, "I have a word to say to
this gentleman. Your servant admitted me and allowed me to wait in the
adjoining apartment till you were disengaged. I have heard all that
has passed between you, and I am thankful for the chance that enabled
me to do so. Mr. Cohen, look upon that man and mark how changed he is,
from braggart to coward. It is not the infamous falsehoods he has
spoken, it is not the cowardly threats to which he has dared to give
utterance in the presence of a lady that causes him to shrink, that
blanches his face, and brings terror into his eyes. It is because he
sees me stand before him, the woman he betrayed and deserted long
years ago. He believed me dead, driven to death by his treachery and
baseness; he beholds me living, to cover him, if I wish, with shame
and ignominy. Heaven knows I had no desire to seek him, but Heaven
directed me here in a just moment to expose and baffle him. It is my
turn now to threaten, it is my turn to dictate. You unutterable
villain, you shall make some sort of retribution for the infamy of the
past!"
"Psha!" said Mr. Poynter with white lips. "Who will believe you? You
have no proofs."
"I have; God's justice has turned your weapon against yourself. The
safe intrusted to this noble gentleman, and which he delivered intact,
untampered with, when I came to claim it, contained no treasure in
money or jewels. When I parted with my child--and yours--I was too
poor to deposit even one silver coin in it, but in its stead I placed
there the torn half of one of your letters, retaining the other
portion in proof of its genuineness. This letter is now in my
possession. How would you stand in the eyes of the world if I
published this, you God-fearing man, with the story attaching to it? I
will do it, as Heaven is my judge, if you do not repair the injury you
have done this gentleman, whom, with all my heart and soul, I honor
and revere. It is him you have to thank that your child has been
reared in honor and virtue. Go; I never wish to look upon your face
again, but as you are a living man I will bring the good name you
falsely bear to the dust if you do not make reparation!"
As he slunk past her, uttering no word, she held her dress so that it
should not come in contact with him. His power for evil was at an end,
and Aaron had nothing more to fear from his malice.
Then, after Aaron had introduced her to Rachel, she poured glad
tidings into their ears. She had not sought them earlier, she said,
because she wished first to execute a plan which was in her head
respecting them, and she had also to reconcile Lord Storndale to his
son's marriage with Ruth.
Her great wealth had enabled her, after much labor, to succeed in this
endeavor, and Ruth was recognized by her husband's family. The fortune
which Aaron had settled upon Ruth had not been used in the carrying
out of her desire; it was deposited in the bank, where only Aaron's
signature was needed to prove his right to it.
And now she begged them to accompany her; she wished to show them
something, and her carriage was at the door.
It conveyed them to a handsome house in a good neighborhood, and
Aaron's heart throbbed with gratitude as he saw in it all the
memorials of his old home which he and Rachel held dear.
On the walls were the portraits of himself and Rachel which had been
presented to him on the day when all his friends had assembled to do
him honor. Happy tears ran down Rachel's face as Aaron walked with her
through the rooms and described their contents. In the study he
paused, lifted something from the table, and placed it in Rachel's
hands.
"Your silver-mounted pipe," she exclaimed.
"My silver-mounted pipe," he answered. "My life, with this pipe and
the dear picture of yourself sitting beneath the cherry tree, and
holding your dear hand, I could go through the world in perfect
happiness and content."
"O Lord of the Universe," said Rachel, clasping her hands, and lifting
her lovely face, "I thank thee humbly for all thy goodness to me and
mine!"
THE END.