The Awdreys of "The Court" could trace their descent back to the Norman
Conquest. They were a proud family with all the special characteristics
which mark races of long descent. Among the usual accompaniments of
race, was given to them the curse of heredity. A strange and peculiar
doom hung over the house. It had descended now from father to son during
many generations. How it had first raised its gorgon head no one could
tell. People said that it had been sent as a punishment for the greed of
gold. An old ancestor, more than a hundred and fifty years ago, had
married a West Indian heiress. She had colored blood in her veins, a
purse of enormous magnitude, a deformed figure, and, what was more to
the point, a particularly crooked and obtuse order of mind. She did her
duty by her descendants, leaving to each of them a gift. To one,
deformity of person--to another, a stammering tongue--to a third, a
squint--to a fourth, imbecility. In each succeeding generation, at least
one man and woman of the house of Awdrey had cause to regret the gold
which had certainly brought a curse with it. But beyond and above all
these things, it was immediately after the West Indian's entrance into
the family that that strange doom began to assail the male members of
the house which was now more dreaded than madness. The doom was unique
and curious. It consisted of one remarkable phase. There came upon those
on whom it descended an extraordinary and complete lapse of memory for
the grave events of life, accompanied by perfect retention of memory for
all minor matters. This curious phase once developed, other
idiosyncrasies immediately followed. The victim's moral sense became
weakened--all physical energy departed--a curious lassitude of mind and
body became general. The victim did not in the least know that there was
anything special the matter with him, but as a rule the doomed man
either became idiotic, or died before the age of thirty.
All the great physicians of their time had been consulted with regard to
this curious family trait, but in the first place no one could
understand it, in the second no possible cure could be suggested as a
remedy. The curse was supposed to be due to a brain affection, but brain
affections in the old days were considered to be special visitations
from God, and men of science let them alone.
In their early life, the Awdreys were particularly bright, clever sharp
fellows, endowed with excellent animal spirits, and many amiable traits
of character. They were chivalrous to women, kind to children, full of
warm affections, and each and all of them possessed much of the golden
gift of hope. As a rule the doom of the house came upon each victim with
startling suddenness. One of the disappointments of life ensued--an
unfortunate love affair--the death of some beloved member--a money loss.
The victim lost all memory of the event. No words, no explanations could
revive the dead memory--the thing was completely blotted out from the
phonograph of the brain. Immediately afterward followed the mental and
physical decay. The girls of the family quite escaped the curse. It was
on the sons that it invariably descended.
Up to the present time, however, Robert Awdrey's father had lived to
confute the West Indian's dire curse. His father had married a Scotch
lassie, with no bluer blood in her veins than that which had been given
to her by some rugged Scotch ancestors. Her health of mind and body had
done her descendants much good. Even the word "nerves" had been unknown
to this healthy-minded daughter of the North--her children had all up to
the present escaped the family curse, and it was now firmly believed at
the Court that the spell was broken, and that the West Indian's awful
doom would leave the family. The matter was too solemn and painful to be
alluded to except under the gravest conditions, and young Robert Awdrey,
the heir to the old place and all its belongings, was certainly the last
person to speak of it.
Robert's father was matter-of-fact to the back bone, but Robert himself
was possessed of an essentially reflective temperament. Had he been less
healthily brought up by his stout old grandmother and by his mother, he
might have given way to morbid musings. Circumstances, however, were all
in his favor, and at the time when this strange story really opens, he
was looking out at life with a heart full of hope and a mind filled with
noble ambitions. Robert was the only son--he had two sisters, bright,
good-natured, every-day sort of girls. As a matter of course his sisters
adored him. They looked forward to his career with immense pride. He was
to stand for Parliament at the next general election. His brains
belonged to the highest order of intellect. He had taken a double first
at the University--there was no position which he might not hope to
assume.
Robert had all the chivalrous instincts of his race toward women. As he
walked quickly home now with Hetty by his side, his blood boiled at the
thought of the insult which had been offered to her. Poor, silly little
Hetty was nothing whatever to him except a remarkably pretty village
girl. Her people, however, were his father's tenants; he felt it his
duty to protect her. When he parted with her just outside the village
inn, he said a few words.
"You ought not to allow those young men to take liberties with you,
Hetty," he said. "Now, go home. Don't be out so late again in the
future, and don't forget to give your uncle my father's message."
She bent her head, and left him without replying. She did not even thank
him. He watched her until she disappeared into the house, then turned
sharply and walked up the village street home with a vigorous step.
He had come to the spot where he had parted with Frere, and was just
about to leap the brook, when that young man started suddenly from under
a tree, and stood directly in his path.
"I must ask you to apologize to me," he said.
Awdrey flushed.
"What do you mean?" he replied.
"What I say. My intentions toward Miss Armitage are perfectly honest.
She promised to marry me this morning. When you chose to interfere, I
was kissing my future wife."
"If that is really the case, I beg your pardon," said Awdrey; "but
then," he continued, looking full at Frere, "Hetty Armitage denies any
thought of marrying you."
"She does, does she?" muttered Frere. His face turned white.
"One word before you go," said Awdrey. "Miss Armitage is a pretty
girl----"
"What is that to you?" replied Frere, "I don't mean to discuss her with
you."
"You may please yourself about that, but allow me to say one thing. Her
uncle is one of my father's oldest and most respected tenants; Hetty is
therefore under our protection, and I for one will see that she gets
fair play. Any one who takes liberties with her has got to answer to me.
That's all. Good-evening."
Awdrey slightly raised his hat, leaped the brook, and disappeared
through the underwood in the direction of the Court.
Horace Frere stood and watched him.
His rage was now almost at white heat. He was madly in love, and was
therefore not quite responsible for his own actions. He was determined
at any cost to make Hetty his wife. The Squire's interference awoke the
demon of jealousy in his heart. He had patiently borne Everett's marked
attentions to the girl of his choice--he wondered now at the sudden
passion which filled him. He walked back to the inn feeling exactly as
if the devil were driving him.
"I'll have this thing out with Hetty before I am an hour older," he
cried aloud. "She promised to marry me this very morning. How dare that
jackanapes interfere! What do I care for his position in the place? If
he's twenty times the Squire it's nothing to me. Hetty had the cool
cheek to eat her own words to him in my presence. It's plain to be seen
what the thing means. She's a heartless flirt--she's flying for higher
game than honest Horace Frere, but I'll put a spoke in her wheel, and in
his wheel too, curse him. He's in love with the girl himself--that's why
he interferes. Well, she shall choose between him and me to-night, and
if she does choose him it will be all the worse for him."
As he rushed home, Frere lashed himself into greater and greater fury.
Everett was standing inside the porch when the other man passed him
roughly by.
"I say, Frere, what's up?" called Everett, taking the pipe out of his
mouth.
"Curse you, don't keep me, I want to speak to Miss Armitage."
Everett burst into a somewhat discordant laugh.
"Your manners are not quite to be desired at the present moment, old
man," he said. "Miss Armitage seems to have a strangely disquieting
effect upon her swains."
"I do not intend to discuss her with you, Everett. I must speak to her
at once."
Everett laughed again.
"She seems to be a person of distinction," he said. "She has just been
seen home with much ceremony by no less a person than Awdrey, of The
Court."
"Curse Awdrey and all his belongings. Do you know where she is?"
A sweet, high-pitched voice within the house now made itself heard.
"I can see you in Aunt's parlor if you like, Mr. Horace."
"Yes."
Frere strode into the house--a moment later he was standing opposite to
Hetty in the little hot gaslit parlor.
Hetty had evidently been crying. Her tears had brought shadows under her
eyes--they added pathos to her lovely face, giving it a look of depth
which it usually lacked. Frere gave her one glance, then he felt his
anger dropping from him like a mantle.
"For God's sake, Hetty, speak the truth," said the poor fellow.
"What do you want me to say, Mr. Horace?" she asked.
Her voice was tremulous, her tears nearly broke forth anew. Frere made a
step forward. He would have clasped her to his breast, but she would not
allow him.
"No," she said with a sob, "I can't have anything to do with you."
"Hetty, you don't know what you are saying. Hetty, remember this
morning."
"I remember it, but I can't go on with it. Forget everything I said--go
away--please go away."
"No, I won't go away. By heaven, you shall tell me the truth. Look here,
Hetty, I won't be humbugged--you've got to choose at once."
"What do you mean, Mr. Horace?"
"You've got to choose between that fellow and me."
"Between you and the Squire!" exclaimed Hetty.
She laughed excitedly; the bare idea caused her heart to beat wildly.
Her laughter nearly drove Frere mad. He strode up to her, took her hands
with force, and looked into her frightened eyes.
"Do you love him? The truth, girl, I will have it."
"Let me go, Mr. Horace."
"I won't until you tell me the truth. It is either the Squire or me; I
must hear the truth now or never--which is it, Squire Awdrey or me?"
"Oh, I can't help it," said Hetty, bursting into tears--"it's the
Squire--oh, sir, let me go."