PIERRE'S SEARCH FOR PAUL
Paul Lanier's crazed caprices grow more frequent. Tractable moods are
now exceptional. Occasional lapses from petulant, domineering tempers to
childish penitence and assurance of future amends greatly relieve
Pierre's harassed mind, but such are rare.
The worried father is powerless to provide against any dreaded
disclosures or notoriety. All disguises and secretive craft seem void of
availing use, subject to such irresponsible, persistent crazes.
Pierre may not flee. Distracted by his son's emotional outlawry and
fearful infatuation, Pierre Lanier has no desire to forsake the crazed
Paul. He will risk ignominious arrest and gallows' accounting rather
than leave this insane youth to his fate.
At times is felt a certain sense of dogged resignation. This cautious,
crafty, resourceful schemer becomes strangely quiescent. With this
stoical temper come moods of questioning reflection. He mutters:
"How fearfully void have been my plans and dubious courses! To what
purpose was a trusting partner duped by hypocritical sympathy, lured to
bankrupt's expedients and goaded to self-murder? Wherein consisted worth
of embezzled funds? For whose advantage was the guileless ward defrauded
out of princely inheritance? That villainous sham suit and those Thames
murders, of what avail were such crimes? To what end was that
subservient tool suborned, and afterward, with trusting wife,
murderously assaulted in deserted Calcutta suburb?
"That these should be followed by such terribly harassing flights,
culminating in purposeless return to London, Paul's dreadful disorder
and present helpless mazes seems direct sentence execution upon Pierre
Lanier. Are not all these fateful perversities cumulative wrath upon my
own guilty head?
"Such remorseless avenging!"
It seems to Pierre Lanier that Nemesis has found the most susceptible
joint in his conscious being, and with relentless persistence is testing
its capacity for torture.
Attempts at stoical endurance are but briefly availing. The dreadful
presence of Paul's craze will not avaunt. This haunting incarnation of
Lanier guilt and accounting shifts its boding menace but to appear more
real at each altered view.
Helpless to provide against any of the dreaded contingents hedging them
about, Pierre's whole care is absorbed in avoiding Paul's capricious
displeasure. He studies his son's crazed peculiarities. Childhood
memories seem to exert most potent control over Paul's unfilial
tendencies. However, such influences are uncertain, partaking of
childish perverseness.
Since that time when Pierre learned his son's horrible Thames
infatuation, he had not spied upon Paul's night vigils. Months have
dragged their slow tortures.
At length there is a variation in daily worries at the Lanier room. Paul
is missing. In fearful suspense the startled father waits all the first
day and night. Doubtless Paul has made some bad break. Perhaps this
insane boy has committed an assault on some real or imaginary foe.
Possibly he is in need or in custody!
Pierre waits until the second morning, then, thoroughly disguised, goes
out to look for Paul. Up and down the Thames, from the boathouse to a
point miles above the rustic seat, this search is continued that day and
the following night without avail. Guarded inquiry at police
headquarters fails to disclose any clew.
Pierre's anxiety becomes so great that he relaxes habitual craft of a
lifetime in his solicitude for Paul's safety. Pierre sees this poor,
helpless, disordered child in want, bruised, and bleeding, calling in
vain for his father's help. Paul is a little, trusting, crying, helpless
lad again, but without that father's providing or protecting care.
Just before day of the fourth night after Paul's strange disappearance
Pierre is aroused from sleep by deep, guttural sounds. He is petrified
at the sight!
Black, uncombed hair in tangled disorder, blood-stains on face, hands,
and bedraggled clothing, brandishing a new long-bladed dagger, stands
Paul, staring into vacancy, incoherently muttering.
Wearied by his long search, despairing of Paul's return, Pierre Lanier
had lain down and slept several hours. His loaded pistols are at hand.
These now are useless. Pierre will not even make show of such defense.
He may not trust his forbearance in this emergency. There is surfeit of
tragic memories. Life's weight is sufficiently heavy without added
burden of child-murder.
Paul continues staring, muttering, and brandishing his gleaming weapon.
Pierre feigns slumber, but from shaded, half-closed eyes intently
watches his son.
An alarm-clock sounds the morning hour of five. Paul starts, shivers,
tiptoes to the door and tries the catch. He furtively looks at the
transom, behind room furniture, and suspended clothing. Peering under
both cots, he shrinks from reflected shadows. Then gazing confidingly at
the paternal face, Paul snuffs out the candle, and with childish
assurance snuggles down on his father's arm.
Hours pass before Pierre Lanier ventures to rise. He hesitates to move
the hunted, distracted head. It seems heartless cruelty to risk
disturbing this wearied child.
Memories of Paul's trusting, boyish faith come to mind. Pierre lives
over again in swift review years of a misspent past. With comprehensive
view of its wasted, perverted chances, the broad compass of desolating
and desolated perspective is horrible.
Insensible of that relaxed weight upon his cramped arm, this guilty
wretch hardly can suppress a groan. There is limit to conscious
endurance. At this point Pierre looks toward the ceiling. Such upward
glance slightly relaxes his tense strain. The relief is suggestive.
Pierre gently strokes Paul's temples, and in low tones says: "In this
begrimed, blood-stained face I behold another boyish image, marred by
paternal influence."
A ray of light steals through the transom, falling athwart that upturned
youthful brow. Pierre smiles almost credulously. How deep that spirit
sigh!
More habitual concern soon is felt. Where is Paul's pearl-handled
dagger? How came he in possession of this new weapon? What mean these
blood-stains and bedraggled clothes? Was tragic pose at time of Pierre's
startled awakening suggestive of some murderous assault by the crazed
Paul?
Absorbed in other emotions, Pierre had given no heed to these weighty
problems. Powerless to enforce counsels of his own experienced craft,
Pierre now and then lapsed into vaguely sentimental moods.
Slowly withdrawing that benumbed arm, Pierre noiselessly arises from the
cot. He examines the dagger and mutters: "It is new and of English make!
There is no other clew. Has some additional danger been incurred?"
Pierre can but wait, powerless to avert or modify any impending crisis.
It will avail nothing to catechise the secretive Paul, who is garrulous
upon irrelevant hallucinations only.
During that day and the following night Paul slept, waking only once,
about nine o'clock in the evening. This was his usual hour for trip up
the Thames. Paul stared around sleepily, looked at his watch, dubiously
scanned the new dagger, slowly sank back and slept on until morning.
At seven Paul awoke with ravenous appetite. Pierre had prepared a
substantial meal. This the hungry youth devoured with relish.
After breakfast Paul listlessly moved about the room. Spying in a small
mirror his dirty, blood-besmeared face and matted hair, Paul starts
backward, grasps the new weapon, stabs at that mirrored reflection,
stares about wildly, and with maniacal yell bolts for the basement door.
To intercept this rash break, Pierre grasps his son about the waist,
throwing him heavily upon the stone floor. Paul's writhing twists cannot
loosen that hold. His muttering threats and curses move not Pierre's
stern resolve. Frothing at the lips, Paul struggles desperately. He
attempts to yell, but his voice weakens into gurglings. The neck relaxes
and he sinks back unconscious.
Pierre loosens his hold. Bending over, he feels the pulse. Pressing his
ear upon Paul's breast, he listens for heartbeats. Such look of blank
despair and awful groan!
There is a noise on the stairs. Pierre heeds it not. He gazes at his
son, his sight darkens, and bewildering rumblings are heard. Pierre
gropes about blindly, stumbling across Paul's unconscious form.
The knocking grows louder, then the catch is forced, and five uniformed
officials crowd through that cellar door.