Qui sait tout souffrir peut tout oser.--VAUVENARGUES.
Michael was imprisoned for the night in a cell attached to the Court of
Mandamento, and the next day was sent to Rome to await his trial at the
_assise_.
Early on the second day after he reached Rome the duke came to him. The
two men looked fixedly at each other. They exchanged no form of
greeting.
The duke made a little sign with his hand, and the warder withdrew
outside the cell door, which he left ajar.
Then the duke sat down by Michael.
"I should have come yesterday," he said in English, "but it took time to
gain permission, and also"--he nodded towards the door--"to arrange."
"For God's sake give me details," said Michael.
The duke gave them in a low voice. He described in a careful sequence
the exact position of the dead body, the wound, caused by stabbing in
the back, the strong inference that the murdered man had been attacked
in the road, and then dragged just inside the Colle Alto garden door.
"I don't see any reason why he should have gone outside the garden,"
said Michael.
"Neither do I. But the garden door was unlocked. It had been locked as
usual, my gardener swears, and the key left in the lock on the inside.
Who then opened it, if for some reason the marchese did not open it
himself?"
Michael did not answer.
"I saw the body before it was moved," continued the duke. "It was still
warm. I incline to think the marchese was murdered actually inside the
garden, and that he fell on his face where he stood, and was dragged
behind the hydrangeas. But the _delegato_ thought differently. You will
remember, Carstairs, that the dead man had been dragged by the feet."
"Did I put him on the right side or the left of the door as you go in?"
"On the left."
"On his face?"
"Yes."
There was a pause.
"You had no quarrel with the marchese, I presume?" said the duke
significantly.
"On the contrary," said Michael; "it is not known, but I had."
"Just so. Just so. About a woman?"
Michael winced.
"About a horse," he said.
"No," said the duke, with decision. "Think again. Your memory does not
serve you. It was about a woman. Was it not a dancing-girl?"
"I am not like that," said Michael, colouring.
"It is of no account what you are like, or what you are not like. What
matters is that which is quickly believed. A quarrel about a woman is
always believed, especially by women who think all turns on them. Were
you not in Paris at Easter?"
"I was."
"Was not the marchese in Paris at Easter?"
"He was. I saw him once at the Opera with the old Duke of Castelfranco."
"Just so. A quarrel about a dancing-girl at Paris at Easter. That was
how it was."
"You are right," said Michael, regaining his composure with an effort.
"I owed him a grudge. You will be careful to mention this to no one?"
"I will mention it only to one or two women on whom I can rely," said
the duke; "and to them only in the strictest confidence."
Michael nodded.
Silence fell between them, and he wondered why the duke did not go. The
warder shifted his feet in the passage.
Presently the duke began to speak in a low, even voice.
"I owe you an apology," he said. "I saw you standing behind the screen,
reflected in a little mirror, and for one moment I thought you had done
me a great injury. It was only for a moment. I regained myself quickly.
I would have saved you if I could. But I owe you an apology for a
suspicion unworthy of either of us."
"It was natural," said Michael. He was greatly drawn to this man.
"I may in some matters be deceived," continued the duke, "for in my time
I have deceived others, and have not been found out. I don't know why
you were in my wife's rooms that night. Nevertheless, I clearly know two
things: one, that you did not murder the marchese, and the other, that
there was nothing wrong between you and my wife. With you her honour was
safe. You and I are combining now to guard only her reputation before
the world."
Michael did not answer. He nodded again.
"At the price," continued the duke, "probably of your best years."
"I am content to pay the price," said Michael. "It was the only thing to
do." Then he coloured like a girl, and raised his eyes to the duke's. "I
went to her that night to say good-bye," he said. "That was why the
garden door was unlocked. I love her. I have loved her for years."
It seemed as if everything between the two men had become transparent.
"I know it," said the duke. "She also, the duchess, is in love with
you."
Michael drew back perceptibly. His manner changed.
"A little--not much," continued the duke. "I watched her, when you gave
up yourself. She could have saved you. She could save you still--by a
word. But she will not speak it. She appeared to love me a little once.
I was not deceived. I knew. She loves you a little now. Why do you
deceive yourself, my friend? There is only one person for whom she has a
permanent and deep affection--for her very charming self."
The words fell into the silence of the bare room. Michael's thin hands,
tightly clenched, shook a little.
The duke bent towards him.
"Is she worth it?" he said, with sudden passion.
No answer. Michael hid his face in his hands.
"Is she worth it?" said the duke again.
Michael looked up suddenly at the duke, and the elder man winced at the
expression in his face. He looked through the duke, through his veiled
despair and disillusion, beyond him.
"Yes, she is worth it," he said. "You do not understand her because you
only love her in part. I meant to serve her by leaving Rome, but now I
can't leave it. What I can do for her I will. It is no sacrifice--I am
glad to do it--to have the chance. I have always wished--to serve
her--to put my hands under her feet."
The sudden radiance in Michael's face passed. He looked down
embarrassed, annoyed with himself.
"There remains then but one other person to be considered," said the
duke, looking closely at him. "The beautiful heroine, the young lover,
these are now accommodated. All is _en regle_. But that dull elderly
person who takes the _role_ of husband on these occasions! Is there not
a husband somewhere? What of him? Will he indeed fold his arms as on the
stage? Will he indeed stand by as serenely as you suppose and suffer an
innocent man to make this sacrifice for the sake of his--honour?"
"He will, only because he must," said Michael, catching his breath. "I
had thought of that. He can do nothing. Have I not accused myself? And
his honour is also hers. They stand and fall together."
[Illustration: "'IS SHE WORTH IT?' HE SAID WITH SUDDEN PASSION"]
"They stand and fall together," said the duke slowly. "Yes, that is
true. And he is old. He is finished. He is the head of a great house.
His honour is perhaps the only thing that still means anything to
him. Nevertheless, it is strange to me that you think he would consent
to keep it at so great a cost, the cost perhaps of twenty years. That
were impossible.... He could not permit _that_. But--one little year--at
most. That perhaps his conscience might permit. One little year! You are
young. Supposing he has within him," he laid his hand on his heart,
"that of which his wife does not know, which means that his release is
_sure_. Do you understand? Supposing it must come soon--very soon--her
release--and yours. Perhaps then----" There was a long pause. "Perhaps
then his conscience might suffer him to keep silence."
Michael's hand made a slight movement. The duke took it in his, and held
it firmly.
"Listen," he said at last. "Once when I was young, twenty years ago, I
loved. I too would fain have served a woman, would have put my hands
under her feet. There is always one such a woman in life, but only one.
She was to me the world. But I could only trouble her life. She was
married. She had children. I knew I ought to go. I meant to go. She
prayed me to go. I promised her to go--nevertheless I stayed. And at
last--inasmuch as she loved me very much--I broke up her home, her life,
her honour, she was separated from her children. She lost all, and then
when all was gone she died. The only thing which I could keep from her
was poverty, which would have been nothing to her. She never reproached
me. There is no reproach in love. But--she died in disgrace, and alone.
From the first to the last it was her white hands under my feet. That
was how I served the one woman I have deeply loved, the one creature
who deeply loved me." The duke's voice had become almost inaudible. "You
have done better than I," he said.
Then he kissed Michael on the forehead, and went out.
They never met again.