HERBERT RANDAL
“I beg your pardon. I did not mean to be inquisitive, or to arouse any
unpleasant memories,” Brownie hastened to say, but she looked somewhat
disappointed, as well as embarrassed.
He saw it, and, after a moment’s thought, continued, speaking more to
himself than to her:
“During the last few years of my life I have been led to recognize a
higher power as guiding my life, and I have been praying that its
bitterness might be removed. I am not sure but what that prayer is
beginning to be answered by the events of to-night, and your presence
here. So why should I not tell you?”
Then, with sudden decision, he went on:
“Miss Douglas, this place has been my home all my life. Yes,” as he saw
her look of surprise, and speaking with great bitterness, “a galley
slave is scarcely more of a prisoner than I have been ever since my
unfortunate birth. I have never seen the outside of these buildings,
excepting four blank walls which inclose a small court; I know not what
my surroundings are, what my country is like, and, beyond my own
attendants, scarce have seen the face of a human being. I think I must
have been born with a deformed disposition as well as a distorted body;
for, as a child, I was subject to fits of passion, so furious and of
such long duration, that those who had charge of me deemed me insane and
unsafe for the time, and used to confine me in yonder cell until I came
to my senses. The bolt, you perceive, can be fastened on this side, so
that the shaft will not move, and I could not get out until they
released me. I used to grow frightened and almost idiotic shut up in
that dismal place, with its sepulchre-like stillness, and I really think
that in those days I was more brute than human. Forgive me for
disturbing you with my sorrow—it will overcome me at times. But, as I
was saying, I used to think I should die shut up in there away from
every one; so, after my passion exhausted itself and I was let out, I
would busy myself, when I was alone in this room, by cutting away this
wall, and puncturing these holes; and then when they put me in there, I
would creep close to this spot, and, with my ear against these holes, I
could hear what was said and done here, and did not feel quite so lonely
and wild.”
A shudder seemed to shake his whole frame at the remembrance of those
fearful days.
“No one but yourself,” he continued, “knows to this day that the wall
has been mutilated thus.”
The more she heard him talk, the more she wondered who he could be—this
sad young cripple, who was so gentle, yet repulsive, so intelligent, yet
to all appearance scarcely human. She looked at her watch, and found it
was four o’clock. The young man, noting the act, suddenly said:
“How thoughtless of me, Miss Douglas, to keep you standing all this
time. I suppose you will be obliged to remain here until daylight, as
there is no way for you to get back into the Hall except by going
outside from here, and, of course, it will be useless to attempt that
until the household are astir. If you can be comfortable here for an
hour longer, I will do my best to entertain you. I have books, and all
the latest periodicals, and there is an easy-chair by the fire, which I
know you will enjoy.”
He led her toward the fire, which really made the somewhat dismal
apartment very cheerful.
Her thoughts were filled with this young man; she longed to know more of
his sad history, and why his life had been rendered such a blank.
It could not be that he was really insane, and that it was necessary to
confine him thus! Was she with a madman?
The thought for the moment startled her so that she actually felt faint.
But, no; one look into that calm, patient face, with its deep,
intelligent eyes, completely banished all fear, and left her more in the
dark than ever.
“You are very weary,” the young man remarked, seeing her listless
attitude.
“No,” she answered, smiling; “but I am wondering how my explanation
regarding my absence and sudden reappearance will be received by Lady
Ruxley.”
“Ah! I had not thought of that,” he replied, with a painful start, and a
vivid flush crimsoning his white face.
“You are an inmate of the family, then?” he asked, thoughtfully.
“I am companion to Lady Ruxley, although before coming to her I was
governess in the family of that woman who entrapped me into yonder
cell.” She then related to him something of her troubles with Mrs.
Coolidge.
“And it is her daughter who is to marry m—— Sir Charles?” the young man
asked, deeply interested.
“Yes.”
“Is she anything like her mother?”
“Very much like her,” Brownie said, dryly.
“A fine wife he will have, I fear!” he answered, with curling lips.
“I am very sorry for him,” the young girl replied, gently.
“He is very nice, I expect,” said the cripple, his lips quivering
painfully, while he shaded his face with his hand.
“He is indeed a very fine young man, I am told.”
“Would you mind telling me what he is like?” and Brownie wondered why
his tones were husky and tremulous.
She described him as well as she could, and concluded:
“To sum it all up, he is very handsome, and as good—they say—and noble
in proportion.”
A heavy sigh was the only reply, and then he appeared to be sunk in
reverie.
After an awkward silence, he suddenly aroused himself and said:
“Miss Douglas, you and I are both placed in a very trying position by
the events of to-night. It did not enter my mind that any explanation
would have to be rendered as to your release from yonder cell, although
I should not have hesitated an instant about aiding you had I thought of
it. I see now that some account of it will be necessary, but I must tell
you frankly that it will bring the direst confusion upon the inmates of
Vallingham Hall, when you return and make known the fact of your
imprisonment and the manner of your release.”
“I expected it would be somewhat embarrassing to Mrs. Coolidge and her
daughter, but how else will it bring confusion?” Brownie asked,
wonderingly.
“Because it will have to be known that I was instrumental in it, and
there are but two or three people in the world who know of my existence;
consequently, it would involve some very awkward explanations on the
part of at least one individual, and that is my own mother. Miss
Douglas, my name is Herbert Randal!”
“What! are you Lady Randal’s son?” demanded Brownie, in astonishment.
“Yes; and Sir Charles is my brother, although I have never yet looked
upon his face; neither do I remember having seen my mother more than
half a dozen times in my life,” he replied, with intense bitterness.
“Impossible! Why, it is too horrible!” ejaculated the young girl, more
and more astonished and shocked.
“It is even so. It does not seem possible that a mother could so far
forget her motherhood as to willingly condemn her own flesh and blood to
what I have been doomed ever since my birth; but it is true,
nevertheless. I was born abroad while my mother was traveling one
summer, but I was such a misshapen mass of humanity that she went into
convulsions upon first beholding me, and has seldom been able to bear
the sight of me since. While my father lived I was kept out of the
country, and I do not believe that even he knew of my existence; but
after his death my mother had me brought here, and hired an old woman
and her son to take care of me until I was about fourteen years of age.
They often abused and ill-treated me, and I think perhaps it was owing
to this that I was so ungovernable at times. Since that time a
broken-down professor has had the principal charge of me and my
education. He has been paid a high salary upon the condition that he
would never betray his trust. I think he would be glad to see me in
different circumstances, but he has an invalid sister depending upon
him, and he has no other means of support. I am never allowed to go out,
except under circumstances of the utmost secrecy, and then only into a
little court hemmed in by the blank walls of these buildings, and I live
here in this secret chamber, unknown to all but my mother, my tutor, and
my servants.”
“Dreadful!” murmured Brownie, almost moved to tears by the sad recital.
“Yon may well say that. It is dreadful to be shut up from the beautiful
world—for I read of its beauties, if I cannot see them; but it is more
dreadful to be shut away from all affection and kindness. In my youth I
could not patiently bear it, and gave way to those fearful outbursts of
passion of which I have told you. If my father were living, things might
be different, for I have heard that he was a good man. My brother I have
never seen, and I suppose he does not dream of such a thing as a
relative like me; and while my mother not only cannot bear the sight of
her crippled son, she is also ambitious that the one who is a credit to
her should profit by all the advantages possible. My first thought when
I resolved to release you to-night, was that perhaps the event might
open a way of escape for me also, and that I could go away by myself and
no one ever know who I am. But your connection with Lady Ruxley, and
your having been an inmate of the family, will make it necessary that my
agency in the matter be explained. Of course, in order to justify
yourself, you will have to tell how you came to be shut up, and the next
inquiry will be, ‘How did you get out?’”
“I see,” said Brownie, with curling lips; “and if I proclaim the fact
that a young man by the name of Herbert Randal, who has also been kept a
close prisoner for over twenty years by a heartless mother’s decree,
liberated me, it is going to make it very uncomfortable for Lady Randal.
Pardon me,” she added, flushing a lovely color, and dropping the scorn
out of her voice, “but I honestly believe the time has come when it is
right that the world should know of your existence, and that you should
know something of your kindred and the world in which you live,” she
concluded, indignantly.
“I sometimes go to a little old chapel, which incloses one side of the
little court of which I have spoken. I found an entrance to it through
the vaults, and I sometimes go there to read. I might have escaped long
ago in that way had it not been for my tutor, whom I knew would be
reduced to the most abject poverty if deprived of his situation, and so
pity has kept me here.”
“But you might go out and assert your rights. Of course, a portion of
all this property would fall to you, and then you could see that he did
not suffer,” interposed Brownie.
“Yes, I might do that, and perhaps thereby gain the hatred of my
brother. I want his love—oh, I crave the love of some human being!” he
cried, almost passionately.
“He has sent you a friend at all events, if you will allow me to be
such,” Brownie said, impulsively, and reaching out her hand to him,
while two bright tears rolled over her flushed cheeks and dropped upon
her black dress.
“Ah! then this is the beginning of good things for me, and I will accept
it as a precious omen,” he replied, clasping her hand warmly, and his
eyes lighted with a deep, and sudden joy. “I do not mean to complain,”
he added, a moment after, “for I have many things to be thankful for,
and I thank my Maker every day that He gave me this ugly body rather
than a blunted intellect. I have my books, and moderately good health,
though that would be better, I think, if I could be more in the air. But
I try to feel that all my privations are sent to teach me some great
lesson in life, and fit me for better things.”
Brownie sat in deep and perplexed thought for several minutes. There
were evidently only two things which she could do; either leave the Hall
altogether and hide, as Mrs. Coolidge had proposed, letting her
disappearance still remain a mystery, or boldly face them all, and let
the guilty suffer for their own wrong-doing.
Herbert Randal read something of Brownie’s thoughts in her troubled
face.
“I do not see that there is but one course for you to pursue, Miss
Douglas,” he said, “and that is to explain everything in a
straightforward way. Perhaps if you could conceal the fact from all but
the immediate family that it was Lady Randal’s son who released you, it
might save some scandal.”
“Do you not think it right and just that that fact be made known?”
Brownie asked, gravely, adding: “I shall never rest content until I know
you are at liberty to go and come at your own will and pleasure, and
have your rights.”
“You are very kind. I shall leave it all to your own judgment. If it is
necessary, of course the secret will have to come out. You can judge how
much of an explanation may be necessary as soon as you reach the Hall.”
He took the candle, and sweeping aside a portion of the tapestry
hangings, revealed an iron door. He asked her to draw back the bolt and
push the door open.
She did so, and saw a flight of stone steps.
He limped down these, she following, and soon came to what appeared a
grated window.
He told her to slide back the grating, when she would see another bolt
which fastened the window.
She obeyed, and slipping the bolt, the window swung open on hinges,
when, descending two or three more steps, they found themselves in what
he had called a court, but what was in reality a small, ancient burying
ground, surrounded on three sides by the walls of the Hall, and on the
fourth by that of the old chapel.