Adele Savelli was a very good actress, and she deceived her husband
without much trouble, making him believe that she had never felt
ill-disposed towards Laura, and that the repulsion she had felt for
Arden had depended upon his deformity, to which she had now grown
accustomed, as was quite natural. She had aways been careful not to
speak out her mind upon the subject to Francesco, and had been more than
cautious in other respects. She was far too clever a woman to let him
hear the gossip she had originated except through outsiders, in the way
of general conversation, and now she found it easy to change her tactics
completely without doing anything to rouse his suspicion. She seemed
very much preoccupied, however, in spite of her efforts to seem cheerful
and agreeable during the two days which preceded the dinner party her
father had obliged her to give. There were domestic details, too, which
gave her trouble, and she had more than enough to occupy her. Her maid
had been very ill, too, and was barely beginning to recover. Every woman
of the world knows what it means to be suddenly deprived of a thoroughly
good maid's services just at the opening of the season. That was one
more annoyance among the many she encountered, and, in her opinion, not
the smallest.
There was, of course, no open humiliation in what she was now forced to
do, but she felt the shame of defeat very keenly whenever she thought of
her interview with her father. It was not surprising that her hatred of
the Ardens should suddenly take greater proportions under circumstances
so favourable to its growth. And she hated them both with all her heart,
while preparing herself to receive them with open arms and protestations
of affection. But she did everything in her power to make the meeting
effective. She even went so far as to buy pretty little gifts for the
Prince and Princess of Gerano, and for Laura and Arden, which she took
the trouble to conceal with her own hands in the folds of each one's
napkin just before dinner; pretty little chiselled silver sweetmeat
boxes for the two ladies, and tiny matchboxes for the men. Both the
elder Savelli being away at the time, she arranged everything according
to her own taste, which was excellent, thus taking advantage of her
position as temporary mistress of the house. There were flowers
scattered on the table, a form of decoration of which the old butler
disapproved, shaking his head mournfully as he carried out Adele's
directions.
She did not over-act her part when the evening came, for she knew how to
be very charming when she pleased, and she meant on the present occasion
to produce a very strong impression upon every one present at dinner.
She succeeded well. The Ardens themselves were surprised at the pleasant
feeling which seemed to pervade everything. Gerano looked at his
daughter approvingly, repeatedly smiled, nodded to her, and at last
drank her health. Don Francesco was delighted, for he saw in his wife's
manner the strongest refutation of all that Arden had told him two days
earlier. Moreover, he had Laura Arden on his left and was at liberty to
talk to her as much as he pleased, which was in itself a great
satisfaction, especially as she herself was more than usually cordial,
being determined not to betray herself. Francesco looked across the
table at Arden more than once, with a significant glance, and inwardly
congratulated himself upon having said nothing to his wife about the
difficulty.
Arden looked ill. He had caught cold during that interview with Savelli
in the icy drawing-room, and even an ordinary cold told quickly upon his
appearance in his weak state of health. But he did all in his power to
seem cheerful and talked more than usually well, so that his wife alone
knew that he was making an effort.
So the dinner passed off admirably--so well, indeed, that when all were
going home, Laura and her mother looked at one another as though they
could hardly believe what they had seen and heard. The Princess of
Gerano began to doubt the truth of the accusations against Adele, and
even Laura fancied that they must have been very much exaggerated. The
Prince, himself, the only one of the party who had heard the slander
from Adele's own lips, sentence by sentence, and almost word for word as
Ghisleri had repeated it to him, wisely held his peace, while by no
means so wisely believing that his daughter had repented and was
carrying out his instructions in all sincerity. He kissed her
affectionately on the forehead when he went away, and she felt that she
had won a victory.
"You look a little pale, my child," he said. "I have noticed it all the
evening. Be very careful of your health, my dear."
"Yes, papa--but I am quite well, thank you," answered Adele.
Yet she did not look well. There was an odd, half-frightened look in her
eyes when they were all gone and she was left alone with her husband.
But he did not notice it, and made it easy for her, bestowing infinite
praise upon her tact and talent as a hostess. Though she did not hear
all he said, she was vaguely pleased, that, after spending the whole
evening at Laura's side, he should stay at home instead of going to the
club, and find so many pleasant things to say. In spite of her success,
however, she spent a restless night.
Laura looked anxiously at Arden's face when they got home. He looked
worse, and coughed two or three times in a way she did not like.
"You are very tired, dear," she said. "You had better not get up
to-morrow. The rest will do you good."
"I think you are right," he answered. "I need rest."
The next morning his cold was worse, and he did not rise. He seemed
restless and nervous, too, perhaps from the fatigue of the previous
evening. The doctor came and said there was no danger, as the cold was
not on the lungs, and that the best thing to be done was to stay in bed
two or three days. Later in the afternoon Pietro Ghisleri called, and
Laura, at Arden's express desire, received him alone, promising to bring
him into the bedroom afterwards. Several days had passed since they had
met. Ghisleri was looking fresher and less nervous than the last time
Laura had seen him. He, on his part, saw that she was anxious again, for
there were dark shadows under her eyes as there had been when she had
first returned from England.
"Is there anything wrong?" he asked, as soon as they met.
"Herbert has a bad cold," she answered. "The doctor says it is nothing
serious, but he coughs, and I am worried about him."
Ghisleri reminded her that there was nothing the matter with Arden's
lungs, and that a cough might be a very insignificant affair, after all.
Then she told him of the dinner party on the previous evening, dwelling
at length on the tact and amiability Adele had displayed. Pietro was
inclined to smile, when he understood that what he had said to Gerano
had borne fruit so soon. He was quite sure that before night he should
hear of some even more amiable doings on Adele's part, for he guessed at
once that the Prince had forced her to change her behaviour. But he kept
his reflections to himself. There was no reason why any one but Gerano
should ever know that he had been concerned in the matter. He had no
idea that everything had been repeated through the family, till it had
reached Laura herself.
"Donna Adele has great social talent," he remarked, finding, as usual,
the one thing to be said in her favour.
"Indeed she has!" assented Laura, with a constrained little laugh, and
looking into his blue eyes.
Ghisleri made no sign, however, and presently began to talk of other
matters. He always felt a singular satisfaction in being with Laura, and
this year he noticed that it was growing upon him. The impression he
had first formed of her, when she had appeared in society, was confirmed
year by year, and appealed to a side of his nature of which few people
suspected the existence. It depended largely on Laura's looks, no doubt,
which strongly suggested the high predominance of all that was good over
the ordinary instincts of average human nature. He felt a sort of
reverence for her which he had never felt for any one; he knew that she
was good, he imagined that she was almost saintly in her life, and he
believed that she might, under certain circumstances become, in the best
religious sense, a holy woman. Had he seen her on that evening when
Arden had found her strangling an imaginary enemy in a fit of
exceedingly human anger, he could hardly have accepted the evidence of
his senses. All that was good in her appealed directly through all that
was bad in him to the small remnant of the better nature which had
survived through his misspent life. It did not, indeed, rouse in him the
slightest active desire to imitate her virtues. The very idea that he
could ever be virtuous in any sense, brought a smile to his face. But he
could not help admiring what he knew to be so very far beyond his
sphere--what he believed, perhaps, to be even further from his reach
than it actually was. He had reached that almost morbid stage of
self-contempt in which a man, while still admiring goodness in others,
checks even the aspiration towards it in his own heart, because he is
convinced that it cannot be really genuine, and looks upon it as one of
the affectations most to be despised in himself. He had got so far
sometimes as to refuse a very wretched beggar a penny, merely because he
doubted the sincerity of the charitable impulse which impelled his hand
towards his pocket--laughing bitterly at himself afterwards when he
thought of the poor wretch's disappointed face, and going back to find
him again, perhaps, and to bestow a silver coin, simply because he could
not resist the temptation to be kind.
Such unhealthy conditions of mind may seem inconceivable and
incomprehensible to men of other nature, all whose thoughts are natural,
logical, and sound. They exist, none the less, and not by any means
necessarily in persons otherwise weak or morbid. The very absurdity of
them, which cannot escape the man himself, makes him seem still more
despicable in his own eyes, increases his distrust of himself and gives
rise, completing the vicious circle, to conditions each time more
senselessly self-torturing than the last. It is hard to bring such men
to see how untenable their own position is. They will not even believe
that a good instinct underlies the superstructure of morbid fancy, and
that the latter could not exist without it.
Ghisleri looked long at Laura and admired her more than ever, realising
at the same time how deeply her personality was impressed in his
thoughts, and how vividly he was able at all times to evoke her outward
image, and the conception he had formed of her character. He almost
hated old Spicca for having said that no one could possibly be as good
as she looked. In her own self she was the most overwhelming refutation
of that remark; but then, he reflected, Spicca did not know her well
enough, and habitually believed in nothing and in nobody. At least every
one supposed that was Spicca's view of the world.
Before long Laura took Pietro to see Arden, and left the two together.
"There is something seriously wrong with me, Ghisleri," said his friend.
"I am going to be very ill. I feel it."
It was not like him to speak in that way, for he was brave and generally
did his best to hide his sufferings from every one. Ghisleri looked at
him anxiously. His face was drawn and pinched, and there were spots of
colour on his cheeks which had not been there a few hours earlier.
"Perhaps you have a little fever with the cold," suggested Pietro, in a
reassuring tone. "It often happens in this country."
"I dare say," replied Arden. "It may be so. At all events, your
specialist was right about the main thing, and I am no more consumptive
than you are. But I feel--I cannot tell why--that I am going to be very
ill indeed. It may be an impression, and even if I am, I shall probably
weather it."
"Of course you will." But Ghisleri was in reality alarmed.
"I am so glad you came to-day," continued Arden, speaking more rapidly.
"If I should get worse to-morrow, really ill, you know--you must write
to my brother. I would not ask my wife to do it for worlds. Do you
understand?"
"Perfectly--but I do not believe there will be any reason--"
"Never mind that!" exclaimed Arden, interrupting him almost impatiently.
"If there is any reason, you will write. I cannot tell you all about it.
Of course I may not be delirious, you know, but again, I may be--one is
never sure, and then it would be too late. Uncle Herbert is alive still,
thank God, and quite well, and if anything should happen to me, his will
would be worth nothing. Laura would not get a penny and would be
dreadfully poor. Henry must do something for her. Do you understand me?
He must. You must see to it, too, or he will never think of it--kind as
he is. Those things do not strike him. You see I have only my small
portion--which is little enough, as you know, because there are so many
sisters--and they are not all rich, either. We could not go on living in
this way long--but Henry was very generous. He sent me two thousand
pounds when we were married, and the yacht too, so that we spent very
little--"
"You are exhausting yourself, my dear fellow," said Ghisleri, growing
more anxious as he listened to the sick man's excited talk. "You have
told me all this before, and your brother knows it too; he will not
allow Lady Herbert--"
"One never can tell what he will do," broke in Arden, raising himself a
little on his elbow, and facing his friend. His eyes were unnaturally
brilliant. "He is so eccentric. And Laura must have money--she must have
plenty--not that she is extravagant, but you know how she was brought up
in the Gerano's house, and I should never have thought of marrying her,
but for Uncle Herbert's money."
"You would both have been perfectly happy on a hundred a year," observed
Pietro. "People are when they love each other as you do."
Arden's face softened at once, and Ghisleri saw that he was thinking of
his wife. He was silent for a few moments.
"That is all very well," he said, suddenly rousing himself again. "That
might do so long as I should be there to make life smooth for her. But
when she is left alone--especially here--Ghisleri, I do not like to
think that she must live here after I am gone--"
"For Heaven's sake do not begin to talk in that way, Arden! It is
perfectly absurd. You only have a cold, after all!"
"Perhaps so. I believe I have something worse. Never mind! I was saying
that I could not bear to think of her living here without me. It is
quite true. No--it is not sentiment--something much more reasonable and
real. There are people here who hate us both, who positively hate us,
and who will make her life unbearable when there is no one to protect
her--the more so, if she is poor. And besides, you know what will happen
before long--oh, I cannot think of it!"
Ghisleri did not answer at once, for it was not clear to him how Arden
had discovered that he had enemies. But the latter waited for no answer,
and went on after a few seconds, still speaking excitedly.
"You see," he said, "how necessary it is that Harry should come--that
you should write to him--that he should be made to understand--he must
do something for Laura, Ghisleri--he really must."
There was something painful in the persistent repetition of the thought,
and then, oddly enough, Pietro started as he heard his own name
pronounced almost without an interval, immediately after that of Laura.
It sounded very strangely--Laura Ghisleri--he had never thought of it
before. A moment later he scorned himself for thinking of it at all.
"My dear Arden," he said, "you are really making yourself ill about
nothing. Put it all out of your mind for the present, and remember that
I am always ready if you need anything. You have only to send for me,
and besides, I shall come every day until you are quite well."
"Thank you, my dear fellow, you are a good friend. Perhaps you are
right. But as I lie here, thinking of all the possibilities--"
"You are beginning again," interrupted Ghisleri. "I must go away or you
will talk yourself into a fever."
At that moment Laura re-entered the room. She started a little when she
saw her husband's face.
"How do you find him?" she asked quickly of Ghisleri.
"He has a cold," answered the latter, cheerfully, "and perhaps there is
a little fever with it. I am going to leave him, for he ought to keep
quiet and not tire himself with too much talking."
He shook hands with Arden. Laura followed him out into the passage
beyond.
"He is very ill!" she exclaimed, in a low voice, touching his sleeve in
her excitement. "I can see it. He never looked like that."
"It may not be anything serious," answered Ghisleri. "But he ought to
see the doctor at once. I have a cab down stairs, and I will go and find
him and bring him here. Keep him quiet; do not let him talk."
"Yes. You are so kind."
She left him and went back to Arden's bedside. He was tossing uneasily
as though he could not find rest in any position, and the great round
spots on his cheeks had deepened almost to a purple colour. He scarcely
seemed to notice her entrance, but as she turned to move something on
the table, after smoothing his pillow, he caught her suddenly by the
skirt of her frock.
"Laura! Laura! do not go away!" he cried. "Do not leave me alone."
"No, love, I am not going," she answered gently, and sat down by his
side.
Ghisleri was not gone long. By a mere chance he found the doctor at
home, and brought him back. Then he waited in the drawing-room to hear
the result of the visit. The physician's face was graver when he
returned, and Laura was not with him.
"Is it anything serious?" asked Ghisleri.
"I am afraid so. I shall be better able to tell in a couple of hours.
The fever is very high, the other symptoms will develop before long, and
we shall know what it is."
"What do you think it might be?"
"It might be scarlet fever," answered the doctor. "I am afraid it is.
But say nothing at present. You should get a nurse at once, for some one
must sit up with him all night. I will send him something to take
immediately, and I will come back myself in about two hours."
They went away together, but when the doctor returned, he found Ghisleri
waiting for him in the street. It was now five o'clock and quite dark.
Pietro remained down stairs while the visit lasted.
"Well?" he asked, when the physician came down again.
"It is scarlet fever, as I was afraid--one of the most sudden cases I
ever knew. They have not got a nurse yet, the idea seems to frighten
Lady Herbert."
"I will see to it," said Ghisleri. "By the bye, it is contagious, is it
not? I have a visit to pay before dinner; ought I to change my
clothes?"
The doctor smiled. He did not know Ghisleri, and fancied that he might
be timid.
"It is not contagious yet," he answered, "or hardly at all. I do not
think there is any danger."
"There might be a little--even a very little, you think?" asked Pietro,
insisting.
"Of course it can do no harm to change one's clothes," replied the
other, somewhat surprised.
"You have told Lady Herbert exactly what must be done, I suppose. In
that case I shall not go up."
The doctor was confirmed in his suspicion that Ghisleri was afraid of
catching the fever, and got into his carriage, musing on the deceptive
nature of appearances. Pietro wrote a few words on his card, telling
Laura that he would be back before dinner time with the best nurse to be
found, and sent it up by the porter. Then he drove home as quickly as
possible, dressed himself entirely afresh, and went to see the Contessa
dell' Armi.
"I have come," he said, after the first greeting, "to tell you that you
will not see me for several days. Arden has got the scarlet fever, and I
shall be there taking care of him, more or less, until he is out of
danger."
"Can they not have a nurse for him?" asked Maddalena, raising her
eyebrows.
"There will be a nurse, too. I am going to get one now and take her
there."
"You do not seem anxious to consult me in the least," said the Contessa.
"You never do nowadays."
"What do you mean? Do you think this is a case of consulting any one? I
do not understand."
"Do you think you have any right to risk your life in this way? Do you
think you contribute to my happiness by doing it? And yet I have heard
you say that my happiness is first in your thoughts. Not that I ever
believed it."
"You are wrong," answered Ghisleri, gently. "I would do almost anything
for you."
"What a clever reservation--'almost' anything. You know that if you did
not put it in that way, I should tell you not to go near the Ardens
until there is no danger of catching the fever."
"Of course," assented Pietro.
"You ought not to be so diplomatic. You used to talk very differently.
Do you remember that evening by the waterfall at Vallombrosa? You have
changed since then."
Her classic face began to harden in the way he knew so well.
"There is no question of diplomacy," he said quietly. "Arden has been my
friend these ten years, and he is in very great danger. I mean to take
care of him as long as I am needed because I do not trust nurses, and
because Lady Herbert is anything but strong herself at the present time,
and may break down or lose her head. As for risking my life, there is no
risk at all in the matter. I have very little belief in contagion,
though the doctors talk about it."
"I suppose you have just seen him," observed the Contessa, who was
determined to find fault. "You do not seem to ask yourself whether I
share your disbelief."
"Since you ask," said Ghisleri, with a smile, "I admit that I changed my
clothes before coming to see you, for that very reason. Some people do
believe in danger of that kind."
"I am glad you admit it. So I am not to see you until Lord Herbert is
quite well again. I will not answer for the consequences. I have
something to say to you to-day. Are you in a hurry?"
"Not in the least."
"It will not take long. I have discovered another proof of your
desertion. You know what pleasant things Adele Savelli says about
me--and you, too. I have told you more than once exactly what was
repeated to me. Did you ever take any steps to prevent her talking about
me?"
"No, I never did. I do not even see how I could. Can I quarrel with
Francesco Savelli, because his wife spreads scandalous reports about
you? It would look singularly like fighting your battles."
"And yet," retorted the Contessa, speaking slowly, and fixing her eyes
on his, "there is no sooner something said against Lady Herbert Arden,
than you show your teeth and fight in earnest. Can you deny it?"
"No, I do not lie," answered Ghisleri. "But I did not know that you were
aware of the fact. Some one has been indiscreet, as usual."
"Of course. That sort of thing cannot be a secret long. All Rome knows
that there was a dinner of reconciliation at the Palazzo Savelli last
night, that every one embraced every one else, that Adele looks like
death to-day, and is going about everywhere saying the most delightful
things about the Ardens, in the most horribly nervous way. You see what
power you have when you choose to use it."
She spoke bitterly, though she was conscious that the right was not all
on her side, and that Ghisleri, as he said, could defend the Ardens
without fear of adverse criticism, whereas it would be a very different
matter if he entered the lists in her defence.
"You are not quite just to me, my dear lady," he said, after a moment's
reflection. "You are not the wife of my old friend, and an otherwise
indifferent person--"
"Quite indifferent?" She looked keenly at him.
"Quite," he answered, with perfect sincerity. "A person is indifferent
whom one neither loves nor calls an intimate friend. Yet Lady Herbert is
beautiful and good, and is admirable in many ways. But the world knows
that I am no more in love with her than with Donna Adele, and I am quite
free, therefore, to defend her."
"Of course you are. The only thing that surprises me is your alacrity in
doing so. You do not generally like to give yourself trouble for
indifferent people. But then, as Arden really is your friend--" She
stopped, with a little impatient movement of the shoulders.
"I wish you could bring yourself for once to believe that I am not
altogether insincere and calculating in everything I do," said
Ghisleri, weary of her perpetual suspicion.
"I wish I could," she answered coldly. "But how can I? There are such
extraordinary inconsistencies in your character, such contradictions--it
is very hard to believe in you. And yet," she added sadly, "God knows I
must--for my own sake."
"Then do!" exclaimed Pietro, with energy. "Make an end of all this
doubting. Have I ever lied to you? Have I ever made a promise to you and
not kept it? How have I deceived you? And yet you never trust me
altogether, and I know it."
"It is not that--it is not that!" repeated Maddalena. "What you say is
all true, in its way. It is--how shall I say it--you did not deceive me,
but I was deceived in you. You are not what I thought you were. You used
to say that you would stand at nothing--that my word was your law--all
those fine phrases you used to make to me, and they all seem to come to
nothing when reality begins."
"If you would tell me what you expect me to do, you would not find me
slow in doing it."
"That is the thing. If you loved me as you say you do, would you need
any direction? Your heart would tell you."
"You are angry with me now, because you do not wish me to take care of
Arden--"
"Can I wish that you should be willing to cut yourself off from me for a
week--or two weeks? I suppose that is your idea of love. It is not
mine."
"Then be frank in your turn. You have the right to ask what you please
of me. Say plainly that you wish me to give up the idea, to leave Arden
to the doctors and the nurses, and I will obey you unhesitatingly."
"I would not have the sacrifice now--not as a gift," murmured Maddalena,
passionately. "If you could think of doing it, you shall do it. I will
force you to it now. I will not see you until Arden does not need you
any more--not even if you never go near him. If you do not think of me
naturally, I would rather that you should never think of me again."
Ghisleri rose and went to the fireplace, and looked at the objects on
the mantelpiece for a long time, without seeing them. There was a
strange conflict in his heart at that moment. He could not tell whether
he loved her or not--that he had loved her a very short time since, he
was sure. At the present juncture it would be very easy to tell her the
truth, if his love were no longer real, and to break with her once and
for ever. Did she love him? Cruelly and coldly he compared her love with
that of another whom he had sacrificed long ago--a memory that haunted
him still at times. That had been love indeed. Was this also love, but
of another kind? Then, suddenly, he despised himself for his fickleness,
and he thought of what Maddalena had done and risked for him, and for
him alone.
"Maddalena," he said, and his voice shook as he came to her side, and
took her small white hand. "Forgive me, forgive me all there is to
forgive. I am a brute sometimes. I cannot help it."
Her lip trembled a little, but her face did not relax.
"There is nothing to forgive," she said. "It is I who have been
mistaken."