Paul's head ached a good deal next morning and he was disinclined to
rise. However, the sun blazed in at his windows, and a bird sang in a
tree.
His temper was the temper of next day--sodden, and sullen, and
ashamed. He even resented the sunshine.
But what a beautiful creature he looked, as later he stepped into a
boat for a row on the lake! His mother, the Lady Henrietta, had truly
reason to be proud of him. So tall and straight, and fair and
strong. And at the risk of causing a second fit among some of the
critics, I must add, he probably wore silk socks, and was "beautifully
groomed," too, as all young Englishmen are of his class and age. And
how supple his lithe body seemed as he bent over the oars, while the
boat shot out into the blue water.
The mountains were really very jolly, he thought, and it was not too
hot, and he was glad he had come out, even though he had eaten no
breakfast and was feeling rather cheap still. Yes, very glad.
After he had advanced a few hundred yards he rested on his oars, and
looked up at the hotel. Then wonder came back to him, where was she
to-day--the lady with the eyes? Or had he dreamed it--and was there no
lady at all?
It should not worry him anyway--so he rowed ahead, and ceased to
speculate.
The first thing he did when he came in for lunch was to finish his
letter to Isabella.
"P. S.--Monday," he added. "It is finer to-day, and I have had some
exercise. The view isn't bad now the mist has gone. I shall do some
climbing, I think. Take care of yourself, dear girl. Good-bye.
"Love from
"PAUL."
It was with a feeling of excitement that he entered the restaurant for
_déjeuner_. Would she be there? How would she seem in daylight?
But the little table where she had sat the night before was
unoccupied. There were the usual cloth and glass and silver, but no
preparations for any specially expected guest upon it. Paul felt
annoyed with himself because his heart sank. Had she gone? Or did she
only dine in public? Perhaps she lunched in the sitting-room beyond
the terrace, where he had seen her eyes the night before.
The food was really very good, and the sun shone, and Paul was young
and hungry, so presently he forgot about the lady and enjoyed his
meal.
The appearance of the Bürgenstock across the lake attracted him, as
afterwards he smoked another cigar under the trees. He would hire an
electric launch and go there and explore the paths. If only Pike were
with him--or--Isabella!
This idea he put into execution.
What a thing was a funicular railway. How steep and unpleasant, but
how quaint the tree-tops looked when one was up among them. Yes--Lucerne
was a good deal jollier than Paris. And he roamed about among
the trees, never noticing their beautiful colours. Presently he paused
to rest. He was soothed--even peaceful. If he had Pike he could
really be quite happy, he thought.
What was that rustle among the leaves above him? He looked up, and
started then as violently almost as he had done the night
before. Because there, peeping at him from the tender green of the
young beeches, was the lady in black. She looked down upon him through
the parted boughs, her black hat and long black veil making a sharp
silhouette against the vivid verdure, her whole face in tender shadow
and framed in the misty gauze.
Paul's heart beat violently. He felt a pulse in his throat--for a few
seconds.
He knew he was gazing into her eyes, and he thought he knew they were
green. They looked larger than he had imagined them to be. They were
set so beautifully, too, just a suspicion of rise at the corners. And
their expression was mocking and compelling--and--But she let go the
branches and disappeared from view.
Paul stood still. He was thrilling all over. Should he bound in among
the trees and follow her? Should he call out and ask her to come back?
Should he--? But when he had decided and gained the spot where she
must have stood, he saw it was a junction of three paths, and he was
in perfect ignorance which one she had taken. He rushed down the
first of them, but it twisted and turned, and when he had gone far
enough to see ahead--there was no one in sight. So he retraced his
steps and tried the second. This, too, ended in disappointment. And
the third led to an opening where he could see the descending
_funiculaire_, and just as it sank out of view he caught sight of
a black dress, almost hidden by a standing man's figure, whom he
recognised as the elderly silver-haired servant.
Paul had learnt a number of swear-words at Eton and Oxford. And he let
the trees hear most of them then.
He could not get down himself until the train returned, and by that
time where would she be? To go by the paths would take an
eternity. This time circumstance had fairly done him.
Presently he sauntered back to the little hotel whose terrace commands
the lake far below, and eagerly watching the craft upon it, he thought
he caught sight of a black figure reclining in an electric launch
which sped over the blue water.
Then he began to reason with himself. Why should the sight of this
woman have caused him such violent emotion? Why? Women were jolly
things that did not matter much--except Isabella. She mattered, of
course, but somehow her mental picture came less readily to his mind
than usual. The things he seemed to see most distinctly were her
hands--her big red hands. And then he unconsciously drifted from all
thought of her.
"She certainly looks younger in daylight," he said to himself. "Not
more than thirty perhaps. And what strange hats with that shadow over
her eyes. What is she doing here all alone? She must be somebody from
the people in the hotel making such a fuss--and that servant--Then why
alone?" He mused and mused.
She was not a _demi-mondaine_. The English ones he knew were very
ordinary people, but he had heard of some of the French ladies as
being quite _grande dame_, and travelling _en prince_. Yet he was
convinced this was not one of them. Who _could_ she be? He must know.
To go back to the hotel would be the shortest way to find out, and so
by the next descending train he left the Bürgenstock.
He walked up and down under the lime-trees outside the terrace of her
rooms for half an hour, but was not rewarded in any way for his pains.
And at last he went in. He, too, would have a dinner worth eating, he
thought. So he consulted the _maître d'hôtel_ on his way up to
dress, and together they evolved a banquet. Paul longed to question
the man about the unknown, but as yet he was no actor, and he found he
felt too much about it to do it naturally.
He dressed with the greatest care, and descended at exactly half-past
eight. Yes, the table was laid for her evidently--but there were giant
carnations, not roses, in the silver vase to-night. How quickly the
waiters seemed to bring things! And what a frightful lot there was to
eat! And dawdle as he would, by nine o'clock he had almost
finished. Perhaps it would be as well to send for a newspaper
again. Anything to delay his having to rise and go out. An anxious,
uncomfortable gnawing sense of expectancy dominated him. How
ridiculous for a woman to be so late! What cook could do justice to
his dishes if they were thus to be kept waiting? She couldn't possibly
have _ordered_ it for half past nine, surely! Gradually, as that
hour passed and his second cup of coffee had been sipped to its
finish, Paul felt a sickening sense of anger and disappointment. He
got up abruptly and went out. In the hall, coming from the corridor of
her rooms, he met the lady face to face.
Then rage with himself seized him. Why had he not waited? For no
possible reason could he go back now. And what a chance to look at her
missed--and all thrown away.
He sat sullenly down in the hall, resisting the temptation to go into
the beautiful night. At least he would see her on her way back. But he
waited until nearly eleven, and she never appeared, and then the
maddening thought came to him--she had probably passed to her rooms
along the terrace outside, under the lime-tree.
He bounded up, and stalked into the starlight. He could see through
the windows of the restaurant, and no one was there. Then he sat on
the bench again, under the ivy--but all was darkness and silence; and
thoroughly depressed, Paul at last went to bed.
Next day was so gloriously fine that youth and health sang within
him. He was up and away quite early. Not a thought of this strange
lady should cross his mind for the entire day, he determined as he ate
his breakfast. And soon he started for the Rigi in a launch, taking
the English papers with him. Intense joy, too! A letter from Isabella!
Such a nice letter. All about Pike and Moonlighter, and the other
horses--and Isabella was going to stay with a friend at Blackheath,
where she hoped to get better golf than at home--and Lady Henrietta
had been gracious to her, and given her Paul's address, and there had
been a "jolly big party" at Verdayne Place for Sunday, but none of his
"pals." At least if there were, they were not in church, she added
naïvely.
All this Paul read in his launch on the way to the Rigi, and for some
unexplained reason the information seemed about things a long way off,
and less thrilling than usual. He had a splendid climb, and when he
got back to Lucerne in the evening he was thoroughly tired, and so
hungry he flew down to his dinner.
It was nearly nine o'clock; at least if she came to-night he would be
there to see her. But of course it did not matter if she came or not,
he had conquered that ridiculous interest. He would hardly look until
he reached his table. Yes, there she was, but dipping her white
fingers in the rosewater at the very end of her repast.
And again, in spite of himself, a strange wild thrill ran through
Paul, and he knew it was what he had been subconsciously hoping for
all day--and oh, alas! it mattered exceedingly.
The lady never glanced at him. She swept from the room, her stately
graceful movements delighting his eye. He could understand and
appreciate movement--was he not accustomed to thoroughbreds, and able
to judge of their action and line?
How blank the space seemed when she had gone--dull and unspeakably
uninteresting. He became impatient with the slowness of the waiters,
who had seemed to hurry unnecessarily the night before. But at last
his meal ended, and he went out under the trees. The sky was so full
of stars it hardly seemed dark. The air was soft, and in the distance
a band played a plaintive valse tune.
There were numbers of people walking about, and the lights from the
hotel windows lit up the scene. Only the ivy terrace was in shadow as
he again sat down on the bench.
How had she got in last night? That he must find out--he rose, and
peered about him. Yes, there was a little gate, a flight of steps, a
private entrance into this suite, just round the corner.
And as he looked at it, the lady, wrapped in a scarf of black gauze,
passed him, and standing aside while the silver-haired servant opened
the little door with a key, she then entered and disappeared from
view.
It seemed as if the stars danced to Paul. His whole being was
quivering with excitement, and now he sat on the bench again almost
trembling.
He did not move for at least half an hour; then the clocks chimed in
the town. No, there was no hope; he would see her no more that night.
He rose listlessly to go back to bed, tired out with his day's
climb. And as he stood up, there, above the ivy again, he saw her face
looking down upon him.
How had she crossed the terrace without his hearing her? How long had
she been there? But what matter? At least she was there. And those
eyes looking into his out of the shadow, what did they say? Surely
they smiled at him. Paul jumped on to the bench. Now he was almost
level with her face--almost--and his was raised eagerly in
expectation. Was he dreaming, or did she whisper something? The sound
was so soft he was not quite sure. He stretched out his arms to her in
the darkness, pulling himself by the ivy nearer still. And this time
there was no mistake.
"Come, Paul," she said. "I have some words to say to you."
And round to the little gate Paul flew.