|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 40
A. No. She would make its fulfilment the one object of her life, and,
acting in her stead, I shall do all in my power to see justice done.
If I can render you any aid in that direction you may command me,
Sahib.
Q. You can assist me by telling me all you know of your cousin's
married life, and, more especially, the message she confided to you.
A. In doing this I shall break the letter of my oath, but, were I not
to do it, I should break the spirit thereof, therefore listen:
You have, I suppose, already learned from the statement of Darrow
Sahib what occurred at his last meeting with my cousin on Malabar
Hill. Her act, in throwing a venomous serpent in his face, was one
which doubtless led him to believe she wished to kill him, although
it must have puzzled him to assign any reason for such a desire.
Not long after this incident my cousin married Ragobah, a man for
whom she had always cherished an ill-concealed hatred. I saw but
little of her at this time, yet, for all that, I could not but
observe that she was greatly changed. But one solution suggested
itself to me, and that was that she had discovered her lover false
to her and had, out of spite as it is called, hastily married
Ragobah. I confess that when this conclusion forced itself home
upon me, I felt much dissatisfied with Lona, for I thought such a
course unworthy of her. As I saw more of her I noted still greater
changes in her character. As I had known her from childhood, she
had been most uniform in her temper and her conduct; now all this
was changed. To-day, perhaps, she would be like her old self,--
only weaker and more fragile,--to-morrow a new being entirely,
stronger and more restless, with a demoniac light in her eyes, and
a sort of feverish malignancy dominating her whole personality.
When I noticed this I studied to avoid her. If the Lona I had
known were merely an ideal of which no actual prototype existed, I
wished to be allowed to cherish that ideal rather than to have it
cruelly shattered to make room for the real Lona. I had not seen
her for many weeks when one day, to my surprise, I received a note
from her. It was short, and so impressed me that I can remember
every word of it.
"My DEAR COUSIN:
"I send this note to you by Kandia that you may get it before it is
too late for you to do what I wish. I am a caged bird in my
husband's house. My every movement is watched, and they would not
let you come to me were my husband at home, so, I beseech you, come
at once lest he should return before I have had time to intrust to
you my last request. I am dying, Moro, and it is within your power
to say whether my spirit shall rest in peace, or be torn forever and
ever by the fangs of a horrible regret. My secret is as lead upon
my soul and to you only can I tell it. Come--come at once!
"LONA."
You can imagine the effect of this revelation upon me better than
I can describe it. I did not even know she was seriously ill, and
with her urgent request for an interview came the sad tidings that
she was dying, and the confirmation of my fear--that she had adopted
the religion of her English lover. I lost no time in going to her.
I found her in a state of feverish expectation, fearful lest I should
either not be able to come at all, or her husband would return before
my arrival. She was worn to a shadow of her former self, and I
realised with a pang that she was indeed dying.
"I knew I could depend upon you, Moro," she said as I entered, "even
though you think I have lost all claim upon your regard. I said to
myself, 'He will come because of the respect he once had for me,'
and I was right. Yes," she continued, noticing my astonishment at
the change in her condition, "I am almost gone. I should not have
lasted so long, were it not that I could not die till I had spoken.
Now I shall be free to go, and the horrible struggle will be over.
You have been much among the English, Moro, both here and in England,
and know they believe they will meet again in heaven those they have
loved on earth."
She sank back exhausted from excitement and effort, as she said this,
and I feared for a moment she would be unable to proceed. I told
her what I knew about the Christian's hope of heaven, and suggested
to her that, as her husband might return at any moment, she had best
confide to me at once any trust with which she wished to charge me.
For a moment she made no reply, but said at length:
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|