CHAPTER XXXIX. OLD AND NEW ACQUAINTANCE.

Fascinatedasbyabasiliskwiththreeheads,Icouldnotleavethiscliquethegroundnearthemseemedtoholdmyfeet.Thecanopyofentwinedtreesheldoutshadow,thenightwhisperedapledgeofprotection,andanofficiouslampflashedjustonebeamtoshowmeanobscure,safeseat,andthenvanished.Letmenowbrieflytellthereaderallthat,duringthepastdarkfortnight,IhavebeensilentlygatheringfromRumour,respectingtheoriginandtheobjectofM.Emanuel’sdeparture.Thetaleisshort,andnotnew:itsalphaisMammon,anditsomegaInterest. IfMadameWalravenswashideousasaHindooidol,sheseemedalsotopossess,intheestimationofthesehervotaries,anidol’sconsequence.Thefactwas,shehadbeenrich—veryrichandthough,forthepresent,withoutthecommandofmoney,shewaslikelyonedaytoberichagain.AtBasseterre,inGuadaloupe,shepossessedalargeestate,receivedindowryonhermarriagesixtyyearsago,sequesteredsinceherhusband’sfailurebutnow,itwassupposed,clearedofclaim,and,ifdulylookedafterbyacompetentagentofintegrity,consideredcapableofbeingmade,inafewyears,largelyproductive. PèreSilastookaninterestinthisprospectiveimprovementforthesakeofreligionandthechurch,whereofMaglioreWalravenswasadevoutdaughter.MadameBeck,distantlyrelatedtothehunchbackandknowinghertobewithoutfamilyofherown,hadlongbroodedovercontingencieswithamother’scalculatingforethought,and,harshlytreatedasshewasbyMadameWalravens,neverceasedtocourtherforinterest’ssake.MadameBeckandthepriestwerethus,formoneyreasons,equallyandsincerelyinterestedinthenursingoftheWestIndianestate. Butthedistancewasgreat,andtheclimatehazardous.Thecompetentanduprightagentwanted,mustbeadevotedman.JustsuchamanhadMadameWalravensretainedfortwentyyearsinherservice,blightinghislife,andthenlivingonhim,likeanoldfungussuchamanhadPèreSilastrained,taught,andboundtohimbythetiesofgratitude,habit,andbelief.SuchamanMadameBeckknew,andcouldinsomemeasureinfluence.“Mypupil,”saidPèreSilas,“ifheremainsinEurope,runsriskofapostacy,forhehasbecomeentangledwithaheretic.”MadameBeckmadealsoherprivatecomment,andpreferredinherownbreasthersecretreasonfordesiringexpatriation.Thethingshecouldnotobtain,shedesirednotanothertowin:ratherwouldshedestroyit.AstoMadameWalravens,shewantedhermoneyandherland,andknewPaul,ifheliked,couldmakethebestandfaithfulleststeward:sothethreeself-seekersbandedandbesettheoneunselfish.Theyreasoned,theyappealed,theyimploredonhismercytheycastthemselves,intohishandstheyconfidinglythrusttheirinterests.Theyaskedbuttwoorthreeyearsofdevotion—afterthat,heshouldliveforhimself:oneofthenumber,perhaps,wishedthatinthemeantimehemightdie. NolivingbeingeverhumblylaidhisadvantageatM.Emanuel’sfeet,orconfidinglyputitintohishands,thathespurnedthetrustorrepulsedtherepository.WhatmightbehisprivatepainorinwardreluctancetoleaveEurope—whathiscalculationsforhisownfuture—noneasked,orknew,orreported.Allthiswasablanktome.HisconferenceswithhisconfessorImightguessthepartdutyandreligionweremadetoplayinthepersuasionsused,Imightconjecture.Hewasgone,andhadmadenosign.Theremyknowledgeclosed. Withmyheadbent,andmyforeheadrestingonmyhands,Isatamidstgroupedtree-stemsandbranchingbrushwood.Whatevertalkpassedamongstmyneighbours,Imighthear,ifIwouldIwasnearenoughbutforsometime,therewasscarcemotivetoattend.Theygossipedaboutthedresses,themusic,theilluminations,thefinenight.Ilistenedtohearthemsay,“ItiscalmweatherforhisvoyagetheAntigua”(hisship)“willsailprosperously.”NosuchremarkfellneithertheAntigua,norhercourse,norherpassengerwerenamed. PerhapsthelightchatscarcelyinterestedoldMadameWalravensmorethanitdidmesheappearedrestless,turningherheadnowtothisside,nowthat,lookingthroughthetrees,andamongthecrowd,asifexpectantofanarrivalandimpatientofdelay.“Oùsont-ils?Pourquoineviennent-ils?”Iheardhermuttermorethanonceandatlast,asifdeterminedtohaveananswertoherquestion—whichhithertononeseemedtomind,shespokealoudthisphrase—aphrasebriefenough,simpleenough,butitsentashockthroughme—“Messieursetmesdames,”saidshe,“oùdoncestJustineMarie?” “JustineMarie!”Whatwasthis?JustineMarie—thedeadnun—wherewasshe?Why,inhergrave,MadameWalravens—whatc