menu_book Chapter 5

CHAPTER V. The more I thought upon my strange visit to the Palace Ravici that evening, the more puzzled I was by it. It had so many sides, and each so complex, that I scarcely knew which presented the most curious feature.

What Nicholas's real reason had been for inviting me to call upon him, and why he should have told me this story, which I felt quite certain was that of his own life, was more than I can understand. Moreover, while having told it me, he should have so suddenly requested me to think no more about it, only adding to my bewilderment.

The incident of the two men, an extraordinary conjuring trick, for conjuring trick it certainly was in the real meaning of the word he had shown us, did not help to elucidate matters. If the truth must be told, it rather added to the mystery, than detracted from it. To sum it all up, I found that when I endeavoured to fit the pieces of the puzzle together, remembering also his strange remark concerning Miss Trevor, that I was far from coming to

any conclusion as I had been at the beginning. "'You can have no idea how nervous I have been on your account tonight,' said my wife when I reached her room. After dinner the duke gave us a description of Dr. Nicola's room and told us its history. When I thought of your being there alone with him, I must confess I felt almost inclined

to send a message to you imploring you to come home.' "'That would have been a great mistake,' my dear liars said. You would have offended Nicola, and we don't want to do that. "'I'm sorry the duke told you that terrible story. He should not have frightened you with it.

What did Gertrude Trevor think of it?' "'She did not say anything about it,' my wife replied. But I could see that she was as frightened as I was. I am quite sure he would not get either of us to go there, however pressing Dr. Nicola's invitation might be.

"'Now tell me what he wanted to see you about.' "'Felt lonely and wanted some society,' I answered, having resolved that on no account will I tell her all the truth concerning my visit to the Palace of Avici. He also wanted me to witness something connected with the scheme he had originated for enabling people to get out of the country, unobserved by the police.

Before I left, he gave me a good example of the power he possessed.' I then described to her the arrival of the two men and the lesson Nicola had read to the police agent. The portion dealing with the conjuring trick I omitted. No good could have accrued from frightening her, and I knew that the sort of description

I should be able to give of it would not be sufficiently impressive to enable her to see it in the light I desired. In any other way it would have struck her as ridiculous. "'The man grows more and more extraordinary every day,' she said. And not the least extraordinary thing about him is the way he affects other people.

For my own part, I must confess that while I fear him, I like him, the Duke is frankly afraid of him, you are interested and repelled in turn. Or Gertrude, I fancy regards him as a sort of supernatural being, who may one day turn into a horse or a dog at a moment's notice. Or Signor Gallagati, with whom I had a short conversation today concerning him, was so

enthusiastic in his praises that for once words failed him. He had never met anyone so wonderfully, he declared. He would lay down his life for him. It would appear that on one occasion, when Nicola was staying at the hotel, he cured Gallagati's eldest child of diphtheria.

The child was at the last gasp, and the doctors had given her up. When Nicola made his appearance upon the scene, what he did, or how he did it, Gallagati did not tell me, but it must have been something decidedly irregular. For the other doctors were aghast and left the house in a body. The child, however, rallied from that moment, and as Gallagati proudly informed me, is

now di artista of great repute to Bon di Paolo Forti in Paris. I have never heard of her, but it would appear that Gallagati not only attributes her life, but also her musical success to the fact that Nicola was staying in the hotel at the time when the child was taken ill. The dip was with me when Gallagati told me this, and when he heard it he turned away

with an exclamation that sounded very like, humbug. I do hope that Dr Nicola and the duke won't quarrel. As she put this in the form of a question, I felt inclined to reply with the expression the duke had used. I did not do so, however, but contented myself with assuring her that she need have no fears

upon that score. A surprise, however, was in store for me. What have they to quarrel about, I asked. They have nothing in common, and it proves how blind you are to what goes on around you, my wife replied.

Have you not noticed that they both admire Gertrude Trevor? Falling so pat upon my own thoughts, this gave me food for serious reflection. Do you know that Nicola admires her, I asked, a little sharply, I fear, for when one has uncomfortable suspicions, one is not always best placed to find that another shares them. A double suspicion might be described as almost amounting to a certainty.

I am confident of it, she replied. Did you not notice his manner towards her on the night of the excursion? It was most marked. My dear girl, I said irritably, if you are going to begin this sort of thing, you don't know where you will find yourself in the end.

Nicola has been a wanderer all his life. He has met people of every nationality, of every rank and description. It is scarcely probable, charming though I am prepared to admit she is, that he would be affected by our friend. Besides, I heard it from his own lips this morning, that he will never marry.

You may be just as certain as you please, she answered. Nevertheless, I had heard to my opinion. Knowing what was in my own mind, and feeling that if the argument continued I might let something slip that I should regret, I withdrew from the field, and having questioned her certain news she had received from England that day, bade her good night.

The next morning we paid a visit to the Palace of the Dodges. Spent a pleasant and instructive couple of hours in the various rooms. Whatever Nicola's feelings may have been, there was by this time not the least doubt that the Duke admired Miss Trever. Though the land had known her for so short a time, she was already head over ears in

love. I think Gertrude was aware of the fact. I felt sure that she liked him. But whether the time was not yet ripe, or her feminine instinct warned her to play her fish for a while before attempting to land him, I cannot say.

At any rate, she more than once availed herself of an opportunity, and moved away from him to take her place at my side. As you may suppose, Glen Bath was not rendered any happier by these maneuvers. Indeed, by the time we left the Palace, he was as miserable as a human being as could have been found in all of Venice.

Before lunch, however, she relented a little to ward him. When we sat down to the Mealing Question, our friend had in some measure recovered his former spirits. Not so my wife, however, though I did not guess it, I was in for a wigging. How come you treat the poor fellow so badly?

she said indignantly, when we were alone together afterwards. If you are not very careful, you will spoil everything. Spoil what? I inquired, as if I did not understand what she alluded. You have lately developed a habit of speaking in riddles.

Fiddledee-dee, she answered scornfully. You know very well to what I allude. I think your conduct at the Palace this morning was disgraceful. You were married man and a father. Try and spoil the pleasure of that poor young man.

She began it, I answered in self-defense. Did you not see that she preferred my company to his? Of course that was only make-believe, my wife replied. You are as well aware of that as I am. I know nothing of the kind, I return.

If the girl does not know her own mind, then it is safer that she should pretend as she did today. She was not pretending. You know that Gertrude Trevor is as honest as the day. Then you admit that she was only playing her fish, I said.

If you are going to be vulgar, I shall leave you, she retorted. I don't know what you mean by playing her fish. Gertrude only came to you because she did not want to allow her liking for the Duke to appear too conspicuous. It is the same thing in the end, I answered.

Believe me it is. You describe it as not making her conduct appear too conspicuous, while I call it playing her fish. I have the best possible recollection of a young lady who used to play coits with me on the deck of the Orotoba many years ago.

One day we were approaching Naples at the time, she played game after game with the doctor and snubbed me unmercifully. You know very well I didn't mean that she had to make a stab of her foot. You know I had to act as I did. I don't mind admitting that, I replied.

Nevertheless, you were playing your fish. That night after dinner you forgave me, and she slipped her arms through your mind and gave it a hug. I could afford to be generous. Those were the dear old days were they not.

For one I am not going to quarrel about them, let's go and find the others. We discovered them in the balcony, listening to some musicians on a gondola below. This Trevor plainly hailed her coming with delight. The Duke, however, was by no means so well pleased. He did his best, however, to conceal his shagging.

Going to the edge of the balcony I looked down at the boat. The musicians were four in number, two men and two girls. At the moment of our putting in an appearance, one of them was singing the Ave Maria from the Cavalieria Rusticana in a manner that I had seldom heard it sung before. She was a handsome girl and knew the value of her good looks.

Beside her stood a man with a guitar, and I gave a start as I looked at him. Demised to see me? Or was this the man who had accompanied the police agent Nicholas residence on the previous evening? I looked again and I felt that I could not be mistaken.

He possessed the same bullet head, close cropped hair, the same clean shaven face, the same peculiarly square shoulders. No, I felt sure that he was the man, but if so what was he doing here under our windows? One thing was quite apparent. If he recognised me, he did not give me evidence of the fact.

He played and looked up at us without the slightest sign of recognition. To all intents and purposes he was the pitcher of indifference. While they were performing I recalled the scene of the previous night and wondered what had become of the police officer, and what the man below me had thought of the curious trick Nicola had performed.

It was only when they had finished their entertainment, and having received our reward, were about to move away, that I received any information to the effect that the man had recognised me. El usted senora, senorita, and senors. Oh, thank you, he said politely, lifting his hat as he spoke.

Our performance has been successful, and the obstacle which threatened it at one time has been removed. The gondola then passed on. I turned to the duke as if for an explanation. At first the hall ported, as not inclined to let them sing here, the duke remarked,

But Miss Trevor wanted to hear them, so I sent word down that I wished them to remain. In spite of the explanation, I understood to what the man had referred, but for the life of me could not arrive at his reason for visiting our hotel that day. I argued that it might have been all a matter of chance, but I soon put that idea aside as absurd.

The coincidence was too remarkable. At lunch my wife announced that she had heard that morning that Lady Beltingham, the wife of our neighbour in the forest, was in Venice, and staying at a certain hotel further along the Grand Canal. Gertrude and I are going to call upon her this afternoon, she said, so that you two

gentlemen must amuse yourselves as best you can without us. That is very easily done, I answered. The duke is going to have his hair cut, and I am going to witness the atrocity. You may expect to see him return, not unlike that man with the guitar in a boat this morning. By the way, said Grenbaugh, that reminds me, I was going to point out a curious thing to

you concerning that man. Did you notice, Miss Trevor, that when we were alone together in the balcony he did not once touch his instrument, but directly Hatteras, and Lady Hatteras, and I, he jumped up and began to play. This confirmed my suspicions.

I had quite come to the conclusion by this time that the man had only made his appearance before the hotel, in order to be certain of my address. Yet I had to ask myself, if he were in Nicola's employ, why should he have to be anxious to do so? An hour later the ladies departed on their polite errand, and the duke and I were left

together. He was not what I should call a good companion. He was in an irritable mood, nothing I could do or say seemed to comfort him. I knew very well what was the matter, and when we had exhausted English politics, and of Venice, Ruskin, and the advantages of foreign travel.

I mentioned, incidentally, the name of Miss Trevor. The frown vanished from his face, and he answered like a coherent mortal. Look here, Hatteras, he said, with a fine burst of confidence. You and I have been friends for a good many years, and I think we know each other about as well as two men can do.

That is so, I answered, wondering what he was driving at. We've been through some strange adventures together, and should certainly know each other. I hope that you are not going to propose that we should depart on some harem-scarum expedition, like that you wanted me to join you in last year, to the Pamirs, was it not? If so, I can tell you once and for all that my lady won't hear of it.

Confound the Pamirs, he replied angrily. Is it likely that I should think of going there just now? You misunderstand my meaning entirely. What I want is a sympathetic friend who can enter into my troubles, and if possible, help me out of them.

For the life of me I could not forbear from teasing him for a little longer. My dear old fellow, I said, you know that I will do anything I possibly can to help you. Take my advice and get rid of the man at once. As I told you in my letter to you before you left England, it is only misplaced kindness

to keep him on. You know very well that he's been unfaithful to you for some years past. Then why allow him to continue in his wrongdoing? The smash will come sooner or later. What do you mean, he asked?

Well, I suppose your trouble is connected with the agent you were telling me of yesterday, the man who it was discovered had been cooking the accounts, selling your game, pocketing the proceeds, and generally feathering his own nests at your expense. An ominous frown gathered upon my friend's forehead. Upon my word, he said, I really believe you're taking leave of your senses.

Do you think I'm bothering myself at such a time like that, Richard Mitchell? Let him sell every beast upon the farms, every head of game. In a point of fact, let him swindle me as he likes, and I wouldn't give a second thought to him. I'm very sorry, I answered penitently, rolling the leaf of my cigar.

And it was the yacht you were thinking about. You have what I consider a very good offer for it. Let her go. You're rich enough to be able to build another. And the work will amuse you.

You want employment of some sort. I'm not thinking of the yacht either, he growled. You know that as well as I do. How shall I know it, I answered. I'm allowed to tell you what is in your mind.

I do not happen to be like Nicola. You are singularly obtuse today, he asserted, throwing what remains of his cigar in the canal, and taking another from his case. Look here, I said, you're pitching into me because I can't appreciate your position. Now how am I likely to be able to do so, considering that you've told me nothing about it?

Before we left London, you informed me that the place you had purchased in Warwickshire was going to prove your chief worry in life. I said, sell it again. Then you found that your agent in Yorkshire was not what he might be. I advised you to get rid of him.

You would not do so because of his family. Then you confessed, in a most lugubrious fashion, that your yacht was practically becoming unseemly by reasonable age. I suggested that you should sell her to Deeside, who likes her or part with her for a junk. You vowed you would not do so because she was a favourite.

Now you are unhappy, and I naturally suppose that it must be one of these things which is causing you uneasiness. You scout the idea. What therefore am I to believe? Upon my word, my friend, if I do not remember that you have always declared your abhorrence

of the sex, I should begin to think you must be in love. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye. I pretended not to notice it, however, and still rolled a leaf of my cigar. Would it be such a very mad thing if I did fall in love, he asked at last. My father did so before me, and I believe my grandfather did also.

You yourself committed the same indiscretion. And have you seen the miserable result? I have observed one of the happiest couples in the world, he replied. By choking apart, Hatteras, I want to talk the matter over with you seriously. I don't mind telling you at once that it is between friend and friend, but I want to marry

Miss Trevor. I endeavour to look surprised, but I fear the attempt was a failure. I remind you, I say, that you have not been known her barely a week. I don't want to discourage you, but is not your affection of rather quick growth? It is, but it does not mean that I am not the less sincere.

I tell you candidly, Dick, I have never seen such a girl in my life. She would make any man happy. Very likely, but would any man make her happy? His face fell, and he shifted uneasily in his chair. Confound you, he said.

He put everything in a new light. Why should I not be able to make her happy? There are lots of women who would give their lives to be a duchess. I admit that, I answered. I don't fancy however your rank will make much difference with Miss Trevor.

When a woman is a lady and in love, she doesn't mind very much whether the object of her affections is a duke or a chimney sweep. Don't make the mistake of believing that a dukedom counts for everything, where the heart is concerned. We outsiders should have no chance at all if that were the case. But Hatteras, he said, I didn't mean that.

I'm not such a cad as to imagine that Miss Trevor would marry me simply because I happen to have a handle to my name. I want to put the matter plainly before you. Told you that I love her? Do you think there's any chance of her taking a liking to me?

Now that you have told me what is in your mind, I answered, I can safely state my opinion. Mind you, I know nothing about the young lady's ideas. But if I were a young woman and an exceedingly presentable young man, you may thank me for the compliment afterwards, were to lay his heart at my feet, especially when that heart is served up on strawberry leaves and five pound notes.

But fancy I should be inclined to think twice before I discouraged his advances. Whether Miss Trevor will do so, however, is quite another matter. Then you are not able to give me any encouragement. I will wish you Godspeed upon your enterprise, I said. If that is any dissatisfaction to you, I cannot do more.

As I said it, I held up my hand, which he took and shook. God bless your old man, he said. You don't know what all this means to me. I've suffered agonies these last two days. I believe I should go mad if it continued.

Yesterday she was kindness itself. Today she will scarcely speak to me. I believe Lady Hatteras takes my side. I was not to be caught napping. You must remember that Lady Hatteras herself is an impressionable young woman, I answered.

She likes you and believes in you. Because she does, she thinks her friend ought to do so also. Now look here, Your Grace. You needn't put on any side of that kindly, I answered, approachably. I believe I'm talking to the Duke of Glenblath, I returned.

You are talking to your old friend, the man who went round the world with you, that's what you mean, he answered. What does he have to say? I want you to plainly understand that Miss Trevor is my guest. I want you also to realise, however difficult it may be, that you have only known her a

very short time. She is a particularly nice girl, as you yourself have admitted. It would be scarcely fair, therefore, if I were to permit you to give her the impression that you were in love with her until you really made up your mind. Think it well over.

Take another week, shall we say a fortnight. A month would be better still. He groaned in despair. You might as well say a year while you're about it. What is the use of my waiting even a week when I know my own mind already?

Because you must give your affection time to set. Take a week. At the end of that time you're still as much in earnest as you are now. Well, the matter will be worth thinking about. Then you can speak to the young lady or not as she pleases.

On the other hand, should your opinion have changed, then I've been at your only confident and no harm has been done. If she accepts you, I can honestly say that no one will be more delighted than myself. If not, you must look elsewhere. And then she must marry the man she likes better.

Do you agree? I can't help myself, I suppose I must, he answered. But my position during the next week is not likely to be a very cheerful one. I don't see at all why, I replied. Lots of others have been compelled to do their courting under harder auspices.

Myself, for instance. Here you are, staying in the same house as the object of your affections. You meet her almost every hour of the day. You have innumerable opportunities of paying your court to her. Yet with all these advantages, you abuse you a lot.

I know I'm an ungrateful beast, he said. I joked it when one is as much in love as I am. With the most adorable woman in the world, and matters don't seem to go right, one ought to be excused if one feels inclined to quarrel with somebody. Quarrel away with all your heart, he answered.

And now I'm going down with you to the hairdresser. After that, we'll go to the piazza. I suppose I must, he said, rising from his chair with a fine air of resignation. And what fun you can discover in that crowd I cannot for the life of me imagine. I did not remind him that on the previous afternoon he had declared it to be

the most amusing sight in Europe. That would have been an unfair advantage to have taken, particularly as I had punished him enough already. We accordingly procured our hats and sticks, and having secured a gondola set off. It was a lovely afternoon, and the Grand Canal was crowing.

As we passed the entrance to the Rio del Concilio, I stole a glance at the Palace of Lovici. No gondola was at the door, so whether Nicola was at home or abroad I could not say. When Glen Bath had been operated upon, we proceeded to the Piazza of St. Mark, which we reached somewhat before the usual afternoon promenade.

The band had not commenced to play, and the idlers were few in number. Having engaged two chairs at one of the tables, we sat down and ordered coffee. The duke was plainly ill at ease. He fretted and fidgeted continually. His eyes scarcely wandered from the steps of the lagoon,

and every gondola that drew up received his scrutinising attention. When at last two ladies disembarked and made their way across the stones towards Florian's Caf, where we were seated, I thought he would have made an exhibition of himself. Lady Beltringham, it would seem, had arrived, but was so fatigued by a long journey

that she was unable to receive visitors. We returned almost immediately to the hotel, my wife said, and approachingly we thought you would have waited for us there. Glen Bath looked to me as nothing I could ever do with make-up for the enormity of my offence.

He then described to Miss Treviss some wonderful photographs we had discovered that morning in a certain shop on the other side of the Piazza. She questioned him concerning them, and I suggested that she go off and overhaul them. This they did, and when they departed, my wife produced some letters for me

as she had taken from the rack at the hotel. I looked at the writing on the envelope at the first, but for a moment could not recall where or when I had seen it before. Then I opened it and withdrew the contents. Why, it's from George Ann Strother, I exclaimed,

when I examined this signature. He's in Algiers. What's the letter about, my wife inquired, which I had not heard for him for so long. I'll read it, I said, and began as follows.

My dear Hatteras, here I am in the most charming place in the whole Mediterranean, and I ought to know, for I've seen and loathed all the others. My villa overlooks the sea, and my yacht rides at anchor in the bay. Now, many nice people here, and not the least pleasant,

is my very good friend Don Jose de Martinez, who is leaving today for his first visit to Venice via Nice, and I understand from him that he is to stay at your hotel. He's a delightful creature, and seen much of the world, and if you will admit him to the circle of your acquaintance,

I don't think you will regret it. I need not bore either myself or you by repeating the hackneyed phrases to the effect that any civility you show him will be considered a kindness to myself, et cetera, et cetera.

Remember me most kindly to Lady Hatteras, and believe me to be, ever sincerely yours, George Ann Strother. My wife uttered a little cry of vexation. Pleasant though he may prove, cannot help saying

that I'm sorry Don Jose Martinez is coming, she said. Our little party of four was so happily arranged, and who knows whether the fifth may upset its peace altogether. But he's Ann Strother's friend, I said in expostulation.

One must be civil to one's friends, friends. I don't at all see why, she answered. As we like Mr. Ann Strother, it does not follow that we shall like his friend. At that moment, the young couple were to be observed

crossing the Piazza in our direction. Glenn Bath carried a parson under his arm. I don't think there's much doubt about that affair, said my wife as she regarded them approvingly. Don't be too sure, I answered.

There is many a slip twicks the cup and the lip, and there's another old saying to the effect that those who live longest see most. One is sometimes oracular, even in jest. End of chapter five.