Sebastiani's Secret, etc

Part I Chapter Page

I. FLETCHER I II. SALLY ........... 13 III. CAPTAIN SCOTT 27 IV. MRS. HALSTON 42 V. ALICE 60 VI. GARCIA HERITAGE 71 VII. 'THAT OTHER GARDEN' 90 VIII. 'THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE,' ETC IO4 IX. THE AMBASSADOR'S BALL 120 X. 'A FRIEND IN NEED' 131 J XI. ' LINLEY ' . 141 XII. 'NEMESIS' 159 XIII. 'DIANA'S FOUNTAIN' 1 75 XIV. 'DIVIDED' 189 XV. THE END OF THE JOURNEY . ... 201

Part II

I. 'ACROSS THE WORLD' 225 II. THE GREAT GREY VOID 239 III. THE NAMA 250 IV. 'LE MONDE OU L'ON S'ENNUIE' 264 V. ' WITHIN THE VALLEY ' 272 VI. A FAIRY TALE 2S9 VII. ' THE CHILD OF THE SYMBOL ' 300 VIII. 'THE LAST BLUE FEATHER' ILLUSTRATIONS A PAUSE IN THE SITTING Frontispiece sally's slipper .... .... Vignette SALLY LOOKED OUT ACROSS THE WORLD . . . To face p. 24 'I WONDER IF I COULD PLAY CHARLOTTE CORDAY ' . . ,, 86 ' EVEN WITH YOUR FAITHFUL PROMISE, SALLY, IT WRINGS MY HEART TO GO ' . . . . ,, 1 26 THE LAST NIGHT AT LINLEY „ 1 57 RICHMOND! IT is YOU — COME HERE!' ,, 206 THE TEMPLE OF IREZPORE ,, 261 THE CHILD OF THE SYMBOL' ,,

PART I CHAPTER

I FLETCHER FLETCHER sent his model out to call a hansom. The luggage and sketching materials were got on board. He gave a farewell look round the gaunt old studio and, jumping into the cab, was whirled away. Kensington was soon left behind, and as there was not too mucli time to spare he lifted the little trapdoor and told the driver to hurry on. Instead of doing so the horse's pace gradually slackened, and after several stoppages the cab came to a standstill. ' What is it ? ' he called out. ' Why don't you get on ? ' ' Funeral, sir, just ahead.' ' Funeral ! Never mind funerals ; they can't exist on such a day as this. Try another turning and anyhow get me there in time.' He leant back in the seat, so young and bonny, all hope and joyousness, the colour in his cheeks, the laughter in his eye, the new straw hat with the white ribbon, the lightest of grey suits, the summer waistcoat, and the white rose in his buttonhole.

He was very, B v«r very smart and very, very gay, and the sunshine fell upon his sunny head. And so they passed the funeral, the one man entering life and the other leaving it. Waterloo was reached at last, but just too late. To settle with the cabman, to take the luggage down and get the ticket took some minutes, and before he could pick up his change at the booking-office the train had moved away. ' When is the next train to Southampton ? ' he asked a porter. ' Not for two hours, sir,' said the man. ' What in the world am I to do with myself,' thought Fletcher. Two hours ! I could get some lunch, though it is early for it — or I might run up to Portland Road to see about those two frames. Perhaps there's time for both ; so, leaving his things in the cloakroom, he set off about his business, and when he had transacted it, ate a hurried lunch at the Reynolds' Club and got back to Waterloo with twenty minutes to spare.

As he loitered on the platform he saw a little Blen heim spaniel, a very beautiful one, running bewildered amongst the crowd. There was a long blue ribbon trailing from its neck, and it was evident the dog had lost its mistress. He spoke to it, and it seemed grate ful to have found a friend, so he picked up the end of the ribbon and looked about, hoping to see an owner for the little animal, but no one came. He gave a porter the receipt for his luggage, told him to get it all on board the train and secure a corner place, third class. He waited in a prominent part of the platform until a minute or two before the departure of the train, and had just made up his mind to ask the porter to take charge of the dog until it was claimed— as, being evi dently a valuable one, he would probably be hand- FLETCHER 3 somely rewarded— when a woman's voice, a sweet, a very sweet, low voice at his elbow said : ' Oh, Rajah !

Rajah ! what a fright you have given us! ' Then, catching Fletcher's eye, the owner of the voice said, ' How very good of you to secure him — my aunt would have broken her heart if he had been lost. Pray come and speak to her.' He lifted his hat and followed. She was about twenty, rather tall, a particularly good figure, and very graceful, and his artist eye told him that though she looked so slender she was far bigger than she looked ; and her walk was quick and firm. Her face long, her hair almost black, with beautiful brown eyes and black eyebrows — those that have that pretty curve downwards from the bridge of the nose towards the cheek — very black, thick eyelashes, a nose and chin full long, perhaps, for true proportion, and a resolute looking mouth, but now all aplay with smiles. The aunt, a little stout old lady, attended by a maid and two menscrvants, was all stately graciousness, for the little woman could be very stately and very gracious indeed when she liked.

Her face was osa washed-out descrip tion, but keenly intelligent, and her hair was the colour of yellow ashes. ' I am so much indebted to you,' she began, ' for securing my little Rajah. He slipped away from us when we got out of the carriage, and I am sure if you had not been so thoughtful we should never have seen him again. But the train will be off in a moment ; come into our carriage — we have a compartment to ourselves.' ' Thank you,' said Fletcher ; ' I cannot do that. You are travelling first class, and I have to economise when I go holiday-making, and content myself with third.' ' Did I know you better,' said the old lady, ' I should instantly get you a first-class ticket, for I always like to B give my young friends a treat. It is one pleasure left us when we grow old. Never mind'; Sally, give the gentleman one of my cards.

That is my address near London, and on the back I have written the name of the house where we stay for the next six weeks at Cowes. Come and see us when you can.' He handed her his card in return, and, raising his hat to both ladies, turned towards his own carriage. ' Au revoir,' said the elder woman. ' Good-bye,' said the younger. And his last reminiscence of Sally was her voice — her very sweet, low voice. He could not decide if she was beautiful, though he felt that at moments she looked very handsome ; but her voice haunted him for many days to come. He bought some daily papers when he got into the train, but after glancing idly at them, his thoughts wandered back to his new acquaintances, especially the younger one. - So her name was Sally, was it ? Sally what ? How much he would like to know.

He had always thought Sally a vulgar name, but now, somehow, it seemed very charming. It was so delightfully incongruous to call an excessively aristocraticlooking woman Sally.' He suddenly remembered the card which had been given him ; it had engraved on the face the name and address of the elder woman only ' Mrs. Halston, Westwood Park.' Thinking of Sally, in a vague sort of way, as mixed up with old ladies and pet dogs, he did not remember any more until he reached Southampton. He had slept nearly the whole journey. When he got out and had collected his luggage, he looked about for the conveyance that he knew would be sent to meet him— a red-wheeled dogeart and a strawberry mare. He soon caught sight of them, and when he had given his name to the groom to prove his identity, and was making ready to start, a private FLETCHER 5 brougham drove past, containing his acquaintances of Waterloo; but they did not see him.

Then a fly, evidently containing their luggage, pulled up for a moment, as the driver wished to speak to the groom of the dogcart, and Fletcher caught sight of some of the luggage labels on the travelling trunks — ' Mrs. Halston,' ' Miss Wyndham.' ' Wyndham, was it ? — Sally Wynd ham. Well, he was not likely to forget.' All being ready, the strawberry mare was told to ' get on,' and ' get on ' she did accordingly. Fletcher had come down to paint an equestrian portrait of a gentleman who lived about ten miles out of Southampton, and to take a holiday at the same time. The house of this gentleman was undergoing extensive alterations in one wing, and the family were going away in a few days for a considerable period. The owner, however, promised to pay flying visits from time to time, in order to give the requisite sittings, and in the interval Fletcher could paint the horse and back ground at his leisure.

Rooms were to be kept for him in the house, and certain servants were to remain ; so he would be in clover. Fletcher was twenty-four ; his father and mother had been dead some years, and, in spite of great opposi tion on the part of his trustees, he had determined to become an artist. So, after leaving Shrewsbury, he had come to London and gone through the usual course of Kensington and the Royal Academy schools. He was hardworking while possessed by an idea, but keenly alive to pleasure ; a man of varied information, of the very highest talent, strong and healthy, tall and well built, possessing withal a singular charm of manner, which few people could resist. Fresh-coloured, slightly bronzed, a long fair moustache, keen blue eyes, which at times could look very winning, and a wealth of golden, wavy hair, worn a very little longer than was customary, but not long enough to excite remark.

One thing was strongly noticeable : his eyebrows were far darker than his curls. Outside his art he loved society and com panionship, but at times he was overshadowed by a feeling of mysticism, and the unattainable, the occult, and the vague yearnings for things outside the understand ing of physical nature, took possession of him. But as he sat in the dogeart that evening, with his face glowing with health and pleasant anticipation, and his yellow hair glittering in the sun, the big strong young man rejoicing in his strength, he was a fair sight to look upon ; but in looking it might be fancied that the face was the face of one who, now that he found himself in the world, was determined to get from it all it had to give. His father had left him but little money, and that little he handed over to his only sister Alice, who, having shared equally with her brother under their father's will, was quite comfortably provided for now she enjoyed the income of both portions.

It had been a hard struggle on Fletcher's part to get her to accept his share, and it is feared he gave a very rosy account of the income he was making in order to carry his point. Alice was twenty-two, and unlike her brother in most respects, save in her love for art and music. Ten miles of charming country were soon got over, and the dogeart turned off the high-road through some gates — the drive winding through a wood perfectly alive with rabbits — then into a park covered with heavy timber, and beyond stood the house. It was a big house, rather square, many windows, balustrades round the roof, cupola in the middle, many vases and grotesque heads scattered about it— by no means beautiful, but FLETCHER 7 interesting. ' Early Georgian,' Fletcher said to himself. In front of, and apparently stretching far behind the house, were queer romantic gardens, old statues covered with ivy, and ancient fishponds with stone borders, all just a little out of order ; and there seemed a great deal of wild growth in many parts, which in his eyes gave much beauty to the prim regularity of the lines of the paths and flower-beds.

As he afterwards remarked to his hostess, ' It was like a very spruce woman who had lost her hairpins.' The sound of their wheels was evidently heard in the house, for as they turned the last sweep of the drive the front door opened, and a dark vivacious-looking man of middle age came out upon the doorstep. ' That's the master, sir,' said the groom. ' That's Mr. Leigh.' They pulled up at the door, and Fletcher received a warm welcome from his host. Entering the house, he was introduced to his hostess, a somewhat delicate looking woman, not at all unlike her husband in features, and after some chat about the journey was shown upstairs to dress for dinner. All seemed wonderfully cosy and luxurious, and Fletcher thought if he stayed in these quarters for a part of the summer he ought to think himself in luck's way.

Dinner passed off as dinners do. His host, quick, alert, a thorough sportsman, and with great natural taste about other matters, kept the conversation going. Mrs. Leigh talked music to one of her guests, of whom there were three — two ladies and a gentleman. Towards the end of dinner Mr. Leigh said, ' By the way, I see that extraordinary old scamp, the Marquis of D , died last week, and was to be buried to-day. What an atrocious old scoundrel he was ! It is supposed he must have been getting on for one hundred years old. Such a career as that man has had is simply unparalleled. Every commandment in the Decalogue he had been work ing hard at breaking for seventyyears, except theft and murder — he had no occasion for either of those. A second old Q , only a thousand times worse.' ' Are you sure of this ? ' said Fletcher, quickly, and with a slight change of colour. ' Quite.

It is in all the papers ; haven't you seen it ? ' ' I have been too busy to read the papers for many days — I have been so pressed to finish up matters in London in order to keep my appointment here.' ' Are you in any way interested, then ? ' asked Mr. Leigh. ' You seem to be.' ' What is Hecuba to me, or I to Hecuba ? to change the line a little,' replied Fletcher. ' I have heard very much of that old man,' said the elder lady. ' He had a house in our part of the world at one time, but, secluded as he kept himself, he had at last to leave. He was so thoroughly detested. It was many years ago, and for the last twenty years or more nothing has been heard of him, save that he was living in luxurious rooms in some out-of-the-way part of Pimlico, and had not a friend in the world.' At the mention of Pimlico Fletcher again showed deep interest, and his face became very thoughtful. ' I am sure Mr. Fletcher knows more than he cares to tell,' said the younger lady.

But as he made no reply the subject dropped. Later on in the evening, while some music was in progress, it was suggested that they should sit out on the balcony in the moonlight, for the night was lovely. ' We can listen to the music so much better there,' said Captain Scott, Mr. Leigh's other male guest. So the younger lady, Miss Ridley, and the three men FLETCHER 9 passed out of the window and sat on an old stone seat against the wall. The moon, which had only been coyly showing herself from time to time, now burst forth in fullest splendour. She tipped the distant pines with frosted silver, lit up the park with broad bars of mysterious light, flecked the sides of the heavy oak-tree that bordered the carriage drive, and the tops of the swaying fern, and then, creeping onwards up the garden, the light fell on the old terraced steps and balustrades, hung like a mystery over the crumbling statues, and, making one clear, vivid path across the lower fishpond, swept up the rose garden to their feet.

And all were forced to silence by its very beauty, and no one spoke until a faint breeze wafted up the perfume of the slumbering flowers and cast it over them like a spell. ' How delicious ! ' said Miss Ridley. ' Ay, and how solemn ! — I had almost said, how holy,' said the soldier ; ' for it is holy after India.' ' Surely India is the country of romance ; I have always understood so.' ' Yes, it is ; but man has made the romance so foul and black that the purity of a scene like this is far before India. Why, from the first, what has India been ? A land of bloodshed, murders, and contentions ; its whole history consists of conquests, defeats, rapacity and crime, and beneath all the terrible superstitions of the various religions, deepening into awful mysteries that Europeans know but the faintest echo of.

Mysteries that do exist I know well, much as I have been laughed at for my opinion. There is no beautiful building, no sacred edifice, no grey old fortress, that is not simply built on slaughter. Look at the ornaments which befoul some of the finest pieces of architecture in the world ; built by gods, they have been decorated by devils. 'And remember that since the time of Alexander, and ages before Alexander was born or thought of, Hindostan has been the home of peoples weighed down by superstition, governed by princes whose idea of the fitness of things was exemplified by the fact that they walled up their women and let their fanatics go free. They built fine quarters for their fetishes, but far finer for their own follies ; and each one, like his predecessors, after some years of useless life, seems to have sunk into sloth and sensuality, and at death to have amply fulfilled the function that was expected of him by sleeping in a splendid shrine.' ' True enough,' said Mr. Leigh, ' and it's better not to think of it.

But what do you allude to when you speak of mysteries ? ' ' If I talked for days,' said Scott, ' I could not tell you all I mean ; besides, I would not if I could. Years back I was inclined to speak more freely, but it only led to ridicule, and often to disagreeables. It is not a healthy subject, and it is better left alone.' ' Captain Scott is alluding to the stories of the fakirs being buried alive for six weeks, or even six months, and dug up all alive as if nothing had happened,' said Miss Ridley, determined not to let the subject drop. ' Yes, to that and much more — to things of which you have never heard the name, and never will. One thing, however, I will ask you. How was it that during the Mutiny the fluctuating fortunes of the British were perfectly well known in native bazaars a few hours after the occurrence of any important incident, though the scenes of action might be many hundreds of miles away ?

The natives had no telegraph-wires. My father, who was through the whole campaign, always said that FLETCHER 11 was the one thing that staggered him, dear old hard headed unbeliever that he was ! ' ' It is inexplicable,' said Mr. Leigh ; ' and I have often heard your father and other old Indians speak of it as absolute fact.' ' As for mental telegraphy,' said Miss Ridley, ' I should put it on the same ground as dreams. There are so many dreams every night, the wonder is that more of them don't come true ; and as we look so often for troubles and afflictions falling on those we love, when they do fall at the expected time, we never fail to make much of it.' ' Perhaps that's it,' said the soldier, smiling a little, wearily, ' and at any rate it's as well to think so.' ' Mr. Fletcher has said nothing all this time,' said Miss Ridley. ' I wonder what is his opinion ?' ' I have so many, Miss Ridley,' answered Fletcher, ' it is useless to go into them ; but I do certainly believe that minds in affinity are always to some extent in con nection.' ' Why so ?

Have you had any experience of it ? ' ' That is a home question, but — yes, I have — frequently.' ' A lady, of course ? ' ' Yes, it is a lady' ' Is she very fascinating, very beautiful ? and do you care for her very much ? ' asked Miss Ridley, laughing. ' I am fond of her ; whether she is fascinating and beautiful is for others to judge. It is my sister Alice.' ' Oh dear ! my romance has quite collapsed.' Soon after the ladies retired, and as Captain Scott said he should go to bed early, Fletcher and his host went alone to the smoking-room. After some talk over the plans for next day, Fletcher said, ' Have you any of the papers handy containing an account of the Marquis of D 's death?' ' Yes,' said Mr. Leigh, ' there are the papers for the last three or four days on those shelves.' Fletcher got them down, and carefully read all the notices one by one.

When after some time he put the last paper down, Mr. Leigh said, ' You evidently are interested in this matter. Is it indiscreet to ask why ?' ' He was my mother's great-uncle,' said Fletcher, ' though none of us had ever seen him ; the man and his reputation have been the curse of our lives.' ' Really, really ! ' said Mr. Leigh. ' I had no idea this was so. What becomes of his enormous wealth ? ' ' I have no idea. My mother's grandfather quarrelled with him on account of his awful life, and since then we have been strangers to him. Curiously enough, I must have passed his funeral to-day. It was a very simple affair, but I remember that I was puzzled by the crest on the pall of the coffin. I had seen it somewhere, I knew. When you spoke of his death at dinner I recalled everything. And now, if you'll let me, I'll say good-night, for I am very tired.' As Fletcher a little later lay lazily between sleeping and waking the ladies of Waterloo again crossed his mind.

The old lady, the sweet-voiced girl, the little dog, all came vividly before him. He could recall them at this moment : the elder woman, whose happiness lay in the past ; the younger with all bright life before her ; and the ' Au revoir ' of the one and ' Good-bye ' of the other — and he was to see them again. That was a pleasant thought ; but as he turned on his side to sleep it suddenly struck him as a presage of misfortune that age had bidden him ' Au revoir ' and youth ' Good-bye.' SALLY 13

Chapter II Sally The

brougham that had been waiting for the two ladies from Waterloo conveyed them to the hotel where they purposed staying for the night. They might go on to Cowes next morning, they might not. All depended on Mrs. Halston's mood and fancy, for she was very fanciful, and being rich could afford to be so. A widow, with absolute disposal of the very large property her husband had left her, she, on the whole, used her wealth wisely ; but she was a woman who was cordially dis trusted by many people for her sudden and unaccount able likes and dislikes. At times she would show a vindictiveness quite inexcusable, and, on the other hand, she would on occasion be very generous, and there is no doubt large sums were given in charity of which the world knew nothing. She had practically adopted her niece, as she had no children of her own, and Sally's life for the last year or two had been all luxury and magni ficence.

But Sally was not happy, for she was living in a gilded cage, and often wondered if the golden fetters that hung so heavily on her wrists were worth the price she had paid for them. She had been so free at home. True, it was rather a shabby freedom, for money had been very, very scarce since her father's sudden death, and her mother had several other children. When that ■4 happened Mrs. Wyndham found herself nearly ruined, for her husband had left but the fragments of his fortune behind. Most of his money had taken flight on the racecourse, it was afterwards discovered, and he had died just in time to save himself from disgrace. Sally was fifteen when this happened, and though the follow ing years had been a hard struggle, there had been on the whole much quiet happiness. Mr. Wyndham had been well connected, and the children were asked to stay with friends and relatives, often for months at a time, and much indirect help was given to the mother.

So that though obliged to practise the strictest economy, life for the young ones was free and happy — and, as Sally often wrote to her mother, ' No one loves luxury more than I do. To have a maid ; to have a beautiful house and gardens at my disposal ; to have beautiful dresses and jewellery ; to have servants ready at a moment to obey my lightest wish, carriages, a box at the Opera, ex cellent society, as much gaiety as any woman could care for, is all delightful ; but then, remember, I am never certain from one moment to another how things may go, for I am at the mercy of an old woman's faintest whim, and any expedition planned, any long-looked for pleasure, may, without explanation, be knocked on the head at the last moment. So, after all, I look back through the golden bars, and think of the child who said, when being taught the loveliness of Heaven, " If I am good, won't they sometimes let me have a little devil to play with " ; or, to sink lower, recall the boy's exclamation when he was released from the reformatory, " They was always preaching ' Cleanliness was next to godliness ' in there ; that's all very well, but I says, give me filth and freedom." ' She was a high-bred, high-spirited woman, of much SALLY 15 determination of character, and, though very refined, loved through pure mischief to quote a saying like the above to those she knew well for the express purpose of shocking them.

She had had several offers of marriage, both before her advent at her aunt's and after, for she exercised a great fascination over most men ; but though she had liked and admired many men as friends, she was at heart utterly a stranger to anything approaching love. As they sat after dinner that evening in their cosy sitting-room, Mrs. Halston, after feeding Rajah and giving him much good advice on the impropriety of getting lost, said : ' Sally, what did you think of that young man ? ' ' What young man ? ' said Miss Wyndham. ' Now, don't be foolish,' said the old lady, pettishly. ' You know who I mean — the young man that found Rajah for me. Mr. — Mr. . Where's that card ? Oh ! — Fletcher ; yes, Mr. Fletcher. What do you think of him ? ' ' How can I tell, aunt ? I only saw him for a minute, and then principally his back, for he was talking to you all the time.

He must be good-natured, I think, to take so much trouble over a strange dog.' ' Strange dog, indeed ! — anyone would see what a beauty Rajah is, and take care of him.' ' Well, but anyone didn't, as it happened.' ' Dear, dear, how you take me up ; but that's nothing to do with it. I liked him exceedingly, and am glad I asked him to call. I should very much like to see him again. I can read character pretty correctly, as you know.' ' I don't think it is very likely he will call,' said Sally. ' He would hardly come to Cowes for the purpose, and when he gets back to London he will have forgotten all about it' ' I tell you he will come,' said her aunt, sharply, ' and before long, too. I cannot understand why you always go out of your way to disagree with me.' ' Indeed, indeed it was not intentional.