A Prince of Darkness. A novel

Chapter I

" Starvation's a deuced unpleasant thing, Madeline." " Yes, dear, so it is." The first speaker Avas a man of about thirty years of age, with a thin dark face, to Avhose keen eyes and clear-cut features a life of shifts had given a hungry hawk-like look. And the submissive ansAver came from the lips of a woman in whom the virtue of sub mission was evidently not natural but acquired; a tall massive Avoman, with a commanding figure, and a beautiful fair face whose long gray eyes could look shreAvd as well as soft, vol. i. and round whose red lips there were already indications of future lines of resolution as Avell as passion. Her gentle tone of sympathy jarred upon his savage sullen discontent. "Yes, dear, yes, dear!" he repeated im patiently, mimicking her. " Is that all you have to say ? Don't you knoAV what starva tion means ?"

"Yes, Louis," said she submissively, rising from the armchair in which she had been indolently sitting, and crossing the room to him as he sat by the table staring fixedly out of the AvindoAV and across the courtyard to the opposite side of the hotel. " It means no food and then death, doesn't it ?" " Those are the first and the last stages, but there are many others — worse ones — in between." " Are there ?" she asked indifferently, as she Avent down on her knees beside him and laid her head softly against his shoulder. Then, as he moved impatiently, she added in a pleading voice : " Don't be angry with me, Louis, for not being frightened enough at the prospect. By-and-by, Avhen you are gone out and I am sitting here alone in the dark, then I shall remember Avhat you said, and I shall feel it and perhaps I shall cry ; but while I am Avith you all sad things seem to fall on my ears without any meaning, and nothing but your unhappy face can make me unhappy or seem worth troubling about.

So you see, my husband, it is not because I am stupid that I don't mind the thought of starving ; it is only that if I die in your arms I don't care Avhat I die of." The man turned and examined her face in cold curious AA'onder. His passion for her had died out months ago ; the monotony of her unsAverving affection bored him, and the cynical knoAvledge that it was entirely un deserved made him look upon the too generous giver Avith contempt rather than Avith gratitude. The extravagance of her last assertion, Avhich he did not for a moment believe, attracted his attention. "Do you mean to tell me, Madeline, that it is nothing to you whether you live on a first-floor on the Boulevard Malesherbes, as 1—2 we did three months ago, or exist like con demned criminals in one little dingy cell Avith scarcely room to turn ?"

And he glanced round the room — a little unpretending bed and sitting room combined, Avhich hardly deserA7ed his savage criticism ; though everything in it, from the tarnished gilt clock, which did not go, to the velvet-pile carpet, Avhose blue roses and crimson lea\Tes bad lost all their startling originality, be trayed the taste of the past. " No, Louis, it is something to me where Ave live, because it makes so much difference to you." " Oh, as to that," said he, throwing himself back in his chair and assuming a careless tone, " of course it is a mere matter of custom. If I were used to second -floors and cheap restaurants, I dare say I should like them." He was not looking at Madeline, or he might have read in her face an expression of contemptuous incredulity, such as he would not have believed her capable of shoAving after any statement from his lips.

But during the tAvelve months which had elapsed since her hurried marriage with Louis de Breteuil she had learnt a good many things Avhich that gentleman prided himself on keep ing secret, and she knew perfectly well that the prosperity he had enjoyed since she first made his acquaintance, and Avhich had con tinued until within three months of the present time, had been preceded by a period during which even second-floors and cheap restaurants were luxuries beyond his reach. She had never dared to question him as to the sources of the wealth which had so suddenly come to an end ; indeed, she accepted that mystery, as Avell as certain other facts mysterious only to her, with a placid acquiescence proceeding partly from indolence, partly from ignorance, and partly from faith. Thus, while the ease with which the brilliant Louis had managed to obtain a firm footing in a certain fast but exclusive set in Parisian society was a common topic, the circumstance that it was only the gentle men of this set whom she ever met Avoke no suspicion in the ingenuous young English- Avoman, who, belonging by birth to the lower middle class, was easy to deceive on any point concerning that vague " society," the curious improbability of whose sayings and doings, as recorded in the literature of her OAvn class, had often surprised her.

She had a beautiful home, handsomer dresses than almost any of the ladies she saw at the Opera, in the Bois, or at the races, and she had Louis— or at least as much of Louis as his many engagements Avould alloAV. And these engagements grew ever more numerous, as a man's are apt to do as the honeymoon fades into the past. But his empire over her was too strong for her to complain ; and never having been a spoilt woman, she consoled herself for his neglect by the pride she took in his position. For Louis de Breteuil had taken the Avorld of Paris by storm ; had cut out the young Parisians by his skill in riding, driving, love-making, by the quality of his horses, the cut of his coats, the daring of his speech ; and had become the Admirable Crichton of the frivolous life of the boulevards. Nobody kneAV more about him on his first appearance in Paris than that he was a French Canadian whose fortune, left him by an uncle, Avas derived from oil-springs in Pennsylvania ; but the general ignorance con cerning his antecedents, his name, and his title, had weighed lightly in the balance against an unmistakable distinction of appear ance and manner, and a certain unaffected sincerity of cynicism Avhich dazzled the laboriously wicked golden youth of Paris, for ever striving towards an ideal of depravity Avhich their little wits find as hard to reach as ever anchorite found his ideal of sanctity.

Louis de Breteuil's reign, if short, had been glorious : and the audacity of his abdication Avas worthy of the brilliancy of his throne. For, instead of Avaiting until the tide of his prosperity had run out, and vanishing Avith debts unpaid and the reputation of a ruined SAvindler, De Breteuil had announced his intention of visiting the East — which is a vague term, and suggestive of the splendour Avith which his name was associated — had given sumptuous farewell entertainments, had paid enough of his bills to leave the impression that it Avas failure of memory and not of money Avhich caused him to leave the rest unpaid ; had sold his furniture, his pictures, his horses, dismissed his servants, and taken his departure, leaving behind him a reputation bad indeed, but for Avhich half the well-born young men of Paris Avould bave given ten years of their abortive lives.

He wanted to be further away from his late acquaintances than any ship could take him ; so, instead of going to the other side of the world, he Avent to the other side of the Seine, lived the simple life of a poor bourgeois, and, when the summer heat greAV too intolerable in the little room on the second-floor, he Avould take Madeline for a few sous on a steamer to St. Cloud, without one fear that the humble couple trudging along in the dust should be recognised as the brilliant De Breteuil and the Avoman whose toilettes had been envied by every other Avell dressed woman in Paris. If, in carrying out this transformation, bis temper had proved worthy of his intellect, De Breteuil would have been heroic ; but the feat of accommodating his mind, as he did his habits, to circumstances, Avas just a little beyond his powers, and was left to Madeline, who wore a cotton goAvn, made by her own hands, with the same natural majesty which had attracted all eyes Avhen, at race-meeting or review, she had come straight from the approving inspection of Worth.

Noav, as she knelt beside Louis' chair, listening to his gibes at second-floors and cheap restaurants, she looked like a queen in exile, while he seemed to have sunk already to the level of his present position, and to bear the stamp of adventurer on his stooping shoulders and haggard hang-dog face. " Well, Louis," she said, after a pause, " we shall dine Avell to-day at least. I think Mr. Staunton is rich, I am certain he is generous. I am sure we shall enjoy ourselves, and I love St. Germain." Mr. Staunton was an Englishman Avho, Avith the freedom of a foreigner, had gone from Paris to St. Cloud by steamer two days ago, had made acquaintance Avith De Breteuil and his beautiful wife, and had begged them to come and dine with him when and Avhere they pleased. St. Germain had been chosen by Louis as a place Avhere, in this, the beginning of July, they Avere not likely to meet stray Avanderers from the idle world.

"Ah, yes," said Louis, Avith some anima tion at the mention of their new acquaintance ; " it is getting near the time when he promised to call for us. You must get ready, Madeline, and — and you may make yourself beautiful once more — put on one of the handsome dresses you have so nobly laid aside lately — no one is likely to see us, and you must show your countryman what French taste can do for English beauty." When Mr. Staunton arrived, and Madame Louis, as she was called in the hotel, SAvept down the stairs towards him in a cloud of delicate lace which sliOAved here and there, as she moA-ed, a fold of dainty shell-tinted silk, the Englishman, unprepared for this trans formation in the Avoman Avhose beauty had already made a strong impression upon him, looked upon her Avith a Avorshipful admiration Avhich De Breteuil noted keenly.

All through the long drive to St. Germain Louis said very little, leaving the talk almost entirely to the stranger and Madeline ; but at dinner he woke up into sudden liveliness ; his animation affected his companions, and Madeline, as she saw him enjoying himself once more, grew fairer Avith the happiness which sparkled in her eyes and gloAved in her cheeks. And when dinner Avas over, and De Breteuil told her to sing to them, the first soft notes that fell from her lips put them both under a spell of listening silence. It Avas at the Pavilion Henri Quatre that they were dining ; their table was drawn up close to a windoAV that overlooked the sloping hill and the quaintly-cut box and yeAV-trees of an old-fashioned garden. Madeline sang first some lively French chansonnettes, glancing from time to time at Louis Avith instinctive affectionate coquetry ; then letting her eyes Avander out to the eArening beauty of the landscape beloAV, she broke into the tender old melody of "Home, sweet Home," Avhich she sang through Avith feeling Avhich kept the Englishman at least spellbound, gazing at the beautiful singer Avith admiration Avhich Avas almost devotion.

And still De Breteuil watched him. Madeline's voice quivered on the last notes ; as she ended, Mr. Staunton's enthusiastic thanks almost startled her. Louis nodded to her and glanced at the door. " Go and put on your bonnet, my dear. Mr. Staunton must see the terrace." With an uneasy glance from Louis to the stranger and back again to Louis, she obediently left the room. When she returned, Mr. Staunton alone Avas Avaiting for her. The expression of easy good-humoured enjoyment which his face had Avorn throughout the day had disappeared ; he looked so cold and so grave that Madeline stopped short in the doorway, and glanced round anxiously in search of Louis. " Where is my husband ?" she asked quickly. " M. Louis will join us, madame, if you will do me the pleasure of starting Avith me toAvards the terrace," said he, Avith curious stiffness.

" He Avas much struck AA'ith a horse on AAdiich a gentleman has just ridden up to the hotel, and he followed it to the stables to ask if it is for sale, I believe." "Ah," said Madeline, "animals of all kinds are my husband's passion. A horse that nobody but himself can ride, a fierce dog that nobody else dares to approach unless it is chained up, seem to understand and obey him as if they Avere human ; and I think Louis loves them better than if they were." The last words she uttered rather bitterly. "Indeed!" said Mr. Staunton, Avith grave interest ; and there was a short pause, during which they sauntered on toAvards the terrace, both thoughtful and preoccupied. " And so this is a little trouble to you, this fondness of his for animals, Avhich takes him away from you a good deal, perhaps — riding — and driving ?"

She looked up at him in some surprise. What there had been of sternness in his face a feAv minutes ago had given place to a kind, sad look of compassion and sympathy, Avhich suddenly brought the tears to her eyes and made her stop in her Avalk for a feAV seconds. She recovered herself, and Avent on, in voluntarily hurrying her steps a little. "Yes — no," she answered nervously. Then, stopping again, and looking straight into his face with her frank eyes, she said, " You think I am unhappy, I see, and that I am jealous of my husband's love for his horses. I am not, indeed ; I What makes you think I am unhappy ?" she asked, in a different tone, Avith curiosity and suspicion. Mr. Staunton had stopped too, and he was answering her questioning gaze with a look as frank as her own, full of deepest pity — pity that surprised, alarmed her, and brought the blood to her cheeks.

He hesitated, as if debating desperately Avithin himself Avhether he should tell her something. But he turned aAvay sharply, muttering, in a \Toice too Ioav for her to hear distinctly, " God ! I can't tell her !" " What are you saying ? what do you mean ?" Madeline asked abruptly, alarmed, but retaining her dignity. Instead of ansAvering, he asked her another question : "Have you any friends in France in Paris — madame '?" " Friends ? No — o ; at least, I knoAV — I kneAAr — I haA7e met a good many people, but I can hardly call them friends." Her hesitating ansAver seemed to him pathetic. He spoke more gently than ever. " Forgive me, madame, if I say things that pain you. I am almost old enough to be your father ; and to see a young lady so friendless ■" " Friendless ! I have my husband," she interrupted sharply.

"And what can a Avoman Avant more than a good, loving " She checked herself, and, facing him again, asked sloAvly, " What has he been saying to you ? Ah ! I know — I can guess ; I Avas afraid of that," she faltered, in a lower voice, losing her self-control. " He told you that, uoav we are poor, we shall have to live apart for a time, did he not ? He has hinted it to me, but never dared to say it outright ; he is so afraid of Avounding me, poor felloAV ! Was it not that '?" A Prhice of Darkness. Mr. Staunton did' not answer. " You are very fond of him ?". he asked, after a short silence. " Oh yes." The; reply was given in such a low voice that it sounded like a soft sigh. " Ah ! And he is very fond of you, of course. Don't be angry with me for my impertinence — or what you, no doubt, consider my impertinence." • t .

" Oh no, indeed I don't," broke in Madeline, Avith a shreAvd unmirthful little laugh. " I know the world and the people in it better thanyou think. There are gentlemen, friends of my husband, whom I have to receive and talk 'ipj. whose very look is an impertinence ; and I have learnt to be' discriminating. I Avill listen to whatever you havre to say. I A\ill ansAver any questions you like, for I know that you are kind, I know that you are — good." Mr. Staunton promptly took advantage of her permission, and said simply : " You haATe been married before, madame '?" She looked rather astonished, but ansAvered at once: "Yes. Three years ago, when I Avas nineteen, and a teacher in a school, I married a man named Meredith." She paused ; but as her hearer Avas evidently much interested, continued : " He was a clerk on the Stock Exchange.

He was not kind to me : he drank, and neglected me, and wanted me to go on the stage, which I thought was Avrong, so I would not go ; and he complained that I was hard and cold and selfish, though that was the only thing in which I Avould not obey him. And then, when we had been married eighteen months, he disappeared ; and by that time," she went on naively, " he had made me so very unhappy that I did not try very hard to find him. And then at last I learnt that he was dead, and I married M. de — , I mean my present husband, and he brought me over to France, and then for the first time I learnt Avhat it is to be happy." " And you are sure your first husband is really dead ?" asked Mr. Staunton slowly. " Oh yes. I saAV the announcement in two atol. i. papers, and I heard all about it from Louis besides."

" From Louis, your present husband, you say ?" significantly. "Yes." But there Avas no suspicion in her eyes, and again Mr. Staunton found himself unable, voluntarily, to call it up there. He looked aAvay from her for a minute, and then said : " And so you are afraid that soon you may be forced to separate for a time ?" "I — I am afraid so," tremulously. "At least, Louis has hinted that." " And what will you do ?" "I don't know — yet. But I have been used to earn my own living, and I have learnt some French, and I am not at all a helpless Avoman. And, with the thought of helping to form a home some day for Louis and me, I feel that I shall get on — yes, further than seems possible noAV," said she, Avith a quiet bright resolution Avhich deepened alike Mr. Staunton's pity and his admiration.

"I quite believe that; I am sure you Avould meet any trial, no matter hoAV severe," said he, with emphasis, " in the most courageous and high-hearted manner. But the world is very hard for Avomen, and although I know that many brave girls do struggle on alone and successfully, still the battle is much less hard if they have friends in whom they can trust. Will you trust in my friendship ?" Madeline fixed her long grey eyes thought fully upon his face. She was an experienced judge of faces, and a very short examination of the kind broAvn eyes, iron-grey beard, and the lines and furrows worn by nothing baser than time or trouble, satisfied her. " Yes," she answered simply. " Veiy well. Then I will give you my private address in England." He had taken some letters out of his pocket, and having found a spare half-sheet of paper, was writing on it with a pencil.

" And, in case you should want any help or any advice sooner than you expect, I Avill let you knoAV just Avhere I shall be for the next fortnight. You see," and he gave her the paper, "that for the next few days I shall be at Lyons, and 2—2 after the 8th I shall be at Turin for a week. I should like to be able to stay a few days longer in Paris, but I am a stockbroker, travelling with valuable securities which I must deliver in Turin by the 9th ; and I have some business to do in Lyons before then." " You are a stockbroker !' " Don't look so shocked ; I am not one of the very Avorst." " Oh no, no ; but — " Ah, of course. Your first husband Avas in a stockbroker's office, you say ; Meredith, I think you said his name was. Is — Avas he on the House himself?" " Yes, I belieA-e so. Yes ; I am sure of it."

" Is not that M. Louis on the other side of the road ?" They had turned, and were walking back toAvards the hotel. Madeline had time for more questions before they rejoined him. " Have you any daughters, Mr. Staunton?" "No. I have only one child — a boy of thirteen." " You are very fond of him ?" " Very. They say I worship Gerald. " Gerald Staunton," she repeated softly. " I wonder if I shall ever meet him ?" " I hope so. In the meantime, remember, if you are in any difficulty, write to me ; I am a widower, and have no one to interfere Avith my correspondence. If you Avant my presence I Avill come, if I can." Madeline glanced in terror at Louis, who had marvellously sharp ears. But as they crossed the road sloAvly to where he Avas standing, cigar in mouth, looking at the sun set betAveen the trees, he did not appear to see or hear them.

She said hurriedly to her companion, in a low voice : " I cannot thank you ; I am sure you don't expect to be thanked, for you are good because you cannot help it. But I have been praying God that some day I may meet your darling son, and be able to do him some kind ness, or some service to show you I am grate ful. I knoAV I am not likely to have the chance ; and it sounds silly to tell my feeling, doesn't it ?" she added timidly. " No, my dear young lady. No man can have too many friends, and I am thankful to have made another friend for my boy," said he kindly. Madeline felt, Avhen Louis became aware of their approach, and they all Avalked back to the hotel, that there Avas an awkward con straint betAveen the two men ; and this feeling greAv so strong during the return drive that she felt quite relieved Avhen the victoria stopped at the porte-cochere of the dingy third rate hotel Avhere she and Louis Avere staying, and Avhen, with a warm pressure of the hand, Mr. Staunton looked into her face kindly and gravely for the last time.

She did not notice his parting Avith Louis, for something in the Englishman's pitying face had suddenly Avoke a pang of horror and fear in her heart that made her turn quickly aAvay and hurry up stairs. She reached her room, lit a candle, and pored over the half-sheet of scraAvled addresses almost reverently Avith glistening eyes. Sud denly the paper Avas taken from her, and, looking up Avith a cry, she saw Louis, Avho examined the scrawl carefully, and then folded it up and put it in his pocket. Then, still without speaking, he got a writing-desk, placed it on the table before her, drew the inkstand forward, and put a pen into her hand. " Now write what I tell you," said he very gently, laying his hand upon her shoulder. " My dear sir " She wrote obediently, with trembling fingers. " Can you fulfill your promise, and come and see me ?

I would not trouble you, but my need is urgent — and it has indeed come soon, as you prophesied " dictated he. She wrote the first few words in stupid, timid, unreasoning submission. But as he spoke the words, " My need is urgent," her hand stopped. As soon as he noticed that she was not writing — for his eyes were fixed on the opposite Avail as he ananged the sentence — he shook her by the shoulder. " Well, go on, go on." Then she turned her head slowly and in fear, and looked up into his face in heartsick wonder. " What does it mean ? What is it for, Louis ?" she asked, in a husky guttural voice. " Never mind. Write as I tell you." She hesitated a moment more, shaking from head to foot. Then, Avith a great sigh, as if she found it hard to draw breath, she Avrote. " What a scrawl, my child !

Never mind. Noav sign it, ' Madeline.' " She did so, and he passed the blotting paper over it, took it from her, AA'rote one Avord at the top of the page — it Avas the name of a place she had never heard of — folded it, put it into an envelope, and dictated the direction : " M. Stanton, Hotel Collet, Lyons." She made one outcry as he put the pen again into her hand. " Oh Louis, for God's sake tell me what it means !" "It is all right, you shall know presently, my darling," said he. " Noav you are tired ; you had better go to bed at once. 1 came up without finishing my cigar ; I think I must run down and have one in the courtyard." " Louis — one moment. I don't under stand. You must have overheard " He laughed as he patted her shoulder good humouredly. " Well, I confess it. When I went to join you, I felt a little jealous to see hoAv Avell you and the Englishman seemed to be getting on together ; so I followed you pretty closely, and you know I have sharp ears ; and Avhen I saw you almost Avhispering to him as you came toAvards me, I thought to myself that I Avould play you a little trick to puzzle you, and punish you for exchanging so much as the shadoAv of a confidence with any one but your husband."

He gave her a long kiss Avhich filled the loving Avoman's eyes Avith light and life. But through all the happiness which his unusual tenderness Avoke in her, she did not forget to whisper, " Oh Louis, thank God, thank God ! You need never, never be jealous Avith me. And your punishment was too hard. That note — I — I don't know what mad fancies it filled me with !" And he laughed at her and kissed her again ; and she clung to him and forgot every thing else for the moment in the joy of feeling his reviving tenderness. But when he had gone doAvn-stairs for his cigar, ugly misgiv ings Avould rise again to trouble her.

Chapter II

Madeline Avas far too submissive by habit to think of disobeying any injunction of Louis' ; therefore, as soon as he had left the room, she Avent to bed, and dutifully tried to go to sleep. But here her well-tried faculty of passive obedience broke down ; that note that Louis had forced her to Avrite puzzled and frightened her ; her husband's explanation that he had made her do it for a trick seemed lame and unsatisfactory, as she thought over the incident with the terrible clearness with AAdiich night shoAvs us all things evil. Yet the very suggestion that he could have had a serious purpose in dictating to her that urgent appeal to Mr. Staunton caused her to start up cold and shuddering, and to rush to the door, and, crouching beside it, listen intently a~L Prince of Darkness. for Louis' footstep, in wild longing for his presence to dispel a great fear.

But he did not come. All through the night she waited and watched, and the active business of the day was in full swing before she fell asleep, her last confused thought a presentiment of coming evil. Broad daylight brought a sharp knock at the door, and the sight of Louis' handwriting on the note, wliich the Avaiter handed her on the tray with her morning coffee, was so suggestive after the night's reflections, that she said to herself before she touched it, " He has deserted me." Then she tore the envelope, and read the letter tAvice through very quietly. " My darling Madeline," the note ran, " I knoAv you will be delighted to hear that I have most opportunely and unexpectedly found some employment which, though it is not of a kind to make our fortunes rapidly, Avill at least relieve me from the terrible trial I have suffered lately, of seeing my sweet queen deprived of the dainty luxuries Avhich beauty has the right to demand.