If I were offered my heart's in return for so doing, I not tell you how I got home after my with Nikola at the Palace Revecce. I was of save that I had gone to Nikola's house in the of being able to save the life of a man, I had the best of for hating, and that at the last moment I had and the field. No have been more complete. Nikola had a victory, and I it, and of it. On the hotel I was about to from my gondola, when a voice me from another craft, in the direction I had come.
"Dick Hatteras, as I'm a sinner!" it cried. "Don't you know me, Dick?"
I to see a I well at me from the gondola. I my own man put me out into the stream, which he did, and presently the two gondolas[Pg 293] by side. The man who had me was none other than George Beckworth, a Queensland sugar-planter, with I had been on terms of the most in days. And as there was a lady seated him, I the that he had married since I had last him.
"This is a surprise," he said, as we hands. "By the way, let me you to my wife, Dick." He said this with all the of a newly-married man. "My dear, this is my old friend, Dick Hatteras, of I have so often spoken to you. What are you doing in Venice, Dick?"
"I have my wife and some friends with me," I answered. "We are at Galaghetti's hotel yonder. Cannot you and your wife with us to-night?"
"Impossible, I am afraid," he answered. "We sail to-night in the P. and O. boat. Won't you come and with us?"
"That is impossible," I replied. "We have friends with us. But I should like to see something more of you you go, and if you will allow me I'll after dinner for a about old times."
"I shall be delighted," he answered. "Be sure that you do not it."
Having him that I would not permit[Pg 294] it to my memory, I him "good-bye," and then returned to my hotel. A more meeting have occurred, for now I was with an excellent for my party, and for being alone for a time. Once more I that I was a for not to my fellow-men. Under the circumstances, however, I that it was impossible. I no more have the to Glenbarth's happy than I have jumped the Grand Canal. For the time being the of my fellow-creatures was to me. On to my rooms I my wife and the Duke in the drawing-room, and was by the that Miss Trevor had again been to retire to her room with a headache.
"In that case I am you will only be a small party for dinner," I said. "I am going to ask you to me. You have often me speak, my dear, of George Beckworth, the Queensland sugar-planter, with I used to be on such terms in the old days?"
My wife that she me speak of the in question.
"Well, he is in Venice," I replied, "and he to-night by the P. and O. for Colombo. As it is the last time I shall be likely to see him[Pg 295] for many years, I sure you will not mind my his invitation?"
"Of not, if the Duke will you," she said, and, when the question was put to him, Glenbarth to do so.
I to my room to make my toilet. Then, having my wife "good-bye," I a and ordered the man to me to the of Saint Mark. Thence I set off for a walk through the city, little in which way I went. It was dark by this time, and I there was little of my being recognized, or of my any one else. All the time, however, my memory was by the of that room at the Palace Revecce, and of what was in all going on in it. My rose at the idea—all my from it. A of Nikola, such as I had before, was succeeded by a chill, as I how I was to the catastrophe. What I do? To have to him in his would have been than useless, while to have to the Authorities would only have had the of myself in direct opposition to him, and who what would then? I looked at it from another point of view. Why should I be so to on the Spaniard's[Pg 296] behalf? I had his on the of the duel; I had from Nikola of the of those in Equinata; moreover, I was well aware that he was a thief, and also a to his country. Why should he not be as he deserved, and why should not Nikola be his executioner? I to myself that this was only fit and proper retribution, but this was no more successful than the last had been.
Arguing in this way I walked on and on, to right or left, just as the took me. Presently I myself in a of the town into which I had penetrated. At the moment of which I am about to write, I was in a narrow lane, with large stones, having high houses on either hand. Suddenly an old man the and approached me. As he passed, I saw his face, and an to Nikola had spoken in the little church on that when he had taken us on a of through the city. He was visibly agitated, and was in haste. For some that I cannot explain, nor, I suppose, shall I be able to do so, an to him took of me. It must have been more than a desire, for[Pg 297] I that I must go with him I to or not. I into the house after him, and him along the passage and up the of stairs that from it. Having one we our ascent; the of voices us from the different rooms, but we saw no one. On the second landing the old man paused a door, opened it very softly, and entered. I him, and looked about me. It was a that met my eyes. The room was a one, and furnished. A table and a narrow were its only furniture. On the a man was lying, and on the him, the thin hands in his own, was no less a person than Doctor Nikola himself. I saw that he was aware of my presence, but he took no more notice of me than if I had not existed.
"You called me too late, my Antonio," he said, the old man I had followed. "Nothing can save him now. He was when I arrived."
On this the old man on his the and into a of weeping. Nikola his hand with a upon the other's shoulder, and at the moment that he did so the man upon the expired.
"Do not for him, my friend," said[Pg 298] Nikola. "Believe me, it was from the first. He is as it is."
Then, with all the of a woman, he to the old man, only son upon the bed. I no more of the than what I had seen, have I more of it since, but I had been permitted to see another of his character, and one which, in the light of circumstances, was not to be denied. He had his offices there was a step outside, and a black-browed entered the room. He looked from Nikola to myself, and then at the man upon the bed.
"Farewell, my good Antonio," said Nikola. "Have no fear. Remember that your is my care."
Then, having said something in an to the priest, he his hand upon my arm and me from the room. When we had left them he in a voice not that in which he had the old man, "Hatteras, this is another lesson. Is it so difficult to learn?"
I do not that I any answer. We passed the stairs together, and, when we the street, for a moment at the house-door.
"You will not be able to me," he[Pg 299] said; "nevertheless, I tell you that the end is nearer by that one scene. It will not be long it comes now. All considered, I do not know that I shall it."
Then, without another word, he away into the darkness, me to place what I pleased upon his last speech. For some moments I where he had left me, over his words, and then set off in the direction I had come. As may be imagined, I less than for the happy, party I I should on the steamer, but I had my promise, and not out of it. When I the of St. Mark once more I to the steps and a gondola, telling the man to take me to the P. and O. then at in the harbour. He did so, and I my way up the accommodation-ladder to the above, to that the in the had just their dinner, and were making their on the deck. I of the for Mr. Beckworth, and him in the act of a cigar at the smoking-room door.
He me effusively, and me to where I was while he in search of his wife. When she arrived, I her to be a little woman, with big eyes,[Pg 300] and a manner. She was good to say that she had such a me from her husband, and had always looked to making my acquaintance. I a cigar from Beckworth's case, and we then to the smoking-room for a long talk together. When we had ourselves, my friend's of commenced, and I was aware of all the events that had in Queensland since my departure, was with his opinion of England, which he had visited, and was with the as to how he had met his wife, and of the happy event with which their had been concluded.
"Altogether," he said, "taking one thing with another, I don't know that you'd be able to a much in the world than I am at this moment."
I said I was to it, and as I did so his breezy, happy-go-lucky manner with those of other people I had been in with that day. My with him must have done me good, for I on, and the hour was late when I left the ship. Indeed, it wanted only a minutes of eleven o'clock as I the accommodation-ladder to the gondola, which I had ordered to come for me at ten.[Pg 301]
"Galaghetti's hotel," I said to the man, "and as as you can."
When I had my friends "good-bye" and left the ship, I cheerful, but no sooner had the of Venice closed in upon me again than all my old returned to me. A of settled upon me, and do what I would I not shake it off.
When I the hotel I that my party had retired to rest. My wife was sleeping quietly, and not for bed, and if I did go I might be by more of a to that I had had on the previous night, I to go to the drawing-room and read there for a time. This plan I into execution, and taking up a new book in which I was very much interested, seated myself in an easy-chair and to it. I some difficulty, however, in my attention upon it. My to my that with Nikola, and also to the I had in the after dark. I I must have asleep, for I nothing else until I to myself up and to a light step in the outside. I looked at my watch to that the time was exactly[Pg 302] a to one. In that case, as we the whole of the corridor, who it be? In order to out I to the door, and opened it. A light was always left in the passage the night, and by it I was able to see a tall and figure, which I recognized, making for the secondary stairs at the end. Now these stairs, so I had been to understand, to another of the hotel into which I had penetrated. Why, therefore, Miss Trevor was using them at such an hour, and, above all, for going out, I not for the life of me determine. I see that, if I was to out, I must be quick; so, into the room again, I up my and set off in pursuit. As the will prove, it was, perhaps, as well that I did so.
By the time I the top of the stairs she was at the bottom, and was along another passage to the right. At the end of this was a door, the of which she undid, with an and that me. So was she of her whereabouts, and so easily did she the door, that I to that she must have used that passage many times before. At last she opened it and passed out into the darkness, it to after her. I had paused to watch[Pg 303] her; now I on than before, that, if I were not careful, I might her outside. Having passed the door I myself in a narrow lane, on either by high walls, and some fifty or sixty yards in extent. The lane, in its turn, opened into a small square, out of which two or three other narrow streets. She to the left and passed one of these; I close upon her heels. Of all the to which our in Venice had rise, this was one of the most remarkable. That Gertrude Trevor, the English girl, the of a of the Church and a bishop, should her hotel in the middle of the night in order to about with which she was most acquainted, was a I difficult to solve. When she had a bridge, which a small canal, she once more to the left, passed along the a palace, and then entered a narrow passage on the right. The were all large, and, as a natural consequence, the were so dark that I had some in her in sight. As a of she had stopped, and I was almost upon her I aware of it. Even then she did not to my presence. She was a small door,[Pg 304] which she was to push open. At last she succeeded, and without to some steps inside. Once more I took up the chase, though where we were, and what we were going to do there, I had not the least idea. The small in which we ourselves was stone-paved, and for this I that she did not my footsteps. It is certain, however, that she did not, for she for a door I just on the opposite to that by which we had entered, without her head. It was at this point that I to wish I had a or some with me. When she was about to open the door I have just mentioned, I called her by name, and her to wait for me, but still she took no notice. Could she be a somnambulist? I asked myself. But if this were so, why had she this particular house? Having passed the door we in a second and larger courtyard, and it was then that the whole to me. The house to which I had her was the Palace Revecce, and she was on her way to Nikola! But for what reason? Was this a of Nikola's, or had her terrible taken such a upon her that she was not for her actions? Either was enough. Pausing for a moment in the beside[Pg 305] the well, she to her right hand and to the stairs that room, which, so as I knew, she had visited before. When she it I how to act. Should I enter her and Nikola of having her there, or should I wait and what them? At last I up my mind to the course, and, when she had entered, I and waited for her. Through the half-open door I see Nikola, over what looked like a at a side-table. He looked up as Miss Trevor entered, and a of surprise. As I this a of me, for his action proved to me that her visit had not been anticipated.
"Miss Trevor!" he said, moving to her, "what this mean? How did you here?"
"I have come to you," she faltered, "because I not away. I have come to you that I may of you that man's life. Doctor Nikola, I you to him!"
"My dear lady," said Nikola, with a in his voice that me of that I had in the death-chamber a hours before, "you cannot what you are[Pg 306] doing. You must let me take you to your friends. You should not be here at this hour of the night."
"But I was to come—don't I tell you I not away? Spare him! Oh! for God's sake, him!"
"You do not know what you are asking. You are not to-night."
"I only know that I am of you," she answered. "You must not do it! You are so great, so powerful, that you can to forgive. Take my life than him. I will it to save you from this sin."
"To—save—me," I him to himself. "She would save me!"
"God would forgive," she continued, still in the same voice.
He moved away from her, and from where I I see how he was. For some moments she knelt, looking up at him, with arms in supplication; then he said something to her in a low voice, which I not catch. Her answer, however, was plain to me.
"Yes, I have it always in my dreams," she said.
"And that, you would still wish me to him?"
i008
"She knelt, with arms outstretched, in supplication."
"In the name of God I would you to do[Pg 307] so," she answered. "The safety of your upon it."
Once more Nikola away and the room.
"Are you aware that Sir Richard Hatteras was here on the same this afternoon?" he asked.
"I know it," she replied, though how she have done so I not conceive, have I been able to do so since.
"And he know that you have come to me now asking me to forgive?"
"He it," she answered, as before. "He me here."
As she had looked her, how had she this also?
Then Nikola approached the door and it open.
"Come in, Hatteras," he said. "Your presence is discovered."
"For heaven's sake, Nikola, tell me what this means," I cried, that the girl did not turn me. "Is she asleep, or have you your upon her?"
"She is not asleep, and yet she is not of her actions," he answered. "There is something in this that our philosophy. Had I any idea that she such a thing, I would have used every to prevent[Pg 308] it. Miss Trevor, me, you must go home with Sir Richard," he continued, the girl to her as he spoke.
"I cannot go until you have to forgive," was her reply.
"I must have time to think," he answered. "In the you will know everything. Trust me until then, and always that while Nikola he will be grateful."
Then he me to her down-stairs, and across the two courtyards, to the little door through which we had entered the palace.
"Have no for her," he said, me. "She will go home as she came. And in the she will nothing of what has transpired."
Then taking her hand in his he it to his lips, and a moment later had me farewell, and had into the once more.
As I her from the hotel, so I her to it again. I was none the less anxious, however. If only Nikola would his purpose, and his enemy, her action and my would not be in vain. But would he do so, and in the event of his doing this, would his that Miss Trevor would, in the morning, nothing of what had transpired, prove true?[Pg 309]
Turning, as before, we on our way. My was that the door through which we had our would be to be on our return. Happily, however, this did not prove to be the case. I saw Miss Trevor enter, and then her. She the passage, the stairs, passed along the corridor, and her way to her own room. As soon as I had that she was safely there, I on to my own dressing-room, and on entering my wife's had the good to her still asleep. I was still more in the when I she had not missed me, and being satisfied on this point, I to say nothing our adventure.
Miss Trevor was the last to put in an at breakfast, and, as you may suppose, I her with some anxiety. She looked and worn, but it was from her manner when she me, that she had not the least idea what she had done the night. Nikola's promise had proved to be true, and for that I was more than to keep my to myself. Events not have out more for all parties concerned.
Shortly after a was to[Pg 310] me, and, at the writing, I saw that it was from Nikola. I was alone at the time of it, a for which I was grateful. I will you to with what I opened it. It was short, and a that I would call at the Palace Revecce that day, if I the hour. I to do so, and I the twenty minutes or so the time. The old servitor, who by this time had familiar with my face, opened the door and permitted me to enter. I if Doctor Nikola were at home, and to my was that he was not.
"Perhaps your Excellency would like to see the other Senor?" the old man asked, pointing up the stairs.
I was about to this with all possible haste, when a voice I as that of the Don me from the above.
"Won't you come up-stairs, Sir Richard?" it said. "I have a for you, from my friend, Doctor Nikola!"
I the of my and ears, and when I the room of which I had such terrible recollections, my was than lessened. Martinos had a complete metamorphosis. In he was no longer the[Pg 311] same person, who only the day had me with such terrible repulsions. If such a thing be believed, he was more like his old self—as I had him.
"Where is Doctor Nikola?" I inquired, when I had looked the room and noticed the of the chemical paraphernalia, the of books, and the in it.
"He away early this morning," the Don replied. "He left a for you, and me to give it you as soon as you should call. I have much in doing so now."
I took it and it almost in my pocket.
"Are you aware when he will return?" I asked.
"He will do so," Martinos replied. "I the old man this morning, he had the best master he had had."
"And you?"
"I am ruined, as you know," he said, without any to his illness, "but the good doctor has been good to place twenty thousand to my credit, and I shall go and attempt to it."
He must have been much better, for he in the old way as he said this. Remembering what I of him, I turned[Pg 312] from the man in disgust, and him good-day, left the room which I to see again as long as I might live. In the I the old once more.
"So the Senor Nikola has gone away to return?" I said.
"That is so, Senor," said the old man with a sigh. "He has left me a rich man, but I do not like to think that I shall see him again."
Sitting upon the of the well I took from my pocket the the Don had me.
"Farewell, friend Hatteras," it began. "By the time you this I shall have left Venice, more to set in it. We shall not meet again. I go to the Fate which me, and of which I told you. Think of me sometimes, and, if it be possible, with kindness,
"Nikola."
I rose and moved the door, a gold piece in the old man's hand as I passed him. Then, with a last look at the courtyard, I the steps and took my place in the gondola, with a of in my for the sad Destiny of the most man I had known.
