Читать книгу The Interloper - E. Phillips Oppenheim - Страница 4

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Pietro waved his hand with a grand gesture. He leaned against the rampart and pointed downwards. Many years spent in his profession as semi-mendicant guide had imbued him with a sense of possession in the treasures which he displayed.

"Approach and behold, Signor and Signorina," he invited the two young people who were his temporary victims. "The parapet is strong. One may lean against it."

"My God, what a climb!" the young man exclaimed breathlessly.

"But what a view!" his sister murmured.

They were on the summit of the hill of Pellini. A few hundred feet below was the ancient hill town from which they had climbed, and all around them, like a sea in the fading light, one of the plains of central Italy; a hardly tilled land, sparse of vegetation but full of colour—a land of vineyard and olive trees; brown meadowland on which thin cattle were feeding. Pietro pointed to a shoulder of the hill immediately below them, on the far edge of which was a long grey-stone building—a building obviously ecclesiastical in character, approached by a long cypress-bordered drive, and with a familiar cross on the steep mound behind.

"From this point, gracious Signorina and Signor," Pietro continued, "you may behold one of the most magnificent views in central Italy. If you will move to where I am standing and look down, you see first of all the famous Monastery of St. Joseph—a building which has been occupied without interruption by monks of the same order since fourteen hundred and seventy-two. Beyond——"

The girl interrupted him with a little gesture. She was a tourist, but she was not fond of guides.

"No more historical facts, please," she begged. "I just want to look at the view."

"Regular gas bag, this fellow," her brother grumbled, lighting a cigarette. "I had enough of him down in the town."

The girl leaned the tips of her fingers upon the top of the rampart. She was tall and very beautiful. The slight air of listlessness which detracted occasionally from the charm of her expression had completely vanished. She was gazing out towards the horizon with a look of soft content in her clear brown eyes. Her lips were parted. She was still rather breathless.

"Did you ever see such colouring, Eustace?" she exclaimed. "Look at the saffron light behind the olive trees there, the blue mist in the distance, and those fingers of purple cloud!"

Her brother gazed complacently around.

"Jolly fine building that monastery, too," he remarked. "Seems in a bit better repair than most of them. I bet there are trout in that stream," he added, leaning a little farther over to watch the clear torrent below.

Pietro, who had been inclined to sulk, recovered himself. After all, they were of the nobility and very wealthy—this beautiful young woman and her brother. He had overheard their chauffeur's conversation in the courtyard of the hotel.

"I tell you all about these things, gracious lady and Signor, if you letta me," he reminded them gently. "The Hill of Calvary——"

The girl interrupted him again, more firmly than ever this time.

"Not a word," she insisted. "If we want to know anything, we will ask questions. Listen!"

From behind the grey walls below there stole upwards the most marvellously blended music in the world—the music of men's voices singing to the strains of a great organ. The melody rose and fell and died away. The girl listened, entranced.

"Thank heavens that women haven't voices like that," she exclaimed. "I might be tempted to enter a nunnery."

"You letta me speak, and I tell you something interesting," Pietro proposed.

"Go ahead then," the young man assented.

"Twice a year," Pietro confided, "novices are admitted to the monastery. The night before they spend in prayer—here, upon this rampart."

"Why here?" the girl enquired.

"This is the boundary of the town," Pietro explained. "Beyond the wall, all the land that you can see belongs to the monastery. The novice, he prays here upon the borderland. At sunrise the monks come up by that winding path and fetch him. They open that gate in the wall there and he passes through. To-night is one of the nights."

"Do you mean that there will be novices praying here to-night?" she asked.

"Francis will come from the city below," Pietro announced. "He has been long making up his mind, but they say that he will come."

"And who is Francis?"

"He is an orphan. His mother had a little villa in the bend of the hills. Now she is dead and Francis has come to live in the city. They say that his father was English."

The girl listened for a moment and frowned.

"Here come the rest of them!" she exclaimed. "Sir Stephen and mother between them are driving me crazy with their passion for dates and archæology. Let's climb up to the top of the hill, Eustace."

Her brother shook his head. He had the air of an athlete but he was scarcely in the best of condition. His cheeks were puffy and his forehead was damp.

"Not another yard, Monica," he declared. "I'm not in form for these Alpine feats. I shall go back to the town and see if I can find an interesting café. There's a promising one just outside the garage. You can come down with the others."

"Idiot!" she scoffed. "You desert a view like this for sweet vermouth and a pair of black eyes! I saw her looking at you over the muslin blinds. A happy adventure to you! I'm off!"

She turned to follow a footpath on the opposite side of the road. Her brother sauntered towards the little group who had just appeared around the bend: an elderly gentleman of severely aristocratic appearance, a comfortable-looking lady, very much out of breath, and a middle-aged, fussy-looking man in a grey Norfolk coat and knickerbockers, grey worsted stockings and thick shoes. Each of the newcomers was true to type. The gentleman who affected the costume of a hardy pedestrian was Sir Stephen Dobelle, head of the firm of Dobelle, Miles & Dobelle, solicitors of Lincoln's Inn, and his two companions were Henry, eighth Duke of Chatfield and Susan his wife. Pietro hastened towards them, hat in hand.

"The noble lady has done well to give herself the fatigue of climbing," he declared. "From the ramparts here is the most extensive view of middle Italy. On the right behold the Monastery of St. Joseph. Note well the Calvary behind. It has been called the most beautiful in the world."

The Duchess leaned against one of the buttresses and fanned herself vigorously.

"Don't talk to me about the view, my good man, for a few minutes!" she exclaimed. "I'm terribly out of breath! Henry, I shall have to let a doctor examine my heart directly we get back."

"It would be as well, my dear," he conceded.

The two men walked to the edge of the ramparts and gazed downwards.

"The fellow's right! It's a damned fine view," Sir Stephen announced.

"Quite a panorama," the Duke acquiesced graciously. "By the bye, Dobelle," he went on, after a moment's pause, "I have been wondering why the name of this place seemed so familiar. Wasn't it round in these parts—er—er——"

"Precisely," Sir Stephen interrupted. "It was somewhere in this locality that your brother, the late Duke, sought romance and grew olives with a beautiful Italian lady. I had letters from him often bearing this postmark."

"One feels almost an intruder to have blundered upon the spot," the Duke murmured.

The lawyer shrugged his shoulders.

"The lady died a short time before your brother," he observed. "There was some small property here, I believe, but we thought it best in the interests of the family to make no enquiries. The estate could spare it."

The Duchess had risen from her stony seat and came towards them.

"I must get away from this man," she declared. "Can't some one stop him? He is boring me to death."

"Dear Duchess, you cannot stop him," Sir Stephen rejoined. "It's the only way an Italian ever works—with his tongue. He's paid to tell us all about this place, and he'll do it whether we listen or not."

"But I don't see why I should be the only victim," she complained.

The word offended Pietro—or perhaps he thought simulated offence the easiest way to the pocket of these wealthy English.

"Victim!" he repeated. "The signora is unkind. You not like me tell you about the place?"

"Your services in leading us to this spot were appreciated and will be remunerated," Sir Stephen promised. "Now that we are here, however, your job is finished."

"Very well," Pietro replied with dignity. "I say no more. I would have spoken of Francis. You shall not hear of him."

The Duchess turned away.

"I feel that Francis would be the last straw," she confessed. "Give me your arm, Henry. I have had enough of sight-seeing. I think that I shall rest for an hour or so before dinner. By the bye, where is Monica?"

"On the rocks, there," Sir Stephen answered, pointing upwards, "scrambling about like a young goat. I'll wait for her."

"Don't let her stay too long," her mother enjoined. "There's quite a cold wind already, and it will be dark in half an hour. Call to her if she doesn't come down."

"I will.—Here, Pietro!"

Pietro, who had started to follow his retreating patrons, retraced his steps. The lawyer waited until the other two were out of earshot.

"What about this Francis?" he enquired.

"He come here to-night to pray," the guide confided. "At dawn the door there will open and he will pass down the path."

"To the monastery?"

"To the life that is death."

His questioner scratched his chin meditatively.

"Tell me, Pietro," he enquired, "why did you think that we should be interested in Francis?"

Pietro shrugged his shoulders.

"Because," he replied, "Francis is English like you, and," pointing after the descending figures, "tall like him."

"Is that all?"

Pietro shrugged his shoulders once more. He was impatient to follow his patrons.

"What more should there be, Signor?"

He slunk off. The lawyer turned round and gazed thoughtfully across the plain. It was curious that a breakdown to one of the cars should have delayed them at this particular place. Once or twice during the last few years he had half decided to make some enquiries—and yet, what was the use? From the fact that his late client had left behind him no instructions, it became manifest what his wishes were. And yet in the lawyer's mind there had always been that slight feeling of uneasiness. He brooded upon the matter until he was suddenly conscious that there were dark patches of semi-obscurity hovering over the landscape, that shadows seemed to be crawling down from the hills, and that above him a star had appeared. He looked up to the rocks to call for Lady Monica and found a young man standing a few feet away, gazing at him enquiringly—a young man, tall and slight, with black hair, unusual features and scowling expression. Sir Stephen stared at him, entirely bereft of words. The coming of this intruder was without a doubt a shock.

"It is late for sight-seers," the latter pointed out coldly. "You had better descend or you may lose your way."

Sir Stephen recovered himself.

"Do you mind telling me your name?" he asked.

"The question is impertinent but I will answer it if it will rid me of your presence sooner. My name is Francis and I came here to be alone."

"Your other name?"

"I have none."

"But you are English," his questioner persisted. "You must have another name."

The scowl on the other's face deepened into passion. His eyes—cold grey eyes they were—flashed.

"I am not English," he declared.

"But my dear fellow——"

"You are making yourself very offensive," the young man interrupted. "I beg that you will leave me alone. This night is not my own."

Sir Stephen had recovered his composure. To him the occasion had become a serious one.

"On the contrary," he pointed out, "if what they tell me is true, this is the last night you can call your own. I wish to speak to you."

"Say what you have to say, and go then," was the curt admonition.

"I wish to speak to you of your father," the lawyer announced. "You see, I know quite well who you are. I knew your father when he was your age."

To a casual observer the anger seemed to have passed from the young man's face. His expression had become tense and drawn. There was still, however, the fever in his eyes.

"I should advise you," he said, "to hold your peace. You have reminded me that I am still of the earth—a layman and free to do as I will. If I thought that you were a friend of my father, do you know what I should be tempted to do?"

"Well?"

"To throw you over the ramparts. You see that corner. There is a sheer fall of three hundred feet there."

Sir Stephen was no coward. He remained absolutely unmoved.

"Is that the spirit which you are going to take with you down there?" he asked, pointing to the monastery.

"It is the spirit which was born with me," was the measured reply. "I seek refuge there because if I remain outside those walls I shall commit a crime."

The lawyer had lost all his mannerisms. He was a kind-hearted man and he was deeply interested.

"Francis," he said, "if what I suspect is true, you are one of those unfortunate children of the world who have been wronged by their parents. But remember they are not always to be blamed."

"Why not?" the young man asked harshly.

"There were reasons at least why your father should have hesitated to marry a peasant girl."

"My mother was not a peasant girl. She was noble, although her father tilled his own land. In England you make nobles of the richest of your shopkeepers and men of commerce.—You see that I am controlling myself, but if you continue to talk to me in this strain please come a little farther away from the edge of the rampart."

"I am not afraid," Sir Stephen assured him. "We have met by accident and I am going to say what I feel that it is my duty to say to you. Why you were left poor and unrecognised I do not know, but at least I can promise you that it was never your father's intention. Every man expects to be able to send a message or add a codicil to his will on his deathbed. Your father died in the hunting field, without a moment's warning. I know what his wish would have been and I am here to carry it into effect, if possible. Give up the idea of this living death. His relatives shall see that you are well provided for. I pledge my word to it."

The young man closed his eyes. He remained silent for a few moments. When he opened them his voice shook a little.

"This is not hesitation," he explained. "I am obliged to pray for your sake. Every word you say makes the blood hot in my veins and sets my hand twitching for a weapon. My fingers should wither before they touched a penny of charity from my father's people."

Sir Stephen was disturbed. He felt that he was making no headway; that he was a poor advocate. His case was surely a good one, and yet in this young man's presence his brain seemed clouded.

"Francis," he went on, "your father was weak sometimes. He was never wicked. I was his lawyer, his executor—I might almost say, his confidential friend. I am perfectly certain that if he had lived you would have found yourself committed to my care. Cannot you accept the situation in that way? It is a terrible thing for a young man like you to cut yourself off from life. You know what you will find—down there."

"Peace," was the gloomy reply.

"Peace at your age!" Sir Stephen scoffed. "You are too young to make up your mind on such a subject. Give the world at least a trial. You can trust me."

"I trust no one of your speech. Let me show you this."

He drew from the loose pocket of his coat a fifteenth-century weapon in a quaint metal sheath, which he slowly displayed—a very ugly line of quivering blue steel.

"I've seen hundreds of them in the curio shops," the lawyer remarked. "Very interesting, but why carry it about with you?"

"I bought it," the young man confided, "to plunge it into the heart of the first person who ever spoke to me of my father in friendly fashion."

Sir Stephen was a little annoyed. The young man's speech seemed to him to have introduced a needless tone of melodrama into an already sufficiently difficult situation. He pushed the dagger on one side impatiently.

"My young friend," he protested, "this is the language of the past. You must have some common sense somewhere. I want you to bring it into our conversation."

"Past or present, it is the only tongue I speak," was the steady reply. "If you choose to make a murderer of me you can do so. Then it will be I who will take that three hundred feet drop from the ramparts. I can assure you that I am quite indifferent."

Sir Stephen had a great deal more to say, but he remained dumb. He was a man of instincts, notwithstanding his legal training, and he suddenly realised that this strange young man was in deadly earnest. He even saw the twitch of his fingers, read the growing purpose in his brain. He turned away.

"I am sorry," he said. "You are making a great mistake."

Francis made no reply. He stood listening for some time to the reluctantly retreating footsteps. Then he fell on his knees with his arms folded upon the rampart wall. Below, the harsh tinkling of a bell was summoning the brown-robed toilers from their work on the land.