Читать книгу Judith of the Red Hand - J. Monk Foster - Страница 11

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"My dear Blackwood, how glad I am to meet you so opportunely. And now, I suppose, you will allow me to congratulate you on your luck or good fortune?"

It was dusk; the local medical man and the young manager of the Hill End Mine had just run across one another in the village street; and although he seemed in a hurry, the man addressed paused and grasped the other's extended hand.

"Glad to see you, Dr. Brayton," Gabriel remarked. "But what's that you say about congratulating me? And what, in the name of goodness, do you mean by hinting at my good fortune?"

"Oh! oh!" and the man of physic laughed loudly. "Surely, my dear fellow, you needn't play innocent with me. Don't you know that I am Miss Nancy Haliburton's medical attendant? Well, I was there this afternoon, and she told me all about her forthcoming marriage. There! The fat is in the fire now."

"The deuce she did!" Gabriel snapped out. "Well, I wish she hadn't told you, doctor. It was understood that we should keep that matter to ourselves."

"Fancy a woman keeping such a business to herself. But it shall go no further, man! Miss Nancy urged me to secrecy, and you can trust me, Blackwood. Again I congratulate you. Your future wife is one of the best-hearted and most sensible women I ever met."

"Thanks! And you are right, Brayton. Nancy is a good woman, and I mean to make her a good husband."

"I know you will; and the woman simply loves the very ground you walk upon. Well, good evening; and the best of luck. But a moment, please, Blackwood, there is one matter I, perhaps, ought to mention. Miss Haliburton seems in the very pink of health, but, as her future husband, I must warn you that she is not strong. There is some slight affection of the heart. You understand, and will take care of her?"

"She is a good, true, and noble woman," the miner cried earnestly, "and my life shall be spent in her service. Good evening, and many thanks for your warning."

While Blackwood and Dr. Brayton were holding that whispered conversation in the Saxilham main street, the pit-brow girl, Judith Trafford, was loitering on the bank of the river some quarter of a mile away. That afternoon when the lass got home from work she had found a brief note from her lover awaiting her. That note ran so:—

My Dear Judith,—

"I must see you this evening. I have something of great importance to tell you. Shortly after dusk walk along the bank of the Saxe, somewhere near the Old Quarry Bridge. Do not tell anyone, dear, where you are going, or that you have to meet me. But do not fail to be there, and if I am a bit late you must wait till I come.

Gabriel Blackwood."

She was awaiting now for her lover, with his note nestling inside the bosom of her gown, and wondering what such a summons might mean. The dusk was merging into summer night, the riverside was quite deserted, and only the soft swish of the Saxe disturbed the warm stillness. Then she heard quick footfalls, a dark form loomed up in the thickening twilight, she was in Gabriel's arms, and they were lip to lip.

"Judith! How glad I am you are here! Come let us cross the bridge."

They went along the river's edge a few yards, crossed a low, wooden bridge, and in a few minutes were sitting in an old disused quarry, whose tall, crumbling sides made the deep dusk deeper still.

"What is it, Gabriel?" she asked presently, for he sat there silent, with a gloomy face.

"I scarce know how to tell you," he murmured, "and there is so much to tell."

"It is not trouble, Gabriel?" and her voice was soft and low with a note of anxiety in it, while her small hand stole out to clasp his great palm.

"Trouble for you, Judith, but glory for me," he whispered huskily. "But I have taken the plunge, and I—we—must abide by it now!"

"Whatever can you mean, dear Gabriel?" and the lissom fingers interlinked themselves with his own.

"I only mean this. While I was engaged to you, I have asked another woman to be my wife!"

"What woman? And her answer?" and her clinging fingers loosed his like a hot stone.

"The woman is Nancy Haliburton, and her answer was yes!"

"Oh, my God! And you loved me, Gabriel! What made you do this thing? You have sold your manhood to that woman for a mess of pottage. Why have you done it? Why did you bring me here?" She sprang to her feet then, and flung her hands to her face.

"I came to tell you the truth, Judith. You must not go. Better hear the truth from me now, than lies from others later. As God is my Judge I never loved a woman but you. Nay, I love you still! But I was powerless—I am so still—against the temptation that came in my way. This woman offered me so much! I was to be her manager, agent, everything. I was to have a share in the mine—all of it! Herself, too, if I cared to take her. And loving you with all my soul I grasped at the power and glory of being rich and powerful, a master of mines and men!"

"Oh, Gabriel, how base! How can you marry that woman when you do not love her! Roderick Norbury was right! He knew you better than I did. For ambition, money, power, you will ruin my life, act a loathsome lie—live one for ever with Miss Nancy! Let me go now!"

"Stay! Sit down Judith!" and his sharp words thrust her back on the big unhewn stone. "I could not help it," he went on more calmly. "My very soul was pulled two ways. I hunger for you, and I hunger for what that woman can give me. Why should I slave for years for a few hundred pounds when I can step into thousands by gratifying this dear, good, true-hearted old maiden's fancy?"

"Your manhood should rise against it!" she cried. "Her womanhood would if she knew the truth. Why shouldn't I tell her the truth, Gabriel?"

"Because I tell you not to, Judith," he whispered. "Remember that I love you still, and shall always love you. Besides, you are only a child still; I am but a few years older; and who can tell what may happen in a little while? As true as death, Judith, if I were a rich man now I would marry you, and thank God for your beauty and love. But I am only poor and ambitious. Yet in a year or two I may be rich and free. Do you understand?"

"No! What would you have me understand?"

"This!" and his voice fell to a low sibilant whisper. "Coming to meet you I met Dr. Brayton. He is Miss Haliburton's medical man, it seems. He had heard of my—of what I have told you, and he offered me his congratulations. But he told me something else. Miss Nancy is not strong. She is affected with heart disease. Now do you understand?"

"Oh, my God!" she cried again. "And you ask me to wait for another woman's shoes, till she is dead and they are empty! Gabriel! Gabriel! what evil thing must you think me! Heaven knows I never thought the man I loved—my man of men—could ever fall to such baseness!"

"I love you Judith, and that is my excuse!" he growled. "It seems base—is base, but I will never give up all hope of winning and owning you some day. That is why I am here. I want you to promise me that no word of our sweethearting shall ever pass your lips! I want you to promise that you will never look kindly on another man! I want you to promise that you will wait for me one year—five years if need be—till I am rich and free!"

"I will make no such unholy promise!" she cried, rising with a set white face. "But you needn't fear that I shall go prating about our sweethearting," she went on bitterly. "I am not one to carry my woe on my face that the village gossips may laugh at or pity me, and God knows, Gabriel Blackwood, that take me or leave me no one shall ever learn the truth from me!"

Her voice broke ere she finished, and she fled from the gloomy quarry; but he heard her sobs and he called after her once. She either heard not or would not heed. And then he heard her feet pattering on the wooden bridge.

As he paced homeward with a grim face he scarce knew whether to be glad he was rid of her so easily, or sorry he had so rudely rent asunder all ties that bound them together.