Part 20 (1/2)
The cigar box was selected and Denzil had once more resumed his seat in a big chair before either of them spoke again.
”I perfectly understand that there is some mystery here, Denzil--and that you cannot tell me--and equally I cannot ask you any questions, but it may be that in the days that are coming I could be of a.s.sistance to you.
I have some very curious information which I am holding concerning Ferdinand Ardayre in his activities. You can always count on me--”
Verisschenzko rose from his chair, stirred deeply with the thoughts which were coursing through his brain.
”Denzil--I love that woman--I am absolutely determined that I shall not do so in any way but in spirit--I long for her to be happy--protected.
She has an exquisite soul--I would have given her to you with contentment. You are her counterpart upon this plane--”
Denzil remained silent, he had never seen Stepan so agitated. The situation was altogether very unusual. Then he asked:
”Do you think Ferdinand will make some protest then?”
”It is possible.”
”But there is absolutely nothing to be said, the fact of there being a child refutes all the old rumours.”
”In law--”
”In every way,” a flush had mounted to Denzil's forehead.
”You know Lemon Bridges?” Verisschenzko suggested.
”Yes--why do you ask?”
”He is a remarkably clever surgeon. It is said that he is also a gentleman; if this news surprises him he will not express his feelings probably.”
Stepan was observing his friend with the minutest scrutiny now, while he spoke lazily once more as though upon a casual topic bent, and he saw that a lightning flash of anxiety pa.s.sed through Denzil's eyes.
”I do not see how any one can have a word to say about the matter,” and he lit his cigar deliberately. ”John is awfully pleased--”
”And so am I--and so are you, and so will be the lady Amaryllis. Thus we can only wish for general happiness, and not antic.i.p.ate difficulties which may never occur. When is the event to happen?”
”The beginning of next May,” Denzil announced, without hesitation, and then the flush deepened, for he suddenly remembered that John had not mentioned any date in his letter!
The subject was growing embarra.s.sing, and he asked, so as to change it:
”What is your friend, Madame Boleski, doing now, Stepan?”
”She is receiving news from Germany which I shall endeavour to have her transmit to me, and I have some suspicion that she is transmitting any information which she can pick up here to Germany, but I cannot yet be sure. When I am, then I shall have no mercy. She would betray any country for an hour's personal pleasure or gain. I have not yet discovered who the man was at the Ardayre ball--I told you about it, did I not? Just then more important matters pressed and I could not follow up the clue.”
”She is certainly physically attractive, and all the things she says are so obvious and easy, she is quite a rest at a dinner, but Lord! think of spending one's life with a woman like that!” and Denzil smiled.
”There are very few women whom it would be possible to contemplate in calmness spending one's life with, because one's own needs change, and the woman's also. The tie is a galling bond unless it can be looked at with common sense by both--but I think men are quite as illogical as women over it, and of such an incredible vanity! It is because we have mixed so much sentiment into such a simple nature-act that all the bothers arise, and men are unjust over every thing to do with women.
All men think, for instance, that a woman must not deceive her lover and, at the same time that she is appearing to be his faithful mistress, take another for her pleasure and diversion in secret. A man would look upon this and rightly as a dishonourable betrayal because it would wound his vanity and lower his personal prestige. But the illogical part is that he would not hesitate to do the same thing himself, and would never see the matter in the light of a betrayal, because the Creator has happily equipped him with a rhinoceros hide which enables him never to feel stings of self-contempt when viewing his own actions towards the other s.e.x.”
Denzil laughed aloud.
”You are hard on us, Stepan, but I dare say you are right.”
”It is just custom and convention which make us think ourselves such G.o.ds. Had woman had the same chance always, who knows what she might not have become by now! Everything is ticketed, it is called by a name and put down under such and such a heading--women are 'weak' and 'illogical'