Part 3 (2/2)
And yet the impression of that dream was destined to remain with him in spite of all his efforts to shake it off.
CHAPTER III
THE VALUE OF A LIFE
During the next few weeks Rufus Sterne was kept so busy that he had very little time for either retrospect or antic.i.p.ation. His great complaint was that the days were all too short for the work he wanted to crowd into them. He had told Felix Muller that six months would see his scheme well on its way to completion. But he had not been at work many weeks before he began to fear that twelve months would be much nearer the limit. Contractors were so slow, workmen were so careless, and accidents--none of them serious--were so numerous, that delays were inevitable, and the days grew into weeks unconsciously.
He maintained, however, a brave and hopeful spirit. Delays and disappointments were, no doubt, inevitable. No one ever carried out a great scheme without encountering a few disappointments. Later on, when victory was a.s.sured, they would seem as nothing, and would be quickly forgotten.
He saw no more of the beautiful stranger who had so much interested him.
For several days he kept a sharp look out, and wondered if by any chance he would cross her path. Then he heard that Sir Charles and all his family had gone to London till the end of the season, and he a.s.sumed that she had gone to London with them.
He had had a second interview with Felix Muller, which had left an impression that was not altogether pleasant. Muller was in his most cynical and ungenerous mood. He had not a word of encouragement to give to his client. On the contrary, he appeared to take a delight in p.r.i.c.king Rufus with pointed and unpleasant suggestions.
”It is well, no doubt, to hope for the best,” he said to Rufus; ”but it is equally well to be prepared for the worst.”
”I really think you would not trouble much if I should fail,” Rufus said, in a tone of irritation.
”Then you do me an injustice,” was the suave and tantalising answer. ”If you were to fail I might have trouble in getting my own.”
”You mean that I would back out of the contract at the last?”
”No, I don't mean any such thing. I know you are not only a man of honour, but a man of courage; but if you should bungle----”
”Look here, we need not go any further into details,” Rufus said, impatiently. ”My point is you are not a bit troubled about me as long as you get your money back.”
”Oh, but I am! I would rather you prospered than that you failed, any day. Still, if in the order of chance you should fail--well----,” and he shrugged his shoulders, ”It would be in the eternal order, that's all.”
”You would not fret, of course?”
”My dear fellow, why should I? We must all pa.s.s out into the great silence sooner or later. And now, or next year, or next century for that matter, matters little. You and I have got beyond the region of sentiment in such things. Nature sets no value on human life. We take our place among the ants and flies, and the human is treated as remorselessly as the insect. The wind pa.s.seth over both, and they are gone.”
”Yes, that is true enough,” Rufus answered, looking out of the window.
”Besides,” Muller went on, as if he read his thoughts, ”in the business of life we are bound to take risks.”
”You mean money risks?”
”Not only money risks. A man who drives to market, who explores a mine, who crosses the sea in the interests of commerce, who fights for his country, not only risks his property, but he risks his life.”
”Not always intentionally.”
”Well, not always, perhaps. But in the greatest and n.o.blest enterprises, yes. And what is more, it is counted to a man an honour when he risks his life in a great cause. If you become a martyr for a great ideal I shall revere your memory.”
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