Part 30 (1/2)

Mike did not need to consult the time-table. He said, ”At last, at last, darling, come! ... Yes, there is a train for the Italian frontier at a few minutes past five. We shall have just time to catch it. Come!”

But in the gardens they met the Major, who would not hear of his niece being out after sunset, and sent her back. Mike overtook Lily on the staircase.

”I can endure this no longer,” he said; ”you must come with me to-night when every one is in bed. There is a train at two.”

”I cannot; I have to pa.s.s through my mother's room. She would be sure to awake.”

”Great Scott! what shall we do? My head is whirling. You must give your mother a sleeping potion, will you? She drinks something before she goes to bed?”

”Yes, but----”

”There must be no buts. It is a case of life and death. You do not want to die, as many girls die. To many a girl marriage is life. I will get something quite harmless, and quite tasteless.”

She waited for him in the sitting-room. He returned in a few minutes with a small bottle, which he pressed into her hand. ”And now, _au revoir_; in a few hours you will be mine for ever.”

After leaving her he dined; after dinner went to a gambling h.e.l.l, where he lost a good deal of money, and would have lost more, had the necessity of keeping at least 200 for his wedding-tour not been so imperative. He wandered about the streets talking to and sometimes strolling about with the light women, listening to their lamentable stories--”anything,” he thought, ”to distract my mind.” He was to meet Lily on the staircase at one o'clock, and now it was half-past twelve, and giving the poor creature whose chatter had beguiled the last half-hour a louis, he returned hurriedly to his hotel.

The lift had ceased working, and he ascended the great staircase, three steps at a time. On the second floor he stopped to reconnoitre.

The _gardien_ lay fast asleep on a bench; he could not do better than sit on the stairs and wait; if the man awoke he would have to be bribed. Lily's number was 45, a dozen doors down the pa.s.sage. At one o'clock the _gardien_ awoke. Mike entered into conversation with him, gave him a couple of francs, bade him good-night, and went partly up the next flight of stairs. Listening for every sound, expecting every moment to hear a door open, he waited till the clocks struck the half-hour. Then he became as if insane, and he deemed it would not be enough if she were to disappoint him to set the hotel on fire and throw himself from the roof. Something must happen, if he were to remain sane, and, determined to dare all, he decided he would seek her in her room and bear her away. He knew he would have to pa.s.s through Mrs. Young's room. What should he do if she awoke, and, taking him for a robber, raised the alarm?

Putting aside such surmises he turned the handle of her door as quietly as he could. The lock gave forth hardly any sound, the door pa.s.sed noiselessly over the carpet. He hesitated, but only for a moment, and drawing off his shoes he prepared to cross the room. A night-light was burning, and it revealed the fat outline of a huge body huddled in the bed-clothes. He would have to pa.s.s close to Mrs.

Young. He glided by, pa.s.sing swiftly towards the further room, praying that the door would open without a sound. It was ajar, and opened without a sound. ”What luck!” he thought, and a moment after he stood in Lily's room. She lay upon the bed, as if she had fallen there, dressed in a long travelling-cloak, her hat crushed on one side.

”Lily, Lily!” he whispered, ”'tis I; awake! speak, tell me you are not dead.” She moved a little beneath his touch, then wetting a towel in the water-jug he applied it to her forehead and lips, and slowly she revived.

”Where are we?” she asked. ”Mike, darling, are we in Italy? ... I have been ill, have I not? They say I'm going to die, but I'm not; I'm going to live for you, my darling.”

Then she recovered recollection of what had happened, and whispered that she had failed to give her mother the opiate, but had nevertheless determined to keep her promise to him. She had dressed herself and was just ready to go, but a sudden weakness had come over her. She remembered staggering a few steps and nothing more.

”But if you have not given your mother the opiate, she may awake at any moment. Are you strong enough, my darling, to come with me?

Come!”

”Yes, yes, I'm strong enough. Give me some more water, and kiss me, dear.”

The lovers wrapped themselves in each other's arms. But hearing some one moving in the adjoining room, the girl looked in horror and supplication in Mike's eyes. Stooping, he disappeared beneath a small table; and drew his legs beneath the cloth. The sounds in the next room continued, and he recognized them as proceeding from some one searching for clothes. Then Lily's door was opened and Mrs. Young said--

”Lily, there is some one in your room; I'm sure Mr. Fletcher is here.”

”Oh, mother, how can you say such a thing! indeed he is not.”

”He is; I am not mistaken. This is disgraceful; he must be under that bed.”

”Mother, you can look.”

”I shall do nothing of the kind. I shall fetch your uncle.”

When he heard Mrs. Young retreating with fast steps, Mike emerged from his hiding.