Part 41 (1/2)

Then the Lieutenant appeared, mottled and panting, and immediately the Constable.

”Ah, Royds”, said Hogarth: ”is it practicable to flood this room quickly with a hose?”

”I--should think so, my Lord King”.

”See to it. First set guards at the exits”.

He turned to the other: ”Mr. Chief Constable, I give all present, except, of course, your Admiral, into custody, on a charge of misdemeanour on the high seas. The General Prosecutor will, in due course, forward the indictment to your Summary Court. Have your men here with handcuffs”.

Again silence, till, in four minutes, two men appeared on the steps, ball-nozzle in hand; upon which Hogarth said to O'Hara: ”Follow me”, and as the two pa.s.sed up, O'Hara tottery, care hanging on that ponderous nether-lip, Hogarth whispered the hose-bearers: ”Drown the room well--man and woman--do not spare”.

To O'Hara he said: ”Lead to your suite”, and, descending, they presently stood in a bed-temple, the bed surrounded with mirrors, and at the other end of the apartment an altar--pyx, six unflickering candles, and flowers, with rail and reredos, and maxims of St. Theresa.

Hogarth said: ”Sleep two hours”, and went out, turning the key.

But in half an hour O'Hara had started awake, sober, and, clapping his palms over his face, burst into tears.

That Hogarth might be capable of impeachment before a Court of Admirals, followed by death on the block, he feared; and he rolled, groaning, tugging his tonsure-fringe, which, on the forehead, lay a thin grey forelock, thinking: ”Guilty wretch that I am! putrid, unwholesome, hopeless, I have befouled the holiest: how richly do I deserve to die!”; and even as he groaned and smote, his secret mind weighed up the chances of Hogarth's action.

He rose, listened, rushed to the door, found it locked, tossed up despairing hands, and tottered to the altar, at which he knelt, all sighs, and dying fish-eyes, and sideward-languis.h.i.+ng face, and weary woe. Ah! how great the mountain of his iniquity: if he might be but once more spared, his evil remainder of days he would bury in some Carmelite retreat, with fastings and prayers; but no--he had too much tempted the Eternal patience, the sword was out against him. Yet he implored, he implored with groans: with half an eye, meanwhile, on the door; and, having with regard to Hogarth a piece of secret knowledge which he guarded deep for some possible emergency and use (the fact of Hogarth's Jewish birth), as he prayed, his brain with complete detachment worked out the question whether he might now reveal this with advantage.

Hogarth found him kneeling, said ”Get up”, and O'Hara stood, leaning upon the rail, too faint to stand unpropped, Hogarth contemplating him, tapping the toes.

”Well, sir! I know all: your whole past”.

”Red as crimson--!” went O'Hara faintly, with tossed hands.

”Red enough, Admiral. You are a bad old man: merit death”.

”Ah, G.o.d knows it, my Lord King! I do a.s.sure you, I am a leprous wretch: and I welcome death--I pray you, I pray Heaven, for it--”

”You should have it, if you were a better, or a younger, man: but I will not stain the Empire of which you were chosen to be a stay, and are the shame, with the blood of such as you. You are beneath judgment: and that clemency which is our scutcheon I extend to you. Live, therefore, and repent, O'Hara. I, however, you understand, now turn from you for ever.

And I discharge you like a menial, sir. See to it that within six months you have your affairs regulated, and send in your resignation to the Government”.

He turned and went; and, as he disappeared, O'Hara straightened, coolly went ”H'm!”, and took snuff. He lived, he lived: while there is life there is fun.

Fumbling about, searching for nothing, all relieved and rescued, yet stunned, he suddenly exclaimed: ”What a n.o.ble fellow is my son Hogarth!”, and knelt again.

Hogarth in the same hour was away for England; and on the fourth evening thence, the street-lamps just lit, stood before No. 11 Market Street, Edgware Road, come for Margaret; his carriage waiting at a corner forty yards away; and though within the last hour he had realized vividly that his voyage to the _Mahomet_ had given Frankl time to remove her, or accomplish any devilish device in his power with respect to her, he was now all prospect and expectancy.

The house was three-storied, mean, unlighted, with an ”area”; from a neighbouring window a woman screaming down to some playing children; and under her a shop sending out that fishy fume which ”drove Asmodeus back to h.e.l.l”.

He rapped, received no answer, rapped again without reply, then stepped down and back, looking up: and suddenly, faintly, but distinctly, he heard her voice, high up--_singing_.

”O what a pretty place, And what a graceful city, Where the striplings are so gay, And the ladies are so pretty ”.

It was she! He ran and banged at the door: no reply.