Part 31 (1/2)
To hate him as only a tropical temperament can hate. She was in this mood when the Doctor entered. At once she arose to greet him. In an instant she hid within the depths of her bosom all emotions save those of love, and any one, other than the Doctor, would have believed that she harbored no unpleasant recollections or ill feeling because of the recent scene. He was not deceived. He had lived with her for more than fifteen years, and in that time he had appraised her correctly. Now, however, it suited him best to accept her caresses, and to return them with a show of warmth, which made the blood course faster through her veins, the more so because she had expected him to be angry, and because he rarely exhibited much feeling. This wily man well knew the weak spot in this woman's armor, and when he most desired to sway her actions, he first touched her heart.
”Well, _cara mia_, are you glad to have me with you again?” He folded her close to his breast, and kissed her lips. She nestled within his arms, and returned the salute rapturously. Presently he spoke again.
”You were naughty, down stairs, little one?”
There was scarcely a reproach in his voice; he spoke rather as an indulgent parent chides an erring, but beloved child. She looked up into his eyes and merely murmured,
”You will forgive me?”
Some may doubt that the warmer demonstrations of love could survive the destroying influences of a companions.h.i.+p covering so many years, and be still expressed with the fervor of youth. To such I say, what has not come within your own experience is not necessarily false.
Love, especially in woman, is a hardy plant and will blossom and flower, long after its earlier excitations have ceased to exist. The beauty of form, and attractiveness of manner, which first arouses the tender pa.s.sion within our breast, may pa.s.s away from the object of our admiration, and yet our love may be deeper, fuller, and wider than at its inception. Yea, it may even retain its fullest demonstrativeness.
In many cases it thrives most by harsh treatment, where it might expire by over-tending. Madame Medjora's affection was of this sort.
Had her husband yielded to her all that she demanded, she would long ago have been surfeited, and not improbably she would have left him.
This, however, he had never done. She had always feared that he did not love her as she yearned to be loved, and therefore she was ever ready with cajolery, flattery, and other means familiar to women, to win from him a fuller responsiveness.
At this moment, intoxicated by his caresses, she spoke from her heart when she asked him to forgive her. The slight reproof of his words, however gently spoken, was the tiny bit of cloud upon her present clear sky of joy. She wished to dissipate it utterly, and then bask in the full suns.h.i.+ne of his love, as dear to her to-day as before her nuptials. But by no means did she regret the act which had called forth his speech, except as it affected her momentary happiness. She was ready to yield outwardly to anything that he might demand of her in such a mood, but, later, she would return to her purpose with zeal.
That purpose, in this instance, would be to make Leon as miserable as she could if he remained, but to have him out of the house if possible. The game was now worth watching, for both players were very skilful, and each was intent upon carrying the day eventually. Each was as patient as persistent.
”You ask me to forgive you, Cora,” was the Doctor's reply. ”Do you admit that you behaved very badly?”
”Now you are going to scold,” said his wife, in a demure tone that sounded odd from one of her years. But Madame often a.s.sumed the airs of youthfulness, without realizing how poorly they suited her.
”I would never scold you, Cora, if you would only think always before you act. You have been both unwise and unreasonable.”
”I would not have been if you had informed me in advance that the boy was coming. But you never tell me anything, Emanuel.”
”Perhaps I should have done so in this case. But I only decided yesterday, just before I left the country. A letter would not have reached you, and I would not telegraph, because you are always frightened by a despatch.”
”The horrid things! I hate telegrams!”
”Exactly! It was from consideration for you that I did not notify you.
As soon as I reached home I came here to find you and explain, but you had run down the other stairway, and so unfortunately you met Leon before I intended you should.”
”Leon Grath?” There was an accent upon the last name, and an inflection of the voice very delicately expressed, which intimated that there was a doubt. Madame could not resist speaking thus quickly, hoping that a glance, an expression, however fleeting, might cross the Doctor's face, which would be a clue upon which she might base her future investigation. But she gained nothing by the manoeuvre, and the Doctor continued, as though unsuspicious of her intent.
”Yes, Leon Grath. Sit down and I will tell you about him. Some years ago I first met Leon, while hunting in the vicinity of his home, he had broken his leg, and I set it for him. Subsequently in succeeding years we have hunted together. This summer I was intending to look him up, as a companion on a fis.h.i.+ng excursion. Arriving in his neighborhood, I learned that his mother had just died, leaving no will, and that the farm would be sold and the boy left penniless, through a technicality which made the small estates revert to the surviving sisters. These old hags hated Leon, and, consequently, from a comfortable home, he was about to become an outcast. I therefore decided to bring him home with me. He will now live with us.”
”Forever?” gasped Madame, surprised to learn that, instead of a guest, the lad was destined to be a permanent addition to their household.
”Forever!” replied the Doctor, with just a little severity; enough to check the expression of resentment which he saw rising. Then in order to give her time to regain control of herself he went on. ”Yes! I have long needed an a.s.sistant, and I am sure that Leon will prove an apt pupil and rapidly learn enough to become useful to me. However, I may be mistaken. He may prove a failure, and then I should find him a position elsewhere.” This was offered as a sort of compromise for her acceptance. He held out the possibility that Leon would leave them.
Madame was in nowise deceived. She had appreciated the tone of her husband's voice as he uttered the word, ”Forever,” and she knew that Leon would never leave them on account of proving a failure as a student. However, she accepted the situation, and a.s.sumed a satisfaction which was mere dissembling.
”Now that I understand the facts, Emanuel, I shall do all in my power to make the boy happy while he is here, even though it be only for a short time.” The last words were in response to her husband's suggestion, but he understood her motive as well as she had comprehended his. Thus they fenced with one another.
”I knew that you would do so, Cora,” replied the Doctor. ”Will you come down now and speak to Leon before I take him out with me? I must have some clothing ordered for him.”
Together they descended to where Leon sat awaiting them, and the youth's fears were set at rest, for the time being at least. Madame approached him with her most alluring manner, and welcomed him, in words, to his new home. She even asked him to forget her brusqueness at their first meeting, and then, suggesting that he must be hungry, rang a bell and ordered light refreshments.