Part 16 (1/2)
”Farewell, brother!”
When he had gone, and the bell again rung, Calabressa reappeared. Lind was too proud a man to betray any concern.
”It is as you told me, Calabressa,” said he, carelessly, as his friend proceeded to light him down the narrow staircase. ”And I am charged with the execution of their vengeance. Well; I wish I had been present at their deliberations, that is all. This deed may answer so far as the continental countries are concerned; but, so far as England is concerned, it will undo the work of years.”
”What!--England!” exclaimed Calabressa, lightly--”where they blow up a man's house with gunpowder, or dash vitriol in his face, if he works for a s.h.i.+lling a day less wages?--where they shoot landlords from behind hedges if the rent is raised?--where they murder policemen in the open street, to release political prisoners? No, no, friend Lind; I cannot believe that.”
”However, that is not my business, Calabressa. The Council shall be obeyed. I am glad to know you are again at liberty; when you come to England you will see how your little friend Natalie has grown.”
”Give a kiss from me to the little Natalushka,” said he, cheerfully; and then the two parted.
CHAPTER XII.
JACTA EST ALEA.
”Natalie,” said her father, entering the breakfast-room, ”I have news for you to-day. This evening Mr. Brand is to be initiated.”
The beautiful, calm face betrayed no surprise.
”That is always the way,” she answered, almost absently. ”One after the other they go in; and I only am left out, alone.”
”What,” he said, patting her shoulder as he pa.s.sed, ”are you still dreaming of reviving the _Giardiniere_? Well, it was a pretty idea to call each sister in the lodge by the name of a flower. But nowadays, and in England especially, if women intermeddled in such things, do you know what they would be called? _Petroleuses!_”
”Names do not hurt,” said the girl, proudly.
”No, no. Rest content, Natalie. You are initiated far enough. You know all that needs to be known; and you can work with us, and a.s.sociate with us like the rest. But about Brand; are you not pleased?”
”I am indeed pleased, papa.”
”And I am more than pleased,” said Lind, thoughtfully. ”He will be the most important accession we have had for many a day. Ah, you women have sharp eyes; but there are some things you cannot see--there are some men whose character you cannot read.”
Natalie glanced up quickly; and her father noticed that surprised look.
”Well,” said he, with a smile, ”what now is your opinion of Mr. Brand?”
Instantly the soft eyes were cast down again, and a faint tinge of color appeared in her face.
”Oh, my opinion, papa?” said she, as if to gain time to choose her words. ”Well, I should call him manly, straightforward--and--and very kind--and--and very English--”
”I understand you perfectly, Natalie,” her father said, with a laugh.
”You and Lord Evelyn are quite in accord. Yes, and you are both thoroughly mistaken. You mean, by his being so English, that he is cold, critical, unsympathetic: is it not so? You resent his being cautious about joining us. You think he will be but a lukewarm a.s.sociate--suspecting everything--fearful about going too far--a half-and-half ally. My dear Natalie, that is because neither Lord Evelyn nor you know anything at all about that man.”
The faint color in the girl's cheeks had deepened; and she remained silent, with her face downcast.
”The pliable ones,” her father continued, ”the people who are moved by fine talking, who are full of amiable sentiments, and who take to work like ours as an additional sentiment--you may initiate a thousand of them, and not gain an atom of strength. It is a hard head that I want, and a strong will; a man determined to have no illusions at the outset; a man who, once pledged, will not despair or give up in the face of failure, difficulty, or disappointment, or anything else. Brand is such a man. If I were to be disabled to-morrow, I would rather leave my work in his hands than in the hands of any man I have seen in this country.”
Was it to hide the deepening color in her face that the girl went round to her father, and stood rather behind him, and put her hand on his shoulder, and stooped down to his ear.
”Papa,” said she, ”I--I hope you don't think I have been saying anything against Mr. Brand. Oh no. How could I do that--when he has been so kind to us--and--and just now especially, when he is about to become one of us? You must forget what I said about his being English, papa; after all, it is not for us to say that being English is anything else than being kind, and generous, and hospitable. And I am exceedingly pleased that you have got another a.s.sociate, and that we have got another good friend, in England.”