Part 89 (1/2)
”Oh, is that all?” he said, looking up quickly. ”Is that what your note meant?”
”The fact is, Evelyn,” he said, with a trifle of embarra.s.sment, ”Natalie and her mother are in Naples, and I don't know precisely in what circ.u.mstances. I am a little anxious about them--I should like to know more of their surroundings: why, for one thing, I don't know whether they have any money, even. I would go over myself, Evelyn, but the truth is I cannot--not very well. At least I ought not to go; and I thought, if you had time--being an old friend of Natalie's--you would like to see that she was all right.
”Where is Lind?” said Lord Evelyn, suddenly.
”Lind is in Italy also,” said Brand, evasively.
”Not with them?”
”Oh no.”
There was an awkward silence. At length Brand said,
”Something very serious has happened, Evelyn: and the question is whether, in the interests of the Society, it should not be kept a secret, if it is possible.”
”I do not wish to know any secret,” Lord Evelyn said, simply. ”I am willing to go over to Naples at once, if I can be of any service.”
”It is very kind of you; I thought you would say as much,” Brand said, still hesitating. ”But then I doubt whether you could be of much service unless you understood the whole situation of affairs. At present only two over here know what has occurred--Edwards and myself. Yes, I think you must know also. Read this letter; it came only last night.”
He unlocked a drawer, took out a letter, and gave it to Lord Evelyn, who read it slowly. When he had finished, he put it on the table without a word.
”You understand?” Brand said, calmly. ”That means that Lind is to be punished with death for treachery. Don't think about me; I've had a narrow escape, but I have escaped--thanks to Natalie's courage and decision. What I am concerned about is the effect that such a disclosure might have on the fortunes of the Society. Would it not provoke a widespread feeling of disgust? Wouldn't there always be a suspicion?”
”But you yourself, Brand!” Evelyn exclaimed, in amazement. ”Why, you--I thought you would be the first to resign, after such an escape.”
”I have fought all through that, Evelyn,” he said, absently. ”It was my first impulse--I confess it. The thought of being a.s.sociated with such men sickened me; I despaired; I wished they had never been found out, and that I had been let blindly go on to the end. Well, I got over the fit--with a struggle. It was not reasonable, after all. Surely one's belief in the future of the Society ought to be all the firmer that these black sheep have been thrust out? As for myself, at all events, I ought to have more hope, not less. I never did trust Lind, as you know; I believed in his work, in the usefulness of it, and the prospects of its success; but I never was at ease in his presence; I was glad to get away to my own work in the north. And now, with the way clearer, why should one think of giving up? To tell you the truth, Evelyn, I would give anything to be in America at the present moment, if only Natalie and her mother were in safety. There is a chance for us there bigger than anything Lind ever dreamed about. You know the Granges, the a.s.sociations of the 'Patrons of Husbandry,' that were founded by the Scotchman Saunders? It is an immense social organization; the success of it has been quite unprecedented; they have an immense power in their hands. And it isn't only agriculture they deal with; they touch on politics here and there; they control elections; and the men they choose are invariably men of integrity. Well, now, don't you see this splendid instrument ready-made? From what I hear from Philadelphia--”
Lord Evelyn's thoughts were elsewhere than in Philadelphia.
”You must tell me about yourself, Brand!” he exclaimed. ”Your life is no longer in danger, then? How has it happened?”
”Oh,” said Brand, somewhat carelessly, ”I don't know all the particulars as yet. What I do know is that Natalie and her mother disappeared from London; I had no idea whither they had gone. Then Calabressa turned up; and I heard that Natalie had appealed to the Council. Fancy, she, a young girl, had had the courage to go and appeal to the Council! Then Calabressa suspected something, I saw by his questions; then Lind, Beratinsky, and Reitzei appear to have been summoned to Naples. The result is in that letter; that is about all I know.”
”And these others in there?” said Lord Evelyn, glancing to the door.
”They know nothing at all. That is what I am uncertain about: whether to leave the disappearance of Lind unaccounted for--merely saying he had been summoned away by the Council--or to let everybody who may hear of it understand that, powerful as he was, he had to succ.u.mb to the laws of the Society, and accept the penalty for his error. I am quite uncertain; I have no instructions. You might find out for me in Naples, Evelyn, if you went over there--you might find out what they consider advisable.”
”You are in Lind's place, then?”
”Not at all,” said he, quickly, and with a slight flush. ”Edwards and I are merely keeping the thing going until matters are settled. Did you notice whether Molyneux was in the next room when you came through?”
”Yes he was.”
”Then excuse me for a minute or two. I want to speak to you further about Naples.”
Brand was gone some time, and Lord Evelyn was left to ponder over these strange tidings. To him they were very joyful tidings; for ever since that communication was made to him of the danger that threatened his friend's life, he had been haunted by the recollection that, but for him, Brand would in all probability have never heard of this a.s.sociation. It was with an infinite sense of personal relief that he now knew this danger was past. Already he saw himself on his way to Naples, to find out the n.o.ble girl who had taken so bold a step to save her lover. Not yet had darkness fallen over these two lives.
Brand returned, carefully shut the door after him, and seated himself on a corner of the table.
”You see, Evelyn,” he said, quite in his old matter-of-fact way, ”I can't pretend to have very much regret over what has happened to Lind.