Part 23 (1/2)
”I suppose, Mr Outrahts; but as a h we have lived on the Zambesi, I have had some chances There is always a certain amount of trade on the river, by s, and are brought into occasional contact with European ently born and well-educated h circumstances have caused him to spend his life in these wild places He was a scholar in his day and he has taughtAlso, for nearly three years I was at a good school in Durban and did roild because I lived a wild people”
”Indeed, that explains the es?”
”I have liked it well enough hitherto, but this last adventure has sickenedI could never have endured it; a nervous woman would have been driven h; I have always looked upon it as a preparation for life I think that the society of nature is the best education for the society of man, since until you understand and are in sympathy with the one, you cannot really understand the other Now I should like to go to Europe and see the world and its civilisations, for I know from what stuff they were evolved But perhaps I never shall; at any rate, I have to find hed
Leonard
”And you, Mr Outram, do _you_ care for this life?”
”I!” he exclaimed bitterly ”Like yourself, Miss Rodd, I am the victim of circumstances and must make the best of the ht earn a livelihood in England, but that is of no use to reat deal of it”
”What is the good?” she said ”Is there any object in wearing out one's life by trying to grow rich?”
”That depends I have an object, one which I have sworn to fulfil”
She looked at hily
”Miss Rodd, I will tell you My brother, who died of fever soo, and I were the last reat prospects, or at least he was; but owing to the conduct of our father, everything was lost to us, and the old house, which had been ours for centuries, went to the hao, when I was a man of three-and-twenty We swore that ould try to retrieve those fortunes--not for ourselves so much, but for the sake of the family--and came to Africa to do it My brother is dead, but I inherit the oath and continue the quest, however hopeless it ned a certain document”
”Yes,” she said, ”I understand now It is a strange history But tell me, have you no relations left?”
”One, I believe, if she still lives--a maiden aunt, my mother's sister”
”Is she Jane Beach?” she asked quickly ”Forgive me, but I saw that name in the prayer-book”
”No,” he said, ”she is not Jane Beach”
Juanna hesitated; then curiosity and perhaps other feelings overcaht out--
”Who is Jane Beach?”
Leonard looked at Juanna and remembered all that he had suffered at her hands It was impertinent of her to ask such a question, but since she chose to do so she should have an answer Doubtless she supposed that he was in love with herself, doubtless her conduct was premeditated and aimed at the repression of his hopes He would show her that there were other women in the world, and that one of theht so poorly of him It was foolish conduct on his part, but then people suffering under unlect, and mockery at the hands of a lady they ads So he answered:
”Jane Beach is the lady to whouessed it,” she replied with a suessed it when I saw that you always carried the prayer-book about with you”
”You forget, Miss Rodd, that the prayer-book contains an agreeht become valuable”
Juanna took no heed of his sarcashts
”And are you engaged to her now?”
”No, I suppose not Her father broke off the match e lost our fortunes”
”She must have been very sorry?”