Novelist.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2498, 14 July 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

Novelist.

Through Deep Waters, Li IXA LEON CASSILLS, Author of "lima Raphael, Actress," "The Vouii" Wiilmver," "il. Cadul'.e's Carpet JiJC," &>-•., -<--• CHAPTER XVI. (continued.) Silk allowed him to raise her to her foot, and plaoe her in a chair, and to remove* the long mantel which seemed to oppress her, and for moments she sat, clinging to his hands as sho had clung to Cola's, and breathing heavily while the priest watched in intense anxiety tho beautiful face, whoso hectic flush and scarlet lips told so ominous a tale. Sho looked up presently. "I am better now," she said softly, " will you allow mo to tell you what brought me here ? " " Are you quite sure you are able to do so now, my child ? " " Quito ablo ; you are vory good, Padre, Michael,""sho said, kissing his hand gratefully. Tho priest sat down in a chair by which lay tho open Vulgate, and would have made her sit in a, low chair beside him, but she shook her head and knelt down before him.

" Aly poor child ! " he said, tenclorly, " why did you not come to me before ? I called to see you a few days ago, but they said you were out." "It was not true!" she said; " but, oh ! father, how could I tell you ; it was not my secret —but now I must—for her sake—my mother's."

She put her hand to her forehead and shivered slightly, then, with drooping head, and as briefly as possible, told that tale of sin and sorrow. The priest listoned. without interruption, and without betraying any sign of surprise or horror ; the confessor's habit, formed origiually from bounden duty, had become second nature, and when the sweot, trembling voice had ceased, ho sat for a few moments still and silent.

"My child, my poor child! " was all he said at first when at length he spoke. " God has indoed afflicted you heavily, but lie has given you streugth to obey Him through nil."

He paused, then added, "and Faulkner will not relent ? Is this man merciless ? "

" Father," she said, "I knelt to liim —I implored him to spare her, and ho would not."

"Agues!" said the priest involuntarily. " Why not ? " answered the girl, rising suddenly to her feet, " there is nothing I shrink from but this sin which is the ono thing demanded ; and she hopes yet; in three days, she said, she will take me to Italy; but I cannot go, I cannot indeed," she said, clasping her bands besoochingly, ne though the priest had the power to control her actions.

" You cannot, my child," he said gravely, " you are not physically able to do it."

"Notable," she repeated, looking at him fixedly. "If I were to die, would he perhaps relent then ? "Would that save her ? "

" Agnes," said the priest, almost stevnly, laking her hands in his own, and more alarmed than he cared to show, for her look and tone, more than her words, starllod him, " can you brave so much and yet wish for death? Temblo as it is to you to know that your motW"

hido it by adding sin to sin, yet roinombor that site, rather titan demand of you tlio sacrifice of your soul, should sook from God tho saving of her own; your death inifht save lior from disgrace here, only to jeopardise her hope of pardon hereafter."

"I know, fovgivo mo; but oh! father," said the girl, now burstina 1 into convulsivo sobs, "I have not told you tho worst. She told mo— sho repeated it this morning—l dare not believe her—l daro not doubt her—that rather than face her fate she will tike her own life. Oh ! cannot you save her from this ? I know, I know that you can." '• My child, my child ! " said the priest, in such fear for her that for tho time all other thoughts fled, " I may not suffer this, you are courting death; she uttered only an empty threat to make you yield." lie placed hor unresisting in the chair beside his own, ho sat down by her and by his gentle touch, by a thousands words of kindness, and hope, and assurance tried to calm her; he would take her homo that night, he would try his utmost, as God's priest, to turn the heart of tho unhappy woman to repentance, to overthrow her desporato resolve ; but for awhilo all his efforts were unavailing, The sobs ceased, but the girl sat with her faco still hidden, moaning now and then, and seemingly incapable of any oxertion of body or mind, till Father Michael, profoundly alarmed, said firmly—

" Agnes, you must corne homo— you are seriously ill." Agnus did not answer; ho thought ut first that she did not understand him, • but after a moment's pause she repeated the word " home " in a kind of mechanical tone, then shuddered, moaned again, and whispered something which he bent clown to catch, " To Italy, that is my home, you know."

She seemed to be repeating something that she had said another time" Father Miclviel rose and sought to lift her to her feet, but she tried, though feebly, to shake oft his hands, and pressed her own tightly to her head, murmuring in a tone of intense anguish —

"Oh ! my head, my head ! Oh ! Madonna mia !" The priest wailed for no more, but passed his strong arm round her slight form and raised her—an easy task even if she had resisted, but she made no effort now to free herself; she seemed for a moment to rally, and lifted her eyes, brilliant with fever to his face, with a look of perfect recognition. " Father," she said faintly, " will you send me home ? Lisetta is below." "Can you support yourself, my child 1" said the priest anxiously. :< I don't know, perhaps I can." He placed her once more in the chair, and, without quitting his hold of her, stretched out his hand to the bell, which was within reach, the apartment being very small, and rang violently. In less than a moment there were hurried steps without, and Lisetta-and the lad entered together; the former uttered one "Ah ! Madrc di Bio ?" and was at her young mistress's side ; the latter paused aghast. " Dermot," said Father Michael, " run for your life, lad, and fetch a cab."

The boy was gone like a shot, and Lisetta exclaimed bitterly :

" I knew how it would be. Oil! rather, is she very ill ?"

" Hush ! child, I cannot tell yet. She ought not to have come out tonight, but, poor lamb ! what could she do?" He bent over her; she was resting now with her head leanin" on Lisetta's shoulder, still moaning softly at intervals. "Agnes," he said gently.

The gii'l tried to lift her head, but failed, and her lips moved as if she were trying to speak ; she seemed sinking into a kind of lethargy.

"Can we take her home?" whispered Lisetta, looking up with a white face of terror, " the sight of the Signora might kill her."

"We have no choice," said the priest sighing, " I will go with her, I must indeed, for she will require to bo lifted from the cab. Who is Lady de Clifford's physician ?'

" Dr. Delwyn, mia padre." " Dermot shall go for him the moment he returns ; hero he is."

A cab rattled up and stopped, and Deraofc almost immediately made his appearance, to be despatched at once to Dr. Delwyn.

" Toll him," said the priest, " to go at once to No—, Upper Gros-venor-sttvet, to Miss de Clifford ; if he is out, come to Lady de Clifford's, and let us know."

Dermot again vanished, and Lisetta, having wrapped round Agnes the mantle in which she had come, the priest once more spoke to her.

" Agues, I am going to take you home. Can you walk, or shall I lift you 1"

She put out her hand to him and made an effort to rise, but was unable to stand alone at first, but after a moment's pause, she said quietly :

"I think I can walk now. An: I ill, father V

" Yes, my child! he answered gently, and half leading, half carrying her, he reached the cab, where he resigned her to Lizetta. To the Italian girl the short transit to Upper Grosvenor-street, seemed an a«e, for Agnes lay almost motionless in her faithful attendant's arms with an expression of great mental and physical sufferinu on ht-r face, and now and thmi the same lev Hum uit, ji.».w'.'.-'. -:. .-.-■ - ■ - - '■'-■

from tho pain endured h) the body, escaped through the half parted lips. Upper Grosvenor-street was reached, and a loud peal at the door bell brought not only two or three of tho servants, but Florence de Clifford herself into the hall, show-

ing that, Agnes had been missed and searched for. Father Michael stopped all exclamations and useless questions by saying briefly to Lady cle Clifford—" Your dau" liter came to me this evening, Madame, to

speak to me. She is ill with fever, and I have brought her home and

sent for Dr. Delwyn." Florence clasped her hands, and the servants looked blankly at one

another ; they were all strongly at-

tached to their young lady, and vied with each other in their endeavours to serve her and even anticipate her

wishes. Father Michael returned

at once to the cab, and lifting A"nes, now nearly senseless, in his arms, lie carried her into the house,

Lady de Clifford loading the way into the breakfast-room, where he laid

his burden on the sofa. Lady de Clifford, who seemed greatly agitated, turned to the priest — " How has this happened V she asked. At the sound of her voice a slight quiver passed over Agnes' form, and she stretched out her

right hand. Florence would have taken it, but the priest took her little hand in his own, and touching Florence said in a low stern tone, and in French, for Lisetta and the housekeeper were present, and the other servant remained outside, " Do not speak to her or touch her; she cannot endure it yet."

Florence gave him one look, and recoiled as if before an accusing angel, but a stir among the servants in the hull, a quick, firm step diverted ln-r attention, and she opened the door, and admitted the physician. He advanced at once to the sofa, knelt down by the sufferer, laid his finger on her pulse. He was a grave, grey-haired man, well past the meridian of life, with a linn, thoughtful face, and a quiet business-like manner.

"Fever," he said, after a moment of breathless silence ; " the pulse is weak, but rapid ; brain fever, I fear. How did this come?" FTe looked to Lady de Clifford, then instinctively, as if anticipating from him a more lucid answer than from Florence, to the priest. The latter answered at once.

" She has been for several days past suffering from very great mental agitation. She came to me this evening to consult me as her spiritual guide, and I perceived at once that she was ill. V/hilc speaking to her she complained of her head, and grew dizzy, moaning at intervals as if in extreme pain. I brought her homo immediately— that is all I know,"

" Hem !" said the physician, with another look at Lady do Clifford, but this time a covert one, " the first thing to be clone is to put her to bed. She must have perfect rest of mind and body." . He said the last words with some emphasis, but no one replied to them. Father Michael said quietly —• " I will carry her up to her room ; she cannot walk.

Lisetta went on quickly before to light the lamps and make all necessary preparations, and in a f.nv moments Agnes was consigned to the hands of the woman, Florence entering the apartment but leaving Lisetta and the housekeeper to unrobe the passive form. Father Michael and the physician remained outside. " Do you know," said Dr Delwyn, " what it is that is pressing on Miss de Clifford's mind. Is it anything that can he removed ?"

" I will tell you all that I can tell you," replied the priest, " for as a physician you ought to know. I do not know exactly how to answer your question. I, only this evening, learned the full extent of the truth from Miss do Clifford herself, and I can only say that I fear the cause of the trouble which has brought on this fever cannot be removed. I

am unable, at present, at any rate, to say more. Is there immediate danger 1" " Hem !" said Dr. Delwyn again, "I am afraid there is ; she is evidently of a very delicate and highly - strung organisation; the brain is beautifully balanced, but has given way to some very great strain, and if that strain be kept up, I cannot tell what the consequences may be. I have heard rumours of a marriage with a Sir

Selwyn Grant-Faulkner, an elderly man, hardly, 1 suppose, the choice of a young and beautiful girl; perhaps this marriage is preying on her mind ?" He glanced sharply as he spoke in the priest's face; but Father jNlichael was a Jesuit, and his features are impenetrable. He was sived a reply by the opening of the bedroom-door and Lisetta's appearance.

"You can come in now, sir," she said, " she seams reviving a little." The physician and the priest entered softly the large luxuriously furnished chamber with its nowveiled subdued light. Florence sat by the bed side, but a little drawn out of sight, so that if Agnes opened her eyes she would not at once see her, and Agnes lay back on the pillows, her long waving tresses streaming over pillow and sliest, her eyes shut, the hot flush still on her cheeks, but was contracted, b'.-r '■.;■• '.i o". t!<<' ooverlet. SLc v.-:.:; ..^.j...'.■:; again now, and rooved restlessly cuee or twice, but

was still unconscious. Tho physician wont round to hoi' and took from Lisetta the eau-de-cologue bottle which the Italian handed him. He bathed her forehead with the fragrant essence, and Lisetta poured some on the burning hands

>ut firm and gentle as the physiliiin's touch was, the suffer did not seem to like it ; she moved her head and drew a quick sudden breath. Dr. Dolwyn turned to Florence— " Will she bear it from you," she

said in a low tonp. Florence rose slowly ; but Father Michael came

forward— " Giv« me the bottle, Dr Delwyn, he said, " I think she will allow me

to bathe her forehead."

Dr. Delwyn was too discreet to look surprised. He gave the eau-de-cologne to the priest without a

word, and stood by in silenco watch

ing his patient in far deeper anxiety than he suffered to appear. The moment the priest's hand touched

her forehead, she stretched out her own hand to him, and when he

took it she gave a half-sigh, and tried to speak. Father Michael bent over her. " She is reviving," said the physician in a whisper; leave her alone for a little. The priest gave the scent bottle back to Lisetta, and

stood looking down on the lovely face before him. " Give me a little brandy," said Dr. Selwyn at length. It was ready at hand, and given at once by the ever-active Lisetta. He mixed it with water, and offered it to his young patient. She drank it obediently, but for many moments it appeared to work

no change in her. Then she moved once more, restlessly, and again tried to speak. Stooping low Father Michael caught the broken, half-formed words, " Obey —him— and—" a pause, and the impatient moan showed the effort the wandering mind was making; then came more distinctly the completion of the sentence—" and—you—■" "She is not speaking English," said Dr. Delwyn, who caught the last words.

" She was born and brought up in Italy," answered the priest; "she only speaks English to English people ; never to anyone who can speak Italian." " Poor child," said the physician, sighing, " her mind is wandering. What does she say 1" " Hush !" the priest lifted his

linger, and stooped his ear once more to the lips from which the liquid Italian vowels were dropping softly. "You—will you go to her, mia padre —will she repent ? I ought to obey —no— oh ! Madonna —my head!" A very grave shade passed over the physician's face, and he laid his hand on the patient's forehead. She

started violently and almost fiercely, and with a strength for which he had not given her credit, shook him off. " Not hiin, not him," she gasped. " Father, don't let him come !" She opened her eyes, and gave a wild fleeting look round the silent group, but there was at first no sign of recognition ; she was evidently, however, struggling to connect identity with each person, for she looked

fixedly at the physician, then to Father Michael, and instantly her face changed ; she knew him, and looked at him very wistfully; he

wondered why, till he saw her dark

eyes again wandering round the room, not this time from one to the

other of those who watched her so

anxiously, but beyond them, as if

looking for somebody else.

whom was she seeking 1 Surely not for Florence 1 No, for she closed her eyes again with a heavy, weary sigh, and lay for some moments

quite quiet, but manifestly to the priest and the physician passing through some sharp mental struggle. "Do you know of anyone," whispered Dr. Delwyn to the priest, " whom she would like to see 1" Father Michael shook his head sadly— "No, I do not. Shall I ask

her?" " It would be better, I think." " Agnes," said the priest, bending over her, "my child, is there anyone you would like to see 1" She did not directly pay any attention to him, but he knew she heard and understood him, for she held her breath for a minute. Then she shook her head and muttered faintly— " Not for hours—only for a little—"

The physician held up a warning linger— " Hush," lie whispered almost under his breath ; "she may sleep." Florence had sat still till now with her face hidden in her hands ; grief, remorse and terror had stricken her with a triple blow, and she neither moved nor spoke though she listened intently tc catch what fell from the wanderin? lips ; but now she lifted her ghastl

and beckoned Dr. Delwyn toller side. "Is there any danger," she said, " serious danger 1 If she sleeps may she not do well V

"I dare not prophesy," he an-

swered. " Tt is serious, very serious. I will not leave her to-night. Silence now, perfect silence. She is quiet." But the physician took little hope from the heavy slumber into which the sufferer was sinking ; it was the lethargy of utter exhaustion rathcv than the sleep of rest: he ('':•>•!<!::•! the awakoiiiajj, '<iui, he kept his and his fears to himself,

and sat down by the bedside, where he could note every change in the face which even now wore no look of peace or tranquility. Lisetta only stole out to toll the anxious servants that the Sjgnorina was sleeping now and might do better, and came back to watch too and to murmur many an earnest prayer for her darling young mistress ; and so the hours of the night passed, and the grey dawn crept through the closed blinds, the dawn that the now unconscious sleeper had only a few days ago watched with such anguish grow into the day that could «nly bring her sorrow. Four o'clock struck. Father Michael looked at, his watch, then at Agnes; she lay still motionless, and gently he drew away his hand from the now listless clasp of the slender fingers. " I had better leave her now, it may not be so easy when sho wakes," he whispered to the physician ; " I have to say Maws at six o'clock this morning. Dr. Delwyn nodded, and the priest passed round to where Lisetta sat.

"God help you, my child," he said to her in her own language, •» pray for her, and he will save her. We, will offer Mass, and ask the prayers of the faithful for her. Send for me if there is any danger."

The Italian looked up with tears into the priest's face, and kissed his hand in silence, and Father Michael went out noiselessly. As he reached the door, he gave one last look to the bed. There was still no change. " Who was it, the priest asked himself, for whom those wistful eyes had sought so earnestly V CHAPTER XVII.

" Hush !" said the physician, liftin" his finger, " not a word, not a movement ; she is waking."

The sleeper stirred restlessly, and threw up her hands, then pressed them to her head, and moaned something which Dr. Delwyn could not catch and would not have understood had he heard it distinctly, for the words were in Italian.

" Arc you in pain'," he said gently. The large hazel eyes opened and looked straight into the speaker's face, with a wild half.territied

" My child 1" she repeated, using the first Englisii words she had uttered, and then added in Italian, "You are not Padre Michael— where is he?"

"Ho will come back soon, clear Signorina," said Lisetta, taking her young mistress's hand, "he was obliged to go." Agnes looked at her faithful attendant with a puzzled expression. " Who are you 1" she said, " but you speak my own language. Will he come soon f " Yes, mia cava, very soon V "Grazie; don't let them talk English." " Ask her," said the physician to Lisetta, " whether she is in any pain." Lisetta repeated the question to Agnes who had closed her eyes again. She shook her head— " No, not much ; it is not that. Oh ! Madonna mia -"

" I have sent for a prescription," said Dr. Delwyn, quietly, " the servant will be back directly.

•' Who is talking ?" said Agnes, quickly, " someone is talking English."

" I am your physician," said Dr. Delwyn gently, I cannot speak Italian—must I not speak English 1

The girl looked at him as if she would look into his very soul. He almost winced under the scrutiny—

" What is your name V she said at length, very deliberately and in English. "Delwyn, my child, I am Dr. Delwyn." "Dr. Delwyn," repeated Agnes, " Then you are English, you cannot speak my language." " No; butl want to make you well."

" I don't want to be well," said Agnes, " if I die, then—then—oh ! you do not know ; you cannot help her, canyou '(" " Help her 1 help who, my dear child 1"

" Surely," said ¥101-61106, interposing, " she ought not to talk so much. She wanders strangely."

At the sound of her voice, Agnes uttered a stifled cry and flung her arms round Lisetta. "Take her away!" she cried frantically, "I cannot do it— mother, mother, I cannot, indeed I cannot. Oh ! ask him to come; he will save me, I know he will." " Pie will come, the dear dadre, very soon my darling Signorin," said Lisetta, trying to soothe the sufferer's paroxysm while Dr. Delwyn drew Florence hastily to the door of the apartment. " No, no, not him," said the girl, rasping for breath, "not him." " Who then, mia carat'

"You don't knGW him," said Agnes, more calmly, "is he here?" Divining whom she meant, but not wanting to supply the name, Lisetta said—

"Is who there, Signorina 1 Only say who you want to see, and he shall come."

But Agnes shook her head sorrowfully— "He cannot come," she said, pushing back the soft curls from her forehead, "Oh; he could take this weight away." "Who could, Siguorinaf persisted Lisetta. But Agnes did not answer; she

threw herself back on the pillow and closed her eyes, and Dr. Delwyn went out into the ante-room, carefully closing tho door of communication.

" Lady de Clilford," he said, in a calm, business like manner, "is

that Italian girl a good nurse, an experienced nurse, I mean?" " No ; she has never nursed anyone in sickness. She is faithful, quick, and conscientious; she can do all that can possibly be done without professional knowledge." "She will do well to assist; but we must have a thorough nurse— one who in the absence of the physician would know what to do in any emergency. Do you know of anyone who could undertake the duties?"

" A Sister of Charity—" began FloVence, but Dr Delwyn interrupted nor.

"No more excellent nurses could be had," he said, "but it must be someene who can speak, or at least understand Italian. Your daughter never speaks English, and seems to have taken a groat dislike to it; it is needless to say that she must be humoured in everything."

"But," said Florence, " she raves so strangely. Would it not be better than any newcomer about her should not be able to comprehend what she said 1"

"That risk must be incurred," said the physician firmly, " and it is not a great one. So young a girl can have no grave secrets to betray, and as to her disliking a stranger, that, too, must be risked. To you —even if you were able to undertake the duties of a nurse, she has taken one of those dislikes which are a common feature of delirium ; and she must not be left day or night, nor must she have about her a person who cannot understand the language in which she habitually speaks to which at any moment she may choose to confine herself entirely. Lady de Clifford," he went on, " I never deceive people ; I. will not attempt to deceive you ; your daughter's illness gives me very grave anxiety ; the fever is not at present brain fever, but it may become so, under any circumstances ; I fear that it must certainly become so unless the mental pressure which brought on this attack can be removed. I need not say that I am actuated simply by the duty which I owe to my patient and to you in asking you whether there is anything pressing on your daughter's mind of the full" extent of which you are ignorant, or whether you have the power to remove the trouble from which she is suffering."

The length of the physician's speech enabled Florence to retain the self-possession of which an abrupt question would have deprived her ; yet even as it was she grew deadly white, and did not lift her eyes to Dr Delwyn's face as she answered —

"Dr Delwyn, if it were in my power to remove this sorrow—l am her mother, and therefore no sacrifice could be too great; but I have not the power. What it costs me to say this—" she paused and hurried on, " I know in part the sorrow that has laid her on this bed of sickness, but, perhaps, it may be, not all."

" She seemed," said Dr Delwyn, "to be looking for someone both last night and this morning, and so far as I could gather, she asked for this someone whom she refused to name ; she has by no means as yet lost all control over her own utterances. Do you know, or if you do not know, can you think of anyone, whom she would be likely to wish to see? for everything depends upon every wish being gratified."

Florence remained for a few moments silent. One name there was that rose almost unconsciously in her mind, but a double barrier stood between the suffer and that name; if the first barrier—GrantFaulkner's will—could be broken down, the second was yet more insuperable. It would be better for Allies to die thnii to save her life at the expense of that secret which a woman holds far clearer than life.

" Dr Delwyn," she said at length, " I know of uo one. Perhaps it would be well to deal frankly with. you, and say at once that I cannot fail to see to what your supposition naturally points. Agnes is but seventeen ; we are not many months returned from Italy, she is constantly in my company, and I can say that I am not aware of any attachment which exists in her mind stronger than her affection for myself, or in any way to influence her in the matter which surprised me the full as much as it surprised you. She may be, and I think must be, wandering to some reminiscences of her life abroad, the more so as she not only speaks Italian entirely, but actually seems to dislike to hear English spoken, and the idea does not appear to last for long at a time." Dr Delwyn shook his head. "Allow me todiffer from you, Lady de Clifford. I am very deeply grieved that I can only repeat what I have already said—l fear the worst, It is better"to say this at once." Florence covered her face. "So be it," she said in a hollow voice, " I can do nothing." " I do not say," said the physician " that there is no hope. I only say that 1 cannot hold out hope. Let us return to immediate needs. You do not then know of any nurse V

"I will ask Father Michel—the priest whom you saw herelast night," said Florence, forcing herself by • a strong effort to speak calmly; " he

may, anions his congregation, know someotiG who ho can recommend." (To !)•■ Cmfniiirrt.)