A Secret Inheritance. Volume 2 of 3. Farjeon Benjamin Leopold

I exclaimed, rattling some money in my pocket. 'Would that I knew where to obtain it! Here am I, starving, lost in the woods last night, and with not an idea now how to get out of them. Can you show me the way?'

      "'Yes,' she replied eagerly.

      "'Then I am fortunate, indeed, in lighting on you, and I bless the chance. Ah, Silvain, how I searched for you! To leave me, without ever a word-I would not have believed it of you. It was as though you doubted my friendship, which,' I added, 'is as sincere at this moment as ever it was in the years gone by.' Here there was a little choking in my throat because of the tears which again flowed from his eyes. 'I went to the village three times to get news of you, and had to come away unsatisfied. I wrote to your home in Germany, and received no reply. We have much to tell each other. But I am forgetting. You are faint and weary, and so am I. Can you take us to an inn where we can put some cheerful life into our bodies?'

      "I addressed this last question to Avicia, and she answered 'Yes,' and was about to lead the way when Silvain stopped her.

      "'Is it on our road?' he asked.

      "'Yes,' she answered, 'it is on our road.'

      "He motioned to her to proceed, and she stepped forward, Silvain and I walking side by side in the rear. This companionship was of my prompting, for had I not detained him he would have joined Avicia. I was burning with curiosity to learn what had befallen my friend during the last few years, but I restrained myself from asking questions which I felt he was not in the proper frame of mind at present to answer. Therefore as we walked onwards it was chiefly I who had to beguile the way. I told him all that had passed since we last met, narrated adventures which in former times would have interested him, and spoke freely of my settlement in life and of the happiness of my home. He acknowledged my efforts in monosyllables, but volunteered nothing of himself or Avicia. At the end of about an hour's walk we arrived at a village, in which there was one poor inn, and there we halted. Before we entered Silvain said,

      "'A word first. I have been seemingly churlish and ungrateful, but I am not so. My heart is overflowing with thankfulness; presently, perhaps, I may have courage to unbosom myself. You are as you were; life is fair and sweet to you.'

      "It was only because he paused here that I spoke: 'And will be to you, Silvain.'

      "'Never again,' he said. 'I am followed by a relentless spirit; I have been pursued for years by one who was heart of my heart, soul of my soul, but who now, from feelings of revenge, and as he believes of justice, is my bitter enemy.'

      "'Dare I mention his name, Silvain?'

      "'I will do so. My brother Kristel. It is of him I wish to say a word to you before I partake of your charity.'

      "'Silvain!' I cried, in remonstrance.

      "'Forgive me. I am tormented because of my condition, because of Avicia's misery. Answer me honestly. Is it really true that you came upon us by chance in the woods?'

      "'It is really true.'

      "'Kristel did not send you?'

      "'I have not seen Kristel since you and I last met.'

      "'Nor heard from him?'

      "'Nor heard from him.'

      "He took the hand I held out to him, and we followed Avicia into the inn, where, very soon, we were seated at a table with a modest meal before us. The food was poor enough, the wine was thin and common, but we could scarcely have enjoyed a grand banquet more. I speak not alone for myself, but for Silvain and Avicia; it was evident to me that they had not had many full meals lately. Avicia especially ate ravenously, and with a perfect sense of animal enjoyment, and it was only when she had finished that a certain terror, which I had observed in both her and Silvain, again asserted itself.

      "'Remain here a while, Avicia,' said Silvain, at the end of the meal; 'I wish to speak to our friend alone.'

      "'Are we safe?' she asked.

      "'I think so; I hope so. Sleep; it will do you good.'

      "'Thank you, Silvain.'

      "She was seated on a hard bench, not conducive to repose; nevertheless she closed her eyes, and was almost immediately asleep.

      "'Poor girl!' said Silvain, with a sigh, 'she has suffered much-and in a few weeks will become a mother.'

      "We strolled up and down outside the inn and conversed.

      "'You have behaved to us with true friendship,' he said; 'and yet you can see we are beggars. Are you prospering?'

      "I am not rich,' I replied, 'but I can spare to a friend.'

      "'We are making our way to Avicia's home, to the lighthouse upon which I saw her for the first time otherwise than in my dreams. I doubt whether you can turn aside the finger of Fate as I behold it, pointing downwards to a grave, but you can perhaps help us to cheat it for a short time.'

      "'You speak strangely, Silvain; the ominous fears which oppress you may be bred by a disordered fancy.'

      "'In our former intercourse,' was his reply, 'was my fancy ever disordered? I advanced nothing that was not afterwards proved; I made no pretence of accounting for the warnings I received; I make none now. I shudder to think of the future, not so much for my own sake as for Avicia's. Helpless, penniless, without a friend-'

      "'You are forgetting me, Silvain?'

      "'Ah, yes, my friend, as you still declare yourself to be; I cannot but believe you. But Avicia-'

      "'I am her friend as well as yours.'

      "'For God's sake, do not speak lightly! You do not know to what a pass I am driven.'

      "'You shall enlighten me, and I maybe able to counsel you. Do not think I am speaking lightly, As I am your friend, so am I Avicia's. As I will stand by you, so will I stand by her.'

      "'In perfect faith, Louis?'

      "It was the first time he had uttered my name, and I held it as a sign that I had dispelled his distrust. I replied, 'In perfect faith, Silvain.'

      "'I accept it so. When I am gone, she will not be quite alone in the world. And now, will you give me a little money? I do not ask you to lend it to me, for I have no expectation of being able to repay you. I will briefly explain the necessity for it. We are bound for the lighthouse. It is our only refuge, and there our child will be born. May it prove a comfort to the mother! We have fifty miles to go, and Avicia is not strong enough to walk-'

      "'Say no more,' I interrupted, 'of the necessity for such a trifle; I can spare you more than sufficient for your purpose.'

      "I took from my purse what was requisite for my immediate needs, and pressed the purse with the coins that remained into his hand. He took it in silence, and his emaciated form shook with gratitude.

      "'You ask no questions about these,' he said, pointing to his rags.

      "'Why should I?' I asked in return. 'But there are one or two points upon which you might satisfy me.'

      "'I cannot go into my history, Louis. If you will give me your address I will send it to you before the week is out. Indeed, after your noble promise with respect to Avicia, it is yours by right. It will not only enlighten, it will guide you.'

      "'I will wait for it, and will make an opportunity of seeing you soon after I have read it. The points I wish to mention are these: While you and Avicia were sleeping in the forest, and I stood looking down upon you, you cried-not because of my presence, of which you were ignorant, but because of some disturbing dream-"He is coming nearer-nearer! We must fly!" To whom did you refer?'

      "'To my brother Kristel. He is pursuing us.'

      "'To your hurt?'

      "'To my destruction.'

      "'Then you have seen him?'

      "'I have not seen him. I know it through my dreams, as of old. You could not doubt their truth when we travelled together-ah, those happy days! – you cannot doubt it now.'

      "'Then, what was love between you has turned to hate?' The words escaped me unaware; I repented of them the moment they were spoken.

      "'Yes,' said Silvain,