Count Zarka

“ Do not shoot!” then there was a rustling in the undergrowth, and next moment a man appeared, no less a person than Count Zarka. Count Zarka, with hand extended warningly, eyebrows elevated, and a grin of concern and apology.
“A million pardons, mein Herr!” he cried, coming eagerly forward. “I am too stupid. Heaven be thanked that I missed you. I deserve for my carelessness never to touch a gun again. But I have been watching for a boar that has its lair hereabouts, and I had no idea that any human being but myself was within a league of the place.” ”

“ D’Alquen laughed again, this time not so loudly, but with a jarring, sarcastic note.
“No; we can answer for no man outside our own skin, not even for the honourable Count Zarka. And if my estimate of that nobleman is not wrong, the man would be rash indeed who would answer for his piety.”
“You know him, then?” Galabin asked, still more mystified.
[113] D’Alquen threw out his arms with a gesture of protest. “Not I. Only by sight, that is, unless I have set down the wrong man for the Count. A dark man, handsome, yes, if it were not for a sinister expression and the grin of a wolf. ”

“ Galabin interposed. “My dear Osbert, what does it matter?”
But the Lieutenant made a gesture to silence him. His face was stern, and the eyes which met [256] the Count’s had an angry gleam. “It does matter,” he insisted. “There are not so many ladies in the neighbourhood capable of fighting a duel that the withholding of the name should hurt no particular reputation. Count Zarka has boasted that a duel was fought on his account——”
“No, no!” Zarka protested, hardly disguising his evil satisfaction at the way his rival was walking into the trap. ”

“ But it is hardly likely that another man would have the same purpose as ourselves. No; the other solution is far more probable. Now, what does Count Zarka, ostensibly a rich nobleman living on his country estate, want with a patrol, or a spy?”
Von Tressen shook his head. “The Count is deeper than I can fathom.”
“Or I. We must wait for eventualities, and meanwhile keep our eyes open.”
They soon reached the farm, and found father and daughter in the little enclosed shrubbery before the house. ”

“ Zarka made an exclamation of impatience, but with wonderful self-control he gave no further sign of anger.
“We have talked long enough,” he said, crossing the room. “We shall never understand one another till we are man and wife.”
As he spoke he pushed away the tapestry which ran noiselessly on its rod, disclosing a pair of Gothic doors of polished oak. At a push these swung silently back revealing the private chapel of the castle, lighted up as for service. Behind the altar rails stood a man in robes, and with book in hand. ”

“ Certainly at a casual glance an undeniably handsome fellow, with a lithe figure and a perfect seat on horseback.
“He is a Count Zarka,” Gersdorff answered. “He lives right away on the eastern borders of the country among the mountains, but he is often here, staying sometimes for several weeks together and living in expensive style. Now the curious thing about him is that he seems suddenly and strangely to have become rich—no one knows how. His father, the last Count, was poor, living in a half-ruined castle among the mountains ”

“ A big bird of the vulture family flew suddenly down to the mouth of the chasm, circled about, and sighting the man there, wheeled off with a cry of angry surprise. The spectre of the mountain slowly faded as the sun dipped behind the topmost peak; the mist began to rise and roll, and the cloud to assert its sway.
Zarka, who had stood since his apostrophe in lowering meditation, started forward as though with a suddenly formed determination. His disfigured face lighted up with diabolical triumph, and he laughed aloud as he hastened back along the path. Such a laugh! ”

“ In a few seconds they were under the wall, looking in vain for a sign of the window.
“It was directly above us here,” Von Tressen said. “I would swear to that. I marked it by the triangular flower-bed. But where is it now?”
The dark wall above them presented an unbroken surface of stone. The moon shone out for a moment and proved it clearly. There was no window.
“Well,” observed Galabin, as they turned away from their puzzled search, “at least we have found something mysteriously interesting to follow up. Count Zarka is evidently a man worth the trouble of watching. ”

“ But under the circumstances, perhaps the fewer acquaintances we make the better. We have always the Count.”
“Yes,” she repeated, “we have always the Count. Father,” she added suddenly with a change of tone, “I do not care for Count Zarka’s attentions.” ”

“ So without seeing anything further to excite their curiosity they returned through the forest to their camping-ground.
[67] CHAPTER VI
ZARKA PLAYS TERRORIST
Next day, as the two friends were preparing for a morning’s sport, they were surprised by a visit from no less a personage than Count Zarka himself. He came in, all smiles, to invite them to Rozsnyo.
“I really cannot allow you to live here like gipsies,” he said, “when I have a great, almost empty house, within a stone’s throw. You must be my guests while you stay in the forest.” ”

“ Everything seemed in a vortex of doubt and danger. It was more than Philippa could bear, and at last she resolved that, come what might, she would make a bold effort to see her lover without delay. Might not he be in danger too? Zarka had boasted of his power, and of his unscrupulous people. If he could put one man out of the way, why not another? Yes, she would seek Von Tressen at all hazards. ”

“ Count, have you no sense of decency?”
A dazed feeling came over her. It was only by an effort that she kept her mind clear. Although she spoke boldly she felt trapped and powerless.
“Is it nothing to me to lose Royda?” Zarka exclaimed passionately. “Girl, can you not recognize [279] your own work? That if I forget grief and decency it is for love of you? That I am not master of myself, have no feeling but my mad love for you? Philippa, will you kill me as you have killed her? I cannot live without you! If I am to be alive at sunrise to-morrow it must be as your husband!” ”

“ Zarka rode on through the wild forest region at a rate in keeping with his impatience, until, having gone perhaps some half dozen miles, he slackened his pace and turned along a rough bridle-path which would bring him by a circuitous way back to Rozsnyo. He had pursued this path for about a mile when he came to a clearing in the woodlands and upon an unexpected scene. In the midst of the open space stood a half-ruined building which, from a certain peculiarity in its architecture, had clearly been, at any rate at one time or another, designed for a chapel or oratory. ”

“ I have power; power of will, power of gold! And my power shall not be mocked. In me the heart to desire is one with the power to have. So, my genius—angel—devil, whate’er you be, in these desperate passes, give me my desire; the brain, the will, the courage—for fair or foul, harden my heart, strengthen my hand. Be with me now, as I shall be with you hereafter. Zarka!”
He shouted the last word in half mocking exaltation, and as he ended the apostrophe the spectral form seemed to bend over him and the cloudy presence to surround and envelop him. ”

“ Harlberg spread out his hands in a gesture of protestation. “I have nothing to do with it, my dear,” he said, almost petulantly. “You are quite old enough to choose for yourself; and if our [47] friend Count Zarka wishes to marry you, why, he has a tongue in his head, and a pretty glib one too.”
“I only wish you not to encourage him in that idea,” Philippa said.
“You may be sure I shall not,” he replied, taking up his novel again with a suggestion that argument was fatiguing, and he did not feel just then in the humour for it. ”

“ As she turned the glitter fastened on her face, which was convulsed with tearless grief. It had seen scorn there and anger, but usually the calmness of self-control and indifference. Never a softer emotion. And as the glitter marked this it seemed to coruscate.
“You will make amends,” Zarka said, taking a step to intercept her.
She stopped short, as though to avoid coming in contact with him.
“How? What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean, Philippa. You know what you can do.”
“No, no!” she exclaimed in shocked repugnance. “How can you speak of that now?” ”

“ The World says:—"Sir William Magnay's novel Count Zarka is a clever and entertaining story; it affords us glimpses of forest scenery which we like, and one remarkable departure from beaten tracks, a woman's duel in earnest."
The Dundee Courier says:—"The story is brightly and thrillingly told, and holds one through all its three hundred odd pages." ”

“ Zarka’s way was one he had often traversed, that leading to the pass over the mountains. The afternoon was still brilliant as he reached the snow line, and turned to take breath after his rapid climb. For he had set forth in a state of vicious excitement for which action and waste of energy were the only safety-valves. Even when he had halted on the lower plateau he could not keep still, but restlessly paced to and fro in irregular strides, now stopping, [316] now starting forward again as his thoughts seemed to whip him into action. ”

“ Before he could get up his own weapon the other cried: “Drop it! Throw your gun over, or I fire. Over with it, I say, or you are a dead man!”
Zarka’s face had gone grey, his eyes blazed with impotent hate. By a great effort he assumed a look of surprised protest, but his ever-ready smile was [209] hardly a success, if, that is, it was meant for anything more than a diabolical grin.
“Herr D’Alquen!” he cried. “What do you mean, my good friend? Are you mad?”
But his good friend showed no sign of relaxing his attitude. “Drop your gun over, or I swear I’ll shoot,” he insisted. ”

“ Zarka gave a shrug. “Too much, if you will. So I will add no more. You say there are few ladies in the forest, then it should not be difficult for the Herr Lieutenant to guess the name of my cousin’s opponent.”
“It would be affectation to ignore your insinuation,” Von Tressen replied with spirit. “But if it points to Fräulein Harlberg, I can only tell you, Count, I take the liberty of disbelieving your story.”
Zarka gave an unpleasant laugh. “I know of no one else who could have been my poor cousin’s adversary. ”

“ Say you are right and she is not dead, but alive a hundred leagues away, then why are you here? You are hopelessly compromised. Another alternative presents itself, and a worse one. To-morrow morning you are a disgraced woman—or Countess Zarka.”
Philippa could make no reply; her heart was over-full of indignation and bitterness. The man was too strong for her, and in his pitiless strength was driving her surely to her doom. She felt more and more her own weakness pitted against him, the futility of her struggles. ”

“ Von Tressen returned indignantly.
“You need not,” Zarka rejoined with a smile. “You have but to pay a visit to the farm and notice whether the Fräulein’s throat is bound up. I fancy she did not come through the encounter quite unscathed. That should be proof enough for a reasonable man. If I am wrong in my assertion I shall be happy to give you any satisfaction you may demand. For the present there is no more to be said. Good-day, gentlemen. Auf Wiedersehen.”
He gave a touch to the bridle, wheeled, and rode off, the very incarnation of triumphant, Satanic politeness. ”

“ Royda laughed mockingly. “Does that account for Rozsnyo being your nearest place of shelter? It is a long evening stroll for a young lady from Gorla’s farm.”
[224] “Your suspicions,” Philippa said, repressing the indignation she felt at Royda’s manner, which was more insulting than her words, “are altogether wrong and most unjust. I lost my way in the forest before the storm began. I had no thought of coming here, much less a wish to see Count Zarka. I hate him.” ”

“ It was but the vapour descending as the sun gradually lost [153] its power, just as the apparition had been but the familiar spectre of the mountains.
Nevertheless Zarka seemed, with a gambler’s superstition, to regard it as an omen and an answer to his profane prayer. He threw back his head and stretched his arms as though he would embrace what was but his own shadow. Then, with a more practical impulse, he snatched up his gun, and ran quickly on along the path, racing the great cumuli which were rolling down from the mountain tops. ”

“ Zarka smiled indulgently. “You are a young man, Herr Lieutenant, and your natural chivalry makes you incredulous. But if you lived a thousand years in the world you would still have much to learn of women’s ways.”
“Possibly,” Von Tressen returned; “but in this instance I am concerned only with one woman. And I say you have no right without proof to associate Fräulein Harlberg with this escapade.” ”

“ Zarka now halted [203] and turned with an affectation of breathlessness.
“We should soon get a sight of some game here,” he observed. “We can now go forward together, at least as far as the rocks yonder.”
He pointed, as he spoke, to the base of some high peaks which shut in the plateau.
“I have had fine sport here with ibex and chamois,” he remarked, as they walked on side by side, D’Alquen ever on the alert, and amusingly distrustful of his urbane and voluble companion. “Two guns should, however, have a better chance than one, since between us, up yonder, we can cut off the animals’ escape. ”

“ So she thought of her one feasible escape—death, and calmly balanced it against union with Zarka. This marriage would confirm Von Tressen’s opinion of her; death would give it the lie. So she began to contrive calmly how she could accomplish her end.
“The General would be delighted at the news [284] of our secret marriage,” Zarka said, breaking the silence which he misinterpreted. “He would only be too glad to hear it was all over, and welcome you to-morrow as queen of Rozsnyo. Philippa, you must take the step now. You cannot go back. Honour is in front, shame and absolute disgrace behind. ”