Frank Tousey

“ You don’t know the wickedness that woman’s capable of.”
“Well, what can she say more than that we are an engaged couple? And is this not true, Francis?” I said, gently taking her hand in mine.
“You come back to the subject again, even now you know all,” she murmured; “but you have not calculated all the troubles and burdens which would fall upon you: Rolf, whom we could not send away from the Werve; my grandfather with his large wants—and small income. Oh yes, I know you are going back to the Hague to reconcile yourself with your uncle the minister, as the General has advised you to do ”

“ The old General had discovered my intentions—of that I was convinced. He was continually insisting upon a reconciliation with my uncle the minister, and that I should prepare Francis for the sale of the Werve. On this latter point, I assured him Francis would listen to reason, and, armed with his power of attorney, I went over to Zutphen to arrange the preliminaries with Overberg. Van Beek was growing less and less manageable; he had sent in reams of stamped paper to Overberg, and the interest on several of the mortgages was six months over due ”

“ You, Jim Statt, you are a callous monster. You’ve a soul as black as hell. If I judge you I am poisoned.... You, Susan, you’re twisted. You hold a man in your arms to feel him die there ... all that is really he. That’s your love: hate. That’s your passion: death. If I judge you, I am poisoned.... And you, sweet Tessie, you’re hardest of all. With your sensitive soft soul and your unbalanced eyes: with your wanton small hands that turned you from an artist into this. If I despise you, Tessie, I am poisoned.
—Clara, thee I love. ”

“ Is her name Francis Mordaunt?” exclaimed Verheyst, in a tone of surprise and disappointment.
“Yes, don’t you like the name? or have you heard it before?” asked Leopold, all in a breath, for the serious looks of his friend alarmed him.
“Heard it before! Well, yes—indeed, often, as that of an English officer on half-pay who some years ago lived in my province; a man against whose character, so far as I know, nothing can be said.” ”

“ Oh, Francis! I am not deceived in you, and I [163] will try to cure you in spite of yourself. When you made such a terrible scene in my presence this morning, I understood you. It meant this: He is staying here to study the character of Major Frank; well now, he shall see it in all its rudeness and insufferableness, and we shall see how long he will stay in spite of me. ”

“ Suddenly she stood quite still and said—
“Forgive me, Leo, for the unmerciful way in which I laughed at you, when I saw the ‘mess’ your driver had brought you into. I was not laughing at you personally; but I am always so tickled when I see the so-called ‘lords of creation’ making themselves ridiculous, that I could not restrain my laughter.”
“Oh, I bear you no malice, Francis, on that account; but how is it you are so embittered against my sex?”
“Major Frank,” she answered, “has but too often had occasion to study the character of men.” ”

“ Here Francis burst into tears, and covered her face.
“It is a pity, Francis, a great pity,” replied Rudolf. “For your sake, I would that I had been the victim of this accident rather than Blount. You would have had one burden less to bear. Don’t take it so to heart, my child. I have seen others fall from their horses never to rise again alive. What can we do? Wait till our turn comes, and not make life miserable by thinking too much about it. ”

“ Major Frank is acquainted with all the ranks from corporal to general; and in civil life she has had an opportunity of studying men wearing court dress, decorations, and orders. And this is the conclusion she has come to: that discipline is the best means of bringing out [85] whatever good there is in a man, whilst at the same time it keeps the evil within bounds.”
“What you say is not very encouraging for your future husband, Francis.”
“My future husband!” she cried, with a bitter laugh. “Now I see you are a perfect stranger in these parts, Leopold. ”

“ Francis listened this time without interrupting me. She was staring at the panes of the window, as if to put herself in countenance again; her paleness disappeared, and, turning round, she said, without anger, but with firmness— [166]
“I confess, Leopold, it is not easy to contradict you; and now I think we are quits. Are we again good friends?”
“There’s nothing I desire more ardently; but, once for all, with whom? with Major Frank or——”
“Well, then, Francis Mordaunt asks for your friendship.” ”

“ My grandfather finds fault with me about it, for he regards it as so much money thrown away. Now, Leopold, do you think I could draw a man I really loved into such a maëlstrom as this?”
“The man worthy to possess you, Francis, will not be drawn in, but will aid you in getting out of it.”
“It is impossible; I will never abandon this child of Harry Blount’s.”
“I would never advise you to do anything of the sort. I know the way to treat such people as Mrs. Jool. The child must be taken away from her and brought up by respectable farmers ”

“ Still, I [254] watched him without his knowing it, and I soon found out for a certainty that he borrowed money of a Dutch banker, to whom he gave bills on Francis’s property;—and, you see, rather than confess this to her, he has accused me——”
“But such conduct is abominable!”
“Ah! passions do not reason. I was far away, and my name was already sullied. I only desire to clear myself in Francis’s opinion. But to conclude my history: I was not more lucky in the New World than I had been in Europe ”

“ It does me good to hear such men still exist.”
“Now, Francis, give me your confidence. Perhaps I can assist you in your troubles.”
“Don’t attempt the impossible, Leopold,” she replied in a tone of profound sadness. “However, as I believe you to be loyal and generous, I will be explicit with you; and if I am deceived in you, as I have often been in others, one deception more or less cannot make much difference in the grand total. When my grandfather had obtained his pension we came to the Werve, as it was urgently necessary for us to economize. ”

“ And you would cast in your lot with us, susceptible and haughty as you are!”
“There’s nothing else I can do,” replied Francis. “I can manage a horse, but I cannot become a governess and undertake the care of young children any more than I could earn my bread with my needle. I will not be guilty of the sin of suicide. I have a duty to fulfil in life, though to me life is but a martyrdom. And this is my only resource.”
“But, you foolish girl, why don’t you seek a reconciliation with your Cousin van Zonshoven? ”

“ Frank stopped before the living-room door, and looked up at his master. He had to depend on human beings in matters like the opening of doors. And now he was in the living room, where a fire of oak logs roared up the chimney. Overwhelming joy seized him that he should be in here. He ran to Marian Earle and laid his head on her lap, looking up into her face; then to Tommy Earle, the boy, who caught hold of his heavy red mane. ”

“ I rejoined, “your grandfather is the sole owner of the Castle; and during his life the will by which it is bequeathed to you has no force nor value.”
“Ah! if she could only be brought to see all the circumstances in their true light,” sighed Von Zwenken.
“Well, uncle, you write what I have requested you to write; you know only too well the consequences of any other decision.”
“He wants you to write lies!” cried Francis, exasperatingly; “he’ll stick to his million, that’s clear.”
“Francis,” said the General, with the tone of a supplicant, “if you knew all I know! ”

“ It seemed doubtful whether Major Frank could ever become Lady Francis van Zonshoven.
When I awoke the sun was streaming through the one window whose shutters I had purposely left open, with the intention of taking an early morning [144] walk. I crept silently down the stairs so as not to awake anybody, but I met Fritz in the vestibule, and he made his military salute in silence. The hall door was wide open. I took the direction of the home-farm, where I hoped to obtain a glass of new milk, and draw the tenants out a little about the inhabitants of the Castle—one in particular. ”

“ What is your opinion, Mr. Leopold?”
“I believe what you say,” I answered.
“Ah, that’s a relief; it does me good!” he murmured, his eyes filling with tears. “My father has been accustomed to spend his leave in fashionable watering-places; is it not possible for him there to have made the acquaintance of some wretch wicked enough to serve him such a turn?” [244]
“For the last few years the General has not been from home, except one winter which he spent in Arnheim.”
“Can Rolf have done it?”
“No, don’t suspect Rolf ”

“ Why, it looks as if you were going to start a business here. Why have you brought all these useless dainties again?” And she struck the table with her clenched fist till the pots and bottles danced again. “The General ought to turn you out of doors; and he would if his tongue and sense of honour had not grown dull.” [156]
“Francis, Francis!” murmured Von Zwenken in a pitiful tone.
“No, grandfather,” she continued, more loudly and rudely, “it is a shame, and if you had the least fortitude left you would put a stop to such extravagance.”
“Major, Major!” interposed Rolf, deprecatingly. ”

“ I was to make the best conditions I could for him in the sale of the Werve. It was time. Overberg consented to wait; but Van Beek, the executor of the will, a man as inflexible as the law itself, had lost all patience. And I was not yet sure of Francis. Weakness on my part, you will say; but no, it was delicacy—it was the fear of having to cut short my [272] stay. I was afraid of the obstinacy of Francis—that she would not consent to a marriage even though I might have won her heart. ”

“ Such people are easily frightened. One thing, however, is certain, and that is, Major Frank has not dared to show her face in our circle since; and besides this, it seems to have been the cause of her grandfather retiring from the service.” [65]
“He had attained the age to be put on the retired list,” said the Captain; “and with his pension he obtained the honorary rank of General.”
“Be that as it may, the General retired from the world to Castle de Werve,” observed the old lady.
“Where, now, Major Frank has the command,” put in the spinster. ”

“ It would be a pity you should lose your pains. There’s the farm—go straight on and ask the people to tell you all about the affair between Major Frank and her coachman Harry Blount; both the man and his wife were witnesses. And, Jonker van Zonshoven, when they have satisfied you, you may return to the Werve to take your leave, and return as you came. ”

“ He prayeth best who loveth best
All things, both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us
He made and loveth all.
Something was wrong with little Tommy Earle. Consequently, something was wrong with the whole Earle plantation. Frank, the Earle dog—a stately Irish setter, rich in the wisdom and devotion of the nobly bred bird dog—Frank had sensed it yesterday afternoon. The boy had not come out of the house until long after dinner. Then he had strolled off forlornly and in silence toward the garage. His frowsy head had been bowed as if he were studying his own little shadow at his feet. ”

“ Frank had sat down on his haunches, in his fine old eyes, as he watched his master's retiring form, [Pg 46] that disconsolate look of a dog whose feelings are deeply wounded. A moment Tommy regarded his offended friend. No use to think of turning him loose again with his father within hearing. Tommy hardened his heart. All right—so be it—he had done his part. Things would just have to take their course. Gun under arm, face set and grim, he walked round the house, and left old Frank to his fate. ”

“ At length Rudolf roused himself from his despondency, drank off a glass of water, and, turning towards Francis, said in his most serious tone—
“Just listen, Miss Mordaunt. It appears to me that, under the pretext of acting as guardian to my father, you oppose a reconciliation between us, without even consulting his wishes; and it is strange that a niece, a granddaughter only, should usurp the position of the eldest son, and refuse to listen to the returning prodigal.”
“Don’t talk to me about your prodigal son,” cried [234] Francis, angrily; “you are not the prodigal son. ”

“ Pete would never eat any more crumbs. Breathing fast, the boy looked at Frank. Ears drooped, eyes worried, Frank looked at the boy. And while they looked, down the back steps came the solid tread of Aunt Cindy's broganned feet, and her regular afternoon summons broke the silence:
"Chick! Chick! Chick!"
Through the corn the silly hens went running toward the yard, their appetites nowise affected by the calamity. Again the old woman called. Then she spoke, and Tommy's heart jumped up into his mouth. ”

“ And old Frank, fierce eyes shrewd, hair risen all the way down his gaunt back, rose [Pg 92] guardedly, crept through the bushes, came out in the road behind and followed.
Old Frank had been a companion of men all his days. He had hunted with them, shared their food and fire, looked up with steady, open eyes into their faces. He had never had a human enemy before. But now he stalked this man as his ancestors had stalked big game—muscles tense, head low between gaunt shoulder blades, eyes hard and bloodshot. When the man turned he would rush forward and spring at his throat. ”