The Pagan's Cup

by Fergus Hume

  CHAPTER V

  LOVE'S YOUNG DREAM

  The Colester folk were certainly pleased that Mr Pratt had adorned theirbeloved chapel with so magnificent a gift. They unbent so far as tosmile when they curtsied or touched their hats, but did not take him totheir bosoms. However, Pratt saw that he had made a step forward intheir affections, and professed himself well pleased. "Rome was notbuilt in a day," said he, philosophically.

  Mr Tempest installed the cup on the altar, where it glittered in frontof the crucifix. It was an object of wonder and reverence to the simplevillagers, and the vicar himself was no less pleased. Its weight, thebeauty of the workmanship, and the splendour of the jewels, filled himwith joy, and he came to regard the pagan vessel--as it undoubtedlywas--as a kind of Holy Grail. Having made some such reference to it, thesexton Baker, an inquisitive octogenarian, wanted to know what the HolyGrail was. Forthwith Mr Tempest prepared a lecture, compounded ofMallory's prose work and Tennyson's poetical interpretation. This hedelivered in the village schoolroom, and had the sacred cup placed onthe table before him, so that his hearers might have the significance ofthe gift borne home to them. Pearl heard the lecture, and so much of itas her poor wits took in led her to look upon the cup as the very vesselitself mentioned in the poem. To Pearl the Pagan cup, as Frank Halecalled it, was the veritable vessel from which the Master had drunk atthat last sad feast. And no argument could shake this belief when sheonce got it into her head.

  "So ridiculous," said Mrs Jeal, sniffing. "I daresay Mr Pratt bought itin London. He is clever at inventing stories," whereupon Pearl flew intosuch a rage that the elder woman never ventured to hint a doubt of thecup. In her own queer way, and that was none of the most righteous, MrsJeal was fond of Pearl. It is true that she regarded her as a half-bakednatural, but she would never let anyone but herself say so. Mrs Jeal wassuperstitious, and kept Pearl in her humble cottage as a kind oftalisman against evil. Probably she felt it necessary for her to havesome pure and innocent thing beside her. The Colester people neverthought of this. They regarded Mrs Jeal as a hard-working, honest woman.She was certainly all that, and more. What the "more" was Mrs Jeal neverexplained. She was well able to hold her tongue.

  Meanwhile the cup stood on the altar, and Pearl frequently stared at iton her knees, dreaming Heaven knows what dreams, as its beauty flashedin the sunlight. She attended to her duties as usual, and the vicar hadno reason to complain that the decking of the altar suffered. But theinsane girl passed hours before the cup, drinking in its lovely colourand beauty of form. It was to her a kind of fetish, and she resented itbeing touched even when Mr Tempest used it for the purpose for which ithad been presented. Pratt, hearing this, laughed, and was a littletouched. He was sorry for the girl, and pleased that he had been themeans of introducing a new element of beauty into her life.

  One day while Pearl was on her knees with clasped hands, Sybil enteredthe chapel. She had come here to meet Leo, for owing to the vigilance ofMrs Gabriel, a meeting was not easily arranged. Whenever Leo and Sybilwere together, they would be joined by Mrs Gabriel, by Frank Hale or byEdith. It was no use resenting this addition to the company, for theinconvenient third would never take the hint. Consequently Leo met Sybilby stealth, and as those who interfered rarely came to the chapel saveon Sunday, it was the chapel they chose for their meeting-place.Certainly Pearl was always haunting the shrine, but she gave them notrouble.

  Although the day was warm, Pearl had draped a shawl of white Chinesecrape over her shoulders. This was a present from Mrs Jeal, who had manysuch beautiful things, although she would never say how she came bythem. The girl still wore her favourite green dress and the straw hat,which had a fresh wreath of oak leaves round it. Every day the wreathwas renewed, and some significance was attached to it by the wearerwhich was not understood by her friends. With her eyes fixed on the cup,and her hands clasped on her knee, she knelt on the lower step of thealtar with a wrapt expression and moving lips.

  "And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with allmanner of precious stones," she murmured, and went on with the verseenumerating the gems. Pearl knew much of the Bible by heart, andfrequently recited long passages to herself. But, like a parrot, shecould never be got to speak when she was wanted, and few knew the extentof her knowledge. Sybil overheard the words, and guessed that the poorcreature applied them to the cup.

  A strong ray of sunlight streamed in through a small plain glass windowin the chancel. It struck with a golden glory on the altar, and in itsburning light the cup flashed with many hues. The gems with which it wasadorned shot sparks of rainbow fire--the green or the emerald, the fieryred of the ruby, the amethyst, purple in colour as a ripe grape, andabove all the fierce flash of a diamond that was in front of the vesselimmediately above the Latin inscription. Sybil did not wonder that Pearlhad a passion for the cup. It looked a singularly beautiful objectglowing in the splendour of the sunlight, and might well have been theHoly Grail, as Pearl thought it was.

  "What is it, Pearl?" she asked, drawing near, but speaking low so as notto disturb the girl. For Pearl was like a wild animal, and shrank awayeven at the slightest sound. And even as she spoke the sunlight passedaway.

  "It is gone, gone!" cried Pearl, rising with a wild look. "The Masterhas withdrawn His presence. I would that I could take it out where Hissun would ever shine. Did you see the angels, Miss Sybil?"

  "What angels, Pearl?"

  "In the beam of the Master's glory. They ascended and descended like theangels of Jacob's dream. From the holy cup a shining pathway went up toheaven, and now it is gone."

  "The shining pathway will be there again at this same hour to-morrow,"said Sybil, comforting the girl.

  "But it endures only for a little while," sighed Pearl. "Oh, why doesn'tthe Master take His cup into the bright sunshine where it could growwarm and rejoice in the glory of day? And the sun would make it glitterlike a thousand fires, nor would the moon withhold her light."

  "It is better here in this sacred place, Pearl."

  "The roof shuts out the light, Miss Sybil." And the girl looked at thegreat cup, now dull and colourless like a dead thing. "Only in thesunshines does the Master put out His hand to grasp His cup."

  "It is not the real cup, Pearl," said Sybil, incautiously.

  "How dare you say so?" shrieked the girl, tearing herself away fromSybil's grasp. "The vicar said it was the cup of the Master. I doubt youare one of the evil things its presence makes to fear," and with anindignant look Pearl moved swiftly down the aisle, murmuring as shewent. At the door she broke into a jubilant chant, and Sybil gatheredthat she was recalling some lines of Tennyson which the vicar hadrepeated in his lecture:--

  "Oh, yet methought I saw the Holy Grail, All palled in crimson samite, and around Great angels, awful shapes, and wings and eyes."

  Half singing, half reciting, she passed out of the door and brushed byLeo, who entered at the moment. Like a shadow she faded out of thechurch, and left him staring after her. But high and sweet in thedistance rose her voice, singing like a lark.

  "What's the matter with her now?" asked Leo as Sybil met him.

  "Nothing much. She has a belief that yonder cup is the veritable HolyGrail, and when I suggested that it was not she grew angry. But what amemory she has!" added Sybil, linking her arm within that of Leo. "Didyou hear her recite Tennyson's lines? Well, she only heard them oncebefore."

  "I daresay. But she cannot read, and those who can't read have always amarvelous memory. But the wonder to me is that her poor, cracked braincan hold anything. I know she's mad about the Grail, as she called thatcup. Mrs Jeal told me that Pearl expects the cup will some day besnatched up to heaven to be used there. Poor soul!"

  "It is a sweet belief, though," murmured Sybil; then, after a pause, shedrew Leo into the side chapel where the crusaders were set stiffly ontheir tombs. "We are safe here, Leo. No one will come. Sit down besidethis pillar and let us talk. We have much to say to one another."

  "And n
othing very pleasant," sighed Leo, as he sat down, and slipped hisarm round the girl's waist. "Oh, Sybil, how foolish I have been gettinginto debt and quarrelling with Mrs Gabriel! It will end with my goingaway to the war. Indeed, I intended to have gone this week, only I couldnot leave you, and besides--" Here Leo hesitated.

  "What is it?" she asked, noticing that he looked nervous.

  "There is a chance of my debts being paid."

  "Mrs Gabriel?"

  "No, indeed. At first she said she would pay. Now she has changed hermind. But Hale has offered to lend me the money."

  Sybil looked anxious. "I don't like that," she said decidedly. "It isnot like him to be so generous."

  "My dear," said Leo, taking her hand, "you are too hard upon poor Frank.I have known him now for many years, and it is reasonable enough that heshould be willing to help an old playfellow."

  "It is not like him," insisted Miss Tempest. "I hope he is not laying atrap for you, Leo. He is spiteful enough to do that."

  "And when he has caught me in his trap, Sybil?"

  She shook her head. "It is easy laughing, but I don't like youraccepting a favour from that cross-grained little man."

  "You are uncharitable, my dear."

  "I don't want to be. I am sure I am sorry poor Sir Frank is soafflicted, but I really wish he had a sweeter nature. Besides," her eyesfell and she began to play with a button on Leo's coat, "he is--Ithink--too fond of me."

  "Can anyone be too fond of you?" asked Haverleigh, not taking in thereal significance of this remark.

  "You do not understand, Leo. I mean that I think he intends to ask me tobe his wife. Now don't be angry, for I am not sure if he will. It isonly a kind of instinct I have that such is his intention."

  Haverleigh, confident in his good looks and virile strength, laughedgood-humouredly. "I am not angry, my dear. The idea of that wretchedlittle creature thinking of marriage!"

  "Who is uncharitable now, Mr Haverleigh?"

  The young man laughed. "Fairly hit," he said; "but really, Sybil, Idon't think you need trouble about Hale. No man of his build andweakness would insult a woman by asking her hand in marriage. He is aqueer little creature, but for all his cross-grained temper his heart isin the right place. I am sorry for him, and I feel his kindness inoffering to help me. To be sure he is well off, but the kindness is allthe same."

  "And what about his sister? She is in love with you."

  "So Mrs Gabriel says," responded Leo, coolly. "But that is allnonsense--much the same as your suspicions of Hale. Why, the girl neveropens her mouth to me; she only looks and looks."

  "With her soul in her eyes!"

  "It must be a dull soul then, for I see no gleam in those eyes of hers."

  "You are most unsuspicious, Leo," said Sybil at length. "I have a kindof feeling that we are on the eve of some trouble. Have you noticed thatuntil we found out this quiet spot Mrs Gabriel or Sir Frank and hissister always joined us?"

  "I noticed that, but it meant nothing." Leo paused and then continued,"I know that my mother wants me to marry Edith, but I told her plainlythat I would not, and she has agreed to let me have my own way."

  "That is not like her," said Sybil, after a pause. "She always wants tohave _her_ own way."

  "I think she is beginning to find me one too many for her, my love. Itis this way, Sybil. I told her that if she went on treating me so badlyI would enlist. That frightened her, and she has been kinder since."

  "I don't trust her, no more than I do Sir Frank. Are you going to takethis money?"

  "As a loan I am, but I hope to pay it back."

  "How are you going to manage?"

  "Oh, Pratt has promised to make it right with my mother. He has awonderful influence with her. You know he has been her friend for years,and she has great reliance on his judgment. I told him all my trouble,and he has promised to help me. It is not the first time he has done so,Sybil. Several times last year he lent me money."

  "I know he is a kind man," said Sybil; "but, Leo, I do wish you--"

  He stopped her mouth with a kiss. "I know what you are going to say,"was his half-laughing, half-serious remark, "and, indeed, my love, I amnot worthy of you. But now I am a man, and I intend to put away allchildish things--by which I mean the follies of youth. I have donenothing very wrong, Sybil. Indeed, my wickedness has been of the mildestdescription. I understood Mrs Gabriel to say that I was her heir, and soI thought I had a right to spend money. I overstepped the mark, and Iown my fault. I should have been more sensible, but, indeed, Sybil, itis difficult for a man brought up in luxury to know when to stop. If myhome had only been made more attractive to me, I should never havebehaved so foolishly. But that page of my life is turned down now. Itwill close with the payment of this three hundred pounds, and henceforthI shall try and deserve your love."

  "That is right, darling. But don't you think it would be better to getMr Pratt to see your mother and induce her to give you the money thantake it from Sir Frank?"

  "No, my dear," said Leo, decidedly; "if my mother thinks that I am ableto pay the money myself, she will be afraid lest she will lose mealtogether and be more amenable to reason. I have arranged it all withPratt. Hale is to lend me the money next week. I pay my debts. Then Ishall get him to speak to Mrs Gabriel."

  "Does Mr Pratt know that Sir Frank proposes to lend you the money?"

  "No; I did not tell him that at Frank's special request. I merely saidthat I would put off paying the matter for a month. In the meantime hewill speak to my mother."

  "It seems all wrong," said Sybil, with a sigh. "I can't help thinkingthat you are behaving foolishly."

  "I hope not, Sybil. But I must manage Mrs Gabriel somehow. I cannot haveher treating me so badly. Sometimes she really seems to hate me. When mydebts are paid I shall look about and see what I can do to earn my ownliving. I am half inclined to enlist in the Yeomanry."

  "Leo! Leo! Don't do that!" Sybil seized his arm. "I should lose you."

  "My dear, it is the only thing I am fit for. My mother would not let mehave a profession, and I am not clever enough to make money. I shouldhave gone into the army long ago. Indeed, it was my wish, only MrsGabriel would not consent. I think my father must have come of afighting stock, Sybil, as I feel so inclined to be a soldier."

  "The Haverleighs were always simple country squires, Leo. I have heardmy father speak of them often. There were no soldiers amongst them!"

  "Then I don't know where my aunt got her fierceness. By the way, Sybil,don't you get mixed by the many different ways I refer to that lady; Icall her my mother, my aunt, and very often Mrs Gabriel."

  "I think the last name suits her best," said Sybil, "she is such a hardwoman. Still, she has been kind to you, Leo."

  "I don't quite agree with you there," he answered a trifle bitterly. "Ifshe took me in, she has made me feel my position. No, Sybil, I hope insome way to make a position for myself. Then Mrs Gabriel may be proud ofme. At present I am only an object of her charity. Let me go for asoldier, my darling."

  "You must wait for a time, Leo," entreated Sybil. "If you are reallybent upon enlisting, I shall not try and dissuade you. But, oh! howunhappy I shall be when you are in South Africa!"

  "Come, come, you will never do for a soldier's wife. Is it not betterfor me to be fighting for my country than staying here eating the breadof idleness? I am sure you would be prouder of me dead on thebattlefield than to see me a hanger-on here."

  "Yes," said Sybil bravely, "I should."

  "In that case I shall enlist." And after taking her in his arms, hekissed her tenderly. "I shall be here for another week. Let us make thebest of our time."

  Hand in hand they passed from the chapel, but at the door they suddenlyseparated. Mrs Gabriel was coming up the steps, and cast a cold smile atthe pair. "I want to see you, Leo, when you can spare the time," shesaid.

  "I will come with you now," said Haverleigh. "And you, Sybil?"

  "I want to find Pearl Darry," said Miss Tempest; "she is offended w
ithme, and I must make my peace with her. Good-day, Mrs Gabriel!"

  "Good-day!" said Mrs Gabriel in her stiffest manner. Then, as Leo walkeddown the road beside her, back to the castle, she added, "I understandthat you are engaged, Leo, and without my consent?"

  "I am sorry you should be vexed," he said formally; "but I cannotsacrifice my life's happiness even for you."

  "Bless the boy! I don't want you to do that," said Mrs Gabriel, sharply."And about this enlisting?"

  "I intend to enlist."

  Mrs Gabriel drew a long breath, and walked on in silence for a fewmoments. "Well," she said at length, "I think it is about the best thingyou could do. Your debts?"

  "I shall see that they are paid," said Leo, calmly.

  "Oh, indeed! And where will you get the money?"

  "From a friend."

  Mrs Gabriel again became silent. "I don't think you are treating mealtogether fairly, Leo."

  "I am willing to do whatever you think best, mother. But I am ashamed tolive on your charity any longer. However, I promise you one thing. Ishall not enlist for at least a month."

  Mrs Gabriel laughed silently. Many things might happen in a month.