Dawn

by H. Rider Haggard

  Had Arthur not been in quite such a hurry to leave the hotel, he mighthave seen something which would have interested him, namely, a verylovely woman--so lovely, indeed, that everybody turned their heads tolook at her as she passed, accompanied by another woman clad in astiff black gown, not at all lovely, and rather ancient, but, for allthat, well-favoured and pleasant to look on, being duly convoyed totheir room in the hotel by his friend the manager.

  "Well, thank my stars, here we be at last," said the elderly stoutperson, with a gasp, as the door of the room closed upon the pair;"and it's my opinion that here I shall stop till my dying day, for, asfor getting on board one of those beastly ships again, I couldn't doit, and that's flat. Now look here, dearie, don't you sit there andlook frightened, but just set to and clean yourself up a bit. I'm offdownstairs to see if I can find out about things; everybody's sure toknow everybody else's business in a place like this, because, you see,the gossip can't get out of a bit of an island, it must travel roundand round till it ewaporates. I shall soon know if he is married ornot, and if he is, why, what's done can't be undone, and it's no usecrying over spilt milk, and we'll be off home, though I doubt Isha'n't live to get there, and if he isn't why so much the better."

  "Oh! nurse, do stop talking, and go quickly; can't you see that I amin an agony of suspense? I must get it over one way or the other."

  "Hurry no man's cattle, my dear, or I shall make a mess of it. Now,Miss Angela, just you keep cool, it ain't no manner of use flying intoa state. I'll be back presently."

  But, as soon as she was gone, poor Angela flew into a considerablestate; for, flinging herself upon her knees by the bed, she broke intohysterical prayers to her Maker that Arthur might not be taken fromher. Poor girl! alternately racked by sick fears and wild hopes, herswas not a very enviable position during the apparently endless tenminutes that followed.

  Meanwhile, Pigott had descended to the cool hall, round which werearranged rows of hammocks, and was looking out for some one with whomto enter into conversation. A Portuguese waiter approached her, butshe majestically waved him away, under the impression that he couldnot speak English, though as a matter of fact his English was purerthan her own.

  Presently a pretty little woman, leading a baby by the hand, came upto her.

  "Pray, do you want anything? I am the wife of the manager."

  "Yes, ma'am. I want a little information--at least, there's anotherthat does. Did you ever happen to hear of a Mr. Heigham?"

  "Mr. Heigham? Indeed, yes; I know him well. He was here a few minutessince."

  "Then perhaps, ma'am, you can tell me if he is married to a Mrs. Carrthat lives on this island?"

  "Not that I know of," she answered, with a little smile; "but there isa good deal of talk about them--people say that, though they are notmarried, they ought to be, you know."

  "That's the best bit of news I have heard for many a day. As for thetalk, I don't pay no manner of heed to that. If he ain't married toher, he won't marry her now, I'll go bail. Thank you kindly, ma'am."

  At that moment they were interrupted by the entrance of a littleragged boy into the hall, who timidly held out a card to the lady towhom Pigott was talking.

  "Do you want to find Mr. Heigham?" she said. "Because if so, this boywill show you where he is. He has sent here for a paper that he left.I found it on the verandah just now, and wondered what it was. Perhapsyou would take it to him if you go. I don't like trusting this boy--aslikely as not he will lose it."

  "That will just suit. Just you tell the boy to wait while I fetch myyoung lady, and we will go with him. Is this the paper? And in herwriting, too! Well, I never! There, I'll be back in no time."

  Pigott went upstairs far too rapidly for a person of her size andyears, with the result that when she reached their room, where Angelawas waiting half dead with suspense, she could only gasp.

  "Well," said Angela, "be quick and tell me."

  "Oh, Lord! them stairs!" gasped Pigott.

  "For pity's sake, tell me the worst!"

  "Now, miss, _do_ give a body time, and don't be a fool--begging pardonfor----"

  "Oh, Pigott, you are torturing me!"

  "Well, miss, you muddle me so--but I am coming to it. I went down themdratted stairs, and there I see a wonderful nice-looking party with ababy."

  "For God's sake tell me--_is Arthur married?_"

  "Why, no, dearie--of course not. I was just a-going to say----"

  But whatever valuable remark Pigott was going to make was lost to theworld for ever, for Angela flung her arms round her neck and begankissing her.

  "Oh, oh! thank God--thank God! Oh, oh, oh!"

  Whereupon Pigott, being a very sensible person, took her by theshoulders and tried to shake her, but it was no joke shaking a personof her height. Angela stood firm, and Pigott oscillated--that was theonly visible result.

  "Now, then, miss," she said, giving up the shaking as a bad job, "nohighstrikes, _if_ you please. Just you put on your hat and come for abit of a walk in this queer place with me. I haven't brought you up byhand this two-and-twenty year or thereabouts, to see you go off inhighstrikes, like a housemaid as has seen a ghost."

  Angela stopped, and did as she was bid.

  CHAPTER LXXVI

  Arthur read his letter, and his heart burnt with passionate love ofthe true woman he had dared to doubt. Then he flung himself upon thegrass and looked at the ocean that sparkled and heaved before him, andtried to think; but as yet he could not. The engines of his mind werereversed full speed, whilst his mind itself, with quick shudders andconfusion, still forged ahead upon its former course. He rose, andcast upon the scene around him that long look we give to the placewhere a great happiness has found us.

  The sun was sinking fast behind the mountains, turning their slabbedsides and soaring pinnacles to giant shields and spears of fire.Beneath their mass, shadows--forerunners of the night--crept over theforests and the crested rollers, whilst further from him the oceanheaved in a rosy glow. Above, the ever-changing vault of heaven was ofa beauty that no brush could paint. On a ground-work of burning redwere piled, height upon height, deep ridges of purples and ofcrimsons. Nearer the horizon the colours brightened to a dazzlinggold, till at length they narrowed to the white intensity of the half-hidden eye of the sun vanishing behind the mountains; whilstunderlying the steady splendour of the upper skies flushed soft andmelting shades of rose and lilac. Blue space above him was broken upby fantastic clouds that floated all on fire, and glowed like moltenmetal. The reflection, too, of all these massed and varied lights inthe azure of the eastern skies was full of sharp contrasts and softsurprises, and a travelling eagle, sailing through space before them,seemed to gather all their tints upon his vivid wings, and, as hepassed away, to leave a rainbow track of broken light.

  But such a glory was too bright to last. The sun sank swiftly, thecelestial fires paled, the purples grew faint and died, and, wherethey had been, night trailed her sombre plumes across the sea and sky.

  But still the quiet glow of evening lingered, and presently a line oflight was shot athwart it, cutting a track of glory across theshadowed sea, so weird and sudden, that it might well have been thefirst ray of a resurrection morn breaking in upon the twilight of thedead.

  He gazed almost in awe, till the majestic sight stilled the tumult ofhis heart, and his thoughts went up in thanks to the Creator for thepure love he had found again, and which had not betrayed him. Then helooked up, and there, stately and radiant, standing out clear againstthe shadows, her face illumined by that soft, yet vivid light, hertrembling arms outstretched to clasp him--was his lost Angela.

  He saw her questioning glances fall upon him, and the red blood waveron her cheek; he saw the love-lights gather in her eyes; and then hesaw no more, for she was in his arms, murmuring sweet broken words.

  Happy are those who thus shall find their Angela, whether it be hereor--on the further shore of yonder solemn sea!

  And Mildred? She la
y there before the stone symbol of inexorablejudgment, and sobbed till the darkness covered her, and her heartbroke in the silence.