The times., 1901-05-26
CHAPTER XVIII

were sold for what they would tetch-at
half their value, a quarter Of their value
All the money out at mortgage had been
called in: all the money received at the
quay and the counting house had been
sent to his Iordship's attorneys. In one
short twelvemonth the destruction had
been such that in June there was actually
nothing left, nothing cut of that prince
Iy fortune except the fleet of ships and
the general business
1t was on the 18th OF June-I remember
the date well and shall always remember
it. The Lady of Lynn had arrived two
DAYS before and we were moored of the
quay. At o'clock or thereaboUt one Of
the stable boys from the house came
aboard bringing mezs3 ge for me \
lady lodging at the Crown desired to see
me imme ediately. The Lady had arrived ia
the evening in a post chsise, having with
her a maid She had given no name, but
in the morning had asked If my ship was
in port. and. on learning that it was, she
desired that a boy from the stables might
carry this message to me.
landed at our own quay. l say our
own. but il was no longer ours-that IS
AJsIIv's quay. At the door of the count
ing house stood the manager in converse
tion with the captain Of one Of our shlpS.
He beckoued me to speak with him W heh
he had finished his discourse with the
captain he turned 10 me
Mr.. Pentecrosse," he said, the worst
has now begun Tell Captain Crowle- l
should choke if ! had to tell him. Alas,
poor mani It seems as if the work OF his
life was ruined and destroyed SO say
ing. he handed me letter to read 1t
was from my lords attorneys, Messrs.
coli he "A n
ager. that they are really acting for his
Iordship. Their power Of attorney cannot
be denied. can It? Mr.. Redman says that
there is nothing for it but obedience"
The letter was short:
we have noted your information con-
veyed in the last schedule. You are now
instructed TO proceed with the sale or one
of the ships. Let her be sold as she
stands on arriving in port with so much
OF the cargo as belongs 10 your house Ny
lord is urgently pressed for money ana
begs that there may be no delay. Mean
time send a draft by the usual channel
for money in hand Your obedient ser
wants. BlSlC & S'JN, Attorneys.
a draft for moneys il hand!' cried the
manager. There are no moneys in hand.
And I have TO sell without delay tall
ship. cargo and all as she stands. With
out delay, Who is to buy that ship
without delay?'
I returned him the letter and shook my
head My ship perhaps was the one TO be
sold. She was the latest arrival She was
filed with wine The cargo belonged al
together to the house. SO l should be
turned adrift when just within hail. so to
speak, OF becoming a captain. I could say
nothing in consolation or in hope. 1 walk
ed away. my heart as heavy as lead. Nev-
er before had / felt the true meaning of
hi mi md "a mo ne
noble edihce built by MoUy'S grandfather
and her father and continued by her
guardian had been pulled down bit by bit.
But one felt the loss OF q farm or a house
very little 1t was not until the ships,
too, were threatened that the full enOr-
nifty of the thing, the incredible wicked
ness of the conspiratOrs, was borne in
upon my mind. II threatened TO ruin me.
you see. as well as Molly.
Therefore / walked across the market
place 10 the Crown Inn more gloomy in
my mind than l can describe. Hitherto,
somehow, a ship seemed safe No one
would interfere with ship. Like Lord
F'ylingdaIe himself. 1 was ready to ask
whether ship could be bought and sold
that is to say. I knew that she was often
bought and sold, but ! never thought that
any of MoIly-s ships-any other ships as
much IS you please. but not Molly's
shipS-cOuld be brought to the hammer.
The lady sent word that she would re
ceiVe me Imagine my surprise. She was
none other than the Lady Anastasia- She
was greatly EHdlSEQ IN SIX months. !
had seen her last. you remember. in jan
uary, when ! met her in the park She
was then finely dressed, a handsome wo-
man, with q winning manner and z srnil-
ing face. When ! left her. she was
handsome woman narFed with a consum-
ing wrath.
Now ] should hardly have known her.
She was plainly attired. without patches
or paint. wearing a grey silk dress. But
the chief change was not in her dress. but
in her face She was pale, and her cheeks
were haggard. She looked like woman
who had recently suffered severe illness
and was. indeed, not yet fully recovered
Jack she advanced. giving ne her
hand with her old graciousness-."'you are
very good to come when ] call 1t is the
last tine that you viii obey any call from
me"
why the last time. madam
Because. Jack. l am now going TO
make fbe.a nv bitter enemy-yes, my en-
emy for life" She tried TO smile, but her
eyes grew humid u can never be regard
ed heGcsf0rth as anything else You vii!
ccspise me Yet l must needs speak.
Madam, ! protest l know not what you
mean
And 7. Jack, protest know not how
TO begin. Do you remember last January.
when we talked together? Let me begin
there-yes it viii be best to begin there.
I do not think 7 could begin at the other
end. II would be like bath Of ice-cold
7 remember your conversation, mad
am"
You told me-What was II you tod
me? Something about certain box or
sNfolly's Jewels Yes. I told you how
his lordship seized upon them at the first
when he claimed control over Molly's for
You told me that It was in January
He had seized upon them six months be
fore The thing surprised me. He had al
ways told me that he could not get those
Jewels, and. Jack, you see, they were my
yours. madam? But they were Mol
Not at all Molly after her marriage
had nothing All became my lords prop
erty. The jewels were mine, Jack, made
by promise and compact"
] understood nothing.
y have seen in France the women
kneeiing at the boxes where they confess
10 the priest Jack, VIII you be my priest?
confess to Molly, though l have wronged
her Jack oh. my priestr' Here she fell
on her knees and clasped her hands. No,
nor she cried. Il will not rise-on my
don. but for the shame and the disgrace
and the Villalnyi
Madam. 1 pray-I entreat"
took her by both hands. half lifted
her and half assisted her. She sank into
an armchair. sobbing and crying, and COW
cred her face with her hands. She was
not play acting. No, no, IT was real sor-
row. true shame. Oh, there was revenge
as we'll No doubt there was revenge. If
she had been wicked. she had also been
wronged. Presently she recovered little.
Then she sat up and began 10 talk.
Il am the most miserable woman in the
world, and deserve my misery. Jack,
when you go back 10 your ship fall on
your knees and thank God that you are
poor and that Molly has been robbed of
her fortune and is also poor. Oh. % be
born rich-believe me. il is thing most
terrible. II makes men nke Lord f'yling
dale, who have nothing 10 DO bat to fol-
low plea gfEFe-ElICh flleaGfT