Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-06-19
CHAPTER K

The retreat into the walled estate
which perched like great cube of
gray gloom among the twisted old
trees overlooking the Hudson river
gave little relief to the secret fears Of
Compton Parmalee.
For a few months. to be sure, he
showed lively interest In the rehabili-
tation of the place. Brena. who after
long struggle with her conscience
had made up her mind to stand by her
extraordinary husband. found herself
wondering often enough whether his
interest was not like her own. a sham
erected out sense of duty by one to
deceive The other During this first
period of their terrible existence there,
she built up slender totterina hope
that she might, as she had agreed. re-
claim him. She had formulated pol.
Icy and to this policy she would cling
with all the tenacity of which she was
capable.
Her policy had been formed with
full knowledge Of the fact that it
would be hard to follow. Her own
nature revolted against mysteries and
superstitions and fears of unrealitIes.
Her husband had not ever given her
grounds to assert that these were the
basis for his morbid panics. but he
had. by malice or inadyertence. created
dim picture of some menace, some
secret human conspiracy, some strange
force, which pursued to the death any
man unlucky enough to have meddled
with her destiny. At times 1t was diff
ficult for her to escape. by the exer-
else Of common sense. haunting Idea
that there was some foundation for
this apparent absurdity. AS she said:
1T is jus, so with all things. The
confidence of knowledge isn't half as
much because person has possession
Of the facts as because one has free
dom at last from the fear that there Is
so much that one doesn't know" But
she disllked herself for her own I'M
ceriainties.
choice was open to her between
turning her back upon Parmalee's
fears and setting out by systematic
and persistent observation and cross
questioning to uncover them. 1t was
not because the latter course was diff
ficulr that she rejected 1t: 1t was not
because. little by little, he had built a
wall around his own thoughts which
not only untitled him for social con-
tact but excluded her from his inner
life; 1t was not because of his increas-
ing irritability when questioned. nor
finally was 1t because he always, in the
end, made her feel that he was trying
to spare her from some dreadful
knowledge. and some overhanglng
curse that was upon her. She chose
to neglect the terror that had seized
him because she felt that IL sufficient
neglect were heaped upon 1t. II would
gradually die. Often enough In years
that were to follow she wished With
all her being that she had not allowed
herself to remain In the dark.
She wished often enough after the
end came that she had at least kept
her eyes open. bur there were Incl
dents which drew her attention by the
very force Of their being extraordinary
or bizarre.
Evenings spent In the high studded
chambers of this austere abode that
none OF her decorative skill. given free
play by Parmalee's money. could res
cue from their brooding gloom were
far from cheerful. The temper of her
husband forbade entertainment and,
try as he did. there was no comfort
for him in his efforts to converse With
Brena-efforts which like the squeez-
ing of the juice from sour fruit pro-
duced less the more the pressure had
been applied. Within year he had
developed an Unsuitable appetite for
his studies of the history of the South
west. his collecting Of books and man.