CHAPTER I.
THE AWAKENING.
And Dea!
It seemed to Gwynplaine, as he watched the break of day at CorleoneLodge, while the things we have related were occurring at the TadcasterInn, that the call came from without; but it came from within.
Who has not heard the deep clamours of the soul?
Moreover, the morning was dawning.
Aurora is a voice.
Of what use is the sun if not to reawaken that dark sleeper--theconscience?
Light and virtue are akin.
Whether the god be called Christ or Love, there is at times an hour whenhe is forgotten, even by the best. All of us, even the saints, require avoice to remind us; and the dawn speaks to us, like a sublime monitor.Conscience calls out before duty, as the cock crows before the dawn ofday.
That chaos, the human heart, hears the _fiat lux_!
Gwynplaine--we will continue thus to call him (Clancharlie is a lord,Gwynplaine is a man)--Gwynplaine felt as if brought back to life. It wastime that the artery was bound up.
For a while his virtue had spread its wings and flown away.
"And Dea!" he said.
Then he felt through his veins a generous transfusion. Somethinghealthy and tumultuous rushed upon him. The violent irruption of goodthoughts is like the return home of a man who has not his key, and whoforces his own look honestly. It is an escalade, but an escalade ofgood. It is a burglary, but a burglary of evil.
"Dea! Dea! Dea!" repeated he.
He strove to assure himself of his heart's strength. And he put thequestion with a loud voice--"Where are you?"
He almost wondered that no one answered him.
Then again, gazing on the walls and the ceiling, with wanderingthoughts, through which reason returned.
"Where are you? Where am I?"
And in the chamber which was his cage he began to walk again, to andfro, like a wild beast in captivity.
"Where am I? At Windsor. And you? In Southwark. Alas! this is the firsttime that there has been distance between us. Who has dug this gulf? Ihere, thou there. Oh, it cannot be; it shall not be! What is this thatthey have done to me?"
He stopped.
"Who talked to me of the queen? What do I know of such things? _I_changed! Why? Because I am a lord. Do you know what has happened, Dea?You are a lady. What has come to pass is astounding. My business now isto get back into my right road. Who is it who led me astray? There is aman who spoke to me mysteriously. I remember the words which headdressed to me. 'My lord, when one door opens another is shut. Thatwhich you have left behind is no longer yours.' In other words, you area coward. That man, the miserable wretch! said that to me before I waswell awake. He took advantage of my first moment of astonishment. I wasas it were a prey to him. Where is he, that I may insult him? He spoketo me with the evil smile of a demon. But see--I am myself again. Thatis well. They deceive themselves if they think that they can do whatthey like with Lord Clancharlie, a peer of England. Yes, with a peeress,who is Dea! Conditions! Shall I accept them? The queen! What is thequeen to me? I never saw her. I am not a lord to be made a slave. Ienter my position unfettered. Did they think they had unchained me fornothing? They have unmuzzled me. That is all. Dea! Ursus! we aretogether. That which you were, I was; that which I am, you are. Come.No. I will go to you directly--directly. I have already waited too long.What can they think, not seeing me return! That money. When I think Isent them that money! It was myself that they wanted. I remember the mansaid that I could not leave this place. We shall see that. Come! acarriage, a carriage! put to the horses. I am going to look for them.Where are the servants? I ought to have servants here, since I am alord. I am master here. This is my house. I will twist off the bolts, Iwill break the locks, I will kick down the doors, I will run my swordthrough the body of any one who bars my passage. I should like to seewho shall stop me. I have a wife, and she is Dea. I have a father, whois Ursus. My house is a palace, and I give it to Ursus. My name is adiadem, and I give it to Dea. Quick, directly, Dea, I am coming; yes,you may be sure that I shall soon stride across the intervening space!"
And raising the first piece of tapestry he came to, he rushed from thechamber impetuously.
He found himself in a corridor.
He went straight forward.
A second corridor opened out before him.
All the doors were open.
He walked on at random, from chamber to chamber, from passage topassage, seeking an exit.