CHAPTER VII
MR. KNIGHT AND DUTY
The pair returned to Kleindorf by the evening diligence, and among thepassengers was that same priest who had been their companion on the dayof Godfrey's arrival. As usual he was prepared to be bellicose, andfiguratively, trailed the tails of his coat before his ancient enemy.But the Pasteur would not tread on them. Indeed, so mild andconciliatory were his answers that at last the priest, who was a goodsoul at bottom, grew anxious and inquired if he were ill.
"No, no," said a voice from the recesses of the dark coach, "Monsieurle Pasteur has come into money. Oh, I have heard!"
"Is it so? Now I understand," remarked the priest with a sniff, "Ifeared that he had lost his health."
Then they arrived at Kleindorf, and the conversation ended with mutualbows.
Great was the excitement of Madame and Juliette at the news which theybrought with them. To their ears Godfrey's inheritance sounded a taleof untold wealth, nearly 300,000 francs! Why, they did not know anyonein the neighbourhood of Kleindorf who owned so much. And then that finehouse, with its gardens and lovely furniture, which was the talk ofLucerne. And the Pasteur with his 5,000 francs clear to be paidimmediately, plus an income of 2,500 for the next eight years. Herewere riches indeed. It was wonderful, and all after an acquaintance ofonly a few months. They looked at Godfrey with admiration. Truly hemust be a remarkable youth who was thus able to attract the love of thewealthy.
An idea occurred to Madame. Why should he not marry Juliette? She wasvivacious and pretty, fit in every way to become a great lady, evenperhaps to adorn the lovely Villa Ogilvy in future years. She wouldhave a word with Juliette, and show her where fortune lay. If the girlhad any wit it should be as good as assured, for with heropportunities----
And so, doubtless, it might have chanced had it not been for a certaindetermined and unconventional young woman far away in England, of whomthe persistent memory, however much he might flirt, quite preventedGodfrey from falling in love, as otherwise he ought to, and indeed,probably must have done at his age and in his circumstances.
Perhaps Miss Juliette, who although young was no fool, also had ideasupon the subject, at any rate at this time, especially as she had found_l'Hibou_ always attractive, notwithstanding his star-gazing ways, andthe shower of wealth that had descended on him as though direct fromthe _Bon Dieu_, did not lessen his charms. If so, who could blame her?When one has been obliged always to look at both sides of a sou andreally pretty frocks, such as ladies wear, are almost as unobtainableas Godfrey's stars, money becomes important, especially to a girl withan instinct for dress and a love of life.
Thenceforward, at least, as may be imagined, Monsieur Godfrey became avery prominent person indeed in the Boiset establishment. All hislittle tastes were consulted; Madame moved him into the best sparebedroom, on the ground that the one he occupied would be cold inwinter, which, when he was out, Juliette made a point of adorning withflowers if these were forthcoming, or failing them with graceful spraysof winter berries. Also she worked him some slippers covered withlittle devils in black silk, which she said he must learn to treadunder foot, though whether this might be a covert allusion to hisspiritualistic experiences or merely a flight of fancy on her part,Godfrey did not know.
On the evening of the reading of the will, prompted thereto by thePasteur, that young gentleman wrote a letter to his father, a taskwhich he always thought difficult, to tell him what had happened. As hefound explanations impossible, it was brief, though the time occupiedin composing drafts, was long. Finally it took the following form:--
"My dear Father,--I think I told you that I travelled out here with a lady named Miss Ogilvy, whom I have often seen since. She has just died and left me, as I understand, about L12,000, which I am to get when I am twenty-five. Meanwhile I am to have the income, so I am glad to say I shall not cost you any more. Also she has left me a large house in Lucerne with a beautiful garden and a lot of fine furniture, and some money to keep it up. As I can't live there, I suppose it will have to be let.
"I hope you are very well. Please give my love to Mrs. Parsons and tell her about this. It is growing very cold here, and the mountains are covered with snow, but there has been little frost. I am getting on well with my French, which I talk with Mademoiselle Juliette, who knows no English, although she thinks she does. She is a pretty girl and sings nicely. Madame, too, is very charming. I work at the other things with the Pasteur, who is kind to me. He will write to you also and I will enclose his letter.
"Your affectionate son, "Godfrey."
The receipt of this epistle caused astonishment in Mr. Knight, notunmixed with irritation. Why could not the boy be more explicit? Whowas Miss Ogilvy, whose name, so far as he could recollect, he now heardfor the first time, and how did she come to leave Godfrey so muchmoney? The story was so strange that he began to wonder whether it werea joke, or perhaps, an hallucination. If not, there must be a greatdeal unrevealed. The letter which Godfrey said the Pasteur would writewas not enclosed, and if it had been, probably would not have helpedhim much as he did not understand French, and could scarcely decipherhis cramped calligraphy. Lastly, he had heard nothing from any lawyersor trustees.
In his bewilderment he went straight to Hawk's Hall, taking the letterwith him, with a view to borrowing books of reference which mightenable him to identify Miss Ogilvy. The butler said that he thought SirJohn was in and showed him to the morning room, where he found Isobel,who informed him that her father had just gone out. Their meeting wasnot affectionate, for as has been told, Isobel detested Mr. Knight, andhe detested Isobel. Moreover, there was a reason, which shall beexplained, which just then made him feel uncomfortable in her presence.Being there, however, he thought it necessary to explain the object ofhis visit.
"I have had a very strange letter from that odd boy, Godfrey," he said,"which makes me want to borrow a book. Here it is, perhaps you willread it, as it will save time and explanation."
"I don't want to read Godfrey's letters," said Isobel, stiffly.
"It will save time," repeated Mr. Knight, thrusting it towards her.
Then, being overcome by curiosity, she read it. The money part did notgreatly interest her; money was such a common thing of which she heardso much. What interested her were, first, Miss Ogilvy and theunexplained reasons of her bequest, and secondly, in a more acutefashion, Mademoiselle Boiset, who was pretty and sang so nicely. MissOgilvy, whoever she might have been, at any rate, was dead, butJuliette clearly was much alive, with her prettiness and good voice. Nowonder, then, that she had not heard from Godfrey. He was too occupiedwith the late Miss Ogilvy and the very present Mademoiselle Juliette,in whose father's house he was living as one of the family.
Isobel's face, however, showed none of her wonderings. She read theletter quite composedly, but with such care that afterwards she couldhave repeated it by heart. Then she handed it back, saying:
"Well, Godfrey seems to have been fortunate."
"Yes, but why? I find no explanation of this bequest--if there is abequest."
"No doubt there is, Mr. Knight. Godfrey was always most truthful andabove-board," she answered, looking at him.
Mr. Knight flinched and coloured at her words, and the steady gaze ofthose grey eyes. She wondered why though she was not to learn for along while.
"I thought perhaps you could lend me some book, or books, which wouldenable me to find out about Miss Ogilvy. I have never heard of herbefore, though I think that in one of his brief communications Godfreydid mention a lady who was kind to him in the train."
"Certainly, there are lots of them. 'Who's Who'--only she would not bethere unless she was very rich, but you might look. Peerages; they'reno good as she was Miss Ogilvy, though, of course, she might be thedaughter of a baron. 'County Families,' Red Books, etc. Let's try someof them."
So they did try. Various Ogilvys there were, but none who gave them anyclue. This was not strange, as both Miss Ogilvy's parents had died inAus
tralia, when she was young, leaving her to be brought up by an auntof another name in England, who was also long dead.
So Mr. Knight retreated baffled. Next morning, however, a letterarrived addressed "Godfrey Knight, Esq.," which after his pleasingfashion he opened promptly. It proved to be a communication from awell-known firm of lawyers, which enclosed a copy of Miss Ogilvy'swill, called special attention to the codicil affecting himself, dulyexecuted before the British Consul and his clerk in Lucerne, gave thenames of the English trustees, solicited information as to where theinterest on the sum bequeathed was to be paid, and so forth.
To this inquiry Mr. Knight at once replied that the moneys might bepaid to him as the father of the legatee, and was furious when allsorts of objections were raised to that course, unless every kind ofguarantee were given that they would be used solely and strictly forthe benefit of his son. Finally, an account had to be opened on whichcheques could be drawn signed by one of the trustees and Mr. Knight.This proviso made the latter even more indignant than before,especially as it was accompanied by an intimation that the trusteeswould require his son's consent, either by letter or in a personalinterview, to any arrangements as to his career, etc., which involvedexpenditure of the trust moneys. When a somewhat rude and lengthyletter to them to that effect was met with a curt acknowledgment of itsreceipt and a reference to their previous decision, Mr. Knight'sannoyance hardened into a permanent grievance against his son, whom heseemed to hold responsible for what he called an "affront" to himself.
He was a man with large ideas of paternal rights, of which an examplemay be given that was not without its effect upon the vital interestsof others.