CHAPTER X
Trent's appearance upon the lawn was greeted with a shout of enthusiasm.The young lady in blue executed a pas seut, and came across to him onher toes, and the girl with the yellow hair, although sulky, gave himto understand by a sidelong glance that her favour was not permanentlywithdrawn. They neither of them noticed the somewhat ominous air ofcivility with which he received their greetings, or the contempt in hiseyes as he looked them silently over.
"Where are the lost tribe?" he inquired, as the girls, one on eitherside, escorted him to the house.
They received his witticism with a piercing shriek of laughter.
"Mamma and her rag of a daughter are in the drawing room," explainedMiss Montressor--the young lady with fluffy hair who dressed in blue andcould dance. "Such a joke, General! They don't approve of us! Mamma saysthat she shall have to take her Julie away if we remain. We are notfit associates for her. Rich, isn't it! The old chap's screwing up hiscourage now with brandy and soda to tell you so!"
Trent laughed heartily. The situation began to appeal to him. There washumour in it which he alone could appreciate.
"Does he expect me to send you away?" he asked.
"That's a cert!" Miss Montressor affirmed. "The old woman's been playingthe respectable all day, turning up the whites of her eyes at me becauseI did a high kick in the hall, and groaning at Flossie because she had afew brandies; ain't that so, Flossie?"
The young lady with yellow hair confirmed the statement with muchdignity.
"I had a toothache," she said, "and Mrs. Da Souza, or whatever the oldcat calls herself, was most rude. I reckon myself as respectable as sheis any day, dragging that yellow-faced daughter of hers about with herand throwing her at men's heads."
Miss Montressor, who had stopped to pick a flower, rejoined them.
"I say, General," she remarked, "fair's fair, and a promise is apromise. We didn't come down here to be made fools of by a fat oldJewess. You won't send us away because of the old wretch?"
"I promise," said Trent, "that when she goes you go, and not before. Isthat sufficient?"
"Right oh!" the young lady declared cheerfully. "Now you go and prink upfor dinner. We're ready, Flossie and I. The little Jew girl's got a newdress--black covered with sequins. It makes her look yellower than ever.There goes the bell, and we're both as hungry as hunters. Look sharp!"
Trent entered the house. Da Souza met him in the hall, sleek, curly,and resplendent in a black dinner-suit. The years had dealt lightly withhim, or else the climate of England was kinder to his yellow skin thanthe moist heat of the Gold Coast. He greeted Trent with a heartinesswhich was partly tentative, partly boisterous.
"Back from the coining of the shekels, my dear friend," he exclaimed."Back from the spoiling of the Egyptians, eh? How was money to-day?"
"An eighth easier," Trent answered, ascending the stairs.
Da Souza fidgeted about with the banisters, and finally followed him.
"There was just a word," he remarked, "a little word I wanted with you."
"Come and talk while I wash," Trent said shortly. "Dinner's on, and I'mhungry."
"Certainly, certainly," Da Souza murmured, closing the door behind themas they entered the lavatory. "It is concerning these young ladies."
"What! Miss Montressor and her friend?" Trent remarked thrusting hishead into the cold water. "Phew!"
"Exactly! Two very charming young ladies, my dear friend, very charmingindeed, but a little--don't you fancy just a little fast!"
"Hadn't noticed it," Trent answered, drying himself. "What about it?"
Da Souza tugged at his little black imperial, and moved uneasily about.
"We--er--men of the world, my dear Trent, we need not be so particular,eh?--but the ladies--the ladies are so observant."
"What ladies?" Trent asked coolly.
"It is my wife who has been talking to me," Da Souza continued. "Yousee, Julie is so young--our dear daughter she is but a child; and, asmy wife says, we cannot be too particular, too careful, eh; youunderstand!"
"You want them to go? Is that it?"
Da Souza spread out his hands--an old trick, only now the palms werewhite and the diamonds real.
"For myself," he declared, "I find them charming. It is my wife who saysto me, 'Hiram, those young persons, they are not fit company for ourdear, innocent Julie! You shall speak to Mr. Trent. He will understand!'Eh?"
Trent had finished his toilet and stood, the hairbrushes still in hishands, looking at Da Souza's anxious face with a queer smile upon hislips.
"Yes, I understand, Da Souza," he said. "No doubt you are right, youcannot be too careful. You do well to be particular."
Da Souza winced. He was about to speak, but Trent interrupted him.
"Well, I'll tell you this, and you can let the missis know, my fondfather. They leave to-morrow. Is that good enough?"
Da Souza caught at his host's hand, but Trent snatched it away.
"My dear--my noble--"
"Here, shut up and don't paw me," Trent interrupted. "Mind, not a wordof this to any one but your wife; the girls don't know they're goingthemselves yet."
They entered the dining-room, where every one else was alreadyassembled. Mrs. Da Souza, a Jewess portly and typical, resplendentin black satin and many gold chains and bangles, occupied the seat ofhonour, and by her side was a little brown girl, with dark, timid eyesand dusky complexion, pitiably over-dressed but with a certain elf-likebeauty, which it was hard to believe that she could ever have inherited.Miss Montressor and her friend sat on either side of their host--anarrangement which Mrs. Da Souza lamented, but found herself powerless toprevent, and her husband took the vacant place. Dinner was served, andwith the opening of the champagne, which was not long delayed, tongueswere loosened.
"It was very hot in the City to-day," Mrs. Da Souza remarked to herhost. "Dear Julie was saying what a shame it seemed that you shouldbe there and we should be enjoying your beautiful gardens. She is sothoughtful, so sympathetic! Dear girl!"
"Very kind of your daughter," Trent answered, looking directly at herand rather inclined to pity her obvious shyness. "Come, drink up, DaSouza, drink up, girls! I've had a hard day and I want to forget for abit that there's any such thing as work."
Miss Montressor raised her glass and winked at her host.
"It don't take much drinking, this, General," she remarked, cheerilydraining her glass! "Different to the 'pop' they give us down at the'Star,' eh, Flossie? Good old gooseberry I call that!"
"Da Souza, look after Miss Flossie," Trent said. "Why don't you fill herglass? That's right!"
"Hiram!"
Da Souza removed his hand from the back of his neighbour's chair andendeavoured to look unconscious. The girl tittered--Mrs. Da Souza wasseverely dignified. Trent watched them all, half in amusement, half indisgust. What a pandemonium! It was time indeed for him to get rid ofthem all. From where he sat he could see across the lawn into the littlepine plantation. It was still light--if she could look in at the openwindow what would she think? His cheeks burned, and he thrust the handwhich was seeking his under the table savagely away. And then an ideaflashed in upon him--a magnificent, irresistible idea. He drank off aglass of champagne and laughed loud and long at one of his neighbour'ssilly sayings. It was a glorious joke! The more he thought of it, themore he liked it. He called for more champagne, and all, save the littlebrown girl, greeted the magnum which presently appeared with cheers.Even Mrs. Da Souza unbent a little towards the young women against whomshe had declared war. Faces were flushed and voices grew a little thick.Da Souza's arm unchidden sought once more the back of his neighbour'schair, Miss Montressor's eyes did their utmost to win a tender glancefrom their lavish host. Suddenly Trent rose to his feet. He held a glasshigh over his head. His face was curiously unmoved, but his lips wereparted in an enigmatic smile.
"A toast, my friends!" he cried. "Fill up, the lot of you! Come! To ournext meeting! May fortune soon smile again, and may I have anoth
er homebefore long as worthy a resting-place for you as this!"
Bewilderment reigned. No one offered to drink the toast. It was MissMontressor who asked the question which was on every one's lips.
"What's up?" she exclaimed. "What's the matter with our next meetinghere to-morrow night, and what's all that rot about your next home andfortune?"
Trent looked at them all in well-simulated amazement.
"Lord!" he exclaimed, "you don't know--none of you! I thought Da Souzawould have told you the news!"
"What news?" Da Souza cried, his beady eyes protuberant, and his glassarrested half-way to his mouth.
"What are you talking about, my friend?"
Trent set down his glass.
"My friends," he said unsteadily, "let me explain to you, as shortly asI can, what an uncertain position is that of a great financier."
Da Souza leaned across the table. His face was livid, and the corners ofhis eyes were bloodshot.
"I thought there was something up," he muttered. "You would not have mecome into the City this morning. D--n it, you don't mean that you--"
"I'm bust!" Trent said roughly. "Is that plain enough? I've been bullingon West Australians, and they boomed and this afternoon the Governmentdecided not to back us at Bekwando, and the mines are to be shut down.Tell you all about it if you like."
No one wanted to hear all about it. They shrunk from him as though hewere a robber. Only the little brown girl was sorry, and she looked athim with dark, soft eyes.
"I've given a bill of sale here," Trent continued. "They'll be roundto-morrow. Better pack to-night. These valuers are such robbers. Come,another bottle! It'll all have to be sold. We'll make a night of it."
Mrs. Da Souza rose and swept from the room--Da Souza had fallen forwardwith his head upon his hands. He was only half sober, but the shockwas working like madness in his brain. The two girls, after whisperingtogether for a moment, rose and followed Mrs. Da Souza. Trent stolefrom his place and out into the garden. With footsteps which were steadyenough now he crossed the velvety lawns, and plunged into the shrubbery.Then he began to laugh softly as he walked. They were all duped! Theyhad accepted his story without the slightest question. He leaned overthe gate which led into the little plantation, and he was suddenly graveand silent. A night-wind was blowing fragrant and cool. The dark boughsof the trees waved to and fro against the background of deep blue sky.The lime leaves rustled softly, the perfume of roses came floatingacross from the flower-gardens. Trent stood quite still, listening andthinking.
"God! what a beast I am!" he muttered. "It was there she sat! I'm notfit to breathe the same air."
He looked back towards the house. The figures of the two girls, with DaSouza standing now between them, were silhouetted against the window.His face grew dark and fierce.
"Faugh!" he exclaimed, "what a kennel I have made of my house! What alow-down thing I have begun to make of life! Yet--I was a beggar--and Iam a millionaire. Is it harder to change oneself? To-morrow"--he lookedhard at the place where she had sat--"to-morrow I will ask her!"
On his way back to the house a little cloaked figure stepped out frombehind a shrub. He looked at her in amazement. It was the little browngirl, and her eyes were wet with tears.
"Listen," she said quickly. "I have been waiting to speak to you! I wantto say goodbye and to thank you. I am very, very sorry, and I hope thatsome day very soon you will make some more money and be happy again."
Her lips were quivering. A single glance into her face assured himof her honesty. He took the hand which she held out and pressed herfingers.
"Little Julie," he said, "you are a brick. Don't you bother about me. Itisn't quite so bad as I made out--only don't tell your mother that."
"I'm very glad," she murmured. "I think that it is hateful of them allto rush away, and I made up my mind to say goodbye however angry it madethem. Let me go now, please. I want to get back before mamma misses me."
He passed his arm around her tiny waist. She looked at him withfrightened eyes.
"Please let me go," she murmured.
He kissed her lips, and a moment afterwards vaguely repented it. Sheburied her face in her hands and ran away sobbing. Trent lit a cigar andsat down upon a garden seat.
"It's a queer thing," he said reflectingly. "The girl's been thrownrepeatedly at my head for a week and I might have kissed her at anymoment, before her father and mother if I had liked, and they'd havethanked me. Now I've done it I'm sorry. She looked prettier than I'veever seen her too--and she's the only decent one of the lot. Lord! whata hubbub there'll be in the morning!"
The stars came out and the moon rose, and still Scarlett Trent lingeredin the scented darkness. He was a man of limited imagination and littlegiven to superstitions. Yet that night there came to him a presentiment.He felt that he was on the threshold of great events. Something newin life was looming up before him. He had cut himself adrift from theold--it was a very wonderful and a very beautiful figure which wasbeckoning him to follow in other paths. The triumph of the earlier partof the day seemed to lie far back in a misty and unimportant past. Therewas a new world and a greater, if fortune willed that he should enterit.