CHAPTER V.
A FACE FROM THE PAST.
Madame Medjora turned at the sound of her husband's voice with mingledemotion,--pleasure at seeing him at home again, for she still lovedhim with the passionate ardor of those earlier days, and anxiety,because her keen ear detected a tone of reproval in his words. Had shebeen a thoroughly wise woman that note of warning would have served tomake her desist, but she was not to be baffled, when once she haddetermined to learn the meaning of anything that had aroused hercuriosity or excited her suspicion. So instead of abandoning thesubject, and welcoming her husband with an effusiveness which wouldhave smoothed the wrinkles from his forehead, she turned upon himalmost angrily, and said:
"Why do you prompt him? Is he an idiot that he cannot tell his name?"
"Not at all," said the Doctor, hopeful of dispersing the threatenedstorm, and therefore becoming slightly explanatory and conciliatory."You have evidently confused Mr. Grath by your manner of questioninghim, that is all. He is a country boy, unused to city ways, and youmust excuse him if he is not as ready with an answer, as he will beafter we make a citizen of him."
"He must be from the country indeed," was the sneering reply. "He musthave been raised in a forest, to be so confused because I ask him hisname." Then altering her tone, and speaking more rapidly, shecontinued: "Do not think that your wife is a fool, Dr. Medjora. Even adog knows his name. There is something about this that you wish tohide from me. But I will not submit to it. You shall not bring anynameless beggars into my house!"
Leon uttered a cry as though wounded, and started to leave theapartment, but the Doctor, livid with anger, detained him by clutchinghis arm, as he would have passed, and turning upon his wife utteredbut one word:
"Cora!"
That was all, but his voice implied such a threat, that the womanshrunk back, awed, and frightened, and utterly subdued, she merelymurmured:
"Emanuel, forgive me!"
"Go to your room!" ejaculated the Doctor, sternly, and after oneappealing glance at him, which he ignored, she swiftly glided throughthe door, and closed it softly after her. Thus the two men were leftto themselves. Leon was the first to speak:
"Dr. Medjora," he began, "I thank you most heartily for what you haveintended to do for me, but we have made a mistake. I cannot enter yourhome now. I can never hope that your wife will forget what hasoccurred to-day. Therefore were I to remain, my presence must becomeintolerably obnoxious to her; and her unhappiness would be but ablight upon your own peace."
"Perhaps you are right," said the Doctor quietly, and as thoughmeditating upon the affair. "It is possible that you would not be ashappy here as I would wish you to be. But if you go away from me, whatwill you do?"
"Work!" answered the youth, succinctly.
"Well answered," said the Doctor. "But, my boy, that is more easilydecided upon than accomplished. You are a stranger, not only in thecity, but to city manners and city methods. You would start out withdetermination to succeed, and in the first day you would apply at manyplaces. But at them all you would be met with such questions as 'Wheredid you work last?' 'What experience have you?' 'What references canyou offer?' You would answer them all unsatisfactorily, and you wouldbe dismissed with a shrug of the shoulders."
"I have no doubt, Doctor, that it will be hard to obtain a place; but,as ignorant as I am, I have formed an idea upon this subject. Ibelieve that in this country, where surely nine tenths of all men earna livelihood, the small proportion of idlers have themselves to blamefor their condition. Of course there must be a meritorious few who areunfortunate, but I speak of the greater number. Therefore I think thatif I seek work, without any scruples as to what work it may be, Ishall not starve."
"But are you ready to go right out into the world, single handed? Doyou mean that you would begin the battle at once, to-day?"
"I do!"
"You do? Then I have faith in you. I, too, believe that you willsucceed. I wish you God speed!"
Leon said "Thank you," and then there was a pause. In a moment,however, Leon started towards the front door, and the Doctor followedhim in silence. The youth took down his hat from the jutting spur of agnarled cedar stump, which, polished and varnished, served as ahat-rack, and a moment later stood upon the stoop extending his handin farewell.
"Dr. Medjora," said Leon, "you must not think that I am ungrateful,nor that I am too proud to accept your aid. I am only doing what Ideem to be my duty after--after what has passed. Good-by."
"Good-by, Leon," said the Doctor, shaking his hand warmly.
Leon started away, and, passing along the path, was nearing the gatethat led to the street, when suddenly he paused, turned, and quicklyretraced his steps. He found the Doctor standing where he had partedfrom him. Rushing up the steps, he essayed to speak, but a sob chokedhis utterance, and it was with difficulty that he said:
"Lossy!" Then he stopped, looking anxiously at the Doctor. It wassurely a pretty picture. The lad had not hesitated to cast himselfagainst the rude pricks of Fate, but the recollection of his dog madehim tremble.
"Lossy will be brought here this afternoon," said the Doctor. "I havealready sent my man down to get him out of his box, and bring him.What do you wish me to do about him?"
"Oh, Doctor," exclaimed the boy, appealingly, "if you would only keepmy dog! You were kind enough to buy him for me. But now--now--unlessyou will keep him awhile--why--why--" Here he broke down utterly andceased to speak, while a tear-drop in each eye glistened in thesunlight which crossed his handsome features, illuminated by the lovethat welled up from his heart; love for this dumb beast that had beenhis friend for so long a time.
"I will keep Lossy for you, Leon," began the Doctor, but he wasinterrupted by Leon, who grasped his hand impulsively, crying:
"Heaven bless you, Doctor!"
"But, I will keep you, also, my boy," continued the Doctor, tighteninghis grasp of Leon's hand, so that he could not get away.
"No! No!" cried the lad.
"Yes! Yes!" said the Doctor. "Now come back into the house and let meexplain myself." Half forcibly he drew the youth after him, and theyreturned to the room where they had first been. Then the Doctorresumed:
"Leon, did you suppose that I meant to let you go away? That I wouldbring you so far and then abandon you to your own resources? Never forone instant did I harbor such a thought. But when you spoke as youdid, I determined to try you; to see whether you were speaking inearnest, or for effect. Therefore I seemed to acquiesce. Therefore Ilet you go without even offering you some money, or telling you tocome back to me if in distress. My boy, you stood the trial nobly. Iwas proud of you as you walked down the path, and I was about tofollow you when I saw you pause and turn back. For an instant I fearedthat you had wavered, but I was more than gratified that it was toplead for the dog, and not for yourself that you returned."
"But Doctor, how can I remain?" asked the lad, helplessly, for alreadyhe began to feel the necessity of submitting to the domination of thisman, as so many others had experienced.
"How can you remain? Why, simply by doing so. You mean, what will mywife think? She will think just what I wish her to think. It is ahabit of hers to do so." Here he laughed significantly. "But you neednot fear Madame. You believe that she will resent what she would terman intrusion. But you are mistaken. You will meet her next at dinner,and you will see that she will be quite friendly. In fact, she did notunderstand matters this morning. She was angry with me because I hadnot notified her that I would bring home a guest, but when I shallhave talked with her that will be all changed."
So the matter was determined, and, as usual, Dr. Medjora's willdecided the issue. Meanwhile, Madame had ascended to her room in highdudgeon. Since the day when we last saw her she had altered verylittle. Her most prominent characteristics had not changed, except asthey had become more fully developed. But in many ways thisdevelopment had been deceptive, for, whereas many who knew herbelieved that certain unpleasing features had been eliminated from hercharacter, t
he truth was that she had merely suppressed them, as amatter of policy.
The union of such a woman with a man like Dr. Medjora, was aninteresting study in matrimonial psychology. In all marriages one oftwo results is usually to be anticipated. The stronger individualitywill dominate the other and mould it into submission, or the twocharacters will become amalgamated, each altering the other, until aplane is reached on which there is possible a harmony of desires. Inthis case neither of these conditions had been fulfilled, althoughnearly all who were acquainted with the Doctor and his wife supposedthat the husband was the ruling spirit. The truth, however, was thatwhile Dr. Medjora controlled his wife in important matters, he had byno means succeeded in merging her character into his own. Wherecontention arose, she obeyed his commands, but she never submitted herwill. She surrendered, like a wise general, to superior force, but shesecretly resented her defeat, and sought a way of retreat by which inthe end she might compass her own designs.
By these means, she had deceived all of her acquaintances, and sheenjoyed the idea that she had also deceived her husband. In this shewas mistaken. Dr. Medjora understood thoroughly that his wife onlyyielded to him under protest, and in many instances he had refrainedfrom making a move, when by doing so he could have thwarted hersubsequent efforts to have her own way. Thus he adroitly avoided openwarfare, satisfied that in secret strategy he was his wife's equal, ifnot her superior. In this manner they had lived together for so manyyears, enjoying their relationship as much as is usual with marriedfolks, and keeping up an outward show that caused all to believe that,with them, matrimony was a great success. And so it was, if one couldonly overlook the fact that beneath this semblance of happiness theresmouldered a fire, which might at any time be aroused by a chancespark, and grow into a blaze which would consume the whole fabric oftheir existence. The embers of this fire were, jealousy and suspicionon the side of the woman, and secretiveness in the man. Madame Medjorahad never forgotten that her inquiry as to whether her husband had hada child by his previous wife had been unanswed; nor had she quiteabandoned the hope of satisfying herself upon the subject.
During the later years, she had much regretted to see what sheconsidered one source of power slowly slipping away from her. In thebeginning, her husband had not hesitated to call upon her for fundswith which to advance his interests, but as the years passed his ownresources had increased so rapidly, that he was now entirelyindependent of her, and, indeed, owing to shrinkages in the values ofher property, he was really richer than she. The house in which theylived had been rebuilt by him, and by degrees he had paid off themortgages out of his earnings, until he owned it freed from debt.
So, as she sat in her room and meditated upon the fact that she hadsaid that Leon should not be admitted to the house, she rememberedwith a feeling of bitterness that she was the mistress in the houseonly by right of wifehood, and not because she held any privilegesarising from proprietorship.
She had been anticipating pleasure from the reunion with her husband,and now, because of "that country boy," she had received only unkindwords from the Doctor. Naturally, she exonerated herself from allfault, and, because of her love, she would not blame her husband.There was no other course but to attribute the whole trouble to Leon.But for him, she argued, all would have been pleasant, therefore hemust bear the brunt of her resentment. Already she began to hate him.To hate him as only a tropical temperament can hate. She was in thismood when the Doctor entered. At once she arose to greet him. In aninstant she hid within the depths of her bosom all emotions save thoseof love, and any one, other than the Doctor, would have believed thatshe harbored no unpleasant recollections or ill feeling because of therecent scene. He was not deceived. He had lived with her for more thanfifteen years, and in that time he had appraised her correctly. Now,however, it suited him best to accept her caresses, and to return themwith a show of warmth, which made the blood course faster through herveins, the more so because she had expected him to be angry, andbecause he rarely exhibited much feeling. This wily man well knew theweak spot in this woman's armor, and when he most desired to sway heractions, he first touched her heart.
"Well, _cara mia_, are you glad to have me with you again?" He foldedher close to his breast, and kissed her lips. She nestled within hisarms, and returned the salute rapturously. Presently he spoke again."You were naughty, down stairs, little one?"
There was scarcely a reproach in his voice; he spoke rather as anindulgent parent chides an erring, but beloved child. She looked upinto his eyes and merely murmured,
"You will forgive me?"
Some may doubt that the warmer demonstrations of love could survivethe destroying influences of a companionship covering so many years,and be still expressed with the fervor of youth. To such I say, whathas not come within your own experience is not necessarily false.Love, especially in woman, is a hardy plant and will blossom andflower, long after its earlier excitations have ceased to exist. Thebeauty of form, and attractiveness of manner, which first arouses thetender passion within our breast, may pass away from the object of ouradmiration, and yet our love may be deeper, fuller, and wider than atits inception. Yea, it may even retain its fullest demonstrativeness.In many cases it thrives most by harsh treatment, where it mightexpire by over-tending. Madame Medjora's affection was of this sort.Had her husband yielded to her all that she demanded, she would longago have been surfeited, and not improbably she would have left him.This, however, he had never done. She had always feared that he didnot love her as she yearned to be loved, and therefore she was everready with cajolery, flattery, and other means familiar to women, towin from him a fuller responsiveness.
At this moment, intoxicated by his caresses, she spoke from her heartwhen she asked him to forgive her. The slight reproof of his words,however gently spoken, was the tiny bit of cloud upon her presentclear sky of joy. She wished to dissipate it utterly, and then bask inthe full sunshine of his love, as dear to her to-day as before hernuptials. But by no means did she regret the act which had calledforth his speech, except as it affected her momentary happiness. Shewas ready to yield outwardly to anything that he might demand of herin such a mood, but, later, she would return to her purpose with zeal.That purpose, in this instance, would be to make Leon as miserable asshe could if he remained, but to have him out of the house ifpossible. The game was now worth watching, for both players were veryskilful, and each was intent upon carrying the day eventually. Eachwas as patient as persistent.
"You ask me to forgive you, Cora," was the Doctor's reply. "Do youadmit that you behaved very badly?"
"Now you are going to scold," said his wife, in a demure tone thatsounded odd from one of her years. But Madame often assumed the airsof youthfulness, without realizing how poorly they suited her.
"I would never scold you, Cora, if you would only think always beforeyou act. You have been both unwise and unreasonable."
"I would not have been if you had informed me in advance that the boywas coming. But you never tell me anything, Emanuel."
"Perhaps I should have done so in this case. But I only decidedyesterday, just before I left the country. A letter would not havereached you, and I would not telegraph, because you are alwaysfrightened by a despatch."
"The horrid things! I hate telegrams!"
"Exactly! It was from consideration for you that I did not notify you.As soon as I reached home I came here to find you and explain, but youhad run down the other stairway, and so unfortunately you met Leonbefore I intended you should."
"Leon Grath?" There was an accent upon the last name, and aninflection of the voice very delicately expressed, which intimatedthat there was a doubt. Madame could not resist speaking thus quickly,hoping that a glance, an expression, however fleeting, might cross theDoctor's face, which would be a clue upon which she might base herfuture investigation. But she gained nothing by the manoeuvre, andthe Doctor continued, as though unsuspicious of her intent.
"Yes, Leon Grath. Sit down and I will tell you about him. S
ome yearsago I first met Leon, while hunting in the vicinity of his home, hehad broken his leg, and I set it for him. Subsequently in succeedingyears we have hunted together. This summer I was intending to look himup, as a companion on a fishing excursion. Arriving in hisneighborhood, I learned that his mother had just died, leaving nowill, and that the farm would be sold and the boy left penniless,through a technicality which made the small estates revert to thesurviving sisters. These old hags hated Leon, and, consequently, froma comfortable home, he was about to become an outcast. I thereforedecided to bring him home with me. He will now live with us."
"Forever?" gasped Madame, surprised to learn that, instead of a guest,the lad was destined to be a permanent addition to their household.
"Forever!" replied the Doctor, with just a little severity; enough tocheck the expression of resentment which he saw rising. Then in orderto give her time to regain control of herself he went on. "Yes! I havelong needed an assistant, and I am sure that Leon will prove an aptpupil and rapidly learn enough to become useful to me. However, I maybe mistaken. He may prove a failure, and then I should find him aposition elsewhere." This was offered as a sort of compromise for heracceptance. He held out the possibility that Leon would leave them.Madame was in nowise deceived. She had appreciated the tone of herhusband's voice as he uttered the word, "Forever," and she knew thatLeon would never leave them on account of proving a failure as astudent. However, she accepted the situation, and assumed asatisfaction which was mere dissembling.
"Now that I understand the facts, Emanuel, I shall do all in my powerto make the boy happy while he is here, even though it be only for ashort time." The last words were in response to her husband'ssuggestion, but he understood her motive as well as she hadcomprehended his. Thus they fenced with one another.
"I knew that you would do so, Cora," replied the Doctor. "Will youcome down now and speak to Leon before I take him out with me? I musthave some clothing ordered for him."
Together they descended to where Leon sat awaiting them, and theyouth's fears were set at rest, for the time being at least. Madameapproached him with her most alluring manner, and welcomed him, inwords, to his new home. She even asked him to forget her brusquenessat their first meeting, and then, suggesting that he must be hungry,rang a bell and ordered light refreshments.
The Doctor sat apart from them, apparently looking over his letters,but in reality observing closely all that transpired, and while Leonwas thoroughly charmed by the altered manner of his hostess, Dr.Medjora decided, within his own mind, that in relation to this boy hiswife's actions would require the closest scrutiny.
Presently a gong sounded, and a few moments later a servant announced:
"Judge Dudley. Miss Dudley."
The Judge came in with extended hand, and was warmly greeted by theDoctor, while the young lady went up to Madame, who kissed her on hercheek, and received her with an outward show of cordiality, which aclose observer might have seen was but a polite veneer. The Doctorhastened to bring Leon forward, and presented him first to the Judge,and then to Miss Agnes Dudley.
The young people bowed their acknowledgments, and as they raised theirheads, so that their eyes met, both started slightly. Leon wasastonished to recognize the face of the girl whom he had met whenstudying Venus, and whose image had recurred to him that night on LakeMassabesic.