CHAPTER VII
LEONORA
I found a note in the hall from Sarakoff asking me to come round to thePyramid Restaurant at eight o'clock to meet a friend of his. It was acrisp clear evening, and I decided to walk. There were two problems onmy mind. One was the outlook of Sarakoff, which even I deemed to be toomaterialistic. The other was the attitude of young Thornduck, which wasobviously absurd.
In my top hat and solemn frock-coat I paced slowly down Harley Street.
Thornduck talked as if suffering, as if all that side of existence whichthe Blue Germ was to do away with, were necessary and salutary. Sarakoffspoke as if pleasure was the only aim of life. Now, though sheerphysical pleasure had never entered very deeply into my life, I hadnever denied the fact that it was the only motive of the majority of mypatients. For what was all our research for? Simply to mitigatesuffering; and that is another way of saying that it was to increasephysical well-being. Why, then, did Sarakoff's views appear extreme tome? What was there in my composition that whispered a doubt when I hadthe doctrine of maximum pleasure painted with glowing enthusiasm by theRussian in the train that afternoon?
I moved into Oxford Street deeply pondering. The streets were crowded,and from shop windows there streamed great wedges of white and yellowlight. The roar of traffic was round me. The 'buses were packed with menand women returning late from business, or on the way to seek relaxationin the city's amusements. I passed through the throng as through acoloured mist of phantoms. My eyes fastened on the faces of those whopassed by. Who could really doubt the doctrine of pleasure? Which one ofthose people would hesitate to plunge into the full tide of the senses,did not the limitations of the body prevent him?
I crossed Piccadilly Circus with a brisker step. It was no use worryingover questions which could not be examined scientifically. The onlyreally important question in life was to be a success.
The brilliant entrance of the Pyramid Restaurant was before me, andwithin, standing on the marble floor, I saw the tall figure of theRussian.
Sarakoff greeted me with enthusiasm. He was wearing evening-dress with awhite waistcoat, and the fact perturbed me. I put my hat and stick inthe cloakroom.
"Who is coming?" I asked anxiously.
"Leonora," he whispered. "I only found out she was in London thisafternoon. I met her when I was strolling in the Park while you werebusy with your patients."
"But who is Leonora?" I asked. "And can I meet her in this state?"
"Oh, never mind about your dress. You are a busy doctor and she willunderstand. Leonora is the most marvellous woman in the world. I intendto make her marry me."
"Is she English?" I stammered.
He laughed.
"Little man, you look terrified, as usual. You are always terrified. Itis your habit. No, Leonora is not English. She is European. If you wentout into the world of amusement a little more--and it would be good foryou--you would know that she has the most exquisite voice in the historyof civilization. She transcends the nightingale because her body isbeautiful. She transcends the peacock because her voice is beautiful.She is, in fact, worthy of every homage, and you will meet her in ashort time. Like all perfect things she is late."
He took out his watch and glanced at the door.
"You are an extraordinary person, Sarakoff," I observed, after watchinghim a moment. "Will you answer me a rather intimate question?"
"Certainly."
"What precisely do you mean when you say you intend to make the charminglady marry you?"
"Precisely what I say. She loves fame. So far I have been unsuccessful,because she does not think I am famous enough."
"How do you intend to remedy that?"
He stared at me in amazement.
"Do you think that any people have ever been so famous as you and I willbe in a few days?"
I looked away and studied the bright throng of visitors in the hall.
"In a few days?" I asked. "Are you not a trifle optimistic? Don't youthink that it will take months before the possibilities and meaning ofthe germ are properly realized?"
"Rubbish," exclaimed Sarakoff. "You are a confirmed pessimist. You areimpossible, Harden. You are a mass of doubts and apprehensions. Ah, hereis Leonora at last. Is she not marvellous?"
I looked towards the entrance. I saw a woman of medium height, veryfair, dressed in some soft clinging material of a pale primrose colour.From a shoulder hung a red satin cloak. Round her neck was a string oflarge pearls, and in her hair was a jewelled osprey. She presented astriking appearance and I gained the impression of some northern spiritin her that shone out of her eyes with the brilliancy of ice.
Sarakoff strode forward, and the contrast that these two afforded wasextraordinary. Tall, dark, warm and animated, he stood beside her, andstooped to kiss her hand. She gazed at him with a smile so slight thatit seemed scarcely to disturb the perfect symmetry of her face. He beganto talk, moving his whole body constantly and making gestures with hisarms, with a play of different expressions in his face. She listenedwithout moving, save that her eyes wandered slowly round the large hall.At length Sarakoff beckoned to me.
I approached somewhat awkwardly and was introduced.
"Leonora," said the Russian, "this is a little English doctor with avery large brain. He was closely connected with the great discovery ofwhich I am going to tell you something to-night at dinner. He is myfriend and his name is Richard Harden."
"I like your name," said Leonora, in a clear soft voice.
I took her hand. We passed into the restaurant. It was one of those vastpleasure-palaces of music, scent, colour and food that abounded inLondon. An orchestra was playing somewhere high aloft. The luxury ofthese establishments was always sounding a curious warning deep down inmy mind. But then, as Sarakoff had said, I am a pessimist, and if I wereto say that I have noticed that nature often becomes very prodigal andlavish just before she takes away and destroys, I would be uttering,perhaps, one of the many half-truths in which the pessimistic spiritdelights.
Our table was in a corner at an agreeable distance from the orchestra.Sarakoff placed Leonora between him and myself. Attentive waitershurried to serve us; and the eyes of everyone in our immediateneighbourhood were turned in our direction. Leonora did not appear to beaffected by the interest she aroused. She flung her cloak on the back ofher chair, put her elbows on the table, and gazed at the Russianintently.
"Tell me of your discovery, Alexis."
He smiled, enchanted.
"I shall be best able to give you some idea of what our discovery meansif I begin by telling you that I am going to read your character. Doesthat interest you?"
She nodded. Then she turned to me and studied me for a moment.
"No, Alexis. Let Richard read my character first."
I blushed successfully.
"Why do you blush?" she asked with some interest.
"He blushed because of your unpardonable familiarity in calling himRichard," laughed Sarakoff.
"I shall be most happy, Leonora," I stammered, making an immense effort,and longing for the waiter to bring the champagne. "But I am not good atthe art."
"But you must try."
I saw no way out of the predicament. Sarakoff's eyes were twinklingroguishly, so I began, keeping my gaze on the table.
"You have a well-controlled character, with a considerable power ofknowing exactly what you want to do with your life, and you come fromthe North. I fancy you sleep badly."
"How do you know I sleep badly?" she challenged.
"Your eyes are a clear frosty blue, and you are of rather slight build.I am merely speaking from my own experience as a doctor."
I suppose my words were not particularly gracious or well-spoken.Leonora simply nodded and leaned back from the table.
"Now, Alexis, tell me about myself," she said.
My glass now contained champagne and I decided to allow that wizard totake charge of my affairs for a time.
"Leonora, you are one of those women who v
isit this dull planet fromtime to time for reasons best known to themselves. I think you must comefrom Venus, or one of the asteroids; or it may be from Sirius. From thebeginning you knew you were not like ordinary people."
"Alexis," she drawled, "you are boring me."
"Capital!" said Sarakoff. "Now we will descend to facts, as our friendhere did. You are the most inordinately vain, ambitious, cold-heartedwoman in Europe, Leonora. You value yourself before everything. Youthink your voice and your beauty cannot be beaten, and you are right.Now if I were to tell you that your voice and your beauty could bepreserved, year after year, without any change, what would you think?"
A kind of fierce vitality sprang into her face.
"What do you mean?" she asked quietly. "Have you discovered the elixirof youth?"
He nodded. She laid her hand on his arm.
"How long does its effect last?"
"Well--for a considerable time."
"You are certain?"
"Absolutely."
She leaned towards him.
"You will let no one else have it, Alexis," she asked softly. "Only me?"
Sarakoff glanced at me.
"Leonora, you are very selfish."
"Of course."
"Well, you are not the only person who is going to have the elixir. Thewhole world is going to have it."
I watched her with absorbed attention. She seemed to accept the idea ofan elixir of youth without any incredulity, and did not find anythingextraordinary in the fact of its discovery. In that respect, I fancied,she was typical of a large class of women--that class that thinks adoctor is a magician, or should be. But when Sarakoff said that thewhole world was going to have the elixir, a spasm of anger shewed for amoment in her face. She lowered her eyes.
"This is unkind of you, Alexis. Why should not just you and I have theelixir?" She raised her eyes and turned them directly on Sarakoff. "Whynot?" she murmured.
The Russian flushed slightly.
"Leonora, it must either not be, or else the whole world must have it.It can't be confined. It must spread. It's a germ. We have let it loosein Birmingham."
She shuddered.
"A germ? What does he mean?" She turned to me.
"It's a germ that will do away with all disease and decay," I said.
"It will make me younger?"
"Of that I am uncertain. It will more probably fix us where we are."
The Russian nodded in confirmation of my view. Leonora considered for awhile. I could see nothing in her appearance that she could have wishedaltered, but she seemed dissatisfied.
"I should have preferred it to make us all a little younger," she saiddecidedly. Her total lack of the sense of miracles astonished me. Shebehaved as if Sarakoff had told her that we had discovered a new kindof soap or a new patent food. "But I am glad you have found it, Alexis,"she continued. "It will certainly make you famous. That will be nice,but I am sorry you should have given the elixir to Birmingham first.Birmingham is in no need of an elixir, my friend. You should have putsomething else in their water-supply." She turned to me and examined mewith calm criticism. "What a pity you didn't discover the elixir whenyou were younger, Richard. Your hair is grey at the temples." A clearlaugh suddenly came from her. "What a lot of jealously there will be,Alexis. The old ones will be so envious of the young. Think how MadameReaour will rage--and Betty, and the Signora--all my friends--oh, I feelquite glad now that it doesn't make people younger. You are sure itwon't?"
"I don't think so," said Sarakoff, watching her through half-closedlids. "No, I think you are safe, Leonora."
"And my voice?"
"It will preserve that ... indefinitely, I think."
She was arrested by the new idea. She looked into the distance andfingered the pearls at her throat.
"Then I shall become the most famous singer in the whole world," shemurmured. "And I shall have all the money I want. My friend, you havedone me a service. I will not forget it." She looked at him and laughedslightly. "But I do not think you have done the world a service. A greatmany people will not like the germ. No, they will desire to get rid ofit, Alexis."
She shuddered a little. I stared at her.
"I think you are mistaken," said Alexis, gruffly.
She shook her head.
"Come, let us finish dinner quickly and I will take you both to my flatand sing to you a little."
Leonora's flat was in Whitehall Court, and of its luxury I need notspeak. I must confess to the fact that, sober and timid as is my nature,I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere. Leonora was generous. Her voice wasexquisite. I sat on a deep couch of green satin and gazed at a Chineseidol cut in green jade, that stood on a neighbouring table, with all mysenses lulled by the charm of her singing. The sense of responsibilityfell away from me like severed cords. I became pagan as I lolled there,a creature of sensuous feeling. Sarakoff lay back in a deep chair in theshadow with his eyes fixed on Leonora. We were both in a kind ofdelicious drowsiness when the opening of the door roused us.
Leonora stopped abruptly. With some difficulty I removed my gaze fromthe Chinese figure, which had hypnotized me, and looked roundresentfully.
Lord Alberan was standing in the doorway. He seemed surprised to findthat Leonora had visitors. I could not help marking a slight air ofproprietorship in his manner.
"I am afraid I am interrupting," he said smoothly. He crossed to thepiano and leant over Leonora. "You got my telegram?"
"No," she replied; "I did not even know you had returned from France."
"I came the day before yesterday. I had to go down to Maltby Towers. Icame up to town to-day and wired you on the way."
He straightened himself and turned towards us. Leonora rose and camedown the room. We rose.
"Geoffrey," she said, drawling slightly, "I want to introduce you to twofriends of mine. They will soon be very famous--more famous than youare--because they have discovered a germ that is going to keep us allyoung."
Lord Alberan glanced at me and then looked hard at the Russian. Aswiftly passing surprise shewed that he recognized Sarakoff. Leonoramentioned our names casually, took up a cigarette and dropped into achair.
"Yes," she continued, "these gentlemen have put the germ into the waterthat supplies Birmingham." She struck a match and lit the cigarette. Inoticed she actually smoked very little, but seemed to like to watch theburning cigarette. "Do sit down. What are you standing for, Geoffrey?"
Lord Alberan's attitude relaxed. He had evidently decided on his courseof action.
"That is very interesting," he observed, as if he had never seenSarakoff before. "A germ that is going to keep us all young. It remindsme of the Arabian Nights. I should like to see it."
"You've seen it already," replied Sarakoff, imperturbably.
Lord Alberan's cold eyes looked steadily before him. His mouthtightened.
"Really?"
"You saw it at Charing Cross Station the night before last."
"At Charing Cross Station?"
I tried to signal to the Russian, but he seemed determined to proceed.
"Yes--you thought I was an anarchist. You saw the contents of my bag.Six tubes containing a blue-coloured gelatine. Perhaps, Lord Alberan,you remember now."
"I remember perfectly," he exclaimed, smiling slightly. "Yes, I regretmy mistake. One has to be careful."
"Did you think my Alexis was an anarchist?" cried Leonora. "You are thestupidest of Englishmen."
It was obvious that Alberan did not like this. He glanced at a thin goldwatch that he carried in his waistcoat pocket.
"I will not interrupt you any longer," he remarked gravely. "You arequite occupied, I see, and I much apologize for intruding."
"Don't be still more stupid," she said lazily. "Sit down. Tell me howyou like the idea of never dying."
"I am afraid I cannot entertain the idea seriously." He hesitated andthen looked firmly at Sarakoff. "Do I understand, sir, that you haveactually put some germ into the Birmingham water-supply?"
r /> The Russian nodded.
"You'll hear about it in a day or two," he said quietly.
"You had permission to do this?"
"No, I had no permission."
"Are you aware that you are making a very extraordinary statement, sir?"
"Perfectly."
Lord Alberan became very red. The lower part of his face seemed toexpand. His eyes protruded.
"Don't gobble," said Leonora.
"Gobble?" stuttered Alberan, turning upon her. "How dare you say Igobble?"
"But you are gobbling."
"I refuse to stay here another moment. I will leave immediately. As foryou, sir, you shall hear from me in course of time. To-morrow I amcompelled to go abroad again, but when I return I shall institute avigorous and detailed enquiry into your movements, which are highlysuspicious, sir,--highly suspicious." He moved to the door and thenturned. "Mademoiselle, I wish you good-night." He bowed stiffly and wentout.
"Thank heaven, I've got rid of him for good," murmured Leonora. "Heproposed to me last week, Alexis."
"And what did you say?" asked Sarakoff.
"I said I would see, but things are different now." She turned her eyesstraight in his direction. "That is, if you have told me the truth,Alexis. Oh, isn't it wonderful!" She jumped up and threw out her arms."Suppose that it all comes true, Alexis! Immortality--always to be youngand beautiful!"
"It will come true," he said.
She lowered her arms slowly and looked at him.
"I wonder how long love will last?"