Cashel made no answer to this speech, but stood still, uncertain how to act.
"Come, come," said Linton, "you are giving the whole thing an importance it does not merit; just let the old peer have the pleasure of his bit of heroism, and it will all end as I have mentioned. They "ll leave this to-morrow early, reach Killaloe to breakfast, whence Kilgoff will start for the place of meeting, and, by ten o"clock, you "ll be there also.
The only matter to arrange is, whom you "ll get Were it a real affair, I "d say Upton, or Frobisher; but, here, it is a question of secrecy, not skill. I "d advise, if possible, your having MacFarline."
"Sir Andrew?" said Cashel, half laughing.
"Yes; his age and standing are precisely what we want here. He"ll not refuse you; and if he should, it"s only telling Lady Janet that we want to shoot Kilgoff, and she "ll order him out at once."
"I protest it looks more absurd than ever!" said Roland, impatiently.
"That is merely your own prejudice," said Linton. "You cannot regard single combat but as a life struggle between two men, equal not merely in arms, but alike in bodily energy, prowess, skill, and courage. We look on the matter here as a mere lottery, wherein the less expert as often draws the prize--But there, as I vow, that was two o"clock! It struck, and I promised to see Kilgoff again to-night. By the way, he "ll want horses. Where can he get them?"
"Let him take mine; there are plenty of them, and he "ll never know anything of it."
"Very true. What an obliging adversary, that actually "posts" his enemy to the ground!"
"How am I to see MacFarline to-night?"
"You "ll have to call him out of bed. Let Flint say there "s an orderly from Limerick with despatches; that Biddy Molowney won"t pay her poor-rate, or Paddy Flanagan has rescued his pig, and the magistrates are calling for the Fifty-something and two squadrons of horse, to protect the police. You"ll soon have him up; and, once up, his Scotch blood will make him as discreet as an arch-deacon. So, good-night; add a codicil to your will in favor of my Lady, and to bed."
With this Linton took his candle and retired.
Cashel, once more alone, began to ponder over the difficulty of his position. The more he reasoned on the matter, the stronger appeared his fears that Lady Kilgoff"s name would be compromised by a foolish and unmeaning quarrel; while, for himself, he saw nothing but ridicule and shame from his compliance. That omnipotent arbiter, "the World," might indeed be satisfied, but Roland suspected that few of its better-judging members would hesitate to condemn a course as unfeeling as it was unwise.
A quick, sharp knocking at the door of his room aroused him from his musings; it was Lady Kilgoff"s maid, breathless and agitated. She came to say that Lord Kilgoff, after a scene of pa.s.sionate excitement with her Ladyship, had been seized with paralysis, and that he was now lying powerless and unconscious on his bed.
"Come, sir, for mercy"s sake; come quickly. My Lady is distracted, nor can any of us think of what to do."
Cashel scratched a few lines in pencil to Tiernay, requesting his immediate presence, and ringing for his servant, at once despatched a message to the village. This done, he followed the maid to Lord Kilgoff"s chamber.
CHAPTER XXI. THE SECOND SHOCK
The waters darken, and the rustling sound Tells of the coming "squall."
The Pilot.
Lord Kilgoff was stretched upon a bed, breathing heavily; one arm lay straight beside him, and the other crossed upon his breast. His features were deadly pale, save in the centre of each cheek, where a deep-red spot seemed to burn. A slight, very slight, distortion marked his features, and a faint tremor seemed to quiver on his lip. Beside the bed, with an expression of some conscious terror in her face, sat Lady Kilgoff; her white dressing-gown, over which her hair fell in long abundant ma.s.ses, added pallor to her looks. Her eyes met Cashel"s as he entered, and then reverted to the bed where the sick man lay, but with an expression less of sorrow than of bewilderment and confusion.
She looked, indeed, like one whose faculties had been stunned by some sudden shock, and had, as yet, made no effort to recall them to their wonted exercise. At the foot of the bed stood the maid, whose half-uttered sobs were the only sounds to break the stillness.
Cashel drew near, and placed his fingers on the sick man"s pulse. Often had he, in his former adventurous career, felt the ebbing current of a life"s blood, and measured its power by its resistance. The full but laboring swell of the heart might well deceive him, then, into the impression that no grave consequences were near. He knew not that in such affections the pulse can be round and strong and impulsive; and it was with an earnest conviction of truth he whispered to her,--
"There is no danger."
She looked up, but it was easy to see that although the words had sounded like comfort, they had not pierced the dense veil that clouded her mind.
Cashel repeated the phrase, and said,--
"Tiernay will soon be here, but have no fears; my own slight skill can tell you there is nothing of peril. Had you not better retire from this--even to the window?"
A faint "No" was all she uttered.
"He was in perfect health this afternoon?" said Cashel to the maid.
"My Lord was better than usual, sir; he took out his collar and his star to look at them, and he spoke very pleasantly of going abroad in the spring. He was reading in the library when Mr. Linton went to him."
"Linton!" muttered Lady Kilgoff, with a shudder.
"I think I hear voices in the corridor," said Cashel. "If it be the doctor, say I wish to speak with him before he sees my Lord."
The maid left the room to perform the commission, and scarcely had the door closed, than Lady Kilgoff started up, and seizing an object which lay on the bed, exclaimed, "How came it in your keeping?"
"What?" cried Cashel, in amazement
"This bracelet," said she, holding out towards him the ma.s.sive bracelet which Linton had contrived to detach from her arm at their meeting in the "Park."
"I never saw it before--never in my life."
She sank slowly back upon the chair without speaking, while a faint tremor shook her frame.
"The doctor is without, sir," said the maid at this moment, and Cashel hastened out. He spoke a few hurried words to Tiernay, and then walked towards his own room. That some deep and artful treachery had drawn its web around and about him, involving not himself alone, but another too, he now clearly felt. He saw danger, as the sailor sees it in the lowering sky and fleeting scud, but as yet he knew not from what quarter the "squall" was coming. His suspicions all pointed to Linton; but why attribute such a game to him? and if such were his purpose, to what end could be practise this treachery?
"Would it not be better," thought he, "to see him at once; tell him my suspicions openly; say, that I no longer trust him as my friend, but feel towards him the misgivings of a secret enemy? If there is manliness about him, he will avow his enmity, or resent my distrust; either or both would be a relief to what I now suffer. Ah! here he comes," said he; but he was deceived; it was Tiernay entered.
"What say you, doctor? Is the case a grave one?"
"Worse; it is nearly hopeless!"
"What! do you fear for his life?"
"Life or intellect, one or the other, must pay the penalty. This is the second shock. The shipwreck gave the first, and rent the poor edifice almost in twain; this will, in all likelihood, lay it in ashes."
"This is very dreadful!" said Cashel, upon whom the attendant event and the consequences were weighing heavily.
"He has told me all!" said Tiernay, almost sternly. "_His_ jealousy and _her_ levity, the rampant pride of station, the reckless freedom of a broken heart,--such are the ingredients that have made up a sad story, which may soon become a tragedy."
"But there was no reason for it; his jealousy was absurd--unfounded."
"As you will. You may go further, and say he could not lose what he never owned. I saw the peril--I even warned you of it."
"I can only comprehend you by half," said Cashel, impatiently. "You imply blame to me where I can feel none."
"I blame you as I will ever do those who, not fearing danger for themselves, are as indifferent about their neighbors. It is not of this silly old man I am thinking here,--it is of her who, without a protector, should have found one in every man of generous and honorable feeling; not as you, perhaps, understand protection,--not by the challenge hurled in the face of all who would dare to asperse her fair name, but by that studied respect, that hallowed deference, that should avert detraction. Neither you nor any other could be the champion of her honor; but you might have been its defender by a better and a n.o.bler heroism. It is too late to think of this now; let us not lose time in vain regrets. We must take measures that ungenerous reports should not be circulated."
The door suddenly opened at the instant, and Linton, in his dressing-gown, entered; but, seeing Tiernay, made a motion to retire.