"I cannot explain, because there is a mystery which is impenetrable," he answered. "I shall resign the living and go abroad. I can no longer remain here."
"You will again fly from her, as you did when you went and hid yourself in Duddington?" I asked. "I can"t understand the reason of your actions. Why not give me a little more explanation?"
"But I can"t explain, because I have not yet fathomed the truth."
"Then you only entertain certain suspicions, and will act upon them without obtaining clear grounds. That"s illogical, Jack--very illogical."
He pondered for a few moments, tugging at his moustache.
"Well, I hadn"t looked at it in that light before, I must confess," he answered at last. "You think I ought to be entirely satisfied before I act."
"Yes, rashness should not be one of the characteristics of a man who ministers G.o.d"s Word," I said.
"But the deadly trail of the Serpent is upon everything," he declared.
"I can hope for nothing more. I cannot be hypocritical, neither can I serve two masters. Is it not better for me to resign from the Church at once than to offend before G.o.d?"
"For whatever sin you have committed there is the Great Forgiveness," I said calmly. "You are a believer, or you could not preach those enthralling sermons, which have already made you noted in ecclesiastical London. You are known as a brilliant, powerful preacher who can make the tears well in the eyes of strong men by your fervent appeal to them to turn from their wickedness and live. Think!" I said. "Recollect the men steeped in sin whom you have induced to come forth and bow before their G.o.d in penitence. Think of those men who have been saved by your ministrations, and then ask yourself whether there is no salvation for you?"
"Yes!" he sighed. "What you say is quite true, Clifton--quite true."
"Then if you abandon the Church you abandon faith in the generous forgiveness which you have preached, and exhibit to those who have believed in you a doubt in the grace of G.o.d. Surely you, Jack, will not do this?"
He was silent, with bent head, as he stood before me reflecting.
"Your argument is a strong one, certainly," he said at last. "But can I actually stand in my pulpit and preach the Gospel after the knowledge that has come to me?"
"Knowledge!" I repeated. "We found that knowledge to be a mere suspicion only a moment ago!"
"Yes," he admitted; "suspicion if you like. Well, that amounts to the same thing."
"Why don"t you tell me all about it?" I urged. "What are these suspicions regarding Aline?"
I recollected my bond of secrecy, and it drove me to madness. If I could tell him all I knew, I felt that together we might combine to probe the mystery. As it was, my silence was imperative.
"It"s my misfortune that I have not sufficient grounds for making any direct allegation. I love her still; I adore her; I worship her; but--"
At that instant, without warning, the door opened, and Muriel, bright and happy, burst into the room, bearing an armful of flowers. Next second, on recognising my visitor, her countenance changed, and she bowed stiffly to him, without offering her hand. Quick to notice this, I at once demanded an explanation, for the mystery had now driven me to desperation.
"There is some secret in your previous acquaintance with Muriel," I said, addressing Yelverton boldly. "Tell me what it is."
"Our acquaintance!" he faltered, while she drew back open-mouthed in alarm. The pair exchanged glances, and I saw that between them was some understanding. "What makes you suggest that?" he asked, with a forced laugh.
"You were acquainted before I introduced you the other day!" I cried, fiercely. "You can"t deny that!"
"I have not denied it," he responded calmly. "It is quite true that I knew Miss Moore before our formal introduction."
"Then why did you not admit it?" I demanded, a feeling of jealousy rising within me.
"Simply because I had no desire to excite any suspicion in your mind, Clifton. That"s all."
"Rubbish!" I e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed. "There"s some mystery behind all this. Why may I not know?"
The Vicar of St Peter"s glanced inquiringly at Muriel, but finding no look of permission in her countenance, preserved a silence, which in a moment grew irksome.
Suddenly, however, Muriel, who stood near me, pale and excited, turned, and facing me, said--
"There appears to be a misunderstanding between you. It is quite true that I am acquainted with Mr Yelverton, and there is absolutely no necessity to deny the fact. We have known each other for a long time-- ever since I was at Madame Gabrielle"s. He was curate at St Michael"s, Rathbone Place, where I attended, and we were very good friends until-- until--" and she did not finish the sentence.
"Until what?"
"Well, until an event occurred which transformed our friendship."
"What event?"
Again the pair exchanged glances. She was apparently trying to obtain permission from him to expose to me the whole truth. At that moment I felt a.s.sured that this woman I had so fondly loved was playing me false, and, after all, this popular preacher was her real lover. Certain circ.u.mstances appeared to point to it, for her confusion was apparent; she knew not what to admit, nor what to deny.
He shrugged his shoulders in dumb motion, as though he were careless, but this action apparently gave her confidence, and she turned to me again, saying--
"Any explanation you demand, Mr Yelverton will no doubt give to you."
"No, no," Jack cried, addressing her. "It"s quite impossible. You know full well that I"m utterly in ignorance of the truth, and that you alone can explain, if you will."
She bit her lips, and endeavoured to recover her self-possession. Her illness had weakened her, and rendered her curiously nervous, so that the least emotion visibly affected her.
"Yes," I added, "you are concealing a secret from me, Muriel, and I, who am to be your husband, demand to know what it is. Tell me!"
"If you had asked me this a few days ago," she answered, after a pause, "I could only have given you a negative answer. But I have overheard Mr Yelverton"s confession to you, and now that I am strong again, I am determined that neither he nor you shall longer remain in doubt regarding the mystery surrounding Aline Cloud."
"What is it?" I cried excitedly. "Tell us quickly."
"No," she answered, with a wave of the hand. "In this affair we must exercise patience, or those who are guilty will a.s.suredly escape us.
Besides, we have to ensure our own safety also."
"Our own safety!" Jack echoed. "What do you mean?"
"Have I not narrowly escaped death?" she asked. "If we are not wary, another attempt, perhaps more successful, may be made."
"You antic.i.p.ate a.s.sa.s.sination because those who are guilty are aware that you are now in possession of their secret?" I cried. "Then let us act in union with care and discretion. What has caused you to preserve your silence until now?"
"Circ.u.mstances which rendered my secrecy imperative," she answered.
"Until now I only entertained suspicions; but these have been confirmed, therefore to me the truth is apparent. In order, however, for us to solve the mystery, it is necessary that you should both obey me implicitly, without asking any questions, for to some of your demands I should be compelled to give false answers. Trust in me, both of you, and I will reveal to you something stranger than you have ever dreamed."
"We do trust you," we both answered with one accord.
"I"m ready to act in any manner you direct," I added.
"And you will not fear, even though a plot may be laid against your life?" she inquired with concern.