His business! Neither illness nor ruin had been able to uproot his pa.s.sion for projects and his liking for great industrial enterprises.
"If you could guess, Captain, the idea which I have had for days in my head!" he said to me once, looking at me with his candid eyes and pushing back his hair. "A grand project, and sensible, too, at the same time. At fifteen kilometres from Valencia there is a river that can be made to produce a waterfall of a thousand horse-power. Suppose that two hundred are lost in harnessing it, there would still be eight hundred, which, well distributed, would move almost all the industries of the city and give light to it all. Manufacturers and the city would save an enormous amount, and to become the owner of that waterfall would be a brilliant stroke of business. Because, as you can see----"
Here he took a paper, drew out a pencil, and set himself to scheming with figures with as much enthusiasm as if the operatives were already installing the great electric machine that was to distribute power to all the factories of Valencia, with so many horse-power and such and such qualities as if he had the magazine in the house.
Cristina and I exchanged a look over his head, and we knew not what to say. Formerly this pa.s.sion had been his peril. Now it seemed to console him. So, not to go against him, we followed his fancy, and praised his project to the skies. This made him so happy that his cheeks burned and his gla.s.sy eyes shone with pleasure. Cristina could not control her emotion, and hastily left the room. I went on admiring the project warmly, so that he would not notice her going, and went so far as to promise to invest my small capital in the enterprise. With this his gayety came to an end. Quickly changing his expression, he pressed my hand, and, looking at me sorrowfully, exclaimed:
"No, Ribot, no! Although the affair is all plain enough, there might be some bad luck. I will not risk your capital!"
"There would not be any risk," I replied; "I would gladly put it in, because it seems to me that this is a sure thing."
"Absolutely sure!" he said, with the accent of unquenchable conviction, which at another time would have made me smile. "But I won"t give you any shares in it until it is under way and has begun to pay dividends."
Poor Marti! He was going fast. His cheeks fell in, the circles under his eyes grew deeper; he pa.s.sed his nights in coughing and his days in torment between pain and choking.
The fainting fits of Dona Amparo grew constantly more frequent and prolonged. Her sensibility became so over-excited by this, that the fluttering of a b.u.t.terfly was enough to throw her into a convulsion, from which she could only recover by covering everybody"s face, as of old, with tears and kisses. As for me, being the friend most often at hand, I received the greater part of these inundations.
Sabas came every day at eleven o"clock, before going for his usual promenade to the cafe where he took his vermouth. If the doctor had said that the invalid had less fever (and he often said it to encourage him), this gave our dandy so much satisfaction that he could not do less than celebrate by going to breakfast at the cafe, and then go off on an excursion with friends of both s.e.xes.
We saw the end approaching. As the fatal hour drew near, Emilio showed himself less and less apprehensive, occupying himself constantly with making calculations and planning out new schemes. Even in the middle of the night he would beg for paper, and scratch down figures.
"Next week I think I shall be able to be out," he said to me one morning. "There is nothing ailing me now. The pain in the kidneys is all gone; my tongue is almost clean. If this cough that keeps me awake would only leave me, I should be quite well. To-day I feel just like walking, like taking a good long walk."
And he proved his words by getting up from his chair and taking several steps.
"I am going to the dining-room," he said, opening the door; "see what a surprise I am going to give Cristina."
And he walked down the pa.s.sage. I stood looking at him from the threshold of his room. When he had got about half-way, the poor fellow toppled, and before I could get to him, fell his length upon the floor.
Several years have pa.s.sed since then, and yet they have not been able to obscure in my soul the shamed and melancholy smile he gave me as I came to him.
"That"s bad, Captain!"
I lifted him and carried him in my arms back to his chair. He weighed no more than a child. Cristina, as well as I, reproved his imprudence, but we readily convinced him that his weakness came from lack of nourishment. If he would eat more his strength would increase rapidly, and we should soon see him able to walk out in the garden as of old.
Although Cristina knew the seriousness of his condition, and made herself no illusions regarding the outcome, I observed in her a sort of ignorance or disregard which, at such a time, could not fail to make me anxious. She thought certainly that his illness was unto death, but by every word that came from her mouth I perceived that she judged the end to be very far off. I could see that it was very near. And yet it was nearer than even I supposed. On the day following his fall in the pa.s.sage, I went to see him between ten and eleven o"clock in the morning. Contrary to his custom, he had not dressed. He said he found himself a little fatigued from coughing. I cheered him up by calling him only lazy, and sat down beside him. I found him indeed very feeble, and looking very much discouraged. In spite of this he was chatty and cheerful as always. At last he decided to get up, but before doing so we decided that he should take a little cup of broth to give him strength.
Cristina went out to prepare it. A few moments after, the sick man had an attack of coughing and choking that nearly overcame him. I did not call Cristina, not wishing to alarm her, and began to fan him, as usual, to give him air, hoping that he would quickly recover. Yet, without knowing why, I felt more disturbed than usual. My heart beat violently, seeing that pallid face, with its closed eyes and the opened mouth struggling for breath. As the seconds went by, my anxiety increased in like measure, and I reached my hand towards the bell-b.u.t.ton. But at that moment Marti opened his eyes and smiled sweetly. I calmed myself and said:
"Now you are better! It has pa.s.sed."
"Open the shutters. I can"t see well," he answered me. These words brought back my alarm. The shutters were open. Yet I made a movement to go, to please him; but as I tried to leave him, he seized one of my hands.
"Ribot, Ribot!" he cried, gazing at me with sightless eyes. "Do not leave me! I am dying, do not leave me!"
He raised up, convulsively grasping my hand. His expression changed quickly, his eyes glazed. His head rolled about as if it would be disjointed, then he fell heavily backward. Horror and stupefaction kept me a moment stunned, gazing at the floor. But recovering myself, I took his head between my hands and held it against my breast, crying:
"Marti! my friend, my brother! Canst thou hear? In this world of treachery there are few men left like thee!"
And I kissed that brow where had never fallen the shadow of a sinful thought.
At that moment a hand touched my shoulder. I turned as if it had stabbed me and saw her eyes straining wide with terror and her trembling form that fell p.r.o.ne upon the ground.
CHAPTER XVII.
It is impossible to describe what took place in that house upon the death of Emilio. Everybody adored him; to all he was like a loving father, ready to sacrifice his own wishes for those of others.
The grief and woe of Cristina were so great that we feared for her life.
After a few days, however, it was necessary to think about business matters. Those of Marti were so much entangled that his unfortunate family was likely to become quite dest.i.tute. The only one to call upon in regard to his affairs, as the nearest relation, was Sabas; but this profound person, for whom the human heart had no hidden corners, despised the prosaic details of existence. He lived like a G.o.d in a state of perpetual joy, removed from the toils and anxieties that afflict mankind. It was necessary that I grasp the reins. I begged permission to do this, and took hold of the work with little knowledge, but with illimitable interest and good will. At the end of six months of hard work, struggling with creditors, lawyers, and clerks, I succeeded in disentangling the snarl. The debts were all paid and a small income was rescued for Cristina, sufficient to enable her to live comfortably but without any luxuries. I breathed freely again, and enjoyed my success as much as if I had brought through successfully some gigantic undertaking.
The grat.i.tude of Cristina was my sweetest reward. In a grave and reserved way, as she did all things, she made me understand it constantly. This grat.i.tude, joined to the innocent caresses of my G.o.d-daughter, who now began to prattle, calling me "Uncle Ribot," as if I were of her own blood, fully repaid me for all my endeavors. All that troubled me was to note with what scrupulous care Cristina reduced the expenses of her house, and the straits she endured. I told her this care was exaggerated--her income would permit her a little more leeway, but I did not succeed in making her see it. After a while I came to understand that her economy did not cause her the slightest pain. I thought she rather enjoyed it, and by this means was saving up to add to the small inheritance of her little daughter. Later I found out, not without indignation, that these savings served to support the household of her elegant brother. He had gone on applying the scalpel to all of our actions. Persuaded after a while that neither the kindness of his sister nor my business ability would henceforth provide him with means sufficient to make the conquest of even one single chorus girl, he decided at last to go to work, watching the bank in a gambling club.
None of her ancient splendors seemed to be missed by Cristina, as far as I could ascertain, neither handsomely furnished rooms, nor carriages, nor servants. The property at Caba.n.a.l alone excited in her a melancholy regret. Only when we mentioned that did she become sad and pensive. This was very natural. Her pa.s.sion for the country, for a free and peaceful life was strengthened now by the gentle memories that that estate kept for her heart. There had fleeted the happiest hours of her life. After I had observed this on a number of occasions, the thought was born in my brain to try to buy the place. I quickly thought over the state of my property. As I was a man of few wants, I could part with a third of what I had, and there would still be enough left me to live upon. As soon as I was convinced of that, every hindrance got on my nerves. I could not rest until I had gone to Barcelona, where lived the banker to whom the estate had been a.s.signed, and had had a talk with him. Caba.n.a.l had gone at auction for eighteen thousand duros. I soon saw that its present owner would like to get it off his hands for the same money, then his profits would not all be eaten up in the expense of keeping up the place as it had formerly been. At last, after several conferences and enough bartering, we agreed upon the contract and the deeds were pa.s.sed, I making him promise to keep the transaction a secret. Then I made a deed of gift to my G.o.d-daughter of the property. With both doc.u.ments in my pocket and with my heart light with joy, I returned to Valencia. Before taking possession of the country house it was necessary to buy, and instal there, furniture as nearly as possible like that which the house had had before. It cost me some labor, but I performed it with inexplicable enjoyment. It is needless to say that where I laid myself out to have everything perfect was in Cristina"s own room--her _tocador_. By means of untiring search I was able to find some of the same pieces of furniture that had been there before, and I bought them; others I ordered copied, and they turned out very like. As soon as all was ready I took possession of the place, cautioning all persons who had served me, and the gardener, too, not to let the matter get noised abroad before it was time to open the house.
The birthday of my G.o.d-daughter arrived. Several days before, I had all the furniture put in place in the country house, and I took pains to see that all was placed as nearly as possible as it had been formerly. I knew so well every arrangement of that house that it was not difficult for me to make it look very homelike. Cristina"s room took a good deal of time, for I aspired to have it lack not one detail. The furniture, the curtains, the articles on the dressing-table, even the coverlet on the bed, had been restored or copied with utmost exactness. On the birthday I carried my G.o.d-daughter a fine toy in the morning, promising her another for the afternoon. And for the afternoon I invited her, with her mamma and Dona Amparo, to take an excursion into the country, to picnic in some secluded spot, to celebrate that memorable date. The coachman, previously instructed by me, drove us about for a time, then brought up in the neighborhood of Caba.n.a.l. There I made him stop and said:
"Senoras, I don"t know whether I have committed an indiscretion. If I have, I beg your pardon beforehand. Knowing Cristina"s pa.s.sion for Caba.n.a.l, I have had our picnic prepared there. I am a friend of Puig, who bought it, and when I was in Barcelona he gave me permission to go into the house, and to take as many people with me as I liked. I repeat, you must forgive what I have done, if you do not approve of it."
Dona Amparo declared it very nice, and was joyful to the soul at visiting once more the place that had always pleased her. But Cristina"s face was something to behold. She had never let me see it so forbidding.
She controlled herself, however, in silence; and I, taking no notice of her annoyance, ordered the coachman to go on. The gardener and his men played the drama of receiving us as guests, and conducted us to a glorieta where I had had the table spread. Before our picnic, I invited them to take a little walk, but Cristina refused emphatically, affirming that she had hurt her foot. As Dona Amparo did not care to leave her alone I went with my G.o.d-daughter; the little one and I amused ourselves by running and frolicking about in those shady avenues. When we returned I observed that Cristina"s eyes were red and that her mamma was drooping with evident intentions of popping off.
But I did not care to go into any of that. Joyful and merry as I had never been, I began to open the baskets and distribute their contents, aided by the little girl and the man who had brought them from the hotel. By a great effort, and to conceal her suffering, Cristina took a few, but very small, mouthfuls. Dona Amparo, however, ate heartily. But Julianita, the little one, and I knew how to do our duty. To finish off, I opened a bottle of champagne. Then, standing up and taking my G.o.d-daughter on one arm, I swung the gla.s.s high with the other, exclaiming:
"To the health of Julianita! To the health of my little girl!"
I drained the gla.s.s, then gave the baby the drops in the bottom.
"I promised thee a present for this afternoon, and thou shalt see that I keep my promise. Thy present is this estate, of which thou hast been despoiled. I bought it for thee some days ago. Receive it, my daughter, with this tender kiss which I place upon thy cheek, and may heaven bless thee with many and happy days!"
Cristina rose up from the bench, pale and trembling.
"Captain Ribot! It cannot be!" she cried in a choking voice.
"Here is the deed of the property, and here is the deed of gift," I answered, presenting the doc.u.ments.
"But my daughter cannot accept such an enormous sacrifice!"
"I have few necessities and no near relations. The law gives me the right to choose my heir. I have already chosen her," I added, placing my hand on the curly little head of my G.o.d-daughter.
She remained quiet with her eyes fixed upon the ground. At last she went out of the glorieta, and without opening her lips started towards the house. I followed her at a distance, leaving the fainting form of Dona Amparo to the care of the child and the servant. I observed that she walked faster and faster. When she reached the door she was almost running. She paused a moment, kissed the wall, and entered.
I followed her as she went about the rooms; I heard her exclamations of delight, and even saw her go into her own room. At sight of that, a cry escaped her, and she fell sobbing upon the white-wood bed.
I went over to her and said:
"This room holds yet within its walls the perfume of a sacred and peaceful life. The furniture had been scattered through the city; and these pieces, that could claim n.o.body as one master, on finding themselves together again will speak to you, Cristina, in the sweet and mysterious language of their souvenirs. I consider myself happy in having restored them, and happier yet in having worked for so many days to arrive at this moment."