Read the book: «Robert Kimberly», page 13

Her words rained on him in a torrent. "Yourobbed me of my religion. You made me live incontinual sin. When I pleaded for children, youswore you would have no children. When I toldyou I was a mother you cursed and villified me."

"Stop!" he screamed, running at her with an oath.

The hatred and suffering of years werecompressed into her moment of revolt. They flamedin her cheeks and burned in her eyes as she criedout her choking words. "Stop me if you dare!"she sobbed, watching him clench his fist. "If youraise your hand I will disgrace you publicly, now,to-night!"

He struck her. She disdained even to protectherself and crying loudly for Annie fell backward.Her head caught the edge of the table from whichshe had risen.

Annie ran from the bedroom at the sound ofher mistress's voice. But when she opened theboudoir door, Alice was lying alone andunconscious on the floor.

CHAPTER XXX

She revived only after long and anxiousministrations on Annie's part. But with thereturn of her senses the blood surged again in herveins in defiance of her husband. Her firstthought was one of passionate hatred of him, and the throbbing pain in her head from her fallagainst the table served to sharpen her resentment.

MacBirney, possessed of enough craft to slipaway from an unpleasant situation, returned earlyto town, only hoping the affair would blow over, and still somewhat dazed by the amazingrebellion of an enduring wife.

He realized that a storm might break now atany moment over his head. Always heavilycommitted in the speculative markets, he wellunderstood that if Kimberly should be roused tovengeance by any word from Alice the consequencesto his own fortune might be appalling.

It chanced that Kimberly was away the followingday and Alice had twenty-four hours to let herwrath cool. Two days of reflection were enough.The sense of her shame and her degradation as awoman at the hands of a man so base as herhusband were alone enough to suggest moderation inspeaking to Kimberly of the quarrel.

But more than this was to be considered. Whatwould Kimberly do if she told him everything?A scandalous encounter, even a more seriousissue between the two men was too much tothink of. She felt that Kimberly was capable inanger of doing anything immoderate and it wasbetter by far, her calmer judgment told her, tobury her humiliation in her own heart than torisk something worse. She was now, she wellknew, with this secret, a terror to her cowardlyhusband, just as he had been, through a nightmareof wretched years, her own terror.

For the first time, on the afternoon of the secondday, she found herself awaiting with burningimpatience some word from The Towers. She hadresolved what to say to Kimberly and wanted nowto say it quickly. When the telephone bell rangpromptly at four o'clock her heart dilated withhappiness; she knew the call came from one whonever would fail her. Alice answered the bellherself and her tones were never so maddeningin Kimberly's ears as when she told him, notonly that he might come, but that she was wearywith waiting. She stood at the window whenhis car drove up and tripped rapidly downstairs.When she greeted him he bent down to kiss her hand.

She did not resist his eagerness. She even drewa deep breath as she returned his look, and havingmade ready for him with a woman's lovely cunning, enjoyed its reward.

"I've been crazy to see you," he cried. "It istwo days, Alice. How can I tell you how lovelyyou are?"

Her eyes, cast down, were lifted to his when shemade her confession. "Do you really like thisrig? It is the first toilet I ever made with thethought of nobody but you in my head. So Itold Annie" she murmured, letting her hand reston his coat sleeve, "to be sure I was exactly right."

He caught her hands.

"Let's go into the garden," she said as he heldthem. "I have something to say to you."

They sat down together. "Something hashappened since I saw you," she began.

"Has the break come?" demanded Kimberly instantly.

"We had a very painful scene night before last,"said Alice. "The break has come. He has goneto town-he went yesterday morning. I haveasked myself many questions since then. Myfather and mother are dead. I have no home togo to, and I will not live even under the sameroof with him any longer. I feel so strange. Ifeel turned out, though there was nothing of thatin what he said-indeed, I am afraid I did mostof the talking."

"I wish to God I had heard you!"

"It is better not. Every heart knoweth its ownbitterness-"

"Let me help bear yours."

"I feel homeless, I feel so alone, so ashamed-Idon't know what I don't feel. You will neverknow what humiliation, what pain I have beenthrough for two days. Robert-" her voice falteredfor an instant. Then she spoke on, "I never cantell you of the sickness and shame I have long feltof even pretending to live with some one I couldnot respect."

"Close the book of its recollection. I cameinto your life for just such a moment, to beeverything you need. I am home, husband, andprotection-everything."

"If I could only make my senses believe myears." She paused. "It seems as if I am in adream and shall wake with a horror."

"No, this is a dream come true. I foresaw thistime and I have provided for it. Only delicacyhas kept me from asking you before about yourvery personal affairs and your private purse,Alice. Understand at once," he took her handsvehemently, "everything I have is yours withoutthe least reserve. Do you understand? Moneyis the last thing to make any one happy, I wellknow that, but in addition to the word of myheart to your heart-the transfers to you, Alice, have long been made and at this moment you have, merely waiting for you to draw upon them, morefunds than you could make use of in ten lifetimes.Everything is provided for. There are tears inyour eyes. Sit still for a moment and let me speak."

"No, I must speak. I am in a horrible position.I cannot at such a juncture receive anythingfrom you. But there are matters to be faced.Shall I stay here? If I do, he must go. Shall Igo? And if I do go, where?"

"Let me answer with a suggestion. My familyare all devoted to us. Dolly and Imogene are goodcounsellors. I will lay the matter before them.After a family council we shall know just what todo and how. I have my own idea; we shall seewhat the others say. Dolly, you know, has takenyou under her wing from the first, and Dollyyou will find is a powerful protector. If I tell youwhat I did to-day you will gasp with astonishment.I cabled for a whole new set of photographsof the Maggiore villa. I want our firstyear together, Alice, to be in Italy."

CHAPTER XXXI

Accompanied by Imogene, Dolly hastenedover to Cedar Lodge in the morning.Alice met them in the hall. "My dear," criedDolly, folding her impulsively in her arms, "youare charged with fate!"

Then she drew back, laid her hands on Alice'sshoulders and, bringing her face tenderly forward, kissed her. "How can I blame Robert for fallingin love with you? And yet!" She turned toImogene. "If we had been told that first nightthat this was the woman of our destiny! Howdo you bear your new honors, dearie? What!Tears! Nonsense, my child. You are freightedwith the Kimberly hopes now. You are one ofus. Tears are at an end. I, too, cried when Ifirst knew of it. Come, sit down. Imogene willtell you everything." And having announced thismuch, Dolly proceeded with the telling herself.

"When you first knew of it?" echoed Alice."Pray, when was that?"

"Oh, long, long ago-before ever you did, mydear. But no matter now. We talked last night,Arthur, Charles, Imogene, and Robert and Iuntil midnight. And this is what we said: 'Thedignity of your personal position is, beforeeverything else, to be rigidly maintained.' Mr. MacBirneywill be required to do this. He will becounselled on this point-made to understand thatthe obligation to maintain the dignity of his wife'sposition is primary. Robert, of course, objectedto this. He was for allowing no one but himselfto do anything-"

"I hope you clearly understand, Dolly, I shouldallow Mr. Kimberly to do nothing whatever atthis juncture," interposed Alice quickly.

"I understand perfectly, dear. But there areothers of us, you know, friends of your own dearmother, remember. Only, aside from all of that,we considered that the situation admitted of butone arrangement. Charles will tell Nelson exactlywhat MacBirney is to do, and Nelson will see thatit is done. The proper bankers will advise youof your credits from your husband, for thepresent-and they are to be very generous ones, mydear," added Dolly significantly. "So all that istaken care of and Mr. MacBirney will further becounselled not to come near Cedar Lodge orSecond Lake until further orders. Do you understand?"

"Why, yes, Dolly," assented Alice perplexed,"but Mr. MacBirney's acquiescence in all this isvery necessary it seems to me. And he may agreeto none of it."

"My dear, it isn't at all a question of hisagreeing. He will do as he is advised to do. Doyou imagine he can afford breaking with theKimberlys? A man that pursues money, dear heart,is no longer a free agent. His interests confronthim at every turn. Fledgling millionaires are inno way new to us. Mercy, they pass in and outof our lives every day! A millionaire, dear, isnothing but a million meannesses and they alldo exactly as they are told. Really, I am sorryfor some of them. Of all unfortunates they arenowadays the worst. They are simply ground topowder between the multi-millionaires and thelaboring classes. In this case, happily, it is onlya matter of making one do what he ought to do,so give it no thought."

Dolly proved a good prophet concerningMacBirney's course in the circumstances. MacBirney, desirous of playing at once to the lakepublic in the affair of his domestic difficulties, madeunexceptional allowances for his wife'smaintenance. Yet at every dollar that came to herfrom his abundance she felt humiliated. Sheknew now why she had endured so much at hishands for so long; it was because she had realizedher utter dependence on him and that her dreamsof self-support were likely, if she had ever actedon them, to end in very bitter realities.

At the first sign of hot weather, Charles andImogene put to sea with a party for a coastingcruise; Dolly sailed for the continent to bringGrace back with her. Robert Kimberly unwillingto leave for any extended period would notlet Alice desert him; accordingly, Fritzie wassent for and came over to stay with her. Thelake country made a delightful roaming placeand Alice was shown by Kimberly's confidenceshow close she was to him.

He confided to her the journal of the day, whatever it might be. Nothing was held back. Hissuccesses, failures, and worries all came to her atnight. He often asked her for advice upon hisaffairs and her wonder grew as the inwardnessof the monetary world in which he moved stoodrevealed to her. She spoke of it one day.

"To be sought after as you are-to have somany men running out here to find you; to beconsulted by so many-"

Kimberly interrupted her. "Do you knowwhy they seek me? Because I make money forthem, Alice. They would run after anybodythat could make them money. But they arewolves and if I lost for them they would try totear me to pieces. No man is so alone as theman the public follows for a day even while it hatesor fears him. And the man the bankers like is theman that can make money for them; their friendshipis as cold and thin as autumn ice."

"But even then, to have the ability for makingmoney and doing magnificent things; to be ableto succeed where so many men fail-it seems sowonderful to me."

"Don't cherish any illusions about it. Everyonethat makes money must be guilty of a thousandcold-blooded things, a thousand sharp turns, athousand cruelties; it's a game of cruelties.Fortunately, I'm not a brilliant success in that line, anyway; people merely think I am. The idealmoney-maker always is and always will be a manwithout a temper, without a heart, and with aninfusion, in our day, of hypocrisy. He takesrefuge in hypocrisy because the public hates himand he is forced to do it to keep from hatinghimself. When public opinion gets too strong forhim he plays to it. When it isn't too strong, heplays to himself. I can't do that; I have toomuch vanity to play to anybody. And therecollection of a single defeat rankles above thememory of a thousand victories. This is allwrong-far, far from the ideal of money getting; in fact,I'm not a professional in the game at all-merelyan amateur. A very successful man should neverbe trusted anyway."

"Why not?"

"Because success comes first with him. Itcomes before friendship and he will sacrifice youto success without a pang."

She looked at him with laughing interest."What is it?" he asked changing his tone.

"I was thinking of how I am impressed sometimesby the most unexpected things. You couldnever imagine what most put me in awe of youbefore I met you."

"There must have been a severe revulsion offeeling when you did meet me," suggested Kimberly.

"We were going up the river in your yacht andMr. McCrea was showing us the refineries. Allthat I then knew of you was what I had read innewspapers about calculating and cold-bloodedtrust magnates. Mr. McCrea was pointing outthe different plants as we went along."

"The river is very pretty at the Narrows."

"First, we passed the independent houses.They kept getting bigger and bigger until I couldn'timagine anything to overshadow them and Ibegan to get frightened and wonder what yourrefineries would be like. Then, just as we turned atthe island, Mr. McCrea pointed out a perfectlyhuge cluster of buildings and said those were theKimberly plants. Really, they took my breathaway. And in the midst of them rose thatenormous oblong chimney-stack. A soft, lazy columnof smoke hovered over it-such as hovers overVesuvius." She smiled at the remembrance."But the repose and size of that chimney seemedto me like the strength of the pyramids. Whenwe steamed nearer I could read, near the top, the great terra-cotta plaque: KIMBERLYS ANDCOMPANY. Then I thought: Oh, what atremendous personage Mr. Robert Kimberly must be!"

"The chimney is yours."

"Oh, no, keep it, pray-but it really did put mewondering just what you were like."

"It must have been an inspiration that mademe build that chimney. The directors thought Iwould embarrass the company before we got thefoundations in. I didn't know then whom I wasbuilding it for, but I know now; and if you gota single thrill out of it the expenditure is justified.And I think mention of the thrill should go into thedirectors' minutes on the page where they objectedto the bill-we will see about that. But you neverexpected at that moment to own the chimney, did you? You shall. I will have the trusteesrelease it from the general mortgage and conveyit to you."

"And speaking of Vesuvius, you never dreamedof a volcano lying in wait for you beneath thelazy smoke of that chimney, did you? And thatbefore very long you would not alone own thechimney but would be carrying the volcano aroundin your vanity bag?"

CHAPTER XXXII

One afternoon in the early autumn Kimberlycame to Cedar Lodge a little later than usualand asked Alice, as he often did, to walk to thelake. He started down the path with somethingmore than his ordinary decision and inclined fora time to reticence. They stopped at a benchnear an elm overlooking the water. "You havebeen in town to-day," said Alice.

"Yes; a conference this morning on the market.Something extraordinary happened."

"In the market?"

"Market conditions are bad enough, but thiswas something personal."

"Tell me about it."

"MacBirney was present at the conference.After the meeting he came to the head of the tablewhere I was talking with McCrea-and sat down.When McCrea joined the others in thelunchroom, MacBirney said he wanted to speak tome a moment. I told him to go ahead.

"He began at once about his differences withyou. His talk puzzled me. I was on thedefensive, naturally. But as far as I could see, hedesigned no attack on me; and of you he couldutter nothing but praise-it was rather trying tolisten to. I could not fathom his purpose in bringingthe matter before me in this singular way, buthe ended with an appeal-"

"An appeal!"

"He asked me to bring a message to you. Itold him I would deliver any message entrustedto me. He wants you to know that he is verysorry for what has taken place. He admits thathe has been in the wrong-"

"It is too late!" Alice in her emotion rose toher feet.

"And he asks you, through me," Kimberly spokeunder a strain he did not wholly conceal, "if hemay come back and let the past bury itself."

"It is too late."

"He said," Kimberly rose and faced Alice,"there had been differences about religion-"

"Ask him," she returned evenly, "whether Iever sought to interfere with his religious views orpractices."

"These, he promises, shall not come betweenyou again."

"Wretched man! His words are not theslightest guarantee of his conduct."

Kimberly took his hat from his head and wipedhis forehead. "This was the message, Alice;is he to come back to you?"

"Whatever becomes of me, I never will liveagain with him."

"That is irrevocable?"

"Yes."

"I have kept my word-that you should havehis message as straight as I could carry it."

"I believe you have. He certainly could not, whatever his intentions, have paid you a highertribute than to entrust you with one for me."

"Then he does not and never can stand betweenyou and me, Alice?"

"He never can."

The expression of his eyes would have frightenedher at a moment less intense. Slightly paler thanshe had been a year earlier and showing in hermanner rather than in her face only indefinabletraces of the trouble she had been through, Alicebrought each day to Kimberly an attraction thatrenewed itself unfailingly.

He looked now upon her eyes-he was alwaysasking whether they were blue or gray-and uponher brown hair, as it framed her white forehead. Helooked with tender fondness on the delicate cheeksthat made not alone a setting for her frank eyesbut for him added to the appeal of her lips. He satdown again, catching her hand to bring her close.

"Come," he urged, relaxing from his intensity,"sit down. By Heaven, I have suffered to-day!But who wouldn't suffer for you? Who but forthe love of woman would bear the cares andburdens of this world?"

Alice smiled oddly. "We have to bear them, you know, for the love of man." She sat down onthe bench beside him. "Tell me, how have yousuffered to-day?"

"Do you want to know?"

"Of course, I want to know. Don't you alwayswant to know how I have suffered? Though Iused to think," she added, as if moved byunpleasant recollections, "that nobody cares when awoman suffers."

"The man that loves her cares. It is one oflove's attributes. It makes a woman's sorrow andpain his, just as her joy and happiness are his.Pleasure and pain are twins, anyway, and youcannot separate them. Alice!" He looked suddenlyat her. "You love me, don't you?"

Her face crimsoned, for she realized he was benton making her answer.

"Let us talk about something else, Robert."

He repeated his question.

"Don't make me put it into words yet, Robert,"she said at last. "You have so long known theanswer-and know that I still speak as his wife. DoI love you?" She covered her face with her hands.

"Alice!" His appeal drew her eyes back tohis. They looked speechless at each other. Themoment was too much. Instinctively she sprangin fear to her feet, but only to find herself caughtwithin his arm and to feel his burning lips on herlips. She fought his embrace in half-deliriousreproach. Then her eyes submitted to his pleadingand their lips met with her soft, plunging pulsebeating swiftly upon his heart.

It was only for an instant. She pushed himaway. "I have answered you. You must spareme now or I shall sink with shame."

"But you are mine," he persisted, "all mine."

She led him up the path toward the house.

"Sometimes I am afraid I shall swallow you up,as the sea swallows up the ship, in a storm ofpassion."

"Oh no, you will not."

"Why not?"

"Because I am helpless. Was there more toyour story?"

"You know then I haven't told it all."

"Tell me the rest."

"When he had finished, I told him I, too, hadsomething to say. 'I shall deliver your messageto Alice,' I said. 'But it is only fair to say to youI mean to make her my wife if she will accept me, and her choice will lie between you and me, MacBirney.'

"You should have seen his amazement. Thenhe collected himself for a stab-and I tried not tolet him see that it went deep. 'Whatever theoutcome,' he said, 'she will never marry you.'

"'You must recollect you have not been in herconfidence for some time,' I retorted. He seemedin no way disconcerted and ended by disconcertingme. 'Remember what I tell you, Mr. Kimberly,'he repeated, 'you will find me a good prophet.She is a Catholic and will never marry you or anyother man while I live.'

"'You may be right,' I replied. 'But if Alicemarries me she will never live to regret it for onemoment on account of her religion. I have noreligion myself, except her. She is my religion, she alone and her happiness. You seem toinvoke her religion against me. What right haveyou to do this? Have you helped her in itspractice? Have you kept the promises you madewhen you married a Catholic wife? Or have youmade her life a hell on earth because she tried topractise her religion, as you promised she shouldbe free to do? Is she a better Catholic becauseshe believed in you, or a worse because to live inpeace with you she was forced to abandon thepractice of her religion? These are questionsfor you to think over, MacBirney. I will giveher your message-'

"'Give her my message,' he sneered. 'Youwould be likely to!'

"'Stop!' I said. 'My word, MacBirney, isgood. Friend and foe of mine will tell you that.Even my enemies accept my word. But if I couldbring myself to deceive those that trust me I wouldchoose enemies to prey upon before I chose friends.I could deceive my own partners. I could playfalse to my own brother-all this I could do andmore. But if I could practise deceits a thousandtimes viler than these, I could not, so help meGod, lie to a trusting girl that I had asked to bemy wife and the mother of my children! Whateverelse of baseness I stooped to, that word shouldbe forever good!'

"Alice, I struck the table a blow that madethe inkstands jump. My eye-glasses went with acrash. Nelson and McCrea came running in;MacBirney turned white. He tried to stretch hislips in a smile; it was ghastly. Everybody waslooking at me. I got up without a word to anyone and left the room."

Alice caught his sleeve. "Robert, I am proudof you! How much better you struck than youknew! Oh," she cried, "how could I help loving you?"

"Do you love me?"

"I would give my life for you."

"Don't give it for me; keep it for me. Youwill marry me; won't you? What did the curmean by saying what he did, Alice?"

"He meant to taunt me; to remind me of howlong I tried to live in some measure up to thereligion that he used every means to drive mefrom-and did drive me from."

"We will restore all that."

"He meant I must come to you without itsblessing."

He looked suddenly and keenly at her. "Shouldyou be happier with its blessing?"

"Ah, Robert."

"But should you?"

She gazed away. "It is a happiness I have lost."

"Then you shall have it again."

"I will trust to God for some escape from mydifficulties. What else can I do? My husband!"she exclaimed bitterly-"generous man to remindme of religion!"

Kimberly spoke with a quick resolve. "I amgoing to look into this matter of where you standas a wife. I am going to know why you can'thave a chance to live your life with me. If Igive you back what he has robbed you of, ourhappiness will be doubled."