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it. Surely you will not deny me the last request I make to you?"
She looked so pleadingly into my face that, as usual, it required all my
courage not to give way to her. But the risk was too great for me even to
contemplate such a thing for a moment. My rescue of the daughter of
Cornelius Maybourne, and my presence in Cape Town, would soon leak out, and
then it would be only a matter of hours before I should be arrested. Whatever
my own inclinations may have been, I felt there was nothing for it but for me
to refuse.
"I am not my own master in this matter," I replied, with a bitterness which
must have shown her how much in earnest I was. "It is impossible that I can
remain so long in the place. There are the most vital reasons in the world
against it. I can only ask you to believe that."
I saw large tears rise in her eyes, though she turned hurriedly away in the
hope that I should not see them. To see her weep, however, was more than I
could bear, and under the influence of her trouble my resolutions began to
give way. After all, if I
was destined to be arrested, I might just as well be taken at Mr. Maybourne's
house as elsewhereperhaps better. Besides, it was more than likely, in the
event of no warrant having been issued, Mr. Maybourne, whose influence, I had
been told, was enormous in the colony, might prove just the very friend of
all others I wanted. At any rate, if I were not taken before the time came
for going ashore, I
would do as she wished. I told her this, and she immediately thanked me and
went down below again.
Just as I announced my decision the launch came alongside, and a moment later
her passengers were ascending the accommodation ladder, which had been
lowered to receive them. They were three in number, and includedso I was told
by a gentleman who stood beside methe harbour master, the officer of health,
and another individual, about whose identity my informant was not quite
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assured. I looked at the lastnamed with no little apprehension; my nervousness
endowed him with all the attributes of a police official, and my mind's eye
could almost discover the manacles reposing in his coat pocket. I trust I may
never pass through such another agonizing few minutes as I experienced then.
I saw the party step on to the spar deck, where they shook hands with the
purser and the chief officer, and watched them as they ascended to the
promenade deck and made their way towards the bridge. Here they were received
by the skipper. I leaned against the rails, sick with fear and trembling in
every limb, expecting every moment to feel a heavy hand upon my shoulder, and
to hear a stern voice saying in my ear" Gilbert Pennethorne, I arrest you on
a charge of murder."
THE LUST OF HATE
CHAPTER IX. SOUTH AFRICA.
85
But minute after minute went by, and still no one came to speak the fatal
words. The ship, which had been brought to a standstill to pick up the boat,
had now got under weigh again, and we were approaching closer and closer to
the docks. In less than half an hour I should know my fate.
As soon as we were safely installed in dock, and everyone was looking after
his or her luggage, saying
"goodbye" and preparing to go ashore, I began to look about me for Miss
Maybourne. Having found her we went to the chartroom together to bid the
Captain "goodbye," and to thank him for the hospitality and kindness he had
shown us. The doctor had next to be discovered, and when he had been assured
of our gratitude, we made enquiries for Mr. Maybourne. It soon became evident
that he was not on board, so, taking his daughter under my protection, we
said our final farewells and went down the gangway. For the first time in my
life I set foot on South African soil.
The Custom House once passed, and the authorities convinced that we had
nothing to declare, I hailed a cab and invited Miss Maybourne to instruct the
driver in which direction he was to proceed. Half an hour later we had left
the city behind us, and were driving through the suburbs in the direction of
Mr. Maybourne's residence. After following a pretty road for something like a
mile, on either side of which I noticed a number of stately residences, we
found ourselves confronted with a pair of large iron gates, behind which was
a neat lodge. But for the difference in the vegetation, it might very well
have been the entrance to an English park.
Through the trees ahead I could distinguish, as we rolled along the wellkept
drive, the chimneys of a noble residence; but I was quite unprepared for the
picture which burst upon my view when we turned a corner and had the whole
house before us. Unlike most South African dwellings, it was a building of
three stories, surmounted by a tower. Broad verandahs ran round each floor,
and the importance of the building was enhanced by the fact that it stood on
a fine terrace, which again led down by a broad flight of steps to the flower
gardens and orangery. A more delightful home could scarcely be imagined; and
when I saw it, I
ceased to wonder that Miss Maybourne had so often expressed a preference for
South Africa as compared with England.
When the cab drew up at the front door I jumped out, and was about to help my
companion to alight when I
heard the front door open, and next moment a tall, finelooking man, about
sixty years of age, crossed the verandah and came down the steps. At first he
regarded me with a stare of surprise, but before he could ask me my business,
Miss Maybourne had descended from the vehicle and was in his arms. Not
desiring to interrupt them in their greetings I strolled down the path. But I
was not permitted to go far before I heard my name called. I turned, and went
back to have my hand nearly shaken off by Mr. Maybourne.
"My daughter says you have saved her life," he cried. "I'll not ask questions
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now, but I thank you, sirfrom the bottom of my heart I thank you. God knows
you have done me a service the value of which no man can estimate."
The warmth of his manner was so much above what I had expected that it left
me without power to reply.
"Come in, come in," he continued in a voice that fairly shook with emotion.
"Oh, let us thank God for this happy day!"
He placed his arm round his daughter's waist, and drew her to him as if he
would not let her move from his side again. I followed a few steps behind, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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