The Vultures Part 30

"Yes."

"Are you sure you do not expect the impossible?"

"Quite."

She shook her head doubtfully.

"Are you sure you will never have to compromise? All the world compromises."

"With its conscience," said Cartoner. "And look at the result."

"Then you are good," she returned, looking at him with a speculative gravity, "as well as concise--and rather masterful."

"It is clear," he said, "that a man who persuades a woman to marry against her inclination, or her conviction, or her conscience, is seeking her unhappiness and his own."

"Ah!" she cried. "But you ask for a great deal."

"I ask for love."

"And," she said, going past that question, "no obstacles."

"No obstacles that both could not conscientiously face and set aside."

"And if one such object--quite a small one--should be found?"

"Then they must be content with love alone."

Wanda turned from him, and fell into thought for some moments. They seemed to be feeling their way forward on that difficult road where so many hasten and such numbers fall.

"You have a way," she said, "of putting into words--so few words--what others only half think, and do not half attempt to act up to. If they did--there would, perhaps, be no marriages."

"There would be no unhappy ones," said Cartoner.

"And it is better to be content with love alone?"

"Content," was his sole answer.

Again she thought in silence for quite a long time, although their moments were so few. A clock on the mantel-piece struck half-past ten.

Cartoner had bidden Joseph P. Mangles good-night only half an hour earlier, and his life had been in peril--he had been down to the depths and up to the heights since then. When the G.o.ds arrive they act quickly.

"So that is your creed," she said at length. "And there is no compromise?"

"None," he answered.

And she smiled suddenly at the monosyllable reply. She had had to deal with men of no compromise more than the majority of villa-dwelling women have the opportunity of doing, and she knew, perhaps, that such are the backbone of human nature.

"Ah!" she said, with a quick sigh, as she turned and looked down the length of the long, lamp-lit room. "You are strong--you are strong for two."

He shook his head in negation, for he knew that hers was that fine, steely strength of women which endures a strain all through a lifetime of which the world knows nothing. Then, acting up to her own creed of seeking always the clear understanding, she returned to the point they had left untouched.

"And if two people had between them," she suggested, wonderingly, "that with which you say they might be content, if they had it, and were sure they had it, and had with it a perfect trust in each other, but knew that they could never have more, could they be happy?"

"They could be happier than nearly everybody else in the world," he answered.

"And if they had to go on all their lives--and if one lived in London and the other in Warsaw--Warsaw?"

"They could still be happy."

"If she--alone at one end of Europe--" asked Wanda, with her worldly-wise searching into detail--"if she saw slowly vanis.h.i.+ng those small attractions which belong to youth, for which he might care, perhaps?"

"She could still be happy."

"And he? If he experienced a check in his career, or had some misfortune, and felt lonely and disappointed--and there was no one near to--to take care of him?"

"He could still be happy--if--"

"If--?"

"If he knew that she loved him," replied Cartoner, slowly.

Wanda turned and looked at him with an odd little laugh, and there were tears in her eyes.

"Oh! you may know that," she said, suddenly descending from the uncertain heights of generality. "You may be quite sure of that. If that is what you want."

"That is what I want."

As he spoke he took her hand and slowly raised it to his lips. She looked at his bent head, and when her eyes rested on the gray hairs at his temples, they lighted suddenly with a gleam which was strangely protecting and dimly maternal.

"I want you to go away from Warsaw," she said. "I would rather you went even if you say--that you are afraid to stay."

"I cannot say that."

"Besides," she added, with her head held high, "they would not believe you if you did."

"I promise you," he answered, "not to run any risks, to take every care.

But we must not see each other. I may have to go away without seeing you."

She gave a little nod of comprehension, and held her lips between her teeth. She was looking towards the door; for she had heard voices in that direction.

"I should like," she said, "to make you a promise in return. It would give me great satisfaction. Some day you may, perhaps, be glad to remember it."

The voices were approaching. It was Deulin's voice, and he seemed to be speaking unnecessarily loud.

"I promise you," said Wanda, with unfathomable eyes, "never to marry anybody else."

And the door opened, giving admittance to Deulin, who was laughing and talking. He came forward looking, not at Wanda and Cartoner, but at the clock.

"To your tents, O Israel!" he said.