Temporal Power: A Study in Supremacy Part 13

"He took Eve with him to keep up the sickness of dissatisfaction," said Zegota; "There would certainly have been no progress without _her_!"

"Pardon,--Cain was the true Progressivist and Reformer," put in Graub; "Some fine sentiment of the garden of Eden was in his blood, which impelled him to offer up a vegetable sacrifice to the Deity, whereas Abel had already committed murder by slaying lambs. According to the legend, G.o.d preferred the 'savour' of the lambs, so perhaps,--who knows!--the idea that the savour of Abel might be equally agreeable to Divine senses induced Cain to kill him as a special 'youngling.' This was a Progressive act,--a step beyond mere lambs!"

Everyone laughed, except Sergius Thord. He had fallen into a heavy, brooding silence, his head sunk on his breast, his wild hair falling forward like a mane, and his right hand clenched and resting on the table.

"Sergius!" called Lotys.

He did not answer.

"He is in one of his far-away moods,"--said one of the men next to Axel Regor,--"It is best not to disturb him."

Paul Zouche, however, had no such scruples. "Sergius!" he cried,--"Come out of your cloud of meditation! Drink to the health of our three new comrades!"

All the members of the company filled their gla.s.ses, and Thord, hearing the noise and clatter, looked up with a wild stare.

"What are you doing?" he asked slowly;--"I thought some one spoke of Cain killing Abel!"

"It was I," said Graub--"I spoke of it--irreverently, I fear,--but the story itself is irreverent. The notion that 'G.o.d,' should like roast meat is the height of blasphemy!"

Zouche burst into a violent fit of laughter. But Thord went on talking in a low tone, as though to himself.

"Cain killing Abel!" he repeated--"Always the same horrible story is repeated through history--brother against brother,--blood crying out for blood--life torn from the weak and helpless body--all for what? For a little gold,--a pa.s.sing trifle of power! Cain killing Abel! My G.o.d, art Thou not yet weary of the old eternal crime!"

He spoke in a semi-whisper which thrilled through the room. A momentary hush prevailed, and then Lotys called again, her voice softened to a caressing sweetness.

"Sergius!"

He started, and shook himself out of his reverie this time. Raising his hand, he pa.s.sed it in a vague mechanical way across his brow as though suddenly wakened from a dream.

"Yes, yes! Let us drink to our three new comrades," he said, and rose to his feet. "To your health, friends! And may you all stand firm in the hour of trial!"

All the company sprang up and drained their gla.s.ses, and when the toast was drunk and they were again seated, Pasquin Leroy asked if he might be allowed to return thanks.

"I do not know," he said with a courteous air, "whether it is permissible for a newly-enrolled a.s.sociate of this Brotherhood to make a speech on the first night of his members.h.i.+p,--but after the cordial welcome I and my comrades, strangers as we are, have received at your hands, I should like to say a few words--if, without breaking any rules of the Order, I may do so."

"Hear, hear!" shouted Zouche, who had been steadily drinking for the last few moments,--"Speak on, man! Whoever heard of a dumb Socialist!

Rant--rant! Rant and rave!--as I do, when the fit is on me! Do I not, Thord? Do I not move you even to tears?"

"And laughter!" put in Zegota. "Hold your tongue, Zouche! No other man can talk at all, if you once begin!"

Zouche laughed, and drained his gla.s.s.

"True!--my genius is of an absorbing quality! Silence, gentlemen!

Silence for our new comrade! 'Pasquin' stands for the beginning of a jest--so we may hope he will be amusing,--'Leroy' stands for the king, and so we may expect him to be non-political!"

CHAPTER VIII

THE KING'S DOUBLE

As Leroy rose to speak, there was a little commotion. Max Graub upset his gla.s.s, and seemed to be having a struggle under the table with Axel Regor.

"What ails you?" said Leroy, glancing at his friends with an amazed air--"Are you quarrelling?"

"Quarrelling!" echoed Max Graub, "Why, no--but what man will have his beer upset without complaint? Tell me that!"

"You upset it!" said Regor angrily--"I did not."

"You did!" retorted Graub, "and because I pushed you for it, you showed me a pistol in your pocket! I object to be shown a pistol. So I have taken it away. Here it is!" and he laid the weapon on the table in front of him.

A look of anger darkened Leroy's brows.

"I was not aware you carried arms," he said coldly.

Sergius Thord noticed his annoyance.

"There is nothing remarkable in that, my friend!" he interposed--"We all carry arms,--there is not one of us at this table who has not a loaded pistol,--even Lotys is no exception to this rule."

"Now by my word!" said Graub, "_I_ have no loaded pistol,--and I will swear Leroy is equally unarmed!"

"Entirely so!" said Leroy quietly--"I never suspect any man of evil intentions towards me."

As he said this, Lotys leaned forward impulsively and stretched out her hand,--a beautiful hand, well-shaped and white as a white rose petal.

"I like you for that!"--she said--"It is the natural att.i.tude of a brave man!"

A slight colour warmed his bronzed skin as he took her hand, pressed it gently, and let it go again. Axel Regor looked up defiantly.

"Well, I _do_ suspect every man of evil intentions!" he said, "So you may all just as well know the worst of me at once! My experience of life has perhaps been exceptionally unpleasant; but it has taught me that as a rule no man is your friend till you have made it worth his while!"

"By favours bestowed, or favours to come?" queried Thord, smiling,--"However, without any argument, Axel Regor, I am inclined to think you are right!"

"Then a weapon is permissible here?" asked Graub.

"Not only permissible, but necessary," replied Thord. "As members of this Brotherhood we live always prepared for some disaster,--always on our guard against treachery. Comrades!" and raising his voice he addressed the whole party. "Lay down your arms, all at once and together!"

In one instant, as if in obedience to a military order, the table was lined on either side with pistols. Beside these weapons, there was a goodly number of daggers, chiefly of the small kind such as are used in Corsica, encased in leather sheaths. Pasquin Leroy smiled as he saw Lotys lay down one of those tiny but deadly weapons, together with a small silver-mounted pistol.

"Forewarned is forearmed!" he said gaily;--"Madame, if I ever offend, I shall look to you for a happy dispatch! Gentlemen, I have still to make my speech, and if you permit it, I will speak now,--unarmed as I am,--with all these little metal mouths ready to deal death upon me if I happen to make any observation which may displease you!"

"By Heaven! A brave man!" cried Zouche; "Thord, you have picked up a trump card! Speak, Pasquin Leroy! We will forgive you, even if you praise the King!"

Leroy stood silent for a moment, as if thinking. His two companions looked up at him once or twice in unquestionable alarm and wonderment, but he did not appear to be conscious of their observation. On the contrary, some very deeply seated feeling seemed to be absorbing his soul,--and it was perhaps this suppressed emotion which gave such a rich vibrating force to his accents when he at last spoke.

"Friends and Brothers!" he said;--"It is difficult for one who has never experienced the three-fold sense of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity until to-night, to express in the right manner the sense of grat.i.tude which I, a complete stranger to you, feel for the readiness and cordiality of the welcome you have extended to me and my companions, accepting us without hesitation, as members of your Committee, and as a.s.sociates in the work of the Cause you have determined to maintain. It is an Ideal Cause,--I need not tell you that! To rescue and protect the poor from the tyranny of the rich and strong, was the mission of Christ when He visited this earth; and it would perhaps be unwise on my part, and discouraging to yourselves, to remind you that even He has failed!