Initials Only

第44章

NIGHT

Threedayshadpassed,andOrlandoBrothersonsatinhisroomatthehotelbeforeatableladenwithtelegrams,lettersandmarkednewspapers。Thenewsofhisachievementhadgoneabroad,andDerbywas,forthemoment,thecentreofinterestfortwocontinents。

Hissuccesswasanestablishedfact。Thesecondtrialwhichhehadmadewithhiscar,thistimewiththewholetowngatheredtogetherinthestreetsaswitnesses,hadprovednotonlythereliabilityofitsmechanism,butthegreatadvantageswhichitpossessedforadirectflighttoanygivenpoint。AlreadyhesawFortunebeckoningtohimintheshapeofanunconditionalofferofmoneyfromafirst-classsource;andbetterstill,-forhewasamanofuntiringenergyandboundlessresource-thatopportunityfornewandenlargedeffortwhichcomeswiththerecognitionofone’sexceptionalpowers。

Allthiswashisandmore。Asweeterhope,amoreenduringjoyhadfollowedhardupongratifiedambition。Dorishadsmiledonhim;-

Doris!Shehadcaughtthecontagionoftheuniversalenthusiasmandhadgivenhimherfirstungrudgingtokenofapproval。Ithadalteredhiswholeoutlookonlifeinaninstant,fortherewasaneagernessinthisdemonstrationwhichproclaimedtherelievedheart。

Shenolongertrustedeitherappearancesorherdream。Hehadsucceededinconqueringherdoubtsbytheveryforceofhispersonality,andtheshadowwhichhadhithertodarkenedtheirintercoursehadmeltedquiteaway。ShewasreadytotakehiswordnowandOswald’s,afterwhichtherestmustfollow。Lovedoesnotlagfarbehindanardentadmiration。

Fame!Fortune!Love!Whatmorecouldamandesire?Whatmorecouldthisman,withhisstrenuouspastandanunlimitedcapacityforanenlargedfuture,askfromfatethanthis。Yet,ashebendsoverhisletters,fingeringsome,butreadingnonebeyondalineortwo,hebetraysbutapassingelation,andhardlyliftshisheadwhenaburstofloudacclaimcomesringinguptohiswindowfromsomeardentpasser-by:”HurrahforBrotherson!Hehasputourtownonthemap!”

Whythisdespondency?Havethosetwodemonsseizedhimagain?Itwouldseemsoandwithnewandovermasteringfury。Afterthehouroftriumphcomesthehourofreckoning。OrlandoBrothersoninhishourofproudattainmentstandsnakedbeforehisownsoul’stribunalandthepleaderisdumbandthejudgeinexorable。ThereisbutoneWitnesstosuchstruggles;butoneeyetonotethewasteanddesolationofthedevastatedsoul,whenthestormisoverpast。

OrlandoBrothersonhassuccumbed;theattackwastookeen,hisforcestooshaken。Butastheheavyminutespass,heslowlyre-gathershisstrengthandrises,intheend,aconqueror。

Nevertheless,heknows,eveninthatmomentofregainedcommand,thatthepeacehehadthusboughtwithstrainandstressisbutmomentary;thatthebattleisonforlife:thatthedayswhichtoothereyeswouldcarryasenseofbrilliancy-daysteemingwithworkandoutwardsatisfaction-wouldholdwithintheirhiddendepthsabroodinguncertaintywhichwouldrobapplauseofitsmusicandevenovershadowtheangelfaceofLove。

Hequailedattheprospect,materialistthoughhewas。Thedays-theinterminabledays!Inhisunbrokenstrengthandtheglareofthenoondaysun,heforgottotakeaccountofthenightsloominginblackandendlessprocessionbeforehim。Itwasfromthedayphantomheshrank,andnotfromtheghoulwhichworksinthedarknessandmakesagraveoftheheartwhilehappiermortalssleep。

Andtheformerterrorseemedformidableenoughtohiminthishishourofstartlingrealisation,evenifhehadfreedhimselfforthenoncefromitscontrollingpower。Toescapeallfurthercontemplationofithewouldwork。Theselettersdeservedattention。HewouldcarrythemtoOswald,andintheirconsiderationfinddistractionfortheres

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