CHAPTER XXII
"Mr. Scarlett Trent, the Gold King, left for Africa on Thursday last onthe Dunottar Castle, to pay a brief visit to his wonderful possessionsthere before the great Bekwando Mining and Exploration Company isoffered to the public. Mr. Trent is already a millionaire, and should hesucceed in floating the Company on the basis of the Prospectus, he willbe a multi-millionaire, and certainly one of the richest of Englishmen.During his absence workmen are to be kept going night and day athis wonderful palace in Park Lane, which he hopes to find ready foroccupation on his return. Mr. Trent's long list of financial successesare too well known to be given here, but who will grudge wealth to aman who is capable of spending it in such a lordly fashion? We wish Mr.Trent a safe voyage and a speedy return."
The paper slipped from his fingers and he looked thoughtfully outseaward. It was only one paragraph of many, and the tone of all was thesame. Ernestine's words had come true--he was already a man of note. Afew months had changed his life in the most amazing way--when he lookedback upon it now it was with a sense of unreality--surely all thesethings which had happened were part of a chimerical dream. It was barelypossible for him to believe that it was he, Scarlett Trent, who haddeveloped day by day into what he was at that moment. For the man waschanged in a hundred ways. His grey flannel clothes was cut by theSaville Row tailor of the moment, his hands and hair, his manner ofspeech and carriage were all altered. He recalled the men he hadmet, the clubs he had joined, his stud of horses at Newmarket, thecountry-houses at which he had visited. His most clear impression of thewhole thing was how easy everything had been made for him. His oddnessof speech, his gaucheries, his ignorances and nervousness had all beenso lightly treated that they had been brushed away almost insensibly. Hehad been able to do so little that was wrong--his mistakes were ignoredor admired as originality, and yet in some delicate way the right thinghad been made clear to him. Ernestine had stood by his side, alwayslaughing at this swift fulfilment of her prophecy, always encouraginghim, always enigmatic. Yet at the thought of her a vague sense oftrouble crept into his heart. He took a worn photograph from his pocketand looked at it long and searchingly, and when he put it away hesighed. It made no difference of course, but he would rather have foundher like that, the child with sweet, trustful eyes and a laughing mouth.Was there no life at all, then, outside this little vortex into whichat her bidding he had plunged? Would she never have been content withanything else? He looked across the placid, blue sea to where the sungleamed like silver on a white sail, and sighed again. He must makehimself what she would have him. There was no life for him without her.
The captain came up for his morning chat and some of the passengers, whoeyed him with obvious respect, lingered for a moment about his chair ontheir promenade. Trent lit a cigar and presently began to stroll up anddown himself. The salt sea-air was a wonderful tonic to him afterthe nervous life of the last few months. He found his spirits rapidlyrising. This voyage had been undertaken in obedience to a sudden butoverpowering impulse. It had come to him one night that he must know forhimself how much truth there was in Da Souza's story. He could not livewith the thought that a thunderbolt was ever in the skies, that at anymoment his life might lie wrecked about him. He was going out by onesteamer and back by the next, the impending issue of his great Companyafforded all the excuse that was necessary. If Da Souza's story wastrue--well, there were many things which might be done, short of acomplete disclosure. Monty might be satisfied, if plenty of money wereforthcoming, to abandon his partnership and release the situation fromits otherwise endless complications. Trent smoked his cigar placidlyand, taking off his cap bared his head to the sweeping sea-wind, whichseemed laden with life and buoyancy. Suddenly as he swung round bythe companion-way he found himself confronted by a newcomer who camestaggering out from the gangway. There was a moment's recoil and a sharpexclamation. Trent stood quite still and a heavy frown darkened hisface.
"Da Souza!" he exclaimed. "How on earth came you on board?"
Da Souza's face was yellower than ever and he wore an ulster buttonedup to his chin. Yet there was a flash of malice in his eyes as heanswered--
"I came by late tender at Southampton," he said.
"It cost me a special from London and the agents told me I couldn't doit, but here I am, you see!"
"And a poor-looking object you are," Trent said contemptuously. "Ifyou've life enough in you to talk, be so good as to tell me what thedevil you mean by following me like this!"
"I came," Da Souza answered, "in both our interests--chiefly in my own!"
"I can believe that," Trent answered shortly, "now speak up. Tell mewhat you want."
Da Souza groaned and sank down upon a vacant deck-chair.
"I will sit down," he said, "I am not well! The sea disagrees with mehorribly. Well, well, you want to know why I came here! I can answerthat question by another. What are you doing here? Why are you going toAfrica?"
"I am going," Trent said, "to see how much truth there was in that storyyou told me. I am going to see old Monty if he is alive."
Da Souza groaned.
"It is cruel madness," he said, "and you are such an obstinate man! Ohdear! oh dear!"
"I prefer," Trent said, "a crisis now, to ruin in the future. Besides, Ihave the remnants of a conscience."
"You will ruin yourself, and you will ruin me," Da Souza moaned. "How amI to have a quarter share if Monty is to come in for half, and how areyou to repay him all that you would owe on a partnership account? Youcouldn't do it, Trent. I've heard of your four-in-hand, and your yacht,and your racers, and that beautiful house in Park Lane. I tell you thatto part with half your fortune would ruin you, and the Bekwando Companycould never be floated."
"I don't anticipate parting with half," Trent said coolly. "Monty hasn'tlong to live--and he ought not to be hard to make terms with."
Da Souza beat his hands upon the handles of his deck-chair.
"But why go near him at all? He thinks that you are dead. He has no ideathat you are in England. Why should he know? Why do you risk ruin likethis?"
"There are three reasons," Trent answered. "First, he may find his wayto England and upset the applecart; secondly, I've only the shreds of aconscience, but I can't leave a man whom I'm robbing of a fortune ina state of semi-slavery, as I daresay he is, and the third reason isperhaps the strongest of all; but I'm not going to tell it you."
Da Souza blinked his little eyes and looked up with a cunning smile.
"Your first reason," he said, "is a poor sort of one. Do you supposeI don't have him looked after a bit?--no chance of his getting back toEngland, I can tell you. As for the second, he's only half-witted, andif he was better off he wouldn't know it."
"Even if I gave way to you in this," Trent answered, "the third reasonis strong enough."
Da Souza's face was gloomy. "I know it's no use trying to move you," hesaid, "but you're on a silly, dangerous, wild goose-chase."
"And what about yourself?" Trent asked. "I imagine you have some otherpurpose in taking this voyage than just to argue with me."
"I am going to see," Da Souza said, "that you do as little mischief aspossible."
Trent walked the length of the deck and back. "Da Souza," he said,stopping in front of him, "you're a fool to take this voyage. You knowme well enough to be perfectly assured that nothing you could say wouldever influence me. There's more behind it. You've a game of your own toplay over there. Now listen! If I catch you interfering with me inany way, we shall meet on more equal terms than when you laughed at myrevolver at Walton Lodge! I never was over-scrupulous in those old days,Da Souza, you know that, and I have a fancy that when I find myself onAfrican soil again I may find something of the old man in me yet. Solook out, my friend, I've no mind to be trifled with, and, mark me--ifharm comes to that old man, it will be your life for his, as I'm aliving man. You were afraid of me once, Da Souza. I haven't changed somuch as you may think, and the Gold Coast isn't exactly the centre ofcivilisation. There!
I've said my say. The less I see of you now till weland, the better I shall be pleased."
He walked away and was challenged by the Doctor to a game ofshuffleboard. Da Souza remained in his chair, his eyes blinking asthough with the sun, and his hands gripping nervously the sides of hischair.