第19章

THE CAPTAIN'S WIFE

As a married man, Captain Irwin was not quartered in one of the wooden barracks of the English camp, but had his own bungalow in the suburbs.

It was a house of one story with a broad verandah, was surrounded by a large well-kept garden, and formerly served a high official of the Maharajah as a residence.Apart from it lay two smaller buildings used as servants' quarters, of which, however, only one was at present in use.

The sun of that same day, that had brought Hermann Heideck face to face with such momentous matters affecting his future for his final decision, was sinking rapidly into the heavens as he passed through the cactus hedge and bamboo thicket of the garden surrounding Irwin's bungalow.

He was attired in an evening dress of the lightest black cloth, such as is prescribed by English custom for a visit paid at the dinner-hour in those climes.

He did not come that evening of his own initiative, for Irwin's morning salutation did not promise anything in the way of an invitation.A letter from Mrs.Irwin had, to his surprise, begged his company at this hour.He had gathered from the tone of the letter that something especially urgent required his presence, and he was not slow in supposing that the reason was the unfortunate party at poker in which the Captain had taken part.

What, however, could have induced Mrs.Irwin to appeal to him was still an enigma, for his relations to the beautiful young wife had until then not been of a confidential nature.He had met her on several occasions in big society functions, at the officers' polo-parties, and at similar gatherings, and if, attracted by her grace and intellect, he had perhaps paid more attention to the Captain's wife than to any of the other ladies of the party, their relations had been strictly confined within conventional limits, and it would never have occurred to him to imagine himself specially favoured by Mrs.Irwin.

The dainty Indian handmaid of the lady received him and conducted him to the verandah.Mrs.Irwin, who, dressed in red silk, had been seated in a rocking-chair, advanced a few steps to meet him.

Once more Irwin felt himself enchanted by the charm of her appearance.

She was a genuine English beauty of tall and splendid proportions, finely chiselled features, and that white transparent skin which lends to Albion's daughters their distinctive charm.Abundant dark brown hair clustered in thick, natural folds round the broad forehead, and her blue eyes had the clear, calm gaze of a personality at once intelligent and strong-minded.

At this moment the young wife, whom Heideck had hitherto only known as the placid and unemotional lady of the world, certainly seemed to labour under some excitement, which she could not completely conceal.There was something of embarrassment in the manner with which she received her visitor.

"I am exceedingly obliged to you for coming, Mr.Heideck.My invitation will have surprised you, but I did not know what else to do.Please let us go into the drawing-room; it is getting very chilly outside."Heideck did not notice anything of the chilliness of which she complained, but he thought he understood that it was only the fear of eavesdropping that prompted the wish of the young wife.As a matter of fact, she closed the glass door behind him, and motioned him to be seated in one of the large cane chairs before her.

"Captain Irwin is not at home," she began, evidently struggling with severe embarrassment."He has ridden off to inspect his squadron, and will not be home, as he told me, before daybreak."Heideck did not quite understand why she told him this.Had he been a flirt, convinced of his own irresistibility, he would perhaps have found in her words a very transparent encouragement;but he was far from discerning any such meaning in Edith's words.

The respect in which he had held this beautiful young wife, since the first moment of their acquaintance, sufficiently protected her from any such dishonourable suspicions.That she had bidden him there at a time when she must know that their conversation would not be disturbed by the presence of her husband, must assuredly have had other reasons than the mere desire for an adventure.

And as he saw her sitting before him, with a look of deep distress on her face, there arose in his heart no other than the honest wish to be able to do this poor creature, who was evidently most unhappy, some chivalrous service.

But he had not the courage to suggest anything of the sort before she had given him in an unequivocal way a right to do so.Hence it was that he waited in silence for anything further that she might wish to say.And there was a fairly long and somewhat painful pause before Mrs.Irwin, evidently collecting all her courage, went on: "You witnessed the scene that took place last evening in the officers' mess between my husband and Captain McGregor? If I have been rightly informed, I owe it solely to you that my husband did not, in the excitement of the moment, lay hand on himself."Heideck turned modestly away.