The Knight of Malta

“Without doubt; for at least, one time in his ship, he left me to weep and grieve in peace, and – ”

“But that was not what he said. H’m – h’m – the honeyed words of this insolent prattler were quite capable of making you forget your grief for a time, no doubt.”

Stephanette, indignant, was about to reply to her betrothed, when the whistle of Mlle, des Anbiez called her to that lady’s apartment.

She entered, after having thrown an angry glance at Luquin.

The captain was in the way of repenting of his suspicions when the majordomo Laramée, coming precipitately out of the chamber of Raimond V., said:

“Here you are, Luquin, come quick and help me to carry monseigneur to the commander. He is too weak to walk; we will carry him in his armchair.”

Luquin followed Laramée, and entered the baron’s chamber. The old gentleman was still very pale, a wide black bandage wrapped his head, but he had partly recovered his vivacity and his energy. Abbé Mascarolus was with him.

“You say, then, abbé, that this poor young man is about to die, and he wishes to speak to me?”

“Yes, monseigneur.”

“And how is my brother Pierre?”

“In the same state, monseigneur.”

“Quick, quick, Laramée, throw a mantle over my shoulders, and I will walk on your legs and the legs of this boy, for my own will not support me yet.” Luquin took the armchair on one side, and Laramée took the other, and they transported the baron into the large chamber where Erebus was lying. At the door of this chamber they found Peyrou, the watchman, who anxiously awaited news from his old captain.

The face of Erebus already gave signs of approaching death. His features, once so clear, so beautiful, so serene, were painfully contorted. He was pale with the pallor of the dying. His eyes shone with a brilliancy all the more intense because it was so soon to be eclipsed in death. His wound was mortal, and no place was left for hope.

Pierre des Anbiez, wearing the same clothes he wore on the day of the fatal encounter, was seated on the foot of his son’s bed, absolutely motionless, his head bowed on his breast, his hands on his knees, his gaze fixed upon the floor; since the day before he had kept this position.

Father Elzear, seated by the pillow of Erebus, leaned over him, lifted the poor young man’s heavy head, and pressed it tenderly to his breast.

Raimond V. made his bearers place him near the bed. Luquin and Laramée retired.

“God will forgive me, will he not, good priest?” said Erebus, in a feeble voice, to Father Elzear. “He will have pity on my ignorance, and look only at my zeal. Alas! I have known the true faith but two-days.”

“Hope, hope in his infinite compassion, my child, you are a Christian now. Two days of repentance and faith will atone for many sins. It is the fervour and not the length of the repentance which touches the Lord.”

“Oh, I would die with one hope more, if my father could forgive me also,” said Erebus, bitterly. Then he cried, in a frenzy, “Oh, a curse on Pog-Reis! Oh, why did he make me believe, as he showed me these portraits, that my father had been the murderer of my mother and of my family? Oh, how he excited all my bad passions! Alas! I believed him, because he who had always been so cruel wept, yes, he wept, as he pressed me to his heart and asked my forgiveness for all the evil he had done me. Then, seeing this implacable man weep as he embraced me, I believed him. I hoped the combat would be fatal to me. I knew Reine des Anbiez would be returned in safety to her father, hence I was able to die. And you – you – her father, will you forgive me, too?” added Erebus, addressing Raimond V.

“Poor child, did you not save my life in the rocks of Ollioules? Although my daughter was in your power, did you not respect her and defend her? And are you not the son of my brother, after all? the son of a guilty love, of course, but, Manjour! you are of the family.” “Raimond – Raimond!” said Father Elzear to his brother, softly, in a tone of reproach.

“But, my father, my father does not hear me,” said Erebus. “I will die without his saying to me, ‘My son!’” cried the unhappy youth, in a failing voice, and then with a sadden movement he sat up, threw his arms around the neck of Pierre des Anbiez, and letting his heavy head fall on the paternal bosom, he cried, “My father, my father! Oh, hear me!”

This despairing, expiring cry, in which Erebes seemed to have concentrated all that remained of his strength, at last reached the depth of the heart of Pierre, des Anbiez.

The commander slowly raised his head, looked around him, then fixed his eyes on Erebus, who still hung around his neck. Then, pressing his son’s head in his two hands, he kissed his forehead reverently and tenderly. Placing his son’s head softly on the pillow, he said, in a low voice, with a strange smile, and an accent full of kindness: “My child, you have called me, I heard your voice in the midst of darkness. I have come; now I return to it Farewell, sleep – sleep for ever, my child.”

And he spread a cloth on the face of Erebus as is done for the dead.

“My brother!” cried Father Elzear, quickly removing the cloth and looking at the commander in astonishment.

The latter did not seem to hear him; he fell back into a sort of lethargy from which he seemed unable to recover.

Erebus grew weaker and weaker, and said to Raimond V.:

“One last favour before I die.”

“Speak, speak, my child, I grant it already.”

“I would like to see your daughter once more, she who gave me a Christian name. She too, alas! must forgive me.”

“Reine, your cousin, your godmother? I consent to it with all my heart Elzear, my brother, will you go and tell her?”

“Your moments are numbered, you must think on God, my son,” said Father Elzear to Erebus.

“For pity’s sake, let me see her, or I shall die in despair,” said Erebus in such a heart-broken voice that Father Elzear went in search of Reine.

Raimond V. took both hands of his nephew in his own. Already they were cold.

“She does not come,” said Erebus, “and yet I must – ”

His voice grew weaker, he could not continue.

Reine entered, accompanied by Father Elzear.

Erebus raised himself on his elbow; with his right hand he had the strength to break a little chain of gold he wore around his neck. He handed it to Reine, showing her, with a faint smile, the little enamelled dove that he had fastened to it, formerly taken from Reine in the rocks of Ollioules, and said to her:

“I return it to you. Will you forgive me?”

“I will always wear this chain in memory of the day you saved the life of my father,” replied Reine, full of emotion.

“You will wear it always?” said Erebus.

“Always!” replied Reine, bursting into tears.

“Ah, now I can die!” said Erebus.

A last ray seemed to illumine his face, as death slowly approached.

“Brother,” said Father Elzear, in an austere voice, as he rose, “this child is about to die.”

Raimond V. understood that the last moments of Erebus belonged to God. He embraced his nephew, called Luquin and Laramée to cany him, and went out with Reine.

The commander remained silent and motionless, seated on the bed of his dying son.

Raimond V. sent Peyrou to him, hoping the watchman’s presence might perhaps recall him to himself.

The watchman, approaching Pierre des Anbiez, said to him, “M. Commander, come.”

Whether the voice of Peyrou, which he had not heard for so long a time, impressed him all the more, or whether he obeyed an inexplicable instinct, the commander rose and followed the watchman, alas! without casting a look upon his son.