第41章

THE ANSWER OF THE SPHINX

Moonlight in the desert.

Jane ordered her after-dinner coffee on the piazza of the hotel, that she might lose as little as possible of the mystic loveliness of the night.The pyramids appeared so huge and solid, in the clear white light; and the Sphinx gathered unto itself more mystery.

Jane promised herself a stroll round by moonlight presently.

Meanwhile she lay back in a low wicker chair, comfortably upholstered, sipping her coffee, and giving herself up to the sense of dreamy content which, in a healthy body, is apt to follow vigorous exertion.

Very tender and quiet thoughts of Garth came to her this evening, perhaps brought about by the associations of moonlight.

"The moon shines bright:--in such a night as this, When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees, And they did make no noise--"Ah! the great poet knew the effect upon the heart of a vivid reminder to the senses.Jane now passed beneath the spell.

To begin with, Garth's voice seemed singing everywhere:

"Enable with perpetual light The dulness of our blinded sight."Then from out the deep blue and silvery light, Garth's dear adoring eyes seemed watching her.Jane closed her own, to see them better.

To-night she did not feel like shrinking from them, they were so full of love.

No shade of critical regard was in them.Ah! had she wronged him with her fears for the future? Her heart seemed full of trust to-night, full of confidence in him and in herself.It seemed to her that if he were here she could go out with him into this brilliant moonlight, seat herself upon some ancient fallen stone, and let him kneel in front of her and gaze and gaze in his persistent way, as much as he pleased.In thought there seemed to-night no shrinking from those dear eyes.She felt she would say: "It is all your own, Garth, to look at when you will.For your sake, I could wish it beautiful; but if it is as you like it, my own Dear, why should Ihide it from you?"

What had brought about this change of mind? Had Deryck's prescription done its full work? Was this a saner point of view than the one she had felt constrained to take when she arrived, through so much agony of renunciation, at her decision? Instead of going up the Nile, and then to Constantinople and Athens, should she take the steamer which sailed from Alexandria to-morrow, be in London a week hence, send for Garth, make full confession, and let him decide as to their future?

That he loved her still, it never occurred to Jane to doubt.At the very thought of sending for him and telling him the simple truth, he seemed so near her once more, that she could feel the clasp of his arms, and his head upon her heart.And those dear shining eyes! Oh, Garth, Garth!

"One thing is clear to me to-night," thought Jane."If he still needs me--wants me--I cannot live any longer away from him.I must go to him." She opened her eyes and looked towards the Sphinx.The whole line of reasoning which had carried such weight at Shenstone flashed through her mind in twenty seconds.Then she closed her eyes again and clasped her hands upon her bosom.

"I will risk it," she said; and deep joy awoke within her heart.

A party of English people came from the dining-room on to the piazza with a clatter.They had arrived that evening and gone in late to dinner.Jane had hardly noticed them,--a handsome woman and her daughter, two young men, and an older man of military appearance.

They did not interest Jane, but they broke in upon her reverie; for they seated themselves at a table near by and, in truly British fashion, continued a loud-voiced conversation, as if no one else were present.One or two foreigners, who had been peacefully dreaming over coffee and cigarettes, rose and strolled away to quiet seats under the palm trees.Jane would have done the same, but she really felt too comfortable to move, and afraid of losing the sweet sense of Garth's nearness.So she remained where she was.

The elderly man held in his hand a letter and a copy of the MORNINGPOST, just received from England.They were discussing news contained in the letter and a paragraph he had been reading aloud from the paper.

"Poor fellow! How too sad!" said the chaperon of the party.

"I should think he would sooner have been killed outright!"exclaimed the girl."I know I would."