The prophecy of Narvaez should have softened the blow to Enistor in the
moment of its fulfilment. But it did not, for the simple reason that he
had tried his best to disbelieve the Spaniard, in spite of his knowledge
of the man's powers. Don Pablo, as the result of prying beyond the
boundaries of the visible, possessed in active working super-senses
latent in the ordinary man, and so he could literally see through a
brick wall. Certainly his vision was not invariably clear, and at times
the details of his prognostications were incorrect. In the present
instance he had foretold that Enistor should receive his bad news by
letter, whereas Mr. Cane had come down personally to convey the
disagreeable intelligence. But the actual fact that Enistor would lose
the money had been proved beyond all doubt, and the Squire found the one
undeniable truth so unpleasant that he was careless about minor
mistakes.
As soon as Cane, without bite or sup, had driven away in the direction
of Perchton, Enistor made his way across the moors to the back-country
where Narvaez had his abode. It was impossible that he could keep the
knowledge of his bad fortune to himself, and moreover he wanted advice
with regard to his future actions. The Squire was clever as men go, and
usually decided all matters for himself; but in this instance it was
necessary to consult a mastermind. Don Pablo was not only a shrewd and
highly educated man, versed in knowledge of the world, but also
possessed super-physical information which was both dangerous and
useful. That is, the lore was dangerous to any who did not possess the
spirit of love, and useful to an unscrupulous and wholly selfish man.
Both Enistor and his master thought only of themselves and were prepared
to crush without remorse all that stood in their way. At the present
moment the unknown Montrose was an obstacle in Enistor's path and he
wished Narvaez to assist in his removal. The Spaniard would only give
his services if he saw that their use would benefit himself. And as the
Squire knew that the wily old man wished him to remain poor in order to
retain mastery over him, it was not likely that he would help him to
gain a fortune. Enistor therefore was not certain that he would be
aided, and more for the sake of talking himself free of care than for
any other reason sought the cottage of the magician.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account