Mr. Lennox had some business to transact in Jamaica, West Indies, and
sailed for that island in one of the trading vessels. In the same
vessel went ‘poor’ Miss Clarkson. A month or two later Mr. Lennox,
Jun., received from Mr. Lennox, Sen., a letter dated from Jamaica, in
the West Indies. Amongst much other news the writer told his son that
he had not been well. He had a strange anæmic appearance, felt weak
and languid, had no energy, suffered from unquenchable thirst, and
was constantly falling asleep suddenly, often at the most inopportune
moments. He had consulted a doctor, who was of opinion that the
climate of Jamaica didn’t suit him, and he advised him to get away as
soon as possible. ‘I shall therefore be home in about six weeks,’ Mr.
Lennox added. But in the meantime he departed for his long home. Mr.
Lambert Lennox died somewhat suddenly one morning, and was buried in
the evening. The doctor who had been attending him certified that he
had succumbed to low fever. The next mail that went out bore the sad
intelligence to his family, and people marvelled much when they heard
that handsome Lambert Lennox, the man with the iron constitution, had
slipped away so quickly, more particularly as long residence in Florida
had inured him to a hot climate and miasma.
It was found difficult to trace Miss Clarkson’s movements during the
next two or three years, but there were grounds for believing that she
travelled extensively, and amongst other places visited India, and in
this connection there was a somewhat vague and legendary story told. At
a hill station a strange and mysterious woman put in an appearance.
She was thought to be either a Spaniard or a Portuguese. She was known
as Mademoiselle Sassetti, though why ‘Mademoiselle,’ if Spanish or
Portuguese, was not explained. But that is a detail.
This mysterious lady claimed to have occult powers. She could read
anyone’s future. She could perform miracles. The women kept away from
her because they were afraid of her, though there was no definite
statement as to how this fear arose. But the men showed no fear, as
became them, and amongst others who consulted her was a handsome,
much beloved young military officer. His frequent visits to the
sorceress caused a good deal of talk, as it was bound to do in an
Indian hill station. Grey-bearded men shook their heads sadly, and
wise and virtuous women turned up their noses and muttered mysterious
interjections such as ‘Ah!’ ‘Oh!’ ‘Umph.’
One day the station was startled by a report that the young officer had
been found dead in a jungle in one of the valleys. He had been bitten
by a cobra, so the report said, for there was a peculiar little blue
mark at the side of his neck.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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