With a resumption of his usual self-control he hissed: "Those jewels are
worth thirty thousand pounds. You were clumsy to miss such a prize.
Now listen to me. That young fool's father killed your father."
Gilda shuddered, and tears trickled down the cheeks which had been
skilfully lined to disguise their youthful beauty.
Again, stooping towards her, his words were reduced almost to a whisper
as he said: "Look at me straight in the eyes, Gilda, and listen. You
must make love to that man. He cannot, and shall not resist you. He
must marry you, and you--must--ruin--him. That shall be your revenge.
It shall be my revenge--and your father's revenge."
Then, springing to his feet with extraordinary vigour, he added:
"Come now! Remember what I have said. It must be. It shall be."
People turned to look at this peaceful and distinguished-looking "old"
couple sauntering down the front to their hotel.
There is an unscrupulous type of villain in this world, whose power for
harm is unbounded. Even as the weasel, the stoat, and certain of her
types of ferocious animals, kill for the lust of killing, so these
evil-minded people pursue their depredations. The worst of this type
exercise a curious fascination over women.
It is not essential to discuss the possibilities of hypnotism,
mesmerism, or any other forms of mind influence, or thought
transference. A perusal of the newspapers, and even a general
observation of those around us is sufficient to satisfy us of the
existence of this power. Curiously, it would more generally seem to be
exercised for evil rather than good. Doctor Danilo Malsano exercised
his malicious influence over Gilda Tempest with all the malignancy of
the type of predatory blood-sucking animals, to which allusion has been
made.
It was easy, therefore, for plans to be made to encompass the downfall
and ruin of Raife Remington. Subterfuge brought clandestine meetings
between the young couple. The clandestine element is that which appeals
most strongly to the ordinary lover. Raife Remington loved Gilda
Tempest with a fierce passion, which he could not control, but, in many
senses, he was an ordinary lover.
He was now well aware of Gilda's skill as a "thief"--a burglar. The
thought rankled in his mind, but still he could not stave off the desire
for her company. A smile from her chased away the hateful reminiscence
of the night in the library at Aldborough Park, when she was fully
revealed as a thief. There were other mysterious circumstances that, in
his ordinary mood, he could not explain away, but when Gilda smiled and
looked at him with her appealing eyes, all doubt vanished.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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