Toilers of Babylon: A NovelFarjeon, B. L. (Benjamin Leopold)
General
Toilers of Babylon: A Novel
Farjeon, B. L. (Benjamin Leopold)
Inheritance and succession -- Fiction
"With respect to Mr. Seymour who met his death in the railway accident
in Germany, the particulars of which have been fully reported in our
columns, it is now certain that he was by birth a Russian, and that he
was for a number of years intimately connected with conspiracies
against law and order. The documents found upon his person were of
such a character, and were so drawn out, as to destroy the hope that
was entertained that they would lead to the detection of the members
of the secret societies with which he was associated. Great pains have
evidently been taken--probably from day to day--to do away with all
documentary evidence that would incriminate others, and this is an
indirect proof of the dangerous nature of the conspiracies in which he
was engaged. With respect to the Mr. Manners who met with serious
injuries, nothing to directly implicate him has come to light. The
strongest point against him is the fact of his having travelled for
many months with Mr. Seymour on apparently confidential relations.
Papers found in his possession lead to the conclusion that he is the
son of the great contractor, Mr. Valentine Manners, whose name is
known all the world over."
In the following day's paper Mr. Loveday read a letter to the
following effect:
"Sir,--It is necessary for me to state that I have not been in any way
acquainted with the late movements and proceedings of my son, Mr.
Kingsley Manners, who is reported to have met with serious injuries in
a railway accident in Germany, nor have I any knowledge of the Mr.
Seymour with whom he is said to have travelled as companion.
"Faithfully yours, Valentine Manners."
That was all. Although Mr. Loveday carefully searched the papers day
after day, he saw no further reference to the matter; it dropped out
of sight, as it were, and the faint interest it had excited in the
public mind appeared to have died completely away. The hard battle of
life continued sadly and monotonously, without the occurrence of one
cheering incident to lighten the days; and as time wore on Nansie
ceased to speak to her uncle of the beloved husband who was either
dead or had forgotten her. In her sad musings upon the question of
death or forgetfulness she did not bring the matter to an issue. Had
she been compelled to do so, she would have stabbed herself with the
torture that Kingsley was dead; for that he could have forgotten her,
and that he could be systematically neglecting her, was in her
faithful, chivalrous heart impossible. All that she could do was to
wait, although hope was almost dead within her.
At an unexpected moment, however, the question was solved.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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