The Italian cast down his eyes. "Yes, monsieur," he said in a low tone,
"I did know your name."
Brian started up. He did not stop to weigh probabilities; he forgot how
little likely a young foreign seminarist would be to hear news of an
accident in Scotland; he felt foolishly certain that his name--as that
of the man who had killed his brother--must be known to all the world!
It was the wildest possible delusion, such as could occur only to a man
whose mind was off its balance--and even he could not retain it for more
than a minute or two; but in that space of time he uttered a few wild
words, which caused the young monk to raise his dark eyes to his face
with a look of sorrowful compassion.
"Does everyone know my wretched story, then? Do I carry a mark about
with me--like Cain?" Brian cried aloud.
"I know nothing of your story, monsieur," said Brother Dino, as he
called himself, after a little pause, "When I said that I knew your
name, I should more properly have said the name of your family. A
gentleman of your name once visited the little town where I was brought
up." He paused again and added gently, "I have peculiar reasons for
remembering him. He was very good to a member of my family."
Brian had recovered his self-possession before the end of the young
priest's speech, and was heartily ashamed of his own weakness.
"I beg your pardon," he said, sinking back into his seat with an air of
weariness and discouragement that would have touched the heart of a
tender-natured man, such as was Brother Dino of San Stefano. "I must be
an utter fool to have spoken as I did. You knew my father, did you? That
must be long ago."
"Many years." Brother Dino looked at the Englishman with some expression
in his eyes which Brian did not remark at the moment, but which recurred
afterwards to his memory as being singular. There was sympathy in it,
pity, perhaps, and, above all, an intense curiosity. "Many years ago my
friends knew him; not I. The Signor Luttrell--he lives still in your
country?"
"No. He died eight years ago."
"And----"
A question evidently trembled on the Italian's lips, but he restrained
himself. He could not ask it when he saw the pain and the dread in
Brian's face. But Brian answered the question that he had meant to ask.
"My brother is dead, also. My mother is living and well."
Then he wheeled round and looked at the landing-stage, to which they
were now very close. The stranger respected his emotion; he glanced once
at the band of crape on Brian's arm, and then walked quietly away. When
he returned it was only to say good-bye.
"I should like to see you again," Brian said to him. "Perhaps I may find
you out and visit you some day. You find your life peaceful and happy,
no doubt?"
"Perfectly."
"I envy you," said Brian.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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