Mary of Marion Isle

MARY OF MARION ISLE

had written him off her account. As a husband he had disappointed her, and it was probable that if he reappeared, he would continue to do so. The truth was that she felt as much annoyed with that albatross as, had she but known it, Andrew did himself, and devoutly wished that the tin plate had never been found.

Of course the chances were that after all this fuss no Andrew would be discovered. For the message seemed to have been sent off some years ago, and it was most unlikely that he could have lived so long upon a desert island in an extremely inclement climate. At least no one else would have done so, but of Andrew she was not so sure, since he was a man who had a way of achieving the unexpected, of doing those things which he ought not to do, and of leaving those things which he ought to do, undone.

Who else, for instance, would have managed to get himself bottled up below in that inaccessible part of the ship which he insisted upon inhabiting and thus giving everybody the impression that he was finally and romantically drowned? Who else, being thus bottled up, would have managed to emerge and to reach an uninhabited island? Who else would have bethought him of tying a tin plate to the neck of an albatross? – a most unexampled expedient. If he could do these things, it was quite possible that he would manage to exist in circumstances under which anybody else would have died, and to reappear after he had been officially declared deceased. Also – this was a new and dreadful thought – if that should be so, what would he be like after four years alone on an iceberg? He was peculiar enough before, now he would be positively mad.

351

H. RIDER HAGGARD

Still, as a philosopher Clara recognized that in life the rough must be taken with the smooth, and that therefore she must go to look for him, leaving the issue to Providence. Perhaps she would find his bones and be able to bring them home for burial, a ceremony that must attract much attention.

So she communicated with the Admiralty and found «my Lords» most kind. Indeed, they promised to place a small cruiser which was attached to the Cape station at her disposal, with orders to give her a passage and to search any and every uninhabited island within a thousand miles radius of the spot where the Neptune had gone down. Also she communicated with the Government, and from it obtained a half-promise that when the man who had been appointed to the Governorship of Oceania upon the supposed death of her husband, resigned, as it was expected that he would do very shortly, the post should again be offered to Andrew.

There was foresight in this move of hers, since she had made up her mind that if he should chance to be rescued and to prove too impossible, she could always allege ill-health and allow him to go to Oceania alone. Then, with indignation in her breast and a wistful look of hope deferred carefully stamped upon her attractive countenance, Clara, suitably attended by servants, took the mail steamer to the Cape, and there in due course embarked upon the cruiser which she found abominably uncomfortable, especially as there was no one on the ship who was in touch with her world, or who interested her at all.

Once more on Marion Isle the long winter was merging into spring. As usual it had been a happy winter for the three inhabitants of that desolate place, except that during it

352

MARY OF MARION ISLE

the fear, which he always felt, seemed to grip Andrew’s heart more closely than it had ever done before, and from him had spread to that of Mary. Still, of this they said little to each other and now were engaged upon their usual task of making ready their land for sowing.

One morning early, Mary, leaving little Janet in Andrew’s charge, went out to see to her fish-nets, and in due course returned with the fish but looking very disturbed.

«What is the matter, dear?» asked Andrew, who saw at once that something was wrong. «Has the new net been carried away?»

«I don’t quite know, Andrew», she answered gravely. (By now she had lost the habit of speaking in the third person.) «Last night I dreamed that Old Tom came to me and told me that something very bad was about to happen, he would not say what. He did say, however, that I must ’keep a stiff upper lip’ – he always used those funny words about meeting trouble – since if I did so everything might come right at last, as he had always told me it would».

«Well, there isn’t much in dreams», said Andrew cheerfully, «and at any rate this one had a good ending. Is that all?» «No, Andrew. When I was on the rocks yonder a squall came up and covered me. Then suddenly in the mist and drift

I saw the Shape» «What shape?»

«That I told you about which three times warned me of danger and saved my life before you came. Since then I have never seen it till this morning».

«Well», said Andrew, «what did it look like?»

353

H. RIDER HAGGARD

«It looked very terrible, Andrew. It looked like Death. It came upon me suddenly and passed away against the wind out on to the Race between the islands, pointing to the Race where it vanished. Andrew, some one is going to die there in that Race».

«Then pray God it may be me», he answered in words that were startled out of him, «though I don’t see how I should get into the Race where no man can swim and live for long».

«No», she answered, «pray God it may be Mary». «Don’t say that, don’t say that!» he cried and kissed her.

«Why not?» she asked. «We have been very happy, haven’t we? And I do not fear death since my heart tells me that in death we really find all we think we lose».

«Look here, Mary», said Andrew. «Rightly or wrongly you believe in this shape which, you say, has three times saved your life. Why then should it come a fourth time to take away your life, or to tell you that it will be taken away?»

«I don’t know, Andrew. Perhaps it did not. But some one is going to die, and there are only us three and of the three – oh! I pray God to let me die».

Then she set about her tasks and said not another word of the matter.

The day was calm and fine, and the weather being suitable to their purpose, they put damp seaweed on to the fire to make smoke in which they hung fresh fish to cure lightly. In the afternoon they both went into the cave to store some of the fish which they had kippered, leaving Janet by the fire, where she was playing contently with the cat, Josky, of which

354

MARY OF MARION ISLE

she was very fond. Presently they heard the child calling to them.

«Oh! Dad, Mum. Oh! Mum, Dad, come look, something big upon the sea».

They ran out of the cave, and there, a mile or more from them, anchored just where the Race ran into the open ocean, they perceived a British man-of-war, for she flew the Ensign. Even as they watched amazed, a boat left her side and rowed swiftly for the mouth of their little bay.

The pair looked at each other with horror in their eyes. «This is the work of the albatross», gasped Andrew.

Mary nodded and, in her agitation, answered in the old childish language:

«Yes, that bird pay us back because we tie things to its neck. What do now? Run away?»

«No, dear, for it is useless. They would hunt the island till they found us. The smoke has betrayed us. Let us stop here and go on with what we are doing».

So they did, mechanically, Andrew cleaning more fish and throwing the insides to the watching penguins, while Mary fixed them to a string in the smoke.

«There is a woman in that boat», said Mary presently in a cold voice, for her eyes were those of a hawk and she had seen her. «She too wears a coat of skin».

The boat, skilfully steered, came to the shore, but Andrew and Mary went on working with their backs to it.

«Mary», said Andrew, «I want you to understand something. If by any chance that woman should be – my wife – I am not going to leave you for her, because you are more to me

355

H. RIDER HAGGARD

than everything else in the world. And unless they take us by force, I am not going to leave this island».

She gave him a look of her beautiful eyes and said: «Thank you». Then she was silent.

Now they heard voices behind them and were forced to turn round. There they stood against a background of the smoke, Andrew to the right, Mary to the left, and between them the lovely child. Perhaps a stranger-looking trio could not be imagined. They were all clad in skins, for Andrew’s clothes, except a suit which he sometimes put on for Sundays, or what they believed to be Sundays, were worn out. On their feet, too, were skin mocassins which they made themselves. Andrew’s curling hair was long and hung down upon his shoulders; as it protected his neck from the cold winds he left it thus. Now, too, he had a really fine beard which also curled. Finally, his sealskin robe was stained with the work upon which he was engaged and his hands were red with fish’s blood. For the rest he was a splendid-looking man, tall, handsome and much broader and bigger than he used to be.

Mary also was clothed in skins down which flowed her glorious hair, a young matron of startling beauty who moved with the grace of a deer; and the child, as has been said, was lovely, with dark eyes like to those of her father, and her mother’s milk-white skin.

Three people were coming towards them – the others had stopped with the boat – a young officer whose eyes were nearly starting out of his head, a person in civilian dress who appeared to be a manservant, and the lady. Even at a little distance Andrew knew her at once; it was Clara, richly clothed in

356

MARY OF MARION ISLE

furs and, so far as he could see, not in the slightest degree changed from what she was when he had last seen her on board theNeptune. The advancing party halted at a distance of about five paces, whereon the young officer, suddenly recovering himself and becoming aware of a great opportunity, lifted a hand camera which he was carrying and snapped the three with the fire and the cave mouth for a background.

The click of the camera and perhaps the thought of the resulting picture in the English papers, seemed to sting Clara into action.

«Are you Andrew?» she asked. «There seems to be a resemblance» and she paused.

«I was so christened», he replied, and also paused. «And who is that woman?» she asked again. «Her name is Mary».

«Mary! Mary what?»

«I do not know, nor does she. Like myself she is a castaway. She came to this island with a man who is dead».

«Oh!» exclaimed Clara, «that explains a great deal. And what is the name of the little girl?»

«Janet. If you are Clara, it is one that you will remember». She winced at this, then replied:

«If I am Clara? Have you any doubt upon the point?» «Not much», he answered, «but you know that we all

change; time tells upon us».

«Certainly it or something else has told upon you, Andrew. But – could we have a word apart? What we have to say to each other would scarcely interest this – young woman, even if she happens to understand English. I am sorry I cannot of-

357

H. RIDER HAGGARD

fer to shake hands with you», she added, «or to greet you in any way, since you seem to be all over blood».

«Yes, Clara, I have been cleaning fish. It is part of my daily round. You who eat the fish, may not be aware that they must first be cleaned».

«Then perhaps your cook can continue the operation for a little while. If necessary, the manservant will help her, although it is not his business».

Then they walked aside round the point of the rock, Mary watching them with wondering eyes. Janet tried to run after her father, but Mary caught her and drew her back.

«Now, Andrew», said Clara, when they were out of sight, «tell me the meaning of all this. What is that woman to you?»

«She is the mother of my child».

«I guessed as much and – let us clear the air at once. I am not straitlaced and I do not blame you in the least, especially as she seems to be a rather beautiful savage. But you will understand that this episode must end, which can be done without difficulty. The woman must go somewhere else, and as there was another man upon the island, it will be easy to account for the child who can be provided for in a suitable manner».

«I too want to clear the air, Clara», he replied. «What you call an episode is not going to come to an end, if I can help it. I love that lady who, amongst other things, saved my life, and we mean to spend the rest of our days together. Your claim upon me ended when you left me upon the sinking ship».

«I did not leave you, Andrew, until I was assured that you were lost, but perhaps I had better tell you exactly what happened», and she did, putting her own colouring upon that sto-

358

MARY OF MARION ISLE

ry and all the following events. She even mentioned in a fearless fashion what she knew must soon certainly reach his ears, that she was about to marry again when the news that he had escaped reached her.

«Thank you for telling me that», said Andrew, «for it makes matters easier. We can now discuss things on a business basis. But perhaps first you would like to hear briefly what happened to me».

Then he told his tale.

«It would all be very interesting in a novel», she said when he had finished, «but we have to do with the facts of real life, have we not, and wise people avoid scandals. You must remember, although in your present costume and after your recent experiences it may naturally be difficult to you, that you are Lord Atterton, and I may add, the Governor-General designate of Oceania, since the man who succeeded you is resigning and I have the promise of the appointment for you, should you still survive».

«This is the only island of which I shall ever be GovernorGeneral», replied Andrew with a little laugh. «Now, Clara, let us strike a bargain. I am dead, and I mean to remain dead».

«Then why on earth did you go tying tin plates to albatrosses?» she inquired with irritation.

«For the sake of the lady yonder, if you want to know. The position was growing difficult».

«So I gather – overwhelmingly difficult. By the way, that child is painfully like you, and some one else», she added with another little wince. «It would have been far better to face

359

H. RIDER HAGGARD

the inevitable at once, but you were always foolishly fond of half-measures, Andrew».

«At any rate I have conquered the weakness now, Clara. Go away and lead your own life and leave me to lead mine».

«It is impossible, Andrew. There are too many witnesses, the whole shipload of them, for these people have tongues in their heads, to say nothing of the camera which that donkey of a naval officer carries about with him. Look here, by all means let us make a bargain. The child is not years, but the other man’s, as to the exact date of whose decease no inquiries need be made. You befriended the helpless people whom you found starving on an island, that is all. But subsequently the husband died. Well, we all go to England and the pretty savage vanishes – where to I shall not trouble myself to inquire, for, as I have said, I am not straitlaced. West House is large enough for both of us and if you care to keep on your rooms in Justice Street as well, that is no affair of mine», she added with emphasis.

«I think that Mary would soon die in Justice Street, and the child also. The change would be too drastic. Also the idea of leading a double life does not appeal to me».

«Am I to understand that it is your intention to stay in this God-forsaken place, Andrew?»

«Certainly. I like it better than London».

«You mean that you like your savage woman better than you do me? At any rate it is not complimentary of you to say so so plainly».

«I never said anything of the sort, but as politeness is in question it is not complimentary of you to call that lady a sav-

360