Judging so, his judgment was clearer than it had yet been; it grew sane, and was freed at last from the hackles of fanaticism; and there was something that e saw in its true proportions. He sighed heavily.
"This is a judgment upon me," he said presently. He turned his great eyes full upon Justin, and their dance was infinitely wistful. "Do you remember, Justin, that night at your lodging - that first night on which we talked here in London of the thing you were come to do - the thing to which I urged you?
Do you recall how you upbraided me for having set you a task hat was unworthy and revolting?""I remember," answered Justin, with an inward shudder, fearful of what might follow.
"Oh, you were right, Justin; right, and I was entirely wrong -wickedly wrong. I should have left vengeance to God. He is wreaking it. Ostermore's whole life has been a punishment;his end will be a punishment. I understand it now. We do no wrong in life, Justin, for which in this same life payment is not exacted. Ostermore has been paying. I should lave been content with that. After all, he is your father in the flesh, and it was not for you to raise your hand against him. 'Tis what you have felt, and I am glad you should have felt it, for it proves your worthiness. Can you forgive me?""Nay, nay, father! Speak not of forgiveness.""I have sore need of it."
"Ah, but not from me; not from me! What is there I should forgive? There is a debt between us I had hoped to repay some day when you were grown truly old. I had looked to tend you in your old age, to be the comfort of it, and the support that you were to my infancy.""It had been sweet, Justin," sighed Sir Richard, smiling upon his adopted son, and putting forth an unsteady hand to stroke the white, drawn face. "It had been sweet. It is sweet to hear that you so proposed."A shudder convulsed him. He sank back coughing, and there was froth and blood on his lips. Reverently Justin wiped them, and signed for the cordial to Bentley, who stood, numbed, in the background.
"It is the end," said Sir Richard feebly. "God has been good to me beyond my deserts, and this is a crowning mercy.
Consider, Justin, it might have been the gibbet and a crowd -instead of this snug bed, and you and Bentley here - just two good friends."Bentley, losing all self-control at this mention of himself, sank weeping to his knees. Sir Richard put out a hand, and touched his head.
"You will serve Mr. Caryll, Bentley. You'll find him a good master if you are as good a servant to him as you have been to me."Then suddenly he made the quick movement of one who bethinks himself of something. He waved Bentley away.
"There is a case in the drawer yonder," he said, when the servant was beyond earshot. "It contains papers that concern you - certificates of your birth and of your mothers death. Ibrought them with me as proofs of your identity, against the time when the hour of vengeance upon Ostermore should strike.
They twill serve no purpose now. Burn them. They are best destroyed."Mr. Caryll nodded understanding, and on Sir Richard's part there followed another fight for breath, another attack of coughing, during which Bentley instinctively approached again.
When the paroxysm was past, Sir Richard turned once more to Justin, who was holding him in his arms, upright, to ease his breathing. "Be good to Bentley," he murmured, his voice very faint and exhausted now. "You are my heir, Justin. All that I have - I set all in order ere I left Paris. It - it is growing dark. You have not snuffed the candles, Bentley.
They are burning very low."
Suddenly he started forward, held as he was in Justin's arms.
He half-raised his arms, holding out his hands toward the foot of the bed. His eyes dilated; the expression of his livid face grew first surprised, then joyous - beatific.
"Antoinette!" he cried in a loud voice. "Antoi - " "And thus, abruptly, but in great happiness, he passed.
