L.T. MEADE   MEADE, ROBERT  EUSTACE THE PEARL A COMPLETE STORY 
 
 
 THE PEARL Pg 1 
 Ella was the only daughter of a patient of mine, Ralph Forrester, a precious stone merchant of some fame, but whose speciality was in the pearl trade. I had personally no liking for the man. 
 
 
 
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 Though I had no direct evidence against him, certain rumours from time to time had reached my ears that in his dealings with others he was utterly unscrupulous, but perhaps the real reason of my dislike lay in the fact that he treated his motherless daughter in a rough and heartless manner. 
 Ella was a pretty and charming girl of about nineteen years of age. I had attended her during her childish illnesses, and she and I were always great friends. For some reason also Forrester seemed to take a certain pleasure in my society. He often confided some of his troubles to me, and let me into one or two secrets of his trade. I was a constant guest at their house, and Ella's letter by no means took me by surprise. For her sake, whenever possible, I accepted Forrester's invitations, as I felt that in some sort of way I protected her from his rough and cruel treatment. I was glad to see also that I was to meet my friend Tempest. I had long ago learned the great secret of his life. He loved Ella Forrester, and I felt sure the attachment was reciprocal. Tempest was a nice fellow of about thirty years of age, a Colonial by birth. He had spent much of his early years in pearl-fishing on the coral reefs off the Queensland coast. In this rôle Forrester had employed him several times with great success. 
 Eighteen months before this story opens he had gone out on a pearling expedition on Forresters's behalf. Early in the year I was told that Cyril Tempest had met with an accident. Particulars of this accident had not reached me. Whatever it was no doubt I should hear all about it the following evening, and I at once accepted Ella's invitation, and presented myself in due course at Bayswater Gardens. 
 As I entered the room Forrester and Ella both came forward. B  
 
 
 
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 The latter greeted me warmly. As I shook hands with her I could not help noticing that her face did not wear its accustomed look of vivacity. I also observed that she glanced nervously towards the door, and while I was still speaking to her I saw a curious expression of absolute repulsion cross her face. 
 Another visitor was announced, and the next moment I found myself introduced to a very vulgar-looking man of the name of Sutherland. 
 ìMr. Sutherland is one of my greatest friends, Lonsdale,î said Forrester, who now came up and spoke in an effusive and almost disagreeable manner. ìHe accompanied Ella and myself on a charming cruise to Norway during the past summer. I have no doubt you will meet him again here.î 
 Sutherland laughed loudly and glanced at Ella, and then turned away, accompanied by his host. 
 I looked again at the girl, who still remained near my side. Her face was now very white. 
 "You know that Mr. Tempest is staying with us," she said, in a low voice. 
 "Yes," I answered, "and I am glad he is home again; he will have many adventures to tell us." 
 Her face clouded. 
 "He has indeed some thrilling experiences," she said. "He told us one this morning. Hark, I think that must be his ring." 
   
 
 
 
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 Her eyes brightened and the colour returned to her face. The door was thrown open once more, and Mr. Tempest was announced. 
 I could not help being struck by the change in his appearance since I had last seen him. 
 Tempest smiled when he saw me, and a look of more than pleasure flitted across his face as he glanced at Ella. 
 "I am delighted to see you back again safe and sound," I said to him. "You must come and see me soon and tell me your adventures." 
 "I want to, Lonsdale, I want to see you badly," he said in a low voice. 
 "Come round to-night, then," I replied with a sudden impulse, as I noticed an anxious ring in his voice. 
 Dinner was announced, and a few moments later I found myself seated near Miss Forrester, with an elderly lady on my left hand and Mr. Sutherland exactly opposite. The conversation soon became animated, but I noticed that Ella Forrester took little or no part in it. Indeed, Sutherland completely claimed her attention. He was evidently trying to make himself pleasant to her, and she was forced to answer his somewhat pointed questions, and to listen to the anecdotes with which he tried to beguile the time. 
   
 
 
 
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 Tempest, who was at the other end of the table, was, to my surprise, almost silent, although, as a rule, he was gay and bright and a good conversationalist. I began to put two and two together, and came to the conclusion that Tempest had a rival in Sutherland, although there was not the least doubt that Ella Forrester greatly disliked the man. 
 After the ladies left the room and we had drawn our chairs closer to the fire, I perceived further, to my surprise, that the relations between Tempest and Forrester were by no means cordial. The elder man scarcely spoke to his guest, and when he did it was with a look and a few words of such pointed rudeness that I hated him more than I had ever done before, and vowed that, notwithstanding Ella's existence, this was the very last time I would enter his house. 
 The evening that followed was a dreary one, although Ella did her utmost to make it lively. Soon after eleven o'clock I rose to go, and Tempest followed my example. 
 "Well, old chap," I said, as we entered my brougham, "what is the matter with you? I never saw you so gloomy in my life. And as for Miss Forrester, she seems to have lost her old gaiety. Is there anything wrong? " 
 "There is," he replied gravely, "something very wrong, I am sorry to say, and I want to tell you about it. It is a long story, so I won't begin till we get to your house."· 
 "I was afraid it was so," I answered, "I only trust it is nothing very bad." 
 My companion remained silent till we reached home.   
 
 
 
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 When we had settled ourselves in my smoking room he began-- 
 "I don't believe anyone in this world has ever been in such a position as I am in now, but I will tell you the whole thing from beginning to end. You heard from Forrester that I had had an accident?" 
 "Ella told me about it," I answered, "but you seem to have got over it, whatever it may have been." 
 "I. believe I have got over it as far as my health is concerned," he replied, "but other consequences have arisen on account of it which are far more difficult to cope with. It was a terrible experience, and, as my present story is a sequel to it, I will start right away. It was on the 18th of May this year that I was pearling on the coral reef off the Queensland coast, 150º·by 20º rough bearings. It was late in the afternoon, and my Kanakas and I had been working in about five fathoms with fair success. We were just going to put back to the schooner when I thought I would have one more dive. I had just got my foot on the sinker stone with the rope in my hand when one of the Kanakas touched my arm and pointed to a large dark fin that had shouldered up on the crest of a wave and then disappeared. Familiarity with sharks had, however, bred contempt. I determined to take my dive and trust to my proverbial good luck to escape the cruel teeth of the brute. I took some deep breaths, and the next instant was plunging down and down through the green waters to the coral fairyland below. I had just collected a fair quantity of shells into my net when suddenly a huge rough black body struck me with terrific force, sending me reeling back with a blow as if a bayonet had been thrust through my back.  
 
 
 
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 I just had sense to spring from the bottom, and came in safety to the surface with the net still in my hand I remembered being hauled into the boat, and then I fainted. When I came to I was back in the schooner. My clothes were soaked with blood, which had come from a terrible wound in my chest, and I felt sick and faint. One of my men was beside me, a half-caste black, a faithful fellow and my best man. 
 "'Ha, Mr. Tempest, you seem better, eh,' he cried. 'Big fellow, shark I take it, hit you. Lucky dive, though, my word! Look here!' 
 "He opened his great hand as he spoke, and I gave a gasp when I saw what it contained. In the palm of his hand lay an enormous pink pearl of such splendid size and colour that I had never seen the like before in my life. 
 "'You mean that I brought that up with me?' I cried, as I took it into my hand. The man nodded. 
 "Holding it still in my hand, I fell back on my pillow, and an ecstatic wave of delight, in spite of the pain I was suffering, passed through me, for I knew that if I survived my fortune was made. At the lowest computation that pearl was worth thirty thousand pounds. Of course, it really belonged to Forrester, for whom I was working, but as my commission was always twenty per cent., I should have my winnings, and considerable they would be. How badly I was injured I could not tell, but I suddenly felt a wild desire to live, to bring the pearl home with me and marry Ella Forrester, whom, as you, know, I have long -loved devotedly. The first thing to get was surgical aid. This I knew was no easy matter.  
 
 
 
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 I sent for the skipper, an old German name Schiller, and told him to put in at once at Leuville Cove, when I would send for the doctor at the township some eight miles off. 
 "This was done, and I was carried ashore with the great pink pearl safe in my pocket, for I would trust it to no one. I felt more than anxious about it in my prostrate condition, for Leuville abounded with the lowest form of scoundrel, and the news of my great prize would quickly get abroad. I sent a messenger to the township to cable home the news of the great find to Forrester, and also to bring out the doctor. He came in a few hours. 
 "He was a young fellow, fresh from England and the London hospitals. I took a fancy to him at once, and, weak as I was, told him my story. I even shewed him the pink pearl. 
 "'You are in danger with that about you,' he said, 'where can you hide it?' 
 "'I will take care of the pearl for myself,' I replied; 'I shall not let it out of my grip you may be certain of that, but you must make me live.' 
 "'I will do my utmost for you,' he replied, and then he examined my chest with great skill and tenderness. He told me that the blow from the shark had considerably injured the breast bone, a portion of which was broken away and must be instantly removed. He had brought chloroform with him, said he would put me under its influence, and perform the operation at once. 
 
 
 
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 I was in fearful agony, and, you may be sure, did not wish for a moment's delay. Robertson. The young doctor, immediately set to work. He put me under the influence of the anæsthetic, and I floated off into a delicious dream, in which I had a confused sense that I was leading Ella to the altar and that she was decked with pink pearls. 
 "Now comes the horrible part of my story. As I was coming to (you know how dazed one is at such times) I became conscious of a confused noise and loud cries. I remember the doctor bending over me, and I noticed a panic-stricken look on his pale face. He was saying something in a low and emphatic voice which I have never since been able to recall. I feel certain that if I could only recall those words they would I solve all this terrible mystery and worry. The next instant the noise increased. There was the sound of a struggle, followed by a hoarse cry and a pistol shot outside the tent. I fought against my drowsy sensations, and, startled and terrified, raised myself. The doctor was nowhere to be seen. I struggled up and crawled out. You can imagine what my feelings were when I saw the dead body of poor young Robertson lying only a few feet from the tent door. He had been shot through the heart, doubtless in his efforts to save me from the attack of the scoundrels who wanted to rob me of my treasure. 
 "A moment later the old skipper was at my side. He helped me back to the tent, put me into bed, and gave me a restorative. He then told me that a party of pearlers had got wind of the great pink pearl and had attacked the tent. The doctor and he had both resisted them, the former losing his life in his attempt to save me and my new treasure, and afterwards the scoundrels had got clear away with the pearl. . 
   
 
 
 
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 "The old skipper's words stunned me. I tried to fancy that I was still under the influence of chloroform and that all this hideous story was but a terrible dream, but I soon discovered that it was only too true. 
 "For a fortnight I lay there raging in fever and impotent fury at my loss. Then, in spite of everything, I began to get better, and did what I could to trace the villains. All my efforts were useless, and in despair I returned to England, saw Forrester, and told him everything. Imagine my surprise when he said in the coldest, most sneering voice, that he did not believe a word of my story. He followed up this extraordinary sentence by continuing in the following words: 
 "'I not only refuse to believe what you have just told me, but I am certain you have trumped up this story to cover your own theft. You are the thief who has stolen the great pink pearl.' 
 "I tried to argue that if such had been my intention I should never have cabled the news of having found it. He would listen to no reason, abused me like a pickpocket with the most insulting language, for which I should have struck hi m had it not been for Ella's sake. I know now how much he wanted that pearl, and how its possession would have saved him from the ruin which is threatening him. He refused to allow me to see Ella, but to this injustice I would not submit. We managed to meet. I told her my entire story and of course she believed me. She even went further; she spoke to her father and told him that if I was refused admittance to the house she would also leave it and marry me. As she is of age, Forrester knew he could not prevent her. 
   
 
 
 
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 "'You can cut me off with a shilling,' said my brave girl, 'but I will not desert Cyril. I would rather be his wife than the wife of the richest man on earth.' 
 "Forrester, brute as he is, is more or less influenced by Ella. I believe his present hope is to induce her to marry that rich scoundrel whom you met there to-night, Sutherland. He hopes to effect this by guile, for in no other way could he get Ella to consent to it. Now I am allowed there on sufferance, hence my appearance on the scene this evening. There, now you have the whole situation, Lonsdale. What do you think of it?" 
 "My dear fellow, I don't know what to think of it," I replied. "You must give me time to clearly take in your story. It is an extraordinary one. What an awful escape you had of your life! And then for your luck to end with all this misery and suspicion is a bitter reward indeed I But as to the pearl, that seems to me to be the crucial point. What do you yourself think became of it?" 
 "That is the puzzle of all puzzles," he answered.· "Personally, I distrust that skipper's story. I believe it was he who stole it; I believe also that he shot the doctor, who saw him take it, and then made up the story. He was a great rascal, I knew, but I could not get so good a man for my work, as he knew every inch of the Reef." 
 "But if the pearl was of such exceptional value and unique appearance, could it be disposed, of in any market without comments on it leaking out?" I asked. 
   
 
 
 
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 "No, certainly not; and that is also a very queer point. Of course, it is possible that some private deal might have been made. Any way, it is gone now, and I shall never see it again. There is no use crying over spilt milk. Ella is true to me, that is my one and only comfort; and if I could only persuade her to marry me, poor as I am, I believe I should have heart enough to leave the country and start afresh somewhere else. Luckily, I know all about the pearling business, and may come across another treasure on my own account." 
 Although his words were brave enough, there was a bitter ring in his voice. I looked at him and saw that to a great extent his spirit was broken. 
 "It is Forrester's suspicion of me which makes things so hard," he said, meeting my eyes. "Of course, I know only too well that the man is unscrupulous himself, but his attitude towards me is almost intolerable." 
 "Well, you have but to keep up your, courage," I said, after a pause. "The girl is true to you, which is the main point. I grant that things look dark now, but you never know how quickly the cloud may lift. Forrester's accusation is, of course, infamous, and I would not dwell on it if I were you. I suppose you know best, but I think you should have spent more time in trying to regain that pearl, and I think still, granting what you say about its unique appearance, you should still make strenuous efforts to trace it. Surely it would not be impossible to pick up the thread again." 
   
 
 
 
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 "You speak without knowledge," he answered testily, "I did everything that man could while on the spot. I spent a whole month's earnings in cables and enquiries. There was no use throwing more good money after bad. The maddening thing is this, Lonsdale--I cannot recall those last words of poor young Dr. Robertson just as he bent over me in the tent. God only knows how I have tried to bring back that lost memory. Another moment and I should have been sufficiently conscious to have retained each word. I am absolutely certain that he was telling me about the pearl, because that was the word I could alone distinctly recall." 
 "Yes, it is indeed maddening," I answered. "Well, I can only give you the hackneyed advice not to give way, old chap. I am afraid I must ask you to leave me now, as I have to visit some patients, late as it is, but will you promise to come and dine with me at 7.30 to-morrow evening?" 
 "Yes," he replied, "I will with pleasure." 
 As soon as Tempest had gone, I went out to see my patient, an old man dying of paralysis in the next street. I returned soon after midnight, built up my fire, and sat down to think over the strange story which had been confided to me. It was curious enough, in all conscience. 
 "What tiny events and moments alter the whole current of affairs of a life," I thought. If Tempest could only recall the words whispered to him by the doctor as consciousness was struggling back all would, I felt certain, be explained. The mystery of the lost pearl would be made clear. 
   
 
 
 
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 The more I thought over the circumstance, the more inclined I was to the belief that the scoundrel who had shot the doctor might not, after all, have discovered the pearl. 
 Tempest had heard certain words when returning to the world of sense after the unconsciousness produced by chloroform. Might a similar condition start the same train of thought, and automatically reproduce the words impressed on his brain by the doctor just before his death? 
 The more I thought over this the more it seemed feasible. I felt intensely excited as the possibility grew vividly before me. It was a subject upon which I had often thought, and apart from the tremendous issues which might depend upon the result, here was the very chance to try it. 
 I determined to think the matter over carefully, and, if I decided on attempting it, to broach the subject to Tempest the next evening. 
 The whole of the following day I was haunted by this thought, and definitely determined to propose the experiment when my friend arrived. It was with some anxiety, therefore, I awaited his coming. 
 He arrived about a quarter to eight, and I went to the door myself to let him in. As I glanced at his face I saw that he had gone through a depressing day, and had doubtless not been able to persuade Ella Forrester to run away with him. His face was drawn and pale, and there were heavy rings round his eyes. 
   
 
 
 
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 "It's all over, Lonsdale," he said, sinking into a chair and looking the picture of despair. 
 "She has refused your suggestion then?" I said. "Well, Tempest, I must confess I am scarcely surprised. I have known Ella for years, and I do not think she is the sort of girl willingly to desert her father, even for the man she loves." 
 His face relaxed into the ghost of a smile. 
 "She does love me, there is no doubt of that," he answered. Then he rose, the stern lines came back to his mouth and brow. He clenched one of his hands. 
 "My very worst fears are realised," he said; "I don't blame her, poor darling, she is driven to it. Her father is forcing her to marry Sutherland, and after months of opposition she is beginning to yield. She told me that her father absolutely went on his knees to her last night and implored of her to save him from ruin. What could a girl do under such circumstances? " 
 "Listen, Tempest," I said, "I have something to say to you. You must keep quiet; I do not believe all hope i s over. Here is dinner. Sit down and see whether a glass of this old Heidseck won't smooth away some of those wrinkles from your face." 
 He approached the table; we sat down and dinner proceeded. By the time we had reached dessert I saw that Tempest had sufficiently regained his self-control for me to enter on the business which now occupied all my thoughts. 
   
 
 
 
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 "I have a proposal to make to you, and I want your closest attention," I said. 
 "What is that?" he asked. 
 Then I began to unfold the idea I had formulated on the previous evening. I watched him closely as I spoke, noting the effect of my words. At first he listened with a listless air, as if wondering why I was troubling him with a psychological theory that did not in the least interest him, but as I came to the point, and at last blurted out the naked fact that if he were once more put under the influence· of chloroform the memory he was in vain struggling to grip might return, he started back, stared at me, his eyes dilated, and his lips parted in wonder. 
 "Do you mean it, Lonsdale?" he cried, "do you really think it possible; it sounds too good to be true." 
 "It is by no means impossible, my dear fellow," I answered. "Mind, I don't say for a moment it will be successful, but I tell you as a medical man I think it worth trying." 
 "Then try to-night, don't lose a moment, try now." 
 The sudden revulsion from despair to a possible hope had sent the colour to his cheeks. He was all on fire with excitement. 
 "There is no earthly reason why we should not try to-night," I said. "You have taken very little dinner, luckily. We will try within the next couple of hours. I have only one concession to ask on your part." 
   
 
 
 
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 "What is that?" 
 "As there is always a very slight element of danger in the administration of chloroform, will you hand me a written note that the experiment is at your wish, and for the purpose stated?" 
 "Of course I will," he replied. He went straight over to the writing table, drew up a short note at my dictation, and signed it. 
 It was with the greatest difficulty I could restrain his impatience during the time that intervened between then and eleven o'clock, as I did not care to experiment sooner. At that hour I took him into my consulting room, told him to undo his collar and shirt and lie down on the sofa. I examined his chest with curiosity. I could see plainly what had been done. A piece of bone from the breast bone had been removed, and there was a scar. 
 His excitement certainly had infected me, and I lost no time in commencing the experiment. I administered the chloroform slowly, and he gradually sank under its influence. It was in the second stage, the stage of excitement, that I expected the result, if any, and I watched him passing into this with the utmost interest. His limbs began to move and his face to flush, and then his voice broke into incoherent words. I strained my ears, listening intently. What was he saying? He was murmuring certain words over and over again, saying them thickly, monotonously; they sounded like a mere jumble. 
 I grew impatient and anxious, for I knew that this stage lasted but a minute.   
 
 
 
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 Then he became quieter, and I had abandoned all hope of success when, in a low murmur that dwindled almost to a whisper, yet with perfect distinctness, I caught the words-- 
 "The pearl is safe in the wound. I have put it there for safety. It is your only chance." 
 The next instant I had snatched the chloroform from his face, and was standing motionless beside him, as the meaning of his words struck home. The pearl put for safety in the wound in his chest. Was it possible? 
 At first I could scarcely believe the evidence of my own ears. If, indeed, Tempest was uttering the truth, he had for months, ever since that fatal moment, carried the pink pearl always with him and yet not known it. In an instant of inspiration when the tent was attacked, the doctor must have dipped the pink pearl in his anæsthetic and slipped it into the cavity made by the wound, where it had remained without causing pain or giving any sign of its presence. 
 Such things had, I knew, been done experimentally with success. What news I had for him when he awoke, or would it not be better for me to go right on with matters now, push him again under the chloroform, open the wound in his chest, and finish the whole thing? Yes, I would do it. 
 I immediately continued the chloroform, and then quickly got out my instruments. Was I right in doing this single-handed? I determined to risk it. In less than five minutes my preliminary work was done, and in less than another minute my labour had its reward, and the pearl lay in my forceps on the table. 
   
 
 
 
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 I rapidly completed the operation, put on the dressings, fixing them with a bandage, and then I sat down beside my patient and waited quietly till he should come round. 
 It is needless to add much more. The pink pearl was its own harbinger of peace, of success, of fortune. 
 Two months later Cyril Tempest married the girl he loved, severed his partnership with Forrester, and went away with her to Queensland. There he commenced his pearling operations on his own account with marked success, and writes to me that he is the happiest man in the world. 
   
 
 
 Publication Date: October 18th 2014 https://www.bookrix.com/-sseabe3e79a1f35