By the time this was done the evening was well advanced. He did not leave
Askatoon until the moment which coincided with that in which Orlando left
Nolan Doyle's garden and took the trail to Slow Down Ranch. Orlando would
strike the trail from Askatoon to Tralee at a point where another trail
also joined.
Mazarine drove fast through the town, as though eager to put it behind
him, but when he reached the trail on the prairie he slackened his pace,
and drove steadily homewards, lost in the darkest reflections he had ever
known; and that was saying much. The reins lay loose in his fingers, and
he became so absorbed that he was conscious of nothing save movement.
The heart of Black Brian, the King, of whom Patsy Kernaghan told his
mythical story in Nolan Doyle's garden, had never housed more repulsive
thoughts than were in Mazarine's heart in this unfortunate hour of his
own making. No single feeling of kindness was in his spirit. He heard
nothing, was conscious of nothing, save his own grim, fantastic
imaginings.
A jealousy and hatred as terrible as ever possessed a man were on him. An
egregious self-will, a dreadful spirit of unholy old age in him, was
turned hatefully upon the youth long since gone from himself--the youth
which, in its wild, innocent ardours, had brought two young people
together, one of them his own captive for years.
The peace of the prairie, the shining, infant moon, the kindly darkness,
were all at variance with the soul of the man, whose only possession was
what money could buy; and what money had bought in the way of human flesh
and blood, beauty and sweet youth he had not been able to hold.
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