"Your brother, Jasper. I admit it. Perhaps you will find it impossible to believe that I loved him. But I did with my whole heart and soul. I loved him and I killed him. Does it not sound strange? But this is the fact. I had to do it—for the sake of my people and my religion I had to do it. When I recovered those papers I slew him as he knew I would. He was the only thing on earth that I had to care for."
"Oh! Had you not a daughter?"
The woman made a gesture of contempt.
"A poor creature," she said. "But I brought her up in the strong faith I follow, and so she has not been without her uses. Not that she knows anything of the Holy Temple and the ceremonial there. I never told her about the two men who escaped along the Black Valley. If I had I should have known you to be a worthy antagonist instead of a half-witted fool, and then you would never have brought me to this pass. Oh, if I had only told her that!"
There was a passionate ring in the woman's voice. It was the first time during the interview that she had displayed any humanity.
"You didn't and there is an end of it," Ralph said. "Go on."
"Is there any need to go on? I have failed and there is an end of the matter. When my husband died my feelings were turned to rage and hatred of you all."
"Why should you all live and prosper while he was dead?" said Mrs. May. "With your money I could do anything among my own people. I could found a new dynasty. Did I not possess the occult knowledge of the East with a thorough knowledge of what you are pleased to call Western civilization? I could do it. A little longer and your wealth would have come to my child; in other words, it would have come to me. Do you understand what I mean?"
"Perfectly. I have understood for some time. Before I returned to England I had an idea of what was at the bottom of the vendetta. But you would not have succeeded. Tchigorsky and myself made up our minds that if we could not bring the crimes home to you we would shoot you."
Ralph spoke with a grim coldness that was not without its effect upon the listener. Hard as she was, the sentiment was after her own heart.