As We Forgive Them - free ebook by William Le Queux

Read as playlist

As We Forgive Them

William Le Queux

32 chapters

11 hour read

Read as playlist

Selected Chapters

32 chapters

William Le Queux "As We Forgive Them"

William Le Queux "As We Forgive Them"

In these modern times of breathless hurry and great combines, when birth counts for nothing; when fortunes are made in a day and credit is lost in an hour, men’s secrets are sometimes very strange ones. It is one of these which I have here revealed; one that will, I anticipate, both startle and puzzle the reader. The mystery is, in fact, one taken from the daily life about us, the truth concerning it having hitherto been regarded as strictly confidential by the persons herein mentioned, although

39 minute read

Read Chapter

From the Author to the Reader.

From the Author to the Reader.

“Dead! And he’s carried his secret with him to his grave!” “Never!” “But he has. Look! His jaw has dropped. Can’t you see the change, man!” “Then he’s carried out his threat after all!” “By Heaven, he has! We’ve been fools, Reggie—utter idiots!” I whispered. “So it seems. I confess that I fully expected he’d tell us the truth when he knew that the end had really come.” “Ah! you didn’t know him as I did,” I remarked bitterly. “He had a will of iron and a nerve of steel.” “Combined with the consti

8 minute read

Read Chapter

The Stranger in Manchester.

The Stranger in Manchester.

“Blair was no fool. He knew what knowledge of the truth meant to us—a huge fortune. So he simply kept his secret.” “And left us in penniless chagrin. Well, although we’ve lost thousands, Gilbert, I can’t help admiring his dogged determination. He went through a lot, recollect, and he’s been a good friend to us—very good—so I suppose we really oughtn’t to abuse him, however much we regret that he didn’t let us into his secret.” “Ah, if only those white lips could speak! One word, and we’d both be

14 minute read

Read Chapter

Contains Certain Mysterious Facts.

Contains Certain Mysterious Facts.

“I wonder if anything will come out at the inquest?” queried Reggie, later that evening. “His lawyers undoubtedly know nothing.” “He may have left some paper which reveals the truth,” I answered. “Men who are silent in life often commit their secrets to paper.” “I don’t think Burton ever did.” “He may have done so for Mabel’s benefit, remember.” “Ah! by Jove!” gasped my friend, “I never thought of that. If he wished to provide for her, he would leave his secret with some one whom he could implic

16 minute read

Read Chapter

In Which a Strange Story is Told.

In Which a Strange Story is Told.

“Has your daughter been taken ill?” I inquired, when I had thoroughly examined him. “Well, the fact is we’ve walked a long way to-day, and I think she’s done up. She became dazed like about half an hour ago, and when she sat down she fell insensible.” “She mustn’t stay here,” I remarked, as the fact became plain that both father and daughter were tramps. “She’ll get frozen to death. My house is over yonder. I’ll ride on and bring back some one to help carry her.” The man commenced to thank me, b

20 minute read

Read Chapter

Which Traverses Dangerous Ground.

Which Traverses Dangerous Ground.

“I recollect him showing me that little bag of wash-leather on the first night of our acquaintance,” I said. “He then declared that what was contained therein would bring him wealth—and it certainly has done,” I added, glancing round that magnificent apartment. “It brought him wealth, but not happiness, Mr Greenwood,” she responded quickly. “That packet, the contents of which I have never seen, he has carried with him in his pocket or suspended round his neck ever since it first came into his po

22 minute read

Read Chapter

In which the Mystery Becomes Considerably Increased.

In which the Mystery Becomes Considerably Increased.

“That’s a curious doggerel,” the solicitor smiled. “But poor Blair possessed but little literary culture, I fear. He knew more about the sea than poetry. Yet, after all, it seems a tantalising situation that you should be left the secret of the source of my client’s enormous fortune, and that it should be stolen from you in this manner.” “We had, I think, better consult the police, and explain our suspicions,” I said, in bitter chagrin that the chamois sachet should have fallen into other hands.

23 minute read

Read Chapter

Concerns Three Capital A’s.

Concerns Three Capital A’s.

“That’s curious!” I remarked, turning it over anxiously in my hand. “Have you tried to discover what meaning the words convey?” “Yes; but it’s some cipher or other, I think. You will notice that the two upper columns commence with ‘A,’ and the lower column ends with the same letter. The card is the ace of hearts, and in all those points I detect some hidden meaning.” “No doubt,” I said. “But was there an appearance of it being carefully preserved?” “Yes, it was sealed in a linen-lined envelope t

23 minute read

Read Chapter

The Mysterious Foreigner.

The Mysterious Foreigner.

“Late,” the old fellow grunted. “He may be a working-man, and if so I shall not be able to see anything of him till evening. I’ll call here at eleven o’clock to-night,” and then he shuffled out, leaving an odour of stale garlic and strong tobacco. I began to wonder what the hotel people would think of me entertaining such a visitor, for the Savoy is one of the smartest in Florence, but my apprehensions were quickly dispelled, for as we passed out I heard the uniformed hall-porter exclaim in Ital

20 minute read

Read Chapter

In which the Truth is Spoken.

In which the Truth is Spoken.

Ah! I did not know if they would listen. In her place I would rather have carried the child to one of those wayside shrines where the Virgin of the contadini reigns. The Madonnas and Saints of Ghirlandajo and Civitali and Della Querica who inhabited that magnificent old church seemed somehow to be creatures of ceremony, hardened by secular pomp. Strange as it may seem, I could not imagine that they would occupy themselves with a poor old woman from the olive mill or with her deformed and dying c

21 minute read

Read Chapter

The House of Silence.

The House of Silence.

“You knew her mother, then?” I asked in some surprise. He nodded in the affirmative, but gave no further information. Suddenly turning to me as we walked towards the city gate, the Ponto Santa Maria, where the uniformed officers of the dazio were lounging ready to tax every pennyworth of food-stuff entering there, he demanded— “How did you know that I had an appointment with our friend to-night?” “By the letter which you wrote him, and which was found in his bag after his decease,” I responded f

22 minute read

Read Chapter

The Man of Secrets.

The Man of Secrets.

“Time can only reveal that Reginald Seton has been one of the dead man’s best friends,” I said reflectively. “Outwardly, yes,” was the Capuchin’s dubious remark. “An enemy as deadly as the Ceco?” I inquired, watching his face the while. “The Ceco!” he gasped, instantly taken aback by my bold remark. “Who told you of him? What do you know regarding him?” The monk had evidently forgotten what he had written in that letter to Blair. “I know that he is in London,” I responded, taking my cue from his

18 minute read

Read Chapter

Which Explains the Peril of Mabel Blair.

Which Explains the Peril of Mabel Blair.

“Why—I believe so!” I cried. “I believe you’ve guessed the truth! But on the other hand, neither his servant nor the neighbours suspected him of being a foreigner.” “He speaks Italian very well,” agreed the old man, “but they said he had a slight accent.” “Well,” I said, excited at this latest theory. “Return at once to the Via San Cristofano and make further inquiries regarding the mysterious individual’s eyesight and his glasses. The old woman who keeps his rooms has no doubt seen him without

17 minute read

Read Chapter

Mr Richard Dawson.

Mr Richard Dawson.

“Ah! but you don’t know him!” she cried. “You don’t suspect what I know to be the truth!” “What’s that?” “No,” she said in a low hoarse voice, “I may not tell you. You will discover all ere long, and then you will not be surprised that I abhor the very name of the man.” “But why on earth did your father insert such a clause in his will?” “Because he was compelled,” she answered hoarsely. “He could not help himself.” “And if he had refused—refused to place you in the power of such a person—what t

22 minute read

Read Chapter

Burton Blair’s Secret is Revealed.

Burton Blair’s Secret is Revealed.

“But don’t you know what that involves, man?” he cried, and having risen from his chair he now stood before me, his thin fingers twitching with excitement. “No, I don’t,” I said, laughing in an endeavour to treat his words lightly. “He has left me as a legacy the little bag he always carried, together with certain instructions which I shall endeavour to act upon.” “Very well,” he snarled. “Do just as you think fit, only I would rather you were left possessor of that secret than me—that’s all.” H

20 minute read

Read Chapter

Gives an Expert Opinion.

Gives an Expert Opinion.

Upon the front of the ace of clubs was scrawled in three parallel columns of five letters each, thus:— E H N W E D T O L I E H W H R Again, I turned up the king of spades and found on the reverse only fourteen letters:— Q W F T S W T H U O F E Y E “I wonder what it all means?” I exclaimed, carefully examining the written characters in the light. The letters were in capitals just as rudely and unevenly drawn as those upon the ace of hearts, evidently by an uneducated hand. Indeed the A’s betrayed

21 minute read

Read Chapter

Certain Things we Found at Mayvill.

Certain Things we Found at Mayvill.

“Oh, I know I’m a very wilful girl in your eyes,” she exclaimed, with a smile. “You always used to say so when I was at school.” “Well, to tell the truth, you were,” I answered quite openly. “Of course. You men never make allowance for a girl. You assume your freedom with your first long trousers, while we unfortunate girls are not allowed a single moment alone, either inside the house or out of it. No matter whether we be as ugly as Mother Shipton or as beautiful as Venus, we must all of us be

21 minute read

Read Chapter

In which Two Curious Facts are Established.

In which Two Curious Facts are Established.

Walking back to the writing-table she took up the envelope and re-read the superscription which Blair had written upon it, and then for the first time her eyes fell upon the photograph of that lonely house by the crossways. “Why!” she cried, startled, “where did you find this?” I explained that it had dropped from the envelope, whereupon she took it up and gazed, for a long time upon it. Then, turning it over, she discovered what I had not noticed, namely, written faintly in pencil and half effa

22 minute read

Read Chapter

Merely Concerns a Stranger.

Merely Concerns a Stranger.

Presently, on the old stone bridge across the river which formed the outlet of the lake, they halted, when, concealing myself behind a tree, I was enabled, by the light of the moon which had fortunately now grown brighter, to clearly see the features of Mabel’s mysterious companion. I judged him to be about twenty-eight, an ill-bred, snub-nosed, yellow-haired common-looking fellow, whose hulking form as he leaned against the low parapet was undoubtedly that of an agriculturist. His face was hard

20 minute read

Read Chapter

The Crossways at Owston.

The Crossways at Owston.

“I want you to still regard me with some esteem, as you always have done,” she said, bursting into tears, “I don’t like to think that I’ve fallen in your estimation. Remember, I am a woman—and may be forgiven a woman’s impulses and follies.” “You have not fallen in my estimation at all, Mabel,” I assured her. “My only regret is that the scoundrel made such an outrageous attempt upon you. But it was fortunate that I followed you, although I suppose I ought to apologise to you for acting the eaves

21 minute read

Read Chapter

Which Contains a Clue.

Which Contains a Clue.

The aged pair seemed flattered at receiving us as visitors, and good-naturedly offered us a glass of ale. “It’s home-brewed, you know,” declared Mrs Hales. “The likes of us can’t afford wine. Just taste it,” she urged, and being thus pressed we were glad of an excuse to extend our visit. The old lady had bustled out to the kitchen to fetch glasses, when Reggie rose to his feet, closed the door quickly, and, turning to Hales, said in a low voice— “We want to have five minutes’ private conversatio

24 minute read

Read Chapter

The Reading of the Record.

The Reading of the Record.

“I honestly believe it does if we could only discover the proper arrangement,” I declared in breathless excitement. “That’s just it,” remarked Reggie, in dismay. “That’s just where the ingenuity of the cipher lies. It’s so very simple, and yet so extraordinarily complicated that the possible combinations run into millions. Think of it!” “But we have the rhyme which distinctly shows their arrangement:— ”‘King Henry the Eighth was a knave to his queen, He’d one short of seven and nine or ten—’ “Th

24 minute read

Read Chapter

“Worse than Death.”

“Worse than Death.”

“There is no negative evidence regarding the actual gift of the pack of cards to Blair by this reformed outlaw, is there!” I inquired. “None whatever. For my own part I believe that Poldo gave them to Blair together with instruction to return ashore and find me, because he had showed him many little kindnesses during repeated illnesses. Poldo, on giving up his evil ways, had become religious and used to attend sailors’ Bethels and missions when ashore, while Blair was, as you know, a very God-fe

22 minute read

Read Chapter

The Mystery of a Night’s Adventure.

The Mystery of a Night’s Adventure.

“We must find her,” said Mrs Percival, resolutely. “Ah!” she sighed, “I really don’t know what will happen, for the house is now in possession of this odious man Dawson and his daughter, and the man is a most uncouth, ill-bred fellow. He addresses the servants with an easy familiarity, just as though they were his equals; and just now, he actually complimented one of the housemaids upon her good looks! Terrible, Mr Greenwood, terrible,” exclaimed the widow, greatly shocked. “Most disgraceful sho

24 minute read

Read Chapter

Which is in Many Ways Amazing.

Which is in Many Ways Amazing.

“In Italy!” I cried, the very name of that country arousing within me suspicion of an attempt upon me by Dawson or by his close friend, the Monk of Lucca. “Yes; Sir Charles, who, as you probably know, possesses a large collection of ancient arms, tells me that in mediaeval Florence they used to impregnate animal fat with some very potent poison and then rub it upon the perforated blade. On striking a victim the act of withdrawing the blade from the wound left a portion of the envenomed grease wi

23 minute read

Read Chapter

Contains a Terrible Disclosure.

Contains a Terrible Disclosure.

“Why, look! there’s Dawson’s daughter walking with a man!” I glanced quickly in the direction indicated and saw, crossing the bridge that spanned the lake and approaching in our direction, a well-dressed female figure in a smart jacket of caracul and neat toque, accompanied by a tall thin man in black. Dolly Dawson was walking at his side leisurely, chatting and laughing, while he ever and anon bent towards her making some remarks. As he raised his head to glance across the water I saw that abov

19 minute read

Read Chapter

The Sacred Name.

The Sacred Name.

“He has been here,” was her answer, “but has gone.” “You left London in secret to join him, I suppose?” I remarked bitterly. “At his demand. He wished to see me.” “And to obtain money from you by threats as he attempted on that night at Mayvill?” The broken, white-faced girl nodded in the affirmative. “I came to this place,” she explained, “as a paying-guest. A girl I knew at school, Bessie Wood, lives here with her mother. They believe I made a runaway match, and have been extremely kind to me

16 minute read

Read Chapter

Face to Face.

Face to Face.

“Oh!” he sneered, with curling lip. “And I’d like to know by what right you interfere between us?” “By the common right every man has to shield an unprotected and persecuted woman,” I replied, firmly. “I know you, and am well aware of your shameful past. Shall I recall one incident, that, now you attempt to defy me, you appear to have conveniently forgotten? Do you not recollect a certain night in the park at Mayvill not so very long ago, and do you not recollect that you there attempted to comm

12 minute read

Read Chapter

The Directions of His Eminence.

The Directions of His Eminence.

At last, after we had climbed high along a rocky cliff that descended sheer into the water, and had calculated four hundred and twenty steps from the old pointed bridge, we suddenly rounded a bend in the river and came upon a space where the stream, still a hundred feet or so below, broadened out, so that it lay open to the sky for forty yards or so. “It must be here!” I cried in eager anticipation, halting and quickly surveying the spot. “The directions are to descend twenty-four foot-holes. I

12 minute read

Read Chapter

Describes a Startling Discovery.

Describes a Startling Discovery.

“We expected to reveal the secret of the Cardinal Sannini,” was my frank response, well knowing that he was in possession of the truth, and suspecting that, with the one-eyed Englishman, he had been partner with Blair. The monk’s strongly-marked, sunburnt features assumed a puzzled expression, for he saw that we had gained some knowledge, yet he hesitated to make inquiry lest he should betray himself. Capuchins, like Jesuits, are wonderful diplomatists. Doubtless, the monk’s personal fascination

16 minute read

Read Chapter

In which a Strange Tale is Told.

In which a Strange Tale is Told.

“I have already pledged myself to continue to act towards your Order as Burton Blair has done,” I replied. “As to Dawson that is another matter, but certainly my friend Seton here will not be forgotten, nor you personally, as the faithful holder of the secret.” “Any reward of mine goes to my Order,” was the manly fellow’s quiet reply. “We are forbidden to possess money, our small personal wants being supplied by the father superior, and of this world’s riches we desire none save that necessary t

14 minute read

Read Chapter

The Motive and the Moral.

The Motive and the Moral.

“Then if that man is dead—actually dead—I am free!” “How? Explain!” I demanded. “Well, now that circumstances have combined to thus liberate me, I will confess to you,” she responded after a brief pause. Her face had suddenly flushed and glancing across at the door, she first reassured herself that it was closed. Then in a deep, intense voice she said, looking straight into my face with those wonderful eyes of hers, “I have been the victim of a foul, base plot which I will explain, so that, know

12 minute read

Read Chapter