Saraband for Two Sisters

There was that in his voice, in the touch of his hands, which moved me deeply. More than anything I wanted to please him, to comfort him, to make him happy. If Angelet had suffered from her frigidity, so must he. My love for him overwhelmed me. Why not . night? Then I would go away. And so it was.

He gave no sign that he knew I was not my sister just for to - I was awakened by strange noises. I started up, horror dawning on me. I was in the four-poster bed and Richard was beside me.

I could not describe the noise, but I knew that someone was in the room. I heard a crash as though a stool were being thrown and there was wild demonical laughter followed by snarling noises such as a wild animal might make. Richard had thrown back the curtains and was out of bed.

I followed.

He had lighted a candle, and I cried out in fear, for something horrible was in the room. In those first seconds I had not thought it human; it was like something conjured up in a nightmare. But it -was human. It was a child, with wild tousled hair and arms so long that they almost reached the ground. The body was bent forward, and the creature shuffled. Its lips were loose, its eyes wild-mad, murderous eyes. “Cherry!” called Richard, but Cherry was already at the door. Behind him was Mrs.

Cherry.

Richard had caught the creature and was holding it while its long arms lashed out in protest. It started to wail like an animal.

Mrs. Cherry murmured, “Mercy on us. I’ll get John.”

The creature had broken free and had run to a stool. He picked it up, but Richard was there before it could crash through the mirror.

The struggle went on but it was all that both Richard and Cherry could do to hold those thrashing arms.

A man came in. I knew he was Strawberry John because Angelet had mentioned him once and he was immediately recognizable by the scar on his face. “Now come, my boy,” said John. “Now come, my friend. John’s here.” The arms stopped thrashing and John seized them suddenly from behind, pinioning the writhing body.

“Now, it doesn’t hurt if you’re still. You know that. Only if you struggle. Now you come with John. Now ... now, easy does it. That’s better.” The writhing had ceased and the man with the scar gently but firmly led the creature away.

Mrs. Cherry stood trembling in the doorway. “I can’t think how, sir. The bolt had been drawn. Cherry always draws it»

“Never mind now, Mrs. Cherry,” said Richard.

I had remained in the shadows but now the violence was over I was aware of the predicament in which I found myself. I was discovered, exposed. I kept telling myself that this was a nightmare from which I would awaken at any moment, but I knew very well it was real.

As the sounds of scuffling died away Richard shut the door and leaned against it. I shook out my hair to hide the scars on my brow and involuntarily I covered the one on my cheek with my hand.

“That ... creature is my son,” he said. “You will have to know now.” I did not answer. I was afraid to speak because even now I was not sure whether he thought I was Angelet.

I felt there was no need for him to explain. I understood so much. This son was an idiot, a monster; he was shut in the castle with strong man Strawberry John to look after him. The Cherrys knew the secret. He was kept in the castle and the door in the kitchen was the way into that sinister place. I had unbolted the door and it had remained so, which gave this boy-monster, whatever he was, the opportunity to come into the house.

I had set the stage for my own betrayal-which I suppose is what happens to wrongdoers. I had to think quickly. Could I really deceive him? Could I go on pretending to be Angelet? There were only the scars to betray me.

I said, “I understand, Richard. I understand it all.

He came to me, then he gently lifted the hair from my forehead and kissed my scars.

A great joy swept over me. There was no longer need for deception. He knew.

“Did you think I didn’t know?” he said. “Oh, Bersaba, why did you do it?”

“Because I am wicked, I suppose.”

“Never that,” he said. “Afterward I went away. I said it must not happen again and then I came back longing for you to come to me.”

“I thought you would hate me if you knew.”

“I could never do anything but love you and I shall always remember that you did this for me. Don’t you see I shall love you forever?”

I put my head against him and I felt suddenly weak, wanting to be taken care of.

He kissed my hair. Why had I thought he was a cold and passionless man? I knew that his love for me was as deep and overwhelming as mine for him. “As soon as you came into this house,” he said, stroking my hair, “it was clear to me that I needed you. Every minute with you is an excitement, an adventure. Why did you not come to London in place of-“ He was a man of strict conventions, a man with a sense of righteousness, and he could not bring himself to say Angelet’s name.

“You married my sister,” I said. “You must have loved her.»