He had stood on the
verge of many crimes, and had been forcibly dragged back therefrom
by the strong arm of Guy Oscard. It had been Victor Durnovo's
intention not only to abandon Jack Meredith to his certain fate, but
to appropriate to his own use the consignment of Simiacine, valued
at sixty thousand pounds, which he had brought down to the coast.
The end of it all was, of course, the possession of Jocelyn Gordon.
The programme was simple; but, racked as he was by anxiety, weakened
by incipient disease, and paralysed by chronic fear, the
difficulties were too great to be overcome. To be a thorough
villain one must possess, first of all, good health; secondly,
untiring energy; and thirdly, a certain enthusiasm for wrong-doing
for its own sake. Criminals of the first standard have always loved
crime. Victor Durnovo was not like that. He only made use of
crime, and had no desire to cultivate it for its own sake. To be
forcibly dragged back, therefore, into the paths of virtue was in
some ways a great relief. The presence of Guy Oscard, also, was in
itself a comfort. Durnovo felt that no responsibility attached
itself to him; he had entire faith in Oscard, and had only to obey.
Durnovo was not a person who suffered from too delicate a
susceptibility. The shame of his present position did not affect
him deeply.
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