Chapter XLII

In a few minutes the vessel which Philip and Schriften had left was no longer to be discerned through the thick haze; the Phantom Ship was still in sight, but at a much greater distance from them than she was before.  Philip pulled hard towards her, but although hove-to, she appeared to increase her distance from the boat.  For a short time he paused on his oars, to regain his breath, when Schriften rose up and took his seat in the stern sheets of the boat.  “You may pull and pull, Philip Vanderdecken,” observed Schriften; “but you will not gain that ship—­no, no, that cannot be—­we may have a long cruise together, but you will be as far from your object at the end of it, as you are now at the commencement.—­Why don’t you throw me overboard again?  You would be all the lighter—­He! he!”

“I threw you overboard in a state of frenzy,” replied Philip, “when you attempted to force from me my relic.”

“And have I not endeavoured to make others take it from you this very day?—­Have I not—­He! he!”

“You have,” rejoined Philip; “but I am now convinced, that you are as unhappy as myself, and that in what you are doing, you are only following your destiny, as I am mine.  Why, and wherefore I cannot tell, but we are both engaged in the same mystery;—­if the success of my endeavours depends upon guarding the relic, the success of yours depends upon your obtaining it, and defeating my purpose by so doing.  In this matter we are both agents, and you have been, as far as my mission is concerned, my most active enemy.  But, Schriften, I have not forgotten, and never will, that you kindlily did advise my poor Amine; that you prophesied to her what would be her fate, if she did not listen to your counsel; that you were no enemy of hers, although you have been, and are still mine.  Although my enemy, for her sake I forgive you, and will not attempt to harm you.”

“You do then forgive your enemy, Philip Vanderdecken?” replied Schriften, mournfully, “for such, I acknowledge myself to be.”

“I do, with all my heart, with all my soul,” replied Philip.

“Then have you conquered me, Philip Vanderdecken; you have now made me your friend, and your wishes are about to be accomplished.  You would know who I am.  Listen:—­when your Father, defying the Almighty’s will, in his rage took my life, he was vouchsafed a chance of his doom being cancelled, through the merits of his son.  I had also my appeal, which was for vengeance; it was granted that I should remain on earth, and thwart your will.  That as long as we were enemies, you should not succeed; but that when you had conformed to the highest attribute of Christianity, proved on the holy cross, that of forgiving your enemy, your task should be fulfilled.  Philip Vanderdecken, you have forgiven your enemy, and both our destinies are now accomplished.”