diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 35429-8.txt | 6744 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 35429-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 138068 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 35429-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 141354 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 35429-h/35429-h.htm | 6980 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 35429.txt | 6744 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 35429.zip | bin | 0 -> 138050 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
9 files changed, 20484 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/35429-8.txt b/35429-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7421af3 --- /dev/null +++ b/35429-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6744 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Charming Fellow, Volume II (of 3), by +Frances Eleanor Trollope + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: A Charming Fellow, Volume II (of 3) + + +Author: Frances Eleanor Trollope + + + +Release Date: February 28, 2011 [eBook #35429] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHARMING FELLOW, VOLUME II (OF +3)*** + + +E-text prepared by Delphine Lettau, Mary Meehan, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images +generously made available by Internet Archive/American Libraries +(http://www.archive.org/details/americana) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has the other two volumes of this + novel. + Volume I: see http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35428 + Volume III: see http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35430 + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + http://www.archive.org/details/charmingfellow02trol + + + + + +A CHARMING FELLOW. + +by + +FRANCES ELEANOR TROLLOPE, + +Author of "Aunt Margaret's Trouble," "Mabel's Progress," etc. etc. + +In Three Volumes. + +VOL. II. + + + + + + + +London: +Chapman and Hall, 193, Piccadilly. +1876. + +Charles Dickens and Evans, +Crystal Palace Press. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +"So you are to come to Switzerland with us next month, Ancram," said +Miss Kilfinane. She was seated at the piano in Lady Seely's +drawing-room, and Algernon was leaning on the instrument, and idly +turning over a portfolio of music. + +"Yes; I hope your serene highness has no objection to that arrangement?" + +"It would be of no use my objecting, I suppose!" + +"Of none whatever. But it would be unpleasant." + +"Oh, you would still go then, whether I liked it or not?" + +"I'm afraid the temptation to travel about Europe in your company would +be too strong for me!" + +"How silly you are, Ancram!" said Miss Kilfinane, looking up half shyly, +half tenderly. But she met no answering look from Algernon. He had just +come upon a song that he wanted to try, and was drawing it out from +under a heap of others in the portfolio. + +"Look here, Castalia," he said, "I wish you would play through this +accompaniment for me. I can't manage it." + +It will be seen that Algernon had become familiar enough with Miss +Kilfinane to call her by her Christian-name. And, moreover, he addressed +her in a little tone of authority, as being quite sure she would do what +he asked her. + +"This?" she said, taking the song from his hand. "Why do you want to +sing this dull thing? I think Glück is so dreary! And, besides, it isn't +your style at all." + +"Isn't it? What is my style, I wonder?" + +"Oh light, lively things are your style." + +At the bottom of his mind, perhaps, Algernon thought so too. But it is +often very unpleasant to hear our own secret convictions uttered by +other people; and he did not like to be told that he could not sing +anything more solid than a French chansonette. + +"Lady Harriet particularly wishes me to try this thing of Glück's at her +house next Saturday," he said. + +Miss Kilfinane threw down the song pettishly. "Oh, Lady Harriet," she +exclaimed. "I might have known it was her suggestion! She is so full of +nonsense about her classical composers. I think she makes a fool of you, +Ancram. I know it will be a failure if you attempt that song." + +"Thank you very much, Miss Kilfinane! And now, having spoken your mind +on the subject, will you kindly play the accompaniment?" + +Algernon picked up the piece of music, smoothed it with his hand, placed +it on the desk of the piano, and made a little mocking bow to Castalia. +His serenity and good humour seemed to irritate her. "I'm sick of Lady +Harriet!" she said, querulously, and with a shrug of the shoulders. The +action and the words were so plainly indicative of ill temper, that Lady +Seely, who waddled into the drawing-room at that moment, asked loudly, +"What are you two quarrelling about, eh?" + +"Oh, what a shocking idea, my lady! We're not quarrelling at all," +answered Algernon, raising his eyebrows, and smiling with closed lips. +He rarely showed his teeth when he smiled, which circumstance gave his +mouth an expression of finesse and delicate irony that was peculiar, +and--coupled with the candidly-arched brows--attractive. + +"Well, it takes two to make a quarrel, certainly," returned my lady. +"But Castalia was scolding you, at all events. Weren't you now, +Castalia?" + +Castalia deigned not to reply, but tossed her head, and began to run her +fingers over the keys of the piano. + +"The fact is, Lady Seely," said Algernon, "that Castalia is so convinced +that I shall make a mess of this aria--which Lady Harriet Dormer has +asked me to sing for her next Saturday--that she declines to play the +accompaniment of it for me." + +"Well, you ought to be immensely flattered, young jackanapes! She +wouldn't care a straw about some people's failures, would you, Castalia? +Would you mind, now, if Jack Price were to sing a song and make an awful +mess of it, eh?" + +"As to that, it seems to me that Jack Price makes an awful mess of most +things he does," replied Castalia. + +"Ah, exactly! So one mess more or less don't matter. But in the case of +our Admirable Crichton here, it is different." + +"I think he is getting awfully spoiled," said Castalia, a little less +crossly. And there was absolutely a blush upon her sallow cheek. + +"And that's the reason you snub him, is it? You see, Ancram, it's all +for your good, if Castalia is a little hard on you!" + +Miss Kilfinane rose and left the room, saying that she must dress for +her drive. + +"I think Castalia is harder on Lady Harriet than on me," said Algernon, +when Castalia was gone. + +"Ah! H'm! Castalia has lots of good points, but--I daresay you have +noticed it--she is given to being a little bit jealous when she cares +about people. Now you show a decided liking for Lady Harriet's society, +and you crack up her grace, and her elegance, and her taste, and all +that. And sometimes I think poor Cassy don't quite like it, don't you +know?" + +"What on earth can it matter to her?" cried Algernon. He knew that +Castalia was no favourite with my lady, and he flattered himself that he +was becoming a favourite with her. So he spoke with a little +half-contemptuous smile, and a shrug of impatience, when he asked, "What +on earth can it matter to her?" + +But my lady did not smile. She threw her head back, and looked at +Algernon from under her half-closed eyelids. + +"It's my opinion, young man, that it matters a good deal to Castalia," +she said; "more than it would have mattered to me when I was a young +lady, I can tell you. But there's no accounting for tastes." + +Then Lady Seely also left the room, having first bidden Algernon to come +and dine with her the next day. + +Algernon was dumfoundered. + +Not that he had not perceived the scornful Castalia's partiality for his +charming self; not that her submission to his wishes, or even his whims, +and her jealous anxiety to keep him by her side whenever there appeared +to be danger of his leaving it for the company of a younger or more +attractive woman, had escaped his observation. But Algernon was not +fatuous enough to consider himself a lady-killer. His native good taste +would alone have prevented him from having any such pretension. It was +ridiculous; and it involved, almost of necessity, some affectation. And +Algernon never was affected. He accepted Castalia's marked preference as +the most natural thing in the world. He had been used to be petted and +preferred all his life. But it truly had not entered into his head that +the preference meant anything more than that Castalia found him amusing, +and clever, and good-looking, and that she liked to keep so attractive a +personage to herself as much as possible. For Algernon had noted the +Honourable Castalia's little grudging jealousies, and he knew as well as +anybody that she did not like to hear him praise Lady Harriet, for whom, +indeed, she had long entertained a smouldering sort of dislike. But that +she should have anything like a tender sentiment for himself, and, still +more, that Lady Seely should see and approve it--for my lady's words +and manner implied no less--was a very astonishing idea indeed. + +So astonishing was it, that after a while he came to the conclusion that +the idea was erroneous. He turned Lady Seely's words in his mind, this +way and that, and tried to look at them from all points of view, and--as +words will do when too curiously scrutinised--they gradually seemed to +take another and a different meaning, from the first obvious one which +had struck him. + +"The old woman was only giving me a hint not to annoy Miss Kilfinane; +not to excite her peevish temper, or exasperate her envy." + +But this solution would not quite do, either. "Lady Seely is not too +fond of Castalia," he said to himself. "Besides, I never knew her +particularly anxious to spare anyone's feelings. What the deuce did she +mean, I wonder?" + +Algernon continued to wonder at intervals all the rest of the afternoon. +His mind was still busy with the same subject when he came upon Jack +Price, seated in the reading-room of the club, to which he had +introduced Algernon at the beginning of his London career, and of which +Algernon had since become a member. It was now full summer time. The +window was wide open, and the Honourable John Patrick was lounging in a +chair near it, with a newspaper spread out on his knees, and his eyes +fixed on a water-cart that was be-sprinkling the dusty street outside. +He looked very idle, and a little melancholy, as he sat there by +himself, and he welcomed Algernon with even more than his usual +effusion, asking him what he was going to do with himself, and offering +to walk part of the way towards his lodgings with him, when he was told +that Algernon must betake himself homeward. The offer was a measure of +Mr. Price's previous weariness of spirit; for, in general, he professed +to dislike walking. + +"And how long is it since you saw our friend, Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs?" asked +Jack Price of Algernon, as they strolled along, arm-in-arm, on the shady +side of the way. + +"Oh--I'm afraid it's rather a long time," said Algernon, carelessly. + +"Ah, now that's bad, my dear boy. You shouldn't neglect people, you +know. And our dear Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs is exceedingly pleasant." + +"As to neglecting her--I don't know that I have neglected +her--particularly. What more could I do than call and leave my card?" + +"Call again. You wouldn't leave off going to Lady Seely's because you +happened not to find her at home once in a way." + +"Lady Seely is my relation." + +"H'm! Well, would you cut Lady Harriet Dormer for the same reason?" + +"Cut her? But, my dear Mr. Price, you mustn't suppose that I have cut +Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs!" + +"Come, now, my dear fellow, I'm a great deal older than you are, and +I'll take the liberty of giving you a bit of advice. Never offend +people, who mean to be civil, merely because they don't happen to amuse +you. What, the deuce, we can't live for amusement in this life!" + +The moralising might be good, but the moralist was, Algernon thought, +badly fitted with his part. He was tempted to retort on his new mentor, +but he did not retort. He merely said, quietly: + +"Has Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs been complaining of me, then?" + +"Well, the truth is, she has--in an indirect kind of way; you +know--what?" + +"I'll go and see her this evening. To-day is Thursday, isn't it? She has +one of her 'At home's' this evening." + +Jack Price looked at the young man admiringly. "You're an uncommonly +sensible fellow!" said he. "I give you my honour I never knew a fellow +of your years take advice so well. By Jove! I wish I had had your common +sense when I was your age. It's too late for me to do any good now, you +know, what? And, in fact," (with a solemn lowering of his musical Irish +voice) "I split myself on the very rock I'm now warning you off. I never +was polite. And if any one told me to go to the right, sure it was a +thousand to one that I'd instantly bolt to the left!" And shaking his +head with a sad, regretful gesture, Jack Price parted from Algernon at +the corner of the street. + +Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs received the truant very graciously that evening. She +knew that, during his absence from her parties, he had been admitted +into society, to which even her fashionable self could not hope to +penetrate. But, though this might be a reason for a little genteel +sneering at him behind his back, it was none whatever, Mrs. +Machyn-Stubbs considered, for giving him a cool reception when he did +grace her house with his presence. She said to several of her guests, +one after the other: "We have young Ancram Errington here to-night. He's +so glad to come to us, poor fellow, for my people's place is his second +home, down in the West of England. And, then, the Seelys think it nice +of us to take notice of him, don't you know? He is a relation of Lady +Seely's, and is quite in that set--the Dormers, and all those people. +Ah! you don't know them? They say he is to marry Castalia Kilfinane. But +we haven't spoken about it yet out of our own little circle. Her father +was Viscount Kauldkail, and married Lord Seely's youngest sister," and +so on, and so on with a set smile, and no expression whatever on her +smooth, fair face. + +To Algernon himself she showed herself politely inquisitive on the +subject of his engagement to Castalia, and startled him considerably by +saying, when she found herself close to him for a few minutes near a +doorway: + +"And are we really to congratulate you, Mr. Errington?" + +"If you please, madam," answered Algernon, with a bright, amused smile +and an easy bow, "but I should like to know--if it be not indiscreet--on +what special subject? I am, indeed, to be congratulated on finding +myself here. But, then, you are hardly likely to be the person to do +it." + +At that moment Algernon was wedged into a corner behind a fat old +gentleman, who was vainly struggling to extricate himself from the crowd +in front, by making a series of short plunges forward, the rebound of +which sent him back on to Algernon's toes with some violence. It was +very hot, and a young lady was singing out of tune in the adjoining +room; her voice floating over the murmur of conversation occasionally, +in a wailing long-drawn note. Altogether, it might have been suspected +by some persons that Mr. Ancram Errington was laughing at his hostess, +when he spoke of his position at that time as being one which called for +congratulation. But Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs was the sort of woman who +completely baffled irony by a serene incapability of perceiving it. And +she would sooner suspect you of maligning her, hating her, or insulting +her, than of laughing at her. To this immunity from all sense of the +ridiculous she owed her chief social successes; for there are occasions +when some obtuseness of the faculties is useful. Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs +tapped Algernon's arm lightly with her fan, as she answered, "Now Mr. +Errington, that's all very well with the outside world, but you +shouldn't make mysteries with us! I look upon you almost as a brother of +Orlando's, I do indeed." + +"You're very kind, indeed, and I'm immensely obliged to you; but, upon +my word, I don't know what you mean by my making mysteries!" + +"Oh, well, if you choose to keep your own counsel, of course you can do +so. I will say no more." Upon which Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs proceeded to say +a great deal more, and ended by plainly giving Algernon to understand +that the rumour of his engagement to Miss Castalia Kilfinane had been +pretty widely circulated during the last four or five weeks. + +"Oh, Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs," said Algernon, laughing, "you surely never +believe more than a hundredth part of what you hear? There's Mr. Price +looking for me. I promised to walk home with him, it is such a lovely +night. Thank you, no; not any tea! Are you ever at home about four +o'clock? I shall take my chance of finding you. Good night." + +Algernon was greatly puzzled. How and whence had the report of his +engagement to Castalia originated? He would have been less puzzled, if +not less surprised, had he known that the report had come in the first +place from Lady Seely herself, who had let fall little words and hints, +well understanding how they would grow and spread. He had not committed +himself in his answer to Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs. He had replied to her in +such a manner as to leave the truth or falsehood of the report she had +mentioned an open question. He felt the consciousness of this to be a +satisfaction. Some persons might say, "Well, but since the report was +false, why not say so?" But Algernon always, and, as it were, +instinctively, took refuge in the vague. A clear statement to which he +should appear to be bound would have irked him like a tight shoe; and +naturally so, since he was conscious that he should flexibly conform +himself to circumstances as they might arise, and not stick with +stubborn stupidity to any predetermined course of conduct, which might +prove to be inconvenient. + +After saying "Good night" to his hostess he elbowed his way out of the +crowded rooms, and went downstairs side by side with Jack Price. The +latter knew everybody present, or thought he did. And as, when he did +happen to make a mistake and to greet enthusiastically some total +stranger whom he had never seen in his life before, he never +acknowledged it, but persisted in declaring that he remembered the +individual in question perfectly, although "the name, the name, my dear +sir, or madam, has quite escaped my wretched memory!" his progress +towards Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs's hall door was considerably impeded by the +nods, smiles, and shakes of the hand, which he scattered broadcast. + +"There's Deepville," said he to Algernon, as they passed a tall, dark, +thin-faced man, with a stern jaw and a haughty carriage of the head. +"Don't you know Deepville? Ah, then you should! You should really. The +most delightful, lovable, charming fellow! He'd be enchanted to make +your acquaintance, Errington, quite enchanted. I can answer for him. +There's nothing in the world would give him greater pleasure, what?" + +Algernon was by this time pretty well accustomed to Jack Price's habit +of answering for the ready ecstasies of all his acquaintances with +regard to each other, and merely replied that he dared to say Sir +Lancelot Deepville was a very agreeable person. + +"And how's the fair Castalia?" asked Jack, when they were out in the +street. + +"I believe she is quite well. I saw her this morning." + +"Oh, I suppose you did," exclaimed Jack Price with a little smile, which +Algernon thought was to be interpreted by Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs's recent +revelations. But the next minute Jack added, very unexpectedly, "I had +some idea, at one time, that Deepville was making up to her. But it came +to nothing. She's a nice creature, is Castalia Kilfinane; a very nice +creature." + +Algernon could not help smiling at this disinterested praise. + +"I'm afraid she does not always behave quite nicely to you, Mr. Price," +he said. And he said it with a little air of apology and proprietorship +which he would not have assumed yesterday. + +"Oh, you're quite mistaken, my dear boy; she's as nice as possible with +me. I like Castalia Kilfinane. There's a great deal of good about her, +and she's well educated and clever in her way--not showy, you know, +what?--but--oh, a nice creature! There's a sort of bitter twang about +her, you know, that I like immensely." + +"Oh, well," cried Algernon, laughing outright, "if you have a liking for +bitters, indeed----" + +"Ah, but she doesn't mean it. It's just a little flavour--a little +_soupçon_. Oh, upon my word, I think Miss Kilfinane a thoroughly nice +creature. It was a pity about Deepville now, eh, what?" + +"I wonder that you never thought of trying your fortune in that quarter +yourself, Mr. Price!" said Algernon, looking at him curiously, as they +passed within the glare of a street-lamp. + +"Is it me? Ah, now, I thought everybody knew that I wasn't a marrying +man. Besides, there never was the least probability that Miss Kilfinane +would have had me--none in the world. Sure, she'd never think of looking +at a bald old bachelor like myself, what?" + +Algernon did not feel called on to pursue the subject. But he had a +conviction that Jack Price would not, under any circumstances, have +given Miss Kilfinane the chance of accepting him. + +The allusion, however, seemed to have touched some long-silent chord of +feeling in Jack, and set it vibrating. As they sat at supper together, +Jack reverted to the sage, mentor-like tone he had assumed that morning, +giving Algernon much sound advice of a worldly nature, and holding up +his own case as a warning to all young men who liked to "bolt to the +left when they were told to go to the right," and presenting himself in +the unusual light of a gloomy and disappointed person; and when a couple +of tumblers of hot punch smoked on the table, Jack grew tender and +sentimental. + +"Ah, my dear Errington," he said, "I wish ye may never know what it is +to be a lonely old bachelor!" + +"Lonely? Why you're the most popular man in London, out-and-out!" + +"Popular! And what good does that do me? If I were dead to-morrow, who'd +care, do you think? Although that doesn't seem to me to be such a hard +case as people say. Sure, I don't want anyone to cry when I'm dead; but +I'd like 'em to care for me a little while I'm living. If I'd been my +own elder brother, now; or if I'd taken advantage of my opportunities, +and made a good fortune, as I might have done----But 'twas one scrape +after another I put my foot into. I did and said whatever came +uppermost. And you'll find, my dear boy, that it's the foolish things +that mostly do come uppermost." + +"It's lucky that, amongst other foolish things, an imprudent marriage +never rose to the surface," said Algernon. + +"Oh, but it did! Oh, devil a doubt about it!" The combined influence of +memory and hot punch brought out Jack's musical brogue with unusual +emphasis. "Only, there I couldn't carry out my foolish intentions. It +wasn't the will that was wanting, my dear boy." + +"Providence looked after you on that occasion?" + +"Providence or--or the other thing. Oh, I could tell you a love-story, +only you'd be laughing at me." + +"Indeed, I would not laugh!" + +"On my honour, I don't know why you shouldn't! I often enough have +laughed at myself. She was the sweetest, gentlest, most delicate little +creature!--Snowdrop I used to call her. And as for goodness, she was +steeped in it. You felt goodness in the air wherever she was, just as +you smell perfume all about when the hawthorns blossom in May. Ah! now +to think of me talking in that way, and my head as smooth as a +billiard-ball!" + +"And--and how was it? Did your people interfere to prevent the match?" + +"My people! Faith, they'd have screeched to be heard from here to there +if I'd made her the Honourable Mrs. Jack Price, and contaminated the +blood of the Prices of Mullingar. Did ye ever hear that my +great-grandfather was a whisky distiller? Bedad, he was then! And I +believe he manufactured good liquor, rest his soul! But I shouldn't have +cared for that, as ye may believe. But they got hold of her, and told +her that I was a roving, unsteady sort of fellow; and that was true +enough. And--and she married somebody else. The man she took wasn't as +good-looking as I was in those days. However, there's no accounting for +these things, you know. It's fate, what? destiny! And she told me, in +the pretty silver voice of hers, like a robin on a bough, that I had +better forget her, and marry a lady in my own station, and live happy +ever after. 'Mary,' said I, 'if I don't marry you I'll marry no woman, +gentle or simple.' She didn't believe me. And I don't know that I quite +believed myself. But so it turned out, you see, what? And so I was saved +from a _mésalliance_, and from having, maybe, to bring up a numerous +family on nothing a year; and the blood of the Prices of Mullingar is in +a fine state of preservation, and Mary never became the Honourable Mrs. +Jack Price. Honourable--bedad it's the Honourable Jack Price she'd have +made of me if she'd taken me; an honourabler Jack than I've been without +her, I'm afraid! D'ye know, Errington, I believe on my soul that, if I +had married Mary, and gone off with her to Canada, and built a +log-house, and looked after my pigs and my ploughs, I'd have been a +happy man. But there it is, a man never knows what is really best for +him until it's too late. We'll hope there are compensations to come, +what? Of all the dreary, cut-throat, blue-devilish syllables in the +English language, I believe those words 'too late' are the ugliest. They +make a fellow feel as if he was being strangled. So mind your p's and +q's, my boy, and don't throw away your chances whilst you've got 'em!" + +And thus ended Jack Price's sermon on worldly wisdom. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +Minnie Bodkin had loyally tried to keep the promise she had given to the +Methodist preacher respecting Rhoda Maxfield, but in so trying she had +encountered many obstacles. In the first place, Rhoda, with all her +gentleness, was not frank, and she opposed a passive resistance to all +Minnie's efforts to win her confidence on the subject of Algernon. + +"It is like poking a little frightened animal out of its hole, trying to +get anything from her!" said Minnie, impatiently. + +Not that Rhoda's reticence was wholly due to timidity. She knew +instinctively that she was to be warned against giving her heart to +Algernon Errington; that she should hear him blamed; or, at least, that +the unreasonableness of trusting in his promises, or taking his boyish +love-making in serious earnest, would be safely set forth by Miss +Bodkin. Rhoda had not perceived any of the wise things which might be +said against her attachment to Algernon in the beginning, but now she +thought she perceived them all. And she was resolved, with a sort of +timid obstinacy, not to listen to them. + +"I'm sure Algy's fond of me. And even if he has changed"--the +supposition brought tears into her eyes as the words framed themselves +in her mind--"I don't want to have him spoken unkindly of." + +But, in truth, latterly her hopes had been out-weighing her fears. In +most of his letters to his mother Algernon had spoken of her, and had +sent her his love. He was making friends, and looking forward hopefully +to getting some definite position. Even her father spoke well of +Algernon now;--said how clever he was, and what grand acquaintance he +was making, and how sure he would be to succeed. And once or twice her +father had dropped a word which had set Rhoda's heart beating, and made +the colour rush into her face, for it seemed as if the old man had some +idea of her love for Algy, and approved it! All these circumstances +together made Minnie's task of mentor a rather hopeless one. + +And then Minnie herself, although, as has been said, loyally anxious to +fulfil her promise to David Powell, began to think that he had overrated +the importance of interfering with Rhoda's love-story if love-story it +were. Powell lived in a state of exalted and, perhaps, overstrained +feeling, and attributed his own earnestness to slighter natures. Of +course, on the side of worldly wisdom there was much to be said against +Rhoda's fancying herself engaged to Algernon Errington. There was much +to be said; and yet Minnie did not feel quite sure that the idea was so +preposterous as Powell had appeared to think it. True, Mrs. Errington +was vain, and worldly, and ambitious for her son. True, Algernon was +volatile, selfish, and little more than twenty years of age. But still +there was one solid fact to be taken into account, which, Minnie +thought, might be made to outweigh all the obstacles to a marriage +between the two young people--the solid fact, namely, of old Maxfield's +money. + +"If Algernon married a wife with a good dower, and if the wife were as +pretty, as graceful, and as well-mannered as Rhoda, I do not suppose +that anybody would concern himself particularly with her pedigree," +thought Minnie. "And even if any one did, that difficulty would not be +insuperable, for I have no knowledge of Mrs. Errington, if within three +months of the wedding she had not invented a genealogy, only second to +her own, for her son's wife, and persuaded herself of its genuineness +into the bargain!" + +As to those other convictions which would have made such a marriage +horrible to David Powell, even had it been made with the hearty +approval of all the godless world, Minnie did not share them. She did +not believe that Rhoda's character had any spiritual depth; and she +thought it likely enough that she would be able to make Algernon happy, +and to be happy as his wife. "Algy is not base, or cruel, or vicious," +she said to herself. "He has merely the faults of a spoiled child. A +woman with more earnestness than Rhoda has would weary him; and a wiser +woman might, in the long run, be wearied by him. She is pretty, and +sufficiently intelligent to make a good audience, and so humble-minded +that she would never be exacting, but would gratefully accept any scraps +of kindness and affection which Algy might feel inclined to bestow on +her. And that would react upon him, and make him bestow bigger scraps +for the pleasure of being adored for his generosity." + +And there were times when she felt very angry with Rhoda;--Rhoda, who +turned away from the better to choose the worse, and who was coldly +insensible to the fact that Matthew Diamond was in love with her. Nay, +had she been cognisant of the fact, she would, Minnie felt sure, have +shrank away from the grave, clever gentleman who, as it was, could win +nothing warmer from her than a sort of submissive endurance of his +presence, and a humble acknowledgment that he was very kind to take +notice of an ignorant little thing like her. + +It was with strangely mingled feelings that Minnie, watching day by day +from her sofa or easy-chair, perceived the girl's utter indifference to +Diamond. How much would Minnie have given for one of those rare sweet +smiles to beam upon her, which were wasted on Rhoda's pretty, shy, +downcast face! How happy it would have made her to hear those clear, +incisive tones lowered into soft indistinctness for her ears, as they so +often were for Rhoda's, who would look timid and tired, and answer, +"Yes, sir," and "No, sir," until Minnie's nervous sympathy with +Diamond's disappointment, and irritation against him for being +disappointed, grew almost beyond her own control. + +One May evening, when the cuckoo was sending his voice across the +purling Whit from distant Pudcombe Woods, and the hyacinths in Minnie's +special flower-stand were pouring out their silent even-song in waves of +perfume, five persons were sitting in Mrs. Bodkin's drawing-room, the +windows of which looked towards the west. They were listening to the +cuckoo, and smelling the sweet breath of the hyacinths, and gazing at +the rosy sky, and dropping now and then a soft word, which seemed to +enhance the sweetness and the silence of the room. The five persons were +Minnie Bodkin, Rhoda Maxfield, Matthew Diamond, Mr. Warlock (the curate +of St. Chad's), and Miss Chubb. The latter was embroidering something in +Berlin wools, as usual; but the peace of the place, and of the hour, +seemed to have fallen on her, as on the rest, and she sat with her work +in her lap, looking across the stand of hyacinths, very still and quiet. + +The Reverend Peter also sat looking silently across the hyacinths, but +it was at the owner. Minnie's cheek rested on her thin white hand, and +her lustrous eyes had a far-away look in them, as they gazed out towards +Pudcombe Woods, where the cuckoo was calling his poet-loved syllables +with a sweet, clear tone, that seemed to have gathered all the spirit of +the spring into one woodland voice. + +Rhoda sat beside the window, and was sewing very gently and noiselessly, +but seemingly intent upon her work, and unconscious that the eyes of Mr. +Diamond--who was seated close to Minnie's chair--were fixed upon her, +and that in some vague way he was attributing to her the perfume of the +flowers, and the melancholy-sweet note of the bird, and the melted +rubies of the western sky. + +"What a sunset!" said Miss Chubb, breaking the silence. But she spoke +almost in a whisper, and her voice did not startle any ear. Mr. +Warlock, habituated to suppress his feelings and adapt his words to +those of his company, answered, after a little pause, "Lovely indeed! It +is an evening to awaken the sensibilities of a feeling heart." + +"It makes me think of Manchester Square. We had some hyacinths in pots, +too, I remember, when I was staying with the Bishop of Plumbunn." + +Miss Chubb's odd association of ideas was merely due to the fact that +her thoughts were flying back to the rose-garden of youth. + +"Do you not like to hear the cuckoo, Miss Bodkin?" said Diamond, softly, +speaking almost in her ear. She started, and turned her head towards +him. + +"Yes; no. I like it, although it makes me sad. I like it because it +makes me sad perhaps." + +"All sights, and sounds, and scents seem to me to be combined this +evening into something sweeter than words can say." + +"It is a fine evening, and the cuckoo is calling from Pudcombe Woods, +and my hyacinths are of a very good sort. It seems to me that words can +manage to say that much with distinctness!" + +"What a pity," thought Diamond, "that head overshadows heart in this +attractive woman! She is too keen, too cool, too critical. A woman +without softness and sentiment is an unpleasant phenomenon. And I think +she has grown harder in her manner than she used to be." Then the +reflection crossed his mind that her health had been more frail and +uncertain than usual of late, and that she bore much physical suffering +with high courage; and the little prick of resentment he had begun to +feel was at once mollified. He answered aloud, with a slow smile, "Why, +yes, words may manage to say all that. I wonder if I may ask you a +question? It is one I have long wished to ask." + +"You may, certainly." + +"There are questions that should not be asked." + +"I will trust you not to ask any such." + +"Now when she looks and speaks like that, she is adorable!" thought +Diamond, meeting the soft light of Minnie's lovely, pathetic eyes, which +fell immediately before his own. "I wish I might have you for a friend, +Miss Bodkin," he said. + +"I think you have your wish. I thought you knew you had it." + +"Ah, yes; you are always good, and kind, and--and--but you--I will make +a clean breast of it, and pay you the compliment of telling you the +truth. I have thought latterly that you were hardly so cordial, so frank +in your kindness to me as you once were. It would matter nothing to me +in another person, but in you, a little shade of manner matters a great +deal. I don't believe there is another human being to whom I would say +so much. For I am--as perhaps you know--a man little given to thrust +myself where I am not welcome." + +"You are about the proudest and most distant person I ever knew, and +require to be very obviously implored before you condescend to easy +friendship with anyone." + +Minnie laughed, as she spoke, a little low rippling laugh, which she +ended with a forced cough, to hide the sob in her throat. + +"No; not proud. You misjudge me; but it is true that I dread, almost +more than anything else, being deemed intrusive." + +"If that fear has prevented you from putting the question to which you +have so long desired an answer, pray ask it forthwith." + +"I think it has almost answered itself," said Diamond, bending over her, +and turning his chair so as to cut her and himself off still more from +the others. "I was going to ask you if I had unwittingly offended you in +any way, or if my frequent presence here were, for any reason, irksome +to you? It might well be so. And if you would say so candidly, believe +me, I should feel not the smallest resentment. Sorrow I should feel. I +can't deny it; but I should not cease to regard you as I have always +regarded you from the beginning of our acquaintance. How highly that is, +I have not the gift to tell; nor do you love the direct, broadly-spoken +praise that sounds like flattery, be it ever so sincere." + +"No; please don't praise me," said Minnie, huskily. She was shadowed by +his figure as he sat beside her, and so he did not see the tears that +quivered in her eyes. After a second or two, during which she had passed +her handkerchief quickly, almost stealthily, across her face, she said, +"But your question, you say, has answered itself." + +"I hope so; I hope I may believe that there is nothing wrong between +us." + +"Nothing." + +"I have not offended you in any way!" + +"No." + +"Nor unwittingly hurt you? I daresay I am awkward and abrupt sometimes." + +"Pray believe that I have nothing in the world to blame you for." + +"Thank you. I know you speak sincerely. Your friendship is very precious +to me." + +She answered nothing, but hesitatingly put out her hand, which he +grasped for an instant, and would have raised to his lips, but that she +drew it suddenly away, murmuring something about her cushions being +awry, and trying tremblingly to rearrange them. + +He moved the cushions that supported her shoulders with a tender, +careful touch, and placed them so that her posture in the +lounging-chair might be easier. She clasped her hands together and laid +her head back wearily. + +"You don't know how precious your friendship is to me," he went on +lowering his voice still more. "I never had a sister. But I have often +thought how sweet the companionship of a sister must be. I am very much +alone in the world; and, if I dared, I would speak to you with fraternal +confidence." + +"Pray speak so," answered Minnie, almost in a whisper. "I should +like--to be--of some comfort to you." + +There was a silence. It was scarcely broken by Miss Chubb's murmured +remark to Mr. Warlock, that the moon was beginning to make a ring of +light behind the poplar trees on the other side of the Whit, like the +halo round the head of a saint. The twilight deepened, Rhoda's fingers +ceased to ply the needle, but she remained at the window looking over at +the moonlit poplars, while Miss Chubb's voice softly droned out some +rambling speech, which jarred no more on the quietude of the hour than +did the ripple of the river. + +"You have been so good to her!" said Diamond suddenly, under cover of +this murmur; and then paused for a moment as if awaiting a reply. Minnie +did not speak. Presently he went on. "You know her and understand her +better than any of the people here." + +"I think every one likes Rhoda," said Minnie at length. + +"Yes," Diamond answered eagerly. "Yes; do they not? But it requires the +delicate tact of a refined woman to overcome her shyness. I never saw so +timid a creature. Has it not struck you as strange that she should have +come out from that vulgar home so entirely free from vulgarity?" + +"Rhoda has great natural refinement." + +"You appreciate her thoroughly. And, then, the repulsive and ludicrous +side of Methodism has not touched her at all. It is marvellous to me to +see her so perfect in grace and sweetness." + +"I do not think that Methodism has ever taken deep hold on Rhoda." + +"And yet it is strange that it should be so. She was exposed to the +influence of David Powell. And, although he has fine qualities, he is +ignorant and fanatical." + +"His ignorance and fanaticism are mere spots on the sun!" cried Minnie. +And now, as she spoke, her voice was stronger, and she raised her head +from the cushion. "In his presence the Scripture phrase, 'A burning and +a shining light,' kept recurring to me. How poor and dark one's little +selfish self seems beside him!" + +Diamond slightly raised his eyebrows as he answered, "Powell has +undoubtedly very genuine enthusiasm and fervour. But he might be a +dangerous guide to undisciplined minds." + +"He would sacrifice himself, he does sacrifice himself, for +undisciplined and ungrateful minds, with whom, I own, my egotism could +not bear so patiently." + +But it was not of Powell that Matthew Diamond wished to speak now. Under +the softening influences of the twilight, and the unaccustomed charm of +pouring out the fulness of his heart to such a confidante as Minnie, he +could talk of nothing but Rhoda. + +"Perhaps I am a fool to keep singeing my wings," he said. "It may be all +in vain. But don't you believe that a strong and genuine love is almost +sure to win a woman's heart, provided the woman's heart is free to be +won?" + +"Perhaps--provided----" + +"And you do not think hers is free?" + +"How can I answer you?" + +"I know that Powell thought there was some one trifling with her +affections. It was on that subject that he begged for the interview with +you. I have never asked any questions about that interview, but I have +guessed since, from many little signs and tokens, that the person he had +in his mind was young Errington." + +"Yes." + +"Then the matter cannot be serious. He was little more than a boy when +he left Whitford." + +"But Rhoda was turned nineteen when Algernon went away." + +Diamond started eagerly forward, with his hand on the arm of the chair, +and fixing his eyes anxiously on her face, said: + +"Minnie, tell me the truth! Do you think she cares for him?" + +It was the first time he had ever addressed Minnie by her +Christian-name; and she marked the fact with a chilly feeling at the +heart. "You ask for the truth?" she said, sadly. "Yes; I do think so." + +Diamond leant his head on his hand for a minute in silence. Then he +raised his face again and answered, "Thank you for answering with +sincerity. But I knew you would do no otherwise. This feeling for +Algernon must be half made up of childish memories. I cannot believe it +is an earnest sentiment that will endure." + +"Nothing endures." + +"If I know myself at all, my love will endure. I am a resolute man, and +do not much regard external obstacles. The only essential point is, can +she ever be brought to care for me?" + +There was a pause. + +"Do you think she might--some day?" + +"Is that the only essential point?" + +"Yes; to me it is so. I do believe that it would be for her happiness to +care for me, rather than for that selfish young fellow." + +"And--for your happiness----?" + +"Oh, of that I am not doubtful at all!" + +"There's the moon above the poplar trees!" cried Miss Chubb. And as she +spoke a silver beam stole into the room and lighted one or two faces, +leaving the others in shadow. Amongst the faces so illuminated was +Minnie Bodkin's. "Did you ever see anything so beautiful as Minnie's +countenance in the moonlight?" whispered Miss Chubb to the curate. "She +looks like a spirit!" + +Poor Mr. Warlock sighed. He had been envying Diamond his long +confidential conversation with the doctor's daughter. "She is always +beautiful," he replied. "But I think she looks unusually sad to-night." + +"That's the moon, my dear sir! Bless you, it always gives a pensive +expression to the eyes; always!" And Miss Chubb cast her own eyes +upwards towards the sky as she spoke. + +"Dear me, you have no lamp here!" said a voice, which, though mellow and +musical in quality, was too loud and out of harmony with the twilight +mood of the occupants of the drawing-room to be pleasant. + +"Is not that silver lamp aloft there sufficient, Mrs. Errington?" asked +Diamond. + +"Oh, good evening, Mr. Diamond," returned Mrs. Errington, with perhaps +an extra tone of condescension, for she thought in her heart that the +tutor was a little spoiled in Whitford society. "I can hardly make out +who's who. Oh, there's Miss Chubb and Mr. Warlock, and--oh, is that you, +Rhoda? Well, Minnie, I left your mamma giving the doctor his tea in the +study, and she sent me upstairs. And, if you have no objection, I should +like the lamp lit, for I am going to read you a letter from Algy." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +"Now isn't that charming?" said Mrs. Errington, finishing a paragraph +descriptive of some brilliant evening party at which Algernon had been +present, and looking round triumphantly at her audience. + +"Very, indeed," said Minnie, who had been specially appealed to. + +"Quite a graphic picture of the bow mong," said Miss Chubb. "I know all +about that sort of society, so I can answer for the correctness of +Algy's description." + +Miss Chubb had the discretion to lower her voice as she made the latter +remark, so that no one heard it save Mr. Warlock, and thus Mrs. +Errington was not challenged to contradiction. + +"How well Algernon writes," observed Mr. Diamond. "He has the trick of +the thing so neatly, and puts out what he has to say so effectively! I +wonder he has never thought of turning his pen to profit." + +"My son, sir, has other views," returned Mrs. Errington loftily. "But as +to what you are pleased to call 'the trick of the thing,' I can assure +you that literary talent is hereditary in our family. I don't know, my +dear Minnie, whether you have happened to hear me mention it, but my +great uncle by the mother's side was a most distinguished author." + +"Really?" + +"What did he write?" asked Miss Chubb, with much distinctness. But Mrs. +Errington took no heed of the question. "And my own father's letters +were considered models of style," she continued. "A large number of them +are, I believe, still preserved in the family archives at Ancram Park." + +"How did they come there?" asked Miss Chubb. "Unless he wrote letters to +himself, they must have been scattered about here and there." + +"They were collected after his death, Miss Chubb. You may not be aware, +perhaps, that it is not an unfrequent custom to collect the +correspondence of eminent men. It was done in the case of Walpole. +And--Mr. Diamond will correct me if I am wrong--in that of the +celebrated Persian gentleman, whose letters are so well known. Mirza was +the name, I think?" + +Miss Chubb felt herself on unsafe ground here, and did not venture +farther. + +"Well, at all events, Algernon appears to be getting on admirably in +London," said the Reverend Peter, pacifically. + +Minnie threw him an approving glance, for his good-natured words +dispelled a little cloud on Miss Chubb's brow, and brought down Mrs. +Errington from her high horse to the level of friendly sympathies. "Oh, +he is getting on wonderfully, dear fellow!" said she. + +"I'm sure we are all glad to hear of Algy's doing well, and being happy. +He is such a nice, genial, unaffected creature! And never gave himself +any airs!" said Miss Chubb, with a sidelong toss of her head and a +little unnecessary emphasis. + +"Oh no, my dear. That sort of vulgar pretension is not found among folks +who come of a real good ancient stock," replied Mrs. Errington, with +superb complacency. + +"And we are not to have the pleasure of seeing Algernon back among us +this summer?" said Mr. Warlock. In general he shrank from much +conversation with Mrs. Errington, whom he found somewhat overwhelming; +but he would have nerved himself to greater efforts than talking to that +thick-skinned lady for the sake of a kind look from Minnie Bodkin. + +"Oh, impossible! Quite out of the question. He is sorry, of course. And +I am sorry. But it would be cruel in him to desert poor dear Seely, +when he is so anxious to have him with him all the summer!" + +"Is there anything the matter with Lord Seely?" asked Minnie. + +"N--no, my dear. Nothing but a little overwork. The mental strain of a +man in his position is very severe, and he depends so on Algy! And so +does dear Lady Seely. I ought almost to feel jealous. They say openly +that they look on him quite as a son." + +"It's a pity they haven't a daughter, isn't it?" said Miss Chubb. + +Mrs. Errington did not catch the force of the hint. She answered +placidly, "They have an adopted daughter; a niece of my lord's, who is +almost always with them." + +"Oh, indeed," said Diamond, quickly. "I had not heard that!" + +Mrs. Errington bestowed a stolid, china-blue stare on him before +replying, "I daresay not, sir." + +The fact was that Mrs. Errington had not known it herself until quite +recently; for Algernon, either mistrusting his mother's prudence--or for +some other reason--had passed lightly over Castalia's name in his +letters, and for some time had not even mentioned that she was an inmate +of Lord Seely's house. In his latter letters he had spoken of Miss +Kilfinane, but in terms purposely chosen to check, as far as possible, +any match-making flights of fancy, which his mother might indulge in +with reference to that lady. + +"I am not sure, my dear," proceeded Mrs. Errington, turning to Minnie, +"whether I have happened to mention it to you, but Castalia--the +Honourable Castalia Kilfinane, only daughter of Lord Kauldkail--is +staying with the dear Seelys. But as she is rather sickly, and not very +young, she cannot, of course, be to them what Algy is." + +"Oh! Not very young?" said Miss Chubb, in a tone of disappointment. + +"Well, not very young, comparatively speaking, Miss Chubb. She might be +considered young compared with you and me, I daresay." + +Fortunately, perhaps, for the preservation of peace, much imperilled by +this last speech of Mrs. Errington's, Dr. Bodkin and his wife here +entered the drawing-room. Although it was May, and the temperature was +mild for the season, a good fire blazed in the grate; and on the rug in +front of it Dr. Bodkin, after saluting the assembled company, took up +his accustomed station. Diamond rose, and stood leaning on the +mantel-shelf near to his chief (an action which Mrs. Errington viewed +with disfavour, as indicating on the part of the second master at the +Grammar School a too great ease, and absence of due subjection in the +presence of his superiors), and the Reverend Peter and Miss Chubb drew +their chairs nearer to the fireplace, thus bringing the scattered +members of the party into a more sociable circle. The doctor was +understood to object to his society being broken up into groups of two +or three, and to prefer general conversation; which, indeed, afforded +better opportunities for haranguing, and for looking at the company as a +class brought up for examination, and, if needful, correction, according +to the doctor's habit of mind. Only Rhoda remained at her window, apart +from the others, and Dr. Bodkin, seeing her there, called to her to come +nearer. + +"What, little Primrose!" said the doctor, kindly. "Don't stay there +looking at the moon. She is chillier and not so cosy as the coal fire. +Draw the curtain, and shut her out, and come nearer to us all." + +Rhoda obeyed, blushing deeply as she advanced within the range of the +lamp-light, and looking so pretty and timid that the doctor began +smilingly to murmur into Diamond's ear something about "_Hinnuleo +similis, non sine vano burarum et siluĉ metu_." + +The doctor's prejudice against Rhoda had long been overcome, and she had +grown to be a pet of his, in so far as so awful a personage as the +doctor was capable of petting any one. To this result the conversion to +orthodoxy of the Maxfield family may have contributed. But, possibly, +Rhoda's regular attendance at St. Chad's might have been inefficacious +to win the doctor's favour, good churchman though he was, without some +assistance from her blooming complexion, soft hazel eyes, and graceful, +winning manners. + +The girl came forward bashfully into the circle around the fire, and +nestled herself down on a low seat between Mrs. Errington and Mrs. +Bodkin. A month ago her place in that drawing-room would have been +beside Minnie's chair. But lately, by some subtle instinct, Rhoda had a +little shrunk from her former intimacy with the young lady. She was +sensitive enough to feel the existence of some unexpressed disapproval +of herself in Minnie's mind. + +"We have been hearing a letter of Algernon's, papa," said Minnie. + +"Have you? have you?" + +"Mrs. Errington has been kind enough to read it to us." + +The doctor left his post of vantage on the hearth-rug for an instant, +went to his daughter, and, bending down, kissed her on the forehead. +"Pretty well this evening, my darling?" said he. Minnie caught her +father's hand as he was moving away again and pressed it to her lips. +"Thank God for you and mother," she whispered. Minnie was not given to +demonstrations of tenderness, having been rather accustomed, like most +idolised children, to accept her parents' anxious affection as she +accepted her daily bread--that is to say, as a matter of course. But +there was something in her heart now which made her keenly alive to the +preciousness of that abounding and unselfish devotion. + +"I think it is quite touching to see that father and daughter together," +said Miss Chubb confidentially to her neighbour the curate. "So severe a +man as the doctor is in general! Quite the churchman! Combined with the +scholastic dignitary, you know. And yet, with Minnie, as gentle as a +woman." + +As to Mr. Warlock, the tears were in his eyes, and he unaffectedly wiped +them away, answering Miss Chubb only by a nod. + +"And what," said the doctor, when he had resumed his usual place, and +his usual manner, "what is the news from our young friend, Algernon?" + +Mrs. Errington began to recapitulate some of the items in her son's last +letter--the "lords and ladies gay" whose society he frequented; the +brilliant compliments that were paid him by word and deed; and the +immense success which his talents and attractions met with everywhere. + +"Yes; and Algernon is kindly received by other sorts and conditions of +men besides the aristocracy of this realm," said Minnie, with a little +ironical smile. "He has shone in evening receptions at Mrs. +Machyn-Stubbs's, and sipped lawyer Leadbeater's port-wine with +appreciative gusto." + +"He has to be civil to people, you know, my dear," said Mrs. Errington, +smoothly. "It wouldn't do to neglect--a--a--persons who mean to be +attentive, merely because they are not quite in our own set." + +"I trust not, indeed, madam!" exclaimed the doctor, with protruding lips +and frowning brow. "It would be exceedingly impolitic in Algernon to +turn away from proffered kindness. But I will not put the matter on that +ground. I should be sorry to think that a youth who has been--I may +say--formed and brought up under my tuition, could be capable of ignoble +and ungentlemanlike behaviour." + +Mrs. Bodkin glanced a little apprehensively at Mrs. Errington after this +explosion of the doctor's. But that descendant of all the Ancrams had +not the slightest idea of being offended. She was smiling with much +complacency, and answered mellifluously to the doctor's thunder, "Thank +you, Dr. Bodkin. Now that is so nice in you to appreciate Algy as you +do! He is, and ever was, like his ancestors before him, the soul of +gentlemanliness." + +"Algernon was always most popular, I'm sure," said Miss Chubb. "He was a +favourite with everybody. Such lively manners! And at home with all +classes!" + +"Yes," said Diamond in a low voice. "_Superis Deorum gratus, et imis._" + +"Now what may that mean?" asked Miss Chubb, who had quick ears. + +"The words were applied to a mythological personage of very flexible +talents, madam," replied Diamond. + +"Oh, mythological? Well, I never went very far into mythology. Now, it's +a singular circumstance, which has often struck me, and perhaps some of +you learned gentlemen may be able to explain it, that none of the +studies in 'ology' ever seemed to have much attraction for me; whereas +the 'ographies' always interested me very much. There was geography, +now. I used to know the names of all the European rivers when I was +quite a child. And orthography and biography. We had a translation of +Pluto's Lives at the rectory, and I was uncommonly fond of them. But, as +to the 'ologies,' I frankly own that I know nothing about them." + +The effect of this speech of Miss Chubb's was much heightened by the +mute commentary of Dr. Bodkin's face during its utterance. When she came +to Pluto's Lives, the scholastic eyes rolled round on Mr. Diamond and +the curate with an expression of such helpless indignation, that the +former was driven to blow his nose with violence, in order to smother an +explosion of laughter. And even Mr. Warlock's sombre brow relaxed, and +he ventured to steal a smiling glance at Minnie. + +But Minnie did not return the glance. She had shaded her eyes with her +hand, and was leaning back in her chair, unheeding the conversation that +was going on around her. + +"But now, really, you know, there must be some reason for these things, +if philosophers could only find it out," pursued Miss Chubb, cheerfully. +"Mustn't there, Minnie?" + +"Eh? I beg your pardon!" + +"Oh you naughty, absent girl! You have not heard a word I've been +saying. I was merely remarking that----" + +But at this point Dr. Bodkin's patience suddenly snapped. He found +himself unable silently to endure a recapitulation of Miss Chubb's views +as to the comparative attractions of the "ologies" and the "ographies;" +and he abruptly demanded of his wife, in the magisterial tones which +had often struck awe into the hearts of the lowest form, "Laura, are we +not to have our rubber before midnight? Pray make up the table in the +next room. There are--let me see!--Mrs. Errington, Miss Chubb, you will +take a hand, Laura? We are just a quartet." And the doctor, giving his +arm to Mrs. Errington, marched off to the whist-table. + +On this occasion Mr. Warlock escaped being obliged to play. Indeed, the +curate's assistance at whist was only called into requisition when a +second table besides the doctor's had to be made up; for, although Dr. +Bodkin co-operated very comfortably with his curate in all church +matters, he found himself not altogether able to do so at the green +table, the Reverend Peter's notions of whist being confused and +elementary. To be sure, Mrs. Bodkin was not a much better player than +the curate; but then she offered the compensating advantage of +enduring an unlimited amount of scolding--whether as partner or +adversary--without resenting it. + +So Diamond, and Warlock, and Minnie, and Rhoda remained in the big +drawing-room when their elders had left it. Minnie had the lamp shaded, +and the curtains opened, so that the full clear light of the climbing +moon poured freely into the room. Warlock timidly drew near to Miss +Bodkin's chair, and ventured to say a word or two now and then, to which +he received answers so kind and gracious, that the poor fellow's heart +swelled with gratitude, and perhaps with hope, for hope is very cunning +and stealthy, and hides herself under all sorts of unlikely feelings. + +Minnie had grown much more gentle and patient with the awkward, plain, +rather dull curate of late. She listened to his talk and replied to it. +And all the while she was taking eager cognisance, with eye and ear, of +the two who sat side by side near the window, Diamond bending down to +speak softly to Rhoda, and the girl's delicate face, white and +sprite-like in the moonlight, turning now and then towards her companion +with a pretty, languid gesture. Once or twice Rhoda laughed at something +Diamond said to her. Her laugh was perhaps a little suggestive of +silliness, but it was low, and musical, and rippling; and it was not too +frequent. + +Minnie sat with her hands clasped in her lap; and when she was carried +to her own room that night, Jane exclaimed, as she removed her young +mistress's ornaments, "Goodness, Miss Minnie, what have you done to +yourself? Why that diamond ring you wear has made a desperate mark in +your finger. It looks as if it had been driven right into the flesh, as +hard as could be!" + +Minnie held up her thin white hand to the light, and looked at it +strangely. + +"Ah!" said she, "I must have pressed and twisted the ring about, +unconsciously. I was thinking of something else." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +Time passed, or seemed to pass, with unusual gentleness over Whitford. +If some of our acquaintances there had suddenly been called upon to +mention the changes that had taken place within two years, they would +perhaps have said at first that there had been none. But changes there +had been, nevertheless; and by a few dwellers in the little town they +had been keenly felt. + +The second summer vacation after that happy holiday time which Rhoda had +passed with the Erringtons at Llanryddan arrived. A hot July, winged +with thunder-clouds, brooded over the meadows by the Whit. The shadow of +Pudcombe Woods was pleasant in the sultry afternoons, and the cattle +stood for hours knee-deep in dark pools, overhung by drooping boughs. +The great school-room at the Grammar School resounded no more with the +tread of young feet, or the murmur of young voices. It was empty, and +silent, and dusty; and an overgrown spider had thrown his grey tapestry +right across the oriel window, so that it was painted, warp and woof, +with brave purple and ruby blazonries from the old stained glass. + +Dr. Bodkin and his family were away at a seaside place in the South of +England. Mr. Diamond had gone on a solitary excursion afoot. Even +Pudcombe Hall was deserted; although young Pawkins was expected to +return thither, later in the season, for the shooting. Rhoda Maxfield +had been sent to her half-brother Seth, at Duckwell Farm, to get strong +and sunburned; and as she was allowed to be by herself almost as much as +she wished--Mrs. Seth Maxfield being a bustling, active woman, who would +not have thought of suspending or modifying her daily avocations for the +sake of entertaining any visitor whatever--Rhoda spent her time, not +unhappily, in a sort of continuous day-dream, sitting with a book of +poetry under a hedge in the hayfield, or wandering with her little +nephew, Seth Maxfield the younger, in Pudcombe Woods, which were near +her brother's farm. She liked looking back better than looking forward, +perhaps; and enacted in her imagination many a scene that had occurred +at dear Llanryddan over and over again. But still there were many times +when she indulged in hopeful anticipations as to Algy's return. He had +come back to London after his foreign travel, and had spent another +brilliant season under the patronage of his great relations. And then a +rumour had reached Whitford that Lord Seely had at length obtained the +promise of a good post for him, and that he might be expected to revisit +Whitford in the autumn at latest. Mrs. Errington had been invited to a +country house of Lord Seely's, in Westmoreland, to meet her son, and had +set out on her visit in high spirits. Rhoda was thus cut off from +hearing frequently of Algernon, through his mother, but she looked +forward to seeing them together in September. Rhoda missed her friend +and patroness; but she missed her less at Duckwell than she would have +done in the dull house in the High Street. + +On the whole, she was not unhappy during those sultry summer weeks. +Modest and humble-minded as she was, she had come to understand that she +was considered pretty and pleasing by the ladies and gentlemen whose +acquaintance she had made. No caressing words, no flattering epithets, +no pet names, had been bestowed upon her by her father's old friends and +companions. She was just simply Rhoda Maxfield to them; never +"Primrose," or "Pretty one," or "Rhoda dear;" and the Methodists, +however blind to her attractive qualities, had displayed considerable +vigilance in pointing out her backsliding, and exhorting her to make +every effort to become convinced of sin. Certainly the society of +ladies and gentlemen was infinitely more agreeable. + +Then, too, there had dawned on her some idea that Mr. Diamond felt a +warm admiration for her--perhaps something even warmer than admiration. +Miss Chubb (who delighted to foster any amatory sentiments which she +might observe in the young persons around her, and was fond of saying, +with a languishing droop of her plump, rubicund, good-humoured +countenance, that she would not for the world see other young hearts +blighted by early disappointment, as hers had been) had dropped several +hints to that effect sufficiently broad to be understood even by the +bashful Rhoda. And, a little to her own surprise, Rhoda had felt +something like gratification, in consequence; Mr. Diamond was such a +very clever gentleman. Although he wasn't rich, yet everybody thought a +great deal of him. Even Dr. Bodkin (decidedly the most awful embodiment +of authority whom Rhoda had ever yet known) treated Mr. Diamond with +consideration. And Miss Minnie was his intimate friend. Rhoda had not +the least idea of ever reciprocating Mr. Diamond's sentiments. But she +could not help feeling that the existence of those sentiments increased +her own importance in the world. And she had a lurking idea that it +might, if known to Algy, increase her importance in his eyes also. + +As to Mr. Diamond's part in the matter, Rhoda, to say truth, concerned +herself very little with that. Partly from a humble estimate of herself, +and partly from that maiden incapacity for conceiving the fire and force +of a masculine passion, which often makes girls pass for cruel who are +only childish, she never had thought of Mr. Diamond as seriously +suffering for her sake. But yet she was less cold and repellent to him +than she had once been. It is difficult not to thaw somewhat in the +presence of one whose words and looks make a genial atmosphere for that +sensitive plant--youthful vanity. + +Rhoda's wardrobe, which by this time had become considerable in quantity +and tasteful in quality, was a great source of amusement to her. She +delighted to trim, and stitch, and alter, and busy her fingers with the +manufacture of bright-coloured bows of ribbon and dainty muslin frills. +Mrs. Seth looked contemptuous at what she called "Rhoda's finery," and +told her she would never do for a farmer's wife if she spent so much +time over a parcel of frippery. Seth Maxfield shook his head gravely, +and hoped that Rhoda was not given up utterly to worldliness and vanity; +but feared that she had learnt no good at St. Chad's church, but had +greatly backslided since the days of her attendance at chapel. + +For the Seth Maxfields still belonged to the Wesleyan connexion, and +disapproved of the change that had taken place among the family at +Whitford. Not that Seth was a deeply religious man. But his father's +desertion of the Wesleyans appeared to him in the light of a party +defection. It was "ratting;" and ratting, as Seth thought, without the +excuse of a bribe. + +"Look how well father has prospered!" he would say to his wife. "He's as +warm a man, is father, as 'ere a one in Whitford. And the Church folks +bought their tea and sugar of him all the same when he belonged to the +Society. But I don't believe the Society will spend their money with him +now as they did. So that's so much clean lost. I'm not so strict as +some, myself; nor I don't see the use of it. But I do think a man ought +to stick to what he's been brought up to. 'Specially when it's had the +manifest blessing of Providence! If the Lord was so well satisfied with +father being a Wesleyan, I think father might ha' been satisfied too." + +Still there had been no quarrel between the Whitford Maxfields and those +of Duckwell. They came together so seldom that opportunities for +quarrelling were rare. And Seth had too great a respect for such +manifestations of Providential approbation as had been vouchsafed to his +father, to be willing to break entirely with the old man. So, when old +Max proposed to send Rhoda to the farm for a few weeks, he paying a +weekly stipend for her board, his son and his son's wife had at once +agreed to the proposition. And as they were not persons who brought +their religious theories into the practical service of daily life, +Rhoda's conscience was not disturbed by having a high and stern standard +of duty held up for her attainment at every moment. + +The Wesleyan preacher at that time in the district was a frequent guest +at Duckwell Farm. And in the long summer evenings one or two neighbours +would occasionally drop in to the cool stone-flagged parlour, where +brother Jackson would read a chapter and offer up a prayer. And +afterwards there would be smoking of pipes and drinking of home-brewed +by the men; while Mrs. Seth and Rhoda would sit on a bench in the +apple-orchard, near to the open window of the parlour, and sew, and +talk, or listen to the conversation from within, as they pleased. + +Rhoda perceived quickly enough that the Duckwell Farm species of +Methodism was very different from the Methodism of David Powell. Mr. +Jackson never said anything to frighten her. He talked, indeed, of sin, +and of the dangers that beset sinners; but he never spoke as if they +were real to him--as if he heard and saw all the terrible things he +discoursed of so glibly. Then Mr. Jackson was, Rhoda thought, a somewhat +greedy eater. He did not smoke, it was true; but he took a good share of +Seth's strong ale, and was not above indulging in gossip--perhaps to +please himself, perhaps to please Mrs. Seth Maxfield. + +Rhoda drew a comparison in her own mind between brother Jackson and the +stately rector of St. Chad's, and felt much satisfaction at the contrast +between them. How much nicer it was to be a member of a Church of +England congregation; where one heard Dr. Bodkin or Mr. Warlock speak a +not too long discourse in correct English, and with that refined accent +which Rhoda's ear had learned to prize, and where the mellow old organ +made a quivering atmosphere of music that seemed to mingle with the +light from the painted windows; than to sit on a deal bench in a +white-washed chapel, and painfully keep oneself broad awake whilst +brother Jackson or brother Hinks bawled out a series of disjointed +sentences, beginning with "Oh!" and displaying a plentiful lack of +aspirates! + +On the whole, perhaps, her stay at Duckwell Farm was a potent agent in +confirming Rhoda in orthodox views of religion. + +Generally, as she sat beside Mrs. Seth in the parlour, or on the bench +outside the window, Rhoda withdrew her attention from the talk of +brother Jackson and the others. She could think her own thoughts, and +dream her own dreams, whilst she was knitting a stocking or hemming a +pinafore for little Seth. But sometimes a name was mentioned at these +meetings that she could not hear with indifference. It was the name of +David Powell. + +The tone in which he was spoken of now was very opposite to the chorus +of praise which had accompanied every mention of him among the Whitford +Methodists, two years ago. There were rumours that he had defied the +authority of Conference, and intended to secede from the Society. He was +said to have been preaching strange doctrine in the remote parts of +Wales, and to have caused and encouraged extravagant manifestations, +such as were known to have prevailed at the preachings of Berridge and +Hickes, seventy or eighty years ago; and earlier still, at the first +open-air sermons of John Wesley himself, at Bristol. Brother Jackson +shook his head, and pursed up his lips at the rumours. He had never much +approved of Powell; and Seth Maxfield had distinctly disapproved of him. +Seth had been brought up in the old sleepy days, when members of the +Society in Whitford were comfortably undisturbed by the voice of an +"awakening" preacher. He had resented the fuss that had been made about +David Powell. He had been still more annoyed by his father's secession, +which he attributed to Powell's over zeal and presumption. And he, by +his own example, encouraged a hostile and critical tone in speaking of +the preacher. + +There was, indeed, but one voice raised in his defence in the parlour +at Duckwell Farm. This was the voice of Richard Gibbs, the head groom at +Pudcombe Hall, who sometimes came over to Duckwell to join in the +prayer-meetings there. Although Richard Gibbs was but a servant, he was +a trusted and valued one; and he was received by the farmer and his wife +with considerable civility. Richard "knew his place," as Mrs. Seth said, +and was not "one of them as if you give 'em an inch they'll take an +ell." And then he had a considerable knowledge of farriery, and had more +than once given good advice to Farmer Maxfield respecting the treatment +of sick horses and cattle. Seth was fond of repeating that he himself +was "not so strict as some," finding, indeed, that a reputation for +strictness, in a Methodistical sense, put him at a disadvantage with his +fellow farmers on market-days. But whenever Richard Gibbs was spoken of, +he would add to this general disclaimer of peculiar piety on his own +part, "Not, mind you, but what there's some as conversion does a +wonderful deal for, to this day, thanks be! Why, there's Dicky Gibbs, +head-groom at Pudcombe Hall. Talk of blasphemers--well Dicky was a +blasphemer! And now his lips are as pure from evil speaking as my little +maid's there. And he's the only man I ever knew as had to do with horses +that wouldn't tell you a lie. At first, I believe, there was some at the +Hall--I name no names--didn't like Dicky's plain truths. There was a +carriage-horse to be sold, and Dicky spoke out and told this and that, +and young master couldn't get his price. But in the long run it answers. +Oh! I'm not against a fervent conversion, nor yet against conviction of +sin--for some." + +So Richard Gibbs sat many a summer evening in the flagged parlour at +Duckwell Farm, and his melancholy, clean-shaven, lantern-jawed face was +a familiar spectacle at prayer-meetings there. + +"I have been much grieved and exercised in spirit on behalf of brother +Powell,"' said Mr. Jackson, in his thick voice. + +The expounding and the prayers were over. Seth had lighted his pipe; so +had Roger Heath, the baker, from Pudcombe village. A great cool jug of +ale stood on the table, and the setting sun sent his rays into the room, +tempered by a screen of jessamine and vine leaves that hung down outside +the window. + +"Ah! And reason too!" said Seth gruffly. "He's been getting further and +further out of the right furrow this many a day." + +"They do say," observed sour-faced Roger Heath, "that there's dreadful +scenes with them poor Welsh at his field-preachings. Men and women +stricken down like bullocks, and screechings and convulsions, like as if +they was all possessed with the devil." + +"Lauk!" cried Mrs. Seth eagerly. "Why, how is that, then?" + +Rhoda, listening outside, behind the screen of vine leaves at the open +window, could not repress a shudder at the thought that, had David +Powell shown this new power of his a year or two ago, she herself might +have been among the convulsed who bore testimony to his terrible +influence. + +"How is that, Mrs. Maxfield?" returned Richard Gibbs. "Why, how can it +be, except by abounding grace!" + +"Nay, Mr. Gibbs, but how dreadful it seems, don't it? Just think of +falling down in a fit in the open field!" + +"Just think of living and dying unawakened to sin! Is not that a hundred +thousand times more dreadful?" + +"I hope it don't need to roll about like Bedlamites to be awakened to a +sense of sin, Mr. Gibbs!" cried Seth Maxfield. + +"The Lord forbid!" ejaculated brother Jackson. + +"A likely tale!" added Mrs. Seth, cheerfully. + +"I'm against all such doings," said Roger Heath, shaking his head. + +"But if it be the Lord's doing, sir?" remonstrated Richard Gibbs, +speaking slowly, and with an anxious lack-lustre gaze at the +white-washed ceiling, as though counsel might be read there. "And I've +heard tell that John Wesley did the same at his field-preachings." + +Brother Jackson hastily wiped his mouth, after a deep draught of ale, +before replying, "That was in the beginning, when such things may have +been needful. But now, I fear, they only bring scandal upon us, and +strengthen scoffers." + +"I tell you what it is," said Seth, taking the pipe from his mouth, and +waving it up and down to emphasise his words, "it's my opinion as David +Powell's not quite--not quite right in his head." + +"'Taint the first time that thought has crossed my mind," said the +baker, who had once upon a time been uneasy under the yoke of Powell's +stern views as to weights and measures. + +"Of course," pursued Seth, argumentatively, "we've got to draw a line. +Religion is one thing and rampaging is another. From the first, when +Powell began rampaging, I mistrusted what it would come to." + +"The human brain is a very delicate and mysterious organ," said brother +Jackson. + +"Ah!" ejaculated Heath, with an air of profundity, as of one the extent +of whose acquaintance with the human brain was not easily to be set +forth in words, "you may well say so, sir. There you're right, indeed, +brother Jackson." + +"Why, there it is!" cried Seth. "And Powell, he overtaxed the human +brain. It's like flying in the face of Providence almost, to want to go +so much beyond your neighbours. Why, he'd fast till he well-nigh starved +himself." + +"But he gave all he spared from his own stomach to the poor," put in +Gibbs, looking sad and perplexed. + +"I call all that rampaging," returned Seth, with a touch of his father's +obstinacy. + +"Dr. Evans read out an account of these doings in Wales from a newspaper +in Mr. Barker the chemist's shop in Whitford last Saturday," said Heath. +"I heard it. And Dr. Evans said it was catching, and that such-like +excitement was dangerous, for you never know where it might end. And Dr. +Evans is of a Welsh family himself," he added, bringing out this clause, +as though it strikingly illustrated or elucidated the topic under +discussion. + +Mrs. Seth drew her little boy close to her, and covered his curly poll +with her large maternal hand, as though to protect the little "human +brain" within from all danger. "Mercy me!" she said, "I hope Powell +won't come into these parts any more! I should be frightened to go to +chapel, or to let the children go either." + +"Oh, you need not be alarmed, Mrs. Maxfield," said brother Jackson, with +a superior smile. + +"Nay, but if it is catching, Mr. Jackson!" persisted the anxious +mother. + +"Tut, lass! It isn't like measles!" said her husband. + +The ale being by this time exhausted and the pipes smoked out, brother +Jackson rose to depart, and the baker went away with him. Seth Maxfield +detained Gibbs for a few minutes to ask his advice about a favourite +cart-horse. + +"Well, Mr. Gibbs," said the housewife, when, the conference being over, +he bade her "Good evening," "and when are your folks coming back to the +Hall?" + +"Not just yet, ma'am. Young master is gone to Westmoreland, I hear, to a +wedding at some nobleman's house there. He'll be back at Pudcombe for +the shooting." + +"A wedding, eh?" said Mrs. Seth, with eager feminine interest in the +topic. "Not his own wedding, I suppose?" + +"Oh no, ma'am. 'Tis some friend of his, I believe, that he knew at +Whitford; Erringham, I think the name is--a young gentleman that's going +to marry the nobleman's niece. The housekeeper at the Hall was telling +some of my fellow-servants about it the other day. But I'm ill at +remembering the chat I hear. And 'tis unprofitable work too. Good +evening, ma'am. Farewell, Seth," stooping down to pat the little one's +curly head. "May the Lord bless and keep you!" + +Mrs. Seth stood out in the apple-orchard, with two of her children +clinging to her skirts, and held up her hand to shade her eyes as she +watched the departing figure of Richard Gibbs moving across the meadow, +in the rosy evening light. Then she turned to the wooden bench where +Rhoda was sitting, huddled together, with her work lying in her lap. +"You didn't come in to prayers, Rhoda," said her sister-in-law. "But, +however, you can hear it all just as well outside, as in. If it wasn't +for civility to Mr. Jackson, I'd liefer stay out here these fine summer +evenings, myself. And I was thinking--why, child, what a white face +you've got! Like a sheet of white paper, for all the world! And your +hands are quite cold, though it's been downright sultry! Mercy me, don't +go and get sick on our hands, Rhoda! What will your father say? Come, +you'd best get to bed, and I'll make you a hot posset myself." + +Rhoda passively followed her sister-in-law to the fresh lavender-scented +chamber which she occupied; and she consented to go to bed at once. Her +head ached, she said, but she declined the hot posset, and only asked to +be left quiet. + +"There's always some bother with girls of that delicate sort," said Mrs. +Seth to her husband, when she went downstairs again. "Rhoda's mother was +just such another; looked as if you might blow her away. I can't think +whatever made your father marry her! Not but Rhoda's a nice-tempered +girl enough, and very patient with the children. But, do you know, +Seth, I'm afraid she's got a chill or something, sitting out in the +orchard so late." + +"What makes you think so?" + +"Well, she had a queer, scared kind of look on her face." + +"Nonsense! Catching cold don't make people look scared." + +"Something makes her look scared, I tell you. It's either she's +sickening for some fever, or else she's seen a ghost!" + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +(From Mrs. Errington to Mrs. Bodkin.) + +"Long Fells, Westmoreland, July 26th, 18--. + +"DEAR MRS. BODKIN,--Amid the tumult of feelings which have recently +agitated me, I yet cannot neglect to write to my good friends in +Whitford, and participate my emotions with those who have ever valued +and appreciated my darling boy, at this most important moment of his +life. It may perhaps surprise, but will, I am sure, gratify you to learn +that Algernon is to be married on this day week to the Honourable +Castalia Caroline Kilfinane, only daughter of the late Baron Kauldkail, +of Kauldkail, who is, though not a relation, yet a connection of our +own, being the niece of our dear cousin-in-law, Lord Seely. To say that +all my proudest maternal aspirations are gratified by such a match is +feebly to express what I feel. Birth (with me the first consideration, +dear Mrs. Bodkin, for I make no pretences with you, and confess that I +should have deplored Algernon's mating below himself in that respect), +elegance, accomplishments, and a devoted attachment to my son--these are +Castalia's merits in my eyes. You will forgive me for having said +nothing of this projected alliance until the last moment. The young +people did not wish it to be talked about. They had a romantic fancy to +have the wedding as quiet as possible, amid the rural beauties of this +most lovely scenery, and thus escape the necessity for inviting the +crowds of distinguished friends and connections on both sides of the +house, who would have had to be present had the marriage taken place in +London. That would have made it too pompous an affair to satisfy the +taste of our Castalia, who is sensitive refinement itself. The dear +Seelys are only too indulgent to the least wish of Algernon's, and they +at once agreed to keep the secret. What poor Lord and Lady Seely will do +when Algy leaves them I assure you I cannot imagine. It really grieves +me to contemplate how they will miss him. But, of course, I cannot but +rejoice selfishly to know that I shall have my dear children so near me. +For (you may, perhaps, have heard the news) Lord Seely has, by his +immense influence in the highest quarters, procured dear Algy an +appointment. And, as good fortune will have it, the appointment brings +him back to Whitford, among his dear and early friends. He is to be +appointed to the very arduous and responsible position of postmaster +there. But, important as this situation is, it is yet only to be +considered a stepping-stone to further advancement. Lord Seely wants +Algy in town, which is indeed his proper sphere. And the result of some +new ministerial combinations which are expected in certain quarters +will, there is no doubt, put him in the very foremost rank of rising +young diplomatists. But I must not say more even to you, dear Mrs. +Bodkin, for these are State secrets, which should be sacredly respected. + +"This is a most lovely spot, and the house combines the simple elegance +of a cottage _ornée_ with the luxurious refinement that befits the +residence of a peer like Lord Seely. It is not, of course, fitted up +with the same magnificence as his town mansion, or even as his ancestral +place in Rutlandshire, but it is full of charms to the cultivated +spirit, and our dear young people are revelling in its romantic +quietude. There are very few guests in the house. By a kind thought of +Algy's, which I am sure you will appreciate, Orlando Pawkins is to be +best man at the wedding. The young man is naturally gratified by the +distinction, and our noble relatives have received him with that +affability which marks the truly high bred. There is also an Irish +gentleman, the Honourable John Patrick Price, who arrived last evening +in order to be present at the ceremony. He is one of the most celebrated +wits in town, and belongs to an Irish family of immense antiquity. +Castalia will have none of her own intimate young friends for +bridesmaids. To make a choice of one or two might have seemed invidious, +and to have eight or ten bridesmaids would have made the wedding too +ostentatious for her taste. Therefore she will be attended at the altar +by the two daughters of the village clergyman--simple, modest girls, who +adore her. The bride and bridegroom will leave us after the breakfast to +pass their honeymoon at the Lakes. I shall return forthwith to Whitford, +in order to make preparations for their reception. Lady Seely presses me +to remain with her for a time after the wedding, but I am impatient to +return to my dear Whitford friends, and share my happiness with them. + +"Farewell, dear Mrs. Bodkin. Give my love to Minnie, who, I hope, has +benefited by the sea-breezes; and best regards to the doctor. Believe me +your very attached friend, + +"SOPHIA AUGUSTA ERRINGTON. + +"P.S. Do you happen to know whether Barker, the chemist, has that +cottage in the Bristol Road still to let? It might suit my dear +children, at least for a while." + + * * * * * + +(From Miss Kilfinane to her cousin, Lady Louisa Marston.) + +"Long Fells, 29th July. + +"MY DEAR LOUISA,--I answer your last letter at once, for if I delay +writing, I may not have time to do so at all. There are still a thousand +things to be thought of, and my maid and I have to do it all, for you +know what Aunt Seely is. She won't stir a finger to help anybody. Uncle +Seely is very kind, but he has no say in the matter, nor, as far as that +goes, in any matter in his own house. + +"You ask about the wedding. It will be very scrubby, thanks to my lady's +stinginess. She would have it take place in this out-of-the-way country +house, which they scarcely ever come to, in order to save the expense of +a handsome breakfast. There will be nobody invited but the parson and +the apothecary, I suppose. I hate Long Fells. It is the most +inconvenient house in the world, I do believe; and so out of repair that +my maid declares the rain comes through the roof on to her bed. + +"Ancram's mother arrived last week. She was half inclined to be huffy at +first, when we told her our news, because she had been kept in the dark +till the last moment. But she has got over her sulks now, and makes the +best of it. I can see now that Ancram was right in keeping our +engagement secret from her as long as possible. She would have been a +dreadful worry, and told everybody. She is wonderfully like Lady Seely +in the face, only much better looking, and has a fine natural colour +that makes my lady's cheeks look as if they had been done by a house +painter. + +"Ancram has invited an old Whitford acquaintance of his to be his best +man at the wedding. He says that as we are going to live there for a +time at least, it would never do to offend all the people of the place +by taking no notice of them. It would be like going into a hornet's +nest. And the young man in question has been civil to Ancram in his +school-boy days. He is a certain Mr. Pawkins, who lives at a place with +the delightful name of Pudcombe Hall. He is not so bad as I expected, +and is quiet and good-natured. If all the Whitfordians turn out as well +as he, I shall be agreeably surprised. But I fear they are a strange set +of provincial bumpkins. However, we shall not have to remain amongst +them long, for Uncle Val. has privately promised to move heaven and +earth to get Ancram a better position. You know he is to be postmaster +at Whitford. Only think of it! It would be absurd, if it were not such a +downright shame. And I more than suspect my lady of having hurried Uncle +Val. into accepting it for Ancram. I suppose she thinks anything is good +enough for us. + +"I wish you could see Ancram! He is very handsome, and even more elegant +than handsome. And his manners are admitted on all hands to be charming. +It is monstrous to think of burying his talents in a poky little hole +like Whitford. But there is this to be said; if he hadn't got this +postmastership we could not have been married at all. For he is poor. +And you know what my great fortune is! I do think it is too bad that +people of our condition should ever be allowed to be so horribly poor. +The Government ought to do something for us. + +"Uncle Val. has made me a handsome present of money to help to furnish +our house. I'm sure this is quite unknown to my lady. So don't say +anything about it among your people at home, or it may come round to +Lady S.'s ears, and poor Uncle Val. would get scolded. Give my love to +Aunt Julia and my cousins. I hope to see you all next season in town, +for Ancram and I have quite made up our minds not to stick in that nasty +little provincial hole all the year round. Mrs. Errington is to go back +there directly after the wedding, to see about a house for us, and get +things ready. Of course, if there's anything that I don't like, I can +alter it myself when I arrive. + +"Good-bye, dear Louisa. Don't forget your affectionate cousin, who signs +herself (perhaps for the last time), + +"C. C. KILFINANE." + + * * * * * + +(From Orlando Pawkins to his sister, Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs.) + +"Long Fells, Westmoreland. Monday evening. + +"My DEAR JEMIMA,--I am sorry that you and Humphrey should have felt hurt +and thought I was making mysteries. But I assure you I was quite taken +by surprise when I got Errington's letter, telling me about his wedding, +and inclosing Lord Seely's invitation to me to come here. I knew nothing +about it before, I give you my word. + +"You ask me to write you full details of the affair, and I am sure I +would if I could. But I don't know any more than the rest of the world. +I don't think much of Long Fells. The land is poor, and the house almost +tumbling to pieces. Lord Seely is uncommonly polite, but I don't much +like my lady. And she has a beast of a lap-dog that snaps at everybody. +Errington is the same as ever, only he looks so much older in these two +years. Any one would take him to be five or six and twenty, at least. As +to the bride, she don't take much notice of me, so I haven't got very +well acquainted with her. I ride about the country nearly all day long. +Lord Seely has provided me with a pretty decent mount. I shall be glad +when the wedding is over, and I can get away, for it's precious dull +here. Even your friend Jack Price seems moped and out of sorts, and goes +about singing, 'The heart that once truly loves never forgets,' or +something like that, enough to give a fellow the blue devils. + +"I asked about what you wanted to know about the wedding dresses, but I +couldn't make out much from the answers I got. Miss Kilfinane is to wear +a white silk gown, trimmed with something or other that has a French +name. Perhaps you can guess what it is. The bridesmaids are fat, +freckled girls, the daughters of the parson. I think I have now given +you all the particulars I can. + +"I wish you and Humphrey would come down to Pudcombe in September. Tell +him I can give him some fairish shooting, and will do all I can to make +you both comfortable. Believe me, + +"Your affectionate brother, O. P." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +It was the evening before the wedding. In a low long room that was dark +with black oak panelling, and gloomy, moreover, by reason of the +smallness of the ivy-framed casement at one end, which alone admitted +the daylight into it, Lord Seely sat before the hearth. + +Although it was August there was a fire. There were few evenings of the +year when a fire was not agreeable at Long Fells; and one was certainly +agreeable on this especial evening. The day had been rainy. The whole +house seemed dark and damp. A few logs that had been laid on the top of +the coal fire sputtered and smoked drearily. My lord sat in a large +high-backed chair, which nearly hid his diminutive figure from view, +except on the side of the fireplace. His head was sunk on his breast; +his hands were plunged deep into his pockets; his legs were stretched +out towards the hearth; his whole attitude was undignified. It was such, +an attitude as few of his friends or acquaintances had ever seen him in, +for it was nearly impossible for Lord Seely to be unconscious or +careless of the effect he was producing in the presence of an observer. + +He was now absorbed in thought, and was allowing his outer man to +express the nature of his musings. They were not pleasant musings, as +any spectator would at once have pronounced who should have seen his +posture, and his pursed mouth, and his eyebrows knitted anxiously under +the bald yellow forehead. The entrance even of a footman into the room +would have produced an instant change in Lord Seely's demeanour. But no +footman was there to see his lordship sunk in a brown study. + +At length he raised his head and glanced out of the window. It had +ceased to rain, but the drops were still trickling down the window-panes +from the points of the ivy leaves; and it was already so dark that the +firelight began to throw fantastic shadows from the quaint old +furniture, and to shine with a dull red glow on the polished oak panels. +Lord Seely rang the bell. + +"Has Mr. Errington returned?" he asked of the servant who appeared in +answer to the summons. + +"Not yet, my lord." + +"Tell them to beg Mr. Errington, with my compliments, to do me the +favour to step here before he dresses for dinner." + +"Yes, my lord." + +"Don't light that lamp! or, stay; yes, you may light it. Put the shade +over it, and place it behind me. Draw the curtains across the window. +Take care that my message is given to Mr. Errington directly he comes +home." + +The servant withdrew. And Lord Seely, when he was left alone, began to +walk up and down the room with his hands behind him. Thus Algernon found +him when, in about ten minutes, he appeared, rosy and fresh from his +ride. + +"I must apologise for my muddy condition," he cried gaily. "Pawkins and +I rode over to Applethwaite to get something for Castalia that was found +wanting at the last moment. And I am splashed to the eyebrows. But I +thought it best to come just as I was, as your lordship's message was +pressing." + +"Thank you. I am much obliged to you, Ancram. It is not, in truth, that +there is any such immediate hurry for what I have to say, that it might +not have waited an hour or so; but I thought it likely that we might not +have so good an opportunity of speaking alone together." + +Lord Seely seated himself once more in the high-backed chair, but in a +very different attitude from his former one. He was upright, majestic, +with one hand in his breast, and the other reclining on the arm of his +chair. But on his face might be read, by one who knew it well, traces of +trouble and of being ill at ease. Algernon read my lord's countenance +well enough. He stood leaning easily on the mantel-shelf, tapping his +splashed boot with his riding-whip, and looking down on Lord Seely with +an air of quiet expectation. + +"I have been having a serious conversation with Castalia," said my lord, +after a preliminary clearing of his throat. + +Algernon said, smilingly, "I hope you have not found it necessary to +scold her, my lord? The phrase, 'Having a serious conversation' with any +one, always suggests to my mind the administering of a reprimand." + +"No, Ancram. No; I have not found it necessary to scold Castalia. I am +very much attached to her, and very anxious for her happiness. She is +the child of my favourite sister." + +The old man's voice was not so firm as usual when he said this; and he +looked up at Algernon with an appealing look. + +Algernon could be pleasant, genial, even affectionate in his manner--but +never tender. That was more than he could compass by any movement of +imitative sympathy. He had never even been able so to simulate +tenderness as to succeed in singing a pathetic song. Perhaps he had +learned that it was useless to make the attempt. At all events, he did +not now attempt to exhibit any answering tenderness to Lord Seely's look +and tone of unwonted feeling, in speaking of his dead sister's child. +His reply was hard, clear, and cheerful, as the chirp of a canary bird. + +"I know you have always been extremely good to Castalia, my lord. We are +both of us very sensible of your kindness, and very much obliged by it." + +"No, no," said my lord, waving his hand. "No, no, no. Castalia owes me +nothing. She has been to me almost as my own daughter. There can be no +talk of obligations between her and me." + +Then he paused, for what appeared to be a long time. In the silence of +the room the damp logs hissed like whispering voices. + +"Ancram," Lord Seely said at length, "Castalia is very much attached to +you." + +"I assure you, my lord, I am very grateful to her." + +"Ahem! Castalia's is not an expansive nature. She was, perhaps, too much +repressed and chilled in childhood, by living with uncongenial persons. +But she is responsive to kindness, and it develops her best qualities. I +will frankly own, that I am very anxious about her future. You will not +owe me a grudge for saying that much, Ancram?" + +"I never owe grudges, my lord. But I trust you have no doubt of my +behaving with kindness to Castalia?" + +"No, Ancram. No; I hope not. I believe not." + +"I am glad of that; because--the doubt would come rather too late to be +of much use, would it not?" + +Algernon spoke with his old bright smile; but two things were observable +throughout this interview. Firstly, that Algernon, though still +perfectly respectful, no longer addressed his senior with the winning, +cordial deference of manner which had so captivated Lord Seely in the +beginning of their acquaintance. Secondly, that Lord Seely appeared +conscious of some reason in the young man's mind for dissatisfaction, +and to be desirous of deprecating that dissatisfaction. + +At the same time, there seemed to be in Lord Seely an undercurrent of +feeling struggling for expression. He had the air of a man who, knowing +himself to have right and reason on his side in the main, yet is aware +of a tender point in his case which an unscrupulous adversary will not +hesitate to touch, and which he nervously shrinks from having touched. +He winced at Algernon's last words, and answered rather hotly, "It would +be too late. Your insinuation is a just one. If I had any misgivings I +ought to have expressed them, and acted on them before. But the fact is +that this--the final arrangement of this marriage--took me in a great +measure by surprise." + +"So it did me, my lord!" + +Lord Seely had been gazing moodily at the fire. He now suddenly raised +his eyes and looked searchingly at Algernon. The young man's face wore +an expression of candid amusement. His arched eyebrows were lifted, and +he was smiling as unconcernedly as if the subject in hand touched +himself no jot. + +"I give you my word," he continued lightly, "that when Lady Seely first +spoke to me about it, I was--oh, 'astonished' is no word to express what +I felt!" + +A dark red flush came into Lord Seely's withered cheeks, and mounted to +his forehead. He dropped his eyes, and moved uneasily on his chair, +passing one hand through the tuft of grey hair that stood up above his +ear. Algernon went on, with an almost boyish frankness of manner: + +"Of course, you know, I should hardly have ventured to aspire to such an +idea quite unassisted. And I believe I said something or other to my +lady--very stumblingly, I have no doubt, for I remember feeling very +much bewildered. I said some word about my being a poor devil with +nothing in the world to offer to a lady in Miss Kilfinane's +position--except, of course, my undying devotion. Only one cannot live +altogether on that. But Lady Seely was very sanguine, and saw no +difficulties. She said it could be managed. And she was right, you see. +Where there's a will, there's a way. And I am really to be married to +Castalia to-morrow. It seems too good to be true!" + +Lord Seely rose and faced the young man; and as he did so, his lordship +looked really dignified; for the sincere feeling within him had for once +obliterated his habitual uneasy self-consciousness. + +"Ancram," he said, "I am afraid, from what Castalia tells me, that you +are greatly dissatisfied with the position I have been able to procure +for you." + +"Oh, my lord, Castalia ought not to have said so! If she can content +herself in it for a time, how can I venture to complain?" + +"I am sorry to find," continued Lord Seely, "that your circumstances are +more seriously embarrassed than I thought." + +"Are they, my lord? I profess I don't know how to disembarrass them!" + +"You are in debt----" + +"I had the honour of avowing as much to your lordship when my marriage +was first discussed; as you, doubtless, remember?" + +"Yes; and you named a sum which I----" + +"Which your lordship was kind enough to pay. Certainly." + +"But it now appears that that sum did not cover the whole of your +liabilities, Ancram. Castalia tells me that you have been annoyed by +applications for money quite recently." + +Algernon smiled, and put his head on one side, as if trying to recall a +half-forgotten fact. "Well," said he at length, "upon my word I have +forgotten the exact sum which I did name to your lordship, but I have no +doubt it was correct at the time. The worst of it is, that my debts have +this unfortunate peculiarity--they won't stay paid!" + +"It is a great pity, Ancram, for a young man to get into the habit of +thinking lightly of debt. It is, in fact," continued his lordship, +growing graver and graver as he spoke, "a fatal habit of mind." + +"My dear lord, I don't think lightly of it by any means! But, really--is +it not best to accept the inevitable with some cheerfulness?" + +"'The inevitable,' Ancram?" + +"Yes, my lord; in my position, debt was inevitable. I could not be a +member of your family circle, a frequent inmate of your house, doing the +things you did, going where you went, without incurring some expense." + +It was no want of tact which made Algernon speak thus plainly and +coarsely. He did not fail (as his mother might have done) to perceive +that his words pained and mortified his hearer. He would by no means +have aimed such a shaft at Lady Seely, knowing that nature had +protected her feelings with a hide of some toughness; and knowing, +moreover, that my lady would unhesitatingly have flung back some verbal +missile, at least equally rough and heavy. But my lord was at once more +vulnerable and more scrupulous. And although Algernon was the last +person in the world to be guilty of gratuitous cruelty, yet, if one is +to fight, one had best use the most effective weapons, and take +advantage of any chink in the enemy's armour to drive one's javelin +home! + +"I regret," said Lord Seely, with a little catching of the breath, like +a man who has received a cold douche, "I deplore that your intimacy with +my family should have led you into a false position." + +"Not at all, my lord! My position in your family has been a very +pleasant one." + +"I ought, perhaps--it was my duty--to have inquired more particularly +into your means, and to have ascertained whether they sufficed for the +life you were leading in London. You were very young, and without +experience. I--I reproach myself, Ancram." + +"Don't do that, my lord! There is really no need. I'm sure nobody is the +worse for the few pounds I owe at this moment: not even my tailor, who +has cheated me handsomely, doing me the honour to treat me as one of +your lordship's own class!" + +Lord Seely bent down his grey head and meditated with a pained and +anxious face. Then he looked up, and said: + +"You know, Ancram, that I am not a rich man for one in my station." + +Algernon bowed gracefully. + +"Had I been so, I should have made a settlement upon Castalia; but, +although I have no daughters of my own to provide for," (with a little +sigh) "yet my property is very strictly tied up. There are claims on it, +too, of various sorts----" ("Lady Seely screws all she can out of him +for that nephew of hers," was Algy's mental comment.) "And, in brief, I +am not in a position to command any large sums of ready money. I believe +I said as much to you before?" + +Algernon bowed again and smiled. + +"Well, I repeat it now, in order to impress on you the fact, that +neither you nor Castalia must look to me for pecuniary help in the +future." + +"Oh, my lord----" + +"I do not say that Castalia might not have a right to ask such help of +me; but I merely assure you that it will be out of my power to grant it. +You, perhaps, scarcely realise how poor a man may be who has a fairly +large rent-roll?" + +"I think I have begun to realise it, my lord." + +Lord Seely looked quickly into the young man's face, but it was smiling +and inscrutable. + +"Well," he resumed, "I will only add, that for this once, and presuming +your present debts are not heavy----" + +"Oh dear no! A trifle." + +"I will discharge them if you will let me have the amount accurately. I +have a great repugnance to the thought of Castalia--and you--beginning +your married life in debt." + +"A thousand thanks. It will be better for us to start fair." + +"I hope, Ancram, that you will use every endeavour to live clearly +within your means, and to make the best of your circumstances. The fact +is, this marriage has been hurried on----" + +Algernon did not answer in words; but he gave an expressive shrug and +smile, which said, as plainly as possible, "I have not hurried it on!" + +Lord Seely coloured deeply, and seemed to shrink bodily, as if he had +received a blow. He went on hastily, and with less than his usual +self-possession: "I--I have felt, rather than perceived, a--a little +touch of bitterness in your manner lately. There, there, we will not +quibble about the word! If not bitter, you have not been, at all events, +in the frame of mind I wished and hoped to find you in. You are young; +and youth is apt to be a little unreasonable in its expectations. I +own--I admit--that your worldly position will not be--a--exactly +brilliant. But I assure you that in these days there are many gentlemen +of good abilities, and industry, who would be glad of it." + +"Oh, I am fully aware of my good fortune, my lord! Besides, you know, +this is only a stepping-stone." + +"Yes; we--we hope so. But, Ancram--and this is what I had in my mind to +say to you frankly--don't neglect or despise the present employment, in +looking forward to something better." + +"By no means!" + +"For your own sake--your own sake, I earnestly advise you not to give +way to a feeling of discontent." + +"Do I look discontented? Upon my word, your lordship is doing me +singular injustice!" + +"There is a smiling discontent, as well as a frowning discontent: and I +don't know but that it is the worst of the two." + +Algernon laughed outright. + +"Well," said he, "you must own that it is a little difficult to give +satisfaction!" + +His light smooth tone jarred disagreeably on Lord Seely. If the latter +had thought to make any impression on the young man, to draw from him +any outburst of feeling, he had signally failed. Algernon's words could +not be objected to, but the tone in which they were uttered was +completely nonchalant. His nonchalance increased in proportion to Lord +Seely's earnestness. A year ago Algernon would have brought his manner +into harmony with my lord's mood. He would have been grave, attentive, +eager to show his appreciation of my lord's kindness, and his value for +my lord's advice. But now there was some malice in his smiling +good-humour; a little cruelty in the brightness of his unruffled +serenity. He was genuinely tickled at seeing the pompous little nobleman +embarrassed in speaking to him, Algernon Errington, and he enjoyed what +comedy there might be in the situation none the less because his patron +suffered. + +In truth, Algernon was discontented. His was not a gnawing, black sort +of discontent. He neither grew lean, nor yellow, nor morose; but his +irony was sometimes flavoured with acidity; and instead of being easily +tolerant of such follies as zeal, enthusiasm, or fervent reverence, he +was now apt to speak of them with a disdainful superiority. And he had, +too, an air of having washed his hands of any concern with his own +career; of laying the responsibility on Destiny, or whomsoever it might +concern; of awaiting, with sarcastic patience, the next turn of the +wheel--as if life were neither a battle nor a march, but a gigantic game +of rouge-et-noir, with terrible odds in favour of the bank. + +Lord Seely was no match for this youth of two-and-twenty. Lord Seely had +intended to impress him deeply; to read him a lecture, in which Olympian +severity should be tempered by mercy; to convince him, by dignified and +condescending methods, of his great good fortune in having secured the +hand of Castalia Kilfinane of Kauldkail; and of his great +unreasonableness (not to say presumption) in not accepting that boon on +bended knee, instead of grumbling at being made postmaster of Whitford. +But in order to make an impression, it does not suffice to have tools +only; the surface to be impressed must also exist, and be adapted to the +operation. How impress the bright, cool, shining liquid bosom of a lake, +for instance? Oar and keel, pebble and arrow, wind and current, are +alike powerless to make a furrow that shall last. + +Lord Seely laboured under the disadvantage, in this crisis, of feeling +for other persons with some keenness; a circumstance which frittered +away his power considerably, and made him vacillating. Algernon's +capacities for feeling were, on this occasion, steadily concentrated on +himself, and this gave his behaviour a solid consistency, which was felt +even beneath the surface-lightness of his manner. + +"I hope," said Lord Seely, rather sadly than solemnly--"I do most +earnestly hope, Ancram, that you will be happy in this marriage!" + +"Your lordship is very good. I assure you, I feel your goodness." + +He said it as if he had been accepting an invitation to dinner. + +"And--and that you will do your best to make Castalia happy?" + +"You may rely on my doing my best." + +"There are discrepancies, perhaps--disparities--but but those marriages +are not always the happiest in which the external circumstances on both +sides seem to be best matched. You are young. You are untrammelled. You +have no irrevocable past behind you to regret. I do not see--no, I do +not see why, with mutual regard and respect, you should not make a good +life of it." + +"These are the most lugubrious nuptial felicitations that ever were +offered to a bridegroom, I should fancy!" thought Algernon. And he had +some difficulty in keeping his countenance, so vividly did he feel the +ludicrous aspect of his lordship's well-meant effort at "impressing" +him. + +"I should feel some sense of responsibility if--if things were not to +turn out as brightly as we hope--and believe--and believe they will turn +out." + +"Oh, don't distress yourself about that, my lord!" cried Algernon. (He +had very nearly said "don't apologise!") "There is the dressing-bell," +he added, with alacrity, taking his hat up from the table. "If your +lordship has no further commands, I think I----" + +"Yes; go, Ancram. I will not detain you longer. Remember," said Lord +Seely, taking the young man's hand between both his own, and speaking in +a tremulous voice, "remember, Ancram, that I wish to serve you. My +intention all along has been to do my best for you. You have been a very +pleasant inmate in my home. Ancram, be good to Castalia. For good or for +evil, you are her fate now. No one can come between you. Be good to +her." + +"My dear lord, I beg you to believe that I will make Castalia's +happiness the study of my life. And--oh, I have no doubt we shall get on +capitally. With your interest, it can't be long before we get into a +better berth. I know you'll do your best for us, for Castalia's sake; +oh, and mine, too, I am happy to believe. Yes, certainly. I really am in +such a state of mud that I believe my very hair is splashed. It will +take me all the time there remains for dressing to get myself +presentably clean, positively. _Au revoir_, my lord. And thank you very, +very much." + +With his jauntiest step, and brightest smile, Algernon left the room. + +Lord Seely returned to his chair before the hearth, resumed his moody, +musing attitude, and sat there, alone, with his head sunk on his breast +until they called him to dinner. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +In the first week of August Mrs. Errington returned to Whitford. She had +got over her annoyance at not having been intrusted sooner with the news +of Algernon's engagement to Miss Kilfinane. By dint of telling her +friends so, she had at last persuaded herself that she had been in the +secret all along; and, if she felt any other mortifications and +disappointments connected with her son's marriage, she kept them to +herself. But it is probable that she did not keenly feel any such. She +was not sensitive; and she did believe that, by connecting himself so +nearly with Lord Seely's family, Algernon was advancing his prospects of +success in the world. These sources of comfort, combined with an +excellent digestion, and the perennial gratification of contemplating +her own claims to distinction as contrasted with those of her +neighbours, kept the worthy lady in good spirits, and she returned to +Whitford in a kind of full blow of cheerfulness and importance. + +Her reception there, at the outset, was, however, far from being what +she had looked forward to. She had written to Rhoda announcing the day +and hour of her arrival, and requesting that James Maxfield should meet +her at the "Blue Bell" inn, where the coach stopped, with a fly for the +conveyance of herself and her luggage to her old quarters. Mrs. +Errington had not previously written to Rhoda from Westmoreland, but she +had forwarded to her at different times two copies of the _Applethwaite +Advertiser_. In one of these journals a preliminary announcement of +Algernon's marriage had appeared under the heading of "Alliance in High +Life." In the second there was an account of the wedding, and the +breakfast, and the rejoicings in the village of Long Fells, which did +much credit to the imaginative powers of the writer. According to the +_Applethwaite Advertiser_, the ceremony had been imposing, the breakfast +sumptuous, and the village demonstrations enthusiastic. + +Mrs. Errington had bought twenty copies of the newspaper for +distribution among her friends; and she pleased herself with thinking +how grateful the Maxfields would be to her for sending them the papers +with the interesting paragraphs marked in red ink. She also looked +forward with much complacency to having Rhoda for a listener to all her +narrations about the wedding and life at Long Fells, and the great +people whom she had met there. Rhoda was such a capital listener! And +then, besides and beyond all that, Mrs. Errington was fond of Rhoda, and +had more motherly warmth of feeling for her than she had as yet attained +to for her new daughter-in-law. + +Mrs. Errington's head was stretched out of the coach-window as the +vehicle clattered up the archway of the "Blue Bell" inn. It was about +seven o'clock on a fine August evening, and there was ample light enough +for the traveller to distinguish all the familiar features of the +streets through which she passed. "James will be standing in the +inn-yard ready to receive me," she thought; "and I suppose the fly will +be waiting at the corner by the booking-office. I wonder whether the +driver will be the lame old man or young Simmons?" She was still +debating this question when the coach turned sharply round under the +archway, and stopped in the great rambling yard of the old-fashioned +"Blue Bell" inn. + +Mrs. Errington got down unassisted; James Maxfield was not there. She +looked round in bewilderment, standing hot, dusty, and tired in the +yard, where, after a bustling waiter had tripped up to her to ask if she +wanted a room, and tripped away again, no one took any heed of her. + +A fly was not to be had in Whitford at a moment's notice. After waiting +for some ten minutes, Mrs. Errington found there was nothing for it but +to walk to her lodgings. She left her luggage in the coach-office to be +called for, and set out carrying a rather heavy hand-bag, and hurrying +through the streets at a pace much quicker than her usual dignified rate +of moving. She wished not to be seen and recognised by any passing +acquaintance under circumstances so unfavourable to an impressive or +triumphant demeanour. + +Arrived at Jonathan Maxfield's house, the aspect of things was not much +improved. Betty Grimshaw opened the door, and stared in surprise on +seeing Mrs. Errington. She had not been expected. Mr. Maxfield was over +at Duckwell at his son's farm. James was busy in the store-house. And as +for Rhoda, she was away on a visit to Miss Bodkin at the seaside, and +had been for some weeks. A letter? Oh, if a letter had come for Rhoda, +her father would have sent it on to her. It was a two days' post from +where she was to Whitford. And the newspapers? Betty did not know. She +had not seen them. Her brother-in-law had had them, she supposed. Yes; +she had heard that Mr. Algernon was married, or going to be married. The +servants from Pudcombe Hall had spoken of it when they came into the +shop. Jonathan had not said anything on the subject as far as she knew. +Mrs. Errington knew what Jonathan was. He never was given to much +conversation. And it was Betty's opinion, delivered very frankly, that +Jonathan grew crustier and closer as he got older. But wouldn't Mrs. +Errington like a cup of tea? Betty would have the kettle boiling in a +few minutes. + +Mrs. Errington felt rather forlorn, as she entered her old sitting-room +and looked around her. It was trim and neat, indeed, and spotlessly +clean; but it had the chill, repellent look of an uninhabited apartment. +The corner cupboard was locked, and its treasure of old china hidden +from view. Algernon's books were gone from the shelf above the piano. A +white cloth was spread over the sofa, and the hearth-rug was turned +upside down, displaying a grey lining, instead of the gay-coloured +scraps of cloth. + +She missed Rhoda. She had become accustomed to Algernon's absence from +the familiar room; but Rhoda's absence made a blank in it, that was +depressing. And perhaps Mrs. Errington herself was surprised to find how +dreary the place looked, without the girl's gentle face and modest +figure. She gladly accepted Betty Grimshaw's invitation to take her tea +downstairs in the comfortable, bright kitchen, instead of alone in the +melancholy gentility of her own sitting-room. Betty was as +wooden-faced, and grim, and rigid in her aspect as ever. But she was not +unfriendly towards her old lodger. And, moreover, she was entirely +respectful in her manner, holding it as a fixed article of her faith +that "gentlefolks born" were intended by Providence to be treated with +deference, and desiring to show that she herself had been trained to +becoming behaviour under the roof of a person of quality. + +It was little more than nine o'clock when Mrs. Errington rose to go to +bed, being tired with her journey. As she did so, she said, "Mrs. +Grimshaw, will you get James to send a hand-cart for my luggage in good +time to-morrow?" + +"Oh, your luggage?" returned Betty. "Well, do you think it is worth +while to send for it, if you're not going to stay?" + +Mrs. Errington was so much astonished by this speech, that she sat down +again on the chair she had just quitted. Then, after a minute's pause, +her mind, which did not move very rapidly, arrived at what she supposed +to be the explanation of Betty's words. "Oh, I see," she said; "you took +it for granted that, on my son's marriage, I should leave you and join +him. But it is not so, my good soul. My daughter-in-law has implored me +to live with them, but I have refused. It is better for the young people +to be by themselves; and I prefer my own independence also. No, my good +Mrs. Grimshaw, I shall remain in my old quarters until Mr. Algernon +leaves Whitford for good. And perhaps, even then, I may not give you up +altogether, who knows?" + +Betty hesitated for an instant before replying. "Then Jonathan has not +said anything to you about giving up the rooms?" + +"Good gracious, no! I have not heard from Mr. Maxfield at all!" + +"I suppose he didn't expect you back quite so soon. And--there, I'm sure +I won't take upon myself to speak for him. I shouldn't have got on with +my brother-in-law all these years if I hadn't made it a rule to try for +peace and quietness, and never interfere." + +But Mrs. Errington persisting in her demand that Betty should explain +herself more fully, the latter at length confessed that, during the past +two or three weeks, Jonathan Maxfield had declared his intention of +getting rid of his lodger, and of not letting the first floor of his +house again. "Your sitting-room is to be kept as a kind of a +drawing-room for Rhoda, as I understand Jonathan," said she. + +A drawing-room for Rhoda! Mrs. Errington could not believe her senses. +"Why, what is Mr. Maxfield thinking of?" she exclaimed. + +"Oh, you don't know what a fuss Jonathan has been making lately about +Rhoda! Before you went away, you know, ma'am, as he had begun to spend +a deal of money on her clothes. And since then, more and more; it's been +all his talk as Rhoda was to be a lady. The notion has got stuck fast in +his head, and wild horses wouldn't drag it out." + +Mrs. Errington rose very majestically. "I much fear," she said, "I much +fear that I am responsible for this delusion of your brother-in-law. I +have a little spoiled the girl, and taken too much notice of her. I +regret it now. But, really, Rhoda is such a sweet creature that I don't +know that I have been so very much to blame, either. It is true I have +introduced her to my friends, and brought her forward a little beyond +her station; but I little thought a man of Mr. Maxfield's common sense +would have been so utterly led away by kindly-meant patronage." + +"Well, I don't know as it's so much that, ma'am," returned Betty, in a +matter-of-fact tone, "as it is that Jonathan has latterly been thinking +a deal about his money. And he knows money will do great things----" + +"Money can never confer gentle birth, my good creature!" + +"No, for sure, ma'am. That's what I say myself. I know my catechism, and +I was brought up to respect my superiors. But, you see, Jonathan's +heart is greatly set on his riches. He's a well-off man, is my +brother-in-law; more so than many folks think. He's been a close man all +his life. And, for that matter, he's close enough now in some things, +and screws me down in the housekeeping pretty tight. But for Rhoda he +seems to grudge nothing, and wants her to make a show and a splash +almost--if you can fancy such a thing of Jonathan! But there's no saying +how men will turn out; not even the old ones. I'm sure I often and often +thank my stars I've kept single--no offence to you, ma'am." + +Mrs. Errington went to bed in a bewildered frame of mind. Tired as she +was, the news she had heard kept her awake for some time. Leave her +lodgings! Leave old Max's house, which had been her home for so many +years! It was incredible. And, indeed, before long she had made up her +mind to resist old Max's intention of turning her out. "I shall give him +a good talking to, to-morrow," she said to herself. "Stupid old man! He +really must not be allowed to make himself so absurd." And then Mrs. +Errington fell asleep. + +But the next day old Max did not return to be talked to; nor the day +after that. James Maxfield went over to Duckwell, and came back bringing +a formal notice to Mrs. Errington to quit the lodgings, signed by his +father. + +"What does this mean, James?" asked Mrs. Errington, with much emphasis, +and wide-open eyes. James did not know what it meant. He did not +apparently much care, either. He had never been on very friendly terms +with the Erringtons (having, indeed, come but seldom in contact with +them during all the time they had lived under the same roof with him), +and had, perhaps, been a little jealous in his sullen, silent way, of +their petting of Rhoda. At all events, on the present occasion, he was +not communicative nor very civil. He had performed his father's behests, +and he knew nothing more. His father was not coming back home just yet. +And James volunteered the opinion that he didn't mean to come back until +Mrs. Errington should be gone. + +All this was strange and disagreeable. But Mrs. Errington was not of an +irritable or anxious temperament. And her self-complacency was of too +solid a kind to be much affected even by ruder rubs than any which could +be given by James Maxfield's uncouth bluntness. "I shall take no notice +whatever of this," she said, with serene dignity. "When your father +comes back, I shall talk to him. Meanwhile, I have a great many +important things to do." + +The good lady did in truth begin at once to busy herself in seeking a +house for Algernon, and getting it furnished. There was but a month to +make all arrangements in, and all Mrs. Errington's friends who could by +any possibility be pressed into the service were required to assist +her. The Docketts; Rose and Violet McDougall; Mrs. Smith, the surgeon's +wife; and even Miss Chubb, were sent hither and thither, asked to write +notes, to make inquiries, to have interviews with landlords, and to take +as much trouble, and make as much fuss as possible, in the task of +getting ready an abode for Mr. and the Honourable Mrs. Algernon +Errington. + +A house was found without much difficulty. It was a small isolated +cottage on the outskirts of the town, with a garden behind it which ran +down to the meadows bordering the Whit; and was the very house, +belonging to Barker the chemist, of which Mrs. Errington had written to +her friend Mrs. Bodkin. + +It was really a very humble dwelling. But the rent of it was quite as +large as Algernon would be able to afford. Mrs. Errington said, "I +prefer a small place for them. If they took a more pretentious house, +they would be expected to entertain. And you know, my dear sir," (or +"madam," as the case might be) "that there is a great mixture in +Whitford society; and that would not suit my daughter-in-law, of course. +You perceive that, don't you?" And then the person so addressed might +flatter him or herself with the idea of belonging to the unmixed portion +of society. + +Indeed, this terrible accusation of being "mixed" was one which Mrs. +Errington was rather fond of bringing against the social gatherings in +Whitford. And she had once been greatly offended, and a good deal +puzzled, by Mr. Diamond's asking her what objection there could be to +that; and challenging her to point out any good thing on earth, from a +bowl of punch upwards, which was not "mixed!" But however this might be, +no one believed at all that the mixture in Whitford society was the real +reason for young Errington's inhabiting so small a house. They knew +perfectly well that if Algernon's means had been larger, his house would +have been larger also. + +And yet, Mrs. Errington's flourish was not without its effect on some +persons. They in their turn repeated her lamentations on the "mixture" +to such of their acquaintances as did not happen to be also her +acquaintances. And as there were very few individuals in Whitford either +so eccentric, or so courageous, as Mr. Diamond, this mysterious mixture +was generally acknowledged, with shrugs and head-shakings, to be a very +great evil indeed. + +At the end of about a fortnight, old Max one day reappeared in his own +house, and marched upstairs to Mrs. Errington's sitting-room. + +"Well, ma'am," said he, without any preliminary greeting whatsoever, "I +suppose you understood the written notice to quit, that I sent you? But +as my son James informs me that you don't seem to be taking any steps in +consequence of it, I've come to say that you will have to remove out of +my abode on the twenty-seventh of this month, and not a day later. So +you can act according to your judgment in finding another place to dwell +in." + +Mrs. Errington was inspecting the contents of a packing-case which had +been sent from London by Lady Seely. It contained, as her ladyship said, +"some odds and ends that would be useful to the young couple." The only +article of any value in the whole collection was a porcelain vase, which +had long stood in obscurity on a side-table in Lord Seely's study, and +would not be missed thence. Lady Seely, at all events, would not miss +it, as she seldom entered the room; and therefore she had generously +added it to the odds and ends! + +Mrs. Errington looked up, a little flushed with the exertion of stooping +over the packing-case, and confronted Mr. Maxfield. Her round, red +full-moon face contrasted in a lively manner with the old man's grey, +lank, harsh visage. The years, as they passed, did not improve old Max's +appearance. And as soon as she beheld him, Mrs. Errington was convinced +of the justice of Betty Grimshaw's remark, that her brother-in-law +seemed to have grown closer and crustier than ever of late. + +"Why, Mr. Maxfield," said the lady, condescendingly, "how do you do? I +have been wanting to see you. Come, sit down, and let us talk matters +over." + +Old Max stood in the doorway glaring at her. "I don't know, ma'am, as +there's any matters I want to talk over with you," he returned. "You had +better understand that I mean what I say. You'll find it more convenient +to believe me at once, and to act accordin'." + +"Do you mean to say that you intend to turn me out, Mr. Maxfield?" + +"I have given you a legal notice to quit, ma'am. You needn't call it +turning you out, unless you like." + +He had begun to move away, when Mrs. Errington exclaimed, "But I really +don't comprehend this at all! What will Rhoda think of it?" + +Maxfield stopped, hesitatingly, with his hand on the banisters at the +top of the landing. "Rhoda?" said he gruffly. "Oh, Rhoda has nothing to +say to it, one way or t'other." + +"But I want to have something to say to her! I assure you it was a great +disappointment to me not to find Rhoda here on my return. I'm very fond +of her; and shall continue to be so, as long as she merits it. It is not +her fault, poor girl, if--other people forget themselves." + +Maxfield took his hand off the banisters and turned round. "Since you're +so fond of Rhoda," he said, with a queer expression on his sour old +face, "you'll be glad to know where she is, and the company she's in." + +"I know that she is at the seaside with my friends, Mrs. and Miss +Bodkin." + +"She is at the seaside with _her_ friends, Mrs. and Miss Bodkin. Miss +Minnie is a real lady, and she understands how to treat Rhoda, and knows +that the Lord has made a lady of Rhoda by natur'." + +Mrs. Errington stared in utter astonishment. The suspicion began to form +and strengthen itself in her mind that the old man was positively out of +his senses. If so, his insanity had taken an extremely unpleasant turn +for her. + +"I really was not prepared for being turned out of my lodgings after all +these years," she said, reverting to the point that most nearly touched +herself. + +"I've not been prepared for a many things as have happened after all +these years. But I'm ready to meet 'em when they come." + +"Well, but now, Mr. Maxfield, let us see if we cannot make an +arrangement. If you have any different views about the rent, I----" + +"The rent! What do you think your bit of a rent matters to me? I want +the rooms for the use of my daughter, Miss Maxfield, and there's an end +of it." + +"Oh, he certainly cannot be in his right senses to address me in this +manner!" thought Mrs. Errington. + +Maxfield went on, "I see you've got a box of rubbish there, littering +about the place. I give you warning not to unpack any more here, for out +everything 'll have to go on the twenty-seventh of this month, as sure +as my name's Jonathan Maxfield!" + +"Mr. Maxfield! You are certainly forgetting yourself. Rubbish, indeed! +These are a few--a very few--of the valuable wedding presents sent to my +son and daughter by Lady Seely." + +Old Max made a grating sound which was intended for a laugh, although +his bushy grey eyebrows were drawn together in a heavy frown the while. +Then he suddenly burst out in a kind of cold fury. "Pooh!" he cried. +"Presents! Valuable presents! You don't deceive anybody by that! Look +here--if the old carpet or any of the furniture in this room would be of +any assistance to you, you can take it! I'll give it to you--a free +gift! The place is going to be done up and new furnished for Miss +Maxfield. Furnished handsome, fit for a young lady of property. Fit for +a young lady that will have a sum o' money on the day she marries--if +I'm pleased with her choice--as 'll make some folks' mouths water. It +won't be reckoned by twenties, nor yet by hundreds, won't Miss +Maxfield's fortin'! You can take the old carpet, and mahogany table, and +the high-backed chairs, and put 'em among your valuable presents. +They're too old-fashioned for Miss Maxfield's drawing-room!" And with a +repetition of the grating laugh, old Max tramped heavily downstairs, and +was heard to bang the door of his own parlour. + +Mrs. Errington sat motionless for nearly a quarter of an hour, staring +at the open door. "Mad!" she exclaimed at length, drawing a long breath. +"Quite mad! But I wonder if there is any truth in what he says about +Rhoda's money? Dear me, why she'll be quite a catch!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +Meanwhile Rhoda, at Duckwell Farm, supposed herself to be too unhappy to +care much for anything. She did not have a fever, nor fall into a +consumption, nor waste away visibly; but she passed hours crying alone +in her own room, or sitting idle-handed, whilst her thoughts languidly +retraced the past, or strove to picture what sort of a lady Algernon's +wife might be. Headaches, pallid cheeks, and red eyes resulted from +these solitary hours. Mrs. Seth Maxfield wondered what had come to the +girl, having no suspicion that young Errington's marriage could be more +to Rhoda than an interesting subject for gossip. + +Old Jonathan went over to Duckwell immediately after receiving the first +newspaper, sent by Mrs. Errington from Westmoreland. + +The announcement of the intended wedding had taken him wholly by +surprise. It would be hard to say whether wrath or amazement +predominated in his mind, on first reading the paragraph which Mrs. +Errington had so complacently marked with red ink. But it is not at all +hard to say which feeling predominated within an hour after having read +it. + +According to old Max's judgment, there was not one extenuating +circumstance in Algernon's behaviour; not one plea to be urged on his +behalf. Utter vindictive anger filled the old man's soul as he read. He +had been deceived, played upon, laughed at by this boy! That was the +first, and, perhaps, the most venomous of his mortifications. But many +other stinging thoughts rankled in his mind. David Powell had been +right! That was almost unendurable. As to Rhoda, old Max could not, in +the mood he was then in, contemplate her being bowed down by grief and +disappointment. He would have her raise her head, and revenge herself on +her faithless lover. He would have her successful, admired, and +prosperous. He would have her trample on Algernon's pride and poverty +with all the insolence of wealth. Even his beloved money, so hardly +earned, so eagerly hoarded, seemed to him, for the first time in his +life, to be of small account in comparison with a sentiment. + +He took his Bible, and gloated over menaces of vengeance and threats of +destruction. Future condemnation was, no doubt, in store for Algernon +Errington. But that was too vague and too distant a prospect to appease +old Max's stomach for revenge. He wanted to see his enemy in the dust, +and that his enemy should be seen there by others. In the midst of his +reading, he suddenly recollected the acknowledgment he held of +Algernon's debt to him, and jumped up and ran to his strong-box to feast +his eyes on it. It seemed almost like a clear leading from on High that +the I.O.U. should come into his head just then, old Max thought. He was +not the first, nor the worst man who has wrested Scripture into the +service of his own angry passions. + +Then he sent to order a gig from the "Blue Bell," and set out for +Duckwell Farm. + +"I hope your father isn't sickening for any disease, or going to get a +stroke, or something," said Betty Grimshaw to her nephew James. "But I +never see anybody's face such a colour out of their coffin. It's a +greeny grey, that's what it is. And he was frowning like thunder." + +But Jonathan Maxfield's disorder was not of the body. He arrived at +Duckwell unexpectedly, but his arrival did not cause any particular +surprise. He had business transactions to discuss with his son Seth, to +whom he had advanced money on mortgage. And then there was Rhoda staying +at the farm, and, of course, her father would like to see Rhoda. + +Rhoda was called from her own room, and came down, pale and nervous. +She dreaded meeting her father. Did he, or did he not, know the news +from Westmoreland? It had only come to Duckwell Farm by means of Mr. +Pawkins's servants. It might possibly not yet have reached Whitford. + +On his side, old Max took care to say nothing about the _Applethwaite +Advertiser_. He had destroyed that journal before leaving home, placing +it in the heart of the kitchen fire, and holding it there with the +poker, until the remains of it fluttered up the chimney in black, +impalpable fragments. + +But old Max had brought another document in his pocket, which had been +placed in his hand just as he was starting in the gig. It was a letter +directed to Miss Rhoda Maxfield, High Street, Whitford. And this he +pulled out almost immediately on seeing Rhoda. A glance at her face +sufficed to show him that she was unhappy and dispirited. "She has heard +it!" he thought. And something like an anathema upon Algernon followed +the thought in his mind. + +The old man's countenance was not so clearly read by his daughter; +indeed, she hardly raised her eyes to his, but received his kiss in +silence. + +"I'm afraid, father, you'll not find Rhoda's looks doing us credit," +said Mrs. Seth. "Why or wherefore I don't know, but these last days she +has been as peaky as can be." + +"It's the heat, maybe," said old Max shortly and withdrew his own and +Mrs. Seth's attention from the girl, as she read the letter he handed to +her. Rhoda was grateful for this forbearance on her father's part, +although it fluttered her, too, a little, as proving that he was aware +of the cause of her dejection, and anxious to shield it from +observation. + +The letter was from Minnie Bodkin. She had written it almost immediately +on hearing of Algernon's intended marriage. It invited Rhoda, if her +father would consent, to visit the Bodkins during the remainder of their +stay at the seaside. There was no word of allusion to the Erringtons in +the letter. Minnie only said, "Mamma and I remember that your cheeks had +lost their roses, somewhat, when we left Whitford. And we think that a +breath of sea-breeze may blow them back again. It is some time since you +had complete change of air. Tell Mr. Maxfield we will take good care of +you." And in a postscript Mrs. Bodkin had added, in her small running +hand, "Do come, my dear. We shall be very glad to have you. Dr. Bodkin +bids me send you his love." + +It had been no slight effort of self-conquest which had made Minnie +Bodkin send for Rhoda, to stay with her at the seaside, and had enabled +her to endure the girl's daily presence, and to stand her friend in word +and deed, throughout the weeks which succeeded the announcement of +Algernon's marriage. + +To be kind to Rhoda at a distance would have been pleasant enough. +Minnie would willingly, nay, gladly, have served the girl in any way +which should not have necessitated frequent personal communion with her. +But she told herself unflinchingly that if she really meant to keep her +promise to David Powell, she must do so at some cost of self-sacrifice. +The only efficacious thing she could do for Rhoda was to take her away +from Whitford scenes and Whitford people for a time; to take her out of +the reach of gossiping tongues and unsympathising eyes, and to give her +the support of a friendly presence when she should be obliged to face +Whitford once more. This would be efficacious help to Rhoda; and Minnie +resolved to give it to her. But it was a task to which she felt +considerable repugnance. There was an invisible barrier between herself +and pretty, gentle, winning Rhoda Maxfield. + +It is curious to consider of how small importance to most of us actions +are, as compared with motives. And perhaps nothing contributes more to +hasty accusations of ingratitude than forgetfulness of this truth. We +are more affected by what people mean than by what they say, and by what +they feel than by what they do. Only when meaning and feeling +harmoniously inform the dry husk of words and deeds, can we bring our +hearts to receive the latter thankfully, however kind they may sound or +seem to uninterested spectators. The egotism of most of us is too +exacting to permit of our judging our friends' behaviour from any +abstract point of view; and to be done good to for somebody else's sake, +or even for the sake of a lofty principle, seldom excites very lively +satisfaction. + +Thus Rhoda reproached herself for the unaccountable coldness with which +she received Miss Bodkin's kindness; having only a dim consciousness +that Miss Bodkin's kindness was prompted by motives excellent indeed, +but which had little to do with personal sympathy with herself. + +She silently handed the letter to her father, and turned away to the +window. Mrs. Seth bustled out of the room, saying that she must get +ready "a snack of something" for Mr. Maxfield after his drive, and the +father and daughter were left alone together. + +Jonathan Maxfield's face brightened wonderfully as he read Minnie's +gracious words. A glow of pleasure came over his hard features. But it +was not a very agreeable sort of pleasure to behold, being considerably +mingled with malicious triumph. Here was a well-timed circumstance +indeed! What could Powell, or such as Powell, say now? Let the +Erringtons behave as they might, it was clear henceforward that Rhoda +had not been received amongst gentlefolks solely on their account. His +girl was liked and made much of for her own sake. + +"Well," said he, "this is a very pretty letter of Miss Minnie's; very +pretty indeed." He did not allow his voice to express his exultation, +but spoke in his usual harsh, grumbling tones. + +"Yes," answered Rhoda, tremulously, "it is very kind of Miss Minnie, and +of dear Mrs. Bodkin; wonderfully kind! But I--I don't think I want to +go, father." + +"Not want to go? Nonsense! That's mere idle nonsense. Of course you will +go. I shall take you down by the coach myself." + +"Oh thank you, father, but--I really don't want change. I don't care +about going to the seaside." + +The old man turned upon her almost savagely. "I say you shall go. You +must go. Are you to creep into a hole like a sick beast of the field, +and hide yourself from all eyes? There, there," he added in a gentler +tone, drawing her towards him, as he saw the tears begin to gather in +her eyes, "I am not chiding you, Rhoda. But it will be good for you to +accept this call from your kind friends. It will be good for mind and +body. You will be quiet there, among fresh scenes and fresh faces. And +you will return to Whitford in the company of these gentlefolks, who, it +is clear, are minded to stand your friends under all circumstances. +Seth's wife is a worthy woman, but she is not a companion for you, +Rhoda." + +One phrase of this speech did seem to offer a glimpse of consolation to +Rhoda; the promise, namely, of quiet and fresh scenes, where she and her +belongings were utterly unknown. But her father did not know that Minnie +Bodkin understood her little love-story from first to last; and that +Minnie Bodkin's presence and companionship might not be calculated to +pour the waters of oblivion into her heart. Still she reflected, a day +must come when she would have to face Miss Minnie, and all the other +Whitford people who knew her. There was no chance of her dying at once +and being taken away from it all! And Rhoda's teaching had made her +shrink from the thought of desiring death, as from something vaguely +wicked. On the whole, it might be the best thing for her to go to the +Bodkins. She would better have liked to continue her solitary rambles in +Pudcombe Woods or the meadows at Duckwell; only that now the pain +awaited her, every evening, at the farm, of hearing Algernon's marriage +discussed and speculated on. She could not shut out the topic. On the +whole, then, it might be the best thing she could do, to get away from +Whitford gossip for a time. + +These considerations Rhoda brought before her own mind, not with any +idea that they could avail to decide her line of conduct, but by way of +reconciling herself to the line of conduct she should be compelled to +take. It never entered her head that any resistance would be possible +when once her father had said, "You must go." + +"Very well, father," she answered meekly, after a short pause. + +The Bodkins' invitation was duly communicated to Seth and his wife. And +it was arranged that Rhoda should start from the farm without returning +to Whitford at all, as a cross road could be reached from Duckwell, +where the coach would stop to pick up passengers. "If there's any +garments you require, beyond those you have here, your aunt Betty shall +send them over by the carrier, to-morrow," said Mr. Maxfield. + +Mrs. Seth protested (not without a spice of malice) that Rhoda could not +possibly want any more clothes, for that she was rigged out already fit +for a princess. Nevertheless there did arrive from Whitford several +fresh additions to Rhoda's wardrobe, inclosed in a brand-new black trunk +studded with brass-headed nails, and with the initials R. M. traced out +in the same shining materials on the lid. + +"Your father's well-nigh soft-headed about that girl," said Mrs. Seth to +her husband, as they stood watching the father and daughter drive away +together. + +"H'm!" grunted Seth. + +His wife went on, "We may make up our minds as our little ones will +never be a penny the better for your father's money. I'm as sure as +sure, it'll all go to Rhoda." + +"As to his will, you may be right," returned Seth. "But I have good +hopes that father will cancel that mortgage he holds on the home farm. +If he does that, we mustn't growl too much. 'Tis a good lump o' money. +And it would come a deal handier to me if I could have the land free +now, than if I waited for father's death. He's tough, is father. And the +Lord knows I don't wish him dead neither." + +In this way Rhoda Maxfield went down to the seaside place where the +Bodkins were staying, spent about three weeks with them there, and +returned in their company to Whitford, to find Mrs. Errington no longer +an inmate of her father's house, the old sitting-room decorated and +re-furnished very smartly, and all the circle with whom she had become +acquainted at Dr. Bodkin's on the tiptoe of expectation to behold the +Honourable Mrs. Algernon Errington, whose arrival was looked forward to +with an amount of interest only understood by those who have ever lived +an unoccupied life in a remote provincial town. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +We have already been present at more than one social gathering at Dr. +Bodkin's house. But these entertainments have been of an informal +character, and the guests at them all persons in the habit of meeting +each other very frequently. On Mr. and Mrs. Algernon Errington's arrival +in Whitford, after their marriage, Dr. and Mrs. Bodkin issued cards for +an evening party, and invited the leading personages of their +acquaintance to meet the bride and bridegroom. + +Mrs. Errington was in high delight. She appreciated this attention from +her old friends very highly. Castalia, it was true, looked discontented +and disdainful about the whole affair; and demanded to know why she must +be dragged out to these people's stupid parties before she had had time +to turn round in her own house. But then, as Mrs. Errington reflected, +Castalia did not understand Whitford society. "The fact is, my dear," +said her mother-in-law with suavity, "it may be all a very trumpery +business in your eyes, and after the circles you have moved in, but I +assure you it is considered a very desirable thing here to have the +_entrée_ to Dr. Bodkin's. And then they scarcely ever entertain on a +showy scale; nothing but a few friends, tea and cake, your rubber, and a +tray afterwards. But, for this occasion, I hear there are great +preparations going on. They won't dance, because Minnie can't stand the +vibration. But there will be quite a large gathering. Of course, my +dear, it is not what I was accustomed to at Ancram Park. But they are +most kind, well-meaning people. And Minnie is highly accomplished; even +learned, I believe." + +"I hate blue-stockings," returned Mrs. Algernon with a shrug. + +"Oh! but Minnie is not the least blue in her manners! Indeed, her +knowing Greek has ever been a mystery to me; for I assure you she is +extremely handsome, and has, I think, the finest pair of eyes I ever saw +in my life. But I suppose it is accounted for by her affliction, poor +thing!" + +Castalia had darted a quick, suspicious glance at her husband on hearing +of Minnie's beauty, but relapsed into languid indifference when she was +told that Miss Bodkin was a confirmed invalid, suffering from disease of +the spine. + +In other circles Mrs. Errington was by no means so cool and +condescending in speaking of the doctor's projected party. The check +administered to her exultation by Castalia's chilly indifference only +caused a fuller ebullition of it in other directions. She overwhelmed +her new landlady by the magnitude and magnificence of her +"Ancramisms"--I have already asked permission to use the phrase in these +pages--and was looked up to by that simple soul as a very exalted +personage; for the new landlady was no other than the widow Thimbleby. + +Mrs. Errington occupied the two rooms on the first-floor above Mr. +Diamond's parlours. The place was smaller and poorer altogether than +Maxfield's house, although it did not yield to it in cleanliness. Here +was Mrs. Errington's old blue china set forth on a side-table in the +little oblong drawing-room; and her work-box with its amber satin and +silver implements; and the faded miniatures hung over the mantelpiece. +Also there was a square of substantial, if somewhat faded, carpet in the +middle of Mrs. Thimbleby's threadbare drugget, a mahogany table, and a +roomy, comfortable easy-chair, all of which we have seen before. + +In a word, Mrs. Errington had taken advantage of old Max's somewhat rash +offer, and had carried away with her such articles of furniture out of +her old quarters as she fancied might be useful. + +Mrs. Errington took some credit to herself for her magnanimity in so +doing. "I could not refuse the poor man," she said to Mrs. Thimbleby. "I +have lived many years in his house, and although he was led away by +mistaken ambition to want his drawing-room for his own use, and +certainly did cause me great inconvenience at a moment when I was up to +my eyes in important business, yet I could not refuse to accept his +little peace-offering. A lady does not quarrel with that sort of person, +you know. And, poor old man, I believe he was dreadfully cut up at my +going away when it came to the point, and would have given anything to +keep me. But I said, 'No, Mr. Maxfield, that is impossible. I have made +other arrangements; and, in short, I cannot be troubled any more about +this matter. But to show that I bear no malice, and that I shall not +withdraw my countenance from your daughter, I am willing to accept the +trifles you press upon me.' He was a good deal touched by my taking the +things; poor, foolish, misguided old man!" + +"Well, it was real Christian of you, ma'am," said simple Mrs. Thimbleby. + +The day of the party at Dr. Bodkin's arrived; and there was as intense +an excitement connected with its advent as if it were to bring a county +ball, or even a royal drawing-room. Whether a satin train, lappets and +feathers, be intrinsically more important and worthy objects of anxiety +than a white muslin frock and artificial roses, I do not presume to +decide. Only I can unhesitatingly assert that the Misses Rose and Violet +McDougall could not have given their female attendant more trouble about +the preparation and putting on of the latter adornments--which formed +their simple and elegant attire on this occasion--if they had been +duchesses, and their gowns cloth of gold. + +Miss Chubb, too, contemplated her new dress of a light blue colour, laid +out upon her bed, with great interest and satisfaction. And when her +toilet for the evening was completed, she had more little gummed rings +of hair on her cheeks and forehead than had ever before been beheld +there at one time. + +The company began to assemble in Dr. Bodkin's drawing-rooms about +half-past eight o'clock. There were all our old acquaintances--Mr. +Smith, the surgeon, and his wife; Mr. and Mrs. Dockett, with Miss +Alethea, now promoted to long dresses and "grown-up" young-ladyhood. +There was Orlando Pawkins; Mr. Warlock, the curate; and Colonel +Whistler, with his charming nieces. Miss Chubb had dined with the +Bodkins in the middle of the day, and, after being of great assistance +to the mistress of the house in the preparation of her supper-table, had +returned to her own home to dress, and consequently arrived upon the +festive scene rather later than would otherwise have been the case. But +she was not the last guest to arrive. Mr. Diamond came in after her; and +so did one or two families from the neighbourhood of Whitford. ("County +people," Miss Chubb said in a loud whisper to Rose McDougall, who +replied snappishly, "Of course! We know them very well. Have visited +them for years.") + +"This is a brilliant scene," said good-natured Miss Chubb, turning to +Mr. Warlock, whom Fate had thrown into her neighbourhood. Mr. Warlock +agreed with her that it was very brilliant; and, indeed, Dr. Bodkin's +drawing-rooms, well lighted with wax candles, and with abundance of +hot-house flowers tastefully arranged, and relieved against the rich +crimson and oak furniture, were exceedingly cheerful, pleasant, and +picturesque. There was an air of comfort and good taste about the +rooms--a habitable, home-like air--not always to be found in more +splendid dwellings. + +On her crimson lounging-chair reclined Minnie Bodkin. Her dress was of +heavy cream-white silk, with gold ornaments. She wore nothing in her +abundant dark hair, and her pale face seemed to many who looked upon it +that evening to be more lovely than ever. Her lips had a tinge of red +in them, and her eyes were full of lustre. There was a suppressed +excitement about her looks and manner, which lighted up her +perfectly-moulded features with a strange beauty that struck all +observers. Even the McDougalls could not but admit that Minnie looked +very striking, but added that she was a little too theatrically got up, +didn't you think so? That was poor Minnie's failing. All for effect! +"And," added Rose, "she has a good foil in that little pink and white +creature who sits in the corner beside her chair, and never moves. I +suppose she is told to do it. But the idea of dressing that chit up in a +violet silk gown fit for a married woman! And she has no figure to carry +it off. I really think it rather a strong measure on the Bodkins' part +to ask us all to meet a girl of such very low origin on equal terms. But +there it is, you see! Poor dear Minnie delights in doing startling +things, unlike other people. And, of course, her parents refuse her +nothing." + +Miss Rose's opinion of Rhoda Maxfield's insignificant appearance was +not, however, shared by many persons present. Several young gentlemen, +and more than one old gentleman, vied with each other in offering her +cups of tea, and paying her various little attentions according to their +opportunities. Even old Colonel Whistler, when he thought himself +unobserved by his nieces, sidled up to pretty Rhoda Maxfield, and was +heard to say to one of the "county" gentlemen, "She's the prettiest girl +I've seen this many a day, by George! And I know a pretty girl when I +see one, sir; or used to, once upon a time!" + +To Rhoda, all the strangers who spoke and looked so kindly were merely +troublesome. Her colour went and came, her heart beat with anxiety. She +started nervously every time the door opened. She could think only of +Algernon and Algernon's wife. She made a silent and very earnest prayer +that she might be strengthened to sit still and quiet when they should +appear, for she had had serious apprehensions lest she should be +irresistibly impelled to start up and run away, as soon as she saw them. + +It was in vain that young Mr. Pawkins hovered near her, inviting her to +accept his arm into the tea-room; it was in vain that old Colonel +Whistler softened his martinet voice to ask her, with paternal +tenderness, how she had enjoyed her stay at the seaside, and to say +that, if one might judge by her looks, she had derived great benefit +from the change of air. In the words of the song, "All men else seemed +to her like shadows." She was in a dream, with the consciousness of an +impending awakening, which she half longed for, half dreaded. + +Two persons watched over her, and covered the mistakes she made in her +nervous trepidation. Matthew Diamond and Minnie Bodkin exerted +themselves to shield her from importunate observation, and to give her +time to recover her self-possession, if that might be possible. Diamond +was in good spirits. He could wait, he could be patient, he could be +silent now, with a good heart. Algernon's marriage had opened a bright +vista of hope before him; and perhaps he had never felt so disposed to +condone and excuse his old pupil's faults and failings as at the present +moment. "Minnie is a good creature," he thought, with a momentary, +grateful diversion of his attention from Rhoda, "to keep my timid birdie +so carefully under her wing! She might do it with a little more softness +of manner. But we cannot change people's natures." + +Meanwhile Minnie reclined in her chair, watching his tender lingering +looks at Rhoda, and his complete indifference to everyone else, with a +heartache which might have excused even less "softness of manner" than +Diamond thought she displayed towards the girl beside her. + +At length a little commotion, and movement among the persons standing +near the door, announced a new arrival. Rhoda felt sick, and grasped the +back of Minnie's chair so hard that her little glove was split by the +force of the pressure. But that horrible sensation passed away in a few +seconds. And then, looking up with renewed powers of seeing and hearing, +she perceived that Mrs. Errington had made her entrance alone, and was +holding forth in her mellow voice to Dr. and Mrs. Bodkin, and a knot of +other persons in the centre of the room. + +Mrs. Errington was radiant. She nodded and smiled to one and another +with an almost royal suavity and condescension. She was attired in a +rich dove-coloured silk gown (Lord Seely's gift to her at her son's +wedding), and wore rose-coloured ribbons in her lace cap, and looked +altogether as handsome and happy a matron of her years as you would +easily find in a long summer's day. + +"I have sent back the carriage for them, dear Mrs. Bodkin," she was +saying, when Rhoda gained self-possession enough to take account of her +words. "Naughty Castalia was not ready. So I said, 'My dear children, I +shall go on without you, and put in an appearance for one member of the +family at least!' So here I am. And my boy and girl will be here +directly. And how is dear Minnie?--How d'ye do, Colonel?--Good evening, +Miss Chubb.--Ah, Alethea! Papa and mamma quite well?--Oh, there she is! +How are you, my dear Minnie? But I need not ask, for I never saw you +looking so well?" + +By this time Mrs. Errington had arrived at Minnie's chair, and stooped +to kiss her. Almost at the same moment she caught sight of Rhoda, who +shrank back a little, flushed and trembling. Mrs. Errington thought she +very well understood the cause of this, and thought to herself, "Poor +child, she is ashamed of her father's behaviour!" + +"What, my pretty Rhoda!" she said aloud. And, drawing the girl to her, +kissed her warmly. "I'm very glad to see you again, child," continued +Mrs. Errington; "I began to fancy we were not to meet any more. You must +come and see me, and spend a long day. I suppose that won't be against +the laws of the Medes and Persians, eh?" + +The familiar voice, the familiar looks, the kind manner of her old +friend, helped to put Rhoda at her ease. The fact, too, that Mrs. +Errington had no suspicion of her feelings was calming. Mrs. Errington +was not apt to suspect people of any feeling but gratification, when she +was talking to them. + +In the full glow of her satisfaction Mrs. Errington even condescended to +be gracious to Matthew Diamond, who came forward to offer his +congratulations. "Why, yes, Mr. Diamond," said the good lady, "it is +indeed a marriage after my own heart. And I do not think I am blinded by +the partiality of a mother, when I say the bride's family are quite as +gratified at the alliance as I am. Do you know that one of Mrs. +Algernon's relatives is the Duke of Mackelpie and Brose? A distant +relative, it is true. But these Scotch clans, you know, call cousins to +the twentieth degree! His Grace sent Castalia a beautiful wedding +present: a cairn-gorm, set in solid silver. So characteristic, you know! +and so distinguished! No vulgar finery. Oh, the Broses and the +Kauldkails have been connected from time immemorial." + +Then Colonel Whistler came up, and joined the circle round Mrs. +Errington's chair; and Miss Chubb, whose curiosity generally got the +better of her dignity when it came to a struggle between the two. To +them sauntered up Alethea Dockett on the arm of Mr. Pawkins. The latter, +finding it impossible to draw Rhoda into conversation, had +philosophically transferred his attentions to the smiling, black-eyed +Miss Alethea, much to the disgust and scorn of the McDougalls. + +Mrs. Errington soon had a numerous audience around her chair, and she +improved the occasion by indulging in such flourishes as fairly +staggered her hearers. Her account of the bride's trousseau was almost +oriental in the splendour and boldness of its imagery. And Matthew +Diamond began to believe that, with very small encouragement, she might +be led on to endow her daughter-in-law with the roc's egg, which even +Aladdin could not compass the possession of, when a diversion took +place. + +Algernon Errington appeared close behind Miss Chubb, and said, almost in +her ear, and in his old jaunty way, "Well, is this the way you cut an +old friend? Oh, Miss Chubb, I couldn't have believed it of you!" + +The little spinster turned round quite fluttered, with both her fat +little hands extended. "Algy!" she cried. "But I beg pardon; I ought not +to call you by that familiar name now, I suppose!" + +"By what name, then? I hope you don't mean to cut me in earnest!" + +Then there was a general hand-shaking and exchange of greetings among +the group. Rhoda was still in her old place behind Minnie's chair, and +was invisible at first to one coming to the circle from the other end of +the room, as Algernon had done. But in a minute he saw her, and for once +his self-possession temporarily forsook him. + +If he had walked into the sitting-room at old Max's, and seen Rhoda +there, in her accustomed place by his mother's knee, with the accustomed +needlework in her hand, and dressed in the accustomed grey stuff frock, +he might have accosted her with tolerable coolness and _aplomb_. The old +associations, which might have unnerved some soft-hearted persons, would +have strengthened Algernon by vividly recalling his own habitual +ascendancy and superiority over his former love. But instead of the +Rhoda he had been used to see, here was a lovely young lady, elegantly, +even richly, dressed, received among the chief personages of her little +world evidently on equal terms, and looking as gracefully in her right +place there as the best of them. + +Algernon stood for a second, staring point-blank at her, unable to move +or to speak. His embarrassment gave her courage. Not less to her own +surprise than to that of the two who were watching her so keenly, she +rose from her chair, and held out her hand with the little torn glove on +it, saying in a soft voice, that was scarcely at all unsteady, "How do +you do, Mr. Errington?" + +Algernon shook her proffered hand, and murmured something about having +scarcely recognised her. Then someone else began to speak to him, and he +turned away, as Rhoda resumed her seat, trembling from head to foot. + +So the dreaded meeting was over! Let her see him again as often as she +might, no second interview could be looked forward to with the same +anxious apprehension as the first. She had seen Algernon once more! She +had spoken to him, and touched his hand! + +It seemed very strange that no outward thing should have changed, when +such a moving drama had been going on within her heart! But not one of +the faces around her showed any consciousness that they had witnessed a +scene from the old, old story; that the clasp of those two young hands +had meant at once, "Hail!" and "Farewell!"--farewell to the sweet, +foolish dream, to the innocent tenderness of youth and maiden, to the +soft thrilling sense of love's presence, that was wont to fill so many +hours of life with a diffused sweetness, like the perfume of hidden +flowers! + +No; the world seemed to go on much as usual. The McDougalls came +flouncing up close beside her, to tell Minnie that they had just been +introduced to "the Honourable Mrs. Errington;" and a very young +gentleman (one of Dr. Bodkin's senior scholars) asked Rhoda if she had +had any tea yet, and begged to recommend the pound-cake, from his own +personal experience. + +"Go with Mr. Ingleby," said Minnie, authoritatively. "I put Miss +Maxfield under your charge, Ingleby, and shall hold you responsible for +her being properly attended to in the tea-room." + +The lad, colouring with pleasure, led off the unresisting Rhoda. All her +force of will, all her courage, seemed to have been expended in the +effort of greeting Algernon. She simply obeyed Miss Bodkin with listless +docility. But, on reaching the tea-room, she was conscious that her +friend had done wisely and kindly in sending her away, for there were +but two persons there. One was Mr. Dockett, who was as inveterate a +tea-drinker as Doctor Johnson; and the other was the Reverend Peter +Warlock, hovering hungrily near the cake-basket. Neither of these +gentlemen took any special notice of her, and she was able to sit quiet +and unobserved. Her cavalier conscientiously endeavoured to fulfil Miss +Minnie's injunctions, but was greatly disappointed by the indifference +which Rhoda manifested to the pound-cake. However, he endeavoured to +make up for her shortcomings by devouring such a quantity of that +confection himself as startled even Dr. Bodkin's old footman, accustomed +to the appetites of many a generation of school-boys. + +But all this time where was the bride? The party was given especially in +her honour, and to omit her from any description of it would be an +unpardonable solecism. + +The Honourable Mrs. Algernon Ancram Errington sat on a sofa in the +principal drawing-room, with a discontented expression of countenance, +superciliously surveying the company through her eye-glass, and asking +where Algernon was, if he were absent from her side for five minutes. +Castalia was looking in better health than when we first had the honour +of making her acquaintance. She had grown a trifle stouter--or less +lean. Her sojourn in Westmoreland had been more favourable to her looks +than the fatigues of a London season, which, under other circumstances, +she would have been undergoing. Happiness is said to be a great +beautifier. And it was to be supposed that Castalia, having married the +man of her heart, was happy. But yet the fretful creases had not +vanished from her face; and there was even a more suspicious +watchfulness in her bright, deeply-set eyes than formerly. + +Perhaps it may be well to record a few of the various verdicts passed on +the bride's manners and appearance by our Whitford friends after that +first evening. Possibly an impartial judgment may be formed from them; +but it will be seen that opinions were strongly conflicting. + +Said Dr. Bodkin to his wife, "What can the boy have been thinking of to +marry that woman? A sickly, faded, fretful-looking person, nearly ten +years his senior! I can forgive a generous mistake, but not a mean one. +If he had run away with Ally Dockett from her boarding-school, it would, +no doubt, have been a misfortune, but--I don't know that one would have +loved him much the less!" + +"Oh, doctor!" + +"I am not counselling young gentlemen to run away with young ladies +from boarding-schools, my dear. But--I'm afraid this has been a marriage +wholly of interest and ambition on his side. Ah! I hoped better things +of Errington." And the doctor went on shaking his head for full a +minute. + +Said Mrs. Smith to Mrs. Dockett, "What do you think of the bride?" Said +Mrs. Dockett to Mrs. Smith, "A stuck-up, unpleasant little thing! And I +do wish somebody would tell her to keep her gown on her shoulders. I +assure you, if I were to see my Ally half undressed in that fashion, I +should box her ears. And Ally has a very pretty pair of shoulders, +though I say it. She is not a bag of bones, like Mrs. Algernon, at all +events." + +Said Miss Chubb to her old woman servant, "Well, the Honourable Mrs. +Algernon Errington is very _distangy_ looking, Martha. That's a French +word that means--means out of the common, aristocratic, you know. Very +_distangy_, certainly! But she lacks sentiment, in my opinion. And her +outline is very sharp, Martha. I prefer a rounder contour, both of face +and figure. Some of the ladies found fault with her because of her low +dress. But that--as I happen to know--is quite the custom with our upper +classes in town. Mrs. Figgins's--wife of the Bishop of Plumbunn, you +know, Martha--Mrs. Figgins's sister, who married Sir William Wick, of +the Honourable Company of Tallow Chandlers, I believe--that's a kind of +City society for dining sumptuously, Martha; you mustn't suppose it has +anything to do with selling tallow candles! Well, Lady Wick sat down to +dinner in low, every day of her life!" + +Mr. Diamond and young Pawkins walked a little way together from the +doctor's house to the "Blue Bell" inn. The master of Pudcombe Hall, on +attempting to resume his acquaintance with the bride, had been received +with scant courtesy. But this was not so much because Castalia intended +to be specially uncivil to him, as because at that moment it happened, +unfortunately, that she saw her husband in a distant part of the room +talking to Minnie Bodkin with an air of animation. + +"By Jove!" cried the ingenuous Pawkins, "I don't envy Errington. His +wife looks so uncommon ill-tempered, and turns up her honourable nose at +everybody." + +"She does not turn up her nose at him," returned Diamond. "And Errington +will not be over sensitive on behalf of his friends." + +"Oh, well! But she's so crabbed, somehow. One expects a bride to have +some kind of softness in her manners, and--hang it all, there's not a +particle of romance about her." + +"My dear fellow, if there is in the United Kingdom a young man of +three-and-twenty who can comfortably dispense with romance in his wife, +our friend Errington is that young man." + +"Oh, well! I know Errington's a very clever fellow, and all that, and +perhaps I'm a fool. But I--I shouldn't like my wife to be quite so cool +and cutting in her manners, that's all!" + +"Neither should I. And perhaps I'm a fool!" + +"Shouldn't you, now?" Orlando was encouraged by this admission on +Diamond's part, further, to express his opinion that it was all very +fine to stick "Honourable" before your name; but that, for his part, he +considered little Miss Maxfield to look fifty times more like a lady +than Mrs. Algernon. And as for good looks, there was, of course, no +comparison. And though Miss Maxfield was too shy and quiet, yet if you +offered her any little civility, she thanked you in such a sweet way +that a fellow felt as if he could do anything for her; whereas, some +women stare at a fellow enough to turn a fellow into stone. + +But the Misses McDougall were enthusiastic in their praises of +Algernon's wife. They performed a sort of Carmen Amoeboeum after +this fashion: + +_Rose._ "That sweet creature, the Honourable Mrs. Algernon! I can't get +her out of my head." + +_Violet._ "Dear thing! What high-bred manners! And did she tell you that +we are positively related? The Mackelpies, you know, call cousins with +us. There was the branch that went off from the elder line of +Brose"--&c. &c. &c. + +_Rose._ "Oh yes; one feels at home directly with people of one's own +class. How lucky Algernon has been to get such a wife, instead of some +chit of a girl who would have had no weight in society!" + +_Violet._ "Yes; but she's quite young enough, Rose?" + +_Rose._ "Oh, dear me, of course! But I meant that Algernon has shown his +sense in not selecting a bread-and-butter Miss. I own I detest +school-girls." + +_Violet._ "She asked us to go and see her. Do you know I think we were +the only girls in the room she seemed to take to at all! Even Minnie +Bodkin, now--she was very cool, I thought, to Minnie." + +_Rose._ "My dear child, how often have I told you that the people here +have quite a mistaken estimate of Minnie Bodkin? They have just spoiled +her. Her airs are really ludicrous. But directly a person of superior +birth comes to the place you see how it is! Perhaps you'll believe me +another time. I do think you were half inclined to fall down and worship +Minnie yourself!" + +_Violet._ "Oh no; not that! But she is very clever, you know. And, in +spite of her affliction, I thought she looked wonderfully handsome +to-night." + +_Rose._ (Sharply.) "Pshaw! She was dressed up like an actress. I saw the +look Mrs. Algernon gave her. How beautifully Mrs. Algernon had her hair +done!" + +_Violet._ "And did you notice that little flounce at the bottom of her +dress?"----&c. &c. + +_Both._ (Almost together.) "Isn't she charming, uncle?" + +"Very," answered Colonel Whistler, twirling his moustaches. Then the +gallant gentleman, as he took his bed-candle, was heard to mutter +something which sounded like "d----d skinny!" + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +"Love in a cottage" is a time-honoured phrase, which changes its +significance considerably, according to the lips that utter it. To some +persons, Love in a cottage would be suggestive of dreary obscurity, +privation, cold mutton, and one maid-of-all-work. To others, it might +mean a villa with its lawn running down to the Thames, a basket-phaeton +and pair of ponies, and the modest simplicity of footmen without powder. +To another class of minds, again, Love in a cottage might stand for a +comprehensive hieroglyph of honest affection, sufficiently robust to +live and thrive even on a diet of cold mutton, and warm-blooded enough +to defy the nip of poverty's east winds. + +Lady Seely had joked, in her cheerful, candid way, with her niece-in-law +about her establishment in life, and had said, "Well, Castalia, you'll +have love in a cottage, at all events! Some people are worse off. And at +your age, you know (quite between ourselves), you must think yourself +lucky to get a husband at all." + +Miss Kilfinane had made some retort to the effect that she did not +intend to remain all her life in a cottage, with or without love; and +that if Lord Seely could do nothing for Ancram, she (Castalia) had other +connections who might be more influential. + +But, in truth, Castalia did think that she could be quite content to +live with Algernon Errington under a thatched roof; having only a +conventional and artificial conception of such a dwelling, derived +chiefly from lithographed drawing-copies. It was not, of course, that +Castalia Kilfinane did not know that thatched hovels are frequently +comfortless, ill-ventilated, "the noted haunt of" earwigs, and limited +in the accommodation necessary for a genteel family. But such knowledge +was packed away in some quite different department of her mind from that +which habitually contemplated her own personal existence, present and +future. Wiser folks than Castalia are apt to anticipate exceptions to +general laws in their own favour. + +Castalia was undoubtedly in love with Algernon. That is to say, she +would have liked better to be his wife in poverty and obscurity, than to +accept a title and a handsome settlement from any other man whom she had +ever seen; although she would probably have taken the latter had the +chance been offered to her. + +Nor is that bringing so hard an accusation against her as may at first +sight appear. She would have liked best to be Algernon's wife; but for +penniless Castalia Kilfinane to marry a poor man when she might have had +a rich one, would have required her to disregard some of the strongest +and most vital convictions of the persons among whom she lived. Let +their words be what they might, their deeds irrefragably proved that +they held poverty to be the one fatal, unforgiven sin, which so covered +any multitude of virtues as utterly to hide and overwhelm them. You +could no more expect Castalia to be impervious to this creed, than you +could expect a sapling to draw its nourishment from a distant soil, +rather than from the earth immediately around its roots. To be sure +there have been vigorous young trees that would strike out tough +branching fibres to an incredible distance, in search of the food that +was best for them. Such human plants are rare; and poor narrow-minded, +ill-educated Castalia was not of them. + +Had she been much beloved, it is possible that she might have ripened +into sweetness under that celestial sunshine. But it was not destined to +be hers. + +In some natures the giving even of unrequited love is beautifying to +the character. But I think that in such cases the beauty is due to that +pathetic compassion which blends with all love of a high nature for a +lower one. Do you think that all the Griseldas believe in their lords' +wisdom and justice? Do you fancy that the fathers of prodigal sons do +not oftentimes perceive the young vagabonds' sins and shortcomings with +a terrible perspicuity that pierces the poor fond heart like sharp +steel? Do you not know that Cordelia saw more quickly and certainly than +the sneering, sycophant courtiers, every weakness and vanity of the +rash, choleric old king? But there are hearts in which such knowledge is +transmuted not into bitter resentment, but into a yearning, angelic +pity. Only, in order to feel this pity, we must rise to some point above +the erring one. Now poor Castalia had been so repressed by "low +ambition," and the petty influences of a poverty ever at odds with +appearances, that the naturally weak wings of her spirit seemed to have +lost all power of soaring. + +The earliest days Mrs. Algernon Errington spent in her new home were +passed in making a series of disagreeable discoveries. The first +discovery was that a six-roomed brick cottage is, practically, a far +less commodious dwelling than any she had hitherto lived in. The walls +of Ivy Lodge (that was the name of the little house, which had not a +twig of greenery to soften its bare red face) appeared so slight that +she fancied her conversation could be overheard by the passersby in the +road. The rooms were so small that her dress seemed to fill them to +overflowing, although those were not the days of crinolines and long +trains. The little staircase was narrow and steep. The kitchen was so +close to the living rooms that, at dinner-time, the whole house seemed +to exhale a smell of roast mutton. The stowing away of her wardrobe +taxed to the utmost the ingenuity of her maid. And the few articles of +furniture which Lady Seely had raked out from disused sitting-rooms, +appeared almost as Brobdingnagian in Ivy Lodge as real tables and chairs +would seem beside the furniture of a doll's house. + +A second discovery--made very quickly after her arrival in Whitford--was +still more unpleasant. It was this: that a fine London-bred lady's-maid +is an inconvenient and unmanageable servant to introduce into a small +humble household. Poor Castalia "couldn't think what had come to +Slater!" And Slater went about with a thunderous brow and sulky mouth, +conveying by her manner a sort of contemptuous compassion for her +mistress, and a contempt by no means compassionate for everybody else in +the house. + +The stout Whitford servant-of-all-work offended her beyond forgiveness, +on the very first day of their acquaintance, by bluntly remarking that +well-cooked bacon and cabbage was a good-enough dinner for anybody; and +that if Mrs. Slater had see'd as many hungry folks as she (Polly) had, +she would say her grace and fall-to with a thankful heart instead of +turning up her nose, and picking at good wholesome victuals with a fork! +Moreover, Polly was not in the least awe-stricken by Mrs. Slater's black +silk gown, or the gold watch she wore at her belt. She observed, +cheerfully, that such-like fine toggery was all very well at church or +chapel; and, for her part, she always had, and always would, put a bit +of a flower in her bonnet on Sundays, and them mississes as didn't like +it must get some one else to serve 'em. But, when she was about her +work, she liked to be dressed in working clothes. And a servant as +wanted to bring second-hand parlour manners into the kitchen seemed to +her a poor cretur'--neither fish, flesh, fowl, nor good red-herring. + +All which indignities Slater visited on her mistress, finding it +impossible to disconcert or repress Polly, who only laughed heartily at +her genteelest flights. + +But these things were not the worst. The worst was that Algernon showed +very plainly a disinclination to sympathise with his wife's annoyance, +and his intention of withdrawing himself from all domestic troubles, as +if he considered them to be clearly no concern of his. Mrs. Errington, +indeed, would have come to the rescue of her daughter-in-law, but +neither of Mrs. Algernon's servants were disposed to submit to Mrs. +Errington's authority. And the good lady was no more inclined than her +son to take trouble and expose herself to unpleasantness for any one +else's sake. + +Castalia and her mother-in-law did not grow more attached to each other +the more intimate their acquaintance became. They had one sentiment in +common--namely, love for Algernon. But this sentiment did not tend to +unite them. Indeed--putting the rivalry of lovers out of the question, +of course--it would be a mistake to conclude that because A and B both +love C, therefore A and B must love each other. Mrs. Errington thought +that Castalia worried Algernon by complaints. Castalia thought that Mrs. +Errington was often a thorn in her son's side by reason of her +indulgence in the opposite feelings; that is to say, over-sanguine and +boastful prognostications. + +"My dear Algy," his mother would say, "there is not the least doubt that +you have a brilliant career before you. Your talents were appreciated by +the highest in the land, directly you became known to them. It is +impossible that you should be left here in the shade. No, no; Whitford +won't hold you long. Of that I am certain!" + +To which Castalia would reply that Whitford ought never to have held him +at all; that the post he filled there was absurdly beneath his standing +and abilities, and that Lord Seely would never have dreamt of offering +Ancram such a position if it had not been for my lady, who is the most +selfish, domineering woman in the world. + +"I'm sorry to have to say it, Mrs. Errington, since she is your +relation. And you needn't suppose that she cares any the more for Ancram +because he's her far-away cousin. At most, she only looks upon him as a +kind of poor relation that ought to put up with anything. And she's +always abusing her own family. She said to Uncle Val, in my presence, +that the Ancrams could never be satisfied, do what you would for them; +so he might as well make up his mind to that, first as last. She told me +to my face, the week before I was married, that Ancram and I ought to go +down on our knees in thankfulness to her, for having got us a decent +living. That was pretty impudent from her to a Kilfinane, I think!" + +Algernon laughed with impartial good-humour at his mother's +rose-coloured visions and his wife's gloomier views; but the good humour +was a little cynical, and his eyes had lost their old sparkle of +enjoyment; or, at least, it shone there far less frequently than +formerly. + +As to his business--his superintendence of the correspondence, by +letter, between Whitford and the rest of the civilised world--that, it +must be owned, seemed to sit lightly on the new postmaster. There was an +elderly clerk in the office, named Gibbs. He was uncle to Miss Bodkin's +maid Jane and her brother the converted groom, and was himself a member +of the Wesleyan Society. Mr. Gibbs had been employed many years in the +Whitford Post-office, and understood the routine of its business very +well. Algernon relied on Mr. Gibbs, he said, and made himself very +pleasant in his dealings with that functionary. What was the use, he +asked, of disturbing and harassing a tried servant by a too restless +supervision? He thought it best, if you trusted your subordinates at +all, to trust them thoroughly. + +And, certainly, Mr. Gibbs was very thoroughly trusted; so much so, +indeed, that all the trouble and responsibility of the office-work +appeared to be shifted on to his shoulders. Yet Mr. Gibbs seemed not to +be discontented with this state of things. Possibly he looked forward to +promotion. Algernon's wife and mother freely gave it to be understood in +the town that Whitford was not destined long to have the honour of +retaining Mr. Ancram Errington. Mr. Gibbs did the work; and, perhaps, +he hoped eventually to receive the pay. Why should he not step into the +vacant place of postmaster, when his chief should be translated to a +higher sphere? + +I daresay that, in these times of general reform, of competitive +examinations and official purity, no such state of things could be +possible as existed in the Whitford Post-office forty odd years ago. I +have only faithfully to record the events of my story, and to express my +humble willingness to believe that, nowadays, "_nous avons changé tout +cela_." I must, however, be allowed distinctly to assert, and +unflinchingly to maintain, that Algernon took no pains to acquire any +knowledge of his business; and that, nevertheless, the postal +communications between Whitford and the rest of the world appeared to go +on much as they had gone on during the reign of his predecessor. + +Mr. Gibbs was a close, quiet man, grave and sparing of speech. He had +known something of the Erringtons for many years, having been a crony of +old Maxfield's once upon a time. Mr. Gibbs remembered seeing Algernon's +smiling, rosy face and light figure flitting through the long passage at +old Max's in his school-boy days. He remembered having once or twice met +the majestic Mrs. Errington in the doorway; and could recollect quite +well how the tinkling sound of the harpsichord and Algy's fresh young +voice used to penetrate into the back parlour on prayer-meeting nights, +and fill the pauses between Brother Jackson's nasal dronings or Brother +Powell's passionate supplications. Mr. Gibbs had not then conceived a +favourable idea of the Erringtons, looking on them as worldly and +unconverted persons, of whom Jonathan Maxfield would do well to purge +his house. But Mr. Gibbs kept his official life and his private life +very perfectly asunder, and he allowed no sectarian prejudices to make +him rusty and unmanageable in his relations with the new postmaster. + +Then, Mr. Gibbs was not altogether proof against the charm of Algy's +manner. Once upon a time Algy had been pleasant to all the world, for +the sheer pleasure of pleasing. Years, in their natural course, had a +little hardened the ductility of his compliant manners--a little +roughened the smoothness of his once almost flawless temper. But +disappointment, and the--to Algernon--almost unendurable sense that he +stood lower in his friends' admiration (I do not say estimation) than +formerly, had changed him more rapidly than the mere course of time +would have done. Still, when Mr. Ancram Errington strongly desired to +attract, persuade, or fascinate, there were few persons who could resist +him. He found it worth while to fascinate Mr. Gibbs, desiring not only +that his clerk should carry his burden for him, but should carry it so +cheerfully and smilingly as to make him feel comfortable and complacent +at having made the transfer. + +I have said that disappointment had changed Algernon. He was +disappointed in his marriage. It was not that he had been a victim to +any romantic illusions as regarded his wife. He had had his little +love-romance some time ago; had it, and tasted it, and enjoyed it as a +child enjoys a fairy tale, feeling that it belongs to quite another +realm from the everyday world of nursery dinners, Latin grammars, and +torn pinafores, and not in the least expecting to see Fanfreluche fly +down the chimney into the school-room, or to find Cinderella's glass +slipper on the stairs as he goes up to bed. Romances that touch the +fancy only, and in which the heart has no share, are easily put off and +on. Algernon had wilfully laid his romance aside, and did not regret it. +Castalia's lack of charm, and sweetness, and sympathy would not greatly +have troubled him--did he not know it all beforehand?--had she been able +to help him into a brilliant position, and to cause him to be received +and caressed by her noble relatives and the delightful world of +fashionable society. It was not that she failed to put any sunlight into +his days, and to fill his home with a sweet atmosphere of love and +trust. Algy would willingly enough have dispensed with that sort of +sunshine if he could but have had plenty of wax candles and fine +crystal lustres for them to sparkle in. Give him a handsome suite of +drawing-rooms, filled with the rich odours of pastille and pot-pourri, +and Algy would make no sickly lamentations over the absence of any +"sweet atmosphere" such as I have written of above. Only put his +attractive figure into a suitable frame, and he would be sure to receive +praise and sympathy enough, and to have a pleasant life of it. + +No; he could not accuse himself of having been the victim of any +sentimental illusion in marrying Castalia. And yet he had been cheated! +He had bestowed himself without receiving the due _quid pro quo_. In a +word, he began to fear that it had not been worth his while to marry the +Honourable Miss Kilfinane. And sometimes the thought darted like a +twinge of pain through the young man's mind--might it not have been +worth his while to marry someone else? + +"Someone else" was talked of as an heiress. "Someone else" was said by +the gossips to be so good a match that she might have her pick of the +town--aye, and a good chance among the county people! But Algernon +smothered down all vain and harassing speculations founded on an "if it +had been!" Neither did he by any means hopelessly resign himself to his +present position, nor despair of obtaining a better one. He persisted +in looking on his employment as merely provisional and temporary; so +that, in fact, the worse things became in his Whitford life, the less he +would do to mend them, taking every fresh disgust and annoyance as a new +reason why--according to any rationally conceivable theory of events--he +must speedily be removed to a region in which a gentleman of his +capacities for refined enjoyment might be free to exercise them, +untrammelled by vulgar cares. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +It was true that Mrs. Algernon Errington had distinguished the Misses +McDougall, by her notice, above all the other ladies whom she met at Dr. +Bodkin's. The rest had by no means found favour in her eyes. Minnie +Bodkin she decidedly disapproved of. Ally Dockett was "a little +black-eyed, fat, flirting thing." The elder ladies were frumps, or +frights, or bores. Rhoda Maxfield she had scarcely seen. On the evening +of the Bodkins' party, Rhoda, as we know, had kept herself studiously in +the background. + +Mrs. Errington intended to present Rhoda to her daughter-in-law as her +own especial pet and _protégée_, but a favourable moment for fulfilling +this intention did not offer itself. Rhoda had not distinctly expressed +any unwillingness to be taken to Ivy Lodge, and it could never enter +into Mrs. Errington's head to guess that she felt such unwillingness. +But in some way the project seemed to be eluded; so that Castalia had +been some weeks in Whitford without making the acquaintance of Miss +Maxfield, as she began to be called, even by some of those to whom she +had been "Old Max's little Rhoda" all her life. + +Castalia, indeed, troubled her head very little about Rhoda, under +whatever style or title she might be mentioned. We may be sure that +Algernon never spoke to his wife of the old days at the Maxfields; +indeed, he eschewed all allusion to that name as much as possible. +Castalia knew from Mrs. Errington that there had been a young girl in +the house where she had lodged, the daughter of the grocer, who was her +landlord; but, being pretty well accustomed to Mrs. Errington's +highly-coloured descriptions of things and people, she had paid no +attention to that lady's praises of Rhoda's intelligence, good looks, +and pretty manners. + +No; Castalia troubled not her head about Rhoda. But she was troubled +about Minnie Bodkin, of whom she became bitterly jealous. She did not +suppose, to be sure, that her husband had ever made love to Miss Bodkin; +but she was constantly tormented by the suspicion that Algernon was +admiring Minnie, and comparing her beauty, wit, and accomplishments with +those of his wife, to the disadvantage of the latter. Not that she +(Castalia) admired her. Far from it! But--she was just the sort of +person to be taking with men. She had such a forward, confident, showy +way with her! + +Some speech of this sort being uttered in the presence of the Misses +McDougall, was seized upon, and echoed, and re-echoed, and made much of +by those young ladies, who pounced on poor Minnie, and tore her to +pieces with great skill and gusto. Violet, indeed, made a feeble protest +now and then on behalf of her friend; but how was she to oppose her +sister and that sweet Mrs. Algernon? And then, in conscience and +candour, she could not but admit that poor dear Minnie had many and +glaring faults. + +In fact, Rose and Violet McDougall were installed as toadies in ordinary +to Castalia. They were her dearest friends; they called her by her +Christian-name; they flattered her weaknesses, and encouraged her worst +traits; not, we may charitably believe, with the full consciousness of +what they were doing. For her part, Castalia soon got into the habit of +liking to have these ladies about her. They performed many little +offices which saved her trouble; they were devoted to her interests, and +brought her news of the doings of the opposite faction. For there was an +opposite faction; or Castalia persuaded herself that there was. The +Bodkins were ranged in it, in her jealous fancy; and so were the +Docketts, and one or two more of Algernon's old friends. Miss Chubb she +considered to hover as yet on neutral ground. As to the unmarried +men--young Pawkins, Mr. Diamond, and the curate of St. Chad's--they were +not much taken into account in this species of subterranean warfare, +carried on with an arsenal of sneers, stares, slights, hints, +coolnesses, bridlings, envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness. + +I have said that the warfare was subterranean; occult, as it were. Had +the enemy been actuated by similar feelings to those of Castalia and her +party, hostilities must have blazed up openly. But most of them did not +even know that they were being assailed. Among these unconscious ones +were Dr. and Mrs. Bodkin. Minnie had at times a suspicion that Algy's +wife disliked her. But then the manners of Algy's wife were not genial +or gracious to anyone, and Minnie could not but feel a certain +compassion for her, which extinguished resentment at her sour words and +ways. + +With the rest of the Whitford society, the bride did not enter into +intimate, or even amicable, relations. She offended most of the worthy +matrons who called on her by merely returning her card, and not even +asking to be admitted to see them. As to offering any entertainment in +return for the hospitalities that were offered to her during the first +weeks that she dwelt in Whitford, that, Castalia said, was out of the +question. How could more than two persons sit at table in her little +dining-room? And how was it possible to receive company in Ivy Lodge? + +But Whitford was not quite of her opinion in this matter. It was true +her rooms were small; but were they smaller than Mrs. Jones's, who gave +three tea-parties every year, and received her friends in detachments? +Why was Ivy Lodge less adapted for festive purposes than Dr. Smith's +house in the High Street?--a queer, ancient, crooked nook of a dwelling, +squeezed in between two larger neighbours, with a number of tiny dark +rooms like closets; in which, nevertheless, some of the best crumpets +and tea-cakes known to that community, not to mention little lobster +suppers in the season, had been consumed by the Smiths' friends with +much satisfaction. As Mrs. Dockett observed, it was not so much what you +gave as the spirit you gave it in that mattered! And she was not +ashamed, not she, to recall the time, in the beginning of Mr. Dockett's +career, when she had with her own hands prepared a welsh rabbit and a +jorum of spiced ale for a little party of friends, having nothing +better to offer them for supper. In a word, it was Whitford's creed that +even the most indigestible food, freely bestowed, might bless him that +gave and him that received; and that if the Algernon Erringtons did not +offer anyone so much as a cup of tea in their house, the real reason was +to be sought in the lady's proud reserve and a general state of feeling +which Mrs. Dockett described as "stuck-upishness." + +Castalia was unaccustomed to walking, and disliked that exercise. Riding +was out of her power, no saddle-horse that would carry a lady being kept +for hire in Whitford, and the jingling old fly from the "Blue Bell" inn +was employed to carry her to such houses as she deigned to visit at. Her +mother-in-law's lodging was not very frequently honoured by her +presence. The stairs frightened her, she said; they were like a ladder. +Mrs. Thimbleby's oblong drawing-room was a horrible little den. She had +had no idea that ladies and gentlemen ever lived in such places. In +truth, Castalia's anticipations of the Erringtons' domestic life at +Whitford had by no means prepared her for the reality. Ancram had told +her he was poor, certainly. Poor! Yes, but Jack Price was poor also. And +Jack Price's valet was far better lodged than her mother-in-law. +However, occasionally the jingling fly did draw up before the widow +Thimbleby's door, and Castalia was seen to alight from it with a +discontented expression of countenance, and to pick her way with raised +skirts over the cleanly sanded doorstep. + +One day, when she entered the oblong drawing-room, Castalia perceived +that Mrs. Errington was not there; but, instead of her, there was a +young lady, sitting at work by the window, who lifted a lovely, blushing +face as Castalia entered the room, and stammered out, in evident +embarrassment, that Mrs. Errington would be there in a few minutes, and, +meanwhile, would not the lady take a seat? + +"I am Mrs. Ancram Errington," said Castalia, looking curiously at the +girl. + +"Yes; I know. I--I saw you at Dr. Bodkin's. I am spending the day with +Mrs. Errington. She is very kind to me." + +Algernon's wife seated herself in the easy-chair, and leisurely surveyed +the young woman before her. Her first thought was, "How well she's +dressed!" her second, "She seems very bashful and timid; quite afraid of +me!" And this second thought was not displeasing to Mrs. Algernon; for, +in general, she had not been treated by the "provincial bumpkins," as +she called them, with all the deference and submission due to her rank. + +The girl's hands were nervously occupied with some needlework. The flush +had faded from her face, and left it delicately pale, except a faint +rose-tint in the cheeks. Her shining brown hair waved in soft curls on +to her neck. Mrs. Algernon sat looking at her, and critically observing +the becoming hue of her green silk gown, the taste and richness of a +gold brooch at her throat, the whiteness of the shapely hand that was +tremulously plying the needle. All at once a guess came into her mind, +and she asked, suddenly: + +"Is your name Maxfield?" + +"Yes; Rhoda Maxfield," returned the girl, blushing more deeply and +painfully than before. + +"Why, I have heard of you!" exclaimed Mrs. Algernon. "You must come and +see me." + +Rhoda was so alarmed at the pitch of agitation to which she was brought +by this speech, that she made a violent effort to control it, and +answered with, more calmness than she had hitherto displayed: + +"Mrs. Errington has spoken once or twice of bringing me to your house; +but--I did not like to intrude. And, besides----" + +"Oh, Mrs. Errington brings all sorts of tiresome people to see me; she +may as well bring a nice person for once in a way." + +Castalia was meaning to be very gracious. + +"Yes; I mean--but then--my father might not like me to come and see +you," blurted out Rhoda, with a sort of quiet desperation. + +Mrs. Algernon opened her eyes very wide. + +"Why, for goodness' sake? Oh, he had some quarrel or other with Mrs. +Errington, hadn't he? Never mind, that must be all forgotten, or he +wouldn't let you come here. I believe the truth is, that Mrs. Errington +meant slyly to keep you to herself, and I shan't stand that." + +Indeed, Castalia more than half believed this to be the case. And, +partly from a sheer spirit of opposition to her mother-in-law--partly +from the suspicious jealousy of her nature, that led her to do those +things which she fancied others cunningly wished to prevent her from +doing--she began to think she would patronise Rhoda and enlist her into +her own faction. Besides, Rhoda was sweet-voiced, submissive, humble. +Certainly, she would be a pleasanter sort of pet and tame animal to +encourage about the house than Rose McDougall, who, with all her +devotion, claimed a _quid pro quo_ for her services, and dwelt on her +kinship with the daughter of Lord Kauldkail, and talked of their "mutual +ancestry" to an extent that Castalia had begun to consider a bore. + +At this moment Mrs. Errington bustled into the room, holding a small +roll of yellow lace in her hand. "I have found it, Rhoda," she cried. +"This little bit is nearly the same pattern as the trimming on the cap, +and, if we join the frilling----" Here she perceived Mrs. Algernon's +presence, and stopped her speech with an exclamation of surprise: "Good +gracious! is that you, Castalia? How long have you been here? This is an +unexpected pleasure. Now you can give us your advice about the trimming +of my cap, which Rhoda has undertaken for me." + +Castalia did not rise from the easy-chair, but turned her cheek to +receive the elder lady's kiss. Rhoda gathered up her work, and moved to +go away. + +"Don't run away, Rhoda!" cried Mrs. Errington. "We have no secrets to +talk, have we, Castalia? You know my little friend Rhoda, do you not? +She is a great pet of mine?" + +"Oh, I will go and sit in your bedroom, if I may," muttered Rhoda, +hurriedly. "I--I don't like to be in your way." And with a little +confused courtesy to Mrs. Algernon, she slipped out of the room and +closed the door behind her. + +"She is such a shy little thing!" exclaimed Mrs. Errington. + +"Well," returned Castalia, "it is a comfort to meet with any Whitford +person that knows her place! They are the most presumptuous set of +creatures, in general, that I ever came across." + +"Oh, Rhoda Maxfield's manners are never at fault, I assure you; I formed +her myself, with considerable care and pains." + +"She seems to make herself useful, too!" observed Castalia with a +languid sneer. + +"That she does, indeed, my dear! Most useful. Her taste and skill in any +little matter of needlework are quite extraordinary. Poor child! she is +so delighted to do anything for me. She is devotedly attached to me, and +very grateful. Her father really did behave abominably, and she feels it +very much, and wishes to make up for it. No doubt the old man repents of +his folly and ill-humour now; but, of course, I can have nothing more to +say to him. However, I willingly allow the girl to do any little thing +she can. She has just been trimming this cap for me most exquisitely!" + +Castalia thought, more and more, that it would be worth her while to +patronise Rhoda. + +"I shall go to old Maxfield myself, and get him to let her come to my +house," said she, as she took leave of her mother-in-law, and slowly +made her way down Mrs. Thimbleby's ladder-like staircase, holding fast +to the banisters with one hand, and not lifting one of her feet from a +step until the other was firmly planted beside it. + +On returning home that evening, Rhoda was greatly startled by her +father's words, "Well, Miss Maxfield, here's a honourable missis been +begging for the pleasure of your company!" + +Rhoda turned pale and red, and said something in too low a tone to meet +her father's ear. + +"Oh yes," the old man went on; "the Honourable Mrs. Algernon Ancram +Errington has been here, if you please! Well, I wish that young man joy +of his bargain! Our little Sally is ten times as well-favoured. Your +Aunt Betty saw her first; and, says she, 'Is Mr. Maxfield at home?'" + +"I answered that your father was engaged in business," said Betty +Grimshaw, taking up the narration. + +"You should ha' said I was serving in the shop," observed old Max, +doggedly, "and would sell her fine ladyship a penn'orth of gingerbread +if she'd a mind, and could find the penny!" + +"Nay, Jonathan, how could I have said that to the lady? Says she, 'I +wish to say a word to him.' So I showed her into your drawing-room, +Rhoda, and called your father, and----" + +"And there she sat," interrupted the old man, with unwonted eagerness in +his face and his voice, "in a far better place than any she has of her +own, if all accounts are true, looking about her as curious as a ferret. +I walked in, in my calico sleeves and my apron----" + +("He wouldn't take them off," put in Betty, parenthetically.) + +"No; I wouldn't. And she told me she was come to ask my leave to have my +daughter Rhoda at her house. 'Of course you'll let her come,' she says, +'for you let her go to Mrs. Errington's and to Mrs. Bodkin's?' 'Why, as +to that,' says I, 'I'm rather partic'lar where Miss Maxfield visits.' +You should have seen her stare. She looked fairly astounded." + +"Oh, father!" + +"Did I not speak the truth? I _am_ partic'lar where you visit. I told +her plainly that you was in a very different position from the rest of +the family. 'I am a plain tradesman,' said I. 'I have my own place and +my own influence, and I have been marvellously upholden in my walk of +light. But my daughter Rhoda is a lady of the Lord's own making, and +must be treated as such. And she has plenty of this world's gear, for +my endeavours have been abundantly blessed.'" + +"Oh, father!" + +"'Oh, father!'" repeated the old man, impatiently. "What did I say +amiss? I tell you the woman was cowed by me. I am in subjection to none +of their principalities and powers. The upshot was that I promised you +should go and take tea with her to-morrow evening." + +Rhoda was greatly surprised by this announcement, which was totally +unexpected. "Oh, father!" she exclaimed in a trembling voice, "why did +you say I should go?" + +"Why? For various sufficient reasons. Let that be enough for you." + +The truth was, that Castalia had more than hinted her suspicion that her +mother-in-law selfishly endeavoured to keep Rhoda under her own +influence, and to prevent her visiting elsewhere. And to thwart Mrs. +Errington would alone have been a powerful incentive with old Max. But a +far stronger motive with him was that he longed, with keen malice, that +Algernon should be forced painfully to contrast the love he had been +false to with the wife he had gained. He would have Algernon see Rhoda +rich, and well-dressed, and courted. If Rhoda would but have flaunted +her prosperity in Algernon's face, there was scarcely any sum of money +her father would have grudged for the pleasure of witnessing that +spectacle. But, although it was hopeless to expect Rhoda to display any +spirit of vengeance on her own behalf, yet she might be made the +half-unconscious instrument of a retribution that should gall and +mortify Algernon to the quick. That Rhoda herself might suffer in the +process was an idea to which (if it occurred to him) he would give no +harbourage. + +Rhoda sat silent until her aunt had left the room to prepare the supper +according to her habit. Then she rose, and, going close up to her +father, took his hand, and looked imploringly into his face. "Father," +she said, "don't make me go there. I--I can't bear it." + +"You can't bear it!" burst out old Maxfield. He scowled with a frown of +terrible malignity. But Rhoda well knew that his wrath was not directed +against her. She stood trembling and pale before him, whilst he spoke +more harsh and bitter words against all the family of the Erringtons +than she had ever heard him utter on that score. He dropped, too, for +the first time in her hearing, a hint that he had some power over +Algernon, and would use it to his detriment. Rhoda mustered courage to +ask him for an explanation of those words. But he merely answered, "No +matter. It is no matter. It is not the money. I shall not get it, nor do +I greatly heed it. But I can put him to shame publicly, if I am so +minded." + +The poor child began to perceive that any display of wounded feeling on +her part, of reluctance to meet Algernon and his wife, of being in any +degree crushed and dispirited, would inflame her father's wrath against +that family. And, although she had only the vaguest notions as to what +he could or could not do to spite them, she had a hundred reasons for +wishing to mitigate his animosity. + +So, with the gentle cunning that belonged to her nature, at once timid +and persistent, she began to unsay what she had said, and to try to +efface the impression which her first refusal had made upon her father. + +"I--I have been thinking that you are right, father, in saying it will +be best for me to go to Ivy Lodge. You know Mrs. Errington has always +been good to me, and it would please her, perhaps. And--and, after all, +why should I be afraid of going there?" + +"Afraid of going there!" echoed old Max, with sternly-set jaw and +puckered brow. "Why, indeed, should you be afraid? There's some as have +reason to be afraid, but not my daughter--not Miss Maxfield. Afraid!" + +"Perhaps people might think it strange if I did not go?" + +"People! What people?" + +"Well, no matter for that. But if you, father, think it well that I +should go----" + +"You shall go in a carriage from the 'Blue Bell' inn. And Sally shall +accompany you and bring you back. And see that you are properly attired. +I would have you wear your best garments. You shall not be shamed before +that yellow-faced woman. I don't believe she has a better gown to her +back than the one I bought you to wear at Dr. Bodkin's." + +Rhoda waived the point for the moment; but, after a while, she was able +to persuade her father that her grey merino gown, with a lace frill at +her throat, was a more suitable garment in which to spend the evening at +Ivy Lodge than the rich violet silk he recommended for the purpose. Real +ladies, she urged timidly, did not wear their smartest clothes on such +occasions. And old Max reluctantly accepted her dictum on this point. +But nothing could shake him from his resolve that Rhoda should be +conveyed to Mrs. Algernon Errington's door in a hired carriage. So, with +a sigh, she yielded; devoutly wishing that a pelting shower of rain, or +even a thunderstorm, might arrive the next evening, to serve as an +excuse for her appearing at Ivy Lodge in such unwonted state. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +No Jupiter, rainy or thunderous, lent his assistance to account for the +extraordinary phenomenon of Rhoda Maxfield's driving up to the +garden-gate of Ivy Lodge instead of arriving there on foot. On the +contrary, it was a fine autumn evening, with a serene sky where the +sunset tints still lingered. + +Rhoda alighted hurriedly from the carriage, and walked up the few feet +of gravel path, between the garden fence and the house, with a beating +heart. "You can go away now, Sally," she said, being very anxious to +dismiss the "Blue Bell" equipage before the door should be opened. But +Sally was not in such a hurry. Her master had told her that she was to +wait and see Miss Rhoda safe into the house, and then she might come +back in the carriage as far as the "Blue Bell." And Sally was not averse +to have her new promotion to the dignity of "riding in a coach" +witnessed by Mrs. Algernon Errington's Polly, with whom she had a slight +acquaintance. So Miss Maxfield's equipage was seen by the servant who +opened the door, and stared at from the front parlour window by two +pairs of eyes, belonging respectively to Miss Chubb and Mrs. Errington. + +"You can go into the parlour, miss," said Polly. "Master and missis are +still at dinner. But the old lady's in there and Miss Chubb." + +That they should be still at dinner, at half-past six o'clock in the +evening, seemed a strange circumstance to Rhoda, and was one that she +had not reckoned on. But she supposed it was according to the customs of +the high folks Mrs. Algernon had been used to live among. The innovation +was not accepted so meekly by most of the Whitfordians, whom, indeed, it +seemed to irritate in a greater degree than more serious offences. But +it is true of most of us, that we are never more angry than when we are +unable to explain the reasons for our anger. + +"I am afraid I'm too early," said Rhoda, when she had entered the +parlour and greeted her old friends, "but father said he thought it was +the right time to come." + +"Mr. and Mrs. Ancram Errington dine late, my dear. Castalia has not yet +got broken of the habits of her own class, as I have had to be. Indeed, +she will probably never need to relinquish them. But it is no matter, +Rhoda. You can make yourself comfortable here with us for half an hour +or so. Miss Chubb called in to see me at my place, and I brought her +down here with me. I knew Mrs. Ancram Errington would be happy to see +her if she dropped in in an informal way." + +"I never can get used to the name of Ancram instead of Algernon," said +the spinster, raising her round red face from her woolwork. "It isn't +half so pretty. Nine times out of ten I call your son 'Algy' plump and +plain. I'm very sorry if it's improper, but I can't help it." + +Mrs. Errington smiled with an air of lofty toleration. "Not at all +improper," she said. "Algernon is the last creature in the world to be +distant towards an old friend. But as to the name of Ancram, why it was, +from the first, his appellation among the Seelys. And Castalia always +calls him so. You see 'Ancram' was a familiar name in the circles she +lived in; like Howard, or Seymour, or any of the great old family names, +you know. It came naturally to her." + +"Well, I should think that one's husband's Christian-name would come +natural to one, even if it were only plain Tom, Dick, or Harry." + +"He didn't begin by being her husband, my dear!" + +Rhoda had nestled herself down in a corner behind a small table, and was +turning over an album and one or two illustrated annuals. She hoped that +the discussion as to Algernon's name would effectually divert the +attention of the two elder ladies from the unprecedented fact that she +had been brought to Ivy Lodge in a carriage. But she was not to be let +off altogether. Miss Chubb, folding up her work, declared that it was +growing too dark to distinguish the colours, and observed, "I was +standing by the window to catch the last daylight, when you drove up, +Rhoda. I couldn't think who it was arriving in such style." + +"That was the 'Blue Bell' fly you were in, Rhoda," said Mrs. Errington. +"I believe it to be the same vehicle that my daughter-in-law uses +occasionally. She complains of it sadly. But I tell her she cannot +expect to find her Aunt Seely's luxurious, well-hung carriages in a +little provincial place like this." + +Miss Chubb was about to make what she considered a severe retort, but +she stifled it down. Mrs. Errington's airs were very provoking, to be +sure; but there were reasons why Miss Chubb was more inclined to bear +with her now than formerly. If it pleased this widowed mother to soften +her disappointments about Algy's career and Algy's wife (it began to be +considered in Whitford that both would prove to be failures!) by an +extra flourish or two, why should any one put her----"No!" said Miss +Chubb to herself, as the question was half-framed in her mind, "that is +not the right word, certainly. I defy the world to put Mrs. Errington +out of conceit with herself! But why should one snub and snap at the +poor woman?" + +Indeed, Miss Chubb never snapped, and rarely attempted to snub. She had +a fund of benevolence hidden under a heap of frothy vanities and +absurdities, like the solid cake at the bottom of a trifle. + +"Well," said she, smiling good-temperedly, "I'm sure Rhoda doesn't +quarrel with the 'Blue Bell' fly, do you, Rhoda?" + +"I shouldn't have wished to use it, myself, but father said, 'It is +rather a long way,' and father thought----" + +"Oh, my dear, there is no need to excuse yourself, or to look shy on the +subject. We should all of us be glad enough of a coach to ride in, now +and then, if we could afford it. I'm sure I should, and I don't mind +saying so." + +Mrs. Errington did not approve of the coach quite so unreservedly. She +observed, with some solemnity, that she was no friend to extravagance; +and that, above all things, persons ought to guard against ostentation, +or a thrusting of themselves into positions unsuited to that station in +life to which it had pleased Providence to call them. And, in +conclusion, she announced her intention of availing herself of the +circumstance that Rhoda had a carriage at her disposal for the evening, +to drive back with her as far as Mrs. Thimbleby's door--"which," said +she, "is only a street and a half away from your house, Rhoda; and it +will not make any difference to your father in point of expense." + +Castalia found her three guests chatting in the twilight; or rather she +found Mrs. Errington holding forth in her rich pleasant voice, whilst +the others listened, and threw in a word or two now and then, just +sufficient to show that they were attending to the good lady's harangue. +In Rhoda's case, indeed, this appearance of attention was fallacious, +for, although she said "Yes," and "No," and "Indeed!" at due intervals, +her thoughts were wandering back to old days, which seemed suddenly to +have receded into a far-distant past. + +Castalia shook hands languidly with Miss Chubb and condescendingly with +Rhoda. "I'm very glad you've come," she said to the latter, which was a +speech of unusual warmth for her. And it had the merit, moreover, of +being true. Castalia was not given to falsehood in her speech. She was +too supercilious to care much what impression she made on people in +general; and if they bored her, she took no pains to conceal the fact. +Weariness of spirit and discontent had begun to assail her once more. +They were old enemies. Her marriage had banished them for a time; but +they gathered again, like clouds which a transient gleam of wintry +sunshine has temporarily dispersed, and shadowed her life with an +increasing gloom. This young Rhoda Maxfield offered some chance of +brightness and novelty. She was certainly different from the rest of the +Whitford world, and the pursuit of her society had been beset with some +little difficulties that gave it zest. + +A lamp was brought into the room, and then Castalia sat down beside +Rhoda, unceremoniously leaving the other ladies to entertain each other +as best they might. She examined her guest's dress; the quality of the +lace frill at her throat; the arrangement of her chestnut curls; the +delicate little gold chain that shone upon the pearl-grey gown; the +neatly-embroidered letters R. M. worked on a corner of the handkerchief +that lay in her lap, with as much unreserve and coolness as though Rhoda +had been some daintily-furred rabbit, or any other pet animal. On her +part, Rhoda took cognisance of every detail in Castalia's appearance, +attire, and manner; she marked every inflection of her voice, and every +turn of her haughty, languid head. And, perhaps, her scrutiny was the +keener and more complete of the two, notwithstanding that it was made +with timidly-veiled eyes and downcast head. + +"What an odd man your father is!" said the Honourable Mrs. Ancram +Errington, by way of opening the conversation. + +Rhoda found it impossible to reply to this observation. She coloured, +and twisted her gold chain round her fingers, and was silent. But it did +not seem that Mrs. Ancram Errington expected, or wished for a reply. She +went on with scarcely a pause: "I thought at first he would refuse to +let you come here. But he gave his consent at last. I was quite amused +with his odd way of doing it, though. He must be quite a 'character.' +He's very rich, isn't he?" + +"I don't know, ma'am," stammered Rhoda. + +"Well, he says so himself; or, at least, he informed me that you were, +or would be, which comes to the same thing. And don't call me 'ma'am.' +It makes me feel a hundred years old. You and I must be great friends." + +"Where is Algernon?" asked Mrs. Errington from the other side of the +room. + +"He will come presently, when he has finished his wine. Do you know we +found that stuff from the 'Blue Bell,' that you recommended us to try, +quite undrinkable! Ancram was obliged to get Jack Price to send him +down a case of claret, from his own wine-merchant in town." + +"Most extraordinary!" exclaimed Mrs. Errington, and began to +recapitulate all the occasions on which the wine supplied to her from +the "Blue Bell" inn had been pronounced excellent by the first +connoisseurs. But Castalia made small pretence of listening to or +believing her statements. Indeed, I am sorry to say that obstinate +incredulity was this young woman's habitual tone of mind with regard to +almost every word that her mother-in-law uttered; whereby the Honourable +Mrs. Castalia occasionally fell into mistakes. + +"Could you not try Dr. Bodkin's wine-merchant?" suggested Miss Chubb. "I +am no judge myself, but I feel sure that the doctor would not put bad +wine on his table." + +"Oh, I don't know. I don't suppose there is any first-rate wine to be +got in this place. Ancram prefers dealing with the London man." + +And then Castalia dismissed the subject with an expressive shrug. "Who +are your chief friends here?" she asked of Rhoda, who had sat with her +eyes fixed on a smart illustrated volume, scarcely seeing it, and +feeling a confused sort of pain and mortification, at the tone in which +the younger Mrs. Errington treated the elder. + +"My chief friends?" + +"Yes; you must know a great many people. You have lived here all your +life, have you not?" + +"Yes; but--father never cared that I should make many acquaintances out +of doors." + +"You were Methodists, were you not? I remember Ancram telling me of the +psalm-singing that used to go on downstairs. He can imitate it +wonderfully. Do tell me about how you lived, and what you did! I never +knew any Methodists, nor any people who kept a shop." + +The naïve curiosity with which this was said might have moved some minds +to mirth, and others to indignation. In Rhoda it produced only confusion +and distress, and such an access of shyness as made her for a few +moments literally dumb. She murmured at length some unintelligible +sentences, of which "I'm sure I don't know" were the only words that +Castalia could make out. She did not on this account desist from her +inquiries, but threw them into the more particular form of a catechism, +as, "Were you let to read anything except the Bible on Sundays?" "I +suppose you never went to a ball in your life?" "How did you learn to do +your own hair?" "Do the Methodist preachers really rant and shriek as +much as people say?" + +Algernon, coming quietly into the room, beheld his wife and Rhoda seated +side by side on a sofa behind the little Pembroke table, and engaged, +apparently, in confidential conversation. They were so near together, +and Castalia was bending down so low to hear Rhoda's faintly-uttered +answers, as to give an air of intimacy to the group. + +He lingered in the doorway looking at them, until Miss Chubb crying, +"Oh, there you are, sir!" called the attention of the others to him, +when he advanced and shook hands with Rhoda, whose fingers were icy cold +as he touched them with his warm, white, exquisitely-cared-for hand. +Then he bent to kiss his mother, and seated himself between her and his +old friend Miss Chubb, in a low chair, stretching out his legs, and +leaning back his head, as he contemplated the neatly-shod feet that were +carelessly crossed in front of him. + +"You did not expect to see Rhoda, did you, my dear boy?" said Mrs. +Errington. + +"Yes; I believe Castalia said something about having asked her. It is a +new freak of Castalia's. I think she had better have left it alone. The +old man is highly impracticable, and is just one of those persons whom +it is prudent to keep at arm's length." + +"I think so, too!" assented Mrs. Errington, emphatically. "Indeed, I +almost wonder at his letting his daughter come here." + +Algernon quite wondered at it. But he said nothing. + +"Of course," pursued Mrs. Errington, "letting her come to me is a very +different matter." + +"Why?" asked Miss Chubb, bluntly. + +"Because, my dear, the girl herself is so devotedly attached to me that +I believe she would fret herself into an illness if she were forbidden +to see me occasionally. And I believe old Maxfield is fond of his child, +in his way, and would not wish to grieve her. But, of course, Rhoda can +have no particular desire to visit Castalia. Indeed, I have offered to +bring her more than once, and she has not availed herself of the +opportunity." + +"Old Max is ambitious for his daughter, they say," observed Miss Chubb, +"and likes to get her into genteel company. Perhaps he thinks she will +find a husband out of her own sphere. I'm told that old Max is quite +rich, and that she will have all his money. But I think Rhoda is pretty +enough to get well married, even without a fortune." + +Then, when Mrs. Errington moved away to speak to her daughter-in-law, +Miss Chubb whispered slily to Algernon, "You were a little bit smitten +with our pretty Rhoda, once upon a time, sir, weren't you? Oh, it's no +use your protesting and looking so unconscious! La, dear me; well, it +was very natural! Calf-love, of course. But I'll tell you, between you +and me, who is smitten with her, and pretty seriously too--and that's +Mr. Diamond!" + +"Diamond!" + +"Well, you needn't look so astonished. He's a young man, for all his +grave ways, and she is a pretty girl. And, upon my word, I think it +might do capitally." + +"You look tired, Algernon," said Mrs. Errington to her son a little +later in the evening. It must have been a very marked expression of +fatigue which could have attracted the good lady's attention in any +other human being. + +"Oh, I've been bored and worried at that confounded post-office." + +"What a shame!" cried Mrs. Errington. "Positively some representation +ought to be made to Government about it." + +"Oh, it's disgusting!" said Castalia, with a shrug of her lean +shoulders, and in the fretful drawl, which conveyed the idea that she +would be actively angry if any sublunary matters could be important +enough to overcome her habitual languor. + +"I don't remember hearing that Mr. Cooper found the work so hard," said +Miss Chubb, innocently. Mr. Cooper had been the Whitford postmaster next +before Algernon. + +"It isn't the work, Miss Chubb," said Algernon, a little ashamed of the +amount of sympathy and compassion his words had evoked. "That is to +say, it is not the quantity of the work, but the kind of it, that bores +one. Cooper, I believe, was a steady, jog-trot old fellow, who did his +daily task like a horse in a mill. But I can't take to it so +comfortably. It is as if you, with your taste for elegant needlework, +were set to hem dusters all day long!" Algernon laughed, in his old, +frank way, as he made the comparison. + +"Well, I shouldn't like that, certainly. But, after all, dusters are +very useful things. And then, you see, I do the fancy work to amuse +myself; but I should be paid for the dusters, and that makes a +difference!" + +"Paid!" screamed Castalia. "Why, you don't imagine that Ancram's +twopenny salary can pay him! Good gracious, it seems to me scarcely +enough to buy food with. It's quite horrible to think how poor we are!" + +"Come," said Algernon, "I don't think this conversation is particularly +lively or entertaining. Suppose we change the subject. There is +Rho--Miss Maxfield looking as if she expected to see us all expire of +inanition on the spot!" + +And, in truth, Rhoda was gazing from one to the other with a pale, +distressed face, and a look of surprise and compassion in her soft brown +eyes. + +Mrs. Errington did not approve of her daughter-in-law's unscrupulous +confession of poverty. Castalia lacked the Ancram gift of embellishing +disadvantageous circumstances. And the elder lady took occasion to +remark to Miss Chubb that everything was comparative; and that means +which might appear ample to persons of inferior rank were very trivial +and inadequate in the eyes of the Honourable Mrs. Ancram Errington. "She +has been her uncle's pet for many years. My lord denied her nothing. And +I needn't tell you, my dear Miss Chubb, that the emoluments of +Algernon's official post are by no means the whole and sole income of +our young couple here. There are private resources"--here Mrs. Errington +waved her hands majestically, as though to indicate the ample nature of +the resources--"which, to many persons, would seem positive affluence. +But Castalia's measure is a high one. I scold her sometimes, I assure +you. 'My dear child,' I say to her, 'look at me! Bred amidst the feudal +splendours of Ancram Park, I have accommodated myself to very different +scenes and very different associates;' for, of course, my dear soul, +although I have a great regard for my Whitford friends, and am very +sensible of their kind feelings for me, yet, as a mere matter of fact, +it would be absurd to pretend that the society I now move in is equal, +in point of rank, to that which surrounded my girlish years. And then +Castalia's perhaps partial estimate of her husband's talents (you know +she has witnessed the impression they made in the most brilliant circles +of the Metropolis) makes her impatient of his present position. For +myself, feeling sure, as I do, that this post-office business is merely +temporary, I can look at matters with more philosophy." + +"Ouf!" panted Miss Chubb, and began to fan herself with her +pocket-handkerchief. + +"Anything the matter, Miss Chubb?" asked Algernon, raising his eyebrows +and looking at her with a smile. + +"Nothing particular, Algy. I find it a little oppressive, that's all." + +"This little room is so stuffy with more than two or three people in +it!" said Castalia. + +"I'll do my part towards making it less stuffy," said Miss Chubb, +jumping up, and beginning to shake hands all round. "I daresay my old +Martha is there. I told her to come for me at nine o'clock. Oh, never +mind, thank you," in answer to Castalia's suggestion that she should +stay and have a cup of coffee, which would be brought in presently. +"Never mind the coffee. I have no doubt I shall find a bit of supper +ready at home." And with that she departed. + +"I hope it wasn't too severe, that hit about the supper," said the good +little woman to herself as she trotted homeward, accompanied by the +faithful Martha. "But really--offering one a cup of coffee at nine +o'clock at night! And as to Mrs. Errington, I am sorry for her, and can +make allowances for her: but she did so go beyond all bounds to-night +that, if I had not come away when I did, I think I should have choked." + +"Is the little woman affronted at anything?" asked Algernon of his wife, +when Miss Chubb's footsteps had ceased to be heard pattering down the +gravel path outside the house. + +"Eh? What little woman? Oh, the Chubb? No; I don't know. I suppose not." + +"No, no; not at all," said Mrs. Errington, decisively. "But you know her +ways of old. She has no _savoir faire_. A good little creature, poor +soul! Oh, by-the-way, Castalia, you know the patterns for autumn mantles +you asked me to look at? Well, I went into Ravell and Sarsnet's +yesterday, and they told me----" And then the worthy matron and her +daughter-in-law entered into an earnest discussion in an undertone; the +common interest in autumn mantles supplying that "touch of nature" which +made them kin more effectually than the matrimonial alliance that united +their families. + +"I'm afraid you must have had a very dull evening," said the master of +the house, looking down on Rhoda as he stood near her, leaning with his +back against the tiny mantel-shelf. + +"No, thank you." + +"I'm afraid you must! There was no amusement for you at all." + +"My evenings are not generally very amusing. I daresay you, who have +been accustomed to such different things, would find them very dull." + +This was not the humble, simple, childlike Rhoda whom he had parted from +two years ago. It was not that she had now no humility or simplicity, +but the humility was mingled with dignity, the simplicity with an easier +grace. Rhoda was more self-possessed at this moment than she had been +all the evening before. The weakest creatures are not without some means +of self-defence; and, if she be but pure-hearted, the most inexperienced +girl in the world can put on an armour of maiden pride over her hurt +feelings that has been known to puzzle even very intelligent individuals +of the opposite sex; and has perhaps given rise to one or two of the +numerous impassioned complaints that have been uttered from time to time +as to the inscrutable duplicity of women. In like manner if a man scalds +his finger, or gets a bullet in his flesh, he endeavours to bear the +pain without screaming. + +So little Rhoda Maxfield sat there with a placid face, talking to her +old love, turning over the leaves of a picture-book, and scarcely +looking at him as she talked. + +Now, if Algernon had been consulted beforehand as to what line of +conduct he would wish Rhoda to adopt when they should meet, he would, +doubtless, have said, "Let us meet pleasantly and frankly as old +friends, and behave as if all our old love-making had been the mere +amusement of our childhood!" And yet, somehow, it a little disconcerted +him to see her so calm. + +"You--don't you--don't you go out much in the evening?" he said, feeling +(to his own surprise) considerably at a loss what to say. + +"Go out much in the evening? No, indeed; where should I go to?" Rhoda +actually gave a little laugh as she answered him. + +"Oh, I thought my mother mentioned that you were a good deal at the +Bodkins." + +"Yes; I go to see Miss Minnie sometimes. They are all very good to me." + +"And my mother says, too, that you are growing quite a blue-stocking! +You have lessons in French, and music, and I don't know what besides." + +"Father can afford to have me taught now, and so I have begun to learn a +few of the things that girls are taught when they are little children, +if they happen to be the children of gentlefolks," answered Rhoda, with +considerable spirit. + +"I'm sure there is no reason why you should not learn them." + +"I hope not. But, of course, I am clumsy, and shall never succeed so +well as if I had begun earlier. I am getting very old, you know!" + +"Oh, very old, indeed! Your birthday, I remember, falls----" he checked +himself with a sudden recollection of the last birthday he had spent +with Rhoda, and of the bunch of late roses he had been at the pains to +procure for her on that occasion from the gardener at Pudcombe Hall. +And, on the whole, he felt positively relieved when Slater came to +announce, with her chronic air of resentful gentility, that "Miss +Maxfield's young woman was waiting for her in the hall." + +"And are you off too, mother?" he asked. + +"Yes, my dear Algernon. I am going to drive home with Rhoda." + +"Drive! Oh, so you are indulging in the extravagance of a fly, madam! I +am glad of it, though you did give me a lecture on the subject of +economy only last week!" + +"You know that I always do, and always did, disapprove of extravagance, +Algernon. A genteel economy is compatible with the highest breeding. +But--the fact is, that Rhoda has a coach to go home in, and I'm about to +take advantage of it." + +There was something in the situation which Algernon felt to be +embarrassing, as he gave his arm to his mother to lead her to the +carriage. But Mrs. Errington had at least one quality of a great +lady--she was not easily disconcerted. She marched majestically down the +garden path, entered the vehicle which old Max's money was to pay for, +with an air of proprietorship, and invited Rhoda to take her place +beside her with a most condescending wave of the hand. + +"You must come again soon," Castalia had said to her new acquaintance +when they bade each other "Good night." + +But Algernon did not support his wife's invitation by a single word, +though he smiled very persistently as he stood bare-headed in the +moonlight, watching his mother and Rhoda drive away. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +The accounts which had reached Whitford from Wales, of the wonderful +effects produced by David Powell's preaching there, sufficed to cause a +good deal of excitement among the lower classes in the little town, when +it was reported that Powell would revisit it, and would preach on Whit +Meadow, and also in the room used by the "Ranters," in Lady Lane. + +The Wesleyan Methodists in Whitford now felt themselves at liberty to +allow their smouldering animosity against Powell to break forth openly, +for he had seceded from the Society. Some said he had been expelled from +it, but this was not true, although there was little doubt that, at the +next Conference, his conduct and doctrine would have been severely +reprehended; and, probably, he would have been required publicly to +recant them on pain of expulsion. Should this be the case, those who +knew David Powell had little difficulty in prophesying the issue. +However, all speculations as to his probable behaviour under the reproof +of Conference were rendered vain by the preacher's voluntarily +withdrawing himself from the "bonds of the Society," as he phrased it. + +Then broke forth the hostile sentiments of the Whitford Wesleyans +against this rash and innovating preacher. Unfavourable opinions of him, +which had been concealed, or only dimly expressed, were now declared +openly. He was an Antinomian; he had fallen away from the doctrines of +Assurance and Christian Perfection; he had brought scandal on large +bodies of sober, serious persons, by encouraging wild and extravagant +manifestations among his hearers; his exhortations were calculated to do +harm, inasmuch as he preached a doctrine of asceticism and +self-renunciation, which, if followed, would have the most inconvenient +consequences. That some of these accusations--as, for example, that of +Antinomianism, and that of too extreme self-mortification--were somewhat +incompatible with each other, was no impediment to their being heaped +simultaneously on David Powell. The strongest disapprobation of his +sayings and doings was expressed by that select body of citizens who +attended at the little Wesleyan chapel. And yet there was, perhaps, less +bitterness in this open opposition to him than had been felt towards +him during the last days of his ministration in Whitford. So long as +David Powell was their preacher, approved--or, at least, not +disapproved--by Conference, a struggle went on in some minds to +reconcile his teaching with their practice, which was an irritating and +unsatisfactory state of things, since the struggle in most cases was not +so much to modify their practice, in order to bring it into harmony with +his precepts, as ingeniously to interpret his precepts so that they +should not too flagrantly accuse their practice. But now that it was +competent to the stanchest Methodist to reject Powell's authority +altogether, these unprofitable efforts ceased, and with them a good deal +of resentment. + +The chorus of openly-expressed hostility to the preacher, which, I have +said, made itself heard in Whitford, arose, in a great measure, from the +common delight in declaring, where some circumstances unforeseen by the +world in general comes to pass, that we perceived all along how matters +would go, and knew our neighbour to be a very different fellow from what +you took him to be. + +Here old Max was triumphant; and, it must be owned, with more reason +than many of his acquaintances. He had openly quarrelled with this +fanatical Welshman, long before the main body of the Whitford Wesleyans +had ventured to repudiate him. + +One humble friend was faithful to the preacher. The widow Thimbleby +maintained, in the teeth of all opposition, that, though Mr. Powell +might be a little mistaken here and there on points of doctrine--she was +an ignorant woman, and couldn't judge of these things--yet his practice +came very near perfection; and that the only human being to whom he ever +showed severity, intolerance, and lack of love was himself. Mrs. +Thimbleby was not strong in controversy. It was not difficult to push +her to her last resort--namely, crying silently behind her apron. But +there was some tough fibre of loyalty in the meek creature which made it +impossible for her to belie her conscience by deserting David Powell. +The cold attic at the top of her little house was prepared for his +reception as soon as it was known that he was about to revisit Whitford; +and Mrs. Thimbleby went to the loft over the corn-dealer's store-house +in Lady Lane one Sunday evening to beg that Nick Green would let Mr. +Powell know, whenever he should arrive, that his old quarters were +waiting for him, and that she would take it as a personal unkindness if +he did not consent to occupy them. She could not help talking of the +preacher to her grand lodger Mrs. Errington, of whom she was +considerably in awe. The poor woman's heart was full at the thought of +seeing him again. And not even Mrs. Errington's lofty severity regarding +all dissenters and "ignorant persons who flew in the face of Providence +and attempted to teach their betters," could entirely stifle her +expressions of anxiety as to Mr. Powell's health, her hopes that he took +a little more care of himself than he formerly did, and her anecdotes of +his angelic charity and goodness towards the poor, and needy, and +suffering. + +"I should advise you on no account to go and hear this man preach," said +Mrs. Errington to her landlady. "Terrible scenes have taken place in +Wales; and very likely something of the kind may happen here. You are +very weak, my poor soul. You have no force of character. You would be +sure to catch any excitement that was going. And how should you like, +pray, to be brought home from Lady Lane on a stretcher?" + +But even this alarming suggestion did not deter Mrs. Thimbleby from +haunting the "Ranters'" meeting-room, and leaving message after message +with Nick Green to be sure and tell Mr. Powell to come up to her house, +the very minute he arrived. Nick Green knew no more than the widow the +day and hour of the preacher's arrival. All he could say was, that +Powell had applied to him and to his co-religionists for leave to preach +in the room--little more than a loft--which they rented of the +corn-dealer in Lady Lane. Powell had been refused permission to speak in +the Wesleyan chapel to which his eloquence had formerly attracted such +crowds of listeners. Whit Meadow would, indeed, be probably open to him; +but the year was drawing on apace, autumn would soon give place to +winter, and, at all events in the evening, it would be vain to hope for +a large number of listeners in the open air. + +"Open air!" echoed Mrs. Thimbleby, raising her hands and eyes; "why, Mr. +Green, he ought never to think of preaching in the open air at this +season, and him so delicate!" + +"Nay, sister Thimbleby," responded Nick Green, a powerful, black-muzzled +fellow with a pair of lungs like a blacksmith's bellows, "we may not put +our hand to the plough and turn back. We are all of us called upon to +give ourselves body and soul in the Lord's service. And many's the +night, after my day's work was over, that I've exhorted here in this +very room and poured out the Word for two and three hours at a stretch, +until the sweat ran down my face like water, and the brethren were +fairly worn out. But yet I have been marvellously strengthened. I doubt +not that Brother Powell will be so too, especially now that he has given +up dead words, and the errors of the Society, and thrown off the yoke of +the law." + +"Dear, I hope so," answered Mrs. Thimbleby, tremulously; "but I do wish +he would try a hot posset of a night, just before going to bed." + +The good woman was beginning to walk away up Lady Lane, somewhat +disconsolately, for she reflected that if Nick Green measured Mr. +Powell's strength by his own, he would surely not spare it, and that the +preacher needed rather a curb than a spur to his self-forgetting +exertions, when she almost ran against a man who was coming in the +opposite direction. They were not twenty paces from the door of the +corn-dealer's store-house, and a lamp that burnt above it shed +sufficient light for her to recognise the face of the very person who +was in her thoughts. + +"Mr. Powell!" she exclaimed in a joyful tone. "Thanks be to the Lord +that I have met you! Was you going to look for Mr. Green? He is just +putting the lights out and coming away. I left a message with him for +you, sir; but now I can give it you myself. You will come up with me to +my house, now, won't you? Everything is ready, and has been these three +days. You wouldn't think of going anywhere else in Whitford but to my +house, would you, Mr. Powell?" + +She ran on thus eagerly, because she saw, or fancied she saw, symptoms +of opposition to her plan in Powell's face. He hesitated. "My good +friend," said he, "your Christian kindness is very precious to me, but +I am not clear that I should do right in becoming an inmate of your +house." + +"Oh, but I am, Mr. Powell, quite clear! Why it would be a real +unkindness to refuse me." + +"It is not a matter to be settled thus lightly," answered Powell, +although at the same time he turned and walked a few paces by the +widow's side. "I had thought that I might sleep for to-night at least in +our friends' meeting-room." + +"What! in the loft there? Lord ha' mercy, Mr. Powell! 'Tis cold and +draughty, and there's nothing in it but a few wooden benches, and the +rats run about as bold as can be, directly the lights is put out. Why 't +would be a tempting of Providence, Mr. Powell." + +"I am not dainty about my accommodation, as you know; and I could sleep +there without payment." + +"Without payment! Why, you might pay pretty dear for it in health, if +not in money. And, for that matter, I shouldn't think of asking a penny +of rent for my attic, as long as ever you choose to stay in it." Then, +with an instinctive knowledge of the sort of plea that might be likely +to prevail with him, she added, "As for being dainty about your +accommodation, why I know you never were so, and I hope you haven't +altered, for, indeed, the attic is sadly uncomfortable. I think there's +worse draughts from the window than ever. And it would be a benefit to +me to get the room aired and occkypied; for only last week I had a most +respectable young man, a journeyman painter, to look at it, and he say, +'Mrs. Thimbleby, we shan't disagree about the rent,' he say; 'but I do +wish the room had been slept in latterly; for I've a fear as it's damp,' +he say, 'and that that's the reason you don't use it yourself, nor +haven't let it.' But I tell him the only reason why I didn't use the +room was as you might be expected back any day, and I couldn't let you +find your place taken. And he say if he could be satisfied of that, he +may take it after next month, when you would likely be gone again. So +you see as you would be doing me a service, Mr. Powell, not to say a +pleasure." + +Whether David Powell implicitly believed the good creature's argument to +be derived from fact, may be doubtful; but he suffered himself to be +persuaded to accompany her to his old lodgings; and they begged Nick +Green, who presently overtook them, to send one of his lads to the +coach-office, to bring to Mrs. Thimbleby's the small battered valise +which constituted all Powell's luggage. + +"I would have gone to fetch it myself," said the preacher, +apologetically, "but, in truth, I am so exceedingly weary, that I doubt +whether my strength would avail to carry even that slender burden the +distance from the coach-office to your house." + +When he was seated beside Mrs. Thimbleby's clean kitchen hearth, on +which burned a fire of unwontedly generous proportions--the widow +declared that, as she grew older, she found it necessary to her health +to have a glow of warmth in her kitchen these chilly autumn nights--when +the preacher was thus seated, I say, and when the red and yellow +firelight illuminated his face fully, it was very evident that he was +indeed "exceeding weary;" weary, and worn, and wan, with hollow temples, +eyes that blazed feverishly, and a hue of startling pallor overspreading +his whole countenance. For a few minutes, whilst his good hostess moved +about hither and thither in the little kitchen, preparing some tea, and +slicing some bacon, to be presently fried for his refection, Powell sat +looking straight before him, with a curious expression in his +widely-opened eyes, something like that of a sleep-walker. They were +evidently seeing nothing of the physical realities around them, and yet +they unmistakably expressed the attentive recognition by the mind of +some image painted on their wondrous spheres. The true round mirror of +the wizard is that magic ball of sight; for on its sensitive surface +live and move a thousand airy phantoms, besides the reflection of all +that peoples this tangible earth we dwell on. Powell's lips began to +move rapidly, although no sound came from them. He seemed to be +addressing a creature visible to him alone, on which his straining gaze +was fixed. But suddenly his face changed, and was troubled as a still +pool is troubled by a ripple that breaks its clearly glazed reflection +into fantastic fragments. In another moment he passed his thin hand +several times with a strong pressure over his brows, shut and opened his +eyes like a dreamer awakened, drew his pocket Bible from his breast, and +began to read with an air of resolute attention. + +"Will you ask a blessing, Mr. Powell?" said the widow timidly. + +He looked up. A comfortable meal was spread on the white deal table +before him. Mrs. Thimbleby sat opposite to him in her old chair with the +patch-work cushions; the fire shone; the household cat purred drowsily; +the old clock clicked off the moments as they flowed past--tick tack, +tick tack. Then there came a jar, a burr of wheels and springs, and the +tinkle of silver-toned metal striking nine. In a few moments the ancient +belfry of St. Chad's began to send forth its mellow chimes. Far and wide +they sounded--over the town and the flat-meadow country--through the +darkness. Powell sat still and silent, listening to the bells until they +had done chiming. + +"How well I know those voices!" he said. "I used to lie awake and listen +to them here, in the old attic, when my soul was wrestling with a mighty +temptation; when my heart was smitten and withered like grass, so that I +forgot to eat my bread. The sound of them is sweet to the fleshly ears +of the body; but to the ears of the spirit they can say marvellous +things. They have been the instruments to bring me many a message of +counsel as they came singing and buzzing in my brain." + +The widow Thimbleby sat looking at the preacher, as he spoke, with an +expression of puzzled admiration, blended with anxiety. + +"Oh, for certain the Lord has set a sign on you!" she exclaimed. "He +would have us to know that you are a chosen vessel, and He has given you +the gifts of the spirit in marvellous abundance. But, dear Mr. Powell, I +doubt He does not mean you to neglect the fleshly tabernacle neither; +for, as I say to myself, He could ha' made us all soul and no body, if +such had been His blessed will." + +"We thank Thee, O Father, most merciful. Amen!" said Powell, bending +over the table. + +"Amen!" repeated Mrs. Thimbleby. "And now pray do fall to, and eat +something, for I'm sure you need it." + +"It is strange; but, though I have fasted since five o'clock this +morning, I feel no hunger." + +"Mercy me! fasting since five o'clock this morning? Why, for sure, +that's the very reason you can't eat! Your stomach is too weak. Dear, +dear, dear; but you must make an effort to swallow something, sir. Drink +a sup of tea." + +Powell complied with her entreaty, although he expressed some misgiving +as to the righteousness of his partaking of so luxurious a beverage. And +then he ate a few mouthfuls of food, but evidently without appetite. But +seeing his good friend's uneasiness on his behalf, he said, with the +rare smile which so brightened his countenance: + +"Do not be so concerned for me. There is no need. Although I have not +much replenished the carnal man to-day, yet have I been abundantly +refreshed and comforted. I tarried in a small town on the borders of +this county at midday, and I found that my ministrations there in the +spring season had borne fruit. Many who had been reclaimed from evil +courses came about me, and we gave thanks with much uplifting of the +heart. And, although I had suffered somewhat from faintness before +arriving at that place, yet, no sooner were these chosen persons got +about me, and I began to pray and praise, than I felt stronger and more +able for exertion than I have many a time felt after a long night's rest +and an abundant meal." + +Poor Mrs. Thimbleby's mind was divided and "exercised," as she herself +would have said, between her reverent faith in Powell's being supported +by the supernal powers and her rooted conviction regarding the virtues +of a hot posset. Was it for her, a poor, ignorant woman, presumptuously +to supplement, as it were, the protection of Providence, and to insist +on the saintly preacher's drinking her posset? Yet, on the other hand, +arose her own powerful argument, that the Lord might have dispensed with +our bodies altogether had it so pleased him; and that therefore, mankind +being provided with those appendages, it was but reasonable to conclude +they were meant to be taken some care of. At length the widow's mental +debatings resulted in a resolution to make the hot posset, and carry it +up to the preacher's bedside without consulting him on the +subject--"For," said she to herself, "if I persuade him to swallow it +out of kindness to me, there'll be no sin in the matter. Or, at least, +if there is, it will be my sin, and not his; and that is not of so much +consequence." + +In this spirit of true feminine devotion she acted, and having coaxed +Powell to swallow the cordial mixture--as a mother might coax a sick +child--she had the satisfaction of seeing him fall into a deep slumber, +he being, in truth, exhausted by fatigue, excitement, and lack of +nourishment. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +Among the first persons to hear of David Powell's return to Whitford, +and his intention of preaching there, was Miss Bodkin. As the spectators +see more of the play than the actors, so Minnie, from her couch or her +lounging-chair, witnessed many a scene in its entirety, which those who +performed it were only conscious of in a fragmentary manner. The news of +the little town was brought to her through many various channels. Her +infirmity seemed to set her in a place apart, and many a one was willing +to play the part of Chorus for her behoof, and interpret the drama after +his or her own fashion. + +Minnie's maid, Jane Gibbs; Mrs. Errington; and Mr. Diamond, had all +given her the news about Mr. Powell; and all in different keys, and with +such variations of detail as universally attend contemporaneous _vivâ +voce_ transmissions. + +Jane Gibbs had a strong feeling of respect and gratitude towards the +preacher for his having "converted" her brother. And, being herself a +member of the Church of England, she looked upon his secession from the +main body of the Methodists with great leniency. She dared to say that +Mr. Powell would do as much good in Lady Lane as he had done in the +Wesleyan Chapel. And seeing that whether you called 'em Wesleyans, or +Ranters, or Baptists, or Quakers, or Calvinists, they were all +Dissenters, it could not so much matter whether they disagreed among +each other or not. + +Mrs. Errington, without entering into that question, considered herself +peculiarly aggrieved by the circumstance that Powell had come to lodge +in the same house with her. "I am doomed, it seems, to be a victim to +that man!" said she to Minnie Bodkin. "At Maxfield's house I was +frequently disturbed by his hymns and his preachments; and even now, it +appears, I am not to escape from him. He absorbs Mrs. Thimbleby's +attention to a ludicrous extent. If you will credit the fact, my dear +Minnie, only yesterday morning my egg was sent up at breakfast greatly +over-boiled; and when I remonstrated with Mrs. Thimbleby on this piece +of negligence, what excuse do you suppose she made? She answered that +she was very sorry, but she had been getting ready a 'little +snack'--that was her expression--for Mr. Powell after his early +preaching, and it had slipped her memory that my breakfast-egg was still +in the saucepan! I have no doubt the man stuffs and crams himself at her +cost. All these dissenting preachers do, my dear." + +Whereunto Minnie answered gravely, that it was a great comfort to Church +people to reflect that moderation in eating and drinking was entirely +confined to the orthodox clergy. + +Mr. Diamond, again, took a different and more sympathising view of the +poor preacher. But even he was very far from entertaining the same +exalted admiration for Powell's character as was felt by Minnie. Matthew +Diamond had an Englishman's ingrained antipathy to the uncontrolled +display of feeling, from which Powell's Welsh blood by no means +revolted. Diamond could never divest himself of a lurking notion that no +man would publicly exhibit deep emotion if he could help it; and +consequently he looked on all such exhibitions as rather pitiable +manifestations of infirmity, or else as mere clap-trap and play-acting. +Of the latter it was impossible to suspect Powell. Diamond had the +touchstone of truthfulness within himself; and it sufficed to convince +him that the preacher, however wild and mistaken, was sincere. "Yes," he +said to Miss Bodkin, "there can be no doubt that the man's soul is as +clear from guile as an infant's. But it is a pity he cannot suppress +the outbursts of enthusiasm which exhaust him so much." + +"He does not wish to suppress them," answered Minnie. "He looks on them +as a means specially vouchsafed to him for moving others, and--to use +his own words--saving souls. Some sober, sensible persons remind me, +when they speak of David Powell, of a covey of barn-door fowls, +complacently staring up at a lark, and exclaiming, 'Poor creature, how +unpleasant it must be for it to have to soar and gyrate in that giddy +fashion; and making that shrill noise all the time, too! How it must +envy us our constitutions!'" + +"I suppose I am one of the barn-door fowls, Miss Bodkin?" + +"Well--perhaps! Or, rather, you have lived among them until it seems to +you that higher-flying creatures have something a little ridiculous +about them. And you forcibly restrain any upward tendencies of wing--at +least in the presence of your mates of the barn-door." + +"I am flattered to be credited with some upward tendencies, at any rate! +But, Miss Bodkin, to drop metaphor, in which I cannot attempt to compete +with you, I must be allowed to maintain that Powell's outbursts of +excitement are neither good for himself nor others. They are morbid, and +not the healthy expression of a healthy nature, like the lark's singing +and soaring." + +"You have seen Powell since his return. How does he seem to be in +health?" + +"In bodily health not, perhaps, so much amiss, although he is greatly +emaciated and startlingly pale. But his mind is in a strange state." + +"He was always enthusiastic." + +"He is enthusiastic for others, but as regards himself his mind is a +prey to overwhelming gloom. I see a great change for the worse in him in +that respect." + +Minnie felt a strong desire to see the preacher again. She +compassionated him from her heart, and thought she might be able to +administer some comfort to him, as regarded Rhoda Maxfield. There were +days when Minnie was able to walk from one room to another with the +assistance of a crutched stick; and it occurred to her that if Mrs. +Thimbleby would allow her house to be made the place of meeting, she +might see and speak with Powell there more privately, and with less +danger of exciting gossiping remark, than elsewhere. Minnie had once or +twice latterly driven to the widow Thimbleby's house to see Mrs. +Errington, or leave a message for her, although she had never mounted to +her sitting-room. For the ladder-like staircase, which was an imaginary +difficulty in the way of Castalia's visits to her mother-in-law, was a +very real obstacle to Minnie Bodkin. + +The project of seeing Powell in this way took possession of her mind. +She sent a note to Mrs. Thimbleby, by her maid Jane, asking at what hour +Mr. Powell was most likely to be in the house; and saying that she +should like to come there and say a few words to him about a person in +whose welfare he was interested. + +The widow saw nothing very singular in this. She knew that Powell had +been to see Miss Bodkin before he left Whitford. And it was quite in +accordance with the known characters of the Methodist preacher and the +rector's daughter that they should meet and combine on the common ground +of charity. "For sure Mr. Powell have recommended some poor afflicted +person to the young lady, and she have assisted 'em, whosoever they may +be!" thought Mrs. Thimbleby. "And she begs me not to mention her coming +to anybody. For sure and certain she's not one o' them as boasts of +their good deeds. No, no; like our blessed Mr. Powell, she don't let her +left hand know what her right hand doeth. I wonder if she's under +conviction! Such a good, charitable lady, it seems as if she must belong +to the elect. But, there, all our good works are filthy rags, I s'pose, +the best on us. But I can't help thinking as Miss Bodkin's works must be +more pleasing to the Lord than Brother Jackson's, as lives among the +Wesleyans on the fat of the land, and don't do much in return, except +condemning all those folks as isn't Wesleyans. Lord forgive me if I'm +wrong!" + +Mrs. Thimbleby returned a verbal message to Miss Bodkin, as the latter +had desired her to do: Mrs. Thimbleby's duty, and the most likely time +would be between four and five o'clock in the afternoon; and she would +be sure to obey Miss Bodkin's instructions. "And I'm ever so much +obliged to her for excusing me writing, my dear," said the widow to +Jane; "for my hands is so stiff and rough with hard work, as holding a +pen seems to be a great difficulty. I'd far rather mop out my back yard +any day than write the receipt for the lodgers' rent. And 'tis but a +smudgy business when all's done." + +On the following day Dr. Bodkin's sober green carriage, drawn by a +stout, sober-paced horse, was seen standing at Mrs. Thimbleby's door. It +was a few minutes after four o'clock in the afternoon. The street was +very quiet. There was scarcely a passer-by to be seen from one end of it +to the other, when Jane and the old man-servant assisted Miss Bodkin to +alight from the carriage, and supported her into the clean, flagged room +on the ground floor, which served Mrs. Thimbleby for parlour, kitchen, +and dining-hall, all in one. The coachman had orders to return and fetch +his young mistress at six o'clock. "Will you give me house-room so long, +Mrs. Thimbleby?" asked Minnie with a sweet smile, which so captivated +the good woman that she stood staring at her visitor in a kind of +rapture, unable to reply for a minute or two. + +Minnie was placed in Mrs. Thimbleby's own high-backed chair, with the +clean patchwork-covered cushions piled behind her. A horsehair +footstool, borrowed for the purpose from Mr. Diamond's parlour, was +under her feet. And she declared that she found herself as comfortable +as in her own lounging-chair at home. + +"You see, miss, I couldn't say to the minute when Mr. Powell would be +back, but between four and five he generally do come in, and I make him +swallow a cup of herb tea, or something. And I will not deny that I +sometimes puts a pinch of China tea in. But he don't know. This is but a +poor place, miss," added the widow, glancing round, "but so long as you +can make yourself content to stay in it, so long you will be welcome as +the flowers in May, if 'twas to be for a twelvemonth?" + +Then Minnie praised the brilliant cleanliness of the little kitchen, +took notice of the cat that rubbed its velvet head confidingly against +her hand, and asked Mrs. Thimbleby how she prospered in her +lodging-letting. + +The widow was loquacious in her mild slow way; and she was pleased at +this opportunity for a little harmless gossip. It was a propensity +which received frequent checks from those around her. Mr. Diamond was +too taciturn, too grave, too much absorbed in his books, to give any +heed to his landlady's conversation, beyond listening to the few +particulars of his weekly expenses, which she insisted on explaining to +him. Mrs. Errington, on the other hand, was not at all taciturn, but she +desired to have the talk chiefly to herself. She loved to harangue Mrs. +Thimbleby on a variety of subjects, and to place, in vivid colours +before her, the inadequacy of all her domestic arrangements to satisfy a +lady of Mrs. Errington's quality. As to gossiping with David Powell, +Mrs. Thimbleby would as soon have thought of attempting to gossip with +the sculptured figure of a saint, which stood in a niche at one side of +the portal of St. Chad's! So the good woman, finding Miss Bodkin more +compliant and affable than the two first-named of her lodgers, and +nearer to the level of common humanity than the last, indulged herself +with an outpouring of chat, as the two sat waiting for Powell's return. + +Minnie listened to her at first with but a drowsy kind of attention. Her +own thoughts were wandering away from the present time and place. And, +for a while, the quiet of the room, where the gathering twilight seemed +to bring a deeper hush, was only broken by the monotonous murmur of the +widow's voice. But by-and-by Mrs. Thimbleby spoke words which +effectually aroused Minnie's attention. + +There was, she said, a deal of talk in Whitford about young Mr. +Errington. He was such a very nice-spoken gentleman, and most people +seemed to like him so much! But yet he had enemies in the town. Folks +said he was extravagant. And his wife gave herself such airs as there +was no bearing with 'em; she not paying ready money, but almost +expecting tradespeople to be satisfied with the honour of serving her. +Poor lady, she wasn't used to be pinched for money herself, and knew no +better, most likely! But many Whitford shopkeepers grumbled as Mr. +Errington got goods on credit from them, and yet sent orders to London +with ready money for expensive articles, and it didn't seem fair. There +was no use saying anything to old Mrs. Errington about the matter, +because, though she was, no doubt, a very good-hearted lady, she was +rather "high." And if you mentioned to her, as Mr. Gladwish, the +shoemaker, said, unpleasant things about her son's bill, why she would +tell you that her grandfather drove four horses to his coach, and that +Mr. Algernon's wife's uncle was a great nobleman up in London, as paid +his butler a bigger salary than all Gladwish could earn in a year. And +if such sayings got abroad, they would not be soothing to the feelings +of a respectable shoemaker, would they now? Not to say that they +wouldn't help to pay Gladwish's bill; nor yet the fly bill at the "Blue +Bell;" nor yet the bill for young madam at Ravell and Sarsnet's; nor yet +the bill at the fishmonger and poulterer's; as she (Mrs. Thimbleby) was +credibly informed that Ivy Lodge consumed the best of everything, and at +a great rate. In the beginning, tradespeople believed all that was said +about young Mr. and Mrs. Errington's fine friends and fine prospects, +and seemed inclined to trust 'em to any amount. But latterly there had +growed up a feeling against 'em. And--if Miss Bodkin wouldn't think it a +liberty in her to ask her not to mention it again, seeing it was but a +guess on her part--she would go so far as to say that she believed an +enemy was at work, and that enemy old Jonathan Maxfield. Why or +wherefore old Max should be so set against young Mr. Algernon, as he had +known him from a little child, she could not say. But there was rumours +about that young Errington owed old Max money. And old Max was that near +and fond of his pelf, as nothing was so likely to make him mad against +any one as losing money by 'em; and old Max was a harsh man and a bitter +where he took a dislike. Only see how he had persecuted Mr. Powell! And +though he let his daughter go to Ivy Lodge--and they did say young Mrs. +Errington had taken quite a fancy to the girl--yet that didn't prevent +old Max sneering and snarling, and saying all manner of sharp words +against the Erringtons. And old Max was a man of substance, and his +words had weight in the town. "And you see, miss," said Mrs. Thimbleby, +in conclusion, "young Mr. and Mrs. Errington are gentlefolks, and they +don't hear what's said in Whitford, and they may think things are all +right when they're all wrong. Of course, I daresay they have great +friends and good prospects, miss. And very likely they could settle +everything to-morrow if they thought fit. Only the tale here is, that +not a tradesman in the place has seen the colour of their money, and +they deny theirselves nothing, and the lady so high in her manners, and +altogether there is a feeling against 'em, miss. And as I know you're a +old friend, and a kind friend, I'm sure, and not one as takes pleasure +in the troubles of their neighbours, I thought I would mention it to +you, in case you should like to say a word to the young lady and +gentleman private-like. A word from you would have a deal of weight. And +I do assure you, miss, 'tis of no use trying to speak to old Mrs. +Errington, for she'll only go on about her grandfather's coach-and-four; +and, between you and me, miss, there is some as takes it amiss." + +All this pained and surprised Minnie. She understood at once how +Castalia's ungracious manner was resented in the little town; and set +down a great deal of the hostility which the widow had described to the +score of the Honourable Mrs. Algernon's personal unpopularity. + +Still there must be something seriously wrong at Ivy Lodge. Debt was a +Slough of Despond into which such a one as Algernon Errington would +easily put his foot, from sheer thoughtlessness and the habit of +refusing himself no gratification within his reach. But he might not +find it so easy to extricate himself. A word of warning might possibly +do good. At least it could do no harm, beyond drawing forth some languid +impertinence from Castalia. And Minnie would not for an instant weigh +that chance against the hope of doing some good to her old friend Algy. + +Besides, in truth, she had, as has been said, an undefined feeling of +compassion for Castalia herself, which rendered her singularly +forbearing towards the latter's manifestations of fretful jealousy or +haughty dislike. In the first days of his return to Whitford Algernon +had many a time shot one of his quick, questioning glances at Minnie, +when his wife uttered some coolly insolent speech, directed at, rather +than to, the rector's daughter. But instead of the keen sarcasm, or +scornful irony, which he had expected, Minnie had, nine times out of +ten, replied with a quiet matter-of-fact observation calculated to +extinguish anything like a war of words. At first Algernon had +attributed such forbearance on the part of the brilliant, high-spirited +Minnie entirely to her strong regard for himself. But this flattering +illusion did not last long. He soon perceived that Minnie regarded his +wife with pity, and that she refrained from using the keen weapons of +her wit against Castalia, much as a nurse might refrain from scolding or +arguing with a sick child. + +Now this discovery was not pleasant to Algernon. If any sympathy were to +be expended on the inmates of Ivy Lodge, he was persuaded that much the +larger share of it ought to be given to himself. If there were troubles; +if there were mortifications; if there was disappointment--who suffered +from them as he did? And by whom were they so unmerited? He was not far, +sometimes, from resenting any show of compassion for Castalia as a +direct injury to himself. After having sacrificed himself, by making a +marriage so inadequate to his deserts, it was a little too much to hear +his wife pitied for the contrast between her past and present position? + +And yet, by a queer strain of inconsistency running through the warp +and woof of his character, he would often boast of Castalia's +aristocratic antecedents, and ask, with a smile and a shrug, how the +deuce his wife could be expected to stand the petty privations and +discomforts of Whitford, after having lived all her life in a sphere as +remote from such things as the planet Saturn from the earth? + +Minnie partly saw, partly guessed, these movements of Algernon's mind. +But she judged him with leniency, and put a kind interpretation on his +words and ways, whenever such an interpretation was possible. At all +events, if a word in season could be useful to him, she would not +refrain from speaking that word. + +This young woman had latterly passed into regions of thought and +feeling, from which much of her old life, with its old pains, and +pleasures, and aims, seemed shrunken into insignificance. One solid good +she was able to grasp and to enjoy; the satisfaction of serving her +fellow-creatures. All else grew poor and paltry as the years rolled by. + +Not that Minnie had attained to any saint-like heights of +self-abnegation; not that she did not still "desire and admire" many +sublunary things. But she had got a hurt that had stricken down her +pride. She bore an ache in her heart for which "self-culture," and all +the activities and aspirations of her bright intellect, afforded no +balm. + +But she did not grow sour and selfish in her grief. The example of the +poor, unlettered Methodist preacher (whom in former days she would have +thought the unlikeliest of human beings to teach her any profitable +lesson) had roused the noblest part of her nature to emulation. David +Powell had started from a lofty theory to a life of beautiful deeds. +Minnie Bodkin, vaguely groping after a theory, had seized on practical +benevolence as a means to climb to some higher ideal. + +In morals, as in thought, the Deductive and Inductive stand, like the +ladders of Jacob's dream, reaching from heaven to earth, from earth to +heaven; and the angels of the Lord descend and ascend them continually. + +Minnie was roused from a reverie by the entrance of the preacher's tall +figure into the kitchen, where the fire was now beginning to throw ruddy +lights and fantastic shadows on to the white-washed walls. + +"Don't be startled, Mr. Powell," she said, in her clear, sweet tones. +"It is I--Minnie Bodkin. I thought I should like to see you, and to say +a few words to you, quietly." + +Powell advanced, and took her outstretched hand reverently in his hand. +"The blessing of our Father in Heaven be on you, lady," he said. "Your +kind face is very welcome to me." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +Mrs. Thimbleby set a cup full of hot tea and a slice of bread on the +table, and glided out of the kitchen in a humble, noiseless way, as if +she feared lest the mere sound of her footsteps should be deemed +importunate. + +"You have something to say to me?" asked Powell, still standing opposite +to Minnie's chair. + +"Yes; but first you must take some food. Please to sit down there at the +table." + +Powell shook his head. "Food disgusts me," he said. "I do not need it." + +"That will pain your kind landlady," said Minnie, gently. "She has been +so careful to get this refreshment ready for you." + +Powell sat down. "I would not pain the good soul for any earthly +consideration," he answered. "But if the burthen be laid on me, I must +pain her." + +"Come, Mr. Powell, no injunction can be laid on you to starve yourself, +and grow ill, and be unable to fulfil your duties!" + +After an instant's hesitation he swallowed some tea, and began to break +off small fragments of the bread, which he soaked in the liquid, and ate +slowly. + +Minnie watched him attentively. The widow had lighted a candle, which, +standing on the high mantel-shelf, shed down its pale rays on the +preacher's head and face, the rest of his person being in shadow. Now +and again, as he lifted a morsel of bread to his lips, one thin long +hand, yellow-white as old ivory, came within the circle of light. His +whole countenance appeared to Minnie to have undergone a change since +she had seen him last. The features were sharper, the skin more sallow, +the lines around the mouth deeper. But the greatest change was in the +expression of the eyes. They were wonderfully lustrous, but not with the +soft mild lustre which formerly shone in them. They looked startlingly +large and prominent; and at times seemed literally to blaze with an +inward fire. + +"He is ill and feverish," thought Minnie. And then, as she continued to +watch him, there came over his face an expression so infinitely piteous, +that the sympathetic tears sprang into her eyes when she saw it. It was +a pathetic, questioning, bewildered look, like that of a little child +that has lost its way, and is frightened. + +When he had eaten a few mouthfuls, he asked, "Who told you that you +would find me here?" + +"Oh, it was not difficult to discover your whereabouts in Whitford, Mr. +Powell," answered Minnie, smiling with an effort to seem cheerful and at +ease. "Your coming has been spoken of in our little town for weeks +past." + +"Has it so? Has it so? That is a good hearing. There must be souls ripe +for conviction--anxious, inquiring souls." + +There was a pause. Minnie had expected him to speak of their last +interview. But as he made no allusion to it, she opened the subject +herself. + +"You remember, Mr. Powell, before you went away from Whitford, giving me +a charge--a trust to fulfil for you?" + +He looked at her inquiringly, but did not answer. + +"There was a young member of your flock whose welfare you had greatly at +heart. And you thought that I might be able to help her and show her +some kindness. I--I have honestly tried to keep the promise I then made +to you," persisted Minnie, on whom Powell's strange silence was +producing an unpleasant impression. She could not understand it. "I +fancied that you might still feel some anxiety about Rhoda's +welfare----" + +At the sound of that name, Powell seemed moved as if by an electric +shock. The change in his face was as distinct, although as momentary, as +the change made in a dark bank of cloud by a flicker of summer +lightning. + +"You know, of course," continued Minnie, "that the person whose +influence you feared is married. And I assure you that, so far as my +attentive judgment goes, Rhoda's peace of mind has not been fatally +troubled. She fretted for a while, but is now rapidly regaining her +cheerfulness. She even visits rather frequently at Mr. Errington's +house, having, it seems, become a favourite with his wife." + +David Powell's head had sunk down on to his breast. He held one hand +across his eyes, resting his elbow on the table, and neither moving nor +looking up. But it was evident that he was listening. Minnie went on to +speak of Rhoda's improvement. She had always been pretty, but her beauty +was now very striking. She had profited by the opportunities of +instruction which her father afforded her. She was caressed by the +worthiest people in her little world. + +Minnie went bravely on--nerved by the sight of that bowed figure and +emaciated hand, hiding the eyes--speaking the praises of the girl who +had sent many a pang of jealousy into her heart--a jealousy none the +less torturing because she knew it to be unreasonable. "He could never +have thought of wretched, crippled me, if there had been no Rhoda +Maxfield in the world!" she had told herself a hundred times. But she +tried to fancy that the withering up of the secret romance of her life +would have been less hard to bear, had the sacrifice been made in favour +of a higher, nobler woman than simple, shallow, slight-hearted Rhoda +Maxfield. + +Nevertheless, she spoke Rhoda's praises now ungrudgingly. Nay, more; she +believed Powell to be capable of the highest self-sacrifice; she +believed that he would welcome a prospect of happiness and security for +Rhoda, even though it should shut the door for ever on any lingering +hopes he might retain of winning her. So, bracing herself to a strong +effort--which seemed to strain not only the nerves, but the very +muscles, of her fragile frame as she sat almost upright, grasping the +arms of her chair with both hands--she added, "And, as I know you have +that rare gift of love which can rejoice in looking at a happiness it +may never share, I will say to you in confidence that I believe Rhoda is +honourably sought in marriage by a good man--a man who--it is not +needful to speak at length of him"--indeed, her throat was dry, and her +courage desperately at bay--"but he is a good, high-minded man; one who +will value and respect his wife; one who admires and loves Rhoda very +fervently." + +It was magnanimously said. The words, as she uttered them, sounded the +knell of her own youth and hope in her ears. + +We believe that a beloved one is dead. We have kissed the cold lips. We +have kissed the unresponsive hand. Yes; the beloved one is dead. We +surely believe it. + +But, no! The death-bell sounds, beating with chill, heavy fingers on our +very heart-strings, and then we awake to a sudden confirmation of our +grief. The bell sings its loud monotone, over roof-tree and grave-stone, +piercing through the murmur of busy life in streets and homes, and then +we know that we had not hitherto believed; that in some nook and secret +fold of heart or brain a wild, formless hope had been lurking that all +was not really over. Only the implacable mental clang carries conviction +with its vibrations into the broad daylight and the common air, and the +tears gush out as if our sorrow were born anew. + +Even so felt Minnie Bodkin when she had put her secret thought into +words. The speaking of the words could not hasten their fulfilment. But +yet it seemed to her as if, in saying them, she had signed some +bond--had formally renounced even the solace of a passing fancy that +might flit, fairy-bright, into the dimness of her life; had given up the +object of her silent passion by a covenant that was none the less +stringent because its utterance was simple and commonplace. She was +silent, breathing quickly, and lying back against the cushions after the +short speech that had cost her so much. + +Powell remained quite still for a few seconds. Then suddenly removing +the screening hand, the almost intolerable lustre of his eyes broke upon +the startled woman opposite to him, as he said, with a strange smile, +"She is safe. She is happy for Time and Eternity. She has been ransomed +with a price." + +"I knew that you would allow no selfish feeling to sway you," returned +Minnie, after an instant's pause. "I was right in feeling sure that you +would generously consider her happiness before your own." + +But yet she was not satisfied with the result of her well-meant attempt +to free Powell's mind from the anxiety concerning Rhoda, which she +believed to have been preying on it. There was something strangely +unexpected in his manner of receiving it. Presently Powell looked at her +again with a sad, sweet smile. The wild blaze had gone out of his eyes. +They were soft and steady as they rested on her now. + +"You are a just and benevolent woman," he said. "You have been faithful. +You came hither with the charitable wish to comfort me. I am not +ungrateful. But the old trouble has long been dead. I did wrestle with a +mighty temptation on her account. My heart burnt very hot within me; the +fleshy heart, full of deceit and desperately wicked. But that human +passion fell away like a garment, shrivelled and consumed by the great +fire of the wrath of God, that put it out as the sun puts out the flame +of a taper at noonday. Neither," he went on, speaking rather to himself +than to Minnie, "am I concerned for that young soul. No; it is safe. It +has been ransomed. I have had answer to prayer, and heard voices that +brought me sure tidings in the dimness of the early morning; but these +things are hard to be understood. Sometimes, even yet, the old, foolish +yearning of the heart seems to awake and stir blindly within me. When +you named that name--no lips had uttered it to my ears for many +months--there seemed to run a swift echo of it through all the secret +places of my soul! But I heard as though one dead should hear the beat +of a familiar footfall above his grave." + +The dusk of evening, the low thrilling tones of the preacher's voice, +the terrible pallor of his face, with its great glittering eyes shining +in the feeble rays of the candle, contributed, not less than the +strangeness of his words, to oppress Minnie with a sensation of nervous +dread. She was not afraid of David Powell, nor of anything that she +could see or touch. But vague terrors seemed to be floating in the air. + +She started as her eye was caught by a deep, mysterious shadow on the +wall. The fire had burnt low, and shed only a dull red glow upon the +hearth. The ticking of the old clock appeared to grow louder with every +beat, and to utter some ominous warning in an unknown tongue. + +All at once a sound of voices and footsteps in the passage broke the +spell. The fire cast only commonplace and comprehensible shadows. The +clock ticked with its ordinary indifferent tone. The preacher's pale +face ceased to float in a mystical light against the dark background of +the curtainless window. The everyday world entered in at the kitchen +door in the shape of Mr. Diamond and Rhoda Maxfield. + +Of the four persons thus unexpectedly assembled, Minnie was the first to +speak. + +"What, Rhoda!" she cried, in a quiet voice, which revealed much less +surprise than she felt. "What brought you here at this hour?" + +As she spoke she glanced anxiously at Powell, uneasy as to the effect on +him of Rhoda's sudden appearance. But he remained curiously impassible, +looking at those present as if they were objects dimly seen afar off. + +"I was coming to drink tea with Mrs. Errington. Mr. Diamond overtook me +and Sally in the street. I saw your carriage at the door, and looked in +here, hoping that I should find both you and Mrs. Errington in this +room, because I know you do not go upstairs." + +Thus spoke Rhoda, in a soft, tremulous little voice, and with downcast +eyes. Diamond came and shook hands with Minnie. He pressed the hand she +gave him with unusual warmth and emphasis. His eyes were bright, and +there was a glow of pleasure on his face. He believed that his suit was +prospering, and he wished to convey some hint of his hopeful +anticipations to his sympathising friend Miss Bodkin. Then he turned to +Powell, and touched him on the shoulder. "How are you to-night?" he +asked, in a friendly tone, not without a kind of superior pity. "I am +glad to see that you have been refreshing the inner man. Our friend is +too careless of his health, Miss Bodkin. He fasts too long, and too +often." + +Powell smiled slightly, but neither looked at him nor answered him. +Going straight to Rhoda he laid his hand on her bright chestnut hair, +from which the bonnet she wore had fallen backwards, and looked at her +solemnly. Rhoda turned pale and gazed back at him, as if fascinated. +Neither of the others spoke or moved. + +"It is true, then," said Powell, after a pause, and the low tones of his +voice sounded like soft music. "I have passed through the Valley of the +Shadow of Death, and between me and the dwellers under the light of the +sun there is a great gulf fixed!" + +He released the bright young head on which his hand had rested, and made +as if he would move away. Then, pausing, he said, "I frightened you long +ago--in the other life. Fear no more, Rhoda Maxfield. Be no more +disquieted by night or by day. Many are called, but few are chosen, yet +you are among the chosen." He smiled upon her very sadly and calmly, and +went slowly away without looking round. + +As soon as he was gone, Rhoda burst into tears. Diamond made an eager +step forward as if to take her hand; then stopped irresolutely, and +looked anxiously at Minnie. "She is so sensitive," he said half aloud. +Minnie was as white as the preacher, and her eyes were full of tears, +which, however, she checked from falling by a strong effort of her +will. "I must go," she said. "Rhoda tells me my carriage is here. Will +you kindly call my servants?" He obeyed her, first making his formal +little bow; a sign, under the circumstances, that he was not quite in +sympathy with his friend, who showed so little sympathy herself for that +"sensitiveness" which so moved him. However, when, assisted by Jane, +Miss Bodkin had made her way to the door, Mr. Diamond stood there +bare-headed to help her into the carriage. She put her hand for an +instant on his proffered arm as she got into the vehicle. Rhoda came +running out after her. "Good night, Miss Minnie!" she cried. + +Minnie leant back, and seemed neither to see nor hear her. But in an +instant she was moved by a generous impulse to put her head out of the +window, and say kindly, "Good night, Rhoda. Come and see me soon." + +As the carriage began to move away, she saw Diamond tenderly drawing +Rhoda's shawl round her shoulders, and trying to lead her in from the +chill of the evening air. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +"Well, you may say as you please, Mr. Jackson, but 'twas a sight I shall +never forget; and one I don't expect to see the like of on this side of +eternity," said Richard Gibbs. + +"No, nor don't wish to, I should think," put in Seth Maxfield. + +"Anyway, it was a wonderful manifestation," remarked Mr. Gladwish, +musingly. + +There was a little knot of Wesleyans assembled in the house of Mr. +Gladwish, the shoemaker. Since Jonathan Maxfield's defection, he might +be considered the leading member of the Methodist congregation. And a +weekly prayer-meeting was held at his house on Monday evenings, as it +had formerly been held in old Max's back parlour. + +On the present occasion the assembly was more numerous than usual. +Besides the accustomed cronies and Mr. Jackson the preacher, there were +also Seth Maxfield, who had come into Whitford on some farm business on +the previous Saturday, Richard Gibbs, and the widow Thimbleby. The +latter was an old acquaintance of Mrs. Gladwish, and much patronised by +that matron; although, of late, Mrs. Thimbleby had been under some cloud +of displeasure among the stricter Methodists, on account of her fidelity +to David Powell. + +There had not been, to say the truth, any very fervent or lengthy +religious exercises that evening. After a brief discourse by Brother +Jackson, and the singing of a hymn, the company had, by mutual +agreement, understood but not expressed, fallen into a discussion of the +topic which was at that time in the minds and mouths of most Whitford +persons high and low--namely, David Powell's preachings, and the +phenomena attendant thereon. + +"Anyhow," repeated Mr. Gladwish, after a short silence, "it was a +wonderful manifestation." + +"You may well say so, sir," assented Richard Gibbs, emphatically. + +"Humph," grunted out Brother Jackson, pursing up his thick lips and +folding his fat hands before him; "I misdoubt whether the enemy be not +mixed up somehow or other with these manifestations. I don't say they +are wholly his doing. But--my brethren, Satan is very wily; and is +continually 'going to and fro in the earth,' and 'walking up and down in +it,' even as in the days of Job." + +"That's very true," said Mrs. Gladwish, with an air of responsible +corroboration. She was a light-haired, pale-faced woman, with a +slatternly figure and a sharp, inquisitive nose; and her quiet +persistency in cross-questioning made her a little formidable to some of +her neighbours. + +"When I see a thorn-tree bring forth figs, or a thistle grapes, I will +believe that such things as I witnessed yesterday on Whit Meadow are the +work of Satan--not before!" rejoined Gibbs. + +"Amen!" said Mrs. Thimbleby, tremulously. "Oh! indeed, sir--I hope you +don't consider it presumption in me--but I must say I do think Mr. Gibbs +is right. It was the working of the Lord's spirit, and no other." + +"What was the working of the Lord's spirit?" asked a harsh voice that +made the women start, and caused every head in the room to be turned +towards the door. There stood Jonathan Maxfield, rather more bowed in +the shoulders than when we first made his acquaintance, but otherwise +little changed. + +He was welcomed by Gladwish with a marked show of respect. The breach +made between old Max and his former associates by his departure from +the Methodist Society had been soon healed in many instances. Gladwish +had condoned it long ago; and, owing to various circumstances--among +them the fact that Seth Maxfield and his wife remained among the +Wesleyans--the intercourse between the two families had been almost +uninterrupted. There was truly no cordial interchange of hospitalities, +nor much that could be called companionship; but the strong bond of +habit on both sides, and, on Gladwish's, the sense of his neighbour's +growing wealth and importance, served to keep the two men as close +together as they ever had been. + +"I've come to say a word to Seth, if it may be without putting you out," +said old Maxfield, with a sidelong nod of the head, that was intended as +a general salute to the company. + +Mr. and Mrs. Gladwish protested that no one would be in the least put +out by Mr. Maxfield's presence, but that they were all, on the contrary, +pleased to see him. Then, while the father and son said a few words to +each other in a low tone, the others conversed among themselves rather +loudly, by way of politely expressing that they did not wish to overhear +any private conversation. + +"That's all, then, Seth," said old Max, turning away from his son. "I +knew I should find you here, and I thought I would mention about them +freeholds before it slipped my memory. And--life is uncertain--I have +put a clause in my will about 'em this very evening. Putting off has +never been my plan, neither with the affairs of this world or the next." + +There was something in the mention of a clause in old Max's will which +had a powerful attraction for the imagination of most persons present. +Brother Jackson made a motion with his mouth, as though he were tasting +some pleasant savour. Mrs. Gladwish thought of her tribe of growing +children, and their rapid consumption of food, clothing, and doctor's +stuff, and she sighed. Two or three of the regular attendants at the +prayer-meeting fixed their eyes with lively interest on Jonathan +Maxfield; and one whispered to another that Seth had gotten a good bit +o' cash with his wife, and would have more from his father. 'Twas always +the way: money makes money. Though, rightly considered, it was but dross +and dust, and riches were an awful snare. And then they obsequiously +made way for the rich grocer to take a seat in their circle, moved, +perhaps, by compassion for the imminent peril to his soul which he was +incurring from the possession of freehold property. + +"Well, I'll sit down for half an hour," said Jonathan, in his dry way, +and took a chair near the table accordingly. In fact, he was well +pleased enough to find himself once more among his old associates; and +if any embarrassment belonged to the relations between himself and +Brother Jackson, his former pastor, it was certain that old Max did not +feel it. When a man has a profound conviction of his own wisdom, +supported on a firm basis of banker's books and solid investments, such +intangible sentimentalities have no power to constrain them. Mr. +Jackson, perhaps, felt some little difficulty in becomingly adjusting +his manner to the situation, being troubled between the desire of +asserting his dignity in the eyes of his flock and his natural +reluctance to affront a man of Jonathan Maxfield's weight in the world. +But he speedily hit on the assumption of an unctuous charity and +toleration, as being the kind of demeanour best calculated for the +circumstances. And perhaps he did not judge amiss. "I'm sure," said he, +with a pious smile, "it is a real joy to the hearts of the faithful, and +a good example to the unregenerate, to see believers dwelling together +in unity, however much they may be compelled to differ on some points +for conscience' sake." + +"What was it as some one was saying just now about the working of the +Lord's spirit?" asked Maxfield, cutting short Brother Jackson's verbal +flow of milk and honey. + +There was a little hesitation among those present as to who should +answer this question. To answer it involved the utterance of a name +which was known to be unpleasing in Mr. Maxfield's ears. Mrs. Thimbleby +shrank into the background; she had a special dread of old Jonathan's +stern hard face and manner. Richard Gibbs at length answered, simply, +"We were speaking, Mr. Maxfield, of David Powell's preaching in Lady +Lane and on Whit Meadow." + +Maxfield pressed his lips together, and made an inarticulate sound, +which might be taken to express contempt or disapprobation, or merely an +acknowledgment of Gibbs's information. + +"My! I should like to have been there!" exclaimed Mrs. Gladwish. + +"Well, now," said Seth Maxfield, "my wife would walk twenty mile to keep +out of the way of it. She was quite scared at all the accounts we +heard." + +"But what did you hear! And what did happen, after all?" asked Mrs. +Gladwish. "I wish you would give us an account of it, Mr. Gibbs." + +"It is hard to give an account of such thing to them as wasn't present, +ma'am. But there was a great outpouring of grace." + +Brother Jackson groaned slightly, then coughed, and shook his head. + +"I never saw such a beautiful evening for the time of year," put in one +of Gladwish's apprentices, a consumptive-looking lad with bright, dreamy +eyes. "And all the folks standing in the sunset, and the river shining, +and the leaves red and yellow on the branches--it was a wonderful +sight." + +"It was a wonderful sight!" ejaculated Gibbs. "There was the biggest +multitude I ever saw assembled in Whit Meadow. There must have been +thousands of people. There were among them scoffers, and ungodly men, +and seekers after the truth, and some that were already awakened. Then, +women and children; they came gathering together more and more, from the +north, and the south, and the east, and the west. And there, in the +midst, raised up on a high bench, so that he might be seen of all, stood +David Powell. His face was as white as snow, and his black hair hung +down on either side of it." + +"I thought of John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness," said the +apprentice softly. + +"I couldn't get to stand very near to him," continued Gibbs, "and I +thought I should catch but little of his discourse. But when he began to +speak, though his voice was low at first, after a while it rose, and +grew every moment fuller and stronger." + +"Yes," said the bright-eyed apprentice, "it was like listening to the +organ-pipes of St. Chad's; just that kind of tremble in it that seems to +run all through your body." + +"The man always had a goodish voice," said Brother Jackson. "But that is +a carnal gift. 'Tis the use we put our voices to that is all-important, +my dear friends." + +"He began by prayer," said Gibbs, speaking slowly, and with the +abstracted air of a man who is not so much endeavouring to give others a +vivid narration, as to recall accurately to his own mind the things of +which he is speaking. "Yes, he began with prayer. He prayed for us all +there present with wonderful fervour." + +"What did he say?" asked Mrs. Gladwish. + +"Nay, I cannot repeat the exact words." + +"Can't you remember, Joel?" persisted his mistress, addressing the young +apprentice. + +The lad blushed up, but more, apparently, from eagerness and excitement +than bashfulness, as he answered, "Not the very words, ma'am, I can't +remember. But it was a prayer that had wings like, and it lifted you up +right away into the heavens. When he left off I felt as if I had been +dropped straight down on to Whit Meadow out of a cloud of glory." + +"Well, there's no harm in all that, Brother Jackson?" said Gladwish, +looking round. + +"Harm!" echoed Gibbs. "Why, Mr. Gladwish, if you could but have seen the +faces of the people! And then presently he began to call sinners to +repentance with such power as I never witnessed--no, not when he was +preaching in our chapel two years ago. He spoke of wrath and judgment +until the whole field was full of the sound of crying and groaning. But +he seemed continually strengthened, and went on, until first one fell, +and then another. They dropped down just like dead when the arrows of +conviction entered their souls. And the cries of some of them were awful +to hear. Then there was weeping, and a kind of hard breathing and +panting from breasts oppressed with the weight of sin; and then, mixed +with those sounds, the rejoicing aloud of believers and those who +received assurance. But through all the preacher's voice rose above the +tumult, and it seemed to me almost a manifest miracle that he should be +able to make himself heard so clearly." + +"Aye," said Joel, "it was like a ship on the top of the stormy waves; +now high, now low, but always above the raging waters." + +There was a short silence. Those present looked first at each other and +then at old Max, who sat motionless and grim, with his elbow on the +table, and his chin resting on his clenched hand. + +"And did you really see any of the poor creeturs as was took?" asked +Mrs. Gladwish of the widow Thimbleby. + +"Took, ma'am?" + +"Took with fits, or whatever it was." + +"Oh! yes; I see several. There was a fine fresh-coloured young man, +which is a butcher out Duckwell way--Mr. Seth'll likely know him--and he +dropped down just like a bullock. And then he stamped, and struggled, +and grew an awful dark red colour in the face, and tore up the grass +with his hands; such was the power of conviction. And at last he lay +like a log, and 'twas an hour, or more, before he come to. But when he +did, he had got peace and his burthen was taken away, thanks be!" + +"And there was a girl, too, very poor and sickly-looking," said Joel. +"And when the power of the Lord came upon her she went into a kind of +trance. Her eyes were open, but she saw nothing. Tears were falling down +her cheeks, but they were tears of joy; for she kept on saying, 'How +Thou hast loved sinners!' over and over again. And there was such a +smile on her face! When we go to Heaven, I expect we shall see the +angels smile like that!" + +"And the man himself--the preacher--did he seem filled with joy and +peace?" asked Jackson, covertly malicious. + +"Why, that is the strange thing!" returned Richard Gibbs, with frank +simplicity. "Although he was doing this great work, and witnessing the +mercies of the Lord descend on the people like manna, yet Mr. Powell had +such a look of deep sorrow on his face as I never saw. It was a kind of +a fixed, hopeless look. He said, 'I speak to you out of a dark dungeon, +but you are in the light. Give thanks and rejoice, and hasten to make +your calling and election sure. Those who dwell in the blackness of the +shadow could tell you terrible things.'" + +Mrs. Thimbleby wiped away a tear with the corner of her shabby black +shawl. "Ah!" she sighed, "it do seem a hard dispensation and a strange +one, as him who brings glad tidings to so many shouldn't get peace +himself. And a more angelic creetur' in his kindness to the afflicted +never walked this earth. Yet he's a'most always bowed down with +heaviness of spirit. It do seem strange!" + +Jonathan Maxfield struck the table with his fist so hard that the +candlesticks standing on it rocked. "Strange!" he cried, "it would be +strange indeed to see anything else! Why this is the work of the enemy +as plain as possible. Don't tell me! Look at all the years I've been a +member of Christian congregations in Whitford--whether in chapel or +church, it is no matter--and tell me if ever there was known such +ravings, and fits, and Bedlam doings? And yet I suppose there were souls +saved in my time too! I say that Satan is busy among you, puffing up one +and another with sperritual pride." + +"Lord forgive you!" ejaculated Richard Gibbs, in a tone of such genuine +pity and conviction as startled the rest. + +"Lord forgive me, sir!" echoed old Max, turning slowly round upon the +speaker, and glaring at him from under his grey eyebrows. + +There was an awe-stricken silence. + +"Our good friend, Richard Gibbs, meant no offence, Mr. Maxfield," said +Jackson, looking everywhere except into Gibbs's face. + +"I say," cried Maxfield, addressing the rest of the company, and +entirely ignoring the rash delinquent Gibbs, "that these things are a +snare and a delusion, and the work of the devil. And when them of more +wisdom and experience than me comes forward to speak on the matter, I +shall be glad to show forth my reasons." + +"Why, but, Brother Maxfield, I don't know now. I don't feel so sure," +said Gladwish, on whom the accounts of Powell's preaching had produced +a considerable effect. "There have been cases, you know, in the early +times of Methodism; and John Wesley himself, you know, was ready to +believe in the workings of grace, as manifested in similar ways." + +"Don't tell me of your David Powells!" returned old Max, declining to +discuss the subject on wide or general grounds, but doggedly confining +himself to the particulars immediately before him. "Don't tell me of a +man as is blown out with pride and vain glory like a balloon. Did I, or +did I not, say more'n two years ago, that David Powell was getting +puffed up with presumptuousness?" + +There was a low murmur of assent. Brother Jackson closed his eyes and +uttered a deep, long-drawn "A-a-ah!" like a man reluctantly admitting a +painful truth. + +"Did I, or did I not, say to many members of the Society, 'This man is +dangerous. He has fallen from grace. He is hankering after new-fangled +doctrine, and is ramping with red-hot over-bearingness?'" + +"Yon did, sir," answered a stout, broad-faced man named Blogg, who +looked like a farmer, but was a linendraper in a small way of business. +"You said so frequently; I remember your very words, and can testify to +'em." + +(This speech appeared to produce a considerable effect. Mrs. Thimbleby +began to cry; and, not having an apron at hand, threw the corner of her +shawl over her face.) + +"Did I, or did I not, say that if things went on at this kind of rate, I +should withdraw from the Society? And did I, or did I not, withdraw from +it accordin'?" + +"Sir," said Mr. Blogg, "I saw you with my own eyes a-coming out of the +parish church of St. Chad's, at ten minutes to one o'clock in the +afternoon of the Sunday next following your utterance of them identical +expressions; and cannot deny or evade the truth, but must declare it to +the best of my ability, with no regard to any human respects, but for +the ease and liberation of my conscience as a sincere though humble +professor." + +There was a general feeling that, in some conclusive though mysterious +way, the linendraper had brought a crushing weight of evidence to bear +against David Powell; and even the preacher's best friends would find it +difficult to defend him after that! + +Old Max looked round triumphantly, and proceeded to follow up the +impression thus made. "And then I'm to be told," said he, "that the +lunatic doings on Whit Meadow are the work of Heavenly powers, eh? Come, +Gladwish--you're a man as has read theologies and controversies, and are +acquainted with the history of Wesleyan Methodism as well as most +members in Whitford--I should like to know what arguments you have to +advance against plain facts--facts known to us all, and testified to by +Robert Blogg, linendraper, now present, and for many years a respected +class-leader in this town?" + +"Well, but we have plain facts to bring forward too," said Richard +Gibbs, with anxious earnestness. + +"I ask you, Gladwish, what arguments you have to bring forward," +repeated Maxfield, determinedly repressing any outward sign of having +heard the presumptuous Gibbs. + +"If this be not Satan's doing, I have no knowledge of the words of the +devil, and I suppose I shall hardly be told that, after regular +attendance in a congregation of Wesleyan Methodists for fifty odd years, +man and boy! But," continued the old man, after a short silence, which +none of those present ventured to break, "there's no knowing, truly. +These are new-fangled days. I cannot say but what I may live to hear it +declared that I know nothing of Satan, nor cannot discern his works when +I see them!" + +"Nay, father," said Seth Maxfield, speaking now for the first time, in +deprecation of so serious a charge against the "new-fangled days," on +which Whitford had fallen. "Nay, no man will say that, nor yet think it. +But my notion is, that it may neither be Heaven nor t'other place that +has much to do with these kind of fits and screechings. I believe it to +be just as Dr. Evans said--and he a Welshman himself, you'll +remember--when he first heard of these doings of David Powell in Wales. +Says he, 'It's a epidemic,' says the doctor. 'A catching kind of nervous +disease, neither more nor less. And you may any of you get it if you go +to hear and see the others. Though forewarned is forearmed in such +cases,' says the doctor. 'And the better you understand the real natur' +of the disorder, the safer you'll be from it.'" + +Seth was of a materialistic and practical turn of mind, and he offered +this hypothesis as an explanation which had approved itself to his own +judgment (not because he thoroughly comprehended Dr. Evans's statements, +but rather because of the inherent repugnance of his mind to accept a +supernatural theory about any phenomenon, when a natural theory might +be substituted for it), and also as a neutral ground of conciliation, +whereon the opposing celestial and diabolic partisans might meet half +way. But it speedily appeared that he had miscalculated in so doing. +Neither the friends nor the opponents of David Powell would for an +instant admit any such rationalistic suggestion. It was scouted on all +hands. And Seth, who had no gift of controversy, speedily found himself +reduced to silence. + +"Well," said he, quietly, when he and his father rose to go away, "think +what you please, but I know that if one of my reapers was to fall down +in the field that way, let him be praying or cursing, I should consider +it a hospital case." + +"Good night, Gladwish," said old Max. "Good night, Mrs. Gladwish. I am +glad, for the sake of all the decent, sober, godly members of the +Society, as this firebrand had left it before things came to this pass. +And I only wish you'd all had the gift of clear-sightedness to see +through him long ago, and cut yourselves off from him as I did." + +Richard Gibbs advanced towards the old man with outstretched hand. "I +hope, Mr. Maxfield," he said, humbly, "that you'll not think I meant any +offence to you just now. But I was so full of conviction, and you know +we can but speak the truth to the best of our power. I hope you, nor any +other Christian man, will be in wrath with me, because we don't see +things just alike. I know Mr. Powell is always for making peace, for he +says we many a time fancy we're fighting the Lord's battles, when, in +truth, we are only desiring victory for our own pride. Anyway, I know he +would bid me ask pardon for a hasty word, if any offence had come by it. +And so I hope you'll shake hands." + +Jonathan Maxfield took no notice of the proffered hand, neither did he +make any answer directly. But as he reached the door he turned round and +said, "Well, Mr. Jackson, you have your work cut out for you with some +of your flock, I doubt. Like to like. I expect that ranting Welshman +will draw some away from decent chapel-going. But them as admires such +doings are best got rid of, and that speedily." With that he walked off. + +"I think Maxfield was rather hard on poor Dicky Gibbs," said Mr. +Gladwish to his spouse when they were alone together. "He might ha' +shook hands. Dicky came forward in a real Christian spirit. Maxfield was +very hard in his wrath." + +"Well," returned the virtuous matron, "I can't so much wonder. Having +the Lord's forgiveness called down on his head in that way! And I don't +know, Gladwish, as we should like it ourselves!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +Minnie Bodkin had not dismissed from her mind the rumours about Algernon +Errington, which she had heard from the widow Thimbleby. After some +consideration she resolved to speak to him directly on the subject, and +decided on the manner of doing so. + +"I will not try to speak to him in the presence of other people," she +thought. "He would wriggle off and slip through my fingers if he found +the conversation had any tendency to become disagreeable. And then, too, +it might be difficult to speak to him without interruption." + +This latter consideration had reference to Minnie's observation of Mrs. +Algernon, who never saw her husband engaged in conversation with Miss +Bodkin without unceremoniously thrusting herself between them. + +The result of Minnie's deliberations was the sending of the following +note to the Whitford Post-office:-- + + "MY DEAR ALGERNON,--I want to say a word to you quietly. Can + you come to me on your way home this afternoon? I will be ready + to receive you at any hour between four and six. Don't + disappoint your old friend, + + "M. B." + +At a few minutes before five that evening Mr. Ancram Errington presented +himself at Dr. Bodkin's house, and was shown up to Minnie's room. + +It was one of Minnie's good days. She was seated in her lounging-chair +by the fire, but she was not altogether reclining in it--merely leaning +a little back against the cushions. A small writing-table stood in front +of her. It was covered with papers--amongst them a copy of the local +newspaper--and she had evidently been busily occupied. When Algernon +entered she held out her hand with a smile of welcome. "This is very +good!" she exclaimed. "I was not sure that I should succeed in tearing +your postmastership away from the multifarious duties----" + +Algernon winced, and held up his hand. "Don't, Minnie!" he cried. "For +mercy's sake, let me forget all that for half an hour!" + +"Oh, reassure yourself, most overworked of public servants! It is not +about the conveyance of his Majesty's mails that I am going to talk to +you." + +"Upon my word, I am infinitely relieved to hear it." + +And, indeed, his countenance brightened at once, and he took a chair +opposite to Minnie with all his old nonchalant gaiety. + +"How you hate your office!" said Minnie, looking at him curiously. +"More, even, than your native laziness--which I know to be +considerable--would seem to account for." + +"Not at all! There is no difficulty in accounting for my distaste for +the whole business. There can be no difficulty. It is the simplest, most +obvious thing in the world!" + +"Don't things go smoothly? Have you any special troubles or difficulties +in the office, Algernon?" + +"Special troubles! My dear Minnie, what on earth are you driving at?" + +"I am 'driving' at nothing more than the simple sense of my words +implies," she answered, with a marked shade of surprise in her +countenance. "I mean just what I say. Is your work going pretty +smoothly? Have you any complaints? Does your clerk do well?" + +"Oh, Gibbs? Capitally, capitally! Old Obadiah is a first-rate fellow. +Did you know his name was Obadiah? Absurd name, isn't it? Oh yes; he's +all right. I trust him entirely--blindly. He has the whole thing in his +hands. He might do anything he liked in the office. I have every +confidence in Gibbs. But now, Minnie, let us have done with the subject. +If you had as much of it as I have you would understand----Come, dismiss +the bugaboo, or I shall think you have entrapped me here to talk to me +about the post-office. And I warn you I don't think I should be able to +stand that, even from you!" + +"How absurdly you are exaggerating, Algy," said Minnie, shaking her head +at him, and yet smiling a little at the same time. "But be at peace. I +have nothing to say on the subject of the Whitford post-office. My +discourse will chiefly concern the Whitford postmaster, and----No! Don't +be so ridiculous! not in his official capacity, either!" + +"Oh! Well, in his private character, I should think it impossible to +find a more delightful topic of conversation than that interesting and +accomplished individual," returned Errington, laughing and settling +himself comfortably in his chair. + +"I hope it may prove so. Tell me, first, how is Mrs. Algernon Ancram +Errington?" + +"Why, Castalia is not very well, I think, although I don't know what is +the matter. She grows thinner and thinner, and sallower and sallower. +_Entre nous_, Minnie, she frets and chafes against our life here. She +has not the gift of looking on the bright side of things. She is rather +peevish by nature. It's a little trying sometimes, coming on the back of +all the other botherations. Ha! There!" (passing his hand quickly across +his forehead) "let us say no more on that subject either. And now to +return to the interesting topic--the delightful and accomplished--eh? +What have you to say to me?" + +Minnie seized on the opportunity, which chance had afforded her, to +introduce the matter she wished to speak about. + +"Do you think your wife is annoyed by the importunities of tradespeople, +Algy? That would be enough to fret her and sour her temper." + +"Importunities of tradespeople? Good gracious, no! And, besides, I don't +think Castalia would allow the importunities of tradespeople to disturb +her much. I should fancy that a Bourbon princess could scarcely look on +such folks from a more magnificent elevation than poor Castalia does. +But, _Que voulez-vous_? She was brought up in that sort of hauteur." + +"I quite believe in your wife's disregard for the feelings of the +tradespeople," answered Minnie drily. "But this is a question of her own +feelings, you see. Come, Algernon, may I take the privilege of our old +friendship, and speak to you quite frankly?" + +"Pray do, my dear Minnie. You know I always loved frankness." + +He looked the picture of candour as he turned his bright blue eyes on +his friend. + +"Well, then, to begin with a question. Do you not owe money to several +persons in Whitford?" + +"My dear Minnie, don't look so solemn, for mercy's sake! 'Owe money!' +Why I suppose everybody owes money. A few pounds would cover all my +debts. I assure you I am never troubled on the subject." + +"I am glad to hear it. But--will you forgive the liberty I am taking for +the sake of my motive, and give me _carte blanche_ to be as impertinent +as I please." + +"With all my heart!" he answered unhesitatingly. + +"Thanks, Algy. Then, to proceed without circumlocution: I am afraid +that, since neither you nor your wife are accustomed to domestic +economy, you may possibly be spending more money than is quite prudent, +without being aware of it. You say you are not disturbed by your debts; +but, Algy, I hear things on this subject which are never likely to reach +your ears; or not until it is too late for the knowledge of them to +serve you. And I have reason to think that there is a good deal of +unpleasant feeling among the Whitford tradespeople about you and yours." + +"You will excuse me for observing that the Whitford tradespeople always +have been, within my recollection, a set of pig-headed, prejudicial +ignoramuses, and that I see no reason to apprehend any speedy +improvement in the intelligence of that highly respectable body." + +"Don't laugh, Algernon. The matter is serious. You have not been +troubled yet, you say. But the trouble may begin at any moment, and I +should wish you to be prepared to meet it. You may have bills sent in +which----" + +"Bills? Oh, as to that, there's no lack of them already! I must +acknowledge the great alacrity and punctuality with which the mercantile +classes of this town send in their weekly accounts. Oh dear yes, I have +a considerable collection of those interesting documents; so many, in +fact, that the other day, when Castalia was complaining of the +shabbiness of the paperhangings in our dining-room, I proposed to her to +cover the walls with the tradesmen's bills. It would be novel, +economical, and moral; a kind of _memento mori_--a death's head at the +feast! Fancy seeing your butcher's bill glaring down above the roast +mutton every day, and the greengrocer's 'To account delivered,' +restraining the spoon that might otherwise too lavishly dispense the +contents of the vegetable dishes!" + +"Algy, Algy!" + +"Upon my honour, Minnie, I made the suggestion. But Castalia looked as +grave as a judge. She didn't see it at all. The fact is, poor Cassy's +sense of humour is merely rudimentary." + +Minnie joined her hands together on the table, and thus supported, she +leant a little forward, and looked searchingly at the young man. + +"Algernon," she said with slow deliberation, "I begin to be afraid that +the case is worse than I thought." + +"What do you mean?" he asked, almost roughly, and with a sudden change +of colour. + +"I mean that you really are in difficult waters. How has it come to pass +that the weekly accounts have accumulated in this way?" + +He laughed a little forced laugh, but he looked relieved, too. + +"The process is simple. They keep sending 'em in!" + +"And then it is said--forgive me if I appear intrusive--that you gave +orders for wine and such things out of Whitford. And that does not +incline the people of the place to be patient." + +"Well, by Jove!" exclaimed Algernon, throwing himself back in his chair +and thrusting his hands into his pockets, "that is the most absurd--the +most irrational--the most preposterous reason for being angry with me! +They grumble when I run up a bill with them, and they are affronted when +I don't!" + +"Does your wife understand--or--or control the household expenditure?" + +"Bless you, no! She has not the very vaguest ideas of anything of the +kind. When she had an allowance from her uncle for her dress, my lord +used to have to come down every now and then with a supplementary sum of +money to get her out of debt." + +He spoke with an air of perfectly easy amusement, and without a trace of +anxiety; unless, perhaps, an accustomed ear might have detected some +constraint in his voice. + +"But could she not be made to understand? Why not give her some hints on +domestic economy? It should be done kindly, of course. And surely her +own good sense----" + +Algernon pursed up his mouth and raised his eyebrows. + +"She considers herself an unexampled victim as it is. I think 'lessons +on domestic economy' would about put the finishing stroke to the +internal felicity of Ivy Lodge!" + +Minnie looked pained. They were trenching here on ground on which she +had no intention of venturing farther. It formed no part of her plan to +be drawn into a discussion respecting the defects and shortcomings of +Algernon's wife. She was silent. + +Algernon got up from his chair, and came and stood before Minnie, taking +both her hands in his. + +"My dear girl," he said, "I cannot tell you how much I feel your +kindness and friendship. But, now, pray don't look so terribly like the +tragic muse! I assure you there is no need, as far as we are concerned. +Castalia is perhaps a little extravagant; but, after all, what does it +amount to? A few pounds would cover all I owe. The whole of our budget +is a mere bagatelle. The fact is, you have attached too much importance +to the chatter of these thick-headed boobies. They hate us, I suppose, +because Castalia's uncle is a peer of the realm, and because we dine +late, and because we prefer claret to Double X--or for some equally +excellent and conclusive reasons." + +"I don't know that they hate you, Algy," returned Minnie, but not with +an air of very perfect conviction. "And, after all, it is scarcely a +proof of personal malignity to wish to be paid one's bill!" + +Algernon laughed quite genuinely. "Oh yes it is!" he cried. "A proof of +the direst malignity. What worse can they do?" + +"Well, Algernon, I cannot presume to push my sermonisings on you any +farther. You will give me credit at least for having ventured to make +them from a single-minded wish to be of some service to you." + +"My dear Minnie! you are the 'best fellow' in the world! (You remember I +used to call you so in my saucy, school-boy days, and when your majesty +condescended to permit my impertinences?) And to show you how thoroughly +I appreciate your friendship, I don't mind telling you that when I am +removed from this d---- delightful berth that I now occupy, I shall have +to get Uncle Seely to help us out a little. But I feel no scruple about +that. Something is due to me. I ought never to have been placed here at +all. Well, no matter! It was a mistake. My lord sees it now, and he is +setting to work in earnest for me in other quarters. I have every +reason to believe that I shall get very pretty promotion before long. It +isn't my business to go about proclaiming this to the butchers and +bakers, is it? And between you and me, Miss Bodkin, your dear +Whitfordians are as great rogues as the tradesmen in town, and vastly +less pleasant to deal with. They make us pay an enormous percentage for +the trifling credit we take. So let 'em wait and be----paid! Dear +Minnie, I assure you I shall not forget your affectionate kindness." + +He bent down over her as he said the last words, still holding her +hands. A change in Minnie's face made him look round, and when he did +so, he saw his wife standing just within the room behind him. + +Minnie was inexpressibly vexed with herself to feel a hot flush covering +her face. She knew it would be misconstrued, and that made her colour +the more. Mrs. Algernon Errington was the first to speak. + +"I beg your pardon, Miss Bodkin," she said, "I didn't know that you were +so particularly engaged." + +"What the deuce brought you here?" asked her husband, with a not +altogether successful assumption of thinking the whole trio, including +himself, completely at their ease. + +"There was no one in the drawing-room nor in the study," continued +Castalia, still addressing Minnie, "so I thought I would come direct to +your room. I see now that I ought not to have taken that liberty." + +"Well, frankly, I don't think you ought, my dear," said her husband, +lightly. + +Minnie was sorely tempted to say so too. But she felt that any show of +anger on her part would but increase the unpleasantness of the +situation, and a quarrel with Algernon's wife under such circumstances +would have been equally revolting to her pride and her taste; so she +held out her hand to Castalia with grave courtesy, and said, "I have to +apologise, on my side, for having taken the privilege of old friendship +to sermonise your husband a little. He will tell you what I have +ventured to speak to him about. I hope you will forgive me." + +Castalia appeared not to see the proffered hand. She stood quite still +near the door as she answered, "Oh, I daresay it is all quite right. I +don't suppose Ancram will tell me anything about it; I am not in his +secrets." + +"This is no secret, Mrs. Errington; at all events, not from you." + +"Oh, I don't know. But I daresay it doesn't matter." + +Through all the languid insolence of her manner there was discernible so +much real pain of mind, that Minnie once more checked a severe speech, +and answered gently, "You will judge of that. Of course Algernon will +discuss the subject of our conversation with you." + +Mrs. Algernon Errington scarcely condescended to return Minnie's parting +salutation, but walked away, saying to her husband over her shoulder, "I +am going to drive home. It is nearly dinner-time. I suppose you are +coming? But don't let me interfere with your arrangements." + +"Interfere with a fiddlestick!" cried Algernon in the quick, testy tone +that was the nearest approach to loss of temper Minnie had ever seen in +him. Then he added after an instant, with a short laugh, "I don't know +why I'm supposed not to include dinner in my 'arrangements' to-day of +all days in the year!" + +And then the husband and wife went away together, and entered the fly +that awaited them before Dr. Bodkin's door. + +"How did you know where to find me?" asked Algernon suddenly, after a +silent drive of some ten minutes. + +"Oh, I knew you had a rendezvous." + +"I had no 'rendezvous.' You could not know it!" + +"Couldn't I? I tell you I saw that creature's letter. 'Dear Algernon!' +What right has she to write to you like that?" + +And Castalia burst into angry tears. + +Algernon turned upon her eagerly. + +"Saw her letter? Where? How?" + +"I----they told me----it was at the office." + +"You went to the office? And you saw Minnie's letter?" + +"I----it's no use scolding me, or pretending to be injured. I know who +is injured of us two." + +"I suppose I must have left the note lying open on the table of my +office," said Algernon, speaking very distinctly, and not looking at +his wife. + +"Yes; that must be it! I----I----I tore it up. You will find the +fragments on the floor if you think them worth preserving." + +"What a goose you are, Castalia!" exclaimed her husband, leaning back in +the carriage and closing his eyes. + +Now, the fact was that Algernon distinctly remembered having placed +Minnie's note in a drawer of a little secretaire which he kept +habitually locked, and of which the key was at that moment in his +waistcoat pocket. And the discovery that his wife had in some way or +other obtained access to the said secretaire gave him, for reasons known +only to himself, abundant food for conjecture and reflection during the +rest of the drive home. + + +END OF VOL. II. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHARMING FELLOW, VOLUME II (OF +3)*** + + +******* This file should be named 35429-8.txt or 35429-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/5/4/2/35429 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://www.gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: +http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/35429-8.zip b/35429-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c8d7a36 --- /dev/null +++ b/35429-8.zip diff --git a/35429-h.zip b/35429-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9cdd68d --- /dev/null +++ b/35429-h.zip diff --git a/35429-h/35429-h.htm b/35429-h/35429-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dd97f32 --- /dev/null +++ b/35429-h/35429-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6980 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Charming Fellow, Volume II (of 3), by Frances Eleanor Trollope</title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.linenum { + position: absolute; + top: auto; + left: 4%; +} /* poetry number */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.sidenote { + width: 20%; + padding-bottom: .5em; + padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; + padding-right: .5em; + margin-left: 1em; + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; + color: black; + background: #eeeeee; + border: dashed 1px; +} + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + +.bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + +.br {border-right: solid 2px;} + +.bbox {border: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: + 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 { + display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i2 { + display: block; + margin-left: 2em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i4 { + display: block; + margin-left: 4em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + pre {font-size: 85%;} + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Charming Fellow, Volume II (of 3), by +Frances Eleanor Trollope</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: A Charming Fellow, Volume II (of 3)</p> +<p>Author: Frances Eleanor Trollope</p> +<p>Release Date: February 28, 2011 [eBook #35429]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHARMING FELLOW, VOLUME II (OF 3)***</p> +<p> </p> +<h4>E-text prepared by Delphine Lettau, Mary Meehan,<br /> + and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> + from page images generously made available by<br /> + Internet Archive/American Libraries<br /> + (<a href="http://www.archive.org/details/americana">http://www.archive.org/details/americana</a>)</h4> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Project Gutenberg also has the other two volumes of this novel.<br /> + Volume I: see <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/35428/35428-h/35428-h.htm">http://www.gutenberg.org/files/35428/35428-h/35428-h.htm</a><br /> + Volume III: see <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/35430/35430-h/35430-h.htm">http://www.gutenberg.org/files/35430/35430-h/35430-h.htm</a><br /> + <br /> + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/charmingfellow02trol"> + http://www.archive.org/details/charmingfellow02trol</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + + +<h1>A CHARMING FELLOW.</h1> + +<h2>BY FRANCES ELEANOR TROLLOPE,</h2> + +<h3>AUTHOR OF "AUNT MARGARET'S TROUBLE," "MABEL'S PROGRESS," ETC. ETC.</h3> + + +<h3>In Three Volumes.</h3> + +<h3>VOL. II.</h3> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3>London:</h3> + +<h3>CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.</h3> + +<h3>1876.</h3> + +<h3>CHARLES DICKENS AND EVANS,<br /> +CRYSTAL PALACE PRESS.</h3> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a><br /> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>A CHARMING FELLOW.</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + + +<p>"So you are to come to Switzerland with us next month, Ancram," said +Miss Kilfinane. She was seated at the piano in Lady Seely's +drawing-room, and Algernon was leaning on the instrument, and idly +turning over a portfolio of music.</p> + +<p>"Yes; I hope your serene highness has no objection to that arrangement?"</p> + +<p>"It would be of no use my objecting, I suppose!"</p> + +<p>"Of none whatever. But it would be unpleasant."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you would still go then, whether I liked it or not?"</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid the temptation to travel about Europe in your company would +be too strong for me!"</p> + +<p>"How silly you are, Ancram!" said Miss Kilfinane, looking up half shyly, +half tenderly. But she met no answering look from Algernon. He had just +come upon a song that he wanted to try, and was drawing it out from +under a heap of others in the portfolio.</p> + +<p>"Look here, Castalia," he said, "I wish you would play through this +accompaniment for me. I can't manage it."</p> + +<p>It will be seen that Algernon had become familiar enough with Miss +Kilfinane to call her by her Christian-name. And, moreover, he addressed +her in a little tone of authority, as being quite sure she would do what +he asked her.</p> + +<p>"This?" she said, taking the song from his hand. "Why do you want to +sing this dull thing? I think Glück is so dreary! And, besides, it isn't +your style at all."</p> + +<p>"Isn't it? What is my style, I wonder?"</p> + +<p>"Oh light, lively things are your style."</p> + +<p>At the bottom of his mind, perhaps, Algernon thought so too. But it is +often very unpleasant to hear our own secret convictions uttered by +other people; and he did not like to be told that he could not sing +anything more solid than a French chansonette.</p> + +<p>"Lady Harriet particularly wishes me to try this thing of Glück's at her +house next Saturday," he said.</p> + +<p>Miss Kilfinane threw down the song pettishly. "Oh, Lady Harriet," she +exclaimed. "I might have known it was her suggestion! She is so full of +nonsense about her classical composers. I think she makes a fool of you, +Ancram. I know it will be a failure if you attempt that song."</p> + +<p>"Thank you very much, Miss Kilfinane! And now, having spoken your mind +on the subject, will you kindly play the accompaniment?"</p> + +<p>Algernon picked up the piece of music, smoothed it with his hand, placed +it on the desk of the piano, and made a little mocking bow to Castalia. +His serenity and good humour seemed to irritate her. "I'm sick of Lady +Harriet!" she said, querulously, and with a shrug of the shoulders. The +action and the words were so plainly indicative of ill temper, that Lady +Seely, who waddled into the drawing-room at that moment, asked loudly, +"What are you two quarrelling about, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, what a shocking idea, my lady! We're not quarrelling at all," +answered Algernon, raising his eyebrows, and smiling with closed lips. +He rarely showed his teeth when he smiled, which circumstance gave his +mouth an expression of finesse and delicate irony that was peculiar, +and—coupled with the candidly-arched brows—attractive.</p> + +<p>"Well, it takes two to make a quarrel, certainly," returned my lady. +"But Castalia was scolding you, at all events. Weren't you now, +Castalia?"</p> + +<p>Castalia deigned not to reply, but tossed her head, and began to run her +fingers over the keys of the piano.</p> + +<p>"The fact is, Lady Seely," said Algernon, "that Castalia is so convinced +that I shall make a mess of this aria—which Lady Harriet Dormer has +asked me to sing for her next Saturday—that she declines to play the +accompaniment of it for me."</p> + +<p>"Well, you ought to be immensely flattered, young jackanapes! She +wouldn't care a straw about some people's failures, would you, Castalia? +Would you mind, now, if Jack Price were to sing a song and make an awful +mess of it, eh?"</p> + +<p>"As to that, it seems to me that Jack Price makes an awful mess of most +things he does," replied Castalia.</p> + +<p>"Ah, exactly! So one mess more or less don't matter. But in the case of +our Admirable Crichton here, it is different."</p> + +<p>"I think he is getting awfully spoiled," said Castalia, a little less +crossly. And there was absolutely a blush upon her sallow cheek.</p> + +<p>"And that's the reason you snub him, is it? You see, Ancram, it's all +for your good, if Castalia is a little hard on you!"</p> + +<p>Miss Kilfinane rose and left the room, saying that she must dress for +her drive.</p> + +<p>"I think Castalia is harder on Lady Harriet than on me," said Algernon, +when Castalia was gone.</p> + +<p>"Ah! H'm! Castalia has lots of good points, but—I daresay you have +noticed it—she is given to being a little bit jealous when she cares +about people. Now you show a decided liking for Lady Harriet's society, +and you crack up her grace, and her elegance, and her taste, and all +that. And sometimes I think poor Cassy don't quite like it, don't you +know?"</p> + +<p>"What on earth can it matter to her?" cried Algernon. He knew that +Castalia was no favourite with my lady, and he flattered himself that he +was becoming a favourite with her. So he spoke with a little +half-contemptuous smile, and a shrug of impatience, when he asked, "What +on earth can it matter to her?"</p> + +<p>But my lady did not smile. She threw her head back, and looked at +Algernon from under her half-closed eyelids.</p> + +<p>"It's my opinion, young man, that it matters a good deal to Castalia," +she said; "more than it would have mattered to me when I was a young +lady, I can tell you. But there's no accounting for tastes."</p> + +<p>Then Lady Seely also left the room, having first bidden Algernon to come +and dine with her the next day.</p> + +<p>Algernon was dumfoundered.</p> + +<p>Not that he had not perceived the scornful Castalia's partiality for his +charming self; not that her submission to his wishes, or even his whims, +and her jealous anxiety to keep him by her side whenever there appeared +to be danger of his leaving it for the company of a younger or more +attractive woman, had escaped his observation. But Algernon was not +fatuous enough to consider himself a lady-killer. His native good taste +would alone have prevented him from having any such pretension. It was +ridiculous; and it involved, almost of necessity, some affectation. And +Algernon never was affected. He accepted Castalia's marked preference as +the most natural thing in the world. He had been used to be petted and +preferred all his life. But it truly had not entered into his head that +the preference meant anything more than that Castalia found him amusing, +and clever, and good-looking, and that she liked to keep so attractive a +personage to herself as much as possible. For Algernon had noted the +Honourable Castalia's little grudging jealousies, and he knew as well as +anybody that she did not like to hear him praise Lady Harriet, for whom, +indeed, she had long entertained a smouldering sort of dislike. But that +she should have anything like a tender sentiment for himself, and, still +more, that Lady Seely should see and approve it—for my lady's words +and manner implied no less—was a very astonishing idea indeed.</p> + +<p>So astonishing was it, that after a while he came to the conclusion that +the idea was erroneous. He turned Lady Seely's words in his mind, this +way and that, and tried to look at them from all points of view, and—as +words will do when too curiously scrutinised—they gradually seemed to +take another and a different meaning, from the first obvious one which +had struck him.</p> + +<p>"The old woman was only giving me a hint not to annoy Miss Kilfinane; +not to excite her peevish temper, or exasperate her envy."</p> + +<p>But this solution would not quite do, either. "Lady Seely is not too +fond of Castalia," he said to himself. "Besides, I never knew her +particularly anxious to spare anyone's feelings. What the deuce did she +mean, I wonder?"</p> + +<p>Algernon continued to wonder at intervals all the rest of the afternoon. +His mind was still busy with the same subject when he came upon Jack +Price, seated in the reading-room of the club, to which he had +introduced Algernon at the beginning of his London career, and of which +Algernon had since become a member. It was now full summer time. The +window was wide open, and the Honourable John Patrick was lounging in a +chair near it, with a newspaper spread out on his knees, and his eyes +fixed on a water-cart that was be-sprinkling the dusty street outside. +He looked very idle, and a little melancholy, as he sat there by +himself, and he welcomed Algernon with even more than his usual +effusion, asking him what he was going to do with himself, and offering +to walk part of the way towards his lodgings with him, when he was told +that Algernon must betake himself homeward. The offer was a measure of +Mr. Price's previous weariness of spirit; for, in general, he professed +to dislike walking.</p> + +<p>"And how long is it since you saw our friend, Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs?" asked +Jack Price of Algernon, as they strolled along, arm-in-arm, on the shady +side of the way.</p> + +<p>"Oh—I'm afraid it's rather a long time," said Algernon, carelessly.</p> + +<p>"Ah, now that's bad, my dear boy. You shouldn't neglect people, you +know. And our dear Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs is exceedingly pleasant."</p> + +<p>"As to neglecting her—I don't know that I have neglected +her—particularly. What more could I do than call and leave my card?"</p> + +<p>"Call again. You wouldn't leave off going to Lady Seely's because you +happened not to find her at home once in a way."</p> + +<p>"Lady Seely is my relation."</p> + +<p>"H'm! Well, would you cut Lady Harriet Dormer for the same reason?"</p> + +<p>"Cut her? But, my dear Mr. Price, you mustn't suppose that I have cut +Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs!"</p> + +<p>"Come, now, my dear fellow, I'm a great deal older than you are, and +I'll take the liberty of giving you a bit of advice. Never offend +people, who mean to be civil, merely because they don't happen to amuse +you. What, the deuce, we can't live for amusement in this life!"</p> + +<p>The moralising might be good, but the moralist was, Algernon thought, +badly fitted with his part. He was tempted to retort on his new mentor, +but he did not retort. He merely said, quietly:</p> + +<p>"Has Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs been complaining of me, then?"</p> + +<p>"Well, the truth is, she has—in an indirect kind of way; you +know—what?"</p> + +<p>"I'll go and see her this evening. To-day is Thursday, isn't it? She has +one of her 'At home's' this evening."</p> + +<p>Jack Price looked at the young man admiringly. "You're an uncommonly +sensible fellow!" said he. "I give you my honour I never knew a fellow +of your years take advice so well. By Jove! I wish I had had your common +sense when I was your age. It's too late for me to do any good now, you +know, what? And, in fact," (with a solemn lowering of his musical Irish +voice) "I split myself on the very rock I'm now warning you off. I never +was polite. And if any one told me to go to the right, sure it was a +thousand to one that I'd instantly bolt to the left!" And shaking his +head with a sad, regretful gesture, Jack Price parted from Algernon at +the corner of the street.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs received the truant very graciously that evening. She +knew that, during his absence from her parties, he had been admitted +into society, to which even her fashionable self could not hope to +penetrate. But, though this might be a reason for a little genteel +sneering at him behind his back, it was none whatever, Mrs. +Machyn-Stubbs considered, for giving him a cool reception when he did +grace her house with his presence. She said to several of her guests, +one after the other: "We have young Ancram Errington here to-night. He's +so glad to come to us, poor fellow, for my people's place is his second +home, down in the West of England. And, then, the Seelys think it nice +of us to take notice of him, don't you know? He is a relation of Lady +Seely's, and is quite in that set—the Dormers, and all those people. +Ah! you don't know them? They say he is to marry Castalia Kilfinane. But +we haven't spoken about it yet out of our own little circle. Her father +was Viscount Kauldkail, and married Lord Seely's youngest sister," and +so on, and so on with a set smile, and no expression whatever on her +smooth, fair face.</p> + +<p>To Algernon himself she showed herself politely inquisitive on the +subject of his engagement to Castalia, and startled him considerably by +saying, when she found herself close to him for a few minutes near a +doorway:</p> + +<p>"And are we really to congratulate you, Mr. Errington?"</p> + +<p>"If you please, madam," answered Algernon, with a bright, amused smile +and an easy bow, "but I should like to know—if it be not indiscreet—on +what special subject? I am, indeed, to be congratulated on finding +myself here. But, then, you are hardly likely to be the person to do +it."</p> + +<p>At that moment Algernon was wedged into a corner behind a fat old +gentleman, who was vainly struggling to extricate himself from the crowd +in front, by making a series of short plunges forward, the rebound of +which sent him back on to Algernon's toes with some violence. It was +very hot, and a young lady was singing out of tune in the adjoining +room; her voice floating over the murmur of conversation occasionally, +in a wailing long-drawn note. Altogether, it might have been suspected +by some persons that Mr. Ancram Errington was laughing at his hostess, +when he spoke of his position at that time as being one which called for +congratulation. But Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs was the sort of woman who +completely baffled irony by a serene incapability of perceiving it. And +she would sooner suspect you of maligning her, hating her, or insulting +her, than of laughing at her. To this immunity from all sense of the +ridiculous she owed her chief social successes; for there are occasions +when some obtuseness of the faculties is useful. Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs +tapped Algernon's arm lightly with her fan, as she answered, "Now Mr. +Errington, that's all very well with the outside world, but you +shouldn't make mysteries with us! I look upon you almost as a brother of +Orlando's, I do indeed."</p> + +<p>"You're very kind, indeed, and I'm immensely obliged to you; but, upon +my word, I don't know what you mean by my making mysteries!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, if you choose to keep your own counsel, of course you can do +so. I will say no more." Upon which Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs proceeded to say +a great deal more, and ended by plainly giving Algernon to understand +that the rumour of his engagement to Miss Castalia Kilfinane had been +pretty widely circulated during the last four or five weeks.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs," said Algernon, laughing, "you surely never +believe more than a hundredth part of what you hear? There's Mr. Price +looking for me. I promised to walk home with him, it is such a lovely +night. Thank you, no; not any tea! Are you ever at home about four +o'clock? I shall take my chance of finding you. Good night."</p> + +<p>Algernon was greatly puzzled. How and whence had the report of his +engagement to Castalia originated? He would have been less puzzled, if +not less surprised, had he known that the report had come in the first +place from Lady Seely herself, who had let fall little words and hints, +well understanding how they would grow and spread. He had not committed +himself in his answer to Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs. He had replied to her in +such a manner as to leave the truth or falsehood of the report she had +mentioned an open question. He felt the consciousness of this to be a +satisfaction. Some persons might say, "Well, but since the report was +false, why not say so?" But Algernon always, and, as it were, +instinctively, took refuge in the vague. A clear statement to which he +should appear to be bound would have irked him like a tight shoe; and +naturally so, since he was conscious that he should flexibly conform +himself to circumstances as they might arise, and not stick with +stubborn stupidity to any predetermined course of conduct, which might +prove to be inconvenient.</p> + +<p>After saying "Good night" to his hostess he elbowed his way out of the +crowded rooms, and went downstairs side by side with Jack Price. The +latter knew everybody present, or thought he did. And as, when he did +happen to make a mistake and to greet enthusiastically some total +stranger whom he had never seen in his life before, he never +acknowledged it, but persisted in declaring that he remembered the +individual in question perfectly, although "the name, the name, my dear +sir, or madam, has quite escaped my wretched memory!" his progress +towards Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs's hall door was considerably impeded by the +nods, smiles, and shakes of the hand, which he scattered broadcast.</p> + +<p>"There's Deepville," said he to Algernon, as they passed a tall, dark, +thin-faced man, with a stern jaw and a haughty carriage of the head. +"Don't you know Deepville? Ah, then you should! You should really. The +most delightful, lovable, charming fellow! He'd be enchanted to make +your acquaintance, Errington, quite enchanted. I can answer for him. +There's nothing in the world would give him greater pleasure, what?"</p> + +<p>Algernon was by this time pretty well accustomed to Jack Price's habit +of answering for the ready ecstasies of all his acquaintances with +regard to each other, and merely replied that he dared to say Sir +Lancelot Deepville was a very agreeable person.</p> + +<p>"And how's the fair Castalia?" asked Jack, when they were out in the +street.</p> + +<p>"I believe she is quite well. I saw her this morning."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I suppose you did," exclaimed Jack Price with a little smile, which +Algernon thought was to be interpreted by Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs's recent +revelations. But the next minute Jack added, very unexpectedly, "I had +some idea, at one time, that Deepville was making up to her. But it came +to nothing. She's a nice creature, is Castalia Kilfinane; a very nice +creature."</p> + +<p>Algernon could not help smiling at this disinterested praise.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid she does not always behave quite nicely to you, Mr. Price," +he said. And he said it with a little air of apology and proprietorship +which he would not have assumed yesterday.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you're quite mistaken, my dear boy; she's as nice as possible with +me. I like Castalia Kilfinane. There's a great deal of good about her, +and she's well educated and clever in her way—not showy, you know, +what?—but—oh, a nice creature! There's a sort of bitter twang about +her, you know, that I like immensely."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well," cried Algernon, laughing outright, "if you have a liking for +bitters, indeed——"</p> + +<p>"Ah, but she doesn't mean it. It's just a little flavour—a little +<i>soupçon</i>. Oh, upon my word, I think Miss Kilfinane a thoroughly nice +creature. It was a pity about Deepville now, eh, what?"</p> + +<p>"I wonder that you never thought of trying your fortune in that quarter +yourself, Mr. Price!" said Algernon, looking at him curiously, as they +passed within the glare of a street-lamp.</p> + +<p>"Is it me? Ah, now, I thought everybody knew that I wasn't a marrying +man. Besides, there never was the least probability that Miss Kilfinane +would have had me—none in the world. Sure, she'd never think of looking +at a bald old bachelor like myself, what?"</p> + +<p>Algernon did not feel called on to pursue the subject. But he had a +conviction that Jack Price would not, under any circumstances, have +given Miss Kilfinane the chance of accepting him.</p> + +<p>The allusion, however, seemed to have touched some long-silent chord of +feeling in Jack, and set it vibrating. As they sat at supper together, +Jack reverted to the sage, mentor-like tone he had assumed that morning, +giving Algernon much sound advice of a worldly nature, and holding up +his own case as a warning to all young men who liked to "bolt to the +left when they were told to go to the right," and presenting himself in +the unusual light of a gloomy and disappointed person; and when a couple +of tumblers of hot punch smoked on the table, Jack grew tender and +sentimental.</p> + +<p>"Ah, my dear Errington," he said, "I wish ye may never know what it is +to be a lonely old bachelor!"</p> + +<p>"Lonely? Why you're the most popular man in London, out-and-out!"</p> + +<p>"Popular! And what good does that do me? If I were dead to-morrow, who'd +care, do you think? Although that doesn't seem to me to be such a hard +case as people say. Sure, I don't want anyone to cry when I'm dead; but +I'd like 'em to care for me a little while I'm living. If I'd been my +own elder brother, now; or if I'd taken advantage of my opportunities, +and made a good fortune, as I might have done——But 'twas one scrape +after another I put my foot into. I did and said whatever came +uppermost. And you'll find, my dear boy, that it's the foolish things +that mostly do come uppermost."</p> + +<p>"It's lucky that, amongst other foolish things, an imprudent marriage +never rose to the surface," said Algernon.</p> + +<p>"Oh, but it did! Oh, devil a doubt about it!" The combined influence of +memory and hot punch brought out Jack's musical brogue with unusual +emphasis. "Only, there I couldn't carry out my foolish intentions. It +wasn't the will that was wanting, my dear boy."</p> + +<p>"Providence looked after you on that occasion?"</p> + +<p>"Providence or—or the other thing. Oh, I could tell you a love-story, +only you'd be laughing at me."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, I would not laugh!"</p> + +<p>"On my honour, I don't know why you shouldn't! I often enough have +laughed at myself. She was the sweetest, gentlest, most delicate little +creature!—Snowdrop I used to call her. And as for goodness, she was +steeped in it. You felt goodness in the air wherever she was, just as +you smell perfume all about when the hawthorns blossom in May. Ah! now +to think of me talking in that way, and my head as smooth as a +billiard-ball!"</p> + +<p>"And—and how was it? Did your people interfere to prevent the match?"</p> + +<p>"My people! Faith, they'd have screeched to be heard from here to there +if I'd made her the Honourable Mrs. Jack Price, and contaminated the +blood of the Prices of Mullingar. Did ye ever hear that my +great-grandfather was a whisky distiller? Bedad, he was then! And I +believe he manufactured good liquor, rest his soul! But I shouldn't have +cared for that, as ye may believe. But they got hold of her, and told +her that I was a roving, unsteady sort of fellow; and that was true +enough. And—and she married somebody else. The man she took wasn't as +good-looking as I was in those days. However, there's no accounting for +these things, you know. It's fate, what? destiny! And she told me, in +the pretty silver voice of hers, like a robin on a bough, that I had +better forget her, and marry a lady in my own station, and live happy +ever after. 'Mary,' said I, 'if I don't marry you I'll marry no woman, +gentle or simple.' She didn't believe me. And I don't know that I quite +believed myself. But so it turned out, you see, what? And so I was saved +from a <i>mésalliance</i>, and from having, maybe, to bring up a numerous +family on nothing a year; and the blood of the Prices of Mullingar is in +a fine state of preservation, and Mary never became the Honourable Mrs. +Jack Price. Honourable—bedad it's the Honourable Jack Price she'd have +made of me if she'd taken me; an honourabler Jack than I've been without +her, I'm afraid! D'ye know, Errington, I believe on my soul that, if I +had married Mary, and gone off with her to Canada, and built a +log-house, and looked after my pigs and my ploughs, I'd have been a +happy man. But there it is, a man never knows what is really best for +him until it's too late. We'll hope there are compensations to come, +what? Of all the dreary, cut-throat, blue-devilish syllables in the +English language, I believe those words 'too late' are the ugliest. They +make a fellow feel as if he was being strangled. So mind your p's and +q's, my boy, and don't throw away your chances whilst you've got 'em!"</p> + +<p>And thus ended Jack Price's sermon on worldly wisdom.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + + +<p>Minnie Bodkin had loyally tried to keep the promise she had given to the +Methodist preacher respecting Rhoda Maxfield, but in so trying she had +encountered many obstacles. In the first place, Rhoda, with all her +gentleness, was not frank, and she opposed a passive resistance to all +Minnie's efforts to win her confidence on the subject of Algernon.</p> + +<p>"It is like poking a little frightened animal out of its hole, trying to +get anything from her!" said Minnie, impatiently.</p> + +<p>Not that Rhoda's reticence was wholly due to timidity. She knew +instinctively that she was to be warned against giving her heart to +Algernon Errington; that she should hear him blamed; or, at least, that +the unreasonableness of trusting in his promises, or taking his boyish +love-making in serious earnest, would be safely set forth by Miss +Bodkin. Rhoda had not perceived any of the wise things which might be +said against her attachment to Algernon in the beginning, but now she +thought she perceived them all. And she was resolved, with a sort of +timid obstinacy, not to listen to them.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure Algy's fond of me. And even if he has changed"—the +supposition brought tears into her eyes as the words framed themselves +in her mind—"I don't want to have him spoken unkindly of."</p> + +<p>But, in truth, latterly her hopes had been out-weighing her fears. In +most of his letters to his mother Algernon had spoken of her, and had +sent her his love. He was making friends, and looking forward hopefully +to getting some definite position. Even her father spoke well of +Algernon now;—said how clever he was, and what grand acquaintance he +was making, and how sure he would be to succeed. And once or twice her +father had dropped a word which had set Rhoda's heart beating, and made +the colour rush into her face, for it seemed as if the old man had some +idea of her love for Algy, and approved it! All these circumstances +together made Minnie's task of mentor a rather hopeless one.</p> + +<p>And then Minnie herself, although, as has been said, loyally anxious to +fulfil her promise to David Powell, began to think that he had overrated +the importance of interfering with Rhoda's love-story if love-story it +were. Powell lived in a state of exalted and, perhaps, overstrained +feeling, and attributed his own earnestness to slighter natures. Of +course, on the side of worldly wisdom there was much to be said against +Rhoda's fancying herself engaged to Algernon Errington. There was much +to be said; and yet Minnie did not feel quite sure that the idea was so +preposterous as Powell had appeared to think it. True, Mrs. Errington +was vain, and worldly, and ambitious for her son. True, Algernon was +volatile, selfish, and little more than twenty years of age. But still +there was one solid fact to be taken into account, which, Minnie +thought, might be made to outweigh all the obstacles to a marriage +between the two young people—the solid fact, namely, of old Maxfield's +money.</p> + +<p>"If Algernon married a wife with a good dower, and if the wife were as +pretty, as graceful, and as well-mannered as Rhoda, I do not suppose +that anybody would concern himself particularly with her pedigree," +thought Minnie. "And even if any one did, that difficulty would not be +insuperable, for I have no knowledge of Mrs. Errington, if within three +months of the wedding she had not invented a genealogy, only second to +her own, for her son's wife, and persuaded herself of its genuineness +into the bargain!"</p> + +<p>As to those other convictions which would have made such a marriage +horrible to David Powell, even had it been made with the hearty +approval of all the godless world, Minnie did not share them. She did +not believe that Rhoda's character had any spiritual depth; and she +thought it likely enough that she would be able to make Algernon happy, +and to be happy as his wife. "Algy is not base, or cruel, or vicious," +she said to herself. "He has merely the faults of a spoiled child. A +woman with more earnestness than Rhoda has would weary him; and a wiser +woman might, in the long run, be wearied by him. She is pretty, and +sufficiently intelligent to make a good audience, and so humble-minded +that she would never be exacting, but would gratefully accept any scraps +of kindness and affection which Algy might feel inclined to bestow on +her. And that would react upon him, and make him bestow bigger scraps +for the pleasure of being adored for his generosity."</p> + +<p>And there were times when she felt very angry with Rhoda;—Rhoda, who +turned away from the better to choose the worse, and who was coldly +insensible to the fact that Matthew Diamond was in love with her. Nay, +had she been cognisant of the fact, she would, Minnie felt sure, have +shrank away from the grave, clever gentleman who, as it was, could win +nothing warmer from her than a sort of submissive endurance of his +presence, and a humble acknowledgment that he was very kind to take +notice of an ignorant little thing like her.</p> + +<p>It was with strangely mingled feelings that Minnie, watching day by day +from her sofa or easy-chair, perceived the girl's utter indifference to +Diamond. How much would Minnie have given for one of those rare sweet +smiles to beam upon her, which were wasted on Rhoda's pretty, shy, +downcast face! How happy it would have made her to hear those clear, +incisive tones lowered into soft indistinctness for her ears, as they so +often were for Rhoda's, who would look timid and tired, and answer, +"Yes, sir," and "No, sir," until Minnie's nervous sympathy with +Diamond's disappointment, and irritation against him for being +disappointed, grew almost beyond her own control.</p> + +<p>One May evening, when the cuckoo was sending his voice across the +purling Whit from distant Pudcombe Woods, and the hyacinths in Minnie's +special flower-stand were pouring out their silent even-song in waves of +perfume, five persons were sitting in Mrs. Bodkin's drawing-room, the +windows of which looked towards the west. They were listening to the +cuckoo, and smelling the sweet breath of the hyacinths, and gazing at +the rosy sky, and dropping now and then a soft word, which seemed to +enhance the sweetness and the silence of the room. The five persons were +Minnie Bodkin, Rhoda Maxfield, Matthew Diamond, Mr. Warlock (the curate +of St. Chad's), and Miss Chubb. The latter was embroidering something in +Berlin wools, as usual; but the peace of the place, and of the hour, +seemed to have fallen on her, as on the rest, and she sat with her work +in her lap, looking across the stand of hyacinths, very still and quiet.</p> + +<p>The Reverend Peter also sat looking silently across the hyacinths, but +it was at the owner. Minnie's cheek rested on her thin white hand, and +her lustrous eyes had a far-away look in them, as they gazed out towards +Pudcombe Woods, where the cuckoo was calling his poet-loved syllables +with a sweet, clear tone, that seemed to have gathered all the spirit of +the spring into one woodland voice.</p> + +<p>Rhoda sat beside the window, and was sewing very gently and noiselessly, +but seemingly intent upon her work, and unconscious that the eyes of Mr. +Diamond—who was seated close to Minnie's chair—were fixed upon her, +and that in some vague way he was attributing to her the perfume of the +flowers, and the melancholy-sweet note of the bird, and the melted +rubies of the western sky.</p> + +<p>"What a sunset!" said Miss Chubb, breaking the silence. But she spoke +almost in a whisper, and her voice did not startle any ear. Mr. +Warlock, habituated to suppress his feelings and adapt his words to +those of his company, answered, after a little pause, "Lovely indeed! It +is an evening to awaken the sensibilities of a feeling heart."</p> + +<p>"It makes me think of Manchester Square. We had some hyacinths in pots, +too, I remember, when I was staying with the Bishop of Plumbunn."</p> + +<p>Miss Chubb's odd association of ideas was merely due to the fact that +her thoughts were flying back to the rose-garden of youth.</p> + +<p>"Do you not like to hear the cuckoo, Miss Bodkin?" said Diamond, softly, +speaking almost in her ear. She started, and turned her head towards +him.</p> + +<p>"Yes; no. I like it, although it makes me sad. I like it because it +makes me sad perhaps."</p> + +<p>"All sights, and sounds, and scents seem to me to be combined this +evening into something sweeter than words can say."</p> + +<p>"It is a fine evening, and the cuckoo is calling from Pudcombe Woods, +and my hyacinths are of a very good sort. It seems to me that words can +manage to say that much with distinctness!"</p> + +<p>"What a pity," thought Diamond, "that head overshadows heart in this +attractive woman! She is too keen, too cool, too critical. A woman +without softness and sentiment is an unpleasant phenomenon. And I think +she has grown harder in her manner than she used to be." Then the +reflection crossed his mind that her health had been more frail and +uncertain than usual of late, and that she bore much physical suffering +with high courage; and the little prick of resentment he had begun to +feel was at once mollified. He answered aloud, with a slow smile, "Why, +yes, words may manage to say all that. I wonder if I may ask you a +question? It is one I have long wished to ask."</p> + +<p>"You may, certainly."</p> + +<p>"There are questions that should not be asked."</p> + +<p>"I will trust you not to ask any such."</p> + +<p>"Now when she looks and speaks like that, she is adorable!" thought +Diamond, meeting the soft light of Minnie's lovely, pathetic eyes, which +fell immediately before his own. "I wish I might have you for a friend, +Miss Bodkin," he said.</p> + +<p>"I think you have your wish. I thought you knew you had it."</p> + +<p>"Ah, yes; you are always good, and kind, and—and—but you—I will make +a clean breast of it, and pay you the compliment of telling you the +truth. I have thought latterly that you were hardly so cordial, so frank +in your kindness to me as you once were. It would matter nothing to me +in another person, but in you, a little shade of manner matters a great +deal. I don't believe there is another human being to whom I would say +so much. For I am—as perhaps you know—a man little given to thrust +myself where I am not welcome."</p> + +<p>"You are about the proudest and most distant person I ever knew, and +require to be very obviously implored before you condescend to easy +friendship with anyone."</p> + +<p>Minnie laughed, as she spoke, a little low rippling laugh, which she +ended with a forced cough, to hide the sob in her throat.</p> + +<p>"No; not proud. You misjudge me; but it is true that I dread, almost +more than anything else, being deemed intrusive."</p> + +<p>"If that fear has prevented you from putting the question to which you +have so long desired an answer, pray ask it forthwith."</p> + +<p>"I think it has almost answered itself," said Diamond, bending over her, +and turning his chair so as to cut her and himself off still more from +the others. "I was going to ask you if I had unwittingly offended you in +any way, or if my frequent presence here were, for any reason, irksome +to you? It might well be so. And if you would say so candidly, believe +me, I should feel not the smallest resentment. Sorrow I should feel. I +can't deny it; but I should not cease to regard you as I have always +regarded you from the beginning of our acquaintance. How highly that is, +I have not the gift to tell; nor do you love the direct, broadly-spoken +praise that sounds like flattery, be it ever so sincere."</p> + +<p>"No; please don't praise me," said Minnie, huskily. She was shadowed by +his figure as he sat beside her, and so he did not see the tears that +quivered in her eyes. After a second or two, during which she had passed +her handkerchief quickly, almost stealthily, across her face, she said, +"But your question, you say, has answered itself."</p> + +<p>"I hope so; I hope I may believe that there is nothing wrong between +us."</p> + +<p>"Nothing."</p> + +<p>"I have not offended you in any way!"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Nor unwittingly hurt you? I daresay I am awkward and abrupt sometimes."</p> + +<p>"Pray believe that I have nothing in the world to blame you for."</p> + +<p>"Thank you. I know you speak sincerely. Your friendship is very precious +to me."</p> + +<p>She answered nothing, but hesitatingly put out her hand, which he +grasped for an instant, and would have raised to his lips, but that she +drew it suddenly away, murmuring something about her cushions being +awry, and trying tremblingly to rearrange them.</p> + +<p>He moved the cushions that supported her shoulders with a tender, +careful touch, and placed them so that her posture in the +lounging-chair might be easier. She clasped her hands together and laid +her head back wearily.</p> + +<p>"You don't know how precious your friendship is to me," he went on +lowering his voice still more. "I never had a sister. But I have often +thought how sweet the companionship of a sister must be. I am very much +alone in the world; and, if I dared, I would speak to you with fraternal +confidence."</p> + +<p>"Pray speak so," answered Minnie, almost in a whisper. "I should +like—to be—of some comfort to you."</p> + +<p>There was a silence. It was scarcely broken by Miss Chubb's murmured +remark to Mr. Warlock, that the moon was beginning to make a ring of +light behind the poplar trees on the other side of the Whit, like the +halo round the head of a saint. The twilight deepened, Rhoda's fingers +ceased to ply the needle, but she remained at the window looking over at +the moonlit poplars, while Miss Chubb's voice softly droned out some +rambling speech, which jarred no more on the quietude of the hour than +did the ripple of the river.</p> + +<p>"You have been so good to her!" said Diamond suddenly, under cover of +this murmur; and then paused for a moment as if awaiting a reply. Minnie +did not speak. Presently he went on. "You know her and understand her +better than any of the people here."</p> + +<p>"I think every one likes Rhoda," said Minnie at length.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Diamond answered eagerly. "Yes; do they not? But it requires the +delicate tact of a refined woman to overcome her shyness. I never saw so +timid a creature. Has it not struck you as strange that she should have +come out from that vulgar home so entirely free from vulgarity?"</p> + +<p>"Rhoda has great natural refinement."</p> + +<p>"You appreciate her thoroughly. And, then, the repulsive and ludicrous +side of Methodism has not touched her at all. It is marvellous to me to +see her so perfect in grace and sweetness."</p> + +<p>"I do not think that Methodism has ever taken deep hold on Rhoda."</p> + +<p>"And yet it is strange that it should be so. She was exposed to the +influence of David Powell. And, although he has fine qualities, he is +ignorant and fanatical."</p> + +<p>"His ignorance and fanaticism are mere spots on the sun!" cried Minnie. +And now, as she spoke, her voice was stronger, and she raised her head +from the cushion. "In his presence the Scripture phrase, 'A burning and +a shining light,' kept recurring to me. How poor and dark one's little +selfish self seems beside him!"</p> + +<p>Diamond slightly raised his eyebrows as he answered, "Powell has +undoubtedly very genuine enthusiasm and fervour. But he might be a +dangerous guide to undisciplined minds."</p> + +<p>"He would sacrifice himself, he does sacrifice himself, for +undisciplined and ungrateful minds, with whom, I own, my egotism could +not bear so patiently."</p> + +<p>But it was not of Powell that Matthew Diamond wished to speak now. Under +the softening influences of the twilight, and the unaccustomed charm of +pouring out the fulness of his heart to such a confidante as Minnie, he +could talk of nothing but Rhoda.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I am a fool to keep singeing my wings," he said. "It may be all +in vain. But don't you believe that a strong and genuine love is almost +sure to win a woman's heart, provided the woman's heart is free to be +won?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps—provided——"</p> + +<p>"And you do not think hers is free?"</p> + +<p>"How can I answer you?"</p> + +<p>"I know that Powell thought there was some one trifling with her +affections. It was on that subject that he begged for the interview with +you. I have never asked any questions about that interview, but I have +guessed since, from many little signs and tokens, that the person he had +in his mind was young Errington."</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Then the matter cannot be serious. He was little more than a boy when +he left Whitford."</p> + +<p>"But Rhoda was turned nineteen when Algernon went away."</p> + +<p>Diamond started eagerly forward, with his hand on the arm of the chair, +and fixing his eyes anxiously on her face, said:</p> + +<p>"Minnie, tell me the truth! Do you think she cares for him?"</p> + +<p>It was the first time he had ever addressed Minnie by her +Christian-name; and she marked the fact with a chilly feeling at the +heart. "You ask for the truth?" she said, sadly. "Yes; I do think so."</p> + +<p>Diamond leant his head on his hand for a minute in silence. Then he +raised his face again and answered, "Thank you for answering with +sincerity. But I knew you would do no otherwise. This feeling for +Algernon must be half made up of childish memories. I cannot believe it +is an earnest sentiment that will endure."</p> + +<p>"Nothing endures."</p> + +<p>"If I know myself at all, my love will endure. I am a resolute man, and +do not much regard external obstacles. The only essential point is, can +she ever be brought to care for me?"</p> + +<p>There was a pause.</p> + +<p>"Do you think she might—some day?"</p> + +<p>"Is that the only essential point?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; to me it is so. I do believe that it would be for her happiness to +care for me, rather than for that selfish young fellow."</p> + +<p>"And—for your happiness——?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, of that I am not doubtful at all!"</p> + +<p>"There's the moon above the poplar trees!" cried Miss Chubb. And as she +spoke a silver beam stole into the room and lighted one or two faces, +leaving the others in shadow. Amongst the faces so illuminated was +Minnie Bodkin's. "Did you ever see anything so beautiful as Minnie's +countenance in the moonlight?" whispered Miss Chubb to the curate. "She +looks like a spirit!"</p> + +<p>Poor Mr. Warlock sighed. He had been envying Diamond his long +confidential conversation with the doctor's daughter. "She is always +beautiful," he replied. "But I think she looks unusually sad to-night."</p> + +<p>"That's the moon, my dear sir! Bless you, it always gives a pensive +expression to the eyes; always!" And Miss Chubb cast her own eyes +upwards towards the sky as she spoke.</p> + +<p>"Dear me, you have no lamp here!" said a voice, which, though mellow and +musical in quality, was too loud and out of harmony with the twilight +mood of the occupants of the drawing-room to be pleasant.</p> + +<p>"Is not that silver lamp aloft there sufficient, Mrs. Errington?" asked +Diamond.</p> + +<p>"Oh, good evening, Mr. Diamond," returned Mrs. Errington, with perhaps +an extra tone of condescension, for she thought in her heart that the +tutor was a little spoiled in Whitford society. "I can hardly make out +who's who. Oh, there's Miss Chubb and Mr. Warlock, and—oh, is that you, +Rhoda? Well, Minnie, I left your mamma giving the doctor his tea in the +study, and she sent me upstairs. And, if you have no objection, I should +like the lamp lit, for I am going to read you a letter from Algy."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + + +<p>"Now isn't that charming?" said Mrs. Errington, finishing a paragraph +descriptive of some brilliant evening party at which Algernon had been +present, and looking round triumphantly at her audience.</p> + +<p>"Very, indeed," said Minnie, who had been specially appealed to.</p> + +<p>"Quite a graphic picture of the bow mong," said Miss Chubb. "I know all +about that sort of society, so I can answer for the correctness of +Algy's description."</p> + +<p>Miss Chubb had the discretion to lower her voice as she made the latter +remark, so that no one heard it save Mr. Warlock, and thus Mrs. +Errington was not challenged to contradiction.</p> + +<p>"How well Algernon writes," observed Mr. Diamond. "He has the trick of +the thing so neatly, and puts out what he has to say so effectively! I +wonder he has never thought of turning his pen to profit."</p> + +<p>"My son, sir, has other views," returned Mrs. Errington loftily. "But as +to what you are pleased to call 'the trick of the thing,' I can assure +you that literary talent is hereditary in our family. I don't know, my +dear Minnie, whether you have happened to hear me mention it, but my +great uncle by the mother's side was a most distinguished author."</p> + +<p>"Really?"</p> + +<p>"What did he write?" asked Miss Chubb, with much distinctness. But Mrs. +Errington took no heed of the question. "And my own father's letters +were considered models of style," she continued. "A large number of them +are, I believe, still preserved in the family archives at Ancram Park."</p> + +<p>"How did they come there?" asked Miss Chubb. "Unless he wrote letters to +himself, they must have been scattered about here and there."</p> + +<p>"They were collected after his death, Miss Chubb. You may not be aware, +perhaps, that it is not an unfrequent custom to collect the +correspondence of eminent men. It was done in the case of Walpole. +And—Mr. Diamond will correct me if I am wrong—in that of the +celebrated Persian gentleman, whose letters are so well known. Mirza was +the name, I think?"</p> + +<p>Miss Chubb felt herself on unsafe ground here, and did not venture +farther.</p> + +<p>"Well, at all events, Algernon appears to be getting on admirably in +London," said the Reverend Peter, pacifically.</p> + +<p>Minnie threw him an approving glance, for his good-natured words +dispelled a little cloud on Miss Chubb's brow, and brought down Mrs. +Errington from her high horse to the level of friendly sympathies. "Oh, +he is getting on wonderfully, dear fellow!" said she.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure we are all glad to hear of Algy's doing well, and being happy. +He is such a nice, genial, unaffected creature! And never gave himself +any airs!" said Miss Chubb, with a sidelong toss of her head and a +little unnecessary emphasis.</p> + +<p>"Oh no, my dear. That sort of vulgar pretension is not found among folks +who come of a real good ancient stock," replied Mrs. Errington, with +superb complacency.</p> + +<p>"And we are not to have the pleasure of seeing Algernon back among us +this summer?" said Mr. Warlock. In general he shrank from much +conversation with Mrs. Errington, whom he found somewhat overwhelming; +but he would have nerved himself to greater efforts than talking to that +thick-skinned lady for the sake of a kind look from Minnie Bodkin.</p> + +<p>"Oh, impossible! Quite out of the question. He is sorry, of course. And +I am sorry. But it would be cruel in him to desert poor dear Seely, +when he is so anxious to have him with him all the summer!"</p> + +<p>"Is there anything the matter with Lord Seely?" asked Minnie.</p> + +<p>"N—no, my dear. Nothing but a little overwork. The mental strain of a +man in his position is very severe, and he depends so on Algy! And so +does dear Lady Seely. I ought almost to feel jealous. They say openly +that they look on him quite as a son."</p> + +<p>"It's a pity they haven't a daughter, isn't it?" said Miss Chubb.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington did not catch the force of the hint. She answered +placidly, "They have an adopted daughter; a niece of my lord's, who is +almost always with them."</p> + +<p>"Oh, indeed," said Diamond, quickly. "I had not heard that!"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington bestowed a stolid, china-blue stare on him before +replying, "I daresay not, sir."</p> + +<p>The fact was that Mrs. Errington had not known it herself until quite +recently; for Algernon, either mistrusting his mother's prudence—or for +some other reason—had passed lightly over Castalia's name in his +letters, and for some time had not even mentioned that she was an inmate +of Lord Seely's house. In his latter letters he had spoken of Miss +Kilfinane, but in terms purposely chosen to check, as far as possible, +any match-making flights of fancy, which his mother might indulge in +with reference to that lady.</p> + +<p>"I am not sure, my dear," proceeded Mrs. Errington, turning to Minnie, +"whether I have happened to mention it to you, but Castalia—the +Honourable Castalia Kilfinane, only daughter of Lord Kauldkail—is +staying with the dear Seelys. But as she is rather sickly, and not very +young, she cannot, of course, be to them what Algy is."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Not very young?" said Miss Chubb, in a tone of disappointment.</p> + +<p>"Well, not very young, comparatively speaking, Miss Chubb. She might be +considered young compared with you and me, I daresay."</p> + +<p>Fortunately, perhaps, for the preservation of peace, much imperilled by +this last speech of Mrs. Errington's, Dr. Bodkin and his wife here +entered the drawing-room. Although it was May, and the temperature was +mild for the season, a good fire blazed in the grate; and on the rug in +front of it Dr. Bodkin, after saluting the assembled company, took up +his accustomed station. Diamond rose, and stood leaning on the +mantel-shelf near to his chief (an action which Mrs. Errington viewed +with disfavour, as indicating on the part of the second master at the +Grammar School a too great ease, and absence of due subjection in the +presence of his superiors), and the Reverend Peter and Miss Chubb drew +their chairs nearer to the fireplace, thus bringing the scattered +members of the party into a more sociable circle. The doctor was +understood to object to his society being broken up into groups of two +or three, and to prefer general conversation; which, indeed, afforded +better opportunities for haranguing, and for looking at the company as a +class brought up for examination, and, if needful, correction, according +to the doctor's habit of mind. Only Rhoda remained at her window, apart +from the others, and Dr. Bodkin, seeing her there, called to her to come +nearer.</p> + +<p>"What, little Primrose!" said the doctor, kindly. "Don't stay there +looking at the moon. She is chillier and not so cosy as the coal fire. +Draw the curtain, and shut her out, and come nearer to us all."</p> + +<p>Rhoda obeyed, blushing deeply as she advanced within the range of the +lamp-light, and looking so pretty and timid that the doctor began +smilingly to murmur into Diamond's ear something about "<i>Hinnuleo +similis, non sine vano burarum et siluĉ metu</i>."</p> + +<p>The doctor's prejudice against Rhoda had long been overcome, and she had +grown to be a pet of his, in so far as so awful a personage as the +doctor was capable of petting any one. To this result the conversion to +orthodoxy of the Maxfield family may have contributed. But, possibly, +Rhoda's regular attendance at St. Chad's might have been inefficacious +to win the doctor's favour, good churchman though he was, without some +assistance from her blooming complexion, soft hazel eyes, and graceful, +winning manners.</p> + +<p>The girl came forward bashfully into the circle around the fire, and +nestled herself down on a low seat between Mrs. Errington and Mrs. +Bodkin. A month ago her place in that drawing-room would have been +beside Minnie's chair. But lately, by some subtle instinct, Rhoda had a +little shrunk from her former intimacy with the young lady. She was +sensitive enough to feel the existence of some unexpressed disapproval +of herself in Minnie's mind.</p> + +<p>"We have been hearing a letter of Algernon's, papa," said Minnie.</p> + +<p>"Have you? have you?"</p> + +<p>"Mrs. Errington has been kind enough to read it to us."</p> + +<p>The doctor left his post of vantage on the hearth-rug for an instant, +went to his daughter, and, bending down, kissed her on the forehead. +"Pretty well this evening, my darling?" said he. Minnie caught her +father's hand as he was moving away again and pressed it to her lips. +"Thank God for you and mother," she whispered. Minnie was not given to +demonstrations of tenderness, having been rather accustomed, like most +idolised children, to accept her parents' anxious affection as she +accepted her daily bread—that is to say, as a matter of course. But +there was something in her heart now which made her keenly alive to the +preciousness of that abounding and unselfish devotion.</p> + +<p>"I think it is quite touching to see that father and daughter together," +said Miss Chubb confidentially to her neighbour the curate. "So severe a +man as the doctor is in general! Quite the churchman! Combined with the +scholastic dignitary, you know. And yet, with Minnie, as gentle as a +woman."</p> + +<p>As to Mr. Warlock, the tears were in his eyes, and he unaffectedly wiped +them away, answering Miss Chubb only by a nod.</p> + +<p>"And what," said the doctor, when he had resumed his usual place, and +his usual manner, "what is the news from our young friend, Algernon?"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington began to recapitulate some of the items in her son's last +letter—the "lords and ladies gay" whose society he frequented; the +brilliant compliments that were paid him by word and deed; and the +immense success which his talents and attractions met with everywhere.</p> + +<p>"Yes; and Algernon is kindly received by other sorts and conditions of +men besides the aristocracy of this realm," said Minnie, with a little +ironical smile. "He has shone in evening receptions at Mrs. +Machyn-Stubbs's, and sipped lawyer Leadbeater's port-wine with +appreciative gusto."</p> + +<p>"He has to be civil to people, you know, my dear," said Mrs. Errington, +smoothly. "It wouldn't do to neglect—a—a—persons who mean to be +attentive, merely because they are not quite in our own set."</p> + +<p>"I trust not, indeed, madam!" exclaimed the doctor, with protruding lips +and frowning brow. "It would be exceedingly impolitic in Algernon to +turn away from proffered kindness. But I will not put the matter on that +ground. I should be sorry to think that a youth who has been—I may +say—formed and brought up under my tuition, could be capable of ignoble +and ungentlemanlike behaviour."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Bodkin glanced a little apprehensively at Mrs. Errington after this +explosion of the doctor's. But that descendant of all the Ancrams had +not the slightest idea of being offended. She was smiling with much +complacency, and answered mellifluously to the doctor's thunder, "Thank +you, Dr. Bodkin. Now that is so nice in you to appreciate Algy as you +do! He is, and ever was, like his ancestors before him, the soul of +gentlemanliness."</p> + +<p>"Algernon was always most popular, I'm sure," said Miss Chubb. "He was a +favourite with everybody. Such lively manners! And at home with all +classes!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Diamond in a low voice. "<i>Superis Deorum gratus, et imis.</i>"</p> + +<p>"Now what may that mean?" asked Miss Chubb, who had quick ears.</p> + +<p>"The words were applied to a mythological personage of very flexible +talents, madam," replied Diamond.</p> + +<p>"Oh, mythological? Well, I never went very far into mythology. Now, it's +a singular circumstance, which has often struck me, and perhaps some of +you learned gentlemen may be able to explain it, that none of the +studies in 'ology' ever seemed to have much attraction for me; whereas +the 'ographies' always interested me very much. There was geography, +now. I used to know the names of all the European rivers when I was +quite a child. And orthography and biography. We had a translation of +Pluto's Lives at the rectory, and I was uncommonly fond of them. But, as +to the 'ologies,' I frankly own that I know nothing about them."</p> + +<p>The effect of this speech of Miss Chubb's was much heightened by the +mute commentary of Dr. Bodkin's face during its utterance. When she came +to Pluto's Lives, the scholastic eyes rolled round on Mr. Diamond and +the curate with an expression of such helpless indignation, that the +former was driven to blow his nose with violence, in order to smother an +explosion of laughter. And even Mr. Warlock's sombre brow relaxed, and +he ventured to steal a smiling glance at Minnie.</p> + +<p>But Minnie did not return the glance. She had shaded her eyes with her +hand, and was leaning back in her chair, unheeding the conversation that +was going on around her.</p> + +<p>"But now, really, you know, there must be some reason for these things, +if philosophers could only find it out," pursued Miss Chubb, cheerfully. +"Mustn't there, Minnie?"</p> + +<p>"Eh? I beg your pardon!"</p> + +<p>"Oh you naughty, absent girl! You have not heard a word I've been +saying. I was merely remarking that——"</p> + +<p>But at this point Dr. Bodkin's patience suddenly snapped. He found +himself unable silently to endure a recapitulation of Miss Chubb's views +as to the comparative attractions of the "ologies" and the "ographies;" +and he abruptly demanded of his wife, in the magisterial tones which +had often struck awe into the hearts of the lowest form, "Laura, are we +not to have our rubber before midnight? Pray make up the table in the +next room. There are—let me see!—Mrs. Errington, Miss Chubb, you will +take a hand, Laura? We are just a quartet." And the doctor, giving his +arm to Mrs. Errington, marched off to the whist-table.</p> + +<p>On this occasion Mr. Warlock escaped being obliged to play. Indeed, the +curate's assistance at whist was only called into requisition when a +second table besides the doctor's had to be made up; for, although Dr. +Bodkin co-operated very comfortably with his curate in all church +matters, he found himself not altogether able to do so at the green +table, the Reverend Peter's notions of whist being confused and +elementary. To be sure, Mrs. Bodkin was not a much better player than +the curate; but then she offered the compensating advantage of +enduring an unlimited amount of scolding—whether as partner or +adversary—without resenting it.</p> + +<p>So Diamond, and Warlock, and Minnie, and Rhoda remained in the big +drawing-room when their elders had left it. Minnie had the lamp shaded, +and the curtains opened, so that the full clear light of the climbing +moon poured freely into the room. Warlock timidly drew near to Miss +Bodkin's chair, and ventured to say a word or two now and then, to which +he received answers so kind and gracious, that the poor fellow's heart +swelled with gratitude, and perhaps with hope, for hope is very cunning +and stealthy, and hides herself under all sorts of unlikely feelings.</p> + +<p>Minnie had grown much more gentle and patient with the awkward, plain, +rather dull curate of late. She listened to his talk and replied to it. +And all the while she was taking eager cognisance, with eye and ear, of +the two who sat side by side near the window, Diamond bending down to +speak softly to Rhoda, and the girl's delicate face, white and +sprite-like in the moonlight, turning now and then towards her companion +with a pretty, languid gesture. Once or twice Rhoda laughed at something +Diamond said to her. Her laugh was perhaps a little suggestive of +silliness, but it was low, and musical, and rippling; and it was not too +frequent.</p> + +<p>Minnie sat with her hands clasped in her lap; and when she was carried +to her own room that night, Jane exclaimed, as she removed her young +mistress's ornaments, "Goodness, Miss Minnie, what have you done to +yourself? Why that diamond ring you wear has made a desperate mark in +your finger. It looks as if it had been driven right into the flesh, as +hard as could be!"</p> + +<p>Minnie held up her thin white hand to the light, and looked at it +strangely.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said she, "I must have pressed and twisted the ring about, +unconsciously. I was thinking of something else."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + + +<p>Time passed, or seemed to pass, with unusual gentleness over Whitford. +If some of our acquaintances there had suddenly been called upon to +mention the changes that had taken place within two years, they would +perhaps have said at first that there had been none. But changes there +had been, nevertheless; and by a few dwellers in the little town they +had been keenly felt.</p> + +<p>The second summer vacation after that happy holiday time which Rhoda had +passed with the Erringtons at Llanryddan arrived. A hot July, winged +with thunder-clouds, brooded over the meadows by the Whit. The shadow of +Pudcombe Woods was pleasant in the sultry afternoons, and the cattle +stood for hours knee-deep in dark pools, overhung by drooping boughs. +The great school-room at the Grammar School resounded no more with the +tread of young feet, or the murmur of young voices. It was empty, and +silent, and dusty; and an overgrown spider had thrown his grey tapestry +right across the oriel window, so that it was painted, warp and woof, +with brave purple and ruby blazonries from the old stained glass.</p> + +<p>Dr. Bodkin and his family were away at a seaside place in the South of +England. Mr. Diamond had gone on a solitary excursion afoot. Even +Pudcombe Hall was deserted; although young Pawkins was expected to +return thither, later in the season, for the shooting. Rhoda Maxfield +had been sent to her half-brother Seth, at Duckwell Farm, to get strong +and sunburned; and as she was allowed to be by herself almost as much as +she wished—Mrs. Seth Maxfield being a bustling, active woman, who would +not have thought of suspending or modifying her daily avocations for the +sake of entertaining any visitor whatever—Rhoda spent her time, not +unhappily, in a sort of continuous day-dream, sitting with a book of +poetry under a hedge in the hayfield, or wandering with her little +nephew, Seth Maxfield the younger, in Pudcombe Woods, which were near +her brother's farm. She liked looking back better than looking forward, +perhaps; and enacted in her imagination many a scene that had occurred +at dear Llanryddan over and over again. But still there were many times +when she indulged in hopeful anticipations as to Algy's return. He had +come back to London after his foreign travel, and had spent another +brilliant season under the patronage of his great relations. And then a +rumour had reached Whitford that Lord Seely had at length obtained the +promise of a good post for him, and that he might be expected to revisit +Whitford in the autumn at latest. Mrs. Errington had been invited to a +country house of Lord Seely's, in Westmoreland, to meet her son, and had +set out on her visit in high spirits. Rhoda was thus cut off from +hearing frequently of Algernon, through his mother, but she looked +forward to seeing them together in September. Rhoda missed her friend +and patroness; but she missed her less at Duckwell than she would have +done in the dull house in the High Street.</p> + +<p>On the whole, she was not unhappy during those sultry summer weeks. +Modest and humble-minded as she was, she had come to understand that she +was considered pretty and pleasing by the ladies and gentlemen whose +acquaintance she had made. No caressing words, no flattering epithets, +no pet names, had been bestowed upon her by her father's old friends and +companions. She was just simply Rhoda Maxfield to them; never +"Primrose," or "Pretty one," or "Rhoda dear;" and the Methodists, +however blind to her attractive qualities, had displayed considerable +vigilance in pointing out her backsliding, and exhorting her to make +every effort to become convinced of sin. Certainly the society of +ladies and gentlemen was infinitely more agreeable.</p> + +<p>Then, too, there had dawned on her some idea that Mr. Diamond felt a +warm admiration for her—perhaps something even warmer than admiration. +Miss Chubb (who delighted to foster any amatory sentiments which she +might observe in the young persons around her, and was fond of saying, +with a languishing droop of her plump, rubicund, good-humoured +countenance, that she would not for the world see other young hearts +blighted by early disappointment, as hers had been) had dropped several +hints to that effect sufficiently broad to be understood even by the +bashful Rhoda. And, a little to her own surprise, Rhoda had felt +something like gratification, in consequence; Mr. Diamond was such a +very clever gentleman. Although he wasn't rich, yet everybody thought a +great deal of him. Even Dr. Bodkin (decidedly the most awful embodiment +of authority whom Rhoda had ever yet known) treated Mr. Diamond with +consideration. And Miss Minnie was his intimate friend. Rhoda had not +the least idea of ever reciprocating Mr. Diamond's sentiments. But she +could not help feeling that the existence of those sentiments increased +her own importance in the world. And she had a lurking idea that it +might, if known to Algy, increase her importance in his eyes also.</p> + +<p>As to Mr. Diamond's part in the matter, Rhoda, to say truth, concerned +herself very little with that. Partly from a humble estimate of herself, +and partly from that maiden incapacity for conceiving the fire and force +of a masculine passion, which often makes girls pass for cruel who are +only childish, she never had thought of Mr. Diamond as seriously +suffering for her sake. But yet she was less cold and repellent to him +than she had once been. It is difficult not to thaw somewhat in the +presence of one whose words and looks make a genial atmosphere for that +sensitive plant—youthful vanity.</p> + +<p>Rhoda's wardrobe, which by this time had become considerable in quantity +and tasteful in quality, was a great source of amusement to her. She +delighted to trim, and stitch, and alter, and busy her fingers with the +manufacture of bright-coloured bows of ribbon and dainty muslin frills. +Mrs. Seth looked contemptuous at what she called "Rhoda's finery," and +told her she would never do for a farmer's wife if she spent so much +time over a parcel of frippery. Seth Maxfield shook his head gravely, +and hoped that Rhoda was not given up utterly to worldliness and vanity; +but feared that she had learnt no good at St. Chad's church, but had +greatly backslided since the days of her attendance at chapel.</p> + +<p>For the Seth Maxfields still belonged to the Wesleyan connexion, and +disapproved of the change that had taken place among the family at +Whitford. Not that Seth was a deeply religious man. But his father's +desertion of the Wesleyans appeared to him in the light of a party +defection. It was "ratting;" and ratting, as Seth thought, without the +excuse of a bribe.</p> + +<p>"Look how well father has prospered!" he would say to his wife. "He's as +warm a man, is father, as 'ere a one in Whitford. And the Church folks +bought their tea and sugar of him all the same when he belonged to the +Society. But I don't believe the Society will spend their money with him +now as they did. So that's so much clean lost. I'm not so strict as +some, myself; nor I don't see the use of it. But I do think a man ought +to stick to what he's been brought up to. 'Specially when it's had the +manifest blessing of Providence! If the Lord was so well satisfied with +father being a Wesleyan, I think father might ha' been satisfied too."</p> + +<p>Still there had been no quarrel between the Whitford Maxfields and those +of Duckwell. They came together so seldom that opportunities for +quarrelling were rare. And Seth had too great a respect for such +manifestations of Providential approbation as had been vouchsafed to his +father, to be willing to break entirely with the old man. So, when old +Max proposed to send Rhoda to the farm for a few weeks, he paying a +weekly stipend for her board, his son and his son's wife had at once +agreed to the proposition. And as they were not persons who brought +their religious theories into the practical service of daily life, +Rhoda's conscience was not disturbed by having a high and stern standard +of duty held up for her attainment at every moment.</p> + +<p>The Wesleyan preacher at that time in the district was a frequent guest +at Duckwell Farm. And in the long summer evenings one or two neighbours +would occasionally drop in to the cool stone-flagged parlour, where +brother Jackson would read a chapter and offer up a prayer. And +afterwards there would be smoking of pipes and drinking of home-brewed +by the men; while Mrs. Seth and Rhoda would sit on a bench in the +apple-orchard, near to the open window of the parlour, and sew, and +talk, or listen to the conversation from within, as they pleased.</p> + +<p>Rhoda perceived quickly enough that the Duckwell Farm species of +Methodism was very different from the Methodism of David Powell. Mr. +Jackson never said anything to frighten her. He talked, indeed, of sin, +and of the dangers that beset sinners; but he never spoke as if they +were real to him—as if he heard and saw all the terrible things he +discoursed of so glibly. Then Mr. Jackson was, Rhoda thought, a somewhat +greedy eater. He did not smoke, it was true; but he took a good share of +Seth's strong ale, and was not above indulging in gossip—perhaps to +please himself, perhaps to please Mrs. Seth Maxfield.</p> + +<p>Rhoda drew a comparison in her own mind between brother Jackson and the +stately rector of St. Chad's, and felt much satisfaction at the contrast +between them. How much nicer it was to be a member of a Church of +England congregation; where one heard Dr. Bodkin or Mr. Warlock speak a +not too long discourse in correct English, and with that refined accent +which Rhoda's ear had learned to prize, and where the mellow old organ +made a quivering atmosphere of music that seemed to mingle with the +light from the painted windows; than to sit on a deal bench in a +white-washed chapel, and painfully keep oneself broad awake whilst +brother Jackson or brother Hinks bawled out a series of disjointed +sentences, beginning with "Oh!" and displaying a plentiful lack of +aspirates!</p> + +<p>On the whole, perhaps, her stay at Duckwell Farm was a potent agent in +confirming Rhoda in orthodox views of religion.</p> + +<p>Generally, as she sat beside Mrs. Seth in the parlour, or on the bench +outside the window, Rhoda withdrew her attention from the talk of +brother Jackson and the others. She could think her own thoughts, and +dream her own dreams, whilst she was knitting a stocking or hemming a +pinafore for little Seth. But sometimes a name was mentioned at these +meetings that she could not hear with indifference. It was the name of +David Powell.</p> + +<p>The tone in which he was spoken of now was very opposite to the chorus +of praise which had accompanied every mention of him among the Whitford +Methodists, two years ago. There were rumours that he had defied the +authority of Conference, and intended to secede from the Society. He was +said to have been preaching strange doctrine in the remote parts of +Wales, and to have caused and encouraged extravagant manifestations, +such as were known to have prevailed at the preachings of Berridge and +Hickes, seventy or eighty years ago; and earlier still, at the first +open-air sermons of John Wesley himself, at Bristol. Brother Jackson +shook his head, and pursed up his lips at the rumours. He had never much +approved of Powell; and Seth Maxfield had distinctly disapproved of him. +Seth had been brought up in the old sleepy days, when members of the +Society in Whitford were comfortably undisturbed by the voice of an +"awakening" preacher. He had resented the fuss that had been made about +David Powell. He had been still more annoyed by his father's secession, +which he attributed to Powell's over zeal and presumption. And he, by +his own example, encouraged a hostile and critical tone in speaking of +the preacher.</p> + +<p>There was, indeed, but one voice raised in his defence in the parlour +at Duckwell Farm. This was the voice of Richard Gibbs, the head groom at +Pudcombe Hall, who sometimes came over to Duckwell to join in the +prayer-meetings there. Although Richard Gibbs was but a servant, he was +a trusted and valued one; and he was received by the farmer and his wife +with considerable civility. Richard "knew his place," as Mrs. Seth said, +and was not "one of them as if you give 'em an inch they'll take an +ell." And then he had a considerable knowledge of farriery, and had more +than once given good advice to Farmer Maxfield respecting the treatment +of sick horses and cattle. Seth was fond of repeating that he himself +was "not so strict as some," finding, indeed, that a reputation for +strictness, in a Methodistical sense, put him at a disadvantage with his +fellow farmers on market-days. But whenever Richard Gibbs was spoken of, +he would add to this general disclaimer of peculiar piety on his own +part, "Not, mind you, but what there's some as conversion does a +wonderful deal for, to this day, thanks be! Why, there's Dicky Gibbs, +head-groom at Pudcombe Hall. Talk of blasphemers—well Dicky was a +blasphemer! And now his lips are as pure from evil speaking as my little +maid's there. And he's the only man I ever knew as had to do with horses +that wouldn't tell you a lie. At first, I believe, there was some at the +Hall—I name no names—didn't like Dicky's plain truths. There was a +carriage-horse to be sold, and Dicky spoke out and told this and that, +and young master couldn't get his price. But in the long run it answers. +Oh! I'm not against a fervent conversion, nor yet against conviction of +sin—for some."</p> + +<p>So Richard Gibbs sat many a summer evening in the flagged parlour at +Duckwell Farm, and his melancholy, clean-shaven, lantern-jawed face was +a familiar spectacle at prayer-meetings there.</p> + +<p>"I have been much grieved and exercised in spirit on behalf of brother +Powell,"' said Mr. Jackson, in his thick voice.</p> + +<p>The expounding and the prayers were over. Seth had lighted his pipe; so +had Roger Heath, the baker, from Pudcombe village. A great cool jug of +ale stood on the table, and the setting sun sent his rays into the room, +tempered by a screen of jessamine and vine leaves that hung down outside +the window.</p> + +<p>"Ah! And reason too!" said Seth gruffly. "He's been getting further and +further out of the right furrow this many a day."</p> + +<p>"They do say," observed sour-faced Roger Heath, "that there's dreadful +scenes with them poor Welsh at his field-preachings. Men and women +stricken down like bullocks, and screechings and convulsions, like as if +they was all possessed with the devil."</p> + +<p>"Lauk!" cried Mrs. Seth eagerly. "Why, how is that, then?"</p> + +<p>Rhoda, listening outside, behind the screen of vine leaves at the open +window, could not repress a shudder at the thought that, had David +Powell shown this new power of his a year or two ago, she herself might +have been among the convulsed who bore testimony to his terrible +influence.</p> + +<p>"How is that, Mrs. Maxfield?" returned Richard Gibbs. "Why, how can it +be, except by abounding grace!"</p> + +<p>"Nay, Mr. Gibbs, but how dreadful it seems, don't it? Just think of +falling down in a fit in the open field!"</p> + +<p>"Just think of living and dying unawakened to sin! Is not that a hundred +thousand times more dreadful?"</p> + +<p>"I hope it don't need to roll about like Bedlamites to be awakened to a +sense of sin, Mr. Gibbs!" cried Seth Maxfield.</p> + +<p>"The Lord forbid!" ejaculated brother Jackson.</p> + +<p>"A likely tale!" added Mrs. Seth, cheerfully.</p> + +<p>"I'm against all such doings," said Roger Heath, shaking his head.</p> + +<p>"But if it be the Lord's doing, sir?" remonstrated Richard Gibbs, +speaking slowly, and with an anxious lack-lustre gaze at the +white-washed ceiling, as though counsel might be read there. "And I've +heard tell that John Wesley did the same at his field-preachings."</p> + +<p>Brother Jackson hastily wiped his mouth, after a deep draught of ale, +before replying, "That was in the beginning, when such things may have +been needful. But now, I fear, they only bring scandal upon us, and +strengthen scoffers."</p> + +<p>"I tell you what it is," said Seth, taking the pipe from his mouth, and +waving it up and down to emphasise his words, "it's my opinion as David +Powell's not quite—not quite right in his head."</p> + +<p>"'Taint the first time that thought has crossed my mind," said the +baker, who had once upon a time been uneasy under the yoke of Powell's +stern views as to weights and measures.</p> + +<p>"Of course," pursued Seth, argumentatively, "we've got to draw a line. +Religion is one thing and rampaging is another. From the first, when +Powell began rampaging, I mistrusted what it would come to."</p> + +<p>"The human brain is a very delicate and mysterious organ," said brother +Jackson.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" ejaculated Heath, with an air of profundity, as of one the extent +of whose acquaintance with the human brain was not easily to be set +forth in words, "you may well say so, sir. There you're right, indeed, +brother Jackson."</p> + +<p>"Why, there it is!" cried Seth. "And Powell, he overtaxed the human +brain. It's like flying in the face of Providence almost, to want to go +so much beyond your neighbours. Why, he'd fast till he well-nigh starved +himself."</p> + +<p>"But he gave all he spared from his own stomach to the poor," put in +Gibbs, looking sad and perplexed.</p> + +<p>"I call all that rampaging," returned Seth, with a touch of his father's +obstinacy.</p> + +<p>"Dr. Evans read out an account of these doings in Wales from a newspaper +in Mr. Barker the chemist's shop in Whitford last Saturday," said Heath. +"I heard it. And Dr. Evans said it was catching, and that such-like +excitement was dangerous, for you never know where it might end. And Dr. +Evans is of a Welsh family himself," he added, bringing out this clause, +as though it strikingly illustrated or elucidated the topic under +discussion.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Seth drew her little boy close to her, and covered his curly poll +with her large maternal hand, as though to protect the little "human +brain" within from all danger. "Mercy me!" she said, "I hope Powell +won't come into these parts any more! I should be frightened to go to +chapel, or to let the children go either."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you need not be alarmed, Mrs. Maxfield," said brother Jackson, with +a superior smile.</p> + +<p>"Nay, but if it is catching, Mr. Jackson!" persisted the anxious +mother.</p> + +<p>"Tut, lass! It isn't like measles!" said her husband.</p> + +<p>The ale being by this time exhausted and the pipes smoked out, brother +Jackson rose to depart, and the baker went away with him. Seth Maxfield +detained Gibbs for a few minutes to ask his advice about a favourite +cart-horse.</p> + +<p>"Well, Mr. Gibbs," said the housewife, when, the conference being over, +he bade her "Good evening," "and when are your folks coming back to the +Hall?"</p> + +<p>"Not just yet, ma'am. Young master is gone to Westmoreland, I hear, to a +wedding at some nobleman's house there. He'll be back at Pudcombe for +the shooting."</p> + +<p>"A wedding, eh?" said Mrs. Seth, with eager feminine interest in the +topic. "Not his own wedding, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"Oh no, ma'am. 'Tis some friend of his, I believe, that he knew at +Whitford; Erringham, I think the name is—a young gentleman that's going +to marry the nobleman's niece. The housekeeper at the Hall was telling +some of my fellow-servants about it the other day. But I'm ill at +remembering the chat I hear. And 'tis unprofitable work too. Good +evening, ma'am. Farewell, Seth," stooping down to pat the little one's +curly head. "May the Lord bless and keep you!"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Seth stood out in the apple-orchard, with two of her children +clinging to her skirts, and held up her hand to shade her eyes as she +watched the departing figure of Richard Gibbs moving across the meadow, +in the rosy evening light. Then she turned to the wooden bench where +Rhoda was sitting, huddled together, with her work lying in her lap. +"You didn't come in to prayers, Rhoda," said her sister-in-law. "But, +however, you can hear it all just as well outside, as in. If it wasn't +for civility to Mr. Jackson, I'd liefer stay out here these fine summer +evenings, myself. And I was thinking—why, child, what a white face +you've got! Like a sheet of white paper, for all the world! And your +hands are quite cold, though it's been downright sultry! Mercy me, don't +go and get sick on our hands, Rhoda! What will your father say? Come, +you'd best get to bed, and I'll make you a hot posset myself."</p> + +<p>Rhoda passively followed her sister-in-law to the fresh lavender-scented +chamber which she occupied; and she consented to go to bed at once. Her +head ached, she said, but she declined the hot posset, and only asked to +be left quiet.</p> + +<p>"There's always some bother with girls of that delicate sort," said Mrs. +Seth to her husband, when she went downstairs again. "Rhoda's mother was +just such another; looked as if you might blow her away. I can't think +whatever made your father marry her! Not but Rhoda's a nice-tempered +girl enough, and very patient with the children. But, do you know, +Seth, I'm afraid she's got a chill or something, sitting out in the +orchard so late."</p> + +<p>"What makes you think so?"</p> + +<p>"Well, she had a queer, scared kind of look on her face."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense! Catching cold don't make people look scared."</p> + +<p>"Something makes her look scared, I tell you. It's either she's +sickening for some fever, or else she's seen a ghost!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + + +<p>(From Mrs. Errington to Mrs. Bodkin.)</p> + +<p>"Long Fells, Westmoreland, July 26th, 18—.</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Mrs. Bodkin</span>,—Amid the tumult of feelings which have recently +agitated me, I yet cannot neglect to write to my good friends in +Whitford, and participate my emotions with those who have ever valued +and appreciated my darling boy, at this most important moment of his +life. It may perhaps surprise, but will, I am sure, gratify you to learn +that Algernon is to be married on this day week to the Honourable +Castalia Caroline Kilfinane, only daughter of the late Baron Kauldkail, +of Kauldkail, who is, though not a relation, yet a connection of our +own, being the niece of our dear cousin-in-law, Lord Seely. To say that +all my proudest maternal aspirations are gratified by such a match is +feebly to express what I feel. Birth (with me the first consideration, +dear Mrs. Bodkin, for I make no pretences with you, and confess that I +should have deplored Algernon's mating below himself in that respect), +elegance, accomplishments, and a devoted attachment to my son—these are +Castalia's merits in my eyes. You will forgive me for having said +nothing of this projected alliance until the last moment. The young +people did not wish it to be talked about. They had a romantic fancy to +have the wedding as quiet as possible, amid the rural beauties of this +most lovely scenery, and thus escape the necessity for inviting the +crowds of distinguished friends and connections on both sides of the +house, who would have had to be present had the marriage taken place in +London. That would have made it too pompous an affair to satisfy the +taste of our Castalia, who is sensitive refinement itself. The dear +Seelys are only too indulgent to the least wish of Algernon's, and they +at once agreed to keep the secret. What poor Lord and Lady Seely will do +when Algy leaves them I assure you I cannot imagine. It really grieves +me to contemplate how they will miss him. But, of course, I cannot but +rejoice selfishly to know that I shall have my dear children so near me. +For (you may, perhaps, have heard the news) Lord Seely has, by his +immense influence in the highest quarters, procured dear Algy an +appointment. And, as good fortune will have it, the appointment brings +him back to Whitford, among his dear and early friends. He is to be +appointed to the very arduous and responsible position of postmaster +there. But, important as this situation is, it is yet only to be +considered a stepping-stone to further advancement. Lord Seely wants +Algy in town, which is indeed his proper sphere. And the result of some +new ministerial combinations which are expected in certain quarters +will, there is no doubt, put him in the very foremost rank of rising +young diplomatists. But I must not say more even to you, dear Mrs. +Bodkin, for these are State secrets, which should be sacredly respected.</p> + +<p>"This is a most lovely spot, and the house combines the simple elegance +of a cottage <i>ornée</i> with the luxurious refinement that befits the +residence of a peer like Lord Seely. It is not, of course, fitted up +with the same magnificence as his town mansion, or even as his ancestral +place in Rutlandshire, but it is full of charms to the cultivated +spirit, and our dear young people are revelling in its romantic +quietude. There are very few guests in the house. By a kind thought of +Algy's, which I am sure you will appreciate, Orlando Pawkins is to be +best man at the wedding. The young man is naturally gratified by the +distinction, and our noble relatives have received him with that +affability which marks the truly high bred. There is also an Irish +gentleman, the Honourable John Patrick Price, who arrived last evening +in order to be present at the ceremony. He is one of the most celebrated +wits in town, and belongs to an Irish family of immense antiquity. +Castalia will have none of her own intimate young friends for +bridesmaids. To make a choice of one or two might have seemed invidious, +and to have eight or ten bridesmaids would have made the wedding too +ostentatious for her taste. Therefore she will be attended at the altar +by the two daughters of the village clergyman—simple, modest girls, who +adore her. The bride and bridegroom will leave us after the breakfast to +pass their honeymoon at the Lakes. I shall return forthwith to Whitford, +in order to make preparations for their reception. Lady Seely presses me +to remain with her for a time after the wedding, but I am impatient to +return to my dear Whitford friends, and share my happiness with them.</p> + +<p>"Farewell, dear Mrs. Bodkin. Give my love to Minnie, who, I hope, has +benefited by the sea-breezes; and best regards to the doctor. Believe me +your very attached friend,</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">Sophia Augusta Errington</span>.</p> + +<p>"P.S. Do you happen to know whether Barker, the chemist, has that +cottage in the Bristol Road still to let? It might suit my dear +children, at least for a while."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>(From Miss Kilfinane to her cousin, Lady Louisa Marston.)</p> + +<p>"Long Fells, 29th July.</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">My dear Louisa</span>,—I answer your last letter at once, for if I delay +writing, I may not have time to do so at all. There are still a thousand +things to be thought of, and my maid and I have to do it all, for you +know what Aunt Seely is. She won't stir a finger to help anybody. Uncle +Seely is very kind, but he has no say in the matter, nor, as far as that +goes, in any matter in his own house.</p> + +<p>"You ask about the wedding. It will be very scrubby, thanks to my lady's +stinginess. She would have it take place in this out-of-the-way country +house, which they scarcely ever come to, in order to save the expense of +a handsome breakfast. There will be nobody invited but the parson and +the apothecary, I suppose. I hate Long Fells. It is the most +inconvenient house in the world, I do believe; and so out of repair that +my maid declares the rain comes through the roof on to her bed.</p> + +<p>"Ancram's mother arrived last week. She was half inclined to be huffy at +first, when we told her our news, because she had been kept in the dark +till the last moment. But she has got over her sulks now, and makes the +best of it. I can see now that Ancram was right in keeping our +engagement secret from her as long as possible. She would have been a +dreadful worry, and told everybody. She is wonderfully like Lady Seely +in the face, only much better looking, and has a fine natural colour +that makes my lady's cheeks look as if they had been done by a house +painter.</p> + +<p>"Ancram has invited an old Whitford acquaintance of his to be his best +man at the wedding. He says that as we are going to live there for a +time at least, it would never do to offend all the people of the place +by taking no notice of them. It would be like going into a hornet's +nest. And the young man in question has been civil to Ancram in his +school-boy days. He is a certain Mr. Pawkins, who lives at a place with +the delightful name of Pudcombe Hall. He is not so bad as I expected, +and is quiet and good-natured. If all the Whitfordians turn out as well +as he, I shall be agreeably surprised. But I fear they are a strange set +of provincial bumpkins. However, we shall not have to remain amongst +them long, for Uncle Val. has privately promised to move heaven and +earth to get Ancram a better position. You know he is to be postmaster +at Whitford. Only think of it! It would be absurd, if it were not such a +downright shame. And I more than suspect my lady of having hurried Uncle +Val. into accepting it for Ancram. I suppose she thinks anything is good +enough for us.</p> + +<p>"I wish you could see Ancram! He is very handsome, and even more elegant +than handsome. And his manners are admitted on all hands to be charming. +It is monstrous to think of burying his talents in a poky little hole +like Whitford. But there is this to be said; if he hadn't got this +postmastership we could not have been married at all. For he is poor. +And you know what my great fortune is! I do think it is too bad that +people of our condition should ever be allowed to be so horribly poor. +The Government ought to do something for us.</p> + +<p>"Uncle Val. has made me a handsome present of money to help to furnish +our house. I'm sure this is quite unknown to my lady. So don't say +anything about it among your people at home, or it may come round to +Lady S.'s ears, and poor Uncle Val. would get scolded. Give my love to +Aunt Julia and my cousins. I hope to see you all next season in town, +for Ancram and I have quite made up our minds not to stick in that nasty +little provincial hole all the year round. Mrs. Errington is to go back +there directly after the wedding, to see about a house for us, and get +things ready. Of course, if there's anything that I don't like, I can +alter it myself when I arrive.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, dear Louisa. Don't forget your affectionate cousin, who signs +herself (perhaps for the last time),</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">C. C. Kilfinane</span>."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>(From Orlando Pawkins to his sister, Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs.)</p> + +<p>"Long Fells, Westmoreland. Monday evening.</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">My dear Jemima</span>,—I am sorry that you and Humphrey should have felt hurt +and thought I was making mysteries. But I assure you I was quite taken +by surprise when I got Errington's letter, telling me about his wedding, +and inclosing Lord Seely's invitation to me to come here. I knew nothing +about it before, I give you my word.</p> + +<p>"You ask me to write you full details of the affair, and I am sure I +would if I could. But I don't know any more than the rest of the world. +I don't think much of Long Fells. The land is poor, and the house almost +tumbling to pieces. Lord Seely is uncommonly polite, but I don't much +like my lady. And she has a beast of a lap-dog that snaps at everybody. +Errington is the same as ever, only he looks so much older in these two +years. Any one would take him to be five or six and twenty, at least. As +to the bride, she don't take much notice of me, so I haven't got very +well acquainted with her. I ride about the country nearly all day long. +Lord Seely has provided me with a pretty decent mount. I shall be glad +when the wedding is over, and I can get away, for it's precious dull +here. Even your friend Jack Price seems moped and out of sorts, and goes +about singing, 'The heart that once truly loves never forgets,' or +something like that, enough to give a fellow the blue devils.</p> + +<p>"I asked about what you wanted to know about the wedding dresses, but I +couldn't make out much from the answers I got. Miss Kilfinane is to wear +a white silk gown, trimmed with something or other that has a French +name. Perhaps you can guess what it is. The bridesmaids are fat, +freckled girls, the daughters of the parson. I think I have now given +you all the particulars I can.</p> + +<p>"I wish you and Humphrey would come down to Pudcombe in September. Tell +him I can give him some fairish shooting, and will do all I can to make +you both comfortable. Believe me,</p> + +<p>"Your affectionate brother, O. P."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + + +<p>It was the evening before the wedding. In a low long room that was dark +with black oak panelling, and gloomy, moreover, by reason of the +smallness of the ivy-framed casement at one end, which alone admitted +the daylight into it, Lord Seely sat before the hearth.</p> + +<p>Although it was August there was a fire. There were few evenings of the +year when a fire was not agreeable at Long Fells; and one was certainly +agreeable on this especial evening. The day had been rainy. The whole +house seemed dark and damp. A few logs that had been laid on the top of +the coal fire sputtered and smoked drearily. My lord sat in a large +high-backed chair, which nearly hid his diminutive figure from view, +except on the side of the fireplace. His head was sunk on his breast; +his hands were plunged deep into his pockets; his legs were stretched +out towards the hearth; his whole attitude was undignified. It was such, +an attitude as few of his friends or acquaintances had ever seen him in, +for it was nearly impossible for Lord Seely to be unconscious or +careless of the effect he was producing in the presence of an observer.</p> + +<p>He was now absorbed in thought, and was allowing his outer man to +express the nature of his musings. They were not pleasant musings, as +any spectator would at once have pronounced who should have seen his +posture, and his pursed mouth, and his eyebrows knitted anxiously under +the bald yellow forehead. The entrance even of a footman into the room +would have produced an instant change in Lord Seely's demeanour. But no +footman was there to see his lordship sunk in a brown study.</p> + +<p>At length he raised his head and glanced out of the window. It had +ceased to rain, but the drops were still trickling down the window-panes +from the points of the ivy leaves; and it was already so dark that the +firelight began to throw fantastic shadows from the quaint old +furniture, and to shine with a dull red glow on the polished oak panels. +Lord Seely rang the bell.</p> + +<p>"Has Mr. Errington returned?" he asked of the servant who appeared in +answer to the summons.</p> + +<p>"Not yet, my lord."</p> + +<p>"Tell them to beg Mr. Errington, with my compliments, to do me the +favour to step here before he dresses for dinner."</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord."</p> + +<p>"Don't light that lamp! or, stay; yes, you may light it. Put the shade +over it, and place it behind me. Draw the curtains across the window. +Take care that my message is given to Mr. Errington directly he comes +home."</p> + +<p>The servant withdrew. And Lord Seely, when he was left alone, began to +walk up and down the room with his hands behind him. Thus Algernon found +him when, in about ten minutes, he appeared, rosy and fresh from his +ride.</p> + +<p>"I must apologise for my muddy condition," he cried gaily. "Pawkins and +I rode over to Applethwaite to get something for Castalia that was found +wanting at the last moment. And I am splashed to the eyebrows. But I +thought it best to come just as I was, as your lordship's message was +pressing."</p> + +<p>"Thank you. I am much obliged to you, Ancram. It is not, in truth, that +there is any such immediate hurry for what I have to say, that it might +not have waited an hour or so; but I thought it likely that we might not +have so good an opportunity of speaking alone together."</p> + +<p>Lord Seely seated himself once more in the high-backed chair, but in a +very different attitude from his former one. He was upright, majestic, +with one hand in his breast, and the other reclining on the arm of his +chair. But on his face might be read, by one who knew it well, traces of +trouble and of being ill at ease. Algernon read my lord's countenance +well enough. He stood leaning easily on the mantel-shelf, tapping his +splashed boot with his riding-whip, and looking down on Lord Seely with +an air of quiet expectation.</p> + +<p>"I have been having a serious conversation with Castalia," said my lord, +after a preliminary clearing of his throat.</p> + +<p>Algernon said, smilingly, "I hope you have not found it necessary to +scold her, my lord? The phrase, 'Having a serious conversation' with any +one, always suggests to my mind the administering of a reprimand."</p> + +<p>"No, Ancram. No; I have not found it necessary to scold Castalia. I am +very much attached to her, and very anxious for her happiness. She is +the child of my favourite sister."</p> + +<p>The old man's voice was not so firm as usual when he said this; and he +looked up at Algernon with an appealing look.</p> + +<p>Algernon could be pleasant, genial, even affectionate in his manner—but +never tender. That was more than he could compass by any movement of +imitative sympathy. He had never even been able so to simulate +tenderness as to succeed in singing a pathetic song. Perhaps he had +learned that it was useless to make the attempt. At all events, he did +not now attempt to exhibit any answering tenderness to Lord Seely's look +and tone of unwonted feeling, in speaking of his dead sister's child. +His reply was hard, clear, and cheerful, as the chirp of a canary bird.</p> + +<p>"I know you have always been extremely good to Castalia, my lord. We are +both of us very sensible of your kindness, and very much obliged by it."</p> + +<p>"No, no," said my lord, waving his hand. "No, no, no. Castalia owes me +nothing. She has been to me almost as my own daughter. There can be no +talk of obligations between her and me."</p> + +<p>Then he paused, for what appeared to be a long time. In the silence of +the room the damp logs hissed like whispering voices.</p> + +<p>"Ancram," Lord Seely said at length, "Castalia is very much attached to +you."</p> + +<p>"I assure you, my lord, I am very grateful to her."</p> + +<p>"Ahem! Castalia's is not an expansive nature. She was, perhaps, too much +repressed and chilled in childhood, by living with uncongenial persons. +But she is responsive to kindness, and it develops her best qualities. I +will frankly own, that I am very anxious about her future. You will not +owe me a grudge for saying that much, Ancram?"</p> + +<p>"I never owe grudges, my lord. But I trust you have no doubt of my +behaving with kindness to Castalia?"</p> + +<p>"No, Ancram. No; I hope not. I believe not."</p> + +<p>"I am glad of that; because—the doubt would come rather too late to be +of much use, would it not?"</p> + +<p>Algernon spoke with his old bright smile; but two things were observable +throughout this interview. Firstly, that Algernon, though still +perfectly respectful, no longer addressed his senior with the winning, +cordial deference of manner which had so captivated Lord Seely in the +beginning of their acquaintance. Secondly, that Lord Seely appeared +conscious of some reason in the young man's mind for dissatisfaction, +and to be desirous of deprecating that dissatisfaction.</p> + +<p>At the same time, there seemed to be in Lord Seely an undercurrent of +feeling struggling for expression. He had the air of a man who, knowing +himself to have right and reason on his side in the main, yet is aware +of a tender point in his case which an unscrupulous adversary will not +hesitate to touch, and which he nervously shrinks from having touched. +He winced at Algernon's last words, and answered rather hotly, "It would +be too late. Your insinuation is a just one. If I had any misgivings I +ought to have expressed them, and acted on them before. But the fact is +that this—the final arrangement of this marriage—took me in a great +measure by surprise."</p> + +<p>"So it did me, my lord!"</p> + +<p>Lord Seely had been gazing moodily at the fire. He now suddenly raised +his eyes and looked searchingly at Algernon. The young man's face wore +an expression of candid amusement. His arched eyebrows were lifted, and +he was smiling as unconcernedly as if the subject in hand touched +himself no jot.</p> + +<p>"I give you my word," he continued lightly, "that when Lady Seely first +spoke to me about it, I was—oh, 'astonished' is no word to express what +I felt!"</p> + +<p>A dark red flush came into Lord Seely's withered cheeks, and mounted to +his forehead. He dropped his eyes, and moved uneasily on his chair, +passing one hand through the tuft of grey hair that stood up above his +ear. Algernon went on, with an almost boyish frankness of manner:</p> + +<p>"Of course, you know, I should hardly have ventured to aspire to such an +idea quite unassisted. And I believe I said something or other to my +lady—very stumblingly, I have no doubt, for I remember feeling very +much bewildered. I said some word about my being a poor devil with +nothing in the world to offer to a lady in Miss Kilfinane's +position—except, of course, my undying devotion. Only one cannot live +altogether on that. But Lady Seely was very sanguine, and saw no +difficulties. She said it could be managed. And she was right, you see. +Where there's a will, there's a way. And I am really to be married to +Castalia to-morrow. It seems too good to be true!"</p> + +<p>Lord Seely rose and faced the young man; and as he did so, his lordship +looked really dignified; for the sincere feeling within him had for once +obliterated his habitual uneasy self-consciousness.</p> + +<p>"Ancram," he said, "I am afraid, from what Castalia tells me, that you +are greatly dissatisfied with the position I have been able to procure +for you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, my lord, Castalia ought not to have said so! If she can content +herself in it for a time, how can I venture to complain?"</p> + +<p>"I am sorry to find," continued Lord Seely, "that your circumstances are +more seriously embarrassed than I thought."</p> + +<p>"Are they, my lord? I profess I don't know how to disembarrass them!"</p> + +<p>"You are in debt——"</p> + +<p>"I had the honour of avowing as much to your lordship when my marriage +was first discussed; as you, doubtless, remember?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; and you named a sum which I——"</p> + +<p>"Which your lordship was kind enough to pay. Certainly."</p> + +<p>"But it now appears that that sum did not cover the whole of your +liabilities, Ancram. Castalia tells me that you have been annoyed by +applications for money quite recently."</p> + +<p>Algernon smiled, and put his head on one side, as if trying to recall a +half-forgotten fact. "Well," said he at length, "upon my word I have +forgotten the exact sum which I did name to your lordship, but I have no +doubt it was correct at the time. The worst of it is, that my debts have +this unfortunate peculiarity—they won't stay paid!"</p> + +<p>"It is a great pity, Ancram, for a young man to get into the habit of +thinking lightly of debt. It is, in fact," continued his lordship, +growing graver and graver as he spoke, "a fatal habit of mind."</p> + +<p>"My dear lord, I don't think lightly of it by any means! But, really—is +it not best to accept the inevitable with some cheerfulness?"</p> + +<p>"'The inevitable,' Ancram?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord; in my position, debt was inevitable. I could not be a +member of your family circle, a frequent inmate of your house, doing the +things you did, going where you went, without incurring some expense."</p> + +<p>It was no want of tact which made Algernon speak thus plainly and +coarsely. He did not fail (as his mother might have done) to perceive +that his words pained and mortified his hearer. He would by no means +have aimed such a shaft at Lady Seely, knowing that nature had +protected her feelings with a hide of some toughness; and knowing, +moreover, that my lady would unhesitatingly have flung back some verbal +missile, at least equally rough and heavy. But my lord was at once more +vulnerable and more scrupulous. And although Algernon was the last +person in the world to be guilty of gratuitous cruelty, yet, if one is +to fight, one had best use the most effective weapons, and take +advantage of any chink in the enemy's armour to drive one's javelin +home!</p> + +<p>"I regret," said Lord Seely, with a little catching of the breath, like +a man who has received a cold douche, "I deplore that your intimacy with +my family should have led you into a false position."</p> + +<p>"Not at all, my lord! My position in your family has been a very +pleasant one."</p> + +<p>"I ought, perhaps—it was my duty—to have inquired more particularly +into your means, and to have ascertained whether they sufficed for the +life you were leading in London. You were very young, and without +experience. I—I reproach myself, Ancram."</p> + +<p>"Don't do that, my lord! There is really no need. I'm sure nobody is the +worse for the few pounds I owe at this moment: not even my tailor, who +has cheated me handsomely, doing me the honour to treat me as one of +your lordship's own class!"</p> + +<p>Lord Seely bent down his grey head and meditated with a pained and +anxious face. Then he looked up, and said:</p> + +<p>"You know, Ancram, that I am not a rich man for one in my station."</p> + +<p>Algernon bowed gracefully.</p> + +<p>"Had I been so, I should have made a settlement upon Castalia; but, +although I have no daughters of my own to provide for," (with a little +sigh) "yet my property is very strictly tied up. There are claims on it, +too, of various sorts——" ("Lady Seely screws all she can out of him +for that nephew of hers," was Algy's mental comment.) "And, in brief, I +am not in a position to command any large sums of ready money. I believe +I said as much to you before?"</p> + +<p>Algernon bowed again and smiled.</p> + +<p>"Well, I repeat it now, in order to impress on you the fact, that +neither you nor Castalia must look to me for pecuniary help in the +future."</p> + +<p>"Oh, my lord——"</p> + +<p>"I do not say that Castalia might not have a right to ask such help of +me; but I merely assure you that it will be out of my power to grant it. +You, perhaps, scarcely realise how poor a man may be who has a fairly +large rent-roll?"</p> + +<p>"I think I have begun to realise it, my lord."</p> + +<p>Lord Seely looked quickly into the young man's face, but it was smiling +and inscrutable.</p> + +<p>"Well," he resumed, "I will only add, that for this once, and presuming +your present debts are not heavy——"</p> + +<p>"Oh dear no! A trifle."</p> + +<p>"I will discharge them if you will let me have the amount accurately. I +have a great repugnance to the thought of Castalia—and you—beginning +your married life in debt."</p> + +<p>"A thousand thanks. It will be better for us to start fair."</p> + +<p>"I hope, Ancram, that you will use every endeavour to live clearly +within your means, and to make the best of your circumstances. The fact +is, this marriage has been hurried on——"</p> + +<p>Algernon did not answer in words; but he gave an expressive shrug and +smile, which said, as plainly as possible, "I have not hurried it on!"</p> + +<p>Lord Seely coloured deeply, and seemed to shrink bodily, as if he had +received a blow. He went on hastily, and with less than his usual +self-possession: "I—I have felt, rather than perceived, a—a little +touch of bitterness in your manner lately. There, there, we will not +quibble about the word! If not bitter, you have not been, at all events, +in the frame of mind I wished and hoped to find you in. You are young; +and youth is apt to be a little unreasonable in its expectations. I +own—I admit—that your worldly position will not be—a—exactly +brilliant. But I assure you that in these days there are many gentlemen +of good abilities, and industry, who would be glad of it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I am fully aware of my good fortune, my lord! Besides, you know, +this is only a stepping-stone."</p> + +<p>"Yes; we—we hope so. But, Ancram—and this is what I had in my mind to +say to you frankly—don't neglect or despise the present employment, in +looking forward to something better."</p> + +<p>"By no means!"</p> + +<p>"For your own sake—your own sake, I earnestly advise you not to give +way to a feeling of discontent."</p> + +<p>"Do I look discontented? Upon my word, your lordship is doing me +singular injustice!"</p> + +<p>"There is a smiling discontent, as well as a frowning discontent: and I +don't know but that it is the worst of the two."</p> + +<p>Algernon laughed outright.</p> + +<p>"Well," said he, "you must own that it is a little difficult to give +satisfaction!"</p> + +<p>His light smooth tone jarred disagreeably on Lord Seely. If the latter +had thought to make any impression on the young man, to draw from him +any outburst of feeling, he had signally failed. Algernon's words could +not be objected to, but the tone in which they were uttered was +completely nonchalant. His nonchalance increased in proportion to Lord +Seely's earnestness. A year ago Algernon would have brought his manner +into harmony with my lord's mood. He would have been grave, attentive, +eager to show his appreciation of my lord's kindness, and his value for +my lord's advice. But now there was some malice in his smiling +good-humour; a little cruelty in the brightness of his unruffled +serenity. He was genuinely tickled at seeing the pompous little nobleman +embarrassed in speaking to him, Algernon Errington, and he enjoyed what +comedy there might be in the situation none the less because his patron +suffered.</p> + +<p>In truth, Algernon was discontented. His was not a gnawing, black sort +of discontent. He neither grew lean, nor yellow, nor morose; but his +irony was sometimes flavoured with acidity; and instead of being easily +tolerant of such follies as zeal, enthusiasm, or fervent reverence, he +was now apt to speak of them with a disdainful superiority. And he had, +too, an air of having washed his hands of any concern with his own +career; of laying the responsibility on Destiny, or whomsoever it might +concern; of awaiting, with sarcastic patience, the next turn of the +wheel—as if life were neither a battle nor a march, but a gigantic game +of rouge-et-noir, with terrible odds in favour of the bank.</p> + +<p>Lord Seely was no match for this youth of two-and-twenty. Lord Seely had +intended to impress him deeply; to read him a lecture, in which Olympian +severity should be tempered by mercy; to convince him, by dignified and +condescending methods, of his great good fortune in having secured the +hand of Castalia Kilfinane of Kauldkail; and of his great +unreasonableness (not to say presumption) in not accepting that boon on +bended knee, instead of grumbling at being made postmaster of Whitford. +But in order to make an impression, it does not suffice to have tools +only; the surface to be impressed must also exist, and be adapted to the +operation. How impress the bright, cool, shining liquid bosom of a lake, +for instance? Oar and keel, pebble and arrow, wind and current, are +alike powerless to make a furrow that shall last.</p> + +<p>Lord Seely laboured under the disadvantage, in this crisis, of feeling +for other persons with some keenness; a circumstance which frittered +away his power considerably, and made him vacillating. Algernon's +capacities for feeling were, on this occasion, steadily concentrated on +himself, and this gave his behaviour a solid consistency, which was felt +even beneath the surface-lightness of his manner.</p> + +<p>"I hope," said Lord Seely, rather sadly than solemnly—"I do most +earnestly hope, Ancram, that you will be happy in this marriage!"</p> + +<p>"Your lordship is very good. I assure you, I feel your goodness."</p> + +<p>He said it as if he had been accepting an invitation to dinner.</p> + +<p>"And—and that you will do your best to make Castalia happy?"</p> + +<p>"You may rely on my doing my best."</p> + +<p>"There are discrepancies, perhaps—disparities—but but those marriages +are not always the happiest in which the external circumstances on both +sides seem to be best matched. You are young. You are untrammelled. You +have no irrevocable past behind you to regret. I do not see—no, I do +not see why, with mutual regard and respect, you should not make a good +life of it."</p> + +<p>"These are the most lugubrious nuptial felicitations that ever were +offered to a bridegroom, I should fancy!" thought Algernon. And he had +some difficulty in keeping his countenance, so vividly did he feel the +ludicrous aspect of his lordship's well-meant effort at "impressing" +him.</p> + +<p>"I should feel some sense of responsibility if—if things were not to +turn out as brightly as we hope—and believe—and believe they will turn +out."</p> + +<p>"Oh, don't distress yourself about that, my lord!" cried Algernon. (He +had very nearly said "don't apologise!") "There is the dressing-bell," +he added, with alacrity, taking his hat up from the table. "If your +lordship has no further commands, I think I——"</p> + +<p>"Yes; go, Ancram. I will not detain you longer. Remember," said Lord +Seely, taking the young man's hand between both his own, and speaking in +a tremulous voice, "remember, Ancram, that I wish to serve you. My +intention all along has been to do my best for you. You have been a very +pleasant inmate in my home. Ancram, be good to Castalia. For good or for +evil, you are her fate now. No one can come between you. Be good to +her."</p> + +<p>"My dear lord, I beg you to believe that I will make Castalia's +happiness the study of my life. And—oh, I have no doubt we shall get on +capitally. With your interest, it can't be long before we get into a +better berth. I know you'll do your best for us, for Castalia's sake; +oh, and mine, too, I am happy to believe. Yes, certainly. I really am in +such a state of mud that I believe my very hair is splashed. It will +take me all the time there remains for dressing to get myself +presentably clean, positively. <i>Au revoir</i>, my lord. And thank you very, +very much."</p> + +<p>With his jauntiest step, and brightest smile, Algernon left the room.</p> + +<p>Lord Seely returned to his chair before the hearth, resumed his moody, +musing attitude, and sat there, alone, with his head sunk on his breast +until they called him to dinner.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + + +<p>In the first week of August Mrs. Errington returned to Whitford. She had +got over her annoyance at not having been intrusted sooner with the news +of Algernon's engagement to Miss Kilfinane. By dint of telling her +friends so, she had at last persuaded herself that she had been in the +secret all along; and, if she felt any other mortifications and +disappointments connected with her son's marriage, she kept them to +herself. But it is probable that she did not keenly feel any such. She +was not sensitive; and she did believe that, by connecting himself so +nearly with Lord Seely's family, Algernon was advancing his prospects of +success in the world. These sources of comfort, combined with an +excellent digestion, and the perennial gratification of contemplating +her own claims to distinction as contrasted with those of her +neighbours, kept the worthy lady in good spirits, and she returned to +Whitford in a kind of full blow of cheerfulness and importance.</p> + +<p>Her reception there, at the outset, was, however, far from being what +she had looked forward to. She had written to Rhoda announcing the day +and hour of her arrival, and requesting that James Maxfield should meet +her at the "Blue Bell" inn, where the coach stopped, with a fly for the +conveyance of herself and her luggage to her old quarters. Mrs. +Errington had not previously written to Rhoda from Westmoreland, but she +had forwarded to her at different times two copies of the <i>Applethwaite +Advertiser</i>. In one of these journals a preliminary announcement of +Algernon's marriage had appeared under the heading of "Alliance in High +Life." In the second there was an account of the wedding, and the +breakfast, and the rejoicings in the village of Long Fells, which did +much credit to the imaginative powers of the writer. According to the +<i>Applethwaite Advertiser</i>, the ceremony had been imposing, the breakfast +sumptuous, and the village demonstrations enthusiastic.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington had bought twenty copies of the newspaper for +distribution among her friends; and she pleased herself with thinking +how grateful the Maxfields would be to her for sending them the papers +with the interesting paragraphs marked in red ink. She also looked +forward with much complacency to having Rhoda for a listener to all her +narrations about the wedding and life at Long Fells, and the great +people whom she had met there. Rhoda was such a capital listener! And +then, besides and beyond all that, Mrs. Errington was fond of Rhoda, and +had more motherly warmth of feeling for her than she had as yet attained +to for her new daughter-in-law.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington's head was stretched out of the coach-window as the +vehicle clattered up the archway of the "Blue Bell" inn. It was about +seven o'clock on a fine August evening, and there was ample light enough +for the traveller to distinguish all the familiar features of the +streets through which she passed. "James will be standing in the +inn-yard ready to receive me," she thought; "and I suppose the fly will +be waiting at the corner by the booking-office. I wonder whether the +driver will be the lame old man or young Simmons?" She was still +debating this question when the coach turned sharply round under the +archway, and stopped in the great rambling yard of the old-fashioned +"Blue Bell" inn.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington got down unassisted; James Maxfield was not there. She +looked round in bewilderment, standing hot, dusty, and tired in the +yard, where, after a bustling waiter had tripped up to her to ask if she +wanted a room, and tripped away again, no one took any heed of her.</p> + +<p>A fly was not to be had in Whitford at a moment's notice. After waiting +for some ten minutes, Mrs. Errington found there was nothing for it but +to walk to her lodgings. She left her luggage in the coach-office to be +called for, and set out carrying a rather heavy hand-bag, and hurrying +through the streets at a pace much quicker than her usual dignified rate +of moving. She wished not to be seen and recognised by any passing +acquaintance under circumstances so unfavourable to an impressive or +triumphant demeanour.</p> + +<p>Arrived at Jonathan Maxfield's house, the aspect of things was not much +improved. Betty Grimshaw opened the door, and stared in surprise on +seeing Mrs. Errington. She had not been expected. Mr. Maxfield was over +at Duckwell at his son's farm. James was busy in the store-house. And as +for Rhoda, she was away on a visit to Miss Bodkin at the seaside, and +had been for some weeks. A letter? Oh, if a letter had come for Rhoda, +her father would have sent it on to her. It was a two days' post from +where she was to Whitford. And the newspapers? Betty did not know. She +had not seen them. Her brother-in-law had had them, she supposed. Yes; +she had heard that Mr. Algernon was married, or going to be married. The +servants from Pudcombe Hall had spoken of it when they came into the +shop. Jonathan had not said anything on the subject as far as she knew. +Mrs. Errington knew what Jonathan was. He never was given to much +conversation. And it was Betty's opinion, delivered very frankly, that +Jonathan grew crustier and closer as he got older. But wouldn't Mrs. +Errington like a cup of tea? Betty would have the kettle boiling in a +few minutes.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington felt rather forlorn, as she entered her old sitting-room +and looked around her. It was trim and neat, indeed, and spotlessly +clean; but it had the chill, repellent look of an uninhabited apartment. +The corner cupboard was locked, and its treasure of old china hidden +from view. Algernon's books were gone from the shelf above the piano. A +white cloth was spread over the sofa, and the hearth-rug was turned +upside down, displaying a grey lining, instead of the gay-coloured +scraps of cloth.</p> + +<p>She missed Rhoda. She had become accustomed to Algernon's absence from +the familiar room; but Rhoda's absence made a blank in it, that was +depressing. And perhaps Mrs. Errington herself was surprised to find how +dreary the place looked, without the girl's gentle face and modest +figure. She gladly accepted Betty Grimshaw's invitation to take her tea +downstairs in the comfortable, bright kitchen, instead of alone in the +melancholy gentility of her own sitting-room. Betty was as +wooden-faced, and grim, and rigid in her aspect as ever. But she was not +unfriendly towards her old lodger. And, moreover, she was entirely +respectful in her manner, holding it as a fixed article of her faith +that "gentlefolks born" were intended by Providence to be treated with +deference, and desiring to show that she herself had been trained to +becoming behaviour under the roof of a person of quality.</p> + +<p>It was little more than nine o'clock when Mrs. Errington rose to go to +bed, being tired with her journey. As she did so, she said, "Mrs. +Grimshaw, will you get James to send a hand-cart for my luggage in good +time to-morrow?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, your luggage?" returned Betty. "Well, do you think it is worth +while to send for it, if you're not going to stay?"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington was so much astonished by this speech, that she sat down +again on the chair she had just quitted. Then, after a minute's pause, +her mind, which did not move very rapidly, arrived at what she supposed +to be the explanation of Betty's words. "Oh, I see," she said; "you took +it for granted that, on my son's marriage, I should leave you and join +him. But it is not so, my good soul. My daughter-in-law has implored me +to live with them, but I have refused. It is better for the young people +to be by themselves; and I prefer my own independence also. No, my good +Mrs. Grimshaw, I shall remain in my old quarters until Mr. Algernon +leaves Whitford for good. And perhaps, even then, I may not give you up +altogether, who knows?"</p> + +<p>Betty hesitated for an instant before replying. "Then Jonathan has not +said anything to you about giving up the rooms?"</p> + +<p>"Good gracious, no! I have not heard from Mr. Maxfield at all!"</p> + +<p>"I suppose he didn't expect you back quite so soon. And—there, I'm sure +I won't take upon myself to speak for him. I shouldn't have got on with +my brother-in-law all these years if I hadn't made it a rule to try for +peace and quietness, and never interfere."</p> + +<p>But Mrs. Errington persisting in her demand that Betty should explain +herself more fully, the latter at length confessed that, during the past +two or three weeks, Jonathan Maxfield had declared his intention of +getting rid of his lodger, and of not letting the first floor of his +house again. "Your sitting-room is to be kept as a kind of a +drawing-room for Rhoda, as I understand Jonathan," said she.</p> + +<p>A drawing-room for Rhoda! Mrs. Errington could not believe her senses. +"Why, what is Mr. Maxfield thinking of?" she exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you don't know what a fuss Jonathan has been making lately about +Rhoda! Before you went away, you know, ma'am, as he had begun to spend +a deal of money on her clothes. And since then, more and more; it's been +all his talk as Rhoda was to be a lady. The notion has got stuck fast in +his head, and wild horses wouldn't drag it out."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington rose very majestically. "I much fear," she said, "I much +fear that I am responsible for this delusion of your brother-in-law. I +have a little spoiled the girl, and taken too much notice of her. I +regret it now. But, really, Rhoda is such a sweet creature that I don't +know that I have been so very much to blame, either. It is true I have +introduced her to my friends, and brought her forward a little beyond +her station; but I little thought a man of Mr. Maxfield's common sense +would have been so utterly led away by kindly-meant patronage."</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't know as it's so much that, ma'am," returned Betty, in a +matter-of-fact tone, "as it is that Jonathan has latterly been thinking +a deal about his money. And he knows money will do great things——"</p> + +<p>"Money can never confer gentle birth, my good creature!"</p> + +<p>"No, for sure, ma'am. That's what I say myself. I know my catechism, and +I was brought up to respect my superiors. But, you see, Jonathan's heart +is greatly set on his riches. He's a well-off man, is my +brother-in-law; more so than many folks think. He's been a close man all +his life. And, for that matter, he's close enough now in some things, +and screws me down in the housekeeping pretty tight. But for Rhoda he +seems to grudge nothing, and wants her to make a show and a splash +almost—if you can fancy such a thing of Jonathan! But there's no saying +how men will turn out; not even the old ones. I'm sure I often and often +thank my stars I've kept single—no offence to you, ma'am."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington went to bed in a bewildered frame of mind. Tired as she +was, the news she had heard kept her awake for some time. Leave her +lodgings! Leave old Max's house, which had been her home for so many +years! It was incredible. And, indeed, before long she had made up her +mind to resist old Max's intention of turning her out. "I shall give him +a good talking to, to-morrow," she said to herself. "Stupid old man! He +really must not be allowed to make himself so absurd." And then Mrs. +Errington fell asleep.</p> + +<p>But the next day old Max did not return to be talked to; nor the day +after that. James Maxfield went over to Duckwell, and came back bringing +a formal notice to Mrs. Errington to quit the lodgings, signed by his +father.</p> + +<p>"What does this mean, James?" asked Mrs. Errington, with much emphasis, +and wide-open eyes. James did not know what it meant. He did not +apparently much care, either. He had never been on very friendly terms +with the Erringtons (having, indeed, come but seldom in contact with +them during all the time they had lived under the same roof with him), +and had, perhaps, been a little jealous in his sullen, silent way, of +their petting of Rhoda. At all events, on the present occasion, he was +not communicative nor very civil. He had performed his father's behests, +and he knew nothing more. His father was not coming back home just yet. +And James volunteered the opinion that he didn't mean to come back until +Mrs. Errington should be gone.</p> + +<p>All this was strange and disagreeable. But Mrs. Errington was not of an +irritable or anxious temperament. And her self-complacency was of too +solid a kind to be much affected even by ruder rubs than any which could +be given by James Maxfield's uncouth bluntness. "I shall take no notice +whatever of this," she said, with serene dignity. "When your father +comes back, I shall talk to him. Meanwhile, I have a great many +important things to do."</p> + +<p>The good lady did in truth begin at once to busy herself in seeking a +house for Algernon, and getting it furnished. There was but a month to +make all arrangements in, and all Mrs. Errington's friends who could by +any possibility be pressed into the service were required to assist +her. The Docketts; Rose and Violet McDougall; Mrs. Smith, the surgeon's +wife; and even Miss Chubb, were sent hither and thither, asked to write +notes, to make inquiries, to have interviews with landlords, and to take +as much trouble, and make as much fuss as possible, in the task of +getting ready an abode for Mr. and the Honourable Mrs. Algernon +Errington.</p> + +<p>A house was found without much difficulty. It was a small isolated +cottage on the outskirts of the town, with a garden behind it which ran +down to the meadows bordering the Whit; and was the very house, +belonging to Barker the chemist, of which Mrs. Errington had written to +her friend Mrs. Bodkin.</p> + +<p>It was really a very humble dwelling. But the rent of it was quite as +large as Algernon would be able to afford. Mrs. Errington said, "I +prefer a small place for them. If they took a more pretentious house, +they would be expected to entertain. And you know, my dear sir," (or +"madam," as the case might be) "that there is a great mixture in +Whitford society; and that would not suit my daughter-in-law, of course. +You perceive that, don't you?" And then the person so addressed might +flatter him or herself with the idea of belonging to the unmixed portion +of society.</p> + +<p>Indeed, this terrible accusation of being "mixed" was one which Mrs. +Errington was rather fond of bringing against the social gatherings in +Whitford. And she had once been greatly offended, and a good deal +puzzled, by Mr. Diamond's asking her what objection there could be to +that; and challenging her to point out any good thing on earth, from a +bowl of punch upwards, which was not "mixed!" But however this might be, +no one believed at all that the mixture in Whitford society was the real +reason for young Errington's inhabiting so small a house. They knew +perfectly well that if Algernon's means had been larger, his house would +have been larger also.</p> + +<p>And yet, Mrs. Errington's flourish was not without its effect on some +persons. They in their turn repeated her lamentations on the "mixture" +to such of their acquaintances as did not happen to be also her +acquaintances. And as there were very few individuals in Whitford either +so eccentric, or so courageous, as Mr. Diamond, this mysterious mixture +was generally acknowledged, with shrugs and head-shakings, to be a very +great evil indeed.</p> + +<p>At the end of about a fortnight, old Max one day reappeared in his own +house, and marched upstairs to Mrs. Errington's sitting-room.</p> + +<p>"Well, ma'am," said he, without any preliminary greeting whatsoever, "I +suppose you understood the written notice to quit, that I sent you? But +as my son James informs me that you don't seem to be taking any steps in +consequence of it, I've come to say that you will have to remove out of +my abode on the twenty-seventh of this month, and not a day later. So +you can act according to your judgment in finding another place to dwell +in."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington was inspecting the contents of a packing-case which had +been sent from London by Lady Seely. It contained, as her ladyship said, +"some odds and ends that would be useful to the young couple." The only +article of any value in the whole collection was a porcelain vase, which +had long stood in obscurity on a side-table in Lord Seely's study, and +would not be missed thence. Lady Seely, at all events, would not miss +it, as she seldom entered the room; and therefore she had generously +added it to the odds and ends!</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington looked up, a little flushed with the exertion of stooping +over the packing-case, and confronted Mr. Maxfield. Her round, red +full-moon face contrasted in a lively manner with the old man's grey, +lank, harsh visage. The years, as they passed, did not improve old Max's +appearance. And as soon as she beheld him, Mrs. Errington was convinced +of the justice of Betty Grimshaw's remark, that her brother-in-law +seemed to have grown closer and crustier than ever of late.</p> + +<p>"Why, Mr. Maxfield," said the lady, condescendingly, "how do you do? I +have been wanting to see you. Come, sit down, and let us talk matters +over."</p> + +<p>Old Max stood in the doorway glaring at her. "I don't know, ma'am, as +there's any matters I want to talk over with you," he returned. "You had +better understand that I mean what I say. You'll find it more convenient +to believe me at once, and to act accordin'."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to say that you intend to turn me out, Mr. Maxfield?"</p> + +<p>"I have given you a legal notice to quit, ma'am. You needn't call it +turning you out, unless you like."</p> + +<p>He had begun to move away, when Mrs. Errington exclaimed, "But I really +don't comprehend this at all! What will Rhoda think of it?"</p> + +<p>Maxfield stopped, hesitatingly, with his hand on the banisters at the +top of the landing. "Rhoda?" said he gruffly. "Oh, Rhoda has nothing to +say to it, one way or t'other."</p> + +<p>"But I want to have something to say to her! I assure you it was a great +disappointment to me not to find Rhoda here on my return. I'm very fond +of her; and shall continue to be so, as long as she merits it. It is not +her fault, poor girl, if—other people forget themselves."</p> + +<p>Maxfield took his hand off the banisters and turned round. "Since you're +so fond of Rhoda," he said, with a queer expression on his sour old +face, "you'll be glad to know where she is, and the company she's in."</p> + +<p>"I know that she is at the seaside with my friends, Mrs. and Miss +Bodkin."</p> + +<p>"She is at the seaside with <i>her</i> friends, Mrs. and Miss Bodkin. Miss +Minnie is a real lady, and she understands how to treat Rhoda, and knows +that the Lord has made a lady of Rhoda by natur'."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington stared in utter astonishment. The suspicion began to form +and strengthen itself in her mind that the old man was positively out of +his senses. If so, his insanity had taken an extremely unpleasant turn +for her.</p> + +<p>"I really was not prepared for being turned out of my lodgings after all +these years," she said, reverting to the point that most nearly touched +herself.</p> + +<p>"I've not been prepared for a many things as have happened after all +these years. But I'm ready to meet 'em when they come."</p> + +<p>"Well, but now, Mr. Maxfield, let us see if we cannot make an +arrangement. If you have any different views about the rent, I——"</p> + +<p>"The rent! What do you think your bit of a rent matters to me? I want +the rooms for the use of my daughter, Miss Maxfield, and there's an end +of it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, he certainly cannot be in his right senses to address me in this +manner!" thought Mrs. Errington.</p> + +<p>Maxfield went on, "I see you've got a box of rubbish there, littering +about the place. I give you warning not to unpack any more here, for out +everything 'll have to go on the twenty-seventh of this month, as sure +as my name's Jonathan Maxfield!"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Maxfield! You are certainly forgetting yourself. Rubbish, indeed! +These are a few—a very few—of the valuable wedding presents sent to my +son and daughter by Lady Seely."</p> + +<p>Old Max made a grating sound which was intended for a laugh, although +his bushy grey eyebrows were drawn together in a heavy frown the while. +Then he suddenly burst out in a kind of cold fury. "Pooh!" he cried. +"Presents! Valuable presents! You don't deceive anybody by that! Look +here—if the old carpet or any of the furniture in this room would be of +any assistance to you, you can take it! I'll give it to you—a free +gift! The place is going to be done up and new furnished for Miss +Maxfield. Furnished handsome, fit for a young lady of property. Fit for +a young lady that will have a sum o' money on the day she marries—if +I'm pleased with her choice—as 'll make some folks' mouths water. It +won't be reckoned by twenties, nor yet by hundreds, won't Miss +Maxfield's fortin'! You can take the old carpet, and mahogany table, and +the high-backed chairs, and put 'em among your valuable presents. +They're too old-fashioned for Miss Maxfield's drawing-room!" And with a +repetition of the grating laugh, old Max tramped heavily downstairs, and +was heard to bang the door of his own parlour.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington sat motionless for nearly a quarter of an hour, staring +at the open door. "Mad!" she exclaimed at length, drawing a long breath. +"Quite mad! But I wonder if there is any truth in what he says about +Rhoda's money? Dear me, why she'll be quite a catch!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + + +<p>Meanwhile Rhoda, at Duckwell Farm, supposed herself to be too unhappy to +care much for anything. She did not have a fever, nor fall into a +consumption, nor waste away visibly; but she passed hours crying alone +in her own room, or sitting idle-handed, whilst her thoughts languidly +retraced the past, or strove to picture what sort of a lady Algernon's +wife might be. Headaches, pallid cheeks, and red eyes resulted from +these solitary hours. Mrs. Seth Maxfield wondered what had come to the +girl, having no suspicion that young Errington's marriage could be more +to Rhoda than an interesting subject for gossip.</p> + +<p>Old Jonathan went over to Duckwell immediately after receiving the first +newspaper, sent by Mrs. Errington from Westmoreland.</p> + +<p>The announcement of the intended wedding had taken him wholly by +surprise. It would be hard to say whether wrath or amazement +predominated in his mind, on first reading the paragraph which Mrs. +Errington had so complacently marked with red ink. But it is not at all +hard to say which feeling predominated within an hour after having read +it.</p> + +<p>According to old Max's judgment, there was not one extenuating +circumstance in Algernon's behaviour; not one plea to be urged on his +behalf. Utter vindictive anger filled the old man's soul as he read. He +had been deceived, played upon, laughed at by this boy! That was the +first, and, perhaps, the most venomous of his mortifications. But many +other stinging thoughts rankled in his mind. David Powell had been +right! That was almost unendurable. As to Rhoda, old Max could not, in +the mood he was then in, contemplate her being bowed down by grief and +disappointment. He would have her raise her head, and revenge herself on +her faithless lover. He would have her successful, admired, and +prosperous. He would have her trample on Algernon's pride and poverty +with all the insolence of wealth. Even his beloved money, so hardly +earned, so eagerly hoarded, seemed to him, for the first time in his +life, to be of small account in comparison with a sentiment.</p> + +<p>He took his Bible, and gloated over menaces of vengeance and threats of +destruction. Future condemnation was, no doubt, in store for Algernon +Errington. But that was too vague and too distant a prospect to appease +old Max's stomach for revenge. He wanted to see his enemy in the dust, +and that his enemy should be seen there by others. In the midst of his +reading, he suddenly recollected the acknowledgment he held of +Algernon's debt to him, and jumped up and ran to his strong-box to feast +his eyes on it. It seemed almost like a clear leading from on High that +the I.O.U. should come into his head just then, old Max thought. He was +not the first, nor the worst man who has wrested Scripture into the +service of his own angry passions.</p> + +<p>Then he sent to order a gig from the "Blue Bell," and set out for +Duckwell Farm.</p> + +<p>"I hope your father isn't sickening for any disease, or going to get a +stroke, or something," said Betty Grimshaw to her nephew James. "But I +never see anybody's face such a colour out of their coffin. It's a +greeny grey, that's what it is. And he was frowning like thunder."</p> + +<p>But Jonathan Maxfield's disorder was not of the body. He arrived at +Duckwell unexpectedly, but his arrival did not cause any particular +surprise. He had business transactions to discuss with his son Seth, to +whom he had advanced money on mortgage. And then there was Rhoda staying +at the farm, and, of course, her father would like to see Rhoda.</p> + +<p>Rhoda was called from her own room, and came down, pale and nervous. +She dreaded meeting her father. Did he, or did he not, know the news +from Westmoreland? It had only come to Duckwell Farm by means of Mr. +Pawkins's servants. It might possibly not yet have reached Whitford.</p> + +<p>On his side, old Max took care to say nothing about the <i>Applethwaite +Advertiser</i>. He had destroyed that journal before leaving home, placing +it in the heart of the kitchen fire, and holding it there with the +poker, until the remains of it fluttered up the chimney in black, +impalpable fragments.</p> + +<p>But old Max had brought another document in his pocket, which had been +placed in his hand just as he was starting in the gig. It was a letter +directed to Miss Rhoda Maxfield, High Street, Whitford. And this he +pulled out almost immediately on seeing Rhoda. A glance at her face +sufficed to show him that she was unhappy and dispirited. "She has heard +it!" he thought. And something like an anathema upon Algernon followed +the thought in his mind.</p> + +<p>The old man's countenance was not so clearly read by his daughter; +indeed, she hardly raised her eyes to his, but received his kiss in +silence.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid, father, you'll not find Rhoda's looks doing us credit," +said Mrs. Seth. "Why or wherefore I don't know, but these last days she +has been as peaky as can be."</p> + +<p>"It's the heat, maybe," said old Max shortly and withdrew his own and +Mrs. Seth's attention from the girl, as she read the letter he handed to +her. Rhoda was grateful for this forbearance on her father's part, +although it fluttered her, too, a little, as proving that he was aware +of the cause of her dejection, and anxious to shield it from +observation.</p> + +<p>The letter was from Minnie Bodkin. She had written it almost immediately +on hearing of Algernon's intended marriage. It invited Rhoda, if her +father would consent, to visit the Bodkins during the remainder of their +stay at the seaside. There was no word of allusion to the Erringtons in +the letter. Minnie only said, "Mamma and I remember that your cheeks had +lost their roses, somewhat, when we left Whitford. And we think that a +breath of sea-breeze may blow them back again. It is some time since you +had complete change of air. Tell Mr. Maxfield we will take good care of +you." And in a postscript Mrs. Bodkin had added, in her small running +hand, "Do come, my dear. We shall be very glad to have you. Dr. Bodkin +bids me send you his love."</p> + +<p>It had been no slight effort of self-conquest which had made Minnie +Bodkin send for Rhoda, to stay with her at the seaside, and had enabled +her to endure the girl's daily presence, and to stand her friend in word +and deed, throughout the weeks which succeeded the announcement of +Algernon's marriage.</p> + +<p>To be kind to Rhoda at a distance would have been pleasant enough. +Minnie would willingly, nay, gladly, have served the girl in any way +which should not have necessitated frequent personal communion with her. +But she told herself unflinchingly that if she really meant to keep her +promise to David Powell, she must do so at some cost of self-sacrifice. +The only efficacious thing she could do for Rhoda was to take her away +from Whitford scenes and Whitford people for a time; to take her out of +the reach of gossiping tongues and unsympathising eyes, and to give her +the support of a friendly presence when she should be obliged to face +Whitford once more. This would be efficacious help to Rhoda; and Minnie +resolved to give it to her. But it was a task to which she felt +considerable repugnance. There was an invisible barrier between herself +and pretty, gentle, winning Rhoda Maxfield.</p> + +<p>It is curious to consider of how small importance to most of us actions +are, as compared with motives. And perhaps nothing contributes more to +hasty accusations of ingratitude than forgetfulness of this truth. We +are more affected by what people mean than by what they say, and by what +they feel than by what they do. Only when meaning and feeling +harmoniously inform the dry husk of words and deeds, can we bring our +hearts to receive the latter thankfully, however kind they may sound or +seem to uninterested spectators. The egotism of most of us is too +exacting to permit of our judging our friends' behaviour from any +abstract point of view; and to be done good to for somebody else's sake, +or even for the sake of a lofty principle, seldom excites very lively +satisfaction.</p> + +<p>Thus Rhoda reproached herself for the unaccountable coldness with which +she received Miss Bodkin's kindness; having only a dim consciousness +that Miss Bodkin's kindness was prompted by motives excellent indeed, +but which had little to do with personal sympathy with herself.</p> + +<p>She silently handed the letter to her father, and turned away to the +window. Mrs. Seth bustled out of the room, saying that she must get +ready "a snack of something" for Mr. Maxfield after his drive, and the +father and daughter were left alone together.</p> + +<p>Jonathan Maxfield's face brightened wonderfully as he read Minnie's +gracious words. A glow of pleasure came over his hard features. But it +was not a very agreeable sort of pleasure to behold, being considerably +mingled with malicious triumph. Here was a well-timed circumstance +indeed! What could Powell, or such as Powell, say now? Let the +Erringtons behave as they might, it was clear henceforward that Rhoda +had not been received amongst gentlefolks solely on their account. His +girl was liked and made much of for her own sake.</p> + +<p>"Well," said he, "this is a very pretty letter of Miss Minnie's; very +pretty indeed." He did not allow his voice to express his exultation, +but spoke in his usual harsh, grumbling tones.</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Rhoda, tremulously, "it is very kind of Miss Minnie, and +of dear Mrs. Bodkin; wonderfully kind! But I—I don't think I want to +go, father."</p> + +<p>"Not want to go? Nonsense! That's mere idle nonsense. Of course you will +go. I shall take you down by the coach myself."</p> + +<p>"Oh thank you, father, but—I really don't want change. I don't care +about going to the seaside."</p> + +<p>The old man turned upon her almost savagely. "I say you shall go. You +must go. Are you to creep into a hole like a sick beast of the field, +and hide yourself from all eyes? There, there," he added in a gentler +tone, drawing her towards him, as he saw the tears begin to gather in +her eyes, "I am not chiding you, Rhoda. But it will be good for you to +accept this call from your kind friends. It will be good for mind and +body. You will be quiet there, among fresh scenes and fresh faces. And +you will return to Whitford in the company of these gentlefolks, who, it +is clear, are minded to stand your friends under all circumstances. +Seth's wife is a worthy woman, but she is not a companion for you, +Rhoda."</p> + +<p>One phrase of this speech did seem to offer a glimpse of consolation to +Rhoda; the promise, namely, of quiet and fresh scenes, where she and her +belongings were utterly unknown. But her father did not know that Minnie +Bodkin understood her little love-story from first to last; and that +Minnie Bodkin's presence and companionship might not be calculated to +pour the waters of oblivion into her heart. Still she reflected, a day +must come when she would have to face Miss Minnie, and all the other +Whitford people who knew her. There was no chance of her dying at once +and being taken away from it all! And Rhoda's teaching had made her +shrink from the thought of desiring death, as from something vaguely +wicked. On the whole, it might be the best thing for her to go to the +Bodkins. She would better have liked to continue her solitary rambles in +Pudcombe Woods or the meadows at Duckwell; only that now the pain +awaited her, every evening, at the farm, of hearing Algernon's marriage +discussed and speculated on. She could not shut out the topic. On the +whole, then, it might be the best thing she could do, to get away from +Whitford gossip for a time.</p> + +<p>These considerations Rhoda brought before her own mind, not with any +idea that they could avail to decide her line of conduct, but by way of +reconciling herself to the line of conduct she should be compelled to +take. It never entered her head that any resistance would be possible +when once her father had said, "You must go."</p> + +<p>"Very well, father," she answered meekly, after a short pause.</p> + +<p>The Bodkins' invitation was duly communicated to Seth and his wife. And +it was arranged that Rhoda should start from the farm without returning +to Whitford at all, as a cross road could be reached from Duckwell, +where the coach would stop to pick up passengers. "If there's any +garments you require, beyond those you have here, your aunt Betty shall +send them over by the carrier, to-morrow," said Mr. Maxfield.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Seth protested (not without a spice of malice) that Rhoda could not +possibly want any more clothes, for that she was rigged out already fit +for a princess. Nevertheless there did arrive from Whitford several +fresh additions to Rhoda's wardrobe, inclosed in a brand-new black trunk +studded with brass-headed nails, and with the initials R. M. traced out +in the same shining materials on the lid.</p> + +<p>"Your father's well-nigh soft-headed about that girl," said Mrs. Seth to +her husband, as they stood watching the father and daughter drive away +together.</p> + +<p>"H'm!" grunted Seth.</p> + +<p>His wife went on, "We may make up our minds as our little ones will +never be a penny the better for your father's money. I'm as sure as +sure, it'll all go to Rhoda."</p> + +<p>"As to his will, you may be right," returned Seth. "But I have good +hopes that father will cancel that mortgage he holds on the home farm. +If he does that, we mustn't growl too much. 'Tis a good lump o' money. +And it would come a deal handier to me if I could have the land free +now, than if I waited for father's death. He's tough, is father. And the +Lord knows I don't wish him dead neither."</p> + +<p>In this way Rhoda Maxfield went down to the seaside place where the +Bodkins were staying, spent about three weeks with them there, and +returned in their company to Whitford, to find Mrs. Errington no longer +an inmate of her father's house, the old sitting-room decorated and +re-furnished very smartly, and all the circle with whom she had become +acquainted at Dr. Bodkin's on the tiptoe of expectation to behold the +Honourable Mrs. Algernon Errington, whose arrival was looked forward to +with an amount of interest only understood by those who have ever lived +an unoccupied life in a remote provincial town.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + + +<p>We have already been present at more than one social gathering at Dr. +Bodkin's house. But these entertainments have been of an informal +character, and the guests at them all persons in the habit of meeting +each other very frequently. On Mr. and Mrs. Algernon Errington's arrival +in Whitford, after their marriage, Dr. and Mrs. Bodkin issued cards for +an evening party, and invited the leading personages of their +acquaintance to meet the bride and bridegroom.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington was in high delight. She appreciated this attention from +her old friends very highly. Castalia, it was true, looked discontented +and disdainful about the whole affair; and demanded to know why she must +be dragged out to these people's stupid parties before she had had time +to turn round in her own house. But then, as Mrs. Errington reflected, +Castalia did not understand Whitford society. "The fact is, my dear," +said her mother-in-law with suavity, "it may be all a very trumpery +business in your eyes, and after the circles you have moved in, but I +assure you it is considered a very desirable thing here to have the +<i>entrée</i> to Dr. Bodkin's. And then they scarcely ever entertain on a +showy scale; nothing but a few friends, tea and cake, your rubber, and a +tray afterwards. But, for this occasion, I hear there are great +preparations going on. They won't dance, because Minnie can't stand the +vibration. But there will be quite a large gathering. Of course, my +dear, it is not what I was accustomed to at Ancram Park. But they are +most kind, well-meaning people. And Minnie is highly accomplished; even +learned, I believe."</p> + +<p>"I hate blue-stockings," returned Mrs. Algernon with a shrug.</p> + +<p>"Oh! but Minnie is not the least blue in her manners! Indeed, her +knowing Greek has ever been a mystery to me; for I assure you she is +extremely handsome, and has, I think, the finest pair of eyes I ever saw +in my life. But I suppose it is accounted for by her affliction, poor +thing!"</p> + +<p>Castalia had darted a quick, suspicious glance at her husband on hearing +of Minnie's beauty, but relapsed into languid indifference when she was +told that Miss Bodkin was a confirmed invalid, suffering from disease of +the spine.</p> + +<p>In other circles Mrs. Errington was by no means so cool and +condescending in speaking of the doctor's projected party. The check +administered to her exultation by Castalia's chilly indifference only +caused a fuller ebullition of it in other directions. She overwhelmed +her new landlady by the magnitude and magnificence of her +"Ancramisms"—I have already asked permission to use the phrase in these +pages—and was looked up to by that simple soul as a very exalted +personage; for the new landlady was no other than the widow Thimbleby.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington occupied the two rooms on the first-floor above Mr. +Diamond's parlours. The place was smaller and poorer altogether than +Maxfield's house, although it did not yield to it in cleanliness. Here +was Mrs. Errington's old blue china set forth on a side-table in the +little oblong drawing-room; and her work-box with its amber satin and +silver implements; and the faded miniatures hung over the mantelpiece. +Also there was a square of substantial, if somewhat faded, carpet in the +middle of Mrs. Thimbleby's threadbare drugget, a mahogany table, and a +roomy, comfortable easy-chair, all of which we have seen before.</p> + +<p>In a word, Mrs. Errington had taken advantage of old Max's somewhat rash +offer, and had carried away with her such articles of furniture out of +her old quarters as she fancied might be useful.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington took some credit to herself for her magnanimity in so +doing. "I could not refuse the poor man," she said to Mrs. Thimbleby. "I +have lived many years in his house, and although he was led away by +mistaken ambition to want his drawing-room for his own use, and +certainly did cause me great inconvenience at a moment when I was up to +my eyes in important business, yet I could not refuse to accept his +little peace-offering. A lady does not quarrel with that sort of person, +you know. And, poor old man, I believe he was dreadfully cut up at my +going away when it came to the point, and would have given anything to +keep me. But I said, 'No, Mr. Maxfield, that is impossible. I have made +other arrangements; and, in short, I cannot be troubled any more about +this matter. But to show that I bear no malice, and that I shall not +withdraw my countenance from your daughter, I am willing to accept the +trifles you press upon me.' He was a good deal touched by my taking the +things; poor, foolish, misguided old man!"</p> + +<p>"Well, it was real Christian of you, ma'am," said simple Mrs. Thimbleby.</p> + +<p>The day of the party at Dr. Bodkin's arrived; and there was as intense +an excitement connected with its advent as if it were to bring a county +ball, or even a royal drawing-room. Whether a satin train, lappets and +feathers, be intrinsically more important and worthy objects of anxiety +than a white muslin frock and artificial roses, I do not presume to +decide. Only I can unhesitatingly assert that the Misses Rose and Violet +McDougall could not have given their female attendant more trouble about +the preparation and putting on of the latter adornments—which formed +their simple and elegant attire on this occasion—if they had been +duchesses, and their gowns cloth of gold.</p> + +<p>Miss Chubb, too, contemplated her new dress of a light blue colour, laid +out upon her bed, with great interest and satisfaction. And when her +toilet for the evening was completed, she had more little gummed rings +of hair on her cheeks and forehead than had ever before been beheld +there at one time.</p> + +<p>The company began to assemble in Dr. Bodkin's drawing-rooms about +half-past eight o'clock. There were all our old acquaintances—Mr. +Smith, the surgeon, and his wife; Mr. and Mrs. Dockett, with Miss +Alethea, now promoted to long dresses and "grown-up" young-ladyhood. +There was Orlando Pawkins; Mr. Warlock, the curate; and Colonel +Whistler, with his charming nieces. Miss Chubb had dined with the +Bodkins in the middle of the day, and, after being of great assistance +to the mistress of the house in the preparation of her supper-table, had +returned to her own home to dress, and consequently arrived upon the +festive scene rather later than would otherwise have been the case. But +she was not the last guest to arrive. Mr. Diamond came in after her; and +so did one or two families from the neighbourhood of Whitford. ("County +people," Miss Chubb said in a loud whisper to Rose McDougall, who +replied snappishly, "Of course! We know them very well. Have visited +them for years.")</p> + +<p>"This is a brilliant scene," said good-natured Miss Chubb, turning to +Mr. Warlock, whom Fate had thrown into her neighbourhood. Mr. Warlock +agreed with her that it was very brilliant; and, indeed, Dr. Bodkin's +drawing-rooms, well lighted with wax candles, and with abundance of +hot-house flowers tastefully arranged, and relieved against the rich +crimson and oak furniture, were exceedingly cheerful, pleasant, and +picturesque. There was an air of comfort and good taste about the +rooms—a habitable, home-like air—not always to be found in more +splendid dwellings.</p> + +<p>On her crimson lounging-chair reclined Minnie Bodkin. Her dress was of +heavy cream-white silk, with gold ornaments. She wore nothing in her +abundant dark hair, and her pale face seemed to many who looked upon it +that evening to be more lovely than ever. Her lips had a tinge of red +in them, and her eyes were full of lustre. There was a suppressed +excitement about her looks and manner, which lighted up her +perfectly-moulded features with a strange beauty that struck all +observers. Even the McDougalls could not but admit that Minnie looked +very striking, but added that she was a little too theatrically got up, +didn't you think so? That was poor Minnie's failing. All for effect! +"And," added Rose, "she has a good foil in that little pink and white +creature who sits in the corner beside her chair, and never moves. I +suppose she is told to do it. But the idea of dressing that chit up in a +violet silk gown fit for a married woman! And she has no figure to carry +it off. I really think it rather a strong measure on the Bodkins' part +to ask us all to meet a girl of such very low origin on equal terms. But +there it is, you see! Poor dear Minnie delights in doing startling +things, unlike other people. And, of course, her parents refuse her +nothing."</p> + +<p>Miss Rose's opinion of Rhoda Maxfield's insignificant appearance was +not, however, shared by many persons present. Several young gentlemen, +and more than one old gentleman, vied with each other in offering her +cups of tea, and paying her various little attentions according to their +opportunities. Even old Colonel Whistler, when he thought himself +unobserved by his nieces, sidled up to pretty Rhoda Maxfield, and was +heard to say to one of the "county" gentlemen, "She's the prettiest girl +I've seen this many a day, by George! And I know a pretty girl when I +see one, sir; or used to, once upon a time!"</p> + +<p>To Rhoda, all the strangers who spoke and looked so kindly were merely +troublesome. Her colour went and came, her heart beat with anxiety. She +started nervously every time the door opened. She could think only of +Algernon and Algernon's wife. She made a silent and very earnest prayer +that she might be strengthened to sit still and quiet when they should +appear, for she had had serious apprehensions lest she should be +irresistibly impelled to start up and run away, as soon as she saw them.</p> + +<p>It was in vain that young Mr. Pawkins hovered near her, inviting her to +accept his arm into the tea-room; it was in vain that old Colonel +Whistler softened his martinet voice to ask her, with paternal +tenderness, how she had enjoyed her stay at the seaside, and to say +that, if one might judge by her looks, she had derived great benefit +from the change of air. In the words of the song, "All men else seemed +to her like shadows." She was in a dream, with the consciousness of an +impending awakening, which she half longed for, half dreaded.</p> + +<p>Two persons watched over her, and covered the mistakes she made in her +nervous trepidation. Matthew Diamond and Minnie Bodkin exerted +themselves to shield her from importunate observation, and to give her +time to recover her self-possession, if that might be possible. Diamond +was in good spirits. He could wait, he could be patient, he could be +silent now, with a good heart. Algernon's marriage had opened a bright +vista of hope before him; and perhaps he had never felt so disposed to +condone and excuse his old pupil's faults and failings as at the present +moment. "Minnie is a good creature," he thought, with a momentary, +grateful diversion of his attention from Rhoda, "to keep my timid birdie +so carefully under her wing! She might do it with a little more softness +of manner. But we cannot change people's natures."</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Minnie reclined in her chair, watching his tender lingering +looks at Rhoda, and his complete indifference to everyone else, with a +heartache which might have excused even less "softness of manner" than +Diamond thought she displayed towards the girl beside her.</p> + +<p>At length a little commotion, and movement among the persons standing +near the door, announced a new arrival. Rhoda felt sick, and grasped the +back of Minnie's chair so hard that her little glove was split by the +force of the pressure. But that horrible sensation passed away in a few +seconds. And then, looking up with renewed powers of seeing and hearing, +she perceived that Mrs. Errington had made her entrance alone, and was +holding forth in her mellow voice to Dr. and Mrs. Bodkin, and a knot of +other persons in the centre of the room.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington was radiant. She nodded and smiled to one and another +with an almost royal suavity and condescension. She was attired in a +rich dove-coloured silk gown (Lord Seely's gift to her at her son's +wedding), and wore rose-coloured ribbons in her lace cap, and looked +altogether as handsome and happy a matron of her years as you would +easily find in a long summer's day.</p> + +<p>"I have sent back the carriage for them, dear Mrs. Bodkin," she was +saying, when Rhoda gained self-possession enough to take account of her +words. "Naughty Castalia was not ready. So I said, 'My dear children, I +shall go on without you, and put in an appearance for one member of the +family at least!' So here I am. And my boy and girl will be here +directly. And how is dear Minnie?—How d'ye do, Colonel?—Good evening, +Miss Chubb.—Ah, Alethea! Papa and mamma quite well?—Oh, there she is! +How are you, my dear Minnie? But I need not ask, for I never saw you +looking so well?"</p> + +<p>By this time Mrs. Errington had arrived at Minnie's chair, and stooped +to kiss her. Almost at the same moment she caught sight of Rhoda, who +shrank back a little, flushed and trembling. Mrs. Errington thought she +very well understood the cause of this, and thought to herself, "Poor +child, she is ashamed of her father's behaviour!"</p> + +<p>"What, my pretty Rhoda!" she said aloud. And, drawing the girl to her, +kissed her warmly. "I'm very glad to see you again, child," continued +Mrs. Errington; "I began to fancy we were not to meet any more. You must +come and see me, and spend a long day. I suppose that won't be against +the laws of the Medes and Persians, eh?"</p> + +<p>The familiar voice, the familiar looks, the kind manner of her old +friend, helped to put Rhoda at her ease. The fact, too, that Mrs. +Errington had no suspicion of her feelings was calming. Mrs. Errington +was not apt to suspect people of any feeling but gratification, when she +was talking to them.</p> + +<p>In the full glow of her satisfaction Mrs. Errington even condescended to +be gracious to Matthew Diamond, who came forward to offer his +congratulations. "Why, yes, Mr. Diamond," said the good lady, "it is +indeed a marriage after my own heart. And I do not think I am blinded by +the partiality of a mother, when I say the bride's family are quite as +gratified at the alliance as I am. Do you know that one of Mrs. +Algernon's relatives is the Duke of Mackelpie and Brose? A distant +relative, it is true. But these Scotch clans, you know, call cousins to +the twentieth degree! His Grace sent Castalia a beautiful wedding +present: a cairn-gorm, set in solid silver. So characteristic, you know! +and so distinguished! No vulgar finery. Oh, the Broses and the +Kauldkails have been connected from time immemorial."</p> + +<p>Then Colonel Whistler came up, and joined the circle round Mrs. +Errington's chair; and Miss Chubb, whose curiosity generally got the +better of her dignity when it came to a struggle between the two. To +them sauntered up Alethea Dockett on the arm of Mr. Pawkins. The latter, +finding it impossible to draw Rhoda into conversation, had +philosophically transferred his attentions to the smiling, black-eyed +Miss Alethea, much to the disgust and scorn of the McDougalls.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington soon had a numerous audience around her chair, and she +improved the occasion by indulging in such flourishes as fairly +staggered her hearers. Her account of the bride's trousseau was almost +oriental in the splendour and boldness of its imagery. And Matthew +Diamond began to believe that, with very small encouragement, she might +be led on to endow her daughter-in-law with the roc's egg, which even +Aladdin could not compass the possession of, when a diversion took +place.</p> + +<p>Algernon Errington appeared close behind Miss Chubb, and said, almost in +her ear, and in his old jaunty way, "Well, is this the way you cut an +old friend? Oh, Miss Chubb, I couldn't have believed it of you!"</p> + +<p>The little spinster turned round quite fluttered, with both her fat +little hands extended. "Algy!" she cried. "But I beg pardon; I ought not +to call you by that familiar name now, I suppose!"</p> + +<p>"By what name, then? I hope you don't mean to cut me in earnest!"</p> + +<p>Then there was a general hand-shaking and exchange of greetings among +the group. Rhoda was still in her old place behind Minnie's chair, and +was invisible at first to one coming to the circle from the other end of +the room, as Algernon had done. But in a minute he saw her, and for once +his self-possession temporarily forsook him.</p> + +<p>If he had walked into the sitting-room at old Max's, and seen Rhoda +there, in her accustomed place by his mother's knee, with the accustomed +needlework in her hand, and dressed in the accustomed grey stuff frock, +he might have accosted her with tolerable coolness and <i>aplomb</i>. The old +associations, which might have unnerved some soft-hearted persons, would +have strengthened Algernon by vividly recalling his own habitual +ascendancy and superiority over his former love. But instead of the +Rhoda he had been used to see, here was a lovely young lady, elegantly, +even richly, dressed, received among the chief personages of her little +world evidently on equal terms, and looking as gracefully in her right +place there as the best of them.</p> + +<p>Algernon stood for a second, staring point-blank at her, unable to move +or to speak. His embarrassment gave her courage. Not less to her own +surprise than to that of the two who were watching her so keenly, she +rose from her chair, and held out her hand with the little torn glove on +it, saying in a soft voice, that was scarcely at all unsteady, "How do +you do, Mr. Errington?"</p> + +<p>Algernon shook her proffered hand, and murmured something about having +scarcely recognised her. Then someone else began to speak to him, and he +turned away, as Rhoda resumed her seat, trembling from head to foot.</p> + +<p>So the dreaded meeting was over! Let her see him again as often as she +might, no second interview could be looked forward to with the same +anxious apprehension as the first. She had seen Algernon once more! She +had spoken to him, and touched his hand!</p> + +<p>It seemed very strange that no outward thing should have changed, when +such a moving drama had been going on within her heart! But not one of +the faces around her showed any consciousness that they had witnessed a +scene from the old, old story; that the clasp of those two young hands +had meant at once, "Hail!" and "Farewell!"—farewell to the sweet, +foolish dream, to the innocent tenderness of youth and maiden, to the +soft thrilling sense of love's presence, that was wont to fill so many +hours of life with a diffused sweetness, like the perfume of hidden +flowers!</p> + +<p>No; the world seemed to go on much as usual. The McDougalls came +flouncing up close beside her, to tell Minnie that they had just been +introduced to "the Honourable Mrs. Errington;" and a very young +gentleman (one of Dr. Bodkin's senior scholars) asked Rhoda if she had +had any tea yet, and begged to recommend the pound-cake, from his own +personal experience.</p> + +<p>"Go with Mr. Ingleby," said Minnie, authoritatively. "I put Miss +Maxfield under your charge, Ingleby, and shall hold you responsible for +her being properly attended to in the tea-room."</p> + +<p>The lad, colouring with pleasure, led off the unresisting Rhoda. All her +force of will, all her courage, seemed to have been expended in the +effort of greeting Algernon. She simply obeyed Miss Bodkin with listless +docility. But, on reaching the tea-room, she was conscious that her +friend had done wisely and kindly in sending her away, for there were +but two persons there. One was Mr. Dockett, who was as inveterate a +tea-drinker as Doctor Johnson; and the other was the Reverend Peter +Warlock, hovering hungrily near the cake-basket. Neither of these +gentlemen took any special notice of her, and she was able to sit quiet +and unobserved. Her cavalier conscientiously endeavoured to fulfil Miss +Minnie's injunctions, but was greatly disappointed by the indifference +which Rhoda manifested to the pound-cake. However, he endeavoured to +make up for her shortcomings by devouring such a quantity of that +confection himself as startled even Dr. Bodkin's old footman, accustomed +to the appetites of many a generation of school-boys.</p> + +<p>But all this time where was the bride? The party was given especially in +her honour, and to omit her from any description of it would be an +unpardonable solecism.</p> + +<p>The Honourable Mrs. Algernon Ancram Errington sat on a sofa in the +principal drawing-room, with a discontented expression of countenance, +superciliously surveying the company through her eye-glass, and asking +where Algernon was, if he were absent from her side for five minutes. +Castalia was looking in better health than when we first had the honour +of making her acquaintance. She had grown a trifle stouter—or less +lean. Her sojourn in Westmoreland had been more favourable to her looks +than the fatigues of a London season, which, under other circumstances, +she would have been undergoing. Happiness is said to be a great +beautifier. And it was to be supposed that Castalia, having married the +man of her heart, was happy. But yet the fretful creases had not +vanished from her face; and there was even a more suspicious +watchfulness in her bright, deeply-set eyes than formerly.</p> + +<p>Perhaps it may be well to record a few of the various verdicts passed on +the bride's manners and appearance by our Whitford friends after that +first evening. Possibly an impartial judgment may be formed from them; +but it will be seen that opinions were strongly conflicting.</p> + +<p>Said Dr. Bodkin to his wife, "What can the boy have been thinking of to +marry that woman? A sickly, faded, fretful-looking person, nearly ten +years his senior! I can forgive a generous mistake, but not a mean one. +If he had run away with Ally Dockett from her boarding-school, it would, +no doubt, have been a misfortune, but—I don't know that one would have +loved him much the less!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, doctor!"</p> + +<p>"I am not counselling young gentlemen to run away with young ladies +from boarding-schools, my dear. But—I'm afraid this has been a marriage +wholly of interest and ambition on his side. Ah! I hoped better things +of Errington." And the doctor went on shaking his head for full a +minute.</p> + +<p>Said Mrs. Smith to Mrs. Dockett, "What do you think of the bride?" Said +Mrs. Dockett to Mrs. Smith, "A stuck-up, unpleasant little thing! And I +do wish somebody would tell her to keep her gown on her shoulders. I +assure you, if I were to see my Ally half undressed in that fashion, I +should box her ears. And Ally has a very pretty pair of shoulders, +though I say it. She is not a bag of bones, like Mrs. Algernon, at all +events."</p> + +<p>Said Miss Chubb to her old woman servant, "Well, the Honourable Mrs. +Algernon Errington is very <i>distangy</i> looking, Martha. That's a French +word that means—means out of the common, aristocratic, you know. Very +<i>distangy</i>, certainly! But she lacks sentiment, in my opinion. And her +outline is very sharp, Martha. I prefer a rounder contour, both of face +and figure. Some of the ladies found fault with her because of her low +dress. But that—as I happen to know—is quite the custom with our upper +classes in town. Mrs. Figgins's—wife of the Bishop of Plumbunn, you +know, Martha—Mrs. Figgins's sister, who married Sir William Wick, of +the Honourable Company of Tallow Chandlers, I believe—that's a kind of +City society for dining sumptuously, Martha; you mustn't suppose it has +anything to do with selling tallow candles! Well, Lady Wick sat down to +dinner in low, every day of her life!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Diamond and young Pawkins walked a little way together from the +doctor's house to the "Blue Bell" inn. The master of Pudcombe Hall, on +attempting to resume his acquaintance with the bride, had been received +with scant courtesy. But this was not so much because Castalia intended +to be specially uncivil to him, as because at that moment it happened, +unfortunately, that she saw her husband in a distant part of the room +talking to Minnie Bodkin with an air of animation.</p> + +<p>"By Jove!" cried the ingenuous Pawkins, "I don't envy Errington. His +wife looks so uncommon ill-tempered, and turns up her honourable nose at +everybody."</p> + +<p>"She does not turn up her nose at him," returned Diamond. "And Errington +will not be over sensitive on behalf of his friends."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well! But she's so crabbed, somehow. One expects a bride to have +some kind of softness in her manners, and—hang it all, there's not a +particle of romance about her."</p> + +<p>"My dear fellow, if there is in the United Kingdom a young man of +three-and-twenty who can comfortably dispense with romance in his wife, +our friend Errington is that young man."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well! I know Errington's a very clever fellow, and all that, and +perhaps I'm a fool. But I—I shouldn't like my wife to be quite so cool +and cutting in her manners, that's all!"</p> + +<p>"Neither should I. And perhaps I'm a fool!"</p> + +<p>"Shouldn't you, now?" Orlando was encouraged by this admission on +Diamond's part, further, to express his opinion that it was all very +fine to stick "Honourable" before your name; but that, for his part, he +considered little Miss Maxfield to look fifty times more like a lady +than Mrs. Algernon. And as for good looks, there was, of course, no +comparison. And though Miss Maxfield was too shy and quiet, yet if you +offered her any little civility, she thanked you in such a sweet way +that a fellow felt as if he could do anything for her; whereas, some +women stare at a fellow enough to turn a fellow into stone.</p> + +<p>But the Misses McDougall were enthusiastic in their praises of +Algernon's wife. They performed a sort of Carmen Amœbœum after +this fashion:</p> + +<p><i>Rose.</i> "That sweet creature, the Honourable Mrs. Algernon! I can't get +her out of my head."</p> + +<p><i>Violet.</i> "Dear thing! What high-bred manners! And did she tell you that +we are positively related? The Mackelpies, you know, call cousins with +us. There was the branch that went off from the elder line of +Brose"—&c. &c. &c.</p> + +<p><i>Rose.</i> "Oh yes; one feels at home directly with people of one's own +class. How lucky Algernon has been to get such a wife, instead of some +chit of a girl who would have had no weight in society!"</p> + +<p><i>Violet.</i> "Yes; but she's quite young enough, Rose?"</p> + +<p><i>Rose.</i> "Oh, dear me, of course! But I meant that Algernon has shown his +sense in not selecting a bread-and-butter Miss. I own I detest +school-girls."</p> + +<p><i>Violet.</i> "She asked us to go and see her. Do you know I think we were +the only girls in the room she seemed to take to at all! Even Minnie +Bodkin, now—she was very cool, I thought, to Minnie."</p> + +<p><i>Rose.</i> "My dear child, how often have I told you that the people here +have quite a mistaken estimate of Minnie Bodkin? They have just spoiled +her. Her airs are really ludicrous. But directly a person of superior +birth comes to the place you see how it is! Perhaps you'll believe me +another time. I do think you were half inclined to fall down and worship +Minnie yourself!"</p> + +<p><i>Violet.</i> "Oh no; not that! But she is very clever, you know. And, in +spite of her affliction, I thought she looked wonderfully handsome +to-night."</p> + +<p><i>Rose.</i> (Sharply.) "Pshaw! She was dressed up like an actress. I saw the +look Mrs. Algernon gave her. How beautifully Mrs. Algernon had her hair +done!"</p> + +<p><i>Violet.</i> "And did you notice that little flounce at the bottom of her +dress?"——&c. &c.</p> + +<p><i>Both.</i> (Almost together.) "Isn't she charming, uncle?"</p> + +<p>"Very," answered Colonel Whistler, twirling his moustaches. Then the +gallant gentleman, as he took his bed-candle, was heard to mutter +something which sounded like "d——d skinny!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + + +<p>"Love in a cottage" is a time-honoured phrase, which changes its +significance considerably, according to the lips that utter it. To some +persons, Love in a cottage would be suggestive of dreary obscurity, +privation, cold mutton, and one maid-of-all-work. To others, it might +mean a villa with its lawn running down to the Thames, a basket-phaeton +and pair of ponies, and the modest simplicity of footmen without powder. +To another class of minds, again, Love in a cottage might stand for a +comprehensive hieroglyph of honest affection, sufficiently robust to +live and thrive even on a diet of cold mutton, and warm-blooded enough +to defy the nip of poverty's east winds.</p> + +<p>Lady Seely had joked, in her cheerful, candid way, with her niece-in-law +about her establishment in life, and had said, "Well, Castalia, you'll +have love in a cottage, at all events! Some people are worse off. And at +your age, you know (quite between ourselves), you must think yourself +lucky to get a husband at all."</p> + +<p>Miss Kilfinane had made some retort to the effect that she did not +intend to remain all her life in a cottage, with or without love; and +that if Lord Seely could do nothing for Ancram, she (Castalia) had other +connections who might be more influential.</p> + +<p>But, in truth, Castalia did think that she could be quite content to +live with Algernon Errington under a thatched roof; having only a +conventional and artificial conception of such a dwelling, derived +chiefly from lithographed drawing-copies. It was not, of course, that +Castalia Kilfinane did not know that thatched hovels are frequently +comfortless, ill-ventilated, "the noted haunt of" earwigs, and limited +in the accommodation necessary for a genteel family. But such knowledge +was packed away in some quite different department of her mind from that +which habitually contemplated her own personal existence, present and +future. Wiser folks than Castalia are apt to anticipate exceptions to +general laws in their own favour.</p> + +<p>Castalia was undoubtedly in love with Algernon. That is to say, she +would have liked better to be his wife in poverty and obscurity, than to +accept a title and a handsome settlement from any other man whom she had +ever seen; although she would probably have taken the latter had the +chance been offered to her.</p> + +<p>Nor is that bringing so hard an accusation against her as may at first +sight appear. She would have liked best to be Algernon's wife; but for +penniless Castalia Kilfinane to marry a poor man when she might have had +a rich one, would have required her to disregard some of the strongest +and most vital convictions of the persons among whom she lived. Let +their words be what they might, their deeds irrefragably proved that +they held poverty to be the one fatal, unforgiven sin, which so covered +any multitude of virtues as utterly to hide and overwhelm them. You +could no more expect Castalia to be impervious to this creed, than you +could expect a sapling to draw its nourishment from a distant soil, +rather than from the earth immediately around its roots. To be sure +there have been vigorous young trees that would strike out tough +branching fibres to an incredible distance, in search of the food that +was best for them. Such human plants are rare; and poor narrow-minded, +ill-educated Castalia was not of them.</p> + +<p>Had she been much beloved, it is possible that she might have ripened +into sweetness under that celestial sunshine. But it was not destined to +be hers.</p> + +<p>In some natures the giving even of unrequited love is beautifying to +the character. But I think that in such cases the beauty is due to that +pathetic compassion which blends with all love of a high nature for a +lower one. Do you think that all the Griseldas believe in their lords' +wisdom and justice? Do you fancy that the fathers of prodigal sons do +not oftentimes perceive the young vagabonds' sins and shortcomings with +a terrible perspicuity that pierces the poor fond heart like sharp +steel? Do you not know that Cordelia saw more quickly and certainly than +the sneering, sycophant courtiers, every weakness and vanity of the +rash, choleric old king? But there are hearts in which such knowledge is +transmuted not into bitter resentment, but into a yearning, angelic +pity. Only, in order to feel this pity, we must rise to some point above +the erring one. Now poor Castalia had been so repressed by "low +ambition," and the petty influences of a poverty ever at odds with +appearances, that the naturally weak wings of her spirit seemed to have +lost all power of soaring.</p> + +<p>The earliest days Mrs. Algernon Errington spent in her new home were +passed in making a series of disagreeable discoveries. The first +discovery was that a six-roomed brick cottage is, practically, a far +less commodious dwelling than any she had hitherto lived in. The walls +of Ivy Lodge (that was the name of the little house, which had not a +twig of greenery to soften its bare red face) appeared so slight that +she fancied her conversation could be overheard by the passersby in the +road. The rooms were so small that her dress seemed to fill them to +overflowing, although those were not the days of crinolines and long +trains. The little staircase was narrow and steep. The kitchen was so +close to the living rooms that, at dinner-time, the whole house seemed +to exhale a smell of roast mutton. The stowing away of her wardrobe +taxed to the utmost the ingenuity of her maid. And the few articles of +furniture which Lady Seely had raked out from disused sitting-rooms, +appeared almost as Brobdingnagian in Ivy Lodge as real tables and chairs +would seem beside the furniture of a doll's house.</p> + +<p>A second discovery—made very quickly after her arrival in Whitford—was +still more unpleasant. It was this: that a fine London-bred lady's-maid +is an inconvenient and unmanageable servant to introduce into a small +humble household. Poor Castalia "couldn't think what had come to +Slater!" And Slater went about with a thunderous brow and sulky mouth, +conveying by her manner a sort of contemptuous compassion for her +mistress, and a contempt by no means compassionate for everybody else in +the house.</p> + +<p>The stout Whitford servant-of-all-work offended her beyond forgiveness, +on the very first day of their acquaintance, by bluntly remarking that +well-cooked bacon and cabbage was a good-enough dinner for anybody; and +that if Mrs. Slater had see'd as many hungry folks as she (Polly) had, +she would say her grace and fall-to with a thankful heart instead of +turning up her nose, and picking at good wholesome victuals with a fork! +Moreover, Polly was not in the least awe-stricken by Mrs. Slater's black +silk gown, or the gold watch she wore at her belt. She observed, +cheerfully, that such-like fine toggery was all very well at church or +chapel; and, for her part, she always had, and always would, put a bit +of a flower in her bonnet on Sundays, and them mississes as didn't like +it must get some one else to serve 'em. But, when she was about her +work, she liked to be dressed in working clothes. And a servant as +wanted to bring second-hand parlour manners into the kitchen seemed to +her a poor cretur'—neither fish, flesh, fowl, nor good red-herring.</p> + +<p>All which indignities Slater visited on her mistress, finding it +impossible to disconcert or repress Polly, who only laughed heartily at +her genteelest flights.</p> + +<p>But these things were not the worst. The worst was that Algernon showed +very plainly a disinclination to sympathise with his wife's annoyance, +and his intention of withdrawing himself from all domestic troubles, as +if he considered them to be clearly no concern of his. Mrs. Errington, +indeed, would have come to the rescue of her daughter-in-law, but +neither of Mrs. Algernon's servants were disposed to submit to Mrs. +Errington's authority. And the good lady was no more inclined than her +son to take trouble and expose herself to unpleasantness for any one +else's sake.</p> + +<p>Castalia and her mother-in-law did not grow more attached to each other +the more intimate their acquaintance became. They had one sentiment in +common—namely, love for Algernon. But this sentiment did not tend to +unite them. Indeed—putting the rivalry of lovers out of the question, +of course—it would be a mistake to conclude that because A and B both +love C, therefore A and B must love each other. Mrs. Errington thought +that Castalia worried Algernon by complaints. Castalia thought that Mrs. +Errington was often a thorn in her son's side by reason of her +indulgence in the opposite feelings; that is to say, over-sanguine and +boastful prognostications.</p> + +<p>"My dear Algy," his mother would say, "there is not the least doubt that +you have a brilliant career before you. Your talents were appreciated by +the highest in the land, directly you became known to them. It is +impossible that you should be left here in the shade. No, no; Whitford +won't hold you long. Of that I am certain!"</p> + +<p>To which Castalia would reply that Whitford ought never to have held him +at all; that the post he filled there was absurdly beneath his standing +and abilities, and that Lord Seely would never have dreamt of offering +Ancram such a position if it had not been for my lady, who is the most +selfish, domineering woman in the world.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry to have to say it, Mrs. Errington, since she is your +relation. And you needn't suppose that she cares any the more for Ancram +because he's her far-away cousin. At most, she only looks upon him as a +kind of poor relation that ought to put up with anything. And she's +always abusing her own family. She said to Uncle Val, in my presence, +that the Ancrams could never be satisfied, do what you would for them; +so he might as well make up his mind to that, first as last. She told me +to my face, the week before I was married, that Ancram and I ought to go +down on our knees in thankfulness to her, for having got us a decent +living. That was pretty impudent from her to a Kilfinane, I think!"</p> + +<p>Algernon laughed with impartial good-humour at his mother's +rose-coloured visions and his wife's gloomier views; but the good humour +was a little cynical, and his eyes had lost their old sparkle of +enjoyment; or, at least, it shone there far less frequently than +formerly.</p> + +<p>As to his business—his superintendence of the correspondence, by +letter, between Whitford and the rest of the civilised world—that, it +must be owned, seemed to sit lightly on the new postmaster. There was an +elderly clerk in the office, named Gibbs. He was uncle to Miss Bodkin's +maid Jane and her brother the converted groom, and was himself a member +of the Wesleyan Society. Mr. Gibbs had been employed many years in the +Whitford Post-office, and understood the routine of its business very +well. Algernon relied on Mr. Gibbs, he said, and made himself very +pleasant in his dealings with that functionary. What was the use, he +asked, of disturbing and harassing a tried servant by a too restless +supervision? He thought it best, if you trusted your subordinates at +all, to trust them thoroughly.</p> + +<p>And, certainly, Mr. Gibbs was very thoroughly trusted; so much so, +indeed, that all the trouble and responsibility of the office-work +appeared to be shifted on to his shoulders. Yet Mr. Gibbs seemed not to +be discontented with this state of things. Possibly he looked forward to +promotion. Algernon's wife and mother freely gave it to be understood in +the town that Whitford was not destined long to have the honour of +retaining Mr. Ancram Errington. Mr. Gibbs did the work; and, perhaps, +he hoped eventually to receive the pay. Why should he not step into the +vacant place of postmaster, when his chief should be translated to a +higher sphere?</p> + +<p>I daresay that, in these times of general reform, of competitive +examinations and official purity, no such state of things could be +possible as existed in the Whitford Post-office forty odd years ago. I +have only faithfully to record the events of my story, and to express my +humble willingness to believe that, nowadays, "<i>nous avons changé tout +cela</i>." I must, however, be allowed distinctly to assert, and +unflinchingly to maintain, that Algernon took no pains to acquire any +knowledge of his business; and that, nevertheless, the postal +communications between Whitford and the rest of the world appeared to go +on much as they had gone on during the reign of his predecessor.</p> + +<p>Mr. Gibbs was a close, quiet man, grave and sparing of speech. He had +known something of the Erringtons for many years, having been a crony of +old Maxfield's once upon a time. Mr. Gibbs remembered seeing Algernon's +smiling, rosy face and light figure flitting through the long passage at +old Max's in his school-boy days. He remembered having once or twice met +the majestic Mrs. Errington in the doorway; and could recollect quite +well how the tinkling sound of the harpsichord and Algy's fresh young +voice used to penetrate into the back parlour on prayer-meeting nights, +and fill the pauses between Brother Jackson's nasal dronings or Brother +Powell's passionate supplications. Mr. Gibbs had not then conceived a +favourable idea of the Erringtons, looking on them as worldly and +unconverted persons, of whom Jonathan Maxfield would do well to purge +his house. But Mr. Gibbs kept his official life and his private life +very perfectly asunder, and he allowed no sectarian prejudices to make +him rusty and unmanageable in his relations with the new postmaster.</p> + +<p>Then, Mr. Gibbs was not altogether proof against the charm of Algy's +manner. Once upon a time Algy had been pleasant to all the world, for +the sheer pleasure of pleasing. Years, in their natural course, had a +little hardened the ductility of his compliant manners—a little +roughened the smoothness of his once almost flawless temper. But +disappointment, and the—to Algernon—almost unendurable sense that he +stood lower in his friends' admiration (I do not say estimation) than +formerly, had changed him more rapidly than the mere course of time +would have done. Still, when Mr. Ancram Errington strongly desired to +attract, persuade, or fascinate, there were few persons who could resist +him. He found it worth while to fascinate Mr. Gibbs, desiring not only +that his clerk should carry his burden for him, but should carry it so +cheerfully and smilingly as to make him feel comfortable and complacent +at having made the transfer.</p> + +<p>I have said that disappointment had changed Algernon. He was +disappointed in his marriage. It was not that he had been a victim to +any romantic illusions as regarded his wife. He had had his little +love-romance some time ago; had it, and tasted it, and enjoyed it as a +child enjoys a fairy tale, feeling that it belongs to quite another +realm from the everyday world of nursery dinners, Latin grammars, and +torn pinafores, and not in the least expecting to see Fanfreluche fly +down the chimney into the school-room, or to find Cinderella's glass +slipper on the stairs as he goes up to bed. Romances that touch the +fancy only, and in which the heart has no share, are easily put off and +on. Algernon had wilfully laid his romance aside, and did not regret it. +Castalia's lack of charm, and sweetness, and sympathy would not greatly +have troubled him—did he not know it all beforehand?—had she been able +to help him into a brilliant position, and to cause him to be received +and caressed by her noble relatives and the delightful world of +fashionable society. It was not that she failed to put any sunlight into +his days, and to fill his home with a sweet atmosphere of love and +trust. Algy would willingly enough have dispensed with that sort of +sunshine if he could but have had plenty of wax candles and fine +crystal lustres for them to sparkle in. Give him a handsome suite of +drawing-rooms, filled with the rich odours of pastille and pot-pourri, +and Algy would make no sickly lamentations over the absence of any +"sweet atmosphere" such as I have written of above. Only put his +attractive figure into a suitable frame, and he would be sure to receive +praise and sympathy enough, and to have a pleasant life of it.</p> + +<p>No; he could not accuse himself of having been the victim of any +sentimental illusion in marrying Castalia. And yet he had been cheated! +He had bestowed himself without receiving the due <i>quid pro quo</i>. In a +word, he began to fear that it had not been worth his while to marry the +Honourable Miss Kilfinane. And sometimes the thought darted like a +twinge of pain through the young man's mind—might it not have been +worth his while to marry someone else?</p> + +<p>"Someone else" was talked of as an heiress. "Someone else" was said by +the gossips to be so good a match that she might have her pick of the +town—aye, and a good chance among the county people! But Algernon +smothered down all vain and harassing speculations founded on an "if it +had been!" Neither did he by any means hopelessly resign himself to his +present position, nor despair of obtaining a better one. He persisted +in looking on his employment as merely provisional and temporary; so +that, in fact, the worse things became in his Whitford life, the less he +would do to mend them, taking every fresh disgust and annoyance as a new +reason why—according to any rationally conceivable theory of events—he +must speedily be removed to a region in which a gentleman of his +capacities for refined enjoyment might be free to exercise them, +untrammelled by vulgar cares.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + + +<p>It was true that Mrs. Algernon Errington had distinguished the Misses +McDougall, by her notice, above all the other ladies whom she met at Dr. +Bodkin's. The rest had by no means found favour in her eyes. Minnie +Bodkin she decidedly disapproved of. Ally Dockett was "a little +black-eyed, fat, flirting thing." The elder ladies were frumps, or +frights, or bores. Rhoda Maxfield she had scarcely seen. On the evening +of the Bodkins' party, Rhoda, as we know, had kept herself studiously in +the background.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington intended to present Rhoda to her daughter-in-law as her +own especial pet and <i>protégée</i>, but a favourable moment for fulfilling +this intention did not offer itself. Rhoda had not distinctly expressed +any unwillingness to be taken to Ivy Lodge, and it could never enter +into Mrs. Errington's head to guess that she felt such unwillingness. +But in some way the project seemed to be eluded; so that Castalia had +been some weeks in Whitford without making the acquaintance of Miss +Maxfield, as she began to be called, even by some of those to whom she +had been "Old Max's little Rhoda" all her life.</p> + +<p>Castalia, indeed, troubled her head very little about Rhoda, under +whatever style or title she might be mentioned. We may be sure that +Algernon never spoke to his wife of the old days at the Maxfields; +indeed, he eschewed all allusion to that name as much as possible. +Castalia knew from Mrs. Errington that there had been a young girl in +the house where she had lodged, the daughter of the grocer, who was her +landlord; but, being pretty well accustomed to Mrs. Errington's +highly-coloured descriptions of things and people, she had paid no +attention to that lady's praises of Rhoda's intelligence, good looks, +and pretty manners.</p> + +<p>No; Castalia troubled not her head about Rhoda. But she was troubled +about Minnie Bodkin, of whom she became bitterly jealous. She did not +suppose, to be sure, that her husband had ever made love to Miss Bodkin; +but she was constantly tormented by the suspicion that Algernon was +admiring Minnie, and comparing her beauty, wit, and accomplishments with +those of his wife, to the disadvantage of the latter. Not that she +(Castalia) admired her. Far from it! But—she was just the sort of +person to be taking with men. She had such a forward, confident, showy +way with her!</p> + +<p>Some speech of this sort being uttered in the presence of the Misses +McDougall, was seized upon, and echoed, and re-echoed, and made much of +by those young ladies, who pounced on poor Minnie, and tore her to +pieces with great skill and gusto. Violet, indeed, made a feeble protest +now and then on behalf of her friend; but how was she to oppose her +sister and that sweet Mrs. Algernon? And then, in conscience and +candour, she could not but admit that poor dear Minnie had many and +glaring faults.</p> + +<p>In fact, Rose and Violet McDougall were installed as toadies in ordinary +to Castalia. They were her dearest friends; they called her by her +Christian-name; they flattered her weaknesses, and encouraged her worst +traits; not, we may charitably believe, with the full consciousness of +what they were doing. For her part, Castalia soon got into the habit of +liking to have these ladies about her. They performed many little +offices which saved her trouble; they were devoted to her interests, and +brought her news of the doings of the opposite faction. For there was an +opposite faction; or Castalia persuaded herself that there was. The +Bodkins were ranged in it, in her jealous fancy; and so were the +Docketts, and one or two more of Algernon's old friends. Miss Chubb she +considered to hover as yet on neutral ground. As to the unmarried +men—young Pawkins, Mr. Diamond, and the curate of St. Chad's—they were +not much taken into account in this species of subterranean warfare, +carried on with an arsenal of sneers, stares, slights, hints, +coolnesses, bridlings, envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness.</p> + +<p>I have said that the warfare was subterranean; occult, as it were. Had +the enemy been actuated by similar feelings to those of Castalia and her +party, hostilities must have blazed up openly. But most of them did not +even know that they were being assailed. Among these unconscious ones +were Dr. and Mrs. Bodkin. Minnie had at times a suspicion that Algy's +wife disliked her. But then the manners of Algy's wife were not genial +or gracious to anyone, and Minnie could not but feel a certain +compassion for her, which extinguished resentment at her sour words and +ways.</p> + +<p>With the rest of the Whitford society, the bride did not enter into +intimate, or even amicable, relations. She offended most of the worthy +matrons who called on her by merely returning her card, and not even +asking to be admitted to see them. As to offering any entertainment in +return for the hospitalities that were offered to her during the first +weeks that she dwelt in Whitford, that, Castalia said, was out of the +question. How could more than two persons sit at table in her little +dining-room? And how was it possible to receive company in Ivy Lodge?</p> + +<p>But Whitford was not quite of her opinion in this matter. It was true +her rooms were small; but were they smaller than Mrs. Jones's, who gave +three tea-parties every year, and received her friends in detachments? +Why was Ivy Lodge less adapted for festive purposes than Dr. Smith's +house in the High Street?—a queer, ancient, crooked nook of a dwelling, +squeezed in between two larger neighbours, with a number of tiny dark +rooms like closets; in which, nevertheless, some of the best crumpets +and tea-cakes known to that community, not to mention little lobster +suppers in the season, had been consumed by the Smiths' friends with +much satisfaction. As Mrs. Dockett observed, it was not so much what you +gave as the spirit you gave it in that mattered! And she was not +ashamed, not she, to recall the time, in the beginning of Mr. Dockett's +career, when she had with her own hands prepared a welsh rabbit and a +jorum of spiced ale for a little party of friends, having nothing +better to offer them for supper. In a word, it was Whitford's creed that +even the most indigestible food, freely bestowed, might bless him that +gave and him that received; and that if the Algernon Erringtons did not +offer anyone so much as a cup of tea in their house, the real reason was +to be sought in the lady's proud reserve and a general state of feeling +which Mrs. Dockett described as "stuck-upishness."</p> + +<p>Castalia was unaccustomed to walking, and disliked that exercise. Riding +was out of her power, no saddle-horse that would carry a lady being kept +for hire in Whitford, and the jingling old fly from the "Blue Bell" inn +was employed to carry her to such houses as she deigned to visit at. Her +mother-in-law's lodging was not very frequently honoured by her +presence. The stairs frightened her, she said; they were like a ladder. +Mrs. Thimbleby's oblong drawing-room was a horrible little den. She had +had no idea that ladies and gentlemen ever lived in such places. In +truth, Castalia's anticipations of the Erringtons' domestic life at +Whitford had by no means prepared her for the reality. Ancram had told +her he was poor, certainly. Poor! Yes, but Jack Price was poor also. And +Jack Price's valet was far better lodged than her mother-in-law. +However, occasionally the jingling fly did draw up before the widow +Thimbleby's door, and Castalia was seen to alight from it with a +discontented expression of countenance, and to pick her way with raised +skirts over the cleanly sanded doorstep.</p> + +<p>One day, when she entered the oblong drawing-room, Castalia perceived +that Mrs. Errington was not there; but, instead of her, there was a +young lady, sitting at work by the window, who lifted a lovely, blushing +face as Castalia entered the room, and stammered out, in evident +embarrassment, that Mrs. Errington would be there in a few minutes, and, +meanwhile, would not the lady take a seat?</p> + +<p>"I am Mrs. Ancram Errington," said Castalia, looking curiously at the +girl.</p> + +<p>"Yes; I know. I—I saw you at Dr. Bodkin's. I am spending the day with +Mrs. Errington. She is very kind to me."</p> + +<p>Algernon's wife seated herself in the easy-chair, and leisurely surveyed +the young woman before her. Her first thought was, "How well she's +dressed!" her second, "She seems very bashful and timid; quite afraid of +me!" And this second thought was not displeasing to Mrs. Algernon; for, +in general, she had not been treated by the "provincial bumpkins," as +she called them, with all the deference and submission due to her rank.</p> + +<p>The girl's hands were nervously occupied with some needlework. The flush +had faded from her face, and left it delicately pale, except a faint +rose-tint in the cheeks. Her shining brown hair waved in soft curls on +to her neck. Mrs. Algernon sat looking at her, and critically observing +the becoming hue of her green silk gown, the taste and richness of a +gold brooch at her throat, the whiteness of the shapely hand that was +tremulously plying the needle. All at once a guess came into her mind, +and she asked, suddenly:</p> + +<p>"Is your name Maxfield?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; Rhoda Maxfield," returned the girl, blushing more deeply and +painfully than before.</p> + +<p>"Why, I have heard of you!" exclaimed Mrs. Algernon. "You must come and +see me."</p> + +<p>Rhoda was so alarmed at the pitch of agitation to which she was brought +by this speech, that she made a violent effort to control it, and +answered with, more calmness than she had hitherto displayed:</p> + +<p>"Mrs. Errington has spoken once or twice of bringing me to your house; +but—I did not like to intrude. And, besides——"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mrs. Errington brings all sorts of tiresome people to see me; she +may as well bring a nice person for once in a way."</p> + +<p>Castalia was meaning to be very gracious.</p> + +<p>"Yes; I mean—but then—my father might not like me to come and see +you," blurted out Rhoda, with a sort of quiet desperation.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Algernon opened her eyes very wide.</p> + +<p>"Why, for goodness' sake? Oh, he had some quarrel or other with Mrs. +Errington, hadn't he? Never mind, that must be all forgotten, or he +wouldn't let you come here. I believe the truth is, that Mrs. Errington +meant slyly to keep you to herself, and I shan't stand that."</p> + +<p>Indeed, Castalia more than half believed this to be the case. And, +partly from a sheer spirit of opposition to her mother-in-law—partly +from the suspicious jealousy of her nature, that led her to do those +things which she fancied others cunningly wished to prevent her from +doing—she began to think she would patronise Rhoda and enlist her into +her own faction. Besides, Rhoda was sweet-voiced, submissive, humble. +Certainly, she would be a pleasanter sort of pet and tame animal to +encourage about the house than Rose McDougall, who, with all her +devotion, claimed a <i>quid pro quo</i> for her services, and dwelt on her +kinship with the daughter of Lord Kauldkail, and talked of their "mutual +ancestry" to an extent that Castalia had begun to consider a bore.</p> + +<p>At this moment Mrs. Errington bustled into the room, holding a small +roll of yellow lace in her hand. "I have found it, Rhoda," she cried. +"This little bit is nearly the same pattern as the trimming on the cap, +and, if we join the frilling——" Here she perceived Mrs. Algernon's +presence, and stopped her speech with an exclamation of surprise: "Good +gracious! is that you, Castalia? How long have you been here? This is an +unexpected pleasure. Now you can give us your advice about the trimming +of my cap, which Rhoda has undertaken for me."</p> + +<p>Castalia did not rise from the easy-chair, but turned her cheek to +receive the elder lady's kiss. Rhoda gathered up her work, and moved to +go away.</p> + +<p>"Don't run away, Rhoda!" cried Mrs. Errington. "We have no secrets to +talk, have we, Castalia? You know my little friend Rhoda, do you not? +She is a great pet of mine?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I will go and sit in your bedroom, if I may," muttered Rhoda, +hurriedly. "I—I don't like to be in your way." And with a little +confused courtesy to Mrs. Algernon, she slipped out of the room and +closed the door behind her.</p> + +<p>"She is such a shy little thing!" exclaimed Mrs. Errington.</p> + +<p>"Well," returned Castalia, "it is a comfort to meet with any Whitford +person that knows her place! They are the most presumptuous set of +creatures, in general, that I ever came across."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Rhoda Maxfield's manners are never at fault, I assure you; I formed +her myself, with considerable care and pains."</p> + +<p>"She seems to make herself useful, too!" observed Castalia with a +languid sneer.</p> + +<p>"That she does, indeed, my dear! Most useful. Her taste and skill in any +little matter of needlework are quite extraordinary. Poor child! she is +so delighted to do anything for me. She is devotedly attached to me, and +very grateful. Her father really did behave abominably, and she feels it +very much, and wishes to make up for it. No doubt the old man repents of +his folly and ill-humour now; but, of course, I can have nothing more to +say to him. However, I willingly allow the girl to do any little thing +she can. She has just been trimming this cap for me most exquisitely!"</p> + +<p>Castalia thought, more and more, that it would be worth her while to +patronise Rhoda.</p> + +<p>"I shall go to old Maxfield myself, and get him to let her come to my +house," said she, as she took leave of her mother-in-law, and slowly +made her way down Mrs. Thimbleby's ladder-like staircase, holding fast +to the banisters with one hand, and not lifting one of her feet from a +step until the other was firmly planted beside it.</p> + +<p>On returning home that evening, Rhoda was greatly startled by her +father's words, "Well, Miss Maxfield, here's a honourable missis been +begging for the pleasure of your company!"</p> + +<p>Rhoda turned pale and red, and said something in too low a tone to meet +her father's ear.</p> + +<p>"Oh yes," the old man went on; "the Honourable Mrs. Algernon Ancram +Errington has been here, if you please! Well, I wish that young man joy +of his bargain! Our little Sally is ten times as well-favoured. Your +Aunt Betty saw her first; and, says she, 'Is Mr. Maxfield at home?'"</p> + +<p>"I answered that your father was engaged in business," said Betty +Grimshaw, taking up the narration.</p> + +<p>"You should ha' said I was serving in the shop," observed old Max, +doggedly, "and would sell her fine ladyship a penn'orth of gingerbread +if she'd a mind, and could find the penny!"</p> + +<p>"Nay, Jonathan, how could I have said that to the lady? Says she, 'I +wish to say a word to him.' So I showed her into your drawing-room, +Rhoda, and called your father, and——"</p> + +<p>"And there she sat," interrupted the old man, with unwonted eagerness in +his face and his voice, "in a far better place than any she has of her +own, if all accounts are true, looking about her as curious as a ferret. +I walked in, in my calico sleeves and my apron——"</p> + +<p>("He wouldn't take them off," put in Betty, parenthetically.)</p> + +<p>"No; I wouldn't. And she told me she was come to ask my leave to have my +daughter Rhoda at her house. 'Of course you'll let her come,' she says, +'for you let her go to Mrs. Errington's and to Mrs. Bodkin's?' 'Why, as +to that,' says I, 'I'm rather partic'lar where Miss Maxfield visits.' +You should have seen her stare. She looked fairly astounded."</p> + +<p>"Oh, father!"</p> + +<p>"Did I not speak the truth? I <i>am</i> partic'lar where you visit. I told +her plainly that you was in a very different position from the rest of +the family. 'I am a plain tradesman,' said I. 'I have my own place and +my own influence, and I have been marvellously upholden in my walk of +light. But my daughter Rhoda is a lady of the Lord's own making, and +must be treated as such. And she has plenty of this world's gear, for +my endeavours have been abundantly blessed.'"</p> + +<p>"Oh, father!"</p> + +<p>"'Oh, father!'" repeated the old man, impatiently. "What did I say +amiss? I tell you the woman was cowed by me. I am in subjection to none +of their principalities and powers. The upshot was that I promised you +should go and take tea with her to-morrow evening."</p> + +<p>Rhoda was greatly surprised by this announcement, which was totally +unexpected. "Oh, father!" she exclaimed in a trembling voice, "why did +you say I should go?"</p> + +<p>"Why? For various sufficient reasons. Let that be enough for you."</p> + +<p>The truth was, that Castalia had more than hinted her suspicion that her +mother-in-law selfishly endeavoured to keep Rhoda under her own +influence, and to prevent her visiting elsewhere. And to thwart Mrs. +Errington would alone have been a powerful incentive with old Max. But a +far stronger motive with him was that he longed, with keen malice, that +Algernon should be forced painfully to contrast the love he had been +false to with the wife he had gained. He would have Algernon see Rhoda +rich, and well-dressed, and courted. If Rhoda would but have flaunted +her prosperity in Algernon's face, there was scarcely any sum of money +her father would have grudged for the pleasure of witnessing that +spectacle. But, although it was hopeless to expect Rhoda to display any +spirit of vengeance on her own behalf, yet she might be made the +half-unconscious instrument of a retribution that should gall and +mortify Algernon to the quick. That Rhoda herself might suffer in the +process was an idea to which (if it occurred to him) he would give no +harbourage.</p> + +<p>Rhoda sat silent until her aunt had left the room to prepare the supper +according to her habit. Then she rose, and, going close up to her +father, took his hand, and looked imploringly into his face. "Father," +she said, "don't make me go there. I—I can't bear it."</p> + +<p>"You can't bear it!" burst out old Maxfield. He scowled with a frown of +terrible malignity. But Rhoda well knew that his wrath was not directed +against her. She stood trembling and pale before him, whilst he spoke +more harsh and bitter words against all the family of the Erringtons +than she had ever heard him utter on that score. He dropped, too, for +the first time in her hearing, a hint that he had some power over +Algernon, and would use it to his detriment. Rhoda mustered courage to +ask him for an explanation of those words. But he merely answered, "No +matter. It is no matter. It is not the money. I shall not get it, nor do +I greatly heed it. But I can put him to shame publicly, if I am so +minded."</p> + +<p>The poor child began to perceive that any display of wounded feeling on +her part, of reluctance to meet Algernon and his wife, of being in any +degree crushed and dispirited, would inflame her father's wrath against +that family. And, although she had only the vaguest notions as to what +he could or could not do to spite them, she had a hundred reasons for +wishing to mitigate his animosity.</p> + +<p>So, with the gentle cunning that belonged to her nature, at once timid +and persistent, she began to unsay what she had said, and to try to +efface the impression which her first refusal had made upon her father.</p> + +<p>"I—I have been thinking that you are right, father, in saying it will +be best for me to go to Ivy Lodge. You know Mrs. Errington has always +been good to me, and it would please her, perhaps. And—and, after all, +why should I be afraid of going there?"</p> + +<p>"Afraid of going there!" echoed old Max, with sternly-set jaw and +puckered brow. "Why, indeed, should you be afraid? There's some as have +reason to be afraid, but not my daughter—not Miss Maxfield. Afraid!"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps people might think it strange if I did not go?"</p> + +<p>"People! What people?"</p> + +<p>"Well, no matter for that. But if you, father, think it well that I +should go——"</p> + +<p>"You shall go in a carriage from the 'Blue Bell' inn. And Sally shall +accompany you and bring you back. And see that you are properly attired. +I would have you wear your best garments. You shall not be shamed before +that yellow-faced woman. I don't believe she has a better gown to her +back than the one I bought you to wear at Dr. Bodkin's."</p> + +<p>Rhoda waived the point for the moment; but, after a while, she was able +to persuade her father that her grey merino gown, with a lace frill at +her throat, was a more suitable garment in which to spend the evening at +Ivy Lodge than the rich violet silk he recommended for the purpose. Real +ladies, she urged timidly, did not wear their smartest clothes on such +occasions. And old Max reluctantly accepted her dictum on this point. +But nothing could shake him from his resolve that Rhoda should be +conveyed to Mrs. Algernon Errington's door in a hired carriage. So, with +a sigh, she yielded; devoutly wishing that a pelting shower of rain, or +even a thunderstorm, might arrive the next evening, to serve as an +excuse for her appearing at Ivy Lodge in such unwonted state.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + + +<p>No Jupiter, rainy or thunderous, lent his assistance to account for the +extraordinary phenomenon of Rhoda Maxfield's driving up to the +garden-gate of Ivy Lodge instead of arriving there on foot. On the +contrary, it was a fine autumn evening, with a serene sky where the +sunset tints still lingered.</p> + +<p>Rhoda alighted hurriedly from the carriage, and walked up the few feet +of gravel path, between the garden fence and the house, with a beating +heart. "You can go away now, Sally," she said, being very anxious to +dismiss the "Blue Bell" equipage before the door should be opened. But +Sally was not in such a hurry. Her master had told her that she was to +wait and see Miss Rhoda safe into the house, and then she might come +back in the carriage as far as the "Blue Bell." And Sally was not averse +to have her new promotion to the dignity of "riding in a coach" +witnessed by Mrs. Algernon Errington's Polly, with whom she had a slight +acquaintance. So Miss Maxfield's equipage was seen by the servant who +opened the door, and stared at from the front parlour window by two +pairs of eyes, belonging respectively to Miss Chubb and Mrs. Errington.</p> + +<p>"You can go into the parlour, miss," said Polly. "Master and missis are +still at dinner. But the old lady's in there and Miss Chubb."</p> + +<p>That they should be still at dinner, at half-past six o'clock in the +evening, seemed a strange circumstance to Rhoda, and was one that she +had not reckoned on. But she supposed it was according to the customs of +the high folks Mrs. Algernon had been used to live among. The innovation +was not accepted so meekly by most of the Whitfordians, whom, indeed, it +seemed to irritate in a greater degree than more serious offences. But +it is true of most of us, that we are never more angry than when we are +unable to explain the reasons for our anger.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid I'm too early," said Rhoda, when she had entered the +parlour and greeted her old friends, "but father said he thought it was +the right time to come."</p> + +<p>"Mr. and Mrs. Ancram Errington dine late, my dear. Castalia has not yet +got broken of the habits of her own class, as I have had to be. Indeed, +she will probably never need to relinquish them. But it is no matter, +Rhoda. You can make yourself comfortable here with us for half an hour +or so. Miss Chubb called in to see me at my place, and I brought her +down here with me. I knew Mrs. Ancram Errington would be happy to see +her if she dropped in in an informal way."</p> + +<p>"I never can get used to the name of Ancram instead of Algernon," said +the spinster, raising her round red face from her woolwork. "It isn't +half so pretty. Nine times out of ten I call your son 'Algy' plump and +plain. I'm very sorry if it's improper, but I can't help it."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington smiled with an air of lofty toleration. "Not at all +improper," she said. "Algernon is the last creature in the world to be +distant towards an old friend. But as to the name of Ancram, why it was, +from the first, his appellation among the Seelys. And Castalia always +calls him so. You see 'Ancram' was a familiar name in the circles she +lived in; like Howard, or Seymour, or any of the great old family names, +you know. It came naturally to her."</p> + +<p>"Well, I should think that one's husband's Christian-name would come +natural to one, even if it were only plain Tom, Dick, or Harry."</p> + +<p>"He didn't begin by being her husband, my dear!"</p> + +<p>Rhoda had nestled herself down in a corner behind a small table, and was +turning over an album and one or two illustrated annuals. She hoped that +the discussion as to Algernon's name would effectually divert the +attention of the two elder ladies from the unprecedented fact that she +had been brought to Ivy Lodge in a carriage. But she was not to be let +off altogether. Miss Chubb, folding up her work, declared that it was +growing too dark to distinguish the colours, and observed, "I was +standing by the window to catch the last daylight, when you drove up, +Rhoda. I couldn't think who it was arriving in such style."</p> + +<p>"That was the 'Blue Bell' fly you were in, Rhoda," said Mrs. Errington. +"I believe it to be the same vehicle that my daughter-in-law uses +occasionally. She complains of it sadly. But I tell her she cannot +expect to find her Aunt Seely's luxurious, well-hung carriages in a +little provincial place like this."</p> + +<p>Miss Chubb was about to make what she considered a severe retort, but +she stifled it down. Mrs. Errington's airs were very provoking, to be +sure; but there were reasons why Miss Chubb was more inclined to bear +with her now than formerly. If it pleased this widowed mother to soften +her disappointments about Algy's career and Algy's wife (it began to be +considered in Whitford that both would prove to be failures!) by an +extra flourish or two, why should any one put her——"No!" said Miss +Chubb to herself, as the question was half-framed in her mind, "that is +not the right word, certainly. I defy the world to put Mrs. Errington +out of conceit with herself! But why should one snub and snap at the +poor woman?"</p> + +<p>Indeed, Miss Chubb never snapped, and rarely attempted to snub. She had +a fund of benevolence hidden under a heap of frothy vanities and +absurdities, like the solid cake at the bottom of a trifle.</p> + +<p>"Well," said she, smiling good-temperedly, "I'm sure Rhoda doesn't +quarrel with the 'Blue Bell' fly, do you, Rhoda?"</p> + +<p>"I shouldn't have wished to use it, myself, but father said, 'It is +rather a long way,' and father thought——"</p> + +<p>"Oh, my dear, there is no need to excuse yourself, or to look shy on the +subject. We should all of us be glad enough of a coach to ride in, now +and then, if we could afford it. I'm sure I should, and I don't mind +saying so."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington did not approve of the coach quite so unreservedly. She +observed, with some solemnity, that she was no friend to extravagance; +and that, above all things, persons ought to guard against ostentation, +or a thrusting of themselves into positions unsuited to that station in +life to which it had pleased Providence to call them. And, in +conclusion, she announced her intention of availing herself of the +circumstance that Rhoda had a carriage at her disposal for the evening, +to drive back with her as far as Mrs. Thimbleby's door—"which," said +she, "is only a street and a half away from your house, Rhoda; and it +will not make any difference to your father in point of expense."</p> + +<p>Castalia found her three guests chatting in the twilight; or rather she +found Mrs. Errington holding forth in her rich pleasant voice, whilst +the others listened, and threw in a word or two now and then, just +sufficient to show that they were attending to the good lady's harangue. +In Rhoda's case, indeed, this appearance of attention was fallacious, +for, although she said "Yes," and "No," and "Indeed!" at due intervals, +her thoughts were wandering back to old days, which seemed suddenly to +have receded into a far-distant past.</p> + +<p>Castalia shook hands languidly with Miss Chubb and condescendingly with +Rhoda. "I'm very glad you've come," she said to the latter, which was a +speech of unusual warmth for her. And it had the merit, moreover, of +being true. Castalia was not given to falsehood in her speech. She was +too supercilious to care much what impression she made on people in +general; and if they bored her, she took no pains to conceal the fact. +Weariness of spirit and discontent had begun to assail her once more. +They were old enemies. Her marriage had banished them for a time; but +they gathered again, like clouds which a transient gleam of wintry +sunshine has temporarily dispersed, and shadowed her life with an +increasing gloom. This young Rhoda Maxfield offered some chance of +brightness and novelty. She was certainly different from the rest of the +Whitford world, and the pursuit of her society had been beset with some +little difficulties that gave it zest.</p> + +<p>A lamp was brought into the room, and then Castalia sat down beside +Rhoda, unceremoniously leaving the other ladies to entertain each other +as best they might. She examined her guest's dress; the quality of the +lace frill at her throat; the arrangement of her chestnut curls; the +delicate little gold chain that shone upon the pearl-grey gown; the +neatly-embroidered letters R. M. worked on a corner of the handkerchief +that lay in her lap, with as much unreserve and coolness as though Rhoda +had been some daintily-furred rabbit, or any other pet animal. On her +part, Rhoda took cognisance of every detail in Castalia's appearance, +attire, and manner; she marked every inflection of her voice, and every +turn of her haughty, languid head. And, perhaps, her scrutiny was the +keener and more complete of the two, notwithstanding that it was made +with timidly-veiled eyes and downcast head.</p> + +<p>"What an odd man your father is!" said the Honourable Mrs. Ancram +Errington, by way of opening the conversation.</p> + +<p>Rhoda found it impossible to reply to this observation. She coloured, +and twisted her gold chain round her fingers, and was silent. But it did +not seem that Mrs. Ancram Errington expected, or wished for a reply. She +went on with scarcely a pause: "I thought at first he would refuse to +let you come here. But he gave his consent at last. I was quite amused +with his odd way of doing it, though. He must be quite a 'character.' +He's very rich, isn't he?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, ma'am," stammered Rhoda.</p> + +<p>"Well, he says so himself; or, at least, he informed me that you were, +or would be, which comes to the same thing. And don't call me 'ma'am.' +It makes me feel a hundred years old. You and I must be great friends."</p> + +<p>"Where is Algernon?" asked Mrs. Errington from the other side of the +room.</p> + +<p>"He will come presently, when he has finished his wine. Do you know we +found that stuff from the 'Blue Bell,' that you recommended us to try, +quite undrinkable! Ancram was obliged to get Jack Price to send him +down a case of claret, from his own wine-merchant in town."</p> + +<p>"Most extraordinary!" exclaimed Mrs. Errington, and began to +recapitulate all the occasions on which the wine supplied to her from +the "Blue Bell" inn had been pronounced excellent by the first +connoisseurs. But Castalia made small pretence of listening to or +believing her statements. Indeed, I am sorry to say that obstinate +incredulity was this young woman's habitual tone of mind with regard to +almost every word that her mother-in-law uttered; whereby the Honourable +Mrs. Castalia occasionally fell into mistakes.</p> + +<p>"Could you not try Dr. Bodkin's wine-merchant?" suggested Miss Chubb. "I +am no judge myself, but I feel sure that the doctor would not put bad +wine on his table."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know. I don't suppose there is any first-rate wine to be +got in this place. Ancram prefers dealing with the London man."</p> + +<p>And then Castalia dismissed the subject with an expressive shrug. "Who +are your chief friends here?" she asked of Rhoda, who had sat with her +eyes fixed on a smart illustrated volume, scarcely seeing it, and +feeling a confused sort of pain and mortification, at the tone in which +the younger Mrs. Errington treated the elder.</p> + +<p>"My chief friends?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; you must know a great many people. You have lived here all your +life, have you not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; but—father never cared that I should make many acquaintances out +of doors."</p> + +<p>"You were Methodists, were you not? I remember Ancram telling me of the +psalm-singing that used to go on downstairs. He can imitate it +wonderfully. Do tell me about how you lived, and what you did! I never +knew any Methodists, nor any people who kept a shop."</p> + +<p>The naïve curiosity with which this was said might have moved some minds +to mirth, and others to indignation. In Rhoda it produced only confusion +and distress, and such an access of shyness as made her for a few +moments literally dumb. She murmured at length some unintelligible +sentences, of which "I'm sure I don't know" were the only words that +Castalia could make out. She did not on this account desist from her +inquiries, but threw them into the more particular form of a catechism, +as, "Were you let to read anything except the Bible on Sundays?" "I +suppose you never went to a ball in your life?" "How did you learn to do +your own hair?" "Do the Methodist preachers really rant and shriek as +much as people say?"</p> + +<p>Algernon, coming quietly into the room, beheld his wife and Rhoda seated +side by side on a sofa behind the little Pembroke table, and engaged, +apparently, in confidential conversation. They were so near together, +and Castalia was bending down so low to hear Rhoda's faintly-uttered +answers, as to give an air of intimacy to the group.</p> + +<p>He lingered in the doorway looking at them, until Miss Chubb crying, +"Oh, there you are, sir!" called the attention of the others to him, +when he advanced and shook hands with Rhoda, whose fingers were icy cold +as he touched them with his warm, white, exquisitely-cared-for hand. +Then he bent to kiss his mother, and seated himself between her and his +old friend Miss Chubb, in a low chair, stretching out his legs, and +leaning back his head, as he contemplated the neatly-shod feet that were +carelessly crossed in front of him.</p> + +<p>"You did not expect to see Rhoda, did you, my dear boy?" said Mrs. +Errington.</p> + +<p>"Yes; I believe Castalia said something about having asked her. It is a +new freak of Castalia's. I think she had better have left it alone. The +old man is highly impracticable, and is just one of those persons whom +it is prudent to keep at arm's length."</p> + +<p>"I think so, too!" assented Mrs. Errington, emphatically. "Indeed, I +almost wonder at his letting his daughter come here."</p> + +<p>Algernon quite wondered at it. But he said nothing.</p> + +<p>"Of course," pursued Mrs. Errington, "letting her come to me is a very +different matter."</p> + +<p>"Why?" asked Miss Chubb, bluntly.</p> + +<p>"Because, my dear, the girl herself is so devotedly attached to me that +I believe she would fret herself into an illness if she were forbidden +to see me occasionally. And I believe old Maxfield is fond of his child, +in his way, and would not wish to grieve her. But, of course, Rhoda can +have no particular desire to visit Castalia. Indeed, I have offered to +bring her more than once, and she has not availed herself of the +opportunity."</p> + +<p>"Old Max is ambitious for his daughter, they say," observed Miss Chubb, +"and likes to get her into genteel company. Perhaps he thinks she will +find a husband out of her own sphere. I'm told that old Max is quite +rich, and that she will have all his money. But I think Rhoda is pretty +enough to get well married, even without a fortune."</p> + +<p>Then, when Mrs. Errington moved away to speak to her daughter-in-law, +Miss Chubb whispered slily to Algernon, "You were a little bit smitten +with our pretty Rhoda, once upon a time, sir, weren't you? Oh, it's no +use your protesting and looking so unconscious! La, dear me; well, it +was very natural! Calf-love, of course. But I'll tell you, between you +and me, who is smitten with her, and pretty seriously too—and that's +Mr. Diamond!"</p> + +<p>"Diamond!"</p> + +<p>"Well, you needn't look so astonished. He's a young man, for all his +grave ways, and she is a pretty girl. And, upon my word, I think it +might do capitally."</p> + +<p>"You look tired, Algernon," said Mrs. Errington to her son a little +later in the evening. It must have been a very marked expression of +fatigue which could have attracted the good lady's attention in any +other human being.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I've been bored and worried at that confounded post-office."</p> + +<p>"What a shame!" cried Mrs. Errington. "Positively some representation +ought to be made to Government about it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, it's disgusting!" said Castalia, with a shrug of her lean +shoulders, and in the fretful drawl, which conveyed the idea that she +would be actively angry if any sublunary matters could be important +enough to overcome her habitual languor.</p> + +<p>"I don't remember hearing that Mr. Cooper found the work so hard," said +Miss Chubb, innocently. Mr. Cooper had been the Whitford postmaster next +before Algernon.</p> + +<p>"It isn't the work, Miss Chubb," said Algernon, a little ashamed of the +amount of sympathy and compassion his words had evoked. "That is to +say, it is not the quantity of the work, but the kind of it, that bores +one. Cooper, I believe, was a steady, jog-trot old fellow, who did his +daily task like a horse in a mill. But I can't take to it so +comfortably. It is as if you, with your taste for elegant needlework, +were set to hem dusters all day long!" Algernon laughed, in his old, +frank way, as he made the comparison.</p> + +<p>"Well, I shouldn't like that, certainly. But, after all, dusters are +very useful things. And then, you see, I do the fancy work to amuse +myself; but I should be paid for the dusters, and that makes a +difference!"</p> + +<p>"Paid!" screamed Castalia. "Why, you don't imagine that Ancram's +twopenny salary can pay him! Good gracious, it seems to me scarcely +enough to buy food with. It's quite horrible to think how poor we are!"</p> + +<p>"Come," said Algernon, "I don't think this conversation is particularly +lively or entertaining. Suppose we change the subject. There is +Rho—Miss Maxfield looking as if she expected to see us all expire of +inanition on the spot!"</p> + +<p>And, in truth, Rhoda was gazing from one to the other with a pale, +distressed face, and a look of surprise and compassion in her soft brown +eyes.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington did not approve of her daughter-in-law's unscrupulous +confession of poverty. Castalia lacked the Ancram gift of embellishing +disadvantageous circumstances. And the elder lady took occasion to +remark to Miss Chubb that everything was comparative; and that means +which might appear ample to persons of inferior rank were very trivial +and inadequate in the eyes of the Honourable Mrs. Ancram Errington. "She +has been her uncle's pet for many years. My lord denied her nothing. And +I needn't tell you, my dear Miss Chubb, that the emoluments of +Algernon's official post are by no means the whole and sole income of +our young couple here. There are private resources"—here Mrs. Errington +waved her hands majestically, as though to indicate the ample nature of +the resources—"which, to many persons, would seem positive affluence. +But Castalia's measure is a high one. I scold her sometimes, I assure +you. 'My dear child,' I say to her, 'look at me! Bred amidst the feudal +splendours of Ancram Park, I have accommodated myself to very different +scenes and very different associates;' for, of course, my dear soul, +although I have a great regard for my Whitford friends, and am very +sensible of their kind feelings for me, yet, as a mere matter of fact, +it would be absurd to pretend that the society I now move in is equal, +in point of rank, to that which surrounded my girlish years. And then +Castalia's perhaps partial estimate of her husband's talents (you know +she has witnessed the impression they made in the most brilliant circles +of the Metropolis) makes her impatient of his present position. For +myself, feeling sure, as I do, that this post-office business is merely +temporary, I can look at matters with more philosophy."</p> + +<p>"Ouf!" panted Miss Chubb, and began to fan herself with her +pocket-handkerchief.</p> + +<p>"Anything the matter, Miss Chubb?" asked Algernon, raising his eyebrows +and looking at her with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Nothing particular, Algy. I find it a little oppressive, that's all."</p> + +<p>"This little room is so stuffy with more than two or three people in +it!" said Castalia.</p> + +<p>"I'll do my part towards making it less stuffy," said Miss Chubb, +jumping up, and beginning to shake hands all round. "I daresay my old +Martha is there. I told her to come for me at nine o'clock. Oh, never +mind, thank you," in answer to Castalia's suggestion that she should +stay and have a cup of coffee, which would be brought in presently. +"Never mind the coffee. I have no doubt I shall find a bit of supper +ready at home." And with that she departed.</p> + +<p>"I hope it wasn't too severe, that hit about the supper," said the good +little woman to herself as she trotted homeward, accompanied by the +faithful Martha. "But really—offering one a cup of coffee at nine +o'clock at night! And as to Mrs. Errington, I am sorry for her, and can +make allowances for her: but she did so go beyond all bounds to-night +that, if I had not come away when I did, I think I should have choked."</p> + +<p>"Is the little woman affronted at anything?" asked Algernon of his wife, +when Miss Chubb's footsteps had ceased to be heard pattering down the +gravel path outside the house.</p> + +<p>"Eh? What little woman? Oh, the Chubb? No; I don't know. I suppose not."</p> + +<p>"No, no; not at all," said Mrs. Errington, decisively. "But you know her +ways of old. She has no <i>savoir faire</i>. A good little creature, poor +soul! Oh, by-the-way, Castalia, you know the patterns for autumn mantles +you asked me to look at? Well, I went into Ravell and Sarsnet's +yesterday, and they told me——" And then the worthy matron and her +daughter-in-law entered into an earnest discussion in an undertone; the +common interest in autumn mantles supplying that "touch of nature" which +made them kin more effectually than the matrimonial alliance that united +their families.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid you must have had a very dull evening," said the master of +the house, looking down on Rhoda as he stood near her, leaning with his +back against the tiny mantel-shelf.</p> + +<p>"No, thank you."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid you must! There was no amusement for you at all."</p> + +<p>"My evenings are not generally very amusing. I daresay you, who have +been accustomed to such different things, would find them very dull."</p> + +<p>This was not the humble, simple, childlike Rhoda whom he had parted from +two years ago. It was not that she had now no humility or simplicity, +but the humility was mingled with dignity, the simplicity with an easier +grace. Rhoda was more self-possessed at this moment than she had been +all the evening before. The weakest creatures are not without some means +of self-defence; and, if she be but pure-hearted, the most inexperienced +girl in the world can put on an armour of maiden pride over her hurt +feelings that has been known to puzzle even very intelligent individuals +of the opposite sex; and has perhaps given rise to one or two of the +numerous impassioned complaints that have been uttered from time to time +as to the inscrutable duplicity of women. In like manner if a man scalds +his finger, or gets a bullet in his flesh, he endeavours to bear the +pain without screaming.</p> + +<p>So little Rhoda Maxfield sat there with a placid face, talking to her +old love, turning over the leaves of a picture-book, and scarcely +looking at him as she talked.</p> + +<p>Now, if Algernon had been consulted beforehand as to what line of +conduct he would wish Rhoda to adopt when they should meet, he would, +doubtless, have said, "Let us meet pleasantly and frankly as old +friends, and behave as if all our old love-making had been the mere +amusement of our childhood!" And yet, somehow, it a little disconcerted +him to see her so calm.</p> + +<p>"You—don't you—don't you go out much in the evening?" he said, feeling +(to his own surprise) considerably at a loss what to say.</p> + +<p>"Go out much in the evening? No, indeed; where should I go to?" Rhoda +actually gave a little laugh as she answered him.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I thought my mother mentioned that you were a good deal at the +Bodkins."</p> + +<p>"Yes; I go to see Miss Minnie sometimes. They are all very good to me."</p> + +<p>"And my mother says, too, that you are growing quite a blue-stocking! +You have lessons in French, and music, and I don't know what besides."</p> + +<p>"Father can afford to have me taught now, and so I have begun to learn a +few of the things that girls are taught when they are little children, +if they happen to be the children of gentlefolks," answered Rhoda, with +considerable spirit.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure there is no reason why you should not learn them."</p> + +<p>"I hope not. But, of course, I am clumsy, and shall never succeed so +well as if I had begun earlier. I am getting very old, you know!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, very old, indeed! Your birthday, I remember, falls——" he checked +himself with a sudden recollection of the last birthday he had spent +with Rhoda, and of the bunch of late roses he had been at the pains to +procure for her on that occasion from the gardener at Pudcombe Hall. +And, on the whole, he felt positively relieved when Slater came to +announce, with her chronic air of resentful gentility, that "Miss +Maxfield's young woman was waiting for her in the hall."</p> + +<p>"And are you off too, mother?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, my dear Algernon. I am going to drive home with Rhoda."</p> + +<p>"Drive! Oh, so you are indulging in the extravagance of a fly, madam! I +am glad of it, though you did give me a lecture on the subject of +economy only last week!"</p> + +<p>"You know that I always do, and always did, disapprove of extravagance, +Algernon. A genteel economy is compatible with the highest breeding. +But—the fact is, that Rhoda has a coach to go home in, and I'm about to +take advantage of it."</p> + +<p>There was something in the situation which Algernon felt to be +embarrassing, as he gave his arm to his mother to lead her to the +carriage. But Mrs. Errington had at least one quality of a great +lady—she was not easily disconcerted. She marched majestically down the +garden path, entered the vehicle which old Max's money was to pay for, +with an air of proprietorship, and invited Rhoda to take her place +beside her with a most condescending wave of the hand.</p> + +<p>"You must come again soon," Castalia had said to her new acquaintance +when they bade each other "Good night."</p> + +<p>But Algernon did not support his wife's invitation by a single word, +though he smiled very persistently as he stood bare-headed in the +moonlight, watching his mother and Rhoda drive away.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + + +<p>The accounts which had reached Whitford from Wales, of the wonderful +effects produced by David Powell's preaching there, sufficed to cause a +good deal of excitement among the lower classes in the little town, when +it was reported that Powell would revisit it, and would preach on Whit +Meadow, and also in the room used by the "Ranters," in Lady Lane.</p> + +<p>The Wesleyan Methodists in Whitford now felt themselves at liberty to +allow their smouldering animosity against Powell to break forth openly, +for he had seceded from the Society. Some said he had been expelled from +it, but this was not true, although there was little doubt that, at the +next Conference, his conduct and doctrine would have been severely +reprehended; and, probably, he would have been required publicly to +recant them on pain of expulsion. Should this be the case, those who +knew David Powell had little difficulty in prophesying the issue. +However, all speculations as to his probable behaviour under the reproof +of Conference were rendered vain by the preacher's voluntarily +withdrawing himself from the "bonds of the Society," as he phrased it.</p> + +<p>Then broke forth the hostile sentiments of the Whitford Wesleyans +against this rash and innovating preacher. Unfavourable opinions of him, +which had been concealed, or only dimly expressed, were now declared +openly. He was an Antinomian; he had fallen away from the doctrines of +Assurance and Christian Perfection; he had brought scandal on large +bodies of sober, serious persons, by encouraging wild and extravagant +manifestations among his hearers; his exhortations were calculated to do +harm, inasmuch as he preached a doctrine of asceticism and +self-renunciation, which, if followed, would have the most inconvenient +consequences. That some of these accusations—as, for example, that of +Antinomianism, and that of too extreme self-mortification—were somewhat +incompatible with each other, was no impediment to their being heaped +simultaneously on David Powell. The strongest disapprobation of his +sayings and doings was expressed by that select body of citizens who +attended at the little Wesleyan chapel. And yet there was, perhaps, less +bitterness in this open opposition to him than had been felt towards +him during the last days of his ministration in Whitford. So long as +David Powell was their preacher, approved—or, at least, not +disapproved—by Conference, a struggle went on in some minds to +reconcile his teaching with their practice, which was an irritating and +unsatisfactory state of things, since the struggle in most cases was not +so much to modify their practice, in order to bring it into harmony with +his precepts, as ingeniously to interpret his precepts so that they +should not too flagrantly accuse their practice. But now that it was +competent to the stanchest Methodist to reject Powell's authority +altogether, these unprofitable efforts ceased, and with them a good deal +of resentment.</p> + +<p>The chorus of openly-expressed hostility to the preacher, which, I have +said, made itself heard in Whitford, arose, in a great measure, from the +common delight in declaring, where some circumstances unforeseen by the +world in general comes to pass, that we perceived all along how matters +would go, and knew our neighbour to be a very different fellow from what +you took him to be.</p> + +<p>Here old Max was triumphant; and, it must be owned, with more reason +than many of his acquaintances. He had openly quarrelled with this +fanatical Welshman, long before the main body of the Whitford Wesleyans +had ventured to repudiate him.</p> + +<p>One humble friend was faithful to the preacher. The widow Thimbleby +maintained, in the teeth of all opposition, that, though Mr. Powell +might be a little mistaken here and there on points of doctrine—she was +an ignorant woman, and couldn't judge of these things—yet his practice +came very near perfection; and that the only human being to whom he ever +showed severity, intolerance, and lack of love was himself. Mrs. +Thimbleby was not strong in controversy. It was not difficult to push +her to her last resort—namely, crying silently behind her apron. But +there was some tough fibre of loyalty in the meek creature which made it +impossible for her to belie her conscience by deserting David Powell. +The cold attic at the top of her little house was prepared for his +reception as soon as it was known that he was about to revisit Whitford; +and Mrs. Thimbleby went to the loft over the corn-dealer's store-house +in Lady Lane one Sunday evening to beg that Nick Green would let Mr. +Powell know, whenever he should arrive, that his old quarters were +waiting for him, and that she would take it as a personal unkindness if +he did not consent to occupy them. She could not help talking of the +preacher to her grand lodger Mrs. Errington, of whom she was +considerably in awe. The poor woman's heart was full at the thought of +seeing him again. And not even Mrs. Errington's lofty severity regarding +all dissenters and "ignorant persons who flew in the face of Providence +and attempted to teach their betters," could entirely stifle her +expressions of anxiety as to Mr. Powell's health, her hopes that he took +a little more care of himself than he formerly did, and her anecdotes of +his angelic charity and goodness towards the poor, and needy, and +suffering.</p> + +<p>"I should advise you on no account to go and hear this man preach," said +Mrs. Errington to her landlady. "Terrible scenes have taken place in +Wales; and very likely something of the kind may happen here. You are +very weak, my poor soul. You have no force of character. You would be +sure to catch any excitement that was going. And how should you like, +pray, to be brought home from Lady Lane on a stretcher?"</p> + +<p>But even this alarming suggestion did not deter Mrs. Thimbleby from +haunting the "Ranters'" meeting-room, and leaving message after message +with Nick Green to be sure and tell Mr. Powell to come up to her house, +the very minute he arrived. Nick Green knew no more than the widow the +day and hour of the preacher's arrival. All he could say was, that +Powell had applied to him and to his co-religionists for leave to preach +in the room—little more than a loft—which they rented of the +corn-dealer in Lady Lane. Powell had been refused permission to speak in +the Wesleyan chapel to which his eloquence had formerly attracted such +crowds of listeners. Whit Meadow would, indeed, be probably open to him; +but the year was drawing on apace, autumn would soon give place to +winter, and, at all events in the evening, it would be vain to hope for +a large number of listeners in the open air.</p> + +<p>"Open air!" echoed Mrs. Thimbleby, raising her hands and eyes; "why, Mr. +Green, he ought never to think of preaching in the open air at this +season, and him so delicate!"</p> + +<p>"Nay, sister Thimbleby," responded Nick Green, a powerful, black-muzzled +fellow with a pair of lungs like a blacksmith's bellows, "we may not put +our hand to the plough and turn back. We are all of us called upon to +give ourselves body and soul in the Lord's service. And many's the +night, after my day's work was over, that I've exhorted here in this +very room and poured out the Word for two and three hours at a stretch, +until the sweat ran down my face like water, and the brethren were +fairly worn out. But yet I have been marvellously strengthened. I doubt +not that Brother Powell will be so too, especially now that he has given +up dead words, and the errors of the Society, and thrown off the yoke of +the law."</p> + +<p>"Dear, I hope so," answered Mrs. Thimbleby, tremulously; "but I do wish +he would try a hot posset of a night, just before going to bed."</p> + +<p>The good woman was beginning to walk away up Lady Lane, somewhat +disconsolately, for she reflected that if Nick Green measured Mr. +Powell's strength by his own, he would surely not spare it, and that the +preacher needed rather a curb than a spur to his self-forgetting +exertions, when she almost ran against a man who was coming in the +opposite direction. They were not twenty paces from the door of the +corn-dealer's store-house, and a lamp that burnt above it shed +sufficient light for her to recognise the face of the very person who +was in her thoughts.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Powell!" she exclaimed in a joyful tone. "Thanks be to the Lord +that I have met you! Was you going to look for Mr. Green? He is just +putting the lights out and coming away. I left a message with him for +you, sir; but now I can give it you myself. You will come up with me to +my house, now, won't you? Everything is ready, and has been these three +days. You wouldn't think of going anywhere else in Whitford but to my +house, would you, Mr. Powell?"</p> + +<p>She ran on thus eagerly, because she saw, or fancied she saw, symptoms +of opposition to her plan in Powell's face. He hesitated. "My good +friend," said he, "your Christian kindness is very precious to me, but +I am not clear that I should do right in becoming an inmate of your +house."</p> + +<p>"Oh, but I am, Mr. Powell, quite clear! Why it would be a real +unkindness to refuse me."</p> + +<p>"It is not a matter to be settled thus lightly," answered Powell, +although at the same time he turned and walked a few paces by the +widow's side. "I had thought that I might sleep for to-night at least in +our friends' meeting-room."</p> + +<p>"What! in the loft there? Lord ha' mercy, Mr. Powell! 'Tis cold and +draughty, and there's nothing in it but a few wooden benches, and the +rats run about as bold as can be, directly the lights is put out. Why 't +would be a tempting of Providence, Mr. Powell."</p> + +<p>"I am not dainty about my accommodation, as you know; and I could sleep +there without payment."</p> + +<p>"Without payment! Why, you might pay pretty dear for it in health, if +not in money. And, for that matter, I shouldn't think of asking a penny +of rent for my attic, as long as ever you choose to stay in it." Then, +with an instinctive knowledge of the sort of plea that might be likely +to prevail with him, she added, "As for being dainty about your +accommodation, why I know you never were so, and I hope you haven't +altered, for, indeed, the attic is sadly uncomfortable. I think there's +worse draughts from the window than ever. And it would be a benefit to +me to get the room aired and occkypied; for only last week I had a most +respectable young man, a journeyman painter, to look at it, and he say, +'Mrs. Thimbleby, we shan't disagree about the rent,' he say; 'but I do +wish the room had been slept in latterly; for I've a fear as it's damp,' +he say, 'and that that's the reason you don't use it yourself, nor +haven't let it.' But I tell him the only reason why I didn't use the +room was as you might be expected back any day, and I couldn't let you +find your place taken. And he say if he could be satisfied of that, he +may take it after next month, when you would likely be gone again. So +you see as you would be doing me a service, Mr. Powell, not to say a +pleasure."</p> + +<p>Whether David Powell implicitly believed the good creature's argument to +be derived from fact, may be doubtful; but he suffered himself to be +persuaded to accompany her to his old lodgings; and they begged Nick +Green, who presently overtook them, to send one of his lads to the +coach-office, to bring to Mrs. Thimbleby's the small battered valise +which constituted all Powell's luggage.</p> + +<p>"I would have gone to fetch it myself," said the preacher, +apologetically, "but, in truth, I am so exceedingly weary, that I doubt +whether my strength would avail to carry even that slender burden the +distance from the coach-office to your house."</p> + +<p>When he was seated beside Mrs. Thimbleby's clean kitchen hearth, on +which burned a fire of unwontedly generous proportions—the widow +declared that, as she grew older, she found it necessary to her health +to have a glow of warmth in her kitchen these chilly autumn nights—when +the preacher was thus seated, I say, and when the red and yellow +firelight illuminated his face fully, it was very evident that he was +indeed "exceeding weary;" weary, and worn, and wan, with hollow temples, +eyes that blazed feverishly, and a hue of startling pallor overspreading +his whole countenance. For a few minutes, whilst his good hostess moved +about hither and thither in the little kitchen, preparing some tea, and +slicing some bacon, to be presently fried for his refection, Powell sat +looking straight before him, with a curious expression in his +widely-opened eyes, something like that of a sleep-walker. They were +evidently seeing nothing of the physical realities around them, and yet +they unmistakably expressed the attentive recognition by the mind of +some image painted on their wondrous spheres. The true round mirror of +the wizard is that magic ball of sight; for on its sensitive surface +live and move a thousand airy phantoms, besides the reflection of all +that peoples this tangible earth we dwell on. Powell's lips began to +move rapidly, although no sound came from them. He seemed to be +addressing a creature visible to him alone, on which his straining gaze +was fixed. But suddenly his face changed, and was troubled as a still +pool is troubled by a ripple that breaks its clearly glazed reflection +into fantastic fragments. In another moment he passed his thin hand +several times with a strong pressure over his brows, shut and opened his +eyes like a dreamer awakened, drew his pocket Bible from his breast, and +began to read with an air of resolute attention.</p> + +<p>"Will you ask a blessing, Mr. Powell?" said the widow timidly.</p> + +<p>He looked up. A comfortable meal was spread on the white deal table +before him. Mrs. Thimbleby sat opposite to him in her old chair with the +patch-work cushions; the fire shone; the household cat purred drowsily; +the old clock clicked off the moments as they flowed past—tick tack, +tick tack. Then there came a jar, a burr of wheels and springs, and the +tinkle of silver-toned metal striking nine. In a few moments the ancient +belfry of St. Chad's began to send forth its mellow chimes. Far and wide +they sounded—over the town and the flat-meadow country—through the +darkness. Powell sat still and silent, listening to the bells until they +had done chiming.</p> + +<p>"How well I know those voices!" he said. "I used to lie awake and listen +to them here, in the old attic, when my soul was wrestling with a mighty +temptation; when my heart was smitten and withered like grass, so that I +forgot to eat my bread. The sound of them is sweet to the fleshly ears +of the body; but to the ears of the spirit they can say marvellous +things. They have been the instruments to bring me many a message of +counsel as they came singing and buzzing in my brain."</p> + +<p>The widow Thimbleby sat looking at the preacher, as he spoke, with an +expression of puzzled admiration, blended with anxiety.</p> + +<p>"Oh, for certain the Lord has set a sign on you!" she exclaimed. "He +would have us to know that you are a chosen vessel, and He has given you +the gifts of the spirit in marvellous abundance. But, dear Mr. Powell, I +doubt He does not mean you to neglect the fleshly tabernacle neither; +for, as I say to myself, He could ha' made us all soul and no body, if +such had been His blessed will."</p> + +<p>"We thank Thee, O Father, most merciful. Amen!" said Powell, bending +over the table.</p> + +<p>"Amen!" repeated Mrs. Thimbleby. "And now pray do fall to, and eat +something, for I'm sure you need it."</p> + +<p>"It is strange; but, though I have fasted since five o'clock this +morning, I feel no hunger."</p> + +<p>"Mercy me! fasting since five o'clock this morning? Why, for sure, +that's the very reason you can't eat! Your stomach is too weak. Dear, +dear, dear; but you must make an effort to swallow something, sir. Drink +a sup of tea."</p> + +<p>Powell complied with her entreaty, although he expressed some misgiving +as to the righteousness of his partaking of so luxurious a beverage. And +then he ate a few mouthfuls of food, but evidently without appetite. But +seeing his good friend's uneasiness on his behalf, he said, with the +rare smile which so brightened his countenance:</p> + +<p>"Do not be so concerned for me. There is no need. Although I have not +much replenished the carnal man to-day, yet have I been abundantly +refreshed and comforted. I tarried in a small town on the borders of +this county at midday, and I found that my ministrations there in the +spring season had borne fruit. Many who had been reclaimed from evil +courses came about me, and we gave thanks with much uplifting of the +heart. And, although I had suffered somewhat from faintness before +arriving at that place, yet, no sooner were these chosen persons got +about me, and I began to pray and praise, than I felt stronger and more +able for exertion than I have many a time felt after a long night's rest +and an abundant meal."</p> + +<p>Poor Mrs. Thimbleby's mind was divided and "exercised," as she herself +would have said, between her reverent faith in Powell's being supported +by the supernal powers and her rooted conviction regarding the virtues +of a hot posset. Was it for her, a poor, ignorant woman, presumptuously +to supplement, as it were, the protection of Providence, and to insist +on the saintly preacher's drinking her posset? Yet, on the other hand, +arose her own powerful argument, that the Lord might have dispensed with +our bodies altogether had it so pleased him; and that therefore, mankind +being provided with those appendages, it was but reasonable to conclude +they were meant to be taken some care of. At length the widow's mental +debatings resulted in a resolution to make the hot posset, and carry it +up to the preacher's bedside without consulting him on the +subject—"For," said she to herself, "if I persuade him to swallow it +out of kindness to me, there'll be no sin in the matter. Or, at least, +if there is, it will be my sin, and not his; and that is not of so much +consequence."</p> + +<p>In this spirit of true feminine devotion she acted, and having coaxed +Powell to swallow the cordial mixture—as a mother might coax a sick +child—she had the satisfaction of seeing him fall into a deep slumber, +he being, in truth, exhausted by fatigue, excitement, and lack of +nourishment.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + + +<p>Among the first persons to hear of David Powell's return to Whitford, +and his intention of preaching there, was Miss Bodkin. As the spectators +see more of the play than the actors, so Minnie, from her couch or her +lounging-chair, witnessed many a scene in its entirety, which those who +performed it were only conscious of in a fragmentary manner. The news of +the little town was brought to her through many various channels. Her +infirmity seemed to set her in a place apart, and many a one was willing +to play the part of Chorus for her behoof, and interpret the drama after +his or her own fashion.</p> + +<p>Minnie's maid, Jane Gibbs; Mrs. Errington; and Mr. Diamond, had all +given her the news about Mr. Powell; and all in different keys, and with +such variations of detail as universally attend contemporaneous <i>vivâ +voce</i> transmissions.</p> + +<p>Jane Gibbs had a strong feeling of respect and gratitude towards the +preacher for his having "converted" her brother. And, being herself a +member of the Church of England, she looked upon his secession from the +main body of the Methodists with great leniency. She dared to say that +Mr. Powell would do as much good in Lady Lane as he had done in the +Wesleyan Chapel. And seeing that whether you called 'em Wesleyans, or +Ranters, or Baptists, or Quakers, or Calvinists, they were all +Dissenters, it could not so much matter whether they disagreed among +each other or not.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Errington, without entering into that question, considered herself +peculiarly aggrieved by the circumstance that Powell had come to lodge +in the same house with her. "I am doomed, it seems, to be a victim to +that man!" said she to Minnie Bodkin. "At Maxfield's house I was +frequently disturbed by his hymns and his preachments; and even now, it +appears, I am not to escape from him. He absorbs Mrs. Thimbleby's +attention to a ludicrous extent. If you will credit the fact, my dear +Minnie, only yesterday morning my egg was sent up at breakfast greatly +over-boiled; and when I remonstrated with Mrs. Thimbleby on this piece +of negligence, what excuse do you suppose she made? She answered that +she was very sorry, but she had been getting ready a 'little +snack'—that was her expression—for Mr. Powell after his early +preaching, and it had slipped her memory that my breakfast-egg was still +in the saucepan! I have no doubt the man stuffs and crams himself at her +cost. All these dissenting preachers do, my dear."</p> + +<p>Whereunto Minnie answered gravely, that it was a great comfort to Church +people to reflect that moderation in eating and drinking was entirely +confined to the orthodox clergy.</p> + +<p>Mr. Diamond, again, took a different and more sympathising view of the +poor preacher. But even he was very far from entertaining the same +exalted admiration for Powell's character as was felt by Minnie. Matthew +Diamond had an Englishman's ingrained antipathy to the uncontrolled +display of feeling, from which Powell's Welsh blood by no means +revolted. Diamond could never divest himself of a lurking notion that no +man would publicly exhibit deep emotion if he could help it; and +consequently he looked on all such exhibitions as rather pitiable +manifestations of infirmity, or else as mere clap-trap and play-acting. +Of the latter it was impossible to suspect Powell. Diamond had the +touchstone of truthfulness within himself; and it sufficed to convince +him that the preacher, however wild and mistaken, was sincere. "Yes," he +said to Miss Bodkin, "there can be no doubt that the man's soul is as +clear from guile as an infant's. But it is a pity he cannot suppress +the outbursts of enthusiasm which exhaust him so much."</p> + +<p>"He does not wish to suppress them," answered Minnie. "He looks on them +as a means specially vouchsafed to him for moving others, and—to use +his own words—saving souls. Some sober, sensible persons remind me, +when they speak of David Powell, of a covey of barn-door fowls, +complacently staring up at a lark, and exclaiming, 'Poor creature, how +unpleasant it must be for it to have to soar and gyrate in that giddy +fashion; and making that shrill noise all the time, too! How it must +envy us our constitutions!'"</p> + +<p>"I suppose I am one of the barn-door fowls, Miss Bodkin?"</p> + +<p>"Well—perhaps! Or, rather, you have lived among them until it seems to +you that higher-flying creatures have something a little ridiculous +about them. And you forcibly restrain any upward tendencies of wing—at +least in the presence of your mates of the barn-door."</p> + +<p>"I am flattered to be credited with some upward tendencies, at any rate! +But, Miss Bodkin, to drop metaphor, in which I cannot attempt to compete +with you, I must be allowed to maintain that Powell's outbursts of +excitement are neither good for himself nor others. They are morbid, and +not the healthy expression of a healthy nature, like the lark's singing +and soaring."</p> + +<p>"You have seen Powell since his return. How does he seem to be in +health?"</p> + +<p>"In bodily health not, perhaps, so much amiss, although he is greatly +emaciated and startlingly pale. But his mind is in a strange state."</p> + +<p>"He was always enthusiastic."</p> + +<p>"He is enthusiastic for others, but as regards himself his mind is a +prey to overwhelming gloom. I see a great change for the worse in him in +that respect."</p> + +<p>Minnie felt a strong desire to see the preacher again. She +compassionated him from her heart, and thought she might be able to +administer some comfort to him, as regarded Rhoda Maxfield. There were +days when Minnie was able to walk from one room to another with the +assistance of a crutched stick; and it occurred to her that if Mrs. +Thimbleby would allow her house to be made the place of meeting, she +might see and speak with Powell there more privately, and with less +danger of exciting gossiping remark, than elsewhere. Minnie had once or +twice latterly driven to the widow Thimbleby's house to see Mrs. +Errington, or leave a message for her, although she had never mounted to +her sitting-room. For the ladder-like staircase, which was an imaginary +difficulty in the way of Castalia's visits to her mother-in-law, was a +very real obstacle to Minnie Bodkin.</p> + +<p>The project of seeing Powell in this way took possession of her mind. +She sent a note to Mrs. Thimbleby, by her maid Jane, asking at what hour +Mr. Powell was most likely to be in the house; and saying that she +should like to come there and say a few words to him about a person in +whose welfare he was interested.</p> + +<p>The widow saw nothing very singular in this. She knew that Powell had +been to see Miss Bodkin before he left Whitford. And it was quite in +accordance with the known characters of the Methodist preacher and the +rector's daughter that they should meet and combine on the common ground +of charity. "For sure Mr. Powell have recommended some poor afflicted +person to the young lady, and she have assisted 'em, whosoever they may +be!" thought Mrs. Thimbleby. "And she begs me not to mention her coming +to anybody. For sure and certain she's not one o' them as boasts of +their good deeds. No, no; like our blessed Mr. Powell, she don't let her +left hand know what her right hand doeth. I wonder if she's under +conviction! Such a good, charitable lady, it seems as if she must belong +to the elect. But, there, all our good works are filthy rags, I s'pose, +the best on us. But I can't help thinking as Miss Bodkin's works must be +more pleasing to the Lord than Brother Jackson's, as lives among the +Wesleyans on the fat of the land, and don't do much in return, except +condemning all those folks as isn't Wesleyans. Lord forgive me if I'm +wrong!"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Thimbleby returned a verbal message to Miss Bodkin, as the latter +had desired her to do: Mrs. Thimbleby's duty, and the most likely time +would be between four and five o'clock in the afternoon; and she would +be sure to obey Miss Bodkin's instructions. "And I'm ever so much +obliged to her for excusing me writing, my dear," said the widow to +Jane; "for my hands is so stiff and rough with hard work, as holding a +pen seems to be a great difficulty. I'd far rather mop out my back yard +any day than write the receipt for the lodgers' rent. And 'tis but a +smudgy business when all's done."</p> + +<p>On the following day Dr. Bodkin's sober green carriage, drawn by a +stout, sober-paced horse, was seen standing at Mrs. Thimbleby's door. It +was a few minutes after four o'clock in the afternoon. The street was +very quiet. There was scarcely a passer-by to be seen from one end of it +to the other, when Jane and the old man-servant assisted Miss Bodkin to +alight from the carriage, and supported her into the clean, flagged room +on the ground floor, which served Mrs. Thimbleby for parlour, kitchen, +and dining-hall, all in one. The coachman had orders to return and fetch +his young mistress at six o'clock. "Will you give me house-room so long, +Mrs. Thimbleby?" asked Minnie with a sweet smile, which so captivated +the good woman that she stood staring at her visitor in a kind of +rapture, unable to reply for a minute or two.</p> + +<p>Minnie was placed in Mrs. Thimbleby's own high-backed chair, with the +clean patchwork-covered cushions piled behind her. A horsehair +footstool, borrowed for the purpose from Mr. Diamond's parlour, was +under her feet. And she declared that she found herself as comfortable +as in her own lounging-chair at home.</p> + +<p>"You see, miss, I couldn't say to the minute when Mr. Powell would be +back, but between four and five he generally do come in, and I make him +swallow a cup of herb tea, or something. And I will not deny that I +sometimes puts a pinch of China tea in. But he don't know. This is but a +poor place, miss," added the widow, glancing round, "but so long as you +can make yourself content to stay in it, so long you will be welcome as +the flowers in May, if 'twas to be for a twelvemonth?"</p> + +<p>Then Minnie praised the brilliant cleanliness of the little kitchen, +took notice of the cat that rubbed its velvet head confidingly against +her hand, and asked Mrs. Thimbleby how she prospered in her +lodging-letting.</p> + +<p>The widow was loquacious in her mild slow way; and she was pleased at +this opportunity for a little harmless gossip. It was a propensity +which received frequent checks from those around her. Mr. Diamond was +too taciturn, too grave, too much absorbed in his books, to give any +heed to his landlady's conversation, beyond listening to the few +particulars of his weekly expenses, which she insisted on explaining to +him. Mrs. Errington, on the other hand, was not at all taciturn, but she +desired to have the talk chiefly to herself. She loved to harangue Mrs. +Thimbleby on a variety of subjects, and to place, in vivid colours +before her, the inadequacy of all her domestic arrangements to satisfy a +lady of Mrs. Errington's quality. As to gossiping with David Powell, +Mrs. Thimbleby would as soon have thought of attempting to gossip with +the sculptured figure of a saint, which stood in a niche at one side of +the portal of St. Chad's! So the good woman, finding Miss Bodkin more +compliant and affable than the two first-named of her lodgers, and +nearer to the level of common humanity than the last, indulged herself +with an outpouring of chat, as the two sat waiting for Powell's return.</p> + +<p>Minnie listened to her at first with but a drowsy kind of attention. Her +own thoughts were wandering away from the present time and place. And, +for a while, the quiet of the room, where the gathering twilight seemed +to bring a deeper hush, was only broken by the monotonous murmur of the +widow's voice. But by-and-by Mrs. Thimbleby spoke words which +effectually aroused Minnie's attention.</p> + +<p>There was, she said, a deal of talk in Whitford about young Mr. +Errington. He was such a very nice-spoken gentleman, and most people +seemed to like him so much! But yet he had enemies in the town. Folks +said he was extravagant. And his wife gave herself such airs as there +was no bearing with 'em; she not paying ready money, but almost +expecting tradespeople to be satisfied with the honour of serving her. +Poor lady, she wasn't used to be pinched for money herself, and knew no +better, most likely! But many Whitford shopkeepers grumbled as Mr. +Errington got goods on credit from them, and yet sent orders to London +with ready money for expensive articles, and it didn't seem fair. There +was no use saying anything to old Mrs. Errington about the matter, +because, though she was, no doubt, a very good-hearted lady, she was +rather "high." And if you mentioned to her, as Mr. Gladwish, the +shoemaker, said, unpleasant things about her son's bill, why she would +tell you that her grandfather drove four horses to his coach, and that +Mr. Algernon's wife's uncle was a great nobleman up in London, as paid +his butler a bigger salary than all Gladwish could earn in a year. And +if such sayings got abroad, they would not be soothing to the feelings +of a respectable shoemaker, would they now? Not to say that they +wouldn't help to pay Gladwish's bill; nor yet the fly bill at the "Blue +Bell;" nor yet the bill for young madam at Ravell and Sarsnet's; nor yet +the bill at the fishmonger and poulterer's; as she (Mrs. Thimbleby) was +credibly informed that Ivy Lodge consumed the best of everything, and at +a great rate. In the beginning, tradespeople believed all that was said +about young Mr. and Mrs. Errington's fine friends and fine prospects, +and seemed inclined to trust 'em to any amount. But latterly there had +growed up a feeling against 'em. And—if Miss Bodkin wouldn't think it a +liberty in her to ask her not to mention it again, seeing it was but a +guess on her part—she would go so far as to say that she believed an +enemy was at work, and that enemy old Jonathan Maxfield. Why or +wherefore old Max should be so set against young Mr. Algernon, as he had +known him from a little child, she could not say. But there was rumours +about that young Errington owed old Max money. And old Max was that near +and fond of his pelf, as nothing was so likely to make him mad against +any one as losing money by 'em; and old Max was a harsh man and a bitter +where he took a dislike. Only see how he had persecuted Mr. Powell! And +though he let his daughter go to Ivy Lodge—and they did say young Mrs. +Errington had taken quite a fancy to the girl—yet that didn't prevent +old Max sneering and snarling, and saying all manner of sharp words +against the Erringtons. And old Max was a man of substance, and his +words had weight in the town. "And you see, miss," said Mrs. Thimbleby, +in conclusion, "young Mr. and Mrs. Errington are gentlefolks, and they +don't hear what's said in Whitford, and they may think things are all +right when they're all wrong. Of course, I daresay they have great +friends and good prospects, miss. And very likely they could settle +everything to-morrow if they thought fit. Only the tale here is, that +not a tradesman in the place has seen the colour of their money, and +they deny theirselves nothing, and the lady so high in her manners, and +altogether there is a feeling against 'em, miss. And as I know you're a +old friend, and a kind friend, I'm sure, and not one as takes pleasure +in the troubles of their neighbours, I thought I would mention it to +you, in case you should like to say a word to the young lady and +gentleman private-like. A word from you would have a deal of weight. And +I do assure you, miss, 'tis of no use trying to speak to old Mrs. +Errington, for she'll only go on about her grandfather's coach-and-four; +and, between you and me, miss, there is some as takes it amiss."</p> + +<p>All this pained and surprised Minnie. She understood at once how +Castalia's ungracious manner was resented in the little town; and set +down a great deal of the hostility which the widow had described to the +score of the Honourable Mrs. Algernon's personal unpopularity.</p> + +<p>Still there must be something seriously wrong at Ivy Lodge. Debt was a +Slough of Despond into which such a one as Algernon Errington would +easily put his foot, from sheer thoughtlessness and the habit of +refusing himself no gratification within his reach. But he might not +find it so easy to extricate himself. A word of warning might possibly +do good. At least it could do no harm, beyond drawing forth some languid +impertinence from Castalia. And Minnie would not for an instant weigh +that chance against the hope of doing some good to her old friend Algy.</p> + +<p>Besides, in truth, she had, as has been said, an undefined feeling of +compassion for Castalia herself, which rendered her singularly +forbearing towards the latter's manifestations of fretful jealousy or +haughty dislike. In the first days of his return to Whitford Algernon +had many a time shot one of his quick, questioning glances at Minnie, +when his wife uttered some coolly insolent speech, directed at, rather +than to, the rector's daughter. But instead of the keen sarcasm, or +scornful irony, which he had expected, Minnie had, nine times out of +ten, replied with a quiet matter-of-fact observation calculated to +extinguish anything like a war of words. At first Algernon had +attributed such forbearance on the part of the brilliant, high-spirited +Minnie entirely to her strong regard for himself. But this flattering +illusion did not last long. He soon perceived that Minnie regarded his +wife with pity, and that she refrained from using the keen weapons of +her wit against Castalia, much as a nurse might refrain from scolding or +arguing with a sick child.</p> + +<p>Now this discovery was not pleasant to Algernon. If any sympathy were to +be expended on the inmates of Ivy Lodge, he was persuaded that much the +larger share of it ought to be given to himself. If there were troubles; +if there were mortifications; if there was disappointment—who suffered +from them as he did? And by whom were they so unmerited? He was not far, +sometimes, from resenting any show of compassion for Castalia as a +direct injury to himself. After having sacrificed himself, by making a +marriage so inadequate to his deserts, it was a little too much to hear +his wife pitied for the contrast between her past and present position?</p> + +<p>And yet, by a queer strain of inconsistency running through the warp +and woof of his character, he would often boast of Castalia's +aristocratic antecedents, and ask, with a smile and a shrug, how the +deuce his wife could be expected to stand the petty privations and +discomforts of Whitford, after having lived all her life in a sphere as +remote from such things as the planet Saturn from the earth?</p> + +<p>Minnie partly saw, partly guessed, these movements of Algernon's mind. +But she judged him with leniency, and put a kind interpretation on his +words and ways, whenever such an interpretation was possible. At all +events, if a word in season could be useful to him, she would not +refrain from speaking that word.</p> + +<p>This young woman had latterly passed into regions of thought and +feeling, from which much of her old life, with its old pains, and +pleasures, and aims, seemed shrunken into insignificance. One solid good +she was able to grasp and to enjoy; the satisfaction of serving her +fellow-creatures. All else grew poor and paltry as the years rolled by.</p> + +<p>Not that Minnie had attained to any saint-like heights of +self-abnegation; not that she did not still "desire and admire" many +sublunary things. But she had got a hurt that had stricken down her +pride. She bore an ache in her heart for which "self-culture," and all +the activities and aspirations of her bright intellect, afforded no +balm.</p> + +<p>But she did not grow sour and selfish in her grief. The example of the +poor, unlettered Methodist preacher (whom in former days she would have +thought the unlikeliest of human beings to teach her any profitable +lesson) had roused the noblest part of her nature to emulation. David +Powell had started from a lofty theory to a life of beautiful deeds. +Minnie Bodkin, vaguely groping after a theory, had seized on practical +benevolence as a means to climb to some higher ideal.</p> + +<p>In morals, as in thought, the Deductive and Inductive stand, like the +ladders of Jacob's dream, reaching from heaven to earth, from earth to +heaven; and the angels of the Lord descend and ascend them continually.</p> + +<p>Minnie was roused from a reverie by the entrance of the preacher's tall +figure into the kitchen, where the fire was now beginning to throw ruddy +lights and fantastic shadows on to the white-washed walls.</p> + +<p>"Don't be startled, Mr. Powell," she said, in her clear, sweet tones. +"It is I—Minnie Bodkin. I thought I should like to see you, and to say +a few words to you, quietly."</p> + +<p>Powell advanced, and took her outstretched hand reverently in his hand. +"The blessing of our Father in Heaven be on you, lady," he said. "Your +kind face is very welcome to me."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + + +<p>Mrs. Thimbleby set a cup full of hot tea and a slice of bread on the +table, and glided out of the kitchen in a humble, noiseless way, as if +she feared lest the mere sound of her footsteps should be deemed +importunate.</p> + +<p>"You have something to say to me?" asked Powell, still standing opposite +to Minnie's chair.</p> + +<p>"Yes; but first you must take some food. Please to sit down there at the +table."</p> + +<p>Powell shook his head. "Food disgusts me," he said. "I do not need it."</p> + +<p>"That will pain your kind landlady," said Minnie, gently. "She has been +so careful to get this refreshment ready for you."</p> + +<p>Powell sat down. "I would not pain the good soul for any earthly +consideration," he answered. "But if the burthen be laid on me, I must +pain her."</p> + +<p>"Come, Mr. Powell, no injunction can be laid on you to starve yourself, +and grow ill, and be unable to fulfil your duties!"</p> + +<p>After an instant's hesitation he swallowed some tea, and began to break +off small fragments of the bread, which he soaked in the liquid, and ate +slowly.</p> + +<p>Minnie watched him attentively. The widow had lighted a candle, which, +standing on the high mantel-shelf, shed down its pale rays on the +preacher's head and face, the rest of his person being in shadow. Now +and again, as he lifted a morsel of bread to his lips, one thin long +hand, yellow-white as old ivory, came within the circle of light. His +whole countenance appeared to Minnie to have undergone a change since +she had seen him last. The features were sharper, the skin more sallow, +the lines around the mouth deeper. But the greatest change was in the +expression of the eyes. They were wonderfully lustrous, but not with the +soft mild lustre which formerly shone in them. They looked startlingly +large and prominent; and at times seemed literally to blaze with an +inward fire.</p> + +<p>"He is ill and feverish," thought Minnie. And then, as she continued to +watch him, there came over his face an expression so infinitely piteous, +that the sympathetic tears sprang into her eyes when she saw it. It was +a pathetic, questioning, bewildered look, like that of a little child +that has lost its way, and is frightened.</p> + +<p>When he had eaten a few mouthfuls, he asked, "Who told you that you +would find me here?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, it was not difficult to discover your whereabouts in Whitford, Mr. +Powell," answered Minnie, smiling with an effort to seem cheerful and at +ease. "Your coming has been spoken of in our little town for weeks +past."</p> + +<p>"Has it so? Has it so? That is a good hearing. There must be souls ripe +for conviction—anxious, inquiring souls."</p> + +<p>There was a pause. Minnie had expected him to speak of their last +interview. But as he made no allusion to it, she opened the subject +herself.</p> + +<p>"You remember, Mr. Powell, before you went away from Whitford, giving me +a charge—a trust to fulfil for you?"</p> + +<p>He looked at her inquiringly, but did not answer.</p> + +<p>"There was a young member of your flock whose welfare you had greatly at +heart. And you thought that I might be able to help her and show her +some kindness. I—I have honestly tried to keep the promise I then made +to you," persisted Minnie, on whom Powell's strange silence was +producing an unpleasant impression. She could not understand it. "I +fancied that you might still feel some anxiety about Rhoda's +welfare——"</p> + +<p>At the sound of that name, Powell seemed moved as if by an electric +shock. The change in his face was as distinct, although as momentary, as +the change made in a dark bank of cloud by a flicker of summer +lightning.</p> + +<p>"You know, of course," continued Minnie, "that the person whose +influence you feared is married. And I assure you that, so far as my +attentive judgment goes, Rhoda's peace of mind has not been fatally +troubled. She fretted for a while, but is now rapidly regaining her +cheerfulness. She even visits rather frequently at Mr. Errington's +house, having, it seems, become a favourite with his wife."</p> + +<p>David Powell's head had sunk down on to his breast. He held one hand +across his eyes, resting his elbow on the table, and neither moving nor +looking up. But it was evident that he was listening. Minnie went on to +speak of Rhoda's improvement. She had always been pretty, but her beauty +was now very striking. She had profited by the opportunities of +instruction which her father afforded her. She was caressed by the +worthiest people in her little world.</p> + +<p>Minnie went bravely on—nerved by the sight of that bowed figure and +emaciated hand, hiding the eyes—speaking the praises of the girl who +had sent many a pang of jealousy into her heart—a jealousy none the +less torturing because she knew it to be unreasonable. "He could never +have thought of wretched, crippled me, if there had been no Rhoda +Maxfield in the world!" she had told herself a hundred times. But she +tried to fancy that the withering up of the secret romance of her life +would have been less hard to bear, had the sacrifice been made in favour +of a higher, nobler woman than simple, shallow, slight-hearted Rhoda +Maxfield.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, she spoke Rhoda's praises now ungrudgingly. Nay, more; she +believed Powell to be capable of the highest self-sacrifice; she +believed that he would welcome a prospect of happiness and security for +Rhoda, even though it should shut the door for ever on any lingering +hopes he might retain of winning her. So, bracing herself to a strong +effort—which seemed to strain not only the nerves, but the very +muscles, of her fragile frame as she sat almost upright, grasping the +arms of her chair with both hands—she added, "And, as I know you have +that rare gift of love which can rejoice in looking at a happiness it +may never share, I will say to you in confidence that I believe Rhoda is +honourably sought in marriage by a good man—a man who—it is not +needful to speak at length of him"—indeed, her throat was dry, and her +courage desperately at bay—"but he is a good, high-minded man; one who +will value and respect his wife; one who admires and loves Rhoda very +fervently."</p> + +<p>It was magnanimously said. The words, as she uttered them, sounded the +knell of her own youth and hope in her ears.</p> + +<p>We believe that a beloved one is dead. We have kissed the cold lips. We +have kissed the unresponsive hand. Yes; the beloved one is dead. We +surely believe it.</p> + +<p>But, no! The death-bell sounds, beating with chill, heavy fingers on our +very heart-strings, and then we awake to a sudden confirmation of our +grief. The bell sings its loud monotone, over roof-tree and grave-stone, +piercing through the murmur of busy life in streets and homes, and then +we know that we had not hitherto believed; that in some nook and secret +fold of heart or brain a wild, formless hope had been lurking that all +was not really over. Only the implacable mental clang carries conviction +with its vibrations into the broad daylight and the common air, and the +tears gush out as if our sorrow were born anew.</p> + +<p>Even so felt Minnie Bodkin when she had put her secret thought into +words. The speaking of the words could not hasten their fulfilment. But +yet it seemed to her as if, in saying them, she had signed some +bond—had formally renounced even the solace of a passing fancy that +might flit, fairy-bright, into the dimness of her life; had given up the +object of her silent passion by a covenant that was none the less +stringent because its utterance was simple and commonplace. She was +silent, breathing quickly, and lying back against the cushions after the +short speech that had cost her so much.</p> + +<p>Powell remained quite still for a few seconds. Then suddenly removing +the screening hand, the almost intolerable lustre of his eyes broke upon +the startled woman opposite to him, as he said, with a strange smile, +"She is safe. She is happy for Time and Eternity. She has been ransomed +with a price."</p> + +<p>"I knew that you would allow no selfish feeling to sway you," returned +Minnie, after an instant's pause. "I was right in feeling sure that you +would generously consider her happiness before your own."</p> + +<p>But yet she was not satisfied with the result of her well-meant attempt +to free Powell's mind from the anxiety concerning Rhoda, which she +believed to have been preying on it. There was something strangely +unexpected in his manner of receiving it. Presently Powell looked at her +again with a sad, sweet smile. The wild blaze had gone out of his eyes. +They were soft and steady as they rested on her now.</p> + +<p>"You are a just and benevolent woman," he said. "You have been faithful. +You came hither with the charitable wish to comfort me. I am not +ungrateful. But the old trouble has long been dead. I did wrestle with a +mighty temptation on her account. My heart burnt very hot within me; the +fleshy heart, full of deceit and desperately wicked. But that human +passion fell away like a garment, shrivelled and consumed by the great +fire of the wrath of God, that put it out as the sun puts out the flame +of a taper at noonday. Neither," he went on, speaking rather to himself +than to Minnie, "am I concerned for that young soul. No; it is safe. It +has been ransomed. I have had answer to prayer, and heard voices that +brought me sure tidings in the dimness of the early morning; but these +things are hard to be understood. Sometimes, even yet, the old, foolish +yearning of the heart seems to awake and stir blindly within me. When +you named that name—no lips had uttered it to my ears for many +months—there seemed to run a swift echo of it through all the secret +places of my soul! But I heard as though one dead should hear the beat +of a familiar footfall above his grave."</p> + +<p>The dusk of evening, the low thrilling tones of the preacher's voice, +the terrible pallor of his face, with its great glittering eyes shining +in the feeble rays of the candle, contributed, not less than the +strangeness of his words, to oppress Minnie with a sensation of nervous +dread. She was not afraid of David Powell, nor of anything that she +could see or touch. But vague terrors seemed to be floating in the air.</p> + +<p>She started as her eye was caught by a deep, mysterious shadow on the +wall. The fire had burnt low, and shed only a dull red glow upon the +hearth. The ticking of the old clock appeared to grow louder with every +beat, and to utter some ominous warning in an unknown tongue.</p> + +<p>All at once a sound of voices and footsteps in the passage broke the +spell. The fire cast only commonplace and comprehensible shadows. The +clock ticked with its ordinary indifferent tone. The preacher's pale +face ceased to float in a mystical light against the dark background of +the curtainless window. The everyday world entered in at the kitchen +door in the shape of Mr. Diamond and Rhoda Maxfield.</p> + +<p>Of the four persons thus unexpectedly assembled, Minnie was the first to +speak.</p> + +<p>"What, Rhoda!" she cried, in a quiet voice, which revealed much less +surprise than she felt. "What brought you here at this hour?"</p> + +<p>As she spoke she glanced anxiously at Powell, uneasy as to the effect on +him of Rhoda's sudden appearance. But he remained curiously impassible, +looking at those present as if they were objects dimly seen afar off.</p> + +<p>"I was coming to drink tea with Mrs. Errington. Mr. Diamond overtook me +and Sally in the street. I saw your carriage at the door, and looked in +here, hoping that I should find both you and Mrs. Errington in this +room, because I know you do not go upstairs."</p> + +<p>Thus spoke Rhoda, in a soft, tremulous little voice, and with downcast +eyes. Diamond came and shook hands with Minnie. He pressed the hand she +gave him with unusual warmth and emphasis. His eyes were bright, and +there was a glow of pleasure on his face. He believed that his suit was +prospering, and he wished to convey some hint of his hopeful +anticipations to his sympathising friend Miss Bodkin. Then he turned to +Powell, and touched him on the shoulder. "How are you to-night?" he +asked, in a friendly tone, not without a kind of superior pity. "I am +glad to see that you have been refreshing the inner man. Our friend is +too careless of his health, Miss Bodkin. He fasts too long, and too +often."</p> + +<p>Powell smiled slightly, but neither looked at him nor answered him. +Going straight to Rhoda he laid his hand on her bright chestnut hair, +from which the bonnet she wore had fallen backwards, and looked at her +solemnly. Rhoda turned pale and gazed back at him, as if fascinated. +Neither of the others spoke or moved.</p> + +<p>"It is true, then," said Powell, after a pause, and the low tones of his +voice sounded like soft music. "I have passed through the Valley of the +Shadow of Death, and between me and the dwellers under the light of the +sun there is a great gulf fixed!"</p> + +<p>He released the bright young head on which his hand had rested, and made +as if he would move away. Then, pausing, he said, "I frightened you long +ago—in the other life. Fear no more, Rhoda Maxfield. Be no more +disquieted by night or by day. Many are called, but few are chosen, yet +you are among the chosen." He smiled upon her very sadly and calmly, and +went slowly away without looking round.</p> + +<p>As soon as he was gone, Rhoda burst into tears. Diamond made an eager +step forward as if to take her hand; then stopped irresolutely, and +looked anxiously at Minnie. "She is so sensitive," he said half aloud. +Minnie was as white as the preacher, and her eyes were full of tears, +which, however, she checked from falling by a strong effort of her +will. "I must go," she said. "Rhoda tells me my carriage is here. Will +you kindly call my servants?" He obeyed her, first making his formal +little bow; a sign, under the circumstances, that he was not quite in +sympathy with his friend, who showed so little sympathy herself for that +"sensitiveness" which so moved him. However, when, assisted by Jane, +Miss Bodkin had made her way to the door, Mr. Diamond stood there +bare-headed to help her into the carriage. She put her hand for an +instant on his proffered arm as she got into the vehicle. Rhoda came +running out after her. "Good night, Miss Minnie!" she cried.</p> + +<p>Minnie leant back, and seemed neither to see nor hear her. But in an +instant she was moved by a generous impulse to put her head out of the +window, and say kindly, "Good night, Rhoda. Come and see me soon."</p> + +<p>As the carriage began to move away, she saw Diamond tenderly drawing +Rhoda's shawl round her shoulders, and trying to lead her in from the +chill of the evening air.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + + +<p>"Well, you may say as you please, Mr. Jackson, but 'twas a sight I shall +never forget; and one I don't expect to see the like of on this side of +eternity," said Richard Gibbs.</p> + +<p>"No, nor don't wish to, I should think," put in Seth Maxfield.</p> + +<p>"Anyway, it was a wonderful manifestation," remarked Mr. Gladwish, +musingly.</p> + +<p>There was a little knot of Wesleyans assembled in the house of Mr. +Gladwish, the shoemaker. Since Jonathan Maxfield's defection, he might +be considered the leading member of the Methodist congregation. And a +weekly prayer-meeting was held at his house on Monday evenings, as it +had formerly been held in old Max's back parlour.</p> + +<p>On the present occasion the assembly was more numerous than usual. +Besides the accustomed cronies and Mr. Jackson the preacher, there were +also Seth Maxfield, who had come into Whitford on some farm business on +the previous Saturday, Richard Gibbs, and the widow Thimbleby. The +latter was an old acquaintance of Mrs. Gladwish, and much patronised by +that matron; although, of late, Mrs. Thimbleby had been under some cloud +of displeasure among the stricter Methodists, on account of her fidelity +to David Powell.</p> + +<p>There had not been, to say the truth, any very fervent or lengthy +religious exercises that evening. After a brief discourse by Brother +Jackson, and the singing of a hymn, the company had, by mutual +agreement, understood but not expressed, fallen into a discussion of the +topic which was at that time in the minds and mouths of most Whitford +persons high and low—namely, David Powell's preachings, and the +phenomena attendant thereon.</p> + +<p>"Anyhow," repeated Mr. Gladwish, after a short silence, "it was a +wonderful manifestation."</p> + +<p>"You may well say so, sir," assented Richard Gibbs, emphatically.</p> + +<p>"Humph," grunted out Brother Jackson, pursing up his thick lips and +folding his fat hands before him; "I misdoubt whether the enemy be not +mixed up somehow or other with these manifestations. I don't say they +are wholly his doing. But—my brethren, Satan is very wily; and is +continually 'going to and fro in the earth,' and 'walking up and down in +it,' even as in the days of Job."</p> + +<p>"That's very true," said Mrs. Gladwish, with an air of responsible +corroboration. She was a light-haired, pale-faced woman, with a +slatternly figure and a sharp, inquisitive nose; and her quiet +persistency in cross-questioning made her a little formidable to some of +her neighbours.</p> + +<p>"When I see a thorn-tree bring forth figs, or a thistle grapes, I will +believe that such things as I witnessed yesterday on Whit Meadow are the +work of Satan—not before!" rejoined Gibbs.</p> + +<p>"Amen!" said Mrs. Thimbleby, tremulously. "Oh! indeed, sir—I hope you +don't consider it presumption in me—but I must say I do think Mr. Gibbs +is right. It was the working of the Lord's spirit, and no other."</p> + +<p>"What was the working of the Lord's spirit?" asked a harsh voice that +made the women start, and caused every head in the room to be turned +towards the door. There stood Jonathan Maxfield, rather more bowed in +the shoulders than when we first made his acquaintance, but otherwise +little changed.</p> + +<p>He was welcomed by Gladwish with a marked show of respect. The breach +made between old Max and his former associates by his departure from +the Methodist Society had been soon healed in many instances. Gladwish +had condoned it long ago; and, owing to various circumstances—among +them the fact that Seth Maxfield and his wife remained among the +Wesleyans—the intercourse between the two families had been almost +uninterrupted. There was truly no cordial interchange of hospitalities, +nor much that could be called companionship; but the strong bond of +habit on both sides, and, on Gladwish's, the sense of his neighbour's +growing wealth and importance, served to keep the two men as close +together as they ever had been.</p> + +<p>"I've come to say a word to Seth, if it may be without putting you out," +said old Maxfield, with a sidelong nod of the head, that was intended as +a general salute to the company.</p> + +<p>Mr. and Mrs. Gladwish protested that no one would be in the least put +out by Mr. Maxfield's presence, but that they were all, on the contrary, +pleased to see him. Then, while the father and son said a few words to +each other in a low tone, the others conversed among themselves rather +loudly, by way of politely expressing that they did not wish to overhear +any private conversation.</p> + +<p>"That's all, then, Seth," said old Max, turning away from his son. "I +knew I should find you here, and I thought I would mention about them +freeholds before it slipped my memory. And—life is uncertain—I have +put a clause in my will about 'em this very evening. Putting off has +never been my plan, neither with the affairs of this world or the next."</p> + +<p>There was something in the mention of a clause in old Max's will which +had a powerful attraction for the imagination of most persons present. +Brother Jackson made a motion with his mouth, as though he were tasting +some pleasant savour. Mrs. Gladwish thought of her tribe of growing +children, and their rapid consumption of food, clothing, and doctor's +stuff, and she sighed. Two or three of the regular attendants at the +prayer-meeting fixed their eyes with lively interest on Jonathan +Maxfield; and one whispered to another that Seth had gotten a good bit +o' cash with his wife, and would have more from his father. 'Twas always +the way: money makes money. Though, rightly considered, it was but dross +and dust, and riches were an awful snare. And then they obsequiously +made way for the rich grocer to take a seat in their circle, moved, +perhaps, by compassion for the imminent peril to his soul which he was +incurring from the possession of freehold property.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'll sit down for half an hour," said Jonathan, in his dry way, +and took a chair near the table accordingly. In fact, he was well +pleased enough to find himself once more among his old associates; and +if any embarrassment belonged to the relations between himself and +Brother Jackson, his former pastor, it was certain that old Max did not +feel it. When a man has a profound conviction of his own wisdom, +supported on a firm basis of banker's books and solid investments, such +intangible sentimentalities have no power to constrain them. Mr. +Jackson, perhaps, felt some little difficulty in becomingly adjusting +his manner to the situation, being troubled between the desire of +asserting his dignity in the eyes of his flock and his natural +reluctance to affront a man of Jonathan Maxfield's weight in the world. +But he speedily hit on the assumption of an unctuous charity and +toleration, as being the kind of demeanour best calculated for the +circumstances. And perhaps he did not judge amiss. "I'm sure," said he, +with a pious smile, "it is a real joy to the hearts of the faithful, and +a good example to the unregenerate, to see believers dwelling together +in unity, however much they may be compelled to differ on some points +for conscience' sake."</p> + +<p>"What was it as some one was saying just now about the working of the +Lord's spirit?" asked Maxfield, cutting short Brother Jackson's verbal +flow of milk and honey.</p> + +<p>There was a little hesitation among those present as to who should +answer this question. To answer it involved the utterance of a name +which was known to be unpleasing in Mr. Maxfield's ears. Mrs. Thimbleby +shrank into the background; she had a special dread of old Jonathan's +stern hard face and manner. Richard Gibbs at length answered, simply, +"We were speaking, Mr. Maxfield, of David Powell's preaching in Lady +Lane and on Whit Meadow."</p> + +<p>Maxfield pressed his lips together, and made an inarticulate sound, +which might be taken to express contempt or disapprobation, or merely an +acknowledgment of Gibbs's information.</p> + +<p>"My! I should like to have been there!" exclaimed Mrs. Gladwish.</p> + +<p>"Well, now," said Seth Maxfield, "my wife would walk twenty mile to keep +out of the way of it. She was quite scared at all the accounts we +heard."</p> + +<p>"But what did you hear! And what did happen, after all?" asked Mrs. +Gladwish. "I wish you would give us an account of it, Mr. Gibbs."</p> + +<p>"It is hard to give an account of such thing to them as wasn't present, +ma'am. But there was a great outpouring of grace."</p> + +<p>Brother Jackson groaned slightly, then coughed, and shook his head.</p> + +<p>"I never saw such a beautiful evening for the time of year," put in one +of Gladwish's apprentices, a consumptive-looking lad with bright, dreamy +eyes. "And all the folks standing in the sunset, and the river shining, +and the leaves red and yellow on the branches—it was a wonderful +sight."</p> + +<p>"It was a wonderful sight!" ejaculated Gibbs. "There was the biggest +multitude I ever saw assembled in Whit Meadow. There must have been +thousands of people. There were among them scoffers, and ungodly men, +and seekers after the truth, and some that were already awakened. Then, +women and children; they came gathering together more and more, from the +north, and the south, and the east, and the west. And there, in the +midst, raised up on a high bench, so that he might be seen of all, stood +David Powell. His face was as white as snow, and his black hair hung +down on either side of it."</p> + +<p>"I thought of John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness," said the +apprentice softly.</p> + +<p>"I couldn't get to stand very near to him," continued Gibbs, "and I +thought I should catch but little of his discourse. But when he began to +speak, though his voice was low at first, after a while it rose, and +grew every moment fuller and stronger."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the bright-eyed apprentice, "it was like listening to the +organ-pipes of St. Chad's; just that kind of tremble in it that seems to +run all through your body."</p> + +<p>"The man always had a goodish voice," said Brother Jackson. "But that is +a carnal gift. 'Tis the use we put our voices to that is all-important, +my dear friends."</p> + +<p>"He began by prayer," said Gibbs, speaking slowly, and with the +abstracted air of a man who is not so much endeavouring to give others a +vivid narration, as to recall accurately to his own mind the things of +which he is speaking. "Yes, he began with prayer. He prayed for us all +there present with wonderful fervour."</p> + +<p>"What did he say?" asked Mrs. Gladwish.</p> + +<p>"Nay, I cannot repeat the exact words."</p> + +<p>"Can't you remember, Joel?" persisted his mistress, addressing the young +apprentice.</p> + +<p>The lad blushed up, but more, apparently, from eagerness and excitement +than bashfulness, as he answered, "Not the very words, ma'am, I can't +remember. But it was a prayer that had wings like, and it lifted you up +right away into the heavens. When he left off I felt as if I had been +dropped straight down on to Whit Meadow out of a cloud of glory."</p> + +<p>"Well, there's no harm in all that, Brother Jackson?" said Gladwish, +looking round.</p> + +<p>"Harm!" echoed Gibbs. "Why, Mr. Gladwish, if you could but have seen the +faces of the people! And then presently he began to call sinners to +repentance with such power as I never witnessed—no, not when he was +preaching in our chapel two years ago. He spoke of wrath and judgment +until the whole field was full of the sound of crying and groaning. But +he seemed continually strengthened, and went on, until first one fell, +and then another. They dropped down just like dead when the arrows of +conviction entered their souls. And the cries of some of them were awful +to hear. Then there was weeping, and a kind of hard breathing and +panting from breasts oppressed with the weight of sin; and then, mixed +with those sounds, the rejoicing aloud of believers and those who +received assurance. But through all the preacher's voice rose above the +tumult, and it seemed to me almost a manifest miracle that he should be +able to make himself heard so clearly."</p> + +<p>"Aye," said Joel, "it was like a ship on the top of the stormy waves; +now high, now low, but always above the raging waters."</p> + +<p>There was a short silence. Those present looked first at each other and +then at old Max, who sat motionless and grim, with his elbow on the +table, and his chin resting on his clenched hand.</p> + +<p>"And did you really see any of the poor creeturs as was took?" asked +Mrs. Gladwish of the widow Thimbleby.</p> + +<p>"Took, ma'am?"</p> + +<p>"Took with fits, or whatever it was."</p> + +<p>"Oh! yes; I see several. There was a fine fresh-coloured young man, +which is a butcher out Duckwell way—Mr. Seth'll likely know him—and he +dropped down just like a bullock. And then he stamped, and struggled, +and grew an awful dark red colour in the face, and tore up the grass +with his hands; such was the power of conviction. And at last he lay +like a log, and 'twas an hour, or more, before he come to. But when he +did, he had got peace and his burthen was taken away, thanks be!"</p> + +<p>"And there was a girl, too, very poor and sickly-looking," said Joel. +"And when the power of the Lord came upon her she went into a kind of +trance. Her eyes were open, but she saw nothing. Tears were falling down +her cheeks, but they were tears of joy; for she kept on saying, 'How +Thou hast loved sinners!' over and over again. And there was such a +smile on her face! When we go to Heaven, I expect we shall see the +angels smile like that!"</p> + +<p>"And the man himself—the preacher—did he seem filled with joy and +peace?" asked Jackson, covertly malicious.</p> + +<p>"Why, that is the strange thing!" returned Richard Gibbs, with frank +simplicity. "Although he was doing this great work, and witnessing the +mercies of the Lord descend on the people like manna, yet Mr. Powell had +such a look of deep sorrow on his face as I never saw. It was a kind of +a fixed, hopeless look. He said, 'I speak to you out of a dark dungeon, +but you are in the light. Give thanks and rejoice, and hasten to make +your calling and election sure. Those who dwell in the blackness of the +shadow could tell you terrible things.'"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Thimbleby wiped away a tear with the corner of her shabby black +shawl. "Ah!" she sighed, "it do seem a hard dispensation and a strange +one, as him who brings glad tidings to so many shouldn't get peace +himself. And a more angelic creetur' in his kindness to the afflicted +never walked this earth. Yet he's a'most always bowed down with +heaviness of spirit. It do seem strange!"</p> + +<p>Jonathan Maxfield struck the table with his fist so hard that the +candlesticks standing on it rocked. "Strange!" he cried, "it would be +strange indeed to see anything else! Why this is the work of the enemy +as plain as possible. Don't tell me! Look at all the years I've been a +member of Christian congregations in Whitford—whether in chapel or +church, it is no matter—and tell me if ever there was known such +ravings, and fits, and Bedlam doings? And yet I suppose there were souls +saved in my time too! I say that Satan is busy among you, puffing up one +and another with sperritual pride."</p> + +<p>"Lord forgive you!" ejaculated Richard Gibbs, in a tone of such genuine +pity and conviction as startled the rest.</p> + +<p>"Lord forgive me, sir!" echoed old Max, turning slowly round upon the +speaker, and glaring at him from under his grey eyebrows.</p> + +<p>There was an awe-stricken silence.</p> + +<p>"Our good friend, Richard Gibbs, meant no offence, Mr. Maxfield," said +Jackson, looking everywhere except into Gibbs's face.</p> + +<p>"I say," cried Maxfield, addressing the rest of the company, and +entirely ignoring the rash delinquent Gibbs, "that these things are a +snare and a delusion, and the work of the devil. And when them of more +wisdom and experience than me comes forward to speak on the matter, I +shall be glad to show forth my reasons."</p> + +<p>"Why, but, Brother Maxfield, I don't know now. I don't feel so sure," +said Gladwish, on whom the accounts of Powell's preaching had produced +a considerable effect. "There have been cases, you know, in the early +times of Methodism; and John Wesley himself, you know, was ready to +believe in the workings of grace, as manifested in similar ways."</p> + +<p>"Don't tell me of your David Powells!" returned old Max, declining to +discuss the subject on wide or general grounds, but doggedly confining +himself to the particulars immediately before him. "Don't tell me of a +man as is blown out with pride and vain glory like a balloon. Did I, or +did I not, say more'n two years ago, that David Powell was getting +puffed up with presumptuousness?"</p> + +<p>There was a low murmur of assent. Brother Jackson closed his eyes and +uttered a deep, long-drawn "A-a-ah!" like a man reluctantly admitting a +painful truth.</p> + +<p>"Did I, or did I not, say to many members of the Society, 'This man is +dangerous. He has fallen from grace. He is hankering after new-fangled +doctrine, and is ramping with red-hot over-bearingness?'"</p> + +<p>"Yon did, sir," answered a stout, broad-faced man named Blogg, who +looked like a farmer, but was a linendraper in a small way of business. +"You said so frequently; I remember your very words, and can testify to +'em."</p> + +<p>(This speech appeared to produce a considerable effect. Mrs. Thimbleby +began to cry; and, not having an apron at hand, threw the corner of her +shawl over her face.)</p> + +<p>"Did I, or did I not, say that if things went on at this kind of rate, I +should withdraw from the Society? And did I, or did I not, withdraw from +it accordin'?"</p> + +<p>"Sir," said Mr. Blogg, "I saw you with my own eyes a-coming out of the +parish church of St. Chad's, at ten minutes to one o'clock in the +afternoon of the Sunday next following your utterance of them identical +expressions; and cannot deny or evade the truth, but must declare it to +the best of my ability, with no regard to any human respects, but for +the ease and liberation of my conscience as a sincere though humble +professor."</p> + +<p>There was a general feeling that, in some conclusive though mysterious +way, the linendraper had brought a crushing weight of evidence to bear +against David Powell; and even the preacher's best friends would find it +difficult to defend him after that!</p> + +<p>Old Max looked round triumphantly, and proceeded to follow up the +impression thus made. "And then I'm to be told," said he, "that the +lunatic doings on Whit Meadow are the work of Heavenly powers, eh? Come, +Gladwish—you're a man as has read theologies and controversies, and are +acquainted with the history of Wesleyan Methodism as well as most +members in Whitford—I should like to know what arguments you have to +advance against plain facts—facts known to us all, and testified to by +Robert Blogg, linendraper, now present, and for many years a respected +class-leader in this town?"</p> + +<p>"Well, but we have plain facts to bring forward too," said Richard +Gibbs, with anxious earnestness.</p> + +<p>"I ask you, Gladwish, what arguments you have to bring forward," +repeated Maxfield, determinedly repressing any outward sign of having +heard the presumptuous Gibbs.</p> + +<p>"If this be not Satan's doing, I have no knowledge of the words of the +devil, and I suppose I shall hardly be told that, after regular +attendance in a congregation of Wesleyan Methodists for fifty odd years, +man and boy! But," continued the old man, after a short silence, which +none of those present ventured to break, "there's no knowing, truly. +These are new-fangled days. I cannot say but what I may live to hear it +declared that I know nothing of Satan, nor cannot discern his works when +I see them!"</p> + +<p>"Nay, father," said Seth Maxfield, speaking now for the first time, in +deprecation of so serious a charge against the "new-fangled days," on +which Whitford had fallen. "Nay, no man will say that, nor yet think it. +But my notion is, that it may neither be Heaven nor t'other place that +has much to do with these kind of fits and screechings. I believe it to +be just as Dr. Evans said—and he a Welshman himself, you'll +remember—when he first heard of these doings of David Powell in Wales. +Says he, 'It's a epidemic,' says the doctor. 'A catching kind of nervous +disease, neither more nor less. And you may any of you get it if you go +to hear and see the others. Though forewarned is forearmed in such +cases,' says the doctor. 'And the better you understand the real natur' +of the disorder, the safer you'll be from it.'"</p> + +<p>Seth was of a materialistic and practical turn of mind, and he offered +this hypothesis as an explanation which had approved itself to his own +judgment (not because he thoroughly comprehended Dr. Evans's statements, +but rather because of the inherent repugnance of his mind to accept a +supernatural theory about any phenomenon, when a natural theory might +be substituted for it), and also as a neutral ground of conciliation, +whereon the opposing celestial and diabolic partisans might meet half +way. But it speedily appeared that he had miscalculated in so doing. +Neither the friends nor the opponents of David Powell would for an +instant admit any such rationalistic suggestion. It was scouted on all +hands. And Seth, who had no gift of controversy, speedily found himself +reduced to silence.</p> + +<p>"Well," said he, quietly, when he and his father rose to go away, "think +what you please, but I know that if one of my reapers was to fall down +in the field that way, let him be praying or cursing, I should consider +it a hospital case."</p> + +<p>"Good night, Gladwish," said old Max. "Good night, Mrs. Gladwish. I am +glad, for the sake of all the decent, sober, godly members of the +Society, as this firebrand had left it before things came to this pass. +And I only wish you'd all had the gift of clear-sightedness to see +through him long ago, and cut yourselves off from him as I did."</p> + +<p>Richard Gibbs advanced towards the old man with outstretched hand. "I +hope, Mr. Maxfield," he said, humbly, "that you'll not think I meant any +offence to you just now. But I was so full of conviction, and you know +we can but speak the truth to the best of our power. I hope you, nor any +other Christian man, will be in wrath with me, because we don't see +things just alike. I know Mr. Powell is always for making peace, for he +says we many a time fancy we're fighting the Lord's battles, when, in +truth, we are only desiring victory for our own pride. Anyway, I know he +would bid me ask pardon for a hasty word, if any offence had come by it. +And so I hope you'll shake hands."</p> + +<p>Jonathan Maxfield took no notice of the proffered hand, neither did he +make any answer directly. But as he reached the door he turned round and +said, "Well, Mr. Jackson, you have your work cut out for you with some +of your flock, I doubt. Like to like. I expect that ranting Welshman +will draw some away from decent chapel-going. But them as admires such +doings are best got rid of, and that speedily." With that he walked off.</p> + +<p>"I think Maxfield was rather hard on poor Dicky Gibbs," said Mr. +Gladwish to his spouse when they were alone together. "He might ha' +shook hands. Dicky came forward in a real Christian spirit. Maxfield was +very hard in his wrath."</p> + +<p>"Well," returned the virtuous matron, "I can't so much wonder. Having +the Lord's forgiveness called down on his head in that way! And I don't +know, Gladwish, as we should like it ourselves!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + + +<p>Minnie Bodkin had not dismissed from her mind the rumours about Algernon +Errington, which she had heard from the widow Thimbleby. After some +consideration she resolved to speak to him directly on the subject, and +decided on the manner of doing so.</p> + +<p>"I will not try to speak to him in the presence of other people," she +thought. "He would wriggle off and slip through my fingers if he found +the conversation had any tendency to become disagreeable. And then, too, +it might be difficult to speak to him without interruption."</p> + +<p>This latter consideration had reference to Minnie's observation of Mrs. +Algernon, who never saw her husband engaged in conversation with Miss +Bodkin without unceremoniously thrusting herself between them.</p> + +<p>The result of Minnie's deliberations was the sending of the following +note to the Whitford Post-office:—</p> + +<blockquote><p>"<span class="smcap">My dear Algernon</span>,—I want to say a word to you quietly. Can +you come to me on your way home this afternoon? I will be ready +to receive you at any hour between four and six. Don't +disappoint your old friend,</p> + +<p>"M. B."</p></blockquote> + +<p>At a few minutes before five that evening Mr. Ancram Errington presented +himself at Dr. Bodkin's house, and was shown up to Minnie's room.</p> + +<p>It was one of Minnie's good days. She was seated in her lounging-chair +by the fire, but she was not altogether reclining in it—merely leaning +a little back against the cushions. A small writing-table stood in front +of her. It was covered with papers—amongst them a copy of the local +newspaper—and she had evidently been busily occupied. When Algernon +entered she held out her hand with a smile of welcome. "This is very +good!" she exclaimed. "I was not sure that I should succeed in tearing +your postmastership away from the multifarious duties——"</p> + +<p>Algernon winced, and held up his hand. "Don't, Minnie!" he cried. "For +mercy's sake, let me forget all that for half an hour!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, reassure yourself, most overworked of public servants! It is not +about the conveyance of his Majesty's mails that I am going to talk to +you."</p> + +<p>"Upon my word, I am infinitely relieved to hear it."</p> + +<p>And, indeed, his countenance brightened at once, and he took a chair +opposite to Minnie with all his old nonchalant gaiety.</p> + +<p>"How you hate your office!" said Minnie, looking at him curiously. +"More, even, than your native laziness—which I know to be +considerable—would seem to account for."</p> + +<p>"Not at all! There is no difficulty in accounting for my distaste for +the whole business. There can be no difficulty. It is the simplest, most +obvious thing in the world!"</p> + +<p>"Don't things go smoothly? Have you any special troubles or difficulties +in the office, Algernon?"</p> + +<p>"Special troubles! My dear Minnie, what on earth are you driving at?"</p> + +<p>"I am 'driving' at nothing more than the simple sense of my words +implies," she answered, with a marked shade of surprise in her +countenance. "I mean just what I say. Is your work going pretty +smoothly? Have you any complaints? Does your clerk do well?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Gibbs? Capitally, capitally! Old Obadiah is a first-rate fellow. +Did you know his name was Obadiah? Absurd name, isn't it? Oh yes; he's +all right. I trust him entirely—blindly. He has the whole thing in his +hands. He might do anything he liked in the office. I have every +confidence in Gibbs. But now, Minnie, let us have done with the subject. +If you had as much of it as I have you would understand——Come, dismiss +the bugaboo, or I shall think you have entrapped me here to talk to me +about the post-office. And I warn you I don't think I should be able to +stand that, even from you!"</p> + +<p>"How absurdly you are exaggerating, Algy," said Minnie, shaking her head +at him, and yet smiling a little at the same time. "But be at peace. I +have nothing to say on the subject of the Whitford post-office. My +discourse will chiefly concern the Whitford postmaster, and——No! Don't +be so ridiculous! not in his official capacity, either!"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Well, in his private character, I should think it impossible to +find a more delightful topic of conversation than that interesting and +accomplished individual," returned Errington, laughing and settling +himself comfortably in his chair.</p> + +<p>"I hope it may prove so. Tell me, first, how is Mrs. Algernon Ancram +Errington?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Castalia is not very well, I think, although I don't know what is +the matter. She grows thinner and thinner, and sallower and sallower. +<i>Entre nous</i>, Minnie, she frets and chafes against our life here. She +has not the gift of looking on the bright side of things. She is rather +peevish by nature. It's a little trying sometimes, coming on the back of +all the other botherations. Ha! There!" (passing his hand quickly across +his forehead) "let us say no more on that subject either. And now to +return to the interesting topic—the delightful and accomplished—eh? +What have you to say to me?"</p> + +<p>Minnie seized on the opportunity, which chance had afforded her, to +introduce the matter she wished to speak about.</p> + +<p>"Do you think your wife is annoyed by the importunities of tradespeople, +Algy? That would be enough to fret her and sour her temper."</p> + +<p>"Importunities of tradespeople? Good gracious, no! And, besides, I don't +think Castalia would allow the importunities of tradespeople to disturb +her much. I should fancy that a Bourbon princess could scarcely look on +such folks from a more magnificent elevation than poor Castalia does. +But, <i>Que voulez-vous</i>? She was brought up in that sort of hauteur."</p> + +<p>"I quite believe in your wife's disregard for the feelings of the +tradespeople," answered Minnie drily. "But this is a question of her own +feelings, you see. Come, Algernon, may I take the privilege of our old +friendship, and speak to you quite frankly?"</p> + +<p>"Pray do, my dear Minnie. You know I always loved frankness."</p> + +<p>He looked the picture of candour as he turned his bright blue eyes on +his friend.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, to begin with a question. Do you not owe money to several +persons in Whitford?"</p> + +<p>"My dear Minnie, don't look so solemn, for mercy's sake! 'Owe money!' +Why I suppose everybody owes money. A few pounds would cover all my +debts. I assure you I am never troubled on the subject."</p> + +<p>"I am glad to hear it. But—will you forgive the liberty I am taking for +the sake of my motive, and give me <i>carte blanche</i> to be as impertinent +as I please."</p> + +<p>"With all my heart!" he answered unhesitatingly.</p> + +<p>"Thanks, Algy. Then, to proceed without circumlocution: I am afraid +that, since neither you nor your wife are accustomed to domestic +economy, you may possibly be spending more money than is quite prudent, +without being aware of it. You say you are not disturbed by your debts; +but, Algy, I hear things on this subject which are never likely to reach +your ears; or not until it is too late for the knowledge of them to +serve you. And I have reason to think that there is a good deal of +unpleasant feeling among the Whitford tradespeople about you and yours."</p> + +<p>"You will excuse me for observing that the Whitford tradespeople always +have been, within my recollection, a set of pig-headed, prejudicial +ignoramuses, and that I see no reason to apprehend any speedy +improvement in the intelligence of that highly respectable body."</p> + +<p>"Don't laugh, Algernon. The matter is serious. You have not been +troubled yet, you say. But the trouble may begin at any moment, and I +should wish you to be prepared to meet it. You may have bills sent in +which——"</p> + +<p>"Bills? Oh, as to that, there's no lack of them already! I must +acknowledge the great alacrity and punctuality with which the mercantile +classes of this town send in their weekly accounts. Oh dear yes, I have +a considerable collection of those interesting documents; so many, in +fact, that the other day, when Castalia was complaining of the +shabbiness of the paperhangings in our dining-room, I proposed to her to +cover the walls with the tradesmen's bills. It would be novel, +economical, and moral; a kind of <i>memento mori</i>—a death's head at the +feast! Fancy seeing your butcher's bill glaring down above the roast +mutton every day, and the greengrocer's 'To account delivered,' +restraining the spoon that might otherwise too lavishly dispense the +contents of the vegetable dishes!"</p> + +<p>"Algy, Algy!"</p> + +<p>"Upon my honour, Minnie, I made the suggestion. But Castalia looked as +grave as a judge. She didn't see it at all. The fact is, poor Cassy's +sense of humour is merely rudimentary."</p> + +<p>Minnie joined her hands together on the table, and thus supported, she +leant a little forward, and looked searchingly at the young man.</p> + +<p>"Algernon," she said with slow deliberation, "I begin to be afraid that +the case is worse than I thought."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" he asked, almost roughly, and with a sudden change +of colour.</p> + +<p>"I mean that you really are in difficult waters. How has it come to pass +that the weekly accounts have accumulated in this way?"</p> + +<p>He laughed a little forced laugh, but he looked relieved, too.</p> + +<p>"The process is simple. They keep sending 'em in!"</p> + +<p>"And then it is said—forgive me if I appear intrusive—that you gave +orders for wine and such things out of Whitford. And that does not +incline the people of the place to be patient."</p> + +<p>"Well, by Jove!" exclaimed Algernon, throwing himself back in his chair +and thrusting his hands into his pockets, "that is the most absurd—the +most irrational—the most preposterous reason for being angry with me! +They grumble when I run up a bill with them, and they are affronted when +I don't!"</p> + +<p>"Does your wife understand—or—or control the household expenditure?"</p> + +<p>"Bless you, no! She has not the very vaguest ideas of anything of the +kind. When she had an allowance from her uncle for her dress, my lord +used to have to come down every now and then with a supplementary sum of +money to get her out of debt."</p> + +<p>He spoke with an air of perfectly easy amusement, and without a trace of +anxiety; unless, perhaps, an accustomed ear might have detected some +constraint in his voice.</p> + +<p>"But could she not be made to understand? Why not give her some hints on +domestic economy? It should be done kindly, of course. And surely her +own good sense——"</p> + +<p>Algernon pursed up his mouth and raised his eyebrows.</p> + +<p>"She considers herself an unexampled victim as it is. I think 'lessons +on domestic economy' would about put the finishing stroke to the +internal felicity of Ivy Lodge!"</p> + +<p>Minnie looked pained. They were trenching here on ground on which she +had no intention of venturing farther. It formed no part of her plan to +be drawn into a discussion respecting the defects and shortcomings of +Algernon's wife. She was silent.</p> + +<p>Algernon got up from his chair, and came and stood before Minnie, taking +both her hands in his.</p> + +<p>"My dear girl," he said, "I cannot tell you how much I feel your +kindness and friendship. But, now, pray don't look so terribly like the +tragic muse! I assure you there is no need, as far as we are concerned. +Castalia is perhaps a little extravagant; but, after all, what does it +amount to? A few pounds would cover all I owe. The whole of our budget +is a mere bagatelle. The fact is, you have attached too much importance +to the chatter of these thick-headed boobies. They hate us, I suppose, +because Castalia's uncle is a peer of the realm, and because we dine +late, and because we prefer claret to Double X—or for some equally +excellent and conclusive reasons."</p> + +<p>"I don't know that they hate you, Algy," returned Minnie, but not with +an air of very perfect conviction. "And, after all, it is scarcely a +proof of personal malignity to wish to be paid one's bill!"</p> + +<p>Algernon laughed quite genuinely. "Oh yes it is!" he cried. "A proof of +the direst malignity. What worse can they do?"</p> + +<p>"Well, Algernon, I cannot presume to push my sermonisings on you any +farther. You will give me credit at least for having ventured to make +them from a single-minded wish to be of some service to you."</p> + +<p>"My dear Minnie! you are the 'best fellow' in the world! (You remember I +used to call you so in my saucy, school-boy days, and when your majesty +condescended to permit my impertinences?) And to show you how thoroughly +I appreciate your friendship, I don't mind telling you that when I am +removed from this d—— delightful berth that I now occupy, I shall have +to get Uncle Seely to help us out a little. But I feel no scruple about +that. Something is due to me. I ought never to have been placed here at +all. Well, no matter! It was a mistake. My lord sees it now, and he is +setting to work in earnest for me in other quarters. I have every +reason to believe that I shall get very pretty promotion before long. It +isn't my business to go about proclaiming this to the butchers and +bakers, is it? And between you and me, Miss Bodkin, your dear +Whitfordians are as great rogues as the tradesmen in town, and vastly +less pleasant to deal with. They make us pay an enormous percentage for +the trifling credit we take. So let 'em wait and be——paid! Dear +Minnie, I assure you I shall not forget your affectionate kindness."</p> + +<p>He bent down over her as he said the last words, still holding her +hands. A change in Minnie's face made him look round, and when he did +so, he saw his wife standing just within the room behind him.</p> + +<p>Minnie was inexpressibly vexed with herself to feel a hot flush covering +her face. She knew it would be misconstrued, and that made her colour +the more. Mrs. Algernon Errington was the first to speak.</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon, Miss Bodkin," she said, "I didn't know that you were +so particularly engaged."</p> + +<p>"What the deuce brought you here?" asked her husband, with a not +altogether successful assumption of thinking the whole trio, including +himself, completely at their ease.</p> + +<p>"There was no one in the drawing-room nor in the study," continued +Castalia, still addressing Minnie, "so I thought I would come direct to +your room. I see now that I ought not to have taken that liberty."</p> + +<p>"Well, frankly, I don't think you ought, my dear," said her husband, +lightly.</p> + +<p>Minnie was sorely tempted to say so too. But she felt that any show of +anger on her part would but increase the unpleasantness of the +situation, and a quarrel with Algernon's wife under such circumstances +would have been equally revolting to her pride and her taste; so she +held out her hand to Castalia with grave courtesy, and said, "I have to +apologise, on my side, for having taken the privilege of old friendship +to sermonise your husband a little. He will tell you what I have +ventured to speak to him about. I hope you will forgive me."</p> + +<p>Castalia appeared not to see the proffered hand. She stood quite still +near the door as she answered, "Oh, I daresay it is all quite right. I +don't suppose Ancram will tell me anything about it; I am not in his +secrets."</p> + +<p>"This is no secret, Mrs. Errington; at all events, not from you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know. But I daresay it doesn't matter."</p> + +<p>Through all the languid insolence of her manner there was discernible so +much real pain of mind, that Minnie once more checked a severe speech, +and answered gently, "You will judge of that. Of course Algernon will +discuss the subject of our conversation with you."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Algernon Errington scarcely condescended to return Minnie's parting +salutation, but walked away, saying to her husband over her shoulder, "I +am going to drive home. It is nearly dinner-time. I suppose you are +coming? But don't let me interfere with your arrangements."</p> + +<p>"Interfere with a fiddlestick!" cried Algernon in the quick, testy tone +that was the nearest approach to loss of temper Minnie had ever seen in +him. Then he added after an instant, with a short laugh, "I don't know +why I'm supposed not to include dinner in my 'arrangements' to-day of +all days in the year!"</p> + +<p>And then the husband and wife went away together, and entered the fly +that awaited them before Dr. Bodkin's door.</p> + +<p>"How did you know where to find me?" asked Algernon suddenly, after a +silent drive of some ten minutes.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I knew you had a rendezvous."</p> + +<p>"I had no 'rendezvous.' You could not know it!"</p> + +<p>"Couldn't I? I tell you I saw that creature's letter. 'Dear Algernon!' +What right has she to write to you like that?"</p> + +<p>And Castalia burst into angry tears.</p> + +<p>Algernon turned upon her eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Saw her letter? Where? How?"</p> + +<p>"I——they told me——it was at the office."</p> + +<p>"You went to the office? And you saw Minnie's letter?"</p> + +<p>"I——it's no use scolding me, or pretending to be injured. I know who +is injured of us two."</p> + +<p>"I suppose I must have left the note lying open on the table of my +office," said Algernon, speaking very distinctly, and not looking at +his wife.</p> + +<p>"Yes; that must be it! I——I——I tore it up. You will find the +fragments on the floor if you think them worth preserving."</p> + +<p>"What a goose you are, Castalia!" exclaimed her husband, leaning back in +the carriage and closing his eyes.</p> + +<p>Now, the fact was that Algernon distinctly remembered having placed +Minnie's note in a drawer of a little secretaire which he kept +habitually locked, and of which the key was at that moment in his +waistcoat pocket. And the discovery that his wife had in some way or +other obtained access to the said secretaire gave him, for reasons known +only to himself, abundant food for conjecture and reflection during the +rest of the drive home.</p> + + +<h3>END OF VOL. II.</h3> + +<h3>LINK TO <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/35430/35430-h/35430-h.htm">VOL. III.</a></h3> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHARMING FELLOW, VOLUME II (OF 3)***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 35429-h.txt or 35429-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/5/4/2/35429">http://www.gutenberg.org/3/5/4/2/35429</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution.</p> + + + +<pre> +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/license">http://www.gutenberg.org/license)</a>. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS,' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's +eBook number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII, +compressed (zipped), HTML and others. + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks replace the old file and take over +the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed. +VERSIONS based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving +new filenames and etext numbers. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org">http://www.gutenberg.org</a> + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +EBooks posted prior to November 2003, with eBook numbers BELOW #10000, +are filed in directories based on their release date. If you want to +download any of these eBooks directly, rather than using the regular +search system you may utilize the following addresses and just +download by the etext year. + +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext06/">http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext06/</a> + + (Or /etext 05, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00, 99, + 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90) + +EBooks posted since November 2003, with etext numbers OVER #10000, are +filed in a different way. The year of a release date is no longer part +of the directory path. The path is based on the etext number (which is +identical to the filename). The path to the file is made up of single +digits corresponding to all but the last digit in the filename. For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/GUTINDEX.ALL">http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/GUTINDEX.ALL</a> + +*** END: FULL LICENSE *** +</pre> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/35429.txt b/35429.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a3f3fe3 --- /dev/null +++ b/35429.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6744 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Charming Fellow, Volume II (of 3), by +Frances Eleanor Trollope + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: A Charming Fellow, Volume II (of 3) + + +Author: Frances Eleanor Trollope + + + +Release Date: February 28, 2011 [eBook #35429] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHARMING FELLOW, VOLUME II (OF +3)*** + + +E-text prepared by Delphine Lettau, Mary Meehan, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images +generously made available by Internet Archive/American Libraries +(http://www.archive.org/details/americana) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has the other two volumes of this + novel. + Volume I: see http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35428 + Volume III: see http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35430 + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + http://www.archive.org/details/charmingfellow02trol + + + + + +A CHARMING FELLOW. + +by + +FRANCES ELEANOR TROLLOPE, + +Author of "Aunt Margaret's Trouble," "Mabel's Progress," etc. etc. + +In Three Volumes. + +VOL. II. + + + + + + + +London: +Chapman and Hall, 193, Piccadilly. +1876. + +Charles Dickens and Evans, +Crystal Palace Press. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +"So you are to come to Switzerland with us next month, Ancram," said +Miss Kilfinane. She was seated at the piano in Lady Seely's +drawing-room, and Algernon was leaning on the instrument, and idly +turning over a portfolio of music. + +"Yes; I hope your serene highness has no objection to that arrangement?" + +"It would be of no use my objecting, I suppose!" + +"Of none whatever. But it would be unpleasant." + +"Oh, you would still go then, whether I liked it or not?" + +"I'm afraid the temptation to travel about Europe in your company would +be too strong for me!" + +"How silly you are, Ancram!" said Miss Kilfinane, looking up half shyly, +half tenderly. But she met no answering look from Algernon. He had just +come upon a song that he wanted to try, and was drawing it out from +under a heap of others in the portfolio. + +"Look here, Castalia," he said, "I wish you would play through this +accompaniment for me. I can't manage it." + +It will be seen that Algernon had become familiar enough with Miss +Kilfinane to call her by her Christian-name. And, moreover, he addressed +her in a little tone of authority, as being quite sure she would do what +he asked her. + +"This?" she said, taking the song from his hand. "Why do you want to +sing this dull thing? I think Glueck is so dreary! And, besides, it isn't +your style at all." + +"Isn't it? What is my style, I wonder?" + +"Oh light, lively things are your style." + +At the bottom of his mind, perhaps, Algernon thought so too. But it is +often very unpleasant to hear our own secret convictions uttered by +other people; and he did not like to be told that he could not sing +anything more solid than a French chansonette. + +"Lady Harriet particularly wishes me to try this thing of Glueck's at her +house next Saturday," he said. + +Miss Kilfinane threw down the song pettishly. "Oh, Lady Harriet," she +exclaimed. "I might have known it was her suggestion! She is so full of +nonsense about her classical composers. I think she makes a fool of you, +Ancram. I know it will be a failure if you attempt that song." + +"Thank you very much, Miss Kilfinane! And now, having spoken your mind +on the subject, will you kindly play the accompaniment?" + +Algernon picked up the piece of music, smoothed it with his hand, placed +it on the desk of the piano, and made a little mocking bow to Castalia. +His serenity and good humour seemed to irritate her. "I'm sick of Lady +Harriet!" she said, querulously, and with a shrug of the shoulders. The +action and the words were so plainly indicative of ill temper, that Lady +Seely, who waddled into the drawing-room at that moment, asked loudly, +"What are you two quarrelling about, eh?" + +"Oh, what a shocking idea, my lady! We're not quarrelling at all," +answered Algernon, raising his eyebrows, and smiling with closed lips. +He rarely showed his teeth when he smiled, which circumstance gave his +mouth an expression of finesse and delicate irony that was peculiar, +and--coupled with the candidly-arched brows--attractive. + +"Well, it takes two to make a quarrel, certainly," returned my lady. +"But Castalia was scolding you, at all events. Weren't you now, +Castalia?" + +Castalia deigned not to reply, but tossed her head, and began to run her +fingers over the keys of the piano. + +"The fact is, Lady Seely," said Algernon, "that Castalia is so convinced +that I shall make a mess of this aria--which Lady Harriet Dormer has +asked me to sing for her next Saturday--that she declines to play the +accompaniment of it for me." + +"Well, you ought to be immensely flattered, young jackanapes! She +wouldn't care a straw about some people's failures, would you, Castalia? +Would you mind, now, if Jack Price were to sing a song and make an awful +mess of it, eh?" + +"As to that, it seems to me that Jack Price makes an awful mess of most +things he does," replied Castalia. + +"Ah, exactly! So one mess more or less don't matter. But in the case of +our Admirable Crichton here, it is different." + +"I think he is getting awfully spoiled," said Castalia, a little less +crossly. And there was absolutely a blush upon her sallow cheek. + +"And that's the reason you snub him, is it? You see, Ancram, it's all +for your good, if Castalia is a little hard on you!" + +Miss Kilfinane rose and left the room, saying that she must dress for +her drive. + +"I think Castalia is harder on Lady Harriet than on me," said Algernon, +when Castalia was gone. + +"Ah! H'm! Castalia has lots of good points, but--I daresay you have +noticed it--she is given to being a little bit jealous when she cares +about people. Now you show a decided liking for Lady Harriet's society, +and you crack up her grace, and her elegance, and her taste, and all +that. And sometimes I think poor Cassy don't quite like it, don't you +know?" + +"What on earth can it matter to her?" cried Algernon. He knew that +Castalia was no favourite with my lady, and he flattered himself that he +was becoming a favourite with her. So he spoke with a little +half-contemptuous smile, and a shrug of impatience, when he asked, "What +on earth can it matter to her?" + +But my lady did not smile. She threw her head back, and looked at +Algernon from under her half-closed eyelids. + +"It's my opinion, young man, that it matters a good deal to Castalia," +she said; "more than it would have mattered to me when I was a young +lady, I can tell you. But there's no accounting for tastes." + +Then Lady Seely also left the room, having first bidden Algernon to come +and dine with her the next day. + +Algernon was dumfoundered. + +Not that he had not perceived the scornful Castalia's partiality for his +charming self; not that her submission to his wishes, or even his whims, +and her jealous anxiety to keep him by her side whenever there appeared +to be danger of his leaving it for the company of a younger or more +attractive woman, had escaped his observation. But Algernon was not +fatuous enough to consider himself a lady-killer. His native good taste +would alone have prevented him from having any such pretension. It was +ridiculous; and it involved, almost of necessity, some affectation. And +Algernon never was affected. He accepted Castalia's marked preference as +the most natural thing in the world. He had been used to be petted and +preferred all his life. But it truly had not entered into his head that +the preference meant anything more than that Castalia found him amusing, +and clever, and good-looking, and that she liked to keep so attractive a +personage to herself as much as possible. For Algernon had noted the +Honourable Castalia's little grudging jealousies, and he knew as well as +anybody that she did not like to hear him praise Lady Harriet, for whom, +indeed, she had long entertained a smouldering sort of dislike. But that +she should have anything like a tender sentiment for himself, and, still +more, that Lady Seely should see and approve it--for my lady's words +and manner implied no less--was a very astonishing idea indeed. + +So astonishing was it, that after a while he came to the conclusion that +the idea was erroneous. He turned Lady Seely's words in his mind, this +way and that, and tried to look at them from all points of view, and--as +words will do when too curiously scrutinised--they gradually seemed to +take another and a different meaning, from the first obvious one which +had struck him. + +"The old woman was only giving me a hint not to annoy Miss Kilfinane; +not to excite her peevish temper, or exasperate her envy." + +But this solution would not quite do, either. "Lady Seely is not too +fond of Castalia," he said to himself. "Besides, I never knew her +particularly anxious to spare anyone's feelings. What the deuce did she +mean, I wonder?" + +Algernon continued to wonder at intervals all the rest of the afternoon. +His mind was still busy with the same subject when he came upon Jack +Price, seated in the reading-room of the club, to which he had +introduced Algernon at the beginning of his London career, and of which +Algernon had since become a member. It was now full summer time. The +window was wide open, and the Honourable John Patrick was lounging in a +chair near it, with a newspaper spread out on his knees, and his eyes +fixed on a water-cart that was be-sprinkling the dusty street outside. +He looked very idle, and a little melancholy, as he sat there by +himself, and he welcomed Algernon with even more than his usual +effusion, asking him what he was going to do with himself, and offering +to walk part of the way towards his lodgings with him, when he was told +that Algernon must betake himself homeward. The offer was a measure of +Mr. Price's previous weariness of spirit; for, in general, he professed +to dislike walking. + +"And how long is it since you saw our friend, Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs?" asked +Jack Price of Algernon, as they strolled along, arm-in-arm, on the shady +side of the way. + +"Oh--I'm afraid it's rather a long time," said Algernon, carelessly. + +"Ah, now that's bad, my dear boy. You shouldn't neglect people, you +know. And our dear Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs is exceedingly pleasant." + +"As to neglecting her--I don't know that I have neglected +her--particularly. What more could I do than call and leave my card?" + +"Call again. You wouldn't leave off going to Lady Seely's because you +happened not to find her at home once in a way." + +"Lady Seely is my relation." + +"H'm! Well, would you cut Lady Harriet Dormer for the same reason?" + +"Cut her? But, my dear Mr. Price, you mustn't suppose that I have cut +Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs!" + +"Come, now, my dear fellow, I'm a great deal older than you are, and +I'll take the liberty of giving you a bit of advice. Never offend +people, who mean to be civil, merely because they don't happen to amuse +you. What, the deuce, we can't live for amusement in this life!" + +The moralising might be good, but the moralist was, Algernon thought, +badly fitted with his part. He was tempted to retort on his new mentor, +but he did not retort. He merely said, quietly: + +"Has Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs been complaining of me, then?" + +"Well, the truth is, she has--in an indirect kind of way; you +know--what?" + +"I'll go and see her this evening. To-day is Thursday, isn't it? She has +one of her 'At home's' this evening." + +Jack Price looked at the young man admiringly. "You're an uncommonly +sensible fellow!" said he. "I give you my honour I never knew a fellow +of your years take advice so well. By Jove! I wish I had had your common +sense when I was your age. It's too late for me to do any good now, you +know, what? And, in fact," (with a solemn lowering of his musical Irish +voice) "I split myself on the very rock I'm now warning you off. I never +was polite. And if any one told me to go to the right, sure it was a +thousand to one that I'd instantly bolt to the left!" And shaking his +head with a sad, regretful gesture, Jack Price parted from Algernon at +the corner of the street. + +Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs received the truant very graciously that evening. She +knew that, during his absence from her parties, he had been admitted +into society, to which even her fashionable self could not hope to +penetrate. But, though this might be a reason for a little genteel +sneering at him behind his back, it was none whatever, Mrs. +Machyn-Stubbs considered, for giving him a cool reception when he did +grace her house with his presence. She said to several of her guests, +one after the other: "We have young Ancram Errington here to-night. He's +so glad to come to us, poor fellow, for my people's place is his second +home, down in the West of England. And, then, the Seelys think it nice +of us to take notice of him, don't you know? He is a relation of Lady +Seely's, and is quite in that set--the Dormers, and all those people. +Ah! you don't know them? They say he is to marry Castalia Kilfinane. But +we haven't spoken about it yet out of our own little circle. Her father +was Viscount Kauldkail, and married Lord Seely's youngest sister," and +so on, and so on with a set smile, and no expression whatever on her +smooth, fair face. + +To Algernon himself she showed herself politely inquisitive on the +subject of his engagement to Castalia, and startled him considerably by +saying, when she found herself close to him for a few minutes near a +doorway: + +"And are we really to congratulate you, Mr. Errington?" + +"If you please, madam," answered Algernon, with a bright, amused smile +and an easy bow, "but I should like to know--if it be not indiscreet--on +what special subject? I am, indeed, to be congratulated on finding +myself here. But, then, you are hardly likely to be the person to do +it." + +At that moment Algernon was wedged into a corner behind a fat old +gentleman, who was vainly struggling to extricate himself from the crowd +in front, by making a series of short plunges forward, the rebound of +which sent him back on to Algernon's toes with some violence. It was +very hot, and a young lady was singing out of tune in the adjoining +room; her voice floating over the murmur of conversation occasionally, +in a wailing long-drawn note. Altogether, it might have been suspected +by some persons that Mr. Ancram Errington was laughing at his hostess, +when he spoke of his position at that time as being one which called for +congratulation. But Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs was the sort of woman who +completely baffled irony by a serene incapability of perceiving it. And +she would sooner suspect you of maligning her, hating her, or insulting +her, than of laughing at her. To this immunity from all sense of the +ridiculous she owed her chief social successes; for there are occasions +when some obtuseness of the faculties is useful. Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs +tapped Algernon's arm lightly with her fan, as she answered, "Now Mr. +Errington, that's all very well with the outside world, but you +shouldn't make mysteries with us! I look upon you almost as a brother of +Orlando's, I do indeed." + +"You're very kind, indeed, and I'm immensely obliged to you; but, upon +my word, I don't know what you mean by my making mysteries!" + +"Oh, well, if you choose to keep your own counsel, of course you can do +so. I will say no more." Upon which Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs proceeded to say +a great deal more, and ended by plainly giving Algernon to understand +that the rumour of his engagement to Miss Castalia Kilfinane had been +pretty widely circulated during the last four or five weeks. + +"Oh, Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs," said Algernon, laughing, "you surely never +believe more than a hundredth part of what you hear? There's Mr. Price +looking for me. I promised to walk home with him, it is such a lovely +night. Thank you, no; not any tea! Are you ever at home about four +o'clock? I shall take my chance of finding you. Good night." + +Algernon was greatly puzzled. How and whence had the report of his +engagement to Castalia originated? He would have been less puzzled, if +not less surprised, had he known that the report had come in the first +place from Lady Seely herself, who had let fall little words and hints, +well understanding how they would grow and spread. He had not committed +himself in his answer to Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs. He had replied to her in +such a manner as to leave the truth or falsehood of the report she had +mentioned an open question. He felt the consciousness of this to be a +satisfaction. Some persons might say, "Well, but since the report was +false, why not say so?" But Algernon always, and, as it were, +instinctively, took refuge in the vague. A clear statement to which he +should appear to be bound would have irked him like a tight shoe; and +naturally so, since he was conscious that he should flexibly conform +himself to circumstances as they might arise, and not stick with +stubborn stupidity to any predetermined course of conduct, which might +prove to be inconvenient. + +After saying "Good night" to his hostess he elbowed his way out of the +crowded rooms, and went downstairs side by side with Jack Price. The +latter knew everybody present, or thought he did. And as, when he did +happen to make a mistake and to greet enthusiastically some total +stranger whom he had never seen in his life before, he never +acknowledged it, but persisted in declaring that he remembered the +individual in question perfectly, although "the name, the name, my dear +sir, or madam, has quite escaped my wretched memory!" his progress +towards Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs's hall door was considerably impeded by the +nods, smiles, and shakes of the hand, which he scattered broadcast. + +"There's Deepville," said he to Algernon, as they passed a tall, dark, +thin-faced man, with a stern jaw and a haughty carriage of the head. +"Don't you know Deepville? Ah, then you should! You should really. The +most delightful, lovable, charming fellow! He'd be enchanted to make +your acquaintance, Errington, quite enchanted. I can answer for him. +There's nothing in the world would give him greater pleasure, what?" + +Algernon was by this time pretty well accustomed to Jack Price's habit +of answering for the ready ecstasies of all his acquaintances with +regard to each other, and merely replied that he dared to say Sir +Lancelot Deepville was a very agreeable person. + +"And how's the fair Castalia?" asked Jack, when they were out in the +street. + +"I believe she is quite well. I saw her this morning." + +"Oh, I suppose you did," exclaimed Jack Price with a little smile, which +Algernon thought was to be interpreted by Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs's recent +revelations. But the next minute Jack added, very unexpectedly, "I had +some idea, at one time, that Deepville was making up to her. But it came +to nothing. She's a nice creature, is Castalia Kilfinane; a very nice +creature." + +Algernon could not help smiling at this disinterested praise. + +"I'm afraid she does not always behave quite nicely to you, Mr. Price," +he said. And he said it with a little air of apology and proprietorship +which he would not have assumed yesterday. + +"Oh, you're quite mistaken, my dear boy; she's as nice as possible with +me. I like Castalia Kilfinane. There's a great deal of good about her, +and she's well educated and clever in her way--not showy, you know, +what?--but--oh, a nice creature! There's a sort of bitter twang about +her, you know, that I like immensely." + +"Oh, well," cried Algernon, laughing outright, "if you have a liking for +bitters, indeed----" + +"Ah, but she doesn't mean it. It's just a little flavour--a little +_soupcon_. Oh, upon my word, I think Miss Kilfinane a thoroughly nice +creature. It was a pity about Deepville now, eh, what?" + +"I wonder that you never thought of trying your fortune in that quarter +yourself, Mr. Price!" said Algernon, looking at him curiously, as they +passed within the glare of a street-lamp. + +"Is it me? Ah, now, I thought everybody knew that I wasn't a marrying +man. Besides, there never was the least probability that Miss Kilfinane +would have had me--none in the world. Sure, she'd never think of looking +at a bald old bachelor like myself, what?" + +Algernon did not feel called on to pursue the subject. But he had a +conviction that Jack Price would not, under any circumstances, have +given Miss Kilfinane the chance of accepting him. + +The allusion, however, seemed to have touched some long-silent chord of +feeling in Jack, and set it vibrating. As they sat at supper together, +Jack reverted to the sage, mentor-like tone he had assumed that morning, +giving Algernon much sound advice of a worldly nature, and holding up +his own case as a warning to all young men who liked to "bolt to the +left when they were told to go to the right," and presenting himself in +the unusual light of a gloomy and disappointed person; and when a couple +of tumblers of hot punch smoked on the table, Jack grew tender and +sentimental. + +"Ah, my dear Errington," he said, "I wish ye may never know what it is +to be a lonely old bachelor!" + +"Lonely? Why you're the most popular man in London, out-and-out!" + +"Popular! And what good does that do me? If I were dead to-morrow, who'd +care, do you think? Although that doesn't seem to me to be such a hard +case as people say. Sure, I don't want anyone to cry when I'm dead; but +I'd like 'em to care for me a little while I'm living. If I'd been my +own elder brother, now; or if I'd taken advantage of my opportunities, +and made a good fortune, as I might have done----But 'twas one scrape +after another I put my foot into. I did and said whatever came +uppermost. And you'll find, my dear boy, that it's the foolish things +that mostly do come uppermost." + +"It's lucky that, amongst other foolish things, an imprudent marriage +never rose to the surface," said Algernon. + +"Oh, but it did! Oh, devil a doubt about it!" The combined influence of +memory and hot punch brought out Jack's musical brogue with unusual +emphasis. "Only, there I couldn't carry out my foolish intentions. It +wasn't the will that was wanting, my dear boy." + +"Providence looked after you on that occasion?" + +"Providence or--or the other thing. Oh, I could tell you a love-story, +only you'd be laughing at me." + +"Indeed, I would not laugh!" + +"On my honour, I don't know why you shouldn't! I often enough have +laughed at myself. She was the sweetest, gentlest, most delicate little +creature!--Snowdrop I used to call her. And as for goodness, she was +steeped in it. You felt goodness in the air wherever she was, just as +you smell perfume all about when the hawthorns blossom in May. Ah! now +to think of me talking in that way, and my head as smooth as a +billiard-ball!" + +"And--and how was it? Did your people interfere to prevent the match?" + +"My people! Faith, they'd have screeched to be heard from here to there +if I'd made her the Honourable Mrs. Jack Price, and contaminated the +blood of the Prices of Mullingar. Did ye ever hear that my +great-grandfather was a whisky distiller? Bedad, he was then! And I +believe he manufactured good liquor, rest his soul! But I shouldn't have +cared for that, as ye may believe. But they got hold of her, and told +her that I was a roving, unsteady sort of fellow; and that was true +enough. And--and she married somebody else. The man she took wasn't as +good-looking as I was in those days. However, there's no accounting for +these things, you know. It's fate, what? destiny! And she told me, in +the pretty silver voice of hers, like a robin on a bough, that I had +better forget her, and marry a lady in my own station, and live happy +ever after. 'Mary,' said I, 'if I don't marry you I'll marry no woman, +gentle or simple.' She didn't believe me. And I don't know that I quite +believed myself. But so it turned out, you see, what? And so I was saved +from a _mesalliance_, and from having, maybe, to bring up a numerous +family on nothing a year; and the blood of the Prices of Mullingar is in +a fine state of preservation, and Mary never became the Honourable Mrs. +Jack Price. Honourable--bedad it's the Honourable Jack Price she'd have +made of me if she'd taken me; an honourabler Jack than I've been without +her, I'm afraid! D'ye know, Errington, I believe on my soul that, if I +had married Mary, and gone off with her to Canada, and built a +log-house, and looked after my pigs and my ploughs, I'd have been a +happy man. But there it is, a man never knows what is really best for +him until it's too late. We'll hope there are compensations to come, +what? Of all the dreary, cut-throat, blue-devilish syllables in the +English language, I believe those words 'too late' are the ugliest. They +make a fellow feel as if he was being strangled. So mind your p's and +q's, my boy, and don't throw away your chances whilst you've got 'em!" + +And thus ended Jack Price's sermon on worldly wisdom. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +Minnie Bodkin had loyally tried to keep the promise she had given to the +Methodist preacher respecting Rhoda Maxfield, but in so trying she had +encountered many obstacles. In the first place, Rhoda, with all her +gentleness, was not frank, and she opposed a passive resistance to all +Minnie's efforts to win her confidence on the subject of Algernon. + +"It is like poking a little frightened animal out of its hole, trying to +get anything from her!" said Minnie, impatiently. + +Not that Rhoda's reticence was wholly due to timidity. She knew +instinctively that she was to be warned against giving her heart to +Algernon Errington; that she should hear him blamed; or, at least, that +the unreasonableness of trusting in his promises, or taking his boyish +love-making in serious earnest, would be safely set forth by Miss +Bodkin. Rhoda had not perceived any of the wise things which might be +said against her attachment to Algernon in the beginning, but now she +thought she perceived them all. And she was resolved, with a sort of +timid obstinacy, not to listen to them. + +"I'm sure Algy's fond of me. And even if he has changed"--the +supposition brought tears into her eyes as the words framed themselves +in her mind--"I don't want to have him spoken unkindly of." + +But, in truth, latterly her hopes had been out-weighing her fears. In +most of his letters to his mother Algernon had spoken of her, and had +sent her his love. He was making friends, and looking forward hopefully +to getting some definite position. Even her father spoke well of +Algernon now;--said how clever he was, and what grand acquaintance he +was making, and how sure he would be to succeed. And once or twice her +father had dropped a word which had set Rhoda's heart beating, and made +the colour rush into her face, for it seemed as if the old man had some +idea of her love for Algy, and approved it! All these circumstances +together made Minnie's task of mentor a rather hopeless one. + +And then Minnie herself, although, as has been said, loyally anxious to +fulfil her promise to David Powell, began to think that he had overrated +the importance of interfering with Rhoda's love-story if love-story it +were. Powell lived in a state of exalted and, perhaps, overstrained +feeling, and attributed his own earnestness to slighter natures. Of +course, on the side of worldly wisdom there was much to be said against +Rhoda's fancying herself engaged to Algernon Errington. There was much +to be said; and yet Minnie did not feel quite sure that the idea was so +preposterous as Powell had appeared to think it. True, Mrs. Errington +was vain, and worldly, and ambitious for her son. True, Algernon was +volatile, selfish, and little more than twenty years of age. But still +there was one solid fact to be taken into account, which, Minnie +thought, might be made to outweigh all the obstacles to a marriage +between the two young people--the solid fact, namely, of old Maxfield's +money. + +"If Algernon married a wife with a good dower, and if the wife were as +pretty, as graceful, and as well-mannered as Rhoda, I do not suppose +that anybody would concern himself particularly with her pedigree," +thought Minnie. "And even if any one did, that difficulty would not be +insuperable, for I have no knowledge of Mrs. Errington, if within three +months of the wedding she had not invented a genealogy, only second to +her own, for her son's wife, and persuaded herself of its genuineness +into the bargain!" + +As to those other convictions which would have made such a marriage +horrible to David Powell, even had it been made with the hearty +approval of all the godless world, Minnie did not share them. She did +not believe that Rhoda's character had any spiritual depth; and she +thought it likely enough that she would be able to make Algernon happy, +and to be happy as his wife. "Algy is not base, or cruel, or vicious," +she said to herself. "He has merely the faults of a spoiled child. A +woman with more earnestness than Rhoda has would weary him; and a wiser +woman might, in the long run, be wearied by him. She is pretty, and +sufficiently intelligent to make a good audience, and so humble-minded +that she would never be exacting, but would gratefully accept any scraps +of kindness and affection which Algy might feel inclined to bestow on +her. And that would react upon him, and make him bestow bigger scraps +for the pleasure of being adored for his generosity." + +And there were times when she felt very angry with Rhoda;--Rhoda, who +turned away from the better to choose the worse, and who was coldly +insensible to the fact that Matthew Diamond was in love with her. Nay, +had she been cognisant of the fact, she would, Minnie felt sure, have +shrank away from the grave, clever gentleman who, as it was, could win +nothing warmer from her than a sort of submissive endurance of his +presence, and a humble acknowledgment that he was very kind to take +notice of an ignorant little thing like her. + +It was with strangely mingled feelings that Minnie, watching day by day +from her sofa or easy-chair, perceived the girl's utter indifference to +Diamond. How much would Minnie have given for one of those rare sweet +smiles to beam upon her, which were wasted on Rhoda's pretty, shy, +downcast face! How happy it would have made her to hear those clear, +incisive tones lowered into soft indistinctness for her ears, as they so +often were for Rhoda's, who would look timid and tired, and answer, +"Yes, sir," and "No, sir," until Minnie's nervous sympathy with +Diamond's disappointment, and irritation against him for being +disappointed, grew almost beyond her own control. + +One May evening, when the cuckoo was sending his voice across the +purling Whit from distant Pudcombe Woods, and the hyacinths in Minnie's +special flower-stand were pouring out their silent even-song in waves of +perfume, five persons were sitting in Mrs. Bodkin's drawing-room, the +windows of which looked towards the west. They were listening to the +cuckoo, and smelling the sweet breath of the hyacinths, and gazing at +the rosy sky, and dropping now and then a soft word, which seemed to +enhance the sweetness and the silence of the room. The five persons were +Minnie Bodkin, Rhoda Maxfield, Matthew Diamond, Mr. Warlock (the curate +of St. Chad's), and Miss Chubb. The latter was embroidering something in +Berlin wools, as usual; but the peace of the place, and of the hour, +seemed to have fallen on her, as on the rest, and she sat with her work +in her lap, looking across the stand of hyacinths, very still and quiet. + +The Reverend Peter also sat looking silently across the hyacinths, but +it was at the owner. Minnie's cheek rested on her thin white hand, and +her lustrous eyes had a far-away look in them, as they gazed out towards +Pudcombe Woods, where the cuckoo was calling his poet-loved syllables +with a sweet, clear tone, that seemed to have gathered all the spirit of +the spring into one woodland voice. + +Rhoda sat beside the window, and was sewing very gently and noiselessly, +but seemingly intent upon her work, and unconscious that the eyes of Mr. +Diamond--who was seated close to Minnie's chair--were fixed upon her, +and that in some vague way he was attributing to her the perfume of the +flowers, and the melancholy-sweet note of the bird, and the melted +rubies of the western sky. + +"What a sunset!" said Miss Chubb, breaking the silence. But she spoke +almost in a whisper, and her voice did not startle any ear. Mr. +Warlock, habituated to suppress his feelings and adapt his words to +those of his company, answered, after a little pause, "Lovely indeed! It +is an evening to awaken the sensibilities of a feeling heart." + +"It makes me think of Manchester Square. We had some hyacinths in pots, +too, I remember, when I was staying with the Bishop of Plumbunn." + +Miss Chubb's odd association of ideas was merely due to the fact that +her thoughts were flying back to the rose-garden of youth. + +"Do you not like to hear the cuckoo, Miss Bodkin?" said Diamond, softly, +speaking almost in her ear. She started, and turned her head towards +him. + +"Yes; no. I like it, although it makes me sad. I like it because it +makes me sad perhaps." + +"All sights, and sounds, and scents seem to me to be combined this +evening into something sweeter than words can say." + +"It is a fine evening, and the cuckoo is calling from Pudcombe Woods, +and my hyacinths are of a very good sort. It seems to me that words can +manage to say that much with distinctness!" + +"What a pity," thought Diamond, "that head overshadows heart in this +attractive woman! She is too keen, too cool, too critical. A woman +without softness and sentiment is an unpleasant phenomenon. And I think +she has grown harder in her manner than she used to be." Then the +reflection crossed his mind that her health had been more frail and +uncertain than usual of late, and that she bore much physical suffering +with high courage; and the little prick of resentment he had begun to +feel was at once mollified. He answered aloud, with a slow smile, "Why, +yes, words may manage to say all that. I wonder if I may ask you a +question? It is one I have long wished to ask." + +"You may, certainly." + +"There are questions that should not be asked." + +"I will trust you not to ask any such." + +"Now when she looks and speaks like that, she is adorable!" thought +Diamond, meeting the soft light of Minnie's lovely, pathetic eyes, which +fell immediately before his own. "I wish I might have you for a friend, +Miss Bodkin," he said. + +"I think you have your wish. I thought you knew you had it." + +"Ah, yes; you are always good, and kind, and--and--but you--I will make +a clean breast of it, and pay you the compliment of telling you the +truth. I have thought latterly that you were hardly so cordial, so frank +in your kindness to me as you once were. It would matter nothing to me +in another person, but in you, a little shade of manner matters a great +deal. I don't believe there is another human being to whom I would say +so much. For I am--as perhaps you know--a man little given to thrust +myself where I am not welcome." + +"You are about the proudest and most distant person I ever knew, and +require to be very obviously implored before you condescend to easy +friendship with anyone." + +Minnie laughed, as she spoke, a little low rippling laugh, which she +ended with a forced cough, to hide the sob in her throat. + +"No; not proud. You misjudge me; but it is true that I dread, almost +more than anything else, being deemed intrusive." + +"If that fear has prevented you from putting the question to which you +have so long desired an answer, pray ask it forthwith." + +"I think it has almost answered itself," said Diamond, bending over her, +and turning his chair so as to cut her and himself off still more from +the others. "I was going to ask you if I had unwittingly offended you in +any way, or if my frequent presence here were, for any reason, irksome +to you? It might well be so. And if you would say so candidly, believe +me, I should feel not the smallest resentment. Sorrow I should feel. I +can't deny it; but I should not cease to regard you as I have always +regarded you from the beginning of our acquaintance. How highly that is, +I have not the gift to tell; nor do you love the direct, broadly-spoken +praise that sounds like flattery, be it ever so sincere." + +"No; please don't praise me," said Minnie, huskily. She was shadowed by +his figure as he sat beside her, and so he did not see the tears that +quivered in her eyes. After a second or two, during which she had passed +her handkerchief quickly, almost stealthily, across her face, she said, +"But your question, you say, has answered itself." + +"I hope so; I hope I may believe that there is nothing wrong between +us." + +"Nothing." + +"I have not offended you in any way!" + +"No." + +"Nor unwittingly hurt you? I daresay I am awkward and abrupt sometimes." + +"Pray believe that I have nothing in the world to blame you for." + +"Thank you. I know you speak sincerely. Your friendship is very precious +to me." + +She answered nothing, but hesitatingly put out her hand, which he +grasped for an instant, and would have raised to his lips, but that she +drew it suddenly away, murmuring something about her cushions being +awry, and trying tremblingly to rearrange them. + +He moved the cushions that supported her shoulders with a tender, +careful touch, and placed them so that her posture in the +lounging-chair might be easier. She clasped her hands together and laid +her head back wearily. + +"You don't know how precious your friendship is to me," he went on +lowering his voice still more. "I never had a sister. But I have often +thought how sweet the companionship of a sister must be. I am very much +alone in the world; and, if I dared, I would speak to you with fraternal +confidence." + +"Pray speak so," answered Minnie, almost in a whisper. "I should +like--to be--of some comfort to you." + +There was a silence. It was scarcely broken by Miss Chubb's murmured +remark to Mr. Warlock, that the moon was beginning to make a ring of +light behind the poplar trees on the other side of the Whit, like the +halo round the head of a saint. The twilight deepened, Rhoda's fingers +ceased to ply the needle, but she remained at the window looking over at +the moonlit poplars, while Miss Chubb's voice softly droned out some +rambling speech, which jarred no more on the quietude of the hour than +did the ripple of the river. + +"You have been so good to her!" said Diamond suddenly, under cover of +this murmur; and then paused for a moment as if awaiting a reply. Minnie +did not speak. Presently he went on. "You know her and understand her +better than any of the people here." + +"I think every one likes Rhoda," said Minnie at length. + +"Yes," Diamond answered eagerly. "Yes; do they not? But it requires the +delicate tact of a refined woman to overcome her shyness. I never saw so +timid a creature. Has it not struck you as strange that she should have +come out from that vulgar home so entirely free from vulgarity?" + +"Rhoda has great natural refinement." + +"You appreciate her thoroughly. And, then, the repulsive and ludicrous +side of Methodism has not touched her at all. It is marvellous to me to +see her so perfect in grace and sweetness." + +"I do not think that Methodism has ever taken deep hold on Rhoda." + +"And yet it is strange that it should be so. She was exposed to the +influence of David Powell. And, although he has fine qualities, he is +ignorant and fanatical." + +"His ignorance and fanaticism are mere spots on the sun!" cried Minnie. +And now, as she spoke, her voice was stronger, and she raised her head +from the cushion. "In his presence the Scripture phrase, 'A burning and +a shining light,' kept recurring to me. How poor and dark one's little +selfish self seems beside him!" + +Diamond slightly raised his eyebrows as he answered, "Powell has +undoubtedly very genuine enthusiasm and fervour. But he might be a +dangerous guide to undisciplined minds." + +"He would sacrifice himself, he does sacrifice himself, for +undisciplined and ungrateful minds, with whom, I own, my egotism could +not bear so patiently." + +But it was not of Powell that Matthew Diamond wished to speak now. Under +the softening influences of the twilight, and the unaccustomed charm of +pouring out the fulness of his heart to such a confidante as Minnie, he +could talk of nothing but Rhoda. + +"Perhaps I am a fool to keep singeing my wings," he said. "It may be all +in vain. But don't you believe that a strong and genuine love is almost +sure to win a woman's heart, provided the woman's heart is free to be +won?" + +"Perhaps--provided----" + +"And you do not think hers is free?" + +"How can I answer you?" + +"I know that Powell thought there was some one trifling with her +affections. It was on that subject that he begged for the interview with +you. I have never asked any questions about that interview, but I have +guessed since, from many little signs and tokens, that the person he had +in his mind was young Errington." + +"Yes." + +"Then the matter cannot be serious. He was little more than a boy when +he left Whitford." + +"But Rhoda was turned nineteen when Algernon went away." + +Diamond started eagerly forward, with his hand on the arm of the chair, +and fixing his eyes anxiously on her face, said: + +"Minnie, tell me the truth! Do you think she cares for him?" + +It was the first time he had ever addressed Minnie by her +Christian-name; and she marked the fact with a chilly feeling at the +heart. "You ask for the truth?" she said, sadly. "Yes; I do think so." + +Diamond leant his head on his hand for a minute in silence. Then he +raised his face again and answered, "Thank you for answering with +sincerity. But I knew you would do no otherwise. This feeling for +Algernon must be half made up of childish memories. I cannot believe it +is an earnest sentiment that will endure." + +"Nothing endures." + +"If I know myself at all, my love will endure. I am a resolute man, and +do not much regard external obstacles. The only essential point is, can +she ever be brought to care for me?" + +There was a pause. + +"Do you think she might--some day?" + +"Is that the only essential point?" + +"Yes; to me it is so. I do believe that it would be for her happiness to +care for me, rather than for that selfish young fellow." + +"And--for your happiness----?" + +"Oh, of that I am not doubtful at all!" + +"There's the moon above the poplar trees!" cried Miss Chubb. And as she +spoke a silver beam stole into the room and lighted one or two faces, +leaving the others in shadow. Amongst the faces so illuminated was +Minnie Bodkin's. "Did you ever see anything so beautiful as Minnie's +countenance in the moonlight?" whispered Miss Chubb to the curate. "She +looks like a spirit!" + +Poor Mr. Warlock sighed. He had been envying Diamond his long +confidential conversation with the doctor's daughter. "She is always +beautiful," he replied. "But I think she looks unusually sad to-night." + +"That's the moon, my dear sir! Bless you, it always gives a pensive +expression to the eyes; always!" And Miss Chubb cast her own eyes +upwards towards the sky as she spoke. + +"Dear me, you have no lamp here!" said a voice, which, though mellow and +musical in quality, was too loud and out of harmony with the twilight +mood of the occupants of the drawing-room to be pleasant. + +"Is not that silver lamp aloft there sufficient, Mrs. Errington?" asked +Diamond. + +"Oh, good evening, Mr. Diamond," returned Mrs. Errington, with perhaps +an extra tone of condescension, for she thought in her heart that the +tutor was a little spoiled in Whitford society. "I can hardly make out +who's who. Oh, there's Miss Chubb and Mr. Warlock, and--oh, is that you, +Rhoda? Well, Minnie, I left your mamma giving the doctor his tea in the +study, and she sent me upstairs. And, if you have no objection, I should +like the lamp lit, for I am going to read you a letter from Algy." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +"Now isn't that charming?" said Mrs. Errington, finishing a paragraph +descriptive of some brilliant evening party at which Algernon had been +present, and looking round triumphantly at her audience. + +"Very, indeed," said Minnie, who had been specially appealed to. + +"Quite a graphic picture of the bow mong," said Miss Chubb. "I know all +about that sort of society, so I can answer for the correctness of +Algy's description." + +Miss Chubb had the discretion to lower her voice as she made the latter +remark, so that no one heard it save Mr. Warlock, and thus Mrs. +Errington was not challenged to contradiction. + +"How well Algernon writes," observed Mr. Diamond. "He has the trick of +the thing so neatly, and puts out what he has to say so effectively! I +wonder he has never thought of turning his pen to profit." + +"My son, sir, has other views," returned Mrs. Errington loftily. "But as +to what you are pleased to call 'the trick of the thing,' I can assure +you that literary talent is hereditary in our family. I don't know, my +dear Minnie, whether you have happened to hear me mention it, but my +great uncle by the mother's side was a most distinguished author." + +"Really?" + +"What did he write?" asked Miss Chubb, with much distinctness. But Mrs. +Errington took no heed of the question. "And my own father's letters +were considered models of style," she continued. "A large number of them +are, I believe, still preserved in the family archives at Ancram Park." + +"How did they come there?" asked Miss Chubb. "Unless he wrote letters to +himself, they must have been scattered about here and there." + +"They were collected after his death, Miss Chubb. You may not be aware, +perhaps, that it is not an unfrequent custom to collect the +correspondence of eminent men. It was done in the case of Walpole. +And--Mr. Diamond will correct me if I am wrong--in that of the +celebrated Persian gentleman, whose letters are so well known. Mirza was +the name, I think?" + +Miss Chubb felt herself on unsafe ground here, and did not venture +farther. + +"Well, at all events, Algernon appears to be getting on admirably in +London," said the Reverend Peter, pacifically. + +Minnie threw him an approving glance, for his good-natured words +dispelled a little cloud on Miss Chubb's brow, and brought down Mrs. +Errington from her high horse to the level of friendly sympathies. "Oh, +he is getting on wonderfully, dear fellow!" said she. + +"I'm sure we are all glad to hear of Algy's doing well, and being happy. +He is such a nice, genial, unaffected creature! And never gave himself +any airs!" said Miss Chubb, with a sidelong toss of her head and a +little unnecessary emphasis. + +"Oh no, my dear. That sort of vulgar pretension is not found among folks +who come of a real good ancient stock," replied Mrs. Errington, with +superb complacency. + +"And we are not to have the pleasure of seeing Algernon back among us +this summer?" said Mr. Warlock. In general he shrank from much +conversation with Mrs. Errington, whom he found somewhat overwhelming; +but he would have nerved himself to greater efforts than talking to that +thick-skinned lady for the sake of a kind look from Minnie Bodkin. + +"Oh, impossible! Quite out of the question. He is sorry, of course. And +I am sorry. But it would be cruel in him to desert poor dear Seely, +when he is so anxious to have him with him all the summer!" + +"Is there anything the matter with Lord Seely?" asked Minnie. + +"N--no, my dear. Nothing but a little overwork. The mental strain of a +man in his position is very severe, and he depends so on Algy! And so +does dear Lady Seely. I ought almost to feel jealous. They say openly +that they look on him quite as a son." + +"It's a pity they haven't a daughter, isn't it?" said Miss Chubb. + +Mrs. Errington did not catch the force of the hint. She answered +placidly, "They have an adopted daughter; a niece of my lord's, who is +almost always with them." + +"Oh, indeed," said Diamond, quickly. "I had not heard that!" + +Mrs. Errington bestowed a stolid, china-blue stare on him before +replying, "I daresay not, sir." + +The fact was that Mrs. Errington had not known it herself until quite +recently; for Algernon, either mistrusting his mother's prudence--or for +some other reason--had passed lightly over Castalia's name in his +letters, and for some time had not even mentioned that she was an inmate +of Lord Seely's house. In his latter letters he had spoken of Miss +Kilfinane, but in terms purposely chosen to check, as far as possible, +any match-making flights of fancy, which his mother might indulge in +with reference to that lady. + +"I am not sure, my dear," proceeded Mrs. Errington, turning to Minnie, +"whether I have happened to mention it to you, but Castalia--the +Honourable Castalia Kilfinane, only daughter of Lord Kauldkail--is +staying with the dear Seelys. But as she is rather sickly, and not very +young, she cannot, of course, be to them what Algy is." + +"Oh! Not very young?" said Miss Chubb, in a tone of disappointment. + +"Well, not very young, comparatively speaking, Miss Chubb. She might be +considered young compared with you and me, I daresay." + +Fortunately, perhaps, for the preservation of peace, much imperilled by +this last speech of Mrs. Errington's, Dr. Bodkin and his wife here +entered the drawing-room. Although it was May, and the temperature was +mild for the season, a good fire blazed in the grate; and on the rug in +front of it Dr. Bodkin, after saluting the assembled company, took up +his accustomed station. Diamond rose, and stood leaning on the +mantel-shelf near to his chief (an action which Mrs. Errington viewed +with disfavour, as indicating on the part of the second master at the +Grammar School a too great ease, and absence of due subjection in the +presence of his superiors), and the Reverend Peter and Miss Chubb drew +their chairs nearer to the fireplace, thus bringing the scattered +members of the party into a more sociable circle. The doctor was +understood to object to his society being broken up into groups of two +or three, and to prefer general conversation; which, indeed, afforded +better opportunities for haranguing, and for looking at the company as a +class brought up for examination, and, if needful, correction, according +to the doctor's habit of mind. Only Rhoda remained at her window, apart +from the others, and Dr. Bodkin, seeing her there, called to her to come +nearer. + +"What, little Primrose!" said the doctor, kindly. "Don't stay there +looking at the moon. She is chillier and not so cosy as the coal fire. +Draw the curtain, and shut her out, and come nearer to us all." + +Rhoda obeyed, blushing deeply as she advanced within the range of the +lamp-light, and looking so pretty and timid that the doctor began +smilingly to murmur into Diamond's ear something about "_Hinnuleo +similis, non sine vano burarum et siluae metu_." + +The doctor's prejudice against Rhoda had long been overcome, and she had +grown to be a pet of his, in so far as so awful a personage as the +doctor was capable of petting any one. To this result the conversion to +orthodoxy of the Maxfield family may have contributed. But, possibly, +Rhoda's regular attendance at St. Chad's might have been inefficacious +to win the doctor's favour, good churchman though he was, without some +assistance from her blooming complexion, soft hazel eyes, and graceful, +winning manners. + +The girl came forward bashfully into the circle around the fire, and +nestled herself down on a low seat between Mrs. Errington and Mrs. +Bodkin. A month ago her place in that drawing-room would have been +beside Minnie's chair. But lately, by some subtle instinct, Rhoda had a +little shrunk from her former intimacy with the young lady. She was +sensitive enough to feel the existence of some unexpressed disapproval +of herself in Minnie's mind. + +"We have been hearing a letter of Algernon's, papa," said Minnie. + +"Have you? have you?" + +"Mrs. Errington has been kind enough to read it to us." + +The doctor left his post of vantage on the hearth-rug for an instant, +went to his daughter, and, bending down, kissed her on the forehead. +"Pretty well this evening, my darling?" said he. Minnie caught her +father's hand as he was moving away again and pressed it to her lips. +"Thank God for you and mother," she whispered. Minnie was not given to +demonstrations of tenderness, having been rather accustomed, like most +idolised children, to accept her parents' anxious affection as she +accepted her daily bread--that is to say, as a matter of course. But +there was something in her heart now which made her keenly alive to the +preciousness of that abounding and unselfish devotion. + +"I think it is quite touching to see that father and daughter together," +said Miss Chubb confidentially to her neighbour the curate. "So severe a +man as the doctor is in general! Quite the churchman! Combined with the +scholastic dignitary, you know. And yet, with Minnie, as gentle as a +woman." + +As to Mr. Warlock, the tears were in his eyes, and he unaffectedly wiped +them away, answering Miss Chubb only by a nod. + +"And what," said the doctor, when he had resumed his usual place, and +his usual manner, "what is the news from our young friend, Algernon?" + +Mrs. Errington began to recapitulate some of the items in her son's last +letter--the "lords and ladies gay" whose society he frequented; the +brilliant compliments that were paid him by word and deed; and the +immense success which his talents and attractions met with everywhere. + +"Yes; and Algernon is kindly received by other sorts and conditions of +men besides the aristocracy of this realm," said Minnie, with a little +ironical smile. "He has shone in evening receptions at Mrs. +Machyn-Stubbs's, and sipped lawyer Leadbeater's port-wine with +appreciative gusto." + +"He has to be civil to people, you know, my dear," said Mrs. Errington, +smoothly. "It wouldn't do to neglect--a--a--persons who mean to be +attentive, merely because they are not quite in our own set." + +"I trust not, indeed, madam!" exclaimed the doctor, with protruding lips +and frowning brow. "It would be exceedingly impolitic in Algernon to +turn away from proffered kindness. But I will not put the matter on that +ground. I should be sorry to think that a youth who has been--I may +say--formed and brought up under my tuition, could be capable of ignoble +and ungentlemanlike behaviour." + +Mrs. Bodkin glanced a little apprehensively at Mrs. Errington after this +explosion of the doctor's. But that descendant of all the Ancrams had +not the slightest idea of being offended. She was smiling with much +complacency, and answered mellifluously to the doctor's thunder, "Thank +you, Dr. Bodkin. Now that is so nice in you to appreciate Algy as you +do! He is, and ever was, like his ancestors before him, the soul of +gentlemanliness." + +"Algernon was always most popular, I'm sure," said Miss Chubb. "He was a +favourite with everybody. Such lively manners! And at home with all +classes!" + +"Yes," said Diamond in a low voice. "_Superis Deorum gratus, et imis._" + +"Now what may that mean?" asked Miss Chubb, who had quick ears. + +"The words were applied to a mythological personage of very flexible +talents, madam," replied Diamond. + +"Oh, mythological? Well, I never went very far into mythology. Now, it's +a singular circumstance, which has often struck me, and perhaps some of +you learned gentlemen may be able to explain it, that none of the +studies in 'ology' ever seemed to have much attraction for me; whereas +the 'ographies' always interested me very much. There was geography, +now. I used to know the names of all the European rivers when I was +quite a child. And orthography and biography. We had a translation of +Pluto's Lives at the rectory, and I was uncommonly fond of them. But, as +to the 'ologies,' I frankly own that I know nothing about them." + +The effect of this speech of Miss Chubb's was much heightened by the +mute commentary of Dr. Bodkin's face during its utterance. When she came +to Pluto's Lives, the scholastic eyes rolled round on Mr. Diamond and +the curate with an expression of such helpless indignation, that the +former was driven to blow his nose with violence, in order to smother an +explosion of laughter. And even Mr. Warlock's sombre brow relaxed, and +he ventured to steal a smiling glance at Minnie. + +But Minnie did not return the glance. She had shaded her eyes with her +hand, and was leaning back in her chair, unheeding the conversation that +was going on around her. + +"But now, really, you know, there must be some reason for these things, +if philosophers could only find it out," pursued Miss Chubb, cheerfully. +"Mustn't there, Minnie?" + +"Eh? I beg your pardon!" + +"Oh you naughty, absent girl! You have not heard a word I've been +saying. I was merely remarking that----" + +But at this point Dr. Bodkin's patience suddenly snapped. He found +himself unable silently to endure a recapitulation of Miss Chubb's views +as to the comparative attractions of the "ologies" and the "ographies;" +and he abruptly demanded of his wife, in the magisterial tones which +had often struck awe into the hearts of the lowest form, "Laura, are we +not to have our rubber before midnight? Pray make up the table in the +next room. There are--let me see!--Mrs. Errington, Miss Chubb, you will +take a hand, Laura? We are just a quartet." And the doctor, giving his +arm to Mrs. Errington, marched off to the whist-table. + +On this occasion Mr. Warlock escaped being obliged to play. Indeed, the +curate's assistance at whist was only called into requisition when a +second table besides the doctor's had to be made up; for, although Dr. +Bodkin co-operated very comfortably with his curate in all church +matters, he found himself not altogether able to do so at the green +table, the Reverend Peter's notions of whist being confused and +elementary. To be sure, Mrs. Bodkin was not a much better player than +the curate; but then she offered the compensating advantage of +enduring an unlimited amount of scolding--whether as partner or +adversary--without resenting it. + +So Diamond, and Warlock, and Minnie, and Rhoda remained in the big +drawing-room when their elders had left it. Minnie had the lamp shaded, +and the curtains opened, so that the full clear light of the climbing +moon poured freely into the room. Warlock timidly drew near to Miss +Bodkin's chair, and ventured to say a word or two now and then, to which +he received answers so kind and gracious, that the poor fellow's heart +swelled with gratitude, and perhaps with hope, for hope is very cunning +and stealthy, and hides herself under all sorts of unlikely feelings. + +Minnie had grown much more gentle and patient with the awkward, plain, +rather dull curate of late. She listened to his talk and replied to it. +And all the while she was taking eager cognisance, with eye and ear, of +the two who sat side by side near the window, Diamond bending down to +speak softly to Rhoda, and the girl's delicate face, white and +sprite-like in the moonlight, turning now and then towards her companion +with a pretty, languid gesture. Once or twice Rhoda laughed at something +Diamond said to her. Her laugh was perhaps a little suggestive of +silliness, but it was low, and musical, and rippling; and it was not too +frequent. + +Minnie sat with her hands clasped in her lap; and when she was carried +to her own room that night, Jane exclaimed, as she removed her young +mistress's ornaments, "Goodness, Miss Minnie, what have you done to +yourself? Why that diamond ring you wear has made a desperate mark in +your finger. It looks as if it had been driven right into the flesh, as +hard as could be!" + +Minnie held up her thin white hand to the light, and looked at it +strangely. + +"Ah!" said she, "I must have pressed and twisted the ring about, +unconsciously. I was thinking of something else." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +Time passed, or seemed to pass, with unusual gentleness over Whitford. +If some of our acquaintances there had suddenly been called upon to +mention the changes that had taken place within two years, they would +perhaps have said at first that there had been none. But changes there +had been, nevertheless; and by a few dwellers in the little town they +had been keenly felt. + +The second summer vacation after that happy holiday time which Rhoda had +passed with the Erringtons at Llanryddan arrived. A hot July, winged +with thunder-clouds, brooded over the meadows by the Whit. The shadow of +Pudcombe Woods was pleasant in the sultry afternoons, and the cattle +stood for hours knee-deep in dark pools, overhung by drooping boughs. +The great school-room at the Grammar School resounded no more with the +tread of young feet, or the murmur of young voices. It was empty, and +silent, and dusty; and an overgrown spider had thrown his grey tapestry +right across the oriel window, so that it was painted, warp and woof, +with brave purple and ruby blazonries from the old stained glass. + +Dr. Bodkin and his family were away at a seaside place in the South of +England. Mr. Diamond had gone on a solitary excursion afoot. Even +Pudcombe Hall was deserted; although young Pawkins was expected to +return thither, later in the season, for the shooting. Rhoda Maxfield +had been sent to her half-brother Seth, at Duckwell Farm, to get strong +and sunburned; and as she was allowed to be by herself almost as much as +she wished--Mrs. Seth Maxfield being a bustling, active woman, who would +not have thought of suspending or modifying her daily avocations for the +sake of entertaining any visitor whatever--Rhoda spent her time, not +unhappily, in a sort of continuous day-dream, sitting with a book of +poetry under a hedge in the hayfield, or wandering with her little +nephew, Seth Maxfield the younger, in Pudcombe Woods, which were near +her brother's farm. She liked looking back better than looking forward, +perhaps; and enacted in her imagination many a scene that had occurred +at dear Llanryddan over and over again. But still there were many times +when she indulged in hopeful anticipations as to Algy's return. He had +come back to London after his foreign travel, and had spent another +brilliant season under the patronage of his great relations. And then a +rumour had reached Whitford that Lord Seely had at length obtained the +promise of a good post for him, and that he might be expected to revisit +Whitford in the autumn at latest. Mrs. Errington had been invited to a +country house of Lord Seely's, in Westmoreland, to meet her son, and had +set out on her visit in high spirits. Rhoda was thus cut off from +hearing frequently of Algernon, through his mother, but she looked +forward to seeing them together in September. Rhoda missed her friend +and patroness; but she missed her less at Duckwell than she would have +done in the dull house in the High Street. + +On the whole, she was not unhappy during those sultry summer weeks. +Modest and humble-minded as she was, she had come to understand that she +was considered pretty and pleasing by the ladies and gentlemen whose +acquaintance she had made. No caressing words, no flattering epithets, +no pet names, had been bestowed upon her by her father's old friends and +companions. She was just simply Rhoda Maxfield to them; never +"Primrose," or "Pretty one," or "Rhoda dear;" and the Methodists, +however blind to her attractive qualities, had displayed considerable +vigilance in pointing out her backsliding, and exhorting her to make +every effort to become convinced of sin. Certainly the society of +ladies and gentlemen was infinitely more agreeable. + +Then, too, there had dawned on her some idea that Mr. Diamond felt a +warm admiration for her--perhaps something even warmer than admiration. +Miss Chubb (who delighted to foster any amatory sentiments which she +might observe in the young persons around her, and was fond of saying, +with a languishing droop of her plump, rubicund, good-humoured +countenance, that she would not for the world see other young hearts +blighted by early disappointment, as hers had been) had dropped several +hints to that effect sufficiently broad to be understood even by the +bashful Rhoda. And, a little to her own surprise, Rhoda had felt +something like gratification, in consequence; Mr. Diamond was such a +very clever gentleman. Although he wasn't rich, yet everybody thought a +great deal of him. Even Dr. Bodkin (decidedly the most awful embodiment +of authority whom Rhoda had ever yet known) treated Mr. Diamond with +consideration. And Miss Minnie was his intimate friend. Rhoda had not +the least idea of ever reciprocating Mr. Diamond's sentiments. But she +could not help feeling that the existence of those sentiments increased +her own importance in the world. And she had a lurking idea that it +might, if known to Algy, increase her importance in his eyes also. + +As to Mr. Diamond's part in the matter, Rhoda, to say truth, concerned +herself very little with that. Partly from a humble estimate of herself, +and partly from that maiden incapacity for conceiving the fire and force +of a masculine passion, which often makes girls pass for cruel who are +only childish, she never had thought of Mr. Diamond as seriously +suffering for her sake. But yet she was less cold and repellent to him +than she had once been. It is difficult not to thaw somewhat in the +presence of one whose words and looks make a genial atmosphere for that +sensitive plant--youthful vanity. + +Rhoda's wardrobe, which by this time had become considerable in quantity +and tasteful in quality, was a great source of amusement to her. She +delighted to trim, and stitch, and alter, and busy her fingers with the +manufacture of bright-coloured bows of ribbon and dainty muslin frills. +Mrs. Seth looked contemptuous at what she called "Rhoda's finery," and +told her she would never do for a farmer's wife if she spent so much +time over a parcel of frippery. Seth Maxfield shook his head gravely, +and hoped that Rhoda was not given up utterly to worldliness and vanity; +but feared that she had learnt no good at St. Chad's church, but had +greatly backslided since the days of her attendance at chapel. + +For the Seth Maxfields still belonged to the Wesleyan connexion, and +disapproved of the change that had taken place among the family at +Whitford. Not that Seth was a deeply religious man. But his father's +desertion of the Wesleyans appeared to him in the light of a party +defection. It was "ratting;" and ratting, as Seth thought, without the +excuse of a bribe. + +"Look how well father has prospered!" he would say to his wife. "He's as +warm a man, is father, as 'ere a one in Whitford. And the Church folks +bought their tea and sugar of him all the same when he belonged to the +Society. But I don't believe the Society will spend their money with him +now as they did. So that's so much clean lost. I'm not so strict as +some, myself; nor I don't see the use of it. But I do think a man ought +to stick to what he's been brought up to. 'Specially when it's had the +manifest blessing of Providence! If the Lord was so well satisfied with +father being a Wesleyan, I think father might ha' been satisfied too." + +Still there had been no quarrel between the Whitford Maxfields and those +of Duckwell. They came together so seldom that opportunities for +quarrelling were rare. And Seth had too great a respect for such +manifestations of Providential approbation as had been vouchsafed to his +father, to be willing to break entirely with the old man. So, when old +Max proposed to send Rhoda to the farm for a few weeks, he paying a +weekly stipend for her board, his son and his son's wife had at once +agreed to the proposition. And as they were not persons who brought +their religious theories into the practical service of daily life, +Rhoda's conscience was not disturbed by having a high and stern standard +of duty held up for her attainment at every moment. + +The Wesleyan preacher at that time in the district was a frequent guest +at Duckwell Farm. And in the long summer evenings one or two neighbours +would occasionally drop in to the cool stone-flagged parlour, where +brother Jackson would read a chapter and offer up a prayer. And +afterwards there would be smoking of pipes and drinking of home-brewed +by the men; while Mrs. Seth and Rhoda would sit on a bench in the +apple-orchard, near to the open window of the parlour, and sew, and +talk, or listen to the conversation from within, as they pleased. + +Rhoda perceived quickly enough that the Duckwell Farm species of +Methodism was very different from the Methodism of David Powell. Mr. +Jackson never said anything to frighten her. He talked, indeed, of sin, +and of the dangers that beset sinners; but he never spoke as if they +were real to him--as if he heard and saw all the terrible things he +discoursed of so glibly. Then Mr. Jackson was, Rhoda thought, a somewhat +greedy eater. He did not smoke, it was true; but he took a good share of +Seth's strong ale, and was not above indulging in gossip--perhaps to +please himself, perhaps to please Mrs. Seth Maxfield. + +Rhoda drew a comparison in her own mind between brother Jackson and the +stately rector of St. Chad's, and felt much satisfaction at the contrast +between them. How much nicer it was to be a member of a Church of +England congregation; where one heard Dr. Bodkin or Mr. Warlock speak a +not too long discourse in correct English, and with that refined accent +which Rhoda's ear had learned to prize, and where the mellow old organ +made a quivering atmosphere of music that seemed to mingle with the +light from the painted windows; than to sit on a deal bench in a +white-washed chapel, and painfully keep oneself broad awake whilst +brother Jackson or brother Hinks bawled out a series of disjointed +sentences, beginning with "Oh!" and displaying a plentiful lack of +aspirates! + +On the whole, perhaps, her stay at Duckwell Farm was a potent agent in +confirming Rhoda in orthodox views of religion. + +Generally, as she sat beside Mrs. Seth in the parlour, or on the bench +outside the window, Rhoda withdrew her attention from the talk of +brother Jackson and the others. She could think her own thoughts, and +dream her own dreams, whilst she was knitting a stocking or hemming a +pinafore for little Seth. But sometimes a name was mentioned at these +meetings that she could not hear with indifference. It was the name of +David Powell. + +The tone in which he was spoken of now was very opposite to the chorus +of praise which had accompanied every mention of him among the Whitford +Methodists, two years ago. There were rumours that he had defied the +authority of Conference, and intended to secede from the Society. He was +said to have been preaching strange doctrine in the remote parts of +Wales, and to have caused and encouraged extravagant manifestations, +such as were known to have prevailed at the preachings of Berridge and +Hickes, seventy or eighty years ago; and earlier still, at the first +open-air sermons of John Wesley himself, at Bristol. Brother Jackson +shook his head, and pursed up his lips at the rumours. He had never much +approved of Powell; and Seth Maxfield had distinctly disapproved of him. +Seth had been brought up in the old sleepy days, when members of the +Society in Whitford were comfortably undisturbed by the voice of an +"awakening" preacher. He had resented the fuss that had been made about +David Powell. He had been still more annoyed by his father's secession, +which he attributed to Powell's over zeal and presumption. And he, by +his own example, encouraged a hostile and critical tone in speaking of +the preacher. + +There was, indeed, but one voice raised in his defence in the parlour +at Duckwell Farm. This was the voice of Richard Gibbs, the head groom at +Pudcombe Hall, who sometimes came over to Duckwell to join in the +prayer-meetings there. Although Richard Gibbs was but a servant, he was +a trusted and valued one; and he was received by the farmer and his wife +with considerable civility. Richard "knew his place," as Mrs. Seth said, +and was not "one of them as if you give 'em an inch they'll take an +ell." And then he had a considerable knowledge of farriery, and had more +than once given good advice to Farmer Maxfield respecting the treatment +of sick horses and cattle. Seth was fond of repeating that he himself +was "not so strict as some," finding, indeed, that a reputation for +strictness, in a Methodistical sense, put him at a disadvantage with his +fellow farmers on market-days. But whenever Richard Gibbs was spoken of, +he would add to this general disclaimer of peculiar piety on his own +part, "Not, mind you, but what there's some as conversion does a +wonderful deal for, to this day, thanks be! Why, there's Dicky Gibbs, +head-groom at Pudcombe Hall. Talk of blasphemers--well Dicky was a +blasphemer! And now his lips are as pure from evil speaking as my little +maid's there. And he's the only man I ever knew as had to do with horses +that wouldn't tell you a lie. At first, I believe, there was some at the +Hall--I name no names--didn't like Dicky's plain truths. There was a +carriage-horse to be sold, and Dicky spoke out and told this and that, +and young master couldn't get his price. But in the long run it answers. +Oh! I'm not against a fervent conversion, nor yet against conviction of +sin--for some." + +So Richard Gibbs sat many a summer evening in the flagged parlour at +Duckwell Farm, and his melancholy, clean-shaven, lantern-jawed face was +a familiar spectacle at prayer-meetings there. + +"I have been much grieved and exercised in spirit on behalf of brother +Powell,"' said Mr. Jackson, in his thick voice. + +The expounding and the prayers were over. Seth had lighted his pipe; so +had Roger Heath, the baker, from Pudcombe village. A great cool jug of +ale stood on the table, and the setting sun sent his rays into the room, +tempered by a screen of jessamine and vine leaves that hung down outside +the window. + +"Ah! And reason too!" said Seth gruffly. "He's been getting further and +further out of the right furrow this many a day." + +"They do say," observed sour-faced Roger Heath, "that there's dreadful +scenes with them poor Welsh at his field-preachings. Men and women +stricken down like bullocks, and screechings and convulsions, like as if +they was all possessed with the devil." + +"Lauk!" cried Mrs. Seth eagerly. "Why, how is that, then?" + +Rhoda, listening outside, behind the screen of vine leaves at the open +window, could not repress a shudder at the thought that, had David +Powell shown this new power of his a year or two ago, she herself might +have been among the convulsed who bore testimony to his terrible +influence. + +"How is that, Mrs. Maxfield?" returned Richard Gibbs. "Why, how can it +be, except by abounding grace!" + +"Nay, Mr. Gibbs, but how dreadful it seems, don't it? Just think of +falling down in a fit in the open field!" + +"Just think of living and dying unawakened to sin! Is not that a hundred +thousand times more dreadful?" + +"I hope it don't need to roll about like Bedlamites to be awakened to a +sense of sin, Mr. Gibbs!" cried Seth Maxfield. + +"The Lord forbid!" ejaculated brother Jackson. + +"A likely tale!" added Mrs. Seth, cheerfully. + +"I'm against all such doings," said Roger Heath, shaking his head. + +"But if it be the Lord's doing, sir?" remonstrated Richard Gibbs, +speaking slowly, and with an anxious lack-lustre gaze at the +white-washed ceiling, as though counsel might be read there. "And I've +heard tell that John Wesley did the same at his field-preachings." + +Brother Jackson hastily wiped his mouth, after a deep draught of ale, +before replying, "That was in the beginning, when such things may have +been needful. But now, I fear, they only bring scandal upon us, and +strengthen scoffers." + +"I tell you what it is," said Seth, taking the pipe from his mouth, and +waving it up and down to emphasise his words, "it's my opinion as David +Powell's not quite--not quite right in his head." + +"'Taint the first time that thought has crossed my mind," said the +baker, who had once upon a time been uneasy under the yoke of Powell's +stern views as to weights and measures. + +"Of course," pursued Seth, argumentatively, "we've got to draw a line. +Religion is one thing and rampaging is another. From the first, when +Powell began rampaging, I mistrusted what it would come to." + +"The human brain is a very delicate and mysterious organ," said brother +Jackson. + +"Ah!" ejaculated Heath, with an air of profundity, as of one the extent +of whose acquaintance with the human brain was not easily to be set +forth in words, "you may well say so, sir. There you're right, indeed, +brother Jackson." + +"Why, there it is!" cried Seth. "And Powell, he overtaxed the human +brain. It's like flying in the face of Providence almost, to want to go +so much beyond your neighbours. Why, he'd fast till he well-nigh starved +himself." + +"But he gave all he spared from his own stomach to the poor," put in +Gibbs, looking sad and perplexed. + +"I call all that rampaging," returned Seth, with a touch of his father's +obstinacy. + +"Dr. Evans read out an account of these doings in Wales from a newspaper +in Mr. Barker the chemist's shop in Whitford last Saturday," said Heath. +"I heard it. And Dr. Evans said it was catching, and that such-like +excitement was dangerous, for you never know where it might end. And Dr. +Evans is of a Welsh family himself," he added, bringing out this clause, +as though it strikingly illustrated or elucidated the topic under +discussion. + +Mrs. Seth drew her little boy close to her, and covered his curly poll +with her large maternal hand, as though to protect the little "human +brain" within from all danger. "Mercy me!" she said, "I hope Powell +won't come into these parts any more! I should be frightened to go to +chapel, or to let the children go either." + +"Oh, you need not be alarmed, Mrs. Maxfield," said brother Jackson, with +a superior smile. + +"Nay, but if it is catching, Mr. Jackson!" persisted the anxious +mother. + +"Tut, lass! It isn't like measles!" said her husband. + +The ale being by this time exhausted and the pipes smoked out, brother +Jackson rose to depart, and the baker went away with him. Seth Maxfield +detained Gibbs for a few minutes to ask his advice about a favourite +cart-horse. + +"Well, Mr. Gibbs," said the housewife, when, the conference being over, +he bade her "Good evening," "and when are your folks coming back to the +Hall?" + +"Not just yet, ma'am. Young master is gone to Westmoreland, I hear, to a +wedding at some nobleman's house there. He'll be back at Pudcombe for +the shooting." + +"A wedding, eh?" said Mrs. Seth, with eager feminine interest in the +topic. "Not his own wedding, I suppose?" + +"Oh no, ma'am. 'Tis some friend of his, I believe, that he knew at +Whitford; Erringham, I think the name is--a young gentleman that's going +to marry the nobleman's niece. The housekeeper at the Hall was telling +some of my fellow-servants about it the other day. But I'm ill at +remembering the chat I hear. And 'tis unprofitable work too. Good +evening, ma'am. Farewell, Seth," stooping down to pat the little one's +curly head. "May the Lord bless and keep you!" + +Mrs. Seth stood out in the apple-orchard, with two of her children +clinging to her skirts, and held up her hand to shade her eyes as she +watched the departing figure of Richard Gibbs moving across the meadow, +in the rosy evening light. Then she turned to the wooden bench where +Rhoda was sitting, huddled together, with her work lying in her lap. +"You didn't come in to prayers, Rhoda," said her sister-in-law. "But, +however, you can hear it all just as well outside, as in. If it wasn't +for civility to Mr. Jackson, I'd liefer stay out here these fine summer +evenings, myself. And I was thinking--why, child, what a white face +you've got! Like a sheet of white paper, for all the world! And your +hands are quite cold, though it's been downright sultry! Mercy me, don't +go and get sick on our hands, Rhoda! What will your father say? Come, +you'd best get to bed, and I'll make you a hot posset myself." + +Rhoda passively followed her sister-in-law to the fresh lavender-scented +chamber which she occupied; and she consented to go to bed at once. Her +head ached, she said, but she declined the hot posset, and only asked to +be left quiet. + +"There's always some bother with girls of that delicate sort," said Mrs. +Seth to her husband, when she went downstairs again. "Rhoda's mother was +just such another; looked as if you might blow her away. I can't think +whatever made your father marry her! Not but Rhoda's a nice-tempered +girl enough, and very patient with the children. But, do you know, +Seth, I'm afraid she's got a chill or something, sitting out in the +orchard so late." + +"What makes you think so?" + +"Well, she had a queer, scared kind of look on her face." + +"Nonsense! Catching cold don't make people look scared." + +"Something makes her look scared, I tell you. It's either she's +sickening for some fever, or else she's seen a ghost!" + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +(From Mrs. Errington to Mrs. Bodkin.) + +"Long Fells, Westmoreland, July 26th, 18--. + +"DEAR MRS. BODKIN,--Amid the tumult of feelings which have recently +agitated me, I yet cannot neglect to write to my good friends in +Whitford, and participate my emotions with those who have ever valued +and appreciated my darling boy, at this most important moment of his +life. It may perhaps surprise, but will, I am sure, gratify you to learn +that Algernon is to be married on this day week to the Honourable +Castalia Caroline Kilfinane, only daughter of the late Baron Kauldkail, +of Kauldkail, who is, though not a relation, yet a connection of our +own, being the niece of our dear cousin-in-law, Lord Seely. To say that +all my proudest maternal aspirations are gratified by such a match is +feebly to express what I feel. Birth (with me the first consideration, +dear Mrs. Bodkin, for I make no pretences with you, and confess that I +should have deplored Algernon's mating below himself in that respect), +elegance, accomplishments, and a devoted attachment to my son--these are +Castalia's merits in my eyes. You will forgive me for having said +nothing of this projected alliance until the last moment. The young +people did not wish it to be talked about. They had a romantic fancy to +have the wedding as quiet as possible, amid the rural beauties of this +most lovely scenery, and thus escape the necessity for inviting the +crowds of distinguished friends and connections on both sides of the +house, who would have had to be present had the marriage taken place in +London. That would have made it too pompous an affair to satisfy the +taste of our Castalia, who is sensitive refinement itself. The dear +Seelys are only too indulgent to the least wish of Algernon's, and they +at once agreed to keep the secret. What poor Lord and Lady Seely will do +when Algy leaves them I assure you I cannot imagine. It really grieves +me to contemplate how they will miss him. But, of course, I cannot but +rejoice selfishly to know that I shall have my dear children so near me. +For (you may, perhaps, have heard the news) Lord Seely has, by his +immense influence in the highest quarters, procured dear Algy an +appointment. And, as good fortune will have it, the appointment brings +him back to Whitford, among his dear and early friends. He is to be +appointed to the very arduous and responsible position of postmaster +there. But, important as this situation is, it is yet only to be +considered a stepping-stone to further advancement. Lord Seely wants +Algy in town, which is indeed his proper sphere. And the result of some +new ministerial combinations which are expected in certain quarters +will, there is no doubt, put him in the very foremost rank of rising +young diplomatists. But I must not say more even to you, dear Mrs. +Bodkin, for these are State secrets, which should be sacredly respected. + +"This is a most lovely spot, and the house combines the simple elegance +of a cottage _ornee_ with the luxurious refinement that befits the +residence of a peer like Lord Seely. It is not, of course, fitted up +with the same magnificence as his town mansion, or even as his ancestral +place in Rutlandshire, but it is full of charms to the cultivated +spirit, and our dear young people are revelling in its romantic +quietude. There are very few guests in the house. By a kind thought of +Algy's, which I am sure you will appreciate, Orlando Pawkins is to be +best man at the wedding. The young man is naturally gratified by the +distinction, and our noble relatives have received him with that +affability which marks the truly high bred. There is also an Irish +gentleman, the Honourable John Patrick Price, who arrived last evening +in order to be present at the ceremony. He is one of the most celebrated +wits in town, and belongs to an Irish family of immense antiquity. +Castalia will have none of her own intimate young friends for +bridesmaids. To make a choice of one or two might have seemed invidious, +and to have eight or ten bridesmaids would have made the wedding too +ostentatious for her taste. Therefore she will be attended at the altar +by the two daughters of the village clergyman--simple, modest girls, who +adore her. The bride and bridegroom will leave us after the breakfast to +pass their honeymoon at the Lakes. I shall return forthwith to Whitford, +in order to make preparations for their reception. Lady Seely presses me +to remain with her for a time after the wedding, but I am impatient to +return to my dear Whitford friends, and share my happiness with them. + +"Farewell, dear Mrs. Bodkin. Give my love to Minnie, who, I hope, has +benefited by the sea-breezes; and best regards to the doctor. Believe me +your very attached friend, + +"SOPHIA AUGUSTA ERRINGTON. + +"P.S. Do you happen to know whether Barker, the chemist, has that +cottage in the Bristol Road still to let? It might suit my dear +children, at least for a while." + + * * * * * + +(From Miss Kilfinane to her cousin, Lady Louisa Marston.) + +"Long Fells, 29th July. + +"MY DEAR LOUISA,--I answer your last letter at once, for if I delay +writing, I may not have time to do so at all. There are still a thousand +things to be thought of, and my maid and I have to do it all, for you +know what Aunt Seely is. She won't stir a finger to help anybody. Uncle +Seely is very kind, but he has no say in the matter, nor, as far as that +goes, in any matter in his own house. + +"You ask about the wedding. It will be very scrubby, thanks to my lady's +stinginess. She would have it take place in this out-of-the-way country +house, which they scarcely ever come to, in order to save the expense of +a handsome breakfast. There will be nobody invited but the parson and +the apothecary, I suppose. I hate Long Fells. It is the most +inconvenient house in the world, I do believe; and so out of repair that +my maid declares the rain comes through the roof on to her bed. + +"Ancram's mother arrived last week. She was half inclined to be huffy at +first, when we told her our news, because she had been kept in the dark +till the last moment. But she has got over her sulks now, and makes the +best of it. I can see now that Ancram was right in keeping our +engagement secret from her as long as possible. She would have been a +dreadful worry, and told everybody. She is wonderfully like Lady Seely +in the face, only much better looking, and has a fine natural colour +that makes my lady's cheeks look as if they had been done by a house +painter. + +"Ancram has invited an old Whitford acquaintance of his to be his best +man at the wedding. He says that as we are going to live there for a +time at least, it would never do to offend all the people of the place +by taking no notice of them. It would be like going into a hornet's +nest. And the young man in question has been civil to Ancram in his +school-boy days. He is a certain Mr. Pawkins, who lives at a place with +the delightful name of Pudcombe Hall. He is not so bad as I expected, +and is quiet and good-natured. If all the Whitfordians turn out as well +as he, I shall be agreeably surprised. But I fear they are a strange set +of provincial bumpkins. However, we shall not have to remain amongst +them long, for Uncle Val. has privately promised to move heaven and +earth to get Ancram a better position. You know he is to be postmaster +at Whitford. Only think of it! It would be absurd, if it were not such a +downright shame. And I more than suspect my lady of having hurried Uncle +Val. into accepting it for Ancram. I suppose she thinks anything is good +enough for us. + +"I wish you could see Ancram! He is very handsome, and even more elegant +than handsome. And his manners are admitted on all hands to be charming. +It is monstrous to think of burying his talents in a poky little hole +like Whitford. But there is this to be said; if he hadn't got this +postmastership we could not have been married at all. For he is poor. +And you know what my great fortune is! I do think it is too bad that +people of our condition should ever be allowed to be so horribly poor. +The Government ought to do something for us. + +"Uncle Val. has made me a handsome present of money to help to furnish +our house. I'm sure this is quite unknown to my lady. So don't say +anything about it among your people at home, or it may come round to +Lady S.'s ears, and poor Uncle Val. would get scolded. Give my love to +Aunt Julia and my cousins. I hope to see you all next season in town, +for Ancram and I have quite made up our minds not to stick in that nasty +little provincial hole all the year round. Mrs. Errington is to go back +there directly after the wedding, to see about a house for us, and get +things ready. Of course, if there's anything that I don't like, I can +alter it myself when I arrive. + +"Good-bye, dear Louisa. Don't forget your affectionate cousin, who signs +herself (perhaps for the last time), + +"C. C. KILFINANE." + + * * * * * + +(From Orlando Pawkins to his sister, Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs.) + +"Long Fells, Westmoreland. Monday evening. + +"My DEAR JEMIMA,--I am sorry that you and Humphrey should have felt hurt +and thought I was making mysteries. But I assure you I was quite taken +by surprise when I got Errington's letter, telling me about his wedding, +and inclosing Lord Seely's invitation to me to come here. I knew nothing +about it before, I give you my word. + +"You ask me to write you full details of the affair, and I am sure I +would if I could. But I don't know any more than the rest of the world. +I don't think much of Long Fells. The land is poor, and the house almost +tumbling to pieces. Lord Seely is uncommonly polite, but I don't much +like my lady. And she has a beast of a lap-dog that snaps at everybody. +Errington is the same as ever, only he looks so much older in these two +years. Any one would take him to be five or six and twenty, at least. As +to the bride, she don't take much notice of me, so I haven't got very +well acquainted with her. I ride about the country nearly all day long. +Lord Seely has provided me with a pretty decent mount. I shall be glad +when the wedding is over, and I can get away, for it's precious dull +here. Even your friend Jack Price seems moped and out of sorts, and goes +about singing, 'The heart that once truly loves never forgets,' or +something like that, enough to give a fellow the blue devils. + +"I asked about what you wanted to know about the wedding dresses, but I +couldn't make out much from the answers I got. Miss Kilfinane is to wear +a white silk gown, trimmed with something or other that has a French +name. Perhaps you can guess what it is. The bridesmaids are fat, +freckled girls, the daughters of the parson. I think I have now given +you all the particulars I can. + +"I wish you and Humphrey would come down to Pudcombe in September. Tell +him I can give him some fairish shooting, and will do all I can to make +you both comfortable. Believe me, + +"Your affectionate brother, O. P." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +It was the evening before the wedding. In a low long room that was dark +with black oak panelling, and gloomy, moreover, by reason of the +smallness of the ivy-framed casement at one end, which alone admitted +the daylight into it, Lord Seely sat before the hearth. + +Although it was August there was a fire. There were few evenings of the +year when a fire was not agreeable at Long Fells; and one was certainly +agreeable on this especial evening. The day had been rainy. The whole +house seemed dark and damp. A few logs that had been laid on the top of +the coal fire sputtered and smoked drearily. My lord sat in a large +high-backed chair, which nearly hid his diminutive figure from view, +except on the side of the fireplace. His head was sunk on his breast; +his hands were plunged deep into his pockets; his legs were stretched +out towards the hearth; his whole attitude was undignified. It was such, +an attitude as few of his friends or acquaintances had ever seen him in, +for it was nearly impossible for Lord Seely to be unconscious or +careless of the effect he was producing in the presence of an observer. + +He was now absorbed in thought, and was allowing his outer man to +express the nature of his musings. They were not pleasant musings, as +any spectator would at once have pronounced who should have seen his +posture, and his pursed mouth, and his eyebrows knitted anxiously under +the bald yellow forehead. The entrance even of a footman into the room +would have produced an instant change in Lord Seely's demeanour. But no +footman was there to see his lordship sunk in a brown study. + +At length he raised his head and glanced out of the window. It had +ceased to rain, but the drops were still trickling down the window-panes +from the points of the ivy leaves; and it was already so dark that the +firelight began to throw fantastic shadows from the quaint old +furniture, and to shine with a dull red glow on the polished oak panels. +Lord Seely rang the bell. + +"Has Mr. Errington returned?" he asked of the servant who appeared in +answer to the summons. + +"Not yet, my lord." + +"Tell them to beg Mr. Errington, with my compliments, to do me the +favour to step here before he dresses for dinner." + +"Yes, my lord." + +"Don't light that lamp! or, stay; yes, you may light it. Put the shade +over it, and place it behind me. Draw the curtains across the window. +Take care that my message is given to Mr. Errington directly he comes +home." + +The servant withdrew. And Lord Seely, when he was left alone, began to +walk up and down the room with his hands behind him. Thus Algernon found +him when, in about ten minutes, he appeared, rosy and fresh from his +ride. + +"I must apologise for my muddy condition," he cried gaily. "Pawkins and +I rode over to Applethwaite to get something for Castalia that was found +wanting at the last moment. And I am splashed to the eyebrows. But I +thought it best to come just as I was, as your lordship's message was +pressing." + +"Thank you. I am much obliged to you, Ancram. It is not, in truth, that +there is any such immediate hurry for what I have to say, that it might +not have waited an hour or so; but I thought it likely that we might not +have so good an opportunity of speaking alone together." + +Lord Seely seated himself once more in the high-backed chair, but in a +very different attitude from his former one. He was upright, majestic, +with one hand in his breast, and the other reclining on the arm of his +chair. But on his face might be read, by one who knew it well, traces of +trouble and of being ill at ease. Algernon read my lord's countenance +well enough. He stood leaning easily on the mantel-shelf, tapping his +splashed boot with his riding-whip, and looking down on Lord Seely with +an air of quiet expectation. + +"I have been having a serious conversation with Castalia," said my lord, +after a preliminary clearing of his throat. + +Algernon said, smilingly, "I hope you have not found it necessary to +scold her, my lord? The phrase, 'Having a serious conversation' with any +one, always suggests to my mind the administering of a reprimand." + +"No, Ancram. No; I have not found it necessary to scold Castalia. I am +very much attached to her, and very anxious for her happiness. She is +the child of my favourite sister." + +The old man's voice was not so firm as usual when he said this; and he +looked up at Algernon with an appealing look. + +Algernon could be pleasant, genial, even affectionate in his manner--but +never tender. That was more than he could compass by any movement of +imitative sympathy. He had never even been able so to simulate +tenderness as to succeed in singing a pathetic song. Perhaps he had +learned that it was useless to make the attempt. At all events, he did +not now attempt to exhibit any answering tenderness to Lord Seely's look +and tone of unwonted feeling, in speaking of his dead sister's child. +His reply was hard, clear, and cheerful, as the chirp of a canary bird. + +"I know you have always been extremely good to Castalia, my lord. We are +both of us very sensible of your kindness, and very much obliged by it." + +"No, no," said my lord, waving his hand. "No, no, no. Castalia owes me +nothing. She has been to me almost as my own daughter. There can be no +talk of obligations between her and me." + +Then he paused, for what appeared to be a long time. In the silence of +the room the damp logs hissed like whispering voices. + +"Ancram," Lord Seely said at length, "Castalia is very much attached to +you." + +"I assure you, my lord, I am very grateful to her." + +"Ahem! Castalia's is not an expansive nature. She was, perhaps, too much +repressed and chilled in childhood, by living with uncongenial persons. +But she is responsive to kindness, and it develops her best qualities. I +will frankly own, that I am very anxious about her future. You will not +owe me a grudge for saying that much, Ancram?" + +"I never owe grudges, my lord. But I trust you have no doubt of my +behaving with kindness to Castalia?" + +"No, Ancram. No; I hope not. I believe not." + +"I am glad of that; because--the doubt would come rather too late to be +of much use, would it not?" + +Algernon spoke with his old bright smile; but two things were observable +throughout this interview. Firstly, that Algernon, though still +perfectly respectful, no longer addressed his senior with the winning, +cordial deference of manner which had so captivated Lord Seely in the +beginning of their acquaintance. Secondly, that Lord Seely appeared +conscious of some reason in the young man's mind for dissatisfaction, +and to be desirous of deprecating that dissatisfaction. + +At the same time, there seemed to be in Lord Seely an undercurrent of +feeling struggling for expression. He had the air of a man who, knowing +himself to have right and reason on his side in the main, yet is aware +of a tender point in his case which an unscrupulous adversary will not +hesitate to touch, and which he nervously shrinks from having touched. +He winced at Algernon's last words, and answered rather hotly, "It would +be too late. Your insinuation is a just one. If I had any misgivings I +ought to have expressed them, and acted on them before. But the fact is +that this--the final arrangement of this marriage--took me in a great +measure by surprise." + +"So it did me, my lord!" + +Lord Seely had been gazing moodily at the fire. He now suddenly raised +his eyes and looked searchingly at Algernon. The young man's face wore +an expression of candid amusement. His arched eyebrows were lifted, and +he was smiling as unconcernedly as if the subject in hand touched +himself no jot. + +"I give you my word," he continued lightly, "that when Lady Seely first +spoke to me about it, I was--oh, 'astonished' is no word to express what +I felt!" + +A dark red flush came into Lord Seely's withered cheeks, and mounted to +his forehead. He dropped his eyes, and moved uneasily on his chair, +passing one hand through the tuft of grey hair that stood up above his +ear. Algernon went on, with an almost boyish frankness of manner: + +"Of course, you know, I should hardly have ventured to aspire to such an +idea quite unassisted. And I believe I said something or other to my +lady--very stumblingly, I have no doubt, for I remember feeling very +much bewildered. I said some word about my being a poor devil with +nothing in the world to offer to a lady in Miss Kilfinane's +position--except, of course, my undying devotion. Only one cannot live +altogether on that. But Lady Seely was very sanguine, and saw no +difficulties. She said it could be managed. And she was right, you see. +Where there's a will, there's a way. And I am really to be married to +Castalia to-morrow. It seems too good to be true!" + +Lord Seely rose and faced the young man; and as he did so, his lordship +looked really dignified; for the sincere feeling within him had for once +obliterated his habitual uneasy self-consciousness. + +"Ancram," he said, "I am afraid, from what Castalia tells me, that you +are greatly dissatisfied with the position I have been able to procure +for you." + +"Oh, my lord, Castalia ought not to have said so! If she can content +herself in it for a time, how can I venture to complain?" + +"I am sorry to find," continued Lord Seely, "that your circumstances are +more seriously embarrassed than I thought." + +"Are they, my lord? I profess I don't know how to disembarrass them!" + +"You are in debt----" + +"I had the honour of avowing as much to your lordship when my marriage +was first discussed; as you, doubtless, remember?" + +"Yes; and you named a sum which I----" + +"Which your lordship was kind enough to pay. Certainly." + +"But it now appears that that sum did not cover the whole of your +liabilities, Ancram. Castalia tells me that you have been annoyed by +applications for money quite recently." + +Algernon smiled, and put his head on one side, as if trying to recall a +half-forgotten fact. "Well," said he at length, "upon my word I have +forgotten the exact sum which I did name to your lordship, but I have no +doubt it was correct at the time. The worst of it is, that my debts have +this unfortunate peculiarity--they won't stay paid!" + +"It is a great pity, Ancram, for a young man to get into the habit of +thinking lightly of debt. It is, in fact," continued his lordship, +growing graver and graver as he spoke, "a fatal habit of mind." + +"My dear lord, I don't think lightly of it by any means! But, really--is +it not best to accept the inevitable with some cheerfulness?" + +"'The inevitable,' Ancram?" + +"Yes, my lord; in my position, debt was inevitable. I could not be a +member of your family circle, a frequent inmate of your house, doing the +things you did, going where you went, without incurring some expense." + +It was no want of tact which made Algernon speak thus plainly and +coarsely. He did not fail (as his mother might have done) to perceive +that his words pained and mortified his hearer. He would by no means +have aimed such a shaft at Lady Seely, knowing that nature had +protected her feelings with a hide of some toughness; and knowing, +moreover, that my lady would unhesitatingly have flung back some verbal +missile, at least equally rough and heavy. But my lord was at once more +vulnerable and more scrupulous. And although Algernon was the last +person in the world to be guilty of gratuitous cruelty, yet, if one is +to fight, one had best use the most effective weapons, and take +advantage of any chink in the enemy's armour to drive one's javelin +home! + +"I regret," said Lord Seely, with a little catching of the breath, like +a man who has received a cold douche, "I deplore that your intimacy with +my family should have led you into a false position." + +"Not at all, my lord! My position in your family has been a very +pleasant one." + +"I ought, perhaps--it was my duty--to have inquired more particularly +into your means, and to have ascertained whether they sufficed for the +life you were leading in London. You were very young, and without +experience. I--I reproach myself, Ancram." + +"Don't do that, my lord! There is really no need. I'm sure nobody is the +worse for the few pounds I owe at this moment: not even my tailor, who +has cheated me handsomely, doing me the honour to treat me as one of +your lordship's own class!" + +Lord Seely bent down his grey head and meditated with a pained and +anxious face. Then he looked up, and said: + +"You know, Ancram, that I am not a rich man for one in my station." + +Algernon bowed gracefully. + +"Had I been so, I should have made a settlement upon Castalia; but, +although I have no daughters of my own to provide for," (with a little +sigh) "yet my property is very strictly tied up. There are claims on it, +too, of various sorts----" ("Lady Seely screws all she can out of him +for that nephew of hers," was Algy's mental comment.) "And, in brief, I +am not in a position to command any large sums of ready money. I believe +I said as much to you before?" + +Algernon bowed again and smiled. + +"Well, I repeat it now, in order to impress on you the fact, that +neither you nor Castalia must look to me for pecuniary help in the +future." + +"Oh, my lord----" + +"I do not say that Castalia might not have a right to ask such help of +me; but I merely assure you that it will be out of my power to grant it. +You, perhaps, scarcely realise how poor a man may be who has a fairly +large rent-roll?" + +"I think I have begun to realise it, my lord." + +Lord Seely looked quickly into the young man's face, but it was smiling +and inscrutable. + +"Well," he resumed, "I will only add, that for this once, and presuming +your present debts are not heavy----" + +"Oh dear no! A trifle." + +"I will discharge them if you will let me have the amount accurately. I +have a great repugnance to the thought of Castalia--and you--beginning +your married life in debt." + +"A thousand thanks. It will be better for us to start fair." + +"I hope, Ancram, that you will use every endeavour to live clearly +within your means, and to make the best of your circumstances. The fact +is, this marriage has been hurried on----" + +Algernon did not answer in words; but he gave an expressive shrug and +smile, which said, as plainly as possible, "I have not hurried it on!" + +Lord Seely coloured deeply, and seemed to shrink bodily, as if he had +received a blow. He went on hastily, and with less than his usual +self-possession: "I--I have felt, rather than perceived, a--a little +touch of bitterness in your manner lately. There, there, we will not +quibble about the word! If not bitter, you have not been, at all events, +in the frame of mind I wished and hoped to find you in. You are young; +and youth is apt to be a little unreasonable in its expectations. I +own--I admit--that your worldly position will not be--a--exactly +brilliant. But I assure you that in these days there are many gentlemen +of good abilities, and industry, who would be glad of it." + +"Oh, I am fully aware of my good fortune, my lord! Besides, you know, +this is only a stepping-stone." + +"Yes; we--we hope so. But, Ancram--and this is what I had in my mind to +say to you frankly--don't neglect or despise the present employment, in +looking forward to something better." + +"By no means!" + +"For your own sake--your own sake, I earnestly advise you not to give +way to a feeling of discontent." + +"Do I look discontented? Upon my word, your lordship is doing me +singular injustice!" + +"There is a smiling discontent, as well as a frowning discontent: and I +don't know but that it is the worst of the two." + +Algernon laughed outright. + +"Well," said he, "you must own that it is a little difficult to give +satisfaction!" + +His light smooth tone jarred disagreeably on Lord Seely. If the latter +had thought to make any impression on the young man, to draw from him +any outburst of feeling, he had signally failed. Algernon's words could +not be objected to, but the tone in which they were uttered was +completely nonchalant. His nonchalance increased in proportion to Lord +Seely's earnestness. A year ago Algernon would have brought his manner +into harmony with my lord's mood. He would have been grave, attentive, +eager to show his appreciation of my lord's kindness, and his value for +my lord's advice. But now there was some malice in his smiling +good-humour; a little cruelty in the brightness of his unruffled +serenity. He was genuinely tickled at seeing the pompous little nobleman +embarrassed in speaking to him, Algernon Errington, and he enjoyed what +comedy there might be in the situation none the less because his patron +suffered. + +In truth, Algernon was discontented. His was not a gnawing, black sort +of discontent. He neither grew lean, nor yellow, nor morose; but his +irony was sometimes flavoured with acidity; and instead of being easily +tolerant of such follies as zeal, enthusiasm, or fervent reverence, he +was now apt to speak of them with a disdainful superiority. And he had, +too, an air of having washed his hands of any concern with his own +career; of laying the responsibility on Destiny, or whomsoever it might +concern; of awaiting, with sarcastic patience, the next turn of the +wheel--as if life were neither a battle nor a march, but a gigantic game +of rouge-et-noir, with terrible odds in favour of the bank. + +Lord Seely was no match for this youth of two-and-twenty. Lord Seely had +intended to impress him deeply; to read him a lecture, in which Olympian +severity should be tempered by mercy; to convince him, by dignified and +condescending methods, of his great good fortune in having secured the +hand of Castalia Kilfinane of Kauldkail; and of his great +unreasonableness (not to say presumption) in not accepting that boon on +bended knee, instead of grumbling at being made postmaster of Whitford. +But in order to make an impression, it does not suffice to have tools +only; the surface to be impressed must also exist, and be adapted to the +operation. How impress the bright, cool, shining liquid bosom of a lake, +for instance? Oar and keel, pebble and arrow, wind and current, are +alike powerless to make a furrow that shall last. + +Lord Seely laboured under the disadvantage, in this crisis, of feeling +for other persons with some keenness; a circumstance which frittered +away his power considerably, and made him vacillating. Algernon's +capacities for feeling were, on this occasion, steadily concentrated on +himself, and this gave his behaviour a solid consistency, which was felt +even beneath the surface-lightness of his manner. + +"I hope," said Lord Seely, rather sadly than solemnly--"I do most +earnestly hope, Ancram, that you will be happy in this marriage!" + +"Your lordship is very good. I assure you, I feel your goodness." + +He said it as if he had been accepting an invitation to dinner. + +"And--and that you will do your best to make Castalia happy?" + +"You may rely on my doing my best." + +"There are discrepancies, perhaps--disparities--but but those marriages +are not always the happiest in which the external circumstances on both +sides seem to be best matched. You are young. You are untrammelled. You +have no irrevocable past behind you to regret. I do not see--no, I do +not see why, with mutual regard and respect, you should not make a good +life of it." + +"These are the most lugubrious nuptial felicitations that ever were +offered to a bridegroom, I should fancy!" thought Algernon. And he had +some difficulty in keeping his countenance, so vividly did he feel the +ludicrous aspect of his lordship's well-meant effort at "impressing" +him. + +"I should feel some sense of responsibility if--if things were not to +turn out as brightly as we hope--and believe--and believe they will turn +out." + +"Oh, don't distress yourself about that, my lord!" cried Algernon. (He +had very nearly said "don't apologise!") "There is the dressing-bell," +he added, with alacrity, taking his hat up from the table. "If your +lordship has no further commands, I think I----" + +"Yes; go, Ancram. I will not detain you longer. Remember," said Lord +Seely, taking the young man's hand between both his own, and speaking in +a tremulous voice, "remember, Ancram, that I wish to serve you. My +intention all along has been to do my best for you. You have been a very +pleasant inmate in my home. Ancram, be good to Castalia. For good or for +evil, you are her fate now. No one can come between you. Be good to +her." + +"My dear lord, I beg you to believe that I will make Castalia's +happiness the study of my life. And--oh, I have no doubt we shall get on +capitally. With your interest, it can't be long before we get into a +better berth. I know you'll do your best for us, for Castalia's sake; +oh, and mine, too, I am happy to believe. Yes, certainly. I really am in +such a state of mud that I believe my very hair is splashed. It will +take me all the time there remains for dressing to get myself +presentably clean, positively. _Au revoir_, my lord. And thank you very, +very much." + +With his jauntiest step, and brightest smile, Algernon left the room. + +Lord Seely returned to his chair before the hearth, resumed his moody, +musing attitude, and sat there, alone, with his head sunk on his breast +until they called him to dinner. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +In the first week of August Mrs. Errington returned to Whitford. She had +got over her annoyance at not having been intrusted sooner with the news +of Algernon's engagement to Miss Kilfinane. By dint of telling her +friends so, she had at last persuaded herself that she had been in the +secret all along; and, if she felt any other mortifications and +disappointments connected with her son's marriage, she kept them to +herself. But it is probable that she did not keenly feel any such. She +was not sensitive; and she did believe that, by connecting himself so +nearly with Lord Seely's family, Algernon was advancing his prospects of +success in the world. These sources of comfort, combined with an +excellent digestion, and the perennial gratification of contemplating +her own claims to distinction as contrasted with those of her +neighbours, kept the worthy lady in good spirits, and she returned to +Whitford in a kind of full blow of cheerfulness and importance. + +Her reception there, at the outset, was, however, far from being what +she had looked forward to. She had written to Rhoda announcing the day +and hour of her arrival, and requesting that James Maxfield should meet +her at the "Blue Bell" inn, where the coach stopped, with a fly for the +conveyance of herself and her luggage to her old quarters. Mrs. +Errington had not previously written to Rhoda from Westmoreland, but she +had forwarded to her at different times two copies of the _Applethwaite +Advertiser_. In one of these journals a preliminary announcement of +Algernon's marriage had appeared under the heading of "Alliance in High +Life." In the second there was an account of the wedding, and the +breakfast, and the rejoicings in the village of Long Fells, which did +much credit to the imaginative powers of the writer. According to the +_Applethwaite Advertiser_, the ceremony had been imposing, the breakfast +sumptuous, and the village demonstrations enthusiastic. + +Mrs. Errington had bought twenty copies of the newspaper for +distribution among her friends; and she pleased herself with thinking +how grateful the Maxfields would be to her for sending them the papers +with the interesting paragraphs marked in red ink. She also looked +forward with much complacency to having Rhoda for a listener to all her +narrations about the wedding and life at Long Fells, and the great +people whom she had met there. Rhoda was such a capital listener! And +then, besides and beyond all that, Mrs. Errington was fond of Rhoda, and +had more motherly warmth of feeling for her than she had as yet attained +to for her new daughter-in-law. + +Mrs. Errington's head was stretched out of the coach-window as the +vehicle clattered up the archway of the "Blue Bell" inn. It was about +seven o'clock on a fine August evening, and there was ample light enough +for the traveller to distinguish all the familiar features of the +streets through which she passed. "James will be standing in the +inn-yard ready to receive me," she thought; "and I suppose the fly will +be waiting at the corner by the booking-office. I wonder whether the +driver will be the lame old man or young Simmons?" She was still +debating this question when the coach turned sharply round under the +archway, and stopped in the great rambling yard of the old-fashioned +"Blue Bell" inn. + +Mrs. Errington got down unassisted; James Maxfield was not there. She +looked round in bewilderment, standing hot, dusty, and tired in the +yard, where, after a bustling waiter had tripped up to her to ask if she +wanted a room, and tripped away again, no one took any heed of her. + +A fly was not to be had in Whitford at a moment's notice. After waiting +for some ten minutes, Mrs. Errington found there was nothing for it but +to walk to her lodgings. She left her luggage in the coach-office to be +called for, and set out carrying a rather heavy hand-bag, and hurrying +through the streets at a pace much quicker than her usual dignified rate +of moving. She wished not to be seen and recognised by any passing +acquaintance under circumstances so unfavourable to an impressive or +triumphant demeanour. + +Arrived at Jonathan Maxfield's house, the aspect of things was not much +improved. Betty Grimshaw opened the door, and stared in surprise on +seeing Mrs. Errington. She had not been expected. Mr. Maxfield was over +at Duckwell at his son's farm. James was busy in the store-house. And as +for Rhoda, she was away on a visit to Miss Bodkin at the seaside, and +had been for some weeks. A letter? Oh, if a letter had come for Rhoda, +her father would have sent it on to her. It was a two days' post from +where she was to Whitford. And the newspapers? Betty did not know. She +had not seen them. Her brother-in-law had had them, she supposed. Yes; +she had heard that Mr. Algernon was married, or going to be married. The +servants from Pudcombe Hall had spoken of it when they came into the +shop. Jonathan had not said anything on the subject as far as she knew. +Mrs. Errington knew what Jonathan was. He never was given to much +conversation. And it was Betty's opinion, delivered very frankly, that +Jonathan grew crustier and closer as he got older. But wouldn't Mrs. +Errington like a cup of tea? Betty would have the kettle boiling in a +few minutes. + +Mrs. Errington felt rather forlorn, as she entered her old sitting-room +and looked around her. It was trim and neat, indeed, and spotlessly +clean; but it had the chill, repellent look of an uninhabited apartment. +The corner cupboard was locked, and its treasure of old china hidden +from view. Algernon's books were gone from the shelf above the piano. A +white cloth was spread over the sofa, and the hearth-rug was turned +upside down, displaying a grey lining, instead of the gay-coloured +scraps of cloth. + +She missed Rhoda. She had become accustomed to Algernon's absence from +the familiar room; but Rhoda's absence made a blank in it, that was +depressing. And perhaps Mrs. Errington herself was surprised to find how +dreary the place looked, without the girl's gentle face and modest +figure. She gladly accepted Betty Grimshaw's invitation to take her tea +downstairs in the comfortable, bright kitchen, instead of alone in the +melancholy gentility of her own sitting-room. Betty was as +wooden-faced, and grim, and rigid in her aspect as ever. But she was not +unfriendly towards her old lodger. And, moreover, she was entirely +respectful in her manner, holding it as a fixed article of her faith +that "gentlefolks born" were intended by Providence to be treated with +deference, and desiring to show that she herself had been trained to +becoming behaviour under the roof of a person of quality. + +It was little more than nine o'clock when Mrs. Errington rose to go to +bed, being tired with her journey. As she did so, she said, "Mrs. +Grimshaw, will you get James to send a hand-cart for my luggage in good +time to-morrow?" + +"Oh, your luggage?" returned Betty. "Well, do you think it is worth +while to send for it, if you're not going to stay?" + +Mrs. Errington was so much astonished by this speech, that she sat down +again on the chair she had just quitted. Then, after a minute's pause, +her mind, which did not move very rapidly, arrived at what she supposed +to be the explanation of Betty's words. "Oh, I see," she said; "you took +it for granted that, on my son's marriage, I should leave you and join +him. But it is not so, my good soul. My daughter-in-law has implored me +to live with them, but I have refused. It is better for the young people +to be by themselves; and I prefer my own independence also. No, my good +Mrs. Grimshaw, I shall remain in my old quarters until Mr. Algernon +leaves Whitford for good. And perhaps, even then, I may not give you up +altogether, who knows?" + +Betty hesitated for an instant before replying. "Then Jonathan has not +said anything to you about giving up the rooms?" + +"Good gracious, no! I have not heard from Mr. Maxfield at all!" + +"I suppose he didn't expect you back quite so soon. And--there, I'm sure +I won't take upon myself to speak for him. I shouldn't have got on with +my brother-in-law all these years if I hadn't made it a rule to try for +peace and quietness, and never interfere." + +But Mrs. Errington persisting in her demand that Betty should explain +herself more fully, the latter at length confessed that, during the past +two or three weeks, Jonathan Maxfield had declared his intention of +getting rid of his lodger, and of not letting the first floor of his +house again. "Your sitting-room is to be kept as a kind of a +drawing-room for Rhoda, as I understand Jonathan," said she. + +A drawing-room for Rhoda! Mrs. Errington could not believe her senses. +"Why, what is Mr. Maxfield thinking of?" she exclaimed. + +"Oh, you don't know what a fuss Jonathan has been making lately about +Rhoda! Before you went away, you know, ma'am, as he had begun to spend +a deal of money on her clothes. And since then, more and more; it's been +all his talk as Rhoda was to be a lady. The notion has got stuck fast in +his head, and wild horses wouldn't drag it out." + +Mrs. Errington rose very majestically. "I much fear," she said, "I much +fear that I am responsible for this delusion of your brother-in-law. I +have a little spoiled the girl, and taken too much notice of her. I +regret it now. But, really, Rhoda is such a sweet creature that I don't +know that I have been so very much to blame, either. It is true I have +introduced her to my friends, and brought her forward a little beyond +her station; but I little thought a man of Mr. Maxfield's common sense +would have been so utterly led away by kindly-meant patronage." + +"Well, I don't know as it's so much that, ma'am," returned Betty, in a +matter-of-fact tone, "as it is that Jonathan has latterly been thinking +a deal about his money. And he knows money will do great things----" + +"Money can never confer gentle birth, my good creature!" + +"No, for sure, ma'am. That's what I say myself. I know my catechism, and +I was brought up to respect my superiors. But, you see, Jonathan's +heart is greatly set on his riches. He's a well-off man, is my +brother-in-law; more so than many folks think. He's been a close man all +his life. And, for that matter, he's close enough now in some things, +and screws me down in the housekeeping pretty tight. But for Rhoda he +seems to grudge nothing, and wants her to make a show and a splash +almost--if you can fancy such a thing of Jonathan! But there's no saying +how men will turn out; not even the old ones. I'm sure I often and often +thank my stars I've kept single--no offence to you, ma'am." + +Mrs. Errington went to bed in a bewildered frame of mind. Tired as she +was, the news she had heard kept her awake for some time. Leave her +lodgings! Leave old Max's house, which had been her home for so many +years! It was incredible. And, indeed, before long she had made up her +mind to resist old Max's intention of turning her out. "I shall give him +a good talking to, to-morrow," she said to herself. "Stupid old man! He +really must not be allowed to make himself so absurd." And then Mrs. +Errington fell asleep. + +But the next day old Max did not return to be talked to; nor the day +after that. James Maxfield went over to Duckwell, and came back bringing +a formal notice to Mrs. Errington to quit the lodgings, signed by his +father. + +"What does this mean, James?" asked Mrs. Errington, with much emphasis, +and wide-open eyes. James did not know what it meant. He did not +apparently much care, either. He had never been on very friendly terms +with the Erringtons (having, indeed, come but seldom in contact with +them during all the time they had lived under the same roof with him), +and had, perhaps, been a little jealous in his sullen, silent way, of +their petting of Rhoda. At all events, on the present occasion, he was +not communicative nor very civil. He had performed his father's behests, +and he knew nothing more. His father was not coming back home just yet. +And James volunteered the opinion that he didn't mean to come back until +Mrs. Errington should be gone. + +All this was strange and disagreeable. But Mrs. Errington was not of an +irritable or anxious temperament. And her self-complacency was of too +solid a kind to be much affected even by ruder rubs than any which could +be given by James Maxfield's uncouth bluntness. "I shall take no notice +whatever of this," she said, with serene dignity. "When your father +comes back, I shall talk to him. Meanwhile, I have a great many +important things to do." + +The good lady did in truth begin at once to busy herself in seeking a +house for Algernon, and getting it furnished. There was but a month to +make all arrangements in, and all Mrs. Errington's friends who could by +any possibility be pressed into the service were required to assist +her. The Docketts; Rose and Violet McDougall; Mrs. Smith, the surgeon's +wife; and even Miss Chubb, were sent hither and thither, asked to write +notes, to make inquiries, to have interviews with landlords, and to take +as much trouble, and make as much fuss as possible, in the task of +getting ready an abode for Mr. and the Honourable Mrs. Algernon +Errington. + +A house was found without much difficulty. It was a small isolated +cottage on the outskirts of the town, with a garden behind it which ran +down to the meadows bordering the Whit; and was the very house, +belonging to Barker the chemist, of which Mrs. Errington had written to +her friend Mrs. Bodkin. + +It was really a very humble dwelling. But the rent of it was quite as +large as Algernon would be able to afford. Mrs. Errington said, "I +prefer a small place for them. If they took a more pretentious house, +they would be expected to entertain. And you know, my dear sir," (or +"madam," as the case might be) "that there is a great mixture in +Whitford society; and that would not suit my daughter-in-law, of course. +You perceive that, don't you?" And then the person so addressed might +flatter him or herself with the idea of belonging to the unmixed portion +of society. + +Indeed, this terrible accusation of being "mixed" was one which Mrs. +Errington was rather fond of bringing against the social gatherings in +Whitford. And she had once been greatly offended, and a good deal +puzzled, by Mr. Diamond's asking her what objection there could be to +that; and challenging her to point out any good thing on earth, from a +bowl of punch upwards, which was not "mixed!" But however this might be, +no one believed at all that the mixture in Whitford society was the real +reason for young Errington's inhabiting so small a house. They knew +perfectly well that if Algernon's means had been larger, his house would +have been larger also. + +And yet, Mrs. Errington's flourish was not without its effect on some +persons. They in their turn repeated her lamentations on the "mixture" +to such of their acquaintances as did not happen to be also her +acquaintances. And as there were very few individuals in Whitford either +so eccentric, or so courageous, as Mr. Diamond, this mysterious mixture +was generally acknowledged, with shrugs and head-shakings, to be a very +great evil indeed. + +At the end of about a fortnight, old Max one day reappeared in his own +house, and marched upstairs to Mrs. Errington's sitting-room. + +"Well, ma'am," said he, without any preliminary greeting whatsoever, "I +suppose you understood the written notice to quit, that I sent you? But +as my son James informs me that you don't seem to be taking any steps in +consequence of it, I've come to say that you will have to remove out of +my abode on the twenty-seventh of this month, and not a day later. So +you can act according to your judgment in finding another place to dwell +in." + +Mrs. Errington was inspecting the contents of a packing-case which had +been sent from London by Lady Seely. It contained, as her ladyship said, +"some odds and ends that would be useful to the young couple." The only +article of any value in the whole collection was a porcelain vase, which +had long stood in obscurity on a side-table in Lord Seely's study, and +would not be missed thence. Lady Seely, at all events, would not miss +it, as she seldom entered the room; and therefore she had generously +added it to the odds and ends! + +Mrs. Errington looked up, a little flushed with the exertion of stooping +over the packing-case, and confronted Mr. Maxfield. Her round, red +full-moon face contrasted in a lively manner with the old man's grey, +lank, harsh visage. The years, as they passed, did not improve old Max's +appearance. And as soon as she beheld him, Mrs. Errington was convinced +of the justice of Betty Grimshaw's remark, that her brother-in-law +seemed to have grown closer and crustier than ever of late. + +"Why, Mr. Maxfield," said the lady, condescendingly, "how do you do? I +have been wanting to see you. Come, sit down, and let us talk matters +over." + +Old Max stood in the doorway glaring at her. "I don't know, ma'am, as +there's any matters I want to talk over with you," he returned. "You had +better understand that I mean what I say. You'll find it more convenient +to believe me at once, and to act accordin'." + +"Do you mean to say that you intend to turn me out, Mr. Maxfield?" + +"I have given you a legal notice to quit, ma'am. You needn't call it +turning you out, unless you like." + +He had begun to move away, when Mrs. Errington exclaimed, "But I really +don't comprehend this at all! What will Rhoda think of it?" + +Maxfield stopped, hesitatingly, with his hand on the banisters at the +top of the landing. "Rhoda?" said he gruffly. "Oh, Rhoda has nothing to +say to it, one way or t'other." + +"But I want to have something to say to her! I assure you it was a great +disappointment to me not to find Rhoda here on my return. I'm very fond +of her; and shall continue to be so, as long as she merits it. It is not +her fault, poor girl, if--other people forget themselves." + +Maxfield took his hand off the banisters and turned round. "Since you're +so fond of Rhoda," he said, with a queer expression on his sour old +face, "you'll be glad to know where she is, and the company she's in." + +"I know that she is at the seaside with my friends, Mrs. and Miss +Bodkin." + +"She is at the seaside with _her_ friends, Mrs. and Miss Bodkin. Miss +Minnie is a real lady, and she understands how to treat Rhoda, and knows +that the Lord has made a lady of Rhoda by natur'." + +Mrs. Errington stared in utter astonishment. The suspicion began to form +and strengthen itself in her mind that the old man was positively out of +his senses. If so, his insanity had taken an extremely unpleasant turn +for her. + +"I really was not prepared for being turned out of my lodgings after all +these years," she said, reverting to the point that most nearly touched +herself. + +"I've not been prepared for a many things as have happened after all +these years. But I'm ready to meet 'em when they come." + +"Well, but now, Mr. Maxfield, let us see if we cannot make an +arrangement. If you have any different views about the rent, I----" + +"The rent! What do you think your bit of a rent matters to me? I want +the rooms for the use of my daughter, Miss Maxfield, and there's an end +of it." + +"Oh, he certainly cannot be in his right senses to address me in this +manner!" thought Mrs. Errington. + +Maxfield went on, "I see you've got a box of rubbish there, littering +about the place. I give you warning not to unpack any more here, for out +everything 'll have to go on the twenty-seventh of this month, as sure +as my name's Jonathan Maxfield!" + +"Mr. Maxfield! You are certainly forgetting yourself. Rubbish, indeed! +These are a few--a very few--of the valuable wedding presents sent to my +son and daughter by Lady Seely." + +Old Max made a grating sound which was intended for a laugh, although +his bushy grey eyebrows were drawn together in a heavy frown the while. +Then he suddenly burst out in a kind of cold fury. "Pooh!" he cried. +"Presents! Valuable presents! You don't deceive anybody by that! Look +here--if the old carpet or any of the furniture in this room would be of +any assistance to you, you can take it! I'll give it to you--a free +gift! The place is going to be done up and new furnished for Miss +Maxfield. Furnished handsome, fit for a young lady of property. Fit for +a young lady that will have a sum o' money on the day she marries--if +I'm pleased with her choice--as 'll make some folks' mouths water. It +won't be reckoned by twenties, nor yet by hundreds, won't Miss +Maxfield's fortin'! You can take the old carpet, and mahogany table, and +the high-backed chairs, and put 'em among your valuable presents. +They're too old-fashioned for Miss Maxfield's drawing-room!" And with a +repetition of the grating laugh, old Max tramped heavily downstairs, and +was heard to bang the door of his own parlour. + +Mrs. Errington sat motionless for nearly a quarter of an hour, staring +at the open door. "Mad!" she exclaimed at length, drawing a long breath. +"Quite mad! But I wonder if there is any truth in what he says about +Rhoda's money? Dear me, why she'll be quite a catch!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +Meanwhile Rhoda, at Duckwell Farm, supposed herself to be too unhappy to +care much for anything. She did not have a fever, nor fall into a +consumption, nor waste away visibly; but she passed hours crying alone +in her own room, or sitting idle-handed, whilst her thoughts languidly +retraced the past, or strove to picture what sort of a lady Algernon's +wife might be. Headaches, pallid cheeks, and red eyes resulted from +these solitary hours. Mrs. Seth Maxfield wondered what had come to the +girl, having no suspicion that young Errington's marriage could be more +to Rhoda than an interesting subject for gossip. + +Old Jonathan went over to Duckwell immediately after receiving the first +newspaper, sent by Mrs. Errington from Westmoreland. + +The announcement of the intended wedding had taken him wholly by +surprise. It would be hard to say whether wrath or amazement +predominated in his mind, on first reading the paragraph which Mrs. +Errington had so complacently marked with red ink. But it is not at all +hard to say which feeling predominated within an hour after having read +it. + +According to old Max's judgment, there was not one extenuating +circumstance in Algernon's behaviour; not one plea to be urged on his +behalf. Utter vindictive anger filled the old man's soul as he read. He +had been deceived, played upon, laughed at by this boy! That was the +first, and, perhaps, the most venomous of his mortifications. But many +other stinging thoughts rankled in his mind. David Powell had been +right! That was almost unendurable. As to Rhoda, old Max could not, in +the mood he was then in, contemplate her being bowed down by grief and +disappointment. He would have her raise her head, and revenge herself on +her faithless lover. He would have her successful, admired, and +prosperous. He would have her trample on Algernon's pride and poverty +with all the insolence of wealth. Even his beloved money, so hardly +earned, so eagerly hoarded, seemed to him, for the first time in his +life, to be of small account in comparison with a sentiment. + +He took his Bible, and gloated over menaces of vengeance and threats of +destruction. Future condemnation was, no doubt, in store for Algernon +Errington. But that was too vague and too distant a prospect to appease +old Max's stomach for revenge. He wanted to see his enemy in the dust, +and that his enemy should be seen there by others. In the midst of his +reading, he suddenly recollected the acknowledgment he held of +Algernon's debt to him, and jumped up and ran to his strong-box to feast +his eyes on it. It seemed almost like a clear leading from on High that +the I.O.U. should come into his head just then, old Max thought. He was +not the first, nor the worst man who has wrested Scripture into the +service of his own angry passions. + +Then he sent to order a gig from the "Blue Bell," and set out for +Duckwell Farm. + +"I hope your father isn't sickening for any disease, or going to get a +stroke, or something," said Betty Grimshaw to her nephew James. "But I +never see anybody's face such a colour out of their coffin. It's a +greeny grey, that's what it is. And he was frowning like thunder." + +But Jonathan Maxfield's disorder was not of the body. He arrived at +Duckwell unexpectedly, but his arrival did not cause any particular +surprise. He had business transactions to discuss with his son Seth, to +whom he had advanced money on mortgage. And then there was Rhoda staying +at the farm, and, of course, her father would like to see Rhoda. + +Rhoda was called from her own room, and came down, pale and nervous. +She dreaded meeting her father. Did he, or did he not, know the news +from Westmoreland? It had only come to Duckwell Farm by means of Mr. +Pawkins's servants. It might possibly not yet have reached Whitford. + +On his side, old Max took care to say nothing about the _Applethwaite +Advertiser_. He had destroyed that journal before leaving home, placing +it in the heart of the kitchen fire, and holding it there with the +poker, until the remains of it fluttered up the chimney in black, +impalpable fragments. + +But old Max had brought another document in his pocket, which had been +placed in his hand just as he was starting in the gig. It was a letter +directed to Miss Rhoda Maxfield, High Street, Whitford. And this he +pulled out almost immediately on seeing Rhoda. A glance at her face +sufficed to show him that she was unhappy and dispirited. "She has heard +it!" he thought. And something like an anathema upon Algernon followed +the thought in his mind. + +The old man's countenance was not so clearly read by his daughter; +indeed, she hardly raised her eyes to his, but received his kiss in +silence. + +"I'm afraid, father, you'll not find Rhoda's looks doing us credit," +said Mrs. Seth. "Why or wherefore I don't know, but these last days she +has been as peaky as can be." + +"It's the heat, maybe," said old Max shortly and withdrew his own and +Mrs. Seth's attention from the girl, as she read the letter he handed to +her. Rhoda was grateful for this forbearance on her father's part, +although it fluttered her, too, a little, as proving that he was aware +of the cause of her dejection, and anxious to shield it from +observation. + +The letter was from Minnie Bodkin. She had written it almost immediately +on hearing of Algernon's intended marriage. It invited Rhoda, if her +father would consent, to visit the Bodkins during the remainder of their +stay at the seaside. There was no word of allusion to the Erringtons in +the letter. Minnie only said, "Mamma and I remember that your cheeks had +lost their roses, somewhat, when we left Whitford. And we think that a +breath of sea-breeze may blow them back again. It is some time since you +had complete change of air. Tell Mr. Maxfield we will take good care of +you." And in a postscript Mrs. Bodkin had added, in her small running +hand, "Do come, my dear. We shall be very glad to have you. Dr. Bodkin +bids me send you his love." + +It had been no slight effort of self-conquest which had made Minnie +Bodkin send for Rhoda, to stay with her at the seaside, and had enabled +her to endure the girl's daily presence, and to stand her friend in word +and deed, throughout the weeks which succeeded the announcement of +Algernon's marriage. + +To be kind to Rhoda at a distance would have been pleasant enough. +Minnie would willingly, nay, gladly, have served the girl in any way +which should not have necessitated frequent personal communion with her. +But she told herself unflinchingly that if she really meant to keep her +promise to David Powell, she must do so at some cost of self-sacrifice. +The only efficacious thing she could do for Rhoda was to take her away +from Whitford scenes and Whitford people for a time; to take her out of +the reach of gossiping tongues and unsympathising eyes, and to give her +the support of a friendly presence when she should be obliged to face +Whitford once more. This would be efficacious help to Rhoda; and Minnie +resolved to give it to her. But it was a task to which she felt +considerable repugnance. There was an invisible barrier between herself +and pretty, gentle, winning Rhoda Maxfield. + +It is curious to consider of how small importance to most of us actions +are, as compared with motives. And perhaps nothing contributes more to +hasty accusations of ingratitude than forgetfulness of this truth. We +are more affected by what people mean than by what they say, and by what +they feel than by what they do. Only when meaning and feeling +harmoniously inform the dry husk of words and deeds, can we bring our +hearts to receive the latter thankfully, however kind they may sound or +seem to uninterested spectators. The egotism of most of us is too +exacting to permit of our judging our friends' behaviour from any +abstract point of view; and to be done good to for somebody else's sake, +or even for the sake of a lofty principle, seldom excites very lively +satisfaction. + +Thus Rhoda reproached herself for the unaccountable coldness with which +she received Miss Bodkin's kindness; having only a dim consciousness +that Miss Bodkin's kindness was prompted by motives excellent indeed, +but which had little to do with personal sympathy with herself. + +She silently handed the letter to her father, and turned away to the +window. Mrs. Seth bustled out of the room, saying that she must get +ready "a snack of something" for Mr. Maxfield after his drive, and the +father and daughter were left alone together. + +Jonathan Maxfield's face brightened wonderfully as he read Minnie's +gracious words. A glow of pleasure came over his hard features. But it +was not a very agreeable sort of pleasure to behold, being considerably +mingled with malicious triumph. Here was a well-timed circumstance +indeed! What could Powell, or such as Powell, say now? Let the +Erringtons behave as they might, it was clear henceforward that Rhoda +had not been received amongst gentlefolks solely on their account. His +girl was liked and made much of for her own sake. + +"Well," said he, "this is a very pretty letter of Miss Minnie's; very +pretty indeed." He did not allow his voice to express his exultation, +but spoke in his usual harsh, grumbling tones. + +"Yes," answered Rhoda, tremulously, "it is very kind of Miss Minnie, and +of dear Mrs. Bodkin; wonderfully kind! But I--I don't think I want to +go, father." + +"Not want to go? Nonsense! That's mere idle nonsense. Of course you will +go. I shall take you down by the coach myself." + +"Oh thank you, father, but--I really don't want change. I don't care +about going to the seaside." + +The old man turned upon her almost savagely. "I say you shall go. You +must go. Are you to creep into a hole like a sick beast of the field, +and hide yourself from all eyes? There, there," he added in a gentler +tone, drawing her towards him, as he saw the tears begin to gather in +her eyes, "I am not chiding you, Rhoda. But it will be good for you to +accept this call from your kind friends. It will be good for mind and +body. You will be quiet there, among fresh scenes and fresh faces. And +you will return to Whitford in the company of these gentlefolks, who, it +is clear, are minded to stand your friends under all circumstances. +Seth's wife is a worthy woman, but she is not a companion for you, +Rhoda." + +One phrase of this speech did seem to offer a glimpse of consolation to +Rhoda; the promise, namely, of quiet and fresh scenes, where she and her +belongings were utterly unknown. But her father did not know that Minnie +Bodkin understood her little love-story from first to last; and that +Minnie Bodkin's presence and companionship might not be calculated to +pour the waters of oblivion into her heart. Still she reflected, a day +must come when she would have to face Miss Minnie, and all the other +Whitford people who knew her. There was no chance of her dying at once +and being taken away from it all! And Rhoda's teaching had made her +shrink from the thought of desiring death, as from something vaguely +wicked. On the whole, it might be the best thing for her to go to the +Bodkins. She would better have liked to continue her solitary rambles in +Pudcombe Woods or the meadows at Duckwell; only that now the pain +awaited her, every evening, at the farm, of hearing Algernon's marriage +discussed and speculated on. She could not shut out the topic. On the +whole, then, it might be the best thing she could do, to get away from +Whitford gossip for a time. + +These considerations Rhoda brought before her own mind, not with any +idea that they could avail to decide her line of conduct, but by way of +reconciling herself to the line of conduct she should be compelled to +take. It never entered her head that any resistance would be possible +when once her father had said, "You must go." + +"Very well, father," she answered meekly, after a short pause. + +The Bodkins' invitation was duly communicated to Seth and his wife. And +it was arranged that Rhoda should start from the farm without returning +to Whitford at all, as a cross road could be reached from Duckwell, +where the coach would stop to pick up passengers. "If there's any +garments you require, beyond those you have here, your aunt Betty shall +send them over by the carrier, to-morrow," said Mr. Maxfield. + +Mrs. Seth protested (not without a spice of malice) that Rhoda could not +possibly want any more clothes, for that she was rigged out already fit +for a princess. Nevertheless there did arrive from Whitford several +fresh additions to Rhoda's wardrobe, inclosed in a brand-new black trunk +studded with brass-headed nails, and with the initials R. M. traced out +in the same shining materials on the lid. + +"Your father's well-nigh soft-headed about that girl," said Mrs. Seth to +her husband, as they stood watching the father and daughter drive away +together. + +"H'm!" grunted Seth. + +His wife went on, "We may make up our minds as our little ones will +never be a penny the better for your father's money. I'm as sure as +sure, it'll all go to Rhoda." + +"As to his will, you may be right," returned Seth. "But I have good +hopes that father will cancel that mortgage he holds on the home farm. +If he does that, we mustn't growl too much. 'Tis a good lump o' money. +And it would come a deal handier to me if I could have the land free +now, than if I waited for father's death. He's tough, is father. And the +Lord knows I don't wish him dead neither." + +In this way Rhoda Maxfield went down to the seaside place where the +Bodkins were staying, spent about three weeks with them there, and +returned in their company to Whitford, to find Mrs. Errington no longer +an inmate of her father's house, the old sitting-room decorated and +re-furnished very smartly, and all the circle with whom she had become +acquainted at Dr. Bodkin's on the tiptoe of expectation to behold the +Honourable Mrs. Algernon Errington, whose arrival was looked forward to +with an amount of interest only understood by those who have ever lived +an unoccupied life in a remote provincial town. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +We have already been present at more than one social gathering at Dr. +Bodkin's house. But these entertainments have been of an informal +character, and the guests at them all persons in the habit of meeting +each other very frequently. On Mr. and Mrs. Algernon Errington's arrival +in Whitford, after their marriage, Dr. and Mrs. Bodkin issued cards for +an evening party, and invited the leading personages of their +acquaintance to meet the bride and bridegroom. + +Mrs. Errington was in high delight. She appreciated this attention from +her old friends very highly. Castalia, it was true, looked discontented +and disdainful about the whole affair; and demanded to know why she must +be dragged out to these people's stupid parties before she had had time +to turn round in her own house. But then, as Mrs. Errington reflected, +Castalia did not understand Whitford society. "The fact is, my dear," +said her mother-in-law with suavity, "it may be all a very trumpery +business in your eyes, and after the circles you have moved in, but I +assure you it is considered a very desirable thing here to have the +_entree_ to Dr. Bodkin's. And then they scarcely ever entertain on a +showy scale; nothing but a few friends, tea and cake, your rubber, and a +tray afterwards. But, for this occasion, I hear there are great +preparations going on. They won't dance, because Minnie can't stand the +vibration. But there will be quite a large gathering. Of course, my +dear, it is not what I was accustomed to at Ancram Park. But they are +most kind, well-meaning people. And Minnie is highly accomplished; even +learned, I believe." + +"I hate blue-stockings," returned Mrs. Algernon with a shrug. + +"Oh! but Minnie is not the least blue in her manners! Indeed, her +knowing Greek has ever been a mystery to me; for I assure you she is +extremely handsome, and has, I think, the finest pair of eyes I ever saw +in my life. But I suppose it is accounted for by her affliction, poor +thing!" + +Castalia had darted a quick, suspicious glance at her husband on hearing +of Minnie's beauty, but relapsed into languid indifference when she was +told that Miss Bodkin was a confirmed invalid, suffering from disease of +the spine. + +In other circles Mrs. Errington was by no means so cool and +condescending in speaking of the doctor's projected party. The check +administered to her exultation by Castalia's chilly indifference only +caused a fuller ebullition of it in other directions. She overwhelmed +her new landlady by the magnitude and magnificence of her +"Ancramisms"--I have already asked permission to use the phrase in these +pages--and was looked up to by that simple soul as a very exalted +personage; for the new landlady was no other than the widow Thimbleby. + +Mrs. Errington occupied the two rooms on the first-floor above Mr. +Diamond's parlours. The place was smaller and poorer altogether than +Maxfield's house, although it did not yield to it in cleanliness. Here +was Mrs. Errington's old blue china set forth on a side-table in the +little oblong drawing-room; and her work-box with its amber satin and +silver implements; and the faded miniatures hung over the mantelpiece. +Also there was a square of substantial, if somewhat faded, carpet in the +middle of Mrs. Thimbleby's threadbare drugget, a mahogany table, and a +roomy, comfortable easy-chair, all of which we have seen before. + +In a word, Mrs. Errington had taken advantage of old Max's somewhat rash +offer, and had carried away with her such articles of furniture out of +her old quarters as she fancied might be useful. + +Mrs. Errington took some credit to herself for her magnanimity in so +doing. "I could not refuse the poor man," she said to Mrs. Thimbleby. "I +have lived many years in his house, and although he was led away by +mistaken ambition to want his drawing-room for his own use, and +certainly did cause me great inconvenience at a moment when I was up to +my eyes in important business, yet I could not refuse to accept his +little peace-offering. A lady does not quarrel with that sort of person, +you know. And, poor old man, I believe he was dreadfully cut up at my +going away when it came to the point, and would have given anything to +keep me. But I said, 'No, Mr. Maxfield, that is impossible. I have made +other arrangements; and, in short, I cannot be troubled any more about +this matter. But to show that I bear no malice, and that I shall not +withdraw my countenance from your daughter, I am willing to accept the +trifles you press upon me.' He was a good deal touched by my taking the +things; poor, foolish, misguided old man!" + +"Well, it was real Christian of you, ma'am," said simple Mrs. Thimbleby. + +The day of the party at Dr. Bodkin's arrived; and there was as intense +an excitement connected with its advent as if it were to bring a county +ball, or even a royal drawing-room. Whether a satin train, lappets and +feathers, be intrinsically more important and worthy objects of anxiety +than a white muslin frock and artificial roses, I do not presume to +decide. Only I can unhesitatingly assert that the Misses Rose and Violet +McDougall could not have given their female attendant more trouble about +the preparation and putting on of the latter adornments--which formed +their simple and elegant attire on this occasion--if they had been +duchesses, and their gowns cloth of gold. + +Miss Chubb, too, contemplated her new dress of a light blue colour, laid +out upon her bed, with great interest and satisfaction. And when her +toilet for the evening was completed, she had more little gummed rings +of hair on her cheeks and forehead than had ever before been beheld +there at one time. + +The company began to assemble in Dr. Bodkin's drawing-rooms about +half-past eight o'clock. There were all our old acquaintances--Mr. +Smith, the surgeon, and his wife; Mr. and Mrs. Dockett, with Miss +Alethea, now promoted to long dresses and "grown-up" young-ladyhood. +There was Orlando Pawkins; Mr. Warlock, the curate; and Colonel +Whistler, with his charming nieces. Miss Chubb had dined with the +Bodkins in the middle of the day, and, after being of great assistance +to the mistress of the house in the preparation of her supper-table, had +returned to her own home to dress, and consequently arrived upon the +festive scene rather later than would otherwise have been the case. But +she was not the last guest to arrive. Mr. Diamond came in after her; and +so did one or two families from the neighbourhood of Whitford. ("County +people," Miss Chubb said in a loud whisper to Rose McDougall, who +replied snappishly, "Of course! We know them very well. Have visited +them for years.") + +"This is a brilliant scene," said good-natured Miss Chubb, turning to +Mr. Warlock, whom Fate had thrown into her neighbourhood. Mr. Warlock +agreed with her that it was very brilliant; and, indeed, Dr. Bodkin's +drawing-rooms, well lighted with wax candles, and with abundance of +hot-house flowers tastefully arranged, and relieved against the rich +crimson and oak furniture, were exceedingly cheerful, pleasant, and +picturesque. There was an air of comfort and good taste about the +rooms--a habitable, home-like air--not always to be found in more +splendid dwellings. + +On her crimson lounging-chair reclined Minnie Bodkin. Her dress was of +heavy cream-white silk, with gold ornaments. She wore nothing in her +abundant dark hair, and her pale face seemed to many who looked upon it +that evening to be more lovely than ever. Her lips had a tinge of red +in them, and her eyes were full of lustre. There was a suppressed +excitement about her looks and manner, which lighted up her +perfectly-moulded features with a strange beauty that struck all +observers. Even the McDougalls could not but admit that Minnie looked +very striking, but added that she was a little too theatrically got up, +didn't you think so? That was poor Minnie's failing. All for effect! +"And," added Rose, "she has a good foil in that little pink and white +creature who sits in the corner beside her chair, and never moves. I +suppose she is told to do it. But the idea of dressing that chit up in a +violet silk gown fit for a married woman! And she has no figure to carry +it off. I really think it rather a strong measure on the Bodkins' part +to ask us all to meet a girl of such very low origin on equal terms. But +there it is, you see! Poor dear Minnie delights in doing startling +things, unlike other people. And, of course, her parents refuse her +nothing." + +Miss Rose's opinion of Rhoda Maxfield's insignificant appearance was +not, however, shared by many persons present. Several young gentlemen, +and more than one old gentleman, vied with each other in offering her +cups of tea, and paying her various little attentions according to their +opportunities. Even old Colonel Whistler, when he thought himself +unobserved by his nieces, sidled up to pretty Rhoda Maxfield, and was +heard to say to one of the "county" gentlemen, "She's the prettiest girl +I've seen this many a day, by George! And I know a pretty girl when I +see one, sir; or used to, once upon a time!" + +To Rhoda, all the strangers who spoke and looked so kindly were merely +troublesome. Her colour went and came, her heart beat with anxiety. She +started nervously every time the door opened. She could think only of +Algernon and Algernon's wife. She made a silent and very earnest prayer +that she might be strengthened to sit still and quiet when they should +appear, for she had had serious apprehensions lest she should be +irresistibly impelled to start up and run away, as soon as she saw them. + +It was in vain that young Mr. Pawkins hovered near her, inviting her to +accept his arm into the tea-room; it was in vain that old Colonel +Whistler softened his martinet voice to ask her, with paternal +tenderness, how she had enjoyed her stay at the seaside, and to say +that, if one might judge by her looks, she had derived great benefit +from the change of air. In the words of the song, "All men else seemed +to her like shadows." She was in a dream, with the consciousness of an +impending awakening, which she half longed for, half dreaded. + +Two persons watched over her, and covered the mistakes she made in her +nervous trepidation. Matthew Diamond and Minnie Bodkin exerted +themselves to shield her from importunate observation, and to give her +time to recover her self-possession, if that might be possible. Diamond +was in good spirits. He could wait, he could be patient, he could be +silent now, with a good heart. Algernon's marriage had opened a bright +vista of hope before him; and perhaps he had never felt so disposed to +condone and excuse his old pupil's faults and failings as at the present +moment. "Minnie is a good creature," he thought, with a momentary, +grateful diversion of his attention from Rhoda, "to keep my timid birdie +so carefully under her wing! She might do it with a little more softness +of manner. But we cannot change people's natures." + +Meanwhile Minnie reclined in her chair, watching his tender lingering +looks at Rhoda, and his complete indifference to everyone else, with a +heartache which might have excused even less "softness of manner" than +Diamond thought she displayed towards the girl beside her. + +At length a little commotion, and movement among the persons standing +near the door, announced a new arrival. Rhoda felt sick, and grasped the +back of Minnie's chair so hard that her little glove was split by the +force of the pressure. But that horrible sensation passed away in a few +seconds. And then, looking up with renewed powers of seeing and hearing, +she perceived that Mrs. Errington had made her entrance alone, and was +holding forth in her mellow voice to Dr. and Mrs. Bodkin, and a knot of +other persons in the centre of the room. + +Mrs. Errington was radiant. She nodded and smiled to one and another +with an almost royal suavity and condescension. She was attired in a +rich dove-coloured silk gown (Lord Seely's gift to her at her son's +wedding), and wore rose-coloured ribbons in her lace cap, and looked +altogether as handsome and happy a matron of her years as you would +easily find in a long summer's day. + +"I have sent back the carriage for them, dear Mrs. Bodkin," she was +saying, when Rhoda gained self-possession enough to take account of her +words. "Naughty Castalia was not ready. So I said, 'My dear children, I +shall go on without you, and put in an appearance for one member of the +family at least!' So here I am. And my boy and girl will be here +directly. And how is dear Minnie?--How d'ye do, Colonel?--Good evening, +Miss Chubb.--Ah, Alethea! Papa and mamma quite well?--Oh, there she is! +How are you, my dear Minnie? But I need not ask, for I never saw you +looking so well?" + +By this time Mrs. Errington had arrived at Minnie's chair, and stooped +to kiss her. Almost at the same moment she caught sight of Rhoda, who +shrank back a little, flushed and trembling. Mrs. Errington thought she +very well understood the cause of this, and thought to herself, "Poor +child, she is ashamed of her father's behaviour!" + +"What, my pretty Rhoda!" she said aloud. And, drawing the girl to her, +kissed her warmly. "I'm very glad to see you again, child," continued +Mrs. Errington; "I began to fancy we were not to meet any more. You must +come and see me, and spend a long day. I suppose that won't be against +the laws of the Medes and Persians, eh?" + +The familiar voice, the familiar looks, the kind manner of her old +friend, helped to put Rhoda at her ease. The fact, too, that Mrs. +Errington had no suspicion of her feelings was calming. Mrs. Errington +was not apt to suspect people of any feeling but gratification, when she +was talking to them. + +In the full glow of her satisfaction Mrs. Errington even condescended to +be gracious to Matthew Diamond, who came forward to offer his +congratulations. "Why, yes, Mr. Diamond," said the good lady, "it is +indeed a marriage after my own heart. And I do not think I am blinded by +the partiality of a mother, when I say the bride's family are quite as +gratified at the alliance as I am. Do you know that one of Mrs. +Algernon's relatives is the Duke of Mackelpie and Brose? A distant +relative, it is true. But these Scotch clans, you know, call cousins to +the twentieth degree! His Grace sent Castalia a beautiful wedding +present: a cairn-gorm, set in solid silver. So characteristic, you know! +and so distinguished! No vulgar finery. Oh, the Broses and the +Kauldkails have been connected from time immemorial." + +Then Colonel Whistler came up, and joined the circle round Mrs. +Errington's chair; and Miss Chubb, whose curiosity generally got the +better of her dignity when it came to a struggle between the two. To +them sauntered up Alethea Dockett on the arm of Mr. Pawkins. The latter, +finding it impossible to draw Rhoda into conversation, had +philosophically transferred his attentions to the smiling, black-eyed +Miss Alethea, much to the disgust and scorn of the McDougalls. + +Mrs. Errington soon had a numerous audience around her chair, and she +improved the occasion by indulging in such flourishes as fairly +staggered her hearers. Her account of the bride's trousseau was almost +oriental in the splendour and boldness of its imagery. And Matthew +Diamond began to believe that, with very small encouragement, she might +be led on to endow her daughter-in-law with the roc's egg, which even +Aladdin could not compass the possession of, when a diversion took +place. + +Algernon Errington appeared close behind Miss Chubb, and said, almost in +her ear, and in his old jaunty way, "Well, is this the way you cut an +old friend? Oh, Miss Chubb, I couldn't have believed it of you!" + +The little spinster turned round quite fluttered, with both her fat +little hands extended. "Algy!" she cried. "But I beg pardon; I ought not +to call you by that familiar name now, I suppose!" + +"By what name, then? I hope you don't mean to cut me in earnest!" + +Then there was a general hand-shaking and exchange of greetings among +the group. Rhoda was still in her old place behind Minnie's chair, and +was invisible at first to one coming to the circle from the other end of +the room, as Algernon had done. But in a minute he saw her, and for once +his self-possession temporarily forsook him. + +If he had walked into the sitting-room at old Max's, and seen Rhoda +there, in her accustomed place by his mother's knee, with the accustomed +needlework in her hand, and dressed in the accustomed grey stuff frock, +he might have accosted her with tolerable coolness and _aplomb_. The old +associations, which might have unnerved some soft-hearted persons, would +have strengthened Algernon by vividly recalling his own habitual +ascendancy and superiority over his former love. But instead of the +Rhoda he had been used to see, here was a lovely young lady, elegantly, +even richly, dressed, received among the chief personages of her little +world evidently on equal terms, and looking as gracefully in her right +place there as the best of them. + +Algernon stood for a second, staring point-blank at her, unable to move +or to speak. His embarrassment gave her courage. Not less to her own +surprise than to that of the two who were watching her so keenly, she +rose from her chair, and held out her hand with the little torn glove on +it, saying in a soft voice, that was scarcely at all unsteady, "How do +you do, Mr. Errington?" + +Algernon shook her proffered hand, and murmured something about having +scarcely recognised her. Then someone else began to speak to him, and he +turned away, as Rhoda resumed her seat, trembling from head to foot. + +So the dreaded meeting was over! Let her see him again as often as she +might, no second interview could be looked forward to with the same +anxious apprehension as the first. She had seen Algernon once more! She +had spoken to him, and touched his hand! + +It seemed very strange that no outward thing should have changed, when +such a moving drama had been going on within her heart! But not one of +the faces around her showed any consciousness that they had witnessed a +scene from the old, old story; that the clasp of those two young hands +had meant at once, "Hail!" and "Farewell!"--farewell to the sweet, +foolish dream, to the innocent tenderness of youth and maiden, to the +soft thrilling sense of love's presence, that was wont to fill so many +hours of life with a diffused sweetness, like the perfume of hidden +flowers! + +No; the world seemed to go on much as usual. The McDougalls came +flouncing up close beside her, to tell Minnie that they had just been +introduced to "the Honourable Mrs. Errington;" and a very young +gentleman (one of Dr. Bodkin's senior scholars) asked Rhoda if she had +had any tea yet, and begged to recommend the pound-cake, from his own +personal experience. + +"Go with Mr. Ingleby," said Minnie, authoritatively. "I put Miss +Maxfield under your charge, Ingleby, and shall hold you responsible for +her being properly attended to in the tea-room." + +The lad, colouring with pleasure, led off the unresisting Rhoda. All her +force of will, all her courage, seemed to have been expended in the +effort of greeting Algernon. She simply obeyed Miss Bodkin with listless +docility. But, on reaching the tea-room, she was conscious that her +friend had done wisely and kindly in sending her away, for there were +but two persons there. One was Mr. Dockett, who was as inveterate a +tea-drinker as Doctor Johnson; and the other was the Reverend Peter +Warlock, hovering hungrily near the cake-basket. Neither of these +gentlemen took any special notice of her, and she was able to sit quiet +and unobserved. Her cavalier conscientiously endeavoured to fulfil Miss +Minnie's injunctions, but was greatly disappointed by the indifference +which Rhoda manifested to the pound-cake. However, he endeavoured to +make up for her shortcomings by devouring such a quantity of that +confection himself as startled even Dr. Bodkin's old footman, accustomed +to the appetites of many a generation of school-boys. + +But all this time where was the bride? The party was given especially in +her honour, and to omit her from any description of it would be an +unpardonable solecism. + +The Honourable Mrs. Algernon Ancram Errington sat on a sofa in the +principal drawing-room, with a discontented expression of countenance, +superciliously surveying the company through her eye-glass, and asking +where Algernon was, if he were absent from her side for five minutes. +Castalia was looking in better health than when we first had the honour +of making her acquaintance. She had grown a trifle stouter--or less +lean. Her sojourn in Westmoreland had been more favourable to her looks +than the fatigues of a London season, which, under other circumstances, +she would have been undergoing. Happiness is said to be a great +beautifier. And it was to be supposed that Castalia, having married the +man of her heart, was happy. But yet the fretful creases had not +vanished from her face; and there was even a more suspicious +watchfulness in her bright, deeply-set eyes than formerly. + +Perhaps it may be well to record a few of the various verdicts passed on +the bride's manners and appearance by our Whitford friends after that +first evening. Possibly an impartial judgment may be formed from them; +but it will be seen that opinions were strongly conflicting. + +Said Dr. Bodkin to his wife, "What can the boy have been thinking of to +marry that woman? A sickly, faded, fretful-looking person, nearly ten +years his senior! I can forgive a generous mistake, but not a mean one. +If he had run away with Ally Dockett from her boarding-school, it would, +no doubt, have been a misfortune, but--I don't know that one would have +loved him much the less!" + +"Oh, doctor!" + +"I am not counselling young gentlemen to run away with young ladies +from boarding-schools, my dear. But--I'm afraid this has been a marriage +wholly of interest and ambition on his side. Ah! I hoped better things +of Errington." And the doctor went on shaking his head for full a +minute. + +Said Mrs. Smith to Mrs. Dockett, "What do you think of the bride?" Said +Mrs. Dockett to Mrs. Smith, "A stuck-up, unpleasant little thing! And I +do wish somebody would tell her to keep her gown on her shoulders. I +assure you, if I were to see my Ally half undressed in that fashion, I +should box her ears. And Ally has a very pretty pair of shoulders, +though I say it. She is not a bag of bones, like Mrs. Algernon, at all +events." + +Said Miss Chubb to her old woman servant, "Well, the Honourable Mrs. +Algernon Errington is very _distangy_ looking, Martha. That's a French +word that means--means out of the common, aristocratic, you know. Very +_distangy_, certainly! But she lacks sentiment, in my opinion. And her +outline is very sharp, Martha. I prefer a rounder contour, both of face +and figure. Some of the ladies found fault with her because of her low +dress. But that--as I happen to know--is quite the custom with our upper +classes in town. Mrs. Figgins's--wife of the Bishop of Plumbunn, you +know, Martha--Mrs. Figgins's sister, who married Sir William Wick, of +the Honourable Company of Tallow Chandlers, I believe--that's a kind of +City society for dining sumptuously, Martha; you mustn't suppose it has +anything to do with selling tallow candles! Well, Lady Wick sat down to +dinner in low, every day of her life!" + +Mr. Diamond and young Pawkins walked a little way together from the +doctor's house to the "Blue Bell" inn. The master of Pudcombe Hall, on +attempting to resume his acquaintance with the bride, had been received +with scant courtesy. But this was not so much because Castalia intended +to be specially uncivil to him, as because at that moment it happened, +unfortunately, that she saw her husband in a distant part of the room +talking to Minnie Bodkin with an air of animation. + +"By Jove!" cried the ingenuous Pawkins, "I don't envy Errington. His +wife looks so uncommon ill-tempered, and turns up her honourable nose at +everybody." + +"She does not turn up her nose at him," returned Diamond. "And Errington +will not be over sensitive on behalf of his friends." + +"Oh, well! But she's so crabbed, somehow. One expects a bride to have +some kind of softness in her manners, and--hang it all, there's not a +particle of romance about her." + +"My dear fellow, if there is in the United Kingdom a young man of +three-and-twenty who can comfortably dispense with romance in his wife, +our friend Errington is that young man." + +"Oh, well! I know Errington's a very clever fellow, and all that, and +perhaps I'm a fool. But I--I shouldn't like my wife to be quite so cool +and cutting in her manners, that's all!" + +"Neither should I. And perhaps I'm a fool!" + +"Shouldn't you, now?" Orlando was encouraged by this admission on +Diamond's part, further, to express his opinion that it was all very +fine to stick "Honourable" before your name; but that, for his part, he +considered little Miss Maxfield to look fifty times more like a lady +than Mrs. Algernon. And as for good looks, there was, of course, no +comparison. And though Miss Maxfield was too shy and quiet, yet if you +offered her any little civility, she thanked you in such a sweet way +that a fellow felt as if he could do anything for her; whereas, some +women stare at a fellow enough to turn a fellow into stone. + +But the Misses McDougall were enthusiastic in their praises of +Algernon's wife. They performed a sort of Carmen Amoeboeum after +this fashion: + +_Rose._ "That sweet creature, the Honourable Mrs. Algernon! I can't get +her out of my head." + +_Violet._ "Dear thing! What high-bred manners! And did she tell you that +we are positively related? The Mackelpies, you know, call cousins with +us. There was the branch that went off from the elder line of +Brose"--&c. &c. &c. + +_Rose._ "Oh yes; one feels at home directly with people of one's own +class. How lucky Algernon has been to get such a wife, instead of some +chit of a girl who would have had no weight in society!" + +_Violet._ "Yes; but she's quite young enough, Rose?" + +_Rose._ "Oh, dear me, of course! But I meant that Algernon has shown his +sense in not selecting a bread-and-butter Miss. I own I detest +school-girls." + +_Violet._ "She asked us to go and see her. Do you know I think we were +the only girls in the room she seemed to take to at all! Even Minnie +Bodkin, now--she was very cool, I thought, to Minnie." + +_Rose._ "My dear child, how often have I told you that the people here +have quite a mistaken estimate of Minnie Bodkin? They have just spoiled +her. Her airs are really ludicrous. But directly a person of superior +birth comes to the place you see how it is! Perhaps you'll believe me +another time. I do think you were half inclined to fall down and worship +Minnie yourself!" + +_Violet._ "Oh no; not that! But she is very clever, you know. And, in +spite of her affliction, I thought she looked wonderfully handsome +to-night." + +_Rose._ (Sharply.) "Pshaw! She was dressed up like an actress. I saw the +look Mrs. Algernon gave her. How beautifully Mrs. Algernon had her hair +done!" + +_Violet._ "And did you notice that little flounce at the bottom of her +dress?"----&c. &c. + +_Both._ (Almost together.) "Isn't she charming, uncle?" + +"Very," answered Colonel Whistler, twirling his moustaches. Then the +gallant gentleman, as he took his bed-candle, was heard to mutter +something which sounded like "d----d skinny!" + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +"Love in a cottage" is a time-honoured phrase, which changes its +significance considerably, according to the lips that utter it. To some +persons, Love in a cottage would be suggestive of dreary obscurity, +privation, cold mutton, and one maid-of-all-work. To others, it might +mean a villa with its lawn running down to the Thames, a basket-phaeton +and pair of ponies, and the modest simplicity of footmen without powder. +To another class of minds, again, Love in a cottage might stand for a +comprehensive hieroglyph of honest affection, sufficiently robust to +live and thrive even on a diet of cold mutton, and warm-blooded enough +to defy the nip of poverty's east winds. + +Lady Seely had joked, in her cheerful, candid way, with her niece-in-law +about her establishment in life, and had said, "Well, Castalia, you'll +have love in a cottage, at all events! Some people are worse off. And at +your age, you know (quite between ourselves), you must think yourself +lucky to get a husband at all." + +Miss Kilfinane had made some retort to the effect that she did not +intend to remain all her life in a cottage, with or without love; and +that if Lord Seely could do nothing for Ancram, she (Castalia) had other +connections who might be more influential. + +But, in truth, Castalia did think that she could be quite content to +live with Algernon Errington under a thatched roof; having only a +conventional and artificial conception of such a dwelling, derived +chiefly from lithographed drawing-copies. It was not, of course, that +Castalia Kilfinane did not know that thatched hovels are frequently +comfortless, ill-ventilated, "the noted haunt of" earwigs, and limited +in the accommodation necessary for a genteel family. But such knowledge +was packed away in some quite different department of her mind from that +which habitually contemplated her own personal existence, present and +future. Wiser folks than Castalia are apt to anticipate exceptions to +general laws in their own favour. + +Castalia was undoubtedly in love with Algernon. That is to say, she +would have liked better to be his wife in poverty and obscurity, than to +accept a title and a handsome settlement from any other man whom she had +ever seen; although she would probably have taken the latter had the +chance been offered to her. + +Nor is that bringing so hard an accusation against her as may at first +sight appear. She would have liked best to be Algernon's wife; but for +penniless Castalia Kilfinane to marry a poor man when she might have had +a rich one, would have required her to disregard some of the strongest +and most vital convictions of the persons among whom she lived. Let +their words be what they might, their deeds irrefragably proved that +they held poverty to be the one fatal, unforgiven sin, which so covered +any multitude of virtues as utterly to hide and overwhelm them. You +could no more expect Castalia to be impervious to this creed, than you +could expect a sapling to draw its nourishment from a distant soil, +rather than from the earth immediately around its roots. To be sure +there have been vigorous young trees that would strike out tough +branching fibres to an incredible distance, in search of the food that +was best for them. Such human plants are rare; and poor narrow-minded, +ill-educated Castalia was not of them. + +Had she been much beloved, it is possible that she might have ripened +into sweetness under that celestial sunshine. But it was not destined to +be hers. + +In some natures the giving even of unrequited love is beautifying to +the character. But I think that in such cases the beauty is due to that +pathetic compassion which blends with all love of a high nature for a +lower one. Do you think that all the Griseldas believe in their lords' +wisdom and justice? Do you fancy that the fathers of prodigal sons do +not oftentimes perceive the young vagabonds' sins and shortcomings with +a terrible perspicuity that pierces the poor fond heart like sharp +steel? Do you not know that Cordelia saw more quickly and certainly than +the sneering, sycophant courtiers, every weakness and vanity of the +rash, choleric old king? But there are hearts in which such knowledge is +transmuted not into bitter resentment, but into a yearning, angelic +pity. Only, in order to feel this pity, we must rise to some point above +the erring one. Now poor Castalia had been so repressed by "low +ambition," and the petty influences of a poverty ever at odds with +appearances, that the naturally weak wings of her spirit seemed to have +lost all power of soaring. + +The earliest days Mrs. Algernon Errington spent in her new home were +passed in making a series of disagreeable discoveries. The first +discovery was that a six-roomed brick cottage is, practically, a far +less commodious dwelling than any she had hitherto lived in. The walls +of Ivy Lodge (that was the name of the little house, which had not a +twig of greenery to soften its bare red face) appeared so slight that +she fancied her conversation could be overheard by the passersby in the +road. The rooms were so small that her dress seemed to fill them to +overflowing, although those were not the days of crinolines and long +trains. The little staircase was narrow and steep. The kitchen was so +close to the living rooms that, at dinner-time, the whole house seemed +to exhale a smell of roast mutton. The stowing away of her wardrobe +taxed to the utmost the ingenuity of her maid. And the few articles of +furniture which Lady Seely had raked out from disused sitting-rooms, +appeared almost as Brobdingnagian in Ivy Lodge as real tables and chairs +would seem beside the furniture of a doll's house. + +A second discovery--made very quickly after her arrival in Whitford--was +still more unpleasant. It was this: that a fine London-bred lady's-maid +is an inconvenient and unmanageable servant to introduce into a small +humble household. Poor Castalia "couldn't think what had come to +Slater!" And Slater went about with a thunderous brow and sulky mouth, +conveying by her manner a sort of contemptuous compassion for her +mistress, and a contempt by no means compassionate for everybody else in +the house. + +The stout Whitford servant-of-all-work offended her beyond forgiveness, +on the very first day of their acquaintance, by bluntly remarking that +well-cooked bacon and cabbage was a good-enough dinner for anybody; and +that if Mrs. Slater had see'd as many hungry folks as she (Polly) had, +she would say her grace and fall-to with a thankful heart instead of +turning up her nose, and picking at good wholesome victuals with a fork! +Moreover, Polly was not in the least awe-stricken by Mrs. Slater's black +silk gown, or the gold watch she wore at her belt. She observed, +cheerfully, that such-like fine toggery was all very well at church or +chapel; and, for her part, she always had, and always would, put a bit +of a flower in her bonnet on Sundays, and them mississes as didn't like +it must get some one else to serve 'em. But, when she was about her +work, she liked to be dressed in working clothes. And a servant as +wanted to bring second-hand parlour manners into the kitchen seemed to +her a poor cretur'--neither fish, flesh, fowl, nor good red-herring. + +All which indignities Slater visited on her mistress, finding it +impossible to disconcert or repress Polly, who only laughed heartily at +her genteelest flights. + +But these things were not the worst. The worst was that Algernon showed +very plainly a disinclination to sympathise with his wife's annoyance, +and his intention of withdrawing himself from all domestic troubles, as +if he considered them to be clearly no concern of his. Mrs. Errington, +indeed, would have come to the rescue of her daughter-in-law, but +neither of Mrs. Algernon's servants were disposed to submit to Mrs. +Errington's authority. And the good lady was no more inclined than her +son to take trouble and expose herself to unpleasantness for any one +else's sake. + +Castalia and her mother-in-law did not grow more attached to each other +the more intimate their acquaintance became. They had one sentiment in +common--namely, love for Algernon. But this sentiment did not tend to +unite them. Indeed--putting the rivalry of lovers out of the question, +of course--it would be a mistake to conclude that because A and B both +love C, therefore A and B must love each other. Mrs. Errington thought +that Castalia worried Algernon by complaints. Castalia thought that Mrs. +Errington was often a thorn in her son's side by reason of her +indulgence in the opposite feelings; that is to say, over-sanguine and +boastful prognostications. + +"My dear Algy," his mother would say, "there is not the least doubt that +you have a brilliant career before you. Your talents were appreciated by +the highest in the land, directly you became known to them. It is +impossible that you should be left here in the shade. No, no; Whitford +won't hold you long. Of that I am certain!" + +To which Castalia would reply that Whitford ought never to have held him +at all; that the post he filled there was absurdly beneath his standing +and abilities, and that Lord Seely would never have dreamt of offering +Ancram such a position if it had not been for my lady, who is the most +selfish, domineering woman in the world. + +"I'm sorry to have to say it, Mrs. Errington, since she is your +relation. And you needn't suppose that she cares any the more for Ancram +because he's her far-away cousin. At most, she only looks upon him as a +kind of poor relation that ought to put up with anything. And she's +always abusing her own family. She said to Uncle Val, in my presence, +that the Ancrams could never be satisfied, do what you would for them; +so he might as well make up his mind to that, first as last. She told me +to my face, the week before I was married, that Ancram and I ought to go +down on our knees in thankfulness to her, for having got us a decent +living. That was pretty impudent from her to a Kilfinane, I think!" + +Algernon laughed with impartial good-humour at his mother's +rose-coloured visions and his wife's gloomier views; but the good humour +was a little cynical, and his eyes had lost their old sparkle of +enjoyment; or, at least, it shone there far less frequently than +formerly. + +As to his business--his superintendence of the correspondence, by +letter, between Whitford and the rest of the civilised world--that, it +must be owned, seemed to sit lightly on the new postmaster. There was an +elderly clerk in the office, named Gibbs. He was uncle to Miss Bodkin's +maid Jane and her brother the converted groom, and was himself a member +of the Wesleyan Society. Mr. Gibbs had been employed many years in the +Whitford Post-office, and understood the routine of its business very +well. Algernon relied on Mr. Gibbs, he said, and made himself very +pleasant in his dealings with that functionary. What was the use, he +asked, of disturbing and harassing a tried servant by a too restless +supervision? He thought it best, if you trusted your subordinates at +all, to trust them thoroughly. + +And, certainly, Mr. Gibbs was very thoroughly trusted; so much so, +indeed, that all the trouble and responsibility of the office-work +appeared to be shifted on to his shoulders. Yet Mr. Gibbs seemed not to +be discontented with this state of things. Possibly he looked forward to +promotion. Algernon's wife and mother freely gave it to be understood in +the town that Whitford was not destined long to have the honour of +retaining Mr. Ancram Errington. Mr. Gibbs did the work; and, perhaps, +he hoped eventually to receive the pay. Why should he not step into the +vacant place of postmaster, when his chief should be translated to a +higher sphere? + +I daresay that, in these times of general reform, of competitive +examinations and official purity, no such state of things could be +possible as existed in the Whitford Post-office forty odd years ago. I +have only faithfully to record the events of my story, and to express my +humble willingness to believe that, nowadays, "_nous avons change tout +cela_." I must, however, be allowed distinctly to assert, and +unflinchingly to maintain, that Algernon took no pains to acquire any +knowledge of his business; and that, nevertheless, the postal +communications between Whitford and the rest of the world appeared to go +on much as they had gone on during the reign of his predecessor. + +Mr. Gibbs was a close, quiet man, grave and sparing of speech. He had +known something of the Erringtons for many years, having been a crony of +old Maxfield's once upon a time. Mr. Gibbs remembered seeing Algernon's +smiling, rosy face and light figure flitting through the long passage at +old Max's in his school-boy days. He remembered having once or twice met +the majestic Mrs. Errington in the doorway; and could recollect quite +well how the tinkling sound of the harpsichord and Algy's fresh young +voice used to penetrate into the back parlour on prayer-meeting nights, +and fill the pauses between Brother Jackson's nasal dronings or Brother +Powell's passionate supplications. Mr. Gibbs had not then conceived a +favourable idea of the Erringtons, looking on them as worldly and +unconverted persons, of whom Jonathan Maxfield would do well to purge +his house. But Mr. Gibbs kept his official life and his private life +very perfectly asunder, and he allowed no sectarian prejudices to make +him rusty and unmanageable in his relations with the new postmaster. + +Then, Mr. Gibbs was not altogether proof against the charm of Algy's +manner. Once upon a time Algy had been pleasant to all the world, for +the sheer pleasure of pleasing. Years, in their natural course, had a +little hardened the ductility of his compliant manners--a little +roughened the smoothness of his once almost flawless temper. But +disappointment, and the--to Algernon--almost unendurable sense that he +stood lower in his friends' admiration (I do not say estimation) than +formerly, had changed him more rapidly than the mere course of time +would have done. Still, when Mr. Ancram Errington strongly desired to +attract, persuade, or fascinate, there were few persons who could resist +him. He found it worth while to fascinate Mr. Gibbs, desiring not only +that his clerk should carry his burden for him, but should carry it so +cheerfully and smilingly as to make him feel comfortable and complacent +at having made the transfer. + +I have said that disappointment had changed Algernon. He was +disappointed in his marriage. It was not that he had been a victim to +any romantic illusions as regarded his wife. He had had his little +love-romance some time ago; had it, and tasted it, and enjoyed it as a +child enjoys a fairy tale, feeling that it belongs to quite another +realm from the everyday world of nursery dinners, Latin grammars, and +torn pinafores, and not in the least expecting to see Fanfreluche fly +down the chimney into the school-room, or to find Cinderella's glass +slipper on the stairs as he goes up to bed. Romances that touch the +fancy only, and in which the heart has no share, are easily put off and +on. Algernon had wilfully laid his romance aside, and did not regret it. +Castalia's lack of charm, and sweetness, and sympathy would not greatly +have troubled him--did he not know it all beforehand?--had she been able +to help him into a brilliant position, and to cause him to be received +and caressed by her noble relatives and the delightful world of +fashionable society. It was not that she failed to put any sunlight into +his days, and to fill his home with a sweet atmosphere of love and +trust. Algy would willingly enough have dispensed with that sort of +sunshine if he could but have had plenty of wax candles and fine +crystal lustres for them to sparkle in. Give him a handsome suite of +drawing-rooms, filled with the rich odours of pastille and pot-pourri, +and Algy would make no sickly lamentations over the absence of any +"sweet atmosphere" such as I have written of above. Only put his +attractive figure into a suitable frame, and he would be sure to receive +praise and sympathy enough, and to have a pleasant life of it. + +No; he could not accuse himself of having been the victim of any +sentimental illusion in marrying Castalia. And yet he had been cheated! +He had bestowed himself without receiving the due _quid pro quo_. In a +word, he began to fear that it had not been worth his while to marry the +Honourable Miss Kilfinane. And sometimes the thought darted like a +twinge of pain through the young man's mind--might it not have been +worth his while to marry someone else? + +"Someone else" was talked of as an heiress. "Someone else" was said by +the gossips to be so good a match that she might have her pick of the +town--aye, and a good chance among the county people! But Algernon +smothered down all vain and harassing speculations founded on an "if it +had been!" Neither did he by any means hopelessly resign himself to his +present position, nor despair of obtaining a better one. He persisted +in looking on his employment as merely provisional and temporary; so +that, in fact, the worse things became in his Whitford life, the less he +would do to mend them, taking every fresh disgust and annoyance as a new +reason why--according to any rationally conceivable theory of events--he +must speedily be removed to a region in which a gentleman of his +capacities for refined enjoyment might be free to exercise them, +untrammelled by vulgar cares. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +It was true that Mrs. Algernon Errington had distinguished the Misses +McDougall, by her notice, above all the other ladies whom she met at Dr. +Bodkin's. The rest had by no means found favour in her eyes. Minnie +Bodkin she decidedly disapproved of. Ally Dockett was "a little +black-eyed, fat, flirting thing." The elder ladies were frumps, or +frights, or bores. Rhoda Maxfield she had scarcely seen. On the evening +of the Bodkins' party, Rhoda, as we know, had kept herself studiously in +the background. + +Mrs. Errington intended to present Rhoda to her daughter-in-law as her +own especial pet and _protegee_, but a favourable moment for fulfilling +this intention did not offer itself. Rhoda had not distinctly expressed +any unwillingness to be taken to Ivy Lodge, and it could never enter +into Mrs. Errington's head to guess that she felt such unwillingness. +But in some way the project seemed to be eluded; so that Castalia had +been some weeks in Whitford without making the acquaintance of Miss +Maxfield, as she began to be called, even by some of those to whom she +had been "Old Max's little Rhoda" all her life. + +Castalia, indeed, troubled her head very little about Rhoda, under +whatever style or title she might be mentioned. We may be sure that +Algernon never spoke to his wife of the old days at the Maxfields; +indeed, he eschewed all allusion to that name as much as possible. +Castalia knew from Mrs. Errington that there had been a young girl in +the house where she had lodged, the daughter of the grocer, who was her +landlord; but, being pretty well accustomed to Mrs. Errington's +highly-coloured descriptions of things and people, she had paid no +attention to that lady's praises of Rhoda's intelligence, good looks, +and pretty manners. + +No; Castalia troubled not her head about Rhoda. But she was troubled +about Minnie Bodkin, of whom she became bitterly jealous. She did not +suppose, to be sure, that her husband had ever made love to Miss Bodkin; +but she was constantly tormented by the suspicion that Algernon was +admiring Minnie, and comparing her beauty, wit, and accomplishments with +those of his wife, to the disadvantage of the latter. Not that she +(Castalia) admired her. Far from it! But--she was just the sort of +person to be taking with men. She had such a forward, confident, showy +way with her! + +Some speech of this sort being uttered in the presence of the Misses +McDougall, was seized upon, and echoed, and re-echoed, and made much of +by those young ladies, who pounced on poor Minnie, and tore her to +pieces with great skill and gusto. Violet, indeed, made a feeble protest +now and then on behalf of her friend; but how was she to oppose her +sister and that sweet Mrs. Algernon? And then, in conscience and +candour, she could not but admit that poor dear Minnie had many and +glaring faults. + +In fact, Rose and Violet McDougall were installed as toadies in ordinary +to Castalia. They were her dearest friends; they called her by her +Christian-name; they flattered her weaknesses, and encouraged her worst +traits; not, we may charitably believe, with the full consciousness of +what they were doing. For her part, Castalia soon got into the habit of +liking to have these ladies about her. They performed many little +offices which saved her trouble; they were devoted to her interests, and +brought her news of the doings of the opposite faction. For there was an +opposite faction; or Castalia persuaded herself that there was. The +Bodkins were ranged in it, in her jealous fancy; and so were the +Docketts, and one or two more of Algernon's old friends. Miss Chubb she +considered to hover as yet on neutral ground. As to the unmarried +men--young Pawkins, Mr. Diamond, and the curate of St. Chad's--they were +not much taken into account in this species of subterranean warfare, +carried on with an arsenal of sneers, stares, slights, hints, +coolnesses, bridlings, envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness. + +I have said that the warfare was subterranean; occult, as it were. Had +the enemy been actuated by similar feelings to those of Castalia and her +party, hostilities must have blazed up openly. But most of them did not +even know that they were being assailed. Among these unconscious ones +were Dr. and Mrs. Bodkin. Minnie had at times a suspicion that Algy's +wife disliked her. But then the manners of Algy's wife were not genial +or gracious to anyone, and Minnie could not but feel a certain +compassion for her, which extinguished resentment at her sour words and +ways. + +With the rest of the Whitford society, the bride did not enter into +intimate, or even amicable, relations. She offended most of the worthy +matrons who called on her by merely returning her card, and not even +asking to be admitted to see them. As to offering any entertainment in +return for the hospitalities that were offered to her during the first +weeks that she dwelt in Whitford, that, Castalia said, was out of the +question. How could more than two persons sit at table in her little +dining-room? And how was it possible to receive company in Ivy Lodge? + +But Whitford was not quite of her opinion in this matter. It was true +her rooms were small; but were they smaller than Mrs. Jones's, who gave +three tea-parties every year, and received her friends in detachments? +Why was Ivy Lodge less adapted for festive purposes than Dr. Smith's +house in the High Street?--a queer, ancient, crooked nook of a dwelling, +squeezed in between two larger neighbours, with a number of tiny dark +rooms like closets; in which, nevertheless, some of the best crumpets +and tea-cakes known to that community, not to mention little lobster +suppers in the season, had been consumed by the Smiths' friends with +much satisfaction. As Mrs. Dockett observed, it was not so much what you +gave as the spirit you gave it in that mattered! And she was not +ashamed, not she, to recall the time, in the beginning of Mr. Dockett's +career, when she had with her own hands prepared a welsh rabbit and a +jorum of spiced ale for a little party of friends, having nothing +better to offer them for supper. In a word, it was Whitford's creed that +even the most indigestible food, freely bestowed, might bless him that +gave and him that received; and that if the Algernon Erringtons did not +offer anyone so much as a cup of tea in their house, the real reason was +to be sought in the lady's proud reserve and a general state of feeling +which Mrs. Dockett described as "stuck-upishness." + +Castalia was unaccustomed to walking, and disliked that exercise. Riding +was out of her power, no saddle-horse that would carry a lady being kept +for hire in Whitford, and the jingling old fly from the "Blue Bell" inn +was employed to carry her to such houses as she deigned to visit at. Her +mother-in-law's lodging was not very frequently honoured by her +presence. The stairs frightened her, she said; they were like a ladder. +Mrs. Thimbleby's oblong drawing-room was a horrible little den. She had +had no idea that ladies and gentlemen ever lived in such places. In +truth, Castalia's anticipations of the Erringtons' domestic life at +Whitford had by no means prepared her for the reality. Ancram had told +her he was poor, certainly. Poor! Yes, but Jack Price was poor also. And +Jack Price's valet was far better lodged than her mother-in-law. +However, occasionally the jingling fly did draw up before the widow +Thimbleby's door, and Castalia was seen to alight from it with a +discontented expression of countenance, and to pick her way with raised +skirts over the cleanly sanded doorstep. + +One day, when she entered the oblong drawing-room, Castalia perceived +that Mrs. Errington was not there; but, instead of her, there was a +young lady, sitting at work by the window, who lifted a lovely, blushing +face as Castalia entered the room, and stammered out, in evident +embarrassment, that Mrs. Errington would be there in a few minutes, and, +meanwhile, would not the lady take a seat? + +"I am Mrs. Ancram Errington," said Castalia, looking curiously at the +girl. + +"Yes; I know. I--I saw you at Dr. Bodkin's. I am spending the day with +Mrs. Errington. She is very kind to me." + +Algernon's wife seated herself in the easy-chair, and leisurely surveyed +the young woman before her. Her first thought was, "How well she's +dressed!" her second, "She seems very bashful and timid; quite afraid of +me!" And this second thought was not displeasing to Mrs. Algernon; for, +in general, she had not been treated by the "provincial bumpkins," as +she called them, with all the deference and submission due to her rank. + +The girl's hands were nervously occupied with some needlework. The flush +had faded from her face, and left it delicately pale, except a faint +rose-tint in the cheeks. Her shining brown hair waved in soft curls on +to her neck. Mrs. Algernon sat looking at her, and critically observing +the becoming hue of her green silk gown, the taste and richness of a +gold brooch at her throat, the whiteness of the shapely hand that was +tremulously plying the needle. All at once a guess came into her mind, +and she asked, suddenly: + +"Is your name Maxfield?" + +"Yes; Rhoda Maxfield," returned the girl, blushing more deeply and +painfully than before. + +"Why, I have heard of you!" exclaimed Mrs. Algernon. "You must come and +see me." + +Rhoda was so alarmed at the pitch of agitation to which she was brought +by this speech, that she made a violent effort to control it, and +answered with, more calmness than she had hitherto displayed: + +"Mrs. Errington has spoken once or twice of bringing me to your house; +but--I did not like to intrude. And, besides----" + +"Oh, Mrs. Errington brings all sorts of tiresome people to see me; she +may as well bring a nice person for once in a way." + +Castalia was meaning to be very gracious. + +"Yes; I mean--but then--my father might not like me to come and see +you," blurted out Rhoda, with a sort of quiet desperation. + +Mrs. Algernon opened her eyes very wide. + +"Why, for goodness' sake? Oh, he had some quarrel or other with Mrs. +Errington, hadn't he? Never mind, that must be all forgotten, or he +wouldn't let you come here. I believe the truth is, that Mrs. Errington +meant slyly to keep you to herself, and I shan't stand that." + +Indeed, Castalia more than half believed this to be the case. And, +partly from a sheer spirit of opposition to her mother-in-law--partly +from the suspicious jealousy of her nature, that led her to do those +things which she fancied others cunningly wished to prevent her from +doing--she began to think she would patronise Rhoda and enlist her into +her own faction. Besides, Rhoda was sweet-voiced, submissive, humble. +Certainly, she would be a pleasanter sort of pet and tame animal to +encourage about the house than Rose McDougall, who, with all her +devotion, claimed a _quid pro quo_ for her services, and dwelt on her +kinship with the daughter of Lord Kauldkail, and talked of their "mutual +ancestry" to an extent that Castalia had begun to consider a bore. + +At this moment Mrs. Errington bustled into the room, holding a small +roll of yellow lace in her hand. "I have found it, Rhoda," she cried. +"This little bit is nearly the same pattern as the trimming on the cap, +and, if we join the frilling----" Here she perceived Mrs. Algernon's +presence, and stopped her speech with an exclamation of surprise: "Good +gracious! is that you, Castalia? How long have you been here? This is an +unexpected pleasure. Now you can give us your advice about the trimming +of my cap, which Rhoda has undertaken for me." + +Castalia did not rise from the easy-chair, but turned her cheek to +receive the elder lady's kiss. Rhoda gathered up her work, and moved to +go away. + +"Don't run away, Rhoda!" cried Mrs. Errington. "We have no secrets to +talk, have we, Castalia? You know my little friend Rhoda, do you not? +She is a great pet of mine?" + +"Oh, I will go and sit in your bedroom, if I may," muttered Rhoda, +hurriedly. "I--I don't like to be in your way." And with a little +confused courtesy to Mrs. Algernon, she slipped out of the room and +closed the door behind her. + +"She is such a shy little thing!" exclaimed Mrs. Errington. + +"Well," returned Castalia, "it is a comfort to meet with any Whitford +person that knows her place! They are the most presumptuous set of +creatures, in general, that I ever came across." + +"Oh, Rhoda Maxfield's manners are never at fault, I assure you; I formed +her myself, with considerable care and pains." + +"She seems to make herself useful, too!" observed Castalia with a +languid sneer. + +"That she does, indeed, my dear! Most useful. Her taste and skill in any +little matter of needlework are quite extraordinary. Poor child! she is +so delighted to do anything for me. She is devotedly attached to me, and +very grateful. Her father really did behave abominably, and she feels it +very much, and wishes to make up for it. No doubt the old man repents of +his folly and ill-humour now; but, of course, I can have nothing more to +say to him. However, I willingly allow the girl to do any little thing +she can. She has just been trimming this cap for me most exquisitely!" + +Castalia thought, more and more, that it would be worth her while to +patronise Rhoda. + +"I shall go to old Maxfield myself, and get him to let her come to my +house," said she, as she took leave of her mother-in-law, and slowly +made her way down Mrs. Thimbleby's ladder-like staircase, holding fast +to the banisters with one hand, and not lifting one of her feet from a +step until the other was firmly planted beside it. + +On returning home that evening, Rhoda was greatly startled by her +father's words, "Well, Miss Maxfield, here's a honourable missis been +begging for the pleasure of your company!" + +Rhoda turned pale and red, and said something in too low a tone to meet +her father's ear. + +"Oh yes," the old man went on; "the Honourable Mrs. Algernon Ancram +Errington has been here, if you please! Well, I wish that young man joy +of his bargain! Our little Sally is ten times as well-favoured. Your +Aunt Betty saw her first; and, says she, 'Is Mr. Maxfield at home?'" + +"I answered that your father was engaged in business," said Betty +Grimshaw, taking up the narration. + +"You should ha' said I was serving in the shop," observed old Max, +doggedly, "and would sell her fine ladyship a penn'orth of gingerbread +if she'd a mind, and could find the penny!" + +"Nay, Jonathan, how could I have said that to the lady? Says she, 'I +wish to say a word to him.' So I showed her into your drawing-room, +Rhoda, and called your father, and----" + +"And there she sat," interrupted the old man, with unwonted eagerness in +his face and his voice, "in a far better place than any she has of her +own, if all accounts are true, looking about her as curious as a ferret. +I walked in, in my calico sleeves and my apron----" + +("He wouldn't take them off," put in Betty, parenthetically.) + +"No; I wouldn't. And she told me she was come to ask my leave to have my +daughter Rhoda at her house. 'Of course you'll let her come,' she says, +'for you let her go to Mrs. Errington's and to Mrs. Bodkin's?' 'Why, as +to that,' says I, 'I'm rather partic'lar where Miss Maxfield visits.' +You should have seen her stare. She looked fairly astounded." + +"Oh, father!" + +"Did I not speak the truth? I _am_ partic'lar where you visit. I told +her plainly that you was in a very different position from the rest of +the family. 'I am a plain tradesman,' said I. 'I have my own place and +my own influence, and I have been marvellously upholden in my walk of +light. But my daughter Rhoda is a lady of the Lord's own making, and +must be treated as such. And she has plenty of this world's gear, for +my endeavours have been abundantly blessed.'" + +"Oh, father!" + +"'Oh, father!'" repeated the old man, impatiently. "What did I say +amiss? I tell you the woman was cowed by me. I am in subjection to none +of their principalities and powers. The upshot was that I promised you +should go and take tea with her to-morrow evening." + +Rhoda was greatly surprised by this announcement, which was totally +unexpected. "Oh, father!" she exclaimed in a trembling voice, "why did +you say I should go?" + +"Why? For various sufficient reasons. Let that be enough for you." + +The truth was, that Castalia had more than hinted her suspicion that her +mother-in-law selfishly endeavoured to keep Rhoda under her own +influence, and to prevent her visiting elsewhere. And to thwart Mrs. +Errington would alone have been a powerful incentive with old Max. But a +far stronger motive with him was that he longed, with keen malice, that +Algernon should be forced painfully to contrast the love he had been +false to with the wife he had gained. He would have Algernon see Rhoda +rich, and well-dressed, and courted. If Rhoda would but have flaunted +her prosperity in Algernon's face, there was scarcely any sum of money +her father would have grudged for the pleasure of witnessing that +spectacle. But, although it was hopeless to expect Rhoda to display any +spirit of vengeance on her own behalf, yet she might be made the +half-unconscious instrument of a retribution that should gall and +mortify Algernon to the quick. That Rhoda herself might suffer in the +process was an idea to which (if it occurred to him) he would give no +harbourage. + +Rhoda sat silent until her aunt had left the room to prepare the supper +according to her habit. Then she rose, and, going close up to her +father, took his hand, and looked imploringly into his face. "Father," +she said, "don't make me go there. I--I can't bear it." + +"You can't bear it!" burst out old Maxfield. He scowled with a frown of +terrible malignity. But Rhoda well knew that his wrath was not directed +against her. She stood trembling and pale before him, whilst he spoke +more harsh and bitter words against all the family of the Erringtons +than she had ever heard him utter on that score. He dropped, too, for +the first time in her hearing, a hint that he had some power over +Algernon, and would use it to his detriment. Rhoda mustered courage to +ask him for an explanation of those words. But he merely answered, "No +matter. It is no matter. It is not the money. I shall not get it, nor do +I greatly heed it. But I can put him to shame publicly, if I am so +minded." + +The poor child began to perceive that any display of wounded feeling on +her part, of reluctance to meet Algernon and his wife, of being in any +degree crushed and dispirited, would inflame her father's wrath against +that family. And, although she had only the vaguest notions as to what +he could or could not do to spite them, she had a hundred reasons for +wishing to mitigate his animosity. + +So, with the gentle cunning that belonged to her nature, at once timid +and persistent, she began to unsay what she had said, and to try to +efface the impression which her first refusal had made upon her father. + +"I--I have been thinking that you are right, father, in saying it will +be best for me to go to Ivy Lodge. You know Mrs. Errington has always +been good to me, and it would please her, perhaps. And--and, after all, +why should I be afraid of going there?" + +"Afraid of going there!" echoed old Max, with sternly-set jaw and +puckered brow. "Why, indeed, should you be afraid? There's some as have +reason to be afraid, but not my daughter--not Miss Maxfield. Afraid!" + +"Perhaps people might think it strange if I did not go?" + +"People! What people?" + +"Well, no matter for that. But if you, father, think it well that I +should go----" + +"You shall go in a carriage from the 'Blue Bell' inn. And Sally shall +accompany you and bring you back. And see that you are properly attired. +I would have you wear your best garments. You shall not be shamed before +that yellow-faced woman. I don't believe she has a better gown to her +back than the one I bought you to wear at Dr. Bodkin's." + +Rhoda waived the point for the moment; but, after a while, she was able +to persuade her father that her grey merino gown, with a lace frill at +her throat, was a more suitable garment in which to spend the evening at +Ivy Lodge than the rich violet silk he recommended for the purpose. Real +ladies, she urged timidly, did not wear their smartest clothes on such +occasions. And old Max reluctantly accepted her dictum on this point. +But nothing could shake him from his resolve that Rhoda should be +conveyed to Mrs. Algernon Errington's door in a hired carriage. So, with +a sigh, she yielded; devoutly wishing that a pelting shower of rain, or +even a thunderstorm, might arrive the next evening, to serve as an +excuse for her appearing at Ivy Lodge in such unwonted state. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +No Jupiter, rainy or thunderous, lent his assistance to account for the +extraordinary phenomenon of Rhoda Maxfield's driving up to the +garden-gate of Ivy Lodge instead of arriving there on foot. On the +contrary, it was a fine autumn evening, with a serene sky where the +sunset tints still lingered. + +Rhoda alighted hurriedly from the carriage, and walked up the few feet +of gravel path, between the garden fence and the house, with a beating +heart. "You can go away now, Sally," she said, being very anxious to +dismiss the "Blue Bell" equipage before the door should be opened. But +Sally was not in such a hurry. Her master had told her that she was to +wait and see Miss Rhoda safe into the house, and then she might come +back in the carriage as far as the "Blue Bell." And Sally was not averse +to have her new promotion to the dignity of "riding in a coach" +witnessed by Mrs. Algernon Errington's Polly, with whom she had a slight +acquaintance. So Miss Maxfield's equipage was seen by the servant who +opened the door, and stared at from the front parlour window by two +pairs of eyes, belonging respectively to Miss Chubb and Mrs. Errington. + +"You can go into the parlour, miss," said Polly. "Master and missis are +still at dinner. But the old lady's in there and Miss Chubb." + +That they should be still at dinner, at half-past six o'clock in the +evening, seemed a strange circumstance to Rhoda, and was one that she +had not reckoned on. But she supposed it was according to the customs of +the high folks Mrs. Algernon had been used to live among. The innovation +was not accepted so meekly by most of the Whitfordians, whom, indeed, it +seemed to irritate in a greater degree than more serious offences. But +it is true of most of us, that we are never more angry than when we are +unable to explain the reasons for our anger. + +"I am afraid I'm too early," said Rhoda, when she had entered the +parlour and greeted her old friends, "but father said he thought it was +the right time to come." + +"Mr. and Mrs. Ancram Errington dine late, my dear. Castalia has not yet +got broken of the habits of her own class, as I have had to be. Indeed, +she will probably never need to relinquish them. But it is no matter, +Rhoda. You can make yourself comfortable here with us for half an hour +or so. Miss Chubb called in to see me at my place, and I brought her +down here with me. I knew Mrs. Ancram Errington would be happy to see +her if she dropped in in an informal way." + +"I never can get used to the name of Ancram instead of Algernon," said +the spinster, raising her round red face from her woolwork. "It isn't +half so pretty. Nine times out of ten I call your son 'Algy' plump and +plain. I'm very sorry if it's improper, but I can't help it." + +Mrs. Errington smiled with an air of lofty toleration. "Not at all +improper," she said. "Algernon is the last creature in the world to be +distant towards an old friend. But as to the name of Ancram, why it was, +from the first, his appellation among the Seelys. And Castalia always +calls him so. You see 'Ancram' was a familiar name in the circles she +lived in; like Howard, or Seymour, or any of the great old family names, +you know. It came naturally to her." + +"Well, I should think that one's husband's Christian-name would come +natural to one, even if it were only plain Tom, Dick, or Harry." + +"He didn't begin by being her husband, my dear!" + +Rhoda had nestled herself down in a corner behind a small table, and was +turning over an album and one or two illustrated annuals. She hoped that +the discussion as to Algernon's name would effectually divert the +attention of the two elder ladies from the unprecedented fact that she +had been brought to Ivy Lodge in a carriage. But she was not to be let +off altogether. Miss Chubb, folding up her work, declared that it was +growing too dark to distinguish the colours, and observed, "I was +standing by the window to catch the last daylight, when you drove up, +Rhoda. I couldn't think who it was arriving in such style." + +"That was the 'Blue Bell' fly you were in, Rhoda," said Mrs. Errington. +"I believe it to be the same vehicle that my daughter-in-law uses +occasionally. She complains of it sadly. But I tell her she cannot +expect to find her Aunt Seely's luxurious, well-hung carriages in a +little provincial place like this." + +Miss Chubb was about to make what she considered a severe retort, but +she stifled it down. Mrs. Errington's airs were very provoking, to be +sure; but there were reasons why Miss Chubb was more inclined to bear +with her now than formerly. If it pleased this widowed mother to soften +her disappointments about Algy's career and Algy's wife (it began to be +considered in Whitford that both would prove to be failures!) by an +extra flourish or two, why should any one put her----"No!" said Miss +Chubb to herself, as the question was half-framed in her mind, "that is +not the right word, certainly. I defy the world to put Mrs. Errington +out of conceit with herself! But why should one snub and snap at the +poor woman?" + +Indeed, Miss Chubb never snapped, and rarely attempted to snub. She had +a fund of benevolence hidden under a heap of frothy vanities and +absurdities, like the solid cake at the bottom of a trifle. + +"Well," said she, smiling good-temperedly, "I'm sure Rhoda doesn't +quarrel with the 'Blue Bell' fly, do you, Rhoda?" + +"I shouldn't have wished to use it, myself, but father said, 'It is +rather a long way,' and father thought----" + +"Oh, my dear, there is no need to excuse yourself, or to look shy on the +subject. We should all of us be glad enough of a coach to ride in, now +and then, if we could afford it. I'm sure I should, and I don't mind +saying so." + +Mrs. Errington did not approve of the coach quite so unreservedly. She +observed, with some solemnity, that she was no friend to extravagance; +and that, above all things, persons ought to guard against ostentation, +or a thrusting of themselves into positions unsuited to that station in +life to which it had pleased Providence to call them. And, in +conclusion, she announced her intention of availing herself of the +circumstance that Rhoda had a carriage at her disposal for the evening, +to drive back with her as far as Mrs. Thimbleby's door--"which," said +she, "is only a street and a half away from your house, Rhoda; and it +will not make any difference to your father in point of expense." + +Castalia found her three guests chatting in the twilight; or rather she +found Mrs. Errington holding forth in her rich pleasant voice, whilst +the others listened, and threw in a word or two now and then, just +sufficient to show that they were attending to the good lady's harangue. +In Rhoda's case, indeed, this appearance of attention was fallacious, +for, although she said "Yes," and "No," and "Indeed!" at due intervals, +her thoughts were wandering back to old days, which seemed suddenly to +have receded into a far-distant past. + +Castalia shook hands languidly with Miss Chubb and condescendingly with +Rhoda. "I'm very glad you've come," she said to the latter, which was a +speech of unusual warmth for her. And it had the merit, moreover, of +being true. Castalia was not given to falsehood in her speech. She was +too supercilious to care much what impression she made on people in +general; and if they bored her, she took no pains to conceal the fact. +Weariness of spirit and discontent had begun to assail her once more. +They were old enemies. Her marriage had banished them for a time; but +they gathered again, like clouds which a transient gleam of wintry +sunshine has temporarily dispersed, and shadowed her life with an +increasing gloom. This young Rhoda Maxfield offered some chance of +brightness and novelty. She was certainly different from the rest of the +Whitford world, and the pursuit of her society had been beset with some +little difficulties that gave it zest. + +A lamp was brought into the room, and then Castalia sat down beside +Rhoda, unceremoniously leaving the other ladies to entertain each other +as best they might. She examined her guest's dress; the quality of the +lace frill at her throat; the arrangement of her chestnut curls; the +delicate little gold chain that shone upon the pearl-grey gown; the +neatly-embroidered letters R. M. worked on a corner of the handkerchief +that lay in her lap, with as much unreserve and coolness as though Rhoda +had been some daintily-furred rabbit, or any other pet animal. On her +part, Rhoda took cognisance of every detail in Castalia's appearance, +attire, and manner; she marked every inflection of her voice, and every +turn of her haughty, languid head. And, perhaps, her scrutiny was the +keener and more complete of the two, notwithstanding that it was made +with timidly-veiled eyes and downcast head. + +"What an odd man your father is!" said the Honourable Mrs. Ancram +Errington, by way of opening the conversation. + +Rhoda found it impossible to reply to this observation. She coloured, +and twisted her gold chain round her fingers, and was silent. But it did +not seem that Mrs. Ancram Errington expected, or wished for a reply. She +went on with scarcely a pause: "I thought at first he would refuse to +let you come here. But he gave his consent at last. I was quite amused +with his odd way of doing it, though. He must be quite a 'character.' +He's very rich, isn't he?" + +"I don't know, ma'am," stammered Rhoda. + +"Well, he says so himself; or, at least, he informed me that you were, +or would be, which comes to the same thing. And don't call me 'ma'am.' +It makes me feel a hundred years old. You and I must be great friends." + +"Where is Algernon?" asked Mrs. Errington from the other side of the +room. + +"He will come presently, when he has finished his wine. Do you know we +found that stuff from the 'Blue Bell,' that you recommended us to try, +quite undrinkable! Ancram was obliged to get Jack Price to send him +down a case of claret, from his own wine-merchant in town." + +"Most extraordinary!" exclaimed Mrs. Errington, and began to +recapitulate all the occasions on which the wine supplied to her from +the "Blue Bell" inn had been pronounced excellent by the first +connoisseurs. But Castalia made small pretence of listening to or +believing her statements. Indeed, I am sorry to say that obstinate +incredulity was this young woman's habitual tone of mind with regard to +almost every word that her mother-in-law uttered; whereby the Honourable +Mrs. Castalia occasionally fell into mistakes. + +"Could you not try Dr. Bodkin's wine-merchant?" suggested Miss Chubb. "I +am no judge myself, but I feel sure that the doctor would not put bad +wine on his table." + +"Oh, I don't know. I don't suppose there is any first-rate wine to be +got in this place. Ancram prefers dealing with the London man." + +And then Castalia dismissed the subject with an expressive shrug. "Who +are your chief friends here?" she asked of Rhoda, who had sat with her +eyes fixed on a smart illustrated volume, scarcely seeing it, and +feeling a confused sort of pain and mortification, at the tone in which +the younger Mrs. Errington treated the elder. + +"My chief friends?" + +"Yes; you must know a great many people. You have lived here all your +life, have you not?" + +"Yes; but--father never cared that I should make many acquaintances out +of doors." + +"You were Methodists, were you not? I remember Ancram telling me of the +psalm-singing that used to go on downstairs. He can imitate it +wonderfully. Do tell me about how you lived, and what you did! I never +knew any Methodists, nor any people who kept a shop." + +The naive curiosity with which this was said might have moved some minds +to mirth, and others to indignation. In Rhoda it produced only confusion +and distress, and such an access of shyness as made her for a few +moments literally dumb. She murmured at length some unintelligible +sentences, of which "I'm sure I don't know" were the only words that +Castalia could make out. She did not on this account desist from her +inquiries, but threw them into the more particular form of a catechism, +as, "Were you let to read anything except the Bible on Sundays?" "I +suppose you never went to a ball in your life?" "How did you learn to do +your own hair?" "Do the Methodist preachers really rant and shriek as +much as people say?" + +Algernon, coming quietly into the room, beheld his wife and Rhoda seated +side by side on a sofa behind the little Pembroke table, and engaged, +apparently, in confidential conversation. They were so near together, +and Castalia was bending down so low to hear Rhoda's faintly-uttered +answers, as to give an air of intimacy to the group. + +He lingered in the doorway looking at them, until Miss Chubb crying, +"Oh, there you are, sir!" called the attention of the others to him, +when he advanced and shook hands with Rhoda, whose fingers were icy cold +as he touched them with his warm, white, exquisitely-cared-for hand. +Then he bent to kiss his mother, and seated himself between her and his +old friend Miss Chubb, in a low chair, stretching out his legs, and +leaning back his head, as he contemplated the neatly-shod feet that were +carelessly crossed in front of him. + +"You did not expect to see Rhoda, did you, my dear boy?" said Mrs. +Errington. + +"Yes; I believe Castalia said something about having asked her. It is a +new freak of Castalia's. I think she had better have left it alone. The +old man is highly impracticable, and is just one of those persons whom +it is prudent to keep at arm's length." + +"I think so, too!" assented Mrs. Errington, emphatically. "Indeed, I +almost wonder at his letting his daughter come here." + +Algernon quite wondered at it. But he said nothing. + +"Of course," pursued Mrs. Errington, "letting her come to me is a very +different matter." + +"Why?" asked Miss Chubb, bluntly. + +"Because, my dear, the girl herself is so devotedly attached to me that +I believe she would fret herself into an illness if she were forbidden +to see me occasionally. And I believe old Maxfield is fond of his child, +in his way, and would not wish to grieve her. But, of course, Rhoda can +have no particular desire to visit Castalia. Indeed, I have offered to +bring her more than once, and she has not availed herself of the +opportunity." + +"Old Max is ambitious for his daughter, they say," observed Miss Chubb, +"and likes to get her into genteel company. Perhaps he thinks she will +find a husband out of her own sphere. I'm told that old Max is quite +rich, and that she will have all his money. But I think Rhoda is pretty +enough to get well married, even without a fortune." + +Then, when Mrs. Errington moved away to speak to her daughter-in-law, +Miss Chubb whispered slily to Algernon, "You were a little bit smitten +with our pretty Rhoda, once upon a time, sir, weren't you? Oh, it's no +use your protesting and looking so unconscious! La, dear me; well, it +was very natural! Calf-love, of course. But I'll tell you, between you +and me, who is smitten with her, and pretty seriously too--and that's +Mr. Diamond!" + +"Diamond!" + +"Well, you needn't look so astonished. He's a young man, for all his +grave ways, and she is a pretty girl. And, upon my word, I think it +might do capitally." + +"You look tired, Algernon," said Mrs. Errington to her son a little +later in the evening. It must have been a very marked expression of +fatigue which could have attracted the good lady's attention in any +other human being. + +"Oh, I've been bored and worried at that confounded post-office." + +"What a shame!" cried Mrs. Errington. "Positively some representation +ought to be made to Government about it." + +"Oh, it's disgusting!" said Castalia, with a shrug of her lean +shoulders, and in the fretful drawl, which conveyed the idea that she +would be actively angry if any sublunary matters could be important +enough to overcome her habitual languor. + +"I don't remember hearing that Mr. Cooper found the work so hard," said +Miss Chubb, innocently. Mr. Cooper had been the Whitford postmaster next +before Algernon. + +"It isn't the work, Miss Chubb," said Algernon, a little ashamed of the +amount of sympathy and compassion his words had evoked. "That is to +say, it is not the quantity of the work, but the kind of it, that bores +one. Cooper, I believe, was a steady, jog-trot old fellow, who did his +daily task like a horse in a mill. But I can't take to it so +comfortably. It is as if you, with your taste for elegant needlework, +were set to hem dusters all day long!" Algernon laughed, in his old, +frank way, as he made the comparison. + +"Well, I shouldn't like that, certainly. But, after all, dusters are +very useful things. And then, you see, I do the fancy work to amuse +myself; but I should be paid for the dusters, and that makes a +difference!" + +"Paid!" screamed Castalia. "Why, you don't imagine that Ancram's +twopenny salary can pay him! Good gracious, it seems to me scarcely +enough to buy food with. It's quite horrible to think how poor we are!" + +"Come," said Algernon, "I don't think this conversation is particularly +lively or entertaining. Suppose we change the subject. There is +Rho--Miss Maxfield looking as if she expected to see us all expire of +inanition on the spot!" + +And, in truth, Rhoda was gazing from one to the other with a pale, +distressed face, and a look of surprise and compassion in her soft brown +eyes. + +Mrs. Errington did not approve of her daughter-in-law's unscrupulous +confession of poverty. Castalia lacked the Ancram gift of embellishing +disadvantageous circumstances. And the elder lady took occasion to +remark to Miss Chubb that everything was comparative; and that means +which might appear ample to persons of inferior rank were very trivial +and inadequate in the eyes of the Honourable Mrs. Ancram Errington. "She +has been her uncle's pet for many years. My lord denied her nothing. And +I needn't tell you, my dear Miss Chubb, that the emoluments of +Algernon's official post are by no means the whole and sole income of +our young couple here. There are private resources"--here Mrs. Errington +waved her hands majestically, as though to indicate the ample nature of +the resources--"which, to many persons, would seem positive affluence. +But Castalia's measure is a high one. I scold her sometimes, I assure +you. 'My dear child,' I say to her, 'look at me! Bred amidst the feudal +splendours of Ancram Park, I have accommodated myself to very different +scenes and very different associates;' for, of course, my dear soul, +although I have a great regard for my Whitford friends, and am very +sensible of their kind feelings for me, yet, as a mere matter of fact, +it would be absurd to pretend that the society I now move in is equal, +in point of rank, to that which surrounded my girlish years. And then +Castalia's perhaps partial estimate of her husband's talents (you know +she has witnessed the impression they made in the most brilliant circles +of the Metropolis) makes her impatient of his present position. For +myself, feeling sure, as I do, that this post-office business is merely +temporary, I can look at matters with more philosophy." + +"Ouf!" panted Miss Chubb, and began to fan herself with her +pocket-handkerchief. + +"Anything the matter, Miss Chubb?" asked Algernon, raising his eyebrows +and looking at her with a smile. + +"Nothing particular, Algy. I find it a little oppressive, that's all." + +"This little room is so stuffy with more than two or three people in +it!" said Castalia. + +"I'll do my part towards making it less stuffy," said Miss Chubb, +jumping up, and beginning to shake hands all round. "I daresay my old +Martha is there. I told her to come for me at nine o'clock. Oh, never +mind, thank you," in answer to Castalia's suggestion that she should +stay and have a cup of coffee, which would be brought in presently. +"Never mind the coffee. I have no doubt I shall find a bit of supper +ready at home." And with that she departed. + +"I hope it wasn't too severe, that hit about the supper," said the good +little woman to herself as she trotted homeward, accompanied by the +faithful Martha. "But really--offering one a cup of coffee at nine +o'clock at night! And as to Mrs. Errington, I am sorry for her, and can +make allowances for her: but she did so go beyond all bounds to-night +that, if I had not come away when I did, I think I should have choked." + +"Is the little woman affronted at anything?" asked Algernon of his wife, +when Miss Chubb's footsteps had ceased to be heard pattering down the +gravel path outside the house. + +"Eh? What little woman? Oh, the Chubb? No; I don't know. I suppose not." + +"No, no; not at all," said Mrs. Errington, decisively. "But you know her +ways of old. She has no _savoir faire_. A good little creature, poor +soul! Oh, by-the-way, Castalia, you know the patterns for autumn mantles +you asked me to look at? Well, I went into Ravell and Sarsnet's +yesterday, and they told me----" And then the worthy matron and her +daughter-in-law entered into an earnest discussion in an undertone; the +common interest in autumn mantles supplying that "touch of nature" which +made them kin more effectually than the matrimonial alliance that united +their families. + +"I'm afraid you must have had a very dull evening," said the master of +the house, looking down on Rhoda as he stood near her, leaning with his +back against the tiny mantel-shelf. + +"No, thank you." + +"I'm afraid you must! There was no amusement for you at all." + +"My evenings are not generally very amusing. I daresay you, who have +been accustomed to such different things, would find them very dull." + +This was not the humble, simple, childlike Rhoda whom he had parted from +two years ago. It was not that she had now no humility or simplicity, +but the humility was mingled with dignity, the simplicity with an easier +grace. Rhoda was more self-possessed at this moment than she had been +all the evening before. The weakest creatures are not without some means +of self-defence; and, if she be but pure-hearted, the most inexperienced +girl in the world can put on an armour of maiden pride over her hurt +feelings that has been known to puzzle even very intelligent individuals +of the opposite sex; and has perhaps given rise to one or two of the +numerous impassioned complaints that have been uttered from time to time +as to the inscrutable duplicity of women. In like manner if a man scalds +his finger, or gets a bullet in his flesh, he endeavours to bear the +pain without screaming. + +So little Rhoda Maxfield sat there with a placid face, talking to her +old love, turning over the leaves of a picture-book, and scarcely +looking at him as she talked. + +Now, if Algernon had been consulted beforehand as to what line of +conduct he would wish Rhoda to adopt when they should meet, he would, +doubtless, have said, "Let us meet pleasantly and frankly as old +friends, and behave as if all our old love-making had been the mere +amusement of our childhood!" And yet, somehow, it a little disconcerted +him to see her so calm. + +"You--don't you--don't you go out much in the evening?" he said, feeling +(to his own surprise) considerably at a loss what to say. + +"Go out much in the evening? No, indeed; where should I go to?" Rhoda +actually gave a little laugh as she answered him. + +"Oh, I thought my mother mentioned that you were a good deal at the +Bodkins." + +"Yes; I go to see Miss Minnie sometimes. They are all very good to me." + +"And my mother says, too, that you are growing quite a blue-stocking! +You have lessons in French, and music, and I don't know what besides." + +"Father can afford to have me taught now, and so I have begun to learn a +few of the things that girls are taught when they are little children, +if they happen to be the children of gentlefolks," answered Rhoda, with +considerable spirit. + +"I'm sure there is no reason why you should not learn them." + +"I hope not. But, of course, I am clumsy, and shall never succeed so +well as if I had begun earlier. I am getting very old, you know!" + +"Oh, very old, indeed! Your birthday, I remember, falls----" he checked +himself with a sudden recollection of the last birthday he had spent +with Rhoda, and of the bunch of late roses he had been at the pains to +procure for her on that occasion from the gardener at Pudcombe Hall. +And, on the whole, he felt positively relieved when Slater came to +announce, with her chronic air of resentful gentility, that "Miss +Maxfield's young woman was waiting for her in the hall." + +"And are you off too, mother?" he asked. + +"Yes, my dear Algernon. I am going to drive home with Rhoda." + +"Drive! Oh, so you are indulging in the extravagance of a fly, madam! I +am glad of it, though you did give me a lecture on the subject of +economy only last week!" + +"You know that I always do, and always did, disapprove of extravagance, +Algernon. A genteel economy is compatible with the highest breeding. +But--the fact is, that Rhoda has a coach to go home in, and I'm about to +take advantage of it." + +There was something in the situation which Algernon felt to be +embarrassing, as he gave his arm to his mother to lead her to the +carriage. But Mrs. Errington had at least one quality of a great +lady--she was not easily disconcerted. She marched majestically down the +garden path, entered the vehicle which old Max's money was to pay for, +with an air of proprietorship, and invited Rhoda to take her place +beside her with a most condescending wave of the hand. + +"You must come again soon," Castalia had said to her new acquaintance +when they bade each other "Good night." + +But Algernon did not support his wife's invitation by a single word, +though he smiled very persistently as he stood bare-headed in the +moonlight, watching his mother and Rhoda drive away. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +The accounts which had reached Whitford from Wales, of the wonderful +effects produced by David Powell's preaching there, sufficed to cause a +good deal of excitement among the lower classes in the little town, when +it was reported that Powell would revisit it, and would preach on Whit +Meadow, and also in the room used by the "Ranters," in Lady Lane. + +The Wesleyan Methodists in Whitford now felt themselves at liberty to +allow their smouldering animosity against Powell to break forth openly, +for he had seceded from the Society. Some said he had been expelled from +it, but this was not true, although there was little doubt that, at the +next Conference, his conduct and doctrine would have been severely +reprehended; and, probably, he would have been required publicly to +recant them on pain of expulsion. Should this be the case, those who +knew David Powell had little difficulty in prophesying the issue. +However, all speculations as to his probable behaviour under the reproof +of Conference were rendered vain by the preacher's voluntarily +withdrawing himself from the "bonds of the Society," as he phrased it. + +Then broke forth the hostile sentiments of the Whitford Wesleyans +against this rash and innovating preacher. Unfavourable opinions of him, +which had been concealed, or only dimly expressed, were now declared +openly. He was an Antinomian; he had fallen away from the doctrines of +Assurance and Christian Perfection; he had brought scandal on large +bodies of sober, serious persons, by encouraging wild and extravagant +manifestations among his hearers; his exhortations were calculated to do +harm, inasmuch as he preached a doctrine of asceticism and +self-renunciation, which, if followed, would have the most inconvenient +consequences. That some of these accusations--as, for example, that of +Antinomianism, and that of too extreme self-mortification--were somewhat +incompatible with each other, was no impediment to their being heaped +simultaneously on David Powell. The strongest disapprobation of his +sayings and doings was expressed by that select body of citizens who +attended at the little Wesleyan chapel. And yet there was, perhaps, less +bitterness in this open opposition to him than had been felt towards +him during the last days of his ministration in Whitford. So long as +David Powell was their preacher, approved--or, at least, not +disapproved--by Conference, a struggle went on in some minds to +reconcile his teaching with their practice, which was an irritating and +unsatisfactory state of things, since the struggle in most cases was not +so much to modify their practice, in order to bring it into harmony with +his precepts, as ingeniously to interpret his precepts so that they +should not too flagrantly accuse their practice. But now that it was +competent to the stanchest Methodist to reject Powell's authority +altogether, these unprofitable efforts ceased, and with them a good deal +of resentment. + +The chorus of openly-expressed hostility to the preacher, which, I have +said, made itself heard in Whitford, arose, in a great measure, from the +common delight in declaring, where some circumstances unforeseen by the +world in general comes to pass, that we perceived all along how matters +would go, and knew our neighbour to be a very different fellow from what +you took him to be. + +Here old Max was triumphant; and, it must be owned, with more reason +than many of his acquaintances. He had openly quarrelled with this +fanatical Welshman, long before the main body of the Whitford Wesleyans +had ventured to repudiate him. + +One humble friend was faithful to the preacher. The widow Thimbleby +maintained, in the teeth of all opposition, that, though Mr. Powell +might be a little mistaken here and there on points of doctrine--she was +an ignorant woman, and couldn't judge of these things--yet his practice +came very near perfection; and that the only human being to whom he ever +showed severity, intolerance, and lack of love was himself. Mrs. +Thimbleby was not strong in controversy. It was not difficult to push +her to her last resort--namely, crying silently behind her apron. But +there was some tough fibre of loyalty in the meek creature which made it +impossible for her to belie her conscience by deserting David Powell. +The cold attic at the top of her little house was prepared for his +reception as soon as it was known that he was about to revisit Whitford; +and Mrs. Thimbleby went to the loft over the corn-dealer's store-house +in Lady Lane one Sunday evening to beg that Nick Green would let Mr. +Powell know, whenever he should arrive, that his old quarters were +waiting for him, and that she would take it as a personal unkindness if +he did not consent to occupy them. She could not help talking of the +preacher to her grand lodger Mrs. Errington, of whom she was +considerably in awe. The poor woman's heart was full at the thought of +seeing him again. And not even Mrs. Errington's lofty severity regarding +all dissenters and "ignorant persons who flew in the face of Providence +and attempted to teach their betters," could entirely stifle her +expressions of anxiety as to Mr. Powell's health, her hopes that he took +a little more care of himself than he formerly did, and her anecdotes of +his angelic charity and goodness towards the poor, and needy, and +suffering. + +"I should advise you on no account to go and hear this man preach," said +Mrs. Errington to her landlady. "Terrible scenes have taken place in +Wales; and very likely something of the kind may happen here. You are +very weak, my poor soul. You have no force of character. You would be +sure to catch any excitement that was going. And how should you like, +pray, to be brought home from Lady Lane on a stretcher?" + +But even this alarming suggestion did not deter Mrs. Thimbleby from +haunting the "Ranters'" meeting-room, and leaving message after message +with Nick Green to be sure and tell Mr. Powell to come up to her house, +the very minute he arrived. Nick Green knew no more than the widow the +day and hour of the preacher's arrival. All he could say was, that +Powell had applied to him and to his co-religionists for leave to preach +in the room--little more than a loft--which they rented of the +corn-dealer in Lady Lane. Powell had been refused permission to speak in +the Wesleyan chapel to which his eloquence had formerly attracted such +crowds of listeners. Whit Meadow would, indeed, be probably open to him; +but the year was drawing on apace, autumn would soon give place to +winter, and, at all events in the evening, it would be vain to hope for +a large number of listeners in the open air. + +"Open air!" echoed Mrs. Thimbleby, raising her hands and eyes; "why, Mr. +Green, he ought never to think of preaching in the open air at this +season, and him so delicate!" + +"Nay, sister Thimbleby," responded Nick Green, a powerful, black-muzzled +fellow with a pair of lungs like a blacksmith's bellows, "we may not put +our hand to the plough and turn back. We are all of us called upon to +give ourselves body and soul in the Lord's service. And many's the +night, after my day's work was over, that I've exhorted here in this +very room and poured out the Word for two and three hours at a stretch, +until the sweat ran down my face like water, and the brethren were +fairly worn out. But yet I have been marvellously strengthened. I doubt +not that Brother Powell will be so too, especially now that he has given +up dead words, and the errors of the Society, and thrown off the yoke of +the law." + +"Dear, I hope so," answered Mrs. Thimbleby, tremulously; "but I do wish +he would try a hot posset of a night, just before going to bed." + +The good woman was beginning to walk away up Lady Lane, somewhat +disconsolately, for she reflected that if Nick Green measured Mr. +Powell's strength by his own, he would surely not spare it, and that the +preacher needed rather a curb than a spur to his self-forgetting +exertions, when she almost ran against a man who was coming in the +opposite direction. They were not twenty paces from the door of the +corn-dealer's store-house, and a lamp that burnt above it shed +sufficient light for her to recognise the face of the very person who +was in her thoughts. + +"Mr. Powell!" she exclaimed in a joyful tone. "Thanks be to the Lord +that I have met you! Was you going to look for Mr. Green? He is just +putting the lights out and coming away. I left a message with him for +you, sir; but now I can give it you myself. You will come up with me to +my house, now, won't you? Everything is ready, and has been these three +days. You wouldn't think of going anywhere else in Whitford but to my +house, would you, Mr. Powell?" + +She ran on thus eagerly, because she saw, or fancied she saw, symptoms +of opposition to her plan in Powell's face. He hesitated. "My good +friend," said he, "your Christian kindness is very precious to me, but +I am not clear that I should do right in becoming an inmate of your +house." + +"Oh, but I am, Mr. Powell, quite clear! Why it would be a real +unkindness to refuse me." + +"It is not a matter to be settled thus lightly," answered Powell, +although at the same time he turned and walked a few paces by the +widow's side. "I had thought that I might sleep for to-night at least in +our friends' meeting-room." + +"What! in the loft there? Lord ha' mercy, Mr. Powell! 'Tis cold and +draughty, and there's nothing in it but a few wooden benches, and the +rats run about as bold as can be, directly the lights is put out. Why 't +would be a tempting of Providence, Mr. Powell." + +"I am not dainty about my accommodation, as you know; and I could sleep +there without payment." + +"Without payment! Why, you might pay pretty dear for it in health, if +not in money. And, for that matter, I shouldn't think of asking a penny +of rent for my attic, as long as ever you choose to stay in it." Then, +with an instinctive knowledge of the sort of plea that might be likely +to prevail with him, she added, "As for being dainty about your +accommodation, why I know you never were so, and I hope you haven't +altered, for, indeed, the attic is sadly uncomfortable. I think there's +worse draughts from the window than ever. And it would be a benefit to +me to get the room aired and occkypied; for only last week I had a most +respectable young man, a journeyman painter, to look at it, and he say, +'Mrs. Thimbleby, we shan't disagree about the rent,' he say; 'but I do +wish the room had been slept in latterly; for I've a fear as it's damp,' +he say, 'and that that's the reason you don't use it yourself, nor +haven't let it.' But I tell him the only reason why I didn't use the +room was as you might be expected back any day, and I couldn't let you +find your place taken. And he say if he could be satisfied of that, he +may take it after next month, when you would likely be gone again. So +you see as you would be doing me a service, Mr. Powell, not to say a +pleasure." + +Whether David Powell implicitly believed the good creature's argument to +be derived from fact, may be doubtful; but he suffered himself to be +persuaded to accompany her to his old lodgings; and they begged Nick +Green, who presently overtook them, to send one of his lads to the +coach-office, to bring to Mrs. Thimbleby's the small battered valise +which constituted all Powell's luggage. + +"I would have gone to fetch it myself," said the preacher, +apologetically, "but, in truth, I am so exceedingly weary, that I doubt +whether my strength would avail to carry even that slender burden the +distance from the coach-office to your house." + +When he was seated beside Mrs. Thimbleby's clean kitchen hearth, on +which burned a fire of unwontedly generous proportions--the widow +declared that, as she grew older, she found it necessary to her health +to have a glow of warmth in her kitchen these chilly autumn nights--when +the preacher was thus seated, I say, and when the red and yellow +firelight illuminated his face fully, it was very evident that he was +indeed "exceeding weary;" weary, and worn, and wan, with hollow temples, +eyes that blazed feverishly, and a hue of startling pallor overspreading +his whole countenance. For a few minutes, whilst his good hostess moved +about hither and thither in the little kitchen, preparing some tea, and +slicing some bacon, to be presently fried for his refection, Powell sat +looking straight before him, with a curious expression in his +widely-opened eyes, something like that of a sleep-walker. They were +evidently seeing nothing of the physical realities around them, and yet +they unmistakably expressed the attentive recognition by the mind of +some image painted on their wondrous spheres. The true round mirror of +the wizard is that magic ball of sight; for on its sensitive surface +live and move a thousand airy phantoms, besides the reflection of all +that peoples this tangible earth we dwell on. Powell's lips began to +move rapidly, although no sound came from them. He seemed to be +addressing a creature visible to him alone, on which his straining gaze +was fixed. But suddenly his face changed, and was troubled as a still +pool is troubled by a ripple that breaks its clearly glazed reflection +into fantastic fragments. In another moment he passed his thin hand +several times with a strong pressure over his brows, shut and opened his +eyes like a dreamer awakened, drew his pocket Bible from his breast, and +began to read with an air of resolute attention. + +"Will you ask a blessing, Mr. Powell?" said the widow timidly. + +He looked up. A comfortable meal was spread on the white deal table +before him. Mrs. Thimbleby sat opposite to him in her old chair with the +patch-work cushions; the fire shone; the household cat purred drowsily; +the old clock clicked off the moments as they flowed past--tick tack, +tick tack. Then there came a jar, a burr of wheels and springs, and the +tinkle of silver-toned metal striking nine. In a few moments the ancient +belfry of St. Chad's began to send forth its mellow chimes. Far and wide +they sounded--over the town and the flat-meadow country--through the +darkness. Powell sat still and silent, listening to the bells until they +had done chiming. + +"How well I know those voices!" he said. "I used to lie awake and listen +to them here, in the old attic, when my soul was wrestling with a mighty +temptation; when my heart was smitten and withered like grass, so that I +forgot to eat my bread. The sound of them is sweet to the fleshly ears +of the body; but to the ears of the spirit they can say marvellous +things. They have been the instruments to bring me many a message of +counsel as they came singing and buzzing in my brain." + +The widow Thimbleby sat looking at the preacher, as he spoke, with an +expression of puzzled admiration, blended with anxiety. + +"Oh, for certain the Lord has set a sign on you!" she exclaimed. "He +would have us to know that you are a chosen vessel, and He has given you +the gifts of the spirit in marvellous abundance. But, dear Mr. Powell, I +doubt He does not mean you to neglect the fleshly tabernacle neither; +for, as I say to myself, He could ha' made us all soul and no body, if +such had been His blessed will." + +"We thank Thee, O Father, most merciful. Amen!" said Powell, bending +over the table. + +"Amen!" repeated Mrs. Thimbleby. "And now pray do fall to, and eat +something, for I'm sure you need it." + +"It is strange; but, though I have fasted since five o'clock this +morning, I feel no hunger." + +"Mercy me! fasting since five o'clock this morning? Why, for sure, +that's the very reason you can't eat! Your stomach is too weak. Dear, +dear, dear; but you must make an effort to swallow something, sir. Drink +a sup of tea." + +Powell complied with her entreaty, although he expressed some misgiving +as to the righteousness of his partaking of so luxurious a beverage. And +then he ate a few mouthfuls of food, but evidently without appetite. But +seeing his good friend's uneasiness on his behalf, he said, with the +rare smile which so brightened his countenance: + +"Do not be so concerned for me. There is no need. Although I have not +much replenished the carnal man to-day, yet have I been abundantly +refreshed and comforted. I tarried in a small town on the borders of +this county at midday, and I found that my ministrations there in the +spring season had borne fruit. Many who had been reclaimed from evil +courses came about me, and we gave thanks with much uplifting of the +heart. And, although I had suffered somewhat from faintness before +arriving at that place, yet, no sooner were these chosen persons got +about me, and I began to pray and praise, than I felt stronger and more +able for exertion than I have many a time felt after a long night's rest +and an abundant meal." + +Poor Mrs. Thimbleby's mind was divided and "exercised," as she herself +would have said, between her reverent faith in Powell's being supported +by the supernal powers and her rooted conviction regarding the virtues +of a hot posset. Was it for her, a poor, ignorant woman, presumptuously +to supplement, as it were, the protection of Providence, and to insist +on the saintly preacher's drinking her posset? Yet, on the other hand, +arose her own powerful argument, that the Lord might have dispensed with +our bodies altogether had it so pleased him; and that therefore, mankind +being provided with those appendages, it was but reasonable to conclude +they were meant to be taken some care of. At length the widow's mental +debatings resulted in a resolution to make the hot posset, and carry it +up to the preacher's bedside without consulting him on the +subject--"For," said she to herself, "if I persuade him to swallow it +out of kindness to me, there'll be no sin in the matter. Or, at least, +if there is, it will be my sin, and not his; and that is not of so much +consequence." + +In this spirit of true feminine devotion she acted, and having coaxed +Powell to swallow the cordial mixture--as a mother might coax a sick +child--she had the satisfaction of seeing him fall into a deep slumber, +he being, in truth, exhausted by fatigue, excitement, and lack of +nourishment. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +Among the first persons to hear of David Powell's return to Whitford, +and his intention of preaching there, was Miss Bodkin. As the spectators +see more of the play than the actors, so Minnie, from her couch or her +lounging-chair, witnessed many a scene in its entirety, which those who +performed it were only conscious of in a fragmentary manner. The news of +the little town was brought to her through many various channels. Her +infirmity seemed to set her in a place apart, and many a one was willing +to play the part of Chorus for her behoof, and interpret the drama after +his or her own fashion. + +Minnie's maid, Jane Gibbs; Mrs. Errington; and Mr. Diamond, had all +given her the news about Mr. Powell; and all in different keys, and with +such variations of detail as universally attend contemporaneous _viva +voce_ transmissions. + +Jane Gibbs had a strong feeling of respect and gratitude towards the +preacher for his having "converted" her brother. And, being herself a +member of the Church of England, she looked upon his secession from the +main body of the Methodists with great leniency. She dared to say that +Mr. Powell would do as much good in Lady Lane as he had done in the +Wesleyan Chapel. And seeing that whether you called 'em Wesleyans, or +Ranters, or Baptists, or Quakers, or Calvinists, they were all +Dissenters, it could not so much matter whether they disagreed among +each other or not. + +Mrs. Errington, without entering into that question, considered herself +peculiarly aggrieved by the circumstance that Powell had come to lodge +in the same house with her. "I am doomed, it seems, to be a victim to +that man!" said she to Minnie Bodkin. "At Maxfield's house I was +frequently disturbed by his hymns and his preachments; and even now, it +appears, I am not to escape from him. He absorbs Mrs. Thimbleby's +attention to a ludicrous extent. If you will credit the fact, my dear +Minnie, only yesterday morning my egg was sent up at breakfast greatly +over-boiled; and when I remonstrated with Mrs. Thimbleby on this piece +of negligence, what excuse do you suppose she made? She answered that +she was very sorry, but she had been getting ready a 'little +snack'--that was her expression--for Mr. Powell after his early +preaching, and it had slipped her memory that my breakfast-egg was still +in the saucepan! I have no doubt the man stuffs and crams himself at her +cost. All these dissenting preachers do, my dear." + +Whereunto Minnie answered gravely, that it was a great comfort to Church +people to reflect that moderation in eating and drinking was entirely +confined to the orthodox clergy. + +Mr. Diamond, again, took a different and more sympathising view of the +poor preacher. But even he was very far from entertaining the same +exalted admiration for Powell's character as was felt by Minnie. Matthew +Diamond had an Englishman's ingrained antipathy to the uncontrolled +display of feeling, from which Powell's Welsh blood by no means +revolted. Diamond could never divest himself of a lurking notion that no +man would publicly exhibit deep emotion if he could help it; and +consequently he looked on all such exhibitions as rather pitiable +manifestations of infirmity, or else as mere clap-trap and play-acting. +Of the latter it was impossible to suspect Powell. Diamond had the +touchstone of truthfulness within himself; and it sufficed to convince +him that the preacher, however wild and mistaken, was sincere. "Yes," he +said to Miss Bodkin, "there can be no doubt that the man's soul is as +clear from guile as an infant's. But it is a pity he cannot suppress +the outbursts of enthusiasm which exhaust him so much." + +"He does not wish to suppress them," answered Minnie. "He looks on them +as a means specially vouchsafed to him for moving others, and--to use +his own words--saving souls. Some sober, sensible persons remind me, +when they speak of David Powell, of a covey of barn-door fowls, +complacently staring up at a lark, and exclaiming, 'Poor creature, how +unpleasant it must be for it to have to soar and gyrate in that giddy +fashion; and making that shrill noise all the time, too! How it must +envy us our constitutions!'" + +"I suppose I am one of the barn-door fowls, Miss Bodkin?" + +"Well--perhaps! Or, rather, you have lived among them until it seems to +you that higher-flying creatures have something a little ridiculous +about them. And you forcibly restrain any upward tendencies of wing--at +least in the presence of your mates of the barn-door." + +"I am flattered to be credited with some upward tendencies, at any rate! +But, Miss Bodkin, to drop metaphor, in which I cannot attempt to compete +with you, I must be allowed to maintain that Powell's outbursts of +excitement are neither good for himself nor others. They are morbid, and +not the healthy expression of a healthy nature, like the lark's singing +and soaring." + +"You have seen Powell since his return. How does he seem to be in +health?" + +"In bodily health not, perhaps, so much amiss, although he is greatly +emaciated and startlingly pale. But his mind is in a strange state." + +"He was always enthusiastic." + +"He is enthusiastic for others, but as regards himself his mind is a +prey to overwhelming gloom. I see a great change for the worse in him in +that respect." + +Minnie felt a strong desire to see the preacher again. She +compassionated him from her heart, and thought she might be able to +administer some comfort to him, as regarded Rhoda Maxfield. There were +days when Minnie was able to walk from one room to another with the +assistance of a crutched stick; and it occurred to her that if Mrs. +Thimbleby would allow her house to be made the place of meeting, she +might see and speak with Powell there more privately, and with less +danger of exciting gossiping remark, than elsewhere. Minnie had once or +twice latterly driven to the widow Thimbleby's house to see Mrs. +Errington, or leave a message for her, although she had never mounted to +her sitting-room. For the ladder-like staircase, which was an imaginary +difficulty in the way of Castalia's visits to her mother-in-law, was a +very real obstacle to Minnie Bodkin. + +The project of seeing Powell in this way took possession of her mind. +She sent a note to Mrs. Thimbleby, by her maid Jane, asking at what hour +Mr. Powell was most likely to be in the house; and saying that she +should like to come there and say a few words to him about a person in +whose welfare he was interested. + +The widow saw nothing very singular in this. She knew that Powell had +been to see Miss Bodkin before he left Whitford. And it was quite in +accordance with the known characters of the Methodist preacher and the +rector's daughter that they should meet and combine on the common ground +of charity. "For sure Mr. Powell have recommended some poor afflicted +person to the young lady, and she have assisted 'em, whosoever they may +be!" thought Mrs. Thimbleby. "And she begs me not to mention her coming +to anybody. For sure and certain she's not one o' them as boasts of +their good deeds. No, no; like our blessed Mr. Powell, she don't let her +left hand know what her right hand doeth. I wonder if she's under +conviction! Such a good, charitable lady, it seems as if she must belong +to the elect. But, there, all our good works are filthy rags, I s'pose, +the best on us. But I can't help thinking as Miss Bodkin's works must be +more pleasing to the Lord than Brother Jackson's, as lives among the +Wesleyans on the fat of the land, and don't do much in return, except +condemning all those folks as isn't Wesleyans. Lord forgive me if I'm +wrong!" + +Mrs. Thimbleby returned a verbal message to Miss Bodkin, as the latter +had desired her to do: Mrs. Thimbleby's duty, and the most likely time +would be between four and five o'clock in the afternoon; and she would +be sure to obey Miss Bodkin's instructions. "And I'm ever so much +obliged to her for excusing me writing, my dear," said the widow to +Jane; "for my hands is so stiff and rough with hard work, as holding a +pen seems to be a great difficulty. I'd far rather mop out my back yard +any day than write the receipt for the lodgers' rent. And 'tis but a +smudgy business when all's done." + +On the following day Dr. Bodkin's sober green carriage, drawn by a +stout, sober-paced horse, was seen standing at Mrs. Thimbleby's door. It +was a few minutes after four o'clock in the afternoon. The street was +very quiet. There was scarcely a passer-by to be seen from one end of it +to the other, when Jane and the old man-servant assisted Miss Bodkin to +alight from the carriage, and supported her into the clean, flagged room +on the ground floor, which served Mrs. Thimbleby for parlour, kitchen, +and dining-hall, all in one. The coachman had orders to return and fetch +his young mistress at six o'clock. "Will you give me house-room so long, +Mrs. Thimbleby?" asked Minnie with a sweet smile, which so captivated +the good woman that she stood staring at her visitor in a kind of +rapture, unable to reply for a minute or two. + +Minnie was placed in Mrs. Thimbleby's own high-backed chair, with the +clean patchwork-covered cushions piled behind her. A horsehair +footstool, borrowed for the purpose from Mr. Diamond's parlour, was +under her feet. And she declared that she found herself as comfortable +as in her own lounging-chair at home. + +"You see, miss, I couldn't say to the minute when Mr. Powell would be +back, but between four and five he generally do come in, and I make him +swallow a cup of herb tea, or something. And I will not deny that I +sometimes puts a pinch of China tea in. But he don't know. This is but a +poor place, miss," added the widow, glancing round, "but so long as you +can make yourself content to stay in it, so long you will be welcome as +the flowers in May, if 'twas to be for a twelvemonth?" + +Then Minnie praised the brilliant cleanliness of the little kitchen, +took notice of the cat that rubbed its velvet head confidingly against +her hand, and asked Mrs. Thimbleby how she prospered in her +lodging-letting. + +The widow was loquacious in her mild slow way; and she was pleased at +this opportunity for a little harmless gossip. It was a propensity +which received frequent checks from those around her. Mr. Diamond was +too taciturn, too grave, too much absorbed in his books, to give any +heed to his landlady's conversation, beyond listening to the few +particulars of his weekly expenses, which she insisted on explaining to +him. Mrs. Errington, on the other hand, was not at all taciturn, but she +desired to have the talk chiefly to herself. She loved to harangue Mrs. +Thimbleby on a variety of subjects, and to place, in vivid colours +before her, the inadequacy of all her domestic arrangements to satisfy a +lady of Mrs. Errington's quality. As to gossiping with David Powell, +Mrs. Thimbleby would as soon have thought of attempting to gossip with +the sculptured figure of a saint, which stood in a niche at one side of +the portal of St. Chad's! So the good woman, finding Miss Bodkin more +compliant and affable than the two first-named of her lodgers, and +nearer to the level of common humanity than the last, indulged herself +with an outpouring of chat, as the two sat waiting for Powell's return. + +Minnie listened to her at first with but a drowsy kind of attention. Her +own thoughts were wandering away from the present time and place. And, +for a while, the quiet of the room, where the gathering twilight seemed +to bring a deeper hush, was only broken by the monotonous murmur of the +widow's voice. But by-and-by Mrs. Thimbleby spoke words which +effectually aroused Minnie's attention. + +There was, she said, a deal of talk in Whitford about young Mr. +Errington. He was such a very nice-spoken gentleman, and most people +seemed to like him so much! But yet he had enemies in the town. Folks +said he was extravagant. And his wife gave herself such airs as there +was no bearing with 'em; she not paying ready money, but almost +expecting tradespeople to be satisfied with the honour of serving her. +Poor lady, she wasn't used to be pinched for money herself, and knew no +better, most likely! But many Whitford shopkeepers grumbled as Mr. +Errington got goods on credit from them, and yet sent orders to London +with ready money for expensive articles, and it didn't seem fair. There +was no use saying anything to old Mrs. Errington about the matter, +because, though she was, no doubt, a very good-hearted lady, she was +rather "high." And if you mentioned to her, as Mr. Gladwish, the +shoemaker, said, unpleasant things about her son's bill, why she would +tell you that her grandfather drove four horses to his coach, and that +Mr. Algernon's wife's uncle was a great nobleman up in London, as paid +his butler a bigger salary than all Gladwish could earn in a year. And +if such sayings got abroad, they would not be soothing to the feelings +of a respectable shoemaker, would they now? Not to say that they +wouldn't help to pay Gladwish's bill; nor yet the fly bill at the "Blue +Bell;" nor yet the bill for young madam at Ravell and Sarsnet's; nor yet +the bill at the fishmonger and poulterer's; as she (Mrs. Thimbleby) was +credibly informed that Ivy Lodge consumed the best of everything, and at +a great rate. In the beginning, tradespeople believed all that was said +about young Mr. and Mrs. Errington's fine friends and fine prospects, +and seemed inclined to trust 'em to any amount. But latterly there had +growed up a feeling against 'em. And--if Miss Bodkin wouldn't think it a +liberty in her to ask her not to mention it again, seeing it was but a +guess on her part--she would go so far as to say that she believed an +enemy was at work, and that enemy old Jonathan Maxfield. Why or +wherefore old Max should be so set against young Mr. Algernon, as he had +known him from a little child, she could not say. But there was rumours +about that young Errington owed old Max money. And old Max was that near +and fond of his pelf, as nothing was so likely to make him mad against +any one as losing money by 'em; and old Max was a harsh man and a bitter +where he took a dislike. Only see how he had persecuted Mr. Powell! And +though he let his daughter go to Ivy Lodge--and they did say young Mrs. +Errington had taken quite a fancy to the girl--yet that didn't prevent +old Max sneering and snarling, and saying all manner of sharp words +against the Erringtons. And old Max was a man of substance, and his +words had weight in the town. "And you see, miss," said Mrs. Thimbleby, +in conclusion, "young Mr. and Mrs. Errington are gentlefolks, and they +don't hear what's said in Whitford, and they may think things are all +right when they're all wrong. Of course, I daresay they have great +friends and good prospects, miss. And very likely they could settle +everything to-morrow if they thought fit. Only the tale here is, that +not a tradesman in the place has seen the colour of their money, and +they deny theirselves nothing, and the lady so high in her manners, and +altogether there is a feeling against 'em, miss. And as I know you're a +old friend, and a kind friend, I'm sure, and not one as takes pleasure +in the troubles of their neighbours, I thought I would mention it to +you, in case you should like to say a word to the young lady and +gentleman private-like. A word from you would have a deal of weight. And +I do assure you, miss, 'tis of no use trying to speak to old Mrs. +Errington, for she'll only go on about her grandfather's coach-and-four; +and, between you and me, miss, there is some as takes it amiss." + +All this pained and surprised Minnie. She understood at once how +Castalia's ungracious manner was resented in the little town; and set +down a great deal of the hostility which the widow had described to the +score of the Honourable Mrs. Algernon's personal unpopularity. + +Still there must be something seriously wrong at Ivy Lodge. Debt was a +Slough of Despond into which such a one as Algernon Errington would +easily put his foot, from sheer thoughtlessness and the habit of +refusing himself no gratification within his reach. But he might not +find it so easy to extricate himself. A word of warning might possibly +do good. At least it could do no harm, beyond drawing forth some languid +impertinence from Castalia. And Minnie would not for an instant weigh +that chance against the hope of doing some good to her old friend Algy. + +Besides, in truth, she had, as has been said, an undefined feeling of +compassion for Castalia herself, which rendered her singularly +forbearing towards the latter's manifestations of fretful jealousy or +haughty dislike. In the first days of his return to Whitford Algernon +had many a time shot one of his quick, questioning glances at Minnie, +when his wife uttered some coolly insolent speech, directed at, rather +than to, the rector's daughter. But instead of the keen sarcasm, or +scornful irony, which he had expected, Minnie had, nine times out of +ten, replied with a quiet matter-of-fact observation calculated to +extinguish anything like a war of words. At first Algernon had +attributed such forbearance on the part of the brilliant, high-spirited +Minnie entirely to her strong regard for himself. But this flattering +illusion did not last long. He soon perceived that Minnie regarded his +wife with pity, and that she refrained from using the keen weapons of +her wit against Castalia, much as a nurse might refrain from scolding or +arguing with a sick child. + +Now this discovery was not pleasant to Algernon. If any sympathy were to +be expended on the inmates of Ivy Lodge, he was persuaded that much the +larger share of it ought to be given to himself. If there were troubles; +if there were mortifications; if there was disappointment--who suffered +from them as he did? And by whom were they so unmerited? He was not far, +sometimes, from resenting any show of compassion for Castalia as a +direct injury to himself. After having sacrificed himself, by making a +marriage so inadequate to his deserts, it was a little too much to hear +his wife pitied for the contrast between her past and present position? + +And yet, by a queer strain of inconsistency running through the warp +and woof of his character, he would often boast of Castalia's +aristocratic antecedents, and ask, with a smile and a shrug, how the +deuce his wife could be expected to stand the petty privations and +discomforts of Whitford, after having lived all her life in a sphere as +remote from such things as the planet Saturn from the earth? + +Minnie partly saw, partly guessed, these movements of Algernon's mind. +But she judged him with leniency, and put a kind interpretation on his +words and ways, whenever such an interpretation was possible. At all +events, if a word in season could be useful to him, she would not +refrain from speaking that word. + +This young woman had latterly passed into regions of thought and +feeling, from which much of her old life, with its old pains, and +pleasures, and aims, seemed shrunken into insignificance. One solid good +she was able to grasp and to enjoy; the satisfaction of serving her +fellow-creatures. All else grew poor and paltry as the years rolled by. + +Not that Minnie had attained to any saint-like heights of +self-abnegation; not that she did not still "desire and admire" many +sublunary things. But she had got a hurt that had stricken down her +pride. She bore an ache in her heart for which "self-culture," and all +the activities and aspirations of her bright intellect, afforded no +balm. + +But she did not grow sour and selfish in her grief. The example of the +poor, unlettered Methodist preacher (whom in former days she would have +thought the unlikeliest of human beings to teach her any profitable +lesson) had roused the noblest part of her nature to emulation. David +Powell had started from a lofty theory to a life of beautiful deeds. +Minnie Bodkin, vaguely groping after a theory, had seized on practical +benevolence as a means to climb to some higher ideal. + +In morals, as in thought, the Deductive and Inductive stand, like the +ladders of Jacob's dream, reaching from heaven to earth, from earth to +heaven; and the angels of the Lord descend and ascend them continually. + +Minnie was roused from a reverie by the entrance of the preacher's tall +figure into the kitchen, where the fire was now beginning to throw ruddy +lights and fantastic shadows on to the white-washed walls. + +"Don't be startled, Mr. Powell," she said, in her clear, sweet tones. +"It is I--Minnie Bodkin. I thought I should like to see you, and to say +a few words to you, quietly." + +Powell advanced, and took her outstretched hand reverently in his hand. +"The blessing of our Father in Heaven be on you, lady," he said. "Your +kind face is very welcome to me." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +Mrs. Thimbleby set a cup full of hot tea and a slice of bread on the +table, and glided out of the kitchen in a humble, noiseless way, as if +she feared lest the mere sound of her footsteps should be deemed +importunate. + +"You have something to say to me?" asked Powell, still standing opposite +to Minnie's chair. + +"Yes; but first you must take some food. Please to sit down there at the +table." + +Powell shook his head. "Food disgusts me," he said. "I do not need it." + +"That will pain your kind landlady," said Minnie, gently. "She has been +so careful to get this refreshment ready for you." + +Powell sat down. "I would not pain the good soul for any earthly +consideration," he answered. "But if the burthen be laid on me, I must +pain her." + +"Come, Mr. Powell, no injunction can be laid on you to starve yourself, +and grow ill, and be unable to fulfil your duties!" + +After an instant's hesitation he swallowed some tea, and began to break +off small fragments of the bread, which he soaked in the liquid, and ate +slowly. + +Minnie watched him attentively. The widow had lighted a candle, which, +standing on the high mantel-shelf, shed down its pale rays on the +preacher's head and face, the rest of his person being in shadow. Now +and again, as he lifted a morsel of bread to his lips, one thin long +hand, yellow-white as old ivory, came within the circle of light. His +whole countenance appeared to Minnie to have undergone a change since +she had seen him last. The features were sharper, the skin more sallow, +the lines around the mouth deeper. But the greatest change was in the +expression of the eyes. They were wonderfully lustrous, but not with the +soft mild lustre which formerly shone in them. They looked startlingly +large and prominent; and at times seemed literally to blaze with an +inward fire. + +"He is ill and feverish," thought Minnie. And then, as she continued to +watch him, there came over his face an expression so infinitely piteous, +that the sympathetic tears sprang into her eyes when she saw it. It was +a pathetic, questioning, bewildered look, like that of a little child +that has lost its way, and is frightened. + +When he had eaten a few mouthfuls, he asked, "Who told you that you +would find me here?" + +"Oh, it was not difficult to discover your whereabouts in Whitford, Mr. +Powell," answered Minnie, smiling with an effort to seem cheerful and at +ease. "Your coming has been spoken of in our little town for weeks +past." + +"Has it so? Has it so? That is a good hearing. There must be souls ripe +for conviction--anxious, inquiring souls." + +There was a pause. Minnie had expected him to speak of their last +interview. But as he made no allusion to it, she opened the subject +herself. + +"You remember, Mr. Powell, before you went away from Whitford, giving me +a charge--a trust to fulfil for you?" + +He looked at her inquiringly, but did not answer. + +"There was a young member of your flock whose welfare you had greatly at +heart. And you thought that I might be able to help her and show her +some kindness. I--I have honestly tried to keep the promise I then made +to you," persisted Minnie, on whom Powell's strange silence was +producing an unpleasant impression. She could not understand it. "I +fancied that you might still feel some anxiety about Rhoda's +welfare----" + +At the sound of that name, Powell seemed moved as if by an electric +shock. The change in his face was as distinct, although as momentary, as +the change made in a dark bank of cloud by a flicker of summer +lightning. + +"You know, of course," continued Minnie, "that the person whose +influence you feared is married. And I assure you that, so far as my +attentive judgment goes, Rhoda's peace of mind has not been fatally +troubled. She fretted for a while, but is now rapidly regaining her +cheerfulness. She even visits rather frequently at Mr. Errington's +house, having, it seems, become a favourite with his wife." + +David Powell's head had sunk down on to his breast. He held one hand +across his eyes, resting his elbow on the table, and neither moving nor +looking up. But it was evident that he was listening. Minnie went on to +speak of Rhoda's improvement. She had always been pretty, but her beauty +was now very striking. She had profited by the opportunities of +instruction which her father afforded her. She was caressed by the +worthiest people in her little world. + +Minnie went bravely on--nerved by the sight of that bowed figure and +emaciated hand, hiding the eyes--speaking the praises of the girl who +had sent many a pang of jealousy into her heart--a jealousy none the +less torturing because she knew it to be unreasonable. "He could never +have thought of wretched, crippled me, if there had been no Rhoda +Maxfield in the world!" she had told herself a hundred times. But she +tried to fancy that the withering up of the secret romance of her life +would have been less hard to bear, had the sacrifice been made in favour +of a higher, nobler woman than simple, shallow, slight-hearted Rhoda +Maxfield. + +Nevertheless, she spoke Rhoda's praises now ungrudgingly. Nay, more; she +believed Powell to be capable of the highest self-sacrifice; she +believed that he would welcome a prospect of happiness and security for +Rhoda, even though it should shut the door for ever on any lingering +hopes he might retain of winning her. So, bracing herself to a strong +effort--which seemed to strain not only the nerves, but the very +muscles, of her fragile frame as she sat almost upright, grasping the +arms of her chair with both hands--she added, "And, as I know you have +that rare gift of love which can rejoice in looking at a happiness it +may never share, I will say to you in confidence that I believe Rhoda is +honourably sought in marriage by a good man--a man who--it is not +needful to speak at length of him"--indeed, her throat was dry, and her +courage desperately at bay--"but he is a good, high-minded man; one who +will value and respect his wife; one who admires and loves Rhoda very +fervently." + +It was magnanimously said. The words, as she uttered them, sounded the +knell of her own youth and hope in her ears. + +We believe that a beloved one is dead. We have kissed the cold lips. We +have kissed the unresponsive hand. Yes; the beloved one is dead. We +surely believe it. + +But, no! The death-bell sounds, beating with chill, heavy fingers on our +very heart-strings, and then we awake to a sudden confirmation of our +grief. The bell sings its loud monotone, over roof-tree and grave-stone, +piercing through the murmur of busy life in streets and homes, and then +we know that we had not hitherto believed; that in some nook and secret +fold of heart or brain a wild, formless hope had been lurking that all +was not really over. Only the implacable mental clang carries conviction +with its vibrations into the broad daylight and the common air, and the +tears gush out as if our sorrow were born anew. + +Even so felt Minnie Bodkin when she had put her secret thought into +words. The speaking of the words could not hasten their fulfilment. But +yet it seemed to her as if, in saying them, she had signed some +bond--had formally renounced even the solace of a passing fancy that +might flit, fairy-bright, into the dimness of her life; had given up the +object of her silent passion by a covenant that was none the less +stringent because its utterance was simple and commonplace. She was +silent, breathing quickly, and lying back against the cushions after the +short speech that had cost her so much. + +Powell remained quite still for a few seconds. Then suddenly removing +the screening hand, the almost intolerable lustre of his eyes broke upon +the startled woman opposite to him, as he said, with a strange smile, +"She is safe. She is happy for Time and Eternity. She has been ransomed +with a price." + +"I knew that you would allow no selfish feeling to sway you," returned +Minnie, after an instant's pause. "I was right in feeling sure that you +would generously consider her happiness before your own." + +But yet she was not satisfied with the result of her well-meant attempt +to free Powell's mind from the anxiety concerning Rhoda, which she +believed to have been preying on it. There was something strangely +unexpected in his manner of receiving it. Presently Powell looked at her +again with a sad, sweet smile. The wild blaze had gone out of his eyes. +They were soft and steady as they rested on her now. + +"You are a just and benevolent woman," he said. "You have been faithful. +You came hither with the charitable wish to comfort me. I am not +ungrateful. But the old trouble has long been dead. I did wrestle with a +mighty temptation on her account. My heart burnt very hot within me; the +fleshy heart, full of deceit and desperately wicked. But that human +passion fell away like a garment, shrivelled and consumed by the great +fire of the wrath of God, that put it out as the sun puts out the flame +of a taper at noonday. Neither," he went on, speaking rather to himself +than to Minnie, "am I concerned for that young soul. No; it is safe. It +has been ransomed. I have had answer to prayer, and heard voices that +brought me sure tidings in the dimness of the early morning; but these +things are hard to be understood. Sometimes, even yet, the old, foolish +yearning of the heart seems to awake and stir blindly within me. When +you named that name--no lips had uttered it to my ears for many +months--there seemed to run a swift echo of it through all the secret +places of my soul! But I heard as though one dead should hear the beat +of a familiar footfall above his grave." + +The dusk of evening, the low thrilling tones of the preacher's voice, +the terrible pallor of his face, with its great glittering eyes shining +in the feeble rays of the candle, contributed, not less than the +strangeness of his words, to oppress Minnie with a sensation of nervous +dread. She was not afraid of David Powell, nor of anything that she +could see or touch. But vague terrors seemed to be floating in the air. + +She started as her eye was caught by a deep, mysterious shadow on the +wall. The fire had burnt low, and shed only a dull red glow upon the +hearth. The ticking of the old clock appeared to grow louder with every +beat, and to utter some ominous warning in an unknown tongue. + +All at once a sound of voices and footsteps in the passage broke the +spell. The fire cast only commonplace and comprehensible shadows. The +clock ticked with its ordinary indifferent tone. The preacher's pale +face ceased to float in a mystical light against the dark background of +the curtainless window. The everyday world entered in at the kitchen +door in the shape of Mr. Diamond and Rhoda Maxfield. + +Of the four persons thus unexpectedly assembled, Minnie was the first to +speak. + +"What, Rhoda!" she cried, in a quiet voice, which revealed much less +surprise than she felt. "What brought you here at this hour?" + +As she spoke she glanced anxiously at Powell, uneasy as to the effect on +him of Rhoda's sudden appearance. But he remained curiously impassible, +looking at those present as if they were objects dimly seen afar off. + +"I was coming to drink tea with Mrs. Errington. Mr. Diamond overtook me +and Sally in the street. I saw your carriage at the door, and looked in +here, hoping that I should find both you and Mrs. Errington in this +room, because I know you do not go upstairs." + +Thus spoke Rhoda, in a soft, tremulous little voice, and with downcast +eyes. Diamond came and shook hands with Minnie. He pressed the hand she +gave him with unusual warmth and emphasis. His eyes were bright, and +there was a glow of pleasure on his face. He believed that his suit was +prospering, and he wished to convey some hint of his hopeful +anticipations to his sympathising friend Miss Bodkin. Then he turned to +Powell, and touched him on the shoulder. "How are you to-night?" he +asked, in a friendly tone, not without a kind of superior pity. "I am +glad to see that you have been refreshing the inner man. Our friend is +too careless of his health, Miss Bodkin. He fasts too long, and too +often." + +Powell smiled slightly, but neither looked at him nor answered him. +Going straight to Rhoda he laid his hand on her bright chestnut hair, +from which the bonnet she wore had fallen backwards, and looked at her +solemnly. Rhoda turned pale and gazed back at him, as if fascinated. +Neither of the others spoke or moved. + +"It is true, then," said Powell, after a pause, and the low tones of his +voice sounded like soft music. "I have passed through the Valley of the +Shadow of Death, and between me and the dwellers under the light of the +sun there is a great gulf fixed!" + +He released the bright young head on which his hand had rested, and made +as if he would move away. Then, pausing, he said, "I frightened you long +ago--in the other life. Fear no more, Rhoda Maxfield. Be no more +disquieted by night or by day. Many are called, but few are chosen, yet +you are among the chosen." He smiled upon her very sadly and calmly, and +went slowly away without looking round. + +As soon as he was gone, Rhoda burst into tears. Diamond made an eager +step forward as if to take her hand; then stopped irresolutely, and +looked anxiously at Minnie. "She is so sensitive," he said half aloud. +Minnie was as white as the preacher, and her eyes were full of tears, +which, however, she checked from falling by a strong effort of her +will. "I must go," she said. "Rhoda tells me my carriage is here. Will +you kindly call my servants?" He obeyed her, first making his formal +little bow; a sign, under the circumstances, that he was not quite in +sympathy with his friend, who showed so little sympathy herself for that +"sensitiveness" which so moved him. However, when, assisted by Jane, +Miss Bodkin had made her way to the door, Mr. Diamond stood there +bare-headed to help her into the carriage. She put her hand for an +instant on his proffered arm as she got into the vehicle. Rhoda came +running out after her. "Good night, Miss Minnie!" she cried. + +Minnie leant back, and seemed neither to see nor hear her. But in an +instant she was moved by a generous impulse to put her head out of the +window, and say kindly, "Good night, Rhoda. Come and see me soon." + +As the carriage began to move away, she saw Diamond tenderly drawing +Rhoda's shawl round her shoulders, and trying to lead her in from the +chill of the evening air. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +"Well, you may say as you please, Mr. Jackson, but 'twas a sight I shall +never forget; and one I don't expect to see the like of on this side of +eternity," said Richard Gibbs. + +"No, nor don't wish to, I should think," put in Seth Maxfield. + +"Anyway, it was a wonderful manifestation," remarked Mr. Gladwish, +musingly. + +There was a little knot of Wesleyans assembled in the house of Mr. +Gladwish, the shoemaker. Since Jonathan Maxfield's defection, he might +be considered the leading member of the Methodist congregation. And a +weekly prayer-meeting was held at his house on Monday evenings, as it +had formerly been held in old Max's back parlour. + +On the present occasion the assembly was more numerous than usual. +Besides the accustomed cronies and Mr. Jackson the preacher, there were +also Seth Maxfield, who had come into Whitford on some farm business on +the previous Saturday, Richard Gibbs, and the widow Thimbleby. The +latter was an old acquaintance of Mrs. Gladwish, and much patronised by +that matron; although, of late, Mrs. Thimbleby had been under some cloud +of displeasure among the stricter Methodists, on account of her fidelity +to David Powell. + +There had not been, to say the truth, any very fervent or lengthy +religious exercises that evening. After a brief discourse by Brother +Jackson, and the singing of a hymn, the company had, by mutual +agreement, understood but not expressed, fallen into a discussion of the +topic which was at that time in the minds and mouths of most Whitford +persons high and low--namely, David Powell's preachings, and the +phenomena attendant thereon. + +"Anyhow," repeated Mr. Gladwish, after a short silence, "it was a +wonderful manifestation." + +"You may well say so, sir," assented Richard Gibbs, emphatically. + +"Humph," grunted out Brother Jackson, pursing up his thick lips and +folding his fat hands before him; "I misdoubt whether the enemy be not +mixed up somehow or other with these manifestations. I don't say they +are wholly his doing. But--my brethren, Satan is very wily; and is +continually 'going to and fro in the earth,' and 'walking up and down in +it,' even as in the days of Job." + +"That's very true," said Mrs. Gladwish, with an air of responsible +corroboration. She was a light-haired, pale-faced woman, with a +slatternly figure and a sharp, inquisitive nose; and her quiet +persistency in cross-questioning made her a little formidable to some of +her neighbours. + +"When I see a thorn-tree bring forth figs, or a thistle grapes, I will +believe that such things as I witnessed yesterday on Whit Meadow are the +work of Satan--not before!" rejoined Gibbs. + +"Amen!" said Mrs. Thimbleby, tremulously. "Oh! indeed, sir--I hope you +don't consider it presumption in me--but I must say I do think Mr. Gibbs +is right. It was the working of the Lord's spirit, and no other." + +"What was the working of the Lord's spirit?" asked a harsh voice that +made the women start, and caused every head in the room to be turned +towards the door. There stood Jonathan Maxfield, rather more bowed in +the shoulders than when we first made his acquaintance, but otherwise +little changed. + +He was welcomed by Gladwish with a marked show of respect. The breach +made between old Max and his former associates by his departure from +the Methodist Society had been soon healed in many instances. Gladwish +had condoned it long ago; and, owing to various circumstances--among +them the fact that Seth Maxfield and his wife remained among the +Wesleyans--the intercourse between the two families had been almost +uninterrupted. There was truly no cordial interchange of hospitalities, +nor much that could be called companionship; but the strong bond of +habit on both sides, and, on Gladwish's, the sense of his neighbour's +growing wealth and importance, served to keep the two men as close +together as they ever had been. + +"I've come to say a word to Seth, if it may be without putting you out," +said old Maxfield, with a sidelong nod of the head, that was intended as +a general salute to the company. + +Mr. and Mrs. Gladwish protested that no one would be in the least put +out by Mr. Maxfield's presence, but that they were all, on the contrary, +pleased to see him. Then, while the father and son said a few words to +each other in a low tone, the others conversed among themselves rather +loudly, by way of politely expressing that they did not wish to overhear +any private conversation. + +"That's all, then, Seth," said old Max, turning away from his son. "I +knew I should find you here, and I thought I would mention about them +freeholds before it slipped my memory. And--life is uncertain--I have +put a clause in my will about 'em this very evening. Putting off has +never been my plan, neither with the affairs of this world or the next." + +There was something in the mention of a clause in old Max's will which +had a powerful attraction for the imagination of most persons present. +Brother Jackson made a motion with his mouth, as though he were tasting +some pleasant savour. Mrs. Gladwish thought of her tribe of growing +children, and their rapid consumption of food, clothing, and doctor's +stuff, and she sighed. Two or three of the regular attendants at the +prayer-meeting fixed their eyes with lively interest on Jonathan +Maxfield; and one whispered to another that Seth had gotten a good bit +o' cash with his wife, and would have more from his father. 'Twas always +the way: money makes money. Though, rightly considered, it was but dross +and dust, and riches were an awful snare. And then they obsequiously +made way for the rich grocer to take a seat in their circle, moved, +perhaps, by compassion for the imminent peril to his soul which he was +incurring from the possession of freehold property. + +"Well, I'll sit down for half an hour," said Jonathan, in his dry way, +and took a chair near the table accordingly. In fact, he was well +pleased enough to find himself once more among his old associates; and +if any embarrassment belonged to the relations between himself and +Brother Jackson, his former pastor, it was certain that old Max did not +feel it. When a man has a profound conviction of his own wisdom, +supported on a firm basis of banker's books and solid investments, such +intangible sentimentalities have no power to constrain them. Mr. +Jackson, perhaps, felt some little difficulty in becomingly adjusting +his manner to the situation, being troubled between the desire of +asserting his dignity in the eyes of his flock and his natural +reluctance to affront a man of Jonathan Maxfield's weight in the world. +But he speedily hit on the assumption of an unctuous charity and +toleration, as being the kind of demeanour best calculated for the +circumstances. And perhaps he did not judge amiss. "I'm sure," said he, +with a pious smile, "it is a real joy to the hearts of the faithful, and +a good example to the unregenerate, to see believers dwelling together +in unity, however much they may be compelled to differ on some points +for conscience' sake." + +"What was it as some one was saying just now about the working of the +Lord's spirit?" asked Maxfield, cutting short Brother Jackson's verbal +flow of milk and honey. + +There was a little hesitation among those present as to who should +answer this question. To answer it involved the utterance of a name +which was known to be unpleasing in Mr. Maxfield's ears. Mrs. Thimbleby +shrank into the background; she had a special dread of old Jonathan's +stern hard face and manner. Richard Gibbs at length answered, simply, +"We were speaking, Mr. Maxfield, of David Powell's preaching in Lady +Lane and on Whit Meadow." + +Maxfield pressed his lips together, and made an inarticulate sound, +which might be taken to express contempt or disapprobation, or merely an +acknowledgment of Gibbs's information. + +"My! I should like to have been there!" exclaimed Mrs. Gladwish. + +"Well, now," said Seth Maxfield, "my wife would walk twenty mile to keep +out of the way of it. She was quite scared at all the accounts we +heard." + +"But what did you hear! And what did happen, after all?" asked Mrs. +Gladwish. "I wish you would give us an account of it, Mr. Gibbs." + +"It is hard to give an account of such thing to them as wasn't present, +ma'am. But there was a great outpouring of grace." + +Brother Jackson groaned slightly, then coughed, and shook his head. + +"I never saw such a beautiful evening for the time of year," put in one +of Gladwish's apprentices, a consumptive-looking lad with bright, dreamy +eyes. "And all the folks standing in the sunset, and the river shining, +and the leaves red and yellow on the branches--it was a wonderful +sight." + +"It was a wonderful sight!" ejaculated Gibbs. "There was the biggest +multitude I ever saw assembled in Whit Meadow. There must have been +thousands of people. There were among them scoffers, and ungodly men, +and seekers after the truth, and some that were already awakened. Then, +women and children; they came gathering together more and more, from the +north, and the south, and the east, and the west. And there, in the +midst, raised up on a high bench, so that he might be seen of all, stood +David Powell. His face was as white as snow, and his black hair hung +down on either side of it." + +"I thought of John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness," said the +apprentice softly. + +"I couldn't get to stand very near to him," continued Gibbs, "and I +thought I should catch but little of his discourse. But when he began to +speak, though his voice was low at first, after a while it rose, and +grew every moment fuller and stronger." + +"Yes," said the bright-eyed apprentice, "it was like listening to the +organ-pipes of St. Chad's; just that kind of tremble in it that seems to +run all through your body." + +"The man always had a goodish voice," said Brother Jackson. "But that is +a carnal gift. 'Tis the use we put our voices to that is all-important, +my dear friends." + +"He began by prayer," said Gibbs, speaking slowly, and with the +abstracted air of a man who is not so much endeavouring to give others a +vivid narration, as to recall accurately to his own mind the things of +which he is speaking. "Yes, he began with prayer. He prayed for us all +there present with wonderful fervour." + +"What did he say?" asked Mrs. Gladwish. + +"Nay, I cannot repeat the exact words." + +"Can't you remember, Joel?" persisted his mistress, addressing the young +apprentice. + +The lad blushed up, but more, apparently, from eagerness and excitement +than bashfulness, as he answered, "Not the very words, ma'am, I can't +remember. But it was a prayer that had wings like, and it lifted you up +right away into the heavens. When he left off I felt as if I had been +dropped straight down on to Whit Meadow out of a cloud of glory." + +"Well, there's no harm in all that, Brother Jackson?" said Gladwish, +looking round. + +"Harm!" echoed Gibbs. "Why, Mr. Gladwish, if you could but have seen the +faces of the people! And then presently he began to call sinners to +repentance with such power as I never witnessed--no, not when he was +preaching in our chapel two years ago. He spoke of wrath and judgment +until the whole field was full of the sound of crying and groaning. But +he seemed continually strengthened, and went on, until first one fell, +and then another. They dropped down just like dead when the arrows of +conviction entered their souls. And the cries of some of them were awful +to hear. Then there was weeping, and a kind of hard breathing and +panting from breasts oppressed with the weight of sin; and then, mixed +with those sounds, the rejoicing aloud of believers and those who +received assurance. But through all the preacher's voice rose above the +tumult, and it seemed to me almost a manifest miracle that he should be +able to make himself heard so clearly." + +"Aye," said Joel, "it was like a ship on the top of the stormy waves; +now high, now low, but always above the raging waters." + +There was a short silence. Those present looked first at each other and +then at old Max, who sat motionless and grim, with his elbow on the +table, and his chin resting on his clenched hand. + +"And did you really see any of the poor creeturs as was took?" asked +Mrs. Gladwish of the widow Thimbleby. + +"Took, ma'am?" + +"Took with fits, or whatever it was." + +"Oh! yes; I see several. There was a fine fresh-coloured young man, +which is a butcher out Duckwell way--Mr. Seth'll likely know him--and he +dropped down just like a bullock. And then he stamped, and struggled, +and grew an awful dark red colour in the face, and tore up the grass +with his hands; such was the power of conviction. And at last he lay +like a log, and 'twas an hour, or more, before he come to. But when he +did, he had got peace and his burthen was taken away, thanks be!" + +"And there was a girl, too, very poor and sickly-looking," said Joel. +"And when the power of the Lord came upon her she went into a kind of +trance. Her eyes were open, but she saw nothing. Tears were falling down +her cheeks, but they were tears of joy; for she kept on saying, 'How +Thou hast loved sinners!' over and over again. And there was such a +smile on her face! When we go to Heaven, I expect we shall see the +angels smile like that!" + +"And the man himself--the preacher--did he seem filled with joy and +peace?" asked Jackson, covertly malicious. + +"Why, that is the strange thing!" returned Richard Gibbs, with frank +simplicity. "Although he was doing this great work, and witnessing the +mercies of the Lord descend on the people like manna, yet Mr. Powell had +such a look of deep sorrow on his face as I never saw. It was a kind of +a fixed, hopeless look. He said, 'I speak to you out of a dark dungeon, +but you are in the light. Give thanks and rejoice, and hasten to make +your calling and election sure. Those who dwell in the blackness of the +shadow could tell you terrible things.'" + +Mrs. Thimbleby wiped away a tear with the corner of her shabby black +shawl. "Ah!" she sighed, "it do seem a hard dispensation and a strange +one, as him who brings glad tidings to so many shouldn't get peace +himself. And a more angelic creetur' in his kindness to the afflicted +never walked this earth. Yet he's a'most always bowed down with +heaviness of spirit. It do seem strange!" + +Jonathan Maxfield struck the table with his fist so hard that the +candlesticks standing on it rocked. "Strange!" he cried, "it would be +strange indeed to see anything else! Why this is the work of the enemy +as plain as possible. Don't tell me! Look at all the years I've been a +member of Christian congregations in Whitford--whether in chapel or +church, it is no matter--and tell me if ever there was known such +ravings, and fits, and Bedlam doings? And yet I suppose there were souls +saved in my time too! I say that Satan is busy among you, puffing up one +and another with sperritual pride." + +"Lord forgive you!" ejaculated Richard Gibbs, in a tone of such genuine +pity and conviction as startled the rest. + +"Lord forgive me, sir!" echoed old Max, turning slowly round upon the +speaker, and glaring at him from under his grey eyebrows. + +There was an awe-stricken silence. + +"Our good friend, Richard Gibbs, meant no offence, Mr. Maxfield," said +Jackson, looking everywhere except into Gibbs's face. + +"I say," cried Maxfield, addressing the rest of the company, and +entirely ignoring the rash delinquent Gibbs, "that these things are a +snare and a delusion, and the work of the devil. And when them of more +wisdom and experience than me comes forward to speak on the matter, I +shall be glad to show forth my reasons." + +"Why, but, Brother Maxfield, I don't know now. I don't feel so sure," +said Gladwish, on whom the accounts of Powell's preaching had produced +a considerable effect. "There have been cases, you know, in the early +times of Methodism; and John Wesley himself, you know, was ready to +believe in the workings of grace, as manifested in similar ways." + +"Don't tell me of your David Powells!" returned old Max, declining to +discuss the subject on wide or general grounds, but doggedly confining +himself to the particulars immediately before him. "Don't tell me of a +man as is blown out with pride and vain glory like a balloon. Did I, or +did I not, say more'n two years ago, that David Powell was getting +puffed up with presumptuousness?" + +There was a low murmur of assent. Brother Jackson closed his eyes and +uttered a deep, long-drawn "A-a-ah!" like a man reluctantly admitting a +painful truth. + +"Did I, or did I not, say to many members of the Society, 'This man is +dangerous. He has fallen from grace. He is hankering after new-fangled +doctrine, and is ramping with red-hot over-bearingness?'" + +"Yon did, sir," answered a stout, broad-faced man named Blogg, who +looked like a farmer, but was a linendraper in a small way of business. +"You said so frequently; I remember your very words, and can testify to +'em." + +(This speech appeared to produce a considerable effect. Mrs. Thimbleby +began to cry; and, not having an apron at hand, threw the corner of her +shawl over her face.) + +"Did I, or did I not, say that if things went on at this kind of rate, I +should withdraw from the Society? And did I, or did I not, withdraw from +it accordin'?" + +"Sir," said Mr. Blogg, "I saw you with my own eyes a-coming out of the +parish church of St. Chad's, at ten minutes to one o'clock in the +afternoon of the Sunday next following your utterance of them identical +expressions; and cannot deny or evade the truth, but must declare it to +the best of my ability, with no regard to any human respects, but for +the ease and liberation of my conscience as a sincere though humble +professor." + +There was a general feeling that, in some conclusive though mysterious +way, the linendraper had brought a crushing weight of evidence to bear +against David Powell; and even the preacher's best friends would find it +difficult to defend him after that! + +Old Max looked round triumphantly, and proceeded to follow up the +impression thus made. "And then I'm to be told," said he, "that the +lunatic doings on Whit Meadow are the work of Heavenly powers, eh? Come, +Gladwish--you're a man as has read theologies and controversies, and are +acquainted with the history of Wesleyan Methodism as well as most +members in Whitford--I should like to know what arguments you have to +advance against plain facts--facts known to us all, and testified to by +Robert Blogg, linendraper, now present, and for many years a respected +class-leader in this town?" + +"Well, but we have plain facts to bring forward too," said Richard +Gibbs, with anxious earnestness. + +"I ask you, Gladwish, what arguments you have to bring forward," +repeated Maxfield, determinedly repressing any outward sign of having +heard the presumptuous Gibbs. + +"If this be not Satan's doing, I have no knowledge of the words of the +devil, and I suppose I shall hardly be told that, after regular +attendance in a congregation of Wesleyan Methodists for fifty odd years, +man and boy! But," continued the old man, after a short silence, which +none of those present ventured to break, "there's no knowing, truly. +These are new-fangled days. I cannot say but what I may live to hear it +declared that I know nothing of Satan, nor cannot discern his works when +I see them!" + +"Nay, father," said Seth Maxfield, speaking now for the first time, in +deprecation of so serious a charge against the "new-fangled days," on +which Whitford had fallen. "Nay, no man will say that, nor yet think it. +But my notion is, that it may neither be Heaven nor t'other place that +has much to do with these kind of fits and screechings. I believe it to +be just as Dr. Evans said--and he a Welshman himself, you'll +remember--when he first heard of these doings of David Powell in Wales. +Says he, 'It's a epidemic,' says the doctor. 'A catching kind of nervous +disease, neither more nor less. And you may any of you get it if you go +to hear and see the others. Though forewarned is forearmed in such +cases,' says the doctor. 'And the better you understand the real natur' +of the disorder, the safer you'll be from it.'" + +Seth was of a materialistic and practical turn of mind, and he offered +this hypothesis as an explanation which had approved itself to his own +judgment (not because he thoroughly comprehended Dr. Evans's statements, +but rather because of the inherent repugnance of his mind to accept a +supernatural theory about any phenomenon, when a natural theory might +be substituted for it), and also as a neutral ground of conciliation, +whereon the opposing celestial and diabolic partisans might meet half +way. But it speedily appeared that he had miscalculated in so doing. +Neither the friends nor the opponents of David Powell would for an +instant admit any such rationalistic suggestion. It was scouted on all +hands. And Seth, who had no gift of controversy, speedily found himself +reduced to silence. + +"Well," said he, quietly, when he and his father rose to go away, "think +what you please, but I know that if one of my reapers was to fall down +in the field that way, let him be praying or cursing, I should consider +it a hospital case." + +"Good night, Gladwish," said old Max. "Good night, Mrs. Gladwish. I am +glad, for the sake of all the decent, sober, godly members of the +Society, as this firebrand had left it before things came to this pass. +And I only wish you'd all had the gift of clear-sightedness to see +through him long ago, and cut yourselves off from him as I did." + +Richard Gibbs advanced towards the old man with outstretched hand. "I +hope, Mr. Maxfield," he said, humbly, "that you'll not think I meant any +offence to you just now. But I was so full of conviction, and you know +we can but speak the truth to the best of our power. I hope you, nor any +other Christian man, will be in wrath with me, because we don't see +things just alike. I know Mr. Powell is always for making peace, for he +says we many a time fancy we're fighting the Lord's battles, when, in +truth, we are only desiring victory for our own pride. Anyway, I know he +would bid me ask pardon for a hasty word, if any offence had come by it. +And so I hope you'll shake hands." + +Jonathan Maxfield took no notice of the proffered hand, neither did he +make any answer directly. But as he reached the door he turned round and +said, "Well, Mr. Jackson, you have your work cut out for you with some +of your flock, I doubt. Like to like. I expect that ranting Welshman +will draw some away from decent chapel-going. But them as admires such +doings are best got rid of, and that speedily." With that he walked off. + +"I think Maxfield was rather hard on poor Dicky Gibbs," said Mr. +Gladwish to his spouse when they were alone together. "He might ha' +shook hands. Dicky came forward in a real Christian spirit. Maxfield was +very hard in his wrath." + +"Well," returned the virtuous matron, "I can't so much wonder. Having +the Lord's forgiveness called down on his head in that way! And I don't +know, Gladwish, as we should like it ourselves!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +Minnie Bodkin had not dismissed from her mind the rumours about Algernon +Errington, which she had heard from the widow Thimbleby. After some +consideration she resolved to speak to him directly on the subject, and +decided on the manner of doing so. + +"I will not try to speak to him in the presence of other people," she +thought. "He would wriggle off and slip through my fingers if he found +the conversation had any tendency to become disagreeable. And then, too, +it might be difficult to speak to him without interruption." + +This latter consideration had reference to Minnie's observation of Mrs. +Algernon, who never saw her husband engaged in conversation with Miss +Bodkin without unceremoniously thrusting herself between them. + +The result of Minnie's deliberations was the sending of the following +note to the Whitford Post-office:-- + + "MY DEAR ALGERNON,--I want to say a word to you quietly. Can + you come to me on your way home this afternoon? I will be ready + to receive you at any hour between four and six. Don't + disappoint your old friend, + + "M. B." + +At a few minutes before five that evening Mr. Ancram Errington presented +himself at Dr. Bodkin's house, and was shown up to Minnie's room. + +It was one of Minnie's good days. She was seated in her lounging-chair +by the fire, but she was not altogether reclining in it--merely leaning +a little back against the cushions. A small writing-table stood in front +of her. It was covered with papers--amongst them a copy of the local +newspaper--and she had evidently been busily occupied. When Algernon +entered she held out her hand with a smile of welcome. "This is very +good!" she exclaimed. "I was not sure that I should succeed in tearing +your postmastership away from the multifarious duties----" + +Algernon winced, and held up his hand. "Don't, Minnie!" he cried. "For +mercy's sake, let me forget all that for half an hour!" + +"Oh, reassure yourself, most overworked of public servants! It is not +about the conveyance of his Majesty's mails that I am going to talk to +you." + +"Upon my word, I am infinitely relieved to hear it." + +And, indeed, his countenance brightened at once, and he took a chair +opposite to Minnie with all his old nonchalant gaiety. + +"How you hate your office!" said Minnie, looking at him curiously. +"More, even, than your native laziness--which I know to be +considerable--would seem to account for." + +"Not at all! There is no difficulty in accounting for my distaste for +the whole business. There can be no difficulty. It is the simplest, most +obvious thing in the world!" + +"Don't things go smoothly? Have you any special troubles or difficulties +in the office, Algernon?" + +"Special troubles! My dear Minnie, what on earth are you driving at?" + +"I am 'driving' at nothing more than the simple sense of my words +implies," she answered, with a marked shade of surprise in her +countenance. "I mean just what I say. Is your work going pretty +smoothly? Have you any complaints? Does your clerk do well?" + +"Oh, Gibbs? Capitally, capitally! Old Obadiah is a first-rate fellow. +Did you know his name was Obadiah? Absurd name, isn't it? Oh yes; he's +all right. I trust him entirely--blindly. He has the whole thing in his +hands. He might do anything he liked in the office. I have every +confidence in Gibbs. But now, Minnie, let us have done with the subject. +If you had as much of it as I have you would understand----Come, dismiss +the bugaboo, or I shall think you have entrapped me here to talk to me +about the post-office. And I warn you I don't think I should be able to +stand that, even from you!" + +"How absurdly you are exaggerating, Algy," said Minnie, shaking her head +at him, and yet smiling a little at the same time. "But be at peace. I +have nothing to say on the subject of the Whitford post-office. My +discourse will chiefly concern the Whitford postmaster, and----No! Don't +be so ridiculous! not in his official capacity, either!" + +"Oh! Well, in his private character, I should think it impossible to +find a more delightful topic of conversation than that interesting and +accomplished individual," returned Errington, laughing and settling +himself comfortably in his chair. + +"I hope it may prove so. Tell me, first, how is Mrs. Algernon Ancram +Errington?" + +"Why, Castalia is not very well, I think, although I don't know what is +the matter. She grows thinner and thinner, and sallower and sallower. +_Entre nous_, Minnie, she frets and chafes against our life here. She +has not the gift of looking on the bright side of things. She is rather +peevish by nature. It's a little trying sometimes, coming on the back of +all the other botherations. Ha! There!" (passing his hand quickly across +his forehead) "let us say no more on that subject either. And now to +return to the interesting topic--the delightful and accomplished--eh? +What have you to say to me?" + +Minnie seized on the opportunity, which chance had afforded her, to +introduce the matter she wished to speak about. + +"Do you think your wife is annoyed by the importunities of tradespeople, +Algy? That would be enough to fret her and sour her temper." + +"Importunities of tradespeople? Good gracious, no! And, besides, I don't +think Castalia would allow the importunities of tradespeople to disturb +her much. I should fancy that a Bourbon princess could scarcely look on +such folks from a more magnificent elevation than poor Castalia does. +But, _Que voulez-vous_? She was brought up in that sort of hauteur." + +"I quite believe in your wife's disregard for the feelings of the +tradespeople," answered Minnie drily. "But this is a question of her own +feelings, you see. Come, Algernon, may I take the privilege of our old +friendship, and speak to you quite frankly?" + +"Pray do, my dear Minnie. You know I always loved frankness." + +He looked the picture of candour as he turned his bright blue eyes on +his friend. + +"Well, then, to begin with a question. Do you not owe money to several +persons in Whitford?" + +"My dear Minnie, don't look so solemn, for mercy's sake! 'Owe money!' +Why I suppose everybody owes money. A few pounds would cover all my +debts. I assure you I am never troubled on the subject." + +"I am glad to hear it. But--will you forgive the liberty I am taking for +the sake of my motive, and give me _carte blanche_ to be as impertinent +as I please." + +"With all my heart!" he answered unhesitatingly. + +"Thanks, Algy. Then, to proceed without circumlocution: I am afraid +that, since neither you nor your wife are accustomed to domestic +economy, you may possibly be spending more money than is quite prudent, +without being aware of it. You say you are not disturbed by your debts; +but, Algy, I hear things on this subject which are never likely to reach +your ears; or not until it is too late for the knowledge of them to +serve you. And I have reason to think that there is a good deal of +unpleasant feeling among the Whitford tradespeople about you and yours." + +"You will excuse me for observing that the Whitford tradespeople always +have been, within my recollection, a set of pig-headed, prejudicial +ignoramuses, and that I see no reason to apprehend any speedy +improvement in the intelligence of that highly respectable body." + +"Don't laugh, Algernon. The matter is serious. You have not been +troubled yet, you say. But the trouble may begin at any moment, and I +should wish you to be prepared to meet it. You may have bills sent in +which----" + +"Bills? Oh, as to that, there's no lack of them already! I must +acknowledge the great alacrity and punctuality with which the mercantile +classes of this town send in their weekly accounts. Oh dear yes, I have +a considerable collection of those interesting documents; so many, in +fact, that the other day, when Castalia was complaining of the +shabbiness of the paperhangings in our dining-room, I proposed to her to +cover the walls with the tradesmen's bills. It would be novel, +economical, and moral; a kind of _memento mori_--a death's head at the +feast! Fancy seeing your butcher's bill glaring down above the roast +mutton every day, and the greengrocer's 'To account delivered,' +restraining the spoon that might otherwise too lavishly dispense the +contents of the vegetable dishes!" + +"Algy, Algy!" + +"Upon my honour, Minnie, I made the suggestion. But Castalia looked as +grave as a judge. She didn't see it at all. The fact is, poor Cassy's +sense of humour is merely rudimentary." + +Minnie joined her hands together on the table, and thus supported, she +leant a little forward, and looked searchingly at the young man. + +"Algernon," she said with slow deliberation, "I begin to be afraid that +the case is worse than I thought." + +"What do you mean?" he asked, almost roughly, and with a sudden change +of colour. + +"I mean that you really are in difficult waters. How has it come to pass +that the weekly accounts have accumulated in this way?" + +He laughed a little forced laugh, but he looked relieved, too. + +"The process is simple. They keep sending 'em in!" + +"And then it is said--forgive me if I appear intrusive--that you gave +orders for wine and such things out of Whitford. And that does not +incline the people of the place to be patient." + +"Well, by Jove!" exclaimed Algernon, throwing himself back in his chair +and thrusting his hands into his pockets, "that is the most absurd--the +most irrational--the most preposterous reason for being angry with me! +They grumble when I run up a bill with them, and they are affronted when +I don't!" + +"Does your wife understand--or--or control the household expenditure?" + +"Bless you, no! She has not the very vaguest ideas of anything of the +kind. When she had an allowance from her uncle for her dress, my lord +used to have to come down every now and then with a supplementary sum of +money to get her out of debt." + +He spoke with an air of perfectly easy amusement, and without a trace of +anxiety; unless, perhaps, an accustomed ear might have detected some +constraint in his voice. + +"But could she not be made to understand? Why not give her some hints on +domestic economy? It should be done kindly, of course. And surely her +own good sense----" + +Algernon pursed up his mouth and raised his eyebrows. + +"She considers herself an unexampled victim as it is. I think 'lessons +on domestic economy' would about put the finishing stroke to the +internal felicity of Ivy Lodge!" + +Minnie looked pained. They were trenching here on ground on which she +had no intention of venturing farther. It formed no part of her plan to +be drawn into a discussion respecting the defects and shortcomings of +Algernon's wife. She was silent. + +Algernon got up from his chair, and came and stood before Minnie, taking +both her hands in his. + +"My dear girl," he said, "I cannot tell you how much I feel your +kindness and friendship. But, now, pray don't look so terribly like the +tragic muse! I assure you there is no need, as far as we are concerned. +Castalia is perhaps a little extravagant; but, after all, what does it +amount to? A few pounds would cover all I owe. The whole of our budget +is a mere bagatelle. The fact is, you have attached too much importance +to the chatter of these thick-headed boobies. They hate us, I suppose, +because Castalia's uncle is a peer of the realm, and because we dine +late, and because we prefer claret to Double X--or for some equally +excellent and conclusive reasons." + +"I don't know that they hate you, Algy," returned Minnie, but not with +an air of very perfect conviction. "And, after all, it is scarcely a +proof of personal malignity to wish to be paid one's bill!" + +Algernon laughed quite genuinely. "Oh yes it is!" he cried. "A proof of +the direst malignity. What worse can they do?" + +"Well, Algernon, I cannot presume to push my sermonisings on you any +farther. You will give me credit at least for having ventured to make +them from a single-minded wish to be of some service to you." + +"My dear Minnie! you are the 'best fellow' in the world! (You remember I +used to call you so in my saucy, school-boy days, and when your majesty +condescended to permit my impertinences?) And to show you how thoroughly +I appreciate your friendship, I don't mind telling you that when I am +removed from this d---- delightful berth that I now occupy, I shall have +to get Uncle Seely to help us out a little. But I feel no scruple about +that. Something is due to me. I ought never to have been placed here at +all. Well, no matter! It was a mistake. My lord sees it now, and he is +setting to work in earnest for me in other quarters. I have every +reason to believe that I shall get very pretty promotion before long. It +isn't my business to go about proclaiming this to the butchers and +bakers, is it? And between you and me, Miss Bodkin, your dear +Whitfordians are as great rogues as the tradesmen in town, and vastly +less pleasant to deal with. They make us pay an enormous percentage for +the trifling credit we take. So let 'em wait and be----paid! Dear +Minnie, I assure you I shall not forget your affectionate kindness." + +He bent down over her as he said the last words, still holding her +hands. A change in Minnie's face made him look round, and when he did +so, he saw his wife standing just within the room behind him. + +Minnie was inexpressibly vexed with herself to feel a hot flush covering +her face. She knew it would be misconstrued, and that made her colour +the more. Mrs. Algernon Errington was the first to speak. + +"I beg your pardon, Miss Bodkin," she said, "I didn't know that you were +so particularly engaged." + +"What the deuce brought you here?" asked her husband, with a not +altogether successful assumption of thinking the whole trio, including +himself, completely at their ease. + +"There was no one in the drawing-room nor in the study," continued +Castalia, still addressing Minnie, "so I thought I would come direct to +your room. I see now that I ought not to have taken that liberty." + +"Well, frankly, I don't think you ought, my dear," said her husband, +lightly. + +Minnie was sorely tempted to say so too. But she felt that any show of +anger on her part would but increase the unpleasantness of the +situation, and a quarrel with Algernon's wife under such circumstances +would have been equally revolting to her pride and her taste; so she +held out her hand to Castalia with grave courtesy, and said, "I have to +apologise, on my side, for having taken the privilege of old friendship +to sermonise your husband a little. He will tell you what I have +ventured to speak to him about. I hope you will forgive me." + +Castalia appeared not to see the proffered hand. She stood quite still +near the door as she answered, "Oh, I daresay it is all quite right. I +don't suppose Ancram will tell me anything about it; I am not in his +secrets." + +"This is no secret, Mrs. Errington; at all events, not from you." + +"Oh, I don't know. But I daresay it doesn't matter." + +Through all the languid insolence of her manner there was discernible so +much real pain of mind, that Minnie once more checked a severe speech, +and answered gently, "You will judge of that. Of course Algernon will +discuss the subject of our conversation with you." + +Mrs. Algernon Errington scarcely condescended to return Minnie's parting +salutation, but walked away, saying to her husband over her shoulder, "I +am going to drive home. It is nearly dinner-time. I suppose you are +coming? But don't let me interfere with your arrangements." + +"Interfere with a fiddlestick!" cried Algernon in the quick, testy tone +that was the nearest approach to loss of temper Minnie had ever seen in +him. Then he added after an instant, with a short laugh, "I don't know +why I'm supposed not to include dinner in my 'arrangements' to-day of +all days in the year!" + +And then the husband and wife went away together, and entered the fly +that awaited them before Dr. Bodkin's door. + +"How did you know where to find me?" asked Algernon suddenly, after a +silent drive of some ten minutes. + +"Oh, I knew you had a rendezvous." + +"I had no 'rendezvous.' You could not know it!" + +"Couldn't I? I tell you I saw that creature's letter. 'Dear Algernon!' +What right has she to write to you like that?" + +And Castalia burst into angry tears. + +Algernon turned upon her eagerly. + +"Saw her letter? Where? How?" + +"I----they told me----it was at the office." + +"You went to the office? And you saw Minnie's letter?" + +"I----it's no use scolding me, or pretending to be injured. I know who +is injured of us two." + +"I suppose I must have left the note lying open on the table of my +office," said Algernon, speaking very distinctly, and not looking at +his wife. + +"Yes; that must be it! I----I----I tore it up. You will find the +fragments on the floor if you think them worth preserving." + +"What a goose you are, Castalia!" exclaimed her husband, leaning back in +the carriage and closing his eyes. + +Now, the fact was that Algernon distinctly remembered having placed +Minnie's note in a drawer of a little secretaire which he kept +habitually locked, and of which the key was at that moment in his +waistcoat pocket. And the discovery that his wife had in some way or +other obtained access to the said secretaire gave him, for reasons known +only to himself, abundant food for conjecture and reflection during the +rest of the drive home. + + +END OF VOL. II. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHARMING FELLOW, VOLUME II (OF +3)*** + + +******* This file should be named 35429.txt or 35429.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/5/4/2/35429 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://www.gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: +http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/35429.zip b/35429.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cff08d9 --- /dev/null +++ b/35429.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..af87eec --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #35429 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35429) |