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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40006 ***
+
+                                 MARGARET CAPEL.
+
+                                     VOL. I.
+
+
+                                       By
+
+                                 Ellen Wallace
+
+
+
+
+                                 MARGARET CAPEL.
+
+                                    A NOVEL.
+
+                 By the Author of "THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE," &c.
+
+
+    "One of the best kind of fashionable novels, not only free from the
+    vulgar impertinences of the 'silver-fork school,' but has the tone
+    of good society, and better still, a vein of pure and healthful
+    sentiment. The grave incidents of the story are treated with good
+    taste and genuine pathos, but enlivened by very amusing scenes, in
+    which the ridiculous and vicious peculiarities of character, so
+    often met with in real life, are cleverly hit off with a pencil
+    which emulates the witty drollery of caricature without its
+    coarseness."--_Spectator_.
+
+
+    "A very superior work. Without the coarseness of Mrs. Trollope's
+    writings, it has all her vigour and rapidity of narrative, with
+    touches of ideal grace and beauty, and a perception of the elevating
+    impulses of the heart to which that lady seems utterly a stranger.
+    It might almost be called a dramatic novel, for the characters and
+    story are developed in a series of animated conversations which are
+    sustained with remarkable power, distinctness, and variety. The
+    descriptive portions of the work are written with much
+    elegance."--_John Bull_.
+
+
+
+
+                                MARGARET CAPEL.
+
+
+                                   A NOVEL.
+
+
+                               BY THE AUTHOR OF
+
+                          "THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE."
+
+
+
+                              IN THREE VOLUMES.
+
+                                    VOL. I.
+
+
+                                    LONDON:
+
+                     RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET.
+
+                                     1846.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+                                   LONDON:
+
+                 Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street.
+
+
+
+
+
+                              MARGARET CAPEL.
+
+                     *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+
+    And he had ever on his lip some word of mockery.
+
+    MAISTRE WACE.
+
+    Therefore whenever that thou dost behold
+    A comely corse with beauty fair endewed,
+    Know this for certain, that the same doth hold
+    A beauteous soul, with fair conditions thewed;
+    Fit to receive the seed of vertue strewed,
+    For all that fair is, is by nature good;
+    That is a sign to know the gentle blood.
+
+    SPENSER.
+
+
+"Left guardian to her, are you?" said Mr. Casement, looking with an
+expression of much satisfaction at his friend Mr. Grey.
+
+"I told you so three months ago," returned Mr. Grey, in a tone of voice
+that betrayed his vexation.
+
+"I have been very busy for these three months, and forgot all about it,"
+said Mr. Casement.
+
+"I thought you never were busy, Casement," remarked Mr. Grey.
+
+"One of your mistakes," returned Mr. Casement, as if Mr. Grey's mistakes
+were a synonyme for the dullest of all possible blunders. "Why, you seem
+to have the luck of it; you are always being made guardian, or executor,
+or what not."
+
+"I know I am," said Mr. Grey, looking more and more cold, and vexed, and
+peevish; and rubbing his knee with great perseverance, as he drew closer
+to the fire; "but never before to a girl."
+
+"What has become of the two young Trevors?"
+
+"One of them drowned near Ilfracombe the summer before last--the other
+in India."
+
+"Can't you marry her to one of them?"
+
+"Which?" asked Mr. Grey shortly, "they are both equally within my
+reach."
+
+"I thought there was another--Alfred Trevor?"
+
+"He is married already."
+
+"And how old is the girl?"
+
+"Seventeen, I told you."
+
+"When did you close accounts with young Haveloc?"
+
+"Last Christmas, didn't you know?"
+
+"I forgot. Sharp work, Master Grey, upon my word. If you are to have a
+ward every year, I don't envy you. As well open a boarding-school at
+once. That is the good," continued Mr. Casement, turning round and
+addressing the fire, "that is the good of being a single man; he is
+bothered with every body's children. Now, I never was appointed guardian
+in my life. You had better, my good friend," said he, turning again to
+Mr. Grey, "you had better cajole Master Haveloc to take the young lady
+off your hands as quickly as possible. There is an arrangement which
+would please all parties."
+
+"I have a great regard for young Haveloc," said Mr. Grey seriously; "and
+I don't wish him so ill as to force a wife upon him. I never saw any
+good come of making matches. Margaret Capel is nearer to me than the
+Trevors, who are only second cousins. She is my own sister's child. She
+will inherit my property in all likelihood, and then she will find no
+difficulty in obtaining a husband without the disgrace of going in
+search of one."
+
+"That's a long speech," remarked Mr. Casement.
+
+Mr. Grey made no reply to this statement.
+
+"That is to say," resumed Mr. Casement, "if you don't leave your money
+to a hospital."
+
+"I have no intention of leaving a doit to any hospital in the world,"
+said Mr. Grey.
+
+"But Master Haveloc would make her a nice husband," said Mr. Casement
+maliciously, "you have heard of the pretty things he has been doing at
+Florence."
+
+"Yes," replied Mr. Grey shortly.
+
+There was no excuse for repeating the "pretty things," as Mr. Grey
+professed to recollect them; and Mr. Casement looked a little baffled
+for a moment.
+
+"Mrs. Maxwell Dorset must be a delightful woman," said he, at length.
+"It is a pity Haveloc could not manage to run off with her."
+
+"Do you think so?" retorted Mr. Grey, still more shortly.
+
+"He don't do you much credit," resumed his provoking companion, "I am
+afraid you did not bring him up in the way he should go."
+
+"I did not bring him up at all," replied Mr. Grey. "I had the direction
+of him, or his affairs, for a couple of years, from nineteen to
+twenty-one. There began and there ended my control."
+
+"And so," said Mr. Casement, "you expect Miss Peggy here every minute."
+
+"I expect my niece, Margaret, to arrive before nine o'clock."
+
+"Fresh from a boarding-school, good luck!" exclaimed Mr. Casement, "with
+her head full of sweethearts. You must go over to S----, and call upon
+the red-coats, only you must get a better cook, let me tell you, or they
+won't come very often to dine with you. I thought the _fondu_ worse than
+ever to-day. Miss will never want amusement as long as there is a lazy
+fellow to be found, with a spangled cap on his head, to go about
+sketching all the gate-posts, far and near, and keep her guitar in
+tune."
+
+Mr. Grey employed himself busily during this harangue in making up the
+fire; then suddenly dropped the poker and started. A carriage stopped at
+the door. Now, he had been cross, not because he was expecting his
+sister's child; but because he did not know what on earth to do with her
+when she came.
+
+He hurried out into the hall regardless of the wintry wind, and received
+the new comer in his arms.
+
+"You are kindly welcome, my dear, to Ashdale," he said, as he led her
+into the drawing-room. "Casement, this is my niece, Miss Capel."
+
+"Well, I suspected as much," said Mr. Casement, staring into her bonnet;
+"and now the first question to be determined is--who is she like?"
+
+"I am considered like my mother," said Margaret, in a very quiet sweet
+voice, laying aside her bonnet as she spoke, almost as if to facilitate
+Mr. Casement's impertinent scrutiny; but with so self-possessed a manner
+as to perplex even his degree of assurance.
+
+"Why then your mother was--a very pretty creature, that's all," said Mr.
+Casement, turning away.
+
+Most persons would have been disposed to echo Mr. Casement's remark, as
+Margaret brought to view a profusion of bright hair of a rich deep
+brown, falling in low bands over cheeks of velvet softness, where the
+warm colour glowed like gathered rose leaves upon the pure white
+surface, a small accurate nose, short curved lips, as red and almost as
+transparent as rubies; and long almond-shaped blue eyes, with a fringe
+of black lashes curved outwards from the upper and under lid, so as to
+deepen and almost change the colour of the eye itself.
+
+While Mr. Casement was taking note of these particulars, Mr. Grey placed
+his niece beside him close to the fire; and rang for tea, with such
+accompaniments as he thought might be acceptable to her after her long
+journey.
+
+Margaret, who had been attentively perused by the two gentlemen, now
+took a survey of them in return, although in a more guarded manner. Mr.
+Grey was a small, quiet old gentleman, with a thin, pale face, wearing
+his white hair cut almost close to the head; very mild and pleasing in
+his address, with a little of the kind and polished formality of the
+old school. She thought she never had seen so hideous an old man as Mr.
+Casement, with his snaky grey and sandy hair, his ragged teeth and long
+projecting upper lip. As he sat, with the lamp on the other side of his
+head, the exaggerated shadow traced upon the wall perfectly amazed her
+when she reflected that it belonged to a human creature. She then looked
+with some curiosity at the room, which was large though not lofty, with
+dark oak panels, and heavy crimson curtains; all the furniture was of
+carved oak and crimson velvet, which gave a rich but somewhat gloomy
+appearance to the apartment.
+
+"You are very hungry, ain't you, little woman?" said Mr. Casement, who
+generally knew exactly what would most annoy those to whom he spoke. A
+school-girl never likes to be thought very hungry; and as Margaret was
+not tall, she was extremely sensitive to her small stature. With hands
+and arms like a Greek nymph, and a small round neck that would have
+delighted a sculptor, she envied every girl in the school, however ugly,
+who measured any thing above her own five feet two inches. She was very
+shy, with all her apparent self-possession; and she sat deeply
+colouring, first at the imputation of being hungry, and secondly with a
+distressing consciousness that she ought, as the only lady present, to
+offer her services in making the tea, instead of allowing the old butler
+to prepare it.
+
+The tea being made, and Mr. Grey informed of the fact, the butler
+withdrew; and then Mr. Casement remarked that the little girl would pour
+it out, and it would be good practise against she grew to be a woman,
+and had a house of her own.
+
+Margaret went to the tea-table, and Mr. Casement followed her to explain
+his peculiar fancies. "That large cup is mine," he said, "give me four
+lumps of sugar, and put the cream in first; it makes all the
+difference."
+
+She complied with his directions in silence; but she turned to Mr. Grey
+and asked if she had made his tea right for him, in that soft low voice
+which is in itself a courtesy.
+
+"Quite right, my dear," said Mr. Grey, "a great deal better than when
+Land makes it."
+
+"And so, you left school to-day;" said Mr. Casement, as soon as tea was
+over.
+
+"Yesterday," replied Margaret, "I went as far as Winchester with a
+school-fellow, and staid all night there, and came on here to-day."
+
+"Are you sorry you have left school?"
+
+"No, Sir."
+
+"What--did you not like it?"
+
+"Not much, Sir."
+
+"How's that? Were you a naughty girl, eh? Did you not learn your
+lessons?"
+
+"Yes, Sir, I learned my lessons."
+
+"Why did you not like school, my dear?" asked Mr. Grey, kindly.
+
+"Didn't give her enough to eat, I dare say!" exclaimed Mr. Casement.
+
+"Quite enough, Sir," replied Margaret; "but I felt I was wasting my time
+there."
+
+"Ay!" cried Mr. Casement, delighted at the reply; "no young sparks
+there, eh? No inamoratos! A little in the convent style, is it not? Ugly
+old music master, ditto drawing, and dancing taught by a lady!"
+
+"Don't mind him, my dear," said Mr. Grey, taking Margaret's hand in his,
+"tell me about it."
+
+Although the indignant blood flashed fast over neck and brow, Margaret
+made no answer to Mr. Casement, but turned to Mr. Grey.
+
+"I was learning words all day, Sir," she replied, "and music; they gave
+me no time for thinking. I should be sorry if there was no more to learn
+than what they teach at school."
+
+"You will have plenty of time here for thinking, little woman," said Mr.
+Casement, "for hardly a soul ever crosses his threshold; but I am afraid
+you will have nobody to think about, if you have not a spark already, I
+don't know where you are to find one. Such a neighbourhood for young
+men!"
+
+"There are as many young men hereabouts as there are in other places,
+I suppose," said Mr. Grey. "What has become of the young Gages?"
+
+"He lives in the Ark," said Mr. Casement, pointing to Mr. Grey. "The
+Gages are all flown. George is in Ireland, and Everard in Canada, and
+Hubert I hope from my heart at the bottom of the sea! But they won't do
+for you, my dear, naughty, swearing troopers. You don't like troopers,
+do you?"
+
+"I don't know any, Sir," returned Margaret.
+
+"I thought Hubert Gage was a sailor?" said Mr. Grey.
+
+"Right as my glove," said Mr. Casement, "so he is, I forgot. I hate the
+Gages. George Gage drew a caricature of me; and Everard used to take me
+off to my face; and Hubert, he used to bolt out of my way as if I was
+poison. I have known him jump out of the parlour window as I came in at
+the door."
+
+Margaret found nothing singular in the conduct of the young Gages, she
+only wondered what a caricature of Mr. Casement could be like.
+
+"The only one of the family worth any thing is Elizabeth. I mean
+Elizabeth for my second," said Mr. Casement.
+
+This remark let Margaret into the secret that he had one wife to begin
+with, a thing she would otherwise have thought impossible.
+
+"Though I don't know, now I have seen you," he said turning to Margaret.
+
+"Casement, be quiet; you shall not teaze my child," said Mr. Grey,
+drawing Margaret towards him as he marked the angry flush again rise to
+her brow.
+
+Neither of them were prepared for what followed--she burst into a
+passion of tears.
+
+Mr. Grey passed his hand over her hair, and pressed her closer to him.
+Mr. Casement was confused.
+
+"I am really very sorry I have made you cry--I am, indeed," he said.
+
+"You did not, Sir," returned Margaret, becoming calm by a single effort,
+and wiping the tears from her bright eyes.
+
+"What was it then, my darling?" asked Mr. Grey.
+
+"You said, 'my child,' and it is so very long since--" A choking in her
+throat prevented her finishing the sentence.
+
+"Well, I'm glad it was not my fault," said Mr. Casement. "Good night, I
+must be going homeward, or my old woman will scold."
+
+"Does he come here very often, Sir?" asked Margaret, looking up into Mr.
+Grey's face, as Mr. Casement closed the door after him.
+
+"Yes, he does, my dear," replied the old gentleman; "but you need not
+mind that. You will get used to his ways, and he does not mean any
+harm."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+
+    Ma chi conosce amor, e sua possanza
+    Farà la scusa dì quel cavaliero
+    Ch' amor il senno, el' intelletto avanza,
+    Ne giova al provveder arte, o pensiero;
+    Giovanni e vecchi vanno a la sua danza,
+    La bassa plebe col signor altiero;
+    Non ha rimedio amor, se non la morte,
+    Ciascun prende d' ogni gente, e d' ogni sorte.
+
+    BOIARDO.
+
+
+When Mr. Grey came down to breakfast the next morning, he found Margaret
+sitting close by the fire reading from a large book. She advanced to
+greet him, half shy, half smiling, and looked more fresh and softly
+beautiful from a long and undisturbed night's rest. As soon as Mr. Grey
+had inquired, with scrupulous care, how she had slept, and whether she
+had found everything comfortable in her room, he begged to know what
+book it was she had been reading. It was Josephus. He laughed a little,
+and stroked her hair, and told her not to read too much for fear of
+spoiling her good looks; but he was glad, he said, that she liked
+reading, because he lived very much alone. He was a great invalid, and
+unable to pay visits, or receive company. As he spoke he led her to the
+window, and remarked that there was but a dreary prospect for her at
+present; but that in summer she would find the grounds very pretty.
+
+Immediately under the windows the men were sweeping the snow from a
+broad terrace. Beyond that, lay a wide lawn, dotted with clumps of
+shrubs, and skirted by magnificent cedars, whose boughs lay darkly upon
+the whitened grass.
+
+Margaret was sure the garden must be beautiful in summer. She wished to
+know if there were many flower-beds, and whereabouts the violets grew,
+and the lilies of the valley.
+
+Mr. Grey was very much amused by her questions, though he hardly knew
+how to answer them; but as he had some curiosity in his turn, he asked
+her, as they sat at breakfast, what made her wish to read Josephus, and
+whether she had not learned Sacred History at school?
+
+"Yes," she said, "but that consisted of Bible stories, which she had
+rather read from the Bible itself. She had heard of Josephus, and she
+thought she should find there what she wanted to know of the Jews
+between the Old and New Testaments."
+
+"And had she not read," Mr. Grey asked, "about the Greeks and Romans?"
+
+"Yes; but she wished to know something of the States which had existed
+before the foundation of Rome, and particularly the Etruscans. And she
+had read nothing upon Grecian art or poetry. She felt," she said, "that
+she knew very little."
+
+Mr. Grey could not forbear a smile as he thought of Mr. Casement's
+prophecy about his niece. He imagined that he should not be compelled to
+call in the aid of the red-coats to amuse her, if her researches fell
+upon Etruscan relics, or the dythyrambics of the early Greek bards. He
+puzzled a short time in silence, and then said he had forgotten all
+those things; but he would introduce her to the Vicar, who was his only
+visitor except Mr. Casement; and the Vicar was a very good-natured man,
+and would, he was sure, explain to her every thing she wished to know.
+He only hoped she would not find herself very dull. There was a piano in
+the drawing-room, and he had a fine organ in the gallery up stairs.
+
+"An organ!" cried Margaret, her eyes sparkling with delight. "Oh, Sir!
+may I try to play on it?"
+
+"Yes," Mr. Grey said, "she might if the gallery was warm enough. He
+would ring and ask Land if it was safe for her."
+
+Land's answer was satisfactory, and he was directed to wait on Miss
+Capel in the gallery; and then Mr. Grey said that he was going to be
+busy all the morning, and that she might walk with Land whenever she
+pleased; and that Land would be very glad and proud to take care of her.
+
+So Margaret was left, with the beauty of a Juliet, and an old butler for
+her nurse, to do as she liked with herself from ten in the morning till
+seven at night. But what a luxury was this compared to the irksome
+restraint of a school. She was her own mistress. She might learn what
+she pleased, walk out when she liked, go to sleep if she had a mind--and
+play the organ!
+
+She was as impatient "as a child before some festival" till she had
+tried this organ. The grey-haired servant smiled to see her stand
+chafing her hands with eagerness, her parted lips disclosing her
+glittering teeth, as he pulled out the stops, and prepared the noble
+instrument.
+
+"And who ever plays on it here, Land?" asked Margaret, as she took her
+place before the keys.
+
+"Nobody but Mr. Warde, our Vicar, Miss Capel," said the butler,
+"sometimes he comes here and runs over a few psalm tunes."
+
+"Is he an old man?"
+
+"Yes, Miss Capel, older than Mr. Grey."
+
+"Perhaps he will tell me how to use these pedals. Do you know what that
+note is?"
+
+"No, Ma'am, I do not."
+
+"Well, I will leave alone the pedals, give me Judas Maccabæus, that thin
+book; and let me have the trumpet stop. Oh, dear, it is all trumpet!
+What shall I do for a bass?"
+
+"Take the choir-organ, Miss Capel."
+
+"So I will, you do know something about it. What is this thing? A swell?
+Oh! this is what we should call a pedal. I see I shall make nothing of
+it by myself. I'll try if I can play Luther's hymn."
+
+"Very well--very well; a little too staccato, young lady. Keep your left
+hand down."
+
+Margaret sprang from the organ in a panic. Mr. Grey had brought Mr.
+Warde to see her. But he was such a delightful looking old man, with
+long white hair falling over his collar, and such a benevolent
+expression of face, that Margaret felt acquainted with him directly. He
+gave her a good lesson on the organ to her great delight. Let her into
+the secret of stops, and pedals and swell, and told her she was the
+quickest scholar he had ever had; and yet he had taught quick pupils
+too. "That young man, Mr. Haveloc," he said, turning to Mr. Grey, "who
+had such a fancy for the organ; it was surprising how he improved in
+those few months he spent with you. What has become of him lately?"
+
+Mr. Grey said he believed he was on his road to England.
+
+Mr. Warde, who was seated at the organ, began to play the Kyrie of one
+of Mozart's Masses. Talking of Mr. Haveloc, he said, had put him in mind
+of it--it had been one of his favourite movements. He had a taste for
+the highest order of musical composition, that seemed to be very rare
+among Englishmen, indeed, Mr. Warde said, he had thought him full of
+fine qualities.
+
+"A mingled yarn," said Mr. Grey.
+
+"So we are all," said Mr. Warde, "so we are all." He glanced at Margaret
+as he spoke, and seeing her seated in one of the deep window seats,
+looking eagerly through a volume of Masses, he took it for granted that
+she was out of hearing, while she listened in breathless silence to
+every word of the conversation that followed.
+
+"And now that he has left Florence," said Mr. Warde, "I trust we may
+conclude that the influence of that designing woman has ceased."
+
+"No doubt," replied Mr. Grey, uneasily. He did not seem as if he liked
+referring to the subject, and he began to pull out the stops and put
+them in again, as if his thoughts were occupied by one engrossing topic.
+
+"How greatly the world fails in its measurement of a character like
+his," said Mr. Warde.
+
+"True--true," returned Mr. Grey.
+
+"Proud, susceptible, extreme in every thing, and easily deceived from
+the very integrity of his own nature. I can scarcely picture to myself a
+character more likely to become the dupe of an unprincipled woman; for
+while her vanity prompted her to make him her slave, he firmly believed
+that her heart was devoted to him, and a mistaken sense of justice
+impelled him to return her supposed regard."
+
+"You know that he did not elope with her," said Mr. Grey.
+
+"So I heard," replied Mr. Warde; "but it was said that the husband
+intercepted them."
+
+"Her tame husband," remarked Mr. Grey, "there was no duel."
+
+"Thank God for that!" said Mr. Warde, "matters were quite bad enough."
+
+All this passed in a very low voice, but Margaret listened with all her
+might, and caught nearly the whole of the discourse. The iniquitous
+conversation of a boarding-school had rendered her no stranger to
+histories like the present; but she had rather considered them in the
+light of improper fictions, which it was very naughty in the girls to
+talk about, than as some of the actual occurrences of life, such as
+might be discussed by two grave old men like those before her. She
+looked at the music-book which she held in her hand, and seeing the name
+of Claude Haveloc on the title-page, she laid it aside, and resolved to
+play from her own music in future. She was in many respects a remarkable
+little creature.
+
+It might be reckoned one of the greatest advantages of her earlier life,
+that she had not been sent to school until the death of her mother,
+which took place when she was fourteen years old. Until that time she
+had been well and delicately brought up. Her father, a Colonel in the
+Company's service, had sent her to a highly respectable school,
+intending at the end of three years to return to England, and place her
+at the head of his house; but not long afterwards, he was killed in an
+engagement under circumstances that in Europe would have exalted his
+name to the stars, but which never transpired beyond the confines of the
+distant province in which it took place; if we except a brief and
+inaccurate statement in the papers, coupled with a hasty regret that the
+Company should have lost an efficient servant.
+
+The school he had chosen for his daughter was a religious and remarkably
+select academy; but there were plenty of spare minutes during the day,
+when the young ladies could tell each other who had looked at them at
+church, and who they could not help smiling at when they took their
+daily walk. While the girls were discussing the eyes and waistcoats of
+the young men they knew by sight, Saint Margaret, as she was called,
+would steal away to her books, and endeavour by study to drive from her
+head the trifling conversations that went on around her.
+
+Still, histories like the one hinted at, possessed to her imagination a
+fearful interest. She regarded Love as a mysterious agency which swept
+into its vortex all those who suffered themselves to approach its
+enchanted confines. She imagined that the first steps to this delusion
+might be avoided; but that once entranced, the helpless victim followed
+the steps of the blind leader through danger, or neglect, or guilt,
+without the will or the power to shake off its deadly influence. She had
+much to learn and to unlearn.
+
+"But what was that affair in Calabria? Not another entanglement, I
+hope," said Mr. Warde, content in seeing Margaret still at the window
+arranging her books.
+
+"Oh! that was a harmless affair enough," said Mr. Grey; "if you mean
+that encounter with the brigands?"
+
+"I heard something of brigands," said Mr. Warde, "and something about a
+lady and her daughter."
+
+"Aye--aye! the lady and daughter had taken shelter in a hut, having
+received intelligence that there were brigands on the road. It was a
+lonely spot, and you may suppose that Haveloc and his servant, chancing
+to come up at the time, were pressed into their service. The brigands
+were as good as their word, and did come; but found the hut so well
+lined that they marched off again. Still, in the scramble, Haveloc was
+hurt by a shot from one of their carbines, which I dare say rendered him
+very interesting in the eyes of the ladies. I think he mentioned in one
+of his letters to me, that he fell in again with them at Sorrento; but I
+imagine that they were nothing more than a passing acquaintance. That
+was before his stay at Florence."
+
+"Oh, yes! a very satisfactory version of the business," said Mr. Warde;
+"but I must now be going. I have a sick person to visit. Good bye, Miss
+Capel. I expect you to be wonderfully improved by the time I come
+again."
+
+Margaret rose, bade the old gentleman good bye, and offered him her best
+thanks for his kind instructions.
+
+As soon as she was left alone, she began to think over all she had
+heard. She felt as if she had been transplanted into the regions of
+romance--so strange was it to think that Mr. Grey actually knew somebody
+who had defended two ladies against an attack of brigands, and been
+wounded in the contest. This somebody, it was true, was very wicked; but
+still so very brave, that she could not but admit she should like to see
+him of all things. She thought he must resemble one of Byron's heroes,
+and she detected herself wondering whether he had blue eyes or brown.
+
+She was interrupted in her reverie by Land, who begged to know whether
+she would like to walk; and advised her to wrap up very warm, for it was
+a bitter frost.
+
+Her heart beat with delight as she hurried on her furs, and ran down the
+great staircase to meet her old escort. She felt free as air, she could
+walk exactly which way she liked, with only a servant behind her,
+instead of being linked arm-in-arm during the whole promenade with some
+young lady, who was uninteresting if not disagreeable as a companion. It
+was as Land had predicted, a bitter frost; her breath whitened her veil,
+and the ground felt like granite under her feet. Every thing around had
+been transformed, as Ariel says, "into something rich and strange." The
+trees stood like coral groves; every branch thickly crusted with
+sparkling crystals; every brook was ice-bound; every roof pendant with
+icicles. The sharp air seemed filled with a visible brightness. The
+pale blue sky appeared to have receded into a farther distance, and the
+silent fields and hill-side deserted by the grazing flocks, presented an
+unbroken extent of dazzling snow. Margaret bounded forward with an
+elasticity of spirit that seemed as if it could never tire. She could
+not sympathise with old Land when he begged her to walk a little slower;
+but she wrapped her furs more closely round her, and complied. She had a
+thousand questions to ask as they proceeded. She must know who lived in
+every house they passed, and the direction of every road and narrow lane
+that crossed the highway.
+
+Mr. Land passed over the village dwellings very slightly; but when they
+came in view of a large white house standing on the river-side with
+broad lawns and clustering elms, he pointed it out to her with an air of
+great dignity.
+
+"That seat, Chirke Weston, belongs to Captain Gage. Quite the gentleman,
+Miss Capel."
+
+The father of the young Gages who disliked Mr. Casement. Margaret
+looked with much interest at the white walls of the house.
+
+"They are expecting home, Mr. Hubert," said Land, "such a fine young
+gentleman. A sailor like his father--they are a fine family. Miss Gage
+is the handsomest young lady in the county."
+
+Margaret felt interested in the Gage family, she begged Land to point
+out to her where they sat at church, that she might know them by sight.
+They came to some fields which took them another way to Ashdale.
+
+"Is this field, my uncle Grey's?" asked Margaret, "what a large pond! I
+say, Land, when I was a little girl I could skate very well. Could you
+get me a pair of skates? I will give you the money."
+
+Land looked very grave; but Margaret coaxed and begged so much, that he
+said he would see about it; and the next morning a small pair of skates
+was laid beside her shoes outside her bed-room door.
+
+The frost continued: she hurried over her organ practice; and went down
+to the pond with Land. Her skates were on in a moment; and had there
+been any spectators, they might have enjoyed the sight of an old man
+holding a young lady's muff and boa, while she amused herself by
+skimming over the ice. She was never weary. Poor old Land walked up and
+down the side of the pond with his hands in her muff, wishing every
+minute that she would bring her sport to a conclusion, until he was
+forced to tell her that his time was up, for he had to go in and see to
+the cleaning of the plate. The next day she managed to go out earlier,
+for the frost was still hard, and she determined to make the most of it
+while it lasted.
+
+She excited the unqualified approbation of Land by her performance, for,
+as she bade him observe, she was fairly getting into practice.
+
+She flew round the pond, and across, and back, until he was almost tired
+of watching her.
+
+"Miss Capel--Miss Capel! quick! here comes Mr. Casement," cried Land,
+but Margaret was careering round the pond and did not hear him.
+
+"Miss Capel! Bless the child, he will go and say all sorts of things to
+Mr. Grey. Oh, dear me! Miss Margaret--"
+
+"Well, Land, what is the matter? You look in such a bustle. You don't
+mean to say the ice is giving way?"
+
+"Mr. Casement is coming across the field, that's all, Miss Capel."
+
+"Oh! I don't care for him--horrid old man! Just look how nicely I can
+turn this corner."
+
+Mr. Casement passed through the field on his way to the house, and
+Margaret continued her skating with great eagerness.
+
+Presently a footman was seen running towards the pond followed by the
+gardener's boy at a little distance; then appeared the fat coachman,
+and, in the farthest distance, Mr. Grey himself.
+
+The footman, quite out of breath, brought his master's compliments, and
+he begged Miss Capel to come off the ice: then up came the boy,
+grinning, but saying nothing, then the coachman toiled up, and said that
+master was in a mortal fright lest the young lady had come to any harm;
+and informed Mr. Land, aside, "as how that cankered old toad, Casement,
+had been telling master a pack of lies about a thaw;" and by the time
+Margaret had disengaged the straps of her skates from her little feet,
+Mr. Grey had reached her all in a tremble, and taking her in his arms
+had begun a gentle remonstrance on her imprudence in venturing upon thin
+ice. Land came forward, and vowed that the ice was as firm as the rock
+of Gibraltar, and recommended, in proof thereof, that the fat coachman
+and the gardener's boy should cross the pond arm-in-arm. But Mr. Grey's
+fears once excited, could not so easily be set at rest; if the ice was
+not thin, it would probably be slippery--not an uncommon
+attribute--people had broken their limbs before now by a fall on the
+ice; indeed, he was not sure that there was not a case of the kind at
+present in the village, which he hoped would be a warning to Margaret
+never to skate again. And seeing that she was half crying as she
+resigned her skates to Land, he promised her a plum-cake for tea as the
+only means that came into his head of softening the bitterness of her
+disappointment.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+
+    The red rose medled with the white yfere,
+    In either cheek depeinten lively chear;
+    Her modest eye,
+    Her majesty,
+    Where have you seen the like but there?
+
+    SPENSER.
+
+
+Mr. Grey did not go to church on the Sunday after Margaret's arrival. He
+very seldom ventured during the winter to encounter the cold and damp
+common to most village churches at that season; from which some persons
+augured that he had a bad heart, while others contented themselves by
+supposing that he had a delicate chest.
+
+Having seen his little niece warmly packed up in the carriage, he
+returned to his library to read the service to himself, and she
+proceeded, with some little elevation of feeling, on her way. It was new
+to her to have a carriage all to herself, to recline alone in the corner
+with her feet in a carriage-mat; and to have Land to hand her out, and
+carry her prayer-books to the pew-door. Having deposited Margaret and
+her books, and having whispered to her that the Gages' seat was next to
+hers, Land withdrew to his own part of the church.
+
+Presently, a tall, elderly man of imposing appearance, with an empty
+sleeve, and hair touched with grey, opened the door of the Gages' seat,
+and stepped back that the young lady by his side might pass in. These,
+Margaret was sure, were Captain Gage and his daughter. Captain Gage cast
+one quick glance from his clear blue eyes at Margaret, and then took his
+seat. Miss Gage lingered a second longer, without any apparent rudeness
+of manner, from a genuine reluctance to remove her eyes from so lovely a
+face. Although Miss Gage was all fur and black velvet, yet her regal
+figure and magnificent stature could not be mistaken.
+
+She was strikingly like her father, with straight features, light brown
+hair, and calm, clear, full-opened blue eyes; but although it was
+impossible to deny to her face the regularity of an antique statue, and
+the sweetness of expression that almost always accompanies regularity,
+she possessed one drawback in the eyes of Margaret; she must have been
+two or three and twenty, at least, an age that to a girl of seventeen
+seems to approach very near to the confines of the grave.
+
+Margaret possessed too correct a sense of her religious duties to spend
+her time in watching her neighbours, but as they sat just in front of
+her, she could not raise her eyes without seeing them; and before church
+was over, she had become perfectly acquainted with Miss Gage's
+appearance, from the large ruby that flashed on her white hand, to the
+purple prayer-book inlaid with silver in which she looked out all the
+places for her father.
+
+Mr. Grey was very much amused by her account of what she had seen when
+she came home. He was very careful that she should have plenty of
+sandwiches, and hot wine and water for luncheon to counteract the cold
+of the church, and sat listening and smiling to hear her describe Miss
+Gage's velvet pelisse and little ermine muff. He saw plainly, he told
+her, that she would like a black velvet gown herself. Margaret coloured
+and laughed, but could not deny the fact, and the next morning after
+breakfast, he told Land to go over to the next town and get one.
+
+"Ready made, Sir?" asked Land, endeavouring to impress upon his mind the
+exact height of his young lady.
+
+"No, no, Land; black velvet enough to make a gown for a lady. That is
+the way, is it not, my darling?"
+
+Margaret was profuse in her thanks, and was beginning to imagine what a
+grand appearance she should make, in it; when Mr. Grey told her, after
+looking at her attentively with a smile, that it would make her look
+like a little old woman. Her unfortunate height was one great obstacle
+to her enjoyment.
+
+Once when she was out walking with Land, she met the Gages. Captain Gage
+was pacing leisurely up and down before a cottage, sometimes looking
+sharply up into the sky as if watching the weather; and just before
+Margaret came up, Miss Gage joined her father from the inside of the
+cottage, and said, "I have kept you waiting unmercifully, to-day, my
+dear father, but she was so very ill."
+
+"Ill, was she, poor old soul!" said Captain Gage, "take care that she
+has all she wants. Give me your basket, Bessy."
+
+But Bessy would not give her father her basket, and they walked out of
+hearing.
+
+Margaret grew to be interested in the Gages; she liked to hear all Land
+had to tell her in their daily walks about them; and as Captain Gage
+divided with Mr. Grey the honour of being the greatest person in that
+neighbourhood, he paid the usual penalty of greatness, and could not
+stir abroad, or stay at home without having his doings registered. Land
+knew to an hour when the ship in which Mr. Hubert was second Lieutenant
+arrived at Plymouth, and when Captain Gage set out to meet his son, and
+accompany him home. He was likewise well informed as to whether Miss
+Gage drove out in the chariot or the britschka, and how many people were
+staying at Chirke Weston.
+
+This sort of gossip was certainly not the best thing for Margaret, and
+it was contrary to her habits to seek for such amusement; but she felt a
+kind of interest in the family, particularly in Miss Gage, that she
+could hardly explain to herself.
+
+With regard to her own occupations, she played the organ, she read
+history, particularly the books that Mr. Warde either recommended or
+lent; as she could not skate, she walked with Land every morning, and
+after luncheon Mr. Grey's carriage was at her service if she chose to
+drive out. She was quite a little Queen in the house; she had only to
+express a wish, and it was fulfilled. She had a very skillful maid
+entirely for herself, her dressing-room was fitted up in a style of
+elegance that might have served a duchess; in short, her uncle did not
+quite know, as Mr. Casement told him, how to spoil her enough. It may be
+supposed that she became exceedingly attached to him, in the evening she
+sang to him, or sat on a low stool by his side, telling him all the
+little pieces of news she might have heard during the day, or relating
+with equal interest the historic tales that she was reading, or exciting
+his sympathy, by a detail of the uncomfortable period she had passed at
+school.
+
+It happened one morning that Margaret walked down to the Vicarage with
+Land to exchange a volume of history she had borrowed, and when she was
+shown into Mr. Warde's morning room, she found him talking earnestly
+with Miss Gage.
+
+"I beg your pardon," said Margaret, drawing back, "I did not know you
+were busy."
+
+"Oh! come in, come in, little one," said Mr. Warde, "we were talking no
+secrets. Ah! you want the second volume. Why, what a reader you are!"
+
+"And will you not come nearer the fire, while our good friend is finding
+your book?" said Miss Gage to Margaret.
+
+"Thank you," returned Margaret, drawing towards the fire, and ungloving
+her beautiful hands.
+
+"Do you like this cold weather?" asked Miss Gage, kindly.
+
+"Yes, when it is a hard frost," returned Margaret; "but I am looking
+forward very much to summer time."
+
+"You will find the neighbourhood beautiful in spring," said Miss Gage,
+"and I think Mr. Grey has the prettiest place in the county."
+
+"I am glad of that," said Margaret, "I have not half explored it yet."
+
+"I dare say you have plenty of amusements in-doors," said Miss Gage, "I
+am sure you have an unfailing one if you are fond of reading."
+
+"Yes, reading and music," said Margaret, "and the house is kept so warm,
+that I can play wherever I like on wet days."
+
+"And what do you play at?" asked Miss Gage.
+
+"Battledore," said Margaret, blushing as she made the confession; "but
+it is rather stupid with only one player."
+
+"You will give this note to Mr. Grey, little one," said Mr. Warde,
+returning to Margaret with her book, "and make good haste home, or you
+are likely to be caught in the rain. And now, Miss Elizabeth, I have
+done your bidding."
+
+"Thank you very much for your kindness," said Miss Gage, as she shook
+hands with him. Then turning to Margaret with a sweet smile and a bow,
+she said, "I hope it may happen that we shall be better acquainted with
+each other."
+
+Margaret endeavoured to say a few words expressive of her pleasure in
+the idea; and then hurried off to Land with her book and note.
+
+Now Miss Gage had begged Mr. Warde to write to Mr. Grey, that she might
+know whether it would be agreeable to him that she should make the
+acquaintance of his niece. He was recognised as such a determined
+invalid by all the country round, that she never thought of calling upon
+Margaret, taking it for granted that such a step would be an intrusion
+upon Mr. Grey's habits. But she wished much to show her every attention
+in her power, from a sincere desire to make her happier than she was
+likely to be if always shut up with a nervous old man for her only
+companion; and from a hope that her society might be of some advantage
+to a girl so much younger than herself; for Margaret was right, Miss
+Gage was turned of two-and-twenty.
+
+For acts of disinterested kindness are not quite so frequent as good
+people imagine, nor yet so uncommon as selfish people, who never perform
+them, would fain make out. The pitiful phrase of nothing for nothing
+being unceasingly used by those sorry persons, who give nothing, it is
+true; but who invariably take all they can pillage, or beg from every
+human being they approach.
+
+Mr. Grey accepted Miss Gage's kind advances with much gratitude, and she
+immediately wrote to ask Margaret to dine with her the next day, that
+they might lose no time in becoming acquainted with each other. Margaret
+was equally pleased; to be sure, the idea of going to a strange house
+all alone was rather formidable, but there was a sweetness in Miss
+Gage's manner that gave her some confidence. However, the day was not
+to be one of unmixed satisfaction, for Mr. Casement came to dinner; and
+she was obliged to take his arm into the dining-room instead of her
+uncle's, and as they were crossing the hall, he asked her if she did not
+wish he was a nice young man; which question had the desired effect of
+making her blush, though she longed to tell him that it would be a great
+gain if he could be changed into any thing that was nice, young or old.
+Then he began to teaze her about her skating, which she bore in silence
+till Mr. Grey interfered, and begged him to talk of something else,
+which request he complied with immediately by changing his point of
+attack, and laughing at her dress, which was in the fashion of the day,
+and consequently quite different from any thing that his "old woman"
+wore.
+
+This strain of banter, Mr. Grey interrupted by mentioning Miss Gage's
+kind invitation.
+
+"Oho!" said Mr. Casement, "then there are some hopes for you, little
+woman."
+
+The very manner in which he uttered the interjection, oho! with a little
+jerk at the end, was unpleasing to Margaret: she sat with her beautiful
+lips compressed, resolved to be silent.
+
+"It is particularly kind in Miss Gage," said Mr. Grey, "knowing the
+state of my health to be so bad."
+
+"There is nothing the matter with your health, I am sure," said Mr.
+Casement, "you will live to be a hundred!"
+
+Mr. Grey smiled quietly, and made no reply.
+
+"It is all nerves--what are nerves? Don't tell me!" said Mr. Casement.
+
+Mr. Grey did not seem at all inclined to tell him; and Margaret, rising
+pettishly from the table, pushed her chair back, and her dessert plate
+forward, and turned about to leave the room.
+
+"Going, little woman?" said Mr. Casement, "going to sit in state in the
+drawing-room, and play at being grown up?"
+
+"Going away from you, Sir;" returned Margaret, taking courage from being
+almost outside the door.
+
+Mr. Grey laughed; although he tolerated Mr. Casement's caustic remarks
+from very long habit, he was not at all sorry that any other person
+should be less forbearing.
+
+Meantime Margaret had much to think about as she sat over her
+embroidery; she was considering first, how she should be dressed on the
+morrow, and next, how she should behave. Her one anxiety was always to
+conceal her shyness, which she did beneath a repose of manner that
+deceived almost every one.
+
+When the gentlemen joined her at tea-time, Mr. Grey was in excellent
+spirits. The evening post had brought him a letter from Mr. Haveloc,
+announcing his arrival in England, and saying he would be at Ashdale in
+a day or two. He was very much attached to his former ward, and the
+idea of seeing him so soon gave him great satisfaction; he could not
+avoid expressing this feeling several times, unawed by Mr. Casement's
+satirical glances, which were alternately directed to Mr. Grey and to
+Margaret. She heard the news with anything but pleasure. It would
+materially alter her comfort and freedom to have any one staying in the
+house; and she forgot Mr. Haveloc's picturesque encounter with the
+brigands while musing on the annoyances she was likely to experience
+during his visit to Ashdale.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+
+              She is a child in years,
+   And though in wit a woman, yet her heart
+   Untempered by the discipline of pain
+   Is fancy led.
+
+   TAYLOR.
+
+
+Margaret felt terribly shy as the carriage stopped at the Gages' door.
+Not all the beautiful basket-work of her elaborate plaits of hair; not
+even the long coveted black velvet which set off to so much advantage
+her snowy neck and shoulders; not the pearly delicacy of her white and
+silver gloves could reconcile her to the distress of entering the
+drawing-room alone. She was tremblingly alive to everything; to the
+stately appearance of the hall with its marble columns, and the
+beautiful exotic creepers trained round them; the powerful scent of the
+choice hot-house plants; the pompous manner of the servants, who took
+her cloak from her; and when the drawing-room door was thrown open, she
+did not see distinctly anything within, so overpowering was her shyness.
+But Miss Gage met her almost on the threshold, took both her hands in
+hers, and welcomed her so kindly and yet so calmly, that she felt quite
+happy.
+
+Captain Gage came forward, shook hands frankly with Margaret, and asked
+after Mr. Grey's health; and then Miss Gage turned round and presented
+her brother to Margaret. She saw then for the first time that he had
+been standing on the hearth-rug beside his father. Indeed, it would not
+have been particularly easy to have long overlooked him. All the Gages
+were on a large scale, and Hubert Gage was as like his father and sister
+as it was possible to be, except that his blue eyes had more of mischief
+than Elizabeth's, and it may be said, rather less intelligence. Like
+her, he had light brown hair of that silken texture which is stirred
+with every breath of wind, straight features, and a fine upright
+carriage which joined to his unusual height would have given an air of
+great dignity to his deportment, but that his manner partook of that
+restless enjoyment, and that careless frankness which is still not
+uncommon among men of his fine profession. Directly Margaret was named
+to him, he shook hands with her as if he took it for granted she was
+somebody he ought to recollect very well, and sat down beside her.
+
+"I am very sorry to hear that Mr. Grey has become such an invalid," he
+said, "when I was last at home he did not shut himself up in this way."
+
+"I did not know my uncle till lately," said Margaret, "but I understood
+he was always in delicate health."
+
+"So he was," remarked Miss Gage, "but as Hubert had the full range of
+his orchards, and preserves, and sometimes met his kind old friend
+walking on the terrace, he never had an idea that there could be
+anything the matter with him."
+
+"A pretty couple you were to be turned loose upon an invalid," said
+Captain Gage, "you and Claude Haveloc."
+
+"I am sure we always behaved admirably," said Hubert, "all the old women
+in the parish used to hold us up as a pattern to every mischievous
+urchin who plagued them. Did they not, Bessy?"
+
+"I never heard it before," said Elizabeth, laughing.
+
+"I allow we got into a scrape with the poachers," said Hubert; "poor Mr.
+Grey was really frightened then."
+
+"You came home on a pair of shutters. Did not you?" asked Captain Gage.
+
+"Not so bad as that," replied Hubert; "but Haveloc had his arm broken.
+You know Bessy, how I used to teaze him about it. I always declared that
+one of the poachers struck at him with a broomstick."
+
+"And did they?" asked Margaret, with wide opened eyes.
+
+"No. It was the stock of a gun, I believe," said Hubert Gage, looking at
+her with much complacency: "but if you had ever seen Claude Haveloc you
+could imagine how little he would enjoy such an undignified
+catastrophe."
+
+"And poor Mr. Grey gave up game-keepers ever after," said Elizabeth,
+"and entirely neglected his fine preserves. He was so shocked at the
+danger two silly boys had brought upon themselves."
+
+"And Claude got a shot in the shoulder in that adventure with the
+bandits," said Hubert; "some people have the luck of it."
+
+"Your father to wit," said Captain Gage.
+
+Margaret noticed the proud admiring glance that Hubert Gage threw on his
+father as he spoke; but at that moment dinner was announced. Captain
+Gage came up to her and offered his arm; Hubert Gage whispered something
+in her ear about his father cutting him out, which did not lessen the
+tints on her cheek, and then fell back and led his sister from the room.
+
+At dinner, Margaret sat with perfect tranquillity listening to the
+conversation, and replying quietly to everything said to her. Hubert was
+exactly opposite to her, and though she seldom lifted her eyes to him,
+she felt that he was looking at her much more constantly than he ought.
+She was a rapid observer of character, a faculty common to shy people;
+for the very sensitiveness which occasions that feeling, quickens their
+perception of the qualities of others. She detected that Hubert Gage,
+with a great deal of candour and good-nature, had but little
+enthusiasm--his father had tenfold more ardour in his composition, even
+at his age. He was anxious that no one should be able to discover that
+he was a sailor by his language or appearance; took the greatest pains
+that his dress should not betray the secret; never used a technical
+term; affected not to know which way the wind was; and prided himself
+with some reason upon his horsemanship; and this not because he had the
+least dislike to his profession, but from an idea that it was vulgar to
+display any traces of it.
+
+Elizabeth was talking to Margaret about some book she was reading, when
+she caught something her brother was saying to her father, and paused to
+listen.
+
+"What did you say, Hubert, about Sir Philip?" she asked.
+
+"That he is to undertake this survey," he replied; "he has scarcely
+returned before he will go out again. Before I landed, he was on his
+road to London for his instructions, and he will be off I dare say in a
+few days. Just the thing for him, Bessy."
+
+"Very unwise in his state of health," said Captain Gage.
+
+"Oh, Sir! pray let him kill himself his own way," said Hubert, laughing;
+"he enjoys it amazingly."
+
+"I wonder at you, Hubert," said Miss Gage, "such an honour as you ought
+to feel it to have sailed under such a Captain."
+
+"It is an honour I am very willing to resign," said her brother,
+laughing still more, "we were always on the best of terms, but I don't
+much like him."
+
+Elizabeth regarded her brother in speechless amazement. Had he said he
+did not like King William IV., she would hardly have thought the remark
+more treasonable. Sir Philip d'Eyncourt, whose ship was a model ship,
+whose scientific knowledge was quoted as infallible; who had been her
+father's favourite officer; who had seen real service; who had been
+shipwrecked in a romantic manner, on a romantic island; who was going
+out to make a survey, when he ought to have come home for his health;
+who pursued his profession after he had succeeded to a baronetcy, and a
+large estate; who knew how to manage his crew, a very different thing
+from commanding them. However, as she was struck quite dumb, she was
+unable to inquire of her brother whether he was in the enjoyment of his
+right senses.
+
+"Oh, look at Bessy!" exclaimed Hubert, "I forgot that Sir Philip was her
+hero."
+
+"Never mind, Bessy," said her father; "I like Sir Philip, let that
+content you."
+
+Miss Gage smiled her approval of this sentiment; and nothing further
+occurred until she left the table with Margaret.
+
+"I must do the honours of my own sitting-room to you," said Miss Gage,
+as she ushered Margaret into a room plainly furnished; but adorned with
+abundant book-shelves, and a few pictures and busts. There was a round
+table of green marble between the windows, on which stood a small bust
+of Lord Nelson in white composition under a glass. Two masterly water
+colour sketches of Captain Gage, and of Hubert, her favourite brother,
+hung over the mantelpiece. She showed these to Margaret with a calm
+pride in her eye and voice, that pretty plainly discovered the
+estimation in which she held them. If she had a weakness, it was her
+ardent admiration of the navy. If she could have been brought to
+confession, I believe she would have owned that she thought it a
+contemptible waste of time in any man to adopt another profession, if he
+could by any means go on board a ship. She adored her father, not only
+with the affection which so delightfully attaches parent and child; but
+with a boundless admiration, a devoted pride, that made her seriously
+consider him unequalled in character both private and professional. She
+told Margaret of the engagement in which her father had lost his arm:--a
+desperate encounter with a French ship shortly before the close of the
+war.
+
+"They tell me," she said, "that his arm might have been saved, if he
+would have consented to leave the deck in time; but he knew his presence
+was needful, and he remained until the Frenchman struck. My
+father--there was always an accent on the word--would fight his ship as
+long as he had a stick standing, and then blow it up, rather than
+strike his colours. I am glad he lost his arm!"
+
+Margaret shuddered, and looked with wonder at Elizabeth, who stood with
+her bright eye kindled as if she were quite equal to perform the actions
+she applauded. Yet there was nothing masculine or ungraceful in her
+emotion. The phrases she used were those she had alone heard employed
+from her childhood to describe certain transactions, and she would have
+found it difficult to allude to them in other terms.
+
+"But I must show you my other brothers," said Miss Gage, "or you will
+call me an unnatural sister."
+
+She opened two miniature cases which lay on the table.
+
+These were the "troopers" Mr. Casement had mentioned. George Gage stared
+arrogantly out of the ivory over an immense pair of very light
+moustaches, and Everard stood looking so exceedingly languid, that he
+threatened to drop into the background altogether. Miss Gage clasped
+them up, rather carelessly, as Margaret thought, and then held a taper
+to the bust of Nelson. "That is my hero, of course," she said, "that,
+and the gallant King Christian IV.; here is a small oil painting of his
+Danish Majesty. Have you read Carlyle on 'Hero Worship?'"
+
+"No," Margaret said, "she feared she had read very little. It was so
+difficult to find books, or time to pursue any study at school but those
+assigned to you."
+
+"I do believe," said Miss Gage, "that you are wise enough to begin your
+education just where everybody ought to begin it; as soon as other
+people have done teaching you."
+
+"I have need to begin it," said Margaret looking round on the
+book-shelves. "How much you know! Here are books in--how many
+languages?"
+
+"Oh!" said Miss Gage smiling, "I should never measure a person's
+knowledge by the languages, or the accomplishments they happen to have
+learned."
+
+Margaret looked inquiringly at her, but had not courage to ask for an
+explanation of so strange a remark. She knew that at school a girl who
+learned German was thought more highly of than one who only learned
+French, and one who played the guitar took precedence of the young lady
+who only paid for lessons on the piano.
+
+"I mean," said Miss Gage, "that the education which is of most value to
+us through life, is that which teaches us to think and act with judgment
+and integrity, which is quite independent of the knowledge of Spanish
+and German, or of any accomplishment, however pleasing."
+
+This was a new idea to Margaret, but before she could make any
+observation upon it, a servant came to let them know that coffee was
+ready, and they went immediately to the drawing-room.
+
+After tea, Hubert Gage asked his sister for some music.
+
+"Will you have the harp?" said Miss Gage ringing the bell, "I will just
+give my father his book, and then play what you like. My harp, Davis."
+
+"Why don't you keep it down here?" asked her brother.
+
+"Ah! you know nothing of female politics," said Miss Gage, smiling; "the
+young ladies like me a great deal better for keeping my harp, and some
+other things in the background."
+
+"But the young gentlemen don't;" said Hubert, as he stood leaning on the
+harp.
+
+"I am very sorry," said Miss Gage laughing, "I cannot arrange it to
+please all parties; but in society where every one is anxious to play a
+prominent part, I feel it to be a real kindness not to take up their
+time by my performances."
+
+"Don't you think Bessy spoils me?" asked Captain Gage of Margaret, as
+his daughter found the place in his book, and arranged the wax lights
+beside his chair.
+
+She had not courage to make any other reply than a blush and a laugh.
+
+"After all, Bessy, I am half tired of this book," said Captain Gage, "I
+shall never have patience to get through it. Have you seen it?" he
+asked, holding out the volume to Margaret. It was the 'Tour to the
+Sepulchres of Etruria.'
+
+She could hardly read it aright in her impatience. Here was undoubtedly
+all she wanted to know--she would be able to find out at last who the
+Etruscans were.
+
+Elizabeth smiled, and told her when her father had made up his mind not
+to finish it, which she foresaw would be very soon, she would send it to
+her. "But," she said, "you must not expect too much; this is an account
+of a lady's visit to some tombs. There is but little information
+regarding the people, except what may be inferred from the degree of
+excellence they displayed in the decoration of their sepulchres."
+
+"But you know, Bessy," said her brother, "that a people's progress in
+art is the best standard you can have of their degree of civilization."
+
+"Yes; if you had looked upon them as a barbarous race," said Miss Gage
+to Margaret, "you will find sufficient proof in this book that you had
+not done them justice."
+
+"Why, Bessy," said Hubert, "no Ph[oe]nician colony ever was, or could
+be, in a state of barbarism."
+
+"Assuming that they were Ph[oe]nicians," said Elizabeth.
+
+"There can be no doubt of that," returned her brother, "their character
+is sufficient evidence of their origin. The old Greek character, written
+from right to left, after the fashion of the Ph[oe]nicians."
+
+Elizabeth unlocked a cabinet, and took out a gold serpent-ring--she
+showed it to Margaret as an undoubted Etruscan relic, which her brother
+had brought her from Rome. Margaret looked at it with great
+reverence--it was thick and heavy, and the gold was of a dull
+colour--not like the bright trinkets in a jeweller's shop; but it was
+delightful to hold in her hand something that was two thousand years
+old.
+
+Miss Gage went on to talk of the circlets of gold leaves found in some
+of the tombs; of the city of C[oe]re, and the origin of the Vestal
+Virgins; and the degree of religious knowledge enjoyed by the Etruscans;
+and Hubert took pencil and paper, and sketched for Margaret one of the
+allegorical processions painted on the wall in the tombs; taking care to
+exaggerate, as much as possible, the evil spirits which figure in those
+decorations.
+
+Margaret listened earnestly--she was afraid to lose a word--it was not
+to her a dry narrative of facts, but a dim unfolding of the pages of a
+gorgeous and mystical romance. A people so magnificent, and of whom no
+written literature remains, appeared to her so contradictory and so
+tantalising, that she longed to seize the book at once, and never rest
+until she had read it through. She hoped Miss Gage would say something
+more on the subject, but just then Elizabeth saw Captain Gage trying to
+open one of the illustrations in his book, and she went to his chair to
+help him. Margaret noticed that Miss Gage was always on the watch, and
+whenever her father was at a loss, from having only one hand, she
+supplied the deficiency; and that so quickly and quietly that few people
+would have been aware of it.
+
+"Now for your harp, Bessy," said her brother, "we had forgotten all
+about it."
+
+"Because we have been better employed;" said Miss Gage, placing herself
+at the harp; "music is always a _pis aller_; when people cannot talk,
+they very naturally have recourse to a noise."
+
+Margaret could not echo this remark: she loved music from her heart, and
+she sat absorbed in the sweet sounds, quite unconscious this time that
+Hubert Gage's eyes were fixed upon her face. Elizabeth played
+splendidly--better than any young lady at her school, and without a
+book. She sat watching her fine marble hand and arm as she stilled the
+harp-strings, and began to fancy that she should like to play the harp
+instead of the organ.
+
+Hubert Gage pressed her very much to play in her turn, but she declined
+with a feeling of panic that almost made her giddy; and Elizabeth, at
+her request, sung her a ballad. It was the first time she had ever heard
+a song _spoken_, if the phrase may be applied to vocal music, and it
+moved her almost to tears. Hubert asked her if Bessy did not sing very
+well, and Margaret, lifting up her dewy eyes, said, "beautifully!" and
+looked so beautiful when she said it, that he leaned across to his
+sister, and declared that there was not upon the face of the earth such
+an exquisite little creature as her friend.
+
+Miss Gage rose from the harp, and they sat round the fire for a chat,
+but there was no time for any more conversation, for Margaret's carriage
+was announced.
+
+Captain Gage told her that she must soon come to see Bessy again.
+Elizabeth took an affectionate leave of her, and Hubert led her into the
+hall and wrapped her cloak all round her, much as one would muffle up a
+little child, talking and laughing all the time, and stopping to gather
+her flowers from the creepers in the hall in the intervals of handing
+her gloves, and winding her boa round her neck. He then went to the
+door, and assuring her that it was a hard frost, he offered her a cloak
+of his own, which she had some difficulty in preventing him from putting
+on, and which he absolutely insisted on throwing to the bottom of the
+carriage to keep her feet warm.
+
+Margaret drove off a little taller than she was before. She wondered
+what the girls at school would have said if they had heard a young man
+declare he thought her an exquisite creature. She believed nobody
+thought her so at school. Girls had often told her that young men had
+quite looked at them, and squeezed their hands at a Christmas dance,
+but she wondered whether they ever threw their cloaks at their feet,
+almost like Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth. She had learned some
+few things that evening. She had spent several hours with a young lady
+who had not acquired a proficiency in an accomplishment for the sake of
+exhibiting to her acquaintance, but in order to make her home cheerful.
+Miss Gage had never asked her for a list of the things she had learned,
+a list so important to school girls who graduate, by its length, their
+good opinion of every girl they met.
+
+Margaret had always a thirst for knowledge, and she felt more desirous
+than ever to cultivate her intellect, now that she found how agreeable
+it was to converse, or to listen to persons who talked well. She was
+ashamed to think that she did not know who King Christian was; she had
+been hurried, when at school, through a compressed History of England,
+but there had been no hurry in the way she had journeyed through
+Chaulieu's and Czerney's Exercises. Once impressed with the importance
+of acquiring information, she determined that nothing should divert her
+from a steady course of application.
+
+In the midst of these reflections the carriage stopped, and she hastened
+to the drawing-room to give Mr. Grey an account of her visit before she
+went to bed. To her great vexation, she found him seated in earnest
+discourse with a stranger. The candles had burned low, one of the lamps
+had gone out, and the room was only half lighted. Margaret paused at the
+door, but Mr. Grey called her in.
+
+"Come here, my child," said he, "I am afraid it is a very cold night. I
+hope you have taken no chill. Claude, my niece. Well, did you pass a
+pleasant evening?"
+
+Mr. Haveloc, on being named to Margaret, rose and bowed slightly, placed
+her a chair, and returned to his own. She felt all her shyness return:
+coloured, bowed without raising her eyes, and went up to Mr. Grey.
+
+"Well, and how are they all?" said Mr. Grey.
+
+Margaret, standing with her back to Mr. Haveloc, and her hand in Mr.
+Grey's, felt her courage somewhat restored. "I dare say they are all
+very well, Sir," she said in a low voice: "but oh! I wish you had heard
+Miss Gage sing, Sir, and play on the harp; and she has such a nice
+sitting-room of her own, Sir, and so many books! She is going to lend me
+one about Etruria. Elizabeth wore such a beautiful nosegay, Sir, of
+azaleas--sweet smelling ones. May Richard get me some azalias?"
+
+"Yes, my love, that he shall--to-morrow," said Mr. Grey. "And what did
+you talk about?"
+
+"Oh! most about Etruria. I wish Miss Gage had told me some more curious
+things. I think she knows more about it than Mr. Warde. He told me if he
+met with some things in Livy, he would mark them and read them to me; I
+wish he would. Look, Sir, I cannot think how this stain came on my
+glove. Oh! I recollect: I was gathering myrtle in the green-house just
+before I went."
+
+"What a little bit of a hand it is," said Mr. Grey, "are you sleepy, my
+child?"
+
+"A little, Sir. Mr. Warde said he would teach me Latin, if I wished to
+learn it, but I think I had better leave it alone till I know more of
+other things."
+
+"Oh, my child! don't learn Latin whatever you do," said Mr. Grey, "it
+really will--quite wrinkle her, won't it, Claude?"
+
+Mr. Haveloc gave a short laugh, and Margaret recollected that he was in
+the room, and grew uncomfortable again.
+
+"Elizabeth never plays in company, do you know," said she, after a short
+pause, "Is not that odd? Oh dear, Sir, what a dreadful thing it is to
+have only one arm!"
+
+"Why, my child, Elizabeth Gage has--oh true! she is thinking of the
+father--yes, very awkward indeed!"
+
+"Well, I shall wish you good night, uncle, I am quite tired," said
+Margaret, and stooping her head a very little as she passed Mr. Haveloc,
+who held open the door for her, she went up-stairs without having the
+slightest idea of his personal appearance, for she had never once raised
+her eyes to his face. She merely thought, as her maid brushed out her
+luxuriant hair, that Mr. Hubert Gage had taken a great deal more notice
+of her, and was a much more agreeable person.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+
+    Oh! how much more doth beauty beauteous seem,
+    By that sweet ornament which truth doth give!
+    The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem
+    For that sweet odour which doth in it live.
+
+    SHAKESPEARE.
+
+
+The next morning when Margaret came down to breakfast, she enjoyed in
+perfection all the feelings which shyness produces in very young people.
+
+She hoped that Mr. Haveloc would not be in the library, and that he
+would not speak to her if he was there; and she tried to recollect what
+people always tell very shy girls, that she was not of sufficient
+importance to be taken notice of. This, by the way, is not exactly the
+means best adapted to the end in view; a sense of insignificance is a
+very material cause of shyness, and to strengthen this idea is one way
+to confirm a person in shyness for the rest of their lives.
+
+Her colour mounted as she opened the door, and she was not a little
+relieved to find the library vacant.
+
+While she was employed in making the breakfast, she saw Mr. Haveloc pass
+the window apparently in deep thought. He was accompanied by a couple of
+beautiful dogs, a spaniel and a setter. But he paid no attention to
+their movements, except by sometimes passing his hand over their silken
+heads in return for their caresses.
+
+A recollection of his adventures induced Margaret to regard him with
+some attention, now that she was able to do so unseen. He would not have
+been generally considered handsome. His forehead was remarkably massive,
+and his eyes a dark hazel, capable of every variety of expression: he
+was, to say the truth, very much sun-burned; and he wore his black hair,
+not long, indeed, but turned inwards like a scroll, after the fashion
+of some of our early Kings. There was an expression of discontent and
+disdain on his face which Margaret thought very disagreeable; but at any
+rate he was just as much discontented with himself as he was with other
+people, and no doubt with equally good reason.
+
+Mr. Grey came down, and received Margaret with his usual affection, and
+seeing Mr. Haveloc walking at a little distance, he called to him, and
+bade him come in, saying to Margaret as he returned from the window,
+"That young man now, is the only one who reminds me of what they used to
+be in my young days. They are quite altered now, my dear; they are much
+more selfish and calculating; they don't neglect their own interests so
+much, but they neglect other people's feelings a great deal more. There
+was some vice certainly; they drank hard, my dear, but they told the
+truth, and that is a great blessing. I think when I was young, a man
+would be ashamed to tell a falsehood. It could not be done, my dear;
+they do it now every day."
+
+Margaret said, "Yes, Sir," to every clause in this speech, and wondered
+to herself whether all the young men used to look so gloomy and
+distracted as Mr. Haveloc looked when he entered the room. He bowed to
+her, and she thought he said "good morning." She returned the
+salutation, but not the words; and then he turned to Mr. Grey and
+offered to banish his dogs, which had followed him into the room.
+
+"By no means," Mr. Grey said, "he liked animals about him, unless
+Margaret was afraid of them."
+
+"Oh, Sir! I am afraid of nothing," said Margaret, smiling at Mr. Grey
+under shelter of the urn.
+
+Whether the sentiment, or the delightful voice in which it was uttered,
+struck Mr. Haveloc, is uncertain; but he moved his chair with the
+intention of gaining a better view of the fair speaker. The urn was,
+however, unfavourable to him, and she afforded him little more
+opportunity of hearing the sound of her voice during breakfast. As soon
+as breakfast was over, Mr. Haveloc asked Mr. Grey how soon it would be
+possible for him to call on Mr. Warde. He had yet to learn, he said, how
+these things were managed in England.
+
+Mr. Grey was certain that Mr. Warde would be glad to see him at any
+time, such an old friend as he was.
+
+Mr. Haveloc asked if Mrs. Somerton and her daughters were staying at the
+vicarage?
+
+"No," Mr. Grey said; "they had been on a visit to one of their relations
+for some months."
+
+Margaret thought she heard Mr. Haveloc mutter a thanksgiving as he
+turned away. He walked to the window and began caressing his dogs.
+
+"And what are you going to do, my darling?" asked Mr. Grey.
+
+"A great many things, Sir. First, I shall practise as soon as ever
+Land--oh! come here, Land; when can you spare time to come with me to
+the organ? Not before twelve--very well. I shall read till Land is ready
+for me, and then--oh! dear Sir, there is Miss Gage on her beautiful grey
+horse. Oh, Sir! it is not a very hard frost, it is very nearly spring.
+Will you soon buy me a pony? That is to say a horse, dear uncle; I
+should look so little on a pony. There is nothing in the world I wish
+for so much, and it is so long to wait until spring."
+
+"But which is it?" said her uncle stroking down her soft thick tresses
+of hair, "is it a very long, or a very short time till spring?"
+
+Margaret paused a little--she wished to make it appear short; but early
+in February it would not do. "The truth is uncle," said she blushing
+with the effort, "it is a long time."
+
+"Right, my child, the truth!" said Mr. Grey; "you shall have a horse as
+soon as I can meet with one; only we will not ride him until the weather
+is a little warmer."
+
+Margaret was almost speechless with delight, and had fairly forgotten
+the presence of Mr. Haveloc, who stood regarding her with a smile of
+such softened expression, that she would scarcely have recognised him.
+
+Miss Gage was riding with her brother, and when they arrived before the
+house, they pulled up their horses. Hubert Gage dismounted, ran up the
+hall steps, rang the bell, pushed open the door, and came into the
+library without any farther ceremony.
+
+Mr. Grey welcomed him very warmly. He was very fond of young people, and
+felt sincere pleasure in seeing him again. Mr. Haveloc came forwards
+with more animation than Margaret had seen him express, shook hands
+heartily with Hubert, and remarked that he was very glad their return to
+England should chance at the same time.
+
+"Why did not you tell me he was here?" said Hubert turning to Margaret,
+"when we were talking over old stories last night?"
+
+"I did not know it," replied Margaret.
+
+"Well, Bessy will not dismount, it is such a trouble to mount her
+again," he said; "so she desires me to ask if you will drive out with
+her after luncheon?"
+
+"I shall like it very much--it is very kind of her," said Margaret. "I
+may, Sir?"
+
+"With all my heart, my child," said Mr. Grey.
+
+"Ay, I should first have asked your uncle, should not I?" said Hubert
+laughing. "Have you been out to-day?"
+
+"No--not yet."
+
+"Oh! bless me, of course it is too early," said he, taking out a
+diminutive watch, which looked more striking on him than on a person of
+ordinary dimensions. "I wonder you are up at this hour."
+
+"You are keeping Miss Gage in the cold all this time," said Margaret.
+
+"So I am, but I cannot get away," he returned, looking archly at her.
+
+She wished she could help colouring, but the beautiful crimson stole
+over her cheeks at the implied compliment.
+
+"Don't you think us half mad to ride in such weather?" asked Hubert.
+"The truth is, I wished to see Bessy in her habit again."
+
+"I think it is better to ride than sit still in the cold," said
+Margaret. "I shall run out, and tell Miss Gage it is not my fault."
+
+"You will not do any such thing," said Hubert, placing himself in the
+doorway, "you shall not catch cold for my sins--I am off."
+
+"But Hubert," said Mr. Grey, detaining him, "will you dine with us?
+Claude will be very glad, I am sure--and if you could prevail on Miss
+Gage to accompany you, it would give great pleasure to my little niece."
+
+"I am sure Bessy will be very happy," said Hubert, "as for me, I shall
+be delighted."
+
+This was said with a distinct bow to Margaret, which left but little
+doubt of his meaning.
+
+"Only allow me to say to-morrow instead of to-day, because my father
+goes to a county meeting to-morrow, and so--"
+
+"That will do just as well," said Mr. Grey, "very considerate of you,
+Hubert."
+
+Mr. Haveloc, who had been standing with some hesitation of manner for
+some moments, now took a sudden resolution, dashed down the steps, and
+spoke to Miss Gage. Margaret could see from the window that she greeted
+him with her usual sweetness of demeanour; and, when her brother was
+mounted, that she stretched her hand out, which he took with an air of
+great respect.
+
+Little Margaret, whose brains were somewhat active in giving to every
+day occurrences the colourings of romance, fancied that their interview
+was like that of a Queen with some favoured noble, and as Land's gossip
+had assigned Mr. Haveloc to Miss Gage in common with a crowd of other
+suitors, she fancied that, in this instance, there might be some truth
+in the report. And such a wicked young man! She supposed Miss Gage did
+not know the dreadful story she had heard about him.
+
+"What a fine young man Hubert Gage has grown," said Mr. Grey, as he
+returned from the window, "the finest young man I ever saw!"
+
+Margaret coloured as the remark was addressed to her, and went off to
+her own occupations.
+
+She saw nothing more of Mr. Haveloc during the morning; her studies kept
+her employed until luncheon, and she had hardly finished her cold
+chicken when Miss Gage's carriage drove up to the door. She put on her
+bonnet in a hurry, flew into the hall, and almost ran against Mr.
+Haveloc, who was coming up the steps at the moment.
+
+He stopped, took off his hat, and handed her into the carriage. Miss
+Gage greeted her very kindly--asked her which way she would like to
+drive; gave her orders; drew up the glass and drove off.
+
+After a few general remarks, Margaret coloured, paused, played with her
+boa, and then said:--
+
+"I should like to talk to you about something, if you would not think me
+foolish."
+
+"What is it, my dear?" asked Elizabeth, taking Margaret's hand; "never
+mind if it is foolish--we are all foolish sometimes."
+
+"It is such a plague to me, Mr. Haveloc coming," said Margaret. "It
+spoils everything. I cannot talk to my uncle, or play the organ, or do
+anything so comfortably now that he is in the house. I cannot stand on
+the library steps, and read from the shelves;--perhaps you would laugh
+at this, but you don't know the difference it makes."
+
+"I can very well understand that it does," said Miss Gage, "but Mr.
+Haveloc's society is a great happiness to your uncle, and you must
+weigh that against the embarrassment he makes you feel."
+
+"So I ought," said Margaret.
+
+"I recollect when I knew him, several years ago," said Miss Gage,
+"although he possessed great powers of pleasing where he was intimate,
+yet he was a little too reserved in general society."
+
+"And I am sure he is very proud!" said Margaret, eagerly.
+
+Miss Gage laughed at this remark, and made no attempt to exculpate him
+from the charge: she merely added that she thought him very much altered
+in appearance, but that a person of his character would be less
+troublesome as an inmate, to her, than one of a more sociable
+disposition, since she would very rarely be obliged to enter into
+conversation with him.
+
+Margaret agreed to this, and the subject was dropped.
+
+Now, had Miss Gage chosen to exercise her wit by jesting with Margaret
+upon her timidity instead of calmly talking it over, she would have
+confirmed her in a silly bashfulness, as much opposed as possible to
+real modesty. As it was, she felt a sort of composure from having
+_talked through_ a subject she rather dreaded to mention; and her
+feelings acquired an equilibrium, that very much added to her comfort
+when she again encountered the person in question. But how few people
+could have resisted the pleasure of laughing at a young girl about any
+young man who might chance to be staying in the house.
+
+Mr. Warde came to dinner. Margaret was very glad to see him; but there
+was so much to be talked over between him and Mr. Haveloc, that there
+was little time for her to make any historical enquiries. The
+conversation did not prevent Mr. Haveloc from being very attentive to
+her, as far as actions went. He took the carving out of her hands--saw
+that she had every thing she wanted--directed the screen to be altered
+which protected her but imperfectly from the fire, and mentioned to her
+that Richards had brought a whole forest of azalias into the library
+while she was taking her drive; with which piece of information he began
+and ended his discourse.
+
+She learned, during dinner, that he was very near-sighted, which
+circumstance gave her great satisfaction. The certainty that he could
+not distinguish her across the table, unless he took up his glass, which
+she had never seen him do, gave her a confidence and a feeling of
+freedom, which removed one strong objection she had felt to his
+presence.
+
+The evening passed as usual; as they dined late, the serving of coffee
+and tea nearly took up the time until they separated. Mr. Warde talked
+kindly to Margaret about the books she was anxious to read, and Mr.
+Haveloc played a game of piquet with Mr. Grey. When she saw how very
+attentive he was to her dear uncle, she could not help wishing that he
+was less wicked, but as she remarked to herself, it was no business of
+hers.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+
+      The passions will dispense
+   To such a wild and rapid eloquence,
+   Will to the weakest mind their strength impart,
+   And give the tongue the language of the heart.
+
+   CRABBE.
+
+
+It was a very eventful day for Margaret on which Miss Gage and her
+brother were to dine at Ashdale, for it might actually be termed a
+party, and she was to preside at the head of the table.
+
+She took infinite pains with her toilet; chose her very prettiest silk,
+and allowed her maid as much time as she liked to dress her hair:
+instead of starting up, as she did on common occasions, after the first
+half-minute, wringing into a perfect cable the beautiful profusion of
+her tresses behind, and fastening them up with a comb to the great
+discomposure of her attendant. All the time the airy plaits were
+weaving, which were to form the pretty coiffure, designated as the
+_antique moderne_, Margaret was convincing herself that she was not
+taking all this trouble because Hubert Gage was coming. Nothing could be
+so unlikely, or so undignified; it was entirely on account of his sister
+Elizabeth.
+
+She was dressed so early, that she had plenty of time to spare. She
+thought she should like to play on the organ; but Land was busy, so was
+the footman, she dared not ask the coachman to blow: Mason would, she
+knew, be shocked at the idea; so she sent down to the gardener's boy,
+who spent the best part of his time in the kitchen, and he came up, shy
+and awkward enough, but very willing to do his best. Unfortunately, he
+occasionally left off blowing to listen with open mouth to her
+performance, thus causing a sudden stop that was very provoking to her.
+She was improving so nicely too--her little foot stole over the pedals
+with as much ease as her fingers over the notes; and when she was in the
+midst of a very pretty effect, that sharp cessation of sound quite
+destroyed her patience.
+
+"There, you naughty little boy," said she, "don't you see the wind is
+out? You must not do that again!"
+
+The little boy, who was a great deal bigger by the way than herself,
+_did_ do it again, and always in the most provoking places, though the
+moment she looked he began to blow with renewed vigour.
+
+"I declare," cried Margaret, stamping her foot on the pedals, and
+producing thereby an awful roar, "I will tell my Uncle Grey the very
+next time!"
+
+This was not a very formidable threat; but the boy pleaded that she did
+play so beautiful he could not help it; and she forgot her anger.
+
+Now, at the moment she stamped, one of the gallery doors opened, and
+Mr. Haveloc came out, intending to go down to the drawing-room; but
+attracted by the singular sound that met his ear, he remained in the
+doorway listening. He was very much amused by the short dialogue which
+he overheard, and delighted when Margaret resumed her more regular
+performance; for she had that fine sensibility for music which imparts
+to the finger a charm that cannot be acquired, but which is an absolute
+requisite to persons of the same temperament.
+
+"There goes seven, Miss," said the boy, as Margaret was bringing to a
+conclusion one of Handel's choruses.
+
+"How tiresome!" cried Margaret, "Oh, dear! and I promised Mr. Grey that
+I would always shut up the organ. I shall be late, that I shall! Oh! do
+hold the candle for me!"
+
+"Allow me to save you the trouble," said Mr. Haveloc, coming forward,
+"it is the least I can do in return for your music."
+
+"For my music!" gasped Margaret; while all the blunders she had been
+committing rushed into her mind, turning her quite sick with shame.
+
+"You may trust me to leave all right," said Mr. Haveloc, beginning to
+put in the stops, "I am used to an organ."
+
+"Oh! thank you, I will then," said Margaret, and taking up her gloves,
+she lost no time in making her way down stairs.
+
+The Gages' carriage was drawing up as she took her seat beside her
+uncle. She could not command her complexion, and it rose amazingly as
+Miss Gage entered with her brother.
+
+Elizabeth was more dressed than at her own house, and poor Margaret
+ascribed her calm, graceful appearance to the stiff violet watered silk,
+and the delicate pearl brooch and bracelets which she wore. Her bouquet
+was composed of geraniums this time, and Margaret began to undervalue
+her azalias now.
+
+While Mr. Grey was talking to Miss Gage, Hubert Gage, leaning on the
+back of Margaret's chair, entered into conversation with an air of so
+much intimacy, that she could hardly feel shy of him. He enquired about
+her pets, and she confided to him that she had a beautiful bullfinch
+which could whistle two tunes, and draw up a bucket of water; and that
+Mr. Grey had an eagle in the court-yard which had a great many odd ways;
+and that she had not a lap-dog yet, but that Mr. Grey meant to see about
+it.
+
+Hubert Gage, with an air of great interest, recommended her to have an
+Italian greyhound, and then told her that her hands were like snow; but
+Margaret never could recollect how he managed to introduce that piece of
+information.
+
+Then Mr. Haveloc came down and planted himself beside Miss Gage's chair
+until dinner was announced.
+
+Mr. Grey gave his arm to Miss Gage, and Hubert took possession of
+Margaret, begging her to observe how much more fortunate he was now,
+than the last time he had the pleasure of seeing her.
+
+As they entered the dining-room everybody was surprised to see Mr.
+Casement calmly standing before the fire.
+
+Mr. Haveloc, who followed Hubert Gage, caught up his eye-glass, dropped
+it with an air of great vexation, and exclaimed, in a suppressed tone,
+"Good Heaven, Hubert! is that fellow not dead yet?"
+
+"I wish anybody could tell me when he _would_ die," said Hubert,
+laughing; "but I am firmly persuaded, for my part, that he is the
+Wandering Jew."
+
+"Ay! here I am," said Mr. Casement, in reply to Mr. Grey's exclamation
+of surprise; "Miss Gage, your servant. So you two young fellows are
+returned at the same time. No fear of your not coming back--eh! a bad
+shilling! you know the saying."
+
+Hubert Gage burst into a hearty laugh at this address; but Mr. Haveloc
+knit his brows with an air of extreme disgust.
+
+By this time, as everybody was seated, and Hubert helping the soup for
+Margaret, Mr. Casement bethought himself of something disagreeable to
+say to her.
+
+"Ain't you very much obliged to me, little woman," he said, "for coming
+straight in here, and so leaving you to the young sparks? Suppose I had
+taken you into dinner?"
+
+"Mr. Casement," said Miss Gage, in her very calm manner, "you know I
+always keep you in order. You must not forget I am here."
+
+Mr. Casement made a contortion he meant for a smile, and vowed he was
+her slave.
+
+Mr. Haveloc told Miss Gage that everybody present owed her a vote of
+thanks. A remark which Mr. Casement did not forget.
+
+When a convenient pause occurred, he leaned forward, and said, in a
+sufficiently marked tone, "Oh, by the bye, Claude! and how are all our
+friends at Florence?" Margaret absolutely turned pale, and could not
+avoid glancing anxiously at Mr. Haveloc.
+
+He merely replied, taking up his glass to examine the dish he was about
+to carve. "I did not know, Mr. Casement, that you had any friends in any
+part of the world."
+
+Margaret was the only person who observed that his hand trembled.
+
+Miss Gage was pleased with his reply, for she knew the ill-natured point
+of the remark. Hubert laughed so heartily, that he was forced at
+intervals to beg Margaret's pardon for being so rude. Mr. Grey tried to
+turn the conversation. Mr. Casement looked sullen; and Mr. Haveloc,
+still appearing occupied with the dish before him, said, "There are two
+ways of carving these birds; which do you like best?"
+
+"Oh! the old fashioned way, don't you Sir?" asked Miss Gage of Mr. Grey,
+"it is much the best."
+
+"Yes; all old fashioned ways are in my opinion;" said Mr. Grey smiling,
+"but then I am an old man."
+
+Margaret could not easily regain her composure of feeling after this
+incident; she pitied Mr. Haveloc, she admired Miss Gage, and she envied
+the readiness with which she directed the conversation into other
+channels until all constraint seemed banished from the party.
+
+In the evening Hubert Gage beset Margaret with entreaties that she would
+play; and with a feeling of intense misery, she sat down to the piano
+and played a Fantasia by Moscheles with great delicacy and effect. Miss
+Gage turned round in the midst of her conversation with Mr. Grey, and
+told Margaret that she could take no excuses from her in future, now
+that she had shown how she could perform.
+
+Then Mr. Casement begged Miss Gage to play some old airs, which she did
+with the utmost good humour; and afterwards sang whatever she was asked
+with an ease and sweetness that delighted Margaret; who for her own part
+would have much preferred dying at once to singing before half-a-dozen
+people.
+
+In the midst of the singing, Mr. Gage begged Margaret to tell him the
+names of some fine prints he was looking at, which she did as far as she
+knew them; while in return, when he came to any very beautiful face in
+the collection, he informed her that it was strikingly like her's, with
+any little additional compliment that his fancy suggested. Margaret was
+not quite so over-powered by this as might have been expected, for she
+was listening all the time to a conversation between Miss Gage and Mr.
+Haveloc.
+
+Elizabeth had risen from the piano, and was standing with a sheet of
+music in her hand talking to Mr. Haveloc about Metastasio: this led to
+some remarks upon the early poetry, and the early paintings of Italy,
+and the infancy of art in general.
+
+Miss Gage remarked that the infancy of poetry was unmarked by those
+signs of feebleness and inaccuracy that denoted the first stages of
+painting.
+
+"It was true," he replied, "the imagination was at once transferred into
+words, unfettered by those mechanical means which were needed to express
+thought upon the canvass; because the soul was the elder and the nobler
+born, and its work was performed without the tedious interval of
+experience which was necessary to bring to perfection the physical
+powers. He thought the best that could be said of painting was, that it
+was a high order of imitation."
+
+Miss Gage mentioned the delight bequeathed to a succession of ages by a
+beautiful picture or statue.
+
+"It is true," he said, "but it is a delight for which the eye must be
+trained, and the mind prepared. It is in a great measure an artificial
+enjoyment; for I need not remind Miss Gage that the raptures of most
+persons with regard to art are purely affected. But every poet who
+deserves the name, appeals at once to the common and spontaneous
+feelings of mankind; and can be discerned, not by the ignorant indeed,
+but without any especial cultivation."
+
+Miss Gage said something of the difficulties of art, and the respect due
+to those who surmounted them.
+
+"I confess," said Mr. Haveloc, "I cannot see much to respect in a
+successful painter. I allow him great acquirement; a highly trained eye;
+the mastery of a very difficult and laborious process, and certainly a
+perception of the most ingenious arrangement of his subject. But, good
+Heaven! at what an immeasurable distance are these from the gifts that
+constitute a poet. Where is the exquisite atmosphere of music that
+suggests to him his delicious rhyme? Where the invisible and mystic
+shadows that invite him to weave his tissue of unreal scenes? Where the
+deep and solemn philosophy which reveals to him the strange sources of
+those emotions which are known to common men by their outward workings
+alone? No, Miss Gage, I cannot admit toil is a sign of worth, for I
+know many baubles that are difficult of attainment."
+
+"Ah! you think all that very fine!" said Mr. Casement looking up from
+his game of piquet, "but it is sheer nonsense every word of it."
+
+Mr. Haveloc did not deign to utter a word in reply to this flattering
+tribute. Elizabeth smiled, and moved to the table where Hubert and
+Margaret were looking at the engravings.
+
+"Do not these," she asked, "go far to shake your opinion? And is not the
+ideal in art worthy of as much veneration as the highest efforts of the
+poet?"
+
+"I must be uncourteous enough," said Mr. Haveloc, "to differ from you in
+your estimate of the Ideal over the Real in art. I do not think that the
+purely Ideal either elevates or instructs; in fact unless the Real is
+the basis of the design, it is an illusion that only makes one
+discontented with nature."
+
+"But in that case, the antique----" said Miss Gage.
+
+"It is the exquisite reality of the greatest works of ancient art which
+makes them so invaluable;" said Mr. Haveloc, "the form may be ideal, but
+the expression is real. It is the concentration of all nature in its
+fitness for the quality or emotion intended to be displayed, that
+constitutes their inapproachable beauty and grace. Beauty being the
+proportion of form; and grace, the proportion of action to the feeling
+meant to be expressed."
+
+"I am not quite willing to cede the Ideality of the ancient statues,"
+said Miss Gage; "but I can conceive that a different order of excellence
+is demanded of sculpture from that of painting."
+
+"For sculpture is to painting what Epic is to Tragic poetry. The
+External against the Internal;" rejoined Mr. Haveloc, "the one demanding
+perfection of form--the other relying chiefly upon truth of expression."
+
+"Guido then ought to have been a sculptor," said Miss Gage.
+
+"Yes!" he replied. "In Guido's pictures the Ideal prevails after this
+fashion; in the omission of accident, or defect in his forms--that is,
+in the omission of character or individuality. They are beautiful
+embellishments to a room--great technical achievements; but they do not
+appeal to the depths of the heart, although much beauty will often
+affect the feelings."
+
+"I understand the distinction," said Elizabeth, "Murillo appeals to the
+sympathies by taking beings made of common clay, forms that have
+existed--more powerful agents than only such as might exist--and
+elevating them by the profound sensibilities with which he has endowed
+them."
+
+"Exactly," returned Mr. Haveloc. "His Virgin, in his great picture of
+the Holy Family, is a woman of humble life, in simple garments, and not
+remarkable for beauty of form; he has painted her with faultless truth,
+and inspired her face with an expression of maternal love, so tender,
+so earnest, so overwhelming in its fulness and its anxiety, that I
+should think few people could view it without being deeply affected."
+
+"It is only when truth is outdone," said Miss Gage, "that I object to
+the Ideal. As for instance, when Raphael, a name I do not mention but
+with the deepest respect, depicts the Virgin Mary with all the delicate
+beauty of a pampered Princess, and attired in the most gorgeous
+garments."
+
+"Yes," he said, "although he has thrown into the features all the
+refinement of intellect and tenderness of feeling of which woman is
+capable; high-born, caressed, educated, magnificent woman. I do consider
+that Murillo has bequeathed a grander lesson to the future, has achieved
+more in art, and awakened our sympathies at a purer source, by his
+strict adherence to nature, than Raphael by his exquisite and ideal
+conception of female grace."
+
+"In fact," said Miss Gage, "to go a little aside of the old saying, you
+think that truth is the well from which every poet and every artist
+should draw their inspiration; and that no important, no ultimate good
+can result from any exaggeration, even when the falsehood is enlisted on
+the side of unearthly and transcendent beauty."
+
+"I need not say, Miss Gage," said Mr. Haveloc, "that I could not have
+expressed my meaning so completely as you have done."
+
+"You young fellows," said Mr. Casement, rising from the table, "you
+think you know everything now-a-days."
+
+Margaret who had been looking up in Miss Gage's face listening--her
+features radiant with breathless and earnest attention--looked round at
+Mr. Casement with something like horror in her countenance. She was
+shocked that he should interrupt a discourse so replete to her with new
+and interesting ideas.
+
+Mr. Haveloc's scorn prevented his taking up the remark; Miss Gage who
+was well accustomed to tolerate Mr. Casement, turned round with some
+playfulness of manner:
+
+"If I were not going away, Mr. Casement," she said, "I hear the
+carriage, Hubert--I should take you very seriously to task. Pray, Mr.
+Haveloc, before I go, acknowledge that Murillo is a poet of the highest
+order, and an exception to those artists whom you have praised for mere
+mechanical excellence."
+
+"I do acknowledge," he replied, "that in his hands the pencil becomes a
+sceptre, to which every enlightened mind must do homage."
+
+When Mr. Haveloc returned from seeing Miss Gage to her carriage, he
+found Mr. Grey just concluding his encomiums upon Margaret for having
+behaved so very prettily to his guests. He turned round and asked Mr.
+Haveloc if Miss Gage did not sing charmingly.
+
+Mr. Haveloc hesitated a little, and at length said, "that her singing
+was rather sensible than impassioned."
+
+"Why really, Claude," said Mr. Grey, "in a wife I should prefer the
+sensible style."
+
+"My dear Sir," returned Mr. Haveloc with a short laugh, "I have no idea
+of presuming to aspire to Miss Gage's hand. I imagine that even the
+industry of scandal could attribute nothing to our intercourse but the
+most distant acquaintance."
+
+He spoke with some bitterness, but Mr. Grey who was singularly exempt
+from irritable feelings himself, seldom detected them in others.
+
+"I don't know, Claude," he said; "I thought she looked splendid this
+evening. She is the handsomest woman in the county; and when I saw you
+talking so nicely together, I wished with all my heart it might come to
+something."
+
+"I wish her a better fate, Sir," said Mr. Haveloc turning away.
+
+"Why, Claude, ay to be sure! One should not talk of such matters before
+little people. Going away my little pet? Good night--sleep well!"
+
+Margaret had a great deal to think about when she found herself in her
+own room. Miss Mason tangled and untangled her hair at pleasure; her
+thoughts were too busy in recalling all that had been said and done that
+evening. She had heard persons talk who possessed ideas; who had
+thought, and formed opinions upon different subjects; this was such a
+different thing from school knowledge, that she felt confused for some
+time in the uncertainty she felt as to the means of acquiring such
+mental power herself. She determined at least to be guided by Miss Gage,
+who she was sure would direct her as to the books she ought to read; and
+perhaps in time she might become wise enough to talk to persons who knew
+as much as Mr. Haveloc. She wished again that he had not been so wicked;
+but she remembered with displeasure Mr. Casement's impertinent allusion
+to his former conduct. She was convinced he was very sorry for it, and
+though she sincerely wished him out of the house, she was employed in
+pitying him, when Miss Mason having concluded her duties, wished her
+young lady good night.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+
+   A melancholy, grounded and resolved
+   Received into a habit argues love,
+   Or deep impression of strong discontents.
+
+   THE LADY'S TRIAL.
+
+   Since my coming home I have found
+   More sweets in one unprofitable dream
+   Than in my life's whole pilgrimage.
+
+   SUN'S DARLING.
+
+
+Now Mr. Haveloc was at this time enjoying the delightful consciousness
+that he had been making a great simpleton of himself; but this is a
+state of feeling which indicates some superiority of character; for your
+common people when they have been exposing themselves to the derision of
+all their acquaintance, generally parade themselves with all the dignity
+of a peacock, and feel convinced that they have been behaving with
+singular discretion. This state of feeling was agreeably relieved by the
+knowledge that people had said a great many things of him which were
+untrue, and which were particularly exasperating to a person of his
+temperament.
+
+They had filled up the outline of his attentions to Mrs. Maxwell
+Dorset--attentions far more marked than was consistent with
+propriety--by a variety of incidents, extremely wrong, but, which was
+much worse in his eyes, exceedingly ridiculous. They had exaggerated the
+regard which the lady had abundantly professed for him into an idolatry
+that was painfully absurd; and they invented a narrative of an
+unsuccessful attempt on his part to carry her off, which drove him from
+Florence, and very nearly frantic into the bargain. As he returned to
+his senses, he contemplated Mrs. Maxwell Dorset with unmixed contempt
+and disgust. Very exacting and fastidious in his ideas of women, he
+could imagine nothing more opposed to all his demands of female
+delicacy and dignity, than this woman, who had for a time blinded him by
+her flattery, and her foolish and criminal preference. He was angry with
+her, and still more angry with himself, and yet more enraged against
+society at large for the unceremonious manner in which they had
+discoursed of his proceedings; and his feelings of dissatisfaction on
+the subject were by no means diminished by the knowledge that he was not
+the first person by very many whom her artifices had enslaved. This fact
+which of course reached his ears when it was too late--for your friends
+never tell you of a thing when you might profit by it--in divesting her
+attachment of the complimentary aspect it might otherwise have worn,
+opened his eyes more effectually than a score of homilies could have
+done.
+
+In this happy frame of mind, he came to Ashdale, thinking that it would
+be a relief to plunge into solitude with his friend, Mr. Grey. He was
+very much annoyed to find that Margaret was residing with her uncle; but
+Mr. Grey pressed him so warmly to take up his abode with him for a time,
+that he hardly knew how to decline his hospitality. He could scarcely
+tell Mr. Grey that he detested the idea of remaining under the same roof
+with his niece. It was a great relief to him when he found that Margaret
+was entirely different from any young lady he had ever seen. She never
+entered into conversation with him, and never, if she could help it,
+remained in the room with him for a single moment. He began to be
+disappointed that she invariably stole out after her uncle as he left
+the breakfast-table, and came down into the drawing-room exactly as the
+bell rang for dinner. He became more and more struck with her beauty and
+her simplicity, and he felt a curiosity to know whether her intellect at
+all responded to the beautiful countenance which varied with every shade
+of thought that floated through her mind.
+
+It so happened that he was not able to pursue his investigations for
+some time, for some affair of business required his immediate return to
+his own home. He mentioned this to Mr. Grey as they were standing round
+the fire just before dinner, and would have given much to have seen
+Margaret's face at the moment.
+
+It was too late when they took their places at the table to hope that
+any expression of emotion, or surprise would be visible. Indeed it was
+not being quite so reasonable as men ought to be upon those subjects, to
+expect that she should regret the departure of a visitor, who, though
+perfectly courteous to her, had been remarkably deficient in those
+attentions which a beautiful girl might almost expect from one of the
+other sex. In fact, Margaret was exceedingly glad to hear the news. She
+felt that among other advantages, the library would be no longer
+forbidden-ground to her. She would again be able to loiter among the
+books and maps, instead of carrying those volumes she wished to read
+into her own room, and sending them back by Land when she had done.
+
+Mr. Haveloc was always in the library, reading or writing, which was one
+of his most serious offences in her eyes. As for her attempting to
+attract or interest him, she would have considered such a thing as
+seriously and entirely out of the question. She knew very well that the
+girls at school would have called him a capital match, and she knew also
+that there would have been no end to their jests if they had heard that
+she was staying in the house with so desirable an article of property as
+a rich young man. But Margaret was romantic. She thought him very much
+in the way; and she was rather shocked that any one so immoral should
+help her to salad, or to orange-jelly.
+
+"The Somertons are come back, Claude," said Mr. Grey; "I wish you were
+not going away just now. They always make the place gay."
+
+"Thank you, Sir," returned Mr. Haveloc, "I dare say I shall not much
+regret losing the Somertons."
+
+"Let me see," continued Mr. Grey, "Blanche must have been about sixteen
+when you left England."
+
+"Very likely, Sir, I never attempt to guess a lady's age."
+
+"I hardly know," said Mr. Grey, musing over his scalloped oysters,
+"which of them is considered the beauty; but I rather think it is
+Blanche."
+
+"Oh both, my dear Sir," replied Mr. Haveloc, "Mrs. Somerton tells
+everybody that each of her daughters is the belle of whatever place they
+may be staying at."
+
+"A great satisfaction to their mother, I am sure," said Mr. Grey, never
+dreaming that there was anything like satire in Mr. Haveloc's remark;
+"and very nice companions they will be to my little niece during the
+summer; perhaps we may prevail on Mrs. Somerton to spare one of her
+daughters sometimes to stay here for a week or two."
+
+Mr. Haveloc knit his brows, and looked so much discomposed at this
+proposition that Margaret was perfectly astonished. How could it concern
+him if her uncle succeeded in obtaining a companion for her? Some of the
+wonder she felt must have made itself very visible in her face, for he
+turned and said to her in a constrained voice, "I hope you will find
+much enjoyment in the society of the Miss Somertons."
+
+"I shall like to know them," said Margaret quietly, "but Miss Gage is
+kind enough to prevent my ever feeling the want of society."
+
+"Very kind she is," said Mr. Grey; "but my love, I know young people
+like to be together; now, Blanche is hardly a year older than you are."
+
+"You see," said Mr. Haveloc smiling, "that you are fated to become
+intimate with the Somertons."
+
+Margaret smiled too. She recollected that at school she had made no one
+intimacy; and she thought it was very easily avoided with any person
+whom you did not completely approve--especially if you did not live
+under the same roof.
+
+Nothing more was said during dinner; but in the evening when Margaret
+was making tea, and her uncle dozing in his arm-chair, Mr. Haveloc,
+contrary to his custom, took a chair next to her's, and after a short
+pause--for the subject was rather embarrassing--said, "I am afraid you
+thought me guilty of some rudeness at dinner in allowing you to perceive
+the surprise I felt at your uncle's proposition. I am aware that I have
+no right to interest myself in your affairs."
+
+It would have been difficult to convince any body of the extent of
+Margaret's shyness, for she had the advantage of a very self-possessed
+manner; therefore, though her heart seemed dying within her, at the
+effort of making a reply to such a speech, her sweet voice was as calm
+as ever, when she answered:
+
+"I did not think you rude at all, Mr. Haveloc, for you said nothing; and
+it would be hard indeed to deny people the free exercise of their
+thoughts."
+
+"Thank you," said Mr. Haveloc with energy. "I will not be so
+presumptuous as to offer you any advice; but I hope you will allow me to
+recommend that you ask Miss Gage her candid opinion of those young
+ladies. She is so much your friend, that I believe she will have no
+hesitation in giving it."
+
+"I will, indeed," said Margaret, "you could not have given me better
+advice."
+
+She smiled and blushed as she spoke, and looked so very lovely, that it
+was no wonder Mr. Haveloc retained his chair, and made some attempt to
+draw her into conversation.
+
+Mr. Grey woke up, took his cup of tea, and looked very much pleased to
+see them talking together, although no two strangers could carry on a
+more distant and disjointed discourse. He so completely recognized
+Margaret as a child, that his fancy never suggested to him the
+possibility of a future attachment being formed between his favourite
+ward and his beautiful little niece. He merely thought to himself that
+if Claude would but brighten up a little, and forget all that Italian
+business, it would make the evenings much more cheerful for poor
+Margaret.
+
+His musings were interrupted by the entrance of Mr. Casement, whose "old
+woman," as he informed Mr. Grey, had two or three village gossips to
+drink tea with her, and therefore he had been driven out this miserable
+night to take his chance of a cup of coffee, and a game of piquet with
+his friend, Mr. Grey.
+
+"And glad enough you must be to see me," he remarked, "for I suppose
+these two young people chatter together, and leave you to count the
+bars of the grate all the evening."
+
+Mr. Grey eagerly disclaimed being ever left to the consoling occupation
+suggested by his friend.
+
+"Never," he said, "were there kinder or more attentive companions than
+Claude Haveloc and his niece."
+
+Margaret rang for more coffee, and made up her mind with a look of calm
+endurance to pass a disagreeable evening. Among other annoyances to her,
+Mr. Casement was very fond of music, and always insisted on her playing
+to him while he was engaged at cards.
+
+Mr. Haveloc, highly indignant at being accused of chattering, flung
+himself into an arm-chair at another table; begged Margaret's pardon
+when she half rose to give Mr. Casement his cup, made some show of
+taking it from her, and then threw himself back in his chair with the
+Quarterly Review in his hand, and a very tolerable share of contempt in
+his features.
+
+Then Mr. Casement managed to teaze Margaret by asking her to play 'The
+Roast Beef of Old England;' or, 'The Girl I left behind me;' airs that
+she had never heard of; and by turning into ridicule the names and
+compositions of Doehler and Moscheles, with whose works she was
+familiar. And every now and then he looked up from his game, and asked
+Mr. Haveloc what he was about, that he did not turn over the young
+lady's book, and praise her music; until at last Margaret left the piano
+in a great pet, and sat down to her netting.
+
+"Well, now, little woman," said Mr. Casement, as soon as he had won his
+game, "how do you get on with Hubert Gage?"
+
+Mr. Haveloc's eyes were full upon her, and she felt the question to be
+embarrassing. She blushed, indeed, but she drew herself up, and replied
+that she got on with him quite well enough. Her acquaintance was with
+his sister.
+
+"And this young spark, too," said Mr. Casement, turning to Mr. Haveloc.
+"What! you are letting him slip through your fingers? He goes away
+to-morrow, I hear." Margaret, changing from red to white, persevered
+with her netting. Mr. Haveloc dashed his book down on the table, and
+stalked out of the room; muttering something as he went about "the
+greatest bore in existence;" and Mr. Grey began a gentle remonstrance
+with his friend on the impropriety of talking in such a manner to young
+people.
+
+"They don't like it, Casement. These jokes never please the parties
+concerned. There's Claude gone out of the room in a rage, and my poor
+little Margaret seems disposed to go out of the room after him."
+
+"I think," said Mr. Casement, with a chuckling laugh, "I tell you what,
+in my young days, the fancies of old people were to be consulted. Now,
+we have nothing to do but to think how we can please the young ones."
+
+"Nobody can accuse you of that, Mr. Casement," said Margaret, who had
+taken refuge by the side of Mr. Grey.
+
+"Egad, that's true enough, Miss Peggy," returned Mr. Casement. "No one
+shall ever tax me with helping to spoil the rising generation."
+
+Mr. Grey said he was no advocate for spoiling people; but he really
+could not see why such silly remarks should be made on persons; that
+Claude Haveloc did not like to be the subject of Mr. Casement's
+raillery, and therefore he did hope--
+
+"Why," interrupted Mr. Casement, "the remark, as you call it, that made
+Master Claude bounce out of the room in such tragedy fashion, was
+addressed to this little woman here. I asked her, as any body would, how
+she could let such a sweet-tempered, well-behaved young gentleman slip
+through her fingers."
+
+"Well--well--the child does not like it;" said Mr. Grey, rather shortly.
+
+"Beg your pardon. Miss Peggy, like other young ladies, has no sort of
+objection to a hint of that kind. But you don't relish it, that is very
+plain; so I'll mind my manners for the present, at least. Hadn't you
+better step out to the young man, my dear, and say that it's all right,
+and he may come back again?"
+
+Angry as Margaret was, she could not help smiling at the idea of being
+sent out to call Mr. Haveloc back like a child. She was very angry,
+however, and said, that she supposed Mr. Haveloc would return when he
+chose; but that she imagined few people would be longer than they could
+help in Mr. Casement's society.
+
+"She is too sharp for you, Casement;" said Mr. Grey, laughing.
+
+"I have raised a hornet's nest about my ears, I think," said Mr.
+Casement, laughing in his turn. "I did not know the child had so much
+spirit. Well, my old woman, will be on the look out for me, so I will
+wish you good evening."
+
+As soon as the door closed on his friend, Mr. Grey began to find all the
+excuses he could for his rudeness. Nobody, he affirmed, had a better
+heart than Mr. Casement, although his manners might lead a good many
+people to doubt the fact. He was sure that if any body was in distress,
+Mr. Casement would do them a kindness if he could; and, after all, that
+was the main point--the disposition was of more importance than the
+manner.
+
+Margaret was quite ready to admit the truth of this observation; she
+merely asked, casually, "whether Mr. Casement had been ever known to
+relieve anybody, because there is always opportunity to show kindness
+among the poor, if people are inclined to do it."
+
+Mr. Grey said, "he did not know any particular instance of Mr.
+Casement's good works; but he was not the less convinced that he had the
+disposition to be kind."
+
+Margaret smiled, and kept her own opinion in silence.
+
+Mr. Haveloc returned to the room soon after;--replied to some qualifying
+remark of Mr. Grey's, that Mr. Casement was a pest to society, and
+worse than all the plagues of Egypt; and then, taking up his book again,
+went on reading with much apparent tranquillity.
+
+Margaret continued her netting by the fire-side, and seemed to be quite
+unconscious of his presence. Mr. Grey, satisfied that the storm had
+blown over, soon went to sleep, which he frequently did, until roused by
+the entrance of Land with the candlesticks and a great bunch of keys.
+
+Suddenly Mr. Haveloc started forward, and picked up a mesh which had
+fallen from Margaret's work-box. She had been so much accustomed to all
+those attentions from him, which do not involve any speaking, that this
+sudden movement did not surprise her. She took her mesh, bowed her head
+in silence, and went on with her work. She really did not know, for some
+minutes, that he was leaning on the top of the screen he had placed
+between her and the fire, and looking earnestly into her face.
+
+"I hope," he said, as soon as she happened to lift her eyes from her
+netting, "I do hope that miserable old man has not annoyed you very
+much. I am sure you must feel his vulgarity. If it was not for Mr. Grey,
+I--but I am afraid he is rather too old to be thrown out of the window."
+
+"Oh, dear, yes!" said Margaret, frightened at the very idea of such
+extreme measures. "I don't very much mind him now, I certainly did, at
+first. But my uncle says he has--some--good qualities."
+
+This confession came out slowly, as if she was by no means willing to
+admit the possibility of such a thing.
+
+"Mr. Grey has so many good qualities," said Mr. Haveloc, "that he makes
+over a few, in imagination, to his neighbours. That is the only way I
+can account for such an assertion on his part."
+
+Margaret looked up and laughed at this remark. She had a charming
+child-like laugh.
+
+"Perhaps;" said she, after a short pause, "perhaps, in time, he will
+leave off teazing me."
+
+"Never!" returned Mr. Haveloc, "never while he has breath."
+
+"Then it can't be helped," said Margaret, with a sigh. "But there is one
+comfort, my dear uncle always takes my part."
+
+"Who would not?" muttered Mr. Haveloc.
+
+Margaret did not laugh at this remark. She blushed instead, and busied
+herself very earnestly with the beads on her silk.
+
+"You are about something very pretty!" said Mr. Haveloc, bending over
+her work.
+
+"It is a great deal of trouble," said Margaret, "but it will look very
+well when it is done. It is a purse with beads."
+
+"I am afraid I shall not see it finished," said Mr. Haveloc. "It will be
+done, and sent off long before I come back."
+
+"It takes me--oh, let me see!--about a week," said Margaret.
+
+"Not longer? Why you must furnish all your friends with purses."
+
+"But I seldom make them. This is only the second I have made with beads;
+one to learn by--and this other, to give to--somebody."
+
+"To Mr. Grey!"
+
+"You cannot be sure of that. It is a very good guess; but I have other
+friends. I might mean it for Mr. Warde."
+
+"You glanced at Mr. Grey when you spoke of giving it away."
+
+"Did I, indeed? You should not watch people."
+
+"Is that a general rule? Or only applicable to the present company?"
+
+Margaret laughed, and made no answer.
+
+"Pray, has Mr. Warde begun to teach you Latin yet?" he asked.
+
+"No," said Margaret.
+
+"How is that? Are you afraid of your complexion? I think Mr. Grey
+threatened you with premature age, if you meddled with Latin. Did not
+he?"
+
+"That is not the reason," said Margaret, "but I am too busy at present."
+
+"I should like very much to know what is your favourite study just now.
+Waltzing, I think."
+
+"Waltzing, indeed!" said Margaret; "I could waltz years ago."
+
+"You won't tell me then, what pursuit engrosses you at present; it must
+be something mysterious. Judicial astrology?"
+
+Margaret turned away laughing, "I wish first that it was true, and next
+that I knew it," she said.
+
+"Would you then like to read the future?" he asked.
+
+"Perhaps not, when it came to the point," she replied.
+
+"What, Land, here already?" said Mr. Grey, waking up at the jingle of
+the keys and candlesticks; "who would believe it was eleven o'clock?"
+
+"Not I for one," whispered Mr. Haveloc, as he moved to open the door for
+Margaret.
+
+She did not know how it was. She supposed he must have held out his
+hand; but she found herself actually shaking hands with him for the
+first time.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+
+  _Ray._   You have a merry heart if you can guide it.
+
+  _Fol._ Yes faith, so, so; I laugh not at those whom I fear; I fear not
+      those whom I love; and I love not any whom I laugh not at. Pretty
+      strange humour, is't not?
+
+  _Ray._    To any one that knows you not, it is.
+
+   THE SUN'S DARLING.
+
+
+The next morning Mr. Haveloc went to his estate as he had intended; and
+Margaret found herself again in undisturbed possession of Ashdale. But
+for fear she should enjoy her liberty too much, Hubert Gage found his
+way to the house almost every morning. He knew very well that when he
+could not obtain his sister's company, Margaret would not come down to
+see him, if he seemed to pay a formal visit, but he always contrived to
+have some message, or some piece of music, some excellent advice about
+her greyhound, or other trifling passport to her presence; and when
+Elizabeth did go with him, it was very easy to loiter the whole morning
+there; that is to say, from a little before luncheon to a little before
+dinner.
+
+Mr. Grey's only idea on the subject was, that Hubert Gage was a very
+fine young man, and very attentive to his sister.
+
+Captain Gage was more clear-sighted; he told Elizabeth that Hubert
+seemed to have taken a fancy to Margaret; that she was a very nice
+little girl, well born and handsome; that he understood she had ten
+thousand pounds for her fortune, and it was very likely that Mr. Grey
+would leave her something very considerable; so that a younger son, as
+Hubert was, would have reason to think himself very well off if he could
+win her. That they were a couple of children, and that it was quite a
+consideration for the future. He should get him afloat again as soon
+he could, and if he came back in the same mind with regard to Margaret,
+then they would see about it.
+
+Just at this time, the stability of his attachment was put to a slight
+test.
+
+When he first returned home, his father wrote to his brother George who
+was with his regiment in Ireland, urging him to obtain leave of absence,
+that he might come over and see his brother. Captain Gage thus counted
+on having two of his sons at home together, for he was very much
+attached to his children, and nothing gave him greater satisfaction than
+to have them about him.
+
+Now George Gage liked his brother very much, and would have had no
+objection to pay his father a visit, but it happened that a
+steeple-chase, in which he was deeply interested, was coming off at that
+time, so he wrote to say that he could not get leave of absence, which
+was so far true that he had never applied for it; but strongly
+recommended Hubert to take the trouble of crossing over to see him,
+holding out many inducements to that effect; the most powerful of which
+was the steeple-chase.
+
+Captain Gage, who had passed his life in the delusion that it was
+impossible for a gentleman to swerve by a hair's breadth from the truth,
+firmly believed his son's statement, and advised Hubert to set off at
+once for Ireland. It was provoking enough, he said, that George could
+not get leave at present, but since there was a way for them to meet,
+why the best thing was to avail himself of it without delay.
+
+He was very glad, he said to Elizabeth, to find by George's letter, how
+very anxious he was to have Hubert with him; for there was nothing so
+delightful as to see the members of a family attached to each other.
+
+Elizabeth acceded to this remark, although she had not as firm a
+persuasion of her brother's warmth of feeling as her father had.
+
+So Hubert set off in a day or two; after having called at Ashdale to
+take what he intended to be a very impressive farewell of Margaret; but
+it so happened that the antics of her Italian greyhound, which had
+become entangled in its silver chain, amused them both so highly, that
+they spent the whole time in laughing, so that when he rose to go, it
+was as much as he could manage to make his adieux intelligible.
+
+Mrs. Somerton and her youngest daughter had returned to the vicarage,
+where they spent that part of the year which was not passed in visiting
+among their relatives and friends. The eldest daughter had been invited
+by an aunt to spend the season in London, and Blanche took up her abode
+in the retired village of Ashdale with very decided feelings of
+discontent and mortification.
+
+Now I am sorry to say that Blanche Somerton, although very pretty, was
+not very good. She was rather tall, and slightly made, with very small
+head, hands, and feet. Her complexion was delicately pale, and her face
+like a child's with bright black eyes, a short nose, and a pretty mouth
+always half open and displaying a set of small and pearly teeth. But as
+a set off to these attractions, she hardly ever told the truth, even in
+the veriest trifles. She would tell a falsehood about the colour of a
+ribbon, and would say that a friend wore a white dress, simply because
+it happened to be green. Sometimes these mistakes assumed a more serious
+character, but if she was found out in any of them she merely laughed.
+
+They were very poor. Her mother was always embarrassed in money matters,
+and although she had recourse to many contrivances to eke out her small
+income, they were insufficient to keep her out of debt. Had it not been
+for Mr. Warde's frequent kindness, I really believe the poor woman would
+have found her way to a prison. Their's was bitter poverty; far more
+bitter and hard to bear than the physical poverty of the poor. Their's
+was the constant effort at maintaining an appearance among their
+friends, almost all of whom were in a condition of life superior to
+their own. The wearing anxiety of heavy and increasing debts, and the
+dread lest the fact should become known, and prevent the girls from
+settling. She had applied so often and drawn so largely upon Mr. Warde,
+that she could not reasonably expect that he would do much more to
+assist her. She was again in debt, yet she continued to order at every
+house, where she had any credit left, all sorts of finery for herself
+and her daughters, in the hope that it might facilitate their
+establishment. She thought under these circumstances that it would be
+advisable for Blanche to marry Hubert Gage. He was a second son, and a
+Lieutenant in the Navy. These were not agreeable facts, but she took it
+for granted he would be made a Commander in a year or two, and then he
+might afford to marry if his father chose to "behave handsomely;" a
+comprehensive term, which seems to mean, a behaviour as opposed as
+possible to what you have any right to expect.
+
+But although Mrs. Somerton sketched out a plan of action with great ease
+and rapidity, it was necessary that she should engage her daughter to
+carry it out, or her trouble would be in vain. These cabinet councils
+were seldom of a very placid character. It was, perhaps, natural that
+poverty should have embittered Mrs. Somerton's temper--it was never very
+even--and at this period it might be aptly described by the word
+fractious. One of Blanche's greatest faults was, that she would never
+submit in silence to her mother's peevish remonstrances, although they
+seldom made her angry; she either laughed, or turned them into ridicule.
+
+Mrs. Somerton now stated the case to her daughter as strongly as she
+could, reproached her with being still single, reminded her that sailors
+were very easily attracted, and urged her to lose no time in supplanting
+Margaret, who she said must be a shockingly forward little creature to
+have made herself already the talk of the place with Hubert Gage.
+Blanche was lying on the sofa reading a novel, and the only notice she
+took of her mother's eloquence was to nod her head, and turn over a
+page.
+
+Mrs. Somerton naturally grew irritable and impetuous, and it was not
+until she was fairly angry that her daughter threw aside the book, and
+joined in the conversation.
+
+"Yes--yes. Dear me! don't disturb yourself," said the amiable Blanche.
+"I mean to detach Hubert from that pretty little doll; but I shall not
+throw myself away upon a beggar, and a second son, I assure you."
+
+"Hubert Gage is not a beggar," interposed Mrs. Somerton, "he has five
+hundred a year of his own."
+
+"The mighty sum!" exclaimed Blanche, "but I intend to have somebody
+else."
+
+"Well, let me hear who it is?"
+
+"Do you suppose I mean to tell you?" asked Blanche, "pray let me read in
+peace."
+
+"Is it the eldest Gage? Because I can tell you he is not to be caught."
+
+"Yes," retorted Blanche, "it is likely I should go on a pilgrimage to
+Cork for the purpose of making George Gage an offer. That is so like
+you!"
+
+Mrs. Somerton was highly exasperated at this reply, and upbraided
+Blanche with obstinacy and ingratitude, and want of feeling, and want of
+prudence, until her exordium was interrupted by the entrance of Mr.
+Warde. It was a contrast which would have struck painfully upon some
+people, to see the kind old gentleman come in, quite unconscious of the
+occupation of his sister and niece, engrossed with the cares of his
+parish, full of some touching history of want and sorrow, which he would
+sit down, and relate at full length, not believing that any one could
+hear it without interest. Years ago, when Blanche was a child, she
+would have cried heartily at such a recital, and have done her best to
+send some relief to the sufferers; but time and bad training had done
+their work. She cared less about the matter than if an accident had
+happened to her spaniel, and was turning over in her mind, the trimming
+she would have to her next bonnet, while she went through the proper
+exclamations during her uncle's narrative.
+
+About this time some races were held, at which all the neighbourhood
+were to attend. There was a ball in the evening, and Captain Gage
+desired to fill his house with company, that they might go in a party to
+the race and ball. Miss Gage asked Margaret to stay with her during
+these festivities, and her father sent an invitation to Mrs. Somerton
+and her daughter, which was gladly accepted. Hubert Gage was on his road
+home, and was bringing his brother George with him. He had obtained
+leave suddenly, for he recollected the spring races, and had some
+curiosity to see Margaret. It had been difficult to make Hubert talk of
+any body else, and he thought if she was really very beautiful, and had
+slender ancles, and a good prospect of inheriting Mr. Grey's property,
+besides her own ten thousand pounds, she _might_ do for him. She was
+worth looking after at any rate; and as these things can seldom be
+transacted by proxy, he was forced to take the trouble of coming over to
+decide upon her merits.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+
+   Ma pur mostrava anchor grand' arroganza,
+   Tanto superbo havea l'aspetto fiero,
+   E qualunche il mirasse in su Bajardo,
+   Direbbe, quest'è 'l fior d'ogni gagliardo.
+
+   BOIARDO.
+
+
+A few minutes before Margaret was setting out for Chirke Weston, Mr.
+Grey called her into the library, where he was standing at one of the
+windows, with a letter in his hand.
+
+Margaret threaded her way through the heavy carved oak furniture, and
+joined her uncle. A groom was leading a beautiful bay horse slowly to
+and fro before the windows.
+
+"Oh, uncle! is it really--I can hardly believe that beautiful creature
+is actually for me."
+
+"Yes, my child, if he suits, which I feel no doubt of--for Claude is
+very careful, and he writes me word that the horse was the property of a
+lady. You will meet him at the Gages, and he comes on here after the
+ball. You may tell him, I take it very kind that he bore in mind that I
+was looking out for a horse, and that I feel sure I shall buy him."
+
+Margaret much as she felt obliged to Mr. Haveloc for having found her a
+horse, had no intention of giving him Mr. Grey's message. It was an
+exertion to which she could not feel equal, unless he should introduce
+the subject.
+
+She arrived at Chirke Weston about an hour before dinner, and having
+made her toilet, came down to the drawing-room with some trepidation;
+for Miss Gage had told her that there was a large party expected.
+
+Sir Evan and Lady Conway were already in the room with their two
+daughters. The girls were tall, bright-eyed, dark, dashing, and
+well-dressed: they were practising the Mazourka, which was then just
+beginning to turn people's heads, and looked so formidable to poor
+Margaret, that she involuntarily shrank closer to the side of her friend
+Elizabeth. They left off their dancing to be introduced to Margaret, and
+stood clustered round the fire, talking with more ease and friendliness
+than she would have imagined from their appearance. She rose a step in
+Miss Conway's opinion, when she said she knew the Mazourka, and another
+step or two when she avowed that she liked it very much.
+
+Harriet, the younger sister, fixed her immense dark eyes upon her, and
+then said, laughing, "You are too young to be stared at--but it is a
+great temptation."
+
+Margaret felt glad that she had come to that determination, but she
+liked the appearance of Miss Harriet more than that of her sister.
+
+She appeared to be in very ill-health; her hair had been cut off in an
+illness, and was now beginning to grow in tendrils all round her small
+head. She was very thin and pale, and her dress was made high, and
+finished with costly lace. And whenever a person ventures upon such a
+toilet, it gives an air of 'retenue' to the figure, which might almost
+point out to other women, that there is a little want of refinement in
+the wanton exposure with which they too often favour the public.
+Nothing, on that score, however, could be urged against Elizabeth and
+Margaret, who though they conformed to fashion, were careful to mark a
+distinction in their dress between a gentlewoman and an opera-dancer.
+
+Mrs. Somerton and her daughter now made their appearance; then some
+people who were entire strangers to Margaret; then Mr. Conway with his
+glass in his eye; and after him Hubert Gage and Mr. Haveloc.
+
+These last both made their way to Margaret at the same time. Mr.
+Haveloc merely made the usual enquiries about herself and her uncle, and
+then leaned against the mantle-piece in perfect silence. Hubert Gage had
+more to say. He had to describe his passage and his visit to Ireland,
+and all the things which happened on his return. He had to invent a
+storm, which made Margaret turn pale; and a variety of dialogues between
+the passengers upon their supposed danger, which set her laughing
+merrily.
+
+Blanche Somerton, who was sitting near, did not quite like this
+prolonged conversation. She turned round and summoned him to her side.
+
+"I am so sorry to trouble you, Mr. Hubert," she said, "but do look at my
+bouquet. I came away in such a hurry--see, it will not fit my
+bouquetière; the stalks are too long."
+
+"That is a difficulty very easy to remedy," said Hubert, taking the
+bouquet from her. "Now I wish young ladies were always as modest in
+their demands; they do ask one such impossible things sometimes."
+
+"No, but what sort of things?" asked Blanche. "Do tell me, I so long to
+know. I really believe that you are very severe upon women."
+
+"By no means. I am too sincere an admirer of the fair sex to be
+exacting. Stay, this is not quite right yet--let me shorten these stalks
+again."
+
+"You will spoil that nice penknife, I am afraid."
+
+"That is not of the slightest consequence," said he laughing,
+"particularly as it is not my property."
+
+"Then you mean to say that if it was yours--"
+
+"I should feel double pleasure in sacrificing it of course. Dinner
+already! Now you must take my arm, you see. I have not quite finished
+the arrangement of your flowers. It is certainly a beautiful bouquet. I
+hardly know which to admire most, the flowers or the bouquetière. Quite
+new this sort of thing--is it not?"
+
+Every body was rising and pairing off--Hubert Gage, with Blanche on his
+arm, sauntered past Margaret, arranging the bouquet as he walked along.
+
+Margaret looked after him with some surprise; his attendance had been a
+thing that she was so certain of late to meet with, that she could
+scarcely comprehend his transferring it to somebody else. There was a
+little mortification in her mind for a minute, for no one likes to be
+robbed of an admirer, however willing she may be to give him up. But she
+understood it in a moment. Love hangs on such a slender thread with
+every one, that she could never, and did never regard Hubert Gage with a
+warmer interest than what might belong to a pleasant acquaintance. She
+was too romantic, too exacting in her ideas of love to suppose, for a
+moment, that a man who once entertained a serious thought of her could
+be engrossed in her presence by another woman.
+
+Mr. Haveloc was at her side almost as soon as Hubert passed, and she
+felt grateful for the attention. It prevented the awkwardness of seeming
+to wait till some one was desired to take her in to dinner.
+
+Just as all the company were arranging themselves round the table,
+George Gage clattered into the room exactly as he came off his journey,
+not appearing to have thought it worth while to undergo the trouble of
+dressing for dinner. He noticed two or three people at table, found a
+vacant chair just opposite to Margaret, and seeing a new and beautiful
+face, glared at her over his soup-plate without remorse.
+
+Certainly there was a great contrast between the two brothers. Whereas
+Hubert endeavoured, for no earthly motive, to efface all traces of his
+profession from his dress and language, George Gage, with as little show
+of reason, seemed never for a moment to forget his calling.
+
+He stalked about as if the world was made for his sole benefit and
+pleasure, and contrived to make such a great jingling when he walked,
+that Margaret seriously thought, the first time she heard him cross the
+marble hall, that a dray-horse had broken loose and was making his way
+to the drawing-room. This was the more strange as he did not dress in
+chain armour, but in a costume, something between a farmer and a baker's
+apprentice. He flourished his walking-stick as if he were leading a
+charge of cavalry; or held it in the pocket of his coat, which seemed an
+equally odd way of disposing of it. He was very arrogant in his manner
+to every body, except the few ladies who were deemed by him of
+sufficient birth and beauty to be honoured by his notice, and to them
+his manner assumed a softness and an assiduity which rather puzzled
+Margaret, who was edified by his laconic replies to the country
+gentlemen, and his haughty mode of speaking to the servants. But, as she
+was one of the chosen few to whom he condescended, she at least had no
+reason to complain.
+
+He was attached to his father; though, (and this was a heavy
+objection,) he did not like the fashion of his cravats, and respected
+him too, without being quite satisfied with his choice of a boot-maker.
+This was an instance of filial virtue which would hardly have been
+believed by his companions, but which was true notwithstanding.
+
+These several traits, however, did not flash upon Margaret all at once,
+but became evident in the course of her acquaintance with him. At
+present she was merely aware that his great blue eyes were perusing her
+with an expression to which she was not accustomed, and to which no
+modest woman can ever become accustomed--the critical and scrutinising
+expression of a Turk in a Slave Market.
+
+It was a relief to her to turn to Mr. Haveloc, who was rendering her the
+common courtesies of the table, with an earnestness which formed a
+sufficient contrast to the laughing manner of Hubert Gage. It seemed
+almost as if meeting at a strange house put them more at ease with each
+other.
+
+"You remain here some days, do you not?" asked Mr. Haveloc.
+
+"Yes, until after the races and the ball, and the early flower show at
+S----."
+
+"You mean to see a great deal of the world then before you come back to
+Ashdale."
+
+"Yes," said Margaret, "I shall have so much to tell my uncle about."
+
+Mr. Haveloc gave her one of those softened smiles, which changed so
+entirely the expression of his features.
+
+"You look forward with pleasure," he said, "to giving Mr. Grey an
+account of your adventures."
+
+"I do indeed," said Margaret.
+
+"And so do I."
+
+"You, Mr. Haveloc!"
+
+"Yes, I shall come in for the narrative. Perhaps you do not know that I
+shall return to Ashdale before you do."
+
+"Yes, my uncle told me so," said Margaret, with something like a sigh.
+
+Now, nothing in general so much offends a man as not appearing
+extremely delighted with his society; but Mr. Haveloc, perhaps from the
+novelty of the thing, seemed rather pleased than otherwise.
+
+"You don't look so glad as you ought," he said, with a smile, "which is
+rather ungrateful on your part; for to me Ashdale would lose very much
+of its attraction if you were absent."
+
+It was enough to make her blush, such a marked compliment, and from such
+a person; and, to heighten her confusion, there was George Gage still
+staring at her on the other side of the table, as only a military man
+can stare.
+
+"I suppose," said Mr. Haveloc, "the truth is, that you think you cannot
+tell Mr. Grey your little secrets when I am present; that is why you
+wish me away."
+
+Margaret had not said she wished him away, but she did not contradict
+him.
+
+"Of course I should not tell my uncle many things before you," she said,
+"because little circumstances, which are new to me and strange to him,
+now that he never goes out, would seem very trifling to a third person."
+
+"Don't you know," said Mr. Haveloc, "that first impressions are always
+interesting? You must not therefore prevent my hearing yours."
+
+Miss Gage was rising at this moment, and Margaret availed herself of the
+move to avoid giving a reply.
+
+When the ladies returned to the drawing-room, they gathered round the
+fire, and began to discuss the amusements of the next day. Margaret, who
+was standing by Elizabeth Gage, looked earnestly in her face to see
+whether she could really enter into conversation of so trifling a nature
+as that which was going on among the ladies.
+
+Yes,--Elizabeth patiently heard Miss Lawson Smith's complaints of her
+crape ball dress, which had not been trimmed with roses of the proper
+tint, and gave as much comfort as she could under the circumstances;
+and she endeavoured to decide upon a bonnet for Miss Conway, when that
+young lady professed to be unable to bring the matter to a conclusion
+for herself.
+
+"Recollect, my dear Lucy," said she, "that if the Fates grant us a fine
+day to-morrow, it will be made up of a bright sun and a keen north wind;
+the only advantage of an airy toilet, is to make you look blue upon the
+course, and send you home with a severe cold."
+
+The prospect of a cold did not seem to frighten Lucy, but she was keenly
+alive to the disadvantages of looking blue.
+
+Harriet Conway looking up from the footstool upon which she was seated
+close to the fire, remarked that, "her costume gave her no sort of
+trouble, as she was to ride on horseback to the races."
+
+Margaret looked at her with some surprise and no little envy, thinking
+what a bold, accomplished horsewoman she must be.
+
+"How do you feel to-night, darling?" asked her mother.
+
+"Oh! very comfortable," said Harriet, leaning her head on her mother's
+lap, as Lady Conway took the arm-chair beside her; "quite well as long
+as I have nothing to do that I don't like."
+
+"How I wish that you could go to the ball to-morrow, dearest," said her
+mother.
+
+"Thank you," said Harriet, "but that is one of the things I don't like;
+besides, after being on horseback all the morning, I shall be glad to go
+to bed as soon as I have seen you all off in your finery."
+
+"Such a pity, so well as you dance the Mazourka," said Lucy Conway, "for
+one meets such nice people at this ball. I really think if you took
+proper care--"
+
+"Oh! we will run no risks," said Lady Conway, anxiously, "you coughed at
+dinner, I observed."
+
+"It was the pepper, _mamma mia_," said Harriet; "but I have no intention
+of going to the ball. Bessy! send me over that pretty little thing by
+your side. I have a mind to talk to her."
+
+"What say you," asked Elizabeth smiling, "will you venture?"
+
+Margaret complied with a little timidity in her manner.
+
+"Why, you don't mean to say you are afraid of me," said Harriet taking
+Margaret's hand in her long, slender fingers, "I would excuse you, if I
+were a man. Well now, are you fond of riding?"
+
+"I am just going to learn," said Margaret "it is the thing of all others
+I wish for."
+
+"You ought to have begun younger," said Harriet, "but we will see what
+we can make of you. What is the colour of your riding-habit?"
+
+"Blue," replied Margaret.
+
+"True blue," said Harriet looking intently into the fire; "how do you
+like Hubert Gage?"
+
+"I don't see how that follows," said Margaret smiling; "but I like him
+very well."
+
+"Good," said Harriet; "I see it is not a tender subject. You know the
+Gages are relations of ours. Are you not, Bessy?"
+
+"Connexions, my dear Harriet; but I am quite ready to acknowledge the
+relationship."
+
+"And is this your first ball?" said Harriet, turning again to Margaret.
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Don't you feel very nervous, and pleased, and frightened, and
+impatient?"
+
+"Not very," said Margaret. "I wish very much to go, and I know Bessy
+and--and--two or three people."
+
+"Are you engaged yet?"
+
+"No. But if I do not dance, I shall be so amused with looking on, that
+it will be no disappointment to me."
+
+"Very modest on your part; but I hear the gentlemen coming, so I must
+leave this charming footstool, or I shall be accused of fifty things.
+Here in this corner is room for two, so let us continue our
+conversation."
+
+"Everything is so new to me," said Margaret, as she surveyed the room
+lit up with clusters of lamps, the heavy crimson curtains, the splendid
+gilt furniture, and the groups of gentlemen standing about the lady's
+chairs, drinking coffee, "this seems to me a very grand party; but
+perhaps it appears to you nothing."
+
+"An ordinary dinner party," said Harriet; "perhaps they run rather large
+at this house. Uncle Gage, have you quite made up your book? Because I
+shall be happy to offer you odds upon Rory O'More."
+
+Captain Gage who was passing with Sir Evan Conway, stopped short before
+the two girls.
+
+"I will have nothing to do with you," he said to Harriet, "you are far
+too deep for me. I believe you are hand in glove with Lord Raymond's
+groom."
+
+Sir Evan and Captain Gage both laughed very much at this charge.
+
+Harriet with a deepened colour protested against having ever seen the
+groom, or the horse.
+
+Captain Gage turned to Margaret, and asked if she had been taking
+lessons in the science of book-making; adding, "that as she must be a
+novice as yet, he was willing to risk a pair of gloves with her."
+
+Margaret said "she was not going to bet at all; that Bessy had advised
+her not."
+
+"Bessy is a prude," said Captain Gage, looking much pleased, "you should
+never mind anything she says to you."
+
+Margaret laughed, and shook her head, and the gentlemen passed on.
+
+Then Hubert Gage made his way to the sofa, and began to rally Harriet
+and Margaret upon the retired spot they had chosen, admired Margaret's
+fan, and Harriet's gloves, and in fact went on as young men generally do
+when they wish to render themselves agreeable; in the midst of which
+discourse, Mr. Haveloc walked straight up to Margaret, and without any
+prologue, begged to have the honour of dancing the first quadrille with
+her the next evening.
+
+Margaret blushed and consented, and Mr. Haveloc bowed and walked away,
+while Hubert Gage drawing a chair close to the sofa, dropped into it and
+laughed immoderately.
+
+"I never knew such a fellow," he exclaimed, "just at the moment that I
+was gaining courage to make such a request, he must needs step forwards
+and cut me out. It is too bad--don't you pity me? The second quadrille
+then, if you have any compassion."
+
+"Mr. Hubert," said Blanche Somerton coming up, "we want your help so
+very much in this glee of Gödbe's. Will you take the tenor part?"
+
+"Oh! if I am wanted," said Hubert, rising. "Miss Capel, I do not mean to
+stir without your answer."
+
+"The second quadrille?" said Margaret.
+
+"Exactly; unless you prefer the first Mazourka."
+
+"Oh! but you do not know the Mazourka."
+
+"No; but you can teach me so nicely in the morning."
+
+"I will not undertake you," said Margaret laughing.
+
+"Then I fall back upon the quadrille. Miss Somerton I am at your
+service."
+
+Mr. George Gage now loitered up the room very slowly, and planted
+himself against the wall, close to Margaret. He first took her cup out
+of her hand and set it down, and then after a very careful survey of her
+from head to foot, he "hoped he should be so fortunate as to secure her
+hand for the first waltz. He confessed that he never danced
+quadrilles."
+
+Margaret hesitated; she did not at all like the prospect of such a
+partner, but as she had no wish to sit still thenceforward, she
+accepted.
+
+Mr. Gage set down her embarrassment to his own infinite attractions, and
+was satisfied. He then made a few ordinary remarks to her about the
+neighbourhood; but although he did not address a word to Harriet Conway,
+Margaret who was very quick-sighted, observed that they bestowed upon
+each other, from time to time, glances which seemed to express dislike,
+almost defiance. At length, after one of these singular looks, Harriet
+said, with her peculiarly clear intonation, "I do not offer you a seat,
+Mr. Gage."
+
+"I should be sorry to disturb you," he replied coldly; and removed to a
+little distance as he spoke.
+
+Margaret made up a little romance in her mind directly; in which Harriet
+figured as an obdurate lady, and Mr. Gage as a desponding lover. She had
+leisure for these fancies, for Harriet became silent, and George Gage,
+though standing near, did not renew his conversation. Some of the older
+people were playing at cards; Lucy Conway was at the harp, Hubert almost
+held prisoner by Blanche Somerton, and Elizabeth was moving about among
+the guests with all the dignity and grace of a young Queen.
+
+"My dear Harriet," said Lady Conway coming up to her, "it is very late,
+and you are looking fagged. Do recollect what is before you to-morrow;
+and slip out of the room without the ceremony of a good night."
+
+"I cannot very well," replied Harriet, "for I must ring for a shawl. I
+dare not leave this hot room without one."
+
+Margaret offered to fetch Miss Conway a shawl of her own.
+
+"No, not for worlds you kind little creature," said Harriet laying her
+hand on Margaret's arm, "it will do me no harm in the world to sit
+quietly here until the good people choose to separate."
+
+While this was going on, Mr. Gage went up to Elizabeth, and said
+something to her; she fetched a shawl from one of the sofas, and he
+crossed over to Miss Harriet, and begged to have the honour of putting
+it on.
+
+Harriet opened wide her large transparent eyes, with the crimson spot
+deepening on her cheek; thanked him, regretted to have given him the
+trouble; and then wrapping the large Cachemere completely round her,
+walked out of the room. George Gage stood with folded arms looking after
+her for some moments, and then threw himself on the sofa by the side of
+Margaret. She was not disposed to be pleased with him; but she could not
+deny that his manner possessed a certain charm, when he chose to exert
+it. It was true that he said nothing either witty or profound, but his
+language was easy and well chosen; and the softness of his tone,
+together with the exceeding interest he pretended to feel for the
+replies of his companion, could scarcely fail of making a favourable
+impression. The great drawback to his demeanour, was his remorseless and
+unceasing stare. Sometimes Margaret thought that something must be the
+matter with her sleeve, sometimes that her hair was coming unfastened
+at the back, sometimes she wondered what there was peculiar in her shoe,
+and again she supposed that the fashion of her bracelet was unusual.
+With this exception, he rendered himself an amusing companion, and if
+Margaret had been more conversant with military men, she would have been
+willing to allow that in tact and information, he was very superior to
+the average of those gentlemen, who to serve Her Majesty, and their own
+convenience, are content to wear a certain disguise for a given period
+of time.
+
+The evening passed quickly enough. Some young ladies sang, some played.
+George Gage remained lounging on the sofa by her side. Hubert was in
+great request at the piano, for he sang very well, and read music easily
+at sight. Mr. Gage asked Margaret if she exhibited, as he called
+it--thanked Heaven, with praiseworthy fervour, that he was not guilty of
+such a failing himself, and advised her to let him drive her to the
+course in his phaeton the next day. Margaret gave no definite answer to
+this proposal. The party was dispersing, and when she reached her room,
+she was so heartily tired, that she could do no more than return
+Elizabeth's embrace, and consign herself to the care of Miss Mason, who
+with all her dispatch, could hardly get her to bed before she was
+asleep.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+
+    Faste to those looks are all my fancies tied, Pleas'de with thy
+    sweetness, angry with thy pride.
+
+    PEELE.
+
+   _Ray_.--Ay, 'tis an old saide saying, I have redde
+               In certaine bokes that love is like to smoke;
+               But I say rather it is liker fire,
+               Which kindleth after men have put it out;
+               Often upon a little breath of ayre.
+
+    ANON.
+
+
+The morning was, as Elizabeth had predicted, bright as a poet's dream,
+or a poet's waking; but a north wind swept the half-clothed boughs of
+the trees, and warned all discreet persons to protect themselves from
+the cold air. Horses and carriages were assembling in front of the
+house, and the guests were collecting by slow degrees in the
+drawing-room previous to starting.
+
+Harriet Conway appeared in her habit, which very much became her slender
+figure. She threw her riding whip and gauntlets into her hat which stood
+in the window seat, looked round for Margaret, who had become quite a
+little pet of hers; drew her into the window, examined her dress and
+praised it; told her how she ought to wear her hair under a hat; looked
+at her rings and admired her hands, and asked her how it was arranged
+that she should go to the course. George Gage, who was standing near
+talking to Mr. Conway, turned round on hearing the question, and said
+that he hoped Miss Capel would not retract the permission she had almost
+given him to drive her thither; upon which Hubert announced his
+intention of calling out his brother, which made everybody laugh except
+Margaret who was sadly confused. She said in a low voice to Harriet that
+she heartily wished Bessy would take her, for of all things, she dreaded
+being driven by Mr. Gage.
+
+"How's that?" asked Harriet suddenly, "are you afraid?"
+
+"No," returned Margaret, "but I--he is quite a stranger to me."
+
+"Do you mind me, then?" asked Harriet.
+
+"No," said Margaret laughing.
+
+"Good," said Harriet, putting on her hat and gloves, "come, we are all
+ready, and I know Uncle Gage is impatient to be off. I'll manage it."
+
+They stood on the steps while some of the elder persons of the party
+went off; and when George Gage's carriage drew up, Harriet came forward.
+
+"I will drive Miss Capel, Mr. Gage;" she said, "for she has not a great
+deal of courage, and I shall be less likely than you to put it to the
+test."
+
+"Surely not--surely you are not afraid of my driving;" said Mr. Gage,
+bending down to the level of Margaret's bonnet. "I had promised myself
+so great a pleasure, and you cannot doubt my caution on such an
+occasion."
+
+"You are very good," said Margaret, "but really--those horses--"
+
+"Come, come!" said Harriet, "give me the reins, I shall not be trying to
+show off as you would. Do be good-natured George, and let me drive; you
+can easily find a horse."
+
+While she spoke, Margaret was struck with the alteration in Mr. Gage's
+countenance. Her chance was quite over with him, poor little girl;
+though she was entirely ignorant of ever having had any. He looked
+delighted, handed in Harriet and Margaret with the greatest care, and
+stood on the step arranging everything for Harriet's convenience.
+
+"Why, I thought," he said, "you had given up all these bad habits. Will
+you like another pair of horses? You had better drive a four-in-hand,
+now you are about it."
+
+"No," said Harriet, "I wish to go quietly for the sake of my little
+friend here; so let every one get out of my way, and will you tell
+Charles to send my groom on with my horse?"
+
+As she spoke, she touched the horses, and swept out of the gates. She
+was silent for a short time, and then said as with a sigh, as if to
+herself, "Bless me, I called him George."
+
+"I am so much obliged to you," said Margaret after a pause, "now I shall
+quite enjoy this day's pleasure."
+
+Harriet laughed, and drove on as fast as she could.
+
+"So shall I," she said; "my horse will be as fresh as a lark when we get
+to the course; and these horses are worth driving. George--Mr. Gage, I
+mean, knows how to buy a horse."
+
+"Suppose," said Margaret, "they were to run away."
+
+"Then we should get to S---- all the faster," said Harriet.
+
+"But you have not strength to stop them," said Margaret.
+
+"Granted," said Harriet. "Here, will you take the reins for a moment?"
+
+"Good gracious!" exclaimed Margaret looking up into her companion's
+face.
+
+"I know where George keeps his cigars. I am going to take one, that's
+all."
+
+Margaret looked aghast.
+
+"They are perfectly quiet, on my word," said Harriet. "Oh! about the
+smoking. Do you mind it then?"
+
+"No," returned Margaret, who had never been in company with any one
+while smoking. "I'll take the reins; but pray be quick."
+
+Harriet was quick; before Margaret had time to be frightened, she had
+lit a cigar, and resumed the reins with all the unconcern in the world.
+
+"I learned this at Madrid," she said from between her teeth. "Some day,
+if you please me, I'll tell you my history."
+
+"All of it?" asked Margaret, looking up into her companion's face.
+
+"Oh, yes! no half measures," returned Harriet.
+
+They went to S---- by a cross-country road, and therefore fell in with
+very few of those who were likewise bound for the course. And by those
+few, Harriet, with her hat and habit, her short hair and cigar, was
+supposed as she whirled past them, to be a handsome boy.
+
+Mr. Gage was already on the course with his party; he rode up with his
+brother and Mr. Haveloc to escort the ladies to the stand. Harriet had
+her horse brought up to the steps of the carriage, mounted at once, and
+rode off with Mr. Conway; and Hubert insisted on conducting Margaret to
+Elizabeth pleading his sister's commands to that effect.
+
+And now they were seated in the very front of the stand, Elizabeth and
+Margaret together; the gentlemen of their party were dispersed about the
+course, and Margaret could distinguish in the distance the slight figure
+of Harriet Conway, guiding her spirited horse among the company,
+followed by her father and brother. She soon, however, lost sight of her
+in the crowd, and began to feel impatient for the first race to begin.
+
+Now, their places being very good, attracted the envy of a couple of
+insolent dragoon officers, who had just arrived, and who tried by
+pushing in a most unjustifiable manner, to edge themselves in. Elizabeth
+turned round in haughty surprise, Margaret in childish wonder, and
+presented to the eyes of the eager officers, two of the loveliest faces
+on the race course.
+
+"Oh!" said one of these cavaliers to the other, drawing back with a very
+blank and crest-fallen face, "Oh! I didn't know they were young uns!"
+
+Margaret could hardly restrain her laughter at this audible ejaculation.
+Miss Gage contented herself by thanking Heaven with a curved lip, that
+they were soldiers.
+
+"No sailor," she said to Margaret, "would ever annoy a woman, young or
+old. I am glad they were rude, these dragoons!"
+
+The contempt with which this last word was pronounced, all the keener
+for its calmness, can scarcely be imagined.
+
+"But I ought to apologise to you, dear," she continued; "though to
+suppose that your brave father had the most distant affinity to these
+popinjays, would be indeed too insulting."
+
+Presently the race began, and Margaret forgot all about the rudeness of
+the officers in the interest of the scene.
+
+After the race, they were joined by some of the gentlemen of their
+party. George Gage came up to his sister and leaned against the railing
+by her side, in that frame of mind so common to English people, which is
+called an ill-humour.
+
+"Have you lost, George?" asked Elizabeth.
+
+"No. I have no inducement to bet here," said Mr. Gage; "a miserable
+counterfeit of a race like this. I keep my losses for Epsom."
+
+"And whereabouts is Harriet?"
+
+"On the other side of the course with Charles Conway, and Lord Raymond.
+I congratulate her very much upon her choice. The fellow seems to have
+been born and bred in a stable."
+
+"I hardly know him," said Elizabeth; "but I am afraid Harriet will be
+very tired, riding about so long, I wish she could be persuaded to sit
+quietly here until we go home."
+
+"I will try if you wish it," said Mr. Gage, "but it can hardly be
+expected that she should leave so great an attraction as Lord Raymond."
+
+"Go," said Elizabeth laughing, "I don't imagine his Lordship to be so
+irresistible."
+
+As Mr. Gage was leaving the stand, he encountered the two officers
+before mentioned, who had crept to some distance from the ladies. One of
+these worthies had only lately exchanged from Mr. Gage's regiment into
+the one he now adorned, and he presented his companion to George.
+
+There was some bowing, and lifting of hats and shaking of hands, and
+then George invited them to dine at his father's before the ball, and
+join their party thither, to which they readily agreed.
+
+His mission proved successful. In a few minutes Harriet came in followed
+by her brother and Lord Raymond.
+
+Margaret was very curious to see this nobleman; and although she had
+thought Mr. Gage's remark very harsh, she was not much surprised at it
+when he made his appearance. He was ill-dressed, not very young, clumsy
+in his person, and heavy in the expression of his features. He stammered
+a good deal, and was not happy in his conversational powers. His ideas
+were rather slow of circulation. He had got it into his head that it was
+the duty of an Englishman to cultivate racing; and it would have taken
+more years than he was likely to live, to convince him that it was a
+pernicious and disgraceful occupation. He was very much on the turf, but
+he was just skilful and cautious enough neither to gain or lose much in
+a year by the vice. At the present moment, Harriet was the object of
+his attention, and he therefore talked of nothing else.
+
+One of the party congratulated him upon his horse, which had just won
+the race.
+
+"Yes," he said, "he was glad of it; for Miss Conway had betted upon Rory
+O'More."
+
+Miss Gage asked him "if he had any other horse running that day?"
+
+"No," he replied, "as he should leave the course presently. How was Miss
+Conway going home?"
+
+Lady Conway remarked to him, "that it was a cold day."
+
+"It was, indeed," he said, "he did not think Miss Conway seemed to be
+sufficiently wrapped up."
+
+Harriet replied to both his remarks at once. "She said, that she meant
+to drive herself home, and that she was quite warm enough."
+
+And by this time, the races being over for the day, and the company
+beginning to disperse, Harriet called to Margaret, and sent her brother
+to look for the carriage. Margaret was not sorry to be gone; she had a
+head-ache, which had been gradually growing worse, and she hoped that
+the fresh air would blow it away. Harriet lit another cigar as they went
+off the course; she asked Margaret again "if she objected to it?" and
+again Margaret said "No;" for though she thought it a very odd fancy in
+her companion, she did not find the smell disagreeable enough to oppose
+it. But her head became worse, and when she reached home, she was
+scarcely able to dress for dinner. She made an effort, however, and went
+down stairs. There were no candles in the drawing-room, which was dimly
+lighted by a very moderate fire.
+
+Margaret felt chilly, and took a chair as close as she could to the
+fire-place, next to a person who seemed to be in a uniform, as far as
+she could tell by the glimmering light. He entered into general
+conversation with her, and among other desultory remarks, asked her "if
+she meant to accompany her daughter to the ball that evening?"
+
+Margaret ascribed the mistake to the darkness, and contented herself
+with replying in the negative.
+
+The stranger was directed to take her into the dining-room, and as they
+came into a blaze of light on crossing the hall, he discovered that the
+lady he had the honour of escorting was young and beautiful; for he had
+mistaken her for Mrs. Somerton, who was about Margaret's height.
+
+As soon as his ideas became enlightened on this subject, he began to
+stammer out a few of those incoherent sentences with which young men of
+no education are apt to try to express their meaning.
+
+"Upon my word--I--it is very strange now--I have a thousand apologies
+to--the most singular--I actually thought you--"
+
+"Yes," said Margaret quietly, in one moment recognizing her friend of
+the race course, "it is not the first time to-day you have thought I was
+not a 'young un.'"
+
+It would have done any artist good to have seen the officer's face. His
+line was a bad one, but he was not first rate in his line--not a
+Lovelace, or a Pelham. He had not learned to be found out with a good
+grace. Like Fag, it hurt his conscience. He changed colour, and looked a
+good deal smaller than usual. Of course the first thing he did was to
+tell a lie. He hoped he had not pushed against her in the stand--some
+people behind, had been pressing upon him so scandalously, that he
+almost feared he had inconvenienced some ladies in the front of the
+stand; he hoped it had not been the case.
+
+Margaret, rather amused at the way in which he got through the
+difficulty, made some slight reply, and took her place at the table. By
+some accident she was separated from the hero of the race course, and
+found herself between Mr. Haveloc, and Hubert Gage. Harriet Conway,
+still in her riding habit, sat on the other side of the said hero.
+
+"Hubert, cannot you save Margaret the trouble of carving that dish,
+whatever it is?" said Harriet, seeing that Margaret looked embarrassed
+at the task.
+
+"I could, but I do not wish it," said Hubert. "It is so very becoming,"
+he added in a low voice to Margaret, "ladies with such beautiful arms
+should always carve."
+
+"I wish you would help me, instead of talking nonsense," said Margaret,
+who was colouring very much under the impression that two or three
+persons had their eyes fixed on her, "you see how disagreeable it is to
+me."
+
+Before she had done speaking, Mr. Haveloc had taken the knife and fork
+from her hands.
+
+"That's right," said Harriet, speaking across to Mr. Haveloc.
+
+"I do wish you would go to the ball, Harriet," said Hubert.
+
+"Don't you really go the ball?" echoed Mr. Elliot, the hero before
+mentioned, "how can you be so cruel as to remain at home?"
+
+"Yes--you wish to dance with me, don't you?" said Harriet, turning
+suddenly round upon him. "I'll tell you why I don't go. I detest
+dancing; unless one could hire a partner as they do in Flanders, and the
+man felt his value to be one kreutzer, and no more." A good many men can
+get on very well with people who are exactly like every body they are in
+the habit of meeting, but any thing like a character puts them quite
+out. So Mr. Elliot got up a little laugh and was silent. At last, he
+enquired of Harriet what amusement she preferred to dancing.
+
+"Pistol shooting," said Harriet. "There's the man with the champagne.
+Don't you take any?"
+
+"You take no wine?" said Mr. Elliot.
+
+"No--I never do," returned Harriet.
+
+"And what can you hit with the pistol?"
+
+"A wine-glass at sixteen paces."
+
+"How often?"
+
+"Sometimes. What can you hit?"
+
+"A--why--a--"
+
+"A hay-stack, I suppose. Tell somebody to bring me the cream."
+
+"Have you heard Fornasari?" asked Mr. Elliot.
+
+"No. What is he like?"
+
+"Oh, very fine really! You would be delighted!"
+
+"What is fine?" asked Harriet impatiently. "I want to know the sort of
+singer; and you call him fine!"
+
+Mr. Elliot never having heard of a definition, was naturally silent
+under this attack.
+
+"Have you been to town lately?" asked Harriet.
+
+"Yes. I am only just returned."
+
+"Have you seen the new marbles then?"
+
+"The--I beg your pardon."
+
+"The marble from Xanthis in the British Museum?"
+
+"I don't quite--I believe they took me once to the Museum when I was a
+boy in the Christmas holidays, along with the pantomimes."
+
+"Ah! it is not now in the same place with the pantomimes; we have
+changed all that," said Harriet. "I say, Hubert, my Skye terrier caught
+a rat yesterday out walking."
+
+"No, did he? I wish I had been there," said Hubert, "Why did not you let
+me walk with you?"
+
+"It was before you came home. Don't you know you were only just in time
+for dinner."
+
+"So I was. What did you win of me, Miss Capel?"
+
+"Nothing," said Margaret, "I would not bet at all."
+
+"I was so sorry for your determination," said George Gage, across the
+table to Margaret, "it would have been such a pleasure to lose to you."
+
+And upon this gallant speech, he and Harriet exchanged one of their
+singular glances.
+
+"You did not care which horse won, did you?" asked Hubert.
+
+"Yes, I did," said Margaret, "but I knew that one would not win."
+
+"Which was it?"
+
+"Hyacinth. It was such a pretty name."
+
+"And how did you contrive to form so correct an estimate of Hyacinth's
+merits?" asked George Gage.
+
+"Oh! I knew nothing about it," said Margaret. "Harriet told me."
+
+"Miss Conway has the advantage of a friend behind the scenes," said
+George coolly; and then another glance flashed across the table from
+Harriet's splendid eyes.
+
+Mr. Elliot mentioned the name of the person to whom Hyacinth
+belonged--made some remark upon the fore-foot of the animal, and then
+was silent; naturally thinking that he had instructed the company enough
+for one while.
+
+When Margaret returned to the drawing-room, she found her head so very
+much worse, that she was obliged to tell Elizabeth, in confidence, that
+she did not think she would be able to go to the ball.
+
+She said this with her eyes full of tears; partly on account of the
+delicate white crape dress, which was laid out in her room with its
+pretty garniture of lilac primroses.
+
+Elizabeth was all kindness. She would not hear of her giving up the
+ball, but took her into her own sitting-room, and tried every remedy
+that her ingenuity could suggest. At last, while bathing her forehead
+with eau de Cologne, she exclaimed, "My dear child, I hope that foolish
+Harriet has not been persuading you to smoke."
+
+"No, indeed!" said Margaret earnestly, "but it was the horrid scent of
+those cigars. I had no head-ache before."
+
+"How vexatious!" exclaimed Miss Gage. "I must read her a lecture upon
+it. But if you keep very quiet until we set off, my dear Margaret, you
+may be able to go. I cannot endure that you should be disappointed.
+Indeed, two or three people," said she smiling, "will endure it as ill
+as myself."
+
+Margaret blushed, and wondered to herself who Elizabeth could mean; but
+she was suffering too much to make the attempt. She was too giddy to
+stand, too ill to think of undergoing another toilet, or to be able to
+sit up all night afterwards. She made the best of it, however; said the
+pleasure was only postponed; tried not to think of her lilac primroses,
+and laughed at Harriet who was really distressed, when she learned that
+she had caused her little friend's illness.
+
+Hubert Gage was very much discomposed. He was quite certain that
+Margaret had not tried the proper remedies, and that if he could see
+her, he would set every thing to rights in a moment. She ought to have
+brandy--but ladies never knew what was good for them. His complaints
+were disregarded however; so he turned away and asked Blanche Somerton
+to dance with him.
+
+Mr. Haveloc looked annoyed, "regretted exceedingly to hear that Miss
+Capel was suffering," and went to learn the particulars of Miss Gage.
+
+George seemed the most vexed of the party; for he naturally thought it
+was very wrong that every thing should not happen just as he liked, and
+he had wished to waltz with Margaret.
+
+He therefore said, that for his part he did not think he should go to
+the ball that evening. He was not fond of dancing, and he really did
+think somebody ought to be at home, in case of Miss Capel becoming
+worse.
+
+At this considerate announcement, Harriet drew up her handsome mouth as
+if she was going to whistle, and then coming forward, said, "I stay at
+home, Mr. Gage, and I imagine that I shall be very well able to take
+care of Miss Capel. Therefore you had better go and make yourself
+decent, and accompany your friends to the ball."
+
+This remark, which seemed to convey an opinion by no means flattering to
+Mr. Gage's costume, appeared rather to amuse him.
+
+He said, that he did not know Miss Conway was such a judge of dress; and
+asked her if she could recommend him a model.
+
+Captain Gage, hearing his son's declaration that he would stay at home,
+now came up in a great bustle. He had no idea of not taking with him
+both his handsome sons, as well as his daughter. He was very proud of
+his children, and pleased himself in the thought that they would excite
+great attention in the ball-room.
+
+"No, my dear boy, you can't stay at home. Impossible!" he said. "We
+would all stay at home if we could do the poor thing any good. But here
+you would be only in the way. Would he not, Harriet?"
+
+"Decidedly," said Harriet, with one of her flashing looks.
+
+Mr. Gage bit his lip, and turned to leave the room.
+
+"There, go and make yourself decent," said Captain Gage, echoing
+Harriet's words. "Upon my honour, I am very sorry for the poor little
+girl. Her first ball too!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+
+        Aos homens todos
+    Lhes deu um livro so' a natureza,
+    O proprio coração.
+
+    CATÂO.
+
+
+    Nature hath given to all men one same book,
+    'Tis their own heart.
+
+    E se voi stanchi fossi d' ascoltare
+    Si vi potrete riposar in tanto.
+
+    ZINABI.
+
+
+"I don't know when I have been so vexed," said Harriet, who was sitting
+with Margaret, while the ladies went up to dress. "I'm sure you will
+never be friends with me after this contretemps."
+
+"Indeed I shall," said Margaret. "You could not help it, I know; and it
+is no such great misfortune after all."
+
+Harriet drew the fire together, rang for coffee, and pushed over a
+footstool to Margaret.
+
+"We will try to make ourselves comfortable," said she. "I have told the
+women to come in and show you their dresses before they start. Then you
+shall have some strong coffee, and then to bed."
+
+"I wish," said Margaret hesitating, "I wish you would tell me your
+history, as you promised."
+
+"That is very sly," said Harriet laughing, "because I cannot refuse you
+anything under the circumstances. But I will do it, and the more
+readily, as I have not much to tell, so drink your coffee, and listen.
+Once upon a time--"
+
+"Oh, but a real history if you please!" said Margaret.
+
+"This is real," said Harriet, laughing.--"Must I not begin at the
+beginning? Well, if you like it, _tout court_. I am the youngest of the
+family. Mamma doats on me--Papa likes me very well. Charles, the one you
+have seen, is the eldest--he wears his glass in his eye--I do not think
+he has any other peculiarity. Then comes Lucy, she is a good girl, and I
+am very fond of her. I could tell you a secret that would a little
+surprise you; that is, if you have observed any of the bye-play of the
+last day or two."
+
+"Oh, do!" said Margaret. "I really will keep it."
+
+"I believe you!" said Harriet. "It shall come in due course. My second
+brother, Evan, is just called to the bar. He has a good deal of
+character, and is therefore my favourite. I should rather like you to
+see Evan. Alfred, the youngest son, is in the army; and there is the
+outline of a Baronet's family."
+
+"It is very amusing," said Margaret. "I like better to hear real stories
+than to read them."
+
+"For me," said Harriet. "I was very sickly as a child, and I spent most
+of my time with an uncle, who is very fond of me, and who lives in a
+romantic part of the country, and keeps up an old manor-house in the
+old English style. My uncle and aunt Singleton are both characters--but
+I can't stay to describe all my relations."
+
+"Oh do! I like descriptions," said Margaret.
+
+"Well. Aunt Singleton is the quietest little dormouse that ever was
+seen. She creeps about the house in her black silk gown, is as deaf as a
+post, and speaks in a whisper. My uncle is a keen sportsman; he taught
+me to ride, and drive, and angle; and established my health, without
+improving my manners. He is very proud of me, because he has made me
+what I am. People think I am trying to imitate Die Vernon, when I am
+merely following the pursuits natural to such a course of education."
+
+"And how did you learn your lessons all the while?" asked Margaret.
+
+"Never learned any;" replied Harriet. "I picked up French from a
+lady's-maid; Italian, from a music master, who could not speak English;
+and Spanish, when my father was Envoy at Madrid. I can speak and write
+these languages almost as well as my own; and this with a good deal of
+desultory reading, is the sum total of my education. I don't even know
+the multiplication table!"
+
+Margaret laughed.
+
+"You saw Lord Raymond on the course to-day."
+
+"Yes," replied Margaret.
+
+"He used often to pay my uncle a visit, and he always took the notice of
+me that men are apt to take of children. I used to ride with him and my
+uncle. I was very fond of horses and dogs, and enjoyed field sports as
+much as he did. Every visit he paid, Lord Raymond asked me if I would be
+his little wife; and I as regularly said, 'no, thank you.' I always
+thought he was unable to leave off any habit. He has just left off this
+one though."
+
+"Has he?" said Margaret inquiringly.
+
+"You shall hear. Well, when I was about seventeen, George Gage came to
+see my uncle. We took a vast fancy to each other; that is, after our
+fashion:--we were neither of us in the Romeo and Juliet school.
+Fools--as you can imagine."
+
+Margaret's interest became very deep at this crisis.
+
+Harriet threw her curls off her forehead, and went on.
+
+"He admired my riding and my eyes, and, in fact, every thing I said and
+did. My uncle was contented; Captain Gage was pleased; we were said to
+be too young, and the affair was put off for a year or two. Never do
+that, by the way, if you care about the man. I like to mix a little
+useful advice with my tale, you observe."
+
+"Why, I think," said Margaret, "that if his love would not last any
+time, it had better go before than after marriage."
+
+"I thought," said Harriet, "that he had enough love to last to all
+eternity; but I was mistaken. And if he thought the same of me, he was
+mistaken too."
+
+At these words she drew herself up proudly, and again scattered her
+short curls.
+
+"He went off to his regiment; and the next thing I heard of him was that
+he was at the feet of a married woman--a lady famous for detaching men
+from their lawful allegiance, whether as husbands or lovers. This Mrs.
+Max--but we will not mention names."
+
+"Mrs. Maxwell Dorset!" exclaimed Margaret starting up in her chair.
+
+"What, you have heard of her?" said Harriet, "I believe she enjoys a
+pretty extensive reputation. Is your head worse? I have been talking too
+much for you, I am afraid."
+
+"Not at all," said Margaret, leaning back again, "pray go on; and will
+you give me another cup of coffee?"
+
+"You shall have it," said Harriet, "one need not forget to eat and
+drink; that is the last stage of that most deplorable folly--love.
+Well--I do not look like a person who would put up with such conduct, do
+I?"
+
+"No," said Margaret smiling.
+
+"I wrote immediately to George to signify that as he had made his
+choice, he might abide by it--that he was welcome to be Mrs. such a
+one's slave, but that I resigned every sort of claim to the honour. I
+thought he deserved a little better than Lazarillo de Tormes, who played
+the part of lackey to seven mistresses--the rascal--and at last was
+almost demolished by two viragos who contended for his services in the
+open street."
+
+She laughed scornfully, and went on.
+
+"This made rather a cabal in the family, you may suppose. Papa, who
+thought one daughter was disposed of, looked very blank upon my
+proceedings. Captain Gage--just like him--took my part. He said that
+George had behaved shamefully, and though he hoped it would all come
+right again, he could not wonder at my determination. But these things
+never do come right again, Margaret."
+
+Margaret sighed.
+
+"The strangest part of the whole affair was George's conduct. He had
+been, before this transaction, not at all better than his
+neighbours--and that is saying little enough for any man--indeed, as my
+good aunt told me, I might reasonably have expected what happened. My
+aunt was right, though I own, I could have called her out at the time
+for saying so. Well, he suddenly turned over a new leaf; renounced his
+extravagances, cut Mrs. Maxwell Dorset, and became quite a moral
+character. In fact, behaved as people are supposed to do upon an
+engagement instead of a repulse. This was all his pride; just to show me
+what an exemplary character I had thrown away."
+
+"And you," said Margaret, "how did you bear it?"
+
+"Very coolly, I promise you;" said Harriet, "I grew thin, and irritable,
+and so yellow that I was afraid to look at my own face in the glass.
+Aunt Singleton plagued me with asses milk. Uncle Singleton gave me a
+capital hunter. I don't know which remedy it was, but I very soon
+forgot all about Master George."
+
+Margaret did not quite believe this, but she made no remark.
+
+"Still," continued Harriet, "I was very glad when papa was appointed
+Envoy to Madrid. I insisted on going with him, and enjoyed our residence
+in Spain beyond all description. Just before we set out, Lord Raymond
+asked me again to be his little wife. I was not exactly in the frame of
+mind to feel pleased with his politeness; so I told him, that I was
+tired of having to answer the same idle question, and so took leave of
+him in a pet.
+
+"We were two years at Madrid; when we came back, the first person I saw
+was Lord Raymond. I was afraid he was going to bore me again. Not at
+all. He took the first opportunity to tell me that Lucy had been more
+complaisant than I had; that they were engaged, but wished to keep it a
+profound secret for the present, while his pecuniary affairs are
+undergoing certain regulations. But that dog in the manger, George,
+thinks that Lord Raymond's attentions are directed to me; and cannot
+contain his malice on the subject, although it is certainly no concern
+of his."
+
+"I do not wonder he thinks so," said Margaret, "I am sure I did."
+
+"Yes! because poor Lord Raymond cannot pay Lucy the attention he would
+wish to do," said Harriet, "and because from habit, he has always been
+used to consider me as somebody that he ought to follow about, and make
+a fuss with; and as he is really kind-hearted, he fidgets about me ten
+times more, now that I have been very ill."
+
+"And about your illness," said Margaret.
+
+"Nothing romantic, I can assure you," said Harriet. "I went to see my
+Uncle Singleton on my return, and one day, having paid a visit to the
+wife of one of his park-keepers, a young woman who had formerly been my
+maid, and who was then ill, I had the bad luck to catch her complaint,
+which was typhus fever. You cannot imagine a greater bore; and I have
+lost all my hair you see, I have had both disorders, and I pronounce
+typhus fever to be considerably worse than the tender passion. I hope
+you may have neither. It is the best wish I can frame for you."
+
+"Thank you for your wish and your story," said Margaret, "it is really a
+romance."
+
+"That is the worst of it," said Harriet, "I am twenty, and I have
+already lived a whole life; there is no more excitement for me. I shall
+marry a country curate, and teach at Sunday schools, I think."
+
+"What a great deal of romance there is in the world," said Margaret.
+
+"True," said Harriet, "some writer says, 'that everybody's heart would
+be a romance if it were accurately delineated;' not everybody's,
+though!" she exclaimed with a peal of laughter, "that man who set next
+to me at dinner. What was his name?"
+
+"Mr. Elliot," said Margaret, beginning to laugh in her turn.
+
+"Aye, Mr. Elliot--fancy his heart!" exclaimed Harriet, bursting into
+fresh peals of laughter, "the keenest pang he could feel would be
+hunger; his most exquisite enjoyment a pocket-full of money. No, cry you
+mercy--there must be some exceptions to the poet's rule."
+
+"On my word, you two seem to be very merry," said Miss Gage, coming in,
+"I hope not more merry than wise. How is all this to agree with your
+head, my dear Margaret?"
+
+"Oh, I have been so amused," said Margaret, taking Miss Gage's hand,
+"that I have forgotten the pain. How beautiful you look, Bessy."
+
+"Yes," said Harriet looking attentively at her, "that white gauze with
+corn-flowers, has a very tolerable effect. How well they look on your
+light hair; commend me to such a high tiara of flowers. It gives you the
+aspect of an empress."
+
+Miss Gage laughed; and Harriet calling in the other ladies, commented
+upon them with as much indifference as if they had been a set of wax
+figures.
+
+"There," said she, "what do you say to Lucy? Do you like pink crape,
+little one? It is very well made; but I prefer white for candlelight.
+Well, that is the most knowing little cap I have seen a long time, look
+Margaret; it is made of gold twist. Bravo! Miss Lawson Smith. That is an
+Indian fan, I suppose, Miss Selwyn. After all, I think Miss Somerton has
+the prettiest dress; those little bouquets are placed to a wish. Eh,
+Margaret!"
+
+"They are all charmingly dressed," said Margaret, "pray, dear Bessy,
+remember to tell me all about it."
+
+"I will, indeed," said Elizabeth, "I will try and recollect everybody's
+partners; and the different ices at supper. Those are the two leading
+features of a ball."
+
+"Shall you dance the Mazourka, Bessy?" asked Margaret.
+
+"I--no; I dance very little," said Elizabeth, "a quadrille or two, just
+for form's sake."
+
+"She stands talking to her father," said Harriet, as soon as the ladies
+had withdrawn, "that is the way she spends the best part of the evening.
+I often wonder how Bessy can manage to keep single. She is so very much
+admired."
+
+"How is it then?" asked Margaret.
+
+"I suppose her father makes her fastidious," said Harriet, "indeed, I do
+not suppose she would easily find such a person as Captain Gage. I know
+two people now who would be very happy to die for her."
+
+Margaret opened her eyes.
+
+"Young Haveloc has been talked of for her; because they live in the same
+county," said Harriet; "but any child can see there is nothing in that
+quarter. By the way, he is very intimate with my brother Evan."
+
+"Indeed," said Margaret.
+
+"Well, good night, my poor little martyr," said Harriet; "I am heartily
+sorry for you, because, until you have tried, you cannot possibly know
+what a very stupid affair a ball is."
+
+Margaret returned her farewell, and went to bed, her head full of races,
+Mr. Gage, Mrs. Maxwell Dorset, her white crape gown, and Bessy's wreath
+of corn-flowers.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+
+    Her whyles Sir Calidore there vowed well,
+    And markt her rare demeanure, which him seemed
+    So farre the meane of shepheards to excell,
+    As that he in his mind her worthy deemed
+    To be a prince's paragone esteemed.
+
+    SPENSER.
+
+
+Margaret breakfasted with Miss Gage in her dressing-room the next
+morning, and heard all the particulars that she wished to know
+respecting the ball. She went down stairs about the middle of the day,
+and the first person she saw was Harriet Conway standing on the lawn
+outside the drawing-room windows, talking to Lord Raymond, while Hubert
+Gage and Mr. Conway were teazing her Skye terrier at a little distance.
+As soon as she caught sight of Margaret, she came to the window and
+greeted her.
+
+"Quite well, really? That is right! No remains whatever of that unlucky
+head-ache? I hope devoutly the dog will bite you both!" she exclaimed,
+turning round to the gentlemen.
+
+Hubert left the dog to its fate, and came up to condole with Margaret
+upon her disappointment of the last evening--his disappointment he ought
+to say; for he was sure that he had been the greatest sufferer on the
+occasion.
+
+Margaret, knowing very well that he had been dancing, and enjoying
+himself all the evening, laughed, and said she was sorry for him.
+
+Lord Raymond, who was just going off, took Harriet on one side, and
+seemed to be talking very earnestly to her. Mr. Conway joined Margaret
+at the window with the dog, and conversed with her in a very
+condescending manner; tried to persuade her to think Donald a great
+beauty, and told her how much money the little beast was worth.
+
+While they were thus employed, Mr. Gage came into the drawing-room, and
+advanced leisurely to Margaret. He immediately caught sight of Harriet
+and Lord Raymond; but he was far too experienced to suffer any vexation
+to be traced in his manner. He made the most anxious inquiries after
+Miss Capel's health; regretted very much the loss their party had
+sustained on the previous night; abused the ball as intolerably stupid;
+and tried to persuade Margaret to allow him to drive her out after
+luncheon. He hoped now that she had seen how quiet his horses were, she
+would feel disposed to trust herself with him. He trusted that Miss
+Harriet Conway had inspired Miss Capel with a little of her courage.
+
+Harriet, hearing her own name, turned round, and seeing George Gage,
+coloured, waved her hand to him by way of "good morning," and then
+renewed her conversation with Lord Raymond. His Lordship did not speak
+very fast; and like many people, the more he made up his mind to go, the
+farther he was from going. He had to say a great many things which he
+was very earnest in delivering, and which made Harriet laugh very much;
+and the bystanders would hardly have imagined that the substance of his
+narrative was the history of some tulip roots which his sister had paid
+a great deal of money for, and which, owing to some carelessness on her
+part, had never blossomed at all.
+
+Meantime, while Mr. Gage talked to Margaret of the flower-show, he was
+watching every movement and look of Harriet's; and his patience was
+going by inches, while he appeared much interested in moss roses and
+Neapolitan violets. At last he said to Mr. Conway in a remarkably calm
+manner, that considering his sister was an invalid, it occurred to him
+that it was hardly prudent to stand out in a high wind without a shawl.
+
+Mr. Conway laughed, said it was true enough; but that Harriet had a will
+of her own, and would not thank him if he interrupted her conversation
+for the minor consideration of a bonnet and cloak.
+
+"What is that you say of me?" asked Harriet, running up to the window,
+having just parted from Lord Raymond. "Here, Hubert, stand out of the
+way, you are such giants, you Gage's. Give me my dog, Charles. Now,
+Margaret, if you wish to see a beauty--but what were you saying of me?"
+
+"Merely remarking that it would have been unpardonable to break in upon
+your tête-à-tête to save you from the chance of another illness. I
+ventured to think that you were slightly clad for so cold a wind," said
+Mr. Gage, drawing his chair to the fire, as if in proof of the inclement
+weather.
+
+"People have no business to think at all upon my proceedings," said
+Harriet, carelessly, "Hubert! I wish you would go and get Donald a
+little bit of meat on a plate; he ought to have his dinner about this
+time of day. My dog is not a dog in the manger," she added; drawing
+close to Margaret with Donald in her arms. "How frightened you look. He
+does not hear me."
+
+"He will be worth nothing for sport if you nurse and pet him so," said
+her brother, "you had much better have a lap-dog."
+
+"Now is not that quite a man's idea?" said Harriet laughing, "if you can
+make anything of use to you, well; but you have literally no notion of
+companionship. You judge everything by what it would fetch; and why you
+ever marry, I cannot think, unless you get some money by the bargain."
+
+"Oh! that is too severe upon my word. Do not you think so?" said Hubert,
+turning to Margaret.
+
+"I hope so," said Margaret, "but I have seen too little to judge."
+
+"I cannot think that experience will ever make you judge hardly of
+others," said Mr. Gage in a soft voice to Margaret.
+
+"Experience will tell her that to judge truly, is to judge hardly in
+five cases out of ten," said Harriet disdainfully.
+
+"Luncheon is ready," exclaimed Hubert, taking Margaret's hand and
+hurrying her out of the room, "and a good thing too, for our discussion
+was growing rather stormy; and I have no objection to interrupt my
+courtier of a brother in his pretty speeches."
+
+Margaret laughed as she took her seat at the table, and said she thought
+that pretty speeches ran in the family. She felt now perfectly at her
+ease with both brothers; feeling convinced that George was still
+attached to Harriet Conway, and that Hubert did not know what it was to
+be attached to any body.
+
+"Oh, by the way!" said Hubert, as he drew a chair beside Margaret,
+"Haveloc would go off after breakfast. He made many inquiries about you,
+and was very sorry, as everybody was, last night. Bread! to be sure, I
+beg you a thousand pardons. Now don't starve; it is dreadful to see
+women eat so little, it reminds me of that story,--did you ever read the
+Arabian Nights?"
+
+"Often," said Margaret, "you mean the story of the Ghoul. I do not mean
+to be a Ghoul to-day; you may give me some chicken."
+
+"That's right," said Hubert. "Hallo! here is the Governor with that old
+wretch, Casement. How I wish Haveloc was here; he hates the old fellow
+so cordially. Don't you?"
+
+"I am glad he is away," said Margaret, "for they always quarrel."
+
+"You are an angel of peace," exclaimed Hubert, gazing at her with
+admiration.
+
+"Pray don't be sentimental at luncheon," said Margaret, laughing, "it is
+so very inappropriate."
+
+Captain Gage and Mr. Casement now came up to the table. Captain Gage
+took a vacant chair on the other side of Margaret; shook hands, and
+said a great many kind things to her on her loss of the ball; hoped it
+would not be long before there was another in the neighbourhood;
+wondered what people were about that they did not give as many dances as
+they used to do, and insisted on her drinking a glass of wine. Mr.
+Casement stopped short, and taking out his glasses, surveyed everybody
+at table with much deliberation; and odious as he was, there was
+something in his manner which showed that he had been used to a great
+deal of society, and that he held himself on a level with everybody he
+met.
+
+"Hallo!" said he, "you have got a party together. How do you manage to
+keep them out of mischief; eh, Captain? There is something going on at
+your elbow there, as I'm alive. Eh, little woman! Shall I go home and
+tell uncle?"
+
+Margaret coloured deeply. Miss Gage shook her head at Mr. Casement.
+
+"Miss Gage, your most devoted," said he, bowing to her. "No, I never
+touch anything at this time of day--well, for once, give me a bit of
+tongue, little woman. Thank you, Master Hubert."
+
+And not being able to express himself fully, under the kind but
+commanding eye of Miss Gage, he was obliged to content himself by making
+a face at Hubert and Margaret, which was intended to speak the contents
+of a whole valentine.
+
+"And who is that curly-headed thing yonder?" said Mr. Casement pointing
+with his glasses to Harriet.
+
+"My niece, Harriet," said Captain Gage, who was so used to hear Harriet
+call him uncle, that he forgot at the moment that their relationship was
+rather more distant.
+
+"Niece--by Adam's side," said Mr. Casement. "Eh, Captain Gage! it looks
+rather suspicious when gentlemen call ladies their nieces--ha! ha!"
+
+"Sir!" said George Gage, staring in his most arrogant manner at Mr.
+Casement.
+
+"Eh! you there Master George?" said Mr. Casement. "I thought you could
+not get leave; really, when one considers what a farce the service is
+now-a-days, one is puzzled to know why you should not get leave, as you
+call it, every mother's son of you at once. What are you doing over in
+Ireland?"
+
+George Gage seemed very little disposed to give Mr. Casement an answer;
+but after staring at him haughtily for a moment, he replied "Nothing."
+And then turning to his sister, he asked her some questions about her
+plans for the afternoon.
+
+"Do you know, Uncle Gage," said Harriet, "that I am going to stay here a
+whole week longer?"
+
+"The longer the better," said Captain Gage. "I wish you were all going
+to stay. The house will seem deserted when you are gone."
+
+Lady Conway made some polite reply to this speech, and thanked Miss Gage
+for taking charge of Harriet, for she knew they were to have a very gay
+week at Wardenscourt, and it was important that Harriet should be
+quiet.
+
+George Gage on hearing this announcement, directed his merciless stare
+to Harriet in some surprise; for Wardenscourt was Lord Raymond's place,
+and it seemed but natural that she should have made an effort to go
+there.
+
+Harriet cared nothing for his gaze; she was used to be looked at, and
+she did not even seem to perceive that his eyes were upon her; she kept
+her eyes on her plate, and a suppressed smile played for an instant on
+her cheek, as she said, "Ah! Wardenscourt; they are sure to be really
+gay there. It is the only house almost--but I shall have the pleasure of
+being with you Bessy."
+
+"Wardenscourt is not far off, fortunately," said George.
+
+Harriet looked up, still smiling.
+
+"No," she said. "I hope Lord Raymond will come over one morning to tell
+me about the pointers his keeper is training for Uncle Singleton. Take
+care that you remind him, Lucy."
+
+Lucy laughed and coloured. Margaret felt very much inclined to laugh
+too.
+
+"It will be worth while for him to come over," said George, "if he
+occupies you as profitably as he did this morning."
+
+"How was that, Mr. Gage?" asked Lady Conway.
+
+"The fact is this, mamma," said Harriet hastily, "Mr. Gage having
+forgotten my out of door propensities, was astonished to see me standing
+on the lawn for a few minutes without my bonnet."
+
+"Oh! pray be careful while we are away, my dear," said Lady Conway. "You
+must not take cold."
+
+They were rising. Mr. Gage drew back Harriet's chair; and she, in
+passing out, fixed her splendid eyes upon him, and muttered in a
+distinct manner, 'Tu me lo pagherai.'
+
+He bowed as if to say, he was willing to make payment at any time.
+
+The ladies remained loitering among the beautiful plants in the hall,
+and Elizabeth coming up to Margaret, urged her, in a low voice, to stay
+with her as long as Harriet remained at Chirke Weston.
+
+"It will be more cheerful for both of you, and though I do not propose
+her as a model for your imitation; you are safe with her, she always
+speaks the truth. And your uncle can better spare you now Mr. Haveloc is
+with him."
+
+Margaret accepted with much pleasure, and the visitors having now all
+dropped off, she began really to enjoy herself. They walked out,
+accompanied by George and Hubert over a beautiful country.
+
+Hubert divided his attentions very much between Margaret and the Skye
+terrier.
+
+Harriet took her own course, swinging in her hand a little riding-whip
+which had a whistle at the end of it, with which she was used to summon
+her dog.
+
+George walked with Elizabeth, being out of humour, and thinking very
+properly that his sister was created for the especial purpose of
+cheering him under the influence of that complaint.
+
+She succeeded in doing so, for her evenness of temper was remarkable.
+She agreed that it was a miserable day--that the wind was keen--that it
+was very likely to rain--that the ball had been a dull one, and that the
+post came in at Chirke Weston at an inconvenient time--and then, (for it
+does not answer to agree too much with people,) she qualified his
+censures of Lord Raymond, defended her father's black cravats,
+maintained there would be a great many people at the flower-show, and
+said she had not at all pitied him for being obliged to dance with Lady
+Farquhar, though she was fat, and five and forty.
+
+George being a little restored by this time, began to grow confidential.
+He told Elizabeth that he was very thankful that things had turned out
+as they did between Harriet and him. That he was convinced she had no
+heart. That she was very well suited to Lord Raymond, and he had no
+doubt but that they would be extremely happy!
+
+He said this in rather an angry tone, and did not look as if he at all
+wished that their married life should prove an Elysium; so Elizabeth
+changed the subject.
+
+"What do you think of my little friend?" she asked. "You must admire
+Margaret."
+
+"Yes," he said. "She is a lovely little creature, but such a mere child,
+and so shy; and it is too much to expect that one can take the trouble
+to draw a woman out. I should not be surprised if she was to grow a
+little taller, which would be an advantage. She dresses well, and her
+hand and arm is really a model. I was struck with it immediately. And I
+am glad to perceive," he said, directing his glance to Margaret, as she
+walked on in front with Hubert and Harriet against a pretty strong
+breeze. "I am glad to see that her foot and ancle is equally perfect."
+
+"Well," said Elizabeth smiling. "On the whole, your decision seems to
+be favourable."
+
+"Yes, decidedly," said Mr. Gage quite seriously. "I am very well
+pleased; for I have not been used to be ashamed of my sister, and I
+should care to be ashamed of my sister-in-law; for that I suppose will
+be the end of it, Bessy?"
+
+"I shall be very glad if it is so," replied Elizabeth.
+
+"He might do worse," said Mr. Gage. "Sailors are so _inconséquent_. They
+often marry the most extraordinary persons--people that one never has
+heard of. Miss Capel, however, seems highly respectable. But," he added
+in a low tone, "to put that little doll in competition with such a woman
+as Harriet! Hubert need not fear me for a rival."
+
+"Very fortunately," said Elizabeth smiling, "it would be dreadful if we
+were to have the Theban brothers over again."
+
+"They fought for a crown, not a woman," said Mr. Gage, "being wise men."
+
+"Is Mr. Gage very amusing to you, Bessy?" said Harriet, looking back,
+"that you don't come to join our party?"
+
+Elizabeth good-naturedly quickened her steps, and Harriet said aloud to
+Margaret, "It is a charity to break in upon their tête-à-tête, for Mr.
+Gage has grown so dull, I think he must have caught cold on the race
+ground."
+
+Margaret looked frightened, and Mr. Gage pretended not to hear Harriet's
+speech.
+
+Margaret was very happy during her stay at Chirke Weston. Hubert Gage
+was always paying her compliments which she laughed at, and contriving
+all sorts of schemes for her amusement, for which she was much obliged.
+
+She became every day more attached to Elizabeth; she admired her
+character, and loved her sweetness; and it was delightful to see the
+terms upon which she lived with her father and brothers.
+
+George Gage paid Margaret the most devoted attentions whenever he
+wished to pique Harriet, and at other times consigned her to the care of
+Hubert, as if he had too much delicacy to interfere with his brother's
+pretensions. Fortunately, she found amusement in the society of both
+brothers, without allowing their courtesies to penetrate her heart.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+
+    And she will die ere she make her love known; and
+    she will die if he woo her, rather than she will 'bate one
+    breath of her accustomed coyness.
+
+    MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.
+
+
+It was the last day of Margaret's stay. Harriet was also to leave Chirke
+Weston the next morning. She was standing with Margaret in one of the
+drawing-room windows after breakfast, making her promise over and over
+again that she would come and see her at her uncle Singleton's, when
+Lord Raymond drove up to the house in his dog-cart. He produced out of
+this vehicle the two pointers which Harriet had been anxious to see;
+and, on a signal from her hand, he brought them up to the window where
+she was standing.
+
+As soon as she had done admiring and commenting upon these pointers,
+Lord Raymond delivered them to his groom to pack up in their box again,
+and joined Harriet in the drawing-room. Elizabeth looked up from her
+carpet-work, and received Lord Raymond with her usual graceful calmness;
+and George Gage who was writing at the other end of the room, rising
+from his letters, took a chair by the side of that distinguished
+nobleman, and engaged him in conversation; and as he did this with an
+air of extreme politeness, Margaret did not guess that his sole motive
+was to expose his rival's deficiency in that useful art.
+
+But Lord Raymond never actually conversed, he only answered questions.
+So, when he had told Mr. Gage that John Baldwin was a connexion of his,
+but that it was Ferdinand Baldwin who married Miss Thoresby; that he
+believed her fortune had been greatly overrated; that Ferdinand was a
+first cousin of John's;--that certainly Miss Thoresby had been engaged
+to a Colonel Carpenter, who had thought himself very much ill-used when
+she broke off the engagement; that Henry Baldwin was a Roman Catholic,
+and that there were a great many of that name in Staffordshire, he had
+nothing more to say for himself; and rising to depart, he asked Harriet
+whether she had any message to send to her sister at Wardenscourt.
+
+"Tell Lucy," said Harriet looking archly at Lord Raymond, "that I should
+be disposed to envy her if I were any where but at Chirke Weston."
+
+As soon as Lord Raymond was gone, Mr. Gage stalked back to his writing,
+and Harriet, calling Margaret to her side, began a panegyric on his
+Lordship; vaunting his good principles, his kindness of heart, and above
+all his even temper.
+
+As all these qualities may exist under a very ordinary exterior,
+Margaret had nothing to do but to acquiesce; but when Harriet went on to
+say that she thought him unquestionably the most aristocratic man that
+she had ever seen, Margaret opened her eyes with a gesture of
+astonishment; and Mr. Gage, throwing down his pen, in something like a
+passion, said that Miss Conway was known to be original in her opinions;
+but that certainly, he imagined, she would find herself perfectly unique
+in this idea. That most people would find it difficult to credit from
+his appearance that Lord Raymond was a gentleman--and that, except the
+late Earl of D----, the peerage had seldom been disfigured by such a
+specimen of humanity.
+
+"Did I say he was handsome, Squire Sullen?" retorted Harriet. "I merely
+gave my opinion of his deportment, which I consider quite fascinating."
+
+"Unquestionably," Mr. Gage said, resuming his pen with great dignity.
+"Miss Conway's opinion of Lord Raymond was of more consequence than any
+other person's. He merely regretted that he could not in this instance
+agree with it."
+
+Harriet merely replied by one of her most scornful looks. Mr. Gage took
+up the newspaper, and Hubert, coming in at the moment, persuaded
+Elizabeth and Margaret to go with him to one of the hot-houses to see
+some beautiful American plants.
+
+Now on this very morning it chanced that Mrs. Somerton felt it her duty
+to call at Chirke Weston.
+
+For, as she said, it was impossible to know what that artful little
+creature, Margaret Capel was about with those two brothers, unless she
+went to see it with her own eyes; and that it was Blanche's business to
+counteract her as much as possible: that if Margaret had really
+entangled Hubert, to flirt with him would be a mere waste of time; but
+that although George was not an impressible subject, yet by management,
+something might be done with him. Even a little attention from so
+fastidious a person might be of service to her; for there were several
+men in the neighbourhood who took for gospel all that George Gage chose
+to say.
+
+"Ah!" said the amiable Blanche, "it is very well that I know how to
+manage matters without your help! See what you have done for my sister.
+Thank you! I don't wish to follow her example. I shall find a match for
+myself!"
+
+"You are looking very well to day," said Mrs. Somerton, putting up her
+glass, "if you would but wear your hair a little lower on your face."
+
+"Much obliged," retorted Blanche. "I say, look at my sister, as complete
+an old maid as ever lived; all owing to your valuable hints. She has
+nothing for it now but to go to Missionary meetings, and pick up a stray
+Methodist preacher."
+
+"There is one thing," said Mrs. Somerton, exasperated by this attack. "I
+don't believe anybody ever had such ill-disposed ungrateful children as
+mine!"
+
+"Chips of the old block, I suppose," returned Blanche laughing.
+
+"Come, come;" said Mrs. Somerton, as they reached the entrance to Chirke
+Weston, "this is not to the purpose; recollect that George is your
+object to-day."
+
+While this attack was preparing for the unconscious Mr. Gage, he was in
+the drawing-room pretending to read the paper, and employing himself in
+watching intently every movement of Harriet Conway.
+
+As soon as Elizabeth was gone, Harriet took up a book, drew a footstool
+close to the fire, and sat down upon it. She wore a beautiful morning
+gown of purple Cashemere, worked in floss silk, and trimmed, and tied
+with cords and tassels. Her attitude was striking and graceful, and as
+she slowly turned the leaves of her book, the light of the fire sparkled
+on the costly rings that adorned her slender fingers.
+
+Although Mr. Gage never removed his eyes from her, she feigned to be
+totally absorbed in her book, and unconscious of his presence. At last
+he approached her under pretence of mending the fire.
+
+She looked up and nodded to him.
+
+"What is that you are reading?" said he. "A French novel? I thought
+ladies never did such things in public."
+
+"I thought you knew, Squire--I mean Mr. Gage, that I am never ashamed of
+any thing I do," said Harriet. "Besides, this is a very readable one of
+Eugène Sue's."
+
+"Yes--a certain class of French novels are very harmless," said Mr.
+Gage.
+
+"Look!" said Harriet, turning the book round, and holding it up so that
+he might read the title: 'Arthur.'
+
+Now Mr. Gage had never read 'Arthur;' so he said directly, that it was a
+very clever work; indeed, in parts, really beautiful. There was
+something quite touching in one or two of the scenes.
+
+As this might be safely said of any book written by Eugène Sue, Mr. Gage
+was not out of his depth.
+
+Harriet acquiesced, and asked him what he thought of the character of
+Hélène.
+
+Mr. Gage replied without hesitation, that it was very ably depicted, but
+that his ideas of female perfection were not exactly formed upon that
+model.
+
+"Too statuesque, perhaps, for your taste," said Harriet.
+
+"Yes, that was the case," Mr. Gage said, catching at the hint. "He
+thought something a little less unbending more attractive in the female
+character."
+
+"And do you not think Arthur very interesting, in spite of his faults?"
+said Harriet.
+
+"Undoubtedly," replied Mr. Gage, "but whether he would find any favour
+with the fair sex, you can determine better than me."
+
+"I don't know. I can't quite make out," said Harriet. "You see one would
+never be prepared for so strange a disposition. But how beautifully he
+describes scenery," she continued, turning the leaves. "He makes quite a
+paradise of this cottage ornée."
+
+"Your taste," said Mr. Gage, in a very pointed manner. "Your taste would
+lead you to a much less simple style of architecture."
+
+"Oh, yes!" said Harriet putting up her book to conceal her smiles. "I
+hate cottages. My idea of perfect felicity is to be found only in a
+nobleman's seat."
+
+"I trust," said Mr. Gage, looking very grand and injured, "that you will
+never have reason to acknowledge yourself mistaken."
+
+"Why, George," said Harriet, just trusting her laughing eyes over the
+top of her book, "how long have you been an advocate for living in
+cottages? I should think they must be just one degree worse than
+barracks."
+
+"Heartless!" muttered Mr. Gage, turning away, and walking to the window.
+
+Harriet buried her face in her handkerchief to stifle her laughter. She
+was not in the slightest degree afraid that Mr. Gage would transfer his
+regard to another, in consequence of her provoking mystifications. She
+felt that she had regained her power over him, and that as long as she
+remained single, so would he. But she delighted in mischief, and would
+not for the world have let him discover that she cared anything about
+him. At this instant the bell rang.
+
+"Now don't for Heaven's sake, George, leave me to entertain your
+guests," said Harriet, looking up with a very flushed face, "it is only
+fair to stay and support me."
+
+"Pray don't call them my guests," said Mr. Gage, coming back, however,
+"I should have rather a different visiting list if this house were in my
+possession."
+
+"Yes, your list would be very extensive if you lived in one of your
+favourite cottages," said Harriet, seating herself on the sofa; "all the
+neighbouring farmers and their wives. How I should like to see you
+playing cribbage with Farmer Jenkins!"
+
+Mr. Gage leaning against the mantelpiece, "regretted that he was unable
+to follow all Miss Conway's flights of fancy," and "was not aware that
+he had said anything that could lead her to suppose he intended forming
+an intimacy with Farmer Jenkins."
+
+The door was opened and Mrs. Somerton and her daughter were announced.
+Harriet bowed coldly; and Mr. Gage, after a still more frigid fashion.
+
+Mrs. Somerton, who had seen the world, was not at all put out by this
+English reception; and Blanche with a manner full of _minauderie_,
+glanced sideways at Mr. Gage, and glided into a chair as near to him as
+she conveniently could. Now any person totally unacquainted with
+society, and forming their notions of good manners from abstract
+principles, would perhaps imagine that Mr. Gage and Harriet would
+instantly begin to talk to the visitors, and endeavour to amuse them
+until Miss Gage should arrive. Not at all; they had seen enough of
+company, to know how much they might leave undone; a code much more
+extensively put in practice than that which might teach people how much
+to do.
+
+Mr. Gage stared across at Mrs. Somerton. Harriet with her head drawn up,
+surveyed Blanche.
+
+At last, Mr. Gage said to Harriet, "Have you any idea where Bessy is?"
+
+"I suppose," said Harriet, "that she is somewhere among the hot-houses.
+Hubert said something about the American plants. I dare say she will be
+in to luncheon."
+
+"It is not half past one yet," said Mr. Gage, pointing to the
+time-piece.
+
+"That French piece of trumpery is always wrong," said Harriet.
+
+"My watch is the same, all but two minutes," said Mr. Gage, taking it
+out.
+
+"If they happened to meet your father, you know, he would carry them all
+over the country," returned Harriet.
+
+"Of course he would," said Mr. Gage, "whenever I see his straw hat, I
+make a point of getting out of the way. I have no idea of being handed
+round the farm yard, and introduced to every fresh litter of pigs."
+
+"Have not you?" said Harriet mischievously. "I thought those humble
+pleasures belonged especially to the sphere of life you are so partial
+to. Most cottages, I believe in these days, can boast a pig-stye."
+
+Mr. Gage hardly knew whether to laugh or be angry; at that moment
+Elizabeth and Margaret made their appearance together, followed by
+Hubert with a splendid bouquet of flowers.
+
+Elizabeth seated herself beside Mrs. Somerton. Hubert delivered the
+flowers to Margaret, and drew his chair close to hers.
+
+"But what am I to do with all these, Mr. Hubert?" said Margaret.
+
+"You are to wear all these heaths this evening, you know," he said
+selecting the heaths from the nosegay. "I will make a wreath for you."
+
+"But how very smart I shall be," said Margaret, hesitatingly.
+
+"Oh! you promised--you will not draw back; see this is the way I shall
+mix them. All the shades, from white to crimson--no, a cluster will be
+prettier than a wreath. You cannot refuse--your last day. Ah! how
+beautiful you will look--but that you always do. Come, you will promise
+to wear them?"
+
+"Will you promise to talk something like sense then Mr. Hubert?" said
+Margaret archly. "These striped camellias are for you, Harriet."
+
+"Thanks, little one," said Harriet. "Tell Hubert to keep them all in
+water for us till we go up to dress."
+
+Mr. Gage, by this time, having noticed Blanche's childish, sparkling
+face, and pretty figure, condescended to say to her in a haughty
+tone, "Did you walk here?"
+
+"To be sure!" said Blanche, "such a beautiful morning. I would not have
+had the carriage out on any account."
+
+There was one slight drawback to her using a carriage, if she wished it;
+namely, that she did not possess a vehicle of any description. But Mr.
+Gage who was very little at home, and who knew nothing of the concerns
+of his neighbours, was easily imposed upon.
+
+"Yes," he said rather less haughtily, "It was hardly worth while for a
+short distance."
+
+"And then I am such a walker!" said Blanche, her pretty face kindling
+and dimpling with smiles; "I am never tired of wandering about this
+lovely country. I told mamma positively that I never would pass a season
+in town. My sister is there now with our relation, Lady K----, in the
+midst of balls and gaieties. But I should think them a very poor
+exchange for the Ashdale woods."
+
+Had Mr. Gage possessed more than the usual amount of penetration, he
+could not have been expected to guess that Blanche was in a perpetual
+ill-humour, because her sister was in town this season instead of
+herself; he merely thought it was odd for so pretty a girl to be
+contented with retirement, and that there was something rather
+attractive in the novelty of it.
+
+"I suppose your tastes are quite pastoral," said Mr. Gage, relaxing
+still more of his dignity. "I dare say, if the truth were told, you have
+a pet lamb, which you crown with flowers every morning before
+breakfast."
+
+"Oh, Mr. Gage!" said Blanche shaking her head with a little air of
+reproach, "the days are gone by when country people were obliged to
+depend on such childish amusements. We can have new books and music now,
+almost as soon as they appear in town. Indeed, we can bring everything
+from London, but its smoky atmosphere."
+
+Harriet who had been watching Hubert arranging the flowers in a glass,
+now turned round and beheld Mr. Gage actually talking to Blanche
+Somerton,--bending down and smiling at her. She coloured with anger and
+contempt.
+
+"Mr. Gage," said she, pointing to a work-box close to him, "shall I
+trouble you to give me that box?"
+
+Mr. Gage brought it her; she took out of it what she wanted, and then
+returned him the box. He sat down beside her still holding it.
+
+"I think you don't often work," he said. "I do not remember to have seen
+you."
+
+"No. This is not work exactly; this is crochet," said Harriet, holding
+up a purse of blue and silver twist. "Don't you think it very handsome?"
+
+"Yes. Only so stiff; you could not draw it through a ring."
+
+"Of course not; it is to have a clasp. See, this will match it very
+well; silver and turquoise. Now, wrap it up again in the silver paper.
+Put it neatly away. Now who do you think it is for?"
+
+Mr. Gage's brow darkened.
+
+"Uncle Singleton! When he plays at cards, he always likes to have a
+handsome purse. Would you believe it? I think it is only that he may
+have the pleasure of saying, 'My niece Harriet made this for me.!'"
+
+"You are a great favourite there," said Mr. Gage, looking quite
+comfortable again.
+
+"Can you wonder?" said Harriet, looking very like a coquette into his
+face.
+
+"No indeed," replied Mr. Gage.
+
+"It was there I first met Lord Raymond," said Harriet, heaving a deep
+sigh.
+
+Mr. Gage put down her work-box, and rose from the sofa; but he did not
+return to Blanche, he went to his newspaper.
+
+"Too bad!" said Blanche to herself, swelling with rage and spite. "She
+does not want him for herself, and yet she must needs interfere with me,
+when I was getting on so nicely. A malicious creature! I should like to
+drown her! I don't think anything in this world so mean as to interrupt
+another's flirtation when you have no good reason for doing it."
+
+And Blanche crossed the room and tried very hard to detach Hubert from
+Margaret.
+
+George Gage did not at all recover this last attack before dinner-time;
+he was very grand and sullen. Harriet, on the contrary, was in the
+wildest spirits. In many respects Margaret thought these two very well
+suited to each other. Kind and cordial as Harriet was to her, nothing
+could exceed her pride; and she was as haughty and as distant to people,
+whom she did not consider on a level with herself, as Mr. Gage could be.
+Her manners that morning were merely a sample of her general style of
+behaviour. A cold stare, and a monosyllable were all she vouchsafed to
+any of the village people who happened to be on visiting terms at Chirke
+Weston, and the only subject on which she and George Gage were sure to
+sympathise, was disgust at the intrusion of such persons while they
+condescended to honour the house with their presence. At such times,
+their eyes would meet with an expression of endurance very different
+from the hostile looks they so frequently exchanged.
+
+Harriet came down to dinner looking like an old picture. She wore a high
+dress of black satin, ornamented with Spanish buttons of gold filigree.
+Her hair was frizzed out round her head like some of Van Dyck's early
+pictures, and the striped camellias put in just behind the ear--she
+seemed determined to look her best this last evening.
+
+George Gage stared directly. He had a great fancy for seeing women in
+fine clothes; and clothes that looked as if they cost a great deal of
+money. He took her into dinner, and tried to command his temper, and
+keep up a conversation with her.
+
+"You drove out after luncheon, did you not?"
+
+"Yes. Did not you hear Uncle Gage and me planning a secret expedition
+together?"
+
+"No. Might I ask where you went?"
+
+"We went all the way to S----. Are you not very anxious to learn our
+object?"
+
+"If it is not a breach of confidence, certainly."
+
+"You could not guess, Mr. Gage?"
+
+"I fear not."
+
+"It was to get pack-thread for garden-nets."
+
+"A very important mission," said Mr. Gage.
+
+"You will think it important when the season comes for fruit; but,
+perhaps, you will not be here."
+
+"I shall not. I go back to Ireland in about a fortnight."
+
+"Still you know, though you will not be here to steal the plums, other
+people will be enjoying them; and you can leave word with the gardener
+to send your friend, little Blanche Somerton, the first basket of ripe
+cherries."
+
+"I really do not know any person of that name," said Mr. Gage,
+indignantly.
+
+"Well, after that!" said Harriet lifting up her hands. "Hubert, I hope
+you saw what was going on this morning."
+
+"Oh, yes! I saw plainly enough," said Hubert. "She is a great flirt,
+that little thing; and rather pretty, I think."
+
+"Very pretty!" said Harriet magnanimously. "I was not blaming Mr. Gage.
+I merely suggested a little offering--quite a cottage offering Mr.
+Gage."
+
+"Oh! the little creature who was here this morning," said Mr. Gage;
+"rather a nice little creature! Yes, I should not object taking her a
+basket of cherries."
+
+"You could eat them with her like Napoleon, you know," said Harriet.
+
+Here Hubert burst into a violent fit of laughter, at the idea of his
+brother doing anything like Napoleon.
+
+"She is a very pretty girl," said Captain Gage, joining in the
+discussion. "Did not you dance with her a good deal at the ball,
+Hubert?"
+
+"Yes, Sir, that is, I believe, once or twice. That miserable ball," he
+added in a low voice to Margaret.
+
+"Oh, Mr. Hubert!" said Margaret laughing.
+
+Elizabeth Gage did not say one word either for or against Blanche
+Somerton. She knew her to be almost devoid of good qualities; but she
+knew that people, men especially, will always form their own opinion.
+
+"You shall sing, little one;" said Harriet to Margaret after tea. "I
+will not let you off any longer."
+
+"No. It distresses her, Harriet," said Elizabeth kindly, "I never press
+her."
+
+"I dare say. Is she to have her own way always? I want to hear the
+quality of her voice," said Harriet positively.
+
+"Indeed, Harriet, I am not a man; you might let me have my way," said
+Margaret, shrinking back from the piano.
+
+"My dear Harriet, I hope you apply that remark; there is a little bit of
+unconscious satire in it," said Elizabeth.
+
+"Bah! there is no truth in it. I never tyrannise," said Harriet,
+laughing. "But as I am not so timid, I will try and sing you something.
+Mr. Gage, you like Italian music. Have you ever heard this?"
+
+She sang beautifully. Margaret was entranced.
+
+Mr. Gage came round to the piano to look at the name of the song. It was
+'Senza pace, senza speme;' and on the top was written, as if with a
+coarse lead pencil:--
+
+  "Harriet Conway,
+     from Lord Raymond."
+
+Now Margaret had seen Harriet busy writing something on the song with a
+pencil, a few minutes before she had sat down to sing, and she could not
+help wondering at the perseverance with which she contrived to teaze Mr.
+Gage. It need not be said that Lord Raymond had never given her the
+song, although from his long intimacy with her family there would have
+been no great crime if he had.
+
+Mr. Gage, who had taken the song from the stand, dropped it again as if
+it had burnt his fingers.
+
+"Is it not a beautiful thing?" said Harriet looking up at Mr. Gage. "He
+has such a taste for music!"
+
+"Who has, my dear?" asked Captain Gage.
+
+"Lord Raymond, uncle."
+
+"Has he, indeed?--I never knew that before," said Captain Gage. "Why he
+has never any music at his house, unless there is a very large party."
+
+"He has no wife, you know, Uncle Gage, and he cannot play the piano
+himself."
+
+"He must marry a good musician, then," said Captain Gage. "I don't know
+anything that more contributes to the cheerfulness of a family circle
+than a little good music."
+
+"So Lord Raymond seems to think," said Mr. Gage, in a low voice to
+Harriet.
+
+"Yes. Nothing so very first-rate though," said Harriet, thinking of
+Lucy, who played in a pleasing style, but nothing more, on the harp and
+piano.
+
+"Oh! you are too modest," said Mr. Gage.
+
+"Thank you," said Harriet laughing. "Do you think me then such a very
+good player?"
+
+"Can you never be serious?" said Mr. Gage, turning away reproachfully.
+
+Harriet laughed more merrily than before at the tone of this last
+remark. Margaret watched them earnestly. Surely, she thought, this last
+evening something will be said, something will occur, to bring about an
+understanding. Harriet will surely not be able to keep up this
+appearance of indifference to the last.
+
+But the tapers were brought in, people wished each other good night, and
+Harriet touched Mr. Gage's fingers, and bade him good bye, as if she
+should see him to-morrow. And the next day, before he had left his room,
+she was on her way to join her friends at Wardenscourt.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+
+    Her words were like a stream of honey fleeting, The which doth
+    softly trickle from the hive, Able to melt the hearer's heart
+    unweeting And eke to make the dead again alive.
+
+                    *       *       *       *       *
+
+    Much like an angel in all form and fashion.
+
+    SPENSER.
+
+
+Margaret was welcomed to Ashdale with such sincere pleasure by Mr. Grey
+and her Italian greyhound, that she could not find it in her heart to
+regret the social circle she left behind. Seated in a low chair by her
+uncle's side, with Gessina on her lap, she spent the evening alternately
+in playing with her beautiful pet, and of giving him a history of her
+week's visit.
+
+Mr. Grey, like many people who live very retired, delighted in this
+species of gossip. He was pleased to hear the names of the people who
+dined at Captain Gage's during her stay, and the dresses which Margaret
+had worn on each day. And if, during her narrative, she happened to
+mention a name that was familiar to him, he would interrupt her to
+remark that he had known a person of that name many years ago, who was
+of such a county; and to wonder whether the one Margaret had met, was
+related or not, to his old acquaintance.
+
+These episodes were sometimes interrupted by the perverseness of
+Gessina, who would creep under the sofas, or the heavy chairs, and had
+to be fished out from these hiding places by the united industry of Mr.
+Haveloc and Margaret.
+
+These little pursuits seemed to bring them still more acquainted, so
+that sometimes she ventured to appeal to him during her recollections to
+confirm her statements.
+
+"And so she lost the ball at last, poor child," said Mr. Grey drawing
+her towards him. "What a pity that was!"
+
+"Oh, yes uncle! I was very sorry at first. But I had such a head-ache.
+Do you ever smoke cigars, Mr. Haveloc?"
+
+"I have done such a thing," said he smiling. "But it is not a practice
+of mine."
+
+"And how did you spend that evening, my love?" said Mr. Grey, who had
+not perceived the connexion between the ball and the cigars.
+
+"I sat talking with Harriet Conway until I went to bed. Do you know
+Harriet, Sir?"
+
+"I have not seen her, my dear, since she was a child," said Mr. Grey.
+
+"Oh! She is so handsome, Sir. Is she not, Mr. Haveloc? I think she was
+the handsomest girl in the party, except Bessy, I hardly know which to
+say."
+
+"Which do you decide for, Claude?" asked Mr. Grey.
+
+Mr. Haveloc paused a little, glanced at Margaret with a smile, and said
+that he should not have considered either of those ladies the beauty of
+the party. He had hardly noticed Miss Harriet Conway, but if he
+recollected her, she had fine eyes.
+
+Margaret felt embarrassed for a moment, but feeling sure that his remark
+could not have referred to her in any way, she let the subject pass, and
+continued her account.
+
+"The flower-show was very delightful, Sir. There was a band of music,
+and such a beautiful display of plants. Captain Gage's gardener had a
+prize for hyacinths. Do you know, Sir, that four of my hyacinths are
+blown in my dressing-room? I think I shall bring them down into the
+drawing-room."
+
+"Do, my love," said Mr. Grey.
+
+"Bessy knew a great many people there, Sir; but Mr. Gage said he was
+bored. I wished he had not come with us. And Mr. Hubert frightened me,
+for he declared he was going to steal a cluster of the flowers for
+Harriet and I; and there would have been such a scene!"
+
+"And what did Miss Harriet say to that?" asked Mr. Grey.
+
+"Oh! she laughed, and encouraged him," said Margaret. "But I think it
+was only to put me in a fright; and just then, Bessy came up, and asked
+if we would go, because Mr. Gage was so tired of it all."
+
+"And did you have any more visitors afterwards?" asked Mr. Grey.
+
+"Yes. Two foreigners, the Marquis de----, (a very long name that I
+cannot remember), and his son. They talked Spanish with Harriet, and
+French with the others. Mr. Hubert used always to contrive that I should
+sit next one of them, that I might be obliged to speak French."
+
+"Hubert is rather mischievous, is he not?" said Mr. Grey.
+
+"Oh! yes, Sir; but very good-natured; and so is Captain Gage. We went
+every day to see something or other. Once we went to hear service in
+the Cathedral. I was so glad that Mr. Gage was not of the party that
+morning. I wish, Mr. Haveloc, you would go on reading."
+
+"I will, indeed," said he, taking up his book. "Only I have some
+curiosity to know first, why you do not like George Gage?"
+
+"You should not listen, Mr. Haveloc. One cannot like every body in the
+world--though I did not say I disliked him."
+
+"The Gages are all handsome," said Mr. Grey, musing. "George called on
+me one day last week. I think it must have been the day you went to the
+Cathedral. He said the ladies were out sight-seeing. I was very glad to
+see him; and I took it kind, his coming to a dull house like this, to
+pay a visit to a poor invalid."
+
+"Kind, indeed!" exclaimed Margaret, her beautiful face all in a glow. "I
+think he ought to feel much pleasure in seeing an old friend again. I
+recollect Mr. Hubert came directly to see you, and he often talks of
+your kindness to him when a boy."
+
+Mr. Grey laughed, and patted her on the head. "Well, you like Hubert the
+best it seems," he said. "But now tell me how you passed your evenings
+when you were alone."
+
+"That was the pleasantest time, Sir. After dinner we went into Bessy's
+sitting-room; and one day, Harriet showed me how to make wreaths and
+trimmings of natural flowers. Bessy had a large basket gathered for us,
+and I wore them that evening; and then, Harriet is so clever, she used
+to give us descriptions of the people who live near Singleton Manor, and
+make us die of laughing. She can talk like the poor people in
+Somersetshire. And then Mr. Hubert used to come in before tea-time, and
+sometimes he would roast chestnuts on the bars of the grate--and we ate
+them, Harriet and I. Bessy could never persuade him to have them done
+by the housekeeper. And after tea, we had always plenty of music, for
+Captain Gage likes music so much. And one evening Mr. Hubert would have
+a twelfth cake, because he had not been at home for so many Twelfth
+Nights; and Bessy was obliged to get one made on purpose at S----. And I
+was the Queen, uncle! Captain Gage drew the King, and would not give it
+up to Mr. Hubert. You should have seen Mr. Gage, uncle. He was obliged
+to join in it all, half against his will; and Harriet laughed at him so
+much for being grand."
+
+"And so you passed a merry time of it;" said Mr. Grey.
+
+"Very, Sir. But I was very glad to drive up the old avenue again, and
+see you and Gessina. Do you know, Sir, Mason said that as soon as
+Gessina heard the carriage she was wild to get down stairs."
+
+"Was she, my love?" said Mr. Grey. There was a pause.
+
+Mr. Grey fell asleep, Margaret caressed her dog, and Mr. Haveloc made a
+sketch of her attitude in the fly-leaf of his book.
+
+At last Margaret looked up.
+
+"Oh! Mr. Haveloc, you have been to Italy. Do you not allow Gessina to be
+a beauty? Blanche Somerton said I ought to have had a white greyhound."
+
+"She is a very pretty creature," said Mr. Haveloc, coming over to her
+side of the fire. "I believe the white ones are more expensive, which is
+quite sufficient to account for some people's preference."
+
+"Oh! I do not care about that. I like this fawn colour. I declare I
+never saw such a beautiful head. Bessy says that the next time I go to
+Chirke Weston, I am to be sure and take her with me."
+
+"Miss Gage is always considerate," said Mr. Haveloc.
+
+"I know you think very highly of her," said Margaret colouring, "because
+you once advised me to consult her; and I think, in that affair, her
+opinion was very like yours."
+
+Mr. Haveloc smiled, and remained silent, watching Margaret, whose
+attitudes rivalled those of her greyhound in beauty.
+
+"Mr. Haveloc," said Margaret, looking up again, and blushing, "what were
+you drawing just now?"
+
+"So, you have some curiosity," he said, smiling.
+
+"Because," she said timidly, "I should not wonder if you were drawing
+Gessina--and--I wish you would show it to me--if you were."
+
+"With pleasure. I will just put a few more touches. You will not be
+satisfied if it is not a very flattering likeness."
+
+"Have you done, Mr. Haveloc?"
+
+"Not quite."
+
+"Will you show it me presently, Mr. Haveloc? Will you show it me now?"
+
+"You do not give me time to do my best," said he, as he handed her a
+sheet of note paper, on which he had just made a pretty little sketch of
+the greyhound.
+
+"Oh, how exactly like! How very pretty! May I keep it, Mr. Haveloc?"
+
+"If you please--I shall be too happy."
+
+"I wish my uncle was awake," said Margaret looking towards him. "I
+should like to show it to him. I wonder if he would know it directly. I
+dare say he would!"
+
+"Not a doubt of it," said Mr. Haveloc, "all Italian greyhounds are
+alike. Any picture of an Italian greyhound would do for your dog. Do you
+wish me to wake Mr. Grey, that he may decide the question?"
+
+"Oh, no! what are you thinking of? People should never be wakened."
+
+"Will you tell me now, why you do not like George Gage?"
+
+"What, have you not forgotten that yet? Well I will tell you one reason.
+Because he stares so much."
+
+Mr. Haveloc laughed. "I really did not think," he said, "that ladies
+resented that offence, so strongly. Fortunately I cannot offend in that
+way, since I am half blind."
+
+"I wish Mr. Gage was near-sighted," said Margaret laughing, "he is quite
+mistaken if he thinks ladies like to be stared at; even Harriet, who
+does not care for many things, told him one evening that it made her
+quite nervous to have him opposite when she was singing, looking into
+her mouth like a dentist."
+
+"And when do you mean to ride out?" said Mr. Haveloc.
+
+"Oh! do you know I had quite forgotten my horse," exclaimed Margaret,
+"Uncle Grey!--There I have waked him at last."
+
+"What is it, my love?" said Mr. Grey looking up.
+
+"Miss Capel is so dismayed at having waked you," said Mr. Haveloc
+laughing.
+
+"Oh! I was not asleep," said Mr. Grey rubbing his eyes, "I have been
+listening to all you have been saying."
+
+Mr. Haveloc and Margaret exchanged smiles.
+
+"Will you let me ride out to-morrow, dear uncle?"
+
+"Yes, my love; you are quite sure of the horse, Claude. If somebody
+would go out first, just to try him; or if you have no engagement
+to-morrow, Claude, perhaps you would go with Margaret and Evans, just to
+see that all is right for the first time. Evans is a very steady man;
+afterwards I could trust him with comfort."
+
+No one could mistake the delight that was visible on Mr. Haveloc's
+countenance at this proposition. He could not have asked to ride out
+with her, but here was a reason--a sufficient cause. "Nothing could give
+him more pleasure," he said, "he begged to know what time would suit
+Miss Capel, that he might be in the way."
+
+Anybody but Mr. Grey would have noticed the impatience with which Mr.
+Haveloc looked forward to this ride: any one else would have been aware
+that it was some strong feeling that could make so ordinary an
+occurrence a matter of so much importance to him.
+
+Margaret never spent the morning in the library with them; and Mr.
+Haveloc settled to nothing; he neither read nor wrote, but wandered
+about the room, sometimes watching the weather, and sometimes glancing
+over the newspaper. But Mr. Grey having provided for Margaret's safety,
+forgot the subject altogether, and spent his time in puzzling over his
+steward's accounts, and cutting the leaves of a new review without
+taking any note of his companion's idleness. And when Margaret did make
+her appearance, looking beautiful with excitement, and he hastened to
+meet her, Mr. Grey followed him to the hall door giving him a string of
+cautions, which any third person could have told him was quite
+unnecessary in the present instance. He was quite eager enough to
+examine the girths and the curb, and to prevent her horse from going too
+fast.
+
+It was a beautiful day; the trees were just out and the young leaves
+trembled in the bright sunshine. There was that peculiar fragrance in
+the air, which results from the opening buds in shrubs and hedges; and
+in some places, the sweet breath of violets seemed to linger on the soft
+wind, mingled with the fresh scent of dewy tufts of moss.
+
+Margaret had no fear, and the paces of her horse were so easy, that she
+felt no fatigue. Mr. Haveloc took the greatest care of her, and exerted
+himself to amuse her so effectually, that she was really sorry when her
+ride was concluded. Whether she would have enjoyed it quite as much with
+the groom, for her sole attendant, is a question that she had no present
+opportunity of solving; for Mr. Haveloc told Mr. Grey that he thought
+her horse went best in company, and that while he remained at Ashdale,
+he was entirely at the service of Miss Capel whenever she chose to ride
+out.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+
+    But who can tell what cause had that fair maid
+    To use him so that loved her so well?
+    Or who with blame can justly her upbraid
+    For loving not? For who can love compel?
+
+    SPENSER.
+
+
+It was customary with Mr. Grey to pass his mornings in the library
+unless some very particular business caused him to take refuge in his
+study. He was fond of desultory reading, and was accomplished in the
+knowledge of several modern languages. Mr. Haveloc usually employed
+himself at the other end of the room, without any reference to Mr.
+Grey's occupations; reading with as much eagerness upon any subject that
+happened to engage his attention, as if he were still a candidate for
+academic honours.
+
+They seldom exchanged a remark during these hours, unless Mr. Grey
+suddenly became alarmed at the steadfastness of his young friend's
+application, when he would favour him with some of those cautions, which
+he was in the habit of addressing to Margaret, regarding the injurious
+effect of too much study.
+
+One morning a letter was brought to Mr. Grey, which he opened and looked
+at with some surprise, glanced at the signature, and exclaimed, "From
+Hubert Gage! How extraordinary! Why could not the silly fellow come and
+say what he wanted, instead of writing it?"
+
+Mr. Haveloc looked up at the unwonted interruption, and seeing Mr. Grey
+reading his letter with many sounds of impatience and vexation, he could
+not avoid "hoping that there was no bad news from Chirke Weston."
+
+"No; not bad news," said Mr. Grey laying down his letter and his
+reading glasses upon it, and leaning back in his chair, as if quite
+tired out: "not exactly bad news."
+
+This remark was, perhaps, rather calculated to excite than to gratify
+his curiosity; but Mr. Haveloc resumed his reading without farther
+inquiry, and Mr. Grey remained for some time in deep thought.
+
+At last Mr. Grey looked up, and turned round to his companion.
+
+"A very strange thing, Claude," said he. "I am sure, as far as I am
+concerned, the most unlooked-for occurrence. Here is Hubert Gage
+proposing for my little niece, Margaret--a mere baby!"
+
+Mr. Haveloc started from his chair, made a step or two towards Mr. Grey,
+and then returned quietly to his seat, and made a great show of finding
+the place in his book again.
+
+"Yes, it is very remarkable," said Mr. Grey, who had interpreted Mr.
+Haveloc's sudden movement into an expression of surprise; "I could
+never have foreseen it. And really, Hubert Gage, a mere boy! Of course
+the connexion is highly honourable, impossible to be better; but at
+their age. Not that anything can be more fair and manly than his letter;
+but if he has Captain Gage's consent to fetter himself by an engagement
+of this kind before he is one and twenty years old--why his father has
+not half the sense I gave him credit for."
+
+Mr. Haveloc was silent.
+
+"Yet poor young fellow," said Mr. Grey, taking up his letter, "if he is
+in love as he says he is, perhaps all this impatience is more natural in
+him than in an older man. And although this love is very often a source
+of great inconvenience, yet we all look back to that period, whether
+successful or not, as to the most spiritual, and the happiest portion of
+our lives. Faith, I will do all I can for him in the business."
+
+"And Miss Capel," said Mr. Haveloc, speaking with effort.
+
+"Oh! for her, poor little girl, I dare say she fancies herself attached
+to him. For I have often remarked, Claude, that when a handsome and
+agreeable young man pays a great deal of attention to an inexperienced
+girl, it generally ends in this way; first impressions are everything.
+And you heard her telling me the other night that Hubert used to roast
+chestnuts for her, and all that sort of thing. I dare say it is all for
+the best."
+
+Mr. Haveloc made no reply. A dark frown settled on his face, and he
+leaned his head on his hands, seeming to be immersed in the folio volume
+that stood on a desk before him.
+
+"If," he thought, "the love of a creature like Margaret can hinge upon
+such wretched trifles, why let it go. If she can love him, why should I
+regret her?"
+
+Yet he felt that all he was worth would be too little to purchase such
+affection as hers would be, where it was freely given.
+
+Both parties were silent for some time. Mr. Grey forgot the presence of
+Mr. Haveloc, so entirely was he engrossed with the subject on his mind;
+and he was employing himself in making a mental estimate of the amount
+of Margaret's and Hubert's property, and the sum he meant to add to it,
+when he heard her voice and step in the drawing-room, half-dancing,
+half-singing, as she came near the library. The sounds ceased as she
+turned the handle of the door, and she entered with the most demure
+expression in the world.
+
+"Uncle Grey, may I have the carriage after luncheon, if you please, to
+go to S--," said she advancing to him, "for I have broken my guitar
+string--this silver one, and I cannot play till I have got another."
+
+"Yes, my love, certainly," said Mr. Grey, drawing her towards him, "are
+you busy now?"
+
+"No; this is the last piece of business I have done," said Margaret
+laughing, and showing him the string, which she was twining round her
+fingers, "a very bad business; you cannot think how it startled me when
+it snapped."
+
+"Have you learned that song which Hubert Gage gave you?" asked Mr. Grey.
+
+"The Neapolitan one? Oh, yes! it is very easy;" said Margaret, singing
+one or two bars in a low tone, "Mr. Hubert thinks himself so fine
+because he can play that air on the guitar. It is the only tune he can
+play."
+
+"Well, my love," said her uncle, "I have had a letter from Hubert Gage
+this morning. You may read it, if you will."
+
+As he spoke, he put the letter into her hands. He entirely forgot that
+Mr. Haveloc was in the room; and even had he recollected it, he would
+have taken it for granted, that sitting at such a distance, and engaged
+in reading so closely, his presence would have been no drawback to the
+conversation he wished to hold with his niece. Margaret, standing with
+her back to him, never perceived him at all; and for Mr. Haveloc, he
+never imagined that Mr. Grey would have done more than give Margaret the
+letter, and recommend her to read it at her leisure. He could not leave
+the room, except by passing Margaret; and he thought the sight of him
+would embarrass her while conversing on such a subject, therefore he
+remained where he was. And an intense curiosity to learn how she would
+receive such tidings, held him, breathless and motionless, until she
+left the room.
+
+Margaret read the letter through attentively, and steadily, the crimson
+deepening every moment all over her face, and then looking up straight
+to her uncle as she returned it, she said:
+
+"I am glad you will have to answer this letter, uncle, instead of me,
+since I have no practice in these matters; and it is unpleasant to be
+obliged to say--no."
+
+"But, my dear child," said Mr. Grey, quite puzzled at receiving a reply
+so totally different to what he had expected, "what objection have you
+in the world to such a fine fellow as Hubert Gage?"
+
+"He does not love me, uncle, that is one objection," said Margaret with
+a slight smile; "and I am sure I do not love him."
+
+"Why, my child," said Mr. Grey, "what, do you suppose can induce a man
+to make you an offer, if he is not in love with you?"
+
+"A great many reasons, uncle. I will not suppose that all the married
+people in the world who are so indifferent, or unhappy, have once loved
+each other. In my case, I can acquit Mr. Hubert of any interested
+motives. It is a passing fancy of his."
+
+"But, my dear--time--you do not know how attached you might become to
+him. You would not like to give pain to the poor young man."
+
+"Uncle," said Margaret, looking steadily into his face. "I must love a
+person a little, before I would suffer pain myself, rather than occasion
+it to him. I would do so for you, or Elizabeth, but not for Mr. Hubert
+Gage, I tell you frankly. If I thought he really loved me, I should be
+grieved and pained at the necessity of wounding his feelings; but, as it
+is, I am only ashamed, that he should have singled me out as the object
+of so trifling, so fleeting a regard."
+
+"But, my dear little girl," persisted Mr. Grey, "what on earth can have
+put it into your head, that he does not love you?"
+
+"Little things, uncle, that it would not be easy to put into words. It
+may seem vain, Sir, but at one time I was afraid he meant to pay me
+particular attention. A very little observation set me at rest on that
+point. I am young, and do not know much; but this is a matter of
+feeling, and not of knowledge. I am old enough to feel that he has made
+a mistake."
+
+"Well, my love," said Mr. Grey, "I do not understand it:" he folded and
+unfolded the letter in his hand for some moments, and at last went on.
+
+"You must reflect a little, my dear. This young man is of good family;
+highly connected, and, in the event of your marrying him, you would find
+yourself in as good a circle of connexions and acquaintances as you
+could possibly desire. He has something, and so have you. I would come
+forward, and I have no doubt his father would come forward; and you
+could be able to keep a carriage, and have every comfort about you."
+
+"I am afraid, uncle," said Margaret, smiling, "that I am not old enough
+to appreciate these advantages."
+
+Her uncle paused again. "He will not be satisfied, my dear, with my
+reply. What do you say to seeing him yourself?"
+
+"I had rather not, uncle," said Margaret blushing still more deeply. "It
+is rather embarrassing--it is not agreeable to discuss this subject,
+even with you, Sir."
+
+"Well, my dear," said Mr. Grey, "we will see about it; but I can tell
+you the young man will not give it up so quietly, if you have not
+another attachment."
+
+"I can understand that such a question concerns him," said Margaret,
+with a faltering in her voice; "and, therefore, if you please, you can
+tell him I am free in that respect; but if I am free, uncle, I need not
+choose a person whom I do not like."
+
+"The idea of not liking Hubert Gage!" said Mr. Grey.
+
+"I do like him, uncle, as an acquaintance, and shall do so, if he does
+not teaze me; but, as a suitor--why, Uncle Grey," said Margaret
+brightening up, "he will forget all about me now, before I forget him,
+though he does profess a regard for me that I cannot return."
+
+"Well, my love," said Mr. Grey, "you shall act exactly as your feelings
+dictate; but it is an awkward business I can tell you, all this
+proposing and rejecting."
+
+"Thank you, dear uncle," said Margaret leaning forward, and kissing him
+on the forehead. "But--I may have the carriage all the same, Sir, may I
+not, to go for my guitar string?"
+
+"Oh! poor Hubert Gage," said Mr. Grey leaning back, as Margaret left the
+room, and looking very much exhausted. "If she can think of her guitar
+string at such a time, I am afraid there is a remarkably small chance
+for the young gentleman."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+
+    But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart,
+    My will to her consent is but a part;
+    An she agree, within her scope of choice
+    Lies my consent and fair according voice.
+
+    SHAKESPEARE.
+
+
+    Which when he heard, he inly touched was
+    With tender ruth for her unworthy griefe;
+    And having cheered her, thus said; Faire Dame
+    In evils, counsell is the comfort chiefe,
+    Which though I be not wise enough to frame,
+    Yet as I well it meane, vouchsafe it without blame.
+
+    SPENSER.
+
+
+As soon as Margaret had closed the door after her, Mr. Haveloc drew a
+long breath, like one relieved from an oppressive state of suspense; and
+remained for a short time in hesitation as to what his next step should
+be. His admiration of Margaret had risen with every word that she had
+spoken; and had he followed the impulse of the moment, he would, more
+than once, have interrupted the even progress of the dialogue by rushing
+forward and throwing himself at her feet. He was delighted, and
+penetrated with the clear judgment, and the beautiful simplicity of
+character which she evinced. He resolved, with all the determination of
+a sufficiently wilful character, that he would spare no exertion to
+obtain her affection; and as a preliminary, which her youth rendered a
+matter of honour and propriety, he determined to demand the sanction of
+her uncle to his addresses, before he could attempt to engage the regard
+of Margaret. But just at this moment, that Mr. Grey had been so annoyed
+by the application of Hubert Gage, he felt a reluctance to enter upon
+the subject. Still there was no time to be lost. Margaret might receive
+another offer any day--it was as well to be early in the field. While he
+was making up his mind to this effect, Mr. Grey turned to the table,
+and searched among the papers heaped in confusion around him, for his
+writing-case, that he might dispatch an answer to Hubert Gage; saying,
+as he took a sheet of paper for that purpose, "I do not know what to
+think--I cannot understand it all. I don't believe the child knows her
+own mind."
+
+"I am sorry to interrupt you, Sir," said Mr. Haveloc, coming hastily
+forward, "still more sorry to demand your attention on my behalf at a
+time when you are engrossed by a disagreeable subject."
+
+"Why it is disagreeable, Claude," said Mr. Grey, looking up and laying
+down his pen, "I never anticipated any objection on her side. Did you,
+now?"
+
+"I never anticipated such a proposal," said Mr. Haveloc, "I imagined
+that every one would have considered, as I did, that Miss Capel was too
+young to receive such addresses."
+
+"So she is," returned Mr. Grey, "but if I say so to Hubert, his answer
+will naturally be that he will wait until she is older; now that is an
+answer that I think would not exactly meet her wishes."
+
+Mr. Haveloc bowed his head.
+
+"And," pursued Mr. Grey, "when there is not a single objection that can
+be urged against a man; it is rather difficult to give him a reason that
+shall dissuade him from continuing his suit."
+
+"There is one reason that should content any man," said Mr. Haveloc,
+"indifference."
+
+"It is the last that does content them, though," said Mr. Grey, taking
+up his pen and looking earnestly at it, "they think it is so easy to
+overcome it. They are a very singular race," said he--speaking of lovers
+as he would of Albinoes, or Cingalese, or other strange beings--"they
+have a great many troublesome peculiarities; sometimes so pertinacious;
+at other times so easily discouraged. And here is a match which, a few
+years hence, would be all I could desire for my niece; and the little
+romantic creature absolutely throws the chance away. Not that I would
+influence her decision one way or other; Heaven forbid. But you were
+going to say something or other, Claude. Have you heard any thing
+further from your tenant at Tynebrook?"
+
+"I was about to trouble you upon a subject far more interesting to
+myself," said Mr. Haveloc, hesitating.
+
+He had never felt so embarrassed in his life. It seemed to him that in
+everything but the mere accident of fortune, Hubert Gage was his
+superior. That he had the advantage in person, in manner, in that gaiety
+of disposition which is so generally attractive and endearing; that his
+character was unimpeached, and that he belonged to a profession which of
+itself would render him an object of interest to an Englishwoman. If
+Margaret had rejected this suitor, how could he expect to make a deeper
+impression on her heart?
+
+It need not be said that this condition of feeling is very rare in the
+nobler sex, and may be accounted for by the want of confidence which is
+said ever to accompany an earnest and engrossing passion.
+
+Mr. Grey looked anxiously at his young friend; awaiting his disclosure
+with much curiosity.
+
+"I feel at this moment," said Mr. Haveloc, endeavouring to speak with
+great composure, and failing signally in the attempt, "so very unworthy
+of the favour I am about to ask you, that it is with a painful sense of
+reluctance I proceed."
+
+"I am sure, Claude, anything in the world that I can do for you," said
+Mr. Grey, growing still more puzzled as he marked Mr. Haveloc's evident
+embarrassment; "only," he added with a smile, "I hope you are not in
+love, because, as you see, in such a case I have no power at all."
+
+"I think, Sir," said Mr. Haveloc quietly, "it would be difficult for any
+one to avoid that weakness, who had the happiness of being long in Miss
+Capel's society. I must confess myself entirely engrossed by the hope
+of one day obtaining her affection; and my present anxiety is to gain
+your sanction to my pursuit."
+
+Mr. Grey's blank, uplifted look of amazement can hardly be expressed. It
+was in vain to expect an immediate answer, for at first he could not
+really comprehend that a second application had been made to him for the
+hand of his niece: but Mr. Haveloc interpreted his silence into a
+reluctance to entrust Margaret to his care. His thoughts reverted
+immediately to his conduct at Florence, and he remained silent, and pale
+with anger and confusion.
+
+After a pause of a few moments, Mr. Grey reached out his hand to him.
+"This gives me great pleasure, Claude," he said. "How it will turn out,
+is another matter. But you have my free consent, if that is of any use.
+But," he continued, interrupting the thanks which his companion was
+beginning to pour out, "I consider this quite a subject for the future.
+There is no hurry."
+
+"Good Heaven, Sir, no hurry!" said Mr. Haveloc, "when every one that
+sees Miss Capel--"
+
+"My dear Claude," said Mr. Grey smiling, "I am likely to be a little
+partial to my own niece; but I see plainly how it is. With Hubert
+Gage--poor fellow, I am very sorry for him--she was the first pretty
+girl he saw on his return; and sailors are proverbial for falling in
+love, and out of it, fortunately. There is no danger that she should be
+more sought in general society than other girls of her age and fortune.
+In a year's time you will find her just where you left her, depend upon
+it."
+
+"And am I to leave her now, Sir, in all this uncertainty," exclaimed Mr.
+Haveloc, "and for a year. Good Heaven! Was there ever such a probation
+demanded of any one? A year, Sir! In half that time, I may learn she is
+married to some one else."
+
+"My good friend, your imagination is now rather active," said Mr. Grey.
+"No. I do not bid you leave her until, whether soon or late, you have
+ascertained that she returns your regard, or that you become convinced
+that you cannot obtain it. Then it is my wish that you separate for a
+year; and if before that time has expired," he continued with a smile,
+"she is married to some one else, you will be willing to confess,
+Claude, that your loss has not been very great."
+
+"Good Heaven!" exclaimed Mr. Haveloc again, gazing vacantly forward, as
+if a year was a period without any known termination.
+
+"Such is my wish, Claude," said Mr. Grey, "you are neither of you common
+characters; if you were, I might hasten the matter for fear either of
+you should change your minds, and so ensure to my niece a large property
+without the least apprehension for her future peace. But although the
+world rubs off all that is true and beautiful from most characters, it
+would take a great deal of such collision to destroy the simplicity of
+her disposition; therefore, I wish that she should have the opportunity
+which a frequent intercourse with society gives, to make a selection, as
+freely as if you had not a hundred pounds in the world. Let her
+acceptance of you be a choice in the true acceptation of the word, a
+distinction of you from other people. And I have the same feeling with
+regard to yourself. You may not be altogether satisfied that you have
+obtained a beautiful child; you may feel, after a time, that you require
+the companionship of a more mature mind. It is, therefore, absolutely
+necessary that you should try if the impression will stand the test of
+absence."
+
+"Impossible, Sir!" exclaimed Mr. Haveloc; "of all torments in the world,
+to put off--to forego--the uncertainty--you do not consider."
+
+"I think, Claude," said Mr. Grey, looking at his breathless companion
+with a quiet smile, "that I consider this subject a little more
+leisurely than you do at this moment."
+
+"I endeavour to regard the subject with all calmness," said Mr. Haveloc,
+trembling with impatience; "but I cannot make out the necessity for my
+undergoing so long an interval of misery as you would assign to me.
+Pardon me, but I cannot think you a competent judge of Miss Capel's
+perfections."
+
+"Much obliged," said Mr. Grey, quietly.
+
+"You are under no suspense," continued Mr. Haveloc. "No one can break
+the tie which subsists between you and your niece; and therefore you do
+not view her with the trembling admiration of one who fears to risk
+everything in the parting from her."
+
+"She is a very nice little girl," said Mr. Grey, "I see that plainly
+enough."
+
+"I feel myself very inadequate to pronounce an eulogy upon her exquisite
+beauty, either of person or mind," said Mr. Haveloc, colouring deeply
+with indignation at the phrase, 'A nice little girl.' "But no one living
+rates these perfections higher than I do. And I must confess my extreme
+reluctance to leave them unguarded to any man who chooses to enter for
+the prize: any common fellow, who without sincerity and without
+tenderness, desires to possess what all must covet."
+
+"Ought you not," said Mr. Grey who seemed quietly to enjoy the
+discussion, "ought you not to ascribe to your mistress a little
+discrimination among all her perfections?"
+
+"By no means," said Mr. Haveloc, "it is no merit in a woman."
+
+And here he spoke perfect truth; for of all qualities, it is the one
+which men dislike most bitterly in the fair sex. It is just possible
+that the greater number of them imagine that they should fare but badly
+in the opinion of women if they were not able to deceive them readily.
+
+"Just put the fire together a little, Claude," said Mr. Grey, "I do not
+find that this talking is warm work."
+
+Mr. Haveloc did as he was desired.
+
+"Well now, I suppose you are contented," said Mr. Grey. "If you will
+ring for a taper, I will write this letter; it is growing very dark. I
+wonder what o'clock it is in the name of goodness?"
+
+"I am not contented, Sir, by any means," said Mr. Haveloc ringing the
+bell; "but it is nearly seven, and you will not be able to write till
+after dinner."
+
+"Bless me, and I am not dressed," said Mr. Grey, who in all his solitude
+never omitted that ceremony.
+
+"Nor I, Sir," said Mr. Haveloc.
+
+"You a lover," said Mr. Grey laughing. "Why, even Benedict brushed his
+hat o' mornings."
+
+"If you would spare me another minute," said Mr. Haveloc.
+
+"I am sure, Claude," said Mr. Grey, "I have given you reasons enough. It
+is not my fault if you will not apply them."
+
+"They are very excellent," said Mr. Haveloc; "but certainly an absence
+of six months would answer every purpose."
+
+"Or three months," said Mr. Grey.
+
+"Undoubtedly, Sir."
+
+"Six weeks, perhaps."
+
+"Any separation whatever, Sir. I need no trial. I can undergo no change;
+and you may imagine it is not a very agreeable prospect to me that Miss
+Capel is to be taken into society during my absence, and invited to
+select some one whom she may like better than myself."
+
+"Well--well," said Mr. Grey, "you will see the advantage of it one day
+or other. And now I have no more time to spare; my man will think me
+dead as it is. Seven o'clock, I declare. Well, thank Heaven, these
+things do not happen every day!"
+
+"Hello! a cabinet council!" exclaimed the well known voice of Mr.
+Casement; "let's make it a Council of Three. What is it all about? What
+not dressed, old gentleman? Then there's something in the wind, as sure
+as my name is Roger Casement. You had better tell me, for I shall be
+sure to find it out. Has this young fellow been proposing for Miss
+Peggy?"
+
+Mr. Haveloc flung himself out of the room in great disdain; and Mr. Grey
+taking up his candlestick, said "that he was really in a hurry, and that
+Mr. Casement would no doubt find his niece in the drawing-room."
+
+Margaret was there, ready dressed, and in some wonder that her very
+punctual uncle had not yet appeared.
+
+Mr. Casement entered, took his usual place on the hearth-rug, and nodded
+to Margaret, who returned his salutation in silence.
+
+"What's the matter, little woman--been crying?" asked Mr. Casement.
+
+"No, Sir," returned Margaret in some surprise.
+
+"What have they been doing all the afternoon, in there--uncle and the
+young fellow. Eh?"
+
+"I dare say they have been reading, Sir," said Margaret, "my uncle was
+alone when I last saw him."
+
+"Reading--bah!" said Mr. Casement; "I say, it is my belief that the
+young fellow is going to be married; eh?" And Mr. Casement stirred the
+fire, and watched her countenance by the blaze.
+
+"It may be, Sir," said Margaret, with a quiet smile. "I am not in the
+secret."
+
+"My old woman has got the rheumatism, so I am come to dine here," said
+Mr. Casement.
+
+Margaret said she was sorry Mrs. Casement was suffering, and then there
+was a pause. Margaret played with her greyhound, and Mr. Casement
+whistled softly, and very much out of tune.
+
+Mr. Haveloc was the first to make his appearance, he came up in a quiet
+serious manner to Margaret; apologized for being late, and said, that he
+had also to answer for Mr. Grey's delay, since he had detained him in
+the library talking of his affairs.
+
+"I should not wonder if he had been gambling," said Mr. Casement in a
+soliloquy.
+
+Mr. Haveloc never vouchsafed an answer to Mr. Casement's flattering
+remarks. He drew a chair near Margaret, and began to converse with her.
+
+"What is he talking about, little woman?" asked Mr. Casement, after they
+had exchanged a few sentences in rather a low tone.
+
+"Nothing, Sir," returned Margaret hastily.
+
+"Faith! you are about right there," said Mr. Casement; "_nothing_ is
+pretty much the amount of all the young fellows' speeches now a'days."
+
+Mr. Haveloc started from his chair, and began to walk up and down the
+room. Mr. Casement followed his movements with a look of quiet
+satisfaction. He was never more entirely happy than when he had
+exasperated any one. As soon as tea was over, Mr. Grey said that he had
+a letter to write, which he could not put off, and that Mr. Casement
+must excuse him for half an hour.
+
+"Some of your business, I suppose, Master Claude;" said that amiable
+gentleman nodding his head in the direction of the library.
+
+"I write my own letters of business," said Mr. Haveloc shortly.
+
+"What is come to you all I can't think," pursued Mr. Casement. "But I'll
+worm it out of Master Grey, that's my comfort. And what are you about
+little woman? Why don't you give us some music?"
+
+"I am working a bag, Sir," said Margaret rising and laying it down "but
+I will play if you wish it."
+
+"Do," said Mr. Casement, taking up the bag and examining it. "Mercy, how
+smart! Who is this for--eh?"
+
+"For Miss Gage," said Margaret with a faultering voice; and as she
+spoke, she pressed her hand on her side, and sat down suddenly.
+
+Mr. Haveloc, who was standing at the piano arranging her books, now
+hurried up to her.
+
+"I am afraid you are ill," he said, "do not think of playing. You are
+quite unequal to the exertion. Do you find the room too hot?"
+
+"It is hot," said Margaret, who seemed on the verge of bursting into
+tears. "I think, I will go to my uncle, or, perhaps, I shall interrupt
+him. I--"
+
+"Poor little soul, she has no mother!" said Mr. Casement, whose sagacity
+had discerned that something unusual occupied the minds of the party;
+and whose coarse nature was not so destitute of feeling, but that he saw
+how distressing must be the situation of a young girl, at any important
+crisis of her life, without the guidance of an experienced female
+friend.
+
+This remark which Mr. Haveloc feared would entirely destroy her
+composure, had a contrary effect. After a struggle of a few moments,
+she forced back her tears, and rose quietly up.
+
+"I cannot play to you to-night," said she to Mr. Casement with a smile,
+"for I have a head-ache, and I am afraid my hand would not be very
+steady. Perhaps, Mr. Haveloc, you will be so kind as to wish my uncle
+good night for me."
+
+She bowed her head, and was about to leave the room, but Mr. Haveloc
+hastened after her.
+
+"Let me beg you not to leave us," he said, "if you take a few turns in
+the conservatory where the air is cooler you will find yourself better."
+
+He led her as he spoke into the conservatory, which opened from the
+drawing-room; and Margaret finding it easier to say nothing, than to
+trust her voice with a reply, suffered him to do as he pleased. He drew
+her hand through his arm, and led her slowly up and down.
+
+"You must permit me to prescribe for you," said he gently, "for I think
+if there is anything that vexes you, you will feel less depressed in
+company than if you were to go up stairs and sit alone in your own room.
+For you have no companion--no--"
+
+"No mother;" said Margaret, looking up into his face, with an expression
+of quiet sorrow that nearly upset all his plans; for had he then said
+all that he felt and hoped, he might have set out upon his travels the
+next morning.
+
+"Are these your azalias?" said he, stopping before one of the stands,
+"they look very gay. Do you remember when you asked Mr. Grey for them;
+the first evening I came."
+
+"Oh! do you recollect that, Mr. Haveloc!" said Margaret.
+
+"I remember every particular of those few minutes you chose not to speak
+to me."
+
+"Oh, Mr. Haveloc, you did not speak to _me_!" said Margaret, smiling,
+"and, of course, strangers could not have any thing to say to each
+other."
+
+"Have you read the book upon Etruria?" said Mr. Haveloc.
+
+"Yes--long ago."
+
+"And you were interested by it?"
+
+"Oh! very much. It seems to me so strange that people should almost have
+forgotten the existence of such a nation, until lately; when these
+discoveries were made."
+
+"Have you seen any account of the ruined cities in Central America?"
+
+"No; what cities? Who built them?"
+
+"There seems to be some doubt on that subject; but it is generally
+believed that these are the cities of the Mexicans which were actually
+depopulated by the Spaniards; and which now lie, temples, altars, and
+palaces, overrun with vegetation, and buried in forests."
+
+"And are they in any state of preservation?"
+
+"Almost as they were left by their owners; buildings of vast extent and
+elaborate workmanship. The work which has lately come out on this
+subject, is crowded with drawings, which give a perfect idea of these
+remains."
+
+"I should like to see that book;" said Margaret.
+
+"I shall have great pleasure in showing it to you. I have just been
+reading it," said Mr. Haveloc.
+
+"And these Mexicans were then as civilized a people as the Etruscans?"
+
+"More luxurious; but perhaps less artistical. There is a great deal of
+elegance in the Etruscan decorations."
+
+"That is true. What a number of new things I have to learn. I did not
+know that any traces of those cities remained; and I believed there was
+a great deal of fiction in the accounts of the Spaniards."
+
+"So did Robertson. He had been assured that there were no ruins in that
+part of the world; and the accounts of the Spanish invaders were too
+magnificent to be believed without some confirmation."
+
+"And who wrote this work?"
+
+"An American named Stevens, who had displayed a great deal of enterprise
+and research. A singular occupation for one of that nation, for it was
+not a very likely means of earning dollars."
+
+"Oh! there is a little prejudice in that remark, Mr. Haveloc," said
+Margaret. "Perhaps _all_ Americans do not love money better than
+anything in the world."
+
+"I will attend to all the good advice you give me;" said Mr. Haveloc,
+smiling, "you warn me, in the present instance, not to indulge in
+national prejudices."
+
+"Ah! you may well stare at finding me alone," said Mr. Casement; "the
+young ones--philandering in the green-house yonder."
+
+"Oh! I forgot Mr. Casement," said Margaret, blushing.
+
+"So did I, utterly," returned Mr. Haveloc, as he led Margaret back to
+the drawing-room.
+
+Now Margaret's emotion had arisen from the idea which suddenly occurred
+to her, that Miss Gage might withdraw her friendship from her, on
+account of her rejection of Hubert Gage. But she found that she had
+greatly undervalued the calm and judicious mind of Elizabeth in
+attributing to her an injustice, which, however natural, no
+dispassionate person could consider reasonable.
+
+She called on Margaret the next day, and the first words she spoke were,
+to assure her that she was not come to plead her brother's cause; but to
+insist that what had passed, should prove no interruption to their
+friendship. Most gladly did Margaret, with many tears, give her this
+promise.
+
+Elizabeth was too considerate to question her upon the cause of her
+rejection; but Margaret was glad to talk the matter over with her--to
+hope, and to be assured that she had done nothing wrong throughout the
+business.
+
+Elizabeth could not charge Margaret with having ever given Hubert any
+more encouragement than circumstances had almost demanded: but to
+Margaret's repeated declarations, that Hubert felt no real attachment to
+her--though she smiled--she shook her head. She knew, that occasionally,
+a great deal of strong feeling exists beneath a gay and careless
+temperament. But she said, that her father was exerting himself to get
+Hubert a ship, and as soon as he was afloat again, she hoped that
+Margaret would be as much at Chirke Weston as before.
+
+This conversation, which Margaret, full of joy and gratitude, repeated
+to Mr. Grey, was by him very speedily retailed to Mr. Haveloc; which
+relieved him of some apprehensions, that Margaret's agitation on the
+preceding evening had caused him, namely, that she had begun to repent
+the decision she had given her uncle on the subject of Hubert Gage.
+
+This interview removed from Margaret, the only source of regret, which
+remained to her on that subject. Her uncle was all kindness, and never
+referred to her decision; and to crown her content, Mr. Casement, about
+this time followed the example of his "old woman," and was laid up for
+several weeks with an attack of rheumatism.
+
+
+END OF VOL. I.
+
+
+                                  LONDON:
+                Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street.
+
+
+Transcriber's Note: The oe ligature is shown as [oe]. A few printer's
+errors have been amended. Countetenance is now countenance, Magaret is
+now Margaret, converstion is now conversation, Harrier is now Harriet
+and regreted is now regretted. The punctuation is as it was printed in
+the original publication.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Margaret Capel, v. 1 of 3, by Ellen Wallace
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40006 ***