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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5700-0.txt b/5700-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9d88ba6 --- /dev/null +++ b/5700-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12086 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Love and Life, by Charlotte M. Yonge + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Love and Life + +Author: Charlotte M. Yonge + +Release Date: May, 2004 [EBook #5700] +Posting Date: April 15, 2009 +Last Updated: October 12, 2016 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOVE AND LIFE *** + + + + +Produced by Doug Levy + + + + + +LOVE AND LIFE + +An Old Story in Eighteenth Century Costume + + +By Charlotte M. Yonge + + + +Transcriber’s note: There are numerous examples throughout this text +of words appearing in alternate spellings: madame/madam, practise/ +practice, Ladyship/ladyship, &c. We can only wonder what the publisher +had in mind. I have left them unchanged.--D.L. + + + + +PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. + + +The first edition of this tale was put forth without explaining the +old fable on which it was founded--a fable recurring again and again in +fairy myths, though not traceable in the classic world till a very late +period, when it appeared among the tales of Apuleius, of the province +of Africa, sometimes called the earliest novelist. There are, however, +fragments of the same story in the popular tales of all countries, so +that it is probable that Apuleius availed himself of an early form of +one of these. They are to be found from India to Scandinavia, adapted to +the manners and fancy of every country in turn, _Beauty and the Beast_ +and the _Black Bull of Norroway_ are the most familiar forms of the +tale, and it seemed to me one of those legends of such universal +property that it was quite fair to put it into 18th century English +costume. + +Some have seen in it a remnant of the custom of some barbarous tribes, +that the wife should not behold her husband for a year after marriage, +and to this the Indian versions lend themselves; but Apuleius himself +either found it, or adapted it to the idea of the Soul (the Life) +awakened by Love, grasping too soon and impatiently, then losing it, +and, unable to rest, struggling on through severe toils and labours till +her hopes are crowned even at the gates of death. Psyche, the soul or +life, whose emblem is the butterfly, thus even in heathen philosophy +strained towards the higher Love, just glimpsed at for a while. + +Christians gave a higher meaning to the fable, and saw in it the Soul, +or the Church, to whom her Bridegroom has been for a while made known, +striving after Him through many trials, to be made one with Him after +passing through Death. The Spanish poet Calderon made it the theme of +two sacred dramas, in which the lesson of Faith, not Sight, was taught, +with special reference to the Holy Eucharist. + +English poetry has, however, only taken up its simple classical aspect. +In the early part of the century, Mrs. Tighe wrote a poem in Spenserian +stanza, called _Psyche_, which was much admired at the time; and Mr. +Morris has more lately sung the story in his _Earthly Paradise_. This +must be my excuse for supposing the outline of the tale to be familiar +to most readers. + +The fable is briefly thus:-- + +Venus was jealous of the beauty of a maiden named Psyche, the youngest +of three daughters of a king. She sent misery on the land and family, +and caused an oracle to declare that the only remedy was to deck his +youngest daughter as a bride, and leave her in a lonely place to become +the prey of a monster. Cupid was commissioned by his mother to destroy +her. He is here represented not as a child, but as a youth, who on +seeing Psyche’s charms, became enamoured of her, and resolved to save +her from his mother and make her his own. He therefore caused Zephyr to +transport her to a palace where everything delightful and valuable was +at her service, feasts spread, music playing, all her wishes fulfilled, +but all by invisible hands. At night in the dark, she was conscious of +a presence who called himself her husband, showed the fondest affection +for her, and promised her all sorts of glory and bliss, if she would be +patient and obedient for a time. + +This lasted till yearnings awoke to see her family. She obtained consent +with much difficulty and many warnings. Then the splendour in which she +lived excited the jealousy of her sisters, and they persuaded her that +her visitor was really the monster who would deceive her and devour her. +They thus induced her to accept a lamp with which to gaze on him when +asleep. She obeyed them, then beholding the exquisite beauty of the +sleeping god of love, she hung over him in rapture till a drop of the +hot oil fell on his shoulder and awoke him. He sprang up, sorrowfully +reproached her with having ruined herself and him, and flew away, +letting her fall as she clung to him. + +The palace was broken up, the wrath of Venus pursued her; Ceres and all +the other deities chased her from their temples; even when she would +have drowned herself, the river god took her in his arms, and laid her +on the bank. Only Pan had pity on her, and counselled her to submit to +Venus, and do her bidding implicitly as the only hope of regaining her +lost husband. + +Venus spurned her at first, and then made her a slave, setting her first +to sort a huge heap of every kind of grain in a single day. The ants, +secretly commanded by Cupid, did this for her. Next, she was to get +a lock of golden wool from a ram feeding in a valley closed in by +inaccessible rocks; but this was procured for her by an eagle; and +lastly, Venus, declaring that her own beauty had been impaired by +attendance on her injured son, commanded Psyche to visit the Infernal +Regions and obtain from Proserpine a closed box of cosmetic which was on +no account to be opened. Psyche thought death alone could bring her to +these realms, and was about to throw herself from a tower, when a voice +instructed her how to enter a cavern, and propitiate Cerberus with cakes +after the approved fashion. + +She thus reached Proserpine’s throne, and obtained the casket, but when +she had again reached the earth, she reflected that if Venus’s beauty +were impaired by anxiety, her own must have suffered far more; and +the prohibition having of course been only intended to stimulate her +curiosity, she opened the casket, out of which came the baneful fumes of +Death! Just, however, as she fell down overpowered, her husband, who had +been shut up by Venus, came to the rescue, and finding himself unable +to restore her, cried aloud to Jupiter, who heard his prayer, reanimated +Psyche, and gave her a place among the gods. + + +CHAPTERS. + + + I. A SYLLABUB PARTY. + II. THE HOUSE OF DELAVIE. + III. AMONG THE COWSLIPS. + IV. MY LADY’S MISSIVE. + V. THE SUMMONS. + VI. DISAPPOINTED LOVE. + VII. ALL ALONE. + VIII. THE ENCHANTED CASTLE. + IX. THE TRIAD. + X. THE DARK CHAMBER. + XI. A VOICE FROM THE GRAVE. + XII. THE SHAFTS OF PHOEBE. + XIII. THE FLUTTER OF HIS WINGS. + XIV. THE CANON OF WINDSOR. + XV. THE QUEEN OF BEAUTY. + XVI. AUGURIES. + XVII. THE VICTIM DEMANDED. + XVIII. THE PROPOSAL. + XIX. WOOING IN THE DARK. + XX. THE MUFFLED BRIDEGROOM. + XXI. THE SISTER’S MEETING + XXII. A FATAL SPARK. + XXIII. WRATH AND DESOLATION. + XXIV. THE WANDERER. + XXV. VANISHED. + XXVI. THE TRACES. + XXVII. CYTHEREA’S BOWER. + XXVIII. THE ROUT. + XXIX. A BLACK BLONDEL. + XXX. THE FIRST TASK. + XXXI. THE SECOND TASK. + XXXII. LIONS. + XXXIII. THE COSMETIC. + XXXIV. DOWN THE RIVER. + XXXV. THE RETURN. + XXXVI. WAKING. + XXXVII. MAKING THE BEST OF IT. + + + + +LOVE AND LIFE. + + + +CHAPTER I. A SYLLABUB PARTY. + + + Oft had I shadowed such a group + Of beauties that were born + In teacup times of hood and hoop, + And when the patch was worn; + And legs and arms with love-knots gay. + About me leaped and laughed + The modish Cupid of the day, + And shrilled his tinselled shaft.--Tennyson. + + +If times differ, human nature and national character vary but little; +and thus, in looking back on former times, we are by turns startled +by what is curiously like, and curiously unlike, our own sayings and +doings. + +The feelings of a retired officer of the nineteenth century expecting +the return of his daughters from the first gaiety of the youngest +darling, are probably not dissimilar to those of Major Delavie, in the +earlier half of the seventeen hundreds, as he sat in the deep bay window +of his bed-room; though he wore a green velvet nightcap; and his whole +provision of mental food consisted of half a dozen worn numbers of the +_Tatler_, and a _Gazette_ a fortnight old. The chair on which he sat was +elbowed, and made easy with cushions and pillows, but that on which +his lame foot rested was stiff and angular. The cushion was exquisitely +worked in chain-stich, as were the quilt and curtains of the great +four-post bed, and the only carpeting consisted of three or four narrow +strips of wool-work. The walls were plain plaster, white-washed, and +wholly undecorated, except that the mantelpiece was carved with the +hideous caryatides of the early Stewart days, and over it were suspended +a long cavalry sabre, and the accompanying spurs and pistols; above them +the miniature of an exquisitely lovely woman, with a white rose in her +hair and a white favour on her breast. + +The window was a deep one projecting far into the narrow garden below, +for in truth the place was one of those old manor houses which their +wealthy owners were fast deserting in favour of new specimens of +classical architecture as understood by Louis XIV., and the room in +which the Major sat was one of the few kept in habitable repair. The +garden was rich with white pinks, peonies, lilies of the valley, and +early roses, and there was a flagged path down the centre, between the +front door and a wicket-gate into a long lane bordered with hawthorn +hedges, the blossoms beginning to blush with the advance of the season. +Beyond, rose dimly the spires and towers of a cathedral town, one of +those county capitals to which the provincial magnates were wont to +resort during the winter, keeping a mansion there for the purpose, and +providing entertainment for the gentry of the place and neighbourhood. + +Twilight was setting in when the Major began to catch glimpses of the +laced hats of coachman and footmen over the hedges, a lumbering made +itself heard, and by and by the vehicle halted at the gate. Such +a coach! It was only the second best, and the glories of its +landscape--painted sides were somewhat dimmed, the green and silver of +the fittings a little tarnished to a critical eye; yet it was a splendid +article, commodious and capacious, though ill-provided with air and +light. However, nobody cared for stuffiness, certainly not the three +young ladies, who, fan in hand, came tripping down the steps that +were unrolled for them. The eldest paused to administer a fee to their +entertainer’s servants who had brought them home, and the coach rolled +on to dispose of the remainder of the freight. + +The father waved greetings from one window, a rosy little audacious +figure in a night-dress peeped out furtively from another, and the +house-door was opened by a tall old soldier-servant, stiff as a ramrod, +with hair tightly tied and plastered up into a queue, and a blue and +brown livery which sat like a uniform. + +“Well, young ladies,” he said, “I hope you enjoyed yourselves.” + +“Vastly, thank you, Corporal Palmer. And how has it been with my father +in our absence?” + +“Purely, Miss Harriet. He relished the Friar’s chicken that Miss Delavie +left for him, and he amused himself for an hour with Master Eugene, +after which he did me the honour to play two plays at backgammon.” + +“I hope,” said the eldest sister, coming up, “that the little rogue whom +I saw peeping from the window has not been troublesome.” + +“He has been as good as gold, madam. He played in master’s room till +Nannerl called him to his bed, when he went at once, ‘true to his +orders,’ says the master. ‘A fine soldier he will make,’ says I to my +master.” + +Therewith the sisters mounted the uncarpeted but well-polished oak +stair, knocked at the father’s door, and entered one by one, each +dropping her curtsey, and, though the eldest was five-and-twenty, +neither speaking nor sitting till they were greeted with a hearty, +“Come, my young maids, sit you down and tell your old father your gay +doings.” + +The eldest took the only unoccupied chair, while the other two placed +themselves on the window-seat, all bolt upright, with both little high +heels on the floor, in none of the easy attitudes of damsels of later +date, talking over a party. All three were complete gentlewomen in air +and manners, though Betty had high cheek-bones, a large nose, rough +complexion, and red hair, and her countenance was more loveable and +trustworthy than symmetrical. The dainty decorations of youth looked +grotesque upon her, and she was so well aware of the fact as to put on +no more than was absolutely essential to a lady of birth and breeding. +Harriet (pronounced Hawyot), the next in age, had a small well-set head, +a pretty neck, and fine dark eyes, but the small-pox had made havoc +of her bloom, and left its traces on cheek and brow. The wreck of her +beauty had given her a discontented, fretful expression, which rendered +her far less pleasing than honest, homely Betty, though she employed +all the devices of the toilette to conceal the ravages of the malady and +enhance her remaining advantages of shape and carriage. + +There was an air of vexation about her as her father asked, “Well, how +many conquests has my little Aurelia made?” She could not but recollect +how triumphantly she had listened to the same inquiry after her own +first appearance, scarcely three short years ago. Yet she grudged +nothing to Aurelia, her junior by five years, who was for the first +time arrayed as a full-grown belle, in a pale blue, tight-sleeved, +long-waisted silk, open and looped up over a primrose skirt, embroidered +by her own hands with tiny blue butterflies hovering over harebells. +There were blue silk shoes, likewise home-made, with silver buckles, and +the long mittens and deep lace ruffles were of Betty’s fabrication. +Even the dress itself had been cut by Harriet from old wedding hoards +of their mother’s, and made up after the last mode imported by Madam +Churchill at the Deanery. + +The only part of the equipment not of domestic handiwork was the +structure on the head. The Carminster hairdresser had been making his +rounds since daylight, taking his most distinguished customers last; and +as the Misses Delavie were not high on the roll, Harriet and Aurelia had +been under his hands at nine A.M. From that time till three, when the +coach called for them, they had sat captive on low stools under a tent +of table-cloth over tall chair-backs to keep the dust out of the frosted +edifice constructed out of their rich dark hair, of the peculiar tint +then called mouse-colour. Betty had refused to submit to this durance. +“What sort of dinner would be on my father’s table-cloth if I were to +sit under one all day?” said she in answer to Harriet’s representation +of the fitness of things. “La, my dear, what matters it what an old +scarecrow like me puts on?” + +Old maidenhood set in much earlier in those days than at present; the +sisters acquiesced, and Betty had run about as usual all the morning in +her mob-cap, and chintz gown tucked through her pocket-holes, and only +at the last submitted her head to the manipulations of Corporal Palmer, +who daily powdered his master’s wig. + +Strange and unnatural as was the whitening of the hair, it was effective +in enhancing the beauty of Aurelia’s dark arched brows, the soft +brilliance of her large velvety brown eyes, and the exquisite carnation +and white of her colouring. Her features were delicately chiselled, and +her face had that peculiar fresh, innocent, soft, untouched bloom and +undisturbed repose which form the special charm and glory of the first +dawn of womanhood. Her little head was well poised on a slender neck, +just now curving a little to one side with the fatigue of the hours +during which it had sustained her headgear. This consisted of a +tiny flat hat, fastened on by long pins, and adorned by a cluster of +campanulas like those on her dress, with a similar blue butterfly on an +invisible wire above them, the dainty handiwork of Harriet. + +The inquiry about conquests was a matter of course after a young lady’s +first party, but Aurelia looked too childish for it, and Betty made +haste to reply. + +“Aurelia was a very good girl. No one could have curtsied or bridled +more prettily when we paid our respects to my Lady Herries and Mrs. +Churchill, and the Dean highly commended her dancing.” + +“You danced? Fine doings! I thought you were merely invited to look on +at the game at bowls. Who had the best of the match?” + +“The first game was won by Canon Boltby, the second by the Dean,” said +Betty; “but when they would have played the conqueror, Lady Herries +interfered and said the gentlemen had kept the field long enough, and +now it was our turn. So a cow was driven on the bowling-green, with a +bell round her neck and pink ribbons on her horns.” + +“A cow! What will they have next?” + +“They say ‘tis all the mode in London,” interposed Harriet. + +“Pray was the cow to instruct you in dancing?” continued the Major. + +“No, sir,” said Aurelia, whom he had addressed; “she was to be milked +into the bowl of syllabub.” + +This was received with a great “Ho! ho!” and a demand who was to act as +milker. + +“That was the best of it,” said Aurelia. “Soon came Miss Herries in +a straw hat, and the prettiest green petticoat under a white gown and +apron, as a dairy-maid, but the cow would not stand still, for all the +man who led her kept scolding her and saying ‘Coop! coop!’ No sooner had +Miss Herries seated herself on the stool than Moolly swerved away, and +it was a mercy that the fine china bowl escaped. Every one was laughing, +and poor Miss Herries was ready to cry, when forth steps my sister, +coaxes the cow, bids the man lend his apron, sits down on the stool, and +has the bowl frothing in a moment.” + +“I would not have done so for worlds,” said Harriet; “I dreaded every +moment to be asked where Miss Delavie learnt to be a milk-maid.” + +“You were welcome to reply, in her own yard,” said Betty. “You may thank +me for your syllabub.” + +“Which, after all, you forbade poor Aura to taste!” + +“Assuredly. I was not going to have her turn sick on my hands. She may +think herself beholden to me for her dance with that fine young beau. +Who was he, Aura?” + +“How now!” said the Major, in a tone of banter, while Harriet indulged +in a suppressed giggle. “You let Aura dance with a stranger! Where was +your circumspection, Mrs. Betty?” Aurelia coloured to the roots of her +hair and faltered, “It was Lady Herries who presented him.” + +“Yes, the child is not to blame,” said Betty; “I left her in charge +of Mrs. Churchill while I went to wash my hands after milking the cow, +which these fine folk seemed to suppose could be done without soiling a +finger.” + +“That’s the way with Chloe and Phyllida in Arcadia,” said her father. + +“But not here,” said Betty. “In the house, I was detained a little +while, for the housekeeper wanted me to explain my recipe for taking out +the grease spots.” + +“A little while, sister?” said Harriet. “It was through the dancing of +three minuets, and the country dance had long been begun.” + +“I was too busy to heed the time,” said Betty, “for I obtained the +recipe for those delicious almond-cakes, and showed Mrs. Waldron the +Vienna mode of clearing coffee. When I came back the fiddles were +playing, and Aurelia going down the middle with a young gentleman in a +scarlet coat. Poor little Robert Rowe was too bashful to find a partner, +though he longed to dance; so I made another couple with him, and thus +missed further speech, save that as we took our leave, both Sir George +and the Dean complimented me, and said what there is no occasion to +repeat just now, sir, when I ought to be fetching your supper.” + +“Ha! Is it too flattering for little Aura?” asked her father. “Come, +never spare. She will hear worse than that in her day, I’ll warrant.” + +“It was merely,” said Betty, reluctantly, “that the Dean called her the +star of the evening, and declared that her dancing equalled her face.” + +“Well said of his reverence! And his honour the baronet, what said he?” + +“He said, sir, that so comely and debonnaire a couple had not been seen +in these parts since you came home from Flanders and led off the assize +ball with Mistress Urania Delavie.” + +“There, Aura, ‘tis my turn to blush!” cried the Major, comically hiding +his face behind Betty’s fan. “But all this time you have never told me +who was this young spark.” + +“That I cannot tell, sir,” returned Betty. “We were sent home in +the coach with Mistress Duckworth and her daughters, who talked so +incessantly that we could not open our lips. Who was he, Aura?” + +“My Lady Herries only presented him as Sir Amyas, sister,” replied +Aurelia. + +“Sir Amyas!” cried her auditors, all together. + +“Nothing more,” said Aurelia. “Indeed she made as though he and I must +be acquainted, and I suppose that she took me for Harriet, but I knew +not how to explain.” + +“No doubt,” said Harriet. “I was sick of the music and folly, and had +retired to the summerhouse with Peggy Duckworth, who had brought a sweet +sonnet of Mr. Ambrose Phillips, ‘Defying Cupid.’” + +Her father burst into a chuckling laugh, much to her mortification, +though she would not seem to understand it, and Betty took up the moral. + +“Sir Amyas! Are you positive that you caught the name, child?” + +“I thought so, sister,” said Aurelia, with the insecurity produced by +such cross-questioning; “but I may have been mistaken, since, of course, +the true Sir Amyas Belamour would never be here without my father’s +knowledge.” + +“Nor is there any other of the name,” said her father, “except that +melancholic uncle of his who never leaves his dark chamber.” + +“Depend upon it,” said Harriet, “Lady Herries said Sir Ambrose. No doubt +it was Sir Ambrose Watford.” + +“Nay, Harriet, I demur to that,” said her father drolly. “I flatter +myself I was a more personable youth than to be likened to Watford with +his swollen nose. What like was your cavalier, Aura?” + +“Indeed, sir, I cannot describe him. I was so much terrified lest he +should speak to me that I had much ado to mind my steps. I know he had +white gloves and diamond shoe-buckles, and that his feet moved by no +means like those of Sir Ambrose.” + +“Aura is a modest child, and does credit to her breeding,” said Betty. +“Thus much I saw, that the young gentleman was tall and personable +enough to bear comparison even to you, sir, not more than nineteen or +twenty years of age, in a laced scarlet uniform, as I think, of the +Dragoon Guards, and with a little powder, but not enough to disguise +that his hair was entire gold.” + +“That all points to his being indeed young Belamour,” said her father; +“age, military appearance, and all--I wonder what this portends!” + +“What a disaster!” exclaimed Harriet, “that my sister and I should have +been out of the way, and only a chit like Aura be there to be presented +to him.” + +“If young ladies _will_ defy Cupid,” began her father;--but at that +moment Corporal Palmer knocked at the door, bringing a basin of soup for +his master, and announcing “Supper is served, young ladies.” + +Each of the three bent her knee to receive her father’s blessing and +kiss, then curtseying at the door, departed, Betty lingering behind her +two juniors to see her father taste his soup and to make sure that he +relished it. + + + + +CHAPTER II. THE HOUSE OF DELAVIE. + + + All his Paphian mother fear; + Empress! all thy sway revere! + EURIPEDES (Anstice). + + +The parlour where the supper was laid was oak panelled, but painted +white. Like a little island in the vast polished slippery floor lay a +square much-worn carpet, just big enough to accommodate a moderate-sized +table and the surrounding high-backed chairs. There was a tent-stitch +rug before the Dutch-tiled fireplace, and on the walls hung two framed +prints,--one representing the stately and graceful Duke of Marlborough; +the other, the small, dark, pinched, but fiery Prince Eugene. On the +spotless white cloth was spread a frugal meal of bread, butter, cheese, +and lettuce; a jug of milk, another of water, and a bottle of cowslip +wine; for the habits of the family were more than usually frugal and +abstemious. + +Frugality and health alike obliged Major Delavie to observe a careful +regimen. He had served in all Marlborough’s campaigns, and had +afterwards entered the Austrian army, and fought in the Turkish war, +until he had been disabled before Belgrade by a terrible wound, of which +he still felt the effects. Returning home with his wife, the daughter of +a Jacobite exile, he had become a kind of agent in managing the family +estate for his cousin the heiress, Lady Belamour, who allowed him +to live rent-free in this ruinous old Manor-house, the cradle of the +family. + +This was all that Harriet and Aurelia knew. The latter had been born +at the Manor, and young girls, if not brought extremely forward, were +treated like children; but Elizabeth, the eldest of the family, who +could remember Vienna, was so much the companion and confidante of her +father, that she was more on the level of a mother than a sister to her +juniors. + +“Then you think Aurelia’s beau was really Sir Amyas Belamour,” said +Harriet, as they sat down to supper. + +“So it appears,” said Betty, gravely. + +“Do you think he will come hither, sister? I would give the world to see +him,” continued Harriet. + +“He said something of hoping for better acquaintance,” softly put in +Aurelia. + +“Oh, did he so?” cried Harriet. “For demure as you are, Miss Aura, I +fancy you looked a little above the diamond shoe-buckles!” + +“Fie, Harriet!” exclaimed Betty; “I will not have the child tormented. +He ought to come and pay his respects to my father.” + +“Have you ever seen my Lady?” asked Aurelia. + +“That have I, Miss Aurelia,” interposed Corporal Palmer, “and a rare +piece of beauty she would be, if one could forget the saying ‘handsome +is as handsome does.’” + +“I never knew what she has done,” said Aurelia. + +“‘Tis a long story,” hastily said Betty, “too long to tell at table. I +must make haste to prepare the poultice for my father.” + +She quickly broke up the supper party, and the two younger sisters +repaired to their chamber, both conscious of having been repressed; the +one feeling injured, the other rebuked for forwardness and curiosity. +The three sisters shared one long low room with a large light closet +at each end. One of these was sacred to powder, the other was Betty’s +private property. Harriet had a little white bed to herself, Betty and +Aurelia nightly climbed into a lofty and solemn structure curtained with +ancient figured damask. Each had her own toilette-table and a press for +her clothes, where she contrived to stow them in a wonderfully small +space. + +Harriet and Aurelia had divested themselves of their finery before +Betty came in, and they assisted her operations, Harriet preferring a +complaint that she never would tell them anything. + +“I have no objection to tell you at fitting times,” said Betty, “but not +with Palmer putting in his word. You should have discretion, Harriet.” + +“The Dean’s servants never speak when they are waiting at table,” said +Harriet with a pout. + +“But I’ll warrant them to hear!” retorted Betty. + +“And I had rather have our dear old honest corporal than a dozen of +those fine lackeys,” said Aurelia. “But you will tell us the story like +a good sister, while we brush the powder out of our hair.” + +They put on powdering gowns, after releasing themselves from the armour +of their stays, and were at last at ease, each seated on a wooden chair +in the powdering closet, brush in hand, with a cloud of white dust +flying round, and the true colour of the hair beginning to appear. + +“Then it is indeed true that My Lady is one of the greatest beauties of +Queen Caroline’s Court, if not the greatest?” said Harriet. + +“Truly she is,” said Betty, “and though in full maturity, she preserves +the splendour of her prime.” + +“Tell us more particularly,” said Aurelia; “can she be more lovely than +our dear mamma?” + +“No, indeed! lovely was never the word for her, to my mind,” said +Betty; “her face always seemed to me more like that of one of the marble +statues I remember at Vienna; perfect, but clear, cold, and hard. But +I am no judge, for I did not love her, and in a child, admiration +accompanies affection.” + +“What did Palmer mean by ‘handsome is that handsome does’? Surely my +father never was ill-treated by Lady Belamour?” + +“Let me explain,” said the elder sister. “The ancient custom and +precedent of our family have always transmitted the estates to the male +heir. But when Charles II. granted the patent of nobility to the first +Baron Delavie, the barony was limited to the heirs male of his body, and +out grandfather was only his brother. The last Lord had three sons, and +one daughter, Urania, who alone survived him.” + +“I know all that from the monument,” said Aurelia; “one was drowned +while bathing, one died of spotted fever, and one was killed at the +battle of Ramillies. How dreadful for the poor old father!” + +“And there is no Lord Delavie now,” said Harriet. “Why, since my Lady +could not have the title, did it not come to our papa?” + +“Because his father was not in the patent,” said Betty. “However, it +was thought that if he were married to Mistress Urania, there would be +a fresh creation in their favour. So as soon as the last campaign was +over, our father, who had always been a favourite at the great house, +was sent for from the army, and given to understand that he was to +conduct his courtship, with the cousin he had petted as a little child, +as speedily as was decorous. However, in winter quarters at Tournai he +had already pledged his faith to the daughter of a Scottish gentleman +in the Austrian service. This engagement was viewed by the old Lord as +a trifling folly, which might be set aside by the head of the family. +He hinted that the proposed match was by no means disagreeable to his +daughter, and scarcely credited his ears when his young kinsman declared +his honour forbade him to break with Miss Murray.” + +“Dear father,” ejaculated Aurelia, “so he gave up everything for her +sake?” + +“And never repented it!” said Betty. + +“Now,” said Harriet, “I understand why he entered the army.” + +“It was all he had to depend on,” said Betty, “and he had been +favourably noticed by Prince Eugene at the siege of Lisle, so that he +easily obtained a commission. He believed that though it was in the +power of the old Lord to dispose of part of his estates by will, yet +that some of the land was entailed in the male line, so that there need +not be many years of campaigning or poverty for his bride, even if her +father never were restored to his Scottish property. As you know, our +grandfather, Sir Archibald Murray, died for his loyalty in the rising of +‘15, and two years later our father received at Belgrade that terrible +wound which closed his military career. Meantime, Urania had married Sir +Jovian Belamour, and Lord Delavie seemed to have forgotten my father’s +offence, and gave him the management of the estate, with this old house +to live in, showing himself glad of the neighbourhood of a kinsman whom +he could thoroughly trust. All went well till my Lady came to visit her +father. Then all old offences were renewed. Lady Belamour treated my +mother as a poor dependant. She, daughter to a noble line of pedigree +far higher than that of the Delavies, might well return her haughty +looks, and would not yield an inch, nor join in the general adulation. +There were disputes about us children. Poor Archie was a most beautiful +boy, and though you might not suppose it, I was a very pretty little +girl, this nose of mine being then much more shapely than the little +buttons which grow to fair proportions. On the other hand, the little +Belamours were puny and sickly; indeed, as you know, this young Sir +Amyas, who was not then born, is the only one of the whole family who +has been reared. Then we had been carefully bred, could chatter French, +recite poetry, make our bow and curtsey, bridle, and said Sir and Madam, +while the poor little cousins who had been put out to nurse had no more +manners than the calves and pigs. People were the more flattering to us +because they expected soon to see my father in his Lordship’s place; and +on the other hand, officious tongues were not wanting to tell my Lady +how Mrs. Delavie contrasted the two sets of children. Very bitter +offence was taken; nor has my Lady ever truly forgiven, whatever our +dear good father may believe. When the old Lord died, a will was found, +bequeathing all his unentailed estates to his daughter, and this was of +course strong presumption that he believed in the existence of a deed of +entail; but none could ever be found, and the precedents were not held +to establish the right.” + +“Did he leave my father nothing?” asked Harriet. + +“He left him three hundred pounds and made him joint executor with Sir +Jovian. There was no mention of this house, which was the original house +of the family, the first Lord having built the Great House; and both my +father and Sir Jovian were sure the Lord Delavie believed it would come +to him; but no proofs were extant, and my Lady would only consent to his +occupying it, as before, as her agent.” + +“I always knew we were victims to an injustice,” said Harriet, “though I +never understood the matter exactly.” + +“You were a mere child, and my father does not love to talk of it. He +ceased to care much about the loss after our dear Archie died.” + +“Not for Eugene’s sake?” + +“Eugene was not born for two years after Archie’s death. My dear mother +had drooped from the time of the disappointment, blaming herself for +having ruined my father, and scarce accepting comfort when he vowed that +all was well lost for her sake. She reproached herself with having +been proud and unconciliatory, though I doubt whether it made much +difference. Then her spirit was altogether crushed by the loss of +Archie, she never had another day’s health. Eugene came to her like +Ichabod to Phinehas’ wife, and she was soon gone from us,” said Betty, +wiping away a tear. + +“Leaving us a dear sister to be a mother to us,” said Aurelia, raising +her sweet face for a kiss. + +Harriet pondered a little, and said, “My Lady is not at enmity with us, +since my father keeps the house and agency.” + +“We should be reduced to poverty indeed without them,” said Betty; “and +Sir Jovian, an upright honourable man, the only person whom my Lady +truly respected, insisted on his continuance. As long as my Lady regards +his memory we are safe, but no one can trust to her caprice.” + +“She never comes here, nor disturbs my father.” + +“No, but she makes heavy calls on the estate, and is displeased if he +refuses to overpress the tenants or hesitates to cut the timber.” + +“I have heard say,” added Harriet, “that her debts in town and her +losses at play drove her to accept her present husband, Mr. Wayland, a +hideous old fellow, who had become vastly rich through some discovery +about cannon.” + +“He is an honourable and upright man,” said Betty. “I should have +fewer anxieties if he had not been sent out to Gibraltar and Minorca to +superintend the fortifications.” + +“Meantime my Lady makes the money fly, by the help of the gallant +Colonel Mar,” said Harriet lightly. + +“Fie! Harriet!” returned the elder sister; “I have allowed you too far. +My father calls Lady Belamour his commanding officer, and permits no +scandal to be spoken of her.” + +“Any more than of Prince Eugene?” said Harriet, laughing. + +“But oh! sister!” cried Aurelia, “let us stay a little longer. I have +not half braided my hair, and I long to hear who is the gentleman of +whom my father spoke as living in the dark.” + +“Mr. Amyas Belamour! Sir Jovian’s brother! Ah! that is a sad story,” + replied Betty, “though I am not certain that I have it correctly, +having only heard it discussed between my father and mother when I was a +growing girl, sitting at my sampler. I think he was a barrister; I know +he was a very fine gentleman and a man of parts, who had made the Grand +Tour; for when he was staying at the Great House, he said my mother was +the only person he met who could converse with him on the Old Masters, +or any other subject of _virtu_, and that, being reported to my Lady, +increased her bitterness all the more because Mr. Belamour was a friend +of Mr. Addison and Sir Richard Steele, and had contributed some papers +to the _Spectator_. He was making a good fortune in his profession, and +had formed an engagement with a young lady in Hertfordshire, of a good +old family, but one which had always been disliked by Lady Belamour. It +is said, too, that Miss Sedhurst had been thought to have attracted one +of my Lady’s many admirers, and that the latter was determined not +to see her rival become her sister-in-law, and probably with the same +title, since Mr. Belamour was on the verge of obtaining knighthood. So, +if she be not greatly belied, Lady Belamour plied all parties with her +confidences, till she contrived to breed suspicion and jealousy on all +sides, until finally Miss Sedhurst’s brother, a crack-brained youth, +offered such an insult to Mr. Belamour, that honour required a +challenge. It was thought that as Mr. Belamour was the superior in age +and position, the matter might have been composed, but the young man was +fiery and hot tempered, and would neither retract nor apologise; and +Mr. Belamour had been stung in his tenderest feeling. They fought with +pistols, an innovation that, as you know, my father hates, as far more +deadly and unskilful than the noble practice of fencing; and the result +was that Mr. Sedhurst was shot dead, and Mr. Belamour received a severe +wound in the head. The poor young lady, being always of a delicate +constitution, fell into fits on hearing the news, an died in a few +weeks. The unfortunate Mr. Belamour survives, but whether from injury to +the brain, or from grief and remorse, he has never been able to endure +either light or company, but has remained ever since in utter darkness +and seclusion.” + +“Utter darkness! How dreadful!” cried Aurelia, shuddering. + +“How long has this been, sister?” inquired Harriet. + +“About nine years,” said Betty. “The lamentable affair took place just +before Sir Jovian’s death, and the shock may have hastened it, for he +had long been in a languishing state. It was the more unfortunate, since +he had made Mr. Belamour sole personal guardian to his only surviving +son, and appointed him, together with my father and another gentleman, +trustee for the Belamour property; and there has been much difficulty +in consequence of his being unable to act, or to do more than give his +signature.” + +“Ah! sister, I wish you had not told me,” said Aurelia. “I shall dream +of the unfortunate gentleman all night. Nine years of utter darkness!” + +“We know who is still child enough to hate darkness,” said Harriet. + +“Take care,” said Betty. “You must make haste, or I shall leave you to +it.” + + + + +CHAPTER III. AMONG THE COWSLIPS. + + + The insect youth are on the wing, + Eager to taste the honeyed spring, + And float amid the liquid noon, + Some lightly on the torrent skim, + Some show their gaily gilded trim, + Quick glancing to the sun.--GRAY + + +Though hours were early, the morning meal was not served till so late as +really to deserve the title of breakfast. + +When the three sisters sat down at nine-o’clock, in mob caps, and +the two younger in white dresses, all had been up at least two hours. +Aurelia led forward little Eugene in a tailed red coat, long-breasted +buff waistcoat, buff tights and knitted stockings, with a deep frilled +collar under the flowing locks on his shoulders, in curls which +emulated a wig. She had been helping him to prepare “his tasks” from +the well-thumbed but strongly-bound books which had served poor Archie +before him. They were deposited on the window-seat to wait till the +bowls of bread and milk were discussed, since tea and coffee were only +a special afternoon treat not considered as wholesome for children; so +that Aurelia had only just been promoted to them, along with powder and +fan. + +Harriet wore her favourite pistachio ribbon round her cap and as a +breast-knot, and her cheeks bore token of one of the various washes +with which she was always striving to regain the smoothness of her +complexion. Knowing what this betokened, an elder-sisterly instinct of +caution actuated Betty to remind her juniors of an engagement made with +Dame Jewel of the upland farm for the exchange of a setting of white +duck’s eggs for one of five-toed fowls, and to request them to carry the +basket. + +Eugene danced on his chair and begged to be of the party; but Harriet +pouted, and asked why the “odd boy” could not be sent. + +“Because, as you very well know, if he did not break, he would addle, +every egg in the basket. + +“There can be no need to go to-day.” + +“The speckled hen is clocking to brood, and she is the best mother in +the yard. Besides, it is time that the cowslip wine were made, and I +will give you some bread and cheese and gingerbread for noonchin, so +that you may fill your baskets in the meadows before they are laid up +for grass. Mrs. Jewel will give you a drink of milk.” + +“O let me go, sister!” pleaded Eugene. “She gives us bread and honey! +And I want to hear the lapwings in the meadows cry pee-wit.” + +“We shall have you falling into the river,” said Harriet, rather +fretfully. + +“No, indeed! If you fall in, I will pull you out. Young maids should not +run about the country without a gentleman to take care of them. Should +they, sister?” cried the doughty seven years’ old champion. + +“Who taught you that, sir?” asked Betty, trying to keep her countenance. + +“I heard Mrs. Churchill say so to my papa,” returned the boy. “So now, +there’s a good sister. Do pray let me go!” + +“If you say your tasks well, and will promise to be obedient to Harriet +and to keep away from the river, and not touch the basket of eggs.” + +Eugene was ready for any number of promises; and Harriet, seeing there +was no escape for her, went off with Aurelia to put on their little +three-cornered muslin handkerchiefs and broad-brimmed straw hats, while +Eugene repeated his tasks, namely, a fragment of the catechism, half +a column of spelling from the _Universal Spelling-Book_, and (Betty’s +special pride) his portion of the _Orbis Sensualium Pictus_ of Johannes +Amos Comenius, the wonderful vocabulary, with still more wonderful +“cuts,” that was then the small boys path to Latinity. + +The Eagle, _Aquila_, the King of Birds, _Rex Avium_, looketh at the Sun, +_intuetur Solem_, as indeed he could hardly avoid doing, since in the +“cut” the sun was within a hairsbreath of his beak, while his claws were +almost touching a crow (_Corvus_) perched on a dead horse, to exemplify +how _Aves Raptores_ fed on carrion. + +Thanks to Aurelia’s private assistance, Eugene knew his lessons well +enough for his excitement not to make him stumble so often as to prevent +Betty’s pronouncing him a good boy, and dispensing with his copy, +sum, piece, and reading, until the evening. These last were very tough +affairs, the recitation being from Shakespeare, and the reading from the +_Spectator_. There were no children’s books, properly so called, +except the ballads, chap-books brought round by pedlers, often far from +edifying, and the plunge from the horn-book into general literature was, +to say the least of it, bracing. + +The Delavie family was cultivated for the time. French had been brought +home as a familiar tongue, though _Telemaque_, Racine, and _Le Grand +Cyrus_ were the whole library in that language; and there was not +another within thirty miles. On two days in the week the sisters became +Mesdemoiselles Elisabeth, Henriette, and Aurelie, and conversed in +French over their spinning, seams, lace, or embroidery; nor was Aurelia +yet emancipated from reciting Racine on alternate days with Milton and +Shakespeare. + +Betty could likewise talk German with the old Austrian maid, Nannerl, +who had followed the family from Vienna; but the accomplishment was not +esteemed, and the dialect was barbarous. From the time of her mother’s +death, Betty had been a strict and careful, though kind, ruler to her +sisters; and the long walk was a greater holiday to Aurelia than to +Eugene, releasing her from her book and work, whereas he would soon +have been trundling his hoop, and haunting the steps of Palmer, who was +gardener as well as valet, butler, and a good deal besides, and moreover +drilled his young master. Thus Eugene carried his head as erect as +any Grenadier in the service, and was a thorough little gentleman in +miniature; a perfect little beau, as his sisters loved to call the +darling of their hearts and hopes. + +Even Harriet could not be cross to him, though she made Aurelia carry +the eggs, and indulged in sundry petulant whisks of the fan which she +carried by way of parasol. “Now, why does Betty do this?” she exclaimed, +as soon as they were out of hearing. “Is it to secure to herself the +whole enjoyment of your beau?” + +“You forget,” said Aurelia. “You promised to fetch the eggs, when we met +Mrs. Jewel jogging home from market on her old blind white horse last +Saturday, because you said no eggs so shaken could ever be hatched.” + +“You demure chit!” exclaimed Harriet; “would you make me believe that +you have no regrets for so charming a young gentleman, my Lady’s son and +our kinsman.” + +“If he spoke to me I should not know how to answer. And then you would +blame my rudeness. Besides,” she added, with childish sagacity, “he can +be nothing but a fine London macaroni. Only think of the cowslips! A +whole morning to make cowslip balls,” she added with a little frisk. “I +would not give one for all the macaronies in England, with their powder +and their snuff-boxes. Faugh!” + +“Ah, child, you will sing another note perhaps when it is too late,” + said her sister, with a sigh between envy and compassion. + +It floated past Aurelia unheeded, as she danced up one side of a stile, +and sprang clear down into a green park, jumped Eugene down after her by +both hands, and exclaimed, “Harriet is in her vapours; come, let us have +a race!” + +She was instantly careering along like a white butterfly in the +sunshine, flitting on as the child tried to catch her, among the snowy +hawthorn bushes, or sinking down for very joy and delight among the bank +of wild hyacinths. Life and free motion were joy and delight enough for +that happy being with her childish heart, and the serious business of +the day was all delight. There lay the rich meadows basking in the sun, +and covered with short grass just beginning its summer growth, but with +the cowslips standing high above it; hanging down their rich clusters of +soft, pure, delicately-scented bells, from their pinky stems over their +pale crinkled leaves, interspersed here and there with the deep purple +of the fool’s orchis, and the pale brown quiver-grass shaking out its +trembling awns on their invisible stems. No flower is more delightful +to gather than the cowslip, fragrant as the breath of a cow. And +Aurelia darted about, piling the golden heap in her basket with untiring +enjoyment; then, producing a tape, called on Harriet, who had been +working in a more leisurely fashion, to join her in making a cowslip +ball, and charged Eugene not to nip off the heads too short. + +The sweet, soft, golden globe was made, and even Harriet felt the +delicious intoxication. The young things tossed it aloft, flung from +one to the other, caught it, caressed it, buried their faces in it, and +threw it back with shrieks of glee. + +Suddenly Harriet checked her sister with a peremptory sign. She heard +horse-hoofs in the lane, divided from the field by a hedge of pollard +willows, so high that she had never thought of being overlooked, till +the cessation of the trotting sound struck her; and looking round she +saw that a horseman had halted at the gate, and was gazing at their +sports. It was from the distance of a field, but this was enough to +fill Harriet with dismay. She drew herself up in a moment, signing +peremptorily to Aurelia, who was flying about, her hat off, her one long +curl streaming behind as she darted hither and thither, evading Eugene +who was pursuing her. + +As she paused, and Eugene clutched her dress with a shout of ecstasy, +Harriet came up, glancing severely toward the gate, and saying, as she +handed her sister the hat, “This comes of childishness! That we should +be seen thus! What a hoyden he will think you!” as the hoofs went on and +the red coat vanished. + +“He! Who? Not the farmer?” said Aurelia. “This is not laid up for hay.” + +“No indeed. I believe it is he,” said Harriet, mysteriously. + +“He?” repeated Aurelia. “Not Mr. Arden, for he would be in black,” and +at Harriet’s disgusted gesture, “I beg your pardon, but I did not +know you had a new _he_. Oh! surely you are not thinking of the young +baronet?” + +“I am sure it was his figure.” + +“You did not see him yesterday?” + +“No, but his air had too much distinction for any one from these parts.” + +“Could you see what his air was from this distance? I should never have +guessed it, but you have more experience, being older. Come, Eugene, +another race!” + +“No, I will have no more folly. I was too good-natured to allow it. I am +vexed beyond measure that he should have seen such rusticity.” + +“Never mind, dear Harriet. Most likely it was no such person, for it +was not well-bred to sit staring at us; and if it were he, you were not +known to him.” + +“You were.” + +“Then he must have eyes as sharp as yours are for an air of distinction. +Having only seen me in my blue and primrose suit, how should he know me +in my present trim? Besides, I believe it was only young Dick Jewel in a +cast coat of Squire Humphrey’s.” + +The charm of the cowslip gathering was broken. Eugene found himself +very hungry, and the noonchin was produced, after which the walk was +continued to the farm-house, where the young people were made very +welcome. + +Farmers were, as a rule, more rustic than the present labourer, but they +lived a life of far less care, if of more toil, than their successors, +having ample means for their simple needs, and enjoying jocund plenty. +The clean kitchen, with the stone floor, the beaupot of maythorn on the +empty hearth, the shining walnut-wood table, the spinning-wheel, wooden +chairs, and forms, all looked cool and inviting, and the visitors were +regaled with home-made brown bread, delicious butter and honey, and a +choice of new milk, mead, and currant wine. + +Dame Jewel, in a white frill under a black silken hood, a buff turnover +kerchief, stout stuff gown and white apron, was delighted to wait +on them; and Eugene’s bliss was complete among the young kittens and +puppies in baskets on opposite sides of the window, the chickens before +their coops, the ducklings like yellow balls on the grass, and the huge +family of little spotted piglings which, to the scandal of his sisters, +he declared the most delightful of all. + +Their hostess knew nothing of the young baronet being in the +neighbourhood, and was by no means gratified by the intelligence. + +“Lack-a-day! Miss Harriet, you don’t mean that the family is coming down +here! I don’t want none of them. ‘Tis bad times for the farmer when +any of that sort is nigh. They make nothing of galloping their horses a +hunting right through the crops, ay, and horsewhipping the farmer if he +do but say a word for the sweat of his brow.” + +“O Mrs. Jewel!” cried Aurelia, in whose ear lingered the courteous +accents of her partner, “they would never behave themselves so.” + +“Bless you, Miss Orreely, I’ll tell you what I’ve seen with my own eyes. +My own good man, the master here, with the horsewhip laid about his +shoulders at that very thornbush, by one of the fine gentlefolks, +just because he had mended the gap in the hedge they was used to ride +through, and my Lady sitting by in her laced scarlet habit on her fine +horse, smiling like a painted picture, and saying, ‘Thank you, sir, +the rascals need to learn not to interfere with our sport,’ all in that +gentle sounding low voice of hers, enough to drive one mad.” + +“I thought Sir Jovian had been a kind master,” said Harriet. + +“This was not Sir Jovian. Poor gentleman, he was not often out +a-hunting. This was one of the fine young rakish fellows from Lunnun +as were always swarming about my Lady, like bees over that maybush. Sir +Thomas Donne, I think they called him. They said he got killed by a wild +boar, hunting in foreign parts, afterwards, and serve him right! But +there! They would all do her bidding, whether for bad or good, so maybe +it was less his fault than hers. She is a bitter one, is my Lady, for +all she looks so sweet. And this her young barrowknight will be his own +mother’s son, and I don’t want none of ‘em down here. ‘Tis a good job we +have your good papa, the Major, to stand between her and us; I only wish +he had his own, for a rare good landlord he would be.” + +The Dame’s vain wishes were cut short by shrieks from the poultry-yard, +where Eugene was discovered up to his ankles in the black ooze of the +horse-pond, waving a little stick in defiance of an angry gander, who +with white outspread wings, snake-like neck, bent and protruded, and +frightful screams and hisses, was no bad representation of his namesake +the dragon, especially to a child not much exceeding him in height. + +The monster was put to rout, the champion dragged out of the pond, +breathlessly explaining that he only wanted to look at the goslings when +the stupid geese cackled and the gander wanted to fly at his eyes. “And +I didn’t see where I was going, for I had to keep him off, so I got into +the mud. Will sister be angry?” he concluded, ruefully surveying the +dainty little stockings and shoes coated with black mud. + +But before the buckled shoon had been scraped, or the hosen washed and +dried, the cheerful memory of boyhood had convinced itself that the +enemy had been put to flight by his manful resistance; and he turned a +deaf ear to Aurelia’s suggestion that the affair had been retribution +for his constant oblivion of Comenius’ assertion that _auser gingrit,_ +“the goose gagleth.” + +They went home more soberly, having been directed by Mrs. Jewel to a +field bordered by a copse, where grew the most magnificent of Titania’s +pensioners tall, wearing splendid rubies in their coats; and in due +time the trio presented themselves at home, weary, but glowing with +the innocent excitement of their adventures. Harriet was the first +to proclaim that they had seen a horseman who must be Sir Amyas. “Had +sister seen him?” + +“Only through the window of the kitchen where I was making puff paste.” + +“He called then! Did my papa see him?” + +“My father was in no condition to see any one, being under the hands and +razor of Palmer.” + +“La! what a sad pity. Did he leave no message?” + +“He left his compliments, and hoped his late partner was not fatigued.” + +“Is he at the Great House? Will he call again?” + +“He is on his way to make a visit in Monmouthshire, together with a +brother office, who is related to my Lady Herries, and finding that +their road led them within twenty miles of our town, the decided on +making a diversion to see her. It was only from her that Sir Amyas +understood how close he was to his mother’s property, for my Lady is +extremely jealous of her prerogative.” + +“How did you hear all this, sister?” + +“Sir George Herries rode over this afternoon and sat an hour with my +father, delighting him by averring that the young gentleman has his +mother’s charms of person, together with his father’s solidity of +principle and character, and that he will do honour to his name.” + +“O, I hope he will come back by this route!” cried Harriet. + +“Of that there is small likelihood,” said Betty. “His mother is nearly +certain to prevent it since she is sure to take umbrage at his having +visited the Great House without her permission.” + + + + +CHAPTER IV. MY LADY’S MISSIVE. + + + To the next coffee-house he speeds, + Takes up the news, some scraps he reads.--GAY. + + +Though Carminster was a cathedral city, the Special General Post only +came in once a week, and was liable to delay through storms, snows, mire +and highwaymen, so that its arrival was as great an event as is now +the coming in of a mail steamer to a colonial harbour. The “post” was +a stout countryman, with a red coat, tall jackboots and a huge hat. +He rode a strong horse, which carried, _en croupe_, an immense pack, +covered with oiled canvas, rising high enough to support his back, while +he blew a long horn to announce his arrival. + +Letters were rare and very expensive articles unless franked by a Member +of Parliament, but gazettes and newsletters formed a large portion of +his freight. No private gentleman except the Dean and Sir George Herries +went to the extravagance of taking in a newspaper on his own account, +but there was a club who subscribed for the _Daily Gazetteer_, the +_Tatler_, and one or two other infant forms of periodical literature. +These were hastily skimmed on their first arrival at the club-room at +the White Dragon, lay on the table to be more deliberately conned for +a week, and finally were divided among the members to be handed about +among the families and dependants as long as they would hold together. + +Major Delavie never willingly missed the coming of the mail, for his +foreign experiences gave him keen interest in the war between France and +Austria, and he watched the campaigns of his beloved Prince Eugene with +untiring enthusiasm, being, moreover, in the flattering position of +general interpreter and guide to his neighbours through the scanty +articles on foreign intelligence. + +It was about ten days after the syllabub party, when he had quite +recovered his ordinary health, that he mounted his stout pony in his +military undress, his cocked hat perched on his well-powdered bob-wig, +with a queue half-way down his dark green gold-laced coat, and with +his long jack-boots carefully settle by Palmer over the knee that would +never cease to give him trouble. + +Thus he slowly ambled into the town, catching on his way distant toots +of the postman’s horn. In due time he made his way into the High +Street, broad and unpaved, with rows of lime or poplar trees before the +principal houses, the most modern of which were of red brick, with heavy +sash-windows, large stone quoins, and steps up to the doors. + +The White Dragon, dating from the times of the Mortimer badge, was built +of creamy stone, and had an archway conducting the traveller into a +courtyard worthy of Chaucer, with ranges of galleries running round +it, the balustrades of dark carved oak suiting with the timbers of the +latticed window and gables, and with the noble outside stair at one +angle, by which they communicated with one another. To these beauties +the good Major was entirely insensible. He only sighed at the trouble it +gave his lame knee to mount the stair to the first storey, and desired +the execution of the landlord’s barbarous design of knocking down the +street front to replace it with a plain, oblong assembly room, red brick +outside, and within, blue plaster, adorned with wreaths and bullocks’ +faces in stucco. + +Such were the sentiments of most of the burly squires who had ridden +in on the same errand, and throwing the reins to their grooms, likewise +climbed the stair to the club-room with its oriel looking over the +street. There too were several of the cathedral clergy, the rubicund +double-chinned face of the Canon in residence set off by a white, +cauliflower wig under a shovel hat, while the humbler minor canons (who +served likewise as curates to all the country round) only powdered their +own hair, and wore gowns and cassocks of quality very inferior to that +which adorned the portly person of their superior. His white bands were +of fine cambric, theirs of coarser linen; his stockings were of ribbed +silk, theirs of black worsted; his buckles of silver, theirs of steel; +and the line of demarcation was as strongly marked as that between the +neat, deferential tradesman, and the lawyer in his spruce snuff-coloured +coat, or the doctor, as black in hue as the clergy, though with a +secular cut, a smaller wig, and a gold-headed cane. Each had, as in duty +bound, ordered his pint of port or claret for the good of the house, and +it was well if these were not in the end greatly exceeded; and some had +lighted long clay pipes; but these were mostly of the secondary rank, +who sat at the table farthest from the window, and whose drink was a +measure of ale. + +The letters had not yet been sorted, but the newspaper had been +brought in, and the Canon Boltby had possessed himself of it, and was +proclaiming scraps of intelligence about the King, Queen, and Sir +Robert Walpole, the character of Marshal Berwick, recently slain at +Philipsburg, an account of Spanish outrages at sea, or mayhap the story +of a marvelous beast, half-tiger, half-wolf, reported to be running wild +in France. The other gentlemen, waiting till the mail-bags were opened, +listened and commented; while one or two of the squires, and a shabby, +disreputable-looking minor canon made each notable name the occasion of +a toast, whether of health to his majesty’s friends or confusion to his +foes. A squabble, as to whether the gallant Berwick should be reckoned +as an honest Frenchman or as a traitor Englishman, was interrupted by +the Major’s entrance, and the congratulations on his recovery. + +One of the squires inquired after his daughters, and pronounced the +little one with the outlandish name was becoming a belle, and would be +the toast of the neighbourhood, a hint of which the topers were not slow +to take advantage, while one of the guests at the recent party observed, +“Young Belamour seemed to be of that opinion.” + +“May it be so,” said the Canon, “that were a step to the undoing of a +great wrong.” + +“Mr. Scrivener will tell you, sir, that there was no justice in the eye +of the law,” said the Major. + +“_Summum jus, summa injuria_,” quoted, _sotto voce_, Mr. Arden, a minor +canon who, being well born, scholarly, scientific and gentlemanly, +occupied a middle place between his colleagues and the grandees. He was +not listened to. Each knot of speakers was becoming louder in debate, +and Dr. Boltby’s voice was hardly heard when he announced that a rain of +blood had fallen on the Macgillicuddy mountains in Ireland, testified to +by numerous respectable Protestant witnesses, and attributable, either +to the late comet, or to the Pretender. + +At that moment the letters were brought in by the postman, and each +recipient had--not without murmurs--to produce his purse and pay heavily +for them. There were not many. The Doctor had two, Mr. Arden one, Mr. +Scrivener no less than five, but of them two were franked, and a +franked letter was likewise handed over to Major DeLavie, with the word +“Aresfield” written in the corner. + +“From my Lady,” said an unoccupied neighbour. + +“Aye, aye,” said the Major, putting it into his pocket, being by no +means inclined to submit the letter to the general gaze. + +“A good omen,” said Canon Boltby, looking up from his paper. And +the Major smiled in return, put a word or two into the discussion on +affairs, and then, as soon as he thought he could take leave without +betraying anxiety, he limped down stairs, and called for his horse. Lady +Belamour’s letters were wont to be calls for money, not easily answered, +and were never welcome sights, and this hung heavy in the laced pocket +of his coat. + +Palmer met him at the back gate, and took his horse, but judged it +advisable to put no questions about the news, while his master made +his way in by the kitchen entrance of the rambling old manor house, +and entered a stone-paved low room, a sort of office or study, where he +received, and paid, money for my Lady, and smoked his pipe. Here he sat +down in his wooden armchair, spread forth his legs, and took out the +letter, opening it with careful avoidance of defacing the large red +seal, covered with many quarterings, and the Delavie escutcheon of +pretence reigning over all. + +It opened, as he expected, with replies to some matters about leases and +repairs; and then followed:-- + +“I am informed that you have a large Family, and Daughters growing up +whom it is desirable to put in the way of making a good Match, or else +an honourable Livelihood; I am therefore willing, for the Sake of our +Family Connection, to charge myself with your youngest Girl, whose Name +I understand to be Aurelia. I will cause her to be trained in useful +Works in my Household, expecting her, in Return, to assist in the Care +and Instruction of my young Children; and if she please me and prove +herself worthy and attentive, I will bestow her Marriage upon some +suitable Person. This is the more proper and convenient for you, because +your Age and Health are such that I may not long be able to retain you +in the Charge of my Estate--in which indeed you are continued only +out of Consideration of an extremely distant Relationship, although a +younger and more active Man, bred to the Profession, would serve me far +more profitably.” + +When Betty came into the room a few minutes later to pull off her +father’s boots she found him sitting like one transfixed. He held out +the letter, saying, “Read that, child.” + +Betty stood by the window and read, only giving one start, and muttering +between her teeth, “Insolent woman!” but not speaking the words aloud, +for she knew her father would treat them as treason. He always had a +certain tender deference for his cousin Urania, mixed with something +akin to compunction, as if his loyalty to his betrothed had been +disloyalty to his family. Thus, he exceeded the rest of his sex in +blindness to the defects that had been so evident to his wife and +daughter; and whatever provocation might make him say of my Lady +himself, he never permitted a word against her from any one else. He +looked wistfully at Betty and said, “My little Aura! It is a kindly +thought. Her son must have writ of the child. But I had liefer she had +asked me for the sight of my old eyes.” + +“The question is,” said Betty, in clear, incisive tones, “whether we +surrender Aurelia or your situation?” + +“Nay, nay, Betty, you always do my cousin less than justice. She means +well by the child and by us all. Come, come say what is in your mind,” + he add testily. + +“Am I at liberty to express myself, sir?” + +“Of course you are. I had rather hear the whole discharge of your +battery than see you looking constrained and satirical.” + +“Then, sir, my conclusion is this. The young baronet has shown himself +smitten with out pretty Aurelia, and has spoken of tarrying on his +return to make farther acquaintance. My Lady is afraid of his going to +greater lengths, and therefore wishes to have her at her disposal.” + +“She proposes to take her into her own family; that is not taking her +out of his way.” + +“I am sure of that.” + +“You are prejudiced, like your poor dear mother--the best of women, if +only she could ever have done justice to her Ladyship! Don’t you see, +child, Aurelia would not be gone before his return, supposing he should +come this way.” + +“His visit was to be for six weeks. Did you not see the postscript?” + +“No, the letter was enough for one while.” + +“Here it is: ‘I shall send Dove in the Space of about a Fortnight or +three Weeks to bring to Town the young Coach Horses you mentioned. His +Wife is to return with him, as I have Occasion for her in Town, and your +Daughter must be ready to come up with them.’” + +“Bless me! That is prompt! But it is thoughtful. Mrs. Dove is a good +soul. It seems to me as if my Lady, though she may not choose to say so, +wishes to see the child, and if she approve of her, breed her up in the +accomplishments needed for such an elevation.” + +“If you hold that opinion, dear sir, it is well.” + +“If I thought she meant other than kindness toward the dear maid, I had +rather we all pinched together than risk the little one in her hands. I +had rather-if it comes to that--live on a crust a day than part with +my sweet child; but if it were for good, Betty! It is hard for you all +three to be cooped up together here, with no means of improving your +condition; and this may be an opening that I ought not to reject. What +say you, Betty?” + +“If I were to send her out into the world, I had rather bind her +apprentice to the Misses Rigby to learn mantua-making.” + +“Nay, nay, my dear; so long as I live there is no need for my children +to come to such straits.” + +“As long as you retain your situation, sir; but you perceive how my Lady +concludes her letter.” + +“An old song, Betty, which she sings whenever the coin does not come +in fast enough to content her. She does not mean what she says; I know +Urania of old. No; I will write back to her, thanking her for her good +offices, but telling her my little girl is too young to be launched +into the world as yet. Though if it were Harriet, she might not be +unwilling.” + +“Harriet would be transported at the idea; but it is not she whom the +Lady wants. And indeed I had rather trust little Aurelia to take care of +herself than poor Harriet.” + +“We shall see! We shall see! Meantime, do not broach the subject to your +sisters.” + +Betty assented, and departed with a heavy heart, feeling that, whatever +her father might believe, the choice would be between the sacrifice of +Aurelia or of her father’s agency, which would involve the loss of +home, of competence, and of the power of breeding up her darling Eugene +according to his birth. She did not even know what her father had +written, and could only go about her daily occupations like one under a +weight, listening to her sisters’ prattle about their little plans with +a strange sense that everything was coming to an end, and constantly +weighing the comparative evils of yielding or refusing Aurelia. + +No one would have more valiantly faced poverty than Elizabeth Delavie, +had she alone been concerned. Cavalier and Jacobite blood was in her +veins, and her unselfish character had been trained by a staunch and +self-devoted mother. But her father’s age and Eugene’s youth made her +waver. She might work her fingers to the bone, and live on oatmeal, to +give her father the comforts he required; but to have Eugene brought +down from his natural station was more than she could endure. His +welfare must be secured at the cost not only of Aurelia’s sweet +presence, but of her happiness; and Betty durst not ask herself what +more she dreaded, knowing too that she would probably be quite incapable +of altering her father’s determination whatever it might be, and that he +was inclined to trust Lady Belamour. The only chance of his refusal was +that he should take alarm at the manner of requiring his daughter from +him. + + + + +CHAPTER V. THE SUMMONS. + + + But when the King knew that the thing must be, + And that no help there was in this distress, + He bade them have all things in readiness + To take the maiden out.--MORRIS. + + +The second Sunday of suspense had come. The Sundays of good young ladies +little resembled those of a century later, though they were not devoid +of a calm peacefulness, worthy of the “sweet day, so cool, so calm, so +bright.” The inhabited rooms of the old house looked bright and festal; +there were fresh flowers in the pots, honey as well as butter on +the breakfast table. The Major and Palmer were both in full uniform, +wonderfully preserved. Eugene, a marvel of prettiness, with his curled +hair and little velvet coat, contrived by his sisters out of some +ancestral hoard. Betty wore thick silk brocade from the same store; +Harriet a fresh gay chintz over a crimson skirt, and Aurelia was in +spotless white, with a broad blue sash and blue ribbons in her hat, for +her father liked to see her still a child; so her hair was only tied +with blue, while that of her sisters was rolled over a cushion, and +slightly powdered. + +The church was so near that the Major could walk thither, leaning on +his stout crutch-handled stick, and aided by his daughter’s arm, as +he proceeded down the hawthorn lane, sweet with the breath of May, +exchanging greetings with whole families of the poor, the fathers in +smock frocks wrought with curious needlework on the breast and back, +the mothers in high-crowned hats and stout dark blue woollen gowns, the +children, either patched or ragged, and generally barefooted, but by no +means ill-fed. + +No Sunday school had been invented. The dame who hobbled along in +spectacles, dropping a low curtsey to the “quality,” taught the hornbook +and the primer to a select few of the progeny of the farmers and +artisans, and the young ladies would no more have thought of assisting +her labours than the blacksmith’s. They only clubbed their pocket money +to clothe and pay the schooling of one little orphan, who acknowledged +them by a succession of the lowest bobs as she trotted past, proud as +Margery Twoshoes herself of the distinction of being substantially shod. + +The church was small, and with few pretensions to architecture at +the best. It had been nearly a ruin, when, stirred by the Major, the +church-wardens had taken it in hand, so that, owing to Richard Stokes +and John Ball, as they permanently declared in yellow letters on a blue +ground, the congregation were no longer in danger of the roof admitting +the rain or coming down on the congregation. They had further beautified +the place with a huge board of the royal arms, and with Moses and Aaron +in white cauliflower wigs presiding over the tables of the Commandments. +Four long dark, timber pews and numerous benches, ruthlessly constructed +out of old carvings, occupied the aisle, and the chancel was more than +half filled with the lofty “closet” of the Great House family. Hither +the Delavie family betook themselves, and on her way Betty was startled +by the recognition, in the seat reserved for the servants, of a broad +back and curled wig that could belong to no one but Jonah Dove. She did +her utmost to keep her mind from dwelling on what this might portend, +though she followed the universal custom by exchanging nods and curtsies +with the Duckworth family as she sailed up the aisle at the head of the +little procession. + +There was always a little doubt as to who would serve the church. One +of the Canons was the incumbent, and the curate was Mr. Arden, the +scientific minor canon, but when his services were required at the +cathedral, one of his colleagues would supply his place, usually in a +sadly perfunctory manner. However, he was there in person, as his voice, +a clear and pleasant one, showed the denizens of the “closet,” for they +could not see out of it, except where Eugene had furtively enlarged +a moth-eaten hole in the curtain, through which, when standing on the +seat, he could enjoy an oblique view of the back of an iron-moulded +surplice and a very ill-powdered wig. This was a comfort to him. It +would have been more satisfactory to have been able to make out whence +came the stentorian A-men, that responded to the parson, totally +unaccompanied save by the good Major, who always read his part almost as +loud as the clerk, from a great octavo prayer-book, bearing on the lid +the Delavie arms with coronet, supporters, and motto, “_Ma Vie et ma +Mie_.” It would have been thought unladylike, if not unscriptural, +to open the lips in church; yet, for all her silence, good Betty was +striving to be devout and attentive, praying earnestly for her little +sister’s safety, and hailing as a kind of hopeful augury this verse from +the singers-- + + + “At home, abroad, in peace, in war + Thy God shall thee defend, + Conduct thee through life’s pilgrimage + Safe to the journey’s end.” + + +Much cannot be said for the five voices that sang, nor for the two +fiddles that accompanied them. Eugene had scarcely outgrown his terror +at the strains, and still required Aurelia to hold his hand, under +pretext of helping him to follow the words, not an easy thing, since the +last lines were always repeated three or four times. + +Somehow the repetition brought them the more home to Betty’s heart, and +they rang consolingly in her ears, all through the sermon, of which +she took in so little that she never found out that it was an elaborate +exposition of the Newtonian philosophy, including Mr. Arden’s views of +the miracle at the battle Beth-horon, in the Lesson for the day. + +The red face and Belamour livery looked doubly ominous when she came +out of church, but she had to give her arm to her father till they were +overtaken by Mr. Arden, who always shared the Sunday roast beef and plum +pudding. Betty feared it was the best meal he had in the week, for he +lived in lodgings, and his landlady was not too careful of his comforts, +while he was wrapped up in his books and experiments. There was a hole +singed in the corner of his black gown, which Eugene pointed out with +great awe to Aurelia as they walked behind him. + +“See there, Aura. Don’t you think he has been raising spirits, like +Friar Bacon?” + +“What do you know about Friar Bacon?” asked Harriet. + +“He is in a little book that I bought of the pedlar. He had a brazen +head that said-- + + ‘Time is, + Time was, + Time will be.’ + +I wonder if Mr. Arden would show me one like it.” + +“You ridiculous little fellow to believe such trash!” said Harriet. + +“But, Hatty, he can really light a candle without a tinder-box,” said +Eugene. “His landlady told Palmer so; and Palmer says the Devil flew +away with Friar Bacon; but my book says he burnt all his books and gave +himself to the study of divinity, and dug his grave with his own nails.” + +“Little boys should not talk of such things on Sundays,” said Harriet, +severely. + +“One does talk of the Devil on Sunday, for he is in the catechism,” + returned Eugene. “If he carries Mr. Arden off, do you think there will +be a great smoke, and that folk will see it?” + +Aurelia’s silvery peal of laughter fell sadly upon Betty’s ears in +front, and her father and Mr. Arden turned to ask what made them so +merry. Aurelia blushed in embarrassment, but Harriet was ready. + +“You will think us very rude, Sir, but my little brother has been +reading the life of Friar Bacon, and he thinks you an equally great +philosopher.” + +“Indeed, my little master, you do me too much honour. You will soon be a +philosopher yourself. I did not expect so much attention in so young an +auditor,” said mr. Arden, thinking this the effect of his sermon on the +solar system. + +Whereupon Eugene begged to inspect the grave he was digging with his own +nails. + +They were at home by this time, and Betty was aware that they had been +followed at a respectful distance by Palmer and the coachman. Anxious as +she was, she could not bear that her father’s dinner should be spoilt, +or that he, in his open-hearted way, should broach the matter with Mr. +Arden; so she repaired to the garden gate, and on being told that Mr. +Dove had a packet from my Lady for the Major, she politely invited him +to dinner with the servants, and promised that her father should see him +afterwards. + +This gave a long respite, since the servants had the reversion of the +beef, so the Mr. Arden had taken leave, and gone to see a bedridden +pauper, and the Major had time for his forty winks, while Betty, though +her heart throbbed hard beneath her tightly-laced boddice, composed +herself to hear Eugene’s catechism, and the two sisters, each with a +good book, slipped out to the honeysuckle arbour in the garden behind +the house. Harriet had _Sherlock in Death_, her regular Sunday study, +though she never got any further than the apparition of Mrs. Veal, over +which she gloated in a dreamy state; Aurelia’s study was a dark-covered, +pale-lettered copy of the _Ikon Basilike_, with the strange attraction +that youth has to pain and sorrow, and sat musing over the resigned +outpourings of the perplexed and persecuted king, with her bright eyes +fixed on the deep blue sky, and the honeysuckle blossoms gently waving +against it, now and then visited by bee or butterfly, while through the +silence came the throbbing notes of the nightingale, followed by its +jubilant burst of glee, and the sweet distant chime of the cathedral +bells rose and fell upon the wind. What peace and repose there was in +all the air, even in the gentle breeze, and the floating motions of the +swallows skimming past. + +The stillness was first broken by the jangle of their own little church +bell, for Mr. Arden was a more than usually diligent minister, and +always gave two services when he was not in course at the cathedral. The +young ladies always attended both, but as Harriet and Aurelia crossed +the lawn, their brother ran to meet them, saying, “We are not to wait +for sister.” + +“I hope my papa is well,” said Aurelia. + +“Oh yes,” said Eugene, “but the man in the gold-laced hat has been +speaking with him. Palmer says it is Mrs. Dove’s husband, and he is +going to take Lively Tom and Brown Bet and the two other colts to +London. He asked if I should like to ride a-cockhorse there with him. +‘Dearly,’ I said, and then he laughed and said it was not my turn, but +he should take Miss Aurelia instead.” + +Aurelia laughed, and Harriet said, “Extremely impudent.” + +Little she guessed what Betty was at that moment reading. + +“I am astonished,” wrote Lady Belamour to her cousin, “that you should +decline so highly advantageous an Offer for your Daughter. I can only +understand it as a Token that you desire no further Connection with, +nor Favour from me; and I shall therefore require of you to give up the +Accounts, and vacate the House by Michaelmas next ensuing. However, as I +am willing to allow some excuse for the Weakness of parental Affection, +if you change your Mind within the next Week and send up your Daughter +with Dove and his Wife, I will overlook your first hasty and foolish +Refusal, ungrateful as it was, and will receive your Daughter and give +her all the Advantages I promised. Otherwise your Employment is at +an end, and you had better prepare your Accounts for Hargrave’s +Inspection.” + +“There is no help for it then,” said Betty. + +“And if it be for the child’s advantage, we need not make our moan,” + said her father. “‘Tis like losing the daylight out of our house, but we +must not stand in the way of her good.” + +“If I were only sure it is for her good!” + +“Why, child, there’s scarce a wench in the county who would not go down +on her knees for such a chance. See what Madam Duckworth would say to it +for Miss Peggy!” + +Betty said no more. The result of her cogitations had been that since +Aurelia must be yielded for the sake of her father and Eugene, it was +better not to disturb him with fears, which would only anger him at the +moment and disquiet him afterwards. She was likewise reassured by Mrs. +Dove’s going with her, since that good woman had been nurse to the +little Belamour cousins now deceased, and was well known as an excellent +and trustworthy person, so that, if she were going to act in the same +capacity to my Lady’s second family, Aurelia would have a friend at +hand. So the Major cheated his grief by greeting the church-goers with +the hilarious announcement-- + +“Here’s great news! What says my little Aura to going London to my +Lady’s house.” + +“O Sir! are you about to take us.” + +“Not I! My Lady wants pretty young maidens, not battered old soldiers.” + +“Nor my sisters? O then, if you please, Sir, I would rather not go!” + +“Silly children cannot choose! No, no, Aura, you must go out and see the +world, and come back to us such a belle that your poor old father will +scarce know you.” + +“I do not wish to be a belle,” said the girl. “O Sir, let me stay with +you and sister.” + +“Do not be so foolish, Aura,” put in Harriet. “It will be the making of +you. I wish I had the offer.” + +“O Harriet, could not you go instead?” + +“No, Aurelia,” said Betty. “There is no choice, and you must be a good +girl and not vex my father.” + +The gravity of her eldest sister convinced Aurelia that entreaties would +be vain, and there was soon a general outburst of assurances that she +would see all that was delightful in London, the lions in the Tower, the +new St. Paul’s, the monuments, Ranelagh, the court ladies, may be, +the King and Queen themselves; until she began to feel exhilarated and +pleased at the prospect and the distinction. + +Then came Monday and the bustle of preparing her wardrobe. The main body +of it was to be sent in the carrier’s waggon, for she was to ride on +a pillion behind Mr. Dove, and could only take a valise upon a groom’s +horse. There was no small excitement in the arrangement, and in +the farewells to the neighbours, who all agreed with Harriet in +congratulating the girl on her promotion. Betty did her part with all +her might, washed lace, and trimmed sleeves, and made tuckers, giving +little toilette counsels, while her heart ached sorely all the time. + +When she could speak to Mrs. Dove alone, she earnestly besought that old +friend to look after the child, her health, her dress, and above all to +supply here lack of experience and give her kind counsel and advice. + +“I will indeed, ma’am, as though she were my own,” promised Mrs. Dove. + +“O nurse, I give my sweet jewel to your care; you know what a great +house in London is better than I do. You will warn her of any danger.” + +“I will do my endeavour, ma’am. We servants see and hear much, and if +any harm should come nigh the sweet young miss, I’ll do my best for +her.” + +“Thank you, nurse, I shall never, never see her more in her free artless +childishness,” said Betty, sobbing as if her heart would break; “but oh, +nurse, I can bear the thought better since I have known that you would +be near her.” + +And at night, when her darling nestled for the last time in her arms, +the elder sister whispered her warnings. Her knowledge of the great +world was limited, but she believed it to be a very wicked place, and +she profoundly distrusted her brilliant kinswoman; yet her warnings took +no shape more definite than--“My dearest sister will never forget her +prayers nor her Bible.” There was a soft response and fresh embrace at +each pause. “Nor play cards of a Sunday, nor ever play high. And my Aura +must be deaf to rakish young beaux and their compliments. They never +mean well by poor pretty maids. If you believe them, they will only +mock, flout, and jeer you in the end. And if the young baronet should +seek converse with you, promise me, oh, promise me, Aurelia, to grant +him no favour, no, not so much as to hand him a flower, or stand +chatting with him unknown to his mother. Promise me again, child, for +naught save evil can come of any trifling between you. And, Aurelia, go +to Nurse Dove in all your difficulties. She can advise you where your +poor sister cannot. It will ease my heart if I know that my child will +attend to her. You will not let yourself be puffed up with flattery, +nor be offended if she be open and round with you. Think that your poor +sister Betty speaks in her. Pray our old prayers, go to church, and +read your Psalms and Lessons daily, and oh! never, never cheat your +conscience. O may God, in His mercy, keep my darling!” + +So Aurelia cried herself to sleep, while Betty lay awake till the early +hour in the morning when all had to be prepared for the start. There was +to be a ride of an hour and a half before breakfast so as to give the +horses a rest. It was a terrible separation, in many respects more +complete than if Aurelia had been going, in these days, to America; +for communication by letter was almost as slow, and infinitely more +expensive. + +No doubt the full import of what he had done had dawned even on Major +Delavie during the watches of that last sorrowful night, for he came out +a pale, haggard man, looking as if his age had doubled since he went to +bed, wrapped in his dressing gown, his head covered with his night-cap, +and leaning heavily on his staff. He came charged with one of the long +solemn discourses which parents were wont to bestow on their children +as valedictions, but when Aurelia, in her camlet riding cloak and hood, +brought her tear-stained face to crave his blessing, he could only utter +broken fragments. “Bless thee my child! Take heed to yourself and your +ways. It is a bad world, beset with temptations. Oh! heaven forgive me +for sending my innocent lamb out into it. Oh! what would your blessed +mother say?” + +“Dear sir,” said Betty, who had wept out her tears, and was steadily +composed now, “this is no time to think of that. We must only cheer up +our darling, and give her good counsel. If she keep to what her Bible, +her catechism and her conscience tell her, she will be a good girl, and +God will protect her.” + +“True, true, your sister is right; Aura, my little sweetheart, I had +much to say to you, but it is all driven out of my poor old head.” + +“Aura! Aura! the horses are coming! Ten of them!” shouted Eugene. “Come +along! Oh! if I were but going! How silly of you to cry; _I_ don’t.” + +“There! there! Go my child, and God in His mercy protect you!” + +Aurelia in speechless grief passed from the arms of one sister to the +embrace of the other, hugged Eugene, was kissed by Nannerl, who forced +a great piece of cake into her little bag, and finally was lifted to her +pillion cushion by Palmer, who stole a kiss of her hand before Dove put +his horse in motion, while Betty was still commending her sister to his +wife’s care, and receiving reiterated promises of care. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. DISAPPOINTED LOVE. + + + I know thee well, thy songs and sighs, + A wicked god thou art; + And yet, most pleasing to the eyes, + And witching to the heart. + W. MACKWORTH PRAED. + + +The house was dull when Aurelia was gone. Her father was ill at ease +and therefore testy, Betty too sore at heart to endure as cheerfully +as usual his unwonted ill-humour. Harriet was petulant, and Eugene +troublesome, and the two were constantly jarring against one another, +since the one missed her companion, the other his playmate; and they +were all more sensible than ever how precious and charming an element +was lost to the family circle. + +On the next ensuing Sunday, Eugene had made himself extremely obnoxious +to Harriet, by persisting in kicking up the dust, and Betty, who had +gone on before with her father, was availing herself of the shelter of +the great pew to brush with a sharp hand the dust from the little +legs, when, even in the depths of their seclusion, the whole party were +conscious of a sort of breathless sound of surprise and admiration, a +sweep of bows and curtsies, and the measured tread of boots and clank of +sword and spurs coming nearer--yes, to the very chancel. Their very door +was opened by the old clerk with the most obsequious of reverences, and +there entered a gorgeous vision of scarlet and gold, bowing gracefully +with a wave of a cocked and plumed hat! + +The Major started, and was moving out of his corner--the seat of +honour--but the stranger forbade this by another gesture, and took his +place, after standing for a moment with his face hidden in his hat. Then +he took an anxious survey, not without an almost imperceptible +elevation of eyebrow and shoulder, as if disappointed, and accepted the +Prayer-book, which the Major offered him. + +Betty kept her eyes glued to her book, and when that was not in +use, upon the mittened hands crossed before her, resolute against +distraction, and every prayer turning into a petition for her sister’s +welfare; but Eugene gazed, open-eyed and open-mouthed, oblivious of his +beloved hole, and Harriet, though keeping her lids down, and her book +open, contrived to make a full inspection of the splendid apparition. + +It was tall and slight, youthfully undeveloped, yet with the grace of +personal symmetry, high breeding, and military training, upright without +stiffness, with a command and dexterity of movement which prevented the +sword and spurs from being the annoyance to his pew-mates that country +awkwardness usually made these appendages. The spurs were on cavalry +boots, guarding the knee, and met by white buckskins, both so little +dusty that there could have been no journey that morning. The bright +gold-laced scarlet coat of the Household troops entirely effaced the +Major’s old Austrian uniform; and over it, the hair, of a light golden +brown, was brushed back, tied with black ribbon, and hung down far +behind in a queue, only leaving little gold rings curling on the brow +and temples. The face was modelled like a cameo, faultless in the +outlines, with a round peach-like fresh contour and bloom on the fair +cheek, which had much of the child, though with a firmness in the lip, +and strength in the brow, that promised manliness. Indeed there was +a wonderful blending of the beauty of manhood and childhood about the +youth; and his demeanour was perfectly decorous and reverent, no small +merit in a young officer and London beau. Indeed Betty could almost have +forgotten his presence, if gleams from his glittering equipments had +not kept glancing before her eyes, turn them where she would, and if Mr. +Arden’s sermon had not been of Solomon’s extent of natural philosophy, +and so full of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that she could not follow it at +all. + +After the blessing, the young gentleman, with a bow, the pink of +courtesy, offered a hand to lead her out, nor could she refuse, though, +to use her own expression, she hated the absurdity of mincing down the +aisle with a fine young spark looking like her grandson; while her poor +father had to put up with Harriet’s arm. Outside came the greetings, the +flourish of the hat, the “I may venture to introduce myself, and to beg +of you, sir, and of my fair cousins to excuse my sudden intrusion.” + +“No apology can be needed for your appearance in your own pew, Sir +Amyas,” said the Major with outstretched hand; “it did my heart good to +see you there!” + +“I would not have taken you thus by surprise,” continued the youth, “but +one of my horses lost a shoe yesterday, and we were constrained to halt +at Portkiln for the night, and ride on this morning. Herries went on to +the Deanery, and I hoped to have seen you before church, but found you +had already entered.” + +Portkiln was so near, that this Sabbath day’s journey did not scandalise +Betty, and her father eagerly welcomed his kinsman, and insisted that he +should go no farther. Sir Amyas accepted the invitation, nothing loth, +only asking, with a little courtly diffidence, if it might not be +convenient for him to sleep at the Great House, and begging the ladies +to excuse his riding dress. + +His eyes wandered anxiously as though in search of something in the +midst of all his civility, and while the Major was sending Eugene to +bring Mr. Arden--who was hanging back at the churchyard gate, unwilling +to thrust himself forward--the faltering question was put, while the +cheeks coloured like a girl’s, “I hope my fair partner, my youngest +cousin, Miss Aurelia Delavie, is in good health?” + +“We hope so, sir, thank you,” returned Betty; “but she left us six days +ago.” + +“Left you!” he repeated, in consternation that overpowered his +courtliness. + +“Yes, sir,” said Harriet, “my Lady, your mother, has been good enough to +send for her to London.” + +“My Lady!” he murmured to himself; “I never thought of that! How and +when did she go?” + +The answer was interrupted by the Major coming up “Sir Amyas Belamour, +permit me to present to you the Reverend Richard Arden, the admirable +divine to whom we are beholden for the excellent and learned +discourse of this morning. You’ll not find such another scholar in all +Carminster.” + +“I am highly honoured,” returned the baronet, with a bow in return for +Mr. Arden’s best obeisance, such as it was; and Harriet, seeing Peggy +Duckworth in the distance, plumed herself on her probable envy. + +Before dinner was served Sir Amyas had obtained the information as to +Aurelia’s departure, and even as to the road she had taken, and he had +confessed that, “Of course he had write to his mother that he had danced +with the most exquisitely beautiful creature he had ever seen, and that +he longed to know his cousins better.” No doubt his mother, having been +thus reminded of her connections, had taken the opportunity of summoning +Aurelia to London to give her the advantages of living in her household +and acquiring accomplishments. The lad was so much delighted at the +prospect of enjoying her society that he was almost consoled for not +finding her at the Manor House; and his elaborate courtesy became every +moment less artificial and more affectionate, as the friendly atmosphere +revealed that the frankness and simplicity of the boy had not been lost, +captain in the dragoon guards as he was, thanks to interest, though +he had scarcely yet joined his troop. He had been with a tutor in the +country, until two years ago, when his stepfather, Mr. Wayland, had +taken him, still with his tutor, on the expedition to the Mediterranean. +He had come home from Gibraltar, and joined his regiment only a few +weeks before setting out with his friend Captain Herries, to visit +Battlefield, Lady Aresfield’s estate in Monmouthshire. He was quartered +in the Whitehall barracks, but could spend as much time as he pleased at +his mother’s house in Hanover Square. + +Betty’s mind misgave her as she saw the brightening eye with which he +said it; but she could not but like the youth himself, he was so bright, +unspoilt, and engaging that she could not think him capable of doing +wilful wrong to her darling. Yet how soon would the young soldier, +plunged into the midst of fashionable society, learn to look on the fair +girl with the dissipated eyes of his associates? There was some comfort +in finding that Mr. Wayland was expected to return in less than a year, +and that his stepson seemed to regard him with unbounded respect, as +a good, just, and wise man, capable of everything! Indeed Sir Amyas +enlightened Mr. Arden on the scientific construction of some of Mr. +Wayland’s inventions so as to convince both the clergyman and the +soldier that the lad himself was no fool, and had profited by his +opportunities. + +Major Delavie produced his choice Tokay, a present from an old Hungarian +brother-officer, and looked happier than since Aurelia’s departure. He +was no match-maker, and speculated on no improbable contingencies for +his daughter, but he beheld good hopes for the Delavie property and +tenants in an heir such as this, and made over his simple loyal heart +to the young man. Presently he inquired whether the unfortunate Mr. +Belamour still maintained his seclusion. + +“Yes, sir,” was the reply. “He still lives in two dark rooms with +shutters and curtains excluding every ray of light. He keeps his bed for +the greater part of the day, but sometimes, on a very dark night, will +take a turn on the terrace.” + +“Poor gentleman!” said Betty. “Has he no employment or occupation?” + +“Mr. Wayland contrived a raised chess and draught board, and persuaded +him to try a few games before we went abroad, but I do not know whether +he has since continued it.” + +“Does he admit any visits?” + +“Oh no. He has been entirely shut up, except from the lawyer, Hargrave, +on business. Mr. Wayland, indeed, strove to rouse him from his +despondency, but without success, except that latterly he became willing +to receive him.” + +“Have you ever conversed with him?” + +There was an ingenuous blush as the young man replied. “I fear I must +confess myself remiss. Mr. Wayland has sometimes carried me with him to +see my uncle, but not with my good will, and my mother objected lest it +should break my spirits. However, when I left Gibraltar, my good +father charged me to endeavour from time to time to enliven my uncle’s +solitude, but there were impediments to my going to him, and I take +shame to myself for not having striven to overcome them.” + +“Rightly spoken, my young kinsman,” cried the Major. “There are no such +impediments as a man’s own distaste.” + +“And pity will remove that,” said Betty. + +Soon after the removal of the cloth the ladies withdrew, and Eugene was +called to his catechism, but he was soon released, for the Tokay had +made her father sleepy, while it seemed to have emboldened Mr. Arden, +since he came forth with direct intent to engross Harriet; and Sir Amyas +wandered towards Betty, apologising for the interruption. + +“It is a rare occasion,” said she as her pupil scampered away. + +“Happy child, to be taught by so good a sister,” said the young baronet, +regretfully. + +“Your young half-brothers and sisters must be of about the same age,” + said Betty. + +“My little brother, Archer, is somewhat younger. He is with my mother in +London, the darling of the ladies, who think him a perfect beauty, and +laugh at all his mischievous pranks. As to my little sisters, you will +be surprised to hear that I have only seen them once, when I rode with +their father to see them at the farm houses at which they are nursed.” + +“No doubt they are to be fetched home, since Mrs. Dove is gone to wait +on them, and my Lady said something of intending my sister to be with +her young children.” + +“Nay, she must have no such troublesome charge. My mother cannot intend +anything of the kind. I shall see that she is treated as---” + +Betty, beginning to perceive that he knew as little of his own mother as +did the rest of his sex, here interrupted him. “Excuse me, sir, I doubt +not of your kind intentions, but let me speak, for Aurelia is a very +precious child to me, and I am afraid that any such attempt on your part +might do her harm rather than good. She must be content with the lot of +a poor dependant.” + +“Never!” he exclaimed. “She is a Delavie; and besides, no other ever +shall be my wife.” + +“Hush, hush!” Betty had been saying before the words were out of his +“You are but a silly boy, begging your Honour’s pardon, though you +speak, I know, with all your heart. What would your Lady mother say or +do to my poor little sister if she heard you?” + +“She could but send her home, and then flood and fire could not hold me +from her.” + +“I wish that were the worst she could do. No, Sir Amyas Belamour, if you +have any kindness for the poor helpless girl under your mother’s roof, +you will make no advance to excite alarm or anger against her. Remember +it is she who will be the sufferer and not yourself. The woman, however +guiltless, is sure to fall under suspicion and bear the whole penalty. +And oh! what would become of her, defenceless, simple, unprotected as +she is?” + +“Yet you sent her!” said he. + +“Yes,” said Betty, sadly, “because there was no other choice between +breaking with my Lady altogether.” + +He made an ejaculation under his breath, half sad, half violent, and +exclaimed, “Would that I were of age, or my father were returned.” + +“But now you know all, you will leave my child in peace,” said Betty. + +“What, you would give me no hope!” + +“Only such as you yourself have held out,” said Betty. “When you are +your own master, if you keep in the same mind till then, and remain +truly worthy, I cannot tell what my father would answer.” + +“I am going to speak to him this very day. I came with that intent.” + +“Do no such thing, I entreat,” cried Betty. “He would immediately think +it his duty to inform my Lady. Then no protestation would persuade her +that we had not entrapped your youth and innocence. His grey head would +be driven out without shelter, and what might not be the consequence to +my sister? You could not help us, and could only make it worse. No, +do nothing rash, incautious, or above all, disobedient. It would be +self-love, not true love that would risk bringing her into peril and +trouble when she is far out of reach of all protection.” + +“Trust me, trust me, Cousin Betty,” cried the youth. “Only let me hope, +and I’ll be caution itself; but oh! what an endless eternity is two +years to wait without a sign!” + +But here appeared the Major, accompanied by Captain Herries and Dean +Churchill, who had ordered out his coach, Sunday though it were, to pay +his respects to my Lady’s son, and carry him and his hosts back to sup +at the Deanery. It was an age of adulation, but Betty was thankful that +perilous conversations were staved off. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. ALL ALONE. + + + By the simplicity of Venus’ doves. + _Merchant of Venice_. + + +That Sunday was spent by Aurelia at the Bear Inn, at Reading. Her +journey had been made by very short stages, one before breakfast, +another lasting till noon, when there was a long halt for dinner and +rest for horse and rider, and then another ride, never even in these +longest summer days prolonged beyond six or seven o’clock at latest, +such was the danger of highwaymen being attracted by the valuable +horses, although the grooms in charge were so well armed that they might +almost as well have been troopers. + +The roads, at that time of year, were at their best, and Aurelia and +Mrs. Dove were mounted on steady old nags, accustomed to pillions. +Aurelia could have ridden single, but this would not have been thought +fitting on a journey with no escort of her own rank, and when she +mounted she was far too miserable to care for anything but hiding her +tearful face behind Mr. Dove’s broad shoulders. Mrs. Dove was perched +behind a wiry, light-weighted old groom, whom she kept in great order, +much to his disgust. + +After the first wretchedness, Aurelia’s youthful spirits had begun to +revive, and the novel scenes to awaken interest. The Glastonbury thorn +was the first thing she really looked at. The Abbey was to her only an +old Gothic melancholy ruin, not worthy of a glance, but the breezy +air of the Cheddar Hills, the lovely cliffs, and the charm of the open +country, with its strange islands of hills dotted about, raised her +spirits, as she rode through the meadows where hay was being tossed, and +the scent came fragrant on the breeze. Mr. Dove would tell her over his +shoulder the names of places and their owners when they came to parks +bordering the road, and castles “bosomed high in the tufted trees.” Or +he would regale her with legends of robberies and point to the frightful +gibbets, one so near to the road that she shut her eyes and crouched low +behind him to avoid seeing the terrible burthen. She had noted the +White Horse, and shuddered at the monument at Devizes commemorating the +judgment on the lying woman, and a night had been spent at Marlborough +that “Miss” might see a strolling company of actors perform in a barn; +but as the piece was the _Yorksire Tragedy_, the ghastly performance +overcame her so completely that Mrs. Dove had to take her away, +declaring that no inducement should ever take her to a theatre again. + +Mr. Dove was too experienced a traveller not to choose well his quarters +for the night, and Aurelia slept in the guest chambers shining with +cleanliness and scented with lavender, Mrs. Dove always sharing her +room. “Miss” was treated with no small regard, as a lady of the good old +blood, and though the coachman and his wife talked freely with her, +they paid her all observance, never ate at the same table, and provided +assiduously for her comfort and pleasure. Once they halted a whole +day because even Mr. Dove was not proof against the allurements of +a bull-baiting, though he carefully explained that he only made a +concession to the grooms to prevent them from getting discontented, +and went himself to the spectacle to hinder them from getting drunk, in +which, be it observed, he did not succeed. + +So much time was spent on thus creeping from stage to stage that Aurelia +had begun to feel as if the journey had been going on for ages, and as +if worlds divided her from her home, when on Sunday she timidly preceded +Mrs. Dove into Reading Abbey Church, and afterwards was shown where +rolled Father Thames. The travellers took early morning with them for +Maidenhead Thicket, and breakfasted on broiled trout at the King’s Arms +at Maidenhead Bridge, while Aurelia felt her eye filled with the beauty +of the broad glassy river, and the wooded banks, and then rose onwards, +looking with loyal awe at majestic Windsor, where the flag was flying. +They slept at a poor little inn a Longford, rather than cross Hounslow +Heath in the evening, and there heard all the last achievements of the +thieves, so that Aurelia, in crossing the next day, looked to see a +masked highwayman start out of every bush; but they came safely to the +broad archway of the inn at Knightsbridge, their last stage. Mrs. +Dove took her charge up stairs at once to refresh her toilette, before +entering London and being presented to my Lady. + +But a clattering and stamping were heard in the yard, and Aurelia, +looking from the window, called Mrs. Dove to see four horses being +harnessed to a coach that was standing there. + +“Lawk-a-day?” cried the good woman, “if it be not our own old coach, as +was the best in poor Sir Jovian’s time! Ay, there be our colours, you +see, blue and gold, and my Lady’s quartering. Why, ‘twas atop of that +very blue hammercloth that I first set eyes on my Dove! So my Lady has +sent to meet you, Missie. Well, I do take it kind of her. Now you will +not come in your riding hood, all frowsed and dusty, but can put on your +pretty striped sacque and blue hood that you wore on Sunday, and look +the sweet pretty lady you are.” + +Mrs. Dove’s intentions were frustrated, for the maid of the inn knocked +at the door with a message that the coach had orders not to wait, but +that Miss was to come down immediately. + +“Dear, dear!” sighed Mrs. DOve. “Tell the jackanapes not to be so +hasty. He must give the young lady time to change her dress, and eat a +mouthful.” + +This brought Dove up to the door. “Never mind dressing and fallals,” he +said; “this is a strange fellow that says he is hired for the job, and +his orders are precise. Miss must take a bit of cake in her hand. Come, +dame, you have not lived so long in my Lady’s service as to forget what +it is to cross her will, or keep her waiting.” + +Therewith he hurried Aurelia down stairs, his wife being in such a state +of _deshabille_ that she could not follow. He handed the young lady +into the carriage, gave her a parcel of slices of bread and meat, with a +piece of cake, shut the door, and said, “Be of good heart, Missie, we’ll +catch you up by the time you are in the square. All right!” + +Off went Aurelia in solitude, within a large carriage, once gaily fitted +though now somewhat faded and tarnished. She was sorry to be parted from +the Doves, whom she wanted to give her courage for the introduction to +my Lady, and to explain to her the wonders of the streets of London, +which she did not _quite_ expect to see paved with gold! She ate her +extemporised meal, gazing from the window, and expecting to see houses +and churches thicken on her, and hurrying to brush away her crumbs, and +put on her gloves lest she should arrive unawares, for she had counted +half-a-dozen houses close together. No! here was another field! More +fields and houses. The signs of habitation were, so far from increasing, +growing more scanty, and looked strangely like what she had before +passed. Could this be the right road! How foolish to doubt, when this +was my Lady’s own coach. But oh, that it had waited for Mrs. Dove! She +would beg her to get in when the riders overtook her. When would they? +No sign of them could be seen from the windows, and here were more +houses. Surely this was Turnham Green again, or there must be another +village green exactly like it in the heart of London. How many times did +not poor Aurelia go through all these impressions in the course of the +drive. She was absolutely certain that she was taken through Brentford +again, this time without a halt; but after this the country became +unknown to her, and the road much worse. It was in fact for the most +part a mere ditch or cart track, so rough that the four horses came to +a walk. Aurelia had read no novels but _Telemaque_ and _Le Grand Cyrus_, +so her imagination was not terrified by tales of abduction, but alarm +began to grow upon her. She much longed to ask the coachman whither +he was taking her, but the check string had been either worn out or +removed; she could not open the door from within, nor make him hear, and +indeed she was a little afraid of him. + +Twilight began to come on; it was much later than Mr. Dove had ever +ventured to be out, but here at last there was a pause, and the swing of +a gate, the road was smoother and she seemed to be in a wood, probably +private ground. On and on, for an apparently interminable time, went the +coach with the wearied and affrighted girl, through the dark thicket, +until at last she emerged, into a park, where she could again see the +pale after-glow of the sunset, and presently she found herself before a +tall house, perfectly dark, with strange fantastic gables and chimneys, +ascending far above against the sky. + +All was still as death, except the murmuring caws of the rooks in their +nests, and the chattering shriek of a startled blackbird. The servant +from behind ran up the steps and thundered at the door; it was opened, +a broad line of light shone out, some figures appeared, and a man +in livery came forward to open the carriage door, but to Aurelia’s +inexpressible horror, his face was perfectly black, with negro features, +rolling eyes, and great white teeth! + +She hardly knew what she did, the dark carriage was formidable on one +side, the apparition on the other! The only ray of comfort was in the +face of a stout, comely, rosy maid-servant, who was holding the candle +on the threshold, and with one bound the poor traveller dashed past the +black hand held out to help her, and rushing up to the girl, caught hold +of her, and gasped out, “Oh! What is that? Where am I? Where have they +taken me?” + +“Lawk, ma’am,” said the girl, with a broad grin, “that ‘ere bees only +Mr. Jumbo. A’ won’t hurt’ee. See, here’s Mistress Aylward.” + +A tall, white-capped, black-gowned elderly woman turned on the new-comer +a pale, grave, unsmiling face, saying, “Your servant--Miss Aurelia +Delavie, as I understand.” + +Bending her head, and scarcely able to steady herself, for she was +shaking from head to foot, Aurelia managed to utter the query, + +“Where am I?” + +“At Bowstead Park, madam, by order of my Lady.” + +Much relieved, and knowing this was the Belamour estate, Aurelia said, +“Please let me wait till Mrs. Dove comes before I am presented to my +Lady.” + +“My Lady is not here, madam,” said Mrs. Aylward. “Allow me--” and she +led the way across a great empty hall, that seemed the vaster for its +obscurity, then along a matted passage, and down some steps into a room +surrounded with presses and cupboards, evidently belonging to the to the +housekeeper. She set a chair for the trembling girl, saying, “You will +excuse the having supper here to-night, madam; the south parlour will be +ready for you to-morrow.” + +“Is not Mrs. Dove coming?” faintly asked Aurelia. + +“Mrs. Dove is gone to London to attend on little Master Wayland. You are +to be here with the young ladies, ma’am.” + +“What young ladies?” asked the bewildered maiden. + +“My Lady’s little daughters--the Misses Wayland. I thought she had sent +you her instructions; but I see you are over wearied and daunted,” she +added, more kindly; “you will be better when you have taken some food. +Molly, I say, you sluggard of a wench, bring the lady’s supper, and +don’t stand gaping there.” + +Mrs. Aylward hurried away to hasten operations, and Aurelia began +somewhat to recover her senses, though she was still so much dismayed +that she dreaded to look up lest she should see something frightful, and +started at the first approach of steps. + +A dainty little supper was placed before her, but she was too faint and +sick at heart for appetite, and would have excused herself. However, +Mrs. Aylward severely said she would have no such folly, filled a glass +of wine, and sternly administered it; then setting her down in a large +chair, helped her to a delicate cutlet. She ate for very fright, but +her cheeks and eyes were brightened, the mists of terror and exhaustion +began to clear away, and when she accepted a second help, she had felt +herself reassured that she had not fallen into unkindly hands. If she +could only have met a smile she would have been easier, but Mrs. Aylward +was a woman of sedate countenance and few words, and the straight set +line of lips encouraged no questioning, so she merely uttered thanks for +each act of hospitality. + +“There! You will take no more roll? You are better, now, but you will +not be sorry to go to your bed,” said Mrs. Aylward, taking up a candle, +and guiding her along the passage up a long stair to a pretty room +wainscoted and curtained with fresh white dimity, and the window showing +the young moon pale in the light of the western sky. + +Bedrooms were little furnished, and this was more luxurious than the +dear old chamber at home, but the girl had never before slept alone, and +she felt unspeakably lonely in the dreariness, longing more than ever +for Betty’s kiss--even for Betty’s blame--or for a whine from Harriet; +and she positively hungered for a hug from Eugene, as she gazed timidly +at the corners beyond the influence of her candle; and instead of +unpacking the little riding mail she kissed it, and laid her cheek on +it as the only thing that came from home, and burst into a flood of +despairing tears. + +In the midst, there fell on her ears a low strain of melancholy music +rising and falling like the wailing of mournful spirits. She sprang to +her feet and stood listening with dilated eyes; then, as a louder note +reached her, in terror uncontrollable, she caught up her candle, rushed +down the stairs like a wild bird, and stood panting before Mrs. Aylward, +who had a big Bible open on the table before her. + +“Oh, ma’am,” she cried, between her panting sobs, “I can’t stay there! I +shall die!” + +“What means this, madam?” said Mrs. Aylward, stiffly, making the word +sound much like “foolish child.” + +“The--the music!” she managed faintly to utter, falling again into the +friendly chair. + +“The music?” said Mrs. Aylward, considering; then with a shade of polite +contempt, “O! Jumbo’s fiddle! I did not know it could be heard in your +room, but no doubt the windows below are open.” + +“Is Jumbo that black man?” asked Aurelia, shuddering; for negro +servants, though the fashion in town, had not penetrated into the west. + +“Mr. Belamour’s blackamoor. He often plays to him half the night.” + +“Oh!” with another quivering sound of alarm; “is Mr. Belamour the +gentleman in the dark?” + +“Even so, madam, but you need have no fears. He keeps his room and +admits no one, though he sometimes walks out by night. You will only +have to keep the children from a noise making near his apartments. Good +night, madam.” + +“Oh, pray, if I do not disturb you, would you be pleased to let me stay +till you have finished your chapter; I might not be so frightened then.” + +In common humanity Mrs. Aylward could not refuse, and Aurelia sat +silently grasping the arms of her chair, and trying to derive all the +comfort she could from the presence of a Bible and a good woman. Her +nerves were, in fact, calmed by the interval, and when Mrs. Aylward +took off her spectacles and shut up her book, it had become possible to +endure the terrors of the lonely chamber. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. THE ENCHANTED CASTLE. + + + A little she began to lose her fear.--MORRIS. + + +Aurelia slept till she was wakened by a bounce at the door, and the +rattling of the lock, but it was a little child’s voice that was crying, +“I will! I will! I will go in and seem by cousin!” + +Then came Mrs. Aylward’s severe voice: “No, miss, you are not to waken +your cousin. Come away. Where is that slut, Jenny?” + +Then there was a scuffle and a howl, as if the child were being forcibly +carried away. Aurelia sprang out of bed, for sunshine was flooding the +room, and she felt accountable for tardiness. She had made some progress +in dressing, when again little hands were on the lock, little feet +kicking the door, and little voices calling, “Let me in.” + +She opened the door, and white nightgowns, all tumbled back one over the +other. + +“My little cousins,” she said, “come and kiss me.” + +One came forward and lifted up a sweet little pale face, but the other +two stood, each with a finger in the mouth, right across the threshold, +in a manner highly inconvenient to Aurelia, who was only in her stiff +stays and dimity petticoat, with a mass of hair hanging down below her +waist. She turned to them with arms out-stretched, but this put them +instantly to the rout, and they ran off as fast as their bare pink feet +could carry them, till one stumbled, and lay with her face down and her +plump legs kicking in the air. Aurelia caught her up, but the capture +produced a powerful yell, and out, all at once hurried into +the corridor, Mrs. Aylward, a tidy maid servant, a stout, buxom +countrywoman, and a rough girl, scarcely out of bed, but awake enough +to snatch the child out of the young lady’s arms, and carry her off. +The housekeeper began scolding vigorously all round, and Aurelia escaped +into her room, where she completed her toilette, looking out into a +garden below, laid out in the formal Dutch fashion, with walks and beds +centring in a fountain, the grass plats as sharply defined as possible, +and stiff yews and cypresses dotted at regular intervals or forming +straight alleys. She felt strange and shy, but the sunshine, the +cheerfulness, and the sight of the children, had reassured her, and when +she had said her morning prayer, she had lost the last night’s sense of +hopeless dreariness and unprotectedness. When another knock came, +she opened the door cheerfully, but there was a chill in meeting Mrs. +Aylward’s grave, cold face, and stiff salutation. “If you are ready, +madam,” she said, “I will show you to the south parlour, where the +children will eat with you.” + +Aurelia ventured to ask about her baggage, and was told that it would be +forwarded from Brentford. Mrs. Aylward then led the way to a wide stone +staircase, with handsome carved balusters, leading down into the great +hall, with doors opening from all sides. All was perfectly empty, and so +still, that the sweep of the dresses, and the tap of the heels made an +echo; and the sunshine, streaming in at the large window, marked out +every one upon the floor, in light and shadow, and exactly repeated +the brown-shaded, yellow-framed medallions of painted glass upon the +pavement. There was something awful and oppressive in the entire absence +of all tokens of habitation, among those many closed doors. + +One, however, at the foot of the stairs was opened by Mrs. Aylward. It +led to a sort of narrow lobby, with a sashed window above a low door, +opening on stone steps down to the terrace and garden. To the right was +an open door, giving admittance to a room hung with tapestry, with a +small carpet in the centre of the floor, and a table prepared for the +morning meal. There was a certain cheerfulness about it, though it was +bare of furniture; but there was an easy chair, a settee, a long +couch, a spinnet, and an embroidery frame, so that altogether it had +capabilities of being lived in. + +“Here you will sit, madam, with the young ladies,” said Mrs. Aylward. +“They have a maid-servant who will wait on you, and if you require +anything, you will be pleased to speak to me. My Lady wishes you to take +charge of them, and likewise to execute the piece of embroidery you will +find in that frame, with the materials. This will be your apartment, +and you can take the young ladies into the garden and park, wherever you +please, except that they must not make a noise before the windows of the +other wing, which you will see closed with shutters, for those are Mr. +Belamour’s rooms.” + +With these words Mrs. Aylward curtsied as if about to retire, Aurelia +held out her hand in entreaty. “Oh, cannot you stay with me?” + +“No, madam, my office is the housekeeper’s,” was the stiff response. +“Molly will call me if you require my services. I think you said you +preferred bread and milk for breakfast. Dinner will be served at one.” + +Mrs. Aylward retreated, leaving a chill on the heart of the lonely girl. + +She was a clergyman’s widow, though with no pretensions to gentility, +and was a plain, conscientious, godly woman, but with the narrow +self-concentrated piety of the time, which seemed to ignore all the +active part of the duty to our neighbour. She had lived many years as +a faithful retainer to the Belamour family, and avoided perplexity by +minding no one’s business but her own, and that thoroughly. Naturally +reserved, and disapproving much that she saw around her, she had never +held it to be needful to do more than preserve her own integrity, and +the interests of her employers, and she made it a principle to be in +no wise concerned in family affairs, and to hold aloof from perilous +confidences. + +Thus Aurelia was left to herself, till three bowls of milk were borne in +by Molly, who was by no means loth to speak. + +“The little misses will be down directly, ma’am,” she said, “that is, +two on ‘em. The little one, she won’t leave Jenny Bowles, but Dame +Wheatfield, she’ll bring down the other two. You see, ma’am, they +be only just taken home from being out at nurse, and don’t know one +another, nor the place, and a pretty handful we shall have of ‘em.” + +Here came a call for Molly, and the girl with a petulant exclamation, +sped away, leaving Aurelia to the society of the tapestry. It was of +that set of Gobelin work which represents the four elements personified +by their goddesses, and Aurelia’s mythology, founded on Fenelon, was +just sufficient to enable her to recognise the forge of Vulcan and the +car [chariot--D.L.] of Venus. Then she looked at the work prepared for +her, a creamy piece of white satin, and a most elaborate pattern of +knots of roses, lilacs, hyacinths, and laburnums, at which her heart +sank within her. However, at that moment the stout woman she had seen in +the morning appeared at the open door with a little girl in each hand, +both in little round muslin caps, long white frocks, and blue sashes. + +One went up readily to Aurelia and allowed herself to be kissed, and +lifted to a chair; the other clung to Dame Wheatfield, in spite of +coaxing entreaties. “Speak pretty, my dear; speak to the pretty lady. +Don’t ye see how good your sister is? It won’t do, miss,” to Aurelia; +“she’s daunted, is my pretty lamb. If I might just give her her +breakwist--for it is the last time I shall do it--then she might get +used to you before my good man comes for me.” + +Aurelia was only too glad to instal Dame Wheatfield in a chair with her +charge in her lap. The other child was feeding herself very tidily and +independently, and Aurelia asked her if she were the eldest. + +“Yes,” she said. + +“And what shall I call you, my dear?” + +“I’m Missy.” + +“No, Missy, me--me eldest,” cried the other. + +“Bless the poor children!” exclaimed Mrs. Wheatfield, laughing, “they be +both of ‘em eldest, as one may say.” + +“They are twins, then?” said Aurelia. + +“More than that--all three of them came together! I’ve heard tell of +such a thing once or twice, but never of all living and thriving. Folk +said it was a judgment on my Lady that she spoke sharp and hard to a +poor beggar woman with a child on each arm. It was not a week out before +my Lady herself was down, quite unexpected, as I may say, for she was +staying here for a week, with a lot of company, when these three was +born. They do say she was nigh beside herself that the like of that +should have happened to her. Mr. Wayland, he was not so ill pleased, but +the poor little things had to be got out of the house any way, for she +could not abear to hear of them. Mrs. Rolfe, as was an old servant of +the family, took that one, and I was right glad to have you, my pretty +one, for I had just lost my babe at a fortnight old, and the third was +sent to Goody Bowles, for want of a better. They says as how my Lady +means to bring them out one by one, and to make as this here is bigger, +and the other up stairs is lesser, and never let on that they are all of +an age.” + +The good gossip must have presumed greatly on the children’s want of +comprehension if she did not suppose that they understood her at least +as well as the young lady to whom her dialect was strange. + +“And has she not seen them?” + +“Never till last Monday, if you’ll believe me miss, when she drove down +in her coach, and the children were all brought home. I thought she +might have said something handsome, considering the poor little babe +as my Missy here was when I had her--not so long as my hand--and scarce +able to cry enough to show she was alive. The work I and my good man had +with her! He would walk up and down half the night with her. Not as we +grudged it. He is as fond of the child as myself; and Mr. Wayland, he +knew it. ‘She has a good nurse, dame,’ says he to me, with the water in +his eyes, before he went to foreign parts. But my Lady! When the little +one as had been with Goody Bowles--an ignorant woman, you see--cried and +clung to her, and kicked, ‘Little savages all,’ says my Lady. There was +thanks to them that had had more work to rear her children than ever +with one of her own! ‘Perfect little rustics!’ she said, even when you +made your curtsey as pretty as could be, didn’t you, my little lammie?” + +“Mammy Rolfe taught me to make my curtsey like a London lady,” said the +other child, the most advanced in manners. + +“Aha! little pitchers have long ears; but, bless you, they don’t know +what it means,” said Dame Wheatfield, too glad to talk to check herself +on any account; “Not so much as a kiss for them, poor little darlings! +Folks say she does not let even Master Wayland kiss aught but her hands +for fear of her fine colours. A plague on such colours, I say.” + +“Poor little things!” whispered Aurelia. + +“You’ll be good to them, won’t you miss?” + +“Indeed I hope so! I am only just come from home, and they will be all I +have to care for here.” + +“Ay, you must be lonesome in this big place; but I’m right glad to have +seen you, miss; I can part with the little dear with a better heart, for +Mrs. Aylward don’t care for children, and Jenny Bowles is a rough wench, +wrapped up in her own child, and won’t be no good to the others. Go to +the lady, my precious,” she added, trying to put the little girl into +her cousin’s lap, but this was met with struggles, and vehement cries +of-- + +“No; stay with mammy!” + +The little sister, who had not brought her nurse, was, however, well +contented to be lifted to Aurelia’s knee, and returned her caresses. + +“And have you not a name, my dear? We can’t call you all missie.” + +“Fay,” the child lisped; “Fayfiddly Wayland.” + +“Lawk-a-daisy!” and Mrs. Wheatfield fell back laughing. “I’ll tell you +how it was, ma’am. When no one thought they would live an hour, Squire +Wayland he sent for parson and had ‘em half baptised Faith, Hope, and +Charity. They says his own mother’s was called Faith, and the other two +came natural after it, and would do as well to be buried by as aught. So +that’s what she means by Fay, and this here is Miss Charity.” + +“She said something besides Faith.” + +“Well, when my lady got about again, they say if she was mad at their +coming all on a heap, she was madder still at their name. Bible wasn’t +grand enough for her! I did hear tell that she throwed her slipper at +her husband’s head, and was like to go into fits. So to content her he +came down, and took each one to Church, and had a fine London name of my +Lady’s choosing tacked on in parson’s register for them to go by; but +to my mind it ain’t like their christened name. Mine here got called for +her share Amoretta.” + +“A little Love,” cried Aurelia. “Oh, that is pretty. And what can your +name be, my dear little Fay? Will you tell me again?” + +When repeated, it was plainly Fidelia, and it appeared that Hope had +been also called Letitia. As to age, Mrs. Wheatfield knew it was five +years last Michaelmas since the child had been brought to her from whom +she was so loth to part that she knew not how to go when her husband +came for her in his cart. He was a farmer, comfortably off, though very +homely, and there were plenty of children at home, so that she had been +ill spared to remain at the Park till Aurelia’s arrival. Thus she took +the opportunity of going away while the little one was asleep. + +Aurelia asked where she lived now. At Sedhurst, in the next parish, she +was told; but she would not accept a promise that her charge should soon +be brought to visit her. “Better not, ma’am, thank you all the same, +not till she’s broke in. She’ll pine the less if she don’t see nor hear +nothing about the old place, nor Daddy and Sally and Davie. If you +bring her soon, you’ll never get her away again. That’s the worst of a +nurse-child. I was warned. It just breaks your heart!” + +So away went the good foster-mother sobbing; and Aurelia’s charge began. +Fay claimed her instantly to explore the garden and house. The child had +been sent home alone on the sudden illness of her nurse, and had been +very forlorn, so that her cousin’s attention was a great boon to her. +Hope was incited to come out; but Jenny Bowles kept a jealous watch over +her, and treated every one else as an enemy; and before Aurelia’s +hat was on, came the terrible woe of Amoret’s awakening. Her sobs and +wailings for her mammy were entirely beyond the reach of Aurelia’s +soothings and caresses, and were only silenced by Molly’s asseveration +that the black man was at the door ready to take her into the dark room. +That this was no phantom was known to the poor child, and was a lurking +horror to Aurelia herself. No wonder that the little thing clung to her +convulsively, and would not let her hand go for the rest of the day, +every now and then moaning out entreaties to go home to mammy. + +With the sad little being hanging to her hand, Aurelia was led by Fay +round their new abiding place. The house was of brick, shaped like the +letter H, Dutch, and with a tall wing, at each end of the main body, +projecting, and finishing in fantastic gables edged with stone. One +of these square wings was appropriated to Aurelia and her charges, the +other to the recluse Mr. Belamour. The space that lay between the two +wings, on the garden front, was roofed over, and paved with stone, +descending in several broad shallow steps at the centre and ends, +guarded at each angle by huge carved eagles, the crest of the builder, +of the most regular patchwork, and kept, in spite of the owner’s +non-residence, in perfect order. The strange thing was that this fair +and stately place, basking in the sunshine of early June, should be left +in complete solitude save for the hermit in the opposite wing, the three +children, and the girl, who felt as though in a kind of prison. + +The sun was too hot for Aurelia to go out of doors till late in the day, +when the shadow of the house came over the steps. She was sitting on +one, with Amoret nestled in her lap, and was crooning an old German +lullaby of Nannerl’s, which seemed to have a wonderful effect in calming +the child, who at last fell into a doze. Aurelia had let her voice die +away, and had begun to think over her strange situation, when she was +startled by a laugh behind her, and looking round, hardly repressed +a start or scream, at the sight of Fay enjoying a game at bo-peep, +with--yes--it actually was--the negro--over the low-sashed door. + +“I beg pardon, ma’am,” said Jumbo, twitching his somewhat grizzled wool; +“I heard singing, and little missy--” + +Unfortunately Amoret here awoke, and with a shriek of horror cowered in +her arms. + +“I am so sorry,” said Aurelia, anxious not to hurt his feelings. “She +knows no better.” + +Jumbo grinned, bowed, and withdrew, Fay running after him, for she had +made friends with him during her days of solitude, being a fearless +child, and not having been taught to make a bugbear of him. “The soot +won’t come off,” she said. + +Aurelia had not a moment to herself till Fay had said the Lord’s prayer +at her knee, and Amoret, with much persuasion, had been induced to lisp +out-- + + “Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, + Bless the bed I sleep upon; + Four corners to by bed, + Four angles round my head, + One to read and one to write, + And two to guard my soul at night.” + +Another agony for mammy ensued, nor could Aurelia leave the child till +sleep had hushed the wailings. Then only could she take her little +writing-case to begin her letter to Betty. It would be an expensive +luxury to her family, but she knew how it would be longed for; and +though she cried a good deal over her writing, she felt as if she ought +to make the best of her position, for had not Betty said it was for her +father’s sake? No, her tears must not blot the paper, to distress +those loving hearts. Yet how the drops _would_ come, gathering fast and +blinding her! Presently, through the window, came the sweet mysterious +strains of the violin, not terrifying her as before, but filling her +with an inexpressible sense of peace and calmness. She sat listening +almost as one in a dream, with her pen suspended, and when the spell was +broken by Molly’s entrance with her supper, she went on in a much more +cheerful strain than she had begun. It was dull, and it was a pity that +her grand wardrobe, to say nothing of Betty’s good advice, should be +wasted, but her sister would rejoice in her seclusion from the grand, +fashionable world, and her heart went out to the poor little neglected +children, whose mother could not bear the sight of them. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. THE TRIAD. + + + “I know sisters, sisters three.” + + +Ere many days had passed Aurelia had drifted into what would now be +regarded as the duties of a nursery governess to her little companions. + +Fay and Amoret were always with her, and depended on her for everything. +Jenny Bowles, with a sort of animal jealousy, tried to monopolise her +charge, Letitia. The child was attracted by the sounds of her sister’s +sports, and there was no keeping her from them, or from their cousin. +Then the rude untaught Jenny became cross, moped, showed spite to the +other children, and insolence to the young lady, and was fortunately +overheard by Mrs. Aylward, and dismissed. Letty did not seem to mind the +loss as Amoret had felt that of her foster-mother, for indeed Jenny had +been almost as disagreeable to her as to the others during these days of +jealousy. + +The triad were not much alike: Amoret was the largest of the three, +plump, blue-eyed, golden-haired, rosy-cheeked, a picture of the +cherub-type of child; Letitia had the delicate Delavie features and +complexion; and Fidelia, the least pretty, was pale, and rather sallow, +with deep blue eyes set under a broad forehead and dark brows, with hair +also dark. Though the smallest, she was the most advanced, and showed +signs of good training. She had some notion of good manners, and knew +as much of her hornbook [a child’s primer consisting of a sheet of +parchment or paper protected by a sheet of transparent horn--D.L.] and +catechism as little girls of five were wont to know. The other two were +perfectly ignorant, but Mrs. Aylward procured hornbooks, primers, and +slates, and Aurelia began their education in a small way. + +It was a curious life. There was the great empty house, through whose +long corridors and vacant rooms the children might wander at will, +peeping at the swathed curtains of velvet pile, the rolls of carpet, and +the tapestry pictures on the walls, running and shouting in the empty +passages, or sometimes, in a fit of nameless fright, taking refuge in +Aurelia’s arms. Or they might play in the stately garden, provided they +trod on no borders, and meddled with neither flower nor fruit. The old +gardener began by viewing them as his natural enemies, but soon relaxed +in amusement at their pretty sportive ways, gave them many precious +spoils, and forgave more than one naughty little inroad, which greatly +alarmed their guardian. + +Or if the little party felt enterprising, there lay beyond, the park, +its slopes covered with wild strawberries, and with woods where they +could gather flowers unchecked. Further, there was no going, except on +alternate Sundays, when there was service in the tumble-down Church at +the park gate. It was in far worse condition than the Church at home, +and was served by a poor forlorn-looking curate, who lived at Brentford, +and divided his services between four parishes, each of which was +content to put up with a fortnightly alternate morning and evening +service. The Belamour seat was a square one, without the comfortable +appliances of the Delavie closet, and thus permitting a much fuller +view, but there was nothing to be seen except a row of extremely gaudy +Belamour hatchments, displaying to the full, the saltir-wise sheafs of +arrows on the shields or lozenges, supported by grinning skulls. The +men’s shields preserved their eagle crest, the women had only lozenges, +and the family motto, _Amo et Amabo_, was exchanged for the more pious +“_Resurgam_.” + +Aurelia found that the family seat, whither she was marshalled by Mrs. +Aylward, was already occupied by two ladies, who rose up, and made her +stately curtsies with a decidedly disgusted air, although there was +ample space for her and Fidelia, the only one of her charges whom +she had ventured to take with her. They wore the black hoods, laced +boddices, long rolls of towering curl and open upper skirts, of Queen +Anne’s day, and in the eyes of thirty years’ later, looked so ridiculous +that Fay could not but stare at them the whole time, and whenever +Aurelia turned her glances from her book to see whether her little +companion was behaving herself, the big blue considering eyes were +always levelled full upon the two forms before her. + +The ladies were in keeping with their dress, thin, stiff and angular, +with worn and lined faces, highly rouged, and enormous long-handled +fans, and Aurelia was almost as much astonished as the child. + +There was a low curtseying again, and much ceremony before it was +possible to get out of the pew, and the two ladies mounted at the door +on lofty pattens which added considerably to their height, and, attended +by a loutish-looking man in livery, who carried their books, stalked of +into the village. + +Aurelia found from the communicative Molly that they were Mistress +Phoebe and Mistress Delia Treforth, kinswomen of the Belamour family, +who had in consequence a life residence rent-free in a tall thin red +square house near the churchyard, where a very gay parrot was always +to be seen in the windows. They no doubt regarded Miss Delavie and the +little Waylands as interlopers at Bowstead, and their withering glances +made Church-going a trying affair--indeed the first time that Aurelia +took little Amoret, they actually drove the sensitive child into a +sobbing fit, so that she had to be carried out, begging to know why +those ladies looked so cross at her. + +The life, on the whole, was not unhappy, except for fits of homesickness +and longing for letters. The arrival of the boxes from the carrier +was the first comfort, and then at last came a thick letter from +home, franked by Sir George Herries, and containing letters from +everybody--even a few roundhand lines from Eugene. + +Her father wrote at length all the excellent moral and religious essay +which had stuck in his throat at the parting; neither was Betty’s letter +deficient in good advice, though she let it appear that the family were +much amused at Lady Belamour’s affliction in her triad of daughters, the +secret having been hitherto so carefully kept that they supposed her to +have only one. + +“It will be your Charge,” wrote Betty, “so far as in you lies, to render +them not merely the Graces, as my Father terms them, but the true and +faithful Guardian to these Infant Spirits. Though their Mother has shown +no Care or heed in entrusting them to you, yet remember that it is truly +the good Providence of their Heavenly Father that has put these little +Children of His in your Charge, to receive from you the first Principles +of Religion and Morals which may mould their whole Lives; and I trust +that you will do the Work faithfully and successfully. It may be dull +and tedious at Bowstead, but I had much rather hear of you thus than +exposed to the Glare of My Lady’s Saloon in London. No doubt Harriet +has write to you of the Visit of young Sir Amyas, the Sunday after your +departure. We have since heard that his expedition to Monmouthshire was +with a View to his marriage to Lady Aresfield’s Daughter, and this may +well be, so that if he fall in your way, you will be warned against +putting any misconstruction on any Civil Attentions he may pay to you. +Ever since your Departure Mr. Arden has redoubled his Assiduities in +a certain Quarter, and as it is thought the Dean and Chapter are not +unlikely to present him to a good Vicarage in Buckinghamshire, it is not +unlikely that ere long you may hear of a Wedding in the Family, although +Harriet would be extremely angry with me for daring to give such a +Hint.” + +Certainly Aurelia would not have gathered the hint from Harriet’s +letter, which was very sentimental about her own loneliness and lack of +opportunity, in contrast with Aurelia, who was seeing the world. That +elegant beau, Sir Amyas, had just given a sample to tantalise their +rusticity, and then had vanished; and here was that oddity, Mr. Arden, +more wearisome and pertinacious than ever. So tiresome! + + + + +CHAPTER X. THE DARK CHAMBER. + + + Or singst thou rather under force + Of some Divine command, + Commissioned to presage a course + Of happier days at hand? + COWPER. + + +Aurelia was coming down stairs in the twilight after singing her charges +to sleep about three weeks after her arrival, when she saw Jumbo waiting +at the bottom of the stairs. + +She had long ceased to be afraid of him. Indeed he had quite amazed her +by his good-nature in helping to lift down naughty little Letitia, who +was clambering up to the window of his master’s chamber to look through +the crevices of the shutters. He had given the children a gaily dressed +rag doll, and was as delighted as they were when he played his fiddle to +them and set them dancing. + +Still, the whites of his eyes, his shining teeth, and the gold lace of +his livery had a startling effect in the darkness, and Aurelia wished he +would move away; but he was evidently waiting for her, and when she +came near he addressed her thus, “Mis’r Belamour present compliment, and +would Miss Delavie be good enough to honour him with her company for a +short visit?” + +The girl started, dismayed, alarmed, yet unwilling to be unkind to the +poor recluse, while she hoped that decorum and propriety would put the +visit out of the question. She replied that she would ask Mrs. Aylward +whether she might, and Jumbo followed her to the still-room, saying on +the way, “Mas’r heard Miss Delavie sing. He always has the window opened +to hear her. It makes him hum the air--be merry. He has not asked to +speak with lady since he heard the bad news--long, long, ago.” + +Then Aurelia felt that nothing short of absolute impropriety ought to +make her gratify her shrinking reluctance. Mrs. Aylward seemed to think +her doubts uncalled for, and attributed her hesitation to fear of the +dark room. + +“Oh, no I am not so childish,” said the young lady with nervous dignity; +“but would it be proper?” + +“Bless me, madam, he is as old as your father, and as civil a gentleman +as lives. I would come in with you but that I am expecting Mr. Potts +with the tallies. You need have no scruples.” + +There was no excuse nor escape, and Aurelia followed the negro in +trepidation. Crossing the hall, he opened for her the door of the lobby +corresponding to her own, and saying, “Allow me, ma’am,” passed before +her, and she heard another door unclosed, and a curtain withdrawn. +Beyond she only saw a gulf of darkness, but out of it came a deep manly +voice, subdued and melancholy, but gentlemanlike and deferential. + +“The young lady is so kind as to come and cheer the old hermit. A +thousand thanks, madam. Permit me.” + +Aurelia’s hand was taken by one soft for want of use, and she was led +forward on a deep piled carpet, and carefully placed on a chair in the +midst of the intense black darkness. There was a little movement and +then the voice said, “I am most sensible of your goodness, madam.” + +“I--I am glad. You are very good, sir,” murmured Aurelia, oppressed by +the gloom and the peculiar atmosphere, cool--for the windows were open +behind the shutters--but strangely fragrant. + +“How does my excellent friend, Major Delavie?” + +“I thank you, sir, he is well, though his wound troubles him from time +to time.” + +“Commend me to him when you write, if you are good enough to remember +it.” + +“I thank you, sir. He will be rejoiced to hear of you.” + +“He does me too much honour.” + +These conventionalities being exhausted, a formidable pause ensued, +first broken by Mr. Belamour, “May I ask how my fair visitor likes +Bowstead?” + +“It is a fine place, sir.” + +“But somewhat lonely for so youthful a lady?” + +“I have the children, sir.” + +“I often hear their cheerful voices.” + +“I hope we do not disturb you, sir, I strive to restrain them, but I +fear we are all thoughtless.” + +“Nay, the innocent sounds of mirth ring sweetly on my ears, like the +notes of birds. And when I have heard a charming voice singing to the +little ones, I have listened with delight. Would it be too presumptuous +to beg the air songstress to repeat her song for the old recluse?” + +“O, sir, I have only nursery ditties, caught from our old German maid,” + cried Aurelia, in dismay. + +“That might not diminish the charm to me,” he said. “In especial there +was one song whose notes Jumbo caught as you accompanied yourself on the +spinnet.” + +And Jumbo, who seemed able to see in the dark, played a bar on his +violin, while Aurelia trembled with shyness. + +“The Nightingale Song,” she said. “My dear mother learnt the tune +abroad. And I believe that she herself made the English words, when she +was asked what the nightingales say.” + +“May I hear it? Nightingales can sing in the dark.” Refusal was +impossible, and Jumbo’s violin was a far more effective accompaniment +than her own very moderate performance on the spinnet; so in a sweet, +soft, pure, untrained and trembling voice, she sang-- + + + “O Life and Light are sweet, my dear, O life and Light are sweet; + But sweeter still the hope and cheer + When Love and Life shall meet. + Oh! then it is most sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet. + + “But Love puts on the yoke, my dear, But Love puts on the yoke; + The dart of Love calls forth the tear, + As though the heart were broke. + The very heart were broke, broke, broke, broke, broke, broke. + + “And Love can quench Life’s Light, my dear, Drear, dark, and melancholy; + Seek Light and Life and jocund cheer, + And mirth and pleasing folly. + Be thine, light-hearted folly, folly, folly, folly, folly, folly. + + “‘Nay, nay,’ she sang. ‘yoke, pain, and tear, + For Love I gladly greet; + Light, Life, and Mirth are nothing here, + Without Love’s bitter sweet. + Give me Love’s bitter sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet.’” + + +“Accept my fervent thanks, kind songstress. So that is the nightingale’s +song, and your honoured mother’s?” + +“Yes, sir. My father often makes us sing it because it reminds him of +her.” + +“Philomel could not have found a better interpreter,” said the grave +voice, sounding so sad that Aurelia wished she could have sung something +less affecting to his spirits. + +“I gather from what you said that you are no longer blessed with the +presence of the excellent lady, your mother,” presently added Mr. +Belamour. + +“No, sir. We lost her seven years ago.” + +“And her husband mourns her still. Well he may. She was a rare creature. +So she is gone! I have been so long in seclusion that no doubt time has +made no small havoc, and my friends have had many griefs to bewail.” + +Aurelia knew not what answer to make, and was relieved when he collected +himself and said:-- + +“I will trespass no longer on my fair visitor’s complaisance, but if she +have not found the gloom of this apartment insupportable, it would be a +charitable action to brighten it once more with her presence.” + +“O sir, I will come whenever you are pleased to send for me,” she +exclaimed, all her doubts, fears, and scruples vanishing at his tone of +entreaty. “My father would be so glad. I will practise my best song to +sing to you to-morrow.” + +“My best thanks are yours,” and her hand was taken, she was carefully +conducted to the door and dismissed with a gentle pressure of her +fingers, and a courteous: “Goodnight, madam; _Au revoir_, if I may +venture to say so.” + +By contrast, the hall looked almost light, and Aurelia could see the +skip of joy with which Jumbo hurried to fetch a candle. As he gave it to +her, he made his teeth flash from ear to ear, as he exclaimed: “Pretty +missy bring new life to mas’r!” + +Thus did a new element come into Aurelia’s life. She carefully prepared +Harriet’s favourite song, a French _romance_, but Mr. Belamour did not +like it equally well with the Nightingale, which he made her repeat, +rewarding her by telling her of the charming looks and manners of her +mother, so that she positively enjoyed her visit. The next night he made +inquiries into her walks at Bowstead, asking after the favourite nooks +of his childhood, and directing her to the glades where grew the largest +dewberries and sweetest blackberries. This led to her recital of a +portion of _Midsummer Night’s Dream_, for he drew her on with thanks at +every pause: “I have enjoyed no such treat for many years,” he said. + +“There are other pieces that I can recite another time,” said Aurelia +timidly. + +“You will confer a great favour on me,” he answered. + +So she refreshed her memory by a mental review of _Paradise Lost_ over +her embroidery frame, and was ready with Adam’s morning hymn, which was +much relished. Compliments on her elocution soon were turned by her into +the praise of “sister,” and as she became more at ease, the strange man +in the dark listened with evident delight to her pretty fresh prattle +about sister and brother, and father and home. Thus it had become a +daily custom that she should spend the time between half past seven and +nine in the company of the prisoner of darkness, and she was beginning +to look forward to it as the event of the day. She scarcely expected +to be sent for on Sunday evening, but Jumbo came as usual with the +invitation, and she was far from sorry to quit a worm-eaten Baxter’s +_Saints’ Rest_ which she had dutifully borrowed from Mrs. Aylward. + +“Well, my fair visitor,” said the voice which had acquired a tone of +pleased anticipation, “what mental repast has your goodness provided?” + +“It is Sunday, sir.” + +“Ah!” as if it had not occurred to him, and with some disappointment. + +“I could say the Psalms by heart, sir, if you would like it, for it is +the 20th day of the month.” + +“Thank you. Your voice can make anything sweet.” + +Aurelia was shocked, and knew that Betty would be more so, but she was +too shy to do anything except to begin: “Praise thou the Lord, O my +soul.” + +It was a fortunate thing that it was a Psalm of such evident beauty, for +it fell less familiarly on his ear than her passages from the poets. At +the end he said: “Yes, that is true poetry. Praise fits well with happy +young lips. You have been to church?” + +“No, sir, Mr. Greaves does not come to-day.” + +“Then how did the gentle saint perform her orisons?” + +“Please do not so call me, sir! I tried to read the service, but I could +not get the children to be still, so I had to tell them about Joseph, +and I found a beautiful Bible full of pictures, like our Dutch one at +home.” + +“You found the old Bible? My mother used to show it to my brother and +me--my poor mother!” + +He mentioned one or two of the engravings, which he had never forgotten, +but the evening was less of a success than usual, and Aurelia doubted +whether we would wish for her that day se’nnight. All her dread of him +was gone; she knew she had brought a ray of brightness into his solitary +broken life, and her mind was much occupied with the means of affording +him pleasure. Indeed she might have wearied of the lack of all +companionship save that of the young children; and converse with a +clever highly cultivated mind was stimulating and expanding all her +faculties. When the stores or her memory were becoming exhausted, Jumbo +was bidden to open a case of books which had lain untouched since they +were sent sown from Mr. Belamour’s chambers at the Temple, and they were +placed at her disposal. Here was Mr. Alexander Pope’s translation of the +_Iliad_ of Homer, which had appeared shortly before the fatal duel, +and Aurelia eagerly learnt whole pages of it by heart for the evening’s +amusement, enjoying extremely the elucidations and criticisms of her +auditor, who would dwell on a passage all day, beg to have it repeated +a second time in the evening, and then tell her what his memory or +his reflection had suggested about it. Moreover, having heard some +inexplicable report, through Jumbo, of the Porteous mob, Mr. Belamour +became curious to learn the truth, and this led to his causing the +newspapers to be sent weekly to be read and reported to him by Aurelia. +It seemed incredible that a man of much ability should have been content +to spend all these years in the negro’s sole society, but no doubt the +injury done to the brain had been aggravated by grief and remorse, so +that he had long lain, with suspended faculties, in a species of living +death; whence he had only gradually, and as it were unconsciously, +advanced to his present condition. Perhaps Mr. Wayland’s endeavours to +rouse him had come too soon, or in a less simple and attractive +form, for they had been reluctantly received and had proved entirely +unsuccessful; while the child-like efforts of the girl, following his +lead instead of leading him, were certainly awakening him, and renewing +his spirits and interest in the world at large in an unlooked-for +manner. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. A VOICE FROM THE GRAVE. + + + He hath a word for thee to speak. + KEBLE. + + +No difference was made to Aurelia’s visits to Mr. Belamour on Sunday +evenings, but he respected her scruples against indulgence in profane +literature, and encouraged her to repeat passages of Scripture, +beginning to taste the beauty of the grand cadences falling from her +soft measured voice. Thus had she come to the Sermon on the Mount, and +found herself repeating the expansion of the Sixth Commandment ending +with, “And thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt +not come out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.” + +A groan startled her. Then came the passage and the unhappy man’s +history with a sudden stab. A horror of the darkness fell on her. She +felt as if he were in the prison and she reproaching him, and cried +out--“O sir, forgive me. I forgot; I did not say it on purpose.” + +“No, my child, it was Mary speaking by your voice. No, Mary, I shall +never come out. It will never be paid.” + +She shook with fright as Jumbo touched her, saying, “Missee, go; mas’r +bear no more;” but, as she rose to go away, a sweet impulse made her +pause and say, “It is paid, _He_ paid. You know Who did--in his own +Blood.” + +Jumbo drew her away almost by force, and when outside, exclaimed, +“Missee never speak of blood or kill to mas’r--he not bear it. Head turn +again--see shapes as bad as ever.” + +The poor child cried bitterly, calling herself cruel, thoughtless, +presumptuous; and for the next few days Jumbo’s eyes glared at her as he +reported his master to be very ill; but, on the third day, he came +for her as usual. She thought Mr. Belamour’s tones unwontedly low and +depressed, but no reference was made to the Sunday, and she was glad +enough to plunge into the council of Olympus. + +A day or two later, Dame Wheatfield sent her husband with an urgent +invitation to Miss Amoret with her sisters and cousin to be present at +her harvest home. Mrs. Aylward, with a certain tone of contempt, gave +her sanction to their going with Molly, by the help of the little pony +cart used about the gardens. Aurelia, in high glee, told Mr. Belamour, +who encouraged her to describe all her small adventures, and was her +oracle in all the difficult questions that Fidelia’s childish wisdom was +wont to start. + +“To Wheatfield’s farm, did you say? That is in Sedhurst. There are but +three fields between it and the church.” + +Presently he added: “I am tempted to ask a great kindness, though I know +not whether it will be possible to you.” + +“Indeed, sir, I will do my utmost.” + +“There are two graves in Sedhurst Church, I have never dared to inquire +about them. Would it be asking too much from my gentle friend to beg of +her to visit them, and let me hear of them.” + +“I will, I will, sir, with all my heart.” + +By eight o’clock the next evening she was again with him, apologizing +for being late. + +“I scarcely expected this pleasure to-night. These rural festivities are +often protracted.” + +“O sir, I was heartily glad to escape and to get the children away. The +people were becoming so rude and riotous that I was frightened. I never +would have gone, had I known what it would be like, but at home the +people are fond of asking us to their harvest feasts, and they always +behave well whilst we are there.” + +“No doubt they hold your father in respect.” + +“Yes,” said Aurelia, unwilling to tell him how much alarmed and offended +she had been, though quite unintentionally. Dame Wheatfield only +intended hospitality; but in her eyes “Miss” was merely a poor +governess, and that to the little Waylands--mere interlopers in the eyes +of the Belamour tenantry. So the good woman had no idea that the rough +gallantry of the young farmer guests was inappropriate, viewing it as +the natural tribute to her guest’s beauty, and mistaking genuine offence +for mere coyness, until, finding it was real earnest, considerable +affront was taken at “young madam’s fine airs, and she only a poor +kinswoman of my Lady’s!” Quite as ill was it received that the young +lady had remonstrated against the indigestible cakes and strange +beverages administered to all her charges, and above all to Amoret. She +had made her escape on the plea of early hours for the children, leaving +Molly behind her, just as the boisterous song was beginning in which +Jack kisses Bet, Joe kisses Sue, Tom kisses Nan, &c. down to poor +Dorothy Draggletail, who is left in the lurch. The farewell had been +huffy. “A good evening to you, madam; I am sorry our entertainment +was not more to your taste.” She had felt guilty and miserable at the +accusation of pride, and she could not imagine how Mrs. Aylward could +have let her go without a warning; the truth being that Mrs. Aylward +despised her taste, but thought she knew what a harvest supper was like. + +All this was passed over in silence by Aurelia’s pride and delicacy. She +only described the scene when the last waggon came in with its load, the +horses decked with flowers and ribbons, and the farmer’s youngest girl +enthroned on the top of the shocks, upholding the harvest doll. This was +a little sheaf, curiously constructed and bound with straw plaits +and ribbons. The farmer, on the arrival in the yard, stood on the +horse-block, and held it high over the heads of all the harvesters, and +the chorus was raised: + + “A knack, a knack, a knack, + Well cut, well bound, + Well shocked, well saved from the ground, + Whoop! whoop! whoop!” + +After which the harvest doll displaced her last year’s predecessor over +the hearth, where she was to hang till next year. + +All this Aurelia described, comparing the customs with those of her own +county, her heart beating all the time under the doubt how to venture on +describing the fulfilment of her commission. At last Mr. Belamour said, + +“In such a scene of gaiety, no doubt the recollection of sorrow had no +place.” + +“O sir, you could not think I should forget.” + +“I thought I might have asked more than was possible to you.” + +“It was the only part of the day that I enjoyed. I took little Fay with +me, for no one seemed to care for her, while Amy was queening it with +all the Wheatfields, and Letty was equally happy with her foster mother. +I could see the church spire, so I needed not to ask the way, and we +crossed the stubble fields, while the sun sent a beautiful slanting +light through the tall elm trees that closed in the churchyard, but +let one window glitter between them like a great diamond. It looked so +peaceful after all the noise we left behind, even little Fay felt it, +and said she loved the quiet walk along the green baulks [An unplowed +strip of land--D.L.]. The churchyard has a wooden rail with steps to +cross it on either side, and close under the church wall is a tomb, a +great square simple block, surmounted by an urn.” + +“Yes, let me hear,” said the voice, eager, though stifled. + +“I thought it might be what you wished me to see and went up to read the +names.” + +“Do not spare. Never fear. Let me hear the very words.” + +“On one face of the block there was a name-- + + + ‘WILLIAM SEDHURST, + _AGED_ 27, + DIED MAY 13, 1729.’ + + +On the other side was this inscription:-- + + + ‘MARY, + ONLY DAUGHTER OF GEORGE SEDHURST, ESQUIRE, + _AGED_ 19, + DIED AUGUST 1st, 1729. + + _Love is strong as Death. + Sorrow not as others that have no Hope_.’ + + +In smaller letters down below, ‘This epitaph is at her own special +request.’ + +“Sir,” continued Aurelia, “it was very curious. I should not have +observed those words if it had not been that a large beautiful +butterfly, with rainbow eyes on its wings, sat sunning itself on the +white marble, and Fay called me to look at it.” + +“Her message! May I ask you to repeat it again?” + +“The texts? ‘Love is strong as death. Sorrow not as others that have no +hope.’” + +“Did you call them Scripture texts?” + +“Yes, sir; I know the last is in one of the Epistles, and I will look +for the other.” + +“It matters not. She intended them for a message to me who lay in utter +darkness and imbecility well befitting her destroyer.” + +“Nay, they have come to you at last,” said Aurelia gently. “You really +never knew of them before?” + +“No, I durst not ask, nor did any one dare to speak to me. My brother, +who alone would have done so, died, I scarcely know when; but ere the +very consciousness of my own wretched existence had come back to me. +Once again repeat the words, gentle messenger of mercy.” + +She obeyed, but this time he mournfully murmured, “Hope! What hope for +their destroyer?” + +“They are God’s words, as well as hers,” the girl answered, with +diffident earnestness, but in reply she only heard tightened breaths, +which made her say, “You cannot bear more, sir. Let me call Jumbo, and +bid you good night.” + +Jumbo came at the mention of his name. Somehow he was so unlike other +human beings, and so wholly devoted to his master, that it never seemed +to be a greater shock to find that he had been present than if he had +been a faithful dog. + +A few days later he told Aurelia that Mas’r was not well enough to see +her. He had set forth as soon as the moon had set, and walked with his +trusty servant to Sedhurst, where he had traced with his finger the +whole inscription, lingering so long that the sun was above the horizon +before he could get home; and he was still lying on the bed where he +had thrown himself on first coming in, having neither spoken nor eaten +since. Jumbo could not but grumble out that Mas’r was better left to +himself. + +Yet when Aurelia on the third evening was recalled, there was a ring of +refreshment in the voice. It was still melancholy, but the dejection +was lessened, and though it was only of Achilles and Patroclus that +they talked, she was convinced that the pressure of the heavy burthen of +grief and remorse was in some degree lightened. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. THE SHAFTS OF PHOEBE. + + + Her golden bow she bends, + Her deadly arrows sending forth. + _Greek Hymn_ (KEIGHTLEY). + + +On coming in from a walk, Aurelia was surprised by the tidings that +Mistress Phoebe Treforth had come to call on her, and had left a +billet. The said billet was secured with floss silk sealed down in the +antiquated fashion, and was written on full-sized quarto paper. These +were the contents:-- + + +“Madam, + + “My Sister and Myself are desirous of the Honour of your + Acquaintance, and shall be happy if you will do use the + Pleasure of coming to partake of Dinner at Three o’Clock + on Tuesday, the 13th instant. + + “I remain, + “Yours to command, + “DELIA TREFORTH.” + + +Aurelia carried the invitation to her oracle. + +“My cousins are willing to make your acquaintance?” said he. “That is +well. Jumbo shall escort you home in the evening.” + +“Thank you, sir, but must I accept the invitation?” + +“It could not be declined without incivility. Moreover, the Mistresses +Treforth are highly respected, and your father and sister will certainly +think it well for you to have female friends.” + +“Do you think those ladies could ever be my friends, sir?” she asked, +with an intonation that made him reply, with a sound of amusement. + +“I am no judge in such matters, but they are ladies connected and +esteemed, who might befriend and counsel you in case of need, and at any +rate, it is much more suitable that you should be on terms of friendly +intercourse with them. I am heartily glad they have shown you this +attention.” + +“I do not mean to be ungrateful, sir.” + +“And I think you have disproved that + + Crabbed age and youth + Cannot live together.” + +“If they were only like you, sir!” + +“What would they say to that?” he said with the slight laugh that had +begun to enliven his voice. “I suppose your charges are not included in +the invitation?” + +“No; but Molly can take care of them, if my Lady will not object to my +leaving them.” + +“She cannot reasonably do so.” + +“And, sir, shall I be permitted to come home in time for you to receive +me?” + +“I fear I must forego that pleasure. The ladies will insist on cards and +supper. Jumbo shall come for you at nine o’clock.” + +Aurelia submitted, and tripped down arrayed in the dress that recalled +the fete at Carminster, except that only a little powder was sprinkled +on her temples. The little girls jumped round her in admiring ecstasy, +and, under Molly’s charge, escorted her to the garden gate, and hovered +outside to see her admitted, while she knocked timidly at the door, in +the bashful alarm of making her first independent visit. + +The loutish man ushered her into a small close room, containing a cat, +a little spaniel, a green parrot, a spinning-wheel, and an embroidery +frame. There were also the two old ladies, dressed with old-fashioned +richness, a little faded, and a third, in a crimson, gold-laced joseph +[A long riding coat with a small cape, worn by women in the 18th +century.--D.L.], stout, rubicund, and hearty, to whom Aurelia was +introduced thus-- + +“Mrs. Hunter, allow me to present to you Miss Delavie, a relative of my +Lady Belamour. Miss Delavie, Mrs. Hunter of Brentford.” + +“I am most happy to make your acquaintance, Miss,” said the lady, in a +jovial voice, and Aurelia made her curtsey, but at that moment the +man announced that dinner was served, whereupon Mrs. Delia handed Mrs. +Hunter in, and Mrs. Phoebe took the younger guest. + +The ladies’ faces both bore token of their recent attention to the +preparation of the meal, and the curious dishes would have been highly +interesting to Betty, but there was no large quantity of any, and a +single chicken was the _piece de resistance_, whence very tiny helps +were dealt out, and there was much unnecessary pressing to take a little +more, both of that and of the brace of partridges which succeeded it. As +to conversation, there was room for none, except hospitable invitations +from the hostesses to take the morsels that they cut for their guests, +praises of the viands from Mrs. Hunter, and endeavours to fish at the +recipes, which the owners guarded jealously as precious secrets. Aurelia +sat perfectly silent, as was then reckoned as proper in a young lady of +her age, except when addressed. A good deal of time was also expended in +directing John Stiggins, the ladies’ own man, and George Brown, who had +ridden with Mrs. Hunter from Brentford, in the disposal of the dishes, +and the handing of the plates. George Brown was the more skilled +waiter, and as the man who was at home did not brook interference, their +disputes were rude and audible, and kept the ladies in agonies lest they +should result in ruin to the best china. + +At last, however, the cloth was removed, walnuts, apples, pears, and +biscuits were placed on the table, a glass of wine poured out for each +lady, and the quartette, with the cat and dog, drew near the sunny +window, where there was a little warmth. It was a chilly day, but no one +ever lighted a fire before the 5th of November, Old Style. + +Then began one of those catechisms which fortunately are less unpleasant +to youth and simplicity than they are to persons of an age to resent +inquiry, and who have more resources of conversation. In truth, Aurelia +was in the eyes of the Treforth sisters, descendants of a former Sir +Jovian, only my Lady’s poor kinswoman sent down to act _gouvernante_ to +the Wayland brats, who had been impertinently quartered in the Belamour +household. She would have received no further notice, had it not been +reported through the servants that “young Miss” spent the evenings +with their own cousin, from whom they had been excluded ever since his +illness. + +The subject was approached through interrogations on Miss Delavie’s home +and breeding, how she had travelled, and what were her accomplishments, +also whether she were quite sure that none of the triad was either +imbecile nor deformed. Mrs. Hunter seemed to have heard wonderful +rumours about the poor children. + +“Has their lady mother seen them?” + +“Yes, madam. She had been there with them shortly before my arrival.” + +“Only once in their lives!” There was a groan of censure such as would +have fired the loyal Major in defence. + +“No wonder, Sister Phoebe, my Lady Belamour does not lead the life of a +tender mother.” + +“She has the little boy, Archer, with her in London,” Aurelia ventured +to say. + +“And a perfect puppet she makes of the poor child,” said Mrs. Hunter. +“My sister Chetwynd saw him with his mother at a masquerade, my Lady +Belamour flaunting as Venus, and he, when he ought to have been in his +bed, dressed in rose-colour and silver, with a bow and arrows, and gauze +wings on his shoulders!” + +“What will that child come to?” + +“Remember, Sister Delia, he is no kin of ours. He is only a Wayland!” + returned Mrs. Phoebe, in an accent as if the Waylands were the most +contemptible of vermin. + +“I hope,” added Mrs. Delia, “that these children are never permitted to +incommode our unfortunate cousin, Mr. Belamour.” + +“I trust not, madam,” said Aurelia. “Their rooms are at a distance from +his; they are good children, and he says he likes to hear young voices +in the gardens.” + +“You have, then, seen Mr. Belamour?” + +“I cannot say that I have seen him,” said Aurelia, modestly; “but I have +conversed with him.” + +“Indeed! Alone with him?” + +“Jumbo was there.” + +The two old ladies drew themselves up, while Mrs. Hunter chuckled and +giggled. “Indeed!” said Mrs. Phoebe; “we should never see a gentleman in +private without each other’s company, or that of some female companion.” + +“I consulted Mrs. Aylward,” returned Aurelia, “and she said he was old +enough to be my father.” + +“Mrs. Aylward may be a respectable housekeeper, though far too lavish of +butcher’s meat, but I should never have recourse to her on a matter of +decorum,” said Mrs. Phoebe. + +Aurelia’s cheeks burnt, but she still defended herself. “I have heard +from my father and my sister,” she said, “and they make no objection.” + +“Hoity-toity! What means this heat, miss?” exclaimed Mrs. Phoebe; “I am +only telling you, as a kindness, what we should have thought becoming +with regard even to a blood relation of our own.” + +“Thank you, ma’am,” said Aurelia; “but, you see, you are so much nearer +his age, that the cases are not alike.” + +She said it in all simplicity, and did not perceive, at first, why the +two sisters drew themselves up in so much offence, or why Mrs. Hunter +cried, “Oh, fie, for shame, you saucy chit! Bless me!” she continued, +more good-naturedly, “Cousin Phoebe, times are changed since we were +young, and poor Sir Jovian and his brother were the county beaux. The +child is right enough when one comes to think of it; and for my part, I +should be glad that poor Mr. Amyas had some one young and cheerful about +him. It is only a pity his nephew, the young baronet, never comes down +to see him.” + +“Like mother like son,” said Mrs. Phoebe; “I grieve to think what the +old place will come to.” + +“Well,” said Mrs. Hunter, “I do not hear the young gentleman ill spoken +of; though, more’s the pity, he is in a bad school with Colonel Mar for +his commanding officer, the fine gallant who is making his mother the +talk of the town!” + +The gossip and scandal then waxed fast and furious on the authority of +Mrs. Hunter’s sister, but no one paid any more attention to Aurelia, +except that when there was an adjournment to the next room, she was +treated with such double stiffness and ceremony as to make her feel that +she had given great offence, and was highly disapproved of by all but +Mrs. Hunter. And Aurelia could not like her, for her gossip had been far +broader and coarser than that of the Mistresses Treforth, who, though +more bitter were more of gentlewomen. Happily much of what passed was +perfectly unintelligible to Betty’s carefully shielded pupil, who sat +all the time with the cat on her lap, listening to its purring music, +but feeling much more inclined to believe nothing against my Lady, after +her father’s example, than to agree with those who were so evidently +prejudiced. Tea was brought in delicate porcelain cups, then followed +cards, which made the time pass less drearily till supper. This +consisted of dishes still tinier than those at dinner, and it was +scarcely ended when it was announced that Jumbo had come for Miss +Delavie. + +Gladly she departed, after an exchange of curtsies, happily not hearing +the words behind her:-- + +“An artful young minx.” + +“And imagine the impudence of securing Jumbo’s attendance, forsooth!” + +“Nay,” said Mrs. Hunter, “she seemed to me a pretty modest young +gentlewoman enough.” + +“Pretty! Yes, she comes of my Lady’s own stock, and will be just such +another.” + +“Yes; it is quite plain that it is true that my Lady sent her here +because she had been spreading the white apron for the young baronet.” + +“And now she is trying her arts on poor cousin Amyas Belamour. You heard +how she would take no advice, and replied with impertinence.” + +“Shall you give my Lady a hint?” + +“Not I. I have been treated with too much insolence by Lady Belamour +to interfere with her again,” said Mrs. Phoebe, drawing herself up; “I +shall let things take their course unless I can remonstrate with my own +kinsman.” + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. THE FLUTTER OF HIS WINGS. + + + Then is Love’s hour to stray! + Oh, how he flies away!--T. MOORE. + + +Meanwhile Aurelia, mounted on a pair of pattens brought by the negro +to keep her above the dew, was crossing the park by the light of a fine +hunter’s moon, Jumbo marching at a respectful distance in the rear. He +kept on chuckling to himself with glee, and when she looked round at +him, he informed her with great exultation that “Mas’r had not been +alone. His honour had been to see him. Mas’r so glad.” + +“Sir Amyas!” exclaimed Aurelia: “Is he there still?” + +“No, missie. He went away before supper.” + +“Did he see the young ladies?” + +“Oh, yes, missie. He came before mas’r up, quite promiskius,” said +Jumbo, who loved a long word. “I tell him, wait till mas’r be dress, +and took him to summer parlour. He see little missies out in garden; +ask what chil’ren it was. His Hounour’s sisters, Miss Fay, Missie Letty, +Missie Amy, I say! His Honour wonder. ‘My sisters,’ he say, ‘my sisters +here,’ and out he goes like a flash of lightning and was in among them.” + +Aurelia’s first thought was “Oh, I hope they were clean and neat, and +that they behaved themselves. I wish I had been at home.” Wherewith +followed the recollection that Sir Amyas had been called her beau, +and her cheeks burnt; but the recent disagreeable lecture on etiquette +showed her that it would only have led to embarrassment and vexation +to have had any question of an interview with a young gentleman by so +little her elder. Nor would she have known what to say to him. Old Mr. +Belamour in the dark was a very different matter, and she had probably +had an escape from much awkwardness. + +Molly received her with her favourite exclamation: “Lawk, miss, and who +do you think have been here?” + +“Jumbo told me, Molly.” + +“Ain’t he a perfect pictur of a man? And such a gentleman! He gave me +a whole goolden guinea for my good care of his little sisters, and says +he: ‘Their father shall hear of them, and what little ladies they be.’” + +“I am glad they behaved themselves prettily.” + +“Yes, that they did, ma’am. It was good luck that they had not been +grubbing in their gardens as you lets ‘em do, ma’am, but they was all as +clean as a whistle, a picking up horse-chestnuts under the big tree +at the corner of the bowling green, when out on the steps we sees him, +looking more like an angel than a man, in his red coat, and the goold +things on his shoulders, and out he comes! Miss Amy, she was afeard at +first: ‘Be the soldiers a coming?’ says she, and runs to me; but Miss +Letty, she holds out her arms, and says “It’s my papa,” and Miss Fay, +she stood looking without a word. Then when his Honour was in among +them: “My little sisters, my dear little sisters,” says he, “don’t you +know me?” and down he goes on one knee in the grass, never heeding his +beautiful white small-clothes, if you’ll believe me, miss, and holds out +his arms, and gets Miss Fay into one arm, and Miss Letty into t’other, +and then Miss Amy runs up, and he kisses them all. Then miss Letty says +again ‘Are you my papa from foreign parts?’ and he laughs and says: ‘No, +little one, I’m your brother. Did you never hear of your brother Amyas?’ +and Miss Fay stood off a little and clapped her little hands, and says: +‘O brother Amyas, how beautiful you are!’” + +Aurelia could not help longing to know whether she had been mentioned, +but she did not like to inquire, and she was obliged to rest satisfied +with the assurance that her little girls had comported themselves like +jewels, like lambs, like darling lumps of sugar, or whatever metaphors +were suggested by the imagination of Molly, who had, apparently, usurped +the entire credit of their good manners. It was impossible to help +feeling a little aggrieved, or, maugre [in spite of--D.L.] all +inconvenient properties to avoid wishing to have been under the +horse-chestnut tree, even though she might have shown herself just such +a bashful little speechless fool as she had been when Sir Amyas had +danced with her at Carminster. + +She was destined to hear a good deal more of the visitor the next day. +The children met her with the cry of “Cousin Aura, our brother”--“our +big beautiful brother--Brother Amyas.”--They were with difficulty calmed +into saying their prayers, and Amoret startled the little congregation +by adding to “bless by father, my mother, my brothers and sisters,” + “and pray bless big brother Amyas best of all, for I love him very much +indeed!” + +All day little facts about “brother Amyas” kept breaking out. Brother +Amyas had beautiful gold lace, brother Amyas had a red and white +feather; brother Amyas had given Fay and Letty each a ride on his +shoulder, but Amy was afraid; brother Amyas said their papa would love +them very much. He had given them each a new silver shilling, and Amoret +had in return presented him with her doll’s beautiful pink back-string +that Cousin Aura had made for her. This wonderful brother had asked +who had taught them to be such pretty little gentlewomen, and at this +Aurelia’s heart beat a little, but provoking Fidelia replied: “I told +him my Mammy Rolfe taught me to be genteel,” and Letty added: “And he +said Fay was a conceited little pussy cat.” + +A strange indefinable feeling between self-respect and shyness made +Aurelia shrink from the point-blank question whether the ungrateful +little things had acknowledged their obligations to her. She was +always hoping they would say something of their own accord, and always +disappointed. + +Evening came, and she eagerly repaired to the dark room, wondering, yet +half dreading to enter on the subject, and beginning by an apology for +having by no means perfected herself in Priam’s visit to Achilles. + +“If you have been making visits,” said Mr. Belamour: “I too have had a +visitor.” + +“The children told me so,” she answered. + +“He was greatly delighted with them,” said Mr. Belamour. + +“While they, poor little things, never were more happy in their lives. +He must have been very kind to them, yet he did not know that they were +here.” + +“His mother is not communicative respecting them. Ladies who love power +seek to preserve it by making little mysteries.” + +“It was to see you, sir, that he came.” + +“Yes. He ingenuously avowed that he had always been urged to do so by +his stepfather, but his mother has always put obstacles in the way, and +assured him that he would not gain admission. I have certainly refused +to see her, but this is a very different matter--my brother’s only +child, my godson, and my ward!” + +“I am very glad he has come to see you, sir, and I am sure it has given +you pleasure.” + +“Pleasure in seeing that he is a lad of parts, and of an ingenuous, +affectionate, honest nature, but regret in perceiving how I failed in +the confidence that his father reposed in me.” + +“But, sir, you could not help it!” + +“Once I could not. It was, I know not how long, before I knew that my +brother was no more; and thinking myself dead to the world and the +world to me, I took no heed to what, it now seems to me, I was told of +guardianship to the boy. I was incapable of fulfilling any such charge, +and I shunned the pain of hearing of it,” he continued, rather as if +talking to himself than to his auditor. “When I could, I gave them +my name and they asked no more. Yet what did they tell me of a sealed +letter from my brother, addressed to me? True, I heard of it more than +once, but I could ask no one to read it to me, and I closed my ears. In +Wayland’s hands I knew the youth was well cared for, and only now do I +feel that I have ill requited my brother’s confidence.” + +“Indeed, sir, I cannot see how you could have done otherwise,” said +Aurelia, who could not bear to hear his tone of self-reproach. + +“My amiable visitor!” he exclaimed, as though recalled to a sense of +her presence. “Excuse the absence of mind which has inflicted on you the +selfish murmurs of the old recluse. Tell me how you prospered with my +cousins, whom I remember as sprightly maidens. Phoebe had somewhat of +the prude, Delia of the coquette.” + +“I could imagine what you say of Mistress Phoebe, sir, better than of +Mistress Delia.” + +“Had they any guests to meet you?” + +“A Mrs. Hunter, sir, from Brentford, a doctor’s wife I suppose.” + +“You are right. She was a cousin of theirs on the other side of the +house, a loud-voiced buxom lass, who was thought to have married beneath +here when she took Dr. Hunter; but apparently they have forgiven her.” + +Mr. Belamour was evidently much interested and amused by Aurelia’s small +experiences and observations, such as they were. In spite of the sense +of past omission which had been aroused by his nephew’s visit, it had +evidently raised his spirits, for he laughed when Aurelia spiced her +descriptions with a little playful archness, and his voice became more +cheery. + +So, too, it was on the ensuing evening when Aurelia, to compensate for +the last day’s neglect, came primed with three or four pages of the +conversation between Priam and Achilles, which she rehearsed with great +feeling, thinking, like Pelides himself, of her own father and home. It +was requited with a murmured “Bravo,” and Mr. Belamour then begged of +her, if she were not weary, to favour him with the Nightingale Song, +Jumbo as usual accompanying her with his violin. At the close there was +again a “Bravo! Truly exquisite!” in a tone as if the hermit were really +finding youth and life again. Once more at his request, she sang, and +was applauded with even more fervour, with a certain tremulous eagerness +in the voice. Yet there was probably a dread of the excitement being +too much, for this was followed by “Thank you, kind songstress, I could +listen for ever, but it is becoming late, and I must not detain you +longer.” + +She found herself handed out of the room, with somewhat curtailed good +nights, although nine o’clock, her usual signal, had not yet struck. +When she came into the lamplit hall, Jumbo was grinning and nodding like +a maniac, and when she asked what was the matter, he only rolled his +eyes, and said, “Missie good! Mas’r like music!” + +The repressed excitability she had detected made her vaguely nervous +(not that she would have so called herself), and as the next day was the +blank Sunday, she appeased and worked off her restlessness by walking +with the children to Sedhurst church. It was the sixteenth Sunday after +Trinity, and the preacher, who had caught somewhat of the fire of Wesley +and Whitfield, preached a sermon which arrested her attention, +and filled her with new thoughts. Taking the Epistle and Gospel in +connection, he showed the death-in-life of indifference, and the +quickening touch of the Divine Love, awakening the dead spirit into true +life. On that life, with its glow of love, hope, and joy, the preacher +dwelt with enthusiasm such as Aurelia had never heard, and which carried +her quite out of herself. Tears of emotion trembled in her eyes, and she +felt a longing desire to walk on in that path of love to her Maker, whom +she seemed to have never known before. + +She talked with a new fervour to the children of the birds and flowers, +and all the fair things they loved, as the gifts of their Father in +Heaven; and when she gathered them round the large pictured Bible, it +was to the Gospel that she turned as she strove to draw their souls to +the appreciation of the Redeeming Love there shown. She saw in Fay’s +deep eyes and thoughtful brow that the child was taking it in, though +differently from Amy, who wanted to kiss the picture, while Letty asked +those babyish material questions about Heaven that puzzle wiser heads +than Aurelia’s to answer. + +So full was she of the thought, that she forgot her sense of something +strange and unaccountable in Mr. Belamour’s manner before the evening, +nor was there anything to remind her of it afresh, for he was as calmly +grave and kindly courteous as ever; and he soon led her to pour forth +all her impressions of the day. Indeed she repeated to him great part of +the sermon, with a voice quivering with earnestness and emotion. He +was not stirred in the same way as she had been, saying in his pensive +meditative way, “The preacher is right. Love is life. The misfortune is +when we stake our all on one love alone, and that melts from us. Then +indeed there is death--living death!” + +“But there is never-failing love, and new life that never dies!” cried +Aurelia, almost transported out of herself. + +“May you ever keep hold of both unobscured, my sweet child,” he +returned, with a sadness that repressed and drove her back into herself +again, feeling far too childish and unworthy to help him to that +new life and love; though her young heart yearned over him in his +desolation, and her soul was full of supplication for him. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. THE CANON OF WINDSOR. + + + Turn, gentle hermit of the dale.--GOLDSMITH. + + +“My child, will you do me a favour?” said Mr. Belamour the next evening, +in a tone no longer formal, but paternal. “Take this packet” (he put +one into the girl’s hand) “to the light and inform me what is the +superscription.” + +It was a thick letter, with a large red wax seal, bearing the well known +arms of Belamour and Delavie, and the address was + + + To AMYAS BELAMOUR, ESQ., K.C., + + OF THE INNER TEMPLE, LONDON. +To be opened after my death.] + + JOVIAN BELAMOUR. + Dec. 14th, 1727. + + +“I thought so,” said Mr. Belamour, when she returned to him with +intelligence. “Little did my poor brother guess how long it would be +unopened! Will my gentle friend confer another obligation on me?” + +Aurelia made her ready assent, hoping to be asked to read the letter, +when he continued, “I cannot read this myself. Even could I bear the +light, the attempt to fix my eyes sends darts shooting through my +brain, which would take away my very power of comprehension. But,” he +continued, “there are only two men living to whom I could entrust my +brother’s last words to me. One, your own good father, is out of +reach; the other has frequently proffered his good offices and has been +rejected. Would you add to your kindness that of writing to entreat my +old friend, Dr. Godfrey, to favour with a visit one who has too often +and ungratefully refused him admission.” + +Feminine curiosity felt balked, but Aurelia was ashamed of the +sensation, and undertook the task. Instructions were given her that she +was to write-- + + + “If Amyas Belamour’s old Schoolfellow and Friend can overlook and + pardon the undeserved Rebuffs to His Constancy and Solicitude for + a lonely and sullen Wretch, and will once more come and spend a + Night at Bowstead, he will confer an inestimable Favour upon one + who is more sensible of his Goodness than when it has been + previously offered.” + + +This letter, written in Aurelia’s best Italian hand, on a large sheet +of paper, she brought with her the next evening. She was bidden to fold +down the exact place for the signature, which Mr. Belamour proceeded +to affix, and she was then to carry it to the candles in the lobby, and +there fold, seal, and address it to the Reverend Edward Godfrey, D.D., +Canon of Windsor, Windsor. She found the A. Belamour very fairly written +except that it was not horizontal, and she performed the rest of the +task with ladylike dexterity, sealing it with a ring that had been +supplied for the purpose. It did not, as she expected, bear the Belamour +sheaf of arrows, but was a gem, representing a sleeping Cupid with +folded wings, so beautiful that she asked leave to take another +impression for Harriet, who collected seals, after the fashion of the +day. + +“You are welcome,” Mr. Belamour replied. “I doubt its great antiquity, +since the story of Cupid and Psyche cannot be traced beyond Apuleius. +I used it because Dr. Godfrey will remember it. He was with me at Rome +when I purchased it.” + +The ring was of the size for a lady’s finger, and Aurelia durst ask no +more. + +How the letter was sent she knew not, but Mrs. Aylward was summoned to +Mr. Belamour’s room, and desired to have a room ready at any time for +his friend. + +Three days later, towards sunset, a substantial-looking clergyman, +attended by two servants, rode up to the door; and was immediately +appropriated by Jumbo, disappearing into the mysterious apartments; +Aurelia expected no summons that night, but at the usual hour, the negro +brought a special request for the honour of her society; and as she +entered the dark room, Mr. Belamour said, “My fair and charitable +visitor will permit me to present to her my old and valued friend, Dr. +Godfrey.” He laid the hand he had taken on one that returned a little +gentlemanly acknowledgment, while a kind fatherly voice said, “The lady +must pardon me if I do not venture to hand her to her chair.” + +“Thank you, sir, I am close to my seat.” + +“Your visitors acquire blind eyes, Belamour,” said Dr. Godfrey, +cheerfully. + +“More truly they become eyes to the blind,” was the answer. “I feel +myself a man of the world again, since this amiable young lady has +conned the papers on my behalf, and given herself the trouble of +learning the choicest passages of the poets to repeat to me.” + +“You are very good, sir,” returned Aurelia; “it is my great pleasure.” + +“That I can well believe,” said Dr. Godfrey. “Have these agreeable +recitations made you acquainted with the new poem on the _Seasons_ by +Mr. James Thomson?” + +“No,” replied Mr. Belamour, “my acquaintance with the _belles letters_ +ceased nine years ago.” + +“The descriptions have been thought extremely effective. Those of autumn +were recalled to my mind on my way.” + +Dr. Godfrey proceeded to recite some twenty lines of blank verse, for in +those days people had more patience and fewer books, and exercised their +memories much more than their descendants do. Listening was far from +being thought tedious. + + + “‘But see the fading many-coloured roads, + Shade deepening over shade, the country round + Imbrown; a crowded umbrage, dusk and dim, + Of every hue, from wan, declining green, + To sooty dark.’” + + +The lines had a strange charm to one who had lived in darkness through +so many revolving years. Mr. Belamour eagerly thanked his friend, and on +the offer to lend him the book, begged that it might be ordered for him, +and that any other new and interesting work might be sent to him that +was suitable to the fair lips on which he was dependent. + +“You are secure with Mr. Thomson,” said the Doctor. “Hear the conclusion +of his final hymn.” + + + “‘When even at last the solemn hour shall come, + And wing my mystic flight to future worlds, + I cheerful will obey; there with new powers + Will rising wonders sing. I cannot go + Where Universal Love not smiles around, + Sustaining all yon orbs, and all their suns, + From seeming evil still educing good, + And better thence again, and better still, + In infinite progression. But I lose + Myself in Him, in Light ineffable; + Come then expressive Silence, mine the praise.’” + + +“‘Universal Love!’” repeated Mr. Belamour; “the poet sings as you do, my +amiable friend! I can conceive the idea better than I could a few months +ago.” + + “‘From seeming evil, still educing good,’” + +quoted Dr. Godfrey earnestly, as if feeling his way. + +“More of this another time,” said Mr. Belamour hastily. “What say the +critics respecting this new aspirant?” + +The ensuing conversation much interested Aurelia, as it was on the men +of letters whose names had long been familiar to her, and whom the +two gentlemen had personally known. She heard of Pope, still living at +Twickenham, and of his bickerings with Lady Mary Wortley Montagu; of +young Horace Walpole, who would never rival his father as a politician, +but who was beginning his course as a _dilettante_, and actually +pretending to prefer the barbarous Gothic to the classic Italian. +However, his taste might be improved, since he was going to make the +grand tour in company with Mr. Gray, a rising young poet, in whom Dr. +Godfrey took interest, as an Etonian and a Cantab. + +At nine o’clock Mr. Belamour requested Miss Delavie to let him depute to +her the doing the honours of the supper table to his friend, who would +return to him when she retired for the night. + +Then it was that she first saw the guest, a fine, dignified clergyman, +in a large grey wig, with a benignant countenance, reminding her of the +Dean of Carminster. When she was little, the Dean had bestowed on her +comfits and kisses; but since she had outgrown these attentions, he was +wont to notice her only by a condescending nod, and she would no more +have thought of conversing with him at table than in his stall in the +cathedral. Thus it was surprising to find herself talked to, as Betty +might have been, by this reverend personage, who kindly satisfied her +curiosity about the King, Queen, and Princesses, but with a discretion +which did not diminish that blind loyalty which saw no defects in +“our good king,” though he was George II. She likewise answered a +few questions about Mr. Belamour’s tastes and habits, put in a very +different manner from those of the Mistress Treforth, and as soon as +supper was over she rose and retired. + +She did not see Dr. Godfrey again until he was ready for a late +breakfast, having been up nearly the whole night with his friend. His +horses were ordered immediately after the meal, as he had an appointment +in London, and he presently looked up, and said, + +“Madam, you must excuse me, I was silent from thinking how I can +adequately express my respect and gratitude for you.” + +“I beg your pardon, sir,” exclaimed Aurelia, thinking her ears mistaken. + +“My gratitude,” he repeated, “for the inestimable blessing you have been +to my dear and much valued friend, in rousing him from that wretched +state of despondency in which no one could approach him.” + +“You are too good, sir,” returned Aurelia. “It was he who sent for me.” + +“I know you did it in all simplicity, my dear child--forgive the +epithet, I have daughters of my own, and thankful should I be if one +of them could have produced such effects. I tell you, madam, my dear +friend, one of the most estimable and brilliant men of his day, was an +utter wreck, both in mind and body, through the cruel machinations of +an unprincipled woman. How much was to the actual injury from his wound, +how much to grief and remorse, Heaven only knows, but the death of his +brother, who alone had authority with him, left him thus to cut himself +off entirely in this utter darkness and despair. I called at first +monthly, then yearly, after the melancholy catastrophe, and held many +consultations with good Mr. Wayland, but all in vain. It was reserved +for your sweet notes to awaken and recall him to what I trust is indeed +new life.” + +Tears filled Aurelia’s eyes, and she could only murmur something about +being very glad. + +“Yes,” pursued Dr. Godfrey, “it is as if I saw him rising from his +living tomb in all senses of the word. I find that your artless Sunday +evening conversations have even penetrated the inner hopeless gloom, +still more grievous than the outer darkness in which he lived.” + +“Indeed, sir, I never meant to be presumptuous.” + +“God’s blessing on such presumption, my good child! If you had been +fully aware of his state of mind, you might never have ventured nor +have touched the sealed heart, as you have done, as I perceive, in your +ignorance, out of your obedient reverence to the Lord’s day. Am I not +right?” + +“Yes, sir, I thought one _could_ not repeat plays and poems on Sunday, +and I was frightened when I found those other things were strange to +him; but he bade me go on.” + +“For the sake of the music of your voice, as he tells me, at first; but +afterwards because you became the messenger of hope to one who had long +lain in the shadow of death, thinking pardon and mercy too much out of +reach to be sought for. You have awakened prayer within him once more.” + +She could not speak, and Dr. Godfrey continued, “You will be glad +to hear that I am to see the curate on my way through Brentford, and +arrange with him at times to read prayers in the outer room. What is +it?” he added; “you look somewhat doubtful.” + +“Only, sir, perhaps I ought not to say so, but I cannot think Mr. +Belamour well ever care for poor Mr. Greaves. If he could only hear that +gentleman who comes to Sedhurst! I never knew how much fire could be +put into the service itself, and yet I have often been at Carminster +Cathedral.” + +“True, my dear young lady. These enthusiasts seem to be kindling a new +fire in the Church, but I am not yet so convinced of their orthodoxy +and wisdom as to trust them unreservedly; and zeal pushed too far might +offend our poor recluse, and alienate him more than ever. He is likely +to profit more by the direct words of the Church herself, read without +personal meaning, than by the individual exhortations of some devout +stranger.” + +“Yes, sir. Thank you, I never meant to question your judgment. Indeed I +did not.” + +The horses were here announced, and Dr. Godfrey said, + +“Then I leave him to you with a grateful heart. I am beginning to hope +that there is much hypochondriacism in his condition, and that this may +pass away with his despondency. I hope before many weeks are over to +come and visit him again, before I go to my parish in Dorsetshire.” + +Then, with a fatherly blessing, the Canon took his leave. + +He was scarcely gone before there was a great rustling in the hall, +and Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia Treforth were announced. Aurelia was +surprised, for she had been decidedly sensible of their disapproval when +she made her visit of ceremony after her entertainment by them. She, +however, had underrated the force of the magnet of curiosity. They had +come to inquire about the visitor, who had actually spent a night at the +Park. They knew who he was, for “Ned Godfrey” had been a frequent guest +at Bowstead in the youth of all parties, and they were annoyed that he +had not paid his respects to them. + +“It would have been only fitting to have sent for us, as relations of +the family, to assist in entertaining him,” said Mrs. Phoebe. “Pray, +miss, did my eccentric cousin place you in the position of hostess?” + +“It fell to me, madam,” said Aurelia. + +“You could have asked for _our_ support,” said Mrs. Phoebe, severely. +“It would have become you better, above all then Sir Amyas Belamour +himself was here.” + +“He has only been here while I was with you, madam, and was gone before +my return.” + +“_That_ is true,” but Mrs. Phoebe looked at the girl so inquisitively +that her colour rose in anger, and exclaimed, “Madam, I know not what +you mean!” + +“There, sister,” said Mrs. Delia, more kindly. “She is but a child, and +Bet Batley is a gossip. She would not know his Honour in the dark from +the blackamoor going down to visit his sweetheart.” + +Very glad was Aurelia when the ladies curtsied themselves out of her +summer parlour, declaring they wished to speak to Mrs. Aylward, who she +knew could assure them of the absurdity of these implied suspicions. + +And Mrs. Aylward, who detested the two ladies, and repelled their +meddling, stiffly assured them both of Miss Delavie’s discretion and +her own vigilance, which placed visits from the young baronet beyond +the bounds of possibility. Supposing his Honour should again visit his +uncle, she should take care to be present at any interview with the +young lady. She trusted that she knew her duty, and so did Miss Delavie. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. THE QUEEN OF BEAUTY. + + + O bright _regina_, who made thee so faire, + Who made thy colour vermeilie and white? + Now marveile I nothing that ye do hight + The quene of love.--CHAUCER. + + +Only a week had elapsed before the quiet of Bowstead was again disturbed +by the arrival of two grooms, with orders that everything should be made +ready the next day for the arrival of my Lady, who was on her way to +Carminster for a few weeks, and afterwards to Bath. Forthwith Mrs. +Aylward and her subordinates fell into a frenzy of opening shutters, +lighting fires, laying down carpets and uncovering furniture. Scrubbing +was the daily task for the maids, and there was nothing extra possible +in that line, but there was hurry enough to exacerbate the temper, and +when Aurelia offered her services she was tartly told that she could +solely be useful by keeping the children out of the way; for in spite of +all rebuffs, they persisted in haunting the footsteps of the housekeeper +and maids, Fay gazing with delight at the splendours that were revealed, +Amy proffering undesired aid, Letty dancing in the most inconvenient +places, romancing about her mamma and little brother, and making sure +that her big beautiful brother was also coming. + +The were very unwilling to let Aurelia call them away to practise them +in bridling, curtseying, and saying “Yes, madam,” according to the laws +of good breeding so carefully inculcated by sister at home. So anxious +was she that she tried them over and over again till they were wearied +out, and became so cross and naughty that nothing restored good-homour +except gathering blackberries to feast brother Archer. + +The intelligence produced less apparent excitement in the dark chamber. +When Aurelia, in an eager, awe-stricken voice began, “O sir, have you +heard that my Lady is coming?” He calmly replied, + +“The sounds in the house have amply heralded her, to say nothing of +Jumbo.” + +“I wonder what she will do!” + +“You will not long have known her, my fair friend, without discovering +that she is one of the most inscrutable of her sex. The mere endeavour +to guess at her plans only produces harassing surmises and alarms.” + +“Do you think, sir, she can mean to take me away?” + +“I suppose that would be emancipation to you, my poor child.” + +“I should dance to find myself going home,” said Aurelia, “yet how could +I bear to leave my little girls, or you, sir. Oh! if you could only live +at the Great House, at home, I should be quite happy.” + +“Then you would not willingly abandon the recluse?” + +“Indeed,” she said with a quivering in her voice, “I cannot endure the +notion. You have been so kind and good to me, sir, and I do so enjoy +coming to you. And you would be all alone again with Jumbo! Oh sir, +could you not drive down if all the coach windows were close shut up? +You would have my papa to talk to!” + +“And what would your papa say to having a miserable old hermit inflicted +on him?” + +“He would be only too glad.” + +“No, no, my gentle friend, there are other reasons. I could not make my +abode in Lady Belamour’s house, while in that of my nephew, my natural +home, I have a right to drag out what remains of the existence of mine. +Nay, are you weeping, my sweet child? That must not be; your young life +must take no darkness from mine. Even should Lady Belamour’s arbitrary +caprice bear you off without another meeting, remember that you have +given me many more happy hours than I ever supposed to be in store for +me, and have opened doors which shall not be closed again.” + +“You will get some one to recite to you?” entreated Aurelia, her voice +most unsteady. + +“Godfrey shall seek out some poor scholar or exhausted poetaster, with a +proviso that he never inflicts his own pieces on me,” said Mr. Belamour, +in a tone more as if he wished to console her than as it were a pleasing +prospect. “Never fear, gentle monitress, I will not sink into the +stagnation from which your voice awoke me. Neither Godfrey nor my nephew +would allow it. Come, let us put it from our minds. It has always +been my experience, that whatever I expected from my much admired +sister-in-law, that was the exact reverse of what she actually did. +Therefore let us attend to topics, though I wager that you have no fresh +acquisitions for me to-day.” + +“I am ashamed, sir, but I could not fix my mind even to a most frightful +description of wolves in Mr. Thomson’s ‘Winter.’” + +“That were scarcely a soothing subject; but we might find calm in +something less agitating and more familiar. Perhaps you can recall +something too firmly imprinted on your memory to be disturbed by these +emotions.” + +Aurelia bethought herself that she must not disappoint her friend on +what might prove their last evening; she began very unsteadily:-- + + + “’ Hence, loathed Melancholy.’” + + +However by the time “Jonson’s learned sock” was on, her mechanical +repetition had become animated, and she had restored herself to +equanimity. When the clock struck nine, her auditor added his thanks, +“In case we should not meet again thus, let me beg of my kind visitor to +wear this ring in memory of one to whom she has brought a breath indeed +from L’Allegro itself. It will not be too large. It was made for a +lady.” + +And amid her tearful thanks she felt a light kiss on her fingers, +revealing to her that the hermit must possess a beard, a fact, which +in the close-shaven Hanoverian days, conveyed a sense of squalor and +neglect almost amounting to horror. + +In her own room she dropped many a tear over the ring, which was of +course the Cupid intaglio, and she spent the night in strange mixed +dreams and yearnings, divided between her father, Betty, and Eugene on +the one hand, and Mr. Belamour and the children on the other. Home-sick +as she sometimes felt, dull as Bowstead was, she should be sadly grieved +to leave those to whom she felt herself almost necessary, though her +choice must needs be for her home. + +Early the next day arrived an old roomy berlin loaded heavily with +luggage, and so stuffed with men and maids that four stout horses had +much ado to bring it up to the door. The servants, grumbling heartily, +declared that my Lady was only going to lie here for a single night, and +that Sir Amyas was not with her. + +Late in the afternoon, a couple of outriders appeared to say that the +great lady was close at hand, and Aurelia, in her best blue sacque, +and India muslin cap, edged with Flanders lace, had her three little +charges, all in white with red shoes, red sashes, and red ribbons in +their caps, drawn up in the hall to welcome their mother. + +Up swept the coach with six horses, Mr. Dove behind--runners in fact, +who at times rested themselves by an upright swing on the foot-board. + +The door of the gorgeous machine was thrown open, and forth sprang a +pretty little boy. Next descended the friendly form of Mrs. Dove, then +a smart person, who was my Lady’s own woman, and finally something +dazzlingly grand and beautiful in feathers, light blue, and silver. + +Aurelia made her reverence, and so did the little triad; the great lady +bent her head, and gave a light kiss to the brow of each child, and the +boy sprang forward, crying: “You are my sisters. You must play with me, +and do whatever I choose.” Amoret and he began kissing on the spot, but +Fidelia, regarding _must_ as a forbidden word, looked up at Aurelia with +an inquiring protest in her eyes; but it was not heeded, in the doubt +whether to follow Lady Belamour, who, with a stately greeting to Mrs. +Aylward, had sailed into the withdrawing-room. The question was decided +by Mrs. Aylward standing back to make room, and motioning her forward, +so she entered, Letty preceding her and Fay clinging to her. + +By the hearth stood the magnificent figure, holding out a long, +beautiful, beringed hand, which Aurelia shyly kissed, bending as before +a queen, while her forehead received the same slight salute as had been +given to the little girls. “My cousin Delavie’s own daughter,” said the +lady: “You have the family likeness.” + +“So I have been told, madam.” + +“Your father is well, I hope.” + +“He was pretty well, I thank you Ladyship, when I heard from my sister +ten days ago.” + +“I shall see him in a week’s time, and shall report well of his little +daughter,” said Lady Belamour kindly. “I am under obligations to you, my +dear. You seem to have tamed my little savages.” + +Aurelia was amazed, for the universal awe of my Lady had made her expect +a harsh and sever Semiramis style of woman, whereas she certainly saw a +majestic beauty, but with none of the terrors that she had anticipated. +The voice was musical and perfectly modulated, the manner more caressing +than imperious towards herself, and studiously polite to the house +keeper. While orders were being given as to arrangements, Aurelia took +in the full details of the person of whom she had heard so much. +It seemed incredible that Lady Belamour could have been mother to +contemporaries of Betty, for she looked younger than Betty herself. Her +symmetry and carriage were admirable, and well shown by the light blue +habit laced richly and embroidered with silver. A small round hat with a +cluster of white ostrich feathers was placed among the slightly frizzed +and powdered masses of mouse-coloured hair, surmounting a long ivory +neck, whose graceful turn, the theme of many a sonnet, was not concealed +by the masculine collar of the habit. The exquisite oval contour of the +cheek, the delicate ear, and Grecian profile were as perfect in moulding +as when she had been Sir Jovian’s bride, and so were the porcelain blue +of the eyes, the pencilled arches of eyebrow, and the curve of the lips, +while even her complexion retained its smooth texture, and tints of the +lily and rose. Often as Aurelia had heard of her beauty, its splendour +dazzled and astonished her, even in this travelling dress. + +Archer, who was about a year older than his sisters, was more like +Amoret than the other two, with azure eyes, golden curls, and a plump +rosy face, full of fun and mischief. Tired of the confinement of the +coach, he was rushing round the house with Amoret, opening the doors and +looking into the rooms. The other little sisters remained beside Aurelia +till their mother said, pointing to Fay: “That child seems to mean to +eat me with her eyes. Let all the children be with Nurse Dove, Mrs. +Aylward. Miss Delavie will do me the pleasure of supping with me at +seven. Present my compliments to Mr. Belamour, and let him know that I +will be with him at eight o’clock on particular business.” Then turning +to the two children, she asked their names, and was answered by each +distinctly, with the orthodox “madam” at the end. + +“You are improved, little ones,” she said: “Did Cousin Aurelia teach +you?” + +“And Mammy Rolfe,” said constant Fay. + +“She must teach you next not to stare,” said Lady Belamour. “I intend +to take one to be a companion to my boy, in the country. When I saw +them before, they were rustic little monsters; but they are less +unpresentable now. Call your sister, children.” And, as the two left the +room, she continued: “Which do you recommend, cousin?” + +“Fidelia is the most reasonable, madam,” said Aurelia. + +“But not the prettiest, I trust. She is too like her father, with those +dark brows, and her eyes have a look deep enough to frighten one. They +will frighten away the men, if she do not grow out of it.” + +Here the door burst open, and, without any preliminary bow, Master +Archer flew in, crying out “Mamma, mamma, we _must_ stay here. The +galleries are so long, and it is such a place for whoop-hide!” + +His sisters were following his bad example, and rushing in with equal +want of ceremony, but though their mother held the boy unchecked on +her knee, Aurelia saw how she could frown. “You forget yourselves,” she +said. + +Amoret looked ready to cry, but at a sign from their young instructress, +they backed and curtsied, and their mother reviewed them; Letitia was +the most like the Delavies, but also the smallest, while Amoret was +on the largest scale and would pair best with her brother, who besides +loudly proclaimed his preference for her, and she was therefore elected +to the honour of being taken home. Aurelia was requested as a favour to +bid the children’s woman have the child’s clothes ready repaired to her +own room. + +The little wardrobe could only be prepared by much assistance from +Aurelia herself, and she could attend to nothing else; while the +children were all devoted to Archer, and she only heard their voices +in the distance, till--as she was dressing for her _tete-a-tete_ +supper--Fay came to her crying, “Archer is a naughty boy--he said wicked +words--he called her ugly, and had cuffed and pinched her!” + +Poor child! she was tired out, and disappointed, and Aurelia could only +comfort her by hearing her little prayers, undressing her, and giving +her the highly-esteemed treat of sleeping in Cousin Aura’s bed; while +the others were staying up as long as it pleased Master Archer. This +actually was the cause of my Lady being kept waiting, and an apology was +needful. “Fidelia was tired out, and was crying.” + +“A peevish child! I am glad I did not choose her.” + +“She is usually very good, madam,” said Aurelia, eagerly. + +“Is she your favourite?” + +“I try not to make favourites, madam.” + +“Ah! there spoke the true Manor House tone,” said her Ladyship, rather +mockingly. “Maybe she will be a wit, for she will never be a beauty, but +the other little one will come on in due time after Amoret.” + +“Your Ladyship will find Amoret a dear, good, affectionate child,” said +Aurelia. “Only---” + +“Reserve that for nurse, so please you, my good girl. It is enough for +me to see the brats on their good manners now and then. You have had +other recreations--shall I call them, or cares? I never supposed, when +I sent you here to attend on the children, that the hermit of Bowstead +would summon you! I assure you it is an extraordinary honour.” + +“I so esteem it, madam,” said Aurelia, blushing. + +“More honour than pleasure, eh?” + +“A great pleasure, madam.” + +“Say you so?” and the glittering blue eyes were keenly scanning the +modest face. “I should have thought a young maid like you would have had +the dismals at the mere notion of going near his dark chamber. I promise +you it gives me the megrim [migraine--D.L.] to look forward to it.” + +“I was affrighted at first, madam,” said Aurelia; “but Mr. Belamour is +so good and kind to me that I exceedingly enjoy the hours I spend with +him.” + +“La, child, you speak with warmth! We shall have you enamoured of a +voice like the youth they make sonnets about--what’s his name?” + +“Narcissus, madam,” said Aurelia, put out of countenance by the banter. + +“Oh, you are learned. Is Mr. Belamour your tutor, pray? And--oh fie! I +have seen that ring before!” + +“He gave it to me yesterday,” faltered Aurelia, “in case you should +intend to take me away, and I should not see him again. I hope I was not +wrong in accepting it, madam.” + +“Wrong, little fool, assuredly not,” said my Lady, laughing. “It is an +ensign of victory. Why, child, you have made a conquest worthy of--let +me see. You, or the wits, could tell me who it was that stormed the very +den of Cocytus and bore off the spoil!” + +Aurelia liked the tone too little to supply the names; yet she felt +flattered; but she said quietly, “I am happy to have been the means of +cheering him.” + +The grave artlessness of the manner acted as a kind of check, and Lady +Belamour said in a different tone, “Seriously, child, the family are +truly obliged for your share in rousing the poor creature from his +melancholy. My good man made the attempt, but all in vain. What do you +to divert him?” + +In inquires of this kind the supper hour passed, and Lady Belamour was +then to keep her appointment with her brother-in-law. She showed so +much alarm and dread that Aurelia could not but utter assurances and +encouragements, which again awoke that arch manner, partly bantering, +partly flattering, which exercised a sort of pleasant perplexing +fascination on the simple girl. + +After being dismissed, Aurelia went in search of Mrs. Dove, whom she +found with Molly, taking stock of Amoret’s little wardrobe. The good +woman rose joyfully. “Oh, my dear missie! I am right thankful to see you +looking so purely. I don’t know how I could have held up my head to Miss +Delavie if I had not seen you!” + +“Ah! you will see my sister and all of them,” cried Aurelia, a sudden +rush of home-sickness bringing tears to her eyes, in oblivion alike of +her recluse and her pupils. “Oh! if I were but going with you! But what +folly am I talking? You must not let them think I am not happy, for +indeed I am. Will you kindly come to my room, dear nurse, and I will +give you a packet for them?” + +Mrs. Dove willingly availed herself of the opportunity of explaining how +guiltless she had been of the sudden separation at Knightsbridge four +months back. She had been in such haste to ride after and overtake the +coach, that she had even made Dove swear at her for wanting to give the +horses no time to rest, and she had ridden off on her own particular +pillion long before the rest. She had been surprised that she never +succeeded in catching up the carriage, but never suspected the truth +till she had dismounted in Hanover Square and asked whether “Miss” were +with my Lady. Nobody knew anything about Miss Delavie, nor expected her; +and the good woman’s alarm was great until she had had an interview with +her Ladyship, when she was told not to concern herself about the young +lady, who was safely bestowed in the country with the Miss Wayland. “But +that it was here, if you’ll believe me, missie, I was as innocent as the +babe unborn, and so was his Honour, Sir Amyas. Indeed, my Lady gave him +to understand that she had put you to boarding-school with his little +sisters.” + +“Oh! nurse, that is impossible!” + +“Lawk-a-day, missie, there’s nothing my Lady wouldn’t say to put him off +the scent. Bless you, ‘tis not for us servants to talk, or I could tell +you tales! But there, mum’s the word, as my Dove says, or he wouldn’t +ha’ sat on his box these twenty year!” + +“My Lady is very kind to me,” said Aurelia, with a little assumption of +her father’s repressive manner. + +“I’m right glad to hear it, Miss Aureely. A sweet lady she can be when +she is in the mood, though nothing like so sweet as his Honour. ‘Tis +ingrain with him down to the bone, as I may say--and I should know, +having had him from the day he was weaned. To see him come up to the +nussery, and toss about his little brother, would do your very heart +good; and then he sits him down, without a bit of pride, and will have +me tell him all about our journey up to Lunnon, and the fair, and the +play and all; and the same with Dove in the stables. He would have the +whole story, and how we was parted at Knightsbridge, I never so much as +guessing where you was--you that your sister had given into my care! At +last, one day when I was sitting a darning of stockings in the window +at the back, where I can see out over to the green fields, up his Honour +comes, and says he, with his finger to his lips, ‘Set your heart at +rest, nurse, I’ve found her!’ Then he told me how he went down to see +his old uncle. Mr. Wayland had been urging him on one side that ‘twas no +more than his duty; and her Ladyship, on the other, would have it that +Mr. Belamour was right down melancholy mad, and would go into a raving +fit if his nevvy did but go near the place.” + +“She did not say that!” + +“Oh yes, she did, miss, I’ll take my oath of it, for I was in the coach +with Master Wayland on my knee, when she was telling a lady how hard it +was they could have no use of Bowstead, because of Sir Jovian’s brother +being there, who had got the black melancholics, and could not be +removed. The lady says how good she was to suffer it, and she answers, +that there was no being harsh with poor Sir Jovian’s brother, though he +had a strange spleen at her and her son, and always grew worse when they +did but go near the house; but that some measures must be taken when her +son came of age or was married.” + +“But he came at last!” + +“He said he wanted to see for himself, and thought he could at least +find out from the servants whether his uncle was in the state they +reported. And there he found his three little sisters, and that you was +their tutoress, and they couldn’t say enough about you, nor the poor +gentleman neither. ‘I didn’t see her, nurse,’ says he, ‘but there’s a +bit of her own sweet fingers’ work.’ And sure enough, I knew it, for +it was a knot of the very ribbon you had in your hair the day I came to +talk to your sister about the journey.” + +“That was what Amy told me she gave him.” + +“Nothing loth would he be to take it, miss! Though says he, ‘Don’t you +let my mother know I have tracked her, nurse,’ says he. ‘It is plain +enough why she gives out that I am not to go near my uncle, and if she +guessed where I had been, she would have some of her fancies.’ ‘Now your +Honour, my dear,’ says I, ‘you’ll excuse your old nurse, but her sister +put her in my charge, and though I bless Heaven that you are no young +rake, yet you will be bringing trouble untold on her and hers if you go +down there a courting of her unbeknownst.’ ‘No danger of that, nurse,’ +says he; ‘why there’s a she-dragon down there (meaning Mrs. Aylward) +that was ready to drive me out of my own house when I did but speak of +waiting to see her.’” + +“No, I am glad he will not come again. Yet it makes his uncle happy to +see him. I will keep out of the way if he does.” + +“Right too, miss. A young lady never loses by discretion.” + +“Oh, do not speak in--in that way,” said Aurelia, blushing at +the implication. “Besides, he is going home with my Lady to dear +Carminster.” + +“No, no, he remains with his regiment in town, unless he rides down +later when he can have his leave of absence, and my Lady is at the Bath. +He will not if he can help it, for he is dead set against the young lady +they want to marry him to, and she is to be there. What! you have not +heard? It is my Lady Arabella, sister to that there Colonel as is more +about our house than I could wish. She is not by the same mother as him +and my Lord Aresfield. Her father married a great heiress for his second +wife, whose father had made a great fortune by victualling the army in +the war time. Not that this Dowager Countess, as they call her, is a +bit like the real quality, so that it is a marvel how my Lady can put up +with her; only money-bags will make anything go down, more’s the pity, +and my Lady is pressed, you see, with her losses at play. It was about +this match that Sir Amyas was sent down to Battlefield, the Countess’s +place in Monmouthshire, when he came to Carminster last summer, and his +body servant, Mr. Grey, that has been about him from a child, told me +all about it. This Lady Belle, as they call her, is only about fourteen, +and such a spoilt little vixen, that they say nobody has been able to +teach her so much as to read, for her mother, the Dowager, never would +have her crossed in anything, and now she has got too headstrong for any +of ‘em. Mr. Grey said dressing for supper, they heard the most horrid +screams, and thought some one must be killed at least. Sir Amyas was for +running out, but at the door they met a wench who only said, ‘Bless +you! that’s nought. It’s only my young lady in her tantrums!’ So in the +servants’ hall, Grey heard it was all because her mamma wouldn’t let her +put on two suits of pearls and di’monds both together. She lies on her +back, and rolls and kicks till she gets her own way; and by what the +servants say, the Dowager heerself ain’t much better to her servants. +Her woman had got a black eye she had given her with her fan. She has +never had no breeding, you see, and there are uglier stories about her +than I like to tell you, Miss Aureely; and as to the young lady, Sir +Amyas saw her with his own eyes slap the lackey’s face for bringing her +brown sugar instead of white. She is a little dwarfish thing that puts +her finger in her mouth and sulks when she is not flying out into a +rage; but Colonel Mar is going to have her up to a boarding-school to +mend her manners, and he and my lady are as much bent on marrying his +Honour to her as if she was a perfect angel.” + +“They never can!” + +“Well, miss, they do most things they have a mind to; and they mean to +do this before my Lady’s husband comes home.” + +“But Mr. Belamour is his nephew’s guardian.” + +“That’s what my Lady is come down here for. Either she will get his +consent out of him, or she will make the poor gentleman out to be _non +compos_, and do without him.” + +“Oh, nurse, he is the wisest, cleverest gentleman I ever saw, except my +papa.” + +“Do you say do, miss? But you are young, you see. A gentleman to shut +himself up in the dark like that must needs be astray in his wits.” + +“That is because of his eyes, and his wound. Nobody could talk to him +and doubt his reason.” + +“Well, missie, I hope you are in the right; but what my Lady’s interest +is, that she is apt to carry out, one way or t’other! Bless me, if that +be not Master Archer screaming. I thought he was fast off to sleep. +There never was a child for hating the dark. Yes, yes, I’m coming, my +dearie! Lack a daisy, if his mamma heard!” + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. AUGURIES. + + + Venus, thy eternal sway + All the race of man obey. + EURIPIDES (Anstice). + + +Aurelia sat up late to finish her despatches to the beloved ones at +home, and pack the little works she had been able to do for each, though +my Lady’s embroidery took up most of her sedentary hours. Mrs. Dove +undertook the care of the guinea’s worth of presents to the little +sisters from Sir Amyas, which the prudent nurse advised her to +withhold till after Master Archer was gone, as he would certainly break +everything to pieces. He was up betimes, careering about the garden +with all his sisters after him, imperiously ordering them about, but +nevertheless bewitching them all, so that Amoretta was in ecstasies at +her own preferment, scarcely realising that it would divide her from the +others; while Letty made sure that she should soon follow, and Fidelia +gravely said, “I shall always know you are loving me still, Amy, as +Nurse Rolfe does.” + +Lady Belamour breakfasted in her own room at about ten o’clock. Her +woman, Mrs. Loveday, a small trim active person, with the worn and +sharpened remains of considerable prettiness of the miniature brunette +style, was sent to summon Miss Delavie to her apartment and inspect the +embroidery she had been desired to execute for my Lady. Three or four +bouquets had been finished, and the maid went into such raptures over +them as somewhat to disgust their worker, who knew that they were not +half so well done as they would have been under Betty’s direction. +However, Mrs. Loveday bore the frame to her Ladyship’s room, following +Aurelia, who was there received with the same stately caressing manner +as before. + +“Good morning, child. Your roses bloom well in the forenoon! Pity they +should be wasted in darkness. Not but that you are duly appreciated +there. Ah! I can deepen them by what our unhappy recluse said of you. I +shall make glad hearts at Carminster by his good opinion, and who knows +what preferment may come of it--eh? What is that, Loveday?” + +“It is work your Ladyship wished me to execute,” said Aurelia. + +“Handsome--yes; but is that all? I thought the notable Mistress Betty +brought you up after her own sort?” + +“I am sorry, madam, but I could not do it quickly at first without my +sister’s advice, and I have not very much time between my care of the +children and preparing repetitions for Mr. Belamour.” + +“Ha! ha! I understand. There are greater attractions! Go on, child. +Mayhap it may be your own wedding gown you are working at, if you finish +it in time! Heavens! what great wondering eyes the child has! All in +good time, my dear. I must talk to your father.” + +It was so much the custom to talk to young maidens about their marriage +that this did not greatly startle Aurelia, and Lady Belamour continued: +“There, child, you have done your duty well by those little plagues of +mine, and it is Mr. Wayland’s desire to make you a recompense. You may +need it in any change of circumstances.” + +So saying, she placed in Aurelia’s hand five guineas, the largest sum +that the girl had ever owned; and as visions arose of Christmas gifts +to be bestowed, the thanks were so warm, the curtsey so expressively +graceful, the smile so bright, the soft eyes so sparkling, that the +great lady was touched at the sight of such simple-hearted joy, and +said, “There, there, child, that will do. I could envy one whom a little +makes so happy. Now you will be able to make yourself fine when my +son brings home his bride; or--who knows?--you may be a bride yourself +first!” + +That sounds, thought Aurelia, as if Mr. Belamour had made her relinquish +the plan of that cruel marriage, for I am sure I have not yet seen the +man I am to marry. + +And with a lighter heart the young tutoress stood between Fay and Letty +on the steps to see the departure, her cheeks still feeling Amoret’s +last fond kisses, and a swelling in her throat bringing tears to her +eyes at the thought how soon that carriage would be at Carminster. Yet +there were sweet chains in the little hands that held her gown, and in +the thought of the lonely old man who depended on her for enlivenment. + +The day was long, for Amoret was missed; and the two children were +unusually fretful and quarrelsome without her, disputing over the +new toys which Brother Amyas’s guinea had furnished in demoralising +profusion. It was strange too see the difference made by the loss of the +child who would give up anything rather than meet a look of vexation, +and would coax the others into immediate good humour. There was +reaction, too, after the excitement, for which the inexperienced Aurelia +did not allow. At the twentieth bickering as to which doll should ride +on the spotted hobby-horse, the face of Letty’s painted wooden baby +received a scar, and Fay’s lost a leg, whereupon Aurelia’s endurance +entirely gave way, and she pronounced them both naughty children, and +sent them to bed before supper. + +Then her heart smote her for unkindness, and she sat in the firelight +listless and sad, though she hardly knew why, longing to go up and pet +and comfort her charges, but withheld by the remembrance of Betty’s +assurances that leniency, in a like case, would be the ruin of Eugene. + +At last Jumbo came to summon her, and hastily recalling a cheerful air, +she entered the room with “Good evening, sir; you see I am still here to +trouble you.” + +“I continue to profit by my gentle friend’s banishment. Tell me, was my +Lady in a gracious mood?” + +“O sir, how beautiful she is, and how kind! I know now why my father was +so devoted to her, and no one can ever gainsay her!” + +“The enchantress knows how to cast her spells. She was then friendly?” + +“She gave me five guineas!” said Aurelia exultingly. “She said Mr. +Wayland wished to recompense me.” + +“Did he so? If it came from him I should have expected a more liberal +sum.” + +“But, oh!” in a tone of infinite surprise and content, “this is more +than I ever thought of. Indeed I never dreamt of her giving me anything. +Sir, may I write to your bookseller, Mr. Tonson, and order a book of Mr. +James Thomson’s _Seasons_ to give to my sister Harriet, who is delighted +with the extracts I have copied for her?” + +“Will not that consume a large proportion of the five guineas, my +generous friend?” + +“I have enough left. There is a new gown which I never have worn, which +will serve for the new clothes my Lady spoke of to receive her son’s +bride.” + +“She entered on that subject then?” + +“Only for a moment as she took leave. Oh, sir, is it possible that she +can know all about this young lady?” + +“What have you heard of her?” + +“Sir, they say she is a dreadful little vixen.” + +“Who say? Is she known at Carminster?” + +“No, sir,” said Aurelia, disconcerted. “It was from Nurse Dove that I +heard what Sir Amyas’s man said when he came back from Battlefield. I +know my sister would chide me for listening to servants.” + +“Nevertheless I should be glad to hear. Was the servant old Grey? Then +he is to be depended on. What did he say?” + +Aurelia needed little persuasion to tell all that she had heard from +Mrs. Dove, and he answered, “Thank you, my child, it tallies precisely +with what the poor boy himself told me.” + +“Then he has told his mother? Will she not believe him?” + +“It does not suit her to do so, and it is easy to say the girl will be +altered by going to a good school. In fact, there are many reasons more +powerful with her than the virtue and happiness of her son,” he added +bitterly. “There’s the connection, forsooth. As if Lady Aresfield were +fit to bring up an honest man’s wife; and there’s the fortune to fill up +the void she has made in the Delavie estates.” + +“Can no one hinder it, sir? Cannot you?” + +“As a last resource the poor youth came hither to see whether the +guardian whose wardship has hitherto been a dead letter, were indeed so +utterly obdurate and helpless as had been represented.” + +“And you have the power?” + +“So far as his father’s will and the injunctions of his final letter +to me can give it, I have full power. My consent is necessary to his +marriage while still a minor, and I have told my Lady I will never give +it to his wedding a Mar.” + +“I was sure of it; and it is not true that they will be able to do +without it? + +“Without it! Have you heard any more? You pause. I see--she wishes to +declare me of unsound mind. Is that what you mean?” + +“So Nurse Dove said, sir,” faltered Aurelia; “but it seemed too wicked, +too monstrous, to be possible.” + +“I understand,” he said. “I thought there was an implied threat in +my sweet sister-in-law’s soft voice when she spoke of my determined +misanthropy. Well, I think we can guard against that expedient. After +all, it is only till my nephew comes of age, or till his stepfather +returns, that we must keep the enchantress at bay. Then the poor lad +will be safe, providing always that she and her Colonel have not made a +rake of him by that time. Alas, what a wretch am I not to be able to do +more for him! Child, you have seen him?” + +“I danced with him, sir, but I was too much terrified to look in his +face. And I saw his cocked hat over the thorn hedge.” + +“Fancy free,” muttered Mr. Belamour. “Fair exile for a cocked hat and +diamond shoe-buckles! You would not recognise him again, nor his voice?” + +“No, sir. He scarcely spoke, and I was attending to my steps.” + +Mr. Belamour laughed, and then asked Aurelia for the passage in the +_Iliad_ where Venus carries off Paris in a cloud. He thanked her +somewhat absently, and then said, + +“Dr. Godfrey said something of coming hither before he goes to his +living in Dorsetshire. May I ask of you the favour of writing and +begging him to fix a day not far off, mentioning likewise that my +sister-in-law has been here.” + +To this invitation Dr. Godfrey replied that he would deviate from the +slow progress of his family coach, and ride to Bowstead, spending two +nights there the next week; and to Aurelia’s greater amazement, she +was next requested to write a billet to the Mistresses Treforth in Mr. +Belamour’s name, asking them to bestow their company on him for the +second evening of Dr. Godfrey’s visit. + +“You, my kind friend, will do the honours,” he said, “and we will ask +Mrs. Aylward to provide the entertainment.” + +“They will be quite propitiated by being asked to meet Dr. Godfrey,” + said Aurelia. “Shall you admit them, sir?” + +“Certainly. You do not seem to find them very engaging company, but they +can scarce be worse than I should find in such an asylum as my charming +sister-in-law seems to have in preparation for me.” + +“Oh! I wish I had said nothing about that. It is too shocking!” + +“Forewarned, forearmed, as the proverb says. Do you not see, my amiable +friend, that we are providing a body of witnesses to the sanity of the +recluse, even though he may ‘in dark Cimmerian desert ever dwell’?” + +The visit took place; Dr. Godfrey greeted Miss Delavie as an old +friend, and the next day pronounced Mr. Belamour to be so wonderfully +invigorated and animated, that he thought my Lady’s malignant plan was +really likely to prove the best possible stimulus and cure. + +Then the Canon gratified the two old ladies by a morning call, dined +with Aurelia and her pupils, who behaved very well, and with whom he +afterwards played for a whole hour so kindly that they placed him second +in esteem to their big and beautiful brother. Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia +came dressed in the faded splendours of the Louis XIV. period, just at +twilight, and were regaled with coffee and pound cake. They were a good +deal subdued, though as Aurelia listened to the conversation, it was +plain enough what Mr. Belamour meant when he said that his cousin Delia +was something of the coquette. + +Still they asked with evident awe if it were true that their unfortunate +cousin really intended to admit them, and they evidently became more and +more nervous while waiting for Jumbo’s summons. Dr. Godfrey gave his arm +to Mrs. Phoebe, and Mrs. Delia gripped hold of Aurelia’s, trembling all +over, declaring she felt ready to swoon, and marvelling how Miss Delavie +could ever have ventured, all alone too! + +After all, things had been made much less formidable than at Aurelia’s +first introduction. The sitting-room was arranged as it was when Mr. +Greaves read prayers, with a very faint light from a shrouded lamp +behind the window curtain. To new comers it seemed pitchy darkness, but +to Aurelia and Dr. Godfrey it was a welcome change, allowing them at +least to perceive the forms of one another, and of the furniture. From +a blacker gulf, being the doorway to the inner room, came Mr. Belamour’s +courteous voice of greeting to his kinswomen, who were led up by their +respective guides to take his hand; after which he begged them to excuse +the darkness, since the least light was painful to him still. If they +would be seated he would remain where he was, and enjoy the society he +was again beginning to be able to appreciate. He was, in fact, sitting +within his own room, with eyes covered from even the feeble glimmer in +the outer room. + +It was some minutes before they recovered their self-possession, but +Dr. Godfrey and Mr. Belamour began the conversation, and they gradually +joined in. It was chiefly full of reminiscences of the lively days +when Dr. Godfrey had been a young Cantab visiting his two friends at +Bowstead, and Phoebe and Delia were the belles of the village. Aurelia +scarcely opened her lips, but she was astonished to find how different +the two sisters could be from the censorious, contemptuous beings they +had seemed to her. The conversation lasted till supper-time, and Mr. +Belamour, as they took their leave, made them promise to come and see +him again. Then they were conducted back to the supper-room, Mrs. Phoebe +mysteriously asking “Is he always like this?” + +The experiment had been a great success, and Aurelia completed it by +asking Mrs. Phoebe to take the head of the supper-table. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. THE VICTIM DEMANDED. + + + And if thou sparest now to do this thing, + I will destroy thee and thy land also.--MORRIS. + + +“Well, sir, have you seen my Lady?” + +“Not a year older than when I saw her last,” returned Major Delavie, +who had just dismounted from his trusty pony at his garden gate, and +accepted Betty’s arm; “and what think you?” he added, pausing that +Corporal Palmer might hear his news. “She has been at Bowstead, and +brings fresh tidings of our Aura. The darling is as fair and sprightly +as a May morning, and beloved by all who come near her--bless her!” + +Palmer echoed a fervent “Amen!” and Betty asked, “Is this my Lady’s +report?” + +“Suspicious Betty! You will soon be satisfied,” said the Major in high +glee. “Did not Dove meet me at the front door, and Mrs. Dove waylay me +in the hall to tell me that the child looked blooming and joyous, and +in favour with all, gentle and simple? Come her, Eugene, ay, and Harriet +and Arden too. Let us hear what my little maid says for herself. For +look here!” and he held aloft Aurelia’s packet, at sight of which Eugene +capered high, and all followed into the parlour. + +Mr. Arden was constantly about the house. There was no doubt that he +would soon be preferred to a Chapter living in Buckinghamshire, and he +had thus been emboldened to speak out his wishes. It would have been +quite beneath the dignity of a young lady of Miss Harriet’s sensibility +to have consented, and she was in the full swing of her game at coyness +and reluctance, daily vowing that nothing should induce her to resign +her liberty, and that she should be frightened out of her life by Mr. +Arden’s experiments; while her father had cordially received the +minor Canon’s proposals, and already treated him as one of the family. +Simpering had been such a fattening process that Harriet was beginning +to resume more of her good looks than had ever been brought back by +Maydew. + +“Open the letter, Betty. Thanks, Arden,” as the minor Canon began to +pull off his boots, “only take care of my knee. My Lady has brought +down her little boy, and one of Aurelia’s pupils; I declare they are a +perfect pair of Loves. What are you fumbling at, Betty?” + +“The seal, sir, it is a pity to break it,” said Betty, producing her +scissors from one of her capacious pockets. “It is an antique, is it +not, Mr. Arden?” + +“A very beautiful gem, a sleeping Cupid,” he answered. + +“How could the child have obtained it?” said Harriet. + +“I can tell you,” said the Major. “From old Belamour. My Lady was +laughing about it. The little puss has revived the embers of gallantry +in our poor recluse. Says she, ‘He has actually presented her with a +ring, nay, a ring bearing Love himself.’” + +Somehow the speech, even at second hand, jarred upon Betty, but her +father was delighted with my Lady’s description of his favourite, and +the letters were full of contentment. When the two sisters, arrayed in +their stiffest silks, went up to pay their respects to my Lady the next +afternoon, their reception was equally warm. My Lady was more caressing +to her old acquaintance, Betty, than that discreet personage quite +liked, while she complimented and congratulated Harriet on her lover, +laughing at her bashful disclaimers in such a charmingly teasing fashion +as quite to win the damsel’s heart, and convince her that all censure of +Lady Belamour was vile slander. The children were sent for, and Amoret +was called on to show how Cousin Aurelia had taught her to dance, +sing and recite. The tiny minuet performed by her and Archer was an +exceedingly pretty exhibition as far as it went, but the boy had no +patience to conclude, and jumped off into an extemporary _pas seul_, +which was still prettier, and as Amoret was sole exhibitor of the +repetition of Hay’s “Hare and many friends,” he became turbulent after +the first four lines, and put a stop to the whole. + +Then came in a tall, large, handsome, dashing-looking man, with the air +of a “_beau sabreur_,” whom Lady Belamour presented to her cousins as +“Colonel Mar, my son’s commandant, you know who has been kind enough to +take Carminster on his way, so as to escort me to the Bath. I am such +a sad coward about highwaymen. And we are to meet dear Lady Aresfield +there to talk over a little matter of business.” + +Colonel Mar made a magnificent bow, carelessly, not to say +impertinently, scanned the two ladies, and having evidently decided they +had neither beauty nor fashion to attract him, caught up little Amy in +his arms, and began to play a half teasing, half caressing game with the +children. Betty thought it high time to be gone, and as she took leave, +was requested to send up her little brother to play with his cousins. +This did not prove a success, for Eugene constituted himself champion to +Amoret, of whom Archer was very jealous, though she was his devoted +and submissive slave. Master Delavie’s rustic ways were in consequence +pronounced to be too rude and rough for the dainty little town-bred boy, +the fine ladies’ pet. + +The Major dined at the Great House, but came home so much dismayed and +disgusted that he could hardly mention even to Betty what he had seen +and heard. He only groaned out at intervals, “This is what the service +is coming to! That fop to be that poor lad’s commanding officer! That +rake to be always hovering about my cousin!” + +Others spoke out more plainly. Stories were afloat or orgies ending +in the gallant Colonel being under the supper table, a thing only too +common, but not in the house of a solitary lady who had only lately +quitted the carousers. Half the dependants on the estate were +complaining of the guest’s swaggering overbearing treatment of +themselves, or of his insolence to their wives or daughters; and +Betty lived in a dreadful unnamed terror lest he should offer some +impertinence to her father which the veteran’s honour might not brook. +However, there was something in the old soldier’s dignity and long +service that kept the arrogance of the younger man in check, and +repressed all bluster towards him. + +Demands for money were, as usual, made, but the settlement of accounts +was deferred till the arrival of Hargrave, the family man of business, +who came by coach to Bath, and then rode across to Carminster. The Major +dined that day at the Great House, and came home early, with something +so strange and startled about his looks that Betty feared that her worst +misgivings were realised. It was a relief to hear him say, “Come hither, +Betty, I want a word with you.” At least it was no duel! + +“What is it, dear sir?” she asked, as she shut his study door. “Is it +come at last? Must we quit this place?” + +“No, I could bear that better, but what do you think she asks of me +now?--to give my little Aurelia, my beautiful darling, to that madman in +the dark!” + +“Oh!” exclaimed Betty, in a strange tone of discovery. “May I inquire +what you said?” + +“I said--I scarce know what I said. I declared it monstrous, and not +to be thought of for a moment; and then she went on in her fashion that +would wile a bird off a bush, declaring that no doubt the proposal was a +shock, but if I would turn the matter over, I should see it was for the +dear child’s advantage. Belamour dotes on her, and after being an old +man’s darling for a few years, she may be free in her prime, with an +honourable name and fortune.” + +“I dare say. As if one could not see through the entire design. My Lady +would call her sister-in-law to prevent her being daughter-in-law!” + +“That fancy has had no aliment, and must long ago have died out.” + +“Listen to Nurse Dove on that matter.” + +“Women love to foster notions of that sort.” + +“Nay, sir, you believe, as I do, that the poor child was conveyed to +Bowstead in order that the youth might lose sight of her, and since he +proves refractory to the match intended for him, this further device is +found for destroying any possible hope on his part.” + +“I cannot say what may actuate my Lady, but if Amyas Belamour be the man +I knew, and as the child’s own letters paint him, he is not like to lend +himself to any such arrangement.” + +“Comes the offer from him, or is it only a scheme of my Lady’s?” + +“He never writes more than a signature, but Hargrave is empowered to +make proposals to me, very handsome proposals too, were not the bare +idea intolerable.” + +“Aurelia is not aware of it, I am sure,” said Betty, to whom Hargrave +had brought another packet of cheerful innocent despatches, of which, as +usual, the unseen friend in the dark was the hero. + +“Certainly not, and I hope she never may be. I declared the notion was +not to be entertained for a moment; but Urania never, in her life, would +take no for an answer, and she talked me nearly out of my senses, then +bade me go home, think it over, and discuss it with my excellent and +prudent daughter; as if all the thinking and talking in the world could +make it anything but more intolerable.” + +His prudent daughter understood in the adjective applied to her a +hint which the wily lady would not have dared to make direct to +the high-spirited old soldier, namely, that the continuance of his +livelihood might depend on his consent. Betty knew likewise enough of +the terrible world of the early eighteenth century to be aware that +even such wedlock as this was not the worst to which a woman like Lady +Belamour might compel the poor girl, who was entirely in her power, and +out of reach of all protection; unless--An idea broke in on her--“If we +could but go to Bowstead, sir,” she said, “then we could judge whether +the notion be as repugnant to Aurelia as it is to us, and whether Mr. +Belamour be truly rational and fit to be trusted with her.” + +“I tell you, Betty, it is a mere absurdity to think of it. I believe the +child is fond of, and grateful to, the poor man, but if she supposed she +loved him, it would be mere playing on her ignorance.” + +“Then we could take her safely home and bear the consequences together, +without leaving her alone exposed to any fresh machination of my Lady.” + +“You are right, Betty. You have all your sainted mother’s good sense. +I will tell my cousin that this is not a matter to be done blindly, and +that I withhold my reply till I have seen and spoken with her and this +most preposterous of suitors.” + +“Yes, it is the only way,” said Betty. “We can then judge whether it be +a cruel sacrifice, or whether the child have affection and confidence +enough in him to be reasonably happy with him. What is his age, father?” + +“Let me see. Poor Sir Jovian was much older than Urania, but he died at +forty years old. His brother was some three years his junior. He cannot +be above forty-six or seven. That is not the objection, but the moody +melancholy--Think of our gay sprightly child!” + +“We will see, sir.” + +“We! Mistress Betty? The cost will be severe without you!” + +“Nay, sir, I cannot rest without going too; you might be taken ill.” + +“You cannot trust a couple of old campaigners like Palmer and me? What +did we do without you?” + +“Got lamed for life,” said Betty, saucily. “No, I go on a pillion behind +Palmer, and my grandfather’s diamond ring shall pay expenses.” + +“Sir Archibald’s ring that he put on two baby fingers of yours when he +went off to Scotland.” + +“Better part with that then resign my Aurelia in the dark, uncertain +whether it be for her good.” + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. THE PROPOSAL. + + + Love sweetest lies concealed in night.--T. MOORE. + + +The Major rode up to the Great House to announce that he would only give +his answer after having conferred with both his daughter and the suitor. + +With tears in her beautiful blue eyes, Lady Belamour demanded why her +dear cousin Harry could not trust the Urania he had known all her life +to decide what was for the happiness of the sweet child whom she loved +like her own. + +She made him actually feel as if it were a cruel and unmerited +suspicion, but she did not over come him. “Madam,” he said, “it would be +against my orders, as father of a family, to give my child away without +doing my poor best for her.” + +There, in spite of all obstacles suggested and all displeasure +manifested, he stuck fast, until, without choosing to wait till a shower +of sleet and rain was over. Vexation and perplexity always overset +his health, and the chill, added to them, rendered him so ill the next +morning that Betty knew there was no chance of his leaving his room for +the next month or six weeks; and she therefore sent a polite and formal +note to the Great House explaining that he could not attend to business. + +This brought upon her the honour of a visit from the great lady herself. +Down came the coach-and-four, and forth from it came Lady Belamour in +a magnificent hoop, the first seen in those parts, managing it with a +grace that made her an overwhelming spectacle, in contrast with Betty, +in her close-fitting dark-grey homespun, plain white muslin apron, cap, +kerchief, and ruggles, scrupulously neat and fresh, but unadorned. The +visit was graciously designed for “good cousin Harry,” but his daughter +was obliged, not unwillingly, though quite truly, to declare him far too +suffering with pain and fever. + +“La, you there, then,” said the lady, “that comes of the dear man’s heat +of temper. I would have kept him till the storm was over but he was far +too much displeased with his poor cousin to listen to me. Come, cousin +Betty, I know you are in all his counsels. You will bring him to hear +reason.” + +“The whole affair must wait, madam, till he is able to move.” + +“And if this illness be the consequence of one wet ride, how can he be +in a condition to take the journey?” + +“You best know, madam whether a father can be expected to bestow his +daughter in so strange a manner without direct communication either with +her or with the other party.” + +“I grant you the idea is at first sight startling, but surely he might +trust to me; and he knows Amyas Belamour, poor man, to be the very soul +of honour; yes, and with all his eccentricity to have made no small +impression on our fair Aurelia. Depend upon it, my dear Betty, romance +carried the day; and the damsel is more enamoured of the mysterious +voice in the dark, than she would be of any lusty swain in the ordinary +light of day.” + +“All that may be, madam, but she is scarce yet sixteen, and it is +our duty to be assured of her inclinations and of the gentleman’s +condition.” + +“You will not trust me, who have watched them both,” said Lady Belamour, +with her most engaging manner. “Now look here, my dear, since we are two +women together, safe out of the hearing of the men, I will be round with +you. I freely own myself imprudent in sending your sister to Bowstead +to take charge of my poor little girls, but if you had seen the little +savages they were, you would not wonder that I could not take them home +at once, nor that I should wish to see them acquire the good manners +that I remembered in the children of this house; I never dreamt of Mr. +Belamour heeding the little nursery. He has always been an obstinate +melancholic lunatic, confined to his chamber by day, and wandering like +a ghost by night, refusing all admission. Moreover my good Aylward +had appeared hitherto a paragon of a duenna for discretion, only over +starched in her precision. Little did I expect to find my young lady +spending all her evenings alone with him, and the solitary hermit +transformed into a gay and gallant bachelor like the Friar of Orders +Gray in the song. And since matters have gone to such a length, I, as a +woman who has seen more of the world than you have, my dear good Betty, +think it expedient that the Friar and his charmer should be made one +without loss of time. _We_ know her to be innocence itself, and him for +a very Sidney for honour, but the world--” + +“It is your doing, madam,” exclaimed Betty, passionately, completely +overset by the insinuation; “you bid us trust you, and then confess that +you have exposed my sweet sister to be vilely slandered! Oh my Aurelia, +why did I let you out of my sight?” she cried, while hot tears stood in +her eyes. + +“I know your warmth, my dear,” said Lady Belamour with perfect command +of temper; “I tell you I blame myself for not having recollected that +a lovely maiden can tame even a savage brute, or that even in the sweet +rural country walls have ears and trees have tongues. Not that any harm +is done so far, nor ever will be; above all if your good father do not +carry his romantic sentiments so far as to be his ruin a second time. +Credit me, Betty, they will not serve in any world save the imaginary +one that crazed Don Quixote. What advantage can the pretty creature +gain? She is only sixteen, quite untouched by true passion. She will +obtain a name and fortune, and become an old man’s idol for a few years, +after which she will probably be at liberty by the time she is of an age +to enjoy life.” + +“He is but five-and-forty!” said Betty. + +“Well, if she arouse him to a second spring, there will be few women who +will not envy her.” + +“You may colour it over, madam,” said Betty, drawing herself up, “but +nothing can conceal the fact that you confess yourself to have exposed +my innocent helpless sister to malignant slander; and that you assure +me that the only course left is to marry the poor child to a wretched +melancholic who has never so much as seen her face.” + +“You are outspoken, Miss Delavie,” said Lady Belamour, softly, but +with a dangerous glitter in her blue eyes. “I pardon your heat for your +father’s sake, and because I ascribe it to the exalted fantastic notions +in which you have been bred; but remember that there are bounds to my +forbearance, and that an agent in his state of health, and with his +stubborn ideas, only remains on sufferance.” + +“My father has made up his mind to sacrifice anything rather than his +child,” cried Betty. + +“My dear girl, I will hear you no more. You are doing him no service,” + said Lady Belamour kindly. “You had better be convinced that it is +a sacrifice, or an unwilling one, before you treat me to any more +heroics.” + +Betty successfully avoided a parting kiss, and remained pacing up +and down the room to work off her indignation before returning to her +father. She was quite as angry with herself, as with my Lady, for having +lost her temper, and so given her enemy an advantage, more especially as +when her distress became less agitating, her natural shrewdness began to +guess that the hint about scandal was the pure fruit of Lady Belamour’s +invention, as an expedient for obtaining her consent. Yet the mere +breath of such a possibility of evil speaking was horror to her, and she +even revolved the question of going herself to Bowstead to rescue her +sister. But even if the journey had been more possible, her father was +in no condition to be left to Harriet’s care, and there was nothing to +be done except to wait till he could again attend to the matter, calm +herself as best she could, so as not to alarm him, and intercept all +dangerous messages. + +Several days had passed, and though the Major had not left his bed, he +had asked whether more had been heard from my Lady, and discussed the +subject with his daughter, when a letter arrived in due course of post. +It was written in a large bold hand, and the signature, across a crease +in the paper, was in the irregular characters that the Major recognised +as those of Mr. Belamour. + + +“DEAR AND HONOURED SIR, + + “Proposals have been made to you on my Behalf for the Hand of your +fair and amiable Daughter, Miss Aurelia Delavie. I am well aware how +preposterous and even shocking they may well appear to you; yet, let me +assure you, on the Faith of a Man of Honour that if you will entrust +her to me, wretched Recluse though I be, and will permit her to bear my +Name, I will answer for her Happiness and Welfare. Situated as I am, +I cannot enter into further explanations; but we are old Acquaintance, +though we have not met for many Years, and therefore I venture to beg of +you to believe me when I say that if you will repose Confidence in +me, and exercise Patience, I can promise your admirable Daughter such +Preferment as she is far from expecting. She has been the Blessing of +my darkened Life, but I would never have presumed to ask further were it +not that I have no other Means of protecting her, nor of shielding her +from Evils that may threaten her, and that might prove far worse than +bearing the Name of + + “Your obedient Servant to command, + “AMYAS BELAMOUR. + +“Bowstead Park, Dec. 3rd, 1737.” + + +“Enigmatical!” said Betty. + +“It could hardly be otherwise if he had to employ a secretary” said her +father. “Who can have written for him?” + +“His friend, Dr. Godfrey, most probably,” said Betty. “It is well spelt +as well as indited, and has not the air of being drawn up by a lawyer.” + +“No, it is not Hargrave’s hand. It is strange that he says nothing of +the settlements.” + +“Here is a postscript, adding, ‘Should you consent, Hargrave will give +you ample satisfaction as to the property which I can settle on your +daughter.’” + +“Of that I have no doubt,” said the Major. “Well, Betty, on reflection, +if I were only secure that no force was put on the child’s will, and if +I could exchange a few words face to face with Amyas Belamour, I should +not be so utterly averse as I was at first sight. She is a good child, +and if she like him, and find it not hard to do her duty by him, she +might be as happy as another. And since she is out of our reach it might +save her from worse. What say you, child?” + +“That last is the strongest plea with me,” said Betty, with set lips. + +They took another evening for deliberation, but there was something in +the tone of the letter that wrought on them, and it ended in a cautious +consent being given, on the condition of the father being fully +satisfied of his daughter’s free and voluntary acquiescence. + +“After all,” he said to Betty, “I shall be able to go up to Bowstead for +the wedding, and if I find that her inclinations have been forced, I can +take her away at all risks.” + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. WOOING IN THE DARK. + + + You may put out my eyes with a ballad-maker’s pen, and hang me + up for the sign of blind Cupid.--_Much Ado About Nothing_. + + +Aurelia had been walking in the park with her two remaining charges, +when a bespattered messenger was seen riding up to the door, and Letitia +dropped her hoop in her curiosity and excitement. + +Lady Belamour, on obtaining the Major’s partial acquiescence, had felt +herself no longer obliged to vegetate at Carminster, but had started for +Bath, while the roads were still practicable; and had at the same time +sent off a courier with letters to Bowstead. Kind Mrs. Dove had sent +a little packet to each of the children, but they found Cousin Aura’s +sympathy grievously and unwontedly lacking, and she at last replied to +their repeated calls to here to share their delight, that they must run +away, and display their treasures to Molly and Jumbo. She must read her +letters alone. + +The first she had opened was Betty’s, telling her of her father’s +illness, which was attributed in great part to the distress and +perplexity caused by Lady Belamour’s proposal. Had it not been for +this indisposition, both father and sister would have come to judge for +themselves before entertaining it for a moment; but since the journey +was impossible, he could only desire Betty to assure her sister that +no constraint should be put on her, and that if she felt the least +repugnance to the match, she need not consider her obliged to submit. +More followed about the religious duty of full consideration and prayer +before deciding on what would fix her destiny for life, but all was +so confusing to the girl, entirely unprepared as she was, that after +hastily glancing on in search of an explanation which she failed +to find, she laid it aside, and opened the other letter. It began +imperially + + + “MY COUSIN, + + “No doubt you are already informed of the Honour that has been +done you by the Proposal that Mr. Amyas Belamour has made to your Father +for your Hand. It is no slight Compliment to a young Maid like you, from +one of the most noted Wits about Town in the last Reign; and you will +no doubt shew the Good Sense to esteem yourself fortunate beyond all +reasonable Expectations or Deserts of your own, as well as to act for +the Advantage of your Family. Be assured that I shall permit no foolish +Flightiness nor Reluctance to interfere with you true Welfare. I say +this, because, as you well know, your Father’s Affection is strong and +blind, and you might easily draw him into a Resistance which could but +damage both his Health and his Prospects. On receiving the tidings +of your Marriage, I promise to settle on him the Manor House with an +Annuity of Three hundred Pounds; but if he should support you in any +foolish Refusal, I shall be obliged to inform him that I can dispense +with his Services; therefore you will do wisely to abstain from any +childish expressions of Distaste. + +“On your Marriage, you will of course have the enjoyment of the Pin Money +with which Mr. Belamour will liberally endow you, and be treated in all +Respects as a Married Lady. My Daughters shall be sent to School, unless +you wish to make them your Companions a little longer. Expecting to +hear from you that you are fully sensible to the good Fortune and the +Obligations you are under to me, + + “I remain + “Yours &c. + “URANIA BELAMOUR.” + + +It was with a gasp of relief that Aurelia discovered what was required +of her. “Marry Mr. Belamour? Is that all? Then why should they all think +I should so much dislike it, my Lady, and my papa, and sister and all? +Nobody ever was so good to me, and maybe I could make him a little +happier, though it is not what I expected of him, to forget his Mary! +Oh, no, I am not afraid; I might have been afraid six months ago, but +now it is a different thing. I am not so foolish! And my dear papa will +have the Manor House for ever! And Eugene will be able to go to a good +school and have a pair of colours in good time! A fortunate girl! Yes, +of course I am! Then Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia will not flout me any +more, even if young Sir Amyas should come here! Ah! here are the little +girls returning! Keep them here? Of course I will. What toys and books I +will get for them!” + +Yet, when the time for her summons drew nigh, a great dread and shyness +overcame her, lest Mr. Belamour should begin on the subject; and she +only nerved herself by recollecting that he could have had no one to +read to him her father’s letter of reply, and that he was scarcely +likely to speak without knowing the contents. Still, it was only shyness +and embarrassment that made her advance timidly, but in one moment a +new sensation, a strange tremor came over her, as instead of merely her +finger-tips, her whole hand was grasped and fervently pressed, and in +the silence that ensued the throbbing of her heart and the panting of +her breath seemed to find an echo. However, the well-known voice began, +“My fair visitor is very good in honouring me to-night.” + +Was it coming? Her heart gave such a throb that she could only murmur +something inarticulate, while there was a hasty repressed movement near +her. + +“You have heard from your father?” said Mr. Belamour. + +“My father is ill, sir,” she faltered. + +“Ah, yes, so I was sorry to understand. Has he not sent a message to you +through your sister?” + +“He has, sir,” Aurelia continued, with difficulty, to utter. + +There was another silence, another space of tightened breath and +beating heart, absolutely audible, and again a hushed, restless movement +heralded Mr. Belamour’s next words, “Did I no tell you truly that my +Lady devises most unexpected expedients?” + +“Then would you not have it so, sir?” asked Aurelia, in a bewildered +voice of perplexity. “Oh!” as again one of those echoes startled her, +“tell me what it all means.” + +“Hush! listen to me,” said Mr. Belamour, in a voice that added to her +undefined alarm by what seemed to her imperious displeasure as uncalled +for as it was unusual; but the usual fatherly gentleness immediately +prevailed, “My child, I should never have entertained the thought for a +moment but for--but for Lady Belamour. This sounds like no compliment,” + he added, catching himself up, and manifesting a certain embarrassment +and confusion very unlike his usual calm dignity of demeanour, and thus +adding to the strange fright that was growing upon Aurelia. “But you +must understand that I would not--even in semblance--have dreamt of +your being apparently linked to age, sorrow, and infirmity, save +that--strange as it may seem--Lady Belamour has herself put into +my hands the best means of protecting you, and finally, as I trust, +securing your happiness.” + +“You are very good, sir,” she continued to breathe out, amid the +flutterings of her heart, and the reply produced a wonderful outburst of +ardour in a low but fervent voice. “You will! You will! You sweetest of +angels, you will be mine!” + +There was something so irresistibly winning in the sound, that it drew +forth an answer from the maiden’s very heart. “Oh! yes, indeed--” and +before she could utter another word she was snatched into a sudden, +warm, vehement embrace, from which she was only partly released, +as--near, but still not so near as she would have expected--this +extraordinary suitor seemed to remonstrate with his ardent self, saying, +“Now! now! that will do! So be it then, my child,” he continued. “Great +will be the need of faith, patience, trust, ay, and of self-restraint, +but let these be practised for a little space, and all will be well.” + +She scarcely heard the latter words. The sense of something irrevocable +and unfathomable was overpowering her. The mystery of these sudden +alterations of voice, now near, now far off, was intolerable. Here were +hands claiming her, fervent, eager breathings close upon her, and +that serious, pensive voice going on all that time. The darkness grew +dreadful to her, dizziness came over her; she dashed aside the hands, +started up with a scream, and amid the strange noises and flashes of a +swoon, knew no more till she heard Mrs. Aylward’s voice over her, found +the horrid smell of burnt feathers under her nose, and water trickling +down her face, dim candlelight was round her, and she perceived that she +was on a low settee in the lobby. + +“There, she is coming round. You may tell your master, Jumbo, ‘twas +nothing but the mince pies.” + +“Oh, no--” began Aurelia, but her own voice seemed to come from +somewhere else, and being inexperienced in fainting, she was frightened. + +“That is right, you are better. Now, a drop of strong waters.” + +Aurelia choked, and put them aside, but was made to swallow the draught, +and revived enough to ask, “How came I here?” + +“Jumbo must have carried you out, ma’am, and laid you here before ever +he called any one,” said Mrs. Aylward. “Dear, dear, to think of your +being taken like that. But the tins of those mince-pies are over large! +You must halve one next time.” + +Aurelia was sensible enough to the reproof of greediness to begin to +protest against the mince-pie theory, but she recollected that she could +not account for her swoon, and thereupon became as red as she had been +pale, thus confirming the housekeeper’s opinion. A sound of footsteps +made her start up and cry, “What’s that?” in nervous fright; but Mrs. +Aylward declared it was fancy, and as she was by this time able to walk, +she was conducted to her own room. There she was examined on her recent +diet, and was compelled to allow the housekeeper to ascribe her illness +to neglect of autumnal blood-letting and medicine; and she only stave +off the send for the barber and his lancet the next morning by promising +to swallow a dose compounded of all that was horrible. + +She was altogether much shaken, she dreamed strange dreams by night, was +capable of little by day, was declared by the children to be cross, and +was much inclined to plead indisposition as an excuse for not visiting +that alarming room in the evening. Indeed for the greater part of the +day she felt as if she must avail herself of the pretext, and as if she +neither could nor would encounter that strange double creature in the +dark; but somehow she had been as much fascinated as terrified, and, in +spite of her resolve, she found herself mechanically following Jumbo, +shuddering all over and as cold as ice. + +The dark chambers were warmed by German stoves, so that the atmosphere +was always equable, and it seemed to revive her, while a kind, warm hand +led her as usual to her seat, and it was the usual gentle, courteous, +paternal tone that addressed her, “How chill and trembling you are! My +poor child, you were sadly alarmed last night.” + +Aurelia murmured some excuse about being very foolish. + +“It was not you who was foolish,” was the reply; and though her hand +was retained it was evidently for the sake of warming it, and comforting +her, not of caressing it in the startling mode of yesterday. There was +a pause, during which her composure began to be restored, and some +inquiries whether she were quite recovered; to which she replied with +eager affirmatives, feeling indeed quite herself again, now that all was +in its familiar state around her. Then this strange suitor spoke again. +“It is a hard and cruel fate that my Lady has sought to impose on you.” + +“Oh, do not say so, sir I---” + +“No,” he interrupted somewhat hastily, “do not try to deny it, my child; +I know better than you can what it would amount to. Believe me, I +only lend myself to her arrangement because I know no better means of +guarding you and preserving you for better days.” + +“I know how kind you are, sir.” + +“And you trust me?” + +“Indeed I do.” + +“That is all I ask. I shall never be a husband to you more than in name, +Aurelia, nor ask of you more than you give me now, namely, your sweet +presence for a few hours in the evening, without seeing me. Can you bear +thus to devote your young life, for a time at least?” + +“You know, sir, how glad I always am to be with you,” said Aurelia, +relieved yet half regretting that strange fervour. “I will do my very +best to please you.” + +“Ah! sweet child,” he began, with a thrill of deep feeling in his voice; +but checking himself he continued, “All I ask is patience and trust for +a time--for a time--you promise it!” + +“With all my heart,” said Aurelia. + +“I will use my best endeavours to requite that trust, my child,” he +said. “Is not the Christian watchword faith, not sight? It must be yours +likewise.” + +“I hope so,” she said, scarcely understanding. + +He then interrogated her somewhat closely as to the letters which had +prepared her for the proposal; and as Aurelia was far too simple to +conceal anything under cross-examination, Mr. Belamour soon found out +what her Ladyship’s threats and promises had been. + +“The Manor House?” he said. “That is the original nucleus of the +property which had hitherto gone to the heir male?” + +“So my sister told me,” said Aurelia. + +“That letter, which Dr. Godfrey read to me, spoke of my poor brother’s +discomfort in holding it. It is well if thus tardily she refund it, +though not as your price, my poor child. It should have been as +matter of justice, if not by her husband’s dying wish. So this is +the alternative set before you! Has it been set before your father +likewise?” + +“Almost certainly she will have threatened to dismiss him if he do not +consent. It was that which made my sister decide on sending me here, or +what would become of him and Eugene? But I should think my Lady knew my +father better than to seem to offer any kind of price, as you call it, +for me.” + +“Precisely. You have heard from this maternal sister of yours? Does he +then give his consent?” + +“They say they will not have my inclinations forced, and that they had +rather undergo anything than that I should be driven to--to--” + +“To be as much a sacrifice as Iphigenia,” he concluded the sentence. + +“Indeed, sir,” said Aurelia, quite restored, “I cannot see why they +should imagine me to have such objections, or want me to be so cautious +and considerate. I shall write to my papa that it is not at all +repugnant to me, for that you are very, very good to me; and if I can +make your time pass ever so little more pleasantly, it is a delight to +me. I am sure I shall like you better than if---” + +“Stay, stay, child,” he said, half laughing; “remember, it is as a +father that I ask you to love and trust the old recluse.” + +She thought she had been forward, crimsoned in the dark, and retired +into her shell for the rest of the evening. She was glad when with his +usual tact, Mr. Belamour begged for the recitation he knew she could +make with the least effort of memory. + +At the end, however, she ventured to ask--“Sir, shall I be permitted +ever to see my father and sister?” + +“Certainly, my child. In due time I hope you will enjoy full liberty, +though you may have to wait for it.” + +Aurelia durst not ask what was in her mind, whether they would not +come to the wedding, but that one great hope began to outweigh all +the strange future. She began to say something about being too young, +ignorant, and foolish for him, but this was kindly set aside, she hardly +knew how. Mr. Belamour himself suggested the formula in which she might +send her consent to Lady Belamour, begging at the same time to retain +the company of the little Misses Wayland. To her father she wrote such +a letter as might satisfy all doubts as to the absence of all repugnance +to the match, and though the Major had sacrificed all to love and honour +himself, _mariages de convenance_ were still so much the rule, and +wives, bestowed in all passiveness with unawakened hearts, so +often proved loving and happy matrons, that it would have been held +unreasonable to demand more than absence of dislike on the part of the +bride. + +Therewith things returned to their usual course, and she was beginning +to feel as if all had been a dream, when one evening, about a week +later, her suitor appeared to have one of those embarrassing fits of +youthful ardour; her hand was passionately seized, caressed, toyed with +by a warm strong hand, and kissed by lips that left a burning impression +and that were no longer hairy. Surely he had been shaving! Was the time +for which he bade her wait, his full recovery, and the resumption of the +youthfulness that seemed to come on him in fits and starts, and then to +ebb away, and leave him the grave courteous old man she had first +known? And why was it always in a whisper that he spoke forth all those +endearments which thrilled her with such strange emotions? + +When she came into the light, she found her fourth finger encircled with +an exquisite emerald ring, which seemed to bind her to her fate, and +make her situation tangible. Another time she was entreated to give a +lock of her hair, and she of course did so, though it was strange that +it should confer any pleasure on her suitor in the dark. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. THE MUFFLED BRIDEGROOM. + + + This old fantastical Duke of dark corners.-- + _Measure for Measure._ + + +There was some coming and going of Mr. Hargrave in the ensuing weeks; +and it began to be known that Miss Delavie was to become the wife of +the recluse. Mrs. Aylward evidently knew it, but said nothing; Molly +preferred a petition to be her waiting maid; Jumbo grinned as if +over-powered with inward mirth; the old ladies in the pew looked more +sour and haughty than ever to discourage “the artful minx,” and the +little girls asked all manner of absurd and puzzling questions. + +My Lady was still at Bath, and Aurelia supposed that the marriage would +take place on her return; and that the Major and Betty would perhaps +accompany her. The former was quite in his usual health again, and had +himself written to give her his blessing as a good dutiful maiden, +and declare that he hoped to be with her for her wedding, and to give +himself to his honoured friend. + +She was the more amazed and startled when, one Sunday evening in spring, +Mr. Hargrave came to her as she sat in her own parlour, saying, “Madam, +you will be amazed, but under the circumstances, the parson and +myself being both here, Mr. Belamour trusts you will not object to the +immediate performance of the ceremony.” + +Aurelia took some moments to realise what the ceremony was; and then she +cried, “Oh! but my father meant to have been here.” + +“Mr. Belamour thinks it better not to trouble Major Delavie to come +up,” said Mr. Hargrave; and as Aurelia stood in great distress and +disappointment at this disregard of her wishes, he added, “I think Miss +Delavie cannot fail to understand Mr. Belamour’s wishes to anticipate +my Lady’s arrival, so that he may be as little harassed as possible with +display and publicity. You may rely both on his honour and my vigilance +that all is done securely and legally.” + +“Oh! I know that,” said Aurelia, blushing; “but it is so sudden! And I +was thinking of my father---” + +“Your honoured father has given full consent in writing,” said the +steward. “Your doubts and scruples are most natural, my dear madam, but +under the circumstances they must give way, for it would be impossible +to Mr. Belamour to go through a public wedding.” + +That Aurelia well knew, though she had expected nothing so sudden or +so private; but she began to feel that she must allow all to be as he +chose; and she remembered that she had never pressed on him her longing +for her father’s presence, having taken it as a matter of course, and +besides, having been far too shy to enter on the subject of her wedding. +So she rose up as in a dream, saying, “Shall I go as I am?” + +“I fear a fuller toilet would be lost upon the bridegroom,” said the +lawyer with some commiseration, as he looked at the beautiful young +creature about to be bound to the heart-broken old hermit. “You will +have to do me the honour of accepting my services in the part of +father.” + +He was a man much attached to the family, and especially to Mr. +Belamour, his first patron, and was ready to do anything at his bidding +or for his pleasure. Such private weddings were by no uncommon up to +the middle of the last century. The State Law was so easy as to render +Gretna Green unnecessary, when the presence of any clergyman anywhere, +while the parties plighted their troth before witnesses, was sufficient +to legalise the union; nor did any shame or sense of wrong necessarily +attach to such marriages. Indeed they were often the resource of +persons too bashful or too refined to endure the display and boisterous +merriment by which a public wedding was sure to be attended. Every one +knew of excellent and respectable couples who had not been known to be +married till the knot had been tied for several days or weeks--so that +there was nothing in this to shock the bride. And as usual she did as +she was told, and let Mr. Hargrave lead her by her finger-tips towards +Mr. Belamour’s apartments. Mrs. Aylward was waiting in the lobby, with +a fixed impassive countenance, intended to imply that though obedient +to the summons to serve as a witness, it was no concern of hers. On the +stairs behind her the maids were leaning over the balusters, stuffing +their aprons into their mouths lest their tittering should betray them. + +The sitting-room was nearly, but not quite, dark, for a lamp, closely +shaded, cast a dim light on a Prayer-book, placed on a small table, +behind which stood poor Mr. Greaves--a black spectre, whose white bands +were just discernible below a face whose nervous, disturbed expression +was lost in the general gloom. He carefully avoided looking at the +bride, fearing perhaps some appeal on her part such as would make his +situation perplexing. Contempt and poverty had brought his stamp of +clergymen very low, and rendered them abject. He had been taken by +surprise, and though assured that this was according to my Lady’s will, +and with the consent of the maiden’s father, he was in an agony of +fright, shifting awkwardly from leg to leg, and ruffling the leaves +of the book, as a door opened and the bridegroom appeared, followed by +Jumbo. + +Aurelia looked up with bashful eagerness, and saw in the imperfect light +a tall figure entirely covered by a long dark dressing-gown, a grey, +tight curled lawyer’s wig on the head, and the upper part of the face +sheltered from the scanty rays of the lamp by a large green shade. + +Taking his place opposite to her as Mr. Hargrave arranged them, he bowed +in silence to the clergyman, who, in a trembling voice, began the rite +which was to unite Amyas Belamour to Aurelia Delavie. He intended to +shorten the service, but his nervous terror and the obscurity of the +room made him stumble in finding the essential passages, and blunder in +dictating the vows, thus increasing the confusion and bewilderment of +poor little Aurelia. Somehow her one comfort was in the touch of the +hand that either clasped hers, or held the ring on her finger--a strong, +warm, tender, trustworthy hand, neither as white nor as soft as she +would have expected, but giving her a comfortable sense both of present +support and affection, and of identity with that eager one which had +sought to fondle and caress her. There was a certain tremor about +both, but hers was from bashful fright, his, from scarcely suppressed +eagerness. + +The steward had a form of certificate ready for signature. When it was +presented to the bridegroom he put up his hand for a moment as if to +push back the shade, but, in dread of admitting even a feeble ray of +light, gave up the attempt, took the pen and wrote Amyas Belamour where +the clergyman pointed. Aurelia could hardly see what she was doing, and +knew she had written very badly. The lawyer and housekeeper followed as +witnesses; and the bridegroom, laying a fee of ten guineas on the desk, +took his bride by the hand and led her within the door whence he had +issued. It was instantly closed, and at the same moment she was enfolded +in a pair of rapturous arms, and held to a breast whose throbs wakened +response in her own, while passionate kisses rained on her face, mingled +with ecstatic whispers and murmurs of “Mine! mine! my own!” + +On a knock at the door she was hastily released, and Mr. Hargrave said, +“Here are the certificates, sir.”--Mr. Belamour put one into her hand, +saying “Keep it always about you; never part with it. And now, my child, +after all the excitement you have gone through, you shall be subjected +to no more to-night. Fare you well, and blessings attend your dreams.” + +Strange that while he was uttering this almost peremptory dismissal, she +should feel herself in a clinging grasp, most unwilling to let her go! +What did it all mean? Could she indeed be a wife, when here she was +alone treading the long dark stair, in looks, in habits, in externals, +still only the little governess of my Lady’s children! However, she had +hardly reached her room, before there was a knock at the door, and +the giggling, blushing entrance of Molly with “Please, ma’am, Madam +Belamour, I wishes you joy with all my heart. Please can’t I do nothing +for you? Shall I help you undress, or brush your hair?” + +Perhaps she expected a largesse in honour of the occasion, but Aurelia +had spent all her money on Christmas gifts, and had nothing to bestow. +However, she found on the breakfast-table a parcel addressed to Madam +Belamour, containing a purse with a startling amount of golden guineas +in it. She was rather surprised at the title, which was one generally +conferred on dignified matrons whose husbands were below the rank of +knighthood, such as the wives of country squires and of the higher +clergy. The calling her mother Madam Delavie had been treated as an +offence by Lady Belamour; and when the day had gone by, with nothing +else to mark it from others, Aurelia, finding her recluse in what she +mentally called his quiet rational mood, ventured, after thanking him, +modestly to inquire whether that was what she was to be called. + +“It is better thus,” hes said. “You have every right to the title.” + +She recollected that he was a baronet’s younger son, a distinction in +those days; and that she had been told that his patent of knighthood +had been made out, though he had never been able to appear at court to +receive the accolade, and had never assumed the title; so she only +said “Very well, sir, I merely thought whether my Lady would think it +presuming.” + +He laughed a little. “My Lady will soon understand it,” he said. +“Her husband will be at home in a few weeks. And now, my dear Madam +Belamour,” he add playfully, “tell me whether there is any wish that I +can gratify.” + +“You are very kind, sir---” + +“What does that pause mean, my fair friend?” + +“I fear it is too much to ask, sir, but since you inquire what would +please me most, it would be if you could spare me to go to my sister +Harriet’s wedding?” + +“My child,” he said, with evident regret, “I fear that cannot be. It +will not be prudent to make any move until Mr. Wayland’s return; but +after that I can assure you of more liberty. Meantime, let us consider +what wedding present you would like to send her.” + +Aurelia had felt her request so audacious that she subsided easily; +and modestly suggested a tea-service. She thought of porcelain, but Mr. +Belamour’s views were of silver, and it ended in the lady giving the +cups and saucers, and the gentleman the urn and the tea and coffee +pots and other plate; but it was a drawback to the pleasure of this +munificence that the execution of the order had to be entrusted to Mr. +Hargrave. The daring hope Aurelia had entertained of shopping for a day, +with Mrs. Aylward as an escort, and choosing the last fashions to send +to her sisters was quashed by the grave reply that it was better not for +the present. What was the meaning of all this mystery, and when was it +to end? She felt that it would be ungrateful to murmur, for Mr. Belamour +evidently was full of sorrow whenever he was obliged to disappoint her, +and much was done for her pleasure. A charming little saddle-horse, two +riding-habits, with a groom, and a horse for him, were sent down from +London for her benefit; gifts showered upon her; and whenever she found +her husband in one of those perplexing accesses of tenderness she was +sure to carry away some wonderful present, a beautiful jewelled watch, +an _etui_ case, a fan, a scent-bottle, or patch-box with a charming +enamel of a butterfly. The little girls were always looking for +something pretty that she would show them in the morning, and thought +it must be a fine thing to have a husband who gave such charming things. +Those caressing evenings, however, always frightened Aurelia, and sent +her away vaguely uneasy, often to lie awake full of a vague yearning +and alarm; and several days of restlessness would pass before she could +return to her ordinary enjoyment of her days with the children and her +evenings with Mr. Belamour. Yet when there was any long intermission +of those fits of tender affection, she missed them sorely, and began to +fear she had given offence, especially as this strangely capricious man +seemed sometimes to repel those modest, timid advances which at other +times would fill him with ill-suppressed transport. Then came longings +to see and satisfy herself as to what was indeed the aspect of him whom +she was learning to love. + +No wonder there was something unsettled and distressed about her, +overthrowing much of that gentle duteous ness which she had brought from +home. She wrote but briefly and scantily to her sister, not feeling as +if she could give full confidence; she drifted away from some of the +good habits enjoined on her, feeling that, as a married woman, she was +less under authority. She was less thorough in her religious ways, less +scrupulous in attending to the children’s lessons; and the general fret +of her uncertainties told upon her temper with them. They loved her +heartily still, and she returned their affection, but she was not so +uniformly patient and good-humoured. Indeed since Amoret’s departure +some element of harmony was missing, and it could not now be said that +a whine, a quarrel, or a cry was a rare event. Even the giving up my +lady’s wearisome piece of embroidery had scarcely a happy effect, +for Aurelia missed the bracing of the task-work and the attention it +required, and the unoccupied time was spent in idle fretting. A little +self-consequence too began to set in, longing for further recognition of +the dignities of Madam Belamour. + +The marriage had been notified to Lady Belamour and to Major Delavie, +and letters had been received from each. My Lady travelled to London +early in April in company with Lady Aresfield, and, to the relief of +the inmates of Bowstead, made no deviation thither. No one else was +officially told that the wedding had taken place, but all the village +knew it; and Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia so resented it that they +abandoned the state pew to Madam Belamour and the children, made their +curtsies more perpendicularly than ever, and, when formally invited to +supper, sent a pointed and ceremonious refusal, so that Aurelia felt +hurt and angered. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. THE SISTERS’ MEETING. + + + By all hope thou hast to see again + Our aged father and to soothe his pain, + I charge thee, tell me, hast thou seen the thing + Thou callst thine husband?--MORRIS. + + +After numerous delays Mr. Arden had at length been presented to the +living of Rundell Canonicorum, and in one of the last days of April +Harriet Delavie had become his wife. After a fortnight of festivities +amongst their old Carminster friends, the happy couple were to ride, +pillion-wise, to take possession of tier new home, passing through +London, and there spending time enough with some relations of the +bridegroom to show Harriet the wonders of the City. + +Thence Mrs. Arden sent an urgent invitation from her hospitable hostess +to Mrs. Belamour, to come and spend some days in Gracechurch Street and +share with her sister the pleasures of the first sight of London. + +“I assure you,” wrote Harriet, “that though they be Woolstaplers, it +is all in the Wholesale Line; and they are very genteel, and well-bred +Persons, who have everything handsome about them. Indeed it is upon the +Cards that the Alderman may, ere many years be passed, be my Lord Mayor; +but yet he and his good Wife have a proper Appreciation of Family, and +know how to esteem me as one of the Delavies. They would hold themselves +infinitely honoured by your Visit; and if you were here, we might even +be invited to Lady Belamour’s, and get Tickets for Ranelagh. I called at +my Lady’s Door, but she was not within, nor has she returned my Visit, +though I went in the Alderman’s own Coach; but if you were with me +she would have no Colour for Neglect, you being now her Sister-in-law, +though it makes me laugh to think of it. But as we poor married Ladies +are compelled to obey our Lords and Masters; and as Mr. Belamour may +chance to be too high in his Notions to permit you to be a Guest in this +House (as I told our good Cousin Arden was very like), we intend to lie +a Night at Brentford, and remain there for a Day, trusting that your +Husband will not be so cruel as to prevent a Meeting, either by your +coming to see us, or our coming to see you in your present Abode, which +I long to do. It is a Year since we parted, and I cannot tell you how I +long to clasp my beloved Sister in my Arms.” + +Harriet could not long more for such a meeting than did Aurelia, and +there was, it must be owned, a little relief, that it was Harriet, and +not the severer judge, Betty, who thus awaited her. She could hardly +brook the delay until the evening, and even wondered whether it were not +a wife’s privilege to anticipate the hour; but she did not venture, and +only hovered about impatient for Jumbo’s summons. She came in with a +rapid movement that led Mr. Belamour to say, “Ha, my fair visitor, I +perceive that you have some tidings to bring to-day.” + +Everything was rapidly poured out, and she anxiously awaited the +decision. She had little hope of being allowed to go to Gracechurch +Street, and did not press for it; but she could not refrain from showing +her earnest desire for the sight of her sister, so that it was plain +that it would have been a cruel disappointment to her, if she had been +prevented from meeting the newly-married couple. She detected a certain +sound of annoyance or perplexity in the tones that replied, and her +accents became almost plaintively imploring as she concluded, “Pray, +pray, sir, do not deny me.” + +“No, my child, I could not be cruel enough for a refusal,” he answered; +“I was but considering how most safely the thing may be contrived. I +know it would be your wish, and that it would seem more befitting that +you should act as hostess for your sister, but I fear that must be for +another time. This is not my house, and there are other reasons for +which it would be wiser for you to receive no one here.” + +“It will be quite enough for me if I may only go to Brentford to meet my +dear, dear Harriet.” + +“Then be it so, my child. Present my compliments to Mrs. Arden, and +entreat her to excuse the seeming inhospitality of the invalid.” + +Aurelia was overflowing with joy at the anticipated meeting, wrote a +delighted letter to make the appointment, and skipped about the dark +stairs and passages more like the butterfly she was than like Madam +Belamour; while Fay and Letty found her a more delightful playfellow +than ever, recovering all the animation she had lost during the last +weeks. Her only drawback to the pleasure was that each intervening +evening convinced her more strongly that Mr. Belamour was uneasy and +dissatisfied about the meeting, which he could not prohibit. On the +previous night he asked many questions about her sister, in especial +whether she were of an inquisitive disposition. + +“That rather depends on how much she has to say about herself,” returned +Aurelia, after some reflection. “She likes to hear about other people’s +affairs, but she had much rather talk of her own.” + +This made Mr. Belamour laugh. “Considering,” he said, “how recently she +has undergone the greatest event of a woman’s life, let us hope that her +imagination and her tongue may be fully occupied by it during the few +hours that you are to pass together. It seems hard to put any restraint +on your ingenuous confidence, my sweet friend; but I trust to your +discretion to say as little as you can contrive of your strange position +here, and of the infirmities and caprices of him whose name you have +deigned to bear.” + +“Sir, do you think I could?” + +“It is not for my own sake, but for yours, that I would recommend +caution,” he continued. “The situation is unusual, and such disclosures +might impel persons to interfere for what they thought your interest; +but you have promised me your implicit trust, and you will, I hope, +prove it. You can understand how painful would be such well-meaning +interference, though you cannot understand how fatally mischievous it +would be.” + +“I had better say I can tell her nothing,” said Aurelia, startled. + +“Nay, that would excite still greater suspicion. Reply briefly and +carefully, making no mysteries to excite curiosity, and avert the +conversation from yourself as much as possible.” + +Man of the world and brilliant talker as he had been, he had no notion +of the difficulty of the task he had imposed on the simple open-hearted +girl, accustomed to share all her thoughts with her sister; and she was +too gay and joyous to take full note of all his cautions, only replying +sincerely that she hoped that she should say nothing amiss, and that she +would do her best to be heedful of his wishes. + +In spite of all such cautions, she was too happy to take in the notion +of anxiety. She rose early in the morning, caring for the first time +to array herself in the insignia of her new rank. Knowing that the +bridle-path lay through parks, woodlands and heaths, so that there was +no fear of dust, she put on a dainty habit of white cloth, trimmed and +faced with blue velvet, and a low-crowned hat with a white feather. On +her pretty grey horse, the young Madam Belamour was a fair and gracious +sight, as she rode into the yard of the Red Lion at Brentford. Harriet +was at the window watching for her, and Mr. Arden received her as she +sprang off her steed, then led her up to the parlour, where breakfast +was spread awaiting her. + +“Aurelia, what a sweet figure you make,” cried Harriet, as the sisters +unwound their arms after the first ecstasy of embracing one another +again. “Where did you get that exquisite habit?” + +“It came down from London with another, a dark blue,” said Aurelia. “I +suppose Mr. Belamour ordered them, for they came with my horse. It is +the first time I have worn it.” + +“Ah! fine things are of little account when there is no one to see +them,” said Mrs. Arden, shaking her head in commiseration. + +She was attired in a grey riding-dress with a little silver lace about +it, and looked wonderfully plump and well, full of importance and +complacency, and with such a return of comeliness that Aurelia would +hardly have recognised the lean, haggard, fretful Harriet of the +previous year. Her sentiment and romance, her soft melancholy and little +affectations had departed, and she was already the notable prosperous +wife of a beneficed clergyman, of whose abilities she was very +proud, though she patronised with good-humoured contempt his dreamy, +unpractical, unworldly ways. + +The questions poured forth from Aurelia’s heart-hunger about +brother, sister and home, were answered kindly and fully over the +breakfast-table; but as if Harriet had turned that page in her life, and +expected Aurelia to have done the same, every now and then exclaiming: +“La! you have not forgotten that! What a memory you have, child!” + +She wanted much more to talk of the parsonage and glebe of Rundell +Canonicorum, and of how many servants and cows she should keep, +and showed herself almost annoyed when Aurelia brought her back to +Carminster by asking whether Eugene had finished his Comenius, and if +the speckled hen had hatched many chickens, whether Palmer had had his +rheumatic attack this spring, or if the Major’s letter to Vienna had +produced any tidings of Nannerl’s relation. Harriet seemed only to +be able to reply by an effort of memory, and was far more desirous of +expatiating on the luxuries at alderman Arden’s, and the deference +with which she had been treated, in contrast to the indignity of Lady +Belamour’s neglect. + +It was disappointing to find that her father had heard nothing from my +Lady about the settlement of the Manor House. + +“Was the promise in writing?” asked Mr. Arden, who had been silent all +this time. + +“Certainly, in a letter to me.” + +“I recommend you to keep it carefully until Mr. Wayland’s return,” said +Mr. Arden: “he will see justice done to you.” + +“Poor Mr. Wayland! When he does return, I pity him; but it is his own +fault for leaving his lady to herself. Have you ever seen the gallant +colonel, sister?” + +“Never.” + +“Ah! most like he is not much at Bowstead. But do not folk talk there?” + +“My dear,” said Mr. Arden, “you would do well to imitate your honoured +father’s discretion on certain points.” + +“Bless me, Mr. Arden, how you startled me. I thought you were in a +brown study.” She winked at Aurelia as if to intimate that she meant to +continue the subject in his absence, and went on; “I assure you, I had +to be on the alert all the way to take care he looked at the sign-posts, +or we might have been at York by this time. And in London, what do you +think was all my gentleman cared to go and see? Why, he must needs go to +some correspondents of his who are Fellows of the Royal Society. I took +it for granted they must be friends of his Majesty or of the Prince of +Wales at the least, and would have had him wait for his new gown and +cassock; but la! it was only a set of old doctors and philosophers, and +he wished to know what musty discoveries they had been making. That was +one thing he desired in London, and the other was to hear that crazy +Parson Wesley preach a sermon hours long!” + +“I was well rewarded in both instances,” said Mr. Arden gravely. + +Aurelia did not take advantage of the opportunity of shining in the +eyes of her new brother-in-law by showing her acquaintance with the +discussions on electricity which she had studied for Mr. Belamour’s +benefit, nor did she speak of Dr. Godfrey’s views of Wesley and +Whitfield. Had she so ventured, her sister would have pitied her, +and Mr. Arden himself been somewhat shocked at her being admitted to +knowledge unbecoming to a pretty young lady. Intellect in ladies would +have been a startling idea, and though very fond of his wife, he never +thought of her as a companion, but only as the mistress of his house and +guardian of his welfare. + +The dinner was ordered at one, and at three Aurelia would ride home, +while Mr. and Mrs. Arden went on about twelve miles to the house of +a great grazier, brother to the Alderman’s wife, where they had been +invited to make their next stage, and spend the next day, Sunday, when +Harriet reckoned on picking up information about cattle, if she were +not actually presented with a cow or a calf. They went out and walked a +little about the town, where presently they met Mrs. Hunter. Aurelia +met her puzzled stare with a curtsey, and she shouted in her hearty tone +“Miss Delavie!--I mean Mrs. Belamour! Who would have thought of seeing +you here!” + +“I am here to meet my sister--Mrs. Arden. Let me--let me present you,” + said Aurelia in obedience to an imperious sign from her sister, going +through the form for the first time, while Harriet volubly declared her +happiness in making Mrs. Hunter’s acquaintance, and explained how they +were on their way to take possession of Mr. Arden’s rectory of Rundell +Canonicorum, the words rolling out of her mouth with magnificent +emphasis. “I congratulate you, ma’am,” said Mrs. Hunter, cordially, “and +you too, my dear,” she added, turning to Aurelia. “I would have been +out long ago to call on you--a sort of relation as you are now, as I may +say--but it was kept all so mum, one never knew the time to drink your +health; and my Cousins Treforth wouldn’t so much as give me a hint. But +la! says I, why should you talk about artfulness? I’m right glad +poor Mr. Amyas should find a sprightly young lady to cure him of his +mopishness. Never mind them, my dear, if they do look sour on you. I’ll +come over one of these days and talk to them. Now, I must have you come +in to take your dinner with us. The Doctor will be right pleased to find +you. I’ll take no excuse. I thank Heaven I’m always ready whoever may +drop in. There’s spring chicken and sparrow-grass.” + +However, on hearing their dinner was ordered at the inn, the good lady +was satisfied that to dine with her was impossible; but she insisted on +their coming in to partake of wine and cake in her best parlour. + +This, however, was a little more than Mr. Arden could endure, he made an +excuse about seeing to the horse, and escaped; while Mrs. Hunter led the +two sisters to her closely shut-up parlour, wainscoted, and hung with +two staring simpering portraits of herself and her husband, clean as +soap could make it, but smelling like a long closed box. She went to +a cupboard in the wall, and brought out a silver salver, a rich cake, +glasses and wine, and pouring out the wine, touched the glass with her +lips, as she wished health and happiness to the two brides before her. + +“We shall soon have another wedding in the family, if report speaks +true,” she added. “They say--but you should be the best informed, Madam +Belamour-- + +“We hear nothing of the matter, ma’am,” said Aurelia. + +“That’s odd, since Mr. Belamour is young Sir Amyas’s guardian; and +they cannot well pass him over now he has begun life again as it were,” + laughed Mrs. Hunter. “‘Tis said that my Lady is resolved the wedding +shall be within six weeks.” + +“There are two words to that question,” said Harriet, oracularly; “I +know from good authority that young Sir Amyas is determined against the +match.” + +“But is it true, ma’am,” cried Mrs. Hunter, eagerly, “that my Lady and +the Countess of Aresfield met at Bath, and that my Lady is to have 3,000 +pounds down to pay off her debts before her husband comes home, the day +her son is married to Lady Arabella?” + +“Every word of it is true, ma’am,” said Harriet, importantly. + +“Well now, that folk should sell their own flesh and blood!” + +“How have you heard it, sister Harriet?” asked Aurelia. + +“From a sure hand, my love. No other than Mrs. Dove. She is wife to my +Lady’s coachman,” explained Mrs. Arden to her hostess, “and nurse to the +two children it is her pleasure to keep with her.” + +“Dear good Nurse dove!” cried Aurelia, “did she come to see you?” + +“Yes, that did she! So I have it from the fountain-head, as I may say, +that the poor young gentleman’s hand and heart are to be made over +without his will, that so his mother may not have such a schedule of +debts wherewith to face her husband on his return!” + +“Her jewels have been all paste long ago, I know very well,” said Mrs. +Hunter, not to be outdone; “though, would you believe it, Doctor Hunter +is like all the men, and will believe nothing against her! But this +beats all the rest! Why, I have it from my maid, who is sister to one of +the servants at the boarding-school in Queen Square, whither they have +sent the Lady Belle, that she is a regular little shrew. She flew at one +of the young ladies like a wild cat, because she did not yield place to +her at once, and scratched her cheeks till the blood ran down, and tore +out whole handfuls of her hair. She was like one possessed, and they +had to call the lackey before they could get her safe tied down in bed, +where they kept her on bread and water, trying to get her to make her +apology; but not a word could be got out of her, till they had to yield +the point lest she should fall sick.” + +Aurelia mentally applauded her own discretion in not capping this with +Mrs. Dove’s former tale, and only observing that the marriage could not +take place before the young baronet was of age, without the consent of +his personal guardian, Mr. Belamour. + +“You will excuse me, my dear, in speaking of your husband, but he has +so long been incapable of acting, that they say his consent can be +dispensed with.” + +“Aye, poor cousin Amyas Belamour!” said Mrs. Hunter. “He was the only +man who ever durst resist my Lady’s will before, and you see to what she +has brought him!” + +“Her son is resisting her now,” said Harriet; “and our good Dove says it +makes her blood boil to see the way the poor young gentleman is treated. +He, who was the darling for whom nothing was good enough a while ago, +has now scarce a place in his mother’s own house. She is cold and +stately with him, and Colonel Mar, the Lady Belle’s brother, being his +commanding officer, there is no end to the vexations and annoyances they +give him, both at home and in his quarters. Mrs. Dove says his own man, +Grey, tells her it is a wonder how he stands out against it all! And +a truly well-bred young gentleman he is. He came to pay me his call +in Gracechurch Street only yesterday, knowing our kindred, and most +unfortunate was it that I was stepped out to the office to speak as +to our boxes being duly sent by the Buckingham wain; but he left his +ticket, and a message with the servant, ‘Tell my cousin, Mrs. Arden,’ +he said, ‘that I much regret not having seen her, and I should have done +myself the honour of calling sooner to inquire for her good father, if I +had known she was in town.” + +“Well, I have never seen the young gentleman since he was a mere child,” + said Mrs. Hunter. “His mother has bred him to neglect his own home and +relations, but I am sorry for him.” + +“They say,” continued Harriet significantly, “that they are sure there +is some cause for his holding out so stiffly--I verily believe My Lady +suspected--” + +“O hush, Harriet!” cried Aurelia, colouring painfully. + +“Well, it is all over now, so you need not be offended,” said Harriet, +laughing. “Besides, if my Lady had any such notion when she brought +about your marriage, she must be disappointed, for the young spark is as +resolute as ever.” + +“And no wonder, if he knows what the lady is like,” said Aurelia. + +“Ah! he has admitted as much to the King.” + +“To the King!” cried both auditors. + +“Oh yes! you know my Lady is very thick with my Lady Suffolk, and she +persuaded the King to speak to him at the levee. ‘_Comment_’, says his +majesty in French, ‘are you a young rebel, sir, that refuse the good +things your mother provides you?’ Not a whit was my young gentleman +moved. He bowed, and answered that he was acting by the desire of +his guardian. Excuse me, sister, but the King answered--‘A raving +melancholic! That will not serve your turn, sir. Come to your senses, +fulfil your mother’s bond, and we’ll put you on the Duke’s staff, +where you may see more of service than of home, or belike get into gay +quarters, where you may follow any other _fantaisie_ if that is making +you commit such _betises!_’ At that Sir Amyas, who is but an innocent +youth, flamed up in his cheeks till they were as red as his coat, and +said his honour was engaged; on which his majesty swore at him for an +idiot, and turned his back. Every word of this Mrs. Dove heard Colonel +Mar tell my Lady--and then they fell to rating the poor youth, and +trying to force out who this secret flame may be; but his is of the +same stuff as his mother, adamantine and impervious. And now the Colonel +keeps him on hard duty continually, and they watch him day and night to +find out what places he haunts. But bless me, Mrs. Hunter, is the church +clock striking? We must be gone, or my good man will be wondering where +we are.” + +Mrs. Hunter would fain have kept them, and the last words and +compliments were of long duration, while Aurelia looked on in some +surprise at the transformation of all Harriet’s languishing affected +airs into the bustling self-importance of Mrs. Arden. She was however +much occupied with all she had heard, and was marvelling how her sister +began again as soon as they were in the street again. “You are very +discreet, Aurelia, as it becomes a young married lady, but have you no +notion who this innamorata of the baronet may be?” + +“No, indeed, how should I?” + +“I thought he might have confided in your husband, since he makes so +sure of his support.” + +“He has only once come to visit Mr. Belamour, and that was many months +ago.” + +“It is strange,” mused Harriet; “Mrs. Dove says she would have taken her +Bible oath that it was you, and my Lady believed as much, or she would +not have been in such haste to have you wedded. Nay, I’ll never believe +but he made his confidences to Betty when he came to the Manor House the +Sunday after you were gone, though not a word could I get from her.” + +“It must have been all a mistake,” said Aurelia, not without a little +twinge at the thought of what might have been. “I wish you would not +talk of it.” + +“Well he could have been but a fickle adorer--‘tis the way of men, my +dear, for he must have found some new flame while his mother and the +Colonel were both at the Bath. They have proof positive of his riding +out of town at sundown, but whither he goes is unknown, for he takes +not so much as a groom with him, and he is always in time for morning +parade.” + +“Poor young man, it is hard to be so beset with spies and watchers,” + said Aurelia. + +“Most true,” said Harriet, “but I am monstrous glad you are safe married +like me, child, so that no one can accuse us. Such romantic affairs +are well enough to furnish a course of letters to the _Tatler_, or the +_Gentlewomen’s Magazine_, but I am thankful for a comfortable life with +my good man.” + +Therewith they reached their inn, where Harriet, having satisfied +herself that the said good man was safe within, and profiting by the +unwonted calm to write his inaugural sermon, took Aurelia to her bedroom +to prepare for dinner, and to indulge in further confidences. + +“So, Aurelia, I can report to my father that you are looking well, and +as cheerful as can be expected.” + +“Nay, I have always told you I am happy as the day is long.” + +“What, when you have never so much as seen your husband?” + +“Only at our wedding, and then he was forced to veil his face from the +light.” + +“Nor has he ever seen you?” + +“Not unless he then saw me.” + +“If he were not then charmed enough to repeat the view, you are the most +cruelly wasted and unworthily matched--” + +“Hush, sister!” broke out Aurelia in eager indignation. + +“What! is a lovely young creature, almost equal to what I was before my +cruel malady, to waste her bloom on a wretched old melancholic, who will +not so much as look at her!” + +“Harriet, I cannot hear this--you know not of what you are talking! What +is my poor skin-deep beauty--if beauty it be--compared with the stores +of goodness and wisdom I find in him?” + +“La! child, what heat is this? One would really think you loved him.” + +“Of course I do! I love and honour him more than any one I ever +met--except my dear father.” + +“Come, Aura, you are talking by rote out of the marriage service. You +may be open with me, you know, it will go no further; and I do long to +know whether you can be truly content at heart,” said Harriet with real +affection. + +“Dear sister,” said Aurelia, touched, “believe me that indeed I am. Mr. +Belamour is kindness itself. He is all he ever promised to be to me, and +sometimes more.” + +“Yet if he loved you, he could never let you live moped up there. Are +you never frighted at the dark chamber? I should die of it!” + +“The dark does not fright me,” said Aurelia. + +“You have a courage I have not! Come, now, were you never frighted to +talk with a voice in the dark?” + +“Scarcely ever!” said aurelia. + +“Scarcely--when was that?” + +“You will laugh, Harriet, but it is when he is most--most tender and +full of warmth. Then I hardly know him for the same.” + +“What! If he be not always tender to my poor dear child, he must be a +wretch indeed.” + +“O no, no, Harriet! How shall I ever make you understand?” cried +Aurelia. “Never for a moment is he other than kind and gentle. It +is generally like a father, only more courtly and deferential, but +sometimes something seems to come over him, and he is--oh! I cannot tell +you--what I should think a lover would be,” faltered Aurelia, colouring +crimson, and hiding her face on her sister’s shoulder, as old habits of +confidence, and need of counsel and sympathy were obliterating all the +warnings of last night. + +“You silly little chit! Why don’t you encourage these advances? You +ought to be charmed, not frightened.” + +“They would ch---I should like it if it were not so like two men in one, +the one holding the other back.” + +Harriet laughed at this fancy, and Aurelia was impelled to defend it. +“Indeed, Harriet, it is really so. There will be whispers--oh, such +whispers!”--she sunk her voice and hid her face again--“close to my ear, +and--endearments--while the grave voice sounds at the other end of the +room, and then I long for light. I swooned for fright the first time, +but I am much more used to it now.” + +“This is serious,” said Harriet, with unwonted gravity. “Do you really +think that there is another person in the room?” + +“I do not feel as if it could be otherwise, and yet it is quite +impossible.” + +“I would not bear it,” said her sister. “You ought not to bear it. How +do you know that it is not some vile stratagem? It might even be the +blackamoor!” + +“No, no, Harriet! I know better than that. It is quite impossible. +Besides, I am sure of this--that the hands that wedded me are the same +hands that caress me,” she added, with another blushing effort, “strong +but delicate hands, rather hard inside, as with the bridle. I noticed it +because once I thought his hands soft with doing nothing and being shut +up.” + +“That convinces me the more, then, there is some strange imposition +practised upon you,” said Harriet, anxiously. + +“Oh, no!” said Aurelia, inconsistently; “Mr. Belamour is quite incapable +of doing anything wrong by me. I cannot let you have such shocking +notions. He told me I must be patient and trust him, though I should +meet with much that was strange and inexplicable.” + +“This is trusting him much too far. They are playing on your +inexperience, I am sure. If you were not a mere child, you would see +what a shocking situation this is.” + +“I wish I had not told you,” said Aurelia, tears rushing into her eyes. +“I ought not! He bade me be cautious how I talked, and you have made me +quite forget!” + +“Did he so? Then it is evident that he fears disclosure! Something must +be done. Why not write to our father?” + +“I could not! He would call it a silly fancy.” + +“And it might embroil him with my Lady,” added Harriet. “We must devise +another mode.” + +“You will not--must not tell Mr. Arden,” exclaimed Aurelia, +peremptorily. + +“Never fear! He heeds nothing more sublunary than the course of the +planets. But I have it. His device will serve the purpose. Do you +remember Eugene confounding him with Friar Bacon because he was said +to light a candle without flint or steel? It was true. When he was a +bachelor he always lit his own candle and fire, and he always carries +the means. I was frighted the first time he showed me, but now I can do +it as well as he. See,” she said, opening a case, “a drop of this spirit +upon this prepared cotton;” and as a bright flame sprang up and made +Aurelia start, she laughed and applied a taper to it. “There, one +such flash would be quite enough to prove to you whether there be any +deception practised on you.” + +“I could never do it! Light is agony to Mr. Belamour, and what would he +think?” + +“He would take it for lightning, which I suppose he cannot keep out.” + +“One flash did come through everything last summer, but I was not +looking towards him.” + +“You will be wiser this time. Here, I can give you this little box, for +Mr. Arden compounded a fresh store in town.” + +“I dare not, sister. He has ever bidden me trust without sight; and you +cannot guess how good he is to me, and how noble and generous. I cannot +insult him by a doubt.” + +“Then he should not act as no true woman can endure.” + +“And it would hurt him.” + +“Tut, tut, child; if the lightning did not harm him how can this flash? +I tell you no man has a right to trifle with you in this manner, and it +is your duty to yourself and all of us to find out the truth. Some young +rake may have bribed the black, and be personating him; and some day you +may find yourself carried off you know not where.” + +“Harriet, if you only knew either Mr. Belamour or Jumbo, you would know +that you are saying things most shocking!” + +“Convince me, then! Look here, Aurelia, if you cannot write to me and +explain this double-faced or double-voiced husband of yours, I vow to +you that I shall speak to Mr. Arden, and write to my father.” + +“Oh! do not, do not, sister! Remember, it is of no use unless this +temper of affection be on him, and I have not heard it this fortnight, +no, nor more.” + +“Promise me, then, that you will make the experiment. See, here is a +little chain-stitch pouch--poor Peggy Duckworth’s gift to me--with two +pockets. Let me fasten it under your dress, and then you will always +have it about you.” + +“If the bottle broke as I rode home!” + +“Impossible; it is a scent-bottle of strong glass.” + +Here Mr. Arden knocked at the door, regretting to interrupt their +confidences, but dinner awaited them; and as, immediately after, Mrs. +Hunter brought her husband in his best wig to call on Madame Belamour +and her relations, the sisters had no more time together, till the +horses were at the door, and they went to their room together to put on +their hats. + +A whole mass of refusals and declarations of perfect confidence were on +Aurelia’s tongue, but Harriet cut them all short by saying, “Remember, +you are bound for your own honour and ours, to clear up this mystery!” + +Then they rode off their several ways, Madame Belamour towards Bowstead, +Mr. and Mrs. Arden on their sturdy roadster towards Lea Farm. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. A FATAL SPARK. + + + And so it chanced; which in those dark + And fireless halls was quite amazing, + Did we not know how small a spark + Can set the torch of love ablazing. + T. MOORE. + + +Aurelia rode home in perplexity, much afraid of the combustibles at her +girdle, and hating the task her sister had forced on her. She felt as +if her heedless avowals had been high treason to her husband; and yet +Harriet was her elder, and those assurances that as a true woman she was +bound to clear up the mystery, made her cheeks burn with shame, and her +heart thrill with the determination to vindicate her husband, while the +longing to know the face of one who so loved her was freshly awakened. + +She was strongly inclined to tell him all, indeed she knew herself well +enough to be aware that half a dozen searching questions would draw out +the whole confession of her own communication and Harriet’s unworthy +suspicions; and humiliating as this would be, she longed for the +opportunity. Here, however, she was checked in her meditations by a +stumble of her horse, which proved to have lost a shoe. It was necessary +to leave the short cut, and make for the nearest forge, and when the +mischief was repaired, to ride home by the high road. + +She thus came home much later than had been expected; Jumbo, Molly, and +the little girls were all watching for her, and greeted her eagerly. The +supper was already on the table for her, and she had only just given +Fay and Letty the cakes and comfits she had bought at Brentford for them +when Jumbo brought the message that his master hoped that madam, if not +too much fatigued, would come to him as soon as her supper was finished. + +Accordingly, she came without waiting to change her dress, having only +taken off her hat and arranged her hair. + +She felt guilty, and dreaded the being questioned, yet longed to make +her avowal and have all explained. The usual greetings passed, and then +Mr. Belamour said, “I heard your horse hoofs come in late. You were +detained?” + +She explained about the shoe, and a few sentences were passing about her +sister when she detected a movement, as if a step were stealing towards +her, together with a hesitation in the remark Mr. Belamour was making +about Mrs. Hunter’s good nature. + +Quite irrelevantly came in the whispering voice, “Where is my dearest +life?” + +“Sir, sir!” she cried, driven at last to bay, “what is this? Are you one +or two?” + +“One with you, my sweetest life! Your own--your husband!” + +Therewith there was a kind of groan further off, and as Aurelia felt a +hand on her dress, her fight and distress at the duality were complete. +While, in the dark, the hands were still groping for her, she eluded +them, and succeeded in carrying out Harriet’s manoeuvre so far that +a quick bright flame leapt forth, lighting up the whole room, and +revealing two--yes, two! But it did not die away! In her haste, and in +the darkness, she had poured the whole contents of the bottle on the +phosphoric cotton, and dropped both without knowing it on a chintz +curtain. A fresh evening breeze was blowing in from the window, open +behind the shutters, and in one second the curtain was a flaming, waving +sheet. Some one sprang up to tear it down, leaping on a table in the +window. The table overbalanced, the heavy iron curtain-rod came out +suddenly, and there was a fall, the flaming mass covering the fallen! +The glare shone on a strange white face and head as well as on Jumbo’s +black one, and with a trampling and crushing the fire died down, +quenched as suddenly as it began, and all was obscurity again. + +“Nephew, dear boy, speak,” exclaimed Mr. Belamour; and as there was no +answer, “Open the shutters, Jumbo. For Heaven’s sake let us see!” + +“Oh! what have I done?” cried poor Aurelia, in horror and misery, +dropping by him on the ground, while the opened shutters admitted the +twilight of a May evening, with a full moon, disclosing a strange scene. +A youth in a livery riding coat lay senseless on the ground, partly +covered by the black fragments of the curtain, the iron rod clenched in +one hand, the other arm doubled under him. A face absolutely white, with +long snowy beard and hair hung over him, and an equally white pair of +hands tried to lift the head. Jumbo had in a second sprung down, removed +the fallen table, and come to his masters help. “Struck head with this,” + he said, as he tried to unclasp the fingers from the bar, and pointed to +a grazed blow close to the temple. + +“We must lay him on my bed,” said Mr. Belamour. Then, seeing the +girl’s horror-stricken countenance, “Ah, child, would that you had been +patient; but it was overtasking you! Call Aylward, I beg of you. +Tell her he is here, badly hurt. What, you do not know him,” as her +bewildered eyes and half-opened lips implied the question she could not +utter, “you do not know him? Sir Amyas--my nephew--your true husband!” + +“Oh! and I have killed him!” she cried, with clasped hands. + +“Hush, child, no, with God’s mercy! Only call the woman and bring a +light.” + +She rushed away, and appeared, a pale terrified figure, with the smell +of fire on her hair and white dress, in the room where Mrs. Aylward was +reading her evening chapter. She could scarcely utter her message as +she stood under the gaze of blank amazement; but Mrs. Aylward understood +enough to make her start up without another word, and hurry away, candle +in hand. + +Aurelia took up the other, and followed, trembling. When she reached +the outer room the rush of air almost blew out her light, and pausing, +afraid to pass on, she perceived that Mr. Belamour and Jumbo were +carrying the insensible form between them into the inner apartment, +while a moan or two filled her heart with pangs of self-reproach. + +She hung about, in terrible anxiety, but not daring to come forward +while the others were engaged about the sufferer, for what seemed a very +long time before she heard Mrs. Aylward say, “His arm is broke, sir. We +must send for Dr. Hunter. The maids are all in their beds, but I will go +and wake one, and send her to the stables to call the groom.” + +“I had best go,” said Mr. Belamour. “You are of more use than I. He +sleeps at the stables, you say?” Then, seeing the waiting, watching form +of Aurelia, he said, “Come in, my poor child. Perhaps your voice may +rouse him.” Every one, including himself, seemed to have forgotten Mr. +Belamour’s horror of the light, for candles were flaring on all the +tables, as he led the you girl in, saying, “Speak to him.” + +At the death-like face in its golden hair, Aurelia’s voice choked in her +throat, and it was in an unnatural hoarse tone that she tried to say, +“Sir--Sir Amyas--” + +“I trust he will soon be better,” said Mr. Belamour, marking her dismay +and grief with his wonted kindness, “but his arm needs the surgeon, and +I must be going. Let Lady Belamour sit here, Mrs. Aylward. I trust +you with the knowledge. It was my nephew, in disguise, who wedded +her, unknown to her. She is entirely blameless. Let Jumbo fetch her a +cordial. There, my child, take this chair, so that his eyes may fall +on you when he opens them. Bathe his head if you will. I shall return +quickly after having sped the groom on his journey.” + +Gloomy and doubtful were the looks cast on Aurelia by the housekeeper, +but all unseen by the wondering, bewildered, remorseful eyes fixed +on the white face on the pillow, heedless of its perfect symmetry of +feature, and knowing only that this was he who had thrilled her heart +with his tender tones, who had loved her so dearly, and dared so much +for her sake, but whom her impatience and distrust had so cruelly +injured. Had she seen him strong, well, and ardent, as she had so +lately heard him, her womanhood would have recoiled indignantly at the +deception which had stolen her vows; but the spectacle of the +young senseless face and prostrate form filled her with compassion, +tenderness, and remorse, for having yielded to her sister’s persuasions. +With intense anxiety she watched, and assisted in the fomentations, +longing for Mr. Belamour’s return; but time passed on and still he +came not. No words passed, only a few faint sighs, and one of the hands +closed tight on Aurelia’s. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. WRATH AND DESOLATION. + + + Straight down she ran +.... and fatally did vow To wreake her on the mayden messenger + Whom she had caused be kept as prisonere. + SPENSER. + + +Hark! there was the trampling of horses and thundering of wheels at the +door! Could the doctor be come already, and in such a fashion? + +Jumbo hurried to admit him, and Mrs. Aylward moved to arrange matters, +but the clasp that was on Aurelia’s hand would not let her go. + +Presently there came, not Dr. Hunter’s tread, but a crisp, rustling +sound, and the tap of high heels, and in the doorway stood, tall, erect, +and terrible, Lady Belamour, with a blaze of wrath in her blue eyes, and +concentrated rage in her whole form, while in accents low, but coming +from between her teeth, she demanded, “Miserable boy, what means this?” + +“Oh! madam, take care! he is sadly hurt!” cried Aurelia, with a gesture +as if to screen him. + +“I ask what this means?” repeated Lady Belamour, advancing, and seeming +to fill the room with her majestic figure, in full brocaded dress, with +feathers waving in her hair. + +“His Honour cannot answer you, my Lady,” said Mrs. Aylward. “He has had +a bad fall, and Mr. Belamour is gone to send for the doctor.” + +“This is the housekeeping in my absence!” said Lady Belamour, showing +less solicitude as to her son’s condition than indignation at the +discovery, and her eyes and her diamonds glittering fearfully. + +“My Lady,” said Mrs. Aylward, with stern respectfulness, “I knew nothing +of all this till this lady called me an hour ago telling me Sir Amyas +was hurt. I found him as you see. Please your Ladyship, I must go back +to him.” + +“Speak then, you little viper,” said Lady Belamour, turning on Aurelia, +who had risen, but was held fast by the hand upon hers. “By what arts +have you well nigh slain my son? Come here, and tell me.” + +“None, madam!” gasped Aurelia, trembling, so that she grasped her +chair-back with her free hand for support. “I never saw him till +to-night.” + +“Lies will not serve you, false girl. Come here this instant! I _know_ +that you have been shamelessly receiving my son here, night after +night.” + +“I never knew!” + +“Missie Madam never knew,” chimed in Jumbo. “All in the dark. She +thought it old mas’r.” + +Lady Belamour looked contemptuously incredulous; but the negro’s +advocacy gave a kind of courage to Aurelia, and availing herself of +a slight relaxation of the fingers she withdrew her hand, and coming +forward, said, “Indeed, madam, I know nothing, I was entirely deceived. +Only hearing two voices in the dark alarmed me, so that I listened to my +sister, and struck a light to discover the truth. Then all caught fire, +and blazed up, and--” + +“Then you are an incendiary as well as a traitor,” said her Ladyship, +with cold, triumphant malignity. “This is work for the constable. Here, +Loveday,” to her own woman, who was waiting in the outer room, “take this +person away, and lock her into her own room till morning, when we can +give her up to justice.” + +“Oh, my Lady,” cried Aurelia, crouching at her feet and clinging to her +dress, “do not be so cruel! Oh! let me go home to my father!” + +“Madam!” cried a voice from the bed, “let alone my wife! Come, Aurelia. +Oh!” + +Then starting up in bed had wrenched his broken arm, and he fell back +senseless again, just as Aurelia would have flown back to him, but his +mother stood between, spurning her away. + +Another defender, if she could so be called, spoke for her. “It is true, +please your Ladyship,” said Mrs. Aylward, “that Mr. Belamour called her +the wife of this poor young gentleman.” + +Jumbo too exclaimed, “No one knew but Jumbo; His Honour marry pretty +missie in mas’r’s wig and crimson dressing-gown.” + +“A new stratagem!” ironically observed the incensed lady. “But your game +is played out, miss, for madam I cannot call you. Such a marriage cannot +stand for a moment; and if a lawyer like Amyas Belamour pretended it +could, either his wits were altogether astray or he grossly deceived +you. Or, as I believe, he trafficked with you to entrap this unhappy +youth, whose person and house you have, between you, almost destroyed. +Remove her, Loveday, and lock her up till we can send for a magistrate +to take depositions in the morning. Go quietly, girl I will not have my +son disturbed with your outcries.” + +Poor Aurelia’s voice died in her throat. Oh! why did not Mr. Belamour +come to her rescue? Ah! he had bidden her trust and be patient; she had +transgressed, and he had abandoned her! There was no sign of life or +consciousness in the pallid face on the bed, and with a bleeding heart +she let the waiting-maid lead her through the outer apartment, still +redolent of the burning, reached her own chamber, heard the key turn in +the lock, and fell across her bed in a sort of annihilation. + +The threat was unspeakably frightful. Those were days of capital +punishment for half the offences in the calendar, and of what was to her +scarcely less dreadful, of promiscuous imprisonment, fetters, and gaol +fever. Poor Aurelia’s ignorance could hardly enhance these horrors, and +when her perceptions began to clear themselves, her first thought was of +flight from a fate equally dreadful to the guilty or not guilty. + +Springing from the bed, she tried the other door of her room, which +was level with the wainscoting, and not readily observed by a person +unfamiliar with the house. It yielded to her hand, and she knew there +was a whole suite of empty rooms thus communicating with one another. It +was one of those summer nights that are never absolutely dark, and +there was a full moon, so that she had light enough to throw off her +conspicuous white habit, all scorched and singed as it was, and to put +on her dark blue cloth one, with her camlet cloak and hood. She made up +a small bundle of clothes, took her purse, which was well filled with +guineas and silver, and moved softly to the door. Hide and seek had +taught her all the modes of eluding observation, and with her walking +shoes in her hand, and her feet slippered, she noiselessly crept through +one empty room after another, and descended the stair into her own +lobby, where she knew how to open the sash door. + +One moment the thought that Mr. Belamour would protect her made her +pause, but the white phantom she had seen seemed more unreal than the +voice she was accustomed to, and both alike had vanished and abandoned +her to her fate. Nay, she had been cheated from the first. Everything +had given way with her. My Lady might be coming to send her to prison. +Hark, some one was coming! She darted out, down the steps, along the +path like a wild bird from a cage. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. THE WANDERER. + + + Widowed wife and wedded maid, + Betrothed, betrayer, and betrayed.--SCOTT. + + +Aurelia’s first halt was in a moss-grown summer-house at the end of +the garden, where she ventured to sit down to put on her stout leather +shoes. The children’s toys, a ball and a set of ninepins lay on the +floor! How many ages ago was it that she had made that sarcastic reply +to Letty?--perhaps her last! + +A nightingale, close overhead, burst into a peal of song, repeating his +one favourite note, which seemed to her to cry out “Although my heart +is broke, broke, broke, broke.” The tears rushed into her eyes, but at +a noise as of opening doors or windows at the house, terror mastered her +again, and she hurried on to hide herself from the dawning light, which +was beginning to increase, as she crossed the park, on turf dank with +Maydew, and plunged deep into the thick woods beyond, causing many a +twittering cry of wondering birds. + +Day had fully come, and slanting golden beams were shining through the +tender green foliage, and illuminating the boles of the trees, ere she +was forced by failing strength again to pause and sit on a faggot, while +gathering breath and considering where she should go. Home was her first +thought. Who could shield her but her father and sister? How she longed +for their comfort and guardianship! But how reach them? She had money +but could do little for her. England never less resembled those days +of Brian Boromhe when the maiden with the gems, rich and rare wandered +unscathed form sea to sea in Ireland. Post chaises, though coming into +use, had not dawned on the simple country girl’s imagination. She knew +there was a weekly coach from London to Bath, passing through Brentford, +and that place was also a great starting-place for stage waggons, of +which one went through Carminster, but her bewildered brain could not +recall on what day it started, and there was an additional shock of +despair when she remembered that it was Sunday morning. The chill of the +morning dew was on her limbs, she was exhausted by her fatigues of the +night, a drowsy recollection of the children in the wood came over her, +and she sank into a dreamy state that soon became actual sleep. She was +wakened by a strong bright sunbeam on her eyes, and found that this was +what had warmed her limbs in her sleep. A sound as of singing was also +in her ears, and of calling cows to be milked. She did not in the least +know where she was, for she had wandered into parts of the wood quite +strange to her, but she thought she must be a great way from home, and +quite beyond recognition, so she followed the voice, and soon came out +on a tiny meadow glade, where a stout girl was milking a great sheeted +cow. + +She knew now that she was faint with hunger and thirst, and must take +food before she could go much farther, so taking out a groat, her +smallest coin, she accosted the girl, and offered it for a draught +of milk. To her dismay the girl exclaimed “Lawk! It be young Madam! +Sarvice, ma’am!” + +“I have lost myself in the wood,” said Aurelia. “I should be much +obliged for a little milk.” + +“Well to be sure. Think of that! And have ee been out all night? Ye +looks whisht!” said the girl, readily filling a wooden cup she had +brought with her, for in those days good new milk was a luxury far more +easily accessible than in ours. She added a piece of barley bread, her +own intended breakfast, and was full of respectful wonder, pity, and +curiosity, proposing that young Madam should come and rest in mother’s +cottage in the wood, and offering to guide her home as soon as the cows +were milked and the pigs fed. Aurelia had some difficulty in shaking her +off, finding also that she had gone round and round in the labyrinthine +paths, and was much nearer the village of Bowstead than she had +intended. + +Indeed, she was obliged to deceive the kindly girl by walking off in the +direction she pointed out, intending to strike afterwards into another +path, though where to go she had little idea, so long as it was out of +reach of my Lady and her prison. + +Oh! if Harriet were only at Brentford, or if it were possible to reach +the Lea Farm where she was! Could she ask her way thither, or could +she find some shelter near or in Brentford till the coach or the waggon +started? This was the most definite idea her brain, refreshed somewhat +by the food, could form; but in the meantime she was again getting +bewildered in the field paths. It was a part she did not know, lying +between the backs of the cottages and their gardens, and the woods +belonging to the great house; and the long sloping meadows, spangled +with cowslips were much alike. The cowslips seemed to strike her with +a pang as she recollected her merry day among them last spring, and how +little she then thought of being a homeless wanderer. At last, scarce +knowing where she was, she sat down on the step of a stile leading to a +little farmyard, leant her head on the top bar and wept bitterly. + +Again she startled by hearing a voice saying, “Sister, what is that in +the field?” and starting up, she saw Mrs. Delia in high pattens, and her +Sunday silk tucked up over her quilted petticoat, with a basket of corn +in her hand, surrounded by her poultry, while Mrs. Phoebe was bending +over a coop. She had stumbled unawares on their back premises, and with +a wild hope, founded on their well-known enmity to Lady Belamour, she +sprang over the stile. Mrs. Delia retreated in haste, but Mrs. Phoebe +came to the front. + +“Oh! Mrs. Phoebe,” she cried, “I ask your pardon.” + +“Mrs. Belamour! Upon my word! To what are we indebted for this visit?” + +“Oh! of your kindness listen to me, madam,” said Aurelia. “My Lady is +come, and there is some dreadful mistake, and she is very angry with me; +and if you would only take me in and hide me till the waggon goes and I +can get home!” + +“So my Lady has found you out, you artful hussy,” returned Mrs. Phoebe. +“I have long guessed at your tricks! I knew it was no blackamoor that +was stealing into the great house.” + +“I do not know what you mean.” + +“Oh! it is of no use to try your feigned artlessness on us. I wonder at +your assurance, after playing false with uncle and nephew both at once.” + +“If you would but hear me!” + +“I have heard enough of you already. I wonder you dare show your face +at a respectable house. Away with you, if you would not have me send the +constable after you!” + +The threat renewed Aurelia’s terror, and again she fled, but this time +she fell into a path better known to her, that leading to Sedhurst, and +ultimately to Brentford. + +The recollection of Dame Wheatfield’s genial good nature inspired her +with another hope, and she made her way towards the farm. The church +bells were ringing, and she saw the farmer and his children going +towards the church, but not the mistress, and she might therefore hope +to find her at home and alone. As she approached, a great dog began a +formidable barking, and his voice brought out the good woman in person. +“Down, Bouncer! A won’t hurt’ee, my lass. What d’ye lack that you bain’t +at church?” + +“May I speak to you, Mrs. Wheatfield?” + +“My stars, if it bain’t young Miss--Madam, I mean! Nothing ain’t wrong +with the child?” + +“O no, she is quite well, but--” + +“What, ye be late for church? Come in and sit ye down a bit and sup +after your walk. We have been and killed Spotty’s calf, though ‘twas but +a staggering Bob, but us couldn’t spare the milk no longer. So we’ve got +the l’in on un for dinner, and you’re kindly welcome if you ain’t too +proud. Only I wish you had brought my little missie.” + +“O Mrs. Wheatfield! Shall I ever see the dear little girl again? Oh! can +you help me? Do you know where Lea Farm is? I’d pay anything for a horse +and man to take me there, where my sister is staying.” + +“Well, I don’t know as my master would hire a horse out of a Sunday, +unless ‘twere very particler--illness or suchlike. Lea Farm did you say +ma’am? Is it the Lea out by Windmill hill--Master Brown’s; or Lea Farm, +down by the river--Tom Smith’s?” + +“No, this is Mr. Meadows’s, a grazier.” + +“Never heard tell on him, ma’am, but the master might, when he comes +in. But bless me,” she added, after a moment’s consideration, “what will +your master say? He’ll be asking how it comes that a lady like you, with +a coach and horses of her own, should be coming after a horse here. You +ain’t been and got into trouble with my Lady, my dear?” + +“Oh! Dame, indeed I have; pray help me!” + +It was no wonder that Mrs. Wheatfield failed to gather more than that +young Madam had almost burnt the house, and had fallen under grievous +displeasure, so as even to fear the constable. + +“Bless your poor heart! Think of that now! But I’m afeard we can’t do +nothing for you. My master would be nigh about killing me if I harboured +you and got him into trouble, with the gentry.” + +“If you could only hide me in some loft or barn till I could meet the +coach for Bath! Then I should be almost at home.” + +“I dare not. The children are routing about everywhere on a Sunday +afternoon; and if so be as there’s a warrant out after you” (Aurelia +shuddered) “my man would be mad with me. He ain’t never forgot how his +grandfather was hanged up there in that very walnut for changing clothes +with a young gentleman in the wars long ago.” + +“Then I must go! Oh, what will become of me?” + +“Stay a bit! It goes to my heart to turn you from the door, and you so +white and faint. And they won’t be out of church yet a while. You’ve ate +nothing all this time! What was you thinking of doing, my dear?” + +“I don’t know. If I could only find out the right Lea Farm, and get +a man and horse to take me there--but my sister goes on Monday, and I +might not find her, and nobody knows where it is. And nobody will take +me in or hide my till the coach goes! Oh, what will become of me?” + +“It is bitter hard,” said the Dame. “I wish to my heart I could take +you in, but you see there’s the master! I’ll tell you what: there’s my +cousin, Patty Woodman; she might take you in for a night or two. But +you’d never find your way to her cot; it lies out beyond the spinneys. +I must show you the way. Look you here. Nobody can’t touch you in a +church, they hain’t got no power there, and if you would slip into that +there empty place as opens with the little door, as the ringers goes in +by, afore morning prayers is over I’ll make an excuse to come to evening +prayer alone, or only with little Davy, as is lying asleep there. If +Patty is there I’ll speak, and you can go home with her. If not, I must +e’en walk with you out to the spinney. Hern is a poor place, but her’s a +good sort of body, and won’t let you come to no harm; and her goes into +Brentford with berries and strawberries to meet the coaches, so may be +she’ll know the day.” + +“Oh, thank you, thank you, dear Mrs. Wheatfield! If I can only get safe +home!” + +“Come, don’t be in haste. You’ll take a bit of bread and cheese, and +just a draught of ale to hearten you up a bit.” + +Aurelia was too sick at heart for food, and feared to delay, lest she +should meet the congregation, but Mrs. Wheatfield forced on her a little +basket with some provisions, and she gladly accepted another draught of +milk. + +No one came out by the little door she was told; all she had to do would +be to keep out of sight when the ringers came in before the afternoon +service. She knew the way, and was soon close to Mary Sedhurst’s grave. +“Ah! why was he not constant to her,” she thought; “and oh! why has he +deserted me in my need?” + +The little door easily yielded, and she found herself--after passing the +staircase-turret that led by a gallery to the belfry in the centre of +the church--in an exceedingly dilapidated transept; once, no doubt, it +had been beautiful, before the coloured glass of the floriated window +had been knocked out and its place supplied with bricks. The broken +effigy of a crusading Sedhurst, devoid of arms, feet, and nose was +stowed away in the eastern sepulchre, in company with funeral apparatus, +torn books, and moth-eaten cushions. But this would not have shocked her +even in calmer moments. She only cared to find a corner where she was +entirely sheltered, between a green stained pier and the high wall and +curtain of a gigantic pew, where no doubt sweet Mary Sedhurst had +once worshipped. The lusty voices of the village choir in some exalted +gallery beyond her view were shouting out a familiar tune, and with some +of Betty’s mild superstition about “the singing psalms,” she heard-- + + + “Since I have placed my trust in God + A refuge always nigh, + Why should I, like tim’rous bird + To distant mountains fly? + + “Behold the wicked bend their bow, + And ready fix their dart, + Lurking in ambush to destroy + The man of upright heart. + + “When once the firm assurance fails + Which public faith imparts, + ‘Tis time for innocence to flee + From such deceitful arts. + + “The Lord hath both a temple here + And righteous throne above, + Whence He surveys the sons of men, + And how their counsels move.” + + +Poor timorous bird, whom even the firm assurance of wedded faith had +failed, what was left to her but to flee from the darts levelled against +her? Yet that last verse brought a sense of protection. Ah! did she +deserve it? A prayerless night and prayerless morning had been hers, and +no wonder, since she had never gone to bed nor risen with the ordinary +forms; but it was with a pang that she recollected that the habit of +calling out in her heart for guidance and help had been slipping from +her for a long time past, and she had never asked for heavenly aid when +her judgment was perplexed by Harriet, no, nor for protection in her +flight. + +She resolved to say her morning prayers with full attention so soon as +the church was empty, and meantime to follow the service with all her +powers, though her pulses were still throbbing and her head aching. + +In the far distance she heard the Commandments, and near to her the +unseen clerk responding, and then followed a gospel of love and comfort. +She could not catch every word, but there was a sense of promised peace +and comfort, which began to soothe the fluttering heart, for the first +time enjoying a respite from the immediate gripe of deadly terror. + +The sermon chimed in with these feelings, not that she could have any +account of it, nor preserved any connected memory, but it was full of +the words, Faith, Love, Sacrifice, so that they were borne in on her ear +and thought. Heavenly Love surrounding as with an atmosphere those who +had only faith to “taste and see how gracious the Lord is,” believing +that which cannot be seen, and therefore having it revealed to their +inmost sense, and thus living the only real life. + +This was the chief thought that penetrated to her mind as she crouched +on the straw hassock behind the pew, and shared unseen in the blessing +of peace. No one saw her as the hob-nailed shoes trooped out of church, +and soon she was entirely alone, kneeling still in her hiding-place, +and whispering half-aloud the omitted morning prayer, whose heartfelt +signification had, she felt, been neglected for a long, long time. + +Since when? Ah! ever since those strange mysterious voices and caresses +had come to charm and terrify her, and when her very perplexity should +have warned her to cling closer to the aid of her Heavenly Father. +Vague yearnings, uplifted feelings, discontents, and little tempers had +usurped the place of higher feelings, and blinded her eyes. And through +it all, her heart began to ache and long for tidings of him on whose +pale features she had gazed so long and who had ventured and suffered +so much for her, nay, who had started into a moment’s life for her +protection! All the tumult of resentment at the deception practised on +her fell on the uncle rather than the nephew; and in spite of this long +year of tender kindness and consideration from the recluse, there was a +certain consideration from the recluse, there was a certain leaping +of heart at finding herself bound not to him but to the youth whose +endearments returned with a flood of tender remembrance. And she had +fled just as he had claimed her as his wife, had fled just as he had +claimed her as his wife, unheeding whether he died of the injury she had +caused him! All that justified her alarm was forgotten, her heartstrings +had wound themselves round him, and began to pull her back. + +Then she thought of the danger of directing Lady Belamour’s wrath on her +father, and leading to his expulsion and destitution. She had been sent +from home, and bestowed in marriage to prevent his ruin, and should +she now ensure it? Her return to him or even her disappearance would +no doubt lead to high words from him, and then he would be cast out to +beggary in his old age. No, she could only save him by yielding herself +up, exonerating him from all knowledge of her strange marriage, far more +of the catastrophe, and let my Lady do her worst! She had, as she knew, +not been going on well lately, but she had confessed her faults, and +recovered her confidence that her Heavenly Father would guard her as +long as she resolutely did her duty. And her duty, as daughter and a +wife, if indeed she was one, was surely to return, where her heart was +drawing her. It might be very terrible, but still it was going nearer to +_him_, and it would save her father. + +The door was still open; she wrote a few words of gratitude and +explanation to Dame Wheatfield, on a piece of a torn book, wrapped a +couple of guineas in it, and laid it in the basket, then kneeling again +to implore protection and safety, and if it might be, forgiveness and +reconciliation, she set forth. “Love is strong as death,” said Mary +Sedhurst’s tomb. She knew better what that meant than when her childish +eyes first fell upon it. A sense of Divine Love was wrapping her round +with a feeling of support and trust, while the human love drew her +onwards to confront all deadly possibilities in the hope of rejoining +her husband, or at least of averting misfortune from her father. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. VANISHED. + + + Where there is no place + For the glow-worm to lie, + Where there is no space + For receipt of a fly, + Where the midge dares not venture + Lest herself fast she lay, + If Love come, he will enter + And find out the way.--OLD SONG. + + +Major Delavie and his eldest daughter were sitting down to supper in the +twilight, when a trampling of horses was heard in the lane a carriage +was seen at the gate, and up the pathway came a slender youthful figure, +in a scarlet coat, with an arm in a sling. + +“It is!--yes, it is!” exclaimed Betty: “Sir Amyas himself!” + +In spite of his lameness, the Major had opened the door before Palmer +could reach it; but his greeting and inquiry were cut short by the young +man’s breathless question: “Is she here?” + +“Who?” + +“My wife--my love. Your daughter, sweet Aurelia! Ah! it was my one +hope.” + +“Come in, come in, sir,” entreated Betty, seeing how fearfully pale he +grew. “What has befallen you, and where is my sister?” + +“Would that I knew! I trusted to have found her here; but now, sir, you +will come with me and find her!” + +“I do not understand you, sir,” said the Major severely, “nor how you +are concerned in the matter. My daughter is the wife of your uncle, Mr. +Belamour, and if, as I fear, you bear the marks of a duel in consequence +of any levity towards her, I shall not find it easy to forgive.” + +“On my word and honour it is no such thing,” said the youth, raising a +face full of frank innocence: “Your daughter is my wife, my most dear +and precious wife, with full consent and knowledge of my uncle. I was +married to her in his clothes, in the darkened room, our names being the +same!” + +“Was this your promise?” Betty exclaimed. + +“Miss Delavie, to the best of my ability I have kept my promise. Your +sister has never seen me, nor to her knowledge spoken with me.” + +“These are riddles, young man,” said the Major sternly. “If all be not +well with my innocent child, I shall know how to demand an account.” + +“Sir,” said the youth: “I swear to you that she is the same innocent +maiden as when she left you. Oh!” he added with a gesture of earnest +entreaty, “blame me as you will, only trace her.” + +“Sit down, and let us hear,” said Betty kindly, pushing a chair towards +him and pouring out a glass of wine. He sank into the first, but waved +aside the second, becoming however so pale that the Major sprang to hold +the wine to his lips saying: “Drink, boy, I say!” + +“Not unless you forgive me,” he replied in a hoarse, exhausted voice. + +“Forgive! Of course, I forgive, if you have done no wrong by my child. I +see, I see, ‘tis not wilfully. You have been hurt in her defence.” + +“Not exactly,” he said: “I have much to tell,” but the words came +slowly, and there was a dazed weariness about his eye that made Betty +say, in spite of her anxiety--“You cannot till you have eaten and +rested. If only one word to say where she is!” + +“Oh! that I could! My hope was to find her here,” and he was choked by a +great strangling sob, which his youthful manhood sought to restrain. + +Betty perceived that he was far from being recovered from the injury +he had suffered, and did her best to restrain her own and her father’s +anxiety till she had persuaded him to swallow some of the excellent +coffee which Nannerl always made at sight of a guest. To her father’s +questions meantime, he had answered that he had broken his arm ten days +ago, but he could not wait, he had posted down as soon as he could move. + +“You ought to sleep before you tell us farther,” said the Major, +speaking from a strong sense of the duties of a host; but he was +relieved when the youth answered, “You are very good, sir, but I could +not sleep till you know all.” + +“Speak, then,” said the Major, “I cannot look at your honest young +countenance and think you guilty of more than disobedient folly; but I +fear it may have cost my poor child very dear! Is it your mother that +you dread?” + +“I would be thankful even to know her in my mother’s keeping!” he said. + +“Is there no mistake?” said the Major; “my daughter, Mrs. Arden, saw her +at Brentford, safe and blooming.” + +“Oh, that was before--before--” said Sir Amyas, “the day before she fled +from my mother at Bowstead, and has been seen no more.” + +He put his hand over his face, and bowed it on the table in such +overpowering grief as checked the exclamations of horror and dismay and +the wrathful demands that were rising to the lips of his auditors, +and they only looked at one another in speechless sorrow. Presently +he recovered enough to say, “Have patience with me, and I will try +to explain all. My cousin, Miss Delavie, knows that I loved her sweet +sister from the moment I saw her, and that I hurried to London in the +hope of meeting her at my mother’s house. On the contrary, my mother, +finding it vain to deny all knowledge of her, led me to believe that she +was boarded at a young ladies’ school with my little sisters. I lived +on the vain hope of the holidays, and meantime every effort was made to +drive me into a marriage which my very soul abhorred, the contract +being absolutely made by the two ladies, the mothers, without my +participation, nay, against my protest. I was to be cajoled or else +persecuted into it--sold, in fact, that my mother’s debts might be paid +before her husband’s return! I knew my Uncle Belamour was my sole true +personal guardian, though he had never acted further than by affixing +his signature when needed. I ought to have gone long before to see him, +but as I now understand, obstacles had been purposely placed in my way, +while my neglectful reluctance was encouraged. It was in the forlorn +hope of finding in him a resource that took me to Bowstead at last, and +then it was that I learnt how far my mother could carry deception. There +I found my sisters, and learnt that my own sweetest life had been placed +there likewise. She was that afternoon visiting some old ladies, but my +uncle represented that my meeting her could only cause her trouble +and lead to her being removed. I was forced then to yield, having an +engagement in London that it would have been fatal to break, but I came +again at dark, and having sworn me to silence, he was forced to let +me take advantage of the darkness of his chamber to listen to her +enchanting voice. He promised to help me, as far as he had the power, +in resisting the hateful Aresfield engagement, and he obtained the +assistance of an old friend in making himself acquainted with the terms +of his guardianship, and likewise of a letter my father had left for +him. He has given me leave to show a part of it to you, sir,” he added, +“you will see that my father expressed a strong opinion that you were +wronged in the matter of the estates, and declared that he had hoped to +make some compensation by a contract between one of your daughters and +my brother who died. He charged my uncle if possible to endeavour to +bring about such a match between one of your children and myself. Thus, +you see, I was acting in the strictest obedience. You shall see the +letter at once, if I may bid my fellow Gray bring my pocket-book from my +valise.” + +“I doubt not of your words, my young friend; your father was a gentleman +of a high and scrupulous honour. But why all this hide-and-seek work?--I +hate holes and corners!” + +“You will see how we were driven, sir. My mother came in her turn to +see my uncle, and obtain his sanction to her cherished plan, and when he +absolutely refused, on account of Lady Aresfield’s notorious character, +if for no other, she made him understand that nothing would be easier +than to get him declared a lunatic and thus to dispense with his +consent. Then, finding how the sweet society of your dear daughter had +restored him to new life and spirit, she devised the notable expedient +of removing what she suspected to be the chief cause of my contumacy, +by marrying the poor child to him. He scouted the idea as a preposterous +and cruel sacrifice, but it presently appeared that Colonel Mar +was ready to find her a debauched old lieutenant who would gladly +marry--what do I say?--it profanes the word--but accept the young lady +for a couple of hundred pounds. Then did I implore my uncle to seem to +yield, and permit me to personate him at the ceremony. Our names being +the same, and all being done in private and in the dark, the whole +was quite possible, and it seemed the only means of saving her from a +terrible fate.” + +“He might--or you might, have remembered that she had a father!” said +the Major. + +“True. But you were at a distance, and my mother’s displeasure against +you was to be deprecated.” + +“I had rather she had been offended fifty times than have had such +practices with my poor little girl!” said Major Delavie. “No wonder the +proposals struck me as strange and ambiguous. Whose writing was it?” + +“Mine, at his dictation,” said the youth. “He was unwilling, but +my importunity was backed by my mother’s threats, conveyed through +Hargrave, that unless Aurelia became his wife she should be disposed of +otherwise, and that his sanity might be inquired into. Hargrave, who +is much attached to my uncle, and is in great awe of my Lady, was +thoroughly frightened, and implored him to secure himself and the young +lady by consenting, thinking, too, that anything that would rouse him +would be beneficial.” + +“It is strange!” mused the Major. “A clear-headed punctilious man +like your uncle, to lend himself to a false marriage! His ten years of +melancholy must have changed him greatly!” + +“Less than you suppose, sir; but you will remember that my mother is +esteemed as a terrible power by all concerned with her. Even when she +seemed to love me tenderly, I was made to know what it was to cross her +will, and alas! she always carries her point.” + +“It did seem a mode of protection,” said Betty, more kindly. + +“And” added the youth, “my uncle impressed on me from the first that +he only consented on condition the I treated this wedlock as betrothal +alone, never met my sweet love save in his dark room, and never revealed +myself to her. He said it was a mere expedient for guarding her until +I shall come of age, or Mr. Wayland comes home, when I shall woo her +openly, and if needful, repeat the ceremony with her full knowledge. +Meanwhile I wrote the whole to my stepfather, and am amazed that he has +never written nor come home.” + +“That is the only rational thing I have heard,” said the Major. +“Though--did your uncle expect your young blood to keep the terms?” + +“Indeed, sir, I was frightened enough the first evening that I ventured +on any advances, for they startled her enough to make her swoon away. +I carried her from her room, and my uncle dragged me back before the +colour came back to that lovely face so that the women might come to +her. That was the only time I ever saw her save through the chinks of +the shutters. Judge of the distraction I lived in!” + +Betty looked shocked, but her father chuckled a little, though he +maintained his tone of censure “And may I inquire how often these +distracting interviews took place?” + +“Cruelly seldom for one to whom they were life itself! Mar is, as you +know, colonel of my corps, and my liberty has been restrained as much +as possible; I believe I have been oftener on guard and on court-martial +than any officer of my standing in the service; but about once in a +fortnight I could contrive to ride down to a little wayside inn where I +kept a fresh horse, also a livery coat and hat. I tied up my horse in +a barn on the borders of the park, and put on a black vizard, so as +to pass for my uncle’s negro in the dark. I could get admittance to my +uncle’s rooms unknown to any servant save faithful Jumbo--who has been +the sole depository of our secret. However, since my mother’s return +from Bath, where the compact with Lady Aresfield was fully determined, +the persecution has been fiercer. I may have aroused suspicion by +failing to act my part when she triumphantly announced my uncle’s +marriage to me, or else by my unabated resistance to the little +termagant who is to be forced on me. At any rate, I have been so +intolerably watched whenever I was not on duty, that my hours of +bliss became rarer than ever. Well, sir, my uncle charges me with +indiscretion, and says my ardour aroused unreasonable suspicions. He +was constantly anxious, and would baulk me in my happiest and most +tantalising moments by making some excuse for breaking up the evening, +and then would drive me frantic by asking whether he was to keep up my +character for consistency in my absence. However, ten days since, the +twelfth of May, after three weeks’ unendurable detention in town on one +pretext or another, I escaped, and made my way to Bowstead at last. My +uncle told me that he had been obliged unwillingly to consent to our +precious charge going to meet her sister at Brentford, and that she was +but newly come home. Presently she entered, but scarcely had I accosted +her before a blaze broke out close to us. The flame caught the dry old +curtains, they flamed up like tinder, and as I leaped up on a table to +tear them down, it gave way with me, I got a blow on the head, and knew +no more. It seems that my uncle, as soon as the fire was out, finding +that my arm was broken, set out to send the groom for the doctor--he +being used to range the park at night. The stupid fellow, coming +home half tipsy from the village, saw his white hair and beard in the +moonlight, took him for a ghost, and ran off headlong. Thereupon my +uncle, with new energy in the time of need, saddled the horse, changed +his dressing-gown with the groom’s coat, and rode off to Brentford. +Then, finding that Dr. Hunter was not within, he actually went on to +London, where Dr. Sandys, who had attended him ever since his would, +forced him to go to bed, and to remain there till his own return. Thus +my darling had no one to protect her, when, an hour or so after the +accident, my mother suddenly appeared. Spies had been set on me by Mar, +and so soon as they had brought intelligence of my movements she had +hurried off from Ranelagh, in full dress, just as she was, to track and +surprise me. My uncle, having gone by the bridle path, had not met +her, and I was only beginning to return to my senses. I have a dim +recollection of hearing my mother threatening and accusing Aurelia, and +striving to interfere, but I was as one bound down, and all after that +is blank to me. When my understanding again became clear, I could only +learn that my mother had locked her into her own room, whence she had +escaped, and”--with a groan--“nothing has been heard of her since!” + Again he dropped his head on his hand as one in utter dejection. + +“Fled! What has been done to trace her?” cried the Major. + +“Nothing could be done till my mother was gone and my uncle returned. +The delirium was on me, and whatever I tried to say turned to raving, +all the worse if I saw or heard my mother, till Dr. Sandys forbade +her coming near me. She was invited to the Queen’s Sunday card party +moreover, so she fortunately quitted Bowstead just before Mr. Belamour’s +return.” + +“Poor gentleman, he could do nothing,” said Betty. + +“Indeed I should have thought so, but it seems that he only needed +a shock to rouse him. His state had become hypochondriacal, and this +strong emotion has caused him to exert himself; and when he came into +the daylight, he found he could bear it. I could scarce believe my eyes +when, on awakening from a sleep, I found him by my bedside, promising +me that if I would only remain still, he would use every endeavour to +recover the dear one. He went first to Brentford, thinking she might +have joined her sister there, but Mr. and Mrs. Arden had left it at the +same time as she did. Then he travelled on to their Rectory at Rundell +Canonicorum, thinking she might have followed them, but they had only +just arrived, and had heard nothing of her; and he next sought her with +his friend the Canon of Windsor, but all in vain. Meantime my mother +had visited me, and denied all knowledge of her, only carrying away my +little sisters, I believe because she found them on either side of my +bed, telling me tales of their dear Cousin Aura’s kindness. When my +uncle returned to Bowstead I could bear inaction no longer, and profited +by my sick leave to travel down hither, trusting that she might have +found her way to her home, and longing to confess all and implore your +pardon, sir,--and, alas! Your aid in seeking her.” + +With the large tears in his eyes, the youth rose from his chair as he +spoke, and knelt on one knee before the Major, who exclaimed, extremely +affected--“By all that is sacred, you have it, my dear boy. It is a +wretched affair, but you meant to act honourably throughout, and you +have suffered heavily. May God bless you both, and give us back my dear +child. My Lady must have been very hard with her, to make her thus fly, +all alone.” + +“You do not know, I suppose, any cause for so timid a creature +preferring flight to a little restraint?” + +“It seems,” said Sir Amyas sadly, “that something the dear girl said +gave colour to the charge of having caused the fire, and that my mother +in her first passion threatened her with the constable!” + +“My poor Aurelia! that might well scare her,” cried Betty: “but how +could it be?” + +“They say she spoke of using something her sister had given her to +discover what the mystery was that alarmed her.” + +“Ah! that gunpowder trick of Mr. Arden’s--I always hated it!” exclaimed +Betty. + +“Gunpowder indeed!” growled the old soldier. “Well, if ever there’s +mischief among the children, Harriet is always at the bottom of it. I +hope Mr. Belamour made her confess if she had a hand in it.” + +“I believe he did,” said Sir Amyas. + +“Just like her to set the match to the train and then run away,” said +the Major. + +“Still, sir,” said Betty, her womanhood roused to defence, “though I am +angered and grieved enough that Harriet should have left Aurelia to face +the consequences of the act she instigated, I must confess that even by +Sir Amyas’s own showing, if he will allow me to say so, my sisters were +justified in wishing to understand the truth.” + +“That is what my uncle tells me,” said the baronet. “He declares that +if I had attended to his stipulations, restrained my fervour, or kept my +distance, there would have been neither suspicion nor alarm. As if I had +not restrained myself!” + +“Ay, I dare say,” said the Major, a little amused. + +“Well, sir, what could a man do with most bewitching creature in the +world, his own wife, too, on the next chair to him?” + +There was a simplicity about the stripling--for he was hardly +more--which forced them to forgive him; besides, they were touched by +his paleness and fatigue. His own man--a respectable elderly servant +whom the Major recollected waiting on Sir Jovian--came to beg that his +honour would sit up no longer, as he had been travelling since six in +the morning, and was quite worn out. Indeed, so it proved; for when the +Major and Betty not only promised to come with him on the search the +next day, but bade him a kind affectionate good-night, the poor lad, +all unused to kindness, fairly burst into tears, which all his dawning +manhood could not restrain. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. THE TRACES. + + + Oh, if I were an eagle to soar into the sky, + I’d gaze around with piercing eye when I my love might spy. + + +The second-best coach, which resided at Bowstead, the same which had +carried Aurelia off from Knightsbridge, had brought Sir Amyas Belamour +to Carminster--an effeminate proceeding of which he was rather ashamed, +though clearly he could not have ridden, and he had hoped to have +brought his bride back in it. + +There was plenty of room in it to take back the Major, Betty, and even +Eugene, since he could not well have been left without his sister or +Palmer, who was indispensable to the Major. He was so enchanted at +“riding in a coach,” and going perhaps to see London, that he did not +trouble himself much about sister Aurelia being lost, and was in such +high spirits as to be best disposed of outside, between Palmer and Gray, +where he could at his ease contemplate the horses, generally four in +number, though at some stages only two could be procured, and then at an +extra steep hill a farmer’s horse from the hayfield would be hitched on +in front. Luckily there was no lack of money; Mr. Belamour and Hargrave +had taken care that Sir Amyas should be amply supplied, and thus the +journey was as rapid as posting could be in those days of insufficient +inns, worse roads, and necessary precautions against highwaymen. + +The road was not the same as that which the young baronet had come down +by, as it was thought better to take the chance of meeting a different +stage waggon, Sir Amyas and his servant having, of course, examined the +one they had overtaken in coming down. At every possible resting place +on the route was inquiry made, but all in vain; no one had seen such a +young gentlewoman as was described, or if some answer inspired hope for +a moment, it was dashed again at once. The young gentlewoman once turned +out to be the Squire’s fat lady, and another time was actually pursued +into a troop of strolling players, attiring themselves in a barn, whence +she came with cheeks freshly rouged with blood taken from a cat’s tail. + +The young baronet had meanwhile become very dear to the Major and his +daughter. He had inherited his mother’s indescribable attractiveness, +and he was so frank, so affectionate, so unspoilt, so grateful for the +little attentions demanded by his maimed condition, so considerate of +the Major, and so regardless of himself, and, above all, so passionately +devoted to his dearest life, as he called Aurelia, that it was +impossible not to take him into their hearts, and let him be, as he +entreated, a son and a brother. + +The travellers decided on first repairing to Bowstead, thinking it +probable that the truant might have returned thither, or that Mr. +Belamour might have found her in some one of the cottages around. Hopes +began to rise, and Major Delavie scolded Sir Amyas in quite a paternal +manner whenever he began to despond, though the parts were reversed +whenever the young people’s expectations began to soar beyond his own +spirits at the moment. + +“Is yonder Hargrave? No, it is almost like my father!” exclaimed Sir +Amyas, in amazement, as the coach lumbered slowly up the approach, and +a very remarkable figure was before them. The long white beard was gone, +the hair was brushed back, tied up, and the ends disposed of in a square +black silk bag, hanging down behind; and the dark grey coat, with collar +and deep cuffs of black velvet, was such as would be the ordinary wear +of an elderly man of good position; but the face, a fine aquiline one, +as to feature, was of perfectly absolute whiteness, scarcely relieved by +the thin pale lips, or the eyes, which, naturally of a light-grey, had +become almost as colourless as the rest of the face, and Betty felt a +shock as if she had seen a marble statue clothed and animated, bowing +and speaking. + +The anxious inquiry and the mournful negative had been mutually +exchanged before the carriage door was opened, and all were standing +together in the avenue. + +“I have, however, found a clue, or what may so prove,” said Mr. +Belamour, when the greetings had passed. “I have discovered how our +fugitive passed the early part of the Sunday;” and he related how he had +elicited from the Mistresses Treforth that they had seen her and driven +her away with contumely. + +Sir Amyas and the Major were not sparing of interjections, and the +former hoped that his uncle had told them what they deserved. + +“Thereby only incurring the more compassion,” said Mr. Belamour, dryly, +and going on to say that he had extended his inquires to Sedhurst, and +had heard of her visit to Dame Wheatfield; also, that the good woman, +going to seek her at the church, had found only the basket with the +guineas in the paper. She had regarded this merely as a wrapper, +and, being unable to read, had never noticed the writing, but she +had fortunately preserved it, and Mr. Belamour thus learnt Aurelia’s +intention of throwing herself on Lady Belamour’s mercy. + +“My mother utterly denied all knowledge of her, when I cried out in +anguish when she came to see me!” said Sir Amyas. + +“So she does to Hargrave, whom she sent off to interrogate Mrs. Arden,” + said Mr. Belamour. + +“Have you any reason to think the child could have reached my Lady?” + inquired Betty, seeing that none of the gentlemen regarded my Lady’s +denials as making any difference to their belief, though not one of them +chose to say so. + +“Merely negative evidence,” said Mr. Belamour. “I find that no one +in the house actually beheld the departure of my Lady on that Sunday +afternoon. The little girls had been found troublesome, and sent out +into the park with Molly, and my nephew was giving full employment to +Jumbo and Mrs. Aylward in my room. The groom, who was at the horses’ +heads, once averred that he saw two women get into the carriage +besides her ladyship; but he is such a sodden confused fellow, and so +contradicts himself, that I can make nothing of him.” + +“He would surely know his young mistress,” said Sir Amyas. + +“Perhaps not in the camlet hood, which Dame Wheatfield says she wore.” + +“Was good old Dove acting as coachman?” said Betty. “We should learn +something from him.” + +“It was not her own coach,” said Mr. Belamour. “All the servants were +strangers, the liveries sanguine, and the panels painted with helmets +and trophies.” + +“Mar’s,” said Sir Amyas, low and bitterly. + +“I guessed as much,” said his uncle. “It was probably chosen on purpose, +if the child has friends in your own household.” + +“Then I must demand her,” said the Major. “She cannot be denied to her +father.” + +“At any rate we must go to town to-morrow,” said Mr. Belamour. “We have +done all we can here.” + +“Let us send for horses and go on at once,” cried Sir Amyas. + +“Not so fast, nephew. I see, by her face, that Miss Delavie does not +approve, though our side of the town is safer than Hounslow.” + +“I was not thinking of highwaymen, sir, but we set forth at five this +morning, and Sir Amyas always becomes flushed and feverish if he is over +fatigued; nor is my father so strong as he was.” + +“Ah, ha! young sir, in adopting Betty for a sister you find you have +adopted a quartermaster-general, eh?” said the Major; “but she is quite +right. We should not get to town before ten or eleven at night, and what +good would that do? No, no, let us sup and have a good night’s rest, and +we will drive into town long enough before fine ladies are astir in the +morning, whatever may be the fashionable hour nowadays.” + +“Yes, nephew, you must content yourself with acting host to your father +and sister-in-law in your own house,” said his uncle. + +“It seems to me more like yours, sir,” rejoined the youth; but at the +hall door, with all his native grace, he turned and gave his welcome, +kissing Betty on the cheek with the grave ceremony of the host, and +lamenting, poor fellow, that he stood alone without his bride to receive +them. + +“Is that Jumbo?” asked Betty. “I must thank him for all his kind service +to my dear sister.” + +Faithful Jumbo fairly wept when--infinite condescension for those +days--Major Delavie shook hands with him and thanked him. + +“If pretty Missie Madam were but safe and well, Jumbo would wish no +more,” he sobbed out. + +“Poor Jumbo,” said Mr. Belamour, “he has never been the same man since +pretty Missie Madam has been lost. I hear his violin mourning for her +till it is enough to break one’s heart!” + +However Eugene created a diversion by curious inquiries whether Jumbo +would indeed play the fiddle of which he had heard from Archer and +Amoret, and he ran off most eagerly after the negro to be introduced to +the various curiosities of the place. + +Mrs. Aylward attended Miss Delavie to her room, and showed herself much +softened. As a good, conscientious woman, she felt that she had acted +a selfish part towards the lonely maiden, and Betty’s confident belief +that she had been a kind friend was a keen reproach. + +“Indeed, madam,” she said, “I would lief you could truly call me such, +but when young Miss came here first I took her for one of that flighty +sort that it is wise not to meddle with more than needful. I have +kept my place here these thirty years by never making or meddling, and +knowing nothing about what don’t concern me, and is out of my province. +Now, I wish I had let the poor young lady be more friendly with me, for +maybe I could have been of use to her in her need. + +“You had no suspicion?” + +“No, ma’am; though I find there were those who suspected some one +came up here disguised as Jumbo; but I was never one to lend an ear to +gossip, and by that time I trusted the dear young lady altogether, and +knew she would never knowingly do aught that was unbecoming her station, +or her religion.” + +“I am glad the dear child won your good opinion,” said Betty. + +“Indeed, ma’am, that you may say,” returned Mrs. Aylward, whom anxiety +had made confidential; “for I own I was prejudiced against her from the +first, as, if you’ll excuse me, ma’am, all we Bowstead people are apt +to be set against whatever comes from my Lady’s side. However, one must +have been made of the nether millstone not to feel the difference she +made in the house. She was the very life of it with her pretty ways, +singing and playing with the children, and rousing up the poor gentleman +too that had lived just like a mere heathen in a dungeon, and wouldn’t +so much as hear a godly word in his despair. And now he has a minister +once a fortnight to read prayers, and is quite another man--all through +that blessed young lady, who has brought him back to light and life.” + And as Betty’s tears flowed at this testimony to her sister, the +housekeeper added, “Never you fear, ma’am; she is one of God’s innocents +and His Hand will be over her.” + +Meantime, having dismissed the young lover to take, if he could, a +much needed night’s rest, the Major was listening to Mr. Belamour’s +confession. “I was the most to blame, in as much as an old fool is worse +than a young one; and I would that the penalty fell on me alone.” + +“If she be in my cousin’s hands I cannot believe that she will permit +any harm to befall her,” said the good Major, still clinging to his +faith in Urania--the child he had taught to ride, and with whom he had +danced her first minuet. + +“What I dread most is her being forced into some low marriage,” said Mr. +Belamour. “The poor child’s faith in the ceremony that passed must have +been overthrown, and who can tell what she may be induced to accept?” + +“It was that threat which moved you?” said the Major. + +“Yes. Hargrave assured me that my Lady had actually offered her to him, +with a bribe of a farm on easy terms; and when she found that he had +other intentions, there seemed to be some broken-down sycophant of Mar’s +upon the cards, but of course I was preferable, both because my fair +sister-in-law has some lingering respect for the honour of her own +blood, and because the bar between Aurelia and my nephew would be +perpetual. I knew likewise that it was my brother’s earnest desire that +a match should take place between your children and his. + +“He did me too much honour. The lad showed me the extract from his +letter.” + +“I could not give him the whole. It was fit for no eyes but mine, who +had so long neglected it, and barely understood that it existed. My poor +brother’s eyes were fully opened to his wife’s character, and even while +he loved her to distraction, and yielded to her fascinating mastery +against his better judgment, he left me the charge of trying in some +degree to repair the injustice he believed you to be suffering, and of +counteracting evil influences on her son.” + +“That seems at least to have been done.” + +“By no efforts of mine; but because the boy was happily permitted to +remain with the worthy tutor his father had chosen for him, and because +Wayland is an excellent man, wise and prudent in all things save in +being bewitched by a fair face. Would that he were returned! When I +first consented to act this fool’s part, I trusted that he would have +been at home soon enough to prevent more than the nominal engagement, +and when my Lady’s threats rendered it needful to secure the poor child +by giving her my name, I still expected him before my young gentleman +should utterly betray himself by his warmth.” + +“He tells me that he has written.” + +“True. On that I insisted, and I am the more uneasy, for there has been +ample time for a reply. It is only too likely, from what my nephew tells +me of his venturesome explorations, that he may have fallen into the +hands of the Moorish corsairs! Hargrave says it is rumoured; but my Lady +will not be checked in her career of pleasure, and if she is fearful of +his return, she may precipitate matters with the poor girl!” + +“Come, come, sir, I cannot have you give way to despondency. You +did your best, and if it did not succeed, it was owing to my foolish +daughter Arden. Why, if she was not satisfied about her sister, could +she not have come here, and demanded an explanation? That would have +been the straightforward way!” + +“Would that she had! Or would that I had sooner discovered my own entire +recovery, which I owe in very truth to the sweet being who has brought +new life alike of body and mind to me, and who must think I have +requited her so cruelly.” + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. CYTHEREA’S BOWER. + + + There Citherea, goddesse was and quene, + Honourid highly for her majeste, + And eke her sonne, the mighty god I weene, + Cupid the blinde, that for his dignite + A M lovers worshipp on ther kne. + There was I bid on pain of dethe to pere, + By Mercury, the winged messengre.--CHAUCER. + + +By twelve o’clock on the ensuing day Mr. Belamour, with Eugene and +Jumbo, was set down at a hotel near Whitehall, to secure apartments, +while the Major went on to demand his daughter from Lady Belamour, +taking with him Betty, whom he allowed to be a much better match for my +Lady than he could be. Very little faith in his cousin Urania remained +to him in the abstract, yet even now he could not be sure that she would +not talk him over and hoodwink him in any actual encounter. Sir Amyas +likewise accompanied him, both to gratify his own anxiety and to secure +admission. The young man still looked pale and worn with restless +anxiety; but he had, in spite of remonstrances, that morning discarded +his sling, saying that he should return to his quarters. Let his Colonel +do his worst then; he had still more liberty than if compelled to return +to his mother’s house. + +Lady Belamour had, on her second marriage, forsaken her own old +hereditary mansion in the Strand, where Sir Jovian had died, and which, +she said, gave her the vapours. Mr. Wayland, whose wealth far exceeded +her own, had purchased one of the new houses in Hanover Square, the +fashionable quarter and very much admired; but the Major regretted the +gloomy dignity of the separate enclosure and walled court of Delavie +House, whereas the new one, in modern fashion, had only an area and +steps between the front and the pavement. + +The hall door stood wide open, with a stately porter within, and lackeys +planted about at intervals. Grey descended from the box, and after some +inquiry, brought word that “her Ladyship was at breakfast,” then, at a +sign from his master, opened the carriage door. Sir Amyas, taking +Betty by the tips of her fingers, led her forward, receiving by the way +greetings and inquiries from the servants, whose countenances showed him +to be a welcome arrival. + +“Is it a reception day, Maine?” he asked of a kind of major-domo whom he +met on the top of the broad stairs. + +“No, your honour.” + +“Is company with her ladyship?” + +“No, not company, sir,” with a certain hesitation, which damped Betty’s +satisfaction in the first assurance. + +What did she see as Maine opened the door? It was a very spacious +bedroom, the bed in an alcove hung with rose-coloured satin embroidered +with myrtles and white roses, looped up with lace and muslin. Like +draperies hung round the window, fluted silk lined the room, and +beautiful japanned and inlaid cabinets and _etageres_ adorned the walls, +bearing all varieties and devices of new and old porcelain from Chins, +Sevres, Dresden, or Worcester, tokens of Mr. Wayland’s travels. There +was a toilette table before one window covered with lacquer ware, silver +and ivory boxes, and other apparatus, and an exquisite Venetian mirror +with the borders of frosted silver work. + +Not far off, but sideways to it, sat Lady Belamour in a loose sacque +of some rich striped silk, in crimson and blue stripes shot with gold +threads. Slippers, embroidered with gold, showed off her dainty feet, +and a French hairdresser stood behind her chair putting the finishing +touches to the imposing fabric of powder, flower, and feather upon her +head. A little hand-mirror, framed in carved ivory inlaid with coral, +and a fan, lay on a tiny spindle-legged table close in front of her, +together with a buff-coloured cup of chocolate. At a somewhat larger +table Mrs. Loveday, her woman, was dispensing the chocolate, whilst a +little negro boy, in a fantastic Oriental costume, waited to carry the +cups about. + +On a sofa near at hand, in an easy attitude, reclined Colonel Mar, +holding out to Lady Belamour a snuff-box of tortoiseshell and gold, +and a lady sat near on one of the tall black-and-gold chairs drinking +chocolate, while all were giving their opinions on the laces, feathers, +ribbons, and trinkets which another Frenchman was displaying from a +basket-box placed on the floor, trying to keep aloof a little Maltese +lion-dog, which had been roused from its cushion, and had come to +inspect his wares. A little further off, Archer, in a blue velvet coat, +white satin waistcoat, and breeches and silk stockings, and Amoret, +white-frocked, blue-sashed, and bare-headed (an innovation of fashion), +were admiring the nodding mandarins, grinning nondescript monsters, +and green lions of extraordinary form which an emissary from a +curiosity-shop was unpacking. Near the door, in an attitude weary +yet obsequious, stood, paper in hand, a dejected figure in shabby +plum-colour--_i.e._ a poor author--waiting in hopes that his sonnet in +praise of Cytherea’s triumphant charms would win his the guinea he so +sorely needed, as + + + To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame, + And heap the shrine of luxury and pride + With incense kindled at the Muses’ flame. + + +The scene was completed by a blue and yellow macaw at one window chained +to his perch, and a green monkey tethered in like manner at the other. + +Of course Elizabeth Delavie did not perceive all these details at once. +Her first sensation was the shock to the decorum of a modest English +lady at intruding into a bed-room; but her foreign recollections coming +to her aid, she accepted the fashion with one momentary feminine review +of her own appearance, and relief that she had changed her travelling +gear for her Sunday silks, and made her father put on his full uniform. +All this passed while Sir Amyas was leading her into the room, steering +her carefully out of the monkey’s reach. Then he went a step or two +forward and bent before his mother, almost touching the ground with one +knee, as he kissed her hand, and rising, acknowledged the lady with a +circular sweep of his hat, and his Colonel with a military salute, all +rapidly, but with perfect ease and gracefulness. “Ah! my truant, my +runaway invalid!” said Lady Belamour, “you are come to surrender.” + +“I am come,” he said gravely, holding out his stronger hand to his +little brother and sister, who sprang to him, “to bring my father-and +sister-in-law, Major and Miss Delavie.” + +“Ah! my good cousin, my excellent Mrs. Betty, excuse me that my tyrant +_friseur_ prevents my rising to welcome you. It is so good and friendly +in you to come in this informal way to cheer me under this terrible +anxiety. Let me present you to my kind friend, the Countess of +Aresfield, who has been so good as to come in to-day to sustain +my spirits. Colonel Mar you know already. Pray be seated. +Amyas--Archer--chairs. Let Syphax give you a cup of chocolate.” + +“Madam,” said the Major, disregarding all this and standing as if on +parade, “can I see you alone? My business is urgent.” + +“No evil news, I trust! I have undergone such frightful shocks of late, +my constitution is well nigh ruined.” + +“It is I that have to ask news of you madam.” + +She saw that, if she trifled with him, something would break out that +she would not wish to have said publicly. “My time is so little my own,” + she said, “I am under command to be at the Palace by two o’clock, but in +a few minutes I shall be able to dismiss my tormentor, and then, till +my woman comes to dress me, I shall be at your service. Sit down, I +entreat, and take some chocolate. I know Mrs. Betty is an excellent +housekeeper, and I want her opinion. My dear Lady Aresfield, suffer me +to introduce my estimable cousin, Mrs. Betty Delavie.” + +The Countess looking in her feathers and powder like a beetroot in white +sauce, favoured Betty with a broad stare. Vulgarity was very vulgar in +those days, especially when it had purchased rank, and thought manners +might be dispensed with. Betty sat down, and Amoret climbed on her lap, +while a diversion was made by Archer’s imperious entreaty that his mamma +would purchase a mandarin who not only nodded, but waved his hands and +protruded his tongue. + +Then ensued what seemed, to the sickening suspense of the two Delavies, +a senseless Babel of tongues on all sides; but it ended in the _friseur_ +putting up his implements, the trades-folk leaving the selected goods +unpaid for, and the poor poet bowing himself within reach of the monkey, +who made a clutch at his MS., chattered over it, and tore it into +fragments. There was a peal of mirth--loudest from Lady Aresfield--but +Sir Amyas sprang forward with gentlemanly regrets, apologies, and +excuses, finally opening the door and following the poor man out of the +room to administer the guinea from his own pocket, while Colonel Mar +exclaimed, “Here, Archer, boy, run after him with this. The poor devil +has won it by producing a smile from those divine lips--such as his +jungle might never have done---” + +“Fie! fie! Mar,” said the Lady, shaking her fan at him, “the child will +repeat it to him.” + +“The better sport if he do,” said Colonel Mar, carelessly; “he may term +himself a very Orpheus charming the beasts, so that they snatch his +poems from him!” + +Then, as Sir Amyas returned, Lady Belamour entreated her dear Countess +to allow him to conduct her to the withdrawing room, and there endeavour +to entertain her. The Colonel could not but follow, and the Major and +Betty found themselves at length alone with her Ladyship. + +“I trust you have come to relieve my mind as to our poor runaway,” she +began. + +“Would to Heaven I could!” said the Major. + +“Good Heavens! Then she has never reached you!” + +“Certainly not. + +“Nor her sister? Oh, surely she is with her sister!” + +“No, madam, her sisters knows nothing of her. Cousin, you have children +of your own! I entreat of you to tell me what you have done with her.” + +“How should I have done anything with her? I who have been feeding all +this time on the assurance that she had returned to you.” + +“How could a child like her do so?” + +“We know she had money,” said Lady Belamour. + +“And we know,” said Betty, fixing her eyes on the lady, “that though she +escaped, on the first alarm, as far as Sedhurst, and was there seen, +she had decided on returning to Bowstead and giving herself up to you +Ladyship.” + +“Indeed? At what time was that?” exclaimed my Lady. + +“Some time in the afternoon of Sunday!” + +“Ah! then I must have left Bowstead. I was pledged to her Majesty’s +card-table, and royal commands cannot be disregarded, so I had to +go away in grievous anxiety for my poor boy. She meant to return to +Bowstead, did she? Ah. Does not an idea strike you that old Amyas +Belamour may know more than he confesses! He has been playing a double +game throughout.” + +“He is as anxious to find the dear girl as we are madam.” + +“So he may seem to you and to my poor infatuated boy, but you see those +crazed persons are full of strange devices and secrets, as indeed we +have already experienced. I see what you would say; he may appear sane +and plausible enough to a stranger, but to those who have known him +ever since his misfortunes, the truth is but too plain. He was harmless +enough as long as he was content to remain secluded in his dark chamber, +but now that I hear he has broken loose, Heaven knows what mischief he +may do. My dear cousin Delavie, you are the prop left to me in these +troubles, with my poor good man in the hands of those cruel pirates, +who may be making him work in chains for all I know,” and the tears came +into her beautiful eyes. + +“They will not do that,” said Major Delavie, eager to reassure her; “I +have heard enough of their tricks to know that they keep such game as he +most carefully till they can get a ransom.” + +“Your are sure of that!” + +“Perfectly. I met an Italian fellow at Vienna who told me how it was all +managed by the Genoese bankers.” + +“Ah! I was just thinking that you would be the only person who could be +of use--you who know foreign languages and all their ways. If you could +go abroad, and arrange it for me!” + +“If my daughter were restored---” began the Major. + +“I see what you would say, and I am convinced that the first step +towards the discovery would be to put Mr. Belamour under restraint, and +separate his black from him. Then one or other of them would speak, and +we might know how she has been played upon.” + +“What does your Ladyship suppose then?” asked the Major. + +“This is what I imagine. The poor silly maid repents herself and comes +back in search of me. Would that she had found me, her best friend! But +instead of that, she falls in with old Belamour, and he, having by this +time perceived the danger of the perilous masquerade in which he had +involved my unlucky boy, a minor, has mewed her up somewhere, till the +cry should be over.” + +“That would be the part of a villain, but scarcely of a madman,” said +Betty dryly. + +“My dear cousin Betty, there are lunatics endowed with a marvellous +shrewdness to commit senseless villanies, and to put on a specious +seeming. Depend upon it, my unfortunate brother-in-law’s wanderings at +night were not solely spent in communings with the trees and brooks. Who +knows what might be discovered if he were under proper restraint? And it +is to you, the only relation I have, that I must turn for assistance in +my most unhappy circumstances,” she added, wit a glance so full of sweet +helplessness that no man could withstand it. “I am so glad you are here. +You will be acting for me as well as for yourself in endeavouring to +find your poor lovely child, and the first thing I would have done would +be to separate Belamour and his black, put them under restraint, and +interrogate them separately. You could easily get an order from a +magistrate. But ah, here comes my woman. No more now. You will come to +me this evening, and we can talk further on this matter. I shall have +some company, and it will not be a regular rout, only a few card-tables, +and a little dancing for the young people.” + +“Your ladyship must excuse me,” said Betty, “I have no dress to appear +in, even if I had spirits for the company.” + +“Ah! my dear cousin, how do you think it is with my spirits? Yet I think +it my duty not to allow myself to be moped, but to exert myself for the +interest of my son. While as to dress, my woman can direct you to the +milliner who would equip you in the last mode. What, still obstinate? +Nay, then, Harry, I can take no excuse from you, and I may have been +able to collect some intelligence from the servants.” + +Nothing remained but to take leave and walk home, the Major observing-- + +“Well, what think you of that, Betty?” + +“Think, sir?--I think it is not for my lady to talk of villains.” + +“She is in absolute error respecting Belamour; but then she has not seen +him since his recovery. Women are prone to those fancies, and in her +unprotected state, poor thing, no wonder she takes alarms.” + +“I should have thought her rather over-protected.” + +“Now, Betty, you need not take a leaf out of Mrs. Duckworth’s book, and +begin to be censorious. You saw how relieved she was to have me, her own +blood relation, to turn to, instead of that empty braggart of a fellow. +Besides, a man does not bring his step-mother when there’s anything +amiss.” + +There was something in this argument, and Betty held her peace, knowing +that to censure my Lady only incited her father to defend her. + +For her own part her consternation was great, and she walked on in +silence, only speaking again to acquiesce in her father’s observation +that they must say nothing to Mr. Belamour of my Lady’s plans for his +seclusion. + +They found Mr. Belamour in the square parlour of the Royal York, having +sent Eugene out for a walk with Jumbo. The boy’s return in the most +eager state of excitement at the shops, the horses, sedans, and other +wonders, did something, together with dinner, to wile away the weary +time till, about three hours after the Major and his daughter had +returned, they were joined by the young baronet, who came running up the +stairs with a good deal more impetuosity than he would have permitted +himself at home. + +“At last I have escaped,” he said. “I fear you have waited long for me?” + +“I have been hoping you had discovered some indications,” said the +Major. + +“Alas, no! I should imagine my Lady as ignorant as we are, save for one +thing.” + +“And that was---?” + +“The pains that were taken to prevent my speaking with any of the +servants. I was forced to attend on that harridan, Lady Aresfield, till +my mother sent for me; and then she made Mar absolutely watch me off the +premises. Then I had to go and report myself at head-quarters, and see +the surgeon, so that there may be no colour of irregularity for the +Colonel to take advantage of.” + +“Right, right!” said the Major; “do not let him get a handle +against you, though I should not call you fit for duty yet, even for +holiday-work like yours.” + +“You still suspect that your mother knows where our Aurelia is?” said +Betty. “When I think of her demeanour, I can hardly believe it! But did +you hear nothing of your little sisters?” + +“I did not ask. In truth I was confounded by a proposal that was made to +me. If I will immediately marry my mother’s darling, Lady Belle, I may +have leave of absence from her and my regiment, both at once, and go to +meet Mr. Wayland if I like, or at any rate make the grand tour, while +they try to break in my charming bride for me. Of course I said that, +being a married man, nothing should induce me to break the law, nor to +put any lady in such a position; and equally, of course, I was shown a +lawyer’s opinion that the transaction was invalid.” + +“As I always believed,” said his uncle. “The ceremony must be repeated +when we find her: though even if you were willing, the other parties are +very ill-advised to press for a marriage without judgment first being +delivered, how far the present is binding. So she wants to send you off +on your travels, does she?” + +“She wishes me to go and arrange for her husband’s ransom,” said the +Major. “I would be ready enough were my child only found, but I believe +government would take it up, he being on his Majesty’s service.” + +“It is a mere device for disposing of you--yes, and of my nephew too,” + said Mr. Belamour. “As for me, we know already her kind plans for +putting me out of reach of interference. I see, she communicated them +to you. Did she ask your cooperation, Major? Ah! certainly, an ingenious +plan for disuniting us. I am the more convinced that she is well aware +of where the poor child is, and that she wishes to be speedy in her +measures.” + +There is no need to describe the half-frantic vehemence of the young +lover, nor the way in which the father and sister tried to moderate his +transports, though no less wretched themselves. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. THE ROUT. + + + Great troups of people travelled thitherward + Both day and night, of each degree and place.--SPENSER. + + +Much against their will, Major Delavie and his _soi-disant_ son-in-law +set forth for Lady Belamour’s entertainment, thinking no opportunity of +collecting intelligence was to be despised; while she probably wished to +obviate all reports of a misunderstanding as well as to keep them under +her own eye. + +The reception rooms were less adorned than the lady’s private apartment. +There were pictures on the walls, and long ranks of chairs ranged round, +and card-tables were set out in order. The ladies sat in rows, and the +gentlemen stood in knots and talked, all in full dress, resplendent +figures in brilliant velvet, gold lace, and embroidery, with swords by +their sides, cocked hats, edged with gold or silver lace, under their +arms, and gemmed shoe buckles. The order of creation was not yet +reversed; the male creature was quite as gorgeous in colour and ornament +as the female, who sat in her brocade, powder and patches, fan in hand, +to receive the homage of his snuff-box. + +Sir Amyas went the round, giving and returning greetings, which were +bestowed on him with an ardour sufficient to prove that he was a general +favourite. His mother, exquisitely dressed in a rich rose-coloured +velvet train, over a creamy satin petticoat, both exquisitely +embroidered, sailed up with a cordial greeting to her good cousin, and +wanted to set him down to loo or ombre; but the veteran knew too well +what the play in her house was, and saw, moreover, Lady Aresfield +sitting like a harpy before the green baize field of her spoils. While +he was refusing, Sir Amyas returned to him, saying, “Sir, here is a +gentleman whom I think you must have known in Flanders;” and the Major +found himself shaking hands with an old comrade. Save for his heavy +heart, he would been extremely happy in the ensuing conversation. + +In the meantime Lady Belamour, turning towards a stout, clumsy, short +girl, her intensely red cheeks and huge black eyes staring out of her +powder, while the extreme costliness of her crimson satin dress, and +profusion of her rubies were ridiculous on the unformed person of a +creature scarcely fifteen. If she had been any one else she would have +been a hideous spectacle in the eyes of the exquisitely tasteful Lady +Belamour, who, detecting the expression in her son’s eye, whispered +behind her fan, “We will soon set all that right;” then aloud, “My son +cannot recover from his surprise. He did not imagine that we could steal +you for an evening from Queen’s Square to procure him this delight.” + Then as Sir Amyas bowed, “The Yellow Room is cleared for dancing. Lady +Belle will favour you, Amyas.” + +“You must excuse me, madam,” he said; “I have not yet the free use of my +arm, and could not acquit myself properly in a minuet.” + +“I hate minuets,” returned Lady Belle; “the very notion gives me the +spleen.” + +“Ah, pretty heretic!” said my Lady, making a playful gesture with her +fan at the peony-coloured cheek. “I meant this wounded knight to have +converted you, but he must amuse you otherwise. What, my Lord I thought +you knew I never meant to dance again. Cannot you open the dance without +me? I, who have no spirits!” + +The rest was lost as she sailed away on the arm of a gentleman in a +turquoise-coloured coat, and waistcoat embroidered with gillyflowers; +leaving the Lady Arabella on the hands of her son, who, neither as host +nor gentleman, could escape, until the young lady had found some other +companion. He stiffly and wearily addressed to her the inquiry how she +liked London. + +“I should like it monstrously if I were not moped up in school,” she +answered. “So you have come back. How did you hurt your arm?” she said, +in the most provincial of dialects. + +“In the fire, madam.” + +“What? In snatching your innamorata from the flames?” + +“Not precisely,” he said. + +“Come, now, tell me; did she set the room a-fire?” demanded the young +lady. “Oh, you need not think to deceive me. My brother Mar’s coachman +told my mamma’s woman all about it, and how she was locked up and ran +away; but they have her fast enough now, after all her tricks!” + +“Who have? For pity’s sake tell me, Lady Belle!” + +Loving to tease, she exclaimed: “There, now, what a work to make about a +white-faced little rustic!” + +“Your ladyship has not seen her.” + +“Have I not, though? I don’t admire your taste.” + +“Is she in Queen’s Square?” + +“Do not you wish me to tell you where you can find your old faded doll, +with a waist just like a wasp, and an old blue sacque--not a bit of +powder in her hair?” + +“Lady Belle, if you would have me for ever beholden to you---” + +“The cap fits,” she cried, clapping her hands. “Not a word to say for +her! I would not have such a beau for the world.” + +“When I have found her it will be time to defend her beauty! If your +ladyship would only tell me where she is, you know not what gratitude I +should feel!” + +“I dare say, but that’s my secret. My mamma and yours would be ready to +kill me with rage if they knew I had let out even so much.” + +“They would forgive you. Come, Lady Belle, think of her brave old +father, and give some clue to finding her. Where is she?” + +“Ah! where you will never get at her!” + +“Is she at Queen’s Square?” + +“What would you do if you thought she was? Get a constable and come and +search? Oh, what a rage Madam would be in! Goodness me, what sport!” + and she fell back in a violent giggling fit; but the two matrons were so +delighted to see the young people talking to one another, that there +was no attempt to repress her. Sir Amyas made another attempt to elicit +whether Aurelia were really at the school in Queen’s Square, but Lady +Arabella still refused to answer directly. Then he tried the expedient +of declaring that she was only trying to tease him, and had not really +seen the lady. He pretended not to believe her, but when she insisted, +“Hair just the colour of Lady Belamour’s,” his incredulity vanished; but +on his next entreaty, she put on a sly look imitated from the evil +world in which she lived, and declared she should not encourage naughty +doings. The youth, who though four years older, was by far the more +simple and innocent of the two, replied with great gravity, “It is the +Lady Belamour, my own wife, that I am seeking.” + +“That’s just the nonsense she talks!” + +“For Heaven’s sake, what did she say?” + +But Belle was tired of her game, and threw herself boisterously on a +young lady who had the “sweetest enamel necklace in the world,” and +whose ornaments she began to handle and admire in true spoilt-child +fashion. + +Sir Amyas then betook himself to the Major, who saw at once by his +eye and step that something was gained. They took leave together, Lady +Belamour making a hurried lamentation that she had seen so little of her +dear cousin, but accepting her son’s excuse that he must return to his +quarters; and they walked away together escorted by Palmer and Grey, as +well as by two link-boys, summer night though it was. + +Sir Amyas repaired first to the hotel, where Mr. Belamour and Betty were +still sitting, for even the fashionable world kept comparatively early +hours, and it was not yet eleven o’clock. The parlor where they sat was +nearly dark, one candle out and the other shaded so as to produce the +dimness which Mr. Belamour still preferred, and they were sitting on +either side of the open window, Betty listening to her companion’s +reminiscences of the evenings enlivened by poor Aurelia, and of the +many traits of her goodness, sweet temper, and intelligence which he had +stored up in his mind. He had, he said, already learned through her to +know Miss Delavie, and he declared that the voices of the sisters were +so much alike that he could have believed himself at Bowstead with the +gentle visitor who had brought him new life. + +The tidings of Lady Arabella’s secret were eagerly listened to, and the +token of the mouse-coloured hair was accepted; Sir Amyas comparing, to +every one’s satisfaction, a certain lock that he bore on a chain next +his heart, and a little knot, surrounded with diamonds, in a ring, which +he had been still wearing from force of habit, though he declared he +should never endure to do so again. + +It was evident that Lady Belle had really seen Aurelia; and where could +that have been save at the famous boarding-school in Queen’s Square, +where the daughters of “the great” were trained in the accomplishments +of the day? The Major, with rising hopes, declared that he had always +maintained that his cousin meant no ill by his daughter, and though it +had been cruel, not to say worse, in her, to deny all knowledge of the +fugitive, yet women would have their strange ways. + +“That is very hard on us women, sir,” said Betty. + +“Ah! my dear, poor Urania never had such a mother as you, and she has +lived in the great world besides, and that’s a bad school. You will not +take our Aurelia much into it, my dear boy,” he added, turning wistfully +to Sir Amyas. + +“I would not let a breath blow on her that could touch the bloom of her +charming frank innocence,” cried the lad. “But think you she can be in +health? Lady Belle spoke of her being pale!” + +“Look at my young lady herself!” said the Major, which made them all +laugh. They were full of hope. The Major and his daughter would go +themselves the next day, and a father’s claim could not be refused even +though not enforced according to Lady Arabella’s desire. + +Their coach--for so Sir Amyas insisted on their going--was at the door +at the earliest possible moment that a school for young ladies could be +supposed to be astir; long before Mr. Belamour was up, for he retained +his old habits so much that it was only on great occasions the he rose +before noon; and while Eugene, under the care of Jumbo and Grey, was +going off in great felicity to see the morning parade in St. James’s +Park. + +One of the expedients of well-born Huguenot refugees had been tuition, +and Madame d’Elmar had made here boarding-school so popular and +fashionable that a second generation still maintained its fame, and +damsels of the highest rank were sent there to learn French, to play the +spinnet, to embroider, to dance, and to get into a carriage with grace. +It was only countrified misses, bred by old-fashioned scholars, +who attempted to go any farther, such as that _lusus naturae_, Miss +Elizabeth Carter, who knew seven languages, or the Bishop of Oxford’s +niece, Catherine Talbot, who even painted natural flowers and wrote +meditations! The education Aurelia Delavie had received over her Homer +and Racine would be smiled at as quite superfluous. + +There was no difficulty about admission. The coach with its Belamour +trappings was a warrant of admittance. The father and daughter were +shown into a parlour with a print of Marshal Schomberg over the +mantelpiece, and wonderful performances in tapestry work and embroidery +on every available chair, as well as framed upon the wainscoted walls. + +A little lady, more French than English, moving like a perfectly wound +up piece of mechanism, all but her bright little eyes, appeared at their +request to see Madame. It had been agreed before-hand that the Major +should betray neither doubt nor difficulty, but simply say that he had +come up from the country and wished to see his daughter. + +Madame, in perfectly good English, excused herself, but begged to hear +the name again. + +There must be some error, no young lady of the name of Delavie was +there. + +They looked at one another, then Betty asked, “Has not a young lady been +placed here by Lady Belamour?” + +“No, madam, Lady Belamour once requested me to receive her twin +daughters, but they were mere infants; I receive none under twelve year +old.” + +“My good lady,” cried the Major, “if you are denying my daughter to me, +pray consider what you are doing. I am her own father, and whatever Lady +Belamour may tell you, I can enforce my claim.” + +“I am not in the habit of having my word doubted, sir,” and the little +lady drew herself up like a true Gascon baroness, as she was. + +“Madam, forgive me, I am in terrible perplexity and distress. My poor +child, who was under Lady Belamour’s charge, has been lost to us these +three weeks or more, and we have been told that she has been seen here.” + +“Thus,” said Betty, seeing that the lady still needed to be appeased, +“we thought Lady Belamour might have deceived you as well as others.” + +“May I ask who said the young lady had been seen here?” asked the +mistress coldly. + +“It was Lady Arabella Mar,” said Betty, “and, justly speaking, I believe +she did not say it was here that my poor sister was seen, but that she +had seen her, and we drew the conclusion that it was here.” + +“My Lady Arabella Mar is too often taken out by my Lady Countess,” said +Madame d’Elmar. + +“Could I see her? Perhaps she would tell me where she saw my dear +sister?” said Betty. + +“She went to a rout last evening and has not returned,” was the reply. +“Indeed my lady, her mother, spoke as if she might never come back, her +marriage being on the _tapis_. Indeed, sir, indeed, madam, I should +most gladly assist you,” she said as a gesture of bitter grief and +disappointment passed between father and daughter, both of whom were +evidently persons of condition. “If it will be any satisfaction to the +lady to see all my pupils, I will conduct her through my establishment.” + +Betty caught at this, though there was no doubt that the mistress was +speaking in good faith. She was led to a large empty room, where a +dozen young ladies were drawn up awaiting the dancing master--girls +from fourteen to seventeen, the elder ones in mob caps, those with more +pretensions to fashion, with loose hair. Their twelve curtsies were +made, their twenty-four eyes peeped more or less through their lashes at +the visitor, but no such soft brown eyes as Aurelia’s were among them. + +“Madame,” said Betty, “may I be permitted to ask the ladies a question?” + She spoke it low, and in French, and her excellent accent won Madame’s +heart at once. Only Madame trusted to Mademoiselle’s discretion not to +put mysteries into their minds, or they would be all _tete montee_. + +So, as discretely as the occasion would permit, Betty asked whether any +one had seen or heard Lady Belle speak of having seen any one--a young +lady? + +Half-a-dozen tongues broke out, “We thought it all Lady Belle’s +whimsical secrets,” and as many stories were beginning, but Madame’s +awful little hand waved silence, as she said, “Speak then, Miss +Staunton.” + +“I know none of Lady Belle’s secrets, ma’am--ask Miss Howard.” + +Miss Howard looked sulky; and a little eager, black-eyed thing cried, +“She said it was an odious girl whom Lady Belamour keeps shut up in a +great dungeon of an old house, and is going to send beyond seas, because +she married two men at once in disguise.” + +“Fie, Miss Crawford, you know nothing about it.” + +“You told me so, yourself, Miss Howard.” + +“I never said anything so foolish.” + +“Hush, young ladies,” said Madame. “Miss Howard, if you know anything, I +request you to speak.” + +“It would be a great kindness,” said Betty. “Might I ask the favour of +seeing Miss Howard in private?” + +Madame consented, and Miss Howard followed Betty out of hearing, +muttering that Belle would fly at her for betraying her. + +“I do not like asking you to betray your friend’s confidence,” said +Betty. + +“Oh, as to that, I’m not her friend, and I believe she has talked to a +half-a-dozen more.” + +“I am this poor young lady’s sister,” said Betty. “We are afraid she +has fallen into unkind hands; and I should be very thankful if you could +help me to find her. Where do you think Lady Belle saw her?” + +“I thought it was in some old house in Hertfordshire,” said Miss Howard, +more readily, “but I am not sure; for it was last Sunday, which she +spent with her mamma. She came back and made it a great secret that +she had seen the girl that had taken in Sir Amyas Belamour, who was +contracted to herself, to marry him and his uncle both at once in +disguise, and then had set the house a-fire. Belle had got some one to +let her see the girl, and then she went on about her being not pretty.” + +“What did she say about sending her beyond seas?” + +“Oh! that Miss Crawford made up. She told me that they were going to +find a husband for her such as a low creature like that deserved. And +she protests she is to be married to Sir Amyas very soon, and come back +here while he makes the grand tour. I hope she won’t. She will have more +spiteful ways than ever.” + +This was all that Betty could extract. She saw Miss Crawford alone, but +her tiding melted into the vaguest second-hand hearsay. The inquiry had +only produced a fresh anxiety. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. A BLACK BLONDEL. + + + And to the castle gate approached in quiet wise, + Whereat soft knocking, entrance he desired. + SPENSER. + + +“Nephew, is Delavie House inhabited?” inquired Mr. Belamour, as the +baffled seekers sat together that evening. + +“No, sir,” replied Sir Amyas. “My Lady will only lease it to persons of +quality, on such high terms that she cannot obtain them for a house in +so antiquated a neighbourhood. Oh, you do not think it possible that my +dearest life can be in captivity so near us! An old house! On my soul, +so it must be; I will go thither instantly.” + +“And be taken for a Mohock! No, no, sit down, rash youth, and tell me +who keeps the house.” + +“One Madge, an old woman as sour as vinegar, who snarled at me like a +toothless cur when I once went there to find an old fowling-piece of my +father’s.” + +“Then you ar the last person who should show yourself there, since there +are sure to be strict charges against admitting you, and you would only +put the garrison on the alert. You had better let the reconnoitring +party consist of Jumbo and myself.” + +The ensuing day was Sunday. Something was said of St. Paul’s, then in +bloom of youth and the wonder of England; but Betty declared that she +could not run about to see fine churches till her mind was at ease about +her poor sister. Might she only go to the nearest and quietest church? +So she, with her father and Eugene, repaired to St. Clement Danes, where +their landlord possessed a solid oak pew, and they heard a sermon on the +wickedness and presumption of inoculating for the small-pox. + +It was not a genteel neighbourhood, and the congregation was therefore +large, for the substantial tradesfolk who had poured into the Strand +since it had been rebuilt were far more religiously disposed than the +fashionable world, retaining either the Puritan zeal, or the High Church +fervour, which were alike discouraged in the godless court. The Major +and his son and daughter were solitary units in the midst of the groups +of portly citizens, with soberly handsome wives, and gay sons and +daughters, who were exchanging greetings; and on their return to their +hotel, the Major betook himself to a pipe in the bar, and Eugene was +allowed to go for a walk in the park with Palmer, while Betty sat in her +own room with her Bible, striving to strengthen her assurance that +the innocent would never be forsaken. Indeed Mr. Belamour had much +strengthened her grounds of hope and comfort by his testimony to poor +Aurelia’s perfect guilelessness and simplicity throughout the affair. +Yet the echo of that girl’s chatter about Lady Belle’s rival being sent +beyond the sea would return upon her ominously, although it might be +mere exaggeration and misapprehension, like so much besides. + +A great clock, chiming one, warned her to repair to the sitting-room, +where she met Eugene, full of the unedifying spectacle of a fight +between two street lads. There had been a regular ring, and the boy had +been so much excited that Palmer had had much ado to bring him away. +Betty had scarcely hushed his eager communications and repaired his +toilette for dinner before Sir Amyas came in, having hurried away as +soon as possible after attending his men to and from church. + +“Sister,” he said, for so he insisted on calling Betty, “I really think +my uncle’s surmise may be right. I went home past Delavie House last +night, just to look at it, and there was--there really was, a light in +one of the windows on the first floor, which always used to be as black +as Erebus. I had much ado to keep myself from thundering at the gate. I +would have done so before now but for my uncle’s warning. Where can he +be?” + +The Major and Mr. Belamour here came in together, and the same torrent +was beginning to be poured forth, when the latter cut it short with, +“They are about to lay the cloth. Restrain yourself, my dear boy, or---” + and as at that moment the waiter entered, he went on with the utmost +readiness--“or, as it seems, the Queen of Hungary will never make good +her claims. Pray, sir,” turning to Major Delavie, “have you ever seen +these young Archduchesses whose pretensions seem likely to convulse the +continent to its centre?” + +The Major, with an effort to gather his attention, replied that he could +not remember; but Betty, with greater presence of mind, described how +she had admired the two sisters of Austria as little girls walking on +the Prater. Indeed she and Mr. Belamour contrived to keep up the ball +till the Major was roused into giving an opinion of Prussian discipline, +and to tell stories of Leopold of Dessau, Eugene, and Marlborough with +sufficient zest to drive the young baronet almost frantic, especially +as Jumbo, behind his master’s chair, was on the broad grin all the time, +and almost dancing in his shoes. Once he contrived to give an absolute +wink with one of his big black eyes; not, however, undetected, for Mr. +Belamour in a grave tone of reprimand ordered him off to fetch an ivory +toothpick-case. + +Not till the cloth had been remove, and dishes of early strawberries and +of biscuits, accompanied by bottles of port and claret, placed on the +table, and the servants had withdrawn, did Mr. Belamour observe, “I have +penetrated the outworks.” + +There was an outburst of inquiry and explanation, but he was not to be +prevented from telling the story in his own way. “I know the house well, +for my brother lived there the first years of his marriage, before you +came on the stage, young sir. Perhaps you do not know how to open the +door from without?” + +“Oh, sir, tell me the trick!” + +Mr. Belamour held up a small pass-key. There was a certain tone of +banter about him which almost drove his nephew wild, but greatly +reassured Miss Delavie. + +“Why--why keep me in torments, instead of taking me with you?” cried the +youth. + +“Because I wished my expedition to be no failure. I could not tell +whether my key, which I found with my watch and seals, would still +serve me. Ah! you look on fire; but remember the outworks are not the +citadel.” + +“For Heaven’s sake, sir, torture me not thus!” + +“I knew that to make my summons at the out gate would lead to a summary +denial by the sour porteress, so I experimented on the lock of the +little door into the lane, and admitted myself and Jumbo into the court; +but the great hall-door stood before me jealously closed, and the lower +windows were shut with shutters, so that all I could do was to cause +Jumbo to awake the echoes with a lusty peal on the knocker, which he +repeated at intervals, until there hobbled forth to open it a crone as +wrinkled and crabbed as one of Macbeth’s witches. I demanded whether my +Lady Belamour lived there. She croaked forth a negative sound, and had +nearly shut the door in my face, but I kept her in parley by protesting +that I had often visited my Lady there, and offering a crown-piece if +she would direct me to her.” + +“A crown! a kingdom, if she would bring us to the right one!” cried Sir +Amyas. + +“Of course she directed me to Hanover Square, and then, evidently +supposing there was something amiss with the great gates, she insisted +on coming to let me out, and securing them after me.” + +The youth gave a great groan, saying, “Excuse me, sir, but what are we +the better of that?” + +“Endure a little while, impatient swain, and you shall hear. I fancy +she recognised the Belamour Livery on Jumbo, for she hobbled by my side +maundering apologies about its being against orders to admit gentle or +simple, beast or body into the court, and that a poor woman could not +lose her place and the roof over her head. But mark me, while this +was passing, Jumbo, who had kept nearer the house whistling ‘The +Nightingale’ just above his breath, heard his name called, and presently +saw two little faces at an up-stairs window.” + +“My little sisters!” cried Sir Amyas. + +“Even so; and he believes he heard one of them call out, ‘Cousin, cousin +Aura, come and see Jumbo;’ but as the window was high up, I scarce +dare credit his ears rather than his imagination, and we were instantly +hustled away by the old woman, whose evident alarm is a further +presumption that the captive is there, since Faith and Hope scarce have +reached the years of being princesses immured in towers.” + +“It must be so,” said Betty; “it would explain Lady Belle’s having had +access to her! And now?” + +“Is it impossible to effect an entrance from the court and carry her +away?” asked Sir Amyas. + +“Entirely so,” said his uncle. “The only door into the court is fit to +stand a siege, and all the lower windows are barred and fastened with +shutters. The servants’ entrance is at the back towards the river, but +no doubt it is also guarded, and my key will not serve for it.” + +“I could get some sprightly fellow of ours to come disguised as Mohocks, +and break in,” proceeded the youth, eagerly. “Once in the court, trust +me for forcing my way to her.” + +“And getting lodged in Newgate for your pains, or tried by +court-martial,” said the Major. “No, when right is on our side, do +not let us make it wrong. Hush, Sir Amyas, it is I who must here act. +Whether you are her husband I do not know, I know that I am her father, +and to-morrow morning, as soon as a magistrate can be spoken with, +I shall go and demand a search warrant for the body of my daughter, +Aurelia Delavie.” + +“The body! Good Heavens, sir,” cried Betty. + +“Not without the sweet soul, my dear Miss Delavie,” said Mr. Belamour. +“Your excellent father has arrived at the only right and safe decision, +and provided no farther alarm is given, I think he may succeed. It is +scarcely probable that my Lady is in constant communication with her +stern porteress, and my person was evidently unknown. For her own +sake, as well as that of the small fee I dropped into her hand, she is +unlikely to report my reconnoissance.” + +Sir Amyas was frantic to go with his father-in-law, but both the elder +men justly thought that his ambiguous claims would but complicate the +matter. The landlord was consulted as to the acting magistrates of the +time, and gave two or three addresses. + +Another night of prayer, suspense, and hope for Betty’s sick heart. +Then, immediately after breakfast, the Major set forth, attended by +Palmer, long before Mr. Belamour had left his room, or the young baronet +could escape from his military duties. Being outside the City, +the Strand was under the jurisdiction of justices of the peace for +Middlesex, and they had so much more than they could do properly, that +some of them did it as little as possible. The first magistrate would +not see him, because it was too early to attend to business; the second +never heard matters at his private house, and referred him to the office +in Bow Street. In fact he would have been wiser to have gone thither at +first, but he had hoped to have saved time. He had to wait sitting on +a greasy chair when he could no longer stand, till case after case +was gone through, and when he finally had a hearing and applied for +a warrant to search for his daughter in Delavie House, there was much +surprise and reluctance to put such an insult on a lady of quality in +favour at Court. On his giving his reasons on oath for believing the +young lady to be there, the grounds of his belief seemed to shrink away, +so that the three magistrates held consultation whether the warrant +could be granted. Finally, after eying him all over, and asking him +where he had served, one of them, who had the air of having been in the +army, told him that in consideration of his being a gentleman of high +respectability who had served his country, they granted what he asked, +being assured that he would not make the accusation lightly. The reforms +made by Fielding had not yet begun, everybody had too much work, and the +poor Major had still some time to wait before an officer--tipstaff, as +he was called--could accompany him, so that it was past noon when, +off in the Bowstead carriage again, they went along the Strand, to a +high-walled court belonging to one of the old houses of the nobility, +most of which had perished in the fire of London. There was a +double-doored gateway, and after much thundering in vain, at which the +tipstaff, a red-nosed old soldier, waxed very irate, the old woman came +out in curtseying, crying, frightened humility, declaring that they +would find no one there--they might look if they would. + +So they drove over the paved road, crossing the pitched pebbles, the +door was unbarred, but no Aurelia sprang into her father’s arms. Only a +little terrier came barking out into the dismal paved hall. Into every +room they looked, the old woman asseverating denials that it was of no +use, they might see for themselves, that no one had been there for years +past. Full of emptiness, indeed, with faded grimy family portraits on +the walls, moth-eaten carpets and cushions, high-backed chairs with +worm-holes; and yet, somehow, there was one room that did look as if +it had recently been sat in. Two little stools were drawn up close to a +chair; the terrier poked and smelt about uneasily as though in search +of some one, and dragged out from under a couch a child’s ball which he +began to worry. On the carpet, too, were some fragments of bright fresh +embroidery silk, which the practiced eye of the constable noticed. “This +here was not left ten or a dozen years ago,” said he; and, extracting +the ball from the fangs of the dog, “No, and this ball ain’t ten year +old, neither. Come, Mother What’s’-name, it’s no good deceiving an +officer of the law; whose is this here ball?” + +“It’s the little misses. They’ve a bin here with their maid, but their +nurse have been and fetched ‘em away this morning, and a good riddance +too.” + +“Who was the maid?--on your oath!” + +“One Deborah Davis, a deaf woman, and pretty nigh a dumb one. She be +gone too.” + +Nor could the old woman tell where she was to be found. “My Lady’s woman +sent her in,” she said, “and she was glad enough to be rid of her.” + +“Come, now, my good woman, speak out, and it will be better for you,” + said the Major. “I know my daughter was here yesterday.” + +“And what do I know of where she be gone? She went off in a sedan-chair +this morning before seven o’clock, and if you was to put me to the rack +I couldn’t say no more.” + +As to which way or with whom she had gone, the old woman was, +apparently, really ignorant. + +The poor Major had to return home baffled and despairing, still taking +the tipstaff with him, in case, on consultation with Mr. Belamour, it +should be deemed expedient to storm Hanover Square itself, and examine +Lady Belamour and her servants upon oath. + +Behold, the parlour was empty. Even Betty and Eugene were absent. The +Major hastened to knock at Mr. Belamour’s door. There was no answer; and +when he knocked louder it was still in vain. He tried the door and +found it locked. Then he retreated to the sitting-room, rang, and made +inquiries of the waiter who answered the bell. + +Mr. Belamour had received a note at about ten o’clock, and had gone out +with him “in great disorder,” said the waiter. + +At the same moment there was a knock at the door, and a billet was +brought in from Lady Belamour. The Major tore it open and read:-- + + + “MY DEAR COUSIN, + + “I grieve for you, but my Suspicions were correct. We have all +been completely hoodwinked by that old Villain, my Brother-in-law. I +can give him no other Name, for his partial Aberration of Mind has only +sharpened his natural Cunning. Would you believe it? He had obtained +access to Delavie House, and had there hidden the unfortunate Object of +your Search, while he pretended to be assisting you, and this Morning +he carried her off in a Sedan. I have sent the good Doves to Bowstead in +case he should have the Assurance to return to his old Quarters, but I +suspect that they are on the Way to Dover. You had better consult with +Hargrave on the means of confirming the strange Marriage Ceremony that +has passed between them, since that affords the best Security for your +Daughter’s Maintenance and Reputation. Believe me, I share in your +Distress. Indeed I have so frightful a Megrim that I can scarcely tell +what I write, and I dare not admit you to-day. + + “I remain, + “Your loving and much-grieved Cousin, + “URANIA BELAMOUR.” + + +Poor Major! His horror, perplexity, and despair were indescribable. He +had one only hope--that Sir Amyas and Betty might be on the track. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. THE FIRST TASK. + + + After all these there marcht a most faire dame, + Led of two gryslie villains, th’ one Despight, + The other cleped Crueltie by name. + SPENSER. + + +The traces of occupation had not deceived Major Delavie; Aurelia had +been recently in Delavie House, and we must go back some way in our +narrative to her arrival there. + +She had, on her return from Sedhurst on that Sunday, reached Bowstead, +and entered by the lobby door just as Lady Belamour was coming down the +stairs only attended by her woman, and ready to get into the carriage +which waited at the hall door. + +Sinking on her knees before her with clasped hands, Aurelia exclaimed, +“O madam, I ought not to have come away. Here I am, do what you will +with me, but spare my father. He knew nothing of it. Only, for pity’s +sake, do not put me among the poor wicked creatures in gaol.” + +“Get into that carriage immediately, and you shall know by decision,” + said Lady Belamour, with icy frigidness, but not the same fierceness +as before; and Aurelia submissively obeyed, silenced by an imperious +gesture when she would have asked, “How is it with _him_?” whom she +durst not name. + +Lady Belamour waited a minute or two while sending Loveday on a last +message to the sick room, then entered the large deep carriage, signing +to her captive to take a corner where she could hardly be seen if any +one looked through the window. Loveday followed, the door was shut by a +strange servant, as it was in fact Lady Aresfield’s carriage, borrowed +both for the sake of speed, and of secrecy towards her own household. + +A few words passed by which Aurelia gathered something reassuring as +to the state of the patient, and then Lady Belamour turned on her, +demanding, “So, young miss, you tried to escape me! Where have you +been?” + +“Only as far as Sedhurst Church, madam. I would have gone home, but I +feared to bring trouble on my father, and I came back to implore you to +forgive.” + +There was no softening of the terrible, beautiful face before her, and +she durst put no objective case to her verb. However, the answer was +somewhat less dreadful than she had anticipated. + +“I have been shamefully duped,” said Lady Belamour, “but it is well that +it is no worse; nor shall I visit our offences on your father if you +show your penitence by absolute submission. The absurd ceremony you went +through was a mere mockery, and the old fool, Belamour, showed himself +crazed for consenting to such an improper frolic on the part of my son. +Whether your innocence be feigned or not, however, I cannot permit you +to go out of my custody until the foolish youth or yourself be properly +bestowed in marriage elsewhere. Meantime, you will remain where I +place you, and exactly fulfil my commands. Remember that any attempt to +communicate with any person outside the house will be followed by your +Father’s immediate dismissal.” + +“May I not let him know that I am safe?” + +“Certainly not; I will see to your father.” + +It was a period when great ladies did not scruple to scold at the top +of their voices, and sometimes proceed to blows, but Lady Belamour never +raised her low silvery tones, and thus increased the awfulness of her +wrath and the impressiveness of her determination. Face to face with +her, there were few who did not cower under her displeasure; and poor +Aurelia, resolute to endure for her father’s sake, could only promise +implicit obedience. + +She only guessed when the entered London by the louder rumbling, and for +one moment the coach paused as a horse was reined up near it, and with +plumed hat in hand the rider bent forward to the window, exclaiming, +“Successful, by all that is lovely! Captured, by Jove!” + +“You shall hear all another time,” said lady Belamour. “Let us go on +now.” + +They did so, but the horseman continued to flash across the windows, and +when the coach, after considerable delay, had entered the walled court, +rumbled over the pavement, and stopped before a closed door, he was +still there. When, after much thundering, the door was opened, Aurelia +had a moment’s glimpse of a splendid figure in gold and scarlet handing +out Lady Belamour, who stood talking with him on the steps of the house +for some moments. Then, shrugging his shoulders, he remounted, and +cantered off, after which my Lady signed to Aurelia to alight, and +followed her into the hall. + +“Madge,” said Lady Belamour to the witch-like old woman who had admitted +her, “this young lady is to remain here. You will open a bedroom and +sitting-room for her at the back of the house. Let her be properly cared +for, and go out in the court behind, but on no account approach the +front gates. Let no one know she is here.” + +Madge muttered some demands about supplies and payments, and Lady +Belamour waved her to settle them with Mrs. Loveday, turning meantime to +the prisoner and saying, “There, child, you are to remain here on +your good behaviour. Do your best to merit my good will, so that I may +overlook what is past. Recollect, the least attempt to escape, or to +hold intercourse with the young, or the old, fool, and it shall be the +worse with them and with your father.” + +Therewith she departed, followed by Loveday, leaving Aurelia standing in +the middle of the hall, the old hag gazing on her with a malignant +leer. “Ho! ho’! So that’s the way! He has begun that work early, has he? +What’s your name, my lass? Oh, you need give yourself airs! I cry you +mercy,” and she made a derisive curtsey. + +Poor Aurelia, pride had less to do with her silence than absolute +uncertainty what to call herself. The wedding ring was on her finger, +and she would not deny her marriage by calling herself Delavie, but +Belamour might be dangerous, and the prefix was likewise a difficulty, +so faltered, “You may call me Madam Aurelia.” + +“Madam Really. That’s a queer name, but it will serve while you are +here.” + +“Pray let me go to my room,” entreated the poor prisoner, who felt as +ineffable disgust at her jailor, and was becoming sensible to extreme +fatigue. + +“Your room, hey? D’ye think I keep rooms and beds as though this were +an inn, single-handed as I am? You must wait, unless you be too fine to +lend a hand.” + +“Anything will do,” said Aurelia, “if I may only rest. I would help, but +I am so much tired that I can hardly stand.” + +“My Lady has given it to you well, Mistress Really or Mistress Falsely, +which ever you may be,” mumbled Madge, perhaps in soliloquy, fumbling +at the lock of a room which at last she opened. It smelt very close and +fusty, and most of the furniture was heaped together under a cloth in +the midst, dimly visible by the light of a heart-shaped aperture in the +shutters. Unclosing one of the leaves, the old woman admitted enough +daylight to guide Aurelia to a couch against the wall, saying, “You can +wait there till I see to your bed. And you’ll be wanting supper too!” + she added in a tone of infinite disgust. + +“O never mind supper, if I can only go to bed,” sighed Aurelia, sinking +on the couch as the old woman hobbled off. Lassitude and exhaustion had +brought her to a state like annihilation--unable to think or guess, hope +or fear, with shoes hurting her footsore feet, a stiff dress cramping +her too much for sleep, and her weary aching eyes gathering a few +impressions in a passive way. On the walls hung dimly seen portraits +strangely familiar to her. The man in a green dressing gown with +floating hair had a face she knew; so had the lady in the yellow ruff. +And was that not the old crest, the Delavie butterfly, with the motto, +_Ma Vie et ma Mie_, carved on the mantelpiece? Thus she knew that +she must be in Delavie House, and felt somewhat less desolate as she +recognised several portraits as duplicates of those at the Great House +at Carminster, and thought they looked at her in pity with their eyes +like her father’s. The youngest son in the great family group was, as +she knew, an Amyas, and he put her in mind of her own. Oh, was he her +own, when she could not tell whether those great soft, dark-grey eyes +that looked so kindly on her had descended to the young baronet? She +hoped not, for Harriet and she had often agreed that they presaged the +fate of that gallant youth, who had been killed by Sir Bevil Grenville’s +side. He must have looked just as Sir Amyas did, lying senseless after +the hurt she had caused. + +No more definite nor useful thought passed through the brain of the +overwearied maiden as she rest on the couch, how long she knew not; but +it was growing dark by the time Madge returned with a guttering candle, +a cracked plate and wedge of greasy-looking pie, a piece of dry bread, +a pewter cup of small beer, and an impaired repulsive steel knife with +a rounded end, and fork with broken prong. The fact of this being steel +was not distressing to one who had never seen a silver fork, but the +condition of both made her shudder, and added to the sick sense of +exhaustion that destroyed her appetite. She took a little of the bread, +and, being parched with thirst, drank some of the beer before Madge came +back again. “Oh ho, you’re nice I see, my fine Dame Really!” + +“Thank you, indeed I can’t eat, I am so much tired,” said Aurelia +apologetically. + +“You’ll have to put up with what serves your betters, I can tell you,” + was all the reply she received. “Well be ye coming to your bed?” + +So up the creaking stairs she was guided to a room, very unlike that +fresh white bower at Bowstead, large, eerie, ghostly-looking, bare +save for a dark oak chest, and a bed of the same material, the posts +apparently absolute trees, squared and richly carved, and supporting a +solid wooden canopy with an immense boss as big as a cabbage, and carved +something like one, depending from the centre, as if to endanger the +head of the unwary, who should start up in bed. No means of ablution +were provided, and Aurelia felt so grimed and dusty that she ventured to +beg for an ewer and basin; but her amiable hostess snarled out that she +had enough to do without humouring fiddle-faddle whimsies, and that she +might wash at the pump if nothing else would serve her. + +Aurelia wished she had known this before going up stairs, and, worn out +as she was, the sense implanted by her mother that it was wicked to go +to sleep dirty, actually made her drag herself down to a grim little +scullery, where she was permitted to borrow a wooden bowl, since she +was too _nice_ forsooth to wash down stairs. She carried it up with a +considerable trouble more than half full, and a bit of yellow soap and +clean towel were likewise vouchsafed to her. The wash--perhaps because +of the infinite trouble it cost her--did her great good,--it gave her +energy to recollect her prayers and bring good angels about her. If this +had been her first plunge from home, when Jumbo’s violin had so scared +her, such a place as this would have almost killed her; but the peace +that had come to her in Sedhurst Church lingered still round her, and +as she climbed up into the lofty bed the verse sang in her ears “Love is +strong as death.” Whether Love Divine or human she did not ask herself, +but with the sense of soothing upon her, she slept--and slept as a +seventeen-years’-old frame will sleep after having been thirty-six hours +awake and afoot. + +When she awoke it was with the sense of some one being in the room. “O +gemini!” she heard, and starting up, only just avoiding the knob, she +saw Mrs. Loveday’s well-preserved brunette face gazing at her. + +“Your servant, ma’am,” she said. “You’ll excuse me if I speak with you +here, for I must be back by the time my Lady’s bell rings.” + +“Is it very late?” said Aurelia, taking from under her pillow her watch, +which had stopped long ago. + +“Nigh upon ten o’clock,” said Loveday. “I must not stay, but it is my +Lady’s wish that you should have all that is comformable, and you’ll let +me know how Madge behaves herself.” + +“Is there any news from Bowstead?” was all Aurelia could at first +demand. + +“Not yet; but bless you, my dear young lady, you had best put all that +matter out of your head for ever and a day. I know what these young +gentlemen are. They are not to be hearkened to one moment, not the best +of them. Let them be ever so much in earnest at the time, their parents +and guardians have the mastery of them sooner or later, and the farther +it has gone, the worse it is. I saw you lying asleep here looking so +innocent that it went to my heart, and I heard you mutter in your sleep +‘Love is strong as death,’ but that’s only a bit of some play-book, and +don’t you trust to it, for I never saw love that was stronger than a +spider’s web.” + +“Oh, hush, Mrs. Loveday. It is in the Bible!” + +“You don’t say so, ma’am,” the woman said awestruck. + +“I would show it you, only all my things are away. God is love, you +know,” said Aurelia, sitting up with clasped hands, “and He gives it, so +it must be strong.” + +“Well, all the love I’ve ever seen was more the devil’s,” said Loveday +truly enough; “and you’ll find it so if you mean to trust to these fine +young beaux and what they say.” + +Aurelia shook her head a little as she sat up in bed with her clasped +hands; and there was a look on her face that Mrs. Loveday did not +understand, as she went on with her advice. + +“So, my dear young lady, you see all that is left for you is to frame +your mind to keep close here, and conform to my Lady’s will till all is +blown over one way or another.” + +“I know that,” said Aurelia. + +“Don’t’ you do anything to anger her,” added the waiting-woman, “for +there’s no one who can stand against her; and I’ll speak up for you when +I can, for I know how to come round my Lady, if any one does. Tell me +what you want, and I’ll get it for you; but don’t try to get out, and +don’t send Madge, for she is not to be trusted with money. If I were +you, I’d not let her see that watch, and I’d lock my door at night. +You’re too innocent, whatever my Lady may say. Here’s half a pound of +tea and sugar, which you had best keep to yourself, and I’ve seen +to there being things decent down stairs. Tell me, my dear, is there +anything you want? Your clothes, did you say? Oh, yes, you shall have +them--yes, and your books. Here’s some warm water,” as a growling was +heard at the door; “I must not wait till you are dressed, but there’s a +box of shells down in your room that Mr. Wayland sent home for my Lady +to line a grotto with, and she wants them all sorted out. ‘Tell her she +must make herself of use if she wants to be forgiven,’ says my Lady, for +she is in a mighty hurry for them now she has heard of the Duchess of +Portland’s grotto; though she has let them lie here unpacked for this +half year and more. So if they are all done by night, maybe may Lady +will be pleased to let you have a bit more liberty.” + +Mrs. Loveday departed, having certainly cheered the captive, and Aurelia +rose, weary-limbed and sad-hearted, with a patient trust in her soul +that Love Divine would not fail her, and that earthly love would do its +best. + +She found matters improved in the down-stairs room, the furniture was in +order, a clean cloth on the table, a white roll, butter, and above all +clean bright implements, showing Mrs. Loveday’s influence. She ate and +drank like a hungry girl, washed up for herself rather than let Madge +touch anything she could help, and looked from the window into a +dull court of dreary, blighted-looking turf divided by flagged walks, +radiating from a statue in the middle, representing a Triton blowing a +conch--no doubt intended to spout water, for there was a stone trough +round him, but he had long forgotten his functions, and held a sparrow’s +nest with streaming straws in his hand. This must be the prison-yard, +where alone she might walk, since it lay at the back of the house; and +with a sense of depression she turned to the task that awaited her. + +A very large foreign-looking case had been partly opened, and when she +looked in she was appalled at the task to be accomplished in one day. +It was crammed with shells of every size and description, from the +large helmet-conch and Triton’s trumpet, down to the tiny pink cowry +and rice-volute, all stuffed together without arrangement or packing, +forming a mass in which the unbroken shells reposed in a kind of sand, +of _debris_ ground together out of the victims; and when she took up a +tolerably-sized univalve, quantities of little ones came tumbling out +of its inner folds. She took up a handful, and presently picked out +one perfect valve like a rose petal, three fairy cups of limpets, four +ribbed cowries, and a thing like a green pea. Of course she knew no +names, but a kind of interest was awakened by the beauty and variety +before her. A pile of papers had been provided, and the housewife [a +pocket-size container for small articles (as thread)--D.L.] which Betty +made her always carry in her pocket furnished wherewithal to make up a +number of bags for the lesser sorts; and she went to work, her troubles +somewhat beguiled by the novel beauties of each delicate creature +she disinterred, but remembering with a pang how, if she could have +described them to Mr. Belamour, he would have discoursed upon the Order +of Nature. + +London noises were not the continuous roar of vehicles of the present +day, but there was sound enough to remind the country girl where she +was, and the street cries “Old Clothes!” “Sprats, oh!” “Sweep!” were +heard over the wall, sometimes with tumultuous voices that seemed +to enhance her loneliness, as she sat on the floor, hour after hour, +sifting out the entire shells, and feeling a languid pleasure in joining +the two halves of a bivalve, especially those lovely sunset shells that +have rosy rays diverging from their crimson hinge over their polished +surface, white, or just tinted with the hues of a daffodil sky. She +never clasped a pair together without a little half-uttered ejaculation, +“Oh, bring me and my dear young love thus together again!” And when she +found a couple making a perfect heart, and holding together through all, +she kissed it tenderly in the hope that thus it might be with her and +with him whose hand and whose voice returned on her, calling her his +dearest life! + +She durst only quit the shells to eat the dinner which Madge served at +one o’clock--a tolerable meal of slices of cold beef from a cook’s-shop, +but seasoned with sour looks and a murmur at ladies’ fancies. The +weariness and languor of the former day’s exertions made her for the +present disinclined to explore the house, even had she had time, and +when twilight came there could have been little but fragments at the +bottom of the case, though she could see no more to sort them. + +And what were these noises around her making her start? Rats! Yes, here +they were, venturing out from all the corners. They knew there had been +food in the room. This was why Madge had those to gaunt, weird-looking +cats in her kitchen! Aurelia went and sat on the step into the court to +be out of their way, but Madge hunted her in that the door might be shut +and barred; and when she returned trembling to the sitting room, she +heard such a scampering and a scrambling that she durst not enter, and +betook herself to her chamber and to bed. + +Alas! that was no refuge. She had been too much tired to hear anything +the night before, but to-night there was scratching, nibbling, +careering, fighting, squeaking, recoil and rally, charge and rout, as +the grey Hanover rat fought his successful battle with his black English +cousin all over the floors and stairs--nay, once or twice came rushing +up and over the bed--frightening its occupant almost out of her senses, +as she cowered under the bed-clothes, not at all sure that they would +not proceed to eating her. Happily daylight came early. Aurelia, at its +first ray, darted across the room, starting in horror when she touched +a soft thing with her bare foot, opened the shutter, and threw open the +casement. Light drove the enemy back to their holes, and she had a few +hours’ sleep, but when Mrs. Loveday came to the room when she was +nearly dressed, she exclaimed, “Why, miss, you look paler than you did +yesterday.” + +“The rats!” said Aurelia under her breath. + +“Ah! the rats! Of course they are bad enough in an old desolate place +like this. But you’ve done the shells right beautiful, that I will say; +and you may leave this house this very day if you will only give your +consent to what my Lady asks. You shall be sent down this very day to +Carminster, if so be you’ll give up that ring of yours, and sign a paper +giving up all claim to be married to his Honour. See, here it is, all +ready, in my Lady’s letter.” + +“I cannot,” said Aurelia, with her hands behind her. + +“You can read my Lady’s letter,” said Loveday; “that can do you no +harm.” + +Aurelia felt she must do that at least. + + + “CHILD, + + “I will overlook your Transgression on the One Condition, that +you sign this Paper and send it with your so-called Wedding Ring back +to me immediately. Otherwise you must take the Consequences, and remain +where you are till after my Son’s Marriage. + + “URANIA BELAMOUR.” + + +The paper was a formal renunciation of all rights or claims from the +fictitious marriage by which she had been deceived, and an absolute +pledge never to renew any contract with Sir Amyas Belamour, Knight +Baronet, who had grossly played on her. + +“No, I cannot,” said Aurelia, pushing it from her. + +“Indeed, miss, I would not persuade you to it if it were not for your +own good; but you may be sure it is no use holding out against her +Ladyship. If you sign it now, and give it up honourable, she will send +Mr. Dove home with you, and there you’ll be as if nothing had been +amiss, no one knowing nothing about it; but if you persist it will not +make the marriage a bit more true, and you will only be kept moped up in +this dismal place till his Honour is married, and there’s no saying what +worse my Lady may do to you.” + +Another night of rats came up before Aurelia’s imagination in contrast +with the tender welcome at home; but the white face and the tones that +had exclaimed, “Madam, what are you doing to my wife?” arose and forbade +her. She would not fail him. So she said firmly once more, “No, Mrs. +Loveday, I cannot. I do not know what lawyers may say, but I feel myself +bound to Sir Amyas, and I will not break my vow--God helping me,” she +added under breath. + +“You must write it to her ladyship then. She will never take such a +message through me. Here is paper and pen that I brought, in hopes that +you would be wise and submit for your honoured father’s sake.” + +“My father cannot be persecuted for what he has nothing to do with,” + said Aurelia, with the gentle dignity that had grown on her since her +troubles. And taking the pen, she wrote her simple refusal, signing it +Aurelia Belamour. + +“As you please, ma’am,” said Mrs. Loveday, “but I have my Lady’s orders +to bring this paper every day till you sign it, and it would be better +for you if you would do it at once.” + +Aurelia only shook her head, and asked if Mrs. Loveday had seen that she +had finished sorting the shells. Yes; and as she was now dressed they +went down together to the sitting-room. The shutters were still closed, +Madge would not put a hand to the room except on the compulsion, and +Aurelia’s enemies had left evidence of their work; not only was the +odour of the room like that of a barn, but the paper bags had in some +cases been bitten through, and the shells scattered about, and of the +loaf and butter which Aurelia had left on a high shelf in the cupboard +nothing remained but a few fragments. + +Loveday was very much shocked, all the more when Aurelia quietly said +she should not mind it so much if the rats would only stay down stairs, +and not run over her in bed. + +“Yet you will not sign the paper.” + +“I cannot,” again said Aurelia. + +“My stars, I never could abear rats! Why they fly at one’s throat +sometimes!” + +“I hope God will take care of me,” said Aurelia, in a trembling voice. +“He did last night.” + +Loveday began a formal leave-taking curtsey, but presently turned back. +“There now,” she said, “I cannot do it, I couldn’t sleep a wink for +thinking of you among the rats! Look here, I shall send a porter to +bring away those shells if you’ll make up their bags again that the +nasty vermin have eaten, and there’s a little terrier dog about the +place that no one will miss, he shall bring it down, and depend upon it, +the rats won’t venture near it.” + +“Oh! thank you, Mrs. Loveday, how good you are!” + +“Ah, don’t then! If you could say that my dear!” + +Mrs. Loveday hurried away, and after breakfasting, Aurelia repaired the +ravages of the rats, and made a last sorting of the residuum of shell +dust, discovering numerous minute beauties, which awoke in her the happy +thought of the Creator’s individual love. + +She had not yet finished before Madge’s voice was heard in querulous +anger, and a heavy tread came along with her. A big man, who could have +carried ten times the weight of the box of shells, came in with a little +white dog with black ears, under his arm. + +“There,” said the amiable guardian of the house, “that smart madam says +that it’s her ladyship’s pleasure you should have that little beast to +keep down the rats. As if my cats was not enough! But mind you, Madam +Really, if so be he meddles with my cats, it will be the worse for him.” + +The porter took up the box, and departed, and Aurelia was left with +her new companion sniffing all round the room, much excited by the +neighbourhood of his natural enemies. However, he obeyed her call, and +let her make friends, and read the name on the brass plate upon his +collar. When she read “Sir A. Belamour, Bart.,” she took the little dog +in her arms and kissed it’s white head. + +Being fairly rested, and having no task to accomplish, she felt the day +much longer, though less solitary, in the companionship of the dog, to +whom she whispered many fond compliments, and vain questions as to his +name. With him at her heels and Madge and her cats safely shut into the +kitchen, she took courage to wander about the dull court, and then to +explore the mansion and try to get a view from the higher windows, in +case they were not shuttered up like the lower ones. The emptiness +of Bowstead was nothing to this, and she smiled to herself at having +thought herself a prisoner there. + +Most of the rooms were completely dismantled, or had only ghastly rags +of torn leather or tapestry hanging to their walls. The upper windows, +however, were merely obscured by dust and cobwebs. Her own bedroom +windows only showed the tall front of an opposite house, but climbing +to the higher storey, she could see at the back over the garden wall +the broad sheet of the Thames, covered with boats and wherries, and the +banks provided with steps and stairs, at the opening of every street on +the opposite side, where she beheld a confused mass of trees, churches, +and houses. Nearer, the view to the westward was closed in by a stately +edifice which she did not know to be Somerset House; and from another +window on the east side of the house she saw, over numerous tiled +roofs, a gateway which she guessed to be Temple Bar, and a crowded +thoroughfare, where the people looked like ants, toiling towards the +great dome that rose in the misty distance. Was this the way she was to +see London? + +Coming down with a lagging step, she met Madge’s face peering up. +“Humph! there you be, my fine miss! No gaping after sweethearts from the +window, or it will be the worse for you.” + +The terrier growled, as having already adopted his young lady’s defence, +and Aurelia, dreading a perilous explosion of his zeal in her cause, +hurried him into her parlour. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. THE SECOND TASK. + + + Hope no more, + Since thou art furnished with hidden lore, + To ‘scape thy due reward if any day + Without some task accomplished passed away. + MOORE. + + +The little dog’s presence was a comfort, but his night of combat and +scuffling was not a restful one and the poor prisoner’s sickness of +heart and nervous terrors grew upon her every hour, with misgivings +lest she should be clinging to a shadow, and sacrificing her return to +Betty’s arms for a phantom. There were moments when her anguish of +vague terror and utter loneliness impelled her to long to sign her +renunciation that moment; and when she thought of recurring hours and +weeks of such days and such nights her spirit quailed within her, and +Loveday might have found her less calmly steadfast had she come in the +morning. + +She did not come, and this in itself was a disappointment, for at least +she brought a human voice and a pitying countenance which, temptress +though she might be, had helped to bear Aurelia through the first days. +Oh! could she but find anything to do! She had dusted her two rooms as +well as she could consistently with care for the dress she could not +change. She blamed herself extremely for having forgotten her Bible and +Prayer-book when hastily making up her bundle of necessaries, and though +there was little chance that Madge should possess either, or be able to +read, she nerved herself to ask. “Bible! what should ye want of a Bible, +unless to play the hypocrite? I hain’t got none!” was the reply. + +So Aurelia could only walk up and down the court trying to repeat the +Psalms, and afterwards the poetry she had learnt for Mr. Belamour’s +benefit, sometimes deriving comfort from the promises, but oftener +wondering whether he had indeed deserted her in anger at her distrustful +curiosity. She tried to scrape the mossgrown Triton, she crept up stairs +to the window that looked towards the City, and cleared off some of the +dimness, and she got a needle and thread and tried to darn the holes +in the curtains and cushions, but the rotten stuff crumbled under her +fingers, and would not hold the stitches. At last she found in a dusty +corner a boardless book with neither beginning nor end, being Defoe’s +_Plague of London_. She read and read with a horrid fascination, +believing every word of it, wondering whether this house could have been +infected, and at length feeling for the plague spot! + +A great church-clock enabled her to count the hours! Oh, how many there +were of them! How many more would there be? This was only her +second day, and deliverance could not come for weeks, were her young +husband--if husband he were--ever so faithful. How should she find +patience in this dreariness, interspersed with fits of alarm lest he +should be dangerously ill and suffering? She fell on her knees and +prayed for him and for herself! + +Here it was getting dark again, and Madge would hunt her in presently +and shut the shutters. Hark! what was that? A bell echoing over the +house! Madge came after her. “Where are you, my fine mistress! Go you +into the parlour, I say,” and she turned the key upon the prisoner, +whose heart beat like a bird fluttering in a cage. Suddenly her door was +opened, and in darted Fidelia and Lettice, who flung themselves upon her +with ecstatic shrieks of “Cousin Aura, dear cousin Aura!” Loveday was +behind, directing the bringing in of trunks from a hackney coach. All +she said was, “My Lady’s daughters are to be with you for the night, +madam; I must not say more, for her ladyship is waiting for me.” + +She was gone, while the three were still in the glad tangle of an +embrace beginning again and again, with all sorts of little exclamations +from the children, into which Aurelia broke with the inquiry for their +brother. “He is much better,” said Fay. “He is to get up to-morrow, and +then he will come and find you.” + +“Have you seen him?” + +“Oh, yes, and he says it is Sister Aura, and not Cousin Aura--” + +“My dear, dear little sisters--” and she hugged them again. + +“I was sitting upon his bed,” said Letty, “and we were all talking about +you when my Lady mamma came. Are mothers kinder than Lady mammas?” + +“Was she angry?” asked Aurelia. + +“Oh! she frightened me,” said Fay. “She said we were pert, forward +misses, and we must hold our tongues, for we should be whipped if we +ever said you name, Cousin--Sister Aura, again; and she would not let us +go to wish Brother Amyas good-bye this morning.” + +Aurelia’s heart could not but leap with joy that her tyrant should have +failed in carrying to Bowstead the renunciation of the marriage. Whether +Lady Belamour meant it or not, she had made resistance much easier by +the company of Faith and Hope, if only for a single night. She gathered +from their prattle that their mother, having found that their talk with +their brother was all of the one object of his thoughts, had carried +them off summarily, and had been since driving about London in search +of a school at which to leave them; but they were too young for Queen’s +Square, and there was no room at another house at which Lady Belamour +had applied. She would not take them home, being, of course, afraid of +their tongues, and in her perplexity had been reduced to letting them +share Aurelia’s captivity at least for the night. + +What joy it was! They said it was an ugly dark house, but Aurelia’s +presence was perfect content to them, and theirs was to her comparative +felicity, assuring her as they did, through their childish talk, of Sir +Amyas’s unbroken love and of Mr. Belamour’s endeavours to find her. What +mattered it that Madge was more offended than ever, and refused to make +the slightest exertion for “the Wayland brats at that time of night” + without warning. They had enough for supper, and if Aurelia had not, +their company was worth much more to her than a full meal. The terrier’s +rushes after rats were only diversion now, and when all three nestled +together in the big bed, the fun was more delightful than ever. Between +those soft caressing creatures Aurelia heard no rats, and could well +bear some kicks at night, and being drummed awake at some strange hour +in the morning. + +Mrs. Loveday arrive soon after the little party had gone down stairs. +She said the children were to remain until her ladyship had decided +where to send them; and she confirmed their report that his Honour +was recovering quickly. As soon as he was sufficiently well to leave +Bowstead he was to be brought to London, and married to Lady Arabella +before going abroad to make the grand tour; and as a true well-wisher, +Mrs. Loveday begged Miss Delavie not to hold out when it was of no use, +for her Ladyship declared that her contumacy would be the worse for +her. Aurelia’s garrison was, however, too well reinforced for any vague +alarms to shake even her out works, and she only smiled her refusal, as +in truth Mrs. Loveday must have expected, for it appeared that she had +secured a maid to attend on the prisoners; an extremely deaf woman, who +only spoke in the broken imperfect mode of those who have never heard +their own voice, deficiencies that made it possible that Madge would +keep the peace with her. + +Lady Belamour had also found another piece of work for Aurelia. A dark +cupboard was opened, revealing shelves piled with bundle of old letters +and papers. There was a family tradition that one of the ladies of the +Delavie family had been an attendant of Mary of Scotland for a short +time, and had received from her a recipe for preserving the complexion +and texture of the skin, devised by the French Court perfumer. Nobody +had ever seen this precious prescription; but it was presumed to be +in the archives of the family, and her ladyship sent word that if Miss +Delavie wished to deserve her favour she would put her French to some +account and discover it. + +A severe undertaking it was. Piles of yellow letters, files of dusty +accounts, multitudes of receipts, more than one old will had to be +conned it was possible to be certain they were not the nostrum. In the +utter solitude, even this occupation would have been valuable, but with +the little girls about her, and her own and their property, she had +alternative employments enough to make it an effort to apply herself to +this. + +Why should she? she asked herself more than once; but then came the +recollection that if she showed herself willing to obey and gratify my +Lady, it might gain her good will, and if Sir Amyas should indeed hold +out till Mr. Wayland came home--Her heart beat wildly at the vision of +hope. + +She worked principally at the letters, after the children had gone to +bed, taking a packet up stairs with her, and sitting in the bedroom, +deciphering them as best she might by the light of the candles that +Loveday had brought her. + +Every morning Loveday appeared with supplies, and messages from her +Ladyship, that it was time Miss submitted; but she was not at all +substantially unkind, and showed increasing interest in her captive, +though always impressing on her that her obstinacy was all in vain. My +Lady was angered enough at his Honour having got up from his sick bed +and gone off to Carminster, and if Miss did not wish to bring her father +into trouble she must yield. No, this gladdened rather than startled +Aurelia, though her heart sank within her when she was warned that Mr. +Wayland had been taken by the corsairs, so that my Lady would have +the ball at her own foot now. The term of waiting seemed indefinitely +prolonged. + +The confinement to the dingy house and courtyard was trying to all +three, who had been used to run about in the green park and breezy +fields; but Aurelia did her best to keep her little companions happy +and busy, and the sense of the insecurity of her tenure of their company +aided her the more to meet with good temper and sweetness the various +rubs incidental to their captivity in this close warm house in the +hottest of summer weather. The pang she had felt at her own fretfulness, +when she thought she had lost them, made her guard the more against +giving way to impatience if they were troublesome or hard to please. +Indeed, she was much more gentle and equable now, in the strength of +her resolution, than she had been when uplifted by her position, yet +doubtful of its mysteries. + +Sundays were the most trying time. The lack of occupation in the small +space was wearisome, and Aurelia’s heart often echoed the old strains of +Tate and Brady, + + I sigh whene’er my musing thoughts + Those happy days present, + When I with troops of pious friends + Thy temple did frequent. + +She and her charges climbed up to the window above, which happily had +a broken pane, tried to identify the chimes of the church bells by the +notable nursery rhyme, + + Oranges and lemons, + Say the bells of St. Clements, &c., + +watched the church-goers as far as they could see them, and then came +down to such reading of the service and other Sunday occupations +as Aurelia could devise. On the Sunday of her durance it was such +a broiling day that, unable to bear the heat of her parlour, she +established herself and her charges in a nook of the court, close under +the window, but shaded by the wall, which was covered with an immense +bush of overhanging ivy, and by the elm tree in the court. Here she made +Fay and Letty say their catechism, and the Psalm she had been teaching +them in the week, and then rewarded them with a Bible story, that of +Daniel in the den of lions. Once or twice the terrier (whose name she +had learnt was Bob) had pricked his ears, and the children had thought +there was a noise, but the sparrows in the ivy might be accountable for +a great deal, and the little ones were to much wrapped in her tale to be +attentive to anything else. + +“Then it came true!” said Letty. “His God Whom he trusted did deliver +him out of the den of lions?” + +“God always does deliver people when they trust Him,” said Fay, with +gleaming eyes. + +“Yes, one way or the other,” said Aurelia. + +“How do you think He will deliver us?” asked Letty; “for I am sure this +is a den, though there are no lions.” + +“I do not know how,” said Aurelia, “but I know He will bear us through +it as long as we trust Him and do nothing wrong,” and she looked up at +the bright sky with hope and strength in her face. + +“Hark! what’s that?” cried Letty, and Bob leapt up and barked as a great +sob became plainly audible, and within the room appeared Mrs. Loveday, +her face all over tears, which she was fast wiping away as she rose up +from crouching with her head against the window-sill. + +“I beg your pardon, ma’am,” said she, her voice still broken when she +rejoined them, “but I would not interrupt you, so I waited within; and +oh, it was so like my poor old mother at home, it quite overcame me! I +did not think there was anything so near the angels left on earth.” + +“Nay, Loveday,” said Fay, apprehending the words in a different sense, +“the angels are just as near us as ever they were to Daniel, only we +cannot see them. Are they not, Cousin Aura?” + +“Indeed they are, and we may be as sure that they will shut the lions’ +mouths,” said Aurelia. + +“Ah! may they,” sighed Loveday, who had by this time mastered her +agitation, and remembered that she must discharge herself of her +messages, and return hastily to my Lady’s toilette. + +“I have found the recipe,” said Aurelia. “Here it is.” And she put into +Loveday’s hand a yellow letter, bearing the title in scribbled writing, +“_Poure Embellire et blanchire la Pel, de part de Maistre Raoul, +Parfumeur de la Royne Catherine_.” + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. LIONS. + + + The helmet of darkness Pallas donned, + To hide her presence from the sight of man. + _Derby’s_ HOMER. + + +The next morning Loveday returned with orders from Lady Belamour that +Miss Delavie should translate the French recipe, and make a fair copy +of it. It was not an easy task, for the MS. was difficult and the French +old; whereas Aurelia lived on the modern side of the _Acadamie_, her +French was that of Fenelon and Racine. + +However, she went to work as best she could in her cool corner, guessing +at many of the words by lights derived from _Comenius_, and had just +made out that the chief ingredients were pounded pearls and rubies, +mixed with white of eggs laid by pullets under a year old, during the +waxing of the April moon, when she heard voices chattering in the hall, +and a girlish figure appeared in a light cloak and calash, whom Loveday +seemed to be guiding, and yet keeping as much repressed as she could. + +“Gracious Heavens!” were the first words to be distinguished; “what a +frightful old place; enough to make one die of the dismals! I won’t +live here when I’m married, I promise Sir Amyas! Bless me, is this the +wench?” + +“Your Ladyship promised to be careful,” entreated Loveday, while Aurelia +rose, with a graceful gesture of acknowledgment, which, however remained +unnoticed, the lady apparently considering herself unseen. + +“Who are these little girls?” asked she, in a giggling whisper. “Little +Waylands? Then it is true,” she cried, with a peal of shrill laughter. +“There are three of them, only Lady Belamour shuts them up like +kittens--I wonder she did not. Oh, what sport! Won’t I tease her now +that I know her secret!” + +“Your ladyship!” intreated Loveday in distress in an audible aside, “you +will undo me.” Then coming forward, she said, “You did not expect me +at this hour, madam; but if your French copy be finished, my Lady would +like to have it at once.” + +“I have written it out once as well as I could,” said Aurelia, “but I +have not translated it; I will find the copy.” + +She rose and found the stranger full before her in the doorway, gazing +at her with an enormous pair of sloe-black eyes, under heavy inky brows, +set in a hard, red-complexioned face. She burst into a loud, hoydenish +laugh as Loveday tried to stammer something about a friend of her own. + +“Never mind, the murder’s out, good Mrs. Abigail,” she cried, “it is +me. I was determined to see the wench that has made such a fool of young +Belamour. I vow I can’t guess what he means by it. Why, you are a poor +pale tallow-candle, without a bit of colour in your face. Look at me! +Shall you ever have such a complexion as mine, with ever so much rouge?” + +“I think not,” said Aurelia, with one look at the peony face. + +“Do you know who I am, miss? I am the Lady Bella Mar. The Countess +of Aresfield is my mamma. I shall have Battlefield when she dies, and +twenty thousand pounds on my wedding day. The Earl of Aresfield and +Colonel Mar are my brothers, and a wretched little country girl like +you is not to come between me and what my mamma has fixed for me; so you +must give it up at once, for you see he belongs to me.” + +“Not yet, madam,” said Aurelia. + +“What do you say? Do you pretend that your masquerade was worth a +button?” + +“That is not my part to decide,” said Aurelia. “I am bound by it, and +have no power to break it.” + +“You mean the lawyers! Bless you, they will never give it to you against +me! You’d best give it up at once, and if you want a husband, my mamma +has one ready for you.” + +“I thank her ladyship,” said Aurelia, with simple dignity, “but I will +not give her the trouble.” + +She glanced at her wedding ring, and so did Lady Belle, who screamed, +“You’ve the impudence to wear that! Give it to me.” + +“I cannot,” repeated Aurelia. + +“You cannot, you insolent, vulgar, low”-- + +“Hush! hush, my lady,” entreated Loveday. “Come away, I beg of your +ladyship!” + +“Not till I have made that impudent hussy give me that ring,” cried +Belle, stamping violently. “What’s that you say?” + +“That your ladyship asks what is impossible,” said Aurelia, firmly. + +“Take that then, insolent minx!” cried the girl, flying forward and +violently slapping Aurelia’s soft cheeks, and making a snatch at her +hair. + +Loveday screamed, Letty cried, but Fidelia and Bob both rushed forward +to Aurelia’s defence, one with her little fists clenched, beating Lady +Belle back, the other tearing at her skirts with his teeth. At that +moment a man’s step was heard, and a tall, powerful officer was among +them, uttering a fierce imprecation. “You little vixen, at your tricks +again,” he said, taking Belle by the waist, while she kicked and +screamed in vain. She was like an angry cat in his arms. “Be quiet, +Belle,” he said, backing into the sitting-room. “Let Loveday compose +your dress. Recover your senses and I shall take you home: I wish it was +to the whipping you deserve.” + +He thrust her in, waved aside Loveday’s excuses about her ladyship +not being denied, and stood with his back to the door as she bounced +shrieking against it from within. + +“I fear this little devil has hurt you, madam,” he said. + +“Not at all, I thank you, sire.” said Aurelia, though one side of her +face still tingled. + +“She made at you like a little game-cock,” he said. “I am glad I was in +time. I followed when I found she had slipped away from Lady Belamour’s, +knowing that her curiosity is only equalled by her spite. By Jove, it is +well that her nails did not touch that angel face!” + +Aurelia could only curtsey and thank him, hoping within herself that +Lady Belle would soon recover, and wondering how he had let himself in. +There was something in his manner of examining her with his eyes that +made her supremely uncomfortable. He uttered fashionable expletives +of admiration under his breath, and she turned aside in displeasure, +bending down to Fidelia. He went on, “You must be devilishly moped in +this dungeon of a place! Cannot we contrive something better?” + +“Thank you, sir, I have no complaint to make. Permit me to see whether +the Lady Arabella is better.” + +“I advise you not. Those orbs are too soft and sparkling to be exposed +to her talons. ‘Pon my honour, I pity young Belamour. But there is no +help for it, and such charms ought not to be wasted in solitude on his +account. These young lads are as fickle as the weather-cock, and have +half-a-dozen fancies in as many weeks. Come now, make me your friend, +and we will hit on some device for delivering the enchanted princess +from her durance vile.” + +“Thank you, sir, I promised Lady Belamour to make no attempt to escape.” + +At that moment out burst Lady Belle, shouting with laughter: “Ho! ho! +Have I caught you, brother, gallanting away with Miss? What will my lady +say? Pretty doings!” + +She had no time for more. Her brother fiercely laid hold of her, and +bore her away with a peremptory violence that she could not resist, and +only turning at the hall door to make one magnificent bow. + +Loveday was obliged to follow, and the children were left clinging to +Aurelia and declaring that the dreadful young lady was as bad as the +lions; while Aurelia, glowing with shame and resentment at what she felt +as insults, had a misgiving that her protector had been the worse lion +of the two. + +She had no explanation of the invasion till the next morning, when +Loveday appeared full of excuses and apologies. From the fact of +Lady Aresfield’s carriage having been used on Aurelia’s arrival, her +imprisonment was known, and Lady Belle, spending a holiday at Lady +Belamour’s, had besieged Loveday with entreaties to take her to see her +rival. As the waiting-woman said, for fear of the young lady’s violent +temper, but more probably in consideration of her bribes, she had +yielded, hoping that Lady Belle would be satisfied with a view from the +window, herself unseen. However, from that moment all had been taken out +of the hands of Loveday, and she verily believed the Colonel had made +following his sister an excuse for catching a sight of Miss Delavie, for +he had been monstrously smitten even with the glimpse he had had of her +in the carriage. And now, as his sister had cut short what he had +to say, he had written her a billet. And Loveday held out a perfumed +letter. + +Aurelia’s eyes flashed, and she drew herself up: “You forget, Loveday, I +promised to receive no letters!” + +“Bless me, ma’am, they, that are treated as my lady treats you, are not +bound to be so particular as that.” + +“O fie, Loveday,” said Aurelia earnestly, “you have been so kind, that I +thought you would be faithful. This is not being faithful to your lady, +nor to me.” + +“It is only from my wish to serve you, ma’am,” said Loveday in her +fawning voice. “How can I bear to see a beautiful young lady like you, +that ought to be the star of all the court, mewed up here for the sake +of a young giddy pate like his Honour, when there’s one of the first +gentlemen in the land ready to be at your feet?” + +“For shame! for shame!” exclaimed Aurelia, crimson already. “You know I +am married.” + +“And you will not take the letter, nor see what the poor gentleman +means? May be he wants to reconcile you with my lady, and he has power +with her.” + +Aurelia took the letter, and, strong paper though it was, tore it across +and across till it was all in fragments, no bigger than daisy flowers. +“There,” she said, “you may tell him what I have done to his letter.” + +Loveday stared for a minute, then exclaimed, “You are in the right, my +dear lady. Oh, I am a wretch--a wretch--” and she went away sobbing. + +Aurelia hoped the matter was ended. It had given her a terrible feeling +of insecurity, but she found to her relief that Madge was really more +trustworthy than Loveday. She overheard from the court a conversation at +the back door in which Madge was strenuously refusing admission to some +one who was both threatening and bribing her, all in vain; but she +was only beginning to breathe freely when Loveday brought, not another +letter, but what was less easy to stop, a personal message from “that +poor gentleman.” + +“Loveday, after what you said yesterday, how can you be so--wicked?” + said Aurelia. + +“Indeed, miss, ‘tis only as your true well-wisher.” + +Aurelia turned away to leave the room. + +“Yes, it is, ma’am! On my bended knees I will swear it,” cried Loveday, +throwing herself on them and catching her dress. “It is because I know +my lady has worse in store for you!” + +“Nothing can be worse than wrong-doing,” said Aurelia. + +“Ah! you don’t know. Now, listen, one moment. I would not--indeed I +would not--if I did not know that he meant true and honourable--as he +does, indeed he does. He is madder after you then ever he was for my +lady, for he says you have all her beauty, and freshness and simplicity +besides. He is raving. And you should never leave me, indeed you should +not, miss, if you slipped out after me in Deb’s muffler--and we’d go +to the Fleet. I have got a cousin there, poor fellow--he is always in +trouble, but he is a real true parson notwithstanding, and I’d never +leave your side till the knot was tied fast. Then you would laugh at my +lady, and be one of the first ladies in the land, for my Lord Aresfield +is half a fool, and can’t live long, and when you are a countess you +will remember your poor Loveday.” + +“Let me go. You have said too much to a married woman,” said Aurelia, +and as the maid began the old demonstrations of the invalidity of the +marriage, and the folly of adhering to it when nobody knew where his +honour was gone, she said resolutely, “I shall write to Lady Belamour to +send me a more trustworthy messenger.” + +On this Loveday fairly fell on the floor, grovelling in her wild +entreaty that my Lady might hear nothing of this, declaring that it was +not so much for the sake of the consequences to herself as to the young +lady, for there was no guessing what my lady might not be capable of +if she guessed at Colonel Mar’s admiration of her prisoner. Aurelia, +frightened at her violence, finally promised not to appeal to her +ladyship as long as Loveday abstained from transmitting his messages, +but on the least attempt on her part to refer to him, a complaint should +certainly be made to my lady. + +“Very well, madam,” said Loveday, wiping her eyes. “I only hope it will +not be the worse for you in the end, and that you will not wish you had +listened to poor Loveday’s advice.” + +“I can never wish to have done what I know to be a great sin,” said +Aurelia gravely. + +“Ah! you little know!” said Loveday, shaking her head sadly and +ominously. + +Something brought to Aurelia’s lips what she had been teaching the +children last Sunday, and she answered, + +“My God, in Whom I have trusted, is able to deliver me out of the mouth +of lions, and He will deliver me out of thy hand.” + +“Oh! if ever there were one whom He should deliver!” broke out Loveday, +and again she went away weeping bitterly. + +Aurelia could not guess what the danger the woman threatened could +be; so many had been mentioned as possible. A forcible marriage, +incarceration in some lonely country place, a vague threat of being +taken beyond seas to the plantation--all these had been mentioned; but +she was far more afraid of Colonel Mar forcing his way in and +carrying her off, and this kept her constantly in a state of nervous +watchfulness, always listening by day and hardly able to sleep by night. + +Once she had a terrible alarm, on a Sunday. Letty came rushing to her, +declaring that Jumbo, dear Jumbo, and a gentleman were in the front +court. Was it really Jumbo? Come and see! No, she durst not, and Fay +almost instantly declared that Madge had shut them out. The children +both insisted that Jumbo it was, but Aurelia would not believe that it +could be anything but an attempt of her enemies. She interrogated +Madge, who had grown into a certain liking for one so submissive and +inoffensive. Madge shook her head, could not guess how such folks had +got into the court, was sure they were after no good, and declared that +my Lady should hear of all the strange doings, and the letters that had +been left with her. Oh, no, she knew better than to give them, but my +Lady should see them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. THE COSMETIC. + + + But one more task I charge thee with to-day, + For unto Proserpine then take thy way, + And give this golden casket to her hands. + MORRIS. + + +Late on that Sunday afternoon, a muffled and masked figure came through +the house into the court behind, and after the first shock Aurelia +was relieved to see that it was too tall, and moved too gracefully, to +belong to Loveday. + +“Why, child, what a colour you have!” said Lady Belamour, taking off +her mask. “You need no aids to nature at your happy age. That is right, +children,” as they curtsied and kissed her hand. “Go into the house, I +wish to speak with your cousin.” + +Lady Belamour’s unfailing self-command gave her such dignity that she +seemed truly a grand and majestic dame dispensing justice, and the +gentle, shrinking Aurelia like a culprit on trial before her. + +“You have been here a month, Aurelia Delavie. Have you come to your +senses, and are you ready to sign this paper?” + +“No, madam, I cannot.” + +“Silly fly; you are as bent as ever on remaining in the web in which a +madman and a foolish boy have involved you?” + +“I cannot help it, madam.” + +“Oh! I thought,” and her voice became harshly clear, though so low, +“that you might have other schemes, and be spreading your toils at +higher game.” + +“Certainly not, madam.” + +“Your colour shows that you understand, in spite of all your pretences.” + +“I have never used any pretences, my lady,” said Aurelia, looking up in +her face with clear innocent eyes. + +“You have had no visitors? None!” + +“None, madam, except once when the Lady Arabella Mar forced her way in, +out of curiosity, I believe, and her brother followed to take her away.” + +“Her brother? You saw him?” Each word came out edged like a knife from +between her nearly closed lips. + +“Yes, madam.” + +“How often?” + +“That once.” + +“That has not hindered a traffic in letters.” + +“Not on my side, madam. I tore to fragments unread the only one that I +received. He had no right to send it!” + +“Certainly not. You judge discreetly, Miss Delavie. In fact you are too +transcendent a paragon to be retained here.” Then, biting her lip, as if +the bitter phrase had escaped unawares, she smiled blandly and said, “My +good girl, you have merited to be returned to your friends. You may pack +your mails and those of the children!” + +Aurelia shuddered with gladness, but Lady Belamour checked her thanks by +continuing, “One service you must first do for me. My perfumer is at a +loss to understand your translation of the recipe for Queen Mary’s wash. +I wish you to read and explain it to her.” + +“Certainly, madam.” + +“She lives near Greenwich Park,” continued Lady Belamour, “and as I +would not have the secret get abroad, I shall send a wherry to take +you to the place early to-morrow morning. Can you be ready by eight +o’clock?” + +Aurelia readily promised, her heart bounding at the notion of a voyage +down the river after her long imprisonment and at the promise of +liberty! She thought her husband must still be true to her, since my +lady would have been the first to inform her of his defection, and as +long as she had her ring and her certificate, she could feel little +doubt that her father would be able to establish her claims. And oh! to +be with him and Betty once more! + +She was ready in good time, and had spent her leisure in packing. When +Loveday appeared, she was greeted with a petition that the two little +girls might accompany her; but this was refused at once, and the +waiting-maid added in her caressing, consoling tone that Mrs. Dove was +coming with their little brother and sister to take them a drive into +the country. They skipped about with glee, following Aurelia to the door +of the court, and promising her posies of honeysuckles and roses, and +she left her dear love with them for Amoret and Nurse Dove. + +At the door was a sedan chair, in which Aurelia was carried to some +broad stone stairs, beside which lay a smartly-painted, trim-looking +boat with four stout oarsmen. She was handed into the stern, Loveday +sitting opposite to her. The woman was unusually silent, and could +hardly be roused to reply to Aurelia’s eager questions as she passed the +gardens of Lincoln’s Inn, saw St. Paul’s rise above her, shot beneath +the arch of London Bridge, and beheld the massive walls of the Tower +with its low-browed arches opening above their steps. Whenever a scarlet +uniform came in view, how the girl’s eyes strained after it, thinking +of one impossible, improbable chance of a recognition! Once or twice +she thought of a far more terrible chance, and wondered whether Lady +Belamour knew how little confidence could be placed in Loveday; but she +was sure that their expedition was my lady’s own device, and the fresh +air and motion, with all the new scenes, were so delightful to her that +she could not dwell on any alarms. + +On, on, Redriffe, as the watermen named Rotherhithe, was on one bank, +the marshes of the Isle of Dogs were gay with white cotton-grass and +red rattle on the other. Then came the wharves and building yards of +Deptford, and beyond them rose the trees of Greenwich Park, while +the river below exhibited a forest of masts. The boat stopped at a +landing-place to a little garden, with a sanded path, between herbs +and flowers. “This is Mistress Darke’s,” said Loveday, and as a little +dwarfish lad came to the gate, she said, “We would speak with your +mistress.” + +“On your own part?’ + +“From the great lady in Hanover Square.” + +The lad came down to assist in their landing, and took them up the +path to a little cupboard of a room, scented with a compound of every +imaginable perfume. Bottles of every sort of essence, pomade, and +cosmetic were ranged on shelves, or within glass doors, interspersed +with masks, boxes for patches, bunches of false hair, powder puffs, +curling-irons, and rare feathers. An alembic [a device used in +distillation--D.L.] was in the fireplace, and pen and ink, in a +strangely-shaped standish, were on the table. Altogether there was +something uncanny about the look and air of the room which made Aurelia +tremble, especially as she perceived that Loveday was both frightened +and distressed. + +The mistress of the establishment speedily appeared. She had been a +splendid Jewish beauty, and still in middle age, had great owl-like +eyes, and a complexion that did her credit to her arts; but there was +something indescribably repulsive in her fawning, deferential curtsey, +as she said, in a flattering tone, with a slightly foreign accent, “The +pretty lady is come, as our noble dame promised, to explain to the +poor Cora Darke the great queen’s secret! Ah! how good it is to have +learning. What would not my clients give for such a skin as hers! And +I have many more, and greater than you would think, come to poor Cora’s +cottage. There was a countess here but yesterday to ask how to blanch +the complexion of miladi her daughter, who is about to wed a young +baronet, beautiful as Love. Bah! I might as well try to whiten a clove +gillyflower! Yet what has not nature done for this lovely miss?” + +“Shall I read you the paper?” said Aurelia, longing to end this part of +the affair. + +“Be seated, fair and gracious lady.” + +Aurelia tried to wave aside a chair, but Mrs. Darke, on the plea of +looking over the words as she read, got her down upon a low couch, +putting her own stout person and hooked face in unpleasant proximity, +while she asked questions, and Aurelia mentioned her own conjectures on +the obsolete French of the recipe, while she perceived, to her alarm, +that the woman understood the technical terms much better than she did, +and that her ignorance could have been only an excuse. + +At last it was finished, and she rose, saying it was time to return to +the boat. + +“Nay, madam, that cannot be yet,” said Loveday; “the watermen are gone +to rest and dine, and we must wait for the tide to shoot the bridge.” + +“Then pray let us go out and walk in Greenwich Park,” exclaimed Aurelia, +longing to escape from this den. + +“The sweet young lady will take something in the meantime?” said Mrs. +Darke. + +“I thank you, I have breakfasted,” said Aurelia. + +“My Lady intended us to eat here,” said Loveday in an undertone to her +young lady, as their hostess bustled out. “She will make it good to Mrs. +Darke.” + +“I had rather go to the inn--I have money--or sit in the park,” + she added as Loveday looked as if going to the inn were an improper +proposal. “Could we not buy a loaf and eat in the park? I should like it +so much better.” + +“One cup of coffee,” said Mrs. Darke, entering; “the excellent Mocha +that I get from the Turkey captains.” + +She set down on a small table a wonderful cup of Eastern porcelain, and +some little sugared cakes, and Aurelia, not to be utterly ungracious, +tasted one, and began on the coffee, which was so hot that it had to be +taken slowly. As she sipped a soothing drowsiness came over her, which +at first was accounted for by the warm room after her row on the river; +but it gained upon her, and instead of setting out for her walk she fell +sound asleep in the corner of the couch. + +“It has worked. It is well,” said Mrs. Darke, lifting the girl’s feet on +the couch, and producing a large pair of scissors. + +Loveday could not repress a little shriek. + +“Hush!” as the woman untied the black silk hood, drew it gently off, and +then undid the ribbon that confined the victim’s abundant tresses. “Bah! +it will be grown by the time she arrives, and if not so long as present, +what will they know of it? It will be the more agreeable surprise! Here, +put yonder cloth under her head while I hold it up.” + +“I cannot,” sobbed Loveday. “This is too much. I never would have +entered my Lady’s service if I had known I was to be set to such as +this.” + +“Come, come, Grace Loveday, I know too much of you for you to come the +Presician over me.” + +“Such a sweet innocent! So tender-hearted and civil too.” + +“Bless you, woman, you don’t know what’s good for her! She will be a +very queen over the black slaves on the Indies. Captain Karen will tell +you how the wenches thank him for having brought ‘em out. They could +never do any good here, you know, poor lasses; but out there, where +white women are scarce, they are ready to worship the very ground they +tread upon.” + +“I tell you she ain’t one of that sort. She is a young lady of birth, +a cousin of my Lady’s own, as innocent as a babe, and there are two +gentlemen, if not three, a dying for her.” + +“I lay you anything not one of ‘em is worth old Mr. Van Draagen, who +turns his thousands every month. ‘Send me out a lady lass,’ says he, +‘one that will do me credit with the governor’s lady.’ Why she will have +an estate as big as from here to Dover, and slaves to wait on her, so +as she need never stoop to pick up her glove. He has been married +twice before, and his last used to send orders for the best brocades in +London. He stuck at no expense. The Queen has not finer gowns!” + +“But to think of the poor child’s waking up out at sea.” + +“Oh! Mrs. Karen will let her know she may think herself well off. I +never let ‘em go unless there’s a married woman aboard to take charge of +them, and that’s why I kept your lady waiting till the _Red Cloud_ was +ready to sail. You may tell her Ladyship she could not have a better +berth, and she’ll want for nothing. I know what is due to the real +quality, and I’ve put aboard all the toilette, and linen, and dresses +as was bespoke for the last Mrs. Van Draagen, and there’s a civil spoken +wench aboard, what will wait on her for a consideration.” + +“Nay, but mistress,” said Loveday, whispering: “I know those that would +give more than you will ever get from my Lady if they found her safe +here.” + +“Of course there are, or she would not be here now,” said Mrs. Darke, +with a horrid grin; “but that won’t do, my lass. A lady that’s afraid +of exposure will pay you, if she pawns her last diamond, but a +gentleman--why, he gets sick of his fancy, and snaps his fingers at +them that helped him!” Then, looking keenly at Loveday, “You’ve not been +playing me false, eh?” + +“O no, no,” hastily exclaimed Loveday, cowering at the malignant look. + +“If so be you have, Grace Loveday, two can play at that game,” said Mrs. +Darke composedly. “There, I have left her enough to turn back. What +hair it is! Feel the weight of it! There’s not another head of the +mouse-colour to match your Lady’s in the kingdom,” she added, smoothing +out the severed tresses with the satisfaction of a connoisseur. “No +wonder madame could not let this be wasted on the plantations, when you +and I and M. le Griseur know her own hair is getting thinner than she +would wish a certain Colonel to guess. There! the pretty dear, what a +baby she looks! I will tie her on a cowl, lest she should take cold on +the river. See these rings. Did you Lady give no charge about them?” + +“I had forgot!” said the waiting-woman, confused; “she charged me to +bring them back, old family jewels, she said, that must not be carried +off to foreign parts; but I cannot, cannot do it. To rob that pretty +creature in her sleep.” + +“Never fear. She’ll soon have a store much finer than these! You fool, I +tell you she will not wake these six or eight hours. Afraid? There, +I’ll do it! Ho! A ruby? A love-token, I wager; and what’s this? A carved +Cupid. I could turn a pretty penny by that, when your lady finds +it convenient, and her luck at play goes against her. Eh! is this a +wedding-ring? Best take that off; Mr. Van Draagen might not understand +it, you see. Here they are. Have you a patch-box handy for them in your +pocket? Why what ails the woman? You may thank your stars there’s some +one here with her wits about her! None of your whimpering, I say, her +comes Captain Karen.” + +Two seafaring men here came up the garden path, the foremost small and +dapper, with a ready address and astute countenance. “All right, Mother +Darkness, is our consignment ready? Aye, aye! And the freight?” + +“This lady has it,” said Mrs. Darke, pointing to Loveday; “I have been +telling her she need have no fears for her young kinswoman in your +hands, Captain.” + +He swore a round oath to that effect, and looking at the sleeping +maiden, again swore that she was the choicest piece of goods ever +confided to him, and that he knew better than let such an article arrive +damaged. Mr. Van Draagen ought to come down handsomely for such an extra +fine sample; but in the meantime he accepted the rouleau of guineas +that Loveday handed to him, the proceeds, as she told Mrs. Darke, of my +Lady’s winnings last night at loo. + +All was ready. Poor Aurelia was swathed from head to foot in a large +mantle, like the chrysalis whose name she bore, the two sailors took her +up between them, carried her to their boat, and laid her along in the +stern. Then they pushed off and rowed down the river. Loveday looked up +and looked down, then sank on the steps, convulsed with grief, sobbing +bitterly. “She said He could deliver her from the mouth of lions! And +He has not,” she murmured under her breath, in utter misery and +hopelessness. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. DOWN THE RIVER. + + The lioness, ye may move her + To give o’er her prey, + But ye’ll ne’er stop a lover, + He will find out the way. + + +Elizabeth Delavie and her little brother were standing in the bay window +of their hotel, gazing eagerly along the street in hopes of seeing the +Major return, when Sir Amyas was seen riding hastily up on his charger, +in full accoutrements, with a soldier following. In another moment he +had dashed up stairs, and saying, “Sister, read that!” put into Betty’s +hand a slip of paper on which was written in pencil-- + +“If Sir A. B. would not have his true love kidnapped to the plantations, +he had best keep watch on the river gate of Mistress Darke’s garden at +Greenwich. No time to lose.” + +“Who brought you this?” demanded Betty, as well as she could speak for +horror. + +“My mother’s little negro boy, Syphax. He says Mrs. Loveday, her +waiting-woman, gave it to him privately on the stairs, as she was about +to get into a sedan, telling him I would give him a crown if he gave it +me as I came off parade.” + +“Noon! Is there time?” + +“Barely, but there shall be time. There is no time to seek your father.” + +“No, but I must come with you.” + +“The water is the quickest way. There are stairs near. I’ll send my +fellow to secure a boat.” + +“I will be ready instantly, while you tell your uncle. It might be +better if he came.” + +Sir Amyas flew to his uncle’s door, but found him gone out, and, in too +great haste to inquire further, came down again to find Betty in cloak +and hood. He gave her his arm, and, Eugene trotting after them, they +hurried to the nearest stairs, remembering in dire confirmation what +Betty had heard from the school-girl. Both had heard reports that young +women were sometimes thus deported to become wives to the planters in +the southern colonies or the West Indies, but that such a destiny should +be intended for their own Aurelia, and by Lady Belamour, was scarcely +credible. Doubts rushed over Betty, but she remembered what the +school-girl had said of the captive being sent beyond seas; and at any +rate, she must risk the expedition being futile when such issues hung +upon it. And if they failed to meet her father, she felt that her +presence might prevail when the undefined rights of so mere a lad as her +companion might be disregarded. + +His soldier servant had secured a boat, and they rapidly descended to +the river; Sir Amyas silent between suspense, dismay and shame for his +mother, and Betty trying to keep Eugene quiet by hurried answers to his +eager questions about all he saw. They had to get out at London Bridge, +and take a fresh boat on the other side, a much larger one, with +two oarsmen, and a grizzled old coxswain, with a pleasant honest +countenance, who presently relieved Betty of all necessity of attending +to, or answering, Eugene’s chatter. + +“Do you know where this garden is?” said she, leaning across to Sir +Amyas, who had engaged the boat to go to Greenwich. + +He started as if it were a new and sudden thought, and turning to the +steersman demanded whether he knew Mrs. Darke’s garden. + +The old man gave a kind of grunt, and eyed the trio interrogatively, +the young officer with his fresh, innocent, boyish face and brilliant +undisguised uniform, the handsome child, the lady neither young, gay, +nor beautiful, but unmistakeably a decorous gentlewoman. + +“Do you know Mrs. Darke’s?” repeated Sir Amyas. + +“Aye, do I? Mayhap I know more about the place than you do.” + +There was that about his face that moved Betty and the young man to +look at one another, and the former said, “She has had to do with--evil +doings?” + +“You may say that, ma’am.” + +“Then,” they cried in one breath, “you will help us!” And in a very +few words Betty explained their fears for her young sister, and asked +whether he thought the warning possible. + +“I’ve heard tell of such things!” said the old man between his teeth, +“and Mother Darkness is one to do ‘em. Help you to bring back the poor +young lass? That we will, if we have to break down the door with our +fists. And who is this young spark? Her brother or her sweetheart?” + +“Her husband!” said Sir Amyas. “Her husband from whom she has been +cruelly spirited away. Aid me to bring her back, my good fellow, and +nothing would be too much to reward you.” + +“Aye, aye, captain, Jem Green’s not the man to see an English girl +handed over to they slave-driving, outlandish chaps. But I say, I wish +you’d got a cloak or summat to put over that scarlet and gold of yourn. +It’s a regular flag to put the old witch on her guard.” + +On that summer’s day, however, no cloak was at hand. They went down the +river very rapidly, for the tide was running out and at length Jem Green +pointed out the neat little garden. On the step sat a woman, apparently +weeping bitterly. Could it be the object of their search? No, but as +they came nearer, and she was roused so as to catch sight of the scarlet +coat, she beckoned and gesticulated with all her might; and as they +approached Sir Amyas recognised her as his mother’s maid. + +“You will be in time yet,” she cried breathlessly. “Oh! take me in, or +you won’t know the ship!” + +So eager and terrified was she, that but for the old steersman’s +peremptory steadiness, her own life and theirs would have been in much +peril, but she was safely seated at last, gasping out, “The _Red Cloud_, +Captain Karen. They’ve been gone these ten minutes.” + +“Aye, aye,” gruffly responded Green, and the oars moved rapidly, while +Loveday with another sob cried, “Oh! sir, I thought you would never +come!” + +“You sent the warning?” + +Yes, sir, I knew nothing till the morning, when my Lady called me up. I +lie in her room, you know. She had given orders, and I was to take the +sweet lady and go down the river with her to Mrs. Darke, the perfuming +woman my Lady has dealings with about here hair and complexion. There +I was to stay with her till--till this same sea-captain was to come and +carry her off where she would give no more trouble. Oh, sir, it was too +much--and my Lady knew it, for she had tied my hands so that I had but +a moment to scribble down that scrip, and bid Syphax take it to you. The +dear lady! she said, ‘her God could deliver her out of the mouth of the +lion,’ and I could not believe it! I thought it too late!” + +“How can we thank you,” began Betty; but she was choked by intense +anxiety, and Jem Green broke in with an inquiry where the ship was +bound for. Loveday only had a general impression of the West Indies, and +believed that the poor lady’s destined spouse was a tobacconist, and as +the boat was soon among a forest of shipping where it could not proceed +so fast, Green had to inquire of neighbouring mariners where the _Red +Cloud_ was lying. + +“The _Red Cloud_, Karen, weighs anchor for Carolina at flood tide +to-night. Shipper just going aboard,” they were told. + +Their speed had been so rapid that they were in time to see the boat +alongside, and preparations being made to draw up some one or something +on board. “Oh! that is she!” cried Loveday in great agitation. “They’ve +drugged her. No harm done. She don’t know it. But it is she!” + +Sir Amyas, with a voice of thunder, called out, “Halt, villain,” at the +same moment as Green shouted “Avast there, mate!” And their boat came +dashing up alongside. + +“Yield me up that lady instantly, fellow!” cried Sir Amyas, with his +sword half drawn. + +“And who are you, I should like to know,” returned Karen, coolly, +“swaggering at an honest man taking his freight and passengers aboard?” + +“I’ll soon show you!” + +“Hush, sir,” said Green, who had caught sight of pistols and cutlasses, +“let me speak a moment. Look you here, skipper, this young gentleman +and lady have right on their side. This is her sister, and he is her +husband. They are people of condition, as you see.” + +“All’s one to me on the broad seas.” + +“That may be,” said Green, “but you see you can’t weigh anchor these +three hours or more; and what’s to hinder the young captain here from +swearing against you before a magistrate, and getting your vessel +searched, eh?” + +“I’ve no objection to hear reason if I’m spoke to reasonable,” said +Karen, sulkily; “but I’ll not be bullied like a highwayman, when I’ve my +consignment regularly made out, and the freight down in hand, square.” + +“You may keep your accursed passage-money and welcome,” cried Sir Amyas, +“so you’ll only give me my wife!” + +“Show him the certificate,” whispered Betty. + +Sir Amyas had it ready, and he read it loud enough for all on the Thames +to hear. Karen gave a sneering little laugh. “What’s that to me? My +passenger here has her berth taken in the name of Ann Davis.” + +“Like enough,” said Loveday, “but you remember me, captain, and I swear +that this poor young lady is what his Honour Sir Amyas say. He is a +generous young gentleman, and will make it up to you if you are at any +loss in the matter.” + +“A hundred times over!” exclaimed Amyas hotly. + +“Hardly that,” said Karen. “Van Draagen might have been good for a round +hundred if he’d been pleased with the commission.” + +“I’ll give you and order--” began Sir Amyas. + +“What have you got about you, sir?” interrupted Karen. “I fancy hard +cash better than your orders.” + +The youth pulled out his purse. There was only a guinea or two and some +silver. “One does not go out to parade with much money about one,” he +said, with a trembling endeavour for a smile, “but if you would send up +to my quarters in Whitehall Barracks---” + +“Never mind, sir,” said Karen, graciously. “I see you are in earnest, +and I’ll put up with the loss rather than stand in the light of a couple +of true lovers. Here, Jack, lend a hand, and we’ll hoist the young woman +over. She’s quiet enough, thanks to Mother Darkness.” + +The sudden change in tone might perhaps be owing to the skipper’s +attention having been called by a sign from one of his men to a boat +coming up from Woolwich, rowed by men of the Royal navy, who were +certain to take part with an officer; but Sir Amyas and Betty were only +intent on receiving the inanimate form wrapped up in its mantle. What a +meeting it was for Betty, and yet what joy to have her at all! They +laid her with her head in her sister’s lap, and Sir Amyas hung over her, +clasping one of the limp gloved hands, while Eugene called “Aura, Aura,” + and would have impetuously kissed her awake, but Loveday caught hold of +him. “Do not, do not, for pity’s sake, little master,” she said; “the +potion will do her no harm if you let her sleep it off, but she may not +know you if you waken her before the time.” + +“Wretch, what have you given her?” cried Sir Amyas. + +“It was not me, sir, it was Mrs. Darke, in a cup of coffee. She vowed +it would do no hurt if only she was let to sleep six or eight hours. And +see what a misery it has saved her from!” + +“That is true,” said Betty. “Indeed I believe this is a healthy sleep. +See how gently she breathes, how soft and natural her colour is, how +cool and fresh her cheek is. I cannot believe there is serious harm +done.” + +“How soon can we reach a physician?” asked Sir Amyas, still anxiously, +of the coxswain. + +“I can’t rightly say, sir,” replied he; “but never you fear. They +wouldn’t do aught to damage such as she.” + +Patience must perforce be exercised as, now against the tide and the +stream, the wherry worked its way back. Once there was a little stir; +Sir Amyas instantly hovered over Aurelia, and clasped her hand with a +cry of “My dearest life!” The long dark eyelashes slowly rose, the eyes +looked up for one moment from his face to her sister’s, and then to her +brother’s, but the lids sank as if weighed down, and with a murmur, +“Oh, don’t wake me,” she turned her face around on Betty’s lap and slept +again. + +“Poor darling, she thinks it a dream,” said Betty. “Eugene, do not. Sir, +I entreat! Brother, yes I _will_ call you so if you will only let her +alone! See how happy and peaceful her dear face is! Do not rouse her +into terror and bewilderment.” + +“If I only were sure she was safe,” he sighed, hanging over, with an +intensity of affection and anxiety that brought a dew even to the old +steersman’s eyes; and he kindly engrossed Eugene by telling about the +places they passed, and setting him to watch the smart crew of the boat +from the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, which was gaining on them. + +Meanwhile the others interrogated Loveday, who told them of the pretext +on which Lady Belamour had sent her captive down to Mrs. Darke’s. No one +save herself had, in my Lady’s household, she said, an idea of where the +young lady was, Lady Belamour having employed only hired porters except +on that night when Lady Aresfield’s carriage brought her. This had led +to the captivity being know to Lady Belle and her brother, and Loveday +had no doubt that it was the discovery of their being aware of it, as +well as Jumbo’s appearance in the court, that had made her mistress +finally decide on this frightful mode of ridding herself of the poor +girl. The maid was as adroit a dissembler as her mistress, and she held +her peace as to her own part in forwarding Colonel Mar’s suit, whether +her lady guessed it or not, but she owned with floods of tears how the +sight of the young lady’s meek and dutiful submission, her quiet trust, +and her sweet, simple teaching of the children, had wakened into life +again a conscience long dead to all good, and made it impossible to her +to carry out this last wicked commission without an attempt to save the +creature whom she had learnt to reverence as a saint. Most likely her +scruples had been suspected by her mistress, for there had been an +endeavour to put it out of her power to give any warning to the victim. +Yet after all, the waiting-maid had been too adroit for the lady, or, +as she fully owned, Aurelia’s firm trust had not been baulked, and +deliverance from the lions had come. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. THE RETURN. + + + And now the glorious artist, ere he yet + Had reached the Lemnian Isle, limping, returned; + With aching heart he sought his home. + _Odyssey_--COWPER. + + +How were they to get the slumbering maiden home? That was the next +question. Loveday advised carrying her direct to her old prison, where +she would wake without alarm; but Sir Amyas shuddered at the notion, +and Betty said she _could_ not take her again into a house of Lady +Belamour’s. + +The watermen, who were enthusiastic in the cause, which they understood +as that of one young sweetheart rescued by the other, declared that they +would carry the sweet lady between them on the cushions of their boat, +laid on stretchers; and as they knew of a land-place near the _Royal +York_, with no need of crossing any great thoroughfare, Betty thought +this the best chance of taking her sister home without a shock. + +The boat from Woolwich had shot London Bridge immediately after them, +and stopped at the stairs nearest that where they landed; and just as +Sir Amyas, with an exclamation of annoyance at his unserviceable arm, +had resigned Aurelia to be lifted on to her temporary litter, a hand +was laid on his shoulder, a voice said “Amyas, what means this?” and he +found himself face to face with a small, keen-visaged, pale man, with +thick grizzled brows overhanging searching dark grey eyes, shaded by a +great Spanish hat. + +“Sir! oh sir, is it you?” he cried, breathlessly; “now all will be +well!” + +“I am very glad you think so, Amyas,” was the grave answer; “for all +this has a strange appearance.” + +“It is my dearest wife, sir, my wife, whom I have just recovered +after--Oh, say, sir, if you think all is well with her, and it is only +a harmless sleeping potion. Sister--Betty--this is my good father, Mr. +Wayland. He is as good as a physician. Let him see my sweetest life.” + +Mr. Wayland bent over the slumbering figure still in the bottom of +the boat, heard what could be told of the draught by Loveday, whom he +recognized as his wife’s attendant, and feeling Aurelia’s pulse, said, +“I should not think there was need for fear. To the outward eye she is +a model of sleeping innocence.” “Well you may say so,” and “She is +indeed,” broke from the baronet and the waiting-maid at the same +instant; but Mr. Wayland heeded them little as he impatiently asked, +“Where and how is your mother, Amyas?” + +“In health sir, at home, I suppose,” said Sir Amyas; “but oh, sir, hear +me, before you see her.” + +“I must, if you walk with me,” said Mr. Wayland, turning for a moment +to bid his servant reward and dismiss the boat’s crew, and see to the +transport of his luggage; and in the meantime Aurelia was lifted by her +bearers. + +Sir Amyas again uttered a rejoicing, “We feared you were in the hands of +the pirates, sir.” + +“So I was; but the governor of Gibraltar obtained my release, and was +good enough to send me home direct in a vessel on the king’s service,” + said Mr. Wayland, taking the arm his stepson offered to assist his +lameness. “Now for your explanation, Amyas; only let me hear first that +my babes are well.” + +“Yes, sir, all well. You had my letter?” + +“Telling of that strange disguised wedding? I had, the very day I was +captured.” + +By the time they had come to the place where their ways parted, Mr. +Wayland had heard enough to be so perplexed and distressed that he knew +not that he had been drawn out of the way to Hanover Square, till at +the entrance of the _Royal York_, they found Betty asseverating to the +landlady that she was bringing no case of small pox into the house; +and showing, as a passport of admittance, two little dents on the white +wrist and temple. + +At that instant the sound brought Major Delavie hurrying from his +sitting-room at his best speed. There was a look of horror on his face +as he saw his daughter’s senseless condition, but Betty sprang to his +side to prevent his wakening her, and Aurelia was safely carried up +stairs and laid upon her sister’s bed, still sleeping, while Betty and +Loveday unloosed her clothes. Her bearers were sent for refreshment +to the bar, and the gentlemen stood looking on one another in the +sitting-room, Mr. Wayland utterly shocked, incredulous of the little he +did understand, and yet unable to go home until he should hear more; +and the Major hardly less horrified, in the midst of his relief. “But +where’s Belamour!” he cried, “Your uncle, I mean.” + +“Where?” said Sir Amyas. “They said he was gone out.” + +“So they told me! And see here!” + +Major Delavie produced Lady Belamour’s note. + +“A blind!” cried Sir Amyas, turning away under a strange stroke of pain +and sham. “Oh! mother, mother!” and he dashed out of the room. + +Poor Mr. Wayland sat down as one who could stand no longer. “Of what do +they suspect her?” he said hoarsely. + +“Sir,” said the good Major, “I grieve sincerely for and with you. +Opposition to this match with my poor child seems to have transported +my poor cousin to strange and frantic lengths, but you may trust me to +shield and guard her from exposure as far as may be.” + +Her husband only answered by a groan, and wrung Major Delavie’s hand, +but their words were interrupted by Sir Amyas’s return. He had been to +his uncle’s chamber, and had found on the table a note addressed to the +Major. Within was a inclosure directed to A. Belamour, Esq. + + “If you have found the way to the poor captive, for pity’s sake + come to her rescue. Be in the court with your faithful black + by ten o’clock, and you may yet save on who loves and looks to + you.” + +On the outer sheet was written-- + + “I distrust this handwriting, and suspect a ruse. In case I do + not return, send for Hargrave, Sandys, Godfrey, as witnesses to + my sanity, and storm the fair one’s fortress in person. A. B.” + +“It is not my Aurelia’s writing,” said the Major. “Bravest of friends, +what has he not dared on her account!” + +“This is too much!” cried Mr. Wayland, striving in horror against +his convictions. “I cannot hear my beloved wife loaded with monstrous +suspicions in her absence!” + +“I am sorry to say this is no new threat ever since poor Belamour has +crossed her path,” said the Major. + +“What have you done, sir!” asked Sir Amyas. + +“I fear I have but wasted time,” said the Major. “I have been to Hanover +Square, and getting no admittance there, I came back in the hope you +might be on the track with Betty--as, thank God, you were! The first +thing to be done now is to find what she has done with Belamour,” he +added, rising up. + +“That must fall to my share,” said Mr. Wayland, pale and resolute. “Come +with me, Amyas, your young limbs will easily return before the effect of +the narcotic has passed, and I need fuller explanation.” + +Stillness than came on the Delavie party. The Major went up stairs, and +sat by Aurelia’s bed gazing with eyes dazzled with tears at the child he +had so longed to see, and whom he found again in this strange trance. +A doctor came, and quite confirmed Mr. Wayland’s opinion, that the drug +would not prove deleterious, provided the sleep was not disturbed, and +Betty continued her watch, after hearing what her father knew of Mr. +Belamour. She was greatly struck with the self-devotion that had gone +with open eyes into so dreadful a snare as a madhouse of those days +rather than miss the least chance of saving Aurelia. + +“If we go by perils dared, the uncle is the true knight-errant,” said +she to her father. “I wonder which our child truly loves the best!” + +“Betty!” said her father, scandalised. + +“Ay, I know, Sir Amyas is a charming boy, but what a boy he is! And she +has barely spoken with him or seen him, whereas Mr. Belamour has been +kind to her for a whole twelvemonth. I know what I should do if I were +in her place. I would declare that I intended to be married to the +uncle, and would keep it!” + +“He would think it base to put the question.” + +“He would; but indeed, dear sir, I think it would be but right and due +to the dear child herself that she should have here free choice, and +not be bound for ever by a deception! Yes, I know the poor boy’s despair +would be dreadful, but it would be better for them both than such a +mistake.” + +“Hush! I hear him knocking at the door, you cruel woman.” + +The bedroom opened into the parlour the party had hired, so that both +could come out and meet Sir Amyas with the door ajar, without relaxing +their watch upon the sleeper. The poor young man looked pale, shocked, +and sorrowful. “Well,” said he, after having read in their looks that +there was no change, “he knows the worst.” Then on a further token of +interrogation, “It may have been my fault; I took him, unannounced, +through the whole suite of rooms, and in the closet at the end, with all +the doors open, she was having an altercation with Mar. He was insisting +on knowing what she had done with”--(he signed towards the other room) +“she, upbraiding him with faithlessness. They were deaf to an approach, +till Mr. Wayland, in a loud voice, ordered me back, saying ‘it was no +scene for a son.’” + +“I trust it will not end in a challenge?” asked the Major, gravely. + +“No, my father’s infirmity renders him no fighting man, and I--I may not +challenge my superior officer.” + +“But your uncle?” said Betty, much fearing that such a scene might have +led to his being forgotten. + +“I should have told you. We had not made many steps from hence before +we met poor Jumbo wandering like a dog that had lost his master. Mr. +Belamour had taken the precaution of giving Jumbo the pass-key, and +not taking him into that house (some day I will pull every brick of it +down), so he watched till by and by he saw a coach come out with all the +windows closed, and as his master had bidden him in such a case, he +kept along on the pavement near, and never lost sight of it till he had +tracked it right across the City to a house with iron-barred windows +inside a high wall. There it went in, and he could not follow, but he +asked the people what place it was, and though they jeered at him, he +made out that it was as we feared. Nay, do not be alarmed, sister, he +will soon be with us. My poor father shut me out, and I know not what +passed with my mother, but just as I could wait no longer to return to +my dearest, he came out and told me that he had found out that my uncle +was in a house at Moorfields, and he is gone himself to liberate him. +He is himself a justice of the peace, and he will call for Dr. Sandys +by the way, that there may be no difficulty. He is gone in the +coach-and-four, with Jumbo on the box, so that matters will soon be +righted.” + +“And a heroic champion set free,” said Betty moving to return to her +sister, when the others would not be denied having another look at the +sweet slumberer, on whose face there was now a smile as if her dreams +were marvellously lovely; or, as Betty thought, as if she knew their +voices even in her sleep. + +Sir Amyas had not seen his mother again. He only knew that Mr. Wayland +had come out with a face as of one stricken to the heart, a sad contrast +to that which had greeted him an hour before, and while the carriage was +coming round, had simply said, “I did wrong to leave her.” + +It would not bear being talked over, and both son and kinsman took +refuge in silence. Two hours more of this long day had passed, and +then a coach stopped at the door. Sir Amyas hurried down in his eager +anxiety, and came back with his uncle, holding him by the hand like a +child, in his gladness, and Betty came out to meet them in the outer +room with a face of grateful welcome and outstretched hands. + +“Sir! sir! you have done more than all of us.” + +“Yet you and your young champion here were the victors,” said Mr. +Belamour. + +“Ah, we dared and suffered nothing like you.” + +“I hope you did not suffer much,” said the major, looking at the calm +face and neatly-tied white hair, which seemed to have suffered no +disarrangement. + +“No,” said Mr. Belamour, smiling, “my little friend Eugene, ay, and my +nephew himself, are hoping to hear I was released from fetters and a +heap of straw, but I took care to give them no opportunity. I merely +told them they were under a mistake, and had better take care. I gave +them a reference or two, but I saw plainly that was of no use, though +they promised to send, and then I did exactly as they bade me, so as to +deprive them of all excuse for meddling with me, letting them know that +I could pay for decent treatment so long as I was in their hands.” + +“Did you receive it?” + +“I was told in a mild manner, adapted to my intelligence, that if I +behaved well, I might eat at the master’s table, and have a room with +only one inmate. Of the former I have not an engaging experience, either +as to the fare, the hostess, or the company. Of the latter, happily +I know little, as I only know that my comrade was to be a harmless +gibbering idiot; of good birth, poor fellow. However, the sounds I +heard, and the court I looked into, convinced me that my privileges were +worth paying for.” + +He spoke very quietly, but he shuddered involuntarily, and Betty, unable +to restrain her tears, retreated to her sister’s side. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. WAKING. + + + So Love was still the Lord of all.--SCOTT. + + +The summer sun was sinking and a red glow was on the wall above +Aurelia’s head when she moved again, upon the shutting of the door, +while supper was being taken by the gentlemen in the outer room. + +Presently her lips moved, and she said, “Sister,” not in surprise, but +as if she thought herself at home, and as Betty gently answered, “Yes, +my darling child,” the same voice added, “I have had such a dream; +I thought I was a chrysalis, and that I could not break my shell nor +spread my wings.” + +“You can now, my sweet,” said Betty, venturing to kiss her. + +Recollection came. “Sister Betty, is it you indeed?” and she threw her +arms round Betty’s neck, clinging tight to her in delicious silence, +till she raised her head and said: “No, this is not home. Oh, is it all +true?” + +“True that I have you again, my dear, dearest, sweetest child,” said +Betty. “Oh, thank God for it.” + +“Thank God,” repeated Aurelia. “Now I have you nothing will be dreadful. +But where am I? I thought once I was in a boat with you and Eugene, +and some one else. Was it a dream? I can’t remember anything since that +terrible old woman made me drink the coffee. You have not come there, +have you?” + +“No, dear child, it was no dream that you were in a boat. We had been +searching everywhere for you, and we were bringing you back sound, sound +asleep,” said Betty, in her tenderness speaking as it to a little child. + +“I knew you would,” said Aurelia; “I knew God would save me. Love is +strong as death, you know,” she added dreamily: “I think I felt it all +round me in that sleep.” + +“That was what you murmured once or twice in your sleep,” said Betty. + +“And now, oh! it is so sweet to lie here and know it is you. And wasn’t +_he_ there too?” + +“Sir Amyas? Yes, my dear. He came for you. He and my father and the +others are in the other room waiting for you to wake.” + +“I hear their voices,” cried Aurelia, with a start, sitting up. “Oh! +that’s my papa’s voice! Oh! how good it is to hear it!” + +“I will call him as soon as I have set you a little in order. Are you +sure you are well, my dearest? No headache?” + +“Quite, quite well! Why, sister, I have not been ill; and if I had, I +should skip to see you and hear their voices, only I wish they would +speak louder! That’s Eugene! Oh! they are hushing him. Let me make +haste,” and she moved with an alacrity that was most reassuring. “But I +can’t understand. Is it morning or evening?” + +“Evening, my dear. They are at supper. Are not you hungry?” + +“Oh, yes, I believe I am;” but as she was about to wash her hands: “My +rings, my wedding-ring? Look in my glove!” + +“No, they are not there my dear, they must have robbed you! And oh! +Aurelia, what have you done to your hair?” + +“My hair? It was all there this morning. Sister, it was that woman, I +remember now, I was not quite sound asleep, but I had no power to move +or cry out, and the woman was snipping and Loveday crying.” + +“Vile creature!” burst out Betty. + +“My hair will grow!” said Aurelia; “but I had so guarded my +wedding-ring--and what will he, Sir Amyas, think?” + +Their voices were at this moment heard, and in another second Aurelia +was held against her father’s breast, as in broken words he sobbed out +thanks for her restoration, and implored her pardon for having trusted +her out of his care. + +“Oh! sir, do not speak so! Dear papa, I have tried hard to do you no +harm, and to behave well. Please, sir, give me your blessing.” + +“God bless you indeed, my child. He has blessed you in guarding you as +your innocence deserved, though I did not. Ah! others are impatient. The +poor old father comes second now.” + +After a few minutes spent in repairing the disorder of her dress, and +her hands in those of her father and little brother, she was led to the +outer room where in the twilight there was a rapturous rush, an embrace, +a fondling of the hand in the manner more familiar to her than the +figure from before whom it proceeded. She only said in her gentle +plaintive tone, “Oh, sir, it was not my fault. They took away your +rings.” + +“Nay,” said a voice, new to her, “here are your rings, Lady Belamour. I +must trust to your Christian charity to pardon her who caused you to be +stripped of them.” + +The name of Lady Belamour made her start as that of her enemy, but a +truly familiar tone said, “You need not fear, my kind friend. This +is Mr. Wayland, who, to our great joy, has returned, and has come to +restore your jewels.” + +“Indeed I am very glad yours is not lost,” said Aurelia, not a little +bewildered. + +Mr. Wayland said a few words of explanation that his wife’s agent at +Greenwich had brought them back to her. + +“Pray let me have them,” entreated Sir Amyas; “I must put them on +again!” + +“Stay,” said Major Delavie; “I can have such things done only under true +colours and in the full light of day. The child is scarcely awake yet, +and does not know one from the other! Why neither of you so much as know +the colour of the eyes of the other! Can you tell me sir?” + +“Heavenly,” exclaimed the youth, in an ecstatic tone of self-defence, +which set the Major laughing and saying, “My silly maid knows as little +which gentleman put on the ring.” + +“I do, sir,” said Aurelia indignantly; “I know his voice and hand quite +well,” and in the impulse she quitted her father’s arm and put both +hands into those of her young adorer, saying, “Pray sir, pardon me, I +never thought to hurt you so cruelly.” + +There was a cry of, “My own, my dearest life,” and she was clasped as +she had been immediately after her strange wedding. + +However, the sound of a servant’s step made them separate instantly, +and Betty begged that the supper might not be removed, since it was many +hours since her sister had tasted food. + +Sir Amyas and Betty hovered about her, giving her whatever she could +need, in the partial light, while the others stood apart, exchanging +such explanations as they could. Mr. Wayland said he must report himself +to Government on the morrow; but intended afterwards to take his wife +to Bowstead, whither she had sent all her children with Mrs. Dove. There +was a great tenderness in his tone as he spoke of her, and when he took +leave Mr. Belamour shrugged his shoulders saying, “She will come round +him again!” + +“It is true enough that he ought not to have left her to herself,” said +the Major. + +“You making excuses for her after the diabolical plot of to-day?” said +Mr. Belamour; “I could forgive her all but that letter to you.” + +“My Lady loves her will,” quoted the Major; “it amounts to insanity in +some women, I believe.” + +“So I might say does men’s infatuation towards women like her,” muttered +Mr. Belamour. + +By this time Aurelia had finished her meal, and Betty was anxious to +carry her off without any more excitement, for she was still drowsy and +confused. She bade her father good night, asking his blessing as of old, +but when Mr. Belamour kissed her hand and repeated the good night, she +said, “Sir, I ought to have trusted you; I am so sorry.” + +“It is all well now, my child,” he said, soothingly, understanding +Betty’s wish; “Sleep, and we will talk it over.” + +So the happy sisters once more slept in each other’s arms, till in the +early summer morning Betty heard the whole story from Aurelia, now +fully herself, though she slumbered again after all was poured into her +sister’s bosom. + +Betty had sympathised step by step, and felt even more strongly than +Harriet that the situation had been intolerable for womanhood, and that +only Aurelia’s childishness could have endured it so long. Only the +eldest sister held that it would have been right and honourable to +have spoken before flashing out the flame; but when, with many tears of +contrition, Aurelia owned that she had long thought so, and longed to +confess it, what could the motherly sister do but kiss the tears away, +and rejoice that the penance was over which had been borne with such +constancy and self-devotion. + +Then Betty rose quietly, and after giving thanks on her knees that the +gentle spirit had passed through all unscathed, untainted with even the +perception of evil, she applied herself to the adaptation of one of her +morning caps to her poor shorn lamb’s head. Nor did Aurelia wake again +till her father came to the door to make sure that all was well with his +recovered treasure, and to say that Loveday would recover for her the +box of clothes, which old Madge had hidden. + +Loveday had gone back to her mistress, who either had not discovered her +betrayal, or, as things had turned out, could not resent it. + +So, fresh and blooming, Aurelia came out into the sitting-room, whence +her father held out his arms to her. He would have her all to himself +for a little while, since even Eugene was gone to his daily delight, the +seeing the changing of the guard. + +“And now, my child, tell me,” he said, when he had heard a little of her +feelings through these adventures, “what would you have me do? Remember, +such a wedding as yours goes for nothing, and you are still free to +choose either or neither of your swains.” + +“Oh, papa!” in a remonstrating tone. + +“You were willing to wed your old hermit?” + +“I was content _then_. He was very kind to me.” + +“Content then, eh? Suppose you were told he was your real husband?” + +“Sir, he is not!” cried Aurelia, frightened. + +“If he were?” + +“I would try to do my duty,” she said, in a choked voice. + +“Silly child, don’t cry. And how, if after these fool’s tricks it +turns out that the other young spark is bound to that red-faced little +spitfire and cannot have you?” + +“Papa, don’t!” she cried. “You know he is my husband in my heart, and +always will be, and if he cannot come back to me take me home, and I +will try to be a good daughter to you,” and she hid her face on his +shoulder. + +“Poor child, it is a shame to tease her,” said her father, raising up +her face; “I only wanted to know which of them you would wish to put on +the ring again. I see. You need not be afraid, you shall have the ruby +one. But as for the little gold one, wait for that till it is put on in +church, my dear. Ah! and there’s the flutter of his wings, or rather the +rattle of his spurs. Now then, young people, you shall not be hindered +from a full view of each others lineaments. It is the first time you +ever had a real sight of each other, neither of you being in a swoon, is +it not? I trust you do not repent upon further acquaintance. Aurelia got +as far as the shoe-buckles once, I believe.” + +“She will get no farther this time, sir, if you annihilate her with your +pleasantry,” said Betty, fully convinced by this time. + +“Ah! young Love has made himself more dazzling than ever,” continued +the Major, too delighted to be stopped. “The fullest dress uniform, I +declare; M. le Capitaine is bent on doing honour to the occasion.” + +“Would that it were on for no other reason, sir,” said Sir Amyas; “but +the King and Queen have taken it into their heads to go off to Kew and +here am I under orders to command the escort. I verily believe it is all +spite on the Colonel’s part, for Russell would have exchanged the turn +with me, but he sent down special orders for me. I have but half an hour +to spend here, and when I shall be able to get back again Heaven only +knows.” + +However, he and Aurelia were permitted to improve that half hour to the +utmost in their own way, while the Major and Betty were reading a long +and characteristic letter from Mrs. Arden, inquiring certainly for +her sister’s fate, but showing far more solicitude in proving that she +(Harriet Arden) had acted a wise, prudent, and sisterly part, and that +it was most unreasonable and cruel to treat her as accountable for her +sister’s disappearance. It was really making her quite ill, and Mr. +Arden was like a man--so disagreeable about it. + +Betty was very glad this epistle had not come till it was possible to +laugh at it. She would have sat down to reply to it at once, had not a +billet been brought in from the widow of one of her father’s old brother +officers who had heard of his being in town, and begged him to bring his +daughter to see her, excusing herself for not waiting on Miss Delavie, +as she was very feeble and infirm. + +It was a request that could not be refused, but Aurelia was not equipped +for such a visit, and shrank timidly from showing herself. So when Mr. +Belamour came down it was agreed that she should remain at home under +his protection, in which she could be very happy, though his person was +as strange to her as his voice was familiar. Indeed she felt as if a +burden was on her mind till she could tell him of her shame at having +failed in the trust and silence that he had enjoined on her. + +“My child,” he said, “we have carried it too far. It was more than we +ought to have required of you, and I knew it. I had made up my mind, and +told my nephew that the first time you really asked I should tell the +whole truth, and trust to your discretion, while of course he wished for +nothing more.” + +“As my sister said, it was my fault.” + +“Nay, I think you had good cause to stand on your defence, and I cannot +have you grieve over it. You have shown an unshaken steadiness under +trial since, such as ought indeed to be compensation.” + +“I deserved it all,” said Aurelia; “and I do hope that I am a little +wiser and less foolish for it all; a little more of a woman,” she added, +blushing. + +“A soul trained by love and suffering, as in the old legend,” said Mr. +Belamour thoughtfully. + +Thoroughly pleasant was here _tete-a-tete_ with him, especially when she +artlessly asked him whether her dear sister were not all she had told +him, and he fervently answered that indeed she was “a perfect lesson to +all so-called beauties of what true loveliness of a countenance can be.” + +“Oh, I am so glad,” cried Aurelia. “I never saw a face--a woman’s I +mean--that I like as well as my dear sister’s!” + +She was sorry when they were interrupted by a call from Mr. Wayland, who +had reported himself at the Secretary of War, but could do no more that +day, and had come to inquire for her. He and Mr. Belamour drew apart +into a window, and conversed in a low voice, and then they came to her, +and Mr. Wayland desired to know from where she found the recipe for the +cosmetic which had nearly cost her so dearly. + +“It was in a shelf in the wainscoting, in a sort of little study at that +house,” said Aurelia. + +“Among other papers?” + +“Quantities of other papers.” + +“Of what kind?” + +“Letters, and bills, and wills, and parchments! Oh, so dusty! Some were +on paper tumbling to pieces, and some on tiny slips of parchment.” + +“And you read them all?” + +“I had to read them to see what they were, as well as I could make out, +and sorted them and tied them up in bundles.” + +“Can you tell me whether they were Delavie wills?” + +“I should think they were. I know that the oldest of all were Latin, +and I could make nothing out in them but something about _Manoriem_ +and Carminster, and what looked like the names of some of the fields at +home.” + +“Do you think you could show me those slips?” + +“I do not suppose any one has touched them.” + +“Then, my dear young lady, you would confer a great favour on me if you +would allow Mr. Belamour and myself to escort you to Delavie and show us +these papers. I fear it may be alarming and distressing.” + +“Oh no, sir, I know no harm can happen to me where Mr. Belamour is,” she +said, smiling. + +“It may be very important,” he said, and she went to put on her hood. + +“Surely,” said Mr. Wayland, “the title-deeds cannot have been left +there?” + +“No. The title-deeds to the main body of the property are at Hargrave’s. +I have seen them, at the time of my brother’s marriage; but still this +may be what was wanting.” + +“Yet the sending this child to search is presumption that no such +document existed.” + +“Of course no one supposed it did,” said Mr. Wayland, on the defence +again. + +Aurelia was quickly ready in her little hood and kerchief, and trim +high-heeled shoes. She was greatly surprised to find how near she had +been to her friends during these last few days of her captivity, and +when Madge obeyed the summons to the door, the old woman absolutely +smiled to see her safe, and the little terrier danced about her in such +transports that she begged to take him back with her. + +She opened the door of the little empty book room, where nothing stood +except the old bureau. That, she said, had been full of letters, but all +the oldest things had been within a door opening in the wainscot, which +she should never have found had not Bob pushed it open in his search for +rats, and then she found a tin case full of papers and parchments, much +older, she thought, than the letters. She had tied them up together, and +easily produced them. + +Mr. Wayland handed them to Mr. Belamour, whose legal eye was better +accustomed to crabbed old documents. A conversation that had begun +on the way about Fay and Letty was resumed, and interested both their +father and Aurelia so much that they forgot to be impatient, until +Mr. Belamour looked up from his examination, saying, “This is what was +wanting. Here is a grant in the 12th year of Henry III. to Guglielmus ab +Vita and the heirs male of his body to the Manor, lying without the city +of Carminster, and here are three wills of successive lords of Delavie +expressly mentioning heirs male. Now the deeds that I have seen do not +go beyond 1539, when Henry Delavie had a grant of the Grange and lands +belonging to Carminster Abbey--the place, in fact, where the Great House +stands, and there is in that no exclusion of female heirs. But the Manor +house can certainly be proved to be entailed in the male line alone, +according to what was, I believe, the tradition of the family.” + +“There is no large amount of property involved, I fear,” said Mr. +Wayland. + +“There is an old house, much out of repair, and a few farms worth, may +be, 200 pounds a year, a loss that will not be material to you, sir, I +hope.” + +“Do you mean--?” said Aurelia, not daring to ask farther. + +“I mean, my dear young lady,” said Mr. Wayland, “that your researches +have brought to light the means of doing tardy justice to your good +father.” + +“His right to the Manor House is here established,” explained Mr. +Belamour. “It will not be a matter of favour of my Lady’s, but, as my +brother supposed, he ought to have been put in possession on the old +Lord’s death.” + +“And Eugene will be a gentleman of estate,” cried Aurelia, joyously. +“Nor will any one be able to drive out my dear father! Oh! how happy I +am.” + +Both she and Mr. Belamour spared Mr. Wayland the knowledge of my Lady’s +many broken promises, and indeed she was anxious to get back to the +_Royal York_, lest her father and sister should have returned, and think +her again vanished. + +They all met at the door, and much amazed were the Major and Betty to +encounter her with her two squires. Mr. Wayland took the Major to show +him the parchments. Betty had her explanation from her sister and Mr. +Belamour. + +“You actually ventured back to that dreadful house,” she said, looking +at them gratefully. + +“You see what protectors I had,” said Aurelia, with a happy smile. + +“Yes,” said Betty, “I have been longing to say--only I cannot,” for she +was almost choked by a great sob, “how very much we owe to you, sir. I +could say it better if I did not feel it so much.” And she held out her +hand. + +“You cannot owe to me a tithe of what I owe to your sister,” said Mr. +Belamour, “and through her to you, madam. Much as nature had done for +her, never would she have been to the miserable recluse the life and +light-bringing creature she was, save for the ‘sister’ she taught me to +know and love, even before I saw her.” + +A wonderful revelation here burst on Aurelia, the at least half-married +woman, and she fled precipitately, smiling to herself in ecstasy, behind +her great fan. + +Betty, never dreaming of the drift of the words, so utterly out of the +reach of love did she suppose herself, replied, composedly, “Our Aurelia +is a dear good girl, and I am thankful that through all her trials she +has so proved herself. I am glad she has been a comfort to you, sir. +She---” + +“And will not you complete the cure, and render the benefit lasting?” + said Mr. Belamour, who had never let go the hand she had given him in +gratitude, and now gave it a pressure that conveyed, for the first time, +his meaning. + +“Oh!” she cried, trying to take it away, “your kindness and gratitude +are leading you too far, sir. A hideous old fright like me, instead of a +lovely young thing like her! It is an absurdity.” + +“Stay, Miss Delavie. Remember that your Aurelia’s roses and lilies were +utterly wasted on me; I never thought whether she was beautiful save +when others raved about her. I never saw her till yesterday; but the +voice, the goodness, the amiability, in fact all that I did truly esteem +and prize in her I had already found matured and mellowed together +with that beauty of countenance which is independent of mere skin-deep +complexion and feature. You know my history, and how far I am from +being able to offer you a fresh untouched young heart, such as my nephew +brings to the fair Aurelia; but the devotion of my life will be yours if +you will accept it.” + +“Sir, I cannot listen to you. You are very good, but I can never leave +my father. Oh, let me go away!” + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. MAKING THE BEST OF IT. + + + At last the Queen said, “Girl, I bid thee rise, + For now thou hast found favour in mine eyes, + And I repent me of the misery + That in this place thou hast endured me, + Altho’ because of it the Joy indeed + Shall now be mine, that pleasure is thy meed.” + MORRIS. + + +Those were evil times, and the court examples were most corrupting, +so that a splendid and imperious woman like Urania, Lady Belamour, had +found little aid from public opinion when left to herself by the absence +of her second husband. Selfish, unscrupulous, and pleasure-loving she +was by nature, but during Sir Jovian Belamour’s lifetime she had +been kept within bounds. Then came a brief widowhood, when debt +and difficulty hurried her into accepting Mr. Wayland, a thoughtful +scientific man, whose wealth had accumulated without much volition of +his own to an extent that made her covet his alliance. Enthralled by +her charm of manner, he had not awakened to the perception of what she +really was during the few years that had elapsed before he was sent +abroad, and she refused to accompany him. + +Then it was that wealth larger than she had before commanded, and a +court appointment, involved her in more dangerous habits. Her debts, +both of extravagance and of the gaming table, were enormous, trenching +hard on the Delavie property, and making severe inroads on Mr. Wayland’s +means; but the Belamour estates being safely tied up, she had only been +able to borrow on her dower. She had sinned with a high hand, after the +fashion of the time, and then, in terror at the approaching return of +her husband, had endeavoured to conceal the ravages of her extravagance +by her bargain for her son’s hand. + +The youth, bred up at a distance, and then the companion of his +step-father, had on his return found his home painfully altered in his +two years’ absence, and had been galled and grieved by the state of +things, so that even apart from the clearing of his prospects, the +relief was great. The quarrel with Colonel Mar that Mr. Wayland had +interrupted was not made up. There was no opportunity, for Mr. Wayland +at once removed his family to Bowstead, there to remain while he +transacted his business in London. + +Moreover Mr. Belamour and Mr. Wayland agreed in selling the young +baronet’s commission. The Major allowed that it was impossible that he +should remain under the command of his present Colonel, but regretted +that he should not continue in the service, declaring it the best +school for a young man, and that he did not want to see his son-in-law +a muddle-brained sporting country squire. He would have had Sir Amyas +exchange into the line, and see a little service before settling down, +but Maria Theresa had not as yet set Europe in a blaze, and in the +absence of a promising war Sir Amyas did more incline to his uncle’s +representations of duties to tenants and to his county, and was even +ready to prepare himself for them when he should be of sufficient age +to undertake them. However, in the midst of the debates a new scheme was +made. Mr. Belamour had been called upon and welcomed by his old friends, +who, being men of rank and influence, had risen in life while he +was immured at Bowstead. One of these had just received a diplomatic +appointment at Vienna, and in spite of insular ignorance of foreign +manners was at a loss for a capable suite. Mr. Belamour suggested Major +Delavie, as from his long service in Austria likely to be very useful. +The Envoy caught at the idea, and the thought of once more seeing his +old comrades enchanted the Major, whose only regret was that his hero, +Prince Eugene, had been dead three years; but to visit his grave would +be something. Appointments ran in families, so that nothing could be +easier than to obtain one for the young baronet; and though Mr. Belamour +did not depend on his own health enough to accept anything, he was quite +willing to join the party, and to spend a little time abroad, while his +nephew was growing somewhat older, making an essay of his talents, and +at any rate putting off the commencement of stagnation. Thus matters +settled themselves, the only disappointed member of the family being +Mrs. Arden, who thought it very hard that she could not stir any one up +to request an appointment of her husband as chaplain--not even himself! + +Mr. Wayland was at once called upon to go out to America to superintend +the defences of the Canadian frontier, and he resolved on taking his +family out, obtaining land, and settling there permanently. He would +pay all my Lady’s debts, but she should never again appear in London +society, and cruel exile as it must seem to her, he trusted that his +affection and tenderness would in time reconcile her to the new way of +life, knowing as she did that he had forgiven much that had made him +look like a crushed and sorrowful man in the midst of all the successes +and the honours he received from his country. + +She remained quietly at Bowstead, and none of them saw her except her +son and the Major, to the latter of whom her husband brought a message +that she would esteem it a favour if he would come and visit her there, +the day before he returned to Carminster. Very much affected, the good +Major complied with her request, went down with Mr. Wayland and spent a +night at Bowstead. + +He found that she had accepted her fate with the good grace of a woman +whose first instinct was not to make herself disagreeable. She was +rather pale, and not “made up” in any way, but exquisitely though more +simply dressed, and more beautiful than ever, her cousin thought, as +he always did whenever he came into her presence. She was one of those +people whose beauty is always a fresh surprise, and she was far more +self-possessed than he was. + +“So, Cousin Harry, where am I to begin my congratulations! I did you and +unwitting service when I sent your daughter to search among those musty +old parchments. I knew my father believed in the existence of some such +document, but I thought all those hoards in Delavie House were devoid +of all legal importance, and had been sifted again and again. Besides, I +always meant to settle that old house upon you.” + +“I have always heard so, cousin,” he answered. + +“But it was such a mere trifle,” she added, “that it never seemed worth +while to set the lawyers to work about that alone, so I waited for other +work to be in hand.” + +“There is a homely Scottish proverb, my Lady, which declares that the +scrapings of the muckle pot are worth the wee pot fu’. A mere trifle to +you is affluence to us.” + +“I am sincerely rejoiced at it, Harry” (no doubt she thought she was), +“you will keep up the old name, while my scrupulous lord and master +gives up my poor patrimony to the extortionate creditors for years to +come. It is well that the young lovers have other prospects. So Harry, +you see after all, I kept my word, and your daughter is provided for,” + she continued with an arch smile. “Pretty creature, I find my son bears +me more malice than she does for the robbery that was perpetrated on +her. It was too tempting, Harry. Nature will repair her loss, but at out +time of life we must beg, borrow, or steal.” + +“That was the least matter,” said the Major gravely. + +“This is the reason why I wished to see you,” said my Lady, laying her +white hand on his, “I wanted to explain.” + +“Cousin, cousin, had not you better leave it alone?” said Major Delavie. +“You know you can always talk a poor man out of his senses at the +moment.” + +“Yet listen, Harry, and understand my troubles. Here I was pledged, +absolutely pledged, to give my son to Lady Aresfield’s daughter. I do +not know whether she may not yet sue me for breach of contract, though +Wayland has repaid her the loans she advanced me; and on the other hand, +in spite of all my precautions, Mar had obtained a sight of your +poor daughter, and I knew him well enough to be aware that to put her +entirely and secretly out of his reach was the only chance preserving +her from his pursuit. I had excellent accounts of the worthy man to whom +I meant her to be consigned, and I knew that when she wrote to you as a +West Indian queen you would be able to forgive your poor cousin. I see +what you would say, but sending her to you was impossible, since I had +to secure her both from Amyas and from Mar. It would only have involved +you in perplexities innumerable, and might have led even to bloodshed! I +may not have acted wisely, but weak women in difficulties know not which +path to choose.” + +“There is always the straight one,” said he. + +“Ah! you strong men can easily says so, but for us poor much-tried +women! However,” she said suddenly changing her tone, “Love has +check-mated us, and I rejoice. Your daughter will support the credit +of the name! I am glad the new Lady Belamour will not be that little +termagant milkmaid Belle, whom circumstances compelled me to inflict +upon my poor boy! The title will be your daughter’s alone. I have +promised my husband that in the New World I will sink into plain Mrs. +Wayland.” Then with a burst of genuine feeling she exclaimed, “He _is_ a +good man, Harry.” + +“He is indeed, Urania, I believe you will yet be happier than you have +ever been.” + +“What, among barbarians who never saw a loo-table, and get the modes +three months too late! And you are laughing at me, but see I am a poor +frivolous being, not sufficient to myself like your daughters! They say +Aurelia was as sprightly as a spring butterfly all the time she was shut +up at Bowstead with no company save the children and old Belamour!” + +“They are lovely children, madam, Aurelia dotes on them, and you will +soon find them all you need.” + +“Their father is never weary of telling me so. He is never so happy as +when they hang about him and tell him of Cousin Aura, or Sister Aura as +they love to call her.” + +“It was charming to see them dance round her when he brought them to +spend the day with her. Mr. Wayland brought his good kinswoman, who will +take charge of them on the voyage, and Aurelia was a little consoled at +the parting by seeing how tender and kind she is with them.” + +“Aye! If I do not hate that woman it will be well, for she is as much a +duenna for me as governess for the children! Heigh-ho! what do not our +follies bring on us? We poor creatures should never be left to the great +world.” + +The pretty air of repentance was almost irresistible, well as the Major +knew it for the mood of the moment, assumed as what would best satisfy +him. + +“I rejoice,” she went on, “in spite of my lovely daughter-in-law’s +discretion, she will be well surrounded with guardians. Has the +excellent Betty consented?” + +“At last, madam. My persuasions were vain till she found that Mr. +Belamour would gladly come with us to Austria, and that she should be +enabled to watch over both her young sister and me.” + +“There, again, I give myself credit, Harry. Would the sacred flame ever +have awakened in yonder misanthrope had I not sent your daughter to +restore him to life?” She spoke playfully, but the Major could not help +thinking she had persuaded herself that all his present felicity was +owing to her benevolence, and that she would persuade him of it too, if +she went on much longer looking at him so sweetly. He _would_ not tax +her with the wicked note she had written to account for Mr. Belamour’s +disappearance, and which she had forgotten; he felt that he could not +impel one, whom he could not but still regard with tenderness, to utter +any more untruths and excuses. + +“By the by,” she added, “does your daughter take my waiting-maid after +all? I would have forgiven her, for she is an admirable hairdresser, +but Wayland says he cannot have so ingenious person in his house; +though after all I do not see that she is a bit worse than others of +her condition, and she herself insists on trying to become Aurelia’s +attendant, vowing that the sight of her is as good as any Methodist +sermon!” + +“Precisely, madam. We were all averse to taking her with us, but Aurelia +said she owed her much gratitude; and she declared so earnestly that the +sight of my dear child brought back all the virtuous and pious thoughts +she had forgotten, that even Betty’s heart was touched, and she is to go +with us, on trial.” + +“Oh! she is as honest as regards money and jewels as ever I knew a +waiting-maid, but for the rest!” Lady Belamour shrugged her shoulders. +“However, one is as good as another, and at least she will never let her +lady go a fright! See here, Harry. These are the Delavie jewels: I shall +never need them more: carry them to your daughters.” + +“Nay, your own daughters, Urania.” + +“Never mind the little wretches. Their father will provide for them, and +they will marry American settlers in the forests. What should they do +with court jewels? It is his desire. See here, this suit of pearls is +what I wore at my wedding with Amyas’s father, I should like Aurelia to +be married in them. Farewell, Harry, you did better for yourself than if +you had taken me. Yet maybe I might been a better woman---” She stopped +short as she looked at his honest face, and eyes full of tears. + +“No, Urania,” he said, “man’s love could not have done for you what only +another Love can do. May you yet find that and true Life.” + + +The sisters were not married at the same time. Neither Mr. Belamour nor +his Elizabeth could endure to make part of the public pageant that it +was thought well should mark the _real_ wedding at Bowstead. So their +banns were put up at St. Clement Danes, and one quiet morning they +slipped out, with no witnesses but the Major, Aurelia, and Eugene, and +were wedded there in the most unobtrusive manner. + +As to the great marriage, a month later at Bowstead, there was a certain +bookseller named Richardson, who by favour of Hargrave got a view of it, +and who is thought there to have obtained some ideas for the culminating +wedding of his great novel. + +A little later, the following letter was written from the excellent Mrs. +Montagu to her correspondent Mrs. Elizabeth Carter. “There was yesterday +presented, preparatory to leaving England for Vienna, the young Lady +Belamour, incomparably the greatest beauty who has this year appeared +at Court. Every one is running after her, but she appears perfectly +unconscious of the _furore_ she has excited, and is said to have been +bred up in all simplicity in the country, and to be as good as she is +fair. Her young husband, Sir Amyas Belamour, is a youth of much promise, +and they seem absolutely devoted, with eyes only for each other. They +are said to have gone through a series of adventures as curious as they +are romantic; and indeed, when they made their appearance, there was a +general whisper, begun by young Mr. Horace Walpole, of + + + “CUPID AND PSYCHE.” + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Love and Life, by Charlotte M. 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Yonge + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Love and Life, by Charlotte M. Yonge + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Love and Life + +Author: Charlotte M. Yonge + +Release Date: April 15, 2009 [EBook #5700] +Last Updated: October 12, 2016 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOVE AND LIFE *** + + + + +Produced by Doug Levy, and David Widger + + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + LOVE AND LIFE + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h3> + An Old Story in Eighteenth Century Costume + </h3> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h2> + By Charlotte M. Yonge + </h2> + <div class="mynote"> + <p> + Transcriber’s note: There are numerous examples throughout this text of + words appearing in alternate spellings: madame/madam, practise/ + practice, Ladyship/ladyship, &c. We can only wonder what the + publisher had in mind. I have left them unchanged.—D.L. + </p> + <br /> + </div> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <blockquote> + <p class="toc"> + <big><b>CONTENTS</b></big> + </p> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_PREF"> PREFACE </a><br /><br /> <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> + <b>LOVE AND LIFE.</b> </a><br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER I. + </a> A SYLLABUB PARTY <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0003"> + CHAPTER II. </a> THE HOUSE OF DELAVIE <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER III. </a> AMONG THE COWSLIPS + <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER IV. </a> MY + LADY’S MISSIVE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0006"> CHAPTER V. </a> THE + SUMMONS <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0007"> CHAPTER VI. </a> DISAPPOINTED + LOVE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0008"> CHAPTER VII. </a> ALL + ALONE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0009"> CHAPTER VIII. </a> THE + ENCHANTED CASTLE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0010"> CHAPTER IX. </a> THE + TRIAD <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0011"> CHAPTER X. </a> THE + DARK CHAMBER <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0012"> CHAPTER XI. </a> A + VOICE FROM THE GRAVE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0013"> CHAPTER XII. + </a> THE SHAFTS OF PHOEBE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0014"> + CHAPTER XIII. </a> THE FLUTTER OF HIS WINGS <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0015"> CHAPTER XIV. </a> THE CANON OF WINDSOR + <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0016"> CHAPTER XV. </a> THE + QUEEN OF BEAUTY <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0017"> CHAPTER XVI. </a> AUGURIES + <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0018"> CHAPTER XVII. </a> THE + VICTIM DEMANDED <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0019"> CHAPTER XVIII. </a> THE + PROPOSAL <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0020"> CHAPTER XIX. </a> WOOING + IN THE DARK <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0021"> CHAPTER XX. </a> THE + MUFFLED BRIDEGROOM <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0022"> CHAPTER XXI. </a> THE + SISTERS’ MEETING <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0023"> CHAPTER XXII. </a> A + FATAL SPARK <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0024"> CHAPTER XXIII. </a> WRATH + AND DESOLATION <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0025"> CHAPTER XXIV. </a> THE + WANDERER <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0026"> CHAPTER XXV. </a> VANISHED + <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0027"> CHAPTER XXVI. </a> THE + TRACES <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0028"> CHAPTER XXVII. </a> CYTHEREA’S + BOWER <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0029"> CHAPTER XXVIII. </a> THE + ROUT <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0030"> CHAPTER XXIX. </a> A + BLACK BLONDEL <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0031"> CHAPTER XXX. </a> THE + FIRST TASK <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0032"> CHAPTER XXXI. </a> THE + SECOND TASK <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0033"> CHAPTER XXXII. </a> LIONS + <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0034"> CHAPTER XXXIII. </a> THE + COSMETIC <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0035"> CHAPTER XXXIV. </a> DOWN + THE RIVER <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0036"> CHAPTER XXXV. </a> THE + RETURN <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0037"> CHAPTER XXXVI. </a> WAKING + <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0038"> CHAPTER XXXVII. </a> MAKING + THE BEST OF IT <br /><br /> + </p> + </blockquote> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_PREF" id="link2H_PREF"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. + </h2> + <p> + The first edition of this tale was put forth without explaining the old + fable on which it was founded—a fable recurring again and again in + fairy myths, though not traceable in the classic world till a very late + period, when it appeared among the tales of Apuleius, of the province of + Africa, sometimes called the earliest novelist. There are, however, + fragments of the same story in the popular tales of all countries, so that + it is probable that Apuleius availed himself of an early form of one of + these. They are to be found from India to Scandinavia, adapted to the + manners and fancy of every country in turn, <i>Beauty and the Beast</i> + and the <i>Black Bull of Norroway</i> are the most familiar forms of the + tale, and it seemed to me one of those legends of such universal property + that it was quite fair to put it into 18th century English costume. + </p> + <p> + Some have seen in it a remnant of the custom of some barbarous tribes, + that the wife should not behold her husband for a year after marriage, and + to this the Indian versions lend themselves; but Apuleius himself either + found it, or adapted it to the idea of the Soul (the Life) awakened by + Love, grasping too soon and impatiently, then losing it, and, unable to + rest, struggling on through severe toils and labours till her hopes are + crowned even at the gates of death. Psyche, the soul or life, whose emblem + is the butterfly, thus even in heathen philosophy strained towards the + higher Love, just glimpsed at for a while. + </p> + <p> + Christians gave a higher meaning to the fable, and saw in it the Soul, or + the Church, to whom her Bridegroom has been for a while made known, + striving after Him through many trials, to be made one with Him after + passing through Death. The Spanish poet Calderon made it the theme of two + sacred dramas, in which the lesson of Faith, not Sight, was taught, with + special reference to the Holy Eucharist. + </p> + <p> + English poetry has, however, only taken up its simple classical aspect. In + the early part of the century, Mrs. Tighe wrote a poem in Spenserian + stanza, called <i>Psyche</i>, which was much admired at the time; and Mr. + Morris has more lately sung the story in his <i>Earthly Paradise</i>. This + must be my excuse for supposing the outline of the tale to be familiar to + most readers. + </p> + <p> + The fable is briefly thus:— + </p> + <p> + Venus was jealous of the beauty of a maiden named Psyche, the youngest of + three daughters of a king. She sent misery on the land and family, and + caused an oracle to declare that the only remedy was to deck his youngest + daughter as a bride, and leave her in a lonely place to become the prey of + a monster. Cupid was commissioned by his mother to destroy her. He is here + represented not as a child, but as a youth, who on seeing Psyche’s charms, + became enamoured of her, and resolved to save her from his mother and make + her his own. He therefore caused Zephyr to transport her to a palace where + everything delightful and valuable was at her service, feasts spread, + music playing, all her wishes fulfilled, but all by invisible hands. At + night in the dark, she was conscious of a presence who called himself her + husband, showed the fondest affection for her, and promised her all sorts + of glory and bliss, if she would be patient and obedient for a time. + </p> + <p> + This lasted till yearnings awoke to see her family. She obtained consent + with much difficulty and many warnings. Then the splendour in which she + lived excited the jealousy of her sisters, and they persuaded her that her + visitor was really the monster who would deceive her and devour her. They + thus induced her to accept a lamp with which to gaze on him when asleep. + She obeyed them, then beholding the exquisite beauty of the sleeping god + of love, she hung over him in rapture till a drop of the hot oil fell on + his shoulder and awoke him. He sprang up, sorrowfully reproached her with + having ruined herself and him, and flew away, letting her fall as she + clung to him. + </p> + <p> + The palace was broken up, the wrath of Venus pursued her; Ceres and all + the other deities chased her from their temples; even when she would have + drowned herself, the river god took her in his arms, and laid her on the + bank. Only Pan had pity on her, and counselled her to submit to Venus, and + do her bidding implicitly as the only hope of regaining her lost husband. + </p> + <p> + Venus spurned her at first, and then made her a slave, setting her first + to sort a huge heap of every kind of grain in a single day. The ants, + secretly commanded by Cupid, did this for her. Next, she was to get a lock + of golden wool from a ram feeding in a valley closed in by inaccessible + rocks; but this was procured for her by an eagle; and lastly, Venus, + declaring that her own beauty had been impaired by attendance on her + injured son, commanded Psyche to visit the Infernal Regions and obtain + from Proserpine a closed box of cosmetic which was on no account to be + opened. Psyche thought death alone could bring her to these realms, and + was about to throw herself from a tower, when a voice instructed her how + to enter a cavern, and propitiate Cerberus with cakes after the approved + fashion. + </p> + <p> + She thus reached Proserpine’s throne, and obtained the casket, but when + she had again reached the earth, she reflected that if Venus’s beauty were + impaired by anxiety, her own must have suffered far more; and the + prohibition having of course been only intended to stimulate her + curiosity, she opened the casket, out of which came the baneful fumes of + Death! Just, however, as she fell down overpowered, her husband, who had + been shut up by Venus, came to the rescue, and finding himself unable to + restore her, cried aloud to Jupiter, who heard his prayer, reanimated + Psyche, and gave her a place among the gods. + </p> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h1> + LOVE AND LIFE. + </h1> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER I. A SYLLABUB PARTY. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Oft had I shadowed such a group + Of beauties that were born + In teacup times of hood and hoop, + And when the patch was worn; + And legs and arms with love-knots gay. + About me leaped and laughed + The modish Cupid of the day, + And shrilled his tinselled shaft.—Tennyson. +</pre> + <p> + If times differ, human nature and national character vary but little; and + thus, in looking back on former times, we are by turns startled by what is + curiously like, and curiously unlike, our own sayings and doings. + </p> + <p> + The feelings of a retired officer of the nineteenth century expecting the + return of his daughters from the first gaiety of the youngest darling, are + probably not dissimilar to those of Major Delavie, in the earlier half of + the seventeen hundreds, as he sat in the deep bay window of his bed-room; + though he wore a green velvet nightcap; and his whole provision of mental + food consisted of half a dozen worn numbers of the <i>Tatler</i>, and a <i>Gazette</i> + a fortnight old. The chair on which he sat was elbowed, and made easy with + cushions and pillows, but that on which his lame foot rested was stiff and + angular. The cushion was exquisitely worked in chain-stich, as were the + quilt and curtains of the great four-post bed, and the only carpeting + consisted of three or four narrow strips of wool-work. The walls were + plain plaster, white-washed, and wholly undecorated, except that the + mantelpiece was carved with the hideous caryatides of the early Stewart + days, and over it were suspended a long cavalry sabre, and the + accompanying spurs and pistols; above them the miniature of an exquisitely + lovely woman, with a white rose in her hair and a white favour on her + breast. + </p> + <p> + The window was a deep one projecting far into the narrow garden below, for + in truth the place was one of those old manor houses which their wealthy + owners were fast deserting in favour of new specimens of classical + architecture as understood by Louis XIV., and the room in which the Major + sat was one of the few kept in habitable repair. The garden was rich with + white pinks, peonies, lilies of the valley, and early roses, and there was + a flagged path down the centre, between the front door and a wicket-gate + into a long lane bordered with hawthorn hedges, the blossoms beginning to + blush with the advance of the season. Beyond, rose dimly the spires and + towers of a cathedral town, one of those county capitals to which the + provincial magnates were wont to resort during the winter, keeping a + mansion there for the purpose, and providing entertainment for the gentry + of the place and neighbourhood. + </p> + <p> + Twilight was setting in when the Major began to catch glimpses of the + laced hats of coachman and footmen over the hedges, a lumbering made + itself heard, and by and by the vehicle halted at the gate. Such a coach! + It was only the second best, and the glories of its landscape—painted + sides were somewhat dimmed, the green and silver of the fittings a little + tarnished to a critical eye; yet it was a splendid article, commodious and + capacious, though ill-provided with air and light. However, nobody cared + for stuffiness, certainly not the three young ladies, who, fan in hand, + came tripping down the steps that were unrolled for them. The eldest + paused to administer a fee to their entertainer’s servants who had brought + them home, and the coach rolled on to dispose of the remainder of the + freight. + </p> + <p> + The father waved greetings from one window, a rosy little audacious figure + in a night-dress peeped out furtively from another, and the house-door was + opened by a tall old soldier-servant, stiff as a ramrod, with hair tightly + tied and plastered up into a queue, and a blue and brown livery which sat + like a uniform. + </p> + <p> + “Well, young ladies,” he said, “I hope you enjoyed yourselves.” + </p> + <p> + “Vastly, thank you, Corporal Palmer. And how has it been with my father in + our absence?” + </p> + <p> + “Purely, Miss Harriet. He relished the Friar’s chicken that Miss Delavie + left for him, and he amused himself for an hour with Master Eugene, after + which he did me the honour to play two plays at backgammon.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope,” said the eldest sister, coming up, “that the little rogue whom I + saw peeping from the window has not been troublesome.” + </p> + <p> + “He has been as good as gold, madam. He played in master’s room till + Nannerl called him to his bed, when he went at once, ‘true to his orders,’ + says the master. ‘A fine soldier he will make,’ says I to my master.” + </p> + <p> + Therewith the sisters mounted the uncarpeted but well-polished oak stair, + knocked at the father’s door, and entered one by one, each dropping her + curtsey, and, though the eldest was five-and-twenty, neither speaking nor + sitting till they were greeted with a hearty, “Come, my young maids, sit + you down and tell your old father your gay doings.” + </p> + <p> + The eldest took the only unoccupied chair, while the other two placed + themselves on the window-seat, all bolt upright, with both little high + heels on the floor, in none of the easy attitudes of damsels of later + date, talking over a party. All three were complete gentlewomen in air and + manners, though Betty had high cheek-bones, a large nose, rough + complexion, and red hair, and her countenance was more loveable and + trustworthy than symmetrical. The dainty decorations of youth looked + grotesque upon her, and she was so well aware of the fact as to put on no + more than was absolutely essential to a lady of birth and breeding. + Harriet (pronounced Hawyot), the next in age, had a small well-set head, a + pretty neck, and fine dark eyes, but the small-pox had made havoc of her + bloom, and left its traces on cheek and brow. The wreck of her beauty had + given her a discontented, fretful expression, which rendered her far less + pleasing than honest, homely Betty, though she employed all the devices of + the toilette to conceal the ravages of the malady and enhance her + remaining advantages of shape and carriage. + </p> + <p> + There was an air of vexation about her as her father asked, “Well, how + many conquests has my little Aurelia made?” She could not but recollect + how triumphantly she had listened to the same inquiry after her own first + appearance, scarcely three short years ago. Yet she grudged nothing to + Aurelia, her junior by five years, who was for the first time arrayed as a + full-grown belle, in a pale blue, tight-sleeved, long-waisted silk, open + and looped up over a primrose skirt, embroidered by her own hands with + tiny blue butterflies hovering over harebells. There were blue silk shoes, + likewise home-made, with silver buckles, and the long mittens and deep + lace ruffles were of Betty’s fabrication. Even the dress itself had been + cut by Harriet from old wedding hoards of their mother’s, and made up + after the last mode imported by Madam Churchill at the Deanery. + </p> + <p> + The only part of the equipment not of domestic handiwork was the structure + on the head. The Carminster hairdresser had been making his rounds since + daylight, taking his most distinguished customers last; and as the Misses + Delavie were not high on the roll, Harriet and Aurelia had been under his + hands at nine A.M. From that time till three, when the coach called for + them, they had sat captive on low stools under a tent of table-cloth over + tall chair-backs to keep the dust out of the frosted edifice constructed + out of their rich dark hair, of the peculiar tint then called + mouse-colour. Betty had refused to submit to this durance. “What sort of + dinner would be on my father’s table-cloth if I were to sit under one all + day?” said she in answer to Harriet’s representation of the fitness of + things. “La, my dear, what matters it what an old scarecrow like me puts + on?” + </p> + <p> + Old maidenhood set in much earlier in those days than at present; the + sisters acquiesced, and Betty had run about as usual all the morning in + her mob-cap, and chintz gown tucked through her pocket-holes, and only at + the last submitted her head to the manipulations of Corporal Palmer, who + daily powdered his master’s wig. + </p> + <p> + Strange and unnatural as was the whitening of the hair, it was effective + in enhancing the beauty of Aurelia’s dark arched brows, the soft + brilliance of her large velvety brown eyes, and the exquisite carnation + and white of her colouring. Her features were delicately chiselled, and + her face had that peculiar fresh, innocent, soft, untouched bloom and + undisturbed repose which form the special charm and glory of the first + dawn of womanhood. Her little head was well poised on a slender neck, just + now curving a little to one side with the fatigue of the hours during + which it had sustained her headgear. This consisted of a tiny flat hat, + fastened on by long pins, and adorned by a cluster of campanulas like + those on her dress, with a similar blue butterfly on an invisible wire + above them, the dainty handiwork of Harriet. + </p> + <p> + The inquiry about conquests was a matter of course after a young lady’s + first party, but Aurelia looked too childish for it, and Betty made haste + to reply. + </p> + <p> + “Aurelia was a very good girl. No one could have curtsied or bridled more + prettily when we paid our respects to my Lady Herries and Mrs. Churchill, + and the Dean highly commended her dancing.” + </p> + <p> + “You danced? Fine doings! I thought you were merely invited to look on at + the game at bowls. Who had the best of the match?” + </p> + <p> + “The first game was won by Canon Boltby, the second by the Dean,” said + Betty; “but when they would have played the conqueror, Lady Herries + interfered and said the gentlemen had kept the field long enough, and now + it was our turn. So a cow was driven on the bowling-green, with a bell + round her neck and pink ribbons on her horns.” + </p> + <p> + “A cow! What will they have next?” + </p> + <p> + “They say ‘tis all the mode in London,” interposed Harriet. + </p> + <p> + “Pray was the cow to instruct you in dancing?” continued the Major. + </p> + <p> + “No, sir,” said Aurelia, whom he had addressed; “she was to be milked into + the bowl of syllabub.” + </p> + <p> + This was received with a great “Ho! ho!” and a demand who was to act as + milker. + </p> + <p> + “That was the best of it,” said Aurelia. “Soon came Miss Herries in a + straw hat, and the prettiest green petticoat under a white gown and apron, + as a dairy-maid, but the cow would not stand still, for all the man who + led her kept scolding her and saying ‘Coop! coop!’ No sooner had Miss + Herries seated herself on the stool than Moolly swerved away, and it was a + mercy that the fine china bowl escaped. Every one was laughing, and poor + Miss Herries was ready to cry, when forth steps my sister, coaxes the cow, + bids the man lend his apron, sits down on the stool, and has the bowl + frothing in a moment.” + </p> + <p> + “I would not have done so for worlds,” said Harriet; “I dreaded every + moment to be asked where Miss Delavie learnt to be a milk-maid.” + </p> + <p> + “You were welcome to reply, in her own yard,” said Betty. “You may thank + me for your syllabub.” + </p> + <p> + “Which, after all, you forbade poor Aura to taste!” + </p> + <p> + “Assuredly. I was not going to have her turn sick on my hands. She may + think herself beholden to me for her dance with that fine young beau. Who + was he, Aura?” + </p> + <p> + “How now!” said the Major, in a tone of banter, while Harriet indulged in + a suppressed giggle. “You let Aura dance with a stranger! Where was your + circumspection, Mrs. Betty?” Aurelia coloured to the roots of her hair and + faltered, “It was Lady Herries who presented him.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, the child is not to blame,” said Betty; “I left her in charge of + Mrs. Churchill while I went to wash my hands after milking the cow, which + these fine folk seemed to suppose could be done without soiling a finger.” + </p> + <p> + “That’s the way with Chloe and Phyllida in Arcadia,” said her father. + </p> + <p> + “But not here,” said Betty. “In the house, I was detained a little while, + for the housekeeper wanted me to explain my recipe for taking out the + grease spots.” + </p> + <p> + “A little while, sister?” said Harriet. “It was through the dancing of + three minuets, and the country dance had long been begun.” + </p> + <p> + “I was too busy to heed the time,” said Betty, “for I obtained the recipe + for those delicious almond-cakes, and showed Mrs. Waldron the Vienna mode + of clearing coffee. When I came back the fiddles were playing, and Aurelia + going down the middle with a young gentleman in a scarlet coat. Poor + little Robert Rowe was too bashful to find a partner, though he longed to + dance; so I made another couple with him, and thus missed further speech, + save that as we took our leave, both Sir George and the Dean complimented + me, and said what there is no occasion to repeat just now, sir, when I + ought to be fetching your supper.” + </p> + <p> + “Ha! Is it too flattering for little Aura?” asked her father. “Come, never + spare. She will hear worse than that in her day, I’ll warrant.” + </p> + <p> + “It was merely,” said Betty, reluctantly, “that the Dean called her the + star of the evening, and declared that her dancing equalled her face.” + </p> + <p> + “Well said of his reverence! And his honour the baronet, what said he?” + </p> + <p> + “He said, sir, that so comely and debonnaire a couple had not been seen in + these parts since you came home from Flanders and led off the assize ball + with Mistress Urania Delavie.” + </p> + <p> + “There, Aura, ‘tis my turn to blush!” cried the Major, comically hiding + his face behind Betty’s fan. “But all this time you have never told me who + was this young spark.” + </p> + <p> + “That I cannot tell, sir,” returned Betty. “We were sent home in the coach + with Mistress Duckworth and her daughters, who talked so incessantly that + we could not open our lips. Who was he, Aura?” + </p> + <p> + “My Lady Herries only presented him as Sir Amyas, sister,” replied + Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Sir Amyas!” cried her auditors, all together. + </p> + <p> + “Nothing more,” said Aurelia. “Indeed she made as though he and I must be + acquainted, and I suppose that she took me for Harriet, but I knew not how + to explain.” + </p> + <p> + “No doubt,” said Harriet. “I was sick of the music and folly, and had + retired to the summerhouse with Peggy Duckworth, who had brought a sweet + sonnet of Mr. Ambrose Phillips, ‘Defying Cupid.’” + </p> + <p> + Her father burst into a chuckling laugh, much to her mortification, though + she would not seem to understand it, and Betty took up the moral. + </p> + <p> + “Sir Amyas! Are you positive that you caught the name, child?” + </p> + <p> + “I thought so, sister,” said Aurelia, with the insecurity produced by such + cross-questioning; “but I may have been mistaken, since, of course, the + true Sir Amyas Belamour would never be here without my father’s + knowledge.” + </p> + <p> + “Nor is there any other of the name,” said her father, “except that + melancholic uncle of his who never leaves his dark chamber.” + </p> + <p> + “Depend upon it,” said Harriet, “Lady Herries said Sir Ambrose. No doubt + it was Sir Ambrose Watford.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, Harriet, I demur to that,” said her father drolly. “I flatter myself + I was a more personable youth than to be likened to Watford with his + swollen nose. What like was your cavalier, Aura?” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, sir, I cannot describe him. I was so much terrified lest he + should speak to me that I had much ado to mind my steps. I know he had + white gloves and diamond shoe-buckles, and that his feet moved by no means + like those of Sir Ambrose.” + </p> + <p> + “Aura is a modest child, and does credit to her breeding,” said Betty. + “Thus much I saw, that the young gentleman was tall and personable enough + to bear comparison even to you, sir, not more than nineteen or twenty + years of age, in a laced scarlet uniform, as I think, of the Dragoon + Guards, and with a little powder, but not enough to disguise that his hair + was entire gold.” + </p> + <p> + “That all points to his being indeed young Belamour,” said her father; + “age, military appearance, and all—I wonder what this portends!” + </p> + <p> + “What a disaster!” exclaimed Harriet, “that my sister and I should have + been out of the way, and only a chit like Aura be there to be presented to + him.” + </p> + <p> + “If young ladies <i>will</i> defy Cupid,” began her father;—but at + that moment Corporal Palmer knocked at the door, bringing a basin of soup + for his master, and announcing “Supper is served, young ladies.” + </p> + <p> + Each of the three bent her knee to receive her father’s blessing and kiss, + then curtseying at the door, departed, Betty lingering behind her two + juniors to see her father taste his soup and to make sure that he relished + it. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER II. THE HOUSE OF DELAVIE. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + All his Paphian mother fear; + Empress! all thy sway revere! + EURIPEDES (Anstice). +</pre> + <p> + The parlour where the supper was laid was oak panelled, but painted white. + Like a little island in the vast polished slippery floor lay a square + much-worn carpet, just big enough to accommodate a moderate-sized table + and the surrounding high-backed chairs. There was a tent-stitch rug before + the Dutch-tiled fireplace, and on the walls hung two framed prints,—one + representing the stately and graceful Duke of Marlborough; the other, the + small, dark, pinched, but fiery Prince Eugene. On the spotless white cloth + was spread a frugal meal of bread, butter, cheese, and lettuce; a jug of + milk, another of water, and a bottle of cowslip wine; for the habits of + the family were more than usually frugal and abstemious. + </p> + <p> + Frugality and health alike obliged Major Delavie to observe a careful + regimen. He had served in all Marlborough’s campaigns, and had afterwards + entered the Austrian army, and fought in the Turkish war, until he had + been disabled before Belgrade by a terrible wound, of which he still felt + the effects. Returning home with his wife, the daughter of a Jacobite + exile, he had become a kind of agent in managing the family estate for his + cousin the heiress, Lady Belamour, who allowed him to live rent-free in + this ruinous old Manor-house, the cradle of the family. + </p> + <p> + This was all that Harriet and Aurelia knew. The latter had been born at + the Manor, and young girls, if not brought extremely forward, were treated + like children; but Elizabeth, the eldest of the family, who could remember + Vienna, was so much the companion and confidante of her father, that she + was more on the level of a mother than a sister to her juniors. + </p> + <p> + “Then you think Aurelia’s beau was really Sir Amyas Belamour,” said + Harriet, as they sat down to supper. + </p> + <p> + “So it appears,” said Betty, gravely. + </p> + <p> + “Do you think he will come hither, sister? I would give the world to see + him,” continued Harriet. + </p> + <p> + “He said something of hoping for better acquaintance,” softly put in + Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, did he so?” cried Harriet. “For demure as you are, Miss Aura, I fancy + you looked a little above the diamond shoe-buckles!” + </p> + <p> + “Fie, Harriet!” exclaimed Betty; “I will not have the child tormented. He + ought to come and pay his respects to my father.” + </p> + <p> + “Have you ever seen my Lady?” asked Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “That have I, Miss Aurelia,” interposed Corporal Palmer, “and a rare piece + of beauty she would be, if one could forget the saying ‘handsome is as + handsome does.’” + </p> + <p> + “I never knew what she has done,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “‘Tis a long story,” hastily said Betty, “too long to tell at table. I + must make haste to prepare the poultice for my father.” + </p> + <p> + She quickly broke up the supper party, and the two younger sisters + repaired to their chamber, both conscious of having been repressed; the + one feeling injured, the other rebuked for forwardness and curiosity. The + three sisters shared one long low room with a large light closet at each + end. One of these was sacred to powder, the other was Betty’s private + property. Harriet had a little white bed to herself, Betty and Aurelia + nightly climbed into a lofty and solemn structure curtained with ancient + figured damask. Each had her own toilette-table and a press for her + clothes, where she contrived to stow them in a wonderfully small space. + </p> + <p> + Harriet and Aurelia had divested themselves of their finery before Betty + came in, and they assisted her operations, Harriet preferring a complaint + that she never would tell them anything. + </p> + <p> + “I have no objection to tell you at fitting times,” said Betty, “but not + with Palmer putting in his word. You should have discretion, Harriet.” + </p> + <p> + “The Dean’s servants never speak when they are waiting at table,” said + Harriet with a pout. + </p> + <p> + “But I’ll warrant them to hear!” retorted Betty. + </p> + <p> + “And I had rather have our dear old honest corporal than a dozen of those + fine lackeys,” said Aurelia. “But you will tell us the story like a good + sister, while we brush the powder out of our hair.” + </p> + <p> + They put on powdering gowns, after releasing themselves from the armour of + their stays, and were at last at ease, each seated on a wooden chair in + the powdering closet, brush in hand, with a cloud of white dust flying + round, and the true colour of the hair beginning to appear. + </p> + <p> + “Then it is indeed true that My Lady is one of the greatest beauties of + Queen Caroline’s Court, if not the greatest?” said Harriet. + </p> + <p> + “Truly she is,” said Betty, “and though in full maturity, she preserves + the splendour of her prime.” + </p> + <p> + “Tell us more particularly,” said Aurelia; “can she be more lovely than + our dear mamma?” + </p> + <p> + “No, indeed! lovely was never the word for her, to my mind,” said Betty; + “her face always seemed to me more like that of one of the marble statues + I remember at Vienna; perfect, but clear, cold, and hard. But I am no + judge, for I did not love her, and in a child, admiration accompanies + affection.” + </p> + <p> + “What did Palmer mean by ‘handsome is that handsome does’? Surely my + father never was ill-treated by Lady Belamour?” + </p> + <p> + “Let me explain,” said the elder sister. “The ancient custom and precedent + of our family have always transmitted the estates to the male heir. But + when Charles II. granted the patent of nobility to the first Baron + Delavie, the barony was limited to the heirs male of his body, and out + grandfather was only his brother. The last Lord had three sons, and one + daughter, Urania, who alone survived him.” + </p> + <p> + “I know all that from the monument,” said Aurelia; “one was drowned while + bathing, one died of spotted fever, and one was killed at the battle of + Ramillies. How dreadful for the poor old father!” + </p> + <p> + “And there is no Lord Delavie now,” said Harriet. “Why, since my Lady + could not have the title, did it not come to our papa?” + </p> + <p> + “Because his father was not in the patent,” said Betty. “However, it was + thought that if he were married to Mistress Urania, there would be a fresh + creation in their favour. So as soon as the last campaign was over, our + father, who had always been a favourite at the great house, was sent for + from the army, and given to understand that he was to conduct his + courtship, with the cousin he had petted as a little child, as speedily as + was decorous. However, in winter quarters at Tournai he had already + pledged his faith to the daughter of a Scottish gentleman in the Austrian + service. This engagement was viewed by the old Lord as a trifling folly, + which might be set aside by the head of the family. He hinted that the + proposed match was by no means disagreeable to his daughter, and scarcely + credited his ears when his young kinsman declared his honour forbade him + to break with Miss Murray.” + </p> + <p> + “Dear father,” ejaculated Aurelia, “so he gave up everything for her + sake?” + </p> + <p> + “And never repented it!” said Betty. + </p> + <p> + “Now,” said Harriet, “I understand why he entered the army.” + </p> + <p> + “It was all he had to depend on,” said Betty, “and he had been favourably + noticed by Prince Eugene at the siege of Lisle, so that he easily obtained + a commission. He believed that though it was in the power of the old Lord + to dispose of part of his estates by will, yet that some of the land was + entailed in the male line, so that there need not be many years of + campaigning or poverty for his bride, even if her father never were + restored to his Scottish property. As you know, our grandfather, Sir + Archibald Murray, died for his loyalty in the rising of ‘15, and two years + later our father received at Belgrade that terrible wound which closed his + military career. Meantime, Urania had married Sir Jovian Belamour, and + Lord Delavie seemed to have forgotten my father’s offence, and gave him + the management of the estate, with this old house to live in, showing + himself glad of the neighbourhood of a kinsman whom he could thoroughly + trust. All went well till my Lady came to visit her father. Then all old + offences were renewed. Lady Belamour treated my mother as a poor + dependant. She, daughter to a noble line of pedigree far higher than that + of the Delavies, might well return her haughty looks, and would not yield + an inch, nor join in the general adulation. There were disputes about us + children. Poor Archie was a most beautiful boy, and though you might not + suppose it, I was a very pretty little girl, this nose of mine being then + much more shapely than the little buttons which grow to fair proportions. + On the other hand, the little Belamours were puny and sickly; indeed, as + you know, this young Sir Amyas, who was not then born, is the only one of + the whole family who has been reared. Then we had been carefully bred, + could chatter French, recite poetry, make our bow and curtsey, bridle, and + said Sir and Madam, while the poor little cousins who had been put out to + nurse had no more manners than the calves and pigs. People were the more + flattering to us because they expected soon to see my father in his + Lordship’s place; and on the other hand, officious tongues were not + wanting to tell my Lady how Mrs. Delavie contrasted the two sets of + children. Very bitter offence was taken; nor has my Lady ever truly + forgiven, whatever our dear good father may believe. When the old Lord + died, a will was found, bequeathing all his unentailed estates to his + daughter, and this was of course strong presumption that he believed in + the existence of a deed of entail; but none could ever be found, and the + precedents were not held to establish the right.” + </p> + <p> + “Did he leave my father nothing?” asked Harriet. + </p> + <p> + “He left him three hundred pounds and made him joint executor with Sir + Jovian. There was no mention of this house, which was the original house + of the family, the first Lord having built the Great House; and both my + father and Sir Jovian were sure the Lord Delavie believed it would come to + him; but no proofs were extant, and my Lady would only consent to his + occupying it, as before, as her agent.” + </p> + <p> + “I always knew we were victims to an injustice,” said Harriet, “though I + never understood the matter exactly.” + </p> + <p> + “You were a mere child, and my father does not love to talk of it. He + ceased to care much about the loss after our dear Archie died.” + </p> + <p> + “Not for Eugene’s sake?” + </p> + <p> + “Eugene was not born for two years after Archie’s death. My dear mother + had drooped from the time of the disappointment, blaming herself for + having ruined my father, and scarce accepting comfort when he vowed that + all was well lost for her sake. She reproached herself with having been + proud and unconciliatory, though I doubt whether it made much difference. + Then her spirit was altogether crushed by the loss of Archie, she never + had another day’s health. Eugene came to her like Ichabod to Phinehas’ + wife, and she was soon gone from us,” said Betty, wiping away a tear. + </p> + <p> + “Leaving us a dear sister to be a mother to us,” said Aurelia, raising her + sweet face for a kiss. + </p> + <p> + Harriet pondered a little, and said, “My Lady is not at enmity with us, + since my father keeps the house and agency.” + </p> + <p> + “We should be reduced to poverty indeed without them,” said Betty; “and + Sir Jovian, an upright honourable man, the only person whom my Lady truly + respected, insisted on his continuance. As long as my Lady regards his + memory we are safe, but no one can trust to her caprice.” + </p> + <p> + “She never comes here, nor disturbs my father.” + </p> + <p> + “No, but she makes heavy calls on the estate, and is displeased if he + refuses to overpress the tenants or hesitates to cut the timber.” + </p> + <p> + “I have heard say,” added Harriet, “that her debts in town and her losses + at play drove her to accept her present husband, Mr. Wayland, a hideous + old fellow, who had become vastly rich through some discovery about + cannon.” + </p> + <p> + “He is an honourable and upright man,” said Betty. “I should have fewer + anxieties if he had not been sent out to Gibraltar and Minorca to + superintend the fortifications.” + </p> + <p> + “Meantime my Lady makes the money fly, by the help of the gallant Colonel + Mar,” said Harriet lightly. + </p> + <p> + “Fie! Harriet!” returned the elder sister; “I have allowed you too far. My + father calls Lady Belamour his commanding officer, and permits no scandal + to be spoken of her.” + </p> + <p> + “Any more than of Prince Eugene?” said Harriet, laughing. + </p> + <p> + “But oh! sister!” cried Aurelia, “let us stay a little longer. I have not + half braided my hair, and I long to hear who is the gentleman of whom my + father spoke as living in the dark.” + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Amyas Belamour! Sir Jovian’s brother! Ah! that is a sad story,” + replied Betty, “though I am not certain that I have it correctly, having + only heard it discussed between my father and mother when I was a growing + girl, sitting at my sampler. I think he was a barrister; I know he was a + very fine gentleman and a man of parts, who had made the Grand Tour; for + when he was staying at the Great House, he said my mother was the only + person he met who could converse with him on the Old Masters, or any other + subject of <i>virtu</i>, and that, being reported to my Lady, increased + her bitterness all the more because Mr. Belamour was a friend of Mr. + Addison and Sir Richard Steele, and had contributed some papers to the <i>Spectator</i>. + He was making a good fortune in his profession, and had formed an + engagement with a young lady in Hertfordshire, of a good old family, but + one which had always been disliked by Lady Belamour. It is said, too, that + Miss Sedhurst had been thought to have attracted one of my Lady’s many + admirers, and that the latter was determined not to see her rival become + her sister-in-law, and probably with the same title, since Mr. Belamour + was on the verge of obtaining knighthood. So, if she be not greatly + belied, Lady Belamour plied all parties with her confidences, till she + contrived to breed suspicion and jealousy on all sides, until finally Miss + Sedhurst’s brother, a crack-brained youth, offered such an insult to Mr. + Belamour, that honour required a challenge. It was thought that as Mr. + Belamour was the superior in age and position, the matter might have been + composed, but the young man was fiery and hot tempered, and would neither + retract nor apologise; and Mr. Belamour had been stung in his tenderest + feeling. They fought with pistols, an innovation that, as you know, my + father hates, as far more deadly and unskilful than the noble practice of + fencing; and the result was that Mr. Sedhurst was shot dead, and Mr. + Belamour received a severe wound in the head. The poor young lady, being + always of a delicate constitution, fell into fits on hearing the news, an + died in a few weeks. The unfortunate Mr. Belamour survives, but whether + from injury to the brain, or from grief and remorse, he has never been + able to endure either light or company, but has remained ever since in + utter darkness and seclusion.” + </p> + <p> + “Utter darkness! How dreadful!” cried Aurelia, shuddering. + </p> + <p> + “How long has this been, sister?” inquired Harriet. + </p> + <p> + “About nine years,” said Betty. “The lamentable affair took place just + before Sir Jovian’s death, and the shock may have hastened it, for he had + long been in a languishing state. It was the more unfortunate, since he + had made Mr. Belamour sole personal guardian to his only surviving son, + and appointed him, together with my father and another gentleman, trustee + for the Belamour property; and there has been much difficulty in + consequence of his being unable to act, or to do more than give his + signature.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! sister, I wish you had not told me,” said Aurelia. “I shall dream of + the unfortunate gentleman all night. Nine years of utter darkness!” + </p> + <p> + “We know who is still child enough to hate darkness,” said Harriet. + </p> + <p> + “Take care,” said Betty. “You must make haste, or I shall leave you to + it.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER III. AMONG THE COWSLIPS. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + The insect youth are on the wing, + Eager to taste the honeyed spring, + And float amid the liquid noon, + Some lightly on the torrent skim, + Some show their gaily gilded trim, + Quick glancing to the sun.—GRAY +</pre> + <p> + Though hours were early, the morning meal was not served till so late as + really to deserve the title of breakfast. + </p> + <p> + When the three sisters sat down at nine-o’clock, in mob caps, and the two + younger in white dresses, all had been up at least two hours. Aurelia led + forward little Eugene in a tailed red coat, long-breasted buff waistcoat, + buff tights and knitted stockings, with a deep frilled collar under the + flowing locks on his shoulders, in curls which emulated a wig. She had + been helping him to prepare “his tasks” from the well-thumbed but + strongly-bound books which had served poor Archie before him. They were + deposited on the window-seat to wait till the bowls of bread and milk were + discussed, since tea and coffee were only a special afternoon treat not + considered as wholesome for children; so that Aurelia had only just been + promoted to them, along with powder and fan. + </p> + <p> + Harriet wore her favourite pistachio ribbon round her cap and as a + breast-knot, and her cheeks bore token of one of the various washes with + which she was always striving to regain the smoothness of her complexion. + Knowing what this betokened, an elder-sisterly instinct of caution + actuated Betty to remind her juniors of an engagement made with Dame Jewel + of the upland farm for the exchange of a setting of white duck’s eggs for + one of five-toed fowls, and to request them to carry the basket. + </p> + <p> + Eugene danced on his chair and begged to be of the party; but Harriet + pouted, and asked why the “odd boy” could not be sent. + </p> + <p> + “Because, as you very well know, if he did not break, he would addle, + every egg in the basket. + </p> + <p> + “There can be no need to go to-day.” + </p> + <p> + “The speckled hen is clocking to brood, and she is the best mother in the + yard. Besides, it is time that the cowslip wine were made, and I will give + you some bread and cheese and gingerbread for noonchin, so that you may + fill your baskets in the meadows before they are laid up for grass. Mrs. + Jewel will give you a drink of milk.” + </p> + <p> + “O let me go, sister!” pleaded Eugene. “She gives us bread and honey! And + I want to hear the lapwings in the meadows cry pee-wit.” + </p> + <p> + “We shall have you falling into the river,” said Harriet, rather + fretfully. + </p> + <p> + “No, indeed! If you fall in, I will pull you out. Young maids should not + run about the country without a gentleman to take care of them. Should + they, sister?” cried the doughty seven years’ old champion. + </p> + <p> + “Who taught you that, sir?” asked Betty, trying to keep her countenance. + </p> + <p> + “I heard Mrs. Churchill say so to my papa,” returned the boy. “So now, + there’s a good sister. Do pray let me go!” + </p> + <p> + “If you say your tasks well, and will promise to be obedient to Harriet + and to keep away from the river, and not touch the basket of eggs.” + </p> + <p> + Eugene was ready for any number of promises; and Harriet, seeing there was + no escape for her, went off with Aurelia to put on their little + three-cornered muslin handkerchiefs and broad-brimmed straw hats, while + Eugene repeated his tasks, namely, a fragment of the catechism, half a + column of spelling from the <i>Universal Spelling-Book</i>, and (Betty’s + special pride) his portion of the <i>Orbis Sensualium Pictus</i> of + Johannes Amos Comenius, the wonderful vocabulary, with still more + wonderful “cuts,” that was then the small boys path to Latinity. + </p> + <p> + The Eagle, <i>Aquila</i>, the King of Birds, <i>Rex Avium</i>, looketh at + the Sun, <i>intuetur Solem</i>, as indeed he could hardly avoid doing, + since in the “cut” the sun was within a hairsbreath of his beak, while his + claws were almost touching a crow (<i>Corvus</i>) perched on a dead horse, + to exemplify how <i>Aves Raptores</i> fed on carrion. + </p> + <p> + Thanks to Aurelia’s private assistance, Eugene knew his lessons well + enough for his excitement not to make him stumble so often as to prevent + Betty’s pronouncing him a good boy, and dispensing with his copy, sum, + piece, and reading, until the evening. These last were very tough affairs, + the recitation being from Shakespeare, and the reading from the <i>Spectator</i>. + There were no children’s books, properly so called, except the ballads, + chap-books brought round by pedlers, often far from edifying, and the + plunge from the horn-book into general literature was, to say the least of + it, bracing. + </p> + <p> + The Delavie family was cultivated for the time. French had been brought + home as a familiar tongue, though <i>Telemaque</i>, Racine, and <i>Le + Grand Cyrus</i> were the whole library in that language; and there was not + another within thirty miles. On two days in the week the sisters became + Mesdemoiselles Elisabeth, Henriette, and Aurelie, and conversed in French + over their spinning, seams, lace, or embroidery; nor was Aurelia yet + emancipated from reciting Racine on alternate days with Milton and + Shakespeare. + </p> + <p> + Betty could likewise talk German with the old Austrian maid, Nannerl, who + had followed the family from Vienna; but the accomplishment was not + esteemed, and the dialect was barbarous. From the time of her mother’s + death, Betty had been a strict and careful, though kind, ruler to her + sisters; and the long walk was a greater holiday to Aurelia than to + Eugene, releasing her from her book and work, whereas he would soon have + been trundling his hoop, and haunting the steps of Palmer, who was + gardener as well as valet, butler, and a good deal besides, and moreover + drilled his young master. Thus Eugene carried his head as erect as any + Grenadier in the service, and was a thorough little gentleman in + miniature; a perfect little beau, as his sisters loved to call the darling + of their hearts and hopes. + </p> + <p> + Even Harriet could not be cross to him, though she made Aurelia carry the + eggs, and indulged in sundry petulant whisks of the fan which she carried + by way of parasol. “Now, why does Betty do this?” she exclaimed, as soon + as they were out of hearing. “Is it to secure to herself the whole + enjoyment of your beau?” + </p> + <p> + “You forget,” said Aurelia. “You promised to fetch the eggs, when we met + Mrs. Jewel jogging home from market on her old blind white horse last + Saturday, because you said no eggs so shaken could ever be hatched.” + </p> + <p> + “You demure chit!” exclaimed Harriet; “would you make me believe that you + have no regrets for so charming a young gentleman, my Lady’s son and our + kinsman.” + </p> + <p> + “If he spoke to me I should not know how to answer. And then you would + blame my rudeness. Besides,” she added, with childish sagacity, “he can be + nothing but a fine London macaroni. Only think of the cowslips! A whole + morning to make cowslip balls,” she added with a little frisk. “I would + not give one for all the macaronies in England, with their powder and + their snuff-boxes. Faugh!” + </p> + <p> + “Ah, child, you will sing another note perhaps when it is too late,” said + her sister, with a sigh between envy and compassion. + </p> + <p> + It floated past Aurelia unheeded, as she danced up one side of a stile, + and sprang clear down into a green park, jumped Eugene down after her by + both hands, and exclaimed, “Harriet is in her vapours; come, let us have a + race!” + </p> + <p> + She was instantly careering along like a white butterfly in the sunshine, + flitting on as the child tried to catch her, among the snowy hawthorn + bushes, or sinking down for very joy and delight among the bank of wild + hyacinths. Life and free motion were joy and delight enough for that happy + being with her childish heart, and the serious business of the day was all + delight. There lay the rich meadows basking in the sun, and covered with + short grass just beginning its summer growth, but with the cowslips + standing high above it; hanging down their rich clusters of soft, pure, + delicately-scented bells, from their pinky stems over their pale crinkled + leaves, interspersed here and there with the deep purple of the fool’s + orchis, and the pale brown quiver-grass shaking out its trembling awns on + their invisible stems. No flower is more delightful to gather than the + cowslip, fragrant as the breath of a cow. And Aurelia darted about, piling + the golden heap in her basket with untiring enjoyment; then, producing a + tape, called on Harriet, who had been working in a more leisurely fashion, + to join her in making a cowslip ball, and charged Eugene not to nip off + the heads too short. + </p> + <p> + The sweet, soft, golden globe was made, and even Harriet felt the + delicious intoxication. The young things tossed it aloft, flung from one + to the other, caught it, caressed it, buried their faces in it, and threw + it back with shrieks of glee. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly Harriet checked her sister with a peremptory sign. She heard + horse-hoofs in the lane, divided from the field by a hedge of pollard + willows, so high that she had never thought of being overlooked, till the + cessation of the trotting sound struck her; and looking round she saw that + a horseman had halted at the gate, and was gazing at their sports. It was + from the distance of a field, but this was enough to fill Harriet with + dismay. She drew herself up in a moment, signing peremptorily to Aurelia, + who was flying about, her hat off, her one long curl streaming behind as + she darted hither and thither, evading Eugene who was pursuing her. + </p> + <p> + As she paused, and Eugene clutched her dress with a shout of ecstasy, + Harriet came up, glancing severely toward the gate, and saying, as she + handed her sister the hat, “This comes of childishness! That we should be + seen thus! What a hoyden he will think you!” as the hoofs went on and the + red coat vanished. + </p> + <p> + “He! Who? Not the farmer?” said Aurelia. “This is not laid up for hay.” + </p> + <p> + “No indeed. I believe it is he,” said Harriet, mysteriously. + </p> + <p> + “He?” repeated Aurelia. “Not Mr. Arden, for he would be in black,” and at + Harriet’s disgusted gesture, “I beg your pardon, but I did not know you + had a new <i>he</i>. Oh! surely you are not thinking of the young + baronet?” + </p> + <p> + “I am sure it was his figure.” + </p> + <p> + “You did not see him yesterday?” + </p> + <p> + “No, but his air had too much distinction for any one from these parts.” + </p> + <p> + “Could you see what his air was from this distance? I should never have + guessed it, but you have more experience, being older. Come, Eugene, + another race!” + </p> + <p> + “No, I will have no more folly. I was too good-natured to allow it. I am + vexed beyond measure that he should have seen such rusticity.” + </p> + <p> + “Never mind, dear Harriet. Most likely it was no such person, for it was + not well-bred to sit staring at us; and if it were he, you were not known + to him.” + </p> + <p> + “You were.” + </p> + <p> + “Then he must have eyes as sharp as yours are for an air of distinction. + Having only seen me in my blue and primrose suit, how should he know me in + my present trim? Besides, I believe it was only young Dick Jewel in a cast + coat of Squire Humphrey’s.” + </p> + <p> + The charm of the cowslip gathering was broken. Eugene found himself very + hungry, and the noonchin was produced, after which the walk was continued + to the farm-house, where the young people were made very welcome. + </p> + <p> + Farmers were, as a rule, more rustic than the present labourer, but they + lived a life of far less care, if of more toil, than their successors, + having ample means for their simple needs, and enjoying jocund plenty. The + clean kitchen, with the stone floor, the beaupot of maythorn on the empty + hearth, the shining walnut-wood table, the spinning-wheel, wooden chairs, + and forms, all looked cool and inviting, and the visitors were regaled + with home-made brown bread, delicious butter and honey, and a choice of + new milk, mead, and currant wine. + </p> + <p> + Dame Jewel, in a white frill under a black silken hood, a buff turnover + kerchief, stout stuff gown and white apron, was delighted to wait on them; + and Eugene’s bliss was complete among the young kittens and puppies in + baskets on opposite sides of the window, the chickens before their coops, + the ducklings like yellow balls on the grass, and the huge family of + little spotted piglings which, to the scandal of his sisters, he declared + the most delightful of all. + </p> + <p> + Their hostess knew nothing of the young baronet being in the + neighbourhood, and was by no means gratified by the intelligence. + </p> + <p> + “Lack-a-day! Miss Harriet, you don’t mean that the family is coming down + here! I don’t want none of them. ‘Tis bad times for the farmer when any of + that sort is nigh. They make nothing of galloping their horses a hunting + right through the crops, ay, and horsewhipping the farmer if he do but say + a word for the sweat of his brow.” + </p> + <p> + “O Mrs. Jewel!” cried Aurelia, in whose ear lingered the courteous accents + of her partner, “they would never behave themselves so.” + </p> + <p> + “Bless you, Miss Orreely, I’ll tell you what I’ve seen with my own eyes. + My own good man, the master here, with the horsewhip laid about his + shoulders at that very thornbush, by one of the fine gentlefolks, just + because he had mended the gap in the hedge they was used to ride through, + and my Lady sitting by in her laced scarlet habit on her fine horse, + smiling like a painted picture, and saying, ‘Thank you, sir, the rascals + need to learn not to interfere with our sport,’ all in that gentle + sounding low voice of hers, enough to drive one mad.” + </p> + <p> + “I thought Sir Jovian had been a kind master,” said Harriet. + </p> + <p> + “This was not Sir Jovian. Poor gentleman, he was not often out a-hunting. + This was one of the fine young rakish fellows from Lunnun as were always + swarming about my Lady, like bees over that maybush. Sir Thomas Donne, I + think they called him. They said he got killed by a wild boar, hunting in + foreign parts, afterwards, and serve him right! But there! They would all + do her bidding, whether for bad or good, so maybe it was less his fault + than hers. She is a bitter one, is my Lady, for all she looks so sweet. + And this her young barrowknight will be his own mother’s son, and I don’t + want none of ‘em down here. ‘Tis a good job we have your good papa, the + Major, to stand between her and us; I only wish he had his own, for a rare + good landlord he would be.” + </p> + <p> + The Dame’s vain wishes were cut short by shrieks from the poultry-yard, + where Eugene was discovered up to his ankles in the black ooze of the + horse-pond, waving a little stick in defiance of an angry gander, who with + white outspread wings, snake-like neck, bent and protruded, and frightful + screams and hisses, was no bad representation of his namesake the dragon, + especially to a child not much exceeding him in height. + </p> + <p> + The monster was put to rout, the champion dragged out of the pond, + breathlessly explaining that he only wanted to look at the goslings when + the stupid geese cackled and the gander wanted to fly at his eyes. “And I + didn’t see where I was going, for I had to keep him off, so I got into the + mud. Will sister be angry?” he concluded, ruefully surveying the dainty + little stockings and shoes coated with black mud. + </p> + <p> + But before the buckled shoon had been scraped, or the hosen washed and + dried, the cheerful memory of boyhood had convinced itself that the enemy + had been put to flight by his manful resistance; and he turned a deaf ear + to Aurelia’s suggestion that the affair had been retribution for his + constant oblivion of Comenius’ assertion that <i>auser gingrit,</i> “the + goose gagleth.” + </p> + <p> + They went home more soberly, having been directed by Mrs. Jewel to a field + bordered by a copse, where grew the most magnificent of Titania’s + pensioners tall, wearing splendid rubies in their coats; and in due time + the trio presented themselves at home, weary, but glowing with the + innocent excitement of their adventures. Harriet was the first to proclaim + that they had seen a horseman who must be Sir Amyas. “Had sister seen + him?” + </p> + <p> + “Only through the window of the kitchen where I was making puff paste.” + </p> + <p> + “He called then! Did my papa see him?” + </p> + <p> + “My father was in no condition to see any one, being under the hands and + razor of Palmer.” + </p> + <p> + “La! what a sad pity. Did he leave no message?” + </p> + <p> + “He left his compliments, and hoped his late partner was not fatigued.” + </p> + <p> + “Is he at the Great House? Will he call again?” + </p> + <p> + “He is on his way to make a visit in Monmouthshire, together with a + brother office, who is related to my Lady Herries, and finding that their + road led them within twenty miles of our town, the decided on making a + diversion to see her. It was only from her that Sir Amyas understood how + close he was to his mother’s property, for my Lady is extremely jealous of + her prerogative.” + </p> + <p> + “How did you hear all this, sister?” + </p> + <p> + “Sir George Herries rode over this afternoon and sat an hour with my + father, delighting him by averring that the young gentleman has his + mother’s charms of person, together with his father’s solidity of + principle and character, and that he will do honour to his name.” + </p> + <p> + “O, I hope he will come back by this route!” cried Harriet. + </p> + <p> + “Of that there is small likelihood,” said Betty. “His mother is nearly + certain to prevent it since she is sure to take umbrage at his having + visited the Great House without her permission.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IV. MY LADY’S MISSIVE. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + To the next coffee-house he speeds, + Takes up the news, some scraps he reads.—GAY. +</pre> + <p> + Though Carminster was a cathedral city, the Special General Post only came + in once a week, and was liable to delay through storms, snows, mire and + highwaymen, so that its arrival was as great an event as is now the coming + in of a mail steamer to a colonial harbour. The “post” was a stout + countryman, with a red coat, tall jackboots and a huge hat. He rode a + strong horse, which carried, <i>en croupe</i>, an immense pack, covered + with oiled canvas, rising high enough to support his back, while he blew a + long horn to announce his arrival. + </p> + <p> + Letters were rare and very expensive articles unless franked by a Member + of Parliament, but gazettes and newsletters formed a large portion of his + freight. No private gentleman except the Dean and Sir George Herries went + to the extravagance of taking in a newspaper on his own account, but there + was a club who subscribed for the <i>Daily Gazetteer</i>, the <i>Tatler</i>, + and one or two other infant forms of periodical literature. These were + hastily skimmed on their first arrival at the club-room at the White + Dragon, lay on the table to be more deliberately conned for a week, and + finally were divided among the members to be handed about among the + families and dependants as long as they would hold together. + </p> + <p> + Major Delavie never willingly missed the coming of the mail, for his + foreign experiences gave him keen interest in the war between France and + Austria, and he watched the campaigns of his beloved Prince Eugene with + untiring enthusiasm, being, moreover, in the flattering position of + general interpreter and guide to his neighbours through the scanty + articles on foreign intelligence. + </p> + <p> + It was about ten days after the syllabub party, when he had quite + recovered his ordinary health, that he mounted his stout pony in his + military undress, his cocked hat perched on his well-powdered bob-wig, + with a queue half-way down his dark green gold-laced coat, and with his + long jack-boots carefully settle by Palmer over the knee that would never + cease to give him trouble. + </p> + <p> + Thus he slowly ambled into the town, catching on his way distant toots of + the postman’s horn. In due time he made his way into the High Street, + broad and unpaved, with rows of lime or poplar trees before the principal + houses, the most modern of which were of red brick, with heavy + sash-windows, large stone quoins, and steps up to the doors. + </p> + <p> + The White Dragon, dating from the times of the Mortimer badge, was built + of creamy stone, and had an archway conducting the traveller into a + courtyard worthy of Chaucer, with ranges of galleries running round it, + the balustrades of dark carved oak suiting with the timbers of the + latticed window and gables, and with the noble outside stair at one angle, + by which they communicated with one another. To these beauties the good + Major was entirely insensible. He only sighed at the trouble it gave his + lame knee to mount the stair to the first storey, and desired the + execution of the landlord’s barbarous design of knocking down the street + front to replace it with a plain, oblong assembly room, red brick outside, + and within, blue plaster, adorned with wreaths and bullocks’ faces in + stucco. + </p> + <p> + Such were the sentiments of most of the burly squires who had ridden in on + the same errand, and throwing the reins to their grooms, likewise climbed + the stair to the club-room with its oriel looking over the street. There + too were several of the cathedral clergy, the rubicund double-chinned face + of the Canon in residence set off by a white, cauliflower wig under a + shovel hat, while the humbler minor canons (who served likewise as curates + to all the country round) only powdered their own hair, and wore gowns and + cassocks of quality very inferior to that which adorned the portly person + of their superior. His white bands were of fine cambric, theirs of coarser + linen; his stockings were of ribbed silk, theirs of black worsted; his + buckles of silver, theirs of steel; and the line of demarcation was as + strongly marked as that between the neat, deferential tradesman, and the + lawyer in his spruce snuff-coloured coat, or the doctor, as black in hue + as the clergy, though with a secular cut, a smaller wig, and a gold-headed + cane. Each had, as in duty bound, ordered his pint of port or claret for + the good of the house, and it was well if these were not in the end + greatly exceeded; and some had lighted long clay pipes; but these were + mostly of the secondary rank, who sat at the table farthest from the + window, and whose drink was a measure of ale. + </p> + <p> + The letters had not yet been sorted, but the newspaper had been brought + in, and the Canon Boltby had possessed himself of it, and was proclaiming + scraps of intelligence about the King, Queen, and Sir Robert Walpole, the + character of Marshal Berwick, recently slain at Philipsburg, an account of + Spanish outrages at sea, or mayhap the story of a marvelous beast, + half-tiger, half-wolf, reported to be running wild in France. The other + gentlemen, waiting till the mail-bags were opened, listened and commented; + while one or two of the squires, and a shabby, disreputable-looking minor + canon made each notable name the occasion of a toast, whether of health to + his majesty’s friends or confusion to his foes. A squabble, as to whether + the gallant Berwick should be reckoned as an honest Frenchman or as a + traitor Englishman, was interrupted by the Major’s entrance, and the + congratulations on his recovery. + </p> + <p> + One of the squires inquired after his daughters, and pronounced the little + one with the outlandish name was becoming a belle, and would be the toast + of the neighbourhood, a hint of which the topers were not slow to take + advantage, while one of the guests at the recent party observed, “Young + Belamour seemed to be of that opinion.” + </p> + <p> + “May it be so,” said the Canon, “that were a step to the undoing of a + great wrong.” + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Scrivener will tell you, sir, that there was no justice in the eye of + the law,” said the Major. + </p> + <p> + “<i>Summum jus, summa injuria</i>,” quoted, <i>sotto voce</i>, Mr. Arden, + a minor canon who, being well born, scholarly, scientific and gentlemanly, + occupied a middle place between his colleagues and the grandees. He was + not listened to. Each knot of speakers was becoming louder in debate, and + Dr. Boltby’s voice was hardly heard when he announced that a rain of blood + had fallen on the Macgillicuddy mountains in Ireland, testified to by + numerous respectable Protestant witnesses, and attributable, either to the + late comet, or to the Pretender. + </p> + <p> + At that moment the letters were brought in by the postman, and each + recipient had—not without murmurs—to produce his purse and pay + heavily for them. There were not many. The Doctor had two, Mr. Arden one, + Mr. Scrivener no less than five, but of them two were franked, and a + franked letter was likewise handed over to Major DeLavie, with the word + “Aresfield” written in the corner. + </p> + <p> + “From my Lady,” said an unoccupied neighbour. + </p> + <p> + “Aye, aye,” said the Major, putting it into his pocket, being by no means + inclined to submit the letter to the general gaze. + </p> + <p> + “A good omen,” said Canon Boltby, looking up from his paper. And the Major + smiled in return, put a word or two into the discussion on affairs, and + then, as soon as he thought he could take leave without betraying anxiety, + he limped down stairs, and called for his horse. Lady Belamour’s letters + were wont to be calls for money, not easily answered, and were never + welcome sights, and this hung heavy in the laced pocket of his coat. + </p> + <p> + Palmer met him at the back gate, and took his horse, but judged it + advisable to put no questions about the news, while his master made his + way in by the kitchen entrance of the rambling old manor house, and + entered a stone-paved low room, a sort of office or study, where he + received, and paid, money for my Lady, and smoked his pipe. Here he sat + down in his wooden armchair, spread forth his legs, and took out the + letter, opening it with careful avoidance of defacing the large red seal, + covered with many quarterings, and the Delavie escutcheon of pretence + reigning over all. + </p> + <p> + It opened, as he expected, with replies to some matters about leases and + repairs; and then followed:— + </p> + <p> + “I am informed that you have a large Family, and Daughters growing up whom + it is desirable to put in the way of making a good Match, or else an + honourable Livelihood; I am therefore willing, for the Sake of our Family + Connection, to charge myself with your youngest Girl, whose Name I + understand to be Aurelia. I will cause her to be trained in useful Works + in my Household, expecting her, in Return, to assist in the Care and + Instruction of my young Children; and if she please me and prove herself + worthy and attentive, I will bestow her Marriage upon some suitable + Person. This is the more proper and convenient for you, because your Age + and Health are such that I may not long be able to retain you in the + Charge of my Estate—in which indeed you are continued only out of + Consideration of an extremely distant Relationship, although a younger and + more active Man, bred to the Profession, would serve me far more + profitably.” + </p> + <p> + When Betty came into the room a few minutes later to pull off her father’s + boots she found him sitting like one transfixed. He held out the letter, + saying, “Read that, child.” + </p> + <p> + Betty stood by the window and read, only giving one start, and muttering + between her teeth, “Insolent woman!” but not speaking the words aloud, for + she knew her father would treat them as treason. He always had a certain + tender deference for his cousin Urania, mixed with something akin to + compunction, as if his loyalty to his betrothed had been disloyalty to his + family. Thus, he exceeded the rest of his sex in blindness to the defects + that had been so evident to his wife and daughter; and whatever + provocation might make him say of my Lady himself, he never permitted a + word against her from any one else. He looked wistfully at Betty and said, + “My little Aura! It is a kindly thought. Her son must have writ of the + child. But I had liefer she had asked me for the sight of my old eyes.” + </p> + <p> + “The question is,” said Betty, in clear, incisive tones, “whether we + surrender Aurelia or your situation?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, nay, Betty, you always do my cousin less than justice. She means + well by the child and by us all. Come, come say what is in your mind,” he + add testily. + </p> + <p> + “Am I at liberty to express myself, sir?” + </p> + <p> + “Of course you are. I had rather hear the whole discharge of your battery + than see you looking constrained and satirical.” + </p> + <p> + “Then, sir, my conclusion is this. The young baronet has shown himself + smitten with out pretty Aurelia, and has spoken of tarrying on his return + to make farther acquaintance. My Lady is afraid of his going to greater + lengths, and therefore wishes to have her at her disposal.” + </p> + <p> + “She proposes to take her into her own family; that is not taking her out + of his way.” + </p> + <p> + “I am sure of that.” + </p> + <p> + “You are prejudiced, like your poor dear mother—the best of women, + if only she could ever have done justice to her Ladyship! Don’t you see, + child, Aurelia would not be gone before his return, supposing he should + come this way.” + </p> + <p> + “His visit was to be for six weeks. Did you not see the postscript?” + </p> + <p> + “No, the letter was enough for one while.” + </p> + <p> + “Here it is: ‘I shall send Dove in the Space of about a Fortnight or three + Weeks to bring to Town the young Coach Horses you mentioned. His Wife is + to return with him, as I have Occasion for her in Town, and your Daughter + must be ready to come up with them.’” + </p> + <p> + “Bless me! That is prompt! But it is thoughtful. Mrs. Dove is a good soul. + It seems to me as if my Lady, though she may not choose to say so, wishes + to see the child, and if she approve of her, breed her up in the + accomplishments needed for such an elevation.” + </p> + <p> + “If you hold that opinion, dear sir, it is well.” + </p> + <p> + “If I thought she meant other than kindness toward the dear maid, I had + rather we all pinched together than risk the little one in her hands. I + had rather-if it comes to that—live on a crust a day than part with + my sweet child; but if it were for good, Betty! It is hard for you all + three to be cooped up together here, with no means of improving your + condition; and this may be an opening that I ought not to reject. What say + you, Betty?” + </p> + <p> + “If I were to send her out into the world, I had rather bind her + apprentice to the Misses Rigby to learn mantua-making.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, nay, my dear; so long as I live there is no need for my children to + come to such straits.” + </p> + <p> + “As long as you retain your situation, sir; but you perceive how my Lady + concludes her letter.” + </p> + <p> + “An old song, Betty, which she sings whenever the coin does not come in + fast enough to content her. She does not mean what she says; I know Urania + of old. No; I will write back to her, thanking her for her good offices, + but telling her my little girl is too young to be launched into the world + as yet. Though if it were Harriet, she might not be unwilling.” + </p> + <p> + “Harriet would be transported at the idea; but it is not she whom the Lady + wants. And indeed I had rather trust little Aurelia to take care of + herself than poor Harriet.” + </p> + <p> + “We shall see! We shall see! Meantime, do not broach the subject to your + sisters.” + </p> + <p> + Betty assented, and departed with a heavy heart, feeling that, whatever + her father might believe, the choice would be between the sacrifice of + Aurelia or of her father’s agency, which would involve the loss of home, + of competence, and of the power of breeding up her darling Eugene + according to his birth. She did not even know what her father had written, + and could only go about her daily occupations like one under a weight, + listening to her sisters’ prattle about their little plans with a strange + sense that everything was coming to an end, and constantly weighing the + comparative evils of yielding or refusing Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + No one would have more valiantly faced poverty than Elizabeth Delavie, had + she alone been concerned. Cavalier and Jacobite blood was in her veins, + and her unselfish character had been trained by a staunch and self-devoted + mother. But her father’s age and Eugene’s youth made her waver. She might + work her fingers to the bone, and live on oatmeal, to give her father the + comforts he required; but to have Eugene brought down from his natural + station was more than she could endure. His welfare must be secured at the + cost not only of Aurelia’s sweet presence, but of her happiness; and Betty + durst not ask herself what more she dreaded, knowing too that she would + probably be quite incapable of altering her father’s determination + whatever it might be, and that he was inclined to trust Lady Belamour. The + only chance of his refusal was that he should take alarm at the manner of + requiring his daughter from him. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER V. THE SUMMONS. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + But when the King knew that the thing must be, + And that no help there was in this distress, + He bade them have all things in readiness + To take the maiden out.—MORRIS. +</pre> + <p> + The second Sunday of suspense had come. The Sundays of good young ladies + little resembled those of a century later, though they were not devoid of + a calm peacefulness, worthy of the “sweet day, so cool, so calm, so + bright.” The inhabited rooms of the old house looked bright and festal; + there were fresh flowers in the pots, honey as well as butter on the + breakfast table. The Major and Palmer were both in full uniform, + wonderfully preserved. Eugene, a marvel of prettiness, with his curled + hair and little velvet coat, contrived by his sisters out of some + ancestral hoard. Betty wore thick silk brocade from the same store; + Harriet a fresh gay chintz over a crimson skirt, and Aurelia was in + spotless white, with a broad blue sash and blue ribbons in her hat, for + her father liked to see her still a child; so her hair was only tied with + blue, while that of her sisters was rolled over a cushion, and slightly + powdered. + </p> + <p> + The church was so near that the Major could walk thither, leaning on his + stout crutch-handled stick, and aided by his daughter’s arm, as he + proceeded down the hawthorn lane, sweet with the breath of May, exchanging + greetings with whole families of the poor, the fathers in smock frocks + wrought with curious needlework on the breast and back, the mothers in + high-crowned hats and stout dark blue woollen gowns, the children, either + patched or ragged, and generally barefooted, but by no means ill-fed. + </p> + <p> + No Sunday school had been invented. The dame who hobbled along in + spectacles, dropping a low curtsey to the “quality,” taught the hornbook + and the primer to a select few of the progeny of the farmers and artisans, + and the young ladies would no more have thought of assisting her labours + than the blacksmith’s. They only clubbed their pocket money to clothe and + pay the schooling of one little orphan, who acknowledged them by a + succession of the lowest bobs as she trotted past, proud as Margery + Twoshoes herself of the distinction of being substantially shod. + </p> + <p> + The church was small, and with few pretensions to architecture at the + best. It had been nearly a ruin, when, stirred by the Major, the + church-wardens had taken it in hand, so that, owing to Richard Stokes and + John Ball, as they permanently declared in yellow letters on a blue + ground, the congregation were no longer in danger of the roof admitting + the rain or coming down on the congregation. They had further beautified + the place with a huge board of the royal arms, and with Moses and Aaron in + white cauliflower wigs presiding over the tables of the Commandments. Four + long dark, timber pews and numerous benches, ruthlessly constructed out of + old carvings, occupied the aisle, and the chancel was more than half + filled with the lofty “closet” of the Great House family. Hither the + Delavie family betook themselves, and on her way Betty was startled by the + recognition, in the seat reserved for the servants, of a broad back and + curled wig that could belong to no one but Jonah Dove. She did her utmost + to keep her mind from dwelling on what this might portend, though she + followed the universal custom by exchanging nods and curtsies with the + Duckworth family as she sailed up the aisle at the head of the little + procession. + </p> + <p> + There was always a little doubt as to who would serve the church. One of + the Canons was the incumbent, and the curate was Mr. Arden, the scientific + minor canon, but when his services were required at the cathedral, one of + his colleagues would supply his place, usually in a sadly perfunctory + manner. However, he was there in person, as his voice, a clear and + pleasant one, showed the denizens of the “closet,” for they could not see + out of it, except where Eugene had furtively enlarged a moth-eaten hole in + the curtain, through which, when standing on the seat, he could enjoy an + oblique view of the back of an iron-moulded surplice and a very + ill-powdered wig. This was a comfort to him. It would have been more + satisfactory to have been able to make out whence came the stentorian + A-men, that responded to the parson, totally unaccompanied save by the + good Major, who always read his part almost as loud as the clerk, from a + great octavo prayer-book, bearing on the lid the Delavie arms with + coronet, supporters, and motto, “<i>Ma Vie et ma Mie</i>.” It would have + been thought unladylike, if not unscriptural, to open the lips in church; + yet, for all her silence, good Betty was striving to be devout and + attentive, praying earnestly for her little sister’s safety, and hailing + as a kind of hopeful augury this verse from the singers— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “At home, abroad, in peace, in war + Thy God shall thee defend, + Conduct thee through life’s pilgrimage + Safe to the journey’s end.” + </pre> + <p> + Much cannot be said for the five voices that sang, nor for the two fiddles + that accompanied them. Eugene had scarcely outgrown his terror at the + strains, and still required Aurelia to hold his hand, under pretext of + helping him to follow the words, not an easy thing, since the last lines + were always repeated three or four times. + </p> + <p> + Somehow the repetition brought them the more home to Betty’s heart, and + they rang consolingly in her ears, all through the sermon, of which she + took in so little that she never found out that it was an elaborate + exposition of the Newtonian philosophy, including Mr. Arden’s views of the + miracle at the battle Beth-horon, in the Lesson for the day. + </p> + <p> + The red face and Belamour livery looked doubly ominous when she came out + of church, but she had to give her arm to her father till they were + overtaken by Mr. Arden, who always shared the Sunday roast beef and plum + pudding. Betty feared it was the best meal he had in the week, for he + lived in lodgings, and his landlady was not too careful of his comforts, + while he was wrapped up in his books and experiments. There was a hole + singed in the corner of his black gown, which Eugene pointed out with + great awe to Aurelia as they walked behind him. + </p> + <p> + “See there, Aura. Don’t you think he has been raising spirits, like Friar + Bacon?” + </p> + <p> + “What do you know about Friar Bacon?” asked Harriet. + </p> + <p> + “He is in a little book that I bought of the pedlar. He had a brazen head + that said— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ‘Time is, + Time was, + Time will be.’ +</pre> + <p> + I wonder if Mr. Arden would show me one like it.” + </p> + <p> + “You ridiculous little fellow to believe such trash!” said Harriet. + </p> + <p> + “But, Hatty, he can really light a candle without a tinder-box,” said + Eugene. “His landlady told Palmer so; and Palmer says the Devil flew away + with Friar Bacon; but my book says he burnt all his books and gave himself + to the study of divinity, and dug his grave with his own nails.” + </p> + <p> + “Little boys should not talk of such things on Sundays,” said Harriet, + severely. + </p> + <p> + “One does talk of the Devil on Sunday, for he is in the catechism,” + returned Eugene. “If he carries Mr. Arden off, do you think there will be + a great smoke, and that folk will see it?” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia’s silvery peal of laughter fell sadly upon Betty’s ears in front, + and her father and Mr. Arden turned to ask what made them so merry. + Aurelia blushed in embarrassment, but Harriet was ready. + </p> + <p> + “You will think us very rude, Sir, but my little brother has been reading + the life of Friar Bacon, and he thinks you an equally great philosopher.” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, my little master, you do me too much honour. You will soon be a + philosopher yourself. I did not expect so much attention in so young an + auditor,” said mr. Arden, thinking this the effect of his sermon on the + solar system. + </p> + <p> + Whereupon Eugene begged to inspect the grave he was digging with his own + nails. + </p> + <p> + They were at home by this time, and Betty was aware that they had been + followed at a respectful distance by Palmer and the coachman. Anxious as + she was, she could not bear that her father’s dinner should be spoilt, or + that he, in his open-hearted way, should broach the matter with Mr. Arden; + so she repaired to the garden gate, and on being told that Mr. Dove had a + packet from my Lady for the Major, she politely invited him to dinner with + the servants, and promised that her father should see him afterwards. + </p> + <p> + This gave a long respite, since the servants had the reversion of the + beef, so the Mr. Arden had taken leave, and gone to see a bedridden + pauper, and the Major had time for his forty winks, while Betty, though + her heart throbbed hard beneath her tightly-laced boddice, composed + herself to hear Eugene’s catechism, and the two sisters, each with a good + book, slipped out to the honeysuckle arbour in the garden behind the + house. Harriet had <i>Sherlock in Death</i>, her regular Sunday study, + though she never got any further than the apparition of Mrs. Veal, over + which she gloated in a dreamy state; Aurelia’s study was a dark-covered, + pale-lettered copy of the <i>Ikon Basilike</i>, with the strange + attraction that youth has to pain and sorrow, and sat musing over the + resigned outpourings of the perplexed and persecuted king, with her bright + eyes fixed on the deep blue sky, and the honeysuckle blossoms gently + waving against it, now and then visited by bee or butterfly, while through + the silence came the throbbing notes of the nightingale, followed by its + jubilant burst of glee, and the sweet distant chime of the cathedral bells + rose and fell upon the wind. What peace and repose there was in all the + air, even in the gentle breeze, and the floating motions of the swallows + skimming past. + </p> + <p> + The stillness was first broken by the jangle of their own little church + bell, for Mr. Arden was a more than usually diligent minister, and always + gave two services when he was not in course at the cathedral. The young + ladies always attended both, but as Harriet and Aurelia crossed the lawn, + their brother ran to meet them, saying, “We are not to wait for sister.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope my papa is well,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Oh yes,” said Eugene, “but the man in the gold-laced hat has been + speaking with him. Palmer says it is Mrs. Dove’s husband, and he is going + to take Lively Tom and Brown Bet and the two other colts to London. He + asked if I should like to ride a-cockhorse there with him. ‘Dearly,’ I + said, and then he laughed and said it was not my turn, but he should take + Miss Aurelia instead.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia laughed, and Harriet said, “Extremely impudent.” + </p> + <p> + Little she guessed what Betty was at that moment reading. + </p> + <p> + “I am astonished,” wrote Lady Belamour to her cousin, “that you should + decline so highly advantageous an Offer for your Daughter. I can only + understand it as a Token that you desire no further Connection with, nor + Favour from me; and I shall therefore require of you to give up the + Accounts, and vacate the House by Michaelmas next ensuing. However, as I + am willing to allow some excuse for the Weakness of parental Affection, if + you change your Mind within the next Week and send up your Daughter with + Dove and his Wife, I will overlook your first hasty and foolish Refusal, + ungrateful as it was, and will receive your Daughter and give her all the + Advantages I promised. Otherwise your Employment is at an end, and you had + better prepare your Accounts for Hargrave’s Inspection.” + </p> + <p> + “There is no help for it then,” said Betty. + </p> + <p> + “And if it be for the child’s advantage, we need not make our moan,” said + her father. “‘Tis like losing the daylight out of our house, but we must + not stand in the way of her good.” + </p> + <p> + “If I were only sure it is for her good!” + </p> + <p> + “Why, child, there’s scarce a wench in the county who would not go down on + her knees for such a chance. See what Madam Duckworth would say to it for + Miss Peggy!” + </p> + <p> + Betty said no more. The result of her cogitations had been that since + Aurelia must be yielded for the sake of her father and Eugene, it was + better not to disturb him with fears, which would only anger him at the + moment and disquiet him afterwards. She was likewise reassured by Mrs. + Dove’s going with her, since that good woman had been nurse to the little + Belamour cousins now deceased, and was well known as an excellent and + trustworthy person, so that, if she were going to act in the same capacity + to my Lady’s second family, Aurelia would have a friend at hand. So the + Major cheated his grief by greeting the church-goers with the hilarious + announcement— + </p> + <p> + “Here’s great news! What says my little Aura to going London to my Lady’s + house.” + </p> + <p> + “O Sir! are you about to take us.” + </p> + <p> + “Not I! My Lady wants pretty young maidens, not battered old soldiers.” + </p> + <p> + “Nor my sisters? O then, if you please, Sir, I would rather not go!” + </p> + <p> + “Silly children cannot choose! No, no, Aura, you must go out and see the + world, and come back to us such a belle that your poor old father will + scarce know you.” + </p> + <p> + “I do not wish to be a belle,” said the girl. “O Sir, let me stay with you + and sister.” + </p> + <p> + “Do not be so foolish, Aura,” put in Harriet. “It will be the making of + you. I wish I had the offer.” + </p> + <p> + “O Harriet, could not you go instead?” + </p> + <p> + “No, Aurelia,” said Betty. “There is no choice, and you must be a good + girl and not vex my father.” + </p> + <p> + The gravity of her eldest sister convinced Aurelia that entreaties would + be vain, and there was soon a general outburst of assurances that she + would see all that was delightful in London, the lions in the Tower, the + new St. Paul’s, the monuments, Ranelagh, the court ladies, may be, the + King and Queen themselves; until she began to feel exhilarated and pleased + at the prospect and the distinction. + </p> + <p> + Then came Monday and the bustle of preparing her wardrobe. The main body + of it was to be sent in the carrier’s waggon, for she was to ride on a + pillion behind Mr. Dove, and could only take a valise upon a groom’s + horse. There was no small excitement in the arrangement, and in the + farewells to the neighbours, who all agreed with Harriet in congratulating + the girl on her promotion. Betty did her part with all her might, washed + lace, and trimmed sleeves, and made tuckers, giving little toilette + counsels, while her heart ached sorely all the time. + </p> + <p> + When she could speak to Mrs. Dove alone, she earnestly besought that old + friend to look after the child, her health, her dress, and above all to + supply here lack of experience and give her kind counsel and advice. + </p> + <p> + “I will indeed, ma’am, as though she were my own,” promised Mrs. Dove. + </p> + <p> + “O nurse, I give my sweet jewel to your care; you know what a great house + in London is better than I do. You will warn her of any danger.” + </p> + <p> + “I will do my endeavour, ma’am. We servants see and hear much, and if any + harm should come nigh the sweet young miss, I’ll do my best for her.” + </p> + <p> + “Thank you, nurse, I shall never, never see her more in her free artless + childishness,” said Betty, sobbing as if her heart would break; “but oh, + nurse, I can bear the thought better since I have known that you would be + near her.” + </p> + <p> + And at night, when her darling nestled for the last time in her arms, the + elder sister whispered her warnings. Her knowledge of the great world was + limited, but she believed it to be a very wicked place, and she profoundly + distrusted her brilliant kinswoman; yet her warnings took no shape more + definite than—“My dearest sister will never forget her prayers nor + her Bible.” There was a soft response and fresh embrace at each pause. + “Nor play cards of a Sunday, nor ever play high. And my Aura must be deaf + to rakish young beaux and their compliments. They never mean well by poor + pretty maids. If you believe them, they will only mock, flout, and jeer + you in the end. And if the young baronet should seek converse with you, + promise me, oh, promise me, Aurelia, to grant him no favour, no, not so + much as to hand him a flower, or stand chatting with him unknown to his + mother. Promise me again, child, for naught save evil can come of any + trifling between you. And, Aurelia, go to Nurse Dove in all your + difficulties. She can advise you where your poor sister cannot. It will + ease my heart if I know that my child will attend to her. You will not let + yourself be puffed up with flattery, nor be offended if she be open and + round with you. Think that your poor sister Betty speaks in her. Pray our + old prayers, go to church, and read your Psalms and Lessons daily, and oh! + never, never cheat your conscience. O may God, in His mercy, keep my + darling!” + </p> + <p> + So Aurelia cried herself to sleep, while Betty lay awake till the early + hour in the morning when all had to be prepared for the start. There was + to be a ride of an hour and a half before breakfast so as to give the + horses a rest. It was a terrible separation, in many respects more + complete than if Aurelia had been going, in these days, to America; for + communication by letter was almost as slow, and infinitely more expensive. + </p> + <p> + No doubt the full import of what he had done had dawned even on Major + Delavie during the watches of that last sorrowful night, for he came out a + pale, haggard man, looking as if his age had doubled since he went to bed, + wrapped in his dressing gown, his head covered with his night-cap, and + leaning heavily on his staff. He came charged with one of the long solemn + discourses which parents were wont to bestow on their children as + valedictions, but when Aurelia, in her camlet riding cloak and hood, + brought her tear-stained face to crave his blessing, he could only utter + broken fragments. “Bless thee my child! Take heed to yourself and your + ways. It is a bad world, beset with temptations. Oh! heaven forgive me for + sending my innocent lamb out into it. Oh! what would your blessed mother + say?” + </p> + <p> + “Dear sir,” said Betty, who had wept out her tears, and was steadily + composed now, “this is no time to think of that. We must only cheer up our + darling, and give her good counsel. If she keep to what her Bible, her + catechism and her conscience tell her, she will be a good girl, and God + will protect her.” + </p> + <p> + “True, true, your sister is right; Aura, my little sweetheart, I had much + to say to you, but it is all driven out of my poor old head.” + </p> + <p> + “Aura! Aura! the horses are coming! Ten of them!” shouted Eugene. “Come + along! Oh! if I were but going! How silly of you to cry; <i>I</i> don’t.” + </p> + <p> + “There! there! Go my child, and God in His mercy protect you!” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia in speechless grief passed from the arms of one sister to the + embrace of the other, hugged Eugene, was kissed by Nannerl, who forced a + great piece of cake into her little bag, and finally was lifted to her + pillion cushion by Palmer, who stole a kiss of her hand before Dove put + his horse in motion, while Betty was still commending her sister to his + wife’s care, and receiving reiterated promises of care. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0007" id="link2HCH0007"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VI. DISAPPOINTED LOVE. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + I know thee well, thy songs and sighs, + A wicked god thou art; + And yet, most pleasing to the eyes, + And witching to the heart. + W. MACKWORTH PRAED. +</pre> + <p> + The house was dull when Aurelia was gone. Her father was ill at ease and + therefore testy, Betty too sore at heart to endure as cheerfully as usual + his unwonted ill-humour. Harriet was petulant, and Eugene troublesome, and + the two were constantly jarring against one another, since the one missed + her companion, the other his playmate; and they were all more sensible + than ever how precious and charming an element was lost to the family + circle. + </p> + <p> + On the next ensuing Sunday, Eugene had made himself extremely obnoxious to + Harriet, by persisting in kicking up the dust, and Betty, who had gone on + before with her father, was availing herself of the shelter of the great + pew to brush with a sharp hand the dust from the little legs, when, even + in the depths of their seclusion, the whole party were conscious of a sort + of breathless sound of surprise and admiration, a sweep of bows and + curtsies, and the measured tread of boots and clank of sword and spurs + coming nearer—yes, to the very chancel. Their very door was opened + by the old clerk with the most obsequious of reverences, and there entered + a gorgeous vision of scarlet and gold, bowing gracefully with a wave of a + cocked and plumed hat! + </p> + <p> + The Major started, and was moving out of his corner—the seat of + honour—but the stranger forbade this by another gesture, and took + his place, after standing for a moment with his face hidden in his hat. + Then he took an anxious survey, not without an almost imperceptible + elevation of eyebrow and shoulder, as if disappointed, and accepted the + Prayer-book, which the Major offered him. + </p> + <p> + Betty kept her eyes glued to her book, and when that was not in use, upon + the mittened hands crossed before her, resolute against distraction, and + every prayer turning into a petition for her sister’s welfare; but Eugene + gazed, open-eyed and open-mouthed, oblivious of his beloved hole, and + Harriet, though keeping her lids down, and her book open, contrived to + make a full inspection of the splendid apparition. + </p> + <p> + It was tall and slight, youthfully undeveloped, yet with the grace of + personal symmetry, high breeding, and military training, upright without + stiffness, with a command and dexterity of movement which prevented the + sword and spurs from being the annoyance to his pew-mates that country + awkwardness usually made these appendages. The spurs were on cavalry + boots, guarding the knee, and met by white buckskins, both so little dusty + that there could have been no journey that morning. The bright gold-laced + scarlet coat of the Household troops entirely effaced the Major’s old + Austrian uniform; and over it, the hair, of a light golden brown, was + brushed back, tied with black ribbon, and hung down far behind in a queue, + only leaving little gold rings curling on the brow and temples. The face + was modelled like a cameo, faultless in the outlines, with a round + peach-like fresh contour and bloom on the fair cheek, which had much of + the child, though with a firmness in the lip, and strength in the brow, + that promised manliness. Indeed there was a wonderful blending of the + beauty of manhood and childhood about the youth; and his demeanour was + perfectly decorous and reverent, no small merit in a young officer and + London beau. Indeed Betty could almost have forgotten his presence, if + gleams from his glittering equipments had not kept glancing before her + eyes, turn them where she would, and if Mr. Arden’s sermon had not been of + Solomon’s extent of natural philosophy, and so full of Hebrew, Greek, and + Latin that she could not follow it at all. + </p> + <p> + After the blessing, the young gentleman, with a bow, the pink of courtesy, + offered a hand to lead her out, nor could she refuse, though, to use her + own expression, she hated the absurdity of mincing down the aisle with a + fine young spark looking like her grandson; while her poor father had to + put up with Harriet’s arm. Outside came the greetings, the flourish of the + hat, the “I may venture to introduce myself, and to beg of you, sir, and + of my fair cousins to excuse my sudden intrusion.” + </p> + <p> + “No apology can be needed for your appearance in your own pew, Sir Amyas,” + said the Major with outstretched hand; “it did my heart good to see you + there!” + </p> + <p> + “I would not have taken you thus by surprise,” continued the youth, “but + one of my horses lost a shoe yesterday, and we were constrained to halt at + Portkiln for the night, and ride on this morning. Herries went on to the + Deanery, and I hoped to have seen you before church, but found you had + already entered.” + </p> + <p> + Portkiln was so near, that this Sabbath day’s journey did not scandalise + Betty, and her father eagerly welcomed his kinsman, and insisted that he + should go no farther. Sir Amyas accepted the invitation, nothing loth, + only asking, with a little courtly diffidence, if it might not be + convenient for him to sleep at the Great House, and begging the ladies to + excuse his riding dress. + </p> + <p> + His eyes wandered anxiously as though in search of something in the midst + of all his civility, and while the Major was sending Eugene to bring Mr. + Arden—who was hanging back at the churchyard gate, unwilling to + thrust himself forward—the faltering question was put, while the + cheeks coloured like a girl’s, “I hope my fair partner, my youngest + cousin, Miss Aurelia Delavie, is in good health?” + </p> + <p> + “We hope so, sir, thank you,” returned Betty; “but she left us six days + ago.” + </p> + <p> + “Left you!” he repeated, in consternation that overpowered his + courtliness. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir,” said Harriet, “my Lady, your mother, has been good enough to + send for her to London.” + </p> + <p> + “My Lady!” he murmured to himself; “I never thought of that! How and when + did she go?” + </p> + <p> + The answer was interrupted by the Major coming up “Sir Amyas Belamour, + permit me to present to you the Reverend Richard Arden, the admirable + divine to whom we are beholden for the excellent and learned discourse of + this morning. You’ll not find such another scholar in all Carminster.” + </p> + <p> + “I am highly honoured,” returned the baronet, with a bow in return for Mr. + Arden’s best obeisance, such as it was; and Harriet, seeing Peggy + Duckworth in the distance, plumed herself on her probable envy. + </p> + <p> + Before dinner was served Sir Amyas had obtained the information as to + Aurelia’s departure, and even as to the road she had taken, and he had + confessed that, “Of course he had write to his mother that he had danced + with the most exquisitely beautiful creature he had ever seen, and that he + longed to know his cousins better.” No doubt his mother, having been thus + reminded of her connections, had taken the opportunity of summoning + Aurelia to London to give her the advantages of living in her household + and acquiring accomplishments. The lad was so much delighted at the + prospect of enjoying her society that he was almost consoled for not + finding her at the Manor House; and his elaborate courtesy became every + moment less artificial and more affectionate, as the friendly atmosphere + revealed that the frankness and simplicity of the boy had not been lost, + captain in the dragoon guards as he was, thanks to interest, though he had + scarcely yet joined his troop. He had been with a tutor in the country, + until two years ago, when his stepfather, Mr. Wayland, had taken him, + still with his tutor, on the expedition to the Mediterranean. He had come + home from Gibraltar, and joined his regiment only a few weeks before + setting out with his friend Captain Herries, to visit Battlefield, Lady + Aresfield’s estate in Monmouthshire. He was quartered in the Whitehall + barracks, but could spend as much time as he pleased at his mother’s house + in Hanover Square. + </p> + <p> + Betty’s mind misgave her as she saw the brightening eye with which he said + it; but she could not but like the youth himself, he was so bright, + unspoilt, and engaging that she could not think him capable of doing + wilful wrong to her darling. Yet how soon would the young soldier, plunged + into the midst of fashionable society, learn to look on the fair girl with + the dissipated eyes of his associates? There was some comfort in finding + that Mr. Wayland was expected to return in less than a year, and that his + stepson seemed to regard him with unbounded respect, as a good, just, and + wise man, capable of everything! Indeed Sir Amyas enlightened Mr. Arden on + the scientific construction of some of Mr. Wayland’s inventions so as to + convince both the clergyman and the soldier that the lad himself was no + fool, and had profited by his opportunities. + </p> + <p> + Major Delavie produced his choice Tokay, a present from an old Hungarian + brother-officer, and looked happier than since Aurelia’s departure. He was + no match-maker, and speculated on no improbable contingencies for his + daughter, but he beheld good hopes for the Delavie property and tenants in + an heir such as this, and made over his simple loyal heart to the young + man. Presently he inquired whether the unfortunate Mr. Belamour still + maintained his seclusion. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir,” was the reply. “He still lives in two dark rooms with shutters + and curtains excluding every ray of light. He keeps his bed for the + greater part of the day, but sometimes, on a very dark night, will take a + turn on the terrace.” + </p> + <p> + “Poor gentleman!” said Betty. “Has he no employment or occupation?” + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Wayland contrived a raised chess and draught board, and persuaded him + to try a few games before we went abroad, but I do not know whether he has + since continued it.” + </p> + <p> + “Does he admit any visits?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh no. He has been entirely shut up, except from the lawyer, Hargrave, on + business. Mr. Wayland, indeed, strove to rouse him from his despondency, + but without success, except that latterly he became willing to receive + him.” + </p> + <p> + “Have you ever conversed with him?” + </p> + <p> + There was an ingenuous blush as the young man replied. “I fear I must + confess myself remiss. Mr. Wayland has sometimes carried me with him to + see my uncle, but not with my good will, and my mother objected lest it + should break my spirits. However, when I left Gibraltar, my good father + charged me to endeavour from time to time to enliven my uncle’s solitude, + but there were impediments to my going to him, and I take shame to myself + for not having striven to overcome them.” + </p> + <p> + “Rightly spoken, my young kinsman,” cried the Major. “There are no such + impediments as a man’s own distaste.” + </p> + <p> + “And pity will remove that,” said Betty. + </p> + <p> + Soon after the removal of the cloth the ladies withdrew, and Eugene was + called to his catechism, but he was soon released, for the Tokay had made + her father sleepy, while it seemed to have emboldened Mr. Arden, since he + came forth with direct intent to engross Harriet; and Sir Amyas wandered + towards Betty, apologising for the interruption. + </p> + <p> + “It is a rare occasion,” said she as her pupil scampered away. + </p> + <p> + “Happy child, to be taught by so good a sister,” said the young baronet, + regretfully. + </p> + <p> + “Your young half-brothers and sisters must be of about the same age,” said + Betty. + </p> + <p> + “My little brother, Archer, is somewhat younger. He is with my mother in + London, the darling of the ladies, who think him a perfect beauty, and + laugh at all his mischievous pranks. As to my little sisters, you will be + surprised to hear that I have only seen them once, when I rode with their + father to see them at the farm houses at which they are nursed.” + </p> + <p> + “No doubt they are to be fetched home, since Mrs. Dove is gone to wait on + them, and my Lady said something of intending my sister to be with her + young children.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, she must have no such troublesome charge. My mother cannot intend + anything of the kind. I shall see that she is treated as—-” + </p> + <p> + Betty, beginning to perceive that he knew as little of his own mother as + did the rest of his sex, here interrupted him. “Excuse me, sir, I doubt + not of your kind intentions, but let me speak, for Aurelia is a very + precious child to me, and I am afraid that any such attempt on your part + might do her harm rather than good. She must be content with the lot of a + poor dependant.” + </p> + <p> + “Never!” he exclaimed. “She is a Delavie; and besides, no other ever shall + be my wife.” + </p> + <p> + “Hush, hush!” Betty had been saying before the words were out of his “You + are but a silly boy, begging your Honour’s pardon, though you speak, I + know, with all your heart. What would your Lady mother say or do to my + poor little sister if she heard you?” + </p> + <p> + “She could but send her home, and then flood and fire could not hold me + from her.” + </p> + <p> + “I wish that were the worst she could do. No, Sir Amyas Belamour, if you + have any kindness for the poor helpless girl under your mother’s roof, you + will make no advance to excite alarm or anger against her. Remember it is + she who will be the sufferer and not yourself. The woman, however + guiltless, is sure to fall under suspicion and bear the whole penalty. And + oh! what would become of her, defenceless, simple, unprotected as she is?” + </p> + <p> + “Yet you sent her!” said he. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” said Betty, sadly, “because there was no other choice between + breaking with my Lady altogether.” + </p> + <p> + He made an ejaculation under his breath, half sad, half violent, and + exclaimed, “Would that I were of age, or my father were returned.” + </p> + <p> + “But now you know all, you will leave my child in peace,” said Betty. + </p> + <p> + “What, you would give me no hope!” + </p> + <p> + “Only such as you yourself have held out,” said Betty. “When you are your + own master, if you keep in the same mind till then, and remain truly + worthy, I cannot tell what my father would answer.” + </p> + <p> + “I am going to speak to him this very day. I came with that intent.” + </p> + <p> + “Do no such thing, I entreat,” cried Betty. “He would immediately think it + his duty to inform my Lady. Then no protestation would persuade her that + we had not entrapped your youth and innocence. His grey head would be + driven out without shelter, and what might not be the consequence to my + sister? You could not help us, and could only make it worse. No, do + nothing rash, incautious, or above all, disobedient. It would be + self-love, not true love that would risk bringing her into peril and + trouble when she is far out of reach of all protection.” + </p> + <p> + “Trust me, trust me, Cousin Betty,” cried the youth. “Only let me hope, + and I’ll be caution itself; but oh! what an endless eternity is two years + to wait without a sign!” + </p> + <p> + But here appeared the Major, accompanied by Captain Herries and Dean + Churchill, who had ordered out his coach, Sunday though it were, to pay + his respects to my Lady’s son, and carry him and his hosts back to sup at + the Deanery. It was an age of adulation, but Betty was thankful that + perilous conversations were staved off. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0008" id="link2HCH0008"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VII. ALL ALONE. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + By the simplicity of Venus’ doves. + <i>Merchant of Venice</i>. +</pre> + <p> + That Sunday was spent by Aurelia at the Bear Inn, at Reading. Her journey + had been made by very short stages, one before breakfast, another lasting + till noon, when there was a long halt for dinner and rest for horse and + rider, and then another ride, never even in these longest summer days + prolonged beyond six or seven o’clock at latest, such was the danger of + highwaymen being attracted by the valuable horses, although the grooms in + charge were so well armed that they might almost as well have been + troopers. + </p> + <p> + The roads, at that time of year, were at their best, and Aurelia and Mrs. + Dove were mounted on steady old nags, accustomed to pillions. Aurelia + could have ridden single, but this would not have been thought fitting on + a journey with no escort of her own rank, and when she mounted she was far + too miserable to care for anything but hiding her tearful face behind Mr. + Dove’s broad shoulders. Mrs. Dove was perched behind a wiry, + light-weighted old groom, whom she kept in great order, much to his + disgust. + </p> + <p> + After the first wretchedness, Aurelia’s youthful spirits had begun to + revive, and the novel scenes to awaken interest. The Glastonbury thorn was + the first thing she really looked at. The Abbey was to her only an old + Gothic melancholy ruin, not worthy of a glance, but the breezy air of the + Cheddar Hills, the lovely cliffs, and the charm of the open country, with + its strange islands of hills dotted about, raised her spirits, as she rode + through the meadows where hay was being tossed, and the scent came + fragrant on the breeze. Mr. Dove would tell her over his shoulder the + names of places and their owners when they came to parks bordering the + road, and castles “bosomed high in the tufted trees.” Or he would regale + her with legends of robberies and point to the frightful gibbets, one so + near to the road that she shut her eyes and crouched low behind him to + avoid seeing the terrible burthen. She had noted the White Horse, and + shuddered at the monument at Devizes commemorating the judgment on the + lying woman, and a night had been spent at Marlborough that “Miss” might + see a strolling company of actors perform in a barn; but as the piece was + the <i>Yorksire Tragedy</i>, the ghastly performance overcame her so + completely that Mrs. Dove had to take her away, declaring that no + inducement should ever take her to a theatre again. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Dove was too experienced a traveller not to choose well his quarters + for the night, and Aurelia slept in the guest chambers shining with + cleanliness and scented with lavender, Mrs. Dove always sharing her room. + “Miss” was treated with no small regard, as a lady of the good old blood, + and though the coachman and his wife talked freely with her, they paid her + all observance, never ate at the same table, and provided assiduously for + her comfort and pleasure. Once they halted a whole day because even Mr. + Dove was not proof against the allurements of a bull-baiting, though he + carefully explained that he only made a concession to the grooms to + prevent them from getting discontented, and went himself to the spectacle + to hinder them from getting drunk, in which, be it observed, he did not + succeed. + </p> + <p> + So much time was spent on thus creeping from stage to stage that Aurelia + had begun to feel as if the journey had been going on for ages, and as if + worlds divided her from her home, when on Sunday she timidly preceded Mrs. + Dove into Reading Abbey Church, and afterwards was shown where rolled + Father Thames. The travellers took early morning with them for Maidenhead + Thicket, and breakfasted on broiled trout at the King’s Arms at Maidenhead + Bridge, while Aurelia felt her eye filled with the beauty of the broad + glassy river, and the wooded banks, and then rose onwards, looking with + loyal awe at majestic Windsor, where the flag was flying. They slept at a + poor little inn a Longford, rather than cross Hounslow Heath in the + evening, and there heard all the last achievements of the thieves, so that + Aurelia, in crossing the next day, looked to see a masked highwayman start + out of every bush; but they came safely to the broad archway of the inn at + Knightsbridge, their last stage. Mrs. Dove took her charge up stairs at + once to refresh her toilette, before entering London and being presented + to my Lady. + </p> + <p> + But a clattering and stamping were heard in the yard, and Aurelia, looking + from the window, called Mrs. Dove to see four horses being harnessed to a + coach that was standing there. + </p> + <p> + “Lawk-a-day?” cried the good woman, “if it be not our own old coach, as + was the best in poor Sir Jovian’s time! Ay, there be our colours, you see, + blue and gold, and my Lady’s quartering. Why, ‘twas atop of that very blue + hammercloth that I first set eyes on my Dove! So my Lady has sent to meet + you, Missie. Well, I do take it kind of her. Now you will not come in your + riding hood, all frowsed and dusty, but can put on your pretty striped + sacque and blue hood that you wore on Sunday, and look the sweet pretty + lady you are.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Dove’s intentions were frustrated, for the maid of the inn knocked at + the door with a message that the coach had orders not to wait, but that + Miss was to come down immediately. + </p> + <p> + “Dear, dear!” sighed Mrs. DOve. “Tell the jackanapes not to be so hasty. + He must give the young lady time to change her dress, and eat a mouthful.” + </p> + <p> + This brought Dove up to the door. “Never mind dressing and fallals,” he + said; “this is a strange fellow that says he is hired for the job, and his + orders are precise. Miss must take a bit of cake in her hand. Come, dame, + you have not lived so long in my Lady’s service as to forget what it is to + cross her will, or keep her waiting.” + </p> + <p> + Therewith he hurried Aurelia down stairs, his wife being in such a state + of <i>deshabille</i> that she could not follow. He handed the young lady + into the carriage, gave her a parcel of slices of bread and meat, with a + piece of cake, shut the door, and said, “Be of good heart, Missie, we’ll + catch you up by the time you are in the square. All right!” + </p> + <p> + Off went Aurelia in solitude, within a large carriage, once gaily fitted + though now somewhat faded and tarnished. She was sorry to be parted from + the Doves, whom she wanted to give her courage for the introduction to my + Lady, and to explain to her the wonders of the streets of London, which + she did not <i>quite</i> expect to see paved with gold! She ate her + extemporised meal, gazing from the window, and expecting to see houses and + churches thicken on her, and hurrying to brush away her crumbs, and put on + her gloves lest she should arrive unawares, for she had counted + half-a-dozen houses close together. No! here was another field! More + fields and houses. The signs of habitation were, so far from increasing, + growing more scanty, and looked strangely like what she had before passed. + Could this be the right road! How foolish to doubt, when this was my + Lady’s own coach. But oh, that it had waited for Mrs. Dove! She would beg + her to get in when the riders overtook her. When would they? No sign of + them could be seen from the windows, and here were more houses. Surely + this was Turnham Green again, or there must be another village green + exactly like it in the heart of London. How many times did not poor + Aurelia go through all these impressions in the course of the drive. She + was absolutely certain that she was taken through Brentford again, this + time without a halt; but after this the country became unknown to her, and + the road much worse. It was in fact for the most part a mere ditch or cart + track, so rough that the four horses came to a walk. Aurelia had read no + novels but <i>Telemaque</i> and <i>Le Grand Cyrus</i>, so her imagination + was not terrified by tales of abduction, but alarm began to grow upon her. + She much longed to ask the coachman whither he was taking her, but the + check string had been either worn out or removed; she could not open the + door from within, nor make him hear, and indeed she was a little afraid of + him. + </p> + <p> + Twilight began to come on; it was much later than Mr. Dove had ever + ventured to be out, but here at last there was a pause, and the swing of a + gate, the road was smoother and she seemed to be in a wood, probably + private ground. On and on, for an apparently interminable time, went the + coach with the wearied and affrighted girl, through the dark thicket, + until at last she emerged, into a park, where she could again see the pale + after-glow of the sunset, and presently she found herself before a tall + house, perfectly dark, with strange fantastic gables and chimneys, + ascending far above against the sky. + </p> + <p> + All was still as death, except the murmuring caws of the rooks in their + nests, and the chattering shriek of a startled blackbird. The servant from + behind ran up the steps and thundered at the door; it was opened, a broad + line of light shone out, some figures appeared, and a man in livery came + forward to open the carriage door, but to Aurelia’s inexpressible horror, + his face was perfectly black, with negro features, rolling eyes, and great + white teeth! + </p> + <p> + She hardly knew what she did, the dark carriage was formidable on one + side, the apparition on the other! The only ray of comfort was in the face + of a stout, comely, rosy maid-servant, who was holding the candle on the + threshold, and with one bound the poor traveller dashed past the black + hand held out to help her, and rushing up to the girl, caught hold of her, + and gasped out, “Oh! What is that? Where am I? Where have they taken me?” + </p> + <p> + “Lawk, ma’am,” said the girl, with a broad grin, “that ‘ere bees only Mr. + Jumbo. A’ won’t hurt’ee. See, here’s Mistress Aylward.” + </p> + <p> + A tall, white-capped, black-gowned elderly woman turned on the new-comer a + pale, grave, unsmiling face, saying, “Your servant—Miss Aurelia + Delavie, as I understand.” + </p> + <p> + Bending her head, and scarcely able to steady herself, for she was shaking + from head to foot, Aurelia managed to utter the query, + </p> + <p> + “Where am I?” + </p> + <p> + “At Bowstead Park, madam, by order of my Lady.” + </p> + <p> + Much relieved, and knowing this was the Belamour estate, Aurelia said, + “Please let me wait till Mrs. Dove comes before I am presented to my + Lady.” + </p> + <p> + “My Lady is not here, madam,” said Mrs. Aylward. “Allow me—” and she + led the way across a great empty hall, that seemed the vaster for its + obscurity, then along a matted passage, and down some steps into a room + surrounded with presses and cupboards, evidently belonging to the to the + housekeeper. She set a chair for the trembling girl, saying, “You will + excuse the having supper here to-night, madam; the south parlour will be + ready for you to-morrow.” + </p> + <p> + “Is not Mrs. Dove coming?” faintly asked Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Mrs. Dove is gone to London to attend on little Master Wayland. You are + to be here with the young ladies, ma’am.” + </p> + <p> + “What young ladies?” asked the bewildered maiden. + </p> + <p> + “My Lady’s little daughters—the Misses Wayland. I thought she had + sent you her instructions; but I see you are over wearied and daunted,” + she added, more kindly; “you will be better when you have taken some food. + Molly, I say, you sluggard of a wench, bring the lady’s supper, and don’t + stand gaping there.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Aylward hurried away to hasten operations, and Aurelia began somewhat + to recover her senses, though she was still so much dismayed that she + dreaded to look up lest she should see something frightful, and started at + the first approach of steps. + </p> + <p> + A dainty little supper was placed before her, but she was too faint and + sick at heart for appetite, and would have excused herself. However, Mrs. + Aylward severely said she would have no such folly, filled a glass of + wine, and sternly administered it; then setting her down in a large chair, + helped her to a delicate cutlet. She ate for very fright, but her cheeks + and eyes were brightened, the mists of terror and exhaustion began to + clear away, and when she accepted a second help, she had felt herself + reassured that she had not fallen into unkindly hands. If she could only + have met a smile she would have been easier, but Mrs. Aylward was a woman + of sedate countenance and few words, and the straight set line of lips + encouraged no questioning, so she merely uttered thanks for each act of + hospitality. + </p> + <p> + “There! You will take no more roll? You are better, now, but you will not + be sorry to go to your bed,” said Mrs. Aylward, taking up a candle, and + guiding her along the passage up a long stair to a pretty room wainscoted + and curtained with fresh white dimity, and the window showing the young + moon pale in the light of the western sky. + </p> + <p> + Bedrooms were little furnished, and this was more luxurious than the dear + old chamber at home, but the girl had never before slept alone, and she + felt unspeakably lonely in the dreariness, longing more than ever for + Betty’s kiss—even for Betty’s blame—or for a whine from + Harriet; and she positively hungered for a hug from Eugene, as she gazed + timidly at the corners beyond the influence of her candle; and instead of + unpacking the little riding mail she kissed it, and laid her cheek on it + as the only thing that came from home, and burst into a flood of + despairing tears. + </p> + <p> + In the midst, there fell on her ears a low strain of melancholy music + rising and falling like the wailing of mournful spirits. She sprang to her + feet and stood listening with dilated eyes; then, as a louder note reached + her, in terror uncontrollable, she caught up her candle, rushed down the + stairs like a wild bird, and stood panting before Mrs. Aylward, who had a + big Bible open on the table before her. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, ma’am,” she cried, between her panting sobs, “I can’t stay there! I + shall die!” + </p> + <p> + “What means this, madam?” said Mrs. Aylward, stiffly, making the word + sound much like “foolish child.” + </p> + <p> + “The—the music!” she managed faintly to utter, falling again into + the friendly chair. + </p> + <p> + “The music?” said Mrs. Aylward, considering; then with a shade of polite + contempt, “O! Jumbo’s fiddle! I did not know it could be heard in your + room, but no doubt the windows below are open.” + </p> + <p> + “Is Jumbo that black man?” asked Aurelia, shuddering; for negro servants, + though the fashion in town, had not penetrated into the west. + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Belamour’s blackamoor. He often plays to him half the night.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh!” with another quivering sound of alarm; “is Mr. Belamour the + gentleman in the dark?” + </p> + <p> + “Even so, madam, but you need have no fears. He keeps his room and admits + no one, though he sometimes walks out by night. You will only have to keep + the children from a noise making near his apartments. Good night, madam.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, pray, if I do not disturb you, would you be pleased to let me stay + till you have finished your chapter; I might not be so frightened then.” + </p> + <p> + In common humanity Mrs. Aylward could not refuse, and Aurelia sat silently + grasping the arms of her chair, and trying to derive all the comfort she + could from the presence of a Bible and a good woman. Her nerves were, in + fact, calmed by the interval, and when Mrs. Aylward took off her + spectacles and shut up her book, it had become possible to endure the + terrors of the lonely chamber. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0009" id="link2HCH0009"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VIII. THE ENCHANTED CASTLE. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + A little she began to lose her fear.—MORRIS. +</pre> + <p> + Aurelia slept till she was wakened by a bounce at the door, and the + rattling of the lock, but it was a little child’s voice that was crying, + “I will! I will! I will go in and seem by cousin!” + </p> + <p> + Then came Mrs. Aylward’s severe voice: “No, miss, you are not to waken + your cousin. Come away. Where is that slut, Jenny?” + </p> + <p> + Then there was a scuffle and a howl, as if the child were being forcibly + carried away. Aurelia sprang out of bed, for sunshine was flooding the + room, and she felt accountable for tardiness. She had made some progress + in dressing, when again little hands were on the lock, little feet kicking + the door, and little voices calling, “Let me in.” + </p> + <p> + She opened the door, and white nightgowns, all tumbled back one over the + other. + </p> + <p> + “My little cousins,” she said, “come and kiss me.” + </p> + <p> + One came forward and lifted up a sweet little pale face, but the other two + stood, each with a finger in the mouth, right across the threshold, in a + manner highly inconvenient to Aurelia, who was only in her stiff stays and + dimity petticoat, with a mass of hair hanging down below her waist. She + turned to them with arms out-stretched, but this put them instantly to the + rout, and they ran off as fast as their bare pink feet could carry them, + till one stumbled, and lay with her face down and her plump legs kicking + in the air. Aurelia caught her up, but the capture produced a powerful + yell, and out, all at once hurried into the corridor, Mrs. Aylward, a tidy + maid servant, a stout, buxom countrywoman, and a rough girl, scarcely out + of bed, but awake enough to snatch the child out of the young lady’s arms, + and carry her off. The housekeeper began scolding vigorously all round, + and Aurelia escaped into her room, where she completed her toilette, + looking out into a garden below, laid out in the formal Dutch fashion, + with walks and beds centring in a fountain, the grass plats as sharply + defined as possible, and stiff yews and cypresses dotted at regular + intervals or forming straight alleys. She felt strange and shy, but the + sunshine, the cheerfulness, and the sight of the children, had reassured + her, and when she had said her morning prayer, she had lost the last + night’s sense of hopeless dreariness and unprotectedness. When another + knock came, she opened the door cheerfully, but there was a chill in + meeting Mrs. Aylward’s grave, cold face, and stiff salutation. “If you are + ready, madam,” she said, “I will show you to the south parlour, where the + children will eat with you.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia ventured to ask about her baggage, and was told that it would be + forwarded from Brentford. Mrs. Aylward then led the way to a wide stone + staircase, with handsome carved balusters, leading down into the great + hall, with doors opening from all sides. All was perfectly empty, and so + still, that the sweep of the dresses, and the tap of the heels made an + echo; and the sunshine, streaming in at the large window, marked out every + one upon the floor, in light and shadow, and exactly repeated the + brown-shaded, yellow-framed medallions of painted glass upon the pavement. + There was something awful and oppressive in the entire absence of all + tokens of habitation, among those many closed doors. + </p> + <p> + One, however, at the foot of the stairs was opened by Mrs. Aylward. It led + to a sort of narrow lobby, with a sashed window above a low door, opening + on stone steps down to the terrace and garden. To the right was an open + door, giving admittance to a room hung with tapestry, with a small carpet + in the centre of the floor, and a table prepared for the morning meal. + There was a certain cheerfulness about it, though it was bare of + furniture; but there was an easy chair, a settee, a long couch, a spinnet, + and an embroidery frame, so that altogether it had capabilities of being + lived in. + </p> + <p> + “Here you will sit, madam, with the young ladies,” said Mrs. Aylward. + “They have a maid-servant who will wait on you, and if you require + anything, you will be pleased to speak to me. My Lady wishes you to take + charge of them, and likewise to execute the piece of embroidery you will + find in that frame, with the materials. This will be your apartment, and + you can take the young ladies into the garden and park, wherever you + please, except that they must not make a noise before the windows of the + other wing, which you will see closed with shutters, for those are Mr. + Belamour’s rooms.” + </p> + <p> + With these words Mrs. Aylward curtsied as if about to retire, Aurelia held + out her hand in entreaty. “Oh, cannot you stay with me?” + </p> + <p> + “No, madam, my office is the housekeeper’s,” was the stiff response. + “Molly will call me if you require my services. I think you said you + preferred bread and milk for breakfast. Dinner will be served at one.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Aylward retreated, leaving a chill on the heart of the lonely girl. + </p> + <p> + She was a clergyman’s widow, though with no pretensions to gentility, and + was a plain, conscientious, godly woman, but with the narrow + self-concentrated piety of the time, which seemed to ignore all the active + part of the duty to our neighbour. She had lived many years as a faithful + retainer to the Belamour family, and avoided perplexity by minding no + one’s business but her own, and that thoroughly. Naturally reserved, and + disapproving much that she saw around her, she had never held it to be + needful to do more than preserve her own integrity, and the interests of + her employers, and she made it a principle to be in no wise concerned in + family affairs, and to hold aloof from perilous confidences. + </p> + <p> + Thus Aurelia was left to herself, till three bowls of milk were borne in + by Molly, who was by no means loth to speak. + </p> + <p> + “The little misses will be down directly, ma’am,” she said, “that is, two + on ‘em. The little one, she won’t leave Jenny Bowles, but Dame Wheatfield, + she’ll bring down the other two. You see, ma’am, they be only just taken + home from being out at nurse, and don’t know one another, nor the place, + and a pretty handful we shall have of ‘em.” + </p> + <p> + Here came a call for Molly, and the girl with a petulant exclamation, sped + away, leaving Aurelia to the society of the tapestry. It was of that set + of Gobelin work which represents the four elements personified by their + goddesses, and Aurelia’s mythology, founded on Fenelon, was just + sufficient to enable her to recognise the forge of Vulcan and the car + [chariot—D.L.] of Venus. Then she looked at the work prepared for + her, a creamy piece of white satin, and a most elaborate pattern of knots + of roses, lilacs, hyacinths, and laburnums, at which her heart sank within + her. However, at that moment the stout woman she had seen in the morning + appeared at the open door with a little girl in each hand, both in little + round muslin caps, long white frocks, and blue sashes. + </p> + <p> + One went up readily to Aurelia and allowed herself to be kissed, and + lifted to a chair; the other clung to Dame Wheatfield, in spite of coaxing + entreaties. “Speak pretty, my dear; speak to the pretty lady. Don’t ye see + how good your sister is? It won’t do, miss,” to Aurelia; “she’s daunted, + is my pretty lamb. If I might just give her her breakwist—for it is + the last time I shall do it—then she might get used to you before my + good man comes for me.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia was only too glad to instal Dame Wheatfield in a chair with her + charge in her lap. The other child was feeding herself very tidily and + independently, and Aurelia asked her if she were the eldest. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” she said. + </p> + <p> + “And what shall I call you, my dear?” + </p> + <p> + “I’m Missy.” + </p> + <p> + “No, Missy, me—me eldest,” cried the other. + </p> + <p> + “Bless the poor children!” exclaimed Mrs. Wheatfield, laughing, “they be + both of ‘em eldest, as one may say.” + </p> + <p> + “They are twins, then?” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “More than that—all three of them came together! I’ve heard tell of + such a thing once or twice, but never of all living and thriving. Folk + said it was a judgment on my Lady that she spoke sharp and hard to a poor + beggar woman with a child on each arm. It was not a week out before my + Lady herself was down, quite unexpected, as I may say, for she was staying + here for a week, with a lot of company, when these three was born. They do + say she was nigh beside herself that the like of that should have happened + to her. Mr. Wayland, he was not so ill pleased, but the poor little things + had to be got out of the house any way, for she could not abear to hear of + them. Mrs. Rolfe, as was an old servant of the family, took that one, and + I was right glad to have you, my pretty one, for I had just lost my babe + at a fortnight old, and the third was sent to Goody Bowles, for want of a + better. They says as how my Lady means to bring them out one by one, and + to make as this here is bigger, and the other up stairs is lesser, and + never let on that they are all of an age.” + </p> + <p> + The good gossip must have presumed greatly on the children’s want of + comprehension if she did not suppose that they understood her at least as + well as the young lady to whom her dialect was strange. + </p> + <p> + “And has she not seen them?” + </p> + <p> + “Never till last Monday, if you’ll believe me miss, when she drove down in + her coach, and the children were all brought home. I thought she might + have said something handsome, considering the poor little babe as my Missy + here was when I had her—not so long as my hand—and scarce able + to cry enough to show she was alive. The work I and my good man had with + her! He would walk up and down half the night with her. Not as we grudged + it. He is as fond of the child as myself; and Mr. Wayland, he knew it. + ‘She has a good nurse, dame,’ says he to me, with the water in his eyes, + before he went to foreign parts. But my Lady! When the little one as had + been with Goody Bowles—an ignorant woman, you see—cried and + clung to her, and kicked, ‘Little savages all,’ says my Lady. There was + thanks to them that had had more work to rear her children than ever with + one of her own! ‘Perfect little rustics!’ she said, even when you made + your curtsey as pretty as could be, didn’t you, my little lammie?” + </p> + <p> + “Mammy Rolfe taught me to make my curtsey like a London lady,” said the + other child, the most advanced in manners. + </p> + <p> + “Aha! little pitchers have long ears; but, bless you, they don’t know what + it means,” said Dame Wheatfield, too glad to talk to check herself on any + account; “Not so much as a kiss for them, poor little darlings! Folks say + she does not let even Master Wayland kiss aught but her hands for fear of + her fine colours. A plague on such colours, I say.” + </p> + <p> + “Poor little things!” whispered Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “You’ll be good to them, won’t you miss?” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed I hope so! I am only just come from home, and they will be all I + have to care for here.” + </p> + <p> + “Ay, you must be lonesome in this big place; but I’m right glad to have + seen you, miss; I can part with the little dear with a better heart, for + Mrs. Aylward don’t care for children, and Jenny Bowles is a rough wench, + wrapped up in her own child, and won’t be no good to the others. Go to the + lady, my precious,” she added, trying to put the little girl into her + cousin’s lap, but this was met with struggles, and vehement cries of— + </p> + <p> + “No; stay with mammy!” + </p> + <p> + The little sister, who had not brought her nurse, was, however, well + contented to be lifted to Aurelia’s knee, and returned her caresses. + </p> + <p> + “And have you not a name, my dear? We can’t call you all missie.” + </p> + <p> + “Fay,” the child lisped; “Fayfiddly Wayland.” + </p> + <p> + “Lawk-a-daisy!” and Mrs. Wheatfield fell back laughing. “I’ll tell you how + it was, ma’am. When no one thought they would live an hour, Squire Wayland + he sent for parson and had ‘em half baptised Faith, Hope, and Charity. + They says his own mother’s was called Faith, and the other two came + natural after it, and would do as well to be buried by as aught. So that’s + what she means by Fay, and this here is Miss Charity.” + </p> + <p> + “She said something besides Faith.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, when my lady got about again, they say if she was mad at their + coming all on a heap, she was madder still at their name. Bible wasn’t + grand enough for her! I did hear tell that she throwed her slipper at her + husband’s head, and was like to go into fits. So to content her he came + down, and took each one to Church, and had a fine London name of my Lady’s + choosing tacked on in parson’s register for them to go by; but to my mind + it ain’t like their christened name. Mine here got called for her share + Amoretta.” + </p> + <p> + “A little Love,” cried Aurelia. “Oh, that is pretty. And what can your + name be, my dear little Fay? Will you tell me again?” + </p> + <p> + When repeated, it was plainly Fidelia, and it appeared that Hope had been + also called Letitia. As to age, Mrs. Wheatfield knew it was five years + last Michaelmas since the child had been brought to her from whom she was + so loth to part that she knew not how to go when her husband came for her + in his cart. He was a farmer, comfortably off, though very homely, and + there were plenty of children at home, so that she had been ill spared to + remain at the Park till Aurelia’s arrival. Thus she took the opportunity + of going away while the little one was asleep. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia asked where she lived now. At Sedhurst, in the next parish, she + was told; but she would not accept a promise that her charge should soon + be brought to visit her. “Better not, ma’am, thank you all the same, not + till she’s broke in. She’ll pine the less if she don’t see nor hear + nothing about the old place, nor Daddy and Sally and Davie. If you bring + her soon, you’ll never get her away again. That’s the worst of a + nurse-child. I was warned. It just breaks your heart!” + </p> + <p> + So away went the good foster-mother sobbing; and Aurelia’s charge began. + Fay claimed her instantly to explore the garden and house. The child had + been sent home alone on the sudden illness of her nurse, and had been very + forlorn, so that her cousin’s attention was a great boon to her. Hope was + incited to come out; but Jenny Bowles kept a jealous watch over her, and + treated every one else as an enemy; and before Aurelia’s hat was on, came + the terrible woe of Amoret’s awakening. Her sobs and wailings for her + mammy were entirely beyond the reach of Aurelia’s soothings and caresses, + and were only silenced by Molly’s asseveration that the black man was at + the door ready to take her into the dark room. That this was no phantom + was known to the poor child, and was a lurking horror to Aurelia herself. + No wonder that the little thing clung to her convulsively, and would not + let her hand go for the rest of the day, every now and then moaning out + entreaties to go home to mammy. + </p> + <p> + With the sad little being hanging to her hand, Aurelia was led by Fay + round their new abiding place. The house was of brick, shaped like the + letter H, Dutch, and with a tall wing, at each end of the main body, + projecting, and finishing in fantastic gables edged with stone. One of + these square wings was appropriated to Aurelia and her charges, the other + to the recluse Mr. Belamour. The space that lay between the two wings, on + the garden front, was roofed over, and paved with stone, descending in + several broad shallow steps at the centre and ends, guarded at each angle + by huge carved eagles, the crest of the builder, of the most regular + patchwork, and kept, in spite of the owner’s non-residence, in perfect + order. The strange thing was that this fair and stately place, basking in + the sunshine of early June, should be left in complete solitude save for + the hermit in the opposite wing, the three children, and the girl, who + felt as though in a kind of prison. + </p> + <p> + The sun was too hot for Aurelia to go out of doors till late in the day, + when the shadow of the house came over the steps. She was sitting on one, + with Amoret nestled in her lap, and was crooning an old German lullaby of + Nannerl’s, which seemed to have a wonderful effect in calming the child, + who at last fell into a doze. Aurelia had let her voice die away, and had + begun to think over her strange situation, when she was startled by a + laugh behind her, and looking round, hardly repressed a start or scream, + at the sight of Fay enjoying a game at bo-peep, with—yes—it + actually was—the negro—over the low-sashed door. + </p> + <p> + “I beg pardon, ma’am,” said Jumbo, twitching his somewhat grizzled wool; + “I heard singing, and little missy—” + </p> + <p> + Unfortunately Amoret here awoke, and with a shriek of horror cowered in + her arms. + </p> + <p> + “I am so sorry,” said Aurelia, anxious not to hurt his feelings. “She + knows no better.” + </p> + <p> + Jumbo grinned, bowed, and withdrew, Fay running after him, for she had + made friends with him during her days of solitude, being a fearless child, + and not having been taught to make a bugbear of him. “The soot won’t come + off,” she said. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia had not a moment to herself till Fay had said the Lord’s prayer at + her knee, and Amoret, with much persuasion, had been induced to lisp out— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, + Bless the bed I sleep upon; + Four corners to by bed, + Four angles round my head, + One to read and one to write, + And two to guard my soul at night.” + </pre> + <p> + Another agony for mammy ensued, nor could Aurelia leave the child till + sleep had hushed the wailings. Then only could she take her little + writing-case to begin her letter to Betty. It would be an expensive luxury + to her family, but she knew how it would be longed for; and though she + cried a good deal over her writing, she felt as if she ought to make the + best of her position, for had not Betty said it was for her father’s sake? + No, her tears must not blot the paper, to distress those loving hearts. + Yet how the drops <i>would</i> come, gathering fast and blinding her! + Presently, through the window, came the sweet mysterious strains of the + violin, not terrifying her as before, but filling her with an + inexpressible sense of peace and calmness. She sat listening almost as one + in a dream, with her pen suspended, and when the spell was broken by + Molly’s entrance with her supper, she went on in a much more cheerful + strain than she had begun. It was dull, and it was a pity that her grand + wardrobe, to say nothing of Betty’s good advice, should be wasted, but her + sister would rejoice in her seclusion from the grand, fashionable world, + and her heart went out to the poor little neglected children, whose mother + could not bear the sight of them. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0010" id="link2HCH0010"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IX. THE TRIAD. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “I know sisters, sisters three.” + </pre> + <p> + Ere many days had passed Aurelia had drifted into what would now be + regarded as the duties of a nursery governess to her little companions. + </p> + <p> + Fay and Amoret were always with her, and depended on her for everything. + Jenny Bowles, with a sort of animal jealousy, tried to monopolise her + charge, Letitia. The child was attracted by the sounds of her sister’s + sports, and there was no keeping her from them, or from their cousin. Then + the rude untaught Jenny became cross, moped, showed spite to the other + children, and insolence to the young lady, and was fortunately overheard + by Mrs. Aylward, and dismissed. Letty did not seem to mind the loss as + Amoret had felt that of her foster-mother, for indeed Jenny had been + almost as disagreeable to her as to the others during these days of + jealousy. + </p> + <p> + The triad were not much alike: Amoret was the largest of the three, plump, + blue-eyed, golden-haired, rosy-cheeked, a picture of the cherub-type of + child; Letitia had the delicate Delavie features and complexion; and + Fidelia, the least pretty, was pale, and rather sallow, with deep blue + eyes set under a broad forehead and dark brows, with hair also dark. + Though the smallest, she was the most advanced, and showed signs of good + training. She had some notion of good manners, and knew as much of her + hornbook [a child’s primer consisting of a sheet of parchment or paper + protected by a sheet of transparent horn—D.L.] and catechism as + little girls of five were wont to know. The other two were perfectly + ignorant, but Mrs. Aylward procured hornbooks, primers, and slates, and + Aurelia began their education in a small way. + </p> + <p> + It was a curious life. There was the great empty house, through whose long + corridors and vacant rooms the children might wander at will, peeping at + the swathed curtains of velvet pile, the rolls of carpet, and the tapestry + pictures on the walls, running and shouting in the empty passages, or + sometimes, in a fit of nameless fright, taking refuge in Aurelia’s arms. + Or they might play in the stately garden, provided they trod on no + borders, and meddled with neither flower nor fruit. The old gardener began + by viewing them as his natural enemies, but soon relaxed in amusement at + their pretty sportive ways, gave them many precious spoils, and forgave + more than one naughty little inroad, which greatly alarmed their guardian. + </p> + <p> + Or if the little party felt enterprising, there lay beyond, the park, its + slopes covered with wild strawberries, and with woods where they could + gather flowers unchecked. Further, there was no going, except on alternate + Sundays, when there was service in the tumble-down Church at the park + gate. It was in far worse condition than the Church at home, and was + served by a poor forlorn-looking curate, who lived at Brentford, and + divided his services between four parishes, each of which was content to + put up with a fortnightly alternate morning and evening service. The + Belamour seat was a square one, without the comfortable appliances of the + Delavie closet, and thus permitting a much fuller view, but there was + nothing to be seen except a row of extremely gaudy Belamour hatchments, + displaying to the full, the saltir-wise sheafs of arrows on the shields or + lozenges, supported by grinning skulls. The men’s shields preserved their + eagle crest, the women had only lozenges, and the family motto, <i>Amo et + Amabo</i>, was exchanged for the more pious “<i>Resurgam</i>.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia found that the family seat, whither she was marshalled by Mrs. + Aylward, was already occupied by two ladies, who rose up, and made her + stately curtsies with a decidedly disgusted air, although there was ample + space for her and Fidelia, the only one of her charges whom she had + ventured to take with her. They wore the black hoods, laced boddices, long + rolls of towering curl and open upper skirts, of Queen Anne’s day, and in + the eyes of thirty years’ later, looked so ridiculous that Fay could not + but stare at them the whole time, and whenever Aurelia turned her glances + from her book to see whether her little companion was behaving herself, + the big blue considering eyes were always levelled full upon the two forms + before her. + </p> + <p> + The ladies were in keeping with their dress, thin, stiff and angular, with + worn and lined faces, highly rouged, and enormous long-handled fans, and + Aurelia was almost as much astonished as the child. + </p> + <p> + There was a low curtseying again, and much ceremony before it was possible + to get out of the pew, and the two ladies mounted at the door on lofty + pattens which added considerably to their height, and, attended by a + loutish-looking man in livery, who carried their books, stalked of into + the village. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia found from the communicative Molly that they were Mistress Phoebe + and Mistress Delia Treforth, kinswomen of the Belamour family, who had in + consequence a life residence rent-free in a tall thin red square house + near the churchyard, where a very gay parrot was always to be seen in the + windows. They no doubt regarded Miss Delavie and the little Waylands as + interlopers at Bowstead, and their withering glances made Church-going a + trying affair—indeed the first time that Aurelia took little Amoret, + they actually drove the sensitive child into a sobbing fit, so that she + had to be carried out, begging to know why those ladies looked so cross at + her. + </p> + <p> + The life, on the whole, was not unhappy, except for fits of homesickness + and longing for letters. The arrival of the boxes from the carrier was the + first comfort, and then at last came a thick letter from home, franked by + Sir George Herries, and containing letters from everybody—even a few + roundhand lines from Eugene. + </p> + <p> + Her father wrote at length all the excellent moral and religious essay + which had stuck in his throat at the parting; neither was Betty’s letter + deficient in good advice, though she let it appear that the family were + much amused at Lady Belamour’s affliction in her triad of daughters, the + secret having been hitherto so carefully kept that they supposed her to + have only one. + </p> + <p> + “It will be your Charge,” wrote Betty, “so far as in you lies, to render + them not merely the Graces, as my Father terms them, but the true and + faithful Guardian to these Infant Spirits. Though their Mother has shown + no Care or heed in entrusting them to you, yet remember that it is truly + the good Providence of their Heavenly Father that has put these little + Children of His in your Charge, to receive from you the first Principles + of Religion and Morals which may mould their whole Lives; and I trust that + you will do the Work faithfully and successfully. It may be dull and + tedious at Bowstead, but I had much rather hear of you thus than exposed + to the Glare of My Lady’s Saloon in London. No doubt Harriet has write to + you of the Visit of young Sir Amyas, the Sunday after your departure. We + have since heard that his expedition to Monmouthshire was with a View to + his marriage to Lady Aresfield’s Daughter, and this may well be, so that + if he fall in your way, you will be warned against putting any + misconstruction on any Civil Attentions he may pay to you. Ever since your + Departure Mr. Arden has redoubled his Assiduities in a certain Quarter, + and as it is thought the Dean and Chapter are not unlikely to present him + to a good Vicarage in Buckinghamshire, it is not unlikely that ere long + you may hear of a Wedding in the Family, although Harriet would be + extremely angry with me for daring to give such a Hint.” + </p> + <p> + Certainly Aurelia would not have gathered the hint from Harriet’s letter, + which was very sentimental about her own loneliness and lack of + opportunity, in contrast with Aurelia, who was seeing the world. That + elegant beau, Sir Amyas, had just given a sample to tantalise their + rusticity, and then had vanished; and here was that oddity, Mr. Arden, + more wearisome and pertinacious than ever. So tiresome! + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0011" id="link2HCH0011"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER X. THE DARK CHAMBER. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Or singst thou rather under force + Of some Divine command, + Commissioned to presage a course + Of happier days at hand? + COWPER. +</pre> + <p> + Aurelia was coming down stairs in the twilight after singing her charges + to sleep about three weeks after her arrival, when she saw Jumbo waiting + at the bottom of the stairs. + </p> + <p> + She had long ceased to be afraid of him. Indeed he had quite amazed her by + his good-nature in helping to lift down naughty little Letitia, who was + clambering up to the window of his master’s chamber to look through the + crevices of the shutters. He had given the children a gaily dressed rag + doll, and was as delighted as they were when he played his fiddle to them + and set them dancing. + </p> + <p> + Still, the whites of his eyes, his shining teeth, and the gold lace of his + livery had a startling effect in the darkness, and Aurelia wished he would + move away; but he was evidently waiting for her, and when she came near he + addressed her thus, “Mis’r Belamour present compliment, and would Miss + Delavie be good enough to honour him with her company for a short visit?” + </p> + <p> + The girl started, dismayed, alarmed, yet unwilling to be unkind to the + poor recluse, while she hoped that decorum and propriety would put the + visit out of the question. She replied that she would ask Mrs. Aylward + whether she might, and Jumbo followed her to the still-room, saying on the + way, “Mas’r heard Miss Delavie sing. He always has the window opened to + hear her. It makes him hum the air—be merry. He has not asked to + speak with lady since he heard the bad news—long, long, ago.” + </p> + <p> + Then Aurelia felt that nothing short of absolute impropriety ought to make + her gratify her shrinking reluctance. Mrs. Aylward seemed to think her + doubts uncalled for, and attributed her hesitation to fear of the dark + room. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, no I am not so childish,” said the young lady with nervous dignity; + “but would it be proper?” + </p> + <p> + “Bless me, madam, he is as old as your father, and as civil a gentleman as + lives. I would come in with you but that I am expecting Mr. Potts with the + tallies. You need have no scruples.” + </p> + <p> + There was no excuse nor escape, and Aurelia followed the negro in + trepidation. Crossing the hall, he opened for her the door of the lobby + corresponding to her own, and saying, “Allow me, ma’am,” passed before + her, and she heard another door unclosed, and a curtain withdrawn. Beyond + she only saw a gulf of darkness, but out of it came a deep manly voice, + subdued and melancholy, but gentlemanlike and deferential. + </p> + <p> + “The young lady is so kind as to come and cheer the old hermit. A thousand + thanks, madam. Permit me.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia’s hand was taken by one soft for want of use, and she was led + forward on a deep piled carpet, and carefully placed on a chair in the + midst of the intense black darkness. There was a little movement and then + the voice said, “I am most sensible of your goodness, madam.” + </p> + <p> + “I—I am glad. You are very good, sir,” murmured Aurelia, oppressed + by the gloom and the peculiar atmosphere, cool—for the windows were + open behind the shutters—but strangely fragrant. + </p> + <p> + “How does my excellent friend, Major Delavie?” + </p> + <p> + “I thank you, sir, he is well, though his wound troubles him from time to + time.” + </p> + <p> + “Commend me to him when you write, if you are good enough to remember it.” + </p> + <p> + “I thank you, sir. He will be rejoiced to hear of you.” + </p> + <p> + “He does me too much honour.” + </p> + <p> + These conventionalities being exhausted, a formidable pause ensued, first + broken by Mr. Belamour, “May I ask how my fair visitor likes Bowstead?” + </p> + <p> + “It is a fine place, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “But somewhat lonely for so youthful a lady?” + </p> + <p> + “I have the children, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “I often hear their cheerful voices.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope we do not disturb you, sir, I strive to restrain them, but I fear + we are all thoughtless.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, the innocent sounds of mirth ring sweetly on my ears, like the notes + of birds. And when I have heard a charming voice singing to the little + ones, I have listened with delight. Would it be too presumptuous to beg + the air songstress to repeat her song for the old recluse?” + </p> + <p> + “O, sir, I have only nursery ditties, caught from our old German maid,” + cried Aurelia, in dismay. + </p> + <p> + “That might not diminish the charm to me,” he said. “In especial there was + one song whose notes Jumbo caught as you accompanied yourself on the + spinnet.” + </p> + <p> + And Jumbo, who seemed able to see in the dark, played a bar on his violin, + while Aurelia trembled with shyness. + </p> + <p> + “The Nightingale Song,” she said. “My dear mother learnt the tune abroad. + And I believe that she herself made the English words, when she was asked + what the nightingales say.” + </p> + <p> + “May I hear it? Nightingales can sing in the dark.” Refusal was + impossible, and Jumbo’s violin was a far more effective accompaniment than + her own very moderate performance on the spinnet; so in a sweet, soft, + pure, untrained and trembling voice, she sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + “O Life and Light are sweet, my dear, O life and Light are sweet; + But sweeter still the hope and cheer + When Love and Life shall meet. + Oh! then it is most sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet. + + “But Love puts on the yoke, my dear, But Love puts on the yoke; + The dart of Love calls forth the tear, + As though the heart were broke. + The very heart were broke, broke, broke, broke, broke, broke. + + “And Love can quench Life’s Light, my dear, Drear, dark, and melancholy; + Seek Light and Life and jocund cheer, + And mirth and pleasing folly. + Be thine, light-hearted folly, folly, folly, folly, folly, folly. + + “‘Nay, nay,’ she sang. ‘yoke, pain, and tear, + For Love I gladly greet; + Light, Life, and Mirth are nothing here, + Without Love’s bitter sweet. + Give me Love’s bitter sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet.’” + </pre> + <p> + “Accept my fervent thanks, kind songstress. So that is the nightingale’s + song, and your honoured mother’s?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir. My father often makes us sing it because it reminds him of + her.” + </p> + <p> + “Philomel could not have found a better interpreter,” said the grave + voice, sounding so sad that Aurelia wished she could have sung something + less affecting to his spirits. + </p> + <p> + “I gather from what you said that you are no longer blessed with the + presence of the excellent lady, your mother,” presently added Mr. + Belamour. + </p> + <p> + “No, sir. We lost her seven years ago.” + </p> + <p> + “And her husband mourns her still. Well he may. She was a rare creature. + So she is gone! I have been so long in seclusion that no doubt time has + made no small havoc, and my friends have had many griefs to bewail.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia knew not what answer to make, and was relieved when he collected + himself and said:— + </p> + <p> + “I will trespass no longer on my fair visitor’s complaisance, but if she + have not found the gloom of this apartment insupportable, it would be a + charitable action to brighten it once more with her presence.” + </p> + <p> + “O sir, I will come whenever you are pleased to send for me,” she + exclaimed, all her doubts, fears, and scruples vanishing at his tone of + entreaty. “My father would be so glad. I will practise my best song to + sing to you to-morrow.” + </p> + <p> + “My best thanks are yours,” and her hand was taken, she was carefully + conducted to the door and dismissed with a gentle pressure of her fingers, + and a courteous: “Goodnight, madam; <i>Au revoir</i>, if I may venture to + say so.” + </p> + <p> + By contrast, the hall looked almost light, and Aurelia could see the skip + of joy with which Jumbo hurried to fetch a candle. As he gave it to her, + he made his teeth flash from ear to ear, as he exclaimed: “Pretty missy + bring new life to mas’r!” + </p> + <p> + Thus did a new element come into Aurelia’s life. She carefully prepared + Harriet’s favourite song, a French <i>romance</i>, but Mr. Belamour did + not like it equally well with the Nightingale, which he made her repeat, + rewarding her by telling her of the charming looks and manners of her + mother, so that she positively enjoyed her visit. The next night he made + inquiries into her walks at Bowstead, asking after the favourite nooks of + his childhood, and directing her to the glades where grew the largest + dewberries and sweetest blackberries. This led to her recital of a portion + of <i>Midsummer Night’s Dream</i>, for he drew her on with thanks at every + pause: “I have enjoyed no such treat for many years,” he said. + </p> + <p> + “There are other pieces that I can recite another time,” said Aurelia + timidly. + </p> + <p> + “You will confer a great favour on me,” he answered. + </p> + <p> + So she refreshed her memory by a mental review of <i>Paradise Lost</i> + over her embroidery frame, and was ready with Adam’s morning hymn, which + was much relished. Compliments on her elocution soon were turned by her + into the praise of “sister,” and as she became more at ease, the strange + man in the dark listened with evident delight to her pretty fresh prattle + about sister and brother, and father and home. Thus it had become a daily + custom that she should spend the time between half past seven and nine in + the company of the prisoner of darkness, and she was beginning to look + forward to it as the event of the day. She scarcely expected to be sent + for on Sunday evening, but Jumbo came as usual with the invitation, and + she was far from sorry to quit a worm-eaten Baxter’s <i>Saints’ Rest</i> + which she had dutifully borrowed from Mrs. Aylward. + </p> + <p> + “Well, my fair visitor,” said the voice which had acquired a tone of + pleased anticipation, “what mental repast has your goodness provided?” + </p> + <p> + “It is Sunday, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah!” as if it had not occurred to him, and with some disappointment. + </p> + <p> + “I could say the Psalms by heart, sir, if you would like it, for it is the + 20th day of the month.” + </p> + <p> + “Thank you. Your voice can make anything sweet.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia was shocked, and knew that Betty would be more so, but she was too + shy to do anything except to begin: “Praise thou the Lord, O my soul.” + </p> + <p> + It was a fortunate thing that it was a Psalm of such evident beauty, for + it fell less familiarly on his ear than her passages from the poets. At + the end he said: “Yes, that is true poetry. Praise fits well with happy + young lips. You have been to church?” + </p> + <p> + “No, sir, Mr. Greaves does not come to-day.” + </p> + <p> + “Then how did the gentle saint perform her orisons?” + </p> + <p> + “Please do not so call me, sir! I tried to read the service, but I could + not get the children to be still, so I had to tell them about Joseph, and + I found a beautiful Bible full of pictures, like our Dutch one at home.” + </p> + <p> + “You found the old Bible? My mother used to show it to my brother and me—my + poor mother!” + </p> + <p> + He mentioned one or two of the engravings, which he had never forgotten, + but the evening was less of a success than usual, and Aurelia doubted + whether we would wish for her that day se’nnight. All her dread of him was + gone; she knew she had brought a ray of brightness into his solitary + broken life, and her mind was much occupied with the means of affording + him pleasure. Indeed she might have wearied of the lack of all + companionship save that of the young children; and converse with a clever + highly cultivated mind was stimulating and expanding all her faculties. + When the stores or her memory were becoming exhausted, Jumbo was bidden to + open a case of books which had lain untouched since they were sent sown + from Mr. Belamour’s chambers at the Temple, and they were placed at her + disposal. Here was Mr. Alexander Pope’s translation of the <i>Iliad</i> of + Homer, which had appeared shortly before the fatal duel, and Aurelia + eagerly learnt whole pages of it by heart for the evening’s amusement, + enjoying extremely the elucidations and criticisms of her auditor, who + would dwell on a passage all day, beg to have it repeated a second time in + the evening, and then tell her what his memory or his reflection had + suggested about it. Moreover, having heard some inexplicable report, + through Jumbo, of the Porteous mob, Mr. Belamour became curious to learn + the truth, and this led to his causing the newspapers to be sent weekly to + be read and reported to him by Aurelia. It seemed incredible that a man of + much ability should have been content to spend all these years in the + negro’s sole society, but no doubt the injury done to the brain had been + aggravated by grief and remorse, so that he had long lain, with suspended + faculties, in a species of living death; whence he had only gradually, and + as it were unconsciously, advanced to his present condition. Perhaps Mr. + Wayland’s endeavours to rouse him had come too soon, or in a less simple + and attractive form, for they had been reluctantly received and had proved + entirely unsuccessful; while the child-like efforts of the girl, following + his lead instead of leading him, were certainly awakening him, and + renewing his spirits and interest in the world at large in an unlooked-for + manner. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0012" id="link2HCH0012"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XI. A VOICE FROM THE GRAVE. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + He hath a word for thee to speak. + KEBLE. +</pre> + <p> + No difference was made to Aurelia’s visits to Mr. Belamour on Sunday + evenings, but he respected her scruples against indulgence in profane + literature, and encouraged her to repeat passages of Scripture, beginning + to taste the beauty of the grand cadences falling from her soft measured + voice. Thus had she come to the Sermon on the Mount, and found herself + repeating the expansion of the Sixth Commandment ending with, “And thou be + cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt not come out thence + until thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.” + </p> + <p> + A groan startled her. Then came the passage and the unhappy man’s history + with a sudden stab. A horror of the darkness fell on her. She felt as if + he were in the prison and she reproaching him, and cried out—“O sir, + forgive me. I forgot; I did not say it on purpose.” + </p> + <p> + “No, my child, it was Mary speaking by your voice. No, Mary, I shall never + come out. It will never be paid.” + </p> + <p> + She shook with fright as Jumbo touched her, saying, “Missee, go; mas’r + bear no more;” but, as she rose to go away, a sweet impulse made her pause + and say, “It is paid, <i>He</i> paid. You know Who did—in his own + Blood.” + </p> + <p> + Jumbo drew her away almost by force, and when outside, exclaimed, “Missee + never speak of blood or kill to mas’r—he not bear it. Head turn + again—see shapes as bad as ever.” + </p> + <p> + The poor child cried bitterly, calling herself cruel, thoughtless, + presumptuous; and for the next few days Jumbo’s eyes glared at her as he + reported his master to be very ill; but, on the third day, he came for her + as usual. She thought Mr. Belamour’s tones unwontedly low and depressed, + but no reference was made to the Sunday, and she was glad enough to plunge + into the council of Olympus. + </p> + <p> + A day or two later, Dame Wheatfield sent her husband with an urgent + invitation to Miss Amoret with her sisters and cousin to be present at her + harvest home. Mrs. Aylward, with a certain tone of contempt, gave her + sanction to their going with Molly, by the help of the little pony cart + used about the gardens. Aurelia, in high glee, told Mr. Belamour, who + encouraged her to describe all her small adventures, and was her oracle in + all the difficult questions that Fidelia’s childish wisdom was wont to + start. + </p> + <p> + “To Wheatfield’s farm, did you say? That is in Sedhurst. There are but + three fields between it and the church.” + </p> + <p> + Presently he added: “I am tempted to ask a great kindness, though I know + not whether it will be possible to you.” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, sir, I will do my utmost.” + </p> + <p> + “There are two graves in Sedhurst Church, I have never dared to inquire + about them. Would it be asking too much from my gentle friend to beg of + her to visit them, and let me hear of them.” + </p> + <p> + “I will, I will, sir, with all my heart.” + </p> + <p> + By eight o’clock the next evening she was again with him, apologizing for + being late. + </p> + <p> + “I scarcely expected this pleasure to-night. These rural festivities are + often protracted.” + </p> + <p> + “O sir, I was heartily glad to escape and to get the children away. The + people were becoming so rude and riotous that I was frightened. I never + would have gone, had I known what it would be like, but at home the people + are fond of asking us to their harvest feasts, and they always behave well + whilst we are there.” + </p> + <p> + “No doubt they hold your father in respect.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” said Aurelia, unwilling to tell him how much alarmed and offended + she had been, though quite unintentionally. Dame Wheatfield only intended + hospitality; but in her eyes “Miss” was merely a poor governess, and that + to the little Waylands—mere interlopers in the eyes of the Belamour + tenantry. So the good woman had no idea that the rough gallantry of the + young farmer guests was inappropriate, viewing it as the natural tribute + to her guest’s beauty, and mistaking genuine offence for mere coyness, + until, finding it was real earnest, considerable affront was taken at + “young madam’s fine airs, and she only a poor kinswoman of my Lady’s!” + Quite as ill was it received that the young lady had remonstrated against + the indigestible cakes and strange beverages administered to all her + charges, and above all to Amoret. She had made her escape on the plea of + early hours for the children, leaving Molly behind her, just as the + boisterous song was beginning in which Jack kisses Bet, Joe kisses Sue, + Tom kisses Nan, &c. down to poor Dorothy Draggletail, who is left in + the lurch. The farewell had been huffy. “A good evening to you, madam; I + am sorry our entertainment was not more to your taste.” She had felt + guilty and miserable at the accusation of pride, and she could not imagine + how Mrs. Aylward could have let her go without a warning; the truth being + that Mrs. Aylward despised her taste, but thought she knew what a harvest + supper was like. + </p> + <p> + All this was passed over in silence by Aurelia’s pride and delicacy. She + only described the scene when the last waggon came in with its load, the + horses decked with flowers and ribbons, and the farmer’s youngest girl + enthroned on the top of the shocks, upholding the harvest doll. This was a + little sheaf, curiously constructed and bound with straw plaits and + ribbons. The farmer, on the arrival in the yard, stood on the horse-block, + and held it high over the heads of all the harvesters, and the chorus was + raised: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “A knack, a knack, a knack, + Well cut, well bound, + Well shocked, well saved from the ground, + Whoop! whoop! whoop!” + </pre> + <p> + After which the harvest doll displaced her last year’s predecessor over + the hearth, where she was to hang till next year. + </p> + <p> + All this Aurelia described, comparing the customs with those of her own + county, her heart beating all the time under the doubt how to venture on + describing the fulfilment of her commission. At last Mr. Belamour said, + </p> + <p> + “In such a scene of gaiety, no doubt the recollection of sorrow had no + place.” + </p> + <p> + “O sir, you could not think I should forget.” + </p> + <p> + “I thought I might have asked more than was possible to you.” + </p> + <p> + “It was the only part of the day that I enjoyed. I took little Fay with + me, for no one seemed to care for her, while Amy was queening it with all + the Wheatfields, and Letty was equally happy with her foster mother. I + could see the church spire, so I needed not to ask the way, and we crossed + the stubble fields, while the sun sent a beautiful slanting light through + the tall elm trees that closed in the churchyard, but let one window + glitter between them like a great diamond. It looked so peaceful after all + the noise we left behind, even little Fay felt it, and said she loved the + quiet walk along the green baulks [An unplowed strip of land—D.L.]. + The churchyard has a wooden rail with steps to cross it on either side, + and close under the church wall is a tomb, a great square simple block, + surmounted by an urn.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, let me hear,” said the voice, eager, though stifled. + </p> + <p> + “I thought it might be what you wished me to see and went up to read the + names.” + </p> + <p> + “Do not spare. Never fear. Let me hear the very words.” + </p> + <p> + “On one face of the block there was a name— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ‘WILLIAM SEDHURST, + <i>AGED</i> 27, + DIED MAY 13, 1729.’ +</pre> + <p> + On the other side was this inscription:— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ‘MARY, + ONLY DAUGHTER OF GEORGE SEDHURST, ESQUIRE, + <i>AGED</i> 19, + DIED AUGUST 1st, 1729. + + <i>Love is strong as Death. + Sorrow not as others that have no Hope</i>.’ +</pre> + <p> + In smaller letters down below, ‘This epitaph is at her own special + request.’ + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” continued Aurelia, “it was very curious. I should not have observed + those words if it had not been that a large beautiful butterfly, with + rainbow eyes on its wings, sat sunning itself on the white marble, and Fay + called me to look at it.” + </p> + <p> + “Her message! May I ask you to repeat it again?” + </p> + <p> + “The texts? ‘Love is strong as death. Sorrow not as others that have no + hope.’” + </p> + <p> + “Did you call them Scripture texts?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir; I know the last is in one of the Epistles, and I will look for + the other.” + </p> + <p> + “It matters not. She intended them for a message to me who lay in utter + darkness and imbecility well befitting her destroyer.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, they have come to you at last,” said Aurelia gently. “You really + never knew of them before?” + </p> + <p> + “No, I durst not ask, nor did any one dare to speak to me. My brother, who + alone would have done so, died, I scarcely know when; but ere the very + consciousness of my own wretched existence had come back to me. Once again + repeat the words, gentle messenger of mercy.” + </p> + <p> + She obeyed, but this time he mournfully murmured, “Hope! What hope for + their destroyer?” + </p> + <p> + “They are God’s words, as well as hers,” the girl answered, with diffident + earnestness, but in reply she only heard tightened breaths, which made her + say, “You cannot bear more, sir. Let me call Jumbo, and bid you good + night.” + </p> + <p> + Jumbo came at the mention of his name. Somehow he was so unlike other + human beings, and so wholly devoted to his master, that it never seemed to + be a greater shock to find that he had been present than if he had been a + faithful dog. + </p> + <p> + A few days later he told Aurelia that Mas’r was not well enough to see + her. He had set forth as soon as the moon had set, and walked with his + trusty servant to Sedhurst, where he had traced with his finger the whole + inscription, lingering so long that the sun was above the horizon before + he could get home; and he was still lying on the bed where he had thrown + himself on first coming in, having neither spoken nor eaten since. Jumbo + could not but grumble out that Mas’r was better left to himself. + </p> + <p> + Yet when Aurelia on the third evening was recalled, there was a ring of + refreshment in the voice. It was still melancholy, but the dejection was + lessened, and though it was only of Achilles and Patroclus that they + talked, she was convinced that the pressure of the heavy burthen of grief + and remorse was in some degree lightened. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0013" id="link2HCH0013"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XII. THE SHAFTS OF PHOEBE. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Her golden bow she bends, + Her deadly arrows sending forth. + <i>Greek Hymn</i> (KEIGHTLEY). +</pre> + <p> + On coming in from a walk, Aurelia was surprised by the tidings that + Mistress Phoebe Treforth had come to call on her, and had left a billet. + The said billet was secured with floss silk sealed down in the antiquated + fashion, and was written on full-sized quarto paper. These were the + contents:— + </p> + <p> + “Madam, + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “My Sister and Myself are desirous of the Honour of your + Acquaintance, and shall be happy if you will do use the + Pleasure of coming to partake of Dinner at Three o’Clock + on Tuesday, the 13th instant. + + “I remain, + “Yours to command, + “DELIA TREFORTH.” + </pre> + <p> + Aurelia carried the invitation to her oracle. + </p> + <p> + “My cousins are willing to make your acquaintance?” said he. “That is + well. Jumbo shall escort you home in the evening.” + </p> + <p> + “Thank you, sir, but must I accept the invitation?” + </p> + <p> + “It could not be declined without incivility. Moreover, the Mistresses + Treforth are highly respected, and your father and sister will certainly + think it well for you to have female friends.” + </p> + <p> + “Do you think those ladies could ever be my friends, sir?” she asked, with + an intonation that made him reply, with a sound of amusement. + </p> + <p> + “I am no judge in such matters, but they are ladies connected and + esteemed, who might befriend and counsel you in case of need, and at any + rate, it is much more suitable that you should be on terms of friendly + intercourse with them. I am heartily glad they have shown you this + attention.” + </p> + <p> + “I do not mean to be ungrateful, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “And I think you have disproved that + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Crabbed age and youth + Cannot live together.” + </pre> + <p> + “If they were only like you, sir!” + </p> + <p> + “What would they say to that?” he said with the slight laugh that had + begun to enliven his voice. “I suppose your charges are not included in + the invitation?” + </p> + <p> + “No; but Molly can take care of them, if my Lady will not object to my + leaving them.” + </p> + <p> + “She cannot reasonably do so.” + </p> + <p> + “And, sir, shall I be permitted to come home in time for you to receive + me?” + </p> + <p> + “I fear I must forego that pleasure. The ladies will insist on cards and + supper. Jumbo shall come for you at nine o’clock.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia submitted, and tripped down arrayed in the dress that recalled the + fete at Carminster, except that only a little powder was sprinkled on her + temples. The little girls jumped round her in admiring ecstasy, and, under + Molly’s charge, escorted her to the garden gate, and hovered outside to + see her admitted, while she knocked timidly at the door, in the bashful + alarm of making her first independent visit. + </p> + <p> + The loutish man ushered her into a small close room, containing a cat, a + little spaniel, a green parrot, a spinning-wheel, and an embroidery frame. + There were also the two old ladies, dressed with old-fashioned richness, a + little faded, and a third, in a crimson, gold-laced joseph [A long riding + coat with a small cape, worn by women in the 18th century.—D.L.], + stout, rubicund, and hearty, to whom Aurelia was introduced thus— + </p> + <p> + “Mrs. Hunter, allow me to present to you Miss Delavie, a relative of my + Lady Belamour. Miss Delavie, Mrs. Hunter of Brentford.” + </p> + <p> + “I am most happy to make your acquaintance, Miss,” said the lady, in a + jovial voice, and Aurelia made her curtsey, but at that moment the man + announced that dinner was served, whereupon Mrs. Delia handed Mrs. Hunter + in, and Mrs. Phoebe took the younger guest. + </p> + <p> + The ladies’ faces both bore token of their recent attention to the + preparation of the meal, and the curious dishes would have been highly + interesting to Betty, but there was no large quantity of any, and a single + chicken was the <i>piece de resistance</i>, whence very tiny helps were + dealt out, and there was much unnecessary pressing to take a little more, + both of that and of the brace of partridges which succeeded it. As to + conversation, there was room for none, except hospitable invitations from + the hostesses to take the morsels that they cut for their guests, praises + of the viands from Mrs. Hunter, and endeavours to fish at the recipes, + which the owners guarded jealously as precious secrets. Aurelia sat + perfectly silent, as was then reckoned as proper in a young lady of her + age, except when addressed. A good deal of time was also expended in + directing John Stiggins, the ladies’ own man, and George Brown, who had + ridden with Mrs. Hunter from Brentford, in the disposal of the dishes, and + the handing of the plates. George Brown was the more skilled waiter, and + as the man who was at home did not brook interference, their disputes were + rude and audible, and kept the ladies in agonies lest they should result + in ruin to the best china. + </p> + <p> + At last, however, the cloth was removed, walnuts, apples, pears, and + biscuits were placed on the table, a glass of wine poured out for each + lady, and the quartette, with the cat and dog, drew near the sunny window, + where there was a little warmth. It was a chilly day, but no one ever + lighted a fire before the 5th of November, Old Style. + </p> + <p> + Then began one of those catechisms which fortunately are less unpleasant + to youth and simplicity than they are to persons of an age to resent + inquiry, and who have more resources of conversation. In truth, Aurelia + was in the eyes of the Treforth sisters, descendants of a former Sir + Jovian, only my Lady’s poor kinswoman sent down to act <i>gouvernante</i> + to the Wayland brats, who had been impertinently quartered in the Belamour + household. She would have received no further notice, had it not been + reported through the servants that “young Miss” spent the evenings with + their own cousin, from whom they had been excluded ever since his illness. + </p> + <p> + The subject was approached through interrogations on Miss Delavie’s home + and breeding, how she had travelled, and what were her accomplishments, + also whether she were quite sure that none of the triad was either + imbecile nor deformed. Mrs. Hunter seemed to have heard wonderful rumours + about the poor children. + </p> + <p> + “Has their lady mother seen them?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, madam. She had been there with them shortly before my arrival.” + </p> + <p> + “Only once in their lives!” There was a groan of censure such as would + have fired the loyal Major in defence. + </p> + <p> + “No wonder, Sister Phoebe, my Lady Belamour does not lead the life of a + tender mother.” + </p> + <p> + “She has the little boy, Archer, with her in London,” Aurelia ventured to + say. + </p> + <p> + “And a perfect puppet she makes of the poor child,” said Mrs. Hunter. “My + sister Chetwynd saw him with his mother at a masquerade, my Lady Belamour + flaunting as Venus, and he, when he ought to have been in his bed, dressed + in rose-colour and silver, with a bow and arrows, and gauze wings on his + shoulders!” + </p> + <p> + “What will that child come to?” + </p> + <p> + “Remember, Sister Delia, he is no kin of ours. He is only a Wayland!” + returned Mrs. Phoebe, in an accent as if the Waylands were the most + contemptible of vermin. + </p> + <p> + “I hope,” added Mrs. Delia, “that these children are never permitted to + incommode our unfortunate cousin, Mr. Belamour.” + </p> + <p> + “I trust not, madam,” said Aurelia. “Their rooms are at a distance from + his; they are good children, and he says he likes to hear young voices in + the gardens.” + </p> + <p> + “You have, then, seen Mr. Belamour?” + </p> + <p> + “I cannot say that I have seen him,” said Aurelia, modestly; “but I have + conversed with him.” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed! Alone with him?” + </p> + <p> + “Jumbo was there.” + </p> + <p> + The two old ladies drew themselves up, while Mrs. Hunter chuckled and + giggled. “Indeed!” said Mrs. Phoebe; “we should never see a gentleman in + private without each other’s company, or that of some female companion.” + </p> + <p> + “I consulted Mrs. Aylward,” returned Aurelia, “and she said he was old + enough to be my father.” + </p> + <p> + “Mrs. Aylward may be a respectable housekeeper, though far too lavish of + butcher’s meat, but I should never have recourse to her on a matter of + decorum,” said Mrs. Phoebe. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia’s cheeks burnt, but she still defended herself. “I have heard from + my father and my sister,” she said, “and they make no objection.” + </p> + <p> + “Hoity-toity! What means this heat, miss?” exclaimed Mrs. Phoebe; “I am + only telling you, as a kindness, what we should have thought becoming with + regard even to a blood relation of our own.” + </p> + <p> + “Thank you, ma’am,” said Aurelia; “but, you see, you are so much nearer + his age, that the cases are not alike.” + </p> + <p> + She said it in all simplicity, and did not perceive, at first, why the two + sisters drew themselves up in so much offence, or why Mrs. Hunter cried, + “Oh, fie, for shame, you saucy chit! Bless me!” she continued, more + good-naturedly, “Cousin Phoebe, times are changed since we were young, and + poor Sir Jovian and his brother were the county beaux. The child is right + enough when one comes to think of it; and for my part, I should be glad + that poor Mr. Amyas had some one young and cheerful about him. It is only + a pity his nephew, the young baronet, never comes down to see him.” + </p> + <p> + “Like mother like son,” said Mrs. Phoebe; “I grieve to think what the old + place will come to.” + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said Mrs. Hunter, “I do not hear the young gentleman ill spoken + of; though, more’s the pity, he is in a bad school with Colonel Mar for + his commanding officer, the fine gallant who is making his mother the talk + of the town!” + </p> + <p> + The gossip and scandal then waxed fast and furious on the authority of + Mrs. Hunter’s sister, but no one paid any more attention to Aurelia, + except that when there was an adjournment to the next room, she was + treated with such double stiffness and ceremony as to make her feel that + she had given great offence, and was highly disapproved of by all but Mrs. + Hunter. And Aurelia could not like her, for her gossip had been far + broader and coarser than that of the Mistresses Treforth, who, though more + bitter were more of gentlewomen. Happily much of what passed was perfectly + unintelligible to Betty’s carefully shielded pupil, who sat all the time + with the cat on her lap, listening to its purring music, but feeling much + more inclined to believe nothing against my Lady, after her father’s + example, than to agree with those who were so evidently prejudiced. Tea + was brought in delicate porcelain cups, then followed cards, which made + the time pass less drearily till supper. This consisted of dishes still + tinier than those at dinner, and it was scarcely ended when it was + announced that Jumbo had come for Miss Delavie. + </p> + <p> + Gladly she departed, after an exchange of curtsies, happily not hearing + the words behind her:— + </p> + <p> + “An artful young minx.” + </p> + <p> + “And imagine the impudence of securing Jumbo’s attendance, forsooth!” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Mrs. Hunter, “she seemed to me a pretty modest young + gentlewoman enough.” + </p> + <p> + “Pretty! Yes, she comes of my Lady’s own stock, and will be just such + another.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes; it is quite plain that it is true that my Lady sent her here because + she had been spreading the white apron for the young baronet.” + </p> + <p> + “And now she is trying her arts on poor cousin Amyas Belamour. You heard + how she would take no advice, and replied with impertinence.” + </p> + <p> + “Shall you give my Lady a hint?” + </p> + <p> + “Not I. I have been treated with too much insolence by Lady Belamour to + interfere with her again,” said Mrs. Phoebe, drawing herself up; “I shall + let things take their course unless I can remonstrate with my own + kinsman.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0014" id="link2HCH0014"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIII. THE FLUTTER OF HIS WINGS. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Then is Love’s hour to stray! + Oh, how he flies away!—T. MOORE. +</pre> + <p> + Meanwhile Aurelia, mounted on a pair of pattens brought by the negro to + keep her above the dew, was crossing the park by the light of a fine + hunter’s moon, Jumbo marching at a respectful distance in the rear. He + kept on chuckling to himself with glee, and when she looked round at him, + he informed her with great exultation that “Mas’r had not been alone. His + honour had been to see him. Mas’r so glad.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir Amyas!” exclaimed Aurelia: “Is he there still?” + </p> + <p> + “No, missie. He went away before supper.” + </p> + <p> + “Did he see the young ladies?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, yes, missie. He came before mas’r up, quite promiskius,” said Jumbo, + who loved a long word. “I tell him, wait till mas’r be dress, and took him + to summer parlour. He see little missies out in garden; ask what chil’ren + it was. His Hounour’s sisters, Miss Fay, Missie Letty, Missie Amy, I say! + His Honour wonder. ‘My sisters,’ he say, ‘my sisters here,’ and out he + goes like a flash of lightning and was in among them.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia’s first thought was “Oh, I hope they were clean and neat, and that + they behaved themselves. I wish I had been at home.” Wherewith followed + the recollection that Sir Amyas had been called her beau, and her cheeks + burnt; but the recent disagreeable lecture on etiquette showed her that it + would only have led to embarrassment and vexation to have had any question + of an interview with a young gentleman by so little her elder. Nor would + she have known what to say to him. Old Mr. Belamour in the dark was a very + different matter, and she had probably had an escape from much + awkwardness. + </p> + <p> + Molly received her with her favourite exclamation: “Lawk, miss, and who do + you think have been here?” + </p> + <p> + “Jumbo told me, Molly.” + </p> + <p> + “Ain’t he a perfect pictur of a man? And such a gentleman! He gave me a + whole goolden guinea for my good care of his little sisters, and says he: + ‘Their father shall hear of them, and what little ladies they be.’” + </p> + <p> + “I am glad they behaved themselves prettily.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, that they did, ma’am. It was good luck that they had not been + grubbing in their gardens as you lets ‘em do, ma’am, but they was all as + clean as a whistle, a picking up horse-chestnuts under the big tree at the + corner of the bowling green, when out on the steps we sees him, looking + more like an angel than a man, in his red coat, and the goold things on + his shoulders, and out he comes! Miss Amy, she was afeard at first: ‘Be + the soldiers a coming?’ says she, and runs to me; but Miss Letty, she + holds out her arms, and says “It’s my papa,” and Miss Fay, she stood + looking without a word. Then when his Honour was in among them: “My little + sisters, my dear little sisters,” says he, “don’t you know me?” and down + he goes on one knee in the grass, never heeding his beautiful white + small-clothes, if you’ll believe me, miss, and holds out his arms, and + gets Miss Fay into one arm, and Miss Letty into t’other, and then Miss Amy + runs up, and he kisses them all. Then miss Letty says again ‘Are you my + papa from foreign parts?’ and he laughs and says: ‘No, little one, I’m + your brother. Did you never hear of your brother Amyas?’ and Miss Fay + stood off a little and clapped her little hands, and says: ‘O brother + Amyas, how beautiful you are!’” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia could not help longing to know whether she had been mentioned, but + she did not like to inquire, and she was obliged to rest satisfied with + the assurance that her little girls had comported themselves like jewels, + like lambs, like darling lumps of sugar, or whatever metaphors were + suggested by the imagination of Molly, who had, apparently, usurped the + entire credit of their good manners. It was impossible to help feeling a + little aggrieved, or, maugre [in spite of—D.L.] all inconvenient + properties to avoid wishing to have been under the horse-chestnut tree, + even though she might have shown herself just such a bashful little + speechless fool as she had been when Sir Amyas had danced with her at + Carminster. + </p> + <p> + She was destined to hear a good deal more of the visitor the next day. The + children met her with the cry of “Cousin Aura, our brother”—“our big + beautiful brother—Brother Amyas.”—They were with difficulty + calmed into saying their prayers, and Amoret startled the little + congregation by adding to “bless by father, my mother, my brothers and + sisters,” “and pray bless big brother Amyas best of all, for I love him + very much indeed!” + </p> + <p> + All day little facts about “brother Amyas” kept breaking out. Brother + Amyas had beautiful gold lace, brother Amyas had a red and white feather; + brother Amyas had given Fay and Letty each a ride on his shoulder, but Amy + was afraid; brother Amyas said their papa would love them very much. He + had given them each a new silver shilling, and Amoret had in return + presented him with her doll’s beautiful pink back-string that Cousin Aura + had made for her. This wonderful brother had asked who had taught them to + be such pretty little gentlewomen, and at this Aurelia’s heart beat a + little, but provoking Fidelia replied: “I told him my Mammy Rolfe taught + me to be genteel,” and Letty added: “And he said Fay was a conceited + little pussy cat.” + </p> + <p> + A strange indefinable feeling between self-respect and shyness made + Aurelia shrink from the point-blank question whether the ungrateful little + things had acknowledged their obligations to her. She was always hoping + they would say something of their own accord, and always disappointed. + </p> + <p> + Evening came, and she eagerly repaired to the dark room, wondering, yet + half dreading to enter on the subject, and beginning by an apology for + having by no means perfected herself in Priam’s visit to Achilles. + </p> + <p> + “If you have been making visits,” said Mr. Belamour: “I too have had a + visitor.” + </p> + <p> + “The children told me so,” she answered. + </p> + <p> + “He was greatly delighted with them,” said Mr. Belamour. + </p> + <p> + “While they, poor little things, never were more happy in their lives. He + must have been very kind to them, yet he did not know that they were + here.” + </p> + <p> + “His mother is not communicative respecting them. Ladies who love power + seek to preserve it by making little mysteries.” + </p> + <p> + “It was to see you, sir, that he came.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes. He ingenuously avowed that he had always been urged to do so by his + stepfather, but his mother has always put obstacles in the way, and + assured him that he would not gain admission. I have certainly refused to + see her, but this is a very different matter—my brother’s only + child, my godson, and my ward!” + </p> + <p> + “I am very glad he has come to see you, sir, and I am sure it has given + you pleasure.” + </p> + <p> + “Pleasure in seeing that he is a lad of parts, and of an ingenuous, + affectionate, honest nature, but regret in perceiving how I failed in the + confidence that his father reposed in me.” + </p> + <p> + “But, sir, you could not help it!” + </p> + <p> + “Once I could not. It was, I know not how long, before I knew that my + brother was no more; and thinking myself dead to the world and the world + to me, I took no heed to what, it now seems to me, I was told of + guardianship to the boy. I was incapable of fulfilling any such charge, + and I shunned the pain of hearing of it,” he continued, rather as if + talking to himself than to his auditor. “When I could, I gave them my name + and they asked no more. Yet what did they tell me of a sealed letter from + my brother, addressed to me? True, I heard of it more than once, but I + could ask no one to read it to me, and I closed my ears. In Wayland’s + hands I knew the youth was well cared for, and only now do I feel that I + have ill requited my brother’s confidence.” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, sir, I cannot see how you could have done otherwise,” said + Aurelia, who could not bear to hear his tone of self-reproach. + </p> + <p> + “My amiable visitor!” he exclaimed, as though recalled to a sense of her + presence. “Excuse the absence of mind which has inflicted on you the + selfish murmurs of the old recluse. Tell me how you prospered with my + cousins, whom I remember as sprightly maidens. Phoebe had somewhat of the + prude, Delia of the coquette.” + </p> + <p> + “I could imagine what you say of Mistress Phoebe, sir, better than of + Mistress Delia.” + </p> + <p> + “Had they any guests to meet you?” + </p> + <p> + “A Mrs. Hunter, sir, from Brentford, a doctor’s wife I suppose.” + </p> + <p> + “You are right. She was a cousin of theirs on the other side of the house, + a loud-voiced buxom lass, who was thought to have married beneath here + when she took Dr. Hunter; but apparently they have forgiven her.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Belamour was evidently much interested and amused by Aurelia’s small + experiences and observations, such as they were. In spite of the sense of + past omission which had been aroused by his nephew’s visit, it had + evidently raised his spirits, for he laughed when Aurelia spiced her + descriptions with a little playful archness, and his voice became more + cheery. + </p> + <p> + So, too, it was on the ensuing evening when Aurelia, to compensate for the + last day’s neglect, came primed with three or four pages of the + conversation between Priam and Achilles, which she rehearsed with great + feeling, thinking, like Pelides himself, of her own father and home. It + was requited with a murmured “Bravo,” and Mr. Belamour then begged of her, + if she were not weary, to favour him with the Nightingale Song, Jumbo as + usual accompanying her with his violin. At the close there was again a + “Bravo! Truly exquisite!” in a tone as if the hermit were really finding + youth and life again. Once more at his request, she sang, and was + applauded with even more fervour, with a certain tremulous eagerness in + the voice. Yet there was probably a dread of the excitement being too + much, for this was followed by “Thank you, kind songstress, I could listen + for ever, but it is becoming late, and I must not detain you longer.” + </p> + <p> + She found herself handed out of the room, with somewhat curtailed good + nights, although nine o’clock, her usual signal, had not yet struck. When + she came into the lamplit hall, Jumbo was grinning and nodding like a + maniac, and when she asked what was the matter, he only rolled his eyes, + and said, “Missie good! Mas’r like music!” + </p> + <p> + The repressed excitability she had detected made her vaguely nervous (not + that she would have so called herself), and as the next day was the blank + Sunday, she appeased and worked off her restlessness by walking with the + children to Sedhurst church. It was the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, + and the preacher, who had caught somewhat of the fire of Wesley and + Whitfield, preached a sermon which arrested her attention, and filled her + with new thoughts. Taking the Epistle and Gospel in connection, he showed + the death-in-life of indifference, and the quickening touch of the Divine + Love, awakening the dead spirit into true life. On that life, with its + glow of love, hope, and joy, the preacher dwelt with enthusiasm such as + Aurelia had never heard, and which carried her quite out of herself. Tears + of emotion trembled in her eyes, and she felt a longing desire to walk on + in that path of love to her Maker, whom she seemed to have never known + before. + </p> + <p> + She talked with a new fervour to the children of the birds and flowers, + and all the fair things they loved, as the gifts of their Father in + Heaven; and when she gathered them round the large pictured Bible, it was + to the Gospel that she turned as she strove to draw their souls to the + appreciation of the Redeeming Love there shown. She saw in Fay’s deep eyes + and thoughtful brow that the child was taking it in, though differently + from Amy, who wanted to kiss the picture, while Letty asked those babyish + material questions about Heaven that puzzle wiser heads than Aurelia’s to + answer. + </p> + <p> + So full was she of the thought, that she forgot her sense of something + strange and unaccountable in Mr. Belamour’s manner before the evening, nor + was there anything to remind her of it afresh, for he was as calmly grave + and kindly courteous as ever; and he soon led her to pour forth all her + impressions of the day. Indeed she repeated to him great part of the + sermon, with a voice quivering with earnestness and emotion. He was not + stirred in the same way as she had been, saying in his pensive meditative + way, “The preacher is right. Love is life. The misfortune is when we stake + our all on one love alone, and that melts from us. Then indeed there is + death—living death!” + </p> + <p> + “But there is never-failing love, and new life that never dies!” cried + Aurelia, almost transported out of herself. + </p> + <p> + “May you ever keep hold of both unobscured, my sweet child,” he returned, + with a sadness that repressed and drove her back into herself again, + feeling far too childish and unworthy to help him to that new life and + love; though her young heart yearned over him in his desolation, and her + soul was full of supplication for him. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0015" id="link2HCH0015"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIV. THE CANON OF WINDSOR. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Turn, gentle hermit of the dale.—GOLDSMITH. +</pre> + <p> + “My child, will you do me a favour?” said Mr. Belamour the next evening, + in a tone no longer formal, but paternal. “Take this packet” (he put one + into the girl’s hand) “to the light and inform me what is the + superscription.” + </p> + <p> + It was a thick letter, with a large red wax seal, bearing the well known + arms of Belamour and Delavie, and the address was + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + To AMYAS BELAMOUR, ESQ., K.C., + + OF THE INNER TEMPLE, LONDON. +To be opened after my death.] + + JOVIAN BELAMOUR. + Dec. 14th, 1727. +</pre> + <p> + “I thought so,” said Mr. Belamour, when she returned to him with + intelligence. “Little did my poor brother guess how long it would be + unopened! Will my gentle friend confer another obligation on me?” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia made her ready assent, hoping to be asked to read the letter, when + he continued, “I cannot read this myself. Even could I bear the light, the + attempt to fix my eyes sends darts shooting through my brain, which would + take away my very power of comprehension. But,” he continued, “there are + only two men living to whom I could entrust my brother’s last words to me. + One, your own good father, is out of reach; the other has frequently + proffered his good offices and has been rejected. Would you add to your + kindness that of writing to entreat my old friend, Dr. Godfrey, to favour + with a visit one who has too often and ungratefully refused him + admission.” + </p> + <p> + Feminine curiosity felt balked, but Aurelia was ashamed of the sensation, + and undertook the task. Instructions were given her that she was to write— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “If Amyas Belamour’s old Schoolfellow and Friend can overlook and + pardon the undeserved Rebuffs to His Constancy and Solicitude for + a lonely and sullen Wretch, and will once more come and spend a + Night at Bowstead, he will confer an inestimable Favour upon one + who is more sensible of his Goodness than when it has been + previously offered.” + </pre> + <p> + This letter, written in Aurelia’s best Italian hand, on a large sheet of + paper, she brought with her the next evening. She was bidden to fold down + the exact place for the signature, which Mr. Belamour proceeded to affix, + and she was then to carry it to the candles in the lobby, and there fold, + seal, and address it to the Reverend Edward Godfrey, D.D., Canon of + Windsor, Windsor. She found the A. Belamour very fairly written except + that it was not horizontal, and she performed the rest of the task with + ladylike dexterity, sealing it with a ring that had been supplied for the + purpose. It did not, as she expected, bear the Belamour sheaf of arrows, + but was a gem, representing a sleeping Cupid with folded wings, so + beautiful that she asked leave to take another impression for Harriet, who + collected seals, after the fashion of the day. + </p> + <p> + “You are welcome,” Mr. Belamour replied. “I doubt its great antiquity, + since the story of Cupid and Psyche cannot be traced beyond Apuleius. I + used it because Dr. Godfrey will remember it. He was with me at Rome when + I purchased it.” + </p> + <p> + The ring was of the size for a lady’s finger, and Aurelia durst ask no + more. + </p> + <p> + How the letter was sent she knew not, but Mrs. Aylward was summoned to Mr. + Belamour’s room, and desired to have a room ready at any time for his + friend. + </p> + <p> + Three days later, towards sunset, a substantial-looking clergyman, + attended by two servants, rode up to the door; and was immediately + appropriated by Jumbo, disappearing into the mysterious apartments; + Aurelia expected no summons that night, but at the usual hour, the negro + brought a special request for the honour of her society; and as she + entered the dark room, Mr. Belamour said, “My fair and charitable visitor + will permit me to present to her my old and valued friend, Dr. Godfrey.” + He laid the hand he had taken on one that returned a little gentlemanly + acknowledgment, while a kind fatherly voice said, “The lady must pardon me + if I do not venture to hand her to her chair.” + </p> + <p> + “Thank you, sir, I am close to my seat.” + </p> + <p> + “Your visitors acquire blind eyes, Belamour,” said Dr. Godfrey, + cheerfully. + </p> + <p> + “More truly they become eyes to the blind,” was the answer. “I feel myself + a man of the world again, since this amiable young lady has conned the + papers on my behalf, and given herself the trouble of learning the + choicest passages of the poets to repeat to me.” + </p> + <p> + “You are very good, sir,” returned Aurelia; “it is my great pleasure.” + </p> + <p> + “That I can well believe,” said Dr. Godfrey. “Have these agreeable + recitations made you acquainted with the new poem on the <i>Seasons</i> by + Mr. James Thomson?” + </p> + <p> + “No,” replied Mr. Belamour, “my acquaintance with the <i>belles letters</i> + ceased nine years ago.” + </p> + <p> + “The descriptions have been thought extremely effective. Those of autumn + were recalled to my mind on my way.” + </p> + <p> + Dr. Godfrey proceeded to recite some twenty lines of blank verse, for in + those days people had more patience and fewer books, and exercised their + memories much more than their descendants do. Listening was far from being + thought tedious. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “‘But see the fading many-coloured roads, + Shade deepening over shade, the country round + Imbrown; a crowded umbrage, dusk and dim, + Of every hue, from wan, declining green, + To sooty dark.’” + </pre> + <p> + The lines had a strange charm to one who had lived in darkness through so + many revolving years. Mr. Belamour eagerly thanked his friend, and on the + offer to lend him the book, begged that it might be ordered for him, and + that any other new and interesting work might be sent to him that was + suitable to the fair lips on which he was dependent. + </p> + <p> + “You are secure with Mr. Thomson,” said the Doctor. “Hear the conclusion + of his final hymn.” + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “‘When even at last the solemn hour shall come, + And wing my mystic flight to future worlds, + I cheerful will obey; there with new powers + Will rising wonders sing. I cannot go + Where Universal Love not smiles around, + Sustaining all yon orbs, and all their suns, + From seeming evil still educing good, + And better thence again, and better still, + In infinite progression. But I lose + Myself in Him, in Light ineffable; + Come then expressive Silence, mine the praise.’” + </pre> + <p> + “‘Universal Love!’” repeated Mr. Belamour; “the poet sings as you do, my + amiable friend! I can conceive the idea better than I could a few months + ago.” + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “‘From seeming evil, still educing good,’” + </pre> + <p> + quoted Dr. Godfrey earnestly, as if feeling his way. + </p> + <p> + “More of this another time,” said Mr. Belamour hastily. “What say the + critics respecting this new aspirant?” + </p> + <p> + The ensuing conversation much interested Aurelia, as it was on the men of + letters whose names had long been familiar to her, and whom the two + gentlemen had personally known. She heard of Pope, still living at + Twickenham, and of his bickerings with Lady Mary Wortley Montagu; of young + Horace Walpole, who would never rival his father as a politician, but who + was beginning his course as a <i>dilettante</i>, and actually pretending + to prefer the barbarous Gothic to the classic Italian. However, his taste + might be improved, since he was going to make the grand tour in company + with Mr. Gray, a rising young poet, in whom Dr. Godfrey took interest, as + an Etonian and a Cantab. + </p> + <p> + At nine o’clock Mr. Belamour requested Miss Delavie to let him depute to + her the doing the honours of the supper table to his friend, who would + return to him when she retired for the night. + </p> + <p> + Then it was that she first saw the guest, a fine, dignified clergyman, in + a large grey wig, with a benignant countenance, reminding her of the Dean + of Carminster. When she was little, the Dean had bestowed on her comfits + and kisses; but since she had outgrown these attentions, he was wont to + notice her only by a condescending nod, and she would no more have thought + of conversing with him at table than in his stall in the cathedral. Thus + it was surprising to find herself talked to, as Betty might have been, by + this reverend personage, who kindly satisfied her curiosity about the + King, Queen, and Princesses, but with a discretion which did not diminish + that blind loyalty which saw no defects in “our good king,” though he was + George II. She likewise answered a few questions about Mr. Belamour’s + tastes and habits, put in a very different manner from those of the + Mistress Treforth, and as soon as supper was over she rose and retired. + </p> + <p> + She did not see Dr. Godfrey again until he was ready for a late breakfast, + having been up nearly the whole night with his friend. His horses were + ordered immediately after the meal, as he had an appointment in London, + and he presently looked up, and said, + </p> + <p> + “Madam, you must excuse me, I was silent from thinking how I can + adequately express my respect and gratitude for you.” + </p> + <p> + “I beg your pardon, sir,” exclaimed Aurelia, thinking her ears mistaken. + </p> + <p> + “My gratitude,” he repeated, “for the inestimable blessing you have been + to my dear and much valued friend, in rousing him from that wretched state + of despondency in which no one could approach him.” + </p> + <p> + “You are too good, sir,” returned Aurelia. “It was he who sent for me.” + </p> + <p> + “I know you did it in all simplicity, my dear child—forgive the + epithet, I have daughters of my own, and thankful should I be if one of + them could have produced such effects. I tell you, madam, my dear friend, + one of the most estimable and brilliant men of his day, was an utter + wreck, both in mind and body, through the cruel machinations of an + unprincipled woman. How much was to the actual injury from his wound, how + much to grief and remorse, Heaven only knows, but the death of his + brother, who alone had authority with him, left him thus to cut himself + off entirely in this utter darkness and despair. I called at first + monthly, then yearly, after the melancholy catastrophe, and held many + consultations with good Mr. Wayland, but all in vain. It was reserved for + your sweet notes to awaken and recall him to what I trust is indeed new + life.” + </p> + <p> + Tears filled Aurelia’s eyes, and she could only murmur something about + being very glad. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” pursued Dr. Godfrey, “it is as if I saw him rising from his living + tomb in all senses of the word. I find that your artless Sunday evening + conversations have even penetrated the inner hopeless gloom, still more + grievous than the outer darkness in which he lived.” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, sir, I never meant to be presumptuous.” + </p> + <p> + “God’s blessing on such presumption, my good child! If you had been fully + aware of his state of mind, you might never have ventured nor have touched + the sealed heart, as you have done, as I perceive, in your ignorance, out + of your obedient reverence to the Lord’s day. Am I not right?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir, I thought one <i>could</i> not repeat plays and poems on + Sunday, and I was frightened when I found those other things were strange + to him; but he bade me go on.” + </p> + <p> + “For the sake of the music of your voice, as he tells me, at first; but + afterwards because you became the messenger of hope to one who had long + lain in the shadow of death, thinking pardon and mercy too much out of + reach to be sought for. You have awakened prayer within him once more.” + </p> + <p> + She could not speak, and Dr. Godfrey continued, “You will be glad to hear + that I am to see the curate on my way through Brentford, and arrange with + him at times to read prayers in the outer room. What is it?” he added; + “you look somewhat doubtful.” + </p> + <p> + “Only, sir, perhaps I ought not to say so, but I cannot think Mr. Belamour + well ever care for poor Mr. Greaves. If he could only hear that gentleman + who comes to Sedhurst! I never knew how much fire could be put into the + service itself, and yet I have often been at Carminster Cathedral.” + </p> + <p> + “True, my dear young lady. These enthusiasts seem to be kindling a new + fire in the Church, but I am not yet so convinced of their orthodoxy and + wisdom as to trust them unreservedly; and zeal pushed too far might offend + our poor recluse, and alienate him more than ever. He is likely to profit + more by the direct words of the Church herself, read without personal + meaning, than by the individual exhortations of some devout stranger.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir. Thank you, I never meant to question your judgment. Indeed I + did not.” + </p> + <p> + The horses were here announced, and Dr. Godfrey said, + </p> + <p> + “Then I leave him to you with a grateful heart. I am beginning to hope + that there is much hypochondriacism in his condition, and that this may + pass away with his despondency. I hope before many weeks are over to come + and visit him again, before I go to my parish in Dorsetshire.” + </p> + <p> + Then, with a fatherly blessing, the Canon took his leave. + </p> + <p> + He was scarcely gone before there was a great rustling in the hall, and + Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia Treforth were announced. Aurelia was surprised, + for she had been decidedly sensible of their disapproval when she made her + visit of ceremony after her entertainment by them. She, however, had + underrated the force of the magnet of curiosity. They had come to inquire + about the visitor, who had actually spent a night at the Park. They knew + who he was, for “Ned Godfrey” had been a frequent guest at Bowstead in the + youth of all parties, and they were annoyed that he had not paid his + respects to them. + </p> + <p> + “It would have been only fitting to have sent for us, as relations of the + family, to assist in entertaining him,” said Mrs. Phoebe. “Pray, miss, did + my eccentric cousin place you in the position of hostess?” + </p> + <p> + “It fell to me, madam,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “You could have asked for <i>our</i> support,” said Mrs. Phoebe, severely. + “It would have become you better, above all then Sir Amyas Belamour + himself was here.” + </p> + <p> + “He has only been here while I was with you, madam, and was gone before my + return.” + </p> + <p> + “<i>That</i> is true,” but Mrs. Phoebe looked at the girl so inquisitively + that her colour rose in anger, and exclaimed, “Madam, I know not what you + mean!” + </p> + <p> + “There, sister,” said Mrs. Delia, more kindly. “She is but a child, and + Bet Batley is a gossip. She would not know his Honour in the dark from the + blackamoor going down to visit his sweetheart.” + </p> + <p> + Very glad was Aurelia when the ladies curtsied themselves out of her + summer parlour, declaring they wished to speak to Mrs. Aylward, who she + knew could assure them of the absurdity of these implied suspicions. + </p> + <p> + And Mrs. Aylward, who detested the two ladies, and repelled their + meddling, stiffly assured them both of Miss Delavie’s discretion and her + own vigilance, which placed visits from the young baronet beyond the + bounds of possibility. Supposing his Honour should again visit his uncle, + she should take care to be present at any interview with the young lady. + She trusted that she knew her duty, and so did Miss Delavie. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0016" id="link2HCH0016"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XV. THE QUEEN OF BEAUTY. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + O bright <i>regina</i>, who made thee so faire, + Who made thy colour vermeilie and white? + Now marveile I nothing that ye do hight + The quene of love.—CHAUCER. +</pre> + <p> + Only a week had elapsed before the quiet of Bowstead was again disturbed + by the arrival of two grooms, with orders that everything should be made + ready the next day for the arrival of my Lady, who was on her way to + Carminster for a few weeks, and afterwards to Bath. Forthwith Mrs. Aylward + and her subordinates fell into a frenzy of opening shutters, lighting + fires, laying down carpets and uncovering furniture. Scrubbing was the + daily task for the maids, and there was nothing extra possible in that + line, but there was hurry enough to exacerbate the temper, and when + Aurelia offered her services she was tartly told that she could solely be + useful by keeping the children out of the way; for in spite of all + rebuffs, they persisted in haunting the footsteps of the housekeeper and + maids, Fay gazing with delight at the splendours that were revealed, Amy + proffering undesired aid, Letty dancing in the most inconvenient places, + romancing about her mamma and little brother, and making sure that her big + beautiful brother was also coming. + </p> + <p> + The were very unwilling to let Aurelia call them away to practise them in + bridling, curtseying, and saying “Yes, madam,” according to the laws of + good breeding so carefully inculcated by sister at home. So anxious was + she that she tried them over and over again till they were wearied out, + and became so cross and naughty that nothing restored good-homour except + gathering blackberries to feast brother Archer. + </p> + <p> + The intelligence produced less apparent excitement in the dark chamber. + When Aurelia, in an eager, awe-stricken voice began, “O sir, have you + heard that my Lady is coming?” He calmly replied, + </p> + <p> + “The sounds in the house have amply heralded her, to say nothing of + Jumbo.” + </p> + <p> + “I wonder what she will do!” + </p> + <p> + “You will not long have known her, my fair friend, without discovering + that she is one of the most inscrutable of her sex. The mere endeavour to + guess at her plans only produces harassing surmises and alarms.” + </p> + <p> + “Do you think, sir, she can mean to take me away?” + </p> + <p> + “I suppose that would be emancipation to you, my poor child.” + </p> + <p> + “I should dance to find myself going home,” said Aurelia, “yet how could I + bear to leave my little girls, or you, sir. Oh! if you could only live at + the Great House, at home, I should be quite happy.” + </p> + <p> + “Then you would not willingly abandon the recluse?” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed,” she said with a quivering in her voice, “I cannot endure the + notion. You have been so kind and good to me, sir, and I do so enjoy + coming to you. And you would be all alone again with Jumbo! Oh sir, could + you not drive down if all the coach windows were close shut up? You would + have my papa to talk to!” + </p> + <p> + “And what would your papa say to having a miserable old hermit inflicted + on him?” + </p> + <p> + “He would be only too glad.” + </p> + <p> + “No, no, my gentle friend, there are other reasons. I could not make my + abode in Lady Belamour’s house, while in that of my nephew, my natural + home, I have a right to drag out what remains of the existence of mine. + Nay, are you weeping, my sweet child? That must not be; your young life + must take no darkness from mine. Even should Lady Belamour’s arbitrary + caprice bear you off without another meeting, remember that you have given + me many more happy hours than I ever supposed to be in store for me, and + have opened doors which shall not be closed again.” + </p> + <p> + “You will get some one to recite to you?” entreated Aurelia, her voice + most unsteady. + </p> + <p> + “Godfrey shall seek out some poor scholar or exhausted poetaster, with a + proviso that he never inflicts his own pieces on me,” said Mr. Belamour, + in a tone more as if he wished to console her than as it were a pleasing + prospect. “Never fear, gentle monitress, I will not sink into the + stagnation from which your voice awoke me. Neither Godfrey nor my nephew + would allow it. Come, let us put it from our minds. It has always been my + experience, that whatever I expected from my much admired sister-in-law, + that was the exact reverse of what she actually did. Therefore let us + attend to topics, though I wager that you have no fresh acquisitions for + me to-day.” + </p> + <p> + “I am ashamed, sir, but I could not fix my mind even to a most frightful + description of wolves in Mr. Thomson’s ‘Winter.’” + </p> + <p> + “That were scarcely a soothing subject; but we might find calm in + something less agitating and more familiar. Perhaps you can recall + something too firmly imprinted on your memory to be disturbed by these + emotions.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia bethought herself that she must not disappoint her friend on what + might prove their last evening; she began very unsteadily:— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “’ Hence, loathed Melancholy.’” + </pre> + <p> + However by the time “Jonson’s learned sock” was on, her mechanical + repetition had become animated, and she had restored herself to + equanimity. When the clock struck nine, her auditor added his thanks, “In + case we should not meet again thus, let me beg of my kind visitor to wear + this ring in memory of one to whom she has brought a breath indeed from + L’Allegro itself. It will not be too large. It was made for a lady.” + </p> + <p> + And amid her tearful thanks she felt a light kiss on her fingers, + revealing to her that the hermit must possess a beard, a fact, which in + the close-shaven Hanoverian days, conveyed a sense of squalor and neglect + almost amounting to horror. + </p> + <p> + In her own room she dropped many a tear over the ring, which was of course + the Cupid intaglio, and she spent the night in strange mixed dreams and + yearnings, divided between her father, Betty, and Eugene on the one hand, + and Mr. Belamour and the children on the other. Home-sick as she sometimes + felt, dull as Bowstead was, she should be sadly grieved to leave those to + whom she felt herself almost necessary, though her choice must needs be + for her home. + </p> + <p> + Early the next day arrived an old roomy berlin loaded heavily with + luggage, and so stuffed with men and maids that four stout horses had much + ado to bring it up to the door. The servants, grumbling heartily, declared + that my Lady was only going to lie here for a single night, and that Sir + Amyas was not with her. + </p> + <p> + Late in the afternoon, a couple of outriders appeared to say that the + great lady was close at hand, and Aurelia, in her best blue sacque, and + India muslin cap, edged with Flanders lace, had her three little charges, + all in white with red shoes, red sashes, and red ribbons in their caps, + drawn up in the hall to welcome their mother. + </p> + <p> + Up swept the coach with six horses, Mr. Dove behind—runners in fact, + who at times rested themselves by an upright swing on the foot-board. + </p> + <p> + The door of the gorgeous machine was thrown open, and forth sprang a + pretty little boy. Next descended the friendly form of Mrs. Dove, then a + smart person, who was my Lady’s own woman, and finally something + dazzlingly grand and beautiful in feathers, light blue, and silver. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia made her reverence, and so did the little triad; the great lady + bent her head, and gave a light kiss to the brow of each child, and the + boy sprang forward, crying: “You are my sisters. You must play with me, + and do whatever I choose.” Amoret and he began kissing on the spot, but + Fidelia, regarding <i>must</i> as a forbidden word, looked up at Aurelia + with an inquiring protest in her eyes; but it was not heeded, in the doubt + whether to follow Lady Belamour, who, with a stately greeting to Mrs. + Aylward, had sailed into the withdrawing-room. The question was decided by + Mrs. Aylward standing back to make room, and motioning her forward, so she + entered, Letty preceding her and Fay clinging to her. + </p> + <p> + By the hearth stood the magnificent figure, holding out a long, beautiful, + beringed hand, which Aurelia shyly kissed, bending as before a queen, + while her forehead received the same slight salute as had been given to + the little girls. “My cousin Delavie’s own daughter,” said the lady: “You + have the family likeness.” + </p> + <p> + “So I have been told, madam.” + </p> + <p> + “Your father is well, I hope.” + </p> + <p> + “He was pretty well, I thank you Ladyship, when I heard from my sister ten + days ago.” + </p> + <p> + “I shall see him in a week’s time, and shall report well of his little + daughter,” said Lady Belamour kindly. “I am under obligations to you, my + dear. You seem to have tamed my little savages.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia was amazed, for the universal awe of my Lady had made her expect a + harsh and sever Semiramis style of woman, whereas she certainly saw a + majestic beauty, but with none of the terrors that she had anticipated. + The voice was musical and perfectly modulated, the manner more caressing + than imperious towards herself, and studiously polite to the house keeper. + While orders were being given as to arrangements, Aurelia took in the full + details of the person of whom she had heard so much. It seemed incredible + that Lady Belamour could have been mother to contemporaries of Betty, for + she looked younger than Betty herself. Her symmetry and carriage were + admirable, and well shown by the light blue habit laced richly and + embroidered with silver. A small round hat with a cluster of white ostrich + feathers was placed among the slightly frizzed and powdered masses of + mouse-coloured hair, surmounting a long ivory neck, whose graceful turn, + the theme of many a sonnet, was not concealed by the masculine collar of + the habit. The exquisite oval contour of the cheek, the delicate ear, and + Grecian profile were as perfect in moulding as when she had been Sir + Jovian’s bride, and so were the porcelain blue of the eyes, the pencilled + arches of eyebrow, and the curve of the lips, while even her complexion + retained its smooth texture, and tints of the lily and rose. Often as + Aurelia had heard of her beauty, its splendour dazzled and astonished her, + even in this travelling dress. + </p> + <p> + Archer, who was about a year older than his sisters, was more like Amoret + than the other two, with azure eyes, golden curls, and a plump rosy face, + full of fun and mischief. Tired of the confinement of the coach, he was + rushing round the house with Amoret, opening the doors and looking into + the rooms. The other little sisters remained beside Aurelia till their + mother said, pointing to Fay: “That child seems to mean to eat me with her + eyes. Let all the children be with Nurse Dove, Mrs. Aylward. Miss Delavie + will do me the pleasure of supping with me at seven. Present my + compliments to Mr. Belamour, and let him know that I will be with him at + eight o’clock on particular business.” Then turning to the two children, + she asked their names, and was answered by each distinctly, with the + orthodox “madam” at the end. + </p> + <p> + “You are improved, little ones,” she said: “Did Cousin Aurelia teach you?” + </p> + <p> + “And Mammy Rolfe,” said constant Fay. + </p> + <p> + “She must teach you next not to stare,” said Lady Belamour. “I intend to + take one to be a companion to my boy, in the country. When I saw them + before, they were rustic little monsters; but they are less unpresentable + now. Call your sister, children.” And, as the two left the room, she + continued: “Which do you recommend, cousin?” + </p> + <p> + “Fidelia is the most reasonable, madam,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “But not the prettiest, I trust. She is too like her father, with those + dark brows, and her eyes have a look deep enough to frighten one. They + will frighten away the men, if she do not grow out of it.” + </p> + <p> + Here the door burst open, and, without any preliminary bow, Master Archer + flew in, crying out “Mamma, mamma, we <i>must</i> stay here. The galleries + are so long, and it is such a place for whoop-hide!” + </p> + <p> + His sisters were following his bad example, and rushing in with equal want + of ceremony, but though their mother held the boy unchecked on her knee, + Aurelia saw how she could frown. “You forget yourselves,” she said. + </p> + <p> + Amoret looked ready to cry, but at a sign from their young instructress, + they backed and curtsied, and their mother reviewed them; Letitia was the + most like the Delavies, but also the smallest, while Amoret was on the + largest scale and would pair best with her brother, who besides loudly + proclaimed his preference for her, and she was therefore elected to the + honour of being taken home. Aurelia was requested as a favour to bid the + children’s woman have the child’s clothes ready repaired to her own room. + </p> + <p> + The little wardrobe could only be prepared by much assistance from Aurelia + herself, and she could attend to nothing else; while the children were all + devoted to Archer, and she only heard their voices in the distance, till—as + she was dressing for her <i>tete-a-tete</i> supper—Fay came to her + crying, “Archer is a naughty boy—he said wicked words—he + called her ugly, and had cuffed and pinched her!” + </p> + <p> + Poor child! she was tired out, and disappointed, and Aurelia could only + comfort her by hearing her little prayers, undressing her, and giving her + the highly-esteemed treat of sleeping in Cousin Aura’s bed; while the + others were staying up as long as it pleased Master Archer. This actually + was the cause of my Lady being kept waiting, and an apology was needful. + “Fidelia was tired out, and was crying.” + </p> + <p> + “A peevish child! I am glad I did not choose her.” + </p> + <p> + “She is usually very good, madam,” said Aurelia, eagerly. + </p> + <p> + “Is she your favourite?” + </p> + <p> + “I try not to make favourites, madam.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! there spoke the true Manor House tone,” said her Ladyship, rather + mockingly. “Maybe she will be a wit, for she will never be a beauty, but + the other little one will come on in due time after Amoret.” + </p> + <p> + “Your Ladyship will find Amoret a dear, good, affectionate child,” said + Aurelia. “Only—-” + </p> + <p> + “Reserve that for nurse, so please you, my good girl. It is enough for me + to see the brats on their good manners now and then. You have had other + recreations—shall I call them, or cares? I never supposed, when I + sent you here to attend on the children, that the hermit of Bowstead would + summon you! I assure you it is an extraordinary honour.” + </p> + <p> + “I so esteem it, madam,” said Aurelia, blushing. + </p> + <p> + “More honour than pleasure, eh?” + </p> + <p> + “A great pleasure, madam.” + </p> + <p> + “Say you so?” and the glittering blue eyes were keenly scanning the modest + face. “I should have thought a young maid like you would have had the + dismals at the mere notion of going near his dark chamber. I promise you + it gives me the megrim [migraine—D.L.] to look forward to it.” + </p> + <p> + “I was affrighted at first, madam,” said Aurelia; “but Mr. Belamour is so + good and kind to me that I exceedingly enjoy the hours I spend with him.” + </p> + <p> + “La, child, you speak with warmth! We shall have you enamoured of a voice + like the youth they make sonnets about—what’s his name?” + </p> + <p> + “Narcissus, madam,” said Aurelia, put out of countenance by the banter. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, you are learned. Is Mr. Belamour your tutor, pray? And—oh fie! + I have seen that ring before!” + </p> + <p> + “He gave it to me yesterday,” faltered Aurelia, “in case you should intend + to take me away, and I should not see him again. I hope I was not wrong in + accepting it, madam.” + </p> + <p> + “Wrong, little fool, assuredly not,” said my Lady, laughing. “It is an + ensign of victory. Why, child, you have made a conquest worthy of—let + me see. You, or the wits, could tell me who it was that stormed the very + den of Cocytus and bore off the spoil!” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia liked the tone too little to supply the names; yet she felt + flattered; but she said quietly, “I am happy to have been the means of + cheering him.” + </p> + <p> + The grave artlessness of the manner acted as a kind of check, and Lady + Belamour said in a different tone, “Seriously, child, the family are truly + obliged for your share in rousing the poor creature from his melancholy. + My good man made the attempt, but all in vain. What do you to divert him?” + </p> + <p> + In inquires of this kind the supper hour passed, and Lady Belamour was + then to keep her appointment with her brother-in-law. She showed so much + alarm and dread that Aurelia could not but utter assurances and + encouragements, which again awoke that arch manner, partly bantering, + partly flattering, which exercised a sort of pleasant perplexing + fascination on the simple girl. + </p> + <p> + After being dismissed, Aurelia went in search of Mrs. Dove, whom she found + with Molly, taking stock of Amoret’s little wardrobe. The good woman rose + joyfully. “Oh, my dear missie! I am right thankful to see you looking so + purely. I don’t know how I could have held up my head to Miss Delavie if I + had not seen you!” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! you will see my sister and all of them,” cried Aurelia, a sudden rush + of home-sickness bringing tears to her eyes, in oblivion alike of her + recluse and her pupils. “Oh! if I were but going with you! But what folly + am I talking? You must not let them think I am not happy, for indeed I am. + Will you kindly come to my room, dear nurse, and I will give you a packet + for them?” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Dove willingly availed herself of the opportunity of explaining how + guiltless she had been of the sudden separation at Knightsbridge four + months back. She had been in such haste to ride after and overtake the + coach, that she had even made Dove swear at her for wanting to give the + horses no time to rest, and she had ridden off on her own particular + pillion long before the rest. She had been surprised that she never + succeeded in catching up the carriage, but never suspected the truth till + she had dismounted in Hanover Square and asked whether “Miss” were with my + Lady. Nobody knew anything about Miss Delavie, nor expected her; and the + good woman’s alarm was great until she had had an interview with her + Ladyship, when she was told not to concern herself about the young lady, + who was safely bestowed in the country with the Miss Wayland. “But that it + was here, if you’ll believe me, missie, I was as innocent as the babe + unborn, and so was his Honour, Sir Amyas. Indeed, my Lady gave him to + understand that she had put you to boarding-school with his little + sisters.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! nurse, that is impossible!” + </p> + <p> + “Lawk-a-day, missie, there’s nothing my Lady wouldn’t say to put him off + the scent. Bless you, ‘tis not for us servants to talk, or I could tell + you tales! But there, mum’s the word, as my Dove says, or he wouldn’t ha’ + sat on his box these twenty year!” + </p> + <p> + “My Lady is very kind to me,” said Aurelia, with a little assumption of + her father’s repressive manner. + </p> + <p> + “I’m right glad to hear it, Miss Aureely. A sweet lady she can be when she + is in the mood, though nothing like so sweet as his Honour. ‘Tis ingrain + with him down to the bone, as I may say—and I should know, having + had him from the day he was weaned. To see him come up to the nussery, and + toss about his little brother, would do your very heart good; and then he + sits him down, without a bit of pride, and will have me tell him all about + our journey up to Lunnon, and the fair, and the play and all; and the same + with Dove in the stables. He would have the whole story, and how we was + parted at Knightsbridge, I never so much as guessing where you was—you + that your sister had given into my care! At last, one day when I was + sitting a darning of stockings in the window at the back, where I can see + out over to the green fields, up his Honour comes, and says he, with his + finger to his lips, ‘Set your heart at rest, nurse, I’ve found her!’ Then + he told me how he went down to see his old uncle. Mr. Wayland had been + urging him on one side that ‘twas no more than his duty; and her Ladyship, + on the other, would have it that Mr. Belamour was right down melancholy + mad, and would go into a raving fit if his nevvy did but go near the + place.” + </p> + <p> + “She did not say that!” + </p> + <p> + “Oh yes, she did, miss, I’ll take my oath of it, for I was in the coach + with Master Wayland on my knee, when she was telling a lady how hard it + was they could have no use of Bowstead, because of Sir Jovian’s brother + being there, who had got the black melancholics, and could not be removed. + The lady says how good she was to suffer it, and she answers, that there + was no being harsh with poor Sir Jovian’s brother, though he had a strange + spleen at her and her son, and always grew worse when they did but go near + the house; but that some measures must be taken when her son came of age + or was married.” + </p> + <p> + “But he came at last!” + </p> + <p> + “He said he wanted to see for himself, and thought he could at least find + out from the servants whether his uncle was in the state they reported. + And there he found his three little sisters, and that you was their + tutoress, and they couldn’t say enough about you, nor the poor gentleman + neither. ‘I didn’t see her, nurse,’ says he, ‘but there’s a bit of her own + sweet fingers’ work.’ And sure enough, I knew it, for it was a knot of the + very ribbon you had in your hair the day I came to talk to your sister + about the journey.” + </p> + <p> + “That was what Amy told me she gave him.” + </p> + <p> + “Nothing loth would he be to take it, miss! Though says he, ‘Don’t you let + my mother know I have tracked her, nurse,’ says he. ‘It is plain enough + why she gives out that I am not to go near my uncle, and if she guessed + where I had been, she would have some of her fancies.’ ‘Now your Honour, + my dear,’ says I, ‘you’ll excuse your old nurse, but her sister put her in + my charge, and though I bless Heaven that you are no young rake, yet you + will be bringing trouble untold on her and hers if you go down there a + courting of her unbeknownst.’ ‘No danger of that, nurse,’ says he; ‘why + there’s a she-dragon down there (meaning Mrs. Aylward) that was ready to + drive me out of my own house when I did but speak of waiting to see her.’” + </p> + <p> + “No, I am glad he will not come again. Yet it makes his uncle happy to see + him. I will keep out of the way if he does.” + </p> + <p> + “Right too, miss. A young lady never loses by discretion.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, do not speak in—in that way,” said Aurelia, blushing at the + implication. “Besides, he is going home with my Lady to dear Carminster.” + </p> + <p> + “No, no, he remains with his regiment in town, unless he rides down later + when he can have his leave of absence, and my Lady is at the Bath. He will + not if he can help it, for he is dead set against the young lady they want + to marry him to, and she is to be there. What! you have not heard? It is + my Lady Arabella, sister to that there Colonel as is more about our house + than I could wish. She is not by the same mother as him and my Lord + Aresfield. Her father married a great heiress for his second wife, whose + father had made a great fortune by victualling the army in the war time. + Not that this Dowager Countess, as they call her, is a bit like the real + quality, so that it is a marvel how my Lady can put up with her; only + money-bags will make anything go down, more’s the pity, and my Lady is + pressed, you see, with her losses at play. It was about this match that + Sir Amyas was sent down to Battlefield, the Countess’s place in + Monmouthshire, when he came to Carminster last summer, and his body + servant, Mr. Grey, that has been about him from a child, told me all about + it. This Lady Belle, as they call her, is only about fourteen, and such a + spoilt little vixen, that they say nobody has been able to teach her so + much as to read, for her mother, the Dowager, never would have her crossed + in anything, and now she has got too headstrong for any of ‘em. Mr. Grey + said dressing for supper, they heard the most horrid screams, and thought + some one must be killed at least. Sir Amyas was for running out, but at + the door they met a wench who only said, ‘Bless you! that’s nought. It’s + only my young lady in her tantrums!’ So in the servants’ hall, Grey heard + it was all because her mamma wouldn’t let her put on two suits of pearls + and di’monds both together. She lies on her back, and rolls and kicks till + she gets her own way; and by what the servants say, the Dowager heerself + ain’t much better to her servants. Her woman had got a black eye she had + given her with her fan. She has never had no breeding, you see, and there + are uglier stories about her than I like to tell you, Miss Aureely; and as + to the young lady, Sir Amyas saw her with his own eyes slap the lackey’s + face for bringing her brown sugar instead of white. She is a little + dwarfish thing that puts her finger in her mouth and sulks when she is not + flying out into a rage; but Colonel Mar is going to have her up to a + boarding-school to mend her manners, and he and my lady are as much bent + on marrying his Honour to her as if she was a perfect angel.” + </p> + <p> + “They never can!” + </p> + <p> + “Well, miss, they do most things they have a mind to; and they mean to do + this before my Lady’s husband comes home.” + </p> + <p> + “But Mr. Belamour is his nephew’s guardian.” + </p> + <p> + “That’s what my Lady is come down here for. Either she will get his + consent out of him, or she will make the poor gentleman out to be <i>non + compos</i>, and do without him.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, nurse, he is the wisest, cleverest gentleman I ever saw, except my + papa.” + </p> + <p> + “Do you say do, miss? But you are young, you see. A gentleman to shut + himself up in the dark like that must needs be astray in his wits.” + </p> + <p> + “That is because of his eyes, and his wound. Nobody could talk to him and + doubt his reason.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, missie, I hope you are in the right; but what my Lady’s interest + is, that she is apt to carry out, one way or t’other! Bless me, if that be + not Master Archer screaming. I thought he was fast off to sleep. There + never was a child for hating the dark. Yes, yes, I’m coming, my dearie! + Lack a daisy, if his mamma heard!” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0017" id="link2HCH0017"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVI. AUGURIES. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Venus, thy eternal sway + All the race of man obey. + EURIPIDES (Anstice). +</pre> + <p> + Aurelia sat up late to finish her despatches to the beloved ones at home, + and pack the little works she had been able to do for each, though my + Lady’s embroidery took up most of her sedentary hours. Mrs. Dove undertook + the care of the guinea’s worth of presents to the little sisters from Sir + Amyas, which the prudent nurse advised her to withhold till after Master + Archer was gone, as he would certainly break everything to pieces. He was + up betimes, careering about the garden with all his sisters after him, + imperiously ordering them about, but nevertheless bewitching them all, so + that Amoretta was in ecstasies at her own preferment, scarcely realising + that it would divide her from the others; while Letty made sure that she + should soon follow, and Fidelia gravely said, “I shall always know you are + loving me still, Amy, as Nurse Rolfe does.” + </p> + <p> + Lady Belamour breakfasted in her own room at about ten o’clock. Her woman, + Mrs. Loveday, a small trim active person, with the worn and sharpened + remains of considerable prettiness of the miniature brunette style, was + sent to summon Miss Delavie to her apartment and inspect the embroidery + she had been desired to execute for my Lady. Three or four bouquets had + been finished, and the maid went into such raptures over them as somewhat + to disgust their worker, who knew that they were not half so well done as + they would have been under Betty’s direction. However, Mrs. Loveday bore + the frame to her Ladyship’s room, following Aurelia, who was there + received with the same stately caressing manner as before. + </p> + <p> + “Good morning, child. Your roses bloom well in the forenoon! Pity they + should be wasted in darkness. Not but that you are duly appreciated there. + Ah! I can deepen them by what our unhappy recluse said of you. I shall + make glad hearts at Carminster by his good opinion, and who knows what + preferment may come of it—eh? What is that, Loveday?” + </p> + <p> + “It is work your Ladyship wished me to execute,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Handsome—yes; but is that all? I thought the notable Mistress Betty + brought you up after her own sort?” + </p> + <p> + “I am sorry, madam, but I could not do it quickly at first without my + sister’s advice, and I have not very much time between my care of the + children and preparing repetitions for Mr. Belamour.” + </p> + <p> + “Ha! ha! I understand. There are greater attractions! Go on, child. Mayhap + it may be your own wedding gown you are working at, if you finish it in + time! Heavens! what great wondering eyes the child has! All in good time, + my dear. I must talk to your father.” + </p> + <p> + It was so much the custom to talk to young maidens about their marriage + that this did not greatly startle Aurelia, and Lady Belamour continued: + “There, child, you have done your duty well by those little plagues of + mine, and it is Mr. Wayland’s desire to make you a recompense. You may + need it in any change of circumstances.” + </p> + <p> + So saying, she placed in Aurelia’s hand five guineas, the largest sum that + the girl had ever owned; and as visions arose of Christmas gifts to be + bestowed, the thanks were so warm, the curtsey so expressively graceful, + the smile so bright, the soft eyes so sparkling, that the great lady was + touched at the sight of such simple-hearted joy, and said, “There, there, + child, that will do. I could envy one whom a little makes so happy. Now + you will be able to make yourself fine when my son brings home his bride; + or—who knows?—you may be a bride yourself first!” + </p> + <p> + That sounds, thought Aurelia, as if Mr. Belamour had made her relinquish + the plan of that cruel marriage, for I am sure I have not yet seen the man + I am to marry. + </p> + <p> + And with a lighter heart the young tutoress stood between Fay and Letty on + the steps to see the departure, her cheeks still feeling Amoret’s last + fond kisses, and a swelling in her throat bringing tears to her eyes at + the thought how soon that carriage would be at Carminster. Yet there were + sweet chains in the little hands that held her gown, and in the thought of + the lonely old man who depended on her for enlivenment. + </p> + <p> + The day was long, for Amoret was missed; and the two children were + unusually fretful and quarrelsome without her, disputing over the new toys + which Brother Amyas’s guinea had furnished in demoralising profusion. It + was strange too see the difference made by the loss of the child who would + give up anything rather than meet a look of vexation, and would coax the + others into immediate good humour. There was reaction, too, after the + excitement, for which the inexperienced Aurelia did not allow. At the + twentieth bickering as to which doll should ride on the spotted + hobby-horse, the face of Letty’s painted wooden baby received a scar, and + Fay’s lost a leg, whereupon Aurelia’s endurance entirely gave way, and she + pronounced them both naughty children, and sent them to bed before supper. + </p> + <p> + Then her heart smote her for unkindness, and she sat in the firelight + listless and sad, though she hardly knew why, longing to go up and pet and + comfort her charges, but withheld by the remembrance of Betty’s assurances + that leniency, in a like case, would be the ruin of Eugene. + </p> + <p> + At last Jumbo came to summon her, and hastily recalling a cheerful air, + she entered the room with “Good evening, sir; you see I am still here to + trouble you.” + </p> + <p> + “I continue to profit by my gentle friend’s banishment. Tell me, was my + Lady in a gracious mood?” + </p> + <p> + “O sir, how beautiful she is, and how kind! I know now why my father was + so devoted to her, and no one can ever gainsay her!” + </p> + <p> + “The enchantress knows how to cast her spells. She was then friendly?” + </p> + <p> + “She gave me five guineas!” said Aurelia exultingly. “She said Mr. Wayland + wished to recompense me.” + </p> + <p> + “Did he so? If it came from him I should have expected a more liberal + sum.” + </p> + <p> + “But, oh!” in a tone of infinite surprise and content, “this is more than + I ever thought of. Indeed I never dreamt of her giving me anything. Sir, + may I write to your bookseller, Mr. Tonson, and order a book of Mr. James + Thomson’s <i>Seasons</i> to give to my sister Harriet, who is delighted + with the extracts I have copied for her?” + </p> + <p> + “Will not that consume a large proportion of the five guineas, my generous + friend?” + </p> + <p> + “I have enough left. There is a new gown which I never have worn, which + will serve for the new clothes my Lady spoke of to receive her son’s + bride.” + </p> + <p> + “She entered on that subject then?” + </p> + <p> + “Only for a moment as she took leave. Oh, sir, is it possible that she can + know all about this young lady?” + </p> + <p> + “What have you heard of her?” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, they say she is a dreadful little vixen.” + </p> + <p> + “Who say? Is she known at Carminster?” + </p> + <p> + “No, sir,” said Aurelia, disconcerted. “It was from Nurse Dove that I + heard what Sir Amyas’s man said when he came back from Battlefield. I know + my sister would chide me for listening to servants.” + </p> + <p> + “Nevertheless I should be glad to hear. Was the servant old Grey? Then he + is to be depended on. What did he say?” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia needed little persuasion to tell all that she had heard from Mrs. + Dove, and he answered, “Thank you, my child, it tallies precisely with + what the poor boy himself told me.” + </p> + <p> + “Then he has told his mother? Will she not believe him?” + </p> + <p> + “It does not suit her to do so, and it is easy to say the girl will be + altered by going to a good school. In fact, there are many reasons more + powerful with her than the virtue and happiness of her son,” he added + bitterly. “There’s the connection, forsooth. As if Lady Aresfield were fit + to bring up an honest man’s wife; and there’s the fortune to fill up the + void she has made in the Delavie estates.” + </p> + <p> + “Can no one hinder it, sir? Cannot you?” + </p> + <p> + “As a last resource the poor youth came hither to see whether the guardian + whose wardship has hitherto been a dead letter, were indeed so utterly + obdurate and helpless as had been represented.” + </p> + <p> + “And you have the power?” + </p> + <p> + “So far as his father’s will and the injunctions of his final letter to me + can give it, I have full power. My consent is necessary to his marriage + while still a minor, and I have told my Lady I will never give it to his + wedding a Mar.” + </p> + <p> + “I was sure of it; and it is not true that they will be able to do without + it? + </p> + <p> + “Without it! Have you heard any more? You pause. I see—she wishes to + declare me of unsound mind. Is that what you mean?” + </p> + <p> + “So Nurse Dove said, sir,” faltered Aurelia; “but it seemed too wicked, + too monstrous, to be possible.” + </p> + <p> + “I understand,” he said. “I thought there was an implied threat in my + sweet sister-in-law’s soft voice when she spoke of my determined + misanthropy. Well, I think we can guard against that expedient. After all, + it is only till my nephew comes of age, or till his stepfather returns, + that we must keep the enchantress at bay. Then the poor lad will be safe, + providing always that she and her Colonel have not made a rake of him by + that time. Alas, what a wretch am I not to be able to do more for him! + Child, you have seen him?” + </p> + <p> + “I danced with him, sir, but I was too much terrified to look in his face. + And I saw his cocked hat over the thorn hedge.” + </p> + <p> + “Fancy free,” muttered Mr. Belamour. “Fair exile for a cocked hat and + diamond shoe-buckles! You would not recognise him again, nor his voice?” + </p> + <p> + “No, sir. He scarcely spoke, and I was attending to my steps.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Belamour laughed, and then asked Aurelia for the passage in the <i>Iliad</i> + where Venus carries off Paris in a cloud. He thanked her somewhat + absently, and then said, + </p> + <p> + “Dr. Godfrey said something of coming hither before he goes to his living + in Dorsetshire. May I ask of you the favour of writing and begging him to + fix a day not far off, mentioning likewise that my sister-in-law has been + here.” + </p> + <p> + To this invitation Dr. Godfrey replied that he would deviate from the slow + progress of his family coach, and ride to Bowstead, spending two nights + there the next week; and to Aurelia’s greater amazement, she was next + requested to write a billet to the Mistresses Treforth in Mr. Belamour’s + name, asking them to bestow their company on him for the second evening of + Dr. Godfrey’s visit. + </p> + <p> + “You, my kind friend, will do the honours,” he said, “and we will ask Mrs. + Aylward to provide the entertainment.” + </p> + <p> + “They will be quite propitiated by being asked to meet Dr. Godfrey,” said + Aurelia. “Shall you admit them, sir?” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly. You do not seem to find them very engaging company, but they + can scarce be worse than I should find in such an asylum as my charming + sister-in-law seems to have in preparation for me.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! I wish I had said nothing about that. It is too shocking!” + </p> + <p> + “Forewarned, forearmed, as the proverb says. Do you not see, my amiable + friend, that we are providing a body of witnesses to the sanity of the + recluse, even though he may ‘in dark Cimmerian desert ever dwell’?” + </p> + <p> + The visit took place; Dr. Godfrey greeted Miss Delavie as an old friend, + and the next day pronounced Mr. Belamour to be so wonderfully invigorated + and animated, that he thought my Lady’s malignant plan was really likely + to prove the best possible stimulus and cure. + </p> + <p> + Then the Canon gratified the two old ladies by a morning call, dined with + Aurelia and her pupils, who behaved very well, and with whom he afterwards + played for a whole hour so kindly that they placed him second in esteem to + their big and beautiful brother. Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia came dressed + in the faded splendours of the Louis XIV. period, just at twilight, and + were regaled with coffee and pound cake. They were a good deal subdued, + though as Aurelia listened to the conversation, it was plain enough what + Mr. Belamour meant when he said that his cousin Delia was something of the + coquette. + </p> + <p> + Still they asked with evident awe if it were true that their unfortunate + cousin really intended to admit them, and they evidently became more and + more nervous while waiting for Jumbo’s summons. Dr. Godfrey gave his arm + to Mrs. Phoebe, and Mrs. Delia gripped hold of Aurelia’s, trembling all + over, declaring she felt ready to swoon, and marvelling how Miss Delavie + could ever have ventured, all alone too! + </p> + <p> + After all, things had been made much less formidable than at Aurelia’s + first introduction. The sitting-room was arranged as it was when Mr. + Greaves read prayers, with a very faint light from a shrouded lamp behind + the window curtain. To new comers it seemed pitchy darkness, but to + Aurelia and Dr. Godfrey it was a welcome change, allowing them at least to + perceive the forms of one another, and of the furniture. From a blacker + gulf, being the doorway to the inner room, came Mr. Belamour’s courteous + voice of greeting to his kinswomen, who were led up by their respective + guides to take his hand; after which he begged them to excuse the + darkness, since the least light was painful to him still. If they would be + seated he would remain where he was, and enjoy the society he was again + beginning to be able to appreciate. He was, in fact, sitting within his + own room, with eyes covered from even the feeble glimmer in the outer + room. + </p> + <p> + It was some minutes before they recovered their self-possession, but Dr. + Godfrey and Mr. Belamour began the conversation, and they gradually joined + in. It was chiefly full of reminiscences of the lively days when Dr. + Godfrey had been a young Cantab visiting his two friends at Bowstead, and + Phoebe and Delia were the belles of the village. Aurelia scarcely opened + her lips, but she was astonished to find how different the two sisters + could be from the censorious, contemptuous beings they had seemed to her. + The conversation lasted till supper-time, and Mr. Belamour, as they took + their leave, made them promise to come and see him again. Then they were + conducted back to the supper-room, Mrs. Phoebe mysteriously asking “Is he + always like this?” + </p> + <p> + The experiment had been a great success, and Aurelia completed it by + asking Mrs. Phoebe to take the head of the supper-table. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0018" id="link2HCH0018"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVII. THE VICTIM DEMANDED. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + And if thou sparest now to do this thing, + I will destroy thee and thy land also.—MORRIS. +</pre> + <p> + “Well, sir, have you seen my Lady?” + </p> + <p> + “Not a year older than when I saw her last,” returned Major Delavie, who + had just dismounted from his trusty pony at his garden gate, and accepted + Betty’s arm; “and what think you?” he added, pausing that Corporal Palmer + might hear his news. “She has been at Bowstead, and brings fresh tidings + of our Aura. The darling is as fair and sprightly as a May morning, and + beloved by all who come near her—bless her!” + </p> + <p> + Palmer echoed a fervent “Amen!” and Betty asked, “Is this my Lady’s + report?” + </p> + <p> + “Suspicious Betty! You will soon be satisfied,” said the Major in high + glee. “Did not Dove meet me at the front door, and Mrs. Dove waylay me in + the hall to tell me that the child looked blooming and joyous, and in + favour with all, gentle and simple? Come her, Eugene, ay, and Harriet and + Arden too. Let us hear what my little maid says for herself. For look + here!” and he held aloft Aurelia’s packet, at sight of which Eugene + capered high, and all followed into the parlour. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Arden was constantly about the house. There was no doubt that he would + soon be preferred to a Chapter living in Buckinghamshire, and he had thus + been emboldened to speak out his wishes. It would have been quite beneath + the dignity of a young lady of Miss Harriet’s sensibility to have + consented, and she was in the full swing of her game at coyness and + reluctance, daily vowing that nothing should induce her to resign her + liberty, and that she should be frightened out of her life by Mr. Arden’s + experiments; while her father had cordially received the minor Canon’s + proposals, and already treated him as one of the family. Simpering had + been such a fattening process that Harriet was beginning to resume more of + her good looks than had ever been brought back by Maydew. + </p> + <p> + “Open the letter, Betty. Thanks, Arden,” as the minor Canon began to pull + off his boots, “only take care of my knee. My Lady has brought down her + little boy, and one of Aurelia’s pupils; I declare they are a perfect pair + of Loves. What are you fumbling at, Betty?” + </p> + <p> + “The seal, sir, it is a pity to break it,” said Betty, producing her + scissors from one of her capacious pockets. “It is an antique, is it not, + Mr. Arden?” + </p> + <p> + “A very beautiful gem, a sleeping Cupid,” he answered. + </p> + <p> + “How could the child have obtained it?” said Harriet. + </p> + <p> + “I can tell you,” said the Major. “From old Belamour. My Lady was laughing + about it. The little puss has revived the embers of gallantry in our poor + recluse. Says she, ‘He has actually presented her with a ring, nay, a ring + bearing Love himself.’” + </p> + <p> + Somehow the speech, even at second hand, jarred upon Betty, but her father + was delighted with my Lady’s description of his favourite, and the letters + were full of contentment. When the two sisters, arrayed in their stiffest + silks, went up to pay their respects to my Lady the next afternoon, their + reception was equally warm. My Lady was more caressing to her old + acquaintance, Betty, than that discreet personage quite liked, while she + complimented and congratulated Harriet on her lover, laughing at her + bashful disclaimers in such a charmingly teasing fashion as quite to win + the damsel’s heart, and convince her that all censure of Lady Belamour was + vile slander. The children were sent for, and Amoret was called on to show + how Cousin Aurelia had taught her to dance, sing and recite. The tiny + minuet performed by her and Archer was an exceedingly pretty exhibition as + far as it went, but the boy had no patience to conclude, and jumped off + into an extemporary <i>pas seul</i>, which was still prettier, and as + Amoret was sole exhibitor of the repetition of Hay’s “Hare and many + friends,” he became turbulent after the first four lines, and put a stop + to the whole. + </p> + <p> + Then came in a tall, large, handsome, dashing-looking man, with the air of + a “<i>beau sabreur</i>,” whom Lady Belamour presented to her cousins as + “Colonel Mar, my son’s commandant, you know who has been kind enough to + take Carminster on his way, so as to escort me to the Bath. I am such a + sad coward about highwaymen. And we are to meet dear Lady Aresfield there + to talk over a little matter of business.” + </p> + <p> + Colonel Mar made a magnificent bow, carelessly, not to say impertinently, + scanned the two ladies, and having evidently decided they had neither + beauty nor fashion to attract him, caught up little Amy in his arms, and + began to play a half teasing, half caressing game with the children. Betty + thought it high time to be gone, and as she took leave, was requested to + send up her little brother to play with his cousins. This did not prove a + success, for Eugene constituted himself champion to Amoret, of whom Archer + was very jealous, though she was his devoted and submissive slave. Master + Delavie’s rustic ways were in consequence pronounced to be too rude and + rough for the dainty little town-bred boy, the fine ladies’ pet. + </p> + <p> + The Major dined at the Great House, but came home so much dismayed and + disgusted that he could hardly mention even to Betty what he had seen and + heard. He only groaned out at intervals, “This is what the service is + coming to! That fop to be that poor lad’s commanding officer! That rake to + be always hovering about my cousin!” + </p> + <p> + Others spoke out more plainly. Stories were afloat or orgies ending in the + gallant Colonel being under the supper table, a thing only too common, but + not in the house of a solitary lady who had only lately quitted the + carousers. Half the dependants on the estate were complaining of the + guest’s swaggering overbearing treatment of themselves, or of his + insolence to their wives or daughters; and Betty lived in a dreadful + unnamed terror lest he should offer some impertinence to her father which + the veteran’s honour might not brook. However, there was something in the + old soldier’s dignity and long service that kept the arrogance of the + younger man in check, and repressed all bluster towards him. + </p> + <p> + Demands for money were, as usual, made, but the settlement of accounts was + deferred till the arrival of Hargrave, the family man of business, who + came by coach to Bath, and then rode across to Carminster. The Major dined + that day at the Great House, and came home early, with something so + strange and startled about his looks that Betty feared that her worst + misgivings were realised. It was a relief to hear him say, “Come hither, + Betty, I want a word with you.” At least it was no duel! + </p> + <p> + “What is it, dear sir?” she asked, as she shut his study door. “Is it come + at last? Must we quit this place?” + </p> + <p> + “No, I could bear that better, but what do you think she asks of me now?—to + give my little Aurelia, my beautiful darling, to that madman in the dark!” + </p> + <p> + “Oh!” exclaimed Betty, in a strange tone of discovery. “May I inquire what + you said?” + </p> + <p> + “I said—I scarce know what I said. I declared it monstrous, and not + to be thought of for a moment; and then she went on in her fashion that + would wile a bird off a bush, declaring that no doubt the proposal was a + shock, but if I would turn the matter over, I should see it was for the + dear child’s advantage. Belamour dotes on her, and after being an old + man’s darling for a few years, she may be free in her prime, with an + honourable name and fortune.” + </p> + <p> + “I dare say. As if one could not see through the entire design. My Lady + would call her sister-in-law to prevent her being daughter-in-law!” + </p> + <p> + “That fancy has had no aliment, and must long ago have died out.” + </p> + <p> + “Listen to Nurse Dove on that matter.” + </p> + <p> + “Women love to foster notions of that sort.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, sir, you believe, as I do, that the poor child was conveyed to + Bowstead in order that the youth might lose sight of her, and since he + proves refractory to the match intended for him, this further device is + found for destroying any possible hope on his part.” + </p> + <p> + “I cannot say what may actuate my Lady, but if Amyas Belamour be the man I + knew, and as the child’s own letters paint him, he is not like to lend + himself to any such arrangement.” + </p> + <p> + “Comes the offer from him, or is it only a scheme of my Lady’s?” + </p> + <p> + “He never writes more than a signature, but Hargrave is empowered to make + proposals to me, very handsome proposals too, were not the bare idea + intolerable.” + </p> + <p> + “Aurelia is not aware of it, I am sure,” said Betty, to whom Hargrave had + brought another packet of cheerful innocent despatches, of which, as + usual, the unseen friend in the dark was the hero. + </p> + <p> + “Certainly not, and I hope she never may be. I declared the notion was not + to be entertained for a moment; but Urania never, in her life, would take + no for an answer, and she talked me nearly out of my senses, then bade me + go home, think it over, and discuss it with my excellent and prudent + daughter; as if all the thinking and talking in the world could make it + anything but more intolerable.” + </p> + <p> + His prudent daughter understood in the adjective applied to her a hint + which the wily lady would not have dared to make direct to the + high-spirited old soldier, namely, that the continuance of his livelihood + might depend on his consent. Betty knew likewise enough of the terrible + world of the early eighteenth century to be aware that even such wedlock + as this was not the worst to which a woman like Lady Belamour might compel + the poor girl, who was entirely in her power, and out of reach of all + protection; unless—An idea broke in on her—“If we could but go + to Bowstead, sir,” she said, “then we could judge whether the notion be as + repugnant to Aurelia as it is to us, and whether Mr. Belamour be truly + rational and fit to be trusted with her.” + </p> + <p> + “I tell you, Betty, it is a mere absurdity to think of it. I believe the + child is fond of, and grateful to, the poor man, but if she supposed she + loved him, it would be mere playing on her ignorance.” + </p> + <p> + “Then we could take her safely home and bear the consequences together, + without leaving her alone exposed to any fresh machination of my Lady.” + </p> + <p> + “You are right, Betty. You have all your sainted mother’s good sense. I + will tell my cousin that this is not a matter to be done blindly, and that + I withhold my reply till I have seen and spoken with her and this most + preposterous of suitors.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, it is the only way,” said Betty. “We can then judge whether it be a + cruel sacrifice, or whether the child have affection and confidence enough + in him to be reasonably happy with him. What is his age, father?” + </p> + <p> + “Let me see. Poor Sir Jovian was much older than Urania, but he died at + forty years old. His brother was some three years his junior. He cannot be + above forty-six or seven. That is not the objection, but the moody + melancholy—Think of our gay sprightly child!” + </p> + <p> + “We will see, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “We! Mistress Betty? The cost will be severe without you!” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, sir, I cannot rest without going too; you might be taken ill.” + </p> + <p> + “You cannot trust a couple of old campaigners like Palmer and me? What did + we do without you?” + </p> + <p> + “Got lamed for life,” said Betty, saucily. “No, I go on a pillion behind + Palmer, and my grandfather’s diamond ring shall pay expenses.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir Archibald’s ring that he put on two baby fingers of yours when he + went off to Scotland.” + </p> + <p> + “Better part with that then resign my Aurelia in the dark, uncertain + whether it be for her good.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0019" id="link2HCH0019"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVIII. THE PROPOSAL. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Love sweetest lies concealed in night.—T. MOORE. +</pre> + <p> + The Major rode up to the Great House to announce that he would only give + his answer after having conferred with both his daughter and the suitor. + </p> + <p> + With tears in her beautiful blue eyes, Lady Belamour demanded why her dear + cousin Harry could not trust the Urania he had known all her life to + decide what was for the happiness of the sweet child whom she loved like + her own. + </p> + <p> + She made him actually feel as if it were a cruel and unmerited suspicion, + but she did not over come him. “Madam,” he said, “it would be against my + orders, as father of a family, to give my child away without doing my poor + best for her.” + </p> + <p> + There, in spite of all obstacles suggested and all displeasure manifested, + he stuck fast, until, without choosing to wait till a shower of sleet and + rain was over. Vexation and perplexity always overset his health, and the + chill, added to them, rendered him so ill the next morning that Betty knew + there was no chance of his leaving his room for the next month or six + weeks; and she therefore sent a polite and formal note to the Great House + explaining that he could not attend to business. + </p> + <p> + This brought upon her the honour of a visit from the great lady herself. + Down came the coach-and-four, and forth from it came Lady Belamour in a + magnificent hoop, the first seen in those parts, managing it with a grace + that made her an overwhelming spectacle, in contrast with Betty, in her + close-fitting dark-grey homespun, plain white muslin apron, cap, kerchief, + and ruggles, scrupulously neat and fresh, but unadorned. The visit was + graciously designed for “good cousin Harry,” but his daughter was obliged, + not unwillingly, though quite truly, to declare him far too suffering with + pain and fever. + </p> + <p> + “La, you there, then,” said the lady, “that comes of the dear man’s heat + of temper. I would have kept him till the storm was over but he was far + too much displeased with his poor cousin to listen to me. Come, cousin + Betty, I know you are in all his counsels. You will bring him to hear + reason.” + </p> + <p> + “The whole affair must wait, madam, till he is able to move.” + </p> + <p> + “And if this illness be the consequence of one wet ride, how can he be in + a condition to take the journey?” + </p> + <p> + “You best know, madam whether a father can be expected to bestow his + daughter in so strange a manner without direct communication either with + her or with the other party.” + </p> + <p> + “I grant you the idea is at first sight startling, but surely he might + trust to me; and he knows Amyas Belamour, poor man, to be the very soul of + honour; yes, and with all his eccentricity to have made no small + impression on our fair Aurelia. Depend upon it, my dear Betty, romance + carried the day; and the damsel is more enamoured of the mysterious voice + in the dark, than she would be of any lusty swain in the ordinary light of + day.” + </p> + <p> + “All that may be, madam, but she is scarce yet sixteen, and it is our duty + to be assured of her inclinations and of the gentleman’s condition.” + </p> + <p> + “You will not trust me, who have watched them both,” said Lady Belamour, + with her most engaging manner. “Now look here, my dear, since we are two + women together, safe out of the hearing of the men, I will be round with + you. I freely own myself imprudent in sending your sister to Bowstead to + take charge of my poor little girls, but if you had seen the little + savages they were, you would not wonder that I could not take them home at + once, nor that I should wish to see them acquire the good manners that I + remembered in the children of this house; I never dreamt of Mr. Belamour + heeding the little nursery. He has always been an obstinate melancholic + lunatic, confined to his chamber by day, and wandering like a ghost by + night, refusing all admission. Moreover my good Aylward had appeared + hitherto a paragon of a duenna for discretion, only over starched in her + precision. Little did I expect to find my young lady spending all her + evenings alone with him, and the solitary hermit transformed into a gay + and gallant bachelor like the Friar of Orders Gray in the song. And since + matters have gone to such a length, I, as a woman who has seen more of the + world than you have, my dear good Betty, think it expedient that the Friar + and his charmer should be made one without loss of time. <i>We</i> know + her to be innocence itself, and him for a very Sidney for honour, but the + world—” + </p> + <p> + “It is your doing, madam,” exclaimed Betty, passionately, completely + overset by the insinuation; “you bid us trust you, and then confess that + you have exposed my sweet sister to be vilely slandered! Oh my Aurelia, + why did I let you out of my sight?” she cried, while hot tears stood in + her eyes. + </p> + <p> + “I know your warmth, my dear,” said Lady Belamour with perfect command of + temper; “I tell you I blame myself for not having recollected that a + lovely maiden can tame even a savage brute, or that even in the sweet + rural country walls have ears and trees have tongues. Not that any harm is + done so far, nor ever will be; above all if your good father do not carry + his romantic sentiments so far as to be his ruin a second time. Credit me, + Betty, they will not serve in any world save the imaginary one that crazed + Don Quixote. What advantage can the pretty creature gain? She is only + sixteen, quite untouched by true passion. She will obtain a name and + fortune, and become an old man’s idol for a few years, after which she + will probably be at liberty by the time she is of an age to enjoy life.” + </p> + <p> + “He is but five-and-forty!” said Betty. + </p> + <p> + “Well, if she arouse him to a second spring, there will be few women who + will not envy her.” + </p> + <p> + “You may colour it over, madam,” said Betty, drawing herself up, “but + nothing can conceal the fact that you confess yourself to have exposed my + innocent helpless sister to malignant slander; and that you assure me that + the only course left is to marry the poor child to a wretched melancholic + who has never so much as seen her face.” + </p> + <p> + “You are outspoken, Miss Delavie,” said Lady Belamour, softly, but with a + dangerous glitter in her blue eyes. “I pardon your heat for your father’s + sake, and because I ascribe it to the exalted fantastic notions in which + you have been bred; but remember that there are bounds to my forbearance, + and that an agent in his state of health, and with his stubborn ideas, + only remains on sufferance.” + </p> + <p> + “My father has made up his mind to sacrifice anything rather than his + child,” cried Betty. + </p> + <p> + “My dear girl, I will hear you no more. You are doing him no service,” + said Lady Belamour kindly. “You had better be convinced that it is a + sacrifice, or an unwilling one, before you treat me to any more heroics.” + </p> + <p> + Betty successfully avoided a parting kiss, and remained pacing up and down + the room to work off her indignation before returning to her father. She + was quite as angry with herself, as with my Lady, for having lost her + temper, and so given her enemy an advantage, more especially as when her + distress became less agitating, her natural shrewdness began to guess that + the hint about scandal was the pure fruit of Lady Belamour’s invention, as + an expedient for obtaining her consent. Yet the mere breath of such a + possibility of evil speaking was horror to her, and she even revolved the + question of going herself to Bowstead to rescue her sister. But even if + the journey had been more possible, her father was in no condition to be + left to Harriet’s care, and there was nothing to be done except to wait + till he could again attend to the matter, calm herself as best she could, + so as not to alarm him, and intercept all dangerous messages. + </p> + <p> + Several days had passed, and though the Major had not left his bed, he had + asked whether more had been heard from my Lady, and discussed the subject + with his daughter, when a letter arrived in due course of post. It was + written in a large bold hand, and the signature, across a crease in the + paper, was in the irregular characters that the Major recognised as those + of Mr. Belamour. + </p> + <p> + “DEAR AND HONOURED SIR, + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “Proposals have been made to you on my Behalf for the Hand of your +fair and amiable Daughter, Miss Aurelia Delavie. I am well aware how +preposterous and even shocking they may well appear to you; yet, let me +assure you, on the Faith of a Man of Honour that if you will entrust +her to me, wretched Recluse though I be, and will permit her to bear my +Name, I will answer for her Happiness and Welfare. Situated as I am, +I cannot enter into further explanations; but we are old Acquaintance, +though we have not met for many Years, and therefore I venture to beg of +you to believe me when I say that if you will repose Confidence in +me, and exercise Patience, I can promise your admirable Daughter such +Preferment as she is far from expecting. She has been the Blessing of +my darkened Life, but I would never have presumed to ask further were it +not that I have no other Means of protecting her, nor of shielding her +from Evils that may threaten her, and that might prove far worse than +bearing the Name of + + “Your obedient Servant to command, + “AMYAS BELAMOUR. +</pre> + <p> + “Bowstead Park, Dec. 3rd, 1737.” + </p> + <p> + “Enigmatical!” said Betty. + </p> + <p> + “It could hardly be otherwise if he had to employ a secretary” said her + father. “Who can have written for him?” + </p> + <p> + “His friend, Dr. Godfrey, most probably,” said Betty. “It is well spelt as + well as indited, and has not the air of being drawn up by a lawyer.” + </p> + <p> + “No, it is not Hargrave’s hand. It is strange that he says nothing of the + settlements.” + </p> + <p> + “Here is a postscript, adding, ‘Should you consent, Hargrave will give you + ample satisfaction as to the property which I can settle on your + daughter.’” + </p> + <p> + “Of that I have no doubt,” said the Major. “Well, Betty, on reflection, if + I were only secure that no force was put on the child’s will, and if I + could exchange a few words face to face with Amyas Belamour, I should not + be so utterly averse as I was at first sight. She is a good child, and if + she like him, and find it not hard to do her duty by him, she might be as + happy as another. And since she is out of our reach it might save her from + worse. What say you, child?” + </p> + <p> + “That last is the strongest plea with me,” said Betty, with set lips. + </p> + <p> + They took another evening for deliberation, but there was something in the + tone of the letter that wrought on them, and it ended in a cautious + consent being given, on the condition of the father being fully satisfied + of his daughter’s free and voluntary acquiescence. + </p> + <p> + “After all,” he said to Betty, “I shall be able to go up to Bowstead for + the wedding, and if I find that her inclinations have been forced, I can + take her away at all risks.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0020" id="link2HCH0020"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIX. WOOING IN THE DARK. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + You may put out my eyes with a ballad-maker’s pen, and hang me + up for the sign of blind Cupid.—<i>Much Ado About Nothing</i>. +</pre> + <p> + Aurelia had been walking in the park with her two remaining charges, when + a bespattered messenger was seen riding up to the door, and Letitia + dropped her hoop in her curiosity and excitement. + </p> + <p> + Lady Belamour, on obtaining the Major’s partial acquiescence, had felt + herself no longer obliged to vegetate at Carminster, but had started for + Bath, while the roads were still practicable; and had at the same time + sent off a courier with letters to Bowstead. Kind Mrs. Dove had sent a + little packet to each of the children, but they found Cousin Aura’s + sympathy grievously and unwontedly lacking, and she at last replied to + their repeated calls to here to share their delight, that they must run + away, and display their treasures to Molly and Jumbo. She must read her + letters alone. + </p> + <p> + The first she had opened was Betty’s, telling her of her father’s illness, + which was attributed in great part to the distress and perplexity caused + by Lady Belamour’s proposal. Had it not been for this indisposition, both + father and sister would have come to judge for themselves before + entertaining it for a moment; but since the journey was impossible, he + could only desire Betty to assure her sister that no constraint should be + put on her, and that if she felt the least repugnance to the match, she + need not consider her obliged to submit. More followed about the religious + duty of full consideration and prayer before deciding on what would fix + her destiny for life, but all was so confusing to the girl, entirely + unprepared as she was, that after hastily glancing on in search of an + explanation which she failed to find, she laid it aside, and opened the + other letter. It began imperially + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “MY COUSIN, + + “No doubt you are already informed of the Honour that has been +done you by the Proposal that Mr. Amyas Belamour has made to your Father +for your Hand. It is no slight Compliment to a young Maid like you, from +one of the most noted Wits about Town in the last Reign; and you will +no doubt shew the Good Sense to esteem yourself fortunate beyond all +reasonable Expectations or Deserts of your own, as well as to act for +the Advantage of your Family. Be assured that I shall permit no foolish +Flightiness nor Reluctance to interfere with you true Welfare. I say +this, because, as you well know, your Father’s Affection is strong and +blind, and you might easily draw him into a Resistance which could but +damage both his Health and his Prospects. On receiving the tidings +of your Marriage, I promise to settle on him the Manor House with an +Annuity of Three hundred Pounds; but if he should support you in any +foolish Refusal, I shall be obliged to inform him that I can dispense +with his Services; therefore you will do wisely to abstain from any +childish expressions of Distaste. +</pre> + <p> + “On your Marriage, you will of course have the enjoyment of the Pin Money + with which Mr. Belamour will liberally endow you, and be treated in all + Respects as a Married Lady. My Daughters shall be sent to School, unless + you wish to make them your Companions a little longer. Expecting to hear + from you that you are fully sensible to the good Fortune and the + Obligations you are under to me, + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “I remain + “Yours &c. + “URANIA BELAMOUR.” + </pre> + <p> + It was with a gasp of relief that Aurelia discovered what was required of + her. “Marry Mr. Belamour? Is that all? Then why should they all think I + should so much dislike it, my Lady, and my papa, and sister and all? + Nobody ever was so good to me, and maybe I could make him a little + happier, though it is not what I expected of him, to forget his Mary! Oh, + no, I am not afraid; I might have been afraid six months ago, but now it + is a different thing. I am not so foolish! And my dear papa will have the + Manor House for ever! And Eugene will be able to go to a good school and + have a pair of colours in good time! A fortunate girl! Yes, of course I + am! Then Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia will not flout me any more, even if + young Sir Amyas should come here! Ah! here are the little girls returning! + Keep them here? Of course I will. What toys and books I will get for + them!” + </p> + <p> + Yet, when the time for her summons drew nigh, a great dread and shyness + overcame her, lest Mr. Belamour should begin on the subject; and she only + nerved herself by recollecting that he could have had no one to read to + him her father’s letter of reply, and that he was scarcely likely to speak + without knowing the contents. Still, it was only shyness and embarrassment + that made her advance timidly, but in one moment a new sensation, a + strange tremor came over her, as instead of merely her finger-tips, her + whole hand was grasped and fervently pressed, and in the silence that + ensued the throbbing of her heart and the panting of her breath seemed to + find an echo. However, the well-known voice began, “My fair visitor is + very good in honouring me to-night.” + </p> + <p> + Was it coming? Her heart gave such a throb that she could only murmur + something inarticulate, while there was a hasty repressed movement near + her. + </p> + <p> + “You have heard from your father?” said Mr. Belamour. + </p> + <p> + “My father is ill, sir,” she faltered. + </p> + <p> + “Ah, yes, so I was sorry to understand. Has he not sent a message to you + through your sister?” + </p> + <p> + “He has, sir,” Aurelia continued, with difficulty, to utter. + </p> + <p> + There was another silence, another space of tightened breath and beating + heart, absolutely audible, and again a hushed, restless movement heralded + Mr. Belamour’s next words, “Did I no tell you truly that my Lady devises + most unexpected expedients?” + </p> + <p> + “Then would you not have it so, sir?” asked Aurelia, in a bewildered voice + of perplexity. “Oh!” as again one of those echoes startled her, “tell me + what it all means.” + </p> + <p> + “Hush! listen to me,” said Mr. Belamour, in a voice that added to her + undefined alarm by what seemed to her imperious displeasure as uncalled + for as it was unusual; but the usual fatherly gentleness immediately + prevailed, “My child, I should never have entertained the thought for a + moment but for—but for Lady Belamour. This sounds like no + compliment,” he added, catching himself up, and manifesting a certain + embarrassment and confusion very unlike his usual calm dignity of + demeanour, and thus adding to the strange fright that was growing upon + Aurelia. “But you must understand that I would not—even in semblance—have + dreamt of your being apparently linked to age, sorrow, and infirmity, save + that—strange as it may seem—Lady Belamour has herself put into + my hands the best means of protecting you, and finally, as I trust, + securing your happiness.” + </p> + <p> + “You are very good, sir,” she continued to breathe out, amid the + flutterings of her heart, and the reply produced a wonderful outburst of + ardour in a low but fervent voice. “You will! You will! You sweetest of + angels, you will be mine!” + </p> + <p> + There was something so irresistibly winning in the sound, that it drew + forth an answer from the maiden’s very heart. “Oh! yes, indeed—” and + before she could utter another word she was snatched into a sudden, warm, + vehement embrace, from which she was only partly released, as—near, + but still not so near as she would have expected—this extraordinary + suitor seemed to remonstrate with his ardent self, saying, “Now! now! that + will do! So be it then, my child,” he continued. “Great will be the need + of faith, patience, trust, ay, and of self-restraint, but let these be + practised for a little space, and all will be well.” + </p> + <p> + She scarcely heard the latter words. The sense of something irrevocable + and unfathomable was overpowering her. The mystery of these sudden + alterations of voice, now near, now far off, was intolerable. Here were + hands claiming her, fervent, eager breathings close upon her, and that + serious, pensive voice going on all that time. The darkness grew dreadful + to her, dizziness came over her; she dashed aside the hands, started up + with a scream, and amid the strange noises and flashes of a swoon, knew no + more till she heard Mrs. Aylward’s voice over her, found the horrid smell + of burnt feathers under her nose, and water trickling down her face, dim + candlelight was round her, and she perceived that she was on a low settee + in the lobby. + </p> + <p> + “There, she is coming round. You may tell your master, Jumbo, ‘twas + nothing but the mince pies.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, no—” began Aurelia, but her own voice seemed to come from + somewhere else, and being inexperienced in fainting, she was frightened. + </p> + <p> + “That is right, you are better. Now, a drop of strong waters.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia choked, and put them aside, but was made to swallow the draught, + and revived enough to ask, “How came I here?” + </p> + <p> + “Jumbo must have carried you out, ma’am, and laid you here before ever he + called any one,” said Mrs. Aylward. “Dear, dear, to think of your being + taken like that. But the tins of those mince-pies are over large! You must + halve one next time.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia was sensible enough to the reproof of greediness to begin to + protest against the mince-pie theory, but she recollected that she could + not account for her swoon, and thereupon became as red as she had been + pale, thus confirming the housekeeper’s opinion. A sound of footsteps made + her start up and cry, “What’s that?” in nervous fright; but Mrs. Aylward + declared it was fancy, and as she was by this time able to walk, she was + conducted to her own room. There she was examined on her recent diet, and + was compelled to allow the housekeeper to ascribe her illness to neglect + of autumnal blood-letting and medicine; and she only stave off the send + for the barber and his lancet the next morning by promising to swallow a + dose compounded of all that was horrible. + </p> + <p> + She was altogether much shaken, she dreamed strange dreams by night, was + capable of little by day, was declared by the children to be cross, and + was much inclined to plead indisposition as an excuse for not visiting + that alarming room in the evening. Indeed for the greater part of the day + she felt as if she must avail herself of the pretext, and as if she + neither could nor would encounter that strange double creature in the + dark; but somehow she had been as much fascinated as terrified, and, in + spite of her resolve, she found herself mechanically following Jumbo, + shuddering all over and as cold as ice. + </p> + <p> + The dark chambers were warmed by German stoves, so that the atmosphere was + always equable, and it seemed to revive her, while a kind, warm hand led + her as usual to her seat, and it was the usual gentle, courteous, paternal + tone that addressed her, “How chill and trembling you are! My poor child, + you were sadly alarmed last night.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia murmured some excuse about being very foolish. + </p> + <p> + “It was not you who was foolish,” was the reply; and though her hand was + retained it was evidently for the sake of warming it, and comforting her, + not of caressing it in the startling mode of yesterday. There was a pause, + during which her composure began to be restored, and some inquiries + whether she were quite recovered; to which she replied with eager + affirmatives, feeling indeed quite herself again, now that all was in its + familiar state around her. Then this strange suitor spoke again. “It is a + hard and cruel fate that my Lady has sought to impose on you.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, do not say so, sir I—-” + </p> + <p> + “No,” he interrupted somewhat hastily, “do not try to deny it, my child; I + know better than you can what it would amount to. Believe me, I only lend + myself to her arrangement because I know no better means of guarding you + and preserving you for better days.” + </p> + <p> + “I know how kind you are, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “And you trust me?” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed I do.” + </p> + <p> + “That is all I ask. I shall never be a husband to you more than in name, + Aurelia, nor ask of you more than you give me now, namely, your sweet + presence for a few hours in the evening, without seeing me. Can you bear + thus to devote your young life, for a time at least?” + </p> + <p> + “You know, sir, how glad I always am to be with you,” said Aurelia, + relieved yet half regretting that strange fervour. “I will do my very best + to please you.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! sweet child,” he began, with a thrill of deep feeling in his voice; + but checking himself he continued, “All I ask is patience and trust for a + time—for a time—you promise it!” + </p> + <p> + “With all my heart,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “I will use my best endeavours to requite that trust, my child,” he said. + “Is not the Christian watchword faith, not sight? It must be yours + likewise.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope so,” she said, scarcely understanding. + </p> + <p> + He then interrogated her somewhat closely as to the letters which had + prepared her for the proposal; and as Aurelia was far too simple to + conceal anything under cross-examination, Mr. Belamour soon found out what + her Ladyship’s threats and promises had been. + </p> + <p> + “The Manor House?” he said. “That is the original nucleus of the property + which had hitherto gone to the heir male?” + </p> + <p> + “So my sister told me,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “That letter, which Dr. Godfrey read to me, spoke of my poor brother’s + discomfort in holding it. It is well if thus tardily she refund it, though + not as your price, my poor child. It should have been as matter of + justice, if not by her husband’s dying wish. So this is the alternative + set before you! Has it been set before your father likewise?” + </p> + <p> + “Almost certainly she will have threatened to dismiss him if he do not + consent. It was that which made my sister decide on sending me here, or + what would become of him and Eugene? But I should think my Lady knew my + father better than to seem to offer any kind of price, as you call it, for + me.” + </p> + <p> + “Precisely. You have heard from this maternal sister of yours? Does he + then give his consent?” + </p> + <p> + “They say they will not have my inclinations forced, and that they had + rather undergo anything than that I should be driven to—to—” + </p> + <p> + “To be as much a sacrifice as Iphigenia,” he concluded the sentence. + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, sir,” said Aurelia, quite restored, “I cannot see why they should + imagine me to have such objections, or want me to be so cautious and + considerate. I shall write to my papa that it is not at all repugnant to + me, for that you are very, very good to me; and if I can make your time + pass ever so little more pleasantly, it is a delight to me. I am sure I + shall like you better than if—-” + </p> + <p> + “Stay, stay, child,” he said, half laughing; “remember, it is as a father + that I ask you to love and trust the old recluse.” + </p> + <p> + She thought she had been forward, crimsoned in the dark, and retired into + her shell for the rest of the evening. She was glad when with his usual + tact, Mr. Belamour begged for the recitation he knew she could make with + the least effort of memory. + </p> + <p> + At the end, however, she ventured to ask—“Sir, shall I be permitted + ever to see my father and sister?” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly, my child. In due time I hope you will enjoy full liberty, + though you may have to wait for it.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia durst not ask what was in her mind, whether they would not come to + the wedding, but that one great hope began to outweigh all the strange + future. She began to say something about being too young, ignorant, and + foolish for him, but this was kindly set aside, she hardly knew how. Mr. + Belamour himself suggested the formula in which she might send her consent + to Lady Belamour, begging at the same time to retain the company of the + little Misses Wayland. To her father she wrote such a letter as might + satisfy all doubts as to the absence of all repugnance to the match, and + though the Major had sacrificed all to love and honour himself, <i>mariages + de convenance</i> were still so much the rule, and wives, bestowed in all + passiveness with unawakened hearts, so often proved loving and happy + matrons, that it would have been held unreasonable to demand more than + absence of dislike on the part of the bride. + </p> + <p> + Therewith things returned to their usual course, and she was beginning to + feel as if all had been a dream, when one evening, about a week later, her + suitor appeared to have one of those embarrassing fits of youthful ardour; + her hand was passionately seized, caressed, toyed with by a warm strong + hand, and kissed by lips that left a burning impression and that were no + longer hairy. Surely he had been shaving! Was the time for which he bade + her wait, his full recovery, and the resumption of the youthfulness that + seemed to come on him in fits and starts, and then to ebb away, and leave + him the grave courteous old man she had first known? And why was it always + in a whisper that he spoke forth all those endearments which thrilled her + with such strange emotions? + </p> + <p> + When she came into the light, she found her fourth finger encircled with + an exquisite emerald ring, which seemed to bind her to her fate, and make + her situation tangible. Another time she was entreated to give a lock of + her hair, and she of course did so, though it was strange that it should + confer any pleasure on her suitor in the dark. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0021" id="link2HCH0021"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XX. THE MUFFLED BRIDEGROOM. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + This old fantastical Duke of dark corners.— + <i>Measure for Measure.</i> +</pre> + <p> + There was some coming and going of Mr. Hargrave in the ensuing weeks; and + it began to be known that Miss Delavie was to become the wife of the + recluse. Mrs. Aylward evidently knew it, but said nothing; Molly preferred + a petition to be her waiting maid; Jumbo grinned as if over-powered with + inward mirth; the old ladies in the pew looked more sour and haughty than + ever to discourage “the artful minx,” and the little girls asked all + manner of absurd and puzzling questions. + </p> + <p> + My Lady was still at Bath, and Aurelia supposed that the marriage would + take place on her return; and that the Major and Betty would perhaps + accompany her. The former was quite in his usual health again, and had + himself written to give her his blessing as a good dutiful maiden, and + declare that he hoped to be with her for her wedding, and to give himself + to his honoured friend. + </p> + <p> + She was the more amazed and startled when, one Sunday evening in spring, + Mr. Hargrave came to her as she sat in her own parlour, saying, “Madam, + you will be amazed, but under the circumstances, the parson and myself + being both here, Mr. Belamour trusts you will not object to the immediate + performance of the ceremony.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia took some moments to realise what the ceremony was; and then she + cried, “Oh! but my father meant to have been here.” + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Belamour thinks it better not to trouble Major Delavie to come up,” + said Mr. Hargrave; and as Aurelia stood in great distress and + disappointment at this disregard of her wishes, he added, “I think Miss + Delavie cannot fail to understand Mr. Belamour’s wishes to anticipate my + Lady’s arrival, so that he may be as little harassed as possible with + display and publicity. You may rely both on his honour and my vigilance + that all is done securely and legally.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! I know that,” said Aurelia, blushing; “but it is so sudden! And I was + thinking of my father—-” + </p> + <p> + “Your honoured father has given full consent in writing,” said the + steward. “Your doubts and scruples are most natural, my dear madam, but + under the circumstances they must give way, for it would be impossible to + Mr. Belamour to go through a public wedding.” + </p> + <p> + That Aurelia well knew, though she had expected nothing so sudden or so + private; but she began to feel that she must allow all to be as he chose; + and she remembered that she had never pressed on him her longing for her + father’s presence, having taken it as a matter of course, and besides, + having been far too shy to enter on the subject of her wedding. So she + rose up as in a dream, saying, “Shall I go as I am?” + </p> + <p> + “I fear a fuller toilet would be lost upon the bridegroom,” said the + lawyer with some commiseration, as he looked at the beautiful young + creature about to be bound to the heart-broken old hermit. “You will have + to do me the honour of accepting my services in the part of father.” + </p> + <p> + He was a man much attached to the family, and especially to Mr. Belamour, + his first patron, and was ready to do anything at his bidding or for his + pleasure. Such private weddings were by no uncommon up to the middle of + the last century. The State Law was so easy as to render Gretna Green + unnecessary, when the presence of any clergyman anywhere, while the + parties plighted their troth before witnesses, was sufficient to legalise + the union; nor did any shame or sense of wrong necessarily attach to such + marriages. Indeed they were often the resource of persons too bashful or + too refined to endure the display and boisterous merriment by which a + public wedding was sure to be attended. Every one knew of excellent and + respectable couples who had not been known to be married till the knot had + been tied for several days or weeks—so that there was nothing in + this to shock the bride. And as usual she did as she was told, and let Mr. + Hargrave lead her by her finger-tips towards Mr. Belamour’s apartments. + Mrs. Aylward was waiting in the lobby, with a fixed impassive countenance, + intended to imply that though obedient to the summons to serve as a + witness, it was no concern of hers. On the stairs behind her the maids + were leaning over the balusters, stuffing their aprons into their mouths + lest their tittering should betray them. + </p> + <p> + The sitting-room was nearly, but not quite, dark, for a lamp, closely + shaded, cast a dim light on a Prayer-book, placed on a small table, behind + which stood poor Mr. Greaves—a black spectre, whose white bands were + just discernible below a face whose nervous, disturbed expression was lost + in the general gloom. He carefully avoided looking at the bride, fearing + perhaps some appeal on her part such as would make his situation + perplexing. Contempt and poverty had brought his stamp of clergymen very + low, and rendered them abject. He had been taken by surprise, and though + assured that this was according to my Lady’s will, and with the consent of + the maiden’s father, he was in an agony of fright, shifting awkwardly from + leg to leg, and ruffling the leaves of the book, as a door opened and the + bridegroom appeared, followed by Jumbo. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia looked up with bashful eagerness, and saw in the imperfect light a + tall figure entirely covered by a long dark dressing-gown, a grey, tight + curled lawyer’s wig on the head, and the upper part of the face sheltered + from the scanty rays of the lamp by a large green shade. + </p> + <p> + Taking his place opposite to her as Mr. Hargrave arranged them, he bowed + in silence to the clergyman, who, in a trembling voice, began the rite + which was to unite Amyas Belamour to Aurelia Delavie. He intended to + shorten the service, but his nervous terror and the obscurity of the room + made him stumble in finding the essential passages, and blunder in + dictating the vows, thus increasing the confusion and bewilderment of poor + little Aurelia. Somehow her one comfort was in the touch of the hand that + either clasped hers, or held the ring on her finger—a strong, warm, + tender, trustworthy hand, neither as white nor as soft as she would have + expected, but giving her a comfortable sense both of present support and + affection, and of identity with that eager one which had sought to fondle + and caress her. There was a certain tremor about both, but hers was from + bashful fright, his, from scarcely suppressed eagerness. + </p> + <p> + The steward had a form of certificate ready for signature. When it was + presented to the bridegroom he put up his hand for a moment as if to push + back the shade, but, in dread of admitting even a feeble ray of light, + gave up the attempt, took the pen and wrote Amyas Belamour where the + clergyman pointed. Aurelia could hardly see what she was doing, and knew + she had written very badly. The lawyer and housekeeper followed as + witnesses; and the bridegroom, laying a fee of ten guineas on the desk, + took his bride by the hand and led her within the door whence he had + issued. It was instantly closed, and at the same moment she was enfolded + in a pair of rapturous arms, and held to a breast whose throbs wakened + response in her own, while passionate kisses rained on her face, mingled + with ecstatic whispers and murmurs of “Mine! mine! my own!” + </p> + <p> + On a knock at the door she was hastily released, and Mr. Hargrave said, + “Here are the certificates, sir.”—Mr. Belamour put one into her + hand, saying “Keep it always about you; never part with it. And now, my + child, after all the excitement you have gone through, you shall be + subjected to no more to-night. Fare you well, and blessings attend your + dreams.” + </p> + <p> + Strange that while he was uttering this almost peremptory dismissal, she + should feel herself in a clinging grasp, most unwilling to let her go! + What did it all mean? Could she indeed be a wife, when here she was alone + treading the long dark stair, in looks, in habits, in externals, still + only the little governess of my Lady’s children! However, she had hardly + reached her room, before there was a knock at the door, and the giggling, + blushing entrance of Molly with “Please, ma’am, Madam Belamour, I wishes + you joy with all my heart. Please can’t I do nothing for you? Shall I help + you undress, or brush your hair?” + </p> + <p> + Perhaps she expected a largesse in honour of the occasion, but Aurelia had + spent all her money on Christmas gifts, and had nothing to bestow. + However, she found on the breakfast-table a parcel addressed to Madam + Belamour, containing a purse with a startling amount of golden guineas in + it. She was rather surprised at the title, which was one generally + conferred on dignified matrons whose husbands were below the rank of + knighthood, such as the wives of country squires and of the higher clergy. + The calling her mother Madam Delavie had been treated as an offence by + Lady Belamour; and when the day had gone by, with nothing else to mark it + from others, Aurelia, finding her recluse in what she mentally called his + quiet rational mood, ventured, after thanking him, modestly to inquire + whether that was what she was to be called. + </p> + <p> + “It is better thus,” hes said. “You have every right to the title.” + </p> + <p> + She recollected that he was a baronet’s younger son, a distinction in + those days; and that she had been told that his patent of knighthood had + been made out, though he had never been able to appear at court to receive + the accolade, and had never assumed the title; so she only said “Very + well, sir, I merely thought whether my Lady would think it presuming.” + </p> + <p> + He laughed a little. “My Lady will soon understand it,” he said. “Her + husband will be at home in a few weeks. And now, my dear Madam Belamour,” + he add playfully, “tell me whether there is any wish that I can gratify.” + </p> + <p> + “You are very kind, sir—-” + </p> + <p> + “What does that pause mean, my fair friend?” + </p> + <p> + “I fear it is too much to ask, sir, but since you inquire what would + please me most, it would be if you could spare me to go to my sister + Harriet’s wedding?” + </p> + <p> + “My child,” he said, with evident regret, “I fear that cannot be. It will + not be prudent to make any move until Mr. Wayland’s return; but after that + I can assure you of more liberty. Meantime, let us consider what wedding + present you would like to send her.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia had felt her request so audacious that she subsided easily; and + modestly suggested a tea-service. She thought of porcelain, but Mr. + Belamour’s views were of silver, and it ended in the lady giving the cups + and saucers, and the gentleman the urn and the tea and coffee pots and + other plate; but it was a drawback to the pleasure of this munificence + that the execution of the order had to be entrusted to Mr. Hargrave. The + daring hope Aurelia had entertained of shopping for a day, with Mrs. + Aylward as an escort, and choosing the last fashions to send to her + sisters was quashed by the grave reply that it was better not for the + present. What was the meaning of all this mystery, and when was it to end? + She felt that it would be ungrateful to murmur, for Mr. Belamour evidently + was full of sorrow whenever he was obliged to disappoint her, and much was + done for her pleasure. A charming little saddle-horse, two riding-habits, + with a groom, and a horse for him, were sent down from London for her + benefit; gifts showered upon her; and whenever she found her husband in + one of those perplexing accesses of tenderness she was sure to carry away + some wonderful present, a beautiful jewelled watch, an <i>etui</i> case, a + fan, a scent-bottle, or patch-box with a charming enamel of a butterfly. + The little girls were always looking for something pretty that she would + show them in the morning, and thought it must be a fine thing to have a + husband who gave such charming things. Those caressing evenings, however, + always frightened Aurelia, and sent her away vaguely uneasy, often to lie + awake full of a vague yearning and alarm; and several days of restlessness + would pass before she could return to her ordinary enjoyment of her days + with the children and her evenings with Mr. Belamour. Yet when there was + any long intermission of those fits of tender affection, she missed them + sorely, and began to fear she had given offence, especially as this + strangely capricious man seemed sometimes to repel those modest, timid + advances which at other times would fill him with ill-suppressed + transport. Then came longings to see and satisfy herself as to what was + indeed the aspect of him whom she was learning to love. + </p> + <p> + No wonder there was something unsettled and distressed about her, + overthrowing much of that gentle duteous ness which she had brought from + home. She wrote but briefly and scantily to her sister, not feeling as if + she could give full confidence; she drifted away from some of the good + habits enjoined on her, feeling that, as a married woman, she was less + under authority. She was less thorough in her religious ways, less + scrupulous in attending to the children’s lessons; and the general fret of + her uncertainties told upon her temper with them. They loved her heartily + still, and she returned their affection, but she was not so uniformly + patient and good-humoured. Indeed since Amoret’s departure some element of + harmony was missing, and it could not now be said that a whine, a quarrel, + or a cry was a rare event. Even the giving up my lady’s wearisome piece of + embroidery had scarcely a happy effect, for Aurelia missed the bracing of + the task-work and the attention it required, and the unoccupied time was + spent in idle fretting. A little self-consequence too began to set in, + longing for further recognition of the dignities of Madam Belamour. + </p> + <p> + The marriage had been notified to Lady Belamour and to Major Delavie, and + letters had been received from each. My Lady travelled to London early in + April in company with Lady Aresfield, and, to the relief of the inmates of + Bowstead, made no deviation thither. No one else was officially told that + the wedding had taken place, but all the village knew it; and Mrs. Phoebe + and Mrs. Delia so resented it that they abandoned the state pew to Madam + Belamour and the children, made their curtsies more perpendicularly than + ever, and, when formally invited to supper, sent a pointed and ceremonious + refusal, so that Aurelia felt hurt and angered. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0022" id="link2HCH0022"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXI. THE SISTERS’ MEETING. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + By all hope thou hast to see again + Our aged father and to soothe his pain, + I charge thee, tell me, hast thou seen the thing + Thou callst thine husband?—MORRIS. +</pre> + <p> + After numerous delays Mr. Arden had at length been presented to the living + of Rundell Canonicorum, and in one of the last days of April Harriet + Delavie had become his wife. After a fortnight of festivities amongst + their old Carminster friends, the happy couple were to ride, pillion-wise, + to take possession of tier new home, passing through London, and there + spending time enough with some relations of the bridegroom to show Harriet + the wonders of the City. + </p> + <p> + Thence Mrs. Arden sent an urgent invitation from her hospitable hostess to + Mrs. Belamour, to come and spend some days in Gracechurch Street and share + with her sister the pleasures of the first sight of London. + </p> + <p> + “I assure you,” wrote Harriet, “that though they be Woolstaplers, it is + all in the Wholesale Line; and they are very genteel, and well-bred + Persons, who have everything handsome about them. Indeed it is upon the + Cards that the Alderman may, ere many years be passed, be my Lord Mayor; + but yet he and his good Wife have a proper Appreciation of Family, and + know how to esteem me as one of the Delavies. They would hold themselves + infinitely honoured by your Visit; and if you were here, we might even be + invited to Lady Belamour’s, and get Tickets for Ranelagh. I called at my + Lady’s Door, but she was not within, nor has she returned my Visit, though + I went in the Alderman’s own Coach; but if you were with me she would have + no Colour for Neglect, you being now her Sister-in-law, though it makes me + laugh to think of it. But as we poor married Ladies are compelled to obey + our Lords and Masters; and as Mr. Belamour may chance to be too high in + his Notions to permit you to be a Guest in this House (as I told our good + Cousin Arden was very like), we intend to lie a Night at Brentford, and + remain there for a Day, trusting that your Husband will not be so cruel as + to prevent a Meeting, either by your coming to see us, or our coming to + see you in your present Abode, which I long to do. It is a Year since we + parted, and I cannot tell you how I long to clasp my beloved Sister in my + Arms.” + </p> + <p> + Harriet could not long more for such a meeting than did Aurelia, and there + was, it must be owned, a little relief, that it was Harriet, and not the + severer judge, Betty, who thus awaited her. She could hardly brook the + delay until the evening, and even wondered whether it were not a wife’s + privilege to anticipate the hour; but she did not venture, and only + hovered about impatient for Jumbo’s summons. She came in with a rapid + movement that led Mr. Belamour to say, “Ha, my fair visitor, I perceive + that you have some tidings to bring to-day.” + </p> + <p> + Everything was rapidly poured out, and she anxiously awaited the decision. + She had little hope of being allowed to go to Gracechurch Street, and did + not press for it; but she could not refrain from showing her earnest + desire for the sight of her sister, so that it was plain that it would + have been a cruel disappointment to her, if she had been prevented from + meeting the newly-married couple. She detected a certain sound of + annoyance or perplexity in the tones that replied, and her accents became + almost plaintively imploring as she concluded, “Pray, pray, sir, do not + deny me.” + </p> + <p> + “No, my child, I could not be cruel enough for a refusal,” he answered; “I + was but considering how most safely the thing may be contrived. I know it + would be your wish, and that it would seem more befitting that you should + act as hostess for your sister, but I fear that must be for another time. + This is not my house, and there are other reasons for which it would be + wiser for you to receive no one here.” + </p> + <p> + “It will be quite enough for me if I may only go to Brentford to meet my + dear, dear Harriet.” + </p> + <p> + “Then be it so, my child. Present my compliments to Mrs. Arden, and + entreat her to excuse the seeming inhospitality of the invalid.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia was overflowing with joy at the anticipated meeting, wrote a + delighted letter to make the appointment, and skipped about the dark + stairs and passages more like the butterfly she was than like Madam + Belamour; while Fay and Letty found her a more delightful playfellow than + ever, recovering all the animation she had lost during the last weeks. Her + only drawback to the pleasure was that each intervening evening convinced + her more strongly that Mr. Belamour was uneasy and dissatisfied about the + meeting, which he could not prohibit. On the previous night he asked many + questions about her sister, in especial whether she were of an inquisitive + disposition. + </p> + <p> + “That rather depends on how much she has to say about herself,” returned + Aurelia, after some reflection. “She likes to hear about other people’s + affairs, but she had much rather talk of her own.” + </p> + <p> + This made Mr. Belamour laugh. “Considering,” he said, “how recently she + has undergone the greatest event of a woman’s life, let us hope that her + imagination and her tongue may be fully occupied by it during the few + hours that you are to pass together. It seems hard to put any restraint on + your ingenuous confidence, my sweet friend; but I trust to your discretion + to say as little as you can contrive of your strange position here, and of + the infirmities and caprices of him whose name you have deigned to bear.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, do you think I could?” + </p> + <p> + “It is not for my own sake, but for yours, that I would recommend + caution,” he continued. “The situation is unusual, and such disclosures + might impel persons to interfere for what they thought your interest; but + you have promised me your implicit trust, and you will, I hope, prove it. + You can understand how painful would be such well-meaning interference, + though you cannot understand how fatally mischievous it would be.” + </p> + <p> + “I had better say I can tell her nothing,” said Aurelia, startled. + </p> + <p> + “Nay, that would excite still greater suspicion. Reply briefly and + carefully, making no mysteries to excite curiosity, and avert the + conversation from yourself as much as possible.” + </p> + <p> + Man of the world and brilliant talker as he had been, he had no notion of + the difficulty of the task he had imposed on the simple open-hearted girl, + accustomed to share all her thoughts with her sister; and she was too gay + and joyous to take full note of all his cautions, only replying sincerely + that she hoped that she should say nothing amiss, and that she would do + her best to be heedful of his wishes. + </p> + <p> + In spite of all such cautions, she was too happy to take in the notion of + anxiety. She rose early in the morning, caring for the first time to array + herself in the insignia of her new rank. Knowing that the bridle-path lay + through parks, woodlands and heaths, so that there was no fear of dust, + she put on a dainty habit of white cloth, trimmed and faced with blue + velvet, and a low-crowned hat with a white feather. On her pretty grey + horse, the young Madam Belamour was a fair and gracious sight, as she rode + into the yard of the Red Lion at Brentford. Harriet was at the window + watching for her, and Mr. Arden received her as she sprang off her steed, + then led her up to the parlour, where breakfast was spread awaiting her. + </p> + <p> + “Aurelia, what a sweet figure you make,” cried Harriet, as the sisters + unwound their arms after the first ecstasy of embracing one another again. + “Where did you get that exquisite habit?” + </p> + <p> + “It came down from London with another, a dark blue,” said Aurelia. “I + suppose Mr. Belamour ordered them, for they came with my horse. It is the + first time I have worn it.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! fine things are of little account when there is no one to see them,” + said Mrs. Arden, shaking her head in commiseration. + </p> + <p> + She was attired in a grey riding-dress with a little silver lace about it, + and looked wonderfully plump and well, full of importance and complacency, + and with such a return of comeliness that Aurelia would hardly have + recognised the lean, haggard, fretful Harriet of the previous year. Her + sentiment and romance, her soft melancholy and little affectations had + departed, and she was already the notable prosperous wife of a beneficed + clergyman, of whose abilities she was very proud, though she patronised + with good-humoured contempt his dreamy, unpractical, unworldly ways. + </p> + <p> + The questions poured forth from Aurelia’s heart-hunger about brother, + sister and home, were answered kindly and fully over the breakfast-table; + but as if Harriet had turned that page in her life, and expected Aurelia + to have done the same, every now and then exclaiming: “La! you have not + forgotten that! What a memory you have, child!” + </p> + <p> + She wanted much more to talk of the parsonage and glebe of Rundell + Canonicorum, and of how many servants and cows she should keep, and showed + herself almost annoyed when Aurelia brought her back to Carminster by + asking whether Eugene had finished his Comenius, and if the speckled hen + had hatched many chickens, whether Palmer had had his rheumatic attack + this spring, or if the Major’s letter to Vienna had produced any tidings + of Nannerl’s relation. Harriet seemed only to be able to reply by an + effort of memory, and was far more desirous of expatiating on the luxuries + at alderman Arden’s, and the deference with which she had been treated, in + contrast to the indignity of Lady Belamour’s neglect. + </p> + <p> + It was disappointing to find that her father had heard nothing from my + Lady about the settlement of the Manor House. + </p> + <p> + “Was the promise in writing?” asked Mr. Arden, who had been silent all + this time. + </p> + <p> + “Certainly, in a letter to me.” + </p> + <p> + “I recommend you to keep it carefully until Mr. Wayland’s return,” said + Mr. Arden: “he will see justice done to you.” + </p> + <p> + “Poor Mr. Wayland! When he does return, I pity him; but it is his own + fault for leaving his lady to herself. Have you ever seen the gallant + colonel, sister?” + </p> + <p> + “Never.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! most like he is not much at Bowstead. But do not folk talk there?” + </p> + <p> + “My dear,” said Mr. Arden, “you would do well to imitate your honoured + father’s discretion on certain points.” + </p> + <p> + “Bless me, Mr. Arden, how you startled me. I thought you were in a brown + study.” She winked at Aurelia as if to intimate that she meant to continue + the subject in his absence, and went on; “I assure you, I had to be on the + alert all the way to take care he looked at the sign-posts, or we might + have been at York by this time. And in London, what do you think was all + my gentleman cared to go and see? Why, he must needs go to some + correspondents of his who are Fellows of the Royal Society. I took it for + granted they must be friends of his Majesty or of the Prince of Wales at + the least, and would have had him wait for his new gown and cassock; but + la! it was only a set of old doctors and philosophers, and he wished to + know what musty discoveries they had been making. That was one thing he + desired in London, and the other was to hear that crazy Parson Wesley + preach a sermon hours long!” + </p> + <p> + “I was well rewarded in both instances,” said Mr. Arden gravely. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia did not take advantage of the opportunity of shining in the eyes + of her new brother-in-law by showing her acquaintance with the discussions + on electricity which she had studied for Mr. Belamour’s benefit, nor did + she speak of Dr. Godfrey’s views of Wesley and Whitfield. Had she so + ventured, her sister would have pitied her, and Mr. Arden himself been + somewhat shocked at her being admitted to knowledge unbecoming to a pretty + young lady. Intellect in ladies would have been a startling idea, and + though very fond of his wife, he never thought of her as a companion, but + only as the mistress of his house and guardian of his welfare. + </p> + <p> + The dinner was ordered at one, and at three Aurelia would ride home, while + Mr. and Mrs. Arden went on about twelve miles to the house of a great + grazier, brother to the Alderman’s wife, where they had been invited to + make their next stage, and spend the next day, Sunday, when Harriet + reckoned on picking up information about cattle, if she were not actually + presented with a cow or a calf. They went out and walked a little about + the town, where presently they met Mrs. Hunter. Aurelia met her puzzled + stare with a curtsey, and she shouted in her hearty tone “Miss Delavie!—I + mean Mrs. Belamour! Who would have thought of seeing you here!” + </p> + <p> + “I am here to meet my sister—Mrs. Arden. Let me—let me present + you,” said Aurelia in obedience to an imperious sign from her sister, + going through the form for the first time, while Harriet volubly declared + her happiness in making Mrs. Hunter’s acquaintance, and explained how they + were on their way to take possession of Mr. Arden’s rectory of Rundell + Canonicorum, the words rolling out of her mouth with magnificent emphasis. + “I congratulate you, ma’am,” said Mrs. Hunter, cordially, “and you too, my + dear,” she added, turning to Aurelia. “I would have been out long ago to + call on you—a sort of relation as you are now, as I may say—but + it was kept all so mum, one never knew the time to drink your health; and + my Cousins Treforth wouldn’t so much as give me a hint. But la! says I, + why should you talk about artfulness? I’m right glad poor Mr. Amyas should + find a sprightly young lady to cure him of his mopishness. Never mind + them, my dear, if they do look sour on you. I’ll come over one of these + days and talk to them. Now, I must have you come in to take your dinner + with us. The Doctor will be right pleased to find you. I’ll take no + excuse. I thank Heaven I’m always ready whoever may drop in. There’s + spring chicken and sparrow-grass.” + </p> + <p> + However, on hearing their dinner was ordered at the inn, the good lady was + satisfied that to dine with her was impossible; but she insisted on their + coming in to partake of wine and cake in her best parlour. + </p> + <p> + This, however, was a little more than Mr. Arden could endure, he made an + excuse about seeing to the horse, and escaped; while Mrs. Hunter led the + two sisters to her closely shut-up parlour, wainscoted, and hung with two + staring simpering portraits of herself and her husband, clean as soap + could make it, but smelling like a long closed box. She went to a cupboard + in the wall, and brought out a silver salver, a rich cake, glasses and + wine, and pouring out the wine, touched the glass with her lips, as she + wished health and happiness to the two brides before her. + </p> + <p> + “We shall soon have another wedding in the family, if report speaks true,” + she added. “They say—but you should be the best informed, Madam + Belamour— + </p> + <p> + “We hear nothing of the matter, ma’am,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “That’s odd, since Mr. Belamour is young Sir Amyas’s guardian; and they + cannot well pass him over now he has begun life again as it were,” laughed + Mrs. Hunter. “‘Tis said that my Lady is resolved the wedding shall be + within six weeks.” + </p> + <p> + “There are two words to that question,” said Harriet, oracularly; “I know + from good authority that young Sir Amyas is determined against the match.” + </p> + <p> + “But is it true, ma’am,” cried Mrs. Hunter, eagerly, “that my Lady and the + Countess of Aresfield met at Bath, and that my Lady is to have 3,000 + pounds down to pay off her debts before her husband comes home, the day + her son is married to Lady Arabella?” + </p> + <p> + “Every word of it is true, ma’am,” said Harriet, importantly. + </p> + <p> + “Well now, that folk should sell their own flesh and blood!” + </p> + <p> + “How have you heard it, sister Harriet?” asked Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “From a sure hand, my love. No other than Mrs. Dove. She is wife to my + Lady’s coachman,” explained Mrs. Arden to her hostess, “and nurse to the + two children it is her pleasure to keep with her.” + </p> + <p> + “Dear good Nurse dove!” cried Aurelia, “did she come to see you?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, that did she! So I have it from the fountain-head, as I may say, + that the poor young gentleman’s hand and heart are to be made over without + his will, that so his mother may not have such a schedule of debts + wherewith to face her husband on his return!” + </p> + <p> + “Her jewels have been all paste long ago, I know very well,” said Mrs. + Hunter, not to be outdone; “though, would you believe it, Doctor Hunter is + like all the men, and will believe nothing against her! But this beats all + the rest! Why, I have it from my maid, who is sister to one of the + servants at the boarding-school in Queen Square, whither they have sent + the Lady Belle, that she is a regular little shrew. She flew at one of the + young ladies like a wild cat, because she did not yield place to her at + once, and scratched her cheeks till the blood ran down, and tore out whole + handfuls of her hair. She was like one possessed, and they had to call the + lackey before they could get her safe tied down in bed, where they kept + her on bread and water, trying to get her to make her apology; but not a + word could be got out of her, till they had to yield the point lest she + should fall sick.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia mentally applauded her own discretion in not capping this with + Mrs. Dove’s former tale, and only observing that the marriage could not + take place before the young baronet was of age, without the consent of his + personal guardian, Mr. Belamour. + </p> + <p> + “You will excuse me, my dear, in speaking of your husband, but he has so + long been incapable of acting, that they say his consent can be dispensed + with.” + </p> + <p> + “Aye, poor cousin Amyas Belamour!” said Mrs. Hunter. “He was the only man + who ever durst resist my Lady’s will before, and you see to what she has + brought him!” + </p> + <p> + “Her son is resisting her now,” said Harriet; “and our good Dove says it + makes her blood boil to see the way the poor young gentleman is treated. + He, who was the darling for whom nothing was good enough a while ago, has + now scarce a place in his mother’s own house. She is cold and stately with + him, and Colonel Mar, the Lady Belle’s brother, being his commanding + officer, there is no end to the vexations and annoyances they give him, + both at home and in his quarters. Mrs. Dove says his own man, Grey, tells + her it is a wonder how he stands out against it all! And a truly well-bred + young gentleman he is. He came to pay me his call in Gracechurch Street + only yesterday, knowing our kindred, and most unfortunate was it that I + was stepped out to the office to speak as to our boxes being duly sent by + the Buckingham wain; but he left his ticket, and a message with the + servant, ‘Tell my cousin, Mrs. Arden,’ he said, ‘that I much regret not + having seen her, and I should have done myself the honour of calling + sooner to inquire for her good father, if I had known she was in town.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, I have never seen the young gentleman since he was a mere child,” + said Mrs. Hunter. “His mother has bred him to neglect his own home and + relations, but I am sorry for him.” + </p> + <p> + “They say,” continued Harriet significantly, “that they are sure there is + some cause for his holding out so stiffly—I verily believe My Lady + suspected—” + </p> + <p> + “O hush, Harriet!” cried Aurelia, colouring painfully. + </p> + <p> + “Well, it is all over now, so you need not be offended,” said Harriet, + laughing. “Besides, if my Lady had any such notion when she brought about + your marriage, she must be disappointed, for the young spark is as + resolute as ever.” + </p> + <p> + “And no wonder, if he knows what the lady is like,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Ah! he has admitted as much to the King.” + </p> + <p> + “To the King!” cried both auditors. + </p> + <p> + “Oh yes! you know my Lady is very thick with my Lady Suffolk, and she + persuaded the King to speak to him at the levee. ‘<i>Comment</i>’, says + his majesty in French, ‘are you a young rebel, sir, that refuse the good + things your mother provides you?’ Not a whit was my young gentleman moved. + He bowed, and answered that he was acting by the desire of his guardian. + Excuse me, sister, but the King answered—‘A raving melancholic! That + will not serve your turn, sir. Come to your senses, fulfil your mother’s + bond, and we’ll put you on the Duke’s staff, where you may see more of + service than of home, or belike get into gay quarters, where you may + follow any other <i>fantaisie</i> if that is making you commit such <i>betises!</i>’ + At that Sir Amyas, who is but an innocent youth, flamed up in his cheeks + till they were as red as his coat, and said his honour was engaged; on + which his majesty swore at him for an idiot, and turned his back. Every + word of this Mrs. Dove heard Colonel Mar tell my Lady—and then they + fell to rating the poor youth, and trying to force out who this secret + flame may be; but his is of the same stuff as his mother, adamantine and + impervious. And now the Colonel keeps him on hard duty continually, and + they watch him day and night to find out what places he haunts. But bless + me, Mrs. Hunter, is the church clock striking? We must be gone, or my good + man will be wondering where we are.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Hunter would fain have kept them, and the last words and compliments + were of long duration, while Aurelia looked on in some surprise at the + transformation of all Harriet’s languishing affected airs into the + bustling self-importance of Mrs. Arden. She was however much occupied with + all she had heard, and was marvelling how her sister began again as soon + as they were in the street again. “You are very discreet, Aurelia, as it + becomes a young married lady, but have you no notion who this innamorata + of the baronet may be?” + </p> + <p> + “No, indeed, how should I?” + </p> + <p> + “I thought he might have confided in your husband, since he makes so sure + of his support.” + </p> + <p> + “He has only once come to visit Mr. Belamour, and that was many months + ago.” + </p> + <p> + “It is strange,” mused Harriet; “Mrs. Dove says she would have taken her + Bible oath that it was you, and my Lady believed as much, or she would not + have been in such haste to have you wedded. Nay, I’ll never believe but he + made his confidences to Betty when he came to the Manor House the Sunday + after you were gone, though not a word could I get from her.” + </p> + <p> + “It must have been all a mistake,” said Aurelia, not without a little + twinge at the thought of what might have been. “I wish you would not talk + of it.” + </p> + <p> + “Well he could have been but a fickle adorer—‘tis the way of men, my + dear, for he must have found some new flame while his mother and the + Colonel were both at the Bath. They have proof positive of his riding out + of town at sundown, but whither he goes is unknown, for he takes not so + much as a groom with him, and he is always in time for morning parade.” + </p> + <p> + “Poor young man, it is hard to be so beset with spies and watchers,” said + Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Most true,” said Harriet, “but I am monstrous glad you are safe married + like me, child, so that no one can accuse us. Such romantic affairs are + well enough to furnish a course of letters to the <i>Tatler</i>, or the <i>Gentlewomen’s + Magazine</i>, but I am thankful for a comfortable life with my good man.” + </p> + <p> + Therewith they reached their inn, where Harriet, having satisfied herself + that the said good man was safe within, and profiting by the unwonted calm + to write his inaugural sermon, took Aurelia to her bedroom to prepare for + dinner, and to indulge in further confidences. + </p> + <p> + “So, Aurelia, I can report to my father that you are looking well, and as + cheerful as can be expected.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, I have always told you I am happy as the day is long.” + </p> + <p> + “What, when you have never so much as seen your husband?” + </p> + <p> + “Only at our wedding, and then he was forced to veil his face from the + light.” + </p> + <p> + “Nor has he ever seen you?” + </p> + <p> + “Not unless he then saw me.” + </p> + <p> + “If he were not then charmed enough to repeat the view, you are the most + cruelly wasted and unworthily matched—” + </p> + <p> + “Hush, sister!” broke out Aurelia in eager indignation. + </p> + <p> + “What! is a lovely young creature, almost equal to what I was before my + cruel malady, to waste her bloom on a wretched old melancholic, who will + not so much as look at her!” + </p> + <p> + “Harriet, I cannot hear this—you know not of what you are talking! + What is my poor skin-deep beauty—if beauty it be—compared with + the stores of goodness and wisdom I find in him?” + </p> + <p> + “La! child, what heat is this? One would really think you loved him.” + </p> + <p> + “Of course I do! I love and honour him more than any one I ever met—except + my dear father.” + </p> + <p> + “Come, Aura, you are talking by rote out of the marriage service. You may + be open with me, you know, it will go no further; and I do long to know + whether you can be truly content at heart,” said Harriet with real + affection. + </p> + <p> + “Dear sister,” said Aurelia, touched, “believe me that indeed I am. Mr. + Belamour is kindness itself. He is all he ever promised to be to me, and + sometimes more.” + </p> + <p> + “Yet if he loved you, he could never let you live moped up there. Are you + never frighted at the dark chamber? I should die of it!” + </p> + <p> + “The dark does not fright me,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “You have a courage I have not! Come, now, were you never frighted to talk + with a voice in the dark?” + </p> + <p> + “Scarcely ever!” said aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Scarcely—when was that?” + </p> + <p> + “You will laugh, Harriet, but it is when he is most—most tender and + full of warmth. Then I hardly know him for the same.” + </p> + <p> + “What! If he be not always tender to my poor dear child, he must be a + wretch indeed.” + </p> + <p> + “O no, no, Harriet! How shall I ever make you understand?” cried Aurelia. + “Never for a moment is he other than kind and gentle. It is generally like + a father, only more courtly and deferential, but sometimes something seems + to come over him, and he is—oh! I cannot tell you—what I + should think a lover would be,” faltered Aurelia, colouring crimson, and + hiding her face on her sister’s shoulder, as old habits of confidence, and + need of counsel and sympathy were obliterating all the warnings of last + night. + </p> + <p> + “You silly little chit! Why don’t you encourage these advances? You ought + to be charmed, not frightened.” + </p> + <p> + “They would ch—-I should like it if it were not so like two men in + one, the one holding the other back.” + </p> + <p> + Harriet laughed at this fancy, and Aurelia was impelled to defend it. + “Indeed, Harriet, it is really so. There will be whispers—oh, such + whispers!”—she sunk her voice and hid her face again—“close to + my ear, and—endearments—while the grave voice sounds at the + other end of the room, and then I long for light. I swooned for fright the + first time, but I am much more used to it now.” + </p> + <p> + “This is serious,” said Harriet, with unwonted gravity. “Do you really + think that there is another person in the room?” + </p> + <p> + “I do not feel as if it could be otherwise, and yet it is quite + impossible.” + </p> + <p> + “I would not bear it,” said her sister. “You ought not to bear it. How do + you know that it is not some vile stratagem? It might even be the + blackamoor!” + </p> + <p> + “No, no, Harriet! I know better than that. It is quite impossible. + Besides, I am sure of this—that the hands that wedded me are the + same hands that caress me,” she added, with another blushing effort, + “strong but delicate hands, rather hard inside, as with the bridle. I + noticed it because once I thought his hands soft with doing nothing and + being shut up.” + </p> + <p> + “That convinces me the more, then, there is some strange imposition + practised upon you,” said Harriet, anxiously. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, no!” said Aurelia, inconsistently; “Mr. Belamour is quite incapable + of doing anything wrong by me. I cannot let you have such shocking + notions. He told me I must be patient and trust him, though I should meet + with much that was strange and inexplicable.” + </p> + <p> + “This is trusting him much too far. They are playing on your inexperience, + I am sure. If you were not a mere child, you would see what a shocking + situation this is.” + </p> + <p> + “I wish I had not told you,” said Aurelia, tears rushing into her eyes. “I + ought not! He bade me be cautious how I talked, and you have made me quite + forget!” + </p> + <p> + “Did he so? Then it is evident that he fears disclosure! Something must be + done. Why not write to our father?” + </p> + <p> + “I could not! He would call it a silly fancy.” + </p> + <p> + “And it might embroil him with my Lady,” added Harriet. “We must devise + another mode.” + </p> + <p> + “You will not—must not tell Mr. Arden,” exclaimed Aurelia, + peremptorily. + </p> + <p> + “Never fear! He heeds nothing more sublunary than the course of the + planets. But I have it. His device will serve the purpose. Do you remember + Eugene confounding him with Friar Bacon because he was said to light a + candle without flint or steel? It was true. When he was a bachelor he + always lit his own candle and fire, and he always carries the means. I was + frighted the first time he showed me, but now I can do it as well as he. + See,” she said, opening a case, “a drop of this spirit upon this prepared + cotton;” and as a bright flame sprang up and made Aurelia start, she + laughed and applied a taper to it. “There, one such flash would be quite + enough to prove to you whether there be any deception practised on you.” + </p> + <p> + “I could never do it! Light is agony to Mr. Belamour, and what would he + think?” + </p> + <p> + “He would take it for lightning, which I suppose he cannot keep out.” + </p> + <p> + “One flash did come through everything last summer, but I was not looking + towards him.” + </p> + <p> + “You will be wiser this time. Here, I can give you this little box, for + Mr. Arden compounded a fresh store in town.” + </p> + <p> + “I dare not, sister. He has ever bidden me trust without sight; and you + cannot guess how good he is to me, and how noble and generous. I cannot + insult him by a doubt.” + </p> + <p> + “Then he should not act as no true woman can endure.” + </p> + <p> + “And it would hurt him.” + </p> + <p> + “Tut, tut, child; if the lightning did not harm him how can this flash? I + tell you no man has a right to trifle with you in this manner, and it is + your duty to yourself and all of us to find out the truth. Some young rake + may have bribed the black, and be personating him; and some day you may + find yourself carried off you know not where.” + </p> + <p> + “Harriet, if you only knew either Mr. Belamour or Jumbo, you would know + that you are saying things most shocking!” + </p> + <p> + “Convince me, then! Look here, Aurelia, if you cannot write to me and + explain this double-faced or double-voiced husband of yours, I vow to you + that I shall speak to Mr. Arden, and write to my father.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! do not, do not, sister! Remember, it is of no use unless this temper + of affection be on him, and I have not heard it this fortnight, no, nor + more.” + </p> + <p> + “Promise me, then, that you will make the experiment. See, here is a + little chain-stitch pouch—poor Peggy Duckworth’s gift to me—with + two pockets. Let me fasten it under your dress, and then you will always + have it about you.” + </p> + <p> + “If the bottle broke as I rode home!” + </p> + <p> + “Impossible; it is a scent-bottle of strong glass.” + </p> + <p> + Here Mr. Arden knocked at the door, regretting to interrupt their + confidences, but dinner awaited them; and as, immediately after, Mrs. + Hunter brought her husband in his best wig to call on Madame Belamour and + her relations, the sisters had no more time together, till the horses were + at the door, and they went to their room together to put on their hats. + </p> + <p> + A whole mass of refusals and declarations of perfect confidence were on + Aurelia’s tongue, but Harriet cut them all short by saying, “Remember, you + are bound for your own honour and ours, to clear up this mystery!” + </p> + <p> + Then they rode off their several ways, Madame Belamour towards Bowstead, + Mr. and Mrs. Arden on their sturdy roadster towards Lea Farm. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0023" id="link2HCH0023"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXII. A FATAL SPARK. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + And so it chanced; which in those dark + And fireless halls was quite amazing, + Did we not know how small a spark + Can set the torch of love ablazing. + T. MOORE. +</pre> + <p> + Aurelia rode home in perplexity, much afraid of the combustibles at her + girdle, and hating the task her sister had forced on her. She felt as if + her heedless avowals had been high treason to her husband; and yet Harriet + was her elder, and those assurances that as a true woman she was bound to + clear up the mystery, made her cheeks burn with shame, and her heart + thrill with the determination to vindicate her husband, while the longing + to know the face of one who so loved her was freshly awakened. + </p> + <p> + She was strongly inclined to tell him all, indeed she knew herself well + enough to be aware that half a dozen searching questions would draw out + the whole confession of her own communication and Harriet’s unworthy + suspicions; and humiliating as this would be, she longed for the + opportunity. Here, however, she was checked in her meditations by a + stumble of her horse, which proved to have lost a shoe. It was necessary + to leave the short cut, and make for the nearest forge, and when the + mischief was repaired, to ride home by the high road. + </p> + <p> + She thus came home much later than had been expected; Jumbo, Molly, and + the little girls were all watching for her, and greeted her eagerly. The + supper was already on the table for her, and she had only just given Fay + and Letty the cakes and comfits she had bought at Brentford for them when + Jumbo brought the message that his master hoped that madam, if not too + much fatigued, would come to him as soon as her supper was finished. + </p> + <p> + Accordingly, she came without waiting to change her dress, having only + taken off her hat and arranged her hair. + </p> + <p> + She felt guilty, and dreaded the being questioned, yet longed to make her + avowal and have all explained. The usual greetings passed, and then Mr. + Belamour said, “I heard your horse hoofs come in late. You were detained?” + </p> + <p> + She explained about the shoe, and a few sentences were passing about her + sister when she detected a movement, as if a step were stealing towards + her, together with a hesitation in the remark Mr. Belamour was making + about Mrs. Hunter’s good nature. + </p> + <p> + Quite irrelevantly came in the whispering voice, “Where is my dearest + life?” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, sir!” she cried, driven at last to bay, “what is this? Are you one + or two?” + </p> + <p> + “One with you, my sweetest life! Your own—your husband!” + </p> + <p> + Therewith there was a kind of groan further off, and as Aurelia felt a + hand on her dress, her fight and distress at the duality were complete. + While, in the dark, the hands were still groping for her, she eluded them, + and succeeded in carrying out Harriet’s manoeuvre so far that a quick + bright flame leapt forth, lighting up the whole room, and revealing two—yes, + two! But it did not die away! In her haste, and in the darkness, she had + poured the whole contents of the bottle on the phosphoric cotton, and + dropped both without knowing it on a chintz curtain. A fresh evening + breeze was blowing in from the window, open behind the shutters, and in + one second the curtain was a flaming, waving sheet. Some one sprang up to + tear it down, leaping on a table in the window. The table overbalanced, + the heavy iron curtain-rod came out suddenly, and there was a fall, the + flaming mass covering the fallen! The glare shone on a strange white face + and head as well as on Jumbo’s black one, and with a trampling and + crushing the fire died down, quenched as suddenly as it began, and all was + obscurity again. + </p> + <p> + “Nephew, dear boy, speak,” exclaimed Mr. Belamour; and as there was no + answer, “Open the shutters, Jumbo. For Heaven’s sake let us see!” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! what have I done?” cried poor Aurelia, in horror and misery, dropping + by him on the ground, while the opened shutters admitted the twilight of a + May evening, with a full moon, disclosing a strange scene. A youth in a + livery riding coat lay senseless on the ground, partly covered by the + black fragments of the curtain, the iron rod clenched in one hand, the + other arm doubled under him. A face absolutely white, with long snowy + beard and hair hung over him, and an equally white pair of hands tried to + lift the head. Jumbo had in a second sprung down, removed the fallen + table, and come to his masters help. “Struck head with this,” he said, as + he tried to unclasp the fingers from the bar, and pointed to a grazed blow + close to the temple. + </p> + <p> + “We must lay him on my bed,” said Mr. Belamour. Then, seeing the girl’s + horror-stricken countenance, “Ah, child, would that you had been patient; + but it was overtasking you! Call Aylward, I beg of you. Tell her he is + here, badly hurt. What, you do not know him,” as her bewildered eyes and + half-opened lips implied the question she could not utter, “you do not + know him? Sir Amyas—my nephew—your true husband!” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! and I have killed him!” she cried, with clasped hands. + </p> + <p> + “Hush, child, no, with God’s mercy! Only call the woman and bring a + light.” + </p> + <p> + She rushed away, and appeared, a pale terrified figure, with the smell of + fire on her hair and white dress, in the room where Mrs. Aylward was + reading her evening chapter. She could scarcely utter her message as she + stood under the gaze of blank amazement; but Mrs. Aylward understood + enough to make her start up without another word, and hurry away, candle + in hand. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia took up the other, and followed, trembling. When she reached the + outer room the rush of air almost blew out her light, and pausing, afraid + to pass on, she perceived that Mr. Belamour and Jumbo were carrying the + insensible form between them into the inner apartment, while a moan or two + filled her heart with pangs of self-reproach. + </p> + <p> + She hung about, in terrible anxiety, but not daring to come forward while + the others were engaged about the sufferer, for what seemed a very long + time before she heard Mrs. Aylward say, “His arm is broke, sir. We must + send for Dr. Hunter. The maids are all in their beds, but I will go and + wake one, and send her to the stables to call the groom.” + </p> + <p> + “I had best go,” said Mr. Belamour. “You are of more use than I. He sleeps + at the stables, you say?” Then, seeing the waiting, watching form of + Aurelia, he said, “Come in, my poor child. Perhaps your voice may rouse + him.” Every one, including himself, seemed to have forgotten Mr. + Belamour’s horror of the light, for candles were flaring on all the + tables, as he led the you girl in, saying, “Speak to him.” + </p> + <p> + At the death-like face in its golden hair, Aurelia’s voice choked in her + throat, and it was in an unnatural hoarse tone that she tried to say, “Sir—Sir + Amyas—” + </p> + <p> + “I trust he will soon be better,” said Mr. Belamour, marking her dismay + and grief with his wonted kindness, “but his arm needs the surgeon, and I + must be going. Let Lady Belamour sit here, Mrs. Aylward. I trust you with + the knowledge. It was my nephew, in disguise, who wedded her, unknown to + her. She is entirely blameless. Let Jumbo fetch her a cordial. There, my + child, take this chair, so that his eyes may fall on you when he opens + them. Bathe his head if you will. I shall return quickly after having sped + the groom on his journey.” + </p> + <p> + Gloomy and doubtful were the looks cast on Aurelia by the housekeeper, but + all unseen by the wondering, bewildered, remorseful eyes fixed on the + white face on the pillow, heedless of its perfect symmetry of feature, and + knowing only that this was he who had thrilled her heart with his tender + tones, who had loved her so dearly, and dared so much for her sake, but + whom her impatience and distrust had so cruelly injured. Had she seen him + strong, well, and ardent, as she had so lately heard him, her womanhood + would have recoiled indignantly at the deception which had stolen her + vows; but the spectacle of the young senseless face and prostrate form + filled her with compassion, tenderness, and remorse, for having yielded to + her sister’s persuasions. With intense anxiety she watched, and assisted + in the fomentations, longing for Mr. Belamour’s return; but time passed on + and still he came not. No words passed, only a few faint sighs, and one of + the hands closed tight on Aurelia’s. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0024" id="link2HCH0024"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXIII. WRATH AND DESOLATION. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Straight down she ran +.... and fatally did vow To wreake her on the mayden messenger + Whom she had caused be kept as prisonere. + SPENSER. +</pre> + <p> + Hark! there was the trampling of horses and thundering of wheels at the + door! Could the doctor be come already, and in such a fashion? + </p> + <p> + Jumbo hurried to admit him, and Mrs. Aylward moved to arrange matters, but + the clasp that was on Aurelia’s hand would not let her go. + </p> + <p> + Presently there came, not Dr. Hunter’s tread, but a crisp, rustling sound, + and the tap of high heels, and in the doorway stood, tall, erect, and + terrible, Lady Belamour, with a blaze of wrath in her blue eyes, and + concentrated rage in her whole form, while in accents low, but coming from + between her teeth, she demanded, “Miserable boy, what means this?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! madam, take care! he is sadly hurt!” cried Aurelia, with a gesture as + if to screen him. + </p> + <p> + “I ask what this means?” repeated Lady Belamour, advancing, and seeming to + fill the room with her majestic figure, in full brocaded dress, with + feathers waving in her hair. + </p> + <p> + “His Honour cannot answer you, my Lady,” said Mrs. Aylward. “He has had a + bad fall, and Mr. Belamour is gone to send for the doctor.” + </p> + <p> + “This is the housekeeping in my absence!” said Lady Belamour, showing less + solicitude as to her son’s condition than indignation at the discovery, + and her eyes and her diamonds glittering fearfully. + </p> + <p> + “My Lady,” said Mrs. Aylward, with stern respectfulness, “I knew nothing + of all this till this lady called me an hour ago telling me Sir Amyas was + hurt. I found him as you see. Please your Ladyship, I must go back to + him.” + </p> + <p> + “Speak then, you little viper,” said Lady Belamour, turning on Aurelia, + who had risen, but was held fast by the hand upon hers. “By what arts have + you well nigh slain my son? Come here, and tell me.” + </p> + <p> + “None, madam!” gasped Aurelia, trembling, so that she grasped her + chair-back with her free hand for support. “I never saw him till + to-night.” + </p> + <p> + “Lies will not serve you, false girl. Come here this instant! I <i>know</i> + that you have been shamelessly receiving my son here, night after night.” + </p> + <p> + “I never knew!” + </p> + <p> + “Missie Madam never knew,” chimed in Jumbo. “All in the dark. She thought + it old mas’r.” + </p> + <p> + Lady Belamour looked contemptuously incredulous; but the negro’s advocacy + gave a kind of courage to Aurelia, and availing herself of a slight + relaxation of the fingers she withdrew her hand, and coming forward, said, + “Indeed, madam, I know nothing, I was entirely deceived. Only hearing two + voices in the dark alarmed me, so that I listened to my sister, and struck + a light to discover the truth. Then all caught fire, and blazed up, and—” + </p> + <p> + “Then you are an incendiary as well as a traitor,” said her Ladyship, with + cold, triumphant malignity. “This is work for the constable. Here, + Loveday,” to her own woman, who was waiting in the outer room, “take this + person away, and lock her into her own room till morning, when we can give + her up to justice.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, my Lady,” cried Aurelia, crouching at her feet and clinging to her + dress, “do not be so cruel! Oh! let me go home to my father!” + </p> + <p> + “Madam!” cried a voice from the bed, “let alone my wife! Come, Aurelia. + Oh!” + </p> + <p> + Then starting up in bed had wrenched his broken arm, and he fell back + senseless again, just as Aurelia would have flown back to him, but his + mother stood between, spurning her away. + </p> + <p> + Another defender, if she could so be called, spoke for her. “It is true, + please your Ladyship,” said Mrs. Aylward, “that Mr. Belamour called her + the wife of this poor young gentleman.” + </p> + <p> + Jumbo too exclaimed, “No one knew but Jumbo; His Honour marry pretty + missie in mas’r’s wig and crimson dressing-gown.” + </p> + <p> + “A new stratagem!” ironically observed the incensed lady. “But your game + is played out, miss, for madam I cannot call you. Such a marriage cannot + stand for a moment; and if a lawyer like Amyas Belamour pretended it + could, either his wits were altogether astray or he grossly deceived you. + Or, as I believe, he trafficked with you to entrap this unhappy youth, + whose person and house you have, between you, almost destroyed. Remove + her, Loveday, and lock her up till we can send for a magistrate to take + depositions in the morning. Go quietly, girl I will not have my son + disturbed with your outcries.” + </p> + <p> + Poor Aurelia’s voice died in her throat. Oh! why did not Mr. Belamour come + to her rescue? Ah! he had bidden her trust and be patient; she had + transgressed, and he had abandoned her! There was no sign of life or + consciousness in the pallid face on the bed, and with a bleeding heart she + let the waiting-maid lead her through the outer apartment, still redolent + of the burning, reached her own chamber, heard the key turn in the lock, + and fell across her bed in a sort of annihilation. + </p> + <p> + The threat was unspeakably frightful. Those were days of capital + punishment for half the offences in the calendar, and of what was to her + scarcely less dreadful, of promiscuous imprisonment, fetters, and gaol + fever. Poor Aurelia’s ignorance could hardly enhance these horrors, and + when her perceptions began to clear themselves, her first thought was of + flight from a fate equally dreadful to the guilty or not guilty. + </p> + <p> + Springing from the bed, she tried the other door of her room, which was + level with the wainscoting, and not readily observed by a person + unfamiliar with the house. It yielded to her hand, and she knew there was + a whole suite of empty rooms thus communicating with one another. It was + one of those summer nights that are never absolutely dark, and there was a + full moon, so that she had light enough to throw off her conspicuous white + habit, all scorched and singed as it was, and to put on her dark blue + cloth one, with her camlet cloak and hood. She made up a small bundle of + clothes, took her purse, which was well filled with guineas and silver, + and moved softly to the door. Hide and seek had taught her all the modes + of eluding observation, and with her walking shoes in her hand, and her + feet slippered, she noiselessly crept through one empty room after + another, and descended the stair into her own lobby, where she knew how to + open the sash door. + </p> + <p> + One moment the thought that Mr. Belamour would protect her made her pause, + but the white phantom she had seen seemed more unreal than the voice she + was accustomed to, and both alike had vanished and abandoned her to her + fate. Nay, she had been cheated from the first. Everything had given way + with her. My Lady might be coming to send her to prison. Hark, some one + was coming! She darted out, down the steps, along the path like a wild + bird from a cage. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0025" id="link2HCH0025"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXIV. THE WANDERER. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Widowed wife and wedded maid, + Betrothed, betrayer, and betrayed.—SCOTT. +</pre> + <p> + Aurelia’s first halt was in a moss-grown summer-house at the end of the + garden, where she ventured to sit down to put on her stout leather shoes. + The children’s toys, a ball and a set of ninepins lay on the floor! How + many ages ago was it that she had made that sarcastic reply to Letty?—perhaps + her last! + </p> + <p> + A nightingale, close overhead, burst into a peal of song, repeating his + one favourite note, which seemed to her to cry out “Although my heart is + broke, broke, broke, broke.” The tears rushed into her eyes, but at a + noise as of opening doors or windows at the house, terror mastered her + again, and she hurried on to hide herself from the dawning light, which + was beginning to increase, as she crossed the park, on turf dank with + Maydew, and plunged deep into the thick woods beyond, causing many a + twittering cry of wondering birds. + </p> + <p> + Day had fully come, and slanting golden beams were shining through the + tender green foliage, and illuminating the boles of the trees, ere she was + forced by failing strength again to pause and sit on a faggot, while + gathering breath and considering where she should go. Home was her first + thought. Who could shield her but her father and sister? How she longed + for their comfort and guardianship! But how reach them? She had money but + could do little for her. England never less resembled those days of Brian + Boromhe when the maiden with the gems, rich and rare wandered unscathed + form sea to sea in Ireland. Post chaises, though coming into use, had not + dawned on the simple country girl’s imagination. She knew there was a + weekly coach from London to Bath, passing through Brentford, and that + place was also a great starting-place for stage waggons, of which one went + through Carminster, but her bewildered brain could not recall on what day + it started, and there was an additional shock of despair when she + remembered that it was Sunday morning. The chill of the morning dew was on + her limbs, she was exhausted by her fatigues of the night, a drowsy + recollection of the children in the wood came over her, and she sank into + a dreamy state that soon became actual sleep. She was wakened by a strong + bright sunbeam on her eyes, and found that this was what had warmed her + limbs in her sleep. A sound as of singing was also in her ears, and of + calling cows to be milked. She did not in the least know where she was, + for she had wandered into parts of the wood quite strange to her, but she + thought she must be a great way from home, and quite beyond recognition, + so she followed the voice, and soon came out on a tiny meadow glade, where + a stout girl was milking a great sheeted cow. + </p> + <p> + She knew now that she was faint with hunger and thirst, and must take food + before she could go much farther, so taking out a groat, her smallest + coin, she accosted the girl, and offered it for a draught of milk. To her + dismay the girl exclaimed “Lawk! It be young Madam! Sarvice, ma’am!” + </p> + <p> + “I have lost myself in the wood,” said Aurelia. “I should be much obliged + for a little milk.” + </p> + <p> + “Well to be sure. Think of that! And have ee been out all night? Ye looks + whisht!” said the girl, readily filling a wooden cup she had brought with + her, for in those days good new milk was a luxury far more easily + accessible than in ours. She added a piece of barley bread, her own + intended breakfast, and was full of respectful wonder, pity, and + curiosity, proposing that young Madam should come and rest in mother’s + cottage in the wood, and offering to guide her home as soon as the cows + were milked and the pigs fed. Aurelia had some difficulty in shaking her + off, finding also that she had gone round and round in the labyrinthine + paths, and was much nearer the village of Bowstead than she had intended. + </p> + <p> + Indeed, she was obliged to deceive the kindly girl by walking off in the + direction she pointed out, intending to strike afterwards into another + path, though where to go she had little idea, so long as it was out of + reach of my Lady and her prison. + </p> + <p> + Oh! if Harriet were only at Brentford, or if it were possible to reach the + Lea Farm where she was! Could she ask her way thither, or could she find + some shelter near or in Brentford till the coach or the waggon started? + This was the most definite idea her brain, refreshed somewhat by the food, + could form; but in the meantime she was again getting bewildered in the + field paths. It was a part she did not know, lying between the backs of + the cottages and their gardens, and the woods belonging to the great + house; and the long sloping meadows, spangled with cowslips were much + alike. The cowslips seemed to strike her with a pang as she recollected + her merry day among them last spring, and how little she then thought of + being a homeless wanderer. At last, scarce knowing where she was, she sat + down on the step of a stile leading to a little farmyard, leant her head + on the top bar and wept bitterly. + </p> + <p> + Again she startled by hearing a voice saying, “Sister, what is that in the + field?” and starting up, she saw Mrs. Delia in high pattens, and her + Sunday silk tucked up over her quilted petticoat, with a basket of corn in + her hand, surrounded by her poultry, while Mrs. Phoebe was bending over a + coop. She had stumbled unawares on their back premises, and with a wild + hope, founded on their well-known enmity to Lady Belamour, she sprang over + the stile. Mrs. Delia retreated in haste, but Mrs. Phoebe came to the + front. + </p> + <p> + “Oh! Mrs. Phoebe,” she cried, “I ask your pardon.” + </p> + <p> + “Mrs. Belamour! Upon my word! To what are we indebted for this visit?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! of your kindness listen to me, madam,” said Aurelia. “My Lady is + come, and there is some dreadful mistake, and she is very angry with me; + and if you would only take me in and hide me till the waggon goes and I + can get home!” + </p> + <p> + “So my Lady has found you out, you artful hussy,” returned Mrs. Phoebe. “I + have long guessed at your tricks! I knew it was no blackamoor that was + stealing into the great house.” + </p> + <p> + “I do not know what you mean.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! it is of no use to try your feigned artlessness on us. I wonder at + your assurance, after playing false with uncle and nephew both at once.” + </p> + <p> + “If you would but hear me!” + </p> + <p> + “I have heard enough of you already. I wonder you dare show your face at a + respectable house. Away with you, if you would not have me send the + constable after you!” + </p> + <p> + The threat renewed Aurelia’s terror, and again she fled, but this time she + fell into a path better known to her, that leading to Sedhurst, and + ultimately to Brentford. + </p> + <p> + The recollection of Dame Wheatfield’s genial good nature inspired her with + another hope, and she made her way towards the farm. The church bells were + ringing, and she saw the farmer and his children going towards the church, + but not the mistress, and she might therefore hope to find her at home and + alone. As she approached, a great dog began a formidable barking, and his + voice brought out the good woman in person. “Down, Bouncer! A won’t + hurt’ee, my lass. What d’ye lack that you bain’t at church?” + </p> + <p> + “May I speak to you, Mrs. Wheatfield?” + </p> + <p> + “My stars, if it bain’t young Miss—Madam, I mean! Nothing ain’t + wrong with the child?” + </p> + <p> + “O no, she is quite well, but—” + </p> + <p> + “What, ye be late for church? Come in and sit ye down a bit and sup after + your walk. We have been and killed Spotty’s calf, though ‘twas but a + staggering Bob, but us couldn’t spare the milk no longer. So we’ve got the + l’in on un for dinner, and you’re kindly welcome if you ain’t too proud. + Only I wish you had brought my little missie.” + </p> + <p> + “O Mrs. Wheatfield! Shall I ever see the dear little girl again? Oh! can + you help me? Do you know where Lea Farm is? I’d pay anything for a horse + and man to take me there, where my sister is staying.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, I don’t know as my master would hire a horse out of a Sunday, + unless ‘twere very particler—illness or suchlike. Lea Farm did you + say ma’am? Is it the Lea out by Windmill hill—Master Brown’s; or Lea + Farm, down by the river—Tom Smith’s?” + </p> + <p> + “No, this is Mr. Meadows’s, a grazier.” + </p> + <p> + “Never heard tell on him, ma’am, but the master might, when he comes in. + But bless me,” she added, after a moment’s consideration, “what will your + master say? He’ll be asking how it comes that a lady like you, with a + coach and horses of her own, should be coming after a horse here. You + ain’t been and got into trouble with my Lady, my dear?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! Dame, indeed I have; pray help me!” + </p> + <p> + It was no wonder that Mrs. Wheatfield failed to gather more than that + young Madam had almost burnt the house, and had fallen under grievous + displeasure, so as even to fear the constable. + </p> + <p> + “Bless your poor heart! Think of that now! But I’m afeard we can’t do + nothing for you. My master would be nigh about killing me if I harboured + you and got him into trouble, with the gentry.” + </p> + <p> + “If you could only hide me in some loft or barn till I could meet the + coach for Bath! Then I should be almost at home.” + </p> + <p> + “I dare not. The children are routing about everywhere on a Sunday + afternoon; and if so be as there’s a warrant out after you” (Aurelia + shuddered) “my man would be mad with me. He ain’t never forgot how his + grandfather was hanged up there in that very walnut for changing clothes + with a young gentleman in the wars long ago.” + </p> + <p> + “Then I must go! Oh, what will become of me?” + </p> + <p> + “Stay a bit! It goes to my heart to turn you from the door, and you so + white and faint. And they won’t be out of church yet a while. You’ve ate + nothing all this time! What was you thinking of doing, my dear?” + </p> + <p> + “I don’t know. If I could only find out the right Lea Farm, and get a man + and horse to take me there—but my sister goes on Monday, and I might + not find her, and nobody knows where it is. And nobody will take me in or + hide my till the coach goes! Oh, what will become of me?” + </p> + <p> + “It is bitter hard,” said the Dame. “I wish to my heart I could take you + in, but you see there’s the master! I’ll tell you what: there’s my cousin, + Patty Woodman; she might take you in for a night or two. But you’d never + find your way to her cot; it lies out beyond the spinneys. I must show you + the way. Look you here. Nobody can’t touch you in a church, they hain’t + got no power there, and if you would slip into that there empty place as + opens with the little door, as the ringers goes in by, afore morning + prayers is over I’ll make an excuse to come to evening prayer alone, or + only with little Davy, as is lying asleep there. If Patty is there I’ll + speak, and you can go home with her. If not, I must e’en walk with you out + to the spinney. Hern is a poor place, but her’s a good sort of body, and + won’t let you come to no harm; and her goes into Brentford with berries + and strawberries to meet the coaches, so may be she’ll know the day.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, thank you, thank you, dear Mrs. Wheatfield! If I can only get safe + home!” + </p> + <p> + “Come, don’t be in haste. You’ll take a bit of bread and cheese, and just + a draught of ale to hearten you up a bit.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia was too sick at heart for food, and feared to delay, lest she + should meet the congregation, but Mrs. Wheatfield forced on her a little + basket with some provisions, and she gladly accepted another draught of + milk. + </p> + <p> + No one came out by the little door she was told; all she had to do would + be to keep out of sight when the ringers came in before the afternoon + service. She knew the way, and was soon close to Mary Sedhurst’s grave. + “Ah! why was he not constant to her,” she thought; “and oh! why has he + deserted me in my need?” + </p> + <p> + The little door easily yielded, and she found herself—after passing + the staircase-turret that led by a gallery to the belfry in the centre of + the church—in an exceedingly dilapidated transept; once, no doubt, + it had been beautiful, before the coloured glass of the floriated window + had been knocked out and its place supplied with bricks. The broken effigy + of a crusading Sedhurst, devoid of arms, feet, and nose was stowed away in + the eastern sepulchre, in company with funeral apparatus, torn books, and + moth-eaten cushions. But this would not have shocked her even in calmer + moments. She only cared to find a corner where she was entirely sheltered, + between a green stained pier and the high wall and curtain of a gigantic + pew, where no doubt sweet Mary Sedhurst had once worshipped. The lusty + voices of the village choir in some exalted gallery beyond her view were + shouting out a familiar tune, and with some of Betty’s mild superstition + about “the singing psalms,” she heard— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “Since I have placed my trust in God + A refuge always nigh, + Why should I, like tim’rous bird + To distant mountains fly? + + “Behold the wicked bend their bow, + And ready fix their dart, + Lurking in ambush to destroy + The man of upright heart. + + “When once the firm assurance fails + Which public faith imparts, + ‘Tis time for innocence to flee + From such deceitful arts. + + “The Lord hath both a temple here + And righteous throne above, + Whence He surveys the sons of men, + And how their counsels move.” + </pre> + <p> + Poor timorous bird, whom even the firm assurance of wedded faith had + failed, what was left to her but to flee from the darts levelled against + her? Yet that last verse brought a sense of protection. Ah! did she + deserve it? A prayerless night and prayerless morning had been hers, and + no wonder, since she had never gone to bed nor risen with the ordinary + forms; but it was with a pang that she recollected that the habit of + calling out in her heart for guidance and help had been slipping from her + for a long time past, and she had never asked for heavenly aid when her + judgment was perplexed by Harriet, no, nor for protection in her flight. + </p> + <p> + She resolved to say her morning prayers with full attention so soon as the + church was empty, and meantime to follow the service with all her powers, + though her pulses were still throbbing and her head aching. + </p> + <p> + In the far distance she heard the Commandments, and near to her the unseen + clerk responding, and then followed a gospel of love and comfort. She + could not catch every word, but there was a sense of promised peace and + comfort, which began to soothe the fluttering heart, for the first time + enjoying a respite from the immediate gripe of deadly terror. + </p> + <p> + The sermon chimed in with these feelings, not that she could have any + account of it, nor preserved any connected memory, but it was full of the + words, Faith, Love, Sacrifice, so that they were borne in on her ear and + thought. Heavenly Love surrounding as with an atmosphere those who had + only faith to “taste and see how gracious the Lord is,” believing that + which cannot be seen, and therefore having it revealed to their inmost + sense, and thus living the only real life. + </p> + <p> + This was the chief thought that penetrated to her mind as she crouched on + the straw hassock behind the pew, and shared unseen in the blessing of + peace. No one saw her as the hob-nailed shoes trooped out of church, and + soon she was entirely alone, kneeling still in her hiding-place, and + whispering half-aloud the omitted morning prayer, whose heartfelt + signification had, she felt, been neglected for a long, long time. + </p> + <p> + Since when? Ah! ever since those strange mysterious voices and caresses + had come to charm and terrify her, and when her very perplexity should + have warned her to cling closer to the aid of her Heavenly Father. Vague + yearnings, uplifted feelings, discontents, and little tempers had usurped + the place of higher feelings, and blinded her eyes. And through it all, + her heart began to ache and long for tidings of him on whose pale features + she had gazed so long and who had ventured and suffered so much for her, + nay, who had started into a moment’s life for her protection! All the + tumult of resentment at the deception practised on her fell on the uncle + rather than the nephew; and in spite of this long year of tender kindness + and consideration from the recluse, there was a certain consideration from + the recluse, there was a certain leaping of heart at finding herself bound + not to him but to the youth whose endearments returned with a flood of + tender remembrance. And she had fled just as he had claimed her as his + wife, had fled just as he had claimed her as his wife, unheeding whether + he died of the injury she had caused him! All that justified her alarm was + forgotten, her heartstrings had wound themselves round him, and began to + pull her back. + </p> + <p> + Then she thought of the danger of directing Lady Belamour’s wrath on her + father, and leading to his expulsion and destitution. She had been sent + from home, and bestowed in marriage to prevent his ruin, and should she + now ensure it? Her return to him or even her disappearance would no doubt + lead to high words from him, and then he would be cast out to beggary in + his old age. No, she could only save him by yielding herself up, + exonerating him from all knowledge of her strange marriage, far more of + the catastrophe, and let my Lady do her worst! She had, as she knew, not + been going on well lately, but she had confessed her faults, and recovered + her confidence that her Heavenly Father would guard her as long as she + resolutely did her duty. And her duty, as daughter and a wife, if indeed + she was one, was surely to return, where her heart was drawing her. It + might be very terrible, but still it was going nearer to <i>him</i>, and + it would save her father. + </p> + <p> + The door was still open; she wrote a few words of gratitude and + explanation to Dame Wheatfield, on a piece of a torn book, wrapped a + couple of guineas in it, and laid it in the basket, then kneeling again to + implore protection and safety, and if it might be, forgiveness and + reconciliation, she set forth. “Love is strong as death,” said Mary + Sedhurst’s tomb. She knew better what that meant than when her childish + eyes first fell upon it. A sense of Divine Love was wrapping her round + with a feeling of support and trust, while the human love drew her onwards + to confront all deadly possibilities in the hope of rejoining her husband, + or at least of averting misfortune from her father. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0026" id="link2HCH0026"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXV. VANISHED. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Where there is no place + For the glow-worm to lie, + Where there is no space + For receipt of a fly, + Where the midge dares not venture + Lest herself fast she lay, + If Love come, he will enter + And find out the way.—OLD SONG. +</pre> + <p> + Major Delavie and his eldest daughter were sitting down to supper in the + twilight, when a trampling of horses was heard in the lane a carriage was + seen at the gate, and up the pathway came a slender youthful figure, in a + scarlet coat, with an arm in a sling. + </p> + <p> + “It is!—yes, it is!” exclaimed Betty: “Sir Amyas himself!” + </p> + <p> + In spite of his lameness, the Major had opened the door before Palmer + could reach it; but his greeting and inquiry were cut short by the young + man’s breathless question: “Is she here?” + </p> + <p> + “Who?” + </p> + <p> + “My wife—my love. Your daughter, sweet Aurelia! Ah! it was my one + hope.” + </p> + <p> + “Come in, come in, sir,” entreated Betty, seeing how fearfully pale he + grew. “What has befallen you, and where is my sister?” + </p> + <p> + “Would that I knew! I trusted to have found her here; but now, sir, you + will come with me and find her!” + </p> + <p> + “I do not understand you, sir,” said the Major severely, “nor how you are + concerned in the matter. My daughter is the wife of your uncle, Mr. + Belamour, and if, as I fear, you bear the marks of a duel in consequence + of any levity towards her, I shall not find it easy to forgive.” + </p> + <p> + “On my word and honour it is no such thing,” said the youth, raising a + face full of frank innocence: “Your daughter is my wife, my most dear and + precious wife, with full consent and knowledge of my uncle. I was married + to her in his clothes, in the darkened room, our names being the same!” + </p> + <p> + “Was this your promise?” Betty exclaimed. + </p> + <p> + “Miss Delavie, to the best of my ability I have kept my promise. Your + sister has never seen me, nor to her knowledge spoken with me.” + </p> + <p> + “These are riddles, young man,” said the Major sternly. “If all be not + well with my innocent child, I shall know how to demand an account.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said the youth: “I swear to you that she is the same innocent + maiden as when she left you. Oh!” he added with a gesture of earnest + entreaty, “blame me as you will, only trace her.” + </p> + <p> + “Sit down, and let us hear,” said Betty kindly, pushing a chair towards + him and pouring out a glass of wine. He sank into the first, but waved + aside the second, becoming however so pale that the Major sprang to hold + the wine to his lips saying: “Drink, boy, I say!” + </p> + <p> + “Not unless you forgive me,” he replied in a hoarse, exhausted voice. + </p> + <p> + “Forgive! Of course, I forgive, if you have done no wrong by my child. I + see, I see, ‘tis not wilfully. You have been hurt in her defence.” + </p> + <p> + “Not exactly,” he said: “I have much to tell,” but the words came slowly, + and there was a dazed weariness about his eye that made Betty say, in + spite of her anxiety—“You cannot till you have eaten and rested. If + only one word to say where she is!” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! that I could! My hope was to find her here,” and he was choked by a + great strangling sob, which his youthful manhood sought to restrain. + </p> + <p> + Betty perceived that he was far from being recovered from the injury he + had suffered, and did her best to restrain her own and her father’s + anxiety till she had persuaded him to swallow some of the excellent coffee + which Nannerl always made at sight of a guest. To her father’s questions + meantime, he had answered that he had broken his arm ten days ago, but he + could not wait, he had posted down as soon as he could move. + </p> + <p> + “You ought to sleep before you tell us farther,” said the Major, speaking + from a strong sense of the duties of a host; but he was relieved when the + youth answered, “You are very good, sir, but I could not sleep till you + know all.” + </p> + <p> + “Speak, then,” said the Major, “I cannot look at your honest young + countenance and think you guilty of more than disobedient folly; but I + fear it may have cost my poor child very dear! Is it your mother that you + dread?” + </p> + <p> + “I would be thankful even to know her in my mother’s keeping!” he said. + </p> + <p> + “Is there no mistake?” said the Major; “my daughter, Mrs. Arden, saw her + at Brentford, safe and blooming.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, that was before—before—” said Sir Amyas, “the day before + she fled from my mother at Bowstead, and has been seen no more.” + </p> + <p> + He put his hand over his face, and bowed it on the table in such + overpowering grief as checked the exclamations of horror and dismay and + the wrathful demands that were rising to the lips of his auditors, and + they only looked at one another in speechless sorrow. Presently he + recovered enough to say, “Have patience with me, and I will try to explain + all. My cousin, Miss Delavie, knows that I loved her sweet sister from the + moment I saw her, and that I hurried to London in the hope of meeting her + at my mother’s house. On the contrary, my mother, finding it vain to deny + all knowledge of her, led me to believe that she was boarded at a young + ladies’ school with my little sisters. I lived on the vain hope of the + holidays, and meantime every effort was made to drive me into a marriage + which my very soul abhorred, the contract being absolutely made by the two + ladies, the mothers, without my participation, nay, against my protest. I + was to be cajoled or else persecuted into it—sold, in fact, that my + mother’s debts might be paid before her husband’s return! I knew my Uncle + Belamour was my sole true personal guardian, though he had never acted + further than by affixing his signature when needed. I ought to have gone + long before to see him, but as I now understand, obstacles had been + purposely placed in my way, while my neglectful reluctance was encouraged. + It was in the forlorn hope of finding in him a resource that took me to + Bowstead at last, and then it was that I learnt how far my mother could + carry deception. There I found my sisters, and learnt that my own sweetest + life had been placed there likewise. She was that afternoon visiting some + old ladies, but my uncle represented that my meeting her could only cause + her trouble and lead to her being removed. I was forced then to yield, + having an engagement in London that it would have been fatal to break, but + I came again at dark, and having sworn me to silence, he was forced to let + me take advantage of the darkness of his chamber to listen to her + enchanting voice. He promised to help me, as far as he had the power, in + resisting the hateful Aresfield engagement, and he obtained the assistance + of an old friend in making himself acquainted with the terms of his + guardianship, and likewise of a letter my father had left for him. He has + given me leave to show a part of it to you, sir,” he added, “you will see + that my father expressed a strong opinion that you were wronged in the + matter of the estates, and declared that he had hoped to make some + compensation by a contract between one of your daughters and my brother + who died. He charged my uncle if possible to endeavour to bring about such + a match between one of your children and myself. Thus, you see, I was + acting in the strictest obedience. You shall see the letter at once, if I + may bid my fellow Gray bring my pocket-book from my valise.” + </p> + <p> + “I doubt not of your words, my young friend; your father was a gentleman + of a high and scrupulous honour. But why all this hide-and-seek work?—I + hate holes and corners!” + </p> + <p> + “You will see how we were driven, sir. My mother came in her turn to see + my uncle, and obtain his sanction to her cherished plan, and when he + absolutely refused, on account of Lady Aresfield’s notorious character, if + for no other, she made him understand that nothing would be easier than to + get him declared a lunatic and thus to dispense with his consent. Then, + finding how the sweet society of your dear daughter had restored him to + new life and spirit, she devised the notable expedient of removing what + she suspected to be the chief cause of my contumacy, by marrying the poor + child to him. He scouted the idea as a preposterous and cruel sacrifice, + but it presently appeared that Colonel Mar was ready to find her a + debauched old lieutenant who would gladly marry—what do I say?—it + profanes the word—but accept the young lady for a couple of hundred + pounds. Then did I implore my uncle to seem to yield, and permit me to + personate him at the ceremony. Our names being the same, and all being + done in private and in the dark, the whole was quite possible, and it + seemed the only means of saving her from a terrible fate.” + </p> + <p> + “He might—or you might, have remembered that she had a father!” said + the Major. + </p> + <p> + “True. But you were at a distance, and my mother’s displeasure against you + was to be deprecated.” + </p> + <p> + “I had rather she had been offended fifty times than have had such + practices with my poor little girl!” said Major Delavie. “No wonder the + proposals struck me as strange and ambiguous. Whose writing was it?” + </p> + <p> + “Mine, at his dictation,” said the youth. “He was unwilling, but my + importunity was backed by my mother’s threats, conveyed through Hargrave, + that unless Aurelia became his wife she should be disposed of otherwise, + and that his sanity might be inquired into. Hargrave, who is much attached + to my uncle, and is in great awe of my Lady, was thoroughly frightened, + and implored him to secure himself and the young lady by consenting, + thinking, too, that anything that would rouse him would be beneficial.” + </p> + <p> + “It is strange!” mused the Major. “A clear-headed punctilious man like + your uncle, to lend himself to a false marriage! His ten years of + melancholy must have changed him greatly!” + </p> + <p> + “Less than you suppose, sir; but you will remember that my mother is + esteemed as a terrible power by all concerned with her. Even when she + seemed to love me tenderly, I was made to know what it was to cross her + will, and alas! she always carries her point.” + </p> + <p> + “It did seem a mode of protection,” said Betty, more kindly. + </p> + <p> + “And” added the youth, “my uncle impressed on me from the first that he + only consented on condition the I treated this wedlock as betrothal alone, + never met my sweet love save in his dark room, and never revealed myself + to her. He said it was a mere expedient for guarding her until I shall + come of age, or Mr. Wayland comes home, when I shall woo her openly, and + if needful, repeat the ceremony with her full knowledge. Meanwhile I wrote + the whole to my stepfather, and am amazed that he has never written nor + come home.” + </p> + <p> + “That is the only rational thing I have heard,” said the Major. “Though—did + your uncle expect your young blood to keep the terms?” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, sir, I was frightened enough the first evening that I ventured on + any advances, for they startled her enough to make her swoon away. I + carried her from her room, and my uncle dragged me back before the colour + came back to that lovely face so that the women might come to her. That + was the only time I ever saw her save through the chinks of the shutters. + Judge of the distraction I lived in!” + </p> + <p> + Betty looked shocked, but her father chuckled a little, though he + maintained his tone of censure “And may I inquire how often these + distracting interviews took place?” + </p> + <p> + “Cruelly seldom for one to whom they were life itself! Mar is, as you + know, colonel of my corps, and my liberty has been restrained as much as + possible; I believe I have been oftener on guard and on court-martial than + any officer of my standing in the service; but about once in a fortnight I + could contrive to ride down to a little wayside inn where I kept a fresh + horse, also a livery coat and hat. I tied up my horse in a barn on the + borders of the park, and put on a black vizard, so as to pass for my + uncle’s negro in the dark. I could get admittance to my uncle’s rooms + unknown to any servant save faithful Jumbo—who has been the sole + depository of our secret. However, since my mother’s return from Bath, + where the compact with Lady Aresfield was fully determined, the + persecution has been fiercer. I may have aroused suspicion by failing to + act my part when she triumphantly announced my uncle’s marriage to me, or + else by my unabated resistance to the little termagant who is to be forced + on me. At any rate, I have been so intolerably watched whenever I was not + on duty, that my hours of bliss became rarer than ever. Well, sir, my + uncle charges me with indiscretion, and says my ardour aroused + unreasonable suspicions. He was constantly anxious, and would baulk me in + my happiest and most tantalising moments by making some excuse for + breaking up the evening, and then would drive me frantic by asking whether + he was to keep up my character for consistency in my absence. However, ten + days since, the twelfth of May, after three weeks’ unendurable detention + in town on one pretext or another, I escaped, and made my way to Bowstead + at last. My uncle told me that he had been obliged unwillingly to consent + to our precious charge going to meet her sister at Brentford, and that she + was but newly come home. Presently she entered, but scarcely had I + accosted her before a blaze broke out close to us. The flame caught the + dry old curtains, they flamed up like tinder, and as I leaped up on a + table to tear them down, it gave way with me, I got a blow on the head, + and knew no more. It seems that my uncle, as soon as the fire was out, + finding that my arm was broken, set out to send the groom for the doctor—he + being used to range the park at night. The stupid fellow, coming home half + tipsy from the village, saw his white hair and beard in the moonlight, + took him for a ghost, and ran off headlong. Thereupon my uncle, with new + energy in the time of need, saddled the horse, changed his dressing-gown + with the groom’s coat, and rode off to Brentford. Then, finding that Dr. + Hunter was not within, he actually went on to London, where Dr. Sandys, + who had attended him ever since his would, forced him to go to bed, and to + remain there till his own return. Thus my darling had no one to protect + her, when, an hour or so after the accident, my mother suddenly appeared. + Spies had been set on me by Mar, and so soon as they had brought + intelligence of my movements she had hurried off from Ranelagh, in full + dress, just as she was, to track and surprise me. My uncle, having gone by + the bridle path, had not met her, and I was only beginning to return to my + senses. I have a dim recollection of hearing my mother threatening and + accusing Aurelia, and striving to interfere, but I was as one bound down, + and all after that is blank to me. When my understanding again became + clear, I could only learn that my mother had locked her into her own room, + whence she had escaped, and”—with a groan—“nothing has been + heard of her since!” Again he dropped his head on his hand as one in utter + dejection. + </p> + <p> + “Fled! What has been done to trace her?” cried the Major. + </p> + <p> + “Nothing could be done till my mother was gone and my uncle returned. The + delirium was on me, and whatever I tried to say turned to raving, all the + worse if I saw or heard my mother, till Dr. Sandys forbade her coming near + me. She was invited to the Queen’s Sunday card party moreover, so she + fortunately quitted Bowstead just before Mr. Belamour’s return.” + </p> + <p> + “Poor gentleman, he could do nothing,” said Betty. + </p> + <p> + “Indeed I should have thought so, but it seems that he only needed a shock + to rouse him. His state had become hypochondriacal, and this strong + emotion has caused him to exert himself; and when he came into the + daylight, he found he could bear it. I could scarce believe my eyes when, + on awakening from a sleep, I found him by my bedside, promising me that if + I would only remain still, he would use every endeavour to recover the + dear one. He went first to Brentford, thinking she might have joined her + sister there, but Mr. and Mrs. Arden had left it at the same time as she + did. Then he travelled on to their Rectory at Rundell Canonicorum, + thinking she might have followed them, but they had only just arrived, and + had heard nothing of her; and he next sought her with his friend the Canon + of Windsor, but all in vain. Meantime my mother had visited me, and denied + all knowledge of her, only carrying away my little sisters, I believe + because she found them on either side of my bed, telling me tales of their + dear Cousin Aura’s kindness. When my uncle returned to Bowstead I could + bear inaction no longer, and profited by my sick leave to travel down + hither, trusting that she might have found her way to her home, and + longing to confess all and implore your pardon, sir,—and, alas! Your + aid in seeking her.” + </p> + <p> + With the large tears in his eyes, the youth rose from his chair as he + spoke, and knelt on one knee before the Major, who exclaimed, extremely + affected—“By all that is sacred, you have it, my dear boy. It is a + wretched affair, but you meant to act honourably throughout, and you have + suffered heavily. May God bless you both, and give us back my dear child. + My Lady must have been very hard with her, to make her thus fly, all + alone.” + </p> + <p> + “You do not know, I suppose, any cause for so timid a creature preferring + flight to a little restraint?” + </p> + <p> + “It seems,” said Sir Amyas sadly, “that something the dear girl said gave + colour to the charge of having caused the fire, and that my mother in her + first passion threatened her with the constable!” + </p> + <p> + “My poor Aurelia! that might well scare her,” cried Betty: “but how could + it be?” + </p> + <p> + “They say she spoke of using something her sister had given her to + discover what the mystery was that alarmed her.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! that gunpowder trick of Mr. Arden’s—I always hated it!” + exclaimed Betty. + </p> + <p> + “Gunpowder indeed!” growled the old soldier. “Well, if ever there’s + mischief among the children, Harriet is always at the bottom of it. I hope + Mr. Belamour made her confess if she had a hand in it.” + </p> + <p> + “I believe he did,” said Sir Amyas. + </p> + <p> + “Just like her to set the match to the train and then run away,” said the + Major. + </p> + <p> + “Still, sir,” said Betty, her womanhood roused to defence, “though I am + angered and grieved enough that Harriet should have left Aurelia to face + the consequences of the act she instigated, I must confess that even by + Sir Amyas’s own showing, if he will allow me to say so, my sisters were + justified in wishing to understand the truth.” + </p> + <p> + “That is what my uncle tells me,” said the baronet. “He declares that if I + had attended to his stipulations, restrained my fervour, or kept my + distance, there would have been neither suspicion nor alarm. As if I had + not restrained myself!” + </p> + <p> + “Ay, I dare say,” said the Major, a little amused. + </p> + <p> + “Well, sir, what could a man do with most bewitching creature in the + world, his own wife, too, on the next chair to him?” + </p> + <p> + There was a simplicity about the stripling—for he was hardly more—which + forced them to forgive him; besides, they were touched by his paleness and + fatigue. His own man—a respectable elderly servant whom the Major + recollected waiting on Sir Jovian—came to beg that his honour would + sit up no longer, as he had been travelling since six in the morning, and + was quite worn out. Indeed, so it proved; for when the Major and Betty not + only promised to come with him on the search the next day, but bade him a + kind affectionate good-night, the poor lad, all unused to kindness, fairly + burst into tears, which all his dawning manhood could not restrain. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0027" id="link2HCH0027"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXVI. THE TRACES. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Oh, if I were an eagle to soar into the sky, + I’d gaze around with piercing eye when I my love might spy. +</pre> + <p> + The second-best coach, which resided at Bowstead, the same which had + carried Aurelia off from Knightsbridge, had brought Sir Amyas Belamour to + Carminster—an effeminate proceeding of which he was rather ashamed, + though clearly he could not have ridden, and he had hoped to have brought + his bride back in it. + </p> + <p> + There was plenty of room in it to take back the Major, Betty, and even + Eugene, since he could not well have been left without his sister or + Palmer, who was indispensable to the Major. He was so enchanted at “riding + in a coach,” and going perhaps to see London, that he did not trouble + himself much about sister Aurelia being lost, and was in such high spirits + as to be best disposed of outside, between Palmer and Gray, where he could + at his ease contemplate the horses, generally four in number, though at + some stages only two could be procured, and then at an extra steep hill a + farmer’s horse from the hayfield would be hitched on in front. Luckily + there was no lack of money; Mr. Belamour and Hargrave had taken care that + Sir Amyas should be amply supplied, and thus the journey was as rapid as + posting could be in those days of insufficient inns, worse roads, and + necessary precautions against highwaymen. + </p> + <p> + The road was not the same as that which the young baronet had come down + by, as it was thought better to take the chance of meeting a different + stage waggon, Sir Amyas and his servant having, of course, examined the + one they had overtaken in coming down. At every possible resting place on + the route was inquiry made, but all in vain; no one had seen such a young + gentlewoman as was described, or if some answer inspired hope for a + moment, it was dashed again at once. The young gentlewoman once turned out + to be the Squire’s fat lady, and another time was actually pursued into a + troop of strolling players, attiring themselves in a barn, whence she came + with cheeks freshly rouged with blood taken from a cat’s tail. + </p> + <p> + The young baronet had meanwhile become very dear to the Major and his + daughter. He had inherited his mother’s indescribable attractiveness, and + he was so frank, so affectionate, so unspoilt, so grateful for the little + attentions demanded by his maimed condition, so considerate of the Major, + and so regardless of himself, and, above all, so passionately devoted to + his dearest life, as he called Aurelia, that it was impossible not to take + him into their hearts, and let him be, as he entreated, a son and a + brother. + </p> + <p> + The travellers decided on first repairing to Bowstead, thinking it + probable that the truant might have returned thither, or that Mr. Belamour + might have found her in some one of the cottages around. Hopes began to + rise, and Major Delavie scolded Sir Amyas in quite a paternal manner + whenever he began to despond, though the parts were reversed whenever the + young people’s expectations began to soar beyond his own spirits at the + moment. + </p> + <p> + “Is yonder Hargrave? No, it is almost like my father!” exclaimed Sir + Amyas, in amazement, as the coach lumbered slowly up the approach, and a + very remarkable figure was before them. The long white beard was gone, the + hair was brushed back, tied up, and the ends disposed of in a square black + silk bag, hanging down behind; and the dark grey coat, with collar and + deep cuffs of black velvet, was such as would be the ordinary wear of an + elderly man of good position; but the face, a fine aquiline one, as to + feature, was of perfectly absolute whiteness, scarcely relieved by the + thin pale lips, or the eyes, which, naturally of a light-grey, had become + almost as colourless as the rest of the face, and Betty felt a shock as if + she had seen a marble statue clothed and animated, bowing and speaking. + </p> + <p> + The anxious inquiry and the mournful negative had been mutually exchanged + before the carriage door was opened, and all were standing together in the + avenue. + </p> + <p> + “I have, however, found a clue, or what may so prove,” said Mr. Belamour, + when the greetings had passed. “I have discovered how our fugitive passed + the early part of the Sunday;” and he related how he had elicited from the + Mistresses Treforth that they had seen her and driven her away with + contumely. + </p> + <p> + Sir Amyas and the Major were not sparing of interjections, and the former + hoped that his uncle had told them what they deserved. + </p> + <p> + “Thereby only incurring the more compassion,” said Mr. Belamour, dryly, + and going on to say that he had extended his inquires to Sedhurst, and had + heard of her visit to Dame Wheatfield; also, that the good woman, going to + seek her at the church, had found only the basket with the guineas in the + paper. She had regarded this merely as a wrapper, and, being unable to + read, had never noticed the writing, but she had fortunately preserved it, + and Mr. Belamour thus learnt Aurelia’s intention of throwing herself on + Lady Belamour’s mercy. + </p> + <p> + “My mother utterly denied all knowledge of her, when I cried out in + anguish when she came to see me!” said Sir Amyas. + </p> + <p> + “So she does to Hargrave, whom she sent off to interrogate Mrs. Arden,” + said Mr. Belamour. + </p> + <p> + “Have you any reason to think the child could have reached my Lady?” + inquired Betty, seeing that none of the gentlemen regarded my Lady’s + denials as making any difference to their belief, though not one of them + chose to say so. + </p> + <p> + “Merely negative evidence,” said Mr. Belamour. “I find that no one in the + house actually beheld the departure of my Lady on that Sunday afternoon. + The little girls had been found troublesome, and sent out into the park + with Molly, and my nephew was giving full employment to Jumbo and Mrs. + Aylward in my room. The groom, who was at the horses’ heads, once averred + that he saw two women get into the carriage besides her ladyship; but he + is such a sodden confused fellow, and so contradicts himself, that I can + make nothing of him.” + </p> + <p> + “He would surely know his young mistress,” said Sir Amyas. + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps not in the camlet hood, which Dame Wheatfield says she wore.” + </p> + <p> + “Was good old Dove acting as coachman?” said Betty. “We should learn + something from him.” + </p> + <p> + “It was not her own coach,” said Mr. Belamour. “All the servants were + strangers, the liveries sanguine, and the panels painted with helmets and + trophies.” + </p> + <p> + “Mar’s,” said Sir Amyas, low and bitterly. + </p> + <p> + “I guessed as much,” said his uncle. “It was probably chosen on purpose, + if the child has friends in your own household.” + </p> + <p> + “Then I must demand her,” said the Major. “She cannot be denied to her + father.” + </p> + <p> + “At any rate we must go to town to-morrow,” said Mr. Belamour. “We have + done all we can here.” + </p> + <p> + “Let us send for horses and go on at once,” cried Sir Amyas. + </p> + <p> + “Not so fast, nephew. I see, by her face, that Miss Delavie does not + approve, though our side of the town is safer than Hounslow.” + </p> + <p> + “I was not thinking of highwaymen, sir, but we set forth at five this + morning, and Sir Amyas always becomes flushed and feverish if he is over + fatigued; nor is my father so strong as he was.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah, ha! young sir, in adopting Betty for a sister you find you have + adopted a quartermaster-general, eh?” said the Major; “but she is quite + right. We should not get to town before ten or eleven at night, and what + good would that do? No, no, let us sup and have a good night’s rest, and + we will drive into town long enough before fine ladies are astir in the + morning, whatever may be the fashionable hour nowadays.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, nephew, you must content yourself with acting host to your father + and sister-in-law in your own house,” said his uncle. + </p> + <p> + “It seems to me more like yours, sir,” rejoined the youth; but at the hall + door, with all his native grace, he turned and gave his welcome, kissing + Betty on the cheek with the grave ceremony of the host, and lamenting, + poor fellow, that he stood alone without his bride to receive them. + </p> + <p> + “Is that Jumbo?” asked Betty. “I must thank him for all his kind service + to my dear sister.” + </p> + <p> + Faithful Jumbo fairly wept when—infinite condescension for those + days—Major Delavie shook hands with him and thanked him. + </p> + <p> + “If pretty Missie Madam were but safe and well, Jumbo would wish no more,” + he sobbed out. + </p> + <p> + “Poor Jumbo,” said Mr. Belamour, “he has never been the same man since + pretty Missie Madam has been lost. I hear his violin mourning for her till + it is enough to break one’s heart!” + </p> + <p> + However Eugene created a diversion by curious inquiries whether Jumbo + would indeed play the fiddle of which he had heard from Archer and Amoret, + and he ran off most eagerly after the negro to be introduced to the + various curiosities of the place. + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Aylward attended Miss Delavie to her room, and showed herself much + softened. As a good, conscientious woman, she felt that she had acted a + selfish part towards the lonely maiden, and Betty’s confident belief that + she had been a kind friend was a keen reproach. + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, madam,” she said, “I would lief you could truly call me such, but + when young Miss came here first I took her for one of that flighty sort + that it is wise not to meddle with more than needful. I have kept my place + here these thirty years by never making or meddling, and knowing nothing + about what don’t concern me, and is out of my province. Now, I wish I had + let the poor young lady be more friendly with me, for maybe I could have + been of use to her in her need. + </p> + <p> + “You had no suspicion?” + </p> + <p> + “No, ma’am; though I find there were those who suspected some one came up + here disguised as Jumbo; but I was never one to lend an ear to gossip, and + by that time I trusted the dear young lady altogether, and knew she would + never knowingly do aught that was unbecoming her station, or her + religion.” + </p> + <p> + “I am glad the dear child won your good opinion,” said Betty. + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, ma’am, that you may say,” returned Mrs. Aylward, whom anxiety had + made confidential; “for I own I was prejudiced against her from the first, + as, if you’ll excuse me, ma’am, all we Bowstead people are apt to be set + against whatever comes from my Lady’s side. However, one must have been + made of the nether millstone not to feel the difference she made in the + house. She was the very life of it with her pretty ways, singing and + playing with the children, and rousing up the poor gentleman too that had + lived just like a mere heathen in a dungeon, and wouldn’t so much as hear + a godly word in his despair. And now he has a minister once a fortnight to + read prayers, and is quite another man—all through that blessed + young lady, who has brought him back to light and life.” And as Betty’s + tears flowed at this testimony to her sister, the housekeeper added, + “Never you fear, ma’am; she is one of God’s innocents and His Hand will be + over her.” + </p> + <p> + Meantime, having dismissed the young lover to take, if he could, a much + needed night’s rest, the Major was listening to Mr. Belamour’s confession. + “I was the most to blame, in as much as an old fool is worse than a young + one; and I would that the penalty fell on me alone.” + </p> + <p> + “If she be in my cousin’s hands I cannot believe that she will permit any + harm to befall her,” said the good Major, still clinging to his faith in + Urania—the child he had taught to ride, and with whom he had danced + her first minuet. + </p> + <p> + “What I dread most is her being forced into some low marriage,” said Mr. + Belamour. “The poor child’s faith in the ceremony that passed must have + been overthrown, and who can tell what she may be induced to accept?” + </p> + <p> + “It was that threat which moved you?” said the Major. + </p> + <p> + “Yes. Hargrave assured me that my Lady had actually offered her to him, + with a bribe of a farm on easy terms; and when she found that he had other + intentions, there seemed to be some broken-down sycophant of Mar’s upon + the cards, but of course I was preferable, both because my fair + sister-in-law has some lingering respect for the honour of her own blood, + and because the bar between Aurelia and my nephew would be perpetual. I + knew likewise that it was my brother’s earnest desire that a match should + take place between your children and his. + </p> + <p> + “He did me too much honour. The lad showed me the extract from his + letter.” + </p> + <p> + “I could not give him the whole. It was fit for no eyes but mine, who had + so long neglected it, and barely understood that it existed. My poor + brother’s eyes were fully opened to his wife’s character, and even while + he loved her to distraction, and yielded to her fascinating mastery + against his better judgment, he left me the charge of trying in some + degree to repair the injustice he believed you to be suffering, and of + counteracting evil influences on her son.” + </p> + <p> + “That seems at least to have been done.” + </p> + <p> + “By no efforts of mine; but because the boy was happily permitted to + remain with the worthy tutor his father had chosen for him, and because + Wayland is an excellent man, wise and prudent in all things save in being + bewitched by a fair face. Would that he were returned! When I first + consented to act this fool’s part, I trusted that he would have been at + home soon enough to prevent more than the nominal engagement, and when my + Lady’s threats rendered it needful to secure the poor child by giving her + my name, I still expected him before my young gentleman should utterly + betray himself by his warmth.” + </p> + <p> + “He tells me that he has written.” + </p> + <p> + “True. On that I insisted, and I am the more uneasy, for there has been + ample time for a reply. It is only too likely, from what my nephew tells + me of his venturesome explorations, that he may have fallen into the hands + of the Moorish corsairs! Hargrave says it is rumoured; but my Lady will + not be checked in her career of pleasure, and if she is fearful of his + return, she may precipitate matters with the poor girl!” + </p> + <p> + “Come, come, sir, I cannot have you give way to despondency. You did your + best, and if it did not succeed, it was owing to my foolish daughter + Arden. Why, if she was not satisfied about her sister, could she not have + come here, and demanded an explanation? That would have been the + straightforward way!” + </p> + <p> + “Would that she had! Or would that I had sooner discovered my own entire + recovery, which I owe in very truth to the sweet being who has brought new + life alike of body and mind to me, and who must think I have requited her + so cruelly.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0028" id="link2HCH0028"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXVII. CYTHEREA’S BOWER. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + There Citherea, goddesse was and quene, + Honourid highly for her majeste, + And eke her sonne, the mighty god I weene, + Cupid the blinde, that for his dignite + A M lovers worshipp on ther kne. + There was I bid on pain of dethe to pere, + By Mercury, the winged messengre.—CHAUCER. +</pre> + <p> + By twelve o’clock on the ensuing day Mr. Belamour, with Eugene and Jumbo, + was set down at a hotel near Whitehall, to secure apartments, while the + Major went on to demand his daughter from Lady Belamour, taking with him + Betty, whom he allowed to be a much better match for my Lady than he could + be. Very little faith in his cousin Urania remained to him in the + abstract, yet even now he could not be sure that she would not talk him + over and hoodwink him in any actual encounter. Sir Amyas likewise + accompanied him, both to gratify his own anxiety and to secure admission. + The young man still looked pale and worn with restless anxiety; but he + had, in spite of remonstrances, that morning discarded his sling, saying + that he should return to his quarters. Let his Colonel do his worst then; + he had still more liberty than if compelled to return to his mother’s + house. + </p> + <p> + Lady Belamour had, on her second marriage, forsaken her own old hereditary + mansion in the Strand, where Sir Jovian had died, and which, she said, + gave her the vapours. Mr. Wayland, whose wealth far exceeded her own, had + purchased one of the new houses in Hanover Square, the fashionable quarter + and very much admired; but the Major regretted the gloomy dignity of the + separate enclosure and walled court of Delavie House, whereas the new one, + in modern fashion, had only an area and steps between the front and the + pavement. + </p> + <p> + The hall door stood wide open, with a stately porter within, and lackeys + planted about at intervals. Grey descended from the box, and after some + inquiry, brought word that “her Ladyship was at breakfast,” then, at a + sign from his master, opened the carriage door. Sir Amyas, taking Betty by + the tips of her fingers, led her forward, receiving by the way greetings + and inquiries from the servants, whose countenances showed him to be a + welcome arrival. + </p> + <p> + “Is it a reception day, Maine?” he asked of a kind of major-domo whom he + met on the top of the broad stairs. + </p> + <p> + “No, your honour.” + </p> + <p> + “Is company with her ladyship?” + </p> + <p> + “No, not company, sir,” with a certain hesitation, which damped Betty’s + satisfaction in the first assurance. + </p> + <p> + What did she see as Maine opened the door? It was a very spacious bedroom, + the bed in an alcove hung with rose-coloured satin embroidered with + myrtles and white roses, looped up with lace and muslin. Like draperies + hung round the window, fluted silk lined the room, and beautiful japanned + and inlaid cabinets and <i>etageres</i> adorned the walls, bearing all + varieties and devices of new and old porcelain from Chins, Sevres, + Dresden, or Worcester, tokens of Mr. Wayland’s travels. There was a + toilette table before one window covered with lacquer ware, silver and + ivory boxes, and other apparatus, and an exquisite Venetian mirror with + the borders of frosted silver work. + </p> + <p> + Not far off, but sideways to it, sat Lady Belamour in a loose sacque of + some rich striped silk, in crimson and blue stripes shot with gold + threads. Slippers, embroidered with gold, showed off her dainty feet, and + a French hairdresser stood behind her chair putting the finishing touches + to the imposing fabric of powder, flower, and feather upon her head. A + little hand-mirror, framed in carved ivory inlaid with coral, and a fan, + lay on a tiny spindle-legged table close in front of her, together with a + buff-coloured cup of chocolate. At a somewhat larger table Mrs. Loveday, + her woman, was dispensing the chocolate, whilst a little negro boy, in a + fantastic Oriental costume, waited to carry the cups about. + </p> + <p> + On a sofa near at hand, in an easy attitude, reclined Colonel Mar, holding + out to Lady Belamour a snuff-box of tortoiseshell and gold, and a lady sat + near on one of the tall black-and-gold chairs drinking chocolate, while + all were giving their opinions on the laces, feathers, ribbons, and + trinkets which another Frenchman was displaying from a basket-box placed + on the floor, trying to keep aloof a little Maltese lion-dog, which had + been roused from its cushion, and had come to inspect his wares. A little + further off, Archer, in a blue velvet coat, white satin waistcoat, and + breeches and silk stockings, and Amoret, white-frocked, blue-sashed, and + bare-headed (an innovation of fashion), were admiring the nodding + mandarins, grinning nondescript monsters, and green lions of extraordinary + form which an emissary from a curiosity-shop was unpacking. Near the door, + in an attitude weary yet obsequious, stood, paper in hand, a dejected + figure in shabby plum-colour—<i>i.e.</i> a poor author—waiting + in hopes that his sonnet in praise of Cytherea’s triumphant charms would + win his the guinea he so sorely needed, as + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame, + And heap the shrine of luxury and pride + With incense kindled at the Muses’ flame. +</pre> + <p> + The scene was completed by a blue and yellow macaw at one window chained + to his perch, and a green monkey tethered in like manner at the other. + </p> + <p> + Of course Elizabeth Delavie did not perceive all these details at once. + Her first sensation was the shock to the decorum of a modest English lady + at intruding into a bed-room; but her foreign recollections coming to her + aid, she accepted the fashion with one momentary feminine review of her + own appearance, and relief that she had changed her travelling gear for + her Sunday silks, and made her father put on his full uniform. All this + passed while Sir Amyas was leading her into the room, steering her + carefully out of the monkey’s reach. Then he went a step or two forward + and bent before his mother, almost touching the ground with one knee, as + he kissed her hand, and rising, acknowledged the lady with a circular + sweep of his hat, and his Colonel with a military salute, all rapidly, but + with perfect ease and gracefulness. “Ah! my truant, my runaway invalid!” + said Lady Belamour, “you are come to surrender.” + </p> + <p> + “I am come,” he said gravely, holding out his stronger hand to his little + brother and sister, who sprang to him, “to bring my father-and + sister-in-law, Major and Miss Delavie.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! my good cousin, my excellent Mrs. Betty, excuse me that my tyrant <i>friseur</i> + prevents my rising to welcome you. It is so good and friendly in you to + come in this informal way to cheer me under this terrible anxiety. Let me + present you to my kind friend, the Countess of Aresfield, who has been so + good as to come in to-day to sustain my spirits. Colonel Mar you know + already. Pray be seated. Amyas—Archer—chairs. Let Syphax give + you a cup of chocolate.” + </p> + <p> + “Madam,” said the Major, disregarding all this and standing as if on + parade, “can I see you alone? My business is urgent.” + </p> + <p> + “No evil news, I trust! I have undergone such frightful shocks of late, my + constitution is well nigh ruined.” + </p> + <p> + “It is I that have to ask news of you madam.” + </p> + <p> + She saw that, if she trifled with him, something would break out that she + would not wish to have said publicly. “My time is so little my own,” she + said, “I am under command to be at the Palace by two o’clock, but in a few + minutes I shall be able to dismiss my tormentor, and then, till my woman + comes to dress me, I shall be at your service. Sit down, I entreat, and + take some chocolate. I know Mrs. Betty is an excellent housekeeper, and I + want her opinion. My dear Lady Aresfield, suffer me to introduce my + estimable cousin, Mrs. Betty Delavie.” + </p> + <p> + The Countess looking in her feathers and powder like a beetroot in white + sauce, favoured Betty with a broad stare. Vulgarity was very vulgar in + those days, especially when it had purchased rank, and thought manners + might be dispensed with. Betty sat down, and Amoret climbed on her lap, + while a diversion was made by Archer’s imperious entreaty that his mamma + would purchase a mandarin who not only nodded, but waved his hands and + protruded his tongue. + </p> + <p> + Then ensued what seemed, to the sickening suspense of the two Delavies, a + senseless Babel of tongues on all sides; but it ended in the <i>friseur</i> + putting up his implements, the trades-folk leaving the selected goods + unpaid for, and the poor poet bowing himself within reach of the monkey, + who made a clutch at his MS., chattered over it, and tore it into + fragments. There was a peal of mirth—loudest from Lady Aresfield—but + Sir Amyas sprang forward with gentlemanly regrets, apologies, and excuses, + finally opening the door and following the poor man out of the room to + administer the guinea from his own pocket, while Colonel Mar exclaimed, + “Here, Archer, boy, run after him with this. The poor devil has won it by + producing a smile from those divine lips—such as his jungle might + never have done—-” + </p> + <p> + “Fie! fie! Mar,” said the Lady, shaking her fan at him, “the child will + repeat it to him.” + </p> + <p> + “The better sport if he do,” said Colonel Mar, carelessly; “he may term + himself a very Orpheus charming the beasts, so that they snatch his poems + from him!” + </p> + <p> + Then, as Sir Amyas returned, Lady Belamour entreated her dear Countess to + allow him to conduct her to the withdrawing room, and there endeavour to + entertain her. The Colonel could not but follow, and the Major and Betty + found themselves at length alone with her Ladyship. + </p> + <p> + “I trust you have come to relieve my mind as to our poor runaway,” she + began. + </p> + <p> + “Would to Heaven I could!” said the Major. + </p> + <p> + “Good Heavens! Then she has never reached you!” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly not. + </p> + <p> + “Nor her sister? Oh, surely she is with her sister!” + </p> + <p> + “No, madam, her sisters knows nothing of her. Cousin, you have children of + your own! I entreat of you to tell me what you have done with her.” + </p> + <p> + “How should I have done anything with her? I who have been feeding all + this time on the assurance that she had returned to you.” + </p> + <p> + “How could a child like her do so?” + </p> + <p> + “We know she had money,” said Lady Belamour. + </p> + <p> + “And we know,” said Betty, fixing her eyes on the lady, “that though she + escaped, on the first alarm, as far as Sedhurst, and was there seen, she + had decided on returning to Bowstead and giving herself up to you + Ladyship.” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed? At what time was that?” exclaimed my Lady. + </p> + <p> + “Some time in the afternoon of Sunday!” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! then I must have left Bowstead. I was pledged to her Majesty’s + card-table, and royal commands cannot be disregarded, so I had to go away + in grievous anxiety for my poor boy. She meant to return to Bowstead, did + she? Ah. Does not an idea strike you that old Amyas Belamour may know more + than he confesses! He has been playing a double game throughout.” + </p> + <p> + “He is as anxious to find the dear girl as we are madam.” + </p> + <p> + “So he may seem to you and to my poor infatuated boy, but you see those + crazed persons are full of strange devices and secrets, as indeed we have + already experienced. I see what you would say; he may appear sane and + plausible enough to a stranger, but to those who have known him ever since + his misfortunes, the truth is but too plain. He was harmless enough as + long as he was content to remain secluded in his dark chamber, but now + that I hear he has broken loose, Heaven knows what mischief he may do. My + dear cousin Delavie, you are the prop left to me in these troubles, with + my poor good man in the hands of those cruel pirates, who may be making + him work in chains for all I know,” and the tears came into her beautiful + eyes. + </p> + <p> + “They will not do that,” said Major Delavie, eager to reassure her; “I + have heard enough of their tricks to know that they keep such game as he + most carefully till they can get a ransom.” + </p> + <p> + “Your are sure of that!” + </p> + <p> + “Perfectly. I met an Italian fellow at Vienna who told me how it was all + managed by the Genoese bankers.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! I was just thinking that you would be the only person who could be of + use—you who know foreign languages and all their ways. If you could + go abroad, and arrange it for me!” + </p> + <p> + “If my daughter were restored—-” began the Major. + </p> + <p> + “I see what you would say, and I am convinced that the first step towards + the discovery would be to put Mr. Belamour under restraint, and separate + his black from him. Then one or other of them would speak, and we might + know how she has been played upon.” + </p> + <p> + “What does your Ladyship suppose then?” asked the Major. + </p> + <p> + “This is what I imagine. The poor silly maid repents herself and comes + back in search of me. Would that she had found me, her best friend! But + instead of that, she falls in with old Belamour, and he, having by this + time perceived the danger of the perilous masquerade in which he had + involved my unlucky boy, a minor, has mewed her up somewhere, till the cry + should be over.” + </p> + <p> + “That would be the part of a villain, but scarcely of a madman,” said + Betty dryly. + </p> + <p> + “My dear cousin Betty, there are lunatics endowed with a marvellous + shrewdness to commit senseless villanies, and to put on a specious + seeming. Depend upon it, my unfortunate brother-in-law’s wanderings at + night were not solely spent in communings with the trees and brooks. Who + knows what might be discovered if he were under proper restraint? And it + is to you, the only relation I have, that I must turn for assistance in my + most unhappy circumstances,” she added, wit a glance so full of sweet + helplessness that no man could withstand it. “I am so glad you are here. + You will be acting for me as well as for yourself in endeavouring to find + your poor lovely child, and the first thing I would have done would be to + separate Belamour and his black, put them under restraint, and interrogate + them separately. You could easily get an order from a magistrate. But ah, + here comes my woman. No more now. You will come to me this evening, and we + can talk further on this matter. I shall have some company, and it will + not be a regular rout, only a few card-tables, and a little dancing for + the young people.” + </p> + <p> + “Your ladyship must excuse me,” said Betty, “I have no dress to appear in, + even if I had spirits for the company.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! my dear cousin, how do you think it is with my spirits? Yet I think + it my duty not to allow myself to be moped, but to exert myself for the + interest of my son. While as to dress, my woman can direct you to the + milliner who would equip you in the last mode. What, still obstinate? Nay, + then, Harry, I can take no excuse from you, and I may have been able to + collect some intelligence from the servants.” + </p> + <p> + Nothing remained but to take leave and walk home, the Major observing— + </p> + <p> + “Well, what think you of that, Betty?” + </p> + <p> + “Think, sir?—I think it is not for my lady to talk of villains.” + </p> + <p> + “She is in absolute error respecting Belamour; but then she has not seen + him since his recovery. Women are prone to those fancies, and in her + unprotected state, poor thing, no wonder she takes alarms.” + </p> + <p> + “I should have thought her rather over-protected.” + </p> + <p> + “Now, Betty, you need not take a leaf out of Mrs. Duckworth’s book, and + begin to be censorious. You saw how relieved she was to have me, her own + blood relation, to turn to, instead of that empty braggart of a fellow. + Besides, a man does not bring his step-mother when there’s anything + amiss.” + </p> + <p> + There was something in this argument, and Betty held her peace, knowing + that to censure my Lady only incited her father to defend her. + </p> + <p> + For her own part her consternation was great, and she walked on in + silence, only speaking again to acquiesce in her father’s observation that + they must say nothing to Mr. Belamour of my Lady’s plans for his + seclusion. + </p> + <p> + They found Mr. Belamour in the square parlour of the Royal York, having + sent Eugene out for a walk with Jumbo. The boy’s return in the most eager + state of excitement at the shops, the horses, sedans, and other wonders, + did something, together with dinner, to wile away the weary time till, + about three hours after the Major and his daughter had returned, they were + joined by the young baronet, who came running up the stairs with a good + deal more impetuosity than he would have permitted himself at home. + </p> + <p> + “At last I have escaped,” he said. “I fear you have waited long for me?” + </p> + <p> + “I have been hoping you had discovered some indications,” said the Major. + </p> + <p> + “Alas, no! I should imagine my Lady as ignorant as we are, save for one + thing.” + </p> + <p> + “And that was—-?” + </p> + <p> + “The pains that were taken to prevent my speaking with any of the + servants. I was forced to attend on that harridan, Lady Aresfield, till my + mother sent for me; and then she made Mar absolutely watch me off the + premises. Then I had to go and report myself at head-quarters, and see the + surgeon, so that there may be no colour of irregularity for the Colonel to + take advantage of.” + </p> + <p> + “Right, right!” said the Major; “do not let him get a handle against you, + though I should not call you fit for duty yet, even for holiday-work like + yours.” + </p> + <p> + “You still suspect that your mother knows where our Aurelia is?” said + Betty. “When I think of her demeanour, I can hardly believe it! But did + you hear nothing of your little sisters?” + </p> + <p> + “I did not ask. In truth I was confounded by a proposal that was made to + me. If I will immediately marry my mother’s darling, Lady Belle, I may + have leave of absence from her and my regiment, both at once, and go to + meet Mr. Wayland if I like, or at any rate make the grand tour, while they + try to break in my charming bride for me. Of course I said that, being a + married man, nothing should induce me to break the law, nor to put any + lady in such a position; and equally, of course, I was shown a lawyer’s + opinion that the transaction was invalid.” + </p> + <p> + “As I always believed,” said his uncle. “The ceremony must be repeated + when we find her: though even if you were willing, the other parties are + very ill-advised to press for a marriage without judgment first being + delivered, how far the present is binding. So she wants to send you off on + your travels, does she?” + </p> + <p> + “She wishes me to go and arrange for her husband’s ransom,” said the + Major. “I would be ready enough were my child only found, but I believe + government would take it up, he being on his Majesty’s service.” + </p> + <p> + “It is a mere device for disposing of you—yes, and of my nephew + too,” said Mr. Belamour. “As for me, we know already her kind plans for + putting me out of reach of interference. I see, she communicated them to + you. Did she ask your cooperation, Major? Ah! certainly, an ingenious plan + for disuniting us. I am the more convinced that she is well aware of where + the poor child is, and that she wishes to be speedy in her measures.” + </p> + <p> + There is no need to describe the half-frantic vehemence of the young + lover, nor the way in which the father and sister tried to moderate his + transports, though no less wretched themselves. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0029" id="link2HCH0029"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXVIII. THE ROUT. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Great troups of people travelled thitherward + Both day and night, of each degree and place.—SPENSER. +</pre> + <p> + Much against their will, Major Delavie and his <i>soi-disant</i> + son-in-law set forth for Lady Belamour’s entertainment, thinking no + opportunity of collecting intelligence was to be despised; while she + probably wished to obviate all reports of a misunderstanding as well as to + keep them under her own eye. + </p> + <p> + The reception rooms were less adorned than the lady’s private apartment. + There were pictures on the walls, and long ranks of chairs ranged round, + and card-tables were set out in order. The ladies sat in rows, and the + gentlemen stood in knots and talked, all in full dress, resplendent + figures in brilliant velvet, gold lace, and embroidery, with swords by + their sides, cocked hats, edged with gold or silver lace, under their + arms, and gemmed shoe buckles. The order of creation was not yet reversed; + the male creature was quite as gorgeous in colour and ornament as the + female, who sat in her brocade, powder and patches, fan in hand, to + receive the homage of his snuff-box. + </p> + <p> + Sir Amyas went the round, giving and returning greetings, which were + bestowed on him with an ardour sufficient to prove that he was a general + favourite. His mother, exquisitely dressed in a rich rose-coloured velvet + train, over a creamy satin petticoat, both exquisitely embroidered, sailed + up with a cordial greeting to her good cousin, and wanted to set him down + to loo or ombre; but the veteran knew too well what the play in her house + was, and saw, moreover, Lady Aresfield sitting like a harpy before the + green baize field of her spoils. While he was refusing, Sir Amyas returned + to him, saying, “Sir, here is a gentleman whom I think you must have known + in Flanders;” and the Major found himself shaking hands with an old + comrade. Save for his heavy heart, he would been extremely happy in the + ensuing conversation. + </p> + <p> + In the meantime Lady Belamour, turning towards a stout, clumsy, short + girl, her intensely red cheeks and huge black eyes staring out of her + powder, while the extreme costliness of her crimson satin dress, and + profusion of her rubies were ridiculous on the unformed person of a + creature scarcely fifteen. If she had been any one else she would have + been a hideous spectacle in the eyes of the exquisitely tasteful Lady + Belamour, who, detecting the expression in her son’s eye, whispered behind + her fan, “We will soon set all that right;” then aloud, “My son cannot + recover from his surprise. He did not imagine that we could steal you for + an evening from Queen’s Square to procure him this delight.” Then as Sir + Amyas bowed, “The Yellow Room is cleared for dancing. Lady Belle will + favour you, Amyas.” + </p> + <p> + “You must excuse me, madam,” he said; “I have not yet the free use of my + arm, and could not acquit myself properly in a minuet.” + </p> + <p> + “I hate minuets,” returned Lady Belle; “the very notion gives me the + spleen.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah, pretty heretic!” said my Lady, making a playful gesture with her fan + at the peony-coloured cheek. “I meant this wounded knight to have + converted you, but he must amuse you otherwise. What, my Lord I thought + you knew I never meant to dance again. Cannot you open the dance without + me? I, who have no spirits!” + </p> + <p> + The rest was lost as she sailed away on the arm of a gentleman in a + turquoise-coloured coat, and waistcoat embroidered with gillyflowers; + leaving the Lady Arabella on the hands of her son, who, neither as host + nor gentleman, could escape, until the young lady had found some other + companion. He stiffly and wearily addressed to her the inquiry how she + liked London. + </p> + <p> + “I should like it monstrously if I were not moped up in school,” she + answered. “So you have come back. How did you hurt your arm?” she said, in + the most provincial of dialects. + </p> + <p> + “In the fire, madam.” + </p> + <p> + “What? In snatching your innamorata from the flames?” + </p> + <p> + “Not precisely,” he said. + </p> + <p> + “Come, now, tell me; did she set the room a-fire?” demanded the young + lady. “Oh, you need not think to deceive me. My brother Mar’s coachman + told my mamma’s woman all about it, and how she was locked up and ran + away; but they have her fast enough now, after all her tricks!” + </p> + <p> + “Who have? For pity’s sake tell me, Lady Belle!” + </p> + <p> + Loving to tease, she exclaimed: “There, now, what a work to make about a + white-faced little rustic!” + </p> + <p> + “Your ladyship has not seen her.” + </p> + <p> + “Have I not, though? I don’t admire your taste.” + </p> + <p> + “Is she in Queen’s Square?” + </p> + <p> + “Do not you wish me to tell you where you can find your old faded doll, + with a waist just like a wasp, and an old blue sacque—not a bit of + powder in her hair?” + </p> + <p> + “Lady Belle, if you would have me for ever beholden to you—-” + </p> + <p> + “The cap fits,” she cried, clapping her hands. “Not a word to say for her! + I would not have such a beau for the world.” + </p> + <p> + “When I have found her it will be time to defend her beauty! If your + ladyship would only tell me where she is, you know not what gratitude I + should feel!” + </p> + <p> + “I dare say, but that’s my secret. My mamma and yours would be ready to + kill me with rage if they knew I had let out even so much.” + </p> + <p> + “They would forgive you. Come, Lady Belle, think of her brave old father, + and give some clue to finding her. Where is she?” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! where you will never get at her!” + </p> + <p> + “Is she at Queen’s Square?” + </p> + <p> + “What would you do if you thought she was? Get a constable and come and + search? Oh, what a rage Madam would be in! Goodness me, what sport!” and + she fell back in a violent giggling fit; but the two matrons were so + delighted to see the young people talking to one another, that there was + no attempt to repress her. Sir Amyas made another attempt to elicit + whether Aurelia were really at the school in Queen’s Square, but Lady + Arabella still refused to answer directly. Then he tried the expedient of + declaring that she was only trying to tease him, and had not really seen + the lady. He pretended not to believe her, but when she insisted, “Hair + just the colour of Lady Belamour’s,” his incredulity vanished; but on his + next entreaty, she put on a sly look imitated from the evil world in which + she lived, and declared she should not encourage naughty doings. The + youth, who though four years older, was by far the more simple and + innocent of the two, replied with great gravity, “It is the Lady Belamour, + my own wife, that I am seeking.” + </p> + <p> + “That’s just the nonsense she talks!” + </p> + <p> + “For Heaven’s sake, what did she say?” + </p> + <p> + But Belle was tired of her game, and threw herself boisterously on a young + lady who had the “sweetest enamel necklace in the world,” and whose + ornaments she began to handle and admire in true spoilt-child fashion. + </p> + <p> + Sir Amyas then betook himself to the Major, who saw at once by his eye and + step that something was gained. They took leave together, Lady Belamour + making a hurried lamentation that she had seen so little of her dear + cousin, but accepting her son’s excuse that he must return to his + quarters; and they walked away together escorted by Palmer and Grey, as + well as by two link-boys, summer night though it was. + </p> + <p> + Sir Amyas repaired first to the hotel, where Mr. Belamour and Betty were + still sitting, for even the fashionable world kept comparatively early + hours, and it was not yet eleven o’clock. The parlor where they sat was + nearly dark, one candle out and the other shaded so as to produce the + dimness which Mr. Belamour still preferred, and they were sitting on + either side of the open window, Betty listening to her companion’s + reminiscences of the evenings enlivened by poor Aurelia, and of the many + traits of her goodness, sweet temper, and intelligence which he had stored + up in his mind. He had, he said, already learned through her to know Miss + Delavie, and he declared that the voices of the sisters were so much alike + that he could have believed himself at Bowstead with the gentle visitor + who had brought him new life. + </p> + <p> + The tidings of Lady Arabella’s secret were eagerly listened to, and the + token of the mouse-coloured hair was accepted; Sir Amyas comparing, to + every one’s satisfaction, a certain lock that he bore on a chain next his + heart, and a little knot, surrounded with diamonds, in a ring, which he + had been still wearing from force of habit, though he declared he should + never endure to do so again. + </p> + <p> + It was evident that Lady Belle had really seen Aurelia; and where could + that have been save at the famous boarding-school in Queen’s Square, where + the daughters of “the great” were trained in the accomplishments of the + day? The Major, with rising hopes, declared that he had always maintained + that his cousin meant no ill by his daughter, and though it had been + cruel, not to say worse, in her, to deny all knowledge of the fugitive, + yet women would have their strange ways. + </p> + <p> + “That is very hard on us women, sir,” said Betty. + </p> + <p> + “Ah! my dear, poor Urania never had such a mother as you, and she has + lived in the great world besides, and that’s a bad school. You will not + take our Aurelia much into it, my dear boy,” he added, turning wistfully + to Sir Amyas. + </p> + <p> + “I would not let a breath blow on her that could touch the bloom of her + charming frank innocence,” cried the lad. “But think you she can be in + health? Lady Belle spoke of her being pale!” + </p> + <p> + “Look at my young lady herself!” said the Major, which made them all + laugh. They were full of hope. The Major and his daughter would go + themselves the next day, and a father’s claim could not be refused even + though not enforced according to Lady Arabella’s desire. + </p> + <p> + Their coach—for so Sir Amyas insisted on their going—was at + the door at the earliest possible moment that a school for young ladies + could be supposed to be astir; long before Mr. Belamour was up, for he + retained his old habits so much that it was only on great occasions the he + rose before noon; and while Eugene, under the care of Jumbo and Grey, was + going off in great felicity to see the morning parade in St. James’s Park. + </p> + <p> + One of the expedients of well-born Huguenot refugees had been tuition, and + Madame d’Elmar had made here boarding-school so popular and fashionable + that a second generation still maintained its fame, and damsels of the + highest rank were sent there to learn French, to play the spinnet, to + embroider, to dance, and to get into a carriage with grace. It was only + countrified misses, bred by old-fashioned scholars, who attempted to go + any farther, such as that <i>lusus naturae</i>, Miss Elizabeth Carter, who + knew seven languages, or the Bishop of Oxford’s niece, Catherine Talbot, + who even painted natural flowers and wrote meditations! The education + Aurelia Delavie had received over her Homer and Racine would be smiled at + as quite superfluous. + </p> + <p> + There was no difficulty about admission. The coach with its Belamour + trappings was a warrant of admittance. The father and daughter were shown + into a parlour with a print of Marshal Schomberg over the mantelpiece, and + wonderful performances in tapestry work and embroidery on every available + chair, as well as framed upon the wainscoted walls. + </p> + <p> + A little lady, more French than English, moving like a perfectly wound up + piece of mechanism, all but her bright little eyes, appeared at their + request to see Madame. It had been agreed before-hand that the Major + should betray neither doubt nor difficulty, but simply say that he had + come up from the country and wished to see his daughter. + </p> + <p> + Madame, in perfectly good English, excused herself, but begged to hear the + name again. + </p> + <p> + There must be some error, no young lady of the name of Delavie was there. + </p> + <p> + They looked at one another, then Betty asked, “Has not a young lady been + placed here by Lady Belamour?” + </p> + <p> + “No, madam, Lady Belamour once requested me to receive her twin daughters, + but they were mere infants; I receive none under twelve year old.” + </p> + <p> + “My good lady,” cried the Major, “if you are denying my daughter to me, + pray consider what you are doing. I am her own father, and whatever Lady + Belamour may tell you, I can enforce my claim.” + </p> + <p> + “I am not in the habit of having my word doubted, sir,” and the little + lady drew herself up like a true Gascon baroness, as she was. + </p> + <p> + “Madam, forgive me, I am in terrible perplexity and distress. My poor + child, who was under Lady Belamour’s charge, has been lost to us these + three weeks or more, and we have been told that she has been seen here.” + </p> + <p> + “Thus,” said Betty, seeing that the lady still needed to be appeased, “we + thought Lady Belamour might have deceived you as well as others.” + </p> + <p> + “May I ask who said the young lady had been seen here?” asked the mistress + coldly. + </p> + <p> + “It was Lady Arabella Mar,” said Betty, “and, justly speaking, I believe + she did not say it was here that my poor sister was seen, but that she had + seen her, and we drew the conclusion that it was here.” + </p> + <p> + “My Lady Arabella Mar is too often taken out by my Lady Countess,” said + Madame d’Elmar. + </p> + <p> + “Could I see her? Perhaps she would tell me where she saw my dear sister?” + said Betty. + </p> + <p> + “She went to a rout last evening and has not returned,” was the reply. + “Indeed my lady, her mother, spoke as if she might never come back, her + marriage being on the <i>tapis</i>. Indeed, sir, indeed, madam, I should + most gladly assist you,” she said as a gesture of bitter grief and + disappointment passed between father and daughter, both of whom were + evidently persons of condition. “If it will be any satisfaction to the + lady to see all my pupils, I will conduct her through my establishment.” + </p> + <p> + Betty caught at this, though there was no doubt that the mistress was + speaking in good faith. She was led to a large empty room, where a dozen + young ladies were drawn up awaiting the dancing master—girls from + fourteen to seventeen, the elder ones in mob caps, those with more + pretensions to fashion, with loose hair. Their twelve curtsies were made, + their twenty-four eyes peeped more or less through their lashes at the + visitor, but no such soft brown eyes as Aurelia’s were among them. + </p> + <p> + “Madame,” said Betty, “may I be permitted to ask the ladies a question?” + She spoke it low, and in French, and her excellent accent won Madame’s + heart at once. Only Madame trusted to Mademoiselle’s discretion not to put + mysteries into their minds, or they would be all <i>tete montee</i>. + </p> + <p> + So, as discretely as the occasion would permit, Betty asked whether any + one had seen or heard Lady Belle speak of having seen any one—a + young lady? + </p> + <p> + Half-a-dozen tongues broke out, “We thought it all Lady Belle’s whimsical + secrets,” and as many stories were beginning, but Madame’s awful little + hand waved silence, as she said, “Speak then, Miss Staunton.” + </p> + <p> + “I know none of Lady Belle’s secrets, ma’am—ask Miss Howard.” + </p> + <p> + Miss Howard looked sulky; and a little eager, black-eyed thing cried, “She + said it was an odious girl whom Lady Belamour keeps shut up in a great + dungeon of an old house, and is going to send beyond seas, because she + married two men at once in disguise.” + </p> + <p> + “Fie, Miss Crawford, you know nothing about it.” + </p> + <p> + “You told me so, yourself, Miss Howard.” + </p> + <p> + “I never said anything so foolish.” + </p> + <p> + “Hush, young ladies,” said Madame. “Miss Howard, if you know anything, I + request you to speak.” + </p> + <p> + “It would be a great kindness,” said Betty. “Might I ask the favour of + seeing Miss Howard in private?” + </p> + <p> + Madame consented, and Miss Howard followed Betty out of hearing, muttering + that Belle would fly at her for betraying her. + </p> + <p> + “I do not like asking you to betray your friend’s confidence,” said Betty. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, as to that, I’m not her friend, and I believe she has talked to a + half-a-dozen more.” + </p> + <p> + “I am this poor young lady’s sister,” said Betty. “We are afraid she has + fallen into unkind hands; and I should be very thankful if you could help + me to find her. Where do you think Lady Belle saw her?” + </p> + <p> + “I thought it was in some old house in Hertfordshire,” said Miss Howard, + more readily, “but I am not sure; for it was last Sunday, which she spent + with her mamma. She came back and made it a great secret that she had seen + the girl that had taken in Sir Amyas Belamour, who was contracted to + herself, to marry him and his uncle both at once in disguise, and then had + set the house a-fire. Belle had got some one to let her see the girl, and + then she went on about her being not pretty.” + </p> + <p> + “What did she say about sending her beyond seas?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! that Miss Crawford made up. She told me that they were going to find + a husband for her such as a low creature like that deserved. And she + protests she is to be married to Sir Amyas very soon, and come back here + while he makes the grand tour. I hope she won’t. She will have more + spiteful ways than ever.” + </p> + <p> + This was all that Betty could extract. She saw Miss Crawford alone, but + her tiding melted into the vaguest second-hand hearsay. The inquiry had + only produced a fresh anxiety. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0030" id="link2HCH0030"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXIX. A BLACK BLONDEL. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + And to the castle gate approached in quiet wise, + Whereat soft knocking, entrance he desired. + SPENSER. +</pre> + <p> + “Nephew, is Delavie House inhabited?” inquired Mr. Belamour, as the + baffled seekers sat together that evening. + </p> + <p> + “No, sir,” replied Sir Amyas. “My Lady will only lease it to persons of + quality, on such high terms that she cannot obtain them for a house in so + antiquated a neighbourhood. Oh, you do not think it possible that my + dearest life can be in captivity so near us! An old house! On my soul, so + it must be; I will go thither instantly.” + </p> + <p> + “And be taken for a Mohock! No, no, sit down, rash youth, and tell me who + keeps the house.” + </p> + <p> + “One Madge, an old woman as sour as vinegar, who snarled at me like a + toothless cur when I once went there to find an old fowling-piece of my + father’s.” + </p> + <p> + “Then you ar the last person who should show yourself there, since there + are sure to be strict charges against admitting you, and you would only + put the garrison on the alert. You had better let the reconnoitring party + consist of Jumbo and myself.” + </p> + <p> + The ensuing day was Sunday. Something was said of St. Paul’s, then in + bloom of youth and the wonder of England; but Betty declared that she + could not run about to see fine churches till her mind was at ease about + her poor sister. Might she only go to the nearest and quietest church? So + she, with her father and Eugene, repaired to St. Clement Danes, where + their landlord possessed a solid oak pew, and they heard a sermon on the + wickedness and presumption of inoculating for the small-pox. + </p> + <p> + It was not a genteel neighbourhood, and the congregation was therefore + large, for the substantial tradesfolk who had poured into the Strand since + it had been rebuilt were far more religiously disposed than the + fashionable world, retaining either the Puritan zeal, or the High Church + fervour, which were alike discouraged in the godless court. The Major and + his son and daughter were solitary units in the midst of the groups of + portly citizens, with soberly handsome wives, and gay sons and daughters, + who were exchanging greetings; and on their return to their hotel, the + Major betook himself to a pipe in the bar, and Eugene was allowed to go + for a walk in the park with Palmer, while Betty sat in her own room with + her Bible, striving to strengthen her assurance that the innocent would + never be forsaken. Indeed Mr. Belamour had much strengthened her grounds + of hope and comfort by his testimony to poor Aurelia’s perfect + guilelessness and simplicity throughout the affair. Yet the echo of that + girl’s chatter about Lady Belle’s rival being sent beyond the sea would + return upon her ominously, although it might be mere exaggeration and + misapprehension, like so much besides. + </p> + <p> + A great clock, chiming one, warned her to repair to the sitting-room, + where she met Eugene, full of the unedifying spectacle of a fight between + two street lads. There had been a regular ring, and the boy had been so + much excited that Palmer had had much ado to bring him away. Betty had + scarcely hushed his eager communications and repaired his toilette for + dinner before Sir Amyas came in, having hurried away as soon as possible + after attending his men to and from church. + </p> + <p> + “Sister,” he said, for so he insisted on calling Betty, “I really think my + uncle’s surmise may be right. I went home past Delavie House last night, + just to look at it, and there was—there really was, a light in one + of the windows on the first floor, which always used to be as black as + Erebus. I had much ado to keep myself from thundering at the gate. I would + have done so before now but for my uncle’s warning. Where can he be?” + </p> + <p> + The Major and Mr. Belamour here came in together, and the same torrent was + beginning to be poured forth, when the latter cut it short with, “They are + about to lay the cloth. Restrain yourself, my dear boy, or—-” and as + at that moment the waiter entered, he went on with the utmost readiness—“or, + as it seems, the Queen of Hungary will never make good her claims. Pray, + sir,” turning to Major Delavie, “have you ever seen these young + Archduchesses whose pretensions seem likely to convulse the continent to + its centre?” + </p> + <p> + The Major, with an effort to gather his attention, replied that he could + not remember; but Betty, with greater presence of mind, described how she + had admired the two sisters of Austria as little girls walking on the + Prater. Indeed she and Mr. Belamour contrived to keep up the ball till the + Major was roused into giving an opinion of Prussian discipline, and to + tell stories of Leopold of Dessau, Eugene, and Marlborough with sufficient + zest to drive the young baronet almost frantic, especially as Jumbo, + behind his master’s chair, was on the broad grin all the time, and almost + dancing in his shoes. Once he contrived to give an absolute wink with one + of his big black eyes; not, however, undetected, for Mr. Belamour in a + grave tone of reprimand ordered him off to fetch an ivory toothpick-case. + </p> + <p> + Not till the cloth had been remove, and dishes of early strawberries and + of biscuits, accompanied by bottles of port and claret, placed on the + table, and the servants had withdrawn, did Mr. Belamour observe, “I have + penetrated the outworks.” + </p> + <p> + There was an outburst of inquiry and explanation, but he was not to be + prevented from telling the story in his own way. “I know the house well, + for my brother lived there the first years of his marriage, before you + came on the stage, young sir. Perhaps you do not know how to open the door + from without?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, sir, tell me the trick!” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Belamour held up a small pass-key. There was a certain tone of banter + about him which almost drove his nephew wild, but greatly reassured Miss + Delavie. + </p> + <p> + “Why—why keep me in torments, instead of taking me with you?” cried + the youth. + </p> + <p> + “Because I wished my expedition to be no failure. I could not tell whether + my key, which I found with my watch and seals, would still serve me. Ah! + you look on fire; but remember the outworks are not the citadel.” + </p> + <p> + “For Heaven’s sake, sir, torture me not thus!” + </p> + <p> + “I knew that to make my summons at the out gate would lead to a summary + denial by the sour porteress, so I experimented on the lock of the little + door into the lane, and admitted myself and Jumbo into the court; but the + great hall-door stood before me jealously closed, and the lower windows + were shut with shutters, so that all I could do was to cause Jumbo to + awake the echoes with a lusty peal on the knocker, which he repeated at + intervals, until there hobbled forth to open it a crone as wrinkled and + crabbed as one of Macbeth’s witches. I demanded whether my Lady Belamour + lived there. She croaked forth a negative sound, and had nearly shut the + door in my face, but I kept her in parley by protesting that I had often + visited my Lady there, and offering a crown-piece if she would direct me + to her.” + </p> + <p> + “A crown! a kingdom, if she would bring us to the right one!” cried Sir + Amyas. + </p> + <p> + “Of course she directed me to Hanover Square, and then, evidently + supposing there was something amiss with the great gates, she insisted on + coming to let me out, and securing them after me.” + </p> + <p> + The youth gave a great groan, saying, “Excuse me, sir, but what are we the + better of that?” + </p> + <p> + “Endure a little while, impatient swain, and you shall hear. I fancy she + recognised the Belamour Livery on Jumbo, for she hobbled by my side + maundering apologies about its being against orders to admit gentle or + simple, beast or body into the court, and that a poor woman could not lose + her place and the roof over her head. But mark me, while this was passing, + Jumbo, who had kept nearer the house whistling ‘The Nightingale’ just + above his breath, heard his name called, and presently saw two little + faces at an up-stairs window.” + </p> + <p> + “My little sisters!” cried Sir Amyas. + </p> + <p> + “Even so; and he believes he heard one of them call out, ‘Cousin, cousin + Aura, come and see Jumbo;’ but as the window was high up, I scarce dare + credit his ears rather than his imagination, and we were instantly hustled + away by the old woman, whose evident alarm is a further presumption that + the captive is there, since Faith and Hope scarce have reached the years + of being princesses immured in towers.” + </p> + <p> + “It must be so,” said Betty; “it would explain Lady Belle’s having had + access to her! And now?” + </p> + <p> + “Is it impossible to effect an entrance from the court and carry her + away?” asked Sir Amyas. + </p> + <p> + “Entirely so,” said his uncle. “The only door into the court is fit to + stand a siege, and all the lower windows are barred and fastened with + shutters. The servants’ entrance is at the back towards the river, but no + doubt it is also guarded, and my key will not serve for it.” + </p> + <p> + “I could get some sprightly fellow of ours to come disguised as Mohocks, + and break in,” proceeded the youth, eagerly. “Once in the court, trust me + for forcing my way to her.” + </p> + <p> + “And getting lodged in Newgate for your pains, or tried by court-martial,” + said the Major. “No, when right is on our side, do not let us make it + wrong. Hush, Sir Amyas, it is I who must here act. Whether you are her + husband I do not know, I know that I am her father, and to-morrow morning, + as soon as a magistrate can be spoken with, I shall go and demand a search + warrant for the body of my daughter, Aurelia Delavie.” + </p> + <p> + “The body! Good Heavens, sir,” cried Betty. + </p> + <p> + “Not without the sweet soul, my dear Miss Delavie,” said Mr. Belamour. + “Your excellent father has arrived at the only right and safe decision, + and provided no farther alarm is given, I think he may succeed. It is + scarcely probable that my Lady is in constant communication with her stern + porteress, and my person was evidently unknown. For her own sake, as well + as that of the small fee I dropped into her hand, she is unlikely to + report my reconnoissance.” + </p> + <p> + Sir Amyas was frantic to go with his father-in-law, but both the elder men + justly thought that his ambiguous claims would but complicate the matter. + The landlord was consulted as to the acting magistrates of the time, and + gave two or three addresses. + </p> + <p> + Another night of prayer, suspense, and hope for Betty’s sick heart. Then, + immediately after breakfast, the Major set forth, attended by Palmer, long + before Mr. Belamour had left his room, or the young baronet could escape + from his military duties. Being outside the City, the Strand was under the + jurisdiction of justices of the peace for Middlesex, and they had so much + more than they could do properly, that some of them did it as little as + possible. The first magistrate would not see him, because it was too early + to attend to business; the second never heard matters at his private + house, and referred him to the office in Bow Street. In fact he would have + been wiser to have gone thither at first, but he had hoped to have saved + time. He had to wait sitting on a greasy chair when he could no longer + stand, till case after case was gone through, and when he finally had a + hearing and applied for a warrant to search for his daughter in Delavie + House, there was much surprise and reluctance to put such an insult on a + lady of quality in favour at Court. On his giving his reasons on oath for + believing the young lady to be there, the grounds of his belief seemed to + shrink away, so that the three magistrates held consultation whether the + warrant could be granted. Finally, after eying him all over, and asking + him where he had served, one of them, who had the air of having been in + the army, told him that in consideration of his being a gentleman of high + respectability who had served his country, they granted what he asked, + being assured that he would not make the accusation lightly. The reforms + made by Fielding had not yet begun, everybody had too much work, and the + poor Major had still some time to wait before an officer—tipstaff, + as he was called—could accompany him, so that it was past noon when, + off in the Bowstead carriage again, they went along the Strand, to a + high-walled court belonging to one of the old houses of the nobility, most + of which had perished in the fire of London. There was a double-doored + gateway, and after much thundering in vain, at which the tipstaff, a + red-nosed old soldier, waxed very irate, the old woman came out in + curtseying, crying, frightened humility, declaring that they would find no + one there—they might look if they would. + </p> + <p> + So they drove over the paved road, crossing the pitched pebbles, the door + was unbarred, but no Aurelia sprang into her father’s arms. Only a little + terrier came barking out into the dismal paved hall. Into every room they + looked, the old woman asseverating denials that it was of no use, they + might see for themselves, that no one had been there for years past. Full + of emptiness, indeed, with faded grimy family portraits on the walls, + moth-eaten carpets and cushions, high-backed chairs with worm-holes; and + yet, somehow, there was one room that did look as if it had recently been + sat in. Two little stools were drawn up close to a chair; the terrier + poked and smelt about uneasily as though in search of some one, and + dragged out from under a couch a child’s ball which he began to worry. On + the carpet, too, were some fragments of bright fresh embroidery silk, + which the practiced eye of the constable noticed. “This here was not left + ten or a dozen years ago,” said he; and, extracting the ball from the + fangs of the dog, “No, and this ball ain’t ten year old, neither. Come, + Mother What’s’-name, it’s no good deceiving an officer of the law; whose + is this here ball?” + </p> + <p> + “It’s the little misses. They’ve a bin here with their maid, but their + nurse have been and fetched ‘em away this morning, and a good riddance + too.” + </p> + <p> + “Who was the maid?—on your oath!” + </p> + <p> + “One Deborah Davis, a deaf woman, and pretty nigh a dumb one. She be gone + too.” + </p> + <p> + Nor could the old woman tell where she was to be found. “My Lady’s woman + sent her in,” she said, “and she was glad enough to be rid of her.” + </p> + <p> + “Come, now, my good woman, speak out, and it will be better for you,” said + the Major. “I know my daughter was here yesterday.” + </p> + <p> + “And what do I know of where she be gone? She went off in a sedan-chair + this morning before seven o’clock, and if you was to put me to the rack I + couldn’t say no more.” + </p> + <p> + As to which way or with whom she had gone, the old woman was, apparently, + really ignorant. + </p> + <p> + The poor Major had to return home baffled and despairing, still taking the + tipstaff with him, in case, on consultation with Mr. Belamour, it should + be deemed expedient to storm Hanover Square itself, and examine Lady + Belamour and her servants upon oath. + </p> + <p> + Behold, the parlour was empty. Even Betty and Eugene were absent. The + Major hastened to knock at Mr. Belamour’s door. There was no answer; and + when he knocked louder it was still in vain. He tried the door and found + it locked. Then he retreated to the sitting-room, rang, and made inquiries + of the waiter who answered the bell. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Belamour had received a note at about ten o’clock, and had gone out + with him “in great disorder,” said the waiter. + </p> + <p> + At the same moment there was a knock at the door, and a billet was brought + in from Lady Belamour. The Major tore it open and read:— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “MY DEAR COUSIN, + + “I grieve for you, but my Suspicions were correct. We have all +been completely hoodwinked by that old Villain, my Brother-in-law. I +can give him no other Name, for his partial Aberration of Mind has only +sharpened his natural Cunning. Would you believe it? He had obtained +access to Delavie House, and had there hidden the unfortunate Object of +your Search, while he pretended to be assisting you, and this Morning +he carried her off in a Sedan. I have sent the good Doves to Bowstead in +case he should have the Assurance to return to his old Quarters, but I +suspect that they are on the Way to Dover. You had better consult with +Hargrave on the means of confirming the strange Marriage Ceremony that +has passed between them, since that affords the best Security for your +Daughter’s Maintenance and Reputation. Believe me, I share in your +Distress. Indeed I have so frightful a Megrim that I can scarcely tell +what I write, and I dare not admit you to-day. + + “I remain, + “Your loving and much-grieved Cousin, + “URANIA BELAMOUR.” + </pre> + <p> + Poor Major! His horror, perplexity, and despair were indescribable. He had + one only hope—that Sir Amyas and Betty might be on the track. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0031" id="link2HCH0031"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXX. THE FIRST TASK. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + After all these there marcht a most faire dame, + Led of two gryslie villains, th’ one Despight, + The other cleped Crueltie by name. + SPENSER. +</pre> + <p> + The traces of occupation had not deceived Major Delavie; Aurelia had been + recently in Delavie House, and we must go back some way in our narrative + to her arrival there. + </p> + <p> + She had, on her return from Sedhurst on that Sunday, reached Bowstead, and + entered by the lobby door just as Lady Belamour was coming down the stairs + only attended by her woman, and ready to get into the carriage which + waited at the hall door. + </p> + <p> + Sinking on her knees before her with clasped hands, Aurelia exclaimed, “O + madam, I ought not to have come away. Here I am, do what you will with me, + but spare my father. He knew nothing of it. Only, for pity’s sake, do not + put me among the poor wicked creatures in gaol.” + </p> + <p> + “Get into that carriage immediately, and you shall know by decision,” said + Lady Belamour, with icy frigidness, but not the same fierceness as before; + and Aurelia submissively obeyed, silenced by an imperious gesture when she + would have asked, “How is it with <i>him</i>?” whom she durst not name. + </p> + <p> + Lady Belamour waited a minute or two while sending Loveday on a last + message to the sick room, then entered the large deep carriage, signing to + her captive to take a corner where she could hardly be seen if any one + looked through the window. Loveday followed, the door was shut by a + strange servant, as it was in fact Lady Aresfield’s carriage, borrowed + both for the sake of speed, and of secrecy towards her own household. + </p> + <p> + A few words passed by which Aurelia gathered something reassuring as to + the state of the patient, and then Lady Belamour turned on her, demanding, + “So, young miss, you tried to escape me! Where have you been?” + </p> + <p> + “Only as far as Sedhurst Church, madam. I would have gone home, but I + feared to bring trouble on my father, and I came back to implore you to + forgive.” + </p> + <p> + There was no softening of the terrible, beautiful face before her, and she + durst put no objective case to her verb. However, the answer was somewhat + less dreadful than she had anticipated. + </p> + <p> + “I have been shamefully duped,” said Lady Belamour, “but it is well that + it is no worse; nor shall I visit our offences on your father if you show + your penitence by absolute submission. The absurd ceremony you went + through was a mere mockery, and the old fool, Belamour, showed himself + crazed for consenting to such an improper frolic on the part of my son. + Whether your innocence be feigned or not, however, I cannot permit you to + go out of my custody until the foolish youth or yourself be properly + bestowed in marriage elsewhere. Meantime, you will remain where I place + you, and exactly fulfil my commands. Remember that any attempt to + communicate with any person outside the house will be followed by your + Father’s immediate dismissal.” + </p> + <p> + “May I not let him know that I am safe?” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly not; I will see to your father.” + </p> + <p> + It was a period when great ladies did not scruple to scold at the top of + their voices, and sometimes proceed to blows, but Lady Belamour never + raised her low silvery tones, and thus increased the awfulness of her + wrath and the impressiveness of her determination. Face to face with her, + there were few who did not cower under her displeasure; and poor Aurelia, + resolute to endure for her father’s sake, could only promise implicit + obedience. + </p> + <p> + She only guessed when the entered London by the louder rumbling, and for + one moment the coach paused as a horse was reined up near it, and with + plumed hat in hand the rider bent forward to the window, exclaiming, + “Successful, by all that is lovely! Captured, by Jove!” + </p> + <p> + “You shall hear all another time,” said lady Belamour. “Let us go on now.” + </p> + <p> + They did so, but the horseman continued to flash across the windows, and + when the coach, after considerable delay, had entered the walled court, + rumbled over the pavement, and stopped before a closed door, he was still + there. When, after much thundering, the door was opened, Aurelia had a + moment’s glimpse of a splendid figure in gold and scarlet handing out Lady + Belamour, who stood talking with him on the steps of the house for some + moments. Then, shrugging his shoulders, he remounted, and cantered off, + after which my Lady signed to Aurelia to alight, and followed her into the + hall. + </p> + <p> + “Madge,” said Lady Belamour to the witch-like old woman who had admitted + her, “this young lady is to remain here. You will open a bedroom and + sitting-room for her at the back of the house. Let her be properly cared + for, and go out in the court behind, but on no account approach the front + gates. Let no one know she is here.” + </p> + <p> + Madge muttered some demands about supplies and payments, and Lady Belamour + waved her to settle them with Mrs. Loveday, turning meantime to the + prisoner and saying, “There, child, you are to remain here on your good + behaviour. Do your best to merit my good will, so that I may overlook what + is past. Recollect, the least attempt to escape, or to hold intercourse + with the young, or the old, fool, and it shall be the worse with them and + with your father.” + </p> + <p> + Therewith she departed, followed by Loveday, leaving Aurelia standing in + the middle of the hall, the old hag gazing on her with a malignant leer. + “Ho! ho’! So that’s the way! He has begun that work early, has he? What’s + your name, my lass? Oh, you need give yourself airs! I cry you mercy,” and + she made a derisive curtsey. + </p> + <p> + Poor Aurelia, pride had less to do with her silence than absolute + uncertainty what to call herself. The wedding ring was on her finger, and + she would not deny her marriage by calling herself Delavie, but Belamour + might be dangerous, and the prefix was likewise a difficulty, so faltered, + “You may call me Madam Aurelia.” + </p> + <p> + “Madam Really. That’s a queer name, but it will serve while you are here.” + </p> + <p> + “Pray let me go to my room,” entreated the poor prisoner, who felt as + ineffable disgust at her jailor, and was becoming sensible to extreme + fatigue. + </p> + <p> + “Your room, hey? D’ye think I keep rooms and beds as though this were an + inn, single-handed as I am? You must wait, unless you be too fine to lend + a hand.” + </p> + <p> + “Anything will do,” said Aurelia, “if I may only rest. I would help, but I + am so much tired that I can hardly stand.” + </p> + <p> + “My Lady has given it to you well, Mistress Really or Mistress Falsely, + which ever you may be,” mumbled Madge, perhaps in soliloquy, fumbling at + the lock of a room which at last she opened. It smelt very close and + fusty, and most of the furniture was heaped together under a cloth in the + midst, dimly visible by the light of a heart-shaped aperture in the + shutters. Unclosing one of the leaves, the old woman admitted enough + daylight to guide Aurelia to a couch against the wall, saying, “You can + wait there till I see to your bed. And you’ll be wanting supper too!” she + added in a tone of infinite disgust. + </p> + <p> + “O never mind supper, if I can only go to bed,” sighed Aurelia, sinking on + the couch as the old woman hobbled off. Lassitude and exhaustion had + brought her to a state like annihilation—unable to think or guess, + hope or fear, with shoes hurting her footsore feet, a stiff dress cramping + her too much for sleep, and her weary aching eyes gathering a few + impressions in a passive way. On the walls hung dimly seen portraits + strangely familiar to her. The man in a green dressing gown with floating + hair had a face she knew; so had the lady in the yellow ruff. And was that + not the old crest, the Delavie butterfly, with the motto, <i>Ma Vie et ma + Mie</i>, carved on the mantelpiece? Thus she knew that she must be in + Delavie House, and felt somewhat less desolate as she recognised several + portraits as duplicates of those at the Great House at Carminster, and + thought they looked at her in pity with their eyes like her father’s. The + youngest son in the great family group was, as she knew, an Amyas, and he + put her in mind of her own. Oh, was he her own, when she could not tell + whether those great soft, dark-grey eyes that looked so kindly on her had + descended to the young baronet? She hoped not, for Harriet and she had + often agreed that they presaged the fate of that gallant youth, who had + been killed by Sir Bevil Grenville’s side. He must have looked just as Sir + Amyas did, lying senseless after the hurt she had caused. + </p> + <p> + No more definite nor useful thought passed through the brain of the + overwearied maiden as she rest on the couch, how long she knew not; but it + was growing dark by the time Madge returned with a guttering candle, a + cracked plate and wedge of greasy-looking pie, a piece of dry bread, a + pewter cup of small beer, and an impaired repulsive steel knife with a + rounded end, and fork with broken prong. The fact of this being steel was + not distressing to one who had never seen a silver fork, but the condition + of both made her shudder, and added to the sick sense of exhaustion that + destroyed her appetite. She took a little of the bread, and, being parched + with thirst, drank some of the beer before Madge came back again. “Oh ho, + you’re nice I see, my fine Dame Really!” + </p> + <p> + “Thank you, indeed I can’t eat, I am so much tired,” said Aurelia + apologetically. + </p> + <p> + “You’ll have to put up with what serves your betters, I can tell you,” was + all the reply she received. “Well be ye coming to your bed?” + </p> + <p> + So up the creaking stairs she was guided to a room, very unlike that fresh + white bower at Bowstead, large, eerie, ghostly-looking, bare save for a + dark oak chest, and a bed of the same material, the posts apparently + absolute trees, squared and richly carved, and supporting a solid wooden + canopy with an immense boss as big as a cabbage, and carved something like + one, depending from the centre, as if to endanger the head of the unwary, + who should start up in bed. No means of ablution were provided, and + Aurelia felt so grimed and dusty that she ventured to beg for an ewer and + basin; but her amiable hostess snarled out that she had enough to do + without humouring fiddle-faddle whimsies, and that she might wash at the + pump if nothing else would serve her. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia wished she had known this before going up stairs, and, worn out as + she was, the sense implanted by her mother that it was wicked to go to + sleep dirty, actually made her drag herself down to a grim little + scullery, where she was permitted to borrow a wooden bowl, since she was + too <i>nice</i> forsooth to wash down stairs. She carried it up with a + considerable trouble more than half full, and a bit of yellow soap and + clean towel were likewise vouchsafed to her. The wash—perhaps + because of the infinite trouble it cost her—did her great good,—it + gave her energy to recollect her prayers and bring good angels about her. + If this had been her first plunge from home, when Jumbo’s violin had so + scared her, such a place as this would have almost killed her; but the + peace that had come to her in Sedhurst Church lingered still round her, + and as she climbed up into the lofty bed the verse sang in her ears “Love + is strong as death.” Whether Love Divine or human she did not ask herself, + but with the sense of soothing upon her, she slept—and slept as a + seventeen-years’-old frame will sleep after having been thirty-six hours + awake and afoot. + </p> + <p> + When she awoke it was with the sense of some one being in the room. “O + gemini!” she heard, and starting up, only just avoiding the knob, she saw + Mrs. Loveday’s well-preserved brunette face gazing at her. + </p> + <p> + “Your servant, ma’am,” she said. “You’ll excuse me if I speak with you + here, for I must be back by the time my Lady’s bell rings.” + </p> + <p> + “Is it very late?” said Aurelia, taking from under her pillow her watch, + which had stopped long ago. + </p> + <p> + “Nigh upon ten o’clock,” said Loveday. “I must not stay, but it is my + Lady’s wish that you should have all that is comformable, and you’ll let + me know how Madge behaves herself.” + </p> + <p> + “Is there any news from Bowstead?” was all Aurelia could at first demand. + </p> + <p> + “Not yet; but bless you, my dear young lady, you had best put all that + matter out of your head for ever and a day. I know what these young + gentlemen are. They are not to be hearkened to one moment, not the best of + them. Let them be ever so much in earnest at the time, their parents and + guardians have the mastery of them sooner or later, and the farther it has + gone, the worse it is. I saw you lying asleep here looking so innocent + that it went to my heart, and I heard you mutter in your sleep ‘Love is + strong as death,’ but that’s only a bit of some play-book, and don’t you + trust to it, for I never saw love that was stronger than a spider’s web.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, hush, Mrs. Loveday. It is in the Bible!” + </p> + <p> + “You don’t say so, ma’am,” the woman said awestruck. + </p> + <p> + “I would show it you, only all my things are away. God is love, you know,” + said Aurelia, sitting up with clasped hands, “and He gives it, so it must + be strong.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, all the love I’ve ever seen was more the devil’s,” said Loveday + truly enough; “and you’ll find it so if you mean to trust to these fine + young beaux and what they say.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia shook her head a little as she sat up in bed with her clasped + hands; and there was a look on her face that Mrs. Loveday did not + understand, as she went on with her advice. + </p> + <p> + “So, my dear young lady, you see all that is left for you is to frame your + mind to keep close here, and conform to my Lady’s will till all is blown + over one way or another.” + </p> + <p> + “I know that,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Don’t’ you do anything to anger her,” added the waiting-woman, “for + there’s no one who can stand against her; and I’ll speak up for you when I + can, for I know how to come round my Lady, if any one does. Tell me what + you want, and I’ll get it for you; but don’t try to get out, and don’t + send Madge, for she is not to be trusted with money. If I were you, I’d + not let her see that watch, and I’d lock my door at night. You’re too + innocent, whatever my Lady may say. Here’s half a pound of tea and sugar, + which you had best keep to yourself, and I’ve seen to there being things + decent down stairs. Tell me, my dear, is there anything you want? Your + clothes, did you say? Oh, yes, you shall have them—yes, and your + books. Here’s some warm water,” as a growling was heard at the door; “I + must not wait till you are dressed, but there’s a box of shells down in + your room that Mr. Wayland sent home for my Lady to line a grotto with, + and she wants them all sorted out. ‘Tell her she must make herself of use + if she wants to be forgiven,’ says my Lady, for she is in a mighty hurry + for them now she has heard of the Duchess of Portland’s grotto; though she + has let them lie here unpacked for this half year and more. So if they are + all done by night, maybe may Lady will be pleased to let you have a bit + more liberty.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Loveday departed, having certainly cheered the captive, and Aurelia + rose, weary-limbed and sad-hearted, with a patient trust in her soul that + Love Divine would not fail her, and that earthly love would do its best. + </p> + <p> + She found matters improved in the down-stairs room, the furniture was in + order, a clean cloth on the table, a white roll, butter, and above all + clean bright implements, showing Mrs. Loveday’s influence. She ate and + drank like a hungry girl, washed up for herself rather than let Madge + touch anything she could help, and looked from the window into a dull + court of dreary, blighted-looking turf divided by flagged walks, radiating + from a statue in the middle, representing a Triton blowing a conch—no + doubt intended to spout water, for there was a stone trough round him, but + he had long forgotten his functions, and held a sparrow’s nest with + streaming straws in his hand. This must be the prison-yard, where alone + she might walk, since it lay at the back of the house; and with a sense of + depression she turned to the task that awaited her. + </p> + <p> + A very large foreign-looking case had been partly opened, and when she + looked in she was appalled at the task to be accomplished in one day. It + was crammed with shells of every size and description, from the large + helmet-conch and Triton’s trumpet, down to the tiny pink cowry and + rice-volute, all stuffed together without arrangement or packing, forming + a mass in which the unbroken shells reposed in a kind of sand, of <i>debris</i> + ground together out of the victims; and when she took up a tolerably-sized + univalve, quantities of little ones came tumbling out of its inner folds. + She took up a handful, and presently picked out one perfect valve like a + rose petal, three fairy cups of limpets, four ribbed cowries, and a thing + like a green pea. Of course she knew no names, but a kind of interest was + awakened by the beauty and variety before her. A pile of papers had been + provided, and the housewife [a pocket-size container for small articles + (as thread)—D.L.] which Betty made her always carry in her pocket + furnished wherewithal to make up a number of bags for the lesser sorts; + and she went to work, her troubles somewhat beguiled by the novel beauties + of each delicate creature she disinterred, but remembering with a pang + how, if she could have described them to Mr. Belamour, he would have + discoursed upon the Order of Nature. + </p> + <p> + London noises were not the continuous roar of vehicles of the present day, + but there was sound enough to remind the country girl where she was, and + the street cries “Old Clothes!” “Sprats, oh!” “Sweep!” were heard over the + wall, sometimes with tumultuous voices that seemed to enhance her + loneliness, as she sat on the floor, hour after hour, sifting out the + entire shells, and feeling a languid pleasure in joining the two halves of + a bivalve, especially those lovely sunset shells that have rosy rays + diverging from their crimson hinge over their polished surface, white, or + just tinted with the hues of a daffodil sky. She never clasped a pair + together without a little half-uttered ejaculation, “Oh, bring me and my + dear young love thus together again!” And when she found a couple making a + perfect heart, and holding together through all, she kissed it tenderly in + the hope that thus it might be with her and with him whose hand and whose + voice returned on her, calling her his dearest life! + </p> + <p> + She durst only quit the shells to eat the dinner which Madge served at one + o’clock—a tolerable meal of slices of cold beef from a cook’s-shop, + but seasoned with sour looks and a murmur at ladies’ fancies. The + weariness and languor of the former day’s exertions made her for the + present disinclined to explore the house, even had she had time, and when + twilight came there could have been little but fragments at the bottom of + the case, though she could see no more to sort them. + </p> + <p> + And what were these noises around her making her start? Rats! Yes, here + they were, venturing out from all the corners. They knew there had been + food in the room. This was why Madge had those to gaunt, weird-looking + cats in her kitchen! Aurelia went and sat on the step into the court to be + out of their way, but Madge hunted her in that the door might be shut and + barred; and when she returned trembling to the sitting room, she heard + such a scampering and a scrambling that she durst not enter, and betook + herself to her chamber and to bed. + </p> + <p> + Alas! that was no refuge. She had been too much tired to hear anything the + night before, but to-night there was scratching, nibbling, careering, + fighting, squeaking, recoil and rally, charge and rout, as the grey + Hanover rat fought his successful battle with his black English cousin all + over the floors and stairs—nay, once or twice came rushing up and + over the bed—frightening its occupant almost out of her senses, as + she cowered under the bed-clothes, not at all sure that they would not + proceed to eating her. Happily daylight came early. Aurelia, at its first + ray, darted across the room, starting in horror when she touched a soft + thing with her bare foot, opened the shutter, and threw open the casement. + Light drove the enemy back to their holes, and she had a few hours’ sleep, + but when Mrs. Loveday came to the room when she was nearly dressed, she + exclaimed, “Why, miss, you look paler than you did yesterday.” + </p> + <p> + “The rats!” said Aurelia under her breath. + </p> + <p> + “Ah! the rats! Of course they are bad enough in an old desolate place like + this. But you’ve done the shells right beautiful, that I will say; and you + may leave this house this very day if you will only give your consent to + what my Lady asks. You shall be sent down this very day to Carminster, if + so be you’ll give up that ring of yours, and sign a paper giving up all + claim to be married to his Honour. See, here it is, all ready, in my + Lady’s letter.” + </p> + <p> + “I cannot,” said Aurelia, with her hands behind her. + </p> + <p> + “You can read my Lady’s letter,” said Loveday; “that can do you no harm.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia felt she must do that at least. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “CHILD, + + “I will overlook your Transgression on the One Condition, that +you sign this Paper and send it with your so-called Wedding Ring back +to me immediately. Otherwise you must take the Consequences, and remain +where you are till after my Son’s Marriage. + + “URANIA BELAMOUR.” + </pre> + <p> + The paper was a formal renunciation of all rights or claims from the + fictitious marriage by which she had been deceived, and an absolute pledge + never to renew any contract with Sir Amyas Belamour, Knight Baronet, who + had grossly played on her. + </p> + <p> + “No, I cannot,” said Aurelia, pushing it from her. + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, miss, I would not persuade you to it if it were not for your own + good; but you may be sure it is no use holding out against her Ladyship. + If you sign it now, and give it up honourable, she will send Mr. Dove home + with you, and there you’ll be as if nothing had been amiss, no one knowing + nothing about it; but if you persist it will not make the marriage a bit + more true, and you will only be kept moped up in this dismal place till + his Honour is married, and there’s no saying what worse my Lady may do to + you.” + </p> + <p> + Another night of rats came up before Aurelia’s imagination in contrast + with the tender welcome at home; but the white face and the tones that had + exclaimed, “Madam, what are you doing to my wife?” arose and forbade her. + She would not fail him. So she said firmly once more, “No, Mrs. Loveday, I + cannot. I do not know what lawyers may say, but I feel myself bound to Sir + Amyas, and I will not break my vow—God helping me,” she added under + breath. + </p> + <p> + “You must write it to her ladyship then. She will never take such a + message through me. Here is paper and pen that I brought, in hopes that + you would be wise and submit for your honoured father’s sake.” + </p> + <p> + “My father cannot be persecuted for what he has nothing to do with,” said + Aurelia, with the gentle dignity that had grown on her since her troubles. + And taking the pen, she wrote her simple refusal, signing it Aurelia + Belamour. + </p> + <p> + “As you please, ma’am,” said Mrs. Loveday, “but I have my Lady’s orders to + bring this paper every day till you sign it, and it would be better for + you if you would do it at once.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia only shook her head, and asked if Mrs. Loveday had seen that she + had finished sorting the shells. Yes; and as she was now dressed they went + down together to the sitting-room. The shutters were still closed, Madge + would not put a hand to the room except on the compulsion, and Aurelia’s + enemies had left evidence of their work; not only was the odour of the + room like that of a barn, but the paper bags had in some cases been bitten + through, and the shells scattered about, and of the loaf and butter which + Aurelia had left on a high shelf in the cupboard nothing remained but a + few fragments. + </p> + <p> + Loveday was very much shocked, all the more when Aurelia quietly said she + should not mind it so much if the rats would only stay down stairs, and + not run over her in bed. + </p> + <p> + “Yet you will not sign the paper.” + </p> + <p> + “I cannot,” again said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “My stars, I never could abear rats! Why they fly at one’s throat + sometimes!” + </p> + <p> + “I hope God will take care of me,” said Aurelia, in a trembling voice. “He + did last night.” + </p> + <p> + Loveday began a formal leave-taking curtsey, but presently turned back. + “There now,” she said, “I cannot do it, I couldn’t sleep a wink for + thinking of you among the rats! Look here, I shall send a porter to bring + away those shells if you’ll make up their bags again that the nasty vermin + have eaten, and there’s a little terrier dog about the place that no one + will miss, he shall bring it down, and depend upon it, the rats won’t + venture near it.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! thank you, Mrs. Loveday, how good you are!” + </p> + <p> + “Ah, don’t then! If you could say that my dear!” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Loveday hurried away, and after breakfasting, Aurelia repaired the + ravages of the rats, and made a last sorting of the residuum of shell + dust, discovering numerous minute beauties, which awoke in her the happy + thought of the Creator’s individual love. + </p> + <p> + She had not yet finished before Madge’s voice was heard in querulous + anger, and a heavy tread came along with her. A big man, who could have + carried ten times the weight of the box of shells, came in with a little + white dog with black ears, under his arm. + </p> + <p> + “There,” said the amiable guardian of the house, “that smart madam says + that it’s her ladyship’s pleasure you should have that little beast to + keep down the rats. As if my cats was not enough! But mind you, Madam + Really, if so be he meddles with my cats, it will be the worse for him.” + </p> + <p> + The porter took up the box, and departed, and Aurelia was left with her + new companion sniffing all round the room, much excited by the + neighbourhood of his natural enemies. However, he obeyed her call, and let + her make friends, and read the name on the brass plate upon his collar. + When she read “Sir A. Belamour, Bart.,” she took the little dog in her + arms and kissed it’s white head. + </p> + <p> + Being fairly rested, and having no task to accomplish, she felt the day + much longer, though less solitary, in the companionship of the dog, to + whom she whispered many fond compliments, and vain questions as to his + name. With him at her heels and Madge and her cats safely shut into the + kitchen, she took courage to wander about the dull court, and then to + explore the mansion and try to get a view from the higher windows, in case + they were not shuttered up like the lower ones. The emptiness of Bowstead + was nothing to this, and she smiled to herself at having thought herself a + prisoner there. + </p> + <p> + Most of the rooms were completely dismantled, or had only ghastly rags of + torn leather or tapestry hanging to their walls. The upper windows, + however, were merely obscured by dust and cobwebs. Her own bedroom windows + only showed the tall front of an opposite house, but climbing to the + higher storey, she could see at the back over the garden wall the broad + sheet of the Thames, covered with boats and wherries, and the banks + provided with steps and stairs, at the opening of every street on the + opposite side, where she beheld a confused mass of trees, churches, and + houses. Nearer, the view to the westward was closed in by a stately + edifice which she did not know to be Somerset House; and from another + window on the east side of the house she saw, over numerous tiled roofs, a + gateway which she guessed to be Temple Bar, and a crowded thoroughfare, + where the people looked like ants, toiling towards the great dome that + rose in the misty distance. Was this the way she was to see London? + </p> + <p> + Coming down with a lagging step, she met Madge’s face peering up. “Humph! + there you be, my fine miss! No gaping after sweethearts from the window, + or it will be the worse for you.” + </p> + <p> + The terrier growled, as having already adopted his young lady’s defence, + and Aurelia, dreading a perilous explosion of his zeal in her cause, + hurried him into her parlour. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0032" id="link2HCH0032"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXI. THE SECOND TASK. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Hope no more, + Since thou art furnished with hidden lore, + To ‘scape thy due reward if any day + Without some task accomplished passed away. + MOORE. +</pre> + <p> + The little dog’s presence was a comfort, but his night of combat and + scuffling was not a restful one and the poor prisoner’s sickness of heart + and nervous terrors grew upon her every hour, with misgivings lest she + should be clinging to a shadow, and sacrificing her return to Betty’s arms + for a phantom. There were moments when her anguish of vague terror and + utter loneliness impelled her to long to sign her renunciation that + moment; and when she thought of recurring hours and weeks of such days and + such nights her spirit quailed within her, and Loveday might have found + her less calmly steadfast had she come in the morning. + </p> + <p> + She did not come, and this in itself was a disappointment, for at least + she brought a human voice and a pitying countenance which, temptress + though she might be, had helped to bear Aurelia through the first days. + Oh! could she but find anything to do! She had dusted her two rooms as + well as she could consistently with care for the dress she could not + change. She blamed herself extremely for having forgotten her Bible and + Prayer-book when hastily making up her bundle of necessaries, and though + there was little chance that Madge should possess either, or be able to + read, she nerved herself to ask. “Bible! what should ye want of a Bible, + unless to play the hypocrite? I hain’t got none!” was the reply. + </p> + <p> + So Aurelia could only walk up and down the court trying to repeat the + Psalms, and afterwards the poetry she had learnt for Mr. Belamour’s + benefit, sometimes deriving comfort from the promises, but oftener + wondering whether he had indeed deserted her in anger at her distrustful + curiosity. She tried to scrape the mossgrown Triton, she crept up stairs + to the window that looked towards the City, and cleared off some of the + dimness, and she got a needle and thread and tried to darn the holes in + the curtains and cushions, but the rotten stuff crumbled under her + fingers, and would not hold the stitches. At last she found in a dusty + corner a boardless book with neither beginning nor end, being Defoe’s <i>Plague + of London</i>. She read and read with a horrid fascination, believing + every word of it, wondering whether this house could have been infected, + and at length feeling for the plague spot! + </p> + <p> + A great church-clock enabled her to count the hours! Oh, how many there + were of them! How many more would there be? This was only her second day, + and deliverance could not come for weeks, were her young husband—if + husband he were—ever so faithful. How should she find patience in + this dreariness, interspersed with fits of alarm lest he should be + dangerously ill and suffering? She fell on her knees and prayed for him + and for herself! + </p> + <p> + Here it was getting dark again, and Madge would hunt her in presently and + shut the shutters. Hark! what was that? A bell echoing over the house! + Madge came after her. “Where are you, my fine mistress! Go you into the + parlour, I say,” and she turned the key upon the prisoner, whose heart + beat like a bird fluttering in a cage. Suddenly her door was opened, and + in darted Fidelia and Lettice, who flung themselves upon her with ecstatic + shrieks of “Cousin Aura, dear cousin Aura!” Loveday was behind, directing + the bringing in of trunks from a hackney coach. All she said was, “My + Lady’s daughters are to be with you for the night, madam; I must not say + more, for her ladyship is waiting for me.” + </p> + <p> + She was gone, while the three were still in the glad tangle of an embrace + beginning again and again, with all sorts of little exclamations from the + children, into which Aurelia broke with the inquiry for their brother. “He + is much better,” said Fay. “He is to get up to-morrow, and then he will + come and find you.” + </p> + <p> + “Have you seen him?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, yes, and he says it is Sister Aura, and not Cousin Aura—” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, dear little sisters—” and she hugged them again. + </p> + <p> + “I was sitting upon his bed,” said Letty, “and we were all talking about + you when my Lady mamma came. Are mothers kinder than Lady mammas?” + </p> + <p> + “Was she angry?” asked Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Oh! she frightened me,” said Fay. “She said we were pert, forward misses, + and we must hold our tongues, for we should be whipped if we ever said you + name, Cousin—Sister Aura, again; and she would not let us go to wish + Brother Amyas good-bye this morning.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia’s heart could not but leap with joy that her tyrant should have + failed in carrying to Bowstead the renunciation of the marriage. Whether + Lady Belamour meant it or not, she had made resistance much easier by the + company of Faith and Hope, if only for a single night. She gathered from + their prattle that their mother, having found that their talk with their + brother was all of the one object of his thoughts, had carried them off + summarily, and had been since driving about London in search of a school + at which to leave them; but they were too young for Queen’s Square, and + there was no room at another house at which Lady Belamour had applied. She + would not take them home, being, of course, afraid of their tongues, and + in her perplexity had been reduced to letting them share Aurelia’s + captivity at least for the night. + </p> + <p> + What joy it was! They said it was an ugly dark house, but Aurelia’s + presence was perfect content to them, and theirs was to her comparative + felicity, assuring her as they did, through their childish talk, of Sir + Amyas’s unbroken love and of Mr. Belamour’s endeavours to find her. What + mattered it that Madge was more offended than ever, and refused to make + the slightest exertion for “the Wayland brats at that time of night” + without warning. They had enough for supper, and if Aurelia had not, their + company was worth much more to her than a full meal. The terrier’s rushes + after rats were only diversion now, and when all three nestled together in + the big bed, the fun was more delightful than ever. Between those soft + caressing creatures Aurelia heard no rats, and could well bear some kicks + at night, and being drummed awake at some strange hour in the morning. + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Loveday arrive soon after the little party had gone down stairs. She + said the children were to remain until her ladyship had decided where to + send them; and she confirmed their report that his Honour was recovering + quickly. As soon as he was sufficiently well to leave Bowstead he was to + be brought to London, and married to Lady Arabella before going abroad to + make the grand tour; and as a true well-wisher, Mrs. Loveday begged Miss + Delavie not to hold out when it was of no use, for her Ladyship declared + that her contumacy would be the worse for her. Aurelia’s garrison was, + however, too well reinforced for any vague alarms to shake even her out + works, and she only smiled her refusal, as in truth Mrs. Loveday must have + expected, for it appeared that she had secured a maid to attend on the + prisoners; an extremely deaf woman, who only spoke in the broken imperfect + mode of those who have never heard their own voice, deficiencies that made + it possible that Madge would keep the peace with her. + </p> + <p> + Lady Belamour had also found another piece of work for Aurelia. A dark + cupboard was opened, revealing shelves piled with bundle of old letters + and papers. There was a family tradition that one of the ladies of the + Delavie family had been an attendant of Mary of Scotland for a short time, + and had received from her a recipe for preserving the complexion and + texture of the skin, devised by the French Court perfumer. Nobody had ever + seen this precious prescription; but it was presumed to be in the archives + of the family, and her ladyship sent word that if Miss Delavie wished to + deserve her favour she would put her French to some account and discover + it. + </p> + <p> + A severe undertaking it was. Piles of yellow letters, files of dusty + accounts, multitudes of receipts, more than one old will had to be conned + it was possible to be certain they were not the nostrum. In the utter + solitude, even this occupation would have been valuable, but with the + little girls about her, and her own and their property, she had + alternative employments enough to make it an effort to apply herself to + this. + </p> + <p> + Why should she? she asked herself more than once; but then came the + recollection that if she showed herself willing to obey and gratify my + Lady, it might gain her good will, and if Sir Amyas should indeed hold out + till Mr. Wayland came home—Her heart beat wildly at the vision of + hope. + </p> + <p> + She worked principally at the letters, after the children had gone to bed, + taking a packet up stairs with her, and sitting in the bedroom, + deciphering them as best she might by the light of the candles that + Loveday had brought her. + </p> + <p> + Every morning Loveday appeared with supplies, and messages from her + Ladyship, that it was time Miss submitted; but she was not at all + substantially unkind, and showed increasing interest in her captive, + though always impressing on her that her obstinacy was all in vain. My + Lady was angered enough at his Honour having got up from his sick bed and + gone off to Carminster, and if Miss did not wish to bring her father into + trouble she must yield. No, this gladdened rather than startled Aurelia, + though her heart sank within her when she was warned that Mr. Wayland had + been taken by the corsairs, so that my Lady would have the ball at her own + foot now. The term of waiting seemed indefinitely prolonged. + </p> + <p> + The confinement to the dingy house and courtyard was trying to all three, + who had been used to run about in the green park and breezy fields; but + Aurelia did her best to keep her little companions happy and busy, and the + sense of the insecurity of her tenure of their company aided her the more + to meet with good temper and sweetness the various rubs incidental to + their captivity in this close warm house in the hottest of summer weather. + The pang she had felt at her own fretfulness, when she thought she had + lost them, made her guard the more against giving way to impatience if + they were troublesome or hard to please. Indeed, she was much more gentle + and equable now, in the strength of her resolution, than she had been when + uplifted by her position, yet doubtful of its mysteries. + </p> + <p> + Sundays were the most trying time. The lack of occupation in the small + space was wearisome, and Aurelia’s heart often echoed the old strains of + Tate and Brady, + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + I sigh whene’er my musing thoughts + Those happy days present, + When I with troops of pious friends + Thy temple did frequent. +</pre> + <p> + She and her charges climbed up to the window above, which happily had a + broken pane, tried to identify the chimes of the church bells by the + notable nursery rhyme, + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Oranges and lemons, + Say the bells of St. Clements, &c., +</pre> + <p> + watched the church-goers as far as they could see them, and then came down + to such reading of the service and other Sunday occupations as Aurelia + could devise. On the Sunday of her durance it was such a broiling day + that, unable to bear the heat of her parlour, she established herself and + her charges in a nook of the court, close under the window, but shaded by + the wall, which was covered with an immense bush of overhanging ivy, and + by the elm tree in the court. Here she made Fay and Letty say their + catechism, and the Psalm she had been teaching them in the week, and then + rewarded them with a Bible story, that of Daniel in the den of lions. Once + or twice the terrier (whose name she had learnt was Bob) had pricked his + ears, and the children had thought there was a noise, but the sparrows in + the ivy might be accountable for a great deal, and the little ones were to + much wrapped in her tale to be attentive to anything else. + </p> + <p> + “Then it came true!” said Letty. “His God Whom he trusted did deliver him + out of the den of lions?” + </p> + <p> + “God always does deliver people when they trust Him,” said Fay, with + gleaming eyes. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, one way or the other,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “How do you think He will deliver us?” asked Letty; “for I am sure this is + a den, though there are no lions.” + </p> + <p> + “I do not know how,” said Aurelia, “but I know He will bear us through it + as long as we trust Him and do nothing wrong,” and she looked up at the + bright sky with hope and strength in her face. + </p> + <p> + “Hark! what’s that?” cried Letty, and Bob leapt up and barked as a great + sob became plainly audible, and within the room appeared Mrs. Loveday, her + face all over tears, which she was fast wiping away as she rose up from + crouching with her head against the window-sill. + </p> + <p> + “I beg your pardon, ma’am,” said she, her voice still broken when she + rejoined them, “but I would not interrupt you, so I waited within; and oh, + it was so like my poor old mother at home, it quite overcame me! I did not + think there was anything so near the angels left on earth.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, Loveday,” said Fay, apprehending the words in a different sense, + “the angels are just as near us as ever they were to Daniel, only we + cannot see them. Are they not, Cousin Aura?” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed they are, and we may be as sure that they will shut the lions’ + mouths,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Ah! may they,” sighed Loveday, who had by this time mastered her + agitation, and remembered that she must discharge herself of her messages, + and return hastily to my Lady’s toilette. + </p> + <p> + “I have found the recipe,” said Aurelia. “Here it is.” And she put into + Loveday’s hand a yellow letter, bearing the title in scribbled writing, “<i>Poure + Embellire et blanchire la Pel, de part de Maistre Raoul, Parfumeur de la + Royne Catherine</i>.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0033" id="link2HCH0033"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXII. LIONS. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + The helmet of darkness Pallas donned, + To hide her presence from the sight of man. + <i>Derby’s</i> HOMER. +</pre> + <p> + The next morning Loveday returned with orders from Lady Belamour that Miss + Delavie should translate the French recipe, and make a fair copy of it. It + was not an easy task, for the MS. was difficult and the French old; + whereas Aurelia lived on the modern side of the <i>Acadamie</i>, her + French was that of Fenelon and Racine. + </p> + <p> + However, she went to work as best she could in her cool corner, guessing + at many of the words by lights derived from <i>Comenius</i>, and had just + made out that the chief ingredients were pounded pearls and rubies, mixed + with white of eggs laid by pullets under a year old, during the waxing of + the April moon, when she heard voices chattering in the hall, and a + girlish figure appeared in a light cloak and calash, whom Loveday seemed + to be guiding, and yet keeping as much repressed as she could. + </p> + <p> + “Gracious Heavens!” were the first words to be distinguished; “what a + frightful old place; enough to make one die of the dismals! I won’t live + here when I’m married, I promise Sir Amyas! Bless me, is this the wench?” + </p> + <p> + “Your Ladyship promised to be careful,” entreated Loveday, while Aurelia + rose, with a graceful gesture of acknowledgment, which, however remained + unnoticed, the lady apparently considering herself unseen. + </p> + <p> + “Who are these little girls?” asked she, in a giggling whisper. “Little + Waylands? Then it is true,” she cried, with a peal of shrill laughter. + “There are three of them, only Lady Belamour shuts them up like kittens—I + wonder she did not. Oh, what sport! Won’t I tease her now that I know her + secret!” + </p> + <p> + “Your ladyship!” intreated Loveday in distress in an audible aside, “you + will undo me.” Then coming forward, she said, “You did not expect me at + this hour, madam; but if your French copy be finished, my Lady would like + to have it at once.” + </p> + <p> + “I have written it out once as well as I could,” said Aurelia, “but I have + not translated it; I will find the copy.” + </p> + <p> + She rose and found the stranger full before her in the doorway, gazing at + her with an enormous pair of sloe-black eyes, under heavy inky brows, set + in a hard, red-complexioned face. She burst into a loud, hoydenish laugh + as Loveday tried to stammer something about a friend of her own. + </p> + <p> + “Never mind, the murder’s out, good Mrs. Abigail,” she cried, “it is me. I + was determined to see the wench that has made such a fool of young + Belamour. I vow I can’t guess what he means by it. Why, you are a poor + pale tallow-candle, without a bit of colour in your face. Look at me! + Shall you ever have such a complexion as mine, with ever so much rouge?” + </p> + <p> + “I think not,” said Aurelia, with one look at the peony face. + </p> + <p> + “Do you know who I am, miss? I am the Lady Bella Mar. The Countess of + Aresfield is my mamma. I shall have Battlefield when she dies, and twenty + thousand pounds on my wedding day. The Earl of Aresfield and Colonel Mar + are my brothers, and a wretched little country girl like you is not to + come between me and what my mamma has fixed for me; so you must give it up + at once, for you see he belongs to me.” + </p> + <p> + “Not yet, madam,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “What do you say? Do you pretend that your masquerade was worth a button?” + </p> + <p> + “That is not my part to decide,” said Aurelia. “I am bound by it, and have + no power to break it.” + </p> + <p> + “You mean the lawyers! Bless you, they will never give it to you against + me! You’d best give it up at once, and if you want a husband, my mamma has + one ready for you.” + </p> + <p> + “I thank her ladyship,” said Aurelia, with simple dignity, “but I will not + give her the trouble.” + </p> + <p> + She glanced at her wedding ring, and so did Lady Belle, who screamed, + “You’ve the impudence to wear that! Give it to me.” + </p> + <p> + “I cannot,” repeated Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “You cannot, you insolent, vulgar, low”— + </p> + <p> + “Hush! hush, my lady,” entreated Loveday. “Come away, I beg of your + ladyship!” + </p> + <p> + “Not till I have made that impudent hussy give me that ring,” cried Belle, + stamping violently. “What’s that you say?” + </p> + <p> + “That your ladyship asks what is impossible,” said Aurelia, firmly. + </p> + <p> + “Take that then, insolent minx!” cried the girl, flying forward and + violently slapping Aurelia’s soft cheeks, and making a snatch at her hair. + </p> + <p> + Loveday screamed, Letty cried, but Fidelia and Bob both rushed forward to + Aurelia’s defence, one with her little fists clenched, beating Lady Belle + back, the other tearing at her skirts with his teeth. At that moment a + man’s step was heard, and a tall, powerful officer was among them, + uttering a fierce imprecation. “You little vixen, at your tricks again,” + he said, taking Belle by the waist, while she kicked and screamed in vain. + She was like an angry cat in his arms. “Be quiet, Belle,” he said, backing + into the sitting-room. “Let Loveday compose your dress. Recover your + senses and I shall take you home: I wish it was to the whipping you + deserve.” + </p> + <p> + He thrust her in, waved aside Loveday’s excuses about her ladyship not + being denied, and stood with his back to the door as she bounced shrieking + against it from within. + </p> + <p> + “I fear this little devil has hurt you, madam,” he said. + </p> + <p> + “Not at all, I thank you, sire.” said Aurelia, though one side of her face + still tingled. + </p> + <p> + “She made at you like a little game-cock,” he said. “I am glad I was in + time. I followed when I found she had slipped away from Lady Belamour’s, + knowing that her curiosity is only equalled by her spite. By Jove, it is + well that her nails did not touch that angel face!” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia could only curtsey and thank him, hoping within herself that Lady + Belle would soon recover, and wondering how he had let himself in. There + was something in his manner of examining her with his eyes that made her + supremely uncomfortable. He uttered fashionable expletives of admiration + under his breath, and she turned aside in displeasure, bending down to + Fidelia. He went on, “You must be devilishly moped in this dungeon of a + place! Cannot we contrive something better?” + </p> + <p> + “Thank you, sir, I have no complaint to make. Permit me to see whether the + Lady Arabella is better.” + </p> + <p> + “I advise you not. Those orbs are too soft and sparkling to be exposed to + her talons. ‘Pon my honour, I pity young Belamour. But there is no help + for it, and such charms ought not to be wasted in solitude on his account. + These young lads are as fickle as the weather-cock, and have half-a-dozen + fancies in as many weeks. Come now, make me your friend, and we will hit + on some device for delivering the enchanted princess from her durance + vile.” + </p> + <p> + “Thank you, sir, I promised Lady Belamour to make no attempt to escape.” + </p> + <p> + At that moment out burst Lady Belle, shouting with laughter: “Ho! ho! Have + I caught you, brother, gallanting away with Miss? What will my lady say? + Pretty doings!” + </p> + <p> + She had no time for more. Her brother fiercely laid hold of her, and bore + her away with a peremptory violence that she could not resist, and only + turning at the hall door to make one magnificent bow. + </p> + <p> + Loveday was obliged to follow, and the children were left clinging to + Aurelia and declaring that the dreadful young lady was as bad as the + lions; while Aurelia, glowing with shame and resentment at what she felt + as insults, had a misgiving that her protector had been the worse lion of + the two. + </p> + <p> + She had no explanation of the invasion till the next morning, when Loveday + appeared full of excuses and apologies. From the fact of Lady Aresfield’s + carriage having been used on Aurelia’s arrival, her imprisonment was + known, and Lady Belle, spending a holiday at Lady Belamour’s, had besieged + Loveday with entreaties to take her to see her rival. As the waiting-woman + said, for fear of the young lady’s violent temper, but more probably in + consideration of her bribes, she had yielded, hoping that Lady Belle would + be satisfied with a view from the window, herself unseen. However, from + that moment all had been taken out of the hands of Loveday, and she verily + believed the Colonel had made following his sister an excuse for catching + a sight of Miss Delavie, for he had been monstrously smitten even with the + glimpse he had had of her in the carriage. And now, as his sister had cut + short what he had to say, he had written her a billet. And Loveday held + out a perfumed letter. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia’s eyes flashed, and she drew herself up: “You forget, Loveday, I + promised to receive no letters!” + </p> + <p> + “Bless me, ma’am, they, that are treated as my lady treats you, are not + bound to be so particular as that.” + </p> + <p> + “O fie, Loveday,” said Aurelia earnestly, “you have been so kind, that I + thought you would be faithful. This is not being faithful to your lady, + nor to me.” + </p> + <p> + “It is only from my wish to serve you, ma’am,” said Loveday in her fawning + voice. “How can I bear to see a beautiful young lady like you, that ought + to be the star of all the court, mewed up here for the sake of a young + giddy pate like his Honour, when there’s one of the first gentlemen in the + land ready to be at your feet?” + </p> + <p> + “For shame! for shame!” exclaimed Aurelia, crimson already. “You know I am + married.” + </p> + <p> + “And you will not take the letter, nor see what the poor gentleman means? + May be he wants to reconcile you with my lady, and he has power with her.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia took the letter, and, strong paper though it was, tore it across + and across till it was all in fragments, no bigger than daisy flowers. + “There,” she said, “you may tell him what I have done to his letter.” + </p> + <p> + Loveday stared for a minute, then exclaimed, “You are in the right, my + dear lady. Oh, I am a wretch—a wretch—” and she went away + sobbing. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia hoped the matter was ended. It had given her a terrible feeling of + insecurity, but she found to her relief that Madge was really more + trustworthy than Loveday. She overheard from the court a conversation at + the back door in which Madge was strenuously refusing admission to some + one who was both threatening and bribing her, all in vain; but she was + only beginning to breathe freely when Loveday brought, not another letter, + but what was less easy to stop, a personal message from “that poor + gentleman.” + </p> + <p> + “Loveday, after what you said yesterday, how can you be so—wicked?” + said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, miss, ‘tis only as your true well-wisher.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia turned away to leave the room. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, it is, ma’am! On my bended knees I will swear it,” cried Loveday, + throwing herself on them and catching her dress. “It is because I know my + lady has worse in store for you!” + </p> + <p> + “Nothing can be worse than wrong-doing,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Ah! you don’t know. Now, listen, one moment. I would not—indeed I + would not—if I did not know that he meant true and honourable—as + he does, indeed he does. He is madder after you then ever he was for my + lady, for he says you have all her beauty, and freshness and simplicity + besides. He is raving. And you should never leave me, indeed you should + not, miss, if you slipped out after me in Deb’s muffler—and we’d go + to the Fleet. I have got a cousin there, poor fellow—he is always in + trouble, but he is a real true parson notwithstanding, and I’d never leave + your side till the knot was tied fast. Then you would laugh at my lady, + and be one of the first ladies in the land, for my Lord Aresfield is half + a fool, and can’t live long, and when you are a countess you will remember + your poor Loveday.” + </p> + <p> + “Let me go. You have said too much to a married woman,” said Aurelia, and + as the maid began the old demonstrations of the invalidity of the + marriage, and the folly of adhering to it when nobody knew where his + honour was gone, she said resolutely, “I shall write to Lady Belamour to + send me a more trustworthy messenger.” + </p> + <p> + On this Loveday fairly fell on the floor, grovelling in her wild entreaty + that my Lady might hear nothing of this, declaring that it was not so much + for the sake of the consequences to herself as to the young lady, for + there was no guessing what my lady might not be capable of if she guessed + at Colonel Mar’s admiration of her prisoner. Aurelia, frightened at her + violence, finally promised not to appeal to her ladyship as long as + Loveday abstained from transmitting his messages, but on the least attempt + on her part to refer to him, a complaint should certainly be made to my + lady. + </p> + <p> + “Very well, madam,” said Loveday, wiping her eyes. “I only hope it will + not be the worse for you in the end, and that you will not wish you had + listened to poor Loveday’s advice.” + </p> + <p> + “I can never wish to have done what I know to be a great sin,” said + Aurelia gravely. + </p> + <p> + “Ah! you little know!” said Loveday, shaking her head sadly and ominously. + </p> + <p> + Something brought to Aurelia’s lips what she had been teaching the + children last Sunday, and she answered, + </p> + <p> + “My God, in Whom I have trusted, is able to deliver me out of the mouth of + lions, and He will deliver me out of thy hand.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! if ever there were one whom He should deliver!” broke out Loveday, + and again she went away weeping bitterly. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia could not guess what the danger the woman threatened could be; so + many had been mentioned as possible. A forcible marriage, incarceration in + some lonely country place, a vague threat of being taken beyond seas to + the plantation—all these had been mentioned; but she was far more + afraid of Colonel Mar forcing his way in and carrying her off, and this + kept her constantly in a state of nervous watchfulness, always listening + by day and hardly able to sleep by night. + </p> + <p> + Once she had a terrible alarm, on a Sunday. Letty came rushing to her, + declaring that Jumbo, dear Jumbo, and a gentleman were in the front court. + Was it really Jumbo? Come and see! No, she durst not, and Fay almost + instantly declared that Madge had shut them out. The children both + insisted that Jumbo it was, but Aurelia would not believe that it could be + anything but an attempt of her enemies. She interrogated Madge, who had + grown into a certain liking for one so submissive and inoffensive. Madge + shook her head, could not guess how such folks had got into the court, was + sure they were after no good, and declared that my Lady should hear of all + the strange doings, and the letters that had been left with her. Oh, no, + she knew better than to give them, but my Lady should see them. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0034" id="link2HCH0034"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXIII. THE COSMETIC. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + But one more task I charge thee with to-day, + For unto Proserpine then take thy way, + And give this golden casket to her hands. + MORRIS. +</pre> + <p> + Late on that Sunday afternoon, a muffled and masked figure came through + the house into the court behind, and after the first shock Aurelia was + relieved to see that it was too tall, and moved too gracefully, to belong + to Loveday. + </p> + <p> + “Why, child, what a colour you have!” said Lady Belamour, taking off her + mask. “You need no aids to nature at your happy age. That is right, + children,” as they curtsied and kissed her hand. “Go into the house, I + wish to speak with your cousin.” + </p> + <p> + Lady Belamour’s unfailing self-command gave her such dignity that she + seemed truly a grand and majestic dame dispensing justice, and the gentle, + shrinking Aurelia like a culprit on trial before her. + </p> + <p> + “You have been here a month, Aurelia Delavie. Have you come to your + senses, and are you ready to sign this paper?” + </p> + <p> + “No, madam, I cannot.” + </p> + <p> + “Silly fly; you are as bent as ever on remaining in the web in which a + madman and a foolish boy have involved you?” + </p> + <p> + “I cannot help it, madam.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! I thought,” and her voice became harshly clear, though so low, “that + you might have other schemes, and be spreading your toils at higher game.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly not, madam.” + </p> + <p> + “Your colour shows that you understand, in spite of all your pretences.” + </p> + <p> + “I have never used any pretences, my lady,” said Aurelia, looking up in + her face with clear innocent eyes. + </p> + <p> + “You have had no visitors? None!” + </p> + <p> + “None, madam, except once when the Lady Arabella Mar forced her way in, + out of curiosity, I believe, and her brother followed to take her away.” + </p> + <p> + “Her brother? You saw him?” Each word came out edged like a knife from + between her nearly closed lips. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, madam.” + </p> + <p> + “How often?” + </p> + <p> + “That once.” + </p> + <p> + “That has not hindered a traffic in letters.” + </p> + <p> + “Not on my side, madam. I tore to fragments unread the only one that I + received. He had no right to send it!” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly not. You judge discreetly, Miss Delavie. In fact you are too + transcendent a paragon to be retained here.” Then, biting her lip, as if + the bitter phrase had escaped unawares, she smiled blandly and said, “My + good girl, you have merited to be returned to your friends. You may pack + your mails and those of the children!” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia shuddered with gladness, but Lady Belamour checked her thanks by + continuing, “One service you must first do for me. My perfumer is at a + loss to understand your translation of the recipe for Queen Mary’s wash. I + wish you to read and explain it to her.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly, madam.” + </p> + <p> + “She lives near Greenwich Park,” continued Lady Belamour, “and as I would + not have the secret get abroad, I shall send a wherry to take you to the + place early to-morrow morning. Can you be ready by eight o’clock?” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia readily promised, her heart bounding at the notion of a voyage + down the river after her long imprisonment and at the promise of liberty! + She thought her husband must still be true to her, since my lady would + have been the first to inform her of his defection, and as long as she had + her ring and her certificate, she could feel little doubt that her father + would be able to establish her claims. And oh! to be with him and Betty + once more! + </p> + <p> + She was ready in good time, and had spent her leisure in packing. When + Loveday appeared, she was greeted with a petition that the two little + girls might accompany her; but this was refused at once, and the + waiting-maid added in her caressing, consoling tone that Mrs. Dove was + coming with their little brother and sister to take them a drive into the + country. They skipped about with glee, following Aurelia to the door of + the court, and promising her posies of honeysuckles and roses, and she + left her dear love with them for Amoret and Nurse Dove. + </p> + <p> + At the door was a sedan chair, in which Aurelia was carried to some broad + stone stairs, beside which lay a smartly-painted, trim-looking boat with + four stout oarsmen. She was handed into the stern, Loveday sitting + opposite to her. The woman was unusually silent, and could hardly be + roused to reply to Aurelia’s eager questions as she passed the gardens of + Lincoln’s Inn, saw St. Paul’s rise above her, shot beneath the arch of + London Bridge, and beheld the massive walls of the Tower with its + low-browed arches opening above their steps. Whenever a scarlet uniform + came in view, how the girl’s eyes strained after it, thinking of one + impossible, improbable chance of a recognition! Once or twice she thought + of a far more terrible chance, and wondered whether Lady Belamour knew how + little confidence could be placed in Loveday; but she was sure that their + expedition was my lady’s own device, and the fresh air and motion, with + all the new scenes, were so delightful to her that she could not dwell on + any alarms. + </p> + <p> + On, on, Redriffe, as the watermen named Rotherhithe, was on one bank, the + marshes of the Isle of Dogs were gay with white cotton-grass and red + rattle on the other. Then came the wharves and building yards of Deptford, + and beyond them rose the trees of Greenwich Park, while the river below + exhibited a forest of masts. The boat stopped at a landing-place to a + little garden, with a sanded path, between herbs and flowers. “This is + Mistress Darke’s,” said Loveday, and as a little dwarfish lad came to the + gate, she said, “We would speak with your mistress.” + </p> + <p> + “On your own part?’ + </p> + <p> + “From the great lady in Hanover Square.” + </p> + <p> + The lad came down to assist in their landing, and took them up the path to + a little cupboard of a room, scented with a compound of every imaginable + perfume. Bottles of every sort of essence, pomade, and cosmetic were + ranged on shelves, or within glass doors, interspersed with masks, boxes + for patches, bunches of false hair, powder puffs, curling-irons, and rare + feathers. An alembic [a device used in distillation—D.L.] was in the + fireplace, and pen and ink, in a strangely-shaped standish, were on the + table. Altogether there was something uncanny about the look and air of + the room which made Aurelia tremble, especially as she perceived that + Loveday was both frightened and distressed. + </p> + <p> + The mistress of the establishment speedily appeared. She had been a + splendid Jewish beauty, and still in middle age, had great owl-like eyes, + and a complexion that did her credit to her arts; but there was something + indescribably repulsive in her fawning, deferential curtsey, as she said, + in a flattering tone, with a slightly foreign accent, “The pretty lady is + come, as our noble dame promised, to explain to the poor Cora Darke the + great queen’s secret! Ah! how good it is to have learning. What would not + my clients give for such a skin as hers! And I have many more, and greater + than you would think, come to poor Cora’s cottage. There was a countess + here but yesterday to ask how to blanch the complexion of miladi her + daughter, who is about to wed a young baronet, beautiful as Love. Bah! I + might as well try to whiten a clove gillyflower! Yet what has not nature + done for this lovely miss?” + </p> + <p> + “Shall I read you the paper?” said Aurelia, longing to end this part of + the affair. + </p> + <p> + “Be seated, fair and gracious lady.” + </p> + <p> + Aurelia tried to wave aside a chair, but Mrs. Darke, on the plea of + looking over the words as she read, got her down upon a low couch, putting + her own stout person and hooked face in unpleasant proximity, while she + asked questions, and Aurelia mentioned her own conjectures on the obsolete + French of the recipe, while she perceived, to her alarm, that the woman + understood the technical terms much better than she did, and that her + ignorance could have been only an excuse. + </p> + <p> + At last it was finished, and she rose, saying it was time to return to the + boat. + </p> + <p> + “Nay, madam, that cannot be yet,” said Loveday; “the watermen are gone to + rest and dine, and we must wait for the tide to shoot the bridge.” + </p> + <p> + “Then pray let us go out and walk in Greenwich Park,” exclaimed Aurelia, + longing to escape from this den. + </p> + <p> + “The sweet young lady will take something in the meantime?” said Mrs. + Darke. + </p> + <p> + “I thank you, I have breakfasted,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “My Lady intended us to eat here,” said Loveday in an undertone to her + young lady, as their hostess bustled out. “She will make it good to Mrs. + Darke.” + </p> + <p> + “I had rather go to the inn—I have money—or sit in the park,” + she added as Loveday looked as if going to the inn were an improper + proposal. “Could we not buy a loaf and eat in the park? I should like it + so much better.” + </p> + <p> + “One cup of coffee,” said Mrs. Darke, entering; “the excellent Mocha that + I get from the Turkey captains.” + </p> + <p> + She set down on a small table a wonderful cup of Eastern porcelain, and + some little sugared cakes, and Aurelia, not to be utterly ungracious, + tasted one, and began on the coffee, which was so hot that it had to be + taken slowly. As she sipped a soothing drowsiness came over her, which at + first was accounted for by the warm room after her row on the river; but + it gained upon her, and instead of setting out for her walk she fell sound + asleep in the corner of the couch. + </p> + <p> + “It has worked. It is well,” said Mrs. Darke, lifting the girl’s feet on + the couch, and producing a large pair of scissors. + </p> + <p> + Loveday could not repress a little shriek. + </p> + <p> + “Hush!” as the woman untied the black silk hood, drew it gently off, and + then undid the ribbon that confined the victim’s abundant tresses. “Bah! + it will be grown by the time she arrives, and if not so long as present, + what will they know of it? It will be the more agreeable surprise! Here, + put yonder cloth under her head while I hold it up.” + </p> + <p> + “I cannot,” sobbed Loveday. “This is too much. I never would have entered + my Lady’s service if I had known I was to be set to such as this.” + </p> + <p> + “Come, come, Grace Loveday, I know too much of you for you to come the + Presician over me.” + </p> + <p> + “Such a sweet innocent! So tender-hearted and civil too.” + </p> + <p> + “Bless you, woman, you don’t know what’s good for her! She will be a very + queen over the black slaves on the Indies. Captain Karen will tell you how + the wenches thank him for having brought ‘em out. They could never do any + good here, you know, poor lasses; but out there, where white women are + scarce, they are ready to worship the very ground they tread upon.” + </p> + <p> + “I tell you she ain’t one of that sort. She is a young lady of birth, a + cousin of my Lady’s own, as innocent as a babe, and there are two + gentlemen, if not three, a dying for her.” + </p> + <p> + “I lay you anything not one of ‘em is worth old Mr. Van Draagen, who turns + his thousands every month. ‘Send me out a lady lass,’ says he, ‘one that + will do me credit with the governor’s lady.’ Why she will have an estate + as big as from here to Dover, and slaves to wait on her, so as she need + never stoop to pick up her glove. He has been married twice before, and + his last used to send orders for the best brocades in London. He stuck at + no expense. The Queen has not finer gowns!” + </p> + <p> + “But to think of the poor child’s waking up out at sea.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! Mrs. Karen will let her know she may think herself well off. I never + let ‘em go unless there’s a married woman aboard to take charge of them, + and that’s why I kept your lady waiting till the <i>Red Cloud</i> was + ready to sail. You may tell her Ladyship she could not have a better + berth, and she’ll want for nothing. I know what is due to the real + quality, and I’ve put aboard all the toilette, and linen, and dresses as + was bespoke for the last Mrs. Van Draagen, and there’s a civil spoken + wench aboard, what will wait on her for a consideration.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, but mistress,” said Loveday, whispering: “I know those that would + give more than you will ever get from my Lady if they found her safe + here.” + </p> + <p> + “Of course there are, or she would not be here now,” said Mrs. Darke, with + a horrid grin; “but that won’t do, my lass. A lady that’s afraid of + exposure will pay you, if she pawns her last diamond, but a gentleman—why, + he gets sick of his fancy, and snaps his fingers at them that helped him!” + Then, looking keenly at Loveday, “You’ve not been playing me false, eh?” + </p> + <p> + “O no, no,” hastily exclaimed Loveday, cowering at the malignant look. + </p> + <p> + “If so be you have, Grace Loveday, two can play at that game,” said Mrs. + Darke composedly. “There, I have left her enough to turn back. What hair + it is! Feel the weight of it! There’s not another head of the mouse-colour + to match your Lady’s in the kingdom,” she added, smoothing out the severed + tresses with the satisfaction of a connoisseur. “No wonder madame could + not let this be wasted on the plantations, when you and I and M. le + Griseur know her own hair is getting thinner than she would wish a certain + Colonel to guess. There! the pretty dear, what a baby she looks! I will + tie her on a cowl, lest she should take cold on the river. See these + rings. Did you Lady give no charge about them?” + </p> + <p> + “I had forgot!” said the waiting-woman, confused; “she charged me to bring + them back, old family jewels, she said, that must not be carried off to + foreign parts; but I cannot, cannot do it. To rob that pretty creature in + her sleep.” + </p> + <p> + “Never fear. She’ll soon have a store much finer than these! You fool, I + tell you she will not wake these six or eight hours. Afraid? There, I’ll + do it! Ho! A ruby? A love-token, I wager; and what’s this? A carved Cupid. + I could turn a pretty penny by that, when your lady finds it convenient, + and her luck at play goes against her. Eh! is this a wedding-ring? Best + take that off; Mr. Van Draagen might not understand it, you see. Here they + are. Have you a patch-box handy for them in your pocket? Why what ails the + woman? You may thank your stars there’s some one here with her wits about + her! None of your whimpering, I say, her comes Captain Karen.” + </p> + <p> + Two seafaring men here came up the garden path, the foremost small and + dapper, with a ready address and astute countenance. “All right, Mother + Darkness, is our consignment ready? Aye, aye! And the freight?” + </p> + <p> + “This lady has it,” said Mrs. Darke, pointing to Loveday; “I have been + telling her she need have no fears for her young kinswoman in your hands, + Captain.” + </p> + <p> + He swore a round oath to that effect, and looking at the sleeping maiden, + again swore that she was the choicest piece of goods ever confided to him, + and that he knew better than let such an article arrive damaged. Mr. Van + Draagen ought to come down handsomely for such an extra fine sample; but + in the meantime he accepted the rouleau of guineas that Loveday handed to + him, the proceeds, as she told Mrs. Darke, of my Lady’s winnings last + night at loo. + </p> + <p> + All was ready. Poor Aurelia was swathed from head to foot in a large + mantle, like the chrysalis whose name she bore, the two sailors took her + up between them, carried her to their boat, and laid her along in the + stern. Then they pushed off and rowed down the river. Loveday looked up + and looked down, then sank on the steps, convulsed with grief, sobbing + bitterly. “She said He could deliver her from the mouth of lions! And He + has not,” she murmured under her breath, in utter misery and hopelessness. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0035" id="link2HCH0035"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXIV. DOWN THE RIVER. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + The lioness, ye may move her + To give o’er her prey, + But ye’ll ne’er stop a lover, + He will find out the way. +</pre> + <p> + Elizabeth Delavie and her little brother were standing in the bay window + of their hotel, gazing eagerly along the street in hopes of seeing the + Major return, when Sir Amyas was seen riding hastily up on his charger, in + full accoutrements, with a soldier following. In another moment he had + dashed up stairs, and saying, “Sister, read that!” put into Betty’s hand a + slip of paper on which was written in pencil— + </p> + <p> + “If Sir A. B. would not have his true love kidnapped to the plantations, + he had best keep watch on the river gate of Mistress Darke’s garden at + Greenwich. No time to lose.” + </p> + <p> + “Who brought you this?” demanded Betty, as well as she could speak for + horror. + </p> + <p> + “My mother’s little negro boy, Syphax. He says Mrs. Loveday, her + waiting-woman, gave it to him privately on the stairs, as she was about to + get into a sedan, telling him I would give him a crown if he gave it me as + I came off parade.” + </p> + <p> + “Noon! Is there time?” + </p> + <p> + “Barely, but there shall be time. There is no time to seek your father.” + </p> + <p> + “No, but I must come with you.” + </p> + <p> + “The water is the quickest way. There are stairs near. I’ll send my fellow + to secure a boat.” + </p> + <p> + “I will be ready instantly, while you tell your uncle. It might be better + if he came.” + </p> + <p> + Sir Amyas flew to his uncle’s door, but found him gone out, and, in too + great haste to inquire further, came down again to find Betty in cloak and + hood. He gave her his arm, and, Eugene trotting after them, they hurried + to the nearest stairs, remembering in dire confirmation what Betty had + heard from the school-girl. Both had heard reports that young women were + sometimes thus deported to become wives to the planters in the southern + colonies or the West Indies, but that such a destiny should be intended + for their own Aurelia, and by Lady Belamour, was scarcely credible. Doubts + rushed over Betty, but she remembered what the school-girl had said of the + captive being sent beyond seas; and at any rate, she must risk the + expedition being futile when such issues hung upon it. And if they failed + to meet her father, she felt that her presence might prevail when the + undefined rights of so mere a lad as her companion might be disregarded. + </p> + <p> + His soldier servant had secured a boat, and they rapidly descended to the + river; Sir Amyas silent between suspense, dismay and shame for his mother, + and Betty trying to keep Eugene quiet by hurried answers to his eager + questions about all he saw. They had to get out at London Bridge, and take + a fresh boat on the other side, a much larger one, with two oarsmen, and a + grizzled old coxswain, with a pleasant honest countenance, who presently + relieved Betty of all necessity of attending to, or answering, Eugene’s + chatter. + </p> + <p> + “Do you know where this garden is?” said she, leaning across to Sir Amyas, + who had engaged the boat to go to Greenwich. + </p> + <p> + He started as if it were a new and sudden thought, and turning to the + steersman demanded whether he knew Mrs. Darke’s garden. + </p> + <p> + The old man gave a kind of grunt, and eyed the trio interrogatively, the + young officer with his fresh, innocent, boyish face and brilliant + undisguised uniform, the handsome child, the lady neither young, gay, nor + beautiful, but unmistakeably a decorous gentlewoman. + </p> + <p> + “Do you know Mrs. Darke’s?” repeated Sir Amyas. + </p> + <p> + “Aye, do I? Mayhap I know more about the place than you do.” + </p> + <p> + There was that about his face that moved Betty and the young man to look + at one another, and the former said, “She has had to do with—evil + doings?” + </p> + <p> + “You may say that, ma’am.” + </p> + <p> + “Then,” they cried in one breath, “you will help us!” And in a very few + words Betty explained their fears for her young sister, and asked whether + he thought the warning possible. + </p> + <p> + “I’ve heard tell of such things!” said the old man between his teeth, “and + Mother Darkness is one to do ‘em. Help you to bring back the poor young + lass? That we will, if we have to break down the door with our fists. And + who is this young spark? Her brother or her sweetheart?” + </p> + <p> + “Her husband!” said Sir Amyas. “Her husband from whom she has been cruelly + spirited away. Aid me to bring her back, my good fellow, and nothing would + be too much to reward you.” + </p> + <p> + “Aye, aye, captain, Jem Green’s not the man to see an English girl handed + over to they slave-driving, outlandish chaps. But I say, I wish you’d got + a cloak or summat to put over that scarlet and gold of yourn. It’s a + regular flag to put the old witch on her guard.” + </p> + <p> + On that summer’s day, however, no cloak was at hand. They went down the + river very rapidly, for the tide was running out and at length Jem Green + pointed out the neat little garden. On the step sat a woman, apparently + weeping bitterly. Could it be the object of their search? No, but as they + came nearer, and she was roused so as to catch sight of the scarlet coat, + she beckoned and gesticulated with all her might; and as they approached + Sir Amyas recognised her as his mother’s maid. + </p> + <p> + “You will be in time yet,” she cried breathlessly. “Oh! take me in, or you + won’t know the ship!” + </p> + <p> + So eager and terrified was she, that but for the old steersman’s + peremptory steadiness, her own life and theirs would have been in much + peril, but she was safely seated at last, gasping out, “The <i>Red Cloud</i>, + Captain Karen. They’ve been gone these ten minutes.” + </p> + <p> + “Aye, aye,” gruffly responded Green, and the oars moved rapidly, while + Loveday with another sob cried, “Oh! sir, I thought you would never come!” + </p> + <p> + “You sent the warning?” + </p> + <p> + Yes, sir, I knew nothing till the morning, when my Lady called me up. I + lie in her room, you know. She had given orders, and I was to take the + sweet lady and go down the river with her to Mrs. Darke, the perfuming + woman my Lady has dealings with about here hair and complexion. There I + was to stay with her till—till this same sea-captain was to come and + carry her off where she would give no more trouble. Oh, sir, it was too + much—and my Lady knew it, for she had tied my hands so that I had + but a moment to scribble down that scrip, and bid Syphax take it to you. + The dear lady! she said, ‘her God could deliver her out of the mouth of + the lion,’ and I could not believe it! I thought it too late!” + </p> + <p> + “How can we thank you,” began Betty; but she was choked by intense + anxiety, and Jem Green broke in with an inquiry where the ship was bound + for. Loveday only had a general impression of the West Indies, and + believed that the poor lady’s destined spouse was a tobacconist, and as + the boat was soon among a forest of shipping where it could not proceed so + fast, Green had to inquire of neighbouring mariners where the <i>Red Cloud</i> + was lying. + </p> + <p> + “The <i>Red Cloud</i>, Karen, weighs anchor for Carolina at flood tide + to-night. Shipper just going aboard,” they were told. + </p> + <p> + Their speed had been so rapid that they were in time to see the boat + alongside, and preparations being made to draw up some one or something on + board. “Oh! that is she!” cried Loveday in great agitation. “They’ve + drugged her. No harm done. She don’t know it. But it is she!” + </p> + <p> + Sir Amyas, with a voice of thunder, called out, “Halt, villain,” at the + same moment as Green shouted “Avast there, mate!” And their boat came + dashing up alongside. + </p> + <p> + “Yield me up that lady instantly, fellow!” cried Sir Amyas, with his sword + half drawn. + </p> + <p> + “And who are you, I should like to know,” returned Karen, coolly, + “swaggering at an honest man taking his freight and passengers aboard?” + </p> + <p> + “I’ll soon show you!” + </p> + <p> + “Hush, sir,” said Green, who had caught sight of pistols and cutlasses, + “let me speak a moment. Look you here, skipper, this young gentleman and + lady have right on their side. This is her sister, and he is her husband. + They are people of condition, as you see.” + </p> + <p> + “All’s one to me on the broad seas.” + </p> + <p> + “That may be,” said Green, “but you see you can’t weigh anchor these three + hours or more; and what’s to hinder the young captain here from swearing + against you before a magistrate, and getting your vessel searched, eh?” + </p> + <p> + “I’ve no objection to hear reason if I’m spoke to reasonable,” said Karen, + sulkily; “but I’ll not be bullied like a highwayman, when I’ve my + consignment regularly made out, and the freight down in hand, square.” + </p> + <p> + “You may keep your accursed passage-money and welcome,” cried Sir Amyas, + “so you’ll only give me my wife!” + </p> + <p> + “Show him the certificate,” whispered Betty. + </p> + <p> + Sir Amyas had it ready, and he read it loud enough for all on the Thames + to hear. Karen gave a sneering little laugh. “What’s that to me? My + passenger here has her berth taken in the name of Ann Davis.” + </p> + <p> + “Like enough,” said Loveday, “but you remember me, captain, and I swear + that this poor young lady is what his Honour Sir Amyas say. He is a + generous young gentleman, and will make it up to you if you are at any + loss in the matter.” + </p> + <p> + “A hundred times over!” exclaimed Amyas hotly. + </p> + <p> + “Hardly that,” said Karen. “Van Draagen might have been good for a round + hundred if he’d been pleased with the commission.” + </p> + <p> + “I’ll give you and order—” began Sir Amyas. + </p> + <p> + “What have you got about you, sir?” interrupted Karen. “I fancy hard cash + better than your orders.” + </p> + <p> + The youth pulled out his purse. There was only a guinea or two and some + silver. “One does not go out to parade with much money about one,” he + said, with a trembling endeavour for a smile, “but if you would send up to + my quarters in Whitehall Barracks—-” + </p> + <p> + “Never mind, sir,” said Karen, graciously. “I see you are in earnest, and + I’ll put up with the loss rather than stand in the light of a couple of + true lovers. Here, Jack, lend a hand, and we’ll hoist the young woman + over. She’s quiet enough, thanks to Mother Darkness.” + </p> + <p> + The sudden change in tone might perhaps be owing to the skipper’s + attention having been called by a sign from one of his men to a boat + coming up from Woolwich, rowed by men of the Royal navy, who were certain + to take part with an officer; but Sir Amyas and Betty were only intent on + receiving the inanimate form wrapped up in its mantle. What a meeting it + was for Betty, and yet what joy to have her at all! They laid her with her + head in her sister’s lap, and Sir Amyas hung over her, clasping one of the + limp gloved hands, while Eugene called “Aura, Aura,” and would have + impetuously kissed her awake, but Loveday caught hold of him. “Do not, do + not, for pity’s sake, little master,” she said; “the potion will do her no + harm if you let her sleep it off, but she may not know you if you waken + her before the time.” + </p> + <p> + “Wretch, what have you given her?” cried Sir Amyas. + </p> + <p> + “It was not me, sir, it was Mrs. Darke, in a cup of coffee. She vowed it + would do no hurt if only she was let to sleep six or eight hours. And see + what a misery it has saved her from!” + </p> + <p> + “That is true,” said Betty. “Indeed I believe this is a healthy sleep. See + how gently she breathes, how soft and natural her colour is, how cool and + fresh her cheek is. I cannot believe there is serious harm done.” + </p> + <p> + “How soon can we reach a physician?” asked Sir Amyas, still anxiously, of + the coxswain. + </p> + <p> + “I can’t rightly say, sir,” replied he; “but never you fear. They wouldn’t + do aught to damage such as she.” + </p> + <p> + Patience must perforce be exercised as, now against the tide and the + stream, the wherry worked its way back. Once there was a little stir; Sir + Amyas instantly hovered over Aurelia, and clasped her hand with a cry of + “My dearest life!” The long dark eyelashes slowly rose, the eyes looked up + for one moment from his face to her sister’s, and then to her brother’s, + but the lids sank as if weighed down, and with a murmur, “Oh, don’t wake + me,” she turned her face around on Betty’s lap and slept again. + </p> + <p> + “Poor darling, she thinks it a dream,” said Betty. “Eugene, do not. Sir, I + entreat! Brother, yes I <i>will</i> call you so if you will only let her + alone! See how happy and peaceful her dear face is! Do not rouse her into + terror and bewilderment.” + </p> + <p> + “If I only were sure she was safe,” he sighed, hanging over, with an + intensity of affection and anxiety that brought a dew even to the old + steersman’s eyes; and he kindly engrossed Eugene by telling about the + places they passed, and setting him to watch the smart crew of the boat + from the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, which was gaining on them. + </p> + <p> + Meanwhile the others interrogated Loveday, who told them of the pretext on + which Lady Belamour had sent her captive down to Mrs. Darke’s. No one save + herself had, in my Lady’s household, she said, an idea of where the young + lady was, Lady Belamour having employed only hired porters except on that + night when Lady Aresfield’s carriage brought her. This had led to the + captivity being know to Lady Belle and her brother, and Loveday had no + doubt that it was the discovery of their being aware of it, as well as + Jumbo’s appearance in the court, that had made her mistress finally decide + on this frightful mode of ridding herself of the poor girl. The maid was + as adroit a dissembler as her mistress, and she held her peace as to her + own part in forwarding Colonel Mar’s suit, whether her lady guessed it or + not, but she owned with floods of tears how the sight of the young lady’s + meek and dutiful submission, her quiet trust, and her sweet, simple + teaching of the children, had wakened into life again a conscience long + dead to all good, and made it impossible to her to carry out this last + wicked commission without an attempt to save the creature whom she had + learnt to reverence as a saint. Most likely her scruples had been + suspected by her mistress, for there had been an endeavour to put it out + of her power to give any warning to the victim. Yet after all, the + waiting-maid had been too adroit for the lady, or, as she fully owned, + Aurelia’s firm trust had not been baulked, and deliverance from the lions + had come. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0036" id="link2HCH0036"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXV. THE RETURN. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + And now the glorious artist, ere he yet + Had reached the Lemnian Isle, limping, returned; + With aching heart he sought his home. + <i>Odyssey</i>—COWPER. +</pre> + <p> + How were they to get the slumbering maiden home? That was the next + question. Loveday advised carrying her direct to her old prison, where she + would wake without alarm; but Sir Amyas shuddered at the notion, and Betty + said she <i>could</i> not take her again into a house of Lady Belamour’s. + </p> + <p> + The watermen, who were enthusiastic in the cause, which they understood as + that of one young sweetheart rescued by the other, declared that they + would carry the sweet lady between them on the cushions of their boat, + laid on stretchers; and as they knew of a land-place near the <i>Royal + York</i>, with no need of crossing any great thoroughfare, Betty thought + this the best chance of taking her sister home without a shock. + </p> + <p> + The boat from Woolwich had shot London Bridge immediately after them, and + stopped at the stairs nearest that where they landed; and just as Sir + Amyas, with an exclamation of annoyance at his unserviceable arm, had + resigned Aurelia to be lifted on to her temporary litter, a hand was laid + on his shoulder, a voice said “Amyas, what means this?” and he found + himself face to face with a small, keen-visaged, pale man, with thick + grizzled brows overhanging searching dark grey eyes, shaded by a great + Spanish hat. + </p> + <p> + “Sir! oh sir, is it you?” he cried, breathlessly; “now all will be well!” + </p> + <p> + “I am very glad you think so, Amyas,” was the grave answer; “for all this + has a strange appearance.” + </p> + <p> + “It is my dearest wife, sir, my wife, whom I have just recovered after—Oh, + say, sir, if you think all is well with her, and it is only a harmless + sleeping potion. Sister—Betty—this is my good father, Mr. + Wayland. He is as good as a physician. Let him see my sweetest life.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Wayland bent over the slumbering figure still in the bottom of the + boat, heard what could be told of the draught by Loveday, whom he + recognized as his wife’s attendant, and feeling Aurelia’s pulse, said, “I + should not think there was need for fear. To the outward eye she is a + model of sleeping innocence.” “Well you may say so,” and “She is indeed,” + broke from the baronet and the waiting-maid at the same instant; but Mr. + Wayland heeded them little as he impatiently asked, “Where and how is your + mother, Amyas?” + </p> + <p> + “In health sir, at home, I suppose,” said Sir Amyas; “but oh, sir, hear + me, before you see her.” + </p> + <p> + “I must, if you walk with me,” said Mr. Wayland, turning for a moment to + bid his servant reward and dismiss the boat’s crew, and see to the + transport of his luggage; and in the meantime Aurelia was lifted by her + bearers. + </p> + <p> + Sir Amyas again uttered a rejoicing, “We feared you were in the hands of + the pirates, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “So I was; but the governor of Gibraltar obtained my release, and was good + enough to send me home direct in a vessel on the king’s service,” said Mr. + Wayland, taking the arm his stepson offered to assist his lameness. “Now + for your explanation, Amyas; only let me hear first that my babes are + well.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir, all well. You had my letter?” + </p> + <p> + “Telling of that strange disguised wedding? I had, the very day I was + captured.” + </p> + <p> + By the time they had come to the place where their ways parted, Mr. + Wayland had heard enough to be so perplexed and distressed that he knew + not that he had been drawn out of the way to Hanover Square, till at the + entrance of the <i>Royal York</i>, they found Betty asseverating to the + landlady that she was bringing no case of small pox into the house; and + showing, as a passport of admittance, two little dents on the white wrist + and temple. + </p> + <p> + At that instant the sound brought Major Delavie hurrying from his + sitting-room at his best speed. There was a look of horror on his face as + he saw his daughter’s senseless condition, but Betty sprang to his side to + prevent his wakening her, and Aurelia was safely carried up stairs and + laid upon her sister’s bed, still sleeping, while Betty and Loveday + unloosed her clothes. Her bearers were sent for refreshment to the bar, + and the gentlemen stood looking on one another in the sitting-room, Mr. + Wayland utterly shocked, incredulous of the little he did understand, and + yet unable to go home until he should hear more; and the Major hardly less + horrified, in the midst of his relief. “But where’s Belamour!” he cried, + “Your uncle, I mean.” + </p> + <p> + “Where?” said Sir Amyas. “They said he was gone out.” + </p> + <p> + “So they told me! And see here!” + </p> + <p> + Major Delavie produced Lady Belamour’s note. + </p> + <p> + “A blind!” cried Sir Amyas, turning away under a strange stroke of pain + and sham. “Oh! mother, mother!” and he dashed out of the room. + </p> + <p> + Poor Mr. Wayland sat down as one who could stand no longer. “Of what do + they suspect her?” he said hoarsely. + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said the good Major, “I grieve sincerely for and with you. + Opposition to this match with my poor child seems to have transported my + poor cousin to strange and frantic lengths, but you may trust me to shield + and guard her from exposure as far as may be.” + </p> + <p> + Her husband only answered by a groan, and wrung Major Delavie’s hand, but + their words were interrupted by Sir Amyas’s return. He had been to his + uncle’s chamber, and had found on the table a note addressed to the Major. + Within was a inclosure directed to A. Belamour, Esq. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “If you have found the way to the poor captive, for pity’s sake + come to her rescue. Be in the court with your faithful black + by ten o’clock, and you may yet save on who loves and looks to + you.” + </pre> + <p> + On the outer sheet was written— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “I distrust this handwriting, and suspect a ruse. In case I do + not return, send for Hargrave, Sandys, Godfrey, as witnesses to + my sanity, and storm the fair one’s fortress in person. A. B.” + </pre> + <p> + “It is not my Aurelia’s writing,” said the Major. “Bravest of friends, + what has he not dared on her account!” + </p> + <p> + “This is too much!” cried Mr. Wayland, striving in horror against his + convictions. “I cannot hear my beloved wife loaded with monstrous + suspicions in her absence!” + </p> + <p> + “I am sorry to say this is no new threat ever since poor Belamour has + crossed her path,” said the Major. + </p> + <p> + “What have you done, sir!” asked Sir Amyas. + </p> + <p> + “I fear I have but wasted time,” said the Major. “I have been to Hanover + Square, and getting no admittance there, I came back in the hope you might + be on the track with Betty—as, thank God, you were! The first thing + to be done now is to find what she has done with Belamour,” he added, + rising up. + </p> + <p> + “That must fall to my share,” said Mr. Wayland, pale and resolute. “Come + with me, Amyas, your young limbs will easily return before the effect of + the narcotic has passed, and I need fuller explanation.” + </p> + <p> + Stillness than came on the Delavie party. The Major went up stairs, and + sat by Aurelia’s bed gazing with eyes dazzled with tears at the child he + had so longed to see, and whom he found again in this strange trance. A + doctor came, and quite confirmed Mr. Wayland’s opinion, that the drug + would not prove deleterious, provided the sleep was not disturbed, and + Betty continued her watch, after hearing what her father knew of Mr. + Belamour. She was greatly struck with the self-devotion that had gone with + open eyes into so dreadful a snare as a madhouse of those days rather than + miss the least chance of saving Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “If we go by perils dared, the uncle is the true knight-errant,” said she + to her father. “I wonder which our child truly loves the best!” + </p> + <p> + “Betty!” said her father, scandalised. + </p> + <p> + “Ay, I know, Sir Amyas is a charming boy, but what a boy he is! And she + has barely spoken with him or seen him, whereas Mr. Belamour has been kind + to her for a whole twelvemonth. I know what I should do if I were in her + place. I would declare that I intended to be married to the uncle, and + would keep it!” + </p> + <p> + “He would think it base to put the question.” + </p> + <p> + “He would; but indeed, dear sir, I think it would be but right and due to + the dear child herself that she should have here free choice, and not be + bound for ever by a deception! Yes, I know the poor boy’s despair would be + dreadful, but it would be better for them both than such a mistake.” + </p> + <p> + “Hush! I hear him knocking at the door, you cruel woman.” + </p> + <p> + The bedroom opened into the parlour the party had hired, so that both + could come out and meet Sir Amyas with the door ajar, without relaxing + their watch upon the sleeper. The poor young man looked pale, shocked, and + sorrowful. “Well,” said he, after having read in their looks that there + was no change, “he knows the worst.” Then on a further token of + interrogation, “It may have been my fault; I took him, unannounced, + through the whole suite of rooms, and in the closet at the end, with all + the doors open, she was having an altercation with Mar. He was insisting + on knowing what she had done with”—(he signed towards the other + room) “she, upbraiding him with faithlessness. They were deaf to an + approach, till Mr. Wayland, in a loud voice, ordered me back, saying ‘it + was no scene for a son.’” + </p> + <p> + “I trust it will not end in a challenge?” asked the Major, gravely. + </p> + <p> + “No, my father’s infirmity renders him no fighting man, and I—I may + not challenge my superior officer.” + </p> + <p> + “But your uncle?” said Betty, much fearing that such a scene might have + led to his being forgotten. + </p> + <p> + “I should have told you. We had not made many steps from hence before we + met poor Jumbo wandering like a dog that had lost his master. Mr. Belamour + had taken the precaution of giving Jumbo the pass-key, and not taking him + into that house (some day I will pull every brick of it down), so he + watched till by and by he saw a coach come out with all the windows + closed, and as his master had bidden him in such a case, he kept along on + the pavement near, and never lost sight of it till he had tracked it right + across the City to a house with iron-barred windows inside a high wall. + There it went in, and he could not follow, but he asked the people what + place it was, and though they jeered at him, he made out that it was as we + feared. Nay, do not be alarmed, sister, he will soon be with us. My poor + father shut me out, and I know not what passed with my mother, but just as + I could wait no longer to return to my dearest, he came out and told me + that he had found out that my uncle was in a house at Moorfields, and he + is gone himself to liberate him. He is himself a justice of the peace, and + he will call for Dr. Sandys by the way, that there may be no difficulty. + He is gone in the coach-and-four, with Jumbo on the box, so that matters + will soon be righted.” + </p> + <p> + “And a heroic champion set free,” said Betty moving to return to her + sister, when the others would not be denied having another look at the + sweet slumberer, on whose face there was now a smile as if her dreams were + marvellously lovely; or, as Betty thought, as if she knew their voices + even in her sleep. + </p> + <p> + Sir Amyas had not seen his mother again. He only knew that Mr. Wayland had + come out with a face as of one stricken to the heart, a sad contrast to + that which had greeted him an hour before, and while the carriage was + coming round, had simply said, “I did wrong to leave her.” + </p> + <p> + It would not bear being talked over, and both son and kinsman took refuge + in silence. Two hours more of this long day had passed, and then a coach + stopped at the door. Sir Amyas hurried down in his eager anxiety, and came + back with his uncle, holding him by the hand like a child, in his + gladness, and Betty came out to meet them in the outer room with a face of + grateful welcome and outstretched hands. + </p> + <p> + “Sir! sir! you have done more than all of us.” + </p> + <p> + “Yet you and your young champion here were the victors,” said Mr. + Belamour. + </p> + <p> + “Ah, we dared and suffered nothing like you.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope you did not suffer much,” said the major, looking at the calm face + and neatly-tied white hair, which seemed to have suffered no + disarrangement. + </p> + <p> + “No,” said Mr. Belamour, smiling, “my little friend Eugene, ay, and my + nephew himself, are hoping to hear I was released from fetters and a heap + of straw, but I took care to give them no opportunity. I merely told them + they were under a mistake, and had better take care. I gave them a + reference or two, but I saw plainly that was of no use, though they + promised to send, and then I did exactly as they bade me, so as to deprive + them of all excuse for meddling with me, letting them know that I could + pay for decent treatment so long as I was in their hands.” + </p> + <p> + “Did you receive it?” + </p> + <p> + “I was told in a mild manner, adapted to my intelligence, that if I + behaved well, I might eat at the master’s table, and have a room with only + one inmate. Of the former I have not an engaging experience, either as to + the fare, the hostess, or the company. Of the latter, happily I know + little, as I only know that my comrade was to be a harmless gibbering + idiot; of good birth, poor fellow. However, the sounds I heard, and the + court I looked into, convinced me that my privileges were worth paying + for.” + </p> + <p> + He spoke very quietly, but he shuddered involuntarily, and Betty, unable + to restrain her tears, retreated to her sister’s side. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0037" id="link2HCH0037"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXVI. WAKING. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + So Love was still the Lord of all.—SCOTT. +</pre> + <p> + The summer sun was sinking and a red glow was on the wall above Aurelia’s + head when she moved again, upon the shutting of the door, while supper was + being taken by the gentlemen in the outer room. + </p> + <p> + Presently her lips moved, and she said, “Sister,” not in surprise, but as + if she thought herself at home, and as Betty gently answered, “Yes, my + darling child,” the same voice added, “I have had such a dream; I thought + I was a chrysalis, and that I could not break my shell nor spread my + wings.” + </p> + <p> + “You can now, my sweet,” said Betty, venturing to kiss her. + </p> + <p> + Recollection came. “Sister Betty, is it you indeed?” and she threw her + arms round Betty’s neck, clinging tight to her in delicious silence, till + she raised her head and said: “No, this is not home. Oh, is it all true?” + </p> + <p> + “True that I have you again, my dear, dearest, sweetest child,” said + Betty. “Oh, thank God for it.” + </p> + <p> + “Thank God,” repeated Aurelia. “Now I have you nothing will be dreadful. + But where am I? I thought once I was in a boat with you and Eugene, and + some one else. Was it a dream? I can’t remember anything since that + terrible old woman made me drink the coffee. You have not come there, have + you?” + </p> + <p> + “No, dear child, it was no dream that you were in a boat. We had been + searching everywhere for you, and we were bringing you back sound, sound + asleep,” said Betty, in her tenderness speaking as it to a little child. + </p> + <p> + “I knew you would,” said Aurelia; “I knew God would save me. Love is + strong as death, you know,” she added dreamily: “I think I felt it all + round me in that sleep.” + </p> + <p> + “That was what you murmured once or twice in your sleep,” said Betty. + </p> + <p> + “And now, oh! it is so sweet to lie here and know it is you. And wasn’t <i>he</i> + there too?” + </p> + <p> + “Sir Amyas? Yes, my dear. He came for you. He and my father and the others + are in the other room waiting for you to wake.” + </p> + <p> + “I hear their voices,” cried Aurelia, with a start, sitting up. “Oh! + that’s my papa’s voice! Oh! how good it is to hear it!” + </p> + <p> + “I will call him as soon as I have set you a little in order. Are you sure + you are well, my dearest? No headache?” + </p> + <p> + “Quite, quite well! Why, sister, I have not been ill; and if I had, I + should skip to see you and hear their voices, only I wish they would speak + louder! That’s Eugene! Oh! they are hushing him. Let me make haste,” and + she moved with an alacrity that was most reassuring. “But I can’t + understand. Is it morning or evening?” + </p> + <p> + “Evening, my dear. They are at supper. Are not you hungry?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, yes, I believe I am;” but as she was about to wash her hands: “My + rings, my wedding-ring? Look in my glove!” + </p> + <p> + “No, they are not there my dear, they must have robbed you! And oh! + Aurelia, what have you done to your hair?” + </p> + <p> + “My hair? It was all there this morning. Sister, it was that woman, I + remember now, I was not quite sound asleep, but I had no power to move or + cry out, and the woman was snipping and Loveday crying.” + </p> + <p> + “Vile creature!” burst out Betty. + </p> + <p> + “My hair will grow!” said Aurelia; “but I had so guarded my wedding-ring—and + what will he, Sir Amyas, think?” + </p> + <p> + Their voices were at this moment heard, and in another second Aurelia was + held against her father’s breast, as in broken words he sobbed out thanks + for her restoration, and implored her pardon for having trusted her out of + his care. + </p> + <p> + “Oh! sir, do not speak so! Dear papa, I have tried hard to do you no harm, + and to behave well. Please, sir, give me your blessing.” + </p> + <p> + “God bless you indeed, my child. He has blessed you in guarding you as + your innocence deserved, though I did not. Ah! others are impatient. The + poor old father comes second now.” + </p> + <p> + After a few minutes spent in repairing the disorder of her dress, and her + hands in those of her father and little brother, she was led to the outer + room where in the twilight there was a rapturous rush, an embrace, a + fondling of the hand in the manner more familiar to her than the figure + from before whom it proceeded. She only said in her gentle plaintive tone, + “Oh, sir, it was not my fault. They took away your rings.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said a voice, new to her, “here are your rings, Lady Belamour. I + must trust to your Christian charity to pardon her who caused you to be + stripped of them.” + </p> + <p> + The name of Lady Belamour made her start as that of her enemy, but a truly + familiar tone said, “You need not fear, my kind friend. This is Mr. + Wayland, who, to our great joy, has returned, and has come to restore your + jewels.” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed I am very glad yours is not lost,” said Aurelia, not a little + bewildered. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Wayland said a few words of explanation that his wife’s agent at + Greenwich had brought them back to her. + </p> + <p> + “Pray let me have them,” entreated Sir Amyas; “I must put them on again!” + </p> + <p> + “Stay,” said Major Delavie; “I can have such things done only under true + colours and in the full light of day. The child is scarcely awake yet, and + does not know one from the other! Why neither of you so much as know the + colour of the eyes of the other! Can you tell me sir?” + </p> + <p> + “Heavenly,” exclaimed the youth, in an ecstatic tone of self-defence, + which set the Major laughing and saying, “My silly maid knows as little + which gentleman put on the ring.” + </p> + <p> + “I do, sir,” said Aurelia indignantly; “I know his voice and hand quite + well,” and in the impulse she quitted her father’s arm and put both hands + into those of her young adorer, saying, “Pray sir, pardon me, I never + thought to hurt you so cruelly.” + </p> + <p> + There was a cry of, “My own, my dearest life,” and she was clasped as she + had been immediately after her strange wedding. + </p> + <p> + However, the sound of a servant’s step made them separate instantly, and + Betty begged that the supper might not be removed, since it was many hours + since her sister had tasted food. + </p> + <p> + Sir Amyas and Betty hovered about her, giving her whatever she could need, + in the partial light, while the others stood apart, exchanging such + explanations as they could. Mr. Wayland said he must report himself to + Government on the morrow; but intended afterwards to take his wife to + Bowstead, whither she had sent all her children with Mrs. Dove. There was + a great tenderness in his tone as he spoke of her, and when he took leave + Mr. Belamour shrugged his shoulders saying, “She will come round him + again!” + </p> + <p> + “It is true enough that he ought not to have left her to herself,” said + the Major. + </p> + <p> + “You making excuses for her after the diabolical plot of to-day?” said Mr. + Belamour; “I could forgive her all but that letter to you.” + </p> + <p> + “My Lady loves her will,” quoted the Major; “it amounts to insanity in + some women, I believe.” + </p> + <p> + “So I might say does men’s infatuation towards women like her,” muttered + Mr. Belamour. + </p> + <p> + By this time Aurelia had finished her meal, and Betty was anxious to carry + her off without any more excitement, for she was still drowsy and + confused. She bade her father good night, asking his blessing as of old, + but when Mr. Belamour kissed her hand and repeated the good night, she + said, “Sir, I ought to have trusted you; I am so sorry.” + </p> + <p> + “It is all well now, my child,” he said, soothingly, understanding Betty’s + wish; “Sleep, and we will talk it over.” + </p> + <p> + So the happy sisters once more slept in each other’s arms, till in the + early summer morning Betty heard the whole story from Aurelia, now fully + herself, though she slumbered again after all was poured into her sister’s + bosom. + </p> + <p> + Betty had sympathised step by step, and felt even more strongly than + Harriet that the situation had been intolerable for womanhood, and that + only Aurelia’s childishness could have endured it so long. Only the eldest + sister held that it would have been right and honourable to have spoken + before flashing out the flame; but when, with many tears of contrition, + Aurelia owned that she had long thought so, and longed to confess it, what + could the motherly sister do but kiss the tears away, and rejoice that the + penance was over which had been borne with such constancy and + self-devotion. + </p> + <p> + Then Betty rose quietly, and after giving thanks on her knees that the + gentle spirit had passed through all unscathed, untainted with even the + perception of evil, she applied herself to the adaptation of one of her + morning caps to her poor shorn lamb’s head. Nor did Aurelia wake again + till her father came to the door to make sure that all was well with his + recovered treasure, and to say that Loveday would recover for her the box + of clothes, which old Madge had hidden. + </p> + <p> + Loveday had gone back to her mistress, who either had not discovered her + betrayal, or, as things had turned out, could not resent it. + </p> + <p> + So, fresh and blooming, Aurelia came out into the sitting-room, whence her + father held out his arms to her. He would have her all to himself for a + little while, since even Eugene was gone to his daily delight, the seeing + the changing of the guard. + </p> + <p> + “And now, my child, tell me,” he said, when he had heard a little of her + feelings through these adventures, “what would you have me do? Remember, + such a wedding as yours goes for nothing, and you are still free to choose + either or neither of your swains.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, papa!” in a remonstrating tone. + </p> + <p> + “You were willing to wed your old hermit?” + </p> + <p> + “I was content <i>then</i>. He was very kind to me.” + </p> + <p> + “Content then, eh? Suppose you were told he was your real husband?” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, he is not!” cried Aurelia, frightened. + </p> + <p> + “If he were?” + </p> + <p> + “I would try to do my duty,” she said, in a choked voice. + </p> + <p> + “Silly child, don’t cry. And how, if after these fool’s tricks it turns + out that the other young spark is bound to that red-faced little spitfire + and cannot have you?” + </p> + <p> + “Papa, don’t!” she cried. “You know he is my husband in my heart, and + always will be, and if he cannot come back to me take me home, and I will + try to be a good daughter to you,” and she hid her face on his shoulder. + </p> + <p> + “Poor child, it is a shame to tease her,” said her father, raising up her + face; “I only wanted to know which of them you would wish to put on the + ring again. I see. You need not be afraid, you shall have the ruby one. + But as for the little gold one, wait for that till it is put on in church, + my dear. Ah! and there’s the flutter of his wings, or rather the rattle of + his spurs. Now then, young people, you shall not be hindered from a full + view of each others lineaments. It is the first time you ever had a real + sight of each other, neither of you being in a swoon, is it not? I trust + you do not repent upon further acquaintance. Aurelia got as far as the + shoe-buckles once, I believe.” + </p> + <p> + “She will get no farther this time, sir, if you annihilate her with your + pleasantry,” said Betty, fully convinced by this time. + </p> + <p> + “Ah! young Love has made himself more dazzling than ever,” continued the + Major, too delighted to be stopped. “The fullest dress uniform, I declare; + M. le Capitaine is bent on doing honour to the occasion.” + </p> + <p> + “Would that it were on for no other reason, sir,” said Sir Amyas; “but the + King and Queen have taken it into their heads to go off to Kew and here am + I under orders to command the escort. I verily believe it is all spite on + the Colonel’s part, for Russell would have exchanged the turn with me, but + he sent down special orders for me. I have but half an hour to spend here, + and when I shall be able to get back again Heaven only knows.” + </p> + <p> + However, he and Aurelia were permitted to improve that half hour to the + utmost in their own way, while the Major and Betty were reading a long and + characteristic letter from Mrs. Arden, inquiring certainly for her + sister’s fate, but showing far more solicitude in proving that she + (Harriet Arden) had acted a wise, prudent, and sisterly part, and that it + was most unreasonable and cruel to treat her as accountable for her + sister’s disappearance. It was really making her quite ill, and Mr. Arden + was like a man—so disagreeable about it. + </p> + <p> + Betty was very glad this epistle had not come till it was possible to + laugh at it. She would have sat down to reply to it at once, had not a + billet been brought in from the widow of one of her father’s old brother + officers who had heard of his being in town, and begged him to bring his + daughter to see her, excusing herself for not waiting on Miss Delavie, as + she was very feeble and infirm. + </p> + <p> + It was a request that could not be refused, but Aurelia was not equipped + for such a visit, and shrank timidly from showing herself. So when Mr. + Belamour came down it was agreed that she should remain at home under his + protection, in which she could be very happy, though his person was as + strange to her as his voice was familiar. Indeed she felt as if a burden + was on her mind till she could tell him of her shame at having failed in + the trust and silence that he had enjoined on her. + </p> + <p> + “My child,” he said, “we have carried it too far. It was more than we + ought to have required of you, and I knew it. I had made up my mind, and + told my nephew that the first time you really asked I should tell the + whole truth, and trust to your discretion, while of course he wished for + nothing more.” + </p> + <p> + “As my sister said, it was my fault.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, I think you had good cause to stand on your defence, and I cannot + have you grieve over it. You have shown an unshaken steadiness under trial + since, such as ought indeed to be compensation.” + </p> + <p> + “I deserved it all,” said Aurelia; “and I do hope that I am a little wiser + and less foolish for it all; a little more of a woman,” she added, + blushing. + </p> + <p> + “A soul trained by love and suffering, as in the old legend,” said Mr. + Belamour thoughtfully. + </p> + <p> + Thoroughly pleasant was here <i>tete-a-tete</i> with him, especially when + she artlessly asked him whether her dear sister were not all she had told + him, and he fervently answered that indeed she was “a perfect lesson to + all so-called beauties of what true loveliness of a countenance can be.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, I am so glad,” cried Aurelia. “I never saw a face—a woman’s I + mean—that I like as well as my dear sister’s!” + </p> + <p> + She was sorry when they were interrupted by a call from Mr. Wayland, who + had reported himself at the Secretary of War, but could do no more that + day, and had come to inquire for her. He and Mr. Belamour drew apart into + a window, and conversed in a low voice, and then they came to her, and Mr. + Wayland desired to know from where she found the recipe for the cosmetic + which had nearly cost her so dearly. + </p> + <p> + “It was in a shelf in the wainscoting, in a sort of little study at that + house,” said Aurelia. + </p> + <p> + “Among other papers?” + </p> + <p> + “Quantities of other papers.” + </p> + <p> + “Of what kind?” + </p> + <p> + “Letters, and bills, and wills, and parchments! Oh, so dusty! Some were on + paper tumbling to pieces, and some on tiny slips of parchment.” + </p> + <p> + “And you read them all?” + </p> + <p> + “I had to read them to see what they were, as well as I could make out, + and sorted them and tied them up in bundles.” + </p> + <p> + “Can you tell me whether they were Delavie wills?” + </p> + <p> + “I should think they were. I know that the oldest of all were Latin, and I + could make nothing out in them but something about <i>Manoriem</i> and + Carminster, and what looked like the names of some of the fields at home.” + </p> + <p> + “Do you think you could show me those slips?” + </p> + <p> + “I do not suppose any one has touched them.” + </p> + <p> + “Then, my dear young lady, you would confer a great favour on me if you + would allow Mr. Belamour and myself to escort you to Delavie and show us + these papers. I fear it may be alarming and distressing.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh no, sir, I know no harm can happen to me where Mr. Belamour is,” she + said, smiling. + </p> + <p> + “It may be very important,” he said, and she went to put on her hood. + </p> + <p> + “Surely,” said Mr. Wayland, “the title-deeds cannot have been left there?” + </p> + <p> + “No. The title-deeds to the main body of the property are at Hargrave’s. I + have seen them, at the time of my brother’s marriage; but still this may + be what was wanting.” + </p> + <p> + “Yet the sending this child to search is presumption that no such document + existed.” + </p> + <p> + “Of course no one supposed it did,” said Mr. Wayland, on the defence + again. + </p> + <p> + Aurelia was quickly ready in her little hood and kerchief, and trim + high-heeled shoes. She was greatly surprised to find how near she had been + to her friends during these last few days of her captivity, and when Madge + obeyed the summons to the door, the old woman absolutely smiled to see her + safe, and the little terrier danced about her in such transports that she + begged to take him back with her. + </p> + <p> + She opened the door of the little empty book room, where nothing stood + except the old bureau. That, she said, had been full of letters, but all + the oldest things had been within a door opening in the wainscot, which + she should never have found had not Bob pushed it open in his search for + rats, and then she found a tin case full of papers and parchments, much + older, she thought, than the letters. She had tied them up together, and + easily produced them. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Wayland handed them to Mr. Belamour, whose legal eye was better + accustomed to crabbed old documents. A conversation that had begun on the + way about Fay and Letty was resumed, and interested both their father and + Aurelia so much that they forgot to be impatient, until Mr. Belamour + looked up from his examination, saying, “This is what was wanting. Here is + a grant in the 12th year of Henry III. to Guglielmus ab Vita and the heirs + male of his body to the Manor, lying without the city of Carminster, and + here are three wills of successive lords of Delavie expressly mentioning + heirs male. Now the deeds that I have seen do not go beyond 1539, when + Henry Delavie had a grant of the Grange and lands belonging to Carminster + Abbey—the place, in fact, where the Great House stands, and there is + in that no exclusion of female heirs. But the Manor house can certainly be + proved to be entailed in the male line alone, according to what was, I + believe, the tradition of the family.” + </p> + <p> + “There is no large amount of property involved, I fear,” said Mr. Wayland. + </p> + <p> + “There is an old house, much out of repair, and a few farms worth, may be, + 200 pounds a year, a loss that will not be material to you, sir, I hope.” + </p> + <p> + “Do you mean—?” said Aurelia, not daring to ask farther. + </p> + <p> + “I mean, my dear young lady,” said Mr. Wayland, “that your researches have + brought to light the means of doing tardy justice to your good father.” + </p> + <p> + “His right to the Manor House is here established,” explained Mr. + Belamour. “It will not be a matter of favour of my Lady’s, but, as my + brother supposed, he ought to have been put in possession on the old + Lord’s death.” + </p> + <p> + “And Eugene will be a gentleman of estate,” cried Aurelia, joyously. “Nor + will any one be able to drive out my dear father! Oh! how happy I am.” + </p> + <p> + Both she and Mr. Belamour spared Mr. Wayland the knowledge of my Lady’s + many broken promises, and indeed she was anxious to get back to the <i>Royal + York</i>, lest her father and sister should have returned, and think her + again vanished. + </p> + <p> + They all met at the door, and much amazed were the Major and Betty to + encounter her with her two squires. Mr. Wayland took the Major to show him + the parchments. Betty had her explanation from her sister and Mr. + Belamour. + </p> + <p> + “You actually ventured back to that dreadful house,” she said, looking at + them gratefully. + </p> + <p> + “You see what protectors I had,” said Aurelia, with a happy smile. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” said Betty, “I have been longing to say—only I cannot,” for + she was almost choked by a great sob, “how very much we owe to you, sir. I + could say it better if I did not feel it so much.” And she held out her + hand. + </p> + <p> + “You cannot owe to me a tithe of what I owe to your sister,” said Mr. + Belamour, “and through her to you, madam. Much as nature had done for her, + never would she have been to the miserable recluse the life and + light-bringing creature she was, save for the ‘sister’ she taught me to + know and love, even before I saw her.” + </p> + <p> + A wonderful revelation here burst on Aurelia, the at least half-married + woman, and she fled precipitately, smiling to herself in ecstasy, behind + her great fan. + </p> + <p> + Betty, never dreaming of the drift of the words, so utterly out of the + reach of love did she suppose herself, replied, composedly, “Our Aurelia + is a dear good girl, and I am thankful that through all her trials she has + so proved herself. I am glad she has been a comfort to you, sir. She—-” + </p> + <p> + “And will not you complete the cure, and render the benefit lasting?” said + Mr. Belamour, who had never let go the hand she had given him in + gratitude, and now gave it a pressure that conveyed, for the first time, + his meaning. + </p> + <p> + “Oh!” she cried, trying to take it away, “your kindness and gratitude are + leading you too far, sir. A hideous old fright like me, instead of a + lovely young thing like her! It is an absurdity.” + </p> + <p> + “Stay, Miss Delavie. Remember that your Aurelia’s roses and lilies were + utterly wasted on me; I never thought whether she was beautiful save when + others raved about her. I never saw her till yesterday; but the voice, the + goodness, the amiability, in fact all that I did truly esteem and prize in + her I had already found matured and mellowed together with that beauty of + countenance which is independent of mere skin-deep complexion and feature. + You know my history, and how far I am from being able to offer you a fresh + untouched young heart, such as my nephew brings to the fair Aurelia; but + the devotion of my life will be yours if you will accept it.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, I cannot listen to you. You are very good, but I can never leave my + father. Oh, let me go away!” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0038" id="link2HCH0038"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXVII. MAKING THE BEST OF IT. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + At last the Queen said, “Girl, I bid thee rise, + For now thou hast found favour in mine eyes, + And I repent me of the misery + That in this place thou hast endured me, + Altho’ because of it the Joy indeed + Shall now be mine, that pleasure is thy meed.” + MORRIS. +</pre> + <p> + Those were evil times, and the court examples were most corrupting, so + that a splendid and imperious woman like Urania, Lady Belamour, had found + little aid from public opinion when left to herself by the absence of her + second husband. Selfish, unscrupulous, and pleasure-loving she was by + nature, but during Sir Jovian Belamour’s lifetime she had been kept within + bounds. Then came a brief widowhood, when debt and difficulty hurried her + into accepting Mr. Wayland, a thoughtful scientific man, whose wealth had + accumulated without much volition of his own to an extent that made her + covet his alliance. Enthralled by her charm of manner, he had not awakened + to the perception of what she really was during the few years that had + elapsed before he was sent abroad, and she refused to accompany him. + </p> + <p> + Then it was that wealth larger than she had before commanded, and a court + appointment, involved her in more dangerous habits. Her debts, both of + extravagance and of the gaming table, were enormous, trenching hard on the + Delavie property, and making severe inroads on Mr. Wayland’s means; but + the Belamour estates being safely tied up, she had only been able to + borrow on her dower. She had sinned with a high hand, after the fashion of + the time, and then, in terror at the approaching return of her husband, + had endeavoured to conceal the ravages of her extravagance by her bargain + for her son’s hand. + </p> + <p> + The youth, bred up at a distance, and then the companion of his + step-father, had on his return found his home painfully altered in his two + years’ absence, and had been galled and grieved by the state of things, so + that even apart from the clearing of his prospects, the relief was great. + The quarrel with Colonel Mar that Mr. Wayland had interrupted was not made + up. There was no opportunity, for Mr. Wayland at once removed his family + to Bowstead, there to remain while he transacted his business in London. + </p> + <p> + Moreover Mr. Belamour and Mr. Wayland agreed in selling the young + baronet’s commission. The Major allowed that it was impossible that he + should remain under the command of his present Colonel, but regretted that + he should not continue in the service, declaring it the best school for a + young man, and that he did not want to see his son-in-law a muddle-brained + sporting country squire. He would have had Sir Amyas exchange into the + line, and see a little service before settling down, but Maria Theresa had + not as yet set Europe in a blaze, and in the absence of a promising war + Sir Amyas did more incline to his uncle’s representations of duties to + tenants and to his county, and was even ready to prepare himself for them + when he should be of sufficient age to undertake them. However, in the + midst of the debates a new scheme was made. Mr. Belamour had been called + upon and welcomed by his old friends, who, being men of rank and + influence, had risen in life while he was immured at Bowstead. One of + these had just received a diplomatic appointment at Vienna, and in spite + of insular ignorance of foreign manners was at a loss for a capable suite. + Mr. Belamour suggested Major Delavie, as from his long service in Austria + likely to be very useful. The Envoy caught at the idea, and the thought of + once more seeing his old comrades enchanted the Major, whose only regret + was that his hero, Prince Eugene, had been dead three years; but to visit + his grave would be something. Appointments ran in families, so that + nothing could be easier than to obtain one for the young baronet; and + though Mr. Belamour did not depend on his own health enough to accept + anything, he was quite willing to join the party, and to spend a little + time abroad, while his nephew was growing somewhat older, making an essay + of his talents, and at any rate putting off the commencement of + stagnation. Thus matters settled themselves, the only disappointed member + of the family being Mrs. Arden, who thought it very hard that she could + not stir any one up to request an appointment of her husband as chaplain—not + even himself! + </p> + <p> + Mr. Wayland was at once called upon to go out to America to superintend + the defences of the Canadian frontier, and he resolved on taking his + family out, obtaining land, and settling there permanently. He would pay + all my Lady’s debts, but she should never again appear in London society, + and cruel exile as it must seem to her, he trusted that his affection and + tenderness would in time reconcile her to the new way of life, knowing as + she did that he had forgiven much that had made him look like a crushed + and sorrowful man in the midst of all the successes and the honours he + received from his country. + </p> + <p> + She remained quietly at Bowstead, and none of them saw her except her son + and the Major, to the latter of whom her husband brought a message that + she would esteem it a favour if he would come and visit her there, the day + before he returned to Carminster. Very much affected, the good Major + complied with her request, went down with Mr. Wayland and spent a night at + Bowstead. + </p> + <p> + He found that she had accepted her fate with the good grace of a woman + whose first instinct was not to make herself disagreeable. She was rather + pale, and not “made up” in any way, but exquisitely though more simply + dressed, and more beautiful than ever, her cousin thought, as he always + did whenever he came into her presence. She was one of those people whose + beauty is always a fresh surprise, and she was far more self-possessed + than he was. + </p> + <p> + “So, Cousin Harry, where am I to begin my congratulations! I did you and + unwitting service when I sent your daughter to search among those musty + old parchments. I knew my father believed in the existence of some such + document, but I thought all those hoards in Delavie House were devoid of + all legal importance, and had been sifted again and again. Besides, I + always meant to settle that old house upon you.” + </p> + <p> + “I have always heard so, cousin,” he answered. + </p> + <p> + “But it was such a mere trifle,” she added, “that it never seemed worth + while to set the lawyers to work about that alone, so I waited for other + work to be in hand.” + </p> + <p> + “There is a homely Scottish proverb, my Lady, which declares that the + scrapings of the muckle pot are worth the wee pot fu’. A mere trifle to + you is affluence to us.” + </p> + <p> + “I am sincerely rejoiced at it, Harry” (no doubt she thought she was), + “you will keep up the old name, while my scrupulous lord and master gives + up my poor patrimony to the extortionate creditors for years to come. It + is well that the young lovers have other prospects. So Harry, you see + after all, I kept my word, and your daughter is provided for,” she + continued with an arch smile. “Pretty creature, I find my son bears me + more malice than she does for the robbery that was perpetrated on her. It + was too tempting, Harry. Nature will repair her loss, but at out time of + life we must beg, borrow, or steal.” + </p> + <p> + “That was the least matter,” said the Major gravely. + </p> + <p> + “This is the reason why I wished to see you,” said my Lady, laying her + white hand on his, “I wanted to explain.” + </p> + <p> + “Cousin, cousin, had not you better leave it alone?” said Major Delavie. + “You know you can always talk a poor man out of his senses at the moment.” + </p> + <p> + “Yet listen, Harry, and understand my troubles. Here I was pledged, + absolutely pledged, to give my son to Lady Aresfield’s daughter. I do not + know whether she may not yet sue me for breach of contract, though Wayland + has repaid her the loans she advanced me; and on the other hand, in spite + of all my precautions, Mar had obtained a sight of your poor daughter, and + I knew him well enough to be aware that to put her entirely and secretly + out of his reach was the only chance preserving her from his pursuit. I + had excellent accounts of the worthy man to whom I meant her to be + consigned, and I knew that when she wrote to you as a West Indian queen + you would be able to forgive your poor cousin. I see what you would say, + but sending her to you was impossible, since I had to secure her both from + Amyas and from Mar. It would only have involved you in perplexities + innumerable, and might have led even to bloodshed! I may not have acted + wisely, but weak women in difficulties know not which path to choose.” + </p> + <p> + “There is always the straight one,” said he. + </p> + <p> + “Ah! you strong men can easily says so, but for us poor much-tried women! + However,” she said suddenly changing her tone, “Love has check-mated us, + and I rejoice. Your daughter will support the credit of the name! I am + glad the new Lady Belamour will not be that little termagant milkmaid + Belle, whom circumstances compelled me to inflict upon my poor boy! The + title will be your daughter’s alone. I have promised my husband that in + the New World I will sink into plain Mrs. Wayland.” Then with a burst of + genuine feeling she exclaimed, “He <i>is</i> a good man, Harry.” + </p> + <p> + “He is indeed, Urania, I believe you will yet be happier than you have + ever been.” + </p> + <p> + “What, among barbarians who never saw a loo-table, and get the modes three + months too late! And you are laughing at me, but see I am a poor frivolous + being, not sufficient to myself like your daughters! They say Aurelia was + as sprightly as a spring butterfly all the time she was shut up at + Bowstead with no company save the children and old Belamour!” + </p> + <p> + “They are lovely children, madam, Aurelia dotes on them, and you will soon + find them all you need.” + </p> + <p> + “Their father is never weary of telling me so. He is never so happy as + when they hang about him and tell him of Cousin Aura, or Sister Aura as + they love to call her.” + </p> + <p> + “It was charming to see them dance round her when he brought them to spend + the day with her. Mr. Wayland brought his good kinswoman, who will take + charge of them on the voyage, and Aurelia was a little consoled at the + parting by seeing how tender and kind she is with them.” + </p> + <p> + “Aye! If I do not hate that woman it will be well, for she is as much a + duenna for me as governess for the children! Heigh-ho! what do not our + follies bring on us? We poor creatures should never be left to the great + world.” + </p> + <p> + The pretty air of repentance was almost irresistible, well as the Major + knew it for the mood of the moment, assumed as what would best satisfy + him. + </p> + <p> + “I rejoice,” she went on, “in spite of my lovely daughter-in-law’s + discretion, she will be well surrounded with guardians. Has the excellent + Betty consented?” + </p> + <p> + “At last, madam. My persuasions were vain till she found that Mr. Belamour + would gladly come with us to Austria, and that she should be enabled to + watch over both her young sister and me.” + </p> + <p> + “There, again, I give myself credit, Harry. Would the sacred flame ever + have awakened in yonder misanthrope had I not sent your daughter to + restore him to life?” She spoke playfully, but the Major could not help + thinking she had persuaded herself that all his present felicity was owing + to her benevolence, and that she would persuade him of it too, if she went + on much longer looking at him so sweetly. He <i>would</i> not tax her with + the wicked note she had written to account for Mr. Belamour’s + disappearance, and which she had forgotten; he felt that he could not + impel one, whom he could not but still regard with tenderness, to utter + any more untruths and excuses. + </p> + <p> + “By the by,” she added, “does your daughter take my waiting-maid after + all? I would have forgiven her, for she is an admirable hairdresser, but + Wayland says he cannot have so ingenious person in his house; though after + all I do not see that she is a bit worse than others of her condition, and + she herself insists on trying to become Aurelia’s attendant, vowing that + the sight of her is as good as any Methodist sermon!” + </p> + <p> + “Precisely, madam. We were all averse to taking her with us, but Aurelia + said she owed her much gratitude; and she declared so earnestly that the + sight of my dear child brought back all the virtuous and pious thoughts + she had forgotten, that even Betty’s heart was touched, and she is to go + with us, on trial.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! she is as honest as regards money and jewels as ever I knew a + waiting-maid, but for the rest!” Lady Belamour shrugged her shoulders. + “However, one is as good as another, and at least she will never let her + lady go a fright! See here, Harry. These are the Delavie jewels: I shall + never need them more: carry them to your daughters.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, your own daughters, Urania.” + </p> + <p> + “Never mind the little wretches. Their father will provide for them, and + they will marry American settlers in the forests. What should they do with + court jewels? It is his desire. See here, this suit of pearls is what I + wore at my wedding with Amyas’s father, I should like Aurelia to be + married in them. Farewell, Harry, you did better for yourself than if you + had taken me. Yet maybe I might been a better woman—-” She stopped + short as she looked at his honest face, and eyes full of tears. + </p> + <p> + “No, Urania,” he said, “man’s love could not have done for you what only + another Love can do. May you yet find that and true Life.” + </p> + <p> + The sisters were not married at the same time. Neither Mr. Belamour nor + his Elizabeth could endure to make part of the public pageant that it was + thought well should mark the <i>real</i> wedding at Bowstead. So their + banns were put up at St. Clement Danes, and one quiet morning they slipped + out, with no witnesses but the Major, Aurelia, and Eugene, and were wedded + there in the most unobtrusive manner. + </p> + <p> + As to the great marriage, a month later at Bowstead, there was a certain + bookseller named Richardson, who by favour of Hargrave got a view of it, + and who is thought there to have obtained some ideas for the culminating + wedding of his great novel. + </p> + <p> + A little later, the following letter was written from the excellent Mrs. + Montagu to her correspondent Mrs. Elizabeth Carter. “There was yesterday + presented, preparatory to leaving England for Vienna, the young Lady + Belamour, incomparably the greatest beauty who has this year appeared at + Court. Every one is running after her, but she appears perfectly + unconscious of the <i>furore</i> she has excited, and is said to have been + bred up in all simplicity in the country, and to be as good as she is + fair. Her young husband, Sir Amyas Belamour, is a youth of much promise, + and they seem absolutely devoted, with eyes only for each other. They are + said to have gone through a series of adventures as curious as they are + romantic; and indeed, when they made their appearance, there was a general + whisper, begun by young Mr. Horace Walpole, of + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “CUPID AND PSYCHE.” + </pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Love and Life, by Charlotte M. 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Yonge + +Release Date: May, 2004 [EBook #5700] +Posting Date: April 15, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOVE AND LIFE *** + + + + +Produced by Doug Levy + + + + + +LOVE AND LIFE + +An Old Story in Eighteenth Century Costume + + +By Charlotte M. Yonge + + + +Transcriber's note: There are numerous examples throughout this text +of words appearing in alternate spellings: madame/madam, practise/ +practice, Ladyship/ladyship, &c. We can only wonder what the publisher +had in mind. I have left them unchanged.--D.L. + + + + +PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. + + +The first edition of this tale was put forth without explaining the +old fable on which it was founded--a fable recurring again and again in +fairy myths, though not traceable in the classic world till a very late +period, when it appeared among the tales of Apuleius, of the province +of Africa, sometimes called the earliest novelist. There are, however, +fragments of the same story in the popular tales of all countries, so +that it is probable that Apuleius availed himself of an early form of +one of these. They are to be found from India to Scandinavia, adapted to +the manners and fancy of every country in turn, _Beauty and the Beast_ +and the _Black Bull of Norroway_ are the most familiar forms of the +tale, and it seemed to me one of those legends of such universal +property that it was quite fair to put it into 18th century English +costume. + +Some have seen in it a remnant of the custom of some barbarous tribes, +that the wife should not behold her husband for a year after marriage, +and to this the Indian versions lend themselves; but Apuleius himself +either found it, or adapted it to the idea of the Soul (the Life) +awakened by Love, grasping too soon and impatiently, then losing it, +and, unable to rest, struggling on through severe toils and labours till +her hopes are crowned even at the gates of death. Psyche, the soul or +life, whose emblem is the butterfly, thus even in heathen philosophy +strained towards the higher Love, just glimpsed at for a while. + +Christians gave a higher meaning to the fable, and saw in it the Soul, +or the Church, to whom her Bridegroom has been for a while made known, +striving after Him through many trials, to be made one with Him after +passing through Death. The Spanish poet Calderon made it the theme of +two sacred dramas, in which the lesson of Faith, not Sight, was taught, +with special reference to the Holy Eucharist. + +English poetry has, however, only taken up its simple classical aspect. +In the early part of the century, Mrs. Tighe wrote a poem in Spenserian +stanza, called _Psyche_, which was much admired at the time; and Mr. +Morris has more lately sung the story in his _Earthly Paradise_. This +must be my excuse for supposing the outline of the tale to be familiar +to most readers. + +The fable is briefly thus:-- + +Venus was jealous of the beauty of a maiden named Psyche, the youngest +of three daughters of a king. She sent misery on the land and family, +and caused an oracle to declare that the only remedy was to deck his +youngest daughter as a bride, and leave her in a lonely place to become +the prey of a monster. Cupid was commissioned by his mother to destroy +her. He is here represented not as a child, but as a youth, who on +seeing Psyche's charms, became enamoured of her, and resolved to save +her from his mother and make her his own. He therefore caused Zephyr to +transport her to a palace where everything delightful and valuable was +at her service, feasts spread, music playing, all her wishes fulfilled, +but all by invisible hands. At night in the dark, she was conscious of +a presence who called himself her husband, showed the fondest affection +for her, and promised her all sorts of glory and bliss, if she would be +patient and obedient for a time. + +This lasted till yearnings awoke to see her family. She obtained consent +with much difficulty and many warnings. Then the splendour in which she +lived excited the jealousy of her sisters, and they persuaded her that +her visitor was really the monster who would deceive her and devour her. +They thus induced her to accept a lamp with which to gaze on him when +asleep. She obeyed them, then beholding the exquisite beauty of the +sleeping god of love, she hung over him in rapture till a drop of the +hot oil fell on his shoulder and awoke him. He sprang up, sorrowfully +reproached her with having ruined herself and him, and flew away, +letting her fall as she clung to him. + +The palace was broken up, the wrath of Venus pursued her; Ceres and all +the other deities chased her from their temples; even when she would +have drowned herself, the river god took her in his arms, and laid her +on the bank. Only Pan had pity on her, and counselled her to submit to +Venus, and do her bidding implicitly as the only hope of regaining her +lost husband. + +Venus spurned her at first, and then made her a slave, setting her first +to sort a huge heap of every kind of grain in a single day. The ants, +secretly commanded by Cupid, did this for her. Next, she was to get +a lock of golden wool from a ram feeding in a valley closed in by +inaccessible rocks; but this was procured for her by an eagle; and +lastly, Venus, declaring that her own beauty had been impaired by +attendance on her injured son, commanded Psyche to visit the Infernal +Regions and obtain from Proserpine a closed box of cosmetic which was on +no account to be opened. Psyche thought death alone could bring her to +these realms, and was about to throw herself from a tower, when a voice +instructed her how to enter a cavern, and propitiate Cerberus with cakes +after the approved fashion. + +She thus reached Proserpine's throne, and obtained the casket, but when +she had again reached the earth, she reflected that if Venus's beauty +were impaired by anxiety, her own must have suffered far more; and +the prohibition having of course been only intended to stimulate her +curiosity, she opened the casket, out of which came the baneful fumes of +Death! Just, however, as she fell down overpowered, her husband, who had +been shut up by Venus, came to the rescue, and finding himself unable +to restore her, cried aloud to Jupiter, who heard his prayer, reanimated +Psyche, and gave her a place among the gods. + + +CHAPTERS. + + + I. A SYLLABUB PARTY. + II. THE HOUSE OF DELAVIE. + III. AMONG THE COWSLIPS. + IV. MY LADY'S MISSIVE. + V. THE SUMMONS. + VI. DISAPPOINTED LOVE. + VII. ALL ALONE. + VIII. THE ENCHANTED CASTLE. + IX. THE TRIAD. + X. THE DARK CHAMBER. + XI. A VOICE FROM THE GRAVE. + XII. THE SHAFTS OF PHOEBE. + XIII. THE FLUTTER OF HIS WINGS. + XIV. THE CANON OF WINDSOR. + XV. THE QUEEN OF BEAUTY. + XVI. AUGURIES. + XVII. THE VICTIM DEMANDED. + XVIII. THE PROPOSAL. + XIX. WOOING IN THE DARK. + XX. THE MUFFLED BRIDEGROOM. + XXI. THE SISTER'S MEETING + XXII. A FATAL SPARK. + XXIII. WRATH AND DESOLATION. + XXIV. THE WANDERER. + XXV. VANISHED. + XXVI. THE TRACES. + XXVII. CYTHEREA'S BOWER. + XXVIII. THE ROUT. + XXIX. A BLACK BLONDEL. + XXX. THE FIRST TASK. + XXXI. THE SECOND TASK. + XXXII. LIONS. + XXXIII. THE COSMETIC. + XXXIV. DOWN THE RIVER. + XXXV. THE RETURN. + XXXVI. WAKING. + XXXVII. MAKING THE BEST OF IT. + + + + +LOVE AND LIFE. + + + +CHAPTER I. A SYLLABUB PARTY. + + + Oft had I shadowed such a group + Of beauties that were born + In teacup times of hood and hoop, + And when the patch was worn; + And legs and arms with love-knots gay. + About me leaped and laughed + The modish Cupid of the day, + And shrilled his tinselled shaft.--Tennyson. + + +If times differ, human nature and national character vary but little; +and thus, in looking back on former times, we are by turns startled +by what is curiously like, and curiously unlike, our own sayings and +doings. + +The feelings of a retired officer of the nineteenth century expecting +the return of his daughters from the first gaiety of the youngest +darling, are probably not dissimilar to those of Major Delavie, in the +earlier half of the seventeen hundreds, as he sat in the deep bay window +of his bed-room; though he wore a green velvet nightcap; and his whole +provision of mental food consisted of half a dozen worn numbers of the +_Tatler_, and a _Gazette_ a fortnight old. The chair on which he sat was +elbowed, and made easy with cushions and pillows, but that on which +his lame foot rested was stiff and angular. The cushion was exquisitely +worked in chain-stich, as were the quilt and curtains of the great +four-post bed, and the only carpeting consisted of three or four narrow +strips of wool-work. The walls were plain plaster, white-washed, and +wholly undecorated, except that the mantelpiece was carved with the +hideous caryatides of the early Stewart days, and over it were suspended +a long cavalry sabre, and the accompanying spurs and pistols; above them +the miniature of an exquisitely lovely woman, with a white rose in her +hair and a white favour on her breast. + +The window was a deep one projecting far into the narrow garden below, +for in truth the place was one of those old manor houses which their +wealthy owners were fast deserting in favour of new specimens of +classical architecture as understood by Louis XIV., and the room in +which the Major sat was one of the few kept in habitable repair. The +garden was rich with white pinks, peonies, lilies of the valley, and +early roses, and there was a flagged path down the centre, between the +front door and a wicket-gate into a long lane bordered with hawthorn +hedges, the blossoms beginning to blush with the advance of the season. +Beyond, rose dimly the spires and towers of a cathedral town, one of +those county capitals to which the provincial magnates were wont to +resort during the winter, keeping a mansion there for the purpose, and +providing entertainment for the gentry of the place and neighbourhood. + +Twilight was setting in when the Major began to catch glimpses of the +laced hats of coachman and footmen over the hedges, a lumbering made +itself heard, and by and by the vehicle halted at the gate. Such +a coach! It was only the second best, and the glories of its +landscape--painted sides were somewhat dimmed, the green and silver of +the fittings a little tarnished to a critical eye; yet it was a splendid +article, commodious and capacious, though ill-provided with air and +light. However, nobody cared for stuffiness, certainly not the three +young ladies, who, fan in hand, came tripping down the steps that +were unrolled for them. The eldest paused to administer a fee to their +entertainer's servants who had brought them home, and the coach rolled +on to dispose of the remainder of the freight. + +The father waved greetings from one window, a rosy little audacious +figure in a night-dress peeped out furtively from another, and the +house-door was opened by a tall old soldier-servant, stiff as a ramrod, +with hair tightly tied and plastered up into a queue, and a blue and +brown livery which sat like a uniform. + +"Well, young ladies," he said, "I hope you enjoyed yourselves." + +"Vastly, thank you, Corporal Palmer. And how has it been with my father +in our absence?" + +"Purely, Miss Harriet. He relished the Friar's chicken that Miss Delavie +left for him, and he amused himself for an hour with Master Eugene, +after which he did me the honour to play two plays at backgammon." + +"I hope," said the eldest sister, coming up, "that the little rogue whom +I saw peeping from the window has not been troublesome." + +"He has been as good as gold, madam. He played in master's room till +Nannerl called him to his bed, when he went at once, 'true to his +orders,' says the master. 'A fine soldier he will make,' says I to my +master." + +Therewith the sisters mounted the uncarpeted but well-polished oak +stair, knocked at the father's door, and entered one by one, each +dropping her curtsey, and, though the eldest was five-and-twenty, +neither speaking nor sitting till they were greeted with a hearty, +"Come, my young maids, sit you down and tell your old father your gay +doings." + +The eldest took the only unoccupied chair, while the other two placed +themselves on the window-seat, all bolt upright, with both little high +heels on the floor, in none of the easy attitudes of damsels of later +date, talking over a party. All three were complete gentlewomen in air +and manners, though Betty had high cheek-bones, a large nose, rough +complexion, and red hair, and her countenance was more loveable and +trustworthy than symmetrical. The dainty decorations of youth looked +grotesque upon her, and she was so well aware of the fact as to put on +no more than was absolutely essential to a lady of birth and breeding. +Harriet (pronounced Hawyot), the next in age, had a small well-set head, +a pretty neck, and fine dark eyes, but the small-pox had made havoc +of her bloom, and left its traces on cheek and brow. The wreck of her +beauty had given her a discontented, fretful expression, which rendered +her far less pleasing than honest, homely Betty, though she employed +all the devices of the toilette to conceal the ravages of the malady and +enhance her remaining advantages of shape and carriage. + +There was an air of vexation about her as her father asked, "Well, how +many conquests has my little Aurelia made?" She could not but recollect +how triumphantly she had listened to the same inquiry after her own +first appearance, scarcely three short years ago. Yet she grudged +nothing to Aurelia, her junior by five years, who was for the first +time arrayed as a full-grown belle, in a pale blue, tight-sleeved, +long-waisted silk, open and looped up over a primrose skirt, embroidered +by her own hands with tiny blue butterflies hovering over harebells. +There were blue silk shoes, likewise home-made, with silver buckles, and +the long mittens and deep lace ruffles were of Betty's fabrication. +Even the dress itself had been cut by Harriet from old wedding hoards +of their mother's, and made up after the last mode imported by Madam +Churchill at the Deanery. + +The only part of the equipment not of domestic handiwork was the +structure on the head. The Carminster hairdresser had been making his +rounds since daylight, taking his most distinguished customers last; and +as the Misses Delavie were not high on the roll, Harriet and Aurelia had +been under his hands at nine A.M. From that time till three, when the +coach called for them, they had sat captive on low stools under a tent +of table-cloth over tall chair-backs to keep the dust out of the frosted +edifice constructed out of their rich dark hair, of the peculiar tint +then called mouse-colour. Betty had refused to submit to this durance. +"What sort of dinner would be on my father's table-cloth if I were to +sit under one all day?" said she in answer to Harriet's representation +of the fitness of things. "La, my dear, what matters it what an old +scarecrow like me puts on?" + +Old maidenhood set in much earlier in those days than at present; the +sisters acquiesced, and Betty had run about as usual all the morning in +her mob-cap, and chintz gown tucked through her pocket-holes, and only +at the last submitted her head to the manipulations of Corporal Palmer, +who daily powdered his master's wig. + +Strange and unnatural as was the whitening of the hair, it was effective +in enhancing the beauty of Aurelia's dark arched brows, the soft +brilliance of her large velvety brown eyes, and the exquisite carnation +and white of her colouring. Her features were delicately chiselled, and +her face had that peculiar fresh, innocent, soft, untouched bloom and +undisturbed repose which form the special charm and glory of the first +dawn of womanhood. Her little head was well poised on a slender neck, +just now curving a little to one side with the fatigue of the hours +during which it had sustained her headgear. This consisted of a +tiny flat hat, fastened on by long pins, and adorned by a cluster of +campanulas like those on her dress, with a similar blue butterfly on an +invisible wire above them, the dainty handiwork of Harriet. + +The inquiry about conquests was a matter of course after a young lady's +first party, but Aurelia looked too childish for it, and Betty made +haste to reply. + +"Aurelia was a very good girl. No one could have curtsied or bridled +more prettily when we paid our respects to my Lady Herries and Mrs. +Churchill, and the Dean highly commended her dancing." + +"You danced? Fine doings! I thought you were merely invited to look on +at the game at bowls. Who had the best of the match?" + +"The first game was won by Canon Boltby, the second by the Dean," said +Betty; "but when they would have played the conqueror, Lady Herries +interfered and said the gentlemen had kept the field long enough, and +now it was our turn. So a cow was driven on the bowling-green, with a +bell round her neck and pink ribbons on her horns." + +"A cow! What will they have next?" + +"They say 'tis all the mode in London," interposed Harriet. + +"Pray was the cow to instruct you in dancing?" continued the Major. + +"No, sir," said Aurelia, whom he had addressed; "she was to be milked +into the bowl of syllabub." + +This was received with a great "Ho! ho!" and a demand who was to act as +milker. + +"That was the best of it," said Aurelia. "Soon came Miss Herries in +a straw hat, and the prettiest green petticoat under a white gown and +apron, as a dairy-maid, but the cow would not stand still, for all the +man who led her kept scolding her and saying 'Coop! coop!' No sooner had +Miss Herries seated herself on the stool than Moolly swerved away, and +it was a mercy that the fine china bowl escaped. Every one was laughing, +and poor Miss Herries was ready to cry, when forth steps my sister, +coaxes the cow, bids the man lend his apron, sits down on the stool, and +has the bowl frothing in a moment." + +"I would not have done so for worlds," said Harriet; "I dreaded every +moment to be asked where Miss Delavie learnt to be a milk-maid." + +"You were welcome to reply, in her own yard," said Betty. "You may thank +me for your syllabub." + +"Which, after all, you forbade poor Aura to taste!" + +"Assuredly. I was not going to have her turn sick on my hands. She may +think herself beholden to me for her dance with that fine young beau. +Who was he, Aura?" + +"How now!" said the Major, in a tone of banter, while Harriet indulged +in a suppressed giggle. "You let Aura dance with a stranger! Where was +your circumspection, Mrs. Betty?" Aurelia coloured to the roots of her +hair and faltered, "It was Lady Herries who presented him." + +"Yes, the child is not to blame," said Betty; "I left her in charge +of Mrs. Churchill while I went to wash my hands after milking the cow, +which these fine folk seemed to suppose could be done without soiling a +finger." + +"That's the way with Chloe and Phyllida in Arcadia," said her father. + +"But not here," said Betty. "In the house, I was detained a little +while, for the housekeeper wanted me to explain my recipe for taking out +the grease spots." + +"A little while, sister?" said Harriet. "It was through the dancing of +three minuets, and the country dance had long been begun." + +"I was too busy to heed the time," said Betty, "for I obtained the +recipe for those delicious almond-cakes, and showed Mrs. Waldron the +Vienna mode of clearing coffee. When I came back the fiddles were +playing, and Aurelia going down the middle with a young gentleman in a +scarlet coat. Poor little Robert Rowe was too bashful to find a partner, +though he longed to dance; so I made another couple with him, and thus +missed further speech, save that as we took our leave, both Sir George +and the Dean complimented me, and said what there is no occasion to +repeat just now, sir, when I ought to be fetching your supper." + +"Ha! Is it too flattering for little Aura?" asked her father. "Come, +never spare. She will hear worse than that in her day, I'll warrant." + +"It was merely," said Betty, reluctantly, "that the Dean called her the +star of the evening, and declared that her dancing equalled her face." + +"Well said of his reverence! And his honour the baronet, what said he?" + +"He said, sir, that so comely and debonnaire a couple had not been seen +in these parts since you came home from Flanders and led off the assize +ball with Mistress Urania Delavie." + +"There, Aura, 'tis my turn to blush!" cried the Major, comically hiding +his face behind Betty's fan. "But all this time you have never told me +who was this young spark." + +"That I cannot tell, sir," returned Betty. "We were sent home in +the coach with Mistress Duckworth and her daughters, who talked so +incessantly that we could not open our lips. Who was he, Aura?" + +"My Lady Herries only presented him as Sir Amyas, sister," replied +Aurelia. + +"Sir Amyas!" cried her auditors, all together. + +"Nothing more," said Aurelia. "Indeed she made as though he and I must +be acquainted, and I suppose that she took me for Harriet, but I knew +not how to explain." + +"No doubt," said Harriet. "I was sick of the music and folly, and had +retired to the summerhouse with Peggy Duckworth, who had brought a sweet +sonnet of Mr. Ambrose Phillips, 'Defying Cupid.'" + +Her father burst into a chuckling laugh, much to her mortification, +though she would not seem to understand it, and Betty took up the moral. + +"Sir Amyas! Are you positive that you caught the name, child?" + +"I thought so, sister," said Aurelia, with the insecurity produced by +such cross-questioning; "but I may have been mistaken, since, of course, +the true Sir Amyas Belamour would never be here without my father's +knowledge." + +"Nor is there any other of the name," said her father, "except that +melancholic uncle of his who never leaves his dark chamber." + +"Depend upon it," said Harriet, "Lady Herries said Sir Ambrose. No doubt +it was Sir Ambrose Watford." + +"Nay, Harriet, I demur to that," said her father drolly. "I flatter +myself I was a more personable youth than to be likened to Watford with +his swollen nose. What like was your cavalier, Aura?" + +"Indeed, sir, I cannot describe him. I was so much terrified lest he +should speak to me that I had much ado to mind my steps. I know he had +white gloves and diamond shoe-buckles, and that his feet moved by no +means like those of Sir Ambrose." + +"Aura is a modest child, and does credit to her breeding," said Betty. +"Thus much I saw, that the young gentleman was tall and personable +enough to bear comparison even to you, sir, not more than nineteen or +twenty years of age, in a laced scarlet uniform, as I think, of the +Dragoon Guards, and with a little powder, but not enough to disguise +that his hair was entire gold." + +"That all points to his being indeed young Belamour," said her father; +"age, military appearance, and all--I wonder what this portends!" + +"What a disaster!" exclaimed Harriet, "that my sister and I should have +been out of the way, and only a chit like Aura be there to be presented +to him." + +"If young ladies _will_ defy Cupid," began her father;--but at that +moment Corporal Palmer knocked at the door, bringing a basin of soup for +his master, and announcing "Supper is served, young ladies." + +Each of the three bent her knee to receive her father's blessing and +kiss, then curtseying at the door, departed, Betty lingering behind her +two juniors to see her father taste his soup and to make sure that he +relished it. + + + + +CHAPTER II. THE HOUSE OF DELAVIE. + + + All his Paphian mother fear; + Empress! all thy sway revere! + EURIPEDES (Anstice). + + +The parlour where the supper was laid was oak panelled, but painted +white. Like a little island in the vast polished slippery floor lay a +square much-worn carpet, just big enough to accommodate a moderate-sized +table and the surrounding high-backed chairs. There was a tent-stitch +rug before the Dutch-tiled fireplace, and on the walls hung two framed +prints,--one representing the stately and graceful Duke of Marlborough; +the other, the small, dark, pinched, but fiery Prince Eugene. On the +spotless white cloth was spread a frugal meal of bread, butter, cheese, +and lettuce; a jug of milk, another of water, and a bottle of cowslip +wine; for the habits of the family were more than usually frugal and +abstemious. + +Frugality and health alike obliged Major Delavie to observe a careful +regimen. He had served in all Marlborough's campaigns, and had +afterwards entered the Austrian army, and fought in the Turkish war, +until he had been disabled before Belgrade by a terrible wound, of which +he still felt the effects. Returning home with his wife, the daughter of +a Jacobite exile, he had become a kind of agent in managing the family +estate for his cousin the heiress, Lady Belamour, who allowed him +to live rent-free in this ruinous old Manor-house, the cradle of the +family. + +This was all that Harriet and Aurelia knew. The latter had been born +at the Manor, and young girls, if not brought extremely forward, were +treated like children; but Elizabeth, the eldest of the family, who +could remember Vienna, was so much the companion and confidante of her +father, that she was more on the level of a mother than a sister to her +juniors. + +"Then you think Aurelia's beau was really Sir Amyas Belamour," said +Harriet, as they sat down to supper. + +"So it appears," said Betty, gravely. + +"Do you think he will come hither, sister? I would give the world to see +him," continued Harriet. + +"He said something of hoping for better acquaintance," softly put in +Aurelia. + +"Oh, did he so?" cried Harriet. "For demure as you are, Miss Aura, I +fancy you looked a little above the diamond shoe-buckles!" + +"Fie, Harriet!" exclaimed Betty; "I will not have the child tormented. +He ought to come and pay his respects to my father." + +"Have you ever seen my Lady?" asked Aurelia. + +"That have I, Miss Aurelia," interposed Corporal Palmer, "and a rare +piece of beauty she would be, if one could forget the saying 'handsome +is as handsome does.'" + +"I never knew what she has done," said Aurelia. + +"'Tis a long story," hastily said Betty, "too long to tell at table. I +must make haste to prepare the poultice for my father." + +She quickly broke up the supper party, and the two younger sisters +repaired to their chamber, both conscious of having been repressed; the +one feeling injured, the other rebuked for forwardness and curiosity. +The three sisters shared one long low room with a large light closet +at each end. One of these was sacred to powder, the other was Betty's +private property. Harriet had a little white bed to herself, Betty and +Aurelia nightly climbed into a lofty and solemn structure curtained with +ancient figured damask. Each had her own toilette-table and a press for +her clothes, where she contrived to stow them in a wonderfully small +space. + +Harriet and Aurelia had divested themselves of their finery before +Betty came in, and they assisted her operations, Harriet preferring a +complaint that she never would tell them anything. + +"I have no objection to tell you at fitting times," said Betty, "but not +with Palmer putting in his word. You should have discretion, Harriet." + +"The Dean's servants never speak when they are waiting at table," said +Harriet with a pout. + +"But I'll warrant them to hear!" retorted Betty. + +"And I had rather have our dear old honest corporal than a dozen of +those fine lackeys," said Aurelia. "But you will tell us the story like +a good sister, while we brush the powder out of our hair." + +They put on powdering gowns, after releasing themselves from the armour +of their stays, and were at last at ease, each seated on a wooden chair +in the powdering closet, brush in hand, with a cloud of white dust +flying round, and the true colour of the hair beginning to appear. + +"Then it is indeed true that My Lady is one of the greatest beauties of +Queen Caroline's Court, if not the greatest?" said Harriet. + +"Truly she is," said Betty, "and though in full maturity, she preserves +the splendour of her prime." + +"Tell us more particularly," said Aurelia; "can she be more lovely than +our dear mamma?" + +"No, indeed! lovely was never the word for her, to my mind," said +Betty; "her face always seemed to me more like that of one of the marble +statues I remember at Vienna; perfect, but clear, cold, and hard. But +I am no judge, for I did not love her, and in a child, admiration +accompanies affection." + +"What did Palmer mean by 'handsome is that handsome does'? Surely my +father never was ill-treated by Lady Belamour?" + +"Let me explain," said the elder sister. "The ancient custom and +precedent of our family have always transmitted the estates to the male +heir. But when Charles II. granted the patent of nobility to the first +Baron Delavie, the barony was limited to the heirs male of his body, and +out grandfather was only his brother. The last Lord had three sons, and +one daughter, Urania, who alone survived him." + +"I know all that from the monument," said Aurelia; "one was drowned +while bathing, one died of spotted fever, and one was killed at the +battle of Ramillies. How dreadful for the poor old father!" + +"And there is no Lord Delavie now," said Harriet. "Why, since my Lady +could not have the title, did it not come to our papa?" + +"Because his father was not in the patent," said Betty. "However, it +was thought that if he were married to Mistress Urania, there would be +a fresh creation in their favour. So as soon as the last campaign was +over, our father, who had always been a favourite at the great house, +was sent for from the army, and given to understand that he was to +conduct his courtship, with the cousin he had petted as a little child, +as speedily as was decorous. However, in winter quarters at Tournai he +had already pledged his faith to the daughter of a Scottish gentleman +in the Austrian service. This engagement was viewed by the old Lord as +a trifling folly, which might be set aside by the head of the family. +He hinted that the proposed match was by no means disagreeable to his +daughter, and scarcely credited his ears when his young kinsman declared +his honour forbade him to break with Miss Murray." + +"Dear father," ejaculated Aurelia, "so he gave up everything for her +sake?" + +"And never repented it!" said Betty. + +"Now," said Harriet, "I understand why he entered the army." + +"It was all he had to depend on," said Betty, "and he had been +favourably noticed by Prince Eugene at the siege of Lisle, so that he +easily obtained a commission. He believed that though it was in the +power of the old Lord to dispose of part of his estates by will, yet +that some of the land was entailed in the male line, so that there need +not be many years of campaigning or poverty for his bride, even if her +father never were restored to his Scottish property. As you know, our +grandfather, Sir Archibald Murray, died for his loyalty in the rising of +'15, and two years later our father received at Belgrade that terrible +wound which closed his military career. Meantime, Urania had married Sir +Jovian Belamour, and Lord Delavie seemed to have forgotten my father's +offence, and gave him the management of the estate, with this old house +to live in, showing himself glad of the neighbourhood of a kinsman whom +he could thoroughly trust. All went well till my Lady came to visit her +father. Then all old offences were renewed. Lady Belamour treated my +mother as a poor dependant. She, daughter to a noble line of pedigree +far higher than that of the Delavies, might well return her haughty +looks, and would not yield an inch, nor join in the general adulation. +There were disputes about us children. Poor Archie was a most beautiful +boy, and though you might not suppose it, I was a very pretty little +girl, this nose of mine being then much more shapely than the little +buttons which grow to fair proportions. On the other hand, the little +Belamours were puny and sickly; indeed, as you know, this young Sir +Amyas, who was not then born, is the only one of the whole family who +has been reared. Then we had been carefully bred, could chatter French, +recite poetry, make our bow and curtsey, bridle, and said Sir and Madam, +while the poor little cousins who had been put out to nurse had no more +manners than the calves and pigs. People were the more flattering to us +because they expected soon to see my father in his Lordship's place; and +on the other hand, officious tongues were not wanting to tell my Lady +how Mrs. Delavie contrasted the two sets of children. Very bitter +offence was taken; nor has my Lady ever truly forgiven, whatever our +dear good father may believe. When the old Lord died, a will was found, +bequeathing all his unentailed estates to his daughter, and this was of +course strong presumption that he believed in the existence of a deed of +entail; but none could ever be found, and the precedents were not held +to establish the right." + +"Did he leave my father nothing?" asked Harriet. + +"He left him three hundred pounds and made him joint executor with Sir +Jovian. There was no mention of this house, which was the original house +of the family, the first Lord having built the Great House; and both my +father and Sir Jovian were sure the Lord Delavie believed it would come +to him; but no proofs were extant, and my Lady would only consent to his +occupying it, as before, as her agent." + +"I always knew we were victims to an injustice," said Harriet, "though I +never understood the matter exactly." + +"You were a mere child, and my father does not love to talk of it. He +ceased to care much about the loss after our dear Archie died." + +"Not for Eugene's sake?" + +"Eugene was not born for two years after Archie's death. My dear mother +had drooped from the time of the disappointment, blaming herself for +having ruined my father, and scarce accepting comfort when he vowed that +all was well lost for her sake. She reproached herself with having +been proud and unconciliatory, though I doubt whether it made much +difference. Then her spirit was altogether crushed by the loss of +Archie, she never had another day's health. Eugene came to her like +Ichabod to Phinehas' wife, and she was soon gone from us," said Betty, +wiping away a tear. + +"Leaving us a dear sister to be a mother to us," said Aurelia, raising +her sweet face for a kiss. + +Harriet pondered a little, and said, "My Lady is not at enmity with us, +since my father keeps the house and agency." + +"We should be reduced to poverty indeed without them," said Betty; "and +Sir Jovian, an upright honourable man, the only person whom my Lady +truly respected, insisted on his continuance. As long as my Lady regards +his memory we are safe, but no one can trust to her caprice." + +"She never comes here, nor disturbs my father." + +"No, but she makes heavy calls on the estate, and is displeased if he +refuses to overpress the tenants or hesitates to cut the timber." + +"I have heard say," added Harriet, "that her debts in town and her +losses at play drove her to accept her present husband, Mr. Wayland, a +hideous old fellow, who had become vastly rich through some discovery +about cannon." + +"He is an honourable and upright man," said Betty. "I should have +fewer anxieties if he had not been sent out to Gibraltar and Minorca to +superintend the fortifications." + +"Meantime my Lady makes the money fly, by the help of the gallant +Colonel Mar," said Harriet lightly. + +"Fie! Harriet!" returned the elder sister; "I have allowed you too far. +My father calls Lady Belamour his commanding officer, and permits no +scandal to be spoken of her." + +"Any more than of Prince Eugene?" said Harriet, laughing. + +"But oh! sister!" cried Aurelia, "let us stay a little longer. I have +not half braided my hair, and I long to hear who is the gentleman of +whom my father spoke as living in the dark." + +"Mr. Amyas Belamour! Sir Jovian's brother! Ah! that is a sad story," +replied Betty, "though I am not certain that I have it correctly, +having only heard it discussed between my father and mother when I was a +growing girl, sitting at my sampler. I think he was a barrister; I know +he was a very fine gentleman and a man of parts, who had made the Grand +Tour; for when he was staying at the Great House, he said my mother was +the only person he met who could converse with him on the Old Masters, +or any other subject of _virtu_, and that, being reported to my Lady, +increased her bitterness all the more because Mr. Belamour was a friend +of Mr. Addison and Sir Richard Steele, and had contributed some papers +to the _Spectator_. He was making a good fortune in his profession, and +had formed an engagement with a young lady in Hertfordshire, of a good +old family, but one which had always been disliked by Lady Belamour. It +is said, too, that Miss Sedhurst had been thought to have attracted one +of my Lady's many admirers, and that the latter was determined not +to see her rival become her sister-in-law, and probably with the same +title, since Mr. Belamour was on the verge of obtaining knighthood. So, +if she be not greatly belied, Lady Belamour plied all parties with her +confidences, till she contrived to breed suspicion and jealousy on all +sides, until finally Miss Sedhurst's brother, a crack-brained youth, +offered such an insult to Mr. Belamour, that honour required a +challenge. It was thought that as Mr. Belamour was the superior in age +and position, the matter might have been composed, but the young man was +fiery and hot tempered, and would neither retract nor apologise; and +Mr. Belamour had been stung in his tenderest feeling. They fought with +pistols, an innovation that, as you know, my father hates, as far more +deadly and unskilful than the noble practice of fencing; and the result +was that Mr. Sedhurst was shot dead, and Mr. Belamour received a severe +wound in the head. The poor young lady, being always of a delicate +constitution, fell into fits on hearing the news, an died in a few +weeks. The unfortunate Mr. Belamour survives, but whether from injury to +the brain, or from grief and remorse, he has never been able to endure +either light or company, but has remained ever since in utter darkness +and seclusion." + +"Utter darkness! How dreadful!" cried Aurelia, shuddering. + +"How long has this been, sister?" inquired Harriet. + +"About nine years," said Betty. "The lamentable affair took place just +before Sir Jovian's death, and the shock may have hastened it, for he +had long been in a languishing state. It was the more unfortunate, since +he had made Mr. Belamour sole personal guardian to his only surviving +son, and appointed him, together with my father and another gentleman, +trustee for the Belamour property; and there has been much difficulty +in consequence of his being unable to act, or to do more than give his +signature." + +"Ah! sister, I wish you had not told me," said Aurelia. "I shall dream +of the unfortunate gentleman all night. Nine years of utter darkness!" + +"We know who is still child enough to hate darkness," said Harriet. + +"Take care," said Betty. "You must make haste, or I shall leave you to +it." + + + + +CHAPTER III. AMONG THE COWSLIPS. + + + The insect youth are on the wing, + Eager to taste the honeyed spring, + And float amid the liquid noon, + Some lightly on the torrent skim, + Some show their gaily gilded trim, + Quick glancing to the sun.--GRAY + + +Though hours were early, the morning meal was not served till so late as +really to deserve the title of breakfast. + +When the three sisters sat down at nine-o'clock, in mob caps, and +the two younger in white dresses, all had been up at least two hours. +Aurelia led forward little Eugene in a tailed red coat, long-breasted +buff waistcoat, buff tights and knitted stockings, with a deep frilled +collar under the flowing locks on his shoulders, in curls which +emulated a wig. She had been helping him to prepare "his tasks" from +the well-thumbed but strongly-bound books which had served poor Archie +before him. They were deposited on the window-seat to wait till the +bowls of bread and milk were discussed, since tea and coffee were only +a special afternoon treat not considered as wholesome for children; so +that Aurelia had only just been promoted to them, along with powder and +fan. + +Harriet wore her favourite pistachio ribbon round her cap and as a +breast-knot, and her cheeks bore token of one of the various washes +with which she was always striving to regain the smoothness of her +complexion. Knowing what this betokened, an elder-sisterly instinct of +caution actuated Betty to remind her juniors of an engagement made with +Dame Jewel of the upland farm for the exchange of a setting of white +duck's eggs for one of five-toed fowls, and to request them to carry the +basket. + +Eugene danced on his chair and begged to be of the party; but Harriet +pouted, and asked why the "odd boy" could not be sent. + +"Because, as you very well know, if he did not break, he would addle, +every egg in the basket. + +"There can be no need to go to-day." + +"The speckled hen is clocking to brood, and she is the best mother in +the yard. Besides, it is time that the cowslip wine were made, and I +will give you some bread and cheese and gingerbread for noonchin, so +that you may fill your baskets in the meadows before they are laid up +for grass. Mrs. Jewel will give you a drink of milk." + +"O let me go, sister!" pleaded Eugene. "She gives us bread and honey! +And I want to hear the lapwings in the meadows cry pee-wit." + +"We shall have you falling into the river," said Harriet, rather +fretfully. + +"No, indeed! If you fall in, I will pull you out. Young maids should not +run about the country without a gentleman to take care of them. Should +they, sister?" cried the doughty seven years' old champion. + +"Who taught you that, sir?" asked Betty, trying to keep her countenance. + +"I heard Mrs. Churchill say so to my papa," returned the boy. "So now, +there's a good sister. Do pray let me go!" + +"If you say your tasks well, and will promise to be obedient to Harriet +and to keep away from the river, and not touch the basket of eggs." + +Eugene was ready for any number of promises; and Harriet, seeing there +was no escape for her, went off with Aurelia to put on their little +three-cornered muslin handkerchiefs and broad-brimmed straw hats, while +Eugene repeated his tasks, namely, a fragment of the catechism, half +a column of spelling from the _Universal Spelling-Book_, and (Betty's +special pride) his portion of the _Orbis Sensualium Pictus_ of Johannes +Amos Comenius, the wonderful vocabulary, with still more wonderful +"cuts," that was then the small boys path to Latinity. + +The Eagle, _Aquila_, the King of Birds, _Rex Avium_, looketh at the Sun, +_intuetur Solem_, as indeed he could hardly avoid doing, since in the +"cut" the sun was within a hairsbreath of his beak, while his claws were +almost touching a crow (_Corvus_) perched on a dead horse, to exemplify +how _Aves Raptores_ fed on carrion. + +Thanks to Aurelia's private assistance, Eugene knew his lessons well +enough for his excitement not to make him stumble so often as to prevent +Betty's pronouncing him a good boy, and dispensing with his copy, +sum, piece, and reading, until the evening. These last were very tough +affairs, the recitation being from Shakespeare, and the reading from the +_Spectator_. There were no children's books, properly so called, +except the ballads, chap-books brought round by pedlers, often far from +edifying, and the plunge from the horn-book into general literature was, +to say the least of it, bracing. + +The Delavie family was cultivated for the time. French had been brought +home as a familiar tongue, though _Telemaque_, Racine, and _Le Grand +Cyrus_ were the whole library in that language; and there was not +another within thirty miles. On two days in the week the sisters became +Mesdemoiselles Elisabeth, Henriette, and Aurelie, and conversed in +French over their spinning, seams, lace, or embroidery; nor was Aurelia +yet emancipated from reciting Racine on alternate days with Milton and +Shakespeare. + +Betty could likewise talk German with the old Austrian maid, Nannerl, +who had followed the family from Vienna; but the accomplishment was not +esteemed, and the dialect was barbarous. From the time of her mother's +death, Betty had been a strict and careful, though kind, ruler to her +sisters; and the long walk was a greater holiday to Aurelia than to +Eugene, releasing her from her book and work, whereas he would soon +have been trundling his hoop, and haunting the steps of Palmer, who was +gardener as well as valet, butler, and a good deal besides, and moreover +drilled his young master. Thus Eugene carried his head as erect as +any Grenadier in the service, and was a thorough little gentleman in +miniature; a perfect little beau, as his sisters loved to call the +darling of their hearts and hopes. + +Even Harriet could not be cross to him, though she made Aurelia carry +the eggs, and indulged in sundry petulant whisks of the fan which she +carried by way of parasol. "Now, why does Betty do this?" she exclaimed, +as soon as they were out of hearing. "Is it to secure to herself the +whole enjoyment of your beau?" + +"You forget," said Aurelia. "You promised to fetch the eggs, when we met +Mrs. Jewel jogging home from market on her old blind white horse last +Saturday, because you said no eggs so shaken could ever be hatched." + +"You demure chit!" exclaimed Harriet; "would you make me believe that +you have no regrets for so charming a young gentleman, my Lady's son and +our kinsman." + +"If he spoke to me I should not know how to answer. And then you would +blame my rudeness. Besides," she added, with childish sagacity, "he can +be nothing but a fine London macaroni. Only think of the cowslips! A +whole morning to make cowslip balls," she added with a little frisk. "I +would not give one for all the macaronies in England, with their powder +and their snuff-boxes. Faugh!" + +"Ah, child, you will sing another note perhaps when it is too late," +said her sister, with a sigh between envy and compassion. + +It floated past Aurelia unheeded, as she danced up one side of a stile, +and sprang clear down into a green park, jumped Eugene down after her by +both hands, and exclaimed, "Harriet is in her vapours; come, let us have +a race!" + +She was instantly careering along like a white butterfly in the +sunshine, flitting on as the child tried to catch her, among the snowy +hawthorn bushes, or sinking down for very joy and delight among the bank +of wild hyacinths. Life and free motion were joy and delight enough for +that happy being with her childish heart, and the serious business of +the day was all delight. There lay the rich meadows basking in the sun, +and covered with short grass just beginning its summer growth, but with +the cowslips standing high above it; hanging down their rich clusters of +soft, pure, delicately-scented bells, from their pinky stems over their +pale crinkled leaves, interspersed here and there with the deep purple +of the fool's orchis, and the pale brown quiver-grass shaking out its +trembling awns on their invisible stems. No flower is more delightful +to gather than the cowslip, fragrant as the breath of a cow. And +Aurelia darted about, piling the golden heap in her basket with untiring +enjoyment; then, producing a tape, called on Harriet, who had been +working in a more leisurely fashion, to join her in making a cowslip +ball, and charged Eugene not to nip off the heads too short. + +The sweet, soft, golden globe was made, and even Harriet felt the +delicious intoxication. The young things tossed it aloft, flung from +one to the other, caught it, caressed it, buried their faces in it, and +threw it back with shrieks of glee. + +Suddenly Harriet checked her sister with a peremptory sign. She heard +horse-hoofs in the lane, divided from the field by a hedge of pollard +willows, so high that she had never thought of being overlooked, till +the cessation of the trotting sound struck her; and looking round she +saw that a horseman had halted at the gate, and was gazing at their +sports. It was from the distance of a field, but this was enough to +fill Harriet with dismay. She drew herself up in a moment, signing +peremptorily to Aurelia, who was flying about, her hat off, her one long +curl streaming behind as she darted hither and thither, evading Eugene +who was pursuing her. + +As she paused, and Eugene clutched her dress with a shout of ecstasy, +Harriet came up, glancing severely toward the gate, and saying, as she +handed her sister the hat, "This comes of childishness! That we should +be seen thus! What a hoyden he will think you!" as the hoofs went on and +the red coat vanished. + +"He! Who? Not the farmer?" said Aurelia. "This is not laid up for hay." + +"No indeed. I believe it is he," said Harriet, mysteriously. + +"He?" repeated Aurelia. "Not Mr. Arden, for he would be in black," and +at Harriet's disgusted gesture, "I beg your pardon, but I did not +know you had a new _he_. Oh! surely you are not thinking of the young +baronet?" + +"I am sure it was his figure." + +"You did not see him yesterday?" + +"No, but his air had too much distinction for any one from these parts." + +"Could you see what his air was from this distance? I should never have +guessed it, but you have more experience, being older. Come, Eugene, +another race!" + +"No, I will have no more folly. I was too good-natured to allow it. I am +vexed beyond measure that he should have seen such rusticity." + +"Never mind, dear Harriet. Most likely it was no such person, for it +was not well-bred to sit staring at us; and if it were he, you were not +known to him." + +"You were." + +"Then he must have eyes as sharp as yours are for an air of distinction. +Having only seen me in my blue and primrose suit, how should he know me +in my present trim? Besides, I believe it was only young Dick Jewel in a +cast coat of Squire Humphrey's." + +The charm of the cowslip gathering was broken. Eugene found himself +very hungry, and the noonchin was produced, after which the walk was +continued to the farm-house, where the young people were made very +welcome. + +Farmers were, as a rule, more rustic than the present labourer, but they +lived a life of far less care, if of more toil, than their successors, +having ample means for their simple needs, and enjoying jocund plenty. +The clean kitchen, with the stone floor, the beaupot of maythorn on the +empty hearth, the shining walnut-wood table, the spinning-wheel, wooden +chairs, and forms, all looked cool and inviting, and the visitors were +regaled with home-made brown bread, delicious butter and honey, and a +choice of new milk, mead, and currant wine. + +Dame Jewel, in a white frill under a black silken hood, a buff turnover +kerchief, stout stuff gown and white apron, was delighted to wait +on them; and Eugene's bliss was complete among the young kittens and +puppies in baskets on opposite sides of the window, the chickens before +their coops, the ducklings like yellow balls on the grass, and the huge +family of little spotted piglings which, to the scandal of his sisters, +he declared the most delightful of all. + +Their hostess knew nothing of the young baronet being in the +neighbourhood, and was by no means gratified by the intelligence. + +"Lack-a-day! Miss Harriet, you don't mean that the family is coming down +here! I don't want none of them. 'Tis bad times for the farmer when +any of that sort is nigh. They make nothing of galloping their horses a +hunting right through the crops, ay, and horsewhipping the farmer if he +do but say a word for the sweat of his brow." + +"O Mrs. Jewel!" cried Aurelia, in whose ear lingered the courteous +accents of her partner, "they would never behave themselves so." + +"Bless you, Miss Orreely, I'll tell you what I've seen with my own eyes. +My own good man, the master here, with the horsewhip laid about his +shoulders at that very thornbush, by one of the fine gentlefolks, +just because he had mended the gap in the hedge they was used to ride +through, and my Lady sitting by in her laced scarlet habit on her fine +horse, smiling like a painted picture, and saying, 'Thank you, sir, +the rascals need to learn not to interfere with our sport,' all in that +gentle sounding low voice of hers, enough to drive one mad." + +"I thought Sir Jovian had been a kind master," said Harriet. + +"This was not Sir Jovian. Poor gentleman, he was not often out +a-hunting. This was one of the fine young rakish fellows from Lunnun +as were always swarming about my Lady, like bees over that maybush. Sir +Thomas Donne, I think they called him. They said he got killed by a wild +boar, hunting in foreign parts, afterwards, and serve him right! But +there! They would all do her bidding, whether for bad or good, so maybe +it was less his fault than hers. She is a bitter one, is my Lady, for +all she looks so sweet. And this her young barrowknight will be his own +mother's son, and I don't want none of 'em down here. 'Tis a good job we +have your good papa, the Major, to stand between her and us; I only wish +he had his own, for a rare good landlord he would be." + +The Dame's vain wishes were cut short by shrieks from the poultry-yard, +where Eugene was discovered up to his ankles in the black ooze of the +horse-pond, waving a little stick in defiance of an angry gander, who +with white outspread wings, snake-like neck, bent and protruded, and +frightful screams and hisses, was no bad representation of his namesake +the dragon, especially to a child not much exceeding him in height. + +The monster was put to rout, the champion dragged out of the pond, +breathlessly explaining that he only wanted to look at the goslings when +the stupid geese cackled and the gander wanted to fly at his eyes. "And +I didn't see where I was going, for I had to keep him off, so I got into +the mud. Will sister be angry?" he concluded, ruefully surveying the +dainty little stockings and shoes coated with black mud. + +But before the buckled shoon had been scraped, or the hosen washed and +dried, the cheerful memory of boyhood had convinced itself that the +enemy had been put to flight by his manful resistance; and he turned a +deaf ear to Aurelia's suggestion that the affair had been retribution +for his constant oblivion of Comenius' assertion that _auser gingrit,_ +"the goose gagleth." + +They went home more soberly, having been directed by Mrs. Jewel to a +field bordered by a copse, where grew the most magnificent of Titania's +pensioners tall, wearing splendid rubies in their coats; and in due +time the trio presented themselves at home, weary, but glowing with +the innocent excitement of their adventures. Harriet was the first +to proclaim that they had seen a horseman who must be Sir Amyas. "Had +sister seen him?" + +"Only through the window of the kitchen where I was making puff paste." + +"He called then! Did my papa see him?" + +"My father was in no condition to see any one, being under the hands and +razor of Palmer." + +"La! what a sad pity. Did he leave no message?" + +"He left his compliments, and hoped his late partner was not fatigued." + +"Is he at the Great House? Will he call again?" + +"He is on his way to make a visit in Monmouthshire, together with a +brother office, who is related to my Lady Herries, and finding that +their road led them within twenty miles of our town, the decided on +making a diversion to see her. It was only from her that Sir Amyas +understood how close he was to his mother's property, for my Lady is +extremely jealous of her prerogative." + +"How did you hear all this, sister?" + +"Sir George Herries rode over this afternoon and sat an hour with my +father, delighting him by averring that the young gentleman has his +mother's charms of person, together with his father's solidity of +principle and character, and that he will do honour to his name." + +"O, I hope he will come back by this route!" cried Harriet. + +"Of that there is small likelihood," said Betty. "His mother is nearly +certain to prevent it since she is sure to take umbrage at his having +visited the Great House without her permission." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. MY LADY'S MISSIVE. + + + To the next coffee-house he speeds, + Takes up the news, some scraps he reads.--GAY. + + +Though Carminster was a cathedral city, the Special General Post only +came in once a week, and was liable to delay through storms, snows, mire +and highwaymen, so that its arrival was as great an event as is now +the coming in of a mail steamer to a colonial harbour. The "post" was +a stout countryman, with a red coat, tall jackboots and a huge hat. +He rode a strong horse, which carried, _en croupe_, an immense pack, +covered with oiled canvas, rising high enough to support his back, while +he blew a long horn to announce his arrival. + +Letters were rare and very expensive articles unless franked by a Member +of Parliament, but gazettes and newsletters formed a large portion of +his freight. No private gentleman except the Dean and Sir George Herries +went to the extravagance of taking in a newspaper on his own account, +but there was a club who subscribed for the _Daily Gazetteer_, the +_Tatler_, and one or two other infant forms of periodical literature. +These were hastily skimmed on their first arrival at the club-room at +the White Dragon, lay on the table to be more deliberately conned for +a week, and finally were divided among the members to be handed about +among the families and dependants as long as they would hold together. + +Major Delavie never willingly missed the coming of the mail, for his +foreign experiences gave him keen interest in the war between France and +Austria, and he watched the campaigns of his beloved Prince Eugene with +untiring enthusiasm, being, moreover, in the flattering position of +general interpreter and guide to his neighbours through the scanty +articles on foreign intelligence. + +It was about ten days after the syllabub party, when he had quite +recovered his ordinary health, that he mounted his stout pony in his +military undress, his cocked hat perched on his well-powdered bob-wig, +with a queue half-way down his dark green gold-laced coat, and with +his long jack-boots carefully settle by Palmer over the knee that would +never cease to give him trouble. + +Thus he slowly ambled into the town, catching on his way distant toots +of the postman's horn. In due time he made his way into the High +Street, broad and unpaved, with rows of lime or poplar trees before the +principal houses, the most modern of which were of red brick, with heavy +sash-windows, large stone quoins, and steps up to the doors. + +The White Dragon, dating from the times of the Mortimer badge, was built +of creamy stone, and had an archway conducting the traveller into a +courtyard worthy of Chaucer, with ranges of galleries running round +it, the balustrades of dark carved oak suiting with the timbers of the +latticed window and gables, and with the noble outside stair at one +angle, by which they communicated with one another. To these beauties +the good Major was entirely insensible. He only sighed at the trouble it +gave his lame knee to mount the stair to the first storey, and desired +the execution of the landlord's barbarous design of knocking down the +street front to replace it with a plain, oblong assembly room, red brick +outside, and within, blue plaster, adorned with wreaths and bullocks' +faces in stucco. + +Such were the sentiments of most of the burly squires who had ridden +in on the same errand, and throwing the reins to their grooms, likewise +climbed the stair to the club-room with its oriel looking over the +street. There too were several of the cathedral clergy, the rubicund +double-chinned face of the Canon in residence set off by a white, +cauliflower wig under a shovel hat, while the humbler minor canons (who +served likewise as curates to all the country round) only powdered their +own hair, and wore gowns and cassocks of quality very inferior to that +which adorned the portly person of their superior. His white bands were +of fine cambric, theirs of coarser linen; his stockings were of ribbed +silk, theirs of black worsted; his buckles of silver, theirs of steel; +and the line of demarcation was as strongly marked as that between the +neat, deferential tradesman, and the lawyer in his spruce snuff-coloured +coat, or the doctor, as black in hue as the clergy, though with a +secular cut, a smaller wig, and a gold-headed cane. Each had, as in duty +bound, ordered his pint of port or claret for the good of the house, and +it was well if these were not in the end greatly exceeded; and some had +lighted long clay pipes; but these were mostly of the secondary rank, +who sat at the table farthest from the window, and whose drink was a +measure of ale. + +The letters had not yet been sorted, but the newspaper had been +brought in, and the Canon Boltby had possessed himself of it, and was +proclaiming scraps of intelligence about the King, Queen, and Sir +Robert Walpole, the character of Marshal Berwick, recently slain at +Philipsburg, an account of Spanish outrages at sea, or mayhap the story +of a marvelous beast, half-tiger, half-wolf, reported to be running wild +in France. The other gentlemen, waiting till the mail-bags were opened, +listened and commented; while one or two of the squires, and a shabby, +disreputable-looking minor canon made each notable name the occasion of +a toast, whether of health to his majesty's friends or confusion to his +foes. A squabble, as to whether the gallant Berwick should be reckoned +as an honest Frenchman or as a traitor Englishman, was interrupted by +the Major's entrance, and the congratulations on his recovery. + +One of the squires inquired after his daughters, and pronounced the +little one with the outlandish name was becoming a belle, and would be +the toast of the neighbourhood, a hint of which the topers were not slow +to take advantage, while one of the guests at the recent party observed, +"Young Belamour seemed to be of that opinion." + +"May it be so," said the Canon, "that were a step to the undoing of a +great wrong." + +"Mr. Scrivener will tell you, sir, that there was no justice in the eye +of the law," said the Major. + +"_Summum jus, summa injuria_," quoted, _sotto voce_, Mr. Arden, a minor +canon who, being well born, scholarly, scientific and gentlemanly, +occupied a middle place between his colleagues and the grandees. He was +not listened to. Each knot of speakers was becoming louder in debate, +and Dr. Boltby's voice was hardly heard when he announced that a rain of +blood had fallen on the Macgillicuddy mountains in Ireland, testified to +by numerous respectable Protestant witnesses, and attributable, either +to the late comet, or to the Pretender. + +At that moment the letters were brought in by the postman, and each +recipient had--not without murmurs--to produce his purse and pay heavily +for them. There were not many. The Doctor had two, Mr. Arden one, Mr. +Scrivener no less than five, but of them two were franked, and a +franked letter was likewise handed over to Major DeLavie, with the word +"Aresfield" written in the corner. + +"From my Lady," said an unoccupied neighbour. + +"Aye, aye," said the Major, putting it into his pocket, being by no +means inclined to submit the letter to the general gaze. + +"A good omen," said Canon Boltby, looking up from his paper. And +the Major smiled in return, put a word or two into the discussion on +affairs, and then, as soon as he thought he could take leave without +betraying anxiety, he limped down stairs, and called for his horse. Lady +Belamour's letters were wont to be calls for money, not easily answered, +and were never welcome sights, and this hung heavy in the laced pocket +of his coat. + +Palmer met him at the back gate, and took his horse, but judged it +advisable to put no questions about the news, while his master made +his way in by the kitchen entrance of the rambling old manor house, +and entered a stone-paved low room, a sort of office or study, where he +received, and paid, money for my Lady, and smoked his pipe. Here he sat +down in his wooden armchair, spread forth his legs, and took out the +letter, opening it with careful avoidance of defacing the large red +seal, covered with many quarterings, and the Delavie escutcheon of +pretence reigning over all. + +It opened, as he expected, with replies to some matters about leases and +repairs; and then followed:-- + +"I am informed that you have a large Family, and Daughters growing up +whom it is desirable to put in the way of making a good Match, or else +an honourable Livelihood; I am therefore willing, for the Sake of our +Family Connection, to charge myself with your youngest Girl, whose Name +I understand to be Aurelia. I will cause her to be trained in useful +Works in my Household, expecting her, in Return, to assist in the Care +and Instruction of my young Children; and if she please me and prove +herself worthy and attentive, I will bestow her Marriage upon some +suitable Person. This is the more proper and convenient for you, because +your Age and Health are such that I may not long be able to retain you +in the Charge of my Estate--in which indeed you are continued only +out of Consideration of an extremely distant Relationship, although a +younger and more active Man, bred to the Profession, would serve me far +more profitably." + +When Betty came into the room a few minutes later to pull off her +father's boots she found him sitting like one transfixed. He held out +the letter, saying, "Read that, child." + +Betty stood by the window and read, only giving one start, and muttering +between her teeth, "Insolent woman!" but not speaking the words aloud, +for she knew her father would treat them as treason. He always had a +certain tender deference for his cousin Urania, mixed with something +akin to compunction, as if his loyalty to his betrothed had been +disloyalty to his family. Thus, he exceeded the rest of his sex in +blindness to the defects that had been so evident to his wife and +daughter; and whatever provocation might make him say of my Lady +himself, he never permitted a word against her from any one else. He +looked wistfully at Betty and said, "My little Aura! It is a kindly +thought. Her son must have writ of the child. But I had liefer she had +asked me for the sight of my old eyes." + +"The question is," said Betty, in clear, incisive tones, "whether we +surrender Aurelia or your situation?" + +"Nay, nay, Betty, you always do my cousin less than justice. She means +well by the child and by us all. Come, come say what is in your mind," +he add testily. + +"Am I at liberty to express myself, sir?" + +"Of course you are. I had rather hear the whole discharge of your +battery than see you looking constrained and satirical." + +"Then, sir, my conclusion is this. The young baronet has shown himself +smitten with out pretty Aurelia, and has spoken of tarrying on his +return to make farther acquaintance. My Lady is afraid of his going to +greater lengths, and therefore wishes to have her at her disposal." + +"She proposes to take her into her own family; that is not taking her +out of his way." + +"I am sure of that." + +"You are prejudiced, like your poor dear mother--the best of women, if +only she could ever have done justice to her Ladyship! Don't you see, +child, Aurelia would not be gone before his return, supposing he should +come this way." + +"His visit was to be for six weeks. Did you not see the postscript?" + +"No, the letter was enough for one while." + +"Here it is: 'I shall send Dove in the Space of about a Fortnight or +three Weeks to bring to Town the young Coach Horses you mentioned. His +Wife is to return with him, as I have Occasion for her in Town, and your +Daughter must be ready to come up with them.'" + +"Bless me! That is prompt! But it is thoughtful. Mrs. Dove is a good +soul. It seems to me as if my Lady, though she may not choose to say so, +wishes to see the child, and if she approve of her, breed her up in the +accomplishments needed for such an elevation." + +"If you hold that opinion, dear sir, it is well." + +"If I thought she meant other than kindness toward the dear maid, I had +rather we all pinched together than risk the little one in her hands. I +had rather-if it comes to that--live on a crust a day than part with +my sweet child; but if it were for good, Betty! It is hard for you all +three to be cooped up together here, with no means of improving your +condition; and this may be an opening that I ought not to reject. What +say you, Betty?" + +"If I were to send her out into the world, I had rather bind her +apprentice to the Misses Rigby to learn mantua-making." + +"Nay, nay, my dear; so long as I live there is no need for my children +to come to such straits." + +"As long as you retain your situation, sir; but you perceive how my Lady +concludes her letter." + +"An old song, Betty, which she sings whenever the coin does not come +in fast enough to content her. She does not mean what she says; I know +Urania of old. No; I will write back to her, thanking her for her good +offices, but telling her my little girl is too young to be launched +into the world as yet. Though if it were Harriet, she might not be +unwilling." + +"Harriet would be transported at the idea; but it is not she whom the +Lady wants. And indeed I had rather trust little Aurelia to take care of +herself than poor Harriet." + +"We shall see! We shall see! Meantime, do not broach the subject to your +sisters." + +Betty assented, and departed with a heavy heart, feeling that, whatever +her father might believe, the choice would be between the sacrifice of +Aurelia or of her father's agency, which would involve the loss of +home, of competence, and of the power of breeding up her darling Eugene +according to his birth. She did not even know what her father had +written, and could only go about her daily occupations like one under a +weight, listening to her sisters' prattle about their little plans with +a strange sense that everything was coming to an end, and constantly +weighing the comparative evils of yielding or refusing Aurelia. + +No one would have more valiantly faced poverty than Elizabeth Delavie, +had she alone been concerned. Cavalier and Jacobite blood was in her +veins, and her unselfish character had been trained by a staunch and +self-devoted mother. But her father's age and Eugene's youth made her +waver. She might work her fingers to the bone, and live on oatmeal, to +give her father the comforts he required; but to have Eugene brought +down from his natural station was more than she could endure. His +welfare must be secured at the cost not only of Aurelia's sweet +presence, but of her happiness; and Betty durst not ask herself what +more she dreaded, knowing too that she would probably be quite incapable +of altering her father's determination whatever it might be, and that he +was inclined to trust Lady Belamour. The only chance of his refusal was +that he should take alarm at the manner of requiring his daughter from +him. + + + + +CHAPTER V. THE SUMMONS. + + + But when the King knew that the thing must be, + And that no help there was in this distress, + He bade them have all things in readiness + To take the maiden out.--MORRIS. + + +The second Sunday of suspense had come. The Sundays of good young ladies +little resembled those of a century later, though they were not devoid +of a calm peacefulness, worthy of the "sweet day, so cool, so calm, so +bright." The inhabited rooms of the old house looked bright and festal; +there were fresh flowers in the pots, honey as well as butter on +the breakfast table. The Major and Palmer were both in full uniform, +wonderfully preserved. Eugene, a marvel of prettiness, with his curled +hair and little velvet coat, contrived by his sisters out of some +ancestral hoard. Betty wore thick silk brocade from the same store; +Harriet a fresh gay chintz over a crimson skirt, and Aurelia was in +spotless white, with a broad blue sash and blue ribbons in her hat, for +her father liked to see her still a child; so her hair was only tied +with blue, while that of her sisters was rolled over a cushion, and +slightly powdered. + +The church was so near that the Major could walk thither, leaning on +his stout crutch-handled stick, and aided by his daughter's arm, as +he proceeded down the hawthorn lane, sweet with the breath of May, +exchanging greetings with whole families of the poor, the fathers in +smock frocks wrought with curious needlework on the breast and back, +the mothers in high-crowned hats and stout dark blue woollen gowns, the +children, either patched or ragged, and generally barefooted, but by no +means ill-fed. + +No Sunday school had been invented. The dame who hobbled along in +spectacles, dropping a low curtsey to the "quality," taught the hornbook +and the primer to a select few of the progeny of the farmers and +artisans, and the young ladies would no more have thought of assisting +her labours than the blacksmith's. They only clubbed their pocket money +to clothe and pay the schooling of one little orphan, who acknowledged +them by a succession of the lowest bobs as she trotted past, proud as +Margery Twoshoes herself of the distinction of being substantially shod. + +The church was small, and with few pretensions to architecture at +the best. It had been nearly a ruin, when, stirred by the Major, the +church-wardens had taken it in hand, so that, owing to Richard Stokes +and John Ball, as they permanently declared in yellow letters on a blue +ground, the congregation were no longer in danger of the roof admitting +the rain or coming down on the congregation. They had further beautified +the place with a huge board of the royal arms, and with Moses and Aaron +in white cauliflower wigs presiding over the tables of the Commandments. +Four long dark, timber pews and numerous benches, ruthlessly constructed +out of old carvings, occupied the aisle, and the chancel was more than +half filled with the lofty "closet" of the Great House family. Hither +the Delavie family betook themselves, and on her way Betty was startled +by the recognition, in the seat reserved for the servants, of a broad +back and curled wig that could belong to no one but Jonah Dove. She did +her utmost to keep her mind from dwelling on what this might portend, +though she followed the universal custom by exchanging nods and curtsies +with the Duckworth family as she sailed up the aisle at the head of the +little procession. + +There was always a little doubt as to who would serve the church. One +of the Canons was the incumbent, and the curate was Mr. Arden, the +scientific minor canon, but when his services were required at the +cathedral, one of his colleagues would supply his place, usually in a +sadly perfunctory manner. However, he was there in person, as his voice, +a clear and pleasant one, showed the denizens of the "closet," for they +could not see out of it, except where Eugene had furtively enlarged +a moth-eaten hole in the curtain, through which, when standing on the +seat, he could enjoy an oblique view of the back of an iron-moulded +surplice and a very ill-powdered wig. This was a comfort to him. It +would have been more satisfactory to have been able to make out whence +came the stentorian A-men, that responded to the parson, totally +unaccompanied save by the good Major, who always read his part almost as +loud as the clerk, from a great octavo prayer-book, bearing on the lid +the Delavie arms with coronet, supporters, and motto, "_Ma Vie et ma +Mie_." It would have been thought unladylike, if not unscriptural, +to open the lips in church; yet, for all her silence, good Betty was +striving to be devout and attentive, praying earnestly for her little +sister's safety, and hailing as a kind of hopeful augury this verse from +the singers-- + + + "At home, abroad, in peace, in war + Thy God shall thee defend, + Conduct thee through life's pilgrimage + Safe to the journey's end." + + +Much cannot be said for the five voices that sang, nor for the two +fiddles that accompanied them. Eugene had scarcely outgrown his terror +at the strains, and still required Aurelia to hold his hand, under +pretext of helping him to follow the words, not an easy thing, since the +last lines were always repeated three or four times. + +Somehow the repetition brought them the more home to Betty's heart, and +they rang consolingly in her ears, all through the sermon, of which +she took in so little that she never found out that it was an elaborate +exposition of the Newtonian philosophy, including Mr. Arden's views of +the miracle at the battle Beth-horon, in the Lesson for the day. + +The red face and Belamour livery looked doubly ominous when she came +out of church, but she had to give her arm to her father till they were +overtaken by Mr. Arden, who always shared the Sunday roast beef and plum +pudding. Betty feared it was the best meal he had in the week, for he +lived in lodgings, and his landlady was not too careful of his comforts, +while he was wrapped up in his books and experiments. There was a hole +singed in the corner of his black gown, which Eugene pointed out with +great awe to Aurelia as they walked behind him. + +"See there, Aura. Don't you think he has been raising spirits, like +Friar Bacon?" + +"What do you know about Friar Bacon?" asked Harriet. + +"He is in a little book that I bought of the pedlar. He had a brazen +head that said-- + + 'Time is, + Time was, + Time will be.' + +I wonder if Mr. Arden would show me one like it." + +"You ridiculous little fellow to believe such trash!" said Harriet. + +"But, Hatty, he can really light a candle without a tinder-box," said +Eugene. "His landlady told Palmer so; and Palmer says the Devil flew +away with Friar Bacon; but my book says he burnt all his books and gave +himself to the study of divinity, and dug his grave with his own nails." + +"Little boys should not talk of such things on Sundays," said Harriet, +severely. + +"One does talk of the Devil on Sunday, for he is in the catechism," +returned Eugene. "If he carries Mr. Arden off, do you think there will +be a great smoke, and that folk will see it?" + +Aurelia's silvery peal of laughter fell sadly upon Betty's ears in +front, and her father and Mr. Arden turned to ask what made them so +merry. Aurelia blushed in embarrassment, but Harriet was ready. + +"You will think us very rude, Sir, but my little brother has been +reading the life of Friar Bacon, and he thinks you an equally great +philosopher." + +"Indeed, my little master, you do me too much honour. You will soon be a +philosopher yourself. I did not expect so much attention in so young an +auditor," said mr. Arden, thinking this the effect of his sermon on the +solar system. + +Whereupon Eugene begged to inspect the grave he was digging with his own +nails. + +They were at home by this time, and Betty was aware that they had been +followed at a respectful distance by Palmer and the coachman. Anxious as +she was, she could not bear that her father's dinner should be spoilt, +or that he, in his open-hearted way, should broach the matter with Mr. +Arden; so she repaired to the garden gate, and on being told that Mr. +Dove had a packet from my Lady for the Major, she politely invited him +to dinner with the servants, and promised that her father should see him +afterwards. + +This gave a long respite, since the servants had the reversion of the +beef, so the Mr. Arden had taken leave, and gone to see a bedridden +pauper, and the Major had time for his forty winks, while Betty, though +her heart throbbed hard beneath her tightly-laced boddice, composed +herself to hear Eugene's catechism, and the two sisters, each with a +good book, slipped out to the honeysuckle arbour in the garden behind +the house. Harriet had _Sherlock in Death_, her regular Sunday study, +though she never got any further than the apparition of Mrs. Veal, over +which she gloated in a dreamy state; Aurelia's study was a dark-covered, +pale-lettered copy of the _Ikon Basilike_, with the strange attraction +that youth has to pain and sorrow, and sat musing over the resigned +outpourings of the perplexed and persecuted king, with her bright eyes +fixed on the deep blue sky, and the honeysuckle blossoms gently waving +against it, now and then visited by bee or butterfly, while through the +silence came the throbbing notes of the nightingale, followed by its +jubilant burst of glee, and the sweet distant chime of the cathedral +bells rose and fell upon the wind. What peace and repose there was in +all the air, even in the gentle breeze, and the floating motions of the +swallows skimming past. + +The stillness was first broken by the jangle of their own little church +bell, for Mr. Arden was a more than usually diligent minister, and +always gave two services when he was not in course at the cathedral. The +young ladies always attended both, but as Harriet and Aurelia crossed +the lawn, their brother ran to meet them, saying, "We are not to wait +for sister." + +"I hope my papa is well," said Aurelia. + +"Oh yes," said Eugene, "but the man in the gold-laced hat has been +speaking with him. Palmer says it is Mrs. Dove's husband, and he is +going to take Lively Tom and Brown Bet and the two other colts to +London. He asked if I should like to ride a-cockhorse there with him. +'Dearly,' I said, and then he laughed and said it was not my turn, but +he should take Miss Aurelia instead." + +Aurelia laughed, and Harriet said, "Extremely impudent." + +Little she guessed what Betty was at that moment reading. + +"I am astonished," wrote Lady Belamour to her cousin, "that you should +decline so highly advantageous an Offer for your Daughter. I can only +understand it as a Token that you desire no further Connection with, +nor Favour from me; and I shall therefore require of you to give up the +Accounts, and vacate the House by Michaelmas next ensuing. However, as I +am willing to allow some excuse for the Weakness of parental Affection, +if you change your Mind within the next Week and send up your Daughter +with Dove and his Wife, I will overlook your first hasty and foolish +Refusal, ungrateful as it was, and will receive your Daughter and give +her all the Advantages I promised. Otherwise your Employment is at +an end, and you had better prepare your Accounts for Hargrave's +Inspection." + +"There is no help for it then," said Betty. + +"And if it be for the child's advantage, we need not make our moan," +said her father. "'Tis like losing the daylight out of our house, but we +must not stand in the way of her good." + +"If I were only sure it is for her good!" + +"Why, child, there's scarce a wench in the county who would not go down +on her knees for such a chance. See what Madam Duckworth would say to it +for Miss Peggy!" + +Betty said no more. The result of her cogitations had been that since +Aurelia must be yielded for the sake of her father and Eugene, it was +better not to disturb him with fears, which would only anger him at the +moment and disquiet him afterwards. She was likewise reassured by Mrs. +Dove's going with her, since that good woman had been nurse to the +little Belamour cousins now deceased, and was well known as an excellent +and trustworthy person, so that, if she were going to act in the same +capacity to my Lady's second family, Aurelia would have a friend at +hand. So the Major cheated his grief by greeting the church-goers with +the hilarious announcement-- + +"Here's great news! What says my little Aura to going London to my +Lady's house." + +"O Sir! are you about to take us." + +"Not I! My Lady wants pretty young maidens, not battered old soldiers." + +"Nor my sisters? O then, if you please, Sir, I would rather not go!" + +"Silly children cannot choose! No, no, Aura, you must go out and see the +world, and come back to us such a belle that your poor old father will +scarce know you." + +"I do not wish to be a belle," said the girl. "O Sir, let me stay with +you and sister." + +"Do not be so foolish, Aura," put in Harriet. "It will be the making of +you. I wish I had the offer." + +"O Harriet, could not you go instead?" + +"No, Aurelia," said Betty. "There is no choice, and you must be a good +girl and not vex my father." + +The gravity of her eldest sister convinced Aurelia that entreaties would +be vain, and there was soon a general outburst of assurances that she +would see all that was delightful in London, the lions in the Tower, the +new St. Paul's, the monuments, Ranelagh, the court ladies, may be, +the King and Queen themselves; until she began to feel exhilarated and +pleased at the prospect and the distinction. + +Then came Monday and the bustle of preparing her wardrobe. The main body +of it was to be sent in the carrier's waggon, for she was to ride on +a pillion behind Mr. Dove, and could only take a valise upon a groom's +horse. There was no small excitement in the arrangement, and in +the farewells to the neighbours, who all agreed with Harriet in +congratulating the girl on her promotion. Betty did her part with all +her might, washed lace, and trimmed sleeves, and made tuckers, giving +little toilette counsels, while her heart ached sorely all the time. + +When she could speak to Mrs. Dove alone, she earnestly besought that old +friend to look after the child, her health, her dress, and above all to +supply here lack of experience and give her kind counsel and advice. + +"I will indeed, ma'am, as though she were my own," promised Mrs. Dove. + +"O nurse, I give my sweet jewel to your care; you know what a great +house in London is better than I do. You will warn her of any danger." + +"I will do my endeavour, ma'am. We servants see and hear much, and if +any harm should come nigh the sweet young miss, I'll do my best for +her." + +"Thank you, nurse, I shall never, never see her more in her free artless +childishness," said Betty, sobbing as if her heart would break; "but oh, +nurse, I can bear the thought better since I have known that you would +be near her." + +And at night, when her darling nestled for the last time in her arms, +the elder sister whispered her warnings. Her knowledge of the great +world was limited, but she believed it to be a very wicked place, and +she profoundly distrusted her brilliant kinswoman; yet her warnings took +no shape more definite than--"My dearest sister will never forget her +prayers nor her Bible." There was a soft response and fresh embrace at +each pause. "Nor play cards of a Sunday, nor ever play high. And my Aura +must be deaf to rakish young beaux and their compliments. They never +mean well by poor pretty maids. If you believe them, they will only +mock, flout, and jeer you in the end. And if the young baronet should +seek converse with you, promise me, oh, promise me, Aurelia, to grant +him no favour, no, not so much as to hand him a flower, or stand +chatting with him unknown to his mother. Promise me again, child, for +naught save evil can come of any trifling between you. And, Aurelia, go +to Nurse Dove in all your difficulties. She can advise you where your +poor sister cannot. It will ease my heart if I know that my child will +attend to her. You will not let yourself be puffed up with flattery, +nor be offended if she be open and round with you. Think that your poor +sister Betty speaks in her. Pray our old prayers, go to church, and +read your Psalms and Lessons daily, and oh! never, never cheat your +conscience. O may God, in His mercy, keep my darling!" + +So Aurelia cried herself to sleep, while Betty lay awake till the early +hour in the morning when all had to be prepared for the start. There was +to be a ride of an hour and a half before breakfast so as to give the +horses a rest. It was a terrible separation, in many respects more +complete than if Aurelia had been going, in these days, to America; +for communication by letter was almost as slow, and infinitely more +expensive. + +No doubt the full import of what he had done had dawned even on Major +Delavie during the watches of that last sorrowful night, for he came out +a pale, haggard man, looking as if his age had doubled since he went to +bed, wrapped in his dressing gown, his head covered with his night-cap, +and leaning heavily on his staff. He came charged with one of the long +solemn discourses which parents were wont to bestow on their children +as valedictions, but when Aurelia, in her camlet riding cloak and hood, +brought her tear-stained face to crave his blessing, he could only utter +broken fragments. "Bless thee my child! Take heed to yourself and your +ways. It is a bad world, beset with temptations. Oh! heaven forgive me +for sending my innocent lamb out into it. Oh! what would your blessed +mother say?" + +"Dear sir," said Betty, who had wept out her tears, and was steadily +composed now, "this is no time to think of that. We must only cheer up +our darling, and give her good counsel. If she keep to what her Bible, +her catechism and her conscience tell her, she will be a good girl, and +God will protect her." + +"True, true, your sister is right; Aura, my little sweetheart, I had +much to say to you, but it is all driven out of my poor old head." + +"Aura! Aura! the horses are coming! Ten of them!" shouted Eugene. "Come +along! Oh! if I were but going! How silly of you to cry; _I_ don't." + +"There! there! Go my child, and God in His mercy protect you!" + +Aurelia in speechless grief passed from the arms of one sister to the +embrace of the other, hugged Eugene, was kissed by Nannerl, who forced +a great piece of cake into her little bag, and finally was lifted to her +pillion cushion by Palmer, who stole a kiss of her hand before Dove put +his horse in motion, while Betty was still commending her sister to his +wife's care, and receiving reiterated promises of care. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. DISAPPOINTED LOVE. + + + I know thee well, thy songs and sighs, + A wicked god thou art; + And yet, most pleasing to the eyes, + And witching to the heart. + W. MACKWORTH PRAED. + + +The house was dull when Aurelia was gone. Her father was ill at ease +and therefore testy, Betty too sore at heart to endure as cheerfully +as usual his unwonted ill-humour. Harriet was petulant, and Eugene +troublesome, and the two were constantly jarring against one another, +since the one missed her companion, the other his playmate; and they +were all more sensible than ever how precious and charming an element +was lost to the family circle. + +On the next ensuing Sunday, Eugene had made himself extremely obnoxious +to Harriet, by persisting in kicking up the dust, and Betty, who had +gone on before with her father, was availing herself of the shelter of +the great pew to brush with a sharp hand the dust from the little +legs, when, even in the depths of their seclusion, the whole party were +conscious of a sort of breathless sound of surprise and admiration, a +sweep of bows and curtsies, and the measured tread of boots and clank of +sword and spurs coming nearer--yes, to the very chancel. Their very door +was opened by the old clerk with the most obsequious of reverences, and +there entered a gorgeous vision of scarlet and gold, bowing gracefully +with a wave of a cocked and plumed hat! + +The Major started, and was moving out of his corner--the seat of +honour--but the stranger forbade this by another gesture, and took his +place, after standing for a moment with his face hidden in his hat. Then +he took an anxious survey, not without an almost imperceptible +elevation of eyebrow and shoulder, as if disappointed, and accepted the +Prayer-book, which the Major offered him. + +Betty kept her eyes glued to her book, and when that was not in +use, upon the mittened hands crossed before her, resolute against +distraction, and every prayer turning into a petition for her sister's +welfare; but Eugene gazed, open-eyed and open-mouthed, oblivious of his +beloved hole, and Harriet, though keeping her lids down, and her book +open, contrived to make a full inspection of the splendid apparition. + +It was tall and slight, youthfully undeveloped, yet with the grace of +personal symmetry, high breeding, and military training, upright without +stiffness, with a command and dexterity of movement which prevented the +sword and spurs from being the annoyance to his pew-mates that country +awkwardness usually made these appendages. The spurs were on cavalry +boots, guarding the knee, and met by white buckskins, both so little +dusty that there could have been no journey that morning. The bright +gold-laced scarlet coat of the Household troops entirely effaced the +Major's old Austrian uniform; and over it, the hair, of a light golden +brown, was brushed back, tied with black ribbon, and hung down far +behind in a queue, only leaving little gold rings curling on the brow +and temples. The face was modelled like a cameo, faultless in the +outlines, with a round peach-like fresh contour and bloom on the fair +cheek, which had much of the child, though with a firmness in the lip, +and strength in the brow, that promised manliness. Indeed there was +a wonderful blending of the beauty of manhood and childhood about the +youth; and his demeanour was perfectly decorous and reverent, no small +merit in a young officer and London beau. Indeed Betty could almost have +forgotten his presence, if gleams from his glittering equipments had +not kept glancing before her eyes, turn them where she would, and if Mr. +Arden's sermon had not been of Solomon's extent of natural philosophy, +and so full of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that she could not follow it at +all. + +After the blessing, the young gentleman, with a bow, the pink of +courtesy, offered a hand to lead her out, nor could she refuse, though, +to use her own expression, she hated the absurdity of mincing down the +aisle with a fine young spark looking like her grandson; while her poor +father had to put up with Harriet's arm. Outside came the greetings, the +flourish of the hat, the "I may venture to introduce myself, and to beg +of you, sir, and of my fair cousins to excuse my sudden intrusion." + +"No apology can be needed for your appearance in your own pew, Sir +Amyas," said the Major with outstretched hand; "it did my heart good to +see you there!" + +"I would not have taken you thus by surprise," continued the youth, "but +one of my horses lost a shoe yesterday, and we were constrained to halt +at Portkiln for the night, and ride on this morning. Herries went on to +the Deanery, and I hoped to have seen you before church, but found you +had already entered." + +Portkiln was so near, that this Sabbath day's journey did not scandalise +Betty, and her father eagerly welcomed his kinsman, and insisted that he +should go no farther. Sir Amyas accepted the invitation, nothing loth, +only asking, with a little courtly diffidence, if it might not be +convenient for him to sleep at the Great House, and begging the ladies +to excuse his riding dress. + +His eyes wandered anxiously as though in search of something in the +midst of all his civility, and while the Major was sending Eugene to +bring Mr. Arden--who was hanging back at the churchyard gate, unwilling +to thrust himself forward--the faltering question was put, while the +cheeks coloured like a girl's, "I hope my fair partner, my youngest +cousin, Miss Aurelia Delavie, is in good health?" + +"We hope so, sir, thank you," returned Betty; "but she left us six days +ago." + +"Left you!" he repeated, in consternation that overpowered his +courtliness. + +"Yes, sir," said Harriet, "my Lady, your mother, has been good enough to +send for her to London." + +"My Lady!" he murmured to himself; "I never thought of that! How and +when did she go?" + +The answer was interrupted by the Major coming up "Sir Amyas Belamour, +permit me to present to you the Reverend Richard Arden, the admirable +divine to whom we are beholden for the excellent and learned +discourse of this morning. You'll not find such another scholar in all +Carminster." + +"I am highly honoured," returned the baronet, with a bow in return for +Mr. Arden's best obeisance, such as it was; and Harriet, seeing Peggy +Duckworth in the distance, plumed herself on her probable envy. + +Before dinner was served Sir Amyas had obtained the information as to +Aurelia's departure, and even as to the road she had taken, and he had +confessed that, "Of course he had write to his mother that he had danced +with the most exquisitely beautiful creature he had ever seen, and that +he longed to know his cousins better." No doubt his mother, having been +thus reminded of her connections, had taken the opportunity of summoning +Aurelia to London to give her the advantages of living in her household +and acquiring accomplishments. The lad was so much delighted at the +prospect of enjoying her society that he was almost consoled for not +finding her at the Manor House; and his elaborate courtesy became every +moment less artificial and more affectionate, as the friendly atmosphere +revealed that the frankness and simplicity of the boy had not been lost, +captain in the dragoon guards as he was, thanks to interest, though +he had scarcely yet joined his troop. He had been with a tutor in the +country, until two years ago, when his stepfather, Mr. Wayland, had +taken him, still with his tutor, on the expedition to the Mediterranean. +He had come home from Gibraltar, and joined his regiment only a few +weeks before setting out with his friend Captain Herries, to visit +Battlefield, Lady Aresfield's estate in Monmouthshire. He was quartered +in the Whitehall barracks, but could spend as much time as he pleased at +his mother's house in Hanover Square. + +Betty's mind misgave her as she saw the brightening eye with which he +said it; but she could not but like the youth himself, he was so bright, +unspoilt, and engaging that she could not think him capable of doing +wilful wrong to her darling. Yet how soon would the young soldier, +plunged into the midst of fashionable society, learn to look on the fair +girl with the dissipated eyes of his associates? There was some comfort +in finding that Mr. Wayland was expected to return in less than a year, +and that his stepson seemed to regard him with unbounded respect, as +a good, just, and wise man, capable of everything! Indeed Sir Amyas +enlightened Mr. Arden on the scientific construction of some of Mr. +Wayland's inventions so as to convince both the clergyman and the +soldier that the lad himself was no fool, and had profited by his +opportunities. + +Major Delavie produced his choice Tokay, a present from an old Hungarian +brother-officer, and looked happier than since Aurelia's departure. He +was no match-maker, and speculated on no improbable contingencies for +his daughter, but he beheld good hopes for the Delavie property and +tenants in an heir such as this, and made over his simple loyal heart +to the young man. Presently he inquired whether the unfortunate Mr. +Belamour still maintained his seclusion. + +"Yes, sir," was the reply. "He still lives in two dark rooms with +shutters and curtains excluding every ray of light. He keeps his bed for +the greater part of the day, but sometimes, on a very dark night, will +take a turn on the terrace." + +"Poor gentleman!" said Betty. "Has he no employment or occupation?" + +"Mr. Wayland contrived a raised chess and draught board, and persuaded +him to try a few games before we went abroad, but I do not know whether +he has since continued it." + +"Does he admit any visits?" + +"Oh no. He has been entirely shut up, except from the lawyer, Hargrave, +on business. Mr. Wayland, indeed, strove to rouse him from his +despondency, but without success, except that latterly he became willing +to receive him." + +"Have you ever conversed with him?" + +There was an ingenuous blush as the young man replied. "I fear I must +confess myself remiss. Mr. Wayland has sometimes carried me with him to +see my uncle, but not with my good will, and my mother objected lest it +should break my spirits. However, when I left Gibraltar, my good +father charged me to endeavour from time to time to enliven my uncle's +solitude, but there were impediments to my going to him, and I take +shame to myself for not having striven to overcome them." + +"Rightly spoken, my young kinsman," cried the Major. "There are no such +impediments as a man's own distaste." + +"And pity will remove that," said Betty. + +Soon after the removal of the cloth the ladies withdrew, and Eugene was +called to his catechism, but he was soon released, for the Tokay had +made her father sleepy, while it seemed to have emboldened Mr. Arden, +since he came forth with direct intent to engross Harriet; and Sir Amyas +wandered towards Betty, apologising for the interruption. + +"It is a rare occasion," said she as her pupil scampered away. + +"Happy child, to be taught by so good a sister," said the young baronet, +regretfully. + +"Your young half-brothers and sisters must be of about the same age," +said Betty. + +"My little brother, Archer, is somewhat younger. He is with my mother in +London, the darling of the ladies, who think him a perfect beauty, and +laugh at all his mischievous pranks. As to my little sisters, you will +be surprised to hear that I have only seen them once, when I rode with +their father to see them at the farm houses at which they are nursed." + +"No doubt they are to be fetched home, since Mrs. Dove is gone to wait +on them, and my Lady said something of intending my sister to be with +her young children." + +"Nay, she must have no such troublesome charge. My mother cannot intend +anything of the kind. I shall see that she is treated as---" + +Betty, beginning to perceive that he knew as little of his own mother as +did the rest of his sex, here interrupted him. "Excuse me, sir, I doubt +not of your kind intentions, but let me speak, for Aurelia is a very +precious child to me, and I am afraid that any such attempt on your part +might do her harm rather than good. She must be content with the lot of +a poor dependant." + +"Never!" he exclaimed. "She is a Delavie; and besides, no other ever +shall be my wife." + +"Hush, hush!" Betty had been saying before the words were out of his +"You are but a silly boy, begging your Honour's pardon, though you +speak, I know, with all your heart. What would your Lady mother say or +do to my poor little sister if she heard you?" + +"She could but send her home, and then flood and fire could not hold me +from her." + +"I wish that were the worst she could do. No, Sir Amyas Belamour, if you +have any kindness for the poor helpless girl under your mother's roof, +you will make no advance to excite alarm or anger against her. Remember +it is she who will be the sufferer and not yourself. The woman, however +guiltless, is sure to fall under suspicion and bear the whole penalty. +And oh! what would become of her, defenceless, simple, unprotected as +she is?" + +"Yet you sent her!" said he. + +"Yes," said Betty, sadly, "because there was no other choice between +breaking with my Lady altogether." + +He made an ejaculation under his breath, half sad, half violent, and +exclaimed, "Would that I were of age, or my father were returned." + +"But now you know all, you will leave my child in peace," said Betty. + +"What, you would give me no hope!" + +"Only such as you yourself have held out," said Betty. "When you are +your own master, if you keep in the same mind till then, and remain +truly worthy, I cannot tell what my father would answer." + +"I am going to speak to him this very day. I came with that intent." + +"Do no such thing, I entreat," cried Betty. "He would immediately think +it his duty to inform my Lady. Then no protestation would persuade her +that we had not entrapped your youth and innocence. His grey head would +be driven out without shelter, and what might not be the consequence to +my sister? You could not help us, and could only make it worse. No, +do nothing rash, incautious, or above all, disobedient. It would be +self-love, not true love that would risk bringing her into peril and +trouble when she is far out of reach of all protection." + +"Trust me, trust me, Cousin Betty," cried the youth. "Only let me hope, +and I'll be caution itself; but oh! what an endless eternity is two +years to wait without a sign!" + +But here appeared the Major, accompanied by Captain Herries and Dean +Churchill, who had ordered out his coach, Sunday though it were, to pay +his respects to my Lady's son, and carry him and his hosts back to sup +at the Deanery. It was an age of adulation, but Betty was thankful that +perilous conversations were staved off. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. ALL ALONE. + + + By the simplicity of Venus' doves. + _Merchant of Venice_. + + +That Sunday was spent by Aurelia at the Bear Inn, at Reading. Her +journey had been made by very short stages, one before breakfast, +another lasting till noon, when there was a long halt for dinner and +rest for horse and rider, and then another ride, never even in these +longest summer days prolonged beyond six or seven o'clock at latest, +such was the danger of highwaymen being attracted by the valuable +horses, although the grooms in charge were so well armed that they might +almost as well have been troopers. + +The roads, at that time of year, were at their best, and Aurelia and +Mrs. Dove were mounted on steady old nags, accustomed to pillions. +Aurelia could have ridden single, but this would not have been thought +fitting on a journey with no escort of her own rank, and when she +mounted she was far too miserable to care for anything but hiding her +tearful face behind Mr. Dove's broad shoulders. Mrs. Dove was perched +behind a wiry, light-weighted old groom, whom she kept in great order, +much to his disgust. + +After the first wretchedness, Aurelia's youthful spirits had begun to +revive, and the novel scenes to awaken interest. The Glastonbury thorn +was the first thing she really looked at. The Abbey was to her only an +old Gothic melancholy ruin, not worthy of a glance, but the breezy +air of the Cheddar Hills, the lovely cliffs, and the charm of the open +country, with its strange islands of hills dotted about, raised her +spirits, as she rode through the meadows where hay was being tossed, and +the scent came fragrant on the breeze. Mr. Dove would tell her over his +shoulder the names of places and their owners when they came to parks +bordering the road, and castles "bosomed high in the tufted trees." Or +he would regale her with legends of robberies and point to the frightful +gibbets, one so near to the road that she shut her eyes and crouched low +behind him to avoid seeing the terrible burthen. She had noted the +White Horse, and shuddered at the monument at Devizes commemorating the +judgment on the lying woman, and a night had been spent at Marlborough +that "Miss" might see a strolling company of actors perform in a barn; +but as the piece was the _Yorksire Tragedy_, the ghastly performance +overcame her so completely that Mrs. Dove had to take her away, +declaring that no inducement should ever take her to a theatre again. + +Mr. Dove was too experienced a traveller not to choose well his quarters +for the night, and Aurelia slept in the guest chambers shining with +cleanliness and scented with lavender, Mrs. Dove always sharing her +room. "Miss" was treated with no small regard, as a lady of the good old +blood, and though the coachman and his wife talked freely with her, +they paid her all observance, never ate at the same table, and provided +assiduously for her comfort and pleasure. Once they halted a whole +day because even Mr. Dove was not proof against the allurements of +a bull-baiting, though he carefully explained that he only made a +concession to the grooms to prevent them from getting discontented, +and went himself to the spectacle to hinder them from getting drunk, in +which, be it observed, he did not succeed. + +So much time was spent on thus creeping from stage to stage that Aurelia +had begun to feel as if the journey had been going on for ages, and as +if worlds divided her from her home, when on Sunday she timidly preceded +Mrs. Dove into Reading Abbey Church, and afterwards was shown where +rolled Father Thames. The travellers took early morning with them for +Maidenhead Thicket, and breakfasted on broiled trout at the King's Arms +at Maidenhead Bridge, while Aurelia felt her eye filled with the beauty +of the broad glassy river, and the wooded banks, and then rose onwards, +looking with loyal awe at majestic Windsor, where the flag was flying. +They slept at a poor little inn a Longford, rather than cross Hounslow +Heath in the evening, and there heard all the last achievements of the +thieves, so that Aurelia, in crossing the next day, looked to see a +masked highwayman start out of every bush; but they came safely to the +broad archway of the inn at Knightsbridge, their last stage. Mrs. +Dove took her charge up stairs at once to refresh her toilette, before +entering London and being presented to my Lady. + +But a clattering and stamping were heard in the yard, and Aurelia, +looking from the window, called Mrs. Dove to see four horses being +harnessed to a coach that was standing there. + +"Lawk-a-day?" cried the good woman, "if it be not our own old coach, as +was the best in poor Sir Jovian's time! Ay, there be our colours, you +see, blue and gold, and my Lady's quartering. Why, 'twas atop of that +very blue hammercloth that I first set eyes on my Dove! So my Lady has +sent to meet you, Missie. Well, I do take it kind of her. Now you will +not come in your riding hood, all frowsed and dusty, but can put on your +pretty striped sacque and blue hood that you wore on Sunday, and look +the sweet pretty lady you are." + +Mrs. Dove's intentions were frustrated, for the maid of the inn knocked +at the door with a message that the coach had orders not to wait, but +that Miss was to come down immediately. + +"Dear, dear!" sighed Mrs. DOve. "Tell the jackanapes not to be so +hasty. He must give the young lady time to change her dress, and eat a +mouthful." + +This brought Dove up to the door. "Never mind dressing and fallals," he +said; "this is a strange fellow that says he is hired for the job, and +his orders are precise. Miss must take a bit of cake in her hand. Come, +dame, you have not lived so long in my Lady's service as to forget what +it is to cross her will, or keep her waiting." + +Therewith he hurried Aurelia down stairs, his wife being in such a state +of _deshabille_ that she could not follow. He handed the young lady +into the carriage, gave her a parcel of slices of bread and meat, with a +piece of cake, shut the door, and said, "Be of good heart, Missie, we'll +catch you up by the time you are in the square. All right!" + +Off went Aurelia in solitude, within a large carriage, once gaily fitted +though now somewhat faded and tarnished. She was sorry to be parted from +the Doves, whom she wanted to give her courage for the introduction to +my Lady, and to explain to her the wonders of the streets of London, +which she did not _quite_ expect to see paved with gold! She ate her +extemporised meal, gazing from the window, and expecting to see houses +and churches thicken on her, and hurrying to brush away her crumbs, and +put on her gloves lest she should arrive unawares, for she had counted +half-a-dozen houses close together. No! here was another field! More +fields and houses. The signs of habitation were, so far from increasing, +growing more scanty, and looked strangely like what she had before +passed. Could this be the right road! How foolish to doubt, when this +was my Lady's own coach. But oh, that it had waited for Mrs. Dove! She +would beg her to get in when the riders overtook her. When would they? +No sign of them could be seen from the windows, and here were more +houses. Surely this was Turnham Green again, or there must be another +village green exactly like it in the heart of London. How many times did +not poor Aurelia go through all these impressions in the course of the +drive. She was absolutely certain that she was taken through Brentford +again, this time without a halt; but after this the country became +unknown to her, and the road much worse. It was in fact for the most +part a mere ditch or cart track, so rough that the four horses came to +a walk. Aurelia had read no novels but _Telemaque_ and _Le Grand Cyrus_, +so her imagination was not terrified by tales of abduction, but alarm +began to grow upon her. She much longed to ask the coachman whither +he was taking her, but the check string had been either worn out or +removed; she could not open the door from within, nor make him hear, and +indeed she was a little afraid of him. + +Twilight began to come on; it was much later than Mr. Dove had ever +ventured to be out, but here at last there was a pause, and the swing of +a gate, the road was smoother and she seemed to be in a wood, probably +private ground. On and on, for an apparently interminable time, went the +coach with the wearied and affrighted girl, through the dark thicket, +until at last she emerged, into a park, where she could again see the +pale after-glow of the sunset, and presently she found herself before a +tall house, perfectly dark, with strange fantastic gables and chimneys, +ascending far above against the sky. + +All was still as death, except the murmuring caws of the rooks in their +nests, and the chattering shriek of a startled blackbird. The servant +from behind ran up the steps and thundered at the door; it was opened, +a broad line of light shone out, some figures appeared, and a man +in livery came forward to open the carriage door, but to Aurelia's +inexpressible horror, his face was perfectly black, with negro features, +rolling eyes, and great white teeth! + +She hardly knew what she did, the dark carriage was formidable on one +side, the apparition on the other! The only ray of comfort was in the +face of a stout, comely, rosy maid-servant, who was holding the candle +on the threshold, and with one bound the poor traveller dashed past the +black hand held out to help her, and rushing up to the girl, caught hold +of her, and gasped out, "Oh! What is that? Where am I? Where have they +taken me?" + +"Lawk, ma'am," said the girl, with a broad grin, "that 'ere bees only +Mr. Jumbo. A' won't hurt'ee. See, here's Mistress Aylward." + +A tall, white-capped, black-gowned elderly woman turned on the new-comer +a pale, grave, unsmiling face, saying, "Your servant--Miss Aurelia +Delavie, as I understand." + +Bending her head, and scarcely able to steady herself, for she was +shaking from head to foot, Aurelia managed to utter the query, + +"Where am I?" + +"At Bowstead Park, madam, by order of my Lady." + +Much relieved, and knowing this was the Belamour estate, Aurelia said, +"Please let me wait till Mrs. Dove comes before I am presented to my +Lady." + +"My Lady is not here, madam," said Mrs. Aylward. "Allow me--" and she +led the way across a great empty hall, that seemed the vaster for its +obscurity, then along a matted passage, and down some steps into a room +surrounded with presses and cupboards, evidently belonging to the to the +housekeeper. She set a chair for the trembling girl, saying, "You will +excuse the having supper here to-night, madam; the south parlour will be +ready for you to-morrow." + +"Is not Mrs. Dove coming?" faintly asked Aurelia. + +"Mrs. Dove is gone to London to attend on little Master Wayland. You are +to be here with the young ladies, ma'am." + +"What young ladies?" asked the bewildered maiden. + +"My Lady's little daughters--the Misses Wayland. I thought she had sent +you her instructions; but I see you are over wearied and daunted," she +added, more kindly; "you will be better when you have taken some food. +Molly, I say, you sluggard of a wench, bring the lady's supper, and +don't stand gaping there." + +Mrs. Aylward hurried away to hasten operations, and Aurelia began +somewhat to recover her senses, though she was still so much dismayed +that she dreaded to look up lest she should see something frightful, and +started at the first approach of steps. + +A dainty little supper was placed before her, but she was too faint and +sick at heart for appetite, and would have excused herself. However, +Mrs. Aylward severely said she would have no such folly, filled a glass +of wine, and sternly administered it; then setting her down in a large +chair, helped her to a delicate cutlet. She ate for very fright, but +her cheeks and eyes were brightened, the mists of terror and exhaustion +began to clear away, and when she accepted a second help, she had felt +herself reassured that she had not fallen into unkindly hands. If she +could only have met a smile she would have been easier, but Mrs. Aylward +was a woman of sedate countenance and few words, and the straight set +line of lips encouraged no questioning, so she merely uttered thanks for +each act of hospitality. + +"There! You will take no more roll? You are better, now, but you will +not be sorry to go to your bed," said Mrs. Aylward, taking up a candle, +and guiding her along the passage up a long stair to a pretty room +wainscoted and curtained with fresh white dimity, and the window showing +the young moon pale in the light of the western sky. + +Bedrooms were little furnished, and this was more luxurious than the +dear old chamber at home, but the girl had never before slept alone, and +she felt unspeakably lonely in the dreariness, longing more than ever +for Betty's kiss--even for Betty's blame--or for a whine from Harriet; +and she positively hungered for a hug from Eugene, as she gazed timidly +at the corners beyond the influence of her candle; and instead of +unpacking the little riding mail she kissed it, and laid her cheek on +it as the only thing that came from home, and burst into a flood of +despairing tears. + +In the midst, there fell on her ears a low strain of melancholy music +rising and falling like the wailing of mournful spirits. She sprang to +her feet and stood listening with dilated eyes; then, as a louder note +reached her, in terror uncontrollable, she caught up her candle, rushed +down the stairs like a wild bird, and stood panting before Mrs. Aylward, +who had a big Bible open on the table before her. + +"Oh, ma'am," she cried, between her panting sobs, "I can't stay there! I +shall die!" + +"What means this, madam?" said Mrs. Aylward, stiffly, making the word +sound much like "foolish child." + +"The--the music!" she managed faintly to utter, falling again into the +friendly chair. + +"The music?" said Mrs. Aylward, considering; then with a shade of polite +contempt, "O! Jumbo's fiddle! I did not know it could be heard in your +room, but no doubt the windows below are open." + +"Is Jumbo that black man?" asked Aurelia, shuddering; for negro +servants, though the fashion in town, had not penetrated into the west. + +"Mr. Belamour's blackamoor. He often plays to him half the night." + +"Oh!" with another quivering sound of alarm; "is Mr. Belamour the +gentleman in the dark?" + +"Even so, madam, but you need have no fears. He keeps his room and +admits no one, though he sometimes walks out by night. You will only +have to keep the children from a noise making near his apartments. Good +night, madam." + +"Oh, pray, if I do not disturb you, would you be pleased to let me stay +till you have finished your chapter; I might not be so frightened then." + +In common humanity Mrs. Aylward could not refuse, and Aurelia sat +silently grasping the arms of her chair, and trying to derive all the +comfort she could from the presence of a Bible and a good woman. Her +nerves were, in fact, calmed by the interval, and when Mrs. Aylward +took off her spectacles and shut up her book, it had become possible to +endure the terrors of the lonely chamber. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. THE ENCHANTED CASTLE. + + + A little she began to lose her fear.--MORRIS. + + +Aurelia slept till she was wakened by a bounce at the door, and the +rattling of the lock, but it was a little child's voice that was crying, +"I will! I will! I will go in and seem by cousin!" + +Then came Mrs. Aylward's severe voice: "No, miss, you are not to waken +your cousin. Come away. Where is that slut, Jenny?" + +Then there was a scuffle and a howl, as if the child were being forcibly +carried away. Aurelia sprang out of bed, for sunshine was flooding the +room, and she felt accountable for tardiness. She had made some progress +in dressing, when again little hands were on the lock, little feet +kicking the door, and little voices calling, "Let me in." + +She opened the door, and white nightgowns, all tumbled back one over the +other. + +"My little cousins," she said, "come and kiss me." + +One came forward and lifted up a sweet little pale face, but the other +two stood, each with a finger in the mouth, right across the threshold, +in a manner highly inconvenient to Aurelia, who was only in her stiff +stays and dimity petticoat, with a mass of hair hanging down below her +waist. She turned to them with arms out-stretched, but this put them +instantly to the rout, and they ran off as fast as their bare pink feet +could carry them, till one stumbled, and lay with her face down and her +plump legs kicking in the air. Aurelia caught her up, but the capture +produced a powerful yell, and out, all at once hurried into +the corridor, Mrs. Aylward, a tidy maid servant, a stout, buxom +countrywoman, and a rough girl, scarcely out of bed, but awake enough +to snatch the child out of the young lady's arms, and carry her off. +The housekeeper began scolding vigorously all round, and Aurelia escaped +into her room, where she completed her toilette, looking out into a +garden below, laid out in the formal Dutch fashion, with walks and beds +centring in a fountain, the grass plats as sharply defined as possible, +and stiff yews and cypresses dotted at regular intervals or forming +straight alleys. She felt strange and shy, but the sunshine, the +cheerfulness, and the sight of the children, had reassured her, and when +she had said her morning prayer, she had lost the last night's sense of +hopeless dreariness and unprotectedness. When another knock came, +she opened the door cheerfully, but there was a chill in meeting Mrs. +Aylward's grave, cold face, and stiff salutation. "If you are ready, +madam," she said, "I will show you to the south parlour, where the +children will eat with you." + +Aurelia ventured to ask about her baggage, and was told that it would be +forwarded from Brentford. Mrs. Aylward then led the way to a wide stone +staircase, with handsome carved balusters, leading down into the great +hall, with doors opening from all sides. All was perfectly empty, and so +still, that the sweep of the dresses, and the tap of the heels made an +echo; and the sunshine, streaming in at the large window, marked out +every one upon the floor, in light and shadow, and exactly repeated +the brown-shaded, yellow-framed medallions of painted glass upon the +pavement. There was something awful and oppressive in the entire absence +of all tokens of habitation, among those many closed doors. + +One, however, at the foot of the stairs was opened by Mrs. Aylward. It +led to a sort of narrow lobby, with a sashed window above a low door, +opening on stone steps down to the terrace and garden. To the right was +an open door, giving admittance to a room hung with tapestry, with a +small carpet in the centre of the floor, and a table prepared for the +morning meal. There was a certain cheerfulness about it, though it was +bare of furniture; but there was an easy chair, a settee, a long +couch, a spinnet, and an embroidery frame, so that altogether it had +capabilities of being lived in. + +"Here you will sit, madam, with the young ladies," said Mrs. Aylward. +"They have a maid-servant who will wait on you, and if you require +anything, you will be pleased to speak to me. My Lady wishes you to take +charge of them, and likewise to execute the piece of embroidery you will +find in that frame, with the materials. This will be your apartment, +and you can take the young ladies into the garden and park, wherever you +please, except that they must not make a noise before the windows of the +other wing, which you will see closed with shutters, for those are Mr. +Belamour's rooms." + +With these words Mrs. Aylward curtsied as if about to retire, Aurelia +held out her hand in entreaty. "Oh, cannot you stay with me?" + +"No, madam, my office is the housekeeper's," was the stiff response. +"Molly will call me if you require my services. I think you said you +preferred bread and milk for breakfast. Dinner will be served at one." + +Mrs. Aylward retreated, leaving a chill on the heart of the lonely girl. + +She was a clergyman's widow, though with no pretensions to gentility, +and was a plain, conscientious, godly woman, but with the narrow +self-concentrated piety of the time, which seemed to ignore all the +active part of the duty to our neighbour. She had lived many years as +a faithful retainer to the Belamour family, and avoided perplexity by +minding no one's business but her own, and that thoroughly. Naturally +reserved, and disapproving much that she saw around her, she had never +held it to be needful to do more than preserve her own integrity, and +the interests of her employers, and she made it a principle to be in +no wise concerned in family affairs, and to hold aloof from perilous +confidences. + +Thus Aurelia was left to herself, till three bowls of milk were borne in +by Molly, who was by no means loth to speak. + +"The little misses will be down directly, ma'am," she said, "that is, +two on 'em. The little one, she won't leave Jenny Bowles, but Dame +Wheatfield, she'll bring down the other two. You see, ma'am, they +be only just taken home from being out at nurse, and don't know one +another, nor the place, and a pretty handful we shall have of 'em." + +Here came a call for Molly, and the girl with a petulant exclamation, +sped away, leaving Aurelia to the society of the tapestry. It was of +that set of Gobelin work which represents the four elements personified +by their goddesses, and Aurelia's mythology, founded on Fenelon, was +just sufficient to enable her to recognise the forge of Vulcan and the +car [chariot--D.L.] of Venus. Then she looked at the work prepared for +her, a creamy piece of white satin, and a most elaborate pattern of +knots of roses, lilacs, hyacinths, and laburnums, at which her heart +sank within her. However, at that moment the stout woman she had seen in +the morning appeared at the open door with a little girl in each hand, +both in little round muslin caps, long white frocks, and blue sashes. + +One went up readily to Aurelia and allowed herself to be kissed, and +lifted to a chair; the other clung to Dame Wheatfield, in spite of +coaxing entreaties. "Speak pretty, my dear; speak to the pretty lady. +Don't ye see how good your sister is? It won't do, miss," to Aurelia; +"she's daunted, is my pretty lamb. If I might just give her her +breakwist--for it is the last time I shall do it--then she might get +used to you before my good man comes for me." + +Aurelia was only too glad to instal Dame Wheatfield in a chair with her +charge in her lap. The other child was feeding herself very tidily and +independently, and Aurelia asked her if she were the eldest. + +"Yes," she said. + +"And what shall I call you, my dear?" + +"I'm Missy." + +"No, Missy, me--me eldest," cried the other. + +"Bless the poor children!" exclaimed Mrs. Wheatfield, laughing, "they be +both of 'em eldest, as one may say." + +"They are twins, then?" said Aurelia. + +"More than that--all three of them came together! I've heard tell of +such a thing once or twice, but never of all living and thriving. Folk +said it was a judgment on my Lady that she spoke sharp and hard to a +poor beggar woman with a child on each arm. It was not a week out before +my Lady herself was down, quite unexpected, as I may say, for she was +staying here for a week, with a lot of company, when these three was +born. They do say she was nigh beside herself that the like of that +should have happened to her. Mr. Wayland, he was not so ill pleased, but +the poor little things had to be got out of the house any way, for she +could not abear to hear of them. Mrs. Rolfe, as was an old servant of +the family, took that one, and I was right glad to have you, my pretty +one, for I had just lost my babe at a fortnight old, and the third was +sent to Goody Bowles, for want of a better. They says as how my Lady +means to bring them out one by one, and to make as this here is bigger, +and the other up stairs is lesser, and never let on that they are all of +an age." + +The good gossip must have presumed greatly on the children's want of +comprehension if she did not suppose that they understood her at least +as well as the young lady to whom her dialect was strange. + +"And has she not seen them?" + +"Never till last Monday, if you'll believe me miss, when she drove down +in her coach, and the children were all brought home. I thought she +might have said something handsome, considering the poor little babe +as my Missy here was when I had her--not so long as my hand--and scarce +able to cry enough to show she was alive. The work I and my good man had +with her! He would walk up and down half the night with her. Not as we +grudged it. He is as fond of the child as myself; and Mr. Wayland, he +knew it. 'She has a good nurse, dame,' says he to me, with the water in +his eyes, before he went to foreign parts. But my Lady! When the little +one as had been with Goody Bowles--an ignorant woman, you see--cried and +clung to her, and kicked, 'Little savages all,' says my Lady. There was +thanks to them that had had more work to rear her children than ever +with one of her own! 'Perfect little rustics!' she said, even when you +made your curtsey as pretty as could be, didn't you, my little lammie?" + +"Mammy Rolfe taught me to make my curtsey like a London lady," said the +other child, the most advanced in manners. + +"Aha! little pitchers have long ears; but, bless you, they don't know +what it means," said Dame Wheatfield, too glad to talk to check herself +on any account; "Not so much as a kiss for them, poor little darlings! +Folks say she does not let even Master Wayland kiss aught but her hands +for fear of her fine colours. A plague on such colours, I say." + +"Poor little things!" whispered Aurelia. + +"You'll be good to them, won't you miss?" + +"Indeed I hope so! I am only just come from home, and they will be all I +have to care for here." + +"Ay, you must be lonesome in this big place; but I'm right glad to have +seen you, miss; I can part with the little dear with a better heart, for +Mrs. Aylward don't care for children, and Jenny Bowles is a rough wench, +wrapped up in her own child, and won't be no good to the others. Go to +the lady, my precious," she added, trying to put the little girl into +her cousin's lap, but this was met with struggles, and vehement cries +of-- + +"No; stay with mammy!" + +The little sister, who had not brought her nurse, was, however, well +contented to be lifted to Aurelia's knee, and returned her caresses. + +"And have you not a name, my dear? We can't call you all missie." + +"Fay," the child lisped; "Fayfiddly Wayland." + +"Lawk-a-daisy!" and Mrs. Wheatfield fell back laughing. "I'll tell you +how it was, ma'am. When no one thought they would live an hour, Squire +Wayland he sent for parson and had 'em half baptised Faith, Hope, and +Charity. They says his own mother's was called Faith, and the other two +came natural after it, and would do as well to be buried by as aught. So +that's what she means by Fay, and this here is Miss Charity." + +"She said something besides Faith." + +"Well, when my lady got about again, they say if she was mad at their +coming all on a heap, she was madder still at their name. Bible wasn't +grand enough for her! I did hear tell that she throwed her slipper at +her husband's head, and was like to go into fits. So to content her he +came down, and took each one to Church, and had a fine London name of my +Lady's choosing tacked on in parson's register for them to go by; but +to my mind it ain't like their christened name. Mine here got called for +her share Amoretta." + +"A little Love," cried Aurelia. "Oh, that is pretty. And what can your +name be, my dear little Fay? Will you tell me again?" + +When repeated, it was plainly Fidelia, and it appeared that Hope had +been also called Letitia. As to age, Mrs. Wheatfield knew it was five +years last Michaelmas since the child had been brought to her from whom +she was so loth to part that she knew not how to go when her husband +came for her in his cart. He was a farmer, comfortably off, though very +homely, and there were plenty of children at home, so that she had been +ill spared to remain at the Park till Aurelia's arrival. Thus she took +the opportunity of going away while the little one was asleep. + +Aurelia asked where she lived now. At Sedhurst, in the next parish, she +was told; but she would not accept a promise that her charge should soon +be brought to visit her. "Better not, ma'am, thank you all the same, +not till she's broke in. She'll pine the less if she don't see nor hear +nothing about the old place, nor Daddy and Sally and Davie. If you +bring her soon, you'll never get her away again. That's the worst of a +nurse-child. I was warned. It just breaks your heart!" + +So away went the good foster-mother sobbing; and Aurelia's charge began. +Fay claimed her instantly to explore the garden and house. The child had +been sent home alone on the sudden illness of her nurse, and had been +very forlorn, so that her cousin's attention was a great boon to her. +Hope was incited to come out; but Jenny Bowles kept a jealous watch over +her, and treated every one else as an enemy; and before Aurelia's +hat was on, came the terrible woe of Amoret's awakening. Her sobs and +wailings for her mammy were entirely beyond the reach of Aurelia's +soothings and caresses, and were only silenced by Molly's asseveration +that the black man was at the door ready to take her into the dark room. +That this was no phantom was known to the poor child, and was a lurking +horror to Aurelia herself. No wonder that the little thing clung to her +convulsively, and would not let her hand go for the rest of the day, +every now and then moaning out entreaties to go home to mammy. + +With the sad little being hanging to her hand, Aurelia was led by Fay +round their new abiding place. The house was of brick, shaped like the +letter H, Dutch, and with a tall wing, at each end of the main body, +projecting, and finishing in fantastic gables edged with stone. One +of these square wings was appropriated to Aurelia and her charges, the +other to the recluse Mr. Belamour. The space that lay between the two +wings, on the garden front, was roofed over, and paved with stone, +descending in several broad shallow steps at the centre and ends, +guarded at each angle by huge carved eagles, the crest of the builder, +of the most regular patchwork, and kept, in spite of the owner's +non-residence, in perfect order. The strange thing was that this fair +and stately place, basking in the sunshine of early June, should be left +in complete solitude save for the hermit in the opposite wing, the three +children, and the girl, who felt as though in a kind of prison. + +The sun was too hot for Aurelia to go out of doors till late in the day, +when the shadow of the house came over the steps. She was sitting on +one, with Amoret nestled in her lap, and was crooning an old German +lullaby of Nannerl's, which seemed to have a wonderful effect in calming +the child, who at last fell into a doze. Aurelia had let her voice die +away, and had begun to think over her strange situation, when she was +startled by a laugh behind her, and looking round, hardly repressed +a start or scream, at the sight of Fay enjoying a game at bo-peep, +with--yes--it actually was--the negro--over the low-sashed door. + +"I beg pardon, ma'am," said Jumbo, twitching his somewhat grizzled wool; +"I heard singing, and little missy--" + +Unfortunately Amoret here awoke, and with a shriek of horror cowered in +her arms. + +"I am so sorry," said Aurelia, anxious not to hurt his feelings. "She +knows no better." + +Jumbo grinned, bowed, and withdrew, Fay running after him, for she had +made friends with him during her days of solitude, being a fearless +child, and not having been taught to make a bugbear of him. "The soot +won't come off," she said. + +Aurelia had not a moment to herself till Fay had said the Lord's prayer +at her knee, and Amoret, with much persuasion, had been induced to lisp +out-- + + "Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, + Bless the bed I sleep upon; + Four corners to by bed, + Four angles round my head, + One to read and one to write, + And two to guard my soul at night." + +Another agony for mammy ensued, nor could Aurelia leave the child till +sleep had hushed the wailings. Then only could she take her little +writing-case to begin her letter to Betty. It would be an expensive +luxury to her family, but she knew how it would be longed for; and +though she cried a good deal over her writing, she felt as if she ought +to make the best of her position, for had not Betty said it was for her +father's sake? No, her tears must not blot the paper, to distress +those loving hearts. Yet how the drops _would_ come, gathering fast and +blinding her! Presently, through the window, came the sweet mysterious +strains of the violin, not terrifying her as before, but filling her +with an inexpressible sense of peace and calmness. She sat listening +almost as one in a dream, with her pen suspended, and when the spell was +broken by Molly's entrance with her supper, she went on in a much more +cheerful strain than she had begun. It was dull, and it was a pity that +her grand wardrobe, to say nothing of Betty's good advice, should be +wasted, but her sister would rejoice in her seclusion from the grand, +fashionable world, and her heart went out to the poor little neglected +children, whose mother could not bear the sight of them. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. THE TRIAD. + + + "I know sisters, sisters three." + + +Ere many days had passed Aurelia had drifted into what would now be +regarded as the duties of a nursery governess to her little companions. + +Fay and Amoret were always with her, and depended on her for everything. +Jenny Bowles, with a sort of animal jealousy, tried to monopolise her +charge, Letitia. The child was attracted by the sounds of her sister's +sports, and there was no keeping her from them, or from their cousin. +Then the rude untaught Jenny became cross, moped, showed spite to the +other children, and insolence to the young lady, and was fortunately +overheard by Mrs. Aylward, and dismissed. Letty did not seem to mind the +loss as Amoret had felt that of her foster-mother, for indeed Jenny had +been almost as disagreeable to her as to the others during these days of +jealousy. + +The triad were not much alike: Amoret was the largest of the three, +plump, blue-eyed, golden-haired, rosy-cheeked, a picture of the +cherub-type of child; Letitia had the delicate Delavie features and +complexion; and Fidelia, the least pretty, was pale, and rather sallow, +with deep blue eyes set under a broad forehead and dark brows, with hair +also dark. Though the smallest, she was the most advanced, and showed +signs of good training. She had some notion of good manners, and knew +as much of her hornbook [a child's primer consisting of a sheet of +parchment or paper protected by a sheet of transparent horn--D.L.] and +catechism as little girls of five were wont to know. The other two were +perfectly ignorant, but Mrs. Aylward procured hornbooks, primers, and +slates, and Aurelia began their education in a small way. + +It was a curious life. There was the great empty house, through whose +long corridors and vacant rooms the children might wander at will, +peeping at the swathed curtains of velvet pile, the rolls of carpet, and +the tapestry pictures on the walls, running and shouting in the empty +passages, or sometimes, in a fit of nameless fright, taking refuge in +Aurelia's arms. Or they might play in the stately garden, provided they +trod on no borders, and meddled with neither flower nor fruit. The old +gardener began by viewing them as his natural enemies, but soon relaxed +in amusement at their pretty sportive ways, gave them many precious +spoils, and forgave more than one naughty little inroad, which greatly +alarmed their guardian. + +Or if the little party felt enterprising, there lay beyond, the park, +its slopes covered with wild strawberries, and with woods where they +could gather flowers unchecked. Further, there was no going, except on +alternate Sundays, when there was service in the tumble-down Church at +the park gate. It was in far worse condition than the Church at home, +and was served by a poor forlorn-looking curate, who lived at Brentford, +and divided his services between four parishes, each of which was +content to put up with a fortnightly alternate morning and evening +service. The Belamour seat was a square one, without the comfortable +appliances of the Delavie closet, and thus permitting a much fuller +view, but there was nothing to be seen except a row of extremely gaudy +Belamour hatchments, displaying to the full, the saltir-wise sheafs of +arrows on the shields or lozenges, supported by grinning skulls. The +men's shields preserved their eagle crest, the women had only lozenges, +and the family motto, _Amo et Amabo_, was exchanged for the more pious +"_Resurgam_." + +Aurelia found that the family seat, whither she was marshalled by Mrs. +Aylward, was already occupied by two ladies, who rose up, and made her +stately curtsies with a decidedly disgusted air, although there was +ample space for her and Fidelia, the only one of her charges whom +she had ventured to take with her. They wore the black hoods, laced +boddices, long rolls of towering curl and open upper skirts, of Queen +Anne's day, and in the eyes of thirty years' later, looked so ridiculous +that Fay could not but stare at them the whole time, and whenever +Aurelia turned her glances from her book to see whether her little +companion was behaving herself, the big blue considering eyes were +always levelled full upon the two forms before her. + +The ladies were in keeping with their dress, thin, stiff and angular, +with worn and lined faces, highly rouged, and enormous long-handled +fans, and Aurelia was almost as much astonished as the child. + +There was a low curtseying again, and much ceremony before it was +possible to get out of the pew, and the two ladies mounted at the door +on lofty pattens which added considerably to their height, and, attended +by a loutish-looking man in livery, who carried their books, stalked of +into the village. + +Aurelia found from the communicative Molly that they were Mistress +Phoebe and Mistress Delia Treforth, kinswomen of the Belamour family, +who had in consequence a life residence rent-free in a tall thin red +square house near the churchyard, where a very gay parrot was always +to be seen in the windows. They no doubt regarded Miss Delavie and the +little Waylands as interlopers at Bowstead, and their withering glances +made Church-going a trying affair--indeed the first time that Aurelia +took little Amoret, they actually drove the sensitive child into a +sobbing fit, so that she had to be carried out, begging to know why +those ladies looked so cross at her. + +The life, on the whole, was not unhappy, except for fits of homesickness +and longing for letters. The arrival of the boxes from the carrier +was the first comfort, and then at last came a thick letter from +home, franked by Sir George Herries, and containing letters from +everybody--even a few roundhand lines from Eugene. + +Her father wrote at length all the excellent moral and religious essay +which had stuck in his throat at the parting; neither was Betty's letter +deficient in good advice, though she let it appear that the family were +much amused at Lady Belamour's affliction in her triad of daughters, the +secret having been hitherto so carefully kept that they supposed her to +have only one. + +"It will be your Charge," wrote Betty, "so far as in you lies, to render +them not merely the Graces, as my Father terms them, but the true and +faithful Guardian to these Infant Spirits. Though their Mother has shown +no Care or heed in entrusting them to you, yet remember that it is truly +the good Providence of their Heavenly Father that has put these little +Children of His in your Charge, to receive from you the first Principles +of Religion and Morals which may mould their whole Lives; and I trust +that you will do the Work faithfully and successfully. It may be dull +and tedious at Bowstead, but I had much rather hear of you thus than +exposed to the Glare of My Lady's Saloon in London. No doubt Harriet +has write to you of the Visit of young Sir Amyas, the Sunday after your +departure. We have since heard that his expedition to Monmouthshire was +with a View to his marriage to Lady Aresfield's Daughter, and this may +well be, so that if he fall in your way, you will be warned against +putting any misconstruction on any Civil Attentions he may pay to you. +Ever since your Departure Mr. Arden has redoubled his Assiduities in +a certain Quarter, and as it is thought the Dean and Chapter are not +unlikely to present him to a good Vicarage in Buckinghamshire, it is not +unlikely that ere long you may hear of a Wedding in the Family, although +Harriet would be extremely angry with me for daring to give such a +Hint." + +Certainly Aurelia would not have gathered the hint from Harriet's +letter, which was very sentimental about her own loneliness and lack of +opportunity, in contrast with Aurelia, who was seeing the world. That +elegant beau, Sir Amyas, had just given a sample to tantalise their +rusticity, and then had vanished; and here was that oddity, Mr. Arden, +more wearisome and pertinacious than ever. So tiresome! + + + + +CHAPTER X. THE DARK CHAMBER. + + + Or singst thou rather under force + Of some Divine command, + Commissioned to presage a course + Of happier days at hand? + COWPER. + + +Aurelia was coming down stairs in the twilight after singing her charges +to sleep about three weeks after her arrival, when she saw Jumbo waiting +at the bottom of the stairs. + +She had long ceased to be afraid of him. Indeed he had quite amazed her +by his good-nature in helping to lift down naughty little Letitia, who +was clambering up to the window of his master's chamber to look through +the crevices of the shutters. He had given the children a gaily dressed +rag doll, and was as delighted as they were when he played his fiddle to +them and set them dancing. + +Still, the whites of his eyes, his shining teeth, and the gold lace of +his livery had a startling effect in the darkness, and Aurelia wished he +would move away; but he was evidently waiting for her, and when she +came near he addressed her thus, "Mis'r Belamour present compliment, and +would Miss Delavie be good enough to honour him with her company for a +short visit?" + +The girl started, dismayed, alarmed, yet unwilling to be unkind to the +poor recluse, while she hoped that decorum and propriety would put the +visit out of the question. She replied that she would ask Mrs. Aylward +whether she might, and Jumbo followed her to the still-room, saying on +the way, "Mas'r heard Miss Delavie sing. He always has the window opened +to hear her. It makes him hum the air--be merry. He has not asked to +speak with lady since he heard the bad news--long, long, ago." + +Then Aurelia felt that nothing short of absolute impropriety ought to +make her gratify her shrinking reluctance. Mrs. Aylward seemed to think +her doubts uncalled for, and attributed her hesitation to fear of the +dark room. + +"Oh, no I am not so childish," said the young lady with nervous dignity; +"but would it be proper?" + +"Bless me, madam, he is as old as your father, and as civil a gentleman +as lives. I would come in with you but that I am expecting Mr. Potts +with the tallies. You need have no scruples." + +There was no excuse nor escape, and Aurelia followed the negro in +trepidation. Crossing the hall, he opened for her the door of the lobby +corresponding to her own, and saying, "Allow me, ma'am," passed before +her, and she heard another door unclosed, and a curtain withdrawn. +Beyond she only saw a gulf of darkness, but out of it came a deep manly +voice, subdued and melancholy, but gentlemanlike and deferential. + +"The young lady is so kind as to come and cheer the old hermit. A +thousand thanks, madam. Permit me." + +Aurelia's hand was taken by one soft for want of use, and she was led +forward on a deep piled carpet, and carefully placed on a chair in the +midst of the intense black darkness. There was a little movement and +then the voice said, "I am most sensible of your goodness, madam." + +"I--I am glad. You are very good, sir," murmured Aurelia, oppressed by +the gloom and the peculiar atmosphere, cool--for the windows were open +behind the shutters--but strangely fragrant. + +"How does my excellent friend, Major Delavie?" + +"I thank you, sir, he is well, though his wound troubles him from time +to time." + +"Commend me to him when you write, if you are good enough to remember +it." + +"I thank you, sir. He will be rejoiced to hear of you." + +"He does me too much honour." + +These conventionalities being exhausted, a formidable pause ensued, +first broken by Mr. Belamour, "May I ask how my fair visitor likes +Bowstead?" + +"It is a fine place, sir." + +"But somewhat lonely for so youthful a lady?" + +"I have the children, sir." + +"I often hear their cheerful voices." + +"I hope we do not disturb you, sir, I strive to restrain them, but I +fear we are all thoughtless." + +"Nay, the innocent sounds of mirth ring sweetly on my ears, like the +notes of birds. And when I have heard a charming voice singing to the +little ones, I have listened with delight. Would it be too presumptuous +to beg the air songstress to repeat her song for the old recluse?" + +"O, sir, I have only nursery ditties, caught from our old German maid," +cried Aurelia, in dismay. + +"That might not diminish the charm to me," he said. "In especial there +was one song whose notes Jumbo caught as you accompanied yourself on the +spinnet." + +And Jumbo, who seemed able to see in the dark, played a bar on his +violin, while Aurelia trembled with shyness. + +"The Nightingale Song," she said. "My dear mother learnt the tune +abroad. And I believe that she herself made the English words, when she +was asked what the nightingales say." + +"May I hear it? Nightingales can sing in the dark." Refusal was +impossible, and Jumbo's violin was a far more effective accompaniment +than her own very moderate performance on the spinnet; so in a sweet, +soft, pure, untrained and trembling voice, she sang-- + + + "O Life and Light are sweet, my dear, O life and Light are sweet; + But sweeter still the hope and cheer + When Love and Life shall meet. + Oh! then it is most sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet. + + "But Love puts on the yoke, my dear, But Love puts on the yoke; + The dart of Love calls forth the tear, + As though the heart were broke. + The very heart were broke, broke, broke, broke, broke, broke. + + "And Love can quench Life's Light, my dear, Drear, dark, and melancholy; + Seek Light and Life and jocund cheer, + And mirth and pleasing folly. + Be thine, light-hearted folly, folly, folly, folly, folly, folly. + + "'Nay, nay,' she sang. 'yoke, pain, and tear, + For Love I gladly greet; + Light, Life, and Mirth are nothing here, + Without Love's bitter sweet. + Give me Love's bitter sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet.'" + + +"Accept my fervent thanks, kind songstress. So that is the nightingale's +song, and your honoured mother's?" + +"Yes, sir. My father often makes us sing it because it reminds him of +her." + +"Philomel could not have found a better interpreter," said the grave +voice, sounding so sad that Aurelia wished she could have sung something +less affecting to his spirits. + +"I gather from what you said that you are no longer blessed with the +presence of the excellent lady, your mother," presently added Mr. +Belamour. + +"No, sir. We lost her seven years ago." + +"And her husband mourns her still. Well he may. She was a rare creature. +So she is gone! I have been so long in seclusion that no doubt time has +made no small havoc, and my friends have had many griefs to bewail." + +Aurelia knew not what answer to make, and was relieved when he collected +himself and said:-- + +"I will trespass no longer on my fair visitor's complaisance, but if she +have not found the gloom of this apartment insupportable, it would be a +charitable action to brighten it once more with her presence." + +"O sir, I will come whenever you are pleased to send for me," she +exclaimed, all her doubts, fears, and scruples vanishing at his tone of +entreaty. "My father would be so glad. I will practise my best song to +sing to you to-morrow." + +"My best thanks are yours," and her hand was taken, she was carefully +conducted to the door and dismissed with a gentle pressure of her +fingers, and a courteous: "Goodnight, madam; _Au revoir_, if I may +venture to say so." + +By contrast, the hall looked almost light, and Aurelia could see the +skip of joy with which Jumbo hurried to fetch a candle. As he gave it to +her, he made his teeth flash from ear to ear, as he exclaimed: "Pretty +missy bring new life to mas'r!" + +Thus did a new element come into Aurelia's life. She carefully prepared +Harriet's favourite song, a French _romance_, but Mr. Belamour did not +like it equally well with the Nightingale, which he made her repeat, +rewarding her by telling her of the charming looks and manners of her +mother, so that she positively enjoyed her visit. The next night he made +inquiries into her walks at Bowstead, asking after the favourite nooks +of his childhood, and directing her to the glades where grew the largest +dewberries and sweetest blackberries. This led to her recital of a +portion of _Midsummer Night's Dream_, for he drew her on with thanks at +every pause: "I have enjoyed no such treat for many years," he said. + +"There are other pieces that I can recite another time," said Aurelia +timidly. + +"You will confer a great favour on me," he answered. + +So she refreshed her memory by a mental review of _Paradise Lost_ over +her embroidery frame, and was ready with Adam's morning hymn, which was +much relished. Compliments on her elocution soon were turned by her into +the praise of "sister," and as she became more at ease, the strange man +in the dark listened with evident delight to her pretty fresh prattle +about sister and brother, and father and home. Thus it had become a +daily custom that she should spend the time between half past seven and +nine in the company of the prisoner of darkness, and she was beginning +to look forward to it as the event of the day. She scarcely expected +to be sent for on Sunday evening, but Jumbo came as usual with the +invitation, and she was far from sorry to quit a worm-eaten Baxter's +_Saints' Rest_ which she had dutifully borrowed from Mrs. Aylward. + +"Well, my fair visitor," said the voice which had acquired a tone of +pleased anticipation, "what mental repast has your goodness provided?" + +"It is Sunday, sir." + +"Ah!" as if it had not occurred to him, and with some disappointment. + +"I could say the Psalms by heart, sir, if you would like it, for it is +the 20th day of the month." + +"Thank you. Your voice can make anything sweet." + +Aurelia was shocked, and knew that Betty would be more so, but she was +too shy to do anything except to begin: "Praise thou the Lord, O my +soul." + +It was a fortunate thing that it was a Psalm of such evident beauty, for +it fell less familiarly on his ear than her passages from the poets. At +the end he said: "Yes, that is true poetry. Praise fits well with happy +young lips. You have been to church?" + +"No, sir, Mr. Greaves does not come to-day." + +"Then how did the gentle saint perform her orisons?" + +"Please do not so call me, sir! I tried to read the service, but I could +not get the children to be still, so I had to tell them about Joseph, +and I found a beautiful Bible full of pictures, like our Dutch one at +home." + +"You found the old Bible? My mother used to show it to my brother and +me--my poor mother!" + +He mentioned one or two of the engravings, which he had never forgotten, +but the evening was less of a success than usual, and Aurelia doubted +whether we would wish for her that day se'nnight. All her dread of him +was gone; she knew she had brought a ray of brightness into his solitary +broken life, and her mind was much occupied with the means of affording +him pleasure. Indeed she might have wearied of the lack of all +companionship save that of the young children; and converse with a +clever highly cultivated mind was stimulating and expanding all her +faculties. When the stores or her memory were becoming exhausted, Jumbo +was bidden to open a case of books which had lain untouched since they +were sent sown from Mr. Belamour's chambers at the Temple, and they were +placed at her disposal. Here was Mr. Alexander Pope's translation of the +_Iliad_ of Homer, which had appeared shortly before the fatal duel, +and Aurelia eagerly learnt whole pages of it by heart for the evening's +amusement, enjoying extremely the elucidations and criticisms of her +auditor, who would dwell on a passage all day, beg to have it repeated +a second time in the evening, and then tell her what his memory or +his reflection had suggested about it. Moreover, having heard some +inexplicable report, through Jumbo, of the Porteous mob, Mr. Belamour +became curious to learn the truth, and this led to his causing the +newspapers to be sent weekly to be read and reported to him by Aurelia. +It seemed incredible that a man of much ability should have been content +to spend all these years in the negro's sole society, but no doubt the +injury done to the brain had been aggravated by grief and remorse, so +that he had long lain, with suspended faculties, in a species of living +death; whence he had only gradually, and as it were unconsciously, +advanced to his present condition. Perhaps Mr. Wayland's endeavours to +rouse him had come too soon, or in a less simple and attractive +form, for they had been reluctantly received and had proved entirely +unsuccessful; while the child-like efforts of the girl, following his +lead instead of leading him, were certainly awakening him, and renewing +his spirits and interest in the world at large in an unlooked-for +manner. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. A VOICE FROM THE GRAVE. + + + He hath a word for thee to speak. + KEBLE. + + +No difference was made to Aurelia's visits to Mr. Belamour on Sunday +evenings, but he respected her scruples against indulgence in profane +literature, and encouraged her to repeat passages of Scripture, +beginning to taste the beauty of the grand cadences falling from her +soft measured voice. Thus had she come to the Sermon on the Mount, and +found herself repeating the expansion of the Sixth Commandment ending +with, "And thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt +not come out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." + +A groan startled her. Then came the passage and the unhappy man's +history with a sudden stab. A horror of the darkness fell on her. She +felt as if he were in the prison and she reproaching him, and cried +out--"O sir, forgive me. I forgot; I did not say it on purpose." + +"No, my child, it was Mary speaking by your voice. No, Mary, I shall +never come out. It will never be paid." + +She shook with fright as Jumbo touched her, saying, "Missee, go; mas'r +bear no more;" but, as she rose to go away, a sweet impulse made her +pause and say, "It is paid, _He_ paid. You know Who did--in his own +Blood." + +Jumbo drew her away almost by force, and when outside, exclaimed, +"Missee never speak of blood or kill to mas'r--he not bear it. Head turn +again--see shapes as bad as ever." + +The poor child cried bitterly, calling herself cruel, thoughtless, +presumptuous; and for the next few days Jumbo's eyes glared at her as he +reported his master to be very ill; but, on the third day, he came +for her as usual. She thought Mr. Belamour's tones unwontedly low and +depressed, but no reference was made to the Sunday, and she was glad +enough to plunge into the council of Olympus. + +A day or two later, Dame Wheatfield sent her husband with an urgent +invitation to Miss Amoret with her sisters and cousin to be present at +her harvest home. Mrs. Aylward, with a certain tone of contempt, gave +her sanction to their going with Molly, by the help of the little pony +cart used about the gardens. Aurelia, in high glee, told Mr. Belamour, +who encouraged her to describe all her small adventures, and was her +oracle in all the difficult questions that Fidelia's childish wisdom was +wont to start. + +"To Wheatfield's farm, did you say? That is in Sedhurst. There are but +three fields between it and the church." + +Presently he added: "I am tempted to ask a great kindness, though I know +not whether it will be possible to you." + +"Indeed, sir, I will do my utmost." + +"There are two graves in Sedhurst Church, I have never dared to inquire +about them. Would it be asking too much from my gentle friend to beg of +her to visit them, and let me hear of them." + +"I will, I will, sir, with all my heart." + +By eight o'clock the next evening she was again with him, apologizing +for being late. + +"I scarcely expected this pleasure to-night. These rural festivities are +often protracted." + +"O sir, I was heartily glad to escape and to get the children away. The +people were becoming so rude and riotous that I was frightened. I never +would have gone, had I known what it would be like, but at home the +people are fond of asking us to their harvest feasts, and they always +behave well whilst we are there." + +"No doubt they hold your father in respect." + +"Yes," said Aurelia, unwilling to tell him how much alarmed and offended +she had been, though quite unintentionally. Dame Wheatfield only +intended hospitality; but in her eyes "Miss" was merely a poor +governess, and that to the little Waylands--mere interlopers in the eyes +of the Belamour tenantry. So the good woman had no idea that the rough +gallantry of the young farmer guests was inappropriate, viewing it as +the natural tribute to her guest's beauty, and mistaking genuine offence +for mere coyness, until, finding it was real earnest, considerable +affront was taken at "young madam's fine airs, and she only a poor +kinswoman of my Lady's!" Quite as ill was it received that the young +lady had remonstrated against the indigestible cakes and strange +beverages administered to all her charges, and above all to Amoret. She +had made her escape on the plea of early hours for the children, leaving +Molly behind her, just as the boisterous song was beginning in which +Jack kisses Bet, Joe kisses Sue, Tom kisses Nan, &c. down to poor +Dorothy Draggletail, who is left in the lurch. The farewell had been +huffy. "A good evening to you, madam; I am sorry our entertainment +was not more to your taste." She had felt guilty and miserable at the +accusation of pride, and she could not imagine how Mrs. Aylward could +have let her go without a warning; the truth being that Mrs. Aylward +despised her taste, but thought she knew what a harvest supper was like. + +All this was passed over in silence by Aurelia's pride and delicacy. She +only described the scene when the last waggon came in with its load, the +horses decked with flowers and ribbons, and the farmer's youngest girl +enthroned on the top of the shocks, upholding the harvest doll. This was +a little sheaf, curiously constructed and bound with straw plaits +and ribbons. The farmer, on the arrival in the yard, stood on the +horse-block, and held it high over the heads of all the harvesters, and +the chorus was raised: + + "A knack, a knack, a knack, + Well cut, well bound, + Well shocked, well saved from the ground, + Whoop! whoop! whoop!" + +After which the harvest doll displaced her last year's predecessor over +the hearth, where she was to hang till next year. + +All this Aurelia described, comparing the customs with those of her own +county, her heart beating all the time under the doubt how to venture on +describing the fulfilment of her commission. At last Mr. Belamour said, + +"In such a scene of gaiety, no doubt the recollection of sorrow had no +place." + +"O sir, you could not think I should forget." + +"I thought I might have asked more than was possible to you." + +"It was the only part of the day that I enjoyed. I took little Fay with +me, for no one seemed to care for her, while Amy was queening it with +all the Wheatfields, and Letty was equally happy with her foster mother. +I could see the church spire, so I needed not to ask the way, and we +crossed the stubble fields, while the sun sent a beautiful slanting +light through the tall elm trees that closed in the churchyard, but +let one window glitter between them like a great diamond. It looked so +peaceful after all the noise we left behind, even little Fay felt it, +and said she loved the quiet walk along the green baulks [An unplowed +strip of land--D.L.]. The churchyard has a wooden rail with steps to +cross it on either side, and close under the church wall is a tomb, a +great square simple block, surmounted by an urn." + +"Yes, let me hear," said the voice, eager, though stifled. + +"I thought it might be what you wished me to see and went up to read the +names." + +"Do not spare. Never fear. Let me hear the very words." + +"On one face of the block there was a name-- + + + 'WILLIAM SEDHURST, + _AGED_ 27, + DIED MAY 13, 1729.' + + +On the other side was this inscription:-- + + + 'MARY, + ONLY DAUGHTER OF GEORGE SEDHURST, ESQUIRE, + _AGED_ 19, + DIED AUGUST 1st, 1729. + + _Love is strong as Death. + Sorrow not as others that have no Hope_.' + + +In smaller letters down below, 'This epitaph is at her own special +request.' + +"Sir," continued Aurelia, "it was very curious. I should not have +observed those words if it had not been that a large beautiful +butterfly, with rainbow eyes on its wings, sat sunning itself on the +white marble, and Fay called me to look at it." + +"Her message! May I ask you to repeat it again?" + +"The texts? 'Love is strong as death. Sorrow not as others that have no +hope.'" + +"Did you call them Scripture texts?" + +"Yes, sir; I know the last is in one of the Epistles, and I will look +for the other." + +"It matters not. She intended them for a message to me who lay in utter +darkness and imbecility well befitting her destroyer." + +"Nay, they have come to you at last," said Aurelia gently. "You really +never knew of them before?" + +"No, I durst not ask, nor did any one dare to speak to me. My brother, +who alone would have done so, died, I scarcely know when; but ere the +very consciousness of my own wretched existence had come back to me. +Once again repeat the words, gentle messenger of mercy." + +She obeyed, but this time he mournfully murmured, "Hope! What hope for +their destroyer?" + +"They are God's words, as well as hers," the girl answered, with +diffident earnestness, but in reply she only heard tightened breaths, +which made her say, "You cannot bear more, sir. Let me call Jumbo, and +bid you good night." + +Jumbo came at the mention of his name. Somehow he was so unlike other +human beings, and so wholly devoted to his master, that it never seemed +to be a greater shock to find that he had been present than if he had +been a faithful dog. + +A few days later he told Aurelia that Mas'r was not well enough to see +her. He had set forth as soon as the moon had set, and walked with his +trusty servant to Sedhurst, where he had traced with his finger the +whole inscription, lingering so long that the sun was above the horizon +before he could get home; and he was still lying on the bed where he +had thrown himself on first coming in, having neither spoken nor eaten +since. Jumbo could not but grumble out that Mas'r was better left to +himself. + +Yet when Aurelia on the third evening was recalled, there was a ring of +refreshment in the voice. It was still melancholy, but the dejection +was lessened, and though it was only of Achilles and Patroclus that +they talked, she was convinced that the pressure of the heavy burthen of +grief and remorse was in some degree lightened. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. THE SHAFTS OF PHOEBE. + + + Her golden bow she bends, + Her deadly arrows sending forth. + _Greek Hymn_ (KEIGHTLEY). + + +On coming in from a walk, Aurelia was surprised by the tidings that +Mistress Phoebe Treforth had come to call on her, and had left a +billet. The said billet was secured with floss silk sealed down in the +antiquated fashion, and was written on full-sized quarto paper. These +were the contents:-- + + +"Madam, + + "My Sister and Myself are desirous of the Honour of your + Acquaintance, and shall be happy if you will do use the + Pleasure of coming to partake of Dinner at Three o'Clock + on Tuesday, the 13th instant. + + "I remain, + "Yours to command, + "DELIA TREFORTH." + + +Aurelia carried the invitation to her oracle. + +"My cousins are willing to make your acquaintance?" said he. "That is +well. Jumbo shall escort you home in the evening." + +"Thank you, sir, but must I accept the invitation?" + +"It could not be declined without incivility. Moreover, the Mistresses +Treforth are highly respected, and your father and sister will certainly +think it well for you to have female friends." + +"Do you think those ladies could ever be my friends, sir?" she asked, +with an intonation that made him reply, with a sound of amusement. + +"I am no judge in such matters, but they are ladies connected and +esteemed, who might befriend and counsel you in case of need, and at any +rate, it is much more suitable that you should be on terms of friendly +intercourse with them. I am heartily glad they have shown you this +attention." + +"I do not mean to be ungrateful, sir." + +"And I think you have disproved that + + Crabbed age and youth + Cannot live together." + +"If they were only like you, sir!" + +"What would they say to that?" he said with the slight laugh that had +begun to enliven his voice. "I suppose your charges are not included in +the invitation?" + +"No; but Molly can take care of them, if my Lady will not object to my +leaving them." + +"She cannot reasonably do so." + +"And, sir, shall I be permitted to come home in time for you to receive +me?" + +"I fear I must forego that pleasure. The ladies will insist on cards and +supper. Jumbo shall come for you at nine o'clock." + +Aurelia submitted, and tripped down arrayed in the dress that recalled +the fete at Carminster, except that only a little powder was sprinkled +on her temples. The little girls jumped round her in admiring ecstasy, +and, under Molly's charge, escorted her to the garden gate, and hovered +outside to see her admitted, while she knocked timidly at the door, in +the bashful alarm of making her first independent visit. + +The loutish man ushered her into a small close room, containing a cat, +a little spaniel, a green parrot, a spinning-wheel, and an embroidery +frame. There were also the two old ladies, dressed with old-fashioned +richness, a little faded, and a third, in a crimson, gold-laced joseph +[A long riding coat with a small cape, worn by women in the 18th +century.--D.L.], stout, rubicund, and hearty, to whom Aurelia was +introduced thus-- + +"Mrs. Hunter, allow me to present to you Miss Delavie, a relative of my +Lady Belamour. Miss Delavie, Mrs. Hunter of Brentford." + +"I am most happy to make your acquaintance, Miss," said the lady, in a +jovial voice, and Aurelia made her curtsey, but at that moment the +man announced that dinner was served, whereupon Mrs. Delia handed Mrs. +Hunter in, and Mrs. Phoebe took the younger guest. + +The ladies' faces both bore token of their recent attention to the +preparation of the meal, and the curious dishes would have been highly +interesting to Betty, but there was no large quantity of any, and a +single chicken was the _piece de resistance_, whence very tiny helps +were dealt out, and there was much unnecessary pressing to take a little +more, both of that and of the brace of partridges which succeeded it. As +to conversation, there was room for none, except hospitable invitations +from the hostesses to take the morsels that they cut for their guests, +praises of the viands from Mrs. Hunter, and endeavours to fish at the +recipes, which the owners guarded jealously as precious secrets. Aurelia +sat perfectly silent, as was then reckoned as proper in a young lady of +her age, except when addressed. A good deal of time was also expended in +directing John Stiggins, the ladies' own man, and George Brown, who had +ridden with Mrs. Hunter from Brentford, in the disposal of the dishes, +and the handing of the plates. George Brown was the more skilled +waiter, and as the man who was at home did not brook interference, their +disputes were rude and audible, and kept the ladies in agonies lest they +should result in ruin to the best china. + +At last, however, the cloth was removed, walnuts, apples, pears, and +biscuits were placed on the table, a glass of wine poured out for each +lady, and the quartette, with the cat and dog, drew near the sunny +window, where there was a little warmth. It was a chilly day, but no one +ever lighted a fire before the 5th of November, Old Style. + +Then began one of those catechisms which fortunately are less unpleasant +to youth and simplicity than they are to persons of an age to resent +inquiry, and who have more resources of conversation. In truth, Aurelia +was in the eyes of the Treforth sisters, descendants of a former Sir +Jovian, only my Lady's poor kinswoman sent down to act _gouvernante_ to +the Wayland brats, who had been impertinently quartered in the Belamour +household. She would have received no further notice, had it not been +reported through the servants that "young Miss" spent the evenings +with their own cousin, from whom they had been excluded ever since his +illness. + +The subject was approached through interrogations on Miss Delavie's home +and breeding, how she had travelled, and what were her accomplishments, +also whether she were quite sure that none of the triad was either +imbecile nor deformed. Mrs. Hunter seemed to have heard wonderful +rumours about the poor children. + +"Has their lady mother seen them?" + +"Yes, madam. She had been there with them shortly before my arrival." + +"Only once in their lives!" There was a groan of censure such as would +have fired the loyal Major in defence. + +"No wonder, Sister Phoebe, my Lady Belamour does not lead the life of a +tender mother." + +"She has the little boy, Archer, with her in London," Aurelia ventured +to say. + +"And a perfect puppet she makes of the poor child," said Mrs. Hunter. +"My sister Chetwynd saw him with his mother at a masquerade, my Lady +Belamour flaunting as Venus, and he, when he ought to have been in his +bed, dressed in rose-colour and silver, with a bow and arrows, and gauze +wings on his shoulders!" + +"What will that child come to?" + +"Remember, Sister Delia, he is no kin of ours. He is only a Wayland!" +returned Mrs. Phoebe, in an accent as if the Waylands were the most +contemptible of vermin. + +"I hope," added Mrs. Delia, "that these children are never permitted to +incommode our unfortunate cousin, Mr. Belamour." + +"I trust not, madam," said Aurelia. "Their rooms are at a distance from +his; they are good children, and he says he likes to hear young voices +in the gardens." + +"You have, then, seen Mr. Belamour?" + +"I cannot say that I have seen him," said Aurelia, modestly; "but I have +conversed with him." + +"Indeed! Alone with him?" + +"Jumbo was there." + +The two old ladies drew themselves up, while Mrs. Hunter chuckled and +giggled. "Indeed!" said Mrs. Phoebe; "we should never see a gentleman in +private without each other's company, or that of some female companion." + +"I consulted Mrs. Aylward," returned Aurelia, "and she said he was old +enough to be my father." + +"Mrs. Aylward may be a respectable housekeeper, though far too lavish of +butcher's meat, but I should never have recourse to her on a matter of +decorum," said Mrs. Phoebe. + +Aurelia's cheeks burnt, but she still defended herself. "I have heard +from my father and my sister," she said, "and they make no objection." + +"Hoity-toity! What means this heat, miss?" exclaimed Mrs. Phoebe; "I am +only telling you, as a kindness, what we should have thought becoming +with regard even to a blood relation of our own." + +"Thank you, ma'am," said Aurelia; "but, you see, you are so much nearer +his age, that the cases are not alike." + +She said it in all simplicity, and did not perceive, at first, why the +two sisters drew themselves up in so much offence, or why Mrs. Hunter +cried, "Oh, fie, for shame, you saucy chit! Bless me!" she continued, +more good-naturedly, "Cousin Phoebe, times are changed since we were +young, and poor Sir Jovian and his brother were the county beaux. The +child is right enough when one comes to think of it; and for my part, I +should be glad that poor Mr. Amyas had some one young and cheerful about +him. It is only a pity his nephew, the young baronet, never comes down +to see him." + +"Like mother like son," said Mrs. Phoebe; "I grieve to think what the +old place will come to." + +"Well," said Mrs. Hunter, "I do not hear the young gentleman ill spoken +of; though, more's the pity, he is in a bad school with Colonel Mar for +his commanding officer, the fine gallant who is making his mother the +talk of the town!" + +The gossip and scandal then waxed fast and furious on the authority of +Mrs. Hunter's sister, but no one paid any more attention to Aurelia, +except that when there was an adjournment to the next room, she was +treated with such double stiffness and ceremony as to make her feel that +she had given great offence, and was highly disapproved of by all but +Mrs. Hunter. And Aurelia could not like her, for her gossip had been far +broader and coarser than that of the Mistresses Treforth, who, though +more bitter were more of gentlewomen. Happily much of what passed was +perfectly unintelligible to Betty's carefully shielded pupil, who sat +all the time with the cat on her lap, listening to its purring music, +but feeling much more inclined to believe nothing against my Lady, after +her father's example, than to agree with those who were so evidently +prejudiced. Tea was brought in delicate porcelain cups, then followed +cards, which made the time pass less drearily till supper. This +consisted of dishes still tinier than those at dinner, and it was +scarcely ended when it was announced that Jumbo had come for Miss +Delavie. + +Gladly she departed, after an exchange of curtsies, happily not hearing +the words behind her:-- + +"An artful young minx." + +"And imagine the impudence of securing Jumbo's attendance, forsooth!" + +"Nay," said Mrs. Hunter, "she seemed to me a pretty modest young +gentlewoman enough." + +"Pretty! Yes, she comes of my Lady's own stock, and will be just such +another." + +"Yes; it is quite plain that it is true that my Lady sent her here +because she had been spreading the white apron for the young baronet." + +"And now she is trying her arts on poor cousin Amyas Belamour. You heard +how she would take no advice, and replied with impertinence." + +"Shall you give my Lady a hint?" + +"Not I. I have been treated with too much insolence by Lady Belamour +to interfere with her again," said Mrs. Phoebe, drawing herself up; "I +shall let things take their course unless I can remonstrate with my own +kinsman." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. THE FLUTTER OF HIS WINGS. + + + Then is Love's hour to stray! + Oh, how he flies away!--T. MOORE. + + +Meanwhile Aurelia, mounted on a pair of pattens brought by the negro +to keep her above the dew, was crossing the park by the light of a fine +hunter's moon, Jumbo marching at a respectful distance in the rear. He +kept on chuckling to himself with glee, and when she looked round at +him, he informed her with great exultation that "Mas'r had not been +alone. His honour had been to see him. Mas'r so glad." + +"Sir Amyas!" exclaimed Aurelia: "Is he there still?" + +"No, missie. He went away before supper." + +"Did he see the young ladies?" + +"Oh, yes, missie. He came before mas'r up, quite promiskius," said +Jumbo, who loved a long word. "I tell him, wait till mas'r be dress, +and took him to summer parlour. He see little missies out in garden; +ask what chil'ren it was. His Hounour's sisters, Miss Fay, Missie Letty, +Missie Amy, I say! His Honour wonder. 'My sisters,' he say, 'my sisters +here,' and out he goes like a flash of lightning and was in among them." + +Aurelia's first thought was "Oh, I hope they were clean and neat, and +that they behaved themselves. I wish I had been at home." Wherewith +followed the recollection that Sir Amyas had been called her beau, +and her cheeks burnt; but the recent disagreeable lecture on etiquette +showed her that it would only have led to embarrassment and vexation +to have had any question of an interview with a young gentleman by so +little her elder. Nor would she have known what to say to him. Old Mr. +Belamour in the dark was a very different matter, and she had probably +had an escape from much awkwardness. + +Molly received her with her favourite exclamation: "Lawk, miss, and who +do you think have been here?" + +"Jumbo told me, Molly." + +"Ain't he a perfect pictur of a man? And such a gentleman! He gave me +a whole goolden guinea for my good care of his little sisters, and says +he: 'Their father shall hear of them, and what little ladies they be.'" + +"I am glad they behaved themselves prettily." + +"Yes, that they did, ma'am. It was good luck that they had not been +grubbing in their gardens as you lets 'em do, ma'am, but they was all as +clean as a whistle, a picking up horse-chestnuts under the big tree +at the corner of the bowling green, when out on the steps we sees him, +looking more like an angel than a man, in his red coat, and the goold +things on his shoulders, and out he comes! Miss Amy, she was afeard at +first: 'Be the soldiers a coming?' says she, and runs to me; but Miss +Letty, she holds out her arms, and says "It's my papa," and Miss Fay, +she stood looking without a word. Then when his Honour was in among +them: "My little sisters, my dear little sisters," says he, "don't you +know me?" and down he goes on one knee in the grass, never heeding his +beautiful white small-clothes, if you'll believe me, miss, and holds out +his arms, and gets Miss Fay into one arm, and Miss Letty into t'other, +and then Miss Amy runs up, and he kisses them all. Then miss Letty says +again 'Are you my papa from foreign parts?' and he laughs and says: 'No, +little one, I'm your brother. Did you never hear of your brother Amyas?' +and Miss Fay stood off a little and clapped her little hands, and says: +'O brother Amyas, how beautiful you are!'" + +Aurelia could not help longing to know whether she had been mentioned, +but she did not like to inquire, and she was obliged to rest satisfied +with the assurance that her little girls had comported themselves like +jewels, like lambs, like darling lumps of sugar, or whatever metaphors +were suggested by the imagination of Molly, who had, apparently, usurped +the entire credit of their good manners. It was impossible to help +feeling a little aggrieved, or, maugre [in spite of--D.L.] all +inconvenient properties to avoid wishing to have been under the +horse-chestnut tree, even though she might have shown herself just such +a bashful little speechless fool as she had been when Sir Amyas had +danced with her at Carminster. + +She was destined to hear a good deal more of the visitor the next day. +The children met her with the cry of "Cousin Aura, our brother"--"our +big beautiful brother--Brother Amyas."--They were with difficulty calmed +into saying their prayers, and Amoret startled the little congregation +by adding to "bless by father, my mother, my brothers and sisters," +"and pray bless big brother Amyas best of all, for I love him very much +indeed!" + +All day little facts about "brother Amyas" kept breaking out. Brother +Amyas had beautiful gold lace, brother Amyas had a red and white +feather; brother Amyas had given Fay and Letty each a ride on his +shoulder, but Amy was afraid; brother Amyas said their papa would love +them very much. He had given them each a new silver shilling, and Amoret +had in return presented him with her doll's beautiful pink back-string +that Cousin Aura had made for her. This wonderful brother had asked +who had taught them to be such pretty little gentlewomen, and at this +Aurelia's heart beat a little, but provoking Fidelia replied: "I told +him my Mammy Rolfe taught me to be genteel," and Letty added: "And he +said Fay was a conceited little pussy cat." + +A strange indefinable feeling between self-respect and shyness made +Aurelia shrink from the point-blank question whether the ungrateful +little things had acknowledged their obligations to her. She was +always hoping they would say something of their own accord, and always +disappointed. + +Evening came, and she eagerly repaired to the dark room, wondering, yet +half dreading to enter on the subject, and beginning by an apology for +having by no means perfected herself in Priam's visit to Achilles. + +"If you have been making visits," said Mr. Belamour: "I too have had a +visitor." + +"The children told me so," she answered. + +"He was greatly delighted with them," said Mr. Belamour. + +"While they, poor little things, never were more happy in their lives. +He must have been very kind to them, yet he did not know that they were +here." + +"His mother is not communicative respecting them. Ladies who love power +seek to preserve it by making little mysteries." + +"It was to see you, sir, that he came." + +"Yes. He ingenuously avowed that he had always been urged to do so by +his stepfather, but his mother has always put obstacles in the way, and +assured him that he would not gain admission. I have certainly refused +to see her, but this is a very different matter--my brother's only +child, my godson, and my ward!" + +"I am very glad he has come to see you, sir, and I am sure it has given +you pleasure." + +"Pleasure in seeing that he is a lad of parts, and of an ingenuous, +affectionate, honest nature, but regret in perceiving how I failed in +the confidence that his father reposed in me." + +"But, sir, you could not help it!" + +"Once I could not. It was, I know not how long, before I knew that my +brother was no more; and thinking myself dead to the world and the +world to me, I took no heed to what, it now seems to me, I was told of +guardianship to the boy. I was incapable of fulfilling any such charge, +and I shunned the pain of hearing of it," he continued, rather as if +talking to himself than to his auditor. "When I could, I gave them +my name and they asked no more. Yet what did they tell me of a sealed +letter from my brother, addressed to me? True, I heard of it more than +once, but I could ask no one to read it to me, and I closed my ears. In +Wayland's hands I knew the youth was well cared for, and only now do I +feel that I have ill requited my brother's confidence." + +"Indeed, sir, I cannot see how you could have done otherwise," said +Aurelia, who could not bear to hear his tone of self-reproach. + +"My amiable visitor!" he exclaimed, as though recalled to a sense of +her presence. "Excuse the absence of mind which has inflicted on you the +selfish murmurs of the old recluse. Tell me how you prospered with my +cousins, whom I remember as sprightly maidens. Phoebe had somewhat of +the prude, Delia of the coquette." + +"I could imagine what you say of Mistress Phoebe, sir, better than of +Mistress Delia." + +"Had they any guests to meet you?" + +"A Mrs. Hunter, sir, from Brentford, a doctor's wife I suppose." + +"You are right. She was a cousin of theirs on the other side of the +house, a loud-voiced buxom lass, who was thought to have married beneath +here when she took Dr. Hunter; but apparently they have forgiven her." + +Mr. Belamour was evidently much interested and amused by Aurelia's small +experiences and observations, such as they were. In spite of the sense +of past omission which had been aroused by his nephew's visit, it had +evidently raised his spirits, for he laughed when Aurelia spiced her +descriptions with a little playful archness, and his voice became more +cheery. + +So, too, it was on the ensuing evening when Aurelia, to compensate for +the last day's neglect, came primed with three or four pages of the +conversation between Priam and Achilles, which she rehearsed with great +feeling, thinking, like Pelides himself, of her own father and home. It +was requited with a murmured "Bravo," and Mr. Belamour then begged of +her, if she were not weary, to favour him with the Nightingale Song, +Jumbo as usual accompanying her with his violin. At the close there was +again a "Bravo! Truly exquisite!" in a tone as if the hermit were really +finding youth and life again. Once more at his request, she sang, and +was applauded with even more fervour, with a certain tremulous eagerness +in the voice. Yet there was probably a dread of the excitement being +too much, for this was followed by "Thank you, kind songstress, I could +listen for ever, but it is becoming late, and I must not detain you +longer." + +She found herself handed out of the room, with somewhat curtailed good +nights, although nine o'clock, her usual signal, had not yet struck. +When she came into the lamplit hall, Jumbo was grinning and nodding like +a maniac, and when she asked what was the matter, he only rolled his +eyes, and said, "Missie good! Mas'r like music!" + +The repressed excitability she had detected made her vaguely nervous +(not that she would have so called herself), and as the next day was the +blank Sunday, she appeased and worked off her restlessness by walking +with the children to Sedhurst church. It was the sixteenth Sunday after +Trinity, and the preacher, who had caught somewhat of the fire of Wesley +and Whitfield, preached a sermon which arrested her attention, +and filled her with new thoughts. Taking the Epistle and Gospel in +connection, he showed the death-in-life of indifference, and the +quickening touch of the Divine Love, awakening the dead spirit into true +life. On that life, with its glow of love, hope, and joy, the preacher +dwelt with enthusiasm such as Aurelia had never heard, and which carried +her quite out of herself. Tears of emotion trembled in her eyes, and she +felt a longing desire to walk on in that path of love to her Maker, whom +she seemed to have never known before. + +She talked with a new fervour to the children of the birds and flowers, +and all the fair things they loved, as the gifts of their Father in +Heaven; and when she gathered them round the large pictured Bible, it +was to the Gospel that she turned as she strove to draw their souls to +the appreciation of the Redeeming Love there shown. She saw in Fay's +deep eyes and thoughtful brow that the child was taking it in, though +differently from Amy, who wanted to kiss the picture, while Letty asked +those babyish material questions about Heaven that puzzle wiser heads +than Aurelia's to answer. + +So full was she of the thought, that she forgot her sense of something +strange and unaccountable in Mr. Belamour's manner before the evening, +nor was there anything to remind her of it afresh, for he was as calmly +grave and kindly courteous as ever; and he soon led her to pour forth +all her impressions of the day. Indeed she repeated to him great part of +the sermon, with a voice quivering with earnestness and emotion. He +was not stirred in the same way as she had been, saying in his pensive +meditative way, "The preacher is right. Love is life. The misfortune is +when we stake our all on one love alone, and that melts from us. Then +indeed there is death--living death!" + +"But there is never-failing love, and new life that never dies!" cried +Aurelia, almost transported out of herself. + +"May you ever keep hold of both unobscured, my sweet child," he +returned, with a sadness that repressed and drove her back into herself +again, feeling far too childish and unworthy to help him to that +new life and love; though her young heart yearned over him in his +desolation, and her soul was full of supplication for him. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. THE CANON OF WINDSOR. + + + Turn, gentle hermit of the dale.--GOLDSMITH. + + +"My child, will you do me a favour?" said Mr. Belamour the next evening, +in a tone no longer formal, but paternal. "Take this packet" (he put +one into the girl's hand) "to the light and inform me what is the +superscription." + +It was a thick letter, with a large red wax seal, bearing the well known +arms of Belamour and Delavie, and the address was + + + To AMYAS BELAMOUR, ESQ., K.C., + + OF THE INNER TEMPLE, LONDON. +To be opened after my death.] + + JOVIAN BELAMOUR. + Dec. 14th, 1727. + + +"I thought so," said Mr. Belamour, when she returned to him with +intelligence. "Little did my poor brother guess how long it would be +unopened! Will my gentle friend confer another obligation on me?" + +Aurelia made her ready assent, hoping to be asked to read the letter, +when he continued, "I cannot read this myself. Even could I bear the +light, the attempt to fix my eyes sends darts shooting through my +brain, which would take away my very power of comprehension. But," he +continued, "there are only two men living to whom I could entrust my +brother's last words to me. One, your own good father, is out of +reach; the other has frequently proffered his good offices and has been +rejected. Would you add to your kindness that of writing to entreat my +old friend, Dr. Godfrey, to favour with a visit one who has too often +and ungratefully refused him admission." + +Feminine curiosity felt balked, but Aurelia was ashamed of the +sensation, and undertook the task. Instructions were given her that she +was to write-- + + + "If Amyas Belamour's old Schoolfellow and Friend can overlook and + pardon the undeserved Rebuffs to His Constancy and Solicitude for + a lonely and sullen Wretch, and will once more come and spend a + Night at Bowstead, he will confer an inestimable Favour upon one + who is more sensible of his Goodness than when it has been + previously offered." + + +This letter, written in Aurelia's best Italian hand, on a large sheet +of paper, she brought with her the next evening. She was bidden to fold +down the exact place for the signature, which Mr. Belamour proceeded +to affix, and she was then to carry it to the candles in the lobby, and +there fold, seal, and address it to the Reverend Edward Godfrey, D.D., +Canon of Windsor, Windsor. She found the A. Belamour very fairly written +except that it was not horizontal, and she performed the rest of the +task with ladylike dexterity, sealing it with a ring that had been +supplied for the purpose. It did not, as she expected, bear the Belamour +sheaf of arrows, but was a gem, representing a sleeping Cupid with +folded wings, so beautiful that she asked leave to take another +impression for Harriet, who collected seals, after the fashion of the +day. + +"You are welcome," Mr. Belamour replied. "I doubt its great antiquity, +since the story of Cupid and Psyche cannot be traced beyond Apuleius. +I used it because Dr. Godfrey will remember it. He was with me at Rome +when I purchased it." + +The ring was of the size for a lady's finger, and Aurelia durst ask no +more. + +How the letter was sent she knew not, but Mrs. Aylward was summoned to +Mr. Belamour's room, and desired to have a room ready at any time for +his friend. + +Three days later, towards sunset, a substantial-looking clergyman, +attended by two servants, rode up to the door; and was immediately +appropriated by Jumbo, disappearing into the mysterious apartments; +Aurelia expected no summons that night, but at the usual hour, the negro +brought a special request for the honour of her society; and as she +entered the dark room, Mr. Belamour said, "My fair and charitable +visitor will permit me to present to her my old and valued friend, Dr. +Godfrey." He laid the hand he had taken on one that returned a little +gentlemanly acknowledgment, while a kind fatherly voice said, "The lady +must pardon me if I do not venture to hand her to her chair." + +"Thank you, sir, I am close to my seat." + +"Your visitors acquire blind eyes, Belamour," said Dr. Godfrey, +cheerfully. + +"More truly they become eyes to the blind," was the answer. "I feel +myself a man of the world again, since this amiable young lady has +conned the papers on my behalf, and given herself the trouble of +learning the choicest passages of the poets to repeat to me." + +"You are very good, sir," returned Aurelia; "it is my great pleasure." + +"That I can well believe," said Dr. Godfrey. "Have these agreeable +recitations made you acquainted with the new poem on the _Seasons_ by +Mr. James Thomson?" + +"No," replied Mr. Belamour, "my acquaintance with the _belles letters_ +ceased nine years ago." + +"The descriptions have been thought extremely effective. Those of autumn +were recalled to my mind on my way." + +Dr. Godfrey proceeded to recite some twenty lines of blank verse, for in +those days people had more patience and fewer books, and exercised their +memories much more than their descendants do. Listening was far from +being thought tedious. + + + "'But see the fading many-coloured roads, + Shade deepening over shade, the country round + Imbrown; a crowded umbrage, dusk and dim, + Of every hue, from wan, declining green, + To sooty dark.'" + + +The lines had a strange charm to one who had lived in darkness through +so many revolving years. Mr. Belamour eagerly thanked his friend, and on +the offer to lend him the book, begged that it might be ordered for him, +and that any other new and interesting work might be sent to him that +was suitable to the fair lips on which he was dependent. + +"You are secure with Mr. Thomson," said the Doctor. "Hear the conclusion +of his final hymn." + + + "'When even at last the solemn hour shall come, + And wing my mystic flight to future worlds, + I cheerful will obey; there with new powers + Will rising wonders sing. I cannot go + Where Universal Love not smiles around, + Sustaining all yon orbs, and all their suns, + From seeming evil still educing good, + And better thence again, and better still, + In infinite progression. But I lose + Myself in Him, in Light ineffable; + Come then expressive Silence, mine the praise.'" + + +"'Universal Love!'" repeated Mr. Belamour; "the poet sings as you do, my +amiable friend! I can conceive the idea better than I could a few months +ago." + + "'From seeming evil, still educing good,'" + +quoted Dr. Godfrey earnestly, as if feeling his way. + +"More of this another time," said Mr. Belamour hastily. "What say the +critics respecting this new aspirant?" + +The ensuing conversation much interested Aurelia, as it was on the men +of letters whose names had long been familiar to her, and whom the +two gentlemen had personally known. She heard of Pope, still living at +Twickenham, and of his bickerings with Lady Mary Wortley Montagu; of +young Horace Walpole, who would never rival his father as a politician, +but who was beginning his course as a _dilettante_, and actually +pretending to prefer the barbarous Gothic to the classic Italian. +However, his taste might be improved, since he was going to make the +grand tour in company with Mr. Gray, a rising young poet, in whom Dr. +Godfrey took interest, as an Etonian and a Cantab. + +At nine o'clock Mr. Belamour requested Miss Delavie to let him depute to +her the doing the honours of the supper table to his friend, who would +return to him when she retired for the night. + +Then it was that she first saw the guest, a fine, dignified clergyman, +in a large grey wig, with a benignant countenance, reminding her of the +Dean of Carminster. When she was little, the Dean had bestowed on her +comfits and kisses; but since she had outgrown these attentions, he was +wont to notice her only by a condescending nod, and she would no more +have thought of conversing with him at table than in his stall in the +cathedral. Thus it was surprising to find herself talked to, as Betty +might have been, by this reverend personage, who kindly satisfied her +curiosity about the King, Queen, and Princesses, but with a discretion +which did not diminish that blind loyalty which saw no defects in +"our good king," though he was George II. She likewise answered a +few questions about Mr. Belamour's tastes and habits, put in a very +different manner from those of the Mistress Treforth, and as soon as +supper was over she rose and retired. + +She did not see Dr. Godfrey again until he was ready for a late +breakfast, having been up nearly the whole night with his friend. His +horses were ordered immediately after the meal, as he had an appointment +in London, and he presently looked up, and said, + +"Madam, you must excuse me, I was silent from thinking how I can +adequately express my respect and gratitude for you." + +"I beg your pardon, sir," exclaimed Aurelia, thinking her ears mistaken. + +"My gratitude," he repeated, "for the inestimable blessing you have been +to my dear and much valued friend, in rousing him from that wretched +state of despondency in which no one could approach him." + +"You are too good, sir," returned Aurelia. "It was he who sent for me." + +"I know you did it in all simplicity, my dear child--forgive the +epithet, I have daughters of my own, and thankful should I be if one +of them could have produced such effects. I tell you, madam, my dear +friend, one of the most estimable and brilliant men of his day, was an +utter wreck, both in mind and body, through the cruel machinations of +an unprincipled woman. How much was to the actual injury from his wound, +how much to grief and remorse, Heaven only knows, but the death of his +brother, who alone had authority with him, left him thus to cut himself +off entirely in this utter darkness and despair. I called at first +monthly, then yearly, after the melancholy catastrophe, and held many +consultations with good Mr. Wayland, but all in vain. It was reserved +for your sweet notes to awaken and recall him to what I trust is indeed +new life." + +Tears filled Aurelia's eyes, and she could only murmur something about +being very glad. + +"Yes," pursued Dr. Godfrey, "it is as if I saw him rising from his +living tomb in all senses of the word. I find that your artless Sunday +evening conversations have even penetrated the inner hopeless gloom, +still more grievous than the outer darkness in which he lived." + +"Indeed, sir, I never meant to be presumptuous." + +"God's blessing on such presumption, my good child! If you had been +fully aware of his state of mind, you might never have ventured nor +have touched the sealed heart, as you have done, as I perceive, in your +ignorance, out of your obedient reverence to the Lord's day. Am I not +right?" + +"Yes, sir, I thought one _could_ not repeat plays and poems on Sunday, +and I was frightened when I found those other things were strange to +him; but he bade me go on." + +"For the sake of the music of your voice, as he tells me, at first; but +afterwards because you became the messenger of hope to one who had long +lain in the shadow of death, thinking pardon and mercy too much out of +reach to be sought for. You have awakened prayer within him once more." + +She could not speak, and Dr. Godfrey continued, "You will be glad +to hear that I am to see the curate on my way through Brentford, and +arrange with him at times to read prayers in the outer room. What is +it?" he added; "you look somewhat doubtful." + +"Only, sir, perhaps I ought not to say so, but I cannot think Mr. +Belamour well ever care for poor Mr. Greaves. If he could only hear that +gentleman who comes to Sedhurst! I never knew how much fire could be +put into the service itself, and yet I have often been at Carminster +Cathedral." + +"True, my dear young lady. These enthusiasts seem to be kindling a new +fire in the Church, but I am not yet so convinced of their orthodoxy +and wisdom as to trust them unreservedly; and zeal pushed too far might +offend our poor recluse, and alienate him more than ever. He is likely +to profit more by the direct words of the Church herself, read without +personal meaning, than by the individual exhortations of some devout +stranger." + +"Yes, sir. Thank you, I never meant to question your judgment. Indeed I +did not." + +The horses were here announced, and Dr. Godfrey said, + +"Then I leave him to you with a grateful heart. I am beginning to hope +that there is much hypochondriacism in his condition, and that this may +pass away with his despondency. I hope before many weeks are over to +come and visit him again, before I go to my parish in Dorsetshire." + +Then, with a fatherly blessing, the Canon took his leave. + +He was scarcely gone before there was a great rustling in the hall, +and Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia Treforth were announced. Aurelia was +surprised, for she had been decidedly sensible of their disapproval when +she made her visit of ceremony after her entertainment by them. She, +however, had underrated the force of the magnet of curiosity. They had +come to inquire about the visitor, who had actually spent a night at the +Park. They knew who he was, for "Ned Godfrey" had been a frequent guest +at Bowstead in the youth of all parties, and they were annoyed that he +had not paid his respects to them. + +"It would have been only fitting to have sent for us, as relations of +the family, to assist in entertaining him," said Mrs. Phoebe. "Pray, +miss, did my eccentric cousin place you in the position of hostess?" + +"It fell to me, madam," said Aurelia. + +"You could have asked for _our_ support," said Mrs. Phoebe, severely. +"It would have become you better, above all then Sir Amyas Belamour +himself was here." + +"He has only been here while I was with you, madam, and was gone before +my return." + +"_That_ is true," but Mrs. Phoebe looked at the girl so inquisitively +that her colour rose in anger, and exclaimed, "Madam, I know not what +you mean!" + +"There, sister," said Mrs. Delia, more kindly. "She is but a child, and +Bet Batley is a gossip. She would not know his Honour in the dark from +the blackamoor going down to visit his sweetheart." + +Very glad was Aurelia when the ladies curtsied themselves out of her +summer parlour, declaring they wished to speak to Mrs. Aylward, who she +knew could assure them of the absurdity of these implied suspicions. + +And Mrs. Aylward, who detested the two ladies, and repelled their +meddling, stiffly assured them both of Miss Delavie's discretion and +her own vigilance, which placed visits from the young baronet beyond +the bounds of possibility. Supposing his Honour should again visit his +uncle, she should take care to be present at any interview with the +young lady. She trusted that she knew her duty, and so did Miss Delavie. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. THE QUEEN OF BEAUTY. + + + O bright _regina_, who made thee so faire, + Who made thy colour vermeilie and white? + Now marveile I nothing that ye do hight + The quene of love.--CHAUCER. + + +Only a week had elapsed before the quiet of Bowstead was again disturbed +by the arrival of two grooms, with orders that everything should be made +ready the next day for the arrival of my Lady, who was on her way to +Carminster for a few weeks, and afterwards to Bath. Forthwith Mrs. +Aylward and her subordinates fell into a frenzy of opening shutters, +lighting fires, laying down carpets and uncovering furniture. Scrubbing +was the daily task for the maids, and there was nothing extra possible +in that line, but there was hurry enough to exacerbate the temper, and +when Aurelia offered her services she was tartly told that she could +solely be useful by keeping the children out of the way; for in spite of +all rebuffs, they persisted in haunting the footsteps of the housekeeper +and maids, Fay gazing with delight at the splendours that were revealed, +Amy proffering undesired aid, Letty dancing in the most inconvenient +places, romancing about her mamma and little brother, and making sure +that her big beautiful brother was also coming. + +The were very unwilling to let Aurelia call them away to practise them +in bridling, curtseying, and saying "Yes, madam," according to the laws +of good breeding so carefully inculcated by sister at home. So anxious +was she that she tried them over and over again till they were wearied +out, and became so cross and naughty that nothing restored good-homour +except gathering blackberries to feast brother Archer. + +The intelligence produced less apparent excitement in the dark chamber. +When Aurelia, in an eager, awe-stricken voice began, "O sir, have you +heard that my Lady is coming?" He calmly replied, + +"The sounds in the house have amply heralded her, to say nothing of +Jumbo." + +"I wonder what she will do!" + +"You will not long have known her, my fair friend, without discovering +that she is one of the most inscrutable of her sex. The mere endeavour +to guess at her plans only produces harassing surmises and alarms." + +"Do you think, sir, she can mean to take me away?" + +"I suppose that would be emancipation to you, my poor child." + +"I should dance to find myself going home," said Aurelia, "yet how could +I bear to leave my little girls, or you, sir. Oh! if you could only live +at the Great House, at home, I should be quite happy." + +"Then you would not willingly abandon the recluse?" + +"Indeed," she said with a quivering in her voice, "I cannot endure the +notion. You have been so kind and good to me, sir, and I do so enjoy +coming to you. And you would be all alone again with Jumbo! Oh sir, +could you not drive down if all the coach windows were close shut up? +You would have my papa to talk to!" + +"And what would your papa say to having a miserable old hermit inflicted +on him?" + +"He would be only too glad." + +"No, no, my gentle friend, there are other reasons. I could not make my +abode in Lady Belamour's house, while in that of my nephew, my natural +home, I have a right to drag out what remains of the existence of mine. +Nay, are you weeping, my sweet child? That must not be; your young life +must take no darkness from mine. Even should Lady Belamour's arbitrary +caprice bear you off without another meeting, remember that you have +given me many more happy hours than I ever supposed to be in store for +me, and have opened doors which shall not be closed again." + +"You will get some one to recite to you?" entreated Aurelia, her voice +most unsteady. + +"Godfrey shall seek out some poor scholar or exhausted poetaster, with a +proviso that he never inflicts his own pieces on me," said Mr. Belamour, +in a tone more as if he wished to console her than as it were a pleasing +prospect. "Never fear, gentle monitress, I will not sink into the +stagnation from which your voice awoke me. Neither Godfrey nor my nephew +would allow it. Come, let us put it from our minds. It has always +been my experience, that whatever I expected from my much admired +sister-in-law, that was the exact reverse of what she actually did. +Therefore let us attend to topics, though I wager that you have no fresh +acquisitions for me to-day." + +"I am ashamed, sir, but I could not fix my mind even to a most frightful +description of wolves in Mr. Thomson's 'Winter.'" + +"That were scarcely a soothing subject; but we might find calm in +something less agitating and more familiar. Perhaps you can recall +something too firmly imprinted on your memory to be disturbed by these +emotions." + +Aurelia bethought herself that she must not disappoint her friend on +what might prove their last evening; she began very unsteadily:-- + + + "' Hence, loathed Melancholy.'" + + +However by the time "Jonson's learned sock" was on, her mechanical +repetition had become animated, and she had restored herself to +equanimity. When the clock struck nine, her auditor added his thanks, +"In case we should not meet again thus, let me beg of my kind visitor to +wear this ring in memory of one to whom she has brought a breath indeed +from L'Allegro itself. It will not be too large. It was made for a +lady." + +And amid her tearful thanks she felt a light kiss on her fingers, +revealing to her that the hermit must possess a beard, a fact, which +in the close-shaven Hanoverian days, conveyed a sense of squalor and +neglect almost amounting to horror. + +In her own room she dropped many a tear over the ring, which was of +course the Cupid intaglio, and she spent the night in strange mixed +dreams and yearnings, divided between her father, Betty, and Eugene on +the one hand, and Mr. Belamour and the children on the other. Home-sick +as she sometimes felt, dull as Bowstead was, she should be sadly grieved +to leave those to whom she felt herself almost necessary, though her +choice must needs be for her home. + +Early the next day arrived an old roomy berlin loaded heavily with +luggage, and so stuffed with men and maids that four stout horses had +much ado to bring it up to the door. The servants, grumbling heartily, +declared that my Lady was only going to lie here for a single night, and +that Sir Amyas was not with her. + +Late in the afternoon, a couple of outriders appeared to say that the +great lady was close at hand, and Aurelia, in her best blue sacque, +and India muslin cap, edged with Flanders lace, had her three little +charges, all in white with red shoes, red sashes, and red ribbons in +their caps, drawn up in the hall to welcome their mother. + +Up swept the coach with six horses, Mr. Dove behind--runners in fact, +who at times rested themselves by an upright swing on the foot-board. + +The door of the gorgeous machine was thrown open, and forth sprang a +pretty little boy. Next descended the friendly form of Mrs. Dove, then +a smart person, who was my Lady's own woman, and finally something +dazzlingly grand and beautiful in feathers, light blue, and silver. + +Aurelia made her reverence, and so did the little triad; the great lady +bent her head, and gave a light kiss to the brow of each child, and the +boy sprang forward, crying: "You are my sisters. You must play with me, +and do whatever I choose." Amoret and he began kissing on the spot, but +Fidelia, regarding _must_ as a forbidden word, looked up at Aurelia with +an inquiring protest in her eyes; but it was not heeded, in the doubt +whether to follow Lady Belamour, who, with a stately greeting to Mrs. +Aylward, had sailed into the withdrawing-room. The question was decided +by Mrs. Aylward standing back to make room, and motioning her forward, +so she entered, Letty preceding her and Fay clinging to her. + +By the hearth stood the magnificent figure, holding out a long, +beautiful, beringed hand, which Aurelia shyly kissed, bending as before +a queen, while her forehead received the same slight salute as had been +given to the little girls. "My cousin Delavie's own daughter," said the +lady: "You have the family likeness." + +"So I have been told, madam." + +"Your father is well, I hope." + +"He was pretty well, I thank you Ladyship, when I heard from my sister +ten days ago." + +"I shall see him in a week's time, and shall report well of his little +daughter," said Lady Belamour kindly. "I am under obligations to you, my +dear. You seem to have tamed my little savages." + +Aurelia was amazed, for the universal awe of my Lady had made her expect +a harsh and sever Semiramis style of woman, whereas she certainly saw a +majestic beauty, but with none of the terrors that she had anticipated. +The voice was musical and perfectly modulated, the manner more caressing +than imperious towards herself, and studiously polite to the house +keeper. While orders were being given as to arrangements, Aurelia took +in the full details of the person of whom she had heard so much. +It seemed incredible that Lady Belamour could have been mother to +contemporaries of Betty, for she looked younger than Betty herself. Her +symmetry and carriage were admirable, and well shown by the light blue +habit laced richly and embroidered with silver. A small round hat with a +cluster of white ostrich feathers was placed among the slightly frizzed +and powdered masses of mouse-coloured hair, surmounting a long ivory +neck, whose graceful turn, the theme of many a sonnet, was not concealed +by the masculine collar of the habit. The exquisite oval contour of the +cheek, the delicate ear, and Grecian profile were as perfect in moulding +as when she had been Sir Jovian's bride, and so were the porcelain blue +of the eyes, the pencilled arches of eyebrow, and the curve of the lips, +while even her complexion retained its smooth texture, and tints of the +lily and rose. Often as Aurelia had heard of her beauty, its splendour +dazzled and astonished her, even in this travelling dress. + +Archer, who was about a year older than his sisters, was more like +Amoret than the other two, with azure eyes, golden curls, and a plump +rosy face, full of fun and mischief. Tired of the confinement of the +coach, he was rushing round the house with Amoret, opening the doors and +looking into the rooms. The other little sisters remained beside Aurelia +till their mother said, pointing to Fay: "That child seems to mean to +eat me with her eyes. Let all the children be with Nurse Dove, Mrs. +Aylward. Miss Delavie will do me the pleasure of supping with me at +seven. Present my compliments to Mr. Belamour, and let him know that I +will be with him at eight o'clock on particular business." Then turning +to the two children, she asked their names, and was answered by each +distinctly, with the orthodox "madam" at the end. + +"You are improved, little ones," she said: "Did Cousin Aurelia teach +you?" + +"And Mammy Rolfe," said constant Fay. + +"She must teach you next not to stare," said Lady Belamour. "I intend +to take one to be a companion to my boy, in the country. When I saw +them before, they were rustic little monsters; but they are less +unpresentable now. Call your sister, children." And, as the two left the +room, she continued: "Which do you recommend, cousin?" + +"Fidelia is the most reasonable, madam," said Aurelia. + +"But not the prettiest, I trust. She is too like her father, with those +dark brows, and her eyes have a look deep enough to frighten one. They +will frighten away the men, if she do not grow out of it." + +Here the door burst open, and, without any preliminary bow, Master +Archer flew in, crying out "Mamma, mamma, we _must_ stay here. The +galleries are so long, and it is such a place for whoop-hide!" + +His sisters were following his bad example, and rushing in with equal +want of ceremony, but though their mother held the boy unchecked on +her knee, Aurelia saw how she could frown. "You forget yourselves," she +said. + +Amoret looked ready to cry, but at a sign from their young instructress, +they backed and curtsied, and their mother reviewed them; Letitia was +the most like the Delavies, but also the smallest, while Amoret was +on the largest scale and would pair best with her brother, who besides +loudly proclaimed his preference for her, and she was therefore elected +to the honour of being taken home. Aurelia was requested as a favour to +bid the children's woman have the child's clothes ready repaired to her +own room. + +The little wardrobe could only be prepared by much assistance from +Aurelia herself, and she could attend to nothing else; while the +children were all devoted to Archer, and she only heard their voices +in the distance, till--as she was dressing for her _tete-a-tete_ +supper--Fay came to her crying, "Archer is a naughty boy--he said wicked +words--he called her ugly, and had cuffed and pinched her!" + +Poor child! she was tired out, and disappointed, and Aurelia could only +comfort her by hearing her little prayers, undressing her, and giving +her the highly-esteemed treat of sleeping in Cousin Aura's bed; while +the others were staying up as long as it pleased Master Archer. This +actually was the cause of my Lady being kept waiting, and an apology was +needful. "Fidelia was tired out, and was crying." + +"A peevish child! I am glad I did not choose her." + +"She is usually very good, madam," said Aurelia, eagerly. + +"Is she your favourite?" + +"I try not to make favourites, madam." + +"Ah! there spoke the true Manor House tone," said her Ladyship, rather +mockingly. "Maybe she will be a wit, for she will never be a beauty, but +the other little one will come on in due time after Amoret." + +"Your Ladyship will find Amoret a dear, good, affectionate child," said +Aurelia. "Only---" + +"Reserve that for nurse, so please you, my good girl. It is enough for +me to see the brats on their good manners now and then. You have had +other recreations--shall I call them, or cares? I never supposed, when +I sent you here to attend on the children, that the hermit of Bowstead +would summon you! I assure you it is an extraordinary honour." + +"I so esteem it, madam," said Aurelia, blushing. + +"More honour than pleasure, eh?" + +"A great pleasure, madam." + +"Say you so?" and the glittering blue eyes were keenly scanning the +modest face. "I should have thought a young maid like you would have had +the dismals at the mere notion of going near his dark chamber. I promise +you it gives me the megrim [migraine--D.L.] to look forward to it." + +"I was affrighted at first, madam," said Aurelia; "but Mr. Belamour is +so good and kind to me that I exceedingly enjoy the hours I spend with +him." + +"La, child, you speak with warmth! We shall have you enamoured of a +voice like the youth they make sonnets about--what's his name?" + +"Narcissus, madam," said Aurelia, put out of countenance by the banter. + +"Oh, you are learned. Is Mr. Belamour your tutor, pray? And--oh fie! I +have seen that ring before!" + +"He gave it to me yesterday," faltered Aurelia, "in case you should +intend to take me away, and I should not see him again. I hope I was not +wrong in accepting it, madam." + +"Wrong, little fool, assuredly not," said my Lady, laughing. "It is an +ensign of victory. Why, child, you have made a conquest worthy of--let +me see. You, or the wits, could tell me who it was that stormed the very +den of Cocytus and bore off the spoil!" + +Aurelia liked the tone too little to supply the names; yet she felt +flattered; but she said quietly, "I am happy to have been the means of +cheering him." + +The grave artlessness of the manner acted as a kind of check, and Lady +Belamour said in a different tone, "Seriously, child, the family are +truly obliged for your share in rousing the poor creature from his +melancholy. My good man made the attempt, but all in vain. What do you +to divert him?" + +In inquires of this kind the supper hour passed, and Lady Belamour was +then to keep her appointment with her brother-in-law. She showed so +much alarm and dread that Aurelia could not but utter assurances and +encouragements, which again awoke that arch manner, partly bantering, +partly flattering, which exercised a sort of pleasant perplexing +fascination on the simple girl. + +After being dismissed, Aurelia went in search of Mrs. Dove, whom she +found with Molly, taking stock of Amoret's little wardrobe. The good +woman rose joyfully. "Oh, my dear missie! I am right thankful to see you +looking so purely. I don't know how I could have held up my head to Miss +Delavie if I had not seen you!" + +"Ah! you will see my sister and all of them," cried Aurelia, a sudden +rush of home-sickness bringing tears to her eyes, in oblivion alike of +her recluse and her pupils. "Oh! if I were but going with you! But what +folly am I talking? You must not let them think I am not happy, for +indeed I am. Will you kindly come to my room, dear nurse, and I will +give you a packet for them?" + +Mrs. Dove willingly availed herself of the opportunity of explaining how +guiltless she had been of the sudden separation at Knightsbridge four +months back. She had been in such haste to ride after and overtake the +coach, that she had even made Dove swear at her for wanting to give the +horses no time to rest, and she had ridden off on her own particular +pillion long before the rest. She had been surprised that she never +succeeded in catching up the carriage, but never suspected the truth +till she had dismounted in Hanover Square and asked whether "Miss" were +with my Lady. Nobody knew anything about Miss Delavie, nor expected her; +and the good woman's alarm was great until she had had an interview with +her Ladyship, when she was told not to concern herself about the young +lady, who was safely bestowed in the country with the Miss Wayland. "But +that it was here, if you'll believe me, missie, I was as innocent as the +babe unborn, and so was his Honour, Sir Amyas. Indeed, my Lady gave him +to understand that she had put you to boarding-school with his little +sisters." + +"Oh! nurse, that is impossible!" + +"Lawk-a-day, missie, there's nothing my Lady wouldn't say to put him off +the scent. Bless you, 'tis not for us servants to talk, or I could tell +you tales! But there, mum's the word, as my Dove says, or he wouldn't +ha' sat on his box these twenty year!" + +"My Lady is very kind to me," said Aurelia, with a little assumption of +her father's repressive manner. + +"I'm right glad to hear it, Miss Aureely. A sweet lady she can be when +she is in the mood, though nothing like so sweet as his Honour. 'Tis +ingrain with him down to the bone, as I may say--and I should know, +having had him from the day he was weaned. To see him come up to the +nussery, and toss about his little brother, would do your very heart +good; and then he sits him down, without a bit of pride, and will have +me tell him all about our journey up to Lunnon, and the fair, and the +play and all; and the same with Dove in the stables. He would have the +whole story, and how we was parted at Knightsbridge, I never so much as +guessing where you was--you that your sister had given into my care! At +last, one day when I was sitting a darning of stockings in the window +at the back, where I can see out over to the green fields, up his Honour +comes, and says he, with his finger to his lips, 'Set your heart at +rest, nurse, I've found her!' Then he told me how he went down to see +his old uncle. Mr. Wayland had been urging him on one side that 'twas no +more than his duty; and her Ladyship, on the other, would have it that +Mr. Belamour was right down melancholy mad, and would go into a raving +fit if his nevvy did but go near the place." + +"She did not say that!" + +"Oh yes, she did, miss, I'll take my oath of it, for I was in the coach +with Master Wayland on my knee, when she was telling a lady how hard it +was they could have no use of Bowstead, because of Sir Jovian's brother +being there, who had got the black melancholics, and could not be +removed. The lady says how good she was to suffer it, and she answers, +that there was no being harsh with poor Sir Jovian's brother, though he +had a strange spleen at her and her son, and always grew worse when they +did but go near the house; but that some measures must be taken when her +son came of age or was married." + +"But he came at last!" + +"He said he wanted to see for himself, and thought he could at least +find out from the servants whether his uncle was in the state they +reported. And there he found his three little sisters, and that you was +their tutoress, and they couldn't say enough about you, nor the poor +gentleman neither. 'I didn't see her, nurse,' says he, 'but there's a +bit of her own sweet fingers' work.' And sure enough, I knew it, for +it was a knot of the very ribbon you had in your hair the day I came to +talk to your sister about the journey." + +"That was what Amy told me she gave him." + +"Nothing loth would he be to take it, miss! Though says he, 'Don't you +let my mother know I have tracked her, nurse,' says he. 'It is plain +enough why she gives out that I am not to go near my uncle, and if she +guessed where I had been, she would have some of her fancies.' 'Now your +Honour, my dear,' says I, 'you'll excuse your old nurse, but her sister +put her in my charge, and though I bless Heaven that you are no young +rake, yet you will be bringing trouble untold on her and hers if you go +down there a courting of her unbeknownst.' 'No danger of that, nurse,' +says he; 'why there's a she-dragon down there (meaning Mrs. Aylward) +that was ready to drive me out of my own house when I did but speak of +waiting to see her.'" + +"No, I am glad he will not come again. Yet it makes his uncle happy to +see him. I will keep out of the way if he does." + +"Right too, miss. A young lady never loses by discretion." + +"Oh, do not speak in--in that way," said Aurelia, blushing at +the implication. "Besides, he is going home with my Lady to dear +Carminster." + +"No, no, he remains with his regiment in town, unless he rides down +later when he can have his leave of absence, and my Lady is at the Bath. +He will not if he can help it, for he is dead set against the young lady +they want to marry him to, and she is to be there. What! you have not +heard? It is my Lady Arabella, sister to that there Colonel as is more +about our house than I could wish. She is not by the same mother as him +and my Lord Aresfield. Her father married a great heiress for his second +wife, whose father had made a great fortune by victualling the army in +the war time. Not that this Dowager Countess, as they call her, is a +bit like the real quality, so that it is a marvel how my Lady can put up +with her; only money-bags will make anything go down, more's the pity, +and my Lady is pressed, you see, with her losses at play. It was about +this match that Sir Amyas was sent down to Battlefield, the Countess's +place in Monmouthshire, when he came to Carminster last summer, and his +body servant, Mr. Grey, that has been about him from a child, told me +all about it. This Lady Belle, as they call her, is only about fourteen, +and such a spoilt little vixen, that they say nobody has been able to +teach her so much as to read, for her mother, the Dowager, never would +have her crossed in anything, and now she has got too headstrong for any +of 'em. Mr. Grey said dressing for supper, they heard the most horrid +screams, and thought some one must be killed at least. Sir Amyas was for +running out, but at the door they met a wench who only said, 'Bless +you! that's nought. It's only my young lady in her tantrums!' So in the +servants' hall, Grey heard it was all because her mamma wouldn't let her +put on two suits of pearls and di'monds both together. She lies on her +back, and rolls and kicks till she gets her own way; and by what the +servants say, the Dowager heerself ain't much better to her servants. +Her woman had got a black eye she had given her with her fan. She has +never had no breeding, you see, and there are uglier stories about her +than I like to tell you, Miss Aureely; and as to the young lady, Sir +Amyas saw her with his own eyes slap the lackey's face for bringing her +brown sugar instead of white. She is a little dwarfish thing that puts +her finger in her mouth and sulks when she is not flying out into a +rage; but Colonel Mar is going to have her up to a boarding-school to +mend her manners, and he and my lady are as much bent on marrying his +Honour to her as if she was a perfect angel." + +"They never can!" + +"Well, miss, they do most things they have a mind to; and they mean to +do this before my Lady's husband comes home." + +"But Mr. Belamour is his nephew's guardian." + +"That's what my Lady is come down here for. Either she will get his +consent out of him, or she will make the poor gentleman out to be _non +compos_, and do without him." + +"Oh, nurse, he is the wisest, cleverest gentleman I ever saw, except my +papa." + +"Do you say do, miss? But you are young, you see. A gentleman to shut +himself up in the dark like that must needs be astray in his wits." + +"That is because of his eyes, and his wound. Nobody could talk to him +and doubt his reason." + +"Well, missie, I hope you are in the right; but what my Lady's interest +is, that she is apt to carry out, one way or t'other! Bless me, if that +be not Master Archer screaming. I thought he was fast off to sleep. +There never was a child for hating the dark. Yes, yes, I'm coming, my +dearie! Lack a daisy, if his mamma heard!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. AUGURIES. + + + Venus, thy eternal sway + All the race of man obey. + EURIPIDES (Anstice). + + +Aurelia sat up late to finish her despatches to the beloved ones at +home, and pack the little works she had been able to do for each, though +my Lady's embroidery took up most of her sedentary hours. Mrs. Dove +undertook the care of the guinea's worth of presents to the little +sisters from Sir Amyas, which the prudent nurse advised her to +withhold till after Master Archer was gone, as he would certainly break +everything to pieces. He was up betimes, careering about the garden +with all his sisters after him, imperiously ordering them about, but +nevertheless bewitching them all, so that Amoretta was in ecstasies at +her own preferment, scarcely realising that it would divide her from the +others; while Letty made sure that she should soon follow, and Fidelia +gravely said, "I shall always know you are loving me still, Amy, as +Nurse Rolfe does." + +Lady Belamour breakfasted in her own room at about ten o'clock. Her +woman, Mrs. Loveday, a small trim active person, with the worn and +sharpened remains of considerable prettiness of the miniature brunette +style, was sent to summon Miss Delavie to her apartment and inspect the +embroidery she had been desired to execute for my Lady. Three or four +bouquets had been finished, and the maid went into such raptures over +them as somewhat to disgust their worker, who knew that they were not +half so well done as they would have been under Betty's direction. +However, Mrs. Loveday bore the frame to her Ladyship's room, following +Aurelia, who was there received with the same stately caressing manner +as before. + +"Good morning, child. Your roses bloom well in the forenoon! Pity they +should be wasted in darkness. Not but that you are duly appreciated +there. Ah! I can deepen them by what our unhappy recluse said of you. I +shall make glad hearts at Carminster by his good opinion, and who knows +what preferment may come of it--eh? What is that, Loveday?" + +"It is work your Ladyship wished me to execute," said Aurelia. + +"Handsome--yes; but is that all? I thought the notable Mistress Betty +brought you up after her own sort?" + +"I am sorry, madam, but I could not do it quickly at first without my +sister's advice, and I have not very much time between my care of the +children and preparing repetitions for Mr. Belamour." + +"Ha! ha! I understand. There are greater attractions! Go on, child. +Mayhap it may be your own wedding gown you are working at, if you finish +it in time! Heavens! what great wondering eyes the child has! All in +good time, my dear. I must talk to your father." + +It was so much the custom to talk to young maidens about their marriage +that this did not greatly startle Aurelia, and Lady Belamour continued: +"There, child, you have done your duty well by those little plagues of +mine, and it is Mr. Wayland's desire to make you a recompense. You may +need it in any change of circumstances." + +So saying, she placed in Aurelia's hand five guineas, the largest sum +that the girl had ever owned; and as visions arose of Christmas gifts +to be bestowed, the thanks were so warm, the curtsey so expressively +graceful, the smile so bright, the soft eyes so sparkling, that the +great lady was touched at the sight of such simple-hearted joy, and +said, "There, there, child, that will do. I could envy one whom a little +makes so happy. Now you will be able to make yourself fine when my +son brings home his bride; or--who knows?--you may be a bride yourself +first!" + +That sounds, thought Aurelia, as if Mr. Belamour had made her relinquish +the plan of that cruel marriage, for I am sure I have not yet seen the +man I am to marry. + +And with a lighter heart the young tutoress stood between Fay and Letty +on the steps to see the departure, her cheeks still feeling Amoret's +last fond kisses, and a swelling in her throat bringing tears to her +eyes at the thought how soon that carriage would be at Carminster. Yet +there were sweet chains in the little hands that held her gown, and in +the thought of the lonely old man who depended on her for enlivenment. + +The day was long, for Amoret was missed; and the two children were +unusually fretful and quarrelsome without her, disputing over the +new toys which Brother Amyas's guinea had furnished in demoralising +profusion. It was strange too see the difference made by the loss of the +child who would give up anything rather than meet a look of vexation, +and would coax the others into immediate good humour. There was +reaction, too, after the excitement, for which the inexperienced Aurelia +did not allow. At the twentieth bickering as to which doll should ride +on the spotted hobby-horse, the face of Letty's painted wooden baby +received a scar, and Fay's lost a leg, whereupon Aurelia's endurance +entirely gave way, and she pronounced them both naughty children, and +sent them to bed before supper. + +Then her heart smote her for unkindness, and she sat in the firelight +listless and sad, though she hardly knew why, longing to go up and pet +and comfort her charges, but withheld by the remembrance of Betty's +assurances that leniency, in a like case, would be the ruin of Eugene. + +At last Jumbo came to summon her, and hastily recalling a cheerful air, +she entered the room with "Good evening, sir; you see I am still here to +trouble you." + +"I continue to profit by my gentle friend's banishment. Tell me, was my +Lady in a gracious mood?" + +"O sir, how beautiful she is, and how kind! I know now why my father was +so devoted to her, and no one can ever gainsay her!" + +"The enchantress knows how to cast her spells. She was then friendly?" + +"She gave me five guineas!" said Aurelia exultingly. "She said Mr. +Wayland wished to recompense me." + +"Did he so? If it came from him I should have expected a more liberal +sum." + +"But, oh!" in a tone of infinite surprise and content, "this is more +than I ever thought of. Indeed I never dreamt of her giving me anything. +Sir, may I write to your bookseller, Mr. Tonson, and order a book of Mr. +James Thomson's _Seasons_ to give to my sister Harriet, who is delighted +with the extracts I have copied for her?" + +"Will not that consume a large proportion of the five guineas, my +generous friend?" + +"I have enough left. There is a new gown which I never have worn, which +will serve for the new clothes my Lady spoke of to receive her son's +bride." + +"She entered on that subject then?" + +"Only for a moment as she took leave. Oh, sir, is it possible that she +can know all about this young lady?" + +"What have you heard of her?" + +"Sir, they say she is a dreadful little vixen." + +"Who say? Is she known at Carminster?" + +"No, sir," said Aurelia, disconcerted. "It was from Nurse Dove that I +heard what Sir Amyas's man said when he came back from Battlefield. I +know my sister would chide me for listening to servants." + +"Nevertheless I should be glad to hear. Was the servant old Grey? Then +he is to be depended on. What did he say?" + +Aurelia needed little persuasion to tell all that she had heard from +Mrs. Dove, and he answered, "Thank you, my child, it tallies precisely +with what the poor boy himself told me." + +"Then he has told his mother? Will she not believe him?" + +"It does not suit her to do so, and it is easy to say the girl will be +altered by going to a good school. In fact, there are many reasons more +powerful with her than the virtue and happiness of her son," he added +bitterly. "There's the connection, forsooth. As if Lady Aresfield were +fit to bring up an honest man's wife; and there's the fortune to fill up +the void she has made in the Delavie estates." + +"Can no one hinder it, sir? Cannot you?" + +"As a last resource the poor youth came hither to see whether the +guardian whose wardship has hitherto been a dead letter, were indeed so +utterly obdurate and helpless as had been represented." + +"And you have the power?" + +"So far as his father's will and the injunctions of his final letter +to me can give it, I have full power. My consent is necessary to his +marriage while still a minor, and I have told my Lady I will never give +it to his wedding a Mar." + +"I was sure of it; and it is not true that they will be able to do +without it? + +"Without it! Have you heard any more? You pause. I see--she wishes to +declare me of unsound mind. Is that what you mean?" + +"So Nurse Dove said, sir," faltered Aurelia; "but it seemed too wicked, +too monstrous, to be possible." + +"I understand," he said. "I thought there was an implied threat in +my sweet sister-in-law's soft voice when she spoke of my determined +misanthropy. Well, I think we can guard against that expedient. After +all, it is only till my nephew comes of age, or till his stepfather +returns, that we must keep the enchantress at bay. Then the poor lad +will be safe, providing always that she and her Colonel have not made a +rake of him by that time. Alas, what a wretch am I not to be able to do +more for him! Child, you have seen him?" + +"I danced with him, sir, but I was too much terrified to look in his +face. And I saw his cocked hat over the thorn hedge." + +"Fancy free," muttered Mr. Belamour. "Fair exile for a cocked hat and +diamond shoe-buckles! You would not recognise him again, nor his voice?" + +"No, sir. He scarcely spoke, and I was attending to my steps." + +Mr. Belamour laughed, and then asked Aurelia for the passage in the +_Iliad_ where Venus carries off Paris in a cloud. He thanked her +somewhat absently, and then said, + +"Dr. Godfrey said something of coming hither before he goes to his +living in Dorsetshire. May I ask of you the favour of writing and +begging him to fix a day not far off, mentioning likewise that my +sister-in-law has been here." + +To this invitation Dr. Godfrey replied that he would deviate from the +slow progress of his family coach, and ride to Bowstead, spending two +nights there the next week; and to Aurelia's greater amazement, she +was next requested to write a billet to the Mistresses Treforth in Mr. +Belamour's name, asking them to bestow their company on him for the +second evening of Dr. Godfrey's visit. + +"You, my kind friend, will do the honours," he said, "and we will ask +Mrs. Aylward to provide the entertainment." + +"They will be quite propitiated by being asked to meet Dr. Godfrey," +said Aurelia. "Shall you admit them, sir?" + +"Certainly. You do not seem to find them very engaging company, but they +can scarce be worse than I should find in such an asylum as my charming +sister-in-law seems to have in preparation for me." + +"Oh! I wish I had said nothing about that. It is too shocking!" + +"Forewarned, forearmed, as the proverb says. Do you not see, my amiable +friend, that we are providing a body of witnesses to the sanity of the +recluse, even though he may 'in dark Cimmerian desert ever dwell'?" + +The visit took place; Dr. Godfrey greeted Miss Delavie as an old +friend, and the next day pronounced Mr. Belamour to be so wonderfully +invigorated and animated, that he thought my Lady's malignant plan was +really likely to prove the best possible stimulus and cure. + +Then the Canon gratified the two old ladies by a morning call, dined +with Aurelia and her pupils, who behaved very well, and with whom he +afterwards played for a whole hour so kindly that they placed him second +in esteem to their big and beautiful brother. Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia +came dressed in the faded splendours of the Louis XIV. period, just at +twilight, and were regaled with coffee and pound cake. They were a good +deal subdued, though as Aurelia listened to the conversation, it was +plain enough what Mr. Belamour meant when he said that his cousin Delia +was something of the coquette. + +Still they asked with evident awe if it were true that their unfortunate +cousin really intended to admit them, and they evidently became more and +more nervous while waiting for Jumbo's summons. Dr. Godfrey gave his arm +to Mrs. Phoebe, and Mrs. Delia gripped hold of Aurelia's, trembling all +over, declaring she felt ready to swoon, and marvelling how Miss Delavie +could ever have ventured, all alone too! + +After all, things had been made much less formidable than at Aurelia's +first introduction. The sitting-room was arranged as it was when Mr. +Greaves read prayers, with a very faint light from a shrouded lamp +behind the window curtain. To new comers it seemed pitchy darkness, but +to Aurelia and Dr. Godfrey it was a welcome change, allowing them at +least to perceive the forms of one another, and of the furniture. From +a blacker gulf, being the doorway to the inner room, came Mr. Belamour's +courteous voice of greeting to his kinswomen, who were led up by their +respective guides to take his hand; after which he begged them to excuse +the darkness, since the least light was painful to him still. If they +would be seated he would remain where he was, and enjoy the society he +was again beginning to be able to appreciate. He was, in fact, sitting +within his own room, with eyes covered from even the feeble glimmer in +the outer room. + +It was some minutes before they recovered their self-possession, but +Dr. Godfrey and Mr. Belamour began the conversation, and they gradually +joined in. It was chiefly full of reminiscences of the lively days +when Dr. Godfrey had been a young Cantab visiting his two friends at +Bowstead, and Phoebe and Delia were the belles of the village. Aurelia +scarcely opened her lips, but she was astonished to find how different +the two sisters could be from the censorious, contemptuous beings they +had seemed to her. The conversation lasted till supper-time, and Mr. +Belamour, as they took their leave, made them promise to come and see +him again. Then they were conducted back to the supper-room, Mrs. Phoebe +mysteriously asking "Is he always like this?" + +The experiment had been a great success, and Aurelia completed it by +asking Mrs. Phoebe to take the head of the supper-table. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. THE VICTIM DEMANDED. + + + And if thou sparest now to do this thing, + I will destroy thee and thy land also.--MORRIS. + + +"Well, sir, have you seen my Lady?" + +"Not a year older than when I saw her last," returned Major Delavie, +who had just dismounted from his trusty pony at his garden gate, and +accepted Betty's arm; "and what think you?" he added, pausing that +Corporal Palmer might hear his news. "She has been at Bowstead, and +brings fresh tidings of our Aura. The darling is as fair and sprightly +as a May morning, and beloved by all who come near her--bless her!" + +Palmer echoed a fervent "Amen!" and Betty asked, "Is this my Lady's +report?" + +"Suspicious Betty! You will soon be satisfied," said the Major in high +glee. "Did not Dove meet me at the front door, and Mrs. Dove waylay me +in the hall to tell me that the child looked blooming and joyous, and +in favour with all, gentle and simple? Come her, Eugene, ay, and Harriet +and Arden too. Let us hear what my little maid says for herself. For +look here!" and he held aloft Aurelia's packet, at sight of which Eugene +capered high, and all followed into the parlour. + +Mr. Arden was constantly about the house. There was no doubt that he +would soon be preferred to a Chapter living in Buckinghamshire, and he +had thus been emboldened to speak out his wishes. It would have been +quite beneath the dignity of a young lady of Miss Harriet's sensibility +to have consented, and she was in the full swing of her game at coyness +and reluctance, daily vowing that nothing should induce her to resign +her liberty, and that she should be frightened out of her life by Mr. +Arden's experiments; while her father had cordially received the +minor Canon's proposals, and already treated him as one of the family. +Simpering had been such a fattening process that Harriet was beginning +to resume more of her good looks than had ever been brought back by +Maydew. + +"Open the letter, Betty. Thanks, Arden," as the minor Canon began to +pull off his boots, "only take care of my knee. My Lady has brought +down her little boy, and one of Aurelia's pupils; I declare they are a +perfect pair of Loves. What are you fumbling at, Betty?" + +"The seal, sir, it is a pity to break it," said Betty, producing her +scissors from one of her capacious pockets. "It is an antique, is it +not, Mr. Arden?" + +"A very beautiful gem, a sleeping Cupid," he answered. + +"How could the child have obtained it?" said Harriet. + +"I can tell you," said the Major. "From old Belamour. My Lady was +laughing about it. The little puss has revived the embers of gallantry +in our poor recluse. Says she, 'He has actually presented her with a +ring, nay, a ring bearing Love himself.'" + +Somehow the speech, even at second hand, jarred upon Betty, but her +father was delighted with my Lady's description of his favourite, and +the letters were full of contentment. When the two sisters, arrayed in +their stiffest silks, went up to pay their respects to my Lady the next +afternoon, their reception was equally warm. My Lady was more caressing +to her old acquaintance, Betty, than that discreet personage quite +liked, while she complimented and congratulated Harriet on her lover, +laughing at her bashful disclaimers in such a charmingly teasing fashion +as quite to win the damsel's heart, and convince her that all censure of +Lady Belamour was vile slander. The children were sent for, and Amoret +was called on to show how Cousin Aurelia had taught her to dance, +sing and recite. The tiny minuet performed by her and Archer was an +exceedingly pretty exhibition as far as it went, but the boy had no +patience to conclude, and jumped off into an extemporary _pas seul_, +which was still prettier, and as Amoret was sole exhibitor of the +repetition of Hay's "Hare and many friends," he became turbulent after +the first four lines, and put a stop to the whole. + +Then came in a tall, large, handsome, dashing-looking man, with the air +of a "_beau sabreur_," whom Lady Belamour presented to her cousins as +"Colonel Mar, my son's commandant, you know who has been kind enough to +take Carminster on his way, so as to escort me to the Bath. I am such +a sad coward about highwaymen. And we are to meet dear Lady Aresfield +there to talk over a little matter of business." + +Colonel Mar made a magnificent bow, carelessly, not to say +impertinently, scanned the two ladies, and having evidently decided they +had neither beauty nor fashion to attract him, caught up little Amy in +his arms, and began to play a half teasing, half caressing game with the +children. Betty thought it high time to be gone, and as she took leave, +was requested to send up her little brother to play with his cousins. +This did not prove a success, for Eugene constituted himself champion to +Amoret, of whom Archer was very jealous, though she was his devoted +and submissive slave. Master Delavie's rustic ways were in consequence +pronounced to be too rude and rough for the dainty little town-bred boy, +the fine ladies' pet. + +The Major dined at the Great House, but came home so much dismayed and +disgusted that he could hardly mention even to Betty what he had seen +and heard. He only groaned out at intervals, "This is what the service +is coming to! That fop to be that poor lad's commanding officer! That +rake to be always hovering about my cousin!" + +Others spoke out more plainly. Stories were afloat or orgies ending +in the gallant Colonel being under the supper table, a thing only too +common, but not in the house of a solitary lady who had only lately +quitted the carousers. Half the dependants on the estate were +complaining of the guest's swaggering overbearing treatment of +themselves, or of his insolence to their wives or daughters; and +Betty lived in a dreadful unnamed terror lest he should offer some +impertinence to her father which the veteran's honour might not brook. +However, there was something in the old soldier's dignity and long +service that kept the arrogance of the younger man in check, and +repressed all bluster towards him. + +Demands for money were, as usual, made, but the settlement of accounts +was deferred till the arrival of Hargrave, the family man of business, +who came by coach to Bath, and then rode across to Carminster. The Major +dined that day at the Great House, and came home early, with something +so strange and startled about his looks that Betty feared that her worst +misgivings were realised. It was a relief to hear him say, "Come hither, +Betty, I want a word with you." At least it was no duel! + +"What is it, dear sir?" she asked, as she shut his study door. "Is it +come at last? Must we quit this place?" + +"No, I could bear that better, but what do you think she asks of me +now?--to give my little Aurelia, my beautiful darling, to that madman in +the dark!" + +"Oh!" exclaimed Betty, in a strange tone of discovery. "May I inquire +what you said?" + +"I said--I scarce know what I said. I declared it monstrous, and not +to be thought of for a moment; and then she went on in her fashion that +would wile a bird off a bush, declaring that no doubt the proposal was a +shock, but if I would turn the matter over, I should see it was for the +dear child's advantage. Belamour dotes on her, and after being an old +man's darling for a few years, she may be free in her prime, with an +honourable name and fortune." + +"I dare say. As if one could not see through the entire design. My Lady +would call her sister-in-law to prevent her being daughter-in-law!" + +"That fancy has had no aliment, and must long ago have died out." + +"Listen to Nurse Dove on that matter." + +"Women love to foster notions of that sort." + +"Nay, sir, you believe, as I do, that the poor child was conveyed to +Bowstead in order that the youth might lose sight of her, and since he +proves refractory to the match intended for him, this further device is +found for destroying any possible hope on his part." + +"I cannot say what may actuate my Lady, but if Amyas Belamour be the man +I knew, and as the child's own letters paint him, he is not like to lend +himself to any such arrangement." + +"Comes the offer from him, or is it only a scheme of my Lady's?" + +"He never writes more than a signature, but Hargrave is empowered to +make proposals to me, very handsome proposals too, were not the bare +idea intolerable." + +"Aurelia is not aware of it, I am sure," said Betty, to whom Hargrave +had brought another packet of cheerful innocent despatches, of which, as +usual, the unseen friend in the dark was the hero. + +"Certainly not, and I hope she never may be. I declared the notion was +not to be entertained for a moment; but Urania never, in her life, would +take no for an answer, and she talked me nearly out of my senses, then +bade me go home, think it over, and discuss it with my excellent and +prudent daughter; as if all the thinking and talking in the world could +make it anything but more intolerable." + +His prudent daughter understood in the adjective applied to her a +hint which the wily lady would not have dared to make direct to +the high-spirited old soldier, namely, that the continuance of his +livelihood might depend on his consent. Betty knew likewise enough of +the terrible world of the early eighteenth century to be aware that +even such wedlock as this was not the worst to which a woman like Lady +Belamour might compel the poor girl, who was entirely in her power, and +out of reach of all protection; unless--An idea broke in on her--"If we +could but go to Bowstead, sir," she said, "then we could judge whether +the notion be as repugnant to Aurelia as it is to us, and whether Mr. +Belamour be truly rational and fit to be trusted with her." + +"I tell you, Betty, it is a mere absurdity to think of it. I believe the +child is fond of, and grateful to, the poor man, but if she supposed she +loved him, it would be mere playing on her ignorance." + +"Then we could take her safely home and bear the consequences together, +without leaving her alone exposed to any fresh machination of my Lady." + +"You are right, Betty. You have all your sainted mother's good sense. +I will tell my cousin that this is not a matter to be done blindly, and +that I withhold my reply till I have seen and spoken with her and this +most preposterous of suitors." + +"Yes, it is the only way," said Betty. "We can then judge whether it be +a cruel sacrifice, or whether the child have affection and confidence +enough in him to be reasonably happy with him. What is his age, father?" + +"Let me see. Poor Sir Jovian was much older than Urania, but he died at +forty years old. His brother was some three years his junior. He cannot +be above forty-six or seven. That is not the objection, but the moody +melancholy--Think of our gay sprightly child!" + +"We will see, sir." + +"We! Mistress Betty? The cost will be severe without you!" + +"Nay, sir, I cannot rest without going too; you might be taken ill." + +"You cannot trust a couple of old campaigners like Palmer and me? What +did we do without you?" + +"Got lamed for life," said Betty, saucily. "No, I go on a pillion behind +Palmer, and my grandfather's diamond ring shall pay expenses." + +"Sir Archibald's ring that he put on two baby fingers of yours when he +went off to Scotland." + +"Better part with that then resign my Aurelia in the dark, uncertain +whether it be for her good." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. THE PROPOSAL. + + + Love sweetest lies concealed in night.--T. MOORE. + + +The Major rode up to the Great House to announce that he would only give +his answer after having conferred with both his daughter and the suitor. + +With tears in her beautiful blue eyes, Lady Belamour demanded why her +dear cousin Harry could not trust the Urania he had known all her life +to decide what was for the happiness of the sweet child whom she loved +like her own. + +She made him actually feel as if it were a cruel and unmerited +suspicion, but she did not over come him. "Madam," he said, "it would be +against my orders, as father of a family, to give my child away without +doing my poor best for her." + +There, in spite of all obstacles suggested and all displeasure +manifested, he stuck fast, until, without choosing to wait till a shower +of sleet and rain was over. Vexation and perplexity always overset +his health, and the chill, added to them, rendered him so ill the next +morning that Betty knew there was no chance of his leaving his room for +the next month or six weeks; and she therefore sent a polite and formal +note to the Great House explaining that he could not attend to business. + +This brought upon her the honour of a visit from the great lady herself. +Down came the coach-and-four, and forth from it came Lady Belamour in +a magnificent hoop, the first seen in those parts, managing it with a +grace that made her an overwhelming spectacle, in contrast with Betty, +in her close-fitting dark-grey homespun, plain white muslin apron, cap, +kerchief, and ruggles, scrupulously neat and fresh, but unadorned. The +visit was graciously designed for "good cousin Harry," but his daughter +was obliged, not unwillingly, though quite truly, to declare him far too +suffering with pain and fever. + +"La, you there, then," said the lady, "that comes of the dear man's heat +of temper. I would have kept him till the storm was over but he was far +too much displeased with his poor cousin to listen to me. Come, cousin +Betty, I know you are in all his counsels. You will bring him to hear +reason." + +"The whole affair must wait, madam, till he is able to move." + +"And if this illness be the consequence of one wet ride, how can he be +in a condition to take the journey?" + +"You best know, madam whether a father can be expected to bestow his +daughter in so strange a manner without direct communication either with +her or with the other party." + +"I grant you the idea is at first sight startling, but surely he might +trust to me; and he knows Amyas Belamour, poor man, to be the very soul +of honour; yes, and with all his eccentricity to have made no small +impression on our fair Aurelia. Depend upon it, my dear Betty, romance +carried the day; and the damsel is more enamoured of the mysterious +voice in the dark, than she would be of any lusty swain in the ordinary +light of day." + +"All that may be, madam, but she is scarce yet sixteen, and it is +our duty to be assured of her inclinations and of the gentleman's +condition." + +"You will not trust me, who have watched them both," said Lady Belamour, +with her most engaging manner. "Now look here, my dear, since we are two +women together, safe out of the hearing of the men, I will be round with +you. I freely own myself imprudent in sending your sister to Bowstead +to take charge of my poor little girls, but if you had seen the little +savages they were, you would not wonder that I could not take them home +at once, nor that I should wish to see them acquire the good manners +that I remembered in the children of this house; I never dreamt of Mr. +Belamour heeding the little nursery. He has always been an obstinate +melancholic lunatic, confined to his chamber by day, and wandering like +a ghost by night, refusing all admission. Moreover my good Aylward +had appeared hitherto a paragon of a duenna for discretion, only over +starched in her precision. Little did I expect to find my young lady +spending all her evenings alone with him, and the solitary hermit +transformed into a gay and gallant bachelor like the Friar of Orders +Gray in the song. And since matters have gone to such a length, I, as a +woman who has seen more of the world than you have, my dear good Betty, +think it expedient that the Friar and his charmer should be made one +without loss of time. _We_ know her to be innocence itself, and him for +a very Sidney for honour, but the world--" + +"It is your doing, madam," exclaimed Betty, passionately, completely +overset by the insinuation; "you bid us trust you, and then confess that +you have exposed my sweet sister to be vilely slandered! Oh my Aurelia, +why did I let you out of my sight?" she cried, while hot tears stood in +her eyes. + +"I know your warmth, my dear," said Lady Belamour with perfect command +of temper; "I tell you I blame myself for not having recollected that +a lovely maiden can tame even a savage brute, or that even in the sweet +rural country walls have ears and trees have tongues. Not that any harm +is done so far, nor ever will be; above all if your good father do not +carry his romantic sentiments so far as to be his ruin a second time. +Credit me, Betty, they will not serve in any world save the imaginary +one that crazed Don Quixote. What advantage can the pretty creature +gain? She is only sixteen, quite untouched by true passion. She will +obtain a name and fortune, and become an old man's idol for a few years, +after which she will probably be at liberty by the time she is of an age +to enjoy life." + +"He is but five-and-forty!" said Betty. + +"Well, if she arouse him to a second spring, there will be few women who +will not envy her." + +"You may colour it over, madam," said Betty, drawing herself up, "but +nothing can conceal the fact that you confess yourself to have exposed +my innocent helpless sister to malignant slander; and that you assure +me that the only course left is to marry the poor child to a wretched +melancholic who has never so much as seen her face." + +"You are outspoken, Miss Delavie," said Lady Belamour, softly, but +with a dangerous glitter in her blue eyes. "I pardon your heat for your +father's sake, and because I ascribe it to the exalted fantastic notions +in which you have been bred; but remember that there are bounds to my +forbearance, and that an agent in his state of health, and with his +stubborn ideas, only remains on sufferance." + +"My father has made up his mind to sacrifice anything rather than his +child," cried Betty. + +"My dear girl, I will hear you no more. You are doing him no service," +said Lady Belamour kindly. "You had better be convinced that it is +a sacrifice, or an unwilling one, before you treat me to any more +heroics." + +Betty successfully avoided a parting kiss, and remained pacing up +and down the room to work off her indignation before returning to her +father. She was quite as angry with herself, as with my Lady, for having +lost her temper, and so given her enemy an advantage, more especially as +when her distress became less agitating, her natural shrewdness began to +guess that the hint about scandal was the pure fruit of Lady Belamour's +invention, as an expedient for obtaining her consent. Yet the mere +breath of such a possibility of evil speaking was horror to her, and she +even revolved the question of going herself to Bowstead to rescue her +sister. But even if the journey had been more possible, her father was +in no condition to be left to Harriet's care, and there was nothing to +be done except to wait till he could again attend to the matter, calm +herself as best she could, so as not to alarm him, and intercept all +dangerous messages. + +Several days had passed, and though the Major had not left his bed, he +had asked whether more had been heard from my Lady, and discussed the +subject with his daughter, when a letter arrived in due course of post. +It was written in a large bold hand, and the signature, across a crease +in the paper, was in the irregular characters that the Major recognised +as those of Mr. Belamour. + + +"DEAR AND HONOURED SIR, + + "Proposals have been made to you on my Behalf for the Hand of your +fair and amiable Daughter, Miss Aurelia Delavie. I am well aware how +preposterous and even shocking they may well appear to you; yet, let me +assure you, on the Faith of a Man of Honour that if you will entrust +her to me, wretched Recluse though I be, and will permit her to bear my +Name, I will answer for her Happiness and Welfare. Situated as I am, +I cannot enter into further explanations; but we are old Acquaintance, +though we have not met for many Years, and therefore I venture to beg of +you to believe me when I say that if you will repose Confidence in +me, and exercise Patience, I can promise your admirable Daughter such +Preferment as she is far from expecting. She has been the Blessing of +my darkened Life, but I would never have presumed to ask further were it +not that I have no other Means of protecting her, nor of shielding her +from Evils that may threaten her, and that might prove far worse than +bearing the Name of + + "Your obedient Servant to command, + "AMYAS BELAMOUR. + +"Bowstead Park, Dec. 3rd, 1737." + + +"Enigmatical!" said Betty. + +"It could hardly be otherwise if he had to employ a secretary" said her +father. "Who can have written for him?" + +"His friend, Dr. Godfrey, most probably," said Betty. "It is well spelt +as well as indited, and has not the air of being drawn up by a lawyer." + +"No, it is not Hargrave's hand. It is strange that he says nothing of +the settlements." + +"Here is a postscript, adding, 'Should you consent, Hargrave will give +you ample satisfaction as to the property which I can settle on your +daughter.'" + +"Of that I have no doubt," said the Major. "Well, Betty, on reflection, +if I were only secure that no force was put on the child's will, and if +I could exchange a few words face to face with Amyas Belamour, I should +not be so utterly averse as I was at first sight. She is a good child, +and if she like him, and find it not hard to do her duty by him, she +might be as happy as another. And since she is out of our reach it might +save her from worse. What say you, child?" + +"That last is the strongest plea with me," said Betty, with set lips. + +They took another evening for deliberation, but there was something in +the tone of the letter that wrought on them, and it ended in a cautious +consent being given, on the condition of the father being fully +satisfied of his daughter's free and voluntary acquiescence. + +"After all," he said to Betty, "I shall be able to go up to Bowstead for +the wedding, and if I find that her inclinations have been forced, I can +take her away at all risks." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. WOOING IN THE DARK. + + + You may put out my eyes with a ballad-maker's pen, and hang me + up for the sign of blind Cupid.--_Much Ado About Nothing_. + + +Aurelia had been walking in the park with her two remaining charges, +when a bespattered messenger was seen riding up to the door, and Letitia +dropped her hoop in her curiosity and excitement. + +Lady Belamour, on obtaining the Major's partial acquiescence, had felt +herself no longer obliged to vegetate at Carminster, but had started for +Bath, while the roads were still practicable; and had at the same time +sent off a courier with letters to Bowstead. Kind Mrs. Dove had sent +a little packet to each of the children, but they found Cousin Aura's +sympathy grievously and unwontedly lacking, and she at last replied to +their repeated calls to here to share their delight, that they must run +away, and display their treasures to Molly and Jumbo. She must read her +letters alone. + +The first she had opened was Betty's, telling her of her father's +illness, which was attributed in great part to the distress and +perplexity caused by Lady Belamour's proposal. Had it not been for +this indisposition, both father and sister would have come to judge for +themselves before entertaining it for a moment; but since the journey +was impossible, he could only desire Betty to assure her sister that +no constraint should be put on her, and that if she felt the least +repugnance to the match, she need not consider her obliged to submit. +More followed about the religious duty of full consideration and prayer +before deciding on what would fix her destiny for life, but all was +so confusing to the girl, entirely unprepared as she was, that after +hastily glancing on in search of an explanation which she failed +to find, she laid it aside, and opened the other letter. It began +imperially + + + "MY COUSIN, + + "No doubt you are already informed of the Honour that has been +done you by the Proposal that Mr. Amyas Belamour has made to your Father +for your Hand. It is no slight Compliment to a young Maid like you, from +one of the most noted Wits about Town in the last Reign; and you will +no doubt shew the Good Sense to esteem yourself fortunate beyond all +reasonable Expectations or Deserts of your own, as well as to act for +the Advantage of your Family. Be assured that I shall permit no foolish +Flightiness nor Reluctance to interfere with you true Welfare. I say +this, because, as you well know, your Father's Affection is strong and +blind, and you might easily draw him into a Resistance which could but +damage both his Health and his Prospects. On receiving the tidings +of your Marriage, I promise to settle on him the Manor House with an +Annuity of Three hundred Pounds; but if he should support you in any +foolish Refusal, I shall be obliged to inform him that I can dispense +with his Services; therefore you will do wisely to abstain from any +childish expressions of Distaste. + +"On your Marriage, you will of course have the enjoyment of the Pin Money +with which Mr. Belamour will liberally endow you, and be treated in all +Respects as a Married Lady. My Daughters shall be sent to School, unless +you wish to make them your Companions a little longer. Expecting to +hear from you that you are fully sensible to the good Fortune and the +Obligations you are under to me, + + "I remain + "Yours &c. + "URANIA BELAMOUR." + + +It was with a gasp of relief that Aurelia discovered what was required +of her. "Marry Mr. Belamour? Is that all? Then why should they all think +I should so much dislike it, my Lady, and my papa, and sister and all? +Nobody ever was so good to me, and maybe I could make him a little +happier, though it is not what I expected of him, to forget his Mary! +Oh, no, I am not afraid; I might have been afraid six months ago, but +now it is a different thing. I am not so foolish! And my dear papa will +have the Manor House for ever! And Eugene will be able to go to a good +school and have a pair of colours in good time! A fortunate girl! Yes, +of course I am! Then Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia will not flout me any +more, even if young Sir Amyas should come here! Ah! here are the little +girls returning! Keep them here? Of course I will. What toys and books I +will get for them!" + +Yet, when the time for her summons drew nigh, a great dread and shyness +overcame her, lest Mr. Belamour should begin on the subject; and she +only nerved herself by recollecting that he could have had no one to +read to him her father's letter of reply, and that he was scarcely +likely to speak without knowing the contents. Still, it was only shyness +and embarrassment that made her advance timidly, but in one moment a +new sensation, a strange tremor came over her, as instead of merely her +finger-tips, her whole hand was grasped and fervently pressed, and in +the silence that ensued the throbbing of her heart and the panting of +her breath seemed to find an echo. However, the well-known voice began, +"My fair visitor is very good in honouring me to-night." + +Was it coming? Her heart gave such a throb that she could only murmur +something inarticulate, while there was a hasty repressed movement near +her. + +"You have heard from your father?" said Mr. Belamour. + +"My father is ill, sir," she faltered. + +"Ah, yes, so I was sorry to understand. Has he not sent a message to you +through your sister?" + +"He has, sir," Aurelia continued, with difficulty, to utter. + +There was another silence, another space of tightened breath and +beating heart, absolutely audible, and again a hushed, restless movement +heralded Mr. Belamour's next words, "Did I no tell you truly that my +Lady devises most unexpected expedients?" + +"Then would you not have it so, sir?" asked Aurelia, in a bewildered +voice of perplexity. "Oh!" as again one of those echoes startled her, +"tell me what it all means." + +"Hush! listen to me," said Mr. Belamour, in a voice that added to her +undefined alarm by what seemed to her imperious displeasure as uncalled +for as it was unusual; but the usual fatherly gentleness immediately +prevailed, "My child, I should never have entertained the thought for a +moment but for--but for Lady Belamour. This sounds like no compliment," +he added, catching himself up, and manifesting a certain embarrassment +and confusion very unlike his usual calm dignity of demeanour, and thus +adding to the strange fright that was growing upon Aurelia. "But you +must understand that I would not--even in semblance--have dreamt of +your being apparently linked to age, sorrow, and infirmity, save +that--strange as it may seem--Lady Belamour has herself put into +my hands the best means of protecting you, and finally, as I trust, +securing your happiness." + +"You are very good, sir," she continued to breathe out, amid the +flutterings of her heart, and the reply produced a wonderful outburst of +ardour in a low but fervent voice. "You will! You will! You sweetest of +angels, you will be mine!" + +There was something so irresistibly winning in the sound, that it drew +forth an answer from the maiden's very heart. "Oh! yes, indeed--" and +before she could utter another word she was snatched into a sudden, +warm, vehement embrace, from which she was only partly released, +as--near, but still not so near as she would have expected--this +extraordinary suitor seemed to remonstrate with his ardent self, saying, +"Now! now! that will do! So be it then, my child," he continued. "Great +will be the need of faith, patience, trust, ay, and of self-restraint, +but let these be practised for a little space, and all will be well." + +She scarcely heard the latter words. The sense of something irrevocable +and unfathomable was overpowering her. The mystery of these sudden +alterations of voice, now near, now far off, was intolerable. Here were +hands claiming her, fervent, eager breathings close upon her, and +that serious, pensive voice going on all that time. The darkness grew +dreadful to her, dizziness came over her; she dashed aside the hands, +started up with a scream, and amid the strange noises and flashes of a +swoon, knew no more till she heard Mrs. Aylward's voice over her, found +the horrid smell of burnt feathers under her nose, and water trickling +down her face, dim candlelight was round her, and she perceived that she +was on a low settee in the lobby. + +"There, she is coming round. You may tell your master, Jumbo, 'twas +nothing but the mince pies." + +"Oh, no--" began Aurelia, but her own voice seemed to come from +somewhere else, and being inexperienced in fainting, she was frightened. + +"That is right, you are better. Now, a drop of strong waters." + +Aurelia choked, and put them aside, but was made to swallow the draught, +and revived enough to ask, "How came I here?" + +"Jumbo must have carried you out, ma'am, and laid you here before ever +he called any one," said Mrs. Aylward. "Dear, dear, to think of your +being taken like that. But the tins of those mince-pies are over large! +You must halve one next time." + +Aurelia was sensible enough to the reproof of greediness to begin to +protest against the mince-pie theory, but she recollected that she could +not account for her swoon, and thereupon became as red as she had been +pale, thus confirming the housekeeper's opinion. A sound of footsteps +made her start up and cry, "What's that?" in nervous fright; but Mrs. +Aylward declared it was fancy, and as she was by this time able to walk, +she was conducted to her own room. There she was examined on her recent +diet, and was compelled to allow the housekeeper to ascribe her illness +to neglect of autumnal blood-letting and medicine; and she only stave +off the send for the barber and his lancet the next morning by promising +to swallow a dose compounded of all that was horrible. + +She was altogether much shaken, she dreamed strange dreams by night, was +capable of little by day, was declared by the children to be cross, and +was much inclined to plead indisposition as an excuse for not visiting +that alarming room in the evening. Indeed for the greater part of the +day she felt as if she must avail herself of the pretext, and as if she +neither could nor would encounter that strange double creature in the +dark; but somehow she had been as much fascinated as terrified, and, in +spite of her resolve, she found herself mechanically following Jumbo, +shuddering all over and as cold as ice. + +The dark chambers were warmed by German stoves, so that the atmosphere +was always equable, and it seemed to revive her, while a kind, warm hand +led her as usual to her seat, and it was the usual gentle, courteous, +paternal tone that addressed her, "How chill and trembling you are! My +poor child, you were sadly alarmed last night." + +Aurelia murmured some excuse about being very foolish. + +"It was not you who was foolish," was the reply; and though her hand +was retained it was evidently for the sake of warming it, and comforting +her, not of caressing it in the startling mode of yesterday. There was +a pause, during which her composure began to be restored, and some +inquiries whether she were quite recovered; to which she replied with +eager affirmatives, feeling indeed quite herself again, now that all was +in its familiar state around her. Then this strange suitor spoke again. +"It is a hard and cruel fate that my Lady has sought to impose on you." + +"Oh, do not say so, sir I---" + +"No," he interrupted somewhat hastily, "do not try to deny it, my child; +I know better than you can what it would amount to. Believe me, I +only lend myself to her arrangement because I know no better means of +guarding you and preserving you for better days." + +"I know how kind you are, sir." + +"And you trust me?" + +"Indeed I do." + +"That is all I ask. I shall never be a husband to you more than in name, +Aurelia, nor ask of you more than you give me now, namely, your sweet +presence for a few hours in the evening, without seeing me. Can you bear +thus to devote your young life, for a time at least?" + +"You know, sir, how glad I always am to be with you," said Aurelia, +relieved yet half regretting that strange fervour. "I will do my very +best to please you." + +"Ah! sweet child," he began, with a thrill of deep feeling in his voice; +but checking himself he continued, "All I ask is patience and trust for +a time--for a time--you promise it!" + +"With all my heart," said Aurelia. + +"I will use my best endeavours to requite that trust, my child," he +said. "Is not the Christian watchword faith, not sight? It must be yours +likewise." + +"I hope so," she said, scarcely understanding. + +He then interrogated her somewhat closely as to the letters which had +prepared her for the proposal; and as Aurelia was far too simple to +conceal anything under cross-examination, Mr. Belamour soon found out +what her Ladyship's threats and promises had been. + +"The Manor House?" he said. "That is the original nucleus of the +property which had hitherto gone to the heir male?" + +"So my sister told me," said Aurelia. + +"That letter, which Dr. Godfrey read to me, spoke of my poor brother's +discomfort in holding it. It is well if thus tardily she refund it, +though not as your price, my poor child. It should have been as +matter of justice, if not by her husband's dying wish. So this is +the alternative set before you! Has it been set before your father +likewise?" + +"Almost certainly she will have threatened to dismiss him if he do not +consent. It was that which made my sister decide on sending me here, or +what would become of him and Eugene? But I should think my Lady knew my +father better than to seem to offer any kind of price, as you call it, +for me." + +"Precisely. You have heard from this maternal sister of yours? Does he +then give his consent?" + +"They say they will not have my inclinations forced, and that they had +rather undergo anything than that I should be driven to--to--" + +"To be as much a sacrifice as Iphigenia," he concluded the sentence. + +"Indeed, sir," said Aurelia, quite restored, "I cannot see why they +should imagine me to have such objections, or want me to be so cautious +and considerate. I shall write to my papa that it is not at all +repugnant to me, for that you are very, very good to me; and if I can +make your time pass ever so little more pleasantly, it is a delight to +me. I am sure I shall like you better than if---" + +"Stay, stay, child," he said, half laughing; "remember, it is as a +father that I ask you to love and trust the old recluse." + +She thought she had been forward, crimsoned in the dark, and retired +into her shell for the rest of the evening. She was glad when with his +usual tact, Mr. Belamour begged for the recitation he knew she could +make with the least effort of memory. + +At the end, however, she ventured to ask--"Sir, shall I be permitted +ever to see my father and sister?" + +"Certainly, my child. In due time I hope you will enjoy full liberty, +though you may have to wait for it." + +Aurelia durst not ask what was in her mind, whether they would not +come to the wedding, but that one great hope began to outweigh all +the strange future. She began to say something about being too young, +ignorant, and foolish for him, but this was kindly set aside, she hardly +knew how. Mr. Belamour himself suggested the formula in which she might +send her consent to Lady Belamour, begging at the same time to retain +the company of the little Misses Wayland. To her father she wrote such +a letter as might satisfy all doubts as to the absence of all repugnance +to the match, and though the Major had sacrificed all to love and honour +himself, _mariages de convenance_ were still so much the rule, and +wives, bestowed in all passiveness with unawakened hearts, so +often proved loving and happy matrons, that it would have been held +unreasonable to demand more than absence of dislike on the part of the +bride. + +Therewith things returned to their usual course, and she was beginning +to feel as if all had been a dream, when one evening, about a week +later, her suitor appeared to have one of those embarrassing fits of +youthful ardour; her hand was passionately seized, caressed, toyed with +by a warm strong hand, and kissed by lips that left a burning impression +and that were no longer hairy. Surely he had been shaving! Was the time +for which he bade her wait, his full recovery, and the resumption of the +youthfulness that seemed to come on him in fits and starts, and then to +ebb away, and leave him the grave courteous old man she had first +known? And why was it always in a whisper that he spoke forth all those +endearments which thrilled her with such strange emotions? + +When she came into the light, she found her fourth finger encircled with +an exquisite emerald ring, which seemed to bind her to her fate, and +make her situation tangible. Another time she was entreated to give a +lock of her hair, and she of course did so, though it was strange that +it should confer any pleasure on her suitor in the dark. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. THE MUFFLED BRIDEGROOM. + + + This old fantastical Duke of dark corners.-- + _Measure for Measure._ + + +There was some coming and going of Mr. Hargrave in the ensuing weeks; +and it began to be known that Miss Delavie was to become the wife of +the recluse. Mrs. Aylward evidently knew it, but said nothing; Molly +preferred a petition to be her waiting maid; Jumbo grinned as if +over-powered with inward mirth; the old ladies in the pew looked more +sour and haughty than ever to discourage "the artful minx," and the +little girls asked all manner of absurd and puzzling questions. + +My Lady was still at Bath, and Aurelia supposed that the marriage would +take place on her return; and that the Major and Betty would perhaps +accompany her. The former was quite in his usual health again, and had +himself written to give her his blessing as a good dutiful maiden, +and declare that he hoped to be with her for her wedding, and to give +himself to his honoured friend. + +She was the more amazed and startled when, one Sunday evening in spring, +Mr. Hargrave came to her as she sat in her own parlour, saying, "Madam, +you will be amazed, but under the circumstances, the parson and +myself being both here, Mr. Belamour trusts you will not object to the +immediate performance of the ceremony." + +Aurelia took some moments to realise what the ceremony was; and then she +cried, "Oh! but my father meant to have been here." + +"Mr. Belamour thinks it better not to trouble Major Delavie to come +up," said Mr. Hargrave; and as Aurelia stood in great distress and +disappointment at this disregard of her wishes, he added, "I think Miss +Delavie cannot fail to understand Mr. Belamour's wishes to anticipate +my Lady's arrival, so that he may be as little harassed as possible with +display and publicity. You may rely both on his honour and my vigilance +that all is done securely and legally." + +"Oh! I know that," said Aurelia, blushing; "but it is so sudden! And I +was thinking of my father---" + +"Your honoured father has given full consent in writing," said the +steward. "Your doubts and scruples are most natural, my dear madam, but +under the circumstances they must give way, for it would be impossible +to Mr. Belamour to go through a public wedding." + +That Aurelia well knew, though she had expected nothing so sudden or +so private; but she began to feel that she must allow all to be as he +chose; and she remembered that she had never pressed on him her longing +for her father's presence, having taken it as a matter of course, and +besides, having been far too shy to enter on the subject of her wedding. +So she rose up as in a dream, saying, "Shall I go as I am?" + +"I fear a fuller toilet would be lost upon the bridegroom," said the +lawyer with some commiseration, as he looked at the beautiful young +creature about to be bound to the heart-broken old hermit. "You will +have to do me the honour of accepting my services in the part of +father." + +He was a man much attached to the family, and especially to Mr. +Belamour, his first patron, and was ready to do anything at his bidding +or for his pleasure. Such private weddings were by no uncommon up to +the middle of the last century. The State Law was so easy as to render +Gretna Green unnecessary, when the presence of any clergyman anywhere, +while the parties plighted their troth before witnesses, was sufficient +to legalise the union; nor did any shame or sense of wrong necessarily +attach to such marriages. Indeed they were often the resource of +persons too bashful or too refined to endure the display and boisterous +merriment by which a public wedding was sure to be attended. Every one +knew of excellent and respectable couples who had not been known to be +married till the knot had been tied for several days or weeks--so that +there was nothing in this to shock the bride. And as usual she did as +she was told, and let Mr. Hargrave lead her by her finger-tips towards +Mr. Belamour's apartments. Mrs. Aylward was waiting in the lobby, with +a fixed impassive countenance, intended to imply that though obedient +to the summons to serve as a witness, it was no concern of hers. On the +stairs behind her the maids were leaning over the balusters, stuffing +their aprons into their mouths lest their tittering should betray them. + +The sitting-room was nearly, but not quite, dark, for a lamp, closely +shaded, cast a dim light on a Prayer-book, placed on a small table, +behind which stood poor Mr. Greaves--a black spectre, whose white bands +were just discernible below a face whose nervous, disturbed expression +was lost in the general gloom. He carefully avoided looking at the +bride, fearing perhaps some appeal on her part such as would make his +situation perplexing. Contempt and poverty had brought his stamp of +clergymen very low, and rendered them abject. He had been taken by +surprise, and though assured that this was according to my Lady's will, +and with the consent of the maiden's father, he was in an agony of +fright, shifting awkwardly from leg to leg, and ruffling the leaves +of the book, as a door opened and the bridegroom appeared, followed by +Jumbo. + +Aurelia looked up with bashful eagerness, and saw in the imperfect light +a tall figure entirely covered by a long dark dressing-gown, a grey, +tight curled lawyer's wig on the head, and the upper part of the face +sheltered from the scanty rays of the lamp by a large green shade. + +Taking his place opposite to her as Mr. Hargrave arranged them, he bowed +in silence to the clergyman, who, in a trembling voice, began the rite +which was to unite Amyas Belamour to Aurelia Delavie. He intended to +shorten the service, but his nervous terror and the obscurity of the +room made him stumble in finding the essential passages, and blunder in +dictating the vows, thus increasing the confusion and bewilderment of +poor little Aurelia. Somehow her one comfort was in the touch of the +hand that either clasped hers, or held the ring on her finger--a strong, +warm, tender, trustworthy hand, neither as white nor as soft as she +would have expected, but giving her a comfortable sense both of present +support and affection, and of identity with that eager one which had +sought to fondle and caress her. There was a certain tremor about +both, but hers was from bashful fright, his, from scarcely suppressed +eagerness. + +The steward had a form of certificate ready for signature. When it was +presented to the bridegroom he put up his hand for a moment as if to +push back the shade, but, in dread of admitting even a feeble ray of +light, gave up the attempt, took the pen and wrote Amyas Belamour where +the clergyman pointed. Aurelia could hardly see what she was doing, and +knew she had written very badly. The lawyer and housekeeper followed as +witnesses; and the bridegroom, laying a fee of ten guineas on the desk, +took his bride by the hand and led her within the door whence he had +issued. It was instantly closed, and at the same moment she was enfolded +in a pair of rapturous arms, and held to a breast whose throbs wakened +response in her own, while passionate kisses rained on her face, mingled +with ecstatic whispers and murmurs of "Mine! mine! my own!" + +On a knock at the door she was hastily released, and Mr. Hargrave said, +"Here are the certificates, sir."--Mr. Belamour put one into her hand, +saying "Keep it always about you; never part with it. And now, my child, +after all the excitement you have gone through, you shall be subjected +to no more to-night. Fare you well, and blessings attend your dreams." + +Strange that while he was uttering this almost peremptory dismissal, she +should feel herself in a clinging grasp, most unwilling to let her go! +What did it all mean? Could she indeed be a wife, when here she was +alone treading the long dark stair, in looks, in habits, in externals, +still only the little governess of my Lady's children! However, she had +hardly reached her room, before there was a knock at the door, and +the giggling, blushing entrance of Molly with "Please, ma'am, Madam +Belamour, I wishes you joy with all my heart. Please can't I do nothing +for you? Shall I help you undress, or brush your hair?" + +Perhaps she expected a largesse in honour of the occasion, but Aurelia +had spent all her money on Christmas gifts, and had nothing to bestow. +However, she found on the breakfast-table a parcel addressed to Madam +Belamour, containing a purse with a startling amount of golden guineas +in it. She was rather surprised at the title, which was one generally +conferred on dignified matrons whose husbands were below the rank of +knighthood, such as the wives of country squires and of the higher +clergy. The calling her mother Madam Delavie had been treated as an +offence by Lady Belamour; and when the day had gone by, with nothing +else to mark it from others, Aurelia, finding her recluse in what she +mentally called his quiet rational mood, ventured, after thanking him, +modestly to inquire whether that was what she was to be called. + +"It is better thus," hes said. "You have every right to the title." + +She recollected that he was a baronet's younger son, a distinction in +those days; and that she had been told that his patent of knighthood +had been made out, though he had never been able to appear at court to +receive the accolade, and had never assumed the title; so she only +said "Very well, sir, I merely thought whether my Lady would think it +presuming." + +He laughed a little. "My Lady will soon understand it," he said. +"Her husband will be at home in a few weeks. And now, my dear Madam +Belamour," he add playfully, "tell me whether there is any wish that I +can gratify." + +"You are very kind, sir---" + +"What does that pause mean, my fair friend?" + +"I fear it is too much to ask, sir, but since you inquire what would +please me most, it would be if you could spare me to go to my sister +Harriet's wedding?" + +"My child," he said, with evident regret, "I fear that cannot be. It +will not be prudent to make any move until Mr. Wayland's return; but +after that I can assure you of more liberty. Meantime, let us consider +what wedding present you would like to send her." + +Aurelia had felt her request so audacious that she subsided easily; +and modestly suggested a tea-service. She thought of porcelain, but Mr. +Belamour's views were of silver, and it ended in the lady giving the +cups and saucers, and the gentleman the urn and the tea and coffee +pots and other plate; but it was a drawback to the pleasure of this +munificence that the execution of the order had to be entrusted to Mr. +Hargrave. The daring hope Aurelia had entertained of shopping for a day, +with Mrs. Aylward as an escort, and choosing the last fashions to send +to her sisters was quashed by the grave reply that it was better not for +the present. What was the meaning of all this mystery, and when was it +to end? She felt that it would be ungrateful to murmur, for Mr. Belamour +evidently was full of sorrow whenever he was obliged to disappoint her, +and much was done for her pleasure. A charming little saddle-horse, two +riding-habits, with a groom, and a horse for him, were sent down from +London for her benefit; gifts showered upon her; and whenever she found +her husband in one of those perplexing accesses of tenderness she was +sure to carry away some wonderful present, a beautiful jewelled watch, +an _etui_ case, a fan, a scent-bottle, or patch-box with a charming +enamel of a butterfly. The little girls were always looking for +something pretty that she would show them in the morning, and thought +it must be a fine thing to have a husband who gave such charming things. +Those caressing evenings, however, always frightened Aurelia, and sent +her away vaguely uneasy, often to lie awake full of a vague yearning +and alarm; and several days of restlessness would pass before she could +return to her ordinary enjoyment of her days with the children and her +evenings with Mr. Belamour. Yet when there was any long intermission +of those fits of tender affection, she missed them sorely, and began to +fear she had given offence, especially as this strangely capricious man +seemed sometimes to repel those modest, timid advances which at other +times would fill him with ill-suppressed transport. Then came longings +to see and satisfy herself as to what was indeed the aspect of him whom +she was learning to love. + +No wonder there was something unsettled and distressed about her, +overthrowing much of that gentle duteous ness which she had brought from +home. She wrote but briefly and scantily to her sister, not feeling as +if she could give full confidence; she drifted away from some of the +good habits enjoined on her, feeling that, as a married woman, she was +less under authority. She was less thorough in her religious ways, less +scrupulous in attending to the children's lessons; and the general fret +of her uncertainties told upon her temper with them. They loved her +heartily still, and she returned their affection, but she was not so +uniformly patient and good-humoured. Indeed since Amoret's departure +some element of harmony was missing, and it could not now be said that +a whine, a quarrel, or a cry was a rare event. Even the giving up my +lady's wearisome piece of embroidery had scarcely a happy effect, +for Aurelia missed the bracing of the task-work and the attention it +required, and the unoccupied time was spent in idle fretting. A little +self-consequence too began to set in, longing for further recognition of +the dignities of Madam Belamour. + +The marriage had been notified to Lady Belamour and to Major Delavie, +and letters had been received from each. My Lady travelled to London +early in April in company with Lady Aresfield, and, to the relief of +the inmates of Bowstead, made no deviation thither. No one else was +officially told that the wedding had taken place, but all the village +knew it; and Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia so resented it that they +abandoned the state pew to Madam Belamour and the children, made their +curtsies more perpendicularly than ever, and, when formally invited to +supper, sent a pointed and ceremonious refusal, so that Aurelia felt +hurt and angered. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. THE SISTERS' MEETING. + + + By all hope thou hast to see again + Our aged father and to soothe his pain, + I charge thee, tell me, hast thou seen the thing + Thou callst thine husband?--MORRIS. + + +After numerous delays Mr. Arden had at length been presented to the +living of Rundell Canonicorum, and in one of the last days of April +Harriet Delavie had become his wife. After a fortnight of festivities +amongst their old Carminster friends, the happy couple were to ride, +pillion-wise, to take possession of tier new home, passing through +London, and there spending time enough with some relations of the +bridegroom to show Harriet the wonders of the City. + +Thence Mrs. Arden sent an urgent invitation from her hospitable hostess +to Mrs. Belamour, to come and spend some days in Gracechurch Street and +share with her sister the pleasures of the first sight of London. + +"I assure you," wrote Harriet, "that though they be Woolstaplers, it +is all in the Wholesale Line; and they are very genteel, and well-bred +Persons, who have everything handsome about them. Indeed it is upon the +Cards that the Alderman may, ere many years be passed, be my Lord Mayor; +but yet he and his good Wife have a proper Appreciation of Family, and +know how to esteem me as one of the Delavies. They would hold themselves +infinitely honoured by your Visit; and if you were here, we might even +be invited to Lady Belamour's, and get Tickets for Ranelagh. I called at +my Lady's Door, but she was not within, nor has she returned my Visit, +though I went in the Alderman's own Coach; but if you were with me +she would have no Colour for Neglect, you being now her Sister-in-law, +though it makes me laugh to think of it. But as we poor married Ladies +are compelled to obey our Lords and Masters; and as Mr. Belamour may +chance to be too high in his Notions to permit you to be a Guest in this +House (as I told our good Cousin Arden was very like), we intend to lie +a Night at Brentford, and remain there for a Day, trusting that your +Husband will not be so cruel as to prevent a Meeting, either by your +coming to see us, or our coming to see you in your present Abode, which +I long to do. It is a Year since we parted, and I cannot tell you how I +long to clasp my beloved Sister in my Arms." + +Harriet could not long more for such a meeting than did Aurelia, and +there was, it must be owned, a little relief, that it was Harriet, and +not the severer judge, Betty, who thus awaited her. She could hardly +brook the delay until the evening, and even wondered whether it were not +a wife's privilege to anticipate the hour; but she did not venture, and +only hovered about impatient for Jumbo's summons. She came in with a +rapid movement that led Mr. Belamour to say, "Ha, my fair visitor, I +perceive that you have some tidings to bring to-day." + +Everything was rapidly poured out, and she anxiously awaited the +decision. She had little hope of being allowed to go to Gracechurch +Street, and did not press for it; but she could not refrain from showing +her earnest desire for the sight of her sister, so that it was plain +that it would have been a cruel disappointment to her, if she had been +prevented from meeting the newly-married couple. She detected a certain +sound of annoyance or perplexity in the tones that replied, and her +accents became almost plaintively imploring as she concluded, "Pray, +pray, sir, do not deny me." + +"No, my child, I could not be cruel enough for a refusal," he answered; +"I was but considering how most safely the thing may be contrived. I +know it would be your wish, and that it would seem more befitting that +you should act as hostess for your sister, but I fear that must be for +another time. This is not my house, and there are other reasons for +which it would be wiser for you to receive no one here." + +"It will be quite enough for me if I may only go to Brentford to meet my +dear, dear Harriet." + +"Then be it so, my child. Present my compliments to Mrs. Arden, and +entreat her to excuse the seeming inhospitality of the invalid." + +Aurelia was overflowing with joy at the anticipated meeting, wrote a +delighted letter to make the appointment, and skipped about the dark +stairs and passages more like the butterfly she was than like Madam +Belamour; while Fay and Letty found her a more delightful playfellow +than ever, recovering all the animation she had lost during the last +weeks. Her only drawback to the pleasure was that each intervening +evening convinced her more strongly that Mr. Belamour was uneasy and +dissatisfied about the meeting, which he could not prohibit. On the +previous night he asked many questions about her sister, in especial +whether she were of an inquisitive disposition. + +"That rather depends on how much she has to say about herself," returned +Aurelia, after some reflection. "She likes to hear about other people's +affairs, but she had much rather talk of her own." + +This made Mr. Belamour laugh. "Considering," he said, "how recently she +has undergone the greatest event of a woman's life, let us hope that her +imagination and her tongue may be fully occupied by it during the few +hours that you are to pass together. It seems hard to put any restraint +on your ingenuous confidence, my sweet friend; but I trust to your +discretion to say as little as you can contrive of your strange position +here, and of the infirmities and caprices of him whose name you have +deigned to bear." + +"Sir, do you think I could?" + +"It is not for my own sake, but for yours, that I would recommend +caution," he continued. "The situation is unusual, and such disclosures +might impel persons to interfere for what they thought your interest; +but you have promised me your implicit trust, and you will, I hope, +prove it. You can understand how painful would be such well-meaning +interference, though you cannot understand how fatally mischievous it +would be." + +"I had better say I can tell her nothing," said Aurelia, startled. + +"Nay, that would excite still greater suspicion. Reply briefly and +carefully, making no mysteries to excite curiosity, and avert the +conversation from yourself as much as possible." + +Man of the world and brilliant talker as he had been, he had no notion +of the difficulty of the task he had imposed on the simple open-hearted +girl, accustomed to share all her thoughts with her sister; and she was +too gay and joyous to take full note of all his cautions, only replying +sincerely that she hoped that she should say nothing amiss, and that she +would do her best to be heedful of his wishes. + +In spite of all such cautions, she was too happy to take in the notion +of anxiety. She rose early in the morning, caring for the first time +to array herself in the insignia of her new rank. Knowing that the +bridle-path lay through parks, woodlands and heaths, so that there was +no fear of dust, she put on a dainty habit of white cloth, trimmed and +faced with blue velvet, and a low-crowned hat with a white feather. On +her pretty grey horse, the young Madam Belamour was a fair and gracious +sight, as she rode into the yard of the Red Lion at Brentford. Harriet +was at the window watching for her, and Mr. Arden received her as she +sprang off her steed, then led her up to the parlour, where breakfast +was spread awaiting her. + +"Aurelia, what a sweet figure you make," cried Harriet, as the sisters +unwound their arms after the first ecstasy of embracing one another +again. "Where did you get that exquisite habit?" + +"It came down from London with another, a dark blue," said Aurelia. "I +suppose Mr. Belamour ordered them, for they came with my horse. It is +the first time I have worn it." + +"Ah! fine things are of little account when there is no one to see +them," said Mrs. Arden, shaking her head in commiseration. + +She was attired in a grey riding-dress with a little silver lace about +it, and looked wonderfully plump and well, full of importance and +complacency, and with such a return of comeliness that Aurelia would +hardly have recognised the lean, haggard, fretful Harriet of the +previous year. Her sentiment and romance, her soft melancholy and little +affectations had departed, and she was already the notable prosperous +wife of a beneficed clergyman, of whose abilities she was very +proud, though she patronised with good-humoured contempt his dreamy, +unpractical, unworldly ways. + +The questions poured forth from Aurelia's heart-hunger about +brother, sister and home, were answered kindly and fully over the +breakfast-table; but as if Harriet had turned that page in her life, and +expected Aurelia to have done the same, every now and then exclaiming: +"La! you have not forgotten that! What a memory you have, child!" + +She wanted much more to talk of the parsonage and glebe of Rundell +Canonicorum, and of how many servants and cows she should keep, +and showed herself almost annoyed when Aurelia brought her back to +Carminster by asking whether Eugene had finished his Comenius, and if +the speckled hen had hatched many chickens, whether Palmer had had his +rheumatic attack this spring, or if the Major's letter to Vienna had +produced any tidings of Nannerl's relation. Harriet seemed only to +be able to reply by an effort of memory, and was far more desirous of +expatiating on the luxuries at alderman Arden's, and the deference +with which she had been treated, in contrast to the indignity of Lady +Belamour's neglect. + +It was disappointing to find that her father had heard nothing from my +Lady about the settlement of the Manor House. + +"Was the promise in writing?" asked Mr. Arden, who had been silent all +this time. + +"Certainly, in a letter to me." + +"I recommend you to keep it carefully until Mr. Wayland's return," said +Mr. Arden: "he will see justice done to you." + +"Poor Mr. Wayland! When he does return, I pity him; but it is his own +fault for leaving his lady to herself. Have you ever seen the gallant +colonel, sister?" + +"Never." + +"Ah! most like he is not much at Bowstead. But do not folk talk there?" + +"My dear," said Mr. Arden, "you would do well to imitate your honoured +father's discretion on certain points." + +"Bless me, Mr. Arden, how you startled me. I thought you were in a +brown study." She winked at Aurelia as if to intimate that she meant to +continue the subject in his absence, and went on; "I assure you, I had +to be on the alert all the way to take care he looked at the sign-posts, +or we might have been at York by this time. And in London, what do you +think was all my gentleman cared to go and see? Why, he must needs go to +some correspondents of his who are Fellows of the Royal Society. I took +it for granted they must be friends of his Majesty or of the Prince of +Wales at the least, and would have had him wait for his new gown and +cassock; but la! it was only a set of old doctors and philosophers, and +he wished to know what musty discoveries they had been making. That was +one thing he desired in London, and the other was to hear that crazy +Parson Wesley preach a sermon hours long!" + +"I was well rewarded in both instances," said Mr. Arden gravely. + +Aurelia did not take advantage of the opportunity of shining in the +eyes of her new brother-in-law by showing her acquaintance with the +discussions on electricity which she had studied for Mr. Belamour's +benefit, nor did she speak of Dr. Godfrey's views of Wesley and +Whitfield. Had she so ventured, her sister would have pitied her, +and Mr. Arden himself been somewhat shocked at her being admitted to +knowledge unbecoming to a pretty young lady. Intellect in ladies would +have been a startling idea, and though very fond of his wife, he never +thought of her as a companion, but only as the mistress of his house and +guardian of his welfare. + +The dinner was ordered at one, and at three Aurelia would ride home, +while Mr. and Mrs. Arden went on about twelve miles to the house of +a great grazier, brother to the Alderman's wife, where they had been +invited to make their next stage, and spend the next day, Sunday, when +Harriet reckoned on picking up information about cattle, if she were +not actually presented with a cow or a calf. They went out and walked a +little about the town, where presently they met Mrs. Hunter. Aurelia +met her puzzled stare with a curtsey, and she shouted in her hearty tone +"Miss Delavie!--I mean Mrs. Belamour! Who would have thought of seeing +you here!" + +"I am here to meet my sister--Mrs. Arden. Let me--let me present you," +said Aurelia in obedience to an imperious sign from her sister, going +through the form for the first time, while Harriet volubly declared her +happiness in making Mrs. Hunter's acquaintance, and explained how they +were on their way to take possession of Mr. Arden's rectory of Rundell +Canonicorum, the words rolling out of her mouth with magnificent +emphasis. "I congratulate you, ma'am," said Mrs. Hunter, cordially, "and +you too, my dear," she added, turning to Aurelia. "I would have been +out long ago to call on you--a sort of relation as you are now, as I may +say--but it was kept all so mum, one never knew the time to drink your +health; and my Cousins Treforth wouldn't so much as give me a hint. But +la! says I, why should you talk about artfulness? I'm right glad +poor Mr. Amyas should find a sprightly young lady to cure him of his +mopishness. Never mind them, my dear, if they do look sour on you. I'll +come over one of these days and talk to them. Now, I must have you come +in to take your dinner with us. The Doctor will be right pleased to find +you. I'll take no excuse. I thank Heaven I'm always ready whoever may +drop in. There's spring chicken and sparrow-grass." + +However, on hearing their dinner was ordered at the inn, the good lady +was satisfied that to dine with her was impossible; but she insisted on +their coming in to partake of wine and cake in her best parlour. + +This, however, was a little more than Mr. Arden could endure, he made an +excuse about seeing to the horse, and escaped; while Mrs. Hunter led the +two sisters to her closely shut-up parlour, wainscoted, and hung with +two staring simpering portraits of herself and her husband, clean as +soap could make it, but smelling like a long closed box. She went to +a cupboard in the wall, and brought out a silver salver, a rich cake, +glasses and wine, and pouring out the wine, touched the glass with her +lips, as she wished health and happiness to the two brides before her. + +"We shall soon have another wedding in the family, if report speaks +true," she added. "They say--but you should be the best informed, Madam +Belamour-- + +"We hear nothing of the matter, ma'am," said Aurelia. + +"That's odd, since Mr. Belamour is young Sir Amyas's guardian; and +they cannot well pass him over now he has begun life again as it were," +laughed Mrs. Hunter. "'Tis said that my Lady is resolved the wedding +shall be within six weeks." + +"There are two words to that question," said Harriet, oracularly; "I +know from good authority that young Sir Amyas is determined against the +match." + +"But is it true, ma'am," cried Mrs. Hunter, eagerly, "that my Lady and +the Countess of Aresfield met at Bath, and that my Lady is to have 3,000 +pounds down to pay off her debts before her husband comes home, the day +her son is married to Lady Arabella?" + +"Every word of it is true, ma'am," said Harriet, importantly. + +"Well now, that folk should sell their own flesh and blood!" + +"How have you heard it, sister Harriet?" asked Aurelia. + +"From a sure hand, my love. No other than Mrs. Dove. She is wife to my +Lady's coachman," explained Mrs. Arden to her hostess, "and nurse to the +two children it is her pleasure to keep with her." + +"Dear good Nurse dove!" cried Aurelia, "did she come to see you?" + +"Yes, that did she! So I have it from the fountain-head, as I may say, +that the poor young gentleman's hand and heart are to be made over +without his will, that so his mother may not have such a schedule of +debts wherewith to face her husband on his return!" + +"Her jewels have been all paste long ago, I know very well," said Mrs. +Hunter, not to be outdone; "though, would you believe it, Doctor Hunter +is like all the men, and will believe nothing against her! But this +beats all the rest! Why, I have it from my maid, who is sister to one of +the servants at the boarding-school in Queen Square, whither they have +sent the Lady Belle, that she is a regular little shrew. She flew at one +of the young ladies like a wild cat, because she did not yield place to +her at once, and scratched her cheeks till the blood ran down, and tore +out whole handfuls of her hair. She was like one possessed, and they +had to call the lackey before they could get her safe tied down in bed, +where they kept her on bread and water, trying to get her to make her +apology; but not a word could be got out of her, till they had to yield +the point lest she should fall sick." + +Aurelia mentally applauded her own discretion in not capping this with +Mrs. Dove's former tale, and only observing that the marriage could not +take place before the young baronet was of age, without the consent of +his personal guardian, Mr. Belamour. + +"You will excuse me, my dear, in speaking of your husband, but he has +so long been incapable of acting, that they say his consent can be +dispensed with." + +"Aye, poor cousin Amyas Belamour!" said Mrs. Hunter. "He was the only +man who ever durst resist my Lady's will before, and you see to what she +has brought him!" + +"Her son is resisting her now," said Harriet; "and our good Dove says it +makes her blood boil to see the way the poor young gentleman is treated. +He, who was the darling for whom nothing was good enough a while ago, +has now scarce a place in his mother's own house. She is cold and +stately with him, and Colonel Mar, the Lady Belle's brother, being his +commanding officer, there is no end to the vexations and annoyances they +give him, both at home and in his quarters. Mrs. Dove says his own man, +Grey, tells her it is a wonder how he stands out against it all! And +a truly well-bred young gentleman he is. He came to pay me his call +in Gracechurch Street only yesterday, knowing our kindred, and most +unfortunate was it that I was stepped out to the office to speak as +to our boxes being duly sent by the Buckingham wain; but he left his +ticket, and a message with the servant, 'Tell my cousin, Mrs. Arden,' +he said, 'that I much regret not having seen her, and I should have done +myself the honour of calling sooner to inquire for her good father, if I +had known she was in town." + +"Well, I have never seen the young gentleman since he was a mere child," +said Mrs. Hunter. "His mother has bred him to neglect his own home and +relations, but I am sorry for him." + +"They say," continued Harriet significantly, "that they are sure there +is some cause for his holding out so stiffly--I verily believe My Lady +suspected--" + +"O hush, Harriet!" cried Aurelia, colouring painfully. + +"Well, it is all over now, so you need not be offended," said Harriet, +laughing. "Besides, if my Lady had any such notion when she brought +about your marriage, she must be disappointed, for the young spark is as +resolute as ever." + +"And no wonder, if he knows what the lady is like," said Aurelia. + +"Ah! he has admitted as much to the King." + +"To the King!" cried both auditors. + +"Oh yes! you know my Lady is very thick with my Lady Suffolk, and she +persuaded the King to speak to him at the levee. '_Comment_', says his +majesty in French, 'are you a young rebel, sir, that refuse the good +things your mother provides you?' Not a whit was my young gentleman +moved. He bowed, and answered that he was acting by the desire of +his guardian. Excuse me, sister, but the King answered--'A raving +melancholic! That will not serve your turn, sir. Come to your senses, +fulfil your mother's bond, and we'll put you on the Duke's staff, +where you may see more of service than of home, or belike get into gay +quarters, where you may follow any other _fantaisie_ if that is making +you commit such _betises!_' At that Sir Amyas, who is but an innocent +youth, flamed up in his cheeks till they were as red as his coat, and +said his honour was engaged; on which his majesty swore at him for an +idiot, and turned his back. Every word of this Mrs. Dove heard Colonel +Mar tell my Lady--and then they fell to rating the poor youth, and +trying to force out who this secret flame may be; but his is of the +same stuff as his mother, adamantine and impervious. And now the Colonel +keeps him on hard duty continually, and they watch him day and night to +find out what places he haunts. But bless me, Mrs. Hunter, is the church +clock striking? We must be gone, or my good man will be wondering where +we are." + +Mrs. Hunter would fain have kept them, and the last words and +compliments were of long duration, while Aurelia looked on in some +surprise at the transformation of all Harriet's languishing affected +airs into the bustling self-importance of Mrs. Arden. She was however +much occupied with all she had heard, and was marvelling how her sister +began again as soon as they were in the street again. "You are very +discreet, Aurelia, as it becomes a young married lady, but have you no +notion who this innamorata of the baronet may be?" + +"No, indeed, how should I?" + +"I thought he might have confided in your husband, since he makes so +sure of his support." + +"He has only once come to visit Mr. Belamour, and that was many months +ago." + +"It is strange," mused Harriet; "Mrs. Dove says she would have taken her +Bible oath that it was you, and my Lady believed as much, or she would +not have been in such haste to have you wedded. Nay, I'll never believe +but he made his confidences to Betty when he came to the Manor House the +Sunday after you were gone, though not a word could I get from her." + +"It must have been all a mistake," said Aurelia, not without a little +twinge at the thought of what might have been. "I wish you would not +talk of it." + +"Well he could have been but a fickle adorer--'tis the way of men, my +dear, for he must have found some new flame while his mother and the +Colonel were both at the Bath. They have proof positive of his riding +out of town at sundown, but whither he goes is unknown, for he takes +not so much as a groom with him, and he is always in time for morning +parade." + +"Poor young man, it is hard to be so beset with spies and watchers," +said Aurelia. + +"Most true," said Harriet, "but I am monstrous glad you are safe married +like me, child, so that no one can accuse us. Such romantic affairs +are well enough to furnish a course of letters to the _Tatler_, or the +_Gentlewomen's Magazine_, but I am thankful for a comfortable life with +my good man." + +Therewith they reached their inn, where Harriet, having satisfied +herself that the said good man was safe within, and profiting by the +unwonted calm to write his inaugural sermon, took Aurelia to her bedroom +to prepare for dinner, and to indulge in further confidences. + +"So, Aurelia, I can report to my father that you are looking well, and +as cheerful as can be expected." + +"Nay, I have always told you I am happy as the day is long." + +"What, when you have never so much as seen your husband?" + +"Only at our wedding, and then he was forced to veil his face from the +light." + +"Nor has he ever seen you?" + +"Not unless he then saw me." + +"If he were not then charmed enough to repeat the view, you are the most +cruelly wasted and unworthily matched--" + +"Hush, sister!" broke out Aurelia in eager indignation. + +"What! is a lovely young creature, almost equal to what I was before my +cruel malady, to waste her bloom on a wretched old melancholic, who will +not so much as look at her!" + +"Harriet, I cannot hear this--you know not of what you are talking! What +is my poor skin-deep beauty--if beauty it be--compared with the stores +of goodness and wisdom I find in him?" + +"La! child, what heat is this? One would really think you loved him." + +"Of course I do! I love and honour him more than any one I ever +met--except my dear father." + +"Come, Aura, you are talking by rote out of the marriage service. You +may be open with me, you know, it will go no further; and I do long to +know whether you can be truly content at heart," said Harriet with real +affection. + +"Dear sister," said Aurelia, touched, "believe me that indeed I am. Mr. +Belamour is kindness itself. He is all he ever promised to be to me, and +sometimes more." + +"Yet if he loved you, he could never let you live moped up there. Are +you never frighted at the dark chamber? I should die of it!" + +"The dark does not fright me," said Aurelia. + +"You have a courage I have not! Come, now, were you never frighted to +talk with a voice in the dark?" + +"Scarcely ever!" said aurelia. + +"Scarcely--when was that?" + +"You will laugh, Harriet, but it is when he is most--most tender and +full of warmth. Then I hardly know him for the same." + +"What! If he be not always tender to my poor dear child, he must be a +wretch indeed." + +"O no, no, Harriet! How shall I ever make you understand?" cried +Aurelia. "Never for a moment is he other than kind and gentle. It +is generally like a father, only more courtly and deferential, but +sometimes something seems to come over him, and he is--oh! I cannot tell +you--what I should think a lover would be," faltered Aurelia, colouring +crimson, and hiding her face on her sister's shoulder, as old habits of +confidence, and need of counsel and sympathy were obliterating all the +warnings of last night. + +"You silly little chit! Why don't you encourage these advances? You +ought to be charmed, not frightened." + +"They would ch---I should like it if it were not so like two men in one, +the one holding the other back." + +Harriet laughed at this fancy, and Aurelia was impelled to defend it. +"Indeed, Harriet, it is really so. There will be whispers--oh, such +whispers!"--she sunk her voice and hid her face again--"close to my ear, +and--endearments--while the grave voice sounds at the other end of the +room, and then I long for light. I swooned for fright the first time, +but I am much more used to it now." + +"This is serious," said Harriet, with unwonted gravity. "Do you really +think that there is another person in the room?" + +"I do not feel as if it could be otherwise, and yet it is quite +impossible." + +"I would not bear it," said her sister. "You ought not to bear it. How +do you know that it is not some vile stratagem? It might even be the +blackamoor!" + +"No, no, Harriet! I know better than that. It is quite impossible. +Besides, I am sure of this--that the hands that wedded me are the same +hands that caress me," she added, with another blushing effort, "strong +but delicate hands, rather hard inside, as with the bridle. I noticed it +because once I thought his hands soft with doing nothing and being shut +up." + +"That convinces me the more, then, there is some strange imposition +practised upon you," said Harriet, anxiously. + +"Oh, no!" said Aurelia, inconsistently; "Mr. Belamour is quite incapable +of doing anything wrong by me. I cannot let you have such shocking +notions. He told me I must be patient and trust him, though I should +meet with much that was strange and inexplicable." + +"This is trusting him much too far. They are playing on your +inexperience, I am sure. If you were not a mere child, you would see +what a shocking situation this is." + +"I wish I had not told you," said Aurelia, tears rushing into her eyes. +"I ought not! He bade me be cautious how I talked, and you have made me +quite forget!" + +"Did he so? Then it is evident that he fears disclosure! Something must +be done. Why not write to our father?" + +"I could not! He would call it a silly fancy." + +"And it might embroil him with my Lady," added Harriet. "We must devise +another mode." + +"You will not--must not tell Mr. Arden," exclaimed Aurelia, +peremptorily. + +"Never fear! He heeds nothing more sublunary than the course of the +planets. But I have it. His device will serve the purpose. Do you +remember Eugene confounding him with Friar Bacon because he was said +to light a candle without flint or steel? It was true. When he was a +bachelor he always lit his own candle and fire, and he always carries +the means. I was frighted the first time he showed me, but now I can do +it as well as he. See," she said, opening a case, "a drop of this spirit +upon this prepared cotton;" and as a bright flame sprang up and made +Aurelia start, she laughed and applied a taper to it. "There, one +such flash would be quite enough to prove to you whether there be any +deception practised on you." + +"I could never do it! Light is agony to Mr. Belamour, and what would he +think?" + +"He would take it for lightning, which I suppose he cannot keep out." + +"One flash did come through everything last summer, but I was not +looking towards him." + +"You will be wiser this time. Here, I can give you this little box, for +Mr. Arden compounded a fresh store in town." + +"I dare not, sister. He has ever bidden me trust without sight; and you +cannot guess how good he is to me, and how noble and generous. I cannot +insult him by a doubt." + +"Then he should not act as no true woman can endure." + +"And it would hurt him." + +"Tut, tut, child; if the lightning did not harm him how can this flash? +I tell you no man has a right to trifle with you in this manner, and it +is your duty to yourself and all of us to find out the truth. Some young +rake may have bribed the black, and be personating him; and some day you +may find yourself carried off you know not where." + +"Harriet, if you only knew either Mr. Belamour or Jumbo, you would know +that you are saying things most shocking!" + +"Convince me, then! Look here, Aurelia, if you cannot write to me and +explain this double-faced or double-voiced husband of yours, I vow to +you that I shall speak to Mr. Arden, and write to my father." + +"Oh! do not, do not, sister! Remember, it is of no use unless this +temper of affection be on him, and I have not heard it this fortnight, +no, nor more." + +"Promise me, then, that you will make the experiment. See, here is a +little chain-stitch pouch--poor Peggy Duckworth's gift to me--with two +pockets. Let me fasten it under your dress, and then you will always +have it about you." + +"If the bottle broke as I rode home!" + +"Impossible; it is a scent-bottle of strong glass." + +Here Mr. Arden knocked at the door, regretting to interrupt their +confidences, but dinner awaited them; and as, immediately after, Mrs. +Hunter brought her husband in his best wig to call on Madame Belamour +and her relations, the sisters had no more time together, till the +horses were at the door, and they went to their room together to put on +their hats. + +A whole mass of refusals and declarations of perfect confidence were on +Aurelia's tongue, but Harriet cut them all short by saying, "Remember, +you are bound for your own honour and ours, to clear up this mystery!" + +Then they rode off their several ways, Madame Belamour towards Bowstead, +Mr. and Mrs. Arden on their sturdy roadster towards Lea Farm. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. A FATAL SPARK. + + + And so it chanced; which in those dark + And fireless halls was quite amazing, + Did we not know how small a spark + Can set the torch of love ablazing. + T. MOORE. + + +Aurelia rode home in perplexity, much afraid of the combustibles at her +girdle, and hating the task her sister had forced on her. She felt as +if her heedless avowals had been high treason to her husband; and yet +Harriet was her elder, and those assurances that as a true woman she was +bound to clear up the mystery, made her cheeks burn with shame, and her +heart thrill with the determination to vindicate her husband, while the +longing to know the face of one who so loved her was freshly awakened. + +She was strongly inclined to tell him all, indeed she knew herself well +enough to be aware that half a dozen searching questions would draw out +the whole confession of her own communication and Harriet's unworthy +suspicions; and humiliating as this would be, she longed for the +opportunity. Here, however, she was checked in her meditations by a +stumble of her horse, which proved to have lost a shoe. It was necessary +to leave the short cut, and make for the nearest forge, and when the +mischief was repaired, to ride home by the high road. + +She thus came home much later than had been expected; Jumbo, Molly, and +the little girls were all watching for her, and greeted her eagerly. The +supper was already on the table for her, and she had only just given +Fay and Letty the cakes and comfits she had bought at Brentford for them +when Jumbo brought the message that his master hoped that madam, if not +too much fatigued, would come to him as soon as her supper was finished. + +Accordingly, she came without waiting to change her dress, having only +taken off her hat and arranged her hair. + +She felt guilty, and dreaded the being questioned, yet longed to make +her avowal and have all explained. The usual greetings passed, and then +Mr. Belamour said, "I heard your horse hoofs come in late. You were +detained?" + +She explained about the shoe, and a few sentences were passing about her +sister when she detected a movement, as if a step were stealing towards +her, together with a hesitation in the remark Mr. Belamour was making +about Mrs. Hunter's good nature. + +Quite irrelevantly came in the whispering voice, "Where is my dearest +life?" + +"Sir, sir!" she cried, driven at last to bay, "what is this? Are you one +or two?" + +"One with you, my sweetest life! Your own--your husband!" + +Therewith there was a kind of groan further off, and as Aurelia felt a +hand on her dress, her fight and distress at the duality were complete. +While, in the dark, the hands were still groping for her, she eluded +them, and succeeded in carrying out Harriet's manoeuvre so far that +a quick bright flame leapt forth, lighting up the whole room, and +revealing two--yes, two! But it did not die away! In her haste, and in +the darkness, she had poured the whole contents of the bottle on the +phosphoric cotton, and dropped both without knowing it on a chintz +curtain. A fresh evening breeze was blowing in from the window, open +behind the shutters, and in one second the curtain was a flaming, waving +sheet. Some one sprang up to tear it down, leaping on a table in the +window. The table overbalanced, the heavy iron curtain-rod came out +suddenly, and there was a fall, the flaming mass covering the fallen! +The glare shone on a strange white face and head as well as on Jumbo's +black one, and with a trampling and crushing the fire died down, +quenched as suddenly as it began, and all was obscurity again. + +"Nephew, dear boy, speak," exclaimed Mr. Belamour; and as there was no +answer, "Open the shutters, Jumbo. For Heaven's sake let us see!" + +"Oh! what have I done?" cried poor Aurelia, in horror and misery, +dropping by him on the ground, while the opened shutters admitted the +twilight of a May evening, with a full moon, disclosing a strange scene. +A youth in a livery riding coat lay senseless on the ground, partly +covered by the black fragments of the curtain, the iron rod clenched in +one hand, the other arm doubled under him. A face absolutely white, with +long snowy beard and hair hung over him, and an equally white pair of +hands tried to lift the head. Jumbo had in a second sprung down, removed +the fallen table, and come to his masters help. "Struck head with this," +he said, as he tried to unclasp the fingers from the bar, and pointed to +a grazed blow close to the temple. + +"We must lay him on my bed," said Mr. Belamour. Then, seeing the +girl's horror-stricken countenance, "Ah, child, would that you had been +patient; but it was overtasking you! Call Aylward, I beg of you. +Tell her he is here, badly hurt. What, you do not know him," as her +bewildered eyes and half-opened lips implied the question she could not +utter, "you do not know him? Sir Amyas--my nephew--your true husband!" + +"Oh! and I have killed him!" she cried, with clasped hands. + +"Hush, child, no, with God's mercy! Only call the woman and bring a +light." + +She rushed away, and appeared, a pale terrified figure, with the smell +of fire on her hair and white dress, in the room where Mrs. Aylward was +reading her evening chapter. She could scarcely utter her message as +she stood under the gaze of blank amazement; but Mrs. Aylward understood +enough to make her start up without another word, and hurry away, candle +in hand. + +Aurelia took up the other, and followed, trembling. When she reached +the outer room the rush of air almost blew out her light, and pausing, +afraid to pass on, she perceived that Mr. Belamour and Jumbo were +carrying the insensible form between them into the inner apartment, +while a moan or two filled her heart with pangs of self-reproach. + +She hung about, in terrible anxiety, but not daring to come forward +while the others were engaged about the sufferer, for what seemed a very +long time before she heard Mrs. Aylward say, "His arm is broke, sir. We +must send for Dr. Hunter. The maids are all in their beds, but I will go +and wake one, and send her to the stables to call the groom." + +"I had best go," said Mr. Belamour. "You are of more use than I. He +sleeps at the stables, you say?" Then, seeing the waiting, watching form +of Aurelia, he said, "Come in, my poor child. Perhaps your voice may +rouse him." Every one, including himself, seemed to have forgotten Mr. +Belamour's horror of the light, for candles were flaring on all the +tables, as he led the you girl in, saying, "Speak to him." + +At the death-like face in its golden hair, Aurelia's voice choked in her +throat, and it was in an unnatural hoarse tone that she tried to say, +"Sir--Sir Amyas--" + +"I trust he will soon be better," said Mr. Belamour, marking her dismay +and grief with his wonted kindness, "but his arm needs the surgeon, and +I must be going. Let Lady Belamour sit here, Mrs. Aylward. I trust +you with the knowledge. It was my nephew, in disguise, who wedded +her, unknown to her. She is entirely blameless. Let Jumbo fetch her a +cordial. There, my child, take this chair, so that his eyes may fall +on you when he opens them. Bathe his head if you will. I shall return +quickly after having sped the groom on his journey." + +Gloomy and doubtful were the looks cast on Aurelia by the housekeeper, +but all unseen by the wondering, bewildered, remorseful eyes fixed +on the white face on the pillow, heedless of its perfect symmetry of +feature, and knowing only that this was he who had thrilled her heart +with his tender tones, who had loved her so dearly, and dared so much +for her sake, but whom her impatience and distrust had so cruelly +injured. Had she seen him strong, well, and ardent, as she had so +lately heard him, her womanhood would have recoiled indignantly at the +deception which had stolen her vows; but the spectacle of the +young senseless face and prostrate form filled her with compassion, +tenderness, and remorse, for having yielded to her sister's persuasions. +With intense anxiety she watched, and assisted in the fomentations, +longing for Mr. Belamour's return; but time passed on and still he +came not. No words passed, only a few faint sighs, and one of the hands +closed tight on Aurelia's. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. WRATH AND DESOLATION. + + + Straight down she ran +.... and fatally did vow To wreake her on the mayden messenger + Whom she had caused be kept as prisonere. + SPENSER. + + +Hark! there was the trampling of horses and thundering of wheels at the +door! Could the doctor be come already, and in such a fashion? + +Jumbo hurried to admit him, and Mrs. Aylward moved to arrange matters, +but the clasp that was on Aurelia's hand would not let her go. + +Presently there came, not Dr. Hunter's tread, but a crisp, rustling +sound, and the tap of high heels, and in the doorway stood, tall, erect, +and terrible, Lady Belamour, with a blaze of wrath in her blue eyes, and +concentrated rage in her whole form, while in accents low, but coming +from between her teeth, she demanded, "Miserable boy, what means this?" + +"Oh! madam, take care! he is sadly hurt!" cried Aurelia, with a gesture +as if to screen him. + +"I ask what this means?" repeated Lady Belamour, advancing, and seeming +to fill the room with her majestic figure, in full brocaded dress, with +feathers waving in her hair. + +"His Honour cannot answer you, my Lady," said Mrs. Aylward. "He has had +a bad fall, and Mr. Belamour is gone to send for the doctor." + +"This is the housekeeping in my absence!" said Lady Belamour, showing +less solicitude as to her son's condition than indignation at the +discovery, and her eyes and her diamonds glittering fearfully. + +"My Lady," said Mrs. Aylward, with stern respectfulness, "I knew nothing +of all this till this lady called me an hour ago telling me Sir Amyas +was hurt. I found him as you see. Please your Ladyship, I must go back +to him." + +"Speak then, you little viper," said Lady Belamour, turning on Aurelia, +who had risen, but was held fast by the hand upon hers. "By what arts +have you well nigh slain my son? Come here, and tell me." + +"None, madam!" gasped Aurelia, trembling, so that she grasped her +chair-back with her free hand for support. "I never saw him till +to-night." + +"Lies will not serve you, false girl. Come here this instant! I _know_ +that you have been shamelessly receiving my son here, night after +night." + +"I never knew!" + +"Missie Madam never knew," chimed in Jumbo. "All in the dark. She +thought it old mas'r." + +Lady Belamour looked contemptuously incredulous; but the negro's +advocacy gave a kind of courage to Aurelia, and availing herself of +a slight relaxation of the fingers she withdrew her hand, and coming +forward, said, "Indeed, madam, I know nothing, I was entirely deceived. +Only hearing two voices in the dark alarmed me, so that I listened to my +sister, and struck a light to discover the truth. Then all caught fire, +and blazed up, and--" + +"Then you are an incendiary as well as a traitor," said her Ladyship, +with cold, triumphant malignity. "This is work for the constable. Here, +Loveday," to her own woman, who was waiting in the outer room, "take this +person away, and lock her into her own room till morning, when we can +give her up to justice." + +"Oh, my Lady," cried Aurelia, crouching at her feet and clinging to her +dress, "do not be so cruel! Oh! let me go home to my father!" + +"Madam!" cried a voice from the bed, "let alone my wife! Come, Aurelia. +Oh!" + +Then starting up in bed had wrenched his broken arm, and he fell back +senseless again, just as Aurelia would have flown back to him, but his +mother stood between, spurning her away. + +Another defender, if she could so be called, spoke for her. "It is true, +please your Ladyship," said Mrs. Aylward, "that Mr. Belamour called her +the wife of this poor young gentleman." + +Jumbo too exclaimed, "No one knew but Jumbo; His Honour marry pretty +missie in mas'r's wig and crimson dressing-gown." + +"A new stratagem!" ironically observed the incensed lady. "But your game +is played out, miss, for madam I cannot call you. Such a marriage cannot +stand for a moment; and if a lawyer like Amyas Belamour pretended it +could, either his wits were altogether astray or he grossly deceived +you. Or, as I believe, he trafficked with you to entrap this unhappy +youth, whose person and house you have, between you, almost destroyed. +Remove her, Loveday, and lock her up till we can send for a magistrate +to take depositions in the morning. Go quietly, girl I will not have my +son disturbed with your outcries." + +Poor Aurelia's voice died in her throat. Oh! why did not Mr. Belamour +come to her rescue? Ah! he had bidden her trust and be patient; she had +transgressed, and he had abandoned her! There was no sign of life or +consciousness in the pallid face on the bed, and with a bleeding heart +she let the waiting-maid lead her through the outer apartment, still +redolent of the burning, reached her own chamber, heard the key turn in +the lock, and fell across her bed in a sort of annihilation. + +The threat was unspeakably frightful. Those were days of capital +punishment for half the offences in the calendar, and of what was to her +scarcely less dreadful, of promiscuous imprisonment, fetters, and gaol +fever. Poor Aurelia's ignorance could hardly enhance these horrors, and +when her perceptions began to clear themselves, her first thought was of +flight from a fate equally dreadful to the guilty or not guilty. + +Springing from the bed, she tried the other door of her room, which +was level with the wainscoting, and not readily observed by a person +unfamiliar with the house. It yielded to her hand, and she knew there +was a whole suite of empty rooms thus communicating with one another. It +was one of those summer nights that are never absolutely dark, and +there was a full moon, so that she had light enough to throw off her +conspicuous white habit, all scorched and singed as it was, and to put +on her dark blue cloth one, with her camlet cloak and hood. She made up +a small bundle of clothes, took her purse, which was well filled with +guineas and silver, and moved softly to the door. Hide and seek had +taught her all the modes of eluding observation, and with her walking +shoes in her hand, and her feet slippered, she noiselessly crept through +one empty room after another, and descended the stair into her own +lobby, where she knew how to open the sash door. + +One moment the thought that Mr. Belamour would protect her made her +pause, but the white phantom she had seen seemed more unreal than the +voice she was accustomed to, and both alike had vanished and abandoned +her to her fate. Nay, she had been cheated from the first. Everything +had given way with her. My Lady might be coming to send her to prison. +Hark, some one was coming! She darted out, down the steps, along the +path like a wild bird from a cage. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. THE WANDERER. + + + Widowed wife and wedded maid, + Betrothed, betrayer, and betrayed.--SCOTT. + + +Aurelia's first halt was in a moss-grown summer-house at the end of +the garden, where she ventured to sit down to put on her stout leather +shoes. The children's toys, a ball and a set of ninepins lay on the +floor! How many ages ago was it that she had made that sarcastic reply +to Letty?--perhaps her last! + +A nightingale, close overhead, burst into a peal of song, repeating his +one favourite note, which seemed to her to cry out "Although my heart +is broke, broke, broke, broke." The tears rushed into her eyes, but at +a noise as of opening doors or windows at the house, terror mastered her +again, and she hurried on to hide herself from the dawning light, which +was beginning to increase, as she crossed the park, on turf dank with +Maydew, and plunged deep into the thick woods beyond, causing many a +twittering cry of wondering birds. + +Day had fully come, and slanting golden beams were shining through the +tender green foliage, and illuminating the boles of the trees, ere she +was forced by failing strength again to pause and sit on a faggot, while +gathering breath and considering where she should go. Home was her first +thought. Who could shield her but her father and sister? How she longed +for their comfort and guardianship! But how reach them? She had money +but could do little for her. England never less resembled those days +of Brian Boromhe when the maiden with the gems, rich and rare wandered +unscathed form sea to sea in Ireland. Post chaises, though coming into +use, had not dawned on the simple country girl's imagination. She knew +there was a weekly coach from London to Bath, passing through Brentford, +and that place was also a great starting-place for stage waggons, of +which one went through Carminster, but her bewildered brain could not +recall on what day it started, and there was an additional shock of +despair when she remembered that it was Sunday morning. The chill of the +morning dew was on her limbs, she was exhausted by her fatigues of the +night, a drowsy recollection of the children in the wood came over her, +and she sank into a dreamy state that soon became actual sleep. She was +wakened by a strong bright sunbeam on her eyes, and found that this was +what had warmed her limbs in her sleep. A sound as of singing was also +in her ears, and of calling cows to be milked. She did not in the least +know where she was, for she had wandered into parts of the wood quite +strange to her, but she thought she must be a great way from home, and +quite beyond recognition, so she followed the voice, and soon came out +on a tiny meadow glade, where a stout girl was milking a great sheeted +cow. + +She knew now that she was faint with hunger and thirst, and must take +food before she could go much farther, so taking out a groat, her +smallest coin, she accosted the girl, and offered it for a draught +of milk. To her dismay the girl exclaimed "Lawk! It be young Madam! +Sarvice, ma'am!" + +"I have lost myself in the wood," said Aurelia. "I should be much +obliged for a little milk." + +"Well to be sure. Think of that! And have ee been out all night? Ye +looks whisht!" said the girl, readily filling a wooden cup she had +brought with her, for in those days good new milk was a luxury far more +easily accessible than in ours. She added a piece of barley bread, her +own intended breakfast, and was full of respectful wonder, pity, and +curiosity, proposing that young Madam should come and rest in mother's +cottage in the wood, and offering to guide her home as soon as the cows +were milked and the pigs fed. Aurelia had some difficulty in shaking her +off, finding also that she had gone round and round in the labyrinthine +paths, and was much nearer the village of Bowstead than she had +intended. + +Indeed, she was obliged to deceive the kindly girl by walking off in the +direction she pointed out, intending to strike afterwards into another +path, though where to go she had little idea, so long as it was out of +reach of my Lady and her prison. + +Oh! if Harriet were only at Brentford, or if it were possible to reach +the Lea Farm where she was! Could she ask her way thither, or could +she find some shelter near or in Brentford till the coach or the waggon +started? This was the most definite idea her brain, refreshed somewhat +by the food, could form; but in the meantime she was again getting +bewildered in the field paths. It was a part she did not know, lying +between the backs of the cottages and their gardens, and the woods +belonging to the great house; and the long sloping meadows, spangled +with cowslips were much alike. The cowslips seemed to strike her with +a pang as she recollected her merry day among them last spring, and how +little she then thought of being a homeless wanderer. At last, scarce +knowing where she was, she sat down on the step of a stile leading to a +little farmyard, leant her head on the top bar and wept bitterly. + +Again she startled by hearing a voice saying, "Sister, what is that in +the field?" and starting up, she saw Mrs. Delia in high pattens, and her +Sunday silk tucked up over her quilted petticoat, with a basket of corn +in her hand, surrounded by her poultry, while Mrs. Phoebe was bending +over a coop. She had stumbled unawares on their back premises, and with +a wild hope, founded on their well-known enmity to Lady Belamour, she +sprang over the stile. Mrs. Delia retreated in haste, but Mrs. Phoebe +came to the front. + +"Oh! Mrs. Phoebe," she cried, "I ask your pardon." + +"Mrs. Belamour! Upon my word! To what are we indebted for this visit?" + +"Oh! of your kindness listen to me, madam," said Aurelia. "My Lady is +come, and there is some dreadful mistake, and she is very angry with me; +and if you would only take me in and hide me till the waggon goes and I +can get home!" + +"So my Lady has found you out, you artful hussy," returned Mrs. Phoebe. +"I have long guessed at your tricks! I knew it was no blackamoor that +was stealing into the great house." + +"I do not know what you mean." + +"Oh! it is of no use to try your feigned artlessness on us. I wonder at +your assurance, after playing false with uncle and nephew both at once." + +"If you would but hear me!" + +"I have heard enough of you already. I wonder you dare show your face +at a respectable house. Away with you, if you would not have me send the +constable after you!" + +The threat renewed Aurelia's terror, and again she fled, but this time +she fell into a path better known to her, that leading to Sedhurst, and +ultimately to Brentford. + +The recollection of Dame Wheatfield's genial good nature inspired her +with another hope, and she made her way towards the farm. The church +bells were ringing, and she saw the farmer and his children going +towards the church, but not the mistress, and she might therefore hope +to find her at home and alone. As she approached, a great dog began a +formidable barking, and his voice brought out the good woman in person. +"Down, Bouncer! A won't hurt'ee, my lass. What d'ye lack that you bain't +at church?" + +"May I speak to you, Mrs. Wheatfield?" + +"My stars, if it bain't young Miss--Madam, I mean! Nothing ain't wrong +with the child?" + +"O no, she is quite well, but--" + +"What, ye be late for church? Come in and sit ye down a bit and sup +after your walk. We have been and killed Spotty's calf, though 'twas but +a staggering Bob, but us couldn't spare the milk no longer. So we've got +the l'in on un for dinner, and you're kindly welcome if you ain't too +proud. Only I wish you had brought my little missie." + +"O Mrs. Wheatfield! Shall I ever see the dear little girl again? Oh! can +you help me? Do you know where Lea Farm is? I'd pay anything for a horse +and man to take me there, where my sister is staying." + +"Well, I don't know as my master would hire a horse out of a Sunday, +unless 'twere very particler--illness or suchlike. Lea Farm did you say +ma'am? Is it the Lea out by Windmill hill--Master Brown's; or Lea Farm, +down by the river--Tom Smith's?" + +"No, this is Mr. Meadows's, a grazier." + +"Never heard tell on him, ma'am, but the master might, when he comes +in. But bless me," she added, after a moment's consideration, "what will +your master say? He'll be asking how it comes that a lady like you, with +a coach and horses of her own, should be coming after a horse here. You +ain't been and got into trouble with my Lady, my dear?" + +"Oh! Dame, indeed I have; pray help me!" + +It was no wonder that Mrs. Wheatfield failed to gather more than that +young Madam had almost burnt the house, and had fallen under grievous +displeasure, so as even to fear the constable. + +"Bless your poor heart! Think of that now! But I'm afeard we can't do +nothing for you. My master would be nigh about killing me if I harboured +you and got him into trouble, with the gentry." + +"If you could only hide me in some loft or barn till I could meet the +coach for Bath! Then I should be almost at home." + +"I dare not. The children are routing about everywhere on a Sunday +afternoon; and if so be as there's a warrant out after you" (Aurelia +shuddered) "my man would be mad with me. He ain't never forgot how his +grandfather was hanged up there in that very walnut for changing clothes +with a young gentleman in the wars long ago." + +"Then I must go! Oh, what will become of me?" + +"Stay a bit! It goes to my heart to turn you from the door, and you so +white and faint. And they won't be out of church yet a while. You've ate +nothing all this time! What was you thinking of doing, my dear?" + +"I don't know. If I could only find out the right Lea Farm, and get +a man and horse to take me there--but my sister goes on Monday, and I +might not find her, and nobody knows where it is. And nobody will take +me in or hide my till the coach goes! Oh, what will become of me?" + +"It is bitter hard," said the Dame. "I wish to my heart I could take +you in, but you see there's the master! I'll tell you what: there's my +cousin, Patty Woodman; she might take you in for a night or two. But +you'd never find your way to her cot; it lies out beyond the spinneys. +I must show you the way. Look you here. Nobody can't touch you in a +church, they hain't got no power there, and if you would slip into that +there empty place as opens with the little door, as the ringers goes in +by, afore morning prayers is over I'll make an excuse to come to evening +prayer alone, or only with little Davy, as is lying asleep there. If +Patty is there I'll speak, and you can go home with her. If not, I must +e'en walk with you out to the spinney. Hern is a poor place, but her's a +good sort of body, and won't let you come to no harm; and her goes into +Brentford with berries and strawberries to meet the coaches, so may be +she'll know the day." + +"Oh, thank you, thank you, dear Mrs. Wheatfield! If I can only get safe +home!" + +"Come, don't be in haste. You'll take a bit of bread and cheese, and +just a draught of ale to hearten you up a bit." + +Aurelia was too sick at heart for food, and feared to delay, lest she +should meet the congregation, but Mrs. Wheatfield forced on her a little +basket with some provisions, and she gladly accepted another draught of +milk. + +No one came out by the little door she was told; all she had to do would +be to keep out of sight when the ringers came in before the afternoon +service. She knew the way, and was soon close to Mary Sedhurst's grave. +"Ah! why was he not constant to her," she thought; "and oh! why has he +deserted me in my need?" + +The little door easily yielded, and she found herself--after passing the +staircase-turret that led by a gallery to the belfry in the centre of +the church--in an exceedingly dilapidated transept; once, no doubt, it +had been beautiful, before the coloured glass of the floriated window +had been knocked out and its place supplied with bricks. The broken +effigy of a crusading Sedhurst, devoid of arms, feet, and nose was +stowed away in the eastern sepulchre, in company with funeral apparatus, +torn books, and moth-eaten cushions. But this would not have shocked her +even in calmer moments. She only cared to find a corner where she was +entirely sheltered, between a green stained pier and the high wall and +curtain of a gigantic pew, where no doubt sweet Mary Sedhurst had +once worshipped. The lusty voices of the village choir in some exalted +gallery beyond her view were shouting out a familiar tune, and with some +of Betty's mild superstition about "the singing psalms," she heard-- + + + "Since I have placed my trust in God + A refuge always nigh, + Why should I, like tim'rous bird + To distant mountains fly? + + "Behold the wicked bend their bow, + And ready fix their dart, + Lurking in ambush to destroy + The man of upright heart. + + "When once the firm assurance fails + Which public faith imparts, + 'Tis time for innocence to flee + From such deceitful arts. + + "The Lord hath both a temple here + And righteous throne above, + Whence He surveys the sons of men, + And how their counsels move." + + +Poor timorous bird, whom even the firm assurance of wedded faith had +failed, what was left to her but to flee from the darts levelled against +her? Yet that last verse brought a sense of protection. Ah! did she +deserve it? A prayerless night and prayerless morning had been hers, and +no wonder, since she had never gone to bed nor risen with the ordinary +forms; but it was with a pang that she recollected that the habit of +calling out in her heart for guidance and help had been slipping from +her for a long time past, and she had never asked for heavenly aid when +her judgment was perplexed by Harriet, no, nor for protection in her +flight. + +She resolved to say her morning prayers with full attention so soon as +the church was empty, and meantime to follow the service with all her +powers, though her pulses were still throbbing and her head aching. + +In the far distance she heard the Commandments, and near to her the +unseen clerk responding, and then followed a gospel of love and comfort. +She could not catch every word, but there was a sense of promised peace +and comfort, which began to soothe the fluttering heart, for the first +time enjoying a respite from the immediate gripe of deadly terror. + +The sermon chimed in with these feelings, not that she could have any +account of it, nor preserved any connected memory, but it was full of +the words, Faith, Love, Sacrifice, so that they were borne in on her ear +and thought. Heavenly Love surrounding as with an atmosphere those who +had only faith to "taste and see how gracious the Lord is," believing +that which cannot be seen, and therefore having it revealed to their +inmost sense, and thus living the only real life. + +This was the chief thought that penetrated to her mind as she crouched +on the straw hassock behind the pew, and shared unseen in the blessing +of peace. No one saw her as the hob-nailed shoes trooped out of church, +and soon she was entirely alone, kneeling still in her hiding-place, +and whispering half-aloud the omitted morning prayer, whose heartfelt +signification had, she felt, been neglected for a long, long time. + +Since when? Ah! ever since those strange mysterious voices and caresses +had come to charm and terrify her, and when her very perplexity should +have warned her to cling closer to the aid of her Heavenly Father. +Vague yearnings, uplifted feelings, discontents, and little tempers had +usurped the place of higher feelings, and blinded her eyes. And through +it all, her heart began to ache and long for tidings of him on whose +pale features she had gazed so long and who had ventured and suffered +so much for her, nay, who had started into a moment's life for her +protection! All the tumult of resentment at the deception practised on +her fell on the uncle rather than the nephew; and in spite of this long +year of tender kindness and consideration from the recluse, there was a +certain consideration from the recluse, there was a certain leaping +of heart at finding herself bound not to him but to the youth whose +endearments returned with a flood of tender remembrance. And she had +fled just as he had claimed her as his wife, had fled just as he had +claimed her as his wife, unheeding whether he died of the injury she had +caused him! All that justified her alarm was forgotten, her heartstrings +had wound themselves round him, and began to pull her back. + +Then she thought of the danger of directing Lady Belamour's wrath on her +father, and leading to his expulsion and destitution. She had been sent +from home, and bestowed in marriage to prevent his ruin, and should +she now ensure it? Her return to him or even her disappearance would +no doubt lead to high words from him, and then he would be cast out to +beggary in his old age. No, she could only save him by yielding herself +up, exonerating him from all knowledge of her strange marriage, far more +of the catastrophe, and let my Lady do her worst! She had, as she knew, +not been going on well lately, but she had confessed her faults, and +recovered her confidence that her Heavenly Father would guard her as +long as she resolutely did her duty. And her duty, as daughter and a +wife, if indeed she was one, was surely to return, where her heart was +drawing her. It might be very terrible, but still it was going nearer to +_him_, and it would save her father. + +The door was still open; she wrote a few words of gratitude and +explanation to Dame Wheatfield, on a piece of a torn book, wrapped a +couple of guineas in it, and laid it in the basket, then kneeling again +to implore protection and safety, and if it might be, forgiveness and +reconciliation, she set forth. "Love is strong as death," said Mary +Sedhurst's tomb. She knew better what that meant than when her childish +eyes first fell upon it. A sense of Divine Love was wrapping her round +with a feeling of support and trust, while the human love drew her +onwards to confront all deadly possibilities in the hope of rejoining +her husband, or at least of averting misfortune from her father. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. VANISHED. + + + Where there is no place + For the glow-worm to lie, + Where there is no space + For receipt of a fly, + Where the midge dares not venture + Lest herself fast she lay, + If Love come, he will enter + And find out the way.--OLD SONG. + + +Major Delavie and his eldest daughter were sitting down to supper in the +twilight, when a trampling of horses was heard in the lane a carriage +was seen at the gate, and up the pathway came a slender youthful figure, +in a scarlet coat, with an arm in a sling. + +"It is!--yes, it is!" exclaimed Betty: "Sir Amyas himself!" + +In spite of his lameness, the Major had opened the door before Palmer +could reach it; but his greeting and inquiry were cut short by the young +man's breathless question: "Is she here?" + +"Who?" + +"My wife--my love. Your daughter, sweet Aurelia! Ah! it was my one +hope." + +"Come in, come in, sir," entreated Betty, seeing how fearfully pale he +grew. "What has befallen you, and where is my sister?" + +"Would that I knew! I trusted to have found her here; but now, sir, you +will come with me and find her!" + +"I do not understand you, sir," said the Major severely, "nor how you +are concerned in the matter. My daughter is the wife of your uncle, Mr. +Belamour, and if, as I fear, you bear the marks of a duel in consequence +of any levity towards her, I shall not find it easy to forgive." + +"On my word and honour it is no such thing," said the youth, raising a +face full of frank innocence: "Your daughter is my wife, my most dear +and precious wife, with full consent and knowledge of my uncle. I was +married to her in his clothes, in the darkened room, our names being the +same!" + +"Was this your promise?" Betty exclaimed. + +"Miss Delavie, to the best of my ability I have kept my promise. Your +sister has never seen me, nor to her knowledge spoken with me." + +"These are riddles, young man," said the Major sternly. "If all be not +well with my innocent child, I shall know how to demand an account." + +"Sir," said the youth: "I swear to you that she is the same innocent +maiden as when she left you. Oh!" he added with a gesture of earnest +entreaty, "blame me as you will, only trace her." + +"Sit down, and let us hear," said Betty kindly, pushing a chair towards +him and pouring out a glass of wine. He sank into the first, but waved +aside the second, becoming however so pale that the Major sprang to hold +the wine to his lips saying: "Drink, boy, I say!" + +"Not unless you forgive me," he replied in a hoarse, exhausted voice. + +"Forgive! Of course, I forgive, if you have done no wrong by my child. I +see, I see, 'tis not wilfully. You have been hurt in her defence." + +"Not exactly," he said: "I have much to tell," but the words came +slowly, and there was a dazed weariness about his eye that made Betty +say, in spite of her anxiety--"You cannot till you have eaten and +rested. If only one word to say where she is!" + +"Oh! that I could! My hope was to find her here," and he was choked by a +great strangling sob, which his youthful manhood sought to restrain. + +Betty perceived that he was far from being recovered from the injury +he had suffered, and did her best to restrain her own and her father's +anxiety till she had persuaded him to swallow some of the excellent +coffee which Nannerl always made at sight of a guest. To her father's +questions meantime, he had answered that he had broken his arm ten days +ago, but he could not wait, he had posted down as soon as he could move. + +"You ought to sleep before you tell us farther," said the Major, +speaking from a strong sense of the duties of a host; but he was +relieved when the youth answered, "You are very good, sir, but I could +not sleep till you know all." + +"Speak, then," said the Major, "I cannot look at your honest young +countenance and think you guilty of more than disobedient folly; but I +fear it may have cost my poor child very dear! Is it your mother that +you dread?" + +"I would be thankful even to know her in my mother's keeping!" he said. + +"Is there no mistake?" said the Major; "my daughter, Mrs. Arden, saw her +at Brentford, safe and blooming." + +"Oh, that was before--before--" said Sir Amyas, "the day before she fled +from my mother at Bowstead, and has been seen no more." + +He put his hand over his face, and bowed it on the table in such +overpowering grief as checked the exclamations of horror and dismay and +the wrathful demands that were rising to the lips of his auditors, +and they only looked at one another in speechless sorrow. Presently +he recovered enough to say, "Have patience with me, and I will try +to explain all. My cousin, Miss Delavie, knows that I loved her sweet +sister from the moment I saw her, and that I hurried to London in the +hope of meeting her at my mother's house. On the contrary, my mother, +finding it vain to deny all knowledge of her, led me to believe that she +was boarded at a young ladies' school with my little sisters. I lived +on the vain hope of the holidays, and meantime every effort was made to +drive me into a marriage which my very soul abhorred, the contract +being absolutely made by the two ladies, the mothers, without my +participation, nay, against my protest. I was to be cajoled or else +persecuted into it--sold, in fact, that my mother's debts might be paid +before her husband's return! I knew my Uncle Belamour was my sole true +personal guardian, though he had never acted further than by affixing +his signature when needed. I ought to have gone long before to see him, +but as I now understand, obstacles had been purposely placed in my way, +while my neglectful reluctance was encouraged. It was in the forlorn +hope of finding in him a resource that took me to Bowstead at last, and +then it was that I learnt how far my mother could carry deception. There +I found my sisters, and learnt that my own sweetest life had been placed +there likewise. She was that afternoon visiting some old ladies, but my +uncle represented that my meeting her could only cause her trouble +and lead to her being removed. I was forced then to yield, having an +engagement in London that it would have been fatal to break, but I came +again at dark, and having sworn me to silence, he was forced to let +me take advantage of the darkness of his chamber to listen to her +enchanting voice. He promised to help me, as far as he had the power, +in resisting the hateful Aresfield engagement, and he obtained the +assistance of an old friend in making himself acquainted with the terms +of his guardianship, and likewise of a letter my father had left for +him. He has given me leave to show a part of it to you, sir," he added, +"you will see that my father expressed a strong opinion that you were +wronged in the matter of the estates, and declared that he had hoped to +make some compensation by a contract between one of your daughters and +my brother who died. He charged my uncle if possible to endeavour to +bring about such a match between one of your children and myself. Thus, +you see, I was acting in the strictest obedience. You shall see the +letter at once, if I may bid my fellow Gray bring my pocket-book from my +valise." + +"I doubt not of your words, my young friend; your father was a gentleman +of a high and scrupulous honour. But why all this hide-and-seek work?--I +hate holes and corners!" + +"You will see how we were driven, sir. My mother came in her turn to +see my uncle, and obtain his sanction to her cherished plan, and when he +absolutely refused, on account of Lady Aresfield's notorious character, +if for no other, she made him understand that nothing would be easier +than to get him declared a lunatic and thus to dispense with his +consent. Then, finding how the sweet society of your dear daughter had +restored him to new life and spirit, she devised the notable expedient +of removing what she suspected to be the chief cause of my contumacy, +by marrying the poor child to him. He scouted the idea as a preposterous +and cruel sacrifice, but it presently appeared that Colonel Mar +was ready to find her a debauched old lieutenant who would gladly +marry--what do I say?--it profanes the word--but accept the young lady +for a couple of hundred pounds. Then did I implore my uncle to seem to +yield, and permit me to personate him at the ceremony. Our names being +the same, and all being done in private and in the dark, the whole +was quite possible, and it seemed the only means of saving her from a +terrible fate." + +"He might--or you might, have remembered that she had a father!" said +the Major. + +"True. But you were at a distance, and my mother's displeasure against +you was to be deprecated." + +"I had rather she had been offended fifty times than have had such +practices with my poor little girl!" said Major Delavie. "No wonder the +proposals struck me as strange and ambiguous. Whose writing was it?" + +"Mine, at his dictation," said the youth. "He was unwilling, but +my importunity was backed by my mother's threats, conveyed through +Hargrave, that unless Aurelia became his wife she should be disposed of +otherwise, and that his sanity might be inquired into. Hargrave, who +is much attached to my uncle, and is in great awe of my Lady, was +thoroughly frightened, and implored him to secure himself and the young +lady by consenting, thinking, too, that anything that would rouse him +would be beneficial." + +"It is strange!" mused the Major. "A clear-headed punctilious man +like your uncle, to lend himself to a false marriage! His ten years of +melancholy must have changed him greatly!" + +"Less than you suppose, sir; but you will remember that my mother is +esteemed as a terrible power by all concerned with her. Even when she +seemed to love me tenderly, I was made to know what it was to cross her +will, and alas! she always carries her point." + +"It did seem a mode of protection," said Betty, more kindly. + +"And" added the youth, "my uncle impressed on me from the first that +he only consented on condition the I treated this wedlock as betrothal +alone, never met my sweet love save in his dark room, and never revealed +myself to her. He said it was a mere expedient for guarding her until +I shall come of age, or Mr. Wayland comes home, when I shall woo her +openly, and if needful, repeat the ceremony with her full knowledge. +Meanwhile I wrote the whole to my stepfather, and am amazed that he has +never written nor come home." + +"That is the only rational thing I have heard," said the Major. +"Though--did your uncle expect your young blood to keep the terms?" + +"Indeed, sir, I was frightened enough the first evening that I ventured +on any advances, for they startled her enough to make her swoon away. +I carried her from her room, and my uncle dragged me back before the +colour came back to that lovely face so that the women might come to +her. That was the only time I ever saw her save through the chinks of +the shutters. Judge of the distraction I lived in!" + +Betty looked shocked, but her father chuckled a little, though he +maintained his tone of censure "And may I inquire how often these +distracting interviews took place?" + +"Cruelly seldom for one to whom they were life itself! Mar is, as you +know, colonel of my corps, and my liberty has been restrained as much +as possible; I believe I have been oftener on guard and on court-martial +than any officer of my standing in the service; but about once in a +fortnight I could contrive to ride down to a little wayside inn where I +kept a fresh horse, also a livery coat and hat. I tied up my horse in +a barn on the borders of the park, and put on a black vizard, so as +to pass for my uncle's negro in the dark. I could get admittance to my +uncle's rooms unknown to any servant save faithful Jumbo--who has been +the sole depository of our secret. However, since my mother's return +from Bath, where the compact with Lady Aresfield was fully determined, +the persecution has been fiercer. I may have aroused suspicion by +failing to act my part when she triumphantly announced my uncle's +marriage to me, or else by my unabated resistance to the little +termagant who is to be forced on me. At any rate, I have been so +intolerably watched whenever I was not on duty, that my hours of +bliss became rarer than ever. Well, sir, my uncle charges me with +indiscretion, and says my ardour aroused unreasonable suspicions. He +was constantly anxious, and would baulk me in my happiest and most +tantalising moments by making some excuse for breaking up the evening, +and then would drive me frantic by asking whether he was to keep up my +character for consistency in my absence. However, ten days since, the +twelfth of May, after three weeks' unendurable detention in town on one +pretext or another, I escaped, and made my way to Bowstead at last. My +uncle told me that he had been obliged unwillingly to consent to our +precious charge going to meet her sister at Brentford, and that she was +but newly come home. Presently she entered, but scarcely had I accosted +her before a blaze broke out close to us. The flame caught the dry old +curtains, they flamed up like tinder, and as I leaped up on a table to +tear them down, it gave way with me, I got a blow on the head, and knew +no more. It seems that my uncle, as soon as the fire was out, finding +that my arm was broken, set out to send the groom for the doctor--he +being used to range the park at night. The stupid fellow, coming +home half tipsy from the village, saw his white hair and beard in the +moonlight, took him for a ghost, and ran off headlong. Thereupon my +uncle, with new energy in the time of need, saddled the horse, changed +his dressing-gown with the groom's coat, and rode off to Brentford. +Then, finding that Dr. Hunter was not within, he actually went on to +London, where Dr. Sandys, who had attended him ever since his would, +forced him to go to bed, and to remain there till his own return. Thus +my darling had no one to protect her, when, an hour or so after the +accident, my mother suddenly appeared. Spies had been set on me by Mar, +and so soon as they had brought intelligence of my movements she had +hurried off from Ranelagh, in full dress, just as she was, to track and +surprise me. My uncle, having gone by the bridle path, had not met +her, and I was only beginning to return to my senses. I have a dim +recollection of hearing my mother threatening and accusing Aurelia, and +striving to interfere, but I was as one bound down, and all after that +is blank to me. When my understanding again became clear, I could only +learn that my mother had locked her into her own room, whence she had +escaped, and"--with a groan--"nothing has been heard of her since!" +Again he dropped his head on his hand as one in utter dejection. + +"Fled! What has been done to trace her?" cried the Major. + +"Nothing could be done till my mother was gone and my uncle returned. +The delirium was on me, and whatever I tried to say turned to raving, +all the worse if I saw or heard my mother, till Dr. Sandys forbade +her coming near me. She was invited to the Queen's Sunday card party +moreover, so she fortunately quitted Bowstead just before Mr. Belamour's +return." + +"Poor gentleman, he could do nothing," said Betty. + +"Indeed I should have thought so, but it seems that he only needed +a shock to rouse him. His state had become hypochondriacal, and this +strong emotion has caused him to exert himself; and when he came into +the daylight, he found he could bear it. I could scarce believe my eyes +when, on awakening from a sleep, I found him by my bedside, promising +me that if I would only remain still, he would use every endeavour to +recover the dear one. He went first to Brentford, thinking she might +have joined her sister there, but Mr. and Mrs. Arden had left it at the +same time as she did. Then he travelled on to their Rectory at Rundell +Canonicorum, thinking she might have followed them, but they had only +just arrived, and had heard nothing of her; and he next sought her with +his friend the Canon of Windsor, but all in vain. Meantime my mother +had visited me, and denied all knowledge of her, only carrying away my +little sisters, I believe because she found them on either side of my +bed, telling me tales of their dear Cousin Aura's kindness. When my +uncle returned to Bowstead I could bear inaction no longer, and profited +by my sick leave to travel down hither, trusting that she might have +found her way to her home, and longing to confess all and implore your +pardon, sir,--and, alas! Your aid in seeking her." + +With the large tears in his eyes, the youth rose from his chair as he +spoke, and knelt on one knee before the Major, who exclaimed, extremely +affected--"By all that is sacred, you have it, my dear boy. It is a +wretched affair, but you meant to act honourably throughout, and you +have suffered heavily. May God bless you both, and give us back my dear +child. My Lady must have been very hard with her, to make her thus fly, +all alone." + +"You do not know, I suppose, any cause for so timid a creature +preferring flight to a little restraint?" + +"It seems," said Sir Amyas sadly, "that something the dear girl said +gave colour to the charge of having caused the fire, and that my mother +in her first passion threatened her with the constable!" + +"My poor Aurelia! that might well scare her," cried Betty: "but how +could it be?" + +"They say she spoke of using something her sister had given her to +discover what the mystery was that alarmed her." + +"Ah! that gunpowder trick of Mr. Arden's--I always hated it!" exclaimed +Betty. + +"Gunpowder indeed!" growled the old soldier. "Well, if ever there's +mischief among the children, Harriet is always at the bottom of it. I +hope Mr. Belamour made her confess if she had a hand in it." + +"I believe he did," said Sir Amyas. + +"Just like her to set the match to the train and then run away," said +the Major. + +"Still, sir," said Betty, her womanhood roused to defence, "though I am +angered and grieved enough that Harriet should have left Aurelia to face +the consequences of the act she instigated, I must confess that even by +Sir Amyas's own showing, if he will allow me to say so, my sisters were +justified in wishing to understand the truth." + +"That is what my uncle tells me," said the baronet. "He declares that +if I had attended to his stipulations, restrained my fervour, or kept my +distance, there would have been neither suspicion nor alarm. As if I had +not restrained myself!" + +"Ay, I dare say," said the Major, a little amused. + +"Well, sir, what could a man do with most bewitching creature in the +world, his own wife, too, on the next chair to him?" + +There was a simplicity about the stripling--for he was hardly +more--which forced them to forgive him; besides, they were touched by +his paleness and fatigue. His own man--a respectable elderly servant +whom the Major recollected waiting on Sir Jovian--came to beg that his +honour would sit up no longer, as he had been travelling since six in +the morning, and was quite worn out. Indeed, so it proved; for when the +Major and Betty not only promised to come with him on the search the +next day, but bade him a kind affectionate good-night, the poor lad, +all unused to kindness, fairly burst into tears, which all his dawning +manhood could not restrain. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. THE TRACES. + + + Oh, if I were an eagle to soar into the sky, + I'd gaze around with piercing eye when I my love might spy. + + +The second-best coach, which resided at Bowstead, the same which had +carried Aurelia off from Knightsbridge, had brought Sir Amyas Belamour +to Carminster--an effeminate proceeding of which he was rather ashamed, +though clearly he could not have ridden, and he had hoped to have +brought his bride back in it. + +There was plenty of room in it to take back the Major, Betty, and even +Eugene, since he could not well have been left without his sister or +Palmer, who was indispensable to the Major. He was so enchanted at +"riding in a coach," and going perhaps to see London, that he did not +trouble himself much about sister Aurelia being lost, and was in such +high spirits as to be best disposed of outside, between Palmer and Gray, +where he could at his ease contemplate the horses, generally four in +number, though at some stages only two could be procured, and then at an +extra steep hill a farmer's horse from the hayfield would be hitched on +in front. Luckily there was no lack of money; Mr. Belamour and Hargrave +had taken care that Sir Amyas should be amply supplied, and thus the +journey was as rapid as posting could be in those days of insufficient +inns, worse roads, and necessary precautions against highwaymen. + +The road was not the same as that which the young baronet had come down +by, as it was thought better to take the chance of meeting a different +stage waggon, Sir Amyas and his servant having, of course, examined the +one they had overtaken in coming down. At every possible resting place +on the route was inquiry made, but all in vain; no one had seen such a +young gentlewoman as was described, or if some answer inspired hope for +a moment, it was dashed again at once. The young gentlewoman once turned +out to be the Squire's fat lady, and another time was actually pursued +into a troop of strolling players, attiring themselves in a barn, whence +she came with cheeks freshly rouged with blood taken from a cat's tail. + +The young baronet had meanwhile become very dear to the Major and his +daughter. He had inherited his mother's indescribable attractiveness, +and he was so frank, so affectionate, so unspoilt, so grateful for the +little attentions demanded by his maimed condition, so considerate of +the Major, and so regardless of himself, and, above all, so passionately +devoted to his dearest life, as he called Aurelia, that it was +impossible not to take him into their hearts, and let him be, as he +entreated, a son and a brother. + +The travellers decided on first repairing to Bowstead, thinking it +probable that the truant might have returned thither, or that Mr. +Belamour might have found her in some one of the cottages around. Hopes +began to rise, and Major Delavie scolded Sir Amyas in quite a paternal +manner whenever he began to despond, though the parts were reversed +whenever the young people's expectations began to soar beyond his own +spirits at the moment. + +"Is yonder Hargrave? No, it is almost like my father!" exclaimed Sir +Amyas, in amazement, as the coach lumbered slowly up the approach, and +a very remarkable figure was before them. The long white beard was gone, +the hair was brushed back, tied up, and the ends disposed of in a square +black silk bag, hanging down behind; and the dark grey coat, with collar +and deep cuffs of black velvet, was such as would be the ordinary wear +of an elderly man of good position; but the face, a fine aquiline one, +as to feature, was of perfectly absolute whiteness, scarcely relieved by +the thin pale lips, or the eyes, which, naturally of a light-grey, had +become almost as colourless as the rest of the face, and Betty felt a +shock as if she had seen a marble statue clothed and animated, bowing +and speaking. + +The anxious inquiry and the mournful negative had been mutually +exchanged before the carriage door was opened, and all were standing +together in the avenue. + +"I have, however, found a clue, or what may so prove," said Mr. +Belamour, when the greetings had passed. "I have discovered how our +fugitive passed the early part of the Sunday;" and he related how he had +elicited from the Mistresses Treforth that they had seen her and driven +her away with contumely. + +Sir Amyas and the Major were not sparing of interjections, and the +former hoped that his uncle had told them what they deserved. + +"Thereby only incurring the more compassion," said Mr. Belamour, dryly, +and going on to say that he had extended his inquires to Sedhurst, and +had heard of her visit to Dame Wheatfield; also, that the good woman, +going to seek her at the church, had found only the basket with the +guineas in the paper. She had regarded this merely as a wrapper, +and, being unable to read, had never noticed the writing, but she +had fortunately preserved it, and Mr. Belamour thus learnt Aurelia's +intention of throwing herself on Lady Belamour's mercy. + +"My mother utterly denied all knowledge of her, when I cried out in +anguish when she came to see me!" said Sir Amyas. + +"So she does to Hargrave, whom she sent off to interrogate Mrs. Arden," +said Mr. Belamour. + +"Have you any reason to think the child could have reached my Lady?" +inquired Betty, seeing that none of the gentlemen regarded my Lady's +denials as making any difference to their belief, though not one of them +chose to say so. + +"Merely negative evidence," said Mr. Belamour. "I find that no one +in the house actually beheld the departure of my Lady on that Sunday +afternoon. The little girls had been found troublesome, and sent out +into the park with Molly, and my nephew was giving full employment to +Jumbo and Mrs. Aylward in my room. The groom, who was at the horses' +heads, once averred that he saw two women get into the carriage +besides her ladyship; but he is such a sodden confused fellow, and so +contradicts himself, that I can make nothing of him." + +"He would surely know his young mistress," said Sir Amyas. + +"Perhaps not in the camlet hood, which Dame Wheatfield says she wore." + +"Was good old Dove acting as coachman?" said Betty. "We should learn +something from him." + +"It was not her own coach," said Mr. Belamour. "All the servants were +strangers, the liveries sanguine, and the panels painted with helmets +and trophies." + +"Mar's," said Sir Amyas, low and bitterly. + +"I guessed as much," said his uncle. "It was probably chosen on purpose, +if the child has friends in your own household." + +"Then I must demand her," said the Major. "She cannot be denied to her +father." + +"At any rate we must go to town to-morrow," said Mr. Belamour. "We have +done all we can here." + +"Let us send for horses and go on at once," cried Sir Amyas. + +"Not so fast, nephew. I see, by her face, that Miss Delavie does not +approve, though our side of the town is safer than Hounslow." + +"I was not thinking of highwaymen, sir, but we set forth at five this +morning, and Sir Amyas always becomes flushed and feverish if he is over +fatigued; nor is my father so strong as he was." + +"Ah, ha! young sir, in adopting Betty for a sister you find you have +adopted a quartermaster-general, eh?" said the Major; "but she is quite +right. We should not get to town before ten or eleven at night, and what +good would that do? No, no, let us sup and have a good night's rest, and +we will drive into town long enough before fine ladies are astir in the +morning, whatever may be the fashionable hour nowadays." + +"Yes, nephew, you must content yourself with acting host to your father +and sister-in-law in your own house," said his uncle. + +"It seems to me more like yours, sir," rejoined the youth; but at the +hall door, with all his native grace, he turned and gave his welcome, +kissing Betty on the cheek with the grave ceremony of the host, and +lamenting, poor fellow, that he stood alone without his bride to receive +them. + +"Is that Jumbo?" asked Betty. "I must thank him for all his kind service +to my dear sister." + +Faithful Jumbo fairly wept when--infinite condescension for those +days--Major Delavie shook hands with him and thanked him. + +"If pretty Missie Madam were but safe and well, Jumbo would wish no +more," he sobbed out. + +"Poor Jumbo," said Mr. Belamour, "he has never been the same man since +pretty Missie Madam has been lost. I hear his violin mourning for her +till it is enough to break one's heart!" + +However Eugene created a diversion by curious inquiries whether Jumbo +would indeed play the fiddle of which he had heard from Archer and +Amoret, and he ran off most eagerly after the negro to be introduced to +the various curiosities of the place. + +Mrs. Aylward attended Miss Delavie to her room, and showed herself much +softened. As a good, conscientious woman, she felt that she had acted +a selfish part towards the lonely maiden, and Betty's confident belief +that she had been a kind friend was a keen reproach. + +"Indeed, madam," she said, "I would lief you could truly call me such, +but when young Miss came here first I took her for one of that flighty +sort that it is wise not to meddle with more than needful. I have +kept my place here these thirty years by never making or meddling, and +knowing nothing about what don't concern me, and is out of my province. +Now, I wish I had let the poor young lady be more friendly with me, for +maybe I could have been of use to her in her need. + +"You had no suspicion?" + +"No, ma'am; though I find there were those who suspected some one +came up here disguised as Jumbo; but I was never one to lend an ear to +gossip, and by that time I trusted the dear young lady altogether, and +knew she would never knowingly do aught that was unbecoming her station, +or her religion." + +"I am glad the dear child won your good opinion," said Betty. + +"Indeed, ma'am, that you may say," returned Mrs. Aylward, whom anxiety +had made confidential; "for I own I was prejudiced against her from the +first, as, if you'll excuse me, ma'am, all we Bowstead people are apt +to be set against whatever comes from my Lady's side. However, one must +have been made of the nether millstone not to feel the difference she +made in the house. She was the very life of it with her pretty ways, +singing and playing with the children, and rousing up the poor gentleman +too that had lived just like a mere heathen in a dungeon, and wouldn't +so much as hear a godly word in his despair. And now he has a minister +once a fortnight to read prayers, and is quite another man--all through +that blessed young lady, who has brought him back to light and life." +And as Betty's tears flowed at this testimony to her sister, the +housekeeper added, "Never you fear, ma'am; she is one of God's innocents +and His Hand will be over her." + +Meantime, having dismissed the young lover to take, if he could, a +much needed night's rest, the Major was listening to Mr. Belamour's +confession. "I was the most to blame, in as much as an old fool is worse +than a young one; and I would that the penalty fell on me alone." + +"If she be in my cousin's hands I cannot believe that she will permit +any harm to befall her," said the good Major, still clinging to his +faith in Urania--the child he had taught to ride, and with whom he had +danced her first minuet. + +"What I dread most is her being forced into some low marriage," said Mr. +Belamour. "The poor child's faith in the ceremony that passed must have +been overthrown, and who can tell what she may be induced to accept?" + +"It was that threat which moved you?" said the Major. + +"Yes. Hargrave assured me that my Lady had actually offered her to him, +with a bribe of a farm on easy terms; and when she found that he had +other intentions, there seemed to be some broken-down sycophant of Mar's +upon the cards, but of course I was preferable, both because my fair +sister-in-law has some lingering respect for the honour of her own +blood, and because the bar between Aurelia and my nephew would be +perpetual. I knew likewise that it was my brother's earnest desire that +a match should take place between your children and his. + +"He did me too much honour. The lad showed me the extract from his +letter." + +"I could not give him the whole. It was fit for no eyes but mine, who +had so long neglected it, and barely understood that it existed. My poor +brother's eyes were fully opened to his wife's character, and even while +he loved her to distraction, and yielded to her fascinating mastery +against his better judgment, he left me the charge of trying in some +degree to repair the injustice he believed you to be suffering, and of +counteracting evil influences on her son." + +"That seems at least to have been done." + +"By no efforts of mine; but because the boy was happily permitted to +remain with the worthy tutor his father had chosen for him, and because +Wayland is an excellent man, wise and prudent in all things save in +being bewitched by a fair face. Would that he were returned! When I +first consented to act this fool's part, I trusted that he would have +been at home soon enough to prevent more than the nominal engagement, +and when my Lady's threats rendered it needful to secure the poor child +by giving her my name, I still expected him before my young gentleman +should utterly betray himself by his warmth." + +"He tells me that he has written." + +"True. On that I insisted, and I am the more uneasy, for there has been +ample time for a reply. It is only too likely, from what my nephew tells +me of his venturesome explorations, that he may have fallen into the +hands of the Moorish corsairs! Hargrave says it is rumoured; but my Lady +will not be checked in her career of pleasure, and if she is fearful of +his return, she may precipitate matters with the poor girl!" + +"Come, come, sir, I cannot have you give way to despondency. You +did your best, and if it did not succeed, it was owing to my foolish +daughter Arden. Why, if she was not satisfied about her sister, could +she not have come here, and demanded an explanation? That would have +been the straightforward way!" + +"Would that she had! Or would that I had sooner discovered my own entire +recovery, which I owe in very truth to the sweet being who has brought +new life alike of body and mind to me, and who must think I have +requited her so cruelly." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. CYTHEREA'S BOWER. + + + There Citherea, goddesse was and quene, + Honourid highly for her majeste, + And eke her sonne, the mighty god I weene, + Cupid the blinde, that for his dignite + A M lovers worshipp on ther kne. + There was I bid on pain of dethe to pere, + By Mercury, the winged messengre.--CHAUCER. + + +By twelve o'clock on the ensuing day Mr. Belamour, with Eugene and +Jumbo, was set down at a hotel near Whitehall, to secure apartments, +while the Major went on to demand his daughter from Lady Belamour, +taking with him Betty, whom he allowed to be a much better match for my +Lady than he could be. Very little faith in his cousin Urania remained +to him in the abstract, yet even now he could not be sure that she would +not talk him over and hoodwink him in any actual encounter. Sir Amyas +likewise accompanied him, both to gratify his own anxiety and to secure +admission. The young man still looked pale and worn with restless +anxiety; but he had, in spite of remonstrances, that morning discarded +his sling, saying that he should return to his quarters. Let his Colonel +do his worst then; he had still more liberty than if compelled to return +to his mother's house. + +Lady Belamour had, on her second marriage, forsaken her own old +hereditary mansion in the Strand, where Sir Jovian had died, and which, +she said, gave her the vapours. Mr. Wayland, whose wealth far exceeded +her own, had purchased one of the new houses in Hanover Square, the +fashionable quarter and very much admired; but the Major regretted the +gloomy dignity of the separate enclosure and walled court of Delavie +House, whereas the new one, in modern fashion, had only an area and +steps between the front and the pavement. + +The hall door stood wide open, with a stately porter within, and lackeys +planted about at intervals. Grey descended from the box, and after some +inquiry, brought word that "her Ladyship was at breakfast," then, at a +sign from his master, opened the carriage door. Sir Amyas, taking +Betty by the tips of her fingers, led her forward, receiving by the way +greetings and inquiries from the servants, whose countenances showed him +to be a welcome arrival. + +"Is it a reception day, Maine?" he asked of a kind of major-domo whom he +met on the top of the broad stairs. + +"No, your honour." + +"Is company with her ladyship?" + +"No, not company, sir," with a certain hesitation, which damped Betty's +satisfaction in the first assurance. + +What did she see as Maine opened the door? It was a very spacious +bedroom, the bed in an alcove hung with rose-coloured satin embroidered +with myrtles and white roses, looped up with lace and muslin. Like +draperies hung round the window, fluted silk lined the room, and +beautiful japanned and inlaid cabinets and _etageres_ adorned the walls, +bearing all varieties and devices of new and old porcelain from Chins, +Sevres, Dresden, or Worcester, tokens of Mr. Wayland's travels. There +was a toilette table before one window covered with lacquer ware, silver +and ivory boxes, and other apparatus, and an exquisite Venetian mirror +with the borders of frosted silver work. + +Not far off, but sideways to it, sat Lady Belamour in a loose sacque +of some rich striped silk, in crimson and blue stripes shot with gold +threads. Slippers, embroidered with gold, showed off her dainty feet, +and a French hairdresser stood behind her chair putting the finishing +touches to the imposing fabric of powder, flower, and feather upon her +head. A little hand-mirror, framed in carved ivory inlaid with coral, +and a fan, lay on a tiny spindle-legged table close in front of her, +together with a buff-coloured cup of chocolate. At a somewhat larger +table Mrs. Loveday, her woman, was dispensing the chocolate, whilst a +little negro boy, in a fantastic Oriental costume, waited to carry the +cups about. + +On a sofa near at hand, in an easy attitude, reclined Colonel Mar, +holding out to Lady Belamour a snuff-box of tortoiseshell and gold, +and a lady sat near on one of the tall black-and-gold chairs drinking +chocolate, while all were giving their opinions on the laces, feathers, +ribbons, and trinkets which another Frenchman was displaying from a +basket-box placed on the floor, trying to keep aloof a little Maltese +lion-dog, which had been roused from its cushion, and had come to +inspect his wares. A little further off, Archer, in a blue velvet coat, +white satin waistcoat, and breeches and silk stockings, and Amoret, +white-frocked, blue-sashed, and bare-headed (an innovation of fashion), +were admiring the nodding mandarins, grinning nondescript monsters, +and green lions of extraordinary form which an emissary from a +curiosity-shop was unpacking. Near the door, in an attitude weary +yet obsequious, stood, paper in hand, a dejected figure in shabby +plum-colour--_i.e._ a poor author--waiting in hopes that his sonnet in +praise of Cytherea's triumphant charms would win his the guinea he so +sorely needed, as + + + To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame, + And heap the shrine of luxury and pride + With incense kindled at the Muses' flame. + + +The scene was completed by a blue and yellow macaw at one window chained +to his perch, and a green monkey tethered in like manner at the other. + +Of course Elizabeth Delavie did not perceive all these details at once. +Her first sensation was the shock to the decorum of a modest English +lady at intruding into a bed-room; but her foreign recollections coming +to her aid, she accepted the fashion with one momentary feminine review +of her own appearance, and relief that she had changed her travelling +gear for her Sunday silks, and made her father put on his full uniform. +All this passed while Sir Amyas was leading her into the room, steering +her carefully out of the monkey's reach. Then he went a step or two +forward and bent before his mother, almost touching the ground with one +knee, as he kissed her hand, and rising, acknowledged the lady with a +circular sweep of his hat, and his Colonel with a military salute, all +rapidly, but with perfect ease and gracefulness. "Ah! my truant, my +runaway invalid!" said Lady Belamour, "you are come to surrender." + +"I am come," he said gravely, holding out his stronger hand to his +little brother and sister, who sprang to him, "to bring my father-and +sister-in-law, Major and Miss Delavie." + +"Ah! my good cousin, my excellent Mrs. Betty, excuse me that my tyrant +_friseur_ prevents my rising to welcome you. It is so good and friendly +in you to come in this informal way to cheer me under this terrible +anxiety. Let me present you to my kind friend, the Countess of +Aresfield, who has been so good as to come in to-day to sustain +my spirits. Colonel Mar you know already. Pray be seated. +Amyas--Archer--chairs. Let Syphax give you a cup of chocolate." + +"Madam," said the Major, disregarding all this and standing as if on +parade, "can I see you alone? My business is urgent." + +"No evil news, I trust! I have undergone such frightful shocks of late, +my constitution is well nigh ruined." + +"It is I that have to ask news of you madam." + +She saw that, if she trifled with him, something would break out that +she would not wish to have said publicly. "My time is so little my own," +she said, "I am under command to be at the Palace by two o'clock, but in +a few minutes I shall be able to dismiss my tormentor, and then, till +my woman comes to dress me, I shall be at your service. Sit down, I +entreat, and take some chocolate. I know Mrs. Betty is an excellent +housekeeper, and I want her opinion. My dear Lady Aresfield, suffer me +to introduce my estimable cousin, Mrs. Betty Delavie." + +The Countess looking in her feathers and powder like a beetroot in white +sauce, favoured Betty with a broad stare. Vulgarity was very vulgar in +those days, especially when it had purchased rank, and thought manners +might be dispensed with. Betty sat down, and Amoret climbed on her lap, +while a diversion was made by Archer's imperious entreaty that his mamma +would purchase a mandarin who not only nodded, but waved his hands and +protruded his tongue. + +Then ensued what seemed, to the sickening suspense of the two Delavies, +a senseless Babel of tongues on all sides; but it ended in the _friseur_ +putting up his implements, the trades-folk leaving the selected goods +unpaid for, and the poor poet bowing himself within reach of the monkey, +who made a clutch at his MS., chattered over it, and tore it into +fragments. There was a peal of mirth--loudest from Lady Aresfield--but +Sir Amyas sprang forward with gentlemanly regrets, apologies, and +excuses, finally opening the door and following the poor man out of the +room to administer the guinea from his own pocket, while Colonel Mar +exclaimed, "Here, Archer, boy, run after him with this. The poor devil +has won it by producing a smile from those divine lips--such as his +jungle might never have done---" + +"Fie! fie! Mar," said the Lady, shaking her fan at him, "the child will +repeat it to him." + +"The better sport if he do," said Colonel Mar, carelessly; "he may term +himself a very Orpheus charming the beasts, so that they snatch his +poems from him!" + +Then, as Sir Amyas returned, Lady Belamour entreated her dear Countess +to allow him to conduct her to the withdrawing room, and there endeavour +to entertain her. The Colonel could not but follow, and the Major and +Betty found themselves at length alone with her Ladyship. + +"I trust you have come to relieve my mind as to our poor runaway," she +began. + +"Would to Heaven I could!" said the Major. + +"Good Heavens! Then she has never reached you!" + +"Certainly not. + +"Nor her sister? Oh, surely she is with her sister!" + +"No, madam, her sisters knows nothing of her. Cousin, you have children +of your own! I entreat of you to tell me what you have done with her." + +"How should I have done anything with her? I who have been feeding all +this time on the assurance that she had returned to you." + +"How could a child like her do so?" + +"We know she had money," said Lady Belamour. + +"And we know," said Betty, fixing her eyes on the lady, "that though she +escaped, on the first alarm, as far as Sedhurst, and was there seen, +she had decided on returning to Bowstead and giving herself up to you +Ladyship." + +"Indeed? At what time was that?" exclaimed my Lady. + +"Some time in the afternoon of Sunday!" + +"Ah! then I must have left Bowstead. I was pledged to her Majesty's +card-table, and royal commands cannot be disregarded, so I had to +go away in grievous anxiety for my poor boy. She meant to return to +Bowstead, did she? Ah. Does not an idea strike you that old Amyas +Belamour may know more than he confesses! He has been playing a double +game throughout." + +"He is as anxious to find the dear girl as we are madam." + +"So he may seem to you and to my poor infatuated boy, but you see those +crazed persons are full of strange devices and secrets, as indeed we +have already experienced. I see what you would say; he may appear sane +and plausible enough to a stranger, but to those who have known him +ever since his misfortunes, the truth is but too plain. He was harmless +enough as long as he was content to remain secluded in his dark chamber, +but now that I hear he has broken loose, Heaven knows what mischief he +may do. My dear cousin Delavie, you are the prop left to me in these +troubles, with my poor good man in the hands of those cruel pirates, +who may be making him work in chains for all I know," and the tears came +into her beautiful eyes. + +"They will not do that," said Major Delavie, eager to reassure her; "I +have heard enough of their tricks to know that they keep such game as he +most carefully till they can get a ransom." + +"Your are sure of that!" + +"Perfectly. I met an Italian fellow at Vienna who told me how it was all +managed by the Genoese bankers." + +"Ah! I was just thinking that you would be the only person who could be +of use--you who know foreign languages and all their ways. If you could +go abroad, and arrange it for me!" + +"If my daughter were restored---" began the Major. + +"I see what you would say, and I am convinced that the first step +towards the discovery would be to put Mr. Belamour under restraint, and +separate his black from him. Then one or other of them would speak, and +we might know how she has been played upon." + +"What does your Ladyship suppose then?" asked the Major. + +"This is what I imagine. The poor silly maid repents herself and comes +back in search of me. Would that she had found me, her best friend! But +instead of that, she falls in with old Belamour, and he, having by this +time perceived the danger of the perilous masquerade in which he had +involved my unlucky boy, a minor, has mewed her up somewhere, till the +cry should be over." + +"That would be the part of a villain, but scarcely of a madman," said +Betty dryly. + +"My dear cousin Betty, there are lunatics endowed with a marvellous +shrewdness to commit senseless villanies, and to put on a specious +seeming. Depend upon it, my unfortunate brother-in-law's wanderings at +night were not solely spent in communings with the trees and brooks. Who +knows what might be discovered if he were under proper restraint? And it +is to you, the only relation I have, that I must turn for assistance in +my most unhappy circumstances," she added, wit a glance so full of sweet +helplessness that no man could withstand it. "I am so glad you are here. +You will be acting for me as well as for yourself in endeavouring to +find your poor lovely child, and the first thing I would have done would +be to separate Belamour and his black, put them under restraint, and +interrogate them separately. You could easily get an order from a +magistrate. But ah, here comes my woman. No more now. You will come to +me this evening, and we can talk further on this matter. I shall have +some company, and it will not be a regular rout, only a few card-tables, +and a little dancing for the young people." + +"Your ladyship must excuse me," said Betty, "I have no dress to appear +in, even if I had spirits for the company." + +"Ah! my dear cousin, how do you think it is with my spirits? Yet I think +it my duty not to allow myself to be moped, but to exert myself for the +interest of my son. While as to dress, my woman can direct you to the +milliner who would equip you in the last mode. What, still obstinate? +Nay, then, Harry, I can take no excuse from you, and I may have been +able to collect some intelligence from the servants." + +Nothing remained but to take leave and walk home, the Major observing-- + +"Well, what think you of that, Betty?" + +"Think, sir?--I think it is not for my lady to talk of villains." + +"She is in absolute error respecting Belamour; but then she has not seen +him since his recovery. Women are prone to those fancies, and in her +unprotected state, poor thing, no wonder she takes alarms." + +"I should have thought her rather over-protected." + +"Now, Betty, you need not take a leaf out of Mrs. Duckworth's book, and +begin to be censorious. You saw how relieved she was to have me, her own +blood relation, to turn to, instead of that empty braggart of a fellow. +Besides, a man does not bring his step-mother when there's anything +amiss." + +There was something in this argument, and Betty held her peace, knowing +that to censure my Lady only incited her father to defend her. + +For her own part her consternation was great, and she walked on in +silence, only speaking again to acquiesce in her father's observation +that they must say nothing to Mr. Belamour of my Lady's plans for his +seclusion. + +They found Mr. Belamour in the square parlour of the Royal York, having +sent Eugene out for a walk with Jumbo. The boy's return in the most +eager state of excitement at the shops, the horses, sedans, and other +wonders, did something, together with dinner, to wile away the weary +time till, about three hours after the Major and his daughter had +returned, they were joined by the young baronet, who came running up the +stairs with a good deal more impetuosity than he would have permitted +himself at home. + +"At last I have escaped," he said. "I fear you have waited long for me?" + +"I have been hoping you had discovered some indications," said the +Major. + +"Alas, no! I should imagine my Lady as ignorant as we are, save for one +thing." + +"And that was---?" + +"The pains that were taken to prevent my speaking with any of the +servants. I was forced to attend on that harridan, Lady Aresfield, till +my mother sent for me; and then she made Mar absolutely watch me off the +premises. Then I had to go and report myself at head-quarters, and see +the surgeon, so that there may be no colour of irregularity for the +Colonel to take advantage of." + +"Right, right!" said the Major; "do not let him get a handle +against you, though I should not call you fit for duty yet, even for +holiday-work like yours." + +"You still suspect that your mother knows where our Aurelia is?" said +Betty. "When I think of her demeanour, I can hardly believe it! But did +you hear nothing of your little sisters?" + +"I did not ask. In truth I was confounded by a proposal that was made to +me. If I will immediately marry my mother's darling, Lady Belle, I may +have leave of absence from her and my regiment, both at once, and go to +meet Mr. Wayland if I like, or at any rate make the grand tour, while +they try to break in my charming bride for me. Of course I said that, +being a married man, nothing should induce me to break the law, nor to +put any lady in such a position; and equally, of course, I was shown a +lawyer's opinion that the transaction was invalid." + +"As I always believed," said his uncle. "The ceremony must be repeated +when we find her: though even if you were willing, the other parties are +very ill-advised to press for a marriage without judgment first being +delivered, how far the present is binding. So she wants to send you off +on your travels, does she?" + +"She wishes me to go and arrange for her husband's ransom," said the +Major. "I would be ready enough were my child only found, but I believe +government would take it up, he being on his Majesty's service." + +"It is a mere device for disposing of you--yes, and of my nephew too," +said Mr. Belamour. "As for me, we know already her kind plans for +putting me out of reach of interference. I see, she communicated them +to you. Did she ask your cooperation, Major? Ah! certainly, an ingenious +plan for disuniting us. I am the more convinced that she is well aware +of where the poor child is, and that she wishes to be speedy in her +measures." + +There is no need to describe the half-frantic vehemence of the young +lover, nor the way in which the father and sister tried to moderate his +transports, though no less wretched themselves. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. THE ROUT. + + + Great troups of people travelled thitherward + Both day and night, of each degree and place.--SPENSER. + + +Much against their will, Major Delavie and his _soi-disant_ son-in-law +set forth for Lady Belamour's entertainment, thinking no opportunity of +collecting intelligence was to be despised; while she probably wished to +obviate all reports of a misunderstanding as well as to keep them under +her own eye. + +The reception rooms were less adorned than the lady's private apartment. +There were pictures on the walls, and long ranks of chairs ranged round, +and card-tables were set out in order. The ladies sat in rows, and the +gentlemen stood in knots and talked, all in full dress, resplendent +figures in brilliant velvet, gold lace, and embroidery, with swords by +their sides, cocked hats, edged with gold or silver lace, under their +arms, and gemmed shoe buckles. The order of creation was not yet +reversed; the male creature was quite as gorgeous in colour and ornament +as the female, who sat in her brocade, powder and patches, fan in hand, +to receive the homage of his snuff-box. + +Sir Amyas went the round, giving and returning greetings, which were +bestowed on him with an ardour sufficient to prove that he was a general +favourite. His mother, exquisitely dressed in a rich rose-coloured +velvet train, over a creamy satin petticoat, both exquisitely +embroidered, sailed up with a cordial greeting to her good cousin, and +wanted to set him down to loo or ombre; but the veteran knew too well +what the play in her house was, and saw, moreover, Lady Aresfield +sitting like a harpy before the green baize field of her spoils. While +he was refusing, Sir Amyas returned to him, saying, "Sir, here is a +gentleman whom I think you must have known in Flanders;" and the Major +found himself shaking hands with an old comrade. Save for his heavy +heart, he would been extremely happy in the ensuing conversation. + +In the meantime Lady Belamour, turning towards a stout, clumsy, short +girl, her intensely red cheeks and huge black eyes staring out of her +powder, while the extreme costliness of her crimson satin dress, and +profusion of her rubies were ridiculous on the unformed person of a +creature scarcely fifteen. If she had been any one else she would have +been a hideous spectacle in the eyes of the exquisitely tasteful Lady +Belamour, who, detecting the expression in her son's eye, whispered +behind her fan, "We will soon set all that right;" then aloud, "My son +cannot recover from his surprise. He did not imagine that we could steal +you for an evening from Queen's Square to procure him this delight." +Then as Sir Amyas bowed, "The Yellow Room is cleared for dancing. Lady +Belle will favour you, Amyas." + +"You must excuse me, madam," he said; "I have not yet the free use of my +arm, and could not acquit myself properly in a minuet." + +"I hate minuets," returned Lady Belle; "the very notion gives me the +spleen." + +"Ah, pretty heretic!" said my Lady, making a playful gesture with her +fan at the peony-coloured cheek. "I meant this wounded knight to have +converted you, but he must amuse you otherwise. What, my Lord I thought +you knew I never meant to dance again. Cannot you open the dance without +me? I, who have no spirits!" + +The rest was lost as she sailed away on the arm of a gentleman in a +turquoise-coloured coat, and waistcoat embroidered with gillyflowers; +leaving the Lady Arabella on the hands of her son, who, neither as host +nor gentleman, could escape, until the young lady had found some other +companion. He stiffly and wearily addressed to her the inquiry how she +liked London. + +"I should like it monstrously if I were not moped up in school," she +answered. "So you have come back. How did you hurt your arm?" she said, +in the most provincial of dialects. + +"In the fire, madam." + +"What? In snatching your innamorata from the flames?" + +"Not precisely," he said. + +"Come, now, tell me; did she set the room a-fire?" demanded the young +lady. "Oh, you need not think to deceive me. My brother Mar's coachman +told my mamma's woman all about it, and how she was locked up and ran +away; but they have her fast enough now, after all her tricks!" + +"Who have? For pity's sake tell me, Lady Belle!" + +Loving to tease, she exclaimed: "There, now, what a work to make about a +white-faced little rustic!" + +"Your ladyship has not seen her." + +"Have I not, though? I don't admire your taste." + +"Is she in Queen's Square?" + +"Do not you wish me to tell you where you can find your old faded doll, +with a waist just like a wasp, and an old blue sacque--not a bit of +powder in her hair?" + +"Lady Belle, if you would have me for ever beholden to you---" + +"The cap fits," she cried, clapping her hands. "Not a word to say for +her! I would not have such a beau for the world." + +"When I have found her it will be time to defend her beauty! If your +ladyship would only tell me where she is, you know not what gratitude I +should feel!" + +"I dare say, but that's my secret. My mamma and yours would be ready to +kill me with rage if they knew I had let out even so much." + +"They would forgive you. Come, Lady Belle, think of her brave old +father, and give some clue to finding her. Where is she?" + +"Ah! where you will never get at her!" + +"Is she at Queen's Square?" + +"What would you do if you thought she was? Get a constable and come and +search? Oh, what a rage Madam would be in! Goodness me, what sport!" +and she fell back in a violent giggling fit; but the two matrons were so +delighted to see the young people talking to one another, that there +was no attempt to repress her. Sir Amyas made another attempt to elicit +whether Aurelia were really at the school in Queen's Square, but Lady +Arabella still refused to answer directly. Then he tried the expedient +of declaring that she was only trying to tease him, and had not really +seen the lady. He pretended not to believe her, but when she insisted, +"Hair just the colour of Lady Belamour's," his incredulity vanished; but +on his next entreaty, she put on a sly look imitated from the evil +world in which she lived, and declared she should not encourage naughty +doings. The youth, who though four years older, was by far the more +simple and innocent of the two, replied with great gravity, "It is the +Lady Belamour, my own wife, that I am seeking." + +"That's just the nonsense she talks!" + +"For Heaven's sake, what did she say?" + +But Belle was tired of her game, and threw herself boisterously on a +young lady who had the "sweetest enamel necklace in the world," and +whose ornaments she began to handle and admire in true spoilt-child +fashion. + +Sir Amyas then betook himself to the Major, who saw at once by his +eye and step that something was gained. They took leave together, Lady +Belamour making a hurried lamentation that she had seen so little of her +dear cousin, but accepting her son's excuse that he must return to his +quarters; and they walked away together escorted by Palmer and Grey, as +well as by two link-boys, summer night though it was. + +Sir Amyas repaired first to the hotel, where Mr. Belamour and Betty were +still sitting, for even the fashionable world kept comparatively early +hours, and it was not yet eleven o'clock. The parlor where they sat was +nearly dark, one candle out and the other shaded so as to produce the +dimness which Mr. Belamour still preferred, and they were sitting on +either side of the open window, Betty listening to her companion's +reminiscences of the evenings enlivened by poor Aurelia, and of the +many traits of her goodness, sweet temper, and intelligence which he had +stored up in his mind. He had, he said, already learned through her to +know Miss Delavie, and he declared that the voices of the sisters were +so much alike that he could have believed himself at Bowstead with the +gentle visitor who had brought him new life. + +The tidings of Lady Arabella's secret were eagerly listened to, and the +token of the mouse-coloured hair was accepted; Sir Amyas comparing, to +every one's satisfaction, a certain lock that he bore on a chain next +his heart, and a little knot, surrounded with diamonds, in a ring, which +he had been still wearing from force of habit, though he declared he +should never endure to do so again. + +It was evident that Lady Belle had really seen Aurelia; and where could +that have been save at the famous boarding-school in Queen's Square, +where the daughters of "the great" were trained in the accomplishments +of the day? The Major, with rising hopes, declared that he had always +maintained that his cousin meant no ill by his daughter, and though it +had been cruel, not to say worse, in her, to deny all knowledge of the +fugitive, yet women would have their strange ways. + +"That is very hard on us women, sir," said Betty. + +"Ah! my dear, poor Urania never had such a mother as you, and she has +lived in the great world besides, and that's a bad school. You will not +take our Aurelia much into it, my dear boy," he added, turning wistfully +to Sir Amyas. + +"I would not let a breath blow on her that could touch the bloom of her +charming frank innocence," cried the lad. "But think you she can be in +health? Lady Belle spoke of her being pale!" + +"Look at my young lady herself!" said the Major, which made them all +laugh. They were full of hope. The Major and his daughter would go +themselves the next day, and a father's claim could not be refused even +though not enforced according to Lady Arabella's desire. + +Their coach--for so Sir Amyas insisted on their going--was at the door +at the earliest possible moment that a school for young ladies could be +supposed to be astir; long before Mr. Belamour was up, for he retained +his old habits so much that it was only on great occasions the he rose +before noon; and while Eugene, under the care of Jumbo and Grey, was +going off in great felicity to see the morning parade in St. James's +Park. + +One of the expedients of well-born Huguenot refugees had been tuition, +and Madame d'Elmar had made here boarding-school so popular and +fashionable that a second generation still maintained its fame, and +damsels of the highest rank were sent there to learn French, to play the +spinnet, to embroider, to dance, and to get into a carriage with grace. +It was only countrified misses, bred by old-fashioned scholars, +who attempted to go any farther, such as that _lusus naturae_, Miss +Elizabeth Carter, who knew seven languages, or the Bishop of Oxford's +niece, Catherine Talbot, who even painted natural flowers and wrote +meditations! The education Aurelia Delavie had received over her Homer +and Racine would be smiled at as quite superfluous. + +There was no difficulty about admission. The coach with its Belamour +trappings was a warrant of admittance. The father and daughter were +shown into a parlour with a print of Marshal Schomberg over the +mantelpiece, and wonderful performances in tapestry work and embroidery +on every available chair, as well as framed upon the wainscoted walls. + +A little lady, more French than English, moving like a perfectly wound +up piece of mechanism, all but her bright little eyes, appeared at their +request to see Madame. It had been agreed before-hand that the Major +should betray neither doubt nor difficulty, but simply say that he had +come up from the country and wished to see his daughter. + +Madame, in perfectly good English, excused herself, but begged to hear +the name again. + +There must be some error, no young lady of the name of Delavie was +there. + +They looked at one another, then Betty asked, "Has not a young lady been +placed here by Lady Belamour?" + +"No, madam, Lady Belamour once requested me to receive her twin +daughters, but they were mere infants; I receive none under twelve year +old." + +"My good lady," cried the Major, "if you are denying my daughter to me, +pray consider what you are doing. I am her own father, and whatever Lady +Belamour may tell you, I can enforce my claim." + +"I am not in the habit of having my word doubted, sir," and the little +lady drew herself up like a true Gascon baroness, as she was. + +"Madam, forgive me, I am in terrible perplexity and distress. My poor +child, who was under Lady Belamour's charge, has been lost to us these +three weeks or more, and we have been told that she has been seen here." + +"Thus," said Betty, seeing that the lady still needed to be appeased, +"we thought Lady Belamour might have deceived you as well as others." + +"May I ask who said the young lady had been seen here?" asked the +mistress coldly. + +"It was Lady Arabella Mar," said Betty, "and, justly speaking, I believe +she did not say it was here that my poor sister was seen, but that she +had seen her, and we drew the conclusion that it was here." + +"My Lady Arabella Mar is too often taken out by my Lady Countess," said +Madame d'Elmar. + +"Could I see her? Perhaps she would tell me where she saw my dear +sister?" said Betty. + +"She went to a rout last evening and has not returned," was the reply. +"Indeed my lady, her mother, spoke as if she might never come back, her +marriage being on the _tapis_. Indeed, sir, indeed, madam, I should +most gladly assist you," she said as a gesture of bitter grief and +disappointment passed between father and daughter, both of whom were +evidently persons of condition. "If it will be any satisfaction to the +lady to see all my pupils, I will conduct her through my establishment." + +Betty caught at this, though there was no doubt that the mistress was +speaking in good faith. She was led to a large empty room, where a +dozen young ladies were drawn up awaiting the dancing master--girls +from fourteen to seventeen, the elder ones in mob caps, those with more +pretensions to fashion, with loose hair. Their twelve curtsies were +made, their twenty-four eyes peeped more or less through their lashes at +the visitor, but no such soft brown eyes as Aurelia's were among them. + +"Madame," said Betty, "may I be permitted to ask the ladies a question?" +She spoke it low, and in French, and her excellent accent won Madame's +heart at once. Only Madame trusted to Mademoiselle's discretion not to +put mysteries into their minds, or they would be all _tete montee_. + +So, as discretely as the occasion would permit, Betty asked whether any +one had seen or heard Lady Belle speak of having seen any one--a young +lady? + +Half-a-dozen tongues broke out, "We thought it all Lady Belle's +whimsical secrets," and as many stories were beginning, but Madame's +awful little hand waved silence, as she said, "Speak then, Miss +Staunton." + +"I know none of Lady Belle's secrets, ma'am--ask Miss Howard." + +Miss Howard looked sulky; and a little eager, black-eyed thing cried, +"She said it was an odious girl whom Lady Belamour keeps shut up in a +great dungeon of an old house, and is going to send beyond seas, because +she married two men at once in disguise." + +"Fie, Miss Crawford, you know nothing about it." + +"You told me so, yourself, Miss Howard." + +"I never said anything so foolish." + +"Hush, young ladies," said Madame. "Miss Howard, if you know anything, I +request you to speak." + +"It would be a great kindness," said Betty. "Might I ask the favour of +seeing Miss Howard in private?" + +Madame consented, and Miss Howard followed Betty out of hearing, +muttering that Belle would fly at her for betraying her. + +"I do not like asking you to betray your friend's confidence," said +Betty. + +"Oh, as to that, I'm not her friend, and I believe she has talked to a +half-a-dozen more." + +"I am this poor young lady's sister," said Betty. "We are afraid she +has fallen into unkind hands; and I should be very thankful if you could +help me to find her. Where do you think Lady Belle saw her?" + +"I thought it was in some old house in Hertfordshire," said Miss Howard, +more readily, "but I am not sure; for it was last Sunday, which she +spent with her mamma. She came back and made it a great secret that +she had seen the girl that had taken in Sir Amyas Belamour, who was +contracted to herself, to marry him and his uncle both at once in +disguise, and then had set the house a-fire. Belle had got some one to +let her see the girl, and then she went on about her being not pretty." + +"What did she say about sending her beyond seas?" + +"Oh! that Miss Crawford made up. She told me that they were going to +find a husband for her such as a low creature like that deserved. And +she protests she is to be married to Sir Amyas very soon, and come back +here while he makes the grand tour. I hope she won't. She will have more +spiteful ways than ever." + +This was all that Betty could extract. She saw Miss Crawford alone, but +her tiding melted into the vaguest second-hand hearsay. The inquiry had +only produced a fresh anxiety. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. A BLACK BLONDEL. + + + And to the castle gate approached in quiet wise, + Whereat soft knocking, entrance he desired. + SPENSER. + + +"Nephew, is Delavie House inhabited?" inquired Mr. Belamour, as the +baffled seekers sat together that evening. + +"No, sir," replied Sir Amyas. "My Lady will only lease it to persons of +quality, on such high terms that she cannot obtain them for a house in +so antiquated a neighbourhood. Oh, you do not think it possible that my +dearest life can be in captivity so near us! An old house! On my soul, +so it must be; I will go thither instantly." + +"And be taken for a Mohock! No, no, sit down, rash youth, and tell me +who keeps the house." + +"One Madge, an old woman as sour as vinegar, who snarled at me like a +toothless cur when I once went there to find an old fowling-piece of my +father's." + +"Then you ar the last person who should show yourself there, since there +are sure to be strict charges against admitting you, and you would only +put the garrison on the alert. You had better let the reconnoitring +party consist of Jumbo and myself." + +The ensuing day was Sunday. Something was said of St. Paul's, then in +bloom of youth and the wonder of England; but Betty declared that she +could not run about to see fine churches till her mind was at ease about +her poor sister. Might she only go to the nearest and quietest church? +So she, with her father and Eugene, repaired to St. Clement Danes, where +their landlord possessed a solid oak pew, and they heard a sermon on the +wickedness and presumption of inoculating for the small-pox. + +It was not a genteel neighbourhood, and the congregation was therefore +large, for the substantial tradesfolk who had poured into the Strand +since it had been rebuilt were far more religiously disposed than the +fashionable world, retaining either the Puritan zeal, or the High Church +fervour, which were alike discouraged in the godless court. The Major +and his son and daughter were solitary units in the midst of the groups +of portly citizens, with soberly handsome wives, and gay sons and +daughters, who were exchanging greetings; and on their return to their +hotel, the Major betook himself to a pipe in the bar, and Eugene was +allowed to go for a walk in the park with Palmer, while Betty sat in her +own room with her Bible, striving to strengthen her assurance that +the innocent would never be forsaken. Indeed Mr. Belamour had much +strengthened her grounds of hope and comfort by his testimony to poor +Aurelia's perfect guilelessness and simplicity throughout the affair. +Yet the echo of that girl's chatter about Lady Belle's rival being sent +beyond the sea would return upon her ominously, although it might be +mere exaggeration and misapprehension, like so much besides. + +A great clock, chiming one, warned her to repair to the sitting-room, +where she met Eugene, full of the unedifying spectacle of a fight +between two street lads. There had been a regular ring, and the boy had +been so much excited that Palmer had had much ado to bring him away. +Betty had scarcely hushed his eager communications and repaired his +toilette for dinner before Sir Amyas came in, having hurried away as +soon as possible after attending his men to and from church. + +"Sister," he said, for so he insisted on calling Betty, "I really think +my uncle's surmise may be right. I went home past Delavie House last +night, just to look at it, and there was--there really was, a light in +one of the windows on the first floor, which always used to be as black +as Erebus. I had much ado to keep myself from thundering at the gate. I +would have done so before now but for my uncle's warning. Where can he +be?" + +The Major and Mr. Belamour here came in together, and the same torrent +was beginning to be poured forth, when the latter cut it short with, +"They are about to lay the cloth. Restrain yourself, my dear boy, or---" +and as at that moment the waiter entered, he went on with the utmost +readiness--"or, as it seems, the Queen of Hungary will never make good +her claims. Pray, sir," turning to Major Delavie, "have you ever seen +these young Archduchesses whose pretensions seem likely to convulse the +continent to its centre?" + +The Major, with an effort to gather his attention, replied that he could +not remember; but Betty, with greater presence of mind, described how +she had admired the two sisters of Austria as little girls walking on +the Prater. Indeed she and Mr. Belamour contrived to keep up the ball +till the Major was roused into giving an opinion of Prussian discipline, +and to tell stories of Leopold of Dessau, Eugene, and Marlborough with +sufficient zest to drive the young baronet almost frantic, especially +as Jumbo, behind his master's chair, was on the broad grin all the time, +and almost dancing in his shoes. Once he contrived to give an absolute +wink with one of his big black eyes; not, however, undetected, for Mr. +Belamour in a grave tone of reprimand ordered him off to fetch an ivory +toothpick-case. + +Not till the cloth had been remove, and dishes of early strawberries and +of biscuits, accompanied by bottles of port and claret, placed on the +table, and the servants had withdrawn, did Mr. Belamour observe, "I have +penetrated the outworks." + +There was an outburst of inquiry and explanation, but he was not to be +prevented from telling the story in his own way. "I know the house well, +for my brother lived there the first years of his marriage, before you +came on the stage, young sir. Perhaps you do not know how to open the +door from without?" + +"Oh, sir, tell me the trick!" + +Mr. Belamour held up a small pass-key. There was a certain tone of +banter about him which almost drove his nephew wild, but greatly +reassured Miss Delavie. + +"Why--why keep me in torments, instead of taking me with you?" cried the +youth. + +"Because I wished my expedition to be no failure. I could not tell +whether my key, which I found with my watch and seals, would still +serve me. Ah! you look on fire; but remember the outworks are not the +citadel." + +"For Heaven's sake, sir, torture me not thus!" + +"I knew that to make my summons at the out gate would lead to a summary +denial by the sour porteress, so I experimented on the lock of the +little door into the lane, and admitted myself and Jumbo into the court; +but the great hall-door stood before me jealously closed, and the lower +windows were shut with shutters, so that all I could do was to cause +Jumbo to awake the echoes with a lusty peal on the knocker, which he +repeated at intervals, until there hobbled forth to open it a crone as +wrinkled and crabbed as one of Macbeth's witches. I demanded whether my +Lady Belamour lived there. She croaked forth a negative sound, and had +nearly shut the door in my face, but I kept her in parley by protesting +that I had often visited my Lady there, and offering a crown-piece if +she would direct me to her." + +"A crown! a kingdom, if she would bring us to the right one!" cried Sir +Amyas. + +"Of course she directed me to Hanover Square, and then, evidently +supposing there was something amiss with the great gates, she insisted +on coming to let me out, and securing them after me." + +The youth gave a great groan, saying, "Excuse me, sir, but what are we +the better of that?" + +"Endure a little while, impatient swain, and you shall hear. I fancy +she recognised the Belamour Livery on Jumbo, for she hobbled by my side +maundering apologies about its being against orders to admit gentle or +simple, beast or body into the court, and that a poor woman could not +lose her place and the roof over her head. But mark me, while this +was passing, Jumbo, who had kept nearer the house whistling 'The +Nightingale' just above his breath, heard his name called, and presently +saw two little faces at an up-stairs window." + +"My little sisters!" cried Sir Amyas. + +"Even so; and he believes he heard one of them call out, 'Cousin, cousin +Aura, come and see Jumbo;' but as the window was high up, I scarce +dare credit his ears rather than his imagination, and we were instantly +hustled away by the old woman, whose evident alarm is a further +presumption that the captive is there, since Faith and Hope scarce have +reached the years of being princesses immured in towers." + +"It must be so," said Betty; "it would explain Lady Belle's having had +access to her! And now?" + +"Is it impossible to effect an entrance from the court and carry her +away?" asked Sir Amyas. + +"Entirely so," said his uncle. "The only door into the court is fit to +stand a siege, and all the lower windows are barred and fastened with +shutters. The servants' entrance is at the back towards the river, but +no doubt it is also guarded, and my key will not serve for it." + +"I could get some sprightly fellow of ours to come disguised as Mohocks, +and break in," proceeded the youth, eagerly. "Once in the court, trust +me for forcing my way to her." + +"And getting lodged in Newgate for your pains, or tried by +court-martial," said the Major. "No, when right is on our side, do +not let us make it wrong. Hush, Sir Amyas, it is I who must here act. +Whether you are her husband I do not know, I know that I am her father, +and to-morrow morning, as soon as a magistrate can be spoken with, +I shall go and demand a search warrant for the body of my daughter, +Aurelia Delavie." + +"The body! Good Heavens, sir," cried Betty. + +"Not without the sweet soul, my dear Miss Delavie," said Mr. Belamour. +"Your excellent father has arrived at the only right and safe decision, +and provided no farther alarm is given, I think he may succeed. It is +scarcely probable that my Lady is in constant communication with her +stern porteress, and my person was evidently unknown. For her own +sake, as well as that of the small fee I dropped into her hand, she is +unlikely to report my reconnoissance." + +Sir Amyas was frantic to go with his father-in-law, but both the elder +men justly thought that his ambiguous claims would but complicate the +matter. The landlord was consulted as to the acting magistrates of the +time, and gave two or three addresses. + +Another night of prayer, suspense, and hope for Betty's sick heart. +Then, immediately after breakfast, the Major set forth, attended by +Palmer, long before Mr. Belamour had left his room, or the young baronet +could escape from his military duties. Being outside the City, +the Strand was under the jurisdiction of justices of the peace for +Middlesex, and they had so much more than they could do properly, that +some of them did it as little as possible. The first magistrate would +not see him, because it was too early to attend to business; the second +never heard matters at his private house, and referred him to the office +in Bow Street. In fact he would have been wiser to have gone thither at +first, but he had hoped to have saved time. He had to wait sitting on +a greasy chair when he could no longer stand, till case after case +was gone through, and when he finally had a hearing and applied for +a warrant to search for his daughter in Delavie House, there was much +surprise and reluctance to put such an insult on a lady of quality in +favour at Court. On his giving his reasons on oath for believing the +young lady to be there, the grounds of his belief seemed to shrink away, +so that the three magistrates held consultation whether the warrant +could be granted. Finally, after eying him all over, and asking him +where he had served, one of them, who had the air of having been in the +army, told him that in consideration of his being a gentleman of high +respectability who had served his country, they granted what he asked, +being assured that he would not make the accusation lightly. The reforms +made by Fielding had not yet begun, everybody had too much work, and the +poor Major had still some time to wait before an officer--tipstaff, as +he was called--could accompany him, so that it was past noon when, +off in the Bowstead carriage again, they went along the Strand, to a +high-walled court belonging to one of the old houses of the nobility, +most of which had perished in the fire of London. There was a +double-doored gateway, and after much thundering in vain, at which the +tipstaff, a red-nosed old soldier, waxed very irate, the old woman came +out in curtseying, crying, frightened humility, declaring that they +would find no one there--they might look if they would. + +So they drove over the paved road, crossing the pitched pebbles, the +door was unbarred, but no Aurelia sprang into her father's arms. Only a +little terrier came barking out into the dismal paved hall. Into every +room they looked, the old woman asseverating denials that it was of no +use, they might see for themselves, that no one had been there for years +past. Full of emptiness, indeed, with faded grimy family portraits on +the walls, moth-eaten carpets and cushions, high-backed chairs with +worm-holes; and yet, somehow, there was one room that did look as if +it had recently been sat in. Two little stools were drawn up close to a +chair; the terrier poked and smelt about uneasily as though in search +of some one, and dragged out from under a couch a child's ball which he +began to worry. On the carpet, too, were some fragments of bright fresh +embroidery silk, which the practiced eye of the constable noticed. "This +here was not left ten or a dozen years ago," said he; and, extracting +the ball from the fangs of the dog, "No, and this ball ain't ten year +old, neither. Come, Mother What's'-name, it's no good deceiving an +officer of the law; whose is this here ball?" + +"It's the little misses. They've a bin here with their maid, but their +nurse have been and fetched 'em away this morning, and a good riddance +too." + +"Who was the maid?--on your oath!" + +"One Deborah Davis, a deaf woman, and pretty nigh a dumb one. She be +gone too." + +Nor could the old woman tell where she was to be found. "My Lady's woman +sent her in," she said, "and she was glad enough to be rid of her." + +"Come, now, my good woman, speak out, and it will be better for you," +said the Major. "I know my daughter was here yesterday." + +"And what do I know of where she be gone? She went off in a sedan-chair +this morning before seven o'clock, and if you was to put me to the rack +I couldn't say no more." + +As to which way or with whom she had gone, the old woman was, +apparently, really ignorant. + +The poor Major had to return home baffled and despairing, still taking +the tipstaff with him, in case, on consultation with Mr. Belamour, it +should be deemed expedient to storm Hanover Square itself, and examine +Lady Belamour and her servants upon oath. + +Behold, the parlour was empty. Even Betty and Eugene were absent. The +Major hastened to knock at Mr. Belamour's door. There was no answer; and +when he knocked louder it was still in vain. He tried the door and +found it locked. Then he retreated to the sitting-room, rang, and made +inquiries of the waiter who answered the bell. + +Mr. Belamour had received a note at about ten o'clock, and had gone out +with him "in great disorder," said the waiter. + +At the same moment there was a knock at the door, and a billet was +brought in from Lady Belamour. The Major tore it open and read:-- + + + "MY DEAR COUSIN, + + "I grieve for you, but my Suspicions were correct. We have all +been completely hoodwinked by that old Villain, my Brother-in-law. I +can give him no other Name, for his partial Aberration of Mind has only +sharpened his natural Cunning. Would you believe it? He had obtained +access to Delavie House, and had there hidden the unfortunate Object of +your Search, while he pretended to be assisting you, and this Morning +he carried her off in a Sedan. I have sent the good Doves to Bowstead in +case he should have the Assurance to return to his old Quarters, but I +suspect that they are on the Way to Dover. You had better consult with +Hargrave on the means of confirming the strange Marriage Ceremony that +has passed between them, since that affords the best Security for your +Daughter's Maintenance and Reputation. Believe me, I share in your +Distress. Indeed I have so frightful a Megrim that I can scarcely tell +what I write, and I dare not admit you to-day. + + "I remain, + "Your loving and much-grieved Cousin, + "URANIA BELAMOUR." + + +Poor Major! His horror, perplexity, and despair were indescribable. He +had one only hope--that Sir Amyas and Betty might be on the track. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. THE FIRST TASK. + + + After all these there marcht a most faire dame, + Led of two gryslie villains, th' one Despight, + The other cleped Crueltie by name. + SPENSER. + + +The traces of occupation had not deceived Major Delavie; Aurelia had +been recently in Delavie House, and we must go back some way in our +narrative to her arrival there. + +She had, on her return from Sedhurst on that Sunday, reached Bowstead, +and entered by the lobby door just as Lady Belamour was coming down the +stairs only attended by her woman, and ready to get into the carriage +which waited at the hall door. + +Sinking on her knees before her with clasped hands, Aurelia exclaimed, +"O madam, I ought not to have come away. Here I am, do what you will +with me, but spare my father. He knew nothing of it. Only, for pity's +sake, do not put me among the poor wicked creatures in gaol." + +"Get into that carriage immediately, and you shall know by decision," +said Lady Belamour, with icy frigidness, but not the same fierceness +as before; and Aurelia submissively obeyed, silenced by an imperious +gesture when she would have asked, "How is it with _him_?" whom she +durst not name. + +Lady Belamour waited a minute or two while sending Loveday on a last +message to the sick room, then entered the large deep carriage, signing +to her captive to take a corner where she could hardly be seen if any +one looked through the window. Loveday followed, the door was shut by a +strange servant, as it was in fact Lady Aresfield's carriage, borrowed +both for the sake of speed, and of secrecy towards her own household. + +A few words passed by which Aurelia gathered something reassuring as +to the state of the patient, and then Lady Belamour turned on her, +demanding, "So, young miss, you tried to escape me! Where have you +been?" + +"Only as far as Sedhurst Church, madam. I would have gone home, but I +feared to bring trouble on my father, and I came back to implore you to +forgive." + +There was no softening of the terrible, beautiful face before her, and +she durst put no objective case to her verb. However, the answer was +somewhat less dreadful than she had anticipated. + +"I have been shamefully duped," said Lady Belamour, "but it is well that +it is no worse; nor shall I visit our offences on your father if you +show your penitence by absolute submission. The absurd ceremony you went +through was a mere mockery, and the old fool, Belamour, showed himself +crazed for consenting to such an improper frolic on the part of my son. +Whether your innocence be feigned or not, however, I cannot permit you +to go out of my custody until the foolish youth or yourself be properly +bestowed in marriage elsewhere. Meantime, you will remain where I +place you, and exactly fulfil my commands. Remember that any attempt to +communicate with any person outside the house will be followed by your +Father's immediate dismissal." + +"May I not let him know that I am safe?" + +"Certainly not; I will see to your father." + +It was a period when great ladies did not scruple to scold at the top +of their voices, and sometimes proceed to blows, but Lady Belamour never +raised her low silvery tones, and thus increased the awfulness of her +wrath and the impressiveness of her determination. Face to face with +her, there were few who did not cower under her displeasure; and poor +Aurelia, resolute to endure for her father's sake, could only promise +implicit obedience. + +She only guessed when the entered London by the louder rumbling, and for +one moment the coach paused as a horse was reined up near it, and with +plumed hat in hand the rider bent forward to the window, exclaiming, +"Successful, by all that is lovely! Captured, by Jove!" + +"You shall hear all another time," said lady Belamour. "Let us go on +now." + +They did so, but the horseman continued to flash across the windows, and +when the coach, after considerable delay, had entered the walled court, +rumbled over the pavement, and stopped before a closed door, he was +still there. When, after much thundering, the door was opened, Aurelia +had a moment's glimpse of a splendid figure in gold and scarlet handing +out Lady Belamour, who stood talking with him on the steps of the house +for some moments. Then, shrugging his shoulders, he remounted, and +cantered off, after which my Lady signed to Aurelia to alight, and +followed her into the hall. + +"Madge," said Lady Belamour to the witch-like old woman who had admitted +her, "this young lady is to remain here. You will open a bedroom and +sitting-room for her at the back of the house. Let her be properly cared +for, and go out in the court behind, but on no account approach the +front gates. Let no one know she is here." + +Madge muttered some demands about supplies and payments, and Lady +Belamour waved her to settle them with Mrs. Loveday, turning meantime to +the prisoner and saying, "There, child, you are to remain here on +your good behaviour. Do your best to merit my good will, so that I may +overlook what is past. Recollect, the least attempt to escape, or to +hold intercourse with the young, or the old, fool, and it shall be the +worse with them and with your father." + +Therewith she departed, followed by Loveday, leaving Aurelia standing in +the middle of the hall, the old hag gazing on her with a malignant +leer. "Ho! ho'! So that's the way! He has begun that work early, has he? +What's your name, my lass? Oh, you need give yourself airs! I cry you +mercy," and she made a derisive curtsey. + +Poor Aurelia, pride had less to do with her silence than absolute +uncertainty what to call herself. The wedding ring was on her finger, +and she would not deny her marriage by calling herself Delavie, but +Belamour might be dangerous, and the prefix was likewise a difficulty, +so faltered, "You may call me Madam Aurelia." + +"Madam Really. That's a queer name, but it will serve while you are +here." + +"Pray let me go to my room," entreated the poor prisoner, who felt as +ineffable disgust at her jailor, and was becoming sensible to extreme +fatigue. + +"Your room, hey? D'ye think I keep rooms and beds as though this were +an inn, single-handed as I am? You must wait, unless you be too fine to +lend a hand." + +"Anything will do," said Aurelia, "if I may only rest. I would help, but +I am so much tired that I can hardly stand." + +"My Lady has given it to you well, Mistress Really or Mistress Falsely, +which ever you may be," mumbled Madge, perhaps in soliloquy, fumbling +at the lock of a room which at last she opened. It smelt very close and +fusty, and most of the furniture was heaped together under a cloth in +the midst, dimly visible by the light of a heart-shaped aperture in the +shutters. Unclosing one of the leaves, the old woman admitted enough +daylight to guide Aurelia to a couch against the wall, saying, "You can +wait there till I see to your bed. And you'll be wanting supper too!" +she added in a tone of infinite disgust. + +"O never mind supper, if I can only go to bed," sighed Aurelia, sinking +on the couch as the old woman hobbled off. Lassitude and exhaustion had +brought her to a state like annihilation--unable to think or guess, hope +or fear, with shoes hurting her footsore feet, a stiff dress cramping +her too much for sleep, and her weary aching eyes gathering a few +impressions in a passive way. On the walls hung dimly seen portraits +strangely familiar to her. The man in a green dressing gown with +floating hair had a face she knew; so had the lady in the yellow ruff. +And was that not the old crest, the Delavie butterfly, with the motto, +_Ma Vie et ma Mie_, carved on the mantelpiece? Thus she knew that +she must be in Delavie House, and felt somewhat less desolate as she +recognised several portraits as duplicates of those at the Great House +at Carminster, and thought they looked at her in pity with their eyes +like her father's. The youngest son in the great family group was, as +she knew, an Amyas, and he put her in mind of her own. Oh, was he her +own, when she could not tell whether those great soft, dark-grey eyes +that looked so kindly on her had descended to the young baronet? She +hoped not, for Harriet and she had often agreed that they presaged the +fate of that gallant youth, who had been killed by Sir Bevil Grenville's +side. He must have looked just as Sir Amyas did, lying senseless after +the hurt she had caused. + +No more definite nor useful thought passed through the brain of the +overwearied maiden as she rest on the couch, how long she knew not; but +it was growing dark by the time Madge returned with a guttering candle, +a cracked plate and wedge of greasy-looking pie, a piece of dry bread, +a pewter cup of small beer, and an impaired repulsive steel knife with +a rounded end, and fork with broken prong. The fact of this being steel +was not distressing to one who had never seen a silver fork, but the +condition of both made her shudder, and added to the sick sense of +exhaustion that destroyed her appetite. She took a little of the bread, +and, being parched with thirst, drank some of the beer before Madge came +back again. "Oh ho, you're nice I see, my fine Dame Really!" + +"Thank you, indeed I can't eat, I am so much tired," said Aurelia +apologetically. + +"You'll have to put up with what serves your betters, I can tell you," +was all the reply she received. "Well be ye coming to your bed?" + +So up the creaking stairs she was guided to a room, very unlike that +fresh white bower at Bowstead, large, eerie, ghostly-looking, bare +save for a dark oak chest, and a bed of the same material, the posts +apparently absolute trees, squared and richly carved, and supporting a +solid wooden canopy with an immense boss as big as a cabbage, and carved +something like one, depending from the centre, as if to endanger the +head of the unwary, who should start up in bed. No means of ablution +were provided, and Aurelia felt so grimed and dusty that she ventured to +beg for an ewer and basin; but her amiable hostess snarled out that she +had enough to do without humouring fiddle-faddle whimsies, and that she +might wash at the pump if nothing else would serve her. + +Aurelia wished she had known this before going up stairs, and, worn out +as she was, the sense implanted by her mother that it was wicked to go +to sleep dirty, actually made her drag herself down to a grim little +scullery, where she was permitted to borrow a wooden bowl, since she +was too _nice_ forsooth to wash down stairs. She carried it up with a +considerable trouble more than half full, and a bit of yellow soap and +clean towel were likewise vouchsafed to her. The wash--perhaps because +of the infinite trouble it cost her--did her great good,--it gave her +energy to recollect her prayers and bring good angels about her. If this +had been her first plunge from home, when Jumbo's violin had so scared +her, such a place as this would have almost killed her; but the peace +that had come to her in Sedhurst Church lingered still round her, and +as she climbed up into the lofty bed the verse sang in her ears "Love is +strong as death." Whether Love Divine or human she did not ask herself, +but with the sense of soothing upon her, she slept--and slept as a +seventeen-years'-old frame will sleep after having been thirty-six hours +awake and afoot. + +When she awoke it was with the sense of some one being in the room. "O +gemini!" she heard, and starting up, only just avoiding the knob, she +saw Mrs. Loveday's well-preserved brunette face gazing at her. + +"Your servant, ma'am," she said. "You'll excuse me if I speak with you +here, for I must be back by the time my Lady's bell rings." + +"Is it very late?" said Aurelia, taking from under her pillow her watch, +which had stopped long ago. + +"Nigh upon ten o'clock," said Loveday. "I must not stay, but it is my +Lady's wish that you should have all that is comformable, and you'll let +me know how Madge behaves herself." + +"Is there any news from Bowstead?" was all Aurelia could at first +demand. + +"Not yet; but bless you, my dear young lady, you had best put all that +matter out of your head for ever and a day. I know what these young +gentlemen are. They are not to be hearkened to one moment, not the best +of them. Let them be ever so much in earnest at the time, their parents +and guardians have the mastery of them sooner or later, and the farther +it has gone, the worse it is. I saw you lying asleep here looking so +innocent that it went to my heart, and I heard you mutter in your sleep +'Love is strong as death,' but that's only a bit of some play-book, and +don't you trust to it, for I never saw love that was stronger than a +spider's web." + +"Oh, hush, Mrs. Loveday. It is in the Bible!" + +"You don't say so, ma'am," the woman said awestruck. + +"I would show it you, only all my things are away. God is love, you +know," said Aurelia, sitting up with clasped hands, "and He gives it, so +it must be strong." + +"Well, all the love I've ever seen was more the devil's," said Loveday +truly enough; "and you'll find it so if you mean to trust to these fine +young beaux and what they say." + +Aurelia shook her head a little as she sat up in bed with her clasped +hands; and there was a look on her face that Mrs. Loveday did not +understand, as she went on with her advice. + +"So, my dear young lady, you see all that is left for you is to frame +your mind to keep close here, and conform to my Lady's will till all is +blown over one way or another." + +"I know that," said Aurelia. + +"Don't' you do anything to anger her," added the waiting-woman, "for +there's no one who can stand against her; and I'll speak up for you when +I can, for I know how to come round my Lady, if any one does. Tell me +what you want, and I'll get it for you; but don't try to get out, and +don't send Madge, for she is not to be trusted with money. If I were +you, I'd not let her see that watch, and I'd lock my door at night. +You're too innocent, whatever my Lady may say. Here's half a pound of +tea and sugar, which you had best keep to yourself, and I've seen +to there being things decent down stairs. Tell me, my dear, is there +anything you want? Your clothes, did you say? Oh, yes, you shall have +them--yes, and your books. Here's some warm water," as a growling was +heard at the door; "I must not wait till you are dressed, but there's a +box of shells down in your room that Mr. Wayland sent home for my Lady +to line a grotto with, and she wants them all sorted out. 'Tell her she +must make herself of use if she wants to be forgiven,' says my Lady, for +she is in a mighty hurry for them now she has heard of the Duchess of +Portland's grotto; though she has let them lie here unpacked for this +half year and more. So if they are all done by night, maybe may Lady +will be pleased to let you have a bit more liberty." + +Mrs. Loveday departed, having certainly cheered the captive, and Aurelia +rose, weary-limbed and sad-hearted, with a patient trust in her soul +that Love Divine would not fail her, and that earthly love would do its +best. + +She found matters improved in the down-stairs room, the furniture was in +order, a clean cloth on the table, a white roll, butter, and above all +clean bright implements, showing Mrs. Loveday's influence. She ate and +drank like a hungry girl, washed up for herself rather than let Madge +touch anything she could help, and looked from the window into a +dull court of dreary, blighted-looking turf divided by flagged walks, +radiating from a statue in the middle, representing a Triton blowing a +conch--no doubt intended to spout water, for there was a stone trough +round him, but he had long forgotten his functions, and held a sparrow's +nest with streaming straws in his hand. This must be the prison-yard, +where alone she might walk, since it lay at the back of the house; and +with a sense of depression she turned to the task that awaited her. + +A very large foreign-looking case had been partly opened, and when she +looked in she was appalled at the task to be accomplished in one day. +It was crammed with shells of every size and description, from the +large helmet-conch and Triton's trumpet, down to the tiny pink cowry +and rice-volute, all stuffed together without arrangement or packing, +forming a mass in which the unbroken shells reposed in a kind of sand, +of _debris_ ground together out of the victims; and when she took up a +tolerably-sized univalve, quantities of little ones came tumbling out +of its inner folds. She took up a handful, and presently picked out +one perfect valve like a rose petal, three fairy cups of limpets, four +ribbed cowries, and a thing like a green pea. Of course she knew no +names, but a kind of interest was awakened by the beauty and variety +before her. A pile of papers had been provided, and the housewife [a +pocket-size container for small articles (as thread)--D.L.] which Betty +made her always carry in her pocket furnished wherewithal to make up a +number of bags for the lesser sorts; and she went to work, her troubles +somewhat beguiled by the novel beauties of each delicate creature +she disinterred, but remembering with a pang how, if she could have +described them to Mr. Belamour, he would have discoursed upon the Order +of Nature. + +London noises were not the continuous roar of vehicles of the present +day, but there was sound enough to remind the country girl where she +was, and the street cries "Old Clothes!" "Sprats, oh!" "Sweep!" were +heard over the wall, sometimes with tumultuous voices that seemed +to enhance her loneliness, as she sat on the floor, hour after hour, +sifting out the entire shells, and feeling a languid pleasure in joining +the two halves of a bivalve, especially those lovely sunset shells that +have rosy rays diverging from their crimson hinge over their polished +surface, white, or just tinted with the hues of a daffodil sky. She +never clasped a pair together without a little half-uttered ejaculation, +"Oh, bring me and my dear young love thus together again!" And when she +found a couple making a perfect heart, and holding together through all, +she kissed it tenderly in the hope that thus it might be with her and +with him whose hand and whose voice returned on her, calling her his +dearest life! + +She durst only quit the shells to eat the dinner which Madge served at +one o'clock--a tolerable meal of slices of cold beef from a cook's-shop, +but seasoned with sour looks and a murmur at ladies' fancies. The +weariness and languor of the former day's exertions made her for the +present disinclined to explore the house, even had she had time, and +when twilight came there could have been little but fragments at the +bottom of the case, though she could see no more to sort them. + +And what were these noises around her making her start? Rats! Yes, here +they were, venturing out from all the corners. They knew there had been +food in the room. This was why Madge had those to gaunt, weird-looking +cats in her kitchen! Aurelia went and sat on the step into the court to +be out of their way, but Madge hunted her in that the door might be shut +and barred; and when she returned trembling to the sitting room, she +heard such a scampering and a scrambling that she durst not enter, and +betook herself to her chamber and to bed. + +Alas! that was no refuge. She had been too much tired to hear anything +the night before, but to-night there was scratching, nibbling, +careering, fighting, squeaking, recoil and rally, charge and rout, as +the grey Hanover rat fought his successful battle with his black English +cousin all over the floors and stairs--nay, once or twice came rushing +up and over the bed--frightening its occupant almost out of her senses, +as she cowered under the bed-clothes, not at all sure that they would +not proceed to eating her. Happily daylight came early. Aurelia, at its +first ray, darted across the room, starting in horror when she touched +a soft thing with her bare foot, opened the shutter, and threw open the +casement. Light drove the enemy back to their holes, and she had a few +hours' sleep, but when Mrs. Loveday came to the room when she was +nearly dressed, she exclaimed, "Why, miss, you look paler than you did +yesterday." + +"The rats!" said Aurelia under her breath. + +"Ah! the rats! Of course they are bad enough in an old desolate place +like this. But you've done the shells right beautiful, that I will say; +and you may leave this house this very day if you will only give your +consent to what my Lady asks. You shall be sent down this very day to +Carminster, if so be you'll give up that ring of yours, and sign a paper +giving up all claim to be married to his Honour. See, here it is, all +ready, in my Lady's letter." + +"I cannot," said Aurelia, with her hands behind her. + +"You can read my Lady's letter," said Loveday; "that can do you no +harm." + +Aurelia felt she must do that at least. + + + "CHILD, + + "I will overlook your Transgression on the One Condition, that +you sign this Paper and send it with your so-called Wedding Ring back +to me immediately. Otherwise you must take the Consequences, and remain +where you are till after my Son's Marriage. + + "URANIA BELAMOUR." + + +The paper was a formal renunciation of all rights or claims from the +fictitious marriage by which she had been deceived, and an absolute +pledge never to renew any contract with Sir Amyas Belamour, Knight +Baronet, who had grossly played on her. + +"No, I cannot," said Aurelia, pushing it from her. + +"Indeed, miss, I would not persuade you to it if it were not for your +own good; but you may be sure it is no use holding out against her +Ladyship. If you sign it now, and give it up honourable, she will send +Mr. Dove home with you, and there you'll be as if nothing had been +amiss, no one knowing nothing about it; but if you persist it will not +make the marriage a bit more true, and you will only be kept moped up in +this dismal place till his Honour is married, and there's no saying what +worse my Lady may do to you." + +Another night of rats came up before Aurelia's imagination in contrast +with the tender welcome at home; but the white face and the tones that +had exclaimed, "Madam, what are you doing to my wife?" arose and forbade +her. She would not fail him. So she said firmly once more, "No, Mrs. +Loveday, I cannot. I do not know what lawyers may say, but I feel myself +bound to Sir Amyas, and I will not break my vow--God helping me," she +added under breath. + +"You must write it to her ladyship then. She will never take such a +message through me. Here is paper and pen that I brought, in hopes that +you would be wise and submit for your honoured father's sake." + +"My father cannot be persecuted for what he has nothing to do with," +said Aurelia, with the gentle dignity that had grown on her since her +troubles. And taking the pen, she wrote her simple refusal, signing it +Aurelia Belamour. + +"As you please, ma'am," said Mrs. Loveday, "but I have my Lady's orders +to bring this paper every day till you sign it, and it would be better +for you if you would do it at once." + +Aurelia only shook her head, and asked if Mrs. Loveday had seen that she +had finished sorting the shells. Yes; and as she was now dressed they +went down together to the sitting-room. The shutters were still closed, +Madge would not put a hand to the room except on the compulsion, and +Aurelia's enemies had left evidence of their work; not only was the +odour of the room like that of a barn, but the paper bags had in some +cases been bitten through, and the shells scattered about, and of the +loaf and butter which Aurelia had left on a high shelf in the cupboard +nothing remained but a few fragments. + +Loveday was very much shocked, all the more when Aurelia quietly said +she should not mind it so much if the rats would only stay down stairs, +and not run over her in bed. + +"Yet you will not sign the paper." + +"I cannot," again said Aurelia. + +"My stars, I never could abear rats! Why they fly at one's throat +sometimes!" + +"I hope God will take care of me," said Aurelia, in a trembling voice. +"He did last night." + +Loveday began a formal leave-taking curtsey, but presently turned back. +"There now," she said, "I cannot do it, I couldn't sleep a wink for +thinking of you among the rats! Look here, I shall send a porter to +bring away those shells if you'll make up their bags again that the +nasty vermin have eaten, and there's a little terrier dog about the +place that no one will miss, he shall bring it down, and depend upon it, +the rats won't venture near it." + +"Oh! thank you, Mrs. Loveday, how good you are!" + +"Ah, don't then! If you could say that my dear!" + +Mrs. Loveday hurried away, and after breakfasting, Aurelia repaired the +ravages of the rats, and made a last sorting of the residuum of shell +dust, discovering numerous minute beauties, which awoke in her the happy +thought of the Creator's individual love. + +She had not yet finished before Madge's voice was heard in querulous +anger, and a heavy tread came along with her. A big man, who could have +carried ten times the weight of the box of shells, came in with a little +white dog with black ears, under his arm. + +"There," said the amiable guardian of the house, "that smart madam says +that it's her ladyship's pleasure you should have that little beast to +keep down the rats. As if my cats was not enough! But mind you, Madam +Really, if so be he meddles with my cats, it will be the worse for him." + +The porter took up the box, and departed, and Aurelia was left with +her new companion sniffing all round the room, much excited by the +neighbourhood of his natural enemies. However, he obeyed her call, and +let her make friends, and read the name on the brass plate upon his +collar. When she read "Sir A. Belamour, Bart.," she took the little dog +in her arms and kissed it's white head. + +Being fairly rested, and having no task to accomplish, she felt the day +much longer, though less solitary, in the companionship of the dog, to +whom she whispered many fond compliments, and vain questions as to his +name. With him at her heels and Madge and her cats safely shut into the +kitchen, she took courage to wander about the dull court, and then to +explore the mansion and try to get a view from the higher windows, in +case they were not shuttered up like the lower ones. The emptiness +of Bowstead was nothing to this, and she smiled to herself at having +thought herself a prisoner there. + +Most of the rooms were completely dismantled, or had only ghastly rags +of torn leather or tapestry hanging to their walls. The upper windows, +however, were merely obscured by dust and cobwebs. Her own bedroom +windows only showed the tall front of an opposite house, but climbing +to the higher storey, she could see at the back over the garden wall +the broad sheet of the Thames, covered with boats and wherries, and the +banks provided with steps and stairs, at the opening of every street on +the opposite side, where she beheld a confused mass of trees, churches, +and houses. Nearer, the view to the westward was closed in by a stately +edifice which she did not know to be Somerset House; and from another +window on the east side of the house she saw, over numerous tiled +roofs, a gateway which she guessed to be Temple Bar, and a crowded +thoroughfare, where the people looked like ants, toiling towards the +great dome that rose in the misty distance. Was this the way she was to +see London? + +Coming down with a lagging step, she met Madge's face peering up. +"Humph! there you be, my fine miss! No gaping after sweethearts from the +window, or it will be the worse for you." + +The terrier growled, as having already adopted his young lady's defence, +and Aurelia, dreading a perilous explosion of his zeal in her cause, +hurried him into her parlour. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. THE SECOND TASK. + + + Hope no more, + Since thou art furnished with hidden lore, + To 'scape thy due reward if any day + Without some task accomplished passed away. + MOORE. + + +The little dog's presence was a comfort, but his night of combat and +scuffling was not a restful one and the poor prisoner's sickness of +heart and nervous terrors grew upon her every hour, with misgivings +lest she should be clinging to a shadow, and sacrificing her return to +Betty's arms for a phantom. There were moments when her anguish of +vague terror and utter loneliness impelled her to long to sign her +renunciation that moment; and when she thought of recurring hours and +weeks of such days and such nights her spirit quailed within her, and +Loveday might have found her less calmly steadfast had she come in the +morning. + +She did not come, and this in itself was a disappointment, for at least +she brought a human voice and a pitying countenance which, temptress +though she might be, had helped to bear Aurelia through the first days. +Oh! could she but find anything to do! She had dusted her two rooms as +well as she could consistently with care for the dress she could not +change. She blamed herself extremely for having forgotten her Bible and +Prayer-book when hastily making up her bundle of necessaries, and though +there was little chance that Madge should possess either, or be able to +read, she nerved herself to ask. "Bible! what should ye want of a Bible, +unless to play the hypocrite? I hain't got none!" was the reply. + +So Aurelia could only walk up and down the court trying to repeat the +Psalms, and afterwards the poetry she had learnt for Mr. Belamour's +benefit, sometimes deriving comfort from the promises, but oftener +wondering whether he had indeed deserted her in anger at her distrustful +curiosity. She tried to scrape the mossgrown Triton, she crept up stairs +to the window that looked towards the City, and cleared off some of the +dimness, and she got a needle and thread and tried to darn the holes +in the curtains and cushions, but the rotten stuff crumbled under her +fingers, and would not hold the stitches. At last she found in a dusty +corner a boardless book with neither beginning nor end, being Defoe's +_Plague of London_. She read and read with a horrid fascination, +believing every word of it, wondering whether this house could have been +infected, and at length feeling for the plague spot! + +A great church-clock enabled her to count the hours! Oh, how many there +were of them! How many more would there be? This was only her +second day, and deliverance could not come for weeks, were her young +husband--if husband he were--ever so faithful. How should she find +patience in this dreariness, interspersed with fits of alarm lest he +should be dangerously ill and suffering? She fell on her knees and +prayed for him and for herself! + +Here it was getting dark again, and Madge would hunt her in presently +and shut the shutters. Hark! what was that? A bell echoing over the +house! Madge came after her. "Where are you, my fine mistress! Go you +into the parlour, I say," and she turned the key upon the prisoner, +whose heart beat like a bird fluttering in a cage. Suddenly her door was +opened, and in darted Fidelia and Lettice, who flung themselves upon her +with ecstatic shrieks of "Cousin Aura, dear cousin Aura!" Loveday was +behind, directing the bringing in of trunks from a hackney coach. All +she said was, "My Lady's daughters are to be with you for the night, +madam; I must not say more, for her ladyship is waiting for me." + +She was gone, while the three were still in the glad tangle of an +embrace beginning again and again, with all sorts of little exclamations +from the children, into which Aurelia broke with the inquiry for their +brother. "He is much better," said Fay. "He is to get up to-morrow, and +then he will come and find you." + +"Have you seen him?" + +"Oh, yes, and he says it is Sister Aura, and not Cousin Aura--" + +"My dear, dear little sisters--" and she hugged them again. + +"I was sitting upon his bed," said Letty, "and we were all talking about +you when my Lady mamma came. Are mothers kinder than Lady mammas?" + +"Was she angry?" asked Aurelia. + +"Oh! she frightened me," said Fay. "She said we were pert, forward +misses, and we must hold our tongues, for we should be whipped if we +ever said you name, Cousin--Sister Aura, again; and she would not let us +go to wish Brother Amyas good-bye this morning." + +Aurelia's heart could not but leap with joy that her tyrant should have +failed in carrying to Bowstead the renunciation of the marriage. Whether +Lady Belamour meant it or not, she had made resistance much easier by +the company of Faith and Hope, if only for a single night. She gathered +from their prattle that their mother, having found that their talk with +their brother was all of the one object of his thoughts, had carried +them off summarily, and had been since driving about London in search +of a school at which to leave them; but they were too young for Queen's +Square, and there was no room at another house at which Lady Belamour +had applied. She would not take them home, being, of course, afraid of +their tongues, and in her perplexity had been reduced to letting them +share Aurelia's captivity at least for the night. + +What joy it was! They said it was an ugly dark house, but Aurelia's +presence was perfect content to them, and theirs was to her comparative +felicity, assuring her as they did, through their childish talk, of Sir +Amyas's unbroken love and of Mr. Belamour's endeavours to find her. What +mattered it that Madge was more offended than ever, and refused to make +the slightest exertion for "the Wayland brats at that time of night" +without warning. They had enough for supper, and if Aurelia had not, +their company was worth much more to her than a full meal. The terrier's +rushes after rats were only diversion now, and when all three nestled +together in the big bed, the fun was more delightful than ever. Between +those soft caressing creatures Aurelia heard no rats, and could well +bear some kicks at night, and being drummed awake at some strange hour +in the morning. + +Mrs. Loveday arrive soon after the little party had gone down stairs. +She said the children were to remain until her ladyship had decided +where to send them; and she confirmed their report that his Honour +was recovering quickly. As soon as he was sufficiently well to leave +Bowstead he was to be brought to London, and married to Lady Arabella +before going abroad to make the grand tour; and as a true well-wisher, +Mrs. Loveday begged Miss Delavie not to hold out when it was of no use, +for her Ladyship declared that her contumacy would be the worse for +her. Aurelia's garrison was, however, too well reinforced for any vague +alarms to shake even her out works, and she only smiled her refusal, as +in truth Mrs. Loveday must have expected, for it appeared that she had +secured a maid to attend on the prisoners; an extremely deaf woman, who +only spoke in the broken imperfect mode of those who have never heard +their own voice, deficiencies that made it possible that Madge would +keep the peace with her. + +Lady Belamour had also found another piece of work for Aurelia. A dark +cupboard was opened, revealing shelves piled with bundle of old letters +and papers. There was a family tradition that one of the ladies of the +Delavie family had been an attendant of Mary of Scotland for a short +time, and had received from her a recipe for preserving the complexion +and texture of the skin, devised by the French Court perfumer. Nobody +had ever seen this precious prescription; but it was presumed to be +in the archives of the family, and her ladyship sent word that if Miss +Delavie wished to deserve her favour she would put her French to some +account and discover it. + +A severe undertaking it was. Piles of yellow letters, files of dusty +accounts, multitudes of receipts, more than one old will had to be +conned it was possible to be certain they were not the nostrum. In the +utter solitude, even this occupation would have been valuable, but with +the little girls about her, and her own and their property, she had +alternative employments enough to make it an effort to apply herself to +this. + +Why should she? she asked herself more than once; but then came the +recollection that if she showed herself willing to obey and gratify my +Lady, it might gain her good will, and if Sir Amyas should indeed hold +out till Mr. Wayland came home--Her heart beat wildly at the vision of +hope. + +She worked principally at the letters, after the children had gone to +bed, taking a packet up stairs with her, and sitting in the bedroom, +deciphering them as best she might by the light of the candles that +Loveday had brought her. + +Every morning Loveday appeared with supplies, and messages from her +Ladyship, that it was time Miss submitted; but she was not at all +substantially unkind, and showed increasing interest in her captive, +though always impressing on her that her obstinacy was all in vain. My +Lady was angered enough at his Honour having got up from his sick bed +and gone off to Carminster, and if Miss did not wish to bring her father +into trouble she must yield. No, this gladdened rather than startled +Aurelia, though her heart sank within her when she was warned that Mr. +Wayland had been taken by the corsairs, so that my Lady would have +the ball at her own foot now. The term of waiting seemed indefinitely +prolonged. + +The confinement to the dingy house and courtyard was trying to all +three, who had been used to run about in the green park and breezy +fields; but Aurelia did her best to keep her little companions happy +and busy, and the sense of the insecurity of her tenure of their company +aided her the more to meet with good temper and sweetness the various +rubs incidental to their captivity in this close warm house in the +hottest of summer weather. The pang she had felt at her own fretfulness, +when she thought she had lost them, made her guard the more against +giving way to impatience if they were troublesome or hard to please. +Indeed, she was much more gentle and equable now, in the strength of +her resolution, than she had been when uplifted by her position, yet +doubtful of its mysteries. + +Sundays were the most trying time. The lack of occupation in the small +space was wearisome, and Aurelia's heart often echoed the old strains of +Tate and Brady, + + I sigh whene'er my musing thoughts + Those happy days present, + When I with troops of pious friends + Thy temple did frequent. + +She and her charges climbed up to the window above, which happily had +a broken pane, tried to identify the chimes of the church bells by the +notable nursery rhyme, + + Oranges and lemons, + Say the bells of St. Clements, &c., + +watched the church-goers as far as they could see them, and then came +down to such reading of the service and other Sunday occupations +as Aurelia could devise. On the Sunday of her durance it was such +a broiling day that, unable to bear the heat of her parlour, she +established herself and her charges in a nook of the court, close under +the window, but shaded by the wall, which was covered with an immense +bush of overhanging ivy, and by the elm tree in the court. Here she made +Fay and Letty say their catechism, and the Psalm she had been teaching +them in the week, and then rewarded them with a Bible story, that of +Daniel in the den of lions. Once or twice the terrier (whose name she +had learnt was Bob) had pricked his ears, and the children had thought +there was a noise, but the sparrows in the ivy might be accountable for +a great deal, and the little ones were to much wrapped in her tale to be +attentive to anything else. + +"Then it came true!" said Letty. "His God Whom he trusted did deliver +him out of the den of lions?" + +"God always does deliver people when they trust Him," said Fay, with +gleaming eyes. + +"Yes, one way or the other," said Aurelia. + +"How do you think He will deliver us?" asked Letty; "for I am sure this +is a den, though there are no lions." + +"I do not know how," said Aurelia, "but I know He will bear us through +it as long as we trust Him and do nothing wrong," and she looked up at +the bright sky with hope and strength in her face. + +"Hark! what's that?" cried Letty, and Bob leapt up and barked as a great +sob became plainly audible, and within the room appeared Mrs. Loveday, +her face all over tears, which she was fast wiping away as she rose up +from crouching with her head against the window-sill. + +"I beg your pardon, ma'am," said she, her voice still broken when she +rejoined them, "but I would not interrupt you, so I waited within; and +oh, it was so like my poor old mother at home, it quite overcame me! I +did not think there was anything so near the angels left on earth." + +"Nay, Loveday," said Fay, apprehending the words in a different sense, +"the angels are just as near us as ever they were to Daniel, only we +cannot see them. Are they not, Cousin Aura?" + +"Indeed they are, and we may be as sure that they will shut the lions' +mouths," said Aurelia. + +"Ah! may they," sighed Loveday, who had by this time mastered her +agitation, and remembered that she must discharge herself of her +messages, and return hastily to my Lady's toilette. + +"I have found the recipe," said Aurelia. "Here it is." And she put into +Loveday's hand a yellow letter, bearing the title in scribbled writing, +"_Poure Embellire et blanchire la Pel, de part de Maistre Raoul, +Parfumeur de la Royne Catherine_." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. LIONS. + + + The helmet of darkness Pallas donned, + To hide her presence from the sight of man. + _Derby's_ HOMER. + + +The next morning Loveday returned with orders from Lady Belamour that +Miss Delavie should translate the French recipe, and make a fair copy +of it. It was not an easy task, for the MS. was difficult and the French +old; whereas Aurelia lived on the modern side of the _Acadamie_, her +French was that of Fenelon and Racine. + +However, she went to work as best she could in her cool corner, guessing +at many of the words by lights derived from _Comenius_, and had just +made out that the chief ingredients were pounded pearls and rubies, +mixed with white of eggs laid by pullets under a year old, during the +waxing of the April moon, when she heard voices chattering in the hall, +and a girlish figure appeared in a light cloak and calash, whom Loveday +seemed to be guiding, and yet keeping as much repressed as she could. + +"Gracious Heavens!" were the first words to be distinguished; "what a +frightful old place; enough to make one die of the dismals! I won't +live here when I'm married, I promise Sir Amyas! Bless me, is this the +wench?" + +"Your Ladyship promised to be careful," entreated Loveday, while Aurelia +rose, with a graceful gesture of acknowledgment, which, however remained +unnoticed, the lady apparently considering herself unseen. + +"Who are these little girls?" asked she, in a giggling whisper. "Little +Waylands? Then it is true," she cried, with a peal of shrill laughter. +"There are three of them, only Lady Belamour shuts them up like +kittens--I wonder she did not. Oh, what sport! Won't I tease her now +that I know her secret!" + +"Your ladyship!" intreated Loveday in distress in an audible aside, "you +will undo me." Then coming forward, she said, "You did not expect me +at this hour, madam; but if your French copy be finished, my Lady would +like to have it at once." + +"I have written it out once as well as I could," said Aurelia, "but I +have not translated it; I will find the copy." + +She rose and found the stranger full before her in the doorway, gazing +at her with an enormous pair of sloe-black eyes, under heavy inky brows, +set in a hard, red-complexioned face. She burst into a loud, hoydenish +laugh as Loveday tried to stammer something about a friend of her own. + +"Never mind, the murder's out, good Mrs. Abigail," she cried, "it is +me. I was determined to see the wench that has made such a fool of young +Belamour. I vow I can't guess what he means by it. Why, you are a poor +pale tallow-candle, without a bit of colour in your face. Look at me! +Shall you ever have such a complexion as mine, with ever so much rouge?" + +"I think not," said Aurelia, with one look at the peony face. + +"Do you know who I am, miss? I am the Lady Bella Mar. The Countess +of Aresfield is my mamma. I shall have Battlefield when she dies, and +twenty thousand pounds on my wedding day. The Earl of Aresfield and +Colonel Mar are my brothers, and a wretched little country girl like +you is not to come between me and what my mamma has fixed for me; so you +must give it up at once, for you see he belongs to me." + +"Not yet, madam," said Aurelia. + +"What do you say? Do you pretend that your masquerade was worth a +button?" + +"That is not my part to decide," said Aurelia. "I am bound by it, and +have no power to break it." + +"You mean the lawyers! Bless you, they will never give it to you against +me! You'd best give it up at once, and if you want a husband, my mamma +has one ready for you." + +"I thank her ladyship," said Aurelia, with simple dignity, "but I will +not give her the trouble." + +She glanced at her wedding ring, and so did Lady Belle, who screamed, +"You've the impudence to wear that! Give it to me." + +"I cannot," repeated Aurelia. + +"You cannot, you insolent, vulgar, low"-- + +"Hush! hush, my lady," entreated Loveday. "Come away, I beg of your +ladyship!" + +"Not till I have made that impudent hussy give me that ring," cried +Belle, stamping violently. "What's that you say?" + +"That your ladyship asks what is impossible," said Aurelia, firmly. + +"Take that then, insolent minx!" cried the girl, flying forward and +violently slapping Aurelia's soft cheeks, and making a snatch at her +hair. + +Loveday screamed, Letty cried, but Fidelia and Bob both rushed forward +to Aurelia's defence, one with her little fists clenched, beating Lady +Belle back, the other tearing at her skirts with his teeth. At that +moment a man's step was heard, and a tall, powerful officer was among +them, uttering a fierce imprecation. "You little vixen, at your tricks +again," he said, taking Belle by the waist, while she kicked and +screamed in vain. She was like an angry cat in his arms. "Be quiet, +Belle," he said, backing into the sitting-room. "Let Loveday compose +your dress. Recover your senses and I shall take you home: I wish it was +to the whipping you deserve." + +He thrust her in, waved aside Loveday's excuses about her ladyship +not being denied, and stood with his back to the door as she bounced +shrieking against it from within. + +"I fear this little devil has hurt you, madam," he said. + +"Not at all, I thank you, sire." said Aurelia, though one side of her +face still tingled. + +"She made at you like a little game-cock," he said. "I am glad I was in +time. I followed when I found she had slipped away from Lady Belamour's, +knowing that her curiosity is only equalled by her spite. By Jove, it is +well that her nails did not touch that angel face!" + +Aurelia could only curtsey and thank him, hoping within herself that +Lady Belle would soon recover, and wondering how he had let himself in. +There was something in his manner of examining her with his eyes that +made her supremely uncomfortable. He uttered fashionable expletives +of admiration under his breath, and she turned aside in displeasure, +bending down to Fidelia. He went on, "You must be devilishly moped in +this dungeon of a place! Cannot we contrive something better?" + +"Thank you, sir, I have no complaint to make. Permit me to see whether +the Lady Arabella is better." + +"I advise you not. Those orbs are too soft and sparkling to be exposed +to her talons. 'Pon my honour, I pity young Belamour. But there is no +help for it, and such charms ought not to be wasted in solitude on his +account. These young lads are as fickle as the weather-cock, and have +half-a-dozen fancies in as many weeks. Come now, make me your friend, +and we will hit on some device for delivering the enchanted princess +from her durance vile." + +"Thank you, sir, I promised Lady Belamour to make no attempt to escape." + +At that moment out burst Lady Belle, shouting with laughter: "Ho! ho! +Have I caught you, brother, gallanting away with Miss? What will my lady +say? Pretty doings!" + +She had no time for more. Her brother fiercely laid hold of her, and +bore her away with a peremptory violence that she could not resist, and +only turning at the hall door to make one magnificent bow. + +Loveday was obliged to follow, and the children were left clinging to +Aurelia and declaring that the dreadful young lady was as bad as the +lions; while Aurelia, glowing with shame and resentment at what she felt +as insults, had a misgiving that her protector had been the worse lion +of the two. + +She had no explanation of the invasion till the next morning, when +Loveday appeared full of excuses and apologies. From the fact of +Lady Aresfield's carriage having been used on Aurelia's arrival, her +imprisonment was known, and Lady Belle, spending a holiday at Lady +Belamour's, had besieged Loveday with entreaties to take her to see her +rival. As the waiting-woman said, for fear of the young lady's violent +temper, but more probably in consideration of her bribes, she had +yielded, hoping that Lady Belle would be satisfied with a view from the +window, herself unseen. However, from that moment all had been taken out +of the hands of Loveday, and she verily believed the Colonel had made +following his sister an excuse for catching a sight of Miss Delavie, for +he had been monstrously smitten even with the glimpse he had had of her +in the carriage. And now, as his sister had cut short what he had +to say, he had written her a billet. And Loveday held out a perfumed +letter. + +Aurelia's eyes flashed, and she drew herself up: "You forget, Loveday, I +promised to receive no letters!" + +"Bless me, ma'am, they, that are treated as my lady treats you, are not +bound to be so particular as that." + +"O fie, Loveday," said Aurelia earnestly, "you have been so kind, that I +thought you would be faithful. This is not being faithful to your lady, +nor to me." + +"It is only from my wish to serve you, ma'am," said Loveday in her +fawning voice. "How can I bear to see a beautiful young lady like you, +that ought to be the star of all the court, mewed up here for the sake +of a young giddy pate like his Honour, when there's one of the first +gentlemen in the land ready to be at your feet?" + +"For shame! for shame!" exclaimed Aurelia, crimson already. "You know I +am married." + +"And you will not take the letter, nor see what the poor gentleman +means? May be he wants to reconcile you with my lady, and he has power +with her." + +Aurelia took the letter, and, strong paper though it was, tore it across +and across till it was all in fragments, no bigger than daisy flowers. +"There," she said, "you may tell him what I have done to his letter." + +Loveday stared for a minute, then exclaimed, "You are in the right, my +dear lady. Oh, I am a wretch--a wretch--" and she went away sobbing. + +Aurelia hoped the matter was ended. It had given her a terrible feeling +of insecurity, but she found to her relief that Madge was really more +trustworthy than Loveday. She overheard from the court a conversation at +the back door in which Madge was strenuously refusing admission to some +one who was both threatening and bribing her, all in vain; but she +was only beginning to breathe freely when Loveday brought, not another +letter, but what was less easy to stop, a personal message from "that +poor gentleman." + +"Loveday, after what you said yesterday, how can you be so--wicked?" +said Aurelia. + +"Indeed, miss, 'tis only as your true well-wisher." + +Aurelia turned away to leave the room. + +"Yes, it is, ma'am! On my bended knees I will swear it," cried Loveday, +throwing herself on them and catching her dress. "It is because I know +my lady has worse in store for you!" + +"Nothing can be worse than wrong-doing," said Aurelia. + +"Ah! you don't know. Now, listen, one moment. I would not--indeed I +would not--if I did not know that he meant true and honourable--as he +does, indeed he does. He is madder after you then ever he was for my +lady, for he says you have all her beauty, and freshness and simplicity +besides. He is raving. And you should never leave me, indeed you should +not, miss, if you slipped out after me in Deb's muffler--and we'd go +to the Fleet. I have got a cousin there, poor fellow--he is always in +trouble, but he is a real true parson notwithstanding, and I'd never +leave your side till the knot was tied fast. Then you would laugh at my +lady, and be one of the first ladies in the land, for my Lord Aresfield +is half a fool, and can't live long, and when you are a countess you +will remember your poor Loveday." + +"Let me go. You have said too much to a married woman," said Aurelia, +and as the maid began the old demonstrations of the invalidity of the +marriage, and the folly of adhering to it when nobody knew where his +honour was gone, she said resolutely, "I shall write to Lady Belamour to +send me a more trustworthy messenger." + +On this Loveday fairly fell on the floor, grovelling in her wild +entreaty that my Lady might hear nothing of this, declaring that it was +not so much for the sake of the consequences to herself as to the young +lady, for there was no guessing what my lady might not be capable of +if she guessed at Colonel Mar's admiration of her prisoner. Aurelia, +frightened at her violence, finally promised not to appeal to her +ladyship as long as Loveday abstained from transmitting his messages, +but on the least attempt on her part to refer to him, a complaint should +certainly be made to my lady. + +"Very well, madam," said Loveday, wiping her eyes. "I only hope it will +not be the worse for you in the end, and that you will not wish you had +listened to poor Loveday's advice." + +"I can never wish to have done what I know to be a great sin," said +Aurelia gravely. + +"Ah! you little know!" said Loveday, shaking her head sadly and +ominously. + +Something brought to Aurelia's lips what she had been teaching the +children last Sunday, and she answered, + +"My God, in Whom I have trusted, is able to deliver me out of the mouth +of lions, and He will deliver me out of thy hand." + +"Oh! if ever there were one whom He should deliver!" broke out Loveday, +and again she went away weeping bitterly. + +Aurelia could not guess what the danger the woman threatened could +be; so many had been mentioned as possible. A forcible marriage, +incarceration in some lonely country place, a vague threat of being +taken beyond seas to the plantation--all these had been mentioned; but +she was far more afraid of Colonel Mar forcing his way in and +carrying her off, and this kept her constantly in a state of nervous +watchfulness, always listening by day and hardly able to sleep by night. + +Once she had a terrible alarm, on a Sunday. Letty came rushing to her, +declaring that Jumbo, dear Jumbo, and a gentleman were in the front +court. Was it really Jumbo? Come and see! No, she durst not, and Fay +almost instantly declared that Madge had shut them out. The children +both insisted that Jumbo it was, but Aurelia would not believe that it +could be anything but an attempt of her enemies. She interrogated +Madge, who had grown into a certain liking for one so submissive and +inoffensive. Madge shook her head, could not guess how such folks had +got into the court, was sure they were after no good, and declared that +my Lady should hear of all the strange doings, and the letters that had +been left with her. Oh, no, she knew better than to give them, but my +Lady should see them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. THE COSMETIC. + + + But one more task I charge thee with to-day, + For unto Proserpine then take thy way, + And give this golden casket to her hands. + MORRIS. + + +Late on that Sunday afternoon, a muffled and masked figure came through +the house into the court behind, and after the first shock Aurelia +was relieved to see that it was too tall, and moved too gracefully, to +belong to Loveday. + +"Why, child, what a colour you have!" said Lady Belamour, taking off +her mask. "You need no aids to nature at your happy age. That is right, +children," as they curtsied and kissed her hand. "Go into the house, I +wish to speak with your cousin." + +Lady Belamour's unfailing self-command gave her such dignity that she +seemed truly a grand and majestic dame dispensing justice, and the +gentle, shrinking Aurelia like a culprit on trial before her. + +"You have been here a month, Aurelia Delavie. Have you come to your +senses, and are you ready to sign this paper?" + +"No, madam, I cannot." + +"Silly fly; you are as bent as ever on remaining in the web in which a +madman and a foolish boy have involved you?" + +"I cannot help it, madam." + +"Oh! I thought," and her voice became harshly clear, though so low, +"that you might have other schemes, and be spreading your toils at +higher game." + +"Certainly not, madam." + +"Your colour shows that you understand, in spite of all your pretences." + +"I have never used any pretences, my lady," said Aurelia, looking up in +her face with clear innocent eyes. + +"You have had no visitors? None!" + +"None, madam, except once when the Lady Arabella Mar forced her way in, +out of curiosity, I believe, and her brother followed to take her away." + +"Her brother? You saw him?" Each word came out edged like a knife from +between her nearly closed lips. + +"Yes, madam." + +"How often?" + +"That once." + +"That has not hindered a traffic in letters." + +"Not on my side, madam. I tore to fragments unread the only one that I +received. He had no right to send it!" + +"Certainly not. You judge discreetly, Miss Delavie. In fact you are too +transcendent a paragon to be retained here." Then, biting her lip, as if +the bitter phrase had escaped unawares, she smiled blandly and said, "My +good girl, you have merited to be returned to your friends. You may pack +your mails and those of the children!" + +Aurelia shuddered with gladness, but Lady Belamour checked her thanks by +continuing, "One service you must first do for me. My perfumer is at a +loss to understand your translation of the recipe for Queen Mary's wash. +I wish you to read and explain it to her." + +"Certainly, madam." + +"She lives near Greenwich Park," continued Lady Belamour, "and as I +would not have the secret get abroad, I shall send a wherry to take +you to the place early to-morrow morning. Can you be ready by eight +o'clock?" + +Aurelia readily promised, her heart bounding at the notion of a voyage +down the river after her long imprisonment and at the promise of +liberty! She thought her husband must still be true to her, since my +lady would have been the first to inform her of his defection, and as +long as she had her ring and her certificate, she could feel little +doubt that her father would be able to establish her claims. And oh! to +be with him and Betty once more! + +She was ready in good time, and had spent her leisure in packing. When +Loveday appeared, she was greeted with a petition that the two little +girls might accompany her; but this was refused at once, and the +waiting-maid added in her caressing, consoling tone that Mrs. Dove was +coming with their little brother and sister to take them a drive into +the country. They skipped about with glee, following Aurelia to the door +of the court, and promising her posies of honeysuckles and roses, and +she left her dear love with them for Amoret and Nurse Dove. + +At the door was a sedan chair, in which Aurelia was carried to some +broad stone stairs, beside which lay a smartly-painted, trim-looking +boat with four stout oarsmen. She was handed into the stern, Loveday +sitting opposite to her. The woman was unusually silent, and could +hardly be roused to reply to Aurelia's eager questions as she passed the +gardens of Lincoln's Inn, saw St. Paul's rise above her, shot beneath +the arch of London Bridge, and beheld the massive walls of the Tower +with its low-browed arches opening above their steps. Whenever a scarlet +uniform came in view, how the girl's eyes strained after it, thinking +of one impossible, improbable chance of a recognition! Once or twice +she thought of a far more terrible chance, and wondered whether Lady +Belamour knew how little confidence could be placed in Loveday; but she +was sure that their expedition was my lady's own device, and the fresh +air and motion, with all the new scenes, were so delightful to her that +she could not dwell on any alarms. + +On, on, Redriffe, as the watermen named Rotherhithe, was on one bank, +the marshes of the Isle of Dogs were gay with white cotton-grass and +red rattle on the other. Then came the wharves and building yards of +Deptford, and beyond them rose the trees of Greenwich Park, while +the river below exhibited a forest of masts. The boat stopped at a +landing-place to a little garden, with a sanded path, between herbs +and flowers. "This is Mistress Darke's," said Loveday, and as a little +dwarfish lad came to the gate, she said, "We would speak with your +mistress." + +"On your own part?' + +"From the great lady in Hanover Square." + +The lad came down to assist in their landing, and took them up the +path to a little cupboard of a room, scented with a compound of every +imaginable perfume. Bottles of every sort of essence, pomade, and +cosmetic were ranged on shelves, or within glass doors, interspersed +with masks, boxes for patches, bunches of false hair, powder puffs, +curling-irons, and rare feathers. An alembic [a device used in +distillation--D.L.] was in the fireplace, and pen and ink, in a +strangely-shaped standish, were on the table. Altogether there was +something uncanny about the look and air of the room which made Aurelia +tremble, especially as she perceived that Loveday was both frightened +and distressed. + +The mistress of the establishment speedily appeared. She had been a +splendid Jewish beauty, and still in middle age, had great owl-like +eyes, and a complexion that did her credit to her arts; but there was +something indescribably repulsive in her fawning, deferential curtsey, +as she said, in a flattering tone, with a slightly foreign accent, "The +pretty lady is come, as our noble dame promised, to explain to the +poor Cora Darke the great queen's secret! Ah! how good it is to have +learning. What would not my clients give for such a skin as hers! And +I have many more, and greater than you would think, come to poor Cora's +cottage. There was a countess here but yesterday to ask how to blanch +the complexion of miladi her daughter, who is about to wed a young +baronet, beautiful as Love. Bah! I might as well try to whiten a clove +gillyflower! Yet what has not nature done for this lovely miss?" + +"Shall I read you the paper?" said Aurelia, longing to end this part of +the affair. + +"Be seated, fair and gracious lady." + +Aurelia tried to wave aside a chair, but Mrs. Darke, on the plea of +looking over the words as she read, got her down upon a low couch, +putting her own stout person and hooked face in unpleasant proximity, +while she asked questions, and Aurelia mentioned her own conjectures on +the obsolete French of the recipe, while she perceived, to her alarm, +that the woman understood the technical terms much better than she did, +and that her ignorance could have been only an excuse. + +At last it was finished, and she rose, saying it was time to return to +the boat. + +"Nay, madam, that cannot be yet," said Loveday; "the watermen are gone +to rest and dine, and we must wait for the tide to shoot the bridge." + +"Then pray let us go out and walk in Greenwich Park," exclaimed Aurelia, +longing to escape from this den. + +"The sweet young lady will take something in the meantime?" said Mrs. +Darke. + +"I thank you, I have breakfasted," said Aurelia. + +"My Lady intended us to eat here," said Loveday in an undertone to her +young lady, as their hostess bustled out. "She will make it good to Mrs. +Darke." + +"I had rather go to the inn--I have money--or sit in the park," +she added as Loveday looked as if going to the inn were an improper +proposal. "Could we not buy a loaf and eat in the park? I should like it +so much better." + +"One cup of coffee," said Mrs. Darke, entering; "the excellent Mocha +that I get from the Turkey captains." + +She set down on a small table a wonderful cup of Eastern porcelain, and +some little sugared cakes, and Aurelia, not to be utterly ungracious, +tasted one, and began on the coffee, which was so hot that it had to be +taken slowly. As she sipped a soothing drowsiness came over her, which +at first was accounted for by the warm room after her row on the river; +but it gained upon her, and instead of setting out for her walk she fell +sound asleep in the corner of the couch. + +"It has worked. It is well," said Mrs. Darke, lifting the girl's feet on +the couch, and producing a large pair of scissors. + +Loveday could not repress a little shriek. + +"Hush!" as the woman untied the black silk hood, drew it gently off, and +then undid the ribbon that confined the victim's abundant tresses. "Bah! +it will be grown by the time she arrives, and if not so long as present, +what will they know of it? It will be the more agreeable surprise! Here, +put yonder cloth under her head while I hold it up." + +"I cannot," sobbed Loveday. "This is too much. I never would have +entered my Lady's service if I had known I was to be set to such as +this." + +"Come, come, Grace Loveday, I know too much of you for you to come the +Presician over me." + +"Such a sweet innocent! So tender-hearted and civil too." + +"Bless you, woman, you don't know what's good for her! She will be a +very queen over the black slaves on the Indies. Captain Karen will tell +you how the wenches thank him for having brought 'em out. They could +never do any good here, you know, poor lasses; but out there, where +white women are scarce, they are ready to worship the very ground they +tread upon." + +"I tell you she ain't one of that sort. She is a young lady of birth, +a cousin of my Lady's own, as innocent as a babe, and there are two +gentlemen, if not three, a dying for her." + +"I lay you anything not one of 'em is worth old Mr. Van Draagen, who +turns his thousands every month. 'Send me out a lady lass,' says he, +'one that will do me credit with the governor's lady.' Why she will have +an estate as big as from here to Dover, and slaves to wait on her, so +as she need never stoop to pick up her glove. He has been married +twice before, and his last used to send orders for the best brocades in +London. He stuck at no expense. The Queen has not finer gowns!" + +"But to think of the poor child's waking up out at sea." + +"Oh! Mrs. Karen will let her know she may think herself well off. I +never let 'em go unless there's a married woman aboard to take charge of +them, and that's why I kept your lady waiting till the _Red Cloud_ was +ready to sail. You may tell her Ladyship she could not have a better +berth, and she'll want for nothing. I know what is due to the real +quality, and I've put aboard all the toilette, and linen, and dresses +as was bespoke for the last Mrs. Van Draagen, and there's a civil spoken +wench aboard, what will wait on her for a consideration." + +"Nay, but mistress," said Loveday, whispering: "I know those that would +give more than you will ever get from my Lady if they found her safe +here." + +"Of course there are, or she would not be here now," said Mrs. Darke, +with a horrid grin; "but that won't do, my lass. A lady that's afraid +of exposure will pay you, if she pawns her last diamond, but a +gentleman--why, he gets sick of his fancy, and snaps his fingers at +them that helped him!" Then, looking keenly at Loveday, "You've not been +playing me false, eh?" + +"O no, no," hastily exclaimed Loveday, cowering at the malignant look. + +"If so be you have, Grace Loveday, two can play at that game," said Mrs. +Darke composedly. "There, I have left her enough to turn back. What +hair it is! Feel the weight of it! There's not another head of the +mouse-colour to match your Lady's in the kingdom," she added, smoothing +out the severed tresses with the satisfaction of a connoisseur. "No +wonder madame could not let this be wasted on the plantations, when you +and I and M. le Griseur know her own hair is getting thinner than she +would wish a certain Colonel to guess. There! the pretty dear, what a +baby she looks! I will tie her on a cowl, lest she should take cold on +the river. See these rings. Did you Lady give no charge about them?" + +"I had forgot!" said the waiting-woman, confused; "she charged me to +bring them back, old family jewels, she said, that must not be carried +off to foreign parts; but I cannot, cannot do it. To rob that pretty +creature in her sleep." + +"Never fear. She'll soon have a store much finer than these! You fool, I +tell you she will not wake these six or eight hours. Afraid? There, +I'll do it! Ho! A ruby? A love-token, I wager; and what's this? A carved +Cupid. I could turn a pretty penny by that, when your lady finds +it convenient, and her luck at play goes against her. Eh! is this a +wedding-ring? Best take that off; Mr. Van Draagen might not understand +it, you see. Here they are. Have you a patch-box handy for them in your +pocket? Why what ails the woman? You may thank your stars there's some +one here with her wits about her! None of your whimpering, I say, her +comes Captain Karen." + +Two seafaring men here came up the garden path, the foremost small and +dapper, with a ready address and astute countenance. "All right, Mother +Darkness, is our consignment ready? Aye, aye! And the freight?" + +"This lady has it," said Mrs. Darke, pointing to Loveday; "I have been +telling her she need have no fears for her young kinswoman in your +hands, Captain." + +He swore a round oath to that effect, and looking at the sleeping +maiden, again swore that she was the choicest piece of goods ever +confided to him, and that he knew better than let such an article arrive +damaged. Mr. Van Draagen ought to come down handsomely for such an extra +fine sample; but in the meantime he accepted the rouleau of guineas +that Loveday handed to him, the proceeds, as she told Mrs. Darke, of my +Lady's winnings last night at loo. + +All was ready. Poor Aurelia was swathed from head to foot in a large +mantle, like the chrysalis whose name she bore, the two sailors took her +up between them, carried her to their boat, and laid her along in the +stern. Then they pushed off and rowed down the river. Loveday looked up +and looked down, then sank on the steps, convulsed with grief, sobbing +bitterly. "She said He could deliver her from the mouth of lions! And +He has not," she murmured under her breath, in utter misery and +hopelessness. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. DOWN THE RIVER. + + The lioness, ye may move her + To give o'er her prey, + But ye'll ne'er stop a lover, + He will find out the way. + + +Elizabeth Delavie and her little brother were standing in the bay window +of their hotel, gazing eagerly along the street in hopes of seeing the +Major return, when Sir Amyas was seen riding hastily up on his charger, +in full accoutrements, with a soldier following. In another moment he +had dashed up stairs, and saying, "Sister, read that!" put into Betty's +hand a slip of paper on which was written in pencil-- + +"If Sir A. B. would not have his true love kidnapped to the plantations, +he had best keep watch on the river gate of Mistress Darke's garden at +Greenwich. No time to lose." + +"Who brought you this?" demanded Betty, as well as she could speak for +horror. + +"My mother's little negro boy, Syphax. He says Mrs. Loveday, her +waiting-woman, gave it to him privately on the stairs, as she was about +to get into a sedan, telling him I would give him a crown if he gave it +me as I came off parade." + +"Noon! Is there time?" + +"Barely, but there shall be time. There is no time to seek your father." + +"No, but I must come with you." + +"The water is the quickest way. There are stairs near. I'll send my +fellow to secure a boat." + +"I will be ready instantly, while you tell your uncle. It might be +better if he came." + +Sir Amyas flew to his uncle's door, but found him gone out, and, in too +great haste to inquire further, came down again to find Betty in cloak +and hood. He gave her his arm, and, Eugene trotting after them, they +hurried to the nearest stairs, remembering in dire confirmation what +Betty had heard from the school-girl. Both had heard reports that young +women were sometimes thus deported to become wives to the planters in +the southern colonies or the West Indies, but that such a destiny should +be intended for their own Aurelia, and by Lady Belamour, was scarcely +credible. Doubts rushed over Betty, but she remembered what the +school-girl had said of the captive being sent beyond seas; and at any +rate, she must risk the expedition being futile when such issues hung +upon it. And if they failed to meet her father, she felt that her +presence might prevail when the undefined rights of so mere a lad as her +companion might be disregarded. + +His soldier servant had secured a boat, and they rapidly descended to +the river; Sir Amyas silent between suspense, dismay and shame for his +mother, and Betty trying to keep Eugene quiet by hurried answers to his +eager questions about all he saw. They had to get out at London Bridge, +and take a fresh boat on the other side, a much larger one, with +two oarsmen, and a grizzled old coxswain, with a pleasant honest +countenance, who presently relieved Betty of all necessity of attending +to, or answering, Eugene's chatter. + +"Do you know where this garden is?" said she, leaning across to Sir +Amyas, who had engaged the boat to go to Greenwich. + +He started as if it were a new and sudden thought, and turning to the +steersman demanded whether he knew Mrs. Darke's garden. + +The old man gave a kind of grunt, and eyed the trio interrogatively, +the young officer with his fresh, innocent, boyish face and brilliant +undisguised uniform, the handsome child, the lady neither young, gay, +nor beautiful, but unmistakeably a decorous gentlewoman. + +"Do you know Mrs. Darke's?" repeated Sir Amyas. + +"Aye, do I? Mayhap I know more about the place than you do." + +There was that about his face that moved Betty and the young man to +look at one another, and the former said, "She has had to do with--evil +doings?" + +"You may say that, ma'am." + +"Then," they cried in one breath, "you will help us!" And in a very +few words Betty explained their fears for her young sister, and asked +whether he thought the warning possible. + +"I've heard tell of such things!" said the old man between his teeth, +"and Mother Darkness is one to do 'em. Help you to bring back the poor +young lass? That we will, if we have to break down the door with our +fists. And who is this young spark? Her brother or her sweetheart?" + +"Her husband!" said Sir Amyas. "Her husband from whom she has been +cruelly spirited away. Aid me to bring her back, my good fellow, and +nothing would be too much to reward you." + +"Aye, aye, captain, Jem Green's not the man to see an English girl +handed over to they slave-driving, outlandish chaps. But I say, I wish +you'd got a cloak or summat to put over that scarlet and gold of yourn. +It's a regular flag to put the old witch on her guard." + +On that summer's day, however, no cloak was at hand. They went down the +river very rapidly, for the tide was running out and at length Jem Green +pointed out the neat little garden. On the step sat a woman, apparently +weeping bitterly. Could it be the object of their search? No, but as +they came nearer, and she was roused so as to catch sight of the scarlet +coat, she beckoned and gesticulated with all her might; and as they +approached Sir Amyas recognised her as his mother's maid. + +"You will be in time yet," she cried breathlessly. "Oh! take me in, or +you won't know the ship!" + +So eager and terrified was she, that but for the old steersman's +peremptory steadiness, her own life and theirs would have been in much +peril, but she was safely seated at last, gasping out, "The _Red Cloud_, +Captain Karen. They've been gone these ten minutes." + +"Aye, aye," gruffly responded Green, and the oars moved rapidly, while +Loveday with another sob cried, "Oh! sir, I thought you would never +come!" + +"You sent the warning?" + +Yes, sir, I knew nothing till the morning, when my Lady called me up. I +lie in her room, you know. She had given orders, and I was to take the +sweet lady and go down the river with her to Mrs. Darke, the perfuming +woman my Lady has dealings with about here hair and complexion. There +I was to stay with her till--till this same sea-captain was to come and +carry her off where she would give no more trouble. Oh, sir, it was too +much--and my Lady knew it, for she had tied my hands so that I had but +a moment to scribble down that scrip, and bid Syphax take it to you. The +dear lady! she said, 'her God could deliver her out of the mouth of the +lion,' and I could not believe it! I thought it too late!" + +"How can we thank you," began Betty; but she was choked by intense +anxiety, and Jem Green broke in with an inquiry where the ship was +bound for. Loveday only had a general impression of the West Indies, and +believed that the poor lady's destined spouse was a tobacconist, and as +the boat was soon among a forest of shipping where it could not proceed +so fast, Green had to inquire of neighbouring mariners where the _Red +Cloud_ was lying. + +"The _Red Cloud_, Karen, weighs anchor for Carolina at flood tide +to-night. Shipper just going aboard," they were told. + +Their speed had been so rapid that they were in time to see the boat +alongside, and preparations being made to draw up some one or something +on board. "Oh! that is she!" cried Loveday in great agitation. "They've +drugged her. No harm done. She don't know it. But it is she!" + +Sir Amyas, with a voice of thunder, called out, "Halt, villain," at the +same moment as Green shouted "Avast there, mate!" And their boat came +dashing up alongside. + +"Yield me up that lady instantly, fellow!" cried Sir Amyas, with his +sword half drawn. + +"And who are you, I should like to know," returned Karen, coolly, +"swaggering at an honest man taking his freight and passengers aboard?" + +"I'll soon show you!" + +"Hush, sir," said Green, who had caught sight of pistols and cutlasses, +"let me speak a moment. Look you here, skipper, this young gentleman +and lady have right on their side. This is her sister, and he is her +husband. They are people of condition, as you see." + +"All's one to me on the broad seas." + +"That may be," said Green, "but you see you can't weigh anchor these +three hours or more; and what's to hinder the young captain here from +swearing against you before a magistrate, and getting your vessel +searched, eh?" + +"I've no objection to hear reason if I'm spoke to reasonable," said +Karen, sulkily; "but I'll not be bullied like a highwayman, when I've my +consignment regularly made out, and the freight down in hand, square." + +"You may keep your accursed passage-money and welcome," cried Sir Amyas, +"so you'll only give me my wife!" + +"Show him the certificate," whispered Betty. + +Sir Amyas had it ready, and he read it loud enough for all on the Thames +to hear. Karen gave a sneering little laugh. "What's that to me? My +passenger here has her berth taken in the name of Ann Davis." + +"Like enough," said Loveday, "but you remember me, captain, and I swear +that this poor young lady is what his Honour Sir Amyas say. He is a +generous young gentleman, and will make it up to you if you are at any +loss in the matter." + +"A hundred times over!" exclaimed Amyas hotly. + +"Hardly that," said Karen. "Van Draagen might have been good for a round +hundred if he'd been pleased with the commission." + +"I'll give you and order--" began Sir Amyas. + +"What have you got about you, sir?" interrupted Karen. "I fancy hard +cash better than your orders." + +The youth pulled out his purse. There was only a guinea or two and some +silver. "One does not go out to parade with much money about one," he +said, with a trembling endeavour for a smile, "but if you would send up +to my quarters in Whitehall Barracks---" + +"Never mind, sir," said Karen, graciously. "I see you are in earnest, +and I'll put up with the loss rather than stand in the light of a couple +of true lovers. Here, Jack, lend a hand, and we'll hoist the young woman +over. She's quiet enough, thanks to Mother Darkness." + +The sudden change in tone might perhaps be owing to the skipper's +attention having been called by a sign from one of his men to a boat +coming up from Woolwich, rowed by men of the Royal navy, who were +certain to take part with an officer; but Sir Amyas and Betty were only +intent on receiving the inanimate form wrapped up in its mantle. What a +meeting it was for Betty, and yet what joy to have her at all! They +laid her with her head in her sister's lap, and Sir Amyas hung over her, +clasping one of the limp gloved hands, while Eugene called "Aura, Aura," +and would have impetuously kissed her awake, but Loveday caught hold of +him. "Do not, do not, for pity's sake, little master," she said; "the +potion will do her no harm if you let her sleep it off, but she may not +know you if you waken her before the time." + +"Wretch, what have you given her?" cried Sir Amyas. + +"It was not me, sir, it was Mrs. Darke, in a cup of coffee. She vowed +it would do no hurt if only she was let to sleep six or eight hours. And +see what a misery it has saved her from!" + +"That is true," said Betty. "Indeed I believe this is a healthy sleep. +See how gently she breathes, how soft and natural her colour is, how +cool and fresh her cheek is. I cannot believe there is serious harm +done." + +"How soon can we reach a physician?" asked Sir Amyas, still anxiously, +of the coxswain. + +"I can't rightly say, sir," replied he; "but never you fear. They +wouldn't do aught to damage such as she." + +Patience must perforce be exercised as, now against the tide and the +stream, the wherry worked its way back. Once there was a little stir; +Sir Amyas instantly hovered over Aurelia, and clasped her hand with a +cry of "My dearest life!" The long dark eyelashes slowly rose, the eyes +looked up for one moment from his face to her sister's, and then to her +brother's, but the lids sank as if weighed down, and with a murmur, +"Oh, don't wake me," she turned her face around on Betty's lap and slept +again. + +"Poor darling, she thinks it a dream," said Betty. "Eugene, do not. Sir, +I entreat! Brother, yes I _will_ call you so if you will only let her +alone! See how happy and peaceful her dear face is! Do not rouse her +into terror and bewilderment." + +"If I only were sure she was safe," he sighed, hanging over, with an +intensity of affection and anxiety that brought a dew even to the old +steersman's eyes; and he kindly engrossed Eugene by telling about the +places they passed, and setting him to watch the smart crew of the boat +from the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, which was gaining on them. + +Meanwhile the others interrogated Loveday, who told them of the pretext +on which Lady Belamour had sent her captive down to Mrs. Darke's. No one +save herself had, in my Lady's household, she said, an idea of where the +young lady was, Lady Belamour having employed only hired porters except +on that night when Lady Aresfield's carriage brought her. This had led +to the captivity being know to Lady Belle and her brother, and Loveday +had no doubt that it was the discovery of their being aware of it, as +well as Jumbo's appearance in the court, that had made her mistress +finally decide on this frightful mode of ridding herself of the poor +girl. The maid was as adroit a dissembler as her mistress, and she held +her peace as to her own part in forwarding Colonel Mar's suit, whether +her lady guessed it or not, but she owned with floods of tears how the +sight of the young lady's meek and dutiful submission, her quiet trust, +and her sweet, simple teaching of the children, had wakened into life +again a conscience long dead to all good, and made it impossible to her +to carry out this last wicked commission without an attempt to save the +creature whom she had learnt to reverence as a saint. Most likely her +scruples had been suspected by her mistress, for there had been an +endeavour to put it out of her power to give any warning to the victim. +Yet after all, the waiting-maid had been too adroit for the lady, or, +as she fully owned, Aurelia's firm trust had not been baulked, and +deliverance from the lions had come. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. THE RETURN. + + + And now the glorious artist, ere he yet + Had reached the Lemnian Isle, limping, returned; + With aching heart he sought his home. + _Odyssey_--COWPER. + + +How were they to get the slumbering maiden home? That was the next +question. Loveday advised carrying her direct to her old prison, where +she would wake without alarm; but Sir Amyas shuddered at the notion, +and Betty said she _could_ not take her again into a house of Lady +Belamour's. + +The watermen, who were enthusiastic in the cause, which they understood +as that of one young sweetheart rescued by the other, declared that they +would carry the sweet lady between them on the cushions of their boat, +laid on stretchers; and as they knew of a land-place near the _Royal +York_, with no need of crossing any great thoroughfare, Betty thought +this the best chance of taking her sister home without a shock. + +The boat from Woolwich had shot London Bridge immediately after them, +and stopped at the stairs nearest that where they landed; and just as +Sir Amyas, with an exclamation of annoyance at his unserviceable arm, +had resigned Aurelia to be lifted on to her temporary litter, a hand +was laid on his shoulder, a voice said "Amyas, what means this?" and he +found himself face to face with a small, keen-visaged, pale man, with +thick grizzled brows overhanging searching dark grey eyes, shaded by a +great Spanish hat. + +"Sir! oh sir, is it you?" he cried, breathlessly; "now all will be +well!" + +"I am very glad you think so, Amyas," was the grave answer; "for all +this has a strange appearance." + +"It is my dearest wife, sir, my wife, whom I have just recovered +after--Oh, say, sir, if you think all is well with her, and it is only +a harmless sleeping potion. Sister--Betty--this is my good father, Mr. +Wayland. He is as good as a physician. Let him see my sweetest life." + +Mr. Wayland bent over the slumbering figure still in the bottom of +the boat, heard what could be told of the draught by Loveday, whom he +recognized as his wife's attendant, and feeling Aurelia's pulse, said, +"I should not think there was need for fear. To the outward eye she is +a model of sleeping innocence." "Well you may say so," and "She is +indeed," broke from the baronet and the waiting-maid at the same +instant; but Mr. Wayland heeded them little as he impatiently asked, +"Where and how is your mother, Amyas?" + +"In health sir, at home, I suppose," said Sir Amyas; "but oh, sir, hear +me, before you see her." + +"I must, if you walk with me," said Mr. Wayland, turning for a moment +to bid his servant reward and dismiss the boat's crew, and see to the +transport of his luggage; and in the meantime Aurelia was lifted by her +bearers. + +Sir Amyas again uttered a rejoicing, "We feared you were in the hands of +the pirates, sir." + +"So I was; but the governor of Gibraltar obtained my release, and was +good enough to send me home direct in a vessel on the king's service," +said Mr. Wayland, taking the arm his stepson offered to assist his +lameness. "Now for your explanation, Amyas; only let me hear first that +my babes are well." + +"Yes, sir, all well. You had my letter?" + +"Telling of that strange disguised wedding? I had, the very day I was +captured." + +By the time they had come to the place where their ways parted, Mr. +Wayland had heard enough to be so perplexed and distressed that he knew +not that he had been drawn out of the way to Hanover Square, till at +the entrance of the _Royal York_, they found Betty asseverating to the +landlady that she was bringing no case of small pox into the house; +and showing, as a passport of admittance, two little dents on the white +wrist and temple. + +At that instant the sound brought Major Delavie hurrying from his +sitting-room at his best speed. There was a look of horror on his face +as he saw his daughter's senseless condition, but Betty sprang to his +side to prevent his wakening her, and Aurelia was safely carried up +stairs and laid upon her sister's bed, still sleeping, while Betty and +Loveday unloosed her clothes. Her bearers were sent for refreshment +to the bar, and the gentlemen stood looking on one another in the +sitting-room, Mr. Wayland utterly shocked, incredulous of the little he +did understand, and yet unable to go home until he should hear more; +and the Major hardly less horrified, in the midst of his relief. "But +where's Belamour!" he cried, "Your uncle, I mean." + +"Where?" said Sir Amyas. "They said he was gone out." + +"So they told me! And see here!" + +Major Delavie produced Lady Belamour's note. + +"A blind!" cried Sir Amyas, turning away under a strange stroke of pain +and sham. "Oh! mother, mother!" and he dashed out of the room. + +Poor Mr. Wayland sat down as one who could stand no longer. "Of what do +they suspect her?" he said hoarsely. + +"Sir," said the good Major, "I grieve sincerely for and with you. +Opposition to this match with my poor child seems to have transported +my poor cousin to strange and frantic lengths, but you may trust me to +shield and guard her from exposure as far as may be." + +Her husband only answered by a groan, and wrung Major Delavie's hand, +but their words were interrupted by Sir Amyas's return. He had been to +his uncle's chamber, and had found on the table a note addressed to the +Major. Within was a inclosure directed to A. Belamour, Esq. + + "If you have found the way to the poor captive, for pity's sake + come to her rescue. Be in the court with your faithful black + by ten o'clock, and you may yet save on who loves and looks to + you." + +On the outer sheet was written-- + + "I distrust this handwriting, and suspect a ruse. In case I do + not return, send for Hargrave, Sandys, Godfrey, as witnesses to + my sanity, and storm the fair one's fortress in person. A. B." + +"It is not my Aurelia's writing," said the Major. "Bravest of friends, +what has he not dared on her account!" + +"This is too much!" cried Mr. Wayland, striving in horror against +his convictions. "I cannot hear my beloved wife loaded with monstrous +suspicions in her absence!" + +"I am sorry to say this is no new threat ever since poor Belamour has +crossed her path," said the Major. + +"What have you done, sir!" asked Sir Amyas. + +"I fear I have but wasted time," said the Major. "I have been to Hanover +Square, and getting no admittance there, I came back in the hope you +might be on the track with Betty--as, thank God, you were! The first +thing to be done now is to find what she has done with Belamour," he +added, rising up. + +"That must fall to my share," said Mr. Wayland, pale and resolute. "Come +with me, Amyas, your young limbs will easily return before the effect of +the narcotic has passed, and I need fuller explanation." + +Stillness than came on the Delavie party. The Major went up stairs, and +sat by Aurelia's bed gazing with eyes dazzled with tears at the child he +had so longed to see, and whom he found again in this strange trance. +A doctor came, and quite confirmed Mr. Wayland's opinion, that the drug +would not prove deleterious, provided the sleep was not disturbed, and +Betty continued her watch, after hearing what her father knew of Mr. +Belamour. She was greatly struck with the self-devotion that had gone +with open eyes into so dreadful a snare as a madhouse of those days +rather than miss the least chance of saving Aurelia. + +"If we go by perils dared, the uncle is the true knight-errant," said +she to her father. "I wonder which our child truly loves the best!" + +"Betty!" said her father, scandalised. + +"Ay, I know, Sir Amyas is a charming boy, but what a boy he is! And she +has barely spoken with him or seen him, whereas Mr. Belamour has been +kind to her for a whole twelvemonth. I know what I should do if I were +in her place. I would declare that I intended to be married to the +uncle, and would keep it!" + +"He would think it base to put the question." + +"He would; but indeed, dear sir, I think it would be but right and due +to the dear child herself that she should have here free choice, and +not be bound for ever by a deception! Yes, I know the poor boy's despair +would be dreadful, but it would be better for them both than such a +mistake." + +"Hush! I hear him knocking at the door, you cruel woman." + +The bedroom opened into the parlour the party had hired, so that both +could come out and meet Sir Amyas with the door ajar, without relaxing +their watch upon the sleeper. The poor young man looked pale, shocked, +and sorrowful. "Well," said he, after having read in their looks that +there was no change, "he knows the worst." Then on a further token of +interrogation, "It may have been my fault; I took him, unannounced, +through the whole suite of rooms, and in the closet at the end, with all +the doors open, she was having an altercation with Mar. He was insisting +on knowing what she had done with"--(he signed towards the other room) +"she, upbraiding him with faithlessness. They were deaf to an approach, +till Mr. Wayland, in a loud voice, ordered me back, saying 'it was no +scene for a son.'" + +"I trust it will not end in a challenge?" asked the Major, gravely. + +"No, my father's infirmity renders him no fighting man, and I--I may not +challenge my superior officer." + +"But your uncle?" said Betty, much fearing that such a scene might have +led to his being forgotten. + +"I should have told you. We had not made many steps from hence before +we met poor Jumbo wandering like a dog that had lost his master. Mr. +Belamour had taken the precaution of giving Jumbo the pass-key, and +not taking him into that house (some day I will pull every brick of it +down), so he watched till by and by he saw a coach come out with all the +windows closed, and as his master had bidden him in such a case, he +kept along on the pavement near, and never lost sight of it till he had +tracked it right across the City to a house with iron-barred windows +inside a high wall. There it went in, and he could not follow, but he +asked the people what place it was, and though they jeered at him, he +made out that it was as we feared. Nay, do not be alarmed, sister, he +will soon be with us. My poor father shut me out, and I know not what +passed with my mother, but just as I could wait no longer to return to +my dearest, he came out and told me that he had found out that my uncle +was in a house at Moorfields, and he is gone himself to liberate him. +He is himself a justice of the peace, and he will call for Dr. Sandys +by the way, that there may be no difficulty. He is gone in the +coach-and-four, with Jumbo on the box, so that matters will soon be +righted." + +"And a heroic champion set free," said Betty moving to return to her +sister, when the others would not be denied having another look at the +sweet slumberer, on whose face there was now a smile as if her dreams +were marvellously lovely; or, as Betty thought, as if she knew their +voices even in her sleep. + +Sir Amyas had not seen his mother again. He only knew that Mr. Wayland +had come out with a face as of one stricken to the heart, a sad contrast +to that which had greeted him an hour before, and while the carriage was +coming round, had simply said, "I did wrong to leave her." + +It would not bear being talked over, and both son and kinsman took +refuge in silence. Two hours more of this long day had passed, and +then a coach stopped at the door. Sir Amyas hurried down in his eager +anxiety, and came back with his uncle, holding him by the hand like a +child, in his gladness, and Betty came out to meet them in the outer +room with a face of grateful welcome and outstretched hands. + +"Sir! sir! you have done more than all of us." + +"Yet you and your young champion here were the victors," said Mr. +Belamour. + +"Ah, we dared and suffered nothing like you." + +"I hope you did not suffer much," said the major, looking at the calm +face and neatly-tied white hair, which seemed to have suffered no +disarrangement. + +"No," said Mr. Belamour, smiling, "my little friend Eugene, ay, and my +nephew himself, are hoping to hear I was released from fetters and a +heap of straw, but I took care to give them no opportunity. I merely +told them they were under a mistake, and had better take care. I gave +them a reference or two, but I saw plainly that was of no use, though +they promised to send, and then I did exactly as they bade me, so as to +deprive them of all excuse for meddling with me, letting them know that +I could pay for decent treatment so long as I was in their hands." + +"Did you receive it?" + +"I was told in a mild manner, adapted to my intelligence, that if I +behaved well, I might eat at the master's table, and have a room with +only one inmate. Of the former I have not an engaging experience, either +as to the fare, the hostess, or the company. Of the latter, happily +I know little, as I only know that my comrade was to be a harmless +gibbering idiot; of good birth, poor fellow. However, the sounds I +heard, and the court I looked into, convinced me that my privileges were +worth paying for." + +He spoke very quietly, but he shuddered involuntarily, and Betty, unable +to restrain her tears, retreated to her sister's side. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. WAKING. + + + So Love was still the Lord of all.--SCOTT. + + +The summer sun was sinking and a red glow was on the wall above +Aurelia's head when she moved again, upon the shutting of the door, +while supper was being taken by the gentlemen in the outer room. + +Presently her lips moved, and she said, "Sister," not in surprise, but +as if she thought herself at home, and as Betty gently answered, "Yes, +my darling child," the same voice added, "I have had such a dream; +I thought I was a chrysalis, and that I could not break my shell nor +spread my wings." + +"You can now, my sweet," said Betty, venturing to kiss her. + +Recollection came. "Sister Betty, is it you indeed?" and she threw her +arms round Betty's neck, clinging tight to her in delicious silence, +till she raised her head and said: "No, this is not home. Oh, is it all +true?" + +"True that I have you again, my dear, dearest, sweetest child," said +Betty. "Oh, thank God for it." + +"Thank God," repeated Aurelia. "Now I have you nothing will be dreadful. +But where am I? I thought once I was in a boat with you and Eugene, +and some one else. Was it a dream? I can't remember anything since that +terrible old woman made me drink the coffee. You have not come there, +have you?" + +"No, dear child, it was no dream that you were in a boat. We had been +searching everywhere for you, and we were bringing you back sound, sound +asleep," said Betty, in her tenderness speaking as it to a little child. + +"I knew you would," said Aurelia; "I knew God would save me. Love is +strong as death, you know," she added dreamily: "I think I felt it all +round me in that sleep." + +"That was what you murmured once or twice in your sleep," said Betty. + +"And now, oh! it is so sweet to lie here and know it is you. And wasn't +_he_ there too?" + +"Sir Amyas? Yes, my dear. He came for you. He and my father and the +others are in the other room waiting for you to wake." + +"I hear their voices," cried Aurelia, with a start, sitting up. "Oh! +that's my papa's voice! Oh! how good it is to hear it!" + +"I will call him as soon as I have set you a little in order. Are you +sure you are well, my dearest? No headache?" + +"Quite, quite well! Why, sister, I have not been ill; and if I had, I +should skip to see you and hear their voices, only I wish they would +speak louder! That's Eugene! Oh! they are hushing him. Let me make +haste," and she moved with an alacrity that was most reassuring. "But I +can't understand. Is it morning or evening?" + +"Evening, my dear. They are at supper. Are not you hungry?" + +"Oh, yes, I believe I am;" but as she was about to wash her hands: "My +rings, my wedding-ring? Look in my glove!" + +"No, they are not there my dear, they must have robbed you! And oh! +Aurelia, what have you done to your hair?" + +"My hair? It was all there this morning. Sister, it was that woman, I +remember now, I was not quite sound asleep, but I had no power to move +or cry out, and the woman was snipping and Loveday crying." + +"Vile creature!" burst out Betty. + +"My hair will grow!" said Aurelia; "but I had so guarded my +wedding-ring--and what will he, Sir Amyas, think?" + +Their voices were at this moment heard, and in another second Aurelia +was held against her father's breast, as in broken words he sobbed out +thanks for her restoration, and implored her pardon for having trusted +her out of his care. + +"Oh! sir, do not speak so! Dear papa, I have tried hard to do you no +harm, and to behave well. Please, sir, give me your blessing." + +"God bless you indeed, my child. He has blessed you in guarding you as +your innocence deserved, though I did not. Ah! others are impatient. The +poor old father comes second now." + +After a few minutes spent in repairing the disorder of her dress, and +her hands in those of her father and little brother, she was led to the +outer room where in the twilight there was a rapturous rush, an embrace, +a fondling of the hand in the manner more familiar to her than the +figure from before whom it proceeded. She only said in her gentle +plaintive tone, "Oh, sir, it was not my fault. They took away your +rings." + +"Nay," said a voice, new to her, "here are your rings, Lady Belamour. I +must trust to your Christian charity to pardon her who caused you to be +stripped of them." + +The name of Lady Belamour made her start as that of her enemy, but a +truly familiar tone said, "You need not fear, my kind friend. This +is Mr. Wayland, who, to our great joy, has returned, and has come to +restore your jewels." + +"Indeed I am very glad yours is not lost," said Aurelia, not a little +bewildered. + +Mr. Wayland said a few words of explanation that his wife's agent at +Greenwich had brought them back to her. + +"Pray let me have them," entreated Sir Amyas; "I must put them on +again!" + +"Stay," said Major Delavie; "I can have such things done only under true +colours and in the full light of day. The child is scarcely awake yet, +and does not know one from the other! Why neither of you so much as know +the colour of the eyes of the other! Can you tell me sir?" + +"Heavenly," exclaimed the youth, in an ecstatic tone of self-defence, +which set the Major laughing and saying, "My silly maid knows as little +which gentleman put on the ring." + +"I do, sir," said Aurelia indignantly; "I know his voice and hand quite +well," and in the impulse she quitted her father's arm and put both +hands into those of her young adorer, saying, "Pray sir, pardon me, I +never thought to hurt you so cruelly." + +There was a cry of, "My own, my dearest life," and she was clasped as +she had been immediately after her strange wedding. + +However, the sound of a servant's step made them separate instantly, +and Betty begged that the supper might not be removed, since it was many +hours since her sister had tasted food. + +Sir Amyas and Betty hovered about her, giving her whatever she could +need, in the partial light, while the others stood apart, exchanging +such explanations as they could. Mr. Wayland said he must report himself +to Government on the morrow; but intended afterwards to take his wife +to Bowstead, whither she had sent all her children with Mrs. Dove. There +was a great tenderness in his tone as he spoke of her, and when he took +leave Mr. Belamour shrugged his shoulders saying, "She will come round +him again!" + +"It is true enough that he ought not to have left her to herself," said +the Major. + +"You making excuses for her after the diabolical plot of to-day?" said +Mr. Belamour; "I could forgive her all but that letter to you." + +"My Lady loves her will," quoted the Major; "it amounts to insanity in +some women, I believe." + +"So I might say does men's infatuation towards women like her," muttered +Mr. Belamour. + +By this time Aurelia had finished her meal, and Betty was anxious to +carry her off without any more excitement, for she was still drowsy and +confused. She bade her father good night, asking his blessing as of old, +but when Mr. Belamour kissed her hand and repeated the good night, she +said, "Sir, I ought to have trusted you; I am so sorry." + +"It is all well now, my child," he said, soothingly, understanding +Betty's wish; "Sleep, and we will talk it over." + +So the happy sisters once more slept in each other's arms, till in the +early summer morning Betty heard the whole story from Aurelia, now +fully herself, though she slumbered again after all was poured into her +sister's bosom. + +Betty had sympathised step by step, and felt even more strongly than +Harriet that the situation had been intolerable for womanhood, and that +only Aurelia's childishness could have endured it so long. Only the +eldest sister held that it would have been right and honourable to +have spoken before flashing out the flame; but when, with many tears of +contrition, Aurelia owned that she had long thought so, and longed to +confess it, what could the motherly sister do but kiss the tears away, +and rejoice that the penance was over which had been borne with such +constancy and self-devotion. + +Then Betty rose quietly, and after giving thanks on her knees that the +gentle spirit had passed through all unscathed, untainted with even the +perception of evil, she applied herself to the adaptation of one of her +morning caps to her poor shorn lamb's head. Nor did Aurelia wake again +till her father came to the door to make sure that all was well with his +recovered treasure, and to say that Loveday would recover for her the +box of clothes, which old Madge had hidden. + +Loveday had gone back to her mistress, who either had not discovered her +betrayal, or, as things had turned out, could not resent it. + +So, fresh and blooming, Aurelia came out into the sitting-room, whence +her father held out his arms to her. He would have her all to himself +for a little while, since even Eugene was gone to his daily delight, the +seeing the changing of the guard. + +"And now, my child, tell me," he said, when he had heard a little of her +feelings through these adventures, "what would you have me do? Remember, +such a wedding as yours goes for nothing, and you are still free to +choose either or neither of your swains." + +"Oh, papa!" in a remonstrating tone. + +"You were willing to wed your old hermit?" + +"I was content _then_. He was very kind to me." + +"Content then, eh? Suppose you were told he was your real husband?" + +"Sir, he is not!" cried Aurelia, frightened. + +"If he were?" + +"I would try to do my duty," she said, in a choked voice. + +"Silly child, don't cry. And how, if after these fool's tricks it +turns out that the other young spark is bound to that red-faced little +spitfire and cannot have you?" + +"Papa, don't!" she cried. "You know he is my husband in my heart, and +always will be, and if he cannot come back to me take me home, and I +will try to be a good daughter to you," and she hid her face on his +shoulder. + +"Poor child, it is a shame to tease her," said her father, raising up +her face; "I only wanted to know which of them you would wish to put on +the ring again. I see. You need not be afraid, you shall have the ruby +one. But as for the little gold one, wait for that till it is put on in +church, my dear. Ah! and there's the flutter of his wings, or rather the +rattle of his spurs. Now then, young people, you shall not be hindered +from a full view of each others lineaments. It is the first time you +ever had a real sight of each other, neither of you being in a swoon, is +it not? I trust you do not repent upon further acquaintance. Aurelia got +as far as the shoe-buckles once, I believe." + +"She will get no farther this time, sir, if you annihilate her with your +pleasantry," said Betty, fully convinced by this time. + +"Ah! young Love has made himself more dazzling than ever," continued +the Major, too delighted to be stopped. "The fullest dress uniform, I +declare; M. le Capitaine is bent on doing honour to the occasion." + +"Would that it were on for no other reason, sir," said Sir Amyas; "but +the King and Queen have taken it into their heads to go off to Kew and +here am I under orders to command the escort. I verily believe it is all +spite on the Colonel's part, for Russell would have exchanged the turn +with me, but he sent down special orders for me. I have but half an hour +to spend here, and when I shall be able to get back again Heaven only +knows." + +However, he and Aurelia were permitted to improve that half hour to the +utmost in their own way, while the Major and Betty were reading a long +and characteristic letter from Mrs. Arden, inquiring certainly for +her sister's fate, but showing far more solicitude in proving that she +(Harriet Arden) had acted a wise, prudent, and sisterly part, and that +it was most unreasonable and cruel to treat her as accountable for her +sister's disappearance. It was really making her quite ill, and Mr. +Arden was like a man--so disagreeable about it. + +Betty was very glad this epistle had not come till it was possible to +laugh at it. She would have sat down to reply to it at once, had not a +billet been brought in from the widow of one of her father's old brother +officers who had heard of his being in town, and begged him to bring his +daughter to see her, excusing herself for not waiting on Miss Delavie, +as she was very feeble and infirm. + +It was a request that could not be refused, but Aurelia was not equipped +for such a visit, and shrank timidly from showing herself. So when Mr. +Belamour came down it was agreed that she should remain at home under +his protection, in which she could be very happy, though his person was +as strange to her as his voice was familiar. Indeed she felt as if a +burden was on her mind till she could tell him of her shame at having +failed in the trust and silence that he had enjoined on her. + +"My child," he said, "we have carried it too far. It was more than we +ought to have required of you, and I knew it. I had made up my mind, and +told my nephew that the first time you really asked I should tell the +whole truth, and trust to your discretion, while of course he wished for +nothing more." + +"As my sister said, it was my fault." + +"Nay, I think you had good cause to stand on your defence, and I cannot +have you grieve over it. You have shown an unshaken steadiness under +trial since, such as ought indeed to be compensation." + +"I deserved it all," said Aurelia; "and I do hope that I am a little +wiser and less foolish for it all; a little more of a woman," she added, +blushing. + +"A soul trained by love and suffering, as in the old legend," said Mr. +Belamour thoughtfully. + +Thoroughly pleasant was here _tete-a-tete_ with him, especially when she +artlessly asked him whether her dear sister were not all she had told +him, and he fervently answered that indeed she was "a perfect lesson to +all so-called beauties of what true loveliness of a countenance can be." + +"Oh, I am so glad," cried Aurelia. "I never saw a face--a woman's I +mean--that I like as well as my dear sister's!" + +She was sorry when they were interrupted by a call from Mr. Wayland, who +had reported himself at the Secretary of War, but could do no more that +day, and had come to inquire for her. He and Mr. Belamour drew apart +into a window, and conversed in a low voice, and then they came to her, +and Mr. Wayland desired to know from where she found the recipe for the +cosmetic which had nearly cost her so dearly. + +"It was in a shelf in the wainscoting, in a sort of little study at that +house," said Aurelia. + +"Among other papers?" + +"Quantities of other papers." + +"Of what kind?" + +"Letters, and bills, and wills, and parchments! Oh, so dusty! Some were +on paper tumbling to pieces, and some on tiny slips of parchment." + +"And you read them all?" + +"I had to read them to see what they were, as well as I could make out, +and sorted them and tied them up in bundles." + +"Can you tell me whether they were Delavie wills?" + +"I should think they were. I know that the oldest of all were Latin, +and I could make nothing out in them but something about _Manoriem_ +and Carminster, and what looked like the names of some of the fields at +home." + +"Do you think you could show me those slips?" + +"I do not suppose any one has touched them." + +"Then, my dear young lady, you would confer a great favour on me if you +would allow Mr. Belamour and myself to escort you to Delavie and show us +these papers. I fear it may be alarming and distressing." + +"Oh no, sir, I know no harm can happen to me where Mr. Belamour is," she +said, smiling. + +"It may be very important," he said, and she went to put on her hood. + +"Surely," said Mr. Wayland, "the title-deeds cannot have been left +there?" + +"No. The title-deeds to the main body of the property are at Hargrave's. +I have seen them, at the time of my brother's marriage; but still this +may be what was wanting." + +"Yet the sending this child to search is presumption that no such +document existed." + +"Of course no one supposed it did," said Mr. Wayland, on the defence +again. + +Aurelia was quickly ready in her little hood and kerchief, and trim +high-heeled shoes. She was greatly surprised to find how near she had +been to her friends during these last few days of her captivity, and +when Madge obeyed the summons to the door, the old woman absolutely +smiled to see her safe, and the little terrier danced about her in such +transports that she begged to take him back with her. + +She opened the door of the little empty book room, where nothing stood +except the old bureau. That, she said, had been full of letters, but all +the oldest things had been within a door opening in the wainscot, which +she should never have found had not Bob pushed it open in his search for +rats, and then she found a tin case full of papers and parchments, much +older, she thought, than the letters. She had tied them up together, and +easily produced them. + +Mr. Wayland handed them to Mr. Belamour, whose legal eye was better +accustomed to crabbed old documents. A conversation that had begun +on the way about Fay and Letty was resumed, and interested both their +father and Aurelia so much that they forgot to be impatient, until +Mr. Belamour looked up from his examination, saying, "This is what was +wanting. Here is a grant in the 12th year of Henry III. to Guglielmus ab +Vita and the heirs male of his body to the Manor, lying without the city +of Carminster, and here are three wills of successive lords of Delavie +expressly mentioning heirs male. Now the deeds that I have seen do not +go beyond 1539, when Henry Delavie had a grant of the Grange and lands +belonging to Carminster Abbey--the place, in fact, where the Great House +stands, and there is in that no exclusion of female heirs. But the Manor +house can certainly be proved to be entailed in the male line alone, +according to what was, I believe, the tradition of the family." + +"There is no large amount of property involved, I fear," said Mr. +Wayland. + +"There is an old house, much out of repair, and a few farms worth, may +be, 200 pounds a year, a loss that will not be material to you, sir, I +hope." + +"Do you mean--?" said Aurelia, not daring to ask farther. + +"I mean, my dear young lady," said Mr. Wayland, "that your researches +have brought to light the means of doing tardy justice to your good +father." + +"His right to the Manor House is here established," explained Mr. +Belamour. "It will not be a matter of favour of my Lady's, but, as my +brother supposed, he ought to have been put in possession on the old +Lord's death." + +"And Eugene will be a gentleman of estate," cried Aurelia, joyously. +"Nor will any one be able to drive out my dear father! Oh! how happy I +am." + +Both she and Mr. Belamour spared Mr. Wayland the knowledge of my Lady's +many broken promises, and indeed she was anxious to get back to the +_Royal York_, lest her father and sister should have returned, and think +her again vanished. + +They all met at the door, and much amazed were the Major and Betty to +encounter her with her two squires. Mr. Wayland took the Major to show +him the parchments. Betty had her explanation from her sister and Mr. +Belamour. + +"You actually ventured back to that dreadful house," she said, looking +at them gratefully. + +"You see what protectors I had," said Aurelia, with a happy smile. + +"Yes," said Betty, "I have been longing to say--only I cannot," for she +was almost choked by a great sob, "how very much we owe to you, sir. I +could say it better if I did not feel it so much." And she held out her +hand. + +"You cannot owe to me a tithe of what I owe to your sister," said Mr. +Belamour, "and through her to you, madam. Much as nature had done for +her, never would she have been to the miserable recluse the life and +light-bringing creature she was, save for the 'sister' she taught me to +know and love, even before I saw her." + +A wonderful revelation here burst on Aurelia, the at least half-married +woman, and she fled precipitately, smiling to herself in ecstasy, behind +her great fan. + +Betty, never dreaming of the drift of the words, so utterly out of the +reach of love did she suppose herself, replied, composedly, "Our Aurelia +is a dear good girl, and I am thankful that through all her trials she +has so proved herself. I am glad she has been a comfort to you, sir. +She---" + +"And will not you complete the cure, and render the benefit lasting?" +said Mr. Belamour, who had never let go the hand she had given him in +gratitude, and now gave it a pressure that conveyed, for the first time, +his meaning. + +"Oh!" she cried, trying to take it away, "your kindness and gratitude +are leading you too far, sir. A hideous old fright like me, instead of a +lovely young thing like her! It is an absurdity." + +"Stay, Miss Delavie. Remember that your Aurelia's roses and lilies were +utterly wasted on me; I never thought whether she was beautiful save +when others raved about her. I never saw her till yesterday; but the +voice, the goodness, the amiability, in fact all that I did truly esteem +and prize in her I had already found matured and mellowed together +with that beauty of countenance which is independent of mere skin-deep +complexion and feature. You know my history, and how far I am from +being able to offer you a fresh untouched young heart, such as my nephew +brings to the fair Aurelia; but the devotion of my life will be yours if +you will accept it." + +"Sir, I cannot listen to you. You are very good, but I can never leave +my father. Oh, let me go away!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. MAKING THE BEST OF IT. + + + At last the Queen said, "Girl, I bid thee rise, + For now thou hast found favour in mine eyes, + And I repent me of the misery + That in this place thou hast endured me, + Altho' because of it the Joy indeed + Shall now be mine, that pleasure is thy meed." + MORRIS. + + +Those were evil times, and the court examples were most corrupting, +so that a splendid and imperious woman like Urania, Lady Belamour, had +found little aid from public opinion when left to herself by the absence +of her second husband. Selfish, unscrupulous, and pleasure-loving she +was by nature, but during Sir Jovian Belamour's lifetime she had +been kept within bounds. Then came a brief widowhood, when debt +and difficulty hurried her into accepting Mr. Wayland, a thoughtful +scientific man, whose wealth had accumulated without much volition of +his own to an extent that made her covet his alliance. Enthralled by +her charm of manner, he had not awakened to the perception of what she +really was during the few years that had elapsed before he was sent +abroad, and she refused to accompany him. + +Then it was that wealth larger than she had before commanded, and a +court appointment, involved her in more dangerous habits. Her debts, +both of extravagance and of the gaming table, were enormous, trenching +hard on the Delavie property, and making severe inroads on Mr. Wayland's +means; but the Belamour estates being safely tied up, she had only been +able to borrow on her dower. She had sinned with a high hand, after the +fashion of the time, and then, in terror at the approaching return of +her husband, had endeavoured to conceal the ravages of her extravagance +by her bargain for her son's hand. + +The youth, bred up at a distance, and then the companion of his +step-father, had on his return found his home painfully altered in his +two years' absence, and had been galled and grieved by the state of +things, so that even apart from the clearing of his prospects, the +relief was great. The quarrel with Colonel Mar that Mr. Wayland had +interrupted was not made up. There was no opportunity, for Mr. Wayland +at once removed his family to Bowstead, there to remain while he +transacted his business in London. + +Moreover Mr. Belamour and Mr. Wayland agreed in selling the young +baronet's commission. The Major allowed that it was impossible that he +should remain under the command of his present Colonel, but regretted +that he should not continue in the service, declaring it the best +school for a young man, and that he did not want to see his son-in-law +a muddle-brained sporting country squire. He would have had Sir Amyas +exchange into the line, and see a little service before settling down, +but Maria Theresa had not as yet set Europe in a blaze, and in the +absence of a promising war Sir Amyas did more incline to his uncle's +representations of duties to tenants and to his county, and was even +ready to prepare himself for them when he should be of sufficient age +to undertake them. However, in the midst of the debates a new scheme was +made. Mr. Belamour had been called upon and welcomed by his old friends, +who, being men of rank and influence, had risen in life while he +was immured at Bowstead. One of these had just received a diplomatic +appointment at Vienna, and in spite of insular ignorance of foreign +manners was at a loss for a capable suite. Mr. Belamour suggested Major +Delavie, as from his long service in Austria likely to be very useful. +The Envoy caught at the idea, and the thought of once more seeing his +old comrades enchanted the Major, whose only regret was that his hero, +Prince Eugene, had been dead three years; but to visit his grave would +be something. Appointments ran in families, so that nothing could be +easier than to obtain one for the young baronet; and though Mr. Belamour +did not depend on his own health enough to accept anything, he was quite +willing to join the party, and to spend a little time abroad, while his +nephew was growing somewhat older, making an essay of his talents, and +at any rate putting off the commencement of stagnation. Thus matters +settled themselves, the only disappointed member of the family being +Mrs. Arden, who thought it very hard that she could not stir any one up +to request an appointment of her husband as chaplain--not even himself! + +Mr. Wayland was at once called upon to go out to America to superintend +the defences of the Canadian frontier, and he resolved on taking his +family out, obtaining land, and settling there permanently. He would +pay all my Lady's debts, but she should never again appear in London +society, and cruel exile as it must seem to her, he trusted that his +affection and tenderness would in time reconcile her to the new way of +life, knowing as she did that he had forgiven much that had made him +look like a crushed and sorrowful man in the midst of all the successes +and the honours he received from his country. + +She remained quietly at Bowstead, and none of them saw her except her +son and the Major, to the latter of whom her husband brought a message +that she would esteem it a favour if he would come and visit her there, +the day before he returned to Carminster. Very much affected, the good +Major complied with her request, went down with Mr. Wayland and spent a +night at Bowstead. + +He found that she had accepted her fate with the good grace of a woman +whose first instinct was not to make herself disagreeable. She was +rather pale, and not "made up" in any way, but exquisitely though more +simply dressed, and more beautiful than ever, her cousin thought, as +he always did whenever he came into her presence. She was one of those +people whose beauty is always a fresh surprise, and she was far more +self-possessed than he was. + +"So, Cousin Harry, where am I to begin my congratulations! I did you and +unwitting service when I sent your daughter to search among those musty +old parchments. I knew my father believed in the existence of some such +document, but I thought all those hoards in Delavie House were devoid +of all legal importance, and had been sifted again and again. Besides, I +always meant to settle that old house upon you." + +"I have always heard so, cousin," he answered. + +"But it was such a mere trifle," she added, "that it never seemed worth +while to set the lawyers to work about that alone, so I waited for other +work to be in hand." + +"There is a homely Scottish proverb, my Lady, which declares that the +scrapings of the muckle pot are worth the wee pot fu'. A mere trifle to +you is affluence to us." + +"I am sincerely rejoiced at it, Harry" (no doubt she thought she was), +"you will keep up the old name, while my scrupulous lord and master +gives up my poor patrimony to the extortionate creditors for years to +come. It is well that the young lovers have other prospects. So Harry, +you see after all, I kept my word, and your daughter is provided for," +she continued with an arch smile. "Pretty creature, I find my son bears +me more malice than she does for the robbery that was perpetrated on +her. It was too tempting, Harry. Nature will repair her loss, but at out +time of life we must beg, borrow, or steal." + +"That was the least matter," said the Major gravely. + +"This is the reason why I wished to see you," said my Lady, laying her +white hand on his, "I wanted to explain." + +"Cousin, cousin, had not you better leave it alone?" said Major Delavie. +"You know you can always talk a poor man out of his senses at the +moment." + +"Yet listen, Harry, and understand my troubles. Here I was pledged, +absolutely pledged, to give my son to Lady Aresfield's daughter. I do +not know whether she may not yet sue me for breach of contract, though +Wayland has repaid her the loans she advanced me; and on the other hand, +in spite of all my precautions, Mar had obtained a sight of your +poor daughter, and I knew him well enough to be aware that to put her +entirely and secretly out of his reach was the only chance preserving +her from his pursuit. I had excellent accounts of the worthy man to whom +I meant her to be consigned, and I knew that when she wrote to you as a +West Indian queen you would be able to forgive your poor cousin. I see +what you would say, but sending her to you was impossible, since I had +to secure her both from Amyas and from Mar. It would only have involved +you in perplexities innumerable, and might have led even to bloodshed! I +may not have acted wisely, but weak women in difficulties know not which +path to choose." + +"There is always the straight one," said he. + +"Ah! you strong men can easily says so, but for us poor much-tried +women! However," she said suddenly changing her tone, "Love has +check-mated us, and I rejoice. Your daughter will support the credit +of the name! I am glad the new Lady Belamour will not be that little +termagant milkmaid Belle, whom circumstances compelled me to inflict +upon my poor boy! The title will be your daughter's alone. I have +promised my husband that in the New World I will sink into plain Mrs. +Wayland." Then with a burst of genuine feeling she exclaimed, "He _is_ a +good man, Harry." + +"He is indeed, Urania, I believe you will yet be happier than you have +ever been." + +"What, among barbarians who never saw a loo-table, and get the modes +three months too late! And you are laughing at me, but see I am a poor +frivolous being, not sufficient to myself like your daughters! They say +Aurelia was as sprightly as a spring butterfly all the time she was shut +up at Bowstead with no company save the children and old Belamour!" + +"They are lovely children, madam, Aurelia dotes on them, and you will +soon find them all you need." + +"Their father is never weary of telling me so. He is never so happy as +when they hang about him and tell him of Cousin Aura, or Sister Aura as +they love to call her." + +"It was charming to see them dance round her when he brought them to +spend the day with her. Mr. Wayland brought his good kinswoman, who will +take charge of them on the voyage, and Aurelia was a little consoled at +the parting by seeing how tender and kind she is with them." + +"Aye! If I do not hate that woman it will be well, for she is as much a +duenna for me as governess for the children! Heigh-ho! what do not our +follies bring on us? We poor creatures should never be left to the great +world." + +The pretty air of repentance was almost irresistible, well as the Major +knew it for the mood of the moment, assumed as what would best satisfy +him. + +"I rejoice," she went on, "in spite of my lovely daughter-in-law's +discretion, she will be well surrounded with guardians. Has the +excellent Betty consented?" + +"At last, madam. My persuasions were vain till she found that Mr. +Belamour would gladly come with us to Austria, and that she should be +enabled to watch over both her young sister and me." + +"There, again, I give myself credit, Harry. Would the sacred flame ever +have awakened in yonder misanthrope had I not sent your daughter to +restore him to life?" She spoke playfully, but the Major could not help +thinking she had persuaded herself that all his present felicity was +owing to her benevolence, and that she would persuade him of it too, if +she went on much longer looking at him so sweetly. He _would_ not tax +her with the wicked note she had written to account for Mr. Belamour's +disappearance, and which she had forgotten; he felt that he could not +impel one, whom he could not but still regard with tenderness, to utter +any more untruths and excuses. + +"By the by," she added, "does your daughter take my waiting-maid after +all? I would have forgiven her, for she is an admirable hairdresser, +but Wayland says he cannot have so ingenious person in his house; +though after all I do not see that she is a bit worse than others of +her condition, and she herself insists on trying to become Aurelia's +attendant, vowing that the sight of her is as good as any Methodist +sermon!" + +"Precisely, madam. We were all averse to taking her with us, but Aurelia +said she owed her much gratitude; and she declared so earnestly that the +sight of my dear child brought back all the virtuous and pious thoughts +she had forgotten, that even Betty's heart was touched, and she is to go +with us, on trial." + +"Oh! she is as honest as regards money and jewels as ever I knew a +waiting-maid, but for the rest!" Lady Belamour shrugged her shoulders. +"However, one is as good as another, and at least she will never let her +lady go a fright! See here, Harry. These are the Delavie jewels: I shall +never need them more: carry them to your daughters." + +"Nay, your own daughters, Urania." + +"Never mind the little wretches. Their father will provide for them, and +they will marry American settlers in the forests. What should they do +with court jewels? It is his desire. See here, this suit of pearls is +what I wore at my wedding with Amyas's father, I should like Aurelia to +be married in them. Farewell, Harry, you did better for yourself than if +you had taken me. Yet maybe I might been a better woman---" She stopped +short as she looked at his honest face, and eyes full of tears. + +"No, Urania," he said, "man's love could not have done for you what only +another Love can do. May you yet find that and true Life." + + +The sisters were not married at the same time. Neither Mr. Belamour nor +his Elizabeth could endure to make part of the public pageant that it +was thought well should mark the _real_ wedding at Bowstead. So their +banns were put up at St. Clement Danes, and one quiet morning they +slipped out, with no witnesses but the Major, Aurelia, and Eugene, and +were wedded there in the most unobtrusive manner. + +As to the great marriage, a month later at Bowstead, there was a certain +bookseller named Richardson, who by favour of Hargrave got a view of it, +and who is thought there to have obtained some ideas for the culminating +wedding of his great novel. + +A little later, the following letter was written from the excellent Mrs. +Montagu to her correspondent Mrs. Elizabeth Carter. "There was yesterday +presented, preparatory to leaving England for Vienna, the young Lady +Belamour, incomparably the greatest beauty who has this year appeared +at Court. Every one is running after her, but she appears perfectly +unconscious of the _furore_ she has excited, and is said to have been +bred up in all simplicity in the country, and to be as good as she is +fair. Her young husband, Sir Amyas Belamour, is a youth of much promise, +and they seem absolutely devoted, with eyes only for each other. They +are said to have gone through a series of adventures as curious as they +are romantic; and indeed, when they made their appearance, there was a +general whisper, begun by young Mr. Horace Walpole, of + + + "CUPID AND PSYCHE." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Love and Life, by Charlotte M. 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Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Love and Life + +Author: Charlotte M. Yonge + +Release Date: May, 2004 [EBook #5700] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on August 12, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOVE AND LIFE *** + + + + +This e-text was created by Doug Levy, _littera scripta manet_. + + + + + + + + +Transcriber's note: There are numerous examples throughout this text +of words appearing in alternate spellings: madame/madam, practise/ +practice, Ladyship/ladyship, &c. We can only wonder what the publisher +had in mind. I have left them unchanged.--D.L. + + + + + + +LOVE AND LIFE + + +An Old Story in Eighteenth Century Costume + +By CHARLOTTE M. YONGE + + + + +PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. + + +The first edition of this tale was put forth without explaining the +old fable on which it was founded--a fable recurring again and again +in fairy myths, though not traceable in the classic world till a very +late period, when it appeared among the tales of Apuleius, of the +province of Africa, sometimes called the earliest novelist. There +are, however, fragments of the same story in the popular tales of all +countries, so that it is probable that Apuleius availed himself of an +early form of one of these. They are to be found from India to +Scandinavia, adapted to the manners and fancy of every country in +turn, _Beauty and the Beast_ and the _Black Bull of Norroway_ are the +most familiar forms of the tale, and it seemed to me one of those +legends of such universal property that it was quite fair to put it +into 18th century English costume. + +Some have seen in it a remnant of the custom of some barbarous tribes, +that the wife should not behold her husband for a year after marriage, +and to this the Indian versions lend themselves; but Apuleius himself +either found it, or adapted it to the idea of the Soul (the Life) +awakened by Love, grasping too soon and impatiently, then losing it, +and, unable to rest, struggling on through severe toils and labours +till her hopes are crowned even at the gates of death. Psyche, the +soul or life, whose emblem is the butterfly, thus even in heathen +philosophy strained towards the higher Love, just glimpsed at for a +while. + +Christians gave a higher meaning to the fable, and saw in it the Soul, +or the Church, to whom her Bridegroom has been for a while made known, +striving after Him through many trials, to be made one with Him after +passing through Death. The Spanish poet Calderon made it the theme of +two sacred dramas, in which the lesson of Faith, not Sight, was taught, +with special reference to the Holy Eucharist. + +English poetry has, however, only taken up its simple classical aspect. +In the early part of the century, Mrs. Tighe wrote a poem in Spenserian +stanza, called _Psyche_, which was much admired at the time; and Mr. +Morris has more lately sung the story in his _Earthly Paradise_. This +must be my excuse for supposing the outline of the tale to be familiar +to most readers. + +The fable is briefly thus:-- + +Venus was jealous of the beauty of a maiden named Psyche, the youngest +of three daughters of a king. She sent misery on the land and family, +and caused an oracle to declare that the only remedy was to deck his +youngest daughter as a bride, and leave her in a lonely place to become +the prey of a monster. Cupid was commissioned by his mother to destroy +her. He is here represented not as a child, but as a youth, who on +seeing Psyche's charms, became enamoured of her, and resolved to save +her from his mother and make her his own. He therefore caused Zephyr +to transport her to a palace where everything delightful and valuable +was at her service, feasts spread, music playing, all her wishes +fulfilled, but all by invisible hands. At night in the dark, she was +conscious of a presence who called himself her husband, showed the +fondest affection for her, and promised her all sorts of glory and +bliss, if she would be patient and obedient for a time. + +This lasted till yearnings awoke to see her family. She obtained +consent with much difficulty and many warnings. Then the splendour +in which she lived excited the jealousy of her sisters, and they +persuaded her that her visitor was really the monster who would +deceive her and devour her. They thus induced her to accept a lamp +with which to gaze on him when asleep. She obeyed them, then +beholding the exquisite beauty of the sleeping god of love, she hung +over him in rapture till a drop of the hot oil fell on his shoulder +and awoke him. He sprang up, sorrowfully reproached her with having +ruined herself and him, and flew away, letting her fall as she clung +to him. + +The palace was broken up, the wrath of Venus pursued her; Ceres and all +the other deities chased her from their temples; even when she would +have drowned herself, the river god took her in his arms, and laid her +on the bank. Only Pan had pity on her, and counselled her to submit to +Venus, and do her bidding implicitly as the only hope of regaining her +lost husband. + +Venus spurned her at first, and then made her a slave, setting her +first to sort a huge heap of every kind of grain in a single day. The +ants, secretly commanded by Cupid, did this for her. Next, she was to +get a lock of golden wool from a ram feeding in a valley closed in by +inaccessible rocks; but this was procured for her by an eagle; and +lastly, Venus, declaring that her own beauty had been impaired by +attendance on her injured son, commanded Psyche to visit the Infernal +Regions and obtain from Proserpine a closed box of cosmetic which was +on no account to be opened. Psyche thought death alone could bring +her to these realms, and was about to throw herself from a tower, +when a voice instructed her how to enter a cavern, and propitiate +Cerberus with cakes after the approved fashion. + +She thus reached Proserpine's throne, and obtained the casket, but +when she had again reached the earth, she reflected that if Venus's +beauty were impaired by anxiety, her own must have suffered far more; +and the prohibition having of course been only intended to stimulate +her curiosity, she opened the casket, out of which came the baneful +fumes of Death! Just, however, as she fell down overpowered, her +husband, who had been shut up by Venus, came to the rescue, and +finding himself unable to restore her, cried aloud to Jupiter, who +heard his prayer, reanimated Psyche, and gave her a place among the +gods. + + + + +CHAPTERS. + + + I. A SYLLABUB PARTY. + II. THE HOUSE OF DELAVIE. + III. AMONG THE COWSLIPS. + IV. MY LADY'S MISSIVE. + V. THE SUMMONS. + VI. DISAPPOINTED LOVE. + VII. ALL ALONE. + VIII. THE ENCHANTED CASTLE. + IX. THE TRIAD. + X. THE DARK CHAMBER. + XI. A VOICE FROM THE GRAVE. + XII. THE SHAFTS OF PHOEBE. + XIII. THE FLUTTER OF HIS WINGS. + XIV. THE CANON OF WINDSOR. + XV. THE QUEEN OF BEAUTY. + XVI. AUGURIES. + XVII. THE VICTIM DEMANDED. + XVIII. THE PROPOSAL. + XIX. WOOING IN THE DARK. + XX. THE MUFFLED BRIDEGROOM. + XXI. THE SISTER'S MEETING + XXII. A FATAL SPARK. + XXIII. WRATH AND DESOLATION. + XXIV. THE WANDERER. + XXV. VANISHED. + XXVI. THE TRACES. + XXVII. CYTHEREA'S BOWER. + XXVIII. THE ROUT. + XXIX. A BLACK BLONDEL. + XXX. THE FIRST TASK. + XXXI. THE SECOND TASK. + XXXII. LIONS. + XXXIII. THE COSMETIC. + XXXIV. DOWN THE RIVER. + XXXV. THE RETURN. + XXXVI. WAKING. + XXXVII. MAKING THE BEST OF IT. + + + + +LOVE AND LIFE. + + +CHAPTER I. A SYLLABUB PARTY. + + + Oft had I shadowed such a group + Of beauties that were born + In teacup times of hood and hoop, + And when the patch was worn; + And legs and arms with love-knots gay. + About me leaped and laughed + The modish Cupid of the day, + And shrilled his tinselled shaft.--Tennyson. + + +If times differ, human nature and national character vary but little; +and thus, in looking back on former times, we are by turns startled +by what is curiously like, and curiously unlike, our own sayings and +doings. + +The feelings of a retired officer of the nineteenth century expecting +the return of his daughters from the first gaiety of the youngest +darling, are probably not dissimilar to those of Major Delavie, in +the earlier half of the seventeen hundreds, as he sat in the deep bay +window of his bed-room; though he wore a green velvet nightcap; and +his whole provision of mental food consisted of half a dozen worn +numbers of the _Tatler_, and a _Gazette_ a fortnight old. The chair +on which he sat was elbowed, and made easy with cushions and pillows, +but that on which his lame foot rested was stiff and angular. The +cushion was exquisitely worked in chain-stich, as were the quilt and +curtains of the great four-post bed, and the only carpeting consisted +of three or four narrow strips of wool-work. The walls were plain +plaster, white-washed, and wholly undecorated, except that the +mantelpiece was carved with the hideous caryatides of the early +Stewart days, and over it were suspended a long cavalry sabre, and +the accompanying spurs and pistols; above them the miniature of an +exquisitely lovely woman, with a white rose in her hair and a white +favour on her breast. + +The window was a deep one projecting far into the narrow garden below, +for in truth the place was one of those old manor houses which their +wealthy owners were fast deserting in favour of new specimens of +classical architecture as understood by Louis XIV., and the room in +which the Major sat was one of the few kept in habitable repair. The +garden was rich with white pinks, peonies, lilies of the valley, and +early roses, and there was a flagged path down the centre, between the +front door and a wicket-gate into a long lane bordered with hawthorn +hedges, the blossoms beginning to blush with the advance of the season. +Beyond, rose dimly the spires and towers of a cathedral town, one of +those county capitals to which the provincial magnates were wont to +resort during the winter, keeping a mansion there for the purpose, and +providing entertainment for the gentry of the place and neighbourhood. + +Twilight was setting in when the Major began to catch glimpses of the +laced hats of coachman and footmen over the hedges, a lumbering made +itself heard, and by and by the vehicle halted at the gate. Such a +coach! It was only the second best, and the glories of its landscape- +painted sides were somewhat dimmed, the green and silver of the +fittings a little tarnished to a critical eye; yet it was a splendid +article, commodious and capacious, though ill-provided with air and +light. However, nobody cared for stuffiness, certainly not the three +young ladies, who, fan in hand, came tripping down the steps that were +unrolled for them. The eldest paused to administer a fee to their +entertainer's servants who had brought them home, and the coach rolled +on to dispose of the remainder of the freight. + +The father waved greetings from one window, a rosy little audacious +figure in a night-dress peeped out furtively from another, and the +house-door was opened by a tall old soldier-servant, stiff as a +ramrod, with hair tightly tied and plastered up into a queue, and +a blue and brown livery which sat like a uniform. + +"Well, young ladies," he said, "I hope you enjoyed yourselves." + +"Vastly, thank you, Corporal Palmer. And how has it been with my +father in our absence?" + +"Purely, Miss Harriet. He relished the Friar's chicken that Miss +Delavie left for him, and he amused himself for an hour with Master +Eugene, after which he did me the honour to play two plays at +backgammon." + +"I hope," said the eldest sister, coming up, "that the little rogue +whom I saw peeping from the window has not been troublesome." + +"He has been as good as gold, madam. He played in master's room till +Nannerl called him to his bed, when he went at once, 'true to his +orders,' says the master. 'A fine soldier he will make,' says I to +my master." + +Therewith the sisters mounted the uncarpeted but well-polished oak +stair, knocked at the father's door, and entered one by one, each +dropping her curtsey, and, though the eldest was five-and-twenty, +neither speaking nor sitting till they were greeted with a hearty, +"Come, my young maids, sit you down and tell your old father your +gay doings." + +The eldest took the only unoccupied chair, while the other two placed +themselves on the window-seat, all bolt upright, with both little high +heels on the floor, in none of the easy attitudes of damsels of later +date, talking over a party. All three were complete gentlewomen in +air and manners, though Betty had high cheek-bones, a large nose, +rough complexion, and red hair, and her countenance was more loveable +and trustworthy than symmetrical. The dainty decorations of youth +looked grotesque upon her, and she was so well aware of the fact as +to put on no more than was absolutely essential to a lady of birth +and breeding. Harriet (pronounced Hawyot), the next in age, had a +small well-set head, a pretty neck, and fine dark eyes, but the small- +pox had made havoc of her bloom, and left its traces on cheek and +brow. The wreck of her beauty had given her a discontented, fretful +expression, which rendered her far less pleasing than honest, homely +Betty, though she employed all the devices of the toilette to conceal +the ravages of the malady and enhance her remaining advantages of +shape and carriage. + +There was an air of vexation about her as her father asked, "Well, +how many conquests has my little Aurelia made?" She could not but +recollect how triumphantly she had listened to the same inquiry +after her own first appearance, scarcely three short years ago. Yet +she grudged nothing to Aurelia, her junior by five years, who was for +the first time arrayed as a full-grown belle, in a pale blue, tight- +sleeved, long-waisted silk, open and looped up over a primrose skirt, +embroidered by her own hands with tiny blue butterflies hovering over +harebells. There were blue silk shoes, likewise home-made, with silver +buckles, and the long mittens and deep lace ruffles were of Betty's +fabrication. Even the dress itself had been cut by Harriet from old +wedding hoards of their mother's, and made up after the last mode +imported by Madam Churchill at the Deanery. + +The only part of the equipment not of domestic handiwork was the +structure on the head. The Carminster hairdresser had been making his +rounds since daylight, taking his most distinguished customers last; +and as the Misses Delavie were not high on the roll, Harriet and +Aurelia had been under his hands at nine A.M. From that time till +three, when the coach called for them, they had sat captive on low +stools under a tent of table-cloth over tall chair-backs to keep the +dust out of the frosted edifice constructed out of their rich dark +hair, of the peculiar tint then called mouse-colour. Betty had +refused to submit to this durance. "What sort of dinner would be +on my father's table-cloth if I were to sit under one all day?" said +she in answer to Harriet's representation of the fitness of things. +"La, my dear, what matters it what an old scarecrow like me puts on?" + +Old maidenhood set in much earlier in those days than at present; the +sisters acquiesced, and Betty had run about as usual all the morning +in her mob-cap, and chintz gown tucked through her pocket-holes, and +only at the last submitted her head to the manipulations of Corporal +Palmer, who daily powdered his master's wig. + +Strange and unnatural as was the whitening of the hair, it was +effective in enhancing the beauty of Aurelia's dark arched brows, +the soft brilliance of her large velvety brown eyes, and the exquisite +carnation and white of her colouring. Her features were delicately +chiselled, and her face had that peculiar fresh, innocent, soft, +untouched bloom and undisturbed repose which form the special charm +and glory of the first dawn of womanhood. Her little head was well +poised on a slender neck, just now curving a little to one side with +the fatigue of the hours during which it had sustained her headgear. +This consisted of a tiny flat hat, fastened on by long pins, and +adorned by a cluster of campanulas like those on her dress, with a +similar blue butterfly on an invisible wire above them, the dainty +handiwork of Harriet. + +The inquiry about conquests was a matter of course after a young +lady's first party, but Aurelia looked too childish for it, and +Betty made haste to reply. + +"Aurelia was a very good girl. No one could have curtsied or bridled +more prettily when we paid our respects to my Lady Herries and Mrs. +Churchill, and the Dean highly commended her dancing." + +"You danced? Fine doings! I thought you were merely invited to look +on at the game at bowls. Who had the best of the match?" + +"The first game was won by Canon Boltby, the second by the Dean," +said Betty; "but when they would have played the conqueror, Lady +Herries interfered and said the gentlemen had kept the field long +enough, and now it was our turn. So a cow was driven on the bowling- +green, with a bell round her neck and pink ribbons on her horns." + +"A cow! What will they have next?" + +"They say 'tis all the mode in London," interposed Harriet. + +"Pray was the cow to instruct you in dancing?" continued the Major. + +"No, sir," said Aurelia, whom he had addressed; "she was to be milked +into the bowl of syllabub." + +This was received with a great "Ho! ho!" and a demand who was to act +as milker. + +"That was the best of it," said Aurelia. "Soon came Miss Herries in +a straw hat, and the prettiest green petticoat under a white gown and +apron, as a dairy-maid, but the cow would not stand still, for all the +man who led her kept scolding her and saying 'Coop! coop!' No sooner +had Miss Herries seated herself on the stool than Moolly swerved away, +and it was a mercy that the fine china bowl escaped. Every one was +laughing, and poor Miss Herries was ready to cry, when forth steps my +sister, coaxes the cow, bids the man lend his apron, sits down on the +stool, and has the bowl frothing in a moment." + +"I would not have done so for worlds," said Harriet; "I dreaded every +moment to be asked where Miss Delavie learnt to be a milk-maid." + +"You were welcome to reply, in her own yard," said Betty. "You may +thank me for your syllabub." + +"Which, after all, you forbade poor Aura to taste!" + +"Assuredly. I was not going to have her turn sick on my hands. She +may think herself beholden to me for her dance with that fine young +beau. Who was he, Aura?" + +"How now!" said the Major, in a tone of banter, while Harriet indulged +in a suppressed giggle. "You let Aura dance with a stranger! Where +was your circumspection, Mrs. Betty?" Aurelia coloured to the roots +of her hair and faltered, "It was Lady Herries who presented him." + +"Yes, the child is not to blame," said Betty; "I left her in charge +of Mrs. Churchill while I went to wash my hands after milking the cow, +which these fine folk seemed to suppose could be done without soiling +a finger." + +"That's the way with Chloe and Phyllida in Arcadia," said her father. + +"But not here," said Betty. "In the house, I was detained a little +while, for the housekeeper wanted me to explain my recipe for taking +out the grease spots." + +"A little while, sister?" said Harriet. "It was through the dancing +of three minuets, and the country dance had long been begun." + +"I was too busy to heed the time," said Betty, "for I obtained the +recipe for those delicious almond-cakes, and showed Mrs. Waldron the +Vienna mode of clearing coffee. When I came back the fiddles were +playing, and Aurelia going down the middle with a young gentleman in +a scarlet coat. Poor little Robert Rowe was too bashful to find a +partner, though he longed to dance; so I made another couple with +him, and thus missed further speech, save that as we took our leave, +both Sir George and the Dean complimented me, and said what there +is no occasion to repeat just now, sir, when I ought to be fetching +your supper." + +"Ha! Is it too flattering for little Aura?" asked her father. "Come, +never spare. She will hear worse than that in her day, I'll warrant." + +"It was merely," said Betty, reluctantly, "that the Dean called her +the star of the evening, and declared that her dancing equalled her +face." + +"Well said of his reverence! And his honour the baronet, what said he?" + +"He said, sir, that so comely and debonnaire a couple had not been seen +in these parts since you came home from Flanders and led off the assize +ball with Mistress Urania Delavie." + +"There, Aura, 'tis my turn to blush!" cried the Major, comically hiding +his face behind Betty's fan. "But all this time you have never told me +who was this young spark." + +"That I cannot tell, sir," returned Betty. "We were sent home in the +coach with Mistress Duckworth and her daughters, who talked so +incessantly that we could not open our lips. Who was he, Aura?" + +"My Lady Herries only presented him as Sir Amyas, sister," replied +Aurelia. + +"Sir Amyas!" cried her auditors, all together. + +"Nothing more," said Aurelia. "Indeed she made as though he and I must +be acquainted, and I suppose that she took me for Harriet, but I knew +not how to explain." + +"No doubt," said Harriet. "I was sick of the music and folly, and had +retired to the summerhouse with Peggy Duckworth, who had brought a +sweet sonnet of Mr. Ambrose Phillips, 'Defying Cupid.'" + +Her father burst into a chuckling laugh, much to her mortification, +though she would not seem to understand it, and Betty took up the +moral. + +"Sir Amyas! Are you positive that you caught the name, child?" + +"I thought so, sister," said Aurelia, with the insecurity produced +by such cross-questioning; "but I may have been mistaken, since, of +course, the true Sir Amyas Belamour would never be here without my +father's knowledge." + +"Nor is there any other of the name," said her father, "except that +melancholic uncle of his who never leaves his dark chamber." + +"Depend upon it," said Harriet, "Lady Herries said Sir Ambrose. No +doubt it was Sir Ambrose Watford." + +"Nay, Harriet, I demur to that," said her father drolly. "I flatter +myself I was a more personable youth than to be likened to Watford +with his swollen nose. What like was your cavalier, Aura?" + +"Indeed, sir, I cannot describe him. I was so much terrified lest he +should speak to me that I had much ado to mind my steps. I know he +had white gloves and diamond shoe-buckles, and that his feet moved by +no means like those of Sir Ambrose." + +"Aura is a modest child, and does credit to her breeding," said Betty. +"Thus much I saw, that the young gentleman was tall and personable +enough to bear comparison even to you, sir, not more than nineteen or +twenty years of age, in a laced scarlet uniform, as I think, of the +Dragoon Guards, and with a little powder, but not enough to disguise +that his hair was entire gold." + +"That all points to his being indeed young Belamour," said her father; +"age, military appearance, and all--I wonder what this portends!" + +"What a disaster!" exclaimed Harriet, "that my sister and I should have +been out of the way, and only a chit like Aura be there to be presented +to him." + +"If young ladies _will_ defy Cupid," began her father;--but at that +moment Corporal Palmer knocked at the door, bringing a basin of soup +for his master, and announcing "Supper is served, young ladies." + +Each of the three bent her knee to receive her father's blessing and +kiss, then curtseying at the door, departed, Betty lingering behind her +two juniors to see her father taste his soup and to make sure that he +relished it. + + + + +CHAPTER II. THE HOUSE OF DELAVIE. + + + All his Paphian mother fear; + Empress! all thy sway revere! + EURIPEDES (Anstice). + + +The parlour where the supper was laid was oak panelled, but painted +white. Like a little island in the vast polished slippery floor lay +a square much-worn carpet, just big enough to accommodate a moderate- +sized table and the surrounding high-backed chairs. There was a tent- +stitch rug before the Dutch-tiled fireplace, and on the walls hung two +framed prints,--one representing the stately and graceful Duke of +Marlborough; the other, the small, dark, pinched, but fiery Prince +Eugene. On the spotless white cloth was spread a frugal meal of bread, +butter, cheese, and lettuce; a jug of milk, another of water, and a +bottle of cowslip wine; for the habits of the family were more than +usually frugal and abstemious. + +Frugality and health alike obliged Major Delavie to observe a careful +regimen. He had served in all Marlborough's campaigns, and had +afterwards entered the Austrian army, and fought in the Turkish war, +until he had been disabled before Belgrade by a terrible wound, of +which he still felt the effects. Returning home with his wife, the +daughter of a Jacobite exile, he had become a kind of agent in managing +the family estate for his cousin the heiress, Lady Belamour, who +allowed him to live rent-free in this ruinous old Manor-house, the +cradle of the family. + +This was all that Harriet and Aurelia knew. The latter had been born +at the Manor, and young girls, if not brought extremely forward, were +treated like children; but Elizabeth, the eldest of the family, who +could remember Vienna, was so much the companion and confidante of +her father, that she was more on the level of a mother than a sister +to her juniors. + +"Then you think Aurelia's beau was really Sir Amyas Belamour," said +Harriet, as they sat down to supper. + +"So it appears," said Betty, gravely. + +"Do you think he will come hither, sister? I would give the world to +see him," continued Harriet. + +"He said something of hoping for better acquaintance," softly put in +Aurelia. + +"Oh, did he so?" cried Harriet. "For demure as you are, Miss Aura, I +fancy you looked a little above the diamond shoe-buckles!" + +"Fie, Harriet!" exclaimed Betty; "I will not have the child tormented. +He ought to come and pay his respects to my father." + +"Have you ever seen my Lady?" asked Aurelia. + +"That have I, Miss Aurelia," interposed Corporal Palmer, "and a rare +piece of beauty she would be, if one could forget the saying 'handsome +is as handsome does.'" + +"I never knew what she has done," said Aurelia. + +"'Tis a long story," hastily said Betty, "too long to tell at table. +I must make haste to prepare the poultice for my father." + +She quickly broke up the supper party, and the two younger sisters +repaired to their chamber, both conscious of having been repressed; +the one feeling injured, the other rebuked for forwardness and +curiosity. The three sisters shared one long low room with a large +light closet at each end. One of these was sacred to powder, the +other was Betty's private property. Harriet had a little white bed +to herself, Betty and Aurelia nightly climbed into a lofty and solemn +structure curtained with ancient figured damask. Each had her own +toilette-table and a press for her clothes, where she contrived to +stow them in a wonderfully small space. + +Harriet and Aurelia had divested themselves of their finery before +Betty came in, and they assisted her operations, Harriet preferring +a complaint that she never would tell them anything. + +"I have no objection to tell you at fitting times," said Betty, "but +not with Palmer putting in his word. You should have discretion, +Harriet." + +"The Dean's servants never speak when they are waiting at table," said +Harriet with a pout. + +"But I'll warrant them to hear!" retorted Betty. + +"And I had rather have our dear old honest corporal than a dozen of +those fine lackeys," said Aurelia. "But you will tell us the story +like a good sister, while we brush the powder out of our hair." + +They put on powdering gowns, after releasing themselves from the armour +of their stays, and were at last at ease, each seated on a wooden chair +in the powdering closet, brush in hand, with a cloud of white dust +flying round, and the true colour of the hair beginning to appear. + +"Then it is indeed true that My Lady is one of the greatest beauties +of Queen Caroline's Court, if not the greatest?" said Harriet. + +"Truly she is," said Betty, "and though in full maturity, she preserves +the splendour of her prime." + +"Tell us more particularly," said Aurelia; "can she be more lovely +than our dear mamma?" + +"No, indeed! lovely was never the word for her, to my mind," said +Betty; "her face always seemed to me more like that of one of the +marble statues I remember at Vienna; perfect, but clear, cold, and +hard. But I am no judge, for I did not love her, and in a child, +admiration accompanies affection." + +"What did Palmer mean by 'handsome is that handsome does'? Surely +my father never was ill-treated by Lady Belamour?" + +"Let me explain," said the elder sister. "The ancient custom and +precedent of our family have always transmitted the estates to the +male heir. But when Charles II. granted the patent of nobility to +the first Baron Delavie, the barony was limited to the heirs male +of his body, and out grandfather was only his brother. The last +Lord had three sons, and one daughter, Urania, who alone survived +him." + +"I know all that from the monument," said Aurelia; "one was drowned +while bathing, one died of spotted fever, and one was killed at the +battle of Ramillies. How dreadful for the poor old father!" + +"And there is no Lord Delavie now," said Harriet. "Why, since my Lady +could not have the title, did it not come to our papa?" + +"Because his father was not in the patent," said Betty. "However, it +was thought that if he were married to Mistress Urania, there would be +a fresh creation in their favour. So as soon as the last campaign was +over, our father, who had always been a favourite at the great house, +was sent for from the army, and given to understand that he was to +conduct his courtship, with the cousin he had petted as a little child, +as speedily as was decorous. However, in winter quarters at Tournai he +had already pledged his faith to the daughter of a Scottish gentleman +in the Austrian service. This engagement was viewed by the old Lord +as a trifling folly, which might be set aside by the head of the family. +He hinted that the proposed match was by no means disagreeable to his +daughter, and scarcely credited his ears when his young kinsman +declared his honour forbade him to break with Miss Murray." + +"Dear father," ejaculated Aurelia, "so he gave up everything for her +sake?" + +"And never repented it!" said Betty. + +"Now," said Harriet, "I understand why he entered the army." + +"It was all he had to depend on," said Betty, "and he had been +favourably noticed by Prince Eugene at the siege of Lisle, so that he +easily obtained a commission. He believed that though it was in the +power of the old Lord to dispose of part of his estates by will, yet +that some of the land was entailed in the male line, so that there +need not be many years of campaigning or poverty for his bride, even +if her father never were restored to his Scottish property. As you +know, our grandfather, Sir Archibald Murray, died for his loyalty in +the rising of '15, and two years later our father received at Belgrade +that terrible wound which closed his military career. Meantime, Urania +had married Sir Jovian Belamour, and Lord Delavie seemed to have +forgotten my father's offence, and gave him the management of the +estate, with this old house to live in, showing himself glad of the +neighbourhood of a kinsman whom he could thoroughly trust. All went +well till my Lady came to visit her father. Then all old offences +were renewed. Lady Belamour treated my mother as a poor dependant. +She, daughter to a noble line of pedigree far higher than that of the +Delavies, might well return her haughty looks, and would not yield +an inch, nor join in the general adulation. There were disputes about +us children. Poor Archie was a most beautiful boy, and though you +might not suppose it, I was a very pretty little girl, this nose of +mine being then much more shapely than the little buttons which grow +to fair proportions. On the other hand, the little Belamours were +puny and sickly; indeed, as you know, this young Sir Amyas, who was +not then born, is the only one of the whole family who has been reared. +Then we had been carefully bred, could chatter French, recite poetry, +make our bow and curtsey, bridle, and said Sir and Madam, while the +poor little cousins who had been put out to nurse had no more manners +than the calves and pigs. People were the more flattering to us +because they expected soon to see my father in his Lordship's place; +and on the other hand, officious tongues were not wanting to tell my +Lady how Mrs. Delavie contrasted the two sets of children. Very +bitter offence was taken; nor has my Lady ever truly forgiven, whatever +our dear good father may believe. When the old Lord died, a will was +found, bequeathing all his unentailed estates to his daughter, and this +was of course strong presumption that he believed in the existence of +a deed of entail; but none could ever be found, and the precedents +were not held to establish the right." + +"Did he leave my father nothing?" asked Harriet. + +"He left him three hundred pounds and made him joint executor with Sir +Jovian. There was no mention of this house, which was the original +house of the family, the first Lord having built the Great House; and +both my father and Sir Jovian were sure the Lord Delavie believed it +would come to him; but no proofs were extant, and my Lady would only +consent to his occupying it, as before, as her agent." + +"I always knew we were victims to an injustice," said Harriet, "though +I never understood the matter exactly." + +"You were a mere child, and my father does not love to talk of it. +He ceased to care much about the loss after our dear Archie died." + +"Not for Eugene's sake?" + +"Eugene was not born for two years after Archie's death. My dear +mother had drooped from the time of the disappointment, blaming +herself for having ruined my father, and scarce accepting comfort +when he vowed that all was well lost for her sake. She reproached +herself with having been proud and unconciliatory, though I doubt +whether it made much difference. Then her spirit was altogether +crushed by the loss of Archie, she never had another day's health. +Eugene came to her like Ichabod to Phinehas' wife, and she was soon +gone from us," said Betty, wiping away a tear. + +"Leaving us a dear sister to be a mother to us," said Aurelia, raising +her sweet face for a kiss. + +Harriet pondered a little, and said, "My Lady is not at enmity with +us, since my father keeps the house and agency." + +"We should be reduced to poverty indeed without them," said Betty; +"and Sir Jovian, an upright honourable man, the only person whom my +Lady truly respected, insisted on his continuance. As long as my +Lady regards his memory we are safe, but no one can trust to her +caprice." + +"She never comes here, nor disturbs my father." + +"No, but she makes heavy calls on the estate, and is displeased if he +refuses to overpress the tenants or hesitates to cut the timber." + +"I have heard say," added Harriet, "that her debts in town and her +losses at play drove her to accept her present husband, Mr. Wayland, a +hideous old fellow, who had become vastly rich through some discovery +about cannon." + +"He is an honourable and upright man," said Betty. "I should have +fewer anxieties if he had not been sent out to Gibraltar and Minorca +to superintend the fortifications." + +"Meantime my Lady makes the money fly, by the help of the gallant +Colonel Mar," said Harriet lightly. + +"Fie! Harriet!" returned the elder sister; "I have allowed you too far. +My father calls Lady Belamour his commanding officer, and permits no +scandal to be spoken of her." + +"Any more than of Prince Eugene?" said Harriet, laughing. + +"But oh! sister!" cried Aurelia, "let us stay a little longer. I have +not half braided my hair, and I long to hear who is the gentleman of +whom my father spoke as living in the dark." + +"Mr. Amyas Belamour! Sir Jovian's brother! Ah! that is a sad story," +replied Betty, "though I am not certain that I have it correctly, +having only heard it discussed between my father and mother when I was +a growing girl, sitting at my sampler. I think he was a barrister; I +know he was a very fine gentleman and a man of parts, who had made the +Grand Tour; for when he was staying at the Great House, he said my +mother was the only person he met who could converse with him on the +Old Masters, or any other subject of _virtu_, and that, being reported +to my Lady, increased her bitterness all the more because Mr. Belamour +was a friend of Mr. Addison and Sir Richard Steele, and had contributed +some papers to the _Spectator_. He was making a good fortune in his +profession, and had formed an engagement with a young lady in +Hertfordshire, of a good old family, but one which had always been +disliked by Lady Belamour. It is said, too, that Miss Sedhurst had +been thought to have attracted one of my Lady's many admirers, and +that the latter was determined not to see her rival become her sister- +in-law, and probably with the same title, since Mr. Belamour was on +the verge of obtaining knighthood. So, if she be not greatly belied, +Lady Belamour plied all parties with her confidences, till she +contrived to breed suspicion and jealousy on all sides, until finally +Miss Sedhurst's brother, a crack-brained youth, offered such an insult +to Mr. Belamour, that honour required a challenge. It was thought that +as Mr. Belamour was the superior in age and position, the matter might +have been composed, but the young man was fiery and hot tempered, and +would neither retract nor apologise; and Mr. Belamour had been stung +in his tenderest feeling. They fought with pistols, an innovation +that, as you know, my father hates, as far more deadly and unskilful +than the noble practice of fencing; and the result was that Mr. +Sedhurst was shot dead, and Mr. Belamour received a severe wound in the +head. The poor young lady, being always of a delicate constitution, +fell into fits on hearing the news, an died in a few weeks. The +unfortunate Mr. Belamour survives, but whether from injury to the +brain, or from grief and remorse, he has never been able to endure +either light or company, but has remained ever since in utter +darkness and seclusion." + +"Utter darkness! How dreadful!" cried Aurelia, shuddering. + +"How long has this been, sister?" inquired Harriet. + +"About nine years," said Betty. "The lamentable affair took place just +before Sir Jovian's death, and the shock may have hastened it, for he +had long been in a languishing state. It was the more unfortunate, +since he had made Mr. Belamour sole personal guardian to his only +surviving son, and appointed him, together with my father and another +gentleman, trustee for the Belamour property; and there has been much +difficulty in consequence of his being unable to act, or to do more +than give his signature." + +"Ah! sister, I wish you had not told me," said Aurelia. "I shall dream +of the unfortunate gentleman all night. Nine years of utter darkness!" + +"We know who is still child enough to hate darkness," said Harriet. + +"Take care," said Betty. "You must make haste, or I shall leave you +to it." + + + + +CHAPTER III. AMONG THE COWSLIPS. + + + The insect youth are on the wing, + Eager to taste the honeyed spring, + And float amid the liquid noon, + Some lightly on the torrent skim, + Some show their gaily gilded trim, + Quick glancing to the sun.--GRAY + + +Though hours were early, the morning meal was not served till so late +as really to deserve the title of breakfast. + +When the three sisters sat down at nine-o'clock, in mob caps, and the +two younger in white dresses, all had been up at least two hours. +Aurelia led forward little Eugene in a tailed red coat, long-breasted +buff waistcoat, buff tights and knitted stockings, with a deep frilled +collar under the flowing locks on his shoulders, in curls which +emulated a wig. She had been helping him to prepare "his tasks" from +the well-thumbed but strongly-bound books which had served poor Archie +before him. They were deposited on the window-seat to wait till the +bowls of bread and milk were discussed, since tea and coffee were only +a special afternoon treat not considered as wholesome for children; so +that Aurelia had only just been promoted to them, along with powder +and fan. + +Harriet wore her favourite pistachio ribbon round her cap and as a +breast-knot, and her cheeks bore token of one of the various washes +with which she was always striving to regain the smoothness of her +complexion. Knowing what this betokened, an elder-sisterly instinct +of caution actuated Betty to remind her juniors of an engagement made +with Dame Jewel of the upland farm for the exchange of a setting of +white duck's eggs for one of five-toed fowls, and to request them +to carry the basket. + +Eugene danced on his chair and begged to be of the party; but Harriet +pouted, and asked why the "odd boy" could not be sent. + +"Because, as you very well know, if he did not break, he would addle, +every egg in the basket. + +"There can be no need to go to-day." + +"The speckled hen is clocking to brood, and she is the best mother in +the yard. Besides, it is time that the cowslip wine were made, and I +will give you some bread and cheese and gingerbread for noonchin, so +that you may fill your baskets in the meadows before they are laid up +for grass. Mrs. Jewel will give you a drink of milk." + +"O let me go, sister!" pleaded Eugene. "She gives us bread and honey! +And I want to hear the lapwings in the meadows cry pee-wit." + +"We shall have you falling into the river," said Harriet, rather +fretfully. + +"No, indeed! If you fall in, I will pull you out. Young maids should +not run about the country without a gentleman to take care of them. +Should they, sister?" cried the doughty seven years' old champion. + +"Who taught you that, sir?" asked Betty, trying to keep her countenance. + +"I heard Mrs. Churchill say so to my papa," returned the boy. "So now, +there's a good sister. Do pray let me go!" + +"If you say your tasks well, and will promise to be obedient to Harriet +and to keep away from the river, and not touch the basket of eggs." + +Eugene was ready for any number of promises; and Harriet, seeing there +was no escape for her, went off with Aurelia to put on their little +three-cornered muslin handkerchiefs and broad-brimmed straw hats, +while Eugene repeated his tasks, namely, a fragment of the catechism, +half a column of spelling from the _Universal Spelling-Book_, and +(Betty's special pride) his portion of the _Orbis Sensualium Pictus_ +of Johannes Amos Comenius, the wonderful vocabulary, with still more +wonderful "cuts," that was then the small boys path to Latinity. + +The Eagle, _Aquila_, the King of Birds, _Rex Avium_, looketh at the +Sun, _intuetur Solem_, as indeed he could hardly avoid doing, since +in the "cut" the sun was within a hairsbreath of his beak, while his +claws were almost touching a crow (_Corvus_) perched on a dead horse, +to exemplify how _Aves Raptores_ fed on carrion. + +Thanks to Aurelia's private assistance, Eugene knew his lessons well +enough for his excitement not to make him stumble so often as to +prevent Betty's pronouncing him a good boy, and dispensing with his +copy, sum, piece, and reading, until the evening. These last were +very tough affairs, the recitation being from Shakespeare, and the +reading from the _Spectator_. There were no children's books, +properly so called, except the ballads, chap-books brought round +by pedlers, often far from edifying, and the plunge from the horn- +book into general literature was, to say the least of it, bracing. + +The Delavie family was cultivated for the time. French had been +brought home as a familiar tongue, though _Telemaque_, Racine, and +_Le Grand Cyrus_ were the whole library in that language; and there +was not another within thirty miles. On two days in the week the +sisters became Mesdemoiselles Elisabeth, Henriette, and Aurelie, and +conversed in French over their spinning, seams, lace, or embroidery; +nor was Aurelia yet emancipated from reciting Racine on alternate +days with Milton and Shakespeare. + +Betty could likewise talk German with the old Austrian maid, Nannerl, +who had followed the family from Vienna; but the accomplishment was +not esteemed, and the dialect was barbarous. From the time of her +mother's death, Betty had been a strict and careful, though kind, ruler +to her sisters; and the long walk was a greater holiday to Aurelia than +to Eugene, releasing her from her book and work, whereas he would soon +have been trundling his hoop, and haunting the steps of Palmer, who was +gardener as well as valet, butler, and a good deal besides, and moreover +drilled his young master. Thus Eugene carried his head as erect as any +Grenadier in the service, and was a thorough little gentleman in +miniature; a perfect little beau, as his sisters loved to call the +darling of their hearts and hopes. + +Even Harriet could not be cross to him, though she made Aurelia carry +the eggs, and indulged in sundry petulant whisks of the fan which +she carried by way of parasol. "Now, why does Betty do this?" she +exclaimed, as soon as they were out of hearing. "Is it to secure +to herself the whole enjoyment of your beau?" + +"You forget," said Aurelia. "You promised to fetch the eggs, when +we met Mrs. Jewel jogging home from market on her old blind white +horse last Saturday, because you said no eggs so shaken could ever +be hatched." + +"You demure chit!" exclaimed Harriet; "would you make me believe that +you have no regrets for so charming a young gentleman, my Lady's son +and our kinsman." + +"If he spoke to me I should not know how to answer. And then you would +blame my rudeness. Besides," she added, with childish sagacity, "he +can be nothing but a fine London macaroni. Only think of the cowslips! +A whole morning to make cowslip balls," she added with a little frisk. +"I would not give one for all the macaronies in England, with their +powder and their snuff-boxes. Faugh!" + +"Ah, child, you will sing another note perhaps when it is too late," +said her sister, with a sigh between envy and compassion. + +It floated past Aurelia unheeded, as she danced up one side of a stile, +and sprang clear down into a green park, jumped Eugene down after her +by both hands, and exclaimed, "Harriet is in her vapours; come, let us +have a race!" + +She was instantly careering along like a white butterfly in the +sunshine, flitting on as the child tried to catch her, among the snowy +hawthorn bushes, or sinking down for very joy and delight among the +bank of wild hyacinths. Life and free motion were joy and delight +enough for that happy being with her childish heart, and the serious +business of the day was all delight. There lay the rich meadows +basking in the sun, and covered with short grass just beginning its +summer growth, but with the cowslips standing high above it; hanging +down their rich clusters of soft, pure, delicately-scented bells, from +their pinky stems over their pale crinkled leaves, interspersed here +and there with the deep purple of the fool's orchis, and the pale +brown quiver-grass shaking out its trembling awns on their invisible +stems. No flower is more delightful to gather than the cowslip, +fragrant as the breath of a cow. And Aurelia darted about, piling +the golden heap in her basket with untiring enjoyment; then, producing +a tape, called on Harriet, who had been working in a more leisurely +fashion, to join her in making a cowslip ball, and charged Eugene +not to nip off the heads too short. + +The sweet, soft, golden globe was made, and even Harriet felt the +delicious intoxication. The young things tossed it aloft, flung +from one to the other, caught it, caressed it, buried their faces +in it, and threw it back with shrieks of glee. + +Suddenly Harriet checked her sister with a peremptory sign. She heard +horse-hoofs in the lane, divided from the field by a hedge of pollard +willows, so high that she had never thought of being overlooked, till +the cessation of the trotting sound struck her; and looking round she +saw that a horseman had halted at the gate, and was gazing at their +sports. It was from the distance of a field, but this was enough to +fill Harriet with dismay. She drew herself up in a moment, signing +peremptorily to Aurelia, who was flying about, her hat off, her one +long curl streaming behind as she darted hither and thither, evading +Eugene who was pursuing her. + +As she paused, and Eugene clutched her dress with a shout of ecstasy, +Harriet came up, glancing severely toward the gate, and saying, as +she handed her sister the hat, "This comes of childishness! That we +should be seen thus! What a hoyden he will think you!" as the hoofs +went on and the red coat vanished. + +"He! Who? Not the farmer?" said Aurelia. "This is not laid up for +hay." + +"No indeed. I believe it is he," said Harriet, mysteriously. + +"He?" repeated Aurelia. "Not Mr. Arden, for he would be in black," +and at Harriet's disgusted gesture, "I beg your pardon, but I did +not know you had a new _he_. Oh! surely you are not thinking of +the young baronet?" + +"I am sure it was his figure." + +"You did not see him yesterday?" + +"No, but his air had too much distinction for any one from these parts." + +"Could you see what his air was from this distance? I should never +have guessed it, but you have more experience, being older. Come, +Eugene, another race!" + +"No, I will have no more folly. I was too good-natured to allow it. +I am vexed beyond measure that he should have seen such rusticity." + +"Never mind, dear Harriet. Most likely it was no such person, for it +was not well-bred to sit staring at us; and if it were he, you were +not known to him." + +"You were." + +"Then he must have eyes as sharp as yours are for an air of distinction. +Having only seen me in my blue and primrose suit, how should he know me +in my present trim? Besides, I believe it was only young Dick Jewel in +a cast coat of Squire Humphrey's." + +The charm of the cowslip gathering was broken. Eugene found himself +very hungry, and the noonchin was produced, after which the walk was +continued to the farm-house, where the young people were made very +welcome. + +Farmers were, as a rule, more rustic than the present labourer, but +they lived a life of far less care, if of more toil, than their +successors, having ample means for their simple needs, and enjoying +jocund plenty. The clean kitchen, with the stone floor, the beaupot +of maythorn on the empty hearth, the shining walnut-wood table, the +spinning-wheel, wooden chairs, and forms, all looked cool and inviting, +and the visitors were regaled with home-made brown bread, delicious +butter and honey, and a choice of new milk, mead, and currant wine. + +Dame Jewel, in a white frill under a black silken hood, a buff turnover +kerchief, stout stuff gown and white apron, was delighted to wait on +them; and Eugene's bliss was complete among the young kittens and +puppies in baskets on opposite sides of the window, the chickens +before their coops, the ducklings like yellow balls on the grass, +and the huge family of little spotted piglings which, to the scandal +of his sisters, he declared the most delightful of all. + +Their hostess knew nothing of the young baronet being in the +neighbourhood, and was by no means gratified by the intelligence. + +"Lack-a-day! Miss Harriet, you don't mean that the family is coming +down here! I don't want none of them. 'Tis bad times for the farmer +when any of that sort is nigh. They make nothing of galloping their +horses a hunting right through the crops, ay, and horsewhipping the +farmer if he do but say a word for the sweat of his brow." + +"O Mrs. Jewel!" cried Aurelia, in whose ear lingered the courteous +accents of her partner, "they would never behave themselves so." + +"Bless you, Miss Orreely, I'll tell you what I've seen with my own +eyes. My own good man, the master here, with the horsewhip laid about +his shoulders at that very thornbush, by one of the fine gentlefolks, +just because he had mended the gap in the hedge they was used to ride +through, and my Lady sitting by in her laced scarlet habit on her fine +horse, smiling like a painted picture, and saying, 'Thank you, sir, +the rascals need to learn not to interfere with our sport,' all in +that gentle sounding low voice of hers, enough to drive one mad." + +"I thought Sir Jovian had been a kind master," said Harriet. + +"This was not Sir Jovian. Poor gentleman, he was not often out a- +hunting. This was one of the fine young rakish fellows from Lunnun +as were always swarming about my Lady, like bees over that maybush. +Sir Thomas Donne, I think they called him. They said he got killed +by a wild boar, hunting in foreign parts, afterwards, and serve him +right! But there! They would all do her bidding, whether for bad +or good, so maybe it was less his fault than hers. She is a bitter +one, is my Lady, for all she looks so sweet. And this her young +barrowknight will be his own mother's son, and I don't want none of +'em down here. 'Tis a good job we have your good papa, the Major, +to stand between her and us; I only wish he had his own, for a rare +good landlord he would be." + +The Dame's vain wishes were cut short by shrieks from the poultry-yard, +where Eugene was discovered up to his ankles in the black ooze of the +horse-pond, waving a little stick in defiance of an angry gander, who +with white outspread wings, snake-like neck, bent and protruded, and +frightful screams and hisses, was no bad representation of his namesake +the dragon, especially to a child not much exceeding him in height. + +The monster was put to rout, the champion dragged out of the pond, +breathlessly explaining that he only wanted to look at the goslings +when the stupid geese cackled and the gander wanted to fly at his eyes. +"And I didn't see where I was going, for I had to keep him off, so +I got into the mud. Will sister be angry?" he concluded, ruefully +surveying the dainty little stockings and shoes coated with black mud. + +But before the buckled shoon had been scraped, or the hosen washed and +dried, the cheerful memory of boyhood had convinced itself that the +enemy had been put to flight by his manful resistance; and he turned a +deaf ear to Aurelia's suggestion that the affair had been retribution +for his constant oblivion of Comenius' assertion that _auser gingrit,_ +"the goose gagleth." + +They went home more soberly, having been directed by Mrs. Jewel to a +field bordered by a copse, where grew the most magnificent of Titania's +pensioners tall, wearing splendid rubies in their coats; and in due +time the trio presented themselves at home, weary, but glowing with +the innocent excitement of their adventures. Harriet was the first +to proclaim that they had seen a horseman who must be Sir Amyas. +"Had sister seen him?" + +"Only through the window of the kitchen where I was making puff paste." + +"He called then! Did my papa see him?" + +"My father was in no condition to see any one, being under the hands +and razor of Palmer." + +"La! what a sad pity. Did he leave no message?" + +"He left his compliments, and hoped his late partner was not fatigued." + +"Is he at the Great House? Will he call again?" + +"He is on his way to make a visit in Monmouthshire, together with a +brother office, who is related to my Lady Herries, and finding that +their road led them within twenty miles of our town, the decided on +making a diversion to see her. It was only from her that Sir Amyas +understood how close he was to his mother's property, for my Lady is +extremely jealous of her prerogative." + +"How did you hear all this, sister?" + +"Sir George Herries rode over this afternoon and sat an hour with my +father, delighting him by averring that the young gentleman has his +mother's charms of person, together with his father's solidity of +principle and character, and that he will do honour to his name." + +O, I hope he will come back by this route!" cried Harriet. + +"Of that there is small likelihood," said Betty. "His mother is +nearly certain to prevent it since she is sure to take umbrage at +his having visited the Great House without her permission." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. MY LADY'S MISSIVE. + + + To the next coffee-house he speeds, + Takes up the news, some scraps he reads.--GAY. + + +Though Carminster was a cathedral city, the Special General Post only +came in once a week, and was liable to delay through storms, snows, +mire and highwaymen, so that its arrival was as great an event as is +now the coming in of a mail steamer to a colonial harbour. The "post" +was a stout countryman, with a red coat, tall jackboots and a huge hat. +He rode a strong horse, which carried, _en croupe_, an immense pack, +covered with oiled canvas, rising high enough to support his back, +while he blew a long horn to announce his arrival. + +Letters were rare and very expensive articles unless franked by a +Member of Parliament, but gazettes and newsletters formed a large +portion of his freight. No private gentleman except the Dean and Sir +George Herries went to the extravagance of taking in a newspaper on +his own account, but there was a club who subscribed for the _Daily +Gazetteer_, the _Tatler_, and one or two other infant forms of +periodical literature. These were hastily skimmed on their first +arrival at the club-room at the White Dragon, lay on the table to be +more deliberately conned for a week, and finally were divided among +the members to be handed about among the families and dependants as +long as they would hold together. + +Major Delavie never willingly missed the coming of the mail, for his +foreign experiences gave him keen interest in the war between France +and Austria, and he watched the campaigns of his beloved Prince Eugene +with untiring enthusiasm, being, moreover, in the flattering position +of general interpreter and guide to his neighbours through the scanty +articles on foreign intelligence. + +It was about ten days after the syllabub party, when he had quite +recovered his ordinary health, that he mounted his stout pony in his +military undress, his cocked hat perched on his well-powdered bob- +wig, with a queue half-way down his dark green gold-laced coat, and +with his long jack-boots carefully settle by Palmer over the knee +that would never cease to give him trouble. + +Thus he slowly ambled into the town, catching on his way distant +toots of the postman's horn. In due time he made his way into the +High Street, broad and unpaved, with rows of lime or poplar trees +before the principal houses, the most modern of which were of red +brick, with heavy sash-windows, large stone quoins, and steps up +to the doors. + +The White Dragon, dating from the times of the Mortimer badge, was +built of creamy stone, and had an archway conducting the traveller +into a courtyard worthy of Chaucer, with ranges of galleries running +round it, the balustrades of dark carved oak suiting with the timbers +of the latticed window and gables, and with the noble outside stair +at one angle, by which they communicated with one another. To these +beauties the good Major was entirely insensible. He only sighed at +the trouble it gave his lame knee to mount the stair to the first +storey, and desired the execution of the landlord's barbarous design +of knocking down the street front to replace it with a plain, oblong +assembly room, red brick outside, and within, blue plaster, adorned +with wreaths and bullocks' faces in stucco. + +Such were the sentiments of most of the burly squires who had ridden +in on the same errand, and throwing the reins to their grooms, likewise +climbed the stair to the club-room with its oriel looking over the +street. There too were several of the cathedral clergy, the rubicund +double-chinned face of the Canon in residence set off by a white, +cauliflower wig under a shovel hat, while the humbler minor canons +(who served likewise as curates to all the country round) only +powdered their own hair, and wore gowns and cassocks of quality very +inferior to that which adorned the portly person of their superior. +His white bands were of fine cambric, theirs of coarser linen; his +stockings were of ribbed silk, theirs of black worsted; his buckles +of silver, theirs of steel; and the line of demarcation was as +strongly marked as that between the neat, deferential tradesman, +and the lawyer in his spruce snuff-coloured coat, or the doctor, +as black in hue as the clergy, though with a secular cut, a smaller +wig, and a gold-headed cane. Each had, as in duty bound, ordered +his pint of port or claret for the good of the house, and it was +well if these were not in the end greatly exceeded; and some had +lighted long clay pipes; but these were mostly of the secondary +rank, who sat at the table farthest from the window, and whose +drink was a measure of ale. + +The letters had not yet been sorted, but the newspaper had been +brought in, and the Canon Boltby had possessed himself of it, and +was proclaiming scraps of intelligence about the King, Queen, and +Sir Robert Walpole, the character of Marshal Berwick, recently slain +at Philipsburg, an account of Spanish outrages at sea, or mayhap the +story of a marvelous beast, half-tiger, half-wolf, reported to be +running wild in France. The other gentlemen, waiting till the mail- +bags were opened, listened and commented; while one or two of the +squires, and a shabby, disreputable-looking minor canon made each +notable name the occasion of a toast, whether of health to his +majesty's friends or confusion to his foes. A squabble, as to +whether the gallant Berwick should be reckoned as an honest Frenchman +or as a traitor Englishman, was interrupted by the Major's entrance, +and the congratulations on his recovery. + +One of the squires inquired after his daughters, and pronounced the +little one with the outlandish name was becoming a belle, and would +be the toast of the neighbourhood, a hint of which the topers were +not slow to take advantage, while one of the guests at the recent +party observed, "Young Belamour seemed to be of that opinion." + +"May it be so," said the Canon, "that were a step to the undoing of a +great wrong." + +"Mr. Scrivener will tell you, sir, that there was no justice in the +eye of the law," said the Major. + +"_Summum jus, summa injuria_," quoted, _sotto voce_, Mr. Arden, a minor +canon who, being well born, scholarly, scientific and gentlemanly, +occupied a middle place between his colleagues and the grandees. He +was not listened to. Each knot of speakers was becoming louder in +debate, and Dr. Boltby's voice was hardly heard when he announced that +a rain of blood had fallen on the Macgillicuddy mountains in Ireland, +testified to by numerous respectable Protestant witnesses, and +attributable, either to the late comet, or to the Pretender. + +At that moment the letters were brought in by the postman, and each +recipient had--not without murmurs--to produce his purse and pay +heavily for them. There were not many. The Doctor had two, Mr. +Arden one, Mr. Scrivener no less than five, but of them two were +franked, and a franked letter was likewise handed over to Major +DeLavie, with the word "Aresfield" written in the corner. + +"From my Lady," said an unoccupied neighbour. + +"Aye, aye," said the Major, putting it into his pocket, being by no +means inclined to submit the letter to the general gaze. + +"A good omen," said Canon Boltby, looking up from his paper. And +the Major smiled in return, put a word or two into the discussion +on affairs, and then, as soon as he thought he could take leave +without betraying anxiety, he limped down stairs, and called for +his horse. Lady Belamour's letters were wont to be calls for money, +not easily answered, and were never welcome sights, and this hung +heavy in the laced pocket of his coat. + +Palmer met him at the back gate, and took his horse, but judged it +advisable to put no questions about the news, while his master made +his way in by the kitchen entrance of the rambling old manor house, +and entered a stone-paved low room, a sort of office or study, where +he received, and paid, money for my Lady, and smoked his pipe. Here +he sat down in his wooden armchair, spread forth his legs, and took +out the letter, opening it with careful avoidance of defacing the +large red seal, covered with many quarterings, and the Delavie +escutcheon of pretence reigning over all. + +It opened, as he expected, with replies to some matters about leases +and repairs; and then followed:-- + +"I am informed that you have a large Family, and Daughters growing up +whom it is desirable to put in the way of making a good Match, or else +an honourable Livelihood; I am therefore willing, for the Sake of our +Family Connection, to charge myself with your youngest Girl, whose Name +I understand to be Aurelia. I will cause her to be trained in useful +Works in my Household, expecting her, in Return, to assist in the +Care and Instruction of my young Children; and if she please me and +prove herself worthy and attentive, I will bestow her Marriage upon +some suitable Person. This is the more proper and convenient for +you, because your Age and Health are such that I may not long be +able to retain you in the Charge of my Estate--in which indeed you +are continued only out of Consideration of an extremely distant +Relationship, although a younger and more active Man, bred to the +Profession, would serve me far more profitably." + +When Betty came into the room a few minutes later to pull off her +father's boots she found him sitting like one transfixed. He held +out the letter, saying, "Read that, child." + +Betty stood by the window and read, only giving one start, and +muttering between her teeth, "Insolent woman!" but not speaking the +words aloud, for she knew her father would treat them as treason. He +always had a certain tender deference for his cousin Urania, mixed +with something akin to compunction, as if his loyalty to his betrothed +had been disloyalty to his family. Thus, he exceeded the rest of his +sex in blindness to the defects that had been so evident to his wife +and daughter; and whatever provocation might make him say of my Lady +himself, he never permitted a word against her from any one else. He +looked wistfully at Betty and said, "My little Aura! It is a kindly +thought. Her son must have writ of the child. But I had liefer she +had asked me for the sight of my old eyes." + +"The question is," said Betty, in clear, incisive tones, "whether we +surrender Aurelia or your situation?" + +"Nay, nay, Betty, you always do my cousin less than justice. She means +well by the child and by us all. Come, come say what is in your mind," +he add testily. + +"Am I at liberty to express myself, sir?" + +"Of course you are. I had rather hear the whole discharge of your +battery than see you looking constrained and satirical." + +"Then, sir, my conclusion is this. The young baronet has shown himself +smitten with out pretty Aurelia, and has spoken of tarrying on his +return to make farther acquaintance. My Lady is afraid of his going +to greater lengths, and therefore wishes to have her at her disposal." + +"She proposes to take her into her own family; that is not taking her +out of his way." + +"I am sure of that." + +"You are prejudiced, like your poor dear mother--the best of women, if +only she could ever have done justice to her Ladyship! Don't you see, +child, Aurelia would not be gone before his return, supposing he should +come this way." + +"His visit was to be for six weeks. Did you not see the postscript?" + +"No, the letter was enough for one while." + +"Here it is: 'I shall send Dove in the Space of about a Fortnight or +three Weeks to bring to Town the young Coach Horses you mentioned. +His Wife is to return with him, as I have Occasion for her in Town, +and your Daughter must be ready to come up with them.'" + +"Bless me! That is prompt! But it is thoughtful. Mrs. Dove is a good +soul. It seems to me as if my Lady, though she may not choose to say +so, wishes to see the child, and if she approve of her, breed her up +in the accomplishments needed for such an elevation." + +"If you hold that opinion, dear sir, it is well." + +"If I thought she meant other than kindness toward the dear maid, I had +rather we all pinched together than risk the little one in her hands. +I had rather-if it comes to that--live on a crust a day than part with +my sweet child; but if it were for good, Betty! It is hard for you all +three to be cooped up together here, with no means of improving your +condition; and this may be an opening that I ought not to reject. What +say you, Betty?" + +"If I were to send her out into the world, I had rather bind her +apprentice to the Misses Rigby to learn mantua-making." + +"Nay, nay, my dear; so long as I live there is no need for my children +to come to such straits." + +"As long as you retain your situation, sir; but you perceive how my +Lady concludes her letter." + +"An old song, Betty, which she sings whenever the coin does not come +in fast enough to content her. She does not mean what she says; I +know Urania of old. No; I will write back to her, thanking her for +her good offices, but telling her my little girl is too young to be +launched into the world as yet. Though if it were Harriet, she might +not be unwilling." + +"Harriet would be transported at the idea; but it is not she whom the +Lady wants. And indeed I had rather trust little Aurelia to take care +of herself than poor Harriet." + +"We shall see! We shall see! Meantime, do not broach the subject to +your sisters." + +Betty assented, and departed with a heavy heart, feeling that, whatever +her father might believe, the choice would be between the sacrifice of +Aurelia or of her father's agency, which would involve the loss of home, +of competence, and of the power of breeding up her darling Eugene +according to his birth. She did not even know what her father had +written, and could only go about her daily occupations like one under +a weight, listening to her sisters' prattle about their little plans +with a strange sense that everything was coming to an end, and +constantly weighing the comparative evils of yielding or refusing +Aurelia. + +No one would have more valiantly faced poverty than Elizabeth Delavie, +had she alone been concerned. Cavalier and Jacobite blood was in her +veins, and her unselfish character had been trained by a staunch and +self-devoted mother. But her father's age and Eugene's youth made +her waver. She might work her fingers to the bone, and live on +oatmeal, to give her father the comforts he required; but to have +Eugene brought down from his natural station was more than she could +endure. His welfare must be secured at the cost not only of Aurelia's +sweet presence, but of her happiness; and Betty durst not ask herself +what more she dreaded, knowing too that she would probably be quite +incapable of altering her father's determination whatever it might be, +and that he was inclined to trust Lady Belamour. The only chance of +his refusal was that he should take alarm at the manner of requiring +his daughter from him. + + + + +CHAPTER V. THE SUMMONS. + + + But when the King knew that the thing must be, + And that no help there was in this distress, + He bade them have all things in readiness + To take the maiden out.--MORRIS. + + +The second Sunday of suspense had come. The Sundays of good young +ladies little resembled those of a century later, though they were not +devoid of a calm peacefulness, worthy of the "sweet day, so cool, so +calm, so bright." The inhabited rooms of the old house looked bright +and festal; there were fresh flowers in the pots, honey as well as +butter on the breakfast table. The Major and Palmer were both in full +uniform, wonderfully preserved. Eugene, a marvel of prettiness, with +his curled hair and little velvet coat, contrived by his sisters out +of some ancestral hoard. Betty wore thick silk brocade from the same +store; Harriet a fresh gay chintz over a crimson skirt, and Aurelia +was in spotless white, with a broad blue sash and blue ribbons in her +hat, for her father liked to see her still a child; so her hair was +only tied with blue, while that of her sisters was rolled over a +cushion, and slightly powdered. + +The church was so near that the Major could walk thither, leaning on +his stout crutch-handled stick, and aided by his daughter's arm, as +he proceeded down the hawthorn lane, sweet with the breath of May, +exchanging greetings with whole families of the poor, the fathers in +smock frocks wrought with curious needlework on the breast and back, +the mothers in high-crowned hats and stout dark blue woollen gowns, +the children, either patched or ragged, and generally barefooted, but +by no means ill-fed. + +No Sunday school had been invented. The dame who hobbled along in +spectacles, dropping a low curtsey to the "quality," taught the +hornbook and the primer to a select few of the progeny of the farmers +and artisans, and the young ladies would no more have thought of +assisting her labours than the blacksmith's. They only clubbed their +pocket money to clothe and pay the schooling of one little orphan, +who acknowledged them by a succession of the lowest bobs as she +trotted past, proud as Margery Twoshoes herself of the distinction +of being substantially shod. + +The church was small, and with few pretensions to architecture at the +best. It had been nearly a ruin, when, stirred by the Major, the +church-wardens had taken it in hand, so that, owing to Richard Stokes +and John Ball, as they permanently declared in yellow letters on a +blue ground, the congregation were no longer in danger of the roof +admitting the rain or coming down on the congregation. They had +further beautified the place with a huge board of the royal arms, and +with Moses and Aaron in white cauliflower wigs presiding over the +tables of the Commandments. Four long dark, timber pews and numerous +benches, ruthlessly constructed out of old carvings, occupied the +aisle, and the chancel was more than half filled with the lofty +"closet" of the Great House family. Hither the Delavie family betook +themselves, and on her way Betty was startled by the recognition, in +the seat reserved for the servants, of a broad back and curled wig +that could belong to no one but Jonah Dove. She did her utmost to +keep her mind from dwelling on what this might portend, though she +followed the universal custom by exchanging nods and curtsies with +the Duckworth family as she sailed up the aisle at the head of the +little procession. + +There was always a little doubt as to who would serve the church. +One of the Canons was the incumbent, and the curate was Mr. Arden, +the scientific minor canon, but when his services were required at +the cathedral, one of his colleagues would supply his place, usually +in a sadly perfunctory manner. However, he was there in person, as +his voice, a clear and pleasant one, showed the denizens of the +"closet," for they could not see out of it, except where Eugene had +furtively enlarged a moth-eaten hole in the curtain, through which, +when standing on the seat, he could enjoy an oblique view of the back +of an iron-moulded surplice and a very ill-powdered wig. This was a +comfort to him. It would have been more satisfactory to have been +able to make out whence came the stentorian A-men, that responded to +the parson, totally unaccompanied save by the good Major, who always +read his part almost as loud as the clerk, from a great octavo prayer- +book, bearing on the lid the Delavie arms with coronet, supporters, +and motto, "_Ma Vie et ma Mie_." It would have been thought unladylike, +if not unscriptural, to open the lips in church; yet, for all her +silence, good Betty was striving to be devout and attentive, praying +earnestly for her little sister's safety, and hailing as a kind of +hopeful augury this verse from the singers-- + + + "At home, abroad, in peace, in war + Thy God shall thee defend, + Conduct thee through life's pilgrimage + Safe to the journey's end." + + +Much cannot be said for the five voices that sang, nor for the two +fiddles that accompanied them. Eugene had scarcely outgrown his +terror at the strains, and still required Aurelia to hold his hand, +under pretext of helping him to follow the words, not an easy thing, +since the last lines were always repeated three or four times. + +Somehow the repetition brought them the more home to Betty's heart, +and they rang consolingly in her ears, all through the sermon, of +which she took in so little that she never found out that it was an +elaborate exposition of the Newtonian philosophy, including Mr. +Arden's views of the miracle at the battle Beth-horon, in the Lesson +for the day. + +The red face and Belamour livery looked doubly ominous when she came +out of church, but she had to give her arm to her father till they +were overtaken by Mr. Arden, who always shared the Sunday roast beef +and plum pudding. Betty feared it was the best meal he had in the +week, for he lived in lodgings, and his landlady was not too careful +of his comforts, while he was wrapped up in his books and experiments. +There was a hole singed in the corner of his black gown, which Eugene +pointed out with great awe to Aurelia as they walked behind him. + +"See there, Aura. Don't you think he has been raising spirits, like +Friar Bacon?" + +"What do you know about Friar Bacon?" asked Harriet. + +"He is in a little book that I bought of the pedlar. He had a brazen +head that said-- + + 'Time is, + Time was, + Time will be.' + +I wonder if Mr. Arden would show me one like it." + +"You ridiculous little fellow to believe such trash!" said Harriet. + +"But, Hatty, he can really light a candle without a tinder-box," said +Eugene. "His landlady told Palmer so; and Palmer says the Devil flew +away with Friar Bacon; but my book says he burnt all his books and +gave himself to the study of divinity, and dug his grave with his +own nails." + +"Little boys should not talk of such things on Sundays," said Harriet, +severely. + +"One does talk of the Devil on Sunday, for he is in the catechism," +returned Eugene. "If he carries Mr. Arden off, do you think there +will be a great smoke, and that folk will see it?" + +Aurelia's silvery peal of laughter fell sadly upon Betty's ears in +front, and her father and Mr. Arden turned to ask what made them so +merry. Aurelia blushed in embarrassment, but Harriet was ready. + +"You will think us very rude, Sir, but my little brother has been +reading the life of Friar Bacon, and he thinks you an equally great +philosopher." + +"Indeed, my little master, you do me too much honour. You will soon +be a philosopher yourself. I did not expect so much attention in so +young an auditor," said mr. Arden, thinking this the effect of his +sermon on the solar system. + +Whereupon Eugene begged to inspect the grave he was digging with his +own nails. + +They were at home by this time, and Betty was aware that they had been +followed at a respectful distance by Palmer and the coachman. Anxious +as she was, she could not bear that her father's dinner should be +spoilt, or that he, in his open-hearted way, should broach the matter +with Mr. Arden; so she repaired to the garden gate, and on being told +that Mr. Dove had a packet from my Lady for the Major, she politely +invited him to dinner with the servants, and promised that her father +should see him afterwards. + +This gave a long respite, since the servants had the reversion of the +beef, so the Mr. Arden had taken leave, and gone to see a bedridden +pauper, and the Major had time for his forty winks, while Betty, +though her heart throbbed hard beneath her tightly-laced boddice, +composed herself to hear Eugene's catechism, and the two sisters, +each with a good book, slipped out to the honeysuckle arbour in the +garden behind the house. Harriet had _Sherlock in Death_, her +regular Sunday study, though she never got any further than the +apparition of Mrs. Veal, over which she gloated in a dreamy state; +Aurelia's study was a dark-covered, pale-lettered copy of the _Ikon +Basilike_, with the strange attraction that youth has to pain and +sorrow, and sat musing over the resigned outpourings of the perplexed +and persecuted king, with her bright eyes fixed on the deep blue sky, +and the honeysuckle blossoms gently waving against it, now and then +visited by bee or butterfly, while through the silence came the +throbbing notes of the nightingale, followed by its jubilant burst +of glee, and the sweet distant chime of the cathedral bells rose and +fell upon the wind. What peace and repose there was in all the air, +even in the gentle breeze, and the floating motions of the swallows +skimming past. + +The stillness was first broken by the jangle of their own little church +bell, for Mr. Arden was a more than usually diligent minister, and +always gave two services when he was not in course at the cathedral. +The young ladies always attended both, but as Harriet and Aurelia +crossed the lawn, their brother ran to meet them, saying, "We are +not to wait for sister." + +"I hope my papa is well," said Aurelia. + +"Oh yes," said Eugene, "but the man in the gold-laced hat has been +speaking with him. Palmer says it is Mrs. Dove's husband, and he is +going to take Lively Tom and Brown Bet and the two other colts to +London. He asked if I should like to ride a-cockhorse there with +him. 'Dearly,' I said, and then he laughed and said it was not my +turn, but he should take Miss Aurelia instead." + +Aurelia laughed, and Harriet said, "Extremely impudent." + +Little she guessed what Betty was at that moment reading. + +"I am astonished," wrote Lady Belamour to her cousin, "that you +should decline so highly advantageous an Offer for your Daughter. +I can only understand it as a Token that you desire no further +Connection with, nor Favour from me; and I shall therefore require +of you to give up the Accounts, and vacate the House by Michaelmas +next ensuing. However, as I am willing to allow some excuse for the +Weakness of parental Affection, if you change your Mind within the +next Week and send up your Daughter with Dove and his Wife, I will +overlook your first hasty and foolish Refusal, ungrateful as it was, +and will receive your Daughter and give her all the Advantages I +promised. Otherwise your Employment is at an end, and you had +better prepare your Accounts for Hargrave's Inspection." + +"There is no help for it then," said Betty. + +"And if it be for the child's advantage, we need not make our moan," +said her father. "'Tis like losing the daylight out of our house, +but we must not stand in the way of her good." + +"If I were only sure it is for her good!" + +"Why, child, there's scarce a wench in the county who would not go +down on her knees for such a chance. See what Madam Duckworth would +say to it for Miss Peggy!" + +Betty said no more. The result of her cogitations had been that since +Aurelia must be yielded for the sake of her father and Eugene, it was +better not to disturb him with fears, which would only anger him at +the moment and disquiet him afterwards. She was likewise reassured +by Mrs. Dove's going with her, since that good woman had been nurse +to the little Belamour cousins now deceased, and was well known as +an excellent and trustworthy person, so that, if she were going to +act in the same capacity to my Lady's second family, Aurelia would +have a friend at hand. So the Major cheated his grief by greeting +the church-goers with the hilarious announcement-- + +"Here's great news! What says my little Aura to going London to my +Lady's house." + +"O Sir! are you about to take us." + +"Not I! My Lady wants pretty young maidens, not battered old soldiers." + +"Nor my sisters? O then, if you please, Sir, I would rather not go!" + +"Silly children cannot choose! No, no, Aura, you must go out and see +the world, and come back to us such a belle that your poor old father +will scarce know you." + +"I do not wish to be a belle," said the girl. "O Sir, let me stay +with you and sister." + +"Do not be so foolish, Aura," put in Harriet. "It will be the making +of you. I wish I had the offer." + +"O Harriet, could not you go instead?" + +"No, Aurelia," said Betty. "There is no choice, and you must be a +good girl and not vex my father." + +The gravity of her eldest sister convinced Aurelia that entreaties +would be vain, and there was soon a general outburst of assurances +that she would see all that was delightful in London, the lions in +the Tower, the new St. Paul's, the monuments, Ranelagh, the court +ladies, may be, the King and Queen themselves; until she began to +feel exhilarated and pleased at the prospect and the distinction. + +Then came Monday and the bustle of preparing her wardrobe. The main +body of it was to be sent in the carrier's waggon, for she was to +ride on a pillion behind Mr. Dove, and could only take a valise upon +a groom's horse. There was no small excitement in the arrangement, +and in the farewells to the neighbours, who all agreed with Harriet +in congratulating the girl on her promotion. Betty did her part with +all her might, washed lace, and trimmed sleeves, and made tuckers, +giving little toilette counsels, while her heart ached sorely all +the time. + +When she could speak to Mrs. Dove alone, she earnestly besought that +old friend to look after the child, her health, her dress, and above +all to supply here lack of experience and give her kind counsel and +advice. + +"I will indeed, ma'am, as though she were my own," promised Mrs. Dove. + +"O nurse, I give my sweet jewel to your care; you know what a great +house in London is better than I do. You will warn her of any danger." + +"I will do my endeavour, ma'am. We servants see and hear much, and +if any harm should come nigh the sweet young miss, I'll do my best +for her." + +"Thank you, nurse, I shall never, never see her more in her free +artless childishness," said Betty, sobbing as if her heart would +break; "but oh, nurse, I can bear the thought better since I have +known that you would be near her." + +And at night, when her darling nestled for the last time in her arms, +the elder sister whispered her warnings. Her knowledge of the great +world was limited, but she believed it to be a very wicked place, and +she profoundly distrusted her brilliant kinswoman; yet her warnings +took no shape more definite than--"My dearest sister will never +forget her prayers nor her Bible." There was a soft response and +fresh embrace at each pause. "Nor play cards of a Sunday, nor ever +play high. And my Aura must be deaf to rakish young beaux and their +compliments. They never mean well by poor pretty maids. If you +believe them, they will only mock, flout, and jeer you in the end. +And if the young baronet should seek converse with you, promise me, +oh, promise me, Aurelia, to grant him no favour, no, not so much as +to hand him a flower, or stand chatting with him unknown to his +mother. Promise me again, child, for naught save evil can come of +any trifling between you. And, Aurelia, go to Nurse Dove in all +your difficulties. She can advise you where your poor sister cannot. +It will ease my heart if I know that my child will attend to her. +You will not let yourself be puffed up with flattery, nor be offended +if she be open and round with you. Think that your poor sister Betty +speaks in her. Pray our old prayers, go to church, and read your +Psalms and Lessons daily, and oh! never, never cheat your conscience. +O may God, in His mercy, keep my darling!" + +So Aurelia cried herself to sleep, while Betty lay awake till the early +hour in the morning when all had to be prepared for the start. There +was to be a ride of an hour and a half before breakfast so as to give +the horses a rest. It was a terrible separation, in many respects more +complete than if Aurelia had been going, in these days, to America; +for communication by letter was almost as slow, and infinitely more +expensive. + +No doubt the full import of what he had done had dawned even on Major +Delavie during the watches of that last sorrowful night, for he came +out a pale, haggard man, looking as if his age had doubled since he +went to bed, wrapped in his dressing gown, his head covered with his +night-cap, and leaning heavily on his staff. He came charged with one +of the long solemn discourses which parents were wont to bestow on +their children as valedictions, but when Aurelia, in her camlet riding +cloak and hood, brought her tear-stained face to crave his blessing, he +could only utter broken fragments. "Bless thee my child! Take heed +to yourself and your ways. It is a bad world, beset with temptations. +Oh! heaven forgive me for sending my innocent lamb out into it. Oh! +what would your blessed mother say?" + +"Dear sir," said Betty, who had wept out her tears, and was steadily +composed now, "this is no time to think of that. We must only cheer +up our darling, and give her good counsel. If she keep to what her +Bible, her catechism and her conscience tell her, she will be a good +girl, and God will protect her." + +"True, true, your sister is right; Aura, my little sweetheart, I had +much to say to you, but it is all driven out of my poor old head." + +"Aura! Aura! the horses are coming! Ten of them!" shouted Eugene. +"Come along! Oh! if I were but going! How silly of you to cry; +_I_ don't." + +"There! there! Go my child, and God in His mercy protect you!" + +Aurelia in speechless grief passed from the arms of one sister to the +embrace of the other, hugged Eugene, was kissed by Nannerl, who forced +a great piece of cake into her little bag, and finally was lifted to +her pillion cushion by Palmer, who stole a kiss of her hand before +Dove put his horse in motion, while Betty was still commending her +sister to his wife's care, and receiving reiterated promises of care. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. DISAPPOINTED LOVE. + + + I know thee well, thy songs and sighs, + A wicked god thou art; + And yet, most pleasing to the eyes, + And witching to the heart. + W. MACKWORTH PRAED. + + +The house was dull when Aurelia was gone. Her father was ill at ease +and therefore testy, Betty too sore at heart to endure as cheerfully +as usual his unwonted ill-humour. Harriet was petulant, and Eugene +troublesome, and the two were constantly jarring against one another, +since the one missed her companion, the other his playmate; and they +were all more sensible than ever how precious and charming an element +was lost to the family circle. + +On the next ensuing Sunday, Eugene had made himself extremely obnoxious +to Harriet, by persisting in kicking up the dust, and Betty, who had +gone on before with her father, was availing herself of the shelter +of the great pew to brush with a sharp hand the dust from the little +legs, when, even in the depths of their seclusion, the whole party were +conscious of a sort of breathless sound of surprise and admiration, a +sweep of bows and curtsies, and the measured tread of boots and clank +of sword and spurs coming nearer--yes, to the very chancel. Their +very door was opened by the old clerk with the most obsequious of +reverences, and there entered a gorgeous vision of scarlet and gold, +bowing gracefully with a wave of a cocked and plumed hat! + +The Major started, and was moving out of his corner--the seat of honour +--but the stranger forbade this by another gesture, and took his place, +after standing for a moment with his face hidden in his hat. Then he +took an anxious survey, not without an almost imperceptible elevation +of eyebrow and shoulder, as if disappointed, and accepted the Prayer- +book, which the Major offered him. + +Betty kept her eyes glued to her book, and when that was not in +use, upon the mittened hands crossed before her, resolute against +distraction, and every prayer turning into a petition for her sister's +welfare; but Eugene gazed, open-eyed and open-mouthed, oblivious of +his beloved hole, and Harriet, though keeping her lids down, and +her book open, contrived to make a full inspection of the splendid +apparition. + +It was tall and slight, youthfully undeveloped, yet with the grace +of personal symmetry, high breeding, and military training, upright +without stiffness, with a command and dexterity of movement which +prevented the sword and spurs from being the annoyance to his pew- +mates that country awkwardness usually made these appendages. The +spurs were on cavalry boots, guarding the knee, and met by white +buckskins, both so little dusty that there could have been no journey +that morning. The bright gold-laced scarlet coat of the Household +troops entirely effaced the Major's old Austrian uniform; and over +it, the hair, of a light golden brown, was brushed back, tied with +black ribbon, and hung down far behind in a queue, only leaving +little gold rings curling on the brow and temples. The face was +modelled like a cameo, faultless in the outlines, with a round +peach-like fresh contour and bloom on the fair cheek, which had +much of the child, though with a firmness in the lip, and strength +in the brow, that promised manliness. Indeed there was a wonderful +blending of the beauty of manhood and childhood about the youth; +and his demeanour was perfectly decorous and reverent, no small +merit in a young officer and London beau. Indeed Betty could +almost have forgotten his presence, if gleams from his glittering +equipments had not kept glancing before her eyes, turn them where +she would, and if Mr. Arden's sermon had not been of Solomon's +extent of natural philosophy, and so full of Hebrew, Greek, and +Latin that she could not follow it at all. + +After the blessing, the young gentleman, with a bow, the pink of +courtesy, offered a hand to lead her out, nor could she refuse, though, +to use her own expression, she hated the absurdity of mincing down the +aisle with a fine young spark looking like her grandson; while her poor +father had to put up with Harriet's arm. Outside came the greetings, +the flourish of the hat, the "I may venture to introduce myself, and to +beg of you, sir, and of my fair cousins to excuse my sudden intrusion." + +"No apology can be needed for your appearance in your own pew, Sir +Amyas," said the Major with outstretched hand; "it did my heart good +to see you there!" + +"I would not have taken you thus by surprise," continued the youth, +"but one of my horses lost a shoe yesterday, and we were constrained +to halt at Portkiln for the night, and ride on this morning. Herries +went on to the Deanery, and I hoped to have seen you before church, +but found you had already entered." + +Portkiln was so near, that this Sabbath day's journey did not scandalise +Betty, and her father eagerly welcomed his kinsman, and insisted that +he should go no farther. Sir Amyas accepted the invitation, nothing +loth, only asking, with a little courtly diffidence, if it might not +be convenient for him to sleep at the Great House, and begging the +ladies to excuse his riding dress. + +His eyes wandered anxiously as though in search of something in the +midst of all his civility, and while the Major was sending Eugene +to bring Mr. Arden--who was hanging back at the churchyard gate, +unwilling to thrust himself forward--the faltering question was put, +while the cheeks coloured like a girl's, "I hope my fair partner, +my youngest cousin, Miss Aurelia Delavie, is in good health?" + +"We hope so, sir, thank you," returned Betty; "but she left us six +days ago." + +"Left you!" he repeated, in consternation that overpowered his +courtliness. + +"Yes, sir," said Harriet, "my Lady, your mother, has been good enough +to send for her to London." + +"My Lady!" he murmured to himself; "I never thought of that! How and +when did she go?" + +The answer was interrupted by the Major coming up "Sir Amyas Belamour, +permit me to present to you the Reverend Richard Arden, the admirable +divine to whom we are beholden for the excellent and learned discourse +of this morning. You'll not find such another scholar in all +Carminster." + +"I am highly honoured," returned the baronet, with a bow in return for +Mr. Arden's best obeisance, such as it was; and Harriet, seeing Peggy +Duckworth in the distance, plumed herself on her probable envy. + +Before dinner was served Sir Amyas had obtained the information as to +Aurelia's departure, and even as to the road she had taken, and he had +confessed that, "Of course he had write to his mother that he had danced +with the most exquisitely beautiful creature he had ever seen, and that +he longed to know his cousins better." No doubt his mother, having +been thus reminded of her connections, had taken the opportunity of +summoning Aurelia to London to give her the advantages of living in +her household and acquiring accomplishments. The lad was so much +delighted at the prospect of enjoying her society that he was almost +consoled for not finding her at the Manor House; and his elaborate +courtesy became every moment less artificial and more affectionate, +as the friendly atmosphere revealed that the frankness and simplicity +of the boy had not been lost, captain in the dragoon guards as he was, +thanks to interest, though he had scarcely yet joined his troop. He +had been with a tutor in the country, until two years ago, when his +stepfather, Mr. Wayland, had taken him, still with his tutor, on the +expedition to the Mediterranean. He had come home from Gibraltar, and +joined his regiment only a few weeks before setting out with his friend +Captain Herries, to visit Battlefield, Lady Aresfield's estate in +Monmouthshire. He was quartered in the Whitehall barracks, but could +spend as much time as he pleased at his mother's house in Hanover +Square. + +Betty's mind misgave her as she saw the brightening eye with which he +said it; but she could not but like the youth himself, he was so bright, +unspoilt, and engaging that she could not think him capable of doing +wilful wrong to her darling. Yet how soon would the young soldier, +plunged into the midst of fashionable society, learn to look on the +fair girl with the dissipated eyes of his associates? There was some +comfort in finding that Mr. Wayland was expected to return in less +than a year, and that his stepson seemed to regard him with unbounded +respect, as a good, just, and wise man, capable of everything! Indeed +Sir Amyas enlightened Mr. Arden on the scientific construction of some +of Mr. Wayland's inventions so as to convince both the clergyman and +the soldier that the lad himself was no fool, and had profited by his +opportunities. + +Major Delavie produced his choice Tokay, a present from an old Hungarian +brother-officer, and looked happier than since Aurelia's departure. He +was no match-maker, and speculated on no improbable contingencies for +his daughter, but he beheld good hopes for the Delavie property and +tenants in an heir such as this, and made over his simple loyal heart +to the young man. Presently he inquired whether the unfortunate Mr. +Belamour still maintained his seclusion. + +"Yes, sir," was the reply. "He still lives in two dark rooms with +shutters and curtains excluding every ray of light. He keeps his bed +for the greater part of the day, but sometimes, on a very dark night, +will take a turn on the terrace." + +"Poor gentleman!" said Betty. "Has he no employment or occupation?" + +"Mr. Wayland contrived a raised chess and draught board, and persuaded +him to try a few games before we went abroad, but I do not know whether +he has since continued it." + +"Does he admit any visits?" + +"Oh no. He has been entirely shut up, except from the lawyer, +Hargrave, on business. Mr. Wayland, indeed, strove to rouse him from +his despondency, but without success, except that latterly he became +willing to receive him." + +"Have you ever conversed with him?" + +There was an ingenuous blush as the young man replied. "I fear I must +confess myself remiss. Mr. Wayland has sometimes carried me with him +to see my uncle, but not with my good will, and my mother objected lest +it should break my spirits. However, when I left Gibraltar, my good +father charged me to endeavour from time to time to enliven my uncle's +solitude, but there were impediments to my going to him, and I take +shame to myself for not having striven to overcome them." + +"Rightly spoken, my young kinsman," cried the Major. "There are no +such impediments as a man's own distaste." + +"And pity will remove that," said Betty. + +Soon after the removal of the cloth the ladies withdrew, and Eugene +was called to his catechism, but he was soon released, for the Tokay +had made her father sleepy, while it seemed to have emboldened Mr. +Arden, since he came forth with direct intent to engross Harriet; and +Sir Amyas wandered towards Betty, apologising for the interruption. + +"It is a rare occasion," said she as her pupil scampered away. + +"Happy child, to be taught by so good a sister," said the young +baronet, regretfully. + +"Your young half-brothers and sisters must be of about the same age," +said Betty. + +"My little brother, Archer, is somewhat younger. He is with my mother +in London, the darling of the ladies, who think him a perfect beauty, +and laugh at all his mischievous pranks. As to my little sisters, you +will be surprised to hear that I have only seen them once, when I rode +with their father to see them at the farm houses at which they are +nursed." + +"No doubt they are to be fetched home, since Mrs. Dove is gone to wait +on them, and my Lady said something of intending my sister to be with +her young children." + +"Nay, she must have no such troublesome charge. My mother cannot +intend anything of the kind. I shall see that she is treated as---" + +Betty, beginning to perceive that he knew as little of his own mother +as did the rest of his sex, here interrupted him. "Excuse me, sir, I +doubt not of your kind intentions, but let me speak, for Aurelia is a +very precious child to me, and I am afraid that any such attempt on +your part might do her harm rather than good. She must be content +with the lot of a poor dependant." + +"Never!" he exclaimed. "She is a Delavie; and besides, no other ever +shall be my wife." + +"Hush, hush!" Betty had been saying before the words were out of his +"You are but a silly boy, begging your Honour's pardon, though you +speak, I know, with all your heart. What would your Lady mother say +or do to my poor little sister if she heard you?" + +"She could but send her home, and then flood and fire could not hold +me from her." + +"I wish that were the worst she could do. No, Sir Amyas Belamour, if +you have any kindness for the poor helpless girl under your mother's +roof, you will make no advance to excite alarm or anger against her. +Remember it is she who will be the sufferer and not yourself. The +woman, however guiltless, is sure to fall under suspicion and bear +the whole penalty. And oh! what would become of her, defenceless, +simple, unprotected as she is?" + +"Yet you sent her!" said he. + +"Yes," said Betty, sadly, "because there was no other choice between +breaking with my Lady altogether." + +He made an ejaculation under his breath, half sad, half violent, and +exclaimed, "Would that I were of age, or my father were returned." + +"But now you know all, you will leave my child in peace," said Betty. + +"What, you would give me no hope!" + +"Only such as you yourself have held out," said Betty. "When you are +your own master, if you keep in the same mind till then, and remain +truly worthy, I cannot tell what my father would answer." + +"I am going to speak to him this very day. I came with that intent." + +"Do no such thing, I entreat," cried Betty. "He would immediately +think it his duty to inform my Lady. Then no protestation would +persuade her that we had not entrapped your youth and innocence. +His grey head would be driven out without shelter, and what +might not be the consequence to my sister? You could not help us, +and could only make it worse. No, do nothing rash, incautious, or +above all, disobedient. It would be self-love, not true love that +would risk bringing her into peril and trouble when she is far out +of reach of all protection." + +"Trust me, trust me, Cousin Betty," cried the youth. "Only let me hope, +and I'll be caution itself; but oh! what an endless eternity is two +years to wait without a sign!" + +But here appeared the Major, accompanied by Captain Herries and Dean +Churchill, who had ordered out his coach, Sunday though it were, to +pay his respects to my Lady's son, and carry him and his hosts back +to sup at the Deanery. It was an age of adulation, but Betty was +thankful that perilous conversations were staved off. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. ALL ALONE. + + + By the simplicity of Venus' doves. + _Merchant of Venice_. + + +That Sunday was spent by Aurelia at the Bear Inn, at Reading. Her +journey had been made by very short stages, one before breakfast, +another lasting till noon, when there was a long halt for dinner +and rest for horse and rider, and then another ride, never even in +these longest summer days prolonged beyond six or seven o'clock at +latest, such was the danger of highwaymen being attracted by the +valuable horses, although the grooms in charge were so well armed +that they might almost as well have been troopers. + +The roads, at that time of year, were at their best, and Aurelia +and Mrs. Dove were mounted on steady old nags, accustomed to pillions. +Aurelia could have ridden single, but this would not have been thought +fitting on a journey with no escort of her own rank, and when she +mounted she was far too miserable to care for anything but hiding +her tearful face behind Mr. Dove's broad shoulders. Mrs. Dove was +perched behind a wiry, light-weighted old groom, whom she kept in +great order, much to his disgust. + +After the first wretchedness, Aurelia's youthful spirits had begun to +revive, and the novel scenes to awaken interest. The Glastonbury thorn +was the first thing she really looked at. The Abbey was to her only +an old Gothic melancholy ruin, not worthy of a glance, but the breezy +air of the Cheddar Hills, the lovely cliffs, and the charm of the open +country, with its strange islands of hills dotted about, raised her +spirits, as she rode through the meadows where hay was being tossed, +and the scent came fragrant on the breeze. Mr. Dove would tell her +over his shoulder the names of places and their owners when they came +to parks bordering the road, and castles "bosomed high in the tufted +trees." Or he would regale her with legends of robberies and point +to the frightful gibbets, one so near to the road that she shut her +eyes and crouched low behind him to avoid seeing the terrible burthen. +She had noted the White Horse, and shuddered at the monument at Devizes +commemorating the judgment on the lying woman, and a night had been +spent at Marlborough that "Miss" might see a strolling company of +actors perform in a barn; but as the piece was the _Yorksire Tragedy_, +the ghastly performance overcame her so completely that Mrs. Dove had +to take her away, declaring that no inducement should ever take her to +a theatre again. + +Mr. Dove was too experienced a traveller not to choose well his +quarters for the night, and Aurelia slept in the guest chambers +shining with cleanliness and scented with lavender, Mrs. Dove always +sharing her room. "Miss" was treated with no small regard, as a lady +of the good old blood, and though the coachman and his wife talked +freely with her, they paid her all observance, never ate at the same +table, and provided assiduously for her comfort and pleasure. Once +they halted a whole day because even Mr. Dove was not proof against +the allurements of a bull-baiting, though he carefully explained +that he only made a concession to the grooms to prevent them from +getting discontented, and went himself to the spectacle to hinder +them from getting drunk, in which, be it observed, he did not succeed. + +So much time was spent on thus creeping from stage to stage that +Aurelia had begun to feel as if the journey had been going on for ages, +and as if worlds divided her from her home, when on Sunday she timidly +preceded Mrs. Dove into Reading Abbey Church, and afterwards was shown +where rolled Father Thames. The travellers took early morning with +them for Maidenhead Thicket, and breakfasted on broiled trout at the +King's Arms at Maidenhead Bridge, while Aurelia felt her eye filled +with the beauty of the broad glassy river, and the wooded banks, and +then rose onwards, looking with loyal awe at majestic Windsor, where +the flag was flying. They slept at a poor little inn a Longford, +rather than cross Hounslow Heath in the evening, and there heard all +the last achievements of the thieves, so that Aurelia, in crossing the +next day, looked to see a masked highwayman start out of every bush; +but they came safely to the broad archway of the inn at Knightsbridge, +their last stage. Mrs. Dove took her charge up stairs at once to +refresh her toilette, before entering London and being presented to +my Lady. + +But a clattering and stamping were heard in the yard, and Aurelia, +looking from the window, called Mrs. Dove to see four horses being +harnessed to a coach that was standing there. + +"Lawk-a-day?" cried the good woman, "if it be not our own old coach, +as was the best in poor Sir Jovian's time! Ay, there be our colours, +you see, blue and gold, and my Lady's quartering. Why, 'twas atop of +that very blue hammercloth that I first set eyes on my Dove! So my +Lady has sent to meet you, Missie. Well, I do take it kind of her. +Now you will not come in your riding hood, all frowsed and dusty, but +can put on your pretty striped sacque and blue hood that you wore on +Sunday, and look the sweet pretty lady you are." + +Mrs. Dove's intentions were frustrated, for the maid of the inn knocked +at the door with a message that the coach had orders not to wait, but +that Miss was to come down immediately. + +"Dear, dear!" sighed Mrs. DOve. "Tell the jackanapes not to be so +hasty. He must give the young lady time to change her dress, and eat +a mouthful." + +This brought Dove up to the door. "Never mind dressing and fallals," +he said; "this is a strange fellow that says he is hired for the job, +and his orders are precise. Miss must take a bit of cake in her hand. +Come, dame, you have not lived so long in my Lady's service as to +forget what it is to cross her will, or keep her waiting." + +Therewith he hurried Aurelia down stairs, his wife being in such a +state of _deshabille_ that she could not follow. He handed the young +lady into the carriage, gave her a parcel of slices of bread and meat, +with a piece of cake, shut the door, and said, "Be of good heart, +Missie, we'll catch you up by the time you are in the square. All +right!" + +Off went Aurelia in solitude, within a large carriage, once gaily +fitted though now somewhat faded and tarnished. She was sorry to be +parted from the Doves, whom she wanted to give her courage for the +introduction to my Lady, and to explain to her the wonders of the +streets of London, which she did not _quite_ expect to see paved +with gold! She ate her extemporised meal, gazing from the window, +and expecting to see houses and churches thicken on her, and hurrying +to brush away her crumbs, and put on her gloves lest she should arrive +unawares, for she had counted half-a-dozen houses close together. +No! here was another field! More fields and houses. The signs of +habitation were, so far from increasing, growing more scanty, and +looked strangely like what she had before passed. Could this be the +right road! How foolish to doubt, when this was my Lady's own coach. +But oh, that it had waited for Mrs. Dove! She would beg her to get +in when the riders overtook her. When would they? No sign of them +could be seen from the windows, and here were more houses. Surely +this was Turnham Green again, or there must be another village green +exactly like it in the heart of London. How many times did not poor +Aurelia go through all these impressions in the course of the drive. +She was absolutely certain that she was taken through Brentford again, +this time without a halt; but after this the country became unknown +to her, and the road much worse. It was in fact for the most part +a mere ditch or cart track, so rough that the four horses came to a +walk. Aurelia had read no novels but _Telemaque_ and _Le Grand Cyrus_, +so her imagination was not terrified by tales of abduction, but alarm +began to grow upon her. She much longed to ask the coachman whither +he was taking her, but the check string had been either worn out or +removed; she could not open the door from within, nor make him hear, +and indeed she was a little afraid of him. + +Twilight began to come on; it was much later than Mr. Dove had ever +ventured to be out, but here at last there was a pause, and the swing +of a gate, the road was smoother and she seemed to be in a wood, +probably private ground. On and on, for an apparently interminable +time, went the coach with the wearied and affrighted girl, through +the dark thicket, until at last she emerged, into a park, where she +could again see the pale after-glow of the sunset, and presently she +found herself before a tall house, perfectly dark, with strange +fantastic gables and chimneys, ascending far above against the sky. + +All was still as death, except the murmuring caws of the rooks in +their nests, and the chattering shriek of a startled blackbird. The +servant from behind ran up the steps and thundered at the door; it +was opened, a broad line of light shone out, some figures appeared, +and a man in livery came forward to open the carriage door, but to +Aurelia's inexpressible horror, his face was perfectly black, with +negro features, rolling eyes, and great white teeth! + +She hardly knew what she did, the dark carriage was formidable on one +side, the apparition on the other! The only ray of comfort was in +the face of a stout, comely, rosy maid-servant, who was holding the +candle on the threshold, and with one bound the poor traveller +dashed past the black hand held out to help her, and rushing up to +the girl, caught hold of her, and gasped out, "Oh! What is that? +Where am I? Where have they taken me?" + +"Lawk, ma'am," said the girl, with a broad grin, "that 'ere bees only +Mr. Jumbo. A' won't hurt'ee. See, here's Mistress Aylward." + +A tall, white-capped, black-gowned elderly woman turned on the new- +comer a pale, grave, unsmiling face, saying, "Your servant--Miss +Aurelia Delavie, as I understand." + +Bending her head, and scarcely able to steady herself, for she was +shaking from head to foot, Aurelia managed to utter the query, + +"Where am I?" + +"At Bowstead Park, madam, by order of my Lady." + +Much relieved, and knowing this was the Belamour estate, Aurelia said, +"Please let me wait till Mrs. Dove comes before I am presented to my +Lady." + +"My Lady is not here, madam," said Mrs. Aylward. "Allow me--" and +she led the way across a great empty hall, that seemed the vaster +for its obscurity, then along a matted passage, and down some steps +into a room surrounded with presses and cupboards, evidently belonging +to the to the housekeeper. She set a chair for the trembling girl, +saying, "You will excuse the having supper here to-night, madam; the +south parlour will be ready for you to-morrow." + +"Is not Mrs. Dove coming?" faintly asked Aurelia. + +"Mrs. Dove is gone to London to attend on little Master Wayland. You +are to be here with the young ladies, ma'am." + +"What young ladies?" asked the bewildered maiden. + +"My Lady's little daughters--the Misses Wayland. I thought she had +sent you her instructions; but I see you are over wearied and daunted," +she added, more kindly; "you will be better when you have taken some +food. Molly, I say, you sluggard of a wench, bring the lady's supper, +and don't stand gaping there." + +Mrs. Aylward hurried away to hasten operations, and Aurelia began +somewhat to recover her senses, though she was still so much dismayed +that she dreaded to look up lest she should see something frightful, +and started at the first approach of steps. + +A dainty little supper was placed before her, but she was too faint +and sick at heart for appetite, and would have excused herself. +However, Mrs. Aylward severely said she would have no such folly, +filled a glass of wine, and sternly administered it; then setting +her down in a large chair, helped her to a delicate cutlet. She +ate for very fright, but her cheeks and eyes were brightened, the +mists of terror and exhaustion began to clear away, and when she +accepted a second help, she had felt herself reassured that she had +not fallen into unkindly hands. If she could only have met a smile +she would have been easier, but Mrs. Aylward was a woman of sedate +countenance and few words, and the straight set line of lips +encouraged no questioning, so she merely uttered thanks for each +act of hospitality. + +"There! You will take no more roll? You are better, now, but you +will not be sorry to go to your bed," said Mrs. Aylward, taking up +a candle, and guiding her along the passage up a long stair to a +pretty room wainscoted and curtained with fresh white dimity, and +the window showing the young moon pale in the light of the western +sky. + +Bedrooms were little furnished, and this was more luxurious than the +dear old chamber at home, but the girl had never before slept alone, +and she felt unspeakably lonely in the dreariness, longing more than +ever for Betty's kiss--even for Betty's blame--or for a whine from +Harriet; and she positively hungered for a hug from Eugene, as she +gazed timidly at the corners beyond the influence of her candle; and +instead of unpacking the little riding mail she kissed it, and laid +her cheek on it as the only thing that came from home, and burst into +a flood of despairing tears. + +In the midst, there fell on her ears a low strain of melancholy music +rising and falling like the wailing of mournful spirits. She sprang +to her feet and stood listening with dilated eyes; then, as a louder +note reached her, in terror uncontrollable, she caught up her candle, +rushed down the stairs like a wild bird, and stood panting before Mrs. +Aylward, who had a big Bible open on the table before her. + +"Oh, ma'am," she cried, between her panting sobs, "I can't stay there! +I shall die!" + +"What means this, madam?" said Mrs. Aylward, stiffly, making the word +sound much like "foolish child." + +"The--the music!" she managed faintly to utter, falling again into the +friendly chair. + +"The music?" said Mrs. Aylward, considering; then with a shade of +polite contempt, "O! Jumbo's fiddle! I did not know it could be +heard in your room, but no doubt the windows below are open." + +"Is Jumbo that black man?" asked Aurelia, shuddering; for negro +servants, though the fashion in town, had not penetrated into +the west. + +"Mr. Belamour's blackamoor. He often plays to him half the night." + +"Oh!" with another quivering sound of alarm; "is Mr. Belamour the +gentleman in the dark?" + +"Even so, madam, but you need have no fears. He keeps his room and +admits no one, though he sometimes walks out by night. You will only +have to keep the children from a noise making near his apartments. +Good night, madam." + +"Oh, pray, if I do not disturb you, would you be pleased to let me stay +till you have finished your chapter; I might not be so frightened then." + +In common humanity Mrs. Aylward could not refuse, and Aurelia sat +silently grasping the arms of her chair, and trying to derive all +the comfort she could from the presence of a Bible and a good woman. +Her nerves were, in fact, calmed by the interval, and when Mrs. +Aylward took off her spectacles and shut up her book, it had become +possible to endure the terrors of the lonely chamber. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. THE ENCHANTED CASTLE. + + + A little she began to lose her fear.--MORRIS. + + +Aurelia slept till she was wakened by a bounce at the door, and the +rattling of the lock, but it was a little child's voice that was +crying, "I will! I will! I will go in and seem by cousin!" + +Then came Mrs. Aylward's severe voice: "No, miss, you are not to waken +your cousin. Come away. Where is that slut, Jenny?" + +Then there was a scuffle and a howl, as if the child were being +forcibly carried away. Aurelia sprang out of bed, for sunshine was +flooding the room, and she felt accountable for tardiness. She had +made some progress in dressing, when again little hands were on the +lock, little feet kicking the door, and little voices calling, "Let +me in." + +She opened the door, and white nightgowns, all tumbled back one over +the other. + +"My little cousins," she said, "come and kiss me." + +One came forward and lifted up a sweet little pale face, but the other +two stood, each with a finger in the mouth, right across the threshold, +in a manner highly inconvenient to Aurelia, who was only in her stiff +stays and dimity petticoat, with a mass of hair hanging down below her +waist. She turned to them with arms out-stretched, but this put them +instantly to the rout, and they ran off as fast as their bare pink +feet could carry them, till one stumbled, and lay with her face down +and her plump legs kicking in the air. Aurelia caught her up, but +the capture produced a powerful yell, and out, all at once hurried +into the corridor, Mrs. Aylward, a tidy maid servant, a stout, buxom +countrywoman, and a rough girl, scarcely out of bed, but awake enough +to snatch the child out of the young lady's arms, and carry her off. +The housekeeper began scolding vigorously all round, and Aurelia +escaped into her room, where she completed her toilette, looking out +into a garden below, laid out in the formal Dutch fashion, with walks +and beds centring in a fountain, the grass plats as sharply defined +as possible, and stiff yews and cypresses dotted at regular intervals +or forming straight alleys. She felt strange and shy, but the sunshine, +the cheerfulness, and the sight of the children, had reassured her, and +when she had said her morning prayer, she had lost the last night's +sense of hopeless dreariness and unprotectedness. When another knock +came, she opened the door cheerfully, but there was a chill in meeting +Mrs. Aylward's grave, cold face, and stiff salutation. "If you are +ready, madam," she said, "I will show you to the south parlour, where +the children will eat with you." + +Aurelia ventured to ask about her baggage, and was told that it would +be forwarded from Brentford. Mrs. Aylward then led the way to a wide +stone staircase, with handsome carved balusters, leading down into the +great hall, with doors opening from all sides. All was perfectly +empty, and so still, that the sweep of the dresses, and the tap of the +heels made an echo; and the sunshine, streaming in at the large window, +marked out every one upon the floor, in light and shadow, and exactly +repeated the brown-shaded, yellow-framed medallions of painted glass +upon the pavement. There was something awful and oppressive in the +entire absence of all tokens of habitation, among those many closed +doors. + +One, however, at the foot of the stairs was opened by Mrs. Aylward. +It led to a sort of narrow lobby, with a sashed window above a low +door, opening on stone steps down to the terrace and garden. To +the right was an open door, giving admittance to a room hung with +tapestry, with a small carpet in the centre of the floor, and a table +prepared for the morning meal. There was a certain cheerfulness about +it, though it was bare of furniture; but there was an easy chair, a +settee, a long couch, a spinnet, and an embroidery frame, so that +altogether it had capabilities of being lived in. + +"Here you will sit, madam, with the young ladies," said Mrs. Aylward. +"They have a maid-servant who will wait on you, and if you require +anything, you will be pleased to speak to me. My Lady wishes you to +take charge of them, and likewise to execute the piece of embroidery +you will find in that frame, with the materials. This will be your +apartment, and you can take the young ladies into the garden and +park, wherever you please, except that they must not make a noise +before the windows of the other wing, which you will see closed with +shutters, for those are Mr. Belamour's rooms." + +With these words Mrs. Aylward curtsied as if about to retire, Aurelia +held out her hand in entreaty. "Oh, cannot you stay with me?" + +"No, madam, my office is the housekeeper's," was the stiff response. +"Molly will call me if you require my services. I think you said you +preferred bread and milk for breakfast. Dinner will be served at one." + +Mrs. Aylward retreated, leaving a chill on the heart of the lonely girl. + +She was a clergyman's widow, though with no pretensions to gentility, +and was a plain, conscientious, godly woman, but with the narrow self- +concentrated piety of the time, which seemed to ignore all the active +part of the duty to our neighbour. She had lived many years as a +faithful retainer to the Belamour family, and avoided perplexity by +minding no one's business but her own, and that thoroughly. Naturally +reserved, and disapproving much that she saw around her, she had never +held it to be needful to do more than preserve her own integrity, and +the interests of her employers, and she made it a principle to be in +no wise concerned in family affairs, and to hold aloof from perilous +confidences. + +Thus Aurelia was left to herself, till three bowls of milk were borne +in by Molly, who was by no means loth to speak. + +"The little misses will be down directly, ma'am," she said, "that is, +two on 'em. The little one, she won't leave Jenny Bowles, but Dame +Wheatfield, she'll bring down the other two. You see, ma'am, they be +only just taken home from being out at nurse, and don't know one +another, nor the place, and a pretty handful we shall have of 'em." + +Here came a call for Molly, and the girl with a petulant exclamation, +sped away, leaving Aurelia to the society of the tapestry. It was of +that set of Gobelin work which represents the four elements personified +by their goddesses, and Aurelia's mythology, founded on Fenelon, was +just sufficient to enable her to recognise the forge of Vulcan and the +car [chariot--D.L.] of Venus. Then she looked at the work prepared +for her, a creamy piece of white satin, and a most elaborate pattern +of knots of roses, lilacs, hyacinths, and laburnums, at which her heart +sank within her. However, at that moment the stout woman she had seen +in the morning appeared at the open door with a little girl in each +hand, both in little round muslin caps, long white frocks, and blue +sashes. + +One went up readily to Aurelia and allowed herself to be kissed, and +lifted to a chair; the other clung to Dame Wheatfield, in spite of +coaxing entreaties. "Speak pretty, my dear; speak to the pretty lady. +Don't ye see how good your sister is? It won't do, miss," to Aurelia; +"she's daunted, is my pretty lamb. If I might just give her her +breakwist--for it is the last time I shall do it--then she might get +used to you before my good man comes for me." + +Aurelia was only too glad to instal Dame Wheatfield in a chair with +her charge in her lap. The other child was feeding herself very +tidily and independently, and Aurelia asked her if she were the eldest. + +"Yes," she said. + +"And what shall I call you, my dear?" + +"I'm Missy." + +"No, Missy, me--me eldest," cried the other. + +"Bless the poor children!" exclaimed Mrs. Wheatfield, laughing, "they +be both of 'em eldest, as one may say." + +"They are twins, then?" said Aurelia. + +"More than that--all three of them came together! I've heard tell of +such a thing once or twice, but never of all living and thriving. Folk +said it was a judgment on my Lady that she spoke sharp and hard to a +poor beggar woman with a child on each arm. It was not a week out +before my Lady herself was down, quite unexpected, as I may say, for +she was staying here for a week, with a lot of company, when these +three was born. They do say she was nigh beside herself that the like +of that should have happened to her. Mr. Wayland, he was not so ill +pleased, but the poor little things had to be got out of the house any +way, for she could not abear to hear of them. Mrs. Rolfe, as was an +old servant of the family, took that one, and I was right glad to have +you, my pretty one, for I had just lost my babe at a fortnight old, +and the third was sent to Goody Bowles, for want of a better. They +says as how my Lady means to bring them out one by one, and to make +as this here is bigger, and the other up stairs is lesser, and never +let on that they are all of an age." + +The good gossip must have presumed greatly on the children's want of +comprehension if she did not suppose that they understood her at least +as well as the young lady to whom her dialect was strange. + +"And has she not seen them?" + +"Never till last Monday, if you'll believe me miss, when she drove +down in her coach, and the children were all brought home. I thought +she might have said something handsome, considering the poor little +babe as my Missy here was when I had her--not so long as my hand--and +scarce able to cry enough to show she was alive. The work I and my +good man had with her! He would walk up and down half the night with +her. Not as we grudged it. He is as fond of the child as myself; +and Mr. Wayland, he knew it. 'She has a good nurse, dame,' says he +to me, with the water in his eyes, before he went to foreign parts. +But my Lady! When the little one as had been with Goody Bowles--an +ignorant woman, you see--cried and clung to her, and kicked, 'Little +savages all,' says my Lady. There was thanks to them that had had +more work to rear her children than ever with one of her own! 'Perfect +little rustics!' she said, even when you made your curtsey as pretty +as could be, didn't you, my little lammie?" + +"Mammy Rolfe taught me to make my curtsey like a London lady," said +the other child, the most advanced in manners. + +"Aha! little pitchers have long ears; but, bless you, they don't know +what it means," said Dame Wheatfield, too glad to talk to check herself +on any account; "Not so much as a kiss for them, poor little darlings! +Folks say she does not let even Master Wayland kiss aught but her hands +for fear of her fine colours. A plague on such colours, I say." + +"Poor little things!" whispered Aurelia. + +"You'll be good to them, won't you miss?" + +"Indeed I hope so! I am only just come from home, and they will be +all I have to care for here." + +"Ay, you must be lonesome in this big place; but I'm right glad to +have seen you, miss; I can part with the little dear with a better +heart, for Mrs. Aylward don't care for children, and Jenny Bowles +is a rough wench, wrapped up in her own child, and won't be no good +to the others. Go to the lady, my precious," she added, trying to +put the little girl into her cousin's lap, but this was met with +struggles, and vehement cries of-- + +"No; stay with mammy!" + +The little sister, who had not brought her nurse, was, however, well +contented to be lifted to Aurelia's knee, and returned her caresses. + +"And have you not a name, my dear? We can't call you all missie." + +"Fay," the child lisped; "Fayfiddly Wayland." + +"Lawk-a-daisy!" and Mrs. Wheatfield fell back laughing. "I'll tell +you how it was, ma'am. When no one thought they would live an hour, +Squire Wayland he sent for parson and had 'em half baptised Faith, +Hope, and Charity. They says his own mother's was called Faith, and +the other two came natural after it, and would do as well to be buried +by as aught. So that's what she means by Fay, and this here is Miss +Charity." + +"She said something besides Faith." + +"Well, when my lady got about again, they say if she was mad at their +coming all on a heap, she was madder still at their name. Bible +wasn't grand enough for her! I did hear tell that she throwed her +slipper at her husband's head, and was like to go into fits. So to +content her he came down, and took each one to Church, and had a fine +London name of my Lady's choosing tacked on in parson's register for +them to go by; but to my mind it ain't like their christened name. +Mine here got called for her share Amoretta." + +"A little Love," cried Aurelia. "Oh, that is pretty. And what can +your name be, my dear little Fay? Will you tell me again?" + +When repeated, it was plainly Fidelia, and it appeared that Hope had +been also called Letitia. As to age, Mrs. Wheatfield knew it was five +years last Michaelmas since the child had been brought to her from +whom she was so loth to part that she knew not how to go when her +husband came for her in his cart. He was a farmer, comfortably off, +though very homely, and there were plenty of children at home, so that +she had been ill spared to remain at the Park till Aurelia's arrival. +Thus she took the opportunity of going away while the little one was +asleep. + +Aurelia asked where she lived now. At Sedhurst, in the next parish, +she was told; but she would not accept a promise that her charge +should soon be brought to visit her. "Better not, ma'am, thank you +all the same, not till she's broke in. She'll pine the less if she +don't see nor hear nothing about the old place, nor Daddy and Sally +and Davie. If you bring her soon, you'll never get her away again. +That's the worst of a nurse-child. I was warned. It just breaks +your heart!" + +So away went the good foster-mother sobbing; and Aurelia's charge +began. Fay claimed her instantly to explore the garden and house. +The child had been sent home alone on the sudden illness of her +nurse, and had been very forlorn, so that her cousin's attention +was a great boon to her. Hope was incited to come out; but Jenny +Bowles kept a jealous watch over her, and treated every one else +as an enemy; and before Aurelia's hat was on, came the terrible +woe of Amoret's awakening. Her sobs and wailings for her mammy +were entirely beyond the reach of Aurelia's soothings and caresses, +and were only silenced by Molly's asseveration that the black man +was at the door ready to take her into the dark room. That this +was no phantom was known to the poor child, and was a lurking +horror to Aurelia herself. No wonder that the little thing clung +to her convulsively, and would not let her hand go for the rest of +the day, every now and then moaning out entreaties to go home to +mammy. + +With the sad little being hanging to her hand, Aurelia was led by Fay +round their new abiding place. The house was of brick, shaped like +the letter H, Dutch, and with a tall wing, at each end of the main +body, projecting, and finishing in fantastic gables edged with stone. +One of these square wings was appropriated to Aurelia and her charges, +the other to the recluse Mr. Belamour. The space that lay between +the two wings, on the garden front, was roofed over, and paved with +stone, descending in several broad shallow steps at the centre and +ends, guarded at each angle by huge carved eagles, the crest of the +builder, of the most regular patchwork, and kept, in spite of the +owner's non-residence, in perfect order. The strange thing was that +this fair and stately place, basking in the sunshine of early June, +should be left in complete solitude save for the hermit in the +opposite wing, the three children, and the girl, who felt as though +in a kind of prison. + +The sun was too hot for Aurelia to go out of doors till late in the +day, when the shadow of the house came over the steps. She was +sitting on one, with Amoret nestled in her lap, and was crooning an +old German lullaby of Nannerl's, which seemed to have a wonderful +effect in calming the child, who at last fell into a doze. Aurelia +had let her voice die away, and had begun to think over her strange +situation, when she was startled by a laugh behind her, and looking +round, hardly repressed a start or scream, at the sight of Fay +enjoying a game at bo-peep, with--yes--it actually was--the negro-- +over the low-sashed door. + +"I beg pardon, ma'am," said Jumbo, twitching his somewhat grizzled +wool; "I heard singing, and little missy--" + +Unfortunately Amoret here awoke, and with a shriek of horror cowered +in her arms. + +"I am so sorry," said Aurelia, anxious not to hurt his feelings. +"She knows no better." + +Jumbo grinned, bowed, and withdrew, Fay running after him, for she +had made friends with him during her days of solitude, being a +fearless child, and not having been taught to make a bugbear of +him. "The soot won't come off," she said. + +Aurelia had not a moment to herself till Fay had said the Lord's +prayer at her knee, and Amoret, with much persuasion, had been +induced to lisp out-- + + "Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, + Bless the bed I sleep upon; + Four corners to by bed, + Four angles round my head, + One to read and one to write, + And two to guard my soul at night." + +Another agony for mammy ensued, nor could Aurelia leave the child till +sleep had hushed the wailings. Then only could she take her little +writing-case to begin her letter to Betty. It would be an expensive +luxury to her family, but she knew how it would be longed for; and +though she cried a good deal over her writing, she felt as if she +ought to make the best of her position, for had not Betty said it +was for her father's sake? No, her tears must not blot the paper, +to distress those loving hearts. Yet how the drops _would_ come, +gathering fast and blinding her! Presently, through the window, +came the sweet mysterious strains of the violin, not terrifying her +as before, but filling her with an inexpressible sense of peace and +calmness. She sat listening almost as one in a dream, with her pen +suspended, and when the spell was broken by Molly's entrance with +her supper, she went on in a much more cheerful strain than she had +begun. It was dull, and it was a pity that her grand wardrobe, to +say nothing of Betty's good advice, should be wasted, but her sister +would rejoice in her seclusion from the grand, fashionable world, +and her heart went out to the poor little neglected children, whose +mother could not bear the sight of them. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. THE TRIAD. + + + "I know sisters, sisters three." + + +Ere many days had passed Aurelia had drifted into what would now +be regarded as the duties of a nursery governess to her little +companions. + +Fay and Amoret were always with her, and depended on her for everything. +Jenny Bowles, with a sort of animal jealousy, tried to monopolise her +charge, Letitia. The child was attracted by the sounds of her sister's +sports, and there was no keeping her from them, or from their cousin. +Then the rude untaught Jenny became cross, moped, showed spite to the +other children, and insolence to the young lady, and was fortunately +overheard by Mrs. Aylward, and dismissed. Letty did not seem to mind +the loss as Amoret had felt that of her foster-mother, for indeed +Jenny had been almost as disagreeable to her as to the others during +these days of jealousy. + +The triad were not much alike: Amoret was the largest of the three, +plump, blue-eyed, golden-haired, rosy-cheeked, a picture of the +cherub-type of child; Letitia had the delicate Delavie features and +complexion; and Fidelia, the least pretty, was pale, and rather sallow, +with deep blue eyes set under a broad forehead and dark brows, with +hair also dark. Though the smallest, she was the most advanced, and +showed signs of good training. She had some notion of good manners, +and knew as much of her hornbook [a child's primer consisting of a +sheet of parchment or paper protected by a sheet of transparent horn +--D.L.] and catechism as little girls of five were wont to know. The +other two were perfectly ignorant, but Mrs. Aylward procured hornbooks, +primers, and slates, and Aurelia began their education in a small way. + +It was a curious life. There was the great empty house, through whose +long corridors and vacant rooms the children might wander at will, +peeping at the swathed curtains of velvet pile, the rolls of carpet, +and the tapestry pictures on the walls, running and shouting in the +empty passages, or sometimes, in a fit of nameless fright, taking +refuge in Aurelia's arms. Or they might play in the stately garden, +provided they trod on no borders, and meddled with neither flower +nor fruit. The old gardener began by viewing them as his natural +enemies, but soon relaxed in amusement at their pretty sportive ways, +gave them many precious spoils, and forgave more than one naughty +little inroad, which greatly alarmed their guardian. + +Or if the little party felt enterprising, there lay beyond, the park, +its slopes covered with wild strawberries, and with woods where they +could gather flowers unchecked. Further, there was no going, except +on alternate Sundays, when there was service in the tumble-down Church +at the park gate. It was in far worse condition than the Church at +home, and was served by a poor forlorn-looking curate, who lived at +Brentford, and divided his services between four parishes, each of +which was content to put up with a fortnightly alternate morning and +evening service. The Belamour seat was a square one, without the +comfortable appliances of the Delavie closet, and thus permitting +a much fuller view, but there was nothing to be seen except a row +of extremely gaudy Belamour hatchments, displaying to the full, the +saltir-wise sheafs of arrows on the shields or lozenges, supported +by grinning skulls. The men's shields preserved their eagle crest, +the women had only lozenges, and the family motto, _Amo et Amabo_, +was exchanged for the more pious "_Resurgam_." + +Aurelia found that the family seat, whither she was marshalled by Mrs. +Aylward, was already occupied by two ladies, who rose up, and made her +stately curtsies with a decidedly disgusted air, although there was +ample space for her and Fidelia, the only one of her charges whom +she had ventured to take with her. They wore the black hoods, laced +boddices, long rolls of towering curl and open upper skirts, of Queen +Anne's day, and in the eyes of thirty years' later, looked so +ridiculous that Fay could not but stare at them the whole time, and +whenever Aurelia turned her glances from her book to see whether her +little companion was behaving herself, the big blue considering eyes +were always levelled full upon the two forms before her. + +The ladies were in keeping with their dress, thin, stiff and angular, +with worn and lined faces, highly rouged, and enormous long-handled +fans, and Aurelia was almost as much astonished as the child. + +There was a low curtseying again, and much ceremony before it was +possible to get out of the pew, and the two ladies mounted at the +door on lofty pattens which added considerably to their height, and, +attended by a loutish-looking man in livery, who carried their books, +stalked of into the village. + +Aurelia found from the communicative Molly that they were Mistress +Phoebe and Mistress Delia Treforth, kinswomen of the Belamour family, +who had in consequence a life residence rent-free in a tall thin red +square house near the churchyard, where a very gay parrot was always +to be seen in the windows. They no doubt regarded Miss Delavie and +the little Waylands as interlopers at Bowstead, and their withering +glances made Church-going a trying affair--indeed the first time +that Aurelia took little Amoret, they actually drove the sensitive +child into a sobbing fit, so that she had to be carried out, begging +to know why those ladies looked so cross at her. + +The life, on the whole, was not unhappy, except for fits of homesickness +and longing for letters. The arrival of the boxes from the carrier was +the first comfort, and then at last came a thick letter from home, +franked by Sir George Herries, and containing letters from everybody-- +even a few roundhand lines from Eugene. + +Her father wrote at length all the excellent moral and religious essay +which had stuck in his throat at the parting; neither was Betty's +letter deficient in good advice, though she let it appear that the +family were much amused at Lady Belamour's affliction in her triad +of daughters, the secret having been hitherto so carefully kept that +they supposed her to have only one. + +"It will be your Charge," wrote Betty, "so far as in you lies, to +render them not merely the Graces, as my Father terms them, but the +true and faithful Guardian to these Infant Spirits. Though their +Mother has shown no Care or heed in entrusting them to you, yet +remember that it is truly the good Providence of their Heavenly +Father that has put these little Children of His in your Charge, to +receive from you the first Principles of Religion and Morals which +may mould their whole Lives; and I trust that you will do the Work +faithfully and successfully. It may be dull and tedious at Bowstead, +but I had much rather hear of you thus than exposed to the Glare of +My Lady's Saloon in London. No doubt Harriet has write to you of +the Visit of young Sir Amyas, the Sunday after your departure. We +have since heard that his expedition to Monmouthshire was with a View +to his marriage to Lady Aresfield's Daughter, and this may well be, +so that if he fall in your way, you will be warned against putting +any misconstruction on any Civil Attentions he may pay to you. Ever +since your Departure Mr. Arden has redoubled his Assiduities in a +certain Quarter, and as it is thought the Dean and Chapter are not +unlikely to present him to a good Vicarage in Buckinghamshire, it +is not unlikely that ere long you may hear of a Wedding in the +Family, although Harriet would be extremely angry with me for daring +to give such a Hint." + +Certainly Aurelia would not have gathered the hint from Harriet's +letter, which was very sentimental about her own loneliness and lack +of opportunity, in contrast with Aurelia, who was seeing the world. +That elegant beau, Sir Amyas, had just given a sample to tantalise +their rusticity, and then had vanished; and here was that oddity, +Mr. Arden, more wearisome and pertinacious than ever. So tiresome! + + + + +CHAPTER X. THE DARK CHAMBER. + + + Or singst thou rather under force + Of some Divine command, + Commissioned to presage a course + Of happier days at hand? + COWPER. + + +Aurelia was coming down stairs in the twilight after singing her +charges to sleep about three weeks after her arrival, when she saw +Jumbo waiting at the bottom of the stairs. + +She had long ceased to be afraid of him. Indeed he had quite amazed +her by his good-nature in helping to lift down naughty little Letitia, +who was clambering up to the window of his master's chamber to look +through the crevices of the shutters. He had given the children a +gaily dressed rag doll, and was as delighted as they were when he +played his fiddle to them and set them dancing. + +Still, the whites of his eyes, his shining teeth, and the gold lace of +his livery had a startling effect in the darkness, and Aurelia wished +he would move away; but he was evidently waiting for her, and when she +came near he addressed her thus, "Mis'r Belamour present compliment, +and would Miss Delavie be good enough to honour him with her company +for a short visit?" + +The girl started, dismayed, alarmed, yet unwilling to be unkind to the +poor recluse, while she hoped that decorum and propriety would put the +visit out of the question. She replied that she would ask Mrs. Aylward +whether she might, and Jumbo followed her to the still-room, saying on +the way, "Mas'r heard Miss Delavie sing. He always has the window +opened to hear her. It makes him hum the air--be merry. He has not +asked to speak with lady since he heard the bad news--long, long, ago." + +Then Aurelia felt that nothing short of absolute impropriety ought to +make her gratify her shrinking reluctance. Mrs. Aylward seemed to +think her doubts uncalled for, and attributed her hesitation to fear +of the dark room. + +"Oh, no I am not so childish," said the young lady with nervous dignity; +"but would it be proper?" + +"Bless me, madam, he is as old as your father, and as civil a gentleman +as lives. I would come in with you but that I am expecting Mr. Potts +with the tallies. You need have no scruples." + +There was no excuse nor escape, and Aurelia followed the negro in +trepidation. Crossing the hall, he opened for her the door of the +lobby corresponding to her own, and saying, "Allow me, ma'am," +passed before her, and she heard another door unclosed, and a +curtain withdrawn. Beyond she only saw a gulf of darkness, but +out of it came a deep manly voice, subdued and melancholy, but +gentlemanlike and deferential. + +"The young lady is so kind as to come and cheer the old hermit. A +thousand thanks, madam. Permit me." + +Aurelia's hand was taken by one soft for want of use, and she was led +forward on a deep piled carpet, and carefully placed on a chair in the +midst of the intense black darkness. There was a little movement and +then the voice said, "I am most sensible of your goodness, madam." + +"I--I am glad. You are very good, sir," murmured Aurelia, oppressed +by the gloom and the peculiar atmosphere, cool--for the windows were +open behind the shutters--but strangely fragrant. + +"How does my excellent friend, Major Delavie?" + +"I thank you, sir, he is well, though his wound troubles him from time +to time." + +"Commend me to him when you write, if you are good enough to remember +it." + +"I thank you, sir. He will be rejoiced to hear of you." + +"He does me too much honour." + +These conventionalities being exhausted, a formidable pause ensued, +first broken by Mr. Belamour, "May I ask how my fair visitor likes +Bowstead?" + +"It is a fine place, sir." + +"But somewhat lonely for so youthful a lady?" + +"I have the children, sir." + +"I often hear their cheerful voices." + +"I hope we do not disturb you, sir, I strive to restrain them, but I +fear we are all thoughtless." + +"Nay, the innocent sounds of mirth ring sweetly on my ears, like the +notes of birds. And when I have heard a charming voice singing to the +little ones, I have listened with delight. Would it be too presumptuous +to beg the air songstress to repeat her song for the old recluse?" + +"O, sir, I have only nursery ditties, caught from our old German maid," +cried Aurelia, in dismay. + +"That might not diminish the charm to me," he said. "In especial +there was one song whose notes Jumbo caught as you accompanied +yourself on the spinnet." + +And Jumbo, who seemed able to see in the dark, played a bar on his +violin, while Aurelia trembled with shyness. + +"The Nightingale Song," she said. "My dear mother learnt the tune +abroad. And I believe that she herself made the English words, when +she was asked what the nightingales say." + +"May I hear it? Nightingales can sing in the dark." Refusal was +impossible, and Jumbo's violin was a far more effective accompaniment +than her own very moderate performance on the spinnet; so in a sweet, +soft, pure, untrained and trembling voice, she sang-- + + +"O Life and Light are sweet, my dear, + O life and Light are sweet; + But sweeter still the hope and cheer + When Love and Life shall meet. + Oh! then it is most sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet. + +"But Love puts on the yoke, my dear, + But Love puts on the yoke; + The dart of Love calls forth the tear, + As though the heart were broke. + The very heart were broke, broke, broke, broke, broke, broke. + +"And Love can quench Life's Light, my dear, + Drear, dark, and melancholy; + Seek Light and Life and jocund cheer, + And mirth and pleasing folly. + Be thine, light-hearted folly, folly, folly, folly, folly, folly. + +"'Nay, nay,' she sang. 'yoke, pain, and tear, + For Love I gladly greet; + Light, Life, and Mirth are nothing here, + Without Love's bitter sweet. + Give me Love's bitter sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet.'" + + +"Accept my fervent thanks, kind songstress. So that is the +nightingale's song, and your honoured mother's?" + +"Yes, sir. My father often makes us sing it because it reminds him +of her." + +"Philomel could not have found a better interpreter," said the +grave voice, sounding so sad that Aurelia wished she could have +sung something less affecting to his spirits. + +"I gather from what you said that you are no longer blessed with the +presence of the excellent lady, your mother," presently added Mr. +Belamour. + +"No, sir. We lost her seven years ago." + +"And her husband mourns her still. Well he may. She was a rare +creature. So she is gone! I have been so long in seclusion that +no doubt time has made no small havoc, and my friends have had +many griefs to bewail." + +Aurelia knew not what answer to make, and was relieved when he +collected himself and said:-- + +"I will trespass no longer on my fair visitor's complaisance, but if +she have not found the gloom of this apartment insupportable, it would +be a charitable action to brighten it once more with her presence." + +"O sir, I will come whenever you are pleased to send for me," she +exclaimed, all her doubts, fears, and scruples vanishing at his tone +of entreaty. "My father would be so glad. I will practise my best +song to sing to you to-morrow." + +"My best thanks are yours," and her hand was taken, she was carefully +conducted to the door and dismissed with a gentle pressure of her +fingers, and a courteous: "Goodnight, madam; _Au revoir_, if I may +venture to say so." + +By contrast, the hall looked almost light, and Aurelia could see the +skip of joy with which Jumbo hurried to fetch a candle. As he gave +it to her, he made his teeth flash from ear to ear, as he exclaimed: +"Pretty missy bring new life to mas'r!" + +Thus did a new element come into Aurelia's life. She carefully +prepared Harriet's favourite song, a French _romance_, but Mr. +Belamour did not like it equally well with the Nightingale, which +he made her repeat, rewarding her by telling her of the charming +looks and manners of her mother, so that she positively enjoyed +her visit. The next night he made inquiries into her walks at +Bowstead, asking after the favourite nooks of his childhood, and +directing her to the glades where grew the largest dewberries and +sweetest blackberries. This led to her recital of a portion of +_Midsummer Night's Dream_, for he drew her on with thanks at every +pause: "I have enjoyed no such treat for many years," he said. + +"There are other pieces that I can recite another time," said +Aurelia timidly. + +"You will confer a great favour on me," he answered. + +So she refreshed her memory by a mental review of _Paradise Lost_ over +her embroidery frame, and was ready with Adam's morning hymn, which +was much relished. Compliments on her elocution soon were turned by +her into the praise of "sister," and as she became more at ease, the +strange man in the dark listened with evident delight to her pretty +fresh prattle about sister and brother, and father and home. Thus +it had become a daily custom that she should spend the time between +half past seven and nine in the company of the prisoner of darkness, +and she was beginning to look forward to it as the event of the day. +She scarcely expected to be sent for on Sunday evening, but Jumbo +came as usual with the invitation, and she was far from sorry to +quit a worm-eaten Baxter's _Saints' Rest_ which she had dutifully +borrowed from Mrs. Aylward. + +"Well, my fair visitor," said the voice which had acquired a tone of +pleased anticipation, "what mental repast has your goodness provided?" + +"It is Sunday, sir." + +"Ah!" as if it had not occurred to him, and with some disappointment. + +"I could say the Psalms by heart, sir, if you would like it, for it +is the 20th day of the month." + +"Thank you. Your voice can make anything sweet." + +Aurelia was shocked, and knew that Betty would be more so, but she +was too shy to do anything except to begin: "Praise thou the Lord, +O my soul." + +It was a fortunate thing that it was a Psalm of such evident beauty, +for it fell less familiarly on his ear than her passages from the +poets. At the end he said: "Yes, that is true poetry. Praise fits +well with happy young lips. You have been to church?" + +"No, sir, Mr. Greaves does not come to-day." + +"Then how did the gentle saint perform her orisons?" + +"Please do not so call me, sir! I tried to read the service, but I +could not get the children to be still, so I had to tell them about +Joseph, and I found a beautiful Bible full of pictures, like our +Dutch one at home." + +"You found the old Bible? My mother used to show it to my brother +and me--my poor mother!" + +He mentioned one or two of the engravings, which he had never +forgotten, but the evening was less of a success than usual, and +Aurelia doubted whether we would wish for her that day se'nnight. +All her dread of him was gone; she knew she had brought a ray of +brightness into his solitary broken life, and her mind was much +occupied with the means of affording him pleasure. Indeed she +might have wearied of the lack of all companionship save that of +the young children; and converse with a clever highly cultivated +mind was stimulating and expanding all her faculties. When the +stores or her memory were becoming exhausted, Jumbo was bidden +to open a case of books which had lain untouched since they were +sent sown from Mr. Belamour's chambers at the Temple, and they were +placed at her disposal. Here was Mr. Alexander Pope's translation +of the _Iliad_ of Homer, which had appeared shortly before the fatal +duel, and Aurelia eagerly learnt whole pages of it by heart for +the evening's amusement, enjoying extremely the elucidations and +criticisms of her auditor, who would dwell on a passage all day, +beg to have it repeated a second time in the evening, and then +tell her what his memory or his reflection had suggested about it. +Moreover, having heard some inexplicable report, through Jumbo, of +the Porteous mob, Mr. Belamour became curious to learn the truth, +and this led to his causing the newspapers to be sent weekly to be +read and reported to him by Aurelia. It seemed incredible that a +man of much ability should have been content to spend all these +years in the negro's sole society, but no doubt the injury done +to the brain had been aggravated by grief and remorse, so that he +had long lain, with suspended faculties, in a species of living +death; whence he had only gradually, and as it were unconsciously, +advanced to his present condition. Perhaps Mr. Wayland's endeavours +to rouse him had come too soon, or in a less simple and attractive +form, for they had been reluctantly received and had proved entirely +unsuccessful; while the child-like efforts of the girl, following +his lead instead of leading him, were certainly awakening him, and +renewing his spirits and interest in the world at large in an +unlooked-for manner. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. A VOICE FROM THE GRAVE. + + + He hath a word for thee to speak. + KEBLE. + + +No difference was made to Aurelia's visits to Mr. Belamour on Sunday +evenings, but he respected her scruples against indulgence in profane +literature, and encouraged her to repeat passages of Scripture, +beginning to taste the beauty of the grand cadences falling from her +soft measured voice. Thus had she come to the Sermon on the Mount, +and found herself repeating the expansion of the Sixth Commandment +ending with, "And thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, +thou shalt not come out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost +farthing." + +A groan startled her. Then came the passage and the unhappy man's +history with a sudden stab. A horror of the darkness fell on her. +She felt as if he were in the prison and she reproaching him, and +cried out--"O sir, forgive me. I forgot; I did not say it on purpose." + +"No, my child, it was Mary speaking by your voice. No, Mary, I shall +never come out. It will never be paid." + +She shook with fright as Jumbo touched her, saying, "Missee, go; mas'r +bear no more;" but, as she rose to go away, a sweet impulse made her +pause and say, "It is paid, _He_ paid. You know Who did--in his own +Blood." + +Jumbo drew her away almost by force, and when outside, exclaimed, +"Missee never speak of blood or kill to mas'r--he not bear it. Head +turn again--see shapes as bad as ever." + +The poor child cried bitterly, calling herself cruel, thoughtless, +presumptuous; and for the next few days Jumbo's eyes glared at her +as he reported his master to be very ill; but, on the third day, he +came for her as usual. She thought Mr. Belamour's tones unwontedly +low and depressed, but no reference was made to the Sunday, and she +was glad enough to plunge into the council of Olympus. + +A day or two later, Dame Wheatfield sent her husband with an urgent +invitation to Miss Amoret with her sisters and cousin to be present +at her harvest home. Mrs. Aylward, with a certain tone of contempt, +gave her sanction to their going with Molly, by the help of the +little pony cart used about the gardens. Aurelia, in high glee, +told Mr. Belamour, who encouraged her to describe all her small +adventures, and was her oracle in all the difficult questions that +Fidelia's childish wisdom was wont to start. + +"To Wheatfield's farm, did you say? That is in Sedhurst. There are +but three fields between it and the church." + +Presently he added: "I am tempted to ask a great kindness, though I +know not whether it will be possible to you." + +"Indeed, sir, I will do my utmost." + +"There are two graves in Sedhurst Church, I have never dared to +inquire about them. Would it be asking too much from my gentle +friend to beg of her to visit them, and let me hear of them." + +"I will, I will, sir, with all my heart." + +By eight o'clock the next evening she was again with him, apologizing +for being late. + +"I scarcely expected this pleasure to-night. These rural festivities +are often protracted." + +"O sir, I was heartily glad to escape and to get the children away. +The people were becoming so rude and riotous that I was frightened. +I never would have gone, had I known what it would be like, but at +home the people are fond of asking us to their harvest feasts, and +they always behave well whilst we are there." + +"No doubt they hold your father in respect." + +"Yes," said Aurelia, unwilling to tell him how much alarmed and +offended she had been, though quite unintentionally. Dame Wheatfield +only intended hospitality; but in her eyes "Miss" was merely a poor +governess, and that to the little Waylands--mere interlopers in the +eyes of the Belamour tenantry. So the good woman had no idea that +the rough gallantry of the young farmer guests was inappropriate, +viewing it as the natural tribute to her guest's beauty, and mistaking +genuine offence for mere coyness, until, finding it was real earnest, +considerable affront was taken at "young madam's fine airs, and she +only a poor kinswoman of my Lady's!" Quite as ill was it received +that the young lady had remonstrated against the indigestible cakes +and strange beverages administered to all her charges, and above all +to Amoret. She had made her escape on the plea of early hours for +the children, leaving Molly behind her, just as the boisterous song +was beginning in which Jack kisses Bet, Joe kisses Sue, Tom kisses +Nan, &c. down to poor Dorothy Draggletail, who is left in the lurch. +The farewell had been huffy. "A good evening to you, madam; I am +sorry our entertainment was not more to your taste." She had felt +guilty and miserable at the accusation of pride, and she could not +imagine how Mrs. Aylward could have let her go without a warning; +the truth being that Mrs. Aylward despised her taste, but thought +she knew what a harvest supper was like. + +All this was passed over in silence by Aurelia's pride and delicacy. +She only described the scene when the last waggon came in with its +load, the horses decked with flowers and ribbons, and the farmer's +youngest girl enthroned on the top of the shocks, upholding the +harvest doll. This was a little sheaf, curiously constructed and +bound with straw plaits and ribbons. The farmer, on the arrival in +the yard, stood on the horse-block, and held it high over the heads +of all the harvesters, and the chorus was raised: + + "A knack, a knack, a knack, + Well cut, well bound, + Well shocked, well saved from the ground, + Whoop! whoop! whoop!" + +After which the harvest doll displaced her last year's predecessor +over the hearth, where she was to hang till next year. + +All this Aurelia described, comparing the customs with those of her +own county, her heart beating all the time under the doubt how to +venture on describing the fulfilment of her commission. At last Mr. +Belamour said, + +"In such a scene of gaiety, no doubt the recollection of sorrow had +no place." + +"O sir, you could not think I should forget." + +"I thought I might have asked more than was possible to you." + +"It was the only part of the day that I enjoyed. I took little Fay +with me, for no one seemed to care for her, while Amy was queening +it with all the Wheatfields, and Letty was equally happy with her +foster mother. I could see the church spire, so I needed not to ask +the way, and we crossed the stubble fields, while the sun sent a +beautiful slanting light through the tall elm trees that closed in +the churchyard, but let one window glitter between them like a great +diamond. It looked so peaceful after all the noise we left behind, +even little Fay felt it, and said she loved the quiet walk along the +green baulks [An unplowed strip of land--D.L.]. The churchyard has +a wooden rail with steps to cross it on either side, and close under +the church wall is a tomb, a great square simple block, surmounted +by an urn." + +"Yes, let me hear," said the voice, eager, though stifled. + +"I thought it might be what you wished me to see and went up to read +the names." + +"Do not spare. Never fear. Let me hear the very words." + +"On one face of the block there was a name-- + + + 'WILLIAM SEDHURST, + _AGED_ 27, + DIED MAY 13, 1729.' + + +On the other side was this inscription:-- + + + 'MARY, + ONLY DAUGHTER OF GEORGE SEDHURST, ESQUIRE, + _AGED_ 19, + DIED AUGUST 1st, 1729. + + _Love is strong as Death. + Sorrow not as others that have no Hope_.' + + +In smaller letters down below, 'This epitaph is at her own special +request.' + +"Sir," continued Aurelia, "it was very curious. I should not have +observed those words if it had not been that a large beautiful +butterfly, with rainbow eyes on its wings, sat sunning itself on +the white marble, and Fay called me to look at it." + +"Her message! May I ask you to repeat it again?" + +"The texts? 'Love is strong as death. Sorrow not as others that +have no hope.'" + +"Did you call them Scripture texts?" + +"Yes, sir; I know the last is in one of the Epistles, and I will look +for the other." + +"It matters not. She intended them for a message to me who lay in +utter darkness and imbecility well befitting her destroyer." + +"Nay, they have come to you at last," said Aurelia gently. "You +really never knew of them before?" + +"No, I durst not ask, nor did any one dare to speak to me. My brother, +who alone would have done so, died, I scarcely know when; but ere the +very consciousness of my own wretched existence had come back to me. +Once again repeat the words, gentle messenger of mercy." + +She obeyed, but this time he mournfully murmured, "Hope! What hope +for their destroyer?" + +"They are God's words, as well as hers," the girl answered, with +diffident earnestness, but in reply she only heard tightened breaths, +which made her say, "You cannot bear more, sir. Let me call Jumbo, +and bid you good night." + +Jumbo came at the mention of his name. Somehow he was so unlike other +human beings, and so wholly devoted to his master, that it never seemed +to be a greater shock to find that he had been present than if he had +been a faithful dog. + +A few days later he told Aurelia that Mas'r was not well enough to +see her. He had set forth as soon as the moon had set, and walked +with his trusty servant to Sedhurst, where he had traced with his +finger the whole inscription, lingering so long that the sun was +above the horizon before he could get home; and he was still lying +on the bed where he had thrown himself on first coming in, having +neither spoken nor eaten since. Jumbo could not but grumble out +that Mas'r was better left to himself. + +Yet when Aurelia on the third evening was recalled, there was a +ring of refreshment in the voice. It was still melancholy, but +the dejection was lessened, and though it was only of Achilles and +Patroclus that they talked, she was convinced that the pressure of +the heavy burthen of grief and remorse was in some degree lightened. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. THE SHAFTS OF PHOEBE. + + + Her golden bow she bends, + Her deadly arrows sending forth. + _Greek Hymn_ (KEIGHTLEY). + + +On coming in from a walk, Aurelia was surprised by the tidings that +Mistress Phoebe Treforth had come to call on her, and had left a +billet. The said billet was secured with floss silk sealed down in +the antiquated fashion, and was written on full-sized quarto paper. +These were the contents:-- + + +"Madam, + + "My Sister and Myself are desirous of the Honour of your + Acquaintance, and shall be happy if you will do use the + Pleasure of coming to partake of Dinner at Three o'Clock + on Tuesday, the 13th instant. + + "I remain, + "Yours to command, + "DELIA TREFORTH." + + +Aurelia carried the invitation to her oracle. + +"My cousins are willing to make your acquaintance?" said he. "That +is well. Jumbo shall escort you home in the evening." + +"Thank you, sir, but must I accept the invitation?" + +"It could not be declined without incivility. Moreover, the +Mistresses Treforth are highly respected, and your father and +sister will certainly think it well for you to have female friends." + +"Do you think those ladies could ever be my friends, sir?" she asked, +with an intonation that made him reply, with a sound of amusement. + +"I am no judge in such matters, but they are ladies connected and +esteemed, who might befriend and counsel you in case of need, and +at any rate, it is much more suitable that you should be on terms +of friendly intercourse with them. I am heartily glad they have +shown you this attention." + +"I do not mean to be ungrateful, sir." + +"And I think you have disproved that + + Crabbed age and youth + Cannot live together." + +"If they were only like you, sir!" + +"What would they say to that?" he said with the slight laugh that +had begun to enliven his voice. "I suppose your charges are not +included in the invitation?" + +"No; but Molly can take care of them, if my Lady will not object to +my leaving them." + +"She cannot reasonably do so." + +"And, sir, shall I be permitted to come home in time for you to +receive me?" + +"I fear I must forego that pleasure. The ladies will insist on cards +and supper. Jumbo shall come for you at nine o'clock." + +Aurelia submitted, and tripped down arrayed in the dress that recalled +the fete at Carminster, except that only a little powder was sprinkled +on her temples. the little girls jumped round her in admiring ecstasy, +and, under Molly's charge, escorted her to the garden gate, and hovered +outside to see her admitted, while she knocked timidly at the door, in +the bashful alarm of making her first independent visit. + +The loutish man ushered her into a small close room, containing a +cat, a little spaniel, a green parrot, a spinning-wheel, and an +embroidery frame. There were also the two old ladies, dressed with +old-fashioned richness, a little faded, and a third, in a crimson, +gold-laced joseph [A long riding coat with a small cape, worn by +women in the 18th century.--D.L.], stout, rubicund, and hearty, to +whom Aurelia was introduced thus-- + +"Mrs. Hunter, allow me to present to you Miss Delavie, a relative of +my Lady Belamour. Miss Delavie, Mrs. Hunter of Brentford." + +"I am most happy to make your acquaintance, Miss," said the lady, in a +jovial voice, and Aurelia made her curtsey, but at that moment the man +announced that dinner was served, whereupon Mrs. Delia handed Mrs. +Hunter in, and Mrs. Phoebe took the younger guest. + +The ladies' faces both bore token of their recent attention to the +preparation of the meal, and the curious dishes would have been highly +interesting to Betty, but there was no large quantity of any, and a +single chicken was the _piece de resistance_, whence very tiny helps +were dealt out, and there was much unnecessary pressing to take a +little more, both of that and of the brace of partridges which +succeeded it. As to conversation, there was room for none, except +hospitable invitations from the hostesses to take the morsels that +they cut for their guests, praises of the viands from Mrs. Hunter, +and endeavours to fish at the recipes, which the owners guarded +jealously as precious secrets. Aurelia sat perfectly silent, as +was then reckoned as proper in a young lady of her age, except +when addressed. A good deal of time was also expended in directing +John Stiggins, the ladies' own man, and George Brown, who had ridden +with Mrs. Hunter from Brentford, in the disposal of the dishes, and +the handing of the plates. George Brown was the more skilled waiter, +and as the man who was at home did not brook interference, their +disputes were rude and audible, and kept the ladies in agonies lest +they should result in ruin to the best china. + +At last, however, the cloth was removed, walnuts, apples, pears, and +biscuits were placed on the table, a glass of wine poured out for each +lady, and the quartette, with the cat and dog, drew near the sunny +window, where there was a little warmth. It was a chilly day, but +no one ever lighted a fire before the 5th of November, Old Style. + +Then began one of those catechisms which fortunately are less +unpleasant to youth and simplicity than they are to persons of an +age to resent inquiry, and who have more resources of conversation. +In truth, Aurelia was in the eyes of the Treforth sisters, descendants +of a former Sir Jovian, only my Lady's poor kinswoman sent down to +act _gouvernante_ to the Wayland brats, who had been impertinently +quartered in the Belamour household. She would have received no +further notice, had it not been reported through the servants that +"young Miss" spent the evenings with their own cousin, from whom +they had been excluded ever since his illness. + +The subject was approached through interrogations on Miss Delavie's +home and breeding, how she had travelled, and what were her +accomplishments, also whether she were quite sure that none of the +triad was either imbecile nor deformed. Mrs. Hunter seemed to have +heard wonderful rumours about the poor children. + +"Has their lady mother seen them?" + +"Yes, madam. She had been there with them shortly before my arrival." + +"Only once in their lives!" There was a groan of censure such as +would have fired the loyal Major in defence. + +"No wonder, Sister Phoebe, my Lady Belamour does not lead the life +of a tender mother." + +"She has the little boy, Archer, with her in London," Aurelia ventured +to say. + +"And a perfect puppet she makes of the poor child," said Mrs. Hunter. +"My sister Chetwynd saw him with his mother at a masquerade, my Lady +Belamour flaunting as Venus, and he, when he ought to have been in +his bed, dressed in rose-colour and silver, with a bow and arrows, +and gauze wings on his shoulders!" + +"What will that child come to?" + +"Remember, Sister Delia, he is no kin of ours. He is only a Wayland!" +returned Mrs. Phoebe, in an accent as if the Waylands were the most +contemptible of vermin. + +"I hope," added Mrs. Delia, "that these children are never permitted +to incommode our unfortunate cousin, Mr. Belamour." + +"I trust not, madam," said Aurelia. "Their rooms are at a distance +from his; they are good children, and he says he likes to hear young +voices in the gardens." + +"You have, then, seen Mr. Belamour?" + +"I cannot say that I have seen him," said Aurelia, modestly; "but I +have conversed with him." + +"Indeed! Alone with him?" + +"Jumbo was there." + +The two old ladies drew themselves up, while Mrs. Hunter chuckled +and giggled. "Indeed!" said Mrs. Phoebe; "we should never see a +gentleman in private without each other's company, or that of some +female companion." + +"I consulted Mrs. Aylward," returned Aurelia, "and she said he was +old enough to be my father." + +"Mrs. Aylward may be a respectable housekeeper, though far too lavish +of butcher's meat, but I should never have recourse to her on a matter +of decorum," said Mrs. Phoebe. + +Aurelia's cheeks burnt, but she still defended herself. "I have heard +from my father and my sister," she said, "and they make no objection." + +"Hoity-toity! What means this heat, miss?" exclaimed Mrs. Phoebe; +"I am only telling you, as a kindness, what we should have thought +becoming with regard even to a blood relation of our own." + +"Thank you, ma'am," said Aurelia; "but, you see, you are so much nearer +his age, that the cases are not alike." + +She said it in all simplicity, and did not perceive, at first, why the +two sisters drew themselves up in so much offence, or why Mrs. Hunter +cried, "Oh, fie, for shame, you saucy chit! Bless me!" she continued, +more good-naturedly, "Cousin Phoebe, times are changed since we were +young, and poor Sir Jovian and his brother were the county beaux. +The child is right enough when one comes to think of it; and for my +part, I should be glad that poor Mr. Amyas had some one young and +cheerful about him. It is only a pity his nephew, the young baronet, +never comes down to see him." + +"Like mother like son," said Mrs. Phoebe; "I grieve to think what +the old place will come to." + +"Well," said Mrs. Hunter, "I do not hear the young gentleman ill +spoken of; though, more's the pity, he is in a bad school with +Colonel Mar for his commanding officer, the fine gallant who is +making his mother the talk of the town!" + +The gossip and scandal then waxed fast and furious on the authority +of Mrs. Hunter's sister, but no one paid any more attention to +Aurelia, except that when there was an adjournment to the next room, +she was treated with such double stiffness and ceremony as to make +her feel that she had given great offence, and was highly disapproved +of by all but Mrs. Hunter. And Aurelia could not like her, for her +gossip had been far broader and coarser than that of the Mistresses +Treforth, who, though more bitter were more of gentlewomen. Happily +much of what passed was perfectly unintelligible to Betty's carefully +shielded pupil, who sat all the time with the cat on her lap, listening +to its purring music, but feeling much more inclined to believe nothing +against my Lady, after her father's example, than to agree with those +who were so evidently prejudiced. Tea was brought in delicate +porcelain cups, then followed cards, which made the time pass less +drearily till supper. This consisted of dishes still tinier than +those at dinner, and it was scarcely ended when it was announced +that Jumbo had come for Miss Delavie. + +Gladly she departed, after an exchange of curtsies, happily not +hearing the words behind her:-- + +"An artful young minx." + +"And imagine the impudence of securing Jumbo's attendance, forsooth!" + +"Nay," said Mrs. Hunter, "she seemed to me a pretty modest young +gentlewoman enough." + +"Pretty! Yes, she comes of my Lady's own stock, and will be just +such another." + +"Yes; it is quite plain that it is true that my Lady sent her here +because she had been spreading the white apron for the young baronet." + +"And now she is trying her arts on poor cousin Amyas Belamour. You +heard how she would take no advice, and replied with impertinence." + +"Shall you give my Lady a hint?" + +"Not I. I have been treated with too much insolence by Lady Belamour +to interfere with her again," said Mrs. Phoebe, drawing herself up; +"I shall let things take their course unless I can remonstrate with +my own kinsman." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. THE FLUTTER OF HIS WINGS. + + + Then is Love's hour to stray! + Oh, how he flies away!--T. MOORE. + + +Meanwhile Aurelia, mounted on a pair of pattens brought by the negro +to keep her above the dew, was crossing the park by the light of a +fine hunter's moon, Jumbo marching at a respectful distance in the +rear. He kept on chuckling to himself with glee, and when she looked +round at him, he informed her with great exultation that "Mas'r had +not been alone. His honour had been to see him. Mas'r so glad." + +"Sir Amyas!" exclaimed Aurelia: "Is he there still?" + +"No, missie. He went away before supper." + +"Did he see the young ladies?" + +"Oh, yes, missie. He came before mas'r up, quite promiskius," said +Jumbo, who loved a long word. "I tell him, wait till mas'r be dress, +and took him to summer parlour. He see little missies out in garden; +ask what chil'ren it was. His Hounour's sisters, Miss Fay, Missie +Letty, Missie Amy, I say! His Honour wonder. 'My sisters,' he say, +'my sisters here,' and out he goes like a flash of lightning and was +in among them." + +Aurelia's first thought was "Oh, I hope they were clean and neat, and +that they behaved themselves. I wish I had been at home." Wherewith +followed the recollection that Sir Amyas had been called her beau, +and her cheeks burnt; but the recent disagreeable lecture on etiquette +showed her that it would only have led to embarrassment and vexation +to have had any question of an interview with a young gentleman by so +little her elder. Nor would she have known what to say to him. Old +Mr. Belamour in the dark was a very different matter, and she had +probably had an escape from much awkwardness. + +Molly received her with her favourite exclamation: "Lawk, miss, and +who do you think have been here?" + +"Jumbo told me, Molly." + +"Ain't he a perfect pictur of a man? And such a gentleman! He gave +me a whole goolden guinea for my good care of his little sisters, and +says he: 'Their father shall hear of them, and what little ladies +they be.'" + +"I am glad they behaved themselves prettily." + +"Yes, that they did, ma'am. It was good luck that they had not been +grubbing in their gardens as you lets 'em do, ma'am, but they was all +as clean as a whistle, a picking up horse-chestnuts under the big tree +at the corner of the bowling green, when out on the steps we sees him, +looking more like an angel than a man, in his red coat, and the goold +things on his shoulders, and out he comes! Miss Amy, she was afeard +at first: 'Be the soldiers a coming?' says she, and runs to me; but +Miss Letty, she holds out her arms, and says "It's my papa,' and Miss +Fay, she stood looking without a word. Then when his Honour was in +among them: "My little sisters, my dear little sisters,' says he, +'don't you know me?' and down he goes on one knee in the grass, never +heeding his beautiful white small-clothes, if you'll believe me, miss, +and holds out his arms, and gets Miss Fay into one arm, and Miss +Letty into t'other, and then Miss Amy runs up, and he kisses them +all. Then miss Letty says again 'Are you my papa from foreign parts?' +and he laughs and says: 'No, little one, I'm your brother. Did you +never hear of your brother Amyas?' and Miss Fay stood off a little +and clapped her little hands, and says: 'O brother Amyas, how beautiful +you are!'" + +Aurelia could not help longing to know whether she had been mentioned, +but she did not like to inquire, and she was obliged to rest satisfied +with the assurance that her little girls had comported themselves like +jewels, like lambs, like darling lumps of sugar, or whatever metaphors +were suggested by the imagination of Molly, who had, apparently, usurped +the entire credit of their good manners. It was impossible to help +feeling a little aggrieved, or, maugre [in spite of--D.L.] all +inconvenient properties to avoid wishing to have been under the horse- +chestnut tree, even though she might have shown herself just such a +bashful little speechless fool as she had been when Sir Amyas had +danced with her at Carminster. + +She was destined to hear a good deal more of the visitor the next day. +The children met her with the cry of "Cousin Aura, our brother"--"our +big beautiful brother--Brother Amyas."--They were with difficulty +calmed into saying their prayers, and Amoret startled the little +congregation by adding to "bless by father, my mother, my brothers +and sisters," "and pray bless big brother Amyas best of all, for I +love him very much indeed!" + +All day little facts about "brother Amyas" kept breaking out. Brother +Amyas had beautiful gold lace, brother Amyas had a red and white +feather; brother Amyas had given Fay and Letty each a ride on his +shoulder, but Amy was afraid; brother Amyas said their papa would +love them very much. He had given them each a new silver shilling, +and Amoret had in return presented him with her doll's beautiful +pink back-string that Cousin Aura had made for her. This wonderful +brother had asked who had taught them to be such pretty little +gentlewomen, and at this Aurelia's heart beat a little, but +provoking Fidelia replied: "I told him my Mammy Rolfe taught me +to be genteel," and Letty added: "And he said Fay was a conceited +little pussy cat." + +A strange indefinable feeling between self-respect and shyness made +Aurelia shrink from the point-blank question whether the ungrateful +little things had acknowledged their obligations to her. She was +always hoping they would say something of their own accord, and +always disappointed. + +Evening came, and she eagerly repaired to the dark room, wondering, +yet half dreading to enter on the subject, and beginning by an +apology for having by no means perfected herself in Priam's visit +to Achilles. + +"If you have been making visits," said Mr. Belamour: "I too have had +a visitor." + +"The children told me so," she answered. + +"He was greatly delighted with them," said Mr. Belamour. + +"While they, poor little things, never were more happy in their lives. +He must have been very kind to them, yet he did not know that they +were here." + +"His mother is not communicative respecting them. Ladies who love +power seek to preserve it by making little mysteries." + +"It was to see you, sir, that he came." + +"Yes. He ingenuously avowed that he had always been urged to do so +by his stepfather, but his mother has always put obstacles in the +way, and assured him that he would not gain admission. I have +certainly refused to see her, but this is a very different matter-- +my brother's only child, my godson, and my ward!" + +"I am very glad he has come to see you, sir, and I am sure it has +given you pleasure." + +"Pleasure in seeing that he is a lad of parts, and of an ingenuous, +affectionate, honest nature, but regret in perceiving how I failed +in the confidence that his father reposed in me." + +"But, sir, you could not help it!" + +"Once I could not. It was, I know not how long, before I knew that +my brother was no more; and thinking myself dead to the world and +the world to me, I took no heed to what, it now seems to me, I was +told of guardianship to the boy. I was incapable of fulfilling any +such charge, and I shunned the pain of hearing of it," he continued, +rather as if talking to himself than to his auditor. "When I could, +I gave them my name and they asked no more. Yet what did they tell +me of a sealed letter from my brother, addressed to me? True, I +heard of it more than once, but I could ask no one to read it to +me, and I closed my ears. In Wayland's hands I knew the youth was +well cared for, and only now do I feel that I have ill requited my +brother's confidence." + +"Indeed, sir, I cannot see how you could have done otherwise," said +Aurelia, who could not bear to hear his tone of self-reproach. + +"My amiable visitor!" he exclaimed, as though recalled to a sense of +her presence. "Excuse the absence of mind which has inflicted on you +the selfish murmurs of the old recluse. Tell me how you prospered +with my cousins, whom I remember as sprightly maidens. Phoebe had +somewhat of the prude, Delia of the coquette." + +"I could imagine what you say of Mistress Phoebe, sir, better than of +Mistress Delia." + +"Had they any guests to meet you?" + +"A Mrs. Hunter, sir, from Brentford, a doctor's wife I suppose." + +"You are right. She was a cousin of theirs on the other side of the +house, a loud-voiced buxom lass, who was thought to have married +beneath here when she took Dr. Hunter; but apparently they have +forgiven her." + +Mr. Belamour was evidently much interested and amused by Aurelia's +small experiences and observations, such as they were. In spite of +the sense of past omission which had been aroused by his nephew's +visit, it had evidently raised his spirits, for he laughed when +Aurelia spiced her descriptions with a little playful archness, and +his voice became more cheery. + +So, too, it was on the ensuing evening when Aurelia, to compensate +for the last day's neglect, came primed with three or four pages of +the conversation between Priam and Achilles, which she rehearsed with +great feeling, thinking, like Pelides himself, of her own father and +home. It was requited with a murmured "Bravo," and Mr. Belamour +then begged of her, if she were not weary, to favour him with the +Nightingale Song, Jumbo as usual accompanying her with his violin. +At the close there was again a "Bravo! Truly exquisite!" in a tone +as if the hermit were really finding youth and life again. Once +more at his request, she sang, and was applauded with even more +fervour, with a certain tremulous eagerness in the voice. Yet +there was probably a dread of the excitement being too much, for +this was followed by "Thank you, kind songstress, I could listen for +ever, but it is becoming late, and I must not detain you longer." + +She found herself handed out of the room, with somewhat curtailed good +nights, although nine o'clock, her usual signal, had not yet struck. +When she came into the lamplit hall, Jumbo was grinning and nodding +like a maniac, and when she asked what was the matter, he only rolled +his eyes, and said, "Missie good! Mas'r like music!" + +The repressed excitability she had detected made her vaguely nervous +(not that she would have so called herself), and as the next day was +the blank Sunday, she appeased and worked off her restlessness by +walking with the children to Sedhurst church. It was the sixteenth +Sunday after Trinity, and the preacher, who had caught somewhat of +the fire of Wesley and Whitfield, preached a sermon which arrested her +attention, and filled her with new thoughts. Taking the Epistle and +Gospel in connection, he showed the death-in-life of indifference, and +the quickening touch of the Divine Love, awakening the dead spirit into +true life. On that life, with its glow of love, hope, and joy, the +preacher dwelt with enthusiasm such as Aurelia had never heard, and +which carried her quite out of herself. Tears of emotion trembled +in her eyes, and she felt a longing desire to walk on in that path +of love to her Maker, whom she seemed to have never known before. + +She talked with a new fervour to the children of the birds and flowers, +and all the fair things they loved, as the gifts of their Father in +Heaven; and when she gathered them round the large pictured Bible, it +was to the Gospel that she turned as she strove to draw their souls +to the appreciation of the Redeeming Love there shown. She saw in +Fay's deep eyes and thoughtful brow that the child was taking it in, +though differently from Amy, who wanted to kiss the picture, while +Letty asked those babyish material questions about Heaven that puzzle +wiser heads than Aurelia's to answer. + +So full was she of the thought, that she forgot her sense of something +strange and unaccountable in Mr. Belamour's manner before the evening, +nor was there anything to remind her of it afresh, for he was as calmly +grave and kindly courteous as ever; and he soon led her to pour forth +all her impressions of the day. Indeed she repeated to him great part +of the sermon, with a voice quivering with earnestness and emotion. +He was not stirred in the same way as she had been, saying in his +pensive meditative way, "The preacher is right. Love is life. The +misfortune is when we stake our all on one love alone, and that melts +from us. Then indeed there is death--living death!" + +"But there is never-failing love, and new life that never dies!" +cried Aurelia, almost transported out of herself. + +"May you ever keep hold of both unobscured, my sweet child," he +returned, with a sadness that repressed and drove her back into +herself again, feeling far too childish and unworthy to help him +to that new life and love; though her young heart yearned over +him in his desolation, and her soul was full of supplication for +him. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. THE CANON OF WINDSOR. + + + Turn, gentle hermit of the dale.--GOLDSMITH. + + +"My child, will you do me a favour?" said Mr. Belamour the next +evening, in a tone no longer formal, but paternal. "Take this +packet" (he put one into the girl's hand) "to the light and inform +me what is the superscription." + +It was a thick letter, with a large red wax seal, bearing the well +known arms of Belamour and Delavie, and the address was + + + To AMYAS BELAMOUR, ESQ., K.C., + + OF THE INNER TEMPLE, LONDON. +To be opened after my death.] + + JOVIAN BELAMOUR. + Dec. 14th, 1727. + + +"I thought so," said Mr. Belamour, when she returned to him with +intelligence. "Little did my poor brother guess how long it would +be unopened! Will my gentle friend confer another obligation on +me?" + +Aurelia made her ready assent, hoping to be asked to read the letter, +when he continued, "I cannot read this myself. Even could I bear the +light, the attempt to fix my eyes sends darts shooting through my +brain, which would take away my very power of comprehension. But," +he continued, "there are only two men living to whom I could entrust +my brother's last words to me. One, your own good father, is out of +reach; the other has frequently proffered his good offices and has +been rejected. Would you add to your kindness that of writing to +entreat my old friend, Dr. Godfrey, to favour with a visit one who +has too often and ungratefully refused him admission." + +Feminine curiosity felt balked, but Aurelia was ashamed of the +sensation, and undertook the task. Instructions were given her +that she was to write-- + + + "If Amyas Belamour's old Schoolfellow and Friend can overlook and + pardon the undeserved Rebuffs to His Constancy and Solicitude for + a lonely and sullen Wretch, and will once more come and spend a + Night at Bowstead, he will confer an inestimable Favour upon one + who is more sensible of his Goodness than when it has been + previously offered." + + +This letter, written in Aurelia's best Italian hand, on a large sheet +of paper, she brought with her the next evening. She was bidden to +fold down the exact place for the signature, which Mr. Belamour +proceeded to affix, and she was then to carry it to the candles in +the lobby, and there fold, seal, and address it to the Reverend +Edward Godfrey, D.D., Canon of Windsor, Windsor. She found the A. +Belamour very fairly written except that it was not horizontal, and +she performed the rest of the task with ladylike dexterity, sealing +it with a ring that had been supplied for the purpose. It did not, +as she expected, bear the Belamour sheaf of arrows, but was a gem, +representing a sleeping Cupid with folded wings, so beautiful that +she asked leave to take another impression for Harriet, who collected +seals, after the fashion of the day. + +"You are welcome," Mr. Belamour replied. "I doubt its great antiquity, +since the story of Cupid and Psyche cannot be traced beyond Apuleius. +I used it because Dr. Godfrey will remember it. He was with me at +Rome when I purchased it." + +The ring was of the size for a lady's finger, and Aurelia durst ask +no more. + +How the letter was sent she knew not, but Mrs. Aylward was summoned +to Mr. Belamour's room, and desired to have a room ready at any time +for his friend. + +Three days later, towards sunset, a substantial-looking clergyman, +attended by two servants, rode up to the door; and was immediately +appropriated by Jumbo, disappearing into the mysterious apartments; +Aurelia expected no summons that night, but at the usual hour, the +negro brought a special request for the honour of her society; and +as she entered the dark room, Mr. Belamour said, "My fair and +charitable visitor will permit me to present to her my old and +valued friend, Dr. Godfrey." He laid the hand he had taken on one +that returned a little gentlemanly acknowledgment, while a kind +fatherly voice said, "The lady must pardon me if I do not venture +to hand her to her chair." + +"Thank you, sir, I am close to my seat." + +"Your visitors acquire blind eyes, Belamour," said Dr. Godfrey, +cheerfully. + +"More truly they become eyes to the blind," was the answer. "I feel +myself a man of the world again, since this amiable young lady has +conned the papers on my behalf, and given herself the trouble of +learning the choicest passages of the poets to repeat to me." + +"You are very good, sir," returned Aurelia; "it is my great pleasure." + +"That I can well believe," said Dr. Godfrey. "Have these agreeable +recitations made you acquainted with the new poem on the _Seasons_ +by Mr. James Thomson?" + +"No," replied Mr. Belamour, "my acquaintance with the _belles letters_ +ceased nine years ago." + +"The descriptions have been thought extremely effective. Those of +autumn were recalled to my mind on my way." + +Dr. Godfrey proceeded to recite some twenty lines of blank verse, for +in those days people had more patience and fewer books, and exercised +their memories much more than their descendants do. Listening was far +from being thought tedious. + + + "'But see the fading many-coloured roads, + Shade deepening over shade, the country round + Imbrown; a crowded umbrage, dusk and dim, + Of every hue, from wan, declining green, + To sooty dark.'" + + +The lines had a strange charm to one who had lived in darkness through +so many revolving years. Mr. Belamour eagerly thanked his friend, and +on the offer to lend him the book, begged that it might be ordered for +him, and that any other new and interesting work might be sent to him +that was suitable to the fair lips on which he was dependent. + +"You are secure with Mr. Thomson," said the Doctor. "Hear the +conclusion of his final hymn." + + + "'When even at last the solemn hour shall come, + And wing my mystic flight to future worlds, + I cheerful will obey; there with new powers + Will rising wonders sing. I cannot go + Where Universal Love not smiles around, + Sustaining all yon orbs, and all their suns, + From seeming evil still educing good, + And better thence again, and better still, + In infinite progression. But I lose + Myself in Him, in Light ineffable; + Come then expressive Silence, mine the praise.'" + + +"'Universal Love!'" repeated Mr. Belamour; "the poet sings as you +do, my amiable friend! I can conceive the idea better than I could +a few months ago." + + "'From seeming evil, still educing good,'" + +quoted Dr. Godfrey earnestly, as if feeling his way. + +"More of this another time," said Mr. Belamour hastily. "What say +the critics respecting this new aspirant?" + +The ensuing conversation much interested Aurelia, as it was on the +men of letters whose names had long been familiar to her, and whom +the two gentlemen had personally known. She heard of Pope, still +living at Twickenham, and of his bickerings with Lady Mary Wortley +Montagu; of young Horace Walpole, who would never rival his father +as a politician, but who was beginning his course as a _dilettante_, +and actually pretending to prefer the barbarous Gothic to the classic +Italian. However, his taste might be improved, since he was going to +make the grand tour in company with Mr. Gray, a rising young poet, in +whom Dr. Godfrey took interest, as an Etonian and a Cantab. + +At nine o'clock Mr. Belamour requested Miss Delavie to let him depute +to her the doing the honours of the supper table to his friend, who +would return to him when she retired for the night. + +Then it was that she first saw the guest, a fine, dignified clergyman, +in a large grey wig, with a benignant countenance, reminding her of the +Dean of Carminster. When she was little, the Dean had bestowed on her +comfits and kisses; but since she had outgrown these attentions, he was +wont to notice her only by a condescending nod, and she would no more +have thought of conversing with him at table than in his stall in the +cathedral. Thus it was surprising to find herself talked to, as Betty +might have been, by this reverend personage, who kindly satisfied her +curiosity about the King, Queen, and Princesses, but with a discretion +which did not diminish that blind loyalty which saw no defects in "our +good king," though he was George II. She likewise answered a few +questions about Mr. Belamour's tastes and habits, put in a very +different manner from those of the Mistress Treforth, and as soon +as supper was over she rose and retired. + +She did not see Dr. Godfrey again until he was ready for a late +breakfast, having been up nearly the whole night with his friend. +His horses were ordered immediately after the meal, as he had an +appointment in London, and he presently looked up, and said, + +"Madam, you must excuse me, I was silent from thinking how I can +adequately express my respect and gratitude for you." + +"I beg your pardon, sir," exclaimed Aurelia, thinking her ears +mistaken. + +"My gratitude," he repeated, "for the inestimable blessing you have +been to my dear and much valued friend, in rousing him from that +wretched state of despondency in which no one could approach him." + +"You are too good, sir," returned Aurelia. "It was he who sent for +me." + +"I know you did it in all simplicity, my dear child--forgive the +epithet, I have daughters of my own, and thankful should I be if +one of them could have produced such effects. I tell you, madam, +my dear friend, one of the most estimable and brilliant men of his +day, was an utter wreck, both in mind and body, through the cruel +machinations of an unprincipled woman. How much was to the +actual injury from his wound, how much to grief and remorse, Heaven +only knows, but the death of his brother, who alone had authority +with him, left him thus to cut himself off entirely in this utter +darkness and despair. I called at first monthly, then yearly, after +the melancholy catastrophe, and held many consultations with good +Mr. Wayland, but all in vain. It was reserved for your sweet notes +to awaken and recall him to what I trust is indeed new life." + +Tears filled Aurelia's eyes, and she could only murmur something +about being very glad. + +"Yes," pursued Dr. Godfrey, "it is as if I saw him rising from his +living tomb in all senses of the word. I find that your artless +Sunday evening conversations have even penetrated the inner hopeless +gloom, still more grievous than the outer darkness in which he lived." + +"Indeed, sir, I never meant to be presumptuous." + +"God's blessing on such presumption, my good child! If you had been +fully aware of his state of mind, you might never have ventured nor +have touched the sealed heart, as you have done, as I perceive, in +your ignorance, out of your obedient reverence to the Lord's day. +Am I not right?" + +"Yes, sir, I thought one _could_ not repeat plays and poems on Sunday, +and I was frightened when I found those other things were strange to +him; but he bade me go on." + +"For the sake of the music of your voice, as he tells me, at first; +but afterwards because you became the messenger of hope to one who +had long lain in the shadow of death, thinking pardon and mercy too +much out of reach to be sought for. You have awakened prayer within +him once more." + +She could not speak, and Dr. Godfrey continued, "You will be glad to +hear that I am to see the curate on my way through Brentford, and +arrange with him at times to read prayers in the outer room. What +is it?" he added; "you look somewhat doubtful." + +"Only, sir, perhaps I ought not to say so, but I cannot think Mr. +Belamour well ever care for poor Mr. Greaves. If he could only hear +that gentleman who comes to Sedhurst! I never knew how much fire +could be put into the service itself, and yet I have often been at +Carminster Cathedral." + +"True, my dear young lady. These enthusiasts seem to be kindling +a new fire in the Church, but I am not yet so convinced of their +orthodoxy and wisdom as to trust them unreservedly; and zeal pushed +too far might offend our poor recluse, and alienate him more than +ever. He is likely to profit more by the direct words of the Church +herself, read without personal meaning, than by the individual +exhortations of some devout stranger." + +"Yes, sir. Thank you, I never meant to question your judgment. +Indeed I did not." + +The horses were here announced, and Dr. Godfrey said, + +"Then I leave him to you with a grateful heart. I am beginning to +hope that there is much hypochondriacism in his condition, and that +this may pass away with his despondency. I hope before many weeks +are over to come and visit him again, before I go to my parish in +Dorsetshire." + +Then, with a fatherly blesssing, the Canon took his leave. + +He was scarcely gone before there was a great rustling in the hall, +and Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia Treforth were announced. Aurelia was +surprised, for she had been decidedly sensible of their disapproval +when she made her visit of ceremony after her entertainment by them. +She, however, had underrated the force of the magnet of curiosity. +They had come to inquire about the visitor, who had actually spent +a night at the Park. They knew who he was, for "Ned Godfrey" had +been a frequent guest at Bowstead in the youth of all parties, and +they were annoyed that he had not paid his respects to them. + +"It would have been only fitting to have sent for us, as relations +of the family, to assist in entertaining him," said Mrs. Phoebe. +"Pray, miss, did my eccentric cousin place you in the position of +hostess?" + +"It fell to me, madam," said Aurelia. + +"You could have asked for _our_ support," said Mrs. Phoebe, severely. +"It would have become you better, above all then Sir Amyas Belamour +himself was here." + +"He has only been here while I was with you, madam, and was gone +before my return." + +"_That_ is true,: but Mrs. Phoebe looked at the girl so inquisitively +that her colour rose in anger, and exclaimed, "Madam, I know not what +you mean!" + +"There, sister," said Mrs. Delia, more kindly. "She is but a child, +and Bet Batley is a gossip. She would not know his Honour in the +dark from the blackamoor going down to visit his sweetheart." + +Very glad was Aurelia when the ladies curtsied themselves out of her +summer parlour, declaring they wished to speak to Mrs. Aylward, who +she knew could assure them of the absurdity of these implied suspicions. + +And Mrs. Aylward, who detested the two ladies, and repelled their +meddling, stiffly assured them both of Miss Delavie's discretion +and her own vigilance, which placed visits from the young baronet +beyond the bounds of possibility. Supposing his Honour should +again visit his uncle, she should take care to be present at any +interview with the young lady. She trusted that she knew her duty, +and so did Miss Delavie. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. THE QUEEN OF BEAUTY. + + + O bright _regina_, who made thee so faire, + Who made thy colour vermeilie and white? + Now marveile I nothing that ye do hight + The quene of love.--CHAUCER. + + +Only a week had elapsed before the quiet of Bowstead was again +disturbed by the arrival of two grooms, with orders that everything +should be made ready the next day for the arrival of my Lady, who +was on her way to Carminster for a few weeks, and afterwards to Bath. +Forthwith Mrs. Aylward and her subordinates fell into a frenzy of +opening shutters, lighting fires, laying down carpets and uncovering +furniture. Scrubbing was the daily task for the maids, and there was +nothing extra possible in that line, but there was hurry enough to +exacerbate the temper, and when Aurelia offered her services she was +tartly told that she could solely be useful by keeping the children +out of the way; for in spite of all rebuffs, they persisted in +haunting the footsteps of the housekeeper and maids, Fay gazing with +delight at the splendours that were revealed, Amy proffering undesired +aid, Letty dancing in the most inconvenient places, romancing about +her mamma and little brother, and making sure that her big beautiful +brother was also coming. + +The were very unwilling to let Aurelia call them away to practise +them in bridling, curtseying, and saying "Yes, madam," according to +the laws of good breeding so carefully inculcated by sister at home. +So anxious was she that she tried them over and over again till +they were wearied out, and became so cross and naughty that nothing +restored good-homour except gathering blackberries to feast brother +Archer. + +The intelligence produced less apparent excitement in the dark chamber. +When Aurelia, in an eager, awe-stricken voice began, "O sir, have you +heard that my Lady is coming?" he calmly replied, + +"The sounds in the house have amply heralded her, to say nothing of +Jumbo." + +"I wonder what she will do!" + +"You will not long have known her, my fair friend, without discovering +that she is one of the most inscrutable of her sex. The mere endeavour +to guess at her plans only produces harassing surmises and alarms." + +"Do you think, sir, she can mean to take me away?" + +"I suppose that would be emancipation to you, my poor child." + +"I should dance to find myself going home," said Aurelia, "yet how +could I bear to leave my little girls, or you, sir. Oh! if you could +only live at the Great House, at home, I should be quite happy." + +"Then you would not willingly abandon the recluse?" + +"Indeed," she said with a quivering in her voice, "I cannot endure the +notion. You have been so kind and good to me, sir, and I do so enjoy +coming to you. And you would be all alone again with Jumbo! Oh sir, +could you not drive down if all the coach windows were close shut up? +You would have my papa to talk to!" + +"And what would your papa say to having a miserable old hermit +inflicted on him?" + +"He would be only too glad." + +No, no, my gentle friend, there are other reasons. I could not make +my abode in Lady Belamour's house, while in that of my nephew, my +natural home, I have a right to drag out what remains of the existence +of mine. Nay, are you weeping, my sweet child? That must not be; +your young life must take no darkness from mine. Even should Lady +Belamour's arbitrary caprice bear you off without another meeting, +remember that you have given me many more happy hours than I ever +supposed to be in store for me, and have opened doors which shall +not be closed again." + +"You will get some one to recite to you?" entreated Aurelia, her voice +most unsteady. + +"Godfrey shall seek out some poor scholar or exhausted poetaster, +with a proviso that he never inflicts his own pieces on me," said Mr. +Belamour, in a tone more as if he wished to console her than as it +were a pleasing prospect. "Never fear, gentle monitress, I will +not sink into the stagnation from which your voice awoke me. +Neither Godfrey nor my nephew would allow it. Come, let us put it +from our minds. It has always been my experience, that whatever I +expected from my much admired sister-in-law, that was the exact +reverse of what she actually did. Therefore let us attend to +topics, though I wager that you have no fresh acquisitions for +me to-day." + +"I am ashamed, sir, but I could not fix my mind even to a most +frightful description of wolves in Mr. Thomson's 'Winter.'" + +"That were scarcely a soothing subject; but we might find calm in +something less agitating and more familiar. Perhaps you can recall +something too firmly imprinted on your memory to be disturbed by +these emotions." + +Aurelia bethought herself that she must not disappoint her friend on +what might prove their last evening; she began very unsteadily:-- + + + "' Hence, loathed Melancholy.'" + + +However by the time "Jonson's learned sock" was on, her mechanical +repetition had become animated, and she had restored herself to +equanimity. When the clock struck nine, her auditor added his thanks, +"In case we should not meet again thus, let me beg of my kind visitor +to wear this ring in memory of one to whom she has brought a breath +indeed from L'Allegro itself. It will not be too large. It was made +for a lady." + +And amid her tearful thanks she felt a light kiss on her fingers, +revealing to her that the hermit must possess a beard, a fact, which +in the close-shaven Hanoverian days, conveyed a sense of squalor and +neglect almost amounting to horror. + +In her own room she dropped many a tear over the ring, which was of +course the Cupid intaglio, and she spent the night in strange mixed +dreams and yearnings, divided between her father, Betty, and Eugene +on the one hand, and Mr. Belamour and the children on the other. +Home-sick as she sometimes felt, dull as Bowstead was, she should +be sadly grieved to leave those to whom she felt herself almost +necessary, though her choice must needs be for her home. + +Early the next day arrived an old roomy berlin loaded heavily with +luggage, and so stuffed with men and maids that four stout horses +had much ado to bring it up to the door. The servants, grumbling +heartily, declared that my Lady was only going to lie here for a +single night, and that Sir Amyas was not with her. + +Late in the afternoon, a couple of outriders appeared to say that the +great lady was close at hand, and Aurelia, in her best blue sacque, +and India muslin cap, edged with Flanders lace, had her three little +charges, all in white with red shoes, red sashes, and red ribbons in +their caps, drawn up in the hall to welcome their mother. + +Up swept the coach with six horses, Mr. Dove behind--runners in fact, +who at times rested themselves by an upright swing on the foot-board. + +The door of the gorgeous machine was thrown open, and forth sprang +a pretty little boy. Next descended the friendly form of Mrs. Dove, +then a smart person, who was my Lady's own woman, and finally +something dazzlingly grand and beautiful in feathers, light blue, +and silver. + +Aurelia made her reverence, and so did the little triad; the great +lady bent her head, and gave a light kiss to the brow of each child, +and the boy sprang forward, crying: "You are my sisters. You must +play with me, and do whatever I choose." Amoret and he began kissing +on the spot, but Fidelia, regarding _must_ as a forbidden word, looked +up at Aurelia with an inquiring protest in her eyes; but it was not +heeded, in the doubt whether to follow Lady Belamour, who, with a +stately greeting to Mrs. Aylward, had sailed into the withdrawing- +room. The question was decided by Mrs. Aylward standing back to +make room, and motioning her forward, so she entered, Letty +preceding her and Fay clinging to her. + +By the hearth stood the magnificent figure, holding out a long, +beautiful, beringed hand, which Aurelia shyly kissed, bending as +before a queen, while her forehead received the same slight salute +as had been given to the little girls. "My cousin Delavie's own +daughter," said the lady: "You have the family likeness." + +"So I have been told, madam." + +"Your father is well, I hope." + +"He was pretty well, I thank you Ladyship, when I heard from my sister +ten days ago." + +"I shall see him in a week's time, and shall report well of his little +daughter," said Lady Belamour kindly. "I am under obligations to you, +my dear. You seem to have tamed my little savages." + +Aurelia was amazed, for the universal awe of my Lady had made her +expect a harsh and sever Semiramis style of woman, whereas she +certainly saw a majestic beauty, but with none of the terrors that +she had anticipated. The voice was musical and perfectly modulated, +the manner more caressing than imperious towards herself, and +studiously polite to the house keeper. While orders were being +given as to arrangements, Aurelia took in the full details of the +person of whom she had heard so much. It seemed incredible that Lady +Belamour could have been mother to contemporaries of Betty, for she +looked younger than Betty herself. Her symmetry and carriage were +admirable, and well shown by the light blue habit laced richly and +embroidered with silver. A small round hat with a cluster of white +ostrich feathers was placed among the slightly frizzed and powdered +masses of mouse-coloured hair, surmounting a long ivory neck, whose +graceful turn, the theme of many a sonnet, was not concealed by the +masculine collar of the habit. The exquisite oval contour of the +cheek, the delicate ear, and Grecian profile were as perfect in +moulding as when she had been Sir Jovian's bride, and so were the +porcelain blue of the eyes, the pencilled arches of eyebrow, and +the curve of the lips, while even her complexion retained its +smooth texture, and tints of the lily and rose. Often as Aurelia +had heard of her beauty, its splendour dazzled and astonished her, +even in this travelling dress. + +Archer, who was about a year older than his sisters, was more like +Amoret than the other two, with azure eyes, golden curls, and a plump +rosy face, full of fun and mischief. Tired of the confinement of the +coach, he was rushing round the house with Amoret, opening the doors +and looking into the rooms. The other little sisters remained beside +Aurelia till their mother said, pointing to Fay: "That child seems to +mean to eat me with her eyes. Let all the children be with Nurse Dove, +Mrs. Aylward. Miss Delavie will do me the pleasure of supping with me +at seven. Present my compliments to Mr. Belamour, and let him know +that I will be with him at eight o'clock on particular business." +Then turning to the two children, she asked their names, and was +answered by each distinctly, with the orthodox "madam" at the end. + +"You are improved, little ones," she said: "Did Cousin Aurelia teach +you?" + +"And Mammy Rolfe," said constant Fay. + +"She must teach you next not to stare," said Lady Belamour. "I intend +to take one to be a companion to my boy, in the country. When I saw +them before, they were rustic little monsters; but they are less +unpresentable now. Call your sister, children." And, as the two left +the room, she continued: "Which do you recommend, cousin?" + +"Fidelia is the most reasonable, madam," said Aurelia. + +"But not the prettiest, I trust. She is too like her father, with +those dark brows, and her eyes have a look deep enough to frighten +one. They will frighten away the men, if she do not grow out of it." + +Here the door burst open, and, without any preliminary bow, Master +Archer flew in, crying out "Mamma, mamma, we _must_ stay here. The +galleries are so long, and it is such a place for whoop-hide!" + +His sisters were following his bad example, and rushing in with equal +want of ceremony, but though their mother held the boy unchecked on +her knee, Aurelia saw how she could frown. "You forget yourselves," +she said. + +Amoret looked ready to cry, but at a sign from their young instructress, +they backed and curtsied, and their mother reviewed them; Letitia was +the most like the Delavies, but also the smallest, while Amoret was on +the largest scale and would pair best with her brother, who besides +loudly proclaimed his preference for her, and she was therefore elected +to the honour of being taken home. Aurelia was requested as a favour +to bid the children's woman have the child's clothes ready repaired to +her own room. + +The little wardrobe could only be prepared by much assistance from +Aurelia herself, and she could attend to nothing else; while the +children were all devoted to Archer, and she only heard their voices +in the distance, till--as she was dressing for her _tete-a-tete_ +supper--Fay came to her crying, "Archer is a naughty boy--he said +wicked words--he called her ugly, and had cuffed and pinched her!" + +Poor child! she was tired out, and disappointed, and Aurelia could +only comfort her by hearing her little prayers, undressing her, and +giving her the highly-esteemed treat of sleeping in Cousin Aura's +bed; while the others were staying up as long as it pleased Master +Archer. This actually was the cause of my Lady being kept waiting, +and an apology was needful. "Fidelia was tired out, and was crying." + +"A peevish child! I am glad I did not choose her." + +"She is usually very good, madam," said Aurelia, eagerly. + +"Is she your favourite?" + +"I try not to make favourites, madam." + +"Ah! there spoke the true Manor House tone," said her Ladyship, rather +mockingly. "Maybe she will be a wit, for she will never be a beauty, +but the other little one will come on in due time after Amoret." + +"Your Ladyship will find Amoret a dear, good, affectionate child," said +Aurelia. "Only---" + +"Reserve that for nurse, so please you, my good girl. It is enough +for me to see the brats on their good manners now and then. You have +had other recreations--shall I call them, or cares? I never supposed, +when I sent you here to attend on the children, that the hermit of +Bowstead would summon you! I assure you it is an extraordinary honour." + +"I so esteem it, madam," said Aurelia, blushing. + +"More honour than pleasure, eh?" + +"A great pleasure, madam." + +"Say you so?" and the glittering blue eyes were keenly scanning the +modest face. "I should have thought a young maid like you would have +had the dismals at the mere notion of going near his dark chamber. +I promise you it gives me the megrim [migraine--D.L.] to look forward +to it." + +"I was affrighted at first, madam," said Aurelia; "but Mr. Belamour +is so good and kind to me that I exceedingly enjoy the hours I spend +with him." + +"La, child, you speak with warmth! We shall have you enamoured of a +voice like the youth they make sonnets about--what's his name?" + +"Narcissus, madam," said Aurelia, put out of countenance by the banter. + +"Oh, you are learned. Is Mr. Belamour your tutor, pray? And--oh fie! +I have seen that ring before!" + +"He gave it to me yesterday," faltered Aurelia, "in case you should +intend to take me away, and I should not see him again. I hope I was +not wrong in accepting it, madam." + +"Wrong, little fool, assuredly not," said my Lady, laughing. "It is +an ensign of victory. Why, child, you have made a conquest worthy +of--let me see. You, or the wits, could tell me who it was that +stormed the very den of Cocytus and bore off the spoil!" + +Aurelia liked the tone too little to supply the names; yet she felt +flattered; but she said quietly, "I am happy to have been the means +of cheering him." + +The grave artlessness of the manner acted as a kind of check, and Lady +Belamour said in a different tone, "Seriously, child, the family are +truly obliged for your share in rousing the poor creature from his +melancholy. My good man made the attempt, but all in vain. What do +you to divert him?" + +In inquires of this kind the supper hour passed, and Lady Belamour was +then to keep her appointment with her brother-in-law. She showed so +much alarm and dread that Aurelia could not but utter assurances and +encouragements, which again awoke that arch manner, partly bantering, +partly flattering, which exercised a sort of pleasant perplexing +fascination on the simple girl. + +After being dismissed, Aurelia went in search of Mrs. Dove, whom she +found with Molly, taking stock of Amoret's little wardrobe. The good +woman rose joyfully. "Oh, my dear missie! I am right thankful to +see you looking so purely. I don't know how I could have held up my +head to Miss Delavie if I had not seen you!" + +"Ah! you will see my sister and all of them," cried Aurelia, a sudden +rush of home-sickness bringing tears to her eyes, in oblivion alike +of her recluse and her pupils. "Oh! if I were but going with you! +But what folly am I talking? You must not let them think I am not +happy, for indeed I am. Will you kindly come to my room, dear nurse, +and I will give you a packet for them?" + +Mrs. Dove willingly availed herself of the opportunity of explaining +how guiltless she had been of the sudden separation at Knightsbridge +four months back. She had been in such haste to ride after and +overtake the coach, that she had even made Dove swear at her for +wanting to give the horses no time to rest, and she had ridden off +on her own particular pillion long before the rest. She had been +surprised that she never succeeded in catching up the carriage, but +never suspected the truth till she had dismounted in Hanover Square +and asked whether "Miss" were with my Lady. Nobody knew anything +about Miss Delavie, nor expected her; and the good woman's alarm was +great until she had had an interview with her Ladyship, when she was +told not to concern herself about the young lady, who was safely +bestowed in the country with the Miss Wayland. "But that it was +here, if you'll believe me, missie, I was as innocent as the babe +unborn, and so was his Honour, Sir Amyas. Indeed, my Lady gave +him to understand that she had put you to boarding-school with +his little sisters." + +"Oh! nurse, that is impossible!" + +"Lawk-a-day, missie, there's nothing my Lady wouldn't say to put him +off the scent. Bless you, 'tis not for us servants to talk, or I +could tell you tales! But there, mum's the word, as my Dove says, +or he wouldn't ha' sat on his box these twenty year!" + +"My Lady is very kind to me," said Aurelia, with a little assumption +of her father's repressive manner. + +"I'm right glad to hear it, Miss Aureely. A sweet lady she can be +when she is in the mood, though nothing like so sweet as his Honour. +'Tis ingrain with him down to the bone, as I may say--and I should +know, having had him from the day he was weaned. To see him come +up to the nussery, and toss about his little brother, would do your +very heart good; and then he sits him down, without a bit of pride, +and will have me tell him all about our journey up to Lunnon, and +the fair, and the play and all; and the same with Dove in the +stables. He would have the whole story, and how we was parted at +Knightsbridge, I never so much as guessing where you was--you that +your sister had given into my care! At last, one day when I was +sitting a darning of stockings in the window at the back, where I +can see out over to the green fields, up his Honour comes, and says +he, with his finger to his lips, 'Set your heart at rest, nurse, +I've found her!' Then he told me how he went down to see his old +uncle. Mr. Wayland had been urging him on one side that 'twas no +more than his duty; and her Ladyship, on the other, would have it +that Mr. Belamour was right down melancholy mad, and would go into +a raving fit if his nevvy did but go near the place." + +"She did not say that!" + +"Oh yes, she did, miss, I'll take my oath of it, for I was in the +coach with Master Wayland on my knee, when she was telling a lady +how hard it was they could have no use of Bowstead, because of Sir +Jovian's brother being there, who had got the black melancholics, +and could not be removed. The lady says how good she was to suffer +it, and she answers, that there was no being harsh with poor Sir +Jovian's brother, though he had a strange spleen at her and her son, +and always grew worse when they did but go near the house; but that +some measures must be taken when her son came of age or was married." + +"But he came at last!" + +"He said he wanted to see for himself, and thought he could at least +find out from the servants whether his uncle was in the state they +reported. And there he found his three little sisters, and that you +was their tutoress, and they couldn't say enough about you, nor the +poor gentleman neither. 'I didn't see her, nurse,' says he, 'but +there's a bit of her own sweet fingers' work.' And sure enough, I +knew it, for it was a knot of the very ribbon you had in your hair +the day I came to talk to your sister about the journey." + +"That was what Amy told me she gave him." + +"Nothing loth would he be to take it, miss! Though says he, 'Don't +you let my mother know I have tracked her, nurse,' says he. 'It is +plain enough why she gives out that I am not to go near my uncle, +and if she guessed where I had been, she would have some of her +fancies.' 'Now your Honour, my dear,' says I, 'you'll excuse your +old nurse, but her sister put her in my charge, and though I bless +Heaven that you are no young rake, yet you will be bringing trouble +untold on her and hers if you go down there a courting of her +unbeknownst.' 'No danger of that, nurse,' says he; 'why there's +a she-dragon down there (meaning Mrs. Aylward) that was ready to +drive me out of my own house when I did but speak of waiting to +see her.'" + +"No, I am glad he will not come again. Yet it makes his uncle happy +to see him. I will keep out of the way if he does." + +"Right too, miss. A young lady never loses by discretion." + +"Oh, do not speak in--in that way," said Aurelia, blushing at the +implication. "Besides, he is going home with my Lady to dear +Carminster." + +"No, no, he remains with his regiment in town, unless he rides down +later when he can have his leave of absence, and my Lady is at the +Bath. He will not if he can help it, for he is dead set against +the young lady they want to marry him to, and she is to be there. +What! you have not heard? It is my Lady Arabella, sister to that +there Colonel as is more about our house than I could wish. She is +not by the same mother as him and my Lord Aresfield. Her father +married a great heiress for his second wife, whose father had made a +great fortune by victualling the army in the war time. Not that this +Dowager Countess, as they call her, is a bit like the real quality, +so that it is a marvel how my Lady can put up with her; only money- +bags will make anything go down, more's the pity, and my Lady is +pressed, you see, with her losses at play. It was about this match +that Sir Amyas was sent down to Battlefield, the Countess's place +in Monmouthshire, when he came to Carminster last summer, and his +body servant, Mr. Grey, that has been about him from a child, told +me all about it. This Lady Belle, as they call her, is only about +fourteen, and such a spoilt little vixen, that they say nobody has +been able to teach her so much as to read, for her mother, the +Dowager, never would have her crossed in anything, and now she has +got too headstrong for any of 'em. Mr. Grey said dressing for +supper, they heard the most horrid screams, and thought some one +must be killed at least. Sir Amyas was for running out, but at the +door they met a wench who only said, 'Bless you! that's nought. It's +only my young lady in her tantrums!' So in the servants' hall, Grey +heard it was all because her mamma wouldn't let her put on two suits +of pearls and di'monds both together. She lies on her back, and +rolls and kicks till she gets her own way; and by what the servants +say, the Dowager heerself ain't much better to her servants. Her +woman had got a black eye she had given her with her fan. She has +never had no breeding, you see, and there are uglier stories about +her than I like to tell you, Miss Aureely; and as to the young lady, +Sir Amyas saw her with his own eyes slap the lackey's face for +bringing her brown sugar instead of white. She is a little dwarfish +thing that puts her finger in her mouth and sulks when she is not +flying out into a rage; but Colonel Mar is going to have her up to +a boarding-school to mend her manners, and he and my lady are as +much bent on marrying his Honour to her as if she was a perfect +angel." + +"They never can!" + +"Well, miss, they do most things they have a mind to; and they mean +to do this before my Lady's husband comes home." + +"But Mr. Belamour is his nephew's guardian." + +"That's what my Lady is come down here for. Either she will get his +consent out of him, or she will make the poor gentleman out to be +_non compos_, and do without him." + +"Oh, nurse, he is the wisest, cleverest gentleman I ever saw, except +my papa." + +"Do you say do, miss? But you are young, you see. A gentleman to +shut himself up in the dark like that must needs be astray in his +wits." + +"That is because of his eyes, and his wound. Nobody could talk to +him and doubt his reason." + +"Well, missie, I hope you are in the right; but what my Lady's +interest is, that she is apt to carry out, one way or t'other! +Bless me, if that be not Master Archer screaming. I thought he +was fast off to sleep. There never was a child for hating the +dark. Yes, yes, I'm coming, my dearie! Lack a daisy, if his +mamma heard!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. AUGURIES. + + + Venus, thy eternal sway + All the race of man obey. + EURIPIDES (Anstice). + + +Aurelia sat up late to finish her despatches to the beloved ones at +home, and pack the little works she had been able to do for each, +though my Lady's embroidery took up most of her sedentary hours. +Mrs. Dove undertook the care of the guinea's worth of presents +to the little sisters from Sir Amyas, which the prudent nurse advised +her to withhold till after Master Archer was gone, as he would certainly +break everything to pieces. He was up betimes, careering about the +garden with all his sisters after him, imperiously ordering them about, +but nevertheless bewitching them all, so that Amoretta was in ecstasies +at her own preferment, scarcely realising that it would divide her from +the others; while Letty made sure that she should soon follow, and +Fidelia gravely said, "I shall always know you are loving me still, +Amy, as Nurse Rolfe does." + +Lady Belamour breakfasted in her own room at about ten o'clock. Her +woman, Mrs. Loveday, a small trim active person, with the worn and +sharpened remains of considerable prettiness of the miniature brunette +style, was sent to summon Miss Delavie to her apartment and inspect the +embroidery she had been desired to execute for my Lady. Three or four +bouquets had been finished, and the maid went into such raptures over +them as somewhat to disgust their worker, who knew that they were not +half so well done as they would have been under Betty's direction. +However, Mrs. Loveday bore the frame to her Ladyship's room, following +Aurelia, who was there received with the same stately caressing manner +as before. + +"Good morning, child. Your roses bloom well in the forenoon! Pity they +should be wasted in darkness. Not but that you are duly appreciated +there. Ah! I can deepen them by what our unhappy recluse said of you. +I shall make glad hearts at Carminster by his good opinion, and who +knows what preferment may come of it--eh? What is that, Loveday?" + +"It is work your Ladyship wished me to execute," said Aurelia. + +"Handsome--yes; but is that all? I thought the notable Mistress Betty +brought you up after her own sort?" + +"I am sorry, madam, but I could not do it quickly at first without my +sister's advice, and I have not very much time between my care of the +children and preparing repetitions for Mr. Belamour." + +"Ha! ha! I understand. There are greater attractions! Go on, child. +Mayhap it may be your own wedding gown you are working at, if you +finish it in time! Heavens! what great wondering eyes the child has! +All in good time, my dear. I must talk to your father." + +It was so much the custom to talk to young maidens about their marriage +that this did not greatly startle Aurelia, and Lady Belamour continued: +"There, child, you have done your duty well by those little plagues of +mine, and it is Mr. Wayland's desire to make you a recompense. You may +need it in any change of circumstances." + +So saying, she placed in Aurelia's hand five guineas, the largest sum +that the girl had ever owned; and as visions arose of Christmas gifts +to be bestowed, the thanks were so warm, the curtsey so expressively +graceful, the smile so bright, the soft eyes so sparkling, that the +great lady was touched at the sight of such simple-hearted joy, and +said, "There, there, child, that will do. I could envy one whom a +little makes so happy. Now you will be able to make yourself fine +when my son brings home his bride; or--who knows?--you may be a +bride yourself first!" + +That sounds, thought Aurelia, as if Mr. Belamour had made her relinquish +the plan of that cruel marriage, for I am sure I have not yet seen the +man I am to marry. + +And with a lighter heart the young tutoress stood between Fay and Letty +on the steps to see the departure, her cheeks still feeling Amoret's +last fond kisses, and a swelling in her throat bringing tears to her +eyes at the thought how soon that carriage would be at Carminster. +Yet there were sweet chains in the little hands that held her gown, +and in the thought of the lonely old man who depended on her for +enlivenment. + +The day was long, for Amoret was missed; and the two children were +unusually fretful and quarrelsome without her, disputing over the +new toys which Brother Amyas's guinea had furnished in demoralising +profusion. It was strange too see the difference made by the loss +of the child who would give up anything rather than meet a look of +vexation, and would coax the others into immediate good humour. +There was reaction, too, after the excitement, for which the +inexperienced Aurelia did not allow. At the twentieth bickering +as to which doll should ride on the spotted hobby-horse, the face +of Letty's painted wooden baby received a scar, and Fay's lost a +leg, whereupon Aurelia's endurance entirely gave way, and she +pronounced them both naughty children, and sent them to bed before +supper. + +Then her heart smote her for unkindness, and she sat in the firelight +listless and sad, though she hardly knew why, longing to go up and +pet and comfort her charges, but withheld by the remembrance of +Betty's assurances that leniency, in a like case, would be the ruin +of Eugene. + +At last Jumbo came to summon her, and hastily recalling a cheerful air, +she entered the room with "Good evening, sir; you see I am still here +to trouble you." + +"I continue to profit by my gentle friend's banishment. Tell me, was +my Lady in a gracious mood?" + +"O sir, how beautiful she is, and how kind! I know now why my father +was so devoted to her, and no one can ever gainsay her!" + +"The enchantress knows how to cast her spells. She was then friendly?" + +"She gave me five guineas!" said Aurelia exultingly. "She said Mr. +Wayland wished to recompense me." + +"Did he so? If it came from him I should have expected a more liberal +sum." + +"But, oh!" in a tone of infinite surprise and content, "this is more +than I ever thought of. Indeed I never dreamt of her giving me +anything. Sir, may I write to your bookseller, Mr. Tonson, and +order a book of Mr. James Thomson's _Seasons_ to give to my sister +Harriet, who is delighted with the extracts I have copied for her?" + +"Will not that consume a large proportion of the five guineas, my +generous friend?" + +"I have enough left. There is a new gown which I never have worn, +which will serve for the new clothes my Lady spoke of to receive +her son's bride." + +"She entered on that subject then?" + +"Only for a moment as she took leave. Oh, sir, is it possible that +she can know all about this young lady?" + +"What have you heard of her?" + +"Sir, they say she is a dreadful little vixen." + +"Who say? Is she known at Carminster?" + +"No, sir," said Aurelia, disconcerted. "It was from Nurse Dove that +I heard what Sir Amyas's man said when he came back from Battlefield. +I know my sister would chide me for listening to servants." + +"Nevertheless I should be glad to hear. Was the servant old Grey? +Then he is to be depended on. What did he say?" + +Aurelia needed little persuasion to tell all that she had heard from +Mrs. Dove, and he answered, "Thank you, my child, it tallies precisely +with what the poor boy himself told me." + +"Then he has told his mother? Will she not believe him?" + +"It does not suit her to do so, and it is easy to say the girl will +be altered by going to a good school. In fact, there are many reasons +more powerful with her than the virtue and happiness of her son," he +added bitterly. "There's the connection, forsooth. As if Lady +Aresfield were fit to bring up an honest man's wife; and there's the +fortune to fill up the void she has made in the Delavie estates." + +"Can no one hinder it, sir? Cannot you?" + +"As a last resource the poor youth came hither to see whether the +guardian whose wardship has hitherto been a dead letter, were indeed +so utterly obdurate and helpless as had been represented." + +"And you have the power?" + +"So far as his father's will and the injunctions of his final letter +to me can give it, I have full power. My consent is necessary to his +marriage while still a minor, and I have told my Lady I will never +give it to his wedding a Mar." + +"I was sure of it; and it is not true that they will be able to do +without it? + +"Without it! Have you heard any more? You pause. I see--she wishes +to declare me of unsound mind. Is that what you mean?" + +"So Nurse Dove said, sir," faltered Aurelia; "but it seemed too wicked, +too monstrous, to be possible." + +"I understand," he said. "I thought there was an implied threat in +my sweet sister-in-law's soft voice when she spoke of my determined +misanthropy. Well, I think we can guard against that expedient. After +all, it is only till my nephew comes of age, or till his stepfather +returns, that we must keep the enchantress at bay. Then the poor lad +will be safe, providing always that she and her Colonel have not made +a rake of him by that time. Alas, what a wretch am I not to be able +to do more for him! Child, you have seen him?" + +"I danced with him, sir, but I was too much terrified to look in his +face. And I saw his cocked hat over the thorn hedge." + +"Fancy free," muttered Mr. Belamour. "Fair exile for a cocked hat +and diamond shoe-buckles! You would not recognise him again, nor +his voice?" + +"No, sir. He scarcely spoke, and I was attending to my steps." + +Mr. Belamour laughed, and then asked Aurelia for the passage in the +_Iliad_ where Venus carries off Paris in a cloud. He thanked her +somewhat absently, and then said, + +"Dr. Godfrey said something of coming hither before he goes to his +living in Dorsetshire. May I ask of you the favour of writing and +begging him to fix a day not far off, mentioning likewise that my +sister-in-law has been here." + +To this invitation Dr. Godfrey replied that he would deviate from the +slow progress of his family coach, and ride to Bowstead, spending two +nights there the next week; and to Aurelia's greater amazement, she +was next requested to write a billet to the Mistresses Treforth in +Mr. Belamour's name, asking them to bestow their company on him for +the second evening of Dr. Godfrey's visit. + +"You, my kind friend, will do the honours," he said, "and we will ask +Mrs. Aylward to provide the entertainment." + +"They will be quite propitiated by being asked to meet Dr. Godfrey," +said Aurelia. "Shall you admit them, sir?" + +"Certainly. You do not seem to find them very engaging company, but +they can scarce be worse than I should find in such an asylum as my +charming sister-in-law seems to have in preparation for me." + +"Oh! I wish I had said nothing about that. It is too shocking!" + +"Forewarned, forearmed, as the proverb says. Do you not see, my +amiable friend, that we are providing a body of witnesses to the +sanity of the recluse, even though he may 'in dark Cimmerian desert +ever dwell'?" + +The visit took place; Dr. Godfrey greeted Miss Delavie as an old +friend, and the next day pronounced Mr. Belamour to be so wonderfully +invigorated and animated, that he thought my Lady's malignant plan +was really likely to prove the best possible stimulus and cure. + +Then the Canon gratified the two old ladies by a morning call, dined +with Aurelia and her pupils, who behaved very well, and with whom he +afterwards played for a whole hour so kindly that they placed him +second in esteem to their big and beautiful brother. Mrs. Phoebe +and Mrs. Delia came dressed in the faded splendours of the Louis XIV. +period, just at twilight, and were regaled with coffee and pound cake. +They were a good deal subdued, though as Aurelia listened to the +conversation, it was plain enough what Mr. Belamour meant when he +said that his cousin Delia was something of the coquette. + +Still they asked with evident awe if it were true that their unfortunate +cousin really intended to admit them, and they evidently became more +and more nervous while waiting for Jumbo's summons. Dr. Godfrey gave +his arm to Mrs. Phoebe, and Mrs. Delia gripped hold of Aurelia's, +trembling all over, declaring she felt ready to swoon, and marvelling +how Miss Delavie could ever have ventured, all alone too! + +After all, things had been made much less formidable than at Aurelia's +first introduction. The sitting-room was arranged as it was when Mr. +Greaves read prayers, with a very faint light from a shrouded lamp +behind the window curtain. To new comers it seemed pitchy darkness, +but to Aurelia and Dr. Godfrey it was a welcome change, allowing them +at least to perceive the forms of one another, and of the furniture. +From a blacker gulf, being the doorway to the inner room, came Mr. +Belamour's courteous voice of greeting to his kinswomen, who were led +up by their respective guides to take his hand; after which he begged +them to excuse the darkness, since the least light was painful to him +still. If they would be seated he would remain where he was, and +enjoy the society he was again beginning to be able to appreciate. +He was, in fact, sitting within his own room, with eyes covered from +even the feeble glimmer in the outer room. + +It was some minutes before they recovered their self-possession, but +Dr. Godfrey and Mr. Belamour began the conversation, and they gradually +joined in. It was chiefly full of reminiscences of the lively days +when Dr. Godfrey had been a young Cantab visiting his two friends at +Bowstead, and Phoebe and Delia were the belles of the village. Aurelia +scarcely opened her lips, but she was astonished to find how different +the two sisters could be from the censorious, contemptuous beings they +had seemed to her. The conversation lasted till supper-time, and Mr. +Belamour, as they took their leave, made them promise to come and see +him again. Then they were conducted back to the supper-room, Mrs. +Phoebe mysteriously asking "Is he always like this?" + +The experiment had been a great success, and Aurelia completed it by +asking Mrs. Phoebe to take the head of the supper-table. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. THE VICTIM DEMANDED. + + + And if thou sparest now to do this thing, + I will destroy thee and thy land also.--MORRIS. + + +"Well, sir, have you seen my Lady?" + +"Not a year older than when I saw her last," returned Major Delavie, +who had just dismounted from his trusty pony at his garden gate, and +accepted Betty's arm; "and what think you?" he added, pausing that +Corporal Palmer might hear his news. "She has been at Bowstead, and +brings fresh tidings of our Aura. The darling is as fair and sprightly +as a May morning, and beloved by all who come near her--bless her!" + +Palmer echoed a fervent "Amen!" and Betty asked, "Is this my Lady's +report?" + +"Suspicious Betty! You will soon be satisfied," said the Major in +high glee. "Did not Dove meet me at the front door, and Mrs. Dove +waylay me in the hall to tell me that the child looked blooming and +joyous, and in favour with all, gentle and simple? Come her, Eugene, +ay, and Harriet and Arden too. Let us hear what my little maid says +for herself. For look here!" and he held aloft Aurelia's packet, at +sight of which Eugene capered high, and all followed into the parlour. + +Mr. Arden was constantly about the house. There was no doubt that he +would soon be preferred to a Chapter living in Buckinghamshire, and +he had thus been emboldened to speak out his wishes. It would have +been quite beneath the dignity of a young lady of Miss Harriet's +sensibility to have consented, and she was in the full swing of her +game at coyness and reluctance, daily vowing that nothing should +induce her to resign her liberty, and that she should be frightened +out of her life by Mr. Arden's experiments; while her father had +cordially received the minor Canon's proposals, and already treated +him as one of the family. Simpering had been such a fattening +process that Harriet was beginning to resume more of her good looks +than had ever been brought back by Maydew. + +"Open the letter, Betty. Thanks, Arden," as the minor Canon began to +pull off his boots, "only take care of my knee. My Lady has brought +down her little boy, and one of Aurelia's pupils; I declare they are +a perfect pair of Loves. What are you fumbling at, Betty?" + +"The seal, sir, it is a pity to break it," said Betty, producing her +scissors from one of her capacious pockets. "It is an antique, is it +not, Mr. Arden?" + +"A very beautiful gem, a sleeping Cupid," he answered. + +"How could the child have obtained it?" said Harriet. + +"I can tell you," said the Major. "From old Belamour. My Lady was +laughing about it. The little puss has revived the embers of gallantry +in our poor recluse. Says she, 'He has actually presented her with a +ring, nay, a ring bearing Love himself.'" + +Somehow the speech, even at second hand, jarred upon Betty, but her +father was delighted with my Lady's description of his favourite, and +the letters were full of contentment. When the two sisters, arrayed +in their stiffest silks, went up to pay their respects to my Lady +the next afternoon, their reception was equally warm. My Lady was +more caressing to her old acquaintance, Betty, than that discreet +personage quite liked, while she complimented and congratulated +Harriet on her lover, laughing at her bashful disclaimers in such a +charmingly teasing fashion as quite to win the damsel's heart, and +convince her that all censure of Lady Belamour was vile slander. The +children were sent for, and Amoret was called on to show how Cousin +Aurelia had taught her to dance, sing and recite. The tiny minuet +performed by her and Archer was an exceedingly pretty exhibition as +far as it went, but the boy had no patience to conclude, and jumped +off into an extemporary _pas seul_, which was still prettier, and as +Amoret was sole exhibitor of the repetition of Hay's "Hare and many +friends," he became turbulent after the first four lines, and put a +stop to the whole. + +Then came in a tall, large, handsome, dashing-looking man, with the +air of a "_beau sabreur_," whom Lady Belamour presented to her cousins +as "Colonel Mar, my son's commandant, you know who has been kind enough +to take Carminster on his way, so as to escort me to the Bath. I am +such a sad coward about highwaymen. And we are to meet dear Lady +Aresfield there to talk over a little matter of business." + +Colonel Mar made a magnificent bow, carelessly, not to say +impertinently, scanned the two ladies, and having evidently decided +they had neither beauty nor fashion to attract him, caught up little +Amy in his arms, and began to play a half teasing, half caressing +game with the children. Betty thought it high time to be gone, and +as she took leave, was requested to send up her little brother to +play with his cousins. This did not prove a success, for Eugene +constituted himself champion to Amoret, of whom Archer was very +jealous, though she was his devoted and submissive slave. Master +Delavie's rustic ways were in consequence pronounced to be too rude +and rough for the dainty little town-bred boy, the fine ladies' pet. + +The Major dined at the Great House, but came home so much dismayed +and disgusted that he could hardly mention even to Betty what he had +seen and heard. He only groaned out at intervals, "This is what the +service is coming to! That fop to be that poor lad's commanding +officer! That rake to be always hovering about my cousin!" + +Others spoke out more plainly. Stories were afloat or orgies ending +in the gallant Colonel being under the supper table, a thing only too +common, but not in the house of a solitary lady who had only lately +quitted the carousers. Half the dependants on the estate were +complaining of the guest's swaggering overbearing treatment of +themselves, or of his insolence to their wives or daughters; and +Betty lived in a dreadful unnamed terror lest he should offer some +impertinence to her father which the veteran's honour might not brook. +However, there was something in the old soldier's dignity and long +service that kept the arrogance of the younger man in check, and +repressed all bluster towards him. + +Demands for money were, as usual, made, but the settlement of accounts +was deferred till the arrival of Hargrave, the family man of business, +who came by coach to Bath, and then rode across to Carminster. The +Major dined that day at the Great House, and came home early, with +something so strange and startled about his looks that Betty feared +that her worst misgivings were realised. It was a relief to hear him +say, "Come hither, Betty, I want a word with you." At least it was +no duel! + +"What is it, dear sir?" she asked, as she shut his study door. "Is +it come at last? Must we quit this place?" + +"No, I could bear that better, but what do you think she asks of me +now?--to give my little Aurelia, my beautiful darling, to that madman +in the dark!" + +"Oh!" exclaimed Betty, in a strange tone of discovery. "May I inquire +what you said?" + +"I said--I scarce know what I said. I declared it monstrous, and not +to be thought of for a moment; and then she went on in her fashion that +would wile a bird off a bush, declaring that no doubt the proposal was +a shock, but if I would turn the matter over, I should see it was for +the dear child's advantage. Belamour dotes on her, and after being an +old man's darling for a few years, she may be free in her prime, with +an honourable name and fortune." + +"I dare say. As if one could not see through the entire design. My +Lady would call her sister-in-law to prevent her being daughter-in-law!" + +"That fancy has had no aliment, and must long ago have died out." + +"Listen to Nurse Dove on that matter." + +"Women love to foster notions of that sort." + +"Nay, sir, you believe, as I do, that the poor child was conveyed to +Bowstead in order that the youth might lose sight of her, and since he +proves refractory to the match intended for him, this further device +is found for destroying any possible hope on his part." + +"I cannot say what may actuate my Lady, but if Amyas Belamour be the +man I knew, and as the child's own letters paint him, he is not like +to lend himself to any such arrangement." + +"Comes the offer from him, or is it only a scheme of my Lady's?" + +"He never writes more than a signature, but Hargrave is empowered to +make proposals to me, very handsome proposals too, were not the bare +idea intolerable." + +"Aurelia is not aware of it, I am sure," said Betty, to whom Hargrave +had brought another packet of cheerful innocent despatches, of which, +as usual, the unseen friend in the dark was the hero. + +"Certainly not, and I hope she never may be. I declared the notion +was not to be entertained for a moment; but Urania never, in her +life, would take no for an answer, and she talked me nearly out of +my senses, then bade me go home, think it over, and discuss it with +my excellent and prudent daughter; as if all the thinking and talking +in the world could make it anything but more intolerable." + +His prudent daughter understood in the adjective applied to her a +hint which the wily lady would not have dared to make direct to +the high-spirited old soldier, namely, that the continuance of his +livelihood might depend on his consent. Betty knew likewise enough +of the terrible world of the early eighteenth century to be aware +that even such wedlock as this was not the worst to which a woman +like Lady Belamour might compel the poor girl, who was entirely in +her power, and out of reach of all protection; unless-- An idea +broke in on her--"If we could but go to Bowstead, sir," she said, +"then we could judge whether the notion be as repugnant to Aurelia +as it is to us, and whether Mr. Belamour be truly rational and fit +to be trusted with her." + +"I tell you, Betty, it is a mere absurdity to think of it. I believe +the child is fond of, and grateful to, the poor man, but if she +supposed she loved him, it would be mere playing on her ignorance." + +"Then we could take her safely home and bear the consequences together, +without leaving her alone exposed to any fresh machination of my Lady." + +"You are right, Betty. You have all your sainted mother's good sense. +I will tell my cousin that this is not a matter to be done blindly, +and that I withhold my reply till I have seen and spoken with her and +this most preposterous of suitors." + +"Yes, it is the only way," said Betty. "We can then judge whether it +be a cruel sacrifice, or whether the child have affection and confidence +enough in him to be reasonably happy with him. What is his age, father?" + +"Let me see. Poor Sir Jovian was much older than Urania, but he died +at forty years old. His brother was some three years his junior. He +cannot be above forty-six or seven. That is not the objection, but +the moody melancholy--Think of our gay sprightly child!" + +"We will see, sir." + +"We! Mistress Betty? The cost will be severe without you!" + +"Nay, sir, I cannot rest without going too; you might be taken ill." + +"You cannot trust a couple of old campaigners like Palmer and me? +What did we do without you?" + +"Got lamed for life," said Betty, saucily. "No, I go on a pillion +behind Palmer, and my grandfather's diamond ring shall pay expenses." + +"Sir Archibald's ring that he put on two baby fingers of yours when +he went off to Scotland." + +"Better part with that then resign my Aurelia in the dark, uncertain +whether it be for her good." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. THE PROPOSAL. + + + Love sweetest lies concealed in night.--T. MOORE. + + +The Major rode up to the Great House to announce that he would only +give his answer after having conferred with both his daughter and +the suitor. + +With tears in her beautiful blue eyes, Lady Belamour demanded why her +dear cousin Harry could not trust the Urania he had known all her life +to decide what was for the happiness of the sweet child whom she loved +like her own. + +She made him actually feel as if it were a cruel and unmerited +suspicion, but she did not over come him. "Madam," he said, "it +would be against my orders, as father of a family, to give my child +away without doing my poor best for her." + +There, in spite of all obstacles suggested and all displeasure +manifested, he stuck fast, until, without choosing to wait till a +shower of sleet and rain was over. Vexation and perplexity always +overset his health, and the chill, added to them, rendered him so +ill the next morning that Betty knew there was no chance of his +leaving his room for the next month or six weeks; and she therefore +sent a polite and formal note to the Great House explaining that he +could not attend to business. + +This brought upon her the honour of a visit from the great lady +herself. Down came the coach-and-four, and forth from it came Lady +Belamour in a magnificent hoop, the first seen in those parts, +managing it with a grace that made her an overwhelming spectacle, +in contrast with Betty, in her close-fitting dark-grey homespun, +plain white muslin apron, cap, kerchief, and ruggles, scrupulously +neat and fresh, but unadorned. The visit was graciously designed for +"good cousin Harry," but his daughter was obliged, not unwillingly, +though quite truly, to declare him far too suffering with pain +and fever. + +"La, you there, then," said the lady, "that comes of the dear man's +heat of temper. I would have kept him till the storm was over but +he was far too much displeased with his poor cousin to listen to me. +Come, cousin Betty, I know you are in all his counsels. You will +bring him to hear reason." + +"The whole affair must wait, madam, till he is able to move." + +"And if this illness be the consequence of one wet ride, how can he +be in a condition to take the journey?" + +"You best know, madam whether a father can be expected to bestow his +daughter in so strange a manner without direct communication either +with her or with the other party." + +"I grant you the idea is at first sight startling, but surely he might +trust to me; and he knows Amyas Belamour, poor man, to be the very soul +of honour; yes, and with all his eccentricity to have made no small +impression on our fair Aurelia. Depend upon it, my dear Betty, romance +carried the day; and the damsel is more enamoured of the mysterious +voice in the dark, than she would be of any lusty swain in the ordinary +light of day." + +"All that may be, madam, but she is scarce yet sixteen, and it is +our duty to be assured of her inclinations and of the gentleman's +condition." + +"You will not trust me, who have watched them both," said Lady +Belamour, with her most engaging manner. "Now look here, my dear, +since we are two women together, safe out of the hearing of the men, +I will be round with you. I freely own myself imprudent in sending +your sister to Bowstead to take charge of my poor little girls, but +if you had seen the little savages they were, you would not wonder +that I could not take them home at once, nor that I should wish to +see them acquire the good manners that I remembered in the children +of this house; I never dreamt of Mr. Belamour heeding the little +nursery. He has always been an obstinate melancholic lunatic, +confined to his chamber by day, and wandering like a ghost by night, +refusing all admission. Moreover my good Aylward had appeared +hitherto a paragon of a duenna for discretion, only over starched +in her precision. Little did I expect to find my young lady spending +all her evenings alone with him, and the solitary hermit transformed +into a gay and gallant bachelor like the Friar of Orders Gray in the +song. And since matters have gone to such a length, I, as a woman +who has seen more of the world than you have, my dear good Betty, +think it expedient that the Friar and his charmer should be made +one without loss of time. _We_ know her to be innocence itself, +and him for a very Sidney for honour, but the world--" + +"It is your doing, madam," exclaimed Betty, passionately, completely +overset by the insinuation; "you bid us trust you, and then confess +that you have exposed my sweet sister to be vilely slandered! Oh +my Aurelia, why did I let you out of my sight?" she cried, while hot +tears stood in her eyes. + +"I know your warmth, my dear," said Lady Belamour with perfect command +of temper; "I tell you I blame myself for not having recollected that +a lovely maiden can tame even a savage brute, or that even in the sweet +rural country walls have ears and trees have tongues. Not that any +harm is done so far, nor ever will be; above all if your good father +do not carry his romantic sentiments so far as to be his ruin a second +time. Credit me, Betty, they will not serve in any world save the +imaginary one that crazed Don Quixote. What advantage can the pretty +creature gain? She is only sixteen, quite untouched by true passion. +She will obtain a name and fortune, and become an old man's idol for +a few years, after which she will probably be at liberty by the time +she is of an age to enjoy life." + +"He is but five-and-forty!" said Betty. + +"Well, if she arouse him to a second spring, there will be few women +who will not envy her." + +"You may colour it over, madam," said Betty, drawing herself up, "but +nothing can conceal the fact that you confess yourself to have exposed +my innocent helpless sister to malignant slander; and that you assure +me that the only course left is to marry the poor child to a wretched +melancholic who has never so much as seen her face." + +"You are outspoken, Miss Delavie," said Lady Belamour, softly, but +with a dangerous glitter in her blue eyes. "I pardon your heat for +your father's sake, and because I ascribe it to the exalted fantastic +notions in which you have been bred; but remember that there are +bounds to my forbearance, and that an agent in his state of health, +and with his stubborn ideas, only remains on sufferance." + +"My father has made up his mind to sacrifice anything rather than his +child," cried Betty. + +"My dear girl, I will hear you no more. You are doing him no service," +said Lady Belamour kindly. "You had better be convinced that it is a +sacrifice, or an unwilling one, before you treat me to any more heroics." + +Betty successfully avoided a parting kiss, and remained pacing up and +down the room to work off her indignation before returning to her +father. She was quite as angry with herself, as with my Lady, for +having lost her temper, and so given her enemy an advantage, more +especially as when her distress became less agitating, her natural +shrewdness began to guess that the hint about scandal was the pure +fruit of Lady Belamour's invention, as an expedient for obtaining +her consent. Yet the mere breath of such a possibility of evil +speaking was horror to her, and she even revolved the question of +going herself to Bowstead to rescue her sister. But even if the +journey had been more possible, her father was in no condition to +be left to Harriet's care, and there was nothing to be done except +to wait till he could again attend to the matter, calm herself as +best she could, so as not to alarm him, and intercept all dangerous +messages. + +Several days had passed, and though the Major had not left his bed, +he had asked whether more had been heard from my Lady, and discussed +the subject with his daughter, when a letter arrived in due course of +post. It was written in a large bold hand, and the signature, across +a crease in the paper, was in the irregular characters that the Major +recognised as those of Mr. Belamour. + + +"DEAR AND HONOURED SIR, + + "Proposals have been made to you on my Behalf for the Hand of your +fair and amiable Daughter, Miss Aurelia Delavie. I am well aware how +preposterous and even shocking they may well appear to you; yet, let +me assure you, on the Faith of a Man of Honour that if you will entrust +her to me, wretched Recluse though I be, and will permit her to bear my +Name, I will answer for her Happiness and Welfare. Situated as I am, +I cannot enter into further explanations; but we are old Acquaintance, +though we have not met for many Years, and therefore I venture to beg +of you to believe me when I say that if you will repose Confidence in +me, and exercise Patience, I can promise your admirable Daughter such +Preferment as she is far from expecting. She has been the Blessing of +my darkened Life, but I would never have presumed to ask further were +it not that I have no other Means of protecting her, nor of shielding +her from Evils that may threaten her, and that might prove far worse +than bearing the Name of + + "Your obedient Servant to command, + "AMYAS BELAMOUR. + +"Bowstead Park, Dec. 3rd, 1737." + + +"Enigmatical!" said Betty. + +"It could hardly be otherwise if he had to employ a secretary" said +her father. "Who can have written for him?" + +"His friend, Dr. Godfrey, most probably," said Betty. "It is well +spelt as well as indited, and has not the air of being drawn up by +a lawyer." + +"No, it is not Hargrave's hand. It is strange that he says nothing +of the settlements." + +"Here is a postscript, adding, 'Should you consent, Hargrave will +give you ample satisfaction as to the property which I can settle +on your daughter.'" + +"Of that I have no doubt," said the Major. "Well, Betty, on +reflection, if I were only secure that no force was put on the +child's will, and if I could exchange a few words face to face +with Amyas Belamour, I should not be so utterly averse as I was +at first sight. She is a good child, and if she like him, and +find it not hard to do her duty by him, she might be as happy +as another. And since she is out of our reach it might save +her from worse. What say you, child?" + +"That last is the strongest plea with me," said Betty, with set lips. + +They took another evening for deliberation, but there was something +in the tone of the letter that wrought on them, and it ended in a +cautious consent being given, on the condition of the father being +fully satisfied of his daughter's free and voluntary acquiescence. + +"After all," he said to Betty, "I shall be able to go up to Bowstead +for the wedding, and if I find that her inclinations have been forced, +I can take her away at all risks." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. WOOING IN THE DARK. + + + You may put out my eyes with a ballad-maker's pen, and hang me + up for the sign of blind Cupid.--_Much Ado About Nothing_. + + +Aurelia had been walking in the park with her two remaining charges, +when a bespattered messenger was seen riding up to the door, and +Letitia dropped her hoop in her curiosity and excitement. + +Lady Belamour, on obtaining the Major's partial acquiescence, had felt +herself no longer obliged to vegetate at Carminster, but had started +for Bath, while the roads were still practicable; and had at the same +time sent off a courier with letters to Bowstead. Kind Mrs. Dove had +sent a little packet to each of the children, but they found Cousin +Aura's sympathy grievously and unwontedly lacking, and she at last +replied to their repeated calls to here to share their delight, that +they must run away, and display their treasures to Molly and Jumbo. +She must read her letters alone. + +The first she had opened was Betty's, telling her of her father's +illness, which was attributed in great part to the distress and +perplexity caused by Lady Belamour's proposal. Had it not been for +this indisposition, both father and sister would have come to judge +for themselves before entertaining it for a moment; but since the +journey was impossible, he could only desire Betty to assure her +sister that no constraint should be put on her, and that if she felt +the least repugnance to the match, she need not consider her obliged +to submit. More followed about the religious duty of full +consideration and prayer before deciding on what would fix her +destiny for life, but all was so confusing to the girl, entirely +unprepared as she was, that after hastily glancing on in search +of an explanation which she failed to find, she laid it aside, and +opened the other letter. It began imperially + + + "MY COUSIN, + + "No doubt you are already informed of the Honour that has been +done you by the Proposal that Mr. Amyas Belamour has made to your +Father for your Hand. It is no slight Compliment to a young Maid +like you, from one of the most noted Wits about Town in the last +Reign; and you will no doubt shew the Good Sense to esteem yourself +fortunate beyond all reasonable Expectations or Deserts of your own, +as well as to act for the Advantage of your Family. Be assured that +I shall permit no foolish Flightiness nor Reluctance to interfere +with you true Welfare. I say this, because, as you well know, your +Father's Affection is strong and blind, and you might easily draw +him into a Resistance which could but damage both his Health and +his Prospects. On receiving the tidings of your Marriage, I promise +to settle on him the Manor House with an Annuity of Three hundred +Pounds; but if he should support you in any foolish Refusal, I shall +be obliged to inform him that I can dispense with his Services; +therefore you will do wisely to abstain from any childish expressions +of Distaste. + +"On you Marriage, you will of course have the Enjoyment of the Pin +Money with which Mr. Belamour will liberally endow you, and be +treated in all Respects as a Married Lady. My Daughters shall be +sent to School, unless you wish to make them your Companions +a little longer. Expecting to hear from you that you are +fully sensible to the good Fortune and the Obligations you +are under to me, + "I remain + "Yours &c. + "URANIA BELAMOUR." + + +It was with a gasp of relief that Aurelia discovered what was required +of her. "Marry Mr. Belamour? Is that all? Then why should they all +think I should so much dislike it, my Lady, and my papa, and sister and +all? Nobody ever was so good to me, and maybe I could make him a little +happier, though it is not what I expected of him, to forget his Mary! +Oh, no, I am not afraid; I might have been afraid six months ago, but +now it is a different thing. I am not so foolish! And my dear papa +will have the Manor House for ever! And Eugene will be able to go to +a good school and have a pair of colours in good time! A fortunate +girl! Yes, of course I am! Then Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia will not +flout me any more, even if young Sir Amyas should come here! Ah! here +are the little girls returning! Keep them here? Of course I will. +What toys and books I will get for them!" + +Yet, when the time for her summons drew nigh, a great dread and shyness +overcame her, lest Mr. Belamour should begin on the subject; and she +only nerved herself by recollecting that he could have had no one to +read to him her father's letter of reply, and that he was scarcely +likely to speak without knowing the contents. Still, it was only +shyness and embarrassment that made her advance timidly, but in one +moment a new sensation, a strange tremor came over her, as instead +of merely her finger-tips, her whole hand was grasped and fervently +pressed, and in the silence that ensued the throbbing of her heart +and the panting of her breath seemed to find an echo. However, the +well-known voice began, "My fair visitor is very good in honouring +me to-night." + +Was it coming? Her heart gave such a throb that she could only murmur +something inarticulate, while there was a hasty repressed movement +near her. + +"You have heard from your father?" said Mr. Belamour. + +"My father is ill, sir," she faltered. + +"Ah, yes, so I was sorry to understand. Has he not sent a message to +you through your sister?" + +"He has, sir," Aurelia continued, with difficulty, to utter. + +There was another silence, another space of tightened breath and +beating heart, absolutely audible, and again a hushed, restless +movement heralded Mr. Belamour's next words, "Did I no tell you +truly that my Lady devises most unexpected expedients?" + +"Then would you not have it so, sir?" asked Aurelia, in a bewildered +voice of perplexity. "Oh!" as again one of those echoes startled her, +"tell me what it all means." + +"Hush! listen to me," said Mr. Belamour, in a voice that added to her +undefined alarm by what seemed to her imperious displeasure as uncalled +for as it was unusual; but the usual fatherly gentleness immediately +prevailed, "My child, I should never have entertained the thought for +a moment but for--but for Lady Belamour. This sounds like no +compliment," he added, catching himself up, and manifesting a certain +embarrassment and confusion very unlike his usual calm dignity of +demeanour, and thus adding to the strange fright that was growing +upon Aurelia. "But you must understand that I would not--even in +semblance--have dreamt of your being apparently linked to age, sorrow, +and infirmity, save that--strange as it may seem--Lady Belamour has +herself put into my hands the best means of protecting you, and +finally, as I trust, securing your happiness." + +"You are very good, sir," she continued to breathe out, amid the +flutterings of her heart, and the reply produced a wonderful outburst +of ardour in a low but fervent voice. "You will! You will! You +sweetest of angels, you will be mine!" + +There was something so irresistibly winning in the sound, that it +drew forth an answer from the maiden's very heart. "Oh! yes, indeed--" +and before she could utter another word she was snatched into a sudden, +warm, vehement embrace, from which she was only partly released, +as--near, but still not so near as she would have expected--this +extraordinary suitor seemed to remonstrate with his ardent self, saying, +"Now! now! that will do! So be it then, my child," he continued. +"Great will be the need of faith, patience, trust, ay, and of self- +restraint, but let these be practised for a little space, and all will +be well." + +She scarcely heard the latter words. The sense of something irrevocable +and unfathomable was overpowering her. The mystery of these sudden +alterations of voice, now near, now far off, was intolerable. Here +were hands claiming her, fervent, eager breathings close upon her, +and that serious, pensive voice going on all that time. The darkness +grew dreadful to her, dizziness came over her; she dashed aside the +hands, started up with a scream, and amid the strange noises and +flashes of a swoon, knew no more till she heard Mrs. Aylward's voice +over her, found the horrid smell of burnt feathers under her nose, +and water trickling down her face, dim candlelight was round her, +and she perceived that she was on a low settee in the lobby. + +"There, she is coming round. You may tell your master, Jumbo, 'twas +nothing but the mince pies." + +"Oh, no--" began Aurelia, but her own voice seemed to come from +somewhere else, and being inexperienced in fainting, she was +frightened. + +"That is right, you are better. Now, a drop of strong waters." + +Aurelia choked, and put them aside, but was made to swallow the +draught, and revived enough to ask, "How came I here?" + +"Jumbo must have carried you out, ma'am, and laid you here before +ever he called any one," said Mrs. Aylward. "Dear, dear, to think +of your being taken like that. But the tins of those mince-pies +are over large! You must halve one next time." + +Aurelia was sensible enough to the reproof of greediness to begin to +protest against the mince-pie theory, but she recollected that she +could not account for her swoon, and thereupon became as red as she +had been pale, thus confirming the housekeeper's opinion. A sound +of footsteps made her start up and cry, "What's that?" in nervous +fright; but Mrs. Aylward declared it was fancy, and as she was by +this time able to walk, she was conducted to her own room. There +she was examined on her recent diet, and was compelled to allow the +housekeeper to ascribe her illness to neglect of autumnal blood- +letting and medicine; and she only stave off the send for the barber +and his lancet the next morning by promising to swallow a dose +compounded of all that was horrible. + +She was altogether much shaken, she dreamed strange dreams by night, +was capable of little by day, was declared by the children to be +cross, and was much inclined to plead indisposition as an excuse for +not visiting that alarming room in the evening. Indeed for the +greater part of the day she felt as if she must avail herself of +the pretext, and as if she neither could nor would encounter that +strange double creature in the dark; but somehow she had been as +much fascinated as terrified, and, in spite of her resolve, she +found herself mechanically following Jumbo, shuddering all over +and as cold as ice. + +The dark chambers were warmed by German stoves, so that the atmosphere +was always equable, and it seemed to revive her, while a kind, warm +hand led her as usual to her seat, and it was the usual gentle, +courteous, paternal tone that addressed her, "How chill and trembling +you are! My poor child, you were sadly alarmed last night." + +Aurelia murmured some excuse about being very foolish. + +"It was not you who was foolish," was the reply; and though her +hand was retained it was evidently for the sake of warming it, +and comforting her, not of caressing it in the startling mode of +yesterday. There was a pause, during which her composure began +to be restored, and some inquiries whether she were quite recovered; +to which she replied with eager affirmatives, feeling indeed quite +herself again, now that all was in its familiar state around her. +Then this strange suitor spoke again. "It is a hard and cruel fate +that my Lady has sought to impose on you." + +"Oh, do not say so, sir I---" + +"No," he interrupted somewhat hastily, "do not try to deny it, my +child; I know better than you can what it would amount to. Believe +me, I only lend myself to her arrangement because I know no better +means of guarding you and preserving you for better days." + +"I know how kind you are, sir." + +"And you trust me?" + +"Indeed I do." + +"That is all I ask. I shall never be a husband to you more than in +name, Aurelia, nor ask of you more than you give me now, namely, your +sweet presence for a few hours in the evening, without seeing me. +Can you bear thus to devote your young life, for a time at least?" + +"You know, sir, how glad I always am to be with you," said Aurelia, +relieved yet half regretting that strange fervour. "I will do my +very best to please you." + +"Ah! sweet child," he began, with a thrill of deep feeling in his +voice; but checking himself he continued, "All I ask is patience +and trust for a time--for a time--you promise it!" + +"With all my heart," said Aurelia. + +"I will use my best endeavours to requite that trust, my child," he +said. "Is not the Christian watchword faith, not sight? It must be +yours likewise." + +"I hope so," she said, scarcely understanding. + +He then interrogated her somewhat closely as to the letters which had +prepared her for the proposal; and as Aurelia was far too simple to +conceal anything under cross-examination, Mr. Belamour soon found +out what her Ladyship's threats and promises had been. + +"The Manor House?" he said. "That is the original nucleus of the +property which had hitherto gone to the heir male?" + +"So my sister told me," said Aurelia. + +"That letter, which Dr. Godfrey read to me, spoke of my poor brother's +discomfort in holding it. It is well if thus tardily she refund it, +though not as your price, my poor child. It should have been as +matter of justice, if not by her husband's dying wish. So this is +the alternative set before you! Has it been set before your father +likewise?" + +"Almost certainly she will have threatened to dismiss him if he do +not consent. It was that which made my sister decide on sending me +here, or what would become of him and Eugene? But I should think +my Lady knew my father better than to seem to offer any kind of +price, as you call it, for me." + +"Precisely. You have heard from this maternal sister of yours? Does +he then give his consent?" + +"They say they will not have my inclinations forced, and that they +had rather undergo anything than that I should be driven to--to--" + +"To be as much a sacrifice as Iphigenia," he concluded the sentence. + +"Indeed, sir," said Aurelia, quite restored, "I cannot see why they +should imagine me to have such objections, or want me to be so +cautious and considerate. I shall write to my papa that it is not +at all repugnant to me, for that you are very, very good to me; and +if I can make your time pass ever so little more pleasantly, it is +a delight to me. I am sure I shall like you better than if---" + +"Stay, stay, child," he said, half laughing; "remember, it is as a +father that I ask you to love and trust the old recluse." + +She thought she had been forward, crimsoned in the dark, and retired +into her shell for the rest of the evening. She was glad when with +his usual tact, Mr. Belamour begged for the recitation he knew she +could make with the least effort of memory. + +At the end, however, she ventured to ask--"Sir, shall I be permitted +ever to see my father and sister?" + +"Certainly, my child. In due time I hope you will enjoy full liberty, +though you may have to wait for it." + +Aurelia durst not ask what was in her mind, whether they would not +come to the wedding, but that one great hope began to outweigh all +the strange future. She began to say something about being too young, +ignorant, and foolish for him, but this was kindly set aside, she +hardly knew how. Mr. Belamour himself suggested the formula in which +she might send her consent to Lady Belamour, begging at the same time +to retain the company of the little Misses Wayland. To her father +she wrote such a letter as might satisfy all doubts as to the absence +of all repugnance to the match, and though the Major had sacrificed +all to love and honour himself, _mariages de convenance_ were still so +much the rule, and wives, bestowed in all passiveness with unawakened +hearts, so often proved loving and happy matrons, that it would have +been held unreasonable to demand more than absence of dislike on the +part of the bride. + +Therewith things returned to their usual course, and she was beginning +to feel as if all had been a dream, when one evening, about a week +later, her suitor appeared to have one of those embarrassing fits of +youthful ardour; her hand was passionately seized, caressed, toyed +with by a warm strong hand, and kissed by lips that left a burning +impression and that were no longer hairy. Surely he had been shaving! +Was the time for which he bade her wait, his full recovery, and the +resumption of the youthfulness that seemed to come on him in fits +and starts, and then to ebb away, and leave him the grave courteous +old man she had first known? And why was it always in a whisper that +he spoke forth all those endearments which thrilled her with such +strange emotions? + +When she came into the light, she found her fourth finger encircled +with an exquisite emerald ring, which seemed to bind her to her fate, +and make her situation tangible. Another time she was entreated to +give a lock of her hair, and she of course did so, though it was +strange that it should confer any pleasure on her suitor in the dark. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. THE MUFFLED BRIDEGROOM. + + + This old fantastical Duke of dark corners.-- + _Measure for Measure._ + + +There was some coming and going of Mr. Hargrave in the ensuing weeks; +and it began to be known that Miss Delavie was to become the wife of +the recluse. Mrs. Aylward evidently knew it, but said nothing; Molly +preferred a petition to be her waiting maid; Jumbo grinned as if over- +powered with inward mirth; the old ladies in the pew looked more sour +and haughty than ever to discourage "the artful minx," and the little +girls asked all manner of absurd and puzzling questions. + +My Lady was still at Bath, and Aurelia supposed that the marriage would +take place on her return; and that the Major and Betty would perhaps +accompany her. The former was quite in his usual health again, and +had himself written to give her his blessing as a good dutiful maiden, +and declare that he hoped to be with her for her wedding, and to give +himself to his honoured friend. + +She was the more amazed and startled when, one Sunday evening in spring, +Mr. Hargrave came to her as she sat in her own parlour, saying, "Madam, +you will be amazed, but under the circumstances, the parson and myself +being both here, Mr. Belamour trusts you will not object to the +immediate performance of the ceremony." + +Aurelia took some moments to realise what the ceremony was; and then +she cried, "Oh! but my father meant to have been here." + +"Mr. Belamour thinks it better not to trouble Major Delavie to come +up," said Mr. Hargrave; and as Aurelia stood in great distress and +disappointment at this disregard of her wishes, he added, "I think +Miss Delavie cannot fail to understand Mr. Belamour's wishes to +anticipate my Lady's arrival, so that he may be as little harassed +as possible with display and publicity. You may rely both on his +honour and my vigilance that all is done securely and legally." + +"Oh! I know that," said Aurelia, blushing; "but it is so sudden! +And I was thinking of my father---" + +"Your honoured father has given full consent in writing," said the +steward. "Your doubts and scruples are most natural, my dear madam, +but under the circumstances they must give way, for it would be +impossible to Mr. Belamour to go through a public wedding." + +That Aurelia well knew, though she had expected nothing so sudden or +so private; but she began to feel that she must allow all to be as +he chose; and she remembered that she had never pressed on him her +longing for her father's presence, having taken it as a matter of +course, and besides, having been far too shy to enter on the subject +of her wedding. So she rose up as in a dream, saying, "Shall I go +as I am?" + +"I fear a fuller toilet would be lost upon the bridegroom," said +the lawyer with some commiseration, as he looked at the beautiful +young creature about to be bound to the heart-broken old hermit. +"You will have to do me the honour of accepting my services in the +part of father." + +He was a man much attached to the family, and especially to Mr. +Belamour, his first patron, and was ready to do anything at his +bidding or for his pleasure. Such private weddings were by no +uncommon up to the middle of the last century. The State Law was +so easy as to render Gretna Green unnecessary, when the presence +of any clergyman anywhere, while the parties plighted their troth +before witnesses, was sufficient to legalise the union; nor did +any shame or sense of wrong necessarily attach to such marriages. +Indeed they were often the resource of persons too bashful or too +refined to endure the display and boisterous merriment by which a +public wedding was sure to be attended. Every one knew of excellent +and respectable couples who had not been known to be married till +the knot had been tied for several days or weeks--so that there was +nothing in this to shock the bride. And as usual she did as she was +told, and let Mr. Hargrave lead her by her finger-tips towards Mr. +Belamour's apartments. Mrs. Aylward was waiting in the lobby, with +a fixed impassive countenance, intended to imply that though obedient +to the summons to serve as a witness, it was no concern of hers. On +the stairs behind her the maids were leaning over the balusters, +stuffing their aprons into their mouths lest their tittering should +betray them. + +The sitting-room was nearly, but not quite, dark, for a lamp, closely +shaded, cast a dim light on a Prayer-book, placed on a small table, +behind which stood poor Mr. Greaves--a black spectre, whose white +bands were just discernible below a face whose nervous, disturbed +expression was lost in the general gloom. He carefully avoided +looking at the bride, fearing perhaps some appeal on her part such +as would make his situation perplexing. Contempt and poverty had +brought his stamp of clergymen very low, and rendered them abject. +He had been taken by surprise, and though assured that this was +according to my Lady's will, and with the consent of the maiden's +father, he was in an agony of fright, shifting awkwardly from leg +to leg, and ruffling the leaves of the book, as a door opened and +the bridegroom appeared, followed by Jumbo. + +Aurelia looked up with bashful eagerness, and saw in the imperfect +light a tall figure entirely covered by a long dark dressing-gown, +a grey, tight curled lawyer's wig on the head, and the upper part +of the face sheltered from the scanty rays of the lamp by a large +green shade. + +Taking his place opposite to her as Mr. Hargrave arranged them, he +bowed in silence to the clergyman, who, in a trembling voice, began +the rite which was to unite Amyas Belamour to Aurelia Delavie. He +intended to shorten the service, but his nervous terror and the +obscurity of the room made him stumble in finding the essential +passages, and blunder in dictating the vows, thus increasing the +confusion and bewilderment of poor little Aurelia. Somehow her +one comfort was in the touch of the hand that either clasped hers, +or held the ring on her finger--a strong, warm, tender, trustworthy +hand, neither as white nor as soft as she would have expected, but +giving her a comfortable sense both of present support and affection, +and of identity with that eager one which had sought to fondle and +caress her. There was a certain tremor about both, but hers was +from bashful fright, his, from scarcely suppressed eagerness. + +The steward had a form of certificate ready for signature. When it +was presented to the bridegroom he put up his hand for a moment as +if to push back the shade, but, in dread of admitting even a feeble +ray of light, gave up the attempt, took the pen and wrote Amyas +Belamour where the clergyman pointed. Aurelia could hardly see what +she was doing, and knew she had written very badly. The lawyer and +housekeeper followed as witnesses; and the bridegroom, laying a fee +of ten guineas on the desk, took his bride by the hand and led her +within the door whence he had issued. It was instantly closed, and +at the same moment she was enfolded in a pair of rapturous arms, +and held to a breast whose throbs wakened response in her own, while +passionate kisses rained on her face, mingled with ecstatic whispers +and murmurs of "Mine! mine! my own!" + +On a knock at the door she was hastily released, and Mr. Hargrave +said, "Here are the certificates, sir."--Mr. Belamour put one into +her hand, saying "Keep it always about you; never part with it. +And now, my child, after all the excitement you have gone through, +you shall be subjected to no more to-night. Fare you well, and +blessings attend your dreams." + +Strange that while he was uttering this almost peremptory dismissal, +she should feel herself in a clinging grasp, most unwilling to let +her go! What did it all mean? Could she indeed be a wife, when +here she was alone treading the long dark stair, in looks, in habits, +in externals, still only the little governess of my Lady's children! +However, she had hardly reached her room, before there was a knock +at the door, and the giggling, blushing entrance of Molly with "Please, +ma'am, Madam Belamour, I wishes you joy with all my heart. Please +can't I do nothing for you? Shall I help you undress, or brush your +hair?" + +Perhaps she expected a largesse in honour of the occasion, but Aurelia +had spent all her money on Christmas gifts, and had nothing to bestow. +However, she found on the breakfast-table a parcel addressed to Madam +Belamour, containing a purse with a startling amount of golden guineas +in it. She was rather surprised at the title, which was one generally +conferred on dignified matrons whose husbands were below the rank of +knighthood, such as the wives of country squires and of the higher +clergy. The calling her mother Madam Delavie had been treated as an +offence by Lady Belamour; and when the day had gone by, with nothing +else to mark it from others, Aurelia, finding her recluse in what she +mentally called his quiet rational mood, ventured, after thanking him, +modestly to inquire whether that was what she was to be called. + +"It is better thus," hes said. "You have every right to the title." + +She recollected that he was a baronet's younger son, a distinction in +those days; and that she had been told that his patent of knighthood +had been made out, though he had never been able to appear at court +to receive the accolade, and had never assumed the title; so she only +said "Very well, sir, I merely thought whether my Lady would think +it presuming." + +He laughed a little. "My Lady will soon understand it," he said. +"Her husband will be at home in a few weeks. And now, my dear Madam +Belamour," he add playfully, "tell me whether there is any wish that +I can gratify." + +"You are very kind, sir---" + +"What does that pause mean, my fair friend?" + +"I fear it is too much to ask, sir, but since you inquire what would +please me most, it would be if you could spare me to go to my sister +Harriet's wedding?" + +"My child," he said, with evident regret, "I fear that cannot be. It +will not be prudent to make any move until Mr. Wayland's return; but +after that I can assure you of more liberty. Meantime, let us consider +what wedding present you would like to send her." + +Aurelia had felt her request so audacious that she subsided easily; +and modestly suggested a tea-service. She thought of porcelain, +but Mr. Belamour's views were of silver, and it ended in the lady +giving the cups and saucers, and the gentleman the urn and the tea +and coffee pots and other plate; but it was a drawback to the +pleasure of this munificence that the execution of the order had +to be entrusted to Mr. Hargrave. The daring hope Aurelia had +entertained of shopping for a day, with Mrs. Aylward as an escort, +and choosing the last fashions to send to her sisters was quashed +by the grave reply that it was better not for the present. What +was the meaning of all this mystery, and when was it to end? She +felt that it would be ungrateful to murmur, for Mr. Belamour +evidently was full of sorrow whenever he was obliged to disappoint +her, and much was done for her pleasure. A charming little saddle- +horse, two riding-habits, with a groom, and a horse for him, were +sent down from London for her benefit; gifts showered upon her; and +whenever she found her husband in one of those perplexing accesses +of tenderness she was sure to carry away some wonderful present, a +beautiful jewelled watch, an _etui_ case, a fan, a scent-bottle, or +patch-box with a charming enamel of a butterfly. The little girls +were always looking for something pretty that she would show them +in the morning, and thought it must be a fine thing to have a husband +who gave such charming things. Those caressing evenings, however, +always frightened Aurelia, and sent her away vaguely uneasy, often +to lie awake full of a vague yearning and alarm; and several days +of restlessness would pass before she could return to her ordinary +enjoyment of her days with the children and her evenings with Mr. +Belamour. Yet when there was any long intermission of those fits +of tender affection, she missed them sorely, and began to fear +she had given offence, especially as this strangely capricious man +seemed sometimes to repel those modest, timid advances which at +other times would fill him with ill-suppressed transport. Then +came longings to see and satisfy herself as to what was indeed +the aspect of him whom she was learning to love. + +No wonder there was something unsettled and distressed about her, +overthrowing much of that gentle duteous ness which she had brought +from home. She wrote but briefly and scantily to her sister, not +feeling as if she could give full confidence; she drifted away from +some of the good habits enjoined on her, feeling that, as a married +woman, she was less under authority. She was less thorough in her +religious ways, less scrupulous in attending to the children's +lessons; and the general fret of her uncertainties told upon her +temper with them. They loved her heartily still, and she returned +their affection, but she was not so uniformly patient and good- +humoured. Indeed since Amoret's departure some element of harmony +was missing, and it could not now be said that a whine, a quarrel, +or a cry was a rare event. Even the giving up my lady's wearisome +piece of embroidery had scarcely a happy effect, for Aurelia missed +the bracing of the task-work and the attention it required, and +the unoccupied time was spent in idle fretting. A little self- +consequence too began to set in, longing for further recognition +of the dignities of Madam Belamour. + +The marriage had been notified to Lady Belamour and to Major Delavie, +and letters had been received from each. My Lady travelled to London +early in April in company with Lady Aresfield, and, to the relief of +the inmates of Bowstead, made no deviation thither. No one else was +officially told that the wedding had taken place, but all the village +knew it; and Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia so resented it that they +abandoned the state pew to Madam Belamour and the children, made +their curtsies more perpendicularly than ever, and, when formally +invited to supper, sent a pointed and ceremonious refusal, so that +Aurelia felt hurt and angered. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. THE SISTERS' MEETING. + + + By all hope thou hast to see again + Our aged father and to soothe his pain, + I charge thee, tell me, hast thou seen the thing + Thou callst thine husband?--MORRIS. + + +After numerous delays Mr. Arden had at length been presented to the +living of Rundell Canonicorum, and in one of the last days of April +Harriet Delavie had become his wife. After a fortnight of festivities +amongst their old Carminster friends, the happy couple were to ride, +pillion-wise, to take possession of tier new home, passing through +London, and there spending time enough with some relations of the +bridegroom to show Harriet the wonders of the City. + +Thence Mrs. Arden sent an urgent invitation from her hospitable +hostess to Mrs. Belamour, to come and spend some days in Gracechurch +Street and share with her sister the pleasures of the first sight of +London. + +"I assure you," wrote Harriet, "that though they be Woolstaplers, it +is all in the Wholesale Line; and they are very genteel, and well- +bred Persons, who have everything handsome about them. Indeed it is +upon the Cards that the Alderman may, ere many years be passed, be my +Lord Mayor; but yet he and his good Wife have a proper Appreciation +of Family, and know how to esteem me as one of the Delavies. They +would hold themselves infinitely honoured by your Visit; and if you +were here, we might even be invited to Lady Belamour's, and get +Tickets for Ranelagh. I called at my Lady's Door, but she was not +within, nor has she returned my Visit, though I went in the Alderman's +own Coach; but if you were with me she would have no Colour for +Neglect, you being now her Sister-in-law, though it makes me laugh +to think of it. But as we poor married Ladies are compelled to obey +our Lords and Masters; and as Mr. Belamour may chance to be too high +in his Notions to permit you to be a Guest in this House (as I told +our good Cousin Arden was very like), we intend to lie a Night at +Brentford, and remain there for a Day, trusting that your Husband +will not be so cruel as to prevent a Meeting, either by your coming +to see us, or our coming to see you in your present Abode, which I +long to do. It is a Year since we parted, and I cannot tell you how +I long to clasp my beloved Sister in my Arms." + +Harriet could not long more for such a meeting than did Aurelia, and +there was, it must be owned, a little relief, that it was Harriet, and +not the severer judge, Betty, who thus awaited her. She could hardly +brook the delay until the evening, and even wondered whether it were +not a wife's privilege to anticipate the hour; but she did not venture, +and only hovered about impatient for Jumbo's summons. She came in with +a rapid movement that led Mr. Belamour to say, "Ha, my fair visitor, I +perceive that you have some tidings to bring to-day." + +Everything was rapidly poured out, and she anxiously awaited the +decision. She had little hope of being allowed to go to Gracechurch +Street, and did not press for it; but she could not refrain from +showing her earnest desire for the sight of her sister, so that it +was plain that it would have been a cruel disappointment to her, if +she had been prevented from meeting the newly-married couple. She +detected a certain sound of annoyance or perplexity in the tones +that replied, and her accents became almost plaintively imploring +as she concluded, "Pray, pray, sir, do not deny me." + +"No, my child, I could not be cruel enough for a refusal," he +answered; "I was but considering how most safely the thing may be +contrived. I know it would be your wish, and that it would seem +more befitting that you should act as hostess for your sister, but +I fear that must be for another time. This is not my house, and +there are other reasons for which it would be wiser for you to +receive no one here." + +"It will be quite enough for me if I may only go to Brentford to +meet my dear, dear Harriet." + +"Then be it so, my child. Present my compliments to Mrs. Arden, +and entreat her to excuse the seeming inhospitality of the invalid." + +Aurelia was overflowing with joy at the anticipated meeting, wrote a +delighted letter to make the appointment, and skipped about the dark +stairs and passages more like the butterfly she was than like Madam +Belamour; while Fay and Letty found her a more delightful playfellow +than ever, recovering all the animation she had lost during the last +weeks. Her only drawback to the pleasure was that each intervening +evening convinced her more strongly that Mr. Belamour was uneasy and +dissatisfied about the meeting, which he could not prohibit. On the +previous night he asked many questions about her sister, in especial +whether she were of an inquisitive disposition. + +"That rather depends on how much she has to say about herself," +returned Aurelia, after some reflection. "She likes to hear about +other people's affairs, but she had much rather talk of her own." + +This made Mr. Belamour laugh. "Considering," he said, "how recently +she has undergone the greatest event of a woman's life, let us hope +that her imagination and her tongue may be fully occupied by it during +the few hours that you are to pass together. It seems hard to put any +restraint on your ingenuous confidence, my sweet friend; but I trust +to your discretion to say as little as you can contrive of your +strange position here, and of the infirmities and caprices of him +whose name you have deigned to bear." + +"Sir, do you think I could?" + +"It is not for my own sake, but for yours, that I would recommend +caution," he continued. "The situation is unusual, and such +disclosures might impel persons to interfere for what they thought +your interest; but you have promised me your implicit trust, and +you will, I hope, prove it. You can understand how painful would +be such well-meaning interference, though you cannot understand +how fatally mischievous it would be." + +"I had better say I can tell her nothing," said Aurelia, startled. + +"Nay, that would excite still greater suspicion. Reply briefly and +carefully, making no mysteries to excite curiosity, and avert the +conversation from yourself as much as possible." + +Man of the world and brilliant talker as he had been, he had no +notion of the difficulty of the task he had imposed on the simple +open-hearted girl, accustomed to share all her thoughts with her +sister; and she was too gay and joyous to take full note of all +his cautions, only replying sincerely that she hoped that she +should say nothing amiss, and that she would do her best to be +heedful of his wishes. + +In spite of all such cautions, she was too happy to take in the notion +of anxiety. She rose early in the morning, caring for the first time +to array herself in the insignia of her new rank. Knowing that the +bridle-path lay through parks, woodlands and heaths, so that there was +no fear of dust, she put on a dainty habit of white cloth, trimmed and +faced with blue velvet, and a low-crowned hat with a white feather. On +her pretty grey horse, the young Madam Belamour was a fair and gracious +sight, as she rode into the yard of the Red Lion at Brentford. Harriet +was at the window watching for her, and Mr. Arden received her as she +sprang off her steed, then led her up to the parlour, where breakfast +was spread awaiting her. + +"Aurelia, what a sweet figure you make," cried Harriet, as the sisters +unwound their arms after the first ecstasy of embracing one another +again. "Where did you get that exquisite habit?" + +"It came down from London with another, a dark blue," said Aurelia. +"I suppose Mr. Belamour ordered them, for they came with my horse. +It is the first time I have worn it." + +"Ah! fine things are of little account when there is no one to see +them," said Mrs. Arden, shaking her head in commiseration. + +She was attired in a grey riding-dress with a little silver lace about +it, and looked wonderfully plump and well, full of importance and +complacency, and with such a return of comeliness that Aurelia would +hardly have recognised the lean, haggard, fretful Harriet of the +previous year. Her sentiment and romance, her soft melancholy and +little affectations had departed, and she was already the notable +prosperous wife of a beneficed clergyman, of whose abilities she was +very proud, though she patronised with good-humoured contempt his +dreamy, unpractical, unworldly ways. + +The questions poured forth from Aurelia's heart-hunger about brother, +sister and home, were answered kindly and fully over the breakfast- +table; but as if Harriet had turned that page in her life, and +expected Aurelia to have done the same, every now and then exclaiming: +"La! you have not forgotten that! What a memory you have, child!" + +She wanted much more to talk of the parsonage and glebe of Rundell +Canonicorum, and of how many servants and cows she should keep, and +showed herself almost annoyed when Aurelia brought her back to +Carminster by asking whether Eugene had finished his Comenius, and +if the speckled hen had hatched many chickens, whether Palmer had +had his rheumatic attack this spring, or if the Major's letter to +Vienna had produced any tidings of Nannerl's relation. Harriet +seemed only to be able to reply by an effort of memory, and was far +more desirous of expatiating on the luxuries at alderman Arden's, +and the deference with which she had been treated, in contrast to +the indignity of Lady Belamour's neglect. + +It was disappointing to find that her father had heard nothing from +my Lady about the settlement of the Manor House. + +"Was the promise in writing?" asked Mr. Arden, who had been silent +all this time. + +"Certainly, in a letter to me." + +"I recommend you to keep it carefully until Mr. Wayland's return," +said Mr. Arden: "he will see justice done to you." + +"Poor Mr. Wayland! When he does return, I pity him; but it is his +own fault for leaving his lady to herself. Have you ever seen the +gallant colonel, sister?" + +"Never." + +"Ah! most like he is not much at Bowstead. But do not folk talk +there?" + +"My dear," said Mr. Arden, "you would do well to imitate your honoured +father's discretion on certain points." + +"Bless me, Mr. Arden, how you startled me. I thought you were in a +brown study." She winked at Aurelia as if to intimate that she meant +to continue the subject in his absence, and went on; "I assure you, I +had to be on the alert all the way to take care he looked at the sign- +posts, or we might have been at York by this time. And in London, +what do you think was all my gentleman cared to go and see? Why, he +must needs go to some correspondents of his who are Fellows of the +Royal Society. I took it for granted they must be friends of his +Majesty or of the Prince of Wales at the least, and would have had +him wait for his new gown and cassock; but la! it was only a set of +old doctors and philosophers, and he wished to know what musty +discoveries they had been making. That was one thing he desired in +London, and the other was to hear that crazy Parson Wesley preach a +sermon hours long!" + +"I was well rewarded in both instances," said Mr. Arden gravely. + +Aurelia did not take advantage of the opportunity of shining in the +eyes of her new brother-in-law by showing her acquaintance with the +discussions on electricity which she had studied for Mr. Belamour's +benefit, nor did she speak of Dr. Godfrey's views of Wesley and +Whitfield. Had she so ventured, her sister would have pitied her, +and Mr. Arden himself been somewhat shocked at her being admitted +to knowledge unbecoming to a pretty young lady. Intellect in ladies +would have been a startling idea, and though very fond of his wife, +he never thought of her as a companion, but only as the mistress of +his house and guardian of his welfare. + +The dinner was ordered at one, and at three Aurelia would ride home, +while Mr. and Mrs. Arden went on about twelve miles to the house of +a great grazier, brother to the Alderman's wife, where they had been +invited to make their next stage, and spend the next day, Sunday, +when Harriet reckoned on picking up information about cattle, if she +were not actually presented with a cow or a calf. They went out and +walked a little about the town, where presently they met Mrs. Hunter. +Aurelia met her puzzled stare with a curtsey, and she shouted in her +hearty tone "Miss Delavie!--I mean Mrs. Belamour! Who would have +thought of seeing you here!" + +"I am here to meet my sister--Mrs. Arden. Let me--let me present +you," said Aurelia in obedience to an imperious sign from her sister, +going through the form for the first time, while Harriet volubly +declared her happiness in making Mrs. Hunter's acquaintance, and +explained how they were on their way to take possession of Mr. Arden's +rectory of Rundell Canonicorum, the words rolling out of her mouth +with magnificent emphasis. "I congratulate you, ma'am," said Mrs. +Hunter, cordially, "and you too, my dear," she added, turning to +Aurelia. "I would have been out long ago to call on you--a sort of +relation as you are now, as I may say--but it was kept all so mum, +one never knew the time to drink your health; and my Cousins Treforth +wouldn't so much as give me a hint. But la! says I, why should you +talk about artfulness? I'm right glad poor Mr. Amyas should find a +sprightly young lady to cure him of his mopishness. Never mind them, +my dear, if they do look sour on you. I'll come over one of these +days and talk to them. Now, I must have you come in to take your +dinner with us. The Doctor will be right pleased to find you. I'll +take no excuse. I thank Heaven I'm always ready whoever may drop in. +There's spring chicken and sparrow-grass." + +However, on hearing their dinner was ordered at the inn, the good lady +was satisfied that to dine with her was impossible; but she insisted +on their coming in to partake of wine and cake in her best parlour. + +This, however, was a little more than Mr. Arden could endure, he made +an excuse about seeing to the horse, and escaped; while Mrs. Hunter +led the two sisters to her closely shut-up parlour, wainscoted, and +hung with two staring simpering portraits of herself and her husband, +clean as soap could make it, but smelling like a long closed box. +She went to a cupboard in the wall, and brought out a silver salver, +a rich cake, glasses and wine, and pouring out the wine, touched the +glass with her lips, as she wished health and happiness to the two +brides before her. + +"We shall soon have another wedding in the family, if report speaks +true," she added. "They say--but you should be the best informed, +Madam Belamour-- + +"We hear nothing of the matter, ma'am," said Aurelia. + +"That's odd, since Mr. Belamour is young Sir Amyas's guardian; and +they cannot well pass him over now he has begun life again as it +were," laughed Mrs. Hunter. "'Tis said that my Lady is resolved +the wedding shall be within six weeks." + +There are two words to that question," said Harriet, oracularly; "I +know from good authority that young Sir Amyas is determined against +the match." + +"But is it true, ma'am," cried Mrs. Hunter, eagerly, "that my Lady +and the Countess of Aresfield met at Bath, and that my Lady is to +have 3,000 pounds down to pay off her debts before her husband +comes home, the day her son is married to Lady Arabella?" + +"Every word of it is true, ma'am," said Harriet, importantly. + +"Well now, that folk should sell their own flesh and blood!" + +"How have you heard it, sister Harriet?" asked Aurelia. + +"From a sure hand, my love. No other than Mrs. Dove. She is wife to +my Lady's coachman," explained Mrs. Arden to her hostess, "and nurse +to the two children it is her pleasure to keep with her." + +"Dear good Nurse dove!" cried Aurelia, "did she come to see you?" + +"Yes, that did she! So I have it from the fountain-head, as I may +say, that the poor young gentleman's hand and heart are to be made +over without his will, that so his mother may not have such a +schedule of debts wherewith to face her husband on his return!" + +"Her jewels have been all paste long ago, I know very well," said +Mrs. Hunter, not to be outdone; "though, would you believe it, Doctor +Hunter is like all the men, and will believe nothing against her! +But this beats all the rest! Why, I have it from my maid, who is +sister to one of the servants at the boarding-school in Queen Square, +whither they have sent the Lady Belle, that she is a regular little +shrew. She flew at one of the young ladies like a wild cat, because +she did not yield place to her at once, and scratched her cheeks till +the blood ran down, and tore out whole handfuls of her hair. She was +like one possessed, and they had to call the lackey before they could +get her safe tied down in bed, where they kept her on bread and water, +trying to get her to make her apology; but not a word could be got +out of her, till they had to yield the point lest she should fall +sick." + +Aurelia mentally applauded her own discretion in not capping this +with Mrs. Dove's former tale, and only observing that the marriage +could not take place before the young baronet was of age, without +the consent of his personal guardian, Mr. Belamour. + +"You will excuse me, my dear, in speaking of your husband, but he has +so long been incapable of acting, that they say his consent can be +dispensed with." + +"Aye, poor cousin Amyas Belamour!" said Mrs. Hunter. "He was the only +man who ever durst resist my Lady's will before, and you see to what +she has brought him!" + +"Her son is resisting her now," said Harriet; "and our good Dove says +it makes her blood boil to see the way the poor young gentleman is +treated. He, who was the darling for whom nothing was good enough a +while ago, has now scarce a place in his mother's own house. She is +cold and stately with him, and Colonel Mar, the Lady Belle's brother, +being his commanding officer, there is no end to the vexations and +annoyances they give him, both at home and in his quarters. Mrs. Dove +says his own man, Grey, tells her it is a wonder how he stands out +against it all! And a truly well-bred young gentleman he is. He +came to pay me his call in Gracechurch Street only yesterday, knowing +our kindred, and most unfortunate was it that I was stepped out to +the office to speak as to our boxes being duly sent by the Buckingham +wain; but he left his ticket, and a message with the servant, 'Tell +my cousin, Mrs. Arden,' he said, 'that I much regret not having seen +her, and I should have done myself the honour of calling sooner to +inquire for her good father, if I had known she was in town." + +"Well, I have never seen the young gentleman since he was a mere +child," said Mrs. Hunter. "His mother has bred him to neglect his +own home and relations, but I am sorry for him." + +"They say," continued Harriet significantly, "that they are sure there +is some cause for his holding out so stiffly--I verily believe My Lady +suspected--" + +"O hush, Harriet!" cried Aurelia, colouring painfully. + +"Well, it is all over now, so you need not be offended," said Harriet, +laughing. "Besides, if my Lady had any such notion when she brought +about your marriage, she must be disappointed, for the young spark +is as resolute as ever." + +"And no wonder, if he knows what the lady is like," said Aurelia. + +"Ah! he has admitted as much to the King." + +"To the King!" cried both auditors. + +"Oh yes! you know my Lady is very thick with my Lady Suffolk, and +she persuaded the King to speak to him at the levee. '_Comment_', +says his majesty in French, 'are you a young rebel, sir, that refuse +the good things your mother provides you?' Not a whit was my young +gentleman moved. He bowed, and answered that he was acting by the +desire of his guardian. Excuse me, sister, but the King answered--'A +raving melancholic! That will not serve your turn, sir. Come to your +senses, fulfil your mother's bond, and we'll put you on the Duke's +staff, where you may see more of service than of home, or belike get +into gay quarters, where you may follow any other _fantaisie_ if that +is making you commit such _betises!_' At that Sir Amyas, who is but +an innocent youth, flamed up in his cheeks till they were as red as +his coat, and said his honour was engaged; on which his majesty swore +at him for an idiot, and turned his back. Every word of this Mrs. +Dove heard Colonel Mar tell my Lady--and then they fell to rating the +poor youth, and trying to force out who this secret flame may be; but +his is of the same stuff as his mother, adamantine and impervious. +And now the Colonel keeps him on hard duty continually, and they watch +him day and night to find out what places he haunts. But bless me, +Mrs. Hunter, is the church clock striking? We must be gone, or my +good man will be wondering where we are." + +Mrs. Hunter would fain have kept them, and the last words and +compliments were of long duration, while Aurelia looked on in some +surprise at the transformation of all Harriet's languishing affected +airs into the bustling self-importance of Mrs. Arden. She was however +much occupied with all she had heard, and was marvelling how her +sister began again as soon as they were in the street again. "You +are very discreet, Aurelia, as it becomes a young married lady, but +have you no notion who this innamorata of the baronet may be?" + +"No, indeed, how should I?" + +"I thought he might have confided in your husband, since he makes so +sure of his support." + +"He has only once come to visit Mr. Belamour, and that was many +months ago." + +"It is strange," mused Harriet; "Mrs. Dove says she would have taken +her Bible oath that it was you, and my Lady believed as much, or she +would not have been in such haste to have you wedded. Nay, I'll +never believe but he made his confidences to Betty when he came to +the Manor House the Sunday after you were gone, though not a word +could I get from her." + +"It must have been all a mistake," said Aurelia, not without a little +twinge at the thought of what might have been. "I wish you would not +talk of it." + +"Well he could have been but a fickle adorer--'tis the way of men, +my dear, for he must have found some new flame while his mother and +the Colonel were both at the Bath. They have proof positive of his +riding out of town at sundown, but whither he goes is unknown, for he +takes not so much as a groom with him, and he is always in time for +morning parade." + +"Poor young man, it is hard to be so beset with spies and watchers," +said Aurelia. + +"Most true," said Harriet, "but I am monstrous glad you are safe +married like me, child, so that no one can accuse us. Such romantic +affairs are well enough to furnish a course of letters to the _Tatler_, +or the _Gentlewomen's Magazine_, but I am thankful for a comfortable +life with my good man." + +Therewith they reached their inn, where Harriet, having satisfied +herself that the said good man was safe within, and profiting by the +unwonted calm to write his inaugural sermon, took Aurelia to her +bedroom to prepare for dinner, and to indulge in further confidences. + +"So, Aurelia, I can report to my father that you are looking well, +and as cheerful as can be expected." + +"Nay, I have always told you I am happy as the day is long." + +"What, when you have never so much as seen your husband?" + +"Only at our wedding, and then he was forced to veil his face from +the light." + +"Nor has he ever seen you?" + +"Not unless he then saw me." + +"If he were not then charmed enough to repeat the view, you are the +most cruelly wasted and unworthily matched--" + +"Hush, sister!" broke out Aurelia in eager indignation. + +"What! is a lovely young creature, almost equal to what I was before +my cruel malady, to waste her bloom on a wretched old melancholic, +who will not so much as look at her!" + +"Harriet, I cannot hear this--you know not of what you are talking! +What is my poor skin-deep beauty--if beauty it be--compared with the +stores of goodness and wisdom I find in him?" + +"La! child, what heat is this? One would really think you loved him." + +"Of course I do! I love and honour him more than any one I ever met-- +except my dear father." + +"Come, Aura, you are talking by rote out of the marriage service. You +may be open with me, you know, it will go no further; and I do long to +know whether you can be truly content at heart," said Harriet with real +affection. + +"Dear sister," said Aurelia, touched, "believe me that indeed I am. +Mr. Belamour is kindness itself. He is all he ever promised to be +to me, and sometimes more." + +"Yet if he loved you, he could never let you live moped up there. Are +you never frighted at the dark chamber? I should die of it!" + +"The dark does not fright me," said Aurelia. + +"You have a courage I have not! Come, now, were you never frighted +to talk with a voice in the dark?" + +"Scarcely ever!" said aurelia. + +"Scarcely--when was that?" + +"You will laugh, Harriet, but it is when he is most--most tender and +full of warmth. Then I hardly know him for the same." + +"What! If he be not always tender to my poor dear child, he must be +a wretch indeed." + +"O no, no, Harriet! How shall I ever make you understand?" cried +Aurelia. "Never for a moment is he other than kind and gentle. It +is generally like a father, only more courtly and deferential, but +sometimes something seems to come over him, and he is--oh! I cannot +tell you--what I should think a lover would be," faltered Aurelia, +colouring crimson, and hiding her face on her sister's shoulder, +as old habits of confidence, and need of counsel and sympathy were +obliterating all the warnings of last night. + +"You silly little chit! Why don't you encourage these advances? +You ought to be charmed, not frightened." + +"They would ch---I should like it if it were not so like two men +in one, the one holding the other back." + +Harriet laughed at this fancy, and Aurelia was impelled to defend it. +"Indeed, Harriet, it is really so. There will be whispers--oh, such +whispers!"--she sunk her voice and hid her face again--"close to my +ear, and--endearments--while the grave voice sounds at the other end +of the room, and then I long for light. I swooned for fright the +first time, but I am much more used to it now." + +"This is serious," said Harriet, with unwonted gravity. "Do you +really think that there is another person in the room?" + +"I do not feel as if it could be otherwise, and yet it is quite +impossible." + +"I would not bear it," said her sister. "You ought not to bear it. +How do you know that it is not some vile stratagem? It might even +be the blackamoor!" + +"No, no, Harriet! I know better than that. It is quite impossible. +Besides, I am sure of this--that the hands that wedded me are the +same hands that caress me," she added, with another blushing effort, +"strong but delicate hands, rather hard inside, as with the bridle. +I noticed it because once I thought his hands soft with doing nothing +and being shut up." + +"That convinces me the more, then, there is some strange imposition +practised upon you," said Harriet, anxiously. + +"Oh, no!" said Aurelia, inconsistently; "Mr. Belamour is quite +incapable of doing anything wrong by me. I cannot let you have such +shocking notions. He told me I must be patient and trust him, though +I should meet with much that was strange and inexplicable." + +"This is trusting him much too far. They are playing on your +inexperience, I am sure. If you were not a mere child, you would +see what a shocking situation this is." + +"I wish I had not told you," said Aurelia, tears rushing into her +eyes. "I ought not! He bade me be cautious how I talked, and you +have made me quite forget!" + +"Did he so? Then it is evident that he fears disclosure! Something +must be done. Why not write to our father?" + +"I could not! He would call it a silly fancy." + +"And it might embroil him with my Lady," added Harriet. "We must +devise another mode." + +"You will not--must not tell Mr. Arden," exclaimed Aurelia, +peremptorily. + +"Never fear! He heeds nothing more sublunary than the course of the +planets. But I have it. His device will serve the purpose. Do you +remember Eugene confounding him with Friar Bacon because he was said +to light a candle without flint or steel? It was true. When he was +a bachelor he always lit his own candle and fire, and he always +carries the means. I was frighted the first time he showed me, but +now I can do it as well as he. See," she said, opening a case, "a +drop of this spirit upon this prepared cotton;" and as a bright flame +sprang up and made Aurelia start, she laughed and applied a taper to +it. "There, one such flash would be quite enough to prove to you +whether there be any deception practised on you." + +"I could never do it! Light is agony to Mr. Belamour, and what would +he think?" + +"He would take it for lightning, which I suppose he cannot keep out." + +"One flash did come through everything last summer, but I was not +looking towards him." + +"You will be wiser this time. Here, I can give you this little box, +for Mr. Arden compounded a fresh store in town." + +"I dare not, sister. He has ever bidden me trust without sight; and +you cannot guess how good he is to me, and how noble and generous. +I cannot insult him by a doubt." + +"Then he should not act as no true woman can endure." + +"And it would hurt him." + +"Tut, tut, child; if the lightning did not harm him how can this +flash? I tell you no man has a right to trifle with you in this +manner, and it is your duty to yourself and all of us to find out +the truth. Some young rake may have bribed the black, and be +personating him; and some day you may find yourself carried off +you know not where." + +"Harriet, if you only knew either Mr. Belamour or Jumbo, you would +know that you are saying things most shocking!" + +"Convince me, then! Look here, Aurelia, if you cannot write to me +and explain this double-faced or double-voiced husband of yours, I +vow to you that I shall speak to Mr. Arden, and write to my father." + +"Oh! do not, do not, sister! Remember, it is of no use unless this +temper of affection be on him, and I have not heard it this fortnight, +no, nor more." + +"Promise me, then, that you will make the experiment. See, here is +a little chain-stitch pouch--poor Peggy Duckworth's gift to me--with +two pockets. Let me fasten it under your dress, and then you will +always have it about you." + +"If the bottle broke as I rode home!" + +"Impossible; it is a scent-bottle of strong glass." + +Here Mr. Arden knocked at the door, regretting to interrupt their +confidences, but dinner awaited them; and as, immediately after, +Mrs. Hunter brought her husband in his best wig to call on Madame +Belamour and her relations, the sisters had no more time together, +till the horses were at the door, and they went to their room +together to put on their hats. + +A whole mass of refusals and declarations of perfect confidence +were on Aurelia's tongue, but Harriet cut them all short by saying, +"Remember, you are bound for your own honour and ours, to clear up +this mystery!" + +Then they rode off their several ways, Madame Belamour towards +Bowstead, Mr. and Mrs. Arden on their sturdy roadster towards +Lea Farm. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. A FATAL SPARK. + + + And so it chanced; which in those dark + And fireless halls was quite amazing, + Did we not know how small a spark + Can set the torch of love ablazing. + T. MOORE. + + +Aurelia rode home in perplexity, much afraid of the combustibles at +her girdle, and hating the task her sister had forced on her. She +felt as if her heedless avowals had been high treason to her husband; +and yet Harriet was her elder, and those assurances that as a true +woman she was bound to clear up the mystery, made her cheeks burn +with shame, and her heart thrill with the determination to vindicate +her husband, while the longing to know the face of one who so loved +her was freshly awakened. + +She was strongly inclined to tell him all, indeed she knew herself +well enough to be aware that half a dozen searching questions would +draw out the whole confession of her own communication and Harriet's +unworthy suspicions; and humiliating as this would be, she longed for +the opportunity. Here, however, she was checked in her meditations +by a stumble of her horse, which proved to have lost a shoe. It was +necessary to leave the short cut, and make for the nearest forge, +and when the mischief was repaired, to ride home by the high road. + +She thus came home much later than had been expected; Jumbo, Molly, +and the little girls were all watching for her, and greeted her +eagerly. The supper was already on the table for her, and she had +only just given Fay and Letty the cakes and comfits she had bought +at Brentford for them when Jumbo brought the message that his master +hoped that madam, if not too much fatigued, would come to him as soon +as her supper was finished. + +Accordingly, she came without waiting to change her dress, having +only taken off her hat and arranged her hair. + +She felt guilty, and dreaded the being questioned, yet longed to make +her avowal and have all explained. The usual greetings passed, and +then Mr. Belamour said, "I heard your horse hoofs come in late. You +were detained?" + +She explained about the shoe, and a few sentences were passing about +her sister when she detected a movement, as if a step were stealing +towards her, together with a hesitation in the remark Mr. Belamour +was making about Mrs. Hunter's good nature. + +Quite irrelevantly came in the whispering voice, "Where is my dearest +life?" + +"Sir, sir!" she cried, driven at last to bay, "what is this? Are you +one or two?" + +"One with you, my sweetest life! Your own--your husband!" + +Therewith there was a kind of groan further off, and as Aurelia felt +a hand on her dress, her fight and distress at the duality were +complete. While, in the dark, the hands were still groping for her, +she eluded them, and succeeded in carrying out Harriet's manoeuvre +so far that a quick bright flame leapt forth, lighting up the whole +room, and revealing two--yes, two! But it did not die away! In her +haste, and in the darkness, she had poured the whole contents of the +bottle on the phosphoric cotton, and dropped both without knowing it +on a chintz curtain. A fresh evening breeze was blowing in from the +window, open behind the shutters, and in one second the curtain was +a flaming, waving sheet. Some one sprang up to tear it down, leaping +on a table in the window. The table overbalanced, the heavy iron +curtain-rod came out suddenly, and there was a fall, the flaming mass +covering the fallen! The glare shone on a strange white face and head +as well as on Jumbo's black one, and with a trampling and crushing +the fire died down, quenched as suddenly as it began, and all was +obscurity again. + +"Nephew, dear boy, speak," exclaimed Mr. Belamour; and as there was +no answer, "Open the shutters, Jumbo. For Heaven's sake let us see!" + +"Oh! what have I done?" cried poor Aurelia, in horror and misery, +dropping by him on the ground, while the opened shutters admitted +the twilight of a May evening, with a full moon, disclosing a strange +scene. A youth in a livery riding coat lay senseless on the ground, +partly covered by the black fragments of the curtain, the iron rod +clenched in one hand, the other arm doubled under him. A face +absolutely white, with long snowy beard and hair hung over him, and +an equally white pair of hands tried to lift the head. Jumbo had +in a second sprung down, removed the fallen table, and come to his +masters help. "Struck head with this," he said, as he tried to +unclasp the fingers from the bar, and pointed to a grazed blow +close to the temple. + +"We must lay him on my bed," said Mr. Belamour. Then, seeing the +girl's horror-stricken countenance, "Ah, child, would that you had +been patient; but it was overtasking you! Call Aylward, I beg of +you. Tell her he is here, badly hurt. What, you do not know him," +as her bewildered eyes and half-opened lips implied the question +she could not utter, "you do not know him? Sir Amyas--my nephew-- +your true husband!" + +"Oh! and I have killed him!" she cried, with clasped hands. + +"Hush, child, no, with God's mercy! Only call the woman and bring +a light." + +She rushed away, and appeared, a pale terrified figure, with the +smell of fire on her hair and white dress, in the room where Mrs. +Aylward was reading her evening chapter. She could scarcely utter +her message as she stood under the gaze of blank amazement; but Mrs. +Aylward understood enough to make her start up without another word, +and hurry away, candle in hand. + +Aurelia took up the other, and followed, trembling. When she reached +the outer room the rush of air almost blew out her light, and pausing, +afraid to pass on, she perceived that Mr. Belamour and Jumbo were +carrying the insensible form between them into the inner apartment, +while a moan or two filled her heart with pangs of self-reproach. + +She hung about, in terrible anxiety, but not daring to come forward +while the others were engaged about the sufferer, for what seemed a +very long time before she heard Mrs. Aylward say, "His arm is broke, +sir. We must send for Dr. Hunter. The maids are all in their beds, +but I will go and wake one, and send her to the stables to call the +groom." + +"I had best go," said Mr. Belamour. "You are of more use than I. He +sleeps at the stables, you say?" Then, seeing the waiting, watching +form of Aurelia, he said, "Come in, my poor child. Perhaps your voice +may rouse him." Every one, including himself, seemed to have forgotten +Mr. Belamour's horror of the light, for candles were flaring on all +the tables, as he led the you girl in, saying, "Speak to him." + +At the death-like face in its golden hair, Aurelia's voice choked in +her throat, and it was in an unnatural hoarse tone that she tried to +say, "Sir--Sir Amyas--" + +"I trust he will soon be better," said Mr. Belamour, marking her dismay +and grief with his wonted kindness, "but his arm needs the surgeon, +and I must be going. Let Lady Belamour sit here, Mrs. Aylward. I +trust you with the knowledge. It was my nephew, in disguise, who +wedded her, unknown to her. She is entirely blameless. Let Jumbo +fetch her a cordial. There, my child, take this chair, so that his +eyes may fall on you when he opens them. Bathe his head if you will. +I shall return quickly after having sped the groom on his journey." + +Gloomy and doubtful were the looks cast on Aurelia by the housekeeper, +but all unseen by the wondering, bewildered, remorseful eyes fixed +on the white face on the pillow, heedless of its perfect symmetry of +feature, and knowing only that this was he who had thrilled her heart +with his tender tones, who had loved her so dearly, and dared so much +for her sake, but whom her impatience and distrust had so cruelly +injured. Had she seen him strong, well, and ardent, as she had so +lately heard him, her womanhood would have recoiled indignantly at +the deception which had stolen her vows; but the spectacle of the +young senseless face and prostrate form filled her with compassion, +tenderness, and remorse, for having yielded to her sister's +persuasions. With intense anxiety she watched, and assisted in the +fomentations, longing for Mr. Belamour's return; but time passed on +and still he came not. No words passed, only a few faint sighs, and +one of the hands closed tight on Aurelia's. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. WRATH AND DESOLATION. + + + Straight down she ran + . . . . and fatally did vow + To wreake her on the mayden messenger + Whom she had caused be kept as prisonere. + SPENSER. + + +Hark! there was the trampling of horses and thundering of wheels at +the door! Could the doctor be come already, and in such a fashion? + +Jumbo hurried to admit him, and Mrs. Aylward moved to arrange matters, +but the clasp that was on Aurelia's hand would not let her go. + +Presently there came, not Dr. Hunter's tread, but a crisp, rustling +sound, and the tap of high heels, and in the doorway stood, tall, +erect, and terrible, Lady Belamour, with a blaze of wrath in her +blue eyes, and concentrated rage in her whole form, while in accents +low, but coming from between her teeth, she demanded, "Miserable boy, +what means this?" + +"Oh! madam, take care! he is sadly hurt!" cried Aurelia, with a +gesture as if to screen him. + +"I ask what this means?" repeated Lady Belamour, advancing, and +seeming to fill the room with her majestic figure, in full brocaded +dress, with feathers waving in her hair. + +"His Honour cannot answer you, my Lady," said Mrs. Aylward. "He has +had a bad fall, and Mr. Belamour is gone to send for the doctor." + +"This is the housekeeping in my absence!" said Lady Belamour, showing +less solicitude as to her son's condition than indignation at the +discovery, and her eyes and her diamonds glittering fearfully. + +"My Lady," said Mrs. Aylward, with stern respectfulness, "I knew nothing +of all this till this lady called me an hour ago telling me Sir Amyas +was hurt. I found him as you see. Please your Ladyship, I must go +back to him." + +"Speak then, you little viper," said Lady Belamour, turning on Aurelia, +who had risen, but was held fast by the hand upon hers. "By what arts +have you well nigh slain my son? Come here, and tell me." + +"None, madam!" gasped Aurelia, trembling, so that she grasped her +chair-back with her free hand for support. "I never saw him till +to-night." + +"Lies will not serve you, false girl. Come here this instant! I +_know_ that you have been shamelessly receiving my son here, night +after night." + +"I never knew!" + +"Missie Madam never knew," chimed in Jumbo. "All in the dark. She +thought it old mas'r." + +Lady Belamour looked contemptuously incredulous; but the negro's +advocacy gave a kind of courage to Aurelia, and availing herself +of a slight relaxation of the fingers she withdrew her hand, and +coming forward, said, "Indeed, madam, I know nothing, I was entirely +deceived. Only hearing two voices in the dark alarmed me, so that +I listened to my sister, and struck a light to discover the truth. +Then all caught fire, and blazed up, and--" + +"Then you are an incendiary as well as a traitor," said her Ladyship, +with cold, triumphant malignity. "This is work for the constable. +Here, Loveday," to her own woman, who was waiting in the outer room, +take this person away, and lock her into her own room till morning, +when we can give her up to justice." + +"Oh, my Lady," cried Aurelia, crouching at her feet and clinging to +her dress, "do not be so cruel! Oh! let me go home to my father!" + +"Madam!" cried a voice from the bed, "let alone my wife! Come, +Aurelia. Oh!" + +Then starting up in bed had wrenched his broken arm, and he fell back +senseless again, just as Aurelia would have flown back to him, but +his mother stood between, spurning her away. + +Another defender, if she could so be called, spoke for her. "It is +true, please your Ladyship," said Mrs. Aylward, "that Mr. Belamour +called her the wife of this poor young gentleman." + +Jumbo too exclaimed, "No one knew but Jumbo; His Honour marry pretty +missie in mas'r's wig and crimson dressing-gown." + +"A new stratagem!" ironically observed the incensed lady. "But your +game is played out, miss, for madam I cannot call you. Such a +marriage cannot stand for a moment; and if a lawyer like Amyas +Belamour pretended it could, either his wits were altogether astray +or he grossly deceived you. Or, as I believe, he trafficked with +you to entrap this unhappy youth, whose person and house you have, +between you, almost destroyed. Remove her, Loveday, and lock her +up till we can send for a magistrate to take depositions in the +morning. Go quietly, girl I will not have my son disturbed with +your outcries." + +Poor Aurelia's voice died in her throat. Oh! why did not Mr. Belamour +come to her rescue? Ah! he had bidden her trust and be patient; she +had transgressed, and he had abandoned her! There was no sign of life +or consciousness in the pallid face on the bed, and with a bleeding +heart she let the waiting-maid lead her through the outer apartment, +still redolent of the burning, reached her own chamber, heard the key +turn in the lock, and fell across her bed in a sort of annihilation. + +The threat was unspeakably frightful. Those were days of capital +punishment for half the offences in the calendar, and of what was +to her scarcely less dreadful, of promiscuous imprisonment, fetters, +and gaol fever. Poor Aurelia's ignorance could hardly enhance these +horrors, and when her perceptions began to clear themselves, her +first thought was of flight from a fate equally dreadful to the +guilty or not guilty. + +Springing from the bed, she tried the other door of her room, which +was level with the wainscoting, and not readily observed by a person +unfamiliar with the house. It yielded to her hand, and she knew +there was a whole suite of empty rooms thus communicating with one +another. It was one of those summer nights that are never absolutely +dark, and there was a full moon, so that she had light enough to +throw off her conspicuous white habit, all scorched and singed as +it was, and to put on her dark blue cloth one, with her camlet cloak +and hood. She made up a small bundle of clothes, took her purse, +which was well filled with guineas and silver, and moved softly to +the door. Hide and seek had taught her all the modes of eluding +observation, and with her walking shoes in her hand, and her feet +slippered, she noiselessly crept through one empty room after +another, and descended the stair into her own lobby, where she knew +how to open the sash door. + +One moment the thought that Mr. Belamour would protect her made her +pause, but the white phantom she had seen seemed more unreal than +the voice she was accustomed to, and both alike had vanished and +abandoned her to her fate. Nay, she had been cheated from the first. +Everything had given way with her. My Lady might be coming to send +her to prison. Hark, some one was coming! She darted out, down the +steps, along the path like a wild bird from a cage. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. THE WANDERER. + + + Widowed wife and wedded maid, + Betrothed, betrayer, and betrayed.--SCOTT. + + +Aurelia's first halt was in a moss-grown summer-house at the end of +the garden, where she ventured to sit down to put on her stout leather +shoes. The children's toys, a ball and a set of ninepins lay on the +floor! How many ages ago was it that she had made that sarcastic +reply to Letty?--perhaps her last! + +A nightingale, close overhead, burst into a peal of song, repeating +his one favourite note, which seemed to her to cry out "Although my +heart is broke, broke, broke, broke." The tears rushed into her +eyes, but at a noise as of opening doors or windows at the house, +terror mastered her again, and she hurried on to hide herself from +the dawning light, which was beginning to increase, as she crossed +the park, on turf dank with Maydew, and plunged deep into the thick +woods beyond, causing many a twittering cry of wondering birds. + +Day had fully come, and slanting golden beams were shining through +the tender green foliage, and illuminating the boles of the trees, +ere she was forced by failing strength again to pause and sit on a +faggot, while gathering breath and considering where she should go. +Home was her first thought. Who could shield her but her father +and sister? How she longed for their comfort and guardianship! +But how reach them? She had money but could do little for her. +England never less resembled those days of Brian Boromhe when the +maiden with the gems, rich and rare wandered unscathed form sea to +sea in Ireland. Post chaises, though coming into use, had not +dawned on the simple country girl's imagination. She knew there +was a weekly coach from London to Bath, passing through Brentford, +and that place was also a great starting-place for stage waggons, +of which one went through Carminster, but her bewildered brain +could not recall on what day it started, and there was an additional +shock of despair when she remembered that it was Sunday morning. +The chill of the morning dew was on her limbs, she was exhausted +by her fatigues of the night, a drowsy recollection of the children +in the wood came over her, and she sank into a dreamy state that +soon became actual sleep. She was wakened by a strong bright +sunbeam on her eyes, and found that this was what had warmed her +limbs in her sleep. A sound as of singing was also in her ears, +and of calling cows to be milked. She did not in the least know +where she was, for she had wandered into parts of the wood quite +strange to her, but she thought she must be a great way from home, +and quite beyond recognition, so she followed the voice, and soon +came out on a tiny meadow glade, where a stout girl was milking a +great sheeted cow. + +She knew now that she was faint with hunger and thirst, and must take +food before she could go much farther, so taking out a groat, her +smallest coin, she accosted the girl, and offered it for a draught +of milk. To her dismay the girl exclaimed "Lawk! It be young Madam! +Sarvice, ma'am!" + +"I have lost myself in the wood," said Aurelia. "I should be much +obliged for a little milk." + +"Well to be sure. Think of that! And have ee been out all night? +Ye looks whisht!" said the girl, readily filling a wooden cup she +had brought with her, for in those days good new milk was a luxury +far more easily accessible than in ours. She added a piece of barley +bread, her own intended breakfast, and was full of respectful wonder, +pity, and curiosity, proposing that young Madam should come and rest +in mother's cottage in the wood, and offering to guide her home as +soon as the cows were milked and the pigs fed. Aurelia had some +difficulty in shaking her off, finding also that she had gone round +and round in the labyrinthine paths, and was much nearer the village +of Bowstead than she had intended. + +Indeed, she was obliged to deceive the kindly girl by walking off in +the direction she pointed out, intending to strike afterwards into +another path, though where to go she had little idea, so long as it +was out of reach of my Lady and her prison. + +Oh! if Harriet were only at Brentford, or if it were possible to reach +the Lea Farm where she was! Could she ask her way thither, or could +she find some shelter near or in Brentford till the coach or the +waggon started? This was the most definite idea her brain, refreshed +somewhat by the food, could form; but in the meantime she was again +getting bewildered in the field paths. It was a part she did not +know, lying between the backs of the cottages and their gardens, and +the woods belonging to the great house; and the long sloping meadows, +spangled with cowslips were much alike. The cowslips seemed to strike +her with a pang as she recollected her merry day among them last +spring, and how little she then thought of being a homeless wanderer. +At last, scarce knowing where she was, she sat down on the step of a +stile leading to a little farmyard, leant her head on the top bar and +wept bitterly. + +Again she startled by hearing a voice saying, "Sister, what is that +in the field?" and starting up, she saw Mrs. Delia in high pattens, +and her Sunday silk tucked up over her quilted petticoat, with a +basket of corn in her hand, surrounded by her poultry, while Mrs. +Phoebe was bending over a coop. She had stumbled unawares on their +back premises, and with a wild hope, founded on their well-known +enmity to Lady Belamour, she sprang over the stile. Mrs. Delia +retreated in haste, but Mrs. Phoebe came to the front. + +"Oh! Mrs. Phoebe," she cried, "I ask your pardon." + +"Mrs. Belamour! Upon my word! To what are we indebted for this +visit?" + +"Oh! of your kindness listen to me, madam," said Aurelia. "My Lady +is come, and there is some dreadful mistake, and she is very angry +with me; and if you would only take me in and hide me till the waggon +goes and I can get home!" + +"So my Lady has found you out, you artful hussy," returned Mrs. Phoebe. +"I have long guessed at your tricks! I knew it was no blackamoor that +was stealing into the great house." + +"I do not know what you mean." + +"Oh! it is of no use to try your feigned artlessness on us. I wonder +at your assurance, after playing false with uncle and nephew both at +once." + +"If you would but hear me!" + +"I have heard enough of you already. I wonder you dare show your face +at a respectable house. Away with you, if you would not have me send +the constable after you!" + +The threat renewed Aurelia's terror, and again she fled, but this time +she fell into a path better known to her, that leading to Sedhurst, +and ultimately to Brentford. + +The recollection of Dame Wheatfield's genial good nature inspired her +with another hope, and she made her way towards the farm. The church +bells were ringing, and she saw the farmer and his children going +towards the church, but not the mistress, and she might therefore +hope to find her at home and alone. As she approached, a great dog +began a formidable barking, and his voice brought out the good woman +in person. "Down, Bouncer! A won't hurt'ee, my lass. What d'ye +lack that you bain't at church?" + +"May I speak to you, Mrs. Wheatfield?" + +"My stars, if it bain't young Miss--Madam, I mean! Nothing ain't +wrong with the child?" + +"O no, she is quite well, but--" + +"What, ye be late for church? Come in and sit ye down a bit and sup +after your walk. We have been and killed Spotty's calf, though +'twas but a staggering Bob, but us couldn't spare the milk no longer. +So we've got the l'in on un for dinner, and you're kindly welcome if +you ain't too proud. Only I wish you had brought my little missie." + +"O Mrs. Wheatfield! Shall I ever see the dear little girl again? Oh! +can you help me? Do you know where Lea Farm is? I'd pay anything for +a horse and man to take me there, where my sister is staying." + +"Well, I don't know as my master would hire a horse out of a Sunday, +unless 'twere very particler--illness or suchlike. Lea Farm did you +say ma'am? Is it the Lea out by Windmill hill--Master Brown's; or +Lea Farm, down by the river--Tom Smith's?" + +"No, this is Mr. Meadows's, a grazier." + +"Never heard tell on him, ma'am, but the master might, when he comes +in. But bless me," she added, after a moment's consideration, "what +will your master say? He'll be asking how it comes that a lady like +you, with a coach and horses of her own, should be coming after a +horse here. You ain't been and got into trouble with my Lady, my +dear?" + +"Oh! Dame, indeed I have; pray help me!" + +It was no wonder that Mrs. Wheatfield failed to gather more than that +young Madam had almost burnt the house, and had fallen under grievous +displeasure, so as even to fear the constable. + +"Bless your poor heart! Think of that now! But I'm afeard we can't +do nothing for you. My master would be nigh about killing me if I +harboured you and got him into trouble, with the gentry." + +"If you could only hide me in some loft or barn till I could meet the +coach for Bath! Then I should be almost at home." + +"I dare not. The children are routing about everywhere on a Sunday +afternoon; and if so be as there's a warrant out after you" (Aurelia +shuddered) "my man would be mad with me. He ain't never forgot how +his grandfather was hanged up there in that very walnut for changing +clothes with a young gentleman in the wars long ago." + +"Then I must go! Oh, what will become of me?" + +"Stay a bit! It goes to my heart to turn you from the door, and you +so white and faint. And they won't be out of church yet a while. +You've ate nothing all this time! What was you thinking of doing, +my dear?" + +"I don't know. If I could only find out the right Lea Farm, and get +a man and horse to take me there--but my sister goes on Monday, and +I might not find her, and nobody knows where it is. And nobody will +take me in or hide my till the coach goes! Oh, what will become of +me?" + +"It is bitter hard," said the Dame. "I wish to my heart I could take +you in, but you see there's the master! I'll tell you what: there's +my cousin, Patty Woodman; she might take you in for a night or two. +But you'd never find your way to her cot; it lies out beyond the +spinneys. I must show you the way. Look you here. Nobody can't +touch you in a church, they hain't got no power there, and if you +would slip into that there empty place as opens with the little door, +as the ringers goes in by, afore morning prayers is over I'll make an +excuse to come to evening prayer alone, or only with little Davy, as +is lying asleep there. If Patty is there I'll speak, and you can go +home with her. If not, I must e'en walk with you out to the spinney. +Hern is a poor place, but her's a good sort of body, and won't let +you come to no harm; and her goes into Brentford with berries and +strawberries to meet the coaches, so may be she'll know the day." + +"Oh, thank you, thank you, dear Mrs. Wheatfield! If I can only get +safe home!" + +"Come, don't be in haste. You'll take a bit of bread and cheese, +and just a draught of ale to hearten you up a bit." + +Aurelia was too sick at heart for food, and feared to delay, lest +she should meet the congregation, but Mrs. Wheatfield forced on her +a little basket with some provisions, and she gladly accepted +another draught of milk. + +No one came out by the little door she was told; all she had to do +would be to keep out of sight when the ringers came in before the +afternoon service. She knew the way, and was soon close to Mary +Sedhurst's grave. "Ah! why was he not constant to her," she thought; +"and oh! why has he deserted me in my need?" + +The little door easily yielded, and she found herself--after passing +the staircase-turret that led by a gallery to the belfry in the centre +of the church--in an exceedingly dilapidated transept; once, no doubt, +it had been beautiful, before the coloured glass of the floriated +window had been knocked out and its place supplied with bricks. The +broken effigy of a crusading Sedhurst, devoid of arms, feet, and nose +was stowed away in the eastern sepulchre, in company with funeral +apparatus, torn books, and moth-eaten cushions. But this would not +have shocked her even in calmer moments. She only cared to find a +corner where she was entirely sheltered, between a green stained +pier and the high wall and curtain of a gigantic pew, where no doubt +sweet Mary Sedhurst had once worshipped. The lusty voices of the +village choir in some exalted gallery beyond her view were shouting +out a familiar tune, and with some of Betty's mild superstition about +"the singing psalms," she heard-- + + + "Since I have placed my trust in God + A refuge always nigh, + Why should I, like tim'rous bird + To distant mountains fly? + + "Behold the wicked bend their bow, + And ready fix their dart, + Lurking in ambush to destroy + The man of upright heart. + + "When once the firm assurance fails + Which public faith imparts, + 'Tis time for innocence to flee + From such deceitful arts. + + "The Lord hath both a temple here + And righteous throne above, + Whence He surveys the sons of men, + And how their counsels move." + + +Poor timorous bird, whom even the firm assurance of wedded faith had +failed, what was left to her but to flee from the darts levelled +against her? Yet that last verse brought a sense of protection. +Ah! did she deserve it? A prayerless night and prayerless morning +had been hers, and no wonder, since she had never gone to bed nor +risen with the ordinary forms; but it was with a pang that she +recollected that the habit of calling out in her heart for guidance +and help had been slipping from her for a long time past, and she +had never asked for heavenly aid when her judgment was perplexed by +Harriet, no, nor for protection in her flight. + +She resolved to say her morning prayers with full attention so soon as +the church was empty, and meantime to follow the service with all her +powers, though her pulses were still throbbing and her head aching. + +In the far distance she heard the Commandments, and near to her the +unseen clerk responding, and then followed a gospel of love and +comfort. She could not catch every word, but there was a sense of +promised peace and comfort, which began to soothe the fluttering +heart, for the first time enjoying a respite from the immediate +gripe of deadly terror. + +The sermon chimed in with these feelings, not that she could have +any account of it, nor preserved any connected memory, but it was +full of the words, Faith, Love, Sacrifice, so that they were borne +in on her ear and thought. Heavenly Love surrounding as with an +atmosphere those who had only faith to "taste and see how gracious +the Lord is," believing that which cannot be seen, and therefore +having it revealed to their inmost sense, and thus living the only +real life. + +This was the chief thought that penetrated to her mind as she crouched +on the straw hassock behind the pew, and shared unseen in the blessing +of peace. No one saw her as the hob-nailed shoes trooped out of church, +and soon she was entirely alone, kneeling still in her hiding-place, +and whispering half-aloud the omitted morning prayer, whose heartfelt +signification had, she felt, been neglected for a long, long time. + +Since when? Ah! ever since those strange mysterious voices and caresses +had come to charm and terrify her, and when her very perplexity should +have warned her to cling closer to the aid of her Heavenly Father. +Vague yearnings, uplifted feelings, discontents, and little tempers +had usurped the place of higher feelings, and blinded her eyes. And +through it all, her heart began to ache and long for tidings of him +on whose pale features she had gazed so long and who had ventured and +suffered so much for her, nay, who had started into a moment's life +for her protection! All the tumult of resentment at the deception +practised on her fell on the uncle rather than the nephew; and in +spite of this long year of tender kindness and consideration from the +recluse, there was a certain consideration from the recluse, there +was a certain leaping of heart at finding herself bound not to him +but to the youth whose endearments returned with a flood of tender +remembrance. And she had fled just as he had claimed her as his +wife, had fled just as he had claimed her as his wife, unheeding +whether he died of the injury she had caused him! All that justified +her alarm was forgotten, her heartstrings had wound themselves round +him, and began to pull her back. + +Then she thought of the danger of directing Lady Belamour's wrath +on her father, and leading to his expulsion and destitution. She +had been sent from home, and bestowed in marriage to prevent his +ruin, and should she now ensure it? Her return to him or even her +disappearance would no doubt lead to high words from him, and then +he would be cast out to beggary in his old age. No, she could only +save him by yielding herself up, exonerating him from all knowledge +of her strange marriage, far more of the catastrophe, and let my +Lady do her worst! She had, as she knew, not been going on well +lately, but she had confessed her faults, and recovered her confidence +that her Heavenly Father would guard her as long as she resolutely +did her duty. And her duty, as daughter and a wife, if indeed she +was one, was surely to return, where her heart was drawing her. It +might be very terrible, but still it was going nearer to _him_, and +it would save her father. + +The door was still open; she wrote a few words of gratitude and +explanation to Dame Wheatfield, on a piece of a torn book, wrapped +a couple of guineas in it, and laid it in the basket, then kneeling +again to implore protection and safety, and if it might be, forgiveness +and reconciliation, she set forth. "Love is strong as death," said +Mary Sedhurst's tomb. She knew better what that meant than when her +childish eyes first fell upon it. A sense of Divine Love was wrapping +her round with a feeling of support and trust, while the human love +drew her onwards to confront all deadly possibilities in the hope of +rejoining her husband, or at least of averting misfortune from her +father. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. VANISHED. + + + Where there is no place + For the glow-worm to lie, + Where there is no space + For receipt of a fly, + Where the midge dares not venture + Lest herself fast she lay, + If Love come, he will enter + And find out the way.--OLD SONG. + + +Major Delavie and his eldest daughter were sitting down to supper +in the twilight, when a trampling of horses was heard in the lane +a carriage was seen at the gate, and up the pathway came a slender +youthful figure, in a scarlet coat, with an arm in a sling. + +"It is!--yes, it is!" exclaimed Betty: "Sir Amyas himself!" + +In spite of his lameness, the Major had opened the door before Palmer +could reach it; but his greeting and inquiry were cut short by the +young man's breathless question: "Is she here?" + +"Who?" + +"My wife--my love. Your daughter, sweet Aurelia! Ah! it was my one +hope." + +"Come in, come in, sir," entreated Betty, seeing how fearfully pale +he grew. "What has befallen you, and where is my sister?" + +"Would that I knew! I trusted to have found her here; but now, sir, +you will come with me and find her!" + +"I do not understand you, sir," said the Major severely, "nor how you +are concerned in the matter. My daughter is the wife of your uncle, +Mr. Belamour, and if, as I fear, you bear the marks of a duel in +consequence of any levity towards her, I shall not find it easy to +forgive." + +"On my word and honour it is no such thing," said the youth, raising +a face full of frank innocence: "Your daughter is my wife, my most +dear and precious wife, with full consent and knowledge of my uncle. +I was married to her in his clothes, in the darkened room, our names +being the same!" + +"Was this your promise?" Betty exclaimed. + +"Miss Delavie, to the best of my ability I have kept my promise. +Your sister has never seen me, nor to her knowledge spoken with me." + +"These are riddles, young man," said the Major sternly. "If all +be not well with my innocent child, I shall know how to demand an +account." + +"Sir," said the youth: "I swear to you that she is the same innocent +maiden as when she left you. Oh!" he added with a gesture of earnest +entreaty, "blame me as you will, only trace her." + +"Sit down, and let us hear," said Betty kindly, pushing a chair towards +him and pouring out a glass of wine. He sank into the first, but waved +aside the second, becoming however so pale that the Major sprang to +hold the wine to his lips saying: "Drink, boy, I say!" + +"Not unless you forgive me," he replied in a hoarse, exhausted voice. + +"Forgive! Of course, I forgive, if you have done no wrong by my child. +I see, I see, 'tis not wilfully. You have been hurt in her defence." + +"Not exactly," he said: "I have much to tell," but the words came +slowly, and there was a dazed weariness about his eye that made Betty +say, in spite of her anxiety--"You cannot till you have eaten and +rested. If only one word to say where she is!" + +"Oh! that I could! My hope was to find her here," and he was choked +by a great strangling sob, which his youthful manhood sought to +restrain. + +Betty perceived that he was far from being recovered from the injury +he had suffered, and did her best to restrain her own and her father's +anxiety till she had persuaded him to swallow some of the excellent +coffee which Nannerl always made at sight of a guest. To her father's +questions meantime, he had answered that he had broken his arm ten +days ago, but he could not wait, he had posted down as soon as he +could move. + +"You ought to sleep before you tell us farther," said the Major, +speaking from a strong sense of the duties of a host; but he was +relieved when the youth answered, "You are very good, sir, but I +could not sleep till you know all." + +"Speak, then," said the Major, "I cannot look at your honest young +countenance and think you guilty of more than disobedient folly; but +I fear it may have cost my poor child very dear! Is it your mother +that you dread?" + +"I would be thankful even to know her in my mother's keeping!" he said. + +"Is there no mistake?" said the Major; "my daughter, Mrs. Arden, saw +her at Brentford, safe and blooming." + +"Oh, that was before--before--" said Sir Amyas, "the day before she +fled from my mother at Bowstead, and has been seen no more." + +He put his hand over his face, and bowed it on the table in such +overpowering grief as checked the exclamations of horror and dismay +and the wrathful demands that were rising to the lips of his auditors, +and they only looked at one another in speechless sorrow. Presently +he recovered enough to say, "Have patience with me, and I will try +to explain all. My cousin, Miss Delavie, knows that I loved her +sweet sister from the moment I saw her, and that I hurried to London +in the hope of meeting her at my mother's house. On the contrary, +my mother, finding it vain to deny all knowledge of her, led me to +believe that she was boarded at a young ladies' school with my little +sisters. I lived on the vain hope of the holidays, and meantime +every effort was made to drive me into a marriage which my very soul +abhorred, the contract being absolutely made by the two ladies, the +mothers, without my participation, nay, against my protest. I was to +be cajoled or else persecuted into it--sold, in fact, that my mother's +debts might be paid before her husband's return! I knew my Uncle +Belamour was my sole true personal guardian, though he had never acted +further than by affixing his signature when needed. I ought to have +gone long before to see him, but as I now understand, obstacles had +been purposely placed in my way, while my neglectful reluctance was +encouraged. It was in the forlorn hope of finding in him a resource +that took me to Bowstead at last, and then it was that I learnt how +far my mother could carry deception. There I found my sisters, and +learnt that my own sweetest life had been placed there likewise. She +was that afternoon visiting some old ladies, but my uncle represented +that my meeting her could only cause her trouble and lead to her being +removed. I was forced then to yield, having an engagement in London +that it would have been fatal to break, but I came again at dark, and +having sworn me to silence, he was forced to let me take advantage of +the darkness of his chamber to listen to her enchanting voice. He +promised to help me, as far as he had the power, in resisting the +hateful Aresfield engagement, and he obtained the assistance of an +old friend in making himself acquainted with the terms of his +guardianship, and likewise of a letter my father had left for him. +He has given me leave to show a part of it to you, sir," he added, +"you will see that my father expressed a strong opinion that you were +wronged in the matter of the estates, and declared that he had hoped +to make some compensation by a contract between one of your daughters +and my brother who died. He charged my uncle if possible to endeavour +to bring about such a match between one of your children and myself. +Thus, you see, I was acting in the strictest obedience. You shall +see the letter at once, if I may bid my fellow Gray bring my pocket- +book from my valise." + +"I doubt not of your words, my young friend; your father was a +gentleman of a high and scrupulous honour. But why all this hide- +and-seek work?--I hate holes and corners!" + +"You will see how we were driven, sir. My mother came in her turn +to see my uncle, and obtain his sanction to her cherished plan, and +when he absolutely refused, on account of Lady Aresfield's notorious +character, if for no other, she made him understand that nothing would +be easier than to get him declared a lunatic and thus to dispense +with his consent. Then, finding how the sweet society of your dear +daughter had restored him to new life and spirit, she devised the +notable expedient of removing what she suspected to be the chief cause +of my contumacy, by marrying the poor child to him. He scouted the +idea as a preposterous and cruel sacrifice, but it presently appeared +that Colonel Mar was ready to find her a debauched old lieutenant who +would gladly marry--what do I say?--it profanes the word--but accept +the young lady for a couple of hundred pounds. Then did I implore my +uncle to seem to yield, and permit me to personate him at the ceremony. +Our names being the same, and all being done in private and in the +dark, the whole was quite possible, and it seemed the only means of +saving her from a terrible fate." + +"He might--or you might, have remembered that she had a father!" said +the Major. + +"True. But you were at a distance, and my mother's displeasure +against you was to be deprecated." + +"I had rather she had been offended fifty times than have had such +practices with my poor little girl!" said Major Delavie. "No wonder +the proposals struck me as strange and ambiguous. Whose writing was +it?" + +"Mine, at his dictation," said the youth. "He was unwilling, but my +importunity was backed by my mother's threats, conveyed through +Hargrave, that unless Aurelia became his wife she should be disposed +of otherwise, and that his sanity might be inquired into. Hargrave, +who is much attached to my uncle, and is in great awe of my Lady, +was thoroughly frightened, and implored him to secure himself and the +young lady by consenting, thinking, too, that anything that would +rouse him would be beneficial." + +"It is strange!" mused the Major. "A clear-headed punctilious man +like your uncle, to lend himself to a false marriage! His ten years +of melancholy must have changed him greatly!" + +"Less than you suppose, sir; but you will remember that my mother is +esteemed as a terrible power by all concerned with her. Even when +she seemed to love me tenderly, I was made to know what it was to +cross her will, and alas! she always carries her point." + +"It did seem a mode of protection," said Betty, more kindly. + +"And" added the youth, "my uncle impressed on me from the first that +he only consented on condition the I treated this wedlock as betrothal +alone, never met my sweet love save in his dark room, and never revealed +myself to her. He said it was a mere expedient for guarding her until +I shall come of age, or Mr. Wayland comes home, when I shall woo her +openly, and if needful, repeat the ceremony with her full knowledge. +Meanwhile I wrote the whole to my stepfather, and am amazed that he +has never written nor come home." + +"That is the only rational thing I have heard," said the Major. +"Though--did your uncle expect your young blood to keep the terms?" + +"Indeed, sir, I was frightened enough the first evening that I +ventured on any advances, for they startled her enough to make her +swoon away. I carried her from her room, and my uncle dragged me +back before the colour came back to that lovely face so that the +women might come to her. That was the only time I ever saw her +save through the chinks of the shutters. Judge of the distraction +I lived in!" + +Betty looked shocked, but her father chuckled a little, though he +maintained his tone of censure "And may I inquire how often these +distracting interviews took place?" + +"Cruelly seldom for one to whom they were life itself! Mar is, as +you know, colonel of my corps, and my liberty has been restrained +as much as possible; I believe I have been oftener on guard and on +court-martial than any officer of my standing in the service; but +about once in a fortnight I could contrive to ride down to a little +wayside inn where I kept a fresh horse, also a livery coat and hat. +I tied up my horse in a barn on the borders of the park, and put on +a black vizard, so as to pass for my uncle's negro in the dark. I +could get admittance to my uncle's rooms unknown to any servant save +faithful Jumbo--who has been the sole depository of our secret. +However, since my mother's return from Bath, where the compact with +Lady Aresfield was fully determined, the persecution has been fiercer. +I may have aroused suspicion by failing to act my part when she +triumphantly announced my uncle's marriage to me, or else by my +unabated resistance to the little termagant who is to be forced on me. +At any rate, I have been so intolerably watched whenever I was not on +duty, that my hours of bliss became rarer than ever. Well, sir, my +uncle charges me with indiscretion, and says my ardour aroused +unreasonable suspicions. He was constantly anxious, and would baulk +me in my happiest and most tantalising moments by making some excuse +for breaking up the evening, and then would drive me frantic by asking +whether he was to keep up my character for consistency in my absence. +However, ten days since, the twelfth of May, after three weeks' +unendurable detention in town on one pretext or another, I escaped, +and made my way to Bowstead at last. My uncle told me that he had +been obliged unwillingly to consent to our precious charge going to +meet her sister at Brentford, and that she was but newly come home. +Presently she entered, but scarcely had I accosted her before a blaze +broke out close to us. The flame caught the dry old curtains, they +flamed up like tinder, and as I leaped up on a table to tear them +down, it gave way with me, I got a blow on the head, and knew no more. +It seems that my uncle, as soon as the fire was out, finding that my +arm was broken, set out to send the groom for the doctor--he being +used to range the park at night. The stupid fellow, coming home half +tipsy from the village, saw his white hair and beard in the moonlight, +took him for a ghost, and ran off headlong. Thereupon my uncle, +with new energy in the time of need, saddled the horse, changed his +dressing-gown with the groom's coat, and rode off to Brentford. Then, +finding that Dr. Hunter was not within, he actually went on to London, +where Dr. Sandys, who had attended him ever since his would, forced +him to go to bed, and to remain there till his own return. Thus my +darling had no one to protect her, when, an hour or so after the +accident, my mother suddenly appeared. Spies had been set on me by +Mar, and so soon as they had brought intelligence of my movements +she had hurried off from Ranelagh, in full dress, just as she was, +to track and surprise me. My uncle, having gone by the bridle path, +had not met her, and I was only beginning to return to my senses. I +have a dim recollection of hearing my mother threatening and accusing +Aurelia, and striving to interfere, but I was as one bound down, and +all after that is blank to me. When my understanding again became +clear, I could only learn that my mother had locked her into her own +room, whence she had escaped, and"--with a groan--"nothing has been +heard of her since!" Again he dropped his head on his hand as one +in utter dejection. + +"Fled! What has been done to trace her?" cried the Major. + +"Nothing could be done till my mother was gone and my uncle returned. +The delirium was on me, and whatever I tried to say turned to raving, +all the worse if I saw or heard my mother, till Dr. Sandys forbade +her coming near me. She was invited to the Queen's Sunday card party +moreover, so she fortunately quitted Bowstead just before Mr. Belamour's +return." + +"Poor gentleman, he could do nothing," said Betty. + +"Indeed I should have thought so, but it seems that he only needed a +shock to rouse him. His state had become hypochondriacal, and this +strong emotion has caused him to exert himself; and when he came into +the daylight, he found he could bear it. I could scarce believe my +eyes when, on awakening from a sleep, I found him by my bedside, +promising me that if I would only remain still, he would use every +endeavour to recover the dear one. He went first to Brentford, +thinking she might have joined her sister there, but Mr. and Mrs. +Arden had left it at the same time as she did. Then he travelled +on to their Rectory at Rundell Canonicorum, thinking she might have +followed them, but they had only just arrived, and had heard nothing +of her; and he next sought her with his friend the Canon of Windsor, +but all in vain. Meantime my mother had visited me, and denied all +knowledge of her, only carrying away my little sisters, I believe +because she found them on either side of my bed, telling me tales +of their dear Cousin Aura's kindness. When my uncle returned to +Bowstead I could bear inaction no longer, and profited by my sick +leave to travel down hither, trusting that she might have found her +way to her home, and longing to confess all and implore your pardon, +sir,--and, alas! Your aid in seeking her." + +With the large tears in his eyes, the youth rose from his chair as +he spoke, and knelt on one knee before the Major, who exclaimed, +extremely affected--"By all that is sacred, you have it, my dear +boy. It is a wretched affair, but you meant to act honourably +throughout, and you have suffered heavily. May God bless you both, +and give us back my dear child. My Lady must have been very hard +with her, to make her thus fly, all alone." + +"You do not know, I suppose, any cause for so timid a creature +preferring flight to a little restraint?" + +"It seems," said Sir Amyas sadly, "that something the dear girl said +gave colour to the charge of having caused the fire, and that my +mother in her first passion threatened her with the constable!" + +"My poor Aurelia! that might well scare her," cried Betty: "but how +could it be?" + +"They say she spoke of using something her sister had given her to +discover what the mystery was that alarmed her." + +"Ah! that gunpowder trick of Mr. Arden's--I always hated it!" +exclaimed Betty. + +"Gunpowder indeed!" growled the old soldier. "Well, if ever there's +mischief among the children, Harriet is always at the bottom of it. +I hope Mr. Belamour made her confess if she had a hand in it." + +"I believe he did," said Sir Amyas. + +"Just like her to set the match to the train and then run away," said +the Major. + +"Still, sir," said Betty, her womanhood roused to defence, "though I am +angered and grieved enough that Harriet should have left Aurelia to face +the consequences of the act she instigated, I must confess that even by +Sir Amyas's own showing, if he will allow me to say so, my sisters were +justified in wishing to understand the truth." + +"That is what my uncle tells me," said the baronet. "He declares that +if I had attended to his stipulations, restrained my fervour, or kept +my distance, there would have been neither suspicion nor alarm. As if +I had not restrained myself!" + +"Ay, I dare say," said the Major, a little amused. + +"Well, sir, what could a man do with most bewitching creature in the +world, his own wife, too, on the next chair to him?" + +There was a simplicity about the stripling--for he was hardly more-- +which forced them to forgive him; besides, they were touched by his +paleness and fatigue. His own man--a respectable elderly servant whom +the Major recollected waiting on Sir Jovian--came to beg that his honour +would sit up no longer, as he had been travelling since six in the +morning, and was quite worn out. Indeed, so it proved; for when the +Major and Betty not only promised to come with him on the search the +next day, but bade him a kind affectionate good-night, the poor lad, +all unused to kindness, fairly burst into tears, which all his dawning +manhood could not restrain. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. THE TRACES. + + + Oh, if I were an eagle to soar into the sky, + I'd gaze around with piercing eye when I my love might spy. + + +The second-best coach, which resided at Bowstead, the same which had +carried Aurelia off from Knightsbridge, had brought Sir Amyas Belamour +to Carminster--an effeminate proceeding of which he was rather ashamed, +though clearly he could not have ridden, and he had hoped to have +brought his bride back in it. + +There was plenty of room in it to take back the Major, Betty, and even +Eugene, since he could not well have been left without his sister or +Palmer, who was indispensable to the Major. He was so enchanted at +"riding in a coach," and going perhaps to see London, that he did not +trouble himself much about sister Aurelia being lost, and was in such +high spirits as to be best disposed of outside, between Palmer and +Gray, where he could at his ease contemplate the horses, generally +four in number, though at some stages only two could be procured, +and then at an extra steep hill a farmer's horse from the hayfield +would be hitched on in front. Luckily there was no lack of money; +Mr. Belamour and Hargrave had taken care that Sir Amyas should be +amply supplied, and thus the journey was as rapid as posting could +be in those days of insufficient inns, worse roads, and necessary +precautions against highwaymen. + +The road was not the same as that which the young baronet had come +down by, as it was thought better to take the chance of meeting a +different stage waggon, Sir Amyas and his servant having, of course, +examined the one they had overtaken in coming down. At every possible +resting place on the route was inquiry made, but all in vain; no one +had seen such a young gentlewoman as was described, or if some answer +inspired hope for a moment, it was dashed again at once. The young +gentlewoman once turned out to be the Squire's fat lady, and another +time was actually pursued into a troop of strolling players, attiring +themselves in a barn, whence she came with cheeks freshly rouged with +blood taken from a cat's tail. + +The young baronet had meanwhile become very dear to the Major and his +daughter. He had inherited his mother's indescribable attractiveness, +and he was so frank, so affectionate, so unspoilt, so grateful for the +little attentions demanded by his maimed condition, so considerate of +the Major, and so regardless of himself, and, above all, so passionately +devoted to his dearest life, as he called Aurelia, that it was impossible +not to take him into their hearts, and let him be, as he entreated, a +son and a brother. + +The travellers decided on first repairing to Bowstead, thinking it +probable that the truant might have returned thither, or that Mr. +Belamour might have found her in some one of the cottages around. +Hopes began to rise, and Major Delavie scolded Sir Amyas in quite a +paternal manner whenever he began to despond, though the parts were +reversed whenever the young people's expectations began to soar beyond +his own spirits at the moment. + +"Is yonder Hargrave? No, it is almost like my father!" exclaimed +Sir Amyas, in amazement, as the coach lumbered slowly up the approach, +and a very remarkable figure was before them. The long white beard +was gone, the hair was brushed back, tied up, and the ends disposed +of in a square black silk bag, hanging down behind; and the dark grey +coat, with collar and deep cuffs of black velvet, was such as would +be the ordinary wear of an elderly man of good position; but the +face, a fine aquiline one, as to feature, was of perfectly absolute +whiteness, scarcely relieved by the thin pale lips, or the eyes, +which, naturally of a light-grey, had become almost as colourless +as the rest of the face, and Betty felt a shock as if she had seen +a marble statue clothed and animated, bowing and speaking. + +The anxious inquiry and the mournful negative had been mutually +exchanged before the carriage door was opened, and all were standing +together in the avenue. + +"I have, however, found a clue, or what may so prove," said Mr. +Belamour, when the greetings had passed. "I have discovered how our +fugitive passed the early part of the Sunday;" and he related how he +had elicited from the Mistresses Treforth that they had seen her and +driven her away with contumely. + +Sir Amyas and the Major were not sparing of interjections, and the +former hoped that his uncle had told them what they deserved. + +"Thereby only incurring the more compassion," said Mr. Belamour, +dryly, and going on to say that he had extended his inquires to +Sedhurst, and had heard of her visit to Dame Wheatfield; also, +that the good woman, going to seek her at the church, had found +only the basket with the guineas in the paper. She had regarded +this merely as a wrapper, and, being unable to read, had never +noticed the writing, but she had fortunately preserved it, and +Mr. Belamour thus learnt Aurelia's intention of throwing herself +on Lady Belamour's mercy. + +"My mother utterly denied all knowledge of her, when I cried out +in anguish when she came to see me!" said Sir Amyas. + +"So she does to Hargrave, whom she sent off to interrogate Mrs. +Arden," said Mr. Belamour. + +"Have you any reason to think the child could have reached my Lady?" +inquired Betty, seeing that none of the gentlemen regarded my Lady's +denials as making any difference to their belief, though not one of +them chose to say so. + +"Merely negative evidence," said Mr. Belamour. "I find that no one +in the house actually beheld the departure of my Lady on that Sunday +afternoon. The little girls had been found troublesome, and sent out +into the park with Molly, and my nephew was giving full employment to +Jumbo and Mrs. Aylward in my room. The groom, who was at the horses' +heads, once averred that he saw two women get into the carriage +besides her ladyship; but he is such a sodden confused fellow, and +so contradicts himself, that I can make nothing of him." + +"He would surely know his young mistress," said Sir Amyas. + +"Perhaps not in the camlet hood, which Dame Wheatfield says she wore." + +"Was good old Dove acting as coachman?" said Betty. "We should learn +something from him." + +"It was not her own coach," said Mr. Belamour. "All the servants were +strangers, the liveries sanguine, and the panels painted with helmets +and trophies." + +"Mar's," said Sir Amyas, low and bitterly. + +"I guessed as much," said his uncle. "It was probably chosen on +purpose, if the child has friends in your own household." + +"Then I must demand her," said the Major. "She cannot be denied to +her father." + +"At any rate we must go to town to-morrow," said Mr. Belamour. "We +have done all we can here." + +"Let us send for horses and go on at once," cried Sir Amyas. + +"Not so fast, nephew. I see, by her face, that Miss Delavie does not +approve, though our side of the town is safer than Hounslow." + +"I was not thinking of highwaymen, sir, but we set forth at five this +morning, and Sir Amyas always becomes flushed and feverish if he is +over fatigued; nor is my father so strong as he was." + +"Ah, ha! young sir, in adopting Betty for a sister you find you have +adopted a quartermaster-general, eh?" said the Major; "but she is +quite right. We should not get to town before ten or eleven at +night, and what good would that do? No, no, let us sup and have +a good night's rest, and we will drive into town long enough before +fine ladies are astir in the morning, whatever may be the fashionable +hour nowadays." + +"Yes, nephew, you must content yourself with acting host to your +father and sister-in-law in your own house," said his uncle. + +"It seems to me more like yours, sir," rejoined the youth; but at the +hall door, with all his native grace, he turned and gave his welcome, +kissing Betty on the cheek with the grave ceremony of the host, and +lamenting, poor fellow, that he stood alone without his bride to +receive them. + +"Is that Jumbo?" asked Betty. "I must thank him for all his kind +service to my dear sister." + +Faithful Jumbo fairly wept when--infinite condescension for those +days--Major Delavie shook hands with him and thanked him. + +"If pretty Missie Madam were but safe and well, Jumbo would wish no +more," he sobbed out. + +"Poor Jumbo," said Mr. Belamour, "he has never been the same man since +pretty Missie Madam has been lost. I hear his violin mourning for her +till it is enough to break one's heart!" + +However Eugene created a diversion by curious inquiries whether Jumbo +would indeed play the fiddle of which he had heard from Archer and +Amoret, and he ran off most eagerly after the negro to be introduced +to the various curiosities of the place. + +Mrs. Aylward attended Miss Delavie to her room, and showed herself +much softened. As a good, conscientious woman, she felt that she +had acted a selfish part towards the lonely maiden, and Betty's +confident belief that she had been a kind friend was a keen reproach. + +"Indeed, madam," she said, "I would lief you could truly call me such, +but when young Miss came here first I took her for one of that flighty +sort that it is wise not to meddle with more than needful. I have +kept my place here these thirty years by never making or meddling, +and knowing nothing about what don't concern me, and is out of my +province. Now, I wish I had let the poor young lady be more friendly +with me, for maybe I could have been of use to her in her need. + +"You had no suspicion?" + +"No, ma'am; though I find there were those who suspected some one came +up here disguised as Jumbo; but I was never one to lend an ear to +gossip, and by that time I trusted the dear young lady altogether, +and knew she would never knowingly do aught that was unbecoming +her station, or her religion." + +"I am glad the dear child won your good opinion," said Betty. + +"Indeed, ma'am, that you may say," returned Mrs. Aylward, whom anxiety +had made confidential; "for I own I was prejudiced against her from +the first, as, if you'll excuse me, ma'am, all we Bowstead people are +apt to be set against whatever comes from my Lady's side. However, +one must have been made of the nether millstone not to feel the +difference she made in the house. She was the very life of it with +her pretty ways, singing and playing with the children, and rousing +up the poor gentleman too that had lived just like a mere heathen in +a dungeon, and wouldn't so much as hear a godly word in his despair. +And now he has a minister once a fortnight to read prayers, and is +quite another man--all through that blessed young lady, who has +brought him back to light and life." And as Betty's tears flowed +at this testimony to her sister, the housekeeper added, "Never you +fear, ma'am; she is one of God's innocents and His Hand will be +over her." + +Meantime, having dismissed the young lover to take, if he could, a +much needed night's rest, the Major was listening to Mr. Belamour's +confession. "I was the most to blame, in as much as an old fool is +worse than a young one; and I would that the penalty fell on me +alone." + +"If she be in my cousin's hands I cannot believe that she will permit +any harm to befall her," said the good Major, still clinging to his +faith in Urania--the child he had taught to ride, and with whom he +had danced her first minuet. + +"What I dread most is her being forced into some low marriage," said +Mr. Belamour. "The poor child's faith in the ceremony that passed +must have been overthrown, and who can tell what she may be induced +to accept?" + +"It was that threat which moved you?" said the Major. + +"Yes. Hargrave assured me that my Lady had actually offered her to +him, with a bribe of a farm on easy terms; and when she found that +he had other intentions, there seemed to be some broken-down sycophant +of Mar's upon the cards, but of course I was preferable, both because +my fair sister-in-law has some lingering respect for the honour of +her own blood, and because the bar between Aurelia and my nephew +would be perpetual. I knew likewise that it was my brother's earnest +desire that a match should take place between your children and his. + +"He did me too much honour. The lad showed me the extract from his +letter." + +"I could not give him the whole. It was fit for no eyes but mine, +who had so long neglected it, and barely understood that it existed. +My poor brother's eyes were fully opened to his wife's character, and +even while he loved her to distraction, and yielded to her fascinating +mastery against his better judgment, he left me the charge of trying +in some degree to repair the injustice he believed you to be suffering, +and of counteracting evil influences on her son." + +"That seems at least to have been done." + +"By no efforts of mine; but because the boy was happily permitted +to remain with the worthy tutor his father had chosen for him, and +because Wayland is an excellent man, wise and prudent in all things +save in being bewitched by a fair face. Would that he were returned! +When I first consented to act this fool's part, I trusted that he +would have been at home soon enough to prevent more than the nominal +engagement, and when my Lady's threats rendered it needful to secure +the poor child by giving her my name, I still expected him before my +young gentleman should utterly betray himself by his warmth." + +"He tells me that he has written." + +"True. On that I insisted, and I am the more uneasy, for there has +been ample time for a reply. It is only too likely, from what my +nephew tells me of his venturesome explorations, that he may have +fallen into the hands of the Moorish corsairs! Hargrave says it is +rumoured; but my Lady will not be checked in her career of pleasure, +and if she is fearful of his return, she may precipitate matters +with the poor girl!" + +"Come, come, sir, I cannot have you give way to despondency. You +did your best, and if it did not succeed, it was owing to my foolish +daughter Arden. Why, if she was not satisfied about her sister, could +she not have come here, and demanded an explanation? That would have +been the straightforward way!" + +"Would that she had! Or would that I had sooner discovered my own +entire recovery, which I owe in very truth to the sweet being who +has brought new life alike of body and mind to me, and who must +think I have requited her so cruelly." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. CYTHEREA'S BOWER. + + + There Citherea, goddesse was and quene, + Honourid highly for her majeste, + And eke her sonne, the mighty god I weene, + Cupid the blinde, that for his dignite + A M lovers worshipp on ther kne. + There was I bid on pain of dethe to pere, + By Mercury, the winged messengre.--CHAUCER. + + +By twelve o'clock on the ensuing day Mr. Belamour, with Eugene and +Jumbo, was set down at a hotel near Whitehall, to secure apartments, +while the Major went on to demand his daughter from Lady Belamour, +taking with him Betty, whom he allowed to be a much better match +for my Lady than he could be. Very little faith in his cousin +Urania remained to him in the abstract, yet even now he could not +be sure that she would not talk him over and hoodwink him in any +actual encounter. Sir Amyas likewise accompanied him, both to +gratify his own anxiety and to secure admission. The young man +still looked pale and worn with restless anxiety; but he had, in +spite of remonstrances, that morning discarded his sling, saying +that he should return to his quarters. Let his Colonel do his worst +the; he had still more liberty than if compelled to return to his +mother's house. + +Lady Belamour had, on her second marriage, forsaken her own old +hereditary mansion in the Strand, where Sir Jovian had died, and +which, she said, gave her the vapours. Mr. Wayland, whose wealth +far exceeded her own, had purchased one of the new houses in +Hanover Square, the fashionable quarter and very much admired; but +the Major regretted the gloomy dignity of the separate enclosure +and walled court of Delavie House, whereas the new one, in modern +fashion, had only an area and steps between the front and the +pavement. + +The hall door stood wide open, with a stately porter within, and +lackeys planted about at intervals. Grey descended from the box, and +after some inquiry, brought word that "her Ladyship was at breakfast," +then, at a sign from his master, opened the carriage door. Sir Amyas, +taking Betty by the tips of her fingers, led her forward, receiving by +the way greetings and inquiries from the servants, whose countenances +showed him to be a welcome arrival. + +"Is it a reception day, Maine?" he asked of a kind of major-domo whom +he met on the top of the broad stairs. + +"No, your honour." + +"Is company with her ladyship?" + +"No, not company, sir," with a certain hesitation, which damped Betty's +satisfaction in the first assurance. + +What did she see as Maine opened the door? It was a very spacious +bedroom, the bed in an alcove hung with rose-coloured satin embroidered +with myrtles and white roses, looped up with lace and muslin. Like +draperies hung round the window, fluted silk lined the room, and +beautiful japanned and inlaid cabinets and _etageres_ adorned the +walls, bearing all varieties and devices of new and old porcelain +from Chins, Sevres, Dresden, or Worcester, tokens of Mr. Wayland's +travels. There was a toilette table before one window covered with +lacquer ware, silver and ivory boxes, and other apparatus, and an +exquisite Venetian mirror with the borders of frosted silver work. + +Not far off, but sideways to it, sat Lady Belamour in a loose sacque +of some rich striped silk, in crimson and blue stripes shot with gold +threads. Slippers, embroidered with gold, showed off her dainty feet, +and a French hairdresser stood behind her chair putting the finishing +touches to the imposing fabric of powder, flower, and feather upon +her head. A little hand-mirror, framed in carved ivory inlaid with +coral, and a fan, lay on a tiny spindle-legged table close in front +of her, together with a buff-coloured cup of chocolate. At a somewhat +larger table Mrs. Loveday, her woman, was dispensing the chocolate, +whilst a little negro boy, in a fantastic Oriental costume, waited +to carry the cups about. + +On a sofa near at hand, in an easy attitude, reclined Colonel Mar, +holding out to Lady Belamour a snuff-box of tortoiseshell and gold, +and a lady sat near on one of the tall black-and-gold chairs drinking +chocolate, while all were giving their opinions on the laces, feathers, +ribbons, and trinkets which another Frenchman was displaying from a +basket-box placed on the floor, trying to keep aloof a little Maltese +lion-dog, which had been roused from its cushion, and had come to +inspect his wares. A little further off, Archer, in a blue velvet +coat, white satin waistcoat, and breeches and silk stockings, and +Amoret, white-frocked, blue-sashed, and bare-headed (an innovation +of fashion), were admiring the nodding mandarins, grinning nondescript +monsters, and green lions of extraordinary form which an emissary +from a curiosity-shop was unpacking. Near the door, in an attitude +weary yet obsequious, stood, paper in hand, a dejected figure in +shabby plum-colour--_i.e._ a poor author--waiting in hopes that his +sonnet in praise of Cytherea's triumphant charms would win his the +guinea he so sorely needed, as + + + To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame, + And heap the shrine of luxury and pride + With incense kindled at the Muses' flame. + + +The scene was completed by a blue and yellow macaw at one window +chained to his perch, and a green monkey tethered in like manner +at the other. + +Of course Elizabeth Delavie did not perceive all these details at once. +Her first sensation was the shock to the decorum of a modest English +lady at intruding into a bed-room; but her foreign recollections coming +to her aid, she accepted the fashion with one momentary feminine review +of her own appearance, and relief that she had changed her travelling +gear for her Sunday silks, and made her father put on his full uniform. +All this passed while Sir Amyas was leading her into the room, steering +her carefully out of the monkey's reach. Then he went a step or two +forward and bent before his mother, almost touching the ground with +one knee, as he kissed her hand, and rising, acknowledged the lady +with a circular sweep of his hat, and his Colonel with a military +salute, all rapidly, but with perfect ease and gracefulness. "Ah! +my truant, my runaway invalid!" said Lady Belamour, "you are come to +surrender." + +"I am come," he said gravely, holding out his stronger hand to his +little brother and sister, who sprang to him, "to bring my father- +and sister-in-law, Major and Miss Delavie." + +"Ah! my good cousin, my excellent Mrs. Betty, excuse me that my +tyrant _friseur_ prevents my rising to welcome you. It is so good +and friendly in you to come in this informal way to cheer me under +this terrible anxiety. Let me present you to my kind friend, the +Countess of Aresfield, who has been so good as to come in to-day +to sustain my spirits. Colonel Mar you know already. Pray be +seated. Amyas--Archer--chairs. Let Syphax give you a cup of +chocolate." + +"Madam," said the Major, disregarding all this and standing as if on +parade, "can I see you alone? My business is urgent." + +"No evil news, I trust! I have undergone such frightful shocks of +late, my constitution is well nigh ruined." + +"It is I that have to ask news of you madam." + +She saw that, if she trifled with him, something would break out that +she would not wish to have said publicly. "My time is so little my +own," she said, "I am under command to be at the Palace by two o'clock, +but in a few minutes I shall be able to dismiss my tormentor, and then, +till my woman comes to dress me, I shall be at your service. Sit down, +I entreat, and take some chocolate. I know Mrs. Betty is an excellent +housekeeper, and I want her opinion. My dear Lady Aresfield, suffer +me to introduce my estimable cousin, Mrs. Betty Delavie." + +The Countess looking in her feathers and powder like a beetroot in +white sauce, favoured Betty with a broad stare. Vulgarity was very +vulgar in those days, especially when it had purchased rank, and +thought manners might be dispensed with. Betty sat down, and Amoret +climbed on her lap, while a diversion was made by Archer's imperious +entreaty that his mamma would purchase a mandarin who not only nodded, +but waved his hands and protruded his tongue. + +Then ensued what seemed, to the sickening suspense of the two Delavies, +a senseless Babel of tongues on all sides; but it ended in the _friseur_ +putting up his implements, the trades-folk leaving the selected goods +unpaid for, and the poor poet bowing himself within reach of the monkey, +who made a clutch at his MS., chattered over it, and tore it into +fragments. There was a peal of mirth--loudest from Lady Aresfield-- +but Sir Amyas sprang forward with gentlemanly regrets, apologies, and +excuses, finally opening the door and following the poor man out of +the room to administer the guinea from his own pocket, while Colonel +Mar exclaimed, "Here, Archer, boy, run after him with this. The poor +devil has won it by producing a smile from those divine lips--such as +his jungle might never have done---" + +"Fie! fie! Mar," said the Lady, shaking her fan at him, "the child +will repeat it to him." + +"The better sport if he do," said Colonel Mar, carelessly; "he may +term himself a very Orpheus charming the beasts, so that they snatch +his poems from him!" + +Then, as Sir Amyas returned, Lady Belamour entreated her dear Countess +to allow him to conduct her to the withdrawing room, and there endeavour +to entertain her. The Colonel could not but follow, and the Major and +Betty found themselves at length alone with her Ladyship. + +"I trust you have come to relieve my mind as to our poor runaway," +she began. + +"Would to Heaven I could!" said the Major. + +"Good Heavens! Then she has never reached you!" + +"Certainly not. + +"Nor her sister? Oh, surely she is with her sister!" + +"No, madam, her sisters knows nothing of her. Cousin, you have +children of your own! I entreat of you to tell me what you have +done with her." + +"How should I have done anything with her? I who have been feeding +all this time on the assurance that she had returned to you." + +"How could a child like her do so?" + +"We know she had money," said Lady Belamour. + +"And we know," said Betty, fixing her eyes on the lady, "that though +she escaped, on the first alarm, as far as Sedhurst, and was there +seen, she had decided on returning to Bowstead and giving herself +up to you Ladyship." + +"Indeed? At what time was that?" exclaimed my Lady. + +"Some time in the afternoon of Sunday!" + +"Ah! then I must have left Bowstead. I was pledged to her Majesty's +card-table, and royal commands cannot be disregarded, so I had to go +away in grievous anxiety for my poor boy. She meant to return to +Bowstead, did she? Ah. Does not an idea strike you that old Amyas +Belamour may know more than he confesses! He has been playing a +double game throughout." + +"He is as anxious to find the dear girl as we are madam." + +"So he may seem to you and to my poor infatuated boy, but you see +those crazed persons are full of strange devices and secrets, as +indeed we have already experienced. I see what you would say; he +may appear sane and plausible enough to a stranger, but to those +who have known him ever since his misfortunes, the truth is but +too plain. He was harmless enough as long as he was content to +remain secluded in his dark chamber, but now that I hear he has +broken loose, Heaven knows what mischief he may do. My dear cousin +Delavie, you are the prop left to me in these troubles, with my +poor good man in the hands of those cruel pirates, who may be +making him work in chains for all I know," and the tears came +into her beautiful eyes. + +"They will not do that," said Major Delavie, eager to reassure her; +"I have heard enough of their tricks to know that they keep such game +as he most carefully till they can get a ransom." + +"Your are sure of that!" + +"Perfectly. I met an Italian fellow at Vienna who told me how it was +all managed by the Genoese bankers." + +"Ah! I was just thinking that you would be the only person who could +be of use--you who know foreign languages and all their ways. If you +could go abroad, and arrange it for me!" + +"If my daughter were restored---" began the Major. + +"I see what you would say, and I am convinced that the first step +towards the discovery would be to put Mr. Belamour under restraint, +and separate his black from him. Then one or other of them would +speak, and we might know how she has been played upon." + +"What does your Ladyship suppose then?" asked the Major. + +"This is what I imagine. The poor silly maid repents herself and +comes back in search of me. Would that she had found me, her best +friend! But instead of that, she falls in with old Belamour, and +he, having by this time perceived the danger of the perilous +masquerade in which he had involved my unlucky boy, a minor, has +mewed her up somewhere, till the cry should be over." + +"That would be the part of a villain, but scarcely of a madman," +said Betty dryly. + +"My dear cousin Betty, there are lunatics endowed with a marvellous +shrewdness to commit senseless villanies, and to put on a specious +seeming. Depend upon it, my unfortunate brother-in-law's wanderings +at night were not solely spent in communings with the trees and +brooks. Who knows what might be discovered if he were under proper +restraint? And it is to you, the only relation I have, that I must +turn for assistance in my most unhappy circumstances," she added, +wit a glance so full of sweet helplessness that no man could withstand +it. "I am so glad you are here. You will be acting for me as well +as for yourself in endeavouring to find your poor lovely child, and +the first thing I would have done would be to separate Belamour and +his black, put them under restraint, and interrogate them separately. +You could easily get an order from a magistrate. But ah, here comes +my woman. No more now. You will come to me this evening, and we +can talk further on this matter. I shall have some company, and +it will not be a regular rout, only a few card-tables, and a little +dancing for the young people." + +"Your ladyship must excuse me," said Betty, "I have no dress to appear +in, even if I had spirits for the company." + +"Ah! my dear cousin, how do you think it is with my spirits? Yet I +think it my duty not to allow myself to be moped, but to exert myself +for the interest of my son. While as to dress, my woman can direct +you to the milliner who would equip you in the last mode. What, +still obstinate? Nay, then, Harry, I can take no excuse from you, +and I may have been able to collect some intelligence from the +servants." + +Nothing remained but to take leave and walk home, the Major observing-- + +"Well, what think you of that, Betty?" + +"Think, sir?--I think it is not for my lady to talk of villains." + +"She is in absolute error respecting Belamour; but then she has not +seen him since his recovery. Women are prone to those fancies, and +in her unprotected state, poor thing, no wonder she takes alarms." + +"I should have thought her rather over-protected." + +"Now, Betty, you need not take a leaf out of Mrs. Duckworth's book, +and begin to be censorious. You saw how relieved she was to have me, +her own blood relation, to turn to, instead of that empty braggart +of a fellow. Besides, a man does not bring his step-mother when +there's anything amiss." + +There was something in this argument, and Betty held her peace, knowing +that to censure my Lady only incited her father to defend her. + +For her own part her consternation was great, and she walked on in +silence, only speaking again to acquiesce in her father's observation +that they must say nothing to Mr. Belamour of my Lady's plans for +his seclusion. + +They found Mr. Belamour in the square parlour of the Royal York, +having sent Eugene out for a walk with Jumbo. The boy's return +in the most eager state of excitement at the shops, the horses, +sedans, and other wonders, did something, together with dinner, +to wile away the weary time till, about three hours after the +Major and his daughter had returned, they were joined by the +young baronet, who came running up the stairs with a good deal +more impetuosity than he would have permitted himself at home. + +"At last I have escaped," he said. "I fear you have waited long +for me?" + +"I have been hoping you had discovered some indications," said +the Major. + +"Alas, no! I should imagine my Lady as ignorant as we are, save for +one thing." + +"And that was---?" + +"The pains that were taken to prevent my speaking with any of the +servants. I was forced to attend on that harridan, Lady Aresfield, +till my mother sent for me; and then she made Mar absolutely watch +me off the premises. Then I had to go and report myself at head- +quarters, and see the surgeon, so that there may be no colour of +irregularity for the Colonel to take advantage of." + +"Right, right!" said the Major; "do not let him get a handle against +you, though I should not call you fit for duty yet, even for holiday- +work like yours." + +"You still suspect that your mother knows where our Aurelia is?" +said Betty. "When I think of her demeanour, I can hardly believe +it! But did you hear nothing of your little sisters?" + +"I did not ask. In truth I was confounded by a proposal that was +made to me. If I will immediately marry my mother's darling, Lady +Belle, I may have leave of absence from her and my regiment, both +at once, and go to meet Mr. Wayland if I like, or at any rate make +the grand tour, while they try to break in my charming bride for +me. Of course I said that, being a married man, nothing should +induce me to break the law, nor to put any lady in such a position; +and equally, of course, I was shown a lawyer's opinion that the +transaction was invalid." + +"As I always believed," said his uncle. "The ceremony must be +repeated when we find her: though even if you were willing, the other +parties are very ill-advised to press for a marriage without judgment +first being delivered, how far the present is binding. So she wants +to send you off on your travels, does she?" + +"She wishes me to go and arrange for her husband's ransom," said the +Major. "I would be ready enough were my child only found, but I +believe government would take it up, he being on his Majesty's service." + +"It is a mere device for disposing of you--yes, and of my nephew too," +said Mr. Belamour. "As for me, we know already her kind plans for +putting me out of reach of interference. I see, she communicated +them to you. Did she ask your cooperation, Major? Ah! certainly, +an ingenious plan for disuniting us. I am the more convinced that +she is well aware of where the poor child is, and that she wishes +to be speedy in her measures." + +There is no need to describe the half-frantic vehemence of the young +lover, nor the way in which the father and sister tried to moderate +his transports, though no less wretched themselves. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. THE ROUT. + + + Great troups of people travelled thitherward + Both day and night, of each degree and place.--SPENSER. + + +Much against their will, Major Delavie and his _soi-disant_ son-in-law +set forth for Lady Belamour's entertainment, thinking no opportunity +of collecting intelligence was to be despised; while she probably +wished to obviate all reports of a misunderstanding as well as to keep +them under her own eye. + +The reception rooms were less adorned than the lady's private apartment. +There were pictures on the walls, and long ranks of chairs ranged round, +and card-tables were set out in order. The ladies sat in rows, and the +gentlemen stood in knots and talked, all in full dress, resplendent +figures in brilliant velvet, gold lace, and embroidery, with swords by +their sides, cocked hats, edged with gold or silver lace, under their +arms, and gemmed shoe buckles. The order of creation was not yet +reversed; the male creature was quite as gorgeous in colour and +ornament as the female, who sat in her brocade, powder and patches, +fan in hand, to receive the homage of his snuff-box. + +Sir Amyas went the round, giving and returning greetings, which were +bestowed on him with an ardour sufficient to prove that he was a +general favourite. His mother, exquisitely dressed in a rich rose- +coloured velvet train, over a creamy satin petticoat, both exquisitely +embroidered, sailed up with a cordial greeting to her good cousin, and +wanted to set him down to loo or ombre; but the veteran knew too well +what the play in her house was, and saw, moreover, Lady Aresfield +sitting like a harpy before the green baize field of her spoils. +While he was refusing, Sir Amyas returned to him, saying, "Sir, here +is a gentleman whom I think you must have known in Flanders;" and the +Major found himself shaking hands with an old comrade. Save for his +heavy heart, he would been extremely happy in the ensuing conversation. + +In the meantime Lady Belamour, turning towards a stout, clumsy, short +girl, her intensely red cheeks and huge black eyes staring out of her +powder, while the extreme costliness of her crimson satin dress, and +profusion of her rubies were ridiculous on the unformed person of a +creature scarcely fifteen. If she had been any one else she would +have been a hideous spectacle in the eyes of the exquisitely tasteful +Lady Belamour, who, detecting the expression in her son's eye, +whispered behind her fan, "We will soon set all that right;" then +aloud, "My son cannot recover from his surprise. He did not imagine +that we could steal you for an evening from Queen's Square to procure +him this delight." Then as Sir Amyas bowed, "The Yellow Room is +cleared for dancing. Lady Belle will favour you, Amyas." + +"You must excuse me, madam," he said; "I have not yet the free use of +my arm, and could not acquit myself properly in a minuet." + +"I hate minuets," returned Lady Belle; "the very notion gives me the +spleen." + +"Ah, pretty heretic!" said my Lady, making a playful gesture with her +fan at the peony-coloured cheek. "I meant this wounded knight to have +converted you, but he must amuse you otherwise. What, my Lord I +thought you knew I never meant to dance again. Cannot you open the +dance without me? I, who have no spirits!" + +The rest was lost as she sailed away on the arm of a gentleman in a +turquoise-coloured coat, and waistcoat embroidered with gillyflowers; +leaving the Lady Arabella on the hands of her son, who, neither as +host nor gentleman, could escape, until the young lady had found some +other companion. He stiffly and wearily addressed to her the inquiry +how she liked London. + +"I should like it monstrously if I were not moped up in school," she +answered. "So you have come back. How did you hurt your arm?" she +said, in the most provincial of dialects. + +"In the fire, madam." + +"What? In snatching your innamorata from the flames?" + +"Not precisely," he said. + +"Come, now, tell me; did she set the room a-fire?" demanded the young +lady. "Oh, you need not think to deceive me. My brother Mar's +coachman told my mamma's woman all about it, and how she was locked +up and ran away; but they have her fast enough now, after all her +tricks!" + +"Who have? For pity's sake tell me, Lady Belle!" + +Loving to tease, she exclaimed: "There, now, what a work to make +about a white-faced little rustic!" + +"Your ladyship has not seen her." + +"Have I not, though? I don't admire your taste." + +"Is she in Queen's Square?" + +"Do not you wish me to tell you where you can find your old faded +doll, with a waist just like a wasp, and an old blue sacque--not a +bit of powder in her hair?" + +"Lady Belle, if you would have me for ever beholden to you---" + +"The cap fits," she cried, clapping her hands. "Not a word to say +for her! I would not have such a beau for the world." + +"When I have found her it will be time to defend her beauty! If your +ladyship would only tell me where she is, you know not what gratitude +I should feel!" + +"I dare say, but that's my secret. My mamma and yours would be ready +to kill me with rage if they knew I had let out even so much." + +"They would forgive you. Come, Lady Belle, think of her brave old +father, and give some clue to finding her. Where is she?" + +"Ah! where you will never get at her!" + +"Is she at Queen's Square?" + +"What would you do if you thought she was? Get a constable and come +and search? Oh, what a rage Madam would be in! Goodness me, what +sport!" and she fell back in a violent giggling fit; but the two +matrons were so delighted to see the young people talking to one +another, that there was no attempt to repress her. Sir Amyas made +another attempt to elicit whether Aurelia were really at the school +in Queen's Square, but Lady Arabella still refused to answer directly. +Then he tried the expedient of declaring that she was only trying to +tease him, and had not really seen the lady. He pretended not to +believe her, but when she insisted, "Hair just the colour of Lady +Belamour's," his incredulity vanished; but on his next entreaty, she +put on a sly look imitated from the evil world in which she lived, +and declared she should not encourage naughty doings. The youth, who +though four years older, was by far the more simple and innocent of +the two, replied with great gravity, "It is the Lady Belamour, my +own wife, that I am seeking." + +"That's just the nonsense she talks!" + +"For Heaven's sake, what did she say?" + +But Belle was tired of her game, and threw herself boisterously on a +young lady who had the "sweetest enamel necklace in the world," and +whose ornaments she began to handle and admire in true spoilt-child +fashion. + +Sir Amyas then betook himself to the Major, who saw at once by his eye +and step that something was gained. They took leave together, Lady +Belamour making a hurried lamentation that she had seen so little of +her dear cousin, but accepting her son's excuse that he must return +to his quarters; and they walked away together escorted by Palmer and +Grey, as well as by two link-boys, summer night though it was. + +Sir Amyas repaired first to the hotel, where Mr. Belamour and Betty +were still sitting, for even the fashionable world kept comparatively +early hours, and it was not yet eleven o'clock. The parlor where +they sat was nearly dark, one candle out and the other shaded so as +to produce the dimness which Mr. Belamour still preferred, and they +were sitting on either side of the open window, Betty listening to +her companion's reminiscences of the evenings enlivened by poor +Aurelia, and of the many traits of her goodness, sweet temper, and +intelligence which he had stored up in his mind. He had, he said, +already learned through her to know Miss Delavie, and he declared +that the voices of the sisters were so much alike that he could have +believed himself at Bowstead with the gentle visitor who had brought +him new life. + +The tidings of Lady Arabella's secret were eagerly listened to, and +the token of the mouse-coloured hair was accepted; Sir Amyas comparing, +to every one's satisfaction, a certain lock that he bore on a chain +next his heart, and a little knot, surrounded with diamonds, in a +ring, which he had been still wearing from force of habit, though he +declared he should never endure to do so again. + +It was evident that Lady Belle had really seen Aurelia; and where +could that have been save at the famous boarding-school in Queen's +Square, where the daughters of "the great" were trained in the +accomplishments of the day? The Major, with rising hopes, declared +that he had always maintained that his cousin meant no ill by his +daughter, and though it had been cruel, not to say worse, in her, +to deny all knowledge of the fugitive, yet women would have their +strange ways. + +"That is very hard on us women, sir," said Betty. + +"Ah! my dear, poor Urania never had such a mother as you, and she has +lived in the great world besides, and that's a bad school. You will +not take our Aurelia much into it, my dear boy," he added, turning +wistfully to Sir Amyas. + +"I would not let a breath blow on her that could touch the bloom of +her charming frank innocence," cried the lad. "But think you she can +be in health? Lady Belle spoke of her being pale!" + +"Look at my young lady herself!" said the Major, which made them all +laugh. They were full of hope. The Major and his daughter would go +themselves the next day, and a father's claim could not be refused +even though not enforced according to Lady Arabella's desire. + +Their coach--for so Sir Amyas insisted on their going--was at the door +at the earliest possible moment that a school for young ladies could be +supposed to be astir; long before Mr. Belamour was up, for he retained +his old habits so much that it was only on great occasions the he rose +before noon; and while Eugene, under the care of Jumbo and Grey, was +going off in great felicity to see the morning parade in St. James's +Park. + +One of the expedients of well-born Huguenot refugees had been tuition, +and Madame d'Elmar had made here boarding-school so popular and +fashionable that a second generation still maintained its fame, and +damsels of the highest rank were sent there to learn French, to play +the spinnet, to embroider, to dance, and to get into a carriage with +grace. It was only countrified misses, bred by old-fashioned scholars, +who attempted to go any farther, such as that _lusus naturae_, Miss +Elizabeth Carter, who knew seven languages, or the Bishop of Oxford's +niece, Catherine Talbot, who even painted natural flowers and wrote +meditations! The education Aurelia Delavie had received over her +Homer and Racine would be smiled at as quite superfluous. + +There was no difficulty about admission. The coach with its Belamour +trappings was a warrant of admittance. The father and daughter were +shown into a parlour with a print of Marshal Schomberg over the +mantelpiece, and wonderful performances in tapestry work and +embroidery on every available chair, as well as framed upon the +wainscoted walls. + +A little lady, more French than English, moving like a perfectly wound +up piece of mechanism, all but her bright little eyes, appeared at their +request to see Madame. It had been agreed before-hand that the Major +should betray neither doubt nor difficulty, but simply say that he had +come up from the country and wished to see his daughter. + +Madame, in perfectly good English, excused herself, but begged to hear +the name again. + +There must be some error, no young lady of the name of Delavie was +there. + +They looked at one another, then Betty asked, "Has not a young lady +been placed here by Lady Belamour?" + +"No, madam, Lady Belamour once requested me to receive her twin +daughters, but they were mere infants; I receive none under twelve +year old." + +"My good lady," cried the Major, "if you are denying my daughter to me, +pray consider what you are doing. I am her own father, and whatever +Lady Belamour may tell you, I can enforce my claim." + +"I am not in the habit of having my word doubted, sir," and the little +lady drew herself up like a true Gascon baroness, as she was. + +"Madam, forgive me, I am in terrible perplexity and distress. My poor +child, who was under Lady Belamour's charge, has been lost to us these +three weeks or more, and we have been told that she has been seen here." + +"Thus," said Betty, seeing that the lady still needed to be appeased, +"we thought Lady Belamour might have deceived you as well as others." + +"May I ask who said the young lady had been seen here?" asked the +mistress coldly. + +"It was Lady Arabella Mar," said Betty, "and, justly speaking, I +believe she did not say it was here that my poor sister was seen, but +that she had seen her, and we drew the conclusion that it was here." + +"My Lady Arabella Mar is too often taken out by my Lady Countess," +said Madame d'Elmar. + +"Could I see her? Perhaps she would tell me where she saw my dear +sister?" said Betty. + +"She went to a rout last evening and has not returned," was the reply. +"Indeed my lady, her mother, spoke as if she might never come back, +her marriage being on the _tapis_. Indeed, sir, indeed, madam, I +should most gladly assist you," she said as a gesture of bitter grief +and disappointment passed between father and daughter, both of whom +were evidently persons of condition. "If it will be any satisfaction +to the lady to see all my pupils, I will conduct her through my +establishment." + +Betty caught at this, though there was no doubt that the mistress was +speaking in good faith. She was led to a large empty room, where a +dozen young ladies were drawn up awaiting the dancing master--girls +from fourteen to seventeen, the elder ones in mob caps, those with +more pretensions to fashion, with loose hair. Their twelve curtsies +were made, their twenty-four eyes peeped more or less through their +lashes at the visitor, but no such soft brown eyes as Aurelia's were +among them. + +"Madame," said Betty, "may I be permitted to ask the ladies a question?" +She spoke it low, and in French, and her excellent accent won Madame's +heart at once. Only Madame trusted to Mademoiselle's discretion not +to put mysteries into their minds, or they would be all _tete montee_. + +So, as discretely as the occasion would permit, Betty asked whether +any one had seen or heard Lady Belle speak of having seen any one--a +young lady? + +Half-a-dozen tongues broke out, "We thought it all Lady Belle's +whimsical secrets," and as many stories were beginning, but Madame's +awful little hand waved silence, as she said, "Speak then, Miss +Staunton." + +"I know none of Lady Belle's secrets, ma'am--ask Miss Howard." + +Miss Howard looked sulky; and a little eager, black-eyed thing cried, +"She said it was an odious girl whom Lady Belamour keeps shut up in +a great dungeon of an old house, and is going to send beyond seas, +because she married two men at once in disguise." + +"Fie, Miss Crawford, you know nothing about it." + +"You told me so, yourself, Miss Howard." + +"I never said anything so foolish." + +"Hush, young ladies," said Madame. "Miss Howard, if you know anything, +I request you to speak." + +"It would be a great kindness," said Betty. "Might I ask the favour +of seeing Miss Howard in private?" + +Madame consented, and Miss Howard followed Betty out of hearing, +muttering that Belle would fly at her for betraying her. + +"I do not like asking you to betray your friend's confidence," said +Betty. + +"Oh, as to that, I'm not her friend, and I believe she has talked to +a half-a-dozen more." + +"I am this poor young lady's sister," said Betty. "We are afraid +she has fallen into unkind hands; and I should be very thankful if +you could help me to find her. Where do you think Lady Belle saw +her?" + +"I thought it was in some old house in Hertfordshire," said Miss +Howard, more readily, "but I am not sure; for it was last Sunday, +which she spent with her mamma. She came back and made it a great +secret that she had seen the girl that had taken in Sir Amyas +Belamour, who was contracted to herself, to marry him and his uncle +both at once in disguise, and then had set the house a-fire. Belle +had got some one to let her see the girl, and then she went on about +her being not pretty." + +"What did she say about sending her beyond seas?" + +"Oh! that Miss Crawford made up. She told me that they were going +to find a husband for her such as a low creature like that deserved. +And she protests she is to be married to Sir Amyas very soon, and +come back here while he makes the grand tour. I hope she won't. +She will have more spiteful ways than ever." + +This was all that Betty could extract. She saw Miss Crawford alone, +but her tiding melted into the vaguest second-hand hearsay. The +inquiry had only produced a fresh anxiety. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. A BLACK BLONDEL. + + + And to the castle gate approached in quiet wise, + Whereat soft knocking, entrance he desired. + SPENSER. + + +"Nephew, is Delavie House inhabited?" inquired Mr. Belamour, as the +baffled seekers sat together that evening. + +"No, sir," replied Sir Amyas. "My Lady will only lease it to persons +of quality, on such high terms that she cannot obtain them for a house +in so antiquated a neighbourhood. Oh, you do not think it possible +that my dearest life can be in captivity so near us! An old house! +On my soul, so it must be; I will go thither instantly." + +"And be taken for a Mohock! No, no, sit down, rash youth, and tell me +who keeps the house." + +One Madge, an old woman as sour as vinegar, who snarled at me like a +toothless cur when I once went there to find an old fowling-piece of +my father's." + +"Then you ar the last person who should show yourself there, since +there are sure to be strict charges against admitting you, and +you would only put the garrison on the alert. You had better let +the reconnoitring party consist of Jumbo and myself." + +The ensuing day was Sunday. Something was said of St. Paul's, then +in bloom of youth and the wonder of England; but Betty declared that +she could not run about to see fine churches till her mind was at +ease about her poor sister. Might she only go to the nearest and +quietest church? So she, with her father and Eugene, repaired to +St. Clement Danes, where their landlord possessed a solid oak pew, +and they heard a sermon on the wickedness and presumption of +inoculating for the small-pox. + +It was not a genteel neighbourhood, and the congregation was therefore +large, for the substantial tradesfolk who had poured into the Strand +since it had been rebuilt were far more religiously disposed than the +fashionable world, retaining either the Puritan zeal, or the High +Church fervour, which were alike discouraged in the godless court. +The Major and his son and daughter were solitary units in the midst +of the groups of portly citizens, with soberly handsome wives, and +gay sons and daughters, who were exchanging greetings; and on their +return to their hotel, the Major betook himself to a pipe in the bar, +and Eugene was allowed to go for a walk in the park with Palmer, while +Betty sat in her own room with her Bible, striving to strengthen her +assurance that the innocent would never be forsaken. Indeed Mr. +Belamour had much strengthened her grounds of hope and comfort by his +testimony to poor Aurelia's perfect guilelessness and simplicity +throughout the affair. Yet the echo of that girl's chatter about +Lady Belle's rival being sent beyond the sea would return upon her +ominously, although it might be mere exaggeration and misapprehension, +like so much besides. + +A great clock, chiming one, warned her to repair to the sitting-room, +where she met Eugene, full of the unedifying spectacle of a fight +between two street lads. There had been a regular ring, and the boy +had been so much excited that Palmer had had much ado to bring him +away. Betty had scarcely hushed his eager communications and repaired +his toilette for dinner before Sir Amyas came in, having hurried away +as soon as possible after attending his men to and from church. + +"Sister," he said, for so he insisted on calling Betty, "I really +think my uncle's surmise may be right. I went home past Delavie +House last night, just to look at it, and there was--there really +was, a light in one of the windows on the first floor, which always +used to be as black as Erebus. I had much ado to keep myself from +thundering at the gate. I would have done so before now but for my +uncle's warning. Where can he be?" + +The Major and Mr. Belamour here came in together, and the same torrent +was beginning to be poured forth, when the latter cut it short with, +"They are about to lay the cloth. Restrain yourself, my dear boy, +or---" and as at that moment the waiter entered, he went on with the +utmost readiness--"or, as it seems, the Queen of Hungary will never +make good her claims. Pray, sir," turning to Major Delavie, "have +you ever seen these young Archduchesses whose pretensions seem likely +to convulse the continent to its centre?" + +The Major, with an effort to gather his attention, replied that he +could not remember; but Betty, with greater presence of mind, described +how she had admired the two sisters of Austria as little girls walking +on the Prater. Indeed she and Mr. Belamour contrived to keep up the +ball till the Major was roused into giving an opinion of Prussian +discipline, and to tell stories of Leopold of Dessau, Eugene, and +Marlborough with sufficient zest to drive the young baronet almost +frantic, especially as Jumbo, behind his master's chair, was on the +broad grin all the time, and almost dancing in his shoes. Once he +contrived to give an absolute wink with one of his big black eyes; +not, however, undetected, for Mr. Belamour in a grave tone of +reprimand ordered him off to fetch an ivory toothpick-case. + +Not till the cloth had been remove, and dishes of early strawberries +and of biscuits, accompanied by bottles of port and claret, placed on +the table, and the servants had withdrawn, did Mr. Belamour observe, +"I have penetrated the outworks." + +There was an outburst of inquiry and explanation, but he was not to +be prevented from telling the story in his own way. "I know the house +well, for my brother lived there the first years of his marriage, +before you came on the stage, young sir. Perhaps you do not know +how to open the door from without?" + +"Oh, sir, tell me the trick!" + +Mr. Belamour held up a small pass-key. There was a certain tone of +banter about him which almost drove his nephew wild, but greatly +reassured Miss Delavie. + +"Why--why keep me in torments, instead of taking me with you?" cried +the youth. + +"Because I wished my expedition to be no failure. I could not tell +whether my key, which I found with my watch and seals, would still +serve me. Ah! you look on fire; but remember the outworks are not +the citadel." + +"For Heaven's sake, sir, torture me not thus!" + +"I knew that to make my summons at the out gate would lead to a +summary denial by the sour porteress, so I experimented on the lock +of the little door into the lane, and admitted myself and Jumbo into +the court; but the great hall-door stood before me jealously closed, +and the lower windows were shut with shutters, so that all I could +do was to cause Jumbo to awake the echoes with a lusty peal on the +knocker, which he repeated at intervals, until there hobbled forth to +open it a crone as wrinkled and crabbed as one of Macbeth's witches. +I demanded whether my Lady Belamour lived there. She croaked forth +a negative sound, and had nearly shut the door in my face, but I +kept her in parley by protesting that I had often visited my Lady +there, and offering a crown-piece if she would direct me to her." + +"A crown! a kingdom, if she would bring us to the right one!" cried +Sir Amyas. + +"Of course she directed me to Hanover Square, and then, evidently +supposing there was something amiss with the great gates, she insisted +on coming to let me out, and securing them after me." + +The youth gave a great groan, saying, "Excuse me, sir, but what are +we the better of that?" + +"Endure a little while, impatient swain, and you shall hear. I fancy +she recognised the Belamour Livery on Jumbo, for she hobbled by my +side maundering apologies about its being against orders to admit +gentle or simple, beast or body into the court, and that a poor woman +could not lose her place and the roof over her head. But mark me, +while this was passing, Jumbo, who had kept nearer the house whistling +'The Nightingale' just above his breath, heard his name called, and +presently saw two little faces at an up-stairs window." + +"My little sisters!" cried Sir Amyas. + +"Even so; and he believes he heard one of them call out, 'Cousin, +cousin Aura, come and see Jumbo;' but as the window was high up, I +scarce dare credit his ears rather than his imagination, and we were +instantly hustled away by the old woman, whose evident alarm is a +further presumption that the captive is there, since Faith and Hope +scarce have reached the years of being princesses immured in towers." + +"It must be so," said Betty; "it would explain Lady Belle's having +had access to her! And now?" + +"Is it impossible to effect an entrance from the court and carry her +away?" asked Sir Amyas. + +"Entirely so," said his uncle. "The only door into the court is fit +to stand a siege, and all the lower windows are barred and fastened +with shutters. The servants' entrance is at the back towards the +river, but no doubt it is also guarded, and my key will not serve +for it." + +"I could get some sprightly fellow of ours to come disguised as Mohocks, +and break in," proceeded the youth, eagerly. "Once in the court, trust +me for forcing my way to her." + +"And getting lodged in Newgate for your pains, or tried by court- +martial," said the Major. "No, when right is on our side, do not let +us make it wrong. Hush, Sir Amyas, it is I who must here act. Whether +you are her husband I do not know, I know that I am her father, and +to-morrow morning, as soon as a magistrate can be spoken with, I shall +go and demand a search warrant for the body of my daughter, Aurelia +Delavie." + +"The body! Good Heavens, sir," cried Betty. + +"Not without the sweet soul, my dear Miss Delavie," said Mr. Belamour. +"Your excellent father has arrived at the only right and safe decision, +and provided no farther alarm is given, I think he may succeed. It is +scarcely probable that my Lady is in constant communication with her +stern porteress, and my person was evidently unknown. For her own sake, +as well as that of the small fee I dropped into her hand, she is +unlikely to report my reconnoissance." + +Sir Amyas was frantic to go with his father-in-law, but both the elder +men justly thought that his ambiguous claims would but complicate the +matter. The landlord was consulted as to the acting magistrates of +the time, and gave two or three addresses. + +Another night of prayer, suspense, and hope for Betty's sick heart. +Then, immediately after breakfast, the Major set forth, attended by +Palmer, long before Mr. Belamour had left his room, or the young +baronet could escape from his military duties. Being outside the +City, the Strand was under the jurisdiction of justices of the peace +for Middlesex, and they had so much more than they could do properly, +that some of them did it as little as possible. The first magistrate +would not see him, because it was too early to attend to business; the +second never heard matters at his private house, and referred him to +the office in Bow Street. In fact he would have been wiser to have +gone thither at first, but he had hoped to have saved time. He had +to wait sitting on a greasy chair when he could no longer stand, till +case after case was gone through, and when he finally had a hearing +and applied for a warrant to search for his daughter in Delavie House, +there was much surprise and reluctance to put such an insult on a +lady of quality in favour at Court. On his giving his reasons on +oath for believing the young lady to be there, the grounds of his +belief seemed to shrink away, so that the three magistrates held +consultation whether the warrant could be granted. Finally, after +eying him all over, and asking him where he had served, one of +them, who had the air of having been in the army, told him that +in consideration of his being a gentleman of high respectability +who had served his country, they granted what he asked, being assured +that he would not make the accusation lightly. The reforms made by +Fielding had not yet begun, everybody had too much work, and the poor +Major had still some time to wait before an officer--tipstaff, as he +was called--could accompany him, so that it was past noon when, off +in the Bowstead carriage again, they went along the Strand, to a high- +walled court belonging to one of the old houses of the nobility, most +of which had perished in the fire of London. There was a double- +doored gateway, and after much thundering in vain, at which the +tipstaff, a red-nosed old soldier, waxed very irate, the old woman +came out in curtseying, crying, frightened humility, declaring that +they would find no one there--they might look if they would. + +So they drove over the paved road, crossing the pitched pebbles, the +door was unbarred, but no Aurelia sprang into her father's arms. Only +a little terrier came barking out into the dismal paved hall. Into +every room they looked, the old woman asseverating denials that it +was of no use, they might see for themselves, that no one had been +there for years past. Full of emptiness, indeed, with faded grimy +family portraits on the walls, moth-eaten carpets and cushions, high- +backed chairs with worm-holes; and yet, somehow, there was one room +that did look as if it had recently been sat in. Two little stools +were drawn up close to a chair; the terrier poked and smelt about +uneasily as though in search of some one, and dragged out from under +a couch a child's ball which he began to worry. On the carpet, too, +were some fragments of bright fresh embroidery silk, which the +practiced eye of the constable noticed. "This here was not left +ten or a dozen years ago," said he; and, extracting the ball from +the fangs of the dog, "No, and this ball ain't ten year old, neither. +Come, Mother What's'-name, it's no good deceiving an officer of the +law; whose is this here ball?" + +"It's the little misses. They've a bin here with their maid, but +their nurse have been and fetched 'em away this morning, and a good +riddance too." + +"Who was the maid?--on your oath!" + +"One Deborah Davis, a deaf woman, and pretty nigh a dumb one. She be +gone too." + +Nor could the old woman tell where she was to be found. "My Lady's +woman sent her in," she said, "and she was glad enough to be rid of +her." + +"Come, now, my good woman, speak out, and it will be better for you," +said the Major. "I know my daughter was here yesterday." + +"And what do I know of where she be gone? She went off in a sedan- +chair this morning before seven o'clock, and if you was to put me to +the rack I couldn't say no more." + +As to which way or with whom she had gone, the old woman was, +apparently, really ignorant. + +The poor Major had to return home baffled and despairing, still taking +the tipstaff with him, in case, on consultation with Mr. Belamour, it +should be deemed expedient to storm Hanover Square itself, and examine +Lady Belamour and her servants upon oath. + +Behold, the parlour was empty. Even Betty and Eugene were absent. The +Major hastened to knock at Mr. Belamour's door. There was no answer; +and when he knocked louder it was still in vain. He tried the door +and found it locked. Then he retreated to the sitting-room, rang, and +made inquiries of the waiter who answered the bell. + +Mr. Belamour had received a note at about ten o'clock, and had gone +out with him "in great disorder," said the waiter. + +At the same moment there was a knock at the door, and a billet was +brought in from Lady Belamour. The Major tore it open and read:-- + + + "MY DEAR COUSIN, + + "I grieve for you, but my Suspicions were correct. We have all +been completely hoodwinked by that old Villain, my Brother-in-law. I +can give him no other Name, for his partial Aberration of Mind has +only sharpened his natural Cunning. Would you believe it? He had +obtained access to Delavie House, and had there hidden the unfortunate +Object of your Search, while he pretended to be assisting you, and +this Morning he carried her off in a Sedan. I have sent the good +Doves to Bowstead in case he should have the Assurance to return to +his old Quarters, but I suspect that they are on the Way to Dover. +You had better consult with Hargrave on the means of confirming the +strange Marriage Ceremony that has passed between them, since that +affords the best Security for your Daughter's Maintenance and +Reputation. Believe me, I share in your Distress. Indeed I have so +frightful a Megrim that I can scarcely tell what I write, and I dare +not admit you to-day. + + "I remain, + "Your loving and much-grieved Cousin, + "URANIA BELAMOUR." + + +Poor Major! His horror, perplexity, and despair were indescribable. +He had one only hope--that Sir Amyas and Betty might be on the track. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. THE FIRST TASK. + + + After all these there marcht a most faire dame, + Led of two gryslie villains, th' one Despight, + The other cleped Crueltie by name. + SPENSER. + + +The traces of occupation had not deceived Major Delavie; Aurelia had +been recently in Delavie House, and we must go back some way in our +narrative to her arrival there. + +She had, on her return from Sedhurst on that Sunday, reached Bowstead, +and entered by the lobby door just as Lady Belamour was coming down +the stairs only attended by her woman, and ready to get into the +carriage which waited at the hall door. + +Sinking on her knees before her with clasped hands, Aurelia exclaimed, +"O madam, I ought not to have come away. Here I am, do what you will +with me, but spare my father. He knew nothing of it. Only, for +pity's sake, do not put me among the poor wicked creatures in gaol." + +"Get into that carriage immediately, and you shall know by decision," +said Lady Belamour, with icy frigidness, but not the same fierceness +as before; and Aurelia submissively obeyed, silenced by an imperious +gesture when she would have asked, "How is it with _him_?" whom she +durst not name. + +Lady Belamour waited a minute or two while sending Loveday on a last +message to the sick room, then entered the large deep carriage, +signing to her captive to take a corner where she could hardly be +seen if any one looked through the window. Loveday followed, the door +was shut by a strange servant, as it was in fact Lady Aresfield's +carriage, borrowed both for the sake of speed, and of secrecy towards +her own household. + +A few words passed by which Aurelia gathered something reassuring as +to the state of the patient, and then Lady Belamour turned on her, +demanding, "So, young miss, you tried to escape me! Where have you +been?" + +"Only as far as Sedhurst Church, madam. I would have gone home, but +I feared to bring trouble on my father, and I came back to implore +you to forgive." + +There was no softening of the terrible, beautiful face before her, and +she durst put no objective case to her verb. However, the answer was +somewhat less dreadful than she had anticipated. + +"I have been shamefully duped," said Lady Belamour, "but it is well +that it is no worse; nor shall I visit our offences on your father if +you show your penitence by absolute submission. The absurd ceremony +you went through was a mere mockery, and the old fool, Belamour, showed +himself crazed for consenting to such an improper frolic on the part +of my son. Whether your innocence be feigned or not, however, I cannot +permit you to go out of my custody until the foolish youth or yourself +be properly bestowed in marriage elsewhere. Meantime, you will remain +where I place you, and exactly fulfil my commands. Remember that any +attempt to communicate with any person outside the house will be +followed by your Father's immediate dismissal." + +"May I not let him know that I am safe?" + +"Certainly not; I will see to your father." + +It was a period when great ladies did not scruple to scold at the top +of their voices, and sometimes proceed to blows, but Lady Belamour +never raised her low silvery tones, and thus increased the awfulness +of her wrath and the impressiveness of her determination. Face to +face with her, there were few who did not cower under her displeasure; +and poor Aurelia, resolute to endure for her father's sake, could only +promise implicit obedience. + +She only guessed when the entered London by the louder rumbling, and +for one moment the coach paused as a horse was reined up near it, and +with plumed hat in hand the rider bent forward to the window, exclaiming, +"Successful, by all that is lovely! Captured, by Jove!" + +"You shall hear all another time," said lady Belamour. "Let us go on +now." + +They did so, but the horseman continued to flash across the windows, +and when the coach, after considerable delay, had entered the walled +court, rumbled over the pavement, and stopped before a closed door, he +was still there. When, after much thundering, the door was opened, +Aurelia had a moment's glimpse of a splendid figure in gold and +scarlet handing out Lady Belamour, who stood talking with him on the +steps of the house for some moments. Then, shrugging his shoulders, +he remounted, and cantered off, after which my Lady signed to Aurelia +to alight, and followed her into the hall. + +"Madge," said Lady Belamour to the witch-like old woman who had +admitted her, "this young lady is to remain here. You will open a +bedroom and sitting-room for her at the back of the house. Let her +be properly cared for, and go out in the court behind, but on no +account approach the front gates. Let no one know she is here." + +Madge muttered some demands about supplies and payments, and Lady +Belamour waved her to settle them with Mrs. Loveday, turning meantime +to the prisoner and saying, "There, child, you are to remain here on +your good behaviour. Do your best to merit my good will, so that I +may overlook what is past. Recollect, the least attempt to escape, +or to hold intercourse with the young, or the old, fool, and it shall +be the worse with them and with your father." + +Therewith she departed, followed by Loveday, leaving Aurelia standing +in the middle of the hall, the old hag gazing on her with a malignant +leer. "Ho! ho'! So that's the way! He has begun that work early, +has he? What's your name, my lass? Oh, you need give yourself airs! +I cry you mercy," and she made a derisive curtsey. + +Poor Aurelia, pride had less to do with her silence than absolute +uncertainty what to call herself. The wedding ring was on her finger, +and she would not deny her marriage by calling herself Delavie, but +Belamour might be dangerous, and the prefix was likewise a difficulty, +so faltered, "You may call me Madam Aurelia." + +"Madam Really. That's a queer name, but it will serve while you are +here." + +"Pray let me go to my room," entreated the poor prisoner, who felt as +ineffable disgust at her jailor, and was becoming sensible to extreme +fatigue. + +"Your room, hey? D'ye think I keep rooms and beds as though this were +an inn, single-handed as I am? You must wait, unless you be too fine +to lend a hand." + +"Anything will do," said Aurelia, "if I may only rest. I would help, +but I am so much tired that I can hardly stand." + +"My Lady has given it to you well, Mistress Really or Mistress Falsely, +which ever you may be," mumbled Madge, perhaps in soliloquy, fumbling +at the lock of a room which at last she opened. It smelt very close +and fusty, and most of the furniture was heaped together under a cloth +in the midst, dimly visible by the light of a heart-shaped aperture in +the shutters. Unclosing one of the leaves, the old woman admitted +enough daylight to guide Aurelia to a couch against the wall, saying, +"You can wait there till I see to your bed. And you'll be wanting +supper too!" she added in a tone of infinite disgust. + +"O never mind supper, if I can only go to bed," sighed Aurelia, sinking +on the couch as the old woman hobbled off. Lassitude and exhaustion +had brought her to a state like annihilation--unable to think or guess, +hope or fear, with shoes hurting her footsore feet, a stiff dress +cramping her too much for sleep, and her weary aching eyes gathering +a few impressions in a passive way. On the walls hung dimly seen +portraits strangely familiar to her. The man in a green dressing gown +with floating hair had a face she knew; so had the lady in the yellow +ruff. And was that not the old crest, the Delavie butterfly, with the +motto, _Ma Vie et ma Mie_, carved on the mantelpiece? Thus she knew +that she must be in Delavie House, and felt somewhat less desolate as +she recognised several portraits as duplicates of those at the Great +House at Carminster, and thought they looked at her in pity with +their eyes like her father's. The youngest son in the great family +group was, as she knew, an Amyas, and he put her in mind of her own. +Oh, was he her own, when she could not tell whether those great soft, +dark-grey eyes that looked so kindly on her had descended to the young +baronet? She hoped not, for Harriet and she had often agreed that +they presaged the fate of that gallant youth, who had been killed by +Sir Bevil Grenville's side. He must have looked just as Sir Amyas +did, lying senseless after the hurt she had caused. + +No more definite nor useful thought passed through the brain of the +overwearied maiden as she rest on the couch, how long she knew not; +but it was growing dark by the time Madge returned with a guttering +candle, a cracked plate and wedge of greasy-looking pie, a piece of +dry bread, a pewter cup of small beer, and an impaired repulsive +steel knife with a rounded end, and fork with broken prong. The fact +of this being steel was not distressing to one who had never seen a +silver fork, but the condition of both made her shudder, and added to +the sick sense of exhaustion that destroyed her appetite. She took +a little of the bread, and, being parched with thirst, drank some of +the beer before Madge came back again. "Oh ho, you're nice I see, +my fine Dame Really!" + +"Thank you, indeed I can't eat, I am so much tired," said Aurelia +apologetically. + +"You'll have to put up with what serves your betters, I can tell you," +was all the reply she received. "Well be ye coming to your bed?" + +So up the creaking stairs she was guided to a room, very unlike that +fresh white bower at Bowstead, large, eerie, ghostly-looking, bare +save for a dark oak chest, and a bed of the same material, the posts +apparently absolute trees, squared and richly carved, and supporting +a solid wooden canopy with an immense boss as big as a cabbage, and +carved something like one, depending from the centre, as if to +endanger the head of the unwary, who should start up in bed. No +means of ablution were provided, and Aurelia felt so grimed and dusty +that she ventured to beg for an ewer and basin; but her amiable hostess +snarled out that she had enough to do without humouring fiddle-faddle +whimsies, and that she might wash at the pump if nothing else would +serve her. + +Aurelia wished she had known this before going up stairs, and, worn +out as she was, the sense implanted by her mother that it was wicked +to go to sleep dirty, actually made her drag herself down to a grim +little scullery, where she was permitted to borrow a wooden bowl, +since she was too _nice_ forsooth to wash down stairs. She carried +it up with a considerable trouble more than half full, and a bit +of yellow soap and clean towel were likewise vouchsafed to her. The +wash--perhaps because of the infinite trouble it cost her--did her +great good,--it gave her energy to recollect her prayers and bring +good angels about her. If this had been her first plunge from home, +when Jumbo's violin had so scared her, such a place as this would have +almost killed her; but the peace that had come to her in Sedhurst +Church lingered still round her, and as she climbed up into the lofty +bed the verse sang in her ears "Love is strong as death." Whether +Love Divine or human she did not ask herself, but with the sense of +soothing upon her, she slept--and slept as a seventeen-years'-old +frame will sleep after having been thirty-six hours awake and afoot. + +When she awoke it was with the sense of some one being in the room. +"O gemini!" she heard, and starting up, only just avoiding the knob, +she saw Mrs. Loveday's well-preserved brunette face gazing at her. + +"Your servant, ma'am," she said. "You'll excuse me if I speak with +you here, for I must be back by the time my Lady's bell rings." + +"Is it very late?" said Aurelia, taking from under her pillow her +watch, which had stopped long ago. + +"Nigh upon ten o'clock," said Loveday. "I must not stay, but it is my +Lady's wish that you should have all that is comformable, and you'll +let me know how Madge behaves herself." + +"Is there any news from Bowstead?" was all Aurelia could at first +demand. + +"Not yet; but bless you, my dear young lady, you had best put all +that matter out of your head for ever and a day. I know what these +young gentlemen are. They are not to be hearkened to one moment, +not the best of them. Let them be ever so much in earnest at the +time, their parents and guardians have the mastery of them sooner +or later, and the farther it has gone, the worse it is. I saw you +lying asleep here looking so innocent that it went to my heart, and +I heard you mutter in your sleep 'Love is strong as death,' but +that's only a bit of some play-book, and don't you trust to it, for +I never saw love that was stronger than a spider's web." + +"Oh, hush, Mrs. Loveday. It is in the Bible!" + +"You don't say so, ma'am," the woman said awestruck. + +"I would show it you, only all my things are away. God is love, you +know," said Aurelia, sitting up with clasped hands, "and He gives it, +so it must be strong." + +"Well, all the love I've ever seen was more the devil's," said Loveday +truly enough; "and you'll find it so if you mean to trust to these +fine young beaux and what they say." + +Aurelia shook her head a little as she sat up in bed with her clasped +hands; and there was a look on her face that Mrs. Loveday did not +understand, as she went on with her advice. + +"So, my dear young lady, you see all that is left for you is to frame +your mind to keep close here, and conform to my Lady's will till all +is blown over one way or another." + +"I know that," said Aurelia. + +"Don't' you do anything to anger her," added the waiting-woman, "for +there's no one who can stand against her; and I'll speak up for you +when I can, for I know how to come round my Lady, if any one does. +Tell me what you want, and I'll get it for you; but don't try to +get out, and don't send Madge, for she is not to be trusted with +money. If I were you, I'd not let her see that watch, and I'd lock +my door at night. You're too innocent, whatever my Lady may say. +Here's half a pound of tea and sugar, which you had best keep to +yourself, and I've seen to there being things decent down stairs. +Tell me, my dear, is there anything you want? Your clothes, did you +say? Oh, yes, you shall have them--yes, and your books. Here's some +warm water," as a growling was heard at the door; "I must not wait +till you are dressed, but there's a box of shells down in your room +that Mr. Wayland sent home for my Lady to line a grotto with, and +she wants them all sorted out. 'Tell her she must make herself of +use if she wants to be forgiven,' says my Lady, for she is in a +mighty hurry for them now she has heard of the Duchess of Portland's +grotto; though she has let them lie here unpacked for this half year +and more. So if they are all done by night, maybe may Lady will be +pleased to let you have a bit more liberty." + +Mrs. Loveday departed, having certainly cheered the captive, and +Aurelia rose, weary-limbed and sad-hearted, with a patient trust in +her soul that Love Divine would not fail her, and that earthly love +would do its best. + +She found matters improved in the down-stairs room, the furniture was +in order, a clean cloth on the table, a white roll, butter, and above +all clean bright implements, showing Mrs. Loveday's influence. She +ate and drank like a hungry girl, washed up for herself rather than +let Madge touch anything she could help, and looked from the window +into a dull court of dreary, blighted-looking turf divided by flagged +walks, radiating from a statue in the middle, representing a Triton +blowing a conch--no doubt intended to spout water, for there was a +stone trough round him, but he had long forgotten his functions, and +held a sparrow's nest with streaming straws in his hand. This must +be the prison-yard, where alone she might walk, since it lay at the +back of the house; and with a sense of depression she turned to the +task that awaited her. + +A very large foreign-looking case had been partly opened, and when +she looked in she was appalled at the task to be accomplished in one +day. It was crammed with shells of every size and description, from +the large helmet-conch and Triton's trumpet, down to the tiny pink +cowry and rice-volute, all stuffed together without arrangement or +packing, forming a mass in which the unbroken shells reposed in a +kind of sand, of _debris_ ground together out of the victims; and +when she took up a tolerably-sized univalve, quantities of little +ones came tumbling out of its inner folds. She took up a handful, +and presently picked out one perfect valve like a rose petal, three +fairy cups of limpets, four ribbed cowries, and a thing like a green +pea. Of course she knew no names, but a kind of interest was +awakened by the beauty and variety before her. A pile of papers had +been provided, and the housewife [a pocket-size container for small +articles (as thread)--D.L.] which Betty made her always carry in her +pocket furnished wherewithal to make up a number of bags for the +lesser sorts; and she went to work, her troubles somewhat beguiled +by the novel beauties of each delicate creature she disinterred, but +remembering with a pang how, if she could have described them to Mr. +Belamour, he would have discoursed upon the Order of Nature. + +London noises were not the continuous roar of vehicles of the present +day, but there was sound enough to remind the country girl where she +was, and the street cries "Old Clothes!" "Sprats, oh!" "Sweep!" were +heard over the wall, sometimes with tumultuous voices that seemed to +enhance her loneliness, as she sat on the floor, hour after hour, +sifting out the entire shells, and feeling a languid pleasure in +joining the two halves of a bivalve, especially those lovely sunset +shells that have rosy rays diverging from their crimson hinge over +their polished surface, white, or just tinted with the hues of a +daffodil sky. She never clasped a pair together without a little +half-uttered ejaculation, "Oh, bring me and my dear young love thus +together again!" And when she found a couple making a perfect heart, +and holding together through all, she kissed it tenderly in the hope +that thus it might be with her and with him whose hand and whose +voice returned on her, calling her his dearest life! + +She durst only quit the shells to eat the dinner which Madge served +at one o'clock--a tolerable meal of slices of cold beef from a cook's- +shop, but seasoned with sour looks and a murmur at ladies' fancies. +The weariness and languor of the former day's exertions made her for +the present disinclined to explore the house, even had she had time, +and when twilight came there could have been little but fragments at +the bottom of the case, though she could see no more to sort them. + +And what were these noises around her making her start? Rats! Yes, +here they were, venturing out from all the corners. They knew there +had been food in the room. This was why Madge had those to gaunt, +weird-looking cats in her kitchen! Aurelia went and sat on the step +into the court to be out of their way, but Madge hunted her in that +the door might be shut and barred; and when she returned trembling to +the sitting room, she heard such a scampering and a scrambling that +she durst not enter, and betook herself to her chamber and to bed. + +Alas! that was no refuge. She had been too much tired to hear +anything the night before, but to-night there was scratching, +nibbling, careering, fighting, squeaking, recoil and rally, charge +and rout, as the grey Hanover rat fought his successful battle with +his black English cousin all over the floors and stairs--nay, once +or twice came rushing up and over the bed--frightening its occupant +almost out of her senses, as she cowered under the bed-clothes, not +at all sure that they would not proceed to eating her. Happily +daylight came early. Aurelia, at its first ray, darted across the +room, starting in horror when she touched a soft thing with her bare +foot, opened the shutter, and threw open the casement. Light drove +the enemy back to their holes, and she had a few hours' sleep, but +when Mrs. Loveday came to the room when she was nearly dressed, she +exclaimed, "Why, miss, you look paler than you did yesterday." + +"The rats!" said Aurelia under her breath. + +"Ah! the rats! Of course they are bad enough in an old desolate place +like this. But you've done the shells right beautiful, that I will +say; and you may leave this house this very day if you will only give +your consent to what my Lady asks. You shall be sent down this very +day to Carminster, if so be you'll give up that ring of yours, and +sign a paper giving up all claim to be married to his Honour. See, +here it is, all ready, in my Lady's letter." + +"I cannot," said Aurelia, with her hands behind her. + +"You can read my Lady's letter," said Loveday; "that can do you no +harm." + +Aurelia felt she must do that at least. + + + "CHILD, + + "I will overlook your Transgression on the One Condition, that +you sign this Paper and send it with your so-called Wedding Ring back +to me immediately. Otherwise you must take the Consequences, and +remain where you are till after my Son's Marriage. + + "URANIA BELAMOUR." + + +The paper was a formal renunciation of all rights or claims from the +fictitious marriage by which she had been deceived, and an absolute +pledge never to renew any contract with Sir Amyas Belamour, Knight +Baronet, who had grossly played on her. + +"No, I cannot," said Aurelia, pushing it from her. + +"Indeed, miss, I would not persuade you to it if it were not for your +own good; but you may be sure it is no use holding out against her +Ladyship. If you sign it now, and give it up honourable, she will +send Mr. Dove home with you, and there you'll be as if nothing had +been amiss, no one knowing nothing about it; but if you persist it +will not make the marriage a bit more true, and you will only be +kept moped up in this dismal place till his Honour is married, and +there's no saying what worse my Lady may do to you." + +Another night of rats came up before Aurelia's imagination in contrast +with the tender welcome at home; but the white face and the tones that +had exclaimed, "Madam, what are you doing to my wife?" arose and +forbade her. She would not fail him. So she said firmly once more, +"No, Mrs. Loveday, I cannot. I do not know what lawyers may say, but +I feel myself bound to Sir Amyas, and I will not break my vow--God +helping me," she added under breath. + +"You must write it to her ladyship then. She will never take such a +message through me. Here is paper and pen that I brought, in hopes +that you would be wise and submit for your honoured father's sake." + +"My father cannot be persecuted for what he has nothing to do with," +said Aurelia, with the gentle dignity that had grown on her since +her troubles. And taking the pen, she wrote her simple refusal, +signing it Aurelia Belamour. + +"As you please, ma'am," said Mrs. Loveday, "but I have my Lady's +orders to bring this paper every day till you sign it, and it would +be better for you if you would do it at once." + +Aurelia only shook her head, and asked if Mrs. Loveday had seen that +she had finished sorting the shells. Yes; and as she was now dressed +they went down together to the sitting-room. The shutters were +still closed, Madge would not put a hand to the room except on the +compulsion, and Aurelia's enemies had left evidence of their work; +not only was the odour of the room like that of a barn, but the paper +bags had in some cases been bitten through, and the shells scattered +about, and of the loaf and butter which Aurelia had left on a high +shelf in the cupboard nothing remained but a few fragments. + +Loveday was very much shocked, all the more when Aurelia quietly said +she should not mind it so much if the rats would only stay down stairs, +and not run over her in bed. + +"Yet you will not sign the paper." + +"I cannot," again said Aurelia. + +"My stars, I never could abear rats! Why they fly at one's throat +sometimes!" + +"I hope God will take care of me," said Aurelia, in a trembling voice. +"He did last night." + +Loveday began a formal leave-taking curtsey, but presently turned back. +"There now," she said, "I cannot do it, I couldn't sleep a wink for +thinking of you among the rats! Look here, I shall send a porter to +bring away those shells if you'll make up their bags again that the +nasty vermin have eaten, and there's a little terrier dog about the +place that no one will miss, he shall bring it down, and depend upon +it, the rats won't venture near it." + +"Oh! thank you, Mrs. Loveday, how good you are!" + +"Ah, don't then! If you could say that my dear!" + +Mrs. Loveday hurried away, and after breakfasting, Aurelia repaired +the ravages of the rats, and made a last sorting of the residuum of +shell dust, discovering numerous minute beauties, which awoke in her +the happy thought of the Creator's individual love. + +She had not yet finished before Madge's voice was heard in querulous +anger, and a heavy tread came along with her. A big man, who could +have carried ten times the weight of the box of shells, came in with +a little white dog with black ears, under his arm. + +"There," said the amiable guardian of the house, "that smart madam +says that it's her ladyship's pleasure you should have that little +beast to keep down the rats. As if my cats was not enough! But +mind you, Madam Really, if so be he meddles with my cats, it will +be the worse for him." + +The porter took up the box, and departed, and Aurelia was left with +her new companion sniffing all round the room, much excited by the +neighbourhood of his natural enemies. However, he obeyed her call, +and let her make friends, and read the name on the brass plate upon +his collar. When she read "Sir A. Belamour, Bart.," she took the +little dog in her arms and kissed it's white head. + +Being fairly rested, and having no task to accomplish, she felt the +day much longer, though less solitary, in the companionship of the dog, +to whom she whispered many fond compliments, and vain questions as to +his name. With him at her heels and Madge and her cats safely shut +into the kitchen, she took courage to wander about the dull court, +and then to explore the mansion and try to get a view from the higher +windows, in case they were not shuttered up like the lower ones. The +emptiness of Bowstead was nothing to this, and she smiled to herself +at having thought herself a prisoner there. + +Most of the rooms were completely dismantled, or had only ghastly rags +of torn leather or tapestry hanging to their walls. The upper windows, +however, were merely obscured by dust and cobwebs. Her own bedroom +windows only showed the tall front of an opposite house, but climbing +to the higher storey, she could see at the back over the garden wall +the broad sheet of the Thames, covered with boats and wherries, and +the banks provided with steps and stairs, at the opening of every +street on the opposite side, where she beheld a confused mass of trees, +churches, and houses. Nearer, the view to the westward was closed in +by a stately edifice which she did not know to be Somerset House; and +from another window on the east side of the house she saw, over +numerous tiled roofs, a gateway which she guessed to be Temple Bar, +and a crowded thoroughfare, where the people looked like ants, toiling +towards the great dome that rose in the misty distance. Was this the +way she was to see London? + +Coming down with a lagging step, she met Madge's face peering up. +"Humph! there you be, my fine miss! No gaping after sweethearts +from the window, or it will be the worse for you." + +The terrier growled, as having already adopted his young lady's defence, +and Aurelia, dreading a perilous explosion of his zeal in her cause, +hurried him into her parlour. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. THE SECOND TASK. + + + Hope no more, + Since thou art furnished with hidden lore, + To 'scape thy due reward if any day + Without some task accomplished passed away. + MOORE. + + +The little dog's presence was a comfort, but his night of combat and +scuffling was not a restful one and the poor prisoner's sickness of +heart and nervous terrors grew upon her every hour, with misgivings +lest she should be clinging to a shadow, and sacrificing her return +to Betty's arms for a phantom. There were moments when her anguish +of vague terror and utter loneliness impelled her to long to sign +her renunciation that moment; and when she thought of recurring hours +and weeks of such days and such nights her spirit quailed within her, +and Loveday might have found her less calmly steadfast had she come +in the morning. + +She did not come, and this in itself was a disappointment, for at +least she brought a human voice and a pitying countenance which, +temptress though she might be, had helped to bear Aurelia through +the first days. Oh! could she but find anything to do! She had +dusted her two rooms as well as she could consistently with care +for the dress she could not change. She blamed herself extremely +for having forgotten her Bible and Prayer-book when hastily making +up her bundle of necessaries, and though there was little chance +that Madge should possess either, or be able to read, she nerved +herself to ask. "Bible! what should ye want of a Bible, unless +to play the hypocrite? I hain't got none!" was the reply. + +So Aurelia could only walk up and down the court trying to repeat the +Psalms, and afterwards the poetry she had learnt for Mr. Belamour's +benefit, sometimes deriving comfort from the promises, but oftener +wondering whether he had indeed deserted her in anger at her +distrustful curiosity. She tried to scrape the mossgrown Triton, +she crept up stairs to the window that looked towards the City, and +cleared off some of the dimness, and she got a needle and thread and +tried to darn the holes in the curtains and cushions, but the rotten +stuff crumbled under her fingers, and would not hold the stitches. +At last she found in a dusty corner a boardless book with neither +beginning nor end, being Defoe's _Plague of London_. She read and +read with a horrid fascination, believing every word of it, wondering +whether this house could have been infected, and at length feeling for +the plague spot! + +A great church-clock enabled her to count the hours! Oh, how many +there were of them! How many more would there be? This was only her +second day, and deliverance could not come for weeks, were her young +husband--if husband he were--ever so faithful. How should she find +patience in this dreariness, interspersed with fits of alarm lest he +should be dangerously ill and suffering? She fell on her knees and +prayed for him and for herself! + +Here it was getting dark again, and Madge would hunt her in presently +and shut the shutters. Hark! what was that? A bell echoing over the +house! Madge came after her. "Where are you, my fine mistress! Go +you into the parlour, I say," and she turned the key upon the prisoner, +whose heart beat like a bird fluttering in a cage. Suddenly her door +was opened, and in darted Fidelia and Lettice, who flung themselves +upon her with ecstatic shrieks of "Cousin Aura, dear cousin Aura!" +Loveday was behind, directing the bringing in of trunks from a hackney +coach. All she said was, "My Lady's daughters are to be with you for +the night, madam; I must not say more, for her ladyship is waiting +for me." + +She was gone, while the three were still in the glad tangle of +an embrace beginning again and again, with all sorts of little +exclamations from the children, into which Aurelia broke with the +inquiry for their brother. "He is much better," said Fay. "He is +to get up to-morrow, and then he will come and find you." + +"Have you seen him?" + +"Oh, yes, and he says it is Sister Aura, and not Cousin Aura--" + +"My dear, dear little sisters--" and she hugged them again. + +"I was sitting upon his bed," said Letty, "and we were all talking +about you when my Lady mamma came. Are mothers kinder than Lady +mammas?" + +"Was she angry?" asked Aurelia. + +"Oh! she frightened me," said Fay. "She said we were pert, forward +misses, and we must hold our tongues, for we should be whipped if +we ever said you name, Cousin--Sister Aura, again; and she would +not let us go to wish Brother Amyas good-bye this morning." + +Aurelia's heart could not but leap with joy that her tyrant should +have failed in carrying to Bowstead the renunciation of the marriage. +Whether Lady Belamour meant it or not, she had made resistance much +easier by the company of Faith and Hope, if only for a single night. +She gathered from their prattle that their mother, having found that +their talk with their brother was all of the one object of his +thoughts, had carried them off summarily, and had been since driving +about London in search of a school at which to leave them; but they +were too young for Queen's Square, and there was no room at another +house at which Lady Belamour had applied. She would not take them +home, being, of course, afraid of their tongues, and in her perplexity +had been reduced to letting them share Aurelia's captivity at least +for the night. + +What joy it was! They said it was an ugly dark house, but Aurelia's +presence was perfect content to them, and theirs was to her comparative +felicity, assuring her as they did, through their childish talk, of +Sir Amyas's unbroken love and of Mr. Belamour's endeavours to find +her. What mattered it that Madge was more offended than ever, and +refused to make the slightest exertion for "the Wayland brats at +that time of night" without warning. They had enough for supper, and +if Aurelia had not, their company was worth much more to her than a +full meal. The terrier's rushes after rats were only diversion now, +and when all three nestled together in the big bed, the fun was more +delightful than ever. Between those soft caressing creatures Aurelia +heard no rats, and could well bear some kicks at night, and being +drummed awake at some strange hour in the morning. + +Mrs. Loveday arrive soon after the little party had gone down stairs. +She said the children were to remain until her ladyship had decided +where to send them; and she confirmed their report that his Honour +was recovering quickly. As soon as he was sufficiently well to leave +Bowstead he was to be brought to London, and married to Lady Arabella +before going abroad to make the grand tour; and as a true well-wisher, +Mrs. Loveday begged Miss Delavie not to hold out when it was of no +use, for her Ladyship declared that her contumacy would be the worse +for her. Aurelia's garrison was, however, too well reinforced for +any vague alarms to shake even her out works, and she only smiled +her refusal, as in truth Mrs. Loveday must have expected, for it +appeared that she had secured a maid to attend on the prisoners; an +extremely deaf woman, who only spoke in the broken imperfect mode of +those who have never heard their own voice, deficiencies that made +it possible that Madge would keep the peace with her. + +Lady Belamour had also found another piece of work for Aurelia. A +dark cupboard was opened, revealing shelves piled with bundle of +old letters and papers. There was a family tradition that one of +the ladies of the Delavie family had been an attendant of Mary of +Scotland for a short time, and had received from her a recipe for +preserving the complexion and texture of the skin, devised by the +French Court perfumer. Nobody had ever seen this precious +prescription; but it was presumed to be in the archives of the +family, and her ladyship sent word that if Miss Delavie wished +to deserve her favour she would put her French to some account +and discover it. + +A severe undertaking it was. Piles of yellow letters, files of dusty +accounts, multitudes of receipts, more than one old will had to be +conned it was possible to be certain they were not the nostrum. In +the utter solitude, even this occupation would have been valuable, +but with the little girls about her, and her own and their property, +she had alternative employments enough to make it an effort to apply +herself to this. + +Why should she? she asked herself more than once; but then came the +recollection that if she showed herself willing to obey and gratify +my Lady, it might gain her good will, and if Sir Amyas should indeed +hold out till Mr. Wayland came home--Her heart beat wildly at the +vision of hope. + +She worked principally at the letters, after the children had gone to +bed, taking a packet up stairs with her, and sitting in the bedroom, +deciphering them as best she might by the light of the candles that +Loveday had brought her. + +Every morning Loveday appeared with supplies, and messages from her +Ladyship, that it was time Miss submitted; but she was not at all +substantially unkind, and showed increasing interest in her captive, +though always impressing on her that her obstinacy was all in vain. +My Lady was angered enough at his Honour having got up from his sick +bed and gone off to Carminster, and if Miss did not wish to bring her +father into trouble she must yield. No, this gladdened rather than +startled Aurelia, though her heart sank within her when she was +warned that Mr. Wayland had been taken by the corsairs, so that my +Lady would have the ball at her own foot now. The term of waiting +seemed indefinitely prolonged. + +The confinement to the dingy house and courtyard was trying to all +three, who had been used to run about in the green park and breezy +fields; but Aurelia did her best to keep her little companions happy +and busy, and the sense of the insecurity of her tenure of their +company aided her the more to meet with good temper and sweetness +the various rubs incidental to their captivity in this close warm +house in the hottest of summer weather. The pang she had felt at +her own fretfulness, when she thought she had lost them, made her +guard the more against giving way to impatience if they were +troublesome or hard to please. Indeed, she was much more gentle +and equable now, in the strength of her resolution, than she had +been when uplifted by her position, yet doubtful of its mysteries. + +Sundays were the most trying time. The lack of occupation in the +small space was wearisome, and Aurelia's heart often echoed the old +strains of Tate and Brady, + + I sigh whene'er my musing thoughts + Those happy days present, + When I with troops of pious friends + Thy temple did frequent. + +She and her charges climbed up to the window above, which happily had +a broken pane, tried to identify the chimes of the church bells by the +notable nursery rhyme, + + Oranges and lemons, + Say the bells of St. Clements, &c., + +watched the church-goers as far as they could see them, and then came +down to such reading of the service and other Sunday occupations as +Aurelia could devise. On the Sunday of her durance it was such a +broiling day that, unable to bear the heat of her parlour, she +established herself and her charges in a nook of the court, close +under the window, but shaded by the wall, which was covered with an +immense bush of overhanging ivy, and by the elm tree in the court. +Here she made Fay and Letty say their catechism, and the Psalm she +had been teaching them in the week, and then rewarded them with a +Bible story, that of Daniel in the den of lions. Once or twice the +terrier (whose name she had learnt was Bob) had pricked his ears, +and the children had thought there was a noise, but the sparrows in +the ivy might be accountable for a great deal, and the little ones +were to much wrapped in her tale to be attentive to anything else. + +"Then it came true!" said Letty. "His God Whom he trusted did deliver +him out of the den of lions?" + +"God always does deliver people when they trust Him," said Fay, with +gleaming eyes. + +"Yes, one way or the other," said Aurelia. + +"How do you think He will deliver us?" asked Letty; "for I am sure +this is a den, though there are no lions." + +"I do not know how," said Aurelia, "but I know He will bear us through +it as long as we trust Him and do nothing wrong," and she looked up at +the bright sky with hope and strength in her face. + +"Hark! what's that?" cried Letty, and Bob leapt up and barked as a +great sob became plainly audible, and within the room appeared Mrs. +Loveday, her face all over tears, which she was fast wiping away as +she rose up from crouching with her head against the window-sill. + +"I beg your pardon, ma'am," said she, her voice still broken when she +rejoined them, "but I would not interrupt you, so I waited within; and +oh, it was so like my poor old mother at home, it quite overcame me! +I did not think there was anything so near the angels left on earth." + +"Nay, Loveday," said Fay, apprehending the words in a different sense, +"the angels are just as near us as ever they were to Daniel, only we +cannot see them. Are they not, Cousin Aura?" + +"Indeed they are, and we may be as sure that they will shut the lions' +mouths," said Aurelia. + +"Ah! may they," sighed Loveday, who had by this time mastered her +agitation, and remembered that she must discharge herself of her +messages, and return hastily to my Lady's toilette. + +"I have found the recipe," said Aurelia. "Here it is." And she put +into Loveday's hand a yellow letter, bearing the title in scribbled +writing, "_Poure Embellire et blanchire la Pel, de part de Maistre +Raoul, Parfumeur de la Royne Catherine_." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. LIONS. + + + The helmet of darkness Pallas donned, + To hide her presence from the sight of man. + _Derby's_ HOMER. + + +The next morning Loveday returned with orders from Lady Belamour that +Miss Delavie should translate the French recipe, and make a fair copy +of it. It was not an easy task, for the MS. was difficult and the +French old; whereas Aurelia lived on the modern side of the _Acadamie_, +her French was that of Fenelon and Racine. + +However, she went to work as best she could in her cool corner, +guessing at many of the words by lights derived from _Comenius_, and +had just made out that the chief ingredients were pounded pearls and +rubies, mixed with white of eggs laid by pullets under a year old, +during the waxing of the April moon, when she heard voices chattering +in the hall, and a girlish figure appeared in a light cloak and calash, +whom Loveday seemed to be guiding, and yet keeping as much repressed +as she could. + +"Gracious Heavens!" were the first words to be distinguished; "what a +frightful old place; enough to make one die of the dismals! I won't +live here when I'm married, I promise Sir Amyas! Bless me, is this +the wench?" + +"Your Ladyship promised to be careful," entreated Loveday, while +Aurelia rose, with a graceful gesture of acknowledgment, which, +however remained unnoticed, the lady apparently considering herself +unseen. + +"Who are these little girls?" asked she, in a giggling whisper. +"Little Waylands? Then it is true," she cried, with a peal of shrill +laughter. "There are three of them, only Lady Belamour shuts them up +like kittens--I wonder she did not. Oh, what sport! Won't I tease +her now that I know her secret!" + +"Your ladyship!" intreated Loveday in distress in an audible aside, +"you will undo me." Then coming forward, she said, "You did not +expect me at this hour, madam; but if your French copy be finished, +my Lady would like to have it at once." + +"I have written it out once as well as I could," said Aurelia, "but I +have not translated it; I will find the copy." + +She rose and found the stranger full before her in the doorway, gazing +at her with an enormous pair of sloe-black eyes, under heavy inky brows, +set in a hard, red-complexioned face. She burst into a loud, hoydenish +laugh as Loveday tried to stammer something about a friend of her own. + +"Never mind, the murder's out, good Mrs. Abigail," she cried, "it is +me. I was determined to see the wench that has made such a fool of +young Belamour. I vow I can't guess what he means by it. Why, you +are a poor pale tallow-candle, without a bit of colour in your face. +Look at me! Shall you ever have such a complexion as mine, with ever +so much rouge?" + +"I think not," said Aurelia, with one look at the peony face. + +"Do you know who I am, miss? I am the Lady Bella Mar. The Countess +of Aresfield is my mamma. I shall have Battlefield when she dies, and +twenty thousand pounds on my wedding day. The Earl of Aresfield and +Colonel Mar are my brothers, and a wretched little country girl like +you is not to come between me and what my mamma has fixed for me; so +you must give it up at once, for you see he belongs to me." + +"Not yet, madam," said Aurelia. + +"What do you say? Do you pretend that your masquerade was worth a +button?" + +"That is not my part to decide," said Aurelia. "I am bound by it, and +have no power to break it." + +"You mean the lawyers! Bless you, they will never give it to you +against me! You'd best give it up at once, and if you want a husband, +my mamma has one ready for you." + +"I thank her ladyship," said Aurelia, with simple dignity, "but I will +not give her the trouble." + +She glanced at her wedding ring, and so did Lady Belle, who screamed, +"You've the impudence to wear that! Give it to me." + +"I cannot," repeated Aurelia. + +"You cannot, you insolent, vulgar, low"-- + +"Hush! hush, my lady," entreated Loveday. "Come away, I beg of your +ladyship!" + +"Not till I have made that impudent hussy give me that ring," cried +Belle, stamping violently. "What's that you say?" + +"That your ladyship asks what is impossible," said Aurelia, firmly. + +"Take that then, insolent minx!" cried the girl, flying forward and +violently slapping Aurelia's soft cheeks, and making a snatch at her +hair. + +Loveday screamed, Letty cried, but Fidelia and Bob both rushed forward +to Aurelia's defence, one with her little fists clenched, beating Lady +Belle back, the other tearing at her skirts with his teeth. At that +moment a man's step was heard, and a tall, powerful officer was among +them, uttering a fierce imprecation. "You little vixen, at your +tricks again," he said, taking Belle by the waist, while she kicked +and screamed in vain. She was like an angry cat in his arms. "Be +quiet, Belle," he said, backing into the sitting-room. "Let Loveday +compose your dress. Recover your senses and I shall take you home: +I wish it was to the whipping you deserve." + +He thrust her in, waved aside Loveday's excuses about her ladyship not +being denied, and stood with his back to the door as she bounced +shrieking against it from within. + +"I fear this little devil has hurt you, madam," he said. + +"Not at all, I thank you, sire." said Aurelia, though one side of her +face still tingled. + +"She made at you like a little game-cock," he said. "I am glad I was +in time. I followed when I found she had slipped away from Lady +Belamour's, knowing that her curiosity is only equalled by her spite. +By Jove, it is well that her nails did not touch that angel face!" + +Aurelia could only curtsey and thank him, hoping within herself that +Lady Belle would soon recover, and wondering how he had let himself +in. There was something in his manner of examining her with his eyes +that made her supremely uncomfortable. He uttered fashionable +expletives of admiration under his breath, and she turned aside in +displeasure, bending down to Fidelia. He went on, "You must be +devilishly moped in this dungeon of a place! Cannot we contrive +something better?" + +"Thank you, sir, I have no complaint to make. Permit me to see +whether the Lady Arabella is better." + +"I advise you not. Those orbs are too soft and sparkling to be +exposed to her talons. 'Pon my honour, I pity young Belamour. +But there is no help for it, and such charms ought not to be wasted +in solitude on his account. These young lads are as fickle as the +weather-cock, and have half-a-dozen fancies in as many weeks. +Come now, make me your friend, and we will hit on some device +for delivering the enchanted princess from her durance vile." + +"Thank you, sir, I promised Lady Belamour to make no attempt to +escape." + +At that moment out burst Lady Belle, shouting with laughter: "Ho! +ho! Have I caught you, brother, gallanting away with Miss? What +will my lady say? Pretty doings!" + +She had no time for more. Her brother fiercely laid hold of her, +and bore her away with a peremptory violence that she could not +resist, and only turning at the hall door to make one magnificent +bow. + +Loveday was obliged to follow, and the children were left clinging +to Aurelia and declaring that the dreadful young lady was as bad as +the lions; while Aurelia, glowing with shame and resentment at what +she felt as insults, had a misgiving that her protector had been the +worse lion of the two. + +She had no explanation of the invasion till the next morning, when +Loveday appeared full of excuses and apologies. From the fact of +Lady Aresfield's carriage having been used on Aurelia's arrival, her +imprisonment was known, and Lady Belle, spending a holiday at Lady +Belamour's, had besieged Loveday with entreaties to take her to see +her rival. As the waiting-woman said, for fear of the young lady's +violent temper, but more probably in consideration of her bribes, +she had yielded, hoping that Lady Belle would be satisfied with a +view from the window, herself unseen. However, from that moment all +had been taken out of the hands of Loveday, and she verily believed +the Colonel had made following his sister an excuse for catching a +sight of Miss Delavie, for he had been monstrously smitten even +with the glimpse he had had of her in the carriage. And now, as +his sister had cut short what he had to say, he had written her a +billet. And Loveday held out a perfumed letter. + +Aurelia's eyes flashed, and she drew herself up: "You forget, Loveday, +I promised to receive no letters!" + +"Bless me, ma'am, they, that are treated as my lady treats you, are +not bound to be so particular as that." + +"O fie, Loveday," said Aurelia earnestly, "you have been so kind, that +I thought you would be faithful. This is not being faithful to your +lady, nor to me." + +"It is only from my wish to serve you, ma'am," said Loveday in her +fawning voice. "How can I bear to see a beautiful young lady like +you, that ought to be the star of all the court, mewed up here for +the sake of a young giddy pate like his Honour, when there's one of +the first gentlemen in the land ready to be at your feet?" + +"For shame! for shame!" exclaimed Aurelia, crimson already. "You +know I am married." + +"And you will not take the letter, nor see what the poor gentleman +means? May be he wants to reconcile you with my lady, and he has +power with her." + +Aurelia took the letter, and, strong paper though it was, tore it +across and across till it was all in fragments, no bigger than daisy +flowers. "There," she said, "you may tell him what I have done to +his letter." + +Loveday stared for a minute, then exclaimed, "You are in the right, my +dear lady. Oh, I am a wretch--a wretch--" and she went away sobbing. + +Aurelia hoped the matter was ended. It had given her a terrible +feeling of insecurity, but she found to her relief that Madge was +really more trustworthy than Loveday. She overheard from the court +a conversation at the back door in which Madge was strenuously +refusing admission to some one who was both threatening and bribing +her, all in vain; but she was only beginning to breathe freely when +Loveday brought, not another letter, but what was less easy to stop, +a personal message from "that poor gentleman." + +"Loveday, after what you said yesterday, how can you be so--wicked?" +said Aurelia. + +"Indeed, miss, 'tis only as your true well-wisher." + +Aurelia turned away to leave the room. + +"Yes, it is, ma'am! On my bended knees I will swear it," cried +Loveday, throwing herself on them and catching her dress. "It is +because I know my lady has worse in store for you!" + +"Nothing can be worse than wrong-doing," said Aurelia. + +"Ah! you don't know. Now, listen, one moment. I would not--indeed +I would not--if I did not know that he meant true and honourable-- +as he does, indeed he does. He is madder after you then ever he was +for my lady, for he says you have all her beauty, and freshness and +simplicity besides. He is raving. And you should never leave me, +indeed you should not, miss, if you slipped out after me in Deb's +muffler--and we'd go to the Fleet. I have got a cousin there, poor +fellow--he is always in trouble, but he is a real true parson +notwithstanding, and I'd never leave your side till the knot was +tied fast. Then you would laugh at my lady, and be one of the first +ladies in the land, for my Lord Aresfield is half a fool, and can't +live long, and when you are a countess you will remember your poor +Loveday." + +"Let me go. You have said too much to a married woman," said Aurelia, +and as the maid began the old demonstrations of the invalidity of the +marriage, and the folly of adhering to it when nobody knew where his +honour was gone, she said resolutely, "I shall write to Lady Belamour +to send me a more trustworthy messenger." + +On this Loveday fairly fell on the floor, grovelling in her wild +entreaty that my Lady might hear nothing of this, declaring that +it was not so much for the sake of the consequences to herself as +to the young lady, for there was no guessing what my lady might not +be capable of if she guessed at Colonel Mar's admiration of her +prisoner. Aurelia, frightened at her violence, finally promised +not to appeal to her ladyship as long as Loveday abstained from +transmitting his messages, but on the least attempt on her part +to refer to him, a complaint should certainly be made to my lady. + +"Very well, madam," said Loveday, wiping her eyes. "I only hope it +will not be the worse for you in the end, and that you will not wish +you had listened to poor Loveday's advice." + +"I can never wish to have done what I know to be a great sin," said +Aurelia gravely. + +"Ah! you little know!" said Loveday, shaking her head sadly and +ominously. + +Something brought to Aurelia's lips what she had been teaching the +children last Sunday, and she answered, + +"My God, in Whom I have trusted, is able to deliver me out of the +mouth of lions, and He will deliver me out of thy hand." + +"Oh! if ever there were one whom He should deliver!" broke out +Loveday, and again she went away weeping bitterly. + +Aurelia could not guess what the danger the woman threatened could +be; so many had been mentioned as possible. A forcible marriage, +incarceration in some lonely country place, a vague threat of being +taken beyond seas to the plantation--all these had been mentioned; +but she was far more afraid of Colonel Mar forcing his way in and +carrying her off, and this kept her constantly in a state of nervous +watchfulness, always listening by day and hardly able to sleep by +night. + +Once she had a terrible alarm, on a Sunday. Letty came rushing to +her, declaring that Jumbo, dear Jumbo, and a gentleman were in the +front court. Was it really Jumbo? Come and see! No, she durst not, +and Fay almost instantly declared that Madge had shut them out. The +children both insisted that Jumbo it was, but Aurelia would not +believe that it could be anything but an attempt of her enemies. +She interrogated Madge, who had grown into a certain liking for +one so submissive and inoffensive. Madge shook her head, could not +guess how such folks had got into the court, was sure they were after +no good, and declared that my Lady should hear of all the strange +doings, and the letters that had been left with her. Oh, no, she +knew better than to give them, but my Lady should see them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. THE COSMETIC. + + + But one more task I charge thee with to-day, + For unto Proserpine then take thy way, + And give this golden casket to her hands. + MORRIS. + + +Late on that Sunday afternoon, a muffled and masked figure came +through the house into the court behind, and after the first shock +Aurelia was relieved to see that it was too tall, and moved too +gracefully, to belong to Loveday. + +"Why, child, what a colour you have!" said Lady Belamour, taking off +her mask. "You need no aids to nature at your happy age. That is +right, children," as they curtsied and kissed her hand. "Go into +the house, I wish to speak with your cousin." + +Lady Belamour's unfailing self-command gave her such dignity that she +seemed truly a grand and majestic dame dispensing justice, and the +gentle, shrinking Aurelia like a culprit on trial before her. + +"You have been here a month, Aurelia Delavie. Have you come to your +senses, and are you ready to sign this paper?" + +"No, madam, I cannot." + +"Silly fly; you are as bent as ever on remaining in the web in which +a madman and a foolish boy have involved you?" + +"I cannot help it, madam." + +"Oh! I thought," and her voice became harshly clear, though so low, +"that you might have other schemes, and be spreading your toils at +higher game." + +"Certainly not, madam." + +"Your colour shows that you understand, in spite of all your pretences." + +"I have never used any pretences, my lady," said Aurelia, looking up +in her face with clear innocent eyes. + +"You have had no visitors? None!" + +"None, madam, except once when the Lady Arabella Mar forced her way +in, out of curiosity, I believe, and her brother followed to take her +away." + +"Her brother? You saw him?" Each word came out edged like a knife +from between her nearly closed lips. + +"Yes, madam." + +"How often?" + +"That once." + +"That has not hindered a traffic in letters." + +"Not on my side, madam. I tore to fragments unread the only one that +I received. He had no right to send it!" + +"Certainly not. You judge discreetly, Miss Delavie. In fact you are +too transcendent a paragon to be retained here." Then, biting her lip, +as if the bitter phrase had escaped unawares, she smiled blandly and +said, "My good girl, you have merited to be returned to your friends. +You may pack your mails and those of the children!" + +Aurelia shuddered with gladness, but Lady Belamour checked her thanks +by continuing, "One service you must first do for me. My perfumer is +at a loss to understand your translation of the recipe for Queen Mary's +wash. I wish you to read and explain it to her." + +"Certainly, madam." + +"She lives near Greenwich Park," continued Lady Belamour, "and as I +would not have the secret get abroad, I shall send a wherry to take +you to the place early to-morrow morning. Can you be ready by eight +o'clock?" + +Aurelia readily promised, her heart bounding at the notion of a +voyage down the river after her long imprisonment and at the promise +of liberty! She thought her husband must still be true to her, since +my lady would have been the first to inform her of his defection, and +as long as she had her ring and her certificate, she could feel little +doubt that her father would be able to establish her claims. And oh! +to be with him and Betty once more! + +She was ready in good time, and had spent her leisure in packing. +When Loveday appeared, she was greeted with a petition that the two +little girls might accompany her; but this was refused at once, and +the waiting-maid added in her caressing, consoling tone that Mrs. +Dove was coming with their little brother and sister to take them +a drive into the country. They skipped about with glee, following +Aurelia to the door of the court, and promising her posies of +honeysuckles and roses, and she left her dear love with them for +Amoret and Nurse Dove. + +At the door was a sedan chair, in which Aurelia was carried to some +broad stone stairs, beside which lay a smartly-painted, trim-looking +boat with four stout oarsmen. She was handed into the stern, Loveday +sitting opposite to her. The woman was unusually silent, and could +hardly be roused to reply to Aurelia's eager questions as she passed +the gardens of Lincoln's Inn, saw St. Paul's rise above her, shot +beneath the arch of London Bridge, and beheld the massive walls of +the Tower with its low-browed arches opening above their steps. +Whenever a scarlet uniform came in view, how the girl's eyes +strained after it, thinking of one impossible, improbable chance +of a recognition! Once or twice she thought of a far more terrible +chance, and wondered whether Lady Belamour knew how little confidence +could be placed in Loveday; but she was sure that their expedition +was my lady's own device, and the fresh air and motion, with all the +new scenes, were so delightful to her that she could not dwell on any +alarms. + +On, on, Redriffe, as the watermen named Rotherhithe, was on one bank, +the marshes of the Isle of Dogs were gay with white cotton-grass and +red rattle on the other. Then came the wharves and building yards of +Deptford, and beyond them rose the trees of Greenwich Park, while the +river below exhibited a forest of masts. The boat stopped at a +landing-place to a little garden, with a sanded path, between herbs +and flowers. "This is Mistress Darke's," said Loveday, and as a +little dwarfish lad came to the gate, she said, "We would speak +with your mistress." + +"On your own part?' + +"From the great lady in Hanover Square." + +The lad came down to assist in their landing, and took them up the +path to a little cupboard of a room, scented with a compound of every +imaginable perfume. Bottles of every sort of essence, pomade, and +cosmetic were ranged on shelves, or within glass doors, interspersed +with masks, boxes for patches, bunches of false hair, powder puffs, +curling-irons, and rare feathers. An alembic [a device used in +distillation--D.L.] was in the fireplace, and pen and ink, in a +strangely-shaped standish, were on the table. Altogether there was +something uncanny about the look and air of the room which made +Aurelia tremble, especially as she perceived that Loveday was both +frightened and distressed. + +The mistress of the establishment speedily appeared. She had been a +splendid Jewish beauty, and still in middle age, had great owl-like +eyes, and a complexion that did her credit to her arts; but there was +something indescribably repulsive in her fawning, deferential curtsey, +as she said, in a flattering tone, with a slightly foreign accent, +"The pretty lady is come, as our noble dame promised, to explain to +the poor Cora Darke the great queen's secret! Ah! how good it is to +have learning. What would not my clients give for such a skin as +hers! And I have many more, and greater than you would think, come +to poor Cora's cottage. There was a countess here but yesterday to +ask how to blanch the complexion of miladi her daughter, who is about +to wed a young baronet, beautiful as Love. Bah! I might as well try +to whiten a clove gillyflower! Yet what has not nature done for this +lovely miss?" + +"Shall I read you the paper?" said Aurelia, longing to end this part +of the affair. + +"Be seated, fair and gracious lady." + +Aurelia tried to wave aside a chair, but Mrs. Darke, on the plea of +looking over the words as she read, got her down upon a low couch, +putting her own stout person and hooked face in unpleasant proximity, +while she asked questions, and Aurelia mentioned her own conjectures +on the obsolete French of the recipe, while she perceived, to her +alarm, that the woman understood the technical terms much better than +she did, and that her ignorance could have been only an excuse. + +At last it was finished, and she rose, saying it was time to return +to the boat. + +"Nay, madam, that cannot be yet," said Loveday; "the watermen are gone +to rest and dine, and we must wait for the tide to shoot the bridge." + +"Then pray let us go out and walk in Greenwich Park," exclaimed Aurelia, +longing to escape from this den. + +"The sweet young lady will take something in the meantime?" said Mrs. +Darke. + +"I thank you, I have breakfasted," said Aurelia. + +"My Lady intended us to eat here," said Loveday in an undertone to +her young lady, as their hostess bustled out. "She will make it +good to Mrs. Darke." + +"I had rather go to the inn--I have money--or sit in the park," she +added as Loveday looked as if going to the inn were an improper +proposal. "Could we not buy a loaf and eat in the park? I should +like it so much better." + +"One cup of coffee," said Mrs. Darke, entering; "the excellent Mocha +that I get from the Turkey captains." + +She set down on a small table a wonderful cup of Eastern porcelain, and +some little sugared cakes, and Aurelia, not to be utterly ungracious, +tasted one, and began on the coffee, which was so hot that it had to +be taken slowly. As she sipped a soothing drowsiness came over her, +which at first was accounted for by the warm room after her row on +the river; but it gained upon her, and instead of setting out for +her walk she fell sound asleep in the corner of the couch. + +"It has worked. It is well," said Mrs. Darke, lifting the girl's feet +on the couch, and producing a large pair of scissors. + +Loveday could not repress a little shriek. + +"Hush!" as the woman untied the black silk hood, drew it gently off, +and then undid the ribbon that confined the victim's abundant tresses. +"Bah! it will be grown by the time she arrives, and if not so long as +present, what will they know of it? It will be the more agreeable +surprise! Here, put yonder cloth under her head while I hold it up." + +"I cannot," sobbed Loveday. "This is too much. I never would have +entered my Lady's service if I had known I was to be set to such as +this." + +"Come, come, Grace Loveday, I know too much of you for you to come +the Presician over me." + +"Such a sweet innocent! So tender-hearted and civil too." + +"Bless you, woman, you don't know what's good for her! She will be +a very queen over the black slaves on the Indies. Captain Karen will +tell you how the wenches thank him for having brought 'em out. They +could never do any good here, you know, poor lasses; but out there, +where white women are scarce, they are ready to worship the very +ground they tread upon." + +"I tell you she ain't one of that sort. She is a young lady of birth, +a cousin of my Lady's own, as innocent as a babe, and there are two +gentlemen, if not three, a dying for her." + +"I lay you anything not one of 'em is worth old Mr. Van Draagen, who +turns his thousands every month. 'Send me out a lady lass,' says he, +'one that will do me credit with the governor's lady.' Why she will +have an estate as big as from here to Dover, and slaves to wait on +her, so as she need never stoop to pick up her glove. He has been +married twice before, and his last used to send orders for the best +brocades in London. He stuck at no expense. The Queen has not finer +gowns!" + +"But to think of the poor child's waking up out at sea." + +"Oh! Mrs. Karen will let her know she may think herself well off. I +never let 'em go unless there's a married woman aboard to take charge +of them, and that's why I kept your lady waiting till the _Red Cloud_ +was ready to sail. You may tell her Ladyship she could not have a +better berth, and she'll want for nothing. I know what is due to the +real quality, and I've put aboard all the toilette, and linen, and +dresses as was bespoke for the last Mrs. Van Draagen, and there's a +civil spoken wench aboard, what will wait on her for a consideration." + +"Nay, but mistress," said Loveday, whispering: "I know those that +would give more than you will ever get from my Lady if they found +her safe here." + +"Of course there are, or she would not be here now," said Mrs. Darke, +with a horrid grin; "but that won't do, my lass. A lady that's +afraid of exposure will pay you, if she pawns her last diamond, but +a gentleman--why, he gets sick of his fancy, and snaps his fingers +at them that helped him!" Then, looking keenly at Loveday, "You've +not been playing me false, eh?" + +"O no, no," hastily exclaimed Loveday, cowering at the malignant look. + +"If so be you have, Grace Loveday, two can play at that game," said +Mrs. Darke composedly. "There, I have left her enough to turn back. +What hair it is! Feel the weight of it! There's not another head +of the mouse-colour to match your Lady's in the kingdom," she added, +smoothing out the severed tresses with the satisfaction of a +connoisseur. "No wonder madame could not let this be wasted on the +plantations, when you and I and M. le Griseur know her own hair is +getting thinner than she would wish a certain Colonel to guess. +There! the pretty dear, what a baby she looks! I will tie her on +a cowl, lest she should take cold on the river. See these rings. +Did you Lady give no charge about them?" + +"I had forgot!" said the waiting-woman, confused; "she charged me to +bring them back, old family jewels, she said, that must not be carried +off to foreign parts; but I cannot, cannot do it. To rob that pretty +creature in her sleep." + +"Never fear. She'll soon have a store much finer than these! You +fool, I tell you she will not wake these six or eight hours. Afraid? +There, I'll do it! Ho! A ruby? A love-token, I wager; and what's +this? A carved Cupid. I could turn a pretty penny by that, when +your lady finds it convenient, and her luck at play goes against her. +Eh! is this a wedding-ring? Best take that off; Mr. Van Draagen +might not understand it, you see. Here they are. Have you a patch- +box handy for them in your pocket? Why what ails the woman? You +may thank your stars there's some one here with her wits about her! +None of your whimpering, I say, her comes Captain Karen." + +Two seafaring men here came up the garden path, the foremost small +and dapper, with a ready address and astute countenance. "All right, +Mother Darkness, is our consignment ready? Aye, aye! And the +freight?" + +"This lady has it," said Mrs. Darke, pointing to Loveday; "I have +been telling her she need have no fears for her young kinswoman in +your hands, Captain." + +He swore a round oath to that effect, and looking at the sleeping +maiden, again swore that she was the choicest piece of goods ever +confided to him, and that he knew better than let such an article +arrive damaged. Mr. Van Draagen ought to come down handsomely +for such an extra fine sample; but in the meantime he accepted +the rouleau of guineas that Loveday handed to him, the proceeds, +as she told Mrs. Darke, of my Lady's winnings last night at loo. + +All was ready. Poor Aurelia was swathed from head to foot in a large +mantle, like the chrysalis whose name she bore, the two sailors took +her up between them, carried her to their boat, and laid her along in +the stern. Then they pushed off and rowed down the river. Loveday +looked up and looked down, then sank on the steps, convulsed with +grief, sobbing bitterly. "She said He could deliver her from the +mouth of lions! And He has not," she murmured under her breath, +in utter misery and hopelessness. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. DOWN THE RIVER. + + The lioness, ye may move her + To give o'er her prey, + But ye'll ne'er stop a lover, + He will find out the way. + + +Elizabeth Delavie and her little brother were standing in the bay +window of their hotel, gazing eagerly along the street in hopes of +seeing the Major return, when Sir Amyas was seen riding hastily up +on his charger, in full accoutrements, with a soldier following. +In another moment he had dashed up stairs, and saying, "Sister, +read that!" put into Betty's hand a slip of paper on which was +written in pencil-- + +"If Sir A. B. would not have his true love kidnapped to the plantations, +he had best keep watch on the river gate of Mistress Darke's garden +at Greenwich. No time to lose." + +"Who brought you this?" demanded Betty, as well as she could speak +for horror. + +"My mother's little negro boy, Syphax. He says Mrs. Loveday, her +waiting-woman, gave it to him privately on the stairs, as she was +about to get into a sedan, telling him I would give him a crown if +he gave it me as I came off parade." + +"Noon! Is there time?" + +"Barely, but there shall be time. There is no time to seek your +father." + +"No, but I must come with you." + +"The water is the quickest way. There are stairs near. I'll send +my fellow to secure a boat." + +"I will be ready instantly, while you tell your uncle. It might be +better if he came." + +Sir Amyas flew to his uncle's door, but found him gone out, and, in +too great haste to inquire further, came down again to find Betty in +cloak and hood. He gave her his arm, and, Eugene trotting after them, +they hurried to the nearest stairs, remembering in dire confirmation +what Betty had heard from the school-girl. Both had heard reports +that young women were sometimes thus deported to become wives to the +planters in the southern colonies or the West Indies, but that such +a destiny should be intended for their own Aurelia, and by Lady +Belamour, was scarcely credible. Doubts rushed over Betty, but she +remembered what the school-girl had said of the captive being sent +beyond seas; and at any rate, she must risk the expedition being +futile when such issues hung upon it. And if they failed to meet her +father, she felt that her presence might prevail when the undefined +rights of so mere a lad as her companion might be disregarded. + +His soldier servant had secured a boat, and they rapidly descended +to the river; Sir Amyas silent between suspense, dismay and shame +for his mother, and Betty trying to keep Eugene quiet by hurried +answers to his eager questions about all he saw. They had to get +out at London Bridge, and take a fresh boat on the other side, a +much larger one, with two oarsmen, and a grizzled old coxswain, with +a pleasant honest countenance, who presently relieved Betty of all +necessity of attending to, or answering, Eugene's chatter. + +"Do you know where this garden is?" said she, leaning across to Sir +Amyas, who had engaged the boat to go to Greenwich. + +He started as if it were a new and sudden thought, and turning to the +steersman demanded whether he knew Mrs. Darke's garden. + +The old man gave a kind of grunt, and eyed the trio interrogatively, +the young officer with his fresh, innocent, boyish face and brilliant +undisguised uniform, the handsome child, the lady neither young, gay, +nor beautiful, but unmistakeably a decorous gentlewoman. + +"Do you know Mrs. Darke's?" repeated Sir Amyas. + +"Aye, do I? Mayhap I know more about the place than you do." + +There was that about his face that moved Betty and the young man to +look at one another, and the former said, "She has had to do with-- +evil doings?" + +"You may say that, ma'am." + +"Then," they cried in one breath, "you will help us!" And in a very +few words Betty explained their fears for her young sister, and asked +whether he thought the warning possible. + +"I've heard tell of such things!" said the old man between his teeth, +"and Mother Darkness is one to do 'em. Help you to bring back the +poor young lass? That we will, if we have to break down the door +with our fists. And who is this young spark? Her brother or her +sweetheart?" + +"Her husband!" said Sir Amyas. "Her husband from whom she has been +cruelly spirited away. Aid me to bring her back, my good fellow, and +nothing would be too much to reward you." + +"Aye, aye, captain, Jem Green's not the man to see an English girl +handed over to they slave-driving, outlandish chaps. But I say, I +wish you'd got a cloak or summat to put over that scarlet and gold +of yourn. It's a regular flag to put the old witch on her guard." + +On that summer's day, however, no cloak was at hand. They went down +the river very rapidly, for the tide was running out and at length +Jem Green pointed out the neat little garden. On the step sat a +woman, apparently weeping bitterly. Could it be the object of their +search? No, but as they came nearer, and she was roused so as to +catch sight of the scarlet coat, she beckoned and gesticulated with +all her might; and as they approached Sir Amyas recognised her as +his mother's maid. + +"You will be in time yet," she cried breathlessly. "Oh! take me in, +or you won't know the ship!" + +So eager and terrified was she, that but for the old steersman's +peremptory steadiness, her own life and theirs would have been in +much peril, but she was safely seated at last, gasping out, "The +_Red Cloud_, Captain Karen. They've been gone these ten minutes." + +"Aye, aye," gruffly responded Green, and the oars moved rapidly, while +Loveday with another sob cried, "Oh! sir, I thought you would never +come!" + +"You sent the warning?" + +Yes, sir, I knew nothing till the morning, when my Lady called me +up. I lie in her room, you know. She had given orders, and I was +to take the sweet lady and go down the river with her to Mrs. Darke, +the perfuming woman my Lady has dealings with about here hair and +complexion. There I was to stay with her till--till this same sea- +captain was to come and carry her off where she would give no more +trouble. Oh, sir, it was too much--and my Lady knew it, for she +had tied my hands so that I had but a moment to scribble down that +scrip, and bid Syphax take it to you. The dear lady! she said, 'her +God could deliver her out of the mouth of the lion,' and I could not +believe it! I thought it too late!" + +"How can we thank you," began Betty; but she was choked by intense +anxiety, and Jem Green broke in with an inquiry where the ship was +bound for. Loveday only had a general impression of the West Indies, +and believed that the poor lady's destined spouse was a tobacconist, +and as the boat was soon among a forest of shipping where it could +not proceed so fast, Green had to inquire of neighbouring mariners +where the _Red Cloud_ was lying. + +"The _Red Cloud_, Karen, weighs anchor for Carolina at flood tide +to-night. Shipper just going aboard," they were told. + +Their speed had been so rapid that they were in time to see the +boat alongside, and preparations being made to draw up some one +or something on board. "Oh! that is she!" cried Loveday in great +agitation. "They've drugged her. No harm done. She don't know +it. But it is she!" + +Sir Amyas, with a voice of thunder, called out, "Halt, villain," at +the same moment as Green shouted "Avast there, mate!" And their boat +came dashing up alongside. + +"Yield me up that lady instantly, fellow!" cried Sir Amyas, with his +sword half drawn. + +"And who are you, I should like to know," returned Karen, coolly, +"swaggering at an honest man taking his freight and passengers +aboard?" + +"I'll soon show you!" + +"Hush, sir," said Green, who had caught sight of pistols and cutlasses, +"let me speak a moment. Look you here, skipper, this young gentleman +and lady have right on their side. This is her sister, and he is her +husband. They are people of condition, as you see." + +"All's one to me on the broad seas." + +"That may be," said Green, "but you see you can't weigh anchor these +three hours or more; and what's to hinder the young captain here from +swearing against you before a magistrate, and getting your vessel +searched, eh?" + +"I've no objection to hear reason if I'm spoke to reasonable," said +Karen, sulkily; "but I'll not be bullied like a highwayman, when I've +my consignment regularly made out, and the freight down in hand, +square." + +"You may keep your accursed passage-money and welcome," cried Sir +Amyas, "so you'll only give me my wife!" + +"Show him the certificate," whispered Betty. + +Sir Amyas had it ready, and he read it loud enough for all on the +Thames to hear. Karen gave a sneering little laugh. "What's that +to me? My passenger here has her berth taken in the name of Ann +Davis." + +"Like enough," said Loveday, "but you remember me, captain, and I +swear that this poor young lady is what his Honour Sir Amyas say. +He is a generous young gentleman, and will make it up to you if you +are at any loss in the matter." + +"A hundred times over!" exclaimed Amyas hotly. + +"Hardly that," said Karen. "Van Draagen might have been good for a +round hundred if he'd been pleased with the commission." + +"I'll give you and order--" began Sir Amyas. + +"What have you got about you, sir?" interrupted Karen. "I fancy hard +cash better than your orders." + +The youth pulled out his purse. There was only a guinea or two and +some silver. "One does not go out to parade with much money about +one," he said, with a trembling endeavour for a smile, "but if you +would send up to my quarters in Whitehall Barracks---" + +"Never mind, sir," said Karen, graciously. "I see you are in earnest, +and I'll put up with the loss rather than stand in the light of a couple +of true lovers. Here, Jack, lend a hand, and we'll hoist the young +woman over. She's quiet enough, thanks to Mother Darkness." + +The sudden change in tone might perhaps be owing to the skipper's +attention having been called by a sign from one of his men to a boat +coming up from Woolwich, rowed by men of the Royal navy, who were +certain to take part with an officer; but Sir Amyas and Betty were +only intent on receiving the inanimate form wrapped up in its mantle. +What a meeting it was for Betty, and yet what joy to have her at all! +They laid her with her head in her sister's lap, and Sir Amyas hung +over her, clasping one of the limp gloved hands, while Eugene called +"Aura, Aura," and would have impetuously kissed her awake, but Loveday +caught hold of him. "Do not, do not, for pity's sake, little master," +she said; "the potion will do her no harm if you let her sleep it off, +but she may not know you if you waken her before the time." + +"Wretch, what have you given her?" cried Sir Amyas. + +"It was not me, sir, it was Mrs. Darke, in a cup of coffee. She vowed +it would do no hurt if only she was let to sleep six or eight hours. +And see what a misery it has saved her from!" + +"That is true," said Betty. "Indeed I believe this is a healthy sleep. +See how gently she breathes, how soft and natural her colour is, how +cool and fresh her cheek is. I cannot believe there is serious harm +done." + +"How soon can we reach a physician?" asked Sir Amyas, still anxiously, +of the coxswain. + +"I can't rightly say, sir," replied he; "but never you fear. They +wouldn't do aught to damage such as she." + +Patience must perforce be exercised as, now against the tide and the +stream, the wherry worked its way back. Once there was a little stir; +Sir Amyas instantly hovered over Aurelia, and clasped her hand with a +cry of "My dearest life!" The long dark eyelashes slowly rose, the +eyes looked up for one moment from his face to her sister's, and then +to her brother's, but the lids sank as if weighed down, and with a +murmur, "Oh, don't wake me," she turned her face around on Betty's +lap and slept again. + +"Poor darling, she thinks it a dream," said Betty. "Eugene, do not. +Sir, I entreat! Brother, yes I _will_ call you so if you will only +let her alone! See how happy and peaceful her dear face is! Do not +rouse her into terror and bewilderment." + +"If I only were sure she was safe," he sighed, hanging over, with an +intensity of affection and anxiety that brought a dew even to the old +steersman's eyes; and he kindly engrossed Eugene by telling about the +places they passed, and setting him to watch the smart crew of the +boat from the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, which was gaining on them. + +Meanwhile the others interrogated Loveday, who told them of the +pretext on which Lady Belamour had sent her captive down to Mrs. +Darke's. No one save herself had, in my Lady's household, she said, +an idea of where the young lady was, Lady Belamour having employed +only hired porters except on that night when Lady Aresfield's carriage +brought her. This had led to the captivity being know to Lady Belle +and her brother, and Loveday had no doubt that it was the discovery +of their being aware of it, as well as Jumbo's appearance in the +court, that had made her mistress finally decide on this frightful +mode of ridding herself of the poor girl. The maid was as adroit a +dissembler as her mistress, and she held her peace as to her own part +in forwarding Colonel Mar's suit, whether her lady guessed it or not, +but she owned with floods of tears how the sight of the young lady's +meek and dutiful submission, her quiet trust, and her sweet, simple +teaching of the children, had wakened into life again a conscience +long dead to all good, and made it impossible to her to carry out +this last wicked commission without an attempt to save the creature +whom she had learnt to reverence as a saint. Most likely her scruples +had been suspected by her mistress, for there had been an endeavour +to put it out of her power to give any warning to the victim. Yet +after all, the waiting-maid had been too adroit for the lady, or, +as she fully owned, Aurelia's firm trust had not been baulked, and +deliverance from the lions had come. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. THE RETURN. + + + And now the glorious artist, ere he yet + Had reached the Lemnian Isle, limping, returned; + With aching heart he sought his home. + _Odyssey_--COWPER. + + +How were they to get the slumbering maiden home? That was the next +question. Loveday advised carrying her direct to her old prison, +where she would wake without alarm; but Sir Amyas shuddered at the +notion, and Betty said she _could_ not take her again into a house +of Lady Belamour's. + +The watermen, who were enthusiastic in the cause, which they understood +as that of one young sweetheart rescued by the other, declared that they +would carry the sweet lady between them on the cushions of their boat, +laid on stretchers; and as they knew of a land-place near the _Royal +York_, with no need of crossing any great thoroughfare, Betty thought +this the best chance of taking her sister home without a shock. + +The boat from Woolwich had shot London Bridge immediately after them, +and stopped at the stairs nearest that where they landed; and just as +Sir Amyas, with an exclamation of annoyance at his unserviceable arm, +had resigned Aurelia to be lifted on to her temporary litter, a hand +was laid on his shoulder, a voice said "Amyas, what means this?" and +he found himself face to face with a small, keen-visaged, pale man, +with thick grizzled brows overhanging searching dark grey eyes, shaded +by a great Spanish hat. + +"Sir! oh sir, is it you?" he cried, breathlessly; "now all will be well!" + +"I am very glad you think so, Amyas," was the grave answer; "for all +this has a strange appearance." + +"It is my dearest wife, sir, my wife, whom I have just recovered after +--Oh, say, sir, if you think all is well with her, and it is only a +harmless sleeping potion. Sister--Betty--this is my good father, Mr. +Wayland. He is as good as a physician. Let him see my sweetest life." + +Mr. Wayland bent over the slumbering figure still in the bottom of +the boat, heard what could be told of the draught by Loveday, whom +he recognized as his wife's attendant, and feeling Aurelia's pulse, +said, "I should not think there was need for fear. To the outward +eye she is a model of sleeping innocence." "Well you may say so," +and "She is indeed," broke from the baronet and the waiting-maid at +the same instant; but Mr. Wayland heeded them little as he impatiently +asked, "Where and how is your mother, Amyas?" + +"In health sir, at home, I suppose," said Sir Amyas; "but oh, sir, +hear me, before you see her." + +"I must, if you walk with me," said Mr. Wayland, turning for a moment +to bid his servant reward and dismiss the boat's crew, and see to the +transport of his luggage; and in the meantime Aurelia was lifted by +her bearers. + +Sir Amyas again uttered a rejoicing, "We feared you were in the hands +of the pirates, sir." + +"So I was; but the governor of Gibraltar obtained my release, and was +good enough to send me home direct in a vessel on the king's service," +said Mr. Wayland, taking the arm his stepson offered to assist his +lameness. "Now for your explanation, Amyas; only let me hear first +that my babes are well." + +"Yes, sir, all well. You had my letter?" + +"Telling of that strange disguised wedding? I had, the very day I +was captured." + +By the time they had come to the place where their ways parted, Mr. +Wayland had heard enough to be so perplexed and distressed that he +knew not that he had been drawn out of the way to Hanover Square, +till at the entrance of the _Royal York_, they found Betty asseverating +to the landlady that she was bringing no case of small pox into the +house; and showing, as a passport of admittance, two little dents on +the white wrist and temple. + +At that instant the sound brought Major Delavie hurrying from his +sitting-room at his best speed. There was a look of horror on his +face as he saw his daughter's senseless condition, but Betty sprang +to his side to prevent his wakening her, and Aurelia was safely +carried up stairs and laid upon her sister's bed, still sleeping, +while Betty and Loveday unloosed her clothes. Her bearers were +sent for refreshment to the bar, and the gentlemen stood looking +on one another in the sitting-room, Mr. Wayland utterly shocked, +incredulous of the little he did understand, and yet unable to go +home until he should hear more; and the Major hardly less horrified, +in the midst of his relief. "But where's Belamour!" he cried, "Your +uncle, I mean." + +"Where?" said Sir Amyas. "They said he was gone out." + +"So they told me! And see here!" + +Major Delavie produced Lady Belamour's note. + +"A blind!" cried Sir Amyas, turning away under a strange stroke of +pain and sham. "Oh! mother, mother!" and he dashed out of the room. + +Poor Mr. Wayland sat down as one who could stand no longer. "Of +what do they suspect her?" he said hoarsely. + +"Sir," said the good Major, "I grieve sincerely for and with you. +Opposition to this match with my poor child seems to have transported +my poor cousin to strange and frantic lengths, but you may trust me +to shield and guard her from exposure as far as may be." + +Her husband only answered by a groan, and wrung Major Delavie's hand, +but their words were interrupted by Sir Amyas's return. He had been +to his uncle's chamber, and had found on the table a note addressed +to the Major. Within was a inclosure directed to A. Belamour, Esq. + + "If you have found the way to the poor captive, for pity's sake + come to her rescue. Be in the court with your faithful black + by ten o'clock, and you may yet save on who loves and looks to + you." + +On the outer sheet was written-- + + "I distrust this handwriting, and suspect a ruse. In case I do + not return, send for Hargrave, Sandys, Godfrey, as witnesses to + my sanity, and storm the fair one's fortress in person. A. B." + +"It is not my Aurelia's writing," said the Major. "Bravest of friends, +what has he not dared on her account!" + +"This is too much!" cried Mr. Wayland, striving in horror against his +convictions. "I cannot hear my beloved wife loaded with monstrous +suspicions in her absence!" + +"I am sorry to say this is no new threat ever since poor Belamour has +crossed her path," said the Major. + +"What have you done, sir!" asked Sir Amyas. + +"I fear I have but wasted time," said the Major. "I have been to +Hanover Square, and getting no admittance there, I came back in the +hope you might be on the track with Betty--as, thank God, you were! +The first thing to be done now is to find what she has done with +Belamour," he added, rising up. + +"That must fall to my share," said Mr. Wayland, pale and resolute. +"Come with me, Amyas, your young limbs will easily return before the +effect of the narcotic has passed, and I need fuller explanation." + +Stillness than came on the Delavie party. The Major went up stairs, +and sat by Aurelia's bed gazing with eyes dazzled with tears at the +child he had so longed to see, and whom he found again in this strange +trance. A doctor came, and quite confirmed Mr. Wayland's opinion, +that the drug would not prove deleterious, provided the sleep was +not disturbed, and Betty continued her watch, after hearing what her +father knew of Mr. Belamour. She was greatly struck with the self- +devotion that had gone with open eyes into so dreadful a snare as a +madhouse of those days rather than miss the least chance of saving +Aurelia. + +"If we go by perils dared, the uncle is the true knight-errant," said +she to her father. "I wonder which our child truly loves the best!" + +"Betty!" said her father, scandalised. + +"Ay, I know, Sir Amyas is a charming boy, but what a boy he is! And +she has barely spoken with him or seen him, whereas Mr. Belamour has +been kind to her for a whole twelvemonth. I know what I should do if +I were in her place. I would declare that I intended to be married +to the uncle, and would keep it!" + +"He would think it base to put the question." + +"He would; but indeed, dear sir, I think it would be but right and +due to the dear child herself that she should have here free choice, +and not be bound for ever by a deception! Yes, I know the poor boy's +despair would be dreadful, but it would be better for them both than +such a mistake." + +"Hush! I hear him knocking at the door, you cruel woman." + +The bedroom opened into the parlour the party had hired, so that both +could come out and meet Sir Amyas with the door ajar, without relaxing +their watch upon the sleeper. The poor young man looked pale, shocked, +and sorrowful. "Well," said he, after having read in their looks that +there was no change, "he knows the worst." Then on a further token +of interrogation, "It may have been my fault; I took him, unannounced, +through the whole suite of rooms, and in the closet at the end, with +all the doors open, she was having an altercation with Mar. He was +insisting on knowing what she had done with"--(he signed towards the +other room) "she, upbraiding him with faithlessness. They were deaf +to an approach, till Mr. Wayland, in a loud voice, ordered me back, +saying 'it was no scene for a son.'" + +"I trust it will not end in a challenge?" asked the Major, gravely. + +"No, my father's infirmity renders him no fighting man, and I--I may +not challenge my superior officer." + +"But your uncle?" said Betty, much fearing that such a scene might +have led to his being forgotten. + +"I should have told you. We had not made many steps from hence before +we met poor Jumbo wandering like a dog that had lost his master. Mr. +Belamour had taken the precaution of giving Jumbo the pass-key, and +not taking him into that house (some day I will pull every brick of +it down), so he watched till by and by he saw a coach come out with +all the windows closed, and as his master had bidden him in such a +case, he kept along on the pavement near, and never lost sight of it +till he had tracked it right across the City to a house with iron- +barred windows inside a high wall. There it went in, and he could +not follow, but he asked the people what place it was, and though +they jeered at him, he made out that it was as we feared. Nay, do +not be alarmed, sister, he will soon be with us. My poor father +shut me out, and I know not what passed with my mother, but just as +I could wait no longer to return to my dearest, he came out and told +me that he had found out that my uncle was in a house at Moorfields, +and he is gone himself to liberate him. He is himself a justice of +the peace, and he will call for Dr. Sandys by the way, that there +may be no difficulty. He is gone in the coach-and-four, with Jumbo +on the box, so that matters will soon be righted." + +"And a heroic champion set free," said Betty moving to return to her +sister, when the others would not be denied having another look at +the sweet slumberer, on whose face there was now a smile as if her +dreams were marvellously lovely; or, as Betty thought, as if she +knew their voices even in her sleep. + +Sir Amyas had not seen his mother again. He only knew that Mr. +Wayland had come out with a face as of one stricken to the heart, +a sad contrast to that which had greeted him an hour before, and +while the carriage was coming round, had simply said, "I did wrong +to leave her." + +It would not bear being talked over, and both son and kinsman took +refuge in silence. Two hours more of this long day had passed, and +then a coach stopped at the door. Sir Amyas hurried down in his +eager anxiety, and came back with his uncle, holding him by the hand +like a child, in his gladness, and Betty came out to meet them in the +outer room with a face of grateful welcome and outstretched hands. + +"Sir! sir! you have done more than all of us." + +"Yet you and your young champion here were the victors," said Mr. +Belamour. + +"Ah, we dared and suffered nothing like you." + +"I hope you did not suffer much," said the major, looking at the calm +face and neatly-tied white hair, which seemed to have suffered no +disarrangement. + +"No," said Mr. Belamour, smiling, "my little friend Eugene, ay, and +my nephew himself, are hoping to hear I was released from fetters +and a heap of straw, but I took care to give them no opportunity. I +merely told them they were under a mistake, and had better take care. +I gave them a reference or two, but I saw plainly that was of no use, +though they promised to send, and then I did exactly as they bade me, +so as to deprive them of all excuse for meddling with me, letting +them know that I could pay for decent treatment so long as I was in +their hands." + +"Did you receive it?" + +"I was told in a mild manner, adapted to my intelligence, that if I +behaved well, I might eat at the master's table, and have a room with +only one inmate. Of the former I have not an engaging experience, +either as to the fare, the hostess, or the company. Of the latter, +happily I know little, as I only know that my comrade was to be a +harmless gibbering idiot; of good birth, poor fellow. However, the +sounds I heard, and the court I looked into, convinced me that my +privileges were worth paying for." + +He spoke very quietly, but he shuddered involuntarily, and Betty, +unable to restrain her tears, retreated to her sister's side. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. WAKING. + + + So Love was still the Lord of all.--SCOTT. + + +The summer sun was sinking and a red glow was on the wall above Aurelia's +head when she moved again, upon the shutting of the door, while supper +was being taken by the gentlemen in the outer room. + +Presently her lips moved, and she said, "Sister," not in surprise, +but as if she thought herself at home, and as Betty gently answered, +"Yes, my darling child," the same voice added, "I have had such a +dream; I thought I was a chrysalis, and that I could not break my +shell nor spread my wings." + +"You can now, my sweet," said Betty, venturing to kiss her. + +Recollection came. "Sister Betty, is it you indeed?" and she threw +her arms round Betty's neck, clinging tight to her in delicious +silence, till she raised her head and said: "No, this is not home. +Oh, is it all true?" + +"True that I have you again, my dear, dearest, sweetest child," said +Betty. "Oh, thank God for it." + +"Thank God," repeated Aurelia. "Now I have you nothing will be +dreadful. But where am I? I thought once I was in a boat with you +and Eugene, and some one else. Was it a dream? I can't remember +anything since that terrible old woman made me drink the coffee. +You have not come there, have you?" + +"No, dear child, it was no dream that you were in a boat. We had +been searching everywhere for you, and we were bringing you back +sound, sound asleep," said Betty, in her tenderness speaking as it +to a little child. + +"I knew you would," said Aurelia; "I knew God would save me. Love is +strong as death, you know," she added dreamily: "I think I felt it all +round me in that sleep." + +"That was what you murmured once or twice in your sleep," said Betty. + +"And now, oh! it is so sweet to lie here and know it is you. And +wasn't _he_ there too?" + +"Sir Amyas? Yes, my dear. He came for you. He and my father and +the others are in the other room waiting for you to wake." + +"I hear their voices," cried Aurelia, with a start, sitting up. "Oh! +that's my papa's voice! Oh! how good it is to hear it!" + +"I will call him as soon as I have set you a little in order. Are +you sure you are well, my dearest? No headache?" + +"Quite, quite well! Why, sister, I have not been ill; and if I had, +I should skip to see you and hear their voices, only I wish they would +speak louder! That's Eugene! Oh! they are hushing him. Let me make +haste," and she moved with an alacrity that was most reassuring. "But +I can't understand. Is it morning or evening?" + +"Evening, my dear. They are at supper. Are not you hungry?" + +"Oh, yes, I believe I am;" but as she was about to wash her hands: +"My rings, my wedding-ring? Look in my glove!" + +"No, they are not there my dear, they must have robbed you! And oh! +Aurelia, what have you done to your hair?" + +"My hair? It was all there this morning. Sister, it was that woman, +I remember now, I was not quite sound asleep, but I had no power to +move or cry out, and the woman was snipping and Loveday crying." + +"Vile creature!" burst out Betty. + +"My hair will grow!" said Aurelia; "but I had so guarded my wedding- +ring--and what will he, Sir Amyas, think?" + +Their voices were at this moment heard, and in another second Aurelia +was held against her father's breast, as in broken words he sobbed out +thanks for her restoration, and implored her pardon for having trusted +her out of his care. + +"Oh! sir, do not speak so! Dear papa, I have tried hard to do you no +harm, and to behave well. Please, sir, give me your blessing." + +"God bless you indeed, my child. He has blessed you in guarding you as +your innocence deserved, though I did not. Ah! others are impatient. +The poor old father comes second now." + +After a few minutes spent in repairing the disorder of her dress, and +her hands in those of her father and little brother, she was led to +the outer room where in the twilight there was a rapturous rush, an +embrace, a fondling of the hand in the manner more familiar to her +than the figure from before whom it proceeded. She only said in her +gentle plaintive tone, "Oh, sir, it was not my fault. They took +away your rings." + +"Nay," said a voice, new to her, "here are your rings, Lady Belamour. +I must trust to your Christian charity to pardon her who caused you +to be stripped of them." + +The name of Lady Belamour made her start as that of her enemy, but a +truly familiar tone said, "You need not fear, my kind friend. This +is Mr. Wayland, who, to our great joy, has returned, and has come to +restore your jewels." + +"Indeed I am very glad yours is not lost," said Aurelia, not a little +bewildered. + +Mr. Wayland said a few words of explanation that his wife's agent at +Greenwich had brought them back to her. + +"Pray let me have them," entreated Sir Amyas; "I must put them on +again!" + +"Stay," said Major Delavie; "I can have such things done only under +true colours and in the full light of day. The child is scarcely +awake yet, and does not know one from the other! Why neither of you +so much as know the colour of the eyes of the other! Can you tell +me sir?" + +"Heavenly," exclaimed the youth, in an ecstatic tone of self-defence, +which set the Major laughing and saying, "My silly maid knows as +little which gentleman put on the ring." + +"I do, sir," said Aurelia indignantly; "I know his voice and hand +quite well," and in the impulse she quitted her father's arm and +put both hands into those of her young adorer, saying, "Pray sir, +pardon me, I never thought to hurt you so cruelly." + +There was a cry of, "My own, my dearest life," and she was clasped as +she had been immediately after her strange wedding. + +However, the sound of a servant's step made them separate instantly, +and Betty begged that the supper might not be removed, since it was +many hours since her sister had tasted food. + +Sir Amyas and Betty hovered about her, giving her whatever she could +need, in the partial light, while the others stood apart, exchanging +such explanations as they could. Mr. Wayland said he must report +himself to Government on the morrow; but intended afterwards to take +his wife to Bowstead, whither she had sent all her children with Mrs. +Dove. There was a great tenderness in his tone as he spoke of her, +and when he took leave Mr. Belamour shrugged his shoulders saying, +"She will come round him again!" + +"It is true enough that he ought not to have left her to herself," +said the Major. + +"You making excuses for her after the diabolical plot of to-day?" +said Mr. Belamour; "I could forgive her all but that letter to you." + +"My Lady loves her will," quoted the Major; "it amounts to insanity +in some women, I believe." + +"So I might say does men's infatuation towards women like her," +muttered Mr. Belamour. + +By this time Aurelia had finished her meal, and Betty was anxious to +carry her off without any more excitement, for she was still drowsy +and confused. She bade her father good night, asking his blessing +as of old, but when Mr. Belamour kissed her hand and repeated the +good night, she said, "Sir, I ought to have trusted you; I am so +sorry." + +"It is all well now, my child," he said, soothingly, understanding +Betty's wish; "Sleep, and we will talk it over." + +So the happy sisters once more slept in each other's arms, till in +the early summer morning Betty heard the whole story from Aurelia, +now fully herself, though she slumbered again after all was poured +into her sister's bosom. + +Betty had sympathised step by step, and felt even more strongly than +Harriet that the situation had been intolerable for womanhood, and +that only Aurelia's childishness could have endured it so long. Only +the eldest sister held that it would have been right and honourable +to have spoken before flashing out the flame; but when, with many +tears of contrition, Aurelia owned that she had long thought so, and +longed to confess it, what could the motherly sister do but kiss the +tears away, and rejoice that the penance was over which had been borne +with such constancy and self-devotion. + +Then Betty rose quietly, and after giving thanks on her knees that the +gentle spirit had passed through all unscathed, untainted with even +the perception of evil, she applied herself to the adaptation of one +of her morning caps to her poor shorn lamb's head. Nor did Aurelia +wake again till her father came to the door to make sure that all was +well with his recovered treasure, and to say that Loveday would +recover for her the box of clothes, which old Madge had hidden. + +Loveday had gone back to her mistress, who either had not discovered +her betrayal, or, as things had turned out, could not resent it. + +So, fresh and blooming, Aurelia came out into the sitting-room, whence +her father held out his arms to her. He would have her all to himself +for a little while, since even Eugene was gone to his daily delight, +the seeing the changing of the guard. + +"And now, my child, tell me," he said, when he had heard a little of +her feelings through these adventures, "what would you have me do? +Remember, such a wedding as yours goes for nothing, and you are still +free to choose either or neither of your swains." + +"Oh, papa!" in a remonstrating tone. + +"You were willing to wed your old hermit?" + +"I was content _then_. He was very kind to me." + +"Content then, eh? Suppose you were told he was your real husband?" + +"Sir, he is not!" cried Aurelia, frightened. + +"If he were?" + +"I would try to do my duty," she said, in a choked voice. + +"Silly child, don't cry. And how, if after these fool's tricks it +turns out that the other young spark is bound to that red-faced +little spitfire and cannot have you?" + +"Papa, don't!" she cried. "You know he is my husband in my heart, +and always will be, and if he cannot come back to me take me home, +and I will try to be a good daughter to you," and she hid her face +on his shoulder. + +"Poor child, it is a shame to tease her," said her father, raising up +her face; "I only wanted to know which of them you would wish to put +on the ring again. I see. You need not be afraid, you shall have +the ruby one. But as for the little gold one, wait for that till it +is put on in church, my dear. Ah! and there's the flutter of his +wings, or rather the rattle of his spurs. Now then, young people, +you shall not be hindered from a full view of each others lineaments. +It is the first time you ever had a real sight of each other, neither +of you being in a swoon, is it not? I trust you do not repent upon +further acquaintance. Aurelia got as far as the shoe-buckles once, +I believe." + +"She will get no farther this time, sir, if you annihilate her with +your pleasantry," said Betty, fully convinced by this time. + +"Ah! young Love has made himself more dazzling than ever," continued +the Major, too delighted to be stopped. "The fullest dress uniform, +I declare; M. le Capitaine is bent on doing honour to the occasion." + +"Would that it were on for no other reason, sir," said Sir Amyas; "but +the King and Queen have taken it into their heads to go off to Kew and +here am I under orders to command the escort. I verily believe it is +all spite on the Colonel's part, for Russell would have exchanged the +turn with me, but he sent down special orders for me. I have but half +an hour to spend here, and when I shall be able to get back again +Heaven only knows." + +However, he and Aurelia were permitted to improve that half hour to +the utmost in their own way, while the Major and Betty were reading +a long and characteristic letter from Mrs. Arden, inquiring certainly +for her sister's fate, but showing far more solicitude in proving that +she (Harriet Arden) had acted a wise, prudent, and sisterly part, and +that it was most unreasonable and cruel to treat her as accountable +for her sister's disappearance. It was really making her quite ill, +and Mr. Arden was like a man--so disagreeable about it. + +Betty was very glad this epistle had not come till it was possible to +laugh at it. She would have sat down to reply to it at once, had not +a billet been brought in from the widow of one of her father's old +brother officers who had heard of his being in town, and begged him +to bring his daughter to see her, excusing herself for not waiting on +Miss Delavie, as she was very feeble and infirm. + +It was a request that could not be refused, but Aurelia was not equipped +for such a visit, and shrank timidly from showing herself. So when Mr. +Belamour came down it was agreed that she should remain at home under +his protection, in which she could be very happy, though his person +was as strange to her as his voice was familiar. Indeed she felt as +if a burden was on her mind till she could tell him of her shame at +having failed in the trust and silence that he had enjoined on her. + +"My child," he said, "we have carried it too far. It was more than we +ought to have required of you, and I knew it. I had made up my mind, +and told my nephew that the first time you really asked I should tell +the whole truth, and trust to your discretion, while of course he +wished for nothing more." + +"As my sister said, it was my fault." + +"Nay, I think you had good cause to stand on your defence, and I +cannot have you grieve over it. You have shown an unshaken steadiness +under trial since, such as ought indeed to be compensation." + +"I deserved it all," said Aurelia; "and I do hope that I am a little +wiser and less foolish for it all; a little more of a woman," she +added, blushing. + +"A soul trained by love and suffering, as in the old legend," said Mr. +Belamour thoughtfully. + +Thoroughly pleasant was here _tete-a-tete_ with him, especially when +she artlessly asked him whether her dear sister were not all she had +told him, and he fervently answered that indeed she was "a perfect +lesson to all so-called beauties of what true loveliness of a +countenance can be." + +"Oh, I am so glad," cried Aurelia. "I never saw a face--a woman's I +mean--that I like as well as my dear sister's!" + +She was sorry when they were interrupted by a call from Mr. Wayland, +who had reported himself at the Secretary of War, but could do no more +that day, and had come to inquire for her. He and Mr. Belamour drew +apart into a window, and conversed in a low voice, and then they came +to her, and Mr. Wayland desired to know from where she found the recipe +for the cosmetic which had nearly cost her so dearly. + +"It was in a shelf in the wainscoting, in a sort of little study at +that house," said Aurelia. + +"Among other papers?" + +"Quantities of other papers." + +"Of what kind?" + +"Letters, and bills, and wills, and parchments! Oh, so dusty! Some +were on paper tumbling to pieces, and some on tiny slips of parchment." + +"And you read them all?" + +"I had to read them to see what they were, as well as I could make +out, and sorted them and tied them up in bundles." + +"Can you tell me whether they were Delavie wills?" + +"I should think they were. I know that the oldest of all were Latin, +and I could make nothing out in them but something about _Manoriem_ +and Carminster, and what looked like the names of some of the fields +at home." + +"Do you think you could show me those slips?" + +"I do not suppose any one has touched them." + +"Then, my dear young lady, you would confer a great favour on me if +you would allow Mr. Belamour and myself to escort you to Delavie and +show us these papers. I fear it may be alarming and distressing." + +"Oh no, sir, I know no harm can happen to me where Mr. Belamour is," +she said, smiling. + +"It may be very important," he said, and she went to put on her hood. + +"Surely," said Mr. Wayland, "the title-deeds cannot have been left +there?" + +"No. The title-deeds to the main body of the property are at +Hargrave's. I have seen them, at the time of my brother's marriage; +but still this may be what was wanting." + +"Yet the sending this child to search is presumption that no such +document existed." + +"Of course no one supposed it did," said Mr. Wayland, on the defence +again. + +Aurelia was quickly ready in her little hood and kerchief, and trim +high-heeled shoes. She was greatly surprised to find how near she +had been to her friends during these last few days of her captivity, +and when Madge obeyed the summons to the door, the old woman +absolutely smiled to see her safe, and the little terrier danced +about her in such transports that she begged to take him back with +her. + +She opened the door of the little empty book room, where nothing +stood except the old bureau. That, she said, had been full of +letters, but all the oldest things had been within a door opening +in the wainscot, which she should never have found had not Bob +pushed it open in his search for rats, and then she found a tin case +full of papers and parchments, much older, she thought, than the +letters. She had tied them up together, and easily produced them. + +Mr. Wayland handed them to Mr. Belamour, whose legal eye was better +accustomed to crabbed old documents. A conversation that had begun +on the way about Fay and Letty was resumed, and interested both +their father and Aurelia so much that they forgot to be impatient, +until Mr. Belamour looked up from his examination, saying, "This is +what was wanting. Here is a grant in the 12th year of Henry III. +to Guglielmus ab Vita and the heirs male of his body to the Manor, +lying without the city of Carminster, and here are three wills of +successive lords of Delavie expressly mentioning heirs male. Now +the deeds that I have seen do not go beyond 1539, when Henry Delavie +had a grant of the Grange and lands belonging to Carminster Abbey-- +the place, in fact, where the Great House stands, and there is in +that no exclusion of female heirs. But the Manor house can certainly +be proved to be entailed in the male line alone, according to what +was, I believe, the tradition of the family." + +"There is no large amount of property involved, I fear," said Mr. +Wayland. + +"There is an old house, much out of repair, and a few farms worth, +may be, 200 pounds a year, a loss that will not be material to you, +sir, I hope." + +"Do you mean--?" said Aurelia, not daring to ask farther. + +"I mean, my dear young lady," said Mr. Wayland, "that your researches +have brought to light the means of doing tardy justice to your good +father." + +"His right to the Manor House is here established," explained Mr. +Belamour. "It will not be a matter of favour of my Lady's, but, as +my brother supposed, he ought to have been put in possession on the +old Lord's death." + +"And Eugene will be a gentleman of estate," cried Aurelia, joyously. +"Nor will any one be able to drive out my dear father! Oh! how happy +I am." + +Both she and Mr. Belamour spared Mr. Wayland the knowledge of my +Lady's many broken promises, and indeed she was anxious to get back +to the _Royal York_, lest her father and sister should have returned, +and think her again vanished. + +They all met at the door, and much amazed were the Major and Betty +to encounter her with her two squires. Mr. Wayland took the Major +to show him the parchments. Betty had her explanation from her +sister and Mr. Belamour. + +"You actually ventured back to that dreadful house," she said, +looking at them gratefully. + +"You see what protectors I had," said Aurelia, with a happy smile. + +"Yes," said Betty, "I have been longing to say--only I cannot," for +she was almost choked by a great sob, "how very much we owe to you, +sir. I could say it better if I did not feel it so much." And she +held out her hand. + +"You cannot owe to me a tithe of what I owe to your sister," said Mr. +Belamour, "and through her to you, madam. Much as nature had done for +her, never would she have been to the miserable recluse the life and +light-bringing creature she was, save for the 'sister' she taught me +to know and love, even before I saw her." + +A wonderful revelation here burst on Aurelia, the at least half-married +woman, and she fled precipitately, smiling to herself in ecstasy, behind +her great fan. + +Betty, never dreaming of the drift of the words, so utterly out of +the reach of love did she suppose herself, replied, composedly, "Our +Aurelia is a dear good girl, and I am thankful that through all her +trials she has so proved herself. I am glad she has been a comfort +to you, sir. She---" + +"And will not you complete the cure, and render the benefit lasting?" +said Mr. Belamour, who had never let go the hand she had given him +in gratitude, and now gave it a pressure that conveyed, for the first +time, his meaning. + +"Oh!" she cried, trying to take it away, "your kindness and gratitude +are leading you too far, sir. A hideous old fright like me, instead +of a lovely young thing like her! It is an absurdity." + +"Stay, Miss Delavie. Remember that your Aurelia's roses and lilies +were utterly wasted on me; I never thought whether she was beautiful +save when others raved about her. I never saw her till yesterday; +but the voice, the goodness, the amiability, in fact all that I did +truly esteem and prize in her I had already found matured and mellowed +together with that beauty of countenance which is independent of mere +skin-deep complexion and feature. You know my history, and how far +I am from being able to offer you a fresh untouched young heart, such +as my nephew brings to the fair Aurelia; but the devotion of my life +will be yours if you will accept it." + +"Sir, I cannot listen to you. You are very good, but I can never +leave my father. Oh, let me go away!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. MAKING THE BEST OF IT. + + + At last the Queen said, "Girl, I bid thee rise, + For now thou hast found favour in mine eyes, + And I repent me of the misery + That in this place thou hast endured me, + Altho' because of it the Joy indeed + Shall now be mine, that pleasure is thy meed." + MORRIS. + + +Those were evil times, and the court examples were most corrupting, +so that a splendid and imperious woman like Urania, Lady Belamour, +had found little aid from public opinion when left to herself by the +absence of her second husband. Selfish, unscrupulous, and pleasure- +loving she was by nature, but during Sir Jovian Belamour's lifetime +she had been kept within bounds. Then came a brief widowhood, when +debt and difficulty hurried her into accepting Mr. Wayland, a +thoughtful scientific man, whose wealth had accumulated without much +volition of his own to an extent that made her covet his alliance. +Enthralled by her charm of manner, he had not awakened to the +perception of what she really was during the few years that had +elapsed before he was sent abroad, and she refused to accompany him. + +Then it was that wealth larger than she had before commanded, and +a court appointment, involved her in more dangerous habits. Her +debts, both of extravagance and of the gaming table, were enormous, +trenching hard on the Delavie property, and making severe inroads on +Mr. Wayland's means; but the Belamour estates being safely tied up, +she had only been able to borrow on her dower. She had sinned with +a high hand, after the fashion of the time, and then, in terror at +the approaching return of her husband, had endeavoured to conceal +the ravages of her extravagance by her bargain for her son's hand. + +The youth, bred up at a distance, and then the companion of his step- +father, had on his return found his home painfully altered in his two +years' absence, and had been galled and grieved by the state of things, +so that even apart from the clearing of his prospects, the relief was +great. The quarrel with Colonel Mar that Mr. Wayland had interrupted +was not made up. There was no opportunity, for Mr. Wayland at once +removed his family to Bowstead, there to remain while he transacted +his business in London. + +Moreover Mr. Belamour and Mr. Wayland agreed in selling the young +baronet's commission. The Major allowed that it was impossible +that he should remain under the command of his present Colonel, but +regretted that he should not continue in the service, declaring it +the best school for a young man, and that he did not want to see +his son-in-law a muddle-brained sporting country squire. He would +have had Sir Amyas exchange into the line, and see a little service +before settling down, but Maria Theresa had not as yet set Europe in +a blaze, and in the absence of a promising war Sir Amyas did more +incline to his uncle's representations of duties to tenants and to +his county, and was even ready to prepare himself for them when he +should be of sufficient age to undertake them. However, in the midst +of the debates a new scheme was made. Mr. Belamour had been called +upon and welcomed by his old friends, who, being men of rank and +influence, had risen in life while he was immured at Bowstead. One +of these had just received a diplomatic appointment at Vienna, and +in spite of insular ignorance of foreign manners was at a loss for +a capable suite. Mr. Belamour suggested Major Delavie, as from his +long service in Austria likely to be very useful. The Envoy caught +at the idea, and the thought of once more seeing his old comrades +enchanted the Major, whose only regret was that his hero, Prince +Eugene, had been dead three years; but to visit his grave would be +something. Appointments ran in families, so that nothing could be +easier than to obtain one for the young baronet; and though Mr. +Belamour did not depend on his own health enough to accept anything, +he was quite willing to join the party, and to spend a little time +abroad, while his nephew was growing somewhat older, making an essay +of his talents, and at any rate putting off the commencement of +stagnation. Thus matters settled themselves, the only disappointed +member of the family being Mrs. Arden, who thought it very hard +that she could not stir any one up to request an appointment of +her husband as chaplain--not even himself! + +Mr. Wayland was at once called upon to go out to America to superintend +the defences of the Canadian frontier, and he resolved on taking his +family out, obtaining land, and settling there permanently. He would +pay all my Lady's debts, but she should never again appear in London +society, and cruel exile as it must seem to her, he trusted that his +affection and tenderness would in time reconcile her to the new way +of life, knowing as she did that he had forgiven much that had made +him look like a crushed and sorrowful man in the midst of all the +successes and the honours he received from his country. + +She remained quietly at Bowstead, and none of them saw her except her +son and the Major, to the latter of whom her husband brought a message +that she would esteem it a favour if he would come and visit her there, +the day before he returned to Carminster. Very much affected, the +good Major complied with her request, went down with Mr. Wayland and +spent a night at Bowstead. + +He found that she had accepted her fate with the good grace of a woman +whose first instinct was not to make herself disagreeable. She was +rather pale, and not "made up" in any way, but exquisitely though more +simply dressed, and more beautiful than ever, her cousin thought, as +he always did whenever he came into her presence. She was one of those +people whose beauty is always a fresh surprise, and she was far more +self-possessed than he was. + +"So, Cousin Harry, where am I to begin my congratulations! I did you +and unwitting service when I sent your daughter to search among those +musty old parchments. I knew my father believed in the existence of +some such document, but I thought all those hoards in Delavie House +were devoid of all legal importance, and had been sifted again and +again. Besides, I always meant to settle that old house upon you." + +"I have always heard so, cousin," he answered. + +"But it was such a mere trifle," she added, "that it never seemed +worth while to set the lawyers to work about that alone, so I waited +for other work to be in hand." + +"There is a homely Scottish proverb, my Lady, which declares that the +scrapings of the muckle pot are worth the wee pot fu'. A mere trifle +to you is affluence to us." + +"I am sincerely rejoiced at it, Harry" (no doubt she thought she was), +"you will keep up the old name, while my scrupulous lord and master +gives up my poor patrimony to the extortionate creditors for years to +come. It is well that the young lovers have other prospects. So Harry, +you see after all, I kept my word, and your daughter is provided for," +she continued with an arch smile. "Pretty creature, I find my son +bears me more malice than she does for the robbery that was perpetrated +on her. It was too tempting, Harry. Nature will repair her loss, but +at out time of life we must beg, borrow, or steal." + +"That was the least matter," said the Major gravely. + +"This is the reason why I wished to see you," said my Lady, laying her +white hand on his, "I wanted to explain." + +"Cousin, cousin, had not you better leave it alone?" said Major Delavie. +"You know you can always talk a poor man out of his senses at the +moment." + +"Yet listen, Harry, and understand my troubles. Here I was pledged, +absolutely pledged, to give my son to Lady Aresfield's daughter. I +do not know whether she may not yet sue me for breach of contract, +though Wayland has repaid her the loans she advanced me; and on the +other hand, in spite of all my precautions, Mar had obtained a sight +of your poor daughter, and I knew him well enough to be aware that to +put her entirely and secretly out of his reach was the only chance +preserving her from his pursuit. I had excellent accounts of the +worthy man to whom I meant her to be consigned, and I knew that when +she wrote to you as a West Indian queen you would be able to forgive +your poor cousin. I see what you would say, but sending her to you +was impossible, since I had to secure her both from Amyas and from +Mar. It would only have involved you in perplexities innumerable, +and might have led even to bloodshed! I may not have acted wisely, +but weak women in difficulties know not which path to choose." + +"There is always the straight one," said he. + +"Ah! you strong men can easily says so, but for us poor much-tried +women! However," she said suddenly changing her tone, "Love has +check-mated us, and I rejoice. Your daughter will support the credit +of the name! I am glad the new Lady Belamour will not be that little +termagant milkmaid Belle, whom circumstances compelled me to inflict +upon my poor boy! The title will be your daughter's alone. I have +promised my husband that in the New World I will sink into plain Mrs. +Wayland." Then with a burst of genuine feeling she exclaimed, "He +_is_ a good man, Harry." + +"He is indeed, Urania, I believe you will yet be happier than you have +ever been." + +"What, among barbarians who never saw a loo-table, and get the modes +three months too late! And you are laughing at me, but see I am a +poor frivolous being, not sufficient to myself like your daughters! +They say Aurelia was as sprightly as a spring butterfly all the time +she was shut up at Bowstead with no company save the children and old +Belamour!" + +"They are lovely children, madam, Aurelia dotes on them, and you will +soon find them all you need." + +"Their father is never weary of telling me so. He is never so happy +as when they hang about him and tell him of Cousin Aura, or Sister +Aura as they love to call her." + +"It was charming to see them dance round her when he brought them to +spend the day with her. Mr. Wayland brought his good kinswoman, who +will take charge of them on the voyage, and Aurelia was a little +consoled at the parting by seeing how tender and kind she is with +them." + +"Aye! If I do not hate that woman it will be well, for she is as +much a duenna for me as governess for the children! Heigh-ho! what +do not our follies bring on us? We poor creatures should never be +left to the great world." + +The pretty air of repentance was almost irresistible, well as the +Major knew it for the mood of the moment, assumed as what would +best satisfy him. + +"I rejoice," she went on, "in spite of my lovely daughter-in-law's +discretion, she will be well surrounded with guardians. Has the +excellent Betty consented?" + +"At last, madam. My persuasions were vain till she found that Mr. +Belamour would gladly come with us to Austria, and that she should +be enabled to watch over both her young sister and me." + +"There, again, I give myself credit, Harry. Would the sacred flame +ever have awakened in yonder misanthrope had I not sent your daughter +to restore him to life?" She spoke playfully, but the Major could +not help thinking she had persuaded herself that all his present +felicity was owing to her benevolence, and that she would persuade +him of it too, if she went on much longer looking at him so sweetly. +He _would_ not tax her with the wicked note she had written to account +for Mr. Belamour's disappearance, and which she had forgotten; he felt +that he could not impel one, whom he could not but still regard with +tenderness, to utter any more untruths and excuses. + +"By the by," she added, "does your daughter take my waiting-maid after +all? I would have forgiven her, for she is an admirable hairdresser, +but Wayland says he cannot have so ingenious person in his house; +though after all I do not see that she is a bit worse than others of +her condition, and she herself insists on trying to become Aurelia's +attendant, vowing that the sight of her is as good as any Methodist +sermon!" + +"Precisely, madam. We were all averse to taking her with us, but +Aurelia said she owed her much gratitude; and she declared so +earnestly that the sight of my dear child brought back all the +virtuous and pious thoughts she had forgotten, that even Betty's +heart was touched, and she is to go with us, on trial." + +"Oh! she is as honest as regards money and jewels as ever I knew a +waiting-maid, but for the rest!" Lady Belamour shrugged her shoulders. +"However, one is as good as another, and at least she will never let +her lady go a fright! See here, Harry. These are the Delavie jewels: +I shall never need them more: carry them to your daughters." + +"Nay, your own daughters, Urania." + +"Never mind the little wretches. Their father will provide for them, +and they will marry American settlers in the forests. What should +they do with court jewels? It is his desire. See here, this suit +of pearls is what I wore at my wedding with Amyas's father, I should +like Aurelia to be married in them. Farewell, Harry, you did better +for yourself than if you had taken me. Yet maybe I might been a +better woman---" She stopped short as she looked at his honest face, +and eyes full of tears. + +"No, Urania," he said, "man's love could not have done for you what +only another Love can do. May you yet find that and true Life." + + + + +The sisters were not married at the same time. Neither Mr. Belamour +nor his Elizabeth could endure to make part of the public pageant +that it was thought well should mark the _real_ wedding at Bowstead. +So their banns were put up at St. Clement Danes, and one quiet +morning they slipped out, with no witnesses but the Major, Aurelia, +and Eugene, and were wedded there in the most unobtrusive manner. + +As to the great marriage, a month later at Bowstead, there was a +certain bookseller named Richardson, who by favour of Hargrave got +a view of it, and who is thought there to have obtained some ideas +for the culminating wedding of his great novel. + +A little later, the following letter was written from the excellent +Mrs. Montagu to her correspondent Mrs. Elizabeth Carter. "There was +yesterday presented, preparatory to leaving England for Vienna, the +young Lady Belamour, incomparably the greatest beauty who has this +year appeared at Court. Every one is running after her, but she +appears perfectly unconscious of the _furore_ she has excited, and +is said to have been bred up in all simplicity in the country, and +to be as good as she is fair. Her young husband, Sir Amyas Belamour, +is a youth of much promise, and they seem absolutely devoted, with +eyes only for each other. They are said to have gone through a +series of adventures as curious as they are romantic; and indeed, +when they made their appearance, there was a general whisper, begun +by young Mr. Horace Walpole, of + + + "CUPID AND PSYCHE." + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Love and Life, by Charlotte M. 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