Alfred's recovery after this period was rapid, which enabled Lady Arden
to remove shortly to a beautiful villa, situated on the borders of the
lake, amid the romantic enchantments of the Pays de Vaud; and
commanding, on the opposite banks, the bold and majestic scenery of the
Savoy mountains, with their snow-clad tops and stupendous cliffs,
thousands of perpendicular feet in height.
It was in this spot, itself an earthly paradise, that our gentle heroine
enjoyed the first really happy days she had ever known. No longer the
solitary unloved object of her mother's capricious tyranny, she seemed
to be already one of the kind and united family, in the bosom of which
she had thus found a shelter,--already to form the very centre of a
little circle of affectionate friends. For though, in the exciting
moment of necessity, poor Caroline had been able to render some
assistance to others, at least had been willing to think so, she was not
yet strong herself; so that, as Alfred got quite well, she became the
especial object of the care and indulgence of all. The attentions, the
anxieties, the precautions for her health and comfort, of not only Lady
Arden, but also of kind Mrs. Dorethea, were truly parental; while
Madeline's companionship supplied to her that dear, familiar tie, she
had never known before--that of a sister: and Alfred was brother, lover,
friend--all in one. In every ramble his arm was her support; in every
excursion, he it was who led the mule, or shared the seat, whatever
vehicle she occupied afforded; and sweet was the murmur of the
waterfall, the music of his voice commended; and beautiful the beauty in
the landscape, towards which a beam from his eye led the responsive
light of hers.
Sometimes, on calm and lovely evenings, our little party would indulge
in the quiet luxury of taking their seats in a pleasure boat, which
formed a part of their present establishment; and sailing about for
hours on the smooth and shining surface of the lake; while the
stupendous mountains that rose around, like insuperable barriers against
the world without, and the cloudless sky that canopied the whole, gave
to feelings which were, in fact, those of the highest excitement,
induced by the late relief from wretchedness, a sense of repose, a
semblance of stability, calculated to add to present enjoyment the too
flattering belief, that it could last for ever.
Among scenes such as these, many happy months glided away; yet such was
the delicate respect and mournful tenderness with which poor Willoughby
was remembered, by both Alfred and Caroline, that the mention of love,
in express terms, seemed to be, as by mutual consent, delayed. Alfred,
indeed, would sometimes use, in speaking of futurity, the _we_--that
promissory note of affianced love--and feel an indescribable thrill of
delight in marking the conscious blush which his inadvertence was sure
to excite on Caroline's fair cheek. Nor was the tender, the endearing
thought, ever for a moment absent from his mind, that it was her secret
attachment to him, the belief of his accusation, his terrible death,
which had brought her, in the early morning of her days, to the dark
portal of the tomb.
It was in moments of perfect calm, such as we have been describing, when
either sailing on the smooth lake, or strolling with Mrs. Dorothea along
its lovely margin, while the young people were occupied with each other,
that Lady Arden would shudder involuntarily, when in imagination she
contemplated, as from an immeasurable height, the frightful abyss of
wretchedness into which she had been plunged so lately; and the horrors
of which, from their stunning effect at the time, already seemed shadowy
and indistinct, like the remembrance of some terrific dream!
"Yet such things have been," she would say, turning suddenly to Mrs.
Dorothea, "and here I am, still in being! Would it not appear, that when
the causes of suffering become extreme, confusion of spirit is sent in
mercy to the succour of mortal weakness; as though such agony, as the
soul can conceive when in full possession of its powers, were reserved
to be the awful portion of the impenitent sinner after judgment! In our
present state we know nothing perfectly--not even misery!"