THE SYREN.
Could these be the same people assembled round a white table-cloth, held
down at the four corners by judicious pebbles, and covered as yet only
with plates and glasses, though hampers, half unpacked, much litter of
straw and scatter of paper, denoted that a plentiful feast was in
progress of preparation? The ice had not melted, nor were the eggs
broken, while even the salt had been remembered by a careful caterer,
who bethought him also of borage for the claret-cup, and mint-sauce for
the cold lamb. Last night's rain had cooled the air, though scarce a
cloud now flecked the calm, blue heaven, and a dazzling sky burnished
the Thames into floods of reflected sunshine. Beautiful Cliefden seemed
to realise the poet's dream of a very Arcadia, rich in gleams of light,
and deep cool masses of shade, in flicker of leaf, ripple of stream,
and song of birds; bright in the prime of her June loveliness, decked
with all her wealth of wood and water, clad in her holiday attire of
green and gold.
By the courtesy of one of the kindest and most generous of peers, the
party from The Lilies had permission to land and hold their revels in
this earthly paradise. Uncle Joseph himself dressing the salad with
great pomp and ceremony, vowed "the Duke was a trump of the first water,
and if ever he could do him a turn, he would!"
That gipsy Jin had once more coaxed her elderly admirer into perfect
good-humour and a return of entire confidence in herself. This desirable
reconciliation was effected by the frankness with which she asked to sit
by his side on the voyage hither, a distinction he was too angry to
offer, and a position indeed of no slight constraint and inconvenience,
inasmuch as he insisted on steering the boat, occupying for that purpose
a scanty perch, as little adapted to his proportions as would have been
the five-pound saddle in which a slim subaltern or undergraduate rides a
hurdle-race.
Here, like "lissome Vivien" twining herself about her Merlin's feet, she
coaxed him into good humour in ten minutes. Perhaps yesterday's practice
on the river had served to keep her hand in. No sooner were they fairly
under weigh, and the attention of the others distracted by a passing
barge, than she nestled to his side, crossed two taper forefingers under
his nose, and looking up in his face with a glance that mingled
affection and reproach in deadliest proportions, murmured the single
monosyllable, "Why?"
Uncle Joseph, neglecting his rudder, melted visibly. All the oars on
stroke side touched ground at once, and No. 2 caught a crab. Still he
did not choose to surrender over-hastily, and pulling hard at his
tiller-ropes, replied in a hoarse whisper:
"Miss Ross, you know your own business best, but I don't think you treat
me quite on the square."
"_Miss Ross!_" she repeated, and again those black reproachful eyes
would have pierced a rhinoceros, crackling and all. "I thought you were
never to call me by that hateful name again. I'm always to be 'Jin.'
Always, even when you're angry with me. And to tell you the truth, I
shouldn't have liked you _not_ to mind about what I did yesterday,
though indeed it wasn't my fault.
"Now, then, look ahead!" For a minute or two Uncle Joseph could think of
nothing but an Eton eight flashing down stream at the rate of twelve
miles an hour, threatening to cut him in two from stem to stern unless
he got out of the way. Not till this water-dragon was half a mile off
did he recover composure to put the pertinent question, "When you went
out yesterday, did you expect to meet Captain Vanguard on the river?"
"You _know_ I didn't," exclaimed Jin; "it's cruel to ask me!" Then out
came a long story, well-conceived, deftly constructed, and told with
such downcast glances, in such low pleading murmurs, with such pretty
little flashes of pique, and shades of penitence, and sparkles of fun,
all repressed and toned down not to be overheard, that, had the success
of their voyage depended on the steersman, I fear boat and crew and
passengers might have come to disastrous shipwreck at least a dozen
times between Maidenhead-reach and Cliefden landing-place.
But Jin at any rate succeeded in gaining a temporary haven, and dropped
her anchors to-day in Uncle Joseph's breast with a sense of triumph that
such moorings never afforded her before.
Mrs. Lascelles meanwhile had taken possession of Sir Henry, leaving Miss
Hallaton to the enforced attentions of Goldthred. Helen, I believe, in
her heart would have given a good deal to change places with "bow,"--a
sturdy knave, brawny, deep-chested, and curly as a retriever; nor was
she incapable of handling an oar for a short distance almost as
effectually as that skilled waterman. It would have been at least a
relief from her companion, whose politeness nevertheless was
unimpeachable as his conversation was correct and monotonous in the
extreme.
Such a dialogue as the following would have excited her mirth, but that
Helen just now seemed to have lost all sense of the ludicrous, with her
spirits, energy, and general interest in life:
"Don't you enjoy the water on a day like this, Miss Hallaton?"
"Immensely."
"There seems no chance of rain at present. I think the fine weather will
last us now till the moon changes."
"Probably."
"That's a great advantage, you know, for the people who have already got
their hay down."
"Undoubtedly."
"How smooth the boat goes, Miss Hallaton. A smooth row is--is--much
smoother, isn't it, and pleasanter, than a rough one?"
"Certainly."
"And this is a very nice row, I think," continued Goldthred, encouraged
by an approving glance from Mrs. Lascelles, to whom his eyes, like his
thoughts, were continually turned,--which accounted, indeed, for the
abnormal idiotcy of his conversation. "I shall be almost sorry when we
get to Cliefden; shan't you?"
"Oh, no!" exclaimed Helen, truthfully enough, but with a fervency that
startled herself, and caused her companion to retire from any further
attempts at small talk in confusion and dismay.
Sir Henry caught his daughter's eye, and could not help laughing.
Perhaps, much as he loved her, the only feeling of his child in which he
could thoroughly sympathise, was a certain susceptibility, inherited
from himself, of being bored, and a tendency to adopt the ridiculous
view even of so distressing a calamity.
He felt for her at present all the more that his own position was
perfectly to his taste--smoking an excellent cigar, propped by soft
cushions, with the summer sky above, the lap and wash of the cool water
around, pleasant company, a good luncheon in prospect, and a pretty
woman, half in love with him, shading his face with her parasol, while
her soft tones murmured in his ear. Sir Henry did not care how long the
voyage lasted, though prepared to accept its conclusion with the greater
resignation, that their party was to be reinforced at Cliefden by a few
agreeable acquaintances eking out the end of a gay Ascot week, and a
sprinkling of young officers from Windsor.
The latter addition was a bright thought of Mrs. Lascelles, who, being
thoroughly good-natured, intended it especially for Helen's
gratification. But, as she had no time to receive answers to her notes
of invitation before starting, and, like most women, imagined military
duties ceaseless and unvarying, she said nothing about the warlike
element for fear it should be unattainable, forbearing to raise the
young lady's hopes only that they might be destroyed. "I didn't like
being disappointed myself when I was a girl," thought Mrs. Lascelles.
"I'm not sure I like it a bit better now."
She was getting very fond of Helen, believed in her goodness, admitted
her beauty, and was, perhaps, the only person in the world who thought
her the image of her father.
In all matters of affection Mrs. Lascelles was clear-sighted enough, and
it did not escape her that Helen's spirits, during the last day or two,
had sunk lower than was natural at her time of life under no more
sedative influences than sunshine and dust. It was partly to rouse the
girl from her depression, as well as for purposes of her own, that she
commanded Goldthred to place himself at Miss Hallaton's disposal; but
certain suspicions that the young lady required a more warlike vassal
than this obedient slave, were much strengthened by the light that
sparkled in her eyes when, nearing Cliefden, a group of gentlemen became
visible on the landing-place, in the midst of whom she could not mistake
the shapely form of Frank Vanguard.
Mrs. Lascelles, you see, had a good afternoon's work on hand. A score of
people to entertain, couples to pair, flirtations to encourage, and
Jin's vagaries to overlook, lest she should drive Uncle Joseph beyond
the bounds of patience; besides keeping Sir Henry at her own
apron-string, while enacting the part of a blue-eyed Cleopatra to that
laziest and least warlike of Antonys.
Half-a-dozen swinging, vigorous jerks, an exclamation of pleasure from
the passengers, an "easy all!" in gruff syllables from "Stroke," and the
galley poised her oars, as a sea-bird spreads her pinions, ere she folds
them to alight. The officers cheered, the ladies chattered, greetings
were exchanged, muslins shaken out, parasols unfurled--a cool air stole
across the water, a blackbird struck up from the copse, the leaves
danced, the boat danced, the sunshine danced, the scene was all colour,
motion, and variety, like a ballet after Watteau, set to music by
Offenbach.
In these days it is the affectation of society to be natural, and nobody
can dispute the advantage of such a change from that pompous reserve and
frozen insensibility which represented good-breeding some
five-and-twenty years ago. The party gathered round their table-cloth on
the grass at Cliefden, if more polished, were as joyous and merry as so
many lads and lasses at a fair. Of course it took some little time
before luncheon could be got ready, of course it was necessary to walk
about during the interval, of course people paired off for that purpose.
Nobody goes to a pic-nic, I imagine, with the view of discussing grave
subjects in full conclave--forbid it! faun and satyr, nymph and dryad,
forest-fairy and bottle-imp, the genius of the woodland, the goblin of
the cave, all the spirits of the hamper, the corkscrew, and the rill!
No; for us seniors, let there be flowing cups, though temperate, cooled
with ice, and spiced with fragrant herbs--a cunning pasty, a piece of
resistance, thus named because irresistible, egg-sandwiches, French
mustard, a currant-tart, and a parti-coloured _mayonnaise_. So shall we
flavour the repast with quip and jest, with merry, quaint conceit and
pointed anecdote, pleasant or pathetic, yet, in pity, not too long! But,
as for you young people, off with you, while we uncork the wine! Climb
the bank, if you know it, "whereon the wild-thyme grows;" dive into the
recesses of the forest, its paths are only wide enough for two;
"Look in the lily-bell, ruffle the rose,
Under the leaves of the violet peep."
Reflect how pleasant it is to gather strawberries with a _Mademoiselle
Thérèse_ in the wood of _Malieu_.
"Quand on est deux,
Quand on est deux,"
make the most of your golden hour, but come back again ere you have kept
your elders waiting too long for luncheon, ere you yourselves have said
or done anything that shall cause a moment's regret in the reaction that
comes after happiness, as surely as darkness follows day.
Uncle Joseph, I have said, was preparing the salad, therefore Miss Ross
found herself at liberty to indulge in such devilries as were consistent
with the Satanic element in her nature. It was not likely she would
abstain from a shot or two at Frank Vanguard, if only to "get the
range," as it were, of her batteries previous to real work. She accosted
him with exactly the right mixture of diffidence and interest, held his
hand for just one second more than enough; and even contrived to raise a
blush on her pale face, while, meeting his eyes very shyly, she
whispered, in answer to his inquiries--"I haven't caught cold, and I'm
none the worse, and certainly none the better! And I shouldn't at all
mind undertaking the whole expedition over again."
Why wasn't it Helen? Again, through growing interest and gratified
vanity, rose almost unconsciously that wistful thought; but Helen saw it
all, and bit her lip, looking very cold and pale, whilst she turned from
his greeting with a distant bow, beseeching Mr. Goldthred, whom, it now
occurred to her, she had treated with less than civility, to gather her
a water-lily floating near the bank, and so detaching him from the
others, unintentionally constituted him her "pair." These things are
soon done, you see, when people pounce for partners, as if they were
playing puss-in-the-corner, and nobody wants to be "left out in the
cold."
The moments were very precious, and would have passed even more quickly
than they did, but that the couples were all hungry, and quite as ready
for luncheon as love-making. Sir Henry, indeed, absolutely refused to
move a step from the shady nook in which he had ensconced himself, and
Mrs. Lascelles made her position as hostess an excuse for not
accompanying a beardless subaltern in a climb after ferns up a
perpendicular bank, feathered to the top with those graceful exotics of
the forest. This enterprising youth, not yet dismissed the
riding-school, thought it incumbent on him to place his cheerful society
at her disposal, whom he irreverently designated "the loudest swell of
the lot;" but seemed relieved, nevertheless, by her refusal of his
attentions, and subsided with extreme good-will into his
cornet-a-piston--an instrument on which he played sundry negro melodies
with great enjoyment and no contemptible execution.
It had been agreed that, directly luncheon was ready, he should summon
the stragglers by performing a popular air called "The Roast-beef of Old
England," into which, as he threatened, he threw his whole mind,
embroidering it with masterly variations founded on a "call," well-known
in barracks as the solemn warning:
"You'll lose your beef and pudding, my boys,
You'll lose your beef and pud--ding."
Goldthred had only wetted one sleeve to the shoulder, and thrust the
corresponding foot ankle-deep in mud, while fishing water-lilies for
Miss Hallaton, ere these welcome sounds released him from attendance,
and he brought her back in triumph--looking to Mrs. Lascelles, as little
Jack Horner might, from the corner in which he boasted, "What a good boy
am I!" She rewarded him as you reward a retriever, if not too wet, by
giving him her shawl to take care of.
Uncle Joseph, too, had been so engrossed with the salad, that Miss Ross
was at his elbow again almost before he missed her, though, short as had
been her absence, I cannot doubt she made the best use of her time.
Much may be done, if I remember right, in a few minutes, when paths are
steep as well as narrow, when glades are deep and dark even under a
midsummer sun, when two people are inclined, if only for pastime, to
engage in that game from which a loser so often rises under the
impression that he has won.
It was the old story--Miss Ross, with all her craft, was playing stakes
she could ill afford. In the attachments, as in other relations of life,
wise is that aphorism of the canny Scot, "Reach not out your hand
farther than you can draw it back again." Ere she rejoined the others,
Jin felt she must win at any sacrifice, she could not get her hand back
now; she would not if she could.
Frank, sitting down to cut open a pigeon pie, felt half-pleased,
half-penitent. Like a child being tickled, he was inclined both to laugh
and to resist.
He looked remorsefully across the table-cloth at Miss Hallaton, but that
perverse young woman, obstinately avoiding his glance, persisted in
being amused by the cornet-player's buffooneries, wishing drearily all
the while that she had never come. Frank thought he too could be
indifferent; so the breach widened, from the breadth of the table-cloth
to a gulf that could only be bridged over by loving memories and painful
thoughts, as the lake is spanned by the rainbow, that owes its very
existence to a shower of Nature's tears.
Undoubtedly there is a deal of self-love mixed up with these tender woes
and joys. If vanity constitutes much of their pleasure, surely it
produces more than half their pain. "_Plus aloes quam mellis habet_,"
says the Roman satirist; and perhaps, after all, the honey would be very
insipid without the sting.
But a pic-nic is no place for indulgence of reflection or regret. The
party had landed at Cliefden for enjoyment, and were determined to grasp
the shadow of happiness if not the substance thereof. So corks flew and
tongues wagged merrily, the cold lamb waned, the _mayonnaise_
disappeared, the currant-tart bled freely.
"And when the pie was opened, the birds began to sing," so, at least,
said the young subaltern, now in a state of exceedingly high spirits;
"and why shouldn't the ladies?" he added, looking round him with
condescending affability. "I'll accompany any or all of them to any tune
or in any direction she pleases. Though I'm humble, I'm industrious; and
if I seem too weak for the place, you must suit yourselves 'elsewheres;'
for, to do man's work, I must have man's wages, and I ain't half so soft
as I look!"
"You're a very impudent boy," said Mrs. Lascelles, laughing; "but you're
rather good fun, and it's not a bad suggestion. Now, who will give us a
song?"
There seemed rather a lack of volunteers. The original proposer vowed he
could neither drink nor sing unless after a lady. He was shy, he said,
and blushed under his skin, therefore nobody gave him credit for
modesty. Helen felt something in her throat that warned her she must
burst out crying, unless she kept it down. One had a cold, others could
not remember any words, so it soon came round to Miss Ross, "who was
always so good-natured; everybody was sure she wouldn't disappoint
them!"
Jin never made any fuss about her singing.
"What shall it be?" she asked Uncle Joseph, who never knew one tune from
another, but vastly enjoyed the proprietorship inferred by such an
appeal.
"Oh, that pretty air from the--the----Well, you know the one I mean; or,
or--anything you please, dear Miss Ross; they're all charming." And
Uncle Joseph passed his cigar-case round, with the look of a man who had
acquitted himself handsomely of a difficult and delicate task.
"I'll sing you a new one I got the other day," said Jin, flashing
another of her dangerous glances through the smoke that was curling
round Frank Vanguard's comely face. "It's called, 'Yes--I like you,' and
there's _a moral_ in it. Thanks! It does best without an accompaniment,"
and, looking very bewitching as she pushed her hair back, she began:
"YES--I LIKE YOU."
When I meet you, can I greet you
With a haughty little stare?
Scarcely glancing, where you're prancing,
By me on the chestnut mare.
Still dissembling, though I'm trembling,
Thus you know we're trained and taught.
For I like you, doesn't it strike you?
Like you more than p'raps I ought!
Yes--I like you, doesn't it strike you?
Like you more than p'raps I ought!
When I meet you, must I treat you
As a stranger, calm and cold,
Softer feeling, half revealing,--
Are you _waiting_ to be told?
D' you suppose, sir, that a rose, sir,
Picks _itself_ to reach your breast?
And I like you, doesn't it strike you?
Like you more than all the rest.
Yes--I like you, &c.
When I meet you, I could eat you,
Dining with my Uncle John;
Sitting next you, so perplexed, you
Ought to guess my heart is gone.
While I'm choking, 'tis provoking
You can munch, and talk, and drink,
Though I like you, doesn't it strike you?
Like you more than you may think!
Yes--I like you, &c.
When I meet you, I could beat you,
For your solemn face and glum.
Don't you see, sir, _you_ are free, sir,
I have all the worst to come!
Mother's warning, sisters' scorning--
Qualms of prudence, pride and pelf.
Oh! I like you--doesn't it strike you?
Like you more than life itself!
Yes--I like you, &c.
There was no mistaking the hint conveyed in this touching ditty; but
whether he accepted it or not, the song was hardly concluded ere Frank
took leave of the company. Certain regimental duties, he said, looking
hard at Helen, required his presence in barracks, and therefore he had
come on horseback, so as to return at his own time. He regretted it
extremely, of course. He had spent a delightful day, and could not thank
his entertainers enough. This civil little speech he addressed indeed to
Uncle Joseph and Mrs. Lascelles, but his eyes sought Miss Hallaton's the
while, and their imploring expression cut her to the heart.
There is a code of signals in use amongst young people situated as these
were, far more intelligible than that employed by her Majesty's Navy or
the Royal Yacht Squadron. They never shook hands, they exchanged no
good-bye, but Helen hoisted something in reply to his flag of distress
that appeared perfectly satisfactory to both. Though Miss Ross looked
longingly after him as he went away, Frank never turned to meet her
glance; and Helen, thoroughly enjoying the homeward trip at sunset,
seemed in better spirits and more like herself than she had been all
day.
Mrs. Lascelles was puzzled. She had missed the exchange of signals, and
could not make it out.