As she stepped forward, the long train of her riding-habit added
to the beauty of her slender figure. Now, indeed, I could see that
she was not ugly, though she had done her best to render herself
unattractive. It is true her features were sharp and irregular,
but neither rude nor coarse. In her face there was an expression of
haughtiness and firmness, that spoke loudly of conscientious strength
and independent character. It was clear that she had struggled and
suffered a good deal, without allowing it to rob her of her natural
cheerfulness and good spirits. Her large blue eyes expressed an
open-heartedness which inspired confidence. That they could gleam
with indignation, or glow with enthusiasm, I had already experienced.
She walked along with considerable difficulty, for her dress caused
her to trip at almost every step. I offered her my arm, but she
refused it. Suddenly she stood quite still and said--
"Forgive me, Leo, for the unmerciful way in which I laughed at you,
when I saw the 'mess' your driver had brought you into. I was not
laughing at you personally; but I am always so tickled when I see
the so-called 'lords of creation' making themselves ridiculous,
that I could not restrain my laughter."
"Oh, I bear you no malice, Francis, on that account; but how is it
you are so embittered against my sex?"
"Major Frank," she answered, "has but too often had occasion to study
the character of men."
"That is to say, that after over-confidence in the brilliant uniforms
which have proved deceptive, Major Frank has decided to revenge
herself on civilians as well as military men."
"You are quite mistaken. Major Frank is acquainted with all the
ranks from corporal to general; and in civil life she has had an
opportunity of studying men wearing court dress, decorations, and
orders. And this is the conclusion she has come to: that discipline
is the best means of bringing out whatever good there is in a man,
whilst at the same time it keeps the evil within bounds."
"What you say is not very encouraging for your future husband,
Francis."
"My future husband!" she cried, with a bitter laugh. "Now I see you
are a perfect stranger in these parts, Leopold. But you need not
trouble yourself about me; I shall never marry."
"Who knows? Circumstances may induce----"
"Me to take a husband," she interrupted, growing indignant. "Listen,
Leo: you know nothing about me, and what you think you know will have
been told you by slanderous tongues. Therefore I will not take offence
at what you have said; but I request you not to think so meanly of me
as to believe I would sacrifice my name and my person on the altar
of Mammon, and make a mariage de raison--the most unreasonable and
immoral union that can exist."
"Many a proud lady who once thought as you do, Francis," I answered,
"has been induced by the counsel of her friends to change her state of
'single blessedness,' which is such a mark for calumny and lies----"
"And you would have me take a husband to serve as a shield against
these?" she cried, vehemently. "No, Leopold van Zonshoven, when
you once know Francis Mordaunt, you will find she does not fear
calumniators, and that she disdains to seek protection from them in
the way you recommend!"
"Forewarned is forearmed," and I now understood that it behoved me to
proceed cautiously. Still I determined to try a ruse of war. Looking
her steadfastly in the face, I said--
"And suppose my visit to the Werve were expressly for the purpose of
seeking your hand in marriage?"
"My hand! It is not true you come with such a purpose!" she exclaimed
in a bitter tone.
"But let us suppose it to be true; what would your answer be?"
"If I thought you came with any such intentions, I should simply
leave you where you are, in the middle of the heath, to find your
way to the Werve as best you could. There's my answer."
And she started off as fast as she could go.
"Listen, Francis," I said, rejoining her. "If such had been my object
in visiting the Castle, your answer would not stop me. I am obstinate
enough myself; but, as I would not willingly wound the feelings of
any lady (pardon me the use of this word), I should take good care
not to make her an offer in such a brusque manner, and, above all,
not until I had some hopes of receiving a favourable answer."
"Be it so; but I must tell you I see neither wit nor humour in your
kind of pleasantry."
In another instant a gust of wind carried away her felt hat, and then
her net, causing her golden hair to fall over her shoulders in rich
profusion. At this moment I thought her worthy to sit for a Madonna. I
could not believe my eyes, or rather I could not remove my eyes from
her, so much was I struck with wonder and admiration. She doubtless
read her triumph in my looks, and seemed for an instant to enjoy
it. Decidedly, then, she had not lost all the feminine instincts,
though the time of their duration was short on any single occasion.
"Well," she said, "you are very polite. You stand as if you were
nailed to the ground, instead of running after my hat."
I did not suffer her to say this twice, but, running after the
ugly old hat, caught it just before it could disappear in one of
the sand pits. She followed me, but unfortunately caught the train
of her riding-habit in a bush, which tripped her, and caused her to
fall with her beautiful locks of hair amongst the briers. At first
she refused all assistance, but in the end she was obliged to let me
disentangle her hair--a circumstance which annoyed her much more than
the accident itself. I knelt beside her, and heaven knows with what
care I loosened one lock after the other. This, however, was a work
of time, as she was very impatient, and her struggles were every now
and then undoing the little I had accomplished.
"Now you see into what a predicament your precious advice has brought
me; how much more practical my own arrangement was! The handkerchief
looked inelegant, if you like, but it would have prevented me this
trouble. Why did I swerve from my principles? Why was I led astray
by other people's ideas?"
At last I could say, "You are free!" at the same time holding out
my hand to assist her in rising. But no, she would have no further
aid from me; and bounding up like a hart, requested me to walk on
in front whilst she arranged her dress. She was not long about it,
and when she overtook me the hateful handkerchief was tied round her
hat again, and I had lost my right to protest against it.
She now took my arm of her own accord, and said gaily, "This I do,
Leo, to recompense you for being so generous as not to revenge yourself
by laughing at me in my distress."
"Laugh at you, Francis! I was frightened."
"There was not much to be frightened about; but I was really afraid
you would mock me and pay me back in my own coin."
As we walked on we continued to discuss the subject of female
propriety, she claiming the right to live according to her own ideas,
without any regard for public opinion; I maintaining that reserve
and gentleness are more becoming in a woman, from every point of
view, than trying to set public opinion at defiance. She, however,
interrupted the conversation by pointing out the Werve to me as soon
as we came in sight of it.
"Now," she said, "I request you to tell me plainly the object of your
visit to the General, before I introduce you to the house."
"I have already told you: I wish to make the acquaintance of my
mother's relations."
"I shall feel better satisfied," she rejoined, "if you will promise
me not to trouble the poor old gentleman about business matters."
I had no difficulty in conscientiously giving such a promise. Then
Francis continued--
"I must also warn you the General is not alone. We have a certain
Captain Rolf, an old pensioned officer, quartered at the Werve; he
is of rude manners and ill-educated, for he has risen from the ranks;
but he has a good heart, and my grandfather could not do without his
company. Our way of treating each other may surprise you, perhaps
annoy you. Even when I was a child he called me his colonel, and flew
anywhere at a wink from me; and he does so still, though his movements
have been rendered more tardy by his stiff legs and rheumatism. Fishing
is his favourite amusement since he has been obliged to give up
shooting. I employ him as my gamekeeper; and when the cook is ill,
he prefers frying a beefsteak and making the soup himself, to going
on short commons. In fact, he is a gastronome, and since he obtained
his pension his whole time seems to be occupied with the grand
question: 'What shall we eat to day?' And, alas! grandfather is no
less interested in the same subject, so that most of their morning
conversation is about the dishes to be prepared for the dinner."
As we drew near the manor-house Francis gently withdrew her arm from
mine, and stepped on sharply as we heard the clock in the village
church-steeple strike one, saying--
"I know I am being waited for impatiently, and half the garrison will
have turned out in search of me."