THE DINNER-PARTY
Built on the lower slopes of the Castle Hill, Mr Pratt's residence,
commonly known as The Nun's House, stood a little distance back from the
highway which led down to King's-meadows. It was a plain, rough stone
building of great strength, two storeys in height, and with a high roof
of slate. Gloomy in the extreme, it was rendered still more so from its
being encircled by a grove of yew trees which gave it a churchyard air.
Not the kind of residence one would have thought attractive to a
cheerful and dapper man like Richard Pratt. But he had, so he declared,
fallen in love with it at first sight, and Mrs Gabriel, always having an
eye to business, had only too readily granted him a seven years' lease.
She was delighted at the chance of securing a tenant, as the house had
been empty for a long time owing to its uncomfortable reputation. There
was not a man, woman or child in Colester that did not know it was
haunted.
The name came from a tradition, probably a true one, that when the
Colester convent had been suppressed by Henry VIII., the evicted nuns
had found refuge in this dismal house, a dozen of them. In time they
died, and the mansion was inhabited by other people. But queer sounds
were heard, strange sights were seen, and it became known that the
twelve nuns re-visited the scene of their exile. There never was a house
so populated with ghosts; and the tenants promptly departed. Others,
lured by a low rent, came, and after a month's trial departed also.
Finally no one would stop in the ill-omened mansion until Mr Pratt
arrived. He liked the place, laughed at the gruesome reputation of the
dwelling, and announced his intention of making it his home.
"Ghosts!" laughed Pratt, with his cheery smile. "Nonsense. Ghosts went
out with gas. Besides, I should rather like to see a ghost, particularly
of a nun. I am partial to the fair sex."
"I wonder, then, you never married," said the person who had warned him
against the house, with the best intentions, of course.
Pratt looked at her--she was Mrs Bathurst, the gossip of the
neighbourhood--under half-closed eye-lids, and smiled. "Ah!" said he,
rubbing his plump white hands, "I have admired so many beautiful women,
dear lady, that I could not remain constant to one;" which reason,
although plausible, did not satisfy Mrs Bathurst. But then she was one
of those amiable persons always willing to believe the worst of people.
However, Pratt took up his abode in the chief Colester inn, and sent for
cartloads of furniture, while the house was being re-decorated. He took
a deal of trouble to make it comfortable, and as he was a man of
excellent taste, with an eye for colour, he succeeded in making it
pretty as well. In six weeks the place was ready to receive him, and up
to the period of his walk with the vicar, Pratt had occupied it for
another six without being disturbed by the numerous ghosts. The Colester
folks quite expected to hear that he had been carried off like Dr Faust,
and were rather disappointed that he met with no ghostly adventure. But
then Mr Pratt, as he said himself, was not imaginative enough for
spectres.
Failing his leaving the house, the gentry expected that he would
entertain them and show his treasures, for it was reported that he had
many beautiful things. But Pratt was in no hurry. He wanted first to
study his neighbours in order to see who were the most pleasant. In a
surprisingly short time he got to know something about everyone, and on
the knowledge thus acquired he selected his guests. In addition to those
already mentioned, he invited Mrs Bathurst and her daughter Peggy. The
girl was pretty and the mother talkative, so, in Pratt's opinion, it
paid to ask them. "There is no chance of an entertainment being dull if
Mrs Bathurst has her legs under the table," he said, and this being
reported to the lady, she accused Pratt of coarseness. Nevertheless, she
accepted the invitation. Not for worlds would Mrs Bathurst have missed a
sight of re-decorated Nun's House. Besides, it was her duty to go. She
supplied all the gossip of the neighbourhood.
Anxious to see as much as possible of the house, Mrs Bathurst was the
first to arrive. Pratt, in a particularly neat evening dress, advanced
to meet her and Peggy with a smile. He knew very well that her
ungovernable curiosity had led her to be thus early. "I am glad to see
you, Mrs Bathurst," he said genially; "pray sit down. You are the first
to arrive."
"I always like to be punctual," responded the lady, nodding to her
daughter that she also should be seated. "Dear me, how well this room
looks! I can see you have spared no expense."
"I like to make myself comfortable, Mrs Bathurst. We only have one
life."
"I wonder you care to spend it in such a dull place as Colester. If Mr
Bathurst were rich I should make him take me to London."
"You would soon get tired of the roar of that city."
Here Peggy, who was fair and pretty and fond of gaiety, shook her blonde
head vigorously. "I should never get tired of fun," she said. "I could
go to a dance every night and still want more."
"Ah, Miss Peggy, you are young and active!"
"Well, dear Mr Pratt, you are not old," said Mrs Bathurst, flatteringly;
"we must make you happy here. I am sure you are quite an acquisition. We
must find you a wife."
"I shall apply to you when I want one," he said, with a laugh; "but I
guess I'm not made to run in double harness."
"What odd expressions you use! I daresay that comes from your being an
American. Never mind, you'll soon lose all Americanisms here. I look
upon you as quite one of ourselves, dear Mr Pratt."
The fact is that Mrs Bathurst wished to bring about a marriage between
her daughter Peggy and the newcomer. He had been introduced by Mrs
Gabriel, so his social position was secure; and if one could judge from
the magnificent furnishing of the house, he was a wealthy man. That
Peggy herself should be consulted never entered her mother's head.
Pratt guessed what Mrs Bathurst was after, and chuckled. He had no
intention of having the good lady for a mother-in-law. Moreover, he knew
that Peggy was in love with Raston, the curate. Nevertheless, having a
love of tormenting people, and wishing to punish Mrs Bathurst, he
sighed, cast a languishing look at Peggy, and allowed the mother to
think that he might be guided by her wish. Seeing this, the lady pushed
her advantage vigorously, and was getting on very well by the time the
other guests arrived. Then, after some desultory conversation, dealing
with the weather and the crops, all went in to dinner.
The table was beautifully set out. The linen was snowy white, the silver
and crystal of the best, and the flowers, which Pratt had personally
arranged, were skilfully chosen and blended. The women present were
rather annoyed that a man should be able to manage a house so well, for
the dinner was one of the best that had ever been eaten in Colester, and
the service was all that could be desired. What was the use, thought Mrs
Bathurst, of suggesting a wife to a man who knew so well how to dispense
with one? She could not have arranged things better herself, and it was
vexing that a mere man should be able to beat a woman on her own
ground.
"You have certainly made a very pretty place of it, Mr Pratt," said Mrs
Gabriel, when they returned to the drawing-room. "I suppose you will
live here for many a long day?"
"I hope to die here," he replied, smiling. "But one never knows. I may
take a fancy to resume my travels."
"You are like Ulysses," put in the vicar, "you know men and cities."
"And, like Ulysses, I don't think much of either, Mr Tempest."
"Come now!" cried Leo, laughing. "I never heard that Ulysses was a
cynic."
"He was not modern enough," said Sybil, who was looking particularly
charming, much to the anger of Mrs Gabriel, who saw in her a man-trap
for her adopted son.
"I don't think cynicism is altogether a modern disease," remarked Sir
Frank Hale. "Solomon had not much belief in human nature."
"What could you expect from a man who had so many wives?" put in Pratt,
in a dry voice. The remark annoyed Mrs Bathurst. It augured ill for her
scheme to marry Peggy. A man who talked thus of women could never be
brought to respect his mother-in-law.
While this conversation was taking place Mrs Gabriel kept a vigilant eye
on Leo. Whenever he tried to edge up to Sybil she contrived to get in
the way, and, finally, by a dexterous move, she placed him 'longside the
baronet's sister. Edith Hale was a tall, raw-boned, thin girl, with
small pretensions to beauty or wit. She had a freckled skin and red
hair, an awkward way of carrying herself and a silent tongue. She was so
deeply in love with Leo that she followed his every movement with her
eyes, until he found her regard most embarrassing. However, Leo, to
avert a storm when he returned home, was obliged to show her every
attention, and strolled away with her into Mr Pratt's new conservatory.
Sybil looked disappointed, but controlled herself sufficiently to play
an accompaniment for Peggy. Raston turned over the leaves of the music,
and Mrs Bathurst, with a glance at Pratt, settled herself to listen. As
to Mr Tempest, he was moving round the room examining the objects of art
in his usual near-sighted way. Seeing everyone thus occupied, Mrs
Gabriel drew aside Sir Frank into a convenient corner.
The baronet was a pale-faced, hunchback, lame creature, with a shrewish
expression and a pair of brilliant grey eyes. He had been an invalid all
his life, and his temper had been spoilt thereby. The only person in the
world for whom he cherished the least affection was his sister. In his
eyes she was as beautiful as Helen and as clever as Madame de Stael. He
knew that she was breaking her heart for Leo, and resented the young
man's indifference. And as Hale had the spite of a cripple, his
resentment was not to be despised. But Leo did not know that.
"Frank," said Mrs Gabriel, addressing him thus familiarly, as she had
known him from his cradle, "I want to speak to you about Leo. It is
time he was married. Nothing but marriage will steady him."
"Sybil Tempest is ready enough to become his wife, Mrs Gabriel," snarled
the little man. "Why don't you speak to her?"
"Because she is not your sister," replied Mrs Gabriel, coldly. "I do not
intend that Leo shall throw himself away on a penniless girl who has
nothing but her face to recommend her. Edith has both brains and
beauty."
"Leo does not see that," said Hale, who implicitly believed in his
companion; "he is infatuated with Sybil. I don't say a word against
her," he added hastily; "I want to marry her myself."
Mrs Gabriel looked with secret contempt on the deformed man, and
wondered how he could have the impertinence to think that any woman
could take him for her husband. However, she was pleased to hear of this
new complication. If Sybil could be induced to marry the baronet--and
from a worldly point of view the match was a good one--she would be out
of the way. In despair Leo might marry Edith, and thus all would be as
Mrs Gabriel wanted. She wished to move human beings as puppets to suit
her own ends, and never thought that she might be thwarted by the
individual will of those with whom she played. However, she had an idea
of how to entangle matters so as to carry out her schemes, and commenced
her intrigue with the baronet. She knew he would help her, both for his
own sake and for the sake of his sister. At the same time she moved
warily, so as not to make a false step. It was no easy matter to deal
with Hale, as she knew. Once or twice he had got the better of her in
business.
"I don't mind being candid with you," said Mrs Gabriel softly. "It is my
wish that Leo should marry Edith, and I shall be delighted to help you
to become Sybil's husband."
"It's easy saying, but harder doing," said Hale, snappishly. "Sybil is
in love with Leo, and the woman who admires Apollo will not look upon
Caliban. Oh, I am under no delusions respecting myself," he added, with
a hoarse laugh. "I am not agreeable to look upon, but I have money, a
title and a good position. Nine women out of ten would be content with
these things."
"I am afraid Sybil is the tenth," said Mrs Gabriel, coldly. "However,
neither she nor Leo know what is good for them. Help me to marry him to
your sister, and then Sybil will fall into your arms."
"Do you think so?"
"I am certain of it."
"How are we to manage?" asked Hale, after a pause. "You have some
scheme."
"It is in order to explain my scheme to you that I have brought about
this conversation. Listen. I am not pleased with Leo. He has been
leading a wild life in Town, and is in debt to the tune of three hundred
pounds."
"Humph!" said Frank, under his breath. "These Apollos know how to waste
money. I shall see that Edith's dowry is settled on herself."
"And I shall tie up the Gabriel property so that Leo cannot waste it."
Hale looked at her from under his bushy eyebrows. "You intend that he
shall be your heir, then?"
"Assuredly. If he does what I want him to do."
"What is that?"
"He must marry Edith and take up his residence in the castle. No more
gadding about, no more wild living. Let Leo be a respectable country
gentleman and his future is secure."
"Have you explained that to him?" asked the baronet, sharply.
"No. Leo is a fool, and infatuated with that girl. I must force him to
do what I want. It is for his own good. You must help, both for the sake
of Edith, and because it is your only chance of marrying Sybil."
"I'm quite ready to help you, Mrs Gabriel. Go on."
Mrs Gabriel glanced round, bent her head, and spoke lower. "I intend to
refuse to pay this three hundred pounds for Leo. There is no chance of
his earning it for himself, and he will soon be in serious difficulty.
Now if you come forward as his old friend and--"
"I don't like lending money," said Hale, who was something of a miser.
"If you want to gain Sybil and make your sister happy, you must lend Leo
three hundred pounds. When he is in your debt, well--the rest is easy."
Hale nodded. "I see what you mean," said he, ponderingly. "The idea is
not a bad one. But Leo--humph! Three hundred pounds! A large sum!"
"Oh, I will be your surety for it," said Mrs Gabriel, impatiently. She
did not want her plans upset by this miser. "But if you want to gain
anything you must sacrifice something. You love Sybil?"
"With my whole soul," said the cripple, and flushed.
"And your sister?"
"I would give anything to secure her happiness."
"Three hundred pounds will be enough," said Mrs Gabriel, coolly. "Make
Leo your debtor, and then you can deal with him. He is so honourable
that he will keep his word even at the cost of his happiness. Well?"
Hale reflected. "I will think of it," said he, cautiously.
"As you please. But remember that if I do not have this settled within
the week, I shall allow Leo to marry Sybil."
Of course Mrs Gabriel had no such intention, but she determined
outwardly on this course to frighten the baronet. It had the desired
effect.
"I will see to the matter," he said hastily; "to-night I will ask Leo to
come and see me. It will all be arranged. But three hundred pounds!" He
winced and Mrs Gabriel smiled.
"I will be your surety," she said, rising. "Let me know when you have
made Leo your debtor. Come, we must not talk any more. Here is Mr
Pratt."
It was indeed the host who came to disturb them. He wished to take the
whole party round his house. Leo and Edith returned from the
conservatory, the former looking bored, the latter brilliantly happy.
Sybil did not like this, and glanced reproachfully at Leo, who
immediately would have gone to her side, but he was anticipated by Hale.
"Help me to get round the house, Miss Tempest," he said, pointing to his
lame leg. "You must be my crutch."
Sybil could not but assent, and so Leo found himself out in the cold.
Peggy, who approved of his love for Sybil, took his arm. "Never mind,"
she said softly, "I will manage to take Sir Frank away," and Leo gave
her hand a grateful squeeze.
"Come, all of you!" cried Pratt, cheerily. "The museum is open."
He led them through a series of rooms crammed with treasures. There were
valuable pictures, pieces of rich tapestry, exquisite examples of
goldsmith's work, and many other things of value. Mr Pratt had a story
for every object. This he picked up in the Great Bazaar at Stamboul;
that was a bargain obtained in an Italian town; the silver crucifix came
from Spain; the lacquer work from Japan. Apparently he had been all over
the world, and had made purchases in every part. Here was the evidence
of his travels and his wealth before the longing eyes of Mrs Bathurst.
More than ever was she determined that Peggy should become Mrs Pratt.
While Pratt discoursed and the company exclaimed at the treasures
displayed to their wondering eyes, Mrs Gabriel maintained her haughty
silence. She surveyed all the beautiful things in a cold, unemotional
manner, and kept an eye on the movements of Leo. He felt uncomfortable
under her gaze, and once or twice looked angrily at her. But Mrs Gabriel
met his indignant looks with a calm smile.
"You must have spent a fortune on all this," said Hale, inspecting a
tray of antique coins. "What a collection!"
"I have been buying for years," explained Pratt, smiling. "Mine has been
a varied life. I was born of poor parents and had to make my own way in
the world. For years I worked in the States, in South America and
elsewhere to make money. Finally I secured a fortune in South Africa,
and for the last ten years I have devoted myself to collecting these
things. They have been stored for years, and now that I have a house of
my own, this is the first time I have been able to arrange them. I am
glad you are pleased."
"We are more than pleased," gushed Mrs Bathurst. "It is a most beautiful
treat to see these lovely things and hear you talk about them. What is
this cup, dear Mr Pratt?"
"Ah!" said Pratt, taking it up. "This is the property of the vicar."
"Mine!" said Mr Tempest in mild surprise. "Dear me, Mr Pratt, what do
you mean? It would take half my year's stipend to buy this!"
"It is the cup of which I spoke to you, vicar." Pratt handed it to
Tempest and then turned to the group. "I wish to present this cup to the
chapel, Mr Raston," he said, "and I hope that you and Mr Tempest will
accept it on behalf of the town. It is an old Roman goblet, and has
been used for centuries as a communion chalice in an Italian city. I
bought it many years ago. Is it not beautiful?"
The cup was indeed an exquisite object of art. Of considerable size, it
was of pure gold. The rim and the stem were set round with gems of great
value, and the outside was embossed with faces peering from out a tangle
of flowers. It had two handles formed of twisted snakes with ruby eyes
and round its broadest part ran an inscription in Latin. The vicar held
the goblet to the light and translated the inscription. "'To the great
God, who maketh the heart joyful,'" he said, then added dubiously, "Does
that refer to a pagan god, or to the Maker of all things?"
"If the cup is Roman, probably it is an inscription to Bacchus," said
the curate, a shadow on his face. "If so, we cannot use it as a
communion cup." Pratt laughed and raised his eyebrows at this scrupulous
regard. "You can set your mind at rest," he said. "The priest who sold
it to me on account of the poverty of his parish church said that the
inscription was inscribed during the Middle Ages. It refers to the God
of Christendom."
"In that case," said the vicar beaming, "I accept the cup with pleasure
and with many thanks. It shall be consecrated and placed on the altar by
the end of this week."
While the others were thanking and congratulating Mr Pratt, an
expression of relief might have been noticed on his face. Mrs Gabriel,
who knew his every look, wondered to herself why he appeared to be so
pleased. Evidently he was thankful to be rid of the cup. However, she
said nothing, as she was a wise woman, but added her congratulations to
those of the others.
"Everyone will be delighted," she said coldly. "Such generosity is
unusual in Colester." But her glance hinted unusual as regarded Pratt.
He received the hint smilingly.
"I hope it will make me popular," said he. "I am weak enough to wish to
be liked, and hitherto I have not secured the goodwill of the people."
"You will have it now," said Raston, "and particularly that of Pearl
Darry. She loves beautiful things for the altar, and as she attends to
the decorating of the chapel, it will be a constant pleasure to her to
keep this cup bright and spotless."
"I hope it will be safe with her!" cried Mrs Bathurst. "These insane
people are like magpies, and steal anything glittering that attracts
their weak fancies. Are you _sure_ she will not take it away, Mr
Raston?"
The curate was indignant. "Pearl would no more do such a thing than take
her own life, poor soul," he said. "She is devoted to the church.
Religion, so far as her own poor brain understands it, is her one
consolation."
"She ought to be shut up," said Mrs Gabriel.
"There I differ from you," said the vicar, mildly. "She is not harmful
enough to be placed in durance. Let her enjoy liberty and sunshine, Mrs
Gabriel. It is little pleasure she has."
"She seems to me harmless enough," said Pratt, "and if this cup will be
an additional pleasure to her, I am the more glad that Mr Tempest has
accepted it. I shall have it wrapped up, vicar."
"Thank you. Be very careful, Mr Pratt. So beautiful an object must not
be carelessly dealt with." From which remark it will be seen that now
the Roman goblet was the property of the Church it assumed quite a new
value in the eyes of the priest. Formerly it was merely a beautiful
example of the goldsmith's art; now it was sacred.
After this the company repaired to the drawing-room, where Mr Pratt told
stories until quite a late hour for Colester. Never had there been so
agreeable a host in the dull little provincial town, and one and all
confessed themselves charmed with their evening. "Quite an acquisition,"
repeated Mrs Bathurst as she departed. "Mind you come and see me, Mr
Pratt. Peggy will never forgive you if you do not." A foolish speech
which sent poor Peggy away covered with blushes. But then Mrs Bathurst's
zeal always outran her discretion.
As Mr Pratt stood at his door waving a hearty good-bye to his guests, he
saw that Hale was beside Leo and overheard a remark. "Come and see me in
three days, Leo," the baronet was saying. "I want to speak to you most
particularly."
"Most particularly," echoed Pratt, thoughtfully. "Humph! What's up
now?"