THERE IS SOMETHING OF THE ANGEL ABOUT HIM.
The little accident which was recorded at the close of the last
chapter occurred on a Tuesday night. On the following afternoon Tom
Tringle, again very much out of spirits, returned to Merle Park.
There was now nothing further for him to do in London. He had had
his last chance with Ayala, and the last chance had certainly done
him no good. Fortune, whether kindly or unkindly, had given him an
opportunity of revenging himself upon the Colonel; he had taken
advantage of the opportunity, but did not find himself much relieved
by what he had done. His rival's conduct had caused him to be
thoroughly ashamed of himself. It had at any rate taken from him all
further hope of revenge. So that now there was nothing for him but to
take himself back to Merle Park. On the Wednesday he heard nothing
further of the matter; but on the Thursday Sir Thomas came down from
London, and, showing to poor Tom a paragraph in one of the morning
papers, asked whether he knew anything of the circumstance to which
reference was made. The paragraph was as follows:--
That very bellicose young City knight who at Christmas
time got into trouble by thrashing a policeman within
an inch of his life in the streets, and who was then
incarcerated on account of his performance, again
exhibited his prowess on Tuesday night by attacking
Colonel ----, an officer than whom none in the army is
more popular,--under the portico of the Haymarket theatre.
We abstain from mentioning the officer's name,--which is,
however, known to us. The City knight again fell into the
hands of the police and was taken to the watch-house.
But Colonel ----, who knew something of his family,
accompanied him, and begged his assailant off. The officer
on duty was most unwilling to let the culprit go; but the
Colonel used all his influence and was successful. This
may be all very well between the generous Colonel and the
valiant knight. But if the young man has any friends they
had better look to him. A gentleman with such a desire
for the glories of battle must be restrained if he cannot
control his propensities when wandering about the streets
of the metropolis.
"Yes," said Tom,--who scorned to tell a lie in any matter concerning
Ayala. "It was me. I struck Colonel Stubbs, and he got me off at the
police office."
"And you're proud of what you've done?"
"No, Sir, I'm not. I'm not proud of anything. Whatever I do or
whatever I say seems to go against me."
"He didn't go against you as you call it."
"I wish he had with all my heart. I didn't ask him to get me off. I
struck him because I hated him; and whatever might have happened I
would sooner have borne it than be like this."
"You would sooner have been locked up again in prison?"
"I would sooner anything than be as I am."
"I tell you what it is, Tom," said the father. "If you remain here
any longer with this bee in your bonnet you will be locked up in a
lunatic asylum, and I shall not be able to get you out again. You
must go abroad." To this Tom made no immediate answer. Lamentable as
was his position, he still was unwilling to leave London while Ayala
was living there. Were he to consent to go away for any lengthened
period, by doing so he would seem to abandon his own claim. Hope he
knew there was none; but yet, even yet, he regarded himself as one of
Ayala's suitors. "Do you think it well," continued the father, "that
you should remain in London while such paragraphs as these are being
written about you?"
"I am not in London now," said Tom.
"No, you are not in London while you are at Merle Park,--of course.
And you will not go up to London without my leave. Do you understand
that?" Here Tom again was silent. "If you do," continued his father,
"you shall not be received down here again, nor at Queen's Gate, nor
will the cheques for your allowance be honoured any longer at the
bank. In fact if you do not obey me I will throw you off altogether.
This absurdity about your love has been carried on long enough." And
so it came to be understood in the family that Tom was to be kept in
mild durance at Merle Park till everything should have been arranged
for his extended tour about the world. To this Tom himself gave no
positive assent, but it was understood that when the time came he
would yield to his father's commands.
It had thus come to pass that the affray at the door of the Haymarket
became known to so much of the world at large as interested itself
in the affairs either of Colonel Stubbs or of the Tringles. Other
paragraphs were written in which the two heroes of the evening were
designated as Colonel J---- S---- and as T---- T----, junior, of the
firm of T---- and T----, in the City. All who pleased could read
these initials, and thus the world was aware that our Colonel had
received a blow, and had resented the affront only by rescuing his
assailant from the hands of the police. A word was said at first
which seemed to imply that the Colonel had not exhibited all the
spirit which might have been expected from him. Having been struck
should he not have thrashed the man who struck him;--or at any rate
have left the ruffian in the hands of the policemen for proper
punishment? But many days had not passed over before the Colonel's
conduct had been viewed in a different light, and men and women
were declaring that he had done a manly and a gallant thing. The
affair had in this way become sufficiently well known to justify
the allusion made to it in the following letter from Lady Albury to
Ayala;--
Stalham, Tuesday, 11th February, 18--.
MY DEAR AYALA,
It is quite indispensable for the happiness of everybody,
particularly that of myself and Sir Harry, that you should
come down here on the twentieth. Nina will be here on
her farewell visit before her return to her mother. Of
course you have heard that it is all arranged between
her and Lord George Bideford, and this will be the last
opportunity which any of us will have of seeing her once
again before her martyrdom. The world is to be told
that he is to follow her to Rome, where they are to be
married,--no doubt by the Pope himself under the dome of
St. Peter's. But my belief is that Lord George is going
to travel with her all the way. If he is the man I take
him to be he will do so, but of course it would be very
improper.
You, however, must of course come and say pretty things
to your friend; and, as you cannot go to Rome to see her
married, you must throw your old shoe after her when she
takes her departure from Stalham. I have written a line
to your aunt to press my request for this visit. This she
will no doubt show to you, and you, if you please, can
show her mine in return.
And now, my dear, I must explain to you one or two other
arrangements. A certain gentleman will _certainly_ not be
here. It was not my fault that a certain gentleman went to
Kingsbury Crescent. The certain gentleman is, as you are
aware, a great friend of ours, and was entitled to explain
himself if it so seemed good to him; but the certain
gentleman was not favoured in that enterprise by the
Stalham interest. At any rate, the certain gentleman
will not be at Stalham on this occasion. So much for the
certain gentleman.
Colonel Stubbs will be here, and, as he will be coming
down on the twentieth, would be glad to travel by the same
train, so that he may look after your ticket and your
luggage, and be your slave for the occasion. He will leave
the Paddington Station by the 4 P.M. train if that will
suit you.
We all think that he behaved beautifully in that little
affair at the Haymarket theatre. I should not mention it
only that everybody has heard of it. Almost any other man
would have struck the poor fellow again; but he is one
of the very few who always know what to do at the moment
without taking time to think of it.
Mind you come like a good girl.--Your affectionate friend,
ROSALINE ALBURY.
It was in this way that Ayala heard what had taken place between her
cousin Tom and Colonel Stubbs. Some hint of a fracas between the two
men had reached her ears; but now she asked various questions of her
aunt, and at last elicited the truth. Tom had attacked her other
lover in the street,--had attacked Colonel Stubbs because of his
injured love, and had grossly misbehaved himself. As a consequence he
would have been locked up by the police had not the Colonel himself
interfered on his behalf. This to Ayala seemed to be conduct worthy
almost of an Angel of Light.
Then the question of the proposed visit was discussed,--first with
her aunt, and then with herself. Mrs. Dosett was quite willing that
her niece should go to Stalham. To Mrs. Dosett's thinking, a further
journey to Stalham would mean an engagement with Colonel Stubbs. When
she had read Lady Albury's letter she was quite sure that that had
been Lady Albury's meaning. Captain Batsby was not to receive the
Stalham interest;--but that interest was to be used on the part of
Colonel Stubbs. She had not the slightest objection. It was clear to
her that Ayala would have to be married before long. It was out of
the question that one man after another should fall in love with her
violently, and that nothing should come of it. Mrs. Dosett had become
quite despondent about Tom. There was an amount of dislike which it
would be impossible to overcome. And as for Captain Batsby there
could be no chance for a man whom the young lady could not be induced
even to see. But the other lover, whom the lady would not admit that
she loved,--as to whom she had declared that she could never love
him,--was held in very high favour. "I do think it was so noble not
to hit Tom again," she had said. Therefore, as Colonel Stubbs had a
sufficient income, there could be no reason why Ayala should not go
again to Stalham. So it was that Mrs. Dosett argued with herself, and
such was the judgment which she expressed to Ayala.
But there were difficulties. Ayala's little stock of cash was all
gone. She could not go to Stalham without money, and that money must
come out of her Uncle Reginald's pocket. She could not go to Stalham
without some expenditure, which, as she well knew, it would be hard
for him to bear. And then there was that terrible question of her
clothes! When that suggestion had been made of a further transfer of
the nieces a cheque had come from Sir Thomas. "If Ayala comes to us
she will want a few things," Sir Thomas had said in a note to Mrs.
Dosett. But Mr. Dosett had chosen that the cheque should be sent back
when it was decided that the further transfer should not take place.
The cheque had been sent back, and there had been an end of it. There
must be a morning dress, and there must be another hat, and there
must be boots. So much Mrs. Dosett acknowledged. Let them do what
they might with the old things, Mrs. Dosett acknowledged that so much
as that would at least be necessary. "We will both go to work," Mrs.
Dosett said, "and we will ask your uncle what he can do for us." I
think she felt that she had received some recompense when Ayala
kissed her.
It was after this that Ayala discussed the matter with herself. She
had longed to go once again to Stalham,--"dear Stalham," as she
called it to herself. And as she thought of the place she told
herself that she loved it because Lady Albury had been so kind to
her, and because of Nina, and because of the hunting, and because
of the general pleasantness and luxury of the big comfortable house.
And yes; there was something to be said, too, of the pleasantness of
Colonel Stubbs. Till he had made love to her he had been, perhaps,
of all these fine new friends the pleasantest. How joyous his voice
had sounded to her! How fraught with gratification to her had been
his bright ugly face! How well he had known how to talk to her, and
to make her talk, so that everything had been easy with her! How
thoroughly she remembered all his drollery on that first night at
the party in London,--and all his keen sayings at the theatre;--and
the way he had insisted that she should hunt! She thought of little
confidences she had had with him, almost as though he had been her
brother! And then he had destroyed it all by becoming her lover!
Was he to be her lover still; and if so would it be right that she
should go again to Stalham, knowing that she would meet him there?
Would it be right that she should consent to travel with him,--under
his special escort? Were she to do so would she not be forced to do
more,--if he should again ask her? It was so probable that he would
not ask her again! It was so strange that such a one should have
asked her!
But if he did ask her? Certainly he was not like that Angel of Light
whom she had never seen, but of whom the picture in her imagination
was as clearly drawn as though she were in his presence daily.
No;--there was a wave of hair and a shape of brow, and a peculiarity
of the eye, with a nose and mouth cut as sharp as chisel could cut
them out of marble, all of which graced the Angel but none of which
belonged to the Colonel. Nor were these the chief of the graces which
made the Angel so glorious to her. There was a depth of poetry about
him, deep and clear, pellucid as a lake among grassy banks, which
make all things of the world mean when compared to it. The Angel of
Light lived on the essence of all that was beautiful, altogether
unalloyed by the grossness of the earth. That such a one should come
in her way! Oh, no; she did not look for it! But, having formed such
an image of an angel for herself, would it be possible that she
should have anything less divine, less beautiful, less angelic?
Yes; there was something of the Angel about him; even about him,
Colonel Jonathan Stubbs. But he was so clearly an Angel of the earth,
whereas the other one, though living upon the earth, would be of the
air, and of the sky, of the clouds, and of the heaven, celestial.
Such a one she knew she had never seen. She partly dreamed that
she was dreaming. But if so had not her dream spoilt her for all
else? Oh, yes; indeed he was good, this red-haired ugly Stubbs. How
well had he behaved to Tom! How kind he had been to herself! How
thoughtful of her he was! If it were not a question of downright
love,--of giving herself up to him, body and soul, as it were,--how
pleasant would it be to dwell with him! For herself she would confess
that she loved earthly things,--such as jumping over the brook with
Larry Twentyman before her to show her the way. But for her love, it
was necessary that there should be an Angel of Light. Had she not
read that angels had come from heaven and taken in marriage the
daughters of men?
But was it right that she should go to Stalham, seeing that there
were two such strong reasons against it? She could not go without
costing her uncle money, which he could ill afford; and if she did go
would she--would she not confess that she had abandoned her objection
to the Colonel's suit. She, too, understood something of that which
had made itself so plain to her aunt. "Your uncle thinks it is right
that you should go," her aunt said to her in the drawing-room that
evening; "and we will set to work to-morrow and do the best that we
can to make you smart."
Her uncle was sitting in the room at the time, and Ayala felt herself
compelled to go to him and kiss him, and thank him for all his
kindness. "I am so sorry to cost you so much money, Uncle Reginald,"
she said.
"It will not be very much, my dear," he answered. "It is hard that
young people should not have some amusement. I only hope they will
make you happy at Stalham."
"They always make people happy at Stalham," said Ayala,
energetically.
"And now, Ayala," said her aunt, "you can write your letter to Lady
Albury before we go out to-morrow. Give her my compliments, and tell
her that as you are writing I need not trouble her."
Ayala, when she was alone in her bedroom, felt almost horrified as
she reflected that in this manner the question had been settled for
her. It had been impossible for her to reject her uncle's liberal
offer when it had been made. She could not find the courage at that
moment to say that she had thought better of it all, and would
decline the visit. Before she was well aware of what she was doing
she had assented, and had thus, as it were, thrown over all the
creations of her dream. And yet, as she declared herself, not even
Lady Albury could make her marry this man, merely because she was
at her house. She thought that, if she could only avoid that first
journey with Colonel Stubbs in the railway, still she might hold her
own. But, were she to travel with him of her own accord, would it not
be felt that she would be wilfully throwing herself in his way? Then
she made a little plan for herself, which she attempted to carry out
when writing her letter to Lady Albury on the following morning. What
was the nature of her plan, and how she effected it, will be seen in
the letter which she wrote;--
Kingsbury Crescent, Thursday.
DEAR LADY ALBURY,
It is so very good of you to ask me again, and I shall
be so happy to visit Stalham once more! I should have
been very sorry not to see dear Nina before her return to
Italy. I have written to congratulate her of course, and
have told her what a happy girl I think she is. Though
I have not seen Lord George I take all that from her
description. As she is going to be his wife immediately,
I don't at all see why he should not go back with her to
Rome. As for being married by the Pope, I don't think he
ever does anything so useful as that. I believe he sits
all day and has his toe kissed. That is what they told me
at Rome.
I am very glad of what you tell me about the certain
gentleman, because I don't think I could have been happy
at Stalham if he had been there. It surprised me so much
that I could not think that he meant it in earnest. We
never hardly spoke to each other when we were in the house
together.
Perhaps, if you don't mind, and I shan't be in the way,
--here she began to display the little plan which she had made for
her own protection,--
I will come down by an earlier train than you mention.
There is one at 2.15, and then I need not be in the dark
all the way. You need not say anything about this to
Colonel Stubbs, because I do not at all mind travelling by
myself.--Yours affectionately,
AYALA.
This was her little plan. But she was very innocent when she thought
that Lady Albury would be blind to such a scheme as that. She got
three words from Lady Albury, saying that the 2.15 train would do
very well, and that the carriage would be at the station to meet her.
Lady Albury did not also say in her note that she had communicated
with Colonel Stubbs on the subject, and informed him that he must
come up from Aldershot earlier than he intended in order that he
might adapt himself to Ayala's whims. "Foolish little child," said
Lady Albury to herself! "As if that would make any difference!" It
was clear to Lady Albury that Ayala must surrender now that she was
coming to Stalham a second time, knowing that the Colonel would be
there.