PARSON JARNER IS ASTONISHED.
It was the custom of Mr. Jarner to visit at Farbis Court once a week.
He pitied the loneliness of Miss Linisfarne, and did all in his power
to divert her from melancholy reflections, by attempting to interest
her in the duties of his three parishes. His weekly conversations were
generally of a parochial character, and, eager to propitiate her only
friend, Miss Linisfarne feigned an interest in these local affairs,
which she was far from feeling. Still, they introduced a new element
into her life, and gave her an opportunity of enjoying the society of
the vicar, for which she was ever grateful. Meg was constantly with
her; but, though Miss Linisfarne liked such companionship, she
relished infinitely more the calls of Mr. Jarner. She was more
inclined to the society of men than to that of her own sex.
The unexpected appearance of Dan at Farbis wrought a revolution in her
quiet life. Here was a handsome young gentleman--for she had no doubt
on that point--who conversed intelligently, and who had plenty of time
at his disposal to idle away at Farbis Court. Deprived for so many
years of such congenial companionship, Miss Linisfarne welcomed Dan
with enthusiasm, and made him free of her house. As has before been
stated, she was jealous of Dan's partiality for Meg; and, having shown
the girl plainly that she did not wish a third in their conversations,
managed to keep her out of the road. But, alas for her plans! When Dan
found that the presence of Meg in the dreary drawing-room was no
longer to be counted on, he ceased to visit the Court, as was his
custom.
With the instinct of a jealous woman, Miss Linisfarne guessed the
reason of his non-appearance, and was deeply angered that he should so
scorn her. But she was by no means disposed to abandon him without a
struggle, for, strange as it may appear, this faded beauty was really
in love with the young man. Had she not been so, she would scarcely
have made up her mind to marry him, and this is what she now intended
to do. After due deliberation, she determined to bestow herself and
her fortune on this unknown vagrant.
Such a resolution was inconceivably rash, for she knew absolutely
nothing about him. That he was a gentleman she was convinced, but was
quite ignorant of his character, name, station, or wealth. To marry an
adventurer, was what she intended; and, though she tried to salve her
conscience with the reflection that one so handsome must be desirable
in all other respects, yet she could not help feeling that it would be
as well to discover his antecedents before committing herself further.
To this end she sent for the vicar, in the belief that he, if any one,
would know something of this attractive stranger. If the inquiry
proved satisfactory, she was resolved to make him her husband. To such
a pitch of rashness did her mad passion bear her.
Jarner guessed that the coming interview had something to do with Dan,
as he also had heard the rumour of Miss Linisfarne's infatuation. Also
he had been present when Dan was visiting, and had seen the eager
looks of the lady at her guest. Needless to say he greatly disapproved
of the way in which she was behaving, and resolved to speak his mind
at the interview, should it turn on the subject. And, indeed, as Miss
Linisfarne had never sent for him before, he was perfectly certain
that it was for the purpose of asking him to aid in her schemes that
she invited his presence. This the vicar did not intend to do, as he
by no means desired to break off the projected match between Dan and
Meg.
On his arrival at the Court, he was shown up to the picture-gallery,
where he found Miss Linisfarne seated before the portrait of Sir
Alurde. This was her favourite resort, for which she had quite
deserted the drawing-room. For hours she gazed on that face which so
resembled that of the man she loved, and glanced occasionally at a
book on her lap, which set forth the history of the Elizabethan. This
history she had found in the library, and on reading it had discovered
that Sir Alurde and the vagrant possessed many traits in common. Yet,
strange to say, it never crossed her mind that there must be a reason
for such resemblance, nor did she guess that Sir Alurde was the
ancestor of the man who chose to call himself Dan. Had she made such a
discovery, it would have given her no pleasure, as she saw that Dan
was not in love with her, and trusted to his poverty and her wealth to
bring about the desired marriage.
The vicar contracted his brows as he saw how infatuated she was with
the picture, for he also was aware of the resemblance. Meg had told
him as a jest, and now that he knew that Dan was Lord Ardleigh, he no
longer wondered at the likeness. But it was not at the portrait he
looked, but at Miss Linisfarne. The change in her appearance quite
astonished him, for she seemed years younger, and in the flush of her
mad passion had almost regained the beauty of her youth. When Jarner
appeared, she arose, with a bright smile, and came towards him with
outstretched hands.
"You are much stronger, I see," said Jarner, in reply to her greeting.
"That comes of walking in the open air, and of mixing more with your
fellow-creatures. Hey, ma'm! There is nothing like exercise and
society for bringing back the roses to pale cheeks."
"I think it is more than exercise or society," replied Miss
Linisfarne, joyously, and glanced at the portrait.
The vicar glanced also, but wilfully chose to misinterpret her
meaning. It was his intention to make her confession as difficult as
possible, and, if there was any chance, to avert it altogether.
"Hey, ma'm! Are you in love with Sir Alurde?"
"No. Not with Sir Alurde," said Miss Linisfarne, pointedly; "but with
some one who greatly resembles him."
"And who may that be?" asked Jarner, dryly.
"Cannot you guess? I have sent for you in order to speak on this very
subject."
The vicar pretended to search his memory, and shook his head with
feigned vexation.
"No, Miss Linisfarne; I cannot guess with whom you are infatuated."
"Infatuated, sir!" she cried, starting to her feet.
"Does the word displease you, ma'm?"
"It is hardly courteous. Is love so ridiculous in a woman that you
should hesitate to use the word?"
"Love!" repeated Jarner, reflectively. "I think you told me, Miss
Linisfarne, that you had loved many years ago, and had lost your
lover."
"I did," said she, paling at the irony of his accent.
"Pardon me, if my memory fails," he continued; "but you also informed
me that your love ended in disaster--that your heart was dead, and
that for such reason you buried yourself in our solitudes.",
Miss Linisfarne covered her face with her hands. All the joy had died
out of her eyes, and she looked the miserable woman she was.
"For twenty years and more you have lived here," continued Jarner,
ponderously, "and all that time have remained faithful to the memory
of that early passion. With the details you have not seen fit to
honour me; but I can guess your story."
She lifted her haggard face in surprise, but he took no notice of the
action.
"You loved and lost, ma'm, and so sought to be constant in this
solitude to your dead lover. For twenty years you have been faithful.
Why, then," added the vicar, pointing to the picture,--"why, then, let
that displace his image in your heart? It is sacrilege to the dead."
"You do not understand!"
"Ay, ma'm, I understand well enough. I also have noted the resemblance
which chains you to that portrait. You love the young man who calls
himself Dan."
"I do!" she cried with a bright flush. "Is there dishonour in such a
love?"
"Ay, to the dead!"
"Tush! You know not of what you speak, sir. I have not made you my
father confessor. I love this man. What have you to say against it? He
is handsome, he is a gentleman, he is of a noble nature."
"I grant all that, but----"
"Make no objections, Mr. Jarner, for they carry no weight with me. I
love now as I never loved before. You smile! You think I am too old to
set my heart on him, but I tell you that I love this man fondly, and I
shall marry him."
"Marry him!"
"Why not?" said she, pressing her hands on her heaving breast. "Do you
know anything against him?"
"No, indeed; still----"
"Then there can be no obstacle to my union with him. He is poor, but I
am rich. If he has no name of his own, he can take mine. What obstacle
is there to our union?"
"The greatest of all," answered Jarner, dryly; "he loves another
woman."
"Meg!"
"Ah! you have seen as much. Yes, he loves Meg Merle, and wishes to
make her his wife."
"That he shall never do! Will he prefer that unformed girl to me--her
poverty to my wealth? She shall not marry him. I love him, and will
surrender him to no rival. Rival! Ha, is it I who call that girl a
rival!"
"Yes, it is you; and it were wiser if you did not. She is fond of you,
Miss Linisfarne; you have brought her up; she looks on you as a
mother----"
"Mother!"
"Yes, as a mother. So do not ruin her life, and destroy the memory of
your kindness by seeking to marry this man. He is not for you, but for
Meg."
"I shall not give him up," she said, doggedly; "mine he shall be. Do
you think that, after all these years of sorrow, I shall willingly
surrender the only chance of joy that has come to me? He shall be my
husband."
The vicar picked up his hat as to go, and bowed. "In that case, ma'm,
I need not remain. I disapprove altogether of your infatuation, and
shall do my best to thwart your schemes. One woman only shall he
marry,--Margaret Merle."
"You seem very interested in this match," sneered Miss Linisfarne. "Is
it of your making?"
"No. It is his own desire."
"Who is this man?" she asked, abruptly. "Do you know his name?"
"I do, madam, but I shall not tell it to you."
"Mr. Jarner----"
"No more, ma'm! I have wasted too many words as it is. You shall not
interrupt the course of true love. He is not for you, but for Meg
Merle."
She strove to detain him, but he strode away, deeply angered at her
pertinacity. She stamped her foot, and looked at the picture of Sir
Alurde.
"Meg shall never marry you," she said, thinking of Dan,--"never!
never! never!"