CAPTAIN NORROY APPEARS.
I have already said that the circumstances connected with the
photograph which I had found in Kitty's purse had made me fancy that
there was some secret reason for her regarding Captain Edward Norroy
differently from the rest of mankind; and I have said, also, that I
was hoping some day to see him and her together, on chance that I
might then succeed in discovering a clue to a right comprehension
of what the relations between them were. This opportunity which I
desired came unexpectedly on the day after our arrival in Paris, and
was brought about in the following manner.
Mrs. Rollin was determined that she and Kitty must be photographed by
a Paris photographer named Raoul, who was at that time so much the
rage amongst fashionable people that to be in his town and not profit
by the opportunity of having her likeness done by him, would have
been a sin of omission which would have lain heavy on her conscience
for the rest of her existence--or, at all events, for as long as he
continued to be the fashion. It was, of course, necessary in the
first place to ascertain when it would suit the great man to take the
photograph. For this purpose she had intended to go to his studio
in person on the day after reaching Paris; but as she happened to be
a little out of sorts on that day, she preferred to stay at home
reading _Rocambole_, and send Kitty in her stead, under my escort,
to make the requisite appointment. At the studio we found a polite
assistant, who was quite in despair to think that the ladies should
be obliged to wait; but as his _patron_ was just then engaged, he
feared it was inevitable that they should do so, unless their
business was of a nature which he, the assistant, could transact
for them. If so, he should be proud and honoured to receive their
commands.
Now Mrs. Rollin, having been much exercised in her mind as to whether
it would be more _chic_ to be done in morning or evening attire, had
particularly instructed Kitty to refer the matter to Raoul, and find
out his opinion about it. Consequently she declined the assistant's
offer of his services with thanks, and said that she would wait till
Monsieur Raoul was disengaged. On this we were shown into the
waiting-room, which was as dreary as the rest of its kind, and where
we endeavoured to find amusement by inspecting the various specimens
of the _patron's_ art that were dispersed on the table.
We were thus employed, and I was standing with my back to the
door, when it opened to admit some one; at the same instant I saw
Kitty--who was looking that way--flush violently and suddenly, and,
on turning round, I perceived that the new-comer was Captain Norroy.
I need hardly say that I was immediately all eyes and ears for what
would take place; and that my subsequent inspection of photographs
was a mere pretence, which I kept up in order that the young couple
might not suspect how attentively I was studying them.
They shook hands, exchanged greetings, and then went on to talk of
the weather, the state of the streets, the hotels at which they were
staying, etc., just as any ordinary acquaintances would do. There
was not the faintest trace of consciousness about Captain Norroy's
manner; and he was so evidently free from any kind of special emotion
connected with Kitty, that I doubted, for a moment, whether my
surmises might after all have been wrong. But then, again, I felt
confirmed in them by Kitty, who was certainly not as cool and
unembarrassed as was the captain. The first flush caused by his
entrance had nearly died out; but there still lingered a tinge of
unwonted colour on her cheeks, and a more than commonly brilliant
light in her eyes. In both her look and manner of speaking I could
detect a shade of nervousness, of pleasure, of restraint, of
something different to usual, which I was unable to interpret. It was
a difference so slight as to have been, probably, imperceptible to
any one who did not know her well; but to me it was so plainly
visible that I felt sure I was not mistaken about it.
As it happened, the conversation presently took a turn which supplied
me with such a clue as I wanted in order to read the riddle which had
been perplexing me, and to arrive at some idea of how matters stood
between these two people, in whom my interest had been excited.
The captain, looking at his watch, observed that Raoul was not very
punctual, as it was already twenty minutes past the time when he had
said that he would be ready to photograph the captain.
"What! are you actually going to be photographed?" said Kitty,
laughing. "I can hardly believe it possible when I remember the
vehemence with which I have heard you declare that, having gone
through the operation once, you never would again. You professed to
think it an intolerable bore."
"Yes--so I did, and so I do still," he replied; "but I'm going to
sacrifice myself nobly for the sake of other people. You see almost
every one, now-a-days, has a _carte-de-visite_ book, which they are
desirous of filling by hook or by crook. Consequently, one is
constantly being entreated for a photo by even one's most casual
acquaintances. One don't like to be always refusing to do what one's
asked, because it makes one feel such an ill-natured brute; but at
present I can't help saying no when I'm asked for a photo of myself,
for the very excellent reason that I haven't such a thing to give."
"Why not?" inquired Kitty. "Haven't you the photos which were taken
on the solitary occasion when you _were_ done?"
"Ah! that attempt had no _chance_, as the French say," he answered.
"My batch of copies fell into the fire directly they arrived, and
were all burnt except four, which I managed to rescue, and of which I
gave three to my mother and sisters, and the fourth to Lady Cantern,
who was just then perfectly ravenous for photos, because she and
her sister were in the midst of a race as to which could get her
photo-book filled the quickest. Of course this left me destitute of
_cartes_, so I at once ordered a fresh lot from the photographer; but
the fates were evidently against me, for the original plate had been
accidentally cracked, so that no more copies could be struck from it.
Curiously enough, too, the bad luck which attended that photographic
effort pursued even the copy I gave Lady Cantern. You remember that
time you and I, and a lot of other people, were staying with her last
winter for balls, don't you? What a pleasant visit it was! and
especially that last _cotillion_ you and I danced together--wasn't it
delightful?"
As Kitty assented, I noticed that she looked down somewhat nervously,
as if she wished to avoid all risk of having the recollections evoked
by the mention of that visit read in her face.
"Well," he continued, "she says that she missed my photo out of
her book on the very day after her guests departed; and as she is
positive it was in its place just before, she declares some one of
them must have taken a fancy to it and carried it off. At first she
accused _me_ of being the thief--as if it was likely I should care to
have such a caricature of myself as I considered it to be! I can't
imagine how she _could_ suppose that any one would wish for such an
unflattering presentment of himself as long as looking-glasses
continue plentiful! However, I undeceived her on that point; and then
she said that if it wasn't I who had appropriated the thing, it must
have been some one else. My own idea is that she must have put it
away somewhere, and forgotten what she'd done with it. But, anyhow,
she hadn't discovered it when last I saw her, and I don't believe she
will--that batch had no _chance_, as I said before. Ah! here comes
Raoul to lead off his victim. I shall have a few moments of grace
whilst you and he fix the date of your execution; and then----"
Raoul's entrance terminated this conversation, to which I--whilst
making believe to be engrossed in the study of photographs--had
listened with the greatest attention. It seemed to me to throw fresh
light upon the matter that had been perplexing me hitherto.
Evidently Kitty possessed a photograph of Captain Norroy of which
there were only four copies in existence. As neither of them had been
given to her, she must have come by it surreptitiously; and her
possession of it was, no doubt, to be explained by the mysterious
disappearance of Lady Cantern's copy immediately after Kitty had been
staying in her house.
But though I thought there could be no doubt as to Kitty's having
been the person who purloined this precious _carte-de-visite_, I was
sorely puzzled to conjecture what possible motive she could have had
for doing so. After reflecting deeply on the problem, I could find no
solution of it except one, which did not seem to me to be altogether
likely. It was this. Had the handsome young captain perhaps touched
her heart more deeply than was expedient? and could she have fallen
in love with him? If so, that might explain the things that now
puzzled me: her stealing the photograph; the care with which it was
concealed; the emotion she had betrayed when I suddenly produced it;
and also the nervousness and peculiarity of manner I had noticed in
her when she met him at Raoul's.
But however probable this theory might have appeared in the case of
some girls, it hardly seemed admissible when Kitty was the person
concerned. For as it was quite plain that the captain's sentiments
towards her were simply those of an ordinary acquaintance, it
followed that to suppose her to have a fancy for him involved
supposing that she cared for a man who did not return the compliment.
And her pride seemed to make such an idea impossible. Kitty Mervyn to
have an unrequited attachment, indeed! It was absurd even to think of
such a thing.
Yet again, on the other hand, who could tell what caprice might not
rule an article so notoriously wayward as a woman's heart? And if
love overcomes bolts and bars, why should it not conquer the stiffest
pride also? Clearly it was foolish of me to think I could be _sure_
of how any person would act, when there was a possibility of a
strange and unknown quantity like love manifesting itself, upsetting
the best-founded calculations, and altering the whole aspect of
affairs.
Still, I could scarcely bring myself to believe that Kitty would have
bestowed her affections on any one who did not seek them. Ah! but
then there was the question--had she perhaps imagined that they
_were_ sought? This good-looking Captain Norroy was as pleasant in
manner as he was in personal appearance; his voice was soft and
caressing; he gave me the idea of being a lazy, good-humoured,
susceptible man, who would enjoy popularity with women and take pains
to be agreeable in their eyes; and who would unintentionally put an
appearance of earnestness into a mere passing flirtation, which would
make it dangerous to the other party. And possibly he had admired
Kitty, and flirted with her mildly, without meaning anything serious;
and possibly she had been deceived by his attentions into supposing
he was in love with her, and not discovered her error until her heart
was already touched.
If that were so, I could not help pitying her; for I knew that the
knowledge of her own weakness and folly must be terribly galling to
her, and that she must be in a continual state of anxiety lest any
one should discover, or even suspect it. Yet I could imagine, too,
that the bitterness would be mingled with sweetness, in that she
would be always hoping he might some day return her love. It was a
hope that it would be most natural for her to entertain; for she
could not fail to know how generally attractive she was to his sex;
and as he was but a man like other men, was it not reasonable to
suppose that he too might be affected by charms which his fellows
seemed to find irresistible? And then the recollection of the
numerous admirers she had had, and for whom she cared nothing, took
my thoughts for a moment into a fresh channel, as I wondered whether
those victims would not have thought it a no more than just
retribution for her to give her affections without return. For I was
aware that some ill-natured people had been known to term her a
regular flirt; and I had heard of rejected suitors of hers who had
complained bitterly of the impartial amiability with which she
behaved to every one, and had declared that she did it with malicious
intent to lead men on to propose, in order that she might have the
pleasure of refusing them.
Assuming her to be in love with Captain Norroy, I thought I could
form a pretty good guess as to what her feeling about Lord Clement
would be. Her pride would be all in his favour; for pride would be
up in arms at the idea of her waiting to see if the captain would
condescend to throw his handkerchief to her, and would urge her to
terminate so humiliating a situation by marrying some one else. And
thus pride would be a powerful auxiliary to the soaring ambition and
desire to be amongst the great ones of the earth, which were marked
features of her character. All this would evidently prompt her to
accept Lord Clement and the high rank and position he had to offer;
and I could only account for her not having done so already, by
supposing that the voice of natural inclination had made itself heard
on the other side. Perhaps it had pleaded with her not to be in a
hurry, and not rashly to render impossible a happiness that might
still be hers if she would have the patience to wait awhile longer.
Perhaps the struggle between pride and love was going on within her
now, and she had not yet determined which voice to listen to. If so,
I could by no means hazard an opinion as to what the issue was likely
to be; and it seemed to me an even chance which would gain the
mastery.
How far were all these speculations and conjectures of mine right?
That remained to be proved; and I felt as if fate had kindly assigned
to me a good situation in the front row whence to watch the progress
of a play which it amused me to look on at. Yet, as it must interfere
with one's enjoyment of a play to get excited about its termination,
I should certainly have preferred for some other than Kitty to be the
chief performer. For I was half afraid that I might find I cared for
her too much to remain an altogether indifferent spectator where her
happiness was seriously concerned.