"The Earl was a wrathful man to see."
_Lay of the Last Minstrel._
A few doors from the Ravensworths lived a gentleman named Lennox. As his
name argued, he was descended from a good stock, but his family had
gradually sunk in the scale of life till he was glad to accept a
situation in His Majesty's Revenue Office at Edinburgh. Mr. Lennox was
certainly gifted in his personal appearance, but this was in a way much
lessened by his intolerable conceit. It is not often that we find big
men consequential, but Mr. Lennox was the "_exceptio regulam probat_."
He was conceited of himself, and his height, and looks. He was conceited
of his name, being distantly connected with the Duke of Richmond. He was
conceited of his family, which consisted of several rather dashing
girls, the rear brought up by an infant "son and heir," as he rather
ostentatiously informed the world through the papers. He walked as if
the ground was not good enough for him, he spoke as if his word must be
law: and, like all his class, though dogmatical in the extreme, was not
often right,--when he did happen to be so, one never heard the end of
it. Still with all his foibles he was gentlemanly, and had long been a
friend of the Ravensworths; he liked, too, to have an occasional
_tete-a-tete_ with the fair Ellen, whom he fancied as much pleased by
his assiduous court, as he was by her lightest smile. Mr. Lennox was a
great man in his county, being a Justice of the Peace, and remarkable
for his rigorous sentences; for, being strictly moral himself, he had no
pity on the erring. He was a great man in his village, the author and
finisher of all improvements, the chairman of every public meeting; he
was also a great man in his church, being copartner in the
churchwardenship with Mr. Ravensworth, who allowed him almost entirely
to manage things his own way. This office afforded him an excuse to
guide his feet oftener towards Seaview than he could otherwise have
done. On the Sunday following the events narrated in our last chapter,
Mr. Lennox, Mr. Ravensworth, and near them Johnny, might have been seen
standing on the steps of the Episcopal church. The two former conversed
together on some real or fancied improvement Mr. Lennox wanted to
introduce in the stove department of the church. Afternoon service had
been over some time; Ellen, Maude, and their guest had already gone
home, leaving Johnny to follow with his father. The clerk stood, key in
hand, respectfully waiting Mr. Lennox's pleasure. Having brought Mr.
Ravensworth at last to his own way of thinking, Mr. Lennox ordered the
clerk to lock the gates, and himself pompously bestowed the key in his
pocket, and the three were proceeding homewards, when they heard the
roll of wheels, and looking round, saw a dashing-looking young man, of
about four-and-twenty, drive up to the church in a drag drawn by a pair
of fiery bays. As he drew up the impetuous horses, the groom behind
leaped down and attempted to open the gates, which were, however, as our
readers know, locked. Mr. Lennox, seeing the young man's dilemma,
hastened back, followed by Mr. Ravensworth and Johnny.
"Could you oblige me," said the stranger, "by telling me where the
churchwarden lives?"
"You could not have applied to a better person than to me, as I myself
happen to be that officer," replied Mr. Lennox, drawing himself up to
his full height, and laying peculiar stress on the word "officer." "I
have the keys," he continued, "and can at once accommodate you with
seats, if that was your object."
"I merely wished your name and address, sir," replied the young man; "I
am hurried now, and have no time to waste, but if you could let me know
where to find you to-morrow, and would wait for me between twelve and
one o'clock, I would then look over the seats."
"I am sorry that official duties will prevent me from having that
pleasure, but my friend and copartner in office here, Mr. Ravensworth,
will I am sure. You do not go to town on Monday I think, Ravensworth?"
"I do not,--and I shall have much pleasure in waiting for you," said Mr.
Ravensworth, at the same time handing his card.
"Ha! thanks; I shall be punctual,--remember, between twelve and one.
Good day, gentlemen." Taking off his hat, and gathering the reins
together, he whipped up his impatient horses, and was gone,--the groom
swinging himself up, as the drag sprang away, with great nimbleness,
much to Johnny's admiration, leaving them all in wonder as to who he
could be.
"Mark my words, sir," said Mr. Lennox, "that young man is no common
person."
"Indeed! do you think so? Well, I fancy he is merely some young man of
fortune, who can drive a dashing trap,--probably one of the 7th, now at
Jock's Lodge; I hear they are a very crack regiment."
"Think so? I am sure of it; his appearance, his equipage, his commanding
way of speaking,--all argued birth; he is not unlike my cousin, Lord
George Lennox."
"Every good-looking man is like that cousin of yours," said Mr.
Ravensworth, laughing; "but here we are at my house; I will let you know
to-morrow who he is,--your swans generally turn out geese."
"Let him laugh that wins," said Mr. Lennox, as he walked on. "I would
stake ten to one he is none of your parvenus."
Next morning the conversation at the Ravensworth breakfast-table ran a
good deal on this unknown stranger. As it was the first Monday in the
month, and consequently a holiday, Johnny repaired to the back
drawing-room, whence he had an extended view of the road each way.
Though he went there professedly to read, in reality he went there as a
watchman for the expected carriage. It was then only a little after ten,
and the earliest time he had named was not till twelve; yet Johnny cast
many a wistful glance along the road. L'Estrange had an engagement at
Queensferry, and had driven off already. Mr. Ravensworth went to his
study, and Maude a walk in the country with some schoolfellows, so that
Johnny and Ellen had the room all to themselves. Slowly the clock on the
stairs struck the passing hours,--at length twelve struck.
"Now," said Johnny, "he may be here at any minute, Ellen. Here he is, I
hear wheels."
But Johnny was doomed to disappointment, it was only the London coach.
Many other carriages raised his hopes falsely, while the long hour
dragged its slow length through: one struck,--Johnny's face fell. "I
believe, after all, he won't come,--stay, here he comes at
last,--really, Nelly,--look what a fine drag he is driving, and quite
different horses, too,--what beauties! I will run and tell papa."
Ellen, without rising from the sofa, glanced to see the wonderful
stranger, for it was on _him_ rather than the horses he drove, that she
naturally looked. The drag stopped at the door, and the same nimble
servant lightly stepped down and rang the bell. Meantime Johnny had
flown to his father's study with the news: "Come, papa, quick, he's
waiting!"
"Gently, my boy, gently! I have not even been apprised of his presence
yet--he will perhaps step in; what is all this excitement about?"
"May I come to the church?"
"We will see, perhaps the gentleman may not wish it."
At this moment Mr. Ravensworth's page, with open eyes, came in bringing
a card in his hand, and saying the gentleman would not come in. Mr.
Ravensworth gave a perceptible start when he saw the name; and, hastily
putting on his hat and gloves, advanced to the carriage.
"I must apologise for keeping you waiting, my Lord, so long."
"Not at all, Mr. Ravensworth, not at all, I have not been a minute. Step
in and I will drive you to the church. Is that your son?" pointing to
Johnny, who had crept after his father.
"My son, Johnny."
"Jump in, my boy, you will like a ride too," continued the stranger.
Johnny jumped in, hardly knowing where he was; the talismanic word "my
Lord" had not escaped his ears, and he did not know how to thank his
Lordship, so he thought silence was his best policy. He felt not a
little proud also as he swept by and past several schoolfellows at the
turning of the road. They in their turn stared at him not a little.
While they are driving we must return to Ellen, who had been much
surprised to see them drive off; she stole down stairs to see if she
could find out who he was. On the hall table lay a card--could she
believe her eyes?--there it was neatly engraved "Earl of Wentworth." It
is like an intervention of Providence, thought the romantic girl, as she
ran with the card upstairs to her own room, and in the giddiness of her
first excitement actually pressed it to her lips. He had touched it! She
had seen him too, as he turned round to welcome her father and
brother,--she had seen the noble countenance, the stately form,--he was
the embodying of her airy thoughts, the reality of all her day-dreams.
One glance was all she took, but that glance, momentary as the lightning
flash, yet terrific in its effects as the bolt of heaven, seemed to have
scorched her very heart. That moment had done the work of years, and she
felt that eternity was itself too short "to efface the blight and
blackening which it left behind."
By this time our party had entered the church, and the Earl had at once
set his fancies on a large square pew, curiously enough facing the one
Mr. Ravensworth occupied. Of course he knew nothing of this, though
great events sprang from that chance. Lord Wentworth said he should send
a carpenter to do it up a little, and he then drove them back to
Seaview, and dropped them with a "Good-bye, Mr. Ravensworth--good-bye,
Johnny, my boy! I will call then next Saturday, same hour, and see how I
like the improvements."
"How provoked Lennox will be at missing this," thought Mr. Ravensworth
as he entered his house; "we shall never hear the end of his chance
prediction."
True to his word, Mr. Lennox looked in upon them that evening, and at
once inquired who the stranger was.
"You were right, Lennox; who do you think it was?"
"I am sure I cannot tell; one of the Duke's sons?"
"No, guess again."
"Bother guessing, tell me who it was."
"The Earl of Wentworth," said Ellen, blushing crimson.
"The Earl of Wentworth!--never tell me again I am not a judge of
character! The Earl of Wentworth! I knew he was somebody, I am no fool;
I can tell rank even in beggars' garb," said the proud man. "And what
sort of man is he?" he continued; "from my penetration of character I
should say an easy-going, nice fellow."
"Right," burst in Johnny, "he is such a jolly chap!"
"Young man," answered his mentor, "never let me hear you call a belted
Earl a 'jolly chap' again; it is disrespectful; 'honour to whom honour
is due,' remember that."
Mr. Lennox stayed for tea, and during all the evening nothing else was
spoken of but Lord Wentworth, and Mr. Lennox's judgment of faces, a
topic he was never tired of introducing. Ellen made Johnny recount over
and over the very conversations of the Earl, and took no pains to
conceal from L'Estrange that his star had set; so it was well for him he
left early next day for a week's shooting across the river. Mr. Lennox
during the whole week daily inspected the refitting of the Earl's pew,
and gave many suggestions, and proposed little alterations he felt sure
would very much please his lordship. We shall see by-and-by in what
spirit they were received. The week, to Ellen, wore very slowly away; at
last the long-wished-for day dawned when she was again to gratify her
fatal wishes, and see him once more. A short time before the hour Lord
Wentworth was expected Mr. Lennox made his appearance at Seaview, in
order, as he said, to ask Mr. Ravensworth's opinion on a will, but
really in hopes he might be asked by the Earl to accompany him in his
carriage; and he thought with pride how he would be complimented on his
taste, and even told Mr. Ravensworth so as he perused the law-papers,
not even crediting his real motive. Johnny took his seat at the window;
and no watchman ever looked out more attentively for the enemy than he
did to catch the first glimpse of the carriage. Ellen was reading a book
in an abstracted way, and her eye often wandered from its pages to the
road; too often not to show her heart was not with her book.
He came at last; but to Johnny's surprise, and not a little to his
chagrin, not in the drag, but seated on a fine horse, while a short way
behind rode his favourite servant on a horse almost equally magnificent.
Ellen was, however, charmed at the manner he managed his fiery steed,
which showed his fine figure off to perfection. "L'Estrange was right,"
she thought, "he is handsome--he is!" Johnny had in the meantime
acquainted his father with the Earl's arrival.
"Did he drive here, Johnny?"
"No," Johnny replied, discontentedly, "he is only riding to-day."
"Confound it!" slipped out of Mr. Lennox's lips, before he could arrest
the words, as he thus saw his hoped-for drive vanish, "however," he
said, "if his lordship is riding, I shall have the pleasure of
accompanying you both, Mr. Ravensworth."
By this time Lord Wentworth had pulled up, and throwing his reins to
Philip, himself dismounted and rang the bell. He had not long to wait;
almost instantly the door was opened by the officious Mr. Lennox, who
made his profoundest bow, and asked after his lordship's health.
Refusing an invitation to luncheon, to Ellen's extreme vexation, he
proposed instantly walking to the church.
"Philip, lead my horse along,--unless, youngster," (addressing Johnny),
"you like a ride--up with you, don't be afraid."
Johnny, however, declined the honour with thanks, not much relishing the
idea of mounting a thoroughbred horse, as its fiery eye and thin
transparent nostril betokened, as it champed its bit impatiently.
"No, thank you!" repeated the Earl, in wonder; "now when I was a boy I
should have jumped at the proposal,--but times are changed since then.
Philip, lead him."
Johnny felt he had gone down a peg in Lord Wentworth's estimation, and
ten in the groom's. Young Nimrod, such was the horse's name, required
indeed a high hand to rule him, and gave Philip not a little trouble,
rearing, kicking, and plunging all the way in a manner which made Johnny
feel glad he was not exposed to. Little was said on their way to the
church;--when they reached it Mr. Lennox, as usual, led the way to the
pew, round which stood Mr. Taylor, the upholsterer, and several workmen
admiring their handy-work. Indeed, the pew certainly shone out not a
little above its compeers, with its crimson curtains--velvet
cushions--and the table in the centre covered with a rich cloth, fringed
with gold; a sandal-wood door, and gorgeous oil-cloth, completed the
furnishings.
"I think, my Lord, this is highly elegant, and distingue," said Mr.
Lennox; "I myself superintended everything."
"I am sorry you took so much trouble," remarked Lord Wentworth,
regarding the whole with a gloomy expression. Then turning sharply round
on Mr. Taylor, and muttering to himself, "elegant!" "distingue!" he
said: "I thought I ordered a plain mahogany door, and how comes there
one of sandal-wood?"
"I thought,--my Lord----"
"What business had _you_ to think, sir?--your duty was to _obey_. My
orders were implicit, and how dared you disobey them? take the trash
away!" and suiting the action to the word, with one kick his lordship
literally smashed the frail door to pieces. The light thus admitted
revealed for the first time the showy oil-cloth, which excited his ire
not a little.
"And what the devil is this?--I ordered a carpet, and not this
gin-palace snobbery!" shouted the enraged peer, forgetting in his
passion whose house he was in.
Mr. Lennox here interposed, and said it was not Mr. Taylor's fault but
his own, as he had thought it would look better.
"Then, another time, Mr. Lennox, I will thank you to mind your own
business and let me mind mine--I am not accustomed to have my orders
countermanded. Rip the accursed thing up. I will not move till it is
gone."
Some workmen standing near executed this order with the utmost despatch,
much fearing a more palpable display of wrath.
"And take off that gilt fringe, and let all be plain and quiet. Mr.
Taylor, you have strangely mistaken my meaning: I wished a comfortable
pew, not a vulgar display for every one to stare at. Let all this be
done by to-morrow, and by heaven! let me catch you disobeying my orders
again, and I will find some one else to execute them."
Mr. Taylor in mute fear only bowed acquiescence, and the Earl then
turned on his heel, and as ill luck would have it nearly upset Johnny,
who, half-amused, half-terrified, and laughing in his sleeve at Mr.
Lennox's discomfiture, stood in stupid astonishment, till he was roused
by an angry "Out of the way, boy--what are you blocking up the passage
for?" and saw his lordship brush past to the door, where he mounted his
fretting steed, coldly bowed to the bewildered throng--and, plunging
his spurs into young Nimrod, left them to talk over their rebuff.
Bad temper is proverbially infectious, and as soon as he was gone a
scene of mutual recrimination ensued. Mr. Ravensworth blamed Mr. Lennox
for his officiousness; Mr. Lennox blamed Johnny, as the cause of all by
refusing the offer of a ride. Mr. Taylor was much annoyed at his
weakness in departing from orders, and even Johnny could not help
muttering something about Mr. Lennox's _good taste_, which he did not
fail to hear, and which added to his wrath and chagrin not a little.
When Ellen heard the story she was more vexed than any of them,--vexed
at this cloud which seemed to banish all her hopes risen on her heaven
of blue. Her temper was not bettered by the arrival of Captain
L'Estrange, who, however, treated the matter as a joke, and was vastly
amused by Johnny's description of the scene, and the door, which he said
was stove in as if it had been a band-box.
"I know the Earl," said L'Estrange, "his passions are as short-lived as
they are violent; had it been the Captain, by Jove! you would not have
got off so well: I think he would have floored the whole of you, and
thrashed you, Johnny, with his horsewhip had you got in his way. I
should have liked to have seen Lennox's face though."
Lord Wentworth rode to the Towers at a fiery speed, his temper decidedly
not bettered by a drenching rain which overtook him on his way. When,
however, he reached home and found his brother, the Captain, and the
Marquis of Arranmore just arrived, all traces of his anger immediately
vanished. That evening much had to be talked on over their wine, and
after the young ladies had retired the gentlemen adjourned to the
smoking-room, where they laughed well over the incidents of the day,
till the clock striking twelve warned them Sunday had commenced.
The Captain, however, was little troubled by religious scruples, and
continued over his punch more than an hour after all the rest had sought
the charms of Morpheus, a feat the Captain alone was capable of, as a
man must be very far gone who can sit down and enjoy his toddy quite
alone as he did.