MY FIRST QUARREL WITH MR. LEE.
As I entered the lower hall, I met Mr. Lee. He gave me a look such as I
never before saw in his face; it so increased my indignation, that, if
it had not been for Jessie, I would have walked out of the house that
instant.
"Miss Hyde," he said, in the low, measured tone his voice always took
when he was angry, "will you step into the library for a moment?"
"Do you wish to speak with me?" I asked, rebelliously.
"If you have leisure."
I swept before him into the room. Every drop of blood in my veins
tingled as if on fire. He followed me, and closed the door.
"How does it happen," he began, "that you and Jessie went upon an
expedition like that of this morning without consulting me?"
I did my best to answer quietly, although his manner aggravated me
almost beyond endurance.
"Simply because you were not here to consult," I replied.
"But you could have told me last night."
Then I flashed up a little, and said,--
"Mr. Lee, I am not a school-girl, to be crowded into a corner and
catechized."
"Madam," he returned, "I think I have a right to know everything
connected with my daughter; I will permit no mysteries in this house."
"There have been none on my part or Jessie's," I replied.
"Then be good enough to give me an explanation of what, I own, seems to
me a singular proceeding in a lady of your acknowledged discretion."
"It is easily done," I answered, still remembering Jessie, and so
remaining reasonably calm. "Yesterday, old Mrs. Bosworth sent for me;
her grandson is very ill--he has brain-fever. He begged to see us
particularly. I came home and told your wife; she said Jessie should go
to-day. We expected you to accompany us. Last night there was no
opportunity of speaking to you, every moment of your time was occupied.
This morning, you were gone; but as I had the mother's permission, I
thought it no harm to start. A visit to a sick, almost a dying man, can
never injure your daughter, Mr. Lee."
His face flushed at once.
"I was mistaken," he said.
"You must have been cruelly mistaken or misinformed," I replied, coldly,
"when you could address me as you have done."
"I beg your pardon, Miss Hyde," he returned.
I granted it with a sullen bend of the head.
"Who told you where we had gone?" I asked, bluntly.
He hesitated, and I followed up my advantage.
"No one knew of it but Mrs. Lee," I said; "you have not seen her to-day.
Yesterday you reproved me for sending Cora out of the hall; sir, she was
listening while I told Jessie, and repeated it to her mistress. I don't
know what you may think of such conduct on the part of a guest; but to
me the idea of making trouble in a house where one has been hospitably
treated, seems very contemptible."
"Miss Hyde! Miss Hyde!" he exclaimed, "I assure you Mrs. Dennison did it
thoughtlessly--she had no idea."
"Excuse me," said I, still burning with indignation, "I am quite capable
of forming and holding my own opinions; it is a right I shall not
readily relinquish."
I am sorry to say we very nearly had a serious quarrel; but I was so
dissatisfied, so indignant that a man of his sense and refinement could
be duped in the way he was, that I could not control myself.
We parted civilly enough, however; and when I went up-stairs, Jessie
knew all about the affair; Mrs. Dennison had been to her crying and
begging for forgiveness. She had thoughtlessly repeated to her father
where we had gone, he was angry, and the whole thing was breaking her
heart.
"I dare say she meant no harm," added Jessie; "she is so giddy."
"Pray, how did she know?" I asked.
"She fancied it, she said."
"That was a falsehood," I retorted. "Cora told her--I knew she was
listening yesterday."
Jessie was as much shocked with me as her father had been. With their
exaggerated ideas of hospitality, they considered it little less than a
crime to acknowledge that a guest could have any fault.
"Oh, Aunt Matty!" she said, "I never knew you unjust before."
I was forced to go out of the room; my anger was over, and I felt the
tears rushing to my eyes. I passed a very uncomfortable day. Jessie and
her father came to an understanding; Mrs. Dennison soon had them both
under her spell again, and I knew they blamed me exceedingly.
I loved them too well for real indignation; but I was broken-hearted at
the idea that this woman could come between Jessie and her love for me.
There was company at dinner. I spent the evening in Mrs. Lee's room--the
first comfortable hour I had passed since morning. She did not know that
anything had gone wrong, pitied my head, which she was sure ached
terribly, and by her sweet and tender kindness made me somewhat more
reconciled to life.
I sat in my own room after I left her, but did not retire until very
late. I heard the guests go away--heard the different members of the
family pass up to their rooms; but still I sat by the window, sad and
lonely. At last the clock struck one. I rose, startled into common-sense
again, stopped star-gazing, and closing my window, prepared for rest.
Suddenly I heard a noise--very faint, but my nerves were wonderfully
acute that night. I opened the door and looked into the hall; as I did
so, I saw a figure clad in white glide out of Lottie's chamber, and
disappear down the passage.
I fairly thought it something supernatural at first, then I ran out, but
there was nothing to be seen. I stole to Lottie's room and looked in;
she was sleeping soundly, so I went back to my own apartment. That
incident, added to the excitement of the day, kept me awake for hours. I
tried to convince myself that it was only one of my ridiculous fancies:
but the effort was in vain; I knew that I had seen that white shape
steal by--it was no delusion. Who was it? What was it?
I determined to say nothing, feeling certain that everybody would laugh
at me. I knew that it was silly, but I could not drive away the terror
that chilled my heart. Everything had gone so wrong of late, that quiet
house was so changed, that the least thing disturbed me more than events
of importance would once have done.