MEETING IN THE GARDEN.
I was a little shy, as country misses are; and, curious as I was, rather
relieved when I heard that the shipwrecked stranger had been ordered to
keep his quarters strictly, for that day at least. So, by-and-by, as
Laura Grey had a letter to write, I put on my hat, and not caring to
walk towards the town, and not daring to take the Penruthyn Road, I ran
out to the garden. The garden of Malory is one of those monastic
enclosures whose fruit-trees have long grown into venerable timber;
whose walls are stained by time, and mantled in some places with ivy;
where everything has been allowed, time out of mind, to have its own
way; where walks are grass-grown, and weeds choke the intervals between
old standard pear, and cherry, and apple-trees, and only a little plot
of ground is kept in cultivation by a dawdling, desultory man, who
carries in his daily basket of vegetables to the cook. There was a
really good Ribston-pippin or two in this untidy, but not unpicturesque
garden; and these trees were, I need scarcely tell you, a favourite
resort of ours.
The gale had nearly stripped the trees of their ruddy honours, and
thrifty Thomas Jones had, no doubt, carried the spoil away to store them
in the apple-closet. One pippin only dangled still within reach, and I
was whacking at this particularly good-looking apple with a long stick,
but as yet in vain, when I suddenly perceived that a young man, whom I
recognised as the very hero of the shipwreck, was approaching. He
walked slowly and a little lame, and was leaning on a stick. He was
smiling, and, detected in my undignified and rather greedy exercise--I
had been jumping from the ground--I was ready to sink into the earth
with shame. Perhaps, if I had been endowed with presence of mind, I
should have walked away. But I was not, on that occasion at least; and I
stood my ground, stick in hand, affecting not to see his slow advance.
It was a soft sunny day. He had come out without a hat; he had sent to
Cardyllion to procure one, and had not yet got it, as he afterwards told
me, with an apology for seeming to make himself so very much at home.
How he introduced himself I forget; I was embarrassed and disconcerted;
I know that he thanked me very much for my "hospitality," called me his
"hostess," smiling, and told me that, although he did not know my
father, he yet saw him everywhere during the season. Then he talked of
the wreck; he described his own adventures very interestingly, and spoke
of the whole thing in terms very different from those reported by Doctor
Mervyn, and with a great deal of feeling. He asked me if I had seen
anything of it from our house; and then it became my turn to speak. I
very soon got over my shyness; he was so perfectly well-bred that it was
impossible, even for a rustic such as I was, not to feel very soon quite
at her ease in his company.
So I talked away, becoming more animated; and he smiled, looking at me,
I thought, with a great deal of sympathy, and very much pleased. I
thought him very handsome. He had one point of resemblance to Mr.
Carmel. His face was pale, but, unlike his, as dark as a gipsy's. Its
tint showed the white of his eyes and his teeth with fierce effect. What
was the character of the face I saw now? Very different from the
death-like phantom that had crossed my sight the night before. It was a
face of passion and daring. A broad, low forehead, and resolute mouth,
with that pronounced under-jaw which indicates sternness and decision. I
contrasted him secretly with Mr. Carmel. But in his finely-cut features,
and dark, fierce eyes, the ascetic and noble interest of the sadder
face was wanting; but there was, for so young a person as I, a different
and a more powerful fascination in the beauty of this young man of the
world.
Before we parted I allowed him to knock down the apple I had been trying
at, and this rustic service improved our acquaintance.
I began to think, however, that our interview had lasted quite long
enough; so I took my leave, and I am certain he would have accompanied
me to the house, had I not taken advantage of his lameness, and walked
away very quickly.
As I let myself out at the garden-door, in turning I was able,
unsuspected, to steal a parting look, and I saw him watching me intently
as he leaned against the stem of a gigantic old pear-tree. It was rather
pleasant to my vanity to think that I had made a favourable impression
upon the interesting stranger.
Next day our guest met me again, near the gate of the avenue, as I was
returning to the house.
"I had a call this morning from your clergyman," he said. "He seems a
very kind old gentleman, the rector of Cardyllion; and the day is so
beautiful, he proposed a sail upon the estuary, and if you were
satisfied with him, by way of escort, and my steering--I'm an old
sailor--I'm sure you'd find it just the day to enjoy a little boating."
He looked at me, smiling eagerly.
Laura Grey and I had agreed that nothing would tempt us to go upon the
water, until all risk of lighting upon one of those horrible discoveries
from the wreck, that were now beginning to come to the surface from hour
to hour, was quite over. So I made our excuses as best I could, and told
him that since the storm we had a horror of sailing. He looked vexed and
gloomy. He walked beside me.
"Oh! I understand--Miss Grey? I was not aware--I ought, of course, to
have included her. Perhaps your friend would change her mind and induce
you to reconsider your decision. It is such a charming day."
I thanked him again, but our going was quite out of the question. He
smiled and bowed a little, but looked very much chagrined. I fancied
that he thought I meant to snub him, for proposing any such thing on so
very slight an acquaintance. I daresay if I had I should have been quite
right; but you must remember how young I was, and how unlearned in the
world's ways. Nothing, in fact, was further from my intention. To soften
matters a little, I said:
"I am very sorry we can't go. We should have liked it, I am sure, so
much; but it is quite impossible."
He walked all the way to the hall-door with me; and then he asked if I
did not intend continuing my walk a little. I bid him good-bye, however,
and went in, very full of the agreeable idea that I had made a conquest.
Laura Grey and I, walking to Cardyllion, met Doctor Mervyn, who stopped
to tell us that he had just seen his Malory patient, "R. R. M.,"
steering Williams's boat, with the old vicar on board.
"By Jove! one would have fancied he had got enough of the water for some
time to come," remarked the doctor, in conclusion. "That is the most
restless creature I ever encountered in all my professional experience!
If he had kept himself quiet yesterday and to-day, he'd have been pretty
nearly right by to-morrow; but if he goes on like this I should not
wonder if he worked himself into a fever."