FOR BETTER FOR WORSE.
The sun of that short Christmas day was already dipping behind
the tall Chickaree woods, laying bars of light and threads of gold
where once green leaves had been, when Dr. Maryland's little
sleigh came jingling up the long hill road to the door of the house.
There had been a heavy fall of snow two days before, and
wanderings and ridesand everything but sleighinghad been
effectually stopped. Only the doctor and his two daughters were in
the sleigh; for Dr. Arthur was helping his friend in the Hollow, to
appear with him by and by at dinner-time. But this day Wych
Hazel did not come running to meet them, as sometimes. The
ladies were ushered and waited on by Phoebe in one of the state
rooms; and Dr. Maryland was taken care of in another to match, so
full of wax candles and firelight and cheval glasses, that whether it
was himself or the attendant that confronted him at every turn, the
doctor could hardly tell. For though there was lingering sunlight
still out of doors, shutters were closed and candles lighted all over
the house, in every open room but Wych Hazel's own. In her
special room of rooms and retreat of retreats upstairs, the afternoon
sun came glinting in as long as it would, and for a successor had
only the twilight. And there she knelt by the window, gazing out
on the fired tree tops, and the gathering shades, till she heard the
sleigh bells come. Yes, till she heard the steps go down the
staircase, and the door of the great drawing-room open and close
behind her guests. O if Mr. Falkirk was there! she thought. And
then came Phoebe with a message, to know if Mrs. Boërresen
might see her. Gyda was at once asked to come upstairs.
Hazel met her standing, in the middle of the room. It was in half
gloom by this time; but even by the faint light Hazel could see the
glitter of the embroidery on the Norwegian jacket. Gyda was in
great state. The fair, mild, old face Hazel could not well see; the
voice was its fit interpreter. Gyda came forward and kissed her
hand.
'How is my dear lad's lady to-night?'
The adjective did double duty; but the tone was unmistakeably
tender and anxious. Hazel had met her with both hands stretched
out; now she drew her along gently to a chair.
'Sit down,' she said. 'I can be spared a few minutes.' But she herself
stood still, keeping fast her hold. 'I am glad you have come. Are
you well?after all that fatigue?'
'Doesn't my lady know, there is no evil to them that trust in Him?'
'Yes.'
'It is a glad day for me, my dear; but I know the heart of a young
maiden, and that it's not altogether a glad day for you. Can my
lad's old nurse be any use? He told me to see if I could; that's why
I'm bold to ask.'
Hazel passed her little fingers softly over Gyda's hand; she did not
speak at once.
'Perhapsafter dinner. Will you sit here after dinner till I come?
Now I must go.'
Hazel put her visiter in Mrs. Bywank's charge, and giving herself
no time to think ran down stairs.
The great drawing-room was all ablaze, with hickory sticks and
wax candles, and the reflected sheen from old chairbacks, and
brass andirons, and silver sconces. The turkey carpet on the floor
alone absorbed and hid the light. Into this glow came Wych Hazel
suddenly and softly. She was in one of her brilliant toilettes to-
night; one that made Mrs. Coles open her eyes, and forget for a
minute to open her mouth; and must have plunged Prim in a
puzzle. One vivid spot on either cheek, and the silky hair in curls
and waves and rings of its own making, and the brown eyes
looking somewhere where you could not follow,it was better
than a picture to see her, it was almost like music to hear her tread.
But old admirers of Miss Kennedy knew well, that a brilliant
toilette did not bespeak the lady to be easy of access. So it was to-
night; she was unapproachable. It was like looking at the fire
through a glass screen. Yet she was very affectionate to Primrose,
a little stately to Mrs. Coles; and gave Dr. Maryland's hand a grip
of her small fingers which would have gone to his heart had he
known what it meant.
'My dear!' said Mrs. Coles, 'you look as if you expected a party. It
isn't true, is it? I thought we were asked to just a family gathering.'
'I expect only the gentlemen from the Hollow,' said Wych Hazel.
'Prim, are you quite warm?'
'It makes me warm only to look at you,' said prim admiringly. 'Oh
Hazel, you do know how to dress _beautifully_.' Prim's eyes were
wondering as well as admiring, and a trifle speculative also.
'It is of no use to dress for gentlemen, Miss Kennedy,' said Prim's
sister, shaking her head, the fair bandeaux of which were in
excellent order. 'They never know what we have on. It is
mortifyingbut it's a fact.'
'Facts about oneself often are,' said Hazel. 'But fiction comes in to
set things straight.'
'I am thinking,' said Mrs. Coles, in a half whisper and with a smile,
'how Dane's principles will harmonize, by and by, with Hazel's
practice. Will he hold himself responsible, Prim, do you
suppose?or will he console himself with the reflection that he
cannot help it? Though if Dane Rollo does _that_, it will be the first
time in his life. What are his notions about dress, now-a-days,
Miss Kennedy? has he revealed them to you yet? I don't see any
change in his own.'
'I think I know more of my own notions,' said the girl. 'Dr.
Maryland, you have taken the very hardest chair in the room! This
is the one you ought to have, by me.'
'You have a pretty house, my dear,' said the old doctor as he
obediently made the change. 'I never saw it look prettier than it
does to-night. A handsome old house! I hope Dane won't want to
make any changes here. If he does, don't let him, my dear.'
'He won't,' said Prim. 'What an idea, papa! Dane has some sense.'
'When anybody gets in the spirit of change, though,' said
Prudentia,'you never know how far it will go. He may think one
end of the house suitable for a hospital; or build an addition for a
refuge.'
'Prue, you do talk nonsense,' said her sister. 'Hazel wouldn't like
that; and Dane wouldn't like what she wouldn't like.'
'Wouldn't he?' Mrs. Coles responded, with a little, most
disagreeable laugh.
'Hazel will be able to regulate all that,' said Dr. Maryland. 'I don't
think Dane would do what she would disapprove of. Ha, here they
are!'
The jingle of the sleigh bells was heard passing the windows; and
for a minute all the party were silent. And the Christmas wind
moaned in the chimney, as much as to say, 'I have seen many a
Christmas here; you are all new comers, compared to me.' And
Wych Hazel sat trying to manage herself, with her heart on the
jump. She had been breathless and speechless during the late
pleasant little discussion of her affairs, but now for the moment
even Mrs. Coles was forgotten. The next thing was a message from
Mrs. Bywank; could Miss Wych step to the housekeeper's room
for a moment? And in the housekeeper's room Hazel found only
one person, and that one was not Mrs. Bywank.
He met her eagerly, and at the same time with the manner of
reverential tenderness she was accustomed to have from him
lately; as if he remembered how alone she was, and that he must
be mother and lover and all in one. And she did her best to give
him a smile; but he got it most in the low-toned intonation, after
all, with which she answered his question, how she was?
'You did not get the Christmas gift I had intended for you,' he went
on; and if his eye had a sparkle of joy in it, his face and manner
were as grave and quiet as consideration for her could have
suggested. 'I have been disappointed, much to my mortification.
The carriage has not come. I had ordered a pony chaise to be here,
which I thought you would like. The pony is on the stable.'
She glanced up at him and down, with quick changes in her face,
but somehow words would not come. His words touched too many
things,and things would not bear touching, to-night. And she
could not say a common "thank you"; she could not talk of the
trouble he had taken; and pleasure was rather hull down at present,
with some leagues of uncertain weather between. No use!
'How could you find time?' she said timidly. But again the voice
supplemented the words; and Rollo probably did not feel himself
unthanked, for he went on with no want of content in his voice.
'I have left all happy in the Hollow. Every house has a Christmas
dinner; and your sugarplums are making life sweet to the souls of
young and old. Charteris men and all; every house has comfort in
it to-night. I wish you could have seen a few of the faces that came
to thank me. You know, I sent off the parcels to the several houses;
so for a while I worked on free enough; but when the thing began
to get wind, men, women and children came collecting about me,
looking on with great eyes of wonder, and some eyes of tears, and
muttered wordsI can tell you, I wished them all away!'
There was a suspicious sympathetic softness in Rollo's own eyes,
which complemented his words.
'Then the Charteris men at last set up petitioning. Wouldn't I have
mercy on them?'And Dane broke off short, and turned to the
table where lay a jewel case.
'Here is a sugarplum for you, Hazel,' he said presently, with his
voice clear again. 'You do not want sugarplumsbut I want you to
have this.'
What he took out was an old-fashioned, rather massive, gold
chatelaine; heavy and rich and quaint, with various trinkets
fastened and hanging to it.
'This makes you my castle-keeper,' said Dane, proceeding to attach
it properly to Wych Hazel's belt. 'My mother used to wear it.
This,'taking up a little gold key,'you will observe, is the key
of your money-box. These seals you will study at your leisure.
Here is a wee gold compass, Hazel; this is symbolical. It means,
"Know where you are, and take care which way you go." Your
vinaigrette you will never get again. I shall have to find you
another.'
The jewel hung richly at Wych Hazel's side, giving a curious touch
of stateliness to the little lady. Indeed little she was not, in matter
of stature; it was the extreme daintiness of every detail that gave
occasion to the epithet. Dane's eyes took the effect. Hazel stood
looking down, possibly taking the effect too. Then she turned short
about.
'I have nothing to give you,' she said,'exceptYou will think all
my gifts are in one line.'
She was gone out of the room in a moment, but in another moment
or two was back again, and holding in her hand a little gold locket.
'I found it one day among the old things, and I thought, perhaps,
you might like'
She touched the spring and laid the open locket in his hand. It was
an exquisite miniature of herself as a child; the Wych Hazel of six
years old, in a white frock. A few hurried words finished the
sentence.'Might like to see what they gave you, so long ago.'
In all true manliness there is a large element of tenderness; and
something stirred the tenderness in this man more than he cared to
shew. Wych Hazel's mood needed no exciting. He was very still
for a few minutes, looking at the locket, with eyelids dropped too
low for her to see his eyes; then he turned to kiss her.
'I do not take this from your hand, Hazel, but from your mother's.
You cannot give me anything to-day but the original. I hope she
will know how I hold both.'
It was time to rejoin the people in the drawing-room, but it suited
Hazel to let Dane go in by himself and to follow afterwards alone.
She did not so escape Mrs. Coles.
'I thought,' remarked that lady with a significant smile, 'that your
housekeeper was too skilled in her business to need consultation
with anybody.'
'Prudentia,' said Dane, 'you are not looking well.'
'That is very impolitefrom a gentleman to a lady.'
'Not from a brother to a sister, though.'
A flush rose into Mrs. Coles' cheeks, which were pale enough, and
a strange confusion of expressions for a moment reigned there. She
was plainly surprised, evidently gratified, as evidently very much
puzzled. Withal, so much moved, from whatever cause, that her
features were not quite under command and her answer was scarce
intelligible.
'She's been a little weakish, or so,' said her father, 'She don't
complain much.'
'What's good for you?' said Dane.
'It is good for her to be out,' said Prim. 'But you know we can't
much in this weather. Arthur drives her out sometimes; but Prue
don't like his driving so fast. Do all doctors drive fast? Why can't
they go like other people?'
'Policy. If we drove slowly, people would say we had small
practice.'
Dr. Arthur found it unusually hard to get his hands warm to-night,
and still stood up by the fire taking notice. Among other things
there was not a flower in all the rooms. Nor a wreath, nor anything
that even looked like decoration. The doctor's quick eyes went
from the unadorned rooms to Wych Hazel's dress, and her face,
and Dane's face. After which, Dr. Arthur professed himself
comfortable, and sat down. But a little silence had fallen upon the
people; and the wind moaned in the chimney again.
'It is a sweet time, this Christian time,' said Primrose. 'I always
enjoy it. It _feels_ like Christmas, somehow, here to-night. Listen to
that wind. I dare say it is going to snow again. But it sounds like
Christmas.'
'Why?' said Dane.
'I can't tell the why of things,' said Primrose. 'I suppose I have been
thinking of your doings in the Hollow, Duke. Wasn't it good?'
'It was very good, Prim. It is good now to think of. Yes, it does feel
like Christmas, as you say. All Mill Hollow is happy to-night. No!
I'm too hasty. The Charteris men cannot be happy; for they don't
know what is to become of them when their Christmas beef is
gone!'
'What _will_ become of them, Dane?' said Primrose, looking very
anxious.
'There is no hope for them, except in the mills going on with
work.'
'And is there any hope of that?' said Mrs. Coles.
'Not unless somebody buys them off Charteris's hands.'
'Perhaps you'll do that.'
'I should hardly think that would be prudent,' said Dr. Maryland.
'Dane's responsibilities are large as it is.'
'Miss Kennedy, perhaps?' suggested Mrs. Coles. 'Hasn't Dane
touched your heart for the mill people, Miss Kennedy?'
She turned for a better look into Hazel's face; but Rollo interfered
again.
'You forget she is under guardians, Prudentia. What would Mr.
Falkirk say?'
'How comes it Mr. Falkirk is not here?to-night of all nights!'
said Dr. Arthur suddenly. He was sitting by Wych Hazel, and she
answered pretty steadily, though certain intuitions were waking up
concerning _his_ face.
'Mr. Falkirk wrote that he could not come back for Christmas,
nor perhaps until spring.'
'He does not take the same pleasure in it that Prim does,' Rollo
remarked.
The dinner bugle, and the opened door, cut short all further
comment upon Mr. Falkirk. Wych Hazel went in upon Dr.
Maryland's arm, with a strange feeling of its being the last time,
the last of _her_ entertainments, which had been so pretty and
popular. So she felt when in her place at the head of the table, with
Dr. Maryland on her right and Dr. Arthur on her left. There were
flowers enough here, the table was in a glow. Not stiff baskets and
made-up bouquets, but cut flowers in every sort of dish and
arrangement for which there was room; from the low narrow
border of violets and rosebuds which fenced off the plates, to
parian shells and fairy glasses and a bewildering pyramid in the
centre. The very candlesticks were wreathed. No gardener's work;
those who had seen such before knew the touch of Wych Hazel's
own fingers. She hardly knew it herself; and eyes that watched her
might catch now and then a dreamy look at the flowers,
wondering if she had arranged them!if she should ever arrange
any more.
Besides this the table was bountiful of course with the old
Chickaree silver and china and glass; and by each plate, on the rich
damask, lay a separate, individual knot of flowers, with a scroll
around it, naming the guest. These were culled flowers; but Dr.
Arthur took notice that Wych Hazel did not even handle her own,
but left it where it lay.
Then, shielded under each napkin, was some pretty token of
Christmas. A weighty book, for which Dr. Maryland had been
longing; and for Dr. Arthur a fine field glass. Mrs. Coles rejoiced
in the prettiest ring she had ever possessed; while by Prim lay a
heap of little articles,a fruit knife, a gold thimble, a superb
cutting-out scissors a foot long.
'That must be the very tool employed by Bluebeard!' said Dr.
Arthur. 'I always marvelled at the clever celerity of his work. Prim,
when you are married you must give that to me.'
'Looks suspicious for _his_ wife!' said Dane.
'I like thoughts in such things,' said Dr. Arthur, looking towards
the foot of the table and the bonbonnière that stood by Rollo's
plate; a good-sized wheelbarrow loaded with cotton-bales of
French candy. 'Which is it Dane?work in sugar, or sugar in
work?'
'The two terms are so transposable, I need not trouble myself much
to find out which.'
So the dinner went merrily on. Of course Mrs. Bywank's part of it
was unsurpassed; and but one thing was missing to which guests
there were accustomedWych Hazel's laugh. But her attention to
the guests never failed, and if she only played with her dinner, and
if she was all the time living a double life and carrying on two
trains of thought, few people found it out. Once indeed, apropos to
some demand for roast beef, she wandered quite off to Morton
Hollow and the Charteris men; and then of a sudden the lips parted
in a full smile, and the brown eyes went down the table to Rollo
for sympathy. A moment of forgetfulness followed by one of great
confusion, as she remembered that he could not possibly know
what she was smiling at. Hazel was glad to drop her napkin or do
anything else to put her face out of sight. As for Dane, his part that
evening might be described as filling gaps. He did it admirably.
Perhaps he was not to be greatly credited for that, inasmuch as
happiness is a great lubricator of the social wheels. He did it, at
any rate, easily and coolly too, according to his usual wont. He
talked to Dr. Maryland, was affectionate to Prim, amused Mrs.
Coles, watched over Wych Hazel and took care of her if ever an
emergency in the conversation made it desirable.
The evening in the drawing-room sped quite merrily away, and
only the quick flutter of the lace round Wych Hazel's throat, told of
something hidden and not at rest. Some European views for the
stereoscope were brought out of their corner, and Rollo led the talk
in the direction thus indicated, where he had plenty to say.
Suddenly passing to Wych Hazel's side he sat down and said half
softly,
'There is another view we were going to shew thema new one
is it ready to be introduced? or will it come better later?'
He got another quick look then,searching, exploring,a look to
be remembered.
'Give me a few minutes'
And presently, when no one was looking, the little lady flitted
away out of the room.
It is fair to say that the gentleman so far lost his presence of mind
for some minutes thereafter, as to be justly chargeable with what is
called _absence_. He scarcely answered the observations addressed
to him, and made several on his own account without very well
knowing what he was talking about. And so, for a little, if Time
"gallopped" up stairs, he went rather slowly, with one or two at
least, in the drawing-room. Dr. Arthur presently drew off from the
views and took position again by the mantel-piece,probably to
hear the Christmas wind, which was very musical just then. And
probably the doctor's thoughts too wandered off; for after a while
he took a pair of white gloves from his pocket and began
abstractedly to fit them on.
'Arthur!' said Mrs. Coles severely, whose eyes were never known
to be off duty,'what can you be about?'
'That's the way some people do,' said Rollo after a quick glance;
'they are never ready for an occasion till the occasion is half over.'
'But what is the "occasion"?' said Mrs. Coles.
'Christmas day at Chickareedinnerand, Arthur seems to think,
ceremony.'
'Look at Arthur, Prim,' said her sister.
'It is a leisure moment,' said Dr. Arthur fastening a button,'and I
so seldom have leisure in which to try on new gloves. One of the
minor comforts of life, is having your gloves fit.' And Dr. Arthur
glanced at Dane from under his brows, and went back to his other
glove and the Christmas wind again.
'I declare,' said Prudentia, 'I think you are very unceremonious!'
'Extremes meet,here as often elsewhere,' replied Dane.
'But what have you been getting new white gloves for, Arthur?'
asked his younger sister.
'They look better than old ones, Prim,when they fit.'
'Has Molly Seaton sent you cards for her wedding?'
'I dare say.What about it?'
'She hasn't,nor anybody else,' said Rollo.
'Useless things'said Dr. Arthur. 'I am glad they have not come.'
Another time Dane might have discussed the subject; but not to-
night. He was silent. And as people catch the hidden influences
abroad in the air, the others grew silent too, not knowing why,
thinking it was the wind which drew their attention. Dr. Arthur,
leaning against the mantelpiece with his eyes on the floor, in an
attitude of keen listening, had plainly forgotten his gloves; and the
fire snapped softly, and the red coals fell, and still nobody spoke.
Until, when some little time had passed by, there came a sound of
steps in the hall,steps slow and rather heavy; and the door
opened softly, and a vision came in. Not hers the steps they had
heard; so noiselessly she came in, so vision-like she looked, so
lovely, so girlish in her loveliness, that a caught breath, a half
exclamation, greeted her on all hands. The glittering dress was all
changed. Not for the white clouds in which her mother might have
arrayed her, nor for anything that should make her conspicuous, or
could be so. More for seclusion than for show, Wych Hazel had
chosen her bridal dress. Dark,so dark that the depths of folds
might have been black, and only the light-touched edges threw off
a sea-green _reflet;_ with no ornaments but the châtelaine at her side,
with no adornment but her own silky hair in its own wayward
arrangement. To all this there was just one addition. Hazel had
taken the lace veil,exquisite in pattern, cobweb-like in texture,
and laid it across her head like a Spanish mantilla, from whence it
came down about her on all sides to the floor, leaving only the face
and the front of the dress clear. One little ungloved hand held the
lace lightly together; for gloves that there was nobody to take off,
Hazel could not put on.
Mrs. Bywank and Reo followed close behind her, behind them old
Gyda. But there is something in a crisis which stills some natures;
and while the faces of the faithful old retainers, weatherbeaten
with life's alternating wind and sun, worked and stirred with
emotion, the girl herself was quiet and composed, with almost the
grave childish calm of her own little picture. Her step was a little
quick, but even the colour did not stir, until when after the first
three steps into the room there came a minute's hesitation, as if she
did not quite know where to go, now she was there. If any others
of the household followedas probably they didthose who
looked saw only the three; and perhaps the glitter of Gyda's
embroidery just behind.
Just while Wych Hazel made those three steps into the room, there
was a pause upon all that saw her. A half smothered 'My dear!'
came from Mrs. Coles' astonished lips, and was arrested mid way.
For so many seconds Dane did not move, losing everything else in
the direct vision; but then he was at Wych Hazel's side
immediately and gave her his arm. A great light had come up into
his face, all the light of a smile, but he was not smiling. He led
Wych Hazel forward till they stood at the edge of the semicircle
which had spread out right and left of the table, everybody having
risen to his feet.
'You see what we want of you, Dr. Maryland,' he said. 'Will you
do us the greatest favour you ever can do us?'
'My dear boy!Dane!' exclaimed the old doctor in
bewilderment,'is it possible? Is this little lady ready on such
short notice?'
'She is ready,'replied Dane, with a hidden ring of strength and
tenderness in his voice that only one person could fairly
comprehend. And Dr. Maryland seeing them stand still waiting
before him was fain to believe his eyes and began to bestir himself
to make his preparations. Not many were needed.
'There is a Bible on that table yonder, Arthur,' said Rollo, standing
like a rock. Mrs. Coles by this time found breath.
'But Dane!My dear Miss Kennedy!you _don't_ surely mean to
do without having a wedding?'
'Hush, Prue!' said her sister.
'But I never heard of such a thing in my life!'
Nobody heeded her.
Dr. Maryland was ready, and Dane leading Wych Hazel to a place
in front of him, dropped her arm and stood beside her. It was time,
for a crisis will not bear tampering with; and the girl had grown
visibly paler under pressure of Mrs. Coles, and hands were
trembling a little, and lips almost. Then she drew herself up with
her old quick gesture, and sealed all that, and hid it away. And it
was but a few minutes. There was no want of sympathy in Dr.
Maryland's sweet, grave ministration; a little accent of gladness
was here and there perceptible, and his prayers were exceedingly
earnest and loving. The words of address he directed to the two
young people were searching and stirring words, such as Dr.
Maryland could well speak; but it was all swiftly over, though his
utterances were the reverse of swift. On the contrary, they were
tender and deliberate. But even so, it was quickly over, and Hazel
was receiving the congratulations of her little knot of friends.
Now character came out. The old Doctor's touch of her brow was
hearty enough but a little formal. Prim's kiss was trembling.
Prudentia's was the impact of wooden lips, moveless and hard; one
would have said, sinister, if an expressionless thing could be said
to have expression. All the notes of the scale were between her
husband's kiss and that, Dr. Arthur almost making up for the rest
with his glad, brotherly greeting for Hazel and a brother's wring of
the hand for Dane. But from them all, Wych Hazel turned and
threw her arms round Mrs. Bywank. Restraining herself then with
a great effort, she raised her head and took Reo's hand in both of
hers; but not a word passed on either side. And Gyda, who had
meekly waited her turn, drew near and lifted one of Wych Hazel's
hands to her old lips. She too said nothing audibly, and made way
for others of the household who were bashfully coming in.
'Now will you tell me, Dane,' began Mrs. Coles, when the pause at
her end of the room had lasted, as she thought long enough, 'why
you and Miss Kennedy have done things in this unheard-of sort of
style?'
Perhaps Dane thought it was not a proper question, for he folded
his arms and did not answer. Perhaps he did not hear her; for,
though with no outward token of it, he was somewhat anxiously
watching Wych Hazel.
'What made you do things in this way, to disappoint all the world?'
The lady's face wore a smile which was meant to be gracious,
however the words sounded not so.
'Prue,' said Prim, 'people have a right to be married in their own
way.'
'But my dear!Don't you think you owe something to society,
Dane? In your position?'
'I never understood my obligations to society,' said Dane
carelessly.
'But do you think it is fair, to disappoint all the world?'
'Always fair to disappoint improper curiosity.'
'Well, but why is that improper curiosity?'
'Curiosity about other people's business,' said Dane good-
humouredly.
'And do you call _that_ improper?'
'I suppose not,when custom has made it seem to be your own
business.'
'That's it; custom _has_ made it not only seem but be so. And I think
it is perfectly natural and reasonable and proper. When does a lady
show to more advantage than on her wedding-day? And why
should not the world have the benefit of it?'
'I do not know why not,' said Dane smiling,'if it suits the parties
concerned.'
'Why didn't it suit you, you jealous Musulman?'
'When a lady has never been seen to advantage,' remarked Dr.
Arthur,'that may alter the case. Her Grace is hardly one of
those.'
Not one word had come from Hazel's lips, that anybody heard,
since those few which nobody was likely to forget. Indeed she had
kept herself rather off from the group, among her own dependants,
one and all of whom had by degrees filled up the background. And
it was no trifle to give even a touch of the hand to all those eager
retainers; the touch and the look, which was all she ventured. Now
the room was clearing again; and whether Hazel had heard all the
talk or no, her cheeks gave swift token that Dr. Arthur's last
sentence had reached her ears. "Her Grace"she could not throw
off the title any more.
But whatever the rights of the public may be in the matter of
seeing, the right of discussing, with the parties at hand, Hazel
plainly thought needed a check. So the next thing that attracted
or distractedMrs. Coles, was the soft ringing peal of her little
whistle; and answering promptly to that, the tea bugle. Then the
door flew open, and Dingee brought in the tea-service. The tray,
with the rarest old china cups, which even Rollo had never seen,
followed by Mrs. Bywank's cakes and other home-like dainties.
And Wych Hazel glided off to the rather distant table, gathering in
Mrs. Bywank and Reo and Gyda for her train; and hid herself
behind the hot water kettle, putting its soft cloud of steam between
her and all disturbance for the time being. Then Reo was sent to
build up the fires,he was a rare hand at that; and Dingee was
despatched for something else; and Hazel demanded little bits of
help from the other two near her; talking softly to them, it was
plain, though still with the same grave young face. But the whole
picture was sweeter than anybody could tell.
Looking at it, from his place in the other group, something drew
Rollo's steps that way; slow, quiet steps, which however brought
him to Gyda's side, whom Hazel had seated at the table. While he
was safe with her, Wych Hazel watched her chance, and the next
thing Dr. Maryland knew, she had brought and set down by him on
the table the perfection of a cup of tea. Without a word she was
away again and back in her place behind the tea urn; where with
Gyda et her side and the delight of Gyda's eyes standing there near
the table, Hazel took up the sugar tongs again and tried to
remember what amount of sweetening commonly sufficed for Mrs.
Coles.
'Now Dane,' said that lady, with a kind of acid sweetness of
manner, as Rollo brought her the cup,'do tell me why you have
conducted things in that way?'
Rollo looked grave and asked what things.
'Why you know! Have you sent out any cards?'
'Have you sent out any cards, Hazel?'
'Things must be sent in before they can be sent out,' said the young
lady, who having dismissed Dingee had come herself for Dr.
Maryland's cup.
'Ambiguous'said Dane turning to Mrs. Coles; 'but I take the
sense of it to be, that no cards were sent. That is not
unprecedented.'
'For people situated just as you are, my dear, it is. Now tell me
don't you want all these peopleI mean, everybody in generalto
visit you?'
'Ambiguous again,' said Dane smiling at last a little. 'Suppose, for
the sake of argument, that we do!'
'Then why not pay them the customary compliment of telling them
so?'
'But suppose, on the other hand, that we do not?'
'Why you certainly know,' replied Mrs. Coles with some asperity,
'whether you want them. Do you? or don't you?'
'I think I might say,' answered Dane demurely, 'we do,and we do
not.'
'But that is nonsense, Dane.'
'Is it?'
'You ought to want them.'
'WellI have told you; we do.'
'Then _are_ you going, when a suitable time comes, are you going to
invite all these neglected people and give them a good Reception?
you and Hazel?'
'We will give them a good reception if they come,' said Dane with
provoking want of enthusiasm.
'O I never can get anything out of you!' said the lady discomfited.
'I might have known it. Papa, do _you_ think it is well to set all the
institutions of society at defiance?'
'Why Prue,' said Dr. Maryland somewhat astonished, 'you speak as
if Society were monarch of the realm. I believe we live in a
republic.'
'What do you mean by Society?' asked Primrose.
'Why!You know.'
'I do not, indeed.'
'It means,' said Dane, 'in this country, all people in general who
have incomes above a certain limit; them, and those whom their
powerful hands lift from a subjacent platform to the freedom of
their own.'
'All people who are rich enough to invite you as you invite them,'
said Dr. Arthur.'Prim, where is your comprehension? How can
you put your feet under a man's mahogany, if he happens to have
none?'
'Is it different in other countries?' asked Mrs. Coles.
'Yes. Birth counts there, and breeding, and what a man happens to
have inside his head.'
'And does not birth count for something here?' cried Mrs. Coles.
'I have no doubt it does.'
'But not with you?'
'I speak of things as I find them,' said Dane smiling slightly. 'And
in generalities.'
'Well, think what you like of society; are you not going to regard it
at all?'
Dane turned to the Bible which still lay upon the table, and opened
it. 'What do you say to this, Prudentia?'
' "When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor
thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest
they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee." '
'Then you will live alone, I suppose, and make Hazel live so.'
'Not at all,' said Rollo coolly; 'that does not follow. The words I
was reading go on"But when thou makest a feast, call the poor,
the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they
cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the
resurrection of the just." '
'But my dear Dane!' said Mrs. Coles breathlessly; 'you don't mean
to say that you take all that literally?'
'I do not see how it is to be taken figuratively,' said Dane looking
at it.
'Why it means, of course, that we are to be kind to the poor.'
'But kinder to the rich? That looks like turning the figure topsy
turvy; and in that case you get a view which can hardly be called
correct.'
Hazel had left the tea-table now, and come softly up, taking a low
seat half behind Prim's chair, leaning her head against it. In the
shadow there she was looking and listening.
'It is a choice of invitations, that is all,' said Dr. Arthur. 'The Lord
returns all the civilities shewn to poor peopleand rich men return
their own. That is the only difference.'
'That is the comfort I have when anybody shews me kindness,' said
Dr. Maryland, with a wonderful, simple, bright smile, rising as he
spoke. 'I am one of the Lord's poor people; so I am never troubled
about the returns. Come, my childrenwe have four miles in the
snow before us.'