"Mr. Delaine, sir?"
The gentleman so addressed turned to see the substantial form of Simpson
at his elbow. They were both standing in the spacious hall of the C.P.R.
Hotel adjoining the station at Winnipeg.
"Her ladyship, sir, asked me to tell you she would be down directly. And
would you please wait for her, and take her to see the place where the
emigrants come. She doesn't think Mr. Gaddesden will be down till
luncheon-time."
Arthur Delaine thanked the speaker for her information, and then sat
down in a comfortable corner, _Times_ in hand, to wait for Lady Merton.
She and her brother had arrived, he understood, in the early hours at
Winnipeg, after the agitations and perils of the sink-hole. Philip had
gone at once to bed and to slumber. Lady Merton would soon, it seemed,
be ready for anything that Winnipeg might have to show her.
The new-comer had time, however, to realise and enjoy a pleasant
expectancy before she appeared. He was apparently occupied with the
_Times_, but in reality he was very conscious all the time of his own
affairs and of a certain crisis to which, in his own belief, he had now
brought them. In the first place, he could not get over his astonishment
at finding himself where he was. The very aspect of the Winnipeg hotel,
as he looked curiously round it, seemed to prove to him both the
seriousness of certain plans and intentions of his own, and the unusual
decision with which he had been pursuing them.
For undoubtedly, of his own accord, and for mere travellers' reasons, he
would not at this moment be travelling in Canada. The old world was
enough for him; and neither in the States nor in Canada had he so far
seen anything which would of itself have drawn him away from his
Cumberland house, his classical library, his pets, his friends and
correspondents, his old servants and all the other items in a comely and
dignified way of life.
He was just forty and unmarried, a man of old family, easy disposition,
and classical tastes. He had been for a time Member of Parliament for
one of the old Universities, and he was now engaged on a verse
translation of certain books of the Odyssey. That this particular labour
had been undertaken before did not trouble him. It was in fact his
delight to feel himself a link in the chain of tradition--at once the
successor and progenitor of scholars. Not that his scholarship was
anything illustrious or profound. Neither as poet nor Hellenist would he
ever leave any great mark behind him; but where other men talk of "the
household of faith," he might have talked rather of "the household of
letters," and would have seen himself as a warm and familiar sitter by
its hearth. A new edition of some favourite classic; his weekly
_Athenæum_; occasional correspondence with a French or Italian
scholar--(he did not read German, and disliked the race)--these were his
pleasures. For the rest he was the landlord of a considerable estate, as
much of a sportsman as his position required, and his Conservative
politics did not include any sympathy for the more revolutionary
doctrines--economic or social--which seemed to him to be corrupting his
party. In his youth, before the death of an elder brother, he had been
trained as a doctor, and had spent some time in a London hospital. In no
case would he ever have practised. Before his training was over he had
revolted against the profession, and against the "ugliness," as it
seemed to him, of the matters and topics with which a doctor must
perforce be connected. His elder brother's death, which, however, he
sincerely regretted, had in truth solved many difficulties.
In person he was moderately tall, with dark grizzled hair, agreeable
features and a moustache. Among his aristocratic relations whom he met
in London, the men thought him a little dishevelled and old-fashioned;
the women pronounced him interesting and "a dear." His manners were
generally admired, except by captious persons who held that such a fact
was of itself enough to condemn them; and he was welcome in many English
and some foreign circles. For he travelled every spring, and was well
acquainted with the famous places of Europe. It need only be added that
he had a somewhat severe taste in music, and could render both Bach and
Handel on the piano with success.
His property was only some six miles distant from Martindale Park, the
Gaddesdens' home. During the preceding winter he had become a frequent
visitor at Martindale, while Elizabeth Merton was staying with her
mother and brother, and a little ripple of talk had begun to flow
through the district. Delaine, very fastidious where personal dignity
was concerned, could not make up his mind either to be watched or
laughed at. He would have liked to woo--always supposing that wooing
there was to be--with a maximum of dignity and privacy, surrounded by a
friendly but not a forcing atmosphere. But Elizabeth Merton was a great
favourite in her own neighbourhood, and people became impatient. Was it
to be a marriage or was it not?
As soon as he felt this enquiry in the air, Mr. Delaine went
abroad--abruptly--about a month before Elizabeth and her brother started
for Canada. It was said that he had gone to Italy; but some few persons
knew that it was his intention to start from Genoa for the United
States, in order that he might attend a celebration at Harvard
University in honour of a famous French Hellenist, who had covered
himself with glory in Delaine's eyes by identifying a number of real
sites with places mentioned in the Odyssey. Nobody, however, knew but
himself, that, when that was done, he meant to join the brother and
sister on part of their Canadian journey, and that he hoped thereby to
become better acquainted with Elizabeth Merton than was possible--for a
man at least of his sensitiveness--under the eyes of an inquisitive
neighbourhood.
For this step Lady Merton's consent was of course necessary. He had
accordingly written from Boston to ask if it would be agreeable to them
that he should go with them through the Rockies. The proposal was most
natural. The Delaines and Gaddesdens had been friends for many years,
and Arthur Delaine enjoyed a special fame as a travelling
companion--easy, accomplished and well-informed.
Nevertheless, he waited at Boston in some anxiety for Elizabeth's
answer. When it came, it was all cordiality. By all means let him go
with them to the Rockies. They could not unfortunately offer him
sleeping room in the car. But by day Lady Merton hoped he would be their
guest, and share all their facilities and splendours. "I shall be so
glad of a companion for Philip, who is rapidly getting strong enough to
give me a great deal of trouble."
That was how she put it--how she must put it, of course. He perfectly
understood her.
And now here he was, sitting in the C.P.R. Hotel at Winnipeg, at a time
of year when he was generally in Paris or Rome, investigating the latest
Greek acquisitions of the Louvre, or the last excavation in the Forum;
picnicking in the Campagna; making expeditions to Assisi or Subiaco; and
in the evenings frequenting the drawing-rooms of ministers and
ambassadors.
He looked up presently from the _Times_, and at the street outside; the
new and raw street, with its large commercial buildings of the American
type, its tramcars and crowded sidewalks. The muddy roadway, the gaps
and irregularities in the street façade, the windows of a great store
opposite, displeased his eye. The whole scene seemed to him to have no
atmosphere. As far as he was concerned, it said nothing, it
touched nothing.
What was it he was to be taken to see? Emigration offices? He resigned
himself, with a smile. The prospect made him all the more pleasantly
conscious that one feeling, and one feeling only, could possibly have
brought him here.
"Ah! there you are."
A light figure hurried toward him, and he rose in haste.
But Lady Merton was intercepted midway by a tall man, quite unknown to
Delaine.
"I have arranged everything for three o'clock," said the interloper.
"You are sure that will suit you?"
"Perfectly! And the guests?"
"Half a dozen, about, are coming." George Anderson ran through the list,
and Elizabeth laughed merrily, while extending her hand to Delaine.
"How amusing! A party--and I don't know a soul in Winnipeg. Arrived this
morning--and going this evening! So glad to see you, Mr. Arthur. You are
coming, of course?"
"Where?" said Delaine, bewildered.
"To my tea, this afternoon. Mr. Anderson--Mr. Delaine. Mr. Anderson has
most kindly arranged a perfectly delightful party!--in our car this
afternoon. We are to go and see a great farm belonging to some friend of
his, about twenty miles out--prize cattle and horses--that kind of
thing. Isn't it good of him?"
"Charming!" murmured Delaine. "Charming!" His gaze ran over the figure
of the Canadian.
"Yerkes of course will give us tea," said Elizabeth. "His cakes are a
strong point"; she turned to Anderson. "And we may really have
an engine?"
"Certainly. We shall run you out in forty minutes. You still wish to go
on to-night?"
"Philip does. Can we?"
"You can do anything you wish," said Anderson, smiling.
Elizabeth thanked him, and they chatted a little more about the
arrangements and guests for the afternoon, while Delaine listened. Who
on earth was this new acquaintance of Lady Merton's? Some person she had
met in the train apparently, and connected with the C.P.R. A
good-looking fellow, a little too sure of himself; but that of course
was the Colonial fault.
"One of the persons coming this afternoon is an old Montreal
fellow-student of mine," the Canadian was saying. "He is going to be a
great man some day. But if you get him to talk, you won't like his
opinions--I thought I'd better warn you."
"How very interesting!" put in Delaine, with perhaps excessive
politeness. "What sort of opinions? Do you grow any Socialists here?"
Anderson examined the speaker, as it were for the first time.
"The man I was speaking of is a French-Canadian," he said, rather
shortly, "and a Catholic."
"The very man I want to see," cried Elizabeth. "I suppose he hates us?"
"Who?--England? Not at all. He loves England--or says he does--and hates
the Empire."
"'Love me, love my Empire!'" said Elizabeth. "But, I see--I am not to
talk to him about the Boer War, or contributing to the Navy?"
"Better not," laughed Anderson. "I am sure he will want to behave
himself; but he sometimes loses his head."
Elizabeth sincerely hoped he might lose it at her party.
"We want as much Canada as possible, don't we?" She appealed to
Delaine.
"To see, in fact, the 'young barbarians--all at play!'" said Anderson.
The note of sarcasm had returned to his clear voice. He stood, one hand
on his hip, looking down on Lady Merton.
"Oh!" exclaimed Elizabeth, protesting; while Delaine was conscious of
surprise that anyone in the New World should quote anything.
Anderson hastily resumed: "No, no. I know you are most kind, in wishing
to see everything you can."
"Why else should one come to the Colonies?" put in Delaine. Again his
smile, as he spoke, was a little overdone.
"Oh, we mustn't talk of Colonies," cried Elizabeth, looking at Anderson;
"Canada, Mr. Arthur, doesn't like to be called a colony."
"What is she, then?" asked Delaine, with an amused shrug of the
shoulders.
"She is a nation!" said the Canadian, abruptly. Then, turning to Lady
Merton, he rapidly went through some other business arrangements
with her.
"Three o'clock then for the car. For this morning you are provided?" He
glanced at Delaine.
Lady Merton replied that Mr. Delaine would take her round; and Anderson
bowed and departed.
"Who is he, and how did you come across him?" asked Delaine, as they
stepped into the street.
Elizabeth explained, dwelling with enthusiasm on the kindness and
ability with which the young man, since their acquaintance began, had
made himself their courier. "Philip, you know, is no use at all. But Mr.
Anderson seems to know everybody--gets everything done. Instead of
sending my letters round this morning he telephoned to everybody for me.
And everybody is coming. Isn't it too kind? You know it is for Papa's
sake"--she explained eagerly--"because Canada thinks she owes him
something."
Delaine suggested that perhaps life in Winnipeg was monotonous, and its
inhabitants might be glad of distractions. He also begged--with a slight
touch of acerbity--that now that he had joined them he too might be
made use of.
"Ah! but you don't know the country," said Lady Merton gently. "Don't
you feel that we must get the natives to guide us--to put us in the way?
It is only they who can really feel the poetry of it all."
Her face kindled. Arthur Delaine, who thought that her remark was one of
the foolish exaggerations of nice women, was none the less conscious as
she made it, that her appearance was charming--all indeed that a man
could desire in a wife. Her simple dress of white linen, her black hat,
her lovely eyes, and little pointed chin, the bunch of white trilliums
at her belt, which a child in the emigrant car had gathered and given
her the day before--all her personal possessions and accessories seemed
to him perfection. Yes!--but he meant to go slowly, for both their
sakes. It seemed fitting and right, however, at this point that he
should express his great pleasure and gratitude in being allowed to join
them. Elizabeth replied simply, without any embarrassment that could be
seen. Yet secretly both were conscious that something was on its trial,
and that more was in front of them than a mere journey through the
Rockies. He was an old friend both of herself and her family. She
believed him to be honourable, upright, affectionate. He was of the same
world and tradition as herself, well endowed, a scholar and a gentleman.
He would make a good brother for Philip. And heretofore she had seen him
on ground which had shown him to advantage; either at home or abroad,
during a winter at Rome--a spring at Florence.
Indeed, as they strolled about Winnipeg, he talked to her incessantly
about persons and incidents connected with the spring of the year
before, when they had both been in Rome.
"You remember that delicious day at Castel Gandolfo?--on the terrace of
the Villa Barberini? And the expedition to Horace's farm? You recollect
the little girl there--the daughter of the Dutch Minister? She's married
an American--a very good fellow. They've bought an old villa on
Monte Mario."
And so on, and so on. The dear Italian names rolled out, and the speaker
grew more and more animated and agreeable.
Only, unfortunately, Elizabeth's attention failed him. A motor car had
been lent them in the hospitable Canadian way; and as they sped through
and about the city, up the business streets, round the park, and the
residential suburb rising along the Assiniboine, as they plunged through
seas of black mud to look at the little old-fashioned Cathedral of St.
John, with its graveyard recalling the earliest days of the settlement,
Lady Merton gradually ceased even to pretend to listen to her companion.
"They have found some extremely jolly things lately at Porto D'Anzio--a
fine torso--quite Greek."
"Have they?" said Elizabeth, absently--"Have they?--And to think that in
1870, just a year or two before my father and mother married, there was
nothing here but an outpost in the wilderness!--a few scores of people!
One just _hears_ this country grow." She turned pensively away from the
tombstone of an old Scottish settler in the shady graveyard of St. John.
"Ah! but what will it grow to?" said Delaine, drily. "Is Winnipeg going
to be interesting?--is it going to _matter_?"
"Come and look at the Emigration Offices," laughed Elizabeth for answer.
And he found himself dragged through room after room of the great
building, and standing by while Elizabeth, guided by an official who
seemed to hide a more than Franciscan brotherliness under the aspects of
a canny Scot, and helped by an interpreter, made her way into the groups
of home-seekers crowding round the clerks and counters of the lower
room--English, Americans, Swedes, Dutchmen, Galicians, French Canadians.
Some men, indeed, who were actually hanging over maps, listening to the
directions and information of the officials, were far too busy to talk
to tourists, but there were others who had finished their business, or
were still waiting their turn, and among them, as also among the women,
the little English lady found many willing to talk to her.
And what courage, what vivacity she threw into the business! Delaine,
who had seen her till now as a person whose natural reserve was rather
displayed than concealed by her light agreeable manner, who had often
indeed had cause to wonder where and what might be the real woman,
followed her from group to group in a silent astonishment. Between these
people--belonging to the primitive earth-life--and herself, there seemed
to be some sudden intuitive sympathy which bewildered him; whether she
talked to some Yankee farmer from the Dakotas, long-limbed,
lantern-jawed, all the moisture dried out of him by hot summers, hard
winters, and long toil, who had come over the border with a pocket full
of money, the proceeds of prairie-farming in a republic, to sink it all
joyfully in a new venture under another flag; or to some
broad-shouldered English youth from her own north country; or to some
hunted Russian from the Steppes, in whose eyes had begun to dawn the
first lights of liberty; or to the dark-faced Italians and Frenchmen, to
whom she chattered in their own tongues.
An Indian reserve of good land had just been thrown open to settlers.
The room was thronged. But Elizabeth was afraid of no one; and no one
repulsed her. The high official who took them through, lingered over the
process, busy as the morning was, all for the _beaux yeux_ of Elizabeth;
and they left him pondering by what legerdemain he could possibly so
manipulate his engagements that afternoon as to join Lady Merton's
tea-party.
"Well, that was quite interesting!" said Delaine as they emerged.
Elizabeth, however, would certainly have detected the perfunctoriness of
the tone, and the hypocrisy of the speech, had she had any thoughts
to spare.
But her face showed her absorbed.
"Isn't it _amazing_!" Her tone was quiet, her eyes on the ground.
"Yet, after all, the world has seen a good many emigrations in its day!"
remarked Delaine, not without irritation.
She lifted her eyes.
"Ah--but nothing like this! One hears of how the young nations came down
and peopled the Roman Empire. But that lasted so long. One person--with
one life--could only see a bit of it. And here one sees it _all_--all,
at once!--as a great march--the march of a new people to its home. Fifty
years ago, wolves and bears, and buffaloes--twelve years ago even, the
great movement had not begun--and now, every week, a new town!--the new
nation spreading, spreading over the open land, irresistibly, silently;
no one setting bounds to it, no one knowing what will come of it!"
She checked herself. Her voice had been subdued, but there was a tremor
in it. Delaine caught her up, rather helplessly.
"Ah! isn't that the point? What will come of it? Numbers and size aren't
everything. Where is it all tending?"
She looked up at him, still exalted, still flushed, and said softly, as
though she could not help it, "'On to the bound of the waste--on to the
City of God!'"
He gazed at her in discomfort. Here was an Elizabeth Merton he had yet
to know. No trace of her in the ordinary life of an English
country house!
"You _are_ Canadian!" he said with a smile.
"No, no!" said Elizabeth eagerly, recovering herself, "I am only a
spectator. _We_ see the drama--we feel it--much more than they can who
are in it. At least"--she wavered--"Well!--I have met one man who seems
to feel it!"
"Your Canadian friend?"
Elizabeth nodded.
"He sees the vision--he dreams the dream!" she said brightly. "So few
do. But I think he does. Oh, dear--_dear_!--how time flies! I must go
and see what Philip is after."
Delaine was left discontented. He had come to press his suit, and he
found a lady preoccupied. Canada, it seemed, was to be his rival! Would
he ever be allowed to get in a word edgewise?
Was there ever anything so absurd, so disconcerting? He looked forward
gloomily to a dull afternoon, in quest of fat cattle, with a car-full of
unknown Canadians.