"Fie, for shame!" cries the old lady so exceedingly smartly dressed
in the corner, whom one who did not see her face, or remark her
figure, but who only looked at her gay clothing, would take to be
twenty-three, though forty added to it would be within the mark--I
mean the old lady with the nutmeg-grater face, so like the portrait of
Hans Holbein's grand-aunt, which figures in many of his wood-cuts,
but, especially in the accouchement of the Burgomaster's wife of
Nuremburg. "Fie, for shame! What a very improper thing for a young
lady, like Miss Rose Tracy, to make an appointment with her father's
head-gardener. It is a breach of three of the Commandments!" (Let the
reader sort them.) "It is indecent, dangerous, abominable, terrible,
disgraceful, contrary to all the rules and regulations of society!
What a shocking girl she must be!"
I will not defend her; I know that all the old ladies, in whatever
garments, whether bifurcate or circumambient, will reasonably cry out
upon Rose Tracy; but let us for a moment hear what it was that induced
her to perform that which the philosophers and critics of Lambeth, and
especially those nearest to the door of the famous peripatetic school
of the Bricklayers'-arms, would call "a very young trick."
"Well, Arthur, what news do you bring us from the other side of
the hills?" asked General Tracy, when his brother appeared at the
dinner-table, on the second day after the departure of his last guest.
"Why, that the Abbey estate is certainly to be sold," replied Mr.
Tracy. "I met Sir William at the court-house; and he informed me that
it was his intention to dispose of the property in lots. He was
particularly civil, and said, whatever arrangement might be necessary,
either for my convenience or that of this part of the county, he would
willingly make: so that the land required for the new road from H---- to
Northferry, will not cost more than the mere worth of the ground at a
valuation. I have seldom met with a more gentlemanly man, at least in
manners."
"The heart may be a very different affair," said General Tracy.
"Of that we may discover something more in a few days," answered the
other brother; "for I have asked him hereto settle the whole of this
affair with me, as the Germans say _unter vier Augen_; and he comes
here on Friday next, to spend a few days."
Emily made no remark. She would have been very well satisfied to be
without the company of Sir William Winslow; for from all she had at
different times heard of him, she had not conceived a high opinion of
him. But she cared little about the matter, Rose, however, was alarmed
and agitated on Chandos's account; and she conjured up all sorts of
fears--lest she should not have an opportunity of giving him notice of
his brother's coming--lest he should not be able to avoid him--lest
they should meet and quarrel, and a thousand other _lests_, with which
it is unnecessary to embarrass the page.
Turn we rather to the early hour at which she hastened down to her
little marble basin, where her gold-fish were certainly not expecting
her at that precise moment. Some one else was, however; and in that
expectation he had taken care that no such interruptions should occur
as on the preceding day. Dear Emily's graceful limbs were still in
soft repose too, or at least not clad in any presentable garments;
and, therefore the two had all the world of the little glade to
themselves.
Rose, however, trembled more with agitation than fear. There were
doubts in her mind, doubts as to her conduct, doubts as to her
feelings; and those doubts were continually asking, "What stirred the
bosom of the Rose so powerfully?" a very unpleasant question, which
she was not inclined to answer.
Chandos saw the agitation, and thought it very beautiful; for it made
her eye sparkle, and the colour of her cheek vary, and gave a
quivering eagerness to the half-open lips. Admiration was the first
feeling as he saw her come; but then some degree of anxiety to know
the cause of her emotion succeeded, and he advanced a step or two to
meet her.
"Oh, Mr. Winslow," said Rose, as she approached; "I fear you must
think this very strange of me; but I made you a promise that if ever I
saw any likelihood of your being discovered, I would give you
immediate notice; and I must keep my promise before anything else."
"And does such a likelihood exist?" asked Chandos, in some alarm;
"does any one suspect?"
"Oh no," replied Rose; "but your brother is down at Winslow Abbey, or
in the neighbourhood; and my father has asked him here for a few days.
He comes on Friday."
Chandos mused for a moment or two; and at length a faint and
melancholy smile came upon his fine countenance. "I know not well what
to do," he said at length, in a thoughtful tone, looking up in Rose's
face as if for counsel.
"I thought it would embarrass you very much," she answered; "and I was
most anxious to tell you yesterday; but some obstacle always presented
itself, so that I was obliged to risk a step, which I am afraid will
make you think me a strange, rash girl."
"A strange, rash girl!" said Chandos, gazing at her till her eyelids
fell, and the colour came up in her cheek. "A kind, noble, generous
one, rather; who will not let cold ceremonies stand in the way of a
good action, or mere forms prevent the fulfilment of a promise." He
took her hand and pressed his lips upon it; and then, looking into her
eyes, he added abruptly--"O, Rose, I love you dearly--too dearly for
my own peace, perhaps--and yet why should I fear? Rasher love than
mine has been successful; and one gleam of hope, one word of
encouragement will be enough to give me energy to sweep away all the
difficulties, to overcome all the obstacles, which seem so formidable
at a distance--nay, dear one, do not tremble and turn pale; surely you
must have felt before now that I love you--you must have seen even on
that first day of our meeting, which we both remember so well, that I
could love you, should love you, if we were to meet again."
"I must go," said Hose in a low voice; "indeed, I must go."
"Not yet," said Chandos, detaining her gently. "Sit down upon this
bench and hear me but for a moment; for my whole future fate is in
your hands, and by your words now will be decided whether by efforts,
stimulated and ennobled by love, I raise myself high in the world's
esteem, and recover that position in society of which I have been
unjustly deprived; or whether I linger on through a despairing life
without expectation or exertion, and leave my wayward fate to follow
its own course, without an attempt to mend it."
"Oh do not do so, Chandos," replied Rose Tracy, raising her eyes for
the first time to his. "Make those great and generous efforts; put
forth all the powers of a fine, high mind; control by strong
determination the adverse circumstances that seem to have set so
strongly against you; and depend upon it you will be enabled to stem
the torrent which seems now so black and overwhelming."
She spoke eagerly, enthusiastically; and her words were full of hope
to Chandos Winslow's ear--of hope; because he felt that such interest
could not be without its share of love; ay, and the very figure which
in her eagerness she used, recalled to his mind the swimming of the
stream near Winslow Abbey, which in its consequences had brought him
even where he then was.
"I will stem the torrent, Rose," he answered, "I will swim the stream;
but I must have hope to welcome me to the other bank. I came hither
with a dream of other things; but you have given me new objects, new
inducements. Take them not from me, Rose; for the light you have
given, once extinguished, and all would be darkness indeed."
"What would you have me say?" answered Rose, holding out her hand to
him frankly. "Were I to make any promises, were I to enter into any
engagements without my father's consent, you yourself would
disapprove, if you did not blame, and would not value a boon
improperly granted, or would always remember I had failed in one duty,
and doubt whether I would perform others well. You must not, Chandos,
no, you must not ask me to say or do anything that would lower me in
your opinion:" and she added, in an under tone, "I value it too
highly."
"Not for the world," cried Chandos eagerly; "for even to ask it would
sink me in your esteem; but only tell me this, Rose, only give me this
hope--say, if I return qualified in point of fortune and expectations,
openly to ask your hand of your father, and gain his consent, may I
then hope?"
The colour varied beautifully in her cheek, and this time she did not
look up; but, with her eyes bent down on the pebbles at her feet, she
said in a low, but distinct voice, "The objection shall not come from
me--I must not say more, Chandos," she continued in a louder tone;
"you must not ask me to say more. I know not on what your hopes and
expectations of success are founded; but you shall have my best wishes
and prayers."
"Thanks, thanks, dearest," answered Chandos, kissing her hand: "my
hopes are not altogether baseless of advancement in any course I
choose to follow. I have had an education which fits me for almost any
course; and although I know that, in this hard world, the possession
of wealth is the first great means of winning wealth, that poverty is
the greatest bar to advancement in a country which professes that the
road to high station is open to every one, still I have quite enough
to sustain myself against the first buffets of the world. A relation,
thank God, left me independent. My father's will adds property, which,
when sold, will amount to eight or ten thousand pounds more; and with
the dear hopes that you have given me, I will instantly choose some
course, which upon due consideration may seem to lead most rapidly to
the end in view. I have relations, too, powerful and willing, I
believe, to serve me; and with their aid and my own efforts I do not
fear."
"But what will you do at present?" said Rose anxiously. "If your
brother comes, of course he will recognise you. I have heard he is
very violent in temper, and I fear--"
"Nay, have no fears," answered Chandos; "We must not meet at present.
But I stipulated with your father for a month's leave of absence at
this season of the year; and, although I have lingered on here, if the
truth must be told, to sun myself in the light of those dear eyes from
day to day, yet I almost resolved to spend one month, at least, of
every year, resuming my right character, in London. I will now claim
your father's promise, as little remains to be done here. Long ere I
return, my brother will be gone; and by that time too I shall have
fixed upon my future course of life, so as to communicate to you all
my schemes for the future. I will speak to Mr. Tracy this very
morning: and to-morrow, if he does not object, will take my departure.
But before then I shall see you again; is it not so, Rose?"
"I dare say it will be so," she answered, with a faint smile: "there
has been seldom a day when we have not met. I begin to judge very
badly of myself; but I can assure you, I had no notion of what you
were thinking of till--till within these last few days, or I should
have acted differently, perhaps."
"Ob, do not say so," replied her lover. "Why would you make me believe
you less kind, less gentle than you have shown yourself? Why say that
if you had known how great was the happiness you gave, you would have
deprived me of the brightest consolation I could have, under many
sorrows and disappointments."
"If it consoled you I shall be more contented with myself," said Rose.
"But now I must go, Chandos; for indeed if any one were to catch me
sitting here talking to you, I should die of shame."
"All that could then be done," answered her lover, "would be to tell,
that Thomas Acton is Chandos Winslow, and to say how he and Rose Tracy
met one bright day many months ago, and how she passed hours leaning
upon his arm amongst gay bright folks, who little suspected that he
would one day turn out a gardener."
Rose laughed, and gave him her hand, only to be covered with parting
kisses; and, while she walked thoughtfully and with a much moved heart
back to the house, Chandos paused for full a quarter-of-an-hour to
gaze upon a bright and beautiful view, full of summer sunshine, and
life and light, which had suddenly opened before him in the world of
fancy. Oh what immense and uncountable wealth lies hid in the chambers
of a castle in the air! In youth we are all chameleons, and our lands
and tenements are as unsubstantial as our food.
When he had lived in cloudland for a while, Chandos went round the
grounds, gave various orders, directions, and explanations; and then,
following the path which Rose had pursued--he loved to put his feet
on the same spots where hers had trod--he too went up to the house,
and desired to speak with Mr. Tracy.