"Why, what's the matter?"
"Matter!" panted Dick Millet, dancing excitedly into Marcus Glen's room,
where the latter was sitting back, cigar in mouth, reading the most
interesting parts of a sporting paper. "Why, everything's the matter.
While you are sitting here at your ease, those two old patriarchs have
been stealing a march upon us."
"When you get a little less excited," said Glen coolly, "perhaps you
will explain."
"Oh, it's easily explained: those two--that Jew fellow, Elbraham, and
that old yellow apricot, Lord Henry Moorpark--have been in at the
private apartments this hour."
"Visit of ceremony," said Glen, sending up a little cloud of smoke.
"Yes, and then they've been walking up and down in the gardens, talking
earnestly together."
"While you have been in the Maze and got lost," said Glen.
"I tell you they were walking together, and shaking hands in the most
affectionate manner."
"While you played the spy, Dick? I say, my lad, that's not square."
"But it's a horrible sell. My mother was always asking those two to our
place."
"With matrimonial intentions?"
"I suppose so. Elbraham never came, but old Moorpark often did, and it
was on the cards--"
"Visiting-cards?"
"No. That he was to be my brother-in-law. I say, Glen, who is a fellow
to trust?"
"But he was not engaged to your sister?"
"No, of course not. Our Gertrude thought a deal of another fellow; but
the mater's word is law, you see, and it might have come off. Good
heavens! she will be mad."
"Your sister?"
"Not she--the mother. Well, I'm not going to stand it. My dear fellow,
we are being cut out."
"Nonsense, my dear boy; those two are old enough to be their
grandfathers."
"But they are rich--at least, Elbraham is rolling in wealth."
"Then Lord Henry was getting the Jew to do a bill."
"You seem as if nothing would move you, Glen; I tell you I am sure they
have been to propose to those girls."
"And if they had, what then?"
"I should go mad."
"Nonsense! you'd go and fall in love with someone else."
"I? with another!" cried the little fellow tragically. "I tell you I
never knew what it was to love till now I can't bear it, Glen; pray get
up, and come and see."
"Nonsense, man, nonsense! We couldn't call. Wait till to-morrow, and
we shall meet them in the grounds."
"You'll drive me mad with your coolness. You can't care for her. Oh,
Glen, 'pon my soul, it's too bad! I loved Clotilde almost to
distraction, but seeing how you seemed to be taken with her, I gave her
up to the man I looked upon more as brother than friend, and devoted
myself to Marie. If I had known, though, I should have taken up very
different ground."
Glen had felt troubled at his little companion's remarks, and he had
begun to think seriously of the possibility of what he had announced
being true; but the tragic manner in which he had spoken of the transfer
of his affections in obedience to his friendship was more than Glen
could bear, and he burst out into such a hearty fit of laughter that
little Richard faced round, and marched pompously and indignantly out of
the room.
No sooner had he gone than Glen began to think, and very seriously now.
Somehow he seemed to have been stirred by Clotilde from the depths of
his ordinary calm life; he did not know that he loved her, but the
thought of her dark, passionate eyes had such an effect upon him that he
got up and began to pace the room. Never had woman so moved him from
his apathy before; and the more he thought of her simplicity and daring
combined, the more he told himself that this woman was his fate.
It was plain enough to him, with his knowledge of the world, that he was
the first who had ever intruded upon her maiden repose. He knew that
she had led an almost conventual life, and that her young heart seemed,
as it were, to leap to meet him, so that what would have appeared brazen
effrontery in a girl of several seasons, was in her but the natural act
of her newly-awakened love.
"I can't help it," he exclaimed at last; "she is not the sort of girl
that I thought I should have chosen to call wife; but she is all that is
innocent and passionate, and, well, I feel sure she loves me, and if she
does--"
He stopped short for a few moments, thinking:
"We shall be as poor as the proverbial church mouse; but what does that
matter, so long as a man finds a wealth of love?"
He continued his two or three strides backwards and forwards, and then
threw himself down in his seat.
"The girl's a syren," he exclaimed, "and she has bewitched me. Hang me
if I ever thought I could feel such a fool!"
Glen's folly, as he considered it, increased in intensity like a fever.
For years past he had trifled with the complaint--rather laughed at it,
in fact; but now he had it badly, and, with the customary unreason of
men in his condition, he saw nothing but perfection in the lady who had
made his pulses throb.
Certainly, as far as appearance went, he was right, for nature could
have done no more to make her attractive. To what art had made her he
was perfectly blind, and, intoxicated by his new delight, he began to
think of how he should contrive to see her again.
Glen's mind went faster than his body, which, in spite of energetic
promptings, refused to do more than go on in a stolidly calm,
well-disciplined way, and the utmost it would accord, when urged by
passion to go and loiter about the Palace gardens or the private
apartments in the hope of seeing Clotilde, was a stroll slowly towards
Hampton.
"I'm not going to behave like a foolish boy," he said to himself. "I've
tumbled head over ears in love with her, and if I can read a woman's
face she is not indifferent to me. Till I have a chance to say so I
must wait patiently in a sensible way. It would be pleasant, though, to
walk as far as Lady Littletown's and make a call. The old lady might,
perhaps, talk about her, and I should hear a little more."
He started with the idea of walking straight to Hampton, but he met
Major Malpas, who detained him some little time. Then he encountered
Maberley, the surgeon, and had to hear an account about one of the
corporals who had been kicked by a vicious horse.
The consequence was that he did not get to Lady Littletown's on that
day, while the next was pretty well taken up with a march out and other
military duties; but free at last, he hurriedly got rid of his uniform,
and once more set off to walk to Hampton.
He had hardly seen Dick Millet since he left his quarters in dudgeon.
They had met at the mess dinner, and also during the march out, but the
little fellow had held himself aloof, and seemed hurt and annoyed.
"I must have a talk with Master Dick," said Glen to himself, as he
walked on. "He's a good little fellow at heart, and I don't like to
hurt his feelings."
He had hardly formed the thought when he heard rapid steps behind, and
directly after his name was uttered.
Turning round, there was the boy coming on at as nearly a run as his
dignity would allow.
"I say, old fellow, how fast you do walk! Either your legs are precious
long or mine are precious short."
"Little of both, perhaps. Take the happy medium, Dick."
"Ah, that's better," exclaimed the boy, whose face was now bright and
beaming. "I do hate to see you in one of those sulky, ill-humoured fits
of yours."
"Yes, they are objectionable; but where are you going?"
"Going? I was coming after you. I say, I've made it right."
"Made what right?"
"Why, _that_. I hung about till I saw the Dymcoxes' maid, a regular old
griffin; and when I spoke to her she looked as if she would have snapped
off my head. Couldn't make anything of her, but I've secured the
footman."
"Under military arrest?"
"No, no, of course not. You know what I mean. I tipped him a sov., and
the fellow seemed to think I had gone mad; then he thought I meant to
have given him a shilling, and told me so. I don't believe he hardly
knew what a sov. was, and he'd do anything for me now. He'll take
letters, or messages, or anything; and he says that I was right."
"What about?"
"What about? Why, those two ancient patriarchs; and that he is sure the
old women are going to make up a match and regularly sell the girls.
Glen, old fellow, this must be stopped."
"How?"
"By proper advances first, and if diplomacy fails, by a dashing charge--
an elopement."
"Humph!" ejaculated Marcus. "Should you inform Lady Millet, your mamma,
before you took such a step?"
"I should take the lady I had chosen for my wife straight home."
"And a very good place, too," said Glen, who remained very thoughtful,
saying little till they reached Lady Littletown's gates.
"Are you going to call here?"
"To be sure. Come with me?" replied Glen; and receiving an answer in
the affirmative to the inquiry as to whether Lady Littletown was at
home, they were shown in, to find to their great delight that her
ladyship had been over to the Palace that afternoon, and had brought
back Clotilde and Marie to dine with her and spend the evening.
"It will help to form their minds, my dears," her ladyship had said to
the Honourable Misses Dymcox; "and really, now that we have this project
in hand, I feel towards them as if they were my own children."
This was while the young ladies had gone up to dress and frighten Ruth
by their exigencies and sharp ways, after which they had an airing in
Lady Littletown's carriage, and, when the young officers were announced,
were sipping their five o'clock tea.
"Now, now, now," cried Lady Littletown in tones of playful menace, as
she gave her fingers to the officers in turn, "I shall not allow this
sort of thing. You soldiers are such dreadful men. You knew my poor
children here had come over to cheer my solitude, and you mount your
chargers and gallop over at once."
"I can assure your ladyship that my visit was frankly intended to
yourself, and that I was in utter ignorance of your having company; but
of course I am the more delighted."
Glen had never delivered so courtly a speech before, and he felt
uncomfortable when he had said it; but he recovered directly as he met
Clotilde's eyes, which were fixed earnestly upon his, and her hand spoke
very plainly as they exchanged salutations; Marie, on the contrary,
seeming as cold as her sister was warm.
"Then that dreadful little Don Juan knew of it," cried her ladyship
sharply. "I shall forbid him the house."
"I assure your ladyship"--began Dick.
"Eh? What, Edward?" said Lady Littletown, as a servant made a
communication to her in a low, respectful tone. "Dear me, how tiresome!
My dears, pray excuse me a minute, I'm called away. You can give these
dreadful men a cup of tea each if they will condescend to drink it;" and
she rustled out of the room.
"I did not think to have seen you again so soon," said Dick, crossing to
where Marie sat, looking pale and troubled, while Clotilde rose from her
seat, looking fixedly at Glen, and walked out into the great
conservatory, where, of course, he followed.
Marie turned paler and her breath came faster as she made as if to rise
and follow them; but Dick set down the emotion as being caused by his
presence, and catching her hand in both of his, he repeated his words,
"I did not expect to see you again so soon."
"Let us go," replied Marie hoarsely. "My sister; do you not see?"
"Yes," whispered Dick, full of boyish ardour. "But don't--pray don't
go."
Lady Littletown was very proud of her conservatory, which was kept
lavishly filled with the choicest flowers and foliage plants. Following
on the example of Hampton Court, there were oranges of goodly size, with
their bright-green leaves, yellow fruit, green fruit, and delicious
blossoms all growing at the same time.
It was into this semi-tropical region, where the atmosphere was redolent
of sweet and cloying perfume, that Clotilde had slowly walked, her eyes
dreamy and downcast, and her fingers idling amongst the beautiful
blossoms on either side.
As Glen followed, and noted her soft undulating form, her bent head with
masses of dark hair clustering about her neck, he felt his heart go
throb, throb, heavily and slowly, while his blood seemed to bound
through his veins.
Clotilde went on down the central path of the great glass-house, and
then, without glancing back, she turned off at the bottom, where she was
completely hidden from the drawing-room windows, and it was here that
Glen overtook her.
"Miss Riversley! Clotilde!" he said softly.
She did not speak, but he saw her shudder, as if a tremor had run
through her frame.
"Have I offended you?" he whispered, holding out his hands.
"Oh no," she cried, starting round with her face flushed; and placing
her hands in his, she looked up full in his eyes for a moment, and then
let them fall.
It was very shocking, very unusual, and it was all entirely opposed to
the etiquette of such matters, but there was a something in Clotilde's
looks and ways that made Glen turn giddy; and he behaved giddily. Some
people will say it was his fault, some others may blame the lady for her
want of reserve, but the fact remains the same, that, forgetting
everything in the moment but the look that had spoken so much to his
eyes, the young officer pressed his lips to the hand that not only
seemed to, but did invite the caress; but just then there was a sharp
"Oh!" and in an instant Clotilde and Glen were admiring the beauty of
the colours in some caladiums of which Lady Littletown was very proud.
The ejaculation was not uttered by that lady, however, but by Marie,
who, closely followed by Dick Millet, had come down the conservatory
tiles silent as a cat and seen all.
"Clotilde!" she exclaimed in a low, angry voice, and then she darted an
imperious look at Glen.
"Well, Marie?" said Clotilde coolly, as the rich red slowly died out of
her cheeks, "did you find the drawing-room too warm, love? Look,
Captain Glen, this one is lovely."
"Lovely indeed!" cried Marcus, giving a beseeching glance at Marie; but
she turned from him scornfully, only to look back at him with a fierce,
passionate gaze which startled and surprised him, for he did not then
realise the truth.
There was nothing to be done then but to go on admiring the flowers, and
as they went from group to group, Glen's feelings were a strange
contradiction. His pulse throbbed with pleasure, but this was marred by
the bitterly reproachful look he had received from Marie; while upon
catching Dick's eyes fixed upon him, and receiving a half-droll,
half-reproving shake of the head from that young gentleman, he felt so
angry and annoyed at his having witnessed the scene, that he could have
freely kicked him out of the conservatory.
A gorgeous display of blossoms cultivated to the highest pitch of
perfection Lady Littletown had gathered together in her conservatory,
but these nobles of Flora's train might well have felt offence at the
treatment they received, for, though the occupants of the glass-house
babbled and talked flowers, any disinterested listener would have been
astonished at the rubbish that was said.
"Ah, you are admiring my pets," cried Lady Littletown, returning
hastily; "I'm so sorry to have had to leave you, my dears. One of my
old pensioners was ill, and had sent on for some wine I promised. Yes,
those are my gloxinias, Captain Glen. Delightful, are they not? Did
you have some tea? No! Ah, I see how it is. Next time I receive a
call at this hour from you military gentlemen, I shall have a pot with
two teaspoonfuls of soda in it, and then fill it up with brandy. You
would be happy then."
They stayed very little longer, and when at parting, after receiving a
long, earnest pressure from Clotilde's hand, Glen turned to Marie and
took hers, most grudgingly held out, he found time to whisper:
"Don't be angry with me; surely we ought to be the best of friends."
Marie's heart gave a great throb as she felt the warm pressure of his
hand, and in spite of herself she could not help her eyes lifting to
meet his in a gaze that was full of sadness and reproach.
"Oh, come, I say, Glen, old fellow," cried Dick as soon as they were
well outside the gates. "You do go it, you do! Only just known her."
"Hold your tongue, do! Hang it, Millet, there are things a man ought
not to see."
"Oh, very well, then, I'm as blind as a beetle and as quiet as a fish.
I didn't see anything; but, I say, didn't it make Marie cross!"
"Oh, of course. She was surprised."
"I tried to keep her in the drawing-room, but she was nervous and
frightened--poor little darling!--at being alone with me, and I was
obliged to let her come at last, or there would have been a scene."
There was something very suggestive of a dapper little bantam paying his
addresses to a handsome young pullet in the boy's remarks anent the
"poor little darling"; but Glen was too much troubled just then to pay
much heed, so his companion prattled on.
For Glen was not satisfied: he wished that Clotilde had not been so
yielding.
Then he excused her. She was so sweet and innocent. She had been so
restrained and kept down; all was so fresh to her, that her young love,
he told himself, was like Haidee's, and like some bird she had flown
unhesitatingly to his breast.
It was very delicious, but, all the same, he wished that it was all to
come, and that she had been more retiring and reserved.
Still, she loved him. There was no doubt of that, and perceiving that
he was dreamy, and strange, and likely to excite notice from his
companion, he roused himself from the reverie.
"Well, Dick," he cried, laughing, "what have you to say now to your
story of the patriarchs?"
"Well, I don't know. I suppose it must be all a flam."
"Yes, there's no doubt about that, and you have wasted a sovereign that
might have gone in buttonholes and gloves."
"Oh, no--not wasted," cried the little fellow. "Decidedly not. Oh, no,
my dear boy, my experience teaches me that it is always as well in such
matters to have a friend at court."
"I say, young fellow," cried Glen, who had cast off his reserve, and was
now making an effort to be merry, "you say, `in these affairs'! In the
name of commonsense, how many love affairs do you happen to have had?"
"Well, really," said the boy importantly, "I don't exactly know.
Somehow or another, I did begin early."
Glen laughed merrily, and went on chatting away; but somehow the
thoughts of Marie's reproachful eyes were mingled largely with those of
Clotilde's longing, loving gaze, and there were times when he did not
know whether he was most happy or most vexed.
Volume 2, Chapter V.