"Yes, I have had some experimental knowledge of the poor--being one of
them myself, and my poverty too has made me inconceivably miserable."
"Come, Eddy, don't talk nonsense. You know I mean the _very_ poor, the
destitute. But let us go up-stairs and have a cup of tea."
The idea of discussing the condition of the poor over a cup of tea with
two ladies was not attractive to our hero in his then state of mind, and
he was beginning to excuse himself when his aunt stopped him:--
"Now, don't say you can't, or won't, for you must. And I shall
introduce you to a very pretty girl--oh! _such_ a pretty one--you've no
idea--and _so_ sweet!"
Miss Pritty spoke impressively and with enthusiasm, but as the youth
knew himself to be already acquainted with and beloved by the prettiest
girl in the town he was not so much impressed as he might have been.
However, being a good-natured fellow, he was easily persuaded.
All the way up-stairs, and while they were entering the boudoir, little
Miss Pritty's tongue never ceased to vibrate, but when she observed her
nephew gazing in surprise at her friend, whose usually calm and
self-possessed face was covered with confusion, she stopped suddenly.
"Good-evening, Miss Hazlit," said Edgar, recovering himself, and holding
out his hand as he advanced towards her; "I did not anticipate the
pleasure of meeting _you_ here."
"Then you are acquainted already!" exclaimed Miss Pritty, looking as
much amazed as if the accident of two young people being acquainted
without her knowledge were something tantamount to a miracle.
"Yes, I have met Mr Berrington at my father's several times," said
Aileen, resuming her seat, and bestowing a minute examination on the
corner of her handkerchief.
If Aileen had added that she had met Mr Berrington every evening for a
week past at her father's, had there renewed the acquaintance begun in
London a year before, and had been wooed and won by him before his stern
repulse by her father, she would have said nothing beyond the bare
truth; but she thought, no doubt, that it was not necessary to add all
that.
"Well, well, what strange things do happen!" said Miss Pritty, resuming
her duties at the tea-table. "Sugar, Eddy? And cream?--Only to think
that Aileen and I have known each other so well, and she did not know
that you were my nephew; but after all it could not well be otherwise,
for now I think of it, I never mentioned your name to her. Out of
sight, out of mind, Eddy, you know, and indeed you don't deserve to be
remembered. If we all had our deserts, some people that I know of would
be in a very different position from what they are, and some people
wouldn't _be_ at all."
"Why, aunt," said Edgar, laughing. "Would you--"
"Some more cake, Eddy?"
"No, thank you. I was going to say--"
"Have you enough cream? Allow me to--"
"_Quite_ enough, thanks. I was about to remark--"
"Some sugar, Aileen?--I beg your pardon--yes--you were about to say--"
"Oh! Nothing," replied Edgar, half exasperated by these frequent
interruptions, but laughing in spite of himself, "only I'm surprised
that sentence of annihilation should be passed on `some people' by one
so amiable as you are."
"Oh! I didn't exactly mean annihilation," returned Miss Pritty, with a
pitiful smile; "I only mean that I wouldn't have had them come into
existence, they seem to be so utterly useless in the world, and _so_
interfering, too, with those who _want_ to be useful."
"Surely that quality, or capacity of interference, proves them to be not
_utterly_ useless," said Edgar, "for does it not give occasion for the
exercise of patience and forbearance?"
"Ah!" replied Miss Pritty, with an arch smile, shaking her finger at her
nephew, "you are a fallacious reasoner. Do you know what that means? I
can't help laughing still at the trouble I used to have in trying to
find out the meaning of that word fallacious, when I was at Miss
Dullandoor's seminary for young ladies--hi! Hi! Some of us were
excessively _young_ ladies, and we were taught everything by rote,
explanations of meanings of anything being quite ignored by Miss
Dullandoor. Do you remember her sister? Oh! I'm so stupid to forget
that it's exactly thirty years to-day since she died, and you can't be
quite that age yet; besides, even if you were, it would require that you
should have seen, and recognised, and remembered her on her deathbed
about the time of your own birth. Oh! She _was_ so funny, both in face
and figure. One of the older girls made a portrait of her for me which
I have yet. I'll go fetch it; the expression is irresistible--it is
killing. Excuse me a minute."
Miss Pritty rose and tripped--she never walked--from the room. During
much of the previous conversation our hero had been sorely perplexed in
his mind as to his duty in present circumstances. Having been forbidden
to hold any intercourse with Aileen, he questioned the propriety of his
remaining to spend the evening with her, and had made up his mind to
rise and tear himself away when this unlooked-for opportunity for a
_tete-a-tete_ occurred. Being a man of quick wit and strong will, he
did not neglect it. Turning suddenly to the fair girl, he said, in a
voice low and measured--
"Aileen, your father commanded me to have no further intercourse with
you, and he made me aware that he had laid a similar injunction on
yourself. I know full well your true-hearted loyalty to him, and do not
intend to induce you to disobey. I ask you to make no reply to what I
say that is not consistent with your promise to your father. For
myself, common courtesy tells me that I may not leave your presence for
a distant land without saying at least good-bye. Nay, more, I feel that
I break no command in making to you a simple deliberate statement."
Edgar paused for a moment, for, in spite of the powerful restraint put
on himself, and the intended sedateness of his words, his feelings were
almost too strong for him.
"Aileen," he resumed, "I may never see you again. Your father intends
that I shall not. Your looks seem to say that you fear as much. Now,
my heart tells me that I _shall_; but, whatever betide, or wherever I
go, let me assure you that I will continue to love you with unalterable
fidelity. More than this I shall not say, less I could not. You said
that these New Testaments"--pointing to a pile of four or five which lay
on the table--"are meant to be given to poor men. _I_ am a poor man:
will you give me one?"
"Willingly," said Aileen, taking one from the pile.
She handed it to her lover without a single word, but with a tender
anxious look that went straight to his heart, and took up its lodging
there--to abide for ever!
The youth grasped the book and the hand at once, and, stooping, pressed
the latter fervently to his lips.
At that moment Miss Pritty was heard tripping along the passage.
Edgar sprang to intercept her, and closed the door of the boudoir behind
him.
"Why, Edgar, you seem in haste!"
"I am, dear aunt; circumstances require that I should be. Come
down-stairs with me. I have stayed too long already. I am going
abroad, and may not spend more time with you this evening."
"Going abroad!" exclaimed Miss Pritty, in breathless surprise, "where?"
"I don't know. To China, Japan, New Zealand, the North Pole--anywhere.
In fact, I've not quite fixed. Good-bye, dear aunt. Sorry to have seen
so little of you. Good-bye."
He stooped, printed a gentle kiss between Miss Pritty's wondering eyes,
and vanished.
"A most remarkable boy," said the disconcerted lady, resuming her seat
at the tea-table--"so impulsive and volatile. But he's a dear good boy
nevertheless--was so kind to his mother while she was alive, and ran
away from school when quite young--and no wonder, for it was a dreadful
school, where they used to torture the boys,--absolutely tortured them.
The head-master and ushers were tried for it afterwards, I'm told. At
all events; Eddy ran away from it after pulling the master's nose and
kicking the head usher--so it is said, though I cannot believe it, he is
usually so gentle and courteous.--_Do_ have a little more tea. No? A
piece of bun? No? Why, you seem quite flushed, my love. Not unwell, I
trust? No? Well, then, let us proceed to business."