A MEETING IN GERMANY.
The summer went by, and Mark's anticipations of happiness were as
nearly borne out as such anticipations ever are. He and Mabel met
constantly. He saw her in the Row with her father and Dolly--and
sometimes had the bliss of exchanging a few words across the
railings--at dances and tennis-parties, and in most of the less
exclusive events of the season, while every interview left him more
deeply infatuated. She seemed always glad to see and talk with him,
allowing herself to express a decided interest in his doings, and
never once throwing on him the burden of a conversational deadlift in
the manner with which a girl knows how to discourage all but the
dullest of bores. Now and then, indeed, when Mark's conversation
showed symptoms of the occasional inanity common to most men who talk
much, she did not spare him; but this was due to a jealous anxiety on
her part that he should keep up to his own standard, and if she had
not liked him she would not have taken the trouble. He took her light
shafts so patiently and good-humouredly, too, that she was generally
seized by a contrition which expressed itself in renewed graciousness.
Already she had come to notice his arrival on lawns or in
drawing-rooms, and caught herself remembering his looks and words
after their meeting.
He was still busy with 'Sweet Bells Jangled,' for he had now decided
to make his _coup_ with that, but in other respects he was
unproductive. He had begun several little things in pursuance of his
engagements, but somehow he did not get on with them, and had to lay
them aside until the intellectual thaw he expected. Pecuniarily his
position was much improved; his uncle had kept his word, and put an
allowance at his disposal which made him tolerably easy about his
future. He removed to more fashionable quarters in South Audley
Street, and led the easy existence there he had long coveted. Still
Mr. Lightowler was an unpleasantly constant bluebottle in his
ointment. He came up regularly from Chigbourne to inspect him,
generally with literary advice and the latest scandal about his
detested neighbour, which he thought might be 'worked up into
something.' He had discovered the Row as an afternoon lounge where his
nephew ought to show himself 'among the swells,' and he insisted, in
spite of all Mark's attempts at evasion, in walking him about there.
Mark was not perhaps exactly ashamed of the man whose favours he was
accepting, at least he did not own as much even to himself, but there
were times when, as he met the surprised glances of people he knew
slightly, he could have wished that his loud-voiced and unpresentable
relative had not got quite such a tight hold of his arm.
At a hint from Trixie he had tendered the olive-branch to his family,
which they accepted rather as if it had been something he had asked
them to hold for him, and without the slightest approach to anything
like a scene. Trixie had, of course, been in communication with him
from the first, and kept her satisfaction to herself; Mr. Ashburn was
too timid, and his wife too majestic, to betray emotion, while the
other two were slightly disappointed. The virtuous members of a family
are not always best pleased to see the prodigal at any time, and it is
particularly disconcerting to find that the supposed outcast has been
living on veal instead of husks during his absence, and associating
rather with lions than swine. Mark was not offended at his reception,
however, he felt himself independent now; but his easy temper made him
anxious to be at peace with them, and if they were not exactly
effusive, they made no further pretence of disapproval, and the
reconciliation was perfectly genuine as far as it went.
'I am going to see you to the gate, Mark,' Trixie announced, as he
rose to go. It was not a long or a perilous journey, but she had an
object in accompanying him down the little flagged path. 'I've got
something to tell you,' she said, as they stood by the iron gate in
the hot August night. 'I wish I knew how to begin.... Mark--how would
you like a--a new brother, because I'm going to give you one?'
'Thanks very much, Trixie,' said Mark, 'but I think I can get along
without another of them.'
'Ah, but Jack would be a _nice_ one,' said Trixie.
Mark remembered then that he had noticed a decided improvement in her
dress and appearance. 'And who is this Jack whom you're so
disinterestedly going to make me a present of?' he asked.
'Jack is one of the masters at the Art School,' said Trixie; 'he's
awfully handsome--not in your style, but fair, with a longer
moustache, and he's too clever almost to live. He had one picture in
the Grosvenor this year, in the little room, down by the bottom
somewhere, but he hasn't sold it. And when I first went to the School
all the girls declared he came round to me twice as much as he did to
them, and they made themselves perfectly horrid about it; so I had to
ask him not to come so often, and he didn't--for a time. Then one day
he asked me if I would rather he never came to me at all, and--and I
couldn't say yes, and so somehow we got engaged. Ma's furious about
it, and so is Martha; but then, ma has never seen Jack----'
'And Martha _has_? I see!' put in Mark.
'Jack knows a lot about literature; he admires "Illusion" immensely,
Mark,' added Trixie, thinking in her innocence that this would enlist
his sympathy at once. 'He wants to know you dreadfully.'
'Well, Trixie,' said Mark paternally, 'you must bring him to see me.
We mustn't have you doing anything imprudent, you know. Let me see
what I think of him. I hope he's a good fellow?'
'Oh, he _is_,' said Trixie; 'if you could only see some of his
sketches!'
A day or two later, Mark had an opportunity of meeting his intending
brother-in-law, of whom he found no particular reason to disapprove,
though he secretly thought him a slightly commonplace young man, and
too inclined to be familiar with himself; and shortly after he started
for the Black Forest, whither Caffyn had prevailed upon him to be his
companion. He thought it would be amusing and serve to keep his
vengeance alive to have his intended victim always at hand, but the
result did not quite come up to his hopes. Mark had so lulled his
fears to rest that the most artfully planned introduction of Holroyd's
name failed to disturb him. He thought chiefly during their wanderings
of Mabel, and her smile and words at parting, and in this occupation
he was so pleasantly absorbed that it was impossible to rouse him by
any means short of the rudest awakening. And by-and-by a curious
change took place in Caffyn's feelings towards him; in spite of
himself the virulence of his hatred began to abate. Time and change of
scene were proving more powerful than he had anticipated; away from
Mabel, his hatred, even of her, flagged more and more with every day,
and he was disarmed as against Mark by the evident pleasure the latter
took in his society, for the most objectionable persons become more
bearable when we discover that they have a high opinion of us--it is
such a redeeming touch in their nature. And besides, with all the
reason Caffyn had for cherishing a grudge against Mark, somehow, as
they became more intimate, he slid gradually into a half-contemptuous
and half-affectionate tolerance. He began to think that he would find
satisfaction in standing by and letting events work themselves out; he
would let this poor fellow enjoy his fool's paradise as long as might
be. No doubt, the luxury of secretively enjoying the situation had a
great deal to do with this generosity of his, but the fact remains
that, for some reason, he was passing from an enemy to a neutral, and
might on occasion even become an ally, if nothing occurred to fan his
hatred to flame in the meanwhile.
Towards the end of their tour, they arrived at Triberg late one
Saturday evening, and on the Sunday, Caffyn, having risen late and
finding that Mark had breakfasted and gone out alone, was climbing the
path by the waterfall, when, on one of the bridges which span the
cascade, he saw a girl's figure leaning listlessly over the rough
rail. It was Gilda Featherstone, and he thought he could detect an
additional tinge in her cheeks and a light in her eyes as he came
towards her. Her father and mother were in one of the shelters above,
and Mrs. Featherstone's greeting when she recognised him was the
reverse of cordial. This young man might not have followed them there,
but it looked extremely like it, and if she could not order him out of
the Black Forest as if she had taken it for the summer, she would at
least give him no encouragement to stay.
Unfortunately, her husband behaved with an irritating effusiveness; he
liked Caffyn, and besides, had not seen an Englishman to talk to
familiarly for some days. They were going home next day, he had better
come with them. Well, if he could not do that (Mrs. Featherstone
having interposed icily, 'Mr. Caffyn has just told you, Robert, that
he is with a friend!') he must come to them the moment he returned to
England, and they would give him some shooting. Mrs. Featherstone had
to hear this invitation and Caffyn's instant acceptance of it with
what philosophy she might. It was useless to remonstrate with her
husband on his blindness, he had democratic views which might even
bear a practical test, and she could only trust to chance and her
mother-wit to prevent any calamity; but she was unusually silent as
they walked down the winding path back to the hotel where they were
all staying.
There was a midday _table d'hôte_, where the proprietor, a most
imposing and almost pontifical personage, officiated as at a religious
ceremonial, solemnly ladling out the soup to devout waiters as if he
were blessing each portion, after which he stood by and contented
himself with lending his countenance (at a rather high rate of
interest) to the meal. Caffyn's chair was placed next to Gilda's, and
they kept up a continuous flow of conversation. Mark saw them both
looking at him at one time, and wondered at the sudden change in
Caffyn's face, which (unless his fancy misled him) had a frown on it
that was almost threatening. But he was not allowed much time to
speculate on the causes, for Mrs. Featherstone (perhaps to emphasise
her disapproval of his companion) distinguished Mark by engrossing his
entire attention.
That afternoon Mark was sitting outside the hotel, taking his coffee
at one of the little round iron tables, by the inevitable trio of
scrubby orange trees in green tubs, when Caffyn, whom he had not seen
since leaving the table, came up and sat down beside him without a
word.
'Have you come out for some coffee?' asked Mark.
'No,' said Caffyn shortly, 'I came out to have a few words with you.'
The Featherstones had all gone off to attend the English afternoon
service; there was no one very near them, though in the one broad
street there was a certain gentle animation, of townspeople
promenading up and down in Sunday array, spectacled young officers,
with slender waists and neat uniforms, swaggering about; a portly and
gorgeous crier in a green uniform, ringing his bell over a departed
purse; little old walnut-faced women, sitting patiently by their
fruitstalls, and a band of local firemen in very baggy tunics, the
smallest men of whom had crept inside the biggest silver helmets,
preparing to execute a selection of airs.
'You look uncommonly serious about something, old fellow,' said Mark,
laughing lightly; 'what is it?'
'This,' said Caffyn, with a smouldering fire in his voice and eyes;
'I've just been told that you--_you_ are engaged to Mabel Langton. Is
it true?'
Mark was not displeased. This coupling of Mabel's name with his, even
though by a mere rumour, sent a delicious thrill through him; it
seemed to bring his sweetest hopes nearer realisation. The gay little
street vanished for an instant, and he was holding Mabel's hand in the
violet-scented drawing-room, but he came to himself almost directly
with a start.
'Who told you that?' he said, flushing slightly.
'Never mind who told me. Is it true? I--I warn you not to trifle with
me.'
'What on earth is the matter with you?' said Mark. 'No, it's not true;
as far as I know at present, there is not the remotest possibility of
such a thing coming to pass.'
'But you would make it possible if you could, eh?' asked Caffyn.
'I don't want to hurt your feelings, Caffyn,' said Mark, 'but really
you're going a little too far. And even if I had been engaged to Miss
Langton (which is very far from the case), I don't exactly see what
right you have, after--under the circumstances, you know--to go in for
the fire-eating business.'
'You mean I'm out of the running, whoever wins?' said Caffyn. 'I
daresay you're right; I'm not aware that I ever entered for the prize.
But never mind that. She has taken a dislike to me, but I may be
allowed to feel an interest in her still, I suppose. I should like to
see her happy, and if you could tell me that you were the man, why
then----'
'Well?' said Mark, as the other paused with a curious smile.
'Why, then I should feel at ease about her, don't you know,' he said
gently.
'I only wish I could ease your mind for you in that way,' said Mark,
'but it's too soon for that yet.'
'You _do_ mean to ask her, then?' said Caffyn, with his eyes on the
little brown-and-yellow imperial _postwagen_ which had just rattled up
to the hotel, and the driver of which, in his very unbecoming glazed
billycock hat with the featherbrush plume, was then cumbrously
descending from his box. Mark had not meant to confide in Caffyn at
all; he had only known him a short time, and, although their intimacy
had grown so rapidly, with a little more reflection he might have
shrunk from talking of Mabel to one whom, rightly or wrongly, she held
in abhorrence. But then Caffyn was so sympathetic, so subdued; the
temptation to talk of his love to somebody was so strong, that he did
not try to resist it.
'Yes, I do,' he said, and his dark eyes were soft and dreamy as he
spoke, 'some day ... if I dare. And if she says what I hope she will
say, I shall come to you, old fellow, for congratulations.'
He looked round, but Caffyn had started up abruptly and he was alone.
'Very odd of him,' thought Mark, until he saw him meeting the
Featherstones on their way back from the service.
Some minutes later, as Gilda and Caffyn were in a corner of the
exhibition of carved work at the lower end of the town, she took
advantage of the blaring of two big orchestral Black Forest organs,
each performing a different overture, and of the innumerable cuckoo
cries from the serried rows of clocks on the walls, to go back to
their conversation at the _table d'hôte_. 'Have you asked him yet?
Mabel is not engaged to him after all?' (her face fell as she gathered
this). 'It is all a mistake, then? Of course it was a great relief to
_you_ to hear that?'
'Was it?' was Caffyn's rejoinder; 'why?'
'Why? Because--oh, of course you would be relieved to hear it!' and
Gilda made a little attempt to laugh.
'Shall I tell you something?' he said gravely. 'Do you know that I've
just begun to think nothing would give me greater satisfaction now
than to hear that the rumour you told me of was an accomplished fact.'
'And that Mabel was engaged to Mr. Ashburn? Do you really _mean_ it?'
cried Gilda, and her face cleared again.
'I really mean it,' said Caffyn smiling; and it is just possible that
he really did.
'Gilda, you're not helping me in the least!' said Mrs. Featherstone,
coming up at this juncture; 'and there's your father threatening to
get that big clock with a horrid cuckoo in it for the hall at the
Grange. Come and tell him, if he _must_ have one, to buy one of the
long plain ones.' And Gilda went obediently, for she could feel an
interest in clocks and carvings now.