I attempted to enter into conversation with my guide; but she did not seem much inclined to be sociable, and the beauty of the glades and groves which now spread before my eyes reconciled me to silence.
I have seen many fine places since then, but I do not remember to have seen a landscape more beautiful in its peculiar English character than that which I now gazed on. It had none of the feudal characteristics of ancient parks, with giant oaks, fantastic pollards, glens covered with fern, and deer grouped upon the slopes; on the contrary, in spite of some fine trees, chiefly beech, the impression conveyed was, that it was a new place,a made place. You might see ridges on the lawns which showed where hedges had been removed; the pastures were parcelled out in divisions by new wire fences; young plantations, planned with exquisite taste, but without the venerable formality of avenues and quin-cunxes, by which you know the parks that date from Elizabeth and James, diversified the rich extent of verdure; instead of deer, were short-horned cattle of the finest breed, sheep that would have won the prize at an agricultural show. Everywhere there was the evidence of improvement, energy, capital, but capital clearly not employed for the mere purpose of return. The ornamental was too conspicuously predominant amidst the lucrative not to say eloquently: The owner is willing to make the most of his land, but not the most of his money.
But the old womans eagerness to earn sixpence had impressed me unfavorably as to the character of the master. Here, thought I, are all the signs of riches; and yet this poor old woman, living on the very threshold of opulence, is in want of a sixpence.
These surmises, in the indulgence of which I piqued myself on my penetration, were strengthened into convictions by the few sentences which I succeeded at last in eliciting from the old woman.
Mr. Trevanion must be a rich man? said I. Oh, ay, rich eno! grumbled my guide.
And, said I, surveying the extent of shrubbery or dressed ground through which our way wound, now emerging into lawns and glades, now belted by rare garden-trees, now (as every inequality of the ground was turned to advantage in the landscape) sinking into the dell, now climbing up the slopes, and now confining the view to some object of graceful art or enchanting Nature,and, said I, he must employ many hands here: plenty of work, eh?
Ay, ay! I dont say that he dont find work for those who want it. But it aint the same place it wor in my day.
You remember it in other hands, then?
Ay, ay! When the Hogtons had it, honest folk! My good man was the gardener,none of those set-up fine gentlemen who cant put hand to a spade.
Poor faithful old woman!
I began to hate the unknown proprietor. Here clearly was some mushroom usurper who had bought out the old simple, hospitable family, neglected its ancient servants, left them to earn tizzies by showing waterfalls, and insulted their eyes by his selfish wealth.
Theres the water all spilt,it warnt so in my day, said the guide.
A rivulet, whose murmur I had long heard, now stole suddenly into view, and gave to the scene the crowning charm. As, relapsing into silence, we tracked its sylvan course, under dripping chestnuts and shady limes, the house itself emerged on the opposite side,a modern building of white stone, with the noblest Corinthian portico I ever saw in this country.
A fine house indeed, said I. Is Mr. Trevanion here much?
Ay, ay! I dont mean to say that he goes away altogether, but it aint as it wor in my day, when the Hogtons lived here all the year round in their warm house,not that one.
Good old woman, and these poor banished Hogtons, thought I,hateful parvenu! I was pleased when a curve in the shrubberies shut out the house from view, though in reality bringing us nearer to it. And the boasted cascade, whose roar I had heard for some moments, came in sight.
Amidst the Alps, such a waterfall would have been insignificant, but contrasting ground highly dressed, with no other bold features, its effect was striking, and even grand. The banks were here narrowed and compressed; rocks, partly natural, partly no doubt artificial, gave a rough aspect to the margin; and the cascade fell from a considerable height into rapid waters, which my guide mumbled out were mortal deep.
There wor a madman leapt over where you be standing, said the old woman, two years ago last June.
A madman! why, said I, observing, with an eye practised in the gymnasium of the Hellenic Institute, the narrow space of the banks over the gulf,why, my good lady, it need not be a madman to perform that leap.
And so saying, with one of those sudden impulses which it would be wrong to ascribe to the noble quality of courage, I drew back a few steps, and cleared the abyss. But when from the other side I looked back at what I had done, and saw that failure had been death, a sickness came over me, and I felt as if I would not have releapt the gulf to become lord of the domain.
And how am I to get back? said I, in a forlorn voice to the old woman, who stood staring at me on the other side. Ah! I see there is a bridge below.
But you cant go over the bridge, theres a gate on it; master keeps the key himself. You are in the private grounds now. Dear, dear! the squire would be so angry if he knew. You must go back; and theyll see you from the house! Dear me! dear, dear! What shall I do? Cant you leap back again?
Moved by these piteous exclamations, and not wishing to subject the poor old lady to the wrath of a master evidently an unfeeling tyrant, I resolved to pluck up courage and releap the dangerous abyss.
Oh, yes, never fear, said I, therefore. Whats been done once ought to be done twice, if needful. Just get out of my way, will you?
And I receded several paces over a ground much too rough to favor my run for a spring. But my heart knocked against my ribs. I felt that impulse can do wonders where preparation fails.
You had best be quick, then, said the old woman.
Horrid old woman! I began to esteem her less. I set my teeth, and was about to rush on, when a voice close beside me said,
Stay, young man; I will let you through the gate.
I turned round sharply, and saw close by my side, in great wonder that I had not seen him before, a man, whose homely (but not working) dress seemed to intimate his station as that of the head-gardener, of whom my guide had spoken. He was seated on a stone under a chestnut-tree, with an ugly cur at his feet, who snarled at me as I turned.
Thank you, my man, said I, joyfully. I confess frankly that I was very much afraid of that leap.
Ho! Yet you said, what can be done once can be done twice.
I did not say it could be done, but ought to be done.
Humph! Thats better put.
Here the man rose; the dog came and smelt my legs, and then, as if satisfied with my respectability, wagged the stump of his tail.
I looked across the waterfall for the old woman, and to my surprise saw her hobbling back as fast as she could. Ah! said I, laughing, the poor old thing is afraid youll tell her master,for youre the head gardener, I suppose? But I am the only person to blame. Pray say that, if you mention the circumstance at all! and I drew out half a crown, which I proffered to my new conductor.
I looked across the waterfall for the old woman, and to my surprise saw her hobbling back as fast as she could. Ah! said I, laughing, the poor old thing is afraid youll tell her master,for youre the head gardener, I suppose? But I am the only person to blame. Pray say that, if you mention the circumstance at all! and I drew out half a crown, which I proffered to my new conductor.
He put back the money with a low Humph! not amiss. Then, in a louder voice, No occasion to bribe me, young man; I saw it all.
I fear your master is rather hard to the poor Hogtons old servants.
Is he? Oh! humph! my master. Mr. Trevanion you mean?
Yes.
Well, I dare say people say so. This is the way. And he led me down a little glen away from the fall. Everybody must have observed that after he has incurred or escaped a great danger, his spirits rise wonderfully; he is in a state of pleasing excitement. So it was with me. I talked to the gardener a coeur ouvert, as the French say; and I did not observe that his short monosyllables in rejoinder all served to draw out my little history,my journey, its destination, my schooling under Dr. Herman, and my fathers Great Book. I was only made somewhat suddenly aware of the familiarity that had sprung up between us when, just as, having performed a circuitous meander, we regained the stream and stood before an iron gate set in an arch of rock-work, my companion said simply: And your name, young gentleman? Whats your name?
I hesitated a moment; but having heard that such communications were usually made by the visitors of show places, I answered: Oh! a very venerable one, if your master is what they call a bibliomaniacCaxton.
Caxton! cried the gardener, with some vivacity; there is a Cumberland family of that name
Thats mine; and my Uncle Roland is the head of that family.
And you are the son of Augustine Caxton?
I am. You have heard of my dear father, then?
We will not pass by the gate now. Follow me,this way; and my guide, turning abruptly round, strode up a narrow path, and the house stood a hundred yards before me ere I recovered my surprise.
Pardon me, said I, but where are we going, my good friend?
Good friend, good friend! Well said, sir. You are going amongst good friends. I was at college with your father; I loved him well. I knew a little of your uncle too. My name is Trevanion.
Blind young fool that I was! The moment my guide told his name, I was struck with amazement at my unaccountable mistake. The small, insignificant figure took instant dignity; the homely dress, of rough dark broadcloth, was the natural and becoming dishabille of a country gentleman in his own demesnes. Even the ugly cur became a Scotch terrier of the rarest breed.
My guide smiled good-naturedly at my stupor; and patting me on the shoulder, said,
It is the gardener you must apologize to, not me. He is a very handsome fellow, six feet high.
I had not found my tongue before we had ascended a broad flight of stairs under the portico, passed a spacious hall adorned with statues and fragrant with large orange-trees, and, entering a small room hung with pictures, in which were arranged all the appliances for breakfast, my companion said to a lady, who rose from behind the tea-urn: My dear Ellinor, I introduce to you the son of our old friend Augustine Caxton. Make him stay with us as long as he can. Young gentleman, in Lady Ellinor Trevanion think that you see one whom you ought to know well; family friendships should descend.
My host said these last words in an imposing tone, and then pounced on a letter-bag on the table, drew forth an immense heap of letters and newspapers, threw himself into an armchair, and seemed perfectly forgetful of my existence.
The lady stood a moment in mute surprise, and I saw that she changed color from pale to red, and red to pale, before she came forward with the enchanting grace of unaffected kindness, took me by the hand, drew me to a seat next to her own, and asked so cordially after my father, my uncle, my whole family, that in five minutes I felt myself at home. Lady Ellinor listened with a smile (though with moistened eyes, which she wiped every now and then) to my artless details. At length she said,
Have you never heard your father speak of me,I mean of us; of the Trevanions?
Never, said I, bluntly; and that would puzzle me, only my dear father, you know, is not a great talker.
Indeed! he was very animated when I knew him, said Lady Ellinor; and she turned her head and sighed.
At this moment there entered a young lady so fresh, so blooming, so lovely that every other thought vanished out of my head at once. She came in singing, as gay as a bird, and seeming to my adoring sight quite as native to the skies.
Fanny, said Lady Ellinor, shake hands with Mr. Caxton, the son of one whom I have not seen since I was little older than you, but whom I remember as if it were but yesterday.
Miss Fanny blushed and smiled, and held out her hand with an easy frankness which I in vain endeavored to imitate. During breakfast, Mr. Trevanion continued to read his letters and glance over the papers, with an occasional ejaculation of Pish! Stuff! between the intervals in which he mechanically swallowed his tea, or some small morsels of dry toast. Then rising with a suddenness which characterized his movements, he stood on his hearth for a few moments buried in thought; and now that a large-brimmed hat was removed from his brow, and the abruptness of his first movement, with the sedateness of his after pause, arrested my curious attention, I was more than ever ashamed of my mistake. It was a careworn, eager, and yet musing countenance, hollow-eyed and with deep lines; but it was one of those faces which take dignity and refinement from that mental cultivation which distinguishes the true aristocrat, namely, the highly educated, acutely intelligent man. Very handsome might that face have been in youth, for the features, though small, were exquisitely defined; the brow, partially bald, was noble and massive, and there was almost feminine delicacy in the curve of the lip. The whole expression of the face was commanding, but sad. Often, as my experience of life increased, have I thought to trace upon that expressive visage the history of energetic ambition curbed by a fastidious philosophy and a scrupulous conscience; but then all that I could see was a vague, dissatisfied melancholy, which dejected me I knew not why.
Presently Trevanion returned to the table, collected his letters, moved slowly towards the door, and vanished.
His wifes eyes followed him tenderly. Those eyes reminded me of my mothers, as I verily believe did all eyes that expressed affection. I crept nearer to her, and longed to press the white hand that lay so listless before me.
Will you walk out with us? said Miss Trevanion, turning to me. I bowed, and in a few minutes I found myself alone. While the ladies left me, for their shawls and bonnets, I took up the newspapers which Mr. Trevanion had thrown on the table, by way of something to do. My eye was caught by his own name; it occurred often, and in all the papers. There was contemptuous abuse in one, high eulogy in another; but one passage in a journal that seemed to aim at impartiality, struck me so much as to remain in my memory; and I am sure that I can still quote the sense, though not the exact words. The paragraph ran somewhat thus: