Heartsease; Or, The Brother's Wife - Charlotte Yonge 4 стр.

Most soothingly did John say, coming towards her, No, no, you need not distress yourself. No one can blame you.

But Lord Martindaleshe murmured.

He will look on you like a daughter. I know I may promise you that. Yes, indeed, I have no doubt of it, my dear little sister, he repeated, as she looked earnestly at him. I have told him how entirely you deserve his kindness and affection, and Arthur has written, such a letter as will be sure to bring his forgiveness.

Ah! said Violet, it is all for my sake. No wonder they should be angry.

Dont fancy that any one is angry with you. We all know that you were ignorant how matters stood.

But I should have done the same if I had known. I could not have helped it, said Violet.

I know, said John, no one could expect it of you. Arthur told me at once that you were free from any shadow of blame, and no one thinks of imputing any.

But are they very much displeased? said poor Violet.

Of course, said John, after a little consideration, it was a shock to hear of such an important step being taken without my fathers knowledge; but he is very anxious there should be no estrangement, and I am sure he will behave as if things had gone on in the usual course. You may have great confidence in his kindness, Violet.

She was somewhat reassured, and presently went onI dont wonder they are vexed. I know how much beneath him I am, but I could not help that. Oh! I wish Matilda was here to tell me how to behave, that every one may not be ashamed of me and angry with him.

Dont be frightened said John, you have pleased two of the family already; you know, and depend upon it, you will make them all like you in time as much as I do.

If YOU can overlook that laugh! said Violet.

I could say I liked you the better for it, said John, pleasantly; only I dont know whether it would be a safe precedent. It has made us feel well acquainted, I hope. Dont make a stranger of me, he continued, dont forget that we are brother and sister.

Im sure,and she broke off, unable to express herself; then added, Lady Martindale! I was frightened before at the thought of her, but it is much worse now.

You must not frighten yourself. You will find out how kind she is when you come to know her, and soon get over your first strangeness and shyness.

And there is your sister, said Violet; TheodoraI do long to see her. Is she most like you or your brother?

Remarkably like him. She always makes children very fond of her, he added, pausing to find something safe and yet encouraging; but I dont know half as much of her as Arthur does. We have not been as much together as I could wish.

I see now why she never wrote, said Violet, with some shame, and yet glad to have it accounted for. But she will be sure to help me, and tell me how to behave. She will want them to be able to bear me for his sake.

Without much reply, he applied himself to his letter, feeling that he could hardly give an impartial judgment. It had been a great effort to come to visit the bridal pair, but he found himself rewarded in a way he had not expected by the new pleasure given him by her engaging ways, her freshness and artlessness rousing him from long-continued depression of spirits.

After some pondering, she suddenly looked up, and exclaimed, Well, Ill try!

Try what, Violet!

Ill try to do my very best! said she, cheerfully, though the tears still were in her eyes. I know I shall make mistakes, and I can never be like a great lady; but Ill do the best I can, if they will only bear with me, and not be angry with him.

I am sure you will do well, with such resolutions.

One thing I am glad of, added she, that we came here just now. That old cathedral! I did not think much beforeit was all strange and new, and I was too happy. But I shall never be so thoughtless nowor if I am! O, I know, she exclaimed, with renewed energy, Ill buy one of those pretty white cups with views of the cathedral on them. Did you not see them in the shop-window? That will put me in mind if I am going to be careless of all my resolutions.

Resolutions so made are likely to be kept, said John, and she presently left the room, recollecting that her store of biscuits needed replenishing before luncheon. She was putting on her bonnet to go to order them, when a doubt seized her whether she was transgressing the dignities of the Honourable Mrs. Martindale. Matilda had lectured against vulgarity when Arthur had warned her against ultra-gentility, and she wavered, till finding there was no one to send, her good sense settled the question. She walked along, feeling the cares and troubles of life arising on her, and thinking she should never again be gay and thoughtless, when she suddenly heard her husbands voiceHa! whither away so fast! and he and Captain Fitzhugh overtook her.

I was going into the town on an errand.

Just the moment I wanted you. Theres a cricket match in the College Meads. Come along.

And with her arm in his, Violets clouds vanished, and she had no recollection of anxieties or vexations. The summer sky was overhead, the river shone blue and bright, the meadows smiled in verdure, the whole scene was full of animation, and the game, of which she knew nothing, was made charming by Arthurs explanations. Nearly an hour had passed before she bethought herself of suggesting it was almost time to go home.

Presently, said Arthur, let us see this fellow out.

Another ten minutes. Would you look at your watch please? Theres your brother waiting for his luncheon.

O, ay, tis nearly time, and he was again absorbed. She thought he would not be pleased if she went home alone, nor was she sure of the way; so she waited in much annoyance, till at length he said, Now, Violet, and they walked briskly home, all that she had endured passing entirely out of her mind.

She rejoiced to find Mr. Martindale unconscious that it was not far from two oclock. He said he had been glad of time to finish his letters, and Arthur, as his eye fell on one of them, asked, What is Percy doing now?

He has been in Anatolia, going over some of the places we saw together. He has made some discoveries about the Crusades, and is thinking of publishing some of his theories.

Did I not hear of his writing something before this?

Yes; he sent some curious histories of the eastern Jews to some magazine. They are to be published separately, as they have been very successful; but I am glad this book is to be what he calls self-contained. He is too good to be wasted upon periodicals.

Violet, curious to know who was this literary correspondent, glanced at the letter, and read the address, to Antony Percival Fotheringham, Esquire, British Embassy, Constantinople. She started to find it was the surname of that lost betrothed of whom she thought with an undefinable reverent pity.

All speculations were put to flight, however, by the entrance of the luncheon tray, containing nothing but slices of cold mutton and bread and butter. With a grievous look of dismay, and lamentable exclamation, she began to pour out explanations and apologies, but the gentlemen seemed too intent on conversing about Mr. Fotheringham either to hear her or to perceive anything amiss.

She remembered black looks and sharp words at home; and feeling dreadfully guilty at having failed immediately after her resolutions, she retreated to her room, and there Arthur found her in positive distress.

Oh, I am so much concerned! It was so wrong to forget those biscuits. Your brother ate nothing else yesterday at luncheon!

Is that all? said Arthur, laughing; I thought something had happened to you. Come, on with your bonnet. Fancy! John will actually walk with us to St. Cross!

Let me first tell you how it happened. There are a couple of ducks

Let them be. No housekeeping affairs for me. Whatever happens, keep your own counsel. If they serve you up a barbecued puppy dog, keep a cool countenance, and help the company round. No woman good for anything mentions her bill of fare in civilized society. Mind that.

Violet was left imagining her apologies a breach of good manners. What must Mr. Martindale think of her? Silly, childish, indiscreet, giggling, neglectful, underbred! How he must regret his brothers having such a wife!

Yet his pleasant voice, and her husbands drawing her arm into his, instantly dispelled all fear and regret, and her walk was delightful.

She was enchanted with St. Cross, delighted with the quadrangle of gray buildings covered with creepers, the smooth turf and gay flowers; in raptures at the black jacks, dole of bread and beer, and at the silver-crossed brethren, and eager to extract all Mr. Martindales information on the architecture and history of the place, lingering over it as long as her husbands patience would endure, and hardly able to tear herself from the quiet glassy stream and green meadows.

If Caroline were only here to sketch it! she cried, there would be nothing wanting but that that hill should be Helvellyn.

You should see the mountain convents in Albania, said John; and she was soon charmed with his account of his adventures there with Mr. Fotheringham. She was beginning to look on him as a perfect mine of informationone who had seen the whole world, and read everything. All that was wanting, she said, was Matilda properly to enter into his conversation.

Another day brought letters, inviting Arthur to bring home his bride for a fortnights visit, as soon as he could obtain leave of absence.

CHAPTER 3

Here we are! said Arthur Martindale. Heres the lodge. Then looking in his wifes face, Why! you are as white as a sheet. Come! dont be a silly child. They wont bite.

I am glad I have seen Mr. John Martindale, sighed she.

Dont call him so here. Ah! I meant to tell you you must not Mr. Martindale me here. John is Mr. Martindale.

And what am I to call you?

By my name, of course.

Arthur! Oh! I dont know how.

You will soon. And if you can help shrinking when my aunt kisses you, it will be better for us. Ha! there is Theodora.

O, where?

Gone! Fled in by the lower door. I wish I could have caught her.

Violet held her breath. The grand parterre, laid out in regularly-shaped borders, each containing a mass of one kind of flower, flaming elscholchias, dazzling verbenas, azure nemophilas, or sober heliotrope, the broad walks, the great pile of building, the innumerable windows, the long ascent of stone steps, their balustrade guarded by sculptured sphinxes, the lofty entrance, and the tall powdered footmen, gave her the sense of entering a palace. She trembled, and clung to Arthurs arm as they came into a great hall, where a vista of marble pillars, orange trees, and statues, opened before her; but comfort came in the cordial brotherly greeting with which John here met them.

She is frightened out of her senses, said Arthur.

Johns reply was an encouraging squeeze of the hand, which he retained, leading her, still leaning on her husbands arm, into a room, where an elderly gentleman was advancing; both her hands were placed within his by her supporters on either side, and he kissed her, gravely saying, Welcome, my dear. He then presented her to a formal embrace from a tall lady; and Arthur saying, Well, Theodora! here, Violet, again took her hand, and put it into another, whose soft clasp was not ready, nor was the kiss hearty.

Presently Violet, a little reassured by Lord Martindales gentle tones, ventured on a survey. She was on the same sofa with Lady Martindale; but infinitely remote she felt from that form like an eastern queen, richly dressed, and with dark majestic beauty, whose dignity was rather increased than impaired by her fifty years. She spoke softly to the shy stranger, but with a condescending tone, that marked the width of the gulf, and Violets eyes, in the timid hope of sympathy, turned towards the sister.

But, though the figure was younger, and the dress plainer, something seemed to make her still more unapproachable. There was less beauty, less gentleness, and the expression of her countenance had something fixed and stern. Now and then there was a sort of agitation of the muscles of the face, and her eyes were riveted on Arthur, excepting that if he looked towards her, she instantly looked out of the window. She neither spoke nor moved: Violet thought that she had not given her a single glance, but she was mistaken, Theodora was observing, and forming a judgment.

This wife, for whose sake Arthur had perilled so much, and inflicted such acute pain on her, what were her merits? A complexion of lilies and roses, a head like a steel engraving in an annual, a face expressing nothing but childish bashfulness, a manner ladylike but constrained, and a dress of studied simplicity worse than finery.

Lady Martindale spoke of dressing, and conducted her meek shy visitor up a grand staircase, along a broad gallery, into a large bed-room, into which the western sun beamed with a dazzling flood of light.

The first use Violet made of her solitude was to look round in amaze at the size and luxury of her room, wondering if she should ever feel at home where looking-glasses haunted her with her own insignificance. She fled from them, to try to cool her cheeks at the open window, and gaze at the pleasure-ground, which reminded her of prints of Versailles, by the sparkling fountain rising high in fantastic jets from its stone basin, in the midst of an expanse of level turf, bordered by terraces and stone steps, adorned with tall vases of flowers. On the balustrade stood a peacock, bending his blue neck, and drooping his gorgeous train, as if he was monarch of all he surveyed.

Poor Violet felt as if no one but peacocks had a right here; and when she remembered that less than twelve weeks ago the summit of her wishes had been to go to the Wrangerton ball, it seemed to be a dream, and she shut her eyes, almost expecting to open them on Annettes face, and the little attic at home. But then, some one else must have been the fabric of a vision! She made haste to unclose them, and her heart bounded at thinking that he was born to all this! She started with joy as his step approached, and he entered the room.

Let us look at you, he said. Have you your colour? Ay, plenty of it. Are you getting tamer, you startled thing?