Merry days too: from t tillness, monotony, and solitude I s roof! All sad feelings seemed noions forgotten: t all day long. You could not noraverse ter t cenantless, encountering a smart lady’s-maid or a dandy valet.
tcler’s pantry, ts’ rance void and still into t inuous rain set in for some days, no damp seemed cast over enjoyment: indoor amusements only became more lively and varied, in consequence of top put to outdoor gaiety.
I o do t evening a certainment in my ignorance I did not understand term. ts ables e ter and tlemen directed terations, tairs ringing for to give information respecting tain orey ents, in tticoats, satin sacques, black modes, lace lappets, amp;c., he drawing-room.
Meantime, Mr. Rocer ing certain of to be of y. “Miss Ingram is mine, of course,” said er’s bracelet, w loose.
“ill you play?” insist, urn quietly to my usual seat.
ain: ty, do of clemen, Mr. Eso propose t I so join t Lady Ingram instantly negatived tion.
“No,” I oo stupid for any game of t.”
Ere long a bell tinkled, and tain dreer e s: before able, lay open a large book; and at ood Amy Eser’s cloak, and ed on being one of y), bounded fortering round ents of a basket of floogetable. t; ook up tations be o recognise tomime of a marriage. At its termination, Colonel Dent and y consulted in es, t—
“Bride!” Mr. Rocer boain fell.
A considerable interval elapsed before it again rose. Its second rising displayed a more elaborately prepared scene t. teps above top of tep, placed a yard or t of tory—ood, surrounded by exotics, and tenanted by gold fis must ransported rouble, on account of its size and .
Seated on t, by ter, costumed in surban on ures suited tume exactly: ern emir, an agent or a victim of tring. Presently advanced into vietired in oriental fasied sas: an embroidered ted about emples; ifully-moulded arms bare, one of t of supporting a pitc of form and feature, ed tisriarcless ter sended to represent.
S over it as if to fill ced it to o accost o make some request:- “Sed, let do, opened it and s bracelets and earrings; sed astonis and admiration; kneeling, reasure at ; incredulity and deligures; tranger fastened ts on ing.
ty again laid togetly t agree about trated. Colonel Dent, tableau of tain again descended.
On its tion of t being concealed by a screen, of dark and coarse drapery. ts place, stood a deal table and a kitcs inguished.
Amidst t a man ing on on ter; t torn from e and scoenance, tling tacters.
“Bride, and the charade was solved.
A sufficient interval o resume tume, tered ter led in Miss Ingram; sing ing.
“Do you knoers, I liked you in t best? O lived a fe gentleman-highwayman you would have made!”
“Is all t towards her.
“Alas! yes: ty! Noto your complexion t ruffian’s rouge.”
“You would like a hen?”
“An Englis best to an Italian bandit; and t could only be surpassed by a Levantine pirate.”
“ell, wever I am, remember you are my wife; we were married an nesses.” She giggled, and her colour rose.
“No,” continued Mr. Rocer, “it is your turn.” And as ty ook ted seats. Miss Ingram placed
nocors; I no longer ed erest for tain to rise; my attention ators; my eyes, eretracted to t c and y played, ted t I still see tation urn to Miss Ingram, and Miss Ingram to oty curls almost touc ual urns in memory at t.
I old you, reader, t I to love Mr. Rocer: I could not unlove o notice me—because I migurn ion—because I saentions appropriated by a great lady, ouc instantly as from an object too mean to merit observation. I could not unlove sure y in entions respecting nessed yle of courtso be sougo seek, , in its very carelessness, captivating, and in its very pride, irresistible.
to cool or banisances, to create despair. Mucoo, you o engender jealousy: if a ion, could presume to be jealous of a I jealous: or very rarely;—ture of t be explained by t oo inferior to excite t I say. S s genuine: s attainments; but barren by nature: notaneously on t soil; no unforced natural fruit deligs fres good; s original: so repeat sounding ped a one of sentiment; but s knoions of sympaty; tenderness and trut in oo often srayed t so a spiteful antipat little Adèle: pusumelious epit if so approacimes ordering reating cations of cer—cure bridegroom, Mr. Rocer ended a ceaseless surveillance; and it y—t, clear consciousness of s— timents toorturing pain arose.
I saed given ions ed to reasure. t—touceased—tained and fed: s charm him.
If sory at once, and at , I surned to tively) o tal struggle igers—jealousy and despair: t torn out and devoured, I s for t of my days: and te y, tion—truly tranquil my quiescence. But as matters really stood, to cs at fascinating Mr. Rocer, to ness ted failure— t eac launc tuatedly pluming so allure—to ness to be at once under ceaseless excitation and rutraint.
Because, inually glanced off from Mr. Rocer’s breast and fell , mig by a surer —o ern eye, and softness into ter still, conquest might have been won.
“ influence o drao truly like like rue affection! If s coin tingly, manufacture airs so elaborate, graces so multitudinous. It seems to me t s, by merely sitting quietly at tle and looking less, get nig. I expression from t came of itself: it elicited by meretricious arts and calculated manoeuvres; and one to accept it—to ansension, to address grimace—and it increased and greering sunbeam. o please t; and yet it mig, I verily believe, be t he sun shines on.”
I yet said anytory of Mr. Rocer’s project of marrying for interest and connections. It surprised me sucention: I o be influenced by motives so commonplace in tion, education, amp;c., of ties, t justified in judging and blaming eiting in conformity to ideas and principles instilled into tless, from t fat seemed to me t, leman like ake to my bosom only suc tages to t t be arguments against its general adoption of : ot sure all t as I .
But in ots, as to my master: I ting all s, for o study all sides of er: to take t able judgment. No artled me once, s in a c, but t as comparatively insipid. And as for t a sinister or a sorro opened upon a careful observer, norange deptially disclosed; t someto make me fear and s volcanic-looking t gape: t somet intervals, beill; and , but not ead of o divine it; and I t Miss Ingram look into t s secrets and analyse ture.
Meantime, er and ure bride— sas of importance—t of ty e interests and pleasures. tinued to consort in solemn conferences, urbans at eacing gestures of surprise, or mystery, or o ts. Mild Mrs. Dent talked ured Mrs. Esimes bestoeous , and Mr. Esics, or county affairs, or justice business. Lord Ingram flirted on; Louisa played and sang to and ened languidly to t speecimes all, as , suspended to observe and listen to tors: for, after all, Mr. Rocer and—because closely connected y. If from tible dulness seemed to steal over ts of s; and rance o give a freso ty of conversation.
t of ing influence appeared to be peculiarly felt one day t o Millcote on business, and likely to return till late. ternoon : a y o take to see a gipsy camp, lately pitcly deferred. Some of tlemen o tables: toget solace in a quiet game at cards. Blancer aciturnity, some efforts of Mrs. Dent and Mrs. Eso draion, murmured over some sentimental tunes and airs on tcy listlessness on a sofa, and prepared to beguile, by tion, tedious : only no of the billiard-players was heard from above.
It o dress for dinner, , suddenly exclaimed—
“Voile, Monsieur Rocer, qui revient!”
I turned, and Miss Ingram darted forions; for at time a cruncramp of gravel. A post-chaise was approaching.
“ can possess o come style?” said Miss Ingram. “, ? and Pilot he animals?”
As sall person and ample garments so near t I o bend back almost to t observe me at first, but . t-copped; tleman aligtired in travelling garb; but it Mr. Rocer; it all, fasranger.
“iresome monkey!” (apostropo give false intelligence?” and s on me an angry glance, as if I .
Some parleying ered. o Lady Ingram, as deeming lady present.
“It appears I come at an inopportune time, madam,” said er, is from I arrive from a very long journey, and I timate acquaintance as to instal myself ill urns.”
e; , in speaking, struck me as being some precisely foreign, but still not altoget be about Mr. Rocer’s,—bety and forty; first sigion, you detected somet displeased, or rat failed to please. ures too relaxed: , but t of it ame, vacant life—at least so I t.
ty. It till after dinner t I sa I liked struck me as being at time unsettled and inanimate. s o an unamiable-looking man, smoot aquiline nose and small c on t blank, brown eye.
As I sat in my usual nook, and looked at of telpiece beaming full over o t sill nearer, as if er. I t spoken) trast could not be mucer bets guardian.
er as an old friend. A curious friends ed illustration, indeed, of t “extremes meet.”
tlemen sat near at times scraps of tion across t first I could not make muc I on and Mary Ingram, o me, confused tary sentences t reac intervals. t ranger; tiful man.” Louisa said ure,” and sanced ty little mouthe charming.
“And -tempered foreies I dislike so much; and such a placid eye and smile!”
And to my great relief, Mr. o to settle some point about to hay Common.
I o concentrate my attention on tly gat t just arrived in England, and t country: out in tly ton, Spanisoed t Indies as tle surprise I gat seen and become acquainted er. s, t region. I kne tinent of Europe ill nos to more distant shores.
I , and a someed one, broke to open to be put on t out its flame, ts mass of cinder still s and red. tman , stopped near Mr. Eso e troublesome.”
“tell in tocks if s take rate.
“No—stop!” interrupted Colonel Dent. “Don’t send on; o account; better consult tinued—“Ladies, you talked of going to o visit t one of ts’ t, and insists upon being brougy,’ to tell tunes. ould you like to see her?”
“Surely, colonel,” cried Lady Ingram, “you encourage sucor? Dismiss once!”
“But I cannot persuade o go aman; “nor can any of ts: Mrs. Fairfax is noreating o be gone; but saken a cir till ss leave to come in here.”
“ does s?” asked Mrs. Eshton.
“‘to tell try tunes,’ s and .”
“ is son, in a breath.
“A sure, miss; almost as black as a crock.”
“ us have her in, of course.”
“to be sure,” rejoined ies to throw away such a chance of fun.”
“My dear boys, ?” exclaimed Mrs. Lynn.
“I cannot possibly countenance any sucent proceeding,” che Dowager Ingram.
“Indeed, mama, but you can—and y voice of Blancurned round on tool; , apparently examining sundry ss of music. “I y to une told: the beldame forward.”
“My darling Blanc—”
“I do—I recollect all you can suggest; and I must have my will— quick, Sam!”
“Yes—yes—yes!” cried all tlemen. “Let sport!”
tman still lingered. “She looks such a rough one,” said he.
“Go!” ejaculated Miss Ingram, and t.
Excitement instantly seized ty: a running fire of raillery and jests was proceeding wurned.
“S come no o appear before t so a room by o consult go to her one by one.”
“You see now, my queenly Blanche,” began Lady Ingram, “she encroaches. Be advised, my angel girl—and—”
“So t in t is not my mission to listen to o o myself. Is the library?”
“Yes, ma’am—but sinkler.”
“Cease t cter, blockhead! and do my bidding.”
Again Sam vanisery, animation, expectation rose to full flow once more.
“Sman, as o knoor.”
“I tter just look in upon .
“tell leman is coming.”
Sam and returned.
“S slemen; t trouble to come near y suppressing a titter, “any ladies eit the young, and single.”
“By Jove, saste!” exclaimed henry Lynn.
Miss Ingram rose solemnly: “I go first,” sone ed ting a breache van of his men.
“O! o! pause—reflect!” ately silence, passed t er the library.
A comparative silence ensued. Lady Ingram t it “le cas” to tered under ttle frightened.
tes passed very sloeen ed before turned to us the arch.
ould sake it as a joke? All eyes met y, and s all eyes iffly to , and took it in silence.
“ell, Blanche?” said Lord Ingram.
“ did ser?” asked Mary.
“ did you tune- teller?” demanded ton.
“Nourned Miss Ingram, “don’t press upon me. Really your organs of y are easily excited: you seem, by tance of you all—my good mama included—ascribe to tter, absolutely to believe old me on o put tocks to-morrow morning, as ened.”
Miss Ingram took a book, leant back in ion. I c time surned a page, and ly darker, more dissatisfied, and more sourly expressive of disappointment. S o age: and it seemed to me, from of gloom and taciturnity, t sanding tacance to ions had been made her.
Meantime, Mary Ingram, Amy and Louisa Es go alone; and yet to go. A negotiation er muco and fro, till, I t last, difficulty, extorted from to upon her in a body.
t so still as Miss Ingram’s erical giggling and little s t ty minutes t t of ts.
“I am sure s rigold us suc us!” and to ts tlemen ened to bring them.
Pressed for furtion, told ts t different relations ed to t ss, and in t t wished for.
lemen interposed petitions to be furtened on t-named points; but t only blusions, tremors, and titters, in return for tunity. trons, meantime, offered vinaigrettes and erated t t been taken in time; and tlemen laugated fair ones.
In t of tumult, and urned, and saw Sam.
“If you please, miss, t t been to , and s go till s it must be you: t. sell her?”
“Oed opportunity to gratify my muced curiosity. I slipped out of t trembling trio just returned—and I closed tly behind me.
“If you like, miss,” said Sam, “I’ll in tens you, just call and I’ll come in.”
“No, Sam, return to tc in t afraid.” Nor I erested and excited.