diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24000-8.txt | 15969 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24000-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 281581 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24000-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 286482 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24000-h/24000-h.htm | 16085 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24000.txt | 15969 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24000.zip | bin | 0 -> 281562 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
9 files changed, 48039 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/24000-8.txt b/24000-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..085c7b7 --- /dev/null +++ b/24000-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15969 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Miss Mackenzie, by Anthony Trollope + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Miss Mackenzie + + +Author: Anthony Trollope + + + +Release Date: December 28, 2007 [eBook #24000] +Most recently updated: October 15, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MISS MACKENZIE*** + + +E-text prepared by Joseph E. Loewenstein, M.D. + + + +MISS MACKENZIE + +by + +ANTHONY TROLLOPE + +First published in book form in 1865 + + + + + + + +CONTENTS + + I. The Mackenzie Family + II. Miss Mackenzie Goes to Littlebath + III. Miss Mackenzie's First Acquaintances + IV. Miss Mackenzie Commences Her Career + V. Showing How Mr Rubb, Junior, Progressed at Littlebath + VI. Miss Mackenzie Goes to the Cedars + VII. Miss Mackenzie Leaves the Cedars + VIII. Mrs Tom Mackenzie's Dinner Party + IX. Miss Mackenzie's Philosophy + X. Plenary Absolutions + XI. Miss Todd Entertains Some Friends at Tea + XII. Mrs Stumfold Interferes + XIII. Mr Maguire's Courtship + XIV. Tom Mackenzie's Bed-Side + XV. The Tearing of the Verses + XVI. Lady Ball's Grievance + XVII. Mr Slow's Chambers + XVIII. Tribulation + XIX. Showing How Two of Miss Mackenzie's Lovers Behaved + XX. Showing How the Third Lover Behaved + XXI. Mr Maguire Goes to London on Business + XXII. Still at the Cedars + XXIII. The Lodgings of Mrs Buggins, Née Protheroe + XXIV. The Little Story of the Lion and the Lamb + XXV. Lady Ball in Arundel Street + XXVI. Mrs Mackenzie of Cavendish Square + XXVII. The Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar + XXVIII. Showing How the Lion Was Stung by the Wasp + XXIX. A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed + XXX. Conclusion + + + + +CHAPTER I + +The Mackenzie Family + + +I fear I must trouble my reader with some few details as to the early +life of Miss Mackenzie,--details which will be dull in the telling, +but which shall be as short as I can make them. Her father, who had +in early life come from Scotland to London, had spent all his days in +the service of his country. He became a clerk in Somerset House at +the age of sixteen, and was a clerk in Somerset House when he died at +the age of sixty. Of him no more shall be said than that his wife had +died before him, and that he, at dying, left behind him two sons and +a daughter. + +Thomas Mackenzie, the eldest of those two sons, had engaged himself +in commercial pursuits--as his wife was accustomed to say when she +spoke of her husband's labours; or went into trade, and kept a shop, +as was more generally asserted by those of the Mackenzie circle who +were wont to speak their minds freely. The actual and unvarnished +truth in the matter shall now be made known. He, with his partner, +made and sold oilcloth, and was possessed of premises in the New +Road, over which the names of "Rubb and Mackenzie" were posted in +large letters. As you, my reader, might enter therein, and purchase +a yard and a half of oilcloth, if you were so minded, I think that +the free-spoken friends of the family were not far wrong. Mrs Thomas +Mackenzie, however, declared that she was calumniated, and her +husband cruelly injured; and she based her assertions on the fact +that "Rubb and Mackenzie" had wholesale dealings, and that they sold +their article to the trade, who re-sold it. Whether or no she was +ill-treated in the matter, I will leave my readers to decide, having +told them all that it is necessary for them to know, in order that a +judgement may be formed. + +Walter Mackenzie, the second son, had been placed in his father's +office, and he also had died before the time at which our story is +supposed to commence. He had been a poor sickly creature, always +ailing, gifted with an affectionate nature, and a great respect for +the blood of the Mackenzies, but not gifted with much else that was +intrinsically his own. The blood of the Mackenzies was, according to +his way of thinking, very pure blood indeed; and he had felt strongly +that his brother had disgraced the family by connecting himself with +that man Rubb, in the New Road. He had felt this the more strongly, +seeing that "Rubb and Mackenzie" had not done great things in their +trade. They had kept their joint commercial head above water, but +had sometimes barely succeeded in doing that. They had never been +bankrupt, and that, perhaps, for some years was all that could be +said. If a Mackenzie did go into trade, he should, at any rate, have +done better than this. He certainly should have done better than +this, seeing that he started in life with a considerable sum of +money. + +Old Mackenzie,--he who had come from Scotland,--had been the +first-cousin of Sir Walter Mackenzie, baronet, of Incharrow, and +he had married the sister of Sir John Ball, baronet, of the Cedars, +Twickenham. The young Mackenzies, therefore, had reason to be proud +of their blood. It is true that Sir John Ball was the first baronet, +and that he had simply been a political Lord Mayor in strong +political days,--a political Lord Mayor in the leather business; but, +then, his business had been undoubtedly wholesale; and a man who gets +himself to be made a baronet cleanses himself from the stains of +trade, even though he have traded in leather. And then, the present +Mackenzie baronet was the ninth of the name; so that on the higher +and nobler side of the family, our Mackenzies may be said to have +been very strong indeed. This strength the two clerks in Somerset +House felt and enjoyed very keenly; and it may therefore be +understood that the oilcloth manufactory was much out of favour with +them. + +When Tom Mackenzie was twenty-five--"Rubb and Mackenzie" as he +afterwards became--and Walter, at the age of twenty-one, had been +for a year or two placed at a desk in Somerset House, there died one +Jonathan Ball, a brother of the baronet Ball, leaving all he had in +the world to the two brother Mackenzies. This all was by no means a +trifle, for each brother received about twelve thousand pounds when +the opposing lawsuits instituted by the Ball family were finished. +These opposing lawsuits were carried on with great vigour, but with +no success on the Ball side, for three years. By that time, Sir John +Ball, of the Cedars, was half ruined, and the Mackenzies got their +money. It is needless to say much to the reader of the manner in +which Tom Mackenzie found his way into trade--how, in the first +place, he endeavoured to resume his Uncle Jonathan's share in the +leather business, instigated thereto by a desire to oppose his Uncle +John,--Sir John, who was opposing him in the matter of the will,--how +he lost money in this attempt, and ultimately embarked, after +some other fruitless speculations, the residue of his fortune in +partnership with Mr Rubb. All that happened long ago. He was now a +man of nearly fifty, living with his wife and family,--a family of +six or seven children,--in a house in Gower Street, and things had +not gone with him very well. + +Nor is it necessary to say very much of Walter Mackenzie, who had +been four years younger than his brother. He had stuck to the office +in spite of his wealth; and as he had never married, he had been +a rich man. During his father's lifetime, and when he was quite +young, he had for a while shone in the world of fashion, having been +patronised by the Mackenzie baronet, and by others who thought that a +clerk from Somerset House with twelve thousand pounds must be a very +estimable fellow. He had not, however, shone in a very brilliant way. +He had gone to parties for a year or two, and during those years had +essayed the life of a young man about town, frequenting theatres and +billiard-rooms, and doing a few things which he should have left +undone, and leaving undone a few things which should not have been +so left. But, as I have said, he was weak in body as well as weak +in mind. Early in life he became an invalid; and though he kept his +place in Somerset House till he died, the period of his shining in +the fashionable world came to a speedy end. + +Now, at length, we will come to Margaret Mackenzie, the sister, our +heroine, who was eight years younger than her brother Walter, and +twelve years younger than Mr Rubb's partner. She had been little more +than a child when her father died; or I might more correctly say, +that though she had then reached an age which makes some girls young +women, it had not as yet had that effect upon her. She was then +nineteen; but her life in her father's house had been dull and +monotonous; she had gone very little into company, and knew very +little of the ways of the world. The Mackenzie baronet people had not +noticed her. They had failed to make much of Walter with his twelve +thousand pounds, and did not trouble themselves with Margaret, who +had no fortune of her own. The Ball baronet people were at extreme +variance with all her family, and, as a matter of course, she +received no countenance from them. In those early days she did not +receive much countenance from any one; and perhaps I may say that she +had not shown much claim for such countenance as is often given to +young ladies by their richer relatives. She was neither beautiful +nor clever, nor was she in any special manner made charming by any +of those softnesses and graces of youth which to some girls seem to +atone for a want of beauty and cleverness. At the age of nineteen, +I may almost say that Margaret Mackenzie was ungainly. Her brown +hair was rough, and did not form itself into equal lengths. Her +cheek-bones were somewhat high, after the manner of the Mackenzies. +She was thin and straggling in her figure, with bones larger than +they should have been for purposes of youthful grace. There was +not wanting a certain brightness to her grey eyes, but it was a +brightness as to the use of which she had no early knowledge. At +this time her father lived at Camberwell, and I doubt whether the +education which Margaret received at Miss Green's establishment for +young ladies in that suburb was of a kind to make up by art for that +which nature had not given her. This school, too, she left at an +early age--at a very early age, as her age went. When she was nearly +sixteen, her father, who was then almost an old man, became ill, and +the next three years she spent in nursing him. When he died, she was +transferred to her younger brother's house,--to a house which he had +taken in one of the quiet streets leading down from the Strand to +the river, in order that he might be near his office. And here for +fifteen years she had lived, eating his bread and nursing him, till +he also died, and so she was alone in the world. + +During those fifteen years her life had been very weary. A moated +grange in the country is bad enough for the life of any Mariana, but +a moated grange in town is much worse. Her life in London had been +altogether of the moated grange kind, and long before her brother's +death it had been very wearisome to her. I will not say that she +was always waiting for some one that came not, or that she declared +herself to be aweary, or that she wished that she were dead. But the +mode of her life was as near that as prose may be near to poetry, or +truth to romance. For the coming of one, who, as things fell out in +that matter, soon ceased to come at all to her, she had for a while +been anxious. There was a young clerk then in Somerset House, one +Harry Handcock by name, who had visited her brother in the early days +of that long sickness. And Harry Handcock had seen beauty in those +grey eyes, and the straggling, uneven locks had by that time settled +themselves into some form of tidiness, and the big joints, having +been covered, had taken upon themselves softer womanly motions, +and the sister's tenderness to the brother had been appreciated. +Harry Handcock had spoken a word or two, Margaret being then +five-and-twenty, and Harry ten years her senior. Harry had spoken, +and Margaret had listened only too willingly. But the sick brother +upstairs had become cross and peevish. Such a thing should never +take place with his consent, and Harry Handcock had ceased to speak +tenderly. + +He had ceased to speak tenderly, though he didn't cease to visit the +quiet house in Arundel Street. As far as Margaret was concerned he +might as well have ceased to come; and in her heart she sang that +song of Mariana's, complaining bitterly of her weariness; though the +man was seen then in her brother's sickroom regularly once a week. +For years this went on. The brother would crawl out to his office in +summer, but would never leave his bedroom in the winter months. In +those days these things were allowed in public offices; and it was +not till very near the end of his life that certain stern official +reformers hinted at the necessity of his retiring on a pension. +Perhaps it was that hint that killed him. At any rate, he died +in harness--if it can in truth be said of him that he ever wore +harness. Then, when he was dead, the days were gone in which Margaret +Mackenzie cared for Harry Handcock. Harry Handcock was still +a bachelor, and when the nature of his late friend's will was +ascertained, he said a word or two to show that he thought he was not +yet too old for matrimony. But Margaret's weariness could not now be +cured in that way. She would have taken him while she had nothing, or +would have taken him in those early days had fortune filled her lap +with gold. But she had seen Harry Handcock at least weekly for the +last ten years, and having seen him without any speech of love, she +was not now prepared for the renewal of such speaking. + +When Walter Mackenzie died there was a doubt through all the +Mackenzie circle as to what was the destiny of his money. It was well +known that he had been a prudent man, and that he was possessed of a +freehold estate which gave him at least six hundred a year. It was +known also that he had money saved beyond this. It was known, too, +that Margaret had nothing, or next to nothing, of her own. The old +Mackenzie had had no fortune left to him, and had felt it to be a +grievance that his sons had not joined their richer lots to his +poorer lot. This, of course, had been no fault of Margaret's, but it +had made him feel justified in leaving his daughter as a burden upon +his younger son. For the last fifteen years she had eaten bread to +which she had no positive claim; but if ever woman earned the morsel +which she required, Margaret Mackenzie had earned her morsel during +her untiring attendance upon her brother. Now she was left to her +own resources, and as she went silently about the house during those +sad hours which intervened between the death of her brother and +his burial, she was altogether in ignorance whether any means of +subsistence had been left to her. It was known that Walter Mackenzie +had more than once altered his will--that he had, indeed, made many +wills--according as he was at such moments on terms of more or less +friendship with his brother; but he had never told to any one what +was the nature of any bequest that he had made. Thomas Mackenzie had +thought of both his brother and sister as poor creatures, and had +been thought of by them as being but a poor creature himself. He had +become a shopkeeper, so they declared, and it must be admitted that +Margaret had shared the feeling which regarded her brother Tom's +trade as being disgraceful. They, of Arundel Street, had been idle, +reckless, useless beings--so Tom had often declared to his wife--and +only by fits and starts had there existed any friendship between +him and either of them. But the firm of Rubb and Mackenzie was not +growing richer in those days, and both Thomas and his wife had felt +themselves forced into a certain amount of conciliatory demeanour by +the claims of their seven surviving children. Walter, however, said +no word to any one of his money; and when he was followed to his +grave by his brother and nephews, and by Harry Handcock, no one knew +of what nature would be the provision made for his sister. + +"He was a great sufferer," Harry Handcock had said, at the only +interview which took place between him and Margaret after the death +of her brother and before the reading of the will. + +"Yes indeed, poor fellow," said Margaret, sitting in the darkened +dining-room, in all the gloom of her new mourning. + +"And you yourself, Margaret, have had but a sorry time of it." He +still called her Margaret from old acquaintance, and had always done +so. + +"I have had the blessing of good health," she said, "and have been +very thankful. It has been a dull life, though, for the last ten +years." + +"Women generally lead dull lives, I think." Then he had paused for +a while, as though something were on his mind which he wished to +consider before he spoke again. Mr Handcock, at this time, was bald +and very stout. He was a strong healthy man, but had about him, to +the outward eye, none of the aptitudes of a lover. He was fond of +eating and drinking, as no one knew better than Margaret Mackenzie; +and had altogether dropped the poetries of life, if at any time any +of such poetries had belonged to him. He was, in fact, ten years +older than Margaret Mackenzie; but he now looked to be almost twenty +years her senior. She was a woman who at thirty-five had more of the +graces of womanhood than had belonged to her at twenty. He was a man +who at forty-five had lost all that youth does for a man. But still I +think that she would have fallen back upon her former love, and found +that to be sufficient, had he asked her to do so even now. She would +have felt herself bound by her faith to do so, had he said that such +was his wish, before the reading of her brother's will. But he did no +such thing. "I hope he will have made you comfortable," he said. + +"I hope he will have left me above want," Margaret had replied--and +that had then been all. She had, perhaps, half-expected something +more from him, remembering that the obstacle which had separated them +was now removed. But nothing more came, and it would hardly be true +to say that she was disappointed. She had no strong desire to marry +Harry Handcock whom no one now called Harry any longer; but yet, for +the sake of human nature, she bestowed a sigh upon his coldness, when +he carried his tenderness no further than a wish that she might be +comfortable. + +There had of necessity been much of secrecy in the life of Margaret +Mackenzie. She had possessed no friend to whom she could express her +thoughts and feelings with confidence. I doubt whether any living +being knew that there now existed, up in that small back bedroom in +Arundel Street, quires of manuscript in which Margaret had written +her thoughts and feelings,--hundreds of rhymes which had never met +any eye but her own; and outspoken words of love contained in letters +which had never been sent, or been intended to be sent, to any +destination. Indeed these letters had been commenced with no name, +and finished with no signature. It would be hardly true to say that +they had been intended for Harry Handcock, even at the warmest period +of her love. They had rather been trials of her strength,--proofs +of what she might do if fortune should ever be so kind to her as to +allow of her loving. No one had ever guessed all this, or had dreamed +of accusing Margaret of romance. No one capable of testing her +character had known her. In latter days she had now and again dined +in Gower Street, but her sister-in-law, Mrs Tom, had declared her +to be a silent, stupid old maid. As a silent, stupid old maid, the +Mackenzies of Rubb and Mackenzie were disposed to regard her. But how +should they treat this stupid old maid of an aunt, if it should now +turn out that all the wealth of the family belonged to her? + +When Walter's will was read such was found to be the case. There +was no doubt, or room for doubt, in the matter. The will was dated +but two months before his death, and left everything to Margaret, +expressing a conviction on the part of the testator that it was his +duty to do so, because of his sister's unremitting attention to +himself. Harry Handcock was requested to act as executor, and was +requested also to accept a gold watch and a present of two hundred +pounds. Not a word was there in the whole will of his brother's +family; and Tom, when he went home with a sad heart, told his wife +that all this had come of certain words which she had spoken when +last she had visited the sick man. "I knew it would be so," said Tom +to his wife. "It can't be helped now, of course. I knew you could not +keep your temper quiet, and always told you not to go near him." How +the wife answered, the course of our story at the present moment does +not require me to tell. That she did answer with sufficient spirit, +no one, I should say, need doubt; and it may be surmised that things +in Gower Street were not comfortable that evening. + +Tom Mackenzie had communicated the contents of the will to his +sister, who had declined to be in the room when it was opened. "He +has left you everything,--just everything," Tom had said. If Margaret +made any word of reply, Tom did not hear it. "There will be over +eight hundred a year, and he has left you all the furniture," Tom +continued. "He has been very good," said Margaret, hardly knowing how +to express herself on such an occasion. "Very good to you," said Tom, +with some little sarcasm in his voice. "I mean good to me," said +Margaret. Then he told her that Harry Handcock had been named as +executor. "There is no more about him in the will, is there?" said +Margaret. At the moment, not knowing much about executors, she had +fancied that her brother had, in making such appointment, expressed +some further wish about Mr Handcock. Her brother explained to her +that the executor was to have two hundred pounds and a gold watch, +and then she was satisfied. + +"Of course, it's a very sad look-out for us," Tom said; "but I do not +on that account blame you." + +"If you did you would wrong me," Margaret answered, "for I never once +during all the years that we lived together spoke to Walter one word +about his money." + +"I do not blame you," the brother rejoined; and then no more had been +said between them. + +He had asked her even before the funeral to go up to Gower Street and +stay with them, but she had declined. Mrs Tom Mackenzie had not asked +her. Mrs Tom Mackenzie had hoped, then--had hoped and had inwardly +resolved--that half, at least, of the dying brother's money would +have come to her husband; and she had thought that if she once +encumbered herself with the old maid, the old maid might remain +longer than was desirable. "We should never get rid of her," she had +said to her eldest daughter, Mary Jane. "Never, mamma," Mary Jane had +replied. The mother and daughter had thought that they would be on +the whole safer in not pressing any such invitation. They had not +pressed it, and the old maid had remained in Arundel Street. + +Before Tom left the house, after the reading of the will, he again +invited his sister to his own home. An hour or two had intervened +since he had told her of her position in the world, and he was +astonished at finding how composed and self-assured she was in the +tone and manner of her answer. "No, Tom, I think I had better not," +she said. "Sarah will be somewhat disappointed." + +"You need not mind that," said Tom. + +"I think I had better not. I shall be very glad to see her if she +will come to me; and I hope you will come, Tom; but I think I will +remain here till I have made up my mind what to do." She remained in +Arundel Street for the next three months, and her brother saw her +frequently; but Mrs Tom Mackenzie never went to her, and she never +went to Mrs Tom Mackenzie. "Let it be even so," said Mrs Tom; "they +shall not say that I ran after her and her money. I hate such airs." +"So do I, mamma," said Mary Jane, tossing her head. "I always said +that she was a nasty old maid." + +On that same day,--the day on which the will was read,--Mr Handcock +had also come to her. "I need not tell you," he had said, as he +pressed her hand, "how rejoiced I am--for your sake, Margaret." +Then she had returned the pressure, and had thanked him for his +friendship. "You know that I have been made executor to the will," he +continued. "He did this simply to save you from trouble. I need only +promise that I will do anything and everything that you can wish." +Then he left her, saying nothing of his suit on that occasion. + +Two months after this,--and during those two months he had +necessarily seen her frequently,--Mr Handcock wrote to her from his +office in Somerset House, renewing his old proposals of marriage. His +letter was short and sensible, pleading his cause as well, perhaps, +as any words were capable of pleading it at this time; but it was not +successful. As to her money he told her that no doubt he regarded it +now as a great addition to their chance of happiness, should they +put their lots together; and as to his love for her, he referred her +to the days in which he had desired to make her his wife without a +shilling of fortune. He had never changed, he said; and if her heart +was as constant as his, he would make good now the proposal which she +had once been willing to accept. His income was not equal to hers, +but it was not inconsiderable, and therefore as regards means they +would be very comfortable. Such were his arguments, and Margaret, +little as she knew of the world, was able to perceive that he +expected that they would succeed with her. + +Little, however, as she might know of the world, she was not prepared +to sacrifice herself and her new freedom, and her new power and her +new wealth, to Mr Harry Handcock. One word said to her when first +she was free and before she was rich, would have carried her. But an +argumentative, well-worded letter, written to her two months after +the fact of her freedom and the fact of her wealth had sunk into +his mind, was powerless on her. She had looked at her glass and +had perceived that years had improved her, whereas years had not +improved Harry Handcock. She had gone back over her old aspirations, +aspirations of which no whisper had ever been uttered, but which had +not the less been strong within her, and had told herself that she +could not gratify them by a union with Mr Handcock. She thought, or +rather hoped, that society might still open to her its portals,--not +simply the society of the Handcocks from Somerset House, but that +society of which she had read in novels during the day, and of which +she had dreamed at night. Might it not yet be given to her to know +clever people, nice people, bright people, people who were not heavy +and fat like Mr Handcock, or sick and wearisome like her poor brother +Walter, or vulgar and quarrelsome like her relatives in Gower Street? +She reminded herself that she was the niece of one baronet, and the +first-cousin once removed of another, that she had eight hundred +a year, and liberty to do with it whatsoever she pleased; and she +reminded herself, also, that she had higher tastes in the world than +Mr Handcock. Therefore she wrote to him an answer, much longer than +his letter, in which she explained to him that the more than ten +years' interval which had elapsed since words of love had passed +between them had--had--had--changed the nature of her regard. After +much hesitation, that was the phrase which she used. + +And she was right in her decision. Whether or no she was doomed to be +disappointed in her aspirations, or to be partially disappointed and +partially gratified, these pages are written to tell. But I think +we may conclude that she would hardly have made herself happy by +marrying Mr Handcock while such aspirations were strong upon her. +There was nothing on her side in favour of such a marriage but a +faint remembrance of auld lang syne. + +She remained three months in Arundel Street, and before that period +was over she made a proposition to her brother Tom, showing to what +extent she was willing to burden herself on behalf of his family. +Would he allow her, she asked, to undertake the education and charge +of his second daughter, Susanna? She would not offer to adopt her +niece, she said, because it was on the cards that she herself might +marry; but she would promise to take upon herself the full expense +of the girl's education, and all charge of her till such education +should be completed. If then any future guardianship on her part +should have become incompatible with her own circumstances, she +should give Susanna five hundred pounds. There was an air of business +about this which quite startled Tom Mackenzie, who, as has before +been said, had taught himself in old days to regard his sister as a +poor creature. There was specially an air of business about her +allusion to her own future state. Tom was not at all surprised that +his sister should think of marrying, but he was much surprised that +she should dare to declare her thoughts. "Of course she will marry +the first fool that asks her," said Mrs Tom. The father of the large +family, however, pronounced the offer to be too good to be refused. +"If she does, she will keep her word about the five hundred pounds," +he said. Mrs Tom, though she demurred, of course gave way; and when +Margaret Mackenzie left London for Littlebath, where lodgings had +been taken for her, she took her niece Susanna with her. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +Miss Mackenzie Goes to Littlebath + + +I fear that Miss Mackenzie, when she betook herself to Littlebath, +had before her mind's eye no sufficiently settled plan of life. She +wished to live pleasantly, and perhaps fashionably; but she also +desired to live respectably, and with a due regard to religion. How +she was to set about doing this at Littlebath, I am afraid she did +not quite know. She told herself over and over again that wealth +entailed duties as well as privileges; but she had no clear idea what +were the duties so entailed, or what were the privileges. How could +she have obtained any clear idea on the subject in that prison which +she had inhabited for so many years by her brother's bedside? + +She had indeed been induced to migrate from London to Littlebath by +an accident which should not have been allowed to actuate her. She +had been ill, and the doctor, with that solicitude which doctors +sometimes feel for ladies who are well to do in the world, had +recommended change of air. Littlebath, among the Tantivy hills, would +be the very place for her. There were waters at Littlebath which she +might drink for a month or two with great advantage to her system. It +was then the end of July, and everybody that was anybody was going +out of town. Suppose she were to go to Littlebath in August, and stay +there for a month, or perhaps two months, as she might feel inclined. +The London doctor knew a Littlebath doctor, and would be so happy to +give her a letter. Then she spoke to the clergyman of the church she +had lately attended in London who also had become more energetic in +his assistance since her brother's death than he had been before, +and he also could give her a letter to a gentleman of his cloth at +Littlebath. She knew very little in private life of the doctor or of +the clergyman in London, but not the less, on that account, might +their introductions be of service to her in forming a circle of +acquaintance at Littlebath. In this way she first came to think of +Littlebath, and from this beginning she had gradually reached her +decision. + +Another little accident, or two other little accidents, had nearly +induced her to remain in London--not in Arundel Street, which was to +her an odious locality, but in some small genteel house in or about +Brompton. She had written to the two baronets to announce to them +her brother's death, Tom Mackenzie, the surviving brother, having +positively refused to hold any communication with either of them. +To both these letters, after some interval, she received courteous +replies. Sir Walter Mackenzie was a very old man, over eighty, who +now never stirred away from Incharrow, in Ross-shire. Lady Mackenzie +was not living. Sir Walter did not write himself, but a letter came +from Mrs Mackenzie, his eldest son's wife, in which she said that +she and her husband would be up in London in the course of the next +spring, and hoped that they might then have the pleasure of making +their cousin's acquaintance. This letter, it was true, did not come +till the beginning of August, when the Littlebath plan was nearly +formed; and Margaret knew that her cousin, who was in Parliament, had +himself been in London almost up to the time at which it was written, +so that he might have called had he chosen. But she was prepared to +forgive much. There had been cause for offence; and if her great +relatives were now prepared to take her by the hand, there could be +no reason why she should not consent to be so taken. Sir John Ball, +the other baronet, had absolutely come to her, and had seen her. +There had been a regular scene of reconciliation, and she had gone +down for a day and night to the Cedars. Sir John also was an old man, +being over seventy, and Lady Ball was nearly as old. Mr Ball, the +future baronet, had also been there. He was a widower, with a large +family and small means. He had been, and of course still was, a +barrister; but as a barrister he had never succeeded, and was now +waiting sadly till he should inherit the very moderate fortune which +would come to him at his father's death. The Balls, indeed, had not +done well with their baronetcy, and their cousin found them living +with a degree of strictness, as to small expenses, which she herself +had never been called upon to exercise. Lady Ball indeed had a +carriage--for what would a baronet's wife do without one?--but it did +not very often go out. And the Cedars was an old place, with grounds +and paddocks appertaining; but the ancient solitary gardener could +not make much of the grounds, and the grass of the paddocks was +always sold. Margaret, when she was first asked to go to the Cedars, +felt that it would be better for her to give up her migration to +Littlebath. It would be much, she thought, to have her relations near +to her. But she had found Sir John and Lady Ball to be very dull, and +her cousin, the father of the large family, had spoken to her about +little except money. She was not much in love with the Balls when she +returned to London, and the Littlebath plan was allowed to go on. + +She made a preliminary journey to that place, and took furnished +lodgings in the Paragon. Now it is known to all the world that the +Paragon is the nucleus of all that is pleasant and fashionable at +Littlebath. It is a long row of houses with two short rows abutting +from the ends of the long row, and every house in it looks out upon +the Montpelier Gardens. If not built of stone, these houses are built +of such stucco that the Margaret Mackenzies of the world do not know +the difference. Six steps, which are of undoubted stone, lead up to +each door. The areas are grand with high railings. The flagged way +before the houses is very broad, and at each corner there is an +extensive sweep, so that the carriages of the Paragonites may be +made to turn easily. Miss Mackenzie's heart sank a little within her +at the sight of all this grandeur, when she was first taken to the +Paragon by her new friend the doctor. But she bade her heart be of +good courage, and looked at the first floor--divided into dining-room +and drawing-room--at the large bedroom upstairs for herself, and two +small rooms for her niece and her maid-servant--at the kitchen in +which she was to have a partial property, and did not faint at the +splendour. And yet how different it was from those dingy rooms in +Arundel Street! So different that she could hardly bring herself to +think that this bright abode could become her own. + +"And what is the price, Mrs Richards?" Her voice almost did fail her +as she asked this question. She was determined to be liberal; but +money of her own had hitherto been so scarce with her that she still +dreaded the idea of expense. + +"The price, mem, is well beknown to all as knows Littlebath. We never +alters. Ask Dr Pottinger else." + +Miss Mackenzie did not at all wish to ask Dr Pottinger, who was at +this moment standing in the front room, while she and her embryo +landlady were settling affairs in the back room. + +"But what is the price, Mrs Richards?" + +"The price, mem, is two pound ten a week, or nine guineas if taken by +the month--to include the kitchen fire." + +Margaret breathed again. She had made her little calculations over +and over again, and was prepared to bid as high as the sum now named +for such a combination of comfort and splendour as Mrs Richards was +able to offer to her. One little question she asked, putting her lips +close to Mrs Richards' ear so that her friend the doctor should not +hear her through the doorway, and then jumped back a yard and a half, +awe-struck by the energy of her landlady's reply. + +"B---- in the Paragon!" Mrs Richards declared that Miss Mackenzie did +not as yet know Littlebath. She bethought herself that she did know +Arundel Street, and again thanked Fortune for all the good things +that had been given to her. + +Miss Mackenzie feared to ask any further questions after this, and +took the rooms out of hand by the month. + +"And very comfortable you'll find yourself," said Dr Pottinger, as +he walked back with his new friend to the inn. He had perhaps been +a little disappointed when he saw that Miss Mackenzie showed every +sign of good health; but he bore it like a man and a Christian, +remembering, no doubt, that let a lady's health be ever so good, she +likes to see a doctor sometimes, especially if she be alone in the +world. He offered her, therefore, every assistance in his power. + +"The assembly rooms were quite close to the Paragon," he said. + +"Oh, indeed!" said Miss Mackenzie, not quite knowing the purport of +assembly rooms. + +"And there are two or three churches within five minutes' walk." Here +Miss Mackenzie was more at home, and mentioned the name of the Rev. +Mr Stumfold, for whom she had a letter of introduction, and whose +church she would like to attend. + +Now Mr Stumfold was a shining light at Littlebath, the man of men, if +he was not something more than mere man, in the eyes of the devout +inhabitants of that town. Miss Mackenzie had never heard of Mr +Stumfold till her clergyman in London had mentioned his name, and +even now had no idea that he was remarkable for any special views in +Church matters. Such special views of her own she had none. But Mr +Stumfold at Littlebath had very special views, and was very specially +known for them. His friends said that he was evangelical, and his +enemies said that he was Low Church. He himself was wont to laugh at +these names--for he was a man who could laugh--and to declare that +his only ambition was to fight the devil under whatever name he might +be allowed to carry on that battle. And he was always fighting the +devil by opposing those pursuits which are the life and mainstay of +such places as Littlebath. His chief enemies were card-playing and +dancing as regarded the weaker sex, and hunting and horse-racing--to +which, indeed, might be added everything under the name of sport--as +regarded the stronger. Sunday comforts were also enemies which he +hated with a vigorous hatred, unless three full services a day, with +sundry intermediate religious readings and exercitations of the +spirit, may be called Sunday comforts. But not on this account should +it be supposed that Mr Stumfold was a dreary, dark, sardonic man. +Such was by no means the case. He could laugh loud. He could be very +jovial at dinner parties. He could make his little jokes about little +pet wickednesses. A glass of wine, in season, he never refused. +Picnics he allowed, and the flirtation accompanying them. He himself +was driven about behind a pair of horses, and his daughters were +horsewomen. His sons, if the world spoke truth, were Nimrods; but +that was in another county, away from the Tantivy hills, and Mr +Stumfold knew nothing of it. In Littlebath Mr Stumfold reigned over +his own set as a tyrant, but to those who obeyed him he was never +austere in his tyranny. + +When Miss Mackenzie mentioned Mr Stumfold's name to the doctor, the +doctor felt that he had been wrong in his allusion to the assembly +rooms. Mr Stumfold's people never went to assembly rooms. He, a +doctor of medicine, of course went among saints and sinners alike, +but in such a place as Littlebath he had found it expedient to have +one tone for the saints and another for the sinners. Now the Paragon +was generally inhabited by sinners, and therefore he had made his +hint about the assembly rooms. He at once pointed out Mr Stumfold's +church, the spire of which was to be seen as they walked towards the +inn, and said a word in praise of that good man. Not a syllable would +he again have uttered as to the wickednesses of the place, had not +Miss Mackenzie asked some questions as to those assembly rooms. + +"How did people get to belong to them? Were they pleasant? What did +they do there? Oh--she could put her name down, could she? If it was +anything in the way of amusement she would certainly like to put her +name down." Dr Pottinger, when on that afternoon he instructed his +wife to call on Miss Mackenzie as soon as that young lady should be +settled, explained that the stranger was very much in the dark as to +the ways and manners of Littlebath. + +"What! go to the assembly rooms, and sit under Mr Stumfold!" said Mrs +Pottinger. "She never can do both, you know." + +Miss Mackenzie went back to London, and returned at the end of a week +with her niece, her new maid, and her boxes. All the old furniture +had been sold, and her personal belongings were very scanty. The +time had now come in which personal belongings would accrue to her, +but when she reached the Paragon one big trunk and one small trunk +contained all that she possessed. The luggage of her niece Susanna +was almost as copious as her own. Her maid had been newly hired, and +she was almost ashamed of the scantiness of her own possessions in +the eyes of her servant. + +The way in which Susanna had been given up to her had been +oppressive, and at one moment almost distressing. That objection +which each lady had to visit the other,--Miss Mackenzie, that is, and +Susanna's mamma,--had never been overcome, and neither side had given +way. No visit of affection or of friendship had been made. But as it +was needful that the transfer of the young lady should be effected +with some solemnity, Mrs Mackenzie had condescended to bring her to +her future guardian's lodgings on the day before that fixed for the +journey to Littlebath. To so much degradation--for in her eyes it was +degradation--Mrs Mackenzie had consented to subject herself; and Mr +Mackenzie was to come on the following morning, and take his sister +and daughter to the train. + +The mother, as soon as she found herself seated and almost before she +had recovered the breath lost in mounting the lodging-house stairs, +began the speech which she had prepared for delivery on the occasion. +Miss Mackenzie, who had taken Susanna's hand, remained with it in her +own during the greater part of the speech. Before the speech was done +the poor girl's hand had been dropped, but in dropping it the aunt +was not guilty of any unkindness. "Margaret," said Mrs Mackenzie, +"this is a trial, a very great trial to a mother, and I hope that you +feel it as I do." + +"Sarah," said Miss Mackenzie, "I will do my duty by your child." + +"Well; yes; I hope so. If I thought you would not do your duty by +her, no consideration of mere money would induce me to let her go +to you. But I do hope, Margaret, you will think of the greatness of +the sacrifice we are making. There never was a better child than +Susanna." + +"I am very glad of that, Sarah." + +"Indeed, there never was a better child than any of 'em; I will +say that for them before the child herself; and if you do your duty +by her, I'm quite sure she'll do hers by you. Tom thinks it best +that she should go; and, of course, as all the money which should +have gone to him has come to you"--it was here, at this point that +Susanna's hand was dropped--"and as you haven't got a chick nor a +child, nor yet anybody else of your own, no doubt it is natural that +you should wish to have one of them." + +"I wish to do a kindness to my brother," said Miss Mackenzie--"and to +my niece." + +"Yes; of course; I understand. When you would not come up to see us, +Margaret, and you all alone, and we with a comfortable home to offer +you, of course I knew what your feelings were towards me. I don't +want anybody to tell me that! Oh dear, no! 'Tom,' said I when he +asked me to go down to Arundel Street, 'not if I know it.' Those were +the very words I uttered: 'Not if I know it, Tom!' And your papa +never asked me to go again--did he, Susanna? Nor I couldn't have +brought myself to. As you are so frank, Margaret, perhaps candour is +the best on both sides. Now I am going to leave my darling child in +your hands, and if you have got a mother's heart within your bosom, I +hope you will do a mother's duty by her." + +More than once during this oration Miss Mackenzie had felt inclined +to speak her mind out, and to fight her own battle; but she was +repressed by the presence of the girl. What chance could there be of +good feeling, of aught of affection between her and her ward, if on +such an occasion as this the girl were made the witness of a quarrel +between her mother and her aunt? Miss Mackenzie's face had become +red, and she had felt herself to be angry; but she bore it all with +good courage. + +"I will do my best," said she. "Susanna, come here and kiss me. Shall +we be great friends?" Susanna went and kissed her; but if the poor +girl attempted any answer it was not audible. Then the mother threw +herself on the daughter's neck, and the two embraced each other with +many tears. + +"You'll find all her things very tidy, and plenty of 'em," said Mrs +Mackenzie through her tears. "I'm sure we've worked hard enough at +'em for the last three weeks." + +"I've no doubt we shall find it all very nice," said the aunt. + +"We wouldn't send her away to disgrace us, were it ever so; though of +course in the way of money it would make no difference to you if she +had come without a thing to her back. But I've that spirit I couldn't +do it, and so I told Tom." After this Mrs Mackenzie once more +embraced her daughter, and then took her departure. + +Miss Mackenzie, as soon as her sister-in-law was gone, again took the +girl's hand in her own. Poor Susanna was in tears, and indeed there +was enough in her circumstances at the present moment to justify her +in weeping. She had been given over to her new destiny in no joyous +manner. + +"Susanna," said Aunt Margaret, with her softest voice, "I'm so glad +you have come to me. I will love you very dearly if you will let me." + +The girl came and clustered close against her as she sat on the sofa, +and so contrived as to creep in under her arm. No one had ever crept +in under her arm, or clung close to her before. Such outward signs of +affection as that had never been hers, either to give or to receive. + +"My darling," she said, "I will love you so dearly." + +Susanna said nothing, not knowing what words would be fitting for +such an occasion, but on hearing her aunt's assurance of affection, +she clung still closer to her, and in this way they became happy +before the evening was over. + +This adopted niece was no child when she was thus placed under +her aunt's charge. She was already fifteen, and though she was +young-looking for her age,--having none of that precocious air of +womanhood which some girls have assumed by that time,--she was a +strong healthy well-grown lass, standing stoutly on her legs, with +her head well balanced, with a straight back, and well-formed though +not slender waist. She was sharp about the shoulders and elbows, as +girls are--or should be--at that age; and her face was not formed +into any definite shape of beauty, or its reverse. But her eyes were +bright--as were those of all the Mackenzies--and her mouth was not +the mouth of a fool. If her cheek-bones were a little high, and the +lower part of her face somewhat angular, those peculiarities were +probably not distasteful to the eyes of her aunt. + +"You're a Mackenzie all over," said the aunt, speaking with some +little touch of the northern burr in her voice, though she herself +had never known anything of the north. + +"That's what mamma's brothers and sisters always tell me. They say I +am Scotchy." + +Then Miss Mackenzie kissed the girl again. If Susanna had been sent +to her because she had in her gait and appearance more of the land of +cakes than any of her brothers and sisters, that at any rate should +do her no harm in the estimation of her aunt. Thus in this way they +became friends. + +On the following morning Mr Mackenzie came and took them down to the +train. + +"I suppose we shall see you sometimes up in London?" he said, as he +stood by the door of the carriage. + +"I don't know that there will be much to bring me up," she answered. + +"And there won't be much to keep you down in the country," said he. +"You don't know anybody at Littlebath, I believe?" + +"The truth is, Tom, that I don't know anybody anywhere. I'm likely to +know as many people at Littlebath as I should in London. But situated +as I am, I must live pretty much to myself wherever I am." + +Then the guard came bustling along the platform, the father kissed +his daughter for the last time, and kissed his sister also, and our +heroine with her young charge had taken her departure, and commenced +her career in the world. + +For many a mile not a word was spoken between Miss Mackenzie and her +niece. The mind of the elder of the two travellers was very full of +thought,--of thought and of feeling too, so that she could not bring +herself to speak joyously to the young girl. She had her doubts as to +the wisdom of what she was doing. Her whole life, hitherto, had been +sad, sombre, and, we may almost say, silent. Things had so gone with +her that she had had no power of action on her own behalf. Neither +with her father, nor with her brother, though both had been invalids, +had anything of the management of affairs fallen into her hands. Not +even in the hiring or discharging of a cookmaid had she possessed +any influence. No power of the purse had been with her--none of +that power which belongs legitimately to a wife because a wife is a +partner in the business. The two sick men whom she had nursed had +liked to retain in their own hands the little privileges which their +position had given them. Margaret, therefore, had been a nurse in +their houses, and nothing more than a nurse. Had this gone on for +another ten years she would have lived down the ambition of any more +exciting career, and would have been satisfied, had she then come +into the possession of the money which was now hers, to have ended +her days nursing herself--or more probably, as she was by nature +unselfish, she would have lived down her pride as well as her +ambition, and would have gone to the house of her brother and have +expended herself in nursing her nephews and nieces. But luckily for +her--or unluckily, as it may be--this money had come to her before +her time for withering had arrived. In heart, and energy, and desire, +there was still much of strength left to her. Indeed it may be said +of her, that she had come so late in life to whatever of ripeness was +to be vouchsafed to her, that perhaps the period of her thraldom had +not terminated itself a day too soon for her advantage. Many of her +youthful verses she had destroyed in the packing up of those two +modest trunks; but there were effusions of the spirit which had +flown into rhyme within the last twelve months, and which she still +preserved. Since her brother's death she had confined herself to +simple prose, and for this purpose she kept an ample journal. All +this is mentioned to show that at the age of thirty-six Margaret +Mackenzie was still a young woman. + +She had resolved that she would not content herself with a lifeless +life, such as those few who knew anything of her evidently expected +from her. Harry Handcock had thought to make her his head nurse; and +the Tom Mackenzies had also indulged some such idea when they gave +her that first invitation to come and live in Gower Street. A word +or two had been said at the Cedars which led her to suppose that +the baronet's family there would have admitted her, with her eight +hundred a year, had she chosen to be so admitted. But she had +declared to herself that she would make a struggle to do better with +herself and with her money than that. She would go into the world, +and see if she could find any of those pleasantnesses of which she +had read in books. As for dancing, she was too old, and never yet +in her life had she stood up as a worshipper of Terpsichore. Of +cards she knew nothing; she had never even seen them used. To the +performance of plays she had been once or twice in her early days, +and now regarded a theatre not as a sink of wickedness after the +manner of the Stumfoldians, but as a place of danger because of +difficulty of ingress and egress, because the ways of a theatre were +far beyond her ken. The very mode in which it would behove her to +dress herself to go out to an ordinary dinner party, was almost +unknown to her. And yet, in spite of all this, she was resolved to +try. + +Would it not have been easier for her--easier and more +comfortable--to have abandoned all ideas of the world, and have put +herself at once under the tutelage and protection of some clergyman +who would have told her how to give away her money, and prepare +herself in the right way for a comfortable death-bed? There was much +in this view of life to recommend it. It would be very easy, and +she had the necessary faith. Such a clergyman, too, would be a +comfortable friend, and, if a married man, might be a very dear +friend. And there might, probably, be a clergyman's wife, who would +go about with her, and assist in that giving away of her money. +Would not this be the best life after all? But in order to reconcile +herself altogether to such a life as that, it was necessary that she +should be convinced that the other life was abominable, wicked, and +damnable. She had seen enough of things--had looked far enough into +the ways of the world--to perceive this. She knew that she must go +about such work with strong convictions, and as yet she could not +bring herself to think that "dancing and delights" were damnable. +No doubt she would come to have such belief if told so often enough +by some persuasive divine; but she was not sure that she wished to +believe it. + +After doubting much, she had determined to give the world a trial, +and, feeling that London was too big for her, had resolved upon +Littlebath. But now, having started herself upon her journey, she +felt as some mariner might who had put himself out alone to sea in +a small boat, with courage enough for the attempt, but without that +sort of courage which would make the attempt itself delightful. + +And then this girl that was with her! She had told herself that it +would not be well to live for herself alone, that it was her duty to +share her good things with some one, and therefore she had resolved +to share them with her niece. But in this guardianship there was +danger, which frightened her as she thought of it. + +"Are you tired yet, my dear?" said Miss Mackenzie, as they got to +Swindon. + +"Oh dear, no; I'm not at all tired." + +"There are cakes in there, I see. I wonder whether we should have +time to buy one." + +After considering the matter for five minutes in doubt, Aunt Margaret +did rush out, and did buy the cakes. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +Miss Mackenzie's First Acquaintances + + +In the first fortnight of Miss Mackenzie's sojourn at Littlebath, +four persons called upon her; but though this was a success as far +as it went, those fourteen days were very dull. During her former +short visit to the place she had arranged to send her niece to a +day school which had been recommended to her as being very genteel, +and conducted under moral and religious auspices of most exalted +character. Hither Susanna went every morning after breakfast, and +returned home in these summer days at eight o'clock in the evening. +On Sundays also, she went to morning church with the other girls; so +that Miss Mackenzie was left very much to herself. + +Mrs Pottinger was the first to call, and the doctor's wife contented +herself with simple offers of general assistance. She named a baker +to Miss Mackenzie, and a dressmaker; and she told her what was the +proper price to be paid by the hour for a private brougham or for a +public fly. All this was useful, as Miss Mackenzie was in a state +of densest ignorance; but it did not seem that much in the way of +amusement would come from the acquaintance of Mrs Pottinger. That +lady said nothing about the assembly rooms, nor did she speak of the +Stumfoldian manner of life. Her husband had no doubt explained to +her that the stranger was not as yet a declared disciple in either +school. Miss Mackenzie had wished to ask a question about the +assemblies, but had been deterred by fear. Then came Mr Stumfold in +person, and, of course, nothing about the assembly rooms was said +by him. He made himself very pleasant, and Miss Mackenzie almost +resolved to put herself into his hands. He did not look sour at her, +nor did he browbeat her with severe words, nor did he exact from her +the performance of any hard duties. He promised to find her a seat in +his church, and told her what were the hours of service. He had three +"Sabbath services," but he thought that regular attendance twice +every Sunday was enough for people in general. He would be delighted +to be of use, and Mrs Stumfold should come and call. Having promised +this, he went his way. Then came Mrs Stumfold, according to promise, +bringing with her one Miss Baker, a maiden lady. From Mrs Stumfold +our friend got very little assistance. Mrs Stumfold was hard, +severe, and perhaps a little grand. She let fall a word or two which +intimated her conviction that Miss Mackenzie was to become at all +points a Stumfoldian, since she had herself invoked the countenance +and assistance of the great man on her first arrival; but beyond +this, Mrs Stumfold afforded no comfort. Our friend could not have +explained to herself why it was so, but after having encountered Mrs +Stumfold, she was less inclined to become a disciple than she had +been when she had seen only the great master himself. It was not +only that Mrs Stumfold, as judged by externals, was felt to be more +severe than her husband evangelically, but she was more severe also +ecclesiastically. Miss Mackenzie thought that she could probably obey +the ecclesiastical man, but that she would certainly rebel against +the ecclesiastical woman. + +There had been, as I have said, a Miss Baker with the female +minister, and Miss Mackenzie had at once perceived that had Miss +Baker called alone, the whole thing would have been much more +pleasant. Miss Baker had a soft voice, was given to a good deal of +gentle talking, was kind in her manner, and prone to quick intimacies +with other ladies of her own nature. All this Miss Mackenzie felt +rather than saw, and would have been delighted to have had Miss Baker +without Mrs Stumfold. She could, she knew, have found out all about +everything in five minutes, had she and Miss Baker been able to sit +close together and to let their tongues loose. But Miss Baker, poor +soul, was in these days thoroughly subject to the female Stumfold +influence, and went about the world of Littlebath in a repressed +manner that was truly pitiable to those who had known her before the +days of her slavery. + +But, as she rose to leave the room at her tyrant's bidding, she spoke +a word of comfort. "A friend of mine, Miss Mackenzie, lives next door +to you, and she has begged me to say that she will do herself the +pleasure of calling on you, if you will allow her." + +The poor woman hesitated as she made her little speech, and once cast +her eye round in fear upon her companion. + +"I'm sure I shall be delighted," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"That's Miss Todd, is it?" said Mrs Stumfold; and it was made +manifest by Mrs Stumfold's voice that Mrs Stumfold did not think much +of Miss Todd. + +"Yes; Miss Todd. You see she is so close a neighbour," said Miss +Baker, apologetically. + +Mrs Stumfold shook her head, and then went away without further +speech. + +Miss Mackenzie became at once impatient for Miss Todd's arrival, +and was induced to keep an eye restlessly at watch on the two +neighbouring doors in the Paragon, in order that she might see Miss +Todd at the moment of some entrance or exit. Twice she did see a +lady come out from the house next her own on the right, a stout +jolly-looking dame, with a red face and a capacious bonnet, who +closed the door behind her with a slam, and looked as though she +would care little for either male Stumfold or female. Miss Mackenzie, +however, made up her mind that this was not Miss Todd. This lady, she +thought, was a married lady; on one occasion there had been children +with her, and she was, in Miss Mackenzie's judgment, too stout, too +decided, and perhaps too loud to be a spinster. A full week passed +by before this question was decided by the promised visit,--a week +during which the new comer never left her house at any hour at which +callers could be expected to call, so anxious was she to become +acquainted with her neighbour; and she had almost given the matter +up in despair, thinking that Mrs Stumfold had interfered with her +tyranny, when, one day immediately after lunch--in these days Miss +Mackenzie always lunched, but seldom dined--when one day immediately +after lunch, Miss Todd was announced. + +Miss Mackenzie immediately saw that she had been wrong. Miss Todd was +the stout, red-faced lady with the children. Two of the children, +girls of eleven and thirteen, were with her now. As Miss Todd walked +across the room to shake hands with her new acquaintance, Miss +Mackenzie at once recognised the manner in which the street door had +been slammed, and knew that it was the same firm step which she had +heard on the pavement half down the Paragon. + +"My friend, Miss Baker, told me you had come to live next door to +me," began Miss Todd, "and therefore I told her to tell you that +I should come and see you. Single ladies, when they come here, +generally like some one to come to them. I'm single myself, and these +are my nieces. You've got a niece, I believe, too. When the Popes +have nephews, people say all manner of ill-natured things. I hope +they ain't so uncivil to us." + +Miss Mackenzie smirked and smiled, and assured Miss Todd that she +was very glad to see her. The allusion to the Popes she did not +understand. + +"Miss Baker came with Mrs Stumfold, didn't she?" continued Miss Todd. +"She doesn't go much anywhere now without Mrs Stumfold, unless when +she creeps down to me. She and I are very old friends. Have you known +Mr Stumfold long? Perhaps you have come here to be near him; a great +many ladies do." + +In answer to this, Miss Mackenzie explained that she was not a +follower of Mr Stumfold in that sense. It was true that she had +brought a letter to him, and intended to go to his church. In +consequence of that letter, Mrs Stumfold had been good enough to call +upon her. + +"Oh yes: she'll come to you quick enough. Did she come with her +carriage and horses?" + +"I think she was on foot," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Then I should tell her of it. Coming to you, in the best house in +the Paragon, on your first arrival, she ought to have come with her +carriage and horses." + +"Tell her of it!" said Miss Mackenzie. + +"A great many ladies would, and would go over to the enemy before the +month was over, unless she brought the carriage in the meantime. I +don't advise you to do so. You haven't got standing enough in the +place yet, and perhaps she could put you down." + +"But it makes no difference to me how she comes." + +"None in the least, my dear, or to me either. I should be glad to see +her even in a wheelbarrow for my part. But you mustn't suppose that +she ever comes to me. Lord bless you! no. She found me out to be past +all grace ever so many years ago." + +"Mrs Stumfold thinks that Aunt Sally is the old gentleman himself," +said the elder of the girls. + +"Ha, ha, ha," laughed the aunt. "You see, Miss Mackenzie, we run very +much into parties here, as they do in most places of this kind, and +if you mean to go thoroughly in with the Stumfold party you must tell +me so, candidly, and there won't be any bones broken between us. I +shan't like you the less for saying so: only in that case it won't be +any use our trying to see much of each other." + +Miss Mackenzie was somewhat frightened, and hardly knew what answer +to make. She was very anxious to have it understood that she was not, +as yet, in bond under Mrs Stumfold--that it was still a matter of +choice to herself whether she would be a saint or a sinner; and she +would have been so glad to hint to her neighbour that she would like +to try the sinner's line, if it were only for a month or two; only +Miss Todd frightened her! And when the girl told her that Miss Todd +was regarded, ex parte Stumfold, as being the old gentleman himself, +Miss Mackenzie again thought for an instant that there would be +safety in giving way to the evangelico-ecclesiastical influence, and +that perhaps life might be pleasant enough to her if she could be +allowed to go about in couples with that soft Miss Baker. + +"As you have been so good as to call," said Miss Mackenzie, "I hope +you will allow me to return your visit." + +"Oh, dear, yes--shall be quite delighted to see you. You can't hurt +me, you know. The question is, whether I shan't ruin you. Not that I +and Mr Stumfold ain't great cronies. He and I meet about on neutral +ground, and are the best friends in the world. He knows I'm a lost +sheep--a gone 'coon, as the Americans say--so he pokes his fun at me, +and we're as jolly as sandboys. But St Stumfolda is made of sterner +metal, and will not put up with any such female levity. If she pokes +her fun at any sinners, it is at gentlemen sinners; and grim work it +must be for them, I should think. Poor Mary Baker! the best creature +in the world. I'm afraid she has a bad time of it. But then, you +know, perhaps that is the sort of thing you like." + +"You see I know so very little of Mrs Stumfold," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"That's a misfortune will soon be cured if you let her have her own +way. You ask Mary Baker else. But I don't mean to be saying anything +bad behind anybody's back; I don't indeed. I have no doubt these +people are very good in their way; only their ways are not my ways; +and one doesn't like to be told so often that one's own way is broad, +and that it leads--you know where. Come, Patty, let us be going. +When you've made up your mind, Miss Mackenzie, just you tell me. +If you say, 'Miss Todd, I think you're too wicked for me,' I shall +understand it. I shan't be in the least offended. But if my way +isn't--isn't too broad, you know, I shall be very happy to see you." + +Hereupon Miss Mackenzie plucked up courage and asked a question. + +"Do you ever go to the assembly rooms, Miss Todd?" + +Miss Todd almost whistled before she gave her answer. "Why, Miss +Mackenzie, that's where they dance and play cards, and where the +girls flirt and the young men make fools of themselves. I don't go +there very often myself, because I don't care about flirting, and I'm +too old for dancing. As for cards, I get plenty of them at home. I +think I did put down my name and paid something when I first came +here, but that's ever so many years ago. I don't go to the assembly +rooms now." + +As soon as Miss Todd was gone, Miss Mackenzie went to work to reflect +seriously upon all she had just heard. Of course, there could be no +longer any question of her going to the assembly rooms. Even Miss +Todd, wicked as she was, did not go there. But should she, or should +she not, return Miss Todd's visit? If she did she would be thereby +committing herself to what Miss Todd had profanely called the broad +way. In such case any advance in the Stumfold direction would be +forbidden to her. But if she did not call on Miss Todd, then she +would have plainly declared that she intended to be such another +disciple as Miss Baker, and from that decision there would be no +recall. On this subject she must make up her mind, and in doing so +she laboured with all her power. As to any charge of incivility which +might attach to her for not returning the visit of a lady who had +been so civil to her, of that she thought nothing. Miss Todd had +herself declared that she would not be in the least offended. But +she liked this new acquaintance. In owning all the truth about Miss +Mackenzie, I must confess that her mind hankered after the things of +this world. She thought that if she could only establish herself as +Miss Todd was established, she would care nothing for the Stumfolds, +male or female. + +But how was she to do this? An establishment in the Stumfold +direction might be easier. + +In the course of the next week two affairs of moment occurred to +Miss Mackenzie. On the Wednesday morning she received from London a +letter of business which caused her considerable anxiety, and on the +Thursday afternoon a note was brought to her from Mrs Stumfold,--or +rather an envelope containing a card on which was printed an +invitation to drink tea with that lady on that day week. This +invitation she accepted without much doubt. She would go and see +Mrs Stumfold in her house, and would then be better able to decide +whether the mode of life practised by the Stumfold party would be +to her taste. So she wrote a reply, and sent it by her maid-servant, +greatly doubting whether she was not wrong in writing her answer on +common note-paper, and whether she also should not have supplied +herself with some form or card for the occasion. + +The letter of business was from her brother Tom, and contained an +application for the loan of some money,--for the loan, indeed, of a +good deal of money. But the loan was to be made not to him but to +the firm of Rubb and Mackenzie, and was not to be a simple lending +of money on the faith of that firm, for purposes of speculation or +ordinary business. It was to be expended in the purchase of the +premises in the New Road, and Miss Mackenzie was to have a mortgage +on them, and was to receive five per cent for the money which she +should advance. The letter was long, and though it was manifest +even to Miss Mackenzie that he had written the first page with much +hesitation, he had waxed strong as he had gone on, and had really +made out a good case. "You are to understand," he said, "that this +is, of course, to be done through your own lawyer, who will not allow +you to make the loan unless he is satisfied with the security. Our +landlords are compelled to sell the premises, and unless we purchase +them ourselves, we shall in all probability be turned out, as we have +only a year or two more under our present lease. You could purchase +the whole thing yourself, but in that case you would not be sure of +the same interest for your money." He then went on to say that Samuel +Rubb, junior, the son of old Rubb, should run down to Littlebath +in the course of next week, in order that the whole thing might be +made clear to her. Samuel Rubb was not the partner whose name was +included in the designation of the firm, but was a young man,--"a +comparatively young man,"--as her brother explained, who had lately +been admitted to a share in the business. + +This letter put Miss Mackenzie into a twitter. Like all other single +ladies, she was very nervous about her money. She was quite alive to +the beauty of a high rate of interest, but did not quite understand +that high interest and impaired security should go hand in hand +together. She wished to oblige her brother, and was aware that she +had money as to which her lawyers were looking out for an investment. +Even this had made her unhappy, as she was not quite sure whether +her lawyers would not spend the money. She knew that lone women were +terribly robbed sometimes, and had almost resolved upon insisting +that the money should be put into the Three per Cents. But she had +gone to work with figures, and having ascertained that by doing so +twenty-five pounds a year would be docked off from her computed +income, she had given no such order. She now again went to work with +her figures, and found that if the loan were accomplished it would +add twenty-five pounds a year to her computed income. Mortgages, she +knew, were good things, strong and firm, based upon landed security, +and very respectable. So she wrote to her lawyers, saying that she +would be glad to oblige her brother if there were nothing amiss. Her +lawyers wrote back, advising her to refer Mr Rubb, junior, to them. +On the day named in her brother's letter, Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, +arrived at Littlebath, and called upon Miss Mackenzie in the Paragon. + +Miss Mackenzie had been brought up with contempt and almost with +hatred for the Rubb family. It had, in the first instance, been the +work of old Samuel Rubb to tempt her brother Tom into trade; and he +had tempted Tom into a trade that had not been fat and prosperous, +and therefore pardonable, but into a trade that had been troublesome +and poor. Walter Mackenzie had always spoken of these Rubbs +with thorough disgust, and had persistently refused to hold any +intercourse with them. When, therefore, Mr Samuel Rubb was announced, +our heroine was somewhat inclined to seat herself upon a high horse. + +Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, came upstairs, and was by no means the sort +of person in appearance that Miss Mackenzie had expected to see. In +the first place, he was, as well as she could guess, about forty +years of age; whereas she had expected to see a young man. A man who +went about the world especially designated as junior, ought, she +thought, to be very young. And then Mr Rubb carried with him an +air of dignity, and had about his external presence a something of +authority which made her at once seat herself a peg lower than she +had intended. He was a good-looking man, nearly six feet high, with +great hands and feet, but with a great forehead also, which atoned +for his hands and feet. He was dressed throughout in black, as +tradesmen always are in these days; but, as Miss Mackenzie said +to herself, there was certainly no knowing that he belonged to +the oilcloth business from the cut of his coat or the set of his +trousers. He began his task with great care, and seemed to have none +of the hesitation which had afflicted her brother in writing his +letter. The investment, he said, would, no doubt, be a good one. Two +thousand four hundred pounds was the sum wanted, and he understood +that she had that amount lying idle. Their lawyer had already seen +her lawyer, and there could be no doubt as to the soundness of the +mortgage. An assurance company with whom the firm had dealings was +quite ready to advance the money on the proposed security, and at +the proposed rate of interest, but in such a matter as that, Rubb +and Mackenzie did not wish to deal with an assurance company. They +desired that all control over the premises should either be in their +own hands, or in the hands of someone connected with them. + +By the time that Mr Samuel Rubb had done, Miss Mackenzie found +herself to have dismounted altogether from her horse, and to be +pervaded by some slight fear that her lawyers might allow so +favourable an opportunity for investing her money to slip through +their hands. + +Then, on a sudden, Mr Rubb dropped the subject of the loan, and Miss +Mackenzie, as he did so, felt herself to be almost disappointed. And +when she found him talking easily to her about matters of external +life, although she answered him readily, and talked to him also +easily, she entertained some feeling that she ought to be offended. +Mr Rubb, junior, was a tradesman who had come to her on business, and +having done his business, why did he not go away? Nevertheless, Miss +Mackenzie answered him when he asked questions, and allowed herself +to be seduced into a conversation. + +"Yes, upon my honour," he said, looking out of the window into the +Montpelier Gardens, "a very nice situation indeed. How much better +they do these things in such a place as this than we do up in London! +What dingy houses we live in, and how bright they make the places +here!" + +"They are not crowded so much, I suppose," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"It isn't only that. The truth is, that in London nobody cares what +his house looks like. The whole thing is so ugly that anything not +ugly would be out of place. Now, in Paris--you have been in Paris, +Miss Mackenzie?" + +In answer to this, Miss Mackenzie was compelled to own that she had +never been in Paris. + +"Ah, you should go to Paris, Miss Mackenzie; you should, indeed. Now, +you're a lady that have nothing to prevent your going anywhere. If I +were you, I'd go almost everywhere; but above all, I'd go to Paris. +There's no place like Paris." + +"I suppose not," said Miss Mackenzie. + +By this time Mr Rubb had returned from the window, and had seated +himself in the easy chair in the middle of the room. In doing so he +thrust out both his legs, folded his hands one over the other, and +looked very comfortable. + +"Now I'm a slave to business," he said. "That horrid place in the New +Road, which we want to buy with your money, has made a prisoner of me +for the last twenty years. I went into it as the boy who was to do +the copying, when your brother first became a partner. Oh dear, how I +did hate it!" + +"Did you now?" + +"I should rather think I did. I had been brought up at the Merchant +Taylors' and they intended to send me to Oxford. That was five years +before they began the business in the New Road. Then came the crash +which our house had at Manchester; and when we had picked up the +pieces, we found that we had to give up university ideas. However, +I'll make a business of it before I'm done; you see if I don't, Miss +Mackenzie. Your brother has been with us so many years that I have +quite a pleasure in talking to you about it." + +Miss Mackenzie was not quite sure that she reciprocated the pleasure; +for, after all, though he did look so much better than she had +expected, he was only Rubb, junior, from Rubb and Mackenzie's; and +any permanent acquaintance with Mr Rubb would not suit the line of +life in which she was desirous of moving. But she did not in the +least know how to stop him, or how to show him that she had intended +to receive him simply as a man of business. And then it was so seldom +that anyone came to talk to her, that she was tempted to fall away +from her high resolves. "I have not known much of my brother's +concerns," she said, attempting to be cautious. + +Then he sat for another hour, making himself very agreeable, and at +the end of that time she offered him a glass of wine and a biscuit, +which he accepted. He was going to remain two or three days in the +neighbourhood, he said, and might he call again before he left? +Miss Mackenzie told him that he might. How was it possible that +she should answer such a question in any other way? Then he got up, +and shook hands with her, told her that he was so glad he had come +to Littlebath, and was quite cordial and friendly. Miss Mackenzie +actually found herself laughing with him as they stood on the floor +together, and though she knew that it was improper, she liked it. +When he was gone she could not remember what it was that had made her +laugh, but she remembered that she had laughed. For a long time past +very little laughter had come to her share. + +When he was gone she prepared herself to think about him at length. +Why had he talked to her in that way? Why was he going to call again? +Why was Rubb, junior, from Rubb and Mackenzie's, such a pleasant +fellow? After all, he retailed oilcloth at so much a yard; and little +as she knew of the world, she knew that she, with ever so much good +blood in her veins, and with ever so many hundreds a year of her own, +was entitled to look for acquaintances of a higher order than that. +She, if she were entitled to make any boast about herself--and she +was by no means inclined to such boastings--might at any rate boast +that she was a lady. Now, Mr Rubb was not a gentleman. He was not a +gentleman by position. She knew that well enough, and she thought +that she had also discovered that he was not quite a gentleman in his +manners and mode of speech. Nevertheless she had liked him, and had +laughed with him, and the remembrance of this made her sad. + +That same evening she wrote a letter to her lawyer, telling him that +she was very anxious to oblige her brother, if the security was +good. And then she went into the matter at length, repeating much of +what Mr Rubb had said to her, as to the excellence of mortgages in +general, and of this mortgage in particular. After that she dressed +herself with great care, and went out to tea at Mrs Stumfold's. This +was the first occasion in her life in which she had gone to a party, +the invitation to which had come to her on a card, and of course she +felt herself to be a little nervous. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +Miss Mackenzie Commences Her Career + + +Miss Mackenzie had been three weeks at Littlebath when the day +arrived on which she was to go to Mrs Stumfold's party, and up to +that time she had not enjoyed much of the society of that very social +place. Indeed, in these pages have been described with accuracy all +the advancement which she had made in that direction. She had indeed +returned Miss Todd's call, but had not found that lady at home. +In doing this she had almost felt herself to be guilty of treason +against the new allegiance which she seemed to have taken upon +herself in accepting Mrs Stumfold's invitation; and she had done it +at last not from any firm resolve of which she might have been proud, +but had been driven to it by ennui, and by the easy temptation of +Miss Todd's neighbouring door. She had, therefore, slipped out, and +finding her wicked friend to be not at home, had hurried back again. +She had, however, committed herself to a card, and she knew that Mrs +Stumfold would hear of it through Miss Baker. Miss Baker's visit +she had not returned, being in doubt where Miss Baker lived, being +terribly in doubt also whether the Median rules of fashion demanded +of her that she should return the call of a lady who had simply come +to her with another caller. Her hesitation on this subject had been +much, and her vacillations many, but she had thought it safer to +abstain. For the last day or two she had been expecting the return of +Mr Rubb, junior--keeping herself a prisoner, I fear, during the best +hours of the day, so that she might be there to receive him when he +did come; but though she had so acted, she had quite resolved to +be very cold with him, and very cautious, and had been desirous +of seeing him solely with a view to the mercantile necessities of +her position. It behoved her certainly to attend to business when +business came in her way, and therefore she would take care to be at +home when Mr Rubb should call. + +She had been to church twice a day on each of the Sundays that she +had passed in Littlebath, having in this matter strictly obeyed the +hints which Mr Stumfold had given for her guidance. No doubt she had +received benefit from the discourses which she had heard from that +gentleman each morning; and, let us hope, benefit also from the much +longer discourses which she had heard from Mr Stumfold's curate on +each evening. The Rev. Mr Maguire was very powerful, but he was also +very long; and Miss Mackenzie, who was hardly as yet entitled to rank +herself among the thoroughly converted, was inclined to think that +he was too long. She was, however, patient by nature, and willing to +bear much, if only some little might come to her in return. What of +social comfort she had expected to obtain from her churchgoings I +cannot quite define; but I think that she had unconsciously expected +something from them in that direction, and that she had been +disappointed. + +But now, at nine o'clock on this appointed evening, she was of +a certainty and in very truth going into society. The card said +half-past eight; but the Sun had not yoked his horses so far away +from her Tyre, remote as that Tyre had been, as to have left her in +ignorance that half-past eight meant nine. When her watch showed her +that half-past eight had really come, she was fidgety, and rang the +bell to inquire whether the man might have probably forgotten to send +the fly; and yet she had been very careful to tell the man that she +did not wish to be at Mrs Stumfold's before nine. + +"He understands, Miss," said the servant; "don't you be afeard; he's +a-doing of it every night." + +Then she became painfully conscious that even the maid-servant knew +more of the social ways of the place than did she. + +When she reached the top of Mrs Stumfold's stairs, her heart was in +her mouth, for she perceived immediately that she had kept people +waiting. After all, she had trusted to false intelligence in that +matter of the hour. Half-past eight had meant half-past eight, +and she ought to have known that this would be so in a house so +upright as that of Mrs Stumfold. That lady met her at the door, and +smiling--blandly, but, perhaps I might be permitted to say, not so +blandly as she might have smiled--conducted the stranger to a seat. + +"We generally open with a little prayer, and for that purpose our +dear friends are kind enough to come to us punctually." + +Then Mr Stumfold got up, and pressed her hand very kindly. + +"I'm so sorry," Miss Mackenzie had uttered. + +"Not in the least," he replied. "I knew you couldn't know, and +therefore we ventured to wait a few minutes. The time hasn't been +lost, as Mr Maguire has treated us to a theological argument of great +weight." + +Then all the company laughed, and Miss Mackenzie perceived that Mr +Stumfold could joke in his way. She was introduced to Mr Maguire, who +also pressed her hand; and then Miss Baker came and sat by her side. +There was, however, at that moment no time for conversation. The +prayer was begun immediately, Mr Stumfold taking this duty himself. +Then Mr Maguire read half a chapter in the Bible, and after that Mr +Stumfold explained it. Two ladies asked Mr Stumfold questions with +great pertinacity, and these questions Mr Stumfold answered very +freely, walking about the room the while, and laughing often as he +submitted himself to their interrogations. And Miss Mackenzie was +much astonished at the special freedom of his manner,--how he spoke +of St Paul as Paul, declaring the saint to have been a good fellow; +how he said he liked Luke better than Matthew, and how he named +even a holier name than these with infinite ease and an accustomed +familiarity which seemed to delight the other ladies; but which at +first shocked her in her ignorance. + +"But I'm not going to have anything more to say to Peter and Paul at +present," he declared at last. "You'd keep me here all night, and the +tea will be spoilt." + +Then they all laughed again at the absurd idea of this great and good +man preferring his food,--his food of this world,--to that other food +which it was his special business to dispense. There is nothing which +the Stumfoldian ladies of Littlebath liked so much as these little +jokes which bordered on the profanity of the outer world, which made +them feel themselves to be almost as funny as the sinners, and gave +them a slight taste, as it were, of the pleasures of iniquity. + +"Wine maketh glad the heart of woman, Mrs Jones," Mr Stumfold would +say as he filled for the second time the glass of some old lady of +his set; and the old lady would chirrup and wink, and feel that +things were going almost as jollily with her as they did with that +wicked Mrs Smith, who spent every night of her life playing cards, or +as they had done with that horrid Mrs Brown, of whom such terrible +things were occasionally whispered when two or three ladies found +themselves sufficiently private to whisper them; that things were +going almost as pleasant here in this world, although accompanied by +so much safety as to the future in her own case, and so much danger +in those other cases! I think it was this aptitude for feminine +rakishness which, more than any of his great virtues, more even than +his indomitable industry, made Mr Stumfold the most popular man in +Littlebath. A dozen ladies on the present occasion skipped away to +the tea-table in the back drawing-room with a delighted alacrity, +which was all owing to the unceremonious treatment which St Peter and +St Paul had received from their pastor. + +Miss Mackenzie had just found time to cast an eye round the room and +examine the scene of Mr Stumfold's pleasantries while Mr Maguire was +reading. She saw that there were only three gentlemen there besides +the two clergymen. There was a very old man who sat close wedged +in between Mrs Stumfold and another lady, by whose joint dresses +he was almost obliterated. This was Mr Peters, a retired attorney. +He was Mrs Stumfold's father, and from his coffers had come the +superfluities of comfort which Miss Mackenzie saw around her. Rumour, +even among the saintly people of Littlebath, said that Mr Peters +had been a sharp practitioner in his early days;--that he had been +successful in his labours was admitted by all. + +"No doubt he has repented," Miss Baker said one day to Miss Todd. + +"And if he has not, he has forgotten all about it, which generally +means the same thing," Miss Todd had answered. + +Mr Peters was now very old, and I am disposed to think he had +forgotten all about it. + +The other two gentlemen were both young, and they stood very high +in the graces of all the company there assembled. They were high +in the graces of Mr Stumfold, but higher still in the graces of Mrs +Stumfold, and were almost worshipped by one or two other ladies whose +powers of external adoration were not diminished by the possession +of husbands. They were, both of them, young men who had settled +themselves for a time at Littlebath that they might be near Mr +Stumfold, and had sufficient of worldly wealth to enable them to pass +their time in semi-clerical pursuits. + +Mr Frigidy, the elder, intended at some time to go into the Church, +but had not as yet made sufficient progress in his studies to justify +him in hoping that he could pass a bishop's examination. His friends +told him of Islington and St Bees, of Durham, Birkenhead, and other +places where the thing could be done for him; but he hesitated, +fearing whether he might be able to pass even the initiatory gates +of Islington. He was a good young man, at peace with all the +world--except Mr Startup. With Mr Startup the veracious chronicler +does not dare to assert that Mr Frigidy was at peace. Now Mr Startup +was the other young man whom Miss Mackenzie saw in that room. + +Mr Startup was also a very good young man, but he was of a fiery +calibre, whereas Frigidy was naturally mild. Startup was already an +open-air preacher, whereas Frigidy lacked nerve to speak a word above +his breath. Startup was not a clergyman because certain scruples +impeded and prevented him, while in the bosom of Frigidy there +existed no desire so strong as that of having the word reverend +attached to his name. Startup, though he was younger than Frigidy, +could talk to seven ladies at once with ease, but Frigidy could not +talk to one without much assistance from that lady herself. The +consequence of this was that Mr Frigidy could not bring himself to +love Mr Startup,--could not enable himself to justify a veracious +chronicler in saying that he was at peace with all the world, Startup +included. + +The ladies were too many for Miss Mackenzie to notice them specially +as she sat listening to Mr Maguire's impressive voice. Mr Maguire she +did notice, and found him to be the possessor of a good figure, of +a fine head of jet black hair, of a perfect set of white teeth, of +whiskers which were also black and very fine, but streaked here and +there with a grey hair,--and of the most terrible squint in his right +eye which ever disfigured a face that in all other respects was +fitted for an Apollo. So egregious was the squint that Miss Mackenzie +could not keep herself from regarding it, even while Mr Stumfold +was expounding. Had she looked Mr Maguire full in the face at the +beginning, I do not think it would so much have mattered to her; but +she had seen first the back of his head, and then his profile, and +had unfortunately formed a strong opinion as to his almost perfect +beauty. When, therefore, the defective eye was disclosed to her, her +feelings were moved in a more than ordinary manner. How was it that a +man graced with such a head, with such a mouth and chin and forehead, +nay, with such a left eye, could be cursed with such a right eye! She +was still thinking of this when the frisky movement into the tea-room +took place around her. + +When at this moment Mr Stumfold offered her his arm to conduct her +through the folding doors, this condescension on his part almost +confounded her. The other ladies knew that he always did so to a +newcomer, and therefore thought less of it. No other gentleman took +any other lady, but she was led up to a special seat,--a seat of +honour as it were, at the left hand side of a huge silver kettle. +Immediately before the kettle sat Mrs Stumfold. Immediately before +another kettle, at another table, sat Miss Peters, a sister of Mrs +Stumfold's. The back drawing-room in which they were congregated +was larger than the other, and opened behind into a pretty garden. +Mr Stumfold's lines in falling thus among the Peters, had fallen +to him in pleasant places. On the other side of Miss Mackenzie sat +Miss Baker, and on the other side of Mrs Stumfold stood Mr Startup, +talking aloud and administering the full tea-cups with a conscious +grace. Mr Stumfold and Mr Frigidy were at the other table, and Mr +Maguire was occupied in passing promiscuously from one to the other. +Miss Mackenzie wished with all her heart that he would seat himself +somewhere with his face turned away from her, for she found it +impossible to avert her eyes from his eye. But he was always +there, before her sight, and she began to feel that he was an evil +spirit,--her evil spirit, and that he would be too many for her. + +Before anybody else was allowed to begin, Mrs Stumfold rose from her +chair with a large and completely filled bowl of tea, with a plate +also laden with buttered toast, and with her own hands and on her own +legs carried these delicacies round to her papa. On such an occasion +as this no servant, no friend, no Mr Startup, was allowed to +interfere with her filial piety. + +"She does it always," said an admiring lady in an audible whisper +from the other side of Miss Baker. "She does it always." + +The admiring lady was the wife of a retired coachbuilder, who was +painfully anxious to make her way into good evangelical society at +Littlebath. + +"Perhaps you will put in the sugar for yourself," said Mrs Stumfold +to Miss Mackenzie as soon as she returned. On this occasion Miss +Mackenzie received her cup the first after the father of the house, +but the words spoken to her were stern to the ear. + +"Perhaps you will put in the sugar yourself. It lightens the labour." + +Miss Mackenzie expressed her willingness to do so and regretted that +Mrs Stumfold should have to work so hard. Could she be of assistance? + +"I'm quite used to it, thank you," said Mrs Stumfold. + +The words were not uncivil, but the tone was dreadfully severe, and +Miss Mackenzie felt painfully sure that her hostess was already aware +of the card that had been left at Miss Todd's door. + +Mr Startup was now actively at work. + +"Lady Griggs's and Miss Fleebody's--I know. A great deal of +sugar for her ladyship, and Miss Fleebody eats muffin. Mrs Blow +always takes pound-cake, and I'll see that there's one near her. +Mortimer,"--Mortimer was the footman,--"is getting more bread and +butter. Maguire, you have two dishes of sweet biscuits over there; +give us one here. Never mind me, Mrs Stumfold; I'll have my innings +presently." + +All this Mr Frigidy heard with envious ears as he sat with his own +tea-cup before him at the other table. He would have given the world +to have been walking about the room like Startup, making himself +useful and conspicuous; but he couldn't do it--he knew that he +couldn't do it. Later in the evening, when he had been sitting by +Miss Trotter for two hours--and he had very often sat by Miss Trotter +before--he ventured upon a remark. + +"Don't you think that Mr Startup makes himself a little forward?" + +"Oh dear yes, very," said Miss Trotter. "I believe he's an excellent +young man, but I always did think him forward, now you mention it. +And sometimes I've wondered how dear Mrs Stumfold could like so much +of it. But do you know, Mr Frigidy, I am not quite sure that somebody +else does like it. You know who I mean." + +Miss Trotter said much more than this, and Mr Frigidy was comforted, +and believed that he had been talking. + +When Mrs Stumfold commenced her conversation with Mr Startup, Miss +Baker addressed herself to Miss Mackenzie; but there was at first +something of stiffness in her manner,--as became a lady whose call +had not been returned. + +"I hope you like Littlebath," said Miss Baker. + +Miss Mackenzie, who began to be conscious that she had done wrong, +hesitated as she replied that she liked it pretty well. + +"I think you'll find it pleasant," said Miss Baker; and then there +was a pause. There could not be two women more fitted for friendship +than were these, and it was much to be hoped, for the sake of our +poor, solitary heroine especially, that this outside crust of manner +might be broken up and dispersed. + +"I dare say I shall find it pleasant, after a time," said Miss +Mackenzie. Then they applied themselves each to her own bread and +butter. + +"You have not seen Miss Todd, I suppose, since I saw you?" Miss Baker +asked this question when she perceived that Mrs Stumfold was deep +in some secret conference with Mr Startup. It must, however, be +told to Miss Baker's credit, that she had persistently maintained +her friendship with Miss Todd, in spite of all the Stumfoldian +influences. Miss Mackenzie, at the moment less brave, looked round +aghast, but seeing that her hostess was in deep conference with her +prime minister, she took heart of grace. "I called, and I did not see +her." + +"She promised me she would call," said Miss Baker. + +"And I returned her visit, but she wasn't at home," said Miss +Mackenzie. + +"Indeed," said Miss Baker; and then there was silence between them +again. + +But, after a pause, Miss Mackenzie again took heart of grace. I +do not think that there was, of nature, much of the coward about +her. Indeed, the very fact that she was there alone at Littlebath, +fighting her own battle with the world, instead of having allowed +herself to be swallowed up by the Harry Handcocks, and Tom +Mackenzies, proved her to be anything but a coward. "Perhaps, Miss +Baker, I ought to have returned your visit," said she. + +"That was just as you like," said Miss Baker with her sweetest smile. + +"Of course, I should have liked it, as I thought it so good of you to +come. But as you came with Mrs Stumfold, I was not quite sure whether +it might be intended; and then I didn't know,--did not exactly +know,--where you lived." + +After this the two ladies got on very comfortably, so long as they +were left sitting side by side. Miss Baker imparted to Miss Mackenzie +her full address, and Miss Mackenzie, with that brightness in her +eyes which they always assumed when she was eager, begged her new +friend to come to her again. + +"Indeed, I will," said Miss Baker. After that they were parted by a +general return to the front room. + +And now Miss Mackenzie found herself seated next to Mr Maguire. She +had been carried away in the crowd to a further corner, in which +there were two chairs, and before she had been able to consider the +merits or demerits of the position, Mr Maguire was seated close +beside her. He was seated close beside her in such a way as to make +the two specially separated from all the world beyond, for in front +of them stood a wall of crinoline,--a wall of crinoline divided +between four or five owners, among whom was shared the eloquence of +Mr Startup, who was carrying on an evangelical flirtation with the +whole of them in a manner that was greatly pleasing to them, and +enthusiastically delightful to him. Miss Mackenzie, when she found +herself thus entrapped, looked into Mr Maguire's eye with dismay. +Had that look been sure to bring down upon her the hatred of that +reverend gentleman, she could not have helped it. The eye fascinated +her, as much as it frightened her. But Mr Maguire was used to have +his eye inspected, and did not hate her. He fixed it apparently on +the corners of the wall, but in truth upon her, and then he began: + +"I am so glad that you have come among us, Miss Mackenzie." + +"I'm sure that I'm very much obliged." + +"Well; you ought to be. You must not be surprised at my saying +so, though it sounds uncivil. You ought to feel obliged, and the +obligation should be mutual. I am not sure, that when all things are +considered, you could find yourself in any better place in England, +than in the drawing-room of my friend Stumfold; and, if you will +allow me to say so, my friend Stumfold could hardly use his +drawing-room better, than by entertaining you." + +"Mr Stumfold is very good, and so is she." + +"Mr Stumfold is very good; and as for Mrs Stumfold, I look upon her +as a very wonderful woman,--quite a wonderful woman. For grasp of +intellect, for depth of thought, for tenderness of sentiment--perhaps +you mightn't have expected that, but there it is--for tenderness of +sentiment, for strength of faith, for purity of life, for genial +hospitality, and all the domestic duties, Mrs Stumfold has no equal +in Littlebath, and perhaps few superiors elsewhere." + +Here Mr Maguire paused, and Miss Mackenzie, finding herself obliged +to speak, said that she did not at all doubt it. + +"You need not doubt it, Miss Mackenzie. She is all that, I tell you; +and more, too. Her manners may seem a little harsh to you at first. I +know it is so sometimes with ladies before they know her well; but it +is only skin-deep, Miss Mackenzie,--only skin-deep. She is so much in +earnest about her work, that she cannot bring herself to be light and +playful as he is. Now, he is as full of play as a young lamb." + +"He seems to be very pleasant." + +"And he is always just the same. There are people, you know, who say +that religion is austere and melancholy. They never could say that +if they knew my friend Stumfold. His life is devoted to his clerical +duties. I know no man who works harder in the vineyard than Stumfold. +But he always works with a smile on his face. And why not, Miss +Mackenzie? when you think of it, why not?" + +"I dare say it's best not to be unhappy," said Miss Mackenzie. She +did not speak till she perceived that he had paused for her answer. + +"Of course we know that this world can make no one happy. What are we +that we should dare to be happy here?" + +Again he paused, but Miss Mackenzie feeling that she had been +ill-treated and trapped into a difficulty at her last reply, +resolutely remained silent. + +"I defy any man or woman to be happy here," said Mr Maguire, looking +at her with one eye and at the corner of the wall with the other in +a manner that was very terrible to her. "But we may be cheerful,--we +may go about our work singing psalms of praise instead of songs of +sorrow. Don't you agree with me, Miss Mackenzie, that psalms of +praise are better than songs of sorrow?" + +"I don't sing at all, myself," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"You sing in your heart, my friend; I am sure you sing in your heart. +Don't you sing in your heart?" Here again he paused. + +"Well; perhaps in my heart, yes." + +"I know you do, loud psalms of praise upon a ten-stringed lute. But +Stumfold is always singing aloud, and his lute has twenty strings." +Here the voice of the twenty-stringed singer was heard across the +large room asking the company a riddle. + +"Why was Peter in prison like a little boy with his shoes off?" + +"That's so like him," said Mr Maguire. + +All the ladies in the room were in a fever of expectation, and Mr +Stumfold asked the riddle again. + +"He won't tell them till we meet again; but there isn't one here +who won't study the life of St Peter during the next week. And what +they'll learn in that way they'll never forget." + +"But why was he like a little boy with his shoes off?" asked Miss +Mackenzie. + +"Ah! that's Stumfold's riddle. You must ask Mr Stumfold, and he won't +tell you till next week. But some of the ladies will be sure to find +it out before then. Have you come to settle yourself altogether at +Littlebath, Miss Mackenzie?" + +This question he asked very abruptly, but he had a way of looking at +her when he asked a question, which made it impossible for her to +avoid an answer. + +"I suppose I shall stay here for some considerable time." + +"Do, do," said he with energy. "Do; come and live among us, and be +one of us; come and partake with us at the feast which we are making +ready; come and eat of our crusts, and dip with us in the same dish; +come and be of our flock, and go with us into the pleasant pastures, +among the lanes and green hedges which appertain to the farm of +the Lord. Come and walk with us through the Sabbath cornfields, +and pluck the ears when you are a-hungered, disregarding the broad +phylacteries. Come and sing with us songs of a joyful heart, and let +us be glad together. What better can you do, Miss Mackenzie? I don't +believe there is a more healthy place in the world than Littlebath, +and, considering that the place is fashionable, things are really +very reasonable." + +He was rapid in his utterance, and so full of energy, that Miss +Mackenzie did not quite follow him in his quick transitions. She +hardly understood whether he was advising her to take up an abode in +a terrestrial Eden or a celestial Paradise; but she presumed that he +meant to be civil, so she thanked him and said she thought she would. +It was a thousand pities that he should squint so frightfully, as in +all other respects he was a good-looking man. Just at this moment +there seemed to be a sudden breaking up of the party. + +"We are all going away," said Mr Maguire. "We always do when Mrs +Stumfold gets up from her seat. She does it when she sees that her +father is nodding his head. You must let me out, because I've got to +say a prayer. By-the-bye, you'll allow me to walk home with you, I +hope. I shall be so happy to be useful." + +Miss Mackenzie told him that the fly was coming for her, and then he +scrambled away into the middle of the room. + +"We always walk home from these parties," said Miss Baker, who +had, however, on this occasion, consented to be taken away by Miss +Mackenzie in the fly. "It makes it come so much cheaper, you know." + +"Of course it does; and it's quite as nice if everybody does it. But +you don't walk going there?" + +"Not generally," said Miss Baker; "but there are some of them who +do that. Miss Trotter always walks both ways, if it's ever so wet." +Then there were a few words said about Miss Trotter which were not +altogether good-natured. + +Miss Mackenzie, as soon as she was at home, got down her Bible and +puzzled herself for an hour over that riddle of Mr Stumfold's; but +with all her trouble she could not find why St Peter in prison was +like a little boy with his shoes off. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +Showing How Mr Rubb, Junior, Progressed at Littlebath + + +A full week had passed by after Mrs Stumfold's tea-party before Mr +Rubb called again at the Paragon; and in the meantime Miss Mackenzie +had been informed by her lawyer that there did not appear to be any +objection to the mortgage, if she liked the investment for her money. + +"You couldn't do better with your money,--you couldn't indeed," said +Mr Rubb, when Miss Mackenzie, meaning to be cautious, started the +conversation at once upon matters of business. + +Mr Rubb had not been in any great hurry to repeat his call, and Miss +Mackenzie had resolved that if he did come again she would treat him +simply as a member of the firm with whom she had to transact certain +monetary arrangements. Beyond that she would not go; and as she so +resolved, she repented herself of the sherry and biscuit. + +The people whom she had met at Mr Stumfold's had been all ladies and +gentlemen; she, at least, had supposed them to be so, not having +as yet received any special information respecting the wife of the +retired coachbuilder. Mr Rubb was not a gentleman; and though she was +by no means inclined to give herself airs,--though, as she assured +herself, she believed Mr Rubb to be quite as good as herself,--yet +there was, and must always be, a difference among people. She had no +inclination to be proud; but if Providence had been pleased to place +her in one position, it did not behove her to degrade herself by +assuming a position that was lower. Therefore, on this account, and +by no means moved by any personal contempt towards Mr Rubb, or the +Rubbs of the world in general, she was resolved that she would not +ask him to take any more sherry and biscuits. + +Poor Miss Mackenzie! I fear that they who read this chronicle of her +life will already have allowed themselves to think worse of her than +she deserved. Many of them, I know, will think far worse of her than +they should think. Of what faults, even if we analyse her faults, has +she been guilty? Where she has been weak, who among us is not, in +that, weak also? Of what vanity has she been guilty with which the +least vain among us might not justly tax himself? Having been left +alone in the world, she has looked to make friends for herself; and +in seeking for new friends she has wished to find the best that might +come in her way. + +Mr Rubb was very good-looking; Mr Maguire was afflicted by a terrible +squint. Mr Rubb's mode of speaking was pleasant to her; whereas she +was by no means sure that she liked Mr Maguire's speech. But Mr +Maguire was by profession a gentleman. As the discreet young man, +who is desirous of rising in the world, will eschew skittles, and in +preference go out to tea at his aunt's house--much more delectable as +skittles are to his own heart--so did Miss Mackenzie resolve that it +would become her to select Messrs Stumfold and Maguire as her male +friends, and to treat Mr Rubb simply as a man of business. She was +denying herself skittles and beer, and putting up with tea and an old +aunt, because she preferred the proprieties of life to its pleasures. +Is it right that she should be blamed for such self-denial? But now +the skittles and beer had come after her, as those delights will +sometimes pursue the prudent youth who would fain avoid them. Mr +Rubb was there, in her drawing-room, looking extremely well, shaking +hands with her very comfortably, and soon abandoning his conversation +on that matter of business to which she had determined to confine +herself. She was angry with him, thinking him to be very free and +easy; but, nevertheless, she could not keep herself from talking to +him. + +"You can't do better than five per cent," he had said to her, "not +with first-class security, such as this is." + +All that had been well enough. Five per cent and first-class security +were, she knew, matters of business; and though Mr Rubb had winked +his eye at her as he spoke of them, leaning forward in his chair +and looking at her not at all as a man of business, but quite in a +friendly way, yet she had felt that she was so far safe. She nodded +her head also, merely intending him to understand thereby that she +herself understood something about business. But when he suddenly +changed the subject, and asked her how she liked Mr Stumfold's set, +she drew herself up suddenly and placed herself at once upon her +guard. + +"I have heard a great deal about Mr Stumfold," continued Mr Rubb, not +appearing to observe the lady's altered manner, "not only here and +where I have been for the last few days, but up in London also. He is +quite a public character, you know." + +"Clergymen in towns, who have large congregations, always must so be, +I suppose." + +"Well, yes; more or less. But Mr Stumfold is decidedly more, and not +less. People say he is going in for a bishopric." + +"I had not heard it," said Miss Mackenzie, who did not quite +understand what was meant by going in for a bishopric. + +"Oh, yes, and a very likely man he would have been a year or two ago. +But they say the prime minister has changed his tap lately." + +"Changed his tap!" said Miss Mackenzie. + +"He used to draw his bishops very bitter, but now he draws them mild +and creamy. I dare say Stumfold did his best, but he didn't quite get +his hay in while the sun shone." + +"He seems to me to be very comfortable where he is," said Miss +Mackenzie. + +"I dare say. It must be rather a bore for him having to live in the +house with old Peters. How Peters scraped his money together, nobody +ever knew yet; and you are aware, Miss Mackenzie, that old as he is, +he keeps it all in his own hands. That house, and everything that is +in it, belongs to him; you know that, I dare say." + +Miss Mackenzie, who could not keep herself from being a little +interested in these matters, said that she had not known it. + +"Oh dear, yes! and the carriage too. I've no doubt Stumfold will be +all right when the old fellow dies. Such men as Stumfold don't often +make mistakes about their money. But as long as old Peters lasts I +shouldn't think it can be quite serene. They say that she is always +cutting up rough with the old man." + +"She seemed to me to behave very well to him," said Miss Mackenzie, +remembering the carriage of the tea-cup. + +"I dare say it is so before company, and of course that's all right; +it's much better that the dirty linen should be washed in private. +Stumfold is a clever man, there's no doubt about that. If you've been +much to his house, you've probably met his curate, Mr Maguire." + +"I've only been there once, but I did meet Mr Maguire." + +"A man that squints fearfully. They say he's looking out for a wife +too, only she must not have a father living, as Mrs Stumfold has. +It's astonishing how these parsons pick up all the good things that +are going in the way of money." Miss Mackenzie, as she heard this, +could not but remember that she might be regarded as a good thing +going in the way of money, and became painfully aware that her face +betrayed her consciousness. + +"You'll have to keep a sharp look out," continued Mr Rubb, giving her +a kind caution, as though he were an old familiar friend. + +"I don't think there's any fear of that kind," said Miss Mackenzie, +blushing. + +"I don't know about fear, but I should say that there is great +probability; of course I am only joking about Mr Maguire. Like the +rest of them, of course, he wishes to feather his own nest; and why +shouldn't he? But you may be sure of this, Miss Mackenzie, a lady +with your fortune, and, if I may be allowed to say so, with your +personal attractions, will not want for admirers." + +Miss Mackenzie was very strongly of opinion that Mr Rubb might not +be allowed to say so. She thought that he was behaving with an +unwarrantable degree of freedom in saying anything of the kind; +but she did not know how to tell him either by words or looks that +such was the case. And, perhaps, though the impertinence was almost +unendurable, the idea conveyed was not altogether so grievous; it +had certainly never hitherto occurred to her that she might become +a second Mrs Stumfold; but, after all, why not? What she wanted +was simply this, that something of interest should be added to her +life. Why should not she also work in the vineyard, in the open +quasiclerical vineyard of the Lord's people, and also in the private +vineyard of some one of the people's pastors? Mr Rubb was very +impertinent, but it might, perhaps, be worth her while to think of +what he said. As regarded Mr Maguire, the gentleman whose name had +been specially mentioned, it was quite true that he did squint +awfully. + +"Mr Rubb," said she, "if you please, I'd rather not talk about such +things as that." + +"Nevertheless, what I say is true, Miss Mackenzie; I hope you don't +take it amiss that I venture to feel an interest about you." + +"Oh! no," said she; "not that I suppose you do feel any special +interest about me." + +"But indeed I do, and isn't it natural? If you will remember that +your only brother is the oldest friend that I have in the world, how +can it be otherwise? Of course he is much older than me, and very +much older than you, Miss Mackenzie." + +"Just twelve years," said she, very stiffly. + +"I thought it had been more, but in that case you and I are nearly of +an age. As that is so, how can I fail to feel an interest about you? +I have neither mother, nor sister, nor wife of my own; a sister, +indeed, I have, but she's married at Singapore, and I have not seen +her for seventeen years." + +"Indeed." + +"No, not for seventeen years; and the heart does crave for some +female friend, Miss Mackenzie." + +"You ought to get a wife, Mr Rubb." + +"That's what your brother always says. 'Samuel,' he said to me just +before I left town, 'you're settled with us now; your father has as +good as given up to you his share of the business, and you ought to +get married.' Now, Miss Mackenzie, I wouldn't take that sort of thing +from any man but your brother; it's very odd that you should say +exactly the same thing too." + +"I hope I have not offended you." + +"Offended me! no, indeed, I'm not such a fool as that. I'd sooner +know that you took an interest in me than any woman living. I would, +indeed. I dare say you don't think much of it, but when I remember +that the names of Rubb and Mackenzie have been joined together for +more than twenty years, it seems natural to me that you and I should +be friends." + +Miss Mackenzie, in the few moments which were allowed to her for +reflection before she was obliged to answer, again admitted to +herself that he spoke the truth. If there was any fault in the matter +the fault was with her brother Tom, who had joined the name of +Mackenzie with the name of Rubb in the first instance. Where was this +young man to look for a female friend if not to his partner's family, +seeing that he had neither wife nor mother of his own, nor indeed a +sister, except one out at Singapore, who was hardly available for any +of the purposes of family affection? And yet it was hard upon her. It +was through no negligence on her part that poor Mr Rubb was so ill +provided. "Perhaps it might have been so if I had continued to live +in London," said Miss Mackenzie; "but as I live at Littlebath--" Then +she paused, not knowing how to finish her sentence. + +"What difference does that make? The distance is nothing if you come +to think of it. Your hall door is just two hours and a quarter from +our place of business in the New Road; and it's one pound five and +nine if you go by first-class and cabs, or sixteen and ten if you put +up with second-class and omnibuses. There's no other way of counting. +Miles mean nothing now-a-days." + +"They don't mean much, certainly." + +"They mean nothing. Why, Miss Mackenzie, I should think it no trouble +at all to run down and consult you about anything that occurred, +about any matter of business that weighed at all heavily, if nothing +prevented me except distance. Thirty shillings more than does it all, +with a return ticket, including a bit of lunch at the station." + +"Oh! and as for that--" + +"I know what you mean, Miss Mackenzie, and I shall never forget how +kind you were to offer me refreshment when I was here before." + +"But, Mr Rubb, I hope you won't think of doing such a thing. What +good could I do you? I know nothing about business; and really, to +tell the truth, I should be most unwilling to interfere--that is, you +know, to say anything about anything of the kind." + +"I only meant to point out that the distance is nothing. And as to +what you were advising me about getting married--" + +"I didn't mean to advise you, Mr Rubb!" + +"I thought you said so." + +"But, of course, I did not intend to discuss such a matter +seriously." + +"It's a most serious subject to me, Miss Mackenzie." + +"No doubt; but it's one I can't know anything about. Men in business +generally do find, I think, that they get on better when they are +married." + +"Yes, they do." + +"That's all I meant to say, Mr Rubb." + +After this he sat silent for a few minutes, and I am inclined to +think that he was weighing in his mind the expediency of asking +her to become Mrs Rubb, on the spur of the moment. But if so, his +mind finally gave judgment against the attempt, and in giving such +judgment his mind was right. He would certainly have so startled +her by the precipitancy of such a proposition, as to have greatly +endangered the probability of any further intimacy with her. As it +was, he changed the conversation, and began to ask questions as to +the welfare of his partner's daughter. At this period of the day +Susanna was at school, and he was informed that she would not be home +till the evening. Then he plucked up courage and begged to be allowed +to come again,--just to look in at eight o'clock, so that he might +see Susanna. He could not go back to London comfortably, unless he +could give some tidings of Susanna to the family in Gower Street. +What was she to do? Of course she was obliged to ask him to drink tea +with them. "That would be so pleasant," he said; and Miss Mackenzie +owned to herself that the gratification expressed in his face as he +spoke was very becoming. + +When Susanna came home she did not seem to know much of Mr Rubb, +junior, or to care much about him. Old Mr Rubb lived, she knew, near +the place of business in the New Road, and sometimes he came to Gower +Street, but nobody liked him. She didn't remember that she had ever +seen Mr Rubb, junior, at her mother's house but once, when he came to +dinner. When she was told that Mr Rubb was very anxious to see her, +she chucked up her head and said that the man was a goose. + +He came, and in a very few minutes he had talked over Susanna. He +brought her a little present,--a work-box,--which he had bought for +her at Littlebath; and though the work-box itself did not altogether +avail, it paved the way for civil words, which were more efficacious. +On this occasion he talked more to his partner's daughter than to +his partner's sister, and promised to tell her mamma how well she +was looking, and that the air of Littlebath had brought roses to her +cheeks. + +"I think it is a healthy place," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"I'm quite sure it is," said Mr Rubb. "And you like Mrs Crammer's +school, Susanna?" + +She would have preferred to have been called Miss Mackenzie, but was +not disposed to quarrel with him on the point. + +"Yes, I like it very well," she said. "The other girls are very nice; +and if one must go to school, I suppose it's as good as any other +school." + +"Susanna thinks that going to school at all is rather a nuisance," +said Miss Mackenzie. + +"You'd think so too, aunt, if you had to practise every day for an +hour in the same room with four other pianos. It's my belief that I +shall hate the sound of a piano the longest day that I shall live." + +"I suppose it's the same with all young ladies," said Mr Rubb. + +"It's the same with them all at Mrs Crammer's. There isn't one there +that does not hate it." + +"But you wouldn't like not to be able to play," said her aunt. + +"Mamma doesn't play, and you don't play; and I don't see what's the +use of it. It won't make anybody like music to hear four pianos all +going at the same time, and all of them out of tune." + +"You must not tell them in Gower Street, Mr Rubb, that Susanna talks +like that," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Yes, you may, Mr Rubb. But you must tell them at the same time that +I am quite happy, and that Aunt Margaret is the dearest woman in the +world." + +"I'll be sure to tell them that," said Mr Rubb. Then he went away, +pressing Miss Mackenzie's hand warmly as he took his leave; and as +soon as he was gone, his character was of course discussed. + +"He's quite a different man, aunt, from what I thought; and he's not +at all like old Mr Rubb. Old Mr Rubb, when he comes to drink tea +in Gower Street, puts his handkerchief over his knees to catch the +crumbs." + +"There's no great harm in that, Susanna." + +"I don't suppose there's any harm in it. It's not wicked. It's not +wicked to eat gravy with your knife." + +"And does old Mr Rubb do that?" + +"Always. We used to laugh at him, because he is so clever at it. He +never spills any; and his knife seems to be quite as good as a spoon. +But this Mr Rubb doesn't do things of that sort." + +"He's younger, my dear." + +"But being younger doesn't make people more ladylike of itself." + +"I did not know that Mr Rubb was exactly ladylike." + +"That's taking me up unfairly; isn't it, aunt? You know what I meant; +and only fancy that the man should go out and buy me a work-box. +That's more than old Mr Rubb ever did for any of us, since the first +day he knew us. And, then, didn't you think that young Mr Rubb is a +handsome man, aunt?" + +"He's all very well, my dear." + +"Oh; I think he is downright handsome; I do, indeed. Miss +Dumpus,--that's Mrs Crammer's sister,--told us the other day, that +I was wrong to talk about a man being handsome; but that must be +nonsense, aunt?" + +"I don't see that at all, my dear. If she told you so, you ought to +believe that it is not nonsense." + +"Come, aunt; you don't mean to tell me that you would believe all +that Miss Dumpus says. Miss Dumpus says that girls should never laugh +above their breath when they are more than fourteen years old. How +can you make a change in your laughing just when you come to be +fourteen? And why shouldn't you say a man's handsome, if he is +handsome?" + +"You'd better go to bed, Susanna." + +"That won't make Mr Rubb ugly. I wish you had asked him to come and +dine here on Sunday, so that we might have seen whether he eats his +gravy with his knife. I looked very hard to see whether he'd catch +his crumbs in his handkerchief." + +Then Susanna went to her bed, and Miss Mackenzie was left alone to +think over the perfections and imperfections of Mr Samuel Rubb, +junior. + +From that time up to Christmas she saw no more of Mr Rubb; but she +heard from him twice. His letters, however, had reference solely +to business, and were not of a nature to produce either anger or +admiration. She had also heard more than once from her lawyer; and a +question had arisen as to which she was called upon to trust to her +own judgment for a decision. Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie had wanted the +money at once, whereas the papers for the mortgage were not ready. +Would Miss Mackenzie allow Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie to have the +money under these circumstances? To this inquiry from her lawyer +she made a rejoinder asking for advice. Her lawyer told her that he +could not recommend her, in the ordinary way of business, to make any +advance of money without positive security; but, as this was a matter +between friends and near relatives, she might perhaps be willing to +do it; and he added that, as far as his own opinion went, he did not +think that there would be any great risk. But then it all depended +on this:--did she want to oblige her friends and near relatives? In +answer to this question she told herself that she certainly did wish +to do so; and she declared,--also to herself,--that she was willing +to advance the money to her brother, even though there might be some +risk. The upshot of all this was that Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie +got the money some time in October, but that the mortgage was not +completed when Christmas came. It was on this matter that Mr Rubb, +junior, had written to Miss Mackenzie, and his letter had been of a +nature to give her a feeling of perfect security in the transaction. +With her brother she had had no further correspondence; but this did +not surprise her, as her brother was a man much less facile in his +modes of expression than his younger partner. + +As the autumn had progressed at Littlebath, she had become more and +more intimate with Miss Baker, till she had almost taught herself +to regard that lady as a dear friend. She had fallen into the habit +of going to Mrs Stumfold's tea-parties every fortnight, and was +now regarded as a regular Stumfoldian by all those who interested +themselves in such matters. She had begun a system of district +visiting and Bible reading with Miss Baker, which had at first been +very agreeable to her. But Mrs Stumfold had on one occasion called +upon her and taken her to task,--as Miss Mackenzie had thought, +rather abruptly,--with reference to some lack of energy or indiscreet +omission of which she had been judged to be guilty by that +highly-gifted lady. Against this Miss Mackenzie had rebelled mildly, +and since that things had not gone quite so pleasantly with her. She +had still been honoured with Mrs Stumfold's card of invitation, and +had still gone to the tea-parties on Miss Baker's strenuously-urged +advice; but Mrs Stumfold had frowned, and Miss Mackenzie had felt the +frown; Mrs Stumfold had frowned, and the retired coachbuilder's wife +had at once snubbed the culprit, and Mr Maguire had openly expressed +himself to be uneasy. + +"Dearest Miss Mackenzie," he had said, with charitable zeal, "if +there has been anything wrong, just beg her pardon, and you will find +that everything has been forgotten at once; a more forgiving woman +than Mrs Stumfold never lived." + +"But suppose I have done nothing to be forgiven," urged Miss +Mackenzie. + +Mr Maguire looked at her, and shook his head, the exact meaning of +the look she could not understand, as the peculiarity of his eyes +created confusion; but when he repeated twice to her the same words, +"The heart of man is exceeding treacherous," she understood that he +meant to condemn her. + +"So it is, Mr Maguire, but that is no reason why Mrs Stumfold should +scold me." + +Then he got up and left her, and did not speak to her again that +evening, but he called on her the next day, and was very affectionate +in his manner. In Mr Stumfold's mode of treating her she had found no +difference. + +With Miss Todd, whom she met constantly in the street, and who always +nodded to her very kindly, she had had one very remarkable interview. + +"I think we had better give it up, my dear," Miss Todd had said to +her. This had been in Miss Baker's drawing-room. + +"Give what up?" Miss Mackenzie had asked. + +"Any idea of our knowing each other. I'm sure it never can come to +anything, though for my part I should have been so glad. You see you +can't serve God and Mammon, and it is settled beyond all doubt that +I'm Mammon. Isn't it, Mary?" + +Miss Baker, to whom this appeal was made, answered it only by a sigh. + +"You see," continued Miss Todd, "that Miss Baker is allowed to know +me, though I am Mammon, for the sake of auld lang syne. There have +been so many things between us that it wouldn't do for us to drop +each other. We have had the same lovers; and you know, Mary, that +you've been very near coming over to Mammon yourself. There's a sort +of understanding that Miss Baker is not to be required to cut me. +But they would not allow that sort of liberty to a new comer; they +wouldn't, indeed." + +"I don't know that anybody would be likely to interfere with me," +said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Yes, they would, my dear. You didn't quite know yourself which way +it was to be when you first came here, and if it had been my way, +I should have been most happy to have made myself civil. You have +chosen now, and I don't doubt but what you have chosen right. I +always tell Mary Baker that it does very well for her, and I dare say +it will do very well for you too. There's a great deal in it, and +only that some of them do tell such lies I think I should have tried +it myself. But, my dear Miss Mackenzie, you can't do both." + +After this Miss Mackenzie used to nod to Miss Todd in the street, but +beyond that there was no friendly intercourse between those ladies. + +At the beginning of December there came an invitation to Miss +Mackenzie to spend the Christmas holidays away from Littlebath, and +as she accepted this invitation, and as we must follow her to the +house of her friends, we will postpone further mention of the matter +till the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +Miss Mackenzie Goes to the Cedars + + +About the middle of December Mrs Mackenzie, of Gower Street, received +a letter from her sister-in-law at Littlebath, in which it was +proposed that Susanna should pass the Christmas holidays with her +father and mother. "I myself," said the letter, "am going for three +weeks to the Cedars. Lady Ball has written to me, and as she seems +to wish it, I shall go. It is always well, I think, to drop family +dissensions." The letter said a great deal more, for Margaret +Mackenzie, not having much business on hand, was fond of writing +long letters; but the upshot of it was, that she would leave Susanna +in Gower Street, on her way to the Cedars, and call for her on her +return home. + +"What on earth is she going there for?" said Mrs Tom Mackenzie. + +"Because they have asked her," replied the husband. + +"Of course they have asked her; but that's no reason she should go. +The Balls have behaved very badly to us, and I should think much +better of her if she stayed away." + +To this Mr Mackenzie made no answer, but simply remarked that he +would be rejoiced in having Susanna at home on Christmas Day. + +"That's all very well, my dear," said Mrs Tom, "and of course so +shall I. But as she has taken the charge of the child I don't think +she ought to drop her down and pick her up just whenever she pleases. +Suppose she was to take it into her head to stop at the Cedars +altogether, what are we to do then?--just have the girl returned upon +our hands, with all her ideas of life confused and deranged. I hate +such ways." + +"She has promised to provide for Susanna, whenever she may not +continue to give her a home." + +"What would such a promise be worth if John Ball got hold of her +money? That's what they're after, as sure as my name is Martha; and +what she's after too, very likely. She was there once before she went +to Littlebath at all. They want to get their uncle's money back, and +she wants to be a baronet's wife." + +The same view of the matter was perhaps taken by Mr Rubb, junior, +when he was told that Miss Mackenzie was to pass through London on +her way to the Cedars, though he did not express his fears openly, as +Mrs Mackenzie had done. + +"Why don't you ask your sister to stay in Gower Street?" he said to +his partner. + +"She wouldn't come." + +"You might at any rate ask her." + +"What good would it do?" + +"Well; I don't know that it would do any good; but it wouldn't do any +harm. Of course it's natural that she should wish to have friends +about her; and it will only be natural too that she should marry some +one." + +"She may marry whom she pleases for me." + +"She will marry whom she pleases; but I suppose you don't want to see +her money go to the Balls." + +"I shouldn't care a straw where her money went," said Thomas +Mackenzie, "if I could only know that this sum which we have had from +her was properly arranged. To tell you the truth, Rubb, I'm ashamed +to look my sister in the face." + +"That's nonsense. Her money is as right as the bank; and if in such +matters as that brothers and sisters can't take liberties with each +other, who the deuce can?" + +"In matters of money nobody should ever take a liberty with anybody," +said Mr Mackenzie. + +He knew, however, that a great liberty had been taken with his +sister's money, and that his firm had no longer the power of +providing her with the security which had been promised to her. + +Mr Mackenzie would take no steps, at his partner's instance, towards +arresting his sister in London; but Mr Rubb was more successful +with Mrs Mackenzie, with whom, during the last month or two, he had +contrived to establish a greater intimacy than had ever previously +existed between the two families. He had been of late a good deal in +Gower Street, and Mrs Mackenzie had found him to be a much pleasanter +and better educated man than she had expected. Such was the language +in which she expressed her praise of him, though I am disposed to +doubt whether she herself was at all qualified to judge of the +education of any man. He had now talked over the affairs of Margaret +Mackenzie with her sister-in-law, and the result of that talking +was that Mrs Mackenzie wrote a letter to Littlebath, pressing Miss +Mackenzie to stay a few days in Gower Street, on her way through +London. She did this as well as she knew how to do it; but still +there was that in the letter which plainly told an apt reader that +there was no reality in the professions of affection made in it. Miss +Mackenzie became well aware of the fact as she read her sister's +words. Available hypocrisy is a quality very difficult of attainment +and of all hypocrisies, epistolatory hypocrisy is perhaps the +most difficult. A man or woman must have studied the matter very +thoroughly, or be possessed of great natural advantages in that +direction, who can so fill a letter with false expressions of +affection, as to make any reader believe them to be true. Mrs +Mackenzie was possessed of no such skill. + +"Believe her to be my affectionate sister-in-law! I won't believe +her to be anything of the kind," Margaret so spoke of the writer to +herself, when she had finished the letter; but, nevertheless, she +answered it with kind language, saying that she could not stay in +town as she passed through to the Cedars, but that she would pass +one night in Gower Street when she called to pick up Susanna on her +return home. + +It is hard to say what pleasure she promised herself in going to +the Cedars, or why she accepted that invitation. She had, in truth, +liked neither the people nor the house, and had felt herself to +be uncomfortable while she was there. I think she felt it to be a +duty to force herself to go out among people who, though they were +personally disagreeable to her, might be socially advantageous. If +Sir John Ball had not been a baronet, the call to the Cedars would +not have been so imperative on her. And yet she was not a tufthunter, +nor a toady. She was doing what we all do,--endeavouring to choose +her friends from the best of those who made overtures to her +of friendship. If other things be equal, it is probable that a +baronet will be more of a gentleman and a pleasanter fellow than a +manufacturer of oilcloth. Who is there that doesn't feel that? It +is true that she had tried the baronet, and had not found him very +pleasant, but that might probably have been her own fault. She had +been shy and stiff, and perhaps ill-mannered, or had at least accused +herself of these faults; and therefore she resolved to go again. + +She called with Susanna as she passed through London, and just saw +her sister-in-law. + +"I wish you could have stayed," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +"I will for one night, as I return, on the 10th of January," said +Miss Mackenzie. + +Mrs Mackenzie could not understand what Mr Rubb had meant by saying +that that old maid was soft and pleasant, nor could she understand +Susanna's love for her aunt. "I suppose men will put up with anything +for the sake of money," she said to herself; "and as for children, +the truth is, they'll love anybody who indulges them." + +"Aunt is so kind," Susanna said. "She's always kind. If you wake her +up in the middle of the night, she's kind in a moment. And if there's +anything good to eat, it will make her eyes quite shine if she sees +that anybody else likes it. I have known her sit for half an hour +ever so uncomfortable, because she would not disturb the cat." + +"Then she must be a fool, my dear," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +"She isn't a fool, mamma; I'm quite sure of that," said Susanna. + +Miss Mackenzie went on to the Cedars, and her mind almost misgave her +in going there, as she was driven up through the dull brick lodges, +which looked as though no paint had touched them for the last thirty +years, up to the front door of the dull brick house, which bore +almost as dreary a look of neglect as the lodges. It was a large +brick house of three stories, with the door in the middle, and three +windows on each side of the door, and a railed area with a kitchen +below the ground. Such houses were built very commonly in the +neighbourhood of London some hundred and fifty years ago, and they +may still be pleasant enough to the eye if there be ivy over them, +and if they be clean with new paint, and spruce with the outer care +of gardeners and the inner care of housemaids; but old houses are +often like old ladies, who require more care in their dressing than +they who are younger. Very little care was given to the Cedars, and +the place therefore always looked ill-dressed. On the right hand as +you entered was the dining-room, and the three windows to the left +were all devoted to the hall. Behind the dining-room was Sir John's +study, as he called it, and behind or beyond the hall was the +drawing-room, from which four windows looked out into the garden. +This might have been a pretty room had any care been taken to make +anything pretty at the Cedars. But the furniture was old, and the +sofas were hard, and the tables were rickety, and the curtains which +had once been red had become brown with the sun. The dinginess of +the house had not struck Miss Mackenzie so forcibly when she first +visited it, as it did now. Then she had come almost direct from +Arundel Street, and the house in Arundel Street had itself been very +dingy. Mrs Stumfold's drawing-rooms were not dingy, nor were her own +rooms in the Paragon. Her eye had become accustomed to better things, +and she now saw at once how old were the curtains, and how lamentably +the papers wanted to be renewed on the walls. She had, however, been +drawn from the neighbouring station to the house in the private +carriage belonging to the establishment, and if there was any sense +of justice in her, it must be presumed that she balanced the good +things with the bad. + +But her mind misgave her, not because the house was outwardly dreary, +but in fear of the inward dreariness of the people--or in fear +rather of their dreariness and pride combined. Old Lady Ball, though +naturally ill-natured, was not ill-mannered, nor did she give herself +any special airs; but she knew that she was a baronet's wife, that +she kept her carriage, and that it was an obligation upon her to +make up for the poverty of her house by some little haughtiness of +demeanour. There are women, high in rank, but poor in pocket, so +gifted with the peculiar grace of aristocracy, that they show by +every word spoken, by every turn of the head, by every step taken, +that they are among the high ones of the earth, and that money has +nothing to do with it. Old Lady Ball was not so gifted, nor had she +just claim to such gifts. But some idea on the subject pervaded her +mind, and she made efforts to be aristocratic in her poverty. Sir +John was a discontented, cross old man, who had succeeded greatly +in early life, having been for nearly twenty years in Parliament, +but had fallen into adversity in his older days. The loss of that +very money of which his niece, Miss Mackenzie was possessed, was, +in truth, the one great misfortune which he deplored; but that +misfortune had had ramifications and extensions with which the reader +need not trouble himself; but which, altogether, connected as they +were with certain liberal aspirations which he had entertained +in early life, and certain political struggles made during his +parliamentary career, induced him to regard himself as a sort of +Prometheus. He had done much for the world, and the world in return +had made him a baronet without any money! He was a very tall, thin, +gray-haired, old man, stooping much, and worn with age, but still +endowed with some strength of will, and great capability of making +himself unpleasant. His son was a bald-headed, stout man, somewhat +past forty, who was by no means without cleverness, having done +great things as a young man at Oxford; but in life he had failed. +He was a director of certain companies in London, at which he used +to attend, receiving his guinea for doing so, and he had some small +capital,--some remnant of his father's trade wealth, which he nursed +with extreme care, buying shares here and there and changing his +money about as his keen outlook into City affairs directed him. I do +not suppose that he had much talent for the business, or he would +have grown rich; but a certain careful zeal carried him on without +direct loss, and gave him perhaps five per cent for his capital, +whereas he would have received no more than four and a half had he +left it alone and taken his dividends without troubling himself. As +the difference did not certainly amount to a hundred a-year, it can +hardly be said that he made good use of his time. His zeal deserved a +better success. He was always thinking of his money, excusing himself +to himself and to others by the fact of his nine children. For myself +I think that his children were no justification to him; as they would +have been held to be none, had he murdered and robbed his neighbours +for their sake. + +There had been a crowd of girls in the house when Miss Mackenzie had +paid her former visit to the Cedars,--so many that she had carried +away no remembrance of them as individuals. But at that time the +eldest son, a youth now just of age, was not at home. This hope of +the Balls, who was endeavouring to do at Oxford as his father had +done, was now with his family, and came forward to meet his cousin +as the old carriage was driven up to the door. Old Sir John stood +within, in the hall, mindful of the window air, and Lady Ball, a +little mindful of her dignity, remained at the drawing-room door. +Even though Miss Mackenzie had eight hundred a-year, and was +nearly related to the Incharrow family, a further advance than the +drawing-room door would be inexpedient; for the lady, with all her +virtues, was still sister to the man who dealt in retail oilcloth in +the New Road! + +Miss Mackenzie thought nothing of this, but was well contented to be +received by her hostess in the drawing-room. + +"It's a dull house to come to, my dear," said Lady Ball; "but blood +is thicker than water, they say, and we thought that perhaps you +might like to be with your cousins at Christmas." + +"I shall like it very much," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"I suppose you must find it rather sad, living alone at Littlebath, +away from all your people?" + +"I have my niece with me, you know." + +"A niece, have you? That's one of the girls from Gower Street, I +suppose? It's very kind of you, and I dare say, very proper." + +"But Littlebath is a very gay place, I thought," said John Ball, the +third and youngest of the name. "We always hear of it at Oxford as +being the most stunning place for parties anywhere near." + +"I suppose you play cards every night of your life," said the +baronet. + +"No; I don't play cards," said Miss Mackenzie. "Many ladies do, but +I'm not in that set." + +"What set are you in?" said Sir John. + +"I don't think I am in any set. I know Mr Stumfold, the clergyman +there, and I go to his house sometimes." + +"Oh, ah; I see," said Sir John. "I beg your pardon for mentioning +cards. I shouldn't have done it, if I had known that you were one of +Mr Stumfold's people." + +"I am not one of Mr Stumfold's people especially," she said, and then +she went upstairs. + +The other John Ball came back from London just in time for +dinner--the middle one of the three, whom we will call Mr Ball. He +greeted his cousin very kindly, and then said a word or two to his +mother about shares. She answered him, assuming a look of interest in +his tidings. + +"I don't understand it; upon my word, I don't," said he. "Some of +them will burn their fingers before they've done. I don't dare do it; +I know that." + +In the evening, when John Ball,--or Jack, as he was called in the +family,--had left the drawing-room, and the old man was alone with +his son, they discussed the position of Margaret Mackenzie. + +"You'll find she has taken up with the religious people there," said +the father. + +"It's just what she would do," said the son. + +"They're the greatest thieves going. When once they have got their +eyes upon money, they never take them off again." + +"She's not been there long enough yet to give any one a hold upon +her." + +"I don't know that, John; but, if you'll take my advice, you'll find +out the truth at once. She has no children, and if you've made up +your mind about it, you'll do no good by delay." + +"She's a very nice woman, in her way." + +"Yes, she's nice enough. She's not a beauty; eh, John? and she won't +set the Thames on fire." + +"I don't wish her to do so; but I think she'd look after the girls, +and do her duty." + +"I dare say; unless she has taken to run after prayer-meetings every +hour of her life." + +"They don't often do that after they're married, sir." + +"Well; I know nothing against her. I never thought much of her +brothers, and I never cared to know them. One's dead now, and as for +the other, I don't suppose he need trouble you much. If you've made +up your mind about it, I think you might as well ask her at once." +From all which it may be seen that Miss Mackenzie had been invited to +the Cedars with a direct object on the part of Mr Ball. + +But though the old gentleman thus strongly advised instant action, +nothing was done during Christmas week, nor had any hint been given +up to the end of the year. John Ball, however, had not altogether +lost his time, and had played the part of middle-aged lover better +than might have been expected from one the whole tenor of whose life +was so thoroughly unromantic. He did manage to make himself pleasant +to Miss Mackenzie, and so far ingratiated himself with her that he +won much of her confidence in regard to money matters. + +"But that's a very large sum of money?" he said to her one day as +they were sitting together in his father's study. He was alluding to +the amount which she had lent to Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie, and had +become aware of the fact that as yet Miss Mackenzie held no security +for the loan. "Two thousand five hundred pounds is a very large sum +of money." + +"But I'm to get five per cent, John." They were first cousins, but it +was not without some ceremonial difficulty that they had arrived at +each other's Christian names. + +"My dear Margaret, their word for five per cent is no security. Five +per cent is nothing magnificent. A lady situated as you are should +never part with her money without security--never: but if she does, +she should have more than five per cent." + +"You'll find it's all right, I don't doubt," said Miss Mackenzie, +who, however, was beginning to have little inward tremblings of her +own. + +"I hope so; but I must say, I think Mr Slow has been much to blame. +I do, indeed." Mr Slow was the attorney who had for years acted +for Walter Mackenzie and his father, and was now acting for Miss +Mackenzie. "Will you allow me to go to him and see about it?" + +"It has not been his fault. He wrote and asked me whether I would let +them have it, before the papers were ready, and I said I would." + +"But may I ask about it?" + +Miss Mackenzie paused before she answered: + +"I think you had better not, John. Remember that Tom is my own +brother, and I should not like to seem to doubt him. Indeed, I do not +doubt him in the least--nor yet Mr Rubb." + +"I can assure you that it is a very bad way of doing business," said +the anxious lover. + +By degrees she began to like her cousin John Ball. I do not at all +wish the reader to suppose that she had fallen in love with that +bald-headed, middle-aged gentleman, or that she even thought of him +in the light of a possible husband; but she found herself to be +comfortable in his company, and was able to make a friend of him. +It is true that he talked to her more of money than anything else; +but then it was her money of which he talked, and he did it with an +interest that could not but flatter her. He was solicitous about her +welfare, gave her bits of advice, did one or two commissions for her +in town, called her Margaret, and was kind and cousinly. The Cedars, +she thought, was altogether more pleasant than she had found the +place before. Then she told herself that on the occasion of her +former visit she had not been there long enough to learn to like the +place or the people. Now she knew them, and though she still dreaded +her uncle and his cross sayings, and though that driving out with her +aunt in the old carriage was tedious, she would have been glad to +prolong her stay there, had she not bound herself to take Susanna +back to school at Littlebath on a certain day. When that day came +near--and it did come very near before Mr Ball spoke out--they +pressed her to prolong her stay. This was done by both Lady Ball and +by her son. + +"You might as well remain with us another fortnight," said Lady +Ball during one of these drives. It was the last drive which Miss +Mackenzie had through Twickenham lanes during that visit to the +Cedars. + +"I can't do it, aunt, because of Susanna." + +"I don't see that at all. You're not to make yourself a slave to +Susanna." + +"But I'm to make myself a mother to her as well as I can." + +"I must say you have been rather hasty, my dear. Suppose you were to +change your mode of life, what would you do?" + +Then Miss Mackenzie, blushing slightly in the obscure corner of the +carriage as she spoke, explained to Lady Ball that clause in her +agreement with her brother respecting the five hundred pounds. + +"Oh, indeed," said Lady Ball. + +The information thus given had been manifestly distasteful, and the +conversation was for a while interrupted; but Lady Ball returned to +her request before they were again at home. + +"I really do think you might stop, Margaret. Now that we have all got +to know each other, it will be a great pity that it all should be +broken up." + +"But I hope it won't be broken up, aunt." + +"You know what I mean, my dear. When people live so far off they +can't see each other constantly; and now you are here, I think you +might stay a little longer. I know there is not much attraction--" + +"Oh, aunt, don't say that! I like being here very much." + +"Then, why can't you stay? Write and tell Mrs Tom that she must keep +Susanna at home for another week or so. It can't matter." + +To this Miss Mackenzie made no immediate answer. + +"It is not only for myself I speak, but John likes having you here +with his girls; and Jack is so fond of you; and John himself is quite +different while you are here. Do stay!" + +Saying which Lady Ball put out her hand caressingly on Miss +Mackenzie's arm. + +"I'm afraid I mustn't," said Miss Mackenzie, very slowly. "Much as I +should like it, I'm afraid I mustn't do it. I've pledged myself to go +back with Susanna, and I like to be as good as my word." + +Lady Ball drew herself up. + +"I never went so much out of my way to ask any one to stay in my +house before," she said. + +"Dear aunt! don't be angry with me." + +"Oh no! I'm not angry. Here we are. Will you get out first?" + +Whereupon Lady Ball descended from the carriage, and walked into the +house with a good deal of dignity. + +"What a wicked old woman she was!" virtuous readers will say; "what a +wicked old woman to endeavour to catch that poor old maid's fortune +for her son!" + +But I deny that she was in any degree a wicked old woman on that +score. Why should not the two cousins marry, and do very well +together with their joint means? Lady Ball intended to make a +baronet's wife of her. If much was to be taken, was not much also to +be given? + +"You are going to stay, are you not?" Jack said to her that evening, +as he wished her good-night. She was very fond of Jack, who was a +nice-looking, smooth-faced young fellow, idolised by his sisters over +whom he tyrannised, and bullied by his grandfather, before whom he +quaked. + +"I'm afraid not, Jack; but you shall come and see me at Littlebath, +if you will." + +"I should like it, of all things; but I do wish you'd stay: the house +is so much nicer when you are in it!" + +But of course she could not stay at the request of the young lad, +when she had refused the request of the lad's grandmother. + +After this she had one day to remain at the Cedars. It was a +Thursday, and on the Friday she was to go to her brother's house on +her way to Littlebath. On the Thursday morning Mr Ball waylaid her on +the staircase, as she came down to breakfast, and took her with him +into the drawing-room. There he made his request, standing with her +in the middle of the room. + +"Margaret," he said, "must you go away and leave us?" + +"I'm afraid I must, John," she said. + +"I wish we could make you think better of it." + +"Of course I should like to stay, but--" + +"Yes, there's always a but. I should have thought that, of all people +in the world, you were the one most able to do just what you please +with your time." + +"We have all got duties to do, John." + +"Of course we have; but why shouldn't it be your duty to make your +relations happy? If you could only know how much I like your being +here?" + +Had it not been that she did not dare to do that for the son which +she had refused to the mother, I think that she would have given way. +As it was, she did not know how to yield, after having persevered so +long. + +"You are all so kind," she said, giving him her hand, "that it goes +to my heart to refuse you; but I'm afraid I can't. I do not wish to +give my brother's wife cause to complain of me." + +"Then," said Mr Ball, speaking very slowly, "I must ask this favour +of you, that you will let me see you alone for half an hour after +dinner this evening." + +"Certainly," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Thank you, Margaret. After tea I will go into the study, and perhaps +you will follow me." + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +Miss Mackenzie Leaves the Cedars + + +There was something so serious in her cousin's request to her, and so +much of gravity in his mode of making it, that Miss Mackenzie could +not but think of it throughout the day. On what subject did he wish +to speak to her in so solemn and special a manner? An idea of the +possibility of an offer no doubt crossed her mind and fluttered her, +but it did not do more than this; it did not remain fixed with her, +or induce her to resolve what answer she would give if such offer +were made. She was afraid to allow herself to think that such a thing +could happen, and put the matter away from her,--uneasily, indeed, +but still with so much resolution as to leave her with a conviction +that she need not give any consideration to such an hypothesis. + +And she was not at a loss to suggest to herself another subject. Her +cousin had learned something about her money which he felt himself +bound to tell her, but which he would not have told her now had she +consented to remain at the Cedars. There was something wrong about +the loan. This made her seriously unhappy, for she dreaded the +necessity of discussing her brother's conduct with her cousin. + +During the whole of the day Lady Ball was very courteous, but rather +distant. Lady Ball had said to herself that Margaret would have +stayed had she been in a disposition favourable to John Ball's hopes. +If she should decline the alliance with which the Balls proposed to +honour her, then Lady Ball was prepared to be very cool. There would +be an ingratitude in such a proceeding after the open-armed affection +which had been shown to her which Lady Ball could not readily bring +herself to forgive. Sir John, once or twice during the day, took up +his little sarcasms against her supposed religious tendencies at +Littlebath. + +"You'll be glad to get back to Mr Stumfold," he said. + +"I shall be glad to see him, of course," she answered, "as he is a +friend." + +"Mr Stumfold has a great many lady friends at Littlebath," he +continued. + +"Yes, a great many," said Miss Mackenzie, understanding well that she +was being bullied. + +"What a pity that there can be only one Mrs Stumfold," snarled the +baronet; "it's often a wonder to me how women can be so foolish." + +"And it's often a wonder to me," said Miss Mackenzie, "how gentlemen +can be so ill-natured." + +She had plucked up her spirits of late, and had resented Sir John's +ill-humour. + +At the usual hour Mr Ball came home to dinner, and Miss Mackenzie, as +soon as she saw him, again became fluttered. She perceived that he +was not at his ease, and that made her worse. When he spoke to the +girls he seemed hardly to mind what he was saying, and he greeted his +mother without any whispered tidings as to the share-market of the +day. + +Margaret asked herself if it could be possible that anything was very +wrong about her own money. If the worst came to the worst she could +but have lost that two thousand five hundred pounds and she would be +able to live well enough without it. If her brother had asked her for +it, she would have given it to him. She would teach herself to regard +it as a gift, and then the subject would not make her unhappy. + +They all came down to dinner, and they all went in to tea, and the +tea-things were taken away, and then John Ball arose. During tea-time +neither he nor Miss Mackenzie had spoken a word, and when she got up +to follow him, there was a solemnity about the matter which ought to +have been ludicrous to any of those remaining, who might chance to +know what was about to happen. It must be supposed that Lady Ball +at any rate did know, and when she saw her middle-aged niece walk +slowly out of the room after her middle-aged son, in order that a +love proposal might be made from one to the other with advantage, +she must, I should think, have perceived the comic nature of the +arrangement. She went on, however, very gravely with her knitting, +and did not even make an attempt to catch her husband's eye. + +"Margaret," said John Ball, as soon as he had shut the study door; +"but, perhaps, you had better sit down." + +Then she sat down, and he came and seated himself opposite to her; +opposite her, but not so close as to give him any of the advantages +of a lover. + +"Margaret, I don't know whether you have guessed the subject on which +I wish to speak to you; but I wish you had." + +"Is it about the money?" she asked. + +"The money! What money? The money you have lent to your brother? Oh, +no." + +Then, at that moment, Margaret did, I think, guess. + +"It's not at all about the money," he said, and then he sighed. + +He had at one time thought of asking his mother to make the +proposition for him, and now he wished that he had done so. + +"No, Margaret, it's something else that I want to say. I believe you +know my condition in life pretty accurately." + +"In what way, John?" + +"I am a poor man; considering my large family, a very poor man. I +have between eight and nine hundred a year, and when my father and +mother are both gone I shall have nearly as much more; but I have +nine children, and as I must keep up something of a position, I have +a hard time of it sometimes, I can tell you." + +Here he paused, as though he expected her to say something; but she +had nothing to say and he went on. + +"Jack is at Oxford, as you know, and I wish to give him any chance +that a good education may afford. It did not do much for me, but he +may be more lucky. When my father is dead, I think I shall sell this +place; but I have not quite made up my mind about that;--it must +depend on circumstances. As for the girls, you see that I do what I +can to educate them." + +"They seem to me to be brought up very nicely; nothing could be +better." + +"They are good girls, very good girls, and so is Jack a very good +fellow." + +"I love Jack dearly," said Miss Mackenzie, who had already come to +a half-formed resolution that Jack Ball should be heir to half her +fortune, her niece Susanna being heiress to the other half. + +"Do you? I'm so glad of that." And there was actually a tear in the +father's eye. + +"And so I do the girls," said Margaret. "It's something so nice to +feel that one has people really belonging to one that one may love. +I hope they'll know Susanna some day, for she's a very nice girl,--a +very dear girl." + +"I hope they will," said Mr Ball; but there was not much enthusiasm +in the expression of this hope. + +Then he got up from his chair, and took a turn across the room. "The +truth is, Margaret, that there's no use in my beating about the bush. +I shan't say what I've got to say a bit the better for delaying it. +I want you to be my wife, and to be mother to those children. I +like you better than any woman I've seen since I lost Rachel, but +I shouldn't dare to make you such an offer if you had not money of +your own. I could not marry unless my wife had money, and I would not +marry any woman unless I felt I could love her--not if she had ever +so much. There! now you know it all. I suppose I have not said it as +I ought to do, but if you're the woman I take you for that won't make +much difference." + +For my part I think that he said what he had to say very well. I do +not know that he could have done it much better. I do not know that +any other form of words would have been more persuasive to the woman +he was addressing. Had he said much of his love, or nothing of his +poverty; or had he omitted altogether any mention of her wealth, her +heart would have gone against him at once. As it was he had produced +in her mind such a state of doubt, that she was unable to answer him +on the moment. + +"I know," he went on to say, "that I haven't much to offer you." He +had now seated himself again, and as he spoke he looked upon the +ground. + +"It isn't that, John," she answered; "you have much more to give than +I have a right to expect." + +"No," he said. "What I offer you is a life of endless trouble and +care. I know all about it myself. It's all very well to talk of a +competence and a big house, and if you were to take me, perhaps we +might keep the old place on and furnish it again, and my mother +thinks a great deal about the title. For my part I think it's only +a nuisance when a man has not got a fortune with it, and I don't +suppose it will be any pleasure to you to be called Lady Ball. You'd +have a life of fret and worry, and would not have half so much money +to spend as you have now. I know all that, and have thought a deal +about it before I could bring myself to speak to you. But, Margaret, +you would have duties which would, I think, in themselves, have a +pleasure for you. You would know what to do with your life, and would +be of inestimable value to many people who would love you dearly. +As for me, I never saw any other woman whom I could bring myself to +offer as a mother to my children." All this he said looking down at +the floor, in a low, dull, droning voice, as though every sentence +spoken were to have been the last. Then he paused, looked into her +face for a moment, and after that, allowed his eyes again to fall on +the ground. + +Margaret was, of course, aware that she must make him some answer, +and she was by no means prepared to give him one that would be +favourable. Indeed, she thought she knew that she could not marry +him, because she felt that she did not love him with affection of the +sort which would be due to a husband. She told herself that she must +refuse his offer. But yet she wanted time, and above all things, she +wished to find words which would not be painful to him. His dull +droning voice, and the honest recital of his troubles, and of her +troubles if she were to share his lot, had touched her more nearly +than any vows of love would have done. When he told her of the heavy +duties which might fall to her lot as his wife, he almost made her +think that it might be well for her to marry him, even though she did +not love him. "I hardly know how to answer you, you have taken me so +much by surprise," she said. + +"You need not give me an answer at once," he replied; "you can think +of it." As she did not immediately say anything, he presumed that she +assented to this proposition. "You won't wonder now," he said, "that +I wished you to stay here, or that my mother wished it." + +"Does Lady Ball know?" she asked. + +"Yes, my mother does know." + +"What am I to say to her?" + +"Shall I tell you, Margaret, what to say? Put your arms round her +neck, and tell her that you will be her daughter." + +"No, John; I cannot do that; and perhaps I ought to say now that I +don't think it will ever be possible. It has all so surprised me, +that I haven't known how to speak; and I am afraid I shall be letting +you go from me with a false idea. Perhaps I ought to say at once that +it cannot be." + +"No, Margaret, no. It is much better that you should think of it. No +harm can come of that." + +"There will be harm if you are disappointed." + +"I certainly shall be disappointed if you decide against me; but not +more violently so, if you do it next week than if you do it now. But +I do hope that you will not decide against me." + +"And what am I to do?" + +"You can write to me from Littlebath." + +"And how soon must I write?" + +"As soon as you can make up your mind. But, Margaret, do not decide +against me too quickly. I do not know that I shall do myself any good +by promising you that I will love you tenderly." So saying he put out +his hand, and she took it; and they stood there looking into each +other's eyes, as young lovers might have done,--as his son might have +looked into those of her daughter, had she been married young and had +children of her own. In the teeth of all those tedious money dealings +in the City there was some spice of romance left within his bosom +yet! + +But how was she to get herself out of the room? It would not do for +such a Juliet to stay all the night looking into the eyes of her +ancient Romeo. And how was she to behave herself to Lady Ball, when +she should again find herself in the drawing-room, conscious as she +was that Lady Ball knew all about it? And how was she to conduct +herself before all those young people whom she had left there? And +her proposed father-in-law, whom she feared so much, and in truth +disliked so greatly--would he know all about it, and thrust his +ill-natured jokes at her? Her lover should have opened the door for +her to pass through; but instead of doing so, as soon as she had +withdrawn her hand from his, he placed himself on the rug, and leaned +back in silence against the chimney-piece. + +"I suppose it wouldn't do," she said, "for me to go off to bed +without seeing them." + +"I think you had better see my mother," he replied, "else you will +feel awkward in the morning." + +Then she opened the door for herself, and with frightened feet crept +back to the drawing-room. She could hardly bring herself to open +the second door; but when she had done so, her heart was greatly +released, as, looking in, she saw that her aunt was the only person +there. + +"Well, Margaret," said the old lady, walking up to her; "well?" + +"Dear aunt, I don't know what I am to say to you. I don't know what +you want." + +"I want you to tell me you have consented to become John's wife." + +"But I have not consented. Think how sudden it has been, aunt!" + +"Yes, yes; I can understand that. You could not tell him at once that +you would take him; but you won't mind telling me." + +"I would have told him so in an instant, if I had made up my mind. Do +you think I would wish to keep him in suspense on such a matter? If +I could have felt that I could love him as his wife, I would have +told him so instantly,--instantly." + +"And why not love him as his wife--why not?" Lady Ball, as she asked +the question, was almost imperious in her eagerness. + +"Why not, aunt? It is not easy to answer such a question as that. A +woman, I suppose, can't say why she doesn't love a man, nor yet why +she does. You see, it's so sudden. I hadn't thought of him in that +way." + +"You've known him now for nearly a year, and you've been in the house +with him for the last three weeks. If you haven't seen that he has +been attached to you, you are the only person in the house that has +been so blind." + +"I haven't seen it at all, aunt." + +"Perhaps you are afraid of the responsibility," said Lady Ball. + +"I should fear it certainly; but that alone would not deter me. I +would endeavour to do my best." + +"And you don't like living in the same house with me and Sir John." + +"Indeed, yes; you are always good to me; and as to my uncle, I know +he does not mean to be unkind. I should not fear that." + +"The truth is, I suppose, Margaret, that you do not like to part with +your money." + +"That's unjust, aunt. I don't think I care more for my money than +another woman." + +"Then what is it? He can give you a position in the world higher than +any you could have had a hope to possess. As Lady Ball you will be +equal in all respects to your own far-away cousin, Lady Mackenzie." + +"That has nothing to do with it, aunt." + +"Then what is it?" asked Lady Ball again. "I suppose you have no +absolute objection to be a baronet's wife." + +"Suppose, aunt, that I do not love him?" + +"Pshaw!" said the old woman. + +"But it isn't pshaw," said Miss Mackenzie. "No woman ought to marry a +man unless she feels that she loves him." + +"Pshaw!" said Lady Ball again. + +They had both been standing; and as everybody else was gone Miss +Mackenzie had determined that she would go off to bed without +settling herself in the room. So she prepared herself for her +departure. + +"I'll say good-night now, aunt. I have still some of my packing to +do, and I must be up early." + +"Don't be in a hurry, Margaret. I want to speak to you before you +leave us, and I shall have no other opportunity. Sit down, won't +you?" + +Then Miss Mackenzie seated herself, most unwillingly. + +"I don't know that there is anyone nearer to you than I am, my dear; +at any rate, no woman; and therefore I can say more than any other +person. When you talk of not loving John, does that mean--does it +mean that you are engaged to anyone else?" + +"No, it does not." + +"And it does not mean that there is anyone else whom you are thinking +of marrying?" + +"I am not thinking of marrying anyone." + +"Or that you love any other man?" + +"You are cross-questioning me, aunt, more than is fair." + +"Then there is some one?" + +"No, there is nobody. What I say about John I don't say through any +feeling for anybody else." + +"Then, my dear, I think that a little talk between you and me may +make this matter all right. I'm sure you don't doubt John when he +says that he loves you very dearly. As for your loving him, of course +that would come. It is not as if you two were two young people, and +that you wanted to be billing and cooing. Of course you ought to be +fond of each other, and like each other's company; and I have no +doubt that you will. You and I would, of course, be thrown very much +together, and I'm sure I'm very fond of you. Indeed, Margaret, I have +endeavoured to show that I am." + +"You've been very kind, aunt." + +"Therefore as to your loving him, I really don't think there need +be any doubt about that. Then, my dear, as to the other part of +the arrangement,--the money and all that. If you were to have any +children, your own fortune would be settled on them; at least, that +could be arranged, if you required it; though, as your fortune all +came from the Balls, and is the very money with which the title was +intended to be maintained, you probably would not be very exacting +about that. Stop a moment, my dear, and let me finish before you +speak. I want you particularly to think of what I say, and to +remember that all your money did come from the Balls. It has been +very hard upon John,--you must feel that. Look at him with his heavy +family, and how he works for them!" + +"But my uncle Jonathan died and left his money to my brothers before +John was married. It is twenty-five years ago." + +"Well I remember it, my dear! John was just engaged to Rachel, and +the marriage was put off because of the great cruelty of Jonathan's +will. Of course I am not blaming you." + +"I was only ten years old, and uncle Jonathan did not leave me a +penny. My money came to me from my brother; and, as far as I can +understand, it is nearly double as much as he got from Sir John's +brother." + +"That may be; but John would have doubled it quite as readily as +Walter Mackenzie. What I mean to say is this, that as you have the +money which in the course of nature would have come to John, and +which would have been his now if a great injustice had not been +done--" + +"It was done by a Ball, and not by a Mackenzie." + +"That does not alter the case in the least. Your feelings should be +just the same in spite of that. Of course the money is yours and you +can do what you like with it. You can give it to young Mr Samuel +Rubb, if you please." Stupid old woman! "But I think you must feel +that you should repair the injury which was done, as it is in your +power to do so. A fine position is offered you. When poor Sir John +goes, you will become Lady Ball, and be the mistress of this house, +and have your own carriage." Terribly stupid old woman! "And you +would have friends and relatives always round you, instead of being +all alone at such a place as Littlebath, which must, I should say, +be very sad. Of course there would be duties to perform to the dear +children; but I don't think so ill of you, Margaret, as to suppose +for an instant that you would shrink from that. Stop one moment, +my dear, and I shall have done. I think I have said all now; but +I can well understand that when John spoke to you, you could not +immediately give him a favourable answer. It was much better to leave +it till to-morrow. But you can't have any objection to speaking out +to me, and I really think you might make me happy by saying that it +shall be as I wish." + +It is astonishing the harm that an old woman may do when she goes +well to work, and when she believes she can prevail by means of her +own peculiar eloquence. Lady Ball had so trusted to her own prestige, +to her own ladyship, to her own carriage and horses, and to the +rest of it, and had also so misjudged Margaret's ordinary mild +manner, that she had thought to force her niece into an immediate +acquiescence by her mere words. The result, however, was exactly +the contrary to this. Had Miss Mackenzie been left to herself after +the interview with Mr Ball: had she gone upstairs to sleep upon his +proposal, without any disturbance to those visions of sacrificial +duty which his plain statement had produced: had she been allowed +to leave the house and think over it all without any other argument +to her than those which he had used, I think that she would have +accepted him. But now she was up in arms against the whole thing. +Her mind, clear as it was, was hardly lucid enough to allow of her +separating the mother and son at this moment. She was claimed as a +wife into the family because they thought that they had a right to +her fortune; and the temptations offered, by which they hoped to +draw her into her duty, were a beggarly title and an old coach! No! +The visions of sacrificial duty were all dispelled. There was doubt +before, but now there was no doubt. + +"I think I will go to bed, aunt," she said very calmly, "and I will +write to John from Littlebath." + +"And cannot you put me out of my suspense?" + +"If you wish it, yes. I know that I must refuse him. I wish that I +had told him so at once, as then there would have been an end of it." + +"You don't mean that you have made up your mind?" + +"Yes, aunt, I do. I should be wrong to marry a man that I do not +love; and as for the money, aunt, I must say that I think you are +mistaken." + +"How mistaken?" + +"You think that I am called upon to put right some wrong that you +think was done you by Sir John's brother. I don't think that I am +under any such obligation. Uncle Jonathan left his money to his +sister's children instead of to his brother's children. If his money +had come to John, you would not have admitted that we had any claim, +because we were nephews and nieces." + +"The whole thing would have been different." + +"Well, aunt, I am very tired, and if you'll let me, I'll go to bed." + +"Oh, certainly." + +Then, with anything but warm affection, the aunt and niece parted, +and Miss Mackenzie went to her bed with a firm resolution that she +would not become Lady Ball. + +It had been arranged for some time back that Mr Ball was to accompany +his cousin up to London by the train; and though under the present +circumstances that arrangement was not without a certain amount of +inconvenience, there was no excuse at hand for changing it. Not a +word was said at breakfast as to the scenes of last night. Indeed, no +word could very well have been said, as all the family was present, +including Jack and the girls. Lady Ball was very quiet, and very +dignified; but Miss Mackenzie perceived that she was always called +"Margaret," and not "my dear," as had been her aunt's custom. Very +little was said by any one, and not a great deal was eaten. + +"Well; when are we to see you back again?" said Sir John, as Margaret +arose from her chair on being told that the carriage was there. + +"Perhaps you and my aunt will come down some day and see me at +Littlebath?" said Miss Mackenzie. + +"No; I don't think that's very likely," said Sir John. + +Then she kissed all the children, till she came to Jack. + +"I am going to kiss you, too," she said to him. + +"No objection in life," said Jack. "I sha'n't complain about that." + +"You'll come and see me at Littlebath?" said she. + +"That I will if you'll ask me." + +Then she put her face to her aunt, and Lady Ball permitted her cheek +to be touched. Lady Ball was still not without hope, but she thought +that the surest way was to assume a high dignity of demeanour, and +to exhibit a certain amount of displeasure. She still believed that +Margaret might be frightened into the match. It was but a mile and a +half to the station, and for that distance Mr Ball and Margaret sat +together in the carriage. He said nothing to her as to his proposal +till the station was in view, and then only a word. + +"Think well of it, Margaret, if you can." + +"I fear I cannot think well of it," she answered. But she spoke so +low, that I doubt whether he completely heard her words. The train +up to London was nearly full, and there he had no opportunity of +speaking to her. But he desired no such opportunity. He had said all +that he had to say, and was almost well pleased to know that a final +answer was to be given to him, not personally, but by letter. His +mother had spoken to him that morning, and had made him understand +that she was not well pleased with Margaret; but she had said nothing +to quench her son's hopes. + +"Of course she will accept you," Lady Ball had said, "but women like +her never like to do anything without making a fuss about it." + +"To me, yesterday, I thought she behaved admirably," said her son. + +At the station at London he put her into the cab that was to take her +to Gower Street, and as he shook hands with her through the window, +he once more said the same words: + +"Think well of it, Margaret, if you can." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +Mrs Tom Mackenzie's Dinner Party + + +Mrs Tom was ever so gracious on the arrival of her sister-in-law, but +even in her graciousness there was something which seemed to Margaret +to tell of her dislike. Near relatives, when they are on good terms +with each other, are not gracious. Now, Mrs Tom, though she was ever +so gracious, was by no means cordial. Susanna, however, was delighted +to see her aunt, and Margaret, when she felt the girl's arms round +her neck, declared to herself that that should suffice for her,--that +should be her love, and it should be enough. If indeed, in after +years, she could make Jack love her too, that would be better still. +Then her mind went to work upon a little marriage scheme that would +in due time make a baronet's wife of Susanna. It would not suit her +to become Lady Ball, but it might suit Susanna. + +"We are going to have a little dinner party to-day," said Mrs Tom. + +"A dinner party!" said Margaret. "I didn't look for that, Sarah." + +"Perhaps I ought not to call it a party, for there are only one or +two coming. There's Dr Slumpy and his wife; I don't know whether you +ever met Dr Slumpy. He has attended us for ever so long; and there +is Miss Colza, a great friend of mine. Mademoiselle Colza I ought to +call her, because her father was a Portuguese. Only as she never saw +him, we call her Miss. And there's Mr Rubb,--Samuel Rubb, junior. I +think you met him at Littlebath." + +"Yes; I know Mr Rubb." + +"That's all; and I might as well say how it will be now. Mr Rubb will +take you down to dinner. Tom will take Mrs Slumpy, and the doctor +will take me. Young Tom,"--Young Tom was her son, who was now +beginning his career at Rubb and Mackenzie's,--"Young Tom will take +Miss Colza, and Mary Jane and Susanna will come down by themselves. +We might have managed twelve, and Tom did think of asking Mr Handcock +and one of the other clerks, but he did not know whether you would +have liked it." + +"I should not have minded it. That is, I should have been very glad +to meet Mr Handcock, but I don't care about it." + +"That's just what we thought, and therefore we did not ask him. +You'll remember, won't you, that Mr Rubb takes you down?" After that +Miss Mackenzie took her nieces to the Zoological Gardens, leaving +Mary Jane at home to assist her mother in the cares for the coming +festival, and thus the day wore itself away till it was time for them +to prepare themselves for the party. + +Miss Colza was the first to come. She was a young lady somewhat older +than Miss Mackenzie; but the circumstances of her life had induced +her to retain many of the propensities of her girlhood. She was as +young looking as curls and pink bows could make her, and was by no +means a useless guest at a small dinner party, as she could chatter +like a magpie. Her claims to be called "Mademoiselle" were not very +strong, as she had lived in Finsbury Square all her life. Her father +was connected in trade with the Rubb and Mackenzie firm, and dealt, +I think, in oil. She was introduced with great ceremony, and having +heard that Miss Mackenzie lived at Littlebath, went off at score +about the pleasures of that delicious place. + +"I do so hate London, Miss Mackenzie." + +"I lived here all my life, and I can't say I liked it." + +"It is such a crowd, isn't it? and yet so dull. Give me Brighton! We +were down for a week in November, and it was nice." + +"I never saw Brighton." + +"Oh, do go to Brighton. Everybody goes there now; you really do see +the world at Brighton. Now, in London one sees nothing." + +Then came in Mr Rubb, and Miss Colza at once turned her attention to +him. But Mr Rubb shook Miss Colza off almost unceremoniously, and +seated himself by Miss Mackenzie. Immediately afterwards arrived +the doctor and his wife. The doctor was a very silent man, and as +Tom Mackenzie himself was not given to much talking, it was well +that Miss Colza should be there. Mrs Slumpy could take her share in +conversation with an effort, when duly assisted; but she could not +lead the van, and required more sprightly aid than her host was +qualified to give her. Then there was a whisper between Tom and Mrs +Tom and the bell was rung, and the dinner was ordered. Seven had been +the time named, and a quarter past seven saw the guests assembled +in the drawing-room. A very dignified person in white cotton gloves +had announced the names, and the same dignified person had taken the +order for dinner. The dignified person had then retreated downstairs +slowly, and what was taking place for the next half-hour poor Mrs +Mackenzie, in the agony of her mind, could not surmise. She longed +to go and see, but did not dare. Even for Dr Slumpy, or even for his +wife, had they been alone with her she would not have cared much. +Miss Colza she could have treated with perfect indifference--could +even have taken her down into the kitchen with her. Rubb, her own +junior partner, was nothing, and Miss Mackenzie was simply her +sister-in-law. But together they made a party. Moreover she had on +her best and stiffest silk gown, and so armed she could not have been +effective in the kitchen. And so came a silence for some minutes, in +spite of the efforts of Miss Colza. At last the hostess plucked up +her courage to make a little effort. + +"Tom," she said, "I really think you had better ring again." + +"It will be all right, soon," said Tom, considering that upon the +whole it would be better not to disturb the gentleman downstairs just +yet. + +"Upon my word, I never felt it so cold in my life as I did to-day," +he said, turning on Dr Slumpy for the third time with that remark. + +"Very cold," said Dr Slumpy, pulling out his watch and looking at it. + +"I really think you'd better ring the bell," said Mrs Tom. + +Tom, however, did not stir, and after another period of five minutes +dinner was announced. It may be as well, perhaps, to explain, that +the soup had been on the table for the last quarter of an hour or +more, but that after placing the tureen on the table, the dignified +gentleman downstairs had come to words with the cook, and had refused +to go on further with the business of the night until that ill-used +woman acceded to certain terms of his own in reference to the manner +in which the foods should be served. He had seen the world, and had +lofty ideas, and had been taught to be a tyrant by the weakness of +those among whom his life had been spent. The cook had alleged that +the dinner, as regarded the eating of it, would certainly be spoilt. +As to that, he had expressed a mighty indifference. If he was to have +any hand in them, things were to be done according to certain rules, +which, as he said, prevailed in the world of fashion. The cook, +who had a temper and who regarded her mistress, stood out long and +boldly, but when the housemaid, who was to assist Mr Grandairs +upstairs, absolutely deserted her, and sitting down began to cry, +saying: "Sairey, why don't you do as he tells you? What signifies its +being greasy if it hain't never to go hup?" then Sarah's courage gave +way, and Mr Grandairs, with all the conqueror in his bosom, announced +that dinner was served. + +It was a great relief. Even Miss Colza's tongue had been silent, +and Mr Rubb had found himself unable to carry on any further small +talk with Miss Mackenzie. The minds of men and women become so +tuned to certain positions, that they go astray and won't act when +those positions are confused. Almost every man can talk for fifteen +minutes, standing in a drawing-room, before dinner; but where is the +man who can do it for an hour? It is not his appetite that impedes +him, for he could well have borne to dine at eight instead of seven; +nor is it that matter lacks him, for at other times his eloquence +does not cease to flow so soon. But at that special point of the day +he is supposed to talk for fifteen minutes, and if any prolonged call +is then made upon him, his talking apparatus falls out of order and +will not work. You can sit still on a Sunday morning, in the cold, +on a very narrow bench, with no comfort appertaining, and listen for +half an hour to a rapid outflow of words, which, for any purpose +of instruction or edification, are absolutely useless to you. The +reading to you of the "Quæ genus," or "As in præsenti," could not be +more uninteresting. Try to undergo the same thing in your own house +on a Wednesday afternoon, and see where you will be. To those ladies +and gentlemen who had been assembled in Mrs Mackenzie's drawing-room +this prolonged waiting had been as though the length of the sermon +had been doubled, or as if it had fallen on them at some unexpected +and unauthorised time. + +But now they descended, each gentleman taking his allotted lady, and +Colza's voice was again heard. At the bottom of the stairs, just +behind the dining-room door, stood the tyrant, looking very great, +repressing with his left hand the housemaid who was behind him. She +having observed Sarah at the top of the kitchen stairs telegraphing +for assistance, had endeavoured to make her way to her friend while +Tom Mackenzie and Mrs Slumpy were still upon the stairs; but the +tyrant, though he had seen the cook's distress, had refused and +sternly kept the girl a prisoner behind him. Ruat dinner, fiat +genteel deportment. + +The order of the construction of the dinner was no doubt à la Russe; +and why should it not have been so, as Tom Mackenzie either had or +was supposed to have as much as eight hundred a year? But I think +it must be confessed that the architecture was in some degree +composite. It was à la Russe, because in the centre there was a green +arrangement of little boughs with artificial flowers fixed on them, +and because there were figs and raisins, and little dishes with dabs +of preserve on them, all around the green arrangement; but the soups +and fish were on the table, as was also the wine, though it was +understood that no one was to be allowed to help himself or his +neighbour to the contents of the bottle. When Dr Slumpy once made +an attempt at the sherry, Grandairs was down upon him instantly, +although laden at the time with both potatoes and sea-kale; after +that he went round and frowned at Dr Slumpy, and Dr Slumpy understood +the frown. + +That the soup should be cold, everybody no doubt expected. It was +clear soup, made chiefly of Marsala, and purchased from the pastry +cook's in Store Street. Grandairs, no doubt, knew all about it, as he +was connected with the same establishment. The fish--Mrs Mackenzie +had feared greatly about her fish, having necessarily trusted its +fate solely to her own cook--was very ragged in its appearance, and +could not be very warm; the melted butter too was thick and clotted, +and was brought round with the other condiments too late to be of +much service; but still the fish was eatable, and Mrs Mackenzie's +heart, which had sunk very low as the unconsumed soup was carried +away, rose again in her bosom. Poor woman! she had done her best, and +it was hard that she should suffer. One little effort she made at the +moment to induce Elizabeth to carry round the sauce, but Grandairs +had at once crushed it; he had rushed at the girl and taken the +butter-boat from her hand. Mrs Mackenzie had seen it all; but what +could she do, poor soul? + +The thing was badly managed in every way. The whole hope of +conversation round the table depended on Miss Colza, and she was +deeply offended by having been torn away from Mr Rubb. How could +she talk seated between the two Tom Mackenzies? From Dr Slumpy Mrs +Mackenzie could not get a word. Indeed, with so great a weight on +her mind, how could she be expected to make any great effort in +that direction? But Mr Mackenzie might have done something, and she +resolved that she would tell him so before he slept that night. She +had slaved all day in order that he might appear respectable before +his own relatives, at the bottom of his own table--and now he would +do nothing! "I believe he is thinking of his own dinner!" she said to +herself. If her accusation was just his thoughts must have been very +sad. + +In a quiet way Mr Rubb did talk to his neighbour. Upstairs he had +spoken a word or two about Littlebath, saying how glad he was that +he had been there. He should always remember Littlebath as one of +the pleasantest places he had ever seen. He wished that he lived +at Littlebath; but then what was the good of his wishing anything, +knowing as he did that he was bound for life to Rubb and Mackenzie's +counting house! + +"And you will earn your livelihood there," Miss Mackenzie had +replied. + +"Yes; and something more than that I hope. I don't mind telling +you,--a friend like you,--that I will either spoil a horn or make a +spoon. I won't go on in the old groove, which hardly gives any of us +salt to our porridge. If I understand anything of English commerce, I +think I can see my way to better things than that." Then the period +of painful waiting had commenced, and he was unable to say anything +more. + +That had been upstairs. Now below, amidst all the troubles of Mrs +Mackenzie and the tyranny of Grandairs, he began again: + +"Do you like London dinner parties?" + +"I never was at one before." + +"Never at one before! I thought you had lived in London all your +life." + +"So I have; but we never used to dine out. My brother was an +invalid." + +"And do they do the thing well at Littlebath?" + +"I never dined out there. You think it very odd, I dare say, but I +never was at a dinner party in my life--not before this." + +"Don't the Balls see much company?" + +"No, very little; none of that kind." + +"Dear me. It comes so often to us here that we get tired of it. I do, +at least. I'm not always up to this kind of thing. Champagne--if you +please. Miss Mackenzie, you will take some champagne?" + +Now had come the crisis of the evening, the moment that was all +important, and Grandairs was making his round in all the pride of his +vocation. But Mrs Mackenzie was by no means so proud at the present +conjuncture of affairs. There was but one bottle of champagne. "So +little wine is drank now, that, what is the good of getting more? Of +course the children won't have it." So she had spoken to her husband. +And who shall blame her or say where economy ends, or where meanness +begins? She had wanted no champagne herself, but had wished to treat +her friends well. She had seized a moment after Grandairs had come, +and Mrs Slumpy was not yet there, to give instructions to the great +functionary. + +"Don't mind me with the champagne, nor yet Mr Tom, nor the young +ladies." + +Thus she had reduced the number to six, and had calculated that +the bottle would certainly be good for that number, with probably +a second glass for the doctor and Mr Rubb. But Grandairs had not +condescended to be put out of his way by such orders as these. The +bottle had first come to Miss Colza, and then Tom's glass had been +filled, and Susanna's--through no fault of theirs, innocent bairns, +"but on purpose!" as Mrs Mackenzie afterwards declared to her husband +when speaking of the man's iniquity. And I think it had been done on +purpose. The same thing occurred with Mary Jane--till Mrs Mackenzie, +looking on, could have cried. The girl's glass was filled full, and +she did give a little shriek at last. But what availed shrieking? +When the bottle came round behind Mrs Mackenzie back to Dr Slumpy, it +was dry, and the wicked wretch held the useless nozzle triumphantly +over the doctor's glass. + +"Give me some sherry, then," said the doctor. + +The little dishes which had been brought round after the fish, three +in number,--and they in the proper order of things should have been +spoken of before the champagne,--had been in their way successful. +They had been so fabricated, that all they who attempted to eat +of their contents became at once aware that they had got hold of +something very nasty, something that could hardly have been intended +by Christian cooks as food for men; but, nevertheless, there had +been something of glory attending them. Little dishes require no +concomitant vegetables, and therefore there had been no scrambling. +Grandairs brought one round after the other with much majesty, while +Elizabeth stood behind looking on in wonder. After the second little +dish Grandairs changed the plates, so that it was possible to partake +of two, a feat which was performed by Tom Mackenzie the younger. At +this period Mrs Mackenzie, striving hard for equanimity, attempted +a word or two with the doctor. But immediately upon that came the +affair of the champagne, and she was crushed, never to rise again. + +Mr Rubb at this time had settled down into so pleasant a little +series of whispers with his neighbour, that Miss Colza resolved once +more to exert herself, not with the praiseworthy desire of assisting +her friend Mrs Mackenzie, but with malice prepense in reference to +Miss Mackenzie. + +Miss Mackenzie seemed to be having "a good time" with her neighbour +Samuel Rubb, junior, and Miss Colza, who was a woman of courage, +could not see that and not make an effort. It cannot be told here +what passages there had been between Mr Rubb and Miss Colza. That +there had absolutely been passages I beg the reader to understand. +"Mr Rubb," she said, stretching across the table, "do you remember +when, in this very room, we met Mr and Mrs Talbot Green?" + +"Oh yes, very well," said Mr Rubb, and then turning to Miss +Mackenzie, he went on with his little whispers. + +"Mr Rubb," continued Miss Colza, "does anybody put you in mind of Mrs +Talbot Green?" + +"Nobody in particular. She was a thin, tall, plain woman, with red +hair, wasn't she? Who ought she to put me in mind of?" + +"Oh dear! how can you forget so? That wasn't her looks at all. We +all agreed that she was quite interesting-looking. Her hair was just +fair, and that was all. But I shan't say anything more about it." + +"But who do you say is like her?" + +"Miss Colza means Aunt Margaret," said Mary Jane. + +"Of course I do," said Miss Colza. "But Mrs Talbot Green was not at +all the person that Mr Rubb has described; we all thought her very +nice-looking. Mr Rubb, do you remember how you would go on talking to +her, till Mr Talbot Green did not like it at all?" + +"No, I don't." + +"Oh, but you did; and you always do." + +Then Miss Colza ceased, having finished that effort. But she made +others from time to time as long as they remained in the dining-room, +and by no means gave up the battle. There are women who can fight +such battles when they have not an inch of ground on which to stand. + +After the little dishes there came, of course, a saddle of mutton, +and, equally of course, a pair of boiled fowls. There was also a +tongue; but the à la Russe construction of the dinner was maintained +by keeping the tongue on the sideboard, while the mutton and chickens +were put down to be carved in the ordinary way. The ladies all +partook of the chickens, and the gentlemen all of the mutton. The +arrangement was very tedious, as Dr Slumpy was not as clever with +the wings of the fowls as he perhaps would have been had he not been +defrauded in the matter of the champagne; and then every separate +plate was carried away to the sideboard with reference to the tongue. +Currant jelly had been duly provided, and, if Elizabeth had been +allowed to dispense it, might have been useful. But Grandairs was too +much for the jelly, as he had been for the fish-sauce, and Dr Slumpy +in vain looked up, and sighed, and waited. A man in such a condition +measures the amount of cold which his meat may possibly endure +against the future coming of the potatoes, till he falls utterly +to the ground between two stools. So was it now with Dr Slumpy. He +gave one last sigh as he saw the gravy congeal upon his plate, but, +nevertheless, he had finished the unpalatable food before Grandairs +had arrived to his assistance. + +Why tell of the ruin of the maccaroni, of the fine-coloured +pyramids of shaking sweet things which nobody would eat, and by the +non-consumption of which nothing was gained, as they all went back to +the pastrycook's,--or of the ice-puddings flavoured with onions? It +was all misery, wretchedness, and degradation. Grandairs was king, +and Mrs Mackenzie was the lowest of his slaves. And why? Why had she +done this thing? Why had she, who, to give her her due, generally +held her own in her own house pretty firmly,--why had she lowered her +neck and made a wretched thing of herself? She knew that it would be +so when she first suggested to herself the attempt. She did it for +fashion's sake, you will say. But there was no one there who did +not as accurately know as she did herself, how absolutely beyond +fashion's way lay her way. She was making no fight to enter some +special portal of the world, as a lady may do who takes a house +suddenly in Mayfair, having come from God knows where. Her place in +the world was fixed, and she made no contest as to the fixing. She +hoped for no great change in the direction of society. Why on earth +did she perplex her mind and bruise her spirit, by giving a dinner à +la anything? Why did she not have the roast mutton alone, so that all +her guests might have eaten and have been merry? + +She could not have answered this question herself, and I doubt +whether I can do so for her. But this I feel, that unless the +question can get itself answered, ordinary Englishmen must cease to +go and eat dinners at each other's houses. The ordinary Englishman, +of whom we are now speaking, has eight hundred a year; he lives in +London; and he has a wife and three or four children. Had he not +better give it up and go back to his little bit of fish and his leg +of mutton? Let him do that boldly, and he will find that we, his +friends, will come to him fast enough; yes, and will make a gala day +of it. By Heavens, we have no gala time of it when we go to dine with +Mrs Mackenzie à la Russe! Lady Mackenzie, whose husband has ever +so many thousands a year, no doubt does it very well. Money, which +cannot do everything,--which, if well weighed, cannot in its excess +perhaps do much,--can do some things. It will buy diamonds and give +grand banquets. But paste diamonds, and banquets which are only +would-be grand, are among the poorest imitations to which the world +has descended. + +"So you really go to Littlebath to-morrow," Mr Rubb said to Miss +Mackenzie, when they were again together in the drawing-room. + +"Yes, to-morrow morning. Susanna must be at school the next day." + +"Happy Susanna! I wish I were going to school at Littlebath. Then I +shan't see you again before you go." + +"No; I suppose not." + +"I am so sorry, because I particularly wished to speak to you,--most +particularly. I suppose I could not see you in the morning? But, no; +it would not do. I could not get you alone without making such a fuss +of the thing." + +"Couldn't you say it now?" asked Miss Mackenzie. + +"I will, if you'll let me; only I suppose it isn't quite the thing to +talk about business at an evening party; and your sister-in-law, if +she knew it, would never forgive me." + +"Then she shan't know it, Mr Rubb." + +"Since you are so good, I think I will make bold. Carpe diem, as +we used to say at school, which means that one day is as good as +another, and, if so why not any time in the day? Look here, Miss +Mackenzie--about that money, you know." + +And Mr Rubb got nearer to her on the sofa as he whispered the word +money into her ear. It immediately struck her that her own brother +Tom had said not a word to her about the money, although they had +been together for the best part of an hour before they had gone up to +dress. + +"I suppose Mr Slow will settle all that," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Of course;--that is to say, he has nothing further to settle just +as yet. He has our bond for the money, and you may be sure it's all +right. The property is purchased, and is ours,--our own at this +moment, thanks to you. But landed property is so hard to convey. +Perhaps you don't understand much about that! and I'm sure I don't. +The fact is, the title deeds at present are in other hands, a mere +matter of form; and I want you to understand that the mortgage is not +completed for that reason." + +"I suppose it will be done soon?" + +"It may, or it may not; but that won't affect your interest, you +know." + +"I was thinking of the security." + +"Well, the security is not as perfect as it should be. I tell you +that honestly; and if we were dealing with strangers we should expect +to be called on to refund. And we should refund instantly, but at a +great sacrifice, a ruinous sacrifice. Now, I want you to put so much +trust in us,--in me, if I may be allowed to ask you to do so,--as to +believe that your money is substantially safe. I cannot explain it +all now; but the benefit which you have done us is immense." + +"I suppose it will all come right, Mr Rubb." + +"It will all come right, Miss Mackenzie." + +Then there was extracted from her something which he was able to take +as a promise that she would not stir in the matter for a while, but +would take her interest without asking for any security as to her +principal. + +The conversation was interrupted by Miss Colza, who came and stood +opposite to them. + +"Well, I'm sure," she said; "you two are very confidential." + +"And why shouldn't we be confidential, Miss Colza?" asked Mr Rubb. + +"Oh, dear! no reason in life, if you both like it." + +Miss Mackenzie was not sure that she did like it. But again she was +not sure that she did not, when Mr Rubb pressed her hand at parting, +and told her that her great kindness had been of the most material +service to the firm. "He felt it," he said, "if nobody else did." +That also might be a sacrificial duty and therefore gratifying. + +The next morning she and Susanna left Gower Street at eight, spent +an interesting period of nearly an hour at the railway station, and +reached Littlebath in safety at one. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +Miss Mackenzie's Philosophy + + +Miss Mackenzie remained quiet in her room for two days after her +return before she went out to see anybody. These last Christmas weeks +had certainly been the most eventful period of her life, and there +was very much of which it was necessary that she should think. She +had, she thought, made up her mind to refuse her cousin's offer; but +the deed was not yet done. She had to think of the mode in which she +must do it; and she could not but remember, also, that she might +still change her mind in that matter if she pleased. The anger +produced in her by Lady Ball's claim, as it were, to her fortune, +had almost evaporated; but the memory of her cousin's story of his +troubles was still fresh. "I have a hard time of it sometimes, I can +tell you." Those words and others of the same kind were the arguments +which had moved her, and made her try to think that she could love +him. Then she remembered his bald head and the weary, careworn look +about his eyes, and his little intermittent talk, addressed chiefly +to his mother, about the money-market,--little speeches made as he +would sit with the newspaper in his hand: + +"The Confederate loan isn't so bad, after all. I wish I'd taken a +few." + +"You know you'd never have slept if you had," Lady Ball would answer. + +All this Miss Mackenzie now turned in her mind, and asked herself +whether she could be happy in hearing such speeches for the remainder +of her life. + +"It is not as if you two were young people, and wanted to be billing +and cooing," Lady Ball had said to her the same evening. + +Miss Mackenzie, as she thought of this, was not so sure that Lady +Ball was right. Why should she not want billing and cooing as well as +another? It was natural that a woman should want some of it in her +life, and she had had none of it yet. She had had a lover, certainly, +but there had been no billing and cooing with him. Nothing of that +kind had been possible in her brother Walter's house. + +And then the question naturally arose to her whether her aunt had +treated her justly in bracketing her with John Ball in that matter of +age. John Ball was ten years her senior; and ten years, she knew, was +a very proper difference between a man and his wife. She was by no +means inclined to plead, even to herself, that she was too young +to marry her cousin; there was nothing in their ages to interfere, +if the match was in other respects suitable. But still, was not he +old for his age, and was not she young for hers? And if she should +ultimately resolve to devote herself and what she had left of +youth to his children and his welfare, should not the sacrifice be +recognised? Had Lady Ball done well to speak of her as she certainly +might well speak of him? Was she beyond all aptitude for billing and +cooing, if billing and cooing might chance to come in her way? + +Thinking of this during the long afternoon, when Susanna was at +school, she got up and looked at herself in the mirror. She moved up +her hair from off her ears, knowing where she would find a few that +were grey, and shaking her head, as though owning to herself that +she was old; but as her fingers ran almost involuntarily across her +locks, her touch told her that they were soft and silken; and she +looked into her own eyes, and saw that they were bright; and her hand +touched the outline of her cheek, and she knew that something of the +fresh bloom of youth was still there; and her lips parted, and there +were her white teeth; and there came a smile and a dimple, and a +slight purpose of laughter in her eye, and then a tear. She pulled +her scarf tighter across her bosom, feeling her own form, and then +she leaned forward and kissed herself in the glass. + +He was very careworn, soiled as it were with the world, tired out +with the dusty, weary life's walk which he had been compelled to +take. Of romance in him there was nothing left, while in her the +aptitude for romance had only just been born. It was not only that +his head was bald, but that his eye was dull, and his step slow. The +juices of life had been pressed out of him; his thoughts were all +of his cares, and never of his hopes. It would be very sad to be +the wife of such a man; it would be very sad, if there were no +compensation; but might not the sacrificial duties give her that +atonement which she would require? She would fain do something with +her life and her money,--some good, some great good to some other +person. If that good to another person and billing and cooing might +go together, it would be very pleasant. But she knew there was danger +in such an idea. The billing and cooing might lead altogether to +evil. But there could be no doubt that she would do good service if +she married her cousin; her money would go to good purposes, and her +care to those children would be invaluable. They were her cousins, +and would it not be sweet to make of herself a sacrifice? + +And then--Reader! remember that she was no saint, and that hitherto +very little opportunity had been given to her of learning to +discriminate true metal from dross. Then--she thought of Mr Samuel +Rubb, junior. Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, was a handsome man, about +her own age; and she felt almost sure that Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, +admired her. He was not worn out with life; he was not broken with +care; he would look forward into the world, and hope for things to +come. One thing she knew to be true--he was not a gentleman. But +then, why should she care for that? The being a gentleman was not +everything. As for herself, might there not be strong reason to doubt +whether those who were best qualified to judge would call her a lady? +Her surviving brother kept an oilcloth shop, and the brother with +whom she had always lived had been so retired from the world that +neither he nor she knew anything of its ways. If love could be +gained, and anything of romance; if some active living mode of life +could thereby be opened to her, would it not be well for her to give +up that idea of being a lady? Hitherto her rank had simply enabled +her to become a Stumfoldian; and then she remembered that Mr +Maguire's squint was very terrible! How she should live, what she +should do with herself, were matters to her of painful thought; but +she looked in the glass again, and resolved that she would decline +the honour of becoming Mrs Ball. + +On the following morning she wrote her letter, and it was written +thus: + + + 7 Paragon, Littlebath, January, 186--. + + MY DEAR JOHN, + + I have been thinking a great deal about what you said to + me, and I have made up my mind that I ought not to become + your wife. I know that the honour you have proposed to me + is very great, and that I may seem to be ungrateful in + declining it; but I cannot bring myself to feel that sort + of love for you which a wife should have for her husband. + I hope this will not make you displeased with me. It ought + not to do so, as my feelings towards you and to your + children are most affectionate. + + I know my aunt will be angry with me. Pray tell her from + me, with my best love, that I have thought very much of + all she said to me, and that I feel sure that I am doing + right. It is not that I should be afraid of the duties + which would fall upon me as your wife; but that the woman + who undertakes those duties should feel for you a wife's + love. I think it is best to speak openly, and I hope that + you will not be offended. + + Give my best love to my uncle and aunt, and to the girls, + and to Jack, who will, I hope, keep his promise of coming + and seeing me. + + Your very affectionate cousin, + + MARGARET MACKENZIE. + + +"There," said John Ball to his mother, when he had read the letter, +"I knew it would be so; and she is right. Why should she give up her +money and her comfort and her ease, to look after my children?" + +Lady Ball took the letter and read it, and pronounced it to be all +nonsense. + +"It may be all nonsense," said her son; "but such as it is, it is her +answer." + +"I suppose you'll have to go down to Littlebath after her," said Lady +Ball. + +"I certainly shall not do that. It would do no good; and I'm not +going to persecute her." + +"Persecute her! What nonsense you men do talk! As if any woman in her +condition could be persecuted by being asked to become a baronet's +wife. I suppose I must go down." + +"I beg that you will not, mother." + +"She is just one of those women who are sure to stand off, not +knowing their own minds. The best creature in the world, and really +very clever, but weak in that respect! She has not had lovers when +she was young, and she thinks that a man should come dallying about +her as though she were eighteen. It only wants a little perseverance, +John, and if you'll take my advice, you'll go down to Littlebath +after her." + +But John, in this matter, would not follow his mother's advice, and +declared that he would take no further steps. "He was inclined," he +said, "to think that Margaret was right. Why should any woman burden +herself with nine children?" + +Then Lady Ball said a great deal more about the Ball money, giving it +as her decided opinion that Margaret owed herself and her money to +the Balls. As she could not induce her son to do anything, she wrote +a rejoinder to her niece. + +"My dearest Margaret," she said, "Your letter has made both me and +John very unhappy. He has set his heart upon making you his wife, +and I don't think will ever hold up his head again if you will +not consent. I write now instead of John, because he is so much +oppressed. I wish you had remained here, because then we could have +talked it over quietly. Would it not be better for you to be here +than living alone at Littlebath? for I cannot call that little girl +who is at school anything of a companion. Could you not leave her as +a boarder, and come to us for a month? You would not be forced to +pledge yourself to anything further; but we could talk it over." + +It need hardly be said that Miss Mackenzie, as she read this, +declared to herself that she had no desire to talk over her own +position with Lady Ball any further. + +"John is afraid," the letter went on to say, "that he offended you +by the manner of his proposition; and that he said too much about +the children, and not enough about his own affection. Of course +he loves you dearly. If you knew him as I do, which of course you +can't as yet, though I hope you will, you would be aware that no +consideration, either of money or about the children, would induce +him to propose to any woman unless he loved her. You may take my word +for that." + +There was a great deal more in the letter of the same kind, in which +Lady Ball pressed her own peculiar arguments; but I need hardly say +that they did not prevail with Miss Mackenzie. If the son could not +induce his cousin to marry him, the mother certainly never would do +so. It did not take her long to answer her aunt's letter. She said +that she must, with many thanks, decline for the present to return +to the Cedars, as the charge which she had taken of her niece made +her presence at Littlebath necessary. As to the answer which she had +given to John, she was afraid she could only say that it must stand. +She had felt a little angry with Lady Ball; and though she tried not +to show this in the tone of her letter, she did show it. + +"If I were you I would never see her or speak to her again," said +Lady Ball to her son. + +"Very likely I never shall," he replied. + +"Has your love-making with that old maid gone wrong, John?" the +father asked. + +But John Ball was used to his father's ill nature, and never answered +it. + +Nothing special to our story occurred at Littlebath during the next +two or three months, except that Miss Mackenzie became more and +more intimate with Miss Baker, and more and more anxious to form an +acquaintance with Miss Todd. With all the Stumfoldians she was on +terms of mitigated friendship, and always went to Mrs Stumfold's +fortnightly tea-drinkings. But with no lady there,--always excepting +Miss Baker,--did she find that she grew into familiarity. With Mrs +Stumfold no one was familiar. She was afflicted by the weight of her +own position, as we suppose the Queen to be, when we say that her +Majesty's altitude is too high to admit of friendships. Mrs Stumfold +never condescended--except to the bishop's wife who, in return, had +snubbed Mrs Stumfold. But living, as she did, in an atmosphere of +flattery and toadying, it was wonderful how well she preserved her +equanimity, and how she would talk and perhaps think of herself, as a +poor, erring human being. When, however, she insisted much upon this +fact of her humanity, the coachmaker's wife would shake her head, and +at last stamp her foot in anger, swearing that though everybody was +of course dust, and grass, and worms; and though, of course, Mrs +Stumfold must, by nature, be included in that everybody; yet dust, +and grass, and worms nowhere exhibited themselves with so few of +the stains of humanity on them as they did within the bosom of Mrs +Stumfold. So that, though the absolute fact of Mrs Stumfold being +dust, and grass, and worms, could not, in regard to the consistency +of things, be denied, yet in her dustiness, grassiness, and worminess +she was so little dusty, grassy, and wormy, that it was hardly fair, +even in herself, to mention the fact at all. + +"I know the deceit of my own heart," Mrs Stumfold would say. + +"Of course you do, Mrs Stumfold," the coachmaker's wife replied. "It +is dreadful deceitful, no doubt. Where's the heart that ain't? But +there's a difference in hearts. Your deceit isn't hard like most of +'em. You know it, Mrs Stumfold, and wrestle with it, and get your +foot on the neck of it, so that, as one may say, it's always being +killed and got the better of." + +During these months Miss Mackenzie learned to value at a very low +rate the rank of the Stumfoldian circle into which she had been +admitted. She argued the matter with herself, saying that the +coachbuilder's wife and others were not ladies. In a general way she +was, no doubt, bound to assume them to be ladies; but she taught +herself to think that such ladyhood was not of itself worth a great +deal. It would not be worth the while of any woman to abstain from +having some Mr Rubb or the like, and from being the lawful mother +of children in the Rubb and Mackenzie line of life, for the sake of +such exceptional rank as was to be maintained by associating with +the Stumfoldians. And, as she became used to the things and persons +around her, she indulged herself in a considerable amount of social +philosophy, turning over ideas in her mind for which they, who saw +merely the lines of her outer life, would hardly have given her +credit. After all, what was the good of being a lady? Or was there +any good in it at all? Could there possibly be any good in making a +struggle to be a lady? Was it not rather one of those things which +are settled for one externally, as are the colour of one's hair and +the size of one's bones, and which should be taken or left alone, +as Providence may have directed? "One cannot add a cubit to one's +height, nor yet make oneself a lady;" that was the nature of Miss +Mackenzie's argument with herself. + +And, indeed, she carried the argument further than that. It was well +to be a lady. She recognised perfectly the delicacy and worth of the +article. Miss Baker was a lady; as to that there was no doubt. But, +then, might it not also be very well not to be a lady; and might +not the advantages of the one position be compensated with equal +advantages in the other? It is a grand thing to be a queen; but a +queen has no friends. It is fine to be a princess; but a princess has +a very limited choice of husbands. There was something about Miss +Baker that was very nice; but even Miss Baker was very melancholy, +and Miss Mackenzie could see that that melancholy had come from +wasted niceness. Had she not been so much the lady, she might have +been more the woman. And there could be no disgrace in not being a +lady, if such ladyhood depended on external circumstances arranged +for one by Providence. No one blames one's washerwoman for not being +a lady. No one wishes one's housekeeper to be a lady; and people are +dismayed, rather than pleased, when they find that their tailors' +wives want to be ladies. What does a woman get by being a lady? If +fortune have made her so, fortune has done much for her. But the good +things come as the natural concomitants of her fortunate position. +It is not because she is a lady that she is liked by her peers and +peeresses. But those choice gifts which have made her a lady have +made her also to be liked. It comes from the outside, and for it +no struggle can usefully be made. Such was the result of Miss +Mackenzie's philosophy. + +One may see that all these self-inquiries tended Rubb-wards. I do not +mean that they were made with any direct intention on her part to +reconcile herself to a marriage with Mr Samuel Rubb, or that she even +thought of such an event as probable. He had said nothing to her to +justify such thought, and as yet she knew but very little of him. +But they all went to reconcile her to that sphere of life which her +brother Tom had chosen, and which her brother Walter had despised. +They taught her to believe that a firm footing below was better than +what might, after a life's struggle, be found to be but a false +footing above. And they were brightened undoubtedly by an idea that +some marriage in which she could love and be loved was possible to +her below, though it would hardly be possible to her above. + +Her only disputant on the subject was Miss Baker, and she startled +that lady much by the things which she said. Now, with Miss Baker, +not to be a lady was to be nothing. It was her weakness, and I may +also say her strength. Her ladyhood was of that nature that it took +no soil from outer contact. It depended, even within her own bosom, +on her own conduct solely, and in no degree on the conduct of those +among whom she might chance to find herself. She thought it well +to pass her evenings with Mr Stumfold's people, and he at any rate +had the manners of a gentleman. So thinking, she felt in no wise +disgraced because the coachbuilder's wife was a vulgar, illiterate +woman. But there were things, not bad in themselves, which she +herself would never have done, because she was a lady. She would have +broken her heart rather than marry a man who was not a gentleman. It +was not unlady-like to eat cold mutton, and she ate it. But she would +have shuddered had she been called on to eat any mutton with a steel +fork. She had little generous ways with her, because they were the +ways of ladies, and she paid for them from off her own back and out +of her own dish. She would not go out to tea in a street cab, because +she was a lady and alone; but she had no objection to walk, with her +servant with her if it was dark. No wonder that such a woman was +dismayed by the philosophy of Miss Mackenzie. + +And yet they had been brought together by much that was alike in +their dispositions. Miss Mackenzie had now been more than six months +an inhabitant of Littlebath, and six months at such places is enough +for close intimacies. They were both quiet, conscientious, kindly +women, each not without some ambition of activity, but each a little +astray as to the way in which that activity should be shown. They +were both alone in the world, and Miss Baker during the last year or +two had become painfully so from the fact of her estrangement from +her old friend Miss Todd. They both wished to be religious, having +strong faith in the need of the comfort of religion; but neither of +them were quite satisfied with the Stumfoldian creed. They had both, +from conscience, eschewed the vanities of the world; but with neither +was her conscience quite satisfied that such eschewal was necessary, +and each regretted to be losing pleasures which might after all be +innocent. + +"If I'm to go to the bad place," Miss Todd had said to Miss Baker, +"because I like to do something that won't hurt my old eyes of an +evening, I don't see the justice of it. As for calling it gambling, +it's a falsehood, and your Mr Stumfold knows that as well as I +do. I haven't won or lost ten pounds in ten years, and I've no +more idea of making money by cards than I have by sweeping the +chimney. Tell me why are cards wicked? Drinking, and stealing, and +lying, and backbiting, and naughty love-making,--but especially +backbiting--backbiting--backbiting,--those are the things that the +Bible says are wicked. I shall go on playing cards, my dear, till Mr +Stumfold can send me chapter and verse forbidding it." + +Then Miss Baker, who was no doubt weak, had been unable to answer +her, and had herself hankered after the flesh-pots of Egypt and the +delights of the unregenerated. + +All these things Miss Baker and Miss Mackenzie discussed, and Miss +Baker learned to love her younger friend in spite of her heterodox +philosophy. Miss Mackenzie was going to give a tea-party,--nothing as +yet having been quite settled, as there were difficulties in the way; +but she propounded to Miss Baker the possibility of asking Miss Todd +and some few of the less conspicuous Toddites. She had her ambition, +and she wished to see whether even she might not do something to +lessen the gulf which separated those who loved the pleasures of the +world in Littlebath from the bosom of Mr Stumfold. + +"You don't know what you are going to do," Miss Baker said. + +"I'm not going to do any harm." + +"That's more than you can say, my dear." Miss Baker had learnt from +Miss Todd to call her friends "my dear." + +"You are always so afraid of everything," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Of course I am;--one has to be afraid. A single lady can't go about +and do just as she likes, as a man can do, or a married woman." + +"I don't know about a man; but I think a single woman ought to be +able to do more what she likes than a married woman. Suppose Mrs +Stumfold found that I had got old Lady Ruff to meet her, what could +she do to me?" + +Old Lady Ruff was supposed to be the wickedest old card-player in all +Littlebath, and there were strange stories afloat of the things she +had done. There were Stumfoldians who declared that she had been +seen through the blinds teaching her own maid piquet on a Sunday +afternoon; but any horror will get itself believed nowadays. How +could they have known that it was not beggar-my-neighbour? But piquet +was named because it is supposed in the Stumfoldian world to be the +wickedest of all games. + +"I don't suppose she'd do much," said Miss Baker; "no doubt she would +be very much offended." + +"Why shouldn't I try to convert Lady Ruff?" + +"She's over eighty, my dear." + +"But I suppose she's not past all hope. The older one is the more one +ought to try. But, of course, I'm only joking about her. Would Miss +Todd come if you were to ask her?" + +"Perhaps she would, but I don't think she'd be comfortable; or if she +were, she'd make the others uncomfortable. She always does exactly +what she pleases." + +"That's just why I think I should like her. I wish I dared to do what +I pleased! We all of us are such cowards. Only that I don't dare, I'd +go off to Australia and marry a sheep farmer." + +"You would not like him when you'd got him;--you'd find him very +rough." + +"I shouldn't mind a bit about his being rough. I'd marry a shoe-black +to-morrow if I thought I could make him happy, and he could make me +happy." + +"But it wouldn't make you happy." + +"Ah! that's just what we don't know. I shan't marry a shoe-black, +because I don't dare. So you think I'd better not ask Miss Todd. +Perhaps she wouldn't get on well with Mr Maguire." + +"I had them both together once, my dear, and she made herself quite +unbearable. You've no idea what kind of things she can say." + +"I should have thought Mr Maguire would have given her as good as she +brought," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"So he did; and then Miss Todd got up and left him, saying out loud, +before all the company, that it was not fair for him to come and +preach sermons in such a place as that. I don't think they have ever +met since." + +All this made Miss Mackenzie very thoughtful. She had thrown herself +into the society of the saints, and now there seemed to be no escape +for her; she could not be wicked even if she wished it. Having got +into her convent, and, as it were, taken the vows of her order, she +could not escape from it. + +"That Mr Rubb that I told you of is coming down here," she said, +still speaking to Miss Baker of her party. + +"Oh, dear! will he be here when you have your friends here?" + +"That's what I intended; but I don't think I shall ask anybody at +all. It is so stupid always seeing the same people." + +"Mr Rubb is--is--is--?" + +"Yes; Mr Rubb is a partner in my brother's house, and sells oilcloth, +and things of that sort, and is not by any means aristocratic. I know +what you mean." + +"Don't be angry with me, my dear." + +"Angry! I am not a bit angry. Why should I be angry? A man who keeps +a shop is not, I suppose, a gentleman. But then, you know, I don't +care about gentlemen,--about any gentleman, or any gentlemen." + +Miss Baker sighed, and then the conversation dropped. She had always +cared about gentlemen,--and once in her life, or perhaps twice, had +cared about a gentleman. + +Yes; Mr Rubb was coming down again. He had written to say that it was +necessary that he should again see Miss Mackenzie about the money. +The next morning after the conversation which has just been recorded, +Miss Mackenzie got another letter about the same money, of which it +will be necessary to say more in the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +Plenary Absolutions + + +The letter which Miss Mackenzie received was from old Mr Slow, her +lawyer; and it was a very unpleasant letter. It was so unpleasant +that it made her ears tingle when she read it and remembered that the +person to whom special allusion was made was one whom she had taught +herself to regard as her friend. Mr Slow's letter was as follows: + + + 7 Little St Dunstan Court, + April, 186--. + + DEAR MADAM, + + I think it proper to write to you specially, about the + loan made by you to Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie, as the sum + lent is serious, and as there has been conduct on the part + of some one which I regard as dishonest. I find that what + we have done in the matter has been regulated rather by + the fact that you and Mr Mackenzie are brother and sister, + than by the ordinary course of such business; and I + perceive that we had special warrant given to us for this + by you in your letter of the 23rd November last; but, + nevertheless, it is my duty to explain to you that Messrs + Rubb and Mackenzie, or,--as I believe to be the case, Mr + Samuel Rubb, junior, of that firm,--have not dealt with + you fairly. The money was borrowed for the purpose of + buying certain premises, and, I believe, was laid out in + that way. But it was borrowed on the special understanding + that you, as the lender, were to have the title-deeds of + that property, and the first mortgage upon them. It was + alleged, when the purchase was being made, that the money + was wanted before the mortgage could be effected, and you + desired us to advance it. This we did, aware of the close + family connection between yourself and one of the firm. + Of course, on your instruction, we should have done this + had there been no such relationship, but in that case we + should have made further inquiry, and, probably, have + ventured to advise you. But though the money was so + advanced without the completion of the mortgage, it was + advanced on the distinct understanding that the security + proffered in the first instance was to be forthcoming + without delay. We now learn that the property is mortgaged + to other parties to its full value, and that no security + for your money is to be had. + + I have seen both Mr Mackenzie and Mr Rubb, junior. As + regards your brother, I believe him to have been innocent + of any intention of the deceit, for deceit there certainly + has been. Indeed, he does not deny it. He offers to + give you any security on the business, such as the + stock-in-trade or the like, which I may advise you to + take. But such would in truth be of no avail to you as + security. He, your brother, seemed to be much distressed + by what has been done, and I was grieved on his behalf. Mr + Rubb,--the younger Mr Rubb,--expressed himself in a very + different way. He at first declined to discuss the matter + with me; and when I told him that if that was his way I + would certainly expose him, he altered his tone a little, + expressing regret that there should be delay as to the + security, and wishing me to understand that you were + yourself aware of all the facts. + + There can be no doubt that deceit has been used towards + you in getting your money, and that Mr Rubb has laid + himself open to proceedings which, if taken against him, + would be absolutely ruinous to him. But I fear they would + be also ruinous to your brother. It is my painful duty + to tell you that your money so advanced is on a most + precarious footing. The firm, in addition to their present + liabilities, are not worth half the money; or, I fear I + may say, any part of it. I presume there is a working + profit, as two families live upon the business. Whether, + if you were to come upon them as a creditor, you could get + your money out of their assets, I cannot say; but you, + perhaps, will not feel yourself disposed to resort to such + a measure. I have considered it my duty to tell you all + the facts, and though your distinct authority to us to + advance the money absolves us from responsibility, I must + regret that we did not make further inquiries before we + allowed so large a sum of money to pass out of our hands. + + I am, dear Madam, + Your faithful servant, + + JONATHAN SLOW. + + +Mr Rubb's promised visit was to take place in eight or ten days from +the date on which this letter was received. Miss Mackenzie's ears, as +I have said, tingled as she read it. In the first place, it gave her +a terrible picture of the precarious state of her brother's business. +What would he do,--he with his wife, and all his children, if things +were in such a state as Mr Slow described them? And yet a month or +two ago he was giving champagne and iced puddings for dinner! And +then what words that discreet old gentleman, Mr Slow, had spoken +about Mr Rubb, and what things he had hinted over and above what he +had spoken! Was it not manifest that he conceived Mr Rubb to have +been guilty of direct fraud? + +Miss Mackenzie at once made up her mind that her money was gone! But, +in truth, this did not much annoy her. She had declared to herself +once before that if anything was wrong about the money she would +regard it as a present made to her brother; and when so thinking of +it, she had, undoubtedly, felt that it was, not improbably, lost to +her. It was something over a hundred a year to be deducted from her +computed income, but she would still be able to live at the Paragon +quite as well as she had intended, and be able also to educate +Susanna. Indeed, she could do this easily and still save money, and, +therefore, as regarded the probable loss, why need she be unhappy? + +Before the morning was over she had succeeded in white-washing Mr +Rubb in her own mind. It is, I think, certainly the fact that women +are less pervious to ideas of honesty than men are. They are less +shocked by dishonesty when they find it, and are less clear in their +intellect as to that which constitutes honesty. Where is the woman +who thinks it wrong to smuggle? What lady's conscience ever pricked +her in that she omitted the armorial bearings on her silver forks +from her tax papers? What wife ever ceased to respect her husband +because he dealt dishonestly in business? Whereas, let him not go +to church, let him drink too much wine, let him go astray in his +conversation, and her wrath arises against these faults. But this +lack of feminine accuracy in the matter of honesty tends rather to +charity in their judgment of others, than to deeds of fraud on the +part of women themselves. + +Miss Mackenzie, who desired nothing that was not her own, who +scrupulously kept her own hands from all picking and stealing, gave +herself no peace, after reading the lawyer's letter, till she was +able to tell herself that Mr Rubb was to be forgiven for what he had +done. After all, he had, no doubt, intended that she should have the +promised security. And had not he himself come to her in London and +told her the whole truth,--or, if not the whole truth, as much of +it as was reasonable to expect that he should be able to tell her +at an evening party after dinner? Of course Mr Slow was hard upon +him. Lawyers always were hard. If she chose to give Messrs Rubb and +Mackenzie two thousand five hundred pounds out of her pocket, what +was that to him? So she went on, till at last she was angry with Mr +Slow for the language he had used. + +It was, however, before all things necessary that she should put Mr +Slow right as to the facts of the case. She had, no doubt, condoned +whatever Mr Rubb had done. Mr Rubb undoubtedly had her sanction for +keeping her money without security. Therefore, by return of post, she +wrote the following short letter, which rather astonished Mr Slow +when he received it-- + + + Littlebath, April, 186--. + + DEAR SIR, + + I am much obliged by your letter about the money; but the + truth is that I have known for some time that there was + to be no mortgage. When I was in town I saw Mr Rubb at my + brother's house, and it was understood between us then + that the matter was to remain as it is. My brother and his + partner are very welcome to the money. + + Believe me to be, + Yours sincerely, + + MARGARET MACKENZIE. + + +The letter was a false letter; but I suppose Miss Mackenzie did not +know that she was writing falsely. The letter was certainly false, +because when she spoke of the understanding "between us," having just +mentioned her brother and Mr Rubb, she intended the lawyer to believe +that the understanding was between them three; whereas, not a word +had been said about the money in her brother's hearing, nor was he +aware that his partner had spoken of the money. + +Mr Slow was surprised and annoyed. As regarded his comfort as a +lawyer, his client's letter was of course satisfactory. It absolved +him not only from all absolute responsibility, but also from the +feeling which no doubt had existed within his own breast, that he had +in some sort neglected the lady's interest. But, nevertheless, he was +annoyed. He did not believe the statement that Rubb and Mackenzie had +had permission to hold the money without mortgage, and thought that +neither of the partners had themselves so conceived when he had seen +them. They had, however, been too many for him--and too many also for +the poor female who had allowed herself to be duped out of her money. +Such were Mr Slow's feelings on the matter, and then he dismissed the +subject from his mind. + +The next day, about noon, Miss Mackenzie was startled almost out of +her propriety by the sudden announcement at the drawing-room door +of Mr Rubb. Before she could bethink herself how she would behave +herself, or whether it would become her to say anything of Mr Slow's +letter to her, he was in the room. + +"Miss Mackenzie," he said, hurriedly--and yet he had paused for a +moment in his hurry till the servant had shut the door--"may I shake +hands with you?" + +There could, Miss Mackenzie thought, be no objection to so ordinary +a ceremony; and, therefore, she said, "Certainly," and gave him her +hand. + +"Then I am myself again," said Mr Rubb; and having so said, he sat +down. + +Miss Mackenzie hoped that there was nothing the matter with him, and +then she also sat down at a considerable distance. + +"There is nothing the matter with me," said he, "as you are still so +kind to me. But tell me, have you not received a letter from your +lawyer?" + +"Yes, I have." + +"And he has done all in his power to blacken me? I know it. Tell me, +Miss Mackenzie, has he not blackened me? Has he not laid things to +my charge of which I am incapable? Has he not accused me of getting +money from you under false pretences,--than do which, I'd sooner have +seen my own brains blown out? I would, indeed." + +"He has written to me about the money, Mr Rubb." + +"Yes; he came to me, and behaved shamefully to me; and he saw +your brother, too, and has been making all manner of ignominious +inquiries. Those lawyers can never understand that there can be +anything of friendly feeling about money. They can't put friendly +feelings into their unconscionable bills. I believe the world would +go on better if there was no such thing as an attorney in it. I +wonder who invented them, and why?" + +Miss Mackenzie could give him no information on this point, and +therefore he went on: + +"But you must tell me what he has said, and what it is he wants us to +do. For your sake, if you ask us, Miss Mackenzie, we'll do anything. +We'll sell the coats off our backs, if you wish it. You shall never +lose one shilling by Rubb and Mackenzie as long as I have anything to +do with the firm. But I'm sure you will excuse me if I say that we +can do nothing at the bidding of that old cormorant." + +"I don't know that there's anything to be done, Mr Rubb." + +"Is not there? Well, it's very generous in you to say so; and you +always are generous. I've always told your brother, since I had the +honour of knowing you, that he had a sister to be proud of. And, Miss +Mackenzie, I'll say more than that; I've flattered myself that I've +had a friend to be proud of. But now I must tell you why I've come +down to-day; you know I was to have been here next week. Well, when +Mr Slow came to me and I found what was up, I said to myself at once +that it was right you should know exactly--exactly--how the matter +stands. I was going to explain it next week, but I wouldn't leave you +in suspense when I knew that that lawyer was going to trouble you." + +"It hasn't troubled me, Mr Rubb." + +"Hasn't it though, really? That's so good of you again! Now the +truth is--but it's pretty nearly just what I told you that day after +dinner, when you agreed, you know, to what we had done." + +Here he paused, as though expecting an answer. + +"Yes, I did agree." + +"Just at present, while certain other parties have a right to hold +the title-deeds, and I can't quite say how long that may be, we +cannot execute a mortgage in your favour. The title-deeds represent +the property. Perhaps you don't know that." + +"Oh yes, I know as much as that." + +"Well then, as we haven't the title-deeds, we can't execute the +mortgage. Perhaps you'll say you ought to have the title-deeds." + +"No, Mr Rubb, I don't want to say anything of the kind. If my money +can be of any assistance to my brother--to my brother and you--you +are welcome to the use of it, without any mortgage. I will show you a +copy of the letter I sent to Mr Slow." + +"Thanks; a thousand thanks! and may I see the letter which Mr Slow +wrote?" + +"No, I think not. I don't know whether it would be right to show it +to you." + +"I shouldn't think of doing anything about it; that is, resenting it, +you know. Only then we should all be on the square together." + +"I think I'd better not. Mr Slow, when he wrote it, probably did not +mean that I should show it to you." + +"You're right; you're always right. But you'll let me see your +answer." + +Then Miss Mackenzie went to her desk, and brought him a copy of the +note she had written to the lawyer. He read it very carefully, twice +over; and then she could see, when he refolded the paper, that his +eyes were glittering with satisfaction. + +"Miss Mackenzie, Miss Mackenzie," he said, "I think that you are an +angel!" + +And he did think so. In so much at that moment he was at any rate +sincere. She saw that he was pleased, and she was pleased herself. + +"There need be no further trouble about it," she said; and as she +spoke she rose from her seat. + +And he rose, too, and came close to her. He came close to her, +hesitated for a moment, and then, putting one hand behind her waist, +though barely touching her, he took her hand with his other hand. She +thought that he was going to kiss her lips, and for a moment or two +he thought so too; but either his courage failed him or else his +discretion prevailed. Whether it was the one or the other, must +depend on the way in which she would have taken it. As it was, he +merely raised her hand and kissed that. When she could look into his +face his eyes were full of tears. + +"The truth is," said he, "that you have saved us from ruin;--that's +the real truth. Damn all lying!" + +She started at the oath, but in an instant she had forgiven him +that too. There was a sound of reality about it, which reconciled +her to the indignity; though, had she been true to her faith as a +Stumfoldian, she ought at least to have fainted at the sound. + +"I hardly know what I am saying, Miss Mackenzie, and I beg your +pardon; but the fact is you could sell us up if you pleased. I didn't +mean it when I first got your brother to agree as to asking you for +the loan; I didn't indeed; but things were going wrong with us, and +just at that moment they went more wrong than ever; and then came the +temptation, and we were able to make everything right by giving up +the title-deeds of the premises. That's how it was, and it was I that +did it. It wasn't your brother; and though you may forgive me, he +won't." + +This was all true, but how far the truth should be taken towards +palliating the deed done, I must leave the reader to decide; and the +reader will doubtless perceive that the truth did not appear until +Mr Rubb had ascertained that its appearance would not injure him. I +think, however, that it came from his heart, and that it should count +for something in his favour. The tear which he rubbed from his eye +with his hand counted very much in his favour with Miss Mackenzie; +she had not only forgiven him now, but she almost loved him for +having given her something to forgive. With many women I doubt +whether there be any more effectual way of touching their hearts +than ill-using them and then confessing it. If you wish to get the +sweetest fragrance from the herb at your feet, tread on it and bruise +it. + +She had forgiven him, and taken him absolutely into favour, and he +had kissed her hand, having all but embraced her as he did so; but +on the present occasion he did not get beyond that. He lacked the +audacity to proceed at once from the acknowledgment of his fault to +a declaration of his love; but I hardly think that he would have +injured himself had he done so. He should have struck while the iron +was hot, and it was heated now nearly to melting; but he was abashed +by his own position, and having something real in his heart, having +some remnant of generous feeling left about him, he could not make +such progress as he might have done had he been cool enough to +calculate all his advantages. + +"Don't let it trouble you any more," Miss Mackenzie said, when he had +dropped her hand. + +"But it does trouble me, and it will trouble me." + +"No," she said, with energy, "it shall not; let there be an end of +it. I will write to Tom, and tell him that he is welcome to the +money. Isn't he my brother? You are both welcome to it. If it has +been of service to you, I am very happy that it should be so. And +now, Mr Rubb, if you please, we won't have another word about it." + +"What am I to say?" + +"Not another word." + +It seemed as though he couldn't speak another word, for he went to +the window and stood there silently, looking into the street. As he +did so, there came another visitor to Miss Mackenzie, whose ringing +at the doorbell had not been noticed by them, and Miss Baker was +announced while Mr Rubb was still getting the better of his feelings. +Of course he turned round when he heard the lady's name, and of +course he was introduced by his hostess. Miss Mackenzie was obliged +to make some apology for the gentleman's presence. + +"Mr Rubb was expected next week, but business brought him down to-day +unexpectedly." + +"Quite unexpectedly," said Mr Rubb, making a violent endeavour to +recover his equanimity. + +Miss Baker looked at Mr Rubb, and disliked him at once. It should be +remembered that she was twenty years older than Miss Mackenzie, and +that she regarded the stranger, therefore, with a saner and more +philosophical judgment than her friend could use,--with a judgment on +which the outward comeliness of the man had no undue influence; and +it should be remembered also that Miss Baker, from early age, and by +all the association of her youth, had been taught to know a gentleman +when she saw him. Miss Mackenzie, who was by nature the cleverer +woman of the two, watched her friend's face, and saw by a glance that +she did not like Mr Rubb, and then, within her own bosom, she called +her friend an old maid. + +"We're having uncommonly fine weather for the time of year," said Mr +Rubb. + +"Very fine weather," said Miss Baker. "I've called, my dear, to know +whether you'll go in with me next door and drink tea this evening?" + +"What, with Miss Todd?" asked Miss Mackenzie, who was surprised at +the invitation. + +"Yes, with Miss Todd. It is not one of her regular nights, you know, +and her set won't be there. She has some old friends with her,--a Mr +Wilkinson, a clergyman, and his wife. It seems that her old enemy and +your devoted slave, Mr Maguire, knows Mr Wilkinson, and he's going to +be there." + +"Mr Maguire is no slave of mine, Miss Baker." + +"I thought he was; at any rate his presence will be a guarantee that +Miss Todd will be on her best behaviour, and that you needn't be +afraid." + +"I'm not afraid of anything of that sort." + +"But will you go?" + +"Oh, yes, if you are going." + +"That's right; and I'll call for you as I pass by. I must see her +now, and tell her. Good-morning, Sir;" whereupon Miss Baker bowed +very stiffly to Mr Rubb. + +"Good-morning, Ma'am," said Mr Rubb, bowing very stiffly to Miss +Baker. + +When the lady was gone, Mr Rubb sat himself again down on the sofa, +and there he remained for the next half-hour. He talked about the +business of the firm, saying how it would now certainly be improved; +and he talked about Tom Mackenzie's family, saying what a grand thing +it was for Susanna to be thus taken in hand by her aunt; and he asked +a question or two about Miss Baker, and then a question or two about +Mr Maguire, during which questions he learned that Mr Maguire was not +as yet a married man; and from Mr Maguire he got on to the Stumfolds, +and learned somewhat of the rites and ceremonies of the Stumfoldian +faith. In this way he prolonged his visit till Miss Mackenzie began +to feel that he ought to take his leave. + +Miss Baker had gone at once to Miss Todd, and had told that lady that +Miss Mackenzie would join her tea-party. She had also told how Mr +Rubb, of the firm of Rubb and Mackenzie, was at this moment in Miss +Mackenzie's drawing-room. + +"I'll ask him to come, too," said Miss Todd. Then Miss Baker had +hesitated, and had looked grave. + +"What's the matter?" said Miss Todd. + +"I'm not quite sure you'll like him," said Miss Baker. + +"Probably not," said Miss Todd; "I don't like half the people I meet, +but that's no reason I shouldn't ask him." + +"But he is--that is, he is not exactly--" + +"What is he, and what is he not, exactly?" asked Miss Todd. + +"Why, he is a tradesman, you know," said Miss Baker. + +"There's no harm that I know of in that," said Miss Todd. "My uncle +that left me my money was a tradesman." + +"No," said Miss Baker, energetically; "he was a merchant in +Liverpool." + +"You'll find it very hard to define the difference, my dear," said +Miss Todd. "At any rate I'll ask the man to come;--that is, if it +won't offend you." + +"It won't in the least offend me," said Miss Baker. + +So a note was at once written and sent in to Miss Mackenzie, in which +she was asked to bring Mr Rubb with her on that evening. When the +note reached Miss Mackenzie, Mr Rubb was still with her. + +Of course she communicated to him the invitation. She wished that it +had not been sent; she wished that he would not accept it,--though +on that head she had no doubt; but she had not sufficient presence +of mind to keep the matter to herself and say nothing about it. +Of course he was only too glad to drink tea with Miss Todd. Miss +Mackenzie attempted some slight manoeuvre to induce Mr Rubb to go +direct to Miss Todd's house; but he was not such an ass as that; he +knew his advantage, and kept it, insisting on his privilege of coming +there, to Miss Mackenzie's room, and escorting her. He would have +to escort Miss Baker also; and things, as he thought, were looking +well with him. At last he rose to go, but he made good use of the +privilege of parting. He held Miss Mackenzie's hand, and pressed it. + +"You mustn't be angry," he said, "if I tell you that you are the best +friend I have in the world." + +"You have better friends than me," she said, "and older friends." + +"Yes; older friends; but none,--not one, who has done for me so much +as you have; and certainly none for whom I have so great a regard. +May God bless you, Miss Mackenzie!" + +"May God bless you, too, Mr Rubb!" + +What else could she say? When his civility took so decorous a shape, +she could not bear to be less civil than he had been, or less +decorous. And yet it seemed to her that in bidding God bless him with +that warm pressure of the hand, she had allowed to escape from her an +appearance of affection which she had not intended to exhibit. + +"Thank you; thank you," said he; and then at last he went. + +She seated herself slowly in her own chair near the window,--the +chair in which she was accustomed to sit for many solitary hours, and +asked herself what it all meant. Was she allowing herself to fall in +love with Mr Rubb, and if so, was it well that it should be so? This +would be bringing to the sternest proof of reality her philosophical +theory on social life. It was all very well for her to hold a bold +opinion in discussions with Miss Baker as to a "man being a man +for a' that," even though he might not be a gentleman; but was she +prepared to go the length of preferring such a man to all the world? +Was she ready to go down among the Rubbs, for now and ever, and give +up the society of such women as Miss Baker? She knew that it was +necessary that she should come to some resolve on the matter, as +Mr Rubb's purpose was becoming too clear to her. When an unmarried +gentleman of forty tells an unmarried lady of thirty-six that she is +the dearest friend he has in the world, he must surely intend that +they shall, neither of them, remain unmarried any longer. Then +she thought also of her cousin, John Ball; and some vague shadow +of thought passed across her mind also in respect of the Rev. Mr +Maguire. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +Miss Todd Entertains Some Friends at Tea + + +I believe that a desire to get married is the natural state of a +woman at the age of--say from twenty-five to thirty-five, and I think +also that it is good for the world in general that it should be so. I +am now speaking, not of the female population at large, but of women +whose position in the world does not subject them to the necessity of +earning their bread by the labour of their hands. There is, I know, +a feeling abroad among women that this desire is one of which it +is expedient that they should become ashamed; that it will be well +for them to alter their natures in this respect, and learn to take +delight in the single state. Many of the most worthy women of the day +are now teaching this doctrine, and are intent on showing by precept +and practice that an unmarried woman may have as sure a hold on the +world, and a position within it as ascertained, as may an unmarried +man. But I confess to an opinion that human nature will be found to +be too strong for them. Their school of philosophy may be graced +by a few zealous students,--by students who will be subject to the +personal influence of their great masters,--but it will not be +successful in the outer world. The truth in the matter is too clear. +A woman's life is not perfect or whole till she has added herself to +a husband. + +Nor is a man's life perfect or whole till he has added to himself a +wife; but the deficiency with the man, though perhaps more injurious +to him than its counterpart is to the woman, does not, to the outer +eye, so manifestly unfit him for his business in the world. Nor +does the deficiency make itself known to him so early in life, and +therefore it occasions less of regret,--less of regret, though +probably more of misery. It is infinitely for his advantage that he +should be tempted to take to himself a wife; and, therefore, for +his sake if not for her own, the philosophic preacher of single +blessedness should break up her class-rooms, and bid her pupils go +and do as their mothers did before them. + +They may as well give up their ineffectual efforts, and know that +nature is too strong for them. The desire is there; and any desire +which has to be repressed with an effort, will not have itself +repressed unless it be in itself wrong. But this desire, though by no +means wrong, is generally accompanied by something of a feeling of +shame. It is not often acknowledged by the woman to herself, and very +rarely acknowledged in simple plainness to another. Miss Mackenzie +could not by any means bring herself to own it, and yet it was there +strong within her bosom. A man situated in outer matters as she was +situated, possessed of good means, hampered by no outer demands, +would have declared to himself clearly that it would be well for him +to marry. But he would probably be content to wait a while and would, +unless in love, feel the delay to be a luxury. But Miss Mackenzie +could not confess as much, even to herself,--could not let herself +know that she thought as much; but yet she desired to be married, and +dreaded delay. She desired to be married, although she was troubled +by some half-formed idea that it would be wicked. Who was she, +that she should be allowed to be in love? Was she not an old +maid by prescription, and, as it were, by the force of ordained +circumstances? Had it not been made very clear to her when she +was young that she had no right to fall in love, even with Harry +Handcock? And although in certain moments of ecstasy, as when she +kissed herself in the glass, she almost taught herself to think that +feminine charms and feminine privileges had not been all denied to +her, such was not her permanent opinion of herself. She despised +herself. Why, she knew not; and probably did not know that she did +so. But, in truth, she despised herself, thinking herself to be too +mean for a man's love. + +She had been asked to marry him by her cousin Mr Ball, and she had +almost yielded. But had she married him it would not have been +because she thought herself good enough to be loved by him, but +because she held herself to be so insignificant that she had no right +to ask for love. She would have taken him because she could have been +of use, and because she would have felt that she had no right to +demand any other purpose in the world. She would have done this, had +she not been deterred by the rude offer of other advantages which had +with so much ill judgment been made to her by her aunt. + +Now, here was a lover who was not old and careworn, who was +personally agreeable to her, with whom something of the customary +romance of the world might be possible. Should she take him? She knew +well that there were drawbacks. Her perceptions had not missed to +notice the man's imperfections, his vulgarities, his false promises, +his little pushing ways. But why was she to expect him to be perfect, +seeing, as she so plainly did, her own imperfections? As for her +money, of course he wanted her money. So had Mr Ball wanted her +money. What man on earth could have wished to marry her unless she +had had money? It was thus that she thought of herself. And he had +robbed her! But that she had forgiven; and, having forgiven it, was +too generous to count it for anything. But, nevertheless, she was +ambitious. Might there not be a better, even than Mr Rubb? + +Mr Maguire squinted horribly; so horribly that the form and face of +the man hardly left any memory of themselves except the memory of +the squint. His dark hair, his one perfect eye, his good figure, +his expressive mouth, were all lost in that dreadful perversion of +vision. It was a misfortune so great as to justify him in demanding +that he should be judged by different laws than those which are used +as to the conduct of the world at large. In getting a wife he might +surely use his tongue with more freedom than another man, seeing that +his eye was so much against him. If he were somewhat romantic in his +talk, or even more than romantic, who could find fault with him? +And if he used his clerical vocation to cover the terrors of that +distorted pupil, can any woman say that he should be therefore +condemned? Miss Mackenzie could not forget his eye, but she thought +that she had almost brought herself to forgive it. And, moreover, +he was a gentleman, not only by Act of Parliament, but in outward +manners. Were she to become Mrs Maguire, Miss Baker would certainly +come to her house, and it might be given to her to rival Mrs +Stumfold--in running which race she would be weighted by no Mr +Peters. + +It is true that Mr Maguire had never asked her to marry him, but she +believed that he would ask her if she gave him any encouragement. Now +it was to come to pass, by a wonderful arrangement of circumstances, +that she was to meet these two gentlemen together. It might well be, +that on this very occasion, she must choose whether it should be +either or neither. + +Mr Rubb came, and she looked anxiously at his dress. He had on bright +yellow kid gloves, primrose he would have called them, but, if there +be such things as yellow gloves, they were yellow; and she wished +that she had the courage to ask him to take them off. This was beyond +her, and there he sat, with his gloves almost as conspicuous as Mr +Maguire's eye. Should she, however, ever become Mrs Rubb, she would +not find the gloves to be there permanently; whereas the eye would +remain. But then the gloves were the fault of the one man, whereas +the eye was simply the misfortune of the other. And Mr Rubb's hair +was very full of perfumed grease, and sat on each side of his head +in a conscious arrangement of waviness that was detestable. As she +looked at Mr Rubb in all the brightness of his evening costume, she +began to think that she had better not. At last Miss Baker came, and +they started off together. Miss Mackenzie saw that Miss Baker eyed +the man, and she blushed. When they got down upon the doorstep, +Samuel Rubb, junior, absolutely offered an arm simultaneously to each +lady! At that moment Miss Mackenzie hated him in spite of her special +theory. + +"Thank you," said Miss Baker, declining the arm; "it is only a step." + +Miss Mackenzie declined it also. + +"Oh, of course," said Mr Rubb. "If it's only next door it does not +signify." + +Miss Todd welcomed them cordially, gloves and all. "My dear," she +said to Miss Baker, "I haven't seen you for twenty years. Miss +Mackenzie, this is very kind of you. I hope we sha'n't do you any +harm, as we are not going to be wicked to-night." + +Miss Mackenzie did not dare to say that she would have preferred to +be wicked, but that is what she would have said if she had dared. + +"Mr Rubb, I'm very happy to see you," continued Miss Todd, accepting +her guest's hand, glove and all. "I hope they haven't made you +believe that you are going to have any dancing, for, if so, they +have hoaxed you shamefully." Then she introduced them to Mr and Mrs +Wilkinson. + +Mr Wilkinson was a plain-looking clergyman, with a very pretty wife. +"Adela," Miss Todd said to Mrs Wilkinson, "you used to dance, but +that's all done with now, I suppose." + +"I never danced much," said the clergyman's wife, "but have certainly +given it up now, partly because I have no one to dance with." + +"Here's Mr Rubb quite ready. He'll dance with you, I'll be bound, if +that's all." + +Mr Rubb became very red, and Miss Mackenzie, when she next took +courage to look at him, saw that the gloves had disappeared. + +There came also a Mr and Mrs Fuzzybell, and immediately afterwards Mr +Maguire, whereupon Miss Todd declared her party to be complete. + +"Mrs Fuzzybell, my dear, no cards!" said Miss Todd, quite out loud, +with a tragic-comic expression in her face that was irresistible. "Mr +Fuzzybell, no cards!" Mrs Fuzzybell said that she was delighted to +hear it. Mr Fuzzybell said that it did not signify. Miss Baker stole +a glance at Mr Maguire, and shook in her shoes. Mr Maguire tried to +look as though he had not heard it. + +"Do you play cards much here?" asked Mr Rubb. + +"A great deal too much, Sir," said Miss Todd, shaking her head. + +"Have you many Dissenters in your parish, Mr Wilkinson?" asked Mr +Maguire. + +"A good many," said Mr Wilkinson. + +"But no Papists?" suggested Mr Maguire. + +"No, we have no Roman Catholics." + +"That is such a blessing!" said Mr Maguire, turning his eyes up to +Heaven in a very frightful manner. But he had succeeded for the +present in putting down Miss Todd and her cards. + +They were now summoned round the tea-table,--a genuine tea-table at +which it was expected that they should eat and drink. Miss Mackenzie +was seated next to Mr Maguire on one side of the table, while Mr Rubb +sat on the other between Miss Todd and Miss Baker. While they were +yet taking their seats, and before the operations of the banquet had +commenced, Susanna entered the room. She also had been specially +invited, but she had not returned from school in time to accompany +her aunt. The young lady had to walk round the room to shake hands +with everybody, and when she came to Mr Rubb, was received with much +affectionate urgency. He turned round in his chair and was loud in +his praises. "Miss Mackenzie," said he, speaking across the table, +"I shall have to report in Gower Street that Miss Susanna has become +quite the lady." From that moment Mr Rubb had an enemy close to the +object of his affections, who was always fighting a battle against +him. + +Susanna had hardly gained her seat, before Mr Maguire seized an +opportunity which he saw might soon be gone, and sprang to his legs. +"Miss Todd," said he, "may I be permitted to ask a blessing?" + +"Oh, certainly," said Miss Todd; "but I thought one only did that at +dinner." + +Mr Maguire, however, was not the man to sit down without improving +the occasion. + +"And why not for tea also?" said he. "Are they not gifts alike?" + +"Very much alike," said Miss Todd, "and so is a cake at a +pastry-cook's. But we don't say grace over our buns." + +"We do, in silence," said Mr Maguire, still standing; "and therefore +we ought to have it out loud here." + +"I don't see the argument; but you're very welcome." + +"Thank you," said Mr Maguire; and then he said his grace. He said it +with much poetic emphasis, and Miss Mackenzie, who liked any little +additional excitement, thought that Miss Todd had been wrong. + +"You've a deal of society here, no doubt," said Mr Rubb to Miss +Baker, while Miss Todd was dispensing her tea. + +"I suppose it's much the same as other places," said Miss Baker. +"Those who know many people can go out constantly if they like it." + +"And it's so easy to get to know people," said Mr Rubb. "That's what +makes me like these sort of places so much. There's no stiffness +and formality, and all that kind of thing. Now in London, you don't +know your next neighbour, though you and he have lived there for ten +years." + +"Nor here either, unless chance brings you together." + +"Ah; but there is none of that horrid decorum here," said Mr Rubb. +"There's nothing I hate like decorum. It prevents people knowing each +other, and being jolly and happy together. Now, the French know more +about society than any people, and I'm told they have none of it." + +"I'm sure I can't say," said Miss Baker. + +"It's given up to them that they've got rid of it altogether," said +Mr Rubb. + +"Who have got rid of what?" asked Miss Todd, who saw that her friend +was rather dismayed by the tenor of Mr Rubb's conversation. + +"The French have got rid of decorum," said Mr Rubb. + +"Altogether, I believe," said Miss Todd. + +"Of course they have. It's given up to them that they have. They're +the people that know how to live!" + +"You'd better go and live among them, if that's your way of +thinking," said Miss Todd. + +"I would at once, only for the business," said Mr Rubb. "If there's +anything I hate, it's decorum. How pleasant it was for me to be asked +in to take tea here in this social way!" + +"But I hope decorum would not have forbidden that," said Miss Todd. + +"I rather think it would though, in London." + +"Where you're known, you mean?" asked Miss Todd. + +"I don't know that that makes any difference; but people don't do +that sort of thing. Do they, Miss Mackenzie? You've lived in London +most of your life, and you ought to know." + +Miss Mackenzie did not answer the appeal that was made to her. She +was watching Mr Rubb narrowly, and knew that he was making a fool of +himself. She could perceive also that Miss Todd would not spare him. +She could forgive Mr Rubb for being a fool. She could forgive him +for not knowing the meaning of words, for being vulgar and assuming; +but she could hardly bring herself to forgive him in that he did so +as her friend, and as the guest whom she had brought thither. She +did not declare to herself that she would have nothing more to do +with him, because he was an ass; but she almost did come to this +conclusion, lest he should make her appear to be an ass also. + +"What is the gentleman's name?" asked Mr Maguire, who, under the +protection of the urn, was able to whisper into Miss Mackenzie's ear. + +"Rubb," said she. + +"Oh, Rubb; and he comes from London?" + +"He is my brother's partner in business," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Oh, indeed. A very worthy man, no doubt. Is he staying with--with +you, Miss Mackenzie?" + +Then Miss Mackenzie had to explain that Mr Rubb was not staying with +her,--that he had come down about business, and that he was staying +at some inn. + +"An excellent man of business; I'm sure," said Mr Maguire. +"By-the-bye, Miss Mackenzie, if it be not improper to ask, have you +any share in the business?" + +Miss Mackenzie explained that she had no share in the business; and +then blundered on, saying how Mr Rubb had come down to Littlebath +about money transactions between her and her brother. + +"Oh, indeed," said Mr Maguire; and before he had done, he knew very +well that Mr Rubb had borrowed money of Miss Mackenzie. + +"Now, Mrs Fuzzybell, what are we to do?" said Miss Todd, as soon as +the tea-things were gone. + +"We shall do very well," said Mrs Fuzzybell; "we'll have a little +conversation." + +"If we could all banish decorum, like Mr Rubb, and amuse ourselves, +wouldn't it be nice? I quite agree with you, Mr Rubb; decorum is a +great bore; it prevents our playing cards to-night." + +"As for cards, I never play cards myself," said Mr Rubb. + +"Then, when I throw decorum overboard, it sha'n't be in company with +you, Mr Rubb." + +"We were always taught to think that cards were objectionable." + +"You were told they were the devil's books, I suppose," said Miss +Todd. + +"Mother always objected to have them in the house," said Mr Rubb. + +"Your mother was quite right," said Mr Maguire; "and I hope that you +will never forget or neglect your parent's precepts. I'm not meaning +to judge you, Miss Todd--" + +"But that's just what you are meaning to do, Mr Maguire." + +"Not at all; very far from it. We've all got our wickednesses and +imperfections." + +"No, no, not you, Mr Maguire. Mrs Fuzzybell, you don't think that Mr +Maguire has any wickednesses and imperfections?" + +"I'm sure I don't know," said Mrs Fuzzybell, tossing her head. + +"Miss Todd," said Mr Maguire, "when I look into my own heart, I see +well how black it is. It is full of iniquity; it is a grievous sore +that is ever running, and will not be purified." + +"Gracious me, how unpleasant!" said Miss Todd. + +"I trust that there is no one here who has not a sense of her own +wickedness." + +"Or of his," said Miss Todd. + +"Or of his," and Mr Maguire looked very hard at Mr Fuzzybell. Mr +Fuzzybell was a quiet, tame old gentleman, who followed his wife's +heels about wherever she went; but even he, when attacked in this +way, became very fierce, and looked back at Mr Maguire quite as +severely as Mr Maguire looked at him. + +"Or of his," continued Mr Maguire; "and therefore far be it from me +to think hardly of the amusements of other people. But when this +gentleman tells me that his excellent parent warned him against the +fascination of cards, I cannot but ask him to remember those precepts +to his dying bed." + +"I won't say what I may do later in life," said Mr Rubb. + +"When he becomes like you and me, Mrs Fuzzybell," said Miss Todd. + +"When one does get older," said Mr Rubb. + +"And has succeeded in throwing off all decorum," said Miss Todd. + +"How can you say such things?" asked Miss Baker, who was shocked by +the tenor of the conversation. + +"It isn't I, my dear; it's Mr Rubb and Mr Maguire, between them. One +says he has thrown off all decorum and the other declares himself to +be a mass of iniquity. What are two poor old ladies like you and I to +do in such company?" + +Miss Mackenzie, when she heard Mr Maguire declare himself to be a +running sore, was even more angry with him than with Mr Rubb. He, at +any rate, should have known better. After all, was not Mr Ball better +than either of them, though his head was bald and his face worn with +that solemn, sad look of care which always pervaded him? + +In the course of the evening she found herself seated apart from the +general company, with Mr Maguire beside her. The eye that did not +squint was towards her, and he made an effort to be agreeable to her +that was not altogether ineffectual. + +"Does not society sometimes make you very sad?" he said. + +Society had made her sad to-night, and she answered him in the +affirmative. + +"It seems that people are so little desirous to make other people +happy," she replied. + +"It was just that idea that was passing through my own mind. Men and +women are anxious to give you the best they have, but it is in order +that you may admire their wealth or their taste; and they strive to +be witty, amusing, and sarcastic! but that, again, is for the éclat +they are to gain. How few really struggle to make those around them +comfortable!" + +"It comes, I suppose, from people having such different tastes," said +Miss Mackenzie, who, on looking round the room, thought that the +people assembled there were peculiarly ill-assorted. + +"As for happiness," continued Mr Maguire, "that is not to be looked +for from society. They who expect their social hours to be happy +hours will be grievously disappointed." + +"Are you not happy at Mrs Stumfold's?" + +"At Mrs Stumfold's? Yes;--sometimes, that is; but even there I always +seem to want something. Miss Mackenzie, has it never occurred to you +that the one thing necessary in this life, the one thing--beyond a +hope for the next, you know, the one thing is--ah, Miss Mackenzie, +what is it?" + +"Perhaps you mean a competence," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"I mean some one to love," said Mr Maguire. + +As he spoke he looked with all the poetic vigour of his better eye +full into Miss Mackenzie's face, and Miss Mackenzie, who then could +see nothing of the other eye, felt the effect of the glance somewhat +as he intended that she should feel it. When a lady who is thinking +about getting married is asked by a gentleman who is frequently +in her thoughts whether she does not want some one to love, it is +natural that she should presume that he means to be particular; and +it is natural also that she should be in some sort gratified by that +particularity. Miss Mackenzie was, I think, gratified, but she did +not express any such feeling. + +"Is not that your idea also?" said he,--"some one to love; is not +that the great desideratum here below!" And the tone in which he +repeated the last words was by no means ineffective. + +"I hope everybody has that," said she. + +"I fear not; not anyone to love with a perfect love. Who does Miss +Todd love?" + +"Miss Baker." + +"Does she? And yet they live apart, and rarely see each other. They +think differently on all subjects. That is not the love of which I am +speaking. And you, Miss Mackenzie, are you sure that you love anyone +with that perfect all-trusting, love?" + +"I love my niece Susanna best," said she. + +"Your niece, Susanna! She is a sweet child, a sweet girl; she has +everything to make those love her who know her; but--" + +"You don't think anything amiss of Susanna, Mr Maguire?" + +"Nothing, nothing; Heaven forbid, dear child! And I think so highly +of you for your generosity in adopting her." + +"I could not do less than take one of them, Mr Maguire." + +"But I meant a different kind of love from that. Do you feel that +your regard for your niece is sufficient to fill your heart?" + +"It makes me very comfortable." + +"Does it? Ah! me; I wish I could make myself comfortable." + +"I should have thought, seeing you so much in Mrs Stumfold's house--" + +"I have the greatest veneration for that woman, Miss Mackenzie! I +have sometimes thought that of all the human beings I have ever met, +she is the most perfect; she is human, and therefore a sinner, but +her sins never meet my eyes." + +Miss Mackenzie, who did not herself regard Mrs Stumfold as being so +much better than her neighbours, could not receive this with much +rapture. + +"But," continued Mr Maguire, "she is as cold--as cold--as cold as +ice." + +As the lady in question was another man's wife, this did not seem +to Miss Mackenzie to be of much consequence to Mr Maguire, but she +allowed him to go on. + +"Stumfold I don't think minds it; he is of that joyous disposition +that all things work to good for him. Even when she's most obdurate +in her sternness to him--" + +"Law! Mr Maguire, I did not think she was ever stern to him." + +"But she is, very hard. Even then I don't think he minds it much. +But, Miss Mackenzie, that kind of companion would not do for me at +all. I think a woman should be soft and soothing, like a dove." + +She did not stop to think whether doves are soothing, but she felt +that the language was pretty. + +Just at this moment she was summoned by Miss Baker, and looking up +she perceived that Mr and Mrs Fuzzybell were already leaving the +room. + +"I don't know why you need disturb Miss Mackenzie," said Miss Todd, +"she has only got to go next door, and she seems very happy just +now." + +"I would sooner go with Miss Baker," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Mr Maguire would see you home," suggested Miss Todd. + +But Miss Mackenzie of course went with Miss Baker, and Mr Rubb +accompanied them. + +"Good-night, Mr Rubb," said Miss Todd; "and don't make very bad +reports of us in London." + +"Oh! no; indeed I won't." + +"For though we do play cards, we still stick to decorum, as you must +have observed to-night." + +At Miss Mackenzie's door there was an almost overpowering amount of +affectionate farewells. Mr Maguire was there as well as Mr Rubb, and +both gentlemen warmly pressed the hand of the lady they were leaving. +Mr Rubb was not quite satisfied with his evening's work, because he +had not been able to get near to Miss Mackenzie; but, nevertheless, +he was greatly gratified by the general manner in which he had been +received, and was much pleased with Littlebath and its inhabitants. +Mr Maguire, as he walked home by himself, assured himself that he +might as well now put the question; he had been thinking about it for +the last two months, and had made up his mind that matrimony would be +good for him. + +Miss Mackenzie, as she went to bed, told herself that she might have +a husband if she pleased; but then, which should it be? Mr Rubb's +manners were very much against him; but of Mr Maguire's eye she had +caught a gleam as he turned from her on the doorsteps, which made her +think of that alliance with dismay. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +Mrs Stumfold Interferes + + +On the morning following Miss Todd's tea-party, Mr Rubb called on +Miss Mackenzie and bade her adieu. He was, he said, going up to +London at once, having received a letter which made his presence +there imperative. Miss Mackenzie could, of course, do no more than +simply say good-bye to him. But when she had said so he did not even +then go at once. He was standing with his hat in hand, and had bade +her farewell; but still he did not go. He had something to say, and +she stood there trembling, half fearing what the nature of that +something might be. + +"I hope I may see you again before long," he said at last. + +"I hope you may," she replied. + +"Of course I shall. After all that's come and gone, I shall think +nothing of running down, if it were only to make a morning call." + +"Pray don't do that, Mr Rubb." + +"I shall, as a matter of course. But in spite of that, Miss +Mackenzie, I can't go away without saying another word about the +money. I can't indeed." + +"There needn't be any more about that, Mr Rubb." + +"But there must be, Miss Mackenzie; there must, indeed; at least, so +much as this. I know I've done wrong about that money." + +"Don't talk about it. If I choose to lend it to my brother and you +without security, there's nothing very uncommon in that." + +"No; there ain't; at least perhaps there ain't. Though as far as I +can see, brothers and sisters out in the world are mostly as hard to +each other where money is concerned as other people. But the thing +is, you didn't mean to lend it without security." + +"I'm quite contented as it is." + +"And I did wrong about it all through; I feel it so that I can't tell +you. I do, indeed. But I'll never rest till that money is paid back +again. I never will." + +Then, having said that, he went away. When early on the preceding +evening he had put on bright yellow gloves, making himself smart +before the eyes of the lady of his love, it must be presumed that +he did so with some hope of success. In that hope he was altogether +betrayed. When he came and confessed his fraud about the money, +it must be supposed that in doing so he felt that he was lowering +himself in the estimation of her whom he desired to win for his wife. +But, had he only known it, he thereby took the most efficacious step +towards winning her esteem. The gloves had been nearly fatal to him; +but those words,--"I feel it so that I can't tell you," redeemed the +evil that the gloves had done. He went away, however, saying nothing +more then, and failing to strike while the iron was hot. + +Some six weeks after this Mrs Stumfold called on Miss Mackenzie, +making a most important visit. But it should be first explained, +before the nature of that visit is described, that Miss Mackenzie had +twice been to Mrs Stumfold's house since the evening of Miss Todd's +party, drinking tea there on both occasions, and had twice met Mr +Maguire. On the former occasion they two had had some conversation, +but it had been of no great moment. He had spoken nothing then of +the pleasures of love, nor had he made any allusion to the dove-like +softness of women. On the second meeting he had seemed to keep aloof +from her altogether, and she had begun to tell herself that that +dream was over, and to scold herself for having dreamed at all--when +he came close up behind and whispered a word in her ear. + +"You know," he said, "how much I would wish to be with you, but I +can't now." + +She had been startled, and had turned round, and had found herself +close to his dreadful eye. She had never been so close to it before, +and it frightened her. Then again he came to her just before she +left, and spoke to her in the same mysterious way: + +"I will see you in a day or two," he said, "but never mind now;" and +then he walked away. She had not spoken a word to him, nor did she +speak a word to him that evening. + +Miss Mackenzie had never before seen Mrs Stumfold since her first +visit of ceremony, except in that lady's drawing-room, and was +surprised when she heard the name announced. It was an understood +thing that Mrs Stumfold did not call on the Stumfoldians unless she +had some great and special reason for doing so,--unless some erring +sister required admonishing, or the course of events in the life of +some Stumfoldian might demand special advice. I do not know that any +edict of this kind had actually been pronounced, but Miss Mackenzie, +though she had not yet been twelve months in Littlebath, knew that +this arrangement was generally understood to exist. It was plain +to be seen by the lady's face, as she entered the room, that some +special cause had brought her now. It wore none of those pretty +smiles with which morning callers greet their friends before they +begin their first gentle attempts at miscellaneous conversation. +It was true that she gave her hand to Miss Mackenzie, but she did +even this with austerity; and when she seated herself,--not on +the sofa as she was invited to do, but on one of the square, hard, +straight-backed chairs,--Miss Mackenzie knew well that pleasantness +was not to be the order of the morning. + +"My dear Miss Mackenzie," said Mrs Stumfold, "I hope you will pardon +me if I express much tender solicitude for your welfare." + +Miss Mackenzie was so astonished at this mode of address, and at the +tone in which it was uttered, that she made no reply to it. The words +themselves had in them an intention of kindness, but the voice and +look of the lady were, if kind, at any rate not tender. + +"You came among us," continued Mrs Stumfold, "and became one of us, +and we have been glad to welcome you." + +"I'm sure I've been much obliged." + +"We are always glad to welcome those who come among us in a proper +spirit. Society with me, Miss Mackenzie, is never looked upon as an +end in itself. It is only a means to an end. No woman regards society +more favourably than I do. I think it offers to us one of the most +efficacious means of spreading true gospel teaching. With these views +I have always thought it right to open my house in a spirit, as I +hope, of humble hospitality;--and Mr Stumfold is of the same opinion. +Holding these views, we have been delighted to see you among us, and, +as I have said already, to welcome you as one of us." + +There was something in this so awful that Miss Mackenzie hardly knew +how to speak, or let it pass without speaking. Having a spirit of +her own she did not like being told that she had been, as it were, +sat upon and judged, and then admitted into Mrs Stumfold's society +as a child may be admitted into a school after an examination. And +yet on the spur of the moment she could not think what words might +be appropriate for her answer. She sat silent, therefore, and Mrs +Stumfold again went on. + +"I trust that you will acknowledge that we have shown our good will +towards you, our desire to cultivate a Christian friendship with you, +and that you will therefore excuse me if I ask you a question which +might otherwise have the appearance of interference. Miss Mackenzie, +is there anything between you and my husband's curate, Mr Maguire?" + +Miss Mackenzie's face became suddenly as red as fire, but for a +moment or two she made no answer. I do not know whether I may as +yet have succeeded in making the reader understand the strength as +well as the weakness of my heroine's character; but Mrs Stumfold +had certainly not succeeded in perceiving it. She was accustomed, +probably, to weak, obedient women,--to women who had taught +themselves to believe that submission to Stumfoldian authority +was a sign of advanced Christianity; and in the mild-looking, +quiet-mannered lady who had lately come among them, she certainly did +not expect to encounter a rebel. But on such matters as that to which +the female hierarch of Littlebath was now alluding, Miss Mackenzie +was not by nature adapted to be submissive. + +"Is there anything between you and Mr Maguire?" said Mrs Stumfold +again. "I particularly wish to have a plain answer to that question." + +Miss Mackenzie, as I have said, became very red in the face. When it +was repeated, she found herself obliged to speak. "Mrs Stumfold, I do +not know that you have any right to ask me such a question as that." + +"No right! No right to ask a lady who sits under Mr Stumfold whether +or not she is engaged to Mr Stumfold's own curate! Think again of +what you are saying, Miss Mackenzie!" And there was in Mrs Stumfold's +voice as she spoke an expression of offended majesty, and in her +countenance a look of awful authority, sufficient no doubt to bring +most Stumfoldian ladies to their bearings. + +"You said nothing about being engaged to him." + +"Oh, Miss Mackenzie!" + +"You said nothing about being engaged to him, but if you had I should +have made the same answer. You asked me if there was anything between +me and him; and I think it was a very offensive question." + +"Offensive! I am afraid, Miss Mackenzie, you have not your spirit +subject to a proper control. I have come here in all kindness to warn +you against danger, and you tell me that I am offensive! What am I to +think of you?" + +"You have no right to connect my name with any gentleman's. You can't +have any right merely because I go to Mr Stumfold's church. It's +quite preposterous. If I went to Mr Paul's church"--Mr Paul was a +very High Church young clergyman who had wished to have candles in +his church, and of whom it was asserted that he did keep a pair of +candles on an inverted box in a closet inside his bedroom--"if I went +to Mr Paul's church, might his wife, if he had one, come and ask me +all manner of questions like that?" + +Now Mr Paul's name stank in the nostrils of Mrs Stumfold. He was +to her the thing accursed. Had Miss Mackenzie quoted the Pope, or +Cardinal Wiseman or even Dr Newman, it would not have been so bad. +Mrs Stumfold had once met Mr Paul, and called him to his face the +most abject of all the slaves of the scarlet woman. To this courtesy +Mr Paul, being a good-humoured and somewhat sportive young man, +had replied that she was another. Mrs Stumfold had interpreted the +gentleman's meaning wrongly, and had ever since gnashed with her +teeth and fired great guns with her eyes whenever Mr Paul was named +within her hearing. "Ribald ruffian," she had once said of him; "but +that he thinks his priestly rags protect him, he would not have dared +to insult me." It was said that she had complained to Stumfold; but +Mr Stumfold's sacerdotal clothing, whether ragged or whole, prevented +him also from interfering, and nothing further of a personal nature +had occurred between the opponents. + +But Miss Mackenzie, who certainly was a Stumfoldian by her own +choice, should not have used the name. She probably did not know +the whole truth as to that passage of arms between Mr Paul and Mrs +Stumfold, but she did know that no name in Littlebath was so odious +to the lady as that of the rival clergyman. + +"Very well, Miss Mackenzie," said she, speaking loudly in her wrath; +"then let me tell you that you will come by your ruin,--yes, by your +ruin. You poor unfortunate woman, you are unfit to guide your own +steps, and will not take counsel from those who are able to put you +in the right way!" + +"How shall I be ruined?" said Miss Mackenzie, jumping up from her +seat. + +"How? Yes. Now you want to know. After having insulted me in return +for my kindness in coming to you, you ask me questions. If I tell you +how, no doubt you will insult me again." + +"I haven't insulted you, Mrs Stumfold. And if you don't like to tell +me, you needn't. I'm sure I did not want you to come to me and talk +in this way." + +"Want me! Who ever does want to be reproved for their own folly? I +suppose what you want is to go on and marry that man, who may have +two or three other wives for what you know, and put yourself and your +money into the hands of a person whom you never saw in your life +above a few months ago, and of whose former life you literally know +nothing. Tell the truth, Miss Mackenzie, isn't that what you desire +to do?" + +"I find him acting as Mr Stumfold's curate." + +"Yes; and when I come to warn you, you insult me. He is Mr Stumfold's +curate, and in many respects he is well fitted for his office." + +"But has he two or three wives already, Mrs Stumfold?" + +"I never said that he had." + +"I thought you hinted it." + +"I never hinted it, Miss Mackenzie. If you would only be a little +more careful in the things which you allow yourself to say, it would +be better for yourself; and better for me too, while I am with you." + +"I declare you said something about two or three wives; and if there +is anything of that kind true of a gentleman and a clergyman, I don't +think he ought to be allowed to go about as a single gentleman. I +mean as a curate. Mr Maguire is nothing to me,--nothing whatever; and +I don't see why I should have been mixed up with him; but if there is +anything of that sort--" + +"But there isn't." + +"Then, Mrs Stumfold, I don't think you ought to have mentioned two +or three wives. I don't, indeed. It is such a horrid idea,--quite +horrid! And I suppose, after all, the poor man has not got one?" + +"If you had allowed me, I should have told you all, Miss Mackenzie. +Mr Maguire is not married, and never has been married, as far as I +know." + +"Then I do think what you said of him was very cruel." + +"I said nothing; as you would have known, only you are so hot. Miss +Mackenzie, you quite astonish me; you do, indeed. I had expected to +find you temperate and calm; instead of that, you are so impetuous, +that you will not listen to a word. When it first came to my ears +that there might be something between you and Mr Maguire--" + +"I will not be told about something. What does something mean, Mrs +Stumfold?" + +"When I was told of this," continued Mrs Stumfold, determined that +she would not be stopped any longer by Miss Mackenzie's energy; "when +I was told of this, and, indeed, I may say saw it--" + +"You never saw anything, Mrs Stumfold." + +"I immediately perceived that it was my duty to come to you; to come +to you and tell you that another lady has a prior claim upon Mr +Maguire's hand and heart." + +"Oh, indeed." + +"Another young lady,"--with an emphasis on the word young,--"whom he +first met at my house, who was introduced to him by me,--a young lady +not above thirty years of age, and quite suitable in every way to be +Mr Maguire's wife. She may not have quite so much money as you; but +she has a fair provision, and money is not everything; a lady in +every way suitable--" + +"But is this suitable young lady, who is only thirty years of age, +engaged to him?" + +"I presume, Miss Mackenzie, that in speaking to you, I am speaking to +a lady who would not wish to interfere with another lady who has been +before her. I do hope that you cannot be indifferent to the ordinary +feelings of a female Christian on that subject. What would you think +if you were interfered with, though, perhaps, as you had not your +fortune in early life, you may never have known what that was." + +This was too much even for Miss Mackenzie. + +"Mrs Stumfold," she said, again rising from her seat, "I won't talk +about this any more with you. Mr Maguire is nothing to me; and, as +far as I can see, if he was, that would be nothing to you." + +"But it would,--a great deal." + +"No, it wouldn't. You may say what you like to him, though, for the +matter of that, I think it a very indelicate thing for a lady to go +about raising such questions at all. But perhaps you have known him a +long time, and I have nothing to do with what you and he choose to +talk about. If he is behaving bad to any friend of yours, go and tell +him so. As for me, I won't hear anything more about it." + +As Miss Mackenzie continued to stand, Mrs Stumfold was forced to +stand also, and soon afterwards found herself compelled to go away. +She had, indeed, said all that she had come to say, and though she +would willingly have repeated it again had Miss Mackenzie been +submissive, she did not find herself encouraged to do so by the +rebellious nature of the lady she was visiting. + +"I have meant well, Miss Mackenzie," she said as she took her +leave, "and I hope that I shall see you just the same as ever on my +Thursdays." + +To this Miss Mackenzie made answer only by a curtsey, and then Mrs +Stumfold went her way. + +Miss Mackenzie, as soon as she was left to herself, began to cry. +If Mrs Stumfold could have seen her, how it would have soothed and +rejoiced that lady's ruffled spirit! Miss Mackenzie would sooner have +died than have wept in Mrs Stumfold's presence, but no sooner was the +front door closed than she began. To have been attacked at all in +that way would have been too much for her, but to have been called +old and unsuitable--for that was, in truth, the case; to hear herself +accused of being courted solely for her money, and that when in truth +she had not been courted at all; to have been informed that a lover +for her must have been impossible in those days when she had no +money! was not all this enough to make her cry? And then, was it the +truth that Mr Maguire ought to marry some one else? If so, she was +the last woman in Littlebath to interfere between him and that other +one. But how was she to know that this was not some villainy on the +part of Mrs Stumfold? She felt sure, after what she had now seen and +heard, that nothing in that way would be too bad for Mrs Stumfold to +say or do. She never would go to Mrs Stumfold's house again; that +was a matter of course; but what should she do about Mr Maguire? Mr +Maguire might never speak to her in the way of affection,--probably +never would do so; that she could bear; but how was she to bear the +fact that every Stumfoldian in Littlebath would know all about it? +On one thing she finally resolved, that if ever Mr Maguire spoke to +her on the subject, she would tell him everything that had occurred. +After that she cried herself to sleep. + +On that afternoon she felt herself to be very desolate and much in +want of a friend. When Susanna came back from school in the evening +she was almost more desolate than before. She could say nothing of +her troubles to one so young, nor yet could she shake off the thought +of them. She had been bold enough while Mrs Stumfold had been with +her, but now that she was alone, or almost worse than alone, having +Susanna with her,--now that the reaction had come, she began to tell +herself that a continuation of this solitary life would be impossible +to her. How was she to live if she was to be trampled upon in this +way? Was it not almost necessary that she should leave Littlebath? +And yet if she were to leave Littlebath, whither should she go, and +how should she muster courage to begin everything over again? If only +it had been given her to have one friend,--one female friend to whom +she could have told everything! She thought of Miss Baker, but Miss +Baker was a staunch Stumfoldian; and what did she know of Miss Baker +that gave her any right to trouble Miss Baker on such a subject? She +would almost rather have gone to Miss Todd, if she had dared. + +She laid awake crying half the night. Nothing of the kind had +ever occurred to her before. No one had ever accused her of any +impropriety; no one had ever thrown it in her teeth that she was +longing after fruit that ought to be forbidden to her. In her former +obscurity and dependence she had been safe. Now that she had begun +to look about her and hope for joy in the world, she had fallen into +this terrible misfortune! Would it not have been better for her to +have married her cousin John Ball, and thus have had a clear course +of duty marked out for her? Would it not have been better for her +even to have married Harry Handcock than to have come to this misery? +What good would her money do her, if the world was to treat her in +this way? + +And then, was it true? Was it the fact that Mr Maguire was +ill-treating some other woman in order that he might get her money? +In all her misery she remembered that Mrs Stumfold would not commit +herself to any such direct assertion, and she remembered also +that Mrs Stumfold had especially insisted on her own part of the +grievance,--on the fact that the suitable young lady had been met by +Mr Maguire in her drawing-room. As to Mr Maguire himself, she could +reconcile herself to the loss of him. Indeed she had never yet +reconciled herself to the idea of taking him. But she could not +endure to think that Mrs Stumfold's interference should prevail, or, +worse still, that other people should have supposed it to prevail. + +The next day was Thursday,--one of Mrs Stumfold's Thursdays,--and in +the course of the morning Miss Baker came to her, supposing that, as +a matter of course, she would go to the meeting. + +"Not to-night, Miss Baker," said she. + +"Not going! and why not?" + +"I'd rather not go out to-night." + +"Dear me, how odd. I thought you always went to Mrs Stumfold's. +There's nothing wrong, I hope?" + +Then Miss Mackenzie could not restrain herself, and told Miss Baker +everything. And she told her story, not with whines and lamentations, +as she had thought of it herself while lying awake during the past +night, but with spirited indignation. "What right had she to come to +me and accuse me?" + +"I suppose she meant it for the best," said Miss Baker. + +"No, Miss Baker, she meant it for the worst. I am sorry to speak +so of your friend, but I must speak as I find her. She intended to +insult me. Why did she tell me of my age and my money? Have I made +myself out to be young? or misbehaved myself with the means which +Providence has given me? And as to the gentleman, have I ever +conducted myself so as to merit reproach? I don't know that I was +ever ten minutes in his company that you were not there also." + +"It was the last accusation I should have brought against you," +whimpered Miss Baker. + +"Then why has she treated me in this way? What right have I given her +to be my advisor, because I go to her husband's church? Mr Maguire +is my friend, and it might have come to that, that he should be my +husband. Is there any sin in that, that I should be rebuked?" + +"It was for the other lady's sake, perhaps." + +"Then let her go to the other lady, or to him. She has forgotten +herself in coming to me, and she shall know that I think so." + +Miss Baker, when she left the Paragon, felt for Miss Mackenzie more +of respect and more of esteem also than she had ever felt before. But +Miss Mackenzie, when she was left alone, went upstairs, threw herself +on her bed, and was again dissolved in tears. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +Mr Maguire's Courtship + + +After the scene between Miss Mackenzie and Miss Baker more than +a week passed by before Miss Mackenzie saw any of her Littlebath +friends; or, as she called them with much sadness when speaking of +them to herself, her Littlebath acquaintances. Friends, or friend, +she had none. It was a slow, heavy week with her, and it is hardly +too much to say that every hour in it was spent in thinking of the +attack which Mrs Stumfold had made upon her. When the first Sunday +came, she went to church, and saw there Miss Baker, and Mrs Stumfold, +and Mr Stumfold and Mr Maguire. She saw, indeed, many Stumfoldians, +but it seemed that their eyes looked at her harshly, and she was +quite sure that the coachmaker's wife treated her with marked +incivility as they left the porch together. Miss Baker had frequently +waited for her on Sunday mornings, and walked the length of two +streets with her; but she encountered no Miss Baker near the church +gate on this morning, and she was sure that Mrs Stumfold had +prevailed against her. If it was to be thus with her, had she not +better leave Littlebath as soon as possible? In the same solitude she +lived the whole of the next week; with the same feelings did she go +to church on the next Sunday; and then again was she maltreated by +the upturned nose and half-averted eyes of the coachmaker's wife. + +Life such as this would be impossible to her. Let any of my readers +think of it, and then tell themselves whether it could be possible. +Mariana's solitude in the moated grange was as nothing to hers. In +granges, and such like rural retreats, people expect solitude; but +Miss Mackenzie had gone to Littlebath to find companionship. Had she +been utterly disappointed, and found none, that would have been bad; +but she had found it and then lost it. Mariana, in her desolateness, +was still waiting for the coming of some one; and so was Miss +Mackenzie waiting, though she hardly knew for whom. For me, if I am +to live in a moated grange, let it be in the country. Moated granges +in the midst of populous towns are very terrible. + +But on the Monday morning,--the morning of the second Monday after +the Stumfoldian attack,--Mr Maguire came, and Mariana's weariness +was, for the time, at an end. Susanna had hardly gone, and the +breakfast things were still on the table, when the maid brought her +up word that Mr Maguire was below, and would see her if she would +allow him to come up. She had heard no ring at the bell, and having +settled herself with a novel in the arm-chair, had almost ceased +for the moment to think of Mr Maguire or of Mrs Stumfold. There was +something so sudden in the request now made to her, that it took away +her breath. + +"Mr Maguire, Miss, the clergyman from Mr Stumfold's church," said the +girl again. + +It was necessary that she should give an answer, though she was ever +so breathless. + +"Ask Mr Maguire to walk up," she said; and then she began to bethink +herself how she would behave to him. + +He was there, however, before her thoughts were of much service to +her, and she began by apologising for the breakfast things. + +"It is I that ought to beg your pardon for coming so early," said he; +"but my time at present is so occupied that I hardly know how to find +half an hour for myself; and I thought you would excuse me." + +"Oh, certainly," said she; and then sitting down she waited for him +to begin. + +It would have been clear to any observer, had there been one present, +that Mr Maguire had practised his lesson. He could not rid himself +of those unmistakable signs of preparation which every speaker shows +when he has been guilty of them. But this probably did not matter +with Miss Mackenzie, who was too intent on the part she herself had +to play to notice his imperfections. + +"I saw that you observed, Miss Mackenzie," he said, "that I kept +aloof from you on the two last evenings on which I met you at Mrs +Stumfold's." + +"That's a long time ago, Mr Maguire," she answered. "It's nearly a +month since I went to Mrs Stumfold's house." + +"I know that you were not there on the last Thursday. I noticed it. +I could not fail to notice it. Thinking so much of you as I do, of +course I did notice it. Might I ask you why you did not go?" + +"I'd rather not say anything about it," she replied, after a pause. + +"Then there has been some reason? Dear Miss Mackenzie, I can assure +you I do not ask you without a cause." + +"If you please, I will not speak upon that subject. I had much rather +not, indeed, Mr Maguire." + +"And shall I not have the pleasure of seeing you there on next +Thursday?" + +"Certainly not." + +"Then you have quarrelled with her, Miss Mackenzie?" + +He said nothing now of the perfections of that excellent woman, of +whom not long since he had spoken in terms almost too strong for any +simple human virtues. + +"I'd rather not speak of it. It can't do any good. I don't know why +you should ask me whether I intend to go there any more, but as you +have, I have answered you." + +Then Mr Maguire got up from his chair, and walked about the room, +and Miss Mackenzie, watching him closely, could see that he was +much moved. But, nevertheless, I think he had made up his mind to +walk about the room beforehand. After a while he paused, and, still +standing, spoke to her again across the table. + +"May I ask you this question? Has Mrs Stumfold said anything to you +about me?" + +"I'd rather not talk about Mrs Stumfold." + +"But, surely, I may ask that. I don't think you are the woman to +allow anything said behind a person's back to be received to his +detriment." + +"Whatever one does hear about people one always hears behind their +backs." + +"Then she has told you something, and you have believed it?" + +She felt herself to be so driven by him that she did not know how +to protect herself. It seemed to her that these clerical people of +Littlebath had very little regard for the feelings of others in their +modes of following their own pursuits. + +"She has told you something of me, and you have believed her?" +repeated Mr Maguire. "Have I not a right to ask you what she has +said?" + +"You have no right to ask me anything." + +"Have I not, Miss Mackenzie? Surely that is hard. Is it not hard that +I should be stabbed in the dark, and have no means of redressing +myself? I did not expect such an answer from you;--indeed I did not." + +"And is not it hard that I should be troubled in this way? You talk +of stabbing. Who has stabbed you? Is it not your own particular +friend, whom you described to me as the best person in all the world? +If you and she fall out why should I be brought into it? Once for +all, Mr Maguire, I won't be brought into it." + +Now he sat down and again paused before he went on with his talk. + +"Miss Mackenzie," he said, when he did speak. "I had not intended to +be so abrupt as I fear you will think me in that which I am about to +say; but I believe you will like plain measures best." + +"Certainly I shall, Mr Maguire." + +"They are the best, always. If, then, I am plain with you, will you +be plain with me also? I think you must guess what it is I have to +say to you." + +"I hate guessing anything, Mr Maguire." + +"Very well; then I will be plain. We have now known each other for +nearly a year, Miss Mackenzie." + +"A year, is it? No, not a year. This is the beginning of June, and +I did not come here till the end of last August. It's about nine +months, Mr Maguire." + +"Very well; nine months. Nine months may be as nothing in an +acquaintance, or it may lead to the closest friendship." + +"I don't know that we have met so very often. You have the parish to +attend to, Mr Maguire." + +"Of course I have--or rather I had, for I have left Mr Stumfold." + +"Left Mr Stumfold! Why, I heard you preach yesterday." + +"I did preach yesterday, and shall till he has got another assistant. +But he and I are parted as regards all friendly connection." + +"But isn't that a pity?" + +"Miss Mackenzie, I don't mind telling you that I have found it +impossible to put up with the impertinence of that woman"--and +now, as he spoke, there came a distorted fire out of his imperfect +eye--"impossible! If you knew what I have gone through in attempting +it! But that's over. I have the greatest respect for him in the +world; a very thorough esteem. He is a hard-working man, and though +I do not always approve the style of his wit,--of which, by-the-bye, +he thinks too much himself,--still I acknowledge him to be a good +spiritual pastor. But he has been unfortunate in his marriage. No +doubt he has got money, but money is not everything." + +"Indeed, it is not, Mr Maguire." + +"How he can live in the same house with that Mr Peters, I can +never understand. The quarrels between him and his daughter are so +incessant that poor Mr Stumfold is unable to conceal them from the +public." + +"But you have spoken so highly of her." + +"I have endeavoured, Miss Mackenzie--I have endeavoured to think well +of her. I have striven to believe that it was all gold that I saw. +But let that pass. I was forced to tell you that I am going to leave +Mr Stumfold's church, or I should not now have spoken about her or +him. And now comes the question, Miss Mackenzie." + +"What is the question, Mr Maguire?" + +"Miss Mackenzie--Margaret, will you share your lot with mine? It is +true that you have money. It is true that I have none,--not even a +curacy now. But I don't think that any such consideration as that +would weigh with you for a moment, if you can find it in your heart +to love me." + +Miss Mackenzie sat thinking for some minutes before she gave her +answer--or striving to think; but she was so completely under the +terrible fire of his eye, that any thought was very difficult. + +"I am not quite sure about that," she said after a while. "I think, +Mr Maguire, that there should be a little money on both sides. You +would hardly wish to live altogether on your wife's fortune." + +"I have my profession," he replied, quickly. + +"Yes, certainly; and a noble profession it is,--the most noble," said +she. + +"Yes, indeed; the most noble." + +"But somehow--" + +"You mean the clergymen are not paid as they should be. No, they are +not, Miss Mackenzie. And is it not a shame for a Christian country +like this that it should be so? But still, as a profession, it has +its value. Look at Mrs Stumfold; where would she be if she were not a +clergyman's wife? The position has its value. A clergyman's wife is +received everywhere, you know." + +"A man before he talks of marriage ought to have something of his +own, Mr Maguire, besides--" + +"Besides what?" + +"Well, I'll tell you. As you have done me this honour, I think that +I am now bound to tell you what Mrs Stumfold said to me. She had +no right to connect my name with yours or with that of any other +gentleman, and my quarrel with her is about that. As to what she said +about you, that is your affair and not mine." + +Then she told him the whole of that conversation which was given in +the last chapter, not indeed repeating the hint about the three or +four wives, but recapitulating as clearly as she could all that had +been said about the suitable young lady. + +"I knew it," said he; "I knew it. I knew it as well as though I had +heard it. Now what am I to think of that woman, Miss Mackenzie?" + +"Of which woman?" + +"Of Mrs Stumfold, of course. It's all jealousy: every bit of it +jealousy." + +"Jealousy! Do you mean that she--that she--" + +"Not jealousy of that kind, Miss Mackenzie. Oh dear, no. She's as +pure as the undriven snow, I should say, as far as that goes. But she +can't bear to think that I should rise in the world." + +"I thought she wanted to marry you to a suitable lady, and young, +with a fair provision." + +"Pshaw! The lady has about seventy pounds a-year! But that would +signify nothing if I loved her, Miss Mackenzie." + +"There has been something, then?" + +"Yes; there has been something. That is, nothing of my +doing,--nothing on earth. Miss Mackenzie, I am as innocent as the +babe unborn." + +As he said this she could not help looking into the horrors of his +eyes, and thinking that innocent was not the word for him. + +"I'm as innocent as the babe unborn. Why should I be expected to +marry a lady merely because Mrs Stumfold tells me that there she is? +And it's my belief that old Peters has got their money somewhere, and +won't give it up, and that that's the reason of it." + +"But did you ever say you would marry her?" + +"What! Miss Floss, never! I'll tell you the whole story, Miss +Mackenzie; and if you want to ask any one else, you can ask Mrs +Perch." Mrs Perch was the coachbuilder's wife. "You've seen Miss +Floss at Mrs Stumfold's, and must know yourself whether I ever +noticed her any more than to be decently civil." + +"Is she the lady that's so thin and tall?" + +"Yes." + +"With the red hair?" + +"Well, it's sandy, certainly. I shouldn't call it just red myself." + +"Some people like red hair, you know," said Miss Mackenzie, thinking +of the suitable lady. Miss Mackenzie was willing at that moment to +forfeit all her fortune if Miss Floss was not older than she was! +"And that is Miss Floss, is it?" + +"Yes, and I don't blame Mrs Stumfold for wishing to get a husband for +her friend, but it is hard upon me." + +"Really, Mr Maguire, I think that perhaps you couldn't do better." + +"Better than what?" + +"Better than take Miss Floss. As you say, some people like red hair. +And she is very suitable, certainly. And, Mr Maguire, I really +shouldn't like to interfere;--I shouldn't indeed." + +"Miss Mackenzie, you're joking, I know." + +"Not in the least, Mr Maguire. You see there has been something about +it." + +"There has been nothing." + +"There's never smoke without fire; and I don't think a lady like Mrs +Stumfold would come here and tell me all that she did, if it hadn't +gone some way. And you owned just now that you admired her." + +"I never owned anything of the kind. I don't admire her a bit. Admire +her! Oh, Miss Mackenzie, what do you think of me?" + +Miss Mackenzie said that she really didn't know what to think. + +Then, having as he thought altogether disposed of Miss Floss, he +began again to press his suit. And she was weak; for though she gave +him no positive encouragement, neither did she give him any positive +denial. Her mind was by no means made up, and she did not know +whether she wished to take him or to leave him. Now that the thing +had come so near, what guarantee had she that he would be good to +her if she gave him everything that she possessed? As to her cousin +John Ball, she would have had many guarantees. Of him she could say +that she knew what sort of a man he was; but what did she know of +Mr Maguire? At that moment, as he sat there pleading his own cause +with all the eloquence at his command, she remembered that she did +not even know his Christian name. He had always in her presence been +called Mr Maguire. How could she say that she loved a man whose very +name she had not as yet heard? + +But still, if she left all her chances to run from her, what other +fate would she have but that of being friendless all her life? Of +course she must risk much if she was ever minded to change her mode +of life. She had said something to him as to the expediency of there +being money on both sides, but as she said it she knew that she would +willingly have given up her money could she only have been sure of +her man. Was not her income enough for both? What she wanted was +companionship, and love if it might be possible; but if not love, +then friendship. This, had she known where she could purchase it with +certainty, she would willingly have purchased with all her wealth. + +"If I have surprised you, will you say that you will take time to +think of it?" pleaded Mr Maguire. + +Miss Mackenzie, speaking in the lowest possible voice, said that she +would take time to think of it. + +When a lady says that she will take time to think of such a +proposition, the gentleman is generally justified in supposing that +he has carried his cause. When a lady rejects a suitor, she should +reject him peremptorily. Anything short of such peremptory reaction +is taken for acquiescence. Mr Maguire consequently was elated, called +her Margaret, and swore that he loved her as he had never loved woman +yet. + +"And when may I come again?" he asked. + +Miss Mackenzie begged that she might be allowed a fortnight to think +of it. + +"Certainly," said the happy man. + +"And you must not be surprised," said Miss Mackenzie, "if I make some +inquiry about Miss Floss." + +"Any inquiry you please," said Mr Maguire. "It is all in that woman's +brain; it is indeed. Miss Floss, perhaps, has thought of it; but I +can't help that, can I? I can't help what has been said to her. But +if you mean anything as to a promise from me, Margaret, on my word +as a Christian minister of the Gospel, there has been nothing of the +kind." + +She did not much mind his calling her Margaret; it was in itself such +a trifle; but when he made a fuss about kissing her hand it annoyed +her. + +"Only your hand," he said, beseeching the privilege. + +"Pshaw," she said, "what's the good?" + +She had sense enough to feel that with such lovemaking as that +between her and her lover there should be no kissing till after +marriage; or at any rate, no kissing of hands, as is done between +handsome young men of twenty-three and beautiful young ladies of +eighteen, when they sit in balconies on moonlight nights. A good +honest kiss, mouth to mouth, might not be amiss when matters were +altogether settled; but when she thought of this, she thought also of +his eye and shuddered. His eye was not his fault, and a man should +not be left all his days without a wife because he squints; but +still, was it possible? could she bring herself to endure it? + +He did kiss her hand, however, and then went. As he stood at the door +he looked back fondly and exclaimed-- + +"On Monday fortnight, Margaret; on Monday fortnight." + +"Goodness gracious, Mr Maguire," she answered, "do shut the door;" +and then he vanished. + +As soon as he was gone she remembered that his name was Jeremiah. She +did not know how she had learned it, but she knew that such was the +fact. If it did come to pass how was she to call him? She tried the +entire word Jeremiah, but it did not seem to answer. She tried Jerry +also, but that was worse. Jerry might have been very well had they +come together fifteen years earlier in life, but she did not think +that she could call him Jerry now. She supposed it must be Mr +Maguire; but if so, half the romance of the thing would be gone at +once! + +She felt herself to be very much at sea, and almost wished that she +might be like Mariana again, waiting and aweary, so grievous was +the necessity of having to make up her mind on such a subject. To +whom should she go for advice? She had told him that she would make +further inquiries about Miss Floss, but of whom was she to make them? +The only person to whom she could apply was Miss Baker, and she +was almost sure that Miss Baker would despise her for thinking of +marrying Mr Maguire. + +But after a day or two she did tell Miss Baker, and she saw at +once that Miss Baker did despise her. But Miss Baker, though she +manifestly did despise her, promised her some little aid. Miss Todd +knew everything and everybody. Might Miss Baker tell Miss Todd? +If there was anything wrong, Miss Todd would ferret it out to a +certainty. Miss Mackenzie, hanging down her head, said that Miss +Baker might tell Miss Todd. Miss Baker, when she left Miss Mackenzie, +turned at once into Miss Todd's house, and found her friend at home. + +"It surprises me that any woman should be so foolish," said Miss +Baker. + +"Come, come, my dear, don't you be hard upon her. We have all been +foolish in our days. Do you remember, when Sir Lionel used to be +here, how foolish you and I were?" + +"It's not the same thing at all," said Miss Baker. "Did you ever see +a man with such an eye as he has got?" + +"I shouldn't mind his eye, my dear; only I'm afraid he's got no +money." + +Miss Todd, however, promised to make inquiries, and declared her +intention of communicating what intelligence she might obtain direct +to Miss Mackenzie. Miss Baker resisted this for a little while, +but ultimately submitted, as she was wont to do, to the stronger +character of her friend. + +Miss Mackenzie had declared that she must have a fortnight to +think about it, and Miss Todd therefore knew that she had nearly a +fortnight for her inquiries. The reader may be sure that she did not +allow the grass to grow under her feet. With Miss Mackenzie the time +passed slowly enough, for she could only sit on her sofa and doubt, +resolving first one way and then another; but Miss Todd went about +Littlebath, here and there, among friends and enemies, filling up all +her time; and before the end of the fortnight she certainly knew more +about Mr Maguire than did anybody else in Littlebath. + +She did not see Miss Mackenzie till the Saturday, the last Saturday +before the all-important Monday; but on that day she went to her. + +"I suppose you know what I'm come about, my dear," she said. + +Miss Mackenzie blushed, and muttered something about Miss Baker. + +"Yes, my dear; Miss Baker was speaking to me about Mr Maguire. You +needn't mind speaking out to me, Miss Mackenzie. I can understand all +about it; and if I can be of any assistance, I shall be very happy. +No doubt you feel a little shy, but you needn't mind with me." + +"I'm sure you're very good." + +"I don't know about that, but I hope I'm not very bad. The long and +the short of it is, I suppose, that you think you might as +well--might as well take Mr Maguire." + +Miss Mackenzie felt thoroughly ashamed of herself. She could not +explain to Miss Todd all her best motives; and then, those motives +which were not the best were made to seem so very weak and mean by +the way in which Miss Todd approached them. When she thought of the +matter alone, it seemed to her that she was perfectly reasonable in +wishing to be married, in order that she might escape the monotony of +a lonely life; and she thought that if she could talk to Miss Todd +about the subject gently, for a quarter of an hour at a time every +day for two or three months, it was possible that she might explain +her views with credit to herself; but how could she do this to anyone +so very abruptly? She could only confess that she did want to marry +the man, as the child confesses her longing for a tart. + +"I have thought about it, certainly," she said. + +"Quite right," said Miss Todd; "quite right if you like him. Now for +me, I'm so fond of my own money and my own independence, that I've +never had a fancy that way,--not since I was a girl." + +"But you're so different, Miss Todd; you've got such a position of +your own." + +And Miss Mackenzie, who was at present desirous of marrying a very +strict evangelical clergyman, thought with envy of the social +advantages and pleasant iniquities of her wicked neighbour. + +"Oh, I don't know. I've a few friends, but that comes of being here +so long. And then, you see, I ain't particular as you are. I always +see that when a lady goes in to be evangelical, she soon finds a +husband to take care of her; that is, if she has got any money. It +all goes on very well, and I've no doubt they're right. There's my +friend Mary Baker, she's single still; but then she began very late +in life. Now about Mr Maguire." + +"Well, Miss Todd." + +"In the first place, I really don't think he has got much that he can +call his own." + +"He hasn't got anything, Miss Todd; he told me so himself." + +"Did he, indeed?" said Miss Todd; "then let me tell you he is a deal +honester than they are in general." + +"Oh, he told me that. I know he's got no income in the world besides +his curacy, and that he has thrown up." + +"And therefore you are going to give him yours." + +"I don't know about that, Miss Todd; but it wasn't about money that +I was doubting. What I've got is enough for both of us, if his wants +are not greater than mine. What is the use of money if people cannot +be happy together with it? I don't care a bit for money, Miss Todd; +that is, not for itself. I shouldn't like to be dependent on a +stranger; I don't know that I would like to be dependent again even +on a brother; but I should take no shame to be dependent on a husband +if he was good to me." + +"That's just it; isn't it?" + +"There's quite enough for him and me." + +"I must say you look at the matter in the most disinterested way. I +couldn't bring myself to take it up like that." + +"You haven't lived the life that I have, Miss Todd, and I don't +suppose you ever feel solitary as I do." + +"Well, I don't know. We single women have to be solitary +sometimes--and sometimes sad." + +"But you're never sad, Miss Todd." + +"Have you never heard there are some animals, that, when they're +sick, crawl into holes, and don't ever show themselves among the +other animals? Though it is only the animals that do it, there's a +pride in that which I like. What's the good of complaining if one's +down in the mouth? When one gets old and heavy and stupid, one can't +go about as one did when one was young; and other people won't care +to come to you as they did then." + +"But I had none of that when I was young, Miss Todd." + +"Hadn't you? Then I won't say but what you may be right to try and +begin now. But, law! what am I talking of? I am old enough to be your +mother." + +"I think it so kind of you to talk to me at all." + +"Well, now about Mr Maguire. I don't think he's possessed of much of +the fat of the land; but that you say you know already?" + +"Oh yes, I know all that." + +"And it seems he has lost his curacy?" + +"He threw that up himself." + +"I shouldn't be surprised--but mind I don't say this for certain--but +I shouldn't be surprised if he owed a little money." + +Miss Mackenzie's face became rather long. + +"What do you call a little, Miss Todd?" + +"Two or three hundred pounds. I don't call that a great deal." + +"Oh dear, no!" and Miss Mackenzie's face again became cheerful. "That +could be settled without any trouble." + +"Upon my word you are the most generous woman I ever saw." + +"No, I'm not that." + +"Or else you must be very much in love?" + +"I don't think I am that either, Miss Todd; only I don't care much +about money if other things are suitable. What I chiefly wanted to +know was--" + +"About that Miss Floss?" + +"Yes, Miss Todd." + +"My belief is there never was a greater calumny, or what I should +call a stronger attempt at a do. Mind I don't think much of your St +Stumfolda, and never did. I believe the poor man has never said a +word to the woman. Mrs Stumfold has put it into her head that she +could have Mr Maguire if she chose to set her cap at him, and, I dare +say, Miss Floss has been dutiful to her saint. But, Miss Mackenzie, +if nothing else hinders you, don't let that hinder you." Then Miss +Todd, having done her business and made her report, took her leave. + +This was on Saturday. The next day would be Sunday, and then on the +following morning she must make her answer. All that she had heard +about Mr Maguire was, to her thinking, in his favour. As to his +poverty, that he had declared himself, and that she did not mind. As +to a few hundred pounds of debt, how was a poor man to have helped +such a misfortune? In that matter of Miss Floss he had been basely +maligned,--so much maligned, that Miss Mackenzie owed him all her +sympathy. What excuse could she now have for refusing him? + +When she went to bed on the Sunday night such were her thoughts and +her feelings. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +Tom Mackenzie's Bed-Side + + +There was a Stumfoldian edict, ultra-Median-and-Persian in its +strictness, ordaining that no Stumfoldian in Littlebath should be +allowed to receive a letter on Sundays. And there also existed a +coordinate rule on the part of the Postmaster-General,--or, rather, +a privilege granted by that functionary,--in accordance with which +Stumfoldians, and other such sects of Sabbatarians, were empowered +to prohibit the letter-carriers from contaminating their special +knockers on Sunday mornings. Miss Mackenzie had given way to this +easily, seeing nothing amiss in the edict, and not caring much for +her Sunday letters. In consequence, she received on the Monday +mornings those letters which were due to her on Sundays, and on this +special Monday morning she received a letter, as to which the delay +was of much consequence. It was to tell her that her brother Tom was +dying, and to pray that she would be up in London as early on the +Monday as was practicable. Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, who had written +the letter in Gower Street, had known nothing of the Sabbatical +edicts of the Stumfoldians. + +"It is an inward tumour," said Mr Rubb, "and has troubled him long, +though he has said nothing about it. It is now breaking, and the +doctor says he can't live. He begs that you will come to him, as he +has very much to say to you. Mrs Tom would have written, but she is +so much taken up, and is so much beside herself, that she begs me to +say that she is not able; but I hope it won't be less welcome coming +from me. The second pair back will be ready for you, just as if it +were your own. I would be waiting at the station on Monday, if I knew +what train you would come by." + +This she received while at breakfast on the Monday morning, having +sat down a little earlier than usual, in order that the tea-things +might be taken away so as to make room for Mr Maguire. + +Of course she must go up to town instantly, by the first practicable +train. She perceived at once that she would have to send a message by +telegraph, as they would have expected to hear from her that morning. +She got the railway guide, and saw that the early express train had +already gone. There was, however, a mid-day train which would reach +Paddington in the afternoon. She immediately got her bonnet and went +off to the telegraph office, leaving word with the servant, that +if any one called "he" was to be told that she had received sudden +tidings which took her up to London. On her return she found that +"he" had not been there yet, and now she could only hope that he +would not come till after she had started. It would, of course, be +impossible, at such a moment as this, to make any answer to such a +proposition as Mr Maguire's. + +He came, and when the servant gave him the message at the door, he +sent up craving permission to see her but for a moment. She could not +refuse him, and went down to him in the drawing-room, with her shawl +and bonnet. + +"Dearest Margaret," said he, "what is this?" and he took both her +hands. + +"I have received word that my brother, in London, is very ill,--that +he is dying, and I must go to him." + +He still held her hands, standing close to her, as though he had some +special right to comfort her. + +"Cannot I go with you?" he said. "Let me; do let me." + +"Oh, no, Mr Maguire; it is impossible. What could you do? I am going +to my brother's house." + +"But have I not a right to be of help to you at such a time?" he +asked. + +"No, Mr Maguire; no right; certainly none as yet." + +"Oh! Margaret." + +"I'm sure you will see that I cannot talk of anything of that sort +now." + +"But you will not be back for ever so long." + +"I cannot tell." + +"Oh! Margaret; you will not leave me in suspense? After bidding me +wait a fortnight, you will not go away without telling me that you +will be mine when you come back? One word will do it." + +"Mr Maguire, you really must excuse me now." + +"One word, Margaret; only one word," and he still held her. + +"Mr Maguire," she said, tearing her hand from him, "I am astonished +at you. I tell you that my brother is dying and you hold me here, and +expect me to give you an answer about nonsense. I thought you were +more manly." + +He saw that there was a flash in her eye as he stepped back; so he +begged her pardon, and muttering something about hoping to hear from +her soon, took his leave. Poor man! I do not see why she should not +have accepted him, as she had made up her mind to do so. And to him, +with his creditors, and in his present position, any certainty in +this matter would have made so much difference! + +At the Paddington station Miss Mackenzie was met by her other lover, +Mr Rubb. Mr Rubb, however, had never yet declared himself as holding +this position, and did not do so on the present occasion. Their +conversation in the cab was wholly concerning her brother's state, or +nearly so. It seemed that there was no hope. Mr Rubb said that very +clearly. As to time the doctor would say nothing certain; but he had +declared that it might occur any day. The patient could never leave +his bed again; but as his constitution was strong, he might remain in +his present condition some weeks. He did not suffer much pain, or, at +any rate, did not complain of much; but was very sad. Then Mr Rubb +said one other word. + +"I am afraid he is thinking of his wife and children." + +"Would there be nothing for them out of the business?" asked Miss +Mackenzie. + +The junior partner at first shook his head, saying nothing. After a +few minutes he did speak in a low voice. "If there be anything, it +will be very little,--very little." + +Miss Mackenzie was rejoiced that she had given no definite promise to +Mr Maguire. There seemed to be now a job for her to do in the world +which would render it quite unnecessary that she should look about +for a husband. If her brother's widow were left penniless, with seven +children, there would be no longer much question as to what she would +do with her money. Perhaps the only person in the world that she +cordially disliked was her sister-in-law. She certainly knew no other +woman whose society would be so unpalatable to her. But if things +were so as Mr Rubb now described them, there could be no doubt about +her duty. It was very well indeed that her answer to Mr Maguire had +been postponed to that Monday. + +She found her sister-in-law in the dining-room, and Mrs Mackenzie, of +course, received her with a shower of tears. "I did think you would +have come, Margaret, by the first train." + +Then Margaret was forced to explain all about the letter and the +Sunday arrangements at Littlebath; and Mrs Tom was stupid and +wouldn't understand, but persisted in her grievance, declaring that +Tom was killing himself with disappointment. + +"And there's Dr Slumpy just this moment gone without a word to +comfort one,--not even to say about when it will be. I suppose you'll +want your dinner before you go up to see him. As for us we've had no +dinners, or anything regular; but, of course, you must be waited on." +Miss Mackenzie simply took off her bonnet and shawl, and declared +herself ready to go upstairs as soon as her brother would be ready to +see her. + +"It's fret about money has done it all, Margaret," said the wife. +"Since the day that Walter's shocking will was read, he's never been +himself for an hour. Of course he wouldn't show it to you; but he +never has." + +Margaret turned short round upon her sister-in-law on the stairs. + +"Sarah," said she, and then she stopped herself. "Never mind; it is +natural, no doubt, you should feel it; but there are times and places +when one's feelings should be kept under control." + +"That's mighty fine," said Mrs Mackenzie; "but, however, if you'll +wait here, I'll go up to him." + +In a few minutes more Miss Mackenzie was standing by her brother's +bedside, holding his hand in hers. + +"I knew you would come, Margaret," he said. + +"Of course I should come; who doubted it? But never mind that, for +here I am." + +"I only told her that we expected her by the earlier train," said Mrs +Tom. + +"Never mind the train as long as she's here," said Tom. "You've heard +how it is with me, Margaret?" + +Then Margaret buried her face in the bed-clothes and wept, and Mrs +Tom, weeping also, hid herself behind the curtains. + +There was nothing said then about money or the troubles of the +business, and after a while the two women went down to tea. In the +dining-room they found Mr Rubb, who seemed to be quite at home in the +house. Cold meat was brought up for Margaret's dinner, and they all +sat down to one of those sad sick-house meals which he or she who has +not known must have been lucky indeed. To Margaret it was nothing +new. All the life that she remembered, except the last year, had been +spent in nursing her other brother; and now to be employed about the +bed-side of a sufferer was as natural to her as the air she breathed. + +"I will sit with him to-night, Sarah, if you will let me," she said; +and Sarah assented. + +It was still daylight when she found herself at her post. Mrs +Mackenzie had just left the room to go down among the children, +saying that she would return again before she left him for the night. +To this the invalid remonstrated, begging his wife to go to bed. + +"She has not had her clothes off for the last week," said the +husband. + +"It don't matter about my clothes," said Mrs Tom, still weeping. She +was always crying when in the sick room, and always scolding when +out of it; thus complying with the two different requisitions of her +nature. The matter, however, was settled by an assurance on her part +that she would go to bed, so that she might be stirring early. + +There are women who seem to have an absolute pleasure in fixing +themselves for business by the bedside of a sick man. They generally +commence their operations by laying aside all fictitious feminine +charms, and by arraying themselves with a rigid, unconventional, +unenticing propriety. Though they are still gentle,--perhaps more +gentle than ever in their movements,--there is a decision in all they +do very unlike their usual mode of action. The sick man, who is not +so sick but what he can ponder on the matter, feels himself to be +like a baby, whom he has seen the nurse to take from its cradle, pat +on the back, feed, and then return to its little couch, all without +undue violence or tyranny, but still with a certain consciousness of +omnipotence as far as that child was concerned. The vitality of the +man is gone from him, and he, in his prostrate condition, debarred +by all the features of his condition from spontaneous exertion, +feels himself to be more a woman than the woman herself. She, if +she be such a one as our Miss Mackenzie, arranges her bottles with +precision; knows exactly how to place her chair, her lamp, and her +teapot; settles her cap usefully on her head, and prepares for the +night's work certainly with satisfaction. And such are the best women +of the world,--among which number I think that Miss Mackenzie has a +right to be counted. + +A few words of affection were spoken between the brother and +sister, for at such moments brotherly affection returns, and the +estrangements of life are all forgotten in the old memories. He +seemed comforted to feel her hand upon the bed, and was glad to +pronounce her name, and spoke to her as though she had been the +favourite of the family for years, instead of the one member of +it who had been snubbed and disregarded. Poor man, who shall say +that there was anything hypocritical or false in this? And yet, +undoubtedly, it was the fact that Margaret was now the only wealthy +one among them, which had made him send to her, and think of her, as +he lay there in his sickness. + +When these words of love had been spoken, he turned himself on his +pillow, and lay silent for a long while,--for hours, till the morning +sun had risen, and the daylight was again seen through the window +curtain. It was not much after midsummer, and the daylight came to +them early. From time to time she had looked at him, and each hour +in the night she had crept round to him, and given him that which he +needed. She did it all with a certain system, noiselessly, but with +an absolute assurance on her own part that she carried with her an +authority sufficient to ensure obedience. On that ground, in that +place, I think that even Miss Todd would have succumbed to her. + +But when the morning sun had driven the appearance of night from the +room, making the paraphernalia of sickness more ghastly than they had +been under the light of the lamp, the brother turned himself back +again, and began to talk of those things which were weighing on his +mind. + +"Margaret," he said, "it's very good of you to come, but as to +myself, no one's coming can be of any use to me." + +"It is all in the hands of God, Tom." + +"No doubt, no doubt," said he, sadly, not daring to argue such a +point with her, and yet feeling but little consolation from her +assurance. "So is the bullock in God's hands when the butcher is +going to knock him on the head, but yet we know that the beast +will die. Men live and die from natural causes, and not by God's +interposition." + +"But there is hope; that is what I mean. If God pleases--" + +"Ah, well. But, Margaret, I fear that he will not please; and what am +I to do about Sarah and the children?" + +This was a question that could be answered by no general +platitude,--by no weak words of hopeless consolation. Coming from +him to her, it demanded either a very substantial answer, or else +no answer at all. What was he to do about Sarah and the children? +Perhaps there came a thought across her mind that Sarah and the +children had done very little for her,--had considered her very +little, in those old, weary days, in Arundel Street. And those days +were not, as yet, so very old. It was now not much more than twelve +months since she had sat by the deathbed of her other brother,--since +she had expressed to herself, and to Harry Handcock, a humble wish +that she might find herself to be above absolute want. + +"I do not think you need fret about that, Tom," she said, after +turning these things over in her mind for a minute or two. + +"How, not fret about them? But I suppose you know nothing of the +state of the business. Has Rubb spoken to you?" + +"He did say some word as we came along in the cab." + +"What did he say?" + +"He said--" + +"Well, tell me what he said. He said, that if I died--what then? You +must not be afraid of speaking of it openly. Why, Margaret, they have +all told me that it must be in a month or two. What did Rubb say?" + +"He said that there would be very little coming out of the +business--that is, for Sarah and the children--if anything were to +happen to you." + +"I don't suppose they'd get anything. How it has been managed I don't +know. I have worked like a galley slave at it, but I haven't kept the +books, and I don't know how things have gone so badly. They have gone +badly,--very badly." + +"Has it been Mr Rubb's fault?" + +"I won't say that; and, indeed, if it has been any man's fault it has +been the old man's. I don't want to say a word against the one that +you know. Oh, Margaret!" + +"Don't fret yourself now, Tom." + +"If you had seven children, would not you fret yourself? And I hardly +know how to speak to you about it. I know that we have already had +ever so much of your money, over two thousand pounds; and I fear you +will never see it again." + +"Never mind, Tom; it is yours, with all my heart. Only, Tom, as it is +so badly wanted, I would rather it was yours than Mr Rubb's. Could I +not do something that would make that share of the building yours?" + +He shifted himself uneasily in his bed, and made her understand that +she had distressed him. + +"But perhaps it will be better to say nothing more about that," said +she. + +"It will be better that you should understand it all. The property +belongs nominally to us, but it is mortgaged to the full of its +value. Rubb can explain it all, if he will. Your money went to buy +it, but other creditors would not be satisfied without security. Ah, +dear! it is so dreadful to have to speak of all this in this way." + +"Then don't speak of it, Tom." + +"But what am I to do?" + +"Are there no proceeds from the business?" + +"Yes, for those who work in it; and I think there will be something +coming out of it for Sarah,--something, but it will be very small. +And if so, she must depend for it solely on Mr Rubb." + +"On the young one?" + +"Yes; on the one that you know." + +There was a great deal more said, and of course everyone will know +how such a conversation was ended, and will understand with what +ample assurance as to her own intentions Margaret promised that the +seven children should not want. As she did so, she made certain rapid +calculations in her head. She must give up Mr Maguire. There was no +doubt about that. She must give up all idea of marrying any one, and, +as she thought of this, she told herself that she was perhaps well +rid of a trouble. She had already given away to the firm of Rubb and +Mackenzie above a hundred a-year out of her income. If she divided +the remainder with Mrs Tom, keeping about three hundred and fifty +pounds a-year for herself and Susanna, she would, she thought, keep +her promise well, and yet retain enough for her own comfort and +Susanna's education. It would be bad for the prospects of young John +Ball, the third of the name, whom she had taught herself to regard as +her heir; but young John Ball would know nothing of the good things +he had lost. As to living with her sister-in-law Sarah, and sharing +her house and income with the whole family, that she declared to +herself nothing should induce her to do. She would give up half of +all that she had, and that half would be quite enough to save her +brother's children from want. In making the promise to her brother +she said nothing about proportions, and nothing as to her own future +life. "What I have," she said, "I will share with them and you may +rest assured that they shall not want." Of course he thanked her as +dying men do thank those who take upon themselves such charges; but +she perceived as he did so, or thought that she perceived, that he +still had something more upon his mind. + +Mrs Tom came and relieved her in the morning, and Miss Mackenzie was +obliged to put off for a time that panoply of sick-room armour which +made her so indomitable in her brother's bedroom. Downstairs she met +Mr Rubb, who talked to her much about her brother's affairs, and much +about the oilcloth business, speaking as though he were desirous +that the most absolute confidence should exist between him and her. +But she said no word of her promise to her brother, except that she +declared that the money lent was now to be regarded as a present made +by her to him personally. + +"I am afraid that that will avail nothing," said Mr Rubb, junior, +"for the amount now stands as a debt due by the firm to you, and the +firm, which would pay you the money if it could, cannot pay it to +your brother's estate any more than it can to yours." + +"But the interest," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Oh, yes! the interest can be paid," said Mr Rubb, junior, but the +tone of his voice did not give much promise that this interest would +be forthcoming with punctuality. + +She watched again that night; and on the next day, in the afternoon, +she was told that a gentleman wished to see her in the drawing-room. +Her thoughts at once pointed to Mr Maguire, and she went downstairs +prepared to be very angry with that gentleman. But on entering the +room she found her cousin, John Ball. She was, in truth, glad to see +him; for, after all, she thought that she liked him the best of all +the men or women that she knew. He was always in trouble, but then +she fancied that with him she at any rate knew the worst. There was +nothing concealed with him,--nothing to be afraid of. She hoped that +they might continue to know each other intimately as cousins. Under +existing circumstances they could not, of course, be anything more to +each other than that. + +"This is very kind of you, John," she said, taking his hand. "How did +you know I was here?" + +"Mr Slow told me. I was with Mr Slow about business of yours. I'm +afraid from what I hear that you find your brother very ill." + +"Very ill, indeed, John,--ill to death." + +She then asked after her uncle and aunt, and the children, at the +Cedars. + +They were much as usual, he said; and he added that his mother would +be very glad to see her at the Cedars; only he supposed there was no +hope of that. + +"Not just at present, John. You see I am wholly occupied here." + +"And will he really die, do you think?" + +"The doctors say so." + +"And his wife and children--will they be provided for?" + +Margaret simply shook her head, and John Ball, as he watched her, +felt assured that his uncle Jonathan's money would never come in +his way, or in the way of his children. But he was a man used to +disappointment, and he bore this with mild sufferance. + +Then he explained to her the business about which he had specially +come to her. She had entrusted him with certain arrangements as to +a portion of her property, and he came to tell her that a certain +railway company wanted some houses which belonged to her, and that by +Act of Parliament she was obliged to sell them. + +"But the Act of Parliament will make the railway company pay for +them, won't it, John?" + +Then he went on to explain to her that she was in luck's way, "as +usual," said the poor fellow, thinking of his own misfortunes, and +that she would greatly increase her income by the sale. Indeed, it +seemed to her that she would regain pretty nearly all she had lost by +the loan to Rubb and Mackenzie. "How very singular," thought she to +herself. Under these circumstances, it might, after all, be possible +that she should marry Mr Maguire, if she wished it. + +When Mr Ball had told his business he did not stay much longer. He +said no word of his own hopes, if hopes they could be called any +longer. As he left her, he just referred to what had passed between +them. "This is no time, Margaret," said he, "to ask you whether you +have changed your mind?" + +"No, John; there are other things to think of now; are there not? +And, besides, they will want here all that I can do for them." + +She spoke to him with an express conviction that what was wanted of +her by him, as well as by others, was her money, and it did not occur +to him to contradict her. + +"He might have asked to see me, I do think," said Mrs Tom, when John +Ball was gone. "But there always was an upsetting pride about those +people at the Cedars which I never could endure. And they are as poor +as church mice. When poverty and pride go together I do detest them. +I suppose he came to find out all about us, but I hope you told him +nothing." + +To all this Miss Mackenzie made no answer at all. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +The Tearing of the Verses + + +Things went on in Gower Street for three or four weeks in the +same way, and then Susanna was fetched home from Littlebath. Miss +Mackenzie would have gone down herself but that she was averse to see +Mr Maguire. She therefore kept on her Littlebath lodgings, though Mrs +Tom said much to her of the wasteful extravagance in doing so. It was +at last settled that Mr Rubb should go down to Littlebath and bring +Susanna back with him; and this he did, not at all to that young +lady's satisfaction. It was understood that Susanna did not leave the +school, at which she had lately been received as a boarder; but the +holidays had come, and it was thought well that she should see her +father. During this time Miss Mackenzie received two letters from +Mr Maguire. In the first he pleaded hard for an answer to his offer. +He had, he said, now relinquished his curacy, having found the +interference of that terrible woman to be unendurable. He had left +his curacy, and was at present without employment. Under such +circumstances, "his Margaret" would understand how imperative it +was that he should receive an answer. A curacy, or, rather, a small +incumbency, had offered itself among the mines in Cornwall; but he +could not think of accepting this till he should know what "his +Margaret" might say to it. + +To this Margaret answered most demurely, and perhaps a little slily. +She said that her brother's health and affairs were at present in +such a condition as to allow her to think of nothing else; that +she completely understood Mr Maguire's position, and that it was +essential that he should not be kept in suspense. Under these +combined circumstances she had no alternative but to release him from +the offer he had made. This she did with the less unwillingness as +it was probable that her pecuniary position would be considerably +altered by the change in her brother's family which they were now +expecting almost daily. Then she bade him farewell, with many +expressions of her esteem, and said that she hoped he might be happy +among the mines in Cornwall. + +Such was her letter; but it did not satisfy Mr Maguire, and he wrote +a second letter. He had declined, he said, the incumbency among the +mines, having heard of something which he thought would suit him +better in Manchester. As to that, there was no immediate hurry, and +he proposed remaining at Littlebath for the next two months, having +been asked to undertake temporary duty in a neighbouring church for +that time. By the end of the two months he hoped that "his Margaret" +would be able to give him an answer in a different tone. As to her +pecuniary position, he would leave that, he said, "all to herself." + +To this second letter Miss Mackenzie did not find it necessary to +send any reply. The domestics in the Mackenzie family were not +at this time numerous, and the poor mother had enough to do with +her family downstairs. No nurse had been hired for the sick man, +for nurses cannot be hired without money, and money with the Tom +Mackenzies was scarce. Our Miss Mackenzie would have hired a nurse, +but she thought it better to take the work entirely into her own +hands. She did so, and I think we may say that her brother did not +suffer by it. As she sat by his bedside, night after night, she +seemed to feel that she had fallen again into her proper place, and +she looked back upon the year she had spent at Littlebath almost with +dismay. Since her brother's death, three men had offered to marry +her, and there was a fourth from whom she had expected such an offer. +She looked upon all this with dismay, and told herself that she was +not fit to sail, under her own guidance, out in the broad sea, amidst +such rocks as those. Was not some humbly feminine employment, such as +that in which she was now engaged, better for her in all ways? Sad +as was the present occasion, did she not feel a satisfaction in what +she was doing, and an assurance that she was fit for her position? +Had she not always been ill at ease, and out of her element, while +striving at Littlebath to live the life of a lady of fortune? She +told herself that it was so, and that it would be better for her to +be a hard-working, dependent woman, doing some tedious duty day by +day, than to live a life of ease which prompted her to longings for +things unfitted to her. + +She had brought a little writing-desk with her that she had carried +from Arundel Street to Littlebath, and this she had with her in the +sick man's bedroom. Sitting there through the long hours of night, +she would open this and read over and over again those remnants of +the rhymes written in her early days which she had kept when she made +her great bonfire. There had been quires of such verses, but she had +destroyed all but a few leaves before she started for Littlebath. +What were left, and were now read, were very sweet to her, and yet +she knew that they were wrong and meaningless. What business had such +a one as she to talk of the sphere's tune and the silvery moon, of +bright stars shining and hearts repining? She would not for worlds +have allowed any one to know what a fool she had been--either Mrs +Tom, or John Ball, or Mr Maguire, or Miss Todd. She would have been +covered with confusion if her rhymes had fallen into the hands of any +one of them. + +And yet she loved them well, as a mother loves her only idiot child. +They were her expressions of the romance and poetry that had been +in her; and though the expressions doubtless were poor, the romance +and poetry of her heart had been high and noble. How wrong the world +is in connecting so closely as it does the capacity for feeling and +the capacity for expression,--in thinking that capacity for the one +implies capacity for the other, or incapacity for the one incapacity +also for the other; in confusing the technical art of the man who +sings with the unselfish tenderness of the man who feels! But the +world does so connect them; and, consequently, those who express +themselves badly are ashamed of their feelings. + +She read her poor lines again and again, throwing herself back into +the days and thoughts of former periods, and telling herself that +it was all over. She had thought of encouraging love, and love had +come to her in the shape of Mr Maguire, a very strict evangelical +clergyman, without a cure or an income, somewhat in debt, and with, +oh! such an eye! She tore the papers, very gently, into the smallest +fragments. She tore them again and again, swearing to herself as she +did so that there should be an end of all that; and, as there was +no fire at hand, she replaced the pieces in her desk. During this +ceremony of the tearing she devoted herself to the duties of a single +life, to the drudgeries of ordinary utility, to such works as those +she was now doing. As to any society, wicked or religious,--wicked +after the manner of Miss Todd, or religious after the manner of St +Stumfolda,--it should come or not, as circumstances might direct. She +would go no more in search of it. Such were the resolves of a certain +night, during which the ceremony of the tearing took place. + +It came to pass at this time that Mr Rubb, junior, visited his dying +partner almost daily, and was always left alone with him for some +time. When these visits were made Miss Mackenzie would descend to the +room in which her sister-in-law was sitting, and there would be some +conversation between them about Mr Rubb and his affairs. Much as +these two women disliked each other, there had necessarily arisen +between them a certain amount of confidence. Two persons who are much +thrown together, to the exclusion of other society, will tell each +other their thoughts, even though there be no love between them. + +"What is he saying to him all these times when he is with him?" +said Mrs Tom one morning, when Miss Mackenzie had come down on the +appearance of Mr Rubb in the sick room. + +"He is talking about the business, I suppose." + +"What good can that do? Tom can't say anything about that, as to how +it should be done. He thinks a great deal about Sam Rubb; but it's +more than I do." + +"They must necessarily be in each other's confidence, I should say." + +"He's not in my confidence. My belief is he's been a deal too clever +for Tom; and that he'll turn out to be too clever--for me, and--my +poor orphans." Upon which Mrs Tom put her handkerchief up to her +eyes. "There; he's coming down," continued the wife. "Do you go up +now, and make Tom tell you what it is that Sam Rubb has been saying +to him." + +Margaret Mackenzie did go up as she heard Mr Rubb close the +front door; but she had no such purpose as that with which her +sister-in-law had striven to inspire her. She had no wish to make +the sick man tell her anything that he did not wish to tell. In +considering the matter within her own breast, she owned to herself +that she did not expect much from the Rubbs in aid of the wants of +her nephews and nieces; but what would be the use of troubling a +dying man about that? She had agreed with herself to believe that +the oilcloth business was a bad affair, and that it would be well to +hope for nothing from it. That her brother to the last should harass +himself about the business was only natural; but there could be +no reason why she should harass him on the same subject. She had +recognised the fact that his widow and children must be supported by +her; and had she now been told that the oilcloth factory had been +absolutely abandoned as being worth nothing, it would not have caused +her much disappointment. She thought a great deal more of the railway +company that was going to buy her property under such favourable +circumstances. + +She was, therefore, much surprised when her brother began about the +business as soon as she had seated herself. I do not know that the +reader need be delayed with any of the details that he gave her, or +with the contents of the papers which he showed her. She, however, +found herself compelled to go into the matter, and compelled also +to make an endeavour to understand it. It seemed that everything +hung upon Samuel Rubb, junior, except the fact that Samuel Rubb's +father, who now never went near the place, got more than half the net +profits; and the further fact, that the whole thing would come to an +end if this payment to old Rubb were stopped. + +"Tom," said she, in the middle of it all, when her head was aching +with figures, "if it will comfort you, and enable you to put all +these things away, you may know that I will divide everything I have +with Sarah." + +He assured her that her kindness did comfort him; but he hoped better +than that; he still thought that something better might be arranged +if she would only go on with her task. So she went on painfully +toiling through figures. + +"Sam drew them up on purpose for you, yesterday afternoon," said he. + +"Who did it?" she asked. + +"Samuel Rubb." + +He then went on to declare that she might accept all Samuel Rubb's +figures as correct. + +She was quite willing to accept them, and she strove hard to +understand them. It certainly did seem to her that when her money was +borrowed somebody must have known that the promised security would +not be forthcoming; but perhaps that somebody was old Rubb, whom, as +she did not know him, she was quite ready to regard as the villain in +the play that was being acted. Her own money, too, was a thing of the +past. That fault, if fault there had been, was condoned; and she was +angry with herself in that she now thought of it again. + +"And now," said her brother, as soon as she had put the papers back, +and declared that she understood them. "Now I have something to say +to you which I hope you will hear without being angry." He raised +himself on his bed as he said this, doing so with difficulty and +pain, and turning his face upon her so that he could look into her +eyes. "If I didn't know that I was dying I don't think that I could +say it to you." + +"Say what, Tom?" + +She thought of what most terrible thing it might be possible that +he should have to communicate. Could it be that he had got hold, or +that Rubb and Mackenzie had got hold, of all her fortune, and turned +it into unprofitable oilcloth? Could they in any way have made her +responsible for their engagements? She wished to trust them; she +tried to avoid suspicion; but she feared that things were amiss. + +"Samuel Rubb and I have been talking of it, and he thinks it had +better come from me," said her brother. + +"What had better come?" she asked. + +"It is his proposition, Margaret." Then she knew all about it, and +felt great relief. Then she knew all about it, and let him go on till +he had spoken his speech. + +"God knows how far he may be indulging a false hope, or deceiving +himself altogether; but he thinks it possible that you might--might +become fond of him. There, Margaret, that's the long and the short +of it. And when I told him that he had better say that himself, he +declared that you would not bring yourself to listen to him while I +am lying here dying." + +"Of course I would not." + +"But, look here, Margaret; I know you would do much to comfort me in +my last moments." + +"Indeed, I would, Tom." + +"I wouldn't ask you to marry a man you didn't like,--not even if it +were to do the children a service; but if that can be got over, the +other feeling should not restrain you when it would be the greatest +possible comfort to me." + +"But how could it serve you, Tom?" + +"If that could be arranged, Rubb would give up to Sarah during his +father's life all the proceeds of the business, after paying the +old man. And when he dies, and he is very old now, the five hundred +a-year would be continued to her. Think what that would be, +Margaret." + +"But, Tom, she shall have what will make her comfortable without +waiting for any old man's death. It shall be quite half of my income. +If that is not enough it shall be more. Will not that do for her?" + +Then her brother strove to explain as best he could that the mere +money was not all he wanted. If his sister did not like this man, if +she had no wish to become a married woman, of course, he said, the +plan must fall to the ground. But if there was anything in Mr Rubb's +belief that she was not altogether indifferent to him, if such an +arrangement could be made palatable to her, then he would be able to +think that he, by the work of his life, had left something behind him +to his wife and family. + +"And Sarah would be more comfortable," he pleaded. "Of course, she +is grateful to you, as I am, and as we all are. But given bread is +bitter bread, and if she could think it came to her, of her own +right--" + +He said ever so much more, but that ever so much more was quite +unnecessary. His sister understood the whole matter. It was desirable +that she, by her fortune, should enable the widow and orphans of +her brother to live in comfort; but it was not desirable that this +dependence on her should be plainly recognised. She did not, however, +feel herself to be angry or hurt. It would, no doubt, be better +for the family that they should draw their income in an apparently +independent way from their late father's business than that they +should owe their support to the charity of an aunt. But then, how +about herself? A month or two ago, before the Maguire feature in +her career had displayed itself so strongly, an overture from Mr +Rubb might probably not have been received with disfavour. But now, +while she was as it were half engaged to another man, she could not +entertain such a proposition. Her womanly feeling revolted from it. +No doubt she intended to refuse Mr Maguire. No doubt she had made up +her mind to that absolutely, during the ceremony of tearing up her +verses. And she had never had much love for Mr Maguire, and had felt +some--almost some, for Mr Rubb. In either case she was sure that, had +she married the man,--the one man or the other,--she would instantly +have become devoted to him. And I, who chronicle her deeds and +endeavour to chronicle her thoughts, feel equally sure that it would +have been so. There was something harsh in it, that Mr Maguire's +offer to her should, though never accepted, debar her from the +possibility of marrying Mr Rubb, and thus settling all the affairs of +her family in a way that would have been satisfactory to them and not +altogether unsatisfactory to her; but she was aware that it did so. +She felt that it was so, and then threw herself back for consolation +upon the security which would still be hers, and the want of security +which must attach itself to a marriage with Mr Rubb. He might make +ducks, and drakes, and oilcloth of it all; and then there would be +nothing left for her, for her sister-in-law, or for the children. + +"May I tell him to speak to yourself?" her brother asked, while she +was thinking of all this. + +"No, Tom; it would do no good." + +"You do not fancy him, then." + +"I do not know about fancying; but I think it will be better for me +to remain as I am. I would do anything for you and Sarah, almost +anything; but I cannot do that." + +"Then I will say nothing further." + +"Don't ask me to do that." + +And he did not ask her again, but turned his face from her and +thought of the bitterness of his death-bed. + +That evening, when she went down to tea, she met Samuel Rubb standing +at the drawing-room door. + +"There is no one here," he said; "will you mind coming in? Has your +brother spoken to you?" + +She had followed him into the room, and he had closed the door as he +asked the question. + +"Yes, he has spoken to me." + +She could see that the man was trembling with anxiety and eagerness, +and she almost loved him that he was anxious and eager. Mr Maguire, +when he had come a wooing, had not done it badly altogether, but +there had not been so much reality as there was about Sam Rubb while +he stood there shaking, and fearing, and hoping. + +"Well," said he, "may I hope--may I think it will be so? may I ask +you to be mine?" + +He was handsome in her eyes, though perhaps, delicate reader, he +would not have been handsome in yours. She knew that he was not a +gentleman; but what did that matter? Neither was her sister-in-law +Sarah a lady. There was not much in that house in Gower Street that +was after the manner of gentlemen and ladies. She was ready to throw +all that to the dogs, and would have done so but for Mr Maguire. She +felt that she would like to have allowed herself to love him in spite +of the tearing of the verses. She felt this, and was very angry with +Mr Maguire. But the facts were stern, and there was no hope for her. + +"Mr Rubb," she said, "there can be nothing of that kind." + +"Can't there really, now?" said he. + +She assured him in her strongest language, that there could be +nothing of that kind, and then went down to the dining-room. + +He did not venture to follow her, but made his way out of the house +without seeing anyone else. + +Another fortnight went by, and then, towards the close of September, +came the end of all things in this world for poor Tom Mackenzie. He +died in the middle of the night in his wife's arms, while his sister +stood by holding both their hands. Since the day on which he had +endeavoured to arrange a match between his partner and his sister he +had spoken no word of business, at any rate to the latter, and things +now stood on that footing which she had then attempted to give them. +We all know how silent on such matters are the voices of all in the +bereft household, from the hour of death till that other hour in +which the body is consigned to its kindred dust. Women make mourning, +and men creep about listlessly, but during those few sad days +there may be no talk about money. So it was in Gower Street. The +widow, no doubt, thought much of her bitter state of dependence, +thought something, perhaps, of the chance there might be that her +husband's sister would be less good than her word, now that he was +gone--meditated with what amount of submission she must accept the +generosity of the woman she had always hated; but she was still +mistress of that house till the undertakers had done their work; and +till that work had been done, she said little of her future plans. + +"I'd earn my bread, if I knew how," she began, putting her +handkerchief up to her eyes, on the afternoon of the very day on +which he was buried. + +"There will be no occasion for that, Sarah," said Miss Mackenzie, +"there will be enough for us all." + +"But I would if I knew how. I wouldn't mind what I did; I'd scour +floors rather than be dependent, I've that spirit in me; and I've +worked, and moiled, and toiled with those children; so I have." + +Miss Mackenzie then told her that she had solemnly promised her +brother to divide her income with his widow, and informed her that +she intended to see Mr Slow, the lawyer, on the following day, with +reference to the doing of this. + +"If there is anything from the factory, that can be divided too," +said Miss Mackenzie. + +"But there won't. The Rubbs will take all that; of course they will. +And Tom put into it near upon ten thousand pounds!" + +Then she began to cry again, but soon interrupted her tears to ask +what was to become of Susanna. Susanna, who was by, looked anxiously +up into her aunt's eyes. + +"Susanna and I," said the aunt, "have thrown in our lot together, and +we mean to remain so; don't we, dear?" + +"If mamma will let me." + +"I'm sure it's very good of you to take one off my hands," said the +mother, "for even one will be felt." + +Then came a note to Miss Mackenzie from Lady Ball, asking +her to spend a few days at the Cedars before she returned to +Littlebath,--that is, if she did return,--and she consented to +do this. While she was there Mr Slow could prepare the necessary +arrangements for the division of the property, and she could then +make up her mind as to the manner and whereabouts of her future life. +She was all at sea again, and knew not how to choose. If she were a +Romanist, she would go into a convent; but Protestant convents she +thought were bad, and peculiarly unfitted for the followers of Mr +Stumfold. She had nothing to bind her to any spot, and something to +drive her from every spot of which she knew anything. + +Before she went to the Cedars Mr Rubb came to Gower Street and bade +her farewell. + +"I had allowed myself to hope, Miss Mackenzie," said he, "I had, +indeed; I suppose I was very foolish." + +"I don't know as to being foolish, Mr Rubb, unless it was in caring +about such a person as me." + +"I do care for you, very much; but I suppose I was wrong to think you +would put up with such as I am. Only I did think that perhaps, seeing +that we had been partners with your brother so long-- All the same, I +know that the Mackenzies are different from the Rubbs." + +"That has nothing to do with it; nothing in the least." + +"Hasn't it now? Then, perhaps, Miss Mackenzie, at some future time--" + +Miss Mackenzie was obliged to tell him that there could not possibly +be any other answer given to him at any future time than that which +she gave him now. He suggested that perhaps he might be allowed to +try again when the first month or two of her grief for her brother +should be over; but she assured him that it would be useless. At the +moment of her conference with him, she did this with all her energy; +and then, as soon as she was alone, she asked herself why she had +been so energetical. After all, marriage was an excellent state in +which to live. The romance was doubtless foolish and wrong, and the +tearing of the papers had been discreet, yet there could be no good +reason why she should turn her back upon sober wedlock. Nevertheless, +in all her speech to Mr Rubb she did do so. There was something in +her position as connected with Mr Maguire which made her feel that it +would be indelicate to entertain another suitor before that gentleman +had received a final answer. + +As she went away from Gower Street to the Cedars she thought of this +very sadly, and told herself that she had been like the ass who +starved between two bundles of hay, or as the boy who had fallen +between two stools. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +Lady Ball's Grievance + + +Miss Mackenzie, before she left Gower Street, was forced to make +some arrangements as to her affairs at Littlebath, and these were +ultimately settled in a manner that was not altogether palatable to +her. Mr Rubb was again sent down, having Susanna in his charge, and +he was empowered to settle with Miss Mackenzie's landlady and give +up the lodgings. There was much that was disagreeable in this. Miss +Mackenzie having just rejected Mr Rubb's suit, did not feel quite +comfortable in giving him a commission to see all her stockings and +petticoats packed up and brought away from the lodgings. Indeed, she +could give him no commission of the kind, but intimated her intention +of writing to the lodging-house keeper. He, however, was profuse +in his assurances that nothing should be left behind, and if Miss +Mackenzie would tell him anything of the way in which the things +ought to be packed, he would be so happy to attend to her! To him +Miss Mackenzie would give no such instructions, but, doubtless, she +gave many to Susanna. + +As to Susanna, it was settled that she should remain as a boarder at +the Littlebath school, at any rate for the next half-year. After that +there might be great doubt whether her aunt could bear the expense of +maintaining her in such a position. + +Miss Mackenzie had reconciled herself to going to the Cedars because +she would thus have an opportunity of seeing her lawyer and arranging +about her property, whereas had she been down at Littlebath there +would have been a difficulty. And she wanted some one whom she could +trust to act for her, some one besides the lawyer, and she thought +that she could trust her cousin, John Ball. As to getting away from +all her suitors that was impossible. Had she gone to Littlebath there +was one there; had she remained with her sister-in-law, she would +have been always near another; and, on going to the Cedars, she would +meet the third. But she could not on that account absolutely isolate +herself from everybody that she knew in the world. And, perhaps, she +was getting somewhat used to her suitors, and less liable than she +had been to any fear that they could force her into action against +her own consent. So she went to the Cedars, and, on arriving there, +received from her uncle and aunt but a moderate amount of condolence +as to the death of her brother. + +Her first and second days in her aunt's house were very quiet. +Nothing was said of John's former desires, and nothing about her own +money or her brother's family. On the morning of the third day she +told her cousin that she would, on the next morning, accompany him +to town if he would allow her. "I am going to Mr Slow's," said she, +"and perhaps you could go with me." To this he assented willingly, +and then, after a pause, surmised that her visit must probably have +reference to the sale of her houses to the railway company. "Partly +to that," she said, "but it chiefly concerns arrangements for my +brother's family." + +To this John Ball said nothing, nor did Lady Ball, who was present, +then speak. But Miss Mackenzie could see that her aunt looked at her +cousin, opening her eyes, and expressing concern. John Ball himself +allowed no change to come upon his face, but went on deliberately +with his bread and butter. "I shall be very happy to go with you," he +said, "and will either come and call for you when you have done, or +stay with you while you are there, just as you like." + +"I particularly want you to stay with me," said she, "and as we go up +to town I will tell you all about it." + +She observed that before her cousin left the house on that day, his +mother got hold of him and was alone with him for nearly half an +hour. After that, Lady Ball was alone with Sir John, in his own room, +for another half hour. The old baronet had become older, of course, +and much weaker, since his niece had last been at the Cedars, and was +now seldom seen about the house till the afternoon. + +Of all the institutions at the Cedars that of the carriage was the +most important. Miss Mackenzie found that the carriage arrangement +had been fixed upon a new and more settled basis since her last +visit. Then it used to go out perhaps as often as three times a week. +But there did not appear to be any fixed rule. Like other carriages, +it did, to a certain degree, come when it was wanted. But now there +was, as I have said, a settled basis. The carriage came to the door +on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, exactly at two o'clock, and +Sir John with Lady Ball were driven about till four. + +On the first Tuesday of her visit Miss Mackenzie had gone with her +uncle and aunt, and even she had found the pace to be very slow, and +the whole affair to be very dull. Her uncle had once enlivened the +thing by asking her whether she had found any lovers since she went +to Littlebath, and this question had perplexed her very much. She +could not say that she had found none, and as she was not prepared +to acknowledge that she had found any, she could only sit still and +blush. + +"Women have plenty of lovers when they have plenty of money," said +the baronet. + +"I don't believe that Margaret thinks of anything of the kind," said +Lady Ball. + +After that Margaret determined to have as little to do with the +carriage as possible, and on that evening she learned from her cousin +that the horses had been sold to the man who farmed the land, and +were hired every other day for two hours' work. + +It was on the Thursday morning that Miss Mackenzie had spoken of +going into town on the morrow, and on that day when her aunt asked +her about the driving, she declined. + +"I hope that nothing your uncle said on Tuesday annoyed you?" + +"Oh dear, no; but if you don't mind it, I'd rather stay at home." + +"Of course you shall if you like it," said her aunt; "and by-the-by, +as I want to speak to you, and as we might not find time after coming +home, if you don't mind it I'll do it now." + +Of course Margaret said that she did not mind it, though in truth she +did mind it, and was afraid of her aunt. + +"Well then, Margaret, look here. I want to know something about your +brother's affairs. From what I have heard, I fear they were not very +good." + +"They were very bad, aunt,--very bad indeed." + +"Dear, dear; you don't say so. Sir John always feared that it would +be so when Thomas Mackenzie mixed himself up with those Rubbs. And +there has gone half of Jonathan Ball's money,--money which Sir John +made! Well, well!" + +Miss Mackenzie had nothing to say to this; and as she had nothing to +say to it she sat silent, making no attempt at any words. + +"It does seem hard; don't it, my dear?" + +"It wouldn't make any difference to anybody now--to my uncle, I mean, +or to John, if the money was not gone." + +"That's quite true; quite true; only it does seem to be a pity. +However, that half of Jonathan's money which you have got, is not +lost, and there's some comfort in that." + +Miss Mackenzie was not called upon to make any answer to this; for +although she had lost a large sum of money by lending it to her +brother, nevertheless she was still possessed of a larger sum of +money than that which her brother Walter had received from Jonathan +Ball. + +"And what are they going to do, my dear--the children, I mean, and +the widow? I suppose there'll be something for them out of the +business?" + +"I don't think there'll be anything, aunt. As far as I can understand +there will be nothing certain. They may probably get a hundred and +twenty-five pounds a-year." This she named, as being the interest of +the money she had lent--or given. + +"A hundred and twenty-five pounds a-year. That isn't much, but it +will keep them from absolute want." + +"Would it, aunt?" + +"Oh, yes; at least, I suppose so. I hope she's a good manager. She +ought to be, for she's a very disagreeable woman. You told me that +yourself, you know." + +Then Miss Mackenzie, having considered for one moment, resolved to +make a clean breast of it all, and this she did with the fewest +possible words. + +"I'm going to divide what I've got with them, and I hope it will make +them comfortable." + +"What!" exclaimed her aunt. + +"I'm going to give Sarah half what I've got, for her and her +children. I shall have enough to live on left." + +"Margaret, you don't mean it?" + +"Not mean it? why not, aunt? You would not have me let them starve. +Besides, I promised my brother when he was dying." + +"Then I must say he was very wrong, very wicked, I may say, to exact +any such promise from you; and no such promise is binding. If you +ask Sir John, or your lawyer, they will tell you so. What! exact +a promise from you to the amount of half your income. It was very +wrong." + +"But, aunt, I should do the same if I had made no promise." + +"No, you wouldn't, my dear. Your friends wouldn't let you. And indeed +your friends must prevent it now. They will not hear of such a +sacrifice being made." + +"But, aunt--" + +"Well, my dear." + +"It's my own, you know." And Margaret, as she said this, plucked up +her courage, and looked her aunt full in the face. + +"Yes, it is your own, by law; but I don't suppose, my dear, that you +are of that disposition or that character that you'd wish to set all +the world at defiance, and make everybody belonging to you feel that +you had disgraced yourself." + +"Disgraced myself by relieving my brother's family!" + +"Disgraced yourself by giving to that woman money that has come +to you as your fortune has come. Think of it, where it came from!" + +"It came to me from my brother Walter." + +"And where did he get it? And who made it? And don't you know that +your brother Tom had his share of it, and wasted it all? Did it +not all come from the Balls? And yet you think so little of that, +that you are going to let that woman rob you of it--rob you and my +grandchildren; for that, I tell you, is the way in which the world +will look at it. Perhaps you don't know it, but all that property +was as good as given to John at one time. Who was it first took +you by the hand when you were left all alone in Arundel Street? Oh, +Margaret, don't go and be such an ungrateful, foolish creature!" + +Margaret waited for a moment, and then she answered-- + +"There's nobody so near to me as my own brother's children." + +"As to that, Margaret, there isn't much difference in nearness +between your uncle and your nephews and nieces. But there's a right +and a wrong in these things, and when money is concerned, people +are not justified in indulging their fancies. Everything here has +been told to you. You know how John is situated with his children. +And after what there has been between you and him, and after what +there still might be if you would have it so, I own that I am +astonished--fairly astonished. Indeed, my dear, I can only look on it +as simple weakness on your part. It was but the other day that you +told me you had done all that you thought necessary by your brother +in taking Susanna." + +"But that was when he was alive, and I thought he was doing well." + +"The fact is, you have been there and they've talked you over. It +can't be that you love children that you never saw till the other +day; and as for the woman, you always hated her." + +"Whether I love her or hate her has nothing to do with it." + +"Margaret, will you promise me this, that you will see Mr Slow and +talk to him about it before you do anything?" + +"I must see Mr Slow before I can do anything; but whatever he says, I +shall do it all the same." + +"Will you speak to your uncle?" + +"I had rather not." + +"You are afraid to tell him of this; but of course he must be told. +Will you speak to John?" + +"Certainly; I meant to do so going to town to-morrow." + +"And if he tells you you are wrong--" + +"Aunt, I know I am not wrong. It is nonsense to say that I am wrong +in--" + +"That's disrespectful, Margaret!" + +"I don't want to be disrespectful, aunt; but in such a case as this +I know that I have a right to do what I like with my own money. If +I was going to give it away to any other friend, if I was going to +marry, or anything like that,"--she blushed at the remembrance of +the iniquities she had half intended as she said this--"then there +might be some reason for you to scold me; but with a brother and +a brother's family it can't be wrong. If you had a brother, and +had been with him when he was dying, and he had left his wife and +children looking to you, you would have done the same." + +Upon this Lady Ball got up from her chair and walked to the door. +Margaret had been more impetuous and had answered her with much more +confidence than she had expected. She was determined now to say one +more word, but so to say it that it should not be answered--to strike +one more blow, but so to strike it that it should not be returned. + +"Margaret," she said, as she stood with the door open in her hands, +"if you will reflect where the money came from, your conscience will +tell you without much difficulty where it should go to. And when you +think of your brother's children, whom this time last year you had +hardly seen, think also of John Ball's children, who have welcomed +you into this house as their dearest relative. In one sense, +certainly, the money is yours, Margaret; but in another sense, and +that the highest sense, it is not yours to do what you please with +it." + +Then Lady Ball shut the door rather loudly, and sailed away along the +hall. When the passages were clear, Miss Mackenzie made her way up +into her own room, and saw none of the family till she came down just +before dinner. + +She sat for a long time in the chair by her bed-side thinking of her +position. Was it true after all that she was bound by a sense of +justice to give any of her money to the Balls? It was true that in +one sense it had been taken from them, but she had had nothing to do +with the taking. If her brother Walter had married and had children, +then the Balls would have not expected the money back again. It was +ever so many years,--five-and-twenty years, and more since the legacy +had been made by Jonathan Ball to her brother, and it seemed to her +that her aunt had no common sense on her side in the argument. Was it +possible that she should allow her own nephews and nieces to starve +while she was rich? She had, moreover, made a promise,--a promise to +one who was now dead, and there was a solemnity in that which carried +everything else before it. Even though the thing might be unjust, +still she must do it. + +But she was to give only half her fortune to her brother's family; +there would still be the half left for herself, for herself or +for these Balls if they wanted it so sorely. She was beginning to +hate her money. It had brought to her nothing but tribulation and +disappointment. Had Walter left her a hundred a year, she would, +not having then dreamed of higher things, have been amply content. +Would it not be better that she should take for herself some modest +competence, something on which she might live without trouble to her +relatives, without trouble to her friends she had first said,--but +as she did so she told herself with scorn that friends she had +none,--and then let the Balls have what was left her after she had +kept her promise to her brother? Anything would be better than such +persecution as that to which her aunt had subjected her. + +At last she made up her mind to speak of it all openly to her cousin. +She had an idea that in such matters men were more trustworthy than +women, and perhaps less greedy. Her cousin would, she thought, be +more just to her than her aunt had been. That her aunt had been very +unjust,--cruel and unjust,--she felt assured. + +She came down to dinner, and she could see by the manner of them all +that the matter had been discussed since John Ball's return from +London. Jack, the eldest son, was not at home, and the three girls +who came next to Jack dined with their father and grandfather. To +them Margaret endeavoured to talk easily, but she failed. They had +never been favourites with her as Jack was, and, on this occasion, +she could get very little from them that was satisfactory to her. +John Ball was courteous to her, but he was very silent throughout the +whole evening. Her aunt showed her displeasure by not speaking to +her, or speaking barely with a word. Her uncle, of whose voice she +was always in fear, seemed to be more cross, and when he did speak, +more sarcastic than ever. He asked her whether she intended to go +back to Littlebath. + +"I think not," said she. + +"Then that has been a failure, I suppose," said the old man. + +"Everything is a failure, I think," said she, with tears in her eyes. + +This was in the drawing-room, and immediately her cousin John came +and sat by her. He came and sat there, as though he had intended +to speak to her; but he went away again in a minute or two without +having uttered a word. Things went on in the same way till they +moved off to bed, and then the formal adieus for the night were made +with a coldness that amounted, on the part of Lady Ball, almost to +inhospitality. + +"Good-night, Margaret," she said, as she just put out the tip of her +finger. + +"Good-night, my dear," said Sir John. "I don't know what's the matter +with you, but you look as though you'd been doing something that you +were ashamed of." + +Lady Ball was altogether injudicious in her treatment of her niece. +As to Sir John, it made probably very little difference. Miss +Mackenzie had perceived, when she first came to the Cedars, that he +was a cross old man, and that he had to be endured as such by any one +who chose to go into that house. But she had depended on Lady Ball +for kindness of manner, and had been tempted to repeat her visits to +the house because her aunt had, after her fashion, been gracious to +her. But now there was rising in her breast a feeling that she had +better leave the Cedars as soon as she could shake the dust off her +feet, and see nothing more of the Balls. Even the Rubb connection +seemed to her to be better than the Ball connection, and less +exaggerated in its greediness. Were it not for her cousin John, she +would have resolved to go on the morrow. She would have faced the +indignation of her aunt, and the cutting taunts of her uncle, and +have taken herself off at once to some lodging in London. But John +Ball had meant to be kind to her when he came and sat close to her on +the sofa, and her soft heart relented towards him. + +Lady Ball had in truth mistaken her niece's character. She had found +her to be unobtrusive, gentle, and unselfish; and had conceived that +she must therefore be weak and compliant. As to many things she was +compliant, and as to some things she was weak; but there was in her +composition a power of resistance and self-sustenance on which Lady +Ball had not counted. When conscious of absolute ill-usage, she could +fight well, and would not bow her neck to any Mrs Stumfold or to any +Lady Ball. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +Mr Slow's Chambers + + +She came down late to breakfast on the following morning, not being +present at prayers, and when she came down she wore a bonnet. + +"I got myself ready, John, for fear I should keep you waiting." + +Her aunt spoke to her somewhat more graciously than on the preceding +evening, and accepted her apology for being late. + +Just as she was about to start Lady Ball took her apart and spoke one +word to her. + +"No one can tell you better what you ought to do than your cousin +John; but pray remember that he is far too generous to say a word for +himself." + +Margaret made no answer, and then she and her cousin started on foot +across the grounds to the station. The distance was nearly a mile, +and during the walk no word was said between them about the money. +They got into the train that was to take them up to London, and sat +opposite to each other. It happened that there was no passenger in +either of the seats next to him or her, so that there was ample +opportunity for them to hold a private conversation; but Mr Ball said +nothing to her, and she, not knowing how to begin, said nothing to +him. In this way they reached the London station at Waterloo Bridge, +and then he asked her what she proposed to do next. + +"Shall we go to Mr Slow's at once?" she asked. + +To this he assented, and at her proposition they agreed to walk to +the lawyer's chambers. These were on the north side of Lincoln's Inn +Fields, near the Turnstile, and Mr Ball remarked that the distance +was again not much above a mile. So they crossed the Strand together, +and made their way by narrow streets into Drury Lane, and then under +a certain archway into Lincoln's Inn Fields. To Miss Mackenzie, who +felt that something ought to be said, the distance and time occupied +seemed to be very short. + +"Why, this is Lincoln's Inn Fields!" she exclaimed, as she came out +upon the west side. + +"Yes; this is Lincoln's Inn Fields, and Mr Slow's chambers are over +there." + +She knew very well where Mr Slow's chambers were situated, but she +paused on the pavement, not wishing to go thither quite at once. + +"John," she said, "I thought that perhaps we might have talked over +all this before we saw Mr Slow." + +"Talked over all what?" + +"About the money that I want to give to my brother's family. Did not +my aunt tell you of it?" + +"Yes; she told me that you and she had differed." + +"And she told you what about?" + +"Yes," said he, slowly; "she told me what about." + +"And what ought I to do, John?" + +As she asked the question she caught hold of the lappet of his coat, +and looked up into his face as though supplicating him to give her +the advantage of all his discretion and all his honesty. + +They were still standing on the pavement, where the street comes out +from under the archway. She was gazing into his face, and he was +looking away from her, over towards the inner railings of the square, +with heavy brow and dull eye and motionless face. She was very eager, +and he seemed to be simply patient, but nevertheless he was working +hard with his thoughts, striving to determine how best he might +answer her. His mother had told him that he might model this woman to +his will, and had repeated to him that story which he had heard so +often of the wrong that had been done to him by his uncle Jonathan. +It may be said that there was no need for such repetition, as John +Ball had himself always thought quite enough of that injury. He had +thought of it for the last twenty years, almost hourly, till it was +graven upon his very soul. He had been a ruined, wretched, moody man, +because of his uncle Jonathan's will. There was no need, one would +have said, to have stirred him on that subject. But his mother, on +this morning, in the ten minutes before prayer-time, had told him +of it all again, and had told him also that the last vestige of his +uncle's money would now disappear from him unless he interfered to +save it. + +"On this very day it must be saved; and she will do anything you tell +her," said his mother. "She regards you more than anyone else. If you +were to ask her again now, I believe she would accept you this very +day. At any rate, do not let those people have the money." + +And yet he had not spoken to Margaret on the subject during the +journey, and would now have taken her to the lawyer's chambers +without a word, had she not interrupted him and stopped him. + +Nevertheless he had been thinking of his uncle, and his uncle's will, +and his uncle's money, throughout the morning. He was thinking of it +at that moment when she stopped him--thinking how hard it all was, +how cruel that those people in the New Road should have had and spent +half his uncle's fortune, and that now the remainder, which at one +time had seemed to be near the reach of his own children, should also +go to atone for the negligence and fraud of those wretched Rubbs. + +We all know with how strong a bias we regard our own side of any +question, and he regarded his side in this question with a very +strong bias. Nevertheless he had refrained from a word, and would +have refrained, had she not stopped him. + +When she took hold of him by the coat, he looked for a moment into +her face, and thought that in its trouble it was very sweet. She +leaned somewhat against him as she spoke, and he wished that she +would lean against him altogether. There was about her a quiet +power of endurance, and at the same time a comeliness and a womanly +softness which seemed to fit her altogether for his wants and +wishes. As he looked with his dull face across into the square, no +physiognomist would have declared of him that at that moment he was +suffering from love, or thinking of a woman that was dear to him. But +it was so with him, and the physiognomist, had one been there, would +have been wrong. She had now asked him a question, which he was bound +to answer in some way:--"What ought I to do, John?" + +He turned slowly round and walked with her, away from their +destination, round by the south side of the square, and then up along +the blank wall on the east side, nearly to the passage into Holborn, +and back again all round the enclosed space. She, while she was +speaking to him and listening to him, hardly remembered where she was +or whither she was going. + +"I thought," said he, in answer to her question, "that you intended +to ask Mr Slow's advice?" + +"I didn't mean to do more than tell him what should be done. He is +not a friend, you know, John." + +"It's customary to ask lawyers their advice on such subjects." + +"I'd rather have yours, John. But, in truth, what I want you to say +is, that I am right in doing this,--right in keeping my promise to my +brother, and providing for his children." + +"Like most people, Margaret, you want to be advised to follow your +own counsel." + +"God knows that I want to do right, John. I want to do nothing else, +John, but what's right. As to this money, I care but little for it +for myself." + +"It is your own, and you have a right to enjoy it." + +"I don't know much about enjoyment. As to enjoyment, it seems to me +to be pretty much the same whether a person is rich or poor. I always +used to hear that money brought care, and I'm sure I've found it so +since I had any." + +"You've got no children, Margaret." + +"No; but there are all those orphans. Am I not bound to look upon +them as mine, now that he has gone? If they don't depend on me, whom +are they to depend on?" + +"If your mind is made up, Margaret, I have nothing to say against it. +You know what my wishes are. They are just the same now as when you +were last with us. It isn't only for the money I say this, though, +of course, that must go a long way with a man circumstanced as I am; +but, Margaret, I love you dearly, and if you can make up your mind to +be my wife, I would do my best to make you happy." + +"I hadn't meant you to talk in that way, John," said Margaret. + +But she was not much flurried. She was now so used to these overtures +that they did not come to her as much out of the common way. And she +gave herself none of that personal credit which women are apt to take +to themselves when they find they are often sought in marriage. She +looked upon her lovers as so many men to whom her income would be +convenient, and felt herself to be almost under an obligation to +them for their willingness to put up with the incumbrance which was +attached to it. + +"But it's the only way I can talk when you ask me about this," said +he. Then he paused for a moment before he added, "How much is it you +wish to give to your brother's widow?" + +"Half what I've got left." + +"Got left! You haven't lost any of your money have you, Margaret?" + +Then she explained to him the facts as to the loan, and took care +to explain to him also, very fully, the compensatory fact of the +purchase by the railway company. "And my promise to him was made +after I had lent it, you know," she urged. + +"I do think it ought to be deducted; I do indeed," he said. "I am +not speaking on my own behalf now, as for the sake of my children, +but simply as a man of business. As for myself, though I do think I +have been hardly used in the matter of my uncle's money, I'll try to +forget it. I'll try at any rate to do without it. When I first knew +you, and found--found that I liked you so much, I own that I did have +hopes. But if it must be, there shall be an end of that. The children +don't starve, I suppose." + +"Oh, John!" + +"As for me, I won't hanker after your money. But, for your own sake, +Margaret--" + +"There will be more than enough for me, you know; and, John--" + +She was going to make him some promise; to tell him something of her +intention towards his son, and to make some tender of assistance to +himself; being now in that mind to live on the smallest possible +pittance, of which I have before spoken, when he ceased speaking or +listening, and hurried her on to the attorney's chambers. + +"Do what you like with it. It is your own," said he. "And we shall do +no good by talking about it any longer out here." + +So at last they made their way up to Mr Slow's rooms, on the first +floor in the old house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, and were informed +that that gentleman was at home. Would they be pleased to sit down in +the waiting-room? + +There is, I think, no sadder place in the world than the waiting-room +attached to an attorney's chambers in London. In this instance it was +a three-cornered room, which had got itself wedged in between the +house which fronted to Lincoln's Inn Fields, and some buildings in a +narrow lane that ran at the back of the row. There was no carpet in +it, and hardly any need of one, as the greater part of the floor was +strewed with bundles of dusty papers. There was a window in it, which +looked out from the point of the further angle against the wall of +the opposite building. The dreariness of this aspect had been thought +to be too much for the minds of those who waited, and therefore the +bottom panes had been clouded, so that there was in fact no power of +looking out at all. Over the fireplace there was a table of descents +and relationship, showing how heirship went; and the table was very +complicated, describing not only the heirship of ordinary real and +personal property, but also explaining the wonderful difficulties of +gavelkind, and other mysteriously traditional laws. But the table was +as dirty as it was complicated, and the ordinary waiting reader could +make nothing of it. There was a small table in the room, near the +window, which was always covered with loose papers; but these loose +papers were on this occasion again covered with sheets of parchment, +and a pale-faced man, of about thirty, whose beard had never yet +attained power to do more than sprout, was sitting at the table, and +poring over the parchments. Round the room, on shelves, there was a +variety of iron boxes, on which were written the names of Mr Slow's +clients,--of those clients whose property justified them in having +special boxes of their own. But these boxes were there, it must be +supposed, for temporary purposes,--purposes which might be described +as almost permanently temporary,--for those boxes which were allowed +to exist in absolute permanence of retirement, were kept in an iron +room downstairs, the trap-door into which had yawned upon Miss +Mackenzie as she was shown into the waiting-room. There was, however, +one such box open, on the middle of the floor, and sundry of the +parchments which had been taken from it were lying around it. + +There were but two chairs in the room besides the one occupied by the +man at the table, and these were taken by John Ball and his cousin. +She sat herself down, armed with patience, indifferent to the delay +and indifferent to the dusty ugliness of everything around her, as +women are on such occasions. He, thinking much of his time, and +somewhat annoyed at being called upon to wait, sat with his chin +resting on his umbrella between his legs, and as he did so he allowed +his eyes to roam around among the names upon the boxes. There was +nothing on any one of those up on the shelves that attracted him. +There was the Marquis of B----, and Sir C. D----, and the Dowager +Countess of E----. Seeing this, he speculated mildly whether Mr Slow +put forward the boxes of his aristocratic customers to show how well +he was doing in the world. But presently his eye fell from the shelf +and settled upon the box on the floor. There, on that box, he saw the +name of Walter Mackenzie. + +This did not astonish him, as he immediately said to himself that +these papers were being searched with reference to the business on +which his cousin was there that day; but suddenly it occurred to him +that Margaret had given him to understand that Mr Slow did not expect +her. He stepped over to her, therefore, one step over the papers, and +asked her the question, whispering it into her ear. + +"No," said she, "I had no appointment. I don't think he expects me." + +He returned to his seat, and again sitting down with his chin on +the top of his umbrella, surveyed the parchments that lay upon the +ground. Upon one of them, that was not far from his feet, he read the +outer endorsements written as such endorsements always are, in almost +illegible old English letters-- + +"Jonathan Ball, to John Ball, junior--Deed of Gift." + +But, after all, there was nothing more than a coincidence in this. +Of course Mr Slow would have in his possession all the papers +appertaining to the transfer of Jonathan Ball's property to the +Mackenzies; or, at any rate, such as referred to Walter's share of +it. Indeed, Mr Slow, at the time of Jonathan Ball's death, acted for +the two brothers, and it was probable that all the papers would be +with him. John Ball had known that there had been some intention +on his uncle's part, before the quarrel between his father and his +uncle, to make over to him, on his coming of age, a certain property +in London, and he had been told that the money which the Mackenzies +had inherited had ultimately come from this very property. His uncle +had been an eccentric, quarrelsome man, prone to change his mind +often, and not regardful of money as far as he himself was concerned. +John Ball remembered to have heard that his uncle had intended him to +become possessed of certain property in his own right the day that +he became of age, and that this had all been changed because of the +quarrel which had taken place between his uncle and his father. His +father now never spoke of this, and for many years past had seldom +mentioned it. But from his mother he had often heard of the special +injury which he had undergone. + +"His uncle," she had said, "had given it, and had taken it back +again,--had taken it back that he might waste it on those +Mackenzies." + +All this he had heard very often, but he had never known anything of +a deed of gift. Was it not singular, he thought, that the draft of +such a deed should be lying at his foot at this moment. + +He showed nothing of this in his face, and still sat there with his +chin resting on his umbrella. But certainly stronger ideas than usual +of the great wrongs which he had suffered did come into his head as +he looked upon the paper at his feet. He began to wonder whether he +would be justified in taking it up and inspecting it. But as he was +thinking of this the pale-faced man rose from his chair, and after +moving among the papers on the ground for an instant, selected this +very document, and carried it with him to his table. Mr Ball, as +his eyes followed the parchment, watched the young man dust it and +open it, and then having flattened it with his hand, glance over it +till he came to a certain spot. The pale-faced clerk, accustomed +to such documents, glanced over the ambages, the "whereases," the +"aforesaids," the rich exuberance of "admors.," "exors.," and +"assigns," till he deftly came to the pith of the matter, and then +he began to make extracts, a date here and a date there. John Ball +watched him all the time, till the door was opened, and old Mr Slow +himself appeared in the room. + +He stepped across the papers to shake hands with his client, and then +shook hands also with Mr Ball, whom he knew. His eye glanced at once +down to the box, and after that over towards the pale-faced clerk. +Mr Ball perceived that the attorney had joined in his own mind the +operation that was going on with these special documents, and the +presence of these two special visitors; and that he, in some measure, +regretted the coincidence. There was something wrong, and John Ball +began to consider whether the old lawyer could be an old scoundrel. +Some lawyers, he knew, were desperate scoundrels. He said nothing, +however; but, obeying Mr Slow's invitation, followed him and his +cousin into the sanctum sanctorum of the chambers. + +"They didn't tell me you were here at first," said the lawyer, in a +tone of vexation, "or I wouldn't have had you shown in there." + +John Ball thought that this was, doubtless, true, and that very +probably they might not have been put in among those papers had Mr +Slow known what was being done. + +"The truth is," continued the lawyer, "the Duke of F----'s man of +business was with me, and they did not like to interrupt me." + +Mr Slow was a grey-haired old man, nearer eighty than seventy, +who, with the exception of a fortnight's holiday every year which +he always spent at Margate, had attended those same chambers in +Lincoln's Inn Fields daily for the last sixty years. He was a stout, +thickset man, very leisurely in all his motions, who walked slowly, +talked slowly, read slowly, wrote slowly, and thought slowly; but +who, nevertheless, had the reputation of doing a great deal of +business, and doing it very well. He had a partner in the business, +almost as old as himself, named Bideawhile; and they who knew them +both used to speculate which of the two was the most leisurely. It +was, however, generally felt that, though Mr Slow was the slowest in +his speech, Mr Bideawhile was the longest in getting anything said. +Mr Slow would often beguile his time with unnecessary remarks; but Mr +Bideawhile was so constant in beguiling his time, that men wondered +how, in truth, he ever did anything at all. Of both of them it may be +said that no men stood higher in their profession, and that Mr Ball's +suspicions, had they been known in the neighbourhood of Lincoln's +Inn, would have been scouted as utterly baseless. And, for the +comfort of my readers, let me assure them that they were utterly +baseless. There might, perhaps, have been a little vanity about Mr +Slow as to the names of his aristocratic clients; but he was an +honest, painstaking man, who had ever done his duty well by those who +had employed him. + +Is it not remarkable that the common repute which we all give to +attorneys in the general is exactly opposite to that which every man +gives to his own attorney in particular? Whom does anybody trust so +implicitly as he trusts his own attorney? And yet is it not the case +that the body of attorneys is supposed to be the most roguish body in +existence? + +The old man seemed now to be a little fretful, and said something +more about his sorrow at their having been sent into that room. + +"We are so crowded," he said, "that we hardly know how to stir +ourselves." + +Miss Mackenzie said it did not signify in the least. Mr Ball said +nothing, but seated himself with his chin again resting on his +umbrella. + +"I was so sorry to see in the papers an account of your brother's +death," said Mr Slow. + +"Yes, Mr Slow; he has gone, and left a wife and very large family." + +"I hope they are provided for, Miss Mackenzie." + +"No, indeed; they are not provided for at all. My brother had not +been fortunate in business." + +"And yet he went into it with a large capital,--with a large capital +in such a business as that." + +John Ball, with his chin on the umbrella, said nothing. He said +nothing, but he winced as he thought whence the capital had come. And +he thought, too, of those much-meaning words: "Jonathan Ball to John +Ball, junior--Deed of gift." + +"He had been unfortunate," said Miss Mackenzie, in an apologetic +tone. + +"And what will you do about your loan?" said Mr Slow, looking over +to John Ball when he asked the question, as though inquiring whether +all Miss Mackenzie's affairs were to be talked over openly in the +presence of that gentleman. + +"That was a gift," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"A deed of gift," thought John Ball to himself. "A deed of gift!" + +"Oh, indeed! Then there's an end of that, I suppose," said Mr Slow. + +"Exactly so. I have been explaining to my cousin all about it. I hope +the firm will be able to pay my sister-in-law the interest on it, but +that does not seem sure." + +"I am afraid I cannot help you there, Miss Mackenzie." + +"Of course not. I was not thinking of it. But what I've come about is +this." Then she told Mr Slow the whole of her project with reference +to her fortune; how, on his death-bed, she had promised to give half +of all that she had to her brother's wife and family, and how she had +come there to him, with her cousin, in order that he might put her in +the way of keeping her promise. + +Mr Slow sat in silence and patiently heard her to the end. She, +finding herself thus encouraged to speak, expatiated on the solemnity +of her promise, and declared that she could not be comfortable till +she had done all that she had undertaken to perform. "And I shall +have quite enough for myself afterwards, Mr Slow, quite enough." + +Mr Slow did not say a word till she had done, and even then he +seemed to delay his speech. John Ball never raised his face from his +umbrella, but sat looking at the lawyer, whom he still suspected of +roguery. And if the lawyer were a rogue, what then about his cousin? +It must not be supposed that he suspected her; but what would come of +her, if the fortune she held were, in truth, not her own? + +"I have told my cousin all about it," continued Margaret, "and I +believe that he thinks I am doing right. At any rate, I would do +nothing without his knowing it." + +"I think she is giving her sister-in-law too much," said John Ball. + +"I am only doing what I promised," urged Margaret. + +"I think that the money which she lent to the firm should, at any +rate, be deducted," said John Ball, speaking this with a kind of +proviso to himself, that the words so spoken were intended to be +taken as having any meaning only on the presumption that that +document which he had seen in the other room should turn out to be +wholly inoperative and inefficient at the present moment. In answer +to these side-questions or corollary points as to the deduction or +non-deduction of the loan, Mr Slow answered not a word; but when +there was silence between them, he did make answer as to the original +proposition. + +"Miss Mackenzie," he said, "I think you had better postpone doing +anything in this matter for the present." + +"Why postpone it?" said she. + +"Your brother's death is very recent. It happened not above a +fortnight since, I think." + +"And I want to have this settled at once, so that there shall be no +distress. What's the good of waiting?" + +"Such things want thinking of, Miss Mackenzie." + +"But I have thought of it. All I want now is to have it done." + +A slight smile came across the puckered grey face of the lawyer as he +felt the imperative nature of the instruction given to him. The lady +had come there not to be advised, but to have her work done for her +out of hand. But the smile was very melancholy, and soon passed away. + +"Is the widow in immediate distress?" asked Mr Slow. + +Now the fact was that Miss Mackenzie herself had been in good funds, +having had ready money in her hands from the time of her brother +Walter's death; and for the last year she had by no means spent her +full income. She had, therefore, given her sister-in-law money, and +had paid the small debts which had come in, as such small debts will +come in, directly the dead man's body was under ground. Nay, some had +come in and had been paid while the man was yet dying. She exclaimed, +therefore, that her sister-in-law was not absolutely in immediate +want. + +"And does she keep the house?" asked the lawyer. + +Then Miss Mackenzie explained that Mrs Tom intended, if possible, to +keep the house, and to take some lady in to lodge with her. + +"Then there cannot be any immediate hurry," urged the lawyer; "and +as the sum of money in question is large, I really think the matter +should be considered." + +But Miss Mackenzie still pressed it. She was very anxious to make him +understand--and of course he did understand at once--that she had +no wish to hurry him in his work. All that she required of him was +an assurance that he accepted her instructions, and that the thing +should be done with not more than the ordinary amount of legal delay. + +"You can pay her what you like out of your own income," said the +lawyer. + +"But that is not what I promised," said Margaret Mackenzie. + +Then there was silence among them all. Mr Ball had said very little +since he had been sitting in that room, and now it was not he who +broke the silence. He was still thinking of that deed of gift, and +wondering whether it had anything to do with Mr Slow's unwillingness +to undertake the commission which Margaret wished to give him. At +last Mr Slow got up from his chair, and spoke as follows: + +"Mr Ball, I hope you will excuse me; but I have a word or two to say +to Miss Mackenzie, which I had rather say to her alone." + +"Certainly," said Mr Ball, rising and preparing to go. + +"You will wait for me, John," said Miss Mackenzie, asking this favour +of him as though she were very anxious that he should grant it. + +Mr Slow said that he might be closeted with Miss Mackenzie for some +little time, perhaps for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. John +Ball looked at his watch, and then at his cousin's face, and then +promised that he would wait. Mr Slow himself took him into the outer +office, and then handed him a chair; but he observed that he was not +allowed to go back into the waiting-room. + +There he waited for three-quarters of an hour, constantly looking at +his watch, and thinking more and more about that deed of gift. Surely +it must be the case that the document which he had seen had some +reference to this great delay. At last he heard a door open, and a +step along a passage, and then another door was opened, and Mr Slow +reappeared with Margaret Mackenzie behind him. John Ball's eyes +immediately fell on his cousin's face, and he could see that it was +very pale. The lawyer's wore that smile which men put on when they +wish to cover the disagreeable seriousness of the moment. + +"Good morning, Miss Mackenzie," said he, pressing his client's hand. + +"Good morning, sir," said she. + +The lawyer and Mr Ball then touched each other's hands, and the +former followed his cousin down the steps out into the square. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +Tribulation + + +When they were once more out in the square, side by side, Miss +Mackenzie took hold of her cousin's arm and walked on for a few steps +in silence, in the direction of Great Queen Street--that is to say, +away from the city, towards which she knew her cousin would go in +pursuit of his own business. And indeed the hour was now close at +hand in which he should be sitting as a director at the Shadrach +Fire Assurance Office. If not at the Shadrach by two, or, with all +possible allowance for the shortcoming of a generally punctual +director, by a quarter past two, he would be too late for his guinea; +and now, as he looked at his watch, it wanted only ten minutes to +two. He was very particular about these guineas, and the chambers of +the Shadrach were away in Old Broad Street. Nevertheless he walked on +with her. + +"John," she said, when they had walked half the length of that side +of the square, "I have heard dreadful news." + +Then that deed of gift was, after all, a fact; and Mr Slow, instead +of being a rogue, must be the honestest old lawyer in London! He must +have been at work in discovering the wrong that had been done, and +was now about to reveal it to the world. Some such idea as this had +glimmered across Mr Ball's mind as he had sat in Mr Slow's outer +office, with his chin still resting on his umbrella. + +But though some such idea as this did cross his mind, his thought on +the instant was of his cousin. + +"What dreadful news, Margaret?" + +"It is about my money." + +"Stop a moment, Margaret. Are you sure that you ought to tell it to +me?" + +"If I don't, to whom shall I tell it? And how can I bear it without +telling it to some one?" + +"Did Mr Slow bid you speak of it to me?" + +"No; he bade me think much of it before I did so, as you are +concerned. And he said that you might perhaps be disappointed." + +Then they walked on again in silence. John Ball found his position +to be very difficult, and hardly knew how to speak to her, or how to +carry himself. If it was to be that this money was to come back to +him; if it was his now in spite of all that had come and gone; if the +wrong done was to be righted, and the property wrested from him was +to be restored,--restored to him who wanted it so sorely,--how could +he not triumph in such an act of tardy restitution? He remembered all +the particulars at this moment. Twelve thousand pounds of his uncle +Jonathan's money had gone to Walter Mackenzie. The sum once intended +for him had been much more than that,--more he believed than double +that; but if twelve thousand pounds was now restored to him, how +different would it make the whole tenor of his life; Mr Slow said +that he might be disappointed; but then Mr Slow was not his lawyer. +Did he not owe it to his family immediately to go to his own +attorney? Now he thought no more of his guinea at the Shadrach, but +walked on by his cousin's side with his mind intently fixed on his +uncle's money. She was still leaning on his arm. + +"Tell me, John, what shall I do?" said she, looking up into his face. + +Would it not be better for them, better for the interests of them +both, that they should be separated? Was it probable, or possible, +that with interests so adverse, they should give each other good +advice? Did it not behove him to explain to her that till this should +be settled between them, they must necessarily regard each other as +enemies? For a moment or two he wished himself away from her, and was +calculating how he might escape. But then, when he looked down at +her, and saw the softness of her eye, and felt the confidence implied +in the weight of her hand upon his arm, his hard heart was softened, +and he relented. + +"It is difficult to tell you what you should do," he said. "At +present nothing seems to be known. He has said nothing for certain." + +"But I could understand him," she said, in reply; "I could see by +his face, and I knew by the tone of his voice, that he was almost +certain. I know that he is sure of it. John, I shall be a beggar, an +absolute beggar! I shall have nothing; and those poor children will +be beggars, and their mother. I feel as though I did not know where I +am, or what I am doing." + +Then an idea came into his head. If this money was not hers, it was +his. If it was not his, then it was hers. Would it not be well that +they should solve all the difficulty by agreeing then and there to be +man and wife? It was true that since his Rachel's death he had seen +no woman whom he so much coveted to have in his home as this one who +now leaned on his arm. But, as he thought of it, there seemed to be +a romance about such a step which would not befit him. What would +his mother and father say to him if, after all his troubles, he was +at last to marry a woman without a farthing? And then, too, would +she consent to give up all further consideration for her brother's +family? Would she agree to abandon her idea of assisting them, if +ultimately it should turn out that the property was hers? No; there +was certainly a looseness about such a plan which did not befit him; +and, moreover, were he to attempt it, he would probably not succeed. + +But something must be done, now at this moment. The guinea at the +Shadrach was gone for ever, and therefore he could devote himself for +the day to his cousin. + +"Are you to hear again from Mr Slow?" he said. + +"I am to go to him this day week." + +"And then it will be decided?" + +"John, it is decided now; I am sure of it. I feel that it is all +gone. A careful man like that would never have spoken as he did, +unless he was sure. It will be all yours, John." + +"So would have been that which your brother had," said he. + +"I suppose so. It is dreadful to think of; very dreadful. I can only +promise that I will spend nothing till it is decided. John, I wish +you would take from me what I have, lest it should go." And she +absolutely had her hand upon her purse in her pocket. + +"No," said he slowly, "no; you need think of nothing of that sort." + +"But what am I to do? Where am I to go while this week passes by?" + +"You will stay where you are, of course." + +"Oh John! if you could understand! How am I to look my aunt in the +face. Don't you know that she would not wish to have me there at all +if I was a poor creature without anything?" The poor creature did not +know herself how terribly heavy was the accusation she was bringing +against her aunt. "And what will she say when she knows that the +money I have spent has never really been my own?" + +Then he counselled her to say nothing about it to her aunt till after +her next visit to Mr Slow's and made her understand that he, himself, +would not mention the subject at the Cedars till the week was passed. +He should go, he said, to his own lawyer, and tell him the whole +story as far as he knew it. It was not that he in the least doubted +Mr Slow's honesty or judgment, but it would be better that the two +should act together. Then when the week was over, he and Margaret +would once more go to Lincoln's Inn Fields. + +"What a week I shall have!" said she. + +"It will be a nervous time for us both," he answered. + +"And what must I do after that?" This question she asked, not in the +least as desirous of obtaining from him any assurance of assistance, +but in the agony of her spirit, and in sheer dismay as to her +prospects. + +"We must hope for the best," he said. "God tempers the wind to the +shorn lamb." He had often thought of the way in which he had been +shorn, but he did not, at this moment, remember that the shearing had +never been so tempered as to be acceptable to his own feelings. + +"And in God only can I trust," she answered. As she said this, her +mind went away to Littlebath, and the Stumfoldians, and Mr Maguire. +Was there not great mercy in the fact, that this ruin had not found +her married to that unfortunate clergyman? And what would they all +say at Littlebath when they heard the story? How would Mrs Stumfold +exult over the downfall of the woman who had rebelled against her! +how would the nose of the coachmaker's wife rise in the air! and how +would Mr Maguire rejoice that this great calamity had not fallen upon +him! Margaret Mackenzie's heart and spirit had been sullied by no +mean feeling with reference to her own wealth. It had never puffed +her up with exultation. But she calculated on the meanness of others, +as though it was a matter of course, not, indeed, knowing that it was +meanness, or blaming them in any way for that which she attributed to +them. Four gentlemen had wished to marry her during the past year. It +never occurred to her now, that any one of these four would on that +account hold out a hand to help her. In losing her money she would +have lost all that was desirable in their eyes, and this seemed to +her to be natural. + +They were still walking round Lincoln's Inn Fields. "John," she +exclaimed suddenly, "I must go to them in Gower Street." + +"What, now, to-day?" + +"Yes, now, immediately. You need not mind me; I can get back to +Twickenham by myself. I know the trains." + +"If I were you, Margaret, I would not go till all this is decided." + +"It is decided, John; I know it is. And how can I leave them in such +a condition, spending money which they will never get? They must know +it some time, and the sooner the better. Mr Rubb must know it too. He +must understand that he is more than ever bound to provide them with +an income out of the business." + +"I would not do it to-day if I were you." + +"But I must, John; this very day. If I am not home by dinner, tell +them that I had to go to Gower Street. I shall at any rate be there +in the evening. Do not you mind coming back with me." + +They were then at the gate leading into the New Square, and she +turned abruptly round, and hurried away from him up into Holborn, +passing very near to Mr Slow's chambers. John Ball did not attempt +to follow her, but stood there awhile looking after her. He felt, +in his heart, and knew by his judgment, that she was a good woman, +true, unselfish, full of love, clever too in her way, quick in +apprehension, and endowed with an admirable courage. He had heard her +spoken of at the Cedars as a poor creature who had money. Nay, he +himself had taken a part in so speaking of her. Now she had no money, +but he knew well that she was a creature the very reverse of poor. +What should he do for her? In what way should he himself behave +towards her? In the early days of his youth, before the cares of the +world had made him hard, he had married his Rachel without a penny, +and his father had laughed at him, and his mother had grieved over +him. Tough and hard, and careworn as he was now, defiled by the price +of stocks, and saturated with the poison of the money market, then +there had been in him a touch of romance and a dash of poetry, and +he had been happy with his Rachel. Should he try it again now? The +woman would surely love him when she found that he came to her in her +poverty as he had before come to her in her wealth. He watched her +till she passed out of his sight along the wall leading to Holborn, +and then he made his way to the City through Lincoln's Inn and +Chancery Lane. + +Margaret walked straight into Holborn, and over it towards Red Lion +Square. She crossed the line of the omnibuses, feeling that now she +must spend no penny which she could save. She was tired, for she had +already walked much that morning, and the day was close and hot; +but nevertheless she went on quickly, through Bloomsbury Square and +Russell Square, to Gower Street. As she got near to the door her +heart almost failed her; but she went up to it and knocked boldly. +The thing should be done, let the pain of doing it be what it might. + +"Laws, Miss Margaret! is that you?" said the maid. "Yes, missus is +at home. She'll see you, of course, but she's hard at work on the +furniture." + +Then she went directly up into the drawing-room and there she found +her sister-in-law, with her dress tucked up to her elbows, with a +cloth in her hand, rubbing the chairs. + +"What, Margaret! Whoever expected to see you? If we are to let the +rooms, it's as well to have the things tidy, isn't it? Besides, a +person bears it all the better when there's anything to do." + +Then Mary Jane, the eldest daughter, came in from the bedroom behind +the drawing-room, similarly armed for work. + +Margaret sat down wearily upon the sofa, having muttered some word +in answer to Mrs Tom's apology for having been found at work so soon +after her husband's death. + +"Sarah," she said, "I have come to you to-day because I had something +to say to you about business." + +"Oh, to be sure! I never thought for a moment you had come for +pleasure, or out of civility, as it might be. Of course I didn't +expect that when I saw you." + +"Sarah, will you come upstairs with me into your own room?" + +"Upstairs, Margaret? Oh yes, if you please. We shall be down +directly, my dear, and I dare say Margaret will stay to tea. We tea +early, because, since you went, we have dined at one." + +Then Mrs Tom led the way up to the room in which Margaret had watched +by her dying brother's bed-side. + +"I'm come in here," said Mrs Tom, again apologising, "because the +children had to come out of the room behind the drawing-room. Miss +Colza is staying with us, and she and Mary Jane have your room." + +Margaret did not care much for all this; but the solemnity of the +chamber in which, when she last saw it, her brother's body was lying, +added something to her sadness at the moment. + +"Sarah," she said, endeavouring to warn her sister-in-law by the tone +of her voice that her news was bad news, "I have just come from Mr +Slow." + +"He's the lawyer, isn't he?" + +"Yes, he's the lawyer. You know what I promised my brother. I went to +him to make arrangements for doing it, and when there I heard--oh, +Sarah, such dreadful news!" + +"He says you're not to do it, I suppose!" And in the woman's voice +and eyes there were signs of anger, not against Mr Slow alone, but +also against Miss Mackenzie. "I knew how it would be. But, Margaret, +Mr Slow has got nothing to do with it. A promise is a promise; and a +promise made to a dying man! Oh, Margaret!" + +"If I had it to give I would give it as surely as I am standing here. +When I told my brother it should be so, he believed me at once." + +"Of course he believed you." + +"But Sarah, they tell me now that I have nothing to give." + +"Who tells you so?" + +"The lawyer. I cannot explain it all to you; indeed, I do not as +yet understand it myself; but I have learned this morning that the +property which Walter left me was not his to leave. It had been given +away before Mr Jonathan Ball died." + +"It's a lie!" said the injured woman,--the woman who was the least +injured, but who, with her children, had perhaps the best excuse for +being ill able to bear the injury. "It must be a lie. It's more than +twenty years ago. I don't believe and won't believe that it can be +so. John Ball must have something to do with this." + +"The property will go to him, but he has had nothing to do with it. +Mr Slow found it out." + +"It can't be so, not after twenty years. Whatever they may have done +from Walter, they can't take it away from you; not if you've spirit +enough to stand up for your rights. If you let them take it in that +way, I can't tell you what I shall think of you." + +"It is my own lawyer that says so." + +"Yes, Mr Slow; the biggest rogue of them all. I always knew that of +him, always. Oh, Margaret, think of the children! What are we to do? +What are we to do?" And sitting down on the bedside, she put her +dirty apron up to her eyes. + +"I have been thinking of them ever since I heard it," said Margaret. + +"But what good will thinking do? You must do something. Oh! Margaret, +after all that you said to him when he lay there dying!" and the +woman, with some approach to true pathos, put her hand on the spot +where her husband's head had rested. "Don't let his children come +to beggary because men like that choose to rob the widow and the +orphan." + +"Every one has a right to what is his own," said Margaret. "Even +though widows should be beggars, and orphans should want." + +"That's very well of you, Margaret. It's very well for you to say +that, who have friends like the Balls to stand by you. And, perhaps, +if you will let him have it all without saying anything, he will +stand by you firmer than ever. But who is there to stand by me and +my children? It can't be that after twenty years your fortune should +belong to anyone else. Why should it have gone on for more than +twenty years, and nobody have found it out? I don't believe it can +come so, Margaret, unless you choose to let them do it. I don't +believe a word of it." + +There was nothing more to be said upon that subject at present. Mrs +Tom did indeed say a great deal more about it, sometimes threatening +Margaret, and sometimes imploring her; but Miss Mackenzie herself +would not allow herself to speak of the thing otherwise than as an +ascertained fact. Had the other woman been more reasonable or less +passionate in her lamentations Miss Mackenzie might have trusted +herself to tell her that there was yet a doubt. But she herself felt +that the doubt was so small, and that, in Mrs Tom's mind, it would +be so magnified into nearly a certainty on the other side, that +she thought it most discreet not to refer to the exact amount of +information which Mr Slow had given to her. + +"It will be best for us to think, Sarah," she said, trying to turn +the other's mind away from the coveted income which she would never +possess--"to think what you and the children had better do." + +"Oh, dear! oh, dear! oh, dear!" + +"It is very bad; but there is always something to be done. We must +lose no time in letting Mr Rubb know the truth. When he hears how it +is, he will understand that something must be done for you out of the +firm." + +"He won't do anything. He's downstairs now, flirting with that girl +in the drawing-room, instead of being at his business." + +"If he's downstairs, I will see him." + +As Mrs Mackenzie made no objection to this, Margaret went downstairs, +and when she came near the passage at the bottom, she heard the +voices of people talking merrily in the parlour. As her hand was +on the lock of the door, words from Miss Colza became very audible. +"Now, Mr Rubb, be quiet." So she knocked at the door, and having been +invited by Mr Rubb to come in, she opened it. + +It may be presumed that the flirting had not gone to any perilous +extent, as there were three or four children present. Nevertheless +Miss Colza and Mr Rubb were somewhat disconcerted, and expressed +their surprise at seeing Miss Mackenzie. + +"We all thought you were staying with the baronet's lady," said Miss +Colza. + +Miss Mackenzie explained that she was staying at Twickenham, but that +she had come up to pay a visit to her sister-in-law. "And I've a word +or two I want to say to you, Mr Rubb, if you'll allow me." + +"I suppose, then, I'd better make myself scarce," said Miss Colza. + +As she was not asked to stay, she did make herself scarce, taking the +children with her up among the tables and chairs in the drawing-room. +There she found Mary Jane, but she did not find Mrs Mackenzie, who +had thrown herself on the bed in her agony upstairs. + +Then Miss Mackenzie told her wretched story to Mr Rubb,--telling it +for the third time. He was awe-struck as he listened, but did not +once attempt to deny the facts, as had been done by Mrs Mackenzie. + +"And is it sure?" he asked, when her story was over. + +"I don't suppose it is quite sure yet. Indeed, Mr Slow said it was +not quite sure. But I have not allowed myself to doubt it, and I do +not doubt it." + +"If he himself had not felt himself sure, he would not have told +you." + +"Just so, Mr Rubb. That is what I think; and therefore I have given +my sister-in-law no hint that there is a chance left. I think you had +better not do so either." + +"Perhaps not," said he. He spoke in a low voice, almost whispering, +as though he were half scared by the tidings he had heard. + +"It is very dreadful," she said; "very dreadful for Sarah and the +children." + +"And for you too, Miss Mackenzie." + +"But about them, Mr Rubb. What can you do for them out of the +business?" + +He looked very blank, and made no immediate answer. + +"I know you will feel for their position," she said. "You do; do you +not?" + +"Indeed I do, Miss Mackenzie." + +"And you will do what you can. You can at any rate ensure them the +interest of the money--of the money you know that came from me." + +Still Mr Rubb sat in silence, and she thought that he must be +stonyhearted. Surely he might undertake to do that, knowing, as he so +well knew, the way in which the money had been obtained, and knowing +also that he had already said that so much should be forthcoming out +of the firm to make up a general income for the family of his late +partner. + +"Surely there will be no doubt about that, Mr Rubb." + +"The Balls will claim the debt," said he hoarsely; and then, in +answer to her inquiries, he explained that the sum she had lent +had not, in truth, been hers to lend. It had formed part of the +money that John Ball could claim, and Mr Slow held in his hands an +acknowledgement of the debt from Rubb and Mackenzie. Of course, Mr +Ball would claim that the interest should be paid to him; and he +would claim the principal too, if, on inquiry, he should find that +the firm would be able to raise it. "I don't know that he wouldn't be +able to come upon the firm for the money your brother put into the +business," said he gloomily. "But I don't think he'll be such a fool +as that. He'd get nothing by it." + +"Then may God help them!" said Miss Mackenzie. + +"And what will you do?" he asked. + +She shook her head, but made him no answer. As for herself she had +not begun to form a plan. Her own condition did not seem to her to be +nearly so dreadful as that of all these young children. + +"I wish I knew how to help you," said Samuel Rubb. + +"There are some positions, Mr Rubb, in which no one but God can +help one. But, perhaps--perhaps you may still do something for the +children." + +"I will try, Miss Mackenzie." + +"Thank you, and may God bless you; and He will bless you if you try. +'Who giveth a drop of water to one of them in my name, giveth it also +to me.' You will think of that, will you not?" + +"I will think of you, and do the best that I can." + +"I had hoped to have made them so comfortable! But God's will be +done; God's will be done. I think I had better go now, Mr Rubb. There +will be no use in my going to her upstairs again. Tell her from me, +with my love, that she shall hear from me when I have seen the +lawyer. I will try to come to her, but perhaps I may not be able. +Good-bye, Mr Rubb." + +"Good-bye, Miss Mackenzie. I hope we shall see each other sometimes." + +"Perhaps so. Do what you can to support her. She will want all that +her friends can do for her." So saying she went out of the room, and +let herself out of the front door into the street, and began her walk +back to the Waterloo Station. + +She had not broken bread in her sister-in-law's house, and it was now +nearly six o'clock. She had taken nothing since she had breakfasted +at Twickenham, and the affairs of the day had been such as to give +her but little time to think of such wants. But now as she made her +weary way through the streets she became sick with hunger, and went +into a baker's shop for a bun. As she ate it she felt that it was +almost wrong in her to buy even that. At the present moment nothing +that she possessed seemed to her to be, by right, her own. Every +shilling in her purse was the property of John Ball, if Mr Slow's +statement were true. Then, when the bun was finished, as she went +down by Bloomsbury church and the region of St Giles's back to the +Strand, she did begin to think of her own position. What should she +do, and how should she commence to do it? She had declared to herself +but lately that the work for which she was fittest was that of +nursing the sick. Was it not possible that she might earn her bread +in this way? Could she not find such employment in some quarter where +her labour would be worth the food she must eat and the raiment she +would require? There was a hospital somewhere in London with which +she thought she had heard that John Ball was connected. Might not he +obtain for her a situation such as that? + +It was past eight when she reached the Cedars, and then she was very +tired,--very tired and nearly sick also with want. She went first +of all up to her room, and then crept down into the drawing-room, +knowing that she should find them at tea. When she entered there was +a large party round the table, consisting of the girls and children +and Lady Ball. John Ball, who never took tea, was sitting in his +accustomed place near the lamp, and the old baronet was half asleep +in his arm-chair. + +"If you were going to dine in Gower Street, Margaret, why didn't you +say so?" said Lady Ball. + +In answer to this, Margaret burst out into tears. It was not the +unkindness of her aunt's voice that upset her so much as her own +weakness, and the terrible struggle of the long day. + +"What on earth is the matter?" said Sir John. + +One of the girls brought her a cup of tea, but she felt herself to be +too weak to take it in her hand, and made a sign that it should be +put on the table. She was not aware that she had ever fainted, but a +fear came upon her that she might do so now. She rallied herself and +struggled, striving to collect her strength. + +"Do you know what is the matter with her, John?" said Lady Ball. + +Then John Ball asked her if she had had dinner, and when she did not +answer him he saw how it was. + +"Mother," he said, "she has had no food all day; I will get it for +her." + +"If she wants anything, the servants can bring it to her, John," said +the mother. + +But he would not trust the servants in this matter, but went out +himself and fetched her meat and wine, and pressed her to take it, +and sat himself beside her, and spoke kind words into her ear, and at +last, in some sort, she was comforted. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +Showing How Two of Miss Mackenzie's Lovers Behaved + + +Mr Ball, on his return home to the Cedars, had given no definite +answer to his mother's inquiries as to the day's work in London, and +had found it difficult to make any reply to her that would for the +moment suffice. She was not a woman easily satisfied with evasive +answers; but, nevertheless, he told her nothing of what had occurred, +and left her simply in a bad humour. This conversation had taken +place before dinner, but after dinner she asked him another question. + +"John, you might as well tell me this; are you engaged to Margaret +Mackenzie?" + +"No, I am not," said her son, angrily. + +After that his mother's humour had become worse than before, and in +that state her niece had found her when she returned home in the +evening, and had suffered in consequence. + +On the next morning Miss Mackenzie sent down word to say she was +not well, and would not come down to breakfast. It so happened that +John Ball was going into town on this day also, the Abednego Life +Office holding its board day immediately after that of the Shadrach +Fire Office, and therefore he was not able to see her before she +encountered his mother. Lady Ball went up to her in her bedroom +immediately after breakfast, and there remained with her for some +time. Her aunt at first was tender with her, giving her tea and only +asking her gentle little questions at intervals; but as the old +lady became impatient at learning nothing, she began a system of +cross-questions, and at last grew to be angry and disagreeable. Her +son had distinctly told her that he was not engaged to his cousin, +and had in fact told her nothing else distinctly; but she, when +she had seen how careful he had been in supplying Margaret's wants +himself, with what anxious solicitude he had pressed wine on her; +how he had sat by her saying soft words to her--Lady Ball, when she +remembered this, could not but think that her son had deceived her. +And if so, why had he wished to deceive her? Could it be that he had +allowed her to give away half her money, and had promised to marry +her with the other half? There were moments in which her dear son +John could be very foolish, in spite of that life-long devotion +to the price of stocks, for which he was conspicuous. She still +remembered, as though it were but the other day, how he had persisted +in marrying Rachel, though Rachel brought nothing with her but a +sweet face, a light figure, a happy temper, and the clothes on her +back. To all mothers their sons are ever young, and to old Lady Ball +John Ball was still young, and still, possibly, capable of some such +folly as that of which she was thinking. If it were not so, if there +were not something of that kind in the wind why should he--why should +she--be so hard and uncommunicative in all their answers? There lay +her niece, however, sick with the headache, and therefore weak, and +very much in Lady Ball's power. The evil to be done was great, and +the necessity for preventing it might be immediate. And Lady Ball +was a lady who did not like to be kept in the dark in reference to +anything concerning her family. Having gone downstairs, therefore, +for an hour or so to look after her servants, or, as she had said, +to allow Margaret to have a little sleep, she returned again to the +charge, and sitting close to Margaret's pillow, did her best to find +out the truth. + +If she could only have known the whole truth; how her son's thoughts +were running throughout the day, even as he sat at the Abednego +board, not on Margaret with half her fortune, but on Margaret with +none! how he was recalling the sweetness of her face as she looked up +to him in the square, and took him by his coat, and her tears as she +spoke of the orphan children, and the grace of her figure as she had +walked away from him, and the persistency of her courage in doing +what she thought to be right! how he was struggling within himself +with an endeavour, a vain endeavour, at a resolution that such a +marriage as that must be out of the question! Had Lady Ball known all +that, I think she would have flown to the offices of the Abednego +after her son, and never have left him till she had conquered his +heart and trampled his folly under her feet. + +But she did not conquer Margaret Mackenzie. The poor creature lying +there, racked, in truth, with pain and sorrow, altogether incapable +of any escape from her aunt's gripe, would not say a word that might +tend to ease Lady Ball's mind. If she had told all that she knew, all +that she surmised, how would her aunt have rejoiced? That the money +should come without the wife would indeed have been a triumph! And +Margaret in telling all would have had nothing to tell of those +terribly foolish thoughts which were then at work in the City. To her +such a state of things as that which I have hinted would have seemed +quite as improbable, quite as unaccountable, as it would have done +to her aunt. But she did not tell all, nor in truth did she tell +anything. + +"And John was with you at the lawyer's," said Lady Ball, attempting +her cross-examination for the third time. "Yes; he was with me +there." + +"And what did he say when you asked Mr Slow to make such a settlement +as that?" + +"He didn't say anything, aunt. The whole thing was put off." + +"I know it was put off; of course it was put off. I didn't suppose +any respectable lawyer in London would have dreamed of doing such a +thing. But what I want to know is, how it was put off. What did Mr +Slow say?" + +"I am to see him again next week." + +"But not to get him to do anything of that kind?" + +"I can't tell, aunt, what he is to do then." + +"But what did he say when you made such a proposition as that? Did he +not tell you that it was quite out of the question?" + +"I don't think he said that, aunt." + +"Then what did he say? Margaret, I never saw such a person as you +are. Why should you be so mysterious? There can't be anything you +don't want me to know, seeing how very much I am concerned; and I do +think you ought to tell me all that occurred, knowing, as you do, +that I have done my very best to be kind to you." + +"Indeed there isn't anything I can tell--not yet." + +Then Lady Ball remained silent at the bed-head for the space, +perhaps, of ten minutes, meditating over it all. If her son was, in +truth, engaged to this woman, at any rate she would find that out. If +she asked a point-blank question on that subject, Margaret would not +be able to leave it unanswered, and would hardly be able to give a +directly false answer. + +"My dear," she said, "I think you will not refuse to tell me plainly +whether there is anything between you and John. As his mother, I have +a right to know?" + +"How anything between us?" said Margaret, raising herself on her +elbow. + +"Are you engaged to marry him?" + +"Oh, dear! no." + +"And there is nothing of that sort going on?" + +"Nothing at all." + +"You are determined still to refuse him?" + +"It is quite out of the question, aunt. He does not wish it at all. +You may be sure that he has quite changed his mind about it." + +"But he won't have changed his mind if you have given up your plan +about your sister-in-law." + +"He has changed it altogether, aunt. You needn't think anything more +about that. He thinks no more about it." + +Nevertheless he was thinking about it this very moment, as he voted +for accepting a doubtful life at the Abednego, which was urged on the +board by a director, who, I hope, had no intimate personal relations +with the owner of the doubtful life in question. + +Lady Ball did not know what to make of it. For many years past she +had not seen her son carry himself so much like a lover as he had +done when he sat himself beside his cousin pressing her to drink +her glass of sherry. Why was he so anxious for her comfort? And why, +before that, had he been so studiously reticent as to her affairs? + +"I can't make anything out of you," said Lady Ball, getting up from +her chair with angry alacrity; "and I must say that I think it very +ungrateful of you, seeing all that I have done for you." + +So saying, she left the room. + +What, oh, what would she think when she should come to know the +truth? Margaret told herself as she lay there, holding her head +between her hands, that she was even now occupying that room and +enjoying the questionable comfort of that bed under false pretences. +When it was known that she was absolutely a pauper, would she then +be made welcome to her uncle's house? She was now remaining there +without divulging her circumstances, under the advice and by the +authority of her cousin; and she had resolved to be guided by him in +all things as long as he would be at the trouble to guide her. On +whom else could she depend? But, nevertheless, her position was very +grievous to her, and the more so now that her aunt had twitted her +with ingratitude. When the servant came to her, she felt that she +had no right to the girl's services; and when a message was brought +to her from Lady Ball, asking whether she would be taken out in the +carriage, she acknowledged to herself that such courtesy to her was +altogether out of place. + +On that evening her cousin said nothing to her, and on the next day +he went again up to town. + +"What, four days running, John!" said Lady Ball, at breakfast. + +"I have particular business to-day, mother," said he. + +On that evening, when he came back, he found a moment to take +Margaret by the hand and tell her that his own lawyer also was to +meet them at Mr Slow's chambers on the day named. He took her thus, +and held her hand closely in his while he was speaking, but he said +nothing to her more tender than the nature of such a communication +required. + +"You and John are terribly mysterious," said Lady Ball to her, a +minute or two afterwards. "If there is anything I do hate it's +mystery in families. We never had any with us till you came." + +On the next day a letter reached her which had been redirected from +Gower Street. It was from Mr Maguire; and she took it up into her own +room to read it and answer it. The letter and reply were as follows: + + + Littlebath, Oct., 186--. + + DEAREST MARGARET, + + I hope the circumstances of the case will, in your + opinion, justify me in writing to you again, though I am + sorry to intrude upon you at a time when your heart must + yet be sore with grief for the loss of your lamented + brother. Were we now all in all to each other, as I + hope we may still be before long, it would be my sweet + privilege to wipe your eyes, and comfort you in your + sorrow, and bid you remember that it is the Lord who + giveth and the Lord who taketh away. Blessed be the name + of the Lord. I do not doubt that you have spoken to + yourself daily in those words, nay, almost hourly, since + your brother was taken from you. I had not the privilege + of knowing him, but if he was in any way like his sister, + he would have been a friend whom I should have delighted + to press to my breast and carry in my heart of hearts. + + But now, dearest Margaret, will you allow me to intrude + upon you with another theme? Of course you well know the + subject upon which, at present, I am thinking more than on + any other. May I be permitted to hope that that subject + sometimes presents itself to you in a light that is not + altogether disagreeable. When you left Littlebath so + suddenly, carried away on a mission of love and kindness, + you left me, as you will doubtlessly remember, in a state + of some suspense. You had kindly consented to acknowledge + that I was not altogether indifferent to you. + + +"That's not true," said Margaret to herself, almost out loud; "I +never told him anything of the kind." + + + And it was arranged that on that very day we were to have + had a meeting, to which--shall I confess it?--I looked + forward as the happiest moment of my life. I can hardly + tell you what my feelings were when I found that you were + going, and that I could only just say to you, farewell. If + I could only have been with you when that letter came I + think I could have softened your sorrow, and perhaps then, + in your gentleness, you might have said a word which would + have left me nothing to wish for in this world. But it has + been otherwise ordered, and, Margaret, I do not complain. + + But what makes me write now is the great necessity that + I should know exactly how I stand. You said something in + your last dear letter which gave me to understand that you + wished to do something for your brother's family. Promises + made by the bed-sides of the dying are always dangerous, + and in the cases of Roman Catholics have been found to be + replete with ruin. + + +Mr Maguire, no doubt, forgot that in such cases the promises are made +by, and not to, the dying person. + + + Nevertheless, I am far from saying that they should not + be kept in a modified form, and you need not for a moment + think that I, if I may be allowed to have an interest in + the matter, would wish to hinder you from doing whatever + may be becoming. I think I may promise you that you will + find no mercenary spirit in me, although, of course, I am + bound, looking forward to the tender tie which will, I + hope, connect us, to regard your interests above all other + worldly affairs. If I may then say a word of advice, it is + to recommend that nothing permanent be done till we can + act together in this matter. Do not, however, suppose that + anything you can do or have done, can alter the nature of + my regard. + + But now, dearest Margaret, will you not allow me to press + for an immediate answer to my appeal? I will tell you + exactly how I am circumstanced, and then you will see + how strong is my reason that there should be no delay. + Very many people here, I may say all the elite of the + evangelical circles, including Mrs Perch--[Mrs Perch was + the coachmaker's wife, who had always been so true to Mrs + Stumfold]--desired that I should establish a church here, + on my own bottom, quite independent of Mr Stumfold. The + Stumfolds would then soon have to leave Littlebath, there + is no doubt of that, and she has already made herself + so unendurable, and her father and she together are so + distressing, that the best of their society has fallen + away from them. Her treatment to you was such that I + could never endure her afterwards. Now the opening for a + clergyman with pure Gospel doctrines would be the best + thing that has turned up for a long time. The church would + be worth over six hundred a year, besides the interest of + the money which would have to be laid out. I could have + all this commenced at once, and secure the incumbency, + if I could myself head the subscription list with two + thousand pounds. It should not be less than that. You will + understand that the money would not be given, though, no + doubt, a great many persons would, in this way, be induced + to give theirs. But the pew rents would go in the first + instance to provide interest for the money not given, but + lent; as would of course be the case with your money, if + you would advance it. + + I should not think of such a plan as this if I did not + feel that it was the best thing for your interests; that + is, if, as I fondly hope, I am ever to call you mine. + Of course, in that case, it is only common prudence on + my part to do all I can to insure for myself such a + professional income, for your sake. For, dearest Margaret, + my brightest earthly hope is to see you with everything + comfortable around you. If that could be arranged, it + would be quite within our means to keep some sort of + carriage. + + +Here would be a fine opportunity for rivalling Mrs Stumfold! That was +the temptation with which he hoped to allure her. + + + But the thing must be done quite immediately; therefore + let me pray you not to postpone my hopes with unnecessary + delay. I know it seems unromantic to urge a lady with + any pecuniary considerations, but I think that under the + circumstances, as I have explained them, you will forgive + me. + + Believe me to be, dearest Margaret, + Yours, with truest, + Most devoted affection, + + JEREH. MAGUIRE. + + +One man had wanted her money to buy a house on a mortgage, and +another now asked for it to build a church, giving her, or promising +to give her, the security of the pew rents. Which of the two was +the worst? They were both her lovers, and she thought that he was +the worst who first made his love and then tried to get her money. +These were the ideas which at once occurred to her upon her reading +Mr Maguire's letter. She had quite wit enough to see through the +whole project; how outsiders were to be induced to give their +money, thinking that all was to be given; whereas those inside the +temple,--those who knew all about it,--were simply to make for +themselves a good speculation. Her cousin John's constant solicitude +for money was bad; but, after all, it was not so bad as this. She +told herself at once that the letter was one which would of itself +have ended everything between her and Mr Maguire, even had nothing +occurred to put an absolute and imperative stop to the affair. Mr +Maguire pressed for an early answer, and before she left the room she +sat down and wrote it. + + + The Cedars, Twickenham, October, 186--. + + DEAR SIR + + +Before she wrote the words, "Dear Sir," she had to think much of +them, not having had as yet much experience in writing letters to +gentlemen; but she concluded at last that if she simply wrote "Sir," +he would take it as an insult, and that if she wrote "My dear Mr +Maguire," it would, under the circumstances, be too affectionate. + + + DEAR SIR, + + I have got your letter to-day, and I hasten to answer it + at once. All that to which you allude between us must be + considered as being altogether over, and I am very sorry + that you should have had so much trouble. My circumstances + are altogether changed. I cannot explain how, as it would + make my letter very long; but you may be assured that such + is the case, and to so great an extent that the engagement + you speak of would not at all suit you at present. Pray + take this as being quite true, and believe me to be + + Your very humble servant, + + MARGARET MACKENZIE. + + +I feel that the letter was somewhat curt and dry as an answer to +an effusion so full of affection as that which the gentleman had +written; and the fair reader, when she remembers that Miss Mackenzie +had given the gentleman considerable encouragement, will probably +think that she should have expressed something like regret at so +sudden a termination to so tender a friendship. But she, in truth, +regarded the offer as having been made to her money solely, and as +in fact no longer existing as an offer, now that her money itself was +no longer in existence. She was angry with Mr Maguire for the words +he had written about her brother's affairs; for his wish to limit +her kindness to her nephews and nieces, and also for his greediness +in being desirous of getting her money at once; but as to the main +question, she thought herself bound to answer him plainly, as she +would have answered a man who came to buy from her a house, which +house was no longer in her possession. + +Mr Maguire when he received her letter, did not believe a word of it. +He did not in the least believe that she had actually lost everything +that had once belonged to her, or that he, if he married her now, +would obtain less than he would have done had he married her before +her brother's death. But he thought that her brother's family and +friends had got hold of her in London; that Mr Rubb might very +probably have done it; and that they were striving to obtain command +of her money, and were influencing her to desert him. He thinking so, +and being a man of good courage, took a resolution to follow his +game, and to see whether even yet he might not obtain the good things +which had made his eyes glisten and his mouth water. He knew that +there was very much against him in the race that he was desirous of +running, and that an heiress with--he did not know how much a year, +but it had been rumoured among the Stumfoldians that it was over +a thousand--might not again fall in his way. There were very many +things against him, of which he was quite conscious. He had not a +shilling of his own, and was in receipt of no professional income. He +was not altogether a young man. There was in his personal appearance +a defect which many ladies might find it difficult to overcome; and +then that little story about his debts, which Miss Todd had picked +up, was not only true, but was some degrees under the truth. No +doubt, he had a great wish that his wife should be comfortable; but +he also, for himself, had long been pining after those eligible +comforts, which when they appertain to clergymen, the world, with so +much malice, persists in calling the flesh-pots of Egypt. Thinking +of all this, of the position he had already gained in spite of his +personal disadvantages, and of the great chance there was that his +Margaret might yet be rescued from the Philistines, he resolved upon +a journey to London. + +In the meantime Miss Mackenzie's other lover had not been idle, and +he also was resolved by no means to give up the battle. + +It cannot be said that Mr Rubb was not mercenary in his views, but +with his desire for the lady's money was mingled much that was +courageous, and something also that was generous. The whole truth +had been told to him as plainly as it had been told to Mr Ball, and +nevertheless he determined to persevere. He went to work diligently +on that very afternoon, deserting the smiles of Miss Colza, and made +such inquiries into the law of the matter as were possible to him; +and they resulted, as far as Miss Mackenzie was concerned, in his +appearing late one afternoon at the front door of Sir John Ball's +house. On the day following this Miss Mackenzie was to keep her +appointment with Mr Slow, and her cousin was now up in London among +the lawyers. + +Miss Mackenzie was sitting with her aunt when Mr Rubb called. +They were both in the drawing-room; and Lady Ball, who had as yet +succeeded in learning nothing, and who was more than ever convinced +that there was much to learn, was not making herself pleasant to her +companion. Throughout the whole week she had been very unpleasant. +She did not quite understand why Margaret's sojourn at the Cedars +had been and was to be so much prolonged. Margaret, feeling herself +compelled to say something on the subject, had with some hesitation +told her aunt that she was staying till she had seen her lawyer +again, because her cousin wished her to stay. + +In answer to this, Lady Ball had of course told her that she was +welcome. Her ladyship had then cross-questioned her son on that +subject also, but he had simply said that as there was law business +to be done, Margaret might as well stay at Twickenham till it was +completed. + +"But, my dear," Lady Ball had said, "her law business might go on for +ever, for what you know." + +"Mother," said the son, sternly, "I wish her to stay here at present, +and I suppose you will not refuse to permit her to do so." + +After this, Lady Ball could go no further. + +On the day on which Mr Rubb was announced in the drawing-room, +the aunt and niece were sitting together. "Mr Rubb--to see Miss +Mackenzie," said the old servant, as he opened the door. + +Miss Mackenzie got up, blushing to her forehead, and Lady Ball rose +from her chair with an angry look, as though asking the oilcloth +manufacturer how he dared to make his way in there. The name of the +Rubbs had been specially odious to all the family at the Cedars since +Tom Mackenzie had carried his share of Jonathan Ball's money into the +firm in the New Road. And Mr Rubb's appearance was not calculated to +mitigate this anger. Again he had got on those horrid yellow gloves, +and again had dressed himself up to his idea of the garb of a man of +fashion. To Margaret's eyes, in the midst of her own misfortunes, he +was a thing horrible to behold, as he came into that drawing-room. +When she had seen him in his natural condition, at her brother's +house, he had been at any rate unobjectionable to her; and when, +on various occasions, he had talked to her about his own business, +pleading his own cause and excusing his own fault, she had really +liked him. There had been a moment or two, the moments of his +bitterest confessions, in which she had in truth liked him much. But +now! What would she not have given that the old servant should have +taken upon himself to declare that she was not at home. + +But there he was in her aunt's drawing-room, and she had nothing to +do but to ask him to sit down. + +"This is my aunt, Lady Ball," said Margaret. + +"I hope I have the honour of seeing her ladyship quite well," said Mr +Rubb, bowing low before he ventured to seat himself. + +Lady Ball would not condescend to say a word, but stared at him in a +manner that would have driven him out of the room had he understood +the nature of such looks on ladies' faces. + +"I hope my sister-in-law and the children are well," said Margaret, +with a violent attempt to make conversation. + +"Pretty much as you left them, Miss Mackenzie; she takes on a good +deal; but that's only human nature; eh, my lady?" + +But her ladyship still would not condescend to speak a word. + +Margaret did not know what further to say. All subjects on which it +might have been possible for her to speak to Mr Rubb were stopped +from her in the presence of her aunt. Mr Rubb knew of that great +calamity of which, as yet, Lady Ball knew nothing,--of that great +calamity to the niece, but great blessing, as it would be thought by +the aunt. And she was in much fear lest Mr Rubb should say something +which might tend to divulge the secret. + +"Did you come by the train?" she said, at last, reduced in her agony +to utter the first unmeaning question of which she could think. + +"Yes, Miss Mackenzie, I came by the train, and I am going back by the +5.45, if I can just be allowed to say a few words to you first." + +"Does the gentleman mean in private?" asked Lady Ball. + +"If you please, my lady," said Mr Rubb, who was beginning to think +that he did not like Lady Ball. + +"If Miss Mackenzie wishes it, of course she can do so." + +"It may be about my brother's affairs," said Margaret, getting up. + +"It is nothing to me, my dear, whether they are your brother's or +your own," said Lady Ball; "you had better not interrupt your uncle +in the study; but I daresay you'll find the dining-room disengaged." + +So Miss Mackenzie led the way into the dining-room, and Mr Rubb +followed. There they found some of the girls, who stared very hard at +Mr Rubb, as they left the room at their cousin's request. As soon as +they were left alone Mr Rubb began his work manfully. + +"Margaret," said he, "I hope you will let me call you so now that you +are in trouble?" + +To this she made no answer. + +"But perhaps your trouble is over? Perhaps you have found out that it +isn't as you told us the other day?" + +"No, Mr Rubb; I have found nothing of that kind; I believe it is as I +told you." + +"Then I'll tell you what I propose. You haven't given up the fight, +have you? You have not done anything?" + +"I have done nothing as yet." + +"Then I'll tell you my plan. Fight it out." + +"I do not want to fight for anything that is not my own." + +"But it is your own. It is your own of rights, even though it should +not be so by some quibble of the lawyers. I don't believe twelve +Englishmen would be found in London to give it to anybody else; I +don't indeed." + +"But my own lawyer tells me it isn't mine, Mr Rubb." + +"Never mind him; don't you give up anything. Don't you let them make +you soft. When it comes to money nobody should give up anything. Now +I'll tell you what I propose." + +She now sat down and listened to him, while he stood over her. It was +manifest that he was very eager, and in his eagerness he became loud, +so that she feared his words might be heard out of the room. + +"You know what my sentiments are," he said. At that moment she did +not remember what his sentiments were, nor did she know what he +meant. "They're the same now as ever. Whether you have got your +fortune, or whether you've got nothing, they're the same. I've +seen you tried alongside of your brother, when he was a-dying, and, +Margaret, I like you now better than ever I did." + +"Mr Rubb, at present, all that cannot mean anything." + +"But doesn't it mean anything? By Jove! it does though. It means just +this, that I'll make you Mrs Rubb to-morrow, or as soon as Doctors' +Commons, and all that, will let us do it; and I'll chance the money +afterwards. Do you let it just go easy, and say nothing, and I'll +fight them. If the worst comes to the worst, they'll be willing +enough to cry halves with us. But, Margaret, if the worst does come +to be worse than that you won't find me hard to you on that account. +I shall always remember who helped me when I wanted help." + +"I am sure, Mr Rubb, I am much obliged to you." + +"Don't talk about being obliged, but get up and give me your hand, +and say it shall be a bargain." Then he tried to take her by the hand +and raise her from the chair up towards him. + +"No, no, no!" said she. + +"But I say yes. Why should it be no? If there never should come a +penny out of this property I will put a roof over your head, and will +find you victuals and clothes respectably. Who will do better for you +than that? And as for the fight, by Jove! I shall like it. You'll +find they'll get nothing out of my hands till they have torn away my +nails." + +Here was a new phase in her life. Here was a man willing to marry her +even though she had no assured fortune. + +"Margaret," said he, pleading his cause again, "I have that love +for you that I would take you though it was all gone, to the last +farthing." + +"It is all gone." + +"Let that be as it may, we'll try it. But though it should be all +gone, every shilling of it, still, will you be my wife?" + +It was altogether a new phase, and one that was inexplicable to her. +And this came from a man to whom she had once thought that she might +bring herself to give her hand and her heart, and her money also. She +did not doubt that if she took him at his word he would be good to +her, and provide her with shelter, and food and raiment, as he had +promised her. Her heart was softened towards him, and she forgot his +gloves and his shining boots. But she could not bring herself to say +that she would love him, and be his wife. It seemed to her now that +she was under the guidance of her cousin, and that she was pledged to +do nothing of which he would disapprove. He would not approve of her +accepting the hand of a man who would be resolved to litigate this +matter with him. + +"It cannot be," she said. "I feel how generous you are, but it cannot +be." + +"And why shouldn't it be?" + +"Oh, Mr Rubb, there are things one cannot explain." + +"Margaret, think of it. How are you to do better?" + +"Perhaps not; probably not. In many ways I am sure I could not do +better. But it cannot be." + +Not then, nor for the next twenty minutes, but at last he took his +answer and went. He did this when he found that he had no more +minutes to spare if he intended to return by the 5.45 train. Then, +with an angry gesture of his head, he left her, and hurried across to +the front door. Then, as he went out, Mr John Ball came in. + +"Good evening, sir," said Mr Rubb. "I am Mr Samuel Rubb. I have just +been seeing Miss Mackenzie, on business. Good evening, sir." + +John Ball said never a word, and Samuel Rubb hurried across the +grounds to the railway station. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +Showing How the Third Lover Behaved + + +"What has that man been here for?" Those were the first words which +Mr Ball spoke to his cousin after shutting the hall-door behind +Mr Rubb's back. When the door was closed he turned round and saw +Margaret as she was coming out of the dining-room, and in a voice +that sounded to her as though he were angry, asked her the above +question. + +"He came to see me, John," said Miss Mackenzie, going back into the +dining-room. "He was my brother's partner." + +"He said he came upon business; what business could he have?" + +It was not very easy for her to tell him what had been Mr Rubb's +business. She had no wish to keep anything secret from her cousin, +but she did not know how to describe the scene which had just taken +place, or how to acknowledge that the man had come there to ask her +to marry him. + +"Does he know anything of this matter of your money?" continued Mr +Ball. + +"Oh yes; he knows it all. He was in Gower Street when I told my +sister-in-law." + +"And he came to advise you about it?" + +"Yes; he did advise me about it. But his advice I shall not take." + +"And what did he advise?" + +Then Margaret told him that Mr Rubb had counselled her to fight it +out to the last, in order that a compromise might at any rate be +obtained. + +"If it has no selfish object in view I am far from saying that he is +wrong," said John Ball. "It is what I should advise a friend to do +under similar circumstances." + +"It is not what I shall do, John." + +"No; you are like a lamb that gives itself up to the slaughterer. I +have been with one lawyer or the other all day, and the end of it +is that there is no use on earth in your going to London to-morrow, +nor, as far as I can see, for another week to come. The two lawyers +together have referred the case to counsel for opinion,--for an +amicable opinion as they call it. From what they all say, Margaret, +it seems to me clear that the matter will go against you." + +"I have expected nothing else since Mr Slow spoke to me." + +"But no doubt you can make a fight, as your friend says." + +"I don't want to fight, John; you know that." + +"Mr Slow won't let you give it up without a contest. He suggested +a compromise,--that you and I should divide it. But I hate +compromises." She looked up into his face but said nothing. "The +truth is, I have been so wronged in the matter, the whole thing has +been so cruel, it has, all of it together, so completely ruined me +and my prospects in life, that were it any one but you, I would +sooner have a lawsuit than give up one penny of what is left." Again +she looked at him, but he went on speaking of it without observing +her. "Think what it has been, Margaret! The whole of this property +was once mine! Not the half of it only that has been called yours, +but the whole of it! The income was actually paid for one half-year +to a separate banking account on my behalf, before I was of age. Yes, +paid to me, and I had it! My uncle Jonathan had no more legal right +to take it away from me than you have to take the coat off my back. +Think of that, and of what four-and-twenty thousand pounds would have +done for me and my family from that time to this. There have been +nearly thirty years of this robbery!" + +"It was not my fault, John." + +"No; it was not your fault. But if your brothers could pay me back +all that they really owe me, all that the money would now be worth, +it would come to nearly a hundred thousand pounds. After that, what +is a man to say when he is asked to compromise? As far as I can see, +there is not a shadow of doubt about it. Mr Slow does not pretend +that there is a doubt. How they can fail to see the justice of it is +what passes my understanding!" + +"Mr Slow will give up at once, I suppose, if I ask him?" + +"I don't want you to ask him. I would rather that you didn't say a +word to him about it. There is a debt too from that man Rubb which +they advise me to abandon." + +In answer to this, Margaret could say nothing, for she knew well that +her trust in the interest of that money was the only hope she had of +any maintenance for her sister-in-law. + +After a few minutes' silence he again spoke to her. "He desires to +know whether you want money for immediate use." + +"Who wants to know?" + +"Mr Slow." + +"Oh no, John. I have money at the bankers', but I will not touch it." + +"How much is there at the bankers?" + +"There is more than three hundred pounds; but very little more; +perhaps three hundred and ten." + +"You may have that." + +"John, I don't want anything that is not my own; not though I had to +walk out to earn my bread in the streets to-morrow." + +"That is your own, I tell you. The tenants have been ordered not to +pay any further rents, till they receive notice. You can make them +pay, nevertheless, if you wish it; at least, you might do so, till +some legal steps were taken." + +"Of course, I shall do nothing of the kind. It was Mr Slow's people +who used to get the money. And am I not to go up to London +to-morrow?" + +"You can go if you choose, but you will learn nothing. I told Mr Slow +that I would bid you wait till I heard from him again. It is time now +for us to get ready for dinner." + +Then, as he was going to leave the room, she took him by the coat and +held him again,--held him as fast as she had done on the pavement in +Lincoln's Inn Fields. There was a soft, womanly, trusting weakness in +the manner of her motion as she did this, which touched him now as it +had touched him then. + +"John," she said, "if there is to be so much delay, I must not stay +here." + +"Why not, Margaret?" + +"My aunt does not like my staying; I can see that; and I don't think +it is fair to do so while she does not know all about it. It is +something like cheating her out of the use of the house." + +"Then I will tell her." + +"What, all? Had I not better go first?" + +"No; you cannot go. Where are you to go to? I will tell her +everything to-night. I had almost made up my mind to do so already. +It will be better that they should both know it,--my father and my +mother. My father probably will be required to say all that he knows +about the matter." + +"I shall be ready to go at once if she wishes it," said Margaret. + +To this he made no answer, but went upstairs to his bedroom, and +there, as he dressed, thought again, and again, and again of his +cousin Margaret. What should he do for her, and in what way should he +treat her? The very name of the Mackenzies he had hated of old, and +their names were now more hateful to him than ever. He had correctly +described his own feelings towards them when he said, either truly or +untruly, that they had deprived him of that which would have made his +whole life prosperous instead of the reverse. And it seemed as though +he had really thought that they had been in fault in this,--that they +had defrauded him. It did not, apparently, occur to him that the only +persons he could blame were his uncle Jonathan and his own lawyers, +who, at his uncle's death, had failed to discover on his behalf what +really were his rights. Walter Mackenzie had been a poor creature +who could do nothing. Tom Mackenzie had been a mean creature who had +allowed himself to be cozened in a petty trade out of the money which +he had wrongfully acquired. They were odious to him, and he hated +their memories. He would fain have hated all that belonged to them, +had he been able. But he was not able to hate this woman who clung to +him, and trusted him, and felt no harsh feelings towards him, though +he was going to take from her everything that had been hers. She +trusted him for advice even though he was her adversary! Would he +have trusted her or any other human being under such circumstances? +No, by heavens! But not the less on that account did he acknowledge +to himself that this confidence in her was very gracious. + +That evening passed by very quietly as far as Miss Mackenzie was +concerned. She had some time since, immediately on her last arrival +at the Cedars, offered to relieve her aunt from the trouble of making +tea, and the duty had then been given up to her. But since Lady +Ball's affair in obtaining possession of her niece's secret, the post +of honour had been taken away. + +"You don't make it as your uncle likes it," Lady Ball had said. + +She made her little offer again on this evening, but it was rejected. + +"Thank you, no; I believe I had better do it myself," had been the +answer. + +"Why can't you let Margaret make tea? I'm sure she does it very +well," said John. + +"I don't see that you can be a judge, seeing that you take none," his +mother replied; "and if you please, I'd rather make the tea in my own +house as long as I can." + +This little allusion to her own house was, no doubt, a blow at her +son, to punish him in that he had dictated to her in that matter of +the continued entertainment of her guest; but Margaret also felt it +to be a blow at her, and resolved that she would escape from the +house with as little further delay as might be possible. Beyond this, +the evening was very quiet, till Margaret, a little after tea, took +her candle and went off wearily to her room. + +But then the business of the day as regarded the Cedars began; for +John Ball, before he went to bed, told both his father and his +mother the whole story,--the story, that is, as far as the money +was concerned, and also as far as Margaret's conduct to him was +concerned; but of his own feelings towards her he said nothing. + +"She has behaved admirably, mother," he said; "you must acknowledge +that, and I think that she is entitled to all the kindness we can +show her." + +"I have been kind to her," Lady Ball answered. + +This had taken place in Lady Ball's own room, after they had left Sir +John. The tidings had taken the old man so much by surprise, that he +had said little or nothing. Even his caustic ill-nature had deserted +him, except on one occasion, when he remarked that it was like his +brother Jonathan to do as much harm with his money as was within his +reach. + +"My memory in such a matter is worth nothing,--absolutely nothing," +the old man had said. "I always supposed something was wrong. I +remember that. But I left it all to the lawyers." + +In Lady Ball's room the conversation was prolonged to a late hour of +the night, and took various twists and turns, as such conversations +will do. + +"What are we to do about the young woman?" That was Lady Ball's main +question, arising, no doubt, from the reflection that the world would +lean very heavily on them if they absolutely turned her out to starve +in the streets. + +John Ball made no proposition in answer to this, having not as yet +made up his mind as to what his own wishes were with reference to the +young woman. Then his mother made her proposition. + +"Of course that money due by the Rubbs must be paid. Let her take +that." But her son made no reply to this other than that he feared +the Rubbs were not in a condition to pay the money. + +"They would pay her the interest at any rate," said Lady Ball, "till +she had got into some other way of life. She would do admirably for a +companion to an old lady, because her manners are good, and she does +not want much waiting upon herself." + +On the next morning Miss Mackenzie trembled in her shoes as she came +down to breakfast. Her uncle, whom she feared the most, would not be +there; but the meeting with her aunt, when her aunt would know that +she was a pauper and that she had for the last week been an impostor, +was terrible to her by anticipation. But she had not calculated that +her aunt's triumph in this newly-acquired wealth for the Ball family +would, for the present, cover any other feeling that might exist. Her +aunt met her with a gracious smile, was very urbane in selecting a +chair for her at prayers close to her own, and pressed upon her a +piece of buttered toast out of a little dish that was always prepared +for her ladyship's own consumption. After breakfast John Ball again +went to town. He went daily to town during the present crisis; and, +on this occasion, his mother made no remark as to the urgency of his +business. When he was gone Lady Ball began to potter about the house, +after her daily custom, and was longer in her pottering than was +usual with her. Miss Mackenzie helped the younger children in their +lessons, as she often did; and when time for luncheon came, she +had almost begun to think that she was to be allowed to escape any +conversation with her aunt touching the great money question. But +it was not so. At one she was told that luncheon and the children's +dinner was postponed till two, and she was asked by the servant to go +up to Lady Ball in her own room. + +"Come and sit down, my dear," said Lady Ball, in her sweetest voice. +"It has got to be very cold, and you had better come near the fire." +Margaret did as she was bidden, and sat herself down in the chair +immediately opposite to her aunt. + +"This is a wonderful story that John has told me," continued her +aunt--"very wonderful." + +"It is sad enough for me," said Margaret, who did not feel inclined +to be so self-forgetful in talking to her aunt as she had been with +her cousin. + +"It is sad for you, Margaret, no doubt. But I am sure you have within +you that conscientious rectitude of purpose that you would not wish +to keep anything for yourself that in truth belongs to another." + +To this Margaret answered nothing, and her aunt went on. + +"It is a great change to you, no doubt; and, of course, that is the +point on which I wish to speak to you most especially. I have told +John that something must be done for you." + +This jarred terribly on poor Margaret's feelings. Her cousin had said +nothing, not a word as to doing anything for her. The man who had +told her of his love, and asked her to be his wife, not twelve months +since,--who had pressed her to be of all women the dearest to him +and the nearest,--had talked to her of her ruin without offering her +aid, although this ruin to her would enrich him very greatly. She +had expected nothing from him, had wanted nothing from him; but by +degrees, when absent from him, the feeling had grown upon her that he +had been hard to her in abstaining from expressions of commiseration. +She had yielded to him in the whole affair, assuring him that nothing +should be done by her to cause him trouble; and she would have been +grateful to him if in return he had said something to her of her +future mode of life. She had intended to speak to him about the +hospital; but she had thought that she might abstain from doing so +till he himself should ask some question as to her plans. He had +asked no such question, and she was now almost determined to go +away without troubling him on the subject. But if he, who had once +professed to love her, would make no suggestion as to her future +life, she could ill bear that any offer of the kind should come from +her aunt, who, as she knew, had only regarded her for her money. + +"I would rather," she replied, "that nothing should be said to him on +the subject." + +"And why not, Margaret?" + +"I desire that I may be no burden to him or anybody. I will go away +and earn my bread; and even if I cannot do that, my relations shall +not be troubled by hearing from me." + +She said this without sobbing, but not without that almost hysterical +emotion which indicates that tears are being suppressed with pain. + +"That is false pride, my dear." + +"Very well, aunt. I daresay it is false; but it is my pride. I may be +allowed to keep my pride, though I can keep nothing else." + +"What you say about earning your bread is very proper; and I and John +and your uncle also have been thinking of that. But I should be glad +if some additional assistance should be provided for you, in the +event of old age, you know, or illness. Now, as to earning your +bread, I remarked to John that you were peculiarly qualified for +being a lady's companion." + +"For being what, aunt?" + +"For being companion to some lady in the decline of life, who would +want to have some nice mannered person always with her. You have the +advantage of being ladylike and gentle, and I think that you are +patient by disposition." + +"Aunt," said Miss Mackenzie, and her voice as she spoke was hardly +gentle, nor was it indicative of much patience. Her hysterics also +seemed for the time to have given way to her strong passionate +feeling. "Aunt," she said, "I would sooner take a broom in my hand, +and sweep a crossing in London, than lead such a life as that. What! +make myself the slave of some old woman, who would think that she had +bought the power of tyrannising over me by allowing me to sit in the +same room with her? No, indeed! It may very likely be the case that I +may have to serve such a one in the kitchen, but it shall be in the +kitchen, and not in the drawing-room. I have not had much experience +in life, but I have had enough to learn that lesson!" + +Lady Ball, who during the first part of the conversation had been +unrolling and winding a great ball of worsted, now sat perfectly +still, holding the ball in her lap, and staring at her niece. She was +a quick-witted woman, and it no doubt occurred to her that the great +objection to living with an old lady, which her niece had expressed +so passionately, must have come from the trial of that sort of +life which she had had at the Cedars. And there was enough in Miss +Mackenzie's manner to justify Lady Ball in thinking that some such +expression of feeling as this had been intended by her. She had +never before heard Margaret speak out so freely, even in the days +of her undoubted heiress-ship; and now, though she greatly disliked +her niece, she could not avoid mingling something of respect and +something almost amounting to fear with her dislike. She did not +dare to go on unwinding her worsted, and giving the advantage of her +condescension to a young woman who spoke out at her in that way. + +"I thought I was advising you for the best," she said, "and I hoped +that you would have been thankful." + +"I don't know what may be for the best," said Margaret, again +bordering upon the hysterical in the tremulousness of her voice, "but +that I'm sure would be for the worst. However, I've made up my mind +to nothing as yet." + +"No, my dear; of course not; but we all must think of it, you know." + +Her cousin John had not thought of it, and she did not want any one +else to do so. She especially did not want her aunt to think of it. +But it was no doubt necessary that her aunt should consider how long +she would be required to provide a home for her impoverished niece, +and Margaret's mind at once applied itself to that view of the +subject. "I have made up my mind that I will go to London next week, +and then I must settle upon something." + +"You mean when you go to Mr Slow's?" + +"I mean that I shall go for good. I have a little money by me, which +John says I may use, and I shall take a lodging till--till--till--" +Then she could not go on any further. + +"You can stay here, Margaret, if you please;--that is till something +more is settled about all this affair." + +"I will go on Monday, aunt. I have made up my mind to that." It was +now Saturday. "I will go on Monday. It will be better for all parties +that I should be away." Then she got up, and waiting no further +speech from her aunt, took herself off to her own room. + +She did not see her aunt again till dinner-time, and then neither of +them spoke to each other. Lady Ball thought that she had reason to +be offended, and Margaret would not be the first to speak. In the +evening, before the whole family, she told her cousin that she had +made up her mind to go up to London on Monday. He begged her to +reconsider her resolution, but when she persisted that she would do +so, he did not then argue the question any further. But on the Sunday +he implored her not to go as yet, and did obtain her consent to +postpone her departure till Tuesday. He wished, he said, to be at +any rate one day more in London before she went. On the Sunday she +was closeted with her uncle who also sent for her, and to him she +suggested her plan of becoming nurse at a hospital. He remarked that +he hoped that would not be necessary. + +"Something will be necessary," she said, "as I don't mean to eat +anybody's bread but my own." + +In answer to this he said that he would speak to John, and then that +interview was over. On the Monday morning John Ball said something +respecting Margaret to his mother which acerbated that lady more than +ever against her niece. He had not proposed that anything special +should be done; but he had hinted, when his mother complained of +Margaret, that Margaret's conduct was everything that it ought to be. + +"I believe you would take anybody's part against me," Lady Ball had +said, and then as a matter of course she had been very cross. The +whole of that day was terrible to Miss Mackenzie, and she resolved +that nothing said by her cousin should induce her to postpone her +departure for another day. + +In order to insure this by a few minutes' private conversation with +him, and also with the view of escaping for some short time from the +house, she walked down to the station in the evening to meet her +cousin. The train by which he arrived reached Twickenham at five +o'clock, and the walk occupied about twenty minutes. She met him just +as he was coming out of the station gate, and at once told him that +she had come there for the sake of walking back with him and talking +to him. He thanked her, and said that he was very glad to meet her. +He also wanted to speak to her very particularly. Would she take his +arm? + +She took his arm, and then began with a quick tremulous voice to tell +him of her sufferings at the house. She threw no blame on her aunt +that she could avoid, but declared it to be natural that under such +circumstances as those now existing her prolonged sojourn at her +aunt's house should be unpleasant to both of them. In answer to all +this, John Ball said nothing, but once or twice lifted up his left +hand so as to establish Margaret's arm more firmly on his own. She +hardly noticed the motion, but yet she was aware that it was intended +for kindness, and then she broke forth with a rapid voice as to her +plan about the hospital. "I think we can manage better than that, at +any rate," said he, stopping her in the path when this proposal met +his ear. But she went on to declare that she would like it, that she +was strong and qualified for such work, that it would satisfy her +aspirations, and be fit for her. And then, after that, she declared +that nothing should induce her to undertake the kind of life that had +been suggested by her aunt. "I quite agree with you there," said he; +"quite. I hate tabbies as much as you do." + +They had now come to a little gate, of which John Ball kept a key, +and which led into the grounds belonging to the Cedars. The grounds +were rather large, and the path through them extended for half a +mile, but the land was let off to a grazier. When inside the wall, +however, they were private; and Mr Ball, as soon as he had locked +the gate behind him, stopped her in the dark path, and took both her +hands in his. The gloom of the evening had now come round them, and +the thick trees which formed the belt of the place, joined to the +high wall, excluded from them nearly all what light remained. + +"And now," said he, "I will tell you my plan." + +"What plan?" said she; but her voice was very low. + +"I proposed it once before, but you would not have it then." + +When she heard this, she at once drew both her hands from him, and +stood before him in an agony of doubt. Even in the gloom, the trees +were going round her, and everything, even her thoughts, were obscure +and misty. + +"Margaret," said he, "you shall be my wife, and the mother of my +children, and I will love you as I loved Rachel before. I loved you +when I asked you at Christmas, but I did not love you then as I love +you now." + +She still stood before him, but answered him not a word. How often +since the tidings of her loss had reached her had the idea of such +a meeting as this come before her! how often had she seemed to +listen to such words as those he now spoke to her! Not that she had +expected it, or hoped for it, or even thought of it as being in truth +possible; but her imagination had been at work, during the long hours +of the night, and the romance of the thing had filled her mind, and +the poetry of it had been beautiful to her. She had known--she had +told herself that she knew--that no man would so sacrifice himself; +certainly no such man as John Ball, with all his children and his +weary love of money! But now the poetry had come to be fact, and the +romance had turned itself into reality, and the picture formed by her +imagination had become a living truth. The very words of which she +had dreamed had been spoken to her. + +"Shall it be so, my dear?" he said, again taking one of her hands. +"You want to be a nurse; will you be my nurse? Nay; I will not ask, +but it shall be so. They say that the lovers who demand are ever the +most successful. I make my demand. Tell me, Margaret, will you obey +me?" + +He had walked on now, but in order that his time might be sufficient, +he led her away from the house. She was following him, hardly knowing +whither she was going. + +"Susanna," said he, "shall come and live with the others; one more +will make no difference." + +"And my aunt?" said Margaret. + +It was the first word she had spoken since the gate had been locked +behind her, and this word was spoken in a whisper. + +"I hope my mother may feel that such a marriage will best conduce +to my happiness; but, Margaret, nothing that my mother can say will +change me. You and I have known something of each other now. Of you, +from the way in which things have gone, I have learned much. Few men, +I take it, see so much of their future wives as I have seen of you. +If you can love me as your husband, say so at once honestly, and then +leave the rest to me." + +"I will," she said, again whispering; and then she clung to his hand, +and for a minute or two he had his arm round her waist. Then he took +her, and kissed her lips, and told her that he would take care of +her, and watch for her, and keep her, if possible, from trouble. + +Ah, me, how many years had rolled by since last she had been kissed +in that way! Once, and once only, had Harry Handcock so far presumed, +and so far succeeded. And now, after a dozen years or more, that game +had begun again with her! She had boxed Harry Handcock's ears when he +had kissed her; but now, from her lover of to-day, she submitted to +the ceremony very tamely. + +"Oh, John," she said, "how am I to thank you?" But the thanks were +tendered for the promise of his care, and not for the kiss. + +I think there was but little more said between them before they +reached the door-step. When there, Mr Ball, speaking already with +something of marital authority, gave her his instructions. + +"I shall tell my mother this evening," he said, "as I hate mysteries; +and I shall tell my father also. Of course there may be something +disagreeable said before we all shake down happily in our places, but +I shall look to you, Margaret, to be firm." + +"I shall be firm," she said, "if you are." + +"I shall be firm," was the reply; and then they went into the house. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +Mr Maguire Goes to London on Business + + +Mr Maguire made up his mind to go to London, to look after his +lady-love, but when he found himself there he did not quite know what +to do. It is often the case with us that we make up our minds for +great action,--that in some special crisis of our lives we resolve +that something must be done, and that we make an energetic start; but +we find very soon that we do not know how to go on doing anything. It +was so with Mr Maguire. When he had secured a bed at a small public +house near the Great Western railway station,--thinking, no doubt +that he would go to the great hotel on his next coming to town, +should he then have obtained the lady's fortune,--he scarcely knew +what step he would next take. Margaret's last letter had been written +to him from the Cedars, but he thought it probable that she might +only have gone there for a day or two. He knew the address of the +house in Gower Street, and at last resolved that he would go boldly +in among the enemy there; for he was assured that the family of the +lady's late brother were his special enemies in this case. It was +considerably past noon when he reached London, and it was about three +when, with a hesitating hand, but a loud knock, he presented himself +at Mrs Mackenzie's door. + +He first asked for Miss Mackenzie, and was told that she was not +staying there. Was he thereupon to leave his card and go away? He had +told himself that in this pursuit of the heiress he would probably be +called upon to dare much, and if he did not begin to show some daring +at once, how could he respect himself, or trust to himself for future +daring? So he boldly asked for Mrs Mackenzie, and was at once shown +into the parlour. There sat the widow, in her full lugubrious weeds, +there sat Miss Colza, and there sat Mary Jane, and they were all busy +hemming, darning, and clipping; turning old sheets into new ones; for +now it was more than ever necessary that Mrs Mackenzie should make +money at once by taking in lodgers. When Mr Maguire was shown into +the room each lady rose from her chair, with her sheet in her hands +and in her lap, and then, as he stood before them, at the other side +of the table, each lady again sat down. + +"A gentleman as is asking for Miss Margaret," the servant had said; +that same cook to whom Mr Grandairs had been so severe on the +occasion of Mrs Mackenzie's dinner party. The other girl had been +unnecessary to them in their poverty, and had left them. + +"My name is Maguire, the Rev. Mr Maguire, from Littlebath, where I +had the pleasure of knowing Miss Mackenzie." + +Then the widow asked him to take a chair, and he took a chair. + +"My sister-in-law is not with us at present," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +"She is staying for a visit with her aunt, Lady Ball, at the Cedars, +Twickenham," said Mary Jane, who had contrived to drop her sheet, and +hustle it under the table with her feet, as soon as she learned that +the visitor was a clergyman. + +"Lady Ball is the lady of Sir John Ball, Baronet," said Miss Colza, +whose good nature made her desirous of standing up for the honour of +the family with which she was, for the time, domesticated. + +"I knew she had been at Lady Ball's," said the clergyman, "as I heard +from her from thence; but I thought she had probably returned." + +"Oh dear, no," said the widow, "she ain't returned here, nor don't +mean. We haven't the room for her, and that's the truth. Have we, +Mary Jane?" + +"That we have not, mamma; and I don't think aunt Margaret would think +of such a thing." + +Then, thought Mr Maguire, the Balls must have got hold of the +heiress, and not the Mackenzies, and my battle must be fought at the +Cedars, and not here. Still, as he was there, he thought possibly he +might obtain some further information; and this would be the easier, +if, as appeared to be the case, there was enmity between the Gower +Street family and their relative. + +"Has Miss Mackenzie gone to live permanently at the Cedars?" he +asked. + +"Not that I know of," said the widow. + +"It isn't at all unlikely, mamma, that it may be so, when you +consider everything. It's just the sort of way in which they'll most +likely get over her." + +"Mary Jane, hold your tongue," said her mother; "you shouldn't say +things of that sort before strangers." + +"Though I may not have the pleasure of knowing you and your amiable +family," said Mr Maguire, smiling his sweetest, "I am by no means a +stranger to Miss Mackenzie." + +Then the ladies all looked at him, and thought they had never seen +anything so terrible as that squint. + +"Miss Mackenzie is making a long visit at the Cedars," said Miss +Colza, "that is all we know at present. I am told the Balls are +very nice people, but perhaps a little worldly-minded; that's to be +expected, however, from people who live out of the west-end from +London. I live in Finsbury Square, or at least, I did before I came +here, and I ain't a bit ashamed to own it. But of course the west-end +is the nicest." + +Then Mr Maguire got up, saying that he should probably do himself the +pleasure of calling on Miss Mackenzie at the Cedars, and went his +way. + +"I wonder what he's after," said Mrs Mackenzie, as soon as the door +was shut. + +"Perhaps he came to tell her to bear it all with Christian +resignation," said Miss Colza; "they always do come when anything's +in the wind like that; they like to know everything before anybody +else." + +"It's my belief he's after her money," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +"With such a squint as that!" said Mary Jane; "I wouldn't have him +though he was made of money, and I hadn't a farthing." + +"Beauty is but skin deep," said Miss Colza. + +"And it's manners to wait till you are asked," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +Mary Jane chucked up her head with disdain, thereby indicating that +though she had not been asked, and though beauty is but skin deep, +still she held the same opinion. + +Mr Maguire, as he went away to a clerical advertising office in the +neighbourhood of Exeter Hall, thought over the matter profoundly. +It was clear enough to him that the Mackenzies of Gower Street were +not interfering with him; very probably they might have hoped and +attempted to keep the heiress among them; that assertion that there +was no room for her in the house--as though they were and ever had +been averse to having her with them--seemed to imply that such was +the case. It was the natural language of a disappointed woman. But +if so, that hope was now over with them. And then the young lady had +plainly exposed the suspicions which they all entertained as to the +Balls. These grand people at the Cedars, this baronet's family at +Twickenham, must have got her to come among them with the intention +of keeping her there. It did not occur to him that the baronet or the +baronet's son would actually want Miss Mackenzie's money. He presumed +baronets to be rich people; but still they might very probably be as +dogs in the manger, and desirous of preventing their relative from +doing with her money that active service to humanity in general which +would be done were she to marry a deserving clergyman who had nothing +of his own. + +He made his visit to the advertising office, and learned that +clergymen without cures were at present drugs in the market. He +couldn't understand how this should be the case, seeing that the +newspapers were constantly declaring that the supply of university +clergymen were becoming less and less every day. He had come from +Trinity, Dublin and after the success of his career at Littlebath, +was astonished that he should not be snapped at by the retailers of +curacies. + +On the next day he visited Twickenham. Now, on the morning of that +very day Margaret Mackenzie first woke to the consciousness that +she was the promised wife of her cousin John Ball. There was great +comfort in the thought. + +It was not only, nor even chiefly, that she who, on the preceding +morning, had awakened to the remembrance of her utter destitution, +now felt that all those terrible troubles were over. It was not +simply that her great care had been vanquished for her. It was this, +that the man who had a second time come to her asking for her love, +had now given her all-sufficient evidence that he did so for the sake +of her love. He, who was so anxious for money, had shown her that he +could care for her more even than he cared for gold. As she thought +of this, and made herself happy in the thought, she would not rise +at once from her bed, but curled herself in the clothes and hugged +herself in her joy. + +"I should have taken him before, at once, instantly, if I could have +thought that it was so," she said to herself; "but this is a thousand +times better." + +Then she found that the pillow beneath her cheek was wet with her +tears. + +On the preceding evening she had been very silent and demure, and her +betrothed had also been silent. There had been no words about the +tea-making, and Lady Ball had been silent also. As far as she knew, +Margaret was to go on the following day, but she would say nothing on +the subject. Margaret, indeed, had commenced her packing, and did not +know when she went to bed whether she was to go or not. She rather +hoped that she might be allowed to go, as her aunt would doubtless +be disagreeable; but in that, and in all matters now, she would of +course be guided implicitly by Mr Ball. He had told her to be firm, +and of her own firmness she had no doubt whatever. Lady Ball, with +all her anger, or with all her eloquence, should not talk her out of +her husband. She could be firm, and she had no doubt that John Ball +could be firm also. + +Nevertheless, when she was dressing, she did not fail to tell herself +that she might have a bad time of it that morning,--and a bad time of +it for some days to come, if it was John's intention that she should +remain at the Cedars. She was convinced that Lady Ball would not +welcome her as a daughter-in-law now as she would have done when the +property was thought to belong to her. What right had she to expect +such welcome? No doubt some hard things would be said to her; but +she knew her own courage, and was sure that she could bear any hard +things with such a hope within her breast as that which she now +possessed. She left her room a little earlier than usual, thinking +that she might thus meet her cousin and receive his orders. And in +this she was not disappointed; he was in the hall as she came down, +and she was able to smile on him, and press his hand, and make her +morning greetings to him with some tenderness in her voice. He looked +heavy about the face, and almost more careworn than usual, but he +took her hand and led her into the breakfast-room. + +"Did you tell your mother, John?" she said, standing very close to +him, almost leaning upon his shoulder. + +He, however, did not probably want such signs of love as this, and +moved a step away from her. + +"Yes," said he, "I told both my father and my mother. What she says +to you, you must hear, and bear it quietly for my sake." + +"I will," said Margaret. + +"I think that she is unreasonable, but still she is my mother." + +"I shall always remember that, John." + +"And she is old, and things have not always gone well with her. She +says, too, that you have been impertinent to her." + +Margaret's face became very red at this charge, but she made no +immediate reply. + +"I don't think you could mean to be impertinent." + +"Certainly not, John; but, of course, I shall feel myself much more +bound to her now than I was before." + +"Yes, of course; but I wish that nothing had occurred to make her so +angry with you." + +"I don't think that I was impertinent, John, though perhaps it might +seem so. When she was talking about my being a companion to a lady, +I perhaps answered her sharply. I was so determined that I wouldn't +lead that sort of life, that, perhaps I said more than I should have +done. You know, John, that it hasn't been quite pleasant between us +for the last few days." + +John did know this, and he knew also that there was not much +probability of pleasantness for some days to come. His mother's last +words to him on the preceding evening, as he was leaving her after +having told his story, did not give much promise of pleasantness for +Margaret. "John," she had said, "nothing on earth shall induce me to +live in the same house with Margaret Mackenzie as your wife. If you +choose to break up everything for her sake, you can do it. I cannot +control you. But remember, it will be your doing." + +Margaret then asked him what she was to do, and where she was to +live. She would fain have asked him when they were to be married, but +she did not dare to make inquiry on that point. He told her that, for +the present, she must remain at the Cedars. If she went away it would +be regarded as an open quarrel, and moreover, he did not wish that +she should live by herself in London lodgings. "We shall be able to +see how things go for a day or two," he said. To this she submitted +without a murmur, and then Lady Ball came into the room. + +They were both very nervous in watching her first behaviour, but were +not at all prepared for the line of conduct which she adopted. John +Ball and Margaret had separated when they heard the rustle of her +dress. He had made a step towards the window, and she had retreated +to the other side of the fire-place. Lady Ball, on entering the room, +had been nearest to Margaret, but she walked round the table away +from her usual place for prayers, and accosted her son. + +"Good-morning, John," she said, giving him her hand. + +Margaret waited a second or two, and then addressed her aunt. + +"Good-morning, aunt," she said, stepping half across the rug. + +But her aunt, turning her back to her, moved into the embrasure of +the window. It had been decided that there was to be an absolute cut +between them! As long as she remained in that house Lady Ball would +not speak to her. John said nothing, but a black frown came upon his +brow. Poor Margaret retired, rebuked, to her corner by the chimney. +Just at that moment the girls and children rushed in from the study, +with the daily governess who came every morning, and Sir John rang +for the servants to come to prayers. + +I wonder whether that old lady's heart was at all softened as she +prayed? whether it ever occurred to her to think that there was any +meaning in that form of words she used, when she asked her God to +forgive her as she might forgive others? Not that Margaret had in +truth trespassed against her at all; but, doubtless, she regarded +her niece as a black trespasser, and as being quite qualified for +forgiveness, could she have brought herself to forgive. But I fear +that the form of words on that occasion meant nothing, and that she +had been delivered from no evil during those moments she had been on +her knees. Margaret sat down in her accustomed place, but no notice +was taken of her by her aunt. When the tea had been poured out, John +got up from his seat and asked his mother which was Margaret's cup. + +"My dear," said she, "if you will sit down, Miss Mackenzie shall have +her tea." + +"I will take it to her," said he. + +"John," said his mother, drawing her chair somewhat away from the +table, "if you flurry me in this way, you will drive me out of the +room." + +Then he had sat down, and Margaret received her cup in the usual way. +The girls and children stared at each other, and the governess, who +always breakfasted at the house, did not dare to lift her eyes from +off her plate. + +Margaret longed for an opportunity of starting with John Ball, and +walking with him to the station, but no such opportunity came in her +way. It was his custom always to go up to his father before he left +home, and on this occasion Margaret did not see him after he quitted +the breakfast table. When the clatter of the knives and cups was +over, and the eating and drinking was at an end, Lady Ball left the +room and Margaret began to think what she would do. She could not +remain about the house in her aunt's way, without being spoken to, +or speaking. So she went to her room, resolving that she would not +leave it till the carriage had taken off Sir John and her aunt. Then +she would go out for a walk, and would again meet her cousin at the +station. + +From her bedroom window she could see the sweep before the front of +the house, and at two o'clock she saw and heard the lumbering of the +carriage as it came to the door, and then she put on her hat to be +ready for her walk; but her uncle and aunt did not, as it seemed, +come out, and the carriage remained there as a fixture. This had been +the case for some twenty minutes, when there came a knock at her own +door, and the maid-servant told her that her aunt wished to see her +in the drawing-room. + +"To see me?" said Margaret, thoroughly surprised, and not a little +dismayed. + +"Yes, Miss; and there's a gentleman there who asked for you when he +first come." + +Now, indeed, she was dismayed. Who could be the gentleman? Was it Mr +Slow, or a myrmidon from Mr Slow's legal abode? Or was it Mr Rubb +with his yellow gloves again? Whoever it was there must be something +very special in his mission, as her aunt had, in consequence, +deferred her drive, and was also apparently about to drop her purpose +of cutting her niece's acquaintance in her own house. + +But we will go back to Mr Maguire. He had passed the evening and the +morning in thinking over the method of his attack, and had at last +resolved that he would be very bold. He would go down to the Cedars, +and claim Margaret as his affianced bride. He went, therefore, down +to the Cedars, and in accordance with his plan as arranged, he gave +his card to the servant, and asked if he could see Sir John Ball +alone. Now, Sir John Ball never saw any one on business, or, indeed, +not on business; and, after a while, word was brought out to Mr +Maguire that he could see Lady Ball, but that Sir John was not well +enough to receive any visitors. Lady Ball, Mr Maguire thought, would +suit him better than Sir John. He signified his will accordingly, and +on being shown into the drawing-room, found her ladyship there alone. + +It must be acknowledged that he was a brave man, and that he was +doing a bold thing. He knew that he should find himself among +enemies, and that his claim would be ignored and ridiculed by the +persons whom he was about to attack; he knew that everybody, on first +seeing him, was affrighted and somewhat horrified; he knew too,--at +least, we must presume that he knew,--that the lady herself had given +him no promise. But he thought it possible, nay, almost probable, +that she would turn to him if she saw him again; that she might own +him as her own; that her feelings might be strong enough in his +favour to induce her to throw off the thraldom of her relatives, and +that he might make good his ground in her breast, even if he could +not bear her away in triumph out of the hands of his enemies. + +When he entered the room Lady Ball looked at him and shuddered. +People always did shudder when they saw him for the first time. + +"Lady Ball," said he, "I am the Rev. Mr Maguire, of Littlebath." + +She was holding his card in her hand, and having notified to him that +she was aware of the fact he had mentioned, asked him to sit down. + +"I have called," said he, taking his seat, "hoping to be allowed to +speak to you on a subject of extreme delicacy." + +"Indeed," said Lady Ball, thinking to catch his eye, and failing in +the effort. + +"I may say of very extreme delicacy. I believe your niece, Miss +Margaret Mackenzie, is staying here?" In answer to this, Lady Ball +acknowledged that Miss Mackenzie was now at the Cedars. + +"Have you any objection, Lady Ball, to allowing me to see her in your +presence?" + +Lady Ball was a quick-thinking, intelligent, and, at the same time, +prudent old lady, and she gave no answer to this before she had +considered the import of the question. Why should this clergyman want +to see Margaret? And would his seeing her conduce most to her own +success, or to Margaret's? Then there was the fact that Margaret was +of an age which entitled her to the right of seeing any visitor who +might call on her. Thinking over all this as best she could in the +few moments at her command, and thinking also of this clergyman's +stipulation that she was to be present at the interview, she +said that she had no objection whatever. She would send for Miss +Mackenzie. + +She rose to ring the bell, but Mr Maguire, also rising from his +chair, stopped her hand. + +"Pardon me for a moment," said he. "Before you call Margaret to come +down I would wish to explain to you for what purpose I have come +here." + +Lady Ball, when she heard the man call her niece by her Christian +name, listened with all her ears. Under no circumstances but one +could such a man call such a woman by her Christian name in such +company. + +"Lady Ball," he said, "I do not know whether you may be aware of it +or no, but I am engaged to marry your niece." + +Lady Ball, who had not yet resumed her seat, now did so. + +"I had not heard of it," she said. + +"It may be so," said Mr Maguire. + +"It is so," said Lady Ball. + +"Very probably. There are many reasons which operate upon young +ladies in such a condition to keep their secret even from their +nearest relatives. For myself, being a clergyman of the Church of +England, professing evangelical doctrines, and therefore, as I had +need not say, averse to everything that may have about it even a +seeming of impropriety, I think it best to declare the fact to you, +even though in doing so I may perhaps give some offence to dear +Margaret." + +It must, I think, be acknowledged that Mr Maguire was true to +himself, and that he was conducting his case at any rate with +courage. + +Lady Ball was doubtful what she would do. It was on her tongue to +tell the man that her niece's fortune was gone. But she remembered +that she might probably advance her own interests by securing an +interview between the two lovers of Littlebath in her own presence. +She never for a moment doubted that Mr Maguire's statement was true. +It never occurred to her that there had been no such engagement. +She felt confident from the moment in which Mr Maguire's important +tidings had reached her ears that she had now in her hands the means +of rescuing her son. That Mr Maguire would cease to make his demand +for his bride when he should hear the truth, was of course to be +expected; but her son would not be such an idiot, such a soft fool, +as to go on with his purpose when he should learn that such a secret +as this had been kept back from him. She had refused him, and taken +up with this horrid, greasy, evil-eyed parson when she was rich; and +then, when she was poor,--even before she had got rid of her other +engagement, she had come back upon him, and, playing upon his pity, +had secured him in her toils. Lady Ball felt well inclined to thank +the clergyman for coming to her relief at such a moment. + +"It will be best that I should ask my niece to come down to you," +said she, getting up and walking out of the room. + +But she did not go up to her niece. She first went to Sir John and +quieted his impatience with reference to the driving, and then, after +a few minutes' further delay for consideration, she sent the servant +up to her niece. Having done this she returned to the drawing-room, +and found Mr Maguire looking at the photographs on the table. + +"It is very like dear Margaret, very like her, indeed," said he, +looking at one of Miss Mackenzie. "The sweetest face that ever my +eyes rested on! May I ask you if you have just seen your niece, Lady +Ball?" + +"No, sir, I have not seen her; but I have sent for her." + +There was still some little delay before Margaret came down. She +was much fluttered, and wanted time to think, if only time could be +allowed to her. Perhaps there had come a man to say that her money +was not gone. If so, with what delight would she give it all to her +cousin John! That was her first thought. But if so, how then about +the promise made to her dying brother? She almost wished that the +money might not be hers. Looking to herself only, and to her own +happiness, it would certainly be better for her that it should not be +hers. And if it should be Mr Rubb with the yellow gloves! But before +she could consider that alternative she had opened the door, and +there was Mr Maguire standing ready to receive her. + +"Dearest Margaret!" he exclaimed. "My own love!" And there he stood, +with his arms open, as though he expected Miss Mackenzie to rush into +them. He was certainly a man of very great courage. + +"Mr Maguire!" said she, and she stood still near the door. Then she +looked at her aunt, and saw that Lady Ball's eyes were keenly fixed +upon her. Something like the truth, some approximation to the facts +as they were, flashed upon her in a moment, and she knew that she had +to bear herself in this difficulty with all her discretion and all +her fortitude. + +"Margaret," exclaimed Mr Maguire, "will you not come to me?" + +"What do you mean, Mr Maguire?" said she, still standing aloof from +him, and retreating somewhat nearer to the door. + +"The gentleman says that you are engaged to marry him," said Lady +Ball. + +Margaret, looking again into her aunt's face, saw the smile of +triumph that sat there, and resolved at once to make good her ground. + +"If he has said that, he has told an untruth,--an untruth both +unmanly and unmannerly. You hear, sir, what Lady Ball has stated. Is +it true that you have made such an assertion?" + +"And will you contradict it, Margaret? Oh, Margaret! Margaret! you +cannot contradict it." + +The reader must remember that this clergyman no doubt thought and +felt that he had a good deal of truth on his side. Gentlemen when +they make offers to ladies, and are told by ladies that they may +come again, and that time is required for consideration, are always +disposed to think that the difficulties of the siege are over. And +in nine cases out of ten it is so. Mr Maguire, no doubt, since +the interview in question, had received letters from the lady +which should at any rate have prevented him from uttering any such +assertion as that which he had now made; but he looked upon those +letters as the work of the enemy, and chose to go back for his +authority to the last words which Margaret had spoken to him. He knew +that he was playing an intricate game,--that all was not quite on the +square; but he thought that the enemy was playing him false, and that +falsehood in return was therefore fair. This that was going on was a +robbery of the Church, a spoiling of Israel, a touching with profane +hands of things that had already been made sacred. + +"But I do contradict it," said Margaret, stepping forward into the +room, and almost exciting admiration in Lady Ball's breast by her +demeanour. "Aunt," said she, "as this gentleman has chosen to come +here with such a story as this, I must tell you all the facts." + +"Has he ever been engaged to you?" asked Lady Ball. + +"Never." + +"Oh, Margaret!" again exclaimed Mr Maguire. + +"Sir, I will ask you to let me tell my aunt the truth. When I was at +Littlebath, before I knew that my fortune was not my own,"--as she +said this she looked hard into Mr Maguire's face--"before I had +become penniless, as I am now,"--then she paused again, and still +looking at him, saw with inward pleasure the elongation of her +suitor's face, "this gentleman asked me to marry him." + +"He did ask you?" said Lady Ball. + +"Of course I asked her," urged Mr Maguire. "There can be no denying +that on either side." + +He did not now quite know what to do. He certainly did not wish to +impoverish the Church by marrying Miss Mackenzie without any fortune. +But might it not all be a trick? That she had been rich he knew, and +how could she have become poor so quickly? + +"He did ask me, and I told him that I must take a fortnight to +consider of it." + +"You did not refuse him, then?" said Lady Ball. + +"Not then, but I have done so since by letter. Twice I have written +to him, telling him that I had nothing of my own, and that there +could be nothing between us." + +"I got her letters," said Mr Maguire, turning round to Lady Ball. "I +certainly got her letters. But such letters as those, if they are +written under dictation--" + +He was rather anxious that Lady Bell should quarrel with him. In the +programme which he had made for himself when he came to the house, a +quarrel to the knife with the Ball family was a part of his tactics. +His programme, no doubt, was disturbed by the course which events had +taken, but still a quarrel with Lady Ball might be the best for him. +If she were to quarrel with him, it would give him some evidence that +this story about the loss of the money was untrue. But Lady Ball +would not quarrel with him. She sat still and said nothing. "Nobody +dictated them," said Margaret. "But now you are here, I will tell you +the facts. The money which I thought was mine, in truth belongs to my +cousin, Mr John Ball, and I--" + +So far she spoke loudly, With her face raised, and her eyes fixed +upon him. Then as she concluded, she dropped her voice and eyes +together. "And I am now engaged to him as his wife." + +"Oh, indeed!" said Mr Maguire. + +"That statement must be taken for what it is worth," said Lady Ball, +rising from her seat. "Of what Miss Mackenzie says now, I know +nothing. I sincerely hope that she may find that she is mistaken." + +"And now, Margaret," said Mr Maguire, "may I ask to see you for one +minute alone?" + +"Certainly not," said she. "If you have anything more to say I will +hear it in my aunt's presence." She waited a few moments, but as he +did not speak, she took herself back to the door and made her escape +to her own room. + +How Mr Maguire took himself out of the house we need not stop to +inquire. There must, I should think, have been some difficulty in the +manoeuvre. It was considerably past three when Sir John was taken +out for his drive, and while he was in the carriage his wife told him +what had occurred. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +Still at the Cedars + + +Margaret, when she had reached her own room, and seated herself +so that she could consider all that had occurred in quietness, +immediately knew her own difficulty. Of course Lady Ball would give +her account of what had occurred to her son, and of course John would +be angry when he learned that there had been any purpose of marriage +between her and Mr Maguire. She herself took a different view of the +matter now than that which had hitherto presented itself. She had not +thought much of Mr Maguire or his proposal. It had been made under a +state of things differing much from that now existing, and the change +that had come upon her affairs had seemed to her to annul the offer. +She had learned to regard it almost as though it had never been. +There had been no engagement; there had hardly been a purpose in +her own mind; and the moment had never come in which she could have +spoken of it to her cousin with propriety. + +That last, in truth, was her valid excuse for not having told him the +whole story. She had hardly been with him long enough to do more than +accept the offer he had himself made. Of course she would have told +him of Mr Maguire,--of Mr Maguire and of Mr Rubb also, when first an +opportunity might come for her to do so. She had no desire to keep +from his knowledge any tittle of what had occurred. There had been +nothing of which she was ashamed. But not the less did she feel that +it would have been well for her that she should have told her own +story before that horrid man had come to the Cedars. The story would +now first be told to him by her aunt, and she knew well the tone in +which it would be told. + +It occurred to her that she might even yet go and meet him at the +station. But if so, she must tell him at once, and he would know that +she had done so because she was afraid of her aunt, and she disliked +the idea of excusing herself before she was accused. If he really +loved her, he would listen to her, and believe her. If he did +not--why then let Lady Ball have her own way. She had promised to be +firm, and she would keep her promise; but she would not intrigue with +the hope of making him firm. If he was infirm of purpose, let him +go. So she sat in her room, even when she heard the door close after +his entrance, and did not go down till it was time for her to show +herself in the drawing-room before dinner. When she entered the room +was full. He nodded at her with a pleasant smile, and she made up her +mind that he had heard nothing as yet. Her uncle had excused himself +from coming to table, and her aunt and John were talking together in +apparent eagerness about him. For one moment her cousin spoke to her +before dinner. + +"I am afraid," he said, "that my father is sinking fast." + +Then she felt quite sure that he had as yet heard nothing about Mr +Maguire. + +But it was late in the evening, when other people had gone to bed, +that Lady Ball was in the habit of discussing family affairs with +her son, and doubtless she would do so to-night. Margaret, before +she went up to her room, strove hard to get from him a few words of +kindness, but it seemed as though he was not thinking of her. + +"He is full of his father," she said to herself. + +When her bed-candle was in her hand she did make an opportunity to +speak to him. + +"Has Mr Slow settled anything more as yet?" she asked. + +"Well, yes. Not that he has settled anything, but he has made a +proposition to which I am willing to agree. I don't go up to town +to-morrow, and we will talk it over. If you will agree to it, all the +money difficulties will be settled." + +"I will agree to anything that you tell me is right." + +"I will explain it all to you to-morrow; and, Margaret, I have told +Mr Slow what are my intentions,--our intentions, I ought to say." She +smiled at him with that sweet smile of hers, as though she thanked +him for speaking of himself and her together, and then she took +herself away. Surely, after speaking to her in that way, he would not +allow any words from his mother to dissuade him from his purpose? + +She could not go to bed. She knew that her fate was being discussed, +and she knew that her aunt at that very time was using every argument +in her power to ruin her. She felt, moreover, that the story might +be told in such a way as to be terribly prejudicial to her. And now, +when his father was so ill, might it not be very natural that he +should do almost anything to lessen his mother's troubles? But to her +it would be absolute ruin; such ruin that nothing which she had yet +endured would be in any way like it. The story of the loss of her +money had stunned her, but it had not broken her spirit. Her misery +from that had arisen chiefly from the wants of her brother's family. +But if he were now to tell her that all must be over between them, +her very heart would be broken. + +She could not go to bed while this was going on, so she sat +listening, till she should hear the noise of feet about the house. +Silently she loosened the lock of her own door, so that the sound +might more certainly come to her, and she sat thinking what she might +best do. It had not been quite eleven when she came upstairs, and at +twelve she did not hear anything. And yet she was almost sure that +they must be still together in that small room downstairs, talking of +her and of her conduct. It was past one before she heard the door of +the room open. She heard it so plainly, that she wondered at herself +for having supposed for a moment that they could have gone without +her noticing them. Then she heard her cousin's heavy step coming +upstairs. In passing to his room he would not go actually by her +door, but would be very near it. She looked through the chink, having +carefully put away her own candle, and could see his face as he came +upon the top stair. It wore a look of trouble and of pain, but not, +as she thought, of anger. Her aunt, she knew, would go to her room by +the back stairs, and would go through the kitchen and over the whole +of the lower house, before she would come out on the landing to which +Margaret's room opened. Then, seeing her cousin, the idea occurred +to her that she would have it all over on that very night. If he +had heard that which changed his purpose, why should she be left in +suspense? He should tell her at once, and at once she would prepare +herself for her future life. + +So she opened the door a little way, and called to him. + +"John," she said, "is that you?" + +She spoke almost in a whisper, but, nevertheless, he heard her very +clearly, and at once turned towards her room. + +"Come in, John," she said, opening the door wider. "I wish to speak +to you. I have been waiting till you should come up." + +She had taken off her dress, and had put on in place of it a white +dressing-gown; but of this she had not thought till he was already +within the room. "I hope you won't mind finding me like this, but I +did so want to speak to you to-night." + +He, as he looked at her, felt that he had no objection to make to her +appearance. If that had been his only trouble concerning her he would +have been well satisfied. When he was within the room, she closed the +lock of the door very softly, and then began to question him. + +"Tell me," she said, "what my aunt has been saying to you about that +man that came here to-day." + +He did not answer her at once, but stood leaning against the bed. + +"I know she has been telling you," continued Margaret. "I know she +would not let you go to bed without accusing me. Tell me, John, what +she has told you." + +He was very slow to speak. As he had sat listening to his mother's +energetic accusation against the woman he had promised to marry, +hearing her bring up argument after argument to prove that Margaret +had, in fact, been engaged to that clergyman,--that she had intended +to marry that man while she had money, and had not, up to that day, +made him fully understand that she would not do so,--he had himself +said little or nothing, claiming to himself the use of that night +for consideration. The circumstances against Margaret he owned to +be very strong. He felt angry with her for having had any lover at +Littlebath. It was but the other day, during her winter visit to +the Cedars, that he had himself proposed to her, and that she had +rejected him. He had now renewed his proposal, and he did not like to +think that there had been any one else between his overtures. And he +could not deny the strength of his mother's argument when she averred +that Mr Maguire would not have come down there unless he had had, as +she said, every encouragement. Indeed, throughout the whole affair, +Lady Ball believed Mr Maguire, and disbelieved her niece; and +something of her belief, and something also of her disbelief, +communicated itself to her son. But, still, he reserved to himself +the right of postponing his own opinion till the morrow; and as he +was coming upstairs, when Margaret saw him through the chink of the +door, he was thinking of her smiles, of her graciousness, and her +goodness. He was remembering the touch of her hand when they were +together in the square, and the feminine sweetness with which she had +yielded to him every point regarding her fortune. When he did not +speak to her at once, she questioned him again. + +"I know she has told you that Mr Maguire has been here, and that she +has accused me of deceiving you." + +"Yes, Margaret, she has." + +"And what have you said in return; or rather, what have you thought?" + +He had been leaning, or half sitting, on the bed, and she had placed +herself beside him. How was it that she had again taken him by the +coat, and again looked up into his face with those soft, trusting +eyes? Was it a trick with her? Had she ever taken that other man by +the coat in the same way, and smitten him also with the battery of +her eyes? The loose sleeve of her dressing-gown had fallen back, and +he could see that her arm was round and white, and very fair. Was +she conversant with such tricks as these? His mother had called her +clever and cunning as a serpent. Was it so? Had his mother seen with +eyes clearer than his own, and was he now being surrounded by the +meshes of a false woman's web? He moved away from her quickly, and +stood upon the hearth-rug with his back to the empty fire grate. + +Then she stood up also. + +"John," she said, "if you have condemned me, say so. I shall defend +myself for the sake of my character, but I shall not ask you to come +back to me." + +But he had not condemned her. He had not condemned her altogether, +neither had he acquitted her. He was willing enough to hear her +defence, as he had heard his mother's accusation; but he was desirous +of hearing it without committing himself to any opinion. + +"I have been much surprised," he said, "by what my mother has now +told me,--very much surprised indeed. If Mr Maguire had any claim +upon your hand, should you not have told me?" + +"He had no claim; but no doubt it was right that I should tell you. I +was bound by my duty to tell you everything that had occurred." + +"Of course you were--and yet you did not do it." + +"But I was not so bound before what you said to me in the shrubbery +last night? Remember, John, it was but last night. Have I had a +moment to speak to you?" + +"If there was any question of engagement between you and him, you +should have told it me then, on the instant." + +"But there was no question. He came to me one day and made me an +offer. I will tell you everything, and I think you will believe me. +I found him holding a position of respect, at Littlebath, and I was +all alone in the world. Why should I not listen to him? I gave him no +answer, but told him to speak to me again after a while. Then came my +poor brother's illness and death; and after that came, as you know, +the loss of all my money. In the meantime Mr Maguire had written, +but as I knew that my brother's family must trust to me for their +support--that, at least, John was my hope then--I answered him that +my means were not the same as before, and that everything must be +over. Then he wrote to me again after I had lost my money, and once +I answered him. I wrote to him so that he should know that nothing +could come of it. Here are all his letters, and I have a copy of +the last I wrote to him." So saying, she pulled the papers out +of her desk,--the desk in which still lay the torn shreds of her +poetry,--and handed them to him. "After that, what right had he to +come here and make such a statement as he did to my aunt? How can he +be a gentleman, and say what was so false?" + +"No one says that he is a gentleman," replied John Ball, as he took +the proffered papers. + +"I have told you all now," said she; and as she spoke, a gleam of +anger flashed from her eyes, for she was not in all respects a +Griselda such as she of old. "I have told you all now, and if further +excuse be wanting, I have none further to make." + +Slowly he read the letters, still standing up on the hearth-rug, and +then he folded them again into their shapes, and slowly gave them +back to her. + +"There is no doubt," said he, "as to his being a blackguard. He was +hunting for your money, and now that he knows you have got none, he +will trouble you no further." Then he made a move from the place on +which he stood, as if he were going. + +"And is that to be all, John?" she said. + +"I shall see you to-morrow," he replied. "I am not going to town." + +"But is that to be all to-night?" + +"It is very late," and he looked at his watch. "I do not see that any +good can come of talking more about it now. Good-night to you." + +"Good-night," she said. Then she waited till the door was closed, and +when he was gone she threw herself upon the bed. Alas! alas! Now once +more was she ruined, and her present ruin was ruin indeed. + +She threw herself on the bed, and sobbed as though she would have +broken her heart in the bitterness of her spirit. She had told him +the plainest, simplest truest story, and he had received it without +one word of comment in her favour,--without one sign to show that her +truthfulness had been acknowledged by him! He had told her that this +man, who had done her so great an injury, was a blackguard; but of +her own conduct he had not allowed himself to speak. She knew that +his judgment had gone against her, and though she felt it to be +hard,--very hard,--she resolved that she would make no protest +against it. Of course she would leave the Cedars. Only a few hours +since she had assured herself that it was her duty henceforward to +obey him in everything. But that was now all changed. Whatever he +might say to the contrary, she would go. If he chose to follow her +whither she went, and again ask her to be his wife she would receive +him with open arms. Oh, yes; let him only once again own that she was +worthy of him, and then she would sit at his feet and confess her +folly, and ask his pardon a thousand times for the trouble she had +given him. But unless he were to do this she would never again beg +for favour. She had made her defence, and had, as she felt, made it +in vain. She would not condescend to say one other word in excuse of +her conduct. + +As for her aunt, all terms between Lady Ball and herself must be at +an end. Lady Ball had passed a day with her in the house without +speaking to her, except when that man had come, and then she had +taken part with him! Her aunt, she thought, had been untrue to +hospitality in not defending the guest within her own walls; she had +been untrue to her own blood, in not defending her husband's niece; +but, worse than all that, ten times worse, she had been untrue as +from one woman to another! Margaret, as she thought of this, rose +from the bed and walked wildly through the room unlike any Griselda. +No; she would have no terms with Lady Ball. Lady Ball had understood +it all, though John had not done so! She had known how it all was, +and had pretended not to know. Because she had an object of her own +to gain, she had allowed these calumnies to be believed! Let come +what might, they should all know that Margaret Mackenzie, poor, +wretched, destitute as she was, had still spirit enough to resent +such injuries as these. + +In the morning she sent down word by one of her young cousins that +she would not come to breakfast, and she asked that some tea might be +sent up to her. + +"Is she in bed, my dear?" asked Lady Ball. + +"No, she is not in bed," said Jane Ball. "She is sitting up, and has +got all her things about the room as though she were packing." + +"What nonsense!" said Lady Ball; "why does she not come down?" + +Then Isabella, the eldest girl, was sent up to her, but Margaret +refused to show herself. + +"She says she would rather not; but she wants to know if papa will +walk out with her at ten." + +Lady Ball again said that this was nonsense, but tea and toast were +at last supplied to her, and her cousin promised to be ready at the +hour named. Exactly at ten o'clock, Margaret opened the schoolroom +door, and asked one of the girls to tell her father that she would be +found on the walk leading to the long shrubbery. + +There on the walk she remained, walking slowly backwards and forwards +over a space of twenty yards, till he joined her. She gave him her +hand, and then turned towards the long shrubbery, and he, following +her direction, walked at her side. + +"John," she said, "you will not be surprised at my telling you that, +after what has occurred, I shall leave this place to-day." + +"You must not do that," he said. + +"Ah, but I must do it. There are some things John, which no woman +should bear or need bear. After what has occurred it is not right +that I should incur your mother's displeasure any longer. All my +things are ready. I want you to have them taken down to the one +o'clock train." + +"No, Margaret; I will not consent to that." + +"But, John, I cannot consent to anything else. Yesterday was a +terrible day for me. I don't think you can know how terrible. What I +endured then no one has a right to expect that I should endure any +longer. It was necessary that I should say something to you of what +had occurred, and that I said last night. I have no further call to +remain here, and, most positively, I shall go to-day." + +He looked into her face and saw that she was resolved, but yet he was +not minded to give way. He did not like to think that all authority +over her was passing out of his hands. During the night he had +not made up his mind to pardon her at once. Nay, he had not yet +told himself that he would pardon her at all. But he was prepared +to receive her tears and excuses, and we may say that, in all +probability, he would have pardoned her had she wept before him +and excused herself. But though she could shed tears on this +matter,--though, doubtless, there were many tears to be shed by +her,--she would shed no more before him in token of submission. If he +would first submit, then, indeed, she might weep on his shoulder or +laugh on his breast, as his mood might dictate. + +"Margaret," he said, "we have very much to talk over before you can +go." + +"There will be time for that between this and one. Look here, John; I +have made up my mind to go. After what took place yesterday, it will +be better for us all that we should be apart." + +"I don't see that, unless, indeed, you are determined to quarrel +with us altogether. I suppose my wishes in the matter will count for +something." + +"Yesterday morning they would have counted for everything; but not +this morning." + +"And why not, Margaret?" + +This was a question to which it was so difficult to find a reply, +that she left it unanswered. They both walked on in silence for some +paces, and then she spoke again. + +"You said yesterday that you had been with Mr Slow, and that you had +something to tell me. If you still wish to tell me anything, perhaps +you can do so now." + +"Everything seems to be so much changed," said he, speaking very +gloomily. + +"Yes," said she; "things are changed. But my confidence in Mr Slow, +and in you, is not altered. If you like it, you can settle everything +about the money without consulting me. I shall agree to anything +about that." + +"I was going to propose that your brother's family should have the +debt due by the Rubbs. Mr Slow thinks he might so manage as to secure +the payment of the interest." + +"Very well; I shall be delighted that it should be so. I had hoped +that they would have had more, but that of course is all over. I +cannot give them what is not mine." + +But this arrangement, which would have been pleasant enough +before,--which seemed to be very pleasant when John Ball was last +in Mr Slow's chambers, telling that gentleman that he was going to +make everything smooth by marrying his cousin,--was not by any means +so pleasant now. He had felt, when he was mentioning the proposed +arrangement to Margaret, that the very naming of it seemed to imply +that Mr Maguire and his visit were to go for nothing. If Mr Maguire +and his visit were to go for much--to go for all that which Lady Ball +wished to make of them--then, in such a case as that, the friendly +arrangement in question would not hold water. If that were to be so, +they must all go to work again, and Mr Slow must be told to do the +best in his power for his own client. John Ball was by no means +resolved to obey his mother implicitly and make so much of Mr Maguire +and his visit as all this; but how could he help doing so if Margaret +would go away? He could not as yet bring himself to tell her that Mr +Maguire and the visit should go altogether for nothing. He shook his +head in his trouble, and pished and pshawed. + +"The truth is, Margaret, you can't go to-day." + +"Indeed I shall, John," said she, smiling. "You would hardly wish to +keep me a prisoner, and the worst you could do would be to keep my +luggage from me." + +"Then I must say that you are very obstinate." + +"It is not very often that I resolve to have my own way; but I have +resolved now, and you should not try to balk me." + +They had now come round nearly to the house, and she showed, by the +direction that she took, that she was going in. + +"You will go?" said he. + +"Yes," said she; "I will go. My address will be at the old house in +Arundel Street. Shall I see you again before I go?" she asked him, +when she stood on the doorstep. "Perhaps you will be busy, and I had +better say goodbye." + +"Good-bye," said he, very gloomily; but he took her hand. + +"I suppose I had better not disturb my uncle. You will give him my +love. And, John, you will tell some one about my luggage; will you +not?" + +He muttered some affirmative, and then went round from the front of +the house, while she entered the hall. + +It was now half-past eleven, and she intended to start at half-past +twelve. She went into the drawing-room and not finding her aunt, rang +the bell. Lady Ball was with Sir John, she was told. She then wrote a +note on a scrap of paper, and sent it in: + + + DEAR AUNT, + + I leave here at half-past twelve. Perhaps you would like + to see me before I go. + + M. M. + + +Then, while she was waiting for an answer, she went into the school +room, and said good-bye to all the children. + +"But you are coming back, aunt Meg," said the youngest girl. + +Margaret stooped down to kiss her, and, when the child saw and felt +the tears, she asked no further questions. + +"Lady Ball is in the drawing-room, Miss," a servant said at that +moment, and there she went to fight her last battle! + +"What's the meaning of this, Margaret?" said her aunt. + +"Simply that I am going. I was to have gone on Monday, as you will +remember." + +"But it was understood that you were to stop." + +For a moment or two Margaret said nothing. + +"I hate these sudden changes," said Lady Ball; "they are hardly +respectable. I don't think you should leave the house in this way, +without having given notice to any one. What will the servants think +of it?" + +"They will probably think the truth, aunt. They probably thought +that, when they saw that you did not speak to me yesterday morning. +You can hardly imagine that I should stay in the house under such +circumstances as that." + +"You must do as you like, of course." + +"In this instance I must, aunt. I suppose I cannot see my uncle?" + +"It is quite out of the question." + +"Then I will say good-bye to you. I have said good-bye to John. +Good-bye, aunt," and Margaret put out her hand. + +But Lady Ball did not put out hers. + +"Good-bye, Margaret," she said. "There are circumstances under which +it is impossible for a person to make any expression of feeling that +may be taken for approbation. I hope a time may come when these +things shall have passed away, and that I may be able to see you +again." Margaret's eyes, as she made her way out of the room were +full of tears, and when she found herself outside the hall door, and +at the bottom of the steps, she was obliged to put her handkerchief +up to them. Before her on the road was a boy with a donkey cart +and her luggage. She looked round furtively, half-fearing, half +hoping--hardly expecting, but yet thinking, that she might again see +her cousin. But he did not show himself to her as she walked down to +the railway station by herself. As she went she told herself that she +was right; she applauded her own courage, but what, oh! what was she +to do? Everything now was over for her. Her fortune was gone. The man +whom she had learned to love had left her. There was no place in the +world on which her feet might rest till she had made one for herself +by the work of her hands. And as for friends--was there a single +being in the world whom she could now call her friend? + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +The Lodgings of Mrs Buggins, Née Protheroe + + +It was nearly the end of October when Miss Mackenzie left the Cedars +and at that time of the year there is not much difficulty in getting +lodgings in London. The house which her brother Walter occupied in +Arundel Street had, at his death, remained in the hands of an old +servant of his, who had bought her late master's furniture with her +savings, and had continued to live there, letting out the house in +lodgings. Her former mistress had gone to see her once or twice +during the past year, and it had been understood between them, that +if Miss Mackenzie ever wanted a room for a night or two in London, +she could be accommodated at the old house. She would have preferred +to write to Hannah Protheroe,--or Mrs Protheroe, as she was now +called by brevet rank since she had held a house of her own,--had +time permitted her to do so. But time and the circumstances did not +permit this, and therefore she had herself driven to Arundel Street +without any notice. + +Mrs Protheroe received her with open arms, and with many promises +of comfort and attendance,--as was to be expected, seeing that Mrs +Protheroe was, as she thought, receiving into her house the rich +heiress. She proffered at once the use of her drawing-room and of the +best bedroom, and declared that as the house was now empty, with the +exception of one young gentleman from Somerset House upstairs, she +would be able to devote herself almost exclusively to Miss Mackenzie. +Things were much changed from those former days in which Hannah +Protheroe used frequently to snub Margaret Mackenzie, being almost of +equal standing in the house with her young mistress. And now Margaret +was called upon to explain, that low as her standing might have been +then, at this present moment it was even lower. She had indeed the +means of paying for her lodgings, but these she was called upon to +husband with the minutest economy. The task of telling all this was +difficult. She began it by declining the drawing-room, and by saying +that a bedroom upstairs would suffice for her. + +"You haven't heard, Hannah, what has happened to me," she said, when +Mrs Protheroe expressed her surprise at this decision. "My brother's +will was no will at all. I do not get any of his property. It all +goes under some other will to my cousin, Mr John Ball." + +By these tidings Hannah was of course prostrated, and driven into a +state of excitement that was not without its pleasantness as far as +she was concerned. Of course she objected that the last will must be +the real will, and in this way the matter came to full discussion +between them. + +"And, after all, that John Ball is to have everything!" said Mrs +Protheroe, holding up both her hands. By this time Hannah Protheroe +had got herself comfortably into a chair, and no doubt her personal +pleasure in the evening's occupation was considerably enhanced by the +unconscious feeling that she was the richer woman of the two. But she +behaved very well, and I am inclined to think, in preparing buttered +muffins for her guest, she was more particular in the toasting, and +more generous with the butter, than she would have been had she been +preparing the dainty for drawing-room use. And when she learned that +Margaret had eaten nothing since breakfast, she herself went out +and brought in a sweetbread with her own hand, though she kept a +servant whom she might have sent to the shop. And, for the honour of +lodging-house keepers, I protest that that sweetbread never made its +appearance in any bill. + +"You will be more comfortable down here with me, won't you, my dear, +than up there, with not a creature to speak to?" + +In this way Mrs Protheroe made her apology for giving Miss Mackenzie +her tea downstairs, in a little back parlour behind the kitchen. It +was a tidy room, with two wooden armchairs, and a bit of carpet over +the flags in the centre, and a rug before the fire. Margaret did +not inquire why it smelt of tobacco, nor did Mrs Protheroe think +it necessary to give any explanation why she went up herself at +half-past seven to answer the bell at the area; nor did she say +anything then of the office messenger from Somerset House, who often +found this little room convenient for his evening pipe. So was passed +the first evening after our Griselda had left the Cedars. + +The next day she sat at home doing nothing,--still talking to Hannah +Protheroe, and thinking that perhaps John Ball might come. But he +did not come. She dined downstairs, at one o'clock, in the same +room behind the kitchen, and then she had tea at six. But as Hannah +intimated that perhaps a gentleman friend would look in during +the evening, she was obliged to betake herself, after tea, to the +solitude of her own room. As Hannah was between fifty and sixty, and +nearer the latter age than the former, there could be no objection to +her receiving what visitors she pleased. The third day passed with +Miss Mackenzie the same as the second, and still no cousin came to +see her. The next day, being Sunday, she diversified by going to +church three times; but on the Sunday she was forced to dine alone, +as the gentleman friend usually came in on that day to eat his bit of +mutton with his friend, Mrs Protheroe. + +"A most respectable man, in the Admiralty branch, Miss Margaret, and +will have a pension of twenty-seven shillings and sixpence a week in +a year or two. And it is so lonely by oneself, you know." + +Then Miss Mackenzie knew that Hannah Protheroe intended to become +Hannah Buggins, and she understood the whole mystery of the tobacco +smoke. + +On the Monday she went to the house in Gower Street, and communicated +to them the fact that she had left the Cedars. Miss Colza was in the +room with her sister-in-law and nieces, and as it was soon evident +that Miss Colza knew the whole history of her misfortune with +reference to the property, she talked about her affairs before Miss +Colza as though that young lady had been one of her late brother's +family. But yet she felt that she did not like Miss Colza, and once +or twice felt almost inclined to resent certain pushing questions +which Miss Colza addressed to her. + +"And have you quarrelled with all the Ball family?" the young lady +asked, putting great emphasis on the word all. + +"I did not say that I had quarrelled with any of them," said Miss +Mackenzie. + +"Oh! I beg pardon. I thought as you came away so sudden like, and as +you didn't see any of them since, you know--" + +"It is a matter of no importance whatever," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"No: none in the least," said Miss Colza. And in this way they made +up their minds to hate each other. + +But what did the woman mean by talking in this way of all the Balls, +as though a quarrel with one of the family was a thing of more +importance than a quarrel with any of the others? Could she know, or +could she even guess, anything of John Ball and of the offer he had +made? But this mystery was soon cleared up in Margaret's mind, when, +at Mrs Mackenzie's request, they two went upstairs into that lady's +bedroom for a little private conversation. + +The conversation was desired for purposes appertaining solely to the +convenience of the widow. She wanted some money, and then, with tears +in her eyes, she demanded to know what was to be done. Miss Colza +paid her eighteen shillings a week for board and lodging, and that +was now two weeks in arrear; and one bedroom was let to a young man +employed in the oilcloth factory, at seven shillings a week. + +"And the rent is ninety pounds, and the taxes twenty-two," said Mrs +Mackenzie, with her handkerchief up to her eyes; "and there's the +taxman come now for seven pound ten, and where I'm to get it, unless +I coined my blood, I don't know." + +Margaret gave her two sovereigns which she had in her purse, and +promised to send her a cheque for the amount of the taxes due. +Then she told as much as she could tell of that proposal as to the +interest of the money due from the firm in the New Road. + +"If it could only be made certain," said the widow, who had fallen +much from her high ideas since Margaret had last seen her. Things +were greatly changed in that house since the day on which the dinner, +à la Russe, had been given under the auspices of Mr Grandairs. "If +it can only be made certain. They still keep his name up in the firm. +There it is as plain as life over the place of business"--she would +not even yet call it a shop--"Rubb and Mackenzie; and yet they won't +let me know anything as to how matters are going on. I went there the +other day, and they would tell me nothing. And as for Samuel Rubb, he +hasn't been here this last fortnight, and I've got no one to see me +righted. If you were to ask Mr Slow, wouldn't he be able to see me +righted?" + +Margaret declared that she hardly knew whether that would come +within Mr Slow's line of business, and that she did not feel herself +competent to give advice on such a point as that. She then explained, +as best she could, that her own affairs were not as yet settled, but +that she was led to hope, from what had been said to her, that the +interest due by the firm on the money borrowed might become a fixed +annual income for Mrs Mackenzie's benefit. + +After that it came out that Mr Maguire had again been in Gower +Street. + +"And he was alone, for the best part of half an hour, with that young +woman downstairs," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +"And you saw him?" Margaret asked. + +"Oh, yes; I saw him afterwards." + +"And what did he say?" + +"He didn't say much to me. Only he gave me to understand--at least, +that is what I suppose he meant--that you and he-- He meant to say, +that you and he had been courting, I suppose." + +Then Margaret understood why Miss Colza had desired to know whether +she had quarrelled with all the Balls. In her open and somewhat +indignant speech in the drawing-room at the Cedars, she had declared +before Mr Maguire, in her aunt's presence, that she was engaged to +marry her cousin, John Ball. Mr Maguire had now enlisted Miss Colza +in his service, and had told Miss Colza what had occurred. But still +Miss Mackenzie did not thoroughly understand the matter. Why, she +asked herself, should Mr Maguire trouble himself further, now that he +knew that she had no fortune? But, in truth, it was not so easy to +satisfy Mr Maguire on that point, as it was to satisfy Miss Mackenzie +herself. He believed that the relatives of his lady-love were +robbing her, or that they were, at any rate, taking advantage of her +weakness. If it might be given to him to rescue her and her fortune +from them, then, in such case as that, surely he would get his +reward. The reader will therefore understand why Miss Colza was +anxious to know whether Miss Mackenzie had quarrelled with all the +Balls. + +Margaret's face became unusually black when she was told that she +and Mr Maguire had been courting, but she did not contradict the +assertion. She did, however, express her opinion of that gentleman. + +"He is a mean, false, greedy man," she said, and then paused a +moment; "and he has been the cause of my ruin." She would not, +however, explain what she meant by this, and left the house, without +going back to the room in which Miss Colza was sitting. + +About a week afterwards she got a letter from Mr Slow, in which that +gentleman,--or rather the firm, for the letter was signed Slow and +Bideawhile,--asked her whether she was in want of immediate funds. +The affair between her and her cousin was not yet, they said, in a +state for final settlement, but they would be justified in supplying +her own immediate wants out of the estate. To this she sent a reply, +saying that she had money for her immediate wants, but that she would +feel very grateful if anything could be done for Mrs Mackenzie and +her family. Then she got a further letter, very short, saying that a +half-year's interest on the loan had, by Mr Ball's consent, been paid +to Mrs Mackenzie by Rubb and Mackenzie. + +On the day following this, when she was sitting up in her bedroom, +Mrs Protheroe came to her, dressed in wonderful habiliments. She +wore a dark-blue bonnet, filled all round with yellow flowers, and a +spotted silk dress, of which the prevailing colour was scarlet. She +was going, she said, to St Mary-le-Strand, "to be made Mrs Buggins +of." She tried to carry it off with bravado when she entered the +room, but she left it with a tear in her eye, and a whimper in her +throat. "To be sure, I'm an old woman," she said before she went. +"Who has said that I ain't? Not I; nor yet Buggins. We is both of us +old. But I don't know why we is to be desolate and lonely all our +days, because we ain't young. It seems to me that the young folks is +to have it all to themselves, and I'm sure I don't know why." Then +she went, clearly resolved, that as far as she was concerned, the +young people shouldn't have it all to themselves; and as Buggins was +of the same way of thinking, they were married at St Mary-le-Strand +that very morning. + +And this marriage would have been of no moment to us or to our little +history, had not Mr Maguire chosen that morning, of all mornings +in the year, to call on Miss Mackenzie in Arundel Street. He had +obtained her address--of course, from Miss Colza; and, not having +been idle the while in pushing his inquiries respecting Miss +Mackenzie's affairs, had now come to Arundel Street to carry on the +battle as best he might. Margaret was still in her room as he came, +and as the girl could not show the gentleman up there, she took him +into an empty parlour, and brought the tidings up to the lodger. Mr +Maguire had not sent up his name; but a personal description by the +girl at once made Margaret know who was there. + +"I won't see him," said she, with heightened colour, grieving greatly +that the strong-minded Hannah Protheroe,--or Buggins, as it might +probably be by that time,--was not at home. "Martha, don't let him +come up. Tell him to go away at once." + +After some persuasion, the girl went down with the message, which she +softened to suit her own idea of propriety. But she returned, saying +that the gentleman was very urgent. He insisted that he must see Miss +Mackenzie, if only for an instant, before he left the house. + +"Tell him," said Margaret, "that nothing shall induce me to see him. +I'll send for a policeman. If he won't go when he's told, Martha, you +must go for a policeman." + +Martha, when she heard that, became frightened about the spoons and +coats, and ran down again in a hurry. Then she came up again with a +scrap of paper, on which a few words had been written with a pencil. +This was passed through a very narrow opening in the door, as +Margaret stood with it guarded, fearing lest the enemy might carry +the point by an assault. + +"You are being robbed," said the note, "you are, indeed,--and my only +wish is to protect you." + +"Tell him that there is no answer, and that I will receive no more +notes from him," said Margaret. Then, at last, when he received that +message, Mr Maguire went away. + +About a week after that, another visitor came to Miss Mackenzie, and +him she received. But he was not the man for whose coming she in +truth longed. It was Mr Samuel Rubb who now called, and when Mrs +Buggins told her lodger that he was in the parlour, she went down +to see him willingly. Her life was now more desolate than it had +been before the occurrence of that ceremony in the church of St +Mary-le-Strand; for, though she had much respect for Mr Buggins, of +whose character she had heard nothing that was not good, and though +she had given her consent as to the expediency of the Buggins' +alliance, she did not find herself qualified to associate with Mr +Buggins. + +"He won't say a word, Miss," Hannah had pleaded, "and he'll run and +fetch for you like a dog." + +But even when recommended so highly for his social qualities, +Buggins, she felt, would be antipathetic to her; and, with many +false assurances that she did not think it right to interrupt a +newly-married couple, she confined herself on those days to her own +room. + +But when Mr Rubb came, she went down to see him. How much Mr +Rubb knew of her affairs,--how far he might be in Miss Colza's +confidence,--she did not know; but his conduct to her had not been +offensive, and she had been pleased when she learned that the first +half year's interest had been paid to her sister-in-law. + +"I'm sorry to hear of all this, Miss Mackenzie," said he, when he +came forward to greet her. He had not thought it necessary, on this +occasion, to put on his yellow gloves or his shiny boots, and she +liked him the better on that account. + +"Of all what, Mr Rubb?" said she. + +"Why, about you and the family at the Cedars. If what I hear is true, +they've just got you to give up everything, and then dropped you." + +"I left Sir John Ball's house on my own account, Mr Rubb; I was not +turned out." + +"I don't suppose they'd do that. They wouldn't dare to do that; not +so soon after getting hold of your money. Miss Mackenzie, I hope +I shall not anger you; but it seems to me to be the most horridly +wicked piece of business I ever heard of." + +"You are mistaken, Mr Rubb. You forget that the thing was first found +out by my own lawyer." + +"I don't know how that may be, but I can't bring myself to believe +that it all is as they say it is; I can't, indeed." + +She merely smiled, and shook her head. Then he went on speaking. + +"I hope I'm not giving offence. It's not what I mean, if I am." + +"You are not giving any offence, Mr Rubb; only I think you are +mistaken about my relatives at Twickenham." + +"Of course, I may be; there's no doubt of that. I may be mistaken, +like another. But, Miss Mackenzie, by heavens, I can't bring myself +to think it." As he spoke in this energetic way, he rose from his +chair, and stood opposite to her. "I cannot bring myself to think +that the fight should be given up." + +"But there has been no fight." + +"There ought to be a fight, Miss Mackenzie; I know that there ought. +I believe I'm right in supposing, if all this is allowed to go by the +board as it is going, that you won't have, so to say, anything of +your own." + +"I shall have to earn my bread like other people; and, indeed, I am +endeavouring now to put myself in the way of doing so." + +"I'll tell you how you shall earn it. Come and be my wife. I think +we've got a turn for good up at the business. Come and be my wife. +That's honest, any way." + +"You are honest," said she, with a tear in her eye. + +"I am honest now," said he, "though I was not honest to you once;" +and I think there was a tear in his eye also. + +"If you mean about that money that you have borrowed, I am very +glad of it--very glad of it. It will be something for them in Gower +Street." + +"Miss Mackenzie, as long as I have a hand to help myself with, they +shall have that at least. But now, about this other thing. Whether +there's nothing to come or anything, I'll be true to my offer. I'll +fight for it, if there's to be a fight, and I'll let it go if there's +to be no fight. But whether one way or whether the other, there shall +be a home for you when you say the word. Say it now. Will you be my +wife?" + +"I cannot say that word, Mr Rubb." + +"And why not?" + +"I cannot say it; indeed, I cannot." + +"Is it Mr Ball that prevents you?" + +"Do not ask me questions like that. Indeed, indeed, indeed, I cannot +do as you ask me." + +"You despise me, like enough, because I am only a tradesman?" + +"What am I myself, that I should despise any man? No, Mr Rubb, I am +thankful and grateful to you; but it cannot be." + +Then he took up his hat, and, turning away from her without any word +of adieu, made his way out of the house. + +"He really do seem a nice man, Miss," said Mrs Buggins. "I wonder you +wouldn't have him liefer than go into one of them hospitals." + +Whether Miss Mackenzie had any remnant left of another hope, +or whether all such hope had gone, we need not perhaps inquire +accurately. Whatever might be the state of her mind on that score, +she was doing her best to carry out her purpose with reference to the +plan of nursing; and as she could not now apply to her cousin, she +had written to Mr Slow upon the subject. + +Late in November yet another gentleman came to see her, but when he +came she was unfortunately out. She had gone up to the house in Gower +Street, and had there been so cross-questioned by the indefatigable +Miss Colza that she had felt herself compelled to tell her +sister-in-law that she could not again come there as long as Miss +Colza was one of the family. It was manifest to her that these +questions had been put on behalf of Mr Maguire, and she had therefore +felt more indignant than she would have been had they originated in +the impertinent curiosity of the woman herself. She also informed +Mrs Mackenzie that, in obedience to instructions from Mr Slow, she +intended to postpone her purpose with reference to the hospital till +some time early in the next year. Mr Slow had sent a clerk to her +to explain that till that time such amicable arrangement as that to +which he looked forward to make could not be completed. On her return +from this visit to Gower Street she found the card,--simply the +card,--of her cousin, John Ball. + +Why had she gone out? Why had she not remained a fixture in the +house, seeing that it had always been possible that he should come? +But why! oh, why! had he treated her in this way, leaving his card +at her home, as though that would comfort her in her grievous +desolation? It would have been far better that he should have left +there no intimation of his coming. She took the card, and in her +anger threw it from her into the fire. + +But yet she waited for him to come again. Not once during the next +ten days, excepting on the Sunday, did she go out of the house during +the hours that her cousin would be in London. Very sad and monotonous +was her life, passed alone in her own bedroom. And it was the more +sad, because Mrs Buggins somewhat resented the manner in which her +husband was treated. Mrs Buggins was still attentive, but she made +little speeches about Buggins' respectability, and Margaret felt that +her presence in the house was an annoyance. + +At last, at the end of the ten days, John Ball came again, and +Margaret, with a fluttering heart, descended to meet him in the empty +parlour. + +She was the first to speak. As she had come downstairs, she had made +up her mind to tell him openly what were her thoughts. + +"I had hoped to have seen you before this, John," she said, as she +gave him her hand. + +"I did call before. Did you not get my card?" + +"Oh, yes; I got your card. But I had expected to see you before that. +The kind of life that I am leading here is very sad, and cannot be +long continued." + +"I would have had you remain at the Cedars, Margaret; but you would +not be counselled by me." + +"No; not in that, John." + +"I only mention it now to excuse myself. But you are not to suppose +that I am not anxious about you, because I have not seen you. I have +been with Mr Slow constantly. These law questions are always very +tedious in being settled." + +"But I want nothing for myself." + +"It behoves Mr Slow, for that very reason, to be the more anxious on +your behalf; and, if you will believe me, Margaret, I am quite as +anxious as he is. If you had remained with us, I could have discussed +the matter with you from day to day; but, of course, I cannot do so +while you are here." + +As he was talking in this way, everything with reference to their +past intercourse came across her mind. She could not tell him that +she had been anxious to see him, not with reference to the money, +but that he might tell her that he did not find her guilty on that +charge which her aunt had brought against her concerning Mr Maguire. +She did not want assurances of solicitude as to her future means +of maintenance. She cared little or nothing about her future +maintenance, if she could not get from him one kind word with +reference to the past. But he went on talking to her about Mr Slow, +and the interest, and the property, and the law, till, at last, in +her anger, she told him that she did not care to hear further about +it, till she should be told at last what she was to do. + +"As I have got nothing of my own," she said, "I want to be earning my +bread, and I think that the delay is cruel." + +"And do you think," said he, "that the delay is not cruel to me +also?" + +She thought that he alluded to the fact that he could not yet obtain +possession of the income for his own purposes. + +"You may have it all at once, for me," she said. + +"Have all what?" he replied. "Margaret, I think you fail to see the +difficulties of my position. In the first place, my father is on his +deathbed!" + +"Oh, John, I am sorry for that." + +"And, then, my mother is very bitter about all this. And how can I, +at such a time, tell her that her opinion is to go for nothing? I am +bound to think of my own children, and cannot abandon my claim to the +property." + +"No one wants you to abandon it. At least, I do not." + +"What am I to do, then? This Mr Maguire is making charges against +me." + +"Oh, John!" + +"He is saying that I am robbing you, and trying to cover the robbery +by marrying you. Both my own lawyer, and Mr Slow, have told me that a +plain statement of the whole case must be prepared, so that any one +who cares to inquire may learn the whole truth, before I can venture +to do anything which might otherwise compromise my character. You +do not think of all this, Margaret, when you are angry with me." +Margaret, hanging down her head, confessed that she had not thought +of it. + +"The difficulty would have been less, had you remained at the +Cedars." + +Then she again lifted her head, and told him that that would have +been impossible. Let things go as they might, she knew that she had +been right in leaving her aunt's house. + +There was not much more said between them, nor did he give her any +definite promise as to when he would see her again. He told her +that she might draw on Mr Slow for money if she wanted it, but that +she again declined. And he told her also not to withdraw Susanna +Mackenzie from her school at Littlebath--at any rate, not for +the present; and intimated also that Mr Slow would pay the +schoolmistress's bill. Then he took his leave of her. He had spoken +no word of love to her; but yet she felt, when he was gone, that her +case was not as hopeless now as it had seemed to be that morning. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +The Little Story of the Lion and the Lamb + + +During those three months of October, November, and December, Mr +Maguire was certainly not idle. He had, by means of pertinacious +inquiry, learned a good deal about Miss Mackenzie; indeed, he had +learned most of the facts which the reader knows, though not quite +all of them. He had seen Jonathan Ball's will, and he had seen Walter +Mackenzie's will. He had ascertained, through Miss Colza, that John +Ball now claimed the property by some deed said to have been executed +by Jonathan Ball previous to the execution of his will; and he +had also learned, from Miss Mackenzie's own lips, in Lady Ball's +presence, that she had engaged herself to marry the man who was thus +claiming her property. Why should Mr Ball want to marry her,--who +would in such a case be penniless,--but that he felt himself +compelled in that way to quell all further inquiry into the thing +that he was doing? And why should she desire to marry him, but that +in this way she might, as it were, go with her own property, and not +lose the value of it herself when compelled to surrender it to her +cousin? That she would have given herself, with all her property, to +him,--Maguire,--a few months ago, Mr Maguire felt fully convinced, +and, as I have said before, had some ground for such conviction. He +had learned also from Miss Colza, that Miss Mackenzie had certainly +quarrelled with Lady Ball, and that she had, so Miss Colza believed, +been turned out of the house at the Cedars. Whether Mr Ball had or +had not abandoned his matrimonial prospects, Miss Colza could not +quite determine. Having made up her mind to hate Miss Mackenzie, and +therefore, as was natural, thinking that no gentleman could really +like such "a poor dowdy creature," she rather thought that he had +abandoned his matrimonial prospects. Mr Maguire had thus learned much +on the subject; but he had not learned this:--that John Ball was +honest throughout in the matter, and that the lawyers employed in it +were honest also. + +And now, having got together all this information, and he himself +being in a somewhat precarious condition as to his own affairs, Mr +Maguire resolved upon using his information boldly. He had a not +incorrect idea of the fitness of things, and did not fail to tell +himself that were he at that moment in possession of those clerical +advantages which his labours in the vineyard should have earned +for him, he would not have run the risk which he must undoubtedly +incur by engaging himself in this matter. Had he a full church +at Littlebath depending on him, had Mr Stumfold's chance and Mr +Stumfold's success been his, had he still even been an adherent of +the Stumfoldian fold, he would have paused before he rushed to the +public with an account of Miss Mackenzie's grievance. But as matters +stood with him, looking round upon his own horizon, he did not +see that he had any course before him more likely to lead to good +pecuniary results, than this. + +The reader has been told how Mr Maguire went to Arundel Street, +and how he was there received. But that reception did not at all +daunt his courage. It showed him that the lady was still under the +Ball influence, and that his ally, Miss Colza, was probably wrong +in supposing that the Ball marriage was altogether off. But this +only made him the more determined to undermine that influence, and +to prevent that marriage. If he could once succeed in convincing +the lady that her best chance of regaining her fortune lay in his +assistance, or if he could even convince her that his interference +must result, either with or without her good wishes, in dividing her +altogether from the Ball alliance, then she would be almost compelled +to throw herself into his arms. That she was violently in love with +him he did not suppose, nor did he think it at all more probable that +she should be violently in love with her cousin. He put her down +in his own mind as one of those weak, good women, who can bring +themselves easily to love any man, and who are sure to make useful +wives, because they understand so thoroughly the nature of obedience. +If he could secure for her her fortune, and could divide her from +John Ball, he had but little doubt that she would come to him, +in spite of the manner in which she had refused to receive him +in Arundel Street. Having considered all this, after the mode of +thinking which I have attempted to describe, he went to work with +such weapons as were readiest to his hands. + +As a first step, he wrote boldly to John Ball. In this letter +he reasserted the statement he had made to Lady Ball as to Miss +Mackenzie's engagement to himself, and added some circumstances +which he had not mentioned to Lady Ball. He said, that having become +engaged to that lady, he had, in consequence, given up his curacy +at Littlebath, and otherwise so disarranged his circumstances, as +to make it imperative upon him to take the steps which he was now +taking. He had come up to London, expecting to find her anxious +to receive him in Gower Street, and had then discovered that she +had been taken away to the Cedars. He could not, he said, give any +adequate description of his surprise, when, on arriving there, he +heard from the mouth of his own Margaret that she was now engaged to +her cousin. But if his surprise then had been great and terrible, how +much greater and more terrible must it have been when, step by step, +the story of that claim upon her fortune revealed itself to him! He +pledged himself, in his letter, as a gentleman and as a Christian +minister, to see the matter out. He would not allow Miss Mackenzie +to be despoiled of her fortune and her hand,--both of which he had +a right to regard as his own,--without making known to the public a +transaction which he regarded as nefarious. Then there was a good +deal of eloquent indignation the nature and purport of which the +reader will probably understand. + +Mr Ball did not at all like this letter. He had that strong feeling +of disinclination to be brought before the public with reference +to his private affairs, which is common to all Englishmen; and +he specially had a dislike to this, seeing that there would be a +question not only as to money, but also as to love. A gentleman does +not like to be accused of a dishonest attempt to possess himself of a +lady's property; but, at the age of fifty, even that is almost better +than one which charges him with such attempt against a lady's heart. +He knew that he was not dishonest, and therefore could endure the +first. He was not quite sure that he was not, or might not become, +ridiculous, and therefore feared the latter very greatly. He could +not ignore the letter, and there was nothing for it but to show it to +his lawyer. Unfortunately, he had told this lawyer, on the very day +of Mr Maguire's visit to the Cedars, that all was to be made smooth +by his marriage with Miss Mackenzie; and now, with much misery +and many inward groanings, he had to explain all this story of Mr +Maguire. It was the more painful in that he had to admit that an +offer had been made to the lady by the clergyman, and had not been +rejected. + +"You don't think there was more than that?" asked the lawyer, having +paved the way for his question with sundry apologetic flourishes. + +"I am sure there was not," said John Ball. "She is as true as the +Gospel, and he is as false as the devil." + +"Oh, yes," said the lawyer; "there's no doubt about his falsehood. +He's one of those fellows for whom nothing is too dirty. Clergymen +are like women. As long as they're pure, they're a long sight purer +than other men; but when they fall, they sink deeper." + +"You needn't be afraid of taking her word," said John Ball. "If all +women were as pure as she is, there wouldn't be much amiss with +them." His eyes glittered as he spoke of her, and it was a pity that +Margaret could not have heard him then, and seen him there. + +"You don't think she has been--just a little foolish, you know?" + +"I think she was very foolish in not bidding such a man to go about +his business, at once. But she has not been more so than what she +owns. She is as brave as she is good, and I don't think she would +keep anything back." + +The result was that a letter was written by the lawyer to Mr Maguire, +telling Mr Maguire that any further communication should be made +to him; and also making a slight suggestion as to the pains and +penalties which are incurred in the matter of a libel. Mr Maguire had +dated his letter from Littlebath, and there the answer reached him. +He had returned thither, having found that he could take no further +immediate steps towards furthering his cause in London. + +And now, what steps should he take next? More than once he thought +of putting his own case into the hands of a lawyer; but what was a +lawyer to do for him? An action for breach of promise was open to +him, but he had wit enough to feel that there was very little chance +of success for him in that line. He might instruct a lawyer to look +into Miss Mackenzie's affairs, and he thought it probable that he +might find a lawyer to take such instructions. But there would be +much expense in this, and, probably, no result. Advancing logically +from one conclusion to another, he at last resolved that he must rush +boldly into print, and lay the whole iniquity of the transaction open +to the public. + +He believed--I think he did believe--that the woman was being +wronged. Some particle of such belief he had, and fostering himself +with this, he sat himself down, and wrote a leading article. + +Now there existed in Littlebath at this time a weekly periodical +called the _Christian Examiner_, with which Mr Maguire had for some +time had dealings. He had written for the paper, taking an earnest +part in local religious subjects; and the paper, in return, had +very frequently spoken highly of Mr Maguire's eloquence, and of Mr +Maguire's energy. There had been a give and take in this, which all +people understand who are conversant with the provincial, or perhaps +I might add, with the metropolitan press of the country. The paper +in question was not a wicked paper, nor were the gentlemen concerned +in its publication intentionally scurrilous or malignant; but it was +subject to those great temptations which beset all class newspapers +of the kind, and to avoid which seems to be almost more difficult, in +handling religious subjects, than in handling any other. The editor +of a _Christian Examiner_, if, as is probable, he have, of his own, +very strong and one-sided religious convictions, will think that +those who differ from him are in a perilous way, and so thinking, +will feel himself bound to tell them so. The man who advocates one +line of railway instead of another, or one prime minister as being +superior to all others, does not regard his opponents as being +fatally wrong,--wrong for this world and for the next,--and he can +restrain himself. But how is a newspaper writer to restrain himself +when his opponent is incurring everlasting punishment, or, worse +still, carrying away others to a similar doom, in that they read, and +perhaps even purchase, that which the lost one has written? In this +way the contents of religious newspapers are apt to be personal; +and heavy, biting, scorching attacks, become the natural vehicle of +_Christian Examiners_. + +Mr Maguire sat down and wrote his leading article, which on the +following Saturday appeared in all the glory of large type. The +article shall not be repeated here at length, because it contained +sundry quotations from Holy Writ which may as well be omitted, +but the purport of it shall be explained. It commenced with a +dissertation against an undue love of wealth,--the _auri sacra +fames_, as the writer called it; and described with powerful unction +the terrible straits into which, when indulged, it led the vile, +wicked, ugly, hideous, loathsome, devilish human heart. Then there +was an eloquent passage referring to worms and dust and grass, and +a quotation respecting treasures both corruptible and incorruptible. +Not at once, but with crafty gradations, the author sloped away to +the point of his subject. How fearful was it to watch the way in +which the strong, wicked ones,--the roaring lions of the earth, +beguiled the ignorance of the innocent, and led lonely lambs into +their slaughter-houses. All this, much amplified, made up half +the article; and then, after the manner of a pleasant relater of +anecdotes, the clerical story-teller began his little tale. When, +however, he came to the absolute writing of the tale, he found it +to be prudent for the present to omit the names of his hero and +heroine--to omit, indeed, the names of all the persons concerned. He +had first intended boldly to dare it all, and perhaps would yet have +done so had he been quite sure of his editor. But his editor he found +might object to these direct personalities at the first sound of the +trumpet, unless the communication were made in the guise of a letter, +with Mr Maguire's name at the end of it. After a while the editor +might become hot in the fight himself, and then the names could +be blazoned forth. And there existed some chance,--some small +chance,--that the robber-lion, John Ball, might be induced to drop +his lamb from his mouth when he heard this premonitory blast, and +then the lion's prey might be picked up by--"the bold hunter," Mr +Maguire would probably have said, had he been called upon to finish +the sentence himself; anyone else might, perhaps, say, by the jackal. +The little story was told, therefore, without the mention of any +names. Mr Maguire had read other little stories told in another +way in other newspapers, of greater weight, no doubt, than the +Littlebath _Christian Examiner_, and had thought that he could +wield a thunderbolt as well as any other Jupiter; but in wielding +thunderbolts, as in all other operations of skill, a man must first +try his 'prentice hand with some reticence; and thus he reconciled +himself to prudence, not without some pangs of conscience which +accused him inwardly of cowardice. + +"Not long ago there was a lady in this town, loved and respected by +all who knew her." Thus he began, and then gave a not altogether +inaccurate statement of the whole affair, dropping, of course, his +own share in the concern, and accusing the vile, wicked, hideous, +loathsome human heart of the devouring lion, who lived some miles +to the west end of London, of a brutal desire and a hellish scheme +to swallow up the inheritance of the innocent, loved, and respected +lamb, in spite of the closest ties of consanguinity between them. And +then he went on to tell how, with a base desire of covering up from +the eyes of an indignant public his bestial greediness in having made +this dishonest meal, the lion had proposed to himself the plan of +marrying the lamb! It was a pity that Maguire had not learned--that +Miss Colza had not been able to tell him--that the lion had once +before expressed his wish to take the lamb for his wife. Had he +known that, what a picture he would have drawn of the disappointed +vindictive king of the forest, as lying in his lair at Twickenham he +meditated his foul revenge! This unfortunately was unknown to Mr +Maguire and unsuspected by him. + +But the article did not end here. The indignant writer of it went on +to say that he had buckled on his armour in support of the lamb, and +that he was ready to meet the lion either in the forest or in any +social circle; either in the courts of law or before any Christian +arbitrator. With loud trumpetings, he summoned the lion to appear and +plead guilty, or to stand forward, if he dared, and declare himself +innocent with his hand on his heart. If the lion could prove himself +to be innocent the writer of that article offered him the right hand +of fellowship, an offer which the lion would not, perhaps, regard +as any strong inducement; but if the lion were not innocent--if, as +the writer of that article was well aware was the case, the lion was +basely, greedily, bestially guilty, then the writer of that article +pledged himself to give the lion no peace till he had disgorged his +prey, and till the lamb was free to come back, with all her property, +to that Christian circle in Littlebath which had loved her so warmly +and respected her so thoroughly. + +Such was the nature of the article, and the editor put it in. After +all, what, in such matters, is an editor to do? Is it not his +business to sell his paper? And if the editor of a _Christian +Examiner_ cannot trust the clergyman he has sat under, whom can he +trust? Some risk an editor is obliged to run, or he will never sell +his paper. There could be little doubt that such an article as this +would be popular among the religious world of Littlebath, and that it +would create a demand. He had his misgivings--had that poor editor. +He did not feel quite sure of his lion and his lamb. He talked the +matter over vehemently with Mr Maguire in the little room in which +he occupied himself with his scissors and his paste; but ultimately +the article was inserted. Who does not know that interval of triumph +which warms a man's heart when he has delivered his blow, and +the return blow has not been yet received? The blow has been so +well struck that it must be successful, nay, may probably be +death-dealing. So felt Mr Maguire when two dozen copies of the +_Christian Examiner_ were delivered at his lodgings on the Saturday +morning. The article, though printed as a leading article, had been +headed as a little story,--"The Lion and the Lamb,"--so that it might +more readily attract attention. It read very nicely in print. It +had all that religious unction which is so necessary for _Christian +Examiners_, and with it that spice of devilry, so delicious to +humanity that without it even _Christian Examiners_ cannot be made +to sell themselves. He was very busy with his two dozen damp copies +before him,--two dozen which had been sent to him, by agreement, as +the price of his workmanship. He made them up and directed them with +his own hand. To the lion and the lamb he sent two copies, two to +each. To Mr Slow he sent a copy, and another to Messrs Slow and +Bideawhile, and a third to the other lawyer. He sent a copy to Lady +Ball and one to Sir John. Another he sent to the old Mackenzie, +baronet at Incharrow, and two more to the baronet's eldest son, and +the baronet's eldest son's wife. A copy he sent to Mrs Tom Mackenzie, +and a copy to Miss Colza; and a copy also he sent to Mrs Buggins. +And he sent a copy to the Chairman of the Board at the Shadrach Fire +Office, and another to the Chairman at the Abednego Life Office. A +copy he sent to Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, and a copy to Messrs Rubb and +Mackenzie. Out of his own pocket he supplied the postage stamps, and +with his own hand he dropped the papers into the Littlebath +post-office. + +Poor Miss Mackenzie, when she read the article, was stricken almost +to the ground. How she did hate the man whose handwriting on the +address she recognised at once! What should she do? In her agony +she almost resolved that she would start at once for the Cedars and +profess her willingness to go before all the magistrates in London +and Littlebath, and swear that her cousin was no lion and that she +was no lamb. At that moment her feelings towards the Christians +and _Christian Examiners_ of Littlebath were not the feelings of +a Griselda. I think she could have spoken her mind freely had Mr +Maguire come in her way. Then, when she saw Mrs Buggins's copy, her +anger blazed up afresh, and her agony became more intense. The horrid +man must have sent copies all over the world, or he would never have +thought of sending a copy to Mrs Buggins! + +But she did not go to the Cedars. She reflected that when there she +might probably find her cousin absent, and in such case she would +hardly know how to address herself to her aunt. Mr Ball, too, might +perhaps come to her, and for three days she patiently awaited his +coming. On the evening of the third day there came to her, not Mr +Ball, but a clerk from Mr Slow, the same clerk who had been with her +before, and he made an appointment with her at Mr Slow's office on +the following morning. She was to meet Mr Ball there, and also to +meet Mr Ball's lawyer. Of course she consented to go, and of course +she was on Mr Slow's staircase exactly at the time appointed. Of what +she was thinking as she walked round Lincoln's Inn Fields to kill a +quarter of an hour which she found herself to have on hand, we will +not now inquire. + +She was shown at once into Mr Slow's room, and the first thing that +met her eyes was a copy of that horrible _Christian Examiner_, lying +on the table before him. She knew it instantly, and would have known +it had she simply seen a corner of the printing. To her eyes and +to her mind, no other printed paper had ever been so ugly and so +vicious. But she saw that there was also another newspaper under the +_Christian Examiner_. Mr Slow brought her to the fire, and gave her +a chair, and was very courteous. In a few moments came the other +lawyer, and with him came John Ball. + +Mr Slow opened the conference, all the details of which need not be +given here. He first asked Miss Mackenzie whether she had seen that +wicked libel. She, with much energy and, I may almost say, with +virulence, declared that the horrid paper had been sent to her. She +hoped that nobody suspected that she had known anything about it. +In answer to this, they all assured her that she need not trouble +herself on that head. Mr Slow then told her that a London paper had +copied the whole story of the "Lion and the Lamb," expressing a hope +that the lion would be exposed if there was any truth in it, and the +writer would be exposed if there was none. + +"The writer was Mr Maguire, a clergyman," said Miss Mackenzie, with +indignation. + +"We all know that," said Mr Slow, with a slight smile on his face. +Then he went on reading the remarks of the London paper, which +declared that the Littlebath _Christian Examiner_, having gone so +far, must, of necessity, go further. The article was calculated to +give the greatest pain to, no doubt, many persons; and the innocence +or guilt of "the Lion," as poor John Ball was called, must be made +manifest to the public. + +"And now, my dear Miss Mackenzie, I will tell you what we propose to +do," said Mr Slow. He then explained that it was absolutely necessary +that a question of law should be tried and settled in a court of +law, between her and her cousin. When she protested against this, he +endeavoured to explain to her that the cause would be an amicable +cause, a simple reference, in short, to a legal tribunal. Of course, +she did not understand this, and, of course, she still protested; but +after a while, when she began to perceive that her protest was of no +avail, she let that matter drop. The cause should be brought on as +soon as possible, but could not be decided till late in the spring. +She was told that she had better make no great change in her own +manner of life till that time, and was again informed that she could +have what money she wanted for her own maintenance. She refused to +take any money: but when the reference was made to some proposed +change in her life, she looked wistfully into her cousin's face. He, +however, had nothing to say then, and kept his eyes intently fixed +upon the carpet. + +Mr Slow then took up the _Christian Examiner_, and declared to her +what was their intention with reference to that. A letter should +be written from his house to the editor of the London newspaper, +giving a plain statement of the case, with all the names, explaining +that all the parties were acting in perfect concert, and that the +matter was to be decided in the only way which could be regarded as +satisfactory. In answer to this, Miss Mackenzie, almost in tears, +pointed out how distressing would be the publicity thus given to her +name "particularly"--she said, "particularly--" But she could not go +on with the expression of her thoughts, or explain that so public a +reference to a proposal of marriage from her cousin must be doubly +painful to her, seeing that the idea of such a marriage had been +abandoned. But Mr Slow understood all this, and, coming over to her, +took her gently by the hand. + +"My dear," he said, "you may trust me in this as though I were your +father. I know that such publicity is painful; but, believe me, it is +the best that we can do." + +Of course she had no alternative but to yield. + +When the interview was over, her cousin walked home with her to +Arundel Street, and said much to her as to the necessity for this +trial. He said so much, that she, at last, dimly understood that +the matter could not be set at rest by her simple renouncing of the +property. Her own lawyer could not allow her to do so; nor could he, +John Ball, consent to receive the property in such a manner. "You +see, by that newspaper, what people would say of me." + +But had he not the power of making everything easy by doing that +which he himself had before proposed to do? Why did he not again say, +"Margaret, come and be my wife?" She acknowledged to herself that he +had a right to act as though he had never said those words,--that the +facts elicited by Mr Maguire's visit to the Cedars were sufficient to +absolve him from his offer. But yet she thought that they should have +been sufficient also to induce him to renew it. + +On that occasion, when he left her at the door in Arundel Street, he +had not renewed his offer. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +Lady Ball in Arundel Street + + +On Christmas Day Miss Mackenzie was pressed very hard to eat her +Christmas dinner with Mr and Mrs Buggins, and she almost gave way. +She had some half-formed idea in her head that should she once +sit down to table with Buggins, she would have given up the fight +altogether. She had no objection to Buggins, and had, indeed, no +strong objection to put herself on a par with Buggins; but she felt +that she could not be on a par with Buggins and with John Ball at +the same time. Why it should be that in associating with the man +she would take a step downwards, and might yet associate with the +man's wife without taking any step downwards, she did not attempt to +explain to herself. But I think that she could have explained it had +she put herself to the task of analysing the question, and that she +felt exactly the result of such analysis without making it. At any +rate, she refused the invitation persistently, and ate her wretched +dinner alone in her bedroom. + +She had often told herself, in those days of her philosophy at +Littlebath, that she did not care to be a lady; and she told herself +now the same thing very often when she was thinking of the hospital. +She cosseted herself with no false ideas as to the nature of the work +which she proposed to undertake. She knew very well that she might +have to keep rougher company than that of Buggins if she put her +shoulder to that wheel. She was willing enough to do this, and had +been willing to encounter such company ever since she left the +Cedars. She was prepared for the roughness. But she would not put +herself beyond the pale, as it were, of her cousin's hearth, moved +simply by a temptation to relieve the monotony of her life. When the +work came within her reach she would go to it, but till then she +would bear the wretchedness of her dull room upstairs. She wondered +whether he ever thought how wretched she must be in her solitude. + +On New Year's Day she heard that her uncle was dead. She was already +in mourning for her brother, and was therefore called upon to make no +change in that respect. She wrote a note of condolence to her aunt, +in which she strove much, and vainly, to be cautious and sympathetic +at the same time, and in return received a note, in which Lady Ball +declared her purpose of coming to Arundel Street to see her niece as +soon as she found herself able to leave the house. She would, she +said, give Margaret warning the day beforehand, as it would be very +sad if she had her journey all for nothing. + +Her aunt, Lady Ball, was coming to see her in Arundel Street! What +could be the purpose of such a visit after all that had passed +between them? And why should her aunt trouble herself to make it +at a period of such great distress? Lady Ball must have some very +important plan to propose, and poor Margaret's heart was in a +flutter. It was ten days after this before the second promised note +arrived, and then Margaret was asked to say whether she would be at +home and able to receive her aunt's visit at ten minutes past two on +the day but one following. Margaret wrote back to say that she would +be at home at ten minutes past two on the day named. + +Her aunt was old, and she again borrowed the parlour, though she was +not now well inclined to ask favours from Mrs Buggins. Mrs Buggins +had taken to heart the slight put upon her husband, and sometimes +made nasty little speeches. + +"Oh dear, yes, in course, Miss Margaret; not that I ever did think +much of them Ballses, and less than ever now, since the gentleman was +kind enough to send me the newspaper. But she's welcome to the room, +seeing as how Mr Tiddy will be in the City, of course; and you're +welcome to it, too, though you do keep yourself so close to yourself, +which won't ever bring you round to have your money again; that it +won't." + +Lady Ball came and was shown into the parlour, and her niece went +down to receive her. + +"I would have been here before you came, aunt, only the room is not +mine." + +In answer to this, Lady Ball said that it did very well. Any room +would answer the present purpose. Then she sat down on the sofa from +which she had risen. She was dressed, of course, in the full weeds +of her widowhood, and the wide extent of her black crape was almost +awful in Margaret's eyes. She did not look to be so savage as her +niece had sometimes seen her, but there was about her a ponderous +accumulation of crape, which made her even more formidable than she +used to be. It would be almost impossible to refuse anything to a +person so black, so grave, so heavy, and so big. + +"I have come to you, my dear," she said, "as soon as I possibly could +after the sad event which we have had at home." + +In answer to this, Margaret said that she was much obliged, but she +hoped that her aunt had put herself to no trouble. Then she said a +word or two about her uncle,--a word or two that was very difficult, +as of course it could mean nothing. + +"Yes," said the widow, "he has been taken from us after a long and +useful life. I hope his son will always show himself to be worthy of +such a father." + +After that there was silence in the room for a minute or two, during +which Margaret waited for her aunt to begin; but Lady Ball sat +there solid, grave, and black, as though she thought that her very +presence, without any words, might be effective upon Margaret as a +preliminary mode of attack. Margaret herself could find nothing to +say to her aunt, and she, therefore, also remained silent. Lady Ball +was so far successful in this, that when three minutes were over her +niece had certainly been weakened by the oppressive nature of the +meeting. She had about her less of vivacity, and perhaps also less of +vitality, than when she first entered the room. + +"Well, my dear," said her aunt at last, "there are things, you know, +which must be talked about, though they are ever so disagreeable;" +and then she pulled out of her pocket that abominable number of the +Littlebath _Christian Examiner_. + +"Oh, aunt, I hope you are not going to talk about that." + +"My dear, that is cowardly; it is, indeed. How am I to help talking +about it? I have come here, from Twickenham, on purpose to talk about +it." + +"Then, aunt, I must decline; I must, indeed." + +"My dear!" + +"I must, indeed, aunt." + +Let a man or a woman's vitality be ever so thoroughly crushed and +quenched by fatigue or oppression--or even by black crape--there will +always be some mode of galvanising which will restore it for a time, +some specific either of joy or torture which will produce a return +of temporary energy. This Littlebath newspaper was a battery of +sufficient power to put Margaret on her legs again, though she +perhaps might not be long able to keep them. + +"It is a vile, lying paper, and it was written by a vile, lying man, +and I hope you will put it up and say nothing about it." + +"It is a vile, lying paper, Margaret; but the lies are against my +son, and not against you." + +"He is a man, and knows what he is about, and it does not signify to +him. But, aunt, I won't talk about it, and there's an end of it." + +"I hope he does know what he is about," said Lady Ball. "I hope he +does. But you, as you say, are a woman, and therefore it specially +behoves you to know what you are about." + +"I am not doing anything to anybody," said Margaret. + +Lady Ball had now refolded the offensive newspaper, and restored it +to her pocket. Perhaps she had done as much with it as she had from +the first intended. At any rate, she brought it forth no more, and +made no further intentionally direct allusion to it. "I don't suppose +you really wish to do any injury to anybody," she said. + +"Does anybody accuse me of doing them an injury?" Margaret asked. + +"Well, my dear, if I were to say that I accused you, perhaps you +would misunderstand me. I hope--I thoroughly expect, that before I +leave you, I may be able to say that I do not accuse you. If you +will only listen to me patiently for a few minutes, Margaret--which +I couldn't get you to do, you know, before you went away from the +Cedars in that very extraordinary manner--I think I can explain to +you something which--" Here Lady Ball became embarrassed, and paused; +but Margaret gave her no assistance, and therefore she began a new +sentence. "In point of fact, I want you to listen to what I say, and +then, I think--I do think--you will do as we would have you." + +Whom did she include in that word "we"? Margaret had still sufficient +vitality not to let the word pass by unquestioned. "You mean yourself +and John?" said she. + +"I mean the family," said Lady Ball rather sharply. "I mean the +whole family, including those dear girls to whom I have been in the +position of a mother since my son's wife died. It is in the name of +the Ball family that I now speak, and surely I have a right." + +Margaret thought that Lady Ball had no such right, but she would not +say so at that moment. + +"Well, Margaret, to come to the point at once, the fact is this. You +must renounce any idea that you may still have of becoming my son's +wife." Then she paused. + +"Has John sent you here to say this?" demanded Margaret. + +"I don't wish you to ask any such question as that. If you had any +real regard for him I don't think you would ask it. Consider his +difficulties, and consider the position of those poor children! If he +were your brother, would you advise him, at his age, to marry a woman +without a farthing, and also to incur the certain disgrace which +would attach to his name after--after all that has been said about +it in this newspaper?"--then, Lady Ball put her hand upon her +pocket--"in this newspaper, and in others?" + +This was more than Margaret could bear. "There would be no disgrace," +said she, jumping to her feet. + +"Margaret, if you put yourself into a passion, how can you understand +reason? You ought to know, yourself, by the very fact of your being +in a passion, that you are wrong. Would there be no disgrace, after +all that has come out about Mr Maguire?" + +"No, none--none!" almost shouted this modern Griselda. "There could +be no disgrace. I won't admit it. As for his marrying me, I don't +expect it. There is nothing to bind him to me. If he doesn't come +to me I certainly shall not go to him. I have looked upon it as all +over between him and me; and as I have not troubled him with any +importunities, nor yet you, it is cruel in you to come to me in this +way. He is free to do what he likes--why don't you go to him? But +there would be no disgrace." + +"Of course he is free. Of course such a marriage never can take place +now. It is quite out of the question. You say that it is all over, +and you are quite right. Why not let this be settled in a friendly +way between you and me, so that we might be friends again? I should +be so glad to help you in your difficulties if you would agree with +me about this." + +"I want no help." + +"Margaret, that is nonsense. In your position you are very wrong to +set your natural friends at defiance. If you will only authorise me +to say that you renounce this marriage--" + +"I will not renounce it," said Margaret, who was still standing up. +"I will not renounce it. I would sooner lose my tongue than let +it say such a word. You may tell him, if you choose to tell him +anything, that I demand nothing from him; nothing. All that I once +thought mine is now his, and I demand nothing from him. But when he +asked me to be his wife he told me to be firm, and in that I will +obey him. He may renounce me, and I shall have nothing with which to +reproach him; but I will never renounce him--never." And then the +modern Griselda, who had been thus galvanised into vitality, stood +over her aunt in a mood that was almost triumphant. + +"Margaret, I am astonished at you," said Lady Ball, when she had +recovered herself. + +"I can't help that, aunt." + +"And now let me tell you this. My son is, of course, old enough to +do as he pleases. If he chooses to ruin himself and his children by +marrying, anybody--even if it were out of the streets--I can't help +it. Stop a moment and hear me to the end." This she said, as her +niece had made a movement as though towards the door. "I say, even +if it were out of the streets, I couldn't help it. But nothing shall +induce me to live in the same house with him if he marries you. It +will be on your conscience for ever that you have brought ruin on the +whole family, and that will be your punishment. As for me, I shall +take myself off to some solitude, and--there--I--shall--die." Then +Lady Ball put her handkerchief up to her face and wept copiously. + +Margaret stood still, leaning upon the table, but she spoke no word, +either in answer to the threat or to the tears. Her immediate object +was to take herself out of the room, but this she did not know how to +achieve. At last her aunt spoke again: "If you please, I will get you +to ask your landlady to send for a cab." Then the cab was procured, +and Buggins, who had come home for his dinner, handed her ladyship +in. Not a word had been spoken during the time that the cab was being +fetched, and when Lady Ball went down the passage, she merely said, +"I wish you good-bye, Margaret." + +"Good-bye," said Margaret, and then she escaped to her own bedroom. + +Lady Ball had not done her work well. It was not within her power to +induce Margaret to renounce her engagement, and had she known her +niece better, I do not think that she would have made the attempt. +She did succeed in learning that Margaret had received no renewal +of an offer from her son,--that there was, in fact, no positive +engagement now existing between them; and with this, I think, she +should have been satisfied. Margaret had declared that she demanded +nothing from her cousin, and with this assurance Lady Ball should +have been contented. But she had thought to carry her point, to +obtain the full swing of her will, by means of a threat, and had +forgotten that in the very words of her own menace she conveyed to +Margaret some intimation that her son was still desirous of doing +that very thing which she was so anxious to prevent. There was no +chance that her threat should have any effect on Margaret. She ought +to have known that the tone of the woman's mind was much too firm +for that. Margaret knew--was as sure of it as any woman could be +sure--that her cousin was bound to her by all ties of honour. She +believed, too, that he was bound to her by love, and that if he +should finally desert it, he would be moved to do so by mean motives. +It was no anger on the score of Mr Maguire that would bring him to +such a course, no suspicion that she was personally unworthy of +being his wife. Our Griselda, with all her power of suffering and +willingness to suffer, understood all that, and was by no means +disposed to give way to any threat from Lady Ball. + +When she was upstairs, and once more in solitude, she disgraced +herself again by crying. She could be strong enough when attacked by +others, but could not be strong when alone. She cried and sobbed upon +her bed, and then, rising, looked at herself in the glass, and told +herself that she was old and ugly, and fitted only for that hospital +nursing of which she had been thinking. But still there was something +about her heart that bore her up. Lady Ball would not have come to +her, would not have exercised her eloquence upon her, would not have +called upon her to renounce this engagement, had she not found all +similar attempts upon her own son to be ineffectual. Could it then +be so, that, after all, her cousin would be true to her? If it were +so, if it could be so, what would she not do for him and for his +children? If it were so, how blessed would have been all these +troubles that had brought her to such a haven at last! Then she tried +to reconcile his coldness to her with that which she so longed to +believe might be the fact. She was not to expect him to be a lover +such as are young men. Was she young herself, or would she like him +better if he were to assume anything of youth in his manners? She +understood that life with him was a serious thing, and that it was +his duty to be serious and grave in what he did. It might be that it +was essential to his character, after all that had passed, that the +question of the property should be settled finally, before he could +come to her, and declare his wishes. Thus flattering herself, she put +away from her her tears, and dressed herself, smoothing her hair, and +washing away the traces of her weeping; and then again she looked at +herself in the glass to see if it were possible that she might be +comely in his eyes. + +The months of January and February slowly wore themselves away, and +during the whole of that time Margaret saw her cousin but once, and +then she met him at Mr Slow's chambers. She had gone there to sign +some document, and there she had found him. She had then been told +that she would certainly lose her cause. No one who had looked into +the matter had any doubt of that. It certainly was the case that +Jonathan Ball had bequeathed property which was not his at the +time he made the will, but which at the time of his death, in fact, +absolutely belonged to his nephew, John Ball. Old Mr Slow, as he +explained this now for the seventh or eighth time, did it without a +tone of regret in his voice, or a sign of sorrow in his eye. Margaret +had become so used to the story now, that it excited no strong +feelings within her. Her wish, she said, was, that the matter should +be settled. The lawyer, with almost a smile on his face, but still +shaking his head, said that he feared it could not be settled before +the end of April. John Ball sat by, leaning his face, as usual, upon +his umbrella, and saying nothing. It did, for a moment, strike Miss +Mackenzie as singular, that she should be reduced from affluence to +absolute nothingness in the way of property, in so very placid a +manner. Mr Slow seemed to be thinking that he was, upon the whole, +doing rather well for his client. + +"Of course you understand, Miss Mackenzie, that you can have any +money you require for your present personal wants." + +This had been said to her so often, that she took it as one of Mr +Slow's legal formulas, which meant nothing to the laity. + +On that occasion also Mr Ball walked home with her, and was very +eloquent about the law's delays. He also seemed to speak as though +there was nothing to be regretted by anybody, except the fact that he +could not get possession of the property as quick as he wished. He +said not a word of anything else, and Margaret, of course, submitted +to be talked to by him rather than to talk herself. Of Lady Ball's +visit he said not a word, nor did she. She asked after the children, +and especially after Jack. One word she did say: + +"I had hoped Jack would have come to see me at my lodgings." + +"Perhaps he had better not," said Jack's father, "till all is +settled. We have had much to trouble us at home since my father's +death." + +Then of course she dropped that subject. She had been greatly +startled on that day on hearing her cousin called Sir John by Mr +Slow. Up to that moment it had never occurred to her that the man of +whom she was so constantly thinking as her possible husband was a +baronet. To have been Mrs Ball seemed to her to have been possible; +but that she should become Lady Ball was hardly possible. She wished +that he had not been called Sir John. It seemed to her to be almost +natural that people should be convinced of the impropriety of such a +one as her becoming the wife of a baronet. + +During this period she saw her sister-in-law once or twice, who on +those occasions came down to Arundel Street. She herself would not go +to Gower Street, because of the presence of Miss Colza. Miss Colza +still continued to live there, and still continued very much in +arrear in her contributions to the household fund. Mrs Mackenzie did +not turn her out, because she would,--so she said,--in such case get +nothing. Mrs Tom was by this time quite convinced that the property +would, either justly or unjustly, go into the hands of John Ball, and +she was therefore less anxious to make any sacrifice to please her +sister-in-law. + +"I'm sure I don't see why you should be so bitter against her," said +Mrs Tom. "I don't suppose she told the clergyman a word that wasn't +true." + +Miss Mackenzie declined to discuss the subject, and assured Mrs Tom +that she only recommended the banishment of Miss Colza because of her +apparent unwillingness to pay. + +"As for the money," said Mrs Tom, "I expect Mr Rubb to see to that. I +suppose he intends to make her Mrs Rubb sooner or later." + +Miss Mackenzie, having some kindly feeling towards Mr Rubb, would +have preferred to hear that Miss Colza was likely to become Mrs +Maguire. During these visits, Mrs Tom got more than one five-pound +note from her sister-in-law, pleading the difficulty she had in +procuring breakfast for lodgers without any money for the baker. +Margaret protested against these encroachments, but, still, the money +would be forthcoming. + +Once, towards the end of February, Mrs Buggins seduced her lodger +down into her parlour in the area, and Miss Mackenzie thought she +perceived that something of the old servant's manners had returned to +her. She was more respectful than she had been of late, and made no +attempts at smart, ill-natured speeches. + +"It's a weary life, Miss, this you're living here, isn't it?" said +she. + +Margaret said that it was weary, but that there could be no change +till the lawsuit should be settled. It would be settled, she hoped, +in April. + +"Bother it for a lawsuit," said Mrs Buggins. "They all tells me that +it ain't any lawsuit at all, really." + +"It's an amicable lawsuit," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"I never see such amicableness! 'Tis a wonder to hear, Miss, how +everybody is talking about it everywheres. Where we was last +night--that is, Buggins and I--most respectable people in the copying +line--it isn't only he as does the copying, but she too; nurses the +baby, and minds the kitchen fire, and goes on, sheet after sheet, all +at the same time; and a very tidy thing they make of it, only they do +straggle their words so;--well, they were saying as it's one of the +most remarkablest cases as ever was know'd." + +"I don't see that I shall be any the better because it's talked +about." + +"Well, Miss Margaret, I'm not so sure of that. It's my belief that if +one only gets talked about enough, one may have a'most anything one +chooses to ask for." + +"But I don't want to ask for anything." + +"But if what we heard last night is all true, there's somebody else +that does want to ask for something, or, as has asked, as folks say." + +Margaret blushed up to the eyes, and then protested that she did not +know what Mrs Buggins meant. + +"I never dreamed of it, my dear; indeed, I didn't, when the old lady +come here with her tantrums; but now, it's as plain as a pikestaff. +If I'd a' known anything about that, my dear, I shouldn't have made +so free about Buggins; indeed, I shouldn't." + +"You're talking nonsense, Mrs Buggins; indeed, you are." + +"They have the whole story all over the town at any rate, and in the +lane, and all about the courts; and they declare it don't matter a +toss of a halfpenny which way the matter goes, as you're to become +Lady Ball the very moment the case is settled." + +Miss Mackenzie protested that Mrs Buggins was a stupid woman,--the +stupidest woman she had ever heard or seen; and then hurried up into +her own room to hug herself in her joy, and teach herself to believe +that what so many people said must at last come true. + +Three days after this, a very fine, private carriage, with two +servants on a hammer cloth, drove up to the door in Arundel Street, +and the maid-servant, hurrying upstairs, told Miss Mackenzie that +a beautifully-dressed lady downstairs was desirous of seeing her +immediately. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +Mrs Mackenzie of Cavendish Square + + +"My dear," said the beautifully-dressed lady, "you don't know me, I +think;" and the beautifully-dressed lady came up to Miss Mackenzie +very cordially, took her by the hand, smiled upon her, and seemed to +be a very good-natured person indeed. Margaret told the lady that +she did not know her, and at that moment was altogether at a loss to +guess who the lady might be. The lady might be forty years of age, +but was still handsome, and carried with her that easy, self-assured, +well balanced manner, which, if it be not overdone, goes so far to +make up for beauty, if beauty itself be wanting. + +"I am your cousin, Mrs Mackenzie,--Clara Mackenzie. My husband +is Walter Mackenzie, and his father is Sir Walter Mackenzie, of +Incharrow. Now you will know all about me." + +"Oh, yes, I know you," said Margaret. + +"I ought, I suppose, to make ever so many apologies for not coming to +you before; but I did call upon you, ever so long ago; I forget when, +and after that you went to live at Littlebath. And then we heard of +you as being with Lady Ball, and for some reason, which I don't quite +understand, it has always been supposed that Lady Ball and I were not +to know each other. And now I have heard this wonderful story about +your fortune, and about everything else, too, my dear; and it seems +all very beautiful, and very romantic; and everybody says that you +have behaved so well; and so, to make a long story short, I have come +to find you out in your hermitage, and to claim cousinship, and all +that sort of thing." + +"I'm sure I'm very much obliged to you, Mrs Mackenzie--" + +"Don't say it in that way, my dear, or else you'll make me think you +mean to turn a cold shoulder on me for not coming to you before." + +"Oh, no." + +"But we've only just come to town; and though of course I heard the +story down in Scotland--" + +"Did you?" + +"Did I? Why, everybody is talking about it, and the newspapers have +been full of it." + +"Oh, Mrs Mackenzie, that is so terrible." + +"But nobody has said a word against you. Even that stupid clergyman, +who calls you the lamb, has not pretended to say that you were +his lamb. We had the whole story of the Lion and the Lamb in the +_Inverary Interpreter_, but I had no idea that it was you, then. But +the long and the short of it is, that my husband says he must know +his cousin; and to tell the truth, it was he that sent me; and we +want you to come and stay with us in Cavendish Square till the +lawsuit is over, and everything is settled." + +Margaret was so startled by the proposition, that she did not know +how to answer it. Of course she was at first impressed with a strong +idea of the impossibility of her complying with such a request, +and was simply anxious to find some proper way of refusing it. The +Incharrow Mackenzies were great people who saw much company, and it +was, she thought, quite out of the question that she should go to +their house. At no time of her career would she have been, as she +conceived, fit to live with such grand persons; but at the present +moment, when she grudged herself even a new pair of gloves out of +the money remaining to her, while she was still looking forward to +a future life passed as a nurse in a hospital, she felt that there +would be an absolute unfitness in such a visit. + +"You are very kind," she said at last with faltering voice, as she +meditated in what words she might best convey her refusal. + +"No, I'm not a bit kind; and I know from the tone of your voice that +you are meditating a refusal. But I don't mean to accept it. It is +much better that you should be with us while all this is going on, +than that you should be living here alone. And there is no one with +whom you could live during this time so properly, as with those who +are your nearest relatives." + +"But, Mrs Mackenzie--" + +"I suppose you are thinking now of another cousin, but it's not at +all proper that you should go to his house;--not as yet, you know. +And you need not suppose that he'll object because of what I said +about Lady Ball and myself. The Capulets and the Montagues don't +intend to keep it up for ever; and, though we have never visited Lady +Ball, my husband and the present Sir John know each other very well." + +Mrs Mackenzie was not on that occasion able to persuade Margaret to +come at once to Cavendish Square, and neither was Margaret able to +give a final refusal. She did not intend to go, but she could not +bring herself to speak a positive answer in such a way as to have +much weight with Mrs Mackenzie. That lady left her at last, saying +that she would send her husband, and promising Margaret that she +would herself come in ten days to fetch her. + +"Oh no," said Margaret; "it will be very good-natured of you to come, +but not for that." + +"But I shall come, and shall come for that," said Mrs Mackenzie; +and at the end of the ten days she did come, and she did carry her +husband's cousin back with her to Cavendish Square. + +In the meantime Walter Mackenzie had called in Arundel Street, +and had seen Margaret. But there had been given to her advice by +a counsellor whom she was more inclined to obey than any of the +Mackenzies. John Ball had written to her, saying that he had heard of +the proposition, and recommending her to accept the invitation given +to her. + +"Till all this trouble about the property is settled," said he, "it +will be much better that you should be with your cousins than living +alone in Mrs Buggins' lodgings." + +After receiving this Margaret held out no longer but was carried off +by the handsome lady in the grand carriage, very much to the delight +of Mrs Buggins. + +Mrs Buggins' respect for Miss Mackenzie had returned altogether +since she had heard of the invitation to Cavendish Square, and she +apologised, almost without ceasing, for the liberty she had taken in +suggesting that Margaret should drink tea with her husband. + +"And indeed, Miss, I shouldn't have proposed such a thing, were it +ever so, if I had suspected for a hinstant how things were a going to +be. For Buggins is a man as knows his place, and never puts himself +beyond it! But you was that close, Miss--" + +In answer to this Margaret would say that it didn't signify, and that +it wasn't on that account; and I have no doubt but that the two women +thoroughly understood each other. + +There was a subject on which, in spite of all her respect, Mrs +Buggins ventured to give Miss Mackenzie much advice, and to insist on +that advice strongly. Mrs Buggins was very anxious that the future +"baronet's lady" should go out upon her grand visit with a proper +assortment of clothing. That argument of the baronet's lady was the +climax of Mrs Buggins' eloquence: "You, my dear, as is going to be +one baronet's lady is going to a lady who is going to be another +baronet's lady, and it's only becoming you should go as is becoming." + +Margaret declared that she was not going to be anybody's lady, but +Mrs Buggins altogether pooh-poohed this assertion. + +"That, Miss, is your predestination," said Mrs Buggins, "and well +you'll become it. And as for money, doesn't that old party who +found it all out say reg'lar once a month that there's whatever you +want to take for your own necessaries? and you that haven't had a +shilling from him yet! If it was me, I'd send him in such a bill for +necessaries as 'ud open that old party's eyes a bit, and hurry him up +with his lawsuits." + +The matter was at last compromised between her and Margaret, and a +very moderate expenditure for smarter clothing was incurred. + +On the day appointed Mrs Mackenzie again came, and Margaret was +carried off to Cavendish Square. Here she found herself suddenly +brought into a mode of life altogether different from anything she +had as yet experienced. The Mackenzies were people who went much into +society, and received company frequently at their own house. The +first of these evils for a time Margaret succeeded in escaping, but +from the latter she had no means of withdrawing herself. There was +very much to astonish her at this period of her life, but that which +astonished her perhaps more than anything else was her own celebrity. +Everybody had heard of the Lion and the Lamb, and everybody was aware +that she was supposed to represent the milder of those two favourite +animals. Everybody knew the story of her property, or rather of +the property which had never in truth been hers, and which was now +being made to pass out of her hands by means of a lawsuit, of which +everybody spoke as though it were the best thing in the world for +all the parties concerned. People, when they mentioned Sir John Ball +to her--and he was often so mentioned--never spoke of him in harsh +terms, as though he were her enemy. She observed that he was always +named before her in that euphuistic language which we naturally use +when we speak to persons of those who are nearest to them and dearest +to them. The romance of the thing, and not the pity of it, was the +general subject of discourse, so that she could not fail to perceive +that she was generally regarded as the future wife of Sir John Ball. + +It was the sudden way in which all this had come upon her that +affected her so greatly. While staying in Arundel Street she had +been altogether ignorant that the story of the Lion and the Lamb had +become public, or that her name had been frequent in men's mouths. +When Mrs Buggins had once told her that she was thus becoming famous, +she had ridiculed Mrs Buggins' statement. Mrs Buggins had brought +home word from some tea-party that the story had been discussed among +her own friends; but Miss Mackenzie had regarded that as an accident. +A lawyer's clerk or two about Chancery Lane or Carey Street might by +chance hear of the matter in the course of their daily work;--that it +should be so, and that such people talked of her affairs distressed +her; but that had, she was sure, been all. Now, however, in her new +home she had learned that Mr Maguire's efforts had become notorious, +and that she and her history were public property. When all this +first became plain to her, it overwhelmed her so greatly that she was +afraid to show her face; but this feeling gradually wore itself away, +and she found herself able to look around upon the world again, and +ask herself new questions of the future, as she had done when she had +first found herself to be the possessor of her fortune. + +When she had been about three weeks with the Mackenzies, Sir John +Ball came to see her. He had written to her once before that, but his +letter had referred simply to some matter of business. When he was +shown into the drawing-room in Cavendish Square, Mrs Mackenzie and +Margaret were both there, but the former in a few minutes got up +and left the room. Margaret had wished with all her heart that her +hostess would remain with them. She was sure that Sir John Ball had +nothing to say that she would care to hear, and his saying nothing +would seem to be of no special moment while three persons were in the +room. But his saying nothing when special opportunity for speaking +had been given to him would be of moment to her. Her destiny was in +his hands to such a degree that she felt his power over her to amount +almost to a cruelty. She longed to ask him what her fate was to be, +but it was a question that she could not put to him. She knew that he +would not tell her now; and she knew also that the very fact of his +not telling her would inflict upon her a new misery, and deprive her +of the comfort which she was beginning to enjoy. If he could not tell +her at once how all this was to be ended, it would be infinitely +better for her that he should remain away from her altogether. + +As soon as Mrs Mackenzie had left the room he began to describe to +her his last interview with the lawyers. She listened to him, and +pretended to interest herself, but she did not care two straws about +the lawyers. Point after point he explained to her, showing the +unfortunate ingenuity with which his uncle Jonathan had contrived to +confuse his affairs, and Margaret attempted to appear concerned. But +her mind had now for some months past refused to exert itself with +reference to the mode in which Mr Jonathan Ball had disposed of his +money. Two years ago she had been told that it was hers; since that, +she had been told that it was not hers. She had felt the hardship of +this at first; but now that feeling was over with her, and she did +not care to hear more about it. But she did care very much to know +what was to be her future fate. + +"And when will be the end of it, John?" she asked him. + +"Ha! that seems so hard to say. They did name the first of April, but +it won't be so soon as that. Mr Slow said to-day about the end of +April, but his clerk seems to think it will be the middle of May." + +"It is very provoking," said Margaret. + +"Yes, it is," said John Ball, "very provoking; I feel it so. It +worries me so terribly that I have no comfort in life. But I suppose +you find everything very nice here." + +"They are very kind to me." + +"Very kind, indeed. It was quite the proper thing for them to do; and +when I heard that Mrs Mackenzie had been to you in Arundel Street, I +was delighted." + +Margaret did not dare to tell him that she would have preferred to +have been left in Arundel Street; but that, at the moment, was her +feeling. If, when all this was over, she would still have to earn her +bread, it would have been much better for her not to have come among +her rich relations. What good would it then do her to have lived two +or three months in Cavendish Square? + +"I wish it were all settled, John," she said; and as she spoke there +was a tear standing in the corner of each eye. + +"I wish it were, indeed," said John Ball; but I think that he did not +see the tears. + +It was on her tongue to speak some word about the hospital; but she +felt that if she did so now, it would be tantamount to asking him +that question which it did not become her to ask; so she repressed +the word, and sat in silence. + +"When the day is positively fixed for the hearing," said he, "I will +be sure to let you know." + +"I wish you would let me know nothing further about it, John, till it +is all settled." + +"I sometimes almost fancy that I wish the same thing," said he, with +a faint attempt at a smile; and after that he got up and went his +way. + +This was not to be endured. Margaret declared to herself that she +could not live and bear it. Let the people around her say what they +would, it could not be that he would treat her in this way if he +intended to make her his wife. It would be better for her to make +up her mind that it was not to be so, and to insist on leaving the +Mackenzies' house. She would go, not again to Arundel Street, but to +some lodging further away, in some furthest recess of London, where +no one would come to her and flurry her with false hopes, and there +remain till she might be allowed to earn her bread. That was the mood +in which Mrs Mackenzie found her late in the afternoon on the day of +Sir John Ball's visit. There was to be a dinner party in the house +that evening, and Margaret began by asking leave to absent herself. + +"Nonsense, Margaret," said Mrs Mackenzie; "I won't have anything of +the kind." + +"I cannot come down, Mrs Mackenzie; I cannot, indeed." + +"That is absolute nonsense. That man has been saying something unkind +to you. Why do you mind what he says?" + +"He has not said anything unkind; he has not said anything at all." + +"Oh, that's the grief, is it?" + +"I don't know what you mean by grief; but if you were situated as I +am you would perceive that you were in a false position." + +"I am sure he has been saying something unkind to you." + +Margaret hardly knew how to tell her thoughts and feelings, and yet +she wished to tell them. She had resolved that she would tell the +whole to Mrs Mackenzie, having convinced herself that she could +not carry out her plan of leaving Cavendish Square without some +explanation of the kind. She did not know how to make her speech with +propriety, so she jumped at the difficulty boldly. "The truth is, Mrs +Mackenzie, that he has no more idea of marrying me than he has of +marrying you." + +"Margaret, how can you talk such nonsense?" + +"It is not nonsense; it is true; and it will be much better that it +should all be understood at once. I have nothing to blame him for, +nothing; and I don't blame him; but I cannot bear this kind of life +any longer. It is killing me. What business have I to be living here +in this way, when I have got nothing of my own, and have no one to +depend on but myself?" + +"Then he must have said something to you; but, whatever it was, you +cannot but have misunderstood him." + +"No; he has said nothing, and I have not misunderstood him." Then +there was a pause. "He has said nothing to me, and I am bound to +understand what that means." + +"Margaret, I want to put one question to you," said Mrs Mackenzie, +speaking with a serious air that was very unusual with her,--"and +you will understand, dear, that I only do so because of what you are +saying now." + +"You may put any question you please to me," said Margaret. + +"Has your cousin ever asked you to be his wife, or has he not?" + +"Yes, he has. He has asked me twice." + +"And what answer did you make him?" + +"When I thought all the property was mine, I refused him. Then, when +the property became his, he asked me again, and I accepted him. +Sometimes, when I think of that, I feel so ashamed of myself, that I +hardly dare to hold up my head." + +"But you did not accept him simply because you had lost your money." + +"No; but it looks so like it; does it not? And of course he must +think that I did so." + +"I am quite sure he thinks nothing of the kind. But he did ask you, +and you did accept him?" + +"Oh, yes." + +"And since that, has he ever said anything to you to signify that the +match should be broken off?" + +"The very day after he had asked me, Mr Maguire came to the Cedars +and saw me, and Lady Ball was there too. And he was very false, and +told my aunt things that were altogether untrue. He said that--that I +had promised to marry him, and Lady Ball believed him." + +"But did Mr Ball believe him?" + +"My aunt said all that she could against me, and when John spoke to +me the next day, it was clear that he was very angry with me." + +"But did he believe you or Mr Maguire when you told him that Mr +Maguire's story was a falsehood from beginning to end?" + +"But it was not a falsehood from beginning to end. That's where I +have been so very, very unfortunate; and perhaps I ought to say, as +I don't want to hide anything from you, so very, very wrong. The man +did ask me to marry him, and I had given him no answer." + +"Had you thought of accepting him?" + +"I had not thought about that at all, when he came to me. So I told +him that I would consider it all, and that he must come again." + +"And he came again." + +"Then my brother's illness occurred, and I went to London. After that +Mr Maguire wrote to me two or three times, and I refused him in the +plainest language that I could use. I told him that I had lost all +my fortune, and then I was sure that there would be an end of any +trouble from him; but he came to the Cedars on purpose to do me all +this injury; and now he has put all these stories about me into the +newspapers, how can I think that any man would like to make me his +wife? I have no right to be surprised that Lady Ball should be so +eager against it." + +"But did Mr Ball believe you when you told him the story?" + +"I think he did believe me." + +"And what did he say?" + +Margaret did not answer at once, but sat with her fingers up among +her hair upon her brow: + +"I am trying to think what were his words," she said, "but I cannot +remember. I spoke more than he did. He said that I should have told +him about Mr Maguire, and I tried to explain to him that there had +been no time to do so. Then I said that he could leave me if he +liked." + +"And what did he answer?" + +"If I remember rightly, he made no answer. He left me saying that +he would see me again the next day. But the next day I went away. +I would not remain in the house with Lady Ball after what she had +believed about me. She took that other man's part against me, and +therefore I went away." + +"Did he say anything as to your going?" + +"He begged me to stay, but I would not stay. I thought it was all +over then. I regarded him as being quite free from any engagement, +and myself as being free from any necessity of obeying him. And it +was all over. I had no right to think anything else." + +"And what came next?" + +"Nothing. Nothing else has happened, except that Lady Ball came to me +in Arundel Street, asking me to renounce him." + +"And you refused?" + +"Yes; I would do nothing at her bidding. Why should I? She had been +my enemy throughout, since she found that the money belonged to her +son and not to me." + +"And all this time you have seen him frequently?" + +"I have seen him sometimes about the business." + +"And he has never said a word to you about your engagement to him?" + +"Never a word." + +"Nor you to him?" + +"Oh, no! how could I speak to him about it?" + +"I would have done so. I would not have had my heart crushed within +me. But perhaps you were right. Perhaps it was best to be patient." + +"I know that I have been wrong to expect anything or to hope for +anything," said Margaret. "What right have I to hope for anything +when I refused him while I was rich?" + +"That has nothing to do with it." + +"When he asked me again, he only did it because he pitied me. I don't +want to be any man's wife because he pities me." + +"But you accepted him." + +"Yes; because I loved him." + +"And now?" Again Miss Mackenzie sat silent, still moving her fingers +among the locks upon her brow. "And now, Margaret?" repeated Mrs +Mackenzie. + +"What's the use of it now?" + +"But you do love him?" + +"Of course I love him. How shall it be otherwise? What has he done +to change my love? His feelings have changed, and I have no right to +blame him. He has changed; and I hate myself, because I feel that +in coming here I have, as it were, run after him. I should have put +myself in some place where no thought of marrying him should ever +have come again to me." + +"Margaret, you are wrong throughout." + +"Am I? Everybody always says that I am always wrong." + +"If I can understand anything of the matter, Sir John Ball has not +changed." + +"Then, why--why--why?" + +"Ah, yes, exactly; why? Why is it that men and women cannot always +understand each other; that they will remain for hours in each +other's presence without the power of expressing, by a single word, +the thoughts that are busy within them? Who can say why it is so? Can +you get up and make a clean breast of it all to him?" + +"But I am a woman, and am very poor." + +"Yes, and he is a man, and, like most men, very dumb when they have +anything at heart which requires care in the speaking. He knows no +better than to let things be as they are; to leave the words all +unspoken till he can say to you, 'Now is the time for us to go and +get ourselves married;' just as he might tell you that now was the +time to go and dine." + +"But will he ever say that?" + +"Of course he will. If he does not say so when all this business is +off his mind, when Mr Maguire and his charges are put at rest, when +the lawyers have finished their work, then come to me and tell me +that I have deceived you. Say to me then, 'Clara Mackenzie, you have +put me wrong, and I look to you to put me right.' You will find I +will put you right." + +In answer to this, Margaret was able to say nothing further. She sat +for a while with her face buried in her hands thinking of it all, +asking herself whether she might dare to believe it all. At last, +however, she went up to dress for dinner; and when she came down to +the drawing-room there was a smile upon her face. + +After that a month or six weeks passed in Cavendish Square, and there +was, during all that time, no further special reference to Sir John +Ball or his affairs. Twice he was asked to dine with the Mackenzies, +and on both occasions he did so. On neither of those evenings did +he say very much to Margaret; but, on both of them he said some few +words, and it was manifestly his desire that they should be regarded +as friends. + +And as the spring came on, Margaret's patience returned to her, and +her spirits were higher than they had been at any time since she +first discovered that success among the Stumfoldians at Littlebath +did not make her happy. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +The Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar + + +In the spring days of the early May there came up in London that +year a great bazaar,--a great charity bazaar on behalf of the orphan +children of negro soldiers who had fallen in the American war. +Tidings had come to this country that all slaves taken in the +revolted States had been made free by the Northern invaders, and that +these free men had been called upon to show their immediate gratitude +by becoming soldiers in the Northern ranks. As soldiers they were +killed in battle, or died, and as dead men they left orphans behind +them. Information had come that many of these orphans were starving, +and hence had arisen the cause for the Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar. +There was still in existence at that time, down at South Kensington, +some remaining court or outstanding building which had belonged to +the Great International Exhibition, and here the bazaar was to be +held. I do not know that I can trace the way in which the idea grew +and became great, or that anyone at the time was able to attribute +the honour to the proper founder. Some gave it all to the Prince of +Wales, declaring that his royal highness had done it out of his own +head; and others were sure that the whole business had originated +with a certain philanthropical Mr Manfred Smith who had lately come +up in the world, and was supposed to have a great deal to do with +most things. Be that as it may, this thing did grow and become +great, and there was a list of lady patronesses which included some +duchesses, one marchioness, and half the countesses in London. It was +soon manifest to the eyes of those who understood such things, that +the Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar was to be a success, and therefore +there was no difficulty whatsoever in putting the custody of the +stalls into the hands of proper persons. The difficulty consisted in +rejecting offers from persons who undoubtedly were quite proper for +such an occasion. There came to be interest made for permission to +serve, and boastings were heard of unparalleled success in the bazaar +line. The Duchess of St Bungay had a happy bevy of young ladies who +were to act as counter attendants under her grace; and who so happy +as any young lady who could get herself put upon the duchess's staff? +It was even rumoured that a certain very distinguished person would +have shown herself behind a stall, had not a certain other more +distinguished person expressed an objection; and while the rumour +was afloat as to the junior of those two distinguished persons, the +young-ladydom of London was frantic in its eagerness to officiate. +Now at that time there had become attached to the name of our poor +Griselda a romance with which the west-end of London had become +wonderfully well acquainted. The story of the Lion and the Lamb was +very popular. Mr Maguire may be said to have made himself odious +to the fashionable world at large, and the fate of poor Margaret +Mackenzie with her lost fortune, and the additional misfortune of her +clerical pledged protector, had recommended itself as being truly +interesting to all the feeling hearts of the season. Before May was +over, gentlemen were enticed to dinner parties by being told--and +untruly told--that the Lamb had been "secured;" as on the previous +year they had been enticed by a singular assurance as to Bishop +Colenso; and when Margaret on one occasion allowed herself to be +taken to Covent Garden Theatre, every face from the stalls was turned +towards her between the acts. + +Who then was more fit to take a stall, or part of a stall at the +Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar, than our Griselda? When the thing +loomed so large, lady patronesses began to be aware that mere +nobodies would hardly be fit for the work. There would have been +little or no difficulty in carrying out a law that nobody should +take a part in the business who had not some handle to her name, but +it was felt that such an arrangement as that might lead to failure +rather than glory. The commoner world must be represented but it +should be represented only by ladies who had made great names for +themselves. Mrs Conway Sparkes, the spiteful poetess, though she was +old and ugly as well as spiteful, was to have a stall and a bevy, +because there was thought to be no doubt about her poetry. Mrs +Chaucer Munro had a stall and a bevy; but I cannot clearly tell her +claim to distinction, unless it was that she had all but lost her +character four times, but had so saved it on each of those occasions +that she was just not put into the Index Expurgatorius of fashionable +society in London. It was generally said by those young men who +discussed the subject, that among Mrs Chaucer Munro's bevy would +be found the most lucrative fascination of the day. And then Mrs +Mackenzie was asked to take a stall, or part of a stall, and to bring +Griselda with her as her assistant. By this time the Lamb was most +generally known as "Griselda" among fashionable people. + +Now Mrs Mackenzie was herself a woman of fashion, and quite open to +the distinction of having a part assigned to her at the great bazaar +of the season. She did not at all object to a booth on the left hand +of the Duchess of St Bungay, although it was just opposite to Mrs +Chaucer Munro. She assented at once. + +"But you must positively bring Griselda," said Lady Glencora +Palliser, by whom the business of this mission was conducted. + +"Of course, I understand that," said Mrs Mackenzie. "But what if she +won't come?" + +"Griseldas are made to do anything," said Lady Glencora, "and of +course she must come." + +Having settled the difficulty in this way, Lady Glencora went her +way, and Mrs Mackenzie did not allow Griselda to go to her rest that +night till she had extracted from her a promise of acquiescence, +which, I think, never would have been given had Miss Mackenzie +understood anything of the circumstances under which her presence was +desired. + +But the promise was given, and Margaret knew little or nothing of +what was expected from her till there came up, about a fortnight +before the day of the bazaar, the great question of her dress for +the occasion. Previous to that she would fain have been energetic in +collecting and making things for sale at her stall, for she really +taught herself to be anxious that the negro soldiers' orphans +should have provision made for them; but, alas! her energy was +all repressed, and she found that she was not to be allowed to do +anything in that direction. + +"Things of that sort would not go down at all now-a-days, Margaret," +said Mrs Mackenzie. "Nobody would trouble themselves to carry them +away. There are tradesmen who furnish the stalls, and mark their +own prices, and take back what is not sold. You charge double the +tradesman's price, that's all." + +Margaret, when her eyes were thus opened, of course ceased to make +little pincushions, but she felt that her interest in the thing was +very much lowered. But a word must be said as to that question of +the dress. Miss Mackenzie, when she was first interrogated as to her +intentions, declared her purpose of wearing a certain black silk +dress which had seen every party at Mrs Stumfold's during Margaret's +Littlebath season. To this her cousin demurred, and from demurring +proceeded to the enunciation of a positive order. The black silk +dress in question should not be worn. Now Miss Mackenzie chose to be +still in mourning on the second of June, the day of the bazaar, her +brother having died in September, and had no fitting garment, so she +said, other than the black silk in question. Whereupon Mrs Mackenzie, +without further speech to her cousin on the subject, went out and +purchased a muslin covered all over with the prettiest little frecks +of black, and sent a milliner to Margaret, and provided a bonnet of +much the same pattern, the gayest, lightest, jauntiest, falsest, +most make-belief-mourning bonnet that ever sprang from the art of a +designer in bonnets--and thus nearly broke poor Margaret's heart. + +"People should never have things given them, who can't buy for +themselves," she said, with tears in her eyes, "because of course +they know what it means." + +"But, my dearest," said Mrs Mackenzie, "young ladies who never have +any money of their own at all always accept presents from all their +relations. It is their special privilege." + +"Oh, yes, young ladies; but not women like me who are waiting to find +out whether they are ruined or not." + +The difficulty, however, was at last overcome, and Margaret, with +many inward upbraidings of her conscience, consented to wear the +black-freckled dress. + +"I never saw anybody look so altered in my life," said Mrs Mackenzie, +when Margaret, apparelled, appeared in the Cavendish Square +drawing-room on the morning in question. "Oh, dear, I hope Sir John +Ball will come to look at you." + +"Nonsense! he won't be such a fool as to do anything of the kind." + +"I took care to let him know that you would be there;" said Mrs +Mackenzie. + +"You didn't?" + +"But I did, my dear." + +"Oh, dear, what will he think of me?" ejaculated Margaret; but +nevertheless I fancy that there must have been some elation in her +bosom when she regarded herself and the freckled muslin in the glass. + +Both Mrs Mackenzie and Miss Mackenzie had more than once gone down +to the place to inspect the ground and make themselves familiar with +the position they were to take. There were great stalls and little +stalls, which came alternately; and the Mackenzie stall stood next +to a huge centre booth at which the duchess was to preside. On their +other hand was the stall of old Lady Ware, and opposite to them, as +has been before said, the doubtful Mrs Chaucer Munro was to hold +difficult sway over her bevy of loud nymphs. Together with Mrs +Mackenzie were two other Miss Mackenzies, sisters of her husband, +handsome, middle-aged women, with high cheek-bones and fine +brave-looking eyes. All the Mackenzies, except our Griselda, were +dressed in the tartan of their clan; and over the stall there was +some motto in Gaelic, "Dhu dhaith donald dhuth," which nobody could +understand, but which was not the less expressive. Indeed, the +Mackenzie stall was got up very well; but then was it not known and +understood that Mrs Mackenzie did get up things very well? It was +acknowledged on all sides that the Lamb, Griselda, was uncommonly +well got up on this occasion. + +It was understood that the ladies were to be assembled in the bazaar +at half-past two, and that the doors were to be thrown open to the +public at three o'clock. Soon after half-past two Mrs Mackenzie's +carriage was at the door, and the other Mackenzies having come up at +the same time, the Mackenzie phalanx entered the building together. +There were many others with them, but as they walked up they found +the Countess of Ware standing alone in the centre of the building, +with her four daughters behind her. She had on her head a wonderful +tiara, which gave to her appearance a ferocity almost greater than +was natural to her. She was a woman with square jaws, and a big face, +and stout shoulders: but she was not, of her own unassisted height, +very tall. But of that tiara and its altitude she was proud, and as +she stood in the midst of the stalls, brandishing her umbrella-sized +parasol in her anger, the ladies, as they entered, might well be +cowed by her presence. + +"When ladies say half-past two," said she, "they ought to come at +half-past two. Where is the Duchess of St Bungay? I shall not wait +for her." + +But there was a lady there who had come in behind the Mackenzies, +whom nothing ever cowed. This was the Lady Glencora Palliser, the +great heiress who had married the heir of a great duke, pretty, +saucy, and occasionally intemperate, in whose eyes Lady Ware with her +ferocious tiara was simply an old woman in a ridiculous head-gear. +The countess had apparently addressed herself to Mrs Mackenzie, who +had been the foremost to enter the building, and our Margaret had +already begun to tremble. But Lady Glencora stepped forward, and took +the brunt of the battle upon herself. + +"Nobody ever yet was so punctual as my Lady Ware," said Lady +Glencora. + +"It is very annoying to be kept waiting on such occasions," said the +countess. + +"But my dear Lady Ware, who keeps you waiting? There is your stall, +and why on earth should you stand here and call us all over as we +come in, like naughty schoolboys?" + +"The duchess said expressly that she would be here at half-past two." + +"Who ever expects the dear duchess to keep her word?" said Lady +Glencora. + +"Or whoever cared whether she does or does not?" said Mrs Chaucer +Munro, who, with her peculiar bevy, had now made her way up among the +front rank. + +Then to have seen the tiara of Lady Ware, as it wagged and nodded +while she looked at Mrs Munro, and to have witnessed the high +moral tone of the ferocity with which she stalked away to her own +stall with her daughters behind her,--a tragi-comedy which it was +given to no male eyes to behold,--would have been worth the whole +after-performance of the bazaar. No male eyes beheld that scene, as +Mr Manfred Smith, the manager, had gone out to look for his duchess, +and missing her carriage in the crowd, did not return till the bazaar +had been opened. That Mrs Chaucer Munro did not sink, collapsed, +among her bevy, must have been owing altogether to that callousness +which a long habit of endurance produces. Probably she did feel +something as at the moment there came no titter from any other bevy +corresponding to the titter which was raised by her own. She and +her bevy retired to their allotted place, conscious that their time +for glory could not come till the male world should appear upon the +scene. But Lady Ware's tiara still wagged and nodded behind her +counter, and Margaret, looking at her, thought that she must have +come there as the grand duenna of the occasion. + +Just at three o'clock the poor duchess hurried into the building in +a terrible flurry, and went hither and thither among the stalls, not +knowing at first where was her throne. Unkind chance threw her at +first almost into the booth of Mrs Conway Sparkes, the woman whom of +all women she hated the most; and from thence she recoiled into the +arms of Lady Hartletop who was sitting serene, placid, and contented +in her appointed place. + +"Opposite, I think, duchess," Mrs Conway Sparkes had said. "We are +only the small fry here." + +"Oh, ah; I beg pardon. They told me the middle, to the left." + +"And this is the middle to the right," said Mrs Conway Sparkes. But +the duchess had turned round since she came in, and could not at all +understand where she was. + +"Under the canopy, duchess," just whispered Lady Hartletop. Lady +Hartletop was a young woman who knew her right hand from her left +under all circumstances of life, and who never made any mistakes. +The duchess looked up in her confusion to the centre of the ceiling, +but could see no canopy. Lady Hartletop had done all that could +be required of her, and if the duchess were to die amidst her +difficulties it would not be her fault. Then came forth the Lady +Glencora, and with true charity conducted the lady-president to her +chair, just in time to avoid the crush, which ensued upon the opening +of the doors. + +The doors were opened, and very speedily the space of the bazaar +between the stalls became too crowded to have admitted the safe +passage of such a woman as the Duchess of St Bungay; but Lady +Glencora, who was less majestic in her size and gait, did not find +herself embarrassed. And now there arose, before the general work of +fleecing the wether lambs had well commenced, a terrible discord, as +of a brass band with broken bassoons, and trumpets all out of order, +from the further end of the building,--a terrible noise of most +unmusical music, such as Bartholomew Fair in its loudest days could +hardly have known. At such a diapason one would have thought that the +tender ears of May Fair and Belgravia would have been crushed and +cracked and riven asunder; that female voices would have shrieked, +and the intensity of fashionable female agony would have displayed +itself in all its best recognised forms. But the crash of brass was +borne by them as though they had been rough schoolboys delighting +in a din. The duchess gave one jump, and then remained quiet and +undismayed. If Lady Hartletop heard it, she did not betray the +hearing. Lady Glencora for a moment put her hands to her ears as +she laughed, but she did it as though the prettiness of the motion +were its only one cause. The fine nerves of Mrs Conway Sparkes, the +poetess, bore it all without flinching; and Mrs Chaucer Munro with +her bevy rushed forward so that they might lose nothing of what was +coming. + +"What are they going to do?" said Margaret to her cousin, in alarm. + +"It's the play part of the thing. Have you not seen the bills?" Then +Margaret looked at a great placard which was exhibited near to her, +which, though by no means intelligible to her, gave her to understand +that there was a show in progress. The wit of the thing seemed +to consist chiefly in the wonderful names chosen. The King of +the Cannibal Islands was to appear on a white charger. King +Chrononhotonthologos was to be led in chains by Tom Thumb. Achilles +would drag Hector thrice round the walls of Troy; and Queen Godiva +would ride through Coventry, accompanied by Lord Burghley and the +ambassador from Japan. It was also signified that in some back part +of the premises a theatrical entertainment would be carried on +throughout the afternoon, the King of the Cannibal Islands, with his +royal brother and sister Chrononhotonthologos and Godiva, taking +principal parts; but as nobody seemed to go to the theatre the +performers spent their time chiefly in making processions through and +amidst the stalls, when, as the day waxed hot, and the work became +heavy, they seemed to be taken much in dudgeon by the various bevies +with whose business they interfered materially. + +On this, their opening march, they rushed into the bazaar with great +energy, and though they bore no resemblance to the characters named +in the playbill, and though there was among them neither a Godiva, +a Hector, a Tom Thumb, or a Japanese, nevertheless, as they were +dressed in paint and armour after the manner of the late Mr +Richardson's heroes, and as most of the ladies had probably been +without previous opportunity of seeing such delights, they had their +effect. When they had made their twenty-first procession the thing +certainly grew stale, and as they brought with them an infinity of +dirt, they were no doubt a nuisance. But no one would have been +inclined to judge these amateur actors with harshness who knew how +much they themselves were called on to endure, who could appreciate +the disgusting misery of a hot summer afternoon spent beneath dust +and paint and tin-plate armour, and who would remember that the +performers received payment neither in _éclat_ nor in thanks, nor +even in the smiles of beauty. + +"Can't somebody tell them not to come any more?" said the duchess, +almost crying with vexation towards the end of the afternoon. + +Then Mr Manfred Smith, who managed everything, went to the rear, and +the king and warriors were sent away to get beer or cooling drinks at +their respective clubs. + +Poor Mr Manfred Smith! He had not been present at the moment in which +he was wanted to lead the duchess to her stall, and the duchess never +forgave him. Instead of calling him by his name from time to time, +and enabling him to shine in public as he deserved to shine,--for he +had worked at the bazaar for the last six weeks as no professional +man ever worked at his profession,--the duchess always asked for +"somebody" when she wanted Mr Smith, and treated him when he came +as though he had been a servant hired for the occasion. One very +difficult job of work was given to him before the day was done; "I +wish you'd go over to those young women," said the duchess, "and say +that if they make so much noise, I must go away." + +The young women in question were Mrs Chaucer Munro and her bevy, and +the commission was one which poor Manfred Smith found it difficult to +execute. + +"Mrs Munro," said he, "you'll be sorry to hear--that the duchess--has +got--a headache, and she thinks we all might be a little quieter." + +The shouts of the loud nymphs were by this time high. "Pooh!" said +one of them. "Headache indeed!" said another. "Bother her head!" said +a third. "If the duchess is ill, perhaps she had better retire," +said Mrs Chaucer Munro. Then Mr Manfred Smith walked off sorrowfully +towards the door, and seating himself on the stool of the money-taker +by the entrance, wiped off the perspiration from his brow. He had +already put on his third pair of yellow kid gloves for the occasion, +and they were soiled and torn and disreputable; his polished boots +were brown with dust; the magenta ribbon round his neck had become a +moist rope; his hat had been thrown down and rumpled; a drop of oil +had made a spot upon his trousers; his whiskers were draggled and out +of order, and his mouth was full of dirt. I doubt if Mr Manfred Smith +will ever undertake to manage another bazaar. + +The duchess I think was right in her endeavour to mitigate the riot +among Mrs Munro's nymphs. Indeed there was rioting among other nymphs +than hers, though her noise and their noise was the loudest; and it +was difficult to say how there should not be riot, seeing what was to +be the recognised manner of transacting business. At first there was +something of prettiness in the rioting. The girls, who went about +among the crowd, begging men to put their hands into lucky bags, +trading in rose-buds, and asking for half-crowns for cigar lighters, +were fresh in their muslins, pretty with their braided locks, and +perhaps not impudently over-pressing in their solicitations to male +strangers. While they were not as yet either aweary or habituated +to the necessity of importunity, they remembered their girlhood and +their ladyhood, their youth and their modesty, and still carried with +them something of the bashfulness of maidenhood; and the young men, +the wether lambs, were as yet flush with their half-crowns, and the +elder sheep had not quite dispensed the last of their sovereigns or +buttoned up their trousers pockets. But as the work went on, and the +dust arose, and the prettinesses were destroyed, and money became +scarce, and weariness was felt, and the heat showed itself, and the +muslins sank into limpness, and the ribbons lost their freshness, +and braids of hair grew rough and loose, and sidelocks displaced +themselves--as girls became used to soliciting and forgetful of their +usual reticences in their anxiety for money, the charm of the thing +went, and all was ugliness and rapacity. Young ladies no longer moved +about, doing works of charity; but harpies and unclean birds were +greedy in quest of their prey. + +"Put a letter in my post-office," said one of Mrs Munro's bevy, who +officiated in a postal capacity behind a little square hole, to a +young man on whom she pounced out and had caught him and brought up, +almost with violence. + +The young man tendered some scrap of paper and a sixpence. + +"Only sixpence!" said the girl. + +A cabman could not have made the complaint with a more finished +accent of rapacious disgust. + +"Never mind," said the girl, "I'll give you an answer." + +Then, with inky fingers and dirty hands, she tendered him some +scrawl, and demanded five shillings postage. "Five shillings!" said +the young man. "Oh, I'm d----" + +Then he gave her a shilling and walked away. She ventured to give one +little halloa after him, but she caught the duchess's eye looking at +her, and was quiet. + +I don't think there was much real flirting done. Men won't flirt with +draggled girls, smirched with dust, weary with work, and soiled with +heat; and especially they will not do so at the rate of a shilling a +word. When the whole thing was over, Mrs Chaucer Munro's bevy, lying +about on the benches in fatigue before they went away, declared +that, as far as they were concerned, the thing was a mistake. The +expenditure in gloves and muslin had been considerable, and the +returns to them had been very small. It is not only that men will +not flirt with draggled girls, but they will carry away with them +unfortunate remembrances of what they have seen and heard. Upon the +whole it may be doubted whether any of the bevies were altogether +contented with the operations on the occasion of the Negro Soldiers' +Orphan Bazaar. + +Miss Mackenzie had been, perhaps, more fortunate than some of the +others. It must, however, be remembered that there are two modes +of conducting business at these bazaars. There is the travelling +merchant, who roams about, and there is the stationary merchant, who +remains always behind her counter. It is not to be supposed that the +Duchess of St Bungay spent the afternoon rushing about with a lucky +bag. The duchess was a stationary trader, and so were all the ladies +who belonged to the Mackenzie booth. Miss Mackenzie, the lamb, had +been much regarded, and consequently the things at her disposal had +been quickly sold. It had all seemed to her to be very wonderful, and +as the fun grew fast and furious, as the young girls became eager +in their attacks, she made up her mind that she would never occupy +another stall at a bazaar. One incident, and but one, occurred to her +during the day; and one person came to her that she knew, and but +one. It was nearly six, and she was beginning to think that the weary +work must soon be over, when, on a sudden, she found Sir John Ball +standing beside her. + +"Oh, John!" she said, startled by his presence, "who would have +thought of seeing you here?" + +"And why not me as well as any other fool of my age?" + +"Because you think it is foolish," she answered, "and I suppose the +others don't." + +"Why should you say that I think it foolish? At any rate, I'm glad to +see you looking so nice and happy." + +"I don't know about being happy," said Margaret,--"or nice either for +the matter of that." + +But there was a smile on her face as she spoke, and Sir John smiled +also when he saw it. + +"Doesn't she look well in that bonnet?" said Mrs Mackenzie, turning +round to the side of the counter at which he was standing. "It was my +choice, and I absolutely made her wear it. If you knew the trouble I +had!" + +"It is very pretty," said Sir John. + +"Is it not? And are you not very much obliged to me? I'm sure +you ought to be, for nobody before has ever taken the trouble of +finding out what becomes her most. As for herself, she's much too +well-behaved a young woman to think of such vanities." + +"Not at present, certainly," said Margaret. + +"And why not at present? She looks on those lawyers and their work as +though there was something funereal about them. You ought to teach +her better, Sir John." + +"All that will be over in a day or two now," said he. + +"And then she will shake off her dowdiness and her gloom together," +said Mrs Mackenzie. "Do you know I fancy she has a liking for pretty +things at heart as well as another woman." + +"I hope she has," said he. + +"Of course you do. What is a woman worth without it? Don't be angry, +Margaret, but I say a woman is worth nothing without it, and Sir +John will agree with me if he knows anything about the matter. But, +Margaret, why don't you make him buy something? He can't refuse you +if you ask him." + +If Miss Mackenzie could thereby have provided for all the negro +soldiers' orphans in existence, I do not think that she could at that +moment have solicited him to make a purchase. + +"Come, Sir John," continued Mrs Mackenzie, "you must buy something of +her. What do you say to this paper-knife?" + +"How much does the paper-knife cost?" said he, still smiling. It was +a large, elaborate, and perhaps, I may say, unwieldy affair, with a +great elephant at the end of it. + +"Oh! that is terribly dear," said Margaret, "it costs two pounds +ten." + +Thereupon he put his hand into his pocket, and taking out his purse, +gave her a five-pound note. + +"We never give change," said Mrs Mackenzie: "do we, Margaret?" + +"I'll give him change," said Margaret. + +"I'll be extravagant for once," said Sir John, "and let you keep the +whole." + +"Oh, John!" said Margaret. + +"You have no right to scold him yet," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +Margaret, when she heard this, blushed up to her forehead, and in her +confusion forgot all about the paper-knife and the money. Sir John, I +fancy, was almost as much confused himself, and was quite unable to +make any fitting reply. But, just at that moment, there came across +two harpies from the realms of Mrs Chaucer Munro, eagerly intent upon +their prey. + +"Here are the lion and the lamb together," said one harpy. "The lion +must buy a rose to give to the lamb. Sir Lion, the rose is but a +poor half-crown." And she tendered him a battered flower, leering +at him from beneath her draggled, dusty bonnet as she put forth her +untempting hand for the money. + +"Sir Lion, Sir Lion," said the other harpy, "I want your name for a +raffle." + +But the lion was off, having pushed the first harpy aside somewhat +rudely. That tale of the Lion and the Lamb had been very terrible to +him; but never till this occasion had any one dared to speak of it +directly to his face. But what will not a harpy do who has become +wild and dirty and disgusting in the pursuit of half-crowns? + +"Now he is angry," said Margaret. "Oh, Mrs Mackenzie, why did you say +that?" + +"Yes; he is angry," said Mrs Mackenzie, "but not with you or me. Upon +my word, I thought he would have pushed that girl over; and if he +had, he would only have served her right." + +"But why did you say that? You shouldn't have said it." + +"About your not scolding him yet? I said it, my dear, because I +wanted to make myself certain. I was almost certain before, but now I +am quite certain." + +"Certain of what, Mrs Mackenzie?" + +"That you'll be a baronet's wife before me, and entitled to be taken +out of a room first as long as dear old Sir Walter is alive." + +Soon after that the bazaar was brought to an end, and it was supposed +to have been the most successful thing of the kind ever done in +London. Loud boasts were made that more than eight hundred pounds had +been cleared; but whether any orphans of any negro soldiers were ever +the better for the money I am not able to say. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +Showing How the Lion Was Stung by the Wasp + + +It may be remembered that Mr Maguire, when he first made public that +pretty story of the Lion and the Lamb, declared that he would give +the lion no peace till that beast had disgorged his prey, and that +he had pledged himself to continue the fight till he should have +succeeded in bringing the lamb back to the pleasant pastures of +Littlebath. But Mr Maguire found some difficulty in carrying out his +pledge. He was willing enough to fight, but the weapons with which +to do battle were wanting to him. The _Christian Examiner_, having +got so far into the mess, and finding that a ready sale did in +truth result from any special article as to the lion and the lamb, +was indeed ready to go on with the libel. The _Christian Examiner_ +probably had not much to lose. But there arose a question whether +fighting simply through the columns of the _Christian Examiner_ was +not almost tantamount to no fight at all. He wanted to bring an +action against Sir John Ball, to have Sir John Ball summoned into +court and examined about the money, to hear some truculent barrister +tell Sir John Ball that he could not conceal himself from the scorn +of an indignant public behind the spangles of his parvenu baronetcy. +He had a feeling that the lion would be torn to pieces, if only a +properly truculent barrister could be got to fix his claws into him. +But, unfortunately, no lawyer,--not even Solomon Walker, the Low +Church attorney at Littlebath,--would advise him that he had any +ground for an action. If indeed he chose to proceed against the lady +for a breach of promise of marriage, then the result would depend +on the evidence. In such case as that the Low Church attorney at +Littlebath was willing to take the matter up. "But Mr Maguire was, +of course, aware," said Solomon Walker, "that there was a prejudice +in the public mind against gentlemen appearing as parties to such +suits." Mr Maguire was also aware that he could adduce no evidence of +the fact beyond his own unsupported, and, in such case, untrue word, +and declared therefore to the attorney, in a very high tone indeed, +that on no account would he take any step to harass the lady. It was +simply against Sir John Ball that he wished to proceed. "Things would +come out in that trial, Mr Walker," he said, "which would astonish +you and all the legal world. A rapacious scheme of villainy has been +conceived and brought to bear, through the stupidity of some people +and the iniquity of others, which would unroll itself fold by fold as +certainly as I stand here, if it were properly handled by a competent +barrister in one of our courts of law." And I think that Mr Maguire +believed what he was saying, and that he believed, moreover, that +he was speaking the truth when he told Mr Walker that the lady had +promised to marry him. Men who can succeed in deceiving no one else +will succeed at last in deceiving themselves. But the lawyer told +him, repeating the fact over and over again, that the thing was +impracticable; that there was no means of carrying the matter so +far that Sir John Ball should be made to appear in a witness box. +Everything that Sir John had done he had done legally; and even at +that moment of the discussion between Mr Walker and Mr Maguire, the +question of the ownership of the property was being tried before a +proper tribunal in London. Mr Maguire still thought Mr Walker to be +wrong,--thought that his attorney was a weak and ignorant man; but he +acknowledged to himself the fact that he in his unhappy position was +unable to get any more cunning attorney to take the matter in hand. + +But the _Christian Examiner_ still remained to him, and that he used +with diligence. From week to week there appeared in it articles +attacking the lion, stating that the lion was still being watched, +that his prey would be snatched from him at last, that the lamb +should even yet have her rights, and the like. And as the thing +went on, the periodical itself and the writer of the article became +courageous by habit, till things were printed which Sir John Ball +found it almost impossible to bear. It was declared that he was going +to desert the lamb, now that he had taken all the lamb's property; +and that the lamb, shorn of all her fleece, was to be condemned +to earn her bread as a common nurse in the wards of a common +hospital,--all which information came readily enough to Mr Maguire by +the hands of Miss Colza. The papers containing these articles were +always sent to Sir John Ball and to Miss Mackenzie, and the articles +were always headed, "The Lion and the Lamb." Miss Mackenzie, in +accordance with an arrangement made to that purpose, sent the papers +as soon as they came to Mr Slow, but Sir John Ball had no such ready +way of freeing himself from their burden. He groaned and toiled +under them, going to his lawyer with them, and imploring permission +to bring an action for libel against Mr Maguire. The venom of the +unclean animal's sting had gone so deep into him, that, fond as he +was of money, he had told his lawyer that he would not begrudge the +expense if he could only punish the man who was hurting him. But the +attorney, who understood something of feeling as well as something +of money, begged him to be quiet at any rate till the fate of the +property should be settled. "And if you'll take my advice, Sir John, +you will not notice him at all. You may be sure that he has not a +shilling in the world, and that he wants you to prosecute him. When +you have got damages against him, he will be off out of the country." + +"But I shall have stopped his impudent ribaldry," said Sir John +Ball. Then the lawyer tried to explain to him that no one read the +ribaldry. It was of no use. Sir John read it himself, and that was +enough to make him wretched. + +The little fable which made Sir John so unhappy had not, for some +months past, appeared in any of the metropolitan newspapers; but when +the legal inquiry into the proper disposition of Mr Jonathan Ball's +property was over, and when it was known that, as the result of that +inquiry, the will in favour of the Mackenzies was to be set aside and +the remains of the property handed over to Sir John, then that very +influential newspaper, which in the early days of the question had +told the story of the Lion and the Lamb, told it all again, tearing, +indeed, the Littlebath _Christian Examiner_ into shreds for its +iniquity, but speaking of the romantic misfortune of the lamb in +terms which made Sir John Ball very unhappy. The fame which accrued +to him from being so publicly pointed out as a lion, was not fame +of which he was proud. And when the writer in this very influential +newspaper went on to say that the world was now looking for a +termination of this wonderful story, which would make it pleasant to +all parties, he was nearly beside himself in his misery. He, a man +of fifty, of slow habits, with none of the buoyancy of youth left +in him, apt to regard himself as older than his age, who had lived +with his father and mother almost on an equality in regard to habits +of life, the father of a large family, of which the eldest was now +himself a man! Could it be endured that such a one as he should enter +upon matrimony amidst the din of public trumpets and under a halo +of romance? The idea of it was frightful to him. On the very day +on which the result of the legal investigation was officially +communicated to him, he sat in the old study at the Cedars with two +newspapers before him. In one of these there was a description of +his love, which he knew was intended as furtive ridicule, and an +assurance to the public that the lamb's misfortunes would all be +remedied by the sweet music of the marriage bell. What right had any +one to assert publicly that he intended to marry any one? In his +wretchedness and anger he would have indicted this newspaper also for +a libel, had not his lawyer assured him that, according to law, there +was no libel in stating that a man was going to be married. The other +paper accused him of rapacity and dishonesty in that he would not +marry the lamb, now that he had secured the lamb's fleece; so that, +in truth, he had no escape on either side; for Mr Maguire, having +at last ascertained that the lamb had, in very truth, lost all her +fleece, was no longer desirous of any personal connection, and felt +that he could best carry out his pledge by attacking the possessor +of the fleece on that side. Under such circumstances, what was such +a man as Sir John Ball to do? Could he marry his cousin amidst the +trumpets, and the halo, and the doggrel poetry which would abound? +Was it right that he should be made a mark for the finger of scorn? +Had he done anything to deserve this punishment? + +And it must be remembered that from day to day his own mother, who +lived with him, who sat with him late every night talking on this one +subject, was always instigating him to abandon his cousin. It had +been admitted between them that he was no longer bound by his offer. +Margaret herself had admitted it,--"does not attempt to deny it," as +Lady Ball repeated over and over again. When he had made his offer he +had known nothing of Mr Maguire's offer, nor had Margaret then told +him of it. Such reticence on her part of course released him from his +bond. So Lady Ball argued, and against this argument her son made +no demur. Indeed it was hardly possible that he should comprehend +exactly what had taken place between his cousin and Mr Maguire. His +mother did not scruple to assure him that she must undoubtedly at one +time have accepted the man's proposal. In answer to this John Ball +would always assert his entire reliance on his cousin's word. + +"She did it without knowing that she did so," Lady Ball would answer; +"but in some language she must have assented." + +But the mother was never able to extract from the son any intimation +of his intention to give up the marriage, though she used threats and +tears, ridicule and argument,--appeals to his pride and appeals to +his pocket. He never said that he certainly would marry her; he never +said so at least after that night on which Margaret in her bedroom +had told him her story with reference to Mr Maguire; but neither did +he ever say that he certainly would not marry her. Lady Ball gathered +from all his words a conviction that he would be glad to be released, +if he could be released by any act on Margaret's behalf, and +therefore she had made her attempt on Margaret. With what success +the reader will, I hope, remember. Margaret, when she accepted her +cousin's offer, had been specially bidden by him to be firm. This +bidding she obeyed, and on that side there was no hope at all for +Lady Ball. + +I fear there was much of cowardice on Sir John's part. He had, in +truth, forgiven Margaret any offence that she had committed in +reference to Mr Maguire. She had accepted his offer while another +offer was still dragging on an existence after a sort, and she had +not herself been the first to tell him of these circumstances. There +had been offence to him in this, but that offence he had, in truth, +forgiven. Had there been no Littlebath _Christian Examiner_, no tale +of the Lion and the Lamb, no publicity and no ridicule, he would +quietly have walked off with his cousin to some church, having gone +through all preliminary ceremonies in the most silent manner possible +for them, and would have quietly got himself married and have carried +Margaret home with him. Now that his father was dead and that his +uncle Jonathan's money had come to him, his pecuniary cares were +comparatively light, and he believed that he could be very happy with +Margaret and his children. But then to be pointed at daily as a lion, +and to be asked by all his acquaintances after the lamb! It must be +owned that he was a coward; but are not most men cowards in such +matters as that? + +But now the trial was over, the money was his own, Margaret was left +without a shilling in the world, and it was quite necessary that +he should make up his mind. He had once told his lawyer, in his +premature joy, on that very day on which Mr Maguire had come to the +Cedars, that everything was to be made smooth by a marriage between +himself and the disinherited heiress. He had since told the lawyer +that something had occurred which might, perhaps, alter this +arrangement. After that the lawyer had asked no question about +the marriage; but when he communicated to his client the final +intelligence that Jonathan Ball's money was at his client's disposal, +he said that it would be well to arrange what should be done on Miss +Mackenzie's behalf. Sir John Ball had assumed very plainly a look of +vexation when the question was put to him. + +"I promised Mr Slow that I would ask you," said the lawyer. "Mr Slow +is of course anxious for his client." + +"It is my business and not Mr Slow's," said Sir John Ball, "and you +may tell him that I say so." + +Then there had been a moment's silence, and Sir John had felt himself +to be wrong. + +"Pray tell him also," said Sir John, "that I am very grateful to him +for his solicitude about my cousin, and that I fully appreciate his +admirable conduct both to her and me throughout all this affair. When +I have made up my mind what shall be done, I will let him know at +once." + +As he walked down from his lawyer's chambers in Bedford Row to the +railway station he thought of all this, and thought also of those +words which Mrs Mackenzie had spoken to him in the bazaar. "You have +no right to scold him yet," she had said to Margaret. Of course he +had understood what they meant, and of course Margaret had understood +them also. And he had not been at all angry when they were spoken. +Margaret had been so prettily dressed, and had looked so fresh and +nice, that at that moment he had forgotten all his annoyances in his +admiration, and had listened to Mrs Mackenzie's cunning speech, not +without confusion, but without any immediate desire to contradict its +necessary inference. A moment or two afterwards the harpies had been +upon him, and then he had gone off in his anger. Poor Margaret had +been unable to distinguish between the effects produced by the speech +and by the harpies; but Mrs Mackenzie had been more clever, and had +consequently predicted her cousin's speedy promotion in the world's +rank. + +Sir John, as he went home, made up his mind to one of two +alternatives. He would either marry his cousin or halve Jonathan +Ball's money with her. He wanted to marry her, and he wanted to keep +the money. He wanted to marry her especially since he had seen how +nice she looked in black-freckled muslin; but he wanted to marry +her in silence, without any clash of absurd trumpets, without +ridicule-moving leading articles, and fingers pointed at the +triumphant lion. He made up his mind to one of those alternatives, +and resolved that he would settle which on that very night. His +mind should be made up and told to his mother before he went to bed. +Nevertheless, when the girls and Jack were gone, and he was left +alone with Lady Ball, his mind had as yet been made up to nothing! + +His mother gave him no peace on this subject. It was she who began +the conversation on this occasion. + +"John," she said, "the time has come for me to settle the question of +my residence." + +Now the house at Twickenham was the property of the present baronet, +but Lady Ball had a jointure of five hundred a year out of her late +husband's estate. It had always been intended that the mother should +continue to live with her son and grandchildren in the very probable +event of her being left a widow; and it was felt by them all that +their means were not large enough to permit, with discretion, +separate households; but Lady Ball had declared more than once with +extreme vehemence that nothing should induce her to live at the +Cedars if Margaret Mackenzie should be made mistress of the house. + +"Has the time come especially to-day?" he asked in reply. + +"I think we may say it has come especially to-day. We know now that +you have got this increase to your income, and nothing is any longer +in doubt that we cannot ourselves settle. I need not say that my +dearest wish is to remain here, but you know my mind upon that +subject." + +"I cannot see any possible reason for your going." + +"Nor can I--except the one. I suppose you know yourself what you mean +to do about your cousin. Everybody knows what you ought to do after +the disgraceful things that have been put into all the newspapers." + +"That has not been Margaret's fault." + +"I am by no means so sure of that. Indeed, I think it has been her +fault; and now she has made herself notorious by being at this +bazaar, and by having herself called a ridiculous name by everybody. +Nothing will make me believe but what she likes it." + +"You are ready to believe any evil of her, mother; and yet it is not +two years since you yourself wished me to marry her." + +"Things are very different since that; very different indeed. And I +did not know her then as I do now, or I should never have thought of +such a thing, let her have had all the money in the world. She had +not misbehaved herself then with that horrible curate." + +"She has not misbehaved herself now," said the son, in an angry +voice. + +"Yes, she has, John," said the mother, in a voice still more angry. + +"That's a matter for me to judge. She has not misbehaved herself +in my eyes. It is a great misfortune,--a great misfortune for us +both,--the conduct of this man; but I won't allow it to be said that +it was her fault." + +"Very well. Then I suppose I may arrange to go. I did not think, +John, that I should be turned out of your father's house so soon +after your father's death. I did not indeed." + +Thereupon Lady Ball got out her handkerchief, and her son perceived +that real tears were running down her face. + +"Nobody has ever spoken of your going except yourself, mother." + +"I won't live in the house with her." + +"And what would you have me do? Would you wish me to let her go her +way and starve by herself?" + +"No, John; certainly not. I think you should see that she wants for +nothing. She could live with her sister-in-law, and have the interest +of the money that the Rubbs took from her. It was your money." + +"I have explained to you over and over again, mother, that that has +already been made over to Mrs Tom Mackenzie; and that would not have +been at all sufficient. Indeed, I have altogether made up my mind +upon that. When the lawyers and all the expenses are paid, there will +still be about eight hundred a year. I shall share it with her." + +"John!" + +"That is my intention; and therefore if I were to marry her I should +get an additional income of four hundred a year for myself and my +children." + +"You don't mean it, John?" + +"Indeed I do, mother. I'm sure the world would expect me to do as +much as that." + +"The world expect you! And are you to rob your children, John, +because the world expects it? I never heard of such a thing. Give +away four hundred a year merely because you are afraid of those +wretched newspapers! I did expect you would have more courage." + +"If I do not do one, mother, I shall do the other certainly." + +"Then I must beg you to tell me which you mean to do. If you gave +her half of all that is coming to you, of course I must remain here +because you could not live here without me. Your income would be +quite insufficient. But you do owe it to me to tell me at once what I +am to do." + +To this her son made no immediate answer, but sat with his elbow +on the table, and his head upon his hand looking moodily at the +fire-place. He did not wish to commit himself if he could possibly +avoid it. + +"John, I must insist upon an answer," said his mother. "I have a +right to expect an answer." + +"You must do what you like, mother, independently of me. If you think +you can live here on your income, I will go away, and you shall have +the place." + +"That's nonsense, John. Of course you want a large house for the +children, and I, if I must be alone, shall only want one room for +myself. What should I do with the house?" Then there was silence +again for a while. + +"I will give you a final answer on Saturday," he said at last. "I +shall see Margaret before Saturday." + +After that he took his candle and went to bed. It was then Tuesday, +and Lady Ball was obliged to be contented with the promise thus made +to her. + +On Wednesday he did nothing. On the Thursday morning he received a +letter which nearly drove him mad. It was addressed to him at the +office of the Shadrach Fire Insurance Company, and it reached him +there. It was as follows-- + + + Littlebath, -- June, 186--. + + SIR, + + You are no doubt fully aware of all the efforts which I + have made during the last six months to secure from your + grasp the fortune which did belong to my dear--my dearest + friend, Margaret Mackenzie. For as my dearest friend + I shall ever regard her, though she and I have been + separated by machinations of the nature of which she, as I + am fully sure, has never been aware. I now ascertain that + some of the inferior law courts have, under what pressure + I know not, set aside the will which was made twenty years + ago in favour of the Mackenzie family, and given to you + the property which did belong to them. That a superior + court would reverse the judgment, I believe there is + little doubt; but whether or no the means exist for me + to bring the matter before the higher tribunals of the + country I am not yet aware. Very probably I may have + no such power, and in such case, Margaret Mackenzie is, + to-day, through your means, a beggar. + + Since this matter has been before the public you have + ingeniously contrived to mitigate the wrath of public + opinion by letting it be supposed that you purposed to + marry the lady whose wealth you were seeking to obtain by + legal quibbles. You have made your generous intentions + very public, and have created a romance that has been, I + must say, but little becoming to your age. If all be true + that I heard when I last saw Miss Mackenzie at Twickenham, + you have gone through some ceremony of proposing to her. + But, as I understand, that joke is now thought to have + been carried far enough; and as the money is your own, you + intend to enjoy yourself as a lion, leaving the lamb to + perish in the wilderness. + + Now I call upon you to assert, under your own name and + with your own signature, what are your intentions with + reference to Margaret Mackenzie. Her property, at any rate + for the present, is yours. Do you intend to make her your + wife, or do you not? And if such be your intention, when + do you purpose that the marriage shall take place, and + where? + + I reserve to myself the right to publish this letter and + your answer to it; and of course shall publish the fact + if your cowardice prevents you from answering it. Indeed + nothing shall induce me to rest in this matter till I + know that I have been the means of restoring to Margaret + Mackenzie the means of decent livelihood. + + I have the honour to be, Sir, + Your very humble servant, + + JEREMIAH MAGUIRE. + + Sir John Ball, Bart., &c., &c, + Shadrach Fire Office. + + +Sir John, when he had read this, was almost wild with agony and +anger. He threw up his hands with dismay as he walked along the +passages of the Shadrach Office, and fulminated mental curses against +the wasp that was able to sting him so deeply. What should he do to +the man? As for answering the letter, that was of course out of the +question; but the reptile would carry out his threat of publishing +the letter, and then the whole question of his marriage would be +discussed in the public prints. An idea came across him that a free +press was bad and rotten from the beginning to the end. This creature +was doing him a terrible injury, was goading him almost to death, and +yet he could not punish him. He was a clergyman, and could not be +beaten and kicked, or even fired at with a pistol. As for prosecuting +the miscreant, had not his own lawyer told him over and over again +that such a prosecution was the very thing which the miscreant +desired. And then the additional publicity of such a prosecution, +and the twang of false romance which would follow and the horrid +alliteration of the story of the two beasts, and all the ridicule of +the incidents, crowded upon his mind, and he walked forth from the +Shadrach office among the throngs of the city a wretched and almost +despairing man. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed + + +When the work of the bazaar was finished all the four Mackenzie +ladies went home to Mrs Mackenzie's house in Cavendish Square, very +tired, eager for tea, and resolved that nothing more should be done +that evening. There should be no dressing for dinner, no going out, +nothing but idleness, tea, lamb chops, and gossip about the day's +work. Mr Mackenzie was down at the House, and there was no occasion +for any domestic energy. And thus the evening was passed. How Mrs +Chaucer Munro and the loud bevy fared among them, or how old Lady +Ware and her daughters, or the poor, dear, bothered duchess or Mr +Manfred Smith, or the kings and heroes who had appeared in paint +and armour, cannot be told. I fear that the Mackenzie verdict about +the bazaar in general was not favourable and that they agreed among +themselves to abstain from such enterprises of charity in future. It +concerns us now chiefly to know that our Griselda held up her head +well throughout that evening, and made herself comfortable and at her +ease among her cousins, although it was already known to her that the +legal decision had gone against her in the great case of Ball _v._ +Mackenzie. But had that decision been altogether in her favour the +result would not have been so favourable to her spirits, as had been +that little speech made by Mrs Mackenzie as to her having no right as +yet to scold Sir John for his extravagance,--that little speech made +in good humour, and apparently accepted in good humour even by him. +But on that evening Mrs Mackenzie was not able to speak to Margaret +about her prospects, or to lecture her on the expediency of regarding +the nicenesses of her dress in Sir John's presence, because of the +two other cousins. The two other cousins, no doubt, knew all the +story of the Lion and the Lamb, and talked to their sister-in-law, +Clara, of their other cousin, Griselda, behind Griselda's back; and +were no doubt very anxious that Griselda should become a baronet's +wife; but among so large a party there was no opportunity for +confidential advice. + +On the next morning Mrs Mackenzie and Margaret were together, and +then Mrs Mackenzie began: + +"Margaret, my dear," said she, "that bonnet I gave you has been worth +its weight in gold." + +"It cost nearly as much," said Margaret, "for it was very expensive +and very light." + +"Or in bank-notes either, because it has shown him and me and +everybody else that you needn't be a dowdy unless you please. No man +wishes to marry a dowdy, you know." + +"I suppose I was a dowdy when he asked me." + +"I wasn't there, and didn't know you then, and can't say. But I do +know that he liked the way you looked yesterday. Now, of course, +he'll be coming here before long." + +"I dare say he won't come here again the whole summer." + +"If he did not, I should send for him." + +"Oh, Mrs Mackenzie!" + +"And oh, Griselda! Why should I not send for him? You don't suppose +I'm going to let this kind of thing go on from month to month, till +that old woman at the Cedars has contrived to carry her point. +Certainly not." + +"Now that the matter is settled, of course, I shall not go on staying +here." + +"Not after you're married, my dear. We couldn't well take in Sir John +and all the children. Besides, we shall be going down to Scotland for +the grouse. But I mean you shall be married out of this house. Don't +look so astonished. Why not? There's plenty of time before the end of +July." + +"I don't think he means anything of the kind; I don't indeed." + +"Then he must be the queerest man that ever I met; and I should say +about the falsest and most heartless also. But whether he means to +do that or does not, he must mean to do something. You don't suppose +he'll take all your fortune away from you, and then leave you without +coming to say a word to you about it? If you had disputed the matter, +and put him to all manner of expense; if, in short, you had been +enemies through it all, that might have been possible. But you have +been such a veritable lamb, giving your fleece to the shearer so +meekly,--such a true Griselda, that if he were to leave you in that +way, no one would ever speak to him again." + +"But you forget Lady Ball." + +"No, I don't. He'll have a disagreeable scene with his mother, and +I don't pretend to guess what will be the end of that; but when he +has done with his mother, he'll come here. He must do it. He has no +alternative. And when he does come, I want you to look your best. +Believe me, my dear, there would be no muslins in the world and no +starch, if it was not intended that people should make themselves +look as nice as possible." + +"Young people," suggested Margaret. + +"Young people, as you call them, can look well without muslin and +without starch. Such things were intended for just such persons as +you and me; and as for me, I make it a rule to take the goods the +gods provide me." + +Mrs Mackenzie's philosophy was not without its result, and her +prophecy certainly came true. A few days passed by and no lover came, +but early on the Friday morning after the bazaar, Margaret, who at +the moment was in her own room, was told that Sir John was below in +the drawing-room with Mrs Mackenzie. He had already been there some +little time, the servant said, and Mrs Mackenzie had sent up with her +love to know if Miss Mackenzie would come down. Would she go down? Of +course she would go to her cousin. She was no coward. Indeed, a true +Griselda can hardly be a coward. So she made up her mind to go to her +cousin and hear her fate. + +The last four-and-twenty hours had been very bitter with Sir John +Ball. What was he to do, walking about with that man's letter in his +pocket--with that reptile's venom still curdling through his veins? +On that Thursday morning, as he went towards his office, he had made +up his mind, as he thought, to go to Margaret and bid her choose her +own destiny. She should become his wife, or have half of Jonathan +Ball's remaining fortune, as she might herself elect. "She refused +me," he said to himself, "when the money was all hers. Why should she +wish to come to such a house as mine, to marry a dull husband and +undertake the charge of a lot of children? She shall choose herself." +And then he thought of her as he had seen her at the bazaar, and +began to flatter himself that, in spite of his dullness and his +children, she would choose to become his wife. He was making some +scheme as to his mother's life, proposing that two of his girls +should live with her, and that she should be near to him, when the +letter from Mr Maguire was put into his hands. + +How was he to marry his cousin after that? If he were to do so, would +not that wretch at Littlebath declare, through all the provincial +and metropolitan newspapers, that he had compelled the marriage? +That letter would be published in the very column that told of the +wedding. But yet he must decide. He must do something. They who read +this will probably declare that he was a weak fool to regard anything +that such a one as Mr Maguire could say of him. He was not a fool, +but he was so far weak and foolish; and in such matters such men are +weak and foolish, and often cowardly. + +It was, however, absolutely necessary that he should do something. He +was as well aware as was Mrs Mackenzie that it was essentially his +duty to see his cousin, now that the question of law between them had +been settled. Even if he had no thought of again asking her to be +his wife, he could not confide to any one else the task of telling +her what was to be her fate. Her conduct to him in the matter of the +property had been exemplary, and it was incumbent on him to thank her +for her generous forbearance. He had pledged himself also to give his +mother a final answer on Saturday. + +On the Friday morning, therefore, he knocked at the Mackenzies' +house door in Cavendish Square, and soon found himself alone with +Mrs Mackenzie. I do not know that even then he had come to any +fixed purpose. What he would himself have preferred would have been +permission to postpone any action as regards his cousin for another +six months, and to have been empowered to use that time in crushing +Mr Maguire out of existence. But this might not be so, and therefore +he went to Cavendish Square that he might there decide his fate. + +"You want to see Margaret, no doubt," said Mrs Mackenzie, "that you +may tell her that her ruin is finally completed;" and as she thus +spoke of her cousin's ruin, she smiled her sweetest smile and put on +her pleasantest look. + +"Yes, I do want to see her presently," he said. + +Mrs Mackenzie had stood up as though she were about to go in quest +of her cousin, but had sat down again when the word presently +was spoken. She was by no means averse to having a few words of +conversation about Margaret, if Sir John should wish it. Sir John, I +fear, had merely used the word through some instinctive idea that he +might thereby stave off the difficulty for a while. + +"Don't you think she looked very well at the Bazaar?" said Mrs +Mackenzie. + +"Very well, indeed," he answered; "very well. I can't say I liked the +place." + +"Nor any of us, I can assure you. Only one must do that sort of thing +sometimes, you know. Margaret was very much admired there. So much +has been said of this singular story about her fortune, that people +have, of course, talked more of her than they would otherwise have +done." + +"That has been a great misfortune," said Sir John, frowning. + +"It has been a misfortune, but it has been one of those things that +can't be helped. I don't think you have any cause to complain, for +Margaret has behaved as no other woman ever did behave, I think. Her +conduct has been perfect." + +"I don't complain of her." + +"As for the rest, you must settle that with the world yourself. I +don't care for any one beyond her. But, for my part, I think it is +the best to let those things die away of themselves. After all, what +does it matter as long as one does nothing to be ashamed of oneself? +People can't break any bones by their talking." + +"Wouldn't you think it very unpleasant, Mrs Mackenzie, to have your +name brought up in the newspapers?" + +"Upon my word I don't think I should care about it as long as my +husband stood by me. What is it after all? People say that you and +Margaret are the Lion and the Lamb. What's the harm of being called a +lamb or a lion either? As long as people are not made to believe that +you have behaved badly, that you have been false or cruel, I can't +see that it comes to much. One does not, of course, wish to have +newspaper articles written about one." + +"No, indeed." + +"But they can't break your bones, nor can they make the world think +you dishonest, as long as you take care that you are honest. Now, in +this matter, I take it for granted that you and Margaret are going to +make a match of it--" + +"Has she told you so?" + +Mrs Mackenzie paused a moment to collect her thoughts before she +answered; but it was only for a moment, and Sir John Ball hardly +perceived that she had ceased to speak. + +"No," she said; "she has not told me so. But I have told her that it +must be so." + +"And she does not wish it?" + +"Do you want me to tell a lady's secret? But in such a case as +this the truth is always the best. She does wish it, with all her +heart,--as much as any woman ever wished for anything. You need have +no doubt about her loving you." + +"Of course, Mrs Mackenzie, I should take care in any case that she +were provided for amply. If a single life will suit her best, she +shall have half of all that she ever thought to be her own." + +"And do you wish it to be so?" + +"I have not said that, Mrs Mackenzie. But it may be that I should +wish her to have the choice fairly in her own power." + +"Then I can tell you at once which she would choose. Your offer is +very generous. It is more than generous. But, Sir John, a single life +will not suit her; and my belief is, that were you to offer her the +money without your hand, she would not take a farthing of it." + +"She must have some provision." + +"She will take none from you but the one, and you need be under no +doubt whatsoever that she will take that without a moment's doubt as +to her own future happiness. And, Sir John, I think you would have +the best wife that I know anywhere among my acquaintance." Then she +stopped, and he sat silent, making no reply. "Shall I send to her +now?" said Mrs Mackenzie. + +"I suppose you might as well," said Sir John. + +Then Mrs Mackenzie got up and left the room, but she did not herself +go up to her cousin. She felt that she could not see Margaret without +saying something of what had passed between herself and Sir John, +and that it would be better that nothing should be said. So she went +away to her own room, and dispatched her maid to send the lamb to the +lion. Nevertheless, it was not without compunction, some twang of +feminine conscience, that Mrs Mackenzie gave up this opportunity +of saying some last important word, and perhaps doing some last +important little act with regard to those nicenesses of which she +thought perhaps too much. Mrs Mackenzie's philosophy was not without +its truth; but a man of fifty should not be made to marry a woman +by muslin and starch, if he be not prepared to marry her on other +considerations. + +When the message came, Margaret thought nothing of the muslin and +starch. The bonnet that had been worth its weight in gold, and the +black-freckled dress, were all forgotten. But she thought of the +words which her cousin John had spoken to her as soon as they had +got through the little gate into the grounds of the Cedars when they +had walked back together from the railway station at Twickenham; and +she remembered that she had then pledged herself to be firm. If he +alluded to the offer he had then made, and repeated it, she would +throw herself into his arms at once, and tell him that she would +serve him with all her heart and all her strength as long as God +might leave them together. But she was quite as strongly determined +to accept from him for herself no other kind of provision. That money +which for a short while had been hers was now his; and she could +have no claim upon him unless he gave her the claim of a wife. After +what had passed between them she would not be the recipient of his +charity. Certain words had been written and spoken from which she had +gathered the existence, in Mr Slow's mind, of some such plan as this. +His client should lose her cause meekly and graciously, and should +then have a claim for alms. That had been the idea on which Mr Slow +had worked. She had long made up her mind that Mr Slow should be +taught to know her better, if the day for such offering of alms +should ever come. Perhaps it had come now. She took up a little scarf +that she wore ordinarily and folded it tight across her shoulders, +quite forgetful of muslin and starch, as she descended to the +drawing-room in order that this question might be solved for her. + +Sir John met her almost at the door as she entered. + +"I'm afraid you've been expecting me to come sooner," he said. + +"No, indeed; I was not quite sure that you would come at all." + +"Oh, yes; I was certain to come. You have hardly received as yet any +official notification that your cause has been lost." + +"It was not my cause, John," she said, smiling, "and I received no +other notification than what I got through Mrs Mackenzie. Indeed, as +you know, I have regarded this law business as nonsense all through. +Since what you and Mr Slow told me, I have known that the property +was yours." + +"But it was quite necessary to have a judgment." + +"I suppose so, and there's an end of it. I, for one, am not in the +least disappointed,--if it will give you any comfort to know that." + +"I don't believe that any other woman in England would have lost her +fortune with the equanimity that you have shown." + +She could not explain to him that, in the first days of dismay caused +by that misfortune, he had given her such consolation as to make her +forget her loss, and that her subsequent misery had been caused by +the withdrawal of that consolation. She could not tell him that the +very memory of her money had been, as it were, drowned by other hopes +in life,--by other hopes and by other despair. But when he praised +her for her equanimity, she thought of this. She still smiled as she +heard his praise. + +"I suppose I ought to return the compliment," she said, "and declare +that no cousin who had been kept so long out of his own money +ever behaved so well as you have done. I can assure you that I +have thought of it very often,--of the injustice that has been +involuntarily done to you." + +"It has been unjust, has it not?" said he, piteously, thinking of his +injuries. "So much of it has gone in that oilcloth business, and all +for nothing!" + +"I'm glad at any rate that Walter's share did not go." + +He knew that this was not the kind of conversation which he had +desired to commence, and that it must be changed before anything +could be settled. So he shook himself and began again. + +"And now, Margaret, as the lawyers have finished their part of the +business, ours must begin." + +She had been standing hitherto and had felt herself to be strong +enough to stand, but at the sound of these words her knees had become +weak under her, and she found a retreat upon the sofa. Of course she +said nothing as he came and stood over her. + +"I hope you have understood," he continued, "that while all this was +going on I could propose no arrangement of any kind." + +"I know you have been very much troubled." + +"Indeed I have. It seems that any blackguard has a right to publish +any lies that he likes about any one in any of the newspapers, and +that nobody can do anything to protect himself! Sometimes I have +thought that it would drive me mad!" + +But he again perceived that he was getting out of the right course in +thus dwelling upon his own injuries. He had come there to alleviate +her misfortunes, not to talk about his own. + +"It is no good, however, talking about all that; is it, Margaret?" + +"It will cease now, will it not?" + +"I cannot say. I fear not. Whichever way I turn, they abuse me for +what I do. What business is it of theirs?" + +"You mean their absurd story--calling you a lion." + +"Don't talk of it, Margaret." + +Then Margaret was again silent. She by no means wished to talk of the +story, if he would only leave it alone. + +"And now about you." + +Then he came and sat beside her, and she put her hand back behind +the cushion on the sofa so as to save herself from trembling in his +presence. She need not have cared much, for, let her tremble ever so +much, he had then no capacity for perceiving it. + +"Come, Margaret; I want to do what is best for us both. How shall it +be?" + +"John, you have children, and you should do what is best for them." + +Then there was a pause again, and when he spoke after a while, he was +looking down at the floor and poking among the pattern on the carpet +with his stick. + +"Margaret, when I first asked you to marry me, you refused me." + +"I did," said she; "and then all the property was mine." + +"But afterwards you said you would have me." + +"Yes; and when you asked me the second time I had nothing. I know all +that." + +"I thought nothing about the money then. I mean that I never thought +you refused me because you were rich and took me because you were +poor. I was not at all unhappy about that when we were walking round +the shrubbery. But when I thought you had cared for that man--" + +"I had never cared for him," said Margaret, withdrawing her hand from +behind the pillow in her energy, and fearing no longer that she might +tremble. "I had never cared for him. He is a false man, and told +untruths to my aunt." + +"Yes, he is, a liar,--a damnable liar. That is true at any rate." + +"He is beneath your notice, John, and beneath mine. I will not speak +of him." + +Sir John, however, had an idea that when he felt the wasp's venom +through all his blood, the wasp could not be altogether beneath his +notice. + +"The question is," said he, speaking between his teeth, and hardly +pronouncing his words, "the question is whether you care for me." + +"I do," said she turning round upon him; and as she did so our +Griselda took both his hands in hers. "I do, John. I do care for you. +I love you better than all the world besides. Whom else have I to +love at all? If you choose to think it mean of me, now that I am so +poor, I cannot help it. But who was it told me to be firm? Who was it +told me? Who was it told me?" + +Lady Ball had lost her game, and Mrs Mackenzie had been a true +prophet. Mrs Mackenzie had been one of those prophets who knew how to +assist the accomplishment of their own prophecies, and Lady Ball had +played her game with very indifferent skill. Sir John endeavoured to +say a word as to that other alternative that he had to offer, but the +lamb was not lamb-like enough to listen to it. I doubt even whether +Margaret knew, when at night she thought over the affairs of the day, +that any such offer had been made to her. During the rest of the +interview she was by far the greatest talker, and she would not rest +till she had made him swear that he believed her when she said, that +both in rejecting him and accepting him, she had been guided simply +by her affection. "You know, John," she said, "a woman can't love a +man all at once." + +They had been together for the best part of two hours, when Mrs +Mackenzie knocked at the door. "May I come in?" + +"Oh, yes," said Margaret. + +"And may I ask a question?" She knew by the tone of her cousin's +voice that no question could come amiss. + +"You must ask him," said Margaret, coming to her and kissing her. + +"But, first of all," said Mrs Mackenzie, shutting the door and +assuming a very serious countenance, "I have news of my own to tell. +There is a gentleman downstairs in the dining-room who has sent up +word that he wants to see me. He says he is a clergyman." + +Then Sir John Ball ceased to smile, and look foolish, but doubled his +fist, and went towards the door. + +"Who is it?" said Margaret, whispering. + +"I have not heard his name, but from the servant's account of him I +have not much doubt myself; I suppose he comes from Littlebath. You +can go down to him, if you like, Sir John; but I would not advise +it." + +"No," said Margaret, clinging to his arm, "you shall not go down. +What good can you do? He is beneath you. If you beat him he will have +the law of you--and he is a clergyman. If you do not, he will only +revile you, and make you wretched." Thus between the two ladies the +baronet was restrained. + +It was Mr Maguire. Having learned from his ally, Miss Colza, that +Margaret was staying with her cousins in Cavendish Square, he had +resolved upon calling on Mrs Mackenzie, and forcing his way, if +possible, into Margaret's presence. Things were not going well +with him at Littlebath, and in his despair he had thought that the +best chance to him of carrying on the fight lay in this direction. +Then there was a course of embassies between the dining-room and +drawing-room in the Mackenzie mansion. The servant was sent to ask +the gentleman his name, and the gentleman sent up to say that he was +a clergyman,--that his name was not known to Mrs Mackenzie, but that +he wanted to see her most particularly for a few minutes on very +special business. Then the servant was despatched to ask him whether +or no he was the Rev. Jeremiah Maguire, of Littlebath, and under this +compulsion he sent back word that such was his designation. He was +then told to go. Upon that he wrote a note to Mrs Mackenzie, setting +forth that he had a private communication to make, much to the +advantage of her cousin, Miss Margaret Mackenzie. He was again told +to go; and then told again, that if he did not leave the house at +once, the assistance of the police would be obtained. Then he went. +"And it was frightful to behold him," said the servant, coming up for +the tenth time. But the servant no doubt enjoyed the play, and on one +occasion presumed to remark that he did not think any reference to +the police was necessary. "Such a game as we've had up!" he said to +the coachman that afternoon in the kitchen. + +And the game that they had in the drawing-room was not a bad game +either. When Mr Maguire would not go, the two women joined in +laughing, till at last the tears ran down Mrs Mackenzie's face. + +"Only think of our being kept prisoners here by a one-eyed +clergyman." + +"He has got two eyes," said Margaret. "If he had ten he shan't see +us." + +And at last Sir John laughed; and as he laughed he came and stood +near Margaret; and once he got his arm round her waist, and Griselda +was very happy. At the present moment she was quite indifferent to Mr +Maguire and any mode of fighting that he might adopt. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +Conclusion + + +Things had not been going well with Mr Maguire when, as a last +chance, he attempted to force an entrance into Mrs Mackenzie's +drawing-room. Things, indeed, had been going very badly with him. Mr +Stumfold at Littlebath had had an interview with the editor of the +_Christian Examiner_, and had made that provincial Jupiter understand +that he must drop the story of the Lion and the Lamb. There had +been more than enough of it, Mr Stumfold thought; and if it were +continued, Mr Stumfold would--would make Littlebath too hot to hold +the _Christian Examiner_. That was the full meaning of Mr Stumfold's +threat; and, as the editor knew Mr Stumfold's power, the editor +wisely turned a cold shoulder upon Mr Maguire. When Mr Maguire came +to the editor with his letter for publication, the editor declared +that he should be happy to insert it--as an advertisement. Then there +had been a little scene between Mr Maguire and the editor, and Mr +Maguire had left the editorial office shaking the dust from off his +feet. But he was a persistent man, and, having ascertained that Miss +Colza was possessed of some small share in her brother's business +in the city, he thought it expedient to betake himself again to +London. He did so, as we have seen; and with some very faint hope of +obtaining collateral advantage for himself, and some stronger hope +that he might still be able to do an injury to Sir John Ball, he went +to the Mackenzies' house in Cavendish Square. There his success was +not great; and from that time forward the wasp had no further power +of inflicting stings upon the lion whom he had persecuted. + +But some further annoyance he did give to Griselda. He managed to +induce Mrs Tom Mackenzie to take him in as a lodger in Gower Street, +and Margaret very nearly ran into his way in her anxiety to befriend +her sister-in-law. Luckily she heard from Mr Rubb that he was there +on the very day on which she had intended to visit Gower Street. Poor +Mrs Mackenzie got the worst of it; for of course Mr Maguire did not +pay for his lodgings. But he did marry Miss Colza, and in some way +got himself instituted to a chapel at Islington. There we will leave +him, not trusting much in his connubial bliss, but faintly hoping +that his teaching may be favourable to the faith and morals of his +new flock. + +Of Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, we must say a few words. His first +acquaintance with our heroine was not made under circumstances +favourable to him. In that matter of the loan, he departed very +widely from the precept which teaches us that honesty is the best +policy. And when I feel that our Margaret was at one time really in +danger of becoming Mrs Rubb,--that in her ignorance of the world, in +the dark gropings of her social philosophy, amidst the difficulties +of her solitude, she had not known whether she could do better with +herself and her future years, than give herself, and them, and her +money to Mr Samuel Rubb, I tremble as I look back upon her danger. It +has been said of women that they have an insane desire for matrimony. +I believe that the desire, even if it be as general as is here +described, is no insanity. But when I see such a woman as Margaret +Mackenzie in danger from such a man as Samuel Rubb, junior, I am +driven to fear that there may sometimes be a maniacal tendency. But +Samuel Rubb was by no means a bad man. He first hankered after the +woman's money, but afterwards he had loved the woman; and my female +reader, if she agrees with me, will feel that that virtue covers a +multitude of sins. + +And he was true to the promise that he made about the loan. He did +pay the interest of the money regularly to Mrs Mackenzie in Gower +Street, and after a while was known in that house as the recognised +lover of Mary Jane, the eldest daughter. In this way it came to pass +that he occasionally saw the lady to whose hand he had aspired; for +Margaret, when she was assured that Mr Maguire and his bride were +never likely to be seen in that locality, did not desert her nephews +and nieces in Gower Street. + +But we must go back to Sir John Ball. As soon as the coast was clear +in Cavendish Square, he took his leave of Margaret. Mrs Mackenzie had +left the room, desiring to speak a word to him alone as he came down. + +"I shall tell my mother to-night," he said to Margaret. "You know +that all this is not exactly as she wishes it." + +"John," she said, "if it is as you wish it, I have no right to think +of anything beyond that." + +"It is as I wish it," said he. + +"Then tell my aunt, with my love, that I shall hope that she will +receive me as her daughter." + +Then they parted, and Margaret was left alone to congratulate herself +over her success. + +"Sir John," said Mrs Mackenzie, calling him into the drawing-room; +"you must hear my congratulations; you must, indeed." + +"Thank you," said he, looking foolish; "you are very good." + +"And so is she. She is what you may really call good. She is as good +as gold. I know a woman when I see her; and I know that for one like +her there are fifty not fit to hold a candle to her. She has nothing +mean or little about her--nothing. They may call her a lamb, but she +can be a lioness too when there is an occasion." + +"I know that she is steadfast," said he. + +"That she is, and honest, and warm hearted; and--and Oh! Sir John, +I am so happy that it is all to be made right, and nice, and +comfortable. It would have been very sad if she hadn't gone with the +money; would it not?" + +"I should not have taken the money--not all of it." + +"And she would not have taken any. She would not have taken a penny +of it, though we need not mind that now; need we? But there is one +thing I want to say; you must not think I am interfering." + +"I shan't think that after all that you have done." + +"I want her to be married from here. It would be quite proper; +wouldn't it? Mr Mackenzie is a little particular about the grouse, +because there is to be a large party at Incharrow; but up to the 10th +of August you and she should fix any day you like." + +Sir John showed by his countenance that he was somewhat taken aback. +The 10th of August, and here they were far advanced into June! When +he had left home this morning he had not fully made up his mind +whether he meant to marry his cousin or not; and now, within a few +hours, he was being confined to weeks and days! Mrs Mackenzie saw +what was passing in his mind; but she was not a woman to be driven +easily from her purpose. + +"You see," she said, "there is so much to think of. What is Margaret +to do, if we leave her in London when we go down? And it would really +be better for her to be married from her cousin's house; it would, +indeed. Lady Ball would like it better--I'm sure she would--than if +she were to be living alone in the town in lodgings. There is always +a way of doing things; isn't there? And Walter's sisters, her own +cousins, could be her bridesmaids, you know." + +Sir John said that he would think about it. + +"I haven't spoken to her, of course," said Mrs Mackenzie; "but I +shall now." + +Sir John, as he went eastwards into the city, did think about it; +and before he had reached his own house that evening, he had brought +himself to regard Mrs Mackenzie's scheme in a favourable light. He +was not blind to the advantage of taking his wife from a house in +Cavendish Square, instead of from lodgings in Arundel Street; and +he was aware that his mother would not be blind to that advantage +either. He did not hope to be able to reconcile her to his marriage +at once; and perhaps he entertained some faint idea that for the +first six months of his new married life the Cedars would be quite as +pleasant without his mother as with her; but a final reconciliation +would be more easy if he and his wife had the Mackenzies of Incharrow +to back them, than it could be without such influence. And as for the +London gossip of the thing, the finale to the romance of the Lion and +the Lamb, it would be sure to come sooner or later. Let them have +their odious joke and have done with it! + +"Mother," he said, as soon as he could find himself alone with Lady +Ball that day, not waiting for the midnight conference; "mother, I +may as well tell you at once. I have proposed to Margaret Mackenzie +again to-day." + +"Oh! very well." + +"And she has accepted me." + +"Accepted you! of course she has; jumped at the chance, no doubt. +What else should a pauper do?" + +"Mother, that is ungenerous." + +"She did not accept you when she had got anything." + +"If I can reconcile myself to that, surely you can do so. The matter +is settled now, and I think I have done the best in my power for +myself and my children." + +"And as for your mother, she may go and die anywhere." + +"Mother, that is unfair. As long as I have a house over my head, +you shall share it, if you please to do so. If it suits you to go +elsewhere, I will be with you as often as may be possible. I hope, +however, you will not leave us." + +"That I shall certainly do." + +"Then I hope you will not go far from me." + +"And when is it to be?" said his mother, after a pause. + +"I cannot name any day; but some time before the 10th of August." + +"Before the 10th of August! Why, that is at once. Oh! John; and your +father not dead a year!" + +"Margaret has a home now with her cousins in Cavendish Square; but +she cannot stay there after they go to Scotland. It will be for her +welfare that she should be married from their house. And as for my +father's death, I know that you do not suspect me of disrespect to +his memory." + +And in this way it was settled at the Cedars; and his mother's +question about the time drove him to the resolution which he himself +had not reached. When next he was in Cavendish Square he asked +Margaret whether she could be ready so soon, and she replied that she +would be ready on any day that he told her to be ready. + +Thus it was settled, and with a moderate amount of nuptial +festivity the marriage feast was prepared in Mrs Mackenzie's house. +Margaret was surprised to find how many dear friends she had who +were interested in her welfare. Miss Baker wrote to her most +affectionately; and Miss Todd was warm in her congratulations. But +the attention which perhaps surprised her most was a warm letter of +sisterly affection from Mrs Stumfold, in which that lady rejoiced +with an exceeding joy in that the machinations of a certain wolf in +sheep's clothing had been unsuccessful. "My anxiety that you should +not be sacrificed I once before evinced to you," said Mrs Stumfold; +"and within the last two months Mr Stumfold has been at work to put +an end to the scurrilous writings which that wolf in sheep's clothing +has been putting into the newspapers." Then Mrs Stumfold very +particularly desired to be remembered to Sir John Ball, and expressed +a hope that, at some future time, she might have the honour of being +made acquainted with "the worthy baronet." + +They were married in the first week in August, and our modern +Griselda went through the ceremony with much grace. That there was +much grace about Sir John Ball, I cannot say; but gentlemen, when +they get married at fifty, are not expected to be graceful. + +"There, my Lady Ball," said Mrs Mackenzie, whispering into her +cousin's ear before they left the church; "now my prophecy has come +true; and when we meet in London next spring, you will reward me for +all I have done for you by walking out of a room before me." + +But all these honours, and, what was better, all the happiness that +came in her way, Lady Ball accepted thankfully, quietly, and with an +enduring satisfaction, as it became such a woman to do. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MISS MACKENZIE*** + + +******* This file should be named 24000-8.txt or 24000-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/0/0/24000 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://www.gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: +http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/24000-8.zip b/24000-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4b5219a --- /dev/null +++ b/24000-8.zip diff --git a/24000-h.zip b/24000-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e93056e --- /dev/null +++ b/24000-h.zip diff --git a/24000-h/24000-h.htm b/24000-h/24000-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c78809f --- /dev/null +++ b/24000-h/24000-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,16085 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Miss Mackenzie, by Anthony Trollope</title> +<style type="text/css"> + body {background:#fdfdfd; + color:black; + font-family: "Times-Roman", serif; + font-size: large; + margin-top:100px; + margin-left:15%; + margin-right:15%; + text-align:justify; } + h1,h2,h3,h4 {text-align: center; + clear: both; } + hr.narrow { width: 40%; + text-align: center; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; } + hr { width: 100%; } + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + blockquote { font-size: large; } + blockquote.med { font-size: medium; } + table {font-size: large; + text-align: left; } + p {text-indent: 4%; } + p.noindent { text-indent: 0%; } + .center { text-align: center; } + .ind2 { margin-left: 2em; } + .ind4 { margin-left: 4em; } + .ind6 { margin-left: 6em; } + .ind8 { margin-left: 8em; } + .ind10 { margin-left: 10em; } + .ind12 { margin-left: 12em; } + .ind15 { margin-left: 15em; } + .jright { text-align: right; } + .wide { letter-spacing: 2em; } + .nowrap { white-space: nowrap; } + .small { font-size: 85%; } + .large { font-size: 130%; } + .smallcaps { font-variant: small-caps; } + .u { text-decoration: underline; } + a:link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:hover {color:red; + text-decoration: underline; } + pre {font-size: 75%; } +</style> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, Miss Mackenzie, by Anthony Trollope</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p class="noindent">Title: Miss Mackenzie</p> +<p class="noindent">Author: Anthony Trollope</p> +<p class="noindent">Release Date: December 28, 2007 [eBook #24000]<br /> +Most recently updated: October 15, 2018</p> +<p class="noindent">Language: English</p> +<p class="noindent">Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p class="noindent">***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MISS MACKENZIE***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3>E-text prepared by Joseph E. Loewenstein, M.D.</h3> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h1>MISS MACKENZIE</h1> + +<p> </p> +<h4>by</h4> + +<h2>ANTHONY TROLLOPE</h2> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h4>First published in book form in 1865</h4> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="narrow" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3>CONTENTS</h3> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<table style="margin: 0 auto" cellpadding="1"> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">I. </td> <td><a href="#c1" >The Mackenzie Family</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">II. </td> <td><a href="#c2" >Miss Mackenzie Goes to Littlebath</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">III. </td> <td><a href="#c3" >Miss Mackenzie's First Acquaintances</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">IV. </td> <td><a href="#c4" >Miss Mackenzie Commences Her Career</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">V. </td> <td><a href="#c5" >Showing How Mr Rubb, Junior, Progressed at Littlebath</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">VI. </td> <td><a href="#c6" >Miss Mackenzie Goes to the Cedars</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">VII. </td> <td><a href="#c7" >Miss Mackenzie Leaves the Cedars</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">VIII. </td> <td><a href="#c8" >Mrs Tom Mackenzie's Dinner Party</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">IX. </td> <td><a href="#c9" >Miss Mackenzie's Philosophy</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">X. </td> <td><a href="#c10" >Plenary Absolutions</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XI. </td> <td><a href="#c11" >Miss Todd Entertains Some Friends at Tea</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XII. </td> <td><a href="#c12" >Mrs Stumfold Interferes</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XIII. </td> <td><a href="#c13" >Mr Maguire's Courtship</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XIV. </td> <td><a href="#c14" >Tom Mackenzie's Bed-Side</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XV. </td> <td><a href="#c15" >The Tearing of the Verses</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XVI. </td> <td><a href="#c16" >Lady Ball's Grievance</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XVII. </td> <td><a href="#c17" >Mr Slow's Chambers</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XVIII. </td> <td><a href="#c18" >Tribulation</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XIX. </td> <td><a href="#c19" >Showing How Two of Miss Mackenzie's Lovers Behaved</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XX. </td> <td><a href="#c20" >Showing How the Third Lover Behaved</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XXI. </td> <td><a href="#c21" >Mr Maguire Goes to London on Business</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XXII. </td> <td><a href="#c22" >Still at the Cedars</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XXIII. </td> <td><a href="#c23" >The Lodgings of Mrs Buggins, Née Protheroe</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XXIV. </td> <td><a href="#c24" >The Little Story of the Lion and the Lamb</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XXV. </td> <td><a href="#c25" >Lady Ball in Arundel Street</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XXVI. </td> <td><a href="#c26" >Mrs Mackenzie of Cavendish Square</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XXVII. </td> <td><a href="#c27" >The Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XXVIII. </td> <td><a href="#c28" >Showing How the Lion Was Stung by the Wasp</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XXIX. </td> <td><a href="#c29" >A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right" valign="top">XXX. </td> <td><a href="#c30" >Conclusion</a></td></tr> +</table> +</div> +<p> </p> +<hr class="narrow" /> + + +<p><a name="c1" id="c1"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER I</h3> +<h3>The Mackenzie Family<br /> </h3> + + +<p>I fear I must trouble my reader with some few details as to the early +life of Miss Mackenzie,—details which will be dull in the telling, +but which shall be as short as I can make them. Her father, who had +in early life come from Scotland to London, had spent all his days in +the service of his country. He became a clerk in Somerset House at +the age of sixteen, and was a clerk in Somerset House when he died at +the age of sixty. Of him no more shall be said than that his wife had +died before him, and that he, at dying, left behind him two sons and +a daughter.</p> + +<p>Thomas Mackenzie, the eldest of those two sons, had engaged himself +in commercial pursuits—as his wife was accustomed to say when she +spoke of her husband's labours; or went into trade, and kept a shop, +as was more generally asserted by those of the Mackenzie circle who +were wont to speak their minds freely. The actual and unvarnished +truth in the matter shall now be made known. He, with his partner, +made and sold oilcloth, and was possessed of premises in the New +Road, over which the names of "Rubb and Mackenzie" were posted in +large letters. As you, my reader, might enter therein, and purchase a +yard and a half of oilcloth, if you were so minded, I think that the +free-spoken friends of the family were not far wrong. Mrs Thomas +Mackenzie, however, declared that she was calumniated, and her +husband cruelly injured; and she based her assertions on the fact +that "Rubb and Mackenzie" had wholesale dealings, and that they sold +their article to the trade, who re-sold it. Whether or no she was +ill-treated in the matter, I will leave my readers to decide, having +told them all that it is necessary for them to know, in order that a +judgement may be formed.</p> + +<p>Walter Mackenzie, the second son, had been placed in his father's +office, and he also had died before the time at which our story is +supposed to commence. He had been a poor sickly creature, always +ailing, gifted with an affectionate nature, and a great respect for +the blood of the Mackenzies, but not gifted with much else that was +intrinsically his own. The blood of the Mackenzies was, according to +his way of thinking, very pure blood indeed; and he had felt strongly +that his brother had disgraced the family by connecting himself with +that man Rubb, in the New Road. He had felt this the more strongly, +seeing that "Rubb and Mackenzie" had not done great things in their +trade. They had kept their joint commercial head above water, but had +sometimes barely succeeded in doing that. They had never been +bankrupt, and that, perhaps, for some years was all that could be +said. If a Mackenzie did go into trade, he should, at any rate, have +done better than this. He certainly should have done better than +this, seeing that he started in life with a considerable sum of +money.</p> + +<p>Old Mackenzie,—he who had come from Scotland,—had been the +first-cousin of Sir Walter Mackenzie, baronet, of Incharrow, and he +had married the sister of Sir John Ball, baronet, of the Cedars, +Twickenham. The young Mackenzies, therefore, had reason to be proud +of their blood. It is true that Sir John Ball was the first baronet, +and that he had simply been a political Lord Mayor in strong +political days,—a political Lord Mayor in the leather business; but, +then, his business had been undoubtedly wholesale; and a man who gets +himself to be made a baronet cleanses himself from the stains of +trade, even though he have traded in leather. And then, the present +Mackenzie baronet was the ninth of the name; so that on the higher +and nobler side of the family, our Mackenzies may be said to have +been very strong indeed. This strength the two clerks in Somerset +House felt and enjoyed very keenly; and it may therefore be +understood that the oilcloth manufactory was much out of favour with +them.</p> + +<p>When Tom Mackenzie was twenty-five—"Rubb and Mackenzie" as he +afterwards became—and Walter, at the age of twenty-one, had been for +a year or two placed at a desk in Somerset House, there died one +Jonathan Ball, a brother of the baronet Ball, leaving all he had in +the world to the two brother Mackenzies. This all was by no means a +trifle, for each brother received about twelve thousand pounds when +the opposing lawsuits instituted by the Ball family were finished. +These opposing lawsuits were carried on with great vigour, but with +no success on the Ball side, for three years. By that time, Sir John +Ball, of the Cedars, was half ruined, and the Mackenzies got their +money. It is needless to say much to the reader of the manner in +which Tom Mackenzie found his way into trade—how, in the first +place, he endeavoured to resume his Uncle Jonathan's share in the +leather business, instigated thereto by a desire to oppose his Uncle +John,—Sir John, who was opposing him in the matter of the will,—how +he lost money in this attempt, and ultimately embarked, after some +other fruitless speculations, the residue of his fortune in +partnership with Mr Rubb. All that happened long ago. He was now a +man of nearly fifty, living with his wife and family,—a family of +six or seven children,—in a house in Gower Street, and things had +not gone with him very well.</p> + +<p>Nor is it necessary to say very much of Walter Mackenzie, who had +been four years younger than his brother. He had stuck to the office +in spite of his wealth; and as he had never married, he had been a +rich man. During his father's lifetime, and when he was quite young, +he had for a while shone in the world of fashion, having been +patronised by the Mackenzie baronet, and by others who thought that a +clerk from Somerset House with twelve thousand pounds must be a very +estimable fellow. He had not, however, shone in a very brilliant way. +He had gone to parties for a year or two, and during those years had +essayed the life of a young man about town, frequenting theatres and +billiard-rooms, and doing a few things which he should have left +undone, and leaving undone a few things which should not have been so +left. But, as I have said, he was weak in body as well as weak in +mind. Early in life he became an invalid; and though he kept his +place in Somerset House till he died, the period of his shining in +the fashionable world came to a speedy end.</p> + +<p>Now, at length, we will come to Margaret Mackenzie, the sister, our +heroine, who was eight years younger than her brother Walter, and +twelve years younger than Mr Rubb's partner. She had been little more +than a child when her father died; or I might more correctly say, +that though she had then reached an age which makes some girls young +women, it had not as yet had that effect upon her. She was then +nineteen; but her life in her father's house had been dull and +monotonous; she had gone very little into company, and knew very +little of the ways of the world. The Mackenzie baronet people had not +noticed her. They had failed to make much of Walter with his twelve +thousand pounds, and did not trouble themselves with Margaret, who +had no fortune of her own. The Ball baronet people were at extreme +variance with all her family, and, as a matter of course, she +received no countenance from them. In those early days she did not +receive much countenance from any one; and perhaps I may say that she +had not shown much claim for such countenance as is often given to +young ladies by their richer relatives. She was neither beautiful nor +clever, nor was she in any special manner made charming by any of +those softnesses and graces of youth which to some girls seem to +atone for a want of beauty and cleverness. At the age of nineteen, I +may almost say that Margaret Mackenzie was ungainly. Her brown hair +was rough, and did not form itself into equal lengths. Her +cheek-bones were somewhat high, after the manner of the Mackenzies. +She was thin and straggling in her figure, with bones larger than +they should have been for purposes of youthful grace. There was not +wanting a certain brightness to her grey eyes, but it was a +brightness as to the use of which she had no early knowledge. At this +time her father lived at Camberwell, and I doubt whether the +education which Margaret received at Miss Green's establishment for +young ladies in that suburb was of a kind to make up by art for that +which nature had not given her. This school, too, she left at an +early age—at a very early age, as her age went. When she was nearly +sixteen, her father, who was then almost an old man, became ill, and +the next three years she spent in nursing him. When he died, she was +transferred to her younger brother's house,—to a house which he had +taken in one of the quiet streets leading down from the Strand to the +river, in order that he might be near his office. And here for +fifteen years she had lived, eating his bread and nursing him, till +he also died, and so she was alone in the world.</p> + +<p>During those fifteen years her life had been very weary. A moated +grange in the country is bad enough for the life of any Mariana, but +a moated grange in town is much worse. Her life in London had been +altogether of the moated grange kind, and long before her brother's +death it had been very wearisome to her. I will not say that she was +always waiting for some one that came not, or that she declared +herself to be aweary, or that she wished that she were dead. But the +mode of her life was as near that as prose may be near to poetry, or +truth to romance. For the coming of one, who, as things fell out in +that matter, soon ceased to come at all to her, she had for a while +been anxious. There was a young clerk then in Somerset House, one +Harry Handcock by name, who had visited her brother in the early days +of that long sickness. And Harry Handcock had seen beauty in those +grey eyes, and the straggling, uneven locks had by that time settled +themselves into some form of tidiness, and the big joints, having +been covered, had taken upon themselves softer womanly motions, and +the sister's tenderness to the brother had been appreciated. Harry +Handcock had spoken a word or two, Margaret being then +five-and-twenty, and Harry ten years her senior. Harry had spoken, +and Margaret had listened only too willingly. But the sick brother +upstairs had become cross and peevish. Such a thing should never take +place with his consent, and Harry Handcock had ceased to speak +tenderly.</p> + +<p>He had ceased to speak tenderly, though he didn't cease to visit the +quiet house in Arundel Street. As far as Margaret was concerned he +might as well have ceased to come; and in her heart she sang that +song of Mariana's, complaining bitterly of her weariness; though the +man was seen then in her brother's sickroom regularly once a week. +For years this went on. The brother would crawl out to his office in +summer, but would never leave his bedroom in the winter months. In +those days these things were allowed in public offices; and it was +not till very near the end of his life that certain stern official +reformers hinted at the necessity of his retiring on a pension. +Perhaps it was that hint that killed him. At any rate, he died in +harness—if it can in truth be said of him that he ever wore harness. +Then, when he was dead, the days were gone in which Margaret +Mackenzie cared for Harry Handcock. Harry Handcock was still a +bachelor, and when the nature of his late friend's will was +ascertained, he said a word or two to show that he thought he was not +yet too old for matrimony. But Margaret's weariness could not now be +cured in that way. She would have taken him while she had nothing, or +would have taken him in those early days had fortune filled her lap +with gold. But she had seen Harry Handcock at least weekly for the +last ten years, and having seen him without any speech of love, she +was not now prepared for the renewal of such speaking.</p> + +<p>When Walter Mackenzie died there was a doubt through all the +Mackenzie circle as to what was the destiny of his money. It was well +known that he had been a prudent man, and that he was possessed of a +freehold estate which gave him at least six hundred a year. It was +known also that he had money saved beyond this. It was known, too, +that Margaret had nothing, or next to nothing, of her own. The old +Mackenzie had had no fortune left to him, and had felt it to be a +grievance that his sons had not joined their richer lots to his +poorer lot. This, of course, had been no fault of Margaret's, but it +had made him feel justified in leaving his daughter as a burden upon +his younger son. For the last fifteen years she had eaten bread to +which she had no positive claim; but if ever woman earned the morsel +which she required, Margaret Mackenzie had earned her morsel during +her untiring attendance upon her brother. Now she was left to her own +resources, and as she went silently about the house during those sad +hours which intervened between the death of her brother and his +burial, she was altogether in ignorance whether any means of +subsistence had been left to her. It was known that Walter Mackenzie +had more than once altered his will—that he had, indeed, made many +wills—according as he was at such moments on terms of more or less +friendship with his brother; but he had never told to any one what +was the nature of any bequest that he had made. Thomas Mackenzie had +thought of both his brother and sister as poor creatures, and had +been thought of by them as being but a poor creature himself. He had +become a shopkeeper, so they declared, and it must be admitted that +Margaret had shared the feeling which regarded her brother Tom's +trade as being disgraceful. They, of Arundel Street, had been idle, +reckless, useless beings—so Tom had often declared to his wife—and +only by fits and starts had there existed any friendship between him +and either of them. But the firm of Rubb and Mackenzie was not +growing richer in those days, and both Thomas and his wife had felt +themselves forced into a certain amount of conciliatory demeanour by +the claims of their seven surviving children. Walter, however, said +no word to any one of his money; and when he was followed to his +grave by his brother and nephews, and by Harry Handcock, no one knew +of what nature would be the provision made for his sister.</p> + +<p>"He was a great sufferer," Harry Handcock had said, at the only +interview which took place between him and Margaret after the death +of her brother and before the reading of the will.</p> + +<p>"Yes indeed, poor fellow," said Margaret, sitting in the darkened +dining-room, in all the gloom of her new mourning.</p> + +<p>"And you yourself, Margaret, have had but a sorry time of it." He +still called her Margaret from old acquaintance, and had always done +so.</p> + +<p>"I have had the blessing of good health," she said, "and have been +very thankful. It has been a dull life, though, for the last ten +years."</p> + +<p>"Women generally lead dull lives, I think." Then he had paused for a +while, as though something were on his mind which he wished to +consider before he spoke again. Mr Handcock, at this time, was bald +and very stout. He was a strong healthy man, but had about him, to +the outward eye, none of the aptitudes of a lover. He was fond of +eating and drinking, as no one knew better than Margaret Mackenzie; +and had altogether dropped the poetries of life, if at any time any +of such poetries had belonged to him. He was, in fact, ten years +older than Margaret Mackenzie; but he now looked to be almost twenty +years her senior. She was a woman who at thirty-five had more of the +graces of womanhood than had belonged to her at twenty. He was a man +who at forty-five had lost all that youth does for a man. But still I +think that she would have fallen back upon her former love, and found +that to be sufficient, had he asked her to do so even now. She would +have felt herself bound by her faith to do so, had he said that such +was his wish, before the reading of her brother's will. But he did no +such thing. "I hope he will have made you comfortable," he said.</p> + +<p>"I hope he will have left me above want," Margaret had replied—and +that had then been all. She had, perhaps, half-expected something +more from him, remembering that the obstacle which had separated them +was now removed. But nothing more came, and it would hardly be true +to say that she was disappointed. She had no strong desire to marry +Harry Handcock whom no one now called Harry any longer; but yet, for +the sake of human nature, she bestowed a sigh upon his coldness, when +he carried his tenderness no further than a wish that she might be +comfortable.</p> + +<p>There had of necessity been much of secrecy in the life of Margaret +Mackenzie. She had possessed no friend to whom she could express her +thoughts and feelings with confidence. I doubt whether any living +being knew that there now existed, up in that small back bedroom in +Arundel Street, quires of manuscript in which Margaret had written +her thoughts and feelings,—hundreds of rhymes which had never met +any eye but her own; and outspoken words of love contained in letters +which had never been sent, or been intended to be sent, to any +destination. Indeed these letters had been commenced with no name, +and finished with no signature. It would be hardly true to say that +they had been intended for Harry Handcock, even at the warmest period +of her love. They had rather been trials of her strength,—proofs of +what she might do if fortune should ever be so kind to her as to +allow of her loving. No one had ever guessed all this, or had dreamed +of accusing Margaret of romance. No one capable of testing her +character had known her. In latter days she had now and again dined +in Gower Street, but her sister-in-law, Mrs Tom, had declared her to +be a silent, stupid old maid. As a silent, stupid old maid, the +Mackenzies of Rubb and Mackenzie were disposed to regard her. But how +should they treat this stupid old maid of an aunt, if it should now +turn out that all the wealth of the family belonged to her?</p> + +<p>When Walter's will was read such was found to be the case. There was +no doubt, or room for doubt, in the matter. The will was dated but +two months before his death, and left everything to Margaret, +expressing a conviction on the part of the testator that it was his +duty to do so, because of his sister's unremitting attention to +himself. Harry Handcock was requested to act as executor, and was +requested also to accept a gold watch and a present of two hundred +pounds. Not a word was there in the whole will of his brother's +family; and Tom, when he went home with a sad heart, told his wife +that all this had come of certain words which she had spoken when +last she had visited the sick man. "I knew it would be so," said Tom +to his wife. "It can't be helped now, of course. I knew you could not +keep your temper quiet, and always told you not to go near him." How +the wife answered, the course of our story at the present moment does +not require me to tell. That she did answer with sufficient spirit, +no one, I should say, need doubt; and it may be surmised that things +in Gower Street were not comfortable that evening.</p> + +<p>Tom Mackenzie had communicated the contents of the will to his +sister, who had declined to be in the room when it was opened. "He +has left you everything,—just everything," Tom had said. If Margaret +made any word of reply, Tom did not hear it. "There will be over +eight hundred a year, and he has left you all the furniture," Tom +continued. "He has been very good," said Margaret, hardly knowing how +to express herself on such an occasion. "Very good to you," said Tom, +with some little sarcasm in his voice. "I mean good to me," said +Margaret. Then he told her that Harry Handcock had been named as +executor. "There is no more about him in the will, is there?" said +Margaret. At the moment, not knowing much about executors, she had +fancied that her brother had, in making such appointment, expressed +some further wish about Mr Handcock. Her brother explained to her +that the executor was to have two hundred pounds and a gold watch, +and then she was satisfied.</p> + +<p>"Of course, it's a very sad look-out for us," Tom said; "but I do not +on that account blame you."</p> + +<p>"If you did you would wrong me," Margaret answered, "for I never once +during all the years that we lived together spoke to Walter one word +about his money."</p> + +<p>"I do not blame you," the brother rejoined; and then no more had been +said between them.</p> + +<p>He had asked her even before the funeral to go up to Gower Street and +stay with them, but she had declined. Mrs Tom Mackenzie had not asked +her. Mrs Tom Mackenzie had hoped, then—had hoped and had inwardly +resolved—that half, at least, of the dying brother's money would +have come to her husband; and she had thought that if she once +encumbered herself with the old maid, the old maid might remain +longer than was desirable. "We should never get rid of her," she had +said to her eldest daughter, Mary Jane. "Never, mamma," Mary Jane had +replied. The mother and daughter had thought that they would be on +the whole safer in not pressing any such invitation. They had not +pressed it, and the old maid had remained in Arundel Street.</p> + +<p>Before Tom left the house, after the reading of the will, he again +invited his sister to his own home. An hour or two had intervened +since he had told her of her position in the world, and he was +astonished at finding how composed and self-assured she was in the +tone and manner of her answer. "No, Tom, I think I had better not," +she said. "Sarah will be somewhat disappointed."</p> + +<p>"You need not mind that," said Tom.</p> + +<p>"I think I had better not. I shall be very glad to see her if she +will come to me; and I hope you will come, Tom; but I think I will +remain here till I have made up my mind what to do." She remained in +Arundel Street for the next three months, and her brother saw her +frequently; but Mrs Tom Mackenzie never went to her, and she never +went to Mrs Tom Mackenzie. "Let it be even so," said Mrs Tom; "they +shall not say that I ran after her and her money. I hate such airs." +"So do I, mamma," said Mary Jane, tossing her head. "I always said +that she was a nasty old maid."</p> + +<p>On that same day,—the day on which the will was read,—Mr Handcock +had also come to her. "I need not tell you," he had said, as he +pressed her hand, "how rejoiced I am—for your sake, Margaret." Then +she had returned the pressure, and had thanked him for his +friendship. "You know that I have been made executor to the will," he +continued. "He did this simply to save you from trouble. I need only +promise that I will do anything and everything that you can wish." +Then he left her, saying nothing of his suit on that occasion.</p> + +<p>Two months after this,—and during those two months he had +necessarily seen her frequently,—Mr Handcock wrote to her from his +office in Somerset House, renewing his old proposals of marriage. His +letter was short and sensible, pleading his cause as well, perhaps, +as any words were capable of pleading it at this time; but it was not +successful. As to her money he told her that no doubt he regarded it +now as a great addition to their chance of happiness, should they put +their lots together; and as to his love for her, he referred her to +the days in which he had desired to make her his wife without a +shilling of fortune. He had never changed, he said; and if her heart +was as constant as his, he would make good now the proposal which she +had once been willing to accept. His income was not equal to hers, +but it was not inconsiderable, and therefore as regards means they +would be very comfortable. Such were his arguments, and Margaret, +little as she knew of the world, was able to perceive that he +expected that they would succeed with her.</p> + +<p>Little, however, as she might know of the world, she was not prepared +to sacrifice herself and her new freedom, and her new power and her +new wealth, to Mr Harry Handcock. One word said to her when first she +was free and before she was rich, would have carried her. But an +argumentative, well-worded letter, written to her two months after +the fact of her freedom and the fact of her wealth had sunk into his +mind, was powerless on her. She had looked at her glass and had +perceived that years had improved her, whereas years had not improved +Harry Handcock. She had gone back over her old aspirations, +aspirations of which no whisper had ever been uttered, but which had +not the less been strong within her, and had told herself that she +could not gratify them by a union with Mr Handcock. She thought, or +rather hoped, that society might still open to her its portals,—not +simply the society of the Handcocks from Somerset House, but that +society of which she had read in novels during the day, and of which +she had dreamed at night. Might it not yet be given to her to know +clever people, nice people, bright people, people who were not heavy +and fat like Mr Handcock, or sick and wearisome like her poor brother +Walter, or vulgar and quarrelsome like her relatives in Gower Street? +She reminded herself that she was the niece of one baronet, and the +first-cousin once removed of another, that she had eight hundred a +year, and liberty to do with it whatsoever she pleased; and she +reminded herself, also, that she had higher tastes in the world than +Mr Handcock. Therefore she wrote to him an answer, much longer than +his letter, in which she explained to him that the more than ten +years' interval which had elapsed since words of love had passed +between them had—had—had—changed the nature of her regard. After +much hesitation, that was the phrase which she used.</p> + +<p>And she was right in her decision. Whether or no she was doomed to be +disappointed in her aspirations, or to be partially disappointed and +partially gratified, these pages are written to tell. But I think we +may conclude that she would hardly have made herself happy by +marrying Mr Handcock while such aspirations were strong upon her. +There was nothing on her side in favour of such a marriage but a +faint remembrance of auld lang syne.</p> + +<p>She remained three months in Arundel Street, and before that period +was over she made a proposition to her brother Tom, showing to what +extent she was willing to burden herself on behalf of his family. +Would he allow her, she asked, to undertake the education and charge +of his second daughter, Susanna? She would not offer to adopt her +niece, she said, because it was on the cards that she herself might +marry; but she would promise to take upon herself the full expense of +the girl's education, and all charge of her till such education +should be completed. If then any future guardianship on her part +should have become incompatible with her own circumstances, she +should give Susanna five hundred pounds. There was an air of business +about this which quite startled Tom Mackenzie, who, as has before +been said, had taught himself in old days to regard his sister as a +poor creature. There was specially an air of business about her +allusion to her own future state. Tom was not at all surprised that +his sister should think of marrying, but he was much surprised that +she should dare to declare her thoughts. "Of course she will marry +the first fool that asks her," said Mrs Tom. The father of the large +family, however, pronounced the offer to be too good to be refused. +"If she does, she will keep her word about the five hundred pounds," +he said. Mrs Tom, though she demurred, of course gave way; and when +Margaret Mackenzie left London for Littlebath, where lodgings had +been taken for her, she took her niece Susanna with her.</p> + + +<p><a name="c2" id="c2"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER II</h3> +<h3>Miss Mackenzie Goes to Littlebath<br /> </h3> + + +<p>I fear that Miss Mackenzie, when she betook herself to Littlebath, +had before her mind's eye no sufficiently settled plan of life. She +wished to live pleasantly, and perhaps fashionably; but she also +desired to live respectably, and with a due regard to religion. How +she was to set about doing this at Littlebath, I am afraid she did +not quite know. She told herself over and over again that wealth +entailed duties as well as privileges; but she had no clear idea what +were the duties so entailed, or what were the privileges. How could +she have obtained any clear idea on the subject in that prison which +she had inhabited for so many years by her brother's bedside?</p> + +<p>She had indeed been induced to migrate from London to Littlebath by +an accident which should not have been allowed to actuate her. She +had been ill, and the doctor, with that solicitude which doctors +sometimes feel for ladies who are well to do in the world, had +recommended change of air. Littlebath, among the Tantivy hills, would +be the very place for her. There were waters at Littlebath which she +might drink for a month or two with great advantage to her system. It +was then the end of July, and everybody that was anybody was going +out of town. Suppose she were to go to Littlebath in August, and stay +there for a month, or perhaps two months, as she might feel inclined. +The London doctor knew a Littlebath doctor, and would be so happy to +give her a letter. Then she spoke to the clergyman of the church she +had lately attended in London who also had become more energetic in +his assistance since her brother's death than he had been before, and +he also could give her a letter to a gentleman of his cloth at +Littlebath. She knew very little in private life of the doctor or of +the clergyman in London, but not the less, on that account, might +their introductions be of service to her in forming a circle of +acquaintance at Littlebath. In this way she first came to think of +Littlebath, and from this beginning she had gradually reached her +decision.</p> + +<p>Another little accident, or two other little accidents, had nearly +induced her to remain in London—not in Arundel Street, which was to +her an odious locality, but in some small genteel house in or about +Brompton. She had written to the two baronets to announce to them her +brother's death, Tom Mackenzie, the surviving brother, having +positively refused to hold any communication with either of them. To +both these letters, after some interval, she received courteous +replies. Sir Walter Mackenzie was a very old man, over eighty, who +now never stirred away from Incharrow, in Ross-shire. Lady Mackenzie +was not living. Sir Walter did not write himself, but a letter came +from Mrs Mackenzie, his eldest son's wife, in which she said that she +and her husband would be up in London in the course of the next +spring, and hoped that they might then have the pleasure of making +their cousin's acquaintance. This letter, it was true, did not come +till the beginning of August, when the Littlebath plan was nearly +formed; and Margaret knew that her cousin, who was in Parliament, had +himself been in London almost up to the time at which it was written, +so that he might have called had he chosen. But she was prepared to +forgive much. There had been cause for offence; and if her great +relatives were now prepared to take her by the hand, there could be +no reason why she should not consent to be so taken. Sir John Ball, +the other baronet, had absolutely come to her, and had seen her. +There had been a regular scene of reconciliation, and she had gone +down for a day and night to the Cedars. Sir John also was an old man, +being over seventy, and Lady Ball was nearly as old. Mr Ball, the +future baronet, had also been there. He was a widower, with a large +family and small means. He had been, and of course still was, a +barrister; but as a barrister he had never succeeded, and was now +waiting sadly till he should inherit the very moderate fortune which +would come to him at his father's death. The Balls, indeed, had not +done well with their baronetcy, and their cousin found them living +with a degree of strictness, as to small expenses, which she herself +had never been called upon to exercise. Lady Ball indeed had a +carriage—for what would a baronet's wife do without one?—but it did +not very often go out. And the Cedars was an old place, with grounds +and paddocks appertaining; but the ancient solitary gardener could +not make much of the grounds, and the grass of the paddocks was +always sold. Margaret, when she was first asked to go to the Cedars, +felt that it would be better for her to give up her migration to +Littlebath. It would be much, she thought, to have her relations near +to her. But she had found Sir John and Lady Ball to be very dull, and +her cousin, the father of the large family, had spoken to her about +little except money. She was not much in love with the Balls when she +returned to London, and the Littlebath plan was allowed to go on.</p> + +<p>She made a preliminary journey to that place, and took furnished +lodgings in the Paragon. Now it is known to all the world that the +Paragon is the nucleus of all that is pleasant and fashionable at +Littlebath. It is a long row of houses with two short rows abutting +from the ends of the long row, and every house in it looks out upon +the Montpelier Gardens. If not built of stone, these houses are built +of such stucco that the Margaret Mackenzies of the world do not know +the difference. Six steps, which are of undoubted stone, lead up to +each door. The areas are grand with high railings. The flagged way +before the houses is very broad, and at each corner there is an +extensive sweep, so that the carriages of the Paragonites may be made +to turn easily. Miss Mackenzie's heart sank a little within her at +the sight of all this grandeur, when she was first taken to the +Paragon by her new friend the doctor. But she bade her heart be of +good courage, and looked at the first floor—divided into dining-room +and drawing-room—at the large bedroom upstairs for herself, and two +small rooms for her niece and her maid-servant—at the kitchen in +which she was to have a partial property, and did not faint at the +splendour. And yet how different it was from those dingy rooms in +Arundel Street! So different that she could hardly bring herself to +think that this bright abode could become her own.</p> + +<p>"And what is the price, Mrs Richards?" Her voice almost did fail her +as she asked this question. She was determined to be liberal; but +money of her own had hitherto been so scarce with her that she still +dreaded the idea of expense.</p> + +<p>"The price, mem, is well beknown to all as knows Littlebath. We never +alters. Ask Dr Pottinger else."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie did not at all wish to ask Dr Pottinger, who was at +this moment standing in the front room, while she and her embryo +landlady were settling affairs in the back room.</p> + +<p>"But what is the price, Mrs Richards?"</p> + +<p>"The price, mem, is two pound ten a week, or nine guineas if taken by +the month—to include the kitchen fire."</p> + +<p>Margaret breathed again. She had made her little calculations over +and over again, and was prepared to bid as high as the sum now named +for such a combination of comfort and splendour as Mrs Richards was +able to offer to her. One little question she asked, putting her lips +close to Mrs Richards' ear so that her friend the doctor should not +hear her through the doorway, and then jumped back a yard and a half, +awe-struck by the energy of her landlady's reply.</p> + +<p>"B—— in the Paragon!" Mrs Richards declared that +Miss Mackenzie did not as yet know Littlebath. +She bethought herself that she did know +Arundel Street, and again thanked Fortune for all the good things +that had been given to her.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie feared to ask any further questions after this, and +took the rooms out of hand by the month.</p> + +<p>"And very comfortable you'll find yourself," said Dr Pottinger, as he +walked back with his new friend to the inn. He had perhaps been a +little disappointed when he saw that Miss Mackenzie showed every sign +of good health; but he bore it like a man and a Christian, +remembering, no doubt, that let a lady's health be ever so good, she +likes to see a doctor sometimes, especially if she be alone in the +world. He offered her, therefore, every assistance in his power.</p> + +<p>"The assembly rooms were quite close to the Paragon," he said.</p> + +<p>"Oh, indeed!" said Miss Mackenzie, not quite knowing the purport of +assembly rooms.</p> + +<p>"And there are two or three churches within five minutes' walk." Here +Miss Mackenzie was more at home, and mentioned the name of the Rev. +Mr Stumfold, for whom she had a letter of introduction, and whose +church she would like to attend.</p> + +<p>Now Mr Stumfold was a shining light at Littlebath, the man of men, if +he was not something more than mere man, in the eyes of the devout +inhabitants of that town. Miss Mackenzie had never heard of Mr +Stumfold till her clergyman in London had mentioned his name, and +even now had no idea that he was remarkable for any special views in +Church matters. Such special views of her own she had none. But Mr +Stumfold at Littlebath had very special views, and was very specially +known for them. His friends said that he was evangelical, and his +enemies said that he was Low Church. He himself was wont to laugh at +these names—for he was a man who could laugh—and to declare that +his only ambition was to fight the devil under whatever name he might +be allowed to carry on that battle. And he was always fighting the +devil by opposing those pursuits which are the life and mainstay of +such places as Littlebath. His chief enemies were card-playing and +dancing as regarded the weaker sex, and hunting and horse-racing—to +which, indeed, might be added everything under the name of sport—as +regarded the stronger. Sunday comforts were also enemies which he +hated with a vigorous hatred, unless three full services a day, with +sundry intermediate religious readings and exercitations of the +spirit, may be called Sunday comforts. But not on this account should +it be supposed that Mr Stumfold was a dreary, dark, sardonic man. +Such was by no means the case. He could laugh loud. He could be very +jovial at dinner parties. He could make his little jokes about little +pet wickednesses. A glass of wine, in season, he never refused. +Picnics he allowed, and the flirtation accompanying them. He himself +was driven about behind a pair of horses, and his daughters were +horsewomen. His sons, if the world spoke truth, were Nimrods; but +that was in another county, away from the Tantivy hills, and Mr +Stumfold knew nothing of it. In Littlebath Mr Stumfold reigned over +his own set as a tyrant, but to those who obeyed him he was never +austere in his tyranny.</p> + +<p>When Miss Mackenzie mentioned Mr Stumfold's name to the doctor, the +doctor felt that he had been wrong in his allusion to the assembly +rooms. Mr Stumfold's people never went to assembly rooms. He, a +doctor of medicine, of course went among saints and sinners alike, +but in such a place as Littlebath he had found it expedient to have +one tone for the saints and another for the sinners. Now the Paragon +was generally inhabited by sinners, and therefore he had made his +hint about the assembly rooms. He at once pointed out Mr Stumfold's +church, the spire of which was to be seen as they walked towards the +inn, and said a word in praise of that good man. Not a syllable would +he again have uttered as to the wickednesses of the place, had not +Miss Mackenzie asked some questions as to those assembly rooms.</p> + +<p>"How did people get to belong to them? Were they pleasant? What did +they do there? Oh—she could put her name down, could she? If it was +anything in the way of amusement she would certainly like to put her +name down." Dr Pottinger, when on that afternoon he instructed his +wife to call on Miss Mackenzie as soon as that young lady should be +settled, explained that the stranger was very much in the dark as to +the ways and manners of Littlebath.</p> + +<p>"What! go to the assembly rooms, and sit under Mr Stumfold!" said Mrs +Pottinger. "She never can do both, you know."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie went back to London, and returned at the end of a week +with her niece, her new maid, and her boxes. All the old furniture +had been sold, and her personal belongings were very scanty. The time +had now come in which personal belongings would accrue to her, but +when she reached the Paragon one big trunk and one small trunk +contained all that she possessed. The luggage of her niece Susanna +was almost as copious as her own. Her maid had been newly hired, and +she was almost ashamed of the scantiness of her own possessions in +the eyes of her servant.</p> + +<p>The way in which Susanna had been given up to her had been +oppressive, and at one moment almost distressing. That objection +which each lady had to visit the other,—Miss Mackenzie, that is, and +Susanna's mamma,—had never been overcome, and neither side had given +way. No visit of affection or of friendship had been made. But as it +was needful that the transfer of the young lady should be effected +with some solemnity, Mrs Mackenzie had condescended to bring her to +her future guardian's lodgings on the day before that fixed for the +journey to Littlebath. To so much degradation—for in her eyes it was +degradation—Mrs Mackenzie had consented to subject herself; and Mr +Mackenzie was to come on the following morning, and take his sister +and daughter to the train.</p> + +<p>The mother, as soon as she found herself seated and almost before she +had recovered the breath lost in mounting the lodging-house stairs, +began the speech which she had prepared for delivery on the occasion. +Miss Mackenzie, who had taken Susanna's hand, remained with it in her +own during the greater part of the speech. Before the speech was done +the poor girl's hand had been dropped, but in dropping it the aunt +was not guilty of any unkindness. "Margaret," said Mrs Mackenzie, +"this is a trial, a very great trial to a mother, and I hope that you +feel it as I do."</p> + +<p>"Sarah," said Miss Mackenzie, "I will do my duty by your child."</p> + +<p>"Well; yes; I hope so. If I thought you would not do your duty by +her, no consideration of mere money would induce me to let her go to +you. But I do hope, Margaret, you will think of the greatness of the +sacrifice we are making. There never was a better child than +Susanna."</p> + +<p>"I am very glad of that, Sarah."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, there never was a better child than any of 'em; I will say +that for them before the child herself; and if you do your duty by +her, I'm quite sure she'll do hers by you. Tom thinks it best that +she should go; and, of course, as all the money which should have +gone to him has come to you"—it was here, at this point that +Susanna's hand was dropped—"and as you haven't got a chick nor a +child, nor yet anybody else of your own, no doubt it is natural that +you should wish to have one of them."</p> + +<p>"I wish to do a kindness to my brother," said Miss Mackenzie—"and to +my niece."</p> + +<p>"Yes; of course; I understand. When you would not come up to see us, +Margaret, and you all alone, and we with a comfortable home to offer +you, of course I knew what your feelings were towards me. I don't +want anybody to tell me that! Oh dear, no! 'Tom,' said I when he +asked me to go down to Arundel Street, 'not if I know it.' Those were +the very words I uttered: 'Not if I know it, Tom!' And your papa +never asked me to go again—did he, Susanna? Nor I couldn't have +brought myself to. As you are so frank, Margaret, perhaps candour is +the best on both sides. Now I am going to leave my darling child in +your hands, and if you have got a mother's heart within your bosom, I +hope you will do a mother's duty by her."</p> + +<p>More than once during this oration Miss Mackenzie had felt inclined +to speak her mind out, and to fight her own battle; but she was +repressed by the presence of the girl. What chance could there be of +good feeling, of aught of affection between her and her ward, if on +such an occasion as this the girl were made the witness of a quarrel +between her mother and her aunt? Miss Mackenzie's face had become +red, and she had felt herself to be angry; but she bore it all with +good courage.</p> + +<p>"I will do my best," said she. "Susanna, come here and kiss me. Shall +we be great friends?" Susanna went and kissed her; but if the poor +girl attempted any answer it was not audible. Then the mother threw +herself on the daughter's neck, and the two embraced each other with +many tears.</p> + +<p>"You'll find all her things very tidy, and plenty of 'em," said Mrs +Mackenzie through her tears. "I'm sure we've worked hard enough at +'em for the last three weeks."</p> + +<p>"I've no doubt we shall find it all very nice," said the aunt.</p> + +<p>"We wouldn't send her away to disgrace us, were it ever so; though of +course in the way of money it would make no difference to you if she +had come without a thing to her back. But I've that spirit I couldn't +do it, and so I told Tom." After this Mrs Mackenzie once more +embraced her daughter, and then took her departure.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, as soon as her sister-in-law was gone, again took the +girl's hand in her own. Poor Susanna was in tears, and indeed there +was enough in her circumstances at the present moment to justify her +in weeping. She had been given over to her new destiny in no joyous +manner.</p> + +<p>"Susanna," said Aunt Margaret, with her softest voice, "I'm so glad +you have come to me. I will love you very dearly if you will let me."</p> + +<p>The girl came and clustered close against her as she sat on the sofa, +and so contrived as to creep in under her arm. No one had ever crept +in under her arm, or clung close to her before. Such outward signs of +affection as that had never been hers, either to give or to receive.</p> + +<p>"My darling," she said, "I will love you so dearly."</p> + +<p>Susanna said nothing, not knowing what words would be fitting for +such an occasion, but on hearing her aunt's assurance of affection, +she clung still closer to her, and in this way they became happy +before the evening was over.</p> + +<p>This adopted niece was no child when she was thus placed under her +aunt's charge. She was already fifteen, and though she was +young-looking for her age,—having none of that precocious air of +womanhood which some girls have assumed by that time,—she was a +strong healthy well-grown lass, standing stoutly on her legs, with +her head well balanced, with a straight back, and well-formed though +not slender waist. She was sharp about the shoulders and elbows, as +girls are—or should be—at that age; and her face was not formed +into any definite shape of beauty, or its reverse. But her eyes were +bright—as were those of all the Mackenzies—and her mouth was not +the mouth of a fool. If her cheek-bones were a little high, and the +lower part of her face somewhat angular, those peculiarities were +probably not distasteful to the eyes of her aunt.</p> + +<p>"You're a Mackenzie all over," said the aunt, speaking with some +little touch of the northern burr in her voice, though she herself +had never known anything of the north.</p> + +<p>"That's what mamma's brothers and sisters always tell me. They say I +am Scotchy."</p> + +<p>Then Miss Mackenzie kissed the girl again. If Susanna had been sent +to her because she had in her gait and appearance more of the land of +cakes than any of her brothers and sisters, that at any rate should +do her no harm in the estimation of her aunt. Thus in this way they +became friends.</p> + +<p>On the following morning Mr Mackenzie came and took them down to the +train.</p> + +<p>"I suppose we shall see you sometimes up in London?" he said, as he +stood by the door of the carriage.</p> + +<p>"I don't know that there will be much to bring me up," she answered.</p> + +<p>"And there won't be much to keep you down in the country," said he. +"You don't know anybody at Littlebath, I believe?"</p> + +<p>"The truth is, Tom, that I don't know anybody anywhere. I'm likely to +know as many people at Littlebath as I should in London. But situated +as I am, I must live pretty much to myself wherever I am."</p> + +<p>Then the guard came bustling along the platform, the father kissed +his daughter for the last time, and kissed his sister also, and our +heroine with her young charge had taken her departure, and commenced +her career in the world.</p> + +<p>For many a mile not a word was spoken between Miss Mackenzie and her +niece. The mind of the elder of the two travellers was very full of +thought,—of thought and of feeling too, so that she could not bring +herself to speak joyously to the young girl. She had her doubts as to +the wisdom of what she was doing. Her whole life, hitherto, had been +sad, sombre, and, we may almost say, silent. Things had so gone with +her that she had had no power of action on her own behalf. Neither +with her father, nor with her brother, though both had been invalids, +had anything of the management of affairs fallen into her hands. Not +even in the hiring or discharging of a cookmaid had she possessed any +influence. No power of the purse had been with her—none of that +power which belongs legitimately to a wife because a wife is a +partner in the business. The two sick men whom she had nursed had +liked to retain in their own hands the little privileges which their +position had given them. Margaret, therefore, had been a nurse in +their houses, and nothing more than a nurse. Had this gone on for +another ten years she would have lived down the ambition of any more +exciting career, and would have been satisfied, had she then come +into the possession of the money which was now hers, to have ended +her days nursing herself—or more probably, as she was by nature +unselfish, she would have lived down her pride as well as her +ambition, and would have gone to the house of her brother and have +expended herself in nursing her nephews and nieces. But luckily for +her—or unluckily, as it may be—this money had come to her before +her time for withering had arrived. In heart, and energy, and desire, +there was still much of strength left to her. Indeed it may be said +of her, that she had come so late in life to whatever of ripeness was +to be vouchsafed to her, that perhaps the period of her thraldom had +not terminated itself a day too soon for her advantage. Many of her +youthful verses she had destroyed in the packing up of those two +modest trunks; but there were effusions of the spirit which had flown +into rhyme within the last twelve months, and which she still +preserved. Since her brother's death she had confined herself to +simple prose, and for this purpose she kept an ample journal. All +this is mentioned to show that at the age of thirty-six Margaret +Mackenzie was still a young woman.</p> + +<p>She had resolved that she would not content herself with a lifeless +life, such as those few who knew anything of her evidently expected +from her. Harry Handcock had thought to make her his head nurse; and +the Tom Mackenzies had also indulged some such idea when they gave +her that first invitation to come and live in Gower Street. A word or +two had been said at the Cedars which led her to suppose that the +baronet's family there would have admitted her, with her eight +hundred a year, had she chosen to be so admitted. But she had +declared to herself that she would make a struggle to do better with +herself and with her money than that. She would go into the world, +and see if she could find any of those pleasantnesses of which she +had read in books. As for dancing, she was too old, and never yet in +her life had she stood up as a worshipper of Terpsichore. Of cards +she knew nothing; she had never even seen them used. To the +performance of plays she had been once or twice in her early days, +and now regarded a theatre not as a sink of wickedness after the +manner of the Stumfoldians, but as a place of danger because of +difficulty of ingress and egress, because the ways of a theatre were +far beyond her ken. The very mode in which it would behove her to +dress herself to go out to an ordinary dinner party, was almost +unknown to her. And yet, in spite of all this, she was resolved to +try.</p> + +<p>Would it not have been easier for her—easier and more +comfortable—to have abandoned all ideas of the world, and have put +herself at once under the tutelage and protection of some clergyman +who would have told her how to give away her money, and prepare +herself in the right way for a comfortable death-bed? There was much +in this view of life to recommend it. It would be very easy, and she +had the necessary faith. Such a clergyman, too, would be a +comfortable friend, and, if a married man, might be a very dear +friend. And there might, probably, be a clergyman's wife, who would +go about with her, and assist in that giving away of her money. Would +not this be the best life after all? But in order to reconcile +herself altogether to such a life as that, it was necessary that she +should be convinced that the other life was abominable, wicked, and +damnable. She had seen enough of things—had looked far enough into +the ways of the world—to perceive this. She knew that she must go +about such work with strong convictions, and as yet she could not +bring herself to think that "dancing and delights" were damnable. No +doubt she would come to have such belief if told so often enough by +some persuasive divine; but she was not sure that she wished to +believe it.</p> + +<p>After doubting much, she had determined to give the world a trial, +and, feeling that London was too big for her, had resolved upon +Littlebath. But now, having started herself upon her journey, she +felt as some mariner might who had put himself out alone to sea in a +small boat, with courage enough for the attempt, but without that +sort of courage which would make the attempt itself delightful.</p> + +<p>And then this girl that was with her! She had told herself that it +would not be well to live for herself alone, that it was her duty to +share her good things with some one, and therefore she had resolved +to share them with her niece. But in this guardianship there was +danger, which frightened her as she thought of it.</p> + +<p>"Are you tired yet, my dear?" said Miss Mackenzie, as they got to +Swindon.</p> + +<p>"Oh dear, no; I'm not at all tired."</p> + +<p>"There are cakes in there, I see. I wonder whether we should have +time to buy one."</p> + +<p>After considering the matter for five minutes in doubt, Aunt Margaret +did rush out, and did buy the cakes.</p> + + +<p><a name="c3" id="c3"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER III</h3> +<h3>Miss Mackenzie's First Acquaintances<br /> </h3> + + +<p>In the first fortnight of Miss Mackenzie's sojourn at Littlebath, +four persons called upon her; but though this was a success as far as +it went, those fourteen days were very dull. During her former short +visit to the place she had arranged to send her niece to a day school +which had been recommended to her as being very genteel, and +conducted under moral and religious auspices of most exalted +character. Hither Susanna went every morning after breakfast, and +returned home in these summer days at eight o'clock in the evening. +On Sundays also, she went to morning church with the other girls; so +that Miss Mackenzie was left very much to herself.</p> + +<p>Mrs Pottinger was the first to call, and the doctor's wife contented +herself with simple offers of general assistance. She named a baker +to Miss Mackenzie, and a dressmaker; and she told her what was the +proper price to be paid by the hour for a private brougham or for a +public fly. All this was useful, as Miss Mackenzie was in a state of +densest ignorance; but it did not seem that much in the way of +amusement would come from the acquaintance of Mrs Pottinger. That +lady said nothing about the assembly rooms, nor did she speak of the +Stumfoldian manner of life. Her husband had no doubt explained to her +that the stranger was not as yet a declared disciple in either +school. Miss Mackenzie had wished to ask a question about the +assemblies, but had been deterred by fear. Then came Mr Stumfold in +person, and, of course, nothing about the assembly rooms was said by +him. He made himself very pleasant, and Miss Mackenzie almost +resolved to put herself into his hands. He did not look sour at her, +nor did he browbeat her with severe words, nor did he exact from her +the performance of any hard duties. He promised to find her a seat in +his church, and told her what were the hours of service. He had three +"Sabbath services," but he thought that regular attendance twice +every Sunday was enough for people in general. He would be delighted +to be of use, and Mrs Stumfold should come and call. Having promised +this, he went his way. Then came Mrs Stumfold, according to promise, +bringing with her one Miss Baker, a maiden lady. From Mrs Stumfold +our friend got very little assistance. Mrs Stumfold was hard, severe, +and perhaps a little grand. She let fall a word or two which +intimated her conviction that Miss Mackenzie was to become at all +points a Stumfoldian, since she had herself invoked the countenance +and assistance of the great man on her first arrival; but beyond +this, Mrs Stumfold afforded no comfort. Our friend could not have +explained to herself why it was so, but after having encountered Mrs +Stumfold, she was less inclined to become a disciple than she had +been when she had seen only the great master himself. It was not only +that Mrs Stumfold, as judged by externals, was felt to be more severe +than her husband evangelically, but she was more severe also +ecclesiastically. Miss Mackenzie thought that she could probably obey +the ecclesiastical man, but that she would certainly rebel against +the ecclesiastical woman.</p> + +<p>There had been, as I have said, a Miss Baker with the female +minister, and Miss Mackenzie had at once perceived that had Miss +Baker called alone, the whole thing would have been much more +pleasant. Miss Baker had a soft voice, was given to a good deal of +gentle talking, was kind in her manner, and prone to quick intimacies +with other ladies of her own nature. All this Miss Mackenzie felt +rather than saw, and would have been delighted to have had Miss Baker +without Mrs Stumfold. She could, she knew, have found out all about +everything in five minutes, had she and Miss Baker been able to sit +close together and to let their tongues loose. But Miss Baker, poor +soul, was in these days thoroughly subject to the female Stumfold +influence, and went about the world of Littlebath in a repressed +manner that was truly pitiable to those who had known her before the +days of her slavery.</p> + +<p>But, as she rose to leave the room at her tyrant's bidding, she spoke +a word of comfort. "A friend of mine, Miss Mackenzie, lives next door +to you, and she has begged me to say that she will do herself the +pleasure of calling on you, if you will allow her."</p> + +<p>The poor woman hesitated as she made her little speech, and once cast +her eye round in fear upon her companion.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I shall be delighted," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"That's Miss Todd, is it?" said Mrs Stumfold; and it was made +manifest by Mrs Stumfold's voice that Mrs Stumfold did not think much +of Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>"Yes; Miss Todd. You see she is so close a neighbour," said Miss +Baker, apologetically.</p> + +<p>Mrs Stumfold shook her head, and then went away without further +speech.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie became at once impatient for Miss Todd's arrival, and +was induced to keep an eye restlessly at watch on the two +neighbouring doors in the Paragon, in order that she might see Miss +Todd at the moment of some entrance or exit. Twice she did see a lady +come out from the house next her own on the right, a stout +jolly-looking dame, with a red face and a capacious bonnet, who +closed the door behind her with a slam, and looked as though she +would care little for either male Stumfold or female. Miss Mackenzie, +however, made up her mind that this was not Miss Todd. This lady, she +thought, was a married lady; on one occasion there had been children +with her, and she was, in Miss Mackenzie's judgment, too stout, too +decided, and perhaps too loud to be a spinster. A full week passed by +before this question was decided by the promised visit,—a week +during which the new comer never left her house at any hour at which +callers could be expected to call, so anxious was she to become +acquainted with her neighbour; and she had almost given the matter up +in despair, thinking that Mrs Stumfold had interfered with her +tyranny, when, one day immediately after lunch—in these days Miss +Mackenzie always lunched, but seldom dined—when one day immediately +after lunch, Miss Todd was announced.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie immediately saw that she had been wrong. Miss Todd was +the stout, red-faced lady with the children. Two of the children, +girls of eleven and thirteen, were with her now. As Miss Todd walked +across the room to shake hands with her new acquaintance, Miss +Mackenzie at once recognised the manner in which the street door had +been slammed, and knew that it was the same firm step which she had +heard on the pavement half down the Paragon.</p> + +<p>"My friend, Miss Baker, told me you had come to live next door to +me," began Miss Todd, "and therefore I told her to tell you that I +should come and see you. Single ladies, when they come here, +generally like some one to come to them. I'm single myself, and these +are my nieces. You've got a niece, I believe, too. When the Popes +have nephews, people say all manner of ill-natured things. I hope +they ain't so uncivil to us."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie smirked and smiled, and assured Miss Todd that she was +very glad to see her. The allusion to the Popes she did not +understand.</p> + +<p>"Miss Baker came with Mrs Stumfold, didn't she?" continued Miss Todd. +"She doesn't go much anywhere now without Mrs Stumfold, unless when +she creeps down to me. She and I are very old friends. Have you known +Mr Stumfold long? Perhaps you have come here to be near him; a great +many ladies do."</p> + +<p>In answer to this, Miss Mackenzie explained that she was not a +follower of Mr Stumfold in that sense. It was true that she had +brought a letter to him, and intended to go to his church. In +consequence of that letter, Mrs Stumfold had been good enough to call +upon her.</p> + +<p>"Oh yes: she'll come to you quick enough. Did she come with her +carriage and horses?"</p> + +<p>"I think she was on foot," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Then I should tell her of it. Coming to you, in the best house in +the Paragon, on your first arrival, she ought to have come with her +carriage and horses."</p> + +<p>"Tell her of it!" said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"A great many ladies would, and would go over to the enemy before the +month was over, unless she brought the carriage in the meantime. I +don't advise you to do so. You haven't got standing enough in the +place yet, and perhaps she could put you down."</p> + +<p>"But it makes no difference to me how she comes."</p> + +<p>"None in the least, my dear, or to me either. I should be glad to see +her even in a wheelbarrow for my part. But you mustn't suppose that +she ever comes to me. Lord bless you! no. She found me out to be past +all grace ever so many years ago."</p> + +<p>"Mrs Stumfold thinks that Aunt Sally is the old gentleman himself," +said the elder of the girls.</p> + +<p>"Ha, ha, ha," laughed the aunt. "You see, Miss Mackenzie, we run very +much into parties here, as they do in most places of this kind, and +if you mean to go thoroughly in with the Stumfold party you must tell +me so, candidly, and there won't be any bones broken between us. I +shan't like you the less for saying so: only in that case it won't be +any use our trying to see much of each other."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie was somewhat frightened, and hardly knew what answer +to make. She was very anxious to have it understood that she was not, +as yet, in bond under Mrs Stumfold—that it was still a matter of +choice to herself whether she would be a saint or a sinner; and she +would have been so glad to hint to her neighbour that she would like +to try the sinner's line, if it were only for a month or two; only +Miss Todd frightened her! And when the girl told her that Miss Todd +was regarded, ex parte Stumfold, as being the old gentleman himself, +Miss Mackenzie again thought for an instant that there would be +safety in giving way to the evangelico-ecclesiastical influence, and +that perhaps life might be pleasant enough to her if she could be +allowed to go about in couples with that soft Miss Baker.</p> + +<p>"As you have been so good as to call," said Miss Mackenzie, "I hope +you will allow me to return your visit."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear, yes—shall be quite delighted to see you. You can't hurt +me, you know. The question is, whether I shan't ruin you. Not that I +and Mr Stumfold ain't great cronies. He and I meet about on neutral +ground, and are the best friends in the world. He knows I'm a lost +sheep—a gone 'coon, as the Americans say—so he pokes his fun at me, +and we're as jolly as sandboys. But St Stumfolda is made of sterner +metal, and will not put up with any such female levity. If she pokes +her fun at any sinners, it is at gentlemen sinners; and grim work it +must be for them, I should think. Poor Mary Baker! the best creature +in the world. I'm afraid she has a bad time of it. But then, you +know, perhaps that is the sort of thing you like."</p> + +<p>"You see I know so very little of Mrs Stumfold," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"That's a misfortune will soon be cured if you let her have her own +way. You ask Mary Baker else. But I don't mean to be saying anything +bad behind anybody's back; I don't indeed. I have no doubt these +people are very good in their way; only their ways are not my ways; +and one doesn't like to be told so often that one's own way is broad, +and that it leads—you know where. Come, Patty, let us be going. When +you've made up your mind, Miss Mackenzie, just you tell me. If you +say, 'Miss Todd, I think you're too wicked for me,' I shall +understand it. I shan't be in the least offended. But if my way +isn't—isn't too broad, you know, I shall be very happy to see you."</p> + +<p>Hereupon Miss Mackenzie plucked up courage and asked a question.</p> + +<p>"Do you ever go to the assembly rooms, Miss Todd?"</p> + +<p>Miss Todd almost whistled before she gave her answer. "Why, Miss +Mackenzie, that's where they dance and play cards, and where the +girls flirt and the young men make fools of themselves. I don't go +there very often myself, because I don't care about flirting, and I'm +too old for dancing. As for cards, I get plenty of them at home. I +think I did put down my name and paid something when I first came +here, but that's ever so many years ago. I don't go to the assembly +rooms now."</p> + +<p>As soon as Miss Todd was gone, Miss Mackenzie went to work to reflect +seriously upon all she had just heard. Of course, there could be no +longer any question of her going to the assembly rooms. Even Miss +Todd, wicked as she was, did not go there. But should she, or should +she not, return Miss Todd's visit? If she did she would be thereby +committing herself to what Miss Todd had profanely called the broad +way. In such case any advance in the Stumfold direction would be +forbidden to her. But if she did not call on Miss Todd, then she +would have plainly declared that she intended to be such another +disciple as Miss Baker, and from that decision there would be no +recall. On this subject she must make up her mind, and in doing so +she laboured with all her power. As to any charge of incivility which +might attach to her for not returning the visit of a lady who had +been so civil to her, of that she thought nothing. Miss Todd had +herself declared that she would not be in the least offended. But she +liked this new acquaintance. In owning all the truth about Miss +Mackenzie, I must confess that her mind hankered after the things of +this world. She thought that if she could only establish herself as +Miss Todd was established, she would care nothing for the Stumfolds, +male or female.</p> + +<p>But how was she to do this? An establishment in the Stumfold +direction might be easier.</p> + +<p>In the course of the next week two affairs of moment occurred to Miss +Mackenzie. On the Wednesday morning she received from London a letter +of business which caused her considerable anxiety, and on the +Thursday afternoon a note was brought to her from Mrs Stumfold,—or +rather an envelope containing a card on which was printed an +invitation to drink tea with that lady on that day week. This +invitation she accepted without much doubt. She would go and see Mrs +Stumfold in her house, and would then be better able to decide +whether the mode of life practised by the Stumfold party would be to +her taste. So she wrote a reply, and sent it by her maid-servant, +greatly doubting whether she was not wrong in writing her answer on +common note-paper, and whether she also should not have supplied +herself with some form or card for the occasion.</p> + +<p>The letter of business was from her brother Tom, and contained an +application for the loan of some money,—for the loan, indeed, of a +good deal of money. But the loan was to be made not to him but to the +firm of Rubb and Mackenzie, and was not to be a simple lending of +money on the faith of that firm, for purposes of speculation or +ordinary business. It was to be expended in the purchase of the +premises in the New Road, and Miss Mackenzie was to have a mortgage +on them, and was to receive five per cent for the money which she +should advance. The letter was long, and though it was manifest even +to Miss Mackenzie that he had written the first page with much +hesitation, he had waxed strong as he had gone on, and had really +made out a good case. "You are to understand," he said, "that this +is, of course, to be done through your own lawyer, who will not allow +you to make the loan unless he is satisfied with the security. Our +landlords are compelled to sell the premises, and unless we purchase +them ourselves, we shall in all probability be turned out, as we have +only a year or two more under our present lease. You could purchase +the whole thing yourself, but in that case you would not be sure of +the same interest for your money." He then went on to say that Samuel +Rubb, junior, the son of old Rubb, should run down to Littlebath in +the course of next week, in order that the whole thing might be made +clear to her. Samuel Rubb was not the partner whose name was included +in the designation of the firm, but was a young man,—"a +comparatively young man,"—as her brother explained, who had lately +been admitted to a share in the business.</p> + +<p>This letter put Miss Mackenzie into a twitter. Like all other single +ladies, she was very nervous about her money. She was quite alive to +the beauty of a high rate of interest, but did not quite understand +that high interest and impaired security should go hand in hand +together. She wished to oblige her brother, and was aware that she +had money as to which her lawyers were looking out for an investment. +Even this had made her unhappy, as she was not quite sure whether her +lawyers would not spend the money. She knew that lone women were +terribly robbed sometimes, and had almost resolved upon insisting +that the money should be put into the Three per Cents. But she had +gone to work with figures, and having ascertained that by doing so +twenty-five pounds a year would be docked off from her computed +income, she had given no such order. She now again went to work with +her figures, and found that if the loan were accomplished it would +add twenty-five pounds a year to her computed income. Mortgages, she +knew, were good things, strong and firm, based upon landed security, +and very respectable. So she wrote to her lawyers, saying that she +would be glad to oblige her brother if there were nothing amiss. Her +lawyers wrote back, advising her to refer Mr Rubb, junior, to them. +On the day named in her brother's letter, Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, +arrived at Littlebath, and called upon Miss Mackenzie in the Paragon.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie had been brought up with contempt and almost with +hatred for the Rubb family. It had, in the first instance, been the +work of old Samuel Rubb to tempt her brother Tom into trade; and he +had tempted Tom into a trade that had not been fat and prosperous, +and therefore pardonable, but into a trade that had been troublesome +and poor. Walter Mackenzie had always spoken of these Rubbs with +thorough disgust, and had persistently refused to hold any +intercourse with them. When, therefore, Mr Samuel Rubb was announced, +our heroine was somewhat inclined to seat herself upon a high horse.</p> + +<p>Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, came upstairs, and was by no means the sort +of person in appearance that Miss Mackenzie had expected to see. In +the first place, he was, as well as she could guess, about forty +years of age; whereas she had expected to see a young man. A man who +went about the world especially designated as junior, ought, she +thought, to be very young. And then Mr Rubb carried with him an air +of dignity, and had about his external presence a something of +authority which made her at once seat herself a peg lower than she +had intended. He was a good-looking man, nearly six feet high, with +great hands and feet, but with a great forehead also, which atoned +for his hands and feet. He was dressed throughout in black, as +tradesmen always are in these days; but, as Miss Mackenzie said to +herself, there was certainly no knowing that he belonged to the +oilcloth business from the cut of his coat or the set of his +trousers. He began his task with great care, and seemed to have none +of the hesitation which had afflicted her brother in writing his +letter. The investment, he said, would, no doubt, be a good one. Two +thousand four hundred pounds was the sum wanted, and he understood +that she had that amount lying idle. Their lawyer had already seen +her lawyer, and there could be no doubt as to the soundness of the +mortgage. An assurance company with whom the firm had dealings was +quite ready to advance the money on the proposed security, and at the +proposed rate of interest, but in such a matter as that, Rubb and +Mackenzie did not wish to deal with an assurance company. They +desired that all control over the premises should either be in their +own hands, or in the hands of someone connected with them.</p> + +<p>By the time that Mr Samuel Rubb had done, Miss Mackenzie found +herself to have dismounted altogether from her horse, and to be +pervaded by some slight fear that her lawyers might allow so +favourable an opportunity for investing her money to slip through +their hands.</p> + +<p>Then, on a sudden, Mr Rubb dropped the subject of the loan, and Miss +Mackenzie, as he did so, felt herself to be almost disappointed. And +when she found him talking easily to her about matters of external +life, although she answered him readily, and talked to him also +easily, she entertained some feeling that she ought to be offended. +Mr Rubb, junior, was a tradesman who had come to her on business, and +having done his business, why did he not go away? Nevertheless, Miss +Mackenzie answered him when he asked questions, and allowed herself +to be seduced into a conversation.</p> + +<p>"Yes, upon my honour," he said, looking out of the window into the +Montpelier Gardens, "a very nice situation indeed. How much better +they do these things in such a place as this than we do up in London! +What dingy houses we live in, and how bright they make the places +here!"</p> + +<p>"They are not crowded so much, I suppose," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"It isn't only that. The truth is, that in London nobody cares what +his house looks like. The whole thing is so ugly that anything not +ugly would be out of place. Now, in Paris—you have been in Paris, +Miss Mackenzie?"</p> + +<p>In answer to this, Miss Mackenzie was compelled to own that she had +never been in Paris.</p> + +<p>"Ah, you should go to Paris, Miss Mackenzie; you should, indeed. Now, +you're a lady that have nothing to prevent your going anywhere. If I +were you, I'd go almost everywhere; but above all, I'd go to Paris. +There's no place like Paris."</p> + +<p>"I suppose not," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>By this time Mr Rubb had returned from the window, and had seated +himself in the easy chair in the middle of the room. In doing so he +thrust out both his legs, folded his hands one over the other, and +looked very comfortable.</p> + +<p>"Now I'm a slave to business," he said. "That horrid place in the New +Road, which we want to buy with your money, has made a prisoner of me +for the last twenty years. I went into it as the boy who was to do +the copying, when your brother first became a partner. Oh dear, how I +did hate it!"</p> + +<p>"Did you now?"</p> + +<p>"I should rather think I did. I had been brought up at the Merchant +Taylors' and they intended to send me to Oxford. That was five years +before they began the business in the New Road. Then came the crash +which our house had at Manchester; and when we had picked up the +pieces, we found that we had to give up university ideas. However, +I'll make a business of it before I'm done; you see if I don't, Miss +Mackenzie. Your brother has been with us so many years that I have +quite a pleasure in talking to you about it."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie was not quite sure that she reciprocated the pleasure; +for, after all, though he did look so much better than she had +expected, he was only Rubb, junior, from Rubb and Mackenzie's; and +any permanent acquaintance with Mr Rubb would not suit the line of +life in which she was desirous of moving. But she did not in the +least know how to stop him, or how to show him that she had intended +to receive him simply as a man of business. And then it was so seldom +that anyone came to talk to her, that she was tempted to fall away +from her high resolves. "I have not known much of my brother's +concerns," she said, attempting to be cautious.</p> + +<p>Then he sat for another hour, making himself very agreeable, and at +the end of that time she offered him a glass of wine and a biscuit, +which he accepted. He was going to remain two or three days in the +neighbourhood, he said, and might he call again before he left? Miss +Mackenzie told him that he might. How was it possible that she should +answer such a question in any other way? Then he got up, and shook +hands with her, told her that he was so glad he had come to +Littlebath, and was quite cordial and friendly. Miss Mackenzie +actually found herself laughing with him as they stood on the floor +together, and though she knew that it was improper, she liked it. +When he was gone she could not remember what it was that had made her +laugh, but she remembered that she had laughed. For a long time past +very little laughter had come to her share.</p> + +<p>When he was gone she prepared herself to think about him at length. +Why had he talked to her in that way? Why was he going to call again? +Why was Rubb, junior, from Rubb and Mackenzie's, such a pleasant +fellow? After all, he retailed oilcloth at so much a yard; and little +as she knew of the world, she knew that she, with ever so much good +blood in her veins, and with ever so many hundreds a year of her own, +was entitled to look for acquaintances of a higher order than that. +She, if she were entitled to make any boast about herself—and she +was by no means inclined to such boastings—might at any rate boast +that she was a lady. Now, Mr Rubb was not a gentleman. He was not a +gentleman by position. She knew that well enough, and she thought +that she had also discovered that he was not quite a gentleman in his +manners and mode of speech. Nevertheless she had liked him, and had +laughed with him, and the remembrance of this made her sad.</p> + +<p>That same evening she wrote a letter to her lawyer, telling him that +she was very anxious to oblige her brother, if the security was good. +And then she went into the matter at length, repeating much of what +Mr Rubb had said to her, as to the excellence of mortgages in +general, and of this mortgage in particular. After that she dressed +herself with great care, and went out to tea at Mrs Stumfold's. This +was the first occasion in her life in which she had gone to a party, +the invitation to which had come to her on a card, and of course she +felt herself to be a little nervous.</p> + + +<p><a name="c4" id="c4"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER IV</h3> +<h3>Miss Mackenzie Commences Her Career<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Miss Mackenzie had been three weeks at Littlebath when the day +arrived on which she was to go to Mrs Stumfold's party, and up to +that time she had not enjoyed much of the society of that very social +place. Indeed, in these pages have been described with accuracy all +the advancement which she had made in that direction. She had indeed +returned Miss Todd's call, but had not found that lady at home. In +doing this she had almost felt herself to be guilty of treason +against the new allegiance which she seemed to have taken upon +herself in accepting Mrs Stumfold's invitation; and she had done it +at last not from any firm resolve of which she might have been proud, +but had been driven to it by ennui, and by the easy temptation of +Miss Todd's neighbouring door. She had, therefore, slipped out, and +finding her wicked friend to be not at home, had hurried back again. +She had, however, committed herself to a card, and she knew that Mrs +Stumfold would hear of it through Miss Baker. Miss Baker's visit she +had not returned, being in doubt where Miss Baker lived, being +terribly in doubt also whether the Median rules of fashion demanded +of her that she should return the call of a lady who had simply come +to her with another caller. Her hesitation on this subject had been +much, and her vacillations many, but she had thought it safer to +abstain. For the last day or two she had been expecting the return of +Mr Rubb, junior—keeping herself a prisoner, I fear, during the best +hours of the day, so that she might be there to receive him when he +did come; but though she had so acted, she had quite resolved to be +very cold with him, and very cautious, and had been desirous of +seeing him solely with a view to the mercantile necessities of her +position. It behoved her certainly to attend to business when +business came in her way, and therefore she would take care to be at +home when Mr Rubb should call.</p> + +<p>She had been to church twice a day on each of the Sundays that she +had passed in Littlebath, having in this matter strictly obeyed the +hints which Mr Stumfold had given for her guidance. No doubt she had +received benefit from the discourses which she had heard from that +gentleman each morning; and, let us hope, benefit also from the much +longer discourses which she had heard from Mr Stumfold's curate on +each evening. The Rev. Mr Maguire was very powerful, but he was also +very long; and Miss Mackenzie, who was hardly as yet entitled to rank +herself among the thoroughly converted, was inclined to think that he +was too long. She was, however, patient by nature, and willing to +bear much, if only some little might come to her in return. What of +social comfort she had expected to obtain from her churchgoings I +cannot quite define; but I think that she had unconsciously expected +something from them in that direction, and that she had been +disappointed.</p> + +<p>But now, at nine o'clock on this appointed evening, she was of a +certainty and in very truth going into society. The card said +half-past eight; but the Sun had not yoked his horses so far away +from her Tyre, remote as that Tyre had been, as to have left her in +ignorance that half-past eight meant nine. When her watch showed her +that half-past eight had really come, she was fidgety, and rang the +bell to inquire whether the man might have probably forgotten to send +the fly; and yet she had been very careful to tell the man that she +did not wish to be at Mrs Stumfold's before nine.</p> + +<p>"He understands, Miss," said the servant; "don't you be afeard; he's +a-doing of it every night."</p> + +<p>Then she became painfully conscious that even the maid-servant knew +more of the social ways of the place than did she.</p> + +<p>When she reached the top of Mrs Stumfold's stairs, her heart was in +her mouth, for she perceived immediately that she had kept people +waiting. After all, she had trusted to false intelligence in that +matter of the hour. Half-past eight had meant half-past eight, and +she ought to have known that this would be so in a house so upright +as that of Mrs Stumfold. That lady met her at the door, and +smiling—blandly, but, perhaps I might be permitted to say, not so +blandly as she might have smiled—conducted the stranger to a seat.</p> + +<p>"We generally open with a little prayer, and for that purpose our +dear friends are kind enough to come to us punctually."</p> + +<p>Then Mr Stumfold got up, and pressed her hand very kindly.</p> + +<p>"I'm so sorry," Miss Mackenzie had uttered.</p> + +<p>"Not in the least," he replied. "I knew you couldn't know, and +therefore we ventured to wait a few minutes. The time hasn't been +lost, as Mr Maguire has treated us to a theological argument of great +weight."</p> + +<p>Then all the company laughed, and Miss Mackenzie perceived that Mr +Stumfold could joke in his way. She was introduced to Mr Maguire, who +also pressed her hand; and then Miss Baker came and sat by her side. +There was, however, at that moment no time for conversation. The +prayer was begun immediately, Mr Stumfold taking this duty himself. +Then Mr Maguire read half a chapter in the Bible, and after that Mr +Stumfold explained it. Two ladies asked Mr Stumfold questions with +great pertinacity, and these questions Mr Stumfold answered very +freely, walking about the room the while, and laughing often as he +submitted himself to their interrogations. And Miss Mackenzie was +much astonished at the special freedom of his manner,—how he spoke +of St Paul as Paul, declaring the saint to have been a good fellow; +how he said he liked Luke better than Matthew, and how he named even +a holier name than these with infinite ease and an accustomed +familiarity which seemed to delight the other ladies; but which at +first shocked her in her ignorance.</p> + +<p>"But I'm not going to have anything more to say to Peter and Paul at +present," he declared at last. "You'd keep me here all night, and the +tea will be spoilt."</p> + +<p>Then they all laughed again at the absurd idea of this great and good +man preferring his food,—his food of this world,—to that other food +which it was his special business to dispense. There is nothing which +the Stumfoldian ladies of Littlebath liked so much as these little +jokes which bordered on the profanity of the outer world, which made +them feel themselves to be almost as funny as the sinners, and gave +them a slight taste, as it were, of the pleasures of iniquity.</p> + +<p>"Wine maketh glad the heart of woman, Mrs Jones," Mr Stumfold would +say as he filled for the second time the glass of some old lady of +his set; and the old lady would chirrup and wink, and feel that +things were going almost as jollily with her as they did with that +wicked Mrs Smith, who spent every night of her life playing cards, or +as they had done with that horrid Mrs Brown, of whom such terrible +things were occasionally whispered when two or three ladies found +themselves sufficiently private to whisper them; that things were +going almost as pleasant here in this world, although accompanied by +so much safety as to the future in her own case, and so much danger +in those other cases! I think it was this aptitude for feminine +rakishness which, more than any of his great virtues, more even than +his indomitable industry, made Mr Stumfold the most popular man in +Littlebath. A dozen ladies on the present occasion skipped away to +the tea-table in the back drawing-room with a delighted alacrity, +which was all owing to the unceremonious treatment which St Peter and +St Paul had received from their pastor.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie had just found time to cast an eye round the room and +examine the scene of Mr Stumfold's pleasantries while Mr Maguire was +reading. She saw that there were only three gentlemen there besides +the two clergymen. There was a very old man who sat close wedged in +between Mrs Stumfold and another lady, by whose joint dresses he was +almost obliterated. This was Mr Peters, a retired attorney. He was +Mrs Stumfold's father, and from his coffers had come the +superfluities of comfort which Miss Mackenzie saw around her. Rumour, +even among the saintly people of Littlebath, said that Mr Peters had +been a sharp practitioner in his early days;—that he had been +successful in his labours was admitted by all.</p> + +<p>"No doubt he has repented," Miss Baker said one day to Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>"And if he has not, he has forgotten all about it, which generally +means the same thing," Miss Todd had answered.</p> + +<p>Mr Peters was now very old, and I am disposed to think he had +forgotten all about it.</p> + +<p>The other two gentlemen were both young, and they stood very high in +the graces of all the company there assembled. They were high in the +graces of Mr Stumfold, but higher still in the graces of Mrs +Stumfold, and were almost worshipped by one or two other ladies whose +powers of external adoration were not diminished by the possession of +husbands. They were, both of them, young men who had settled +themselves for a time at Littlebath that they might be near Mr +Stumfold, and had sufficient of worldly wealth to enable them to pass +their time in semi-clerical pursuits.</p> + +<p>Mr Frigidy, the elder, intended at some time to go into the Church, +but had not as yet made sufficient progress in his studies to justify +him in hoping that he could pass a bishop's examination. His friends +told him of Islington and St Bees, of Durham, Birkenhead, and other +places where the thing could be done for him; but he hesitated, +fearing whether he might be able to pass even the initiatory gates of +Islington. He was a good young man, at peace with all the +world—except Mr Startup. With Mr Startup the veracious chronicler +does not dare to assert that Mr Frigidy was at peace. Now Mr Startup +was the other young man whom Miss Mackenzie saw in that room.</p> + +<p>Mr Startup was also a very good young man, but he was of a fiery +calibre, whereas Frigidy was naturally mild. Startup was already an +open-air preacher, whereas Frigidy lacked nerve to speak a word above +his breath. Startup was not a clergyman because certain scruples +impeded and prevented him, while in the bosom of Frigidy there +existed no desire so strong as that of having the word reverend +attached to his name. Startup, though he was younger than Frigidy, +could talk to seven ladies at once with ease, but Frigidy could not +talk to one without much assistance from that lady herself. The +consequence of this was that Mr Frigidy could not bring himself to +love Mr Startup,—could not enable himself to justify a veracious +chronicler in saying that he was at peace with all the world, Startup +included.</p> + +<p>The ladies were too many for Miss Mackenzie to notice them specially +as she sat listening to Mr Maguire's impressive voice. Mr Maguire she +did notice, and found him to be the possessor of a good figure, of a +fine head of jet black hair, of a perfect set of white teeth, of +whiskers which were also black and very fine, but streaked here and +there with a grey hair,—and of the most terrible squint in his right +eye which ever disfigured a face that in all other respects was +fitted for an Apollo. So egregious was the squint that Miss Mackenzie +could not keep herself from regarding it, even while Mr Stumfold was +expounding. Had she looked Mr Maguire full in the face at the +beginning, I do not think it would so much have mattered to her; but +she had seen first the back of his head, and then his profile, and +had unfortunately formed a strong opinion as to his almost perfect +beauty. When, therefore, the defective eye was disclosed to her, her +feelings were moved in a more than ordinary manner. How was it that a +man graced with such a head, with such a mouth and chin and forehead, +nay, with such a left eye, could be cursed with such a right eye! She +was still thinking of this when the frisky movement into the tea-room +took place around her.</p> + +<p>When at this moment Mr Stumfold offered her his arm to conduct her +through the folding doors, this condescension on his part almost +confounded her. The other ladies knew that he always did so to a +newcomer, and therefore thought less of it. No other gentleman took +any other lady, but she was led up to a special seat,—a seat of +honour as it were, at the left hand side of a huge silver kettle. +Immediately before the kettle sat Mrs Stumfold. Immediately before +another kettle, at another table, sat Miss Peters, a sister of Mrs +Stumfold's. The back drawing-room in which they were congregated was +larger than the other, and opened behind into a pretty garden. Mr +Stumfold's lines in falling thus among the Peters, had fallen to him +in pleasant places. On the other side of Miss Mackenzie sat Miss +Baker, and on the other side of Mrs Stumfold stood Mr Startup, +talking aloud and administering the full tea-cups with a conscious +grace. Mr Stumfold and Mr Frigidy were at the other table, and Mr +Maguire was occupied in passing promiscuously from one to the other. +Miss Mackenzie wished with all her heart that he would seat himself +somewhere with his face turned away from her, for she found it +impossible to avert her eyes from his eye. But he was always there, +before her sight, and she began to feel that he was an evil +spirit,—her evil spirit, and that he would be too many for her.</p> + +<p>Before anybody else was allowed to begin, Mrs Stumfold rose from her +chair with a large and completely filled bowl of tea, with a plate +also laden with buttered toast, and with her own hands and on her own +legs carried these delicacies round to her papa. On such an occasion +as this no servant, no friend, no Mr Startup, was allowed to +interfere with her filial piety.</p> + +<p>"She does it always," said an admiring lady in an audible whisper +from the other side of Miss Baker. "She does it always."</p> + +<p>The admiring lady was the wife of a retired coachbuilder, who was +painfully anxious to make her way into good evangelical society at +Littlebath.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you will put in the sugar for yourself," said Mrs Stumfold +to Miss Mackenzie as soon as she returned. On this occasion Miss +Mackenzie received her cup the first after the father of the house, +but the words spoken to her were stern to the ear.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you will put in the sugar yourself. It lightens the labour."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie expressed her willingness to do so and regretted that +Mrs Stumfold should have to work so hard. Could she be of assistance?</p> + +<p>"I'm quite used to it, thank you," said Mrs Stumfold.</p> + +<p>The words were not uncivil, but the tone was dreadfully severe, and +Miss Mackenzie felt painfully sure that her hostess was already aware +of the card that had been left at Miss Todd's door.</p> + +<p>Mr Startup was now actively at work.</p> + +<p>"Lady Griggs's and Miss Fleebody's—I know. A great deal of sugar for +her ladyship, and Miss Fleebody eats muffin. Mrs Blow always takes +pound-cake, and I'll see that there's one near her. +Mortimer,"—Mortimer was the footman,—"is getting more bread and +butter. Maguire, you have two dishes of sweet biscuits over there; +give us one here. Never mind me, Mrs Stumfold; I'll have my innings +presently."</p> + +<p>All this Mr Frigidy heard with envious ears as he sat with his own +tea-cup before him at the other table. He would have given the world +to have been walking about the room like Startup, making himself +useful and conspicuous; but he couldn't do it—he knew that he +couldn't do it. Later in the evening, when he had been sitting by +Miss Trotter for two hours—and he had very often sat by Miss Trotter +before—he ventured upon a remark.</p> + +<p>"Don't you think that Mr Startup makes himself a little forward?"</p> + +<p>"Oh dear yes, very," said Miss Trotter. "I believe he's an excellent +young man, but I always did think him forward, now you mention it. +And sometimes I've wondered how dear Mrs Stumfold could like so much +of it. But do you know, Mr Frigidy, I am not quite sure that somebody +else does like it. You know who I mean."</p> + +<p>Miss Trotter said much more than this, and Mr Frigidy was comforted, +and believed that he had been talking.</p> + +<p>When Mrs Stumfold commenced her conversation with Mr Startup, Miss +Baker addressed herself to Miss Mackenzie; but there was at first +something of stiffness in her manner,—as became a lady whose call +had not been returned.</p> + +<p>"I hope you like Littlebath," said Miss Baker.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, who began to be conscious that she had done wrong, +hesitated as she replied that she liked it pretty well.</p> + +<p>"I think you'll find it pleasant," said Miss Baker; and then there +was a pause. There could not be two women more fitted for friendship +than were these, and it was much to be hoped, for the sake of our +poor, solitary heroine especially, that this outside crust of manner +might be broken up and dispersed.</p> + +<p>"I dare say I shall find it pleasant, after a time," said Miss +Mackenzie. Then they applied themselves each to her own bread and +butter.</p> + +<p>"You have not seen Miss Todd, I suppose, since I saw you?" Miss Baker +asked this question when she perceived that Mrs Stumfold was deep in +some secret conference with Mr Startup. It must, however, be told to +Miss Baker's credit, that she had persistently maintained her +friendship with Miss Todd, in spite of all the Stumfoldian +influences. Miss Mackenzie, at the moment less brave, looked round +aghast, but seeing that her hostess was in deep conference with her +prime minister, she took heart of grace. "I called, and I did not see +her."</p> + +<p>"She promised me she would call," said Miss Baker.</p> + +<p>"And I returned her visit, but she wasn't at home," said Miss +Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Indeed," said Miss Baker; and then there was silence between them +again.</p> + +<p>But, after a pause, Miss Mackenzie again took heart of grace. I do +not think that there was, of nature, much of the coward about her. +Indeed, the very fact that she was there alone at Littlebath, +fighting her own battle with the world, instead of having allowed +herself to be swallowed up by the Harry Handcocks, and Tom +Mackenzies, proved her to be anything but a coward. "Perhaps, Miss +Baker, I ought to have returned your visit," said she.</p> + +<p>"That was just as you like," said Miss Baker with her sweetest smile.</p> + +<p>"Of course, I should have liked it, as I thought it so good of you to +come. But as you came with Mrs Stumfold, I was not quite sure whether +it might be intended; and then I didn't know,—did not exactly +know,—where you lived."</p> + +<p>After this the two ladies got on very comfortably, so long as they +were left sitting side by side. Miss Baker imparted to Miss Mackenzie +her full address, and Miss Mackenzie, with that brightness in her +eyes which they always assumed when she was eager, begged her new +friend to come to her again.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, I will," said Miss Baker. After that they were parted by a +general return to the front room.</p> + +<p>And now Miss Mackenzie found herself seated next to Mr Maguire. She +had been carried away in the crowd to a further corner, in which +there were two chairs, and before she had been able to consider the +merits or demerits of the position, Mr Maguire was seated close +beside her. He was seated close beside her in such a way as to make +the two specially separated from all the world beyond, for in front +of them stood a wall of crinoline,—a wall of crinoline divided +between four or five owners, among whom was shared the eloquence of +Mr Startup, who was carrying on an evangelical flirtation with the +whole of them in a manner that was greatly pleasing to them, and +enthusiastically delightful to him. Miss Mackenzie, when she found +herself thus entrapped, looked into Mr Maguire's eye with dismay. Had +that look been sure to bring down upon her the hatred of that +reverend gentleman, she could not have helped it. The eye fascinated +her, as much as it frightened her. But Mr Maguire was used to have +his eye inspected, and did not hate her. He fixed it apparently on +the corners of the wall, but in truth upon her, and then he began:</p> + +<p>"I am so glad that you have come among us, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure that I'm very much obliged."</p> + +<p>"Well; you ought to be. You must not be surprised at my saying so, +though it sounds uncivil. You ought to feel obliged, and the +obligation should be mutual. I am not sure, that when all things are +considered, you could find yourself in any better place in England, +than in the drawing-room of my friend Stumfold; and, if you will +allow me to say so, my friend Stumfold could hardly use his +drawing-room better, than by entertaining you."</p> + +<p>"Mr Stumfold is very good, and so is she."</p> + +<p>"Mr Stumfold is very good; and as for Mrs Stumfold, I look upon her +as a very wonderful woman,—quite a wonderful woman. For grasp of +intellect, for depth of thought, for tenderness of sentiment—perhaps +you mightn't have expected that, but there it is—for tenderness of +sentiment, for strength of faith, for purity of life, for genial +hospitality, and all the domestic duties, Mrs Stumfold has no equal +in Littlebath, and perhaps few superiors elsewhere."</p> + +<p>Here Mr Maguire paused, and Miss Mackenzie, finding herself obliged +to speak, said that she did not at all doubt it.</p> + +<p>"You need not doubt it, Miss Mackenzie. She is all that, I tell you; +and more, too. Her manners may seem a little harsh to you at first. I +know it is so sometimes with ladies before they know her well; but it +is only skin-deep, Miss Mackenzie,—only skin-deep. She is so much in +earnest about her work, that she cannot bring herself to be light and +playful as he is. Now, he is as full of play as a young lamb."</p> + +<p>"He seems to be very pleasant."</p> + +<p>"And he is always just the same. There are people, you know, who say +that religion is austere and melancholy. They never could say that if +they knew my friend Stumfold. His life is devoted to his clerical +duties. I know no man who works harder in the vineyard than Stumfold. +But he always works with a smile on his face. And why not, Miss +Mackenzie? when you think of it, why not?"</p> + +<p>"I dare say it's best not to be unhappy," said Miss Mackenzie. She +did not speak till she perceived that he had paused for her answer.</p> + +<p>"Of course we know that this world can make no one happy. What are we +that we should dare to be happy here?"</p> + +<p>Again he paused, but Miss Mackenzie feeling that she had been +ill-treated and trapped into a difficulty at her last reply, +resolutely remained silent.</p> + +<p>"I defy any man or woman to be happy here," said Mr Maguire, looking +at her with one eye and at the corner of the wall with the other in a +manner that was very terrible to her. "But we may be cheerful,—we +may go about our work singing psalms of praise instead of songs of +sorrow. Don't you agree with me, Miss Mackenzie, that psalms of +praise are better than songs of sorrow?"</p> + +<p>"I don't sing at all, myself," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"You sing in your heart, my friend; I am sure you sing in your heart. +Don't you sing in your heart?" Here again he paused.</p> + +<p>"Well; perhaps in my heart, yes."</p> + +<p>"I know you do, loud psalms of praise upon a ten-stringed lute. But +Stumfold is always singing aloud, and his lute has twenty strings." +Here the voice of the twenty-stringed singer was heard across the +large room asking the company a riddle.</p> + +<p>"Why was Peter in prison like a little boy with his shoes off?"</p> + +<p>"That's so like him," said Mr Maguire.</p> + +<p>All the ladies in the room were in a fever of expectation, and Mr +Stumfold asked the riddle again.</p> + +<p>"He won't tell them till we meet again; but there isn't one here who +won't study the life of St Peter during the next week. And what +they'll learn in that way they'll never forget."</p> + +<p>"But why was he like a little boy with his shoes off?" asked Miss +Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Ah! that's Stumfold's riddle. You must ask Mr Stumfold, and he won't +tell you till next week. But some of the ladies will be sure to find +it out before then. Have you come to settle yourself altogether at +Littlebath, Miss Mackenzie?"</p> + +<p>This question he asked very abruptly, but he had a way of looking at +her when he asked a question, which made it impossible for her to +avoid an answer.</p> + +<p>"I suppose I shall stay here for some considerable time."</p> + +<p>"Do, do," said he with energy. "Do; come and live among us, and be +one of us; come and partake with us at the feast which we are making +ready; come and eat of our crusts, and dip with us in the same dish; +come and be of our flock, and go with us into the pleasant pastures, +among the lanes and green hedges which appertain to the farm of the +Lord. Come and walk with us through the Sabbath cornfields, and pluck +the ears when you are a-hungered, disregarding the broad +phylacteries. Come and sing with us songs of a joyful heart, and let +us be glad together. What better can you do, Miss Mackenzie? I don't +believe there is a more healthy place in the world than Littlebath, +and, considering that the place is fashionable, things are really +very reasonable."</p> + +<p>He was rapid in his utterance, and so full of energy, that Miss +Mackenzie did not quite follow him in his quick transitions. She +hardly understood whether he was advising her to take up an abode in +a terrestrial Eden or a celestial Paradise; but she presumed that he +meant to be civil, so she thanked him and said she thought she would. +It was a thousand pities that he should squint so frightfully, as in +all other respects he was a good-looking man. Just at this moment +there seemed to be a sudden breaking up of the party.</p> + +<p>"We are all going away," said Mr Maguire. "We always do when Mrs +Stumfold gets up from her seat. She does it when she sees that her +father is nodding his head. You must let me out, because I've got to +say a prayer. By-the-bye, you'll allow me to walk home with you, I +hope. I shall be so happy to be useful."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie told him that the fly was coming for her, and then he +scrambled away into the middle of the room.</p> + +<p>"We always walk home from these parties," said Miss Baker, who had, +however, on this occasion, consented to be taken away by Miss +Mackenzie in the fly. "It makes it come so much cheaper, you know."</p> + +<p>"Of course it does; and it's quite as nice if everybody does it. But +you don't walk going there?"</p> + +<p>"Not generally," said Miss Baker; "but there are some of them who do +that. Miss Trotter always walks both ways, if it's ever so wet." Then +there were a few words said about Miss Trotter which were not +altogether good-natured.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, as soon as she was at home, got down her Bible and +puzzled herself for an hour over that riddle of Mr Stumfold's; but +with all her trouble she could not find why St Peter in prison was +like a little boy with his shoes off.</p> + + +<p><a name="c5" id="c5"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER V</h3> +<h3>Showing How Mr Rubb, Junior, Progressed at Littlebath<br /> </h3> + + +<p>A full week had passed by after Mrs Stumfold's tea-party before Mr +Rubb called again at the Paragon; and in the meantime Miss Mackenzie +had been informed by her lawyer that there did not appear to be any +objection to the mortgage, if she liked the investment for her money.</p> + +<p>"You couldn't do better with your money,—you couldn't indeed," said +Mr Rubb, when Miss Mackenzie, meaning to be cautious, started the +conversation at once upon matters of business.</p> + +<p>Mr Rubb had not been in any great hurry to repeat his call, and Miss +Mackenzie had resolved that if he did come again she would treat him +simply as a member of the firm with whom she had to transact certain +monetary arrangements. Beyond that she would not go; and as she so +resolved, she repented herself of the sherry and biscuit.</p> + +<p>The people whom she had met at Mr Stumfold's had been all ladies and +gentlemen; she, at least, had supposed them to be so, not having as +yet received any special information respecting the wife of the +retired coachbuilder. Mr Rubb was not a gentleman; and though she was +by no means inclined to give herself airs,—though, as she assured +herself, she believed Mr Rubb to be quite as good as herself,—yet +there was, and must always be, a difference among people. She had no +inclination to be proud; but if Providence had been pleased to place +her in one position, it did not behove her to degrade herself by +assuming a position that was lower. Therefore, on this account, and +by no means moved by any personal contempt towards Mr Rubb, or the +Rubbs of the world in general, she was resolved that she would not +ask him to take any more sherry and biscuits.</p> + +<p>Poor Miss Mackenzie! I fear that they who read this chronicle of her +life will already have allowed themselves to think worse of her than +she deserved. Many of them, I know, will think far worse of her than +they should think. Of what faults, even if we analyse her faults, has +she been guilty? Where she has been weak, who among us is not, in +that, weak also? Of what vanity has she been guilty with which the +least vain among us might not justly tax himself? Having been left +alone in the world, she has looked to make friends for herself; and +in seeking for new friends she has wished to find the best that might +come in her way.</p> + +<p>Mr Rubb was very good-looking; Mr Maguire was afflicted by a terrible +squint. Mr Rubb's mode of speaking was pleasant to her; whereas she +was by no means sure that she liked Mr Maguire's speech. But Mr +Maguire was by profession a gentleman. As the discreet young man, who +is desirous of rising in the world, will eschew skittles, and in +preference go out to tea at his aunt's house—much more delectable as +skittles are to his own heart—so did Miss Mackenzie resolve that it +would become her to select Messrs Stumfold and Maguire as her male +friends, and to treat Mr Rubb simply as a man of business. She was +denying herself skittles and beer, and putting up with tea and an old +aunt, because she preferred the proprieties of life to its pleasures. +Is it right that she should be blamed for such self-denial? But now +the skittles and beer had come after her, as those delights will +sometimes pursue the prudent youth who would fain avoid them. Mr Rubb +was there, in her drawing-room, looking extremely well, shaking hands +with her very comfortably, and soon abandoning his conversation on +that matter of business to which she had determined to confine +herself. She was angry with him, thinking him to be very free and +easy; but, nevertheless, she could not keep herself from talking to +him.</p> + +<p>"You can't do better than five per cent," he had said to her, "not +with first-class security, such as this is."</p> + +<p>All that had been well enough. Five per cent and first-class security +were, she knew, matters of business; and though Mr Rubb had winked +his eye at her as he spoke of them, leaning forward in his chair and +looking at her not at all as a man of business, but quite in a +friendly way, yet she had felt that she was so far safe. She nodded +her head also, merely intending him to understand thereby that she +herself understood something about business. But when he suddenly +changed the subject, and asked her how she liked Mr Stumfold's set, +she drew herself up suddenly and placed herself at once upon her +guard.</p> + +<p>"I have heard a great deal about Mr Stumfold," continued Mr Rubb, not +appearing to observe the lady's altered manner, "not only here and +where I have been for the last few days, but up in London also. He is +quite a public character, you know."</p> + +<p>"Clergymen in towns, who have large congregations, always must so be, +I suppose."</p> + +<p>"Well, yes; more or less. But Mr Stumfold is decidedly more, and not +less. People say he is going in for a bishopric."</p> + +<p>"I had not heard it," said Miss Mackenzie, who did not quite +understand what was meant by going in for a bishopric.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, and a very likely man he would have been a year or two ago. +But they say the prime minister has changed his tap lately."</p> + +<p>"Changed his tap!" said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"He used to draw his bishops very bitter, but now he draws them mild +and creamy. I dare say Stumfold did his best, but he didn't quite get +his hay in while the sun shone."</p> + +<p>"He seems to me to be very comfortable where he is," said Miss +Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"I dare say. It must be rather a bore for him having to live in the +house with old Peters. How Peters scraped his money together, nobody +ever knew yet; and you are aware, Miss Mackenzie, that old as he is, +he keeps it all in his own hands. That house, and everything that is +in it, belongs to him; you know that, I dare say."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, who could not keep herself from being a little +interested in these matters, said that she had not known it.</p> + +<p>"Oh dear, yes! and the carriage too. I've no doubt Stumfold will be +all right when the old fellow dies. Such men as Stumfold don't often +make mistakes about their money. But as long as old Peters lasts I +shouldn't think it can be quite serene. They say that she is always +cutting up rough with the old man."</p> + +<p>"She seemed to me to behave very well to him," said Miss Mackenzie, +remembering the carriage of the tea-cup.</p> + +<p>"I dare say it is so before company, and of course that's all right; +it's much better that the dirty linen should be washed in private. +Stumfold is a clever man, there's no doubt about that. If you've been +much to his house, you've probably met his curate, Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>"I've only been there once, but I did meet Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>"A man that squints fearfully. They say he's looking out for a wife +too, only she must not have a father living, as Mrs Stumfold has. +It's astonishing how these parsons pick up all the good things that +are going in the way of money." Miss Mackenzie, as she heard this, +could not but remember that she might be regarded as a good thing +going in the way of money, and became painfully aware that her face +betrayed her consciousness.</p> + +<p>"You'll have to keep a sharp look out," continued Mr Rubb, giving her +a kind caution, as though he were an old familiar friend.</p> + +<p>"I don't think there's any fear of that kind," said Miss Mackenzie, +blushing.</p> + +<p>"I don't know about fear, but I should say that there is great +probability; of course I am only joking about Mr Maguire. Like the +rest of them, of course, he wishes to feather his own nest; and why +shouldn't he? But you may be sure of this, Miss Mackenzie, a lady +with your fortune, and, if I may be allowed to say so, with your +personal attractions, will not want for admirers."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie was very strongly of opinion that Mr Rubb might not be +allowed to say so. She thought that he was behaving with an +unwarrantable degree of freedom in saying anything of the kind; but +she did not know how to tell him either by words or looks that such +was the case. And, perhaps, though the impertinence was almost +unendurable, the idea conveyed was not altogether so grievous; it had +certainly never hitherto occurred to her that she might become a +second Mrs Stumfold; but, after all, why not? What she wanted was +simply this, that something of interest should be added to her life. +Why should not she also work in the vineyard, in the open +quasiclerical vineyard of the Lord's people, and also in the private +vineyard of some one of the people's pastors? Mr Rubb was very +impertinent, but it might, perhaps, be worth her while to think of +what he said. As regarded Mr Maguire, the gentleman whose name had +been specially mentioned, it was quite true that he did squint +awfully.</p> + +<p>"Mr Rubb," said she, "if you please, I'd rather not talk about such +things as that."</p> + +<p>"Nevertheless, what I say is true, Miss Mackenzie; I hope you don't +take it amiss that I venture to feel an interest about you."</p> + +<p>"Oh! no," said she; "not that I suppose you do feel any special +interest about me."</p> + +<p>"But indeed I do, and isn't it natural? If you will remember that +your only brother is the oldest friend that I have in the world, how +can it be otherwise? Of course he is much older than me, and very +much older than you, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"Just twelve years," said she, very stiffly.</p> + +<p>"I thought it had been more, but in that case you and I are nearly of +an age. As that is so, how can I fail to feel an interest about you? +I have neither mother, nor sister, nor wife of my own; a sister, +indeed, I have, but she's married at Singapore, and I have not seen +her for seventeen years."</p> + +<p>"Indeed."</p> + +<p>"No, not for seventeen years; and the heart does crave for some +female friend, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"You ought to get a wife, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"That's what your brother always says. 'Samuel,' he said to me just +before I left town, 'you're settled with us now; your father has as +good as given up to you his share of the business, and you ought to +get married.' Now, Miss Mackenzie, I wouldn't take that sort of thing +from any man but your brother; it's very odd that you should say +exactly the same thing too."</p> + +<p>"I hope I have not offended you."</p> + +<p>"Offended me! no, indeed, I'm not such a fool as that. I'd sooner +know that you took an interest in me than any woman living. I would, +indeed. I dare say you don't think much of it, but when I remember +that the names of Rubb and Mackenzie have been joined together for +more than twenty years, it seems natural to me that you and I should +be friends."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, in the few moments which were allowed to her for +reflection before she was obliged to answer, again admitted to +herself that he spoke the truth. If there was any fault in the matter +the fault was with her brother Tom, who had joined the name of +Mackenzie with the name of Rubb in the first instance. Where was this +young man to look for a female friend if not to his partner's family, +seeing that he had neither wife nor mother of his own, nor indeed a +sister, except one out at Singapore, who was hardly available for any +of the purposes of family affection? And yet it was hard upon her. It +was through no negligence on her part that poor Mr Rubb was so ill +provided. "Perhaps it might have been so if I had continued to live +in London," said Miss Mackenzie; "but as I live at Littlebath—" Then +she paused, not knowing how to finish her sentence.</p> + +<p>"What difference does that make? The distance is nothing if you come +to think of it. Your hall door is just two hours and a quarter from +our place of business in the New Road; and it's one pound five and +nine if you go by first-class and cabs, or sixteen and ten if you put +up with second-class and omnibuses. There's no other way of counting. +Miles mean nothing now-a-days."</p> + +<p>"They don't mean much, certainly."</p> + +<p>"They mean nothing. Why, Miss Mackenzie, I should think it no trouble +at all to run down and consult you about anything that occurred, +about any matter of business that weighed at all heavily, if nothing +prevented me except distance. Thirty shillings more than does it all, +with a return ticket, including a bit of lunch at the station."</p> + +<p>"Oh! and as for that—"</p> + +<p>"I know what you mean, Miss Mackenzie, and I shall never forget how +kind you were to offer me refreshment when I was here before."</p> + +<p>"But, Mr Rubb, I hope you won't think of doing such a thing. What +good could I do you? I know nothing about business; and really, to +tell the truth, I should be most unwilling to interfere—that is, you +know, to say anything about anything of the kind."</p> + +<p>"I only meant to point out that the distance is nothing. And as to +what you were advising me about getting +<span class="nowrap">married—"</span></p> + +<p>"I didn't mean to advise you, Mr Rubb!"</p> + +<p>"I thought you said so."</p> + +<p>"But, of course, I did not intend to discuss such a matter +seriously."</p> + +<p>"It's a most serious subject to me, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"No doubt; but it's one I can't know anything about. Men in business +generally do find, I think, that they get on better when they are +married."</p> + +<p>"Yes, they do."</p> + +<p>"That's all I meant to say, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>After this he sat silent for a few minutes, and I am inclined to +think that he was weighing in his mind the expediency of asking her +to become Mrs Rubb, on the spur of the moment. But if so, his mind +finally gave judgment against the attempt, and in giving such +judgment his mind was right. He would certainly have so startled her +by the precipitancy of such a proposition, as to have greatly +endangered the probability of any further intimacy with her. As it +was, he changed the conversation, and began to ask questions as to +the welfare of his partner's daughter. At this period of the day +Susanna was at school, and he was informed that she would not be home +till the evening. Then he plucked up courage and begged to be allowed +to come again,—just to look in at eight o'clock, so that he might +see Susanna. He could not go back to London comfortably, unless he +could give some tidings of Susanna to the family in Gower Street. +What was she to do? Of course she was obliged to ask him to drink tea +with them. "That would be so pleasant," he said; and Miss Mackenzie +owned to herself that the gratification expressed in his face as he +spoke was very becoming.</p> + +<p>When Susanna came home she did not seem to know much of Mr Rubb, +junior, or to care much about him. Old Mr Rubb lived, she knew, near +the place of business in the New Road, and sometimes he came to Gower +Street, but nobody liked him. She didn't remember that she had ever +seen Mr Rubb, junior, at her mother's house but once, when he came to +dinner. When she was told that Mr Rubb was very anxious to see her, +she chucked up her head and said that the man was a goose.</p> + +<p>He came, and in a very few minutes he had talked over Susanna. He +brought her a little present,—a work-box,—which he had bought for +her at Littlebath; and though the work-box itself did not altogether +avail, it paved the way for civil words, which were more efficacious. +On this occasion he talked more to his partner's daughter than to his +partner's sister, and promised to tell her mamma how well she was +looking, and that the air of Littlebath had brought roses to her +cheeks.</p> + +<p>"I think it is a healthy place," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"I'm quite sure it is," said Mr Rubb. "And you like Mrs Crammer's +school, Susanna?"</p> + +<p>She would have preferred to have been called Miss Mackenzie, but was +not disposed to quarrel with him on the point.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I like it very well," she said. "The other girls are very nice; +and if one must go to school, I suppose it's as good as any other +school."</p> + +<p>"Susanna thinks that going to school at all is rather a nuisance," +said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"You'd think so too, aunt, if you had to practise every day for an +hour in the same room with four other pianos. It's my belief that I +shall hate the sound of a piano the longest day that I shall live."</p> + +<p>"I suppose it's the same with all young ladies," said Mr Rubb.</p> + +<p>"It's the same with them all at Mrs Crammer's. There isn't one there +that does not hate it."</p> + +<p>"But you wouldn't like not to be able to play," said her aunt.</p> + +<p>"Mamma doesn't play, and you don't play; and I don't see what's the +use of it. It won't make anybody like music to hear four pianos all +going at the same time, and all of them out of tune."</p> + +<p>"You must not tell them in Gower Street, Mr Rubb, that Susanna talks +like that," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Yes, you may, Mr Rubb. But you must tell them at the same time that +I am quite happy, and that Aunt Margaret is the dearest woman in the +world."</p> + +<p>"I'll be sure to tell them that," said Mr Rubb. Then he went away, +pressing Miss Mackenzie's hand warmly as he took his leave; and as +soon as he was gone, his character was of course discussed.</p> + +<p>"He's quite a different man, aunt, from what I thought; and he's not +at all like old Mr Rubb. Old Mr Rubb, when he comes to drink tea in +Gower Street, puts his handkerchief over his knees to catch the +crumbs."</p> + +<p>"There's no great harm in that, Susanna."</p> + +<p>"I don't suppose there's any harm in it. It's not wicked. It's not +wicked to eat gravy with your knife."</p> + +<p>"And does old Mr Rubb do that?"</p> + +<p>"Always. We used to laugh at him, because he is so clever at it. He +never spills any; and his knife seems to be quite as good as a spoon. +But this Mr Rubb doesn't do things of that sort."</p> + +<p>"He's younger, my dear."</p> + +<p>"But being younger doesn't make people more ladylike of itself."</p> + +<p>"I did not know that Mr Rubb was exactly ladylike."</p> + +<p>"That's taking me up unfairly; isn't it, aunt? You know what I meant; +and only fancy that the man should go out and buy me a work-box. +That's more than old Mr Rubb ever did for any of us, since the first +day he knew us. And, then, didn't you think that young Mr Rubb is a +handsome man, aunt?"</p> + +<p>"He's all very well, my dear."</p> + +<p>"Oh; I think he is downright handsome; I do, indeed. Miss +Dumpus,—that's Mrs Crammer's sister,—told us the other day, that I +was wrong to talk about a man being handsome; but that must be +nonsense, aunt?"</p> + +<p>"I don't see that at all, my dear. If she told you so, you ought to +believe that it is not nonsense."</p> + +<p>"Come, aunt; you don't mean to tell me that you would believe all +that Miss Dumpus says. Miss Dumpus says that girls should never laugh +above their breath when they are more than fourteen years old. How +can you make a change in your laughing just when you come to be +fourteen? And why shouldn't you say a man's handsome, if he is +handsome?"</p> + +<p>"You'd better go to bed, Susanna."</p> + +<p>"That won't make Mr Rubb ugly. I wish you had asked him to come and +dine here on Sunday, so that we might have seen whether he eats his +gravy with his knife. I looked very hard to see whether he'd catch +his crumbs in his handkerchief."</p> + +<p>Then Susanna went to her bed, and Miss Mackenzie was left alone to +think over the perfections and imperfections of Mr Samuel Rubb, +junior.</p> + +<p>From that time up to Christmas she saw no more of Mr Rubb; but she +heard from him twice. His letters, however, had reference solely to +business, and were not of a nature to produce either anger or +admiration. She had also heard more than once from her lawyer; and a +question had arisen as to which she was called upon to trust to her +own judgment for a decision. Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie had wanted the +money at once, whereas the papers for the mortgage were not ready. +Would Miss Mackenzie allow Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie to have the +money under these circumstances? To this inquiry from her lawyer she +made a rejoinder asking for advice. Her lawyer told her that he could +not recommend her, in the ordinary way of business, to make any +advance of money without positive security; but, as this was a matter +between friends and near relatives, she might perhaps be willing to +do it; and he added that, as far as his own opinion went, he did not +think that there would be any great risk. But then it all depended on +this:—did she want to oblige her friends and near relatives? In +answer to this question she told herself that she certainly did wish +to do so; and she declared,—also to herself,—that she was willing +to advance the money to her brother, even though there might be some +risk. The upshot of all this was that Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie got +the money some time in October, but that the mortgage was not +completed when Christmas came. It was on this matter that Mr Rubb, +junior, had written to Miss Mackenzie, and his letter had been of a +nature to give her a feeling of perfect security in the transaction. +With her brother she had had no further correspondence; but this did +not surprise her, as her brother was a man much less facile in his +modes of expression than his younger partner.</p> + +<p>As the autumn had progressed at Littlebath, she had become more and +more intimate with Miss Baker, till she had almost taught herself to +regard that lady as a dear friend. She had fallen into the habit of +going to Mrs Stumfold's tea-parties every fortnight, and was now +regarded as a regular Stumfoldian by all those who interested +themselves in such matters. She had begun a system of district +visiting and Bible reading with Miss Baker, which had at first been +very agreeable to her. But Mrs Stumfold had on one occasion called +upon her and taken her to task,—as Miss Mackenzie had thought, +rather abruptly,—with reference to some lack of energy or indiscreet +omission of which she had been judged to be guilty by that +highly-gifted lady. Against this Miss Mackenzie had rebelled mildly, +and since that things had not gone quite so pleasantly with her. She +had still been honoured with Mrs Stumfold's card of invitation, and +had still gone to the tea-parties on Miss Baker's strenuously-urged +advice; but Mrs Stumfold had frowned, and Miss Mackenzie had felt the +frown; Mrs Stumfold had frowned, and the retired coachbuilder's wife +had at once snubbed the culprit, and Mr Maguire had openly expressed +himself to be uneasy.</p> + +<p>"Dearest Miss Mackenzie," he had said, with charitable zeal, "if +there has been anything wrong, just beg her pardon, and you will find +that everything has been forgotten at once; a more forgiving woman +than Mrs Stumfold never lived."</p> + +<p>"But suppose I have done nothing to be forgiven," urged Miss +Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>Mr Maguire looked at her, and shook his head, the exact meaning of +the look she could not understand, as the peculiarity of his eyes +created confusion; but when he repeated twice to her the same words, +"The heart of man is exceeding treacherous," she understood that he +meant to condemn her.</p> + +<p>"So it is, Mr Maguire, but that is no reason why Mrs Stumfold should +scold me."</p> + +<p>Then he got up and left her, and did not speak to her again that +evening, but he called on her the next day, and was very affectionate +in his manner. In Mr Stumfold's mode of treating her she had found no +difference.</p> + +<p>With Miss Todd, whom she met constantly in the street, and who always +nodded to her very kindly, she had had one very remarkable interview.</p> + +<p>"I think we had better give it up, my dear," Miss Todd had said to +her. This had been in Miss Baker's drawing-room.</p> + +<p>"Give what up?" Miss Mackenzie had asked.</p> + +<p>"Any idea of our knowing each other. I'm sure it never can come to +anything, though for my part I should have been so glad. You see you +can't serve God and Mammon, and it is settled beyond all doubt that +I'm Mammon. Isn't it, Mary?"</p> + +<p>Miss Baker, to whom this appeal was made, answered it only by a sigh.</p> + +<p>"You see," continued Miss Todd, "that Miss Baker is allowed to know +me, though I am Mammon, for the sake of auld lang syne. There have +been so many things between us that it wouldn't do for us to drop +each other. We have had the same lovers; and you know, Mary, that +you've been very near coming over to Mammon yourself. There's a sort +of understanding that Miss Baker is not to be required to cut me. But +they would not allow that sort of liberty to a new comer; they +wouldn't, indeed."</p> + +<p>"I don't know that anybody would be likely to interfere with me," +said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Yes, they would, my dear. You didn't quite know yourself which way +it was to be when you first came here, and if it had been my way, I +should have been most happy to have made myself civil. You have +chosen now, and I don't doubt but what you have chosen right. I +always tell Mary Baker that it does very well for her, and I dare say +it will do very well for you too. There's a great deal in it, and +only that some of them do tell such lies I think I should have tried +it myself. But, my dear Miss Mackenzie, you can't do both."</p> + +<p>After this Miss Mackenzie used to nod to Miss Todd in the street, but +beyond that there was no friendly intercourse between those ladies.</p> + +<p>At the beginning of December there came an invitation to Miss +Mackenzie to spend the Christmas holidays away from Littlebath, and +as she accepted this invitation, and as we must follow her to the +house of her friends, we will postpone further mention of the matter +till the next chapter.</p> + + +<p><a name="c6" id="c6"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER VI</h3> +<h3>Miss Mackenzie Goes to the Cedars<br /> </h3> + + +<p>About the middle of December Mrs Mackenzie, of Gower Street, received +a letter from her sister-in-law at Littlebath, in which it was +proposed that Susanna should pass the Christmas holidays with her +father and mother. "I myself," said the letter, "am going for three +weeks to the Cedars. Lady Ball has written to me, and as she seems to +wish it, I shall go. It is always well, I think, to drop family +dissensions." The letter said a great deal more, for Margaret +Mackenzie, not having much business on hand, was fond of writing long +letters; but the upshot of it was, that she would leave Susanna in +Gower Street, on her way to the Cedars, and call for her on her +return home.</p> + +<p>"What on earth is she going there for?" said Mrs Tom Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Because they have asked her," replied the husband.</p> + +<p>"Of course they have asked her; but that's no reason she should go. +The Balls have behaved very badly to us, and I should think much +better of her if she stayed away."</p> + +<p>To this Mr Mackenzie made no answer, but simply remarked that he +would be rejoiced in having Susanna at home on Christmas Day.</p> + +<p>"That's all very well, my dear," said Mrs Tom, "and of course so +shall I. But as she has taken the charge of the child I don't think +she ought to drop her down and pick her up just whenever she pleases. +Suppose she was to take it into her head to stop at the Cedars +altogether, what are we to do then?—just have the girl returned upon +our hands, with all her ideas of life confused and deranged. I hate +such ways."</p> + +<p>"She has promised to provide for Susanna, whenever she may not +continue to give her a home."</p> + +<p>"What would such a promise be worth if John Ball got hold of her +money? That's what they're after, as sure as my name is Martha; and +what she's after too, very likely. She was there once before she went +to Littlebath at all. They want to get their uncle's money back, and +she wants to be a baronet's wife."</p> + +<p>The same view of the matter was perhaps taken by Mr Rubb, junior, +when he was told that Miss Mackenzie was to pass through London on +her way to the Cedars, though he did not express his fears openly, as +Mrs Mackenzie had done.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you ask your sister to stay in Gower Street?" he said to +his partner.</p> + +<p>"She wouldn't come."</p> + +<p>"You might at any rate ask her."</p> + +<p>"What good would it do?"</p> + +<p>"Well; I don't know that it would do any good; but it wouldn't do any +harm. Of course it's natural that she should wish to have friends +about her; and it will only be natural too that she should marry some +one."</p> + +<p>"She may marry whom she pleases for me."</p> + +<p>"She will marry whom she pleases; but I suppose you don't want to see +her money go to the Balls."</p> + +<p>"I shouldn't care a straw where her money went," said Thomas +Mackenzie, "if I could only know that this sum which we have had from +her was properly arranged. To tell you the truth, Rubb, I'm ashamed +to look my sister in the face."</p> + +<p>"That's nonsense. Her money is as right as the bank; and if in such +matters as that brothers and sisters can't take liberties with each +other, who the deuce can?"</p> + +<p>"In matters of money nobody should ever take a liberty with anybody," +said Mr Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>He knew, however, that a great liberty had been taken with his +sister's money, and that his firm had no longer the power of +providing her with the security which had been promised to her.</p> + +<p>Mr Mackenzie would take no steps, at his partner's instance, towards +arresting his sister in London; but Mr Rubb was more successful with +Mrs Mackenzie, with whom, during the last month or two, he had +contrived to establish a greater intimacy than had ever previously +existed between the two families. He had been of late a good deal in +Gower Street, and Mrs Mackenzie had found him to be a much pleasanter +and better educated man than she had expected. Such was the language +in which she expressed her praise of him, though I am disposed to +doubt whether she herself was at all qualified to judge of the +education of any man. He had now talked over the affairs of Margaret +Mackenzie with her sister-in-law, and the result of that talking was +that Mrs Mackenzie wrote a letter to Littlebath, pressing Miss +Mackenzie to stay a few days in Gower Street, on her way through +London. She did this as well as she knew how to do it; but still +there was that in the letter which plainly told an apt reader that +there was no reality in the professions of affection made in it. Miss +Mackenzie became well aware of the fact as she read her sister's +words. Available hypocrisy is a quality very difficult of attainment +and of all hypocrisies, epistolatory hypocrisy is perhaps the most +difficult. A man or woman must have studied the matter very +thoroughly, or be possessed of great natural advantages in that +direction, who can so fill a letter with false expressions of +affection, as to make any reader believe them to be true. Mrs +Mackenzie was possessed of no such skill.</p> + +<p>"Believe her to be my affectionate sister-in-law! I won't believe her +to be anything of the kind," Margaret so spoke of the writer to +herself, when she had finished the letter; but, nevertheless, she +answered it with kind language, saying that she could not stay in +town as she passed through to the Cedars, but that she would pass one +night in Gower Street when she called to pick up Susanna on her +return home.</p> + +<p>It is hard to say what pleasure she promised herself in going to the +Cedars, or why she accepted that invitation. She had, in truth, liked +neither the people nor the house, and had felt herself to be +uncomfortable while she was there. I think she felt it to be a duty +to force herself to go out among people who, though they were +personally disagreeable to her, might be socially advantageous. If +Sir John Ball had not been a baronet, the call to the Cedars would +not have been so imperative on her. And yet she was not a tufthunter, +nor a toady. She was doing what we all do,—endeavouring to choose +her friends from the best of those who made overtures to her of +friendship. If other things be equal, it is probable that a baronet +will be more of a gentleman and a pleasanter fellow than a +manufacturer of oilcloth. Who is there that doesn't feel that? It is +true that she had tried the baronet, and had not found him very +pleasant, but that might probably have been her own fault. She had +been shy and stiff, and perhaps ill-mannered, or had at least accused +herself of these faults; and therefore she resolved to go again.</p> + +<p>She called with Susanna as she passed through London, and just saw +her sister-in-law.</p> + +<p>"I wish you could have stayed," said Mrs Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"I will for one night, as I return, on the 10th of January," said +Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>Mrs Mackenzie could not understand what Mr Rubb had meant by saying +that that old maid was soft and pleasant, nor could she understand +Susanna's love for her aunt. "I suppose men will put up with anything +for the sake of money," she said to herself; "and as for children, +the truth is, they'll love anybody who indulges them."</p> + +<p>"Aunt is so kind," Susanna said. "She's always kind. If you wake her +up in the middle of the night, she's kind in a moment. And if there's +anything good to eat, it will make her eyes quite shine if she sees +that anybody else likes it. I have known her sit for half an hour +ever so uncomfortable, because she would not disturb the cat."</p> + +<p>"Then she must be a fool, my dear," said Mrs Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"She isn't a fool, mamma; I'm quite sure of that," said Susanna.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie went on to the Cedars, and her mind almost misgave her +in going there, as she was driven up through the dull brick lodges, +which looked as though no paint had touched them for the last thirty +years, up to the front door of the dull brick house, which bore +almost as dreary a look of neglect as the lodges. It was a large +brick house of three stories, with the door in the middle, and three +windows on each side of the door, and a railed area with a kitchen +below the ground. Such houses were built very commonly in the +neighbourhood of London some hundred and fifty years ago, and they +may still be pleasant enough to the eye if there be ivy over them, +and if they be clean with new paint, and spruce with the outer care +of gardeners and the inner care of housemaids; but old houses are +often like old ladies, who require more care in their dressing than +they who are younger. Very little care was given to the Cedars, and +the place therefore always looked ill-dressed. On the right hand as +you entered was the dining-room, and the three windows to the left +were all devoted to the hall. Behind the dining-room was Sir John's +study, as he called it, and behind or beyond the hall was the +drawing-room, from which four windows looked out into the garden. +This might have been a pretty room had any care been taken to make +anything pretty at the Cedars. But the furniture was old, and the +sofas were hard, and the tables were rickety, and the curtains which +had once been red had become brown with the sun. The dinginess of the +house had not struck Miss Mackenzie so forcibly when she first +visited it, as it did now. Then she had come almost direct from +Arundel Street, and the house in Arundel Street had itself been very +dingy. Mrs Stumfold's drawing-rooms were not dingy, nor were her own +rooms in the Paragon. Her eye had become accustomed to better things, +and she now saw at once how old were the curtains, and how lamentably +the papers wanted to be renewed on the walls. She had, however, been +drawn from the neighbouring station to the house in the private +carriage belonging to the establishment, and if there was any sense +of justice in her, it must be presumed that she balanced the good +things with the bad.</p> + +<p>But her mind misgave her, not because the house was outwardly dreary, +but in fear of the inward dreariness of the people—or in fear rather +of their dreariness and pride combined. Old Lady Ball, though +naturally ill-natured, was not ill-mannered, nor did she give herself +any special airs; but she knew that she was a baronet's wife, that +she kept her carriage, and that it was an obligation upon her to make +up for the poverty of her house by some little haughtiness of +demeanour. There are women, high in rank, but poor in pocket, so +gifted with the peculiar grace of aristocracy, that they show by +every word spoken, by every turn of the head, by every step taken, +that they are among the high ones of the earth, and that money has +nothing to do with it. Old Lady Ball was not so gifted, nor had she +just claim to such gifts. But some idea on the subject pervaded her +mind, and she made efforts to be aristocratic in her poverty. Sir +John was a discontented, cross old man, who had succeeded greatly in +early life, having been for nearly twenty years in Parliament, but +had fallen into adversity in his older days. The loss of that very +money of which his niece, Miss Mackenzie was possessed, was, in +truth, the one great misfortune which he deplored; but that +misfortune had had ramifications and extensions with which the reader +need not trouble himself; but which, altogether, connected as they +were with certain liberal aspirations which he had entertained in +early life, and certain political struggles made during his +parliamentary career, induced him to regard himself as a sort of +Prometheus. He had done much for the world, and the world in return +had made him a baronet without any money! He was a very tall, thin, +gray-haired, old man, stooping much, and worn with age, but still +endowed with some strength of will, and great capability of making +himself unpleasant. His son was a bald-headed, stout man, somewhat +past forty, who was by no means without cleverness, having done great +things as a young man at Oxford; but in life he had failed. He was a +director of certain companies in London, at which he used to attend, +receiving his guinea for doing so, and he had some small +capital,—some remnant of his father's trade wealth, which he nursed +with extreme care, buying shares here and there and changing his +money about as his keen outlook into City affairs directed him. I do +not suppose that he had much talent for the business, or he would +have grown rich; but a certain careful zeal carried him on without +direct loss, and gave him perhaps five per cent for his capital, +whereas he would have received no more than four and a half had he +left it alone and taken his dividends without troubling himself. As +the difference did not certainly amount to a hundred a-year, it can +hardly be said that he made good use of his time. His zeal deserved a +better success. He was always thinking of his money, excusing himself +to himself and to others by the fact of his nine children. For myself +I think that his children were no justification to him; as they would +have been held to be none, had he murdered and robbed his neighbours +for their sake.</p> + +<p>There had been a crowd of girls in the house when Miss Mackenzie had +paid her former visit to the Cedars,—so many that she had carried +away no remembrance of them as individuals. But at that time the +eldest son, a youth now just of age, was not at home. This hope of +the Balls, who was endeavouring to do at Oxford as his father had +done, was now with his family, and came forward to meet his cousin as +the old carriage was driven up to the door. Old Sir John stood +within, in the hall, mindful of the window air, and Lady Ball, a +little mindful of her dignity, remained at the drawing-room door. +Even though Miss Mackenzie had eight hundred a-year, and was nearly +related to the Incharrow family, a further advance than the +drawing-room door would be inexpedient; for the lady, with all her +virtues, was still sister to the man who dealt in retail oilcloth in +the New Road!</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie thought nothing of this, but was well contented to be +received by her hostess in the drawing-room.</p> + +<p>"It's a dull house to come to, my dear," said Lady Ball; "but blood +is thicker than water, they say, and we thought that perhaps you +might like to be with your cousins at Christmas."</p> + +<p>"I shall like it very much," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"I suppose you must find it rather sad, living alone at Littlebath, +away from all your people?"</p> + +<p>"I have my niece with me, you know."</p> + +<p>"A niece, have you? That's one of the girls from Gower Street, I +suppose? It's very kind of you, and I dare say, very proper."</p> + +<p>"But Littlebath is a very gay place, I thought," said John Ball, the +third and youngest of the name. "We always hear of it at Oxford as +being the most stunning place for parties anywhere near."</p> + +<p>"I suppose you play cards every night of your life," said the +baronet.</p> + +<p>"No; I don't play cards," said Miss Mackenzie. "Many ladies do, but +I'm not in that set."</p> + +<p>"What set are you in?" said Sir John.</p> + +<p>"I don't think I am in any set. I know Mr Stumfold, the clergyman +there, and I go to his house sometimes."</p> + +<p>"Oh, ah; I see," said Sir John. "I beg your pardon for mentioning +cards. I shouldn't have done it, if I had known that you were one of +Mr Stumfold's people."</p> + +<p>"I am not one of Mr Stumfold's people especially," she said, and then +she went upstairs.</p> + +<p>The other John Ball came back from London just in time for +dinner—the middle one of the three, whom we will call Mr Ball. He +greeted his cousin very kindly, and then said a word or two to his +mother about shares. She answered him, assuming a look of interest in +his tidings.</p> + +<p>"I don't understand it; upon my word, I don't," said he. "Some of +them will burn their fingers before they've done. I don't dare do it; +I know that."</p> + +<p>In the evening, when John Ball,—or Jack, as he was called in the +family,—had left the drawing-room, and the old man was alone with +his son, they discussed the position of Margaret Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"You'll find she has taken up with the religious people there," said +the father.</p> + +<p>"It's just what she would do," said the son.</p> + +<p>"They're the greatest thieves going. When once they have got their +eyes upon money, they never take them off again."</p> + +<p>"She's not been there long enough yet to give any one a hold upon +her."</p> + +<p>"I don't know that, John; but, if you'll take my advice, you'll find +out the truth at once. She has no children, and if you've made up +your mind about it, you'll do no good by delay."</p> + +<p>"She's a very nice woman, in her way."</p> + +<p>"Yes, she's nice enough. She's not a beauty; eh, John? and she won't +set the Thames on fire."</p> + +<p>"I don't wish her to do so; but I think she'd look after the girls, +and do her duty."</p> + +<p>"I dare say; unless she has taken to run after prayer-meetings every +hour of her life."</p> + +<p>"They don't often do that after they're married, sir."</p> + +<p>"Well; I know nothing against her. I never thought much of her +brothers, and I never cared to know them. One's dead now, and as for +the other, I don't suppose he need trouble you much. If you've made +up your mind about it, I think you might as well ask her at once." +From all which it may be seen that Miss Mackenzie had been invited to +the Cedars with a direct object on the part of Mr Ball.</p> + +<p>But though the old gentleman thus strongly advised instant action, +nothing was done during Christmas week, nor had any hint been given +up to the end of the year. John Ball, however, had not altogether +lost his time, and had played the part of middle-aged lover better +than might have been expected from one the whole tenor of whose life +was so thoroughly unromantic. He did manage to make himself pleasant +to Miss Mackenzie, and so far ingratiated himself with her that he +won much of her confidence in regard to money matters.</p> + +<p>"But that's a very large sum of money?" he said to her one day as +they were sitting together in his father's study. He was alluding to +the amount which she had lent to Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie, and had +become aware of the fact that as yet Miss Mackenzie held no security +for the loan. "Two thousand five hundred pounds is a very large sum +of money."</p> + +<p>"But I'm to get five per cent, John." They were first cousins, but it +was not without some ceremonial difficulty that they had arrived at +each other's Christian names.</p> + +<p>"My dear Margaret, their word for five per cent is no security. Five +per cent is nothing magnificent. A lady situated as you are should +never part with her money without security—never: but if she does, +she should have more than five per cent."</p> + +<p>"You'll find it's all right, I don't doubt," said Miss Mackenzie, +who, however, was beginning to have little inward tremblings of her +own.</p> + +<p>"I hope so; but I must say, I think Mr Slow has been much to blame. I +do, indeed." Mr Slow was the attorney who had for years acted for +Walter Mackenzie and his father, and was now acting for Miss +Mackenzie. "Will you allow me to go to him and see about it?"</p> + +<p>"It has not been his fault. He wrote and asked me whether I would let +them have it, before the papers were ready, and I said I would."</p> + +<p>"But may I ask about it?"</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie paused before she answered:</p> + +<p>"I think you had better not, John. Remember that Tom is my own +brother, and I should not like to seem to doubt him. Indeed, I do not +doubt him in the least—nor yet Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"I can assure you that it is a very bad way of doing business," said +the anxious lover.</p> + +<p>By degrees she began to like her cousin John Ball. I do not at all +wish the reader to suppose that she had fallen in love with that +bald-headed, middle-aged gentleman, or that she even thought of him +in the light of a possible husband; but she found herself to be +comfortable in his company, and was able to make a friend of him. It +is true that he talked to her more of money than anything else; but +then it was her money of which he talked, and he did it with an +interest that could not but flatter her. He was solicitous about her +welfare, gave her bits of advice, did one or two commissions for her +in town, called her Margaret, and was kind and cousinly. The Cedars, +she thought, was altogether more pleasant than she had found the +place before. Then she told herself that on the occasion of her +former visit she had not been there long enough to learn to like the +place or the people. Now she knew them, and though she still dreaded +her uncle and his cross sayings, and though that driving out with her +aunt in the old carriage was tedious, she would have been glad to +prolong her stay there, had she not bound herself to take Susanna +back to school at Littlebath on a certain day. When that day came +near—and it did come very near before Mr Ball spoke out—they +pressed her to prolong her stay. This was done by both Lady Ball and +by her son.</p> + +<p>"You might as well remain with us another fortnight," said Lady Ball +during one of these drives. It was the last drive which Miss +Mackenzie had through Twickenham lanes during that visit to the +Cedars.</p> + +<p>"I can't do it, aunt, because of Susanna."</p> + +<p>"I don't see that at all. You're not to make yourself a slave to +Susanna."</p> + +<p>"But I'm to make myself a mother to her as well as I can."</p> + +<p>"I must say you have been rather hasty, my dear. Suppose you were to +change your mode of life, what would you do?"</p> + +<p>Then Miss Mackenzie, blushing slightly in the obscure corner of the +carriage as she spoke, explained to Lady Ball that clause in her +agreement with her brother respecting the five hundred pounds.</p> + +<p>"Oh, indeed," said Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>The information thus given had been manifestly distasteful, and the +conversation was for a while interrupted; but Lady Ball returned to +her request before they were again at home.</p> + +<p>"I really do think you might stop, Margaret. Now that we have all got +to know each other, it will be a great pity that it all should be +broken up."</p> + +<p>"But I hope it won't be broken up, aunt."</p> + +<p>"You know what I mean, my dear. When people live so far off they +can't see each other constantly; and now you are here, I think you +might stay a little longer. I know there is not much +<span class="nowrap">attraction—"</span></p> + +<p>"Oh, aunt, don't say that! I like being here very much."</p> + +<p>"Then, why can't you stay? Write and tell Mrs Tom that she must keep +Susanna at home for another week or so. It can't matter."</p> + +<p>To this Miss Mackenzie made no immediate answer.</p> + +<p>"It is not only for myself I speak, but John likes having you here +with his girls; and Jack is so fond of you; and John himself is quite +different while you are here. Do stay!"</p> + +<p>Saying which Lady Ball put out her hand caressingly on Miss +Mackenzie's arm.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I mustn't," said Miss Mackenzie, very slowly. "Much as I +should like it, I'm afraid I mustn't do it. I've pledged myself to go +back with Susanna, and I like to be as good as my word."</p> + +<p>Lady Ball drew herself up.</p> + +<p>"I never went so much out of my way to ask any one to stay in my +house before," she said.</p> + +<p>"Dear aunt! don't be angry with me."</p> + +<p>"Oh no! I'm not angry. Here we are. Will you get out first?"</p> + +<p>Whereupon Lady Ball descended from the carriage, and walked into the +house with a good deal of dignity.</p> + +<p>"What a wicked old woman she was!" virtuous readers will say; "what a +wicked old woman to endeavour to catch that poor old maid's fortune +for her son!"</p> + +<p>But I deny that she was in any degree a wicked old woman on that +score. Why should not the two cousins marry, and do very well +together with their joint means? Lady Ball intended to make a +baronet's wife of her. If much was to be taken, was not much also to +be given?</p> + +<p>"You are going to stay, are you not?" Jack said to her that evening, +as he wished her good-night. She was very fond of Jack, who was a +nice-looking, smooth-faced young fellow, idolised by his sisters over +whom he tyrannised, and bullied by his grandfather, before whom he +quaked.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid not, Jack; but you shall come and see me at Littlebath, +if you will."</p> + +<p>"I should like it, of all things; but I do wish you'd stay: the house +is so much nicer when you are in it!"</p> + +<p>But of course she could not stay at the request of the young lad, +when she had refused the request of the lad's grandmother.</p> + +<p>After this she had one day to remain at the Cedars. It was a +Thursday, and on the Friday she was to go to her brother's house on +her way to Littlebath. On the Thursday morning Mr Ball waylaid her on +the staircase, as she came down to breakfast, and took her with him +into the drawing-room. There he made his request, standing with her +in the middle of the room.</p> + +<p>"Margaret," he said, "must you go away and leave us?"</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I must, John," she said.</p> + +<p>"I wish we could make you think better of it."</p> + +<p>"Of course I should like to stay, but—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, there's always a but. I should have thought that, of all people +in the world, you were the one most able to do just what you please +with your time."</p> + +<p>"We have all got duties to do, John."</p> + +<p>"Of course we have; but why shouldn't it be your duty to make your +relations happy? If you could only know how much I like your being +here?"</p> + +<p>Had it not been that she did not dare to do that for the son which +she had refused to the mother, I think that she would have given way. +As it was, she did not know how to yield, after having persevered so +long.</p> + +<p>"You are all so kind," she said, giving him her hand, "that it goes +to my heart to refuse you; but I'm afraid I can't. I do not wish to +give my brother's wife cause to complain of me."</p> + +<p>"Then," said Mr Ball, speaking very slowly, "I must ask this favour +of you, that you will let me see you alone for half an hour after +dinner this evening."</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Margaret. After tea I will go into the study, and perhaps +you will follow me."</p> + + +<p><a name="c7" id="c7"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER VII</h3> +<h3>Miss Mackenzie Leaves the Cedars<br /> </h3> + + +<p>There was something so serious in her cousin's request to her, and so +much of gravity in his mode of making it, that Miss Mackenzie could +not but think of it throughout the day. On what subject did he wish +to speak to her in so solemn and special a manner? An idea of the +possibility of an offer no doubt crossed her mind and fluttered her, +but it did not do more than this; it did not remain fixed with her, +or induce her to resolve what answer she would give if such offer +were made. She was afraid to allow herself to think that such a thing +could happen, and put the matter away from her,—uneasily, indeed, +but still with so much resolution as to leave her with a conviction +that she need not give any consideration to such an hypothesis.</p> + +<p>And she was not at a loss to suggest to herself another subject. Her +cousin had learned something about her money which he felt himself +bound to tell her, but which he would not have told her now had she +consented to remain at the Cedars. There was something wrong about +the loan. This made her seriously unhappy, for she dreaded the +necessity of discussing her brother's conduct with her cousin.</p> + +<p>During the whole of the day Lady Ball was very courteous, but rather +distant. Lady Ball had said to herself that Margaret would have +stayed had she been in a disposition favourable to John Ball's hopes. +If she should decline the alliance with which the Balls proposed to +honour her, then Lady Ball was prepared to be very cool. There would +be an ingratitude in such a proceeding after the open-armed affection +which had been shown to her which Lady Ball could not readily bring +herself to forgive. Sir John, once or twice during the day, took up +his little sarcasms against her supposed religious tendencies at +Littlebath.</p> + +<p>"You'll be glad to get back to Mr Stumfold," he said.</p> + +<p>"I shall be glad to see him, of course," she answered, "as he is a +friend."</p> + +<p>"Mr Stumfold has a great many lady friends at Littlebath," he +continued.</p> + +<p>"Yes, a great many," said Miss Mackenzie, understanding well that she +was being bullied.</p> + +<p>"What a pity that there can be only one Mrs Stumfold," snarled the +baronet; "it's often a wonder to me how women can be so foolish."</p> + +<p>"And it's often a wonder to me," said Miss Mackenzie, "how gentlemen +can be so ill-natured."</p> + +<p>She had plucked up her spirits of late, and had resented Sir John's +ill-humour.</p> + +<p>At the usual hour Mr Ball came home to dinner, and Miss Mackenzie, as +soon as she saw him, again became fluttered. She perceived that he +was not at his ease, and that made her worse. When he spoke to the +girls he seemed hardly to mind what he was saying, and he greeted his +mother without any whispered tidings as to the share-market of the +day.</p> + +<p>Margaret asked herself if it could be possible that anything was very +wrong about her own money. If the worst came to the worst she could +but have lost that two thousand five hundred pounds and she would be +able to live well enough without it. If her brother had asked her for +it, she would have given it to him. She would teach herself to regard +it as a gift, and then the subject would not make her unhappy.</p> + +<p>They all came down to dinner, and they all went in to tea, and the +tea-things were taken away, and then John Ball arose. During tea-time +neither he nor Miss Mackenzie had spoken a word, and when she got up +to follow him, there was a solemnity about the matter which ought to +have been ludicrous to any of those remaining, who might chance to +know what was about to happen. It must be supposed that Lady Ball at +any rate did know, and when she saw her middle-aged niece walk slowly +out of the room after her middle-aged son, in order that a love +proposal might be made from one to the other with advantage, she +must, I should think, have perceived the comic nature of the +arrangement. She went on, however, very gravely with her knitting, +and did not even make an attempt to catch her husband's eye.</p> + +<p>"Margaret," said John Ball, as soon as he had shut the study door; +"but, perhaps, you had better sit down."</p> + +<p>Then she sat down, and he came and seated himself opposite to her; +opposite her, but not so close as to give him any of the advantages +of a lover.</p> + +<p>"Margaret, I don't know whether you have guessed the subject on which +I wish to speak to you; but I wish you had."</p> + +<p>"Is it about the money?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"The money! What money? The money you have lent to your brother? Oh, +no."</p> + +<p>Then, at that moment, Margaret did, I think, guess.</p> + +<p>"It's not at all about the money," he said, and then he sighed.</p> + +<p>He had at one time thought of asking his mother to make the +proposition for him, and now he wished that he had done so.</p> + +<p>"No, Margaret, it's something else that I want to say. I believe you +know my condition in life pretty accurately."</p> + +<p>"In what way, John?"</p> + +<p>"I am a poor man; considering my large family, a very poor man. I +have between eight and nine hundred a year, and when my father and +mother are both gone I shall have nearly as much more; but I have +nine children, and as I must keep up something of a position, I have +a hard time of it sometimes, I can tell you."</p> + +<p>Here he paused, as though he expected her to say something; but she +had nothing to say and he went on.</p> + +<p>"Jack is at Oxford, as you know, and I wish to give him any chance +that a good education may afford. It did not do much for me, but he +may be more lucky. When my father is dead, I think I shall sell this +place; but I have not quite made up my mind about that;—it must +depend on circumstances. As for the girls, you see that I do what I +can to educate them."</p> + +<p>"They seem to me to be brought up very nicely; nothing could be +better."</p> + +<p>"They are good girls, very good girls, and so is Jack a very good +fellow."</p> + +<p>"I love Jack dearly," said Miss Mackenzie, who had already come to a +half-formed resolution that Jack Ball should be heir to half her +fortune, her niece Susanna being heiress to the other half.</p> + +<p>"Do you? I'm so glad of that." And there was actually a tear in the +father's eye.</p> + +<p>"And so I do the girls," said Margaret. "It's something so nice to +feel that one has people really belonging to one that one may love. I +hope they'll know Susanna some day, for she's a very nice girl,—a +very dear girl."</p> + +<p>"I hope they will," said Mr Ball; but there was not much enthusiasm +in the expression of this hope.</p> + +<p>Then he got up from his chair, and took a turn across the room. "The +truth is, Margaret, that there's no use in my beating about the bush. +I shan't say what I've got to say a bit the better for delaying it. I +want you to be my wife, and to be mother to those children. I like +you better than any woman I've seen since I lost Rachel, but I +shouldn't dare to make you such an offer if you had not money of your +own. I could not marry unless my wife had money, and I would not +marry any woman unless I felt I could love her—not if she had ever +so much. There! now you know it all. I suppose I have not said it as +I ought to do, but if you're the woman I take you for that won't make +much difference."</p> + +<p>For my part I think that he said what he had to say very well. I do +not know that he could have done it much better. I do not know that +any other form of words would have been more persuasive to the woman +he was addressing. Had he said much of his love, or nothing of his +poverty; or had he omitted altogether any mention of her wealth, her +heart would have gone against him at once. As it was he had produced +in her mind such a state of doubt, that she was unable to answer him +on the moment.</p> + +<p>"I know," he went on to say, "that I haven't much to offer you." He +had now seated himself again, and as he spoke he looked upon the +ground.</p> + +<p>"It isn't that, John," she answered; "you have much more to give than +I have a right to expect."</p> + +<p>"No," he said. "What I offer you is a life of endless trouble and +care. I know all about it myself. It's all very well to talk of a +competence and a big house, and if you were to take me, perhaps we +might keep the old place on and furnish it again, and my mother +thinks a great deal about the title. For my part I think it's only a +nuisance when a man has not got a fortune with it, and I don't +suppose it will be any pleasure to you to be called Lady Ball. You'd +have a life of fret and worry, and would not have half so much money +to spend as you have now. I know all that, and have thought a deal +about it before I could bring myself to speak to you. But, Margaret, +you would have duties which would, I think, in themselves, have a +pleasure for you. You would know what to do with your life, and would +be of inestimable value to many people who would love you dearly. As +for me, I never saw any other woman whom I could bring myself to +offer as a mother to my children." All this he said looking down at +the floor, in a low, dull, droning voice, as though every sentence +spoken were to have been the last. Then he paused, looked into her +face for a moment, and after that, allowed his eyes again to fall on +the ground.</p> + +<p>Margaret was, of course, aware that she must make him some answer, +and she was by no means prepared to give him one that would be +favourable. Indeed, she thought she knew that she could not marry +him, because she felt that she did not love him with affection of the +sort which would be due to a husband. She told herself that she must +refuse his offer. But yet she wanted time, and above all things, she +wished to find words which would not be painful to him. His dull +droning voice, and the honest recital of his troubles, and of her +troubles if she were to share his lot, had touched her more nearly +than any vows of love would have done. When he told her of the heavy +duties which might fall to her lot as his wife, he almost made her +think that it might be well for her to marry him, even though she did +not love him. "I hardly know how to answer you, you have taken me so +much by surprise," she said.</p> + +<p>"You need not give me an answer at once," he replied; "you can think +of it." As she did not immediately say anything, he presumed that she +assented to this proposition. "You won't wonder now," he said, "that +I wished you to stay here, or that my mother wished it."</p> + +<p>"Does Lady Ball know?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, my mother does know."</p> + +<p>"What am I to say to her?"</p> + +<p>"Shall I tell you, Margaret, what to say? Put your arms round her +neck, and tell her that you will be her daughter."</p> + +<p>"No, John; I cannot do that; and perhaps I ought to say now that I +don't think it will ever be possible. It has all so surprised me, +that I haven't known how to speak; and I am afraid I shall be letting +you go from me with a false idea. Perhaps I ought to say at once that +it cannot be."</p> + +<p>"No, Margaret, no. It is much better that you should think of it. No +harm can come of that."</p> + +<p>"There will be harm if you are disappointed."</p> + +<p>"I certainly shall be disappointed if you decide against me; but not +more violently so, if you do it next week than if you do it now. But +I do hope that you will not decide against me."</p> + +<p>"And what am I to do?"</p> + +<p>"You can write to me from Littlebath."</p> + +<p>"And how soon must I write?"</p> + +<p>"As soon as you can make up your mind. But, Margaret, do not decide +against me too quickly. I do not know that I shall do myself any good +by promising you that I will love you tenderly." So saying he put out +his hand, and she took it; and they stood there looking into each +other's eyes, as young lovers might have done,—as his son might have +looked into those of her daughter, had she been married young and had +children of her own. In the teeth of all those tedious money dealings +in the City there was some spice of romance left within his bosom +yet!</p> + +<p>But how was she to get herself out of the room? It would not do for +such a Juliet to stay all the night looking into the eyes of her +ancient Romeo. And how was she to behave herself to Lady Ball, when +she should again find herself in the drawing-room, conscious as she +was that Lady Ball knew all about it? And how was she to conduct +herself before all those young people whom she had left there? And +her proposed father-in-law, whom she feared so much, and in truth +disliked so greatly—would he know all about it, and thrust his +ill-natured jokes at her? Her lover should have opened the door for +her to pass through; but instead of doing so, as soon as she had +withdrawn her hand from his, he placed himself on the rug, and leaned +back in silence against the chimney-piece.</p> + +<p>"I suppose it wouldn't do," she said, "for me to go off to bed +without seeing them."</p> + +<p>"I think you had better see my mother," he replied, "else you will +feel awkward in the morning."</p> + +<p>Then she opened the door for herself, and with frightened feet crept +back to the drawing-room. She could hardly bring herself to open the +second door; but when she had done so, her heart was greatly +released, as, looking in, she saw that her aunt was the only person +there.</p> + +<p>"Well, Margaret," said the old lady, walking up to her; "well?"</p> + +<p>"Dear aunt, I don't know what I am to say to you. I don't know what +you want."</p> + +<p>"I want you to tell me you have consented to become John's wife."</p> + +<p>"But I have not consented. Think how sudden it has been, aunt!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes; I can understand that. You could not tell him at once that +you would take him; but you won't mind telling me."</p> + +<p>"I would have told him so in an instant, if I had made up my mind. Do +you think I would wish to keep him in suspense on such a matter? If +I could have felt that I could love him as his wife, I would have +told him so instantly,—instantly."</p> + +<p>"And why not love him as his wife—why not?" Lady Ball, as she asked +the question, was almost imperious in her eagerness.</p> + +<p>"Why not, aunt? It is not easy to answer such a question as that. A +woman, I suppose, can't say why she doesn't love a man, nor yet why +she does. You see, it's so sudden. I hadn't thought of him in that +way."</p> + +<p>"You've known him now for nearly a year, and you've been in the house +with him for the last three weeks. If you haven't seen that he has +been attached to you, you are the only person in the house that has +been so blind."</p> + +<p>"I haven't seen it at all, aunt."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you are afraid of the responsibility," said Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>"I should fear it certainly; but that alone would not deter me. I +would endeavour to do my best."</p> + +<p>"And you don't like living in the same house with me and Sir John."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, yes; you are always good to me; and as to my uncle, I know +he does not mean to be unkind. I should not fear that."</p> + +<p>"The truth is, I suppose, Margaret, that you do not like to part with +your money."</p> + +<p>"That's unjust, aunt. I don't think I care more for my money than +another woman."</p> + +<p>"Then what is it? He can give you a position in the world higher than +any you could have had a hope to possess. As Lady Ball you will be +equal in all respects to your own far-away cousin, Lady Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"That has nothing to do with it, aunt."</p> + +<p>"Then what is it?" asked Lady Ball again. "I suppose you have no +absolute objection to be a baronet's wife."</p> + +<p>"Suppose, aunt, that I do not love him?"</p> + +<p>"Pshaw!" said the old woman.</p> + +<p>"But it isn't pshaw," said Miss Mackenzie. "No woman ought to marry a +man unless she feels that she loves him."</p> + +<p>"Pshaw!" said Lady Ball again.</p> + +<p>They had both been standing; and as everybody else was gone Miss +Mackenzie had determined that she would go off to bed without +settling herself in the room. So she prepared herself for her +departure.</p> + +<p>"I'll say good-night now, aunt. I have still some of my packing to +do, and I must be up early."</p> + +<p>"Don't be in a hurry, Margaret. I want to speak to you before you +leave us, and I shall have no other opportunity. Sit down, won't +you?"</p> + +<p>Then Miss Mackenzie seated herself, most unwillingly.</p> + +<p>"I don't know that there is anyone nearer to you than I am, my dear; +at any rate, no woman; and therefore I can say more than any other +person. When you talk of not loving John, does that mean—does it +mean that you are engaged to anyone else?"</p> + +<p>"No, it does not."</p> + +<p>"And it does not mean that there is anyone else whom you are thinking +of marrying?"</p> + +<p>"I am not thinking of marrying anyone."</p> + +<p>"Or that you love any other man?"</p> + +<p>"You are cross-questioning me, aunt, more than is fair."</p> + +<p>"Then there is some one?"</p> + +<p>"No, there is nobody. What I say about John I don't say through any +feeling for anybody else."</p> + +<p>"Then, my dear, I think that a little talk between you and me may +make this matter all right. I'm sure you don't doubt John when he +says that he loves you very dearly. As for your loving him, of course +that would come. It is not as if you two were two young people, and +that you wanted to be billing and cooing. Of course you ought to be +fond of each other, and like each other's company; and I have no +doubt that you will. You and I would, of course, be thrown very much +together, and I'm sure I'm very fond of you. Indeed, Margaret, I have +endeavoured to show that I am."</p> + +<p>"You've been very kind, aunt."</p> + +<p>"Therefore as to your loving him, I really don't think there need be +any doubt about that. Then, my dear, as to the other part of the +arrangement,—the money and all that. If you were to have any +children, your own fortune would be settled on them; at least, that +could be arranged, if you required it; though, as your fortune all +came from the Balls, and is the very money with which the title was +intended to be maintained, you probably would not be very exacting +about that. Stop a moment, my dear, and let me finish before you +speak. I want you particularly to think of what I say, and to +remember that all your money did come from the Balls. It has been +very hard upon John,—you must feel that. Look at him with his heavy +family, and how he works for them!"</p> + +<p>"But my uncle Jonathan died and left his money to my brothers before +John was married. It is twenty-five years ago."</p> + +<p>"Well I remember it, my dear! John was just engaged to Rachel, and +the marriage was put off because of the great cruelty of Jonathan's +will. Of course I am not blaming you."</p> + +<p>"I was only ten years old, and uncle Jonathan did not leave me a +penny. My money came to me from my brother; and, as far as I can +understand, it is nearly double as much as he got from Sir John's +brother."</p> + +<p>"That may be; but John would have doubled it quite as readily as +Walter Mackenzie. What I mean to say is this, that as you have the +money which in the course of nature would have come to John, and +which would have been his now if a great injustice had not been +<span class="nowrap">done—"</span></p> + +<p>"It was done by a Ball, and not by a Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"That does not alter the case in the least. Your feelings should be +just the same in spite of that. Of course the money is yours and you +can do what you like with it. You can give it to young Mr Samuel +Rubb, if you please." Stupid old woman! "But I think you must feel +that you should repair the injury which was done, as it is in your +power to do so. A fine position is offered you. When poor Sir John +goes, you will become Lady Ball, and be the mistress of this house, +and have your own carriage." Terribly stupid old woman! "And you +would have friends and relatives always round you, instead of being +all alone at such a place as Littlebath, which must, I should say, be +very sad. Of course there would be duties to perform to the dear +children; but I don't think so ill of you, Margaret, as to suppose +for an instant that you would shrink from that. Stop one moment, my +dear, and I shall have done. I think I have said all now; but I can +well understand that when John spoke to you, you could not +immediately give him a favourable answer. It was much better to leave +it till to-morrow. But you can't have any objection to speaking out +to me, and I really think you might make me happy by saying that it +shall be as I wish."</p> + +<p>It is astonishing the harm that an old woman may do when she goes +well to work, and when she believes she can prevail by means of her +own peculiar eloquence. Lady Ball had so trusted to her own prestige, +to her own ladyship, to her own carriage and horses, and to the rest +of it, and had also so misjudged Margaret's ordinary mild manner, +that she had thought to force her niece into an immediate +acquiescence by her mere words. The result, however, was exactly the +contrary to this. Had Miss Mackenzie been left to herself after the +interview with Mr Ball: had she gone upstairs to sleep upon his +proposal, without any disturbance to those visions of sacrificial +duty which his plain statement had produced: had she been allowed to +leave the house and think over it all without any other argument to +her than those which he had used, I think that she would have +accepted him. But now she was up in arms against the whole thing. Her +mind, clear as it was, was hardly lucid enough to allow of her +separating the mother and son at this moment. She was claimed as a +wife into the family because they thought that they had a right to +her fortune; and the temptations offered, by which they hoped to draw +her into her duty, were a beggarly title and an old coach! No! The +visions of sacrificial duty were all dispelled. There was doubt +before, but now there was no doubt.</p> + +<p>"I think I will go to bed, aunt," she said very calmly, "and I will +write to John from Littlebath."</p> + +<p>"And cannot you put me out of my suspense?"</p> + +<p>"If you wish it, yes. I know that I must refuse him. I wish that I +had told him so at once, as then there would have been an end of it."</p> + +<p>"You don't mean that you have made up your mind?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, aunt, I do. I should be wrong to marry a man that I do not +love; and as for the money, aunt, I must say that I think you are +mistaken."</p> + +<p>"How mistaken?"</p> + +<p>"You think that I am called upon to put right some wrong that you +think was done you by Sir John's brother. I don't think that I am +under any such obligation. Uncle Jonathan left his money to his +sister's children instead of to his brother's children. If his money +had come to John, you would not have admitted that we had any claim, +because we were nephews and nieces."</p> + +<p>"The whole thing would have been different."</p> + +<p>"Well, aunt, I am very tired, and if you'll let me, I'll go to bed."</p> + +<p>"Oh, certainly."</p> + +<p>Then, with anything but warm affection, the aunt and niece parted, +and Miss Mackenzie went to her bed with a firm resolution that she +would not become Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>It had been arranged for some time back that Mr Ball was to accompany +his cousin up to London by the train; and though under the present +circumstances that arrangement was not without a certain amount of +inconvenience, there was no excuse at hand for changing it. Not a +word was said at breakfast as to the scenes of last night. Indeed, no +word could very well have been said, as all the family was present, +including Jack and the girls. Lady Ball was very quiet, and very +dignified; but Miss Mackenzie perceived that she was always called +"Margaret," and not "my dear," as had been her aunt's custom. Very +little was said by any one, and not a great deal was eaten.</p> + +<p>"Well; when are we to see you back again?" said Sir John, as Margaret +arose from her chair on being told that the carriage was there.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you and my aunt will come down some day and see me at +Littlebath?" said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"No; I don't think that's very likely," said Sir John.</p> + +<p>Then she kissed all the children, till she came to Jack.</p> + +<p>"I am going to kiss you, too," she said to him.</p> + +<p>"No objection in life," said Jack. "I sha'n't complain about that."</p> + +<p>"You'll come and see me at Littlebath?" said she.</p> + +<p>"That I will if you'll ask me."</p> + +<p>Then she put her face to her aunt, and Lady Ball permitted her cheek +to be touched. Lady Ball was still not without hope, but she thought +that the surest way was to assume a high dignity of demeanour, and to +exhibit a certain amount of displeasure. She still believed that +Margaret might be frightened into the match. It was but a mile and a +half to the station, and for that distance Mr Ball and Margaret sat +together in the carriage. He said nothing to her as to his proposal +till the station was in view, and then only a word.</p> + +<p>"Think well of it, Margaret, if you can."</p> + +<p>"I fear I cannot think well of it," she answered. But she spoke so +low, that I doubt whether he completely heard her words. The train up +to London was nearly full, and there he had no opportunity of +speaking to her. But he desired no such opportunity. He had said all +that he had to say, and was almost well pleased to know that a final +answer was to be given to him, not personally, but by letter. His +mother had spoken to him that morning, and had made him understand +that she was not well pleased with Margaret; but she had said nothing +to quench her son's hopes.</p> + +<p>"Of course she will accept you," Lady Ball had said, "but women like +her never like to do anything without making a fuss about it."</p> + +<p>"To me, yesterday, I thought she behaved admirably," said her son.</p> + +<p>At the station at London he put her into the cab that was to take her +to Gower Street, and as he shook hands with her through the window, +he once more said the same words:</p> + +<p>"Think well of it, Margaret, if you can."</p> + + +<p><a name="c8" id="c8"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER VIII</h3> +<h3>Mrs Tom Mackenzie's Dinner Party<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Mrs Tom was ever so gracious on the arrival of her sister-in-law, but +even in her graciousness there was something which seemed to Margaret +to tell of her dislike. Near relatives, when they are on good terms +with each other, are not gracious. Now, Mrs Tom, though she was ever +so gracious, was by no means cordial. Susanna, however, was delighted +to see her aunt, and Margaret, when she felt the girl's arms round +her neck, declared to herself that that should suffice for her,—that +should be her love, and it should be enough. If indeed, in after +years, she could make Jack love her too, that would be better still. +Then her mind went to work upon a little marriage scheme that would +in due time make a baronet's wife of Susanna. It would not suit her +to become Lady Ball, but it might suit Susanna.</p> + +<p>"We are going to have a little dinner party to-day," said Mrs Tom.</p> + +<p>"A dinner party!" said Margaret. "I didn't look for that, Sarah."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I ought not to call it a party, for there are only one or +two coming. There's Dr Slumpy and his wife; I don't know whether you +ever met Dr Slumpy. He has attended us for ever so long; and there is +Miss Colza, a great friend of mine. Mademoiselle Colza I ought to +call her, because her father was a Portuguese. Only as she never saw +him, we call her Miss. And there's Mr Rubb,—Samuel Rubb, junior. I +think you met him at Littlebath."</p> + +<p>"Yes; I know Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"That's all; and I might as well say how it will be now. Mr Rubb will +take you down to dinner. Tom will take Mrs Slumpy, and the doctor +will take me. Young Tom,"—Young Tom was her son, who was now +beginning his career at Rubb and Mackenzie's,—"Young Tom will take +Miss Colza, and Mary Jane and Susanna will come down by themselves. +We might have managed twelve, and Tom did think of asking Mr Handcock +and one of the other clerks, but he did not know whether you would +have liked it."</p> + +<p>"I should not have minded it. That is, I should have been very glad +to meet Mr Handcock, but I don't care about it."</p> + +<p>"That's just what we thought, and therefore we did not ask him. +You'll remember, won't you, that Mr Rubb takes you down?" After that +Miss Mackenzie took her nieces to the Zoological Gardens, leaving +Mary Jane at home to assist her mother in the cares for the coming +festival, and thus the day wore itself away till it was time for them +to prepare themselves for the party.</p> + +<p>Miss Colza was the first to come. She was a young lady somewhat older +than Miss Mackenzie; but the circumstances of her life had induced +her to retain many of the propensities of her girlhood. She was as +young looking as curls and pink bows could make her, and was by no +means a useless guest at a small dinner party, as she could chatter +like a magpie. Her claims to be called "Mademoiselle" were not very +strong, as she had lived in Finsbury Square all her life. Her father +was connected in trade with the Rubb and Mackenzie firm, and dealt, I +think, in oil. She was introduced with great ceremony, and having +heard that Miss Mackenzie lived at Littlebath, went off at score +about the pleasures of that delicious place.</p> + +<p>"I do so hate London, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"I lived here all my life, and I can't say I liked it."</p> + +<p>"It is such a crowd, isn't it? and yet so dull. Give me Brighton! We +were down for a week in November, and it was nice."</p> + +<p>"I never saw Brighton."</p> + +<p>"Oh, do go to Brighton. Everybody goes there now; you really do see +the world at Brighton. Now, in London one sees nothing."</p> + +<p>Then came in Mr Rubb, and Miss Colza at once turned her attention to +him. But Mr Rubb shook Miss Colza off almost unceremoniously, and +seated himself by Miss Mackenzie. Immediately afterwards arrived the +doctor and his wife. The doctor was a very silent man, and as Tom +Mackenzie himself was not given to much talking, it was well that +Miss Colza should be there. Mrs Slumpy could take her share in +conversation with an effort, when duly assisted; but she could not +lead the van, and required more sprightly aid than her host was +qualified to give her. Then there was a whisper between Tom and Mrs +Tom and the bell was rung, and the dinner was ordered. Seven had been +the time named, and a quarter past seven saw the guests assembled in +the drawing-room. A very dignified person in white cotton gloves had +announced the names, and the same dignified person had taken the +order for dinner. The dignified person had then retreated downstairs +slowly, and what was taking place for the next half-hour poor Mrs +Mackenzie, in the agony of her mind, could not surmise. She longed to +go and see, but did not dare. Even for Dr Slumpy, or even for his +wife, had they been alone with her she would not have cared much. +Miss Colza she could have treated with perfect indifference—could +even have taken her down into the kitchen with her. Rubb, her own +junior partner, was nothing, and Miss Mackenzie was simply her +sister-in-law. But together they made a party. Moreover she had on +her best and stiffest silk gown, and so armed she could not have been +effective in the kitchen. And so came a silence for some minutes, in +spite of the efforts of Miss Colza. At last the hostess plucked up +her courage to make a little effort.</p> + +<p>"Tom," she said, "I really think you had better ring again."</p> + +<p>"It will be all right, soon," said Tom, considering that upon the +whole it would be better not to disturb the gentleman downstairs just +yet.</p> + +<p>"Upon my word, I never felt it so cold in my life as I did to-day," +he said, turning on Dr Slumpy for the third time with that remark.</p> + +<p>"Very cold," said Dr Slumpy, pulling out his watch and looking at it.</p> + +<p>"I really think you'd better ring the bell," said Mrs Tom.</p> + +<p>Tom, however, did not stir, and after another period of five minutes +dinner was announced. It may be as well, perhaps, to explain, that +the soup had been on the table for the last quarter of an hour or +more, but that after placing the tureen on the table, the dignified +gentleman downstairs had come to words with the cook, and had refused +to go on further with the business of the night until that ill-used +woman acceded to certain terms of his own in reference to the manner +in which the foods should be served. He had seen the world, and had +lofty ideas, and had been taught to be a tyrant by the weakness of +those among whom his life had been spent. The cook had alleged that +the dinner, as regarded the eating of it, would certainly be spoilt. +As to that, he had expressed a mighty indifference. If he was to have +any hand in them, things were to be done according to certain rules, +which, as he said, prevailed in the world of fashion. The cook, who +had a temper and who regarded her mistress, stood out long and +boldly, but when the housemaid, who was to assist Mr Grandairs +upstairs, absolutely deserted her, and sitting down began to cry, +saying: "Sairey, why don't you do as he tells you? What signifies its +being greasy if it hain't never to go hup?" then Sarah's courage gave +way, and Mr Grandairs, with all the conqueror in his bosom, announced +that dinner was served.</p> + +<p>It was a great relief. Even Miss Colza's tongue had been silent, and +Mr Rubb had found himself unable to carry on any further small talk +with Miss Mackenzie. The minds of men and women become so tuned to +certain positions, that they go astray and won't act when those +positions are confused. Almost every man can talk for fifteen +minutes, standing in a drawing-room, before dinner; but where is the +man who can do it for an hour? It is not his appetite that impedes +him, for he could well have borne to dine at eight instead of seven; +nor is it that matter lacks him, for at other times his eloquence +does not cease to flow so soon. But at that special point of the day +he is supposed to talk for fifteen minutes, and if any prolonged call +is then made upon him, his talking apparatus falls out of order and +will not work. You can sit still on a Sunday morning, in the cold, on +a very narrow bench, with no comfort appertaining, and listen for +half an hour to a rapid outflow of words, which, for any purpose of +instruction or edification, are absolutely useless to you. The +reading to you of the "Quæ genus," or "As in præsenti," could not be +more uninteresting. Try to undergo the same thing in your own house +on a Wednesday afternoon, and see where you will be. To those ladies +and gentlemen who had been assembled in Mrs Mackenzie's drawing-room +this prolonged waiting had been as though the length of the sermon +had been doubled, or as if it had fallen on them at some unexpected +and unauthorised time.</p> + +<p>But now they descended, each gentleman taking his allotted lady, and +Colza's voice was again heard. At the bottom of the stairs, just +behind the dining-room door, stood the tyrant, looking very great, +repressing with his left hand the housemaid who was behind him. She +having observed Sarah at the top of the kitchen stairs telegraphing +for assistance, had endeavoured to make her way to her friend while +Tom Mackenzie and Mrs Slumpy were still upon the stairs; but the +tyrant, though he had seen the cook's distress, had refused and +sternly kept the girl a prisoner behind him. Ruat dinner, fiat +genteel deportment.</p> + +<p>The order of the construction of the dinner was no doubt à la Russe; +and why should it not have been so, as Tom Mackenzie either had or +was supposed to have as much as eight hundred a year? But I think it +must be confessed that the architecture was in some degree composite. +It was à la Russe, because in the centre there was a green +arrangement of little boughs with artificial flowers fixed on them, +and because there were figs and raisins, and little dishes with dabs +of preserve on them, all around the green arrangement; but the soups +and fish were on the table, as was also the wine, though it was +understood that no one was to be allowed to help himself or his +neighbour to the contents of the bottle. When Dr Slumpy once made an +attempt at the sherry, Grandairs was down upon him instantly, +although laden at the time with both potatoes and sea-kale; after +that he went round and frowned at Dr Slumpy, and Dr Slumpy understood +the frown.</p> + +<p>That the soup should be cold, everybody no doubt expected. It was +clear soup, made chiefly of Marsala, and purchased from the pastry +cook's in Store Street. Grandairs, no doubt, knew all about it, as he +was connected with the same establishment. The fish—Mrs Mackenzie +had feared greatly about her fish, having necessarily trusted its +fate solely to her own cook—was very ragged in its appearance, and +could not be very warm; the melted butter too was thick and clotted, +and was brought round with the other condiments too late to be of +much service; but still the fish was eatable, and Mrs Mackenzie's +heart, which had sunk very low as the unconsumed soup was carried +away, rose again in her bosom. Poor woman! she had done her best, and +it was hard that she should suffer. One little effort she made at the +moment to induce Elizabeth to carry round the sauce, but Grandairs +had at once crushed it; he had rushed at the girl and taken the +butter-boat from her hand. Mrs Mackenzie had seen it all; but what +could she do, poor soul?</p> + +<p>The thing was badly managed in every way. The whole hope of +conversation round the table depended on Miss Colza, and she was +deeply offended by having been torn away from Mr Rubb. How could she +talk seated between the two Tom Mackenzies? From Dr Slumpy Mrs +Mackenzie could not get a word. Indeed, with so great a weight on her +mind, how could she be expected to make any great effort in that +direction? But Mr Mackenzie might have done something, and she +resolved that she would tell him so before he slept that night. She +had slaved all day in order that he might appear respectable before +his own relatives, at the bottom of his own table—and now he would +do nothing! "I believe he is thinking of his own dinner!" she said to +herself. If her accusation was just his thoughts must have been very +sad.</p> + +<p>In a quiet way Mr Rubb did talk to his neighbour. Upstairs he had +spoken a word or two about Littlebath, saying how glad he was that he +had been there. He should always remember Littlebath as one of the +pleasantest places he had ever seen. He wished that he lived at +Littlebath; but then what was the good of his wishing anything, +knowing as he did that he was bound for life to Rubb and Mackenzie's +counting house!</p> + +<p>"And you will earn your livelihood there," Miss Mackenzie had +replied.</p> + +<p>"Yes; and something more than that I hope. I don't mind telling +you,—a friend like you,—that I will either spoil a horn or make a +spoon. I won't go on in the old groove, which hardly gives any of us +salt to our porridge. If I understand anything of English commerce, I +think I can see my way to better things than that." Then the period +of painful waiting had commenced, and he was unable to say anything +more.</p> + +<p>That had been upstairs. Now below, amidst all the troubles of Mrs +Mackenzie and the tyranny of Grandairs, he began again:</p> + +<p>"Do you like London dinner parties?"</p> + +<p>"I never was at one before."</p> + +<p>"Never at one before! I thought you had lived in London all your +life."</p> + +<p>"So I have; but we never used to dine out. My brother was an +invalid."</p> + +<p>"And do they do the thing well at Littlebath?"</p> + +<p>"I never dined out there. You think it very odd, I dare say, but I +never was at a dinner party in my life—not before this."</p> + +<p>"Don't the Balls see much company?"</p> + +<p>"No, very little; none of that kind."</p> + +<p>"Dear me. It comes so often to us here that we get tired of it. I do, +at least. I'm not always up to this kind of thing. Champagne—if you +please. Miss Mackenzie, you will take some champagne?"</p> + +<p>Now had come the crisis of the evening, the moment that was all +important, and Grandairs was making his round in all the pride of his +vocation. But Mrs Mackenzie was by no means so proud at the present +conjuncture of affairs. There was but one bottle of champagne. "So +little wine is drank now, that, what is the good of getting more? Of +course the children won't have it." So she had spoken to her husband. +And who shall blame her or say where economy ends, or where meanness +begins? She had wanted no champagne herself, but had wished to treat +her friends well. She had seized a moment after Grandairs had come, +and Mrs Slumpy was not yet there, to give instructions to the great +functionary.</p> + +<p>"Don't mind me with the champagne, nor yet Mr Tom, nor the young +ladies."</p> + +<p>Thus she had reduced the number to six, and had calculated that the +bottle would certainly be good for that number, with probably a +second glass for the doctor and Mr Rubb. But Grandairs had not +condescended to be put out of his way by such orders as these. The +bottle had first come to Miss Colza, and then Tom's glass had been +filled, and Susanna's—through no fault of theirs, innocent bairns, +"but on purpose!" as Mrs Mackenzie afterwards declared to her husband +when speaking of the man's iniquity. And I think it had been done on +purpose. The same thing occurred with Mary Jane—till Mrs Mackenzie, +looking on, could have cried. The girl's glass was filled full, and +she did give a little shriek at last. But what availed shrieking? +When the bottle came round behind Mrs Mackenzie back to Dr Slumpy, it +was dry, and the wicked wretch held the useless nozzle triumphantly +over the doctor's glass.</p> + +<p>"Give me some sherry, then," said the doctor.</p> + +<p>The little dishes which had been brought round after the fish, three +in number,—and they in the proper order of things should have been +spoken of before the champagne,—had been in their way successful. +They had been so fabricated, that all they who attempted to eat of +their contents became at once aware that they had got hold of +something very nasty, something that could hardly have been intended +by Christian cooks as food for men; but, nevertheless, there had been +something of glory attending them. Little dishes require no +concomitant vegetables, and therefore there had been no scrambling. +Grandairs brought one round after the other with much majesty, while +Elizabeth stood behind looking on in wonder. After the second little +dish Grandairs changed the plates, so that it was possible to partake +of two, a feat which was performed by Tom Mackenzie the younger. At +this period Mrs Mackenzie, striving hard for equanimity, attempted a +word or two with the doctor. But immediately upon that came the +affair of the champagne, and she was crushed, never to rise again.</p> + +<p>Mr Rubb at this time had settled down into so pleasant a little +series of whispers with his neighbour, that Miss Colza resolved once +more to exert herself, not with the praiseworthy desire of assisting +her friend Mrs Mackenzie, but with malice prepense in reference to +Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie seemed to be having "a good time" with her neighbour +Samuel Rubb, junior, and Miss Colza, who was a woman of courage, +could not see that and not make an effort. It cannot be told here +what passages there had been between Mr Rubb and Miss Colza. That +there had absolutely been passages I beg the reader to understand. +"Mr Rubb," she said, stretching across the table, "do you remember +when, in this very room, we met Mr and Mrs Talbot Green?"</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, very well," said Mr Rubb, and then turning to Miss +Mackenzie, he went on with his little whispers.</p> + +<p>"Mr Rubb," continued Miss Colza, "does anybody put you in mind of Mrs +Talbot Green?"</p> + +<p>"Nobody in particular. She was a thin, tall, plain woman, with red +hair, wasn't she? Who ought she to put me in mind of?"</p> + +<p>"Oh dear! how can you forget so? That wasn't her looks at all. We all +agreed that she was quite interesting-looking. Her hair was just +fair, and that was all. But I shan't say anything more about it."</p> + +<p>"But who do you say is like her?"</p> + +<p>"Miss Colza means Aunt Margaret," said Mary Jane.</p> + +<p>"Of course I do," said Miss Colza. "But Mrs Talbot Green was not at +all the person that Mr Rubb has described; we all thought her very +nice-looking. Mr Rubb, do you remember how you would go on talking to +her, till Mr Talbot Green did not like it at all?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't."</p> + +<p>"Oh, but you did; and you always do."</p> + +<p>Then Miss Colza ceased, having finished that effort. But she made +others from time to time as long as they remained in the dining-room, +and by no means gave up the battle. There are women who can fight +such battles when they have not an inch of ground on which to stand.</p> + +<p>After the little dishes there came, of course, a saddle of mutton, +and, equally of course, a pair of boiled fowls. There was also a +tongue; but the à la Russe construction of the dinner was maintained +by keeping the tongue on the sideboard, while the mutton and chickens +were put down to be carved in the ordinary way. The ladies all +partook of the chickens, and the gentlemen all of the mutton. The +arrangement was very tedious, as Dr Slumpy was not as clever with the +wings of the fowls as he perhaps would have been had he not been +defrauded in the matter of the champagne; and then every separate +plate was carried away to the sideboard with reference to the tongue. +Currant jelly had been duly provided, and, if Elizabeth had been +allowed to dispense it, might have been useful. But Grandairs was too +much for the jelly, as he had been for the fish-sauce, and Dr Slumpy +in vain looked up, and sighed, and waited. A man in such a condition +measures the amount of cold which his meat may possibly endure +against the future coming of the potatoes, till he falls utterly to +the ground between two stools. So was it now with Dr Slumpy. He gave +one last sigh as he saw the gravy congeal upon his plate, but, +nevertheless, he had finished the unpalatable food before Grandairs +had arrived to his assistance.</p> + +<p>Why tell of the ruin of the maccaroni, of the fine-coloured pyramids +of shaking sweet things which nobody would eat, and by the +non-consumption of which nothing was gained, as they all went back to +the pastrycook's,—or of the ice-puddings flavoured with onions? It +was all misery, wretchedness, and degradation. Grandairs was king, +and Mrs Mackenzie was the lowest of his slaves. And why? Why had she +done this thing? Why had she, who, to give her her due, generally +held her own in her own house pretty firmly,—why had she lowered her +neck and made a wretched thing of herself? She knew that it would be +so when she first suggested to herself the attempt. She did it for +fashion's sake, you will say. But there was no one there who did not +as accurately know as she did herself, how absolutely beyond +fashion's way lay her way. She was making no fight to enter some +special portal of the world, as a lady may do who takes a house +suddenly in Mayfair, having come from God knows where. Her place in +the world was fixed, and she made no contest as to the fixing. She +hoped for no great change in the direction of society. Why on earth +did she perplex her mind and bruise her spirit, by giving a dinner à +la anything? Why did she not have the roast mutton alone, so that all +her guests might have eaten and have been merry?</p> + +<p>She could not have answered this question herself, and I doubt +whether I can do so for her. But this I feel, that unless the +question can get itself answered, ordinary Englishmen must cease to +go and eat dinners at each other's houses. The ordinary Englishman, +of whom we are now speaking, has eight hundred a year; he lives in +London; and he has a wife and three or four children. Had he not +better give it up and go back to his little bit of fish and his leg +of mutton? Let him do that boldly, and he will find that we, his +friends, will come to him fast enough; yes, and will make a gala day +of it. By Heavens, we have no gala time of it when we go to dine with +Mrs Mackenzie à la Russe! Lady Mackenzie, whose husband has ever so +many thousands a year, no doubt does it very well. Money, which +cannot do everything,—which, if well weighed, cannot in its excess +perhaps do much,—can do some things. It will buy diamonds and give +grand banquets. But paste diamonds, and banquets which are only +would-be grand, are among the poorest imitations to which the world +has descended.</p> + +<p>"So you really go to Littlebath to-morrow," Mr Rubb said to Miss +Mackenzie, when they were again together in the drawing-room.</p> + +<p>"Yes, to-morrow morning. Susanna must be at school the next day."</p> + +<p>"Happy Susanna! I wish I were going to school at Littlebath. Then I +shan't see you again before you go."</p> + +<p>"No; I suppose not."</p> + +<p>"I am so sorry, because I particularly wished to speak to you,—most +particularly. I suppose I could not see you in the morning? But, no; +it would not do. I could not get you alone without making such a fuss +of the thing."</p> + +<p>"Couldn't you say it now?" asked Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"I will, if you'll let me; only I suppose it isn't quite the thing to +talk about business at an evening party; and your sister-in-law, if +she knew it, would never forgive me."</p> + +<p>"Then she shan't know it, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"Since you are so good, I think I will make bold. Carpe diem, as we +used to say at school, which means that one day is as good as +another, and, if so why not any time in the day? Look here, Miss +Mackenzie—about that money, you know."</p> + +<p>And Mr Rubb got nearer to her on the sofa as he whispered the word +money into her ear. It immediately struck her that her own brother +Tom had said not a word to her about the money, although they had +been together for the best part of an hour before they had gone up to +dress.</p> + +<p>"I suppose Mr Slow will settle all that," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Of course;—that is to say, he has nothing further to settle just as +yet. He has our bond for the money, and you may be sure it's all +right. The property is purchased, and is ours,—our own at this +moment, thanks to you. But landed property is so hard to convey. +Perhaps you don't understand much about that! and I'm sure I don't. +The fact is, the title deeds at present are in other hands, a mere +matter of form; and I want you to understand that the mortgage is not +completed for that reason."</p> + +<p>"I suppose it will be done soon?"</p> + +<p>"It may, or it may not; but that won't affect your interest, you +know."</p> + +<p>"I was thinking of the security."</p> + +<p>"Well, the security is not as perfect as it should be. I tell you +that honestly; and if we were dealing with strangers we should expect +to be called on to refund. And we should refund instantly, but at a +great sacrifice, a ruinous sacrifice. Now, I want you to put so much +trust in us,—in me, if I may be allowed to ask you to do so,—as to +believe that your money is substantially safe. I cannot explain it +all now; but the benefit which you have done us is immense."</p> + +<p>"I suppose it will all come right, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"It will all come right, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>Then there was extracted from her something which he was able to take +as a promise that she would not stir in the matter for a while, but +would take her interest without asking for any security as to her +principal.</p> + +<p>The conversation was interrupted by Miss Colza, who came and stood +opposite to them.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm sure," she said; "you two are very confidential."</p> + +<p>"And why shouldn't we be confidential, Miss Colza?" asked Mr Rubb.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear! no reason in life, if you both like it."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie was not sure that she did like it. But again she was +not sure that she did not, when Mr Rubb pressed her hand at parting, +and told her that her great kindness had been of the most material +service to the firm. "He felt it," he said, "if nobody else did." +That also might be a sacrificial duty and therefore gratifying.</p> + +<p>The next morning she and Susanna left Gower Street at eight, spent an +interesting period of nearly an hour at the railway station, and +reached Littlebath in safety at one.</p> + + +<p><a name="c9" id="c9"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER IX</h3> +<h3>Miss Mackenzie's Philosophy<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Miss Mackenzie remained quiet in her room for two days after her +return before she went out to see anybody. These last Christmas weeks +had certainly been the most eventful period of her life, and there +was very much of which it was necessary that she should think. She +had, she thought, made up her mind to refuse her cousin's offer; but +the deed was not yet done. She had to think of the mode in which she +must do it; and she could not but remember, also, that she might +still change her mind in that matter if she pleased. The anger +produced in her by Lady Ball's claim, as it were, to her fortune, had +almost evaporated; but the memory of her cousin's story of his +troubles was still fresh. "I have a hard time of it sometimes, I can +tell you." Those words and others of the same kind were the arguments +which had moved her, and made her try to think that she could love +him. Then she remembered his bald head and the weary, careworn look +about his eyes, and his little intermittent talk, addressed chiefly +to his mother, about the money-market,—little speeches made as he +would sit with the newspaper in his hand:</p> + +<p>"The Confederate loan isn't so bad, after all. I wish I'd taken a +few."</p> + +<p>"You know you'd never have slept if you had," Lady Ball would answer.</p> + +<p>All this Miss Mackenzie now turned in her mind, and asked herself +whether she could be happy in hearing such speeches for the remainder +of her life.</p> + +<p>"It is not as if you two were young people, and wanted to be billing +and cooing," Lady Ball had said to her the same evening.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, as she thought of this, was not so sure that Lady +Ball was right. Why should she not want billing and cooing as well as +another? It was natural that a woman should want some of it in her +life, and she had had none of it yet. She had had a lover, certainly, +but there had been no billing and cooing with him. Nothing of that +kind had been possible in her brother Walter's house.</p> + +<p>And then the question naturally arose to her whether her aunt had +treated her justly in bracketing her with John Ball in that matter of +age. John Ball was ten years her senior; and ten years, she knew, was +a very proper difference between a man and his wife. She was by no +means inclined to plead, even to herself, that she was too young to +marry her cousin; there was nothing in their ages to interfere, if +the match was in other respects suitable. But still, was not he old +for his age, and was not she young for hers? And if she should +ultimately resolve to devote herself and what she had left of youth +to his children and his welfare, should not the sacrifice be +recognised? Had Lady Ball done well to speak of her as she certainly +might well speak of him? Was she beyond all aptitude for billing and +cooing, if billing and cooing might chance to come in her way?</p> + +<p>Thinking of this during the long afternoon, when Susanna was at +school, she got up and looked at herself in the mirror. She moved up +her hair from off her ears, knowing where she would find a few that +were grey, and shaking her head, as though owning to herself that she +was old; but as her fingers ran almost involuntarily across her +locks, her touch told her that they were soft and silken; and she +looked into her own eyes, and saw that they were bright; and her hand +touched the outline of her cheek, and she knew that something of the +fresh bloom of youth was still there; and her lips parted, and there +were her white teeth; and there came a smile and a dimple, and a +slight purpose of laughter in her eye, and then a tear. She pulled +her scarf tighter across her bosom, feeling her own form, and then +she leaned forward and kissed herself in the glass.</p> + +<p>He was very careworn, soiled as it were with the world, tired out +with the dusty, weary life's walk which he had been compelled to +take. Of romance in him there was nothing left, while in her the +aptitude for romance had only just been born. It was not only that +his head was bald, but that his eye was dull, and his step slow. The +juices of life had been pressed out of him; his thoughts were all of +his cares, and never of his hopes. It would be very sad to be the +wife of such a man; it would be very sad, if there were no +compensation; but might not the sacrificial duties give her that +atonement which she would require? She would fain do something with +her life and her money,—some good, some great good to some other +person. If that good to another person and billing and cooing might +go together, it would be very pleasant. But she knew there was danger +in such an idea. The billing and cooing might lead altogether to +evil. But there could be no doubt that she would do good service if +she married her cousin; her money would go to good purposes, and her +care to those children would be invaluable. They were her cousins, +and would it not be sweet to make of herself a sacrifice?</p> + +<p>And then—Reader! remember that she was no saint, and that hitherto +very little opportunity had been given to her of learning to +discriminate true metal from dross. Then—she thought of Mr Samuel +Rubb, junior. Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, was a handsome man, about her +own age; and she felt almost sure that Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, +admired her. He was not worn out with life; he was not broken with +care; he would look forward into the world, and hope for things to +come. One thing she knew to be true—he was not a gentleman. But +then, why should she care for that? The being a gentleman was not +everything. As for herself, might there not be strong reason to doubt +whether those who were best qualified to judge would call her a lady? +Her surviving brother kept an oilcloth shop, and the brother with +whom she had always lived had been so retired from the world that +neither he nor she knew anything of its ways. If love could be +gained, and anything of romance; if some active living mode of life +could thereby be opened to her, would it not be well for her to give +up that idea of being a lady? Hitherto her rank had simply enabled +her to become a Stumfoldian; and then she remembered that Mr +Maguire's squint was very terrible! How she should live, what she +should do with herself, were matters to her of painful thought; but +she looked in the glass again, and resolved that she would decline +the honour of becoming Mrs Ball.</p> + +<p>On the following morning she wrote her letter, and it was written +thus:<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote> +<p class="jright">7 Paragon, Littlebath, January, 186—.</p> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smallcaps">My dear John</span>,</p> + +<p>I have been thinking a great deal about what you said to +me, and I have made up my mind that I ought not to become +your wife. I know that the honour you have proposed to me +is very great, and that I may seem to be ungrateful in +declining it; but I cannot bring myself to feel that sort +of love for you which a wife should have for her husband. +I hope this will not make you displeased with me. It ought +not to do so, as my feelings towards you and to your +children are most affectionate.</p> + +<p>I know my aunt will be angry with me. Pray tell her from +me, with my best love, that I have thought very much of +all she said to me, and that I feel sure that I am doing +right. It is not that I should be afraid of the duties +which would fall upon me as your wife; but that the woman +who undertakes those duties should feel for you a wife's +love. I think it is best to speak openly, and I hope that +you will not be offended.</p> + +<p>Give my best love to my uncle and aunt, and to the girls, +and to Jack, who will, I hope, keep his promise of coming +and seeing me.</p> + +<p class="ind8">Your very affectionate cousin,</p> + +<p class="ind12"><span class="smallcaps">Margaret +Mackenzie</span>.<br /> </p> +</blockquote> + + +<p>"There," said John Ball to his mother, when he had read the letter, +"I knew it would be so; and she is right. Why should she give up her +money and her comfort and her ease, to look after my children?"</p> + +<p>Lady Ball took the letter and read it, and pronounced it to be all +nonsense.</p> + +<p>"It may be all nonsense," said her son; "but such as it is, it is her +answer."</p> + +<p>"I suppose you'll have to go down to Littlebath after her," said Lady +Ball.</p> + +<p>"I certainly shall not do that. It would do no good; and I'm not +going to persecute her."</p> + +<p>"Persecute her! What nonsense you men do talk! As if any woman in her +condition could be persecuted by being asked to become a baronet's +wife. I suppose I must go down."</p> + +<p>"I beg that you will not, mother."</p> + +<p>"She is just one of those women who are sure to stand off, not +knowing their own minds. The best creature in the world, and really +very clever, but weak in that respect! She has not had lovers when +she was young, and she thinks that a man should come dallying about +her as though she were eighteen. It only wants a little perseverance, +John, and if you'll take my advice, you'll go down to Littlebath +after her."</p> + +<p>But John, in this matter, would not follow his mother's advice, and +declared that he would take no further steps. "He was inclined," he +said, "to think that Margaret was right. Why should any woman burden +herself with nine children?"</p> + +<p>Then Lady Ball said a great deal more about the Ball money, giving it +as her decided opinion that Margaret owed herself and her money to +the Balls. As she could not induce her son to do anything, she wrote +a rejoinder to her niece.</p> + +<p>"My dearest Margaret," she said, "Your letter has made both me and +John very unhappy. He has set his heart upon making you his wife, and +I don't think will ever hold up his head again if you will not +consent. I write now instead of John, because he is so much +oppressed. I wish you had remained here, because then we could have +talked it over quietly. Would it not be better for you to be here +than living alone at Littlebath? for I cannot call that little girl +who is at school anything of a companion. Could you not leave her as +a boarder, and come to us for a month? You would not be forced to +pledge yourself to anything further; but we could talk it over."</p> + +<p>It need hardly be said that Miss Mackenzie, as she read this, +declared to herself that she had no desire to talk over her own +position with Lady Ball any further.</p> + +<p>"John is afraid," the letter went on to say, "that he offended you by +the manner of his proposition; and that he said too much about the +children, and not enough about his own affection. Of course he loves +you dearly. If you knew him as I do, which of course you can't as +yet, though I hope you will, you would be aware that no +consideration, either of money or about the children, would induce +him to propose to any woman unless he loved her. You may take my word +for that."</p> + +<p>There was a great deal more in the letter of the same kind, in which +Lady Ball pressed her own peculiar arguments; but I need hardly say +that they did not prevail with Miss Mackenzie. If the son could not +induce his cousin to marry him, the mother certainly never would do +so. It did not take her long to answer her aunt's letter. She said +that she must, with many thanks, decline for the present to return to +the Cedars, as the charge which she had taken of her niece made her +presence at Littlebath necessary. As to the answer which she had +given to John, she was afraid she could only say that it must stand. +She had felt a little angry with Lady Ball; and though she tried not +to show this in the tone of her letter, she did show it.</p> + +<p>"If I were you I would never see her or speak to her again," said +Lady Ball to her son.</p> + +<p>"Very likely I never shall," he replied.</p> + +<p>"Has your love-making with that old maid gone wrong, John?" the +father asked.</p> + +<p>But John Ball was used to his father's ill nature, and never answered +it.</p> + +<p>Nothing special to our story occurred at Littlebath during the next +two or three months, except that Miss Mackenzie became more and more +intimate with Miss Baker, and more and more anxious to form an +acquaintance with Miss Todd. With all the Stumfoldians she was on +terms of mitigated friendship, and always went to Mrs Stumfold's +fortnightly tea-drinkings. But with no lady there,—always excepting +Miss Baker,—did she find that she grew into familiarity. With Mrs +Stumfold no one was familiar. She was afflicted by the weight of her +own position, as we suppose the Queen to be, when we say that her +Majesty's altitude is too high to admit of friendships. Mrs Stumfold +never condescended—except to the bishop's wife who, in return, had +snubbed Mrs Stumfold. But living, as she did, in an atmosphere of +flattery and toadying, it was wonderful how well she preserved her +equanimity, and how she would talk and perhaps think of herself, as a +poor, erring human being. When, however, she insisted much upon this +fact of her humanity, the coachmaker's wife would shake her head, and +at last stamp her foot in anger, swearing that though everybody was +of course dust, and grass, and worms; and though, of course, Mrs +Stumfold must, by nature, be included in that everybody; yet dust, +and grass, and worms nowhere exhibited themselves with so few of the +stains of humanity on them as they did within the bosom of Mrs +Stumfold. So that, though the absolute fact of Mrs Stumfold being +dust, and grass, and worms, could not, in regard to the consistency +of things, be denied, yet in her dustiness, grassiness, and worminess +she was so little dusty, grassy, and wormy, that it was hardly fair, +even in herself, to mention the fact at all.</p> + +<p>"I know the deceit of my own heart," Mrs Stumfold would say.</p> + +<p>"Of course you do, Mrs Stumfold," the coachmaker's wife replied. "It +is dreadful deceitful, no doubt. Where's the heart that ain't? But +there's a difference in hearts. Your deceit isn't hard like most of +'em. You know it, Mrs Stumfold, and wrestle with it, and get your +foot on the neck of it, so that, as one may say, it's always being +killed and got the better of."</p> + +<p>During these months Miss Mackenzie learned to value at a very low +rate the rank of the Stumfoldian circle into which she had been +admitted. She argued the matter with herself, saying that the +coachbuilder's wife and others were not ladies. In a general way she +was, no doubt, bound to assume them to be ladies; but she taught +herself to think that such ladyhood was not of itself worth a great +deal. It would not be worth the while of any woman to abstain from +having some Mr Rubb or the like, and from being the lawful mother of +children in the Rubb and Mackenzie line of life, for the sake of such +exceptional rank as was to be maintained by associating with the +Stumfoldians. And, as she became used to the things and persons +around her, she indulged herself in a considerable amount of social +philosophy, turning over ideas in her mind for which they, who saw +merely the lines of her outer life, would hardly have given her +credit. After all, what was the good of being a lady? Or was there +any good in it at all? Could there possibly be any good in making a +struggle to be a lady? Was it not rather one of those things which +are settled for one externally, as are the colour of one's hair and +the size of one's bones, and which should be taken or left alone, as +Providence may have directed? "One cannot add a cubit to one's +height, nor yet make oneself a lady;" that was the nature of Miss +Mackenzie's argument with herself.</p> + +<p>And, indeed, she carried the argument further than that. It was well +to be a lady. She recognised perfectly the delicacy and worth of the +article. Miss Baker was a lady; as to that there was no doubt. But, +then, might it not also be very well not to be a lady; and might not +the advantages of the one position be compensated with equal +advantages in the other? It is a grand thing to be a queen; but a +queen has no friends. It is fine to be a princess; but a princess has +a very limited choice of husbands. There was something about Miss +Baker that was very nice; but even Miss Baker was very melancholy, +and Miss Mackenzie could see that that melancholy had come from +wasted niceness. Had she not been so much the lady, she might have +been more the woman. And there could be no disgrace in not being a +lady, if such ladyhood depended on external circumstances arranged +for one by Providence. No one blames one's washerwoman for not being +a lady. No one wishes one's housekeeper to be a lady; and people are +dismayed, rather than pleased, when they find that their tailors' +wives want to be ladies. What does a woman get by being a lady? If +fortune have made her so, fortune has done much for her. But the good +things come as the natural concomitants of her fortunate position. It +is not because she is a lady that she is liked by her peers and +peeresses. But those choice gifts which have made her a lady have +made her also to be liked. It comes from the outside, and for it no +struggle can usefully be made. Such was the result of Miss +Mackenzie's philosophy.</p> + +<p>One may see that all these self-inquiries tended Rubb-wards. I do not +mean that they were made with any direct intention on her part to +reconcile herself to a marriage with Mr Samuel Rubb, or that she even +thought of such an event as probable. He had said nothing to her to +justify such thought, and as yet she knew but very little of him. But +they all went to reconcile her to that sphere of life which her +brother Tom had chosen, and which her brother Walter had despised. +They taught her to believe that a firm footing below was better than +what might, after a life's struggle, be found to be but a false +footing above. And they were brightened undoubtedly by an idea that +some marriage in which she could love and be loved was possible to +her below, though it would hardly be possible to her above.</p> + +<p>Her only disputant on the subject was Miss Baker, and she startled +that lady much by the things which she said. Now, with Miss Baker, +not to be a lady was to be nothing. It was her weakness, and I may +also say her strength. Her ladyhood was of that nature that it took +no soil from outer contact. It depended, even within her own bosom, +on her own conduct solely, and in no degree on the conduct of those +among whom she might chance to find herself. She thought it well to +pass her evenings with Mr Stumfold's people, and he at any rate had +the manners of a gentleman. So thinking, she felt in no wise +disgraced because the coachbuilder's wife was a vulgar, illiterate +woman. But there were things, not bad in themselves, which she +herself would never have done, because she was a lady. She would have +broken her heart rather than marry a man who was not a gentleman. It +was not unlady-like to eat cold mutton, and she ate it. But she would +have shuddered had she been called on to eat any mutton with a steel +fork. She had little generous ways with her, because they were the +ways of ladies, and she paid for them from off her own back and out +of her own dish. She would not go out to tea in a street cab, because +she was a lady and alone; but she had no objection to walk, with her +servant with her if it was dark. No wonder that such a woman was +dismayed by the philosophy of Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>And yet they had been brought together by much that was alike in +their dispositions. Miss Mackenzie had now been more than six months +an inhabitant of Littlebath, and six months at such places is enough +for close intimacies. They were both quiet, conscientious, kindly +women, each not without some ambition of activity, but each a little +astray as to the way in which that activity should be shown. They +were both alone in the world, and Miss Baker during the last year or +two had become painfully so from the fact of her estrangement from +her old friend Miss Todd. They both wished to be religious, having +strong faith in the need of the comfort of religion; but neither of +them were quite satisfied with the Stumfoldian creed. They had both, +from conscience, eschewed the vanities of the world; but with neither +was her conscience quite satisfied that such eschewal was necessary, +and each regretted to be losing pleasures which might after all be +innocent.</p> + +<p>"If I'm to go to the bad place," Miss Todd had said to Miss Baker, +"because I like to do something that won't hurt my old eyes of an +evening, I don't see the justice of it. As for calling it gambling, +it's a falsehood, and your Mr Stumfold knows that as well as I do. I +haven't won or lost ten pounds in ten years, and I've no more idea of +making money by cards than I have by sweeping the chimney. Tell me +why are cards wicked? Drinking, and stealing, and lying, and +backbiting, and naughty love-making,—but especially +backbiting—backbiting—backbiting,—those are the things that the +Bible says are wicked. I shall go on playing cards, my dear, till Mr +Stumfold can send me chapter and verse forbidding it."</p> + +<p>Then Miss Baker, who was no doubt weak, had been unable to answer +her, and had herself hankered after the flesh-pots of Egypt and the +delights of the unregenerated.</p> + +<p>All these things Miss Baker and Miss Mackenzie discussed, and Miss +Baker learned to love her younger friend in spite of her heterodox +philosophy. Miss Mackenzie was going to give a tea-party,—nothing as +yet having been quite settled, as there were difficulties in the way; +but she propounded to Miss Baker the possibility of asking Miss Todd +and some few of the less conspicuous Toddites. She had her ambition, +and she wished to see whether even she might not do something to +lessen the gulf which separated those who loved the pleasures of the +world in Littlebath from the bosom of Mr Stumfold.</p> + +<p>"You don't know what you are going to do," Miss Baker said.</p> + +<p>"I'm not going to do any harm."</p> + +<p>"That's more than you can say, my dear." Miss Baker had learnt from +Miss Todd to call her friends "my dear."</p> + +<p>"You are always so afraid of everything," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Of course I am;—one has to be afraid. A single lady can't go about +and do just as she likes, as a man can do, or a married woman."</p> + +<p>"I don't know about a man; but I think a single woman ought to be +able to do more what she likes than a married woman. Suppose Mrs +Stumfold found that I had got old Lady Ruff to meet her, what could +she do to me?"</p> + +<p>Old Lady Ruff was supposed to be the wickedest old card-player in all +Littlebath, and there were strange stories afloat of the things she +had done. There were Stumfoldians who declared that she had been seen +through the blinds teaching her own maid piquet on a Sunday +afternoon; but any horror will get itself believed nowadays. How +could they have known that it was not beggar-my-neighbour? But piquet +was named because it is supposed in the Stumfoldian world to be the +wickedest of all games.</p> + +<p>"I don't suppose she'd do much," said Miss Baker; "no doubt she would +be very much offended."</p> + +<p>"Why shouldn't I try to convert Lady Ruff?"</p> + +<p>"She's over eighty, my dear."</p> + +<p>"But I suppose she's not past all hope. The older one is the more one +ought to try. But, of course, I'm only joking about her. Would Miss +Todd come if you were to ask her?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps she would, but I don't think she'd be comfortable; or if she +were, she'd make the others uncomfortable. She always does exactly +what she pleases."</p> + +<p>"That's just why I think I should like her. I wish I dared to do what +I pleased! We all of us are such cowards. Only that I don't dare, I'd +go off to Australia and marry a sheep farmer."</p> + +<p>"You would not like him when you'd got him;—you'd find him very +rough."</p> + +<p>"I shouldn't mind a bit about his being rough. I'd marry a shoe-black +to-morrow if I thought I could make him happy, and he could make me +happy."</p> + +<p>"But it wouldn't make you happy."</p> + +<p>"Ah! that's just what we don't know. I shan't marry a shoe-black, +because I don't dare. So you think I'd better not ask Miss Todd. +Perhaps she wouldn't get on well with Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>"I had them both together once, my dear, and she made herself quite +unbearable. You've no idea what kind of things she can say."</p> + +<p>"I should have thought Mr Maguire would have given her as good as she +brought," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"So he did; and then Miss Todd got up and left him, saying out loud, +before all the company, that it was not fair for him to come and +preach sermons in such a place as that. I don't think they have ever +met since."</p> + +<p>All this made Miss Mackenzie very thoughtful. She had thrown herself +into the society of the saints, and now there seemed to be no escape +for her; she could not be wicked even if she wished it. Having got +into her convent, and, as it were, taken the vows of her order, she +could not escape from it.</p> + +<p>"That Mr Rubb that I told you of is coming down here," she said, +still speaking to Miss Baker of her party.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear! will he be here when you have your friends here?"</p> + +<p>"That's what I intended; but I don't think I shall ask anybody at +all. It is so stupid always seeing the same people."</p> + +<p>"Mr Rubb is—is—is—?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; Mr Rubb is a partner in my brother's house, and sells oilcloth, +and things of that sort, and is not by any means aristocratic. I know +what you mean."</p> + +<p>"Don't be angry with me, my dear."</p> + +<p>"Angry! I am not a bit angry. Why should I be angry? A man who keeps +a shop is not, I suppose, a gentleman. But then, you know, I don't +care about gentlemen,—about any gentleman, or any gentlemen."</p> + +<p>Miss Baker sighed, and then the conversation dropped. She had always +cared about gentlemen,—and once in her life, or perhaps twice, had +cared about a gentleman.</p> + +<p>Yes; Mr Rubb was coming down again. He had written to say that it was +necessary that he should again see Miss Mackenzie about the money. +The next morning after the conversation which has just been recorded, +Miss Mackenzie got another letter about the same money, of which it +will be necessary to say more in the next chapter.</p> + + +<p><a name="c10" id="c10"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER X</h3> +<h3>Plenary Absolutions<br /> </h3> + + +<p>The letter which Miss Mackenzie received was from old Mr Slow, her +lawyer; and it was a very unpleasant letter. It was so unpleasant +that it made her ears tingle when she read it and remembered that the +person to whom special allusion was made was one whom she had taught +herself to regard as her friend. Mr Slow's letter was as +follows:<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote> +<p class="jright">7 Little St Dunstan Court,<br /> +April, 186—.</p> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smallcaps">Dear Madam</span>,</p> + +<p>I think it proper to write to you specially, about the +loan made by you to Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie, as the sum +lent is serious, and as there has been conduct on the part +of some one which I regard as dishonest. I find that what +we have done in the matter has been regulated rather by +the fact that you and Mr Mackenzie are brother and sister, +than by the ordinary course of such business; and I +perceive that we had special warrant given to us for this +by you in your letter of the 23rd November last; but, +nevertheless, it is my duty to explain to you that Messrs +Rubb and Mackenzie, or,—as I believe to be the case, Mr +Samuel Rubb, junior, of that firm,—have not dealt with +you fairly. The money was borrowed for the purpose of +buying certain premises, and, I believe, was laid out in +that way. But it was borrowed on the special understanding +that you, as the lender, were to have the title-deeds of +that property, and the first mortgage upon them. It was +alleged, when the purchase was being made, that the money +was wanted before the mortgage could be effected, and you +desired us to advance it. This we did, aware of the close +family connection between yourself and one of the firm. Of +course, on your instruction, we should have done this had +there been no such relationship, but in that case we +should have made further inquiry, and, probably, have +ventured to advise you. But though the money was so +advanced without the completion of the mortgage, it was +advanced on the distinct understanding that the security +proffered in the first instance was to be forthcoming +without delay. We now learn that the property is mortgaged +to other parties to its full value, and that no security +for your money is to be had.</p> + +<p>I have seen both Mr Mackenzie and Mr Rubb, junior. As +regards your brother, I believe him to have been innocent +of any intention of the deceit, for deceit there certainly +has been. Indeed, he does not deny it. He offers to give +you any security on the business, such as the +stock-in-trade or the like, which I may advise you to +take. But such would in truth be of no avail to you as +security. He, your brother, seemed to be much distressed +by what has been done, and I was grieved on his behalf. Mr +Rubb,—the younger Mr Rubb,—expressed himself in a very +different way. He at first declined to discuss the matter +with me; and when I told him that if that was his way I +would certainly expose him, he altered his tone a little, +expressing regret that there should be delay as to the +security, and wishing me to understand that you were +yourself aware of all the facts.</p> + +<p>There can be no doubt that deceit has been used towards +you in getting your money, and that Mr Rubb has laid +himself open to proceedings which, if taken against him, +would be absolutely ruinous to him. But I fear they would +be also ruinous to your brother. It is my painful duty to +tell you that your money so advanced is on a most +precarious footing. The firm, in addition to their present +liabilities, are not worth half the money; or, I fear I +may say, any part of it. I presume there is a working +profit, as two families live upon the business. Whether, +if you were to come upon them as a creditor, you could get +your money out of their assets, I cannot say; but you, +perhaps, will not feel yourself disposed to resort to such +a measure. I have considered it my duty to tell you all +the facts, and though your distinct authority to us to +advance the money absolves us from responsibility, I must +regret that we did not make further inquiries before we +allowed so large a sum of money to pass out of our hands.</p> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="ind8">I am, dear Madam,</span><br /> +<span class="ind12">Your faithful servant,</span></p> + +<p class="ind15"><span class="smallcaps">Jonathan +Slow</span>.<br /> </p> +</blockquote> + + +<p>Mr Rubb's promised visit was to take place in eight or ten days from +the date on which this letter was received. Miss Mackenzie's ears, as +I have said, tingled as she read it. In the first place, it gave her +a terrible picture of the precarious state of her brother's business. +What would he do,—he with his wife, and all his children, if things +were in such a state as Mr Slow described them? And yet a month or +two ago he was giving champagne and iced puddings for dinner! And +then what words that discreet old gentleman, Mr Slow, had spoken +about Mr Rubb, and what things he had hinted over and above what he +had spoken! Was it not manifest that he conceived Mr Rubb to have +been guilty of direct fraud?</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie at once made up her mind that her money was gone! But, +in truth, this did not much annoy her. She had declared to herself +once before that if anything was wrong about the money she would +regard it as a present made to her brother; and when so thinking of +it, she had, undoubtedly, felt that it was, not improbably, lost to +her. It was something over a hundred a year to be deducted from her +computed income, but she would still be able to live at the Paragon +quite as well as she had intended, and be able also to educate +Susanna. Indeed, she could do this easily and still save money, and, +therefore, as regarded the probable loss, why need she be unhappy?</p> + +<p>Before the morning was over she had succeeded in white-washing Mr +Rubb in her own mind. It is, I think, certainly the fact that women +are less pervious to ideas of honesty than men are. They are less +shocked by dishonesty when they find it, and are less clear in their +intellect as to that which constitutes honesty. Where is the woman +who thinks it wrong to smuggle? What lady's conscience ever pricked +her in that she omitted the armorial bearings on her silver forks +from her tax papers? What wife ever ceased to respect her husband +because he dealt dishonestly in business? Whereas, let him not go to +church, let him drink too much wine, let him go astray in his +conversation, and her wrath arises against these faults. But this +lack of feminine accuracy in the matter of honesty tends rather to +charity in their judgment of others, than to deeds of fraud on the +part of women themselves.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, who desired nothing that was not her own, who +scrupulously kept her own hands from all picking and stealing, gave +herself no peace, after reading the lawyer's letter, till she was +able to tell herself that Mr Rubb was to be forgiven for what he had +done. After all, he had, no doubt, intended that she should have the +promised security. And had not he himself come to her in London and +told her the whole truth,—or, if not the whole truth, as much of it +as was reasonable to expect that he should be able to tell her at an +evening party after dinner? Of course Mr Slow was hard upon him. +Lawyers always were hard. If she chose to give Messrs Rubb and +Mackenzie two thousand five hundred pounds out of her pocket, what +was that to him? So she went on, till at last she was angry with Mr +Slow for the language he had used.</p> + +<p>It was, however, before all things necessary that she should put Mr +Slow right as to the facts of the case. She had, no doubt, condoned +whatever Mr Rubb had done. Mr Rubb undoubtedly had her sanction for +keeping her money without security. Therefore, by return of post, she +wrote the following short letter, which rather astonished Mr Slow +when he received <span class="nowrap">it—</span><br /> </p> + + +<blockquote> +<p class="jright">Littlebath, April, 186—.</p> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smallcaps">Dear Sir</span>,</p> + +<p>I am much obliged by your letter about the money; but the +truth is that I have known for some time that there was to +be no mortgage. When I was in town I saw Mr Rubb at my +brother's house, and it was understood between us then +that the matter was to remain as it is. My brother and his +partner are very welcome to the money.</p> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="ind8">Believe me to be,</span><br /> +<span class="ind10">Yours sincerely,</span></p> + +<p class="ind12"><span class="smallcaps">Margaret +Mackenzie</span>.<br /> </p> +</blockquote> + + +<p>The letter was a false letter; but I suppose Miss Mackenzie did not +know that she was writing falsely. The letter was certainly false, +because when she spoke of the understanding "between us," having just +mentioned her brother and Mr Rubb, she intended the lawyer to believe +that the understanding was between them three; whereas, not a word +had been said about the money in her brother's hearing, nor was he +aware that his partner had spoken of the money.</p> + +<p>Mr Slow was surprised and annoyed. As regarded his comfort as a +lawyer, his client's letter was of course satisfactory. It absolved +him not only from all absolute responsibility, but also from the +feeling which no doubt had existed within his own breast, that he had +in some sort neglected the lady's interest. But, nevertheless, he was +annoyed. He did not believe the statement that Rubb and Mackenzie had +had permission to hold the money without mortgage, and thought that +neither of the partners had themselves so conceived when he had seen +them. They had, however, been too many for him—and too many also for +the poor female who had allowed herself to be duped out of her money. +Such were Mr Slow's feelings on the matter, and then he dismissed the +subject from his mind.</p> + +<p>The next day, about noon, Miss Mackenzie was startled almost out of +her propriety by the sudden announcement at the drawing-room door of +Mr Rubb. Before she could bethink herself how she would behave +herself, or whether it would become her to say anything of Mr Slow's +letter to her, he was in the room.</p> + +<p>"Miss Mackenzie," he said, hurriedly—and yet he had paused for a +moment in his hurry till the servant had shut the door—"may I shake +hands with you?"</p> + +<p>There could, Miss Mackenzie thought, be no objection to so ordinary a +ceremony; and, therefore, she said, "Certainly," and gave him her +hand.</p> + +<p>"Then I am myself again," said Mr Rubb; and having so said, he sat +down.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie hoped that there was nothing the matter with him, and +then she also sat down at a considerable distance.</p> + +<p>"There is nothing the matter with me," said he, "as you are still so +kind to me. But tell me, have you not received a letter from your +lawyer?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have."</p> + +<p>"And he has done all in his power to blacken me? I know it. Tell me, +Miss Mackenzie, has he not blackened me? Has he not laid things to my +charge of which I am incapable? Has he not accused me of getting +money from you under false pretences,—than do which, I'd sooner have +seen my own brains blown out? I would, indeed."</p> + +<p>"He has written to me about the money, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"Yes; he came to me, and behaved shamefully to me; and he saw your +brother, too, and has been making all manner of ignominious +inquiries. Those lawyers can never understand that there can be +anything of friendly feeling about money. They can't put friendly +feelings into their unconscionable bills. I believe the world would +go on better if there was no such thing as an attorney in it. I +wonder who invented them, and why?"</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie could give him no information on this point, and +therefore he went on:</p> + +<p>"But you must tell me what he has said, and what it is he wants us to +do. For your sake, if you ask us, Miss Mackenzie, we'll do anything. +We'll sell the coats off our backs, if you wish it. You shall never +lose one shilling by Rubb and Mackenzie as long as I have anything to +do with the firm. But I'm sure you will excuse me if I say that we +can do nothing at the bidding of that old cormorant."</p> + +<p>"I don't know that there's anything to be done, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"Is not there? Well, it's very generous in you to say so; and you +always are generous. I've always told your brother, since I had the +honour of knowing you, that he had a sister to be proud of. And, Miss +Mackenzie, I'll say more than that; I've flattered myself that I've +had a friend to be proud of. But now I must tell you why I've come +down to-day; you know I was to have been here next week. Well, when +Mr Slow came to me and I found what was up, I said to myself at once +that it was right you should know exactly—exactly—how the matter +stands. I was going to explain it next week, but I wouldn't leave you +in suspense when I knew that that lawyer was going to trouble you."</p> + +<p>"It hasn't troubled me, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"Hasn't it though, really? That's so good of you again! Now the truth +is—but it's pretty nearly just what I told you that day after +dinner, when you agreed, you know, to what we had done."</p> + +<p>Here he paused, as though expecting an answer.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I did agree."</p> + +<p>"Just at present, while certain other parties have a right to hold +the title-deeds, and I can't quite say how long that may be, we +cannot execute a mortgage in your favour. The title-deeds represent +the property. Perhaps you don't know that."</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, I know as much as that."</p> + +<p>"Well then, as we haven't the title-deeds, we can't execute the +mortgage. Perhaps you'll say you ought to have the title-deeds."</p> + +<p>"No, Mr Rubb, I don't want to say anything of the kind. If my money +can be of any assistance to my brother—to my brother and you—you +are welcome to the use of it, without any mortgage. I will show you a +copy of the letter I sent to Mr Slow."</p> + +<p>"Thanks; a thousand thanks! and may I see the letter which Mr Slow +wrote?"</p> + +<p>"No, I think not. I don't know whether it would be right to show it +to you."</p> + +<p>"I shouldn't think of doing anything about it; that is, resenting it, +you know. Only then we should all be on the square together."</p> + +<p>"I think I'd better not. Mr Slow, when he wrote it, probably did not +mean that I should show it to you."</p> + +<p>"You're right; you're always right. But you'll let me see your +answer."</p> + +<p>Then Miss Mackenzie went to her desk, and brought him a copy of the +note she had written to the lawyer. He read it very carefully, twice +over; and then she could see, when he refolded the paper, that his +eyes were glittering with satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"Miss Mackenzie, Miss Mackenzie," he said, "I think that you are an +angel!"</p> + +<p>And he did think so. In so much at that moment he was at any rate +sincere. She saw that he was pleased, and she was pleased herself.</p> + +<p>"There need be no further trouble about it," she said; and as she +spoke she rose from her seat.</p> + +<p>And he rose, too, and came close to her. He came close to her, +hesitated for a moment, and then, putting one hand behind her waist, +though barely touching her, he took her hand with his other hand. She +thought that he was going to kiss her lips, and for a moment or two +he thought so too; but either his courage failed him or else his +discretion prevailed. Whether it was the one or the other, must +depend on the way in which she would have taken it. As it was, he +merely raised her hand and kissed that. When she could look into his +face his eyes were full of tears.</p> + +<p>"The truth is," said he, "that you have saved us from ruin;—that's +the real truth. Damn all lying!"</p> + +<p>She started at the oath, but in an instant she had forgiven him that +too. There was a sound of reality about it, which reconciled her to +the indignity; though, had she been true to her faith as a +Stumfoldian, she ought at least to have fainted at the sound.</p> + +<p>"I hardly know what I am saying, Miss Mackenzie, and I beg your +pardon; but the fact is you could sell us up if you pleased. I didn't +mean it when I first got your brother to agree as to asking you for +the loan; I didn't indeed; but things were going wrong with us, and +just at that moment they went more wrong than ever; and then came the +temptation, and we were able to make everything right by giving up +the title-deeds of the premises. That's how it was, and it was I that +did it. It wasn't your brother; and though you may forgive me, he +won't."</p> + +<p>This was all true, but how far the truth should be taken towards +palliating the deed done, I must leave the reader to decide; and the +reader will doubtless perceive that the truth did not appear until Mr +Rubb had ascertained that its appearance would not injure him. I +think, however, that it came from his heart, and that it should count +for something in his favour. The tear which he rubbed from his eye +with his hand counted very much in his favour with Miss Mackenzie; +she had not only forgiven him now, but she almost loved him for +having given her something to forgive. With many women I doubt +whether there be any more effectual way of touching their hearts than +ill-using them and then confessing it. If you wish to get the +sweetest fragrance from the herb at your feet, tread on it and bruise +it.</p> + +<p>She had forgiven him, and taken him absolutely into favour, and he +had kissed her hand, having all but embraced her as he did so; but on +the present occasion he did not get beyond that. He lacked the +audacity to proceed at once from the acknowledgment of his fault to a +declaration of his love; but I hardly think that he would have +injured himself had he done so. He should have struck while the iron +was hot, and it was heated now nearly to melting; but he was abashed +by his own position, and having something real in his heart, having +some remnant of generous feeling left about him, he could not make +such progress as he might have done had he been cool enough to +calculate all his advantages.</p> + +<p>"Don't let it trouble you any more," Miss Mackenzie said, when he had +dropped her hand.</p> + +<p>"But it does trouble me, and it will trouble me."</p> + +<p>"No," she said, with energy, "it shall not; let there be an end of +it. I will write to Tom, and tell him that he is welcome to the +money. Isn't he my brother? You are both welcome to it. If it has +been of service to you, I am very happy that it should be so. And +now, Mr Rubb, if you please, we won't have another word about it."</p> + +<p>"What am I to say?"</p> + +<p>"Not another word."</p> + +<p>It seemed as though he couldn't speak another word, for he went to +the window and stood there silently, looking into the street. As he +did so, there came another visitor to Miss Mackenzie, whose ringing +at the doorbell had not been noticed by them, and Miss Baker was +announced while Mr Rubb was still getting the better of his feelings. +Of course he turned round when he heard the lady's name, and of +course he was introduced by his hostess. Miss Mackenzie was obliged +to make some apology for the gentleman's presence.</p> + +<p>"Mr Rubb was expected next week, but business brought him down to-day +unexpectedly."</p> + +<p>"Quite unexpectedly," said Mr Rubb, making a violent endeavour to +recover his equanimity.</p> + +<p>Miss Baker looked at Mr Rubb, and disliked him at once. It should be +remembered that she was twenty years older than Miss Mackenzie, and +that she regarded the stranger, therefore, with a saner and more +philosophical judgment than her friend could use,—with a judgment on +which the outward comeliness of the man had no undue influence; and +it should be remembered also that Miss Baker, from early age, and by +all the association of her youth, had been taught to know a gentleman +when she saw him. Miss Mackenzie, who was by nature the cleverer +woman of the two, watched her friend's face, and saw by a glance that +she did not like Mr Rubb, and then, within her own bosom, she called +her friend an old maid.</p> + +<p>"We're having uncommonly fine weather for the time of year," said Mr +Rubb.</p> + +<p>"Very fine weather," said Miss Baker. "I've called, my dear, to know +whether you'll go in with me next door and drink tea this evening?"</p> + +<p>"What, with Miss Todd?" asked Miss Mackenzie, who was surprised at +the invitation.</p> + +<p>"Yes, with Miss Todd. It is not one of her regular nights, you know, +and her set won't be there. She has some old friends with her,—a Mr +Wilkinson, a clergyman, and his wife. It seems that her old enemy and +your devoted slave, Mr Maguire, knows Mr Wilkinson, and he's going to +be there."</p> + +<p>"Mr Maguire is no slave of mine, Miss Baker."</p> + +<p>"I thought he was; at any rate his presence will be a guarantee that +Miss Todd will be on her best behaviour, and that you needn't be +afraid."</p> + +<p>"I'm not afraid of anything of that sort."</p> + +<p>"But will you go?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, if you are going."</p> + +<p>"That's right; and I'll call for you as I pass by. I must see her +now, and tell her. Good-morning, Sir;" whereupon Miss Baker bowed +very stiffly to Mr Rubb.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, Ma'am," said Mr Rubb, bowing very stiffly to Miss +Baker.</p> + +<p>When the lady was gone, Mr Rubb sat himself again down on the sofa, +and there he remained for the next half-hour. He talked about the +business of the firm, saying how it would now certainly be improved; +and he talked about Tom Mackenzie's family, saying what a grand thing +it was for Susanna to be thus taken in hand by her aunt; and he asked +a question or two about Miss Baker, and then a question or two about +Mr Maguire, during which questions he learned that Mr Maguire was not +as yet a married man; and from Mr Maguire he got on to the Stumfolds, +and learned somewhat of the rites and ceremonies of the Stumfoldian +faith. In this way he prolonged his visit till Miss Mackenzie began +to feel that he ought to take his leave.</p> + +<p>Miss Baker had gone at once to Miss Todd, and had told that lady that +Miss Mackenzie would join her tea-party. She had also told how Mr +Rubb, of the firm of Rubb and Mackenzie, was at this moment in Miss +Mackenzie's drawing-room.</p> + +<p>"I'll ask him to come, too," said Miss Todd. Then Miss Baker had +hesitated, and had looked grave.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" said Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>"I'm not quite sure you'll like him," said Miss Baker.</p> + +<p>"Probably not," said Miss Todd; "I don't like half the people I meet, +but that's no reason I shouldn't ask him."</p> + +<p>"But he is—that is, he is not exactly—"</p> + +<p>"What is he, and what is he not, exactly?" asked Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>"Why, he is a tradesman, you know," said Miss Baker.</p> + +<p>"There's no harm that I know of in that," said Miss Todd. "My uncle +that left me my money was a tradesman."</p> + +<p>"No," said Miss Baker, energetically; "he was a merchant in +Liverpool."</p> + +<p>"You'll find it very hard to define the difference, my dear," said +Miss Todd. "At any rate I'll ask the man to come;—that is, if it +won't offend you."</p> + +<p>"It won't in the least offend me," said Miss Baker.</p> + +<p>So a note was at once written and sent in to Miss Mackenzie, in which +she was asked to bring Mr Rubb with her on that evening. When the +note reached Miss Mackenzie, Mr Rubb was still with her.</p> + +<p>Of course she communicated to him the invitation. She wished that it +had not been sent; she wished that he would not accept it,—though on +that head she had no doubt; but she had not sufficient presence of +mind to keep the matter to herself and say nothing about it. Of +course he was only too glad to drink tea with Miss Todd. Miss +Mackenzie attempted some slight manœuvre to induce Mr Rubb to go +direct to Miss Todd's house; but he was not such an ass as that; he +knew his advantage, and kept it, insisting on his privilege of coming +there, to Miss Mackenzie's room, and escorting her. He would have to +escort Miss Baker also; and things, as he thought, were looking well +with him. At last he rose to go, but he made good use of the +privilege of parting. He held Miss Mackenzie's hand, and pressed it.</p> + +<p>"You mustn't be angry," he said, "if I tell you that you are the best +friend I have in the world."</p> + +<p>"You have better friends than me," she said, "and older friends."</p> + +<p>"Yes; older friends; but none,—not one, who has done for me so much +as you have; and certainly none for whom I have so great a regard. +May God bless you, Miss Mackenzie!"</p> + +<p>"May God bless you, too, Mr Rubb!"</p> + +<p>What else could she say? When his civility took so decorous a shape, +she could not bear to be less civil than he had been, or less +decorous. And yet it seemed to her that in bidding God bless him with +that warm pressure of the hand, she had allowed to escape from her an +appearance of affection which she had not intended to exhibit.</p> + +<p>"Thank you; thank you," said he; and then at last he went.</p> + +<p>She seated herself slowly in her own chair near the window,—the +chair in which she was accustomed to sit for many solitary hours, and +asked herself what it all meant. Was she allowing herself to fall in +love with Mr Rubb, and if so, was it well that it should be so? This +would be bringing to the sternest proof of reality her philosophical +theory on social life. It was all very well for her to hold a bold +opinion in discussions with Miss Baker as to a "man being a man for +a' that," even though he might not be a gentleman; but was she +prepared to go the length of preferring such a man to all the world? +Was she ready to go down among the Rubbs, for now and ever, and give +up the society of such women as Miss Baker? She knew that it was +necessary that she should come to some resolve on the matter, as Mr +Rubb's purpose was becoming too clear to her. When an unmarried +gentleman of forty tells an unmarried lady of thirty-six that she is +the dearest friend he has in the world, he must surely intend that +they shall, neither of them, remain unmarried any longer. Then she +thought also of her cousin, John Ball; and some vague shadow of +thought passed across her mind also in respect of the Rev. Mr +Maguire.</p> + + +<p><a name="c11" id="c11"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XI</h3> +<h3>Miss Todd Entertains Some Friends at Tea<br /> </h3> + + +<p>I believe that a desire to get married is the natural state of a +woman at the age of—say from twenty-five to thirty-five, and I think +also that it is good for the world in general that it should be so. I +am now speaking, not of the female population at large, but of women +whose position in the world does not subject them to the necessity of +earning their bread by the labour of their hands. There is, I know, a +feeling abroad among women that this desire is one of which it is +expedient that they should become ashamed; that it will be well for +them to alter their natures in this respect, and learn to take +delight in the single state. Many of the most worthy women of the day +are now teaching this doctrine, and are intent on showing by precept +and practice that an unmarried woman may have as sure a hold on the +world, and a position within it as ascertained, as may an unmarried +man. But I confess to an opinion that human nature will be found to +be too strong for them. Their school of philosophy may be graced by a +few zealous students,—by students who will be subject to the +personal influence of their great masters,—but it will not be +successful in the outer world. The truth in the matter is too clear. +A woman's life is not perfect or whole till she has added herself to +a husband.</p> + +<p>Nor is a man's life perfect or whole till he has added to himself a +wife; but the deficiency with the man, though perhaps more injurious +to him than its counterpart is to the woman, does not, to the outer +eye, so manifestly unfit him for his business in the world. Nor does +the deficiency make itself known to him so early in life, and +therefore it occasions less of regret,—less of regret, though +probably more of misery. It is infinitely for his advantage that he +should be tempted to take to himself a wife; and, therefore, for his +sake if not for her own, the philosophic preacher of single +blessedness should break up her class-rooms, and bid her pupils go +and do as their mothers did before them.</p> + +<p>They may as well give up their ineffectual efforts, and know that +nature is too strong for them. The desire is there; and any desire +which has to be repressed with an effort, will not have itself +repressed unless it be in itself wrong. But this desire, though by no +means wrong, is generally accompanied by something of a feeling of +shame. It is not often acknowledged by the woman to herself, and very +rarely acknowledged in simple plainness to another. Miss Mackenzie +could not by any means bring herself to own it, and yet it was there +strong within her bosom. A man situated in outer matters as she was +situated, possessed of good means, hampered by no outer demands, +would have declared to himself clearly that it would be well for him +to marry. But he would probably be content to wait a while and would, +unless in love, feel the delay to be a luxury. But Miss Mackenzie +could not confess as much, even to herself,—could not let herself +know that she thought as much; but yet she desired to be married, and +dreaded delay. She desired to be married, although she was troubled +by some half-formed idea that it would be wicked. Who was she, that +she should be allowed to be in love? Was she not an old maid by +prescription, and, as it were, by the force of ordained +circumstances? Had it not been made very clear to her when she was +young that she had no right to fall in love, even with Harry +Handcock? And although in certain moments of ecstasy, as when she +kissed herself in the glass, she almost taught herself to think that +feminine charms and feminine privileges had not been all denied to +her, such was not her permanent opinion of herself. She despised +herself. Why, she knew not; and probably did not know that she did +so. But, in truth, she despised herself, thinking herself to be too +mean for a man's love.</p> + +<p>She had been asked to marry him by her cousin Mr Ball, and she had +almost yielded. But had she married him it would not have been +because she thought herself good enough to be loved by him, but +because she held herself to be so insignificant that she had no right +to ask for love. She would have taken him because she could have been +of use, and because she would have felt that she had no right to +demand any other purpose in the world. She would have done this, had +she not been deterred by the rude offer of other advantages which had +with so much ill judgment been made to her by her aunt.</p> + +<p>Now, here was a lover who was not old and careworn, who was +personally agreeable to her, with whom something of the customary +romance of the world might be possible. Should she take him? She knew +well that there were drawbacks. Her perceptions had not missed to +notice the man's imperfections, his vulgarities, his false promises, +his little pushing ways. But why was she to expect him to be perfect, +seeing, as she so plainly did, her own imperfections? As for her +money, of course he wanted her money. So had Mr Ball wanted her +money. What man on earth could have wished to marry her unless she +had had money? It was thus that she thought of herself. And he had +robbed her! But that she had forgiven; and, having forgiven it, was +too generous to count it for anything. But, nevertheless, she was +ambitious. Might there not be a better, even than Mr Rubb?</p> + +<p>Mr Maguire squinted horribly; so horribly that the form and face of +the man hardly left any memory of themselves except the memory of the +squint. His dark hair, his one perfect eye, his good figure, his +expressive mouth, were all lost in that dreadful perversion of +vision. It was a misfortune so great as to justify him in demanding +that he should be judged by different laws than those which are used +as to the conduct of the world at large. In getting a wife he might +surely use his tongue with more freedom than another man, seeing that +his eye was so much against him. If he were somewhat romantic in his +talk, or even more than romantic, who could find fault with him? And +if he used his clerical vocation to cover the terrors of that +distorted pupil, can any woman say that he should be therefore +condemned? Miss Mackenzie could not forget his eye, but she thought +that she had almost brought herself to forgive it. And, moreover, he +was a gentleman, not only by Act of Parliament, but in outward +manners. Were she to become Mrs Maguire, Miss Baker would certainly +come to her house, and it might be given to her to rival Mrs +Stumfold—in running which race she would be weighted by no Mr +Peters.</p> + +<p>It is true that Mr Maguire had never asked her to marry him, but she +believed that he would ask her if she gave him any encouragement. Now +it was to come to pass, by a wonderful arrangement of circumstances, +that she was to meet these two gentlemen together. It might well be, +that on this very occasion, she must choose whether it should be +either or neither.</p> + +<p>Mr Rubb came, and she looked anxiously at his dress. He had on bright +yellow kid gloves, primrose he would have called them, but, if there +be such things as yellow gloves, they were yellow; and she wished +that she had the courage to ask him to take them off. This was beyond +her, and there he sat, with his gloves almost as conspicuous as Mr +Maguire's eye. Should she, however, ever become Mrs Rubb, she would +not find the gloves to be there permanently; whereas the eye would +remain. But then the gloves were the fault of the one man, whereas +the eye was simply the misfortune of the other. And Mr Rubb's hair +was very full of perfumed grease, and sat on each side of his head in +a conscious arrangement of waviness that was detestable. As she +looked at Mr Rubb in all the brightness of his evening costume, she +began to think that she had better not. At last Miss Baker came, and +they started off together. Miss Mackenzie saw that Miss Baker eyed +the man, and she blushed. When they got down upon the doorstep, +Samuel Rubb, junior, absolutely offered an arm simultaneously to each +lady! At that moment Miss Mackenzie hated him in spite of her special +theory.</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said Miss Baker, declining the arm; "it is only a step."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie declined it also.</p> + +<p>"Oh, of course," said Mr Rubb. "If it's only next door it does not +signify."</p> + +<p>Miss Todd welcomed them cordially, gloves and all. "My dear," she +said to Miss Baker, "I haven't seen you for twenty years. Miss +Mackenzie, this is very kind of you. I hope we sha'n't do you any +harm, as we are not going to be wicked to-night."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie did not dare to say that she would have preferred to +be wicked, but that is what she would have said if she had dared.</p> + +<p>"Mr Rubb, I'm very happy to see you," continued Miss Todd, accepting +her guest's hand, glove and all. "I hope they haven't made you +believe that you are going to have any dancing, for, if so, they have +hoaxed you shamefully." Then she introduced them to Mr and Mrs +Wilkinson.</p> + +<p>Mr Wilkinson was a plain-looking clergyman, with a very pretty wife. +"Adela," Miss Todd said to Mrs Wilkinson, "you used to dance, but +that's all done with now, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"I never danced much," said the clergyman's wife, "but have certainly +given it up now, partly because I have no one to dance with."</p> + +<p>"Here's Mr Rubb quite ready. He'll dance with you, I'll be bound, if +that's all."</p> + +<p>Mr Rubb became very red, and Miss Mackenzie, when she next took +courage to look at him, saw that the gloves had disappeared.</p> + +<p>There came also a Mr and Mrs Fuzzybell, and immediately afterwards Mr +Maguire, whereupon Miss Todd declared her party to be complete.</p> + +<p>"Mrs Fuzzybell, my dear, no cards!" said Miss Todd, quite out loud, +with a tragic-comic expression in her face that was irresistible. "Mr +Fuzzybell, no cards!" Mrs Fuzzybell said that she was delighted to +hear it. Mr Fuzzybell said that it did not signify. Miss Baker stole +a glance at Mr Maguire, and shook in her shoes. Mr Maguire tried to +look as though he had not heard it.</p> + +<p>"Do you play cards much here?" asked Mr Rubb.</p> + +<p>"A great deal too much, Sir," said Miss Todd, shaking her head.</p> + +<p>"Have you many Dissenters in your parish, Mr Wilkinson?" asked Mr +Maguire.</p> + +<p>"A good many," said Mr Wilkinson.</p> + +<p>"But no Papists?" suggested Mr Maguire.</p> + +<p>"No, we have no Roman Catholics."</p> + +<p>"That is such a blessing!" said Mr Maguire, turning his eyes up to +Heaven in a very frightful manner. But he had succeeded for the +present in putting down Miss Todd and her cards.</p> + +<p>They were now summoned round the tea-table,—a genuine tea-table at +which it was expected that they should eat and drink. Miss Mackenzie +was seated next to Mr Maguire on one side of the table, while Mr Rubb +sat on the other between Miss Todd and Miss Baker. While they were +yet taking their seats, and before the operations of the banquet had +commenced, Susanna entered the room. She also had been specially +invited, but she had not returned from school in time to accompany +her aunt. The young lady had to walk round the room to shake hands +with everybody, and when she came to Mr Rubb, was received with much +affectionate urgency. He turned round in his chair and was loud in +his praises. "Miss Mackenzie," said he, speaking across the table, "I +shall have to report in Gower Street that Miss Susanna has become +quite the lady." From that moment Mr Rubb had an enemy close to the +object of his affections, who was always fighting a battle against +him.</p> + +<p>Susanna had hardly gained her seat, before Mr Maguire seized an +opportunity which he saw might soon be gone, and sprang to his legs. +"Miss Todd," said he, "may I be permitted to ask a blessing?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, certainly," said Miss Todd; "but I thought one only did that at +dinner."</p> + +<p>Mr Maguire, however, was not the man to sit down without improving +the occasion.</p> + +<p>"And why not for tea also?" said he. "Are they not gifts alike?"</p> + +<p>"Very much alike," said Miss Todd, "and so is a cake at a +pastry-cook's. But we don't say grace over our buns."</p> + +<p>"We do, in silence," said Mr Maguire, still standing; "and therefore +we ought to have it out loud here."</p> + +<p>"I don't see the argument; but you're very welcome."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said Mr Maguire; and then he said his grace. He said it +with much poetic emphasis, and Miss Mackenzie, who liked any little +additional excitement, thought that Miss Todd had been wrong.</p> + +<p>"You've a deal of society here, no doubt," said Mr Rubb to Miss +Baker, while Miss Todd was dispensing her tea.</p> + +<p>"I suppose it's much the same as other places," said Miss Baker. +"Those who know many people can go out constantly if they like it."</p> + +<p>"And it's so easy to get to know people," said Mr Rubb. "That's what +makes me like these sort of places so much. There's no stiffness and +formality, and all that kind of thing. Now in London, you don't know +your next neighbour, though you and he have lived there for ten +years."</p> + +<p>"Nor here either, unless chance brings you together."</p> + +<p>"Ah; but there is none of that horrid decorum here," said Mr Rubb. +"There's nothing I hate like decorum. It prevents people knowing each +other, and being jolly and happy together. Now, the French know more +about society than any people, and I'm told they have none of it."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I can't say," said Miss Baker.</p> + +<p>"It's given up to them that they've got rid of it altogether," said +Mr Rubb.</p> + +<p>"Who have got rid of what?" asked Miss Todd, who saw that her friend +was rather dismayed by the tenor of Mr Rubb's conversation.</p> + +<p>"The French have got rid of decorum," said Mr Rubb.</p> + +<p>"Altogether, I believe," said Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>"Of course they have. It's given up to them that they have. They're +the people that know how to live!"</p> + +<p>"You'd better go and live among them, if that's your way of +thinking," said Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>"I would at once, only for the business," said Mr Rubb. "If there's +anything I hate, it's decorum. How pleasant it was for me to be asked +in to take tea here in this social way!"</p> + +<p>"But I hope decorum would not have forbidden that," said Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>"I rather think it would though, in London."</p> + +<p>"Where you're known, you mean?" asked Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>"I don't know that that makes any difference; but people don't do +that sort of thing. Do they, Miss Mackenzie? You've lived in London +most of your life, and you ought to know."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie did not answer the appeal that was made to her. She +was watching Mr Rubb narrowly, and knew that he was making a fool of +himself. She could perceive also that Miss Todd would not spare him. +She could forgive Mr Rubb for being a fool. She could forgive him for +not knowing the meaning of words, for being vulgar and assuming; but +she could hardly bring herself to forgive him in that he did so as +her friend, and as the guest whom she had brought thither. She did +not declare to herself that she would have nothing more to do with +him, because he was an ass; but she almost did come to this +conclusion, lest he should make her appear to be an ass also.</p> + +<p>"What is the gentleman's name?" asked Mr Maguire, who, under the +protection of the urn, was able to whisper into Miss Mackenzie's ear.</p> + +<p>"Rubb," said she.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Rubb; and he comes from London?"</p> + +<p>"He is my brother's partner in business," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Oh, indeed. A very worthy man, no doubt. Is he staying with—with +you, Miss Mackenzie?"</p> + +<p>Then Miss Mackenzie had to explain that Mr Rubb was not staying with +her,—that he had come down about business, and that he was staying +at some inn.</p> + +<p>"An excellent man of business; I'm sure," said Mr Maguire. +"By-the-bye, Miss Mackenzie, if it be not improper to ask, have you +any share in the business?"</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie explained that she had no share in the business; and +then blundered on, saying how Mr Rubb had come down to Littlebath +about money transactions between her and her brother.</p> + +<p>"Oh, indeed," said Mr Maguire; and before he had done, he knew very +well that Mr Rubb had borrowed money of Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Now, Mrs Fuzzybell, what are we to do?" said Miss Todd, as soon as +the tea-things were gone.</p> + +<p>"We shall do very well," said Mrs Fuzzybell; "we'll have a little +conversation."</p> + +<p>"If we could all banish decorum, like Mr Rubb, and amuse ourselves, +wouldn't it be nice? I quite agree with you, Mr Rubb; decorum is a +great bore; it prevents our playing cards to-night."</p> + +<p>"As for cards, I never play cards myself," said Mr Rubb.</p> + +<p>"Then, when I throw decorum overboard, it sha'n't be in company with +you, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"We were always taught to think that cards were objectionable."</p> + +<p>"You were told they were the devil's books, I suppose," said Miss +Todd.</p> + +<p>"Mother always objected to have them in the house," said Mr Rubb.</p> + +<p>"Your mother was quite right," said Mr Maguire; "and I hope that you +will never forget or neglect your parent's precepts. I'm not meaning +to judge you, Miss <span class="nowrap">Todd—"</span></p> + +<p>"But that's just what you are meaning to do, Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>"Not at all; very far from it. We've all got our wickednesses and +imperfections."</p> + +<p>"No, no, not you, Mr Maguire. Mrs Fuzzybell, you don't think that Mr +Maguire has any wickednesses and imperfections?"</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I don't know," said Mrs Fuzzybell, tossing her head.</p> + +<p>"Miss Todd," said Mr Maguire, "when I look into my own heart, I see +well how black it is. It is full of iniquity; it is a grievous sore +that is ever running, and will not be purified."</p> + +<p>"Gracious me, how unpleasant!" said Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>"I trust that there is no one here who has not a sense of her own +wickedness."</p> + +<p>"Or of his," said Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>"Or of his," and Mr Maguire looked very hard at Mr Fuzzybell. Mr +Fuzzybell was a quiet, tame old gentleman, who followed his wife's +heels about wherever she went; but even he, when attacked in this +way, became very fierce, and looked back at Mr Maguire quite as +severely as Mr Maguire looked at him.</p> + +<p>"Or of his," continued Mr Maguire; "and therefore far be it from me +to think hardly of the amusements of other people. But when this +gentleman tells me that his excellent parent warned him against the +fascination of cards, I cannot but ask him to remember those precepts +to his dying bed."</p> + +<p>"I won't say what I may do later in life," said Mr Rubb.</p> + +<p>"When he becomes like you and me, Mrs Fuzzybell," said Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>"When one does get older," said Mr Rubb.</p> + +<p>"And has succeeded in throwing off all decorum," said Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>"How can you say such things?" asked Miss Baker, who was shocked by +the tenor of the conversation.</p> + +<p>"It isn't I, my dear; it's Mr Rubb and Mr Maguire, between them. One +says he has thrown off all decorum and the other declares himself to +be a mass of iniquity. What are two poor old ladies like you and I to +do in such company?"</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, when she heard Mr Maguire declare himself to be a +running sore, was even more angry with him than with Mr Rubb. He, at +any rate, should have known better. After all, was not Mr Ball better +than either of them, though his head was bald and his face worn with +that solemn, sad look of care which always pervaded him?</p> + +<p>In the course of the evening she found herself seated apart from the +general company, with Mr Maguire beside her. The eye that did not +squint was towards her, and he made an effort to be agreeable to her +that was not altogether ineffectual.</p> + +<p>"Does not society sometimes make you very sad?" he said.</p> + +<p>Society had made her sad to-night, and she answered him in the +affirmative.</p> + +<p>"It seems that people are so little desirous to make other people +happy," she replied.</p> + +<p>"It was just that idea that was passing through my own mind. Men and +women are anxious to give you the best they have, but it is in order +that you may admire their wealth or their taste; and they strive to +be witty, amusing, and sarcastic! but that, again, is for the éclat +they are to gain. How few really struggle to make those around them +comfortable!"</p> + +<p>"It comes, I suppose, from people having such different tastes," said +Miss Mackenzie, who, on looking round the room, thought that the +people assembled there were peculiarly ill-assorted.</p> + +<p>"As for happiness," continued Mr Maguire, "that is not to be looked +for from society. They who expect their social hours to be happy +hours will be grievously disappointed."</p> + +<p>"Are you not happy at Mrs Stumfold's?"</p> + +<p>"At Mrs Stumfold's? Yes;—sometimes, that is; but even there I always +seem to want something. Miss Mackenzie, has it never occurred to you +that the one thing necessary in this life, the one thing—beyond a +hope for the next, you know, the one thing is—ah, Miss Mackenzie, +what is it?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you mean a competence," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"I mean some one to love," said Mr Maguire.</p> + +<p>As he spoke he looked with all the poetic vigour of his better eye +full into Miss Mackenzie's face, and Miss Mackenzie, who then could +see nothing of the other eye, felt the effect of the glance somewhat +as he intended that she should feel it. When a lady who is thinking +about getting married is asked by a gentleman who is frequently in +her thoughts whether she does not want some one to love, it is +natural that she should presume that he means to be particular; and +it is natural also that she should be in some sort gratified by that +particularity. Miss Mackenzie was, I think, gratified, but she did +not express any such feeling.</p> + +<p>"Is not that your idea also?" said he,—"some one to love; is not +that the great desideratum here below!" And the tone in which he +repeated the last words was by no means ineffective.</p> + +<p>"I hope everybody has that," said she.</p> + +<p>"I fear not; not anyone to love with a perfect love. Who does Miss +Todd love?"</p> + +<p>"Miss Baker."</p> + +<p>"Does she? And yet they live apart, and rarely see each other. They +think differently on all subjects. That is not the love of which I am +speaking. And you, Miss Mackenzie, are you sure that you love anyone +with that perfect all-trusting, love?"</p> + +<p>"I love my niece Susanna best," said she.</p> + +<p>"Your niece, Susanna! She is a sweet child, a sweet girl; she has +everything to make those love her who know her; +<span class="nowrap">but—"</span></p> + +<p>"You don't think anything amiss of Susanna, Mr Maguire?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing, nothing; Heaven forbid, dear child! And I think so highly +of you for your generosity in adopting her."</p> + +<p>"I could not do less than take one of them, Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>"But I meant a different kind of love from that. Do you feel that +your regard for your niece is sufficient to fill your heart?"</p> + +<p>"It makes me very comfortable."</p> + +<p>"Does it? Ah! me; I wish I could make myself comfortable."</p> + +<p>"I should have thought, seeing you so much in Mrs Stumfold's +<span class="nowrap">house—"</span></p> + +<p>"I have the greatest veneration for that woman, Miss Mackenzie! I +have sometimes thought that of all the human beings I have ever met, +she is the most perfect; she is human, and therefore a sinner, but +her sins never meet my eyes."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, who did not herself regard Mrs Stumfold as being so +much better than her neighbours, could not receive this with much +rapture.</p> + +<p>"But," continued Mr Maguire, "she is as cold—as cold—as cold as +ice."</p> + +<p>As the lady in question was another man's wife, this did not seem to +Miss Mackenzie to be of much consequence to Mr Maguire, but she +allowed him to go on.</p> + +<p>"Stumfold I don't think minds it; he is of that joyous disposition +that all things work to good for him. Even when she's most obdurate +in her sternness to <span class="nowrap">him—"</span></p> + +<p>"Law! Mr Maguire, I did not think she was ever stern to him."</p> + +<p>"But she is, very hard. Even then I don't think he minds it much. +But, Miss Mackenzie, that kind of companion would not do for me at +all. I think a woman should be soft and soothing, like a dove."</p> + +<p>She did not stop to think whether doves are soothing, but she felt +that the language was pretty.</p> + +<p>Just at this moment she was summoned by Miss Baker, and looking up +she perceived that Mr and Mrs Fuzzybell were already leaving the +room.</p> + +<p>"I don't know why you need disturb Miss Mackenzie," said Miss Todd, +"she has only got to go next door, and she seems very happy just +now."</p> + +<p>"I would sooner go with Miss Baker," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Mr Maguire would see you home," suggested Miss Todd.</p> + +<p>But Miss Mackenzie of course went with Miss Baker, and Mr Rubb +accompanied them.</p> + +<p>"Good-night, Mr Rubb," said Miss Todd; "and don't make very bad +reports of us in London."</p> + +<p>"Oh! no; indeed I won't."</p> + +<p>"For though we do play cards, we still stick to decorum, as you must +have observed to-night."</p> + +<p>At Miss Mackenzie's door there was an almost overpowering amount of +affectionate farewells. Mr Maguire was there as well as Mr Rubb, and +both gentlemen warmly pressed the hand of the lady they were leaving. +Mr Rubb was not quite satisfied with his evening's work, because he +had not been able to get near to Miss Mackenzie; but, nevertheless, +he was greatly gratified by the general manner in which he had been +received, and was much pleased with Littlebath and its inhabitants. +Mr Maguire, as he walked home by himself, assured himself that he +might as well now put the question; he had been thinking about it for +the last two months, and had made up his mind that matrimony would be +good for him.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, as she went to bed, told herself that she might have +a husband if she pleased; but then, which should it be? Mr Rubb's +manners were very much against him; but of Mr Maguire's eye she had +caught a gleam as he turned from her on the doorsteps, which made her +think of that alliance with dismay.</p> + + +<p><a name="c12" id="c12"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XII</h3> +<h3>Mrs Stumfold Interferes<br /> </h3> + + +<p>On the morning following Miss Todd's tea-party, Mr Rubb called on +Miss Mackenzie and bade her adieu. He was, he said, going up to +London at once, having received a letter which made his presence +there imperative. Miss Mackenzie could, of course, do no more than +simply say good-bye to him. But when she had said so he did not even +then go at once. He was standing with his hat in hand, and had bade +her farewell; but still he did not go. He had something to say, and +she stood there trembling, half fearing what the nature of that +something might be.</p> + +<p>"I hope I may see you again before long," he said at last.</p> + +<p>"I hope you may," she replied.</p> + +<p>"Of course I shall. After all that's come and gone, I shall think +nothing of running down, if it were only to make a morning call."</p> + +<p>"Pray don't do that, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"I shall, as a matter of course. But in spite of that, Miss +Mackenzie, I can't go away without saying another word about the +money. I can't indeed."</p> + +<p>"There needn't be any more about that, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"But there must be, Miss Mackenzie; there must, indeed; at least, so +much as this. I know I've done wrong about that money."</p> + +<p>"Don't talk about it. If I choose to lend it to my brother and you +without security, there's nothing very uncommon in that."</p> + +<p>"No; there ain't; at least perhaps there ain't. Though as far as I +can see, brothers and sisters out in the world are mostly as hard to +each other where money is concerned as other people. But the thing +is, you didn't mean to lend it without security."</p> + +<p>"I'm quite contented as it is."</p> + +<p>"And I did wrong about it all through; I feel it so that I can't tell +you. I do, indeed. But I'll never rest till that money is paid back +again. I never will."</p> + +<p>Then, having said that, he went away. When early on the preceding +evening he had put on bright yellow gloves, making himself smart +before the eyes of the lady of his love, it must be presumed that he +did so with some hope of success. In that hope he was altogether +betrayed. When he came and confessed his fraud about the money, it +must be supposed that in doing so he felt that he was lowering +himself in the estimation of her whom he desired to win for his wife. +But, had he only known it, he thereby took the most efficacious step +towards winning her esteem. The gloves had been nearly fatal to him; +but those words,—"I feel it so that I can't tell you," redeemed the +evil that the gloves had done. He went away, however, saying nothing +more then, and failing to strike while the iron was hot.</p> + +<p>Some six weeks after this Mrs Stumfold called on Miss Mackenzie, +making a most important visit. But it should be first explained, +before the nature of that visit is described, that Miss Mackenzie had +twice been to Mrs Stumfold's house since the evening of Miss Todd's +party, drinking tea there on both occasions, and had twice met Mr +Maguire. On the former occasion they two had had some conversation, +but it had been of no great moment. He had spoken nothing then of the +pleasures of love, nor had he made any allusion to the dove-like +softness of women. On the second meeting he had seemed to keep aloof +from her altogether, and she had begun to tell herself that that +dream was over, and to scold herself for having dreamed at all—when +he came close up behind and whispered a word in her ear.</p> + +<p>"You know," he said, "how much I would wish to be with you, but I +can't now."</p> + +<p>She had been startled, and had turned round, and had found herself +close to his dreadful eye. She had never been so close to it before, +and it frightened her. Then again he came to her just before she +left, and spoke to her in the same mysterious way:</p> + +<p>"I will see you in a day or two," he said, "but never mind now;" and +then he walked away. She had not spoken a word to him, nor did she +speak a word to him that evening.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie had never before seen Mrs Stumfold since her first +visit of ceremony, except in that lady's drawing-room, and was +surprised when she heard the name announced. It was an understood +thing that Mrs Stumfold did not call on the Stumfoldians unless she +had some great and special reason for doing so,—unless some erring +sister required admonishing, or the course of events in the life of +some Stumfoldian might demand special advice. I do not know that any +edict of this kind had actually been pronounced, but Miss Mackenzie, +though she had not yet been twelve months in Littlebath, knew that +this arrangement was generally understood to exist. It was plain to +be seen by the lady's face, as she entered the room, that some +special cause had brought her now. It wore none of those pretty +smiles with which morning callers greet their friends before they +begin their first gentle attempts at miscellaneous conversation. It +was true that she gave her hand to Miss Mackenzie, but she did even +this with austerity; and when she seated herself,—not on the sofa as +she was invited to do, but on one of the square, hard, +straight-backed chairs,—Miss Mackenzie knew well that pleasantness +was not to be the order of the morning.</p> + +<p>"My dear Miss Mackenzie," said Mrs Stumfold, "I hope you will pardon +me if I express much tender solicitude for your welfare."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie was so astonished at this mode of address, and at the +tone in which it was uttered, that she made no reply to it. The words +themselves had in them an intention of kindness, but the voice and +look of the lady were, if kind, at any rate not tender.</p> + +<p>"You came among us," continued Mrs Stumfold, "and became one of us, +and we have been glad to welcome you."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I've been much obliged."</p> + +<p>"We are always glad to welcome those who come among us in a proper +spirit. Society with me, Miss Mackenzie, is never looked upon as an +end in itself. It is only a means to an end. No woman regards society +more favourably than I do. I think it offers to us one of the most +efficacious means of spreading true gospel teaching. With these views +I have always thought it right to open my house in a spirit, as I +hope, of humble hospitality;—and Mr Stumfold is of the same opinion. +Holding these views, we have been delighted to see you among us, and, +as I have said already, to welcome you as one of us."</p> + +<p>There was something in this so awful that Miss Mackenzie hardly knew +how to speak, or let it pass without speaking. Having a spirit of her +own she did not like being told that she had been, as it were, sat +upon and judged, and then admitted into Mrs Stumfold's society as a +child may be admitted into a school after an examination. And yet on +the spur of the moment she could not think what words might be +appropriate for her answer. She sat silent, therefore, and Mrs +Stumfold again went on.</p> + +<p>"I trust that you will acknowledge that we have shown our good will +towards you, our desire to cultivate a Christian friendship with you, +and that you will therefore excuse me if I ask you a question which +might otherwise have the appearance of interference. Miss Mackenzie, +is there anything between you and my husband's curate, Mr Maguire?"</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie's face became suddenly as red as fire, but for a +moment or two she made no answer. I do not know whether I may as yet +have succeeded in making the reader understand the strength as well +as the weakness of my heroine's character; but Mrs Stumfold had +certainly not succeeded in perceiving it. She was accustomed, +probably, to weak, obedient women,—to women who had taught +themselves to believe that submission to Stumfoldian authority was a +sign of advanced Christianity; and in the mild-looking, +quiet-mannered lady who had lately come among them, she certainly did +not expect to encounter a rebel. But on such matters as that to which +the female hierarch of Littlebath was now alluding, Miss Mackenzie +was not by nature adapted to be submissive.</p> + +<p>"Is there anything between you and Mr Maguire?" said Mrs Stumfold +again. "I particularly wish to have a plain answer to that question."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, as I have said, became very red in the face. When it +was repeated, she found herself obliged to speak. "Mrs Stumfold, I do +not know that you have any right to ask me such a question as that."</p> + +<p>"No right! No right to ask a lady who sits under Mr Stumfold whether +or not she is engaged to Mr Stumfold's own curate! Think again of +what you are saying, Miss Mackenzie!" And there was in Mrs Stumfold's +voice as she spoke an expression of offended majesty, and in her +countenance a look of awful authority, sufficient no doubt to bring +most Stumfoldian ladies to their bearings.</p> + +<p>"You said nothing about being engaged to him."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Miss Mackenzie!"</p> + +<p>"You said nothing about being engaged to him, but if you had I should +have made the same answer. You asked me if there was anything between +me and him; and I think it was a very offensive question."</p> + +<p>"Offensive! I am afraid, Miss Mackenzie, you have not your spirit +subject to a proper control. I have come here in all kindness to warn +you against danger, and you tell me that I am offensive! What am I to +think of you?"</p> + +<p>"You have no right to connect my name with any gentleman's. You can't +have any right merely because I go to Mr Stumfold's church. It's +quite preposterous. If I went to Mr Paul's church"—Mr Paul was a +very High Church young clergyman who had wished to have candles in +his church, and of whom it was asserted that he did keep a pair of +candles on an inverted box in a closet inside his bedroom—"if I went +to Mr Paul's church, might his wife, if he had one, come and ask me +all manner of questions like that?"</p> + +<p>Now Mr Paul's name stank in the nostrils of Mrs Stumfold. He was to +her the thing accursed. Had Miss Mackenzie quoted the Pope, or +Cardinal Wiseman or even Dr Newman, it would not have been so bad. +Mrs Stumfold had once met Mr Paul, and called him to his face the +most abject of all the slaves of the scarlet woman. To this courtesy +Mr Paul, being a good-humoured and somewhat sportive young man, had +replied that she was another. Mrs Stumfold had interpreted the +gentleman's meaning wrongly, and had ever since gnashed with her +teeth and fired great guns with her eyes whenever Mr Paul was named +within her hearing. "Ribald ruffian," she had once said of him; "but +that he thinks his priestly rags protect him, he would not have dared +to insult me." It was said that she had complained to Stumfold; but +Mr Stumfold's sacerdotal clothing, whether ragged or whole, prevented +him also from interfering, and nothing further of a personal nature +had occurred between the opponents.</p> + +<p>But Miss Mackenzie, who certainly was a Stumfoldian by her own +choice, should not have used the name. She probably did not know the +whole truth as to that passage of arms between Mr Paul and Mrs +Stumfold, but she did know that no name in Littlebath was so odious +to the lady as that of the rival clergyman.</p> + +<p>"Very well, Miss Mackenzie," said she, speaking loudly in her wrath; +"then let me tell you that you will come by your ruin,—yes, by your +ruin. You poor unfortunate woman, you are unfit to guide your own +steps, and will not take counsel from those who are able to put you +in the right way!"</p> + +<p>"How shall I be ruined?" said Miss Mackenzie, jumping up from her +seat.</p> + +<p>"How? Yes. Now you want to know. After having insulted me in return +for my kindness in coming to you, you ask me questions. If I tell you +how, no doubt you will insult me again."</p> + +<p>"I haven't insulted you, Mrs Stumfold. And if you don't like to tell +me, you needn't. I'm sure I did not want you to come to me and talk +in this way."</p> + +<p>"Want me! Who ever does want to be reproved for their own folly? I +suppose what you want is to go on and marry that man, who may have +two or three other wives for what you know, and put yourself and your +money into the hands of a person whom you never saw in your life +above a few months ago, and of whose former life you literally know +nothing. Tell the truth, Miss Mackenzie, isn't that what you desire +to do?"</p> + +<p>"I find him acting as Mr Stumfold's curate."</p> + +<p>"Yes; and when I come to warn you, you insult me. He is Mr Stumfold's +curate, and in many respects he is well fitted for his office."</p> + +<p>"But has he two or three wives already, Mrs Stumfold?"</p> + +<p>"I never said that he had."</p> + +<p>"I thought you hinted it."</p> + +<p>"I never hinted it, Miss Mackenzie. If you would only be a little +more careful in the things which you allow yourself to say, it would +be better for yourself; and better for me too, while I am with you."</p> + +<p>"I declare you said something about two or three wives; and if there +is anything of that kind true of a gentleman and a clergyman, I don't +think he ought to be allowed to go about as a single gentleman. I +mean as a curate. Mr Maguire is nothing to me,—nothing whatever; and +I don't see why I should have been mixed up with him; but if there is +anything of that <span class="nowrap">sort—"</span></p> + +<p>"But there isn't."</p> + +<p>"Then, Mrs Stumfold, I don't think you ought to have mentioned two or +three wives. I don't, indeed. It is such a horrid idea,—quite +horrid! And I suppose, after all, the poor man has not got one?"</p> + +<p>"If you had allowed me, I should have told you all, Miss Mackenzie. +Mr Maguire is not married, and never has been married, as far as I +know."</p> + +<p>"Then I do think what you said of him was very cruel."</p> + +<p>"I said nothing; as you would have known, only you are so hot. Miss +Mackenzie, you quite astonish me; you do, indeed. I had expected to +find you temperate and calm; instead of that, you are so impetuous, +that you will not listen to a word. When it first came to my ears +that there might be something between you and Mr +<span class="nowrap">Maguire—"</span></p> + +<p>"I will not be told about something. What does something mean, Mrs +Stumfold?"</p> + +<p>"When I was told of this," continued Mrs Stumfold, determined that +she would not be stopped any longer by Miss Mackenzie's energy; "when +I was told of this, and, indeed, I may say saw +<span class="nowrap">it—"</span></p> + +<p>"You never saw anything, Mrs Stumfold."</p> + +<p>"I immediately perceived that it was my duty to come to you; to come +to you and tell you that another lady has a prior claim upon Mr +Maguire's hand and heart."</p> + +<p>"Oh, indeed."</p> + +<p>"Another young lady,"—with an emphasis on the word young,—"whom he +first met at my house, who was introduced to him by me,—a young lady +not above thirty years of age, and quite suitable in every way to be +Mr Maguire's wife. She may not have quite so much money as you; but +she has a fair provision, and money is not everything; a lady in +every way <span class="nowrap">suitable—"</span></p> + +<p>"But is this suitable young lady, who is only thirty years of age, +engaged to him?"</p> + +<p>"I presume, Miss Mackenzie, that in speaking to you, I am speaking to +a lady who would not wish to interfere with another lady who has been +before her. I do hope that you cannot be indifferent to the ordinary +feelings of a female Christian on that subject. What would you think +if you were interfered with, though, perhaps, as you had not your +fortune in early life, you may never have known what that was."</p> + +<p>This was too much even for Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Mrs Stumfold," she said, again rising from her seat, "I won't talk +about this any more with you. Mr Maguire is nothing to me; and, as +far as I can see, if he was, that would be nothing to you."</p> + +<p>"But it would,—a great deal."</p> + +<p>"No, it wouldn't. You may say what you like to him, though, for the +matter of that, I think it a very indelicate thing for a lady to go +about raising such questions at all. But perhaps you have known him a +long time, and I have nothing to do with what you and he choose to +talk about. If he is behaving bad to any friend of yours, go and tell +him so. As for me, I won't hear anything more about it."</p> + +<p>As Miss Mackenzie continued to stand, Mrs Stumfold was forced to +stand also, and soon afterwards found herself compelled to go away. +She had, indeed, said all that she had come to say, and though she +would willingly have repeated it again had Miss Mackenzie been +submissive, she did not find herself encouraged to do so by the +rebellious nature of the lady she was visiting.</p> + +<p>"I have meant well, Miss Mackenzie," she said as she took her leave, +"and I hope that I shall see you just the same as ever on my +Thursdays."</p> + +<p>To this Miss Mackenzie made answer only by a curtsey, and then Mrs +Stumfold went her way.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, as soon as she was left to herself, began to cry. If +Mrs Stumfold could have seen her, how it would have soothed and +rejoiced that lady's ruffled spirit! Miss Mackenzie would sooner have +died than have wept in Mrs Stumfold's presence, but no sooner was the +front door closed than she began. To have been attacked at all in +that way would have been too much for her, but to have been called +old and unsuitable—for that was, in truth, the case; to hear herself +accused of being courted solely for her money, and that when in truth +she had not been courted at all; to have been informed that a lover +for her must have been impossible in those days when she had no +money! was not all this enough to make her cry? And then, was it the +truth that Mr Maguire ought to marry some one else? If so, she was +the last woman in Littlebath to interfere between him and that other +one. But how was she to know that this was not some villainy on the +part of Mrs Stumfold? She felt sure, after what she had now seen and +heard, that nothing in that way would be too bad for Mrs Stumfold to +say or do. She never would go to Mrs Stumfold's house again; that was +a matter of course; but what should she do about Mr Maguire? Mr +Maguire might never speak to her in the way of affection,—probably +never would do so; that she could bear; but how was she to bear the +fact that every Stumfoldian in Littlebath would know all about it? On +one thing she finally resolved, that if ever Mr Maguire spoke to her +on the subject, she would tell him everything that had occurred. +After that she cried herself to sleep.</p> + +<p>On that afternoon she felt herself to be very desolate and much in +want of a friend. When Susanna came back from school in the evening +she was almost more desolate than before. She could say nothing of +her troubles to one so young, nor yet could she shake off the thought +of them. She had been bold enough while Mrs Stumfold had been with +her, but now that she was alone, or almost worse than alone, having +Susanna with her,—now that the reaction had come, she began to tell +herself that a continuation of this solitary life would be impossible +to her. How was she to live if she was to be trampled upon in this +way? Was it not almost necessary that she should leave Littlebath? +And yet if she were to leave Littlebath, whither should she go, and +how should she muster courage to begin everything over again? If only +it had been given her to have one friend,—one female friend to whom +she could have told everything! She thought of Miss Baker, but Miss +Baker was a staunch Stumfoldian; and what did she know of Miss Baker +that gave her any right to trouble Miss Baker on such a subject? She +would almost rather have gone to Miss Todd, if she had dared.</p> + +<p>She laid awake crying half the night. Nothing of the kind had ever +occurred to her before. No one had ever accused her of any +impropriety; no one had ever thrown it in her teeth that she was +longing after fruit that ought to be forbidden to her. In her former +obscurity and dependence she had been safe. Now that she had begun to +look about her and hope for joy in the world, she had fallen into +this terrible misfortune! Would it not have been better for her to +have married her cousin John Ball, and thus have had a clear course +of duty marked out for her? Would it not have been better for her +even to have married Harry Handcock than to have come to this misery? +What good would her money do her, if the world was to treat her in +this way?</p> + +<p>And then, was it true? Was it the fact that Mr Maguire was +ill-treating some other woman in order that he might get her money? +In all her misery she remembered that Mrs Stumfold would not commit +herself to any such direct assertion, and she remembered also that +Mrs Stumfold had especially insisted on her own part of the +grievance,—on the fact that the suitable young lady had been met by +Mr Maguire in her drawing-room. As to Mr Maguire himself, she could +reconcile herself to the loss of him. Indeed she had never yet +reconciled herself to the idea of taking him. But she could not +endure to think that Mrs Stumfold's interference should prevail, or, +worse still, that other people should have supposed it to prevail.</p> + +<p>The next day was Thursday,—one of Mrs Stumfold's Thursdays,—and in +the course of the morning Miss Baker came to her, supposing that, as +a matter of course, she would go to the meeting.</p> + +<p>"Not to-night, Miss Baker," said she.</p> + +<p>"Not going! and why not?"</p> + +<p>"I'd rather not go out to-night."</p> + +<p>"Dear me, how odd. I thought you always went to Mrs Stumfold's. +There's nothing wrong, I hope?"</p> + +<p>Then Miss Mackenzie could not restrain herself, and told Miss Baker +everything. And she told her story, not with whines and lamentations, +as she had thought of it herself while lying awake during the past +night, but with spirited indignation. "What right had she to come to +me and accuse me?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose she meant it for the best," said Miss Baker.</p> + +<p>"No, Miss Baker, she meant it for the worst. I am sorry to speak so +of your friend, but I must speak as I find her. She intended to +insult me. Why did she tell me of my age and my money? Have I made +myself out to be young? or misbehaved myself with the means which +Providence has given me? And as to the gentleman, have I ever +conducted myself so as to merit reproach? I don't know that I was +ever ten minutes in his company that you were not there also."</p> + +<p>"It was the last accusation I should have brought against you," +whimpered Miss Baker.</p> + +<p>"Then why has she treated me in this way? What right have I given her +to be my advisor, because I go to her husband's church? Mr Maguire is +my friend, and it might have come to that, that he should be my +husband. Is there any sin in that, that I should be rebuked?"</p> + +<p>"It was for the other lady's sake, perhaps."</p> + +<p>"Then let her go to the other lady, or to him. She has forgotten +herself in coming to me, and she shall know that I think so."</p> + +<p>Miss Baker, when she left the Paragon, felt for Miss Mackenzie more +of respect and more of esteem also than she had ever felt before. But +Miss Mackenzie, when she was left alone, went upstairs, threw herself +on her bed, and was again dissolved in tears.</p> + + +<p><a name="c13" id="c13"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XIII</h3> +<h3>Mr Maguire's Courtship<br /> </h3> + + +<p>After the scene between Miss Mackenzie and Miss Baker more than a +week passed by before Miss Mackenzie saw any of her Littlebath +friends; or, as she called them with much sadness when speaking of +them to herself, her Littlebath acquaintances. Friends, or friend, +she had none. It was a slow, heavy week with her, and it is hardly +too much to say that every hour in it was spent in thinking of the +attack which Mrs Stumfold had made upon her. When the first Sunday +came, she went to church, and saw there Miss Baker, and Mrs Stumfold, +and Mr Stumfold and Mr Maguire. She saw, indeed, many Stumfoldians, +but it seemed that their eyes looked at her harshly, and she was +quite sure that the coachmaker's wife treated her with marked +incivility as they left the porch together. Miss Baker had frequently +waited for her on Sunday mornings, and walked the length of two +streets with her; but she encountered no Miss Baker near the church +gate on this morning, and she was sure that Mrs Stumfold had +prevailed against her. If it was to be thus with her, had she not +better leave Littlebath as soon as possible? In the same solitude she +lived the whole of the next week; with the same feelings did she go +to church on the next Sunday; and then again was she maltreated by +the upturned nose and half-averted eyes of the coachmaker's wife.</p> + +<p>Life such as this would be impossible to her. Let any of my readers +think of it, and then tell themselves whether it could be possible. +Mariana's solitude in the moated grange was as nothing to hers. In +granges, and such like rural retreats, people expect solitude; but +Miss Mackenzie had gone to Littlebath to find companionship. Had she +been utterly disappointed, and found none, that would have been bad; +but she had found it and then lost it. Mariana, in her desolateness, +was still waiting for the coming of some one; and so was Miss +Mackenzie waiting, though she hardly knew for whom. For me, if I am +to live in a moated grange, let it be in the country. Moated granges +in the midst of populous towns are very terrible.</p> + +<p>But on the Monday morning,—the morning of the second Monday after +the Stumfoldian attack,—Mr Maguire came, and Mariana's weariness +was, for the time, at an end. Susanna had hardly gone, and the +breakfast things were still on the table, when the maid brought her +up word that Mr Maguire was below, and would see her if she would +allow him to come up. She had heard no ring at the bell, and having +settled herself with a novel in the arm-chair, had almost ceased for +the moment to think of Mr Maguire or of Mrs Stumfold. There was +something so sudden in the request now made to her, that it took away +her breath.</p> + +<p>"Mr Maguire, Miss, the clergyman from Mr Stumfold's church," said the +girl again.</p> + +<p>It was necessary that she should give an answer, though she was ever +so breathless.</p> + +<p>"Ask Mr Maguire to walk up," she said; and then she began to bethink +herself how she would behave to him.</p> + +<p>He was there, however, before her thoughts were of much service to +her, and she began by apologising for the breakfast things.</p> + +<p>"It is I that ought to beg your pardon for coming so early," said he; +"but my time at present is so occupied that I hardly know how to find +half an hour for myself; and I thought you would excuse me."</p> + +<p>"Oh, certainly," said she; and then sitting down she waited for him +to begin.</p> + +<p>It would have been clear to any observer, had there been one present, +that Mr Maguire had practised his lesson. He could not rid himself of +those unmistakable signs of preparation which every speaker shows +when he has been guilty of them. But this probably did not matter +with Miss Mackenzie, who was too intent on the part she herself had +to play to notice his imperfections.</p> + +<p>"I saw that you observed, Miss Mackenzie," he said, "that I kept +aloof from you on the two last evenings on which I met you at Mrs +Stumfold's."</p> + +<p>"That's a long time ago, Mr Maguire," she answered. "It's nearly a +month since I went to Mrs Stumfold's house."</p> + +<p>"I know that you were not there on the last Thursday. I noticed it. I +could not fail to notice it. Thinking so much of you as I do, of +course I did notice it. Might I ask you why you did not go?"</p> + +<p>"I'd rather not say anything about it," she replied, after a pause.</p> + +<p>"Then there has been some reason? Dear Miss Mackenzie, I can assure +you I do not ask you without a cause."</p> + +<p>"If you please, I will not speak upon that subject. I had much rather +not, indeed, Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>"And shall I not have the pleasure of seeing you there on next +Thursday?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly not."</p> + +<p>"Then you have quarrelled with her, Miss Mackenzie?"</p> + +<p>He said nothing now of the perfections of that excellent woman, of +whom not long since he had spoken in terms almost too strong for any +simple human virtues.</p> + +<p>"I'd rather not speak of it. It can't do any good. I don't know why +you should ask me whether I intend to go there any more, but as you +have, I have answered you."</p> + +<p>Then Mr Maguire got up from his chair, and walked about the room, and +Miss Mackenzie, watching him closely, could see that he was much +moved. But, nevertheless, I think he had made up his mind to walk +about the room beforehand. After a while he paused, and, still +standing, spoke to her again across the table.</p> + +<p>"May I ask you this question? Has Mrs Stumfold said anything to you +about me?"</p> + +<p>"I'd rather not talk about Mrs Stumfold."</p> + +<p>"But, surely, I may ask that. I don't think you are the woman to +allow anything said behind a person's back to be received to his +detriment."</p> + +<p>"Whatever one does hear about people one always hears behind their +backs."</p> + +<p>"Then she has told you something, and you have believed it?"</p> + +<p>She felt herself to be so driven by him that she did not know how to +protect herself. It seemed to her that these clerical people of +Littlebath had very little regard for the feelings of others in their +modes of following their own pursuits.</p> + +<p>"She has told you something of me, and you have believed her?" +repeated Mr Maguire. "Have I not a right to ask you what she has +said?"</p> + +<p>"You have no right to ask me anything."</p> + +<p>"Have I not, Miss Mackenzie? Surely that is hard. Is it not hard that +I should be stabbed in the dark, and have no means of redressing +myself? I did not expect such an answer from you;—indeed I did not."</p> + +<p>"And is not it hard that I should be troubled in this way? You talk +of stabbing. Who has stabbed you? Is it not your own particular +friend, whom you described to me as the best person in all the world? +If you and she fall out why should I be brought into it? Once for +all, Mr Maguire, I won't be brought into it."</p> + +<p>Now he sat down and again paused before he went on with his talk.</p> + +<p>"Miss Mackenzie," he said, when he did speak. "I had not intended to +be so abrupt as I fear you will think me in that which I am about to +say; but I believe you will like plain measures best."</p> + +<p>"Certainly I shall, Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>"They are the best, always. If, then, I am plain with you, will you +be plain with me also? I think you must guess what it is I have to +say to you."</p> + +<p>"I hate guessing anything, Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>"Very well; then I will be plain. We have now known each other for +nearly a year, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"A year, is it? No, not a year. This is the beginning of June, and I +did not come here till the end of last August. It's about nine +months, Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>"Very well; nine months. Nine months may be as nothing in an +acquaintance, or it may lead to the closest friendship."</p> + +<p>"I don't know that we have met so very often. You have the parish to +attend to, Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>"Of course I have—or rather I had, for I have left Mr Stumfold."</p> + +<p>"Left Mr Stumfold! Why, I heard you preach yesterday."</p> + +<p>"I did preach yesterday, and shall till he has got another assistant. +But he and I are parted as regards all friendly connection."</p> + +<p>"But isn't that a pity?"</p> + +<p>"Miss Mackenzie, I don't mind telling you that I have found it +impossible to put up with the impertinence of that woman"—and now, +as he spoke, there came a distorted fire out of his imperfect +eye—"impossible! If you knew what I have gone through in attempting +it! But that's over. I have the greatest respect for him in the +world; a very thorough esteem. He is a hard-working man, and though I +do not always approve the style of his wit,—of which, by-the-bye, he +thinks too much himself,—still I acknowledge him to be a good +spiritual pastor. But he has been unfortunate in his marriage. No +doubt he has got money, but money is not everything."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, it is not, Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>"How he can live in the same house with that Mr Peters, I can never +understand. The quarrels between him and his daughter are so +incessant that poor Mr Stumfold is unable to conceal them from the +public."</p> + +<p>"But you have spoken so highly of her."</p> + +<p>"I have endeavoured, Miss Mackenzie—I have endeavoured to think well +of her. I have striven to believe that it was all gold that I saw. +But let that pass. I was forced to tell you that I am going to leave +Mr Stumfold's church, or I should not now have spoken about her or +him. And now comes the question, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"What is the question, Mr Maguire?"</p> + +<p>"Miss Mackenzie—Margaret, will you share your lot with mine? It is +true that you have money. It is true that I have none,—not even a +curacy now. But I don't think that any such consideration as that +would weigh with you for a moment, if you can find it in your heart +to love me."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie sat thinking for some minutes before she gave her +answer—or striving to think; but she was so completely under the +terrible fire of his eye, that any thought was very difficult.</p> + +<p>"I am not quite sure about that," she said after a while. "I think, +Mr Maguire, that there should be a little money on both sides. You +would hardly wish to live altogether on your wife's fortune."</p> + +<p>"I have my profession," he replied, quickly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, certainly; and a noble profession it is,—the most noble," said +she.</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed; the most noble."</p> + +<p>"But somehow—"</p> + +<p>"You mean the clergymen are not paid as they should be. No, they are +not, Miss Mackenzie. And is it not a shame for a Christian country +like this that it should be so? But still, as a profession, it has +its value. Look at Mrs Stumfold; where would she be if she were not a +clergyman's wife? The position has its value. A clergyman's wife is +received everywhere, you know."</p> + +<p>"A man before he talks of marriage ought to have something of his +own, Mr Maguire, <span class="nowrap">besides—"</span></p> + +<p>"Besides what?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I'll tell you. As you have done me this honour, I think that I +am now bound to tell you what Mrs Stumfold said to me. She had no +right to connect my name with yours or with that of any other +gentleman, and my quarrel with her is about that. As to what she said +about you, that is your affair and not mine."</p> + +<p>Then she told him the whole of that conversation which was given in +the last chapter, not indeed repeating the hint about the three or +four wives, but recapitulating as clearly as she could all that had +been said about the suitable young lady.</p> + +<p>"I knew it," said he; "I knew it. I knew it as well as though I had +heard it. Now what am I to think of that woman, Miss Mackenzie?"</p> + +<p>"Of which woman?"</p> + +<p>"Of Mrs Stumfold, of course. It's all jealousy: every bit of it +jealousy."</p> + +<p>"Jealousy! Do you mean that she—that she—"</p> + +<p>"Not jealousy of that kind, Miss Mackenzie. Oh dear, no. She's as +pure as the undriven snow, I should say, as far as that goes. But she +can't bear to think that I should rise in the world."</p> + +<p>"I thought she wanted to marry you to a suitable lady, and young, +with a fair provision."</p> + +<p>"Pshaw! The lady has about seventy pounds a-year! But that would +signify nothing if I loved her, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"There has been something, then?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; there has been something. That is, nothing of my +doing,—nothing on earth. Miss Mackenzie, I am as innocent as the +babe unborn."</p> + +<p>As he said this she could not help looking into the horrors of his +eyes, and thinking that innocent was not the word for him.</p> + +<p>"I'm as innocent as the babe unborn. Why should I be expected to +marry a lady merely because Mrs Stumfold tells me that there she is? +And it's my belief that old Peters has got their money somewhere, and +won't give it up, and that that's the reason of it."</p> + +<p>"But did you ever say you would marry her?"</p> + +<p>"What! Miss Floss, never! I'll tell you the whole story, Miss +Mackenzie; and if you want to ask any one else, you can ask Mrs +Perch." Mrs Perch was the coachbuilder's wife. "You've seen Miss +Floss at Mrs Stumfold's, and must know yourself whether I ever +noticed her any more than to be decently civil."</p> + +<p>"Is she the lady that's so thin and tall?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"With the red hair?"</p> + +<p>"Well, it's sandy, certainly. I shouldn't call it just red myself."</p> + +<p>"Some people like red hair, you know," said Miss Mackenzie, thinking +of the suitable lady. Miss Mackenzie was willing at that moment to +forfeit all her fortune if Miss Floss was not older than she was! +"And that is Miss Floss, is it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and I don't blame Mrs Stumfold for wishing to get a husband for +her friend, but it is hard upon me."</p> + +<p>"Really, Mr Maguire, I think that perhaps you couldn't do better."</p> + +<p>"Better than what?"</p> + +<p>"Better than take Miss Floss. As you say, some people like red hair. +And she is very suitable, certainly. And, Mr Maguire, I really +shouldn't like to interfere;—I shouldn't indeed."</p> + +<p>"Miss Mackenzie, you're joking, I know."</p> + +<p>"Not in the least, Mr Maguire. You see there has been something about +it."</p> + +<p>"There has been nothing."</p> + +<p>"There's never smoke without fire; and I don't think a lady like Mrs +Stumfold would come here and tell me all that she did, if it hadn't +gone some way. And you owned just now that you admired her."</p> + +<p>"I never owned anything of the kind. I don't admire her a bit. Admire +her! Oh, Miss Mackenzie, what do you think of me?"</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie said that she really didn't know what to think.</p> + +<p>Then, having as he thought altogether disposed of Miss Floss, he +began again to press his suit. And she was weak; for though she gave +him no positive encouragement, neither did she give him any positive +denial. Her mind was by no means made up, and she did not know +whether she wished to take him or to leave him. Now that the thing +had come so near, what guarantee had she that he would be good to her +if she gave him everything that she possessed? As to her cousin John +Ball, she would have had many guarantees. Of him she could say that +she knew what sort of a man he was; but what did she know of Mr +Maguire? At that moment, as he sat there pleading his own cause with +all the eloquence at his command, she remembered that she did not +even know his Christian name. He had always in her presence been +called Mr Maguire. How could she say that she loved a man whose very +name she had not as yet heard?</p> + +<p>But still, if she left all her chances to run from her, what other +fate would she have but that of being friendless all her life? Of +course she must risk much if she was ever minded to change her mode +of life. She had said something to him as to the expediency of there +being money on both sides, but as she said it she knew that she would +willingly have given up her money could she only have been sure of +her man. Was not her income enough for both? What she wanted was +companionship, and love if it might be possible; but if not love, +then friendship. This, had she known where she could purchase it with +certainty, she would willingly have purchased with all her wealth.</p> + +<p>"If I have surprised you, will you say that you will take time to +think of it?" pleaded Mr Maguire.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, speaking in the lowest possible voice, said that she +would take time to think of it.</p> + +<p>When a lady says that she will take time to think of such a +proposition, the gentleman is generally justified in supposing that +he has carried his cause. When a lady rejects a suitor, she should +reject him peremptorily. Anything short of such peremptory reaction +is taken for acquiescence. Mr Maguire consequently was elated, called +her Margaret, and swore that he loved her as he had never loved woman +yet.</p> + +<p>"And when may I come again?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie begged that she might be allowed a fortnight to think +of it.</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said the happy man.</p> + +<p>"And you must not be surprised," said Miss Mackenzie, "if I make some +inquiry about Miss Floss."</p> + +<p>"Any inquiry you please," said Mr Maguire. "It is all in that woman's +brain; it is indeed. Miss Floss, perhaps, has thought of it; but I +can't help that, can I? I can't help what has been said to her. But +if you mean anything as to a promise from me, Margaret, on my word as +a Christian minister of the Gospel, there has been nothing of the +kind."</p> + +<p>She did not much mind his calling her Margaret; it was in itself such +a trifle; but when he made a fuss about kissing her hand it annoyed +her.</p> + +<p>"Only your hand," he said, beseeching the privilege.</p> + +<p>"Pshaw," she said, "what's the good?"</p> + +<p>She had sense enough to feel that with such lovemaking as that +between her and her lover there should be no kissing till after +marriage; or at any rate, no kissing of hands, as is done between +handsome young men of twenty-three and beautiful young ladies of +eighteen, when they sit in balconies on moonlight nights. A good +honest kiss, mouth to mouth, might not be amiss when matters were +altogether settled; but when she thought of this, she thought also of +his eye and shuddered. His eye was not his fault, and a man should +not be left all his days without a wife because he squints; but +still, was it possible? could she bring herself to endure it?</p> + +<p>He did kiss her hand, however, and then went. As he stood at the door +he looked back fondly and <span class="nowrap">exclaimed—</span></p> + +<p>"On Monday fortnight, Margaret; on Monday fortnight."</p> + +<p>"Goodness gracious, Mr Maguire," she answered, "do shut the door;" +and then he vanished.</p> + +<p>As soon as he was gone she remembered that his name was Jeremiah. She +did not know how she had learned it, but she knew that such was the +fact. If it did come to pass how was she to call him? She tried the +entire word Jeremiah, but it did not seem to answer. She tried Jerry +also, but that was worse. Jerry might have been very well had they +come together fifteen years earlier in life, but she did not think +that she could call him Jerry now. She supposed it must be Mr +Maguire; but if so, half the romance of the thing would be gone at +once!</p> + +<p>She felt herself to be very much at sea, and almost wished that she +might be like Mariana again, waiting and aweary, so grievous was the +necessity of having to make up her mind on such a subject. To whom +should she go for advice? She had told him that she would make +further inquiries about Miss Floss, but of whom was she to make them? +The only person to whom she could apply was Miss Baker, and she was +almost sure that Miss Baker would despise her for thinking of +marrying Mr Maguire.</p> + +<p>But after a day or two she did tell Miss Baker, and she saw at once +that Miss Baker did despise her. But Miss Baker, though she +manifestly did despise her, promised her some little aid. Miss Todd +knew everything and everybody. Might Miss Baker tell Miss Todd? If +there was anything wrong, Miss Todd would ferret it out to a +certainty. Miss Mackenzie, hanging down her head, said that Miss +Baker might tell Miss Todd. Miss Baker, when she left Miss Mackenzie, +turned at once into Miss Todd's house, and found her friend at home.</p> + +<p>"It surprises me that any woman should be so foolish," said Miss +Baker.</p> + +<p>"Come, come, my dear, don't you be hard upon her. We have all been +foolish in our days. Do you remember, when Sir Lionel used to be +here, how foolish you and I were?"</p> + +<p>"It's not the same thing at all," said Miss Baker. "Did you ever see +a man with such an eye as he has got?"</p> + +<p>"I shouldn't mind his eye, my dear; only I'm afraid he's got no +money."</p> + +<p>Miss Todd, however, promised to make inquiries, and declared her +intention of communicating what intelligence she might obtain direct +to Miss Mackenzie. Miss Baker resisted this for a little while, but +ultimately submitted, as she was wont to do, to the stronger +character of her friend.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie had declared that she must have a fortnight to think +about it, and Miss Todd therefore knew that she had nearly a +fortnight for her inquiries. The reader may be sure that she did not +allow the grass to grow under her feet. With Miss Mackenzie the time +passed slowly enough, for she could only sit on her sofa and doubt, +resolving first one way and then another; but Miss Todd went about +Littlebath, here and there, among friends and enemies, filling up all +her time; and before the end of the fortnight she certainly knew more +about Mr Maguire than did anybody else in Littlebath.</p> + +<p>She did not see Miss Mackenzie till the Saturday, the last Saturday +before the all-important Monday; but on that day she went to her.</p> + +<p>"I suppose you know what I'm come about, my dear," she said.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie blushed, and muttered something about Miss Baker.</p> + +<p>"Yes, my dear; Miss Baker was speaking to me about Mr Maguire. You +needn't mind speaking out to me, Miss Mackenzie. I can understand all +about it; and if I can be of any assistance, I shall be very happy. +No doubt you feel a little shy, but you needn't mind with me."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure you're very good."</p> + +<p>"I don't know about that, but I hope I'm not very bad. The long and +the short of it is, I suppose, that you think you might as +well—might as well take Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie felt thoroughly ashamed of herself. She could not +explain to Miss Todd all her best motives; and then, those motives +which were not the best were made to seem so very weak and mean by +the way in which Miss Todd approached them. When she thought of the +matter alone, it seemed to her that she was perfectly reasonable in +wishing to be married, in order that she might escape the monotony of +a lonely life; and she thought that if she could talk to Miss Todd +about the subject gently, for a quarter of an hour at a time every +day for two or three months, it was possible that she might explain +her views with credit to herself; but how could she do this to anyone +so very abruptly? She could only confess that she did want to marry +the man, as the child confesses her longing for a tart.</p> + +<p>"I have thought about it, certainly," she said.</p> + +<p>"Quite right," said Miss Todd; "quite right if you like him. Now for +me, I'm so fond of my own money and my own independence, that I've +never had a fancy that way,—not since I was a girl."</p> + +<p>"But you're so different, Miss Todd; you've got such a position of +your own."</p> + +<p>And Miss Mackenzie, who was at present desirous of marrying a very +strict evangelical clergyman, thought with envy of the social +advantages and pleasant iniquities of her wicked neighbour.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know. I've a few friends, but that comes of being here +so long. And then, you see, I ain't particular as you are. I always +see that when a lady goes in to be evangelical, she soon finds a +husband to take care of her; that is, if she has got any money. It +all goes on very well, and I've no doubt they're right. There's my +friend Mary Baker, she's single still; but then she began very late +in life. Now about Mr Maguire."</p> + +<p>"Well, Miss Todd."</p> + +<p>"In the first place, I really don't think he has got much that he can +call his own."</p> + +<p>"He hasn't got anything, Miss Todd; he told me so himself."</p> + +<p>"Did he, indeed?" said Miss Todd; "then let me tell you he is a deal +honester than they are in general."</p> + +<p>"Oh, he told me that. I know he's got no income in the world besides +his curacy, and that he has thrown up."</p> + +<p>"And therefore you are going to give him yours."</p> + +<p>"I don't know about that, Miss Todd; but it wasn't about money that I +was doubting. What I've got is enough for both of us, if his wants +are not greater than mine. What is the use of money if people cannot +be happy together with it? I don't care a bit for money, Miss Todd; +that is, not for itself. I shouldn't like to be dependent on a +stranger; I don't know that I would like to be dependent again even +on a brother; but I should take no shame to be dependent on a husband +if he was good to me."</p> + +<p>"That's just it; isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"There's quite enough for him and me."</p> + +<p>"I must say you look at the matter in the most disinterested way. I +couldn't bring myself to take it up like that."</p> + +<p>"You haven't lived the life that I have, Miss Todd, and I don't +suppose you ever feel solitary as I do."</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't know. We single women have to be solitary +sometimes—and sometimes sad."</p> + +<p>"But you're never sad, Miss Todd."</p> + +<p>"Have you never heard there are some animals, that, when they're +sick, crawl into holes, and don't ever show themselves among the +other animals? Though it is only the animals that do it, there's a +pride in that which I like. What's the good of complaining if one's +down in the mouth? When one gets old and heavy and stupid, one can't +go about as one did when one was young; and other people won't care +to come to you as they did then."</p> + +<p>"But I had none of that when I was young, Miss Todd."</p> + +<p>"Hadn't you? Then I won't say but what you may be right to try and +begin now. But, law! what am I talking of? I am old enough to be your +mother."</p> + +<p>"I think it so kind of you to talk to me at all."</p> + +<p>"Well, now about Mr Maguire. I don't think he's possessed of much of +the fat of the land; but that you say you know already?"</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, I know all that."</p> + +<p>"And it seems he has lost his curacy?"</p> + +<p>"He threw that up himself."</p> + +<p>"I shouldn't be surprised—but mind I don't say this for certain—but +I shouldn't be surprised if he owed a little money."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie's face became rather long.</p> + +<p>"What do you call a little, Miss Todd?"</p> + +<p>"Two or three hundred pounds. I don't call that a great deal."</p> + +<p>"Oh dear, no!" and Miss Mackenzie's face again became cheerful. "That +could be settled without any trouble."</p> + +<p>"Upon my word you are the most generous woman I ever saw."</p> + +<p>"No, I'm not that."</p> + +<p>"Or else you must be very much in love?"</p> + +<p>"I don't think I am that either, Miss Todd; only I don't care much +about money if other things are suitable. What I chiefly wanted to +know <span class="nowrap">was—"</span></p> + +<p>"About that Miss Floss?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Miss Todd."</p> + +<p>"My belief is there never was a greater calumny, or what I should +call a stronger attempt at a do. Mind I don't think much of your St +Stumfolda, and never did. I believe the poor man has never said a +word to the woman. Mrs Stumfold has put it into her head that she +could have Mr Maguire if she chose to set her cap at him, and, I dare +say, Miss Floss has been dutiful to her saint. But, Miss Mackenzie, +if nothing else hinders you, don't let that hinder you." Then Miss +Todd, having done her business and made her report, took her leave.</p> + +<p>This was on Saturday. The next day would be Sunday, and then on the +following morning she must make her answer. All that she had heard +about Mr Maguire was, to her thinking, in his favour. As to his +poverty, that he had declared himself, and that she did not mind. As +to a few hundred pounds of debt, how was a poor man to have helped +such a misfortune? In that matter of Miss Floss he had been basely +maligned,—so much maligned, that Miss Mackenzie owed him all her +sympathy. What excuse could she now have for refusing him?</p> + +<p>When she went to bed on the Sunday night such were her thoughts and +her feelings.</p> + + +<p><a name="c14" id="c14"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XIV</h3> +<h3>Tom Mackenzie's Bed-Side<br /> </h3> + + +<p>There was a Stumfoldian edict, ultra-Median-and-Persian in its +strictness, ordaining that no Stumfoldian in Littlebath should be +allowed to receive a letter on Sundays. And there also existed a +coordinate rule on the part of the Postmaster-General,—or, rather, a +privilege granted by that functionary,—in accordance with which +Stumfoldians, and other such sects of Sabbatarians, were empowered to +prohibit the letter-carriers from contaminating their special +knockers on Sunday mornings. Miss Mackenzie had given way to this +easily, seeing nothing amiss in the edict, and not caring much for +her Sunday letters. In consequence, she received on the Monday +mornings those letters which were due to her on Sundays, and on this +special Monday morning she received a letter, as to which the delay +was of much consequence. It was to tell her that her brother Tom was +dying, and to pray that she would be up in London as early on the +Monday as was practicable. Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, who had written +the letter in Gower Street, had known nothing of the Sabbatical +edicts of the Stumfoldians.</p> + +<p>"It is an inward tumour," said Mr Rubb, "and has troubled him long, +though he has said nothing about it. It is now breaking, and the +doctor says he can't live. He begs that you will come to him, as he +has very much to say to you. Mrs Tom would have written, but she is +so much taken up, and is so much beside herself, that she begs me to +say that she is not able; but I hope it won't be less welcome coming +from me. The second pair back will be ready for you, just as if it +were your own. I would be waiting at the station on Monday, if I knew +what train you would come by."</p> + +<p>This she received while at breakfast on the Monday morning, having +sat down a little earlier than usual, in order that the tea-things +might be taken away so as to make room for Mr Maguire.</p> + +<p>Of course she must go up to town instantly, by the first practicable +train. She perceived at once that she would have to send a message by +telegraph, as they would have expected to hear from her that morning. +She got the railway guide, and saw that the early express train had +already gone. There was, however, a mid-day train which would reach +Paddington in the afternoon. She immediately got her bonnet and went +off to the telegraph office, leaving word with the servant, that if +any one called "he" was to be told that she had received sudden +tidings which took her up to London. On her return she found that +"he" had not been there yet, and now she could only hope that he +would not come till after she had started. It would, of course, be +impossible, at such a moment as this, to make any answer to such a +proposition as Mr Maguire's.</p> + +<p>He came, and when the servant gave him the message at the door, he +sent up craving permission to see her but for a moment. She could not +refuse him, and went down to him in the drawing-room, with her shawl +and bonnet.</p> + +<p>"Dearest Margaret," said he, "what is this?" and he took both her +hands.</p> + +<p>"I have received word that my brother, in London, is very ill,—that +he is dying, and I must go to him."</p> + +<p>He still held her hands, standing close to her, as though he had some +special right to comfort her.</p> + +<p>"Cannot I go with you?" he said. "Let me; do let me."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, Mr Maguire; it is impossible. What could you do? I am going +to my brother's house."</p> + +<p>"But have I not a right to be of help to you at such a time?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"No, Mr Maguire; no right; certainly none as yet."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Margaret."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure you will see that I cannot talk of anything of that sort +now."</p> + +<p>"But you will not be back for ever so long."</p> + +<p>"I cannot tell."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Margaret; you will not leave me in suspense? After bidding me +wait a fortnight, you will not go away without telling me that you +will be mine when you come back? One word will do it."</p> + +<p>"Mr Maguire, you really must excuse me now."</p> + +<p>"One word, Margaret; only one word," and he still held her.</p> + +<p>"Mr Maguire," she said, tearing her hand from him, "I am astonished +at you. I tell you that my brother is dying and you hold me here, and +expect me to give you an answer about nonsense. I thought you were +more manly."</p> + +<p>He saw that there was a flash in her eye as he stepped back; so he +begged her pardon, and muttering something about hoping to hear from +her soon, took his leave. Poor man! I do not see why she should not +have accepted him, as she had made up her mind to do so. And to him, +with his creditors, and in his present position, any certainty in +this matter would have made so much difference!</p> + +<p>At the Paddington station Miss Mackenzie was met by her other lover, +Mr Rubb. Mr Rubb, however, had never yet declared himself as holding +this position, and did not do so on the present occasion. Their +conversation in the cab was wholly concerning her brother's state, or +nearly so. It seemed that there was no hope. Mr Rubb said that very +clearly. As to time the doctor would say nothing certain; but he had +declared that it might occur any day. The patient could never leave +his bed again; but as his constitution was strong, he might remain in +his present condition some weeks. He did not suffer much pain, or, at +any rate, did not complain of much; but was very sad. Then Mr Rubb +said one other word.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid he is thinking of his wife and children."</p> + +<p>"Would there be nothing for them out of the business?" asked Miss +Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>The junior partner at first shook his head, saying nothing. After a +few minutes he did speak in a low voice. "If there be anything, it +will be very little,—very little."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie was rejoiced that she had given no definite promise to +Mr Maguire. There seemed to be now a job for her to do in the world +which would render it quite unnecessary that she should look about +for a husband. If her brother's widow were left penniless, with seven +children, there would be no longer much question as to what she would +do with her money. Perhaps the only person in the world that she +cordially disliked was her sister-in-law. She certainly knew no other +woman whose society would be so unpalatable to her. But if things +were so as Mr Rubb now described them, there could be no doubt about +her duty. It was very well indeed that her answer to Mr Maguire had +been postponed to that Monday.</p> + +<p>She found her sister-in-law in the dining-room, and Mrs Mackenzie, of +course, received her with a shower of tears. "I did think you would +have come, Margaret, by the first train."</p> + +<p>Then Margaret was forced to explain all about the letter and the +Sunday arrangements at Littlebath; and Mrs Tom was stupid and +wouldn't understand, but persisted in her grievance, declaring that +Tom was killing himself with disappointment.</p> + +<p>"And there's Dr Slumpy just this moment gone without a word to +comfort one,—not even to say about when it will be. I suppose you'll +want your dinner before you go up to see him. As for us we've had no +dinners, or anything regular; but, of course, you must be waited on." +Miss Mackenzie simply took off her bonnet and shawl, and declared +herself ready to go upstairs as soon as her brother would be ready to +see her.</p> + +<p>"It's fret about money has done it all, Margaret," said the wife. +"Since the day that Walter's shocking will was read, he's never been +himself for an hour. Of course he wouldn't show it to you; but he +never has."</p> + +<p>Margaret turned short round upon her sister-in-law on the stairs.</p> + +<p>"Sarah," said she, and then she stopped herself. "Never mind; it is +natural, no doubt, you should feel it; but there are times and places +when one's feelings should be kept under control."</p> + +<p>"That's mighty fine," said Mrs Mackenzie; "but, however, if you'll +wait here, I'll go up to him."</p> + +<p>In a few minutes more Miss Mackenzie was standing by her brother's +bedside, holding his hand in hers.</p> + +<p>"I knew you would come, Margaret," he said.</p> + +<p>"Of course I should come; who doubted it? But never mind that, for +here I am."</p> + +<p>"I only told her that we expected her by the earlier train," said Mrs +Tom.</p> + +<p>"Never mind the train as long as she's here," said Tom. "You've heard +how it is with me, Margaret?"</p> + +<p>Then Margaret buried her face in the bed-clothes and wept, and Mrs +Tom, weeping also, hid herself behind the curtains.</p> + +<p>There was nothing said then about money or the troubles of the +business, and after a while the two women went down to tea. In the +dining-room they found Mr Rubb, who seemed to be quite at home in the +house. Cold meat was brought up for Margaret's dinner, and they all +sat down to one of those sad sick-house meals which he or she who has +not known must have been lucky indeed. To Margaret it was nothing +new. All the life that she remembered, except the last year, had been +spent in nursing her other brother; and now to be employed about the +bed-side of a sufferer was as natural to her as the air she breathed.</p> + +<p>"I will sit with him to-night, Sarah, if you will let me," she said; +and Sarah assented.</p> + +<p>It was still daylight when she found herself at her post. Mrs +Mackenzie had just left the room to go down among the children, +saying that she would return again before she left him for the night. +To this the invalid remonstrated, begging his wife to go to bed.</p> + +<p>"She has not had her clothes off for the last week," said the +husband.</p> + +<p>"It don't matter about my clothes," said Mrs Tom, still weeping. She +was always crying when in the sick room, and always scolding when out +of it; thus complying with the two different requisitions of her +nature. The matter, however, was settled by an assurance on her part +that she would go to bed, so that she might be stirring early.</p> + +<p>There are women who seem to have an absolute pleasure in fixing +themselves for business by the bedside of a sick man. They generally +commence their operations by laying aside all fictitious feminine +charms, and by arraying themselves with a rigid, unconventional, +unenticing propriety. Though they are still gentle,—perhaps more +gentle than ever in their movements,—there is a decision in all they +do very unlike their usual mode of action. The sick man, who is not +so sick but what he can ponder on the matter, feels himself to be +like a baby, whom he has seen the nurse to take from its cradle, pat +on the back, feed, and then return to its little couch, all without +undue violence or tyranny, but still with a certain consciousness of +omnipotence as far as that child was concerned. The vitality of the +man is gone from him, and he, in his prostrate condition, debarred by +all the features of his condition from spontaneous exertion, feels +himself to be more a woman than the woman herself. She, if she be +such a one as our Miss Mackenzie, arranges her bottles with +precision; knows exactly how to place her chair, her lamp, and her +teapot; settles her cap usefully on her head, and prepares for the +night's work certainly with satisfaction. And such are the best women +of the world,—among which number I think that Miss Mackenzie has a +right to be counted.</p> + +<p>A few words of affection were spoken between the brother and sister, +for at such moments brotherly affection returns, and the +estrangements of life are all forgotten in the old memories. He +seemed comforted to feel her hand upon the bed, and was glad to +pronounce her name, and spoke to her as though she had been the +favourite of the family for years, instead of the one member of it +who had been snubbed and disregarded. Poor man, who shall say that +there was anything hypocritical or false in this? And yet, +undoubtedly, it was the fact that Margaret was now the only wealthy +one among them, which had made him send to her, and think of her, as +he lay there in his sickness.</p> + +<p>When these words of love had been spoken, he turned himself on his +pillow, and lay silent for a long while,—for hours, till the morning +sun had risen, and the daylight was again seen through the window +curtain. It was not much after midsummer, and the daylight came to +them early. From time to time she had looked at him, and each hour in +the night she had crept round to him, and given him that which he +needed. She did it all with a certain system, noiselessly, but with +an absolute assurance on her own part that she carried with her an +authority sufficient to ensure obedience. On that ground, in that +place, I think that even Miss Todd would have succumbed to her.</p> + +<p>But when the morning sun had driven the appearance of night from the +room, making the paraphernalia of sickness more ghastly than they had +been under the light of the lamp, the brother turned himself back +again, and began to talk of those things which were weighing on his +mind.</p> + +<p>"Margaret," he said, "it's very good of you to come, but as to +myself, no one's coming can be of any use to me."</p> + +<p>"It is all in the hands of God, Tom."</p> + +<p>"No doubt, no doubt," said he, sadly, not daring to argue such a +point with her, and yet feeling but little consolation from her +assurance. "So is the bullock in God's hands when the butcher is +going to knock him on the head, but yet we know that the beast will +die. Men live and die from natural causes, and not by God's +interposition."</p> + +<p>"But there is hope; that is what I mean. If God +<span class="nowrap">pleases—"</span></p> + +<p>"Ah, well. But, Margaret, I fear that he will not please; and what am +I to do about Sarah and the children?"</p> + +<p>This was a question that could be answered by no general +platitude,—by no weak words of hopeless consolation. Coming from him +to her, it demanded either a very substantial answer, or else no +answer at all. What was he to do about Sarah and the children? +Perhaps there came a thought across her mind that Sarah and the +children had done very little for her,—had considered her very +little, in those old, weary days, in Arundel Street. And those days +were not, as yet, so very old. It was now not much more than twelve +months since she had sat by the deathbed of her other brother,—since +she had expressed to herself, and to Harry Handcock, a humble wish +that she might find herself to be above absolute want.</p> + +<p>"I do not think you need fret about that, Tom," she said, after +turning these things over in her mind for a minute or two.</p> + +<p>"How, not fret about them? But I suppose you know nothing of the +state of the business. Has Rubb spoken to you?"</p> + +<p>"He did say some word as we came along in the cab."</p> + +<p>"What did he say?"</p> + +<p>"He said—"</p> + +<p>"Well, tell me what he said. He said, that if I died—what then? You +must not be afraid of speaking of it openly. Why, Margaret, they have +all told me that it must be in a month or two. What did Rubb say?"</p> + +<p>"He said that there would be very little coming out of the +business—that is, for Sarah and the children—if anything were to +happen to you."</p> + +<p>"I don't suppose they'd get anything. How it has been managed I don't +know. I have worked like a galley slave at it, but I haven't kept the +books, and I don't know how things have gone so badly. They have gone +badly,—very badly."</p> + +<p>"Has it been Mr Rubb's fault?"</p> + +<p>"I won't say that; and, indeed, if it has been any man's fault it has +been the old man's. I don't want to say a word against the one that +you know. Oh, Margaret!"</p> + +<p>"Don't fret yourself now, Tom."</p> + +<p>"If you had seven children, would not you fret yourself? And I hardly +know how to speak to you about it. I know that we have already had +ever so much of your money, over two thousand pounds; and I fear you +will never see it again."</p> + +<p>"Never mind, Tom; it is yours, with all my heart. Only, Tom, as it is +so badly wanted, I would rather it was yours than Mr Rubb's. Could I +not do something that would make that share of the building yours?"</p> + +<p>He shifted himself uneasily in his bed, and made her understand that +she had distressed him.</p> + +<p>"But perhaps it will be better to say nothing more about that," said +she.</p> + +<p>"It will be better that you should understand it all. The property +belongs nominally to us, but it is mortgaged to the full of its +value. Rubb can explain it all, if he will. Your money went to buy +it, but other creditors would not be satisfied without security. Ah, +dear! it is so dreadful to have to speak of all this in this way."</p> + +<p>"Then don't speak of it, Tom."</p> + +<p>"But what am I to do?"</p> + +<p>"Are there no proceeds from the business?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, for those who work in it; and I think there will be something +coming out of it for Sarah,—something, but it will be very small. +And if so, she must depend for it solely on Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"On the young one?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; on the one that you know."</p> + +<p>There was a great deal more said, and of course everyone will know +how such a conversation was ended, and will understand with what +ample assurance as to her own intentions Margaret promised that the +seven children should not want. As she did so, she made certain rapid +calculations in her head. She must give up Mr Maguire. There was no +doubt about that. She must give up all idea of marrying any one, and, +as she thought of this, she told herself that she was perhaps well +rid of a trouble. She had already given away to the firm of Rubb and +Mackenzie above a hundred a-year out of her income. If she divided +the remainder with Mrs Tom, keeping about three hundred and fifty +pounds a-year for herself and Susanna, she would, she thought, keep +her promise well, and yet retain enough for her own comfort and +Susanna's education. It would be bad for the prospects of young John +Ball, the third of the name, whom she had taught herself to regard as +her heir; but young John Ball would know nothing of the good things +he had lost. As to living with her sister-in-law Sarah, and sharing +her house and income with the whole family, that she declared to +herself nothing should induce her to do. She would give up half of +all that she had, and that half would be quite enough to save her +brother's children from want. In making the promise to her brother +she said nothing about proportions, and nothing as to her own future +life. "What I have," she said, "I will share with them and you may +rest assured that they shall not want." Of course he thanked her as +dying men do thank those who take upon themselves such charges; but +she perceived as he did so, or thought that she perceived, that he +still had something more upon his mind.</p> + +<p>Mrs Tom came and relieved her in the morning, and Miss Mackenzie was +obliged to put off for a time that panoply of sick-room armour which +made her so indomitable in her brother's bedroom. Downstairs she met +Mr Rubb, who talked to her much about her brother's affairs, and much +about the oilcloth business, speaking as though he were desirous that +the most absolute confidence should exist between him and her. But +she said no word of her promise to her brother, except that she +declared that the money lent was now to be regarded as a present made +by her to him personally.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid that that will avail nothing," said Mr Rubb, junior, +"for the amount now stands as a debt due by the firm to you, and the +firm, which would pay you the money if it could, cannot pay it to +your brother's estate any more than it can to yours."</p> + +<p>"But the interest," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes! the interest can be paid," said Mr Rubb, junior, but the +tone of his voice did not give much promise that this interest would +be forthcoming with punctuality.</p> + +<p>She watched again that night; and on the next day, in the afternoon, +she was told that a gentleman wished to see her in the drawing-room. +Her thoughts at once pointed to Mr Maguire, and she went downstairs +prepared to be very angry with that gentleman. But on entering the +room she found her cousin, John Ball. She was, in truth, glad to see +him; for, after all, she thought that she liked him the best of all +the men or women that she knew. He was always in trouble, but then +she fancied that with him she at any rate knew the worst. There was +nothing concealed with him,—nothing to be afraid of. She hoped that +they might continue to know each other intimately as cousins. Under +existing circumstances they could not, of course, be anything more to +each other than that.</p> + +<p>"This is very kind of you, John," she said, taking his hand. "How did +you know I was here?"</p> + +<p>"Mr Slow told me. I was with Mr Slow about business of yours. I'm +afraid from what I hear that you find your brother very ill."</p> + +<p>"Very ill, indeed, John,—ill to death."</p> + +<p>She then asked after her uncle and aunt, and the children, at the +Cedars.</p> + +<p>They were much as usual, he said; and he added that his mother would +be very glad to see her at the Cedars; only he supposed there was no +hope of that.</p> + +<p>"Not just at present, John. You see I am wholly occupied here."</p> + +<p>"And will he really die, do you think?"</p> + +<p>"The doctors say so."</p> + +<p>"And his wife and children—will they be provided for?"</p> + +<p>Margaret simply shook her head, and John Ball, as he watched her, +felt assured that his uncle Jonathan's money would never come in his +way, or in the way of his children. But he was a man used to +disappointment, and he bore this with mild sufferance.</p> + +<p>Then he explained to her the business about which he had specially +come to her. She had entrusted him with certain arrangements as to a +portion of her property, and he came to tell her that a certain +railway company wanted some houses which belonged to her, and that by +Act of Parliament she was obliged to sell them.</p> + +<p>"But the Act of Parliament will make the railway company pay for +them, won't it, John?"</p> + +<p>Then he went on to explain to her that she was in luck's way, "as +usual," said the poor fellow, thinking of his own misfortunes, and +that she would greatly increase her income by the sale. Indeed, it +seemed to her that she would regain pretty nearly all she had lost by +the loan to Rubb and Mackenzie. "How very singular," thought she to +herself. Under these circumstances, it might, after all, be possible +that she should marry Mr Maguire, if she wished it.</p> + +<p>When Mr Ball had told his business he did not stay much longer. He +said no word of his own hopes, if hopes they could be called any +longer. As he left her, he just referred to what had passed between +them. "This is no time, Margaret," said he, "to ask you whether you +have changed your mind?"</p> + +<p>"No, John; there are other things to think of now; are there not? +And, besides, they will want here all that I can do for them."</p> + +<p>She spoke to him with an express conviction that what was wanted of +her by him, as well as by others, was her money, and it did not occur +to him to contradict her.</p> + +<p>"He might have asked to see me, I do think," said Mrs Tom, when John +Ball was gone. "But there always was an upsetting pride about those +people at the Cedars which I never could endure. And they are as poor +as church mice. When poverty and pride go together I do detest them. +I suppose he came to find out all about us, but I hope you told him +nothing."</p> + +<p>To all this Miss Mackenzie made no answer at all.</p> + + +<p><a name="c15" id="c15"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XV</h3> +<h3>The Tearing of the Verses<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Things went on in Gower Street for three or four weeks in the same +way, and then Susanna was fetched home from Littlebath. Miss +Mackenzie would have gone down herself but that she was averse to see +Mr Maguire. She therefore kept on her Littlebath lodgings, though Mrs +Tom said much to her of the wasteful extravagance in doing so. It was +at last settled that Mr Rubb should go down to Littlebath and bring +Susanna back with him; and this he did, not at all to that young +lady's satisfaction. It was understood that Susanna did not leave the +school, at which she had lately been received as a boarder; but the +holidays had come, and it was thought well that she should see her +father. During this time Miss Mackenzie received two letters from Mr +Maguire. In the first he pleaded hard for an answer to his offer. He +had, he said, now relinquished his curacy, having found the +interference of that terrible woman to be unendurable. He had left +his curacy, and was at present without employment. Under such +circumstances, "his Margaret" would understand how imperative it was +that he should receive an answer. A curacy, or, rather, a small +incumbency, had offered itself among the mines in Cornwall; but he +could not think of accepting this till he should know what "his +Margaret" might say to it.</p> + +<p>To this Margaret answered most demurely, and perhaps a little slily. +She said that her brother's health and affairs were at present in +such a condition as to allow her to think of nothing else; that she +completely understood Mr Maguire's position, and that it was +essential that he should not be kept in suspense. Under these +combined circumstances she had no alternative but to release him from +the offer he had made. This she did with the less unwillingness as it +was probable that her pecuniary position would be considerably +altered by the change in her brother's family which they were now +expecting almost daily. Then she bade him farewell, with many +expressions of her esteem, and said that she hoped he might be happy +among the mines in Cornwall.</p> + +<p>Such was her letter; but it did not satisfy Mr Maguire, and he wrote +a second letter. He had declined, he said, the incumbency among the +mines, having heard of something which he thought would suit him +better in Manchester. As to that, there was no immediate hurry, and +he proposed remaining at Littlebath for the next two months, having +been asked to undertake temporary duty in a neighbouring church for +that time. By the end of the two months he hoped that "his Margaret" +would be able to give him an answer in a different tone. As to her +pecuniary position, he would leave that, he said, "all to herself."</p> + +<p>To this second letter Miss Mackenzie did not find it necessary to +send any reply. The domestics in the Mackenzie family were not at +this time numerous, and the poor mother had enough to do with her +family downstairs. No nurse had been hired for the sick man, for +nurses cannot be hired without money, and money with the Tom +Mackenzies was scarce. Our Miss Mackenzie would have hired a nurse, +but she thought it better to take the work entirely into her own +hands. She did so, and I think we may say that her brother did not +suffer by it. As she sat by his bedside, night after night, she +seemed to feel that she had fallen again into her proper place, and +she looked back upon the year she had spent at Littlebath almost with +dismay. Since her brother's death, three men had offered to marry +her, and there was a fourth from whom she had expected such an offer. +She looked upon all this with dismay, and told herself that she was +not fit to sail, under her own guidance, out in the broad sea, amidst +such rocks as those. Was not some humbly feminine employment, such as +that in which she was now engaged, better for her in all ways? Sad as +was the present occasion, did she not feel a satisfaction in what she +was doing, and an assurance that she was fit for her position? Had +she not always been ill at ease, and out of her element, while +striving at Littlebath to live the life of a lady of fortune? She +told herself that it was so, and that it would be better for her to +be a hard-working, dependent woman, doing some tedious duty day by +day, than to live a life of ease which prompted her to longings for +things unfitted to her.</p> + +<p>She had brought a little writing-desk with her that she had carried +from Arundel Street to Littlebath, and this she had with her in the +sick man's bedroom. Sitting there through the long hours of night, +she would open this and read over and over again those remnants of +the rhymes written in her early days which she had kept when she made +her great bonfire. There had been quires of such verses, but she had +destroyed all but a few leaves before she started for Littlebath. +What were left, and were now read, were very sweet to her, and yet +she knew that they were wrong and meaningless. What business had such +a one as she to talk of the sphere's tune and the silvery moon, of +bright stars shining and hearts repining? She would not for worlds +have allowed any one to know what a fool she had been—either Mrs +Tom, or John Ball, or Mr Maguire, or Miss Todd. She would have been +covered with confusion if her rhymes had fallen into the hands of any +one of them.</p> + +<p>And yet she loved them well, as a mother loves her only idiot child. +They were her expressions of the romance and poetry that had been in +her; and though the expressions doubtless were poor, the romance and +poetry of her heart had been high and noble. How wrong the world is +in connecting so closely as it does the capacity for feeling and the +capacity for expression,—in thinking that capacity for the one +implies capacity for the other, or incapacity for the one incapacity +also for the other; in confusing the technical art of the man who +sings with the unselfish tenderness of the man who feels! But the +world does so connect them; and, consequently, those who express +themselves badly are ashamed of their feelings.</p> + +<p>She read her poor lines again and again, throwing herself back into +the days and thoughts of former periods, and telling herself that it +was all over. She had thought of encouraging love, and love had come +to her in the shape of Mr Maguire, a very strict evangelical +clergyman, without a cure or an income, somewhat in debt, and with, +oh! such an eye! She tore the papers, very gently, into the smallest +fragments. She tore them again and again, swearing to herself as she +did so that there should be an end of all that; and, as there was no +fire at hand, she replaced the pieces in her desk. During this +ceremony of the tearing she devoted herself to the duties of a single +life, to the drudgeries of ordinary utility, to such works as those +she was now doing. As to any society, wicked or religious,—wicked +after the manner of Miss Todd, or religious after the manner of St +Stumfolda,—it should come or not, as circumstances might direct. She +would go no more in search of it. Such were the resolves of a certain +night, during which the ceremony of the tearing took place.</p> + +<p>It came to pass at this time that Mr Rubb, junior, visited his dying +partner almost daily, and was always left alone with him for some +time. When these visits were made Miss Mackenzie would descend to the +room in which her sister-in-law was sitting, and there would be some +conversation between them about Mr Rubb and his affairs. Much as +these two women disliked each other, there had necessarily arisen +between them a certain amount of confidence. Two persons who are much +thrown together, to the exclusion of other society, will tell each +other their thoughts, even though there be no love between them.</p> + +<p>"What is he saying to him all these times when he is with him?" said +Mrs Tom one morning, when Miss Mackenzie had come down on the +appearance of Mr Rubb in the sick room.</p> + +<p>"He is talking about the business, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"What good can that do? Tom can't say anything about that, as to how +it should be done. He thinks a great deal about Sam Rubb; but it's +more than I do."</p> + +<p>"They must necessarily be in each other's confidence, I should say."</p> + +<p>"He's not in my confidence. My belief is he's been a deal too clever +for Tom; and that he'll turn out to be too clever—for me, and—my +poor orphans." Upon which Mrs Tom put her handkerchief up to her +eyes. "There; he's coming down," continued the wife. "Do you go up +now, and make Tom tell you what it is that Sam Rubb has been saying +to him."</p> + +<p>Margaret Mackenzie did go up as she heard Mr Rubb close the front +door; but she had no such purpose as that with which her +sister-in-law had striven to inspire her. She had no wish to make the +sick man tell her anything that he did not wish to tell. In +considering the matter within her own breast, she owned to herself +that she did not expect much from the Rubbs in aid of the wants of +her nephews and nieces; but what would be the use of troubling a +dying man about that? She had agreed with herself to believe that the +oilcloth business was a bad affair, and that it would be well to hope +for nothing from it. That her brother to the last should harass +himself about the business was only natural; but there could be no +reason why she should harass him on the same subject. She had +recognised the fact that his widow and children must be supported by +her; and had she now been told that the oilcloth factory had been +absolutely abandoned as being worth nothing, it would not have caused +her much disappointment. She thought a great deal more of the railway +company that was going to buy her property under such favourable +circumstances.</p> + +<p>She was, therefore, much surprised when her brother began about the +business as soon as she had seated herself. I do not know that the +reader need be delayed with any of the details that he gave her, or +with the contents of the papers which he showed her. She, however, +found herself compelled to go into the matter, and compelled also to +make an endeavour to understand it. It seemed that everything hung +upon Samuel Rubb, junior, except the fact that Samuel Rubb's father, +who now never went near the place, got more than half the net +profits; and the further fact, that the whole thing would come to an +end if this payment to old Rubb were stopped.</p> + +<p>"Tom," said she, in the middle of it all, when her head was aching +with figures, "if it will comfort you, and enable you to put all +these things away, you may know that I will divide everything I have +with Sarah."</p> + +<p>He assured her that her kindness did comfort him; but he hoped better +than that; he still thought that something better might be arranged +if she would only go on with her task. So she went on painfully +toiling through figures.</p> + +<p>"Sam drew them up on purpose for you, yesterday afternoon," said he.</p> + +<p>"Who did it?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Samuel Rubb."</p> + +<p>He then went on to declare that she might accept all Samuel Rubb's +figures as correct.</p> + +<p>She was quite willing to accept them, and she strove hard to +understand them. It certainly did seem to her that when her money was +borrowed somebody must have known that the promised security would +not be forthcoming; but perhaps that somebody was old Rubb, whom, as +she did not know him, she was quite ready to regard as the villain in +the play that was being acted. Her own money, too, was a thing of the +past. That fault, if fault there had been, was condoned; and she was +angry with herself in that she now thought of it again.</p> + +<p>"And now," said her brother, as soon as she had put the papers back, +and declared that she understood them. "Now I have something to say +to you which I hope you will hear without being angry." He raised +himself on his bed as he said this, doing so with difficulty and +pain, and turning his face upon her so that he could look into her +eyes. "If I didn't know that I was dying I don't think that I could +say it to you."</p> + +<p>"Say what, Tom?"</p> + +<p>She thought of what most terrible thing it might be possible that he +should have to communicate. Could it be that he had got hold, or that +Rubb and Mackenzie had got hold, of all her fortune, and turned it +into unprofitable oilcloth? Could they in any way have made her +responsible for their engagements? She wished to trust them; she +tried to avoid suspicion; but she feared that things were amiss.</p> + +<p>"Samuel Rubb and I have been talking of it, and he thinks it had +better come from me," said her brother.</p> + +<p>"What had better come?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"It is his proposition, Margaret." Then she knew all about it, and +felt great relief. Then she knew all about it, and let him go on till +he had spoken his speech.</p> + +<p>"God knows how far he may be indulging a false hope, or deceiving +himself altogether; but he thinks it possible that you might—might +become fond of him. There, Margaret, that's the long and the short of +it. And when I told him that he had better say that himself, he +declared that you would not bring yourself to listen to him while I +am lying here dying."</p> + +<p>"Of course I would not."</p> + +<p>"But, look here, Margaret; I know you would do much to comfort me in +my last moments."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, I would, Tom."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't ask you to marry a man you didn't like,—not even if it +were to do the children a service; but if that can be got over, the +other feeling should not restrain you when it would be the greatest +possible comfort to me."</p> + +<p>"But how could it serve you, Tom?"</p> + +<p>"If that could be arranged, Rubb would give up to Sarah during his +father's life all the proceeds of the business, after paying the old +man. And when he dies, and he is very old now, the five hundred +a-year would be continued to her. Think what that would be, +Margaret."</p> + +<p>"But, Tom, she shall have what will make her comfortable without +waiting for any old man's death. It shall be quite half of my income. +If that is not enough it shall be more. Will not that do for her?"</p> + +<p>Then her brother strove to explain as best he could that the mere +money was not all he wanted. If his sister did not like this man, if +she had no wish to become a married woman, of course, he said, the +plan must fall to the ground. But if there was anything in Mr Rubb's +belief that she was not altogether indifferent to him, if such an +arrangement could be made palatable to her, then he would be able to +think that he, by the work of his life, had left something behind him +to his wife and family.</p> + +<p>"And Sarah would be more comfortable," he pleaded. "Of course, she is +grateful to you, as I am, and as we all are. But given bread is +bitter bread, and if she could think it came to her, of her own +<span class="nowrap">right—"</span></p> + +<p>He said ever so much more, but that ever so much more was quite +unnecessary. His sister understood the whole matter. It was desirable +that she, by her fortune, should enable the widow and orphans of her +brother to live in comfort; but it was not desirable that this +dependence on her should be plainly recognised. She did not, however, +feel herself to be angry or hurt. It would, no doubt, be better for +the family that they should draw their income in an apparently +independent way from their late father's business than that they +should owe their support to the charity of an aunt. But then, how +about herself? A month or two ago, before the Maguire feature in her +career had displayed itself so strongly, an overture from Mr Rubb +might probably not have been received with disfavour. But now, while +she was as it were half engaged to another man, she could not +entertain such a proposition. Her womanly feeling revolted from it. +No doubt she intended to refuse Mr Maguire. No doubt she had made up +her mind to that absolutely, during the ceremony of tearing up her +verses. And she had never had much love for Mr Maguire, and had felt +some—almost some, for Mr Rubb. In either case she was sure that, had +she married the man,—the one man or the other,—she would instantly +have become devoted to him. And I, who chronicle her deeds and +endeavour to chronicle her thoughts, feel equally sure that it would +have been so. There was something harsh in it, that Mr Maguire's +offer to her should, though never accepted, debar her from the +possibility of marrying Mr Rubb, and thus settling all the affairs of +her family in a way that would have been satisfactory to them and not +altogether unsatisfactory to her; but she was aware that it did so. +She felt that it was so, and then threw herself back for consolation +upon the security which would still be hers, and the want of security +which must attach itself to a marriage with Mr Rubb. He might make +ducks, and drakes, and oilcloth of it all; and then there would be +nothing left for her, for her sister-in-law, or for the children.</p> + +<p>"May I tell him to speak to yourself?" her brother asked, while she +was thinking of all this.</p> + +<p>"No, Tom; it would do no good."</p> + +<p>"You do not fancy him, then."</p> + +<p>"I do not know about fancying; but I think it will be better for me +to remain as I am. I would do anything for you and Sarah, almost +anything; but I cannot do that."</p> + +<p>"Then I will say nothing further."</p> + +<p>"Don't ask me to do that."</p> + +<p>And he did not ask her again, but turned his face from her and +thought of the bitterness of his death-bed.</p> + +<p>That evening, when she went down to tea, she met Samuel Rubb standing +at the drawing-room door.</p> + +<p>"There is no one here," he said; "will you mind coming in? Has your +brother spoken to you?"</p> + +<p>She had followed him into the room, and he had closed the door as he +asked the question.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he has spoken to me."</p> + +<p>She could see that the man was trembling with anxiety and eagerness, +and she almost loved him that he was anxious and eager. Mr Maguire, +when he had come a wooing, had not done it badly altogether, but +there had not been so much reality as there was about Sam Rubb while +he stood there shaking, and fearing, and hoping.</p> + +<p>"Well," said he, "may I hope—may I think it will be so? may I ask +you to be mine?"</p> + +<p>He was handsome in her eyes, though perhaps, delicate reader, he +would not have been handsome in yours. She knew that he was not a +gentleman; but what did that matter? Neither was her sister-in-law +Sarah a lady. There was not much in that house in Gower Street that +was after the manner of gentlemen and ladies. She was ready to throw +all that to the dogs, and would have done so but for Mr Maguire. She +felt that she would like to have allowed herself to love him in spite +of the tearing of the verses. She felt this, and was very angry with +Mr Maguire. But the facts were stern, and there was no hope for her.</p> + +<p>"Mr Rubb," she said, "there can be nothing of that kind."</p> + +<p>"Can't there really, now?" said he.</p> + +<p>She assured him in her strongest language, that there could be +nothing of that kind, and then went down to the dining-room.</p> + +<p>He did not venture to follow her, but made his way out of the house +without seeing anyone else.</p> + +<p>Another fortnight went by, and then, towards the close of September, +came the end of all things in this world for poor Tom Mackenzie. He +died in the middle of the night in his wife's arms, while his sister +stood by holding both their hands. Since the day on which he had +endeavoured to arrange a match between his partner and his sister he +had spoken no word of business, at any rate to the latter, and things +now stood on that footing which she had then attempted to give them. +We all know how silent on such matters are the voices of all in the +bereft household, from the hour of death till that other hour in +which the body is consigned to its kindred dust. Women make mourning, +and men creep about listlessly, but during those few sad days there +may be no talk about money. So it was in Gower Street. The widow, no +doubt, thought much of her bitter state of dependence, thought +something, perhaps, of the chance there might be that her husband's +sister would be less good than her word, now that he was +gone—meditated with what amount of submission she must accept the +generosity of the woman she had always hated; but she was still +mistress of that house till the undertakers had done their work; and +till that work had been done, she said little of her future plans.</p> + +<p>"I'd earn my bread, if I knew how," she began, putting her +handkerchief up to her eyes, on the afternoon of the very day on +which he was buried.</p> + +<p>"There will be no occasion for that, Sarah," said Miss Mackenzie, +"there will be enough for us all."</p> + +<p>"But I would if I knew how. I wouldn't mind what I did; I'd scour +floors rather than be dependent, I've that spirit in me; and I've +worked, and moiled, and toiled with those children; so I have."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie then told her that she had solemnly promised her +brother to divide her income with his widow, and informed her that +she intended to see Mr Slow, the lawyer, on the following day, with +reference to the doing of this.</p> + +<p>"If there is anything from the factory, that can be divided too," +said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"But there won't. The Rubbs will take all that; of course they will. +And Tom put into it near upon ten thousand pounds!"</p> + +<p>Then she began to cry again, but soon interrupted her tears to ask +what was to become of Susanna. Susanna, who was by, looked anxiously +up into her aunt's eyes.</p> + +<p>"Susanna and I," said the aunt, "have thrown in our lot together, and +we mean to remain so; don't we, dear?"</p> + +<p>"If mamma will let me."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure it's very good of you to take one off my hands," said the +mother, "for even one will be felt."</p> + +<p>Then came a note to Miss Mackenzie from Lady Ball, asking her to +spend a few days at the Cedars before she returned to +Littlebath,—that is, if she did return,—and she consented to do +this. While she was there Mr Slow could prepare the necessary +arrangements for the division of the property, and she could then +make up her mind as to the manner and whereabouts of her future life. +She was all at sea again, and knew not how to choose. If she were a +Romanist, she would go into a convent; but Protestant convents she +thought were bad, and peculiarly unfitted for the followers of Mr +Stumfold. She had nothing to bind her to any spot, and something to +drive her from every spot of which she knew anything.</p> + +<p>Before she went to the Cedars Mr Rubb came to Gower Street and bade +her farewell.</p> + +<p>"I had allowed myself to hope, Miss Mackenzie," said he, "I had, +indeed; I suppose I was very foolish."</p> + +<p>"I don't know as to being foolish, Mr Rubb, unless it was in caring +about such a person as me."</p> + +<p>"I do care for you, very much; but I suppose I was wrong to think you +would put up with such as I am. Only I did think that perhaps, seeing +that we had been partners with your brother so long— All the same, I +know that the Mackenzies are different from the Rubbs."</p> + +<p>"That has nothing to do with it; nothing in the least."</p> + +<p>"Hasn't it now? Then, perhaps, Miss Mackenzie, at some future +<span class="nowrap">time—"</span></p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie was obliged to tell him that there could not possibly +be any other answer given to him at any future time than that which +she gave him now. He suggested that perhaps he might be allowed to +try again when the first month or two of her grief for her brother +should be over; but she assured him that it would be useless. At the +moment of her conference with him, she did this with all her energy; +and then, as soon as she was alone, she asked herself why she had +been so energetical. After all, marriage was an excellent state in +which to live. The romance was doubtless foolish and wrong, and the +tearing of the papers had been discreet, yet there could be no good +reason why she should turn her back upon sober wedlock. Nevertheless, +in all her speech to Mr Rubb she did do so. There was something in +her position as connected with Mr Maguire which made her feel that it +would be indelicate to entertain another suitor before that gentleman +had received a final answer.</p> + +<p>As she went away from Gower Street to the Cedars she thought of this +very sadly, and told herself that she had been like the ass who +starved between two bundles of hay, or as the boy who had fallen +between two stools.</p> + + +<p><a name="c16" id="c16"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XVI</h3> +<h3>Lady Ball's Grievance<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, before she left Gower Street, was forced to make some +arrangements as to her affairs at Littlebath, and these were +ultimately settled in a manner that was not altogether palatable to +her. Mr Rubb was again sent down, having Susanna in his charge, and +he was empowered to settle with Miss Mackenzie's landlady and give up +the lodgings. There was much that was disagreeable in this. Miss +Mackenzie having just rejected Mr Rubb's suit, did not feel quite +comfortable in giving him a commission to see all her stockings and +petticoats packed up and brought away from the lodgings. Indeed, she +could give him no commission of the kind, but intimated her intention +of writing to the lodging-house keeper. He, however, was profuse in +his assurances that nothing should be left behind, and if Miss +Mackenzie would tell him anything of the way in which the things +ought to be packed, he would be so happy to attend to her! To him +Miss Mackenzie would give no such instructions, but, doubtless, she +gave many to Susanna.</p> + +<p>As to Susanna, it was settled that she should remain as a boarder at +the Littlebath school, at any rate for the next half-year. After that +there might be great doubt whether her aunt could bear the expense of +maintaining her in such a position.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie had reconciled herself to going to the Cedars because +she would thus have an opportunity of seeing her lawyer and arranging +about her property, whereas had she been down at Littlebath there +would have been a difficulty. And she wanted some one whom she could +trust to act for her, some one besides the lawyer, and she thought +that she could trust her cousin, John Ball. As to getting away from +all her suitors that was impossible. Had she gone to Littlebath there +was one there; had she remained with her sister-in-law, she would +have been always near another; and, on going to the Cedars, she would +meet the third. But she could not on that account absolutely isolate +herself from everybody that she knew in the world. And, perhaps, she +was getting somewhat used to her suitors, and less liable than she +had been to any fear that they could force her into action against +her own consent. So she went to the Cedars, and, on arriving there, +received from her uncle and aunt but a moderate amount of condolence +as to the death of her brother.</p> + +<p>Her first and second days in her aunt's house were very quiet. +Nothing was said of John's former desires, and nothing about her own +money or her brother's family. On the morning of the third day she +told her cousin that she would, on the next morning, accompany him to +town if he would allow her. "I am going to Mr Slow's," said she, "and +perhaps you could go with me." To this he assented willingly, and +then, after a pause, surmised that her visit must probably have +reference to the sale of her houses to the railway company. "Partly +to that," she said, "but it chiefly concerns arrangements for my +brother's family."</p> + +<p>To this John Ball said nothing, nor did Lady Ball, who was present, +then speak. But Miss Mackenzie could see that her aunt looked at her +cousin, opening her eyes, and expressing concern. John Ball himself +allowed no change to come upon his face, but went on deliberately +with his bread and butter. "I shall be very happy to go with you," he +said, "and will either come and call for you when you have done, or +stay with you while you are there, just as you like."</p> + +<p>"I particularly want you to stay with me," said she, "and as we go up +to town I will tell you all about it."</p> + +<p>She observed that before her cousin left the house on that day, his +mother got hold of him and was alone with him for nearly half an +hour. After that, Lady Ball was alone with Sir John, in his own room, +for another half hour. The old baronet had become older, of course, +and much weaker, since his niece had last been at the Cedars, and was +now seldom seen about the house till the afternoon.</p> + +<p>Of all the institutions at the Cedars that of the carriage was the +most important. Miss Mackenzie found that the carriage arrangement +had been fixed upon a new and more settled basis since her last +visit. Then it used to go out perhaps as often as three times a week. +But there did not appear to be any fixed rule. Like other carriages, +it did, to a certain degree, come when it was wanted. But now there +was, as I have said, a settled basis. The carriage came to the door +on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, exactly at two o'clock, and +Sir John with Lady Ball were driven about till four.</p> + +<p>On the first Tuesday of her visit Miss Mackenzie had gone with her +uncle and aunt, and even she had found the pace to be very slow, and +the whole affair to be very dull. Her uncle had once enlivened the +thing by asking her whether she had found any lovers since she went +to Littlebath, and this question had perplexed her very much. She +could not say that she had found none, and as she was not prepared to +acknowledge that she had found any, she could only sit still and +blush.</p> + +<p>"Women have plenty of lovers when they have plenty of money," said +the baronet.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe that Margaret thinks of anything of the kind," said +Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>After that Margaret determined to have as little to do with the +carriage as possible, and on that evening she learned from her cousin +that the horses had been sold to the man who farmed the land, and +were hired every other day for two hours' work.</p> + +<p>It was on the Thursday morning that Miss Mackenzie had spoken of +going into town on the morrow, and on that day when her aunt asked +her about the driving, she declined.</p> + +<p>"I hope that nothing your uncle said on Tuesday annoyed you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh dear, no; but if you don't mind it, I'd rather stay at home."</p> + +<p>"Of course you shall if you like it," said her aunt; "and by-the-by, +as I want to speak to you, and as we might not find time after coming +home, if you don't mind it I'll do it now."</p> + +<p>Of course Margaret said that she did not mind it, though in truth she +did mind it, and was afraid of her aunt.</p> + +<p>"Well then, Margaret, look here. I want to know something about your +brother's affairs. From what I have heard, I fear they were not very +good."</p> + +<p>"They were very bad, aunt,—very bad indeed."</p> + +<p>"Dear, dear; you don't say so. Sir John always feared that it would +be so when Thomas Mackenzie mixed himself up with those Rubbs. And +there has gone half of Jonathan Ball's money,—money which Sir John +made! Well, well!"</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie had nothing to say to this; and as she had nothing to +say to it she sat silent, making no attempt at any words.</p> + +<p>"It does seem hard; don't it, my dear?"</p> + +<p>"It wouldn't make any difference to anybody now—to my uncle, I mean, +or to John, if the money was not gone."</p> + +<p>"That's quite true; quite true; only it does seem to be a pity. +However, that half of Jonathan's money which you have got, is not +lost, and there's some comfort in that."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie was not called upon to make any answer to this; for +although she had lost a large sum of money by lending it to her +brother, nevertheless she was still possessed of a larger sum of +money than that which her brother Walter had received from Jonathan +Ball.</p> + +<p>"And what are they going to do, my dear—the children, I mean, and +the widow? I suppose there'll be something for them out of the +business?"</p> + +<p>"I don't think there'll be anything, aunt. As far as I can understand +there will be nothing certain. They may probably get a hundred and +twenty-five pounds a-year." This she named, as being the interest of +the money she had lent—or given.</p> + +<p>"A hundred and twenty-five pounds a-year. That isn't much, but it +will keep them from absolute want."</p> + +<p>"Would it, aunt?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; at least, I suppose so. I hope she's a good manager. She +ought to be, for she's a very disagreeable woman. You told me that +yourself, you know."</p> + +<p>Then Miss Mackenzie, having considered for one moment, resolved to +make a clean breast of it all, and this she did with the fewest +possible words.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to divide what I've got with them, and I hope it will make +them comfortable."</p> + +<p>"What!" exclaimed her aunt.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to give Sarah half what I've got, for her and her +children. I shall have enough to live on left."</p> + +<p>"Margaret, you don't mean it?"</p> + +<p>"Not mean it? why not, aunt? You would not have me let them starve. +Besides, I promised my brother when he was dying."</p> + +<p>"Then I must say he was very wrong, very wicked, I may say, to exact +any such promise from you; and no such promise is binding. If you ask +Sir John, or your lawyer, they will tell you so. What! exact a +promise from you to the amount of half your income. It was very +wrong."</p> + +<p>"But, aunt, I should do the same if I had made no promise."</p> + +<p>"No, you wouldn't, my dear. Your friends wouldn't let you. And indeed +your friends must prevent it now. They will not hear of such a +sacrifice being made."</p> + +<p>"But, aunt—"</p> + +<p>"Well, my dear."</p> + +<p>"It's my own, you know." And Margaret, as she said this, plucked up +her courage, and looked her aunt full in the face.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is your own, by law; but I don't suppose, my dear, that you +are of that disposition or that character that you'd wish to set all +the world at defiance, and make everybody belonging to you feel that +you had disgraced yourself."</p> + +<p>"Disgraced myself by relieving my brother's family!"</p> + +<p>"Disgraced yourself by giving to that woman money that has come to +you as your fortune has come. Think of it, where it came from!"</p> + +<p>"It came to me from my brother Walter."</p> + +<p>"And where did he get it? And who made it? And don't you know that +your brother Tom had his share of it, and wasted it all? Did it not +all come from the Balls? And yet you think so little of that, that +you are going to let that woman rob you of it—rob you and my +grandchildren; for that, I tell you, is the way in which the world +will look at it. Perhaps you don't know it, but all that property was +as good as given to John at one time. Who was it first took you by +the hand when you were left all alone in Arundel Street? Oh, +Margaret, don't go and be such an ungrateful, foolish creature!"</p> + +<p>Margaret waited for a moment, and then she answered—</p> + +<p>"There's nobody so near to me as my own brother's children."</p> + +<p>"As to that, Margaret, there isn't much difference in nearness +between your uncle and your nephews and nieces. But there's a right +and a wrong in these things, and when money is concerned, people are +not justified in indulging their fancies. Everything here has been +told to you. You know how John is situated with his children. And +after what there has been between you and him, and after what there +still might be if you would have it so, I own that I am +astonished—fairly astonished. Indeed, my dear, I can only look on it +as simple weakness on your part. It was but the other day that you +told me you had done all that you thought necessary by your brother +in taking Susanna."</p> + +<p>"But that was when he was alive, and I thought he was doing well."</p> + +<p>"The fact is, you have been there and they've talked you over. It +can't be that you love children that you never saw till the other +day; and as for the woman, you always hated her."</p> + +<p>"Whether I love her or hate her has nothing to do with it."</p> + +<p>"Margaret, will you promise me this, that you will see Mr Slow and +talk to him about it before you do anything?"</p> + +<p>"I must see Mr Slow before I can do anything; but whatever he says, I +shall do it all the same."</p> + +<p>"Will you speak to your uncle?"</p> + +<p>"I had rather not."</p> + +<p>"You are afraid to tell him of this; but of course he must be told. +Will you speak to John?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly; I meant to do so going to town to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"And if he tells you you are wrong—"</p> + +<p>"Aunt, I know I am not wrong. It is nonsense to say that I am wrong +<span class="nowrap">in—"</span></p> + +<p>"That's disrespectful, Margaret!"</p> + +<p>"I don't want to be disrespectful, aunt; but in such a case as this I +know that I have a right to do what I like with my own money. If I +was going to give it away to any other friend, if I was going to +marry, or anything like that,"—she blushed at the remembrance of the +iniquities she had half intended as she said this—"then there might +be some reason for you to scold me; but with a brother and a +brother's family it can't be wrong. If you had a brother, and had +been with him when he was dying, and he had left his wife and +children looking to you, you would have done the same."</p> + +<p>Upon this Lady Ball got up from her chair and walked to the door. +Margaret had been more impetuous and had answered her with much more +confidence than she had expected. She was determined now to say one +more word, but so to say it that it should not be answered—to strike +one more blow, but so to strike it that it should not be returned.</p> + +<p>"Margaret," she said, as she stood with the door open in her hands, +"if you will reflect where the money came from, your conscience will +tell you without much difficulty where it should go to. And when you +think of your brother's children, whom this time last year you had +hardly seen, think also of John Ball's children, who have welcomed +you into this house as their dearest relative. In one sense, +certainly, the money is yours, Margaret; but in another sense, and +that the highest sense, it is not yours to do what you please with +it."</p> + +<p>Then Lady Ball shut the door rather loudly, and sailed away along the +hall. When the passages were clear, Miss Mackenzie made her way up +into her own room, and saw none of the family till she came down just +before dinner.</p> + +<p>She sat for a long time in the chair by her bed-side thinking of her +position. Was it true after all that she was bound by a sense of +justice to give any of her money to the Balls? It was true that in +one sense it had been taken from them, but she had had nothing to do +with the taking. If her brother Walter had married and had children, +then the Balls would have not expected the money back again. It was +ever so many years,—five-and-twenty years, and more since the legacy +had been made by Jonathan Ball to her brother, and it seemed to her +that her aunt had no common sense on her side in the argument. Was it +possible that she should allow her own nephews and nieces to starve +while she was rich? She had, moreover, made a promise,—a promise to +one who was now dead, and there was a solemnity in that which carried +everything else before it. Even though the thing might be unjust, +still she must do it.</p> + +<p>But she was to give only half her fortune to her brother's family; +there would still be the half left for herself, for herself or for +these Balls if they wanted it so sorely. She was beginning to hate +her money. It had brought to her nothing but tribulation and +disappointment. Had Walter left her a hundred a year, she would, not +having then dreamed of higher things, have been amply content. Would +it not be better that she should take for herself some modest +competence, something on which she might live without trouble to her +relatives, without trouble to her friends she had first said,—but as +she did so she told herself with scorn that friends she had +none,—and then let the Balls have what was left her after she had +kept her promise to her brother? Anything would be better than such +persecution as that to which her aunt had subjected her.</p> + +<p>At last she made up her mind to speak of it all openly to her cousin. +She had an idea that in such matters men were more trustworthy than +women, and perhaps less greedy. Her cousin would, she thought, be +more just to her than her aunt had been. That her aunt had been very +unjust,—cruel and unjust,—she felt assured.</p> + +<p>She came down to dinner, and she could see by the manner of them all +that the matter had been discussed since John Ball's return from +London. Jack, the eldest son, was not at home, and the three girls +who came next to Jack dined with their father and grandfather. To +them Margaret endeavoured to talk easily, but she failed. They had +never been favourites with her as Jack was, and, on this occasion, +she could get very little from them that was satisfactory to her. +John Ball was courteous to her, but he was very silent throughout the +whole evening. Her aunt showed her displeasure by not speaking to +her, or speaking barely with a word. Her uncle, of whose voice she +was always in fear, seemed to be more cross, and when he did speak, +more sarcastic than ever. He asked her whether she intended to go +back to Littlebath.</p> + +<p>"I think not," said she.</p> + +<p>"Then that has been a failure, I suppose," said the old man.</p> + +<p>"Everything is a failure, I think," said she, with tears in her eyes.</p> + +<p>This was in the drawing-room, and immediately her cousin John came +and sat by her. He came and sat there, as though he had intended to +speak to her; but he went away again in a minute or two without +having uttered a word. Things went on in the same way till they moved +off to bed, and then the formal adieus for the night were made with a +coldness that amounted, on the part of Lady Ball, almost to +inhospitality.</p> + +<p>"Good-night, Margaret," she said, as she just put out the tip of her +finger.</p> + +<p>"Good-night, my dear," said Sir John. "I don't know what's the matter +with you, but you look as though you'd been doing something that you +were ashamed of."</p> + +<p>Lady Ball was altogether injudicious in her treatment of her niece. +As to Sir John, it made probably very little difference. Miss +Mackenzie had perceived, when she first came to the Cedars, that he +was a cross old man, and that he had to be endured as such by any one +who chose to go into that house. But she had depended on Lady Ball +for kindness of manner, and had been tempted to repeat her visits to +the house because her aunt had, after her fashion, been gracious to +her. But now there was rising in her breast a feeling that she had +better leave the Cedars as soon as she could shake the dust off her +feet, and see nothing more of the Balls. Even the Rubb connection +seemed to her to be better than the Ball connection, and less +exaggerated in its greediness. Were it not for her cousin John, she +would have resolved to go on the morrow. She would have faced the +indignation of her aunt, and the cutting taunts of her uncle, and +have taken herself off at once to some lodging in London. But John +Ball had meant to be kind to her when he came and sat close to her on +the sofa, and her soft heart relented towards him.</p> + +<p>Lady Ball had in truth mistaken her niece's character. She had found +her to be unobtrusive, gentle, and unselfish; and had conceived that +she must therefore be weak and compliant. As to many things she was +compliant, and as to some things she was weak; but there was in her +composition a power of resistance and self-sustenance on which Lady +Ball had not counted. When conscious of absolute ill-usage, she could +fight well, and would not bow her neck to any Mrs Stumfold or to any +Lady Ball.</p> + + +<p><a name="c17" id="c17"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XVII</h3> +<h3>Mr Slow's Chambers<br /> </h3> + + +<p>She came down late to breakfast on the following morning, not being +present at prayers, and when she came down she wore a bonnet.</p> + +<p>"I got myself ready, John, for fear I should keep you waiting."</p> + +<p>Her aunt spoke to her somewhat more graciously than on the preceding +evening, and accepted her apology for being late.</p> + +<p>Just as she was about to start Lady Ball took her apart and spoke one +word to her.</p> + +<p>"No one can tell you better what you ought to do than your cousin +John; but pray remember that he is far too generous to say a word for +himself."</p> + +<p>Margaret made no answer, and then she and her cousin started on foot +across the grounds to the station. The distance was nearly a mile, +and during the walk no word was said between them about the money. +They got into the train that was to take them up to London, and sat +opposite to each other. It happened that there was no passenger in +either of the seats next to him or her, so that there was ample +opportunity for them to hold a private conversation; but Mr Ball said +nothing to her, and she, not knowing how to begin, said nothing to +him. In this way they reached the London station at Waterloo Bridge, +and then he asked her what she proposed to do next.</p> + +<p>"Shall we go to Mr Slow's at once?" she asked.</p> + +<p>To this he assented, and at her proposition they agreed to walk to +the lawyer's chambers. These were on the north side of Lincoln's Inn +Fields, near the Turnstile, and Mr Ball remarked that the distance +was again not much above a mile. So they crossed the Strand together, +and made their way by narrow streets into Drury Lane, and then under +a certain archway into Lincoln's Inn Fields. To Miss Mackenzie, who +felt that something ought to be said, the distance and time occupied +seemed to be very short.</p> + +<p>"Why, this is Lincoln's Inn Fields!" she exclaimed, as she came out +upon the west side.</p> + +<p>"Yes; this is Lincoln's Inn Fields, and Mr Slow's chambers are over +there."</p> + +<p>She knew very well where Mr Slow's chambers were situated, but she +paused on the pavement, not wishing to go thither quite at once.</p> + +<p>"John," she said, "I thought that perhaps we might have talked over +all this before we saw Mr Slow."</p> + +<p>"Talked over all what?"</p> + +<p>"About the money that I want to give to my brother's family. Did not +my aunt tell you of it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; she told me that you and she had differed."</p> + +<p>"And she told you what about?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said he, slowly; "she told me what about."</p> + +<p>"And what ought I to do, John?"</p> + +<p>As she asked the question she caught hold of the lappet of his coat, +and looked up into his face as though supplicating him to give her +the advantage of all his discretion and all his honesty.</p> + +<p>They were still standing on the pavement, where the street comes out +from under the archway. She was gazing into his face, and he was +looking away from her, over towards the inner railings of the square, +with heavy brow and dull eye and motionless face. She was very eager, +and he seemed to be simply patient, but nevertheless he was working +hard with his thoughts, striving to determine how best he might +answer her. His mother had told him that he might model this woman to +his will, and had repeated to him that story which he had heard so +often of the wrong that had been done to him by his uncle Jonathan. +It may be said that there was no need for such repetition, as John +Ball had himself always thought quite enough of that injury. He had +thought of it for the last twenty years, almost hourly, till it was +graven upon his very soul. He had been a ruined, wretched, moody man, +because of his uncle Jonathan's will. There was no need, one would +have said, to have stirred him on that subject. But his mother, on +this morning, in the ten minutes before prayer-time, had told him of +it all again, and had told him also that the last vestige of his +uncle's money would now disappear from him unless he interfered to +save it.</p> + +<p>"On this very day it must be saved; and she will do anything you tell +her," said his mother. "She regards you more than anyone else. If you +were to ask her again now, I believe she would accept you this very +day. At any rate, do not let those people have the money."</p> + +<p>And yet he had not spoken to Margaret on the subject during the +journey, and would now have taken her to the lawyer's chambers +without a word, had she not interrupted him and stopped him.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless he had been thinking of his uncle, and his uncle's will, +and his uncle's money, throughout the morning. He was thinking of it +at that moment when she stopped him—thinking how hard it all was, +how cruel that those people in the New Road should have had and spent +half his uncle's fortune, and that now the remainder, which at one +time had seemed to be near the reach of his own children, should also +go to atone for the negligence and fraud of those wretched Rubbs.</p> + +<p>We all know with how strong a bias we regard our own side of any +question, and he regarded his side in this question with a very +strong bias. Nevertheless he had refrained from a word, and would +have refrained, had she not stopped him.</p> + +<p>When she took hold of him by the coat, he looked for a moment into +her face, and thought that in its trouble it was very sweet. She +leaned somewhat against him as she spoke, and he wished that she +would lean against him altogether. There was about her a quiet power +of endurance, and at the same time a comeliness and a womanly +softness which seemed to fit her altogether for his wants and wishes. +As he looked with his dull face across into the square, no +physiognomist would have declared of him that at that moment he was +suffering from love, or thinking of a woman that was dear to him. But +it was so with him, and the physiognomist, had one been there, would +have been wrong. She had now asked him a question, which he was bound +to answer in some way:—"What ought I to do, John?"</p> + +<p>He turned slowly round and walked with her, away from their +destination, round by the south side of the square, and then up along +the blank wall on the east side, nearly to the passage into Holborn, +and back again all round the enclosed space. She, while she was +speaking to him and listening to him, hardly remembered where she was +or whither she was going.</p> + +<p>"I thought," said he, in answer to her question, "that you intended +to ask Mr Slow's advice?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't mean to do more than tell him what should be done. He is +not a friend, you know, John."</p> + +<p>"It's customary to ask lawyers their advice on such subjects."</p> + +<p>"I'd rather have yours, John. But, in truth, what I want you to say +is, that I am right in doing this,—right in keeping my promise to my +brother, and providing for his children."</p> + +<p>"Like most people, Margaret, you want to be advised to follow your +own counsel."</p> + +<p>"God knows that I want to do right, John. I want to do nothing else, +John, but what's right. As to this money, I care but little for it +for myself."</p> + +<p>"It is your own, and you have a right to enjoy it."</p> + +<p>"I don't know much about enjoyment. As to enjoyment, it seems to me +to be pretty much the same whether a person is rich or poor. I always +used to hear that money brought care, and I'm sure I've found it so +since I had any."</p> + +<p>"You've got no children, Margaret."</p> + +<p>"No; but there are all those orphans. Am I not bound to look upon +them as mine, now that he has gone? If they don't depend on me, whom +are they to depend on?"</p> + +<p>"If your mind is made up, Margaret, I have nothing to say against it. +You know what my wishes are. They are just the same now as when you +were last with us. It isn't only for the money I say this, though, of +course, that must go a long way with a man circumstanced as I am; +but, Margaret, I love you dearly, and if you can make up your mind to +be my wife, I would do my best to make you happy."</p> + +<p>"I hadn't meant you to talk in that way, John," said Margaret.</p> + +<p>But she was not much flurried. She was now so used to these overtures +that they did not come to her as much out of the common way. And she +gave herself none of that personal credit which women are apt to take +to themselves when they find they are often sought in marriage. She +looked upon her lovers as so many men to whom her income would be +convenient, and felt herself to be almost under an obligation to them +for their willingness to put up with the incumbrance which was +attached to it.</p> + +<p>"But it's the only way I can talk when you ask me about this," said +he. Then he paused for a moment before he added, "How much is it you +wish to give to your brother's widow?"</p> + +<p>"Half what I've got left."</p> + +<p>"Got left! You haven't lost any of your money have you, Margaret?"</p> + +<p>Then she explained to him the facts as to the loan, and took care to +explain to him also, very fully, the compensatory fact of the +purchase by the railway company. "And my promise to him was made +after I had lent it, you know," she urged.</p> + +<p>"I do think it ought to be deducted; I do indeed," he said. "I am not +speaking on my own behalf now, as for the sake of my children, but +simply as a man of business. As for myself, though I do think I have +been hardly used in the matter of my uncle's money, I'll try to +forget it. I'll try at any rate to do without it. When I first knew +you, and found—found that I liked you so much, I own that I did have +hopes. But if it must be, there shall be an end of that. The children +don't starve, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"Oh, John!"</p> + +<p>"As for me, I won't hanker after your money. But, for your own sake, +<span class="nowrap">Margaret—"</span></p> + +<p>"There will be more than enough for me, you know; and, +<span class="nowrap">John—"</span></p> + +<p>She was going to make him some promise; to tell him something of her +intention towards his son, and to make some tender of assistance to +himself; being now in that mind to live on the smallest possible +pittance, of which I have before spoken, when he ceased speaking or +listening, and hurried her on to the attorney's chambers.</p> + +<p>"Do what you like with it. It is your own," said he. "And we shall do +no good by talking about it any longer out here."</p> + +<p>So at last they made their way up to Mr Slow's rooms, on the first +floor in the old house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, and were informed +that that gentleman was at home. Would they be pleased to sit down in +the waiting-room?</p> + +<p>There is, I think, no sadder place in the world than the waiting-room +attached to an attorney's chambers in London. In this instance it was +a three-cornered room, which had got itself wedged in between the +house which fronted to Lincoln's Inn Fields, and some buildings in a +narrow lane that ran at the back of the row. There was no carpet in +it, and hardly any need of one, as the greater part of the floor was +strewed with bundles of dusty papers. There was a window in it, which +looked out from the point of the further angle against the wall of +the opposite building. The dreariness of this aspect had been thought +to be too much for the minds of those who waited, and therefore the +bottom panes had been clouded, so that there was in fact no power of +looking out at all. Over the fireplace there was a table of descents +and relationship, showing how heirship went; and the table was very +complicated, describing not only the heirship of ordinary real and +personal property, but also explaining the wonderful difficulties of +gavelkind, and other mysteriously traditional laws. But the table was +as dirty as it was complicated, and the ordinary waiting reader could +make nothing of it. There was a small table in the room, near the +window, which was always covered with loose papers; but these loose +papers were on this occasion again covered with sheets of parchment, +and a pale-faced man, of about thirty, whose beard had never yet +attained power to do more than sprout, was sitting at the table, and +poring over the parchments. Round the room, on shelves, there was a +variety of iron boxes, on which were written the names of Mr Slow's +clients,—of those clients whose property justified them in having +special boxes of their own. But these boxes were there, it must be +supposed, for temporary purposes,—purposes which might be described +as almost permanently temporary,—for those boxes which were allowed +to exist in absolute permanence of retirement, were kept in an iron +room downstairs, the trap-door into which had yawned upon Miss +Mackenzie as she was shown into the waiting-room. There was, however, +one such box open, on the middle of the floor, and sundry of the +parchments which had been taken from it were lying around it.</p> + +<p>There were but two chairs in the room besides the one occupied by the +man at the table, and these were taken by John Ball and his cousin. +She sat herself down, armed with patience, indifferent to the delay +and indifferent to the dusty ugliness of everything around her, as +women are on such occasions. He, thinking much of his time, and +somewhat annoyed at being called upon to wait, sat with his chin +resting on his umbrella between his legs, and as he did so he allowed +his eyes to roam around among the names upon the boxes. There was +nothing on any one of those up on the shelves that attracted him. +There was the Marquis of <span class="nowrap">B——,</span> +and Sir C. <span class="nowrap">D——,</span> +and the Dowager Countess of <span class="nowrap">E——.</span> +Seeing this, he speculated mildly whether Mr Slow +put forward the boxes of his aristocratic customers to show how well +he was doing in the world. But presently his eye fell from the shelf +and settled upon the box on the floor. There, on that box, he saw the +name of Walter Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>This did not astonish him, as he immediately said to himself that +these papers were being searched with reference to the business on +which his cousin was there that day; but suddenly it occurred to him +that Margaret had given him to understand that Mr Slow did not expect +her. He stepped over to her, therefore, one step over the papers, and +asked her the question, whispering it into her ear.</p> + +<p>"No," said she, "I had no appointment. I don't think he expects me."</p> + +<p>He returned to his seat, and again sitting down with his chin on the +top of his umbrella, surveyed the parchments that lay upon the +ground. Upon one of them, that was not far from his feet, he read the +outer endorsements written as such endorsements always are, in almost +illegible old English <span class="nowrap">letters—</span></p> + +<p>"Jonathan Ball, to John Ball, junior—Deed of Gift."</p> + +<p>But, after all, there was nothing more than a coincidence in this. Of +course Mr Slow would have in his possession all the papers +appertaining to the transfer of Jonathan Ball's property to the +Mackenzies; or, at any rate, such as referred to Walter's share of +it. Indeed, Mr Slow, at the time of Jonathan Ball's death, acted for +the two brothers, and it was probable that all the papers would be +with him. John Ball had known that there had been some intention on +his uncle's part, before the quarrel between his father and his +uncle, to make over to him, on his coming of age, a certain property +in London, and he had been told that the money which the Mackenzies +had inherited had ultimately come from this very property. His uncle +had been an eccentric, quarrelsome man, prone to change his mind +often, and not regardful of money as far as he himself was concerned. +John Ball remembered to have heard that his uncle had intended him to +become possessed of certain property in his own right the day that he +became of age, and that this had all been changed because of the +quarrel which had taken place between his uncle and his father. His +father now never spoke of this, and for many years past had seldom +mentioned it. But from his mother he had often heard of the special +injury which he had undergone.</p> + +<p>"His uncle," she had said, "had given it, and had taken it back +again,—had taken it back that he might waste it on those +Mackenzies."</p> + +<p>All this he had heard very often, but he had never known anything of +a deed of gift. Was it not singular, he thought, that the draft of +such a deed should be lying at his foot at this moment.</p> + +<p>He showed nothing of this in his face, and still sat there with his +chin resting on his umbrella. But certainly stronger ideas than usual +of the great wrongs which he had suffered did come into his head as +he looked upon the paper at his feet. He began to wonder whether he +would be justified in taking it up and inspecting it. But as he was +thinking of this the pale-faced man rose from his chair, and after +moving among the papers on the ground for an instant, selected this +very document, and carried it with him to his table. Mr Ball, as his +eyes followed the parchment, watched the young man dust it and open +it, and then having flattened it with his hand, glance over it till +he came to a certain spot. The pale-faced clerk, accustomed to such +documents, glanced over the ambages, the "whereases," the +"aforesaids," the rich exuberance of "admors.," "exors.," and +"assigns," till he deftly came to the pith of the matter, and then he +began to make extracts, a date here and a date there. John Ball +watched him all the time, till the door was opened, and old Mr Slow +himself appeared in the room.</p> + +<p>He stepped across the papers to shake hands with his client, and then +shook hands also with Mr Ball, whom he knew. His eye glanced at once +down to the box, and after that over towards the pale-faced clerk. Mr +Ball perceived that the attorney had joined in his own mind the +operation that was going on with these special documents, and the +presence of these two special visitors; and that he, in some measure, +regretted the coincidence. There was something wrong, and John Ball +began to consider whether the old lawyer could be an old scoundrel. +Some lawyers, he knew, were desperate scoundrels. He said nothing, +however; but, obeying Mr Slow's invitation, followed him and his +cousin into the sanctum sanctorum of the chambers.</p> + +<p>"They didn't tell me you were here at first," said the lawyer, in a +tone of vexation, "or I wouldn't have had you shown in there."</p> + +<p>John Ball thought that this was, doubtless, true, and that very +probably they might not have been put in among those papers had Mr +Slow known what was being done.</p> + +<p>"The truth is," continued the lawyer, "the Duke of +<span class="nowrap">F——'s</span> man of +business was with me, and they did not like to interrupt me."</p> + +<p>Mr Slow was a grey-haired old man, nearer eighty than seventy, who, +with the exception of a fortnight's holiday every year which he +always spent at Margate, had attended those same chambers in +Lincoln's Inn Fields daily for the last sixty years. He was a stout, +thickset man, very leisurely in all his motions, who walked slowly, +talked slowly, read slowly, wrote slowly, and thought slowly; but +who, nevertheless, had the reputation of doing a great deal of +business, and doing it very well. He had a partner in the business, +almost as old as himself, named Bideawhile; and they who knew them +both used to speculate which of the two was the most leisurely. It +was, however, generally felt that, though Mr Slow was the slowest in +his speech, Mr Bideawhile was the longest in getting anything said. +Mr Slow would often beguile his time with unnecessary remarks; but Mr +Bideawhile was so constant in beguiling his time, that men wondered +how, in truth, he ever did anything at all. Of both of them it may be +said that no men stood higher in their profession, and that Mr Ball's +suspicions, had they been known in the neighbourhood of Lincoln's +Inn, would have been scouted as utterly baseless. And, for the +comfort of my readers, let me assure them that they were utterly +baseless. There might, perhaps, have been a little vanity about Mr +Slow as to the names of his aristocratic clients; but he was an +honest, painstaking man, who had ever done his duty well by those who +had employed him.</p> + +<p>Is it not remarkable that the common repute which we all give to +attorneys in the general is exactly opposite to that which every man +gives to his own attorney in particular? Whom does anybody trust so +implicitly as he trusts his own attorney? And yet is it not the case +that the body of attorneys is supposed to be the most roguish body in +existence?</p> + +<p>The old man seemed now to be a little fretful, and said something +more about his sorrow at their having been sent into that room.</p> + +<p>"We are so crowded," he said, "that we hardly know how to stir +ourselves."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie said it did not signify in the least. Mr Ball said +nothing, but seated himself with his chin again resting on his +umbrella.</p> + +<p>"I was so sorry to see in the papers an account of your brother's +death," said Mr Slow.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Mr Slow; he has gone, and left a wife and very large family."</p> + +<p>"I hope they are provided for, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed; they are not provided for at all. My brother had not +been fortunate in business."</p> + +<p>"And yet he went into it with a large capital,—with a large capital +in such a business as that."</p> + +<p>John Ball, with his chin on the umbrella, said nothing. He said +nothing, but he winced as he thought whence the capital had come. And +he thought, too, of those much-meaning words: "Jonathan Ball to John +Ball, junior—Deed of gift."</p> + +<p>"He had been unfortunate," said Miss Mackenzie, in an apologetic +tone.</p> + +<p>"And what will you do about your loan?" said Mr Slow, looking over to +John Ball when he asked the question, as though inquiring whether all +Miss Mackenzie's affairs were to be talked over openly in the +presence of that gentleman.</p> + +<p>"That was a gift," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"A deed of gift," thought John Ball to himself. "A deed of gift!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, indeed! Then there's an end of that, I suppose," said Mr Slow.</p> + +<p>"Exactly so. I have been explaining to my cousin all about it. I hope +the firm will be able to pay my sister-in-law the interest on it, but +that does not seem sure."</p> + +<p>"I am afraid I cannot help you there, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"Of course not. I was not thinking of it. But what I've come about is +this." Then she told Mr Slow the whole of her project with reference +to her fortune; how, on his death-bed, she had promised to give half +of all that she had to her brother's wife and family, and how she had +come there to him, with her cousin, in order that he might put her in +the way of keeping her promise.</p> + +<p>Mr Slow sat in silence and patiently heard her to the end. She, +finding herself thus encouraged to speak, expatiated on the solemnity +of her promise, and declared that she could not be comfortable till +she had done all that she had undertaken to perform. "And I shall +have quite enough for myself afterwards, Mr Slow, quite enough."</p> + +<p>Mr Slow did not say a word till she had done, and even then he seemed +to delay his speech. John Ball never raised his face from his +umbrella, but sat looking at the lawyer, whom he still suspected of +roguery. And if the lawyer were a rogue, what then about his cousin? +It must not be supposed that he suspected her; but what would come of +her, if the fortune she held were, in truth, not her own?</p> + +<p>"I have told my cousin all about it," continued Margaret, "and I +believe that he thinks I am doing right. At any rate, I would do +nothing without his knowing it."</p> + +<p>"I think she is giving her sister-in-law too much," said John Ball.</p> + +<p>"I am only doing what I promised," urged Margaret.</p> + +<p>"I think that the money which she lent to the firm should, at any +rate, be deducted," said John Ball, speaking this with a kind of +proviso to himself, that the words so spoken were intended to be +taken as having any meaning only on the presumption that that +document which he had seen in the other room should turn out to be +wholly inoperative and inefficient at the present moment. In answer +to these side-questions or corollary points as to the deduction or +non-deduction of the loan, Mr Slow answered not a word; but when +there was silence between them, he did make answer as to the original +proposition.</p> + +<p>"Miss Mackenzie," he said, "I think you had better postpone doing +anything in this matter for the present."</p> + +<p>"Why postpone it?" said she.</p> + +<p>"Your brother's death is very recent. It happened not above a +fortnight since, I think."</p> + +<p>"And I want to have this settled at once, so that there shall be no +distress. What's the good of waiting?"</p> + +<p>"Such things want thinking of, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"But I have thought of it. All I want now is to have it done."</p> + +<p>A slight smile came across the puckered grey face of the lawyer as he +felt the imperative nature of the instruction given to him. The lady +had come there not to be advised, but to have her work done for her +out of hand. But the smile was very melancholy, and soon passed away.</p> + +<p>"Is the widow in immediate distress?" asked Mr Slow.</p> + +<p>Now the fact was that Miss Mackenzie herself had been in good funds, +having had ready money in her hands from the time of her brother +Walter's death; and for the last year she had by no means spent her +full income. She had, therefore, given her sister-in-law money, and +had paid the small debts which had come in, as such small debts will +come in, directly the dead man's body was under ground. Nay, some had +come in and had been paid while the man was yet dying. She exclaimed, +therefore, that her sister-in-law was not absolutely in immediate +want.</p> + +<p>"And does she keep the house?" asked the lawyer.</p> + +<p>Then Miss Mackenzie explained that Mrs Tom intended, if possible, to +keep the house, and to take some lady in to lodge with her.</p> + +<p>"Then there cannot be any immediate hurry," urged the lawyer; "and as +the sum of money in question is large, I really think the matter +should be considered."</p> + +<p>But Miss Mackenzie still pressed it. She was very anxious to make him +understand—and of course he did understand at once—that she had no +wish to hurry him in his work. All that she required of him was an +assurance that he accepted her instructions, and that the thing +should be done with not more than the ordinary amount of legal delay.</p> + +<p>"You can pay her what you like out of your own income," said the +lawyer.</p> + +<p>"But that is not what I promised," said Margaret Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>Then there was silence among them all. Mr Ball had said very little +since he had been sitting in that room, and now it was not he who +broke the silence. He was still thinking of that deed of gift, and +wondering whether it had anything to do with Mr Slow's unwillingness +to undertake the commission which Margaret wished to give him. At +last Mr Slow got up from his chair, and spoke as follows:</p> + +<p>"Mr Ball, I hope you will excuse me; but I have a word or two to say +to Miss Mackenzie, which I had rather say to her alone."</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said Mr Ball, rising and preparing to go.</p> + +<p>"You will wait for me, John," said Miss Mackenzie, asking this favour +of him as though she were very anxious that he should grant it.</p> + +<p>Mr Slow said that he might be closeted with Miss Mackenzie for some +little time, perhaps for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. John +Ball looked at his watch, and then at his cousin's face, and then +promised that he would wait. Mr Slow himself took him into the outer +office, and then handed him a chair; but he observed that he was not +allowed to go back into the waiting-room.</p> + +<p>There he waited for three-quarters of an hour, constantly looking at +his watch, and thinking more and more about that deed of gift. Surely +it must be the case that the document which he had seen had some +reference to this great delay. At last he heard a door open, and a +step along a passage, and then another door was opened, and Mr Slow +reappeared with Margaret Mackenzie behind him. John Ball's eyes +immediately fell on his cousin's face, and he could see that it was +very pale. The lawyer's wore that smile which men put on when they +wish to cover the disagreeable seriousness of the moment.</p> + +<p>"Good morning, Miss Mackenzie," said he, pressing his client's hand.</p> + +<p>"Good morning, sir," said she.</p> + +<p>The lawyer and Mr Ball then touched each other's hands, and the +former followed his cousin down the steps out into the square.</p> + + +<p><a name="c18" id="c18"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XVIII</h3> +<h3>Tribulation<br /> </h3> + + +<p>When they were once more out in the square, side by side, Miss +Mackenzie took hold of her cousin's arm and walked on for a few steps +in silence, in the direction of Great Queen Street—that is to say, +away from the city, towards which she knew her cousin would go in +pursuit of his own business. And indeed the hour was now close at +hand in which he should be sitting as a director at the Shadrach Fire +Assurance Office. If not at the Shadrach by two, or, with all +possible allowance for the shortcoming of a generally punctual +director, by a quarter past two, he would be too late for his guinea; +and now, as he looked at his watch, it wanted only ten minutes to +two. He was very particular about these guineas, and the chambers of +the Shadrach were away in Old Broad Street. Nevertheless he walked on +with her.</p> + +<p>"John," she said, when they had walked half the length of that side +of the square, "I have heard dreadful news."</p> + +<p>Then that deed of gift was, after all, a fact; and Mr Slow, instead +of being a rogue, must be the honestest old lawyer in London! He must +have been at work in discovering the wrong that had been done, and +was now about to reveal it to the world. Some such idea as this had +glimmered across Mr Ball's mind as he had sat in Mr Slow's outer +office, with his chin still resting on his umbrella.</p> + +<p>But though some such idea as this did cross his mind, his thought on +the instant was of his cousin.</p> + +<p>"What dreadful news, Margaret?"</p> + +<p>"It is about my money."</p> + +<p>"Stop a moment, Margaret. Are you sure that you ought to tell it to +me?"</p> + +<p>"If I don't, to whom shall I tell it? And how can I bear it without +telling it to some one?"</p> + +<p>"Did Mr Slow bid you speak of it to me?"</p> + +<p>"No; he bade me think much of it before I did so, as you are +concerned. And he said that you might perhaps be disappointed."</p> + +<p>Then they walked on again in silence. John Ball found his position to +be very difficult, and hardly knew how to speak to her, or how to +carry himself. If it was to be that this money was to come back to +him; if it was his now in spite of all that had come and gone; if the +wrong done was to be righted, and the property wrested from him was +to be restored,—restored to him who wanted it so sorely,—how could +he not triumph in such an act of tardy restitution? He remembered all +the particulars at this moment. Twelve thousand pounds of his uncle +Jonathan's money had gone to Walter Mackenzie. The sum once intended +for him had been much more than that,—more he believed than double +that; but if twelve thousand pounds was now restored to him, how +different would it make the whole tenor of his life; Mr Slow said +that he might be disappointed; but then Mr Slow was not his lawyer. +Did he not owe it to his family immediately to go to his own +attorney? Now he thought no more of his guinea at the Shadrach, but +walked on by his cousin's side with his mind intently fixed on his +uncle's money. She was still leaning on his arm.</p> + +<p>"Tell me, John, what shall I do?" said she, looking up into his face.</p> + +<p>Would it not be better for them, better for the interests of them +both, that they should be separated? Was it probable, or possible, +that with interests so adverse, they should give each other good +advice? Did it not behove him to explain to her that till this should +be settled between them, they must necessarily regard each other as +enemies? For a moment or two he wished himself away from her, and was +calculating how he might escape. But then, when he looked down at +her, and saw the softness of her eye, and felt the confidence implied +in the weight of her hand upon his arm, his hard heart was softened, +and he relented.</p> + +<p>"It is difficult to tell you what you should do," he said. "At +present nothing seems to be known. He has said nothing for certain."</p> + +<p>"But I could understand him," she said, in reply; "I could see by his +face, and I knew by the tone of his voice, that he was almost +certain. I know that he is sure of it. John, I shall be a beggar, an +absolute beggar! I shall have nothing; and those poor children will +be beggars, and their mother. I feel as though I did not know where I +am, or what I am doing."</p> + +<p>Then an idea came into his head. If this money was not hers, it was +his. If it was not his, then it was hers. Would it not be well that +they should solve all the difficulty by agreeing then and there to be +man and wife? It was true that since his Rachel's death he had seen +no woman whom he so much coveted to have in his home as this one who +now leaned on his arm. But, as he thought of it, there seemed to be a +romance about such a step which would not befit him. What would his +mother and father say to him if, after all his troubles, he was at +last to marry a woman without a farthing? And then, too, would she +consent to give up all further consideration for her brother's +family? Would she agree to abandon her idea of assisting them, if +ultimately it should turn out that the property was hers? No; there +was certainly a looseness about such a plan which did not befit him; +and, moreover, were he to attempt it, he would probably not succeed.</p> + +<p>But something must be done, now at this moment. The guinea at the +Shadrach was gone for ever, and therefore he could devote himself for +the day to his cousin.</p> + +<p>"Are you to hear again from Mr Slow?" he said.</p> + +<p>"I am to go to him this day week."</p> + +<p>"And then it will be decided?"</p> + +<p>"John, it is decided now; I am sure of it. I feel that it is all +gone. A careful man like that would never have spoken as he did, +unless he was sure. It will be all yours, John."</p> + +<p>"So would have been that which your brother had," said he.</p> + +<p>"I suppose so. It is dreadful to think of; very dreadful. I can only +promise that I will spend nothing till it is decided. John, I wish +you would take from me what I have, lest it should go." And she +absolutely had her hand upon her purse in her pocket.</p> + +<p>"No," said he slowly, "no; you need think of nothing of that sort."</p> + +<p>"But what am I to do? Where am I to go while this week passes by?"</p> + +<p>"You will stay where you are, of course."</p> + +<p>"Oh John! if you could understand! How am I to look my aunt in the +face. Don't you know that she would not wish to have me there at all +if I was a poor creature without anything?" The poor creature did not +know herself how terribly heavy was the accusation she was bringing +against her aunt. "And what will she say when she knows that the +money I have spent has never really been my own?"</p> + +<p>Then he counselled her to say nothing about it to her aunt till after +her next visit to Mr Slow's and made her understand that he, himself, +would not mention the subject at the Cedars till the week was passed. +He should go, he said, to his own lawyer, and tell him the whole +story as far as he knew it. It was not that he in the least doubted +Mr Slow's honesty or judgment, but it would be better that the two +should act together. Then when the week was over, he and Margaret +would once more go to Lincoln's Inn Fields.</p> + +<p>"What a week I shall have!" said she.</p> + +<p>"It will be a nervous time for us both," he answered.</p> + +<p>"And what must I do after that?" This question she asked, not in the +least as desirous of obtaining from him any assurance of assistance, +but in the agony of her spirit, and in sheer dismay as to her +prospects.</p> + +<p>"We must hope for the best," he said. "God tempers the wind to the +shorn lamb." He had often thought of the way in which he had been +shorn, but he did not, at this moment, remember that the shearing had +never been so tempered as to be acceptable to his own feelings.</p> + +<p>"And in God only can I trust," she answered. As she said this, her +mind went away to Littlebath, and the Stumfoldians, and Mr Maguire. +Was there not great mercy in the fact, that this ruin had not found +her married to that unfortunate clergyman? And what would they all +say at Littlebath when they heard the story? How would Mrs Stumfold +exult over the downfall of the woman who had rebelled against her! +how would the nose of the coachmaker's wife rise in the air! and how +would Mr Maguire rejoice that this great calamity had not fallen upon +him! Margaret Mackenzie's heart and spirit had been sullied by no +mean feeling with reference to her own wealth. It had never puffed +her up with exultation. But she calculated on the meanness of others, +as though it was a matter of course, not, indeed, knowing that it was +meanness, or blaming them in any way for that which she attributed to +them. Four gentlemen had wished to marry her during the past year. It +never occurred to her now, that any one of these four would on that +account hold out a hand to help her. In losing her money she would +have lost all that was desirable in their eyes, and this seemed to +her to be natural.</p> + +<p>They were still walking round Lincoln's Inn Fields. "John," she +exclaimed suddenly, "I must go to them in Gower Street."</p> + +<p>"What, now, to-day?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, now, immediately. You need not mind me; I can get back to +Twickenham by myself. I know the trains."</p> + +<p>"If I were you, Margaret, I would not go till all this is decided."</p> + +<p>"It is decided, John; I know it is. And how can I leave them in such +a condition, spending money which they will never get? They must know +it some time, and the sooner the better. Mr Rubb must know it too. He +must understand that he is more than ever bound to provide them with +an income out of the business."</p> + +<p>"I would not do it to-day if I were you."</p> + +<p>"But I must, John; this very day. If I am not home by dinner, tell +them that I had to go to Gower Street. I shall at any rate be there +in the evening. Do not you mind coming back with me."</p> + +<p>They were then at the gate leading into the New Square, and she +turned abruptly round, and hurried away from him up into Holborn, +passing very near to Mr Slow's chambers. John Ball did not attempt to +follow her, but stood there awhile looking after her. He felt, in his +heart, and knew by his judgment, that she was a good woman, true, +unselfish, full of love, clever too in her way, quick in +apprehension, and endowed with an admirable courage. He had heard her +spoken of at the Cedars as a poor creature who had money. Nay, he +himself had taken a part in so speaking of her. Now she had no money, +but he knew well that she was a creature the very reverse of poor. +What should he do for her? In what way should he himself behave +towards her? In the early days of his youth, before the cares of the +world had made him hard, he had married his Rachel without a penny, +and his father had laughed at him, and his mother had grieved over +him. Tough and hard, and careworn as he was now, defiled by the price +of stocks, and saturated with the poison of the money market, then +there had been in him a touch of romance and a dash of poetry, and he +had been happy with his Rachel. Should he try it again now? The woman +would surely love him when she found that he came to her in her +poverty as he had before come to her in her wealth. He watched her +till she passed out of his sight along the wall leading to Holborn, +and then he made his way to the City through Lincoln's Inn and +Chancery Lane.</p> + +<p>Margaret walked straight into Holborn, and over it towards Red Lion +Square. She crossed the line of the omnibuses, feeling that now she +must spend no penny which she could save. She was tired, for she had +already walked much that morning, and the day was close and hot; but +nevertheless she went on quickly, through Bloomsbury Square and +Russell Square, to Gower Street. As she got near to the door her +heart almost failed her; but she went up to it and knocked boldly. +The thing should be done, let the pain of doing it be what it might.</p> + +<p>"Laws, Miss Margaret! is that you?" said the maid. "Yes, missus is at +home. She'll see you, of course, but she's hard at work on the +furniture."</p> + +<p>Then she went directly up into the drawing-room and there she found +her sister-in-law, with her dress tucked up to her elbows, with a +cloth in her hand, rubbing the chairs.</p> + +<p>"What, Margaret! Whoever expected to see you? If we are to let the +rooms, it's as well to have the things tidy, isn't it? Besides, a +person bears it all the better when there's anything to do."</p> + +<p>Then Mary Jane, the eldest daughter, came in from the bedroom behind +the drawing-room, similarly armed for work.</p> + +<p>Margaret sat down wearily upon the sofa, having muttered some word in +answer to Mrs Tom's apology for having been found at work so soon +after her husband's death.</p> + +<p>"Sarah," she said, "I have come to you to-day because I had something +to say to you about business."</p> + +<p>"Oh, to be sure! I never thought for a moment you had come for +pleasure, or out of civility, as it might be. Of course I didn't +expect that when I saw you."</p> + +<p>"Sarah, will you come upstairs with me into your own room?"</p> + +<p>"Upstairs, Margaret? Oh yes, if you please. We shall be down +directly, my dear, and I dare say Margaret will stay to tea. We tea +early, because, since you went, we have dined at one."</p> + +<p>Then Mrs Tom led the way up to the room in which Margaret had watched +by her dying brother's bed-side.</p> + +<p>"I'm come in here," said Mrs Tom, again apologising, "because the +children had to come out of the room behind the drawing-room. Miss +Colza is staying with us, and she and Mary Jane have your room."</p> + +<p>Margaret did not care much for all this; but the solemnity of the +chamber in which, when she last saw it, her brother's body was lying, +added something to her sadness at the moment.</p> + +<p>"Sarah," she said, endeavouring to warn her sister-in-law by the tone +of her voice that her news was bad news, "I have just come from Mr +Slow."</p> + +<p>"He's the lawyer, isn't he?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he's the lawyer. You know what I promised my brother. I went to +him to make arrangements for doing it, and when there I heard—oh, +Sarah, such dreadful news!"</p> + +<p>"He says you're not to do it, I suppose!" And in the woman's voice +and eyes there were signs of anger, not against Mr Slow alone, but +also against Miss Mackenzie. "I knew how it would be. But, Margaret, +Mr Slow has got nothing to do with it. A promise is a promise; and a +promise made to a dying man! Oh, Margaret!"</p> + +<p>"If I had it to give I would give it as surely as I am standing here. +When I told my brother it should be so, he believed me at once."</p> + +<p>"Of course he believed you."</p> + +<p>"But Sarah, they tell me now that I have nothing to give."</p> + +<p>"Who tells you so?"</p> + +<p>"The lawyer. I cannot explain it all to you; indeed, I do not as yet +understand it myself; but I have learned this morning that the +property which Walter left me was not his to leave. It had been given +away before Mr Jonathan Ball died."</p> + +<p>"It's a lie!" said the injured woman,—the woman who was the least +injured, but who, with her children, had perhaps the best excuse for +being ill able to bear the injury. "It must be a lie. It's more than +twenty years ago. I don't believe and won't believe that it can be +so. John Ball must have something to do with this."</p> + +<p>"The property will go to him, but he has had nothing to do with it. +Mr Slow found it out."</p> + +<p>"It can't be so, not after twenty years. Whatever they may have done +from Walter, they can't take it away from you; not if you've spirit +enough to stand up for your rights. If you let them take it in that +way, I can't tell you what I shall think of you."</p> + +<p>"It is my own lawyer that says so."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Mr Slow; the biggest rogue of them all. I always knew that of +him, always. Oh, Margaret, think of the children! What are we to do? +What are we to do?" And sitting down on the bedside, she put her +dirty apron up to her eyes.</p> + +<p>"I have been thinking of them ever since I heard it," said Margaret.</p> + +<p>"But what good will thinking do? You must do something. Oh! Margaret, +after all that you said to him when he lay there dying!" and the +woman, with some approach to true pathos, put her hand on the spot +where her husband's head had rested. "Don't let his children come to +beggary because men like that choose to rob the widow and the +orphan."</p> + +<p>"Every one has a right to what is his own," said Margaret. "Even +though widows should be beggars, and orphans should want."</p> + +<p>"That's very well of you, Margaret. It's very well for you to say +that, who have friends like the Balls to stand by you. And, perhaps, +if you will let him have it all without saying anything, he will +stand by you firmer than ever. But who is there to stand by me and my +children? It can't be that after twenty years your fortune should +belong to anyone else. Why should it have gone on for more than +twenty years, and nobody have found it out? I don't believe it can +come so, Margaret, unless you choose to let them do it. I don't +believe a word of it."</p> + +<p>There was nothing more to be said upon that subject at present. Mrs +Tom did indeed say a great deal more about it, sometimes threatening +Margaret, and sometimes imploring her; but Miss Mackenzie herself +would not allow herself to speak of the thing otherwise than as an +ascertained fact. Had the other woman been more reasonable or less +passionate in her lamentations Miss Mackenzie might have trusted +herself to tell her that there was yet a doubt. But she herself felt +that the doubt was so small, and that, in Mrs Tom's mind, it would be +so magnified into nearly a certainty on the other side, that she +thought it most discreet not to refer to the exact amount of +information which Mr Slow had given to her.</p> + +<p>"It will be best for us to think, Sarah," she said, trying to turn +the other's mind away from the coveted income which she would never +possess—"to think what you and the children had better do."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear! oh, dear! oh, dear!"</p> + +<p>"It is very bad; but there is always something to be done. We must +lose no time in letting Mr Rubb know the truth. When he hears how it +is, he will understand that something must be done for you out of the +firm."</p> + +<p>"He won't do anything. He's downstairs now, flirting with that girl +in the drawing-room, instead of being at his business."</p> + +<p>"If he's downstairs, I will see him."</p> + +<p>As Mrs Mackenzie made no objection to this, Margaret went downstairs, +and when she came near the passage at the bottom, she heard the +voices of people talking merrily in the parlour. As her hand was on +the lock of the door, words from Miss Colza became very audible. +"Now, Mr Rubb, be quiet." So she knocked at the door, and having been +invited by Mr Rubb to come in, she opened it.</p> + +<p>It may be presumed that the flirting had not gone to any perilous +extent, as there were three or four children present. Nevertheless +Miss Colza and Mr Rubb were somewhat disconcerted, and expressed +their surprise at seeing Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"We all thought you were staying with the baronet's lady," said Miss +Colza.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie explained that she was staying at Twickenham, but that +she had come up to pay a visit to her sister-in-law. "And I've a word +or two I want to say to you, Mr Rubb, if you'll allow me."</p> + +<p>"I suppose, then, I'd better make myself scarce," said Miss Colza.</p> + +<p>As she was not asked to stay, she did make herself scarce, taking the +children with her up among the tables and chairs in the drawing-room. +There she found Mary Jane, but she did not find Mrs Mackenzie, who +had thrown herself on the bed in her agony upstairs.</p> + +<p>Then Miss Mackenzie told her wretched story to Mr Rubb,—telling it +for the third time. He was awe-struck as he listened, but did not +once attempt to deny the facts, as had been done by Mrs Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"And is it sure?" he asked, when her story was over.</p> + +<p>"I don't suppose it is quite sure yet. Indeed, Mr Slow said it was +not quite sure. But I have not allowed myself to doubt it, and I do +not doubt it."</p> + +<p>"If he himself had not felt himself sure, he would not have told +you."</p> + +<p>"Just so, Mr Rubb. That is what I think; and therefore I have given +my sister-in-law no hint that there is a chance left. I think you had +better not do so either."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not," said he. He spoke in a low voice, almost whispering, +as though he were half scared by the tidings he had heard.</p> + +<p>"It is very dreadful," she said; "very dreadful for Sarah and the +children."</p> + +<p>"And for you too, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"But about them, Mr Rubb. What can you do for them out of the +business?"</p> + +<p>He looked very blank, and made no immediate answer.</p> + +<p>"I know you will feel for their position," she said. "You do; do you +not?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed I do, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"And you will do what you can. You can at any rate ensure them the +interest of the money—of the money you know that came from me."</p> + +<p>Still Mr Rubb sat in silence, and she thought that he must be +stonyhearted. Surely he might undertake to do that, knowing, as he so +well knew, the way in which the money had been obtained, and knowing +also that he had already said that so much should be forthcoming out +of the firm to make up a general income for the family of his late +partner.</p> + +<p>"Surely there will be no doubt about that, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"The Balls will claim the debt," said he hoarsely; and then, in +answer to her inquiries, he explained that the sum she had lent had +not, in truth, been hers to lend. It had formed part of the money +that John Ball could claim, and Mr Slow held in his hands an +acknowledgement of the debt from Rubb and Mackenzie. Of course, Mr +Ball would claim that the interest should be paid to him; and he +would claim the principal too, if, on inquiry, he should find that +the firm would be able to raise it. "I don't know that he wouldn't be +able to come upon the firm for the money your brother put into the +business," said he gloomily. "But I don't think he'll be such a fool +as that. He'd get nothing by it."</p> + +<p>"Then may God help them!" said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"And what will you do?" he asked.</p> + +<p>She shook her head, but made him no answer. As for herself she had +not begun to form a plan. Her own condition did not seem to her to be +nearly so dreadful as that of all these young children.</p> + +<p>"I wish I knew how to help you," said Samuel Rubb.</p> + +<p>"There are some positions, Mr Rubb, in which no one but God can help +one. But, perhaps—perhaps you may still do something for the +children."</p> + +<p>"I will try, Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, and may God bless you; and He will bless you if you try. +'Who giveth a drop of water to one of them in my name, giveth it also +to me.' You will think of that, will you not?"</p> + +<p>"I will think of you, and do the best that I can."</p> + +<p>"I had hoped to have made them so comfortable! But God's will be +done; God's will be done. I think I had better go now, Mr Rubb. There +will be no use in my going to her upstairs again. Tell her from me, +with my love, that she shall hear from me when I have seen the +lawyer. I will try to come to her, but perhaps I may not be able. +Good-bye, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Miss Mackenzie. I hope we shall see each other sometimes."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so. Do what you can to support her. She will want all that +her friends can do for her." So saying she went out of the room, and +let herself out of the front door into the street, and began her walk +back to the Waterloo Station.</p> + +<p>She had not broken bread in her sister-in-law's house, and it was now +nearly six o'clock. She had taken nothing since she had breakfasted +at Twickenham, and the affairs of the day had been such as to give +her but little time to think of such wants. But now as she made her +weary way through the streets she became sick with hunger, and went +into a baker's shop for a bun. As she ate it she felt that it was +almost wrong in her to buy even that. At the present moment nothing +that she possessed seemed to her to be, by right, her own. Every +shilling in her purse was the property of John Ball, if Mr Slow's +statement were true. Then, when the bun was finished, as she went +down by Bloomsbury church and the region of St Giles's back to the +Strand, she did begin to think of her own position. What should she +do, and how should she commence to do it? She had declared to herself +but lately that the work for which she was fittest was that of +nursing the sick. Was it not possible that she might earn her bread +in this way? Could she not find such employment in some quarter where +her labour would be worth the food she must eat and the raiment she +would require? There was a hospital somewhere in London with which +she thought she had heard that John Ball was connected. Might not he +obtain for her a situation such as that?</p> + +<p>It was past eight when she reached the Cedars, and then she was very +tired,—very tired and nearly sick also with want. She went first of +all up to her room, and then crept down into the drawing-room, +knowing that she should find them at tea. When she entered there was +a large party round the table, consisting of the girls and children +and Lady Ball. John Ball, who never took tea, was sitting in his +accustomed place near the lamp, and the old baronet was half asleep +in his arm-chair.</p> + +<p>"If you were going to dine in Gower Street, Margaret, why didn't you +say so?" said Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>In answer to this, Margaret burst out into tears. It was not the +unkindness of her aunt's voice that upset her so much as her own +weakness, and the terrible struggle of the long day.</p> + +<p>"What on earth is the matter?" said Sir John.</p> + +<p>One of the girls brought her a cup of tea, but she felt herself to be +too weak to take it in her hand, and made a sign that it should be +put on the table. She was not aware that she had ever fainted, but a +fear came upon her that she might do so now. She rallied herself and +struggled, striving to collect her strength.</p> + +<p>"Do you know what is the matter with her, John?" said Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>Then John Ball asked her if she had had dinner, and when she did not +answer him he saw how it was.</p> + +<p>"Mother," he said, "she has had no food all day; I will get it for +her."</p> + +<p>"If she wants anything, the servants can bring it to her, John," said +the mother.</p> + +<p>But he would not trust the servants in this matter, but went out +himself and fetched her meat and wine, and pressed her to take it, +and sat himself beside her, and spoke kind words into her ear, and at +last, in some sort, she was comforted.</p> + + +<p><a name="c19" id="c19"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XIX</h3> +<h3>Showing How Two of Miss Mackenzie's Lovers Behaved<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Mr Ball, on his return home to the Cedars, had given no definite +answer to his mother's inquiries as to the day's work in London, and +had found it difficult to make any reply to her that would for the +moment suffice. She was not a woman easily satisfied with evasive +answers; but, nevertheless, he told her nothing of what had occurred, +and left her simply in a bad humour. This conversation had taken +place before dinner, but after dinner she asked him another question.</p> + +<p>"John, you might as well tell me this; are you engaged to Margaret +Mackenzie?"</p> + +<p>"No, I am not," said her son, angrily.</p> + +<p>After that his mother's humour had become worse than before, and in +that state her niece had found her when she returned home in the +evening, and had suffered in consequence.</p> + +<p>On the next morning Miss Mackenzie sent down word to say she was not +well, and would not come down to breakfast. It so happened that John +Ball was going into town on this day also, the Abednego Life Office +holding its board day immediately after that of the Shadrach Fire +Office, and therefore he was not able to see her before she +encountered his mother. Lady Ball went up to her in her bedroom +immediately after breakfast, and there remained with her for some +time. Her aunt at first was tender with her, giving her tea and only +asking her gentle little questions at intervals; but as the old lady +became impatient at learning nothing, she began a system of +cross-questions, and at last grew to be angry and disagreeable. Her +son had distinctly told her that he was not engaged to his cousin, +and had in fact told her nothing else distinctly; but she, when she +had seen how careful he had been in supplying Margaret's wants +himself, with what anxious solicitude he had pressed wine on her; how +he had sat by her saying soft words to her—Lady Ball, when she +remembered this, could not but think that her son had deceived her. +And if so, why had he wished to deceive her? Could it be that he had +allowed her to give away half her money, and had promised to marry +her with the other half? There were moments in which her dear son +John could be very foolish, in spite of that life-long devotion to +the price of stocks, for which he was conspicuous. She still +remembered, as though it were but the other day, how he had persisted +in marrying Rachel, though Rachel brought nothing with her but a +sweet face, a light figure, a happy temper, and the clothes on her +back. To all mothers their sons are ever young, and to old Lady Ball +John Ball was still young, and still, possibly, capable of some such +folly as that of which she was thinking. If it were not so, if there +were not something of that kind in the wind why should he—why should +she—be so hard and uncommunicative in all their answers? There lay +her niece, however, sick with the headache, and therefore weak, and +very much in Lady Ball's power. The evil to be done was great, and +the necessity for preventing it might be immediate. And Lady Ball was +a lady who did not like to be kept in the dark in reference to +anything concerning her family. Having gone downstairs, therefore, +for an hour or so to look after her servants, or, as she had said, to +allow Margaret to have a little sleep, she returned again to the +charge, and sitting close to Margaret's pillow, did her best to find +out the truth.</p> + +<p>If she could only have known the whole truth; how her son's thoughts +were running throughout the day, even as he sat at the Abednego +board, not on Margaret with half her fortune, but on Margaret with +none! how he was recalling the sweetness of her face as she looked up +to him in the square, and took him by his coat, and her tears as she +spoke of the orphan children, and the grace of her figure as she had +walked away from him, and the persistency of her courage in doing +what she thought to be right! how he was struggling within himself +with an endeavour, a vain endeavour, at a resolution that such a +marriage as that must be out of the question! Had Lady Ball known all +that, I think she would have flown to the offices of the Abednego +after her son, and never have left him till she had conquered his +heart and trampled his folly under her feet.</p> + +<p>But she did not conquer Margaret Mackenzie. The poor creature lying +there, racked, in truth, with pain and sorrow, altogether incapable +of any escape from her aunt's gripe, would not say a word that might +tend to ease Lady Ball's mind. If she had told all that she knew, all +that she surmised, how would her aunt have rejoiced? That the money +should come without the wife would indeed have been a triumph! And +Margaret in telling all would have had nothing to tell of those +terribly foolish thoughts which were then at work in the City. To her +such a state of things as that which I have hinted would have seemed +quite as improbable, quite as unaccountable, as it would have done to +her aunt. But she did not tell all, nor in truth did she tell +anything.</p> + +<p>"And John was with you at the lawyer's," said Lady Ball, attempting +her cross-examination for the third time. "Yes; he was with me +there."</p> + +<p>"And what did he say when you asked Mr Slow to make such a settlement +as that?"</p> + +<p>"He didn't say anything, aunt. The whole thing was put off."</p> + +<p>"I know it was put off; of course it was put off. I didn't suppose +any respectable lawyer in London would have dreamed of doing such a +thing. But what I want to know is, how it was put off. What did Mr +Slow say?"</p> + +<p>"I am to see him again next week."</p> + +<p>"But not to get him to do anything of that kind?"</p> + +<p>"I can't tell, aunt, what he is to do then."</p> + +<p>"But what did he say when you made such a proposition as that? Did he +not tell you that it was quite out of the question?"</p> + +<p>"I don't think he said that, aunt."</p> + +<p>"Then what did he say? Margaret, I never saw such a person as you +are. Why should you be so mysterious? There can't be anything you +don't want me to know, seeing how very much I am concerned; and I do +think you ought to tell me all that occurred, knowing, as you do, +that I have done my very best to be kind to you."</p> + +<p>"Indeed there isn't anything I can tell—not yet."</p> + +<p>Then Lady Ball remained silent at the bed-head for the space, +perhaps, of ten minutes, meditating over it all. If her son was, in +truth, engaged to this woman, at any rate she would find that out. If +she asked a point-blank question on that subject, Margaret would not +be able to leave it unanswered, and would hardly be able to give a +directly false answer.</p> + +<p>"My dear," she said, "I think you will not refuse to tell me plainly +whether there is anything between you and John. As his mother, I have +a right to know?"</p> + +<p>"How anything between us?" said Margaret, raising herself on her +elbow.</p> + +<p>"Are you engaged to marry him?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear! no."</p> + +<p>"And there is nothing of that sort going on?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing at all."</p> + +<p>"You are determined still to refuse him?"</p> + +<p>"It is quite out of the question, aunt. He does not wish it at all. +You may be sure that he has quite changed his mind about it."</p> + +<p>"But he won't have changed his mind if you have given up your plan +about your sister-in-law."</p> + +<p>"He has changed it altogether, aunt. You needn't think anything more +about that. He thinks no more about it."</p> + +<p>Nevertheless he was thinking about it this very moment, as he voted +for accepting a doubtful life at the Abednego, which was urged on the +board by a director, who, I hope, had no intimate personal relations +with the owner of the doubtful life in question.</p> + +<p>Lady Ball did not know what to make of it. For many years past she +had not seen her son carry himself so much like a lover as he had +done when he sat himself beside his cousin pressing her to drink her +glass of sherry. Why was he so anxious for her comfort? And why, +before that, had he been so studiously reticent as to her affairs?</p> + +<p>"I can't make anything out of you," said Lady Ball, getting up from +her chair with angry alacrity; "and I must say that I think it very +ungrateful of you, seeing all that I have done for you."</p> + +<p>So saying, she left the room.</p> + +<p>What, oh, what would she think when she should come to know the +truth? Margaret told herself as she lay there, holding her head +between her hands, that she was even now occupying that room and +enjoying the questionable comfort of that bed under false pretences. +When it was known that she was absolutely a pauper, would she then be +made welcome to her uncle's house? She was now remaining there +without divulging her circumstances, under the advice and by the +authority of her cousin; and she had resolved to be guided by him in +all things as long as he would be at the trouble to guide her. On +whom else could she depend? But, nevertheless, her position was very +grievous to her, and the more so now that her aunt had twitted her +with ingratitude. When the servant came to her, she felt that she had +no right to the girl's services; and when a message was brought to +her from Lady Ball, asking whether she would be taken out in the +carriage, she acknowledged to herself that such courtesy to her was +altogether out of place.</p> + +<p>On that evening her cousin said nothing to her, and on the next day +he went again up to town.</p> + +<p>"What, four days running, John!" said Lady Ball, at breakfast.</p> + +<p>"I have particular business to-day, mother," said he.</p> + +<p>On that evening, when he came back, he found a moment to take +Margaret by the hand and tell her that his own lawyer also was to +meet them at Mr Slow's chambers on the day named. He took her thus, +and held her hand closely in his while he was speaking, but he said +nothing to her more tender than the nature of such a communication +required.</p> + +<p>"You and John are terribly mysterious," said Lady Ball to her, a +minute or two afterwards. "If there is anything I do hate it's +mystery in families. We never had any with us till you came."</p> + +<p>On the next day a letter reached her which had been redirected from +Gower Street. It was from Mr Maguire; and she took it up into her own +room to read it and answer it. The letter and reply were as +follows:<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote> +<p class="jright">Littlebath, Oct., 186—.</p> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smallcaps">Dearest Margaret</span>,</p> + +<p>I hope the circumstances of the case will, in your +opinion, justify me in writing to you again, though I am +sorry to intrude upon you at a time when your heart must +yet be sore with grief for the loss of your lamented +brother. Were we now all in all to each other, as I hope +we may still be before long, it would be my sweet +privilege to wipe your eyes, and comfort you in your +sorrow, and bid you remember that it is the Lord who +giveth and the Lord who taketh away. Blessed be the name +of the Lord. I do not doubt that you have spoken to +yourself daily in those words, nay, almost hourly, since +your brother was taken from you. I had not the privilege +of knowing him, but if he was in any way like his sister, +he would have been a friend whom I should have delighted +to press to my breast and carry in my heart of hearts.</p> + +<p>But now, dearest Margaret, will you allow me to intrude +upon you with another theme? Of course you well know the +subject upon which, at present, I am thinking more than on +any other. May I be permitted to hope that that subject +sometimes presents itself to you in a light that is not +altogether disagreeable. When you left Littlebath so +suddenly, carried away on a mission of love and kindness, +you left me, as you will doubtlessly remember, in a state +of some suspense. You had kindly consented to acknowledge +that I was not altogether indifferent to you.<br /> </p> +</blockquote> + + +<p class="noindent">"That's not true," said Margaret +to herself, almost out loud; "I +never told him anything of the kind."<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote> +<p>And it was arranged that on that very day we were to have +had a meeting, to which—shall I confess it?—I looked +forward as the happiest moment of my life. I can hardly +tell you what my feelings were when I found that you were +going, and that I could only just say to you, farewell. If +I could only have been with you when that letter came I +think I could have softened your sorrow, and perhaps then, +in your gentleness, you might have said a word which would +have left me nothing to wish for in this world. But it has +been otherwise ordered, and, Margaret, I do not complain.</p> + +<p>But what makes me write now is the great necessity that I +should know exactly how I stand. You said something in +your last dear letter which gave me to understand that you +wished to do something for your brother's family. Promises +made by the bed-sides of the dying are always dangerous, +and in the cases of Roman Catholics have been found to be +replete with ruin.<br /> </p> +</blockquote> + + +<p class="noindent">Mr Maguire, no doubt, forgot +that in such cases the promises are made +by, and not to, the dying person.<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote> +<p>Nevertheless, I am far from saying that they should not be +kept in a modified form, and you need not for a moment +think that I, if I may be allowed to have an interest in +the matter, would wish to hinder you from doing whatever +may be becoming. I think I may promise you that you will +find no mercenary spirit in me, although, of course, I am +bound, looking forward to the tender tie which will, I +hope, connect us, to regard your interests above all other +worldly affairs. If I may then say a word of advice, it is +to recommend that nothing permanent be done till we can +act together in this matter. Do not, however, suppose that +anything you can do or have done, can alter the nature of +my regard.</p> + +<p>But now, dearest Margaret, will you not allow me to press +for an immediate answer to my appeal? I will tell you +exactly how I am circumstanced, and then you will see how +strong is my reason that there should be no delay. Very +many people here, I may say all the elite of the +evangelical circles, including Mrs Perch—[Mrs Perch was +the coachmaker's wife, who had always been so true to Mrs +Stumfold]—desired that I should establish a church here, +on my own bottom, quite independent of Mr Stumfold. The +Stumfolds would then soon have to leave Littlebath, there +is no doubt of that, and she has already made herself so +unendurable, and her father and she together are so +distressing, that the best of their society has fallen +away from them. Her treatment to you was such that I could +never endure her afterwards. Now the opening for a +clergyman with pure Gospel doctrines would be the best +thing that has turned up for a long time. The church would +be worth over six hundred a year, besides the interest of +the money which would have to be laid out. I could have +all this commenced at once, and secure the incumbency, if +I could myself head the subscription list with two +thousand pounds. It should not be less than that. You will +understand that the money would not be given, though, no +doubt, a great many persons would, in this way, be induced +to give theirs. But the pew rents would go in the first +instance to provide interest for the money not given, but +lent; as would of course be the case with your money, if +you would advance it.</p> + +<p>I should not think of such a plan as this if I did not +feel that it was the best thing for your interests; that +is, if, as I fondly hope, I am ever to call you mine. Of +course, in that case, it is only common prudence on my +part to do all I can to insure for myself such a +professional income, for your sake. For, dearest Margaret, +my brightest earthly hope is to see you with everything +comfortable around you. If that could be arranged, it +would be quite within our means to keep some sort of +carriage.<br /> </p> +</blockquote> + + +<p class="noindent">Here would be a fine opportunity +for rivalling Mrs Stumfold! That was +the temptation with which he hoped to allure her.<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote> +<p>But the thing must be done quite immediately; therefore +let me pray you not to postpone my hopes with unnecessary +delay. I know it seems unromantic to urge a lady with any +pecuniary considerations, but I think that under the +circumstances, as I have explained them, you will forgive +me.</p> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="ind6">Believe me to be, +dearest Margaret,</span><br /> +<span class="ind8">Yours, with truest,</span><br /> +<span class="ind10">Most devoted affection,</span></p> + +<p class="ind15"><span class="smallcaps">Jereh. +Maguire</span>.<br /> </p> +</blockquote> + + +<p>One man had wanted her money to buy a house on a mortgage, and +another now asked for it to build a church, giving her, or promising +to give her, the security of the pew rents. Which of the two was the +worst? They were both her lovers, and she thought that he was the +worst who first made his love and then tried to get her money. These +were the ideas which at once occurred to her upon her reading Mr +Maguire's letter. She had quite wit enough to see through the whole +project; how outsiders were to be induced to give their money, +thinking that all was to be given; whereas those inside the +temple,—those who knew all about it,—were simply to make for +themselves a good speculation. Her cousin John's constant solicitude +for money was bad; but, after all, it was not so bad as this. She +told herself at once that the letter was one which would of itself +have ended everything between her and Mr Maguire, even had nothing +occurred to put an absolute and imperative stop to the affair. Mr +Maguire pressed for an early answer, and before she left the room she +sat down and wrote it.<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote> +<p class="jright">The Cedars, Twickenham, October, 186—.</p> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smallcaps">Dear Sir</span><br /> </p> +</blockquote> + + +<p class="noindent">Before she wrote the words, +"Dear Sir," she had to think much of +them, not having had as yet much experience in writing letters to +gentlemen; but she concluded at last that if she simply wrote "Sir," +he would take it as an insult, and that if she wrote "My dear Mr +Maguire," it would, under the circumstances, be too +affectionate.<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote> +<p class="noindent"><span class="smallcaps">Dear Sir</span>,</p> + +<p>I have got your letter to-day, and I hasten to answer it +at once. All that to which you allude between us must be +considered as being altogether over, and I am very sorry +that you should have had so much trouble. My circumstances +are altogether changed. I cannot explain how, as it would +make my letter very long; but you may be assured that such +is the case, and to so great an extent that the engagement +you speak of would not at all suit you at present. Pray +take this as being quite true, and believe me to be</p> + +<p class="ind8">Your very humble servant,</p> + +<p class="ind12"><span class="smallcaps">Margaret +Mackenzie</span>.<br /> </p> +</blockquote> + + +<p>I feel that the letter was somewhat curt and dry as an answer to an +effusion so full of affection as that which the gentleman had +written; and the fair reader, when she remembers that Miss Mackenzie +had given the gentleman considerable encouragement, will probably +think that she should have expressed something like regret at so +sudden a termination to so tender a friendship. But she, in truth, +regarded the offer as having been made to her money solely, and as in +fact no longer existing as an offer, now that her money itself was no +longer in existence. She was angry with Mr Maguire for the words he +had written about her brother's affairs; for his wish to limit her +kindness to her nephews and nieces, and also for his greediness in +being desirous of getting her money at once; but as to the main +question, she thought herself bound to answer him plainly, as she +would have answered a man who came to buy from her a house, which +house was no longer in her possession.</p> + +<p>Mr Maguire when he received her letter, did not believe a word of it. +He did not in the least believe that she had actually lost everything +that had once belonged to her, or that he, if he married her now, +would obtain less than he would have done had he married her before +her brother's death. But he thought that her brother's family and +friends had got hold of her in London; that Mr Rubb might very +probably have done it; and that they were striving to obtain command +of her money, and were influencing her to desert him. He thinking so, +and being a man of good courage, took a resolution to follow his +game, and to see whether even yet he might not obtain the good things +which had made his eyes glisten and his mouth water. He knew that +there was very much against him in the race that he was desirous of +running, and that an heiress with—he did not know how much a year, +but it had been rumoured among the Stumfoldians that it was over a +thousand—might not again fall in his way. There were very many +things against him, of which he was quite conscious. He had not a +shilling of his own, and was in receipt of no professional income. He +was not altogether a young man. There was in his personal appearance +a defect which many ladies might find it difficult to overcome; and +then that little story about his debts, which Miss Todd had picked +up, was not only true, but was some degrees under the truth. No +doubt, he had a great wish that his wife should be comfortable; but +he also, for himself, had long been pining after those eligible +comforts, which when they appertain to clergymen, the world, with so +much malice, persists in calling the flesh-pots of Egypt. Thinking of +all this, of the position he had already gained in spite of his +personal disadvantages, and of the great chance there was that his +Margaret might yet be rescued from the Philistines, he resolved upon +a journey to London.</p> + +<p>In the meantime Miss Mackenzie's other lover had not been idle, and +he also was resolved by no means to give up the battle.</p> + +<p>It cannot be said that Mr Rubb was not mercenary in his views, but +with his desire for the lady's money was mingled much that was +courageous, and something also that was generous. The whole truth had +been told to him as plainly as it had been told to Mr Ball, and +nevertheless he determined to persevere. He went to work diligently +on that very afternoon, deserting the smiles of Miss Colza, and made +such inquiries into the law of the matter as were possible to him; +and they resulted, as far as Miss Mackenzie was concerned, in his +appearing late one afternoon at the front door of Sir John Ball's +house. On the day following this Miss Mackenzie was to keep her +appointment with Mr Slow, and her cousin was now up in London among +the lawyers.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie was sitting with her aunt when Mr Rubb called. They +were both in the drawing-room; and Lady Ball, who had as yet +succeeded in learning nothing, and who was more than ever convinced +that there was much to learn, was not making herself pleasant to her +companion. Throughout the whole week she had been very unpleasant. +She did not quite understand why Margaret's sojourn at the Cedars had +been and was to be so much prolonged. Margaret, feeling herself +compelled to say something on the subject, had with some hesitation +told her aunt that she was staying till she had seen her lawyer +again, because her cousin wished her to stay.</p> + +<p>In answer to this, Lady Ball had of course told her that she was +welcome. Her ladyship had then cross-questioned her son on that +subject also, but he had simply said that as there was law business +to be done, Margaret might as well stay at Twickenham till it was +completed.</p> + +<p>"But, my dear," Lady Ball had said, "her law business might go on for +ever, for what you know."</p> + +<p>"Mother," said the son, sternly, "I wish her to stay here at present, +and I suppose you will not refuse to permit her to do so."</p> + +<p>After this, Lady Ball could go no further.</p> + +<p>On the day on which Mr Rubb was announced in the drawing-room, the +aunt and niece were sitting together. "Mr Rubb—to see Miss +Mackenzie," said the old servant, as he opened the door.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie got up, blushing to her forehead, and Lady Ball rose +from her chair with an angry look, as though asking the oilcloth +manufacturer how he dared to make his way in there. The name of the +Rubbs had been specially odious to all the family at the Cedars since +Tom Mackenzie had carried his share of Jonathan Ball's money into the +firm in the New Road. And Mr Rubb's appearance was not calculated to +mitigate this anger. Again he had got on those horrid yellow gloves, +and again had dressed himself up to his idea of the garb of a man of +fashion. To Margaret's eyes, in the midst of her own misfortunes, he +was a thing horrible to behold, as he came into that drawing-room. +When she had seen him in his natural condition, at her brother's +house, he had been at any rate unobjectionable to her; and when, on +various occasions, he had talked to her about his own business, +pleading his own cause and excusing his own fault, she had really +liked him. There had been a moment or two, the moments of his +bitterest confessions, in which she had in truth liked him much. But +now! What would she not have given that the old servant should have +taken upon himself to declare that she was not at home.</p> + +<p>But there he was in her aunt's drawing-room, and she had nothing to +do but to ask him to sit down.</p> + +<p>"This is my aunt, Lady Ball," said Margaret.</p> + +<p>"I hope I have the honour of seeing her ladyship quite well," said Mr +Rubb, bowing low before he ventured to seat himself.</p> + +<p>Lady Ball would not condescend to say a word, but stared at him in a +manner that would have driven him out of the room had he understood +the nature of such looks on ladies' faces.</p> + +<p>"I hope my sister-in-law and the children are well," said Margaret, +with a violent attempt to make conversation.</p> + +<p>"Pretty much as you left them, Miss Mackenzie; she takes on a good +deal; but that's only human nature; eh, my lady?"</p> + +<p>But her ladyship still would not condescend to speak a word.</p> + +<p>Margaret did not know what further to say. All subjects on which it +might have been possible for her to speak to Mr Rubb were stopped +from her in the presence of her aunt. Mr Rubb knew of that great +calamity of which, as yet, Lady Ball knew nothing,—of that great +calamity to the niece, but great blessing, as it would be thought by +the aunt. And she was in much fear lest Mr Rubb should say something +which might tend to divulge the secret.</p> + +<p>"Did you come by the train?" she said, at last, reduced in her agony +to utter the first unmeaning question of which she could think.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Miss Mackenzie, I came by the train, and I am going back by the +5.45, if I can just be allowed to say a few words to you first."</p> + +<p>"Does the gentleman mean in private?" asked Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>"If you please, my lady," said Mr Rubb, who was beginning to think +that he did not like Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>"If Miss Mackenzie wishes it, of course she can do so."</p> + +<p>"It may be about my brother's affairs," said Margaret, getting up.</p> + +<p>"It is nothing to me, my dear, whether they are your brother's or +your own," said Lady Ball; "you had better not interrupt your uncle +in the study; but I daresay you'll find the dining-room disengaged."</p> + +<p>So Miss Mackenzie led the way into the dining-room, and Mr Rubb +followed. There they found some of the girls, who stared very hard at +Mr Rubb, as they left the room at their cousin's request. As soon as +they were left alone Mr Rubb began his work manfully.</p> + +<p>"Margaret," said he, "I hope you will let me call you so now that you +are in trouble?"</p> + +<p>To this she made no answer.</p> + +<p>"But perhaps your trouble is over? Perhaps you have found out that it +isn't as you told us the other day?"</p> + +<p>"No, Mr Rubb; I have found nothing of that kind; I believe it is as I +told you."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll tell you what I propose. You haven't given up the fight, +have you? You have not done anything?"</p> + +<p>"I have done nothing as yet."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll tell you my plan. Fight it out."</p> + +<p>"I do not want to fight for anything that is not my own."</p> + +<p>"But it is your own. It is your own of rights, even though it should +not be so by some quibble of the lawyers. I don't believe twelve +Englishmen would be found in London to give it to anybody else; I +don't indeed."</p> + +<p>"But my own lawyer tells me it isn't mine, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"Never mind him; don't you give up anything. Don't you let them make +you soft. When it comes to money nobody should give up anything. Now +I'll tell you what I propose."</p> + +<p>She now sat down and listened to him, while he stood over her. It was +manifest that he was very eager, and in his eagerness he became loud, +so that she feared his words might be heard out of the room.</p> + +<p>"You know what my sentiments are," he said. At that moment she did +not remember what his sentiments were, nor did she know what he +meant. "They're the same now as ever. Whether you have got your +fortune, or whether you've got nothing, they're the same. I've seen +you tried alongside of your brother, when he was a-dying, and, +Margaret, I like you now better than ever I did."</p> + +<p>"Mr Rubb, at present, all that cannot mean anything."</p> + +<p>"But doesn't it mean anything? By Jove! it does though. It means just +this, that I'll make you Mrs Rubb to-morrow, or as soon as Doctors' +Commons, and all that, will let us do it; and I'll chance the money +afterwards. Do you let it just go easy, and say nothing, and I'll +fight them. If the worst comes to the worst, they'll be willing +enough to cry halves with us. But, Margaret, if the worst does come +to be worse than that you won't find me hard to you on that account. +I shall always remember who helped me when I wanted help."</p> + +<p>"I am sure, Mr Rubb, I am much obliged to you."</p> + +<p>"Don't talk about being obliged, but get up and give me your hand, +and say it shall be a bargain." Then he tried to take her by the hand +and raise her from the chair up towards him.</p> + +<p>"No, no, no!" said she.</p> + +<p>"But I say yes. Why should it be no? If there never should come a +penny out of this property I will put a roof over your head, and will +find you victuals and clothes respectably. Who will do better for you +than that? And as for the fight, by Jove! I shall like it. You'll +find they'll get nothing out of my hands till they have torn away my +nails."</p> + +<p>Here was a new phase in her life. Here was a man willing to marry her +even though she had no assured fortune.</p> + +<p>"Margaret," said he, pleading his cause again, "I have that love for +you that I would take you though it was all gone, to the last +farthing."</p> + +<p>"It is all gone."</p> + +<p>"Let that be as it may, we'll try it. But though it should be all +gone, every shilling of it, still, will you be my wife?"</p> + +<p>It was altogether a new phase, and one that was inexplicable to her. +And this came from a man to whom she had once thought that she might +bring herself to give her hand and her heart, and her money also. She +did not doubt that if she took him at his word he would be good to +her, and provide her with shelter, and food and raiment, as he had +promised her. Her heart was softened towards him, and she forgot his +gloves and his shining boots. But she could not bring herself to say +that she would love him, and be his wife. It seemed to her now that +she was under the guidance of her cousin, and that she was pledged to +do nothing of which he would disapprove. He would not approve of her +accepting the hand of a man who would be resolved to litigate this +matter with him.</p> + +<p>"It cannot be," she said. "I feel how generous you are, but it cannot +be."</p> + +<p>"And why shouldn't it be?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Rubb, there are things one cannot explain."</p> + +<p>"Margaret, think of it. How are you to do better?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not; probably not. In many ways I am sure I could not do +better. But it cannot be."</p> + +<p>Not then, nor for the next twenty minutes, but at last he took his +answer and went. He did this when he found that he had no more +minutes to spare if he intended to return by the 5.45 train. Then, +with an angry gesture of his head, he left her, and hurried across to +the front door. Then, as he went out, Mr John Ball came in.</p> + +<p>"Good evening, sir," said Mr Rubb. "I am Mr Samuel Rubb. I have just +been seeing Miss Mackenzie, on business. Good evening, sir."</p> + +<p>John Ball said never a word, and Samuel Rubb hurried across the +grounds to the railway station.</p> + + +<p><a name="c20" id="c20"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XX</h3> +<h3>Showing How the Third Lover Behaved<br /> </h3> + + +<p>"What has that man been here for?" Those were the first words which +Mr Ball spoke to his cousin after shutting the hall-door behind Mr +Rubb's back. When the door was closed he turned round and saw +Margaret as she was coming out of the dining-room, and in a voice +that sounded to her as though he were angry, asked her the above +question.</p> + +<p>"He came to see me, John," said Miss Mackenzie, going back into the +dining-room. "He was my brother's partner."</p> + +<p>"He said he came upon business; what business could he have?"</p> + +<p>It was not very easy for her to tell him what had been Mr Rubb's +business. She had no wish to keep anything secret from her cousin, +but she did not know how to describe the scene which had just taken +place, or how to acknowledge that the man had come there to ask her +to marry him.</p> + +<p>"Does he know anything of this matter of your money?" continued Mr +Ball.</p> + +<p>"Oh yes; he knows it all. He was in Gower Street when I told my +sister-in-law."</p> + +<p>"And he came to advise you about it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; he did advise me about it. But his advice I shall not take."</p> + +<p>"And what did he advise?"</p> + +<p>Then Margaret told him that Mr Rubb had counselled her to fight it +out to the last, in order that a compromise might at any rate be +obtained.</p> + +<p>"If it has no selfish object in view I am far from saying that he is +wrong," said John Ball. "It is what I should advise a friend to do +under similar circumstances."</p> + +<p>"It is not what I shall do, John."</p> + +<p>"No; you are like a lamb that gives itself up to the slaughterer. I +have been with one lawyer or the other all day, and the end of it is +that there is no use on earth in your going to London to-morrow, nor, +as far as I can see, for another week to come. The two lawyers +together have referred the case to counsel for opinion,—for an +amicable opinion as they call it. From what they all say, Margaret, +it seems to me clear that the matter will go against you."</p> + +<p>"I have expected nothing else since Mr Slow spoke to me."</p> + +<p>"But no doubt you can make a fight, as your friend says."</p> + +<p>"I don't want to fight, John; you know that."</p> + +<p>"Mr Slow won't let you give it up without a contest. He suggested a +compromise,—that you and I should divide it. But I hate +compromises." She looked up into his face but said nothing. "The +truth is, I have been so wronged in the matter, the whole thing has +been so cruel, it has, all of it together, so completely ruined me +and my prospects in life, that were it any one but you, I would +sooner have a lawsuit than give up one penny of what is left." Again +she looked at him, but he went on speaking of it without observing +her. "Think what it has been, Margaret! The whole of this property +was once mine! Not the half of it only that has been called yours, +but the whole of it! The income was actually paid for one half-year +to a separate banking account on my behalf, before I was of age. Yes, +paid to me, and I had it! My uncle Jonathan had no more legal right +to take it away from me than you have to take the coat off my back. +Think of that, and of what four-and-twenty thousand pounds would have +done for me and my family from that time to this. There have been +nearly thirty years of this robbery!"</p> + +<p>"It was not my fault, John."</p> + +<p>"No; it was not your fault. But if your brothers could pay me back +all that they really owe me, all that the money would now be worth, +it would come to nearly a hundred thousand pounds. After that, what +is a man to say when he is asked to compromise? As far as I can see, +there is not a shadow of doubt about it. Mr Slow does not pretend +that there is a doubt. How they can fail to see the justice of it is +what passes my understanding!"</p> + +<p>"Mr Slow will give up at once, I suppose, if I ask him?"</p> + +<p>"I don't want you to ask him. I would rather that you didn't say a +word to him about it. There is a debt too from that man Rubb which +they advise me to abandon."</p> + +<p>In answer to this, Margaret could say nothing, for she knew well that +her trust in the interest of that money was the only hope she had of +any maintenance for her sister-in-law.</p> + +<p>After a few minutes' silence he again spoke to her. "He desires to +know whether you want money for immediate use."</p> + +<p>"Who wants to know?"</p> + +<p>"Mr Slow."</p> + +<p>"Oh no, John. I have money at the bankers', but I will not touch it."</p> + +<p>"How much is there at the bankers?"</p> + +<p>"There is more than three hundred pounds; but very little more; +perhaps three hundred and ten."</p> + +<p>"You may have that."</p> + +<p>"John, I don't want anything that is not my own; not though I had to +walk out to earn my bread in the streets to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"That is your own, I tell you. The tenants have been ordered not to +pay any further rents, till they receive notice. You can make them +pay, nevertheless, if you wish it; at least, you might do so, till +some legal steps were taken."</p> + +<p>"Of course, I shall do nothing of the kind. It was Mr Slow's people +who used to get the money. And am I not to go up to London +to-morrow?"</p> + +<p>"You can go if you choose, but you will learn nothing. I told Mr Slow +that I would bid you wait till I heard from him again. It is time now +for us to get ready for dinner."</p> + +<p>Then, as he was going to leave the room, she took him by the coat and +held him again,—held him as fast as she had done on the pavement in +Lincoln's Inn Fields. There was a soft, womanly, trusting weakness in +the manner of her motion as she did this, which touched him now as it +had touched him then.</p> + +<p>"John," she said, "if there is to be so much delay, I must not stay +here."</p> + +<p>"Why not, Margaret?"</p> + +<p>"My aunt does not like my staying; I can see that; and I don't think +it is fair to do so while she does not know all about it. It is +something like cheating her out of the use of the house."</p> + +<p>"Then I will tell her."</p> + +<p>"What, all? Had I not better go first?"</p> + +<p>"No; you cannot go. Where are you to go to? I will tell her +everything to-night. I had almost made up my mind to do so already. +It will be better that they should both know it,—my father and my +mother. My father probably will be required to say all that he knows +about the matter."</p> + +<p>"I shall be ready to go at once if she wishes it," said Margaret.</p> + +<p>To this he made no answer, but went upstairs to his bedroom, and +there, as he dressed, thought again, and again, and again of his +cousin Margaret. What should he do for her, and in what way should he +treat her? The very name of the Mackenzies he had hated of old, and +their names were now more hateful to him than ever. He had correctly +described his own feelings towards them when he said, either truly or +untruly, that they had deprived him of that which would have made his +whole life prosperous instead of the reverse. And it seemed as though +he had really thought that they had been in fault in this,—that they +had defrauded him. It did not, apparently, occur to him that the only +persons he could blame were his uncle Jonathan and his own lawyers, +who, at his uncle's death, had failed to discover on his behalf what +really were his rights. Walter Mackenzie had been a poor creature who +could do nothing. Tom Mackenzie had been a mean creature who had +allowed himself to be cozened in a petty trade out of the money which +he had wrongfully acquired. They were odious to him, and he hated +their memories. He would fain have hated all that belonged to them, +had he been able. But he was not able to hate this woman who clung to +him, and trusted him, and felt no harsh feelings towards him, though +he was going to take from her everything that had been hers. She +trusted him for advice even though he was her adversary! Would he +have trusted her or any other human being under such circumstances? +No, by heavens! But not the less on that account did he acknowledge +to himself that this confidence in her was very gracious.</p> + +<p>That evening passed by very quietly as far as Miss Mackenzie was +concerned. She had some time since, immediately on her last arrival +at the Cedars, offered to relieve her aunt from the trouble of making +tea, and the duty had then been given up to her. But since Lady +Ball's affair in obtaining possession of her niece's secret, the post +of honour had been taken away.</p> + +<p>"You don't make it as your uncle likes it," Lady Ball had said.</p> + +<p>She made her little offer again on this evening, but it was rejected.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, no; I believe I had better do it myself," had been the +answer.</p> + +<p>"Why can't you let Margaret make tea? I'm sure she does it very +well," said John.</p> + +<p>"I don't see that you can be a judge, seeing that you take none," his +mother replied; "and if you please, I'd rather make the tea in my own +house as long as I can."</p> + +<p>This little allusion to her own house was, no doubt, a blow at her +son, to punish him in that he had dictated to her in that matter of +the continued entertainment of her guest; but Margaret also felt it +to be a blow at her, and resolved that she would escape from the +house with as little further delay as might be possible. Beyond this, +the evening was very quiet, till Margaret, a little after tea, took +her candle and went off wearily to her room.</p> + +<p>But then the business of the day as regarded the Cedars began; for +John Ball, before he went to bed, told both his father and his mother +the whole story,—the story, that is, as far as the money was +concerned, and also as far as Margaret's conduct to him was +concerned; but of his own feelings towards her he said nothing.</p> + +<p>"She has behaved admirably, mother," he said; "you must acknowledge +that, and I think that she is entitled to all the kindness we can +show her."</p> + +<p>"I have been kind to her," Lady Ball answered.</p> + +<p>This had taken place in Lady Ball's own room, after they had left Sir +John. The tidings had taken the old man so much by surprise, that he +had said little or nothing. Even his caustic ill-nature had deserted +him, except on one occasion, when he remarked that it was like his +brother Jonathan to do as much harm with his money as was within his +reach.</p> + +<p>"My memory in such a matter is worth nothing,—absolutely nothing," +the old man had said. "I always supposed something was wrong. I +remember that. But I left it all to the lawyers."</p> + +<p>In Lady Ball's room the conversation was prolonged to a late hour of +the night, and took various twists and turns, as such conversations +will do.</p> + +<p>"What are we to do about the young woman?" That was Lady Ball's main +question, arising, no doubt, from the reflection that the world would +lean very heavily on them if they absolutely turned her out to starve +in the streets.</p> + +<p>John Ball made no proposition in answer to this, having not as yet +made up his mind as to what his own wishes were with reference to the +young woman. Then his mother made her proposition.</p> + +<p>"Of course that money due by the Rubbs must be paid. Let her take +that." But her son made no reply to this other than that he feared +the Rubbs were not in a condition to pay the money.</p> + +<p>"They would pay her the interest at any rate," said Lady Ball, "till +she had got into some other way of life. She would do admirably for a +companion to an old lady, because her manners are good, and she does +not want much waiting upon herself."</p> + +<p>On the next morning Miss Mackenzie trembled in her shoes as she came +down to breakfast. Her uncle, whom she feared the most, would not be +there; but the meeting with her aunt, when her aunt would know that +she was a pauper and that she had for the last week been an impostor, +was terrible to her by anticipation. But she had not calculated that +her aunt's triumph in this newly-acquired wealth for the Ball family +would, for the present, cover any other feeling that might exist. Her +aunt met her with a gracious smile, was very urbane in selecting a +chair for her at prayers close to her own, and pressed upon her a +piece of buttered toast out of a little dish that was always prepared +for her ladyship's own consumption. After breakfast John Ball again +went to town. He went daily to town during the present crisis; and, +on this occasion, his mother made no remark as to the urgency of his +business. When he was gone Lady Ball began to potter about the house, +after her daily custom, and was longer in her pottering than was +usual with her. Miss Mackenzie helped the younger children in their +lessons, as she often did; and when time for luncheon came, she had +almost begun to think that she was to be allowed to escape any +conversation with her aunt touching the great money question. But it +was not so. At one she was told that luncheon and the children's +dinner was postponed till two, and she was asked by the servant to go +up to Lady Ball in her own room.</p> + +<p>"Come and sit down, my dear," said Lady Ball, in her sweetest voice. +"It has got to be very cold, and you had better come near the fire." +Margaret did as she was bidden, and sat herself down in the chair +immediately opposite to her aunt.</p> + +<p>"This is a wonderful story that John has told me," continued her +aunt—"very wonderful."</p> + +<p>"It is sad enough for me," said Margaret, who did not feel inclined +to be so self-forgetful in talking to her aunt as she had been with +her cousin.</p> + +<p>"It is sad for you, Margaret, no doubt. But I am sure you have within +you that conscientious rectitude of purpose that you would not wish +to keep anything for yourself that in truth belongs to another."</p> + +<p>To this Margaret answered nothing, and her aunt went on.</p> + +<p>"It is a great change to you, no doubt; and, of course, that is the +point on which I wish to speak to you most especially. I have told +John that something must be done for you."</p> + +<p>This jarred terribly on poor Margaret's feelings. Her cousin had said +nothing, not a word as to doing anything for her. The man who had +told her of his love, and asked her to be his wife, not twelve months +since,—who had pressed her to be of all women the dearest to him and +the nearest,—had talked to her of her ruin without offering her aid, +although this ruin to her would enrich him very greatly. She had +expected nothing from him, had wanted nothing from him; but by +degrees, when absent from him, the feeling had grown upon her that he +had been hard to her in abstaining from expressions of commiseration. +She had yielded to him in the whole affair, assuring him that nothing +should be done by her to cause him trouble; and she would have been +grateful to him if in return he had said something to her of her +future mode of life. She had intended to speak to him about the +hospital; but she had thought that she might abstain from doing so +till he himself should ask some question as to her plans. He had +asked no such question, and she was now almost determined to go away +without troubling him on the subject. But if he, who had once +professed to love her, would make no suggestion as to her future +life, she could ill bear that any offer of the kind should come from +her aunt, who, as she knew, had only regarded her for her money.</p> + +<p>"I would rather," she replied, "that nothing should be said to him on +the subject."</p> + +<p>"And why not, Margaret?"</p> + +<p>"I desire that I may be no burden to him or anybody. I will go away +and earn my bread; and even if I cannot do that, my relations shall +not be troubled by hearing from me."</p> + +<p>She said this without sobbing, but not without that almost hysterical +emotion which indicates that tears are being suppressed with pain.</p> + +<p>"That is false pride, my dear."</p> + +<p>"Very well, aunt. I daresay it is false; but it is my pride. I may be +allowed to keep my pride, though I can keep nothing else."</p> + +<p>"What you say about earning your bread is very proper; and I and John +and your uncle also have been thinking of that. But I should be glad +if some additional assistance should be provided for you, in the +event of old age, you know, or illness. Now, as to earning your +bread, I remarked to John that you were peculiarly qualified for +being a lady's companion."</p> + +<p>"For being what, aunt?"</p> + +<p>"For being companion to some lady in the decline of life, who would +want to have some nice mannered person always with her. You have the +advantage of being ladylike and gentle, and I think that you are +patient by disposition."</p> + +<p>"Aunt," said Miss Mackenzie, and her voice as she spoke was hardly +gentle, nor was it indicative of much patience. Her hysterics also +seemed for the time to have given way to her strong passionate +feeling. "Aunt," she said, "I would sooner take a broom in my hand, +and sweep a crossing in London, than lead such a life as that. What! +make myself the slave of some old woman, who would think that she had +bought the power of tyrannising over me by allowing me to sit in the +same room with her? No, indeed! It may very likely be the case that I +may have to serve such a one in the kitchen, but it shall be in the +kitchen, and not in the drawing-room. I have not had much experience +in life, but I have had enough to learn that lesson!"</p> + +<p>Lady Ball, who during the first part of the conversation had been +unrolling and winding a great ball of worsted, now sat perfectly +still, holding the ball in her lap, and staring at her niece. She was +a quick-witted woman, and it no doubt occurred to her that the great +objection to living with an old lady, which her niece had expressed +so passionately, must have come from the trial of that sort of life +which she had had at the Cedars. And there was enough in Miss +Mackenzie's manner to justify Lady Ball in thinking that some such +expression of feeling as this had been intended by her. She had never +before heard Margaret speak out so freely, even in the days of her +undoubted heiress-ship; and now, though she greatly disliked her +niece, she could not avoid mingling something of respect and +something almost amounting to fear with her dislike. She did not dare +to go on unwinding her worsted, and giving the advantage of her +condescension to a young woman who spoke out at her in that way.</p> + +<p>"I thought I was advising you for the best," she said, "and I hoped +that you would have been thankful."</p> + +<p>"I don't know what may be for the best," said Margaret, again +bordering upon the hysterical in the tremulousness of her voice, "but +that I'm sure would be for the worst. However, I've made up my mind +to nothing as yet."</p> + +<p>"No, my dear; of course not; but we all must think of it, you know."</p> + +<p>Her cousin John had not thought of it, and she did not want any one +else to do so. She especially did not want her aunt to think of it. +But it was no doubt necessary that her aunt should consider how long +she would be required to provide a home for her impoverished niece, +and Margaret's mind at once applied itself to that view of the +subject. "I have made up my mind that I will go to London next week, +and then I must settle upon something."</p> + +<p>"You mean when you go to Mr Slow's?"</p> + +<p>"I mean that I shall go for good. I have a little money by me, which +John says I may use, and I shall take a lodging till—till—till—" +Then she could not go on any further.</p> + +<p>"You can stay here, Margaret, if you please;—that is till something +more is settled about all this affair."</p> + +<p>"I will go on Monday, aunt. I have made up my mind to that." It was +now Saturday. "I will go on Monday. It will be better for all parties +that I should be away." Then she got up, and waiting no further +speech from her aunt, took herself off to her own room.</p> + +<p>She did not see her aunt again till dinner-time, and then neither of +them spoke to each other. Lady Ball thought that she had reason to be +offended, and Margaret would not be the first to speak. In the +evening, before the whole family, she told her cousin that she had +made up her mind to go up to London on Monday. He begged her to +reconsider her resolution, but when she persisted that she would do +so, he did not then argue the question any further. But on the Sunday +he implored her not to go as yet, and did obtain her consent to +postpone her departure till Tuesday. He wished, he said, to be at any +rate one day more in London before she went. On the Sunday she was +closeted with her uncle who also sent for her, and to him she +suggested her plan of becoming nurse at a hospital. He remarked that +he hoped that would not be necessary.</p> + +<p>"Something will be necessary," she said, "as I don't mean to eat +anybody's bread but my own."</p> + +<p>In answer to this he said that he would speak to John, and then that +interview was over. On the Monday morning John Ball said something +respecting Margaret to his mother which acerbated that lady more than +ever against her niece. He had not proposed that anything special +should be done; but he had hinted, when his mother complained of +Margaret, that Margaret's conduct was everything that it ought to be.</p> + +<p>"I believe you would take anybody's part against me," Lady Ball had +said, and then as a matter of course she had been very cross. The +whole of that day was terrible to Miss Mackenzie, and she resolved +that nothing said by her cousin should induce her to postpone her +departure for another day.</p> + +<p>In order to insure this by a few minutes' private conversation with +him, and also with the view of escaping for some short time from the +house, she walked down to the station in the evening to meet her +cousin. The train by which he arrived reached Twickenham at five +o'clock, and the walk occupied about twenty minutes. She met him just +as he was coming out of the station gate, and at once told him that +she had come there for the sake of walking back with him and talking +to him. He thanked her, and said that he was very glad to meet her. +He also wanted to speak to her very particularly. Would she take his +arm?</p> + +<p>She took his arm, and then began with a quick tremulous voice to tell +him of her sufferings at the house. She threw no blame on her aunt +that she could avoid, but declared it to be natural that under such +circumstances as those now existing her prolonged sojourn at her +aunt's house should be unpleasant to both of them. In answer to all +this, John Ball said nothing, but once or twice lifted up his left +hand so as to establish Margaret's arm more firmly on his own. She +hardly noticed the motion, but yet she was aware that it was intended +for kindness, and then she broke forth with a rapid voice as to her +plan about the hospital. "I think we can manage better than that, at +any rate," said he, stopping her in the path when this proposal met +his ear. But she went on to declare that she would like it, that she +was strong and qualified for such work, that it would satisfy her +aspirations, and be fit for her. And then, after that, she declared +that nothing should induce her to undertake the kind of life that had +been suggested by her aunt. "I quite agree with you there," said he; +"quite. I hate tabbies as much as you do."</p> + +<p>They had now come to a little gate, of which John Ball kept a key, +and which led into the grounds belonging to the Cedars. The grounds +were rather large, and the path through them extended for half a +mile, but the land was let off to a grazier. When inside the wall, +however, they were private; and Mr Ball, as soon as he had locked the +gate behind him, stopped her in the dark path, and took both her +hands in his. The gloom of the evening had now come round them, and +the thick trees which formed the belt of the place, joined to the +high wall, excluded from them nearly all what light remained.</p> + +<p>"And now," said he, "I will tell you my plan."</p> + +<p>"What plan?" said she; but her voice was very low.</p> + +<p>"I proposed it once before, but you would not have it then."</p> + +<p>When she heard this, she at once drew both her hands from him, and +stood before him in an agony of doubt. Even in the gloom, the trees +were going round her, and everything, even her thoughts, were obscure +and misty.</p> + +<p>"Margaret," said he, "you shall be my wife, and the mother of my +children, and I will love you as I loved Rachel before. I loved you +when I asked you at Christmas, but I did not love you then as I love +you now."</p> + +<p>She still stood before him, but answered him not a word. How often +since the tidings of her loss had reached her had the idea of such a +meeting as this come before her! how often had she seemed to listen +to such words as those he now spoke to her! Not that she had expected +it, or hoped for it, or even thought of it as being in truth +possible; but her imagination had been at work, during the long hours +of the night, and the romance of the thing had filled her mind, and +the poetry of it had been beautiful to her. She had known—she had +told herself that she knew—that no man would so sacrifice himself; +certainly no such man as John Ball, with all his children and his +weary love of money! But now the poetry had come to be fact, and the +romance had turned itself into reality, and the picture formed by her +imagination had become a living truth. The very words of which she +had dreamed had been spoken to her.</p> + +<p>"Shall it be so, my dear?" he said, again taking one of her hands. +"You want to be a nurse; will you be my nurse? Nay; I will not ask, +but it shall be so. They say that the lovers who demand are ever the +most successful. I make my demand. Tell me, Margaret, will you obey +me?"</p> + +<p>He had walked on now, but in order that his time might be sufficient, +he led her away from the house. She was following him, hardly knowing +whither she was going.</p> + +<p>"Susanna," said he, "shall come and live with the others; one more +will make no difference."</p> + +<p>"And my aunt?" said Margaret.</p> + +<p>It was the first word she had spoken since the gate had been locked +behind her, and this word was spoken in a whisper.</p> + +<p>"I hope my mother may feel that such a marriage will best conduce to +my happiness; but, Margaret, nothing that my mother can say will +change me. You and I have known something of each other now. Of you, +from the way in which things have gone, I have learned much. Few men, +I take it, see so much of their future wives as I have seen of you. +If you can love me as your husband, say so at once honestly, and then +leave the rest to me."</p> + +<p>"I will," she said, again whispering; and then she clung to his hand, +and for a minute or two he had his arm round her waist. Then he took +her, and kissed her lips, and told her that he would take care of +her, and watch for her, and keep her, if possible, from trouble.</p> + +<p>Ah, me, how many years had rolled by since last she had been kissed +in that way! Once, and once only, had Harry Handcock so far presumed, +and so far succeeded. And now, after a dozen years or more, that game +had begun again with her! She had boxed Harry Handcock's ears when he +had kissed her; but now, from her lover of to-day, she submitted to +the ceremony very tamely.</p> + +<p>"Oh, John," she said, "how am I to thank you?" But the thanks were +tendered for the promise of his care, and not for the kiss.</p> + +<p>I think there was but little more said between them before they +reached the door-step. When there, Mr Ball, speaking already with +something of marital authority, gave her his instructions.</p> + +<p>"I shall tell my mother this evening," he said, "as I hate mysteries; +and I shall tell my father also. Of course there may be something +disagreeable said before we all shake down happily in our places, but +I shall look to you, Margaret, to be firm."</p> + +<p>"I shall be firm," she said, "if you are."</p> + +<p>"I shall be firm," was the reply; and then they went into the house.</p> + + +<p><a name="c21" id="c21"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XXI</h3> +<h3>Mr Maguire Goes to London on Business<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Mr Maguire made up his mind to go to London, to look after his +lady-love, but when he found himself there he did not quite know what +to do. It is often the case with us that we make up our minds for +great action,—that in some special crisis of our lives we resolve +that something must be done, and that we make an energetic start; but +we find very soon that we do not know how to go on doing anything. It +was so with Mr Maguire. When he had secured a bed at a small public +house near the Great Western railway station,—thinking, no doubt +that he would go to the great hotel on his next coming to town, +should he then have obtained the lady's fortune,—he scarcely knew +what step he would next take. Margaret's last letter had been written +to him from the Cedars, but he thought it probable that she might +only have gone there for a day or two. He knew the address of the +house in Gower Street, and at last resolved that he would go boldly +in among the enemy there; for he was assured that the family of the +lady's late brother were his special enemies in this case. It was +considerably past noon when he reached London, and it was about three +when, with a hesitating hand, but a loud knock, he presented himself +at Mrs Mackenzie's door.</p> + +<p>He first asked for Miss Mackenzie, and was told that she was not +staying there. Was he thereupon to leave his card and go away? He had +told himself that in this pursuit of the heiress he would probably be +called upon to dare much, and if he did not begin to show some daring +at once, how could he respect himself, or trust to himself for future +daring? So he boldly asked for Mrs Mackenzie, and was at once shown +into the parlour. There sat the widow, in her full lugubrious weeds, +there sat Miss Colza, and there sat Mary Jane, and they were all busy +hemming, darning, and clipping; turning old sheets into new ones; for +now it was more than ever necessary that Mrs Mackenzie should make +money at once by taking in lodgers. When Mr Maguire was shown into +the room each lady rose from her chair, with her sheet in her hands +and in her lap, and then, as he stood before them, at the other side +of the table, each lady again sat down.</p> + +<p>"A gentleman as is asking for Miss Margaret," the servant had said; +that same cook to whom Mr Grandairs had been so severe on the +occasion of Mrs Mackenzie's dinner party. The other girl had been +unnecessary to them in their poverty, and had left them.</p> + +<p>"My name is Maguire, the Rev. Mr Maguire, from Littlebath, where I +had the pleasure of knowing Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>Then the widow asked him to take a chair, and he took a chair.</p> + +<p>"My sister-in-law is not with us at present," said Mrs Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"She is staying for a visit with her aunt, Lady Ball, at the Cedars, +Twickenham," said Mary Jane, who had contrived to drop her sheet, and +hustle it under the table with her feet, as soon as she learned that +the visitor was a clergyman.</p> + +<p>"Lady Ball is the lady of Sir John Ball, Baronet," said Miss Colza, +whose good nature made her desirous of standing up for the honour of +the family with which she was, for the time, domesticated.</p> + +<p>"I knew she had been at Lady Ball's," said the clergyman, "as I heard +from her from thence; but I thought she had probably returned."</p> + +<p>"Oh dear, no," said the widow, "she ain't returned here, nor don't +mean. We haven't the room for her, and that's the truth. Have we, +Mary Jane?"</p> + +<p>"That we have not, mamma; and I don't think aunt Margaret would think +of such a thing."</p> + +<p>Then, thought Mr Maguire, the Balls must have got hold of the +heiress, and not the Mackenzies, and my battle must be fought at the +Cedars, and not here. Still, as he was there, he thought possibly he +might obtain some further information; and this would be the easier, +if, as appeared to be the case, there was enmity between the Gower +Street family and their relative.</p> + +<p>"Has Miss Mackenzie gone to live permanently at the Cedars?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"Not that I know of," said the widow.</p> + +<p>"It isn't at all unlikely, mamma, that it may be so, when you +consider everything. It's just the sort of way in which they'll most +likely get over her."</p> + +<p>"Mary Jane, hold your tongue," said her mother; "you shouldn't say +things of that sort before strangers."</p> + +<p>"Though I may not have the pleasure of knowing you and your amiable +family," said Mr Maguire, smiling his sweetest, "I am by no means a +stranger to Miss Mackenzie."</p> + +<p>Then the ladies all looked at him, and thought they had never seen +anything so terrible as that squint.</p> + +<p>"Miss Mackenzie is making a long visit at the Cedars," said Miss +Colza, "that is all we know at present. I am told the Balls are very +nice people, but perhaps a little worldly-minded; that's to be +expected, however, from people who live out of the west-end from +London. I live in Finsbury Square, or at least, I did before I came +here, and I ain't a bit ashamed to own it. But of course the west-end +is the nicest."</p> + +<p>Then Mr Maguire got up, saying that he should probably do himself the +pleasure of calling on Miss Mackenzie at the Cedars, and went his +way.</p> + +<p>"I wonder what he's after," said Mrs Mackenzie, as soon as the door +was shut.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps he came to tell her to bear it all with Christian +resignation," said Miss Colza; "they always do come when anything's +in the wind like that; they like to know everything before anybody +else."</p> + +<p>"It's my belief he's after her money," said Mrs Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"With such a squint as that!" said Mary Jane; "I wouldn't have him +though he was made of money, and I hadn't a farthing."</p> + +<p>"Beauty is but skin deep," said Miss Colza.</p> + +<p>"And it's manners to wait till you are asked," said Mrs Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>Mary Jane chucked up her head with disdain, thereby indicating that +though she had not been asked, and though beauty is but skin deep, +still she held the same opinion.</p> + +<p>Mr Maguire, as he went away to a clerical advertising office in the +neighbourhood of Exeter Hall, thought over the matter profoundly. It +was clear enough to him that the Mackenzies of Gower Street were not +interfering with him; very probably they might have hoped and +attempted to keep the heiress among them; that assertion that there +was no room for her in the house—as though they were and ever had +been averse to having her with them—seemed to imply that such was +the case. It was the natural language of a disappointed woman. But if +so, that hope was now over with them. And then the young lady had +plainly exposed the suspicions which they all entertained as to the +Balls. These grand people at the Cedars, this baronet's family at +Twickenham, must have got her to come among them with the intention +of keeping her there. It did not occur to him that the baronet or the +baronet's son would actually want Miss Mackenzie's money. He presumed +baronets to be rich people; but still they might very probably be as +dogs in the manger, and desirous of preventing their relative from +doing with her money that active service to humanity in general which +would be done were she to marry a deserving clergyman who had nothing +of his own.</p> + +<p>He made his visit to the advertising office, and learned that +clergymen without cures were at present drugs in the market. He +couldn't understand how this should be the case, seeing that the +newspapers were constantly declaring that the supply of university +clergymen were becoming less and less every day. He had come from +Trinity, Dublin and after the success of his career at Littlebath, +was astonished that he should not be snapped at by the retailers of +curacies.</p> + +<p>On the next day he visited Twickenham. Now, on the morning of that +very day Margaret Mackenzie first woke to the consciousness that she +was the promised wife of her cousin John Ball. There was great +comfort in the thought.</p> + +<p>It was not only, nor even chiefly, that she who, on the preceding +morning, had awakened to the remembrance of her utter destitution, +now felt that all those terrible troubles were over. It was not +simply that her great care had been vanquished for her. It was this, +that the man who had a second time come to her asking for her love, +had now given her all-sufficient evidence that he did so for the sake +of her love. He, who was so anxious for money, had shown her that he +could care for her more even than he cared for gold. As she thought +of this, and made herself happy in the thought, she would not rise at +once from her bed, but curled herself in the clothes and hugged +herself in her joy.</p> + +<p>"I should have taken him before, at once, instantly, if I could have +thought that it was so," she said to herself; "but this is a thousand +times better."</p> + +<p>Then she found that the pillow beneath her cheek was wet with her +tears.</p> + +<p>On the preceding evening she had been very silent and demure, and her +betrothed had also been silent. There had been no words about the +tea-making, and Lady Ball had been silent also. As far as she knew, +Margaret was to go on the following day, but she would say nothing on +the subject. Margaret, indeed, had commenced her packing, and did not +know when she went to bed whether she was to go or not. She rather +hoped that she might be allowed to go, as her aunt would doubtless be +disagreeable; but in that, and in all matters now, she would of +course be guided implicitly by Mr Ball. He had told her to be firm, +and of her own firmness she had no doubt whatever. Lady Ball, with +all her anger, or with all her eloquence, should not talk her out of +her husband. She could be firm, and she had no doubt that John Ball +could be firm also.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, when she was dressing, she did not fail to tell herself +that she might have a bad time of it that morning,—and a bad time of +it for some days to come, if it was John's intention that she should +remain at the Cedars. She was convinced that Lady Ball would not +welcome her as a daughter-in-law now as she would have done when the +property was thought to belong to her. What right had she to expect +such welcome? No doubt some hard things would be said to her; but she +knew her own courage, and was sure that she could bear any hard +things with such a hope within her breast as that which she now +possessed. She left her room a little earlier than usual, thinking +that she might thus meet her cousin and receive his orders. And in +this she was not disappointed; he was in the hall as she came down, +and she was able to smile on him, and press his hand, and make her +morning greetings to him with some tenderness in her voice. He looked +heavy about the face, and almost more careworn than usual, but he +took her hand and led her into the breakfast-room.</p> + +<p>"Did you tell your mother, John?" she said, standing very close to +him, almost leaning upon his shoulder.</p> + +<p>He, however, did not probably want such signs of love as this, and +moved a step away from her.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said he, "I told both my father and my mother. What she says +to you, you must hear, and bear it quietly for my sake."</p> + +<p>"I will," said Margaret.</p> + +<p>"I think that she is unreasonable, but still she is my mother."</p> + +<p>"I shall always remember that, John."</p> + +<p>"And she is old, and things have not always gone well with her. She +says, too, that you have been impertinent to her."</p> + +<p>Margaret's face became very red at this charge, but she made no +immediate reply.</p> + +<p>"I don't think you could mean to be impertinent."</p> + +<p>"Certainly not, John; but, of course, I shall feel myself much more +bound to her now than I was before."</p> + +<p>"Yes, of course; but I wish that nothing had occurred to make her so +angry with you."</p> + +<p>"I don't think that I was impertinent, John, though perhaps it might +seem so. When she was talking about my being a companion to a lady, I +perhaps answered her sharply. I was so determined that I wouldn't +lead that sort of life, that, perhaps I said more than I should have +done. You know, John, that it hasn't been quite pleasant between us +for the last few days."</p> + +<p>John did know this, and he knew also that there was not much +probability of pleasantness for some days to come. His mother's last +words to him on the preceding evening, as he was leaving her after +having told his story, did not give much promise of pleasantness for +Margaret. "John," she had said, "nothing on earth shall induce me to +live in the same house with Margaret Mackenzie as your wife. If you +choose to break up everything for her sake, you can do it. I cannot +control you. But remember, it will be your doing."</p> + +<p>Margaret then asked him what she was to do, and where she was to +live. She would fain have asked him when they were to be married, but +she did not dare to make inquiry on that point. He told her that, for +the present, she must remain at the Cedars. If she went away it would +be regarded as an open quarrel, and moreover, he did not wish that +she should live by herself in London lodgings. "We shall be able to +see how things go for a day or two," he said. To this she submitted +without a murmur, and then Lady Ball came into the room.</p> + +<p>They were both very nervous in watching her first behaviour, but were +not at all prepared for the line of conduct which she adopted. John +Ball and Margaret had separated when they heard the rustle of her +dress. He had made a step towards the window, and she had retreated +to the other side of the fire-place. Lady Ball, on entering the room, +had been nearest to Margaret, but she walked round the table away +from her usual place for prayers, and accosted her son.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, John," she said, giving him her hand.</p> + +<p>Margaret waited a second or two, and then addressed her aunt.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, aunt," she said, stepping half across the rug.</p> + +<p>But her aunt, turning her back to her, moved into the embrasure of +the window. It had been decided that there was to be an absolute cut +between them! As long as she remained in that house Lady Ball would +not speak to her. John said nothing, but a black frown came upon his +brow. Poor Margaret retired, rebuked, to her corner by the chimney. +Just at that moment the girls and children rushed in from the study, +with the daily governess who came every morning, and Sir John rang +for the servants to come to prayers.</p> + +<p>I wonder whether that old lady's heart was at all softened as she +prayed? whether it ever occurred to her to think that there was any +meaning in that form of words she used, when she asked her God to +forgive her as she might forgive others? Not that Margaret had in +truth trespassed against her at all; but, doubtless, she regarded her +niece as a black trespasser, and as being quite qualified for +forgiveness, could she have brought herself to forgive. But I fear +that the form of words on that occasion meant nothing, and that she +had been delivered from no evil during those moments she had been on +her knees. Margaret sat down in her accustomed place, but no notice +was taken of her by her aunt. When the tea had been poured out, John +got up from his seat and asked his mother which was Margaret's cup.</p> + +<p>"My dear," said she, "if you will sit down, Miss Mackenzie shall have +her tea."</p> + +<p>"I will take it to her," said he.</p> + +<p>"John," said his mother, drawing her chair somewhat away from the +table, "if you flurry me in this way, you will drive me out of the +room."</p> + +<p>Then he had sat down, and Margaret received her cup in the usual way. +The girls and children stared at each other, and the governess, who +always breakfasted at the house, did not dare to lift her eyes from +off her plate.</p> + +<p>Margaret longed for an opportunity of starting with John Ball, and +walking with him to the station, but no such opportunity came in her +way. It was his custom always to go up to his father before he left +home, and on this occasion Margaret did not see him after he quitted +the breakfast table. When the clatter of the knives and cups was +over, and the eating and drinking was at an end, Lady Ball left the +room and Margaret began to think what she would do. She could not +remain about the house in her aunt's way, without being spoken to, or +speaking. So she went to her room, resolving that she would not leave +it till the carriage had taken off Sir John and her aunt. Then she +would go out for a walk, and would again meet her cousin at the +station.</p> + +<p>From her bedroom window she could see the sweep before the front of +the house, and at two o'clock she saw and heard the lumbering of the +carriage as it came to the door, and then she put on her hat to be +ready for her walk; but her uncle and aunt did not, as it seemed, +come out, and the carriage remained there as a fixture. This had been +the case for some twenty minutes, when there came a knock at her own +door, and the maid-servant told her that her aunt wished to see her +in the drawing-room.</p> + +<p>"To see me?" said Margaret, thoroughly surprised, and not a little +dismayed.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Miss; and there's a gentleman there who asked for you when he +first come."</p> + +<p>Now, indeed, she was dismayed. Who could be the gentleman? Was it Mr +Slow, or a myrmidon from Mr Slow's legal abode? Or was it Mr Rubb +with his yellow gloves again? Whoever it was there must be something +very special in his mission, as her aunt had, in consequence, +deferred her drive, and was also apparently about to drop her purpose +of cutting her niece's acquaintance in her own house.</p> + +<p>But we will go back to Mr Maguire. He had passed the evening and the +morning in thinking over the method of his attack, and had at last +resolved that he would be very bold. He would go down to the Cedars, +and claim Margaret as his affianced bride. He went, therefore, down +to the Cedars, and in accordance with his plan as arranged, he gave +his card to the servant, and asked if he could see Sir John Ball +alone. Now, Sir John Ball never saw any one on business, or, indeed, +not on business; and, after a while, word was brought out to Mr +Maguire that he could see Lady Ball, but that Sir John was not well +enough to receive any visitors. Lady Ball, Mr Maguire thought, would +suit him better than Sir John. He signified his will accordingly, and +on being shown into the drawing-room, found her ladyship there alone.</p> + +<p>It must be acknowledged that he was a brave man, and that he was +doing a bold thing. He knew that he should find himself among +enemies, and that his claim would be ignored and ridiculed by the +persons whom he was about to attack; he knew that everybody, on first +seeing him, was affrighted and somewhat horrified; he knew too,—at +least, we must presume that he knew,—that the lady herself had given +him no promise. But he thought it possible, nay, almost probable, +that she would turn to him if she saw him again; that she might own +him as her own; that her feelings might be strong enough in his +favour to induce her to throw off the thraldom of her relatives, and +that he might make good his ground in her breast, even if he could +not bear her away in triumph out of the hands of his enemies.</p> + +<p>When he entered the room Lady Ball looked at him and shuddered. +People always did shudder when they saw him for the first time.</p> + +<p>"Lady Ball," said he, "I am the Rev. Mr Maguire, of Littlebath."</p> + +<p>She was holding his card in her hand, and having notified to him that +she was aware of the fact he had mentioned, asked him to sit down.</p> + +<p>"I have called," said he, taking his seat, "hoping to be allowed to +speak to you on a subject of extreme delicacy."</p> + +<p>"Indeed," said Lady Ball, thinking to catch his eye, and failing in +the effort.</p> + +<p>"I may say of very extreme delicacy. I believe your niece, Miss +Margaret Mackenzie, is staying here?" In answer to this, Lady Ball +acknowledged that Miss Mackenzie was now at the Cedars.</p> + +<p>"Have you any objection, Lady Ball, to allowing me to see her in your +presence?"</p> + +<p>Lady Ball was a quick-thinking, intelligent, and, at the same time, +prudent old lady, and she gave no answer to this before she had +considered the import of the question. Why should this clergyman want +to see Margaret? And would his seeing her conduce most to her own +success, or to Margaret's? Then there was the fact that Margaret was +of an age which entitled her to the right of seeing any visitor who +might call on her. Thinking over all this as best she could in the +few moments at her command, and thinking also of this clergyman's +stipulation that she was to be present at the interview, she said +that she had no objection whatever. She would send for Miss +Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>She rose to ring the bell, but Mr Maguire, also rising from his +chair, stopped her hand.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me for a moment," said he. "Before you call Margaret to come +down I would wish to explain to you for what purpose I have come +here."</p> + +<p>Lady Ball, when she heard the man call her niece by her Christian +name, listened with all her ears. Under no circumstances but one +could such a man call such a woman by her Christian name in such +company.</p> + +<p>"Lady Ball," he said, "I do not know whether you may be aware of it +or no, but I am engaged to marry your niece."</p> + +<p>Lady Ball, who had not yet resumed her seat, now did so.</p> + +<p>"I had not heard of it," she said.</p> + +<p>"It may be so," said Mr Maguire.</p> + +<p>"It is so," said Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>"Very probably. There are many reasons which operate upon young +ladies in such a condition to keep their secret even from their +nearest relatives. For myself, being a clergyman of the Church of +England, professing evangelical doctrines, and therefore, as I had +need not say, averse to everything that may have about it even a +seeming of impropriety, I think it best to declare the fact to you, +even though in doing so I may perhaps give some offence to dear +Margaret."</p> + +<p>It must, I think, be acknowledged that Mr Maguire was true to +himself, and that he was conducting his case at any rate with +courage.</p> + +<p>Lady Ball was doubtful what she would do. It was on her tongue to +tell the man that her niece's fortune was gone. But she remembered +that she might probably advance her own interests by securing an +interview between the two lovers of Littlebath in her own presence. +She never for a moment doubted that Mr Maguire's statement was true. +It never occurred to her that there had been no such engagement. She +felt confident from the moment in which Mr Maguire's important +tidings had reached her ears that she had now in her hands the means +of rescuing her son. That Mr Maguire would cease to make his demand +for his bride when he should hear the truth, was of course to be +expected; but her son would not be such an idiot, such a soft fool, +as to go on with his purpose when he should learn that such a secret +as this had been kept back from him. She had refused him, and taken +up with this horrid, greasy, evil-eyed parson when she was rich; and +then, when she was poor,—even before she had got rid of her other +engagement, she had come back upon him, and, playing upon his pity, +had secured him in her toils. Lady Ball felt well inclined to thank +the clergyman for coming to her relief at such a moment.</p> + +<p>"It will be best that I should ask my niece to come down to you," +said she, getting up and walking out of the room.</p> + +<p>But she did not go up to her niece. She first went to Sir John and +quieted his impatience with reference to the driving, and then, after +a few minutes' further delay for consideration, she sent the servant +up to her niece. Having done this she returned to the drawing-room, +and found Mr Maguire looking at the photographs on the table.</p> + +<p>"It is very like dear Margaret, very like her, indeed," said he, +looking at one of Miss Mackenzie. "The sweetest face that ever my +eyes rested on! May I ask you if you have just seen your niece, Lady +Ball?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir, I have not seen her; but I have sent for her."</p> + +<p>There was still some little delay before Margaret came down. She was +much fluttered, and wanted time to think, if only time could be +allowed to her. Perhaps there had come a man to say that her money +was not gone. If so, with what delight would she give it all to her +cousin John! That was her first thought. But if so, how then about +the promise made to her dying brother? She almost wished that the +money might not be hers. Looking to herself only, and to her own +happiness, it would certainly be better for her that it should not be +hers. And if it should be Mr Rubb with the yellow gloves! But before +she could consider that alternative she had opened the door, and +there was Mr Maguire standing ready to receive her.</p> + +<p>"Dearest Margaret!" he exclaimed. "My own love!" And there he stood, +with his arms open, as though he expected Miss Mackenzie to rush into +them. He was certainly a man of very great courage.</p> + +<p>"Mr Maguire!" said she, and she stood still near the door. Then she +looked at her aunt, and saw that Lady Ball's eyes were keenly fixed +upon her. Something like the truth, some approximation to the facts +as they were, flashed upon her in a moment, and she knew that she had +to bear herself in this difficulty with all her discretion and all +her fortitude.</p> + +<p>"Margaret," exclaimed Mr Maguire, "will you not come to me?"</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, Mr Maguire?" said she, still standing aloof from +him, and retreating somewhat nearer to the door.</p> + +<p>"The gentleman says that you are engaged to marry him," said Lady +Ball.</p> + +<p>Margaret, looking again into her aunt's face, saw the smile of +triumph that sat there, and resolved at once to make good her ground.</p> + +<p>"If he has said that, he has told an untruth,—an untruth both +unmanly and unmannerly. You hear, sir, what Lady Ball has stated. Is +it true that you have made such an assertion?"</p> + +<p>"And will you contradict it, Margaret? Oh, Margaret! Margaret! you +cannot contradict it."</p> + +<p>The reader must remember that this clergyman no doubt thought and +felt that he had a good deal of truth on his side. Gentlemen when +they make offers to ladies, and are told by ladies that they may come +again, and that time is required for consideration, are always +disposed to think that the difficulties of the siege are over. And in +nine cases out of ten it is so. Mr Maguire, no doubt, since the +interview in question, had received letters from the lady which +should at any rate have prevented him from uttering any such +assertion as that which he had now made; but he looked upon those +letters as the work of the enemy, and chose to go back for his +authority to the last words which Margaret had spoken to him. He knew +that he was playing an intricate game,—that all was not quite on the +square; but he thought that the enemy was playing him false, and that +falsehood in return was therefore fair. This that was going on was a +robbery of the Church, a spoiling of Israel, a touching with profane +hands of things that had already been made sacred.</p> + +<p>"But I do contradict it," said Margaret, stepping forward into the +room, and almost exciting admiration in Lady Ball's breast by her +demeanour. "Aunt," said she, "as this gentleman has chosen to come +here with such a story as this, I must tell you all the facts."</p> + +<p>"Has he ever been engaged to you?" asked Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>"Never."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Margaret!" again exclaimed Mr Maguire.</p> + +<p>"Sir, I will ask you to let me tell my aunt the truth. When I was at +Littlebath, before I knew that my fortune was not my own,"—as she +said this she looked hard into Mr Maguire's face—"before I had +become penniless, as I am now,"—then she paused again, and still +looking at him, saw with inward pleasure the elongation of her +suitor's face, "this gentleman asked me to marry him."</p> + +<p>"He did ask you?" said Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>"Of course I asked her," urged Mr Maguire. "There can be no denying +that on either side."</p> + +<p>He did not now quite know what to do. He certainly did not wish to +impoverish the Church by marrying Miss Mackenzie without any fortune. +But might it not all be a trick? That she had been rich he knew, and +how could she have become poor so quickly?</p> + +<p>"He did ask me, and I told him that I must take a fortnight to +consider of it."</p> + +<p>"You did not refuse him, then?" said Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>"Not then, but I have done so since by letter. Twice I have written +to him, telling him that I had nothing of my own, and that there +could be nothing between us."</p> + +<p>"I got her letters," said Mr Maguire, turning round to Lady Ball. "I +certainly got her letters. But such letters as those, if they are +written under <span class="nowrap">dictation—"</span></p> + +<p>He was rather anxious that Lady Bell should quarrel with him. In the +programme which he had made for himself when he came to the house, a +quarrel to the knife with the Ball family was a part of his tactics. +His programme, no doubt, was disturbed by the course which events had +taken, but still a quarrel with Lady Ball might be the best for him. +If she were to quarrel with him, it would give him some evidence that +this story about the loss of the money was untrue. But Lady Ball +would not quarrel with him. She sat still and said nothing. "Nobody +dictated them," said Margaret. "But now you are here, I will tell you +the facts. The money which I thought was mine, in truth belongs to my +cousin, Mr John Ball, and <span class="nowrap">I—"</span></p> + +<p>So far she spoke loudly, With her face raised, and her eyes fixed +upon him. Then as she concluded, she dropped her voice and eyes +together. "And I am now engaged to him as his wife."</p> + +<p>"Oh, indeed!" said Mr Maguire.</p> + +<p>"That statement must be taken for what it is worth," said Lady Ball, +rising from her seat. "Of what Miss Mackenzie says now, I know +nothing. I sincerely hope that she may find that she is mistaken."</p> + +<p>"And now, Margaret," said Mr Maguire, "may I ask to see you for one +minute alone?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly not," said she. "If you have anything more to say I will +hear it in my aunt's presence." She waited a few moments, but as he +did not speak, she took herself back to the door and made her escape +to her own room.</p> + +<p>How Mr Maguire took himself out of the house we need not stop to +inquire. There must, I should think, have been some difficulty in the +manœuvre. It was considerably past three when Sir John was taken +out for his drive, and while he was in the carriage his wife told him +what had occurred.</p> + + +<p><a name="c22" id="c22"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XXII</h3> +<h3>Still at the Cedars<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Margaret, when she had reached her own room, and seated herself so +that she could consider all that had occurred in quietness, +immediately knew her own difficulty. Of course Lady Ball would give +her account of what had occurred to her son, and of course John would +be angry when he learned that there had been any purpose of marriage +between her and Mr Maguire. She herself took a different view of the +matter now than that which had hitherto presented itself. She had not +thought much of Mr Maguire or his proposal. It had been made under a +state of things differing much from that now existing, and the change +that had come upon her affairs had seemed to her to annul the offer. +She had learned to regard it almost as though it had never been. +There had been no engagement; there had hardly been a purpose in her +own mind; and the moment had never come in which she could have +spoken of it to her cousin with propriety.</p> + +<p>That last, in truth, was her valid excuse for not having told him the +whole story. She had hardly been with him long enough to do more than +accept the offer he had himself made. Of course she would have told +him of Mr Maguire,—of Mr Maguire and of Mr Rubb also, when first an +opportunity might come for her to do so. She had no desire to keep +from his knowledge any tittle of what had occurred. There had been +nothing of which she was ashamed. But not the less did she feel that +it would have been well for her that she should have told her own +story before that horrid man had come to the Cedars. The story would +now first be told to him by her aunt, and she knew well the tone in +which it would be told.</p> + +<p>It occurred to her that she might even yet go and meet him at the +station. But if so, she must tell him at once, and he would know that +she had done so because she was afraid of her aunt, and she disliked +the idea of excusing herself before she was accused. If he really +loved her, he would listen to her, and believe her. If he did +not—why then let Lady Ball have her own way. She had promised to be +firm, and she would keep her promise; but she would not intrigue with +the hope of making him firm. If he was infirm of purpose, let him go. +So she sat in her room, even when she heard the door close after his +entrance, and did not go down till it was time for her to show +herself in the drawing-room before dinner. When she entered the room +was full. He nodded at her with a pleasant smile, and she made up her +mind that he had heard nothing as yet. Her uncle had excused himself +from coming to table, and her aunt and John were talking together in +apparent eagerness about him. For one moment her cousin spoke to her +before dinner.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid," he said, "that my father is sinking fast."</p> + +<p>Then she felt quite sure that he had as yet heard nothing about Mr +Maguire.</p> + +<p>But it was late in the evening, when other people had gone to bed, +that Lady Ball was in the habit of discussing family affairs with her +son, and doubtless she would do so to-night. Margaret, before she +went up to her room, strove hard to get from him a few words of +kindness, but it seemed as though he was not thinking of her.</p> + +<p>"He is full of his father," she said to herself.</p> + +<p>When her bed-candle was in her hand she did make an opportunity to +speak to him.</p> + +<p>"Has Mr Slow settled anything more as yet?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Well, yes. Not that he has settled anything, but he has made a +proposition to which I am willing to agree. I don't go up to town +to-morrow, and we will talk it over. If you will agree to it, all the +money difficulties will be settled."</p> + +<p>"I will agree to anything that you tell me is right."</p> + +<p>"I will explain it all to you to-morrow; and, Margaret, I have told +Mr Slow what are my intentions,—our intentions, I ought to say." She +smiled at him with that sweet smile of hers, as though she thanked +him for speaking of himself and her together, and then she took +herself away. Surely, after speaking to her in that way, he would not +allow any words from his mother to dissuade him from his purpose?</p> + +<p>She could not go to bed. She knew that her fate was being discussed, +and she knew that her aunt at that very time was using every argument +in her power to ruin her. She felt, moreover, that the story might be +told in such a way as to be terribly prejudicial to her. And now, +when his father was so ill, might it not be very natural that he +should do almost anything to lessen his mother's troubles? But to her +it would be absolute ruin; such ruin that nothing which she had yet +endured would be in any way like it. The story of the loss of her +money had stunned her, but it had not broken her spirit. Her misery +from that had arisen chiefly from the wants of her brother's family. +But if he were now to tell her that all must be over between them, +her very heart would be broken.</p> + +<p>She could not go to bed while this was going on, so she sat +listening, till she should hear the noise of feet about the house. +Silently she loosened the lock of her own door, so that the sound +might more certainly come to her, and she sat thinking what she might +best do. It had not been quite eleven when she came upstairs, and at +twelve she did not hear anything. And yet she was almost sure that +they must be still together in that small room downstairs, talking of +her and of her conduct. It was past one before she heard the door of +the room open. She heard it so plainly, that she wondered at herself +for having supposed for a moment that they could have gone without +her noticing them. Then she heard her cousin's heavy step coming +upstairs. In passing to his room he would not go actually by her +door, but would be very near it. She looked through the chink, having +carefully put away her own candle, and could see his face as he came +upon the top stair. It wore a look of trouble and of pain, but not, +as she thought, of anger. Her aunt, she knew, would go to her room by +the back stairs, and would go through the kitchen and over the whole +of the lower house, before she would come out on the landing to which +Margaret's room opened. Then, seeing her cousin, the idea occurred to +her that she would have it all over on that very night. If he had +heard that which changed his purpose, why should she be left in +suspense? He should tell her at once, and at once she would prepare +herself for her future life.</p> + +<p>So she opened the door a little way, and called to him.</p> + +<p>"John," she said, "is that you?"</p> + +<p>She spoke almost in a whisper, but, nevertheless, he heard her very +clearly, and at once turned towards her room.</p> + +<p>"Come in, John," she said, opening the door wider. "I wish to speak +to you. I have been waiting till you should come up."</p> + +<p>She had taken off her dress, and had put on in place of it a white +dressing-gown; but of this she had not thought till he was already +within the room. "I hope you won't mind finding me like this, but I +did so want to speak to you to-night."</p> + +<p>He, as he looked at her, felt that he had no objection to make to her +appearance. If that had been his only trouble concerning her he would +have been well satisfied. When he was within the room, she closed the +lock of the door very softly, and then began to question him.</p> + +<p>"Tell me," she said, "what my aunt has been saying to you about that +man that came here to-day."</p> + +<p>He did not answer her at once, but stood leaning against the bed.</p> + +<p>"I know she has been telling you," continued Margaret. "I know she +would not let you go to bed without accusing me. Tell me, John, what +she has told you."</p> + +<p>He was very slow to speak. As he had sat listening to his mother's +energetic accusation against the woman he had promised to marry, +hearing her bring up argument after argument to prove that Margaret +had, in fact, been engaged to that clergyman,—that she had intended +to marry that man while she had money, and had not, up to that day, +made him fully understand that she would not do so,—he had himself +said little or nothing, claiming to himself the use of that night for +consideration. The circumstances against Margaret he owned to be very +strong. He felt angry with her for having had any lover at +Littlebath. It was but the other day, during her winter visit to the +Cedars, that he had himself proposed to her, and that she had +rejected him. He had now renewed his proposal, and he did not like to +think that there had been any one else between his overtures. And he +could not deny the strength of his mother's argument when she averred +that Mr Maguire would not have come down there unless he had had, as +she said, every encouragement. Indeed, throughout the whole affair, +Lady Ball believed Mr Maguire, and disbelieved her niece; and +something of her belief, and something also of her disbelief, +communicated itself to her son. But, still, he reserved to himself +the right of postponing his own opinion till the morrow; and as he +was coming upstairs, when Margaret saw him through the chink of the +door, he was thinking of her smiles, of her graciousness, and her +goodness. He was remembering the touch of her hand when they were +together in the square, and the feminine sweetness with which she had +yielded to him every point regarding her fortune. When he did not +speak to her at once, she questioned him again.</p> + +<p>"I know she has told you that Mr Maguire has been here, and that she +has accused me of deceiving you."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Margaret, she has."</p> + +<p>"And what have you said in return; or rather, what have you thought?"</p> + +<p>He had been leaning, or half sitting, on the bed, and she had placed +herself beside him. How was it that she had again taken him by the +coat, and again looked up into his face with those soft, trusting +eyes? Was it a trick with her? Had she ever taken that other man by +the coat in the same way, and smitten him also with the battery of +her eyes? The loose sleeve of her dressing-gown had fallen back, and +he could see that her arm was round and white, and very fair. Was she +conversant with such tricks as these? His mother had called her +clever and cunning as a serpent. Was it so? Had his mother seen with +eyes clearer than his own, and was he now being surrounded by the +meshes of a false woman's web? He moved away from her quickly, and +stood upon the hearth-rug with his back to the empty fire grate.</p> + +<p>Then she stood up also.</p> + +<p>"John," she said, "if you have condemned me, say so. I shall defend +myself for the sake of my character, but I shall not ask you to come +back to me."</p> + +<p>But he had not condemned her. He had not condemned her altogether, +neither had he acquitted her. He was willing enough to hear her +defence, as he had heard his mother's accusation; but he was desirous +of hearing it without committing himself to any opinion.</p> + +<p>"I have been much surprised," he said, "by what my mother has now +told me,—very much surprised indeed. If Mr Maguire had any claim +upon your hand, should you not have told me?"</p> + +<p>"He had no claim; but no doubt it was right that I should tell you. I +was bound by my duty to tell you everything that had occurred."</p> + +<p>"Of course you were—and yet you did not do it."</p> + +<p>"But I was not so bound before what you said to me in the shrubbery +last night? Remember, John, it was but last night. Have I had a +moment to speak to you?"</p> + +<p>"If there was any question of engagement between you and him, you +should have told it me then, on the instant."</p> + +<p>"But there was no question. He came to me one day and made me an +offer. I will tell you everything, and I think you will believe me. I +found him holding a position of respect, at Littlebath, and I was all +alone in the world. Why should I not listen to him? I gave him no +answer, but told him to speak to me again after a while. Then came my +poor brother's illness and death; and after that came, as you know, +the loss of all my money. In the meantime Mr Maguire had written, but +as I knew that my brother's family must trust to me for their +support—that, at least, John was my hope then—I answered him that +my means were not the same as before, and that everything must be +over. Then he wrote to me again after I had lost my money, and once I +answered him. I wrote to him so that he should know that nothing +could come of it. Here are all his letters, and I have a copy of the +last I wrote to him." So saying, she pulled the papers out of her +desk,—the desk in which still lay the torn shreds of her +poetry,—and handed them to him. "After that, what right had he to +come here and make such a statement as he did to my aunt? How can he +be a gentleman, and say what was so false?"</p> + +<p>"No one says that he is a gentleman," replied John Ball, as he took +the proffered papers.</p> + +<p>"I have told you all now," said she; and as she spoke, a gleam of +anger flashed from her eyes, for she was not in all respects a +Griselda such as she of old. "I have told you all now, and if further +excuse be wanting, I have none further to make."</p> + +<p>Slowly he read the letters, still standing up on the hearth-rug, and +then he folded them again into their shapes, and slowly gave them +back to her.</p> + +<p>"There is no doubt," said he, "as to his being a blackguard. He was +hunting for your money, and now that he knows you have got none, he +will trouble you no further." Then he made a move from the place on +which he stood, as if he were going.</p> + +<p>"And is that to be all, John?" she said.</p> + +<p>"I shall see you to-morrow," he replied. "I am not going to town."</p> + +<p>"But is that to be all to-night?"</p> + +<p>"It is very late," and he looked at his watch. "I do not see that any +good can come of talking more about it now. Good-night to you."</p> + +<p>"Good-night," she said. Then she waited till the door was closed, and +when he was gone she threw herself upon the bed. Alas! alas! Now once +more was she ruined, and her present ruin was ruin indeed.</p> + +<p>She threw herself on the bed, and sobbed as though she would have +broken her heart in the bitterness of her spirit. She had told him +the plainest, simplest truest story, and he had received it without +one word of comment in her favour,—without one sign to show that her +truthfulness had been acknowledged by him! He had told her that this +man, who had done her so great an injury, was a blackguard; but of +her own conduct he had not allowed himself to speak. She knew that +his judgment had gone against her, and though she felt it to be +hard,—very hard,—she resolved that she would make no protest +against it. Of course she would leave the Cedars. Only a few hours +since she had assured herself that it was her duty henceforward to +obey him in everything. But that was now all changed. Whatever he +might say to the contrary, she would go. If he chose to follow her +whither she went, and again ask her to be his wife she would receive +him with open arms. Oh, yes; let him only once again own that she was +worthy of him, and then she would sit at his feet and confess her +folly, and ask his pardon a thousand times for the trouble she had +given him. But unless he were to do this she would never again beg +for favour. She had made her defence, and had, as she felt, made it +in vain. She would not condescend to say one other word in excuse of +her conduct.</p> + +<p>As for her aunt, all terms between Lady Ball and herself must be at +an end. Lady Ball had passed a day with her in the house without +speaking to her, except when that man had come, and then she had +taken part with him! Her aunt, she thought, had been untrue to +hospitality in not defending the guest within her own walls; she had +been untrue to her own blood, in not defending her husband's niece; +but, worse than all that, ten times worse, she had been untrue as +from one woman to another! Margaret, as she thought of this, rose +from the bed and walked wildly through the room unlike any Griselda. +No; she would have no terms with Lady Ball. Lady Ball had understood +it all, though John had not done so! She had known how it all was, +and had pretended not to know. Because she had an object of her own +to gain, she had allowed these calumnies to be believed! Let come +what might, they should all know that Margaret Mackenzie, poor, +wretched, destitute as she was, had still spirit enough to resent +such injuries as these.</p> + +<p>In the morning she sent down word by one of her young cousins that +she would not come to breakfast, and she asked that some tea might be +sent up to her.</p> + +<p>"Is she in bed, my dear?" asked Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>"No, she is not in bed," said Jane Ball. "She is sitting up, and has +got all her things about the room as though she were packing."</p> + +<p>"What nonsense!" said Lady Ball; "why does she not come down?"</p> + +<p>Then Isabella, the eldest girl, was sent up to her, but Margaret +refused to show herself.</p> + +<p>"She says she would rather not; but she wants to know if papa will +walk out with her at ten."</p> + +<p>Lady Ball again said that this was nonsense, but tea and toast were +at last supplied to her, and her cousin promised to be ready at the +hour named. Exactly at ten o'clock, Margaret opened the schoolroom +door, and asked one of the girls to tell her father that she would be +found on the walk leading to the long shrubbery.</p> + +<p>There on the walk she remained, walking slowly backwards and forwards +over a space of twenty yards, till he joined her. She gave him her +hand, and then turned towards the long shrubbery, and he, following +her direction, walked at her side.</p> + +<p>"John," she said, "you will not be surprised at my telling you that, +after what has occurred, I shall leave this place to-day."</p> + +<p>"You must not do that," he said.</p> + +<p>"Ah, but I must do it. There are some things John, which no woman +should bear or need bear. After what has occurred it is not right +that I should incur your mother's displeasure any longer. All my +things are ready. I want you to have them taken down to the one +o'clock train."</p> + +<p>"No, Margaret; I will not consent to that."</p> + +<p>"But, John, I cannot consent to anything else. Yesterday was a +terrible day for me. I don't think you can know how terrible. What I +endured then no one has a right to expect that I should endure any +longer. It was necessary that I should say something to you of what +had occurred, and that I said last night. I have no further call to +remain here, and, most positively, I shall go to-day."</p> + +<p>He looked into her face and saw that she was resolved, but yet he was +not minded to give way. He did not like to think that all authority +over her was passing out of his hands. During the night he had not +made up his mind to pardon her at once. Nay, he had not yet told +himself that he would pardon her at all. But he was prepared to +receive her tears and excuses, and we may say that, in all +probability, he would have pardoned her had she wept before him and +excused herself. But though she could shed tears on this +matter,—though, doubtless, there were many tears to be shed by +her,—she would shed no more before him in token of submission. If he +would first submit, then, indeed, she might weep on his shoulder or +laugh on his breast, as his mood might dictate.</p> + +<p>"Margaret," he said, "we have very much to talk over before you can +go."</p> + +<p>"There will be time for that between this and one. Look here, John; I +have made up my mind to go. After what took place yesterday, it will +be better for us all that we should be apart."</p> + +<p>"I don't see that, unless, indeed, you are determined to quarrel with +us altogether. I suppose my wishes in the matter will count for +something."</p> + +<p>"Yesterday morning they would have counted for everything; but not +this morning."</p> + +<p>"And why not, Margaret?"</p> + +<p>This was a question to which it was so difficult to find a reply, +that she left it unanswered. They both walked on in silence for some +paces, and then she spoke again.</p> + +<p>"You said yesterday that you had been with Mr Slow, and that you had +something to tell me. If you still wish to tell me anything, perhaps +you can do so now."</p> + +<p>"Everything seems to be so much changed," said he, speaking very +gloomily.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said she; "things are changed. But my confidence in Mr Slow, +and in you, is not altered. If you like it, you can settle everything +about the money without consulting me. I shall agree to anything +about that."</p> + +<p>"I was going to propose that your brother's family should have the +debt due by the Rubbs. Mr Slow thinks he might so manage as to secure +the payment of the interest."</p> + +<p>"Very well; I shall be delighted that it should be so. I had hoped +that they would have had more, but that of course is all over. I +cannot give them what is not mine."</p> + +<p>But this arrangement, which would have been pleasant enough +before,—which seemed to be very pleasant when John Ball was last in +Mr Slow's chambers, telling that gentleman that he was going to make +everything smooth by marrying his cousin,—was not by any means so +pleasant now. He had felt, when he was mentioning the proposed +arrangement to Margaret, that the very naming of it seemed to imply +that Mr Maguire and his visit were to go for nothing. If Mr Maguire +and his visit were to go for much—to go for all that which Lady Ball +wished to make of them—then, in such a case as that, the friendly +arrangement in question would not hold water. If that were to be so, +they must all go to work again, and Mr Slow must be told to do the +best in his power for his own client. John Ball was by no means +resolved to obey his mother implicitly and make so much of Mr Maguire +and his visit as all this; but how could he help doing so if Margaret +would go away? He could not as yet bring himself to tell her that Mr +Maguire and the visit should go altogether for nothing. He shook his +head in his trouble, and pished and pshawed.</p> + +<p>"The truth is, Margaret, you can't go to-day."</p> + +<p>"Indeed I shall, John," said she, smiling. "You would hardly wish to +keep me a prisoner, and the worst you could do would be to keep my +luggage from me."</p> + +<p>"Then I must say that you are very obstinate."</p> + +<p>"It is not very often that I resolve to have my own way; but I have +resolved now, and you should not try to balk me."</p> + +<p>They had now come round nearly to the house, and she showed, by the +direction that she took, that she was going in.</p> + +<p>"You will go?" said he.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said she; "I will go. My address will be at the old house in +Arundel Street. Shall I see you again before I go?" she asked him, +when she stood on the doorstep. "Perhaps you will be busy, and I had +better say goodbye."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye," said he, very gloomily; but he took her hand.</p> + +<p>"I suppose I had better not disturb my uncle. You will give him my +love. And, John, you will tell some one about my luggage; will you +not?"</p> + +<p>He muttered some affirmative, and then went round from the front of +the house, while she entered the hall.</p> + +<p>It was now half-past eleven, and she intended to start at half-past +twelve. She went into the drawing-room and not finding her aunt, rang +the bell. Lady Ball was with Sir John, she was told. She then wrote a +note on a scrap of paper, and sent it in:<br /> </p> + + +<blockquote> +<p class="noindent"><span class="smallcaps">Dear Aunt</span>,</p> + +<p>I leave here at half-past twelve. Perhaps you would like +to see me before I go.</p> + +<p class="ind15">M. M.<br /> </p> +</blockquote> + + +<p>Then, while she was waiting for an answer, she went into the school +room, and said good-bye to all the children.</p> + +<p>"But you are coming back, aunt Meg," said the youngest girl.</p> + +<p>Margaret stooped down to kiss her, and, when the child saw and felt +the tears, she asked no further questions.</p> + +<p>"Lady Ball is in the drawing-room, Miss," a servant said at that +moment, and there she went to fight her last battle!</p> + +<p>"What's the meaning of this, Margaret?" said her aunt.</p> + +<p>"Simply that I am going. I was to have gone on Monday, as you will +remember."</p> + +<p>"But it was understood that you were to stop."</p> + +<p>For a moment or two Margaret said nothing.</p> + +<p>"I hate these sudden changes," said Lady Ball; "they are hardly +respectable. I don't think you should leave the house in this way, +without having given notice to any one. What will the servants think +of it?"</p> + +<p>"They will probably think the truth, aunt. They probably thought +that, when they saw that you did not speak to me yesterday morning. +You can hardly imagine that I should stay in the house under such +circumstances as that."</p> + +<p>"You must do as you like, of course."</p> + +<p>"In this instance I must, aunt. I suppose I cannot see my uncle?"</p> + +<p>"It is quite out of the question."</p> + +<p>"Then I will say good-bye to you. I have said good-bye to John. +Good-bye, aunt," and Margaret put out her hand.</p> + +<p>But Lady Ball did not put out hers.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Margaret," she said. "There are circumstances under which +it is impossible for a person to make any expression of feeling that +may be taken for approbation. I hope a time may come when these +things shall have passed away, and that I may be able to see you +again." Margaret's eyes, as she made her way out of the room were +full of tears, and when she found herself outside the hall door, and +at the bottom of the steps, she was obliged to put her handkerchief +up to them. Before her on the road was a boy with a donkey cart and +her luggage. She looked round furtively, half-fearing, half +hoping—hardly expecting, but yet thinking, that she might again see +her cousin. But he did not show himself to her as she walked down to +the railway station by herself. As she went she told herself that she +was right; she applauded her own courage, but what, oh! what was she +to do? Everything now was over for her. Her fortune was gone. The man +whom she had learned to love had left her. There was no place in the +world on which her feet might rest till she had made one for herself +by the work of her hands. And as for friends—was there a single +being in the world whom she could now call her friend?</p> + + +<p><a name="c23" id="c23"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XXIII</h3> +<h3>The Lodgings of Mrs Buggins, Née Protheroe<br /> </h3> + + +<p>It was nearly the end of October when Miss Mackenzie left the Cedars +and at that time of the year there is not much difficulty in getting +lodgings in London. The house which her brother Walter occupied in +Arundel Street had, at his death, remained in the hands of an old +servant of his, who had bought her late master's furniture with her +savings, and had continued to live there, letting out the house in +lodgings. Her former mistress had gone to see her once or twice +during the past year, and it had been understood between them, that +if Miss Mackenzie ever wanted a room for a night or two in London, +she could be accommodated at the old house. She would have preferred +to write to Hannah Protheroe,—or Mrs Protheroe, as she was now +called by brevet rank since she had held a house of her own,—had +time permitted her to do so. But time and the circumstances did not +permit this, and therefore she had herself driven to Arundel Street +without any notice.</p> + +<p>Mrs Protheroe received her with open arms, and with many promises of +comfort and attendance,—as was to be expected, seeing that Mrs +Protheroe was, as she thought, receiving into her house the rich +heiress. She proffered at once the use of her drawing-room and of the +best bedroom, and declared that as the house was now empty, with the +exception of one young gentleman from Somerset House upstairs, she +would be able to devote herself almost exclusively to Miss Mackenzie. +Things were much changed from those former days in which Hannah +Protheroe used frequently to snub Margaret Mackenzie, being almost of +equal standing in the house with her young mistress. And now Margaret +was called upon to explain, that low as her standing might have been +then, at this present moment it was even lower. She had indeed the +means of paying for her lodgings, but these she was called upon to +husband with the minutest economy. The task of telling all this was +difficult. She began it by declining the drawing-room, and by saying +that a bedroom upstairs would suffice for her.</p> + +<p>"You haven't heard, Hannah, what has happened to me," she said, when +Mrs Protheroe expressed her surprise at this decision. "My brother's +will was no will at all. I do not get any of his property. It all +goes under some other will to my cousin, Mr John Ball."</p> + +<p>By these tidings Hannah was of course prostrated, and driven into a +state of excitement that was not without its pleasantness as far as +she was concerned. Of course she objected that the last will must be +the real will, and in this way the matter came to full discussion +between them.</p> + +<p>"And, after all, that John Ball is to have everything!" said Mrs +Protheroe, holding up both her hands. By this time Hannah Protheroe +had got herself comfortably into a chair, and no doubt her personal +pleasure in the evening's occupation was considerably enhanced by the +unconscious feeling that she was the richer woman of the two. But she +behaved very well, and I am inclined to think, in preparing buttered +muffins for her guest, she was more particular in the toasting, and +more generous with the butter, than she would have been had she been +preparing the dainty for drawing-room use. And when she learned that +Margaret had eaten nothing since breakfast, she herself went out and +brought in a sweetbread with her own hand, though she kept a servant +whom she might have sent to the shop. And, for the honour of +lodging-house keepers, I protest that that sweetbread never made its +appearance in any bill.</p> + +<p>"You will be more comfortable down here with me, won't you, my dear, +than up there, with not a creature to speak to?"</p> + +<p>In this way Mrs Protheroe made her apology for giving Miss Mackenzie +her tea downstairs, in a little back parlour behind the kitchen. It +was a tidy room, with two wooden armchairs, and a bit of carpet over +the flags in the centre, and a rug before the fire. Margaret did not +inquire why it smelt of tobacco, nor did Mrs Protheroe think it +necessary to give any explanation why she went up herself at +half-past seven to answer the bell at the area; nor did she say +anything then of the office messenger from Somerset House, who often +found this little room convenient for his evening pipe. So was passed +the first evening after our Griselda had left the Cedars.</p> + +<p>The next day she sat at home doing nothing,—still talking to Hannah +Protheroe, and thinking that perhaps John Ball might come. But he did +not come. She dined downstairs, at one o'clock, in the same room +behind the kitchen, and then she had tea at six. But as Hannah +intimated that perhaps a gentleman friend would look in during the +evening, she was obliged to betake herself, after tea, to the +solitude of her own room. As Hannah was between fifty and sixty, and +nearer the latter age than the former, there could be no objection to +her receiving what visitors she pleased. The third day passed with +Miss Mackenzie the same as the second, and still no cousin came to +see her. The next day, being Sunday, she diversified by going to +church three times; but on the Sunday she was forced to dine alone, +as the gentleman friend usually came in on that day to eat his bit of +mutton with his friend, Mrs Protheroe.</p> + +<p>"A most respectable man, in the Admiralty branch, Miss Margaret, and +will have a pension of twenty-seven shillings and sixpence a week in +a year or two. And it is so lonely by oneself, you know."</p> + +<p>Then Miss Mackenzie knew that Hannah Protheroe intended to become +Hannah Buggins, and she understood the whole mystery of the tobacco +smoke.</p> + +<p>On the Monday she went to the house in Gower Street, and communicated +to them the fact that she had left the Cedars. Miss Colza was in the +room with her sister-in-law and nieces, and as it was soon evident +that Miss Colza knew the whole history of her misfortune with +reference to the property, she talked about her affairs before Miss +Colza as though that young lady had been one of her late brother's +family. But yet she felt that she did not like Miss Colza, and once +or twice felt almost inclined to resent certain pushing questions +which Miss Colza addressed to her.</p> + +<p>"And have you quarrelled with all the Ball family?" the young lady +asked, putting great emphasis on the word all.</p> + +<p>"I did not say that I had quarrelled with any of them," said Miss +Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I beg pardon. I thought as you came away so sudden like, and as +you didn't see any of them since, you +<span class="nowrap">know—"</span></p> + +<p>"It is a matter of no importance whatever," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"No: none in the least," said Miss Colza. And in this way they made +up their minds to hate each other.</p> + +<p>But what did the woman mean by talking in this way of all the Balls, +as though a quarrel with one of the family was a thing of more +importance than a quarrel with any of the others? Could she know, or +could she even guess, anything of John Ball and of the offer he had +made? But this mystery was soon cleared up in Margaret's mind, when, +at Mrs Mackenzie's request, they two went upstairs into that lady's +bedroom for a little private conversation.</p> + +<p>The conversation was desired for purposes appertaining solely to the +convenience of the widow. She wanted some money, and then, with tears +in her eyes, she demanded to know what was to be done. Miss Colza +paid her eighteen shillings a week for board and lodging, and that +was now two weeks in arrear; and one bedroom was let to a young man +employed in the oilcloth factory, at seven shillings a week.</p> + +<p>"And the rent is ninety pounds, and the taxes twenty-two," said Mrs +Mackenzie, with her handkerchief up to her eyes; "and there's the +taxman come now for seven pound ten, and where I'm to get it, unless +I coined my blood, I don't know."</p> + +<p>Margaret gave her two sovereigns which she had in her purse, and +promised to send her a cheque for the amount of the taxes due. Then +she told as much as she could tell of that proposal as to the +interest of the money due from the firm in the New Road.</p> + +<p>"If it could only be made certain," said the widow, who had fallen +much from her high ideas since Margaret had last seen her. Things +were greatly changed in that house since the day on which the dinner, +à la Russe, had been given under the auspices of Mr Grandairs. "If it +can only be made certain. They still keep his name up in the firm. +There it is as plain as life over the place of business"—she would +not even yet call it a shop—"Rubb and Mackenzie; and yet they won't +let me know anything as to how matters are going on. I went there the +other day, and they would tell me nothing. And as for Samuel Rubb, he +hasn't been here this last fortnight, and I've got no one to see me +righted. If you were to ask Mr Slow, wouldn't he be able to see me +righted?"</p> + +<p>Margaret declared that she hardly knew whether that would come within +Mr Slow's line of business, and that she did not feel herself +competent to give advice on such a point as that. She then explained, +as best she could, that her own affairs were not as yet settled, but +that she was led to hope, from what had been said to her, that the +interest due by the firm on the money borrowed might become a fixed +annual income for Mrs Mackenzie's benefit.</p> + +<p>After that it came out that Mr Maguire had again been in Gower +Street.</p> + +<p>"And he was alone, for the best part of half an hour, with that young +woman downstairs," said Mrs Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"And you saw him?" Margaret asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; I saw him afterwards."</p> + +<p>"And what did he say?"</p> + +<p>"He didn't say much to me. Only he gave me to understand—at least, +that is what I suppose he meant—that you and he— He meant to say, +that you and he had been courting, I suppose."</p> + +<p>Then Margaret understood why Miss Colza had desired to know whether +she had quarrelled with all the Balls. In her open and somewhat +indignant speech in the drawing-room at the Cedars, she had declared +before Mr Maguire, in her aunt's presence, that she was engaged to +marry her cousin, John Ball. Mr Maguire had now enlisted Miss Colza +in his service, and had told Miss Colza what had occurred. But still +Miss Mackenzie did not thoroughly understand the matter. Why, she +asked herself, should Mr Maguire trouble himself further, now that he +knew that she had no fortune? But, in truth, it was not so easy to +satisfy Mr Maguire on that point, as it was to satisfy Miss Mackenzie +herself. He believed that the relatives of his lady-love were robbing +her, or that they were, at any rate, taking advantage of her +weakness. If it might be given to him to rescue her and her fortune +from them, then, in such case as that, surely he would get his +reward. The reader will therefore understand why Miss Colza was +anxious to know whether Miss Mackenzie had quarrelled with all the +Balls.</p> + +<p>Margaret's face became unusually black when she was told that she and +Mr Maguire had been courting, but she did not contradict the +assertion. She did, however, express her opinion of that gentleman.</p> + +<p>"He is a mean, false, greedy man," she said, and then paused a +moment; "and he has been the cause of my ruin." She would not, +however, explain what she meant by this, and left the house, without +going back to the room in which Miss Colza was sitting.</p> + +<p>About a week afterwards she got a letter from Mr Slow, in which that +gentleman,—or rather the firm, for the letter was signed Slow and +Bideawhile,—asked her whether she was in want of immediate funds. +The affair between her and her cousin was not yet, they said, in a +state for final settlement, but they would be justified in supplying +her own immediate wants out of the estate. To this she sent a reply, +saying that she had money for her immediate wants, but that she would +feel very grateful if anything could be done for Mrs Mackenzie and +her family. Then she got a further letter, very short, saying that a +half-year's interest on the loan had, by Mr Ball's consent, been paid +to Mrs Mackenzie by Rubb and Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>On the day following this, when she was sitting up in her bedroom, +Mrs Protheroe came to her, dressed in wonderful habiliments. She wore +a dark-blue bonnet, filled all round with yellow flowers, and a +spotted silk dress, of which the prevailing colour was scarlet. She +was going, she said, to St Mary-le-Strand, "to be made Mrs Buggins +of." She tried to carry it off with bravado when she entered the +room, but she left it with a tear in her eye, and a whimper in her +throat. "To be sure, I'm an old woman," she said before she went. +"Who has said that I ain't? Not I; nor yet Buggins. We is both of us +old. But I don't know why we is to be desolate and lonely all our +days, because we ain't young. It seems to me that the young folks is +to have it all to themselves, and I'm sure I don't know why." Then +she went, clearly resolved, that as far as she was concerned, the +young people shouldn't have it all to themselves; and as Buggins was +of the same way of thinking, they were married at St Mary-le-Strand +that very morning.</p> + +<p>And this marriage would have been of no moment to us or to our little +history, had not Mr Maguire chosen that morning, of all mornings in +the year, to call on Miss Mackenzie in Arundel Street. He had +obtained her address—of course, from Miss Colza; and, not having +been idle the while in pushing his inquiries respecting Miss +Mackenzie's affairs, had now come to Arundel Street to carry on the +battle as best he might. Margaret was still in her room as he came, +and as the girl could not show the gentleman up there, she took him +into an empty parlour, and brought the tidings up to the lodger. Mr +Maguire had not sent up his name; but a personal description by the +girl at once made Margaret know who was there.</p> + +<p>"I won't see him," said she, with heightened colour, grieving greatly +that the strong-minded Hannah Protheroe,—or Buggins, as it might +probably be by that time,—was not at home. "Martha, don't let him +come up. Tell him to go away at once."</p> + +<p>After some persuasion, the girl went down with the message, which she +softened to suit her own idea of propriety. But she returned, saying +that the gentleman was very urgent. He insisted that he must see Miss +Mackenzie, if only for an instant, before he left the house.</p> + +<p>"Tell him," said Margaret, "that nothing shall induce me to see him. +I'll send for a policeman. If he won't go when he's told, Martha, you +must go for a policeman."</p> + +<p>Martha, when she heard that, became frightened about the spoons and +coats, and ran down again in a hurry. Then she came up again with a +scrap of paper, on which a few words had been written with a pencil. +This was passed through a very narrow opening in the door, as +Margaret stood with it guarded, fearing lest the enemy might carry +the point by an assault.</p> + +<p>"You are being robbed," said the note, "you are, indeed,—and my only +wish is to protect you."</p> + +<p>"Tell him that there is no answer, and that I will receive no more +notes from him," said Margaret. Then, at last, when he received that +message, Mr Maguire went away.</p> + +<p>About a week after that, another visitor came to Miss Mackenzie, and +him she received. But he was not the man for whose coming she in +truth longed. It was Mr Samuel Rubb who now called, and when Mrs +Buggins told her lodger that he was in the parlour, she went down to +see him willingly. Her life was now more desolate than it had been +before the occurrence of that ceremony in the church of St +Mary-le-Strand; for, though she had much respect for Mr Buggins, of +whose character she had heard nothing that was not good, and though +she had given her consent as to the expediency of the Buggins' +alliance, she did not find herself qualified to associate with Mr +Buggins.</p> + +<p>"He won't say a word, Miss," Hannah had pleaded, "and he'll run and +fetch for you like a dog."</p> + +<p>But even when recommended so highly for his social qualities, +Buggins, she felt, would be antipathetic to her; and, with many false +assurances that she did not think it right to interrupt a +newly-married couple, she confined herself on those days to her own +room.</p> + +<p>But when Mr Rubb came, she went down to see him. How much Mr Rubb +knew of her affairs,—how far he might be in Miss Colza's +confidence,—she did not know; but his conduct to her had not been +offensive, and she had been pleased when she learned that the first +half year's interest had been paid to her sister-in-law.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry to hear of all this, Miss Mackenzie," said he, when he +came forward to greet her. He had not thought it necessary, on this +occasion, to put on his yellow gloves or his shiny boots, and she +liked him the better on that account.</p> + +<p>"Of all what, Mr Rubb?" said she.</p> + +<p>"Why, about you and the family at the Cedars. If what I hear is true, +they've just got you to give up everything, and then dropped you."</p> + +<p>"I left Sir John Ball's house on my own account, Mr Rubb; I was not +turned out."</p> + +<p>"I don't suppose they'd do that. They wouldn't dare to do that; not +so soon after getting hold of your money. Miss Mackenzie, I hope I +shall not anger you; but it seems to me to be the most horridly +wicked piece of business I ever heard of."</p> + +<p>"You are mistaken, Mr Rubb. You forget that the thing was first found +out by my own lawyer."</p> + +<p>"I don't know how that may be, but I can't bring myself to believe +that it all is as they say it is; I can't, indeed."</p> + +<p>She merely smiled, and shook her head. Then he went on speaking.</p> + +<p>"I hope I'm not giving offence. It's not what I mean, if I am."</p> + +<p>"You are not giving any offence, Mr Rubb; only I think you are +mistaken about my relatives at Twickenham."</p> + +<p>"Of course, I may be; there's no doubt of that. I may be mistaken, +like another. But, Miss Mackenzie, by heavens, I can't bring myself +to think it." As he spoke in this energetic way, he rose from his +chair, and stood opposite to her. "I cannot bring myself to think +that the fight should be given up."</p> + +<p>"But there has been no fight."</p> + +<p>"There ought to be a fight, Miss Mackenzie; I know that there ought. +I believe I'm right in supposing, if all this is allowed to go by the +board as it is going, that you won't have, so to say, anything of +your own."</p> + +<p>"I shall have to earn my bread like other people; and, indeed, I am +endeavouring now to put myself in the way of doing so."</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you how you shall earn it. Come and be my wife. I think +we've got a turn for good up at the business. Come and be my wife. +That's honest, any way."</p> + +<p>"You are honest," said she, with a tear in her eye.</p> + +<p>"I am honest now," said he, "though I was not honest to you once;" +and I think there was a tear in his eye also.</p> + +<p>"If you mean about that money that you have borrowed, I am very glad +of it—very glad of it. It will be something for them in Gower +Street."</p> + +<p>"Miss Mackenzie, as long as I have a hand to help myself with, they +shall have that at least. But now, about this other thing. Whether +there's nothing to come or anything, I'll be true to my offer. I'll +fight for it, if there's to be a fight, and I'll let it go if there's +to be no fight. But whether one way or whether the other, there shall +be a home for you when you say the word. Say it now. Will you be my +wife?"</p> + +<p>"I cannot say that word, Mr Rubb."</p> + +<p>"And why not?"</p> + +<p>"I cannot say it; indeed, I cannot."</p> + +<p>"Is it Mr Ball that prevents you?"</p> + +<p>"Do not ask me questions like that. Indeed, indeed, indeed, I cannot +do as you ask me."</p> + +<p>"You despise me, like enough, because I am only a tradesman?"</p> + +<p>"What am I myself, that I should despise any man? No, Mr Rubb, I am +thankful and grateful to you; but it cannot be."</p> + +<p>Then he took up his hat, and, turning away from her without any word +of adieu, made his way out of the house.</p> + +<p>"He really do seem a nice man, Miss," said Mrs Buggins. "I wonder you +wouldn't have him liefer than go into one of them hospitals."</p> + +<p>Whether Miss Mackenzie had any remnant left of another hope, or +whether all such hope had gone, we need not perhaps inquire +accurately. Whatever might be the state of her mind on that score, +she was doing her best to carry out her purpose with reference to the +plan of nursing; and as she could not now apply to her cousin, she +had written to Mr Slow upon the subject.</p> + +<p>Late in November yet another gentleman came to see her, but when he +came she was unfortunately out. She had gone up to the house in Gower +Street, and had there been so cross-questioned by the indefatigable +Miss Colza that she had felt herself compelled to tell her +sister-in-law that she could not again come there as long as Miss +Colza was one of the family. It was manifest to her that these +questions had been put on behalf of Mr Maguire, and she had therefore +felt more indignant than she would have been had they originated in +the impertinent curiosity of the woman herself. She also informed Mrs +Mackenzie that, in obedience to instructions from Mr Slow, she +intended to postpone her purpose with reference to the hospital till +some time early in the next year. Mr Slow had sent a clerk to her to +explain that till that time such amicable arrangement as that to +which he looked forward to make could not be completed. On her return +from this visit to Gower Street she found the card,—simply the +card,—of her cousin, John Ball.</p> + +<p>Why had she gone out? Why had she not remained a fixture in the +house, seeing that it had always been possible that he should come? +But why! oh, why! had he treated her in this way, leaving his card at +her home, as though that would comfort her in her grievous +desolation? It would have been far better that he should have left +there no intimation of his coming. She took the card, and in her +anger threw it from her into the fire.</p> + +<p>But yet she waited for him to come again. Not once during the next +ten days, excepting on the Sunday, did she go out of the house during +the hours that her cousin would be in London. Very sad and monotonous +was her life, passed alone in her own bedroom. And it was the more +sad, because Mrs Buggins somewhat resented the manner in which her +husband was treated. Mrs Buggins was still attentive, but she made +little speeches about Buggins' respectability, and Margaret felt that +her presence in the house was an annoyance.</p> + +<p>At last, at the end of the ten days, John Ball came again, and +Margaret, with a fluttering heart, descended to meet him in the empty +parlour.</p> + +<p>She was the first to speak. As she had come downstairs, she had made +up her mind to tell him openly what were her thoughts.</p> + +<p>"I had hoped to have seen you before this, John," she said, as she +gave him her hand.</p> + +<p>"I did call before. Did you not get my card?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; I got your card. But I had expected to see you before that. +The kind of life that I am leading here is very sad, and cannot be +long continued."</p> + +<p>"I would have had you remain at the Cedars, Margaret; but you would +not be counselled by me."</p> + +<p>"No; not in that, John."</p> + +<p>"I only mention it now to excuse myself. But you are not to suppose +that I am not anxious about you, because I have not seen you. I have +been with Mr Slow constantly. These law questions are always very +tedious in being settled."</p> + +<p>"But I want nothing for myself."</p> + +<p>"It behoves Mr Slow, for that very reason, to be the more anxious on +your behalf; and, if you will believe me, Margaret, I am quite as +anxious as he is. If you had remained with us, I could have discussed +the matter with you from day to day; but, of course, I cannot do so +while you are here."</p> + +<p>As he was talking in this way, everything with reference to their +past intercourse came across her mind. She could not tell him that +she had been anxious to see him, not with reference to the money, but +that he might tell her that he did not find her guilty on that charge +which her aunt had brought against her concerning Mr Maguire. She did +not want assurances of solicitude as to her future means of +maintenance. She cared little or nothing about her future +maintenance, if she could not get from him one kind word with +reference to the past. But he went on talking to her about Mr Slow, +and the interest, and the property, and the law, till, at last, in +her anger, she told him that she did not care to hear further about +it, till she should be told at last what she was to do.</p> + +<p>"As I have got nothing of my own," she said, "I want to be earning my +bread, and I think that the delay is cruel."</p> + +<p>"And do you think," said he, "that the delay is not cruel to me +also?"</p> + +<p>She thought that he alluded to the fact that he could not yet obtain +possession of the income for his own purposes.</p> + +<p>"You may have it all at once, for me," she said.</p> + +<p>"Have all what?" he replied. "Margaret, I think you fail to see the +difficulties of my position. In the first place, my father is on his +deathbed!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, John, I am sorry for that."</p> + +<p>"And, then, my mother is very bitter about all this. And how can I, +at such a time, tell her that her opinion is to go for nothing? I am +bound to think of my own children, and cannot abandon my claim to the +property."</p> + +<p>"No one wants you to abandon it. At least, I do not."</p> + +<p>"What am I to do, then? This Mr Maguire is making charges against +me."</p> + +<p>"Oh, John!"</p> + +<p>"He is saying that I am robbing you, and trying to cover the robbery +by marrying you. Both my own lawyer, and Mr Slow, have told me that a +plain statement of the whole case must be prepared, so that any one +who cares to inquire may learn the whole truth, before I can venture +to do anything which might otherwise compromise my character. You do +not think of all this, Margaret, when you are angry with me." +Margaret, hanging down her head, confessed that she had not thought +of it.</p> + +<p>"The difficulty would have been less, had you remained at the +Cedars."</p> + +<p>Then she again lifted her head, and told him that that would have +been impossible. Let things go as they might, she knew that she had +been right in leaving her aunt's house.</p> + +<p>There was not much more said between them, nor did he give her any +definite promise as to when he would see her again. He told her that +she might draw on Mr Slow for money if she wanted it, but that she +again declined. And he told her also not to withdraw Susanna +Mackenzie from her school at Littlebath—at any rate, not for the +present; and intimated also that Mr Slow would pay the +schoolmistress's bill. Then he took his leave of her. He had spoken +no word of love to her; but yet she felt, when he was gone, that her +case was not as hopeless now as it had seemed to be that morning.</p> + + +<p><a name="c24" id="c24"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XXIV</h3> +<h3>The Little Story of the Lion and the Lamb<br /> </h3> + + +<p>During those three months of October, November, and December, Mr +Maguire was certainly not idle. He had, by means of pertinacious +inquiry, learned a good deal about Miss Mackenzie; indeed, he had +learned most of the facts which the reader knows, though not quite +all of them. He had seen Jonathan Ball's will, and he had seen Walter +Mackenzie's will. He had ascertained, through Miss Colza, that John +Ball now claimed the property by some deed said to have been executed +by Jonathan Ball previous to the execution of his will; and he had +also learned, from Miss Mackenzie's own lips, in Lady Ball's +presence, that she had engaged herself to marry the man who was thus +claiming her property. Why should Mr Ball want to marry her,—who +would in such a case be penniless,—but that he felt himself +compelled in that way to quell all further inquiry into the thing +that he was doing? And why should she desire to marry him, but that +in this way she might, as it were, go with her own property, and not +lose the value of it herself when compelled to surrender it to her +cousin? That she would have given herself, with all her property, to +him,—Maguire,—a few months ago, Mr Maguire felt fully convinced, +and, as I have said before, had some ground for such conviction. He +had learned also from Miss Colza, that Miss Mackenzie had certainly +quarrelled with Lady Ball, and that she had, so Miss Colza believed, +been turned out of the house at the Cedars. Whether Mr Ball had or +had not abandoned his matrimonial prospects, Miss Colza could not +quite determine. Having made up her mind to hate Miss Mackenzie, and +therefore, as was natural, thinking that no gentleman could really +like such "a poor dowdy creature," she rather thought that he had +abandoned his matrimonial prospects. Mr Maguire had thus learned much +on the subject; but he had not learned this:—that John Ball was +honest throughout in the matter, and that the lawyers employed in it +were honest also.</p> + +<p>And now, having got together all this information, and he himself +being in a somewhat precarious condition as to his own affairs, Mr +Maguire resolved upon using his information boldly. He had a not +incorrect idea of the fitness of things, and did not fail to tell +himself that were he at that moment in possession of those clerical +advantages which his labours in the vineyard should have earned for +him, he would not have run the risk which he must undoubtedly incur +by engaging himself in this matter. Had he a full church at +Littlebath depending on him, had Mr Stumfold's chance and Mr +Stumfold's success been his, had he still even been an adherent of +the Stumfoldian fold, he would have paused before he rushed to the +public with an account of Miss Mackenzie's grievance. But as matters +stood with him, looking round upon his own horizon, he did not see +that he had any course before him more likely to lead to good +pecuniary results, than this.</p> + +<p>The reader has been told how Mr Maguire went to Arundel Street, and +how he was there received. But that reception did not at all daunt +his courage. It showed him that the lady was still under the Ball +influence, and that his ally, Miss Colza, was probably wrong in +supposing that the Ball marriage was altogether off. But this only +made him the more determined to undermine that influence, and to +prevent that marriage. If he could once succeed in convincing the +lady that her best chance of regaining her fortune lay in his +assistance, or if he could even convince her that his interference +must result, either with or without her good wishes, in dividing her +altogether from the Ball alliance, then she would be almost compelled +to throw herself into his arms. That she was violently in love with +him he did not suppose, nor did he think it at all more probable that +she should be violently in love with her cousin. He put her down in +his own mind as one of those weak, good women, who can bring +themselves easily to love any man, and who are sure to make useful +wives, because they understand so thoroughly the nature of obedience. +If he could secure for her her fortune, and could divide her from +John Ball, he had but little doubt that she would come to him, in +spite of the manner in which she had refused to receive him in +Arundel Street. Having considered all this, after the mode of +thinking which I have attempted to describe, he went to work with +such weapons as were readiest to his hands.</p> + +<p>As a first step, he wrote boldly to John Ball. In this letter he +reasserted the statement he had made to Lady Ball as to Miss +Mackenzie's engagement to himself, and added some circumstances which +he had not mentioned to Lady Ball. He said, that having become +engaged to that lady, he had, in consequence, given up his curacy at +Littlebath, and otherwise so disarranged his circumstances, as to +make it imperative upon him to take the steps which he was now +taking. He had come up to London, expecting to find her anxious to +receive him in Gower Street, and had then discovered that she had +been taken away to the Cedars. He could not, he said, give any +adequate description of his surprise, when, on arriving there, he +heard from the mouth of his own Margaret that she was now engaged to +her cousin. But if his surprise then had been great and terrible, how +much greater and more terrible must it have been when, step by step, +the story of that claim upon her fortune revealed itself to him! He +pledged himself, in his letter, as a gentleman and as a Christian +minister, to see the matter out. He would not allow Miss Mackenzie to +be despoiled of her fortune and her hand,—both of which he had a +right to regard as his own,—without making known to the public a +transaction which he regarded as nefarious. Then there was a good +deal of eloquent indignation the nature and purport of which the +reader will probably understand.</p> + +<p>Mr Ball did not at all like this letter. He had that strong feeling +of disinclination to be brought before the public with reference to +his private affairs, which is common to all Englishmen; and he +specially had a dislike to this, seeing that there would be a +question not only as to money, but also as to love. A gentleman does +not like to be accused of a dishonest attempt to possess himself of a +lady's property; but, at the age of fifty, even that is almost better +than one which charges him with such attempt against a lady's heart. +He knew that he was not dishonest, and therefore could endure the +first. He was not quite sure that he was not, or might not become, +ridiculous, and therefore feared the latter very greatly. He could +not ignore the letter, and there was nothing for it but to show it to +his lawyer. Unfortunately, he had told this lawyer, on the very day +of Mr Maguire's visit to the Cedars, that all was to be made smooth +by his marriage with Miss Mackenzie; and now, with much misery and +many inward groanings, he had to explain all this story of Mr +Maguire. It was the more painful in that he had to admit that an +offer had been made to the lady by the clergyman, and had not been +rejected.</p> + +<p>"You don't think there was more than that?" asked the lawyer, having +paved the way for his question with sundry apologetic flourishes.</p> + +<p>"I am sure there was not," said John Ball. "She is as true as the +Gospel, and he is as false as the devil."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," said the lawyer; "there's no doubt about his falsehood. +He's one of those fellows for whom nothing is too dirty. Clergymen +are like women. As long as they're pure, they're a long sight purer +than other men; but when they fall, they sink deeper."</p> + +<p>"You needn't be afraid of taking her word," said John Ball. "If all +women were as pure as she is, there wouldn't be much amiss with +them." His eyes glittered as he spoke of her, and it was a pity that +Margaret could not have heard him then, and seen him there.</p> + +<p>"You don't think she has been—just a little foolish, you know?"</p> + +<p>"I think she was very foolish in not bidding such a man to go about +his business, at once. But she has not been more so than what she +owns. She is as brave as she is good, and I don't think she would +keep anything back."</p> + +<p>The result was that a letter was written by the lawyer to Mr Maguire, +telling Mr Maguire that any further communication should be made to +him; and also making a slight suggestion as to the pains and +penalties which are incurred in the matter of a libel. Mr Maguire had +dated his letter from Littlebath, and there the answer reached him. +He had returned thither, having found that he could take no further +immediate steps towards furthering his cause in London.</p> + +<p>And now, what steps should he take next? More than once he thought of +putting his own case into the hands of a lawyer; but what was a +lawyer to do for him? An action for breach of promise was open to +him, but he had wit enough to feel that there was very little chance +of success for him in that line. He might instruct a lawyer to look +into Miss Mackenzie's affairs, and he thought it probable that he +might find a lawyer to take such instructions. But there would be +much expense in this, and, probably, no result. Advancing logically +from one conclusion to another, he at last resolved that he must rush +boldly into print, and lay the whole iniquity of the transaction open +to the public.</p> + +<p>He believed—I think he did believe—that the woman was being +wronged. Some particle of such belief he had, and fostering himself +with this, he sat himself down, and wrote a leading article.</p> + +<p>Now there existed in Littlebath at this time a weekly periodical +called the <i>Christian Examiner</i>, with which Mr Maguire had for some +time had dealings. He had written for the paper, taking an earnest +part in local religious subjects; and the paper, in return, had very +frequently spoken highly of Mr Maguire's eloquence, and of Mr +Maguire's energy. There had been a give and take in this, which all +people understand who are conversant with the provincial, or perhaps +I might add, with the metropolitan press of the country. The paper in +question was not a wicked paper, nor were the gentlemen concerned in +its publication intentionally scurrilous or malignant; but it was +subject to those great temptations which beset all class newspapers +of the kind, and to avoid which seems to be almost more difficult, in +handling religious subjects, than in handling any other. The editor +of a <i>Christian Examiner</i>, if, as is probable, he have, of his own, +very strong and one-sided religious convictions, will think that +those who differ from him are in a perilous way, and so thinking, +will feel himself bound to tell them so. The man who advocates one +line of railway instead of another, or one prime minister as being +superior to all others, does not regard his opponents as being +fatally wrong,—wrong for this world and for the next,—and he can +restrain himself. But how is a newspaper writer to restrain himself +when his opponent is incurring everlasting punishment, or, worse +still, carrying away others to a similar doom, in that they read, and +perhaps even purchase, that which the lost one has written? In this +way the contents of religious newspapers are apt to be personal; and +heavy, biting, scorching attacks, become the natural vehicle of +<i>Christian Examiners</i>.</p> + +<p>Mr Maguire sat down and wrote his leading article, which on the +following Saturday appeared in all the glory of large type. The +article shall not be repeated here at length, because it contained +sundry quotations from Holy Writ which may as well be omitted, but +the purport of it shall be explained. It commenced with a +dissertation against an undue love of wealth,—the <i>auri sacra +fames</i>, as the writer called it; and described with powerful unction +the terrible straits into which, when indulged, it led the vile, +wicked, ugly, hideous, loathsome, devilish human heart. Then there +was an eloquent passage referring to worms and dust and grass, and a +quotation respecting treasures both corruptible and incorruptible. +Not at once, but with crafty gradations, the author sloped away to +the point of his subject. How fearful was it to watch the way in +which the strong, wicked ones,—the roaring lions of the earth, +beguiled the ignorance of the innocent, and led lonely lambs into +their slaughter-houses. All this, much amplified, made up half the +article; and then, after the manner of a pleasant relater of +anecdotes, the clerical story-teller began his little tale. When, +however, he came to the absolute writing of the tale, he found it to +be prudent for the present to omit the names of his hero and +heroine—to omit, indeed, the names of all the persons concerned. He +had first intended boldly to dare it all, and perhaps would yet have +done so had he been quite sure of his editor. But his editor he found +might object to these direct personalities at the first sound of the +trumpet, unless the communication were made in the guise of a letter, +with Mr Maguire's name at the end of it. After a while the editor +might become hot in the fight himself, and then the names could be +blazoned forth. And there existed some chance,—some small +chance,—that the robber-lion, John Ball, might be induced to drop +his lamb from his mouth when he heard this premonitory blast, and +then the lion's prey might be picked up by—"the bold hunter," Mr +Maguire would probably have said, had he been called upon to finish +the sentence himself; anyone else might, perhaps, say, by the jackal. +The little story was told, therefore, without the mention of any +names. Mr Maguire had read other little stories told in another way +in other newspapers, of greater weight, no doubt, than the Littlebath +<i>Christian Examiner</i>, and had thought that he could wield a +thunderbolt as well as any other Jupiter; but in wielding +thunderbolts, as in all other operations of skill, a man must first +try his 'prentice hand with some reticence; and thus he reconciled +himself to prudence, not without some pangs of conscience which +accused him inwardly of cowardice.</p> + +<p>"Not long ago there was a lady in this town, loved and respected by +all who knew her." Thus he began, and then gave a not altogether +inaccurate statement of the whole affair, dropping, of course, his +own share in the concern, and accusing the vile, wicked, hideous, +loathsome human heart of the devouring lion, who lived some miles to +the west end of London, of a brutal desire and a hellish scheme to +swallow up the inheritance of the innocent, loved, and respected +lamb, in spite of the closest ties of consanguinity between them. And +then he went on to tell how, with a base desire of covering up from +the eyes of an indignant public his bestial greediness in having made +this dishonest meal, the lion had proposed to himself the plan of +marrying the lamb! It was a pity that Maguire had not learned—that +Miss Colza had not been able to tell him—that the lion had once +before expressed his wish to take the lamb for his wife. Had he known +that, what a picture he would have drawn of the disappointed +vindictive king of the forest, as lying in his lair at Twickenham he +meditated his foul revenge! This unfortunately was unknown to Mr +Maguire and unsuspected by him.</p> + +<p>But the article did not end here. The indignant writer of it went on +to say that he had buckled on his armour in support of the lamb, and +that he was ready to meet the lion either in the forest or in any +social circle; either in the courts of law or before any Christian +arbitrator. With loud trumpetings, he summoned the lion to appear and +plead guilty, or to stand forward, if he dared, and declare himself +innocent with his hand on his heart. If the lion could prove himself +to be innocent the writer of that article offered him the right hand +of fellowship, an offer which the lion would not, perhaps, regard as +any strong inducement; but if the lion were not innocent—if, as the +writer of that article was well aware was the case, the lion was +basely, greedily, bestially guilty, then the writer of that article +pledged himself to give the lion no peace till he had disgorged his +prey, and till the lamb was free to come back, with all her property, +to that Christian circle in Littlebath which had loved her so warmly +and respected her so thoroughly.</p> + +<p>Such was the nature of the article, and the editor put it in. After +all, what, in such matters, is an editor to do? Is it not his +business to sell his paper? And if the editor of a <i>Christian +Examiner</i> cannot trust the clergyman he has sat under, whom can he +trust? Some risk an editor is obliged to run, or he will never sell +his paper. There could be little doubt that such an article as this +would be popular among the religious world of Littlebath, and that it +would create a demand. He had his misgivings—had that poor editor. +He did not feel quite sure of his lion and his lamb. He talked the +matter over vehemently with Mr Maguire in the little room in which he +occupied himself with his scissors and his paste; but ultimately the +article was inserted. Who does not know that interval of triumph +which warms a man's heart when he has delivered his blow, and the +return blow has not been yet received? The blow has been so well +struck that it must be successful, nay, may probably be +death-dealing. So felt Mr Maguire when two dozen copies of the +<i>Christian Examiner</i> were delivered at his lodgings on the Saturday +morning. The article, though printed as a leading article, had been +headed as a little story,—"The Lion and the Lamb,"—so that it might +more readily attract attention. It read very nicely in print. It had +all that religious unction which is so necessary for <i>Christian +Examiners</i>, and with it that spice of devilry, so delicious to +humanity that without it even <i>Christian Examiners</i> cannot be made to +sell themselves. He was very busy with his two dozen damp copies +before him,—two dozen which had been sent to him, by agreement, as +the price of his workmanship. He made them up and directed them with +his own hand. To the lion and the lamb he sent two copies, two to +each. To Mr Slow he sent a copy, and another to Messrs Slow and +Bideawhile, and a third to the other lawyer. He sent a copy to Lady +Ball and one to Sir John. Another he sent to the old Mackenzie, +baronet at Incharrow, and two more to the baronet's eldest son, and +the baronet's eldest son's wife. A copy he sent to Mrs Tom Mackenzie, +and a copy to Miss Colza; and a copy also he sent to Mrs Buggins. And +he sent a copy to the Chairman of the Board at the Shadrach Fire +Office, and another to the Chairman at the Abednego Life Office. A +copy he sent to Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, and a copy to Messrs Rubb and +Mackenzie. Out of his own pocket he supplied the postage stamps, and +with his own hand he dropped the papers into the Littlebath +post-office.</p> + +<p>Poor Miss Mackenzie, when she read the article, was stricken almost +to the ground. How she did hate the man whose handwriting on the +address she recognised at once! What should she do? In her agony she +almost resolved that she would start at once for the Cedars and +profess her willingness to go before all the magistrates in London +and Littlebath, and swear that her cousin was no lion and that she +was no lamb. At that moment her feelings towards the Christians and +<i>Christian Examiners</i> of Littlebath were not the feelings of a +Griselda. I think she could have spoken her mind freely had Mr +Maguire come in her way. Then, when she saw Mrs Buggins's copy, her +anger blazed up afresh, and her agony became more intense. The horrid +man must have sent copies all over the world, or he would never have +thought of sending a copy to Mrs Buggins!</p> + +<p>But she did not go to the Cedars. She reflected that when there she +might probably find her cousin absent, and in such case she would +hardly know how to address herself to her aunt. Mr Ball, too, might +perhaps come to her, and for three days she patiently awaited his +coming. On the evening of the third day there came to her, not Mr +Ball, but a clerk from Mr Slow, the same clerk who had been with her +before, and he made an appointment with her at Mr Slow's office on +the following morning. She was to meet Mr Ball there, and also to +meet Mr Ball's lawyer. Of course she consented to go, and of course +she was on Mr Slow's staircase exactly at the time appointed. Of what +she was thinking as she walked round Lincoln's Inn Fields to kill a +quarter of an hour which she found herself to have on hand, we will +not now inquire.</p> + +<p>She was shown at once into Mr Slow's room, and the first thing that +met her eyes was a copy of that horrible <i>Christian Examiner</i>, lying +on the table before him. She knew it instantly, and would have known +it had she simply seen a corner of the printing. To her eyes and to +her mind, no other printed paper had ever been so ugly and so +vicious. But she saw that there was also another newspaper under the +<i>Christian Examiner</i>. Mr Slow brought her to the fire, and gave her a +chair, and was very courteous. In a few moments came the other +lawyer, and with him came John Ball.</p> + +<p>Mr Slow opened the conference, all the details of which need not be +given here. He first asked Miss Mackenzie whether she had seen that +wicked libel. She, with much energy and, I may almost say, with +virulence, declared that the horrid paper had been sent to her. She +hoped that nobody suspected that she had known anything about it. In +answer to this, they all assured her that she need not trouble +herself on that head. Mr Slow then told her that a London paper had +copied the whole story of the "Lion and the Lamb," expressing a hope +that the lion would be exposed if there was any truth in it, and the +writer would be exposed if there was none.</p> + +<p>"The writer was Mr Maguire, a clergyman," said Miss Mackenzie, with +indignation.</p> + +<p>"We all know that," said Mr Slow, with a slight smile on his face. +Then he went on reading the remarks of the London paper, which +declared that the Littlebath <i>Christian Examiner</i>, having gone so +far, must, of necessity, go further. The article was calculated to +give the greatest pain to, no doubt, many persons; and the innocence +or guilt of "the Lion," as poor John Ball was called, must be made +manifest to the public.</p> + +<p>"And now, my dear Miss Mackenzie, I will tell you what we propose to +do," said Mr Slow. He then explained that it was absolutely necessary +that a question of law should be tried and settled in a court of law, +between her and her cousin. When she protested against this, he +endeavoured to explain to her that the cause would be an amicable +cause, a simple reference, in short, to a legal tribunal. Of course, +she did not understand this, and, of course, she still protested; but +after a while, when she began to perceive that her protest was of no +avail, she let that matter drop. The cause should be brought on as +soon as possible, but could not be decided till late in the spring. +She was told that she had better make no great change in her own +manner of life till that time, and was again informed that she could +have what money she wanted for her own maintenance. She refused to +take any money: but when the reference was made to some proposed +change in her life, she looked wistfully into her cousin's face. He, +however, had nothing to say then, and kept his eyes intently fixed +upon the carpet.</p> + +<p>Mr Slow then took up the <i>Christian Examiner</i>, and declared to her +what was their intention with reference to that. A letter should be +written from his house to the editor of the London newspaper, giving +a plain statement of the case, with all the names, explaining that +all the parties were acting in perfect concert, and that the matter +was to be decided in the only way which could be regarded as +satisfactory. In answer to this, Miss Mackenzie, almost in tears, +pointed out how distressing would be the publicity thus given to her +name "particularly"—she said, "particularly—" But she could not go +on with the expression of her thoughts, or explain that so public a +reference to a proposal of marriage from her cousin must be doubly +painful to her, seeing that the idea of such a marriage had been +abandoned. But Mr Slow understood all this, and, coming over to her, +took her gently by the hand.</p> + +<p>"My dear," he said, "you may trust me in this as though I were your +father. I know that such publicity is painful; but, believe me, it is +the best that we can do."</p> + +<p>Of course she had no alternative but to yield.</p> + +<p>When the interview was over, her cousin walked home with her to +Arundel Street, and said much to her as to the necessity for this +trial. He said so much, that she, at last, dimly understood that the +matter could not be set at rest by her simple renouncing of the +property. Her own lawyer could not allow her to do so; nor could he, +John Ball, consent to receive the property in such a manner. "You +see, by that newspaper, what people would say of me."</p> + +<p>But had he not the power of making everything easy by doing that +which he himself had before proposed to do? Why did he not again say, +"Margaret, come and be my wife?" She acknowledged to herself that he +had a right to act as though he had never said those words,—that the +facts elicited by Mr Maguire's visit to the Cedars were sufficient to +absolve him from his offer. But yet she thought that they should have +been sufficient also to induce him to renew it.</p> + +<p>On that occasion, when he left her at the door in Arundel Street, he +had not renewed his offer.</p> + + +<p><a name="c25" id="c25"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XXV</h3> +<h3>Lady Ball in Arundel Street<br /> </h3> + + +<p>On Christmas Day Miss Mackenzie was pressed very hard to eat her +Christmas dinner with Mr and Mrs Buggins, and she almost gave way. +She had some half-formed idea in her head that should she once sit +down to table with Buggins, she would have given up the fight +altogether. She had no objection to Buggins, and had, indeed, no +strong objection to put herself on a par with Buggins; but she felt +that she could not be on a par with Buggins and with John Ball at the +same time. Why it should be that in associating with the man she +would take a step downwards, and might yet associate with the man's +wife without taking any step downwards, she did not attempt to +explain to herself. But I think that she could have explained it had +she put herself to the task of analysing the question, and that she +felt exactly the result of such analysis without making it. At any +rate, she refused the invitation persistently, and ate her wretched +dinner alone in her bedroom.</p> + +<p>She had often told herself, in those days of her philosophy at +Littlebath, that she did not care to be a lady; and she told herself +now the same thing very often when she was thinking of the hospital. +She cosseted herself with no false ideas as to the nature of the work +which she proposed to undertake. She knew very well that she might +have to keep rougher company than that of Buggins if she put her +shoulder to that wheel. She was willing enough to do this, and had +been willing to encounter such company ever since she left the +Cedars. She was prepared for the roughness. But she would not put +herself beyond the pale, as it were, of her cousin's hearth, moved +simply by a temptation to relieve the monotony of her life. When the +work came within her reach she would go to it, but till then she +would bear the wretchedness of her dull room upstairs. She wondered +whether he ever thought how wretched she must be in her solitude.</p> + +<p>On New Year's Day she heard that her uncle was dead. She was already +in mourning for her brother, and was therefore called upon to make no +change in that respect. She wrote a note of condolence to her aunt, +in which she strove much, and vainly, to be cautious and sympathetic +at the same time, and in return received a note, in which Lady Ball +declared her purpose of coming to Arundel Street to see her niece as +soon as she found herself able to leave the house. She would, she +said, give Margaret warning the day beforehand, as it would be very +sad if she had her journey all for nothing.</p> + +<p>Her aunt, Lady Ball, was coming to see her in Arundel Street! What +could be the purpose of such a visit after all that had passed +between them? And why should her aunt trouble herself to make it at a +period of such great distress? Lady Ball must have some very +important plan to propose, and poor Margaret's heart was in a +flutter. It was ten days after this before the second promised note +arrived, and then Margaret was asked to say whether she would be at +home and able to receive her aunt's visit at ten minutes past two on +the day but one following. Margaret wrote back to say that she would +be at home at ten minutes past two on the day named.</p> + +<p>Her aunt was old, and she again borrowed the parlour, though she was +not now well inclined to ask favours from Mrs Buggins. Mrs Buggins +had taken to heart the slight put upon her husband, and sometimes +made nasty little speeches.</p> + +<p>"Oh dear, yes, in course, Miss Margaret; not that I ever did think +much of them Ballses, and less than ever now, since the gentleman was +kind enough to send me the newspaper. But she's welcome to the room, +seeing as how Mr Tiddy will be in the City, of course; and you're +welcome to it, too, though you do keep yourself so close to yourself, +which won't ever bring you round to have your money again; that it +won't."</p> + +<p>Lady Ball came and was shown into the parlour, and her niece went +down to receive her.</p> + +<p>"I would have been here before you came, aunt, only the room is not +mine."</p> + +<p>In answer to this, Lady Ball said that it did very well. Any room +would answer the present purpose. Then she sat down on the sofa from +which she had risen. She was dressed, of course, in the full weeds of +her widowhood, and the wide extent of her black crape was almost +awful in Margaret's eyes. She did not look to be so savage as her +niece had sometimes seen her, but there was about her a ponderous +accumulation of crape, which made her even more formidable than she +used to be. It would be almost impossible to refuse anything to a +person so black, so grave, so heavy, and so big.</p> + +<p>"I have come to you, my dear," she said, "as soon as I possibly could +after the sad event which we have had at home."</p> + +<p>In answer to this, Margaret said that she was much obliged, but she +hoped that her aunt had put herself to no trouble. Then she said a +word or two about her uncle,—a word or two that was very difficult, +as of course it could mean nothing.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the widow, "he has been taken from us after a long and +useful life. I hope his son will always show himself to be worthy of +such a father."</p> + +<p>After that there was silence in the room for a minute or two, during +which Margaret waited for her aunt to begin; but Lady Ball sat there +solid, grave, and black, as though she thought that her very +presence, without any words, might be effective upon Margaret as a +preliminary mode of attack. Margaret herself could find nothing to +say to her aunt, and she, therefore, also remained silent. Lady Ball +was so far successful in this, that when three minutes were over her +niece had certainly been weakened by the oppressive nature of the +meeting. She had about her less of vivacity, and perhaps also less of +vitality, than when she first entered the room.</p> + +<p>"Well, my dear," said her aunt at last, "there are things, you know, +which must be talked about, though they are ever so disagreeable;" +and then she pulled out of her pocket that abominable number of the +Littlebath <i>Christian Examiner</i>.</p> + +<p>"Oh, aunt, I hope you are not going to talk about that."</p> + +<p>"My dear, that is cowardly; it is, indeed. How am I to help talking +about it? I have come here, from Twickenham, on purpose to talk about +it."</p> + +<p>"Then, aunt, I must decline; I must, indeed."</p> + +<p>"My dear!"</p> + +<p>"I must, indeed, aunt."</p> + +<p>Let a man or a woman's vitality be ever so thoroughly crushed and +quenched by fatigue or oppression—or even by black crape—there will +always be some mode of galvanising which will restore it for a time, +some specific either of joy or torture which will produce a return of +temporary energy. This Littlebath newspaper was a battery of +sufficient power to put Margaret on her legs again, though she +perhaps might not be long able to keep them.</p> + +<p>"It is a vile, lying paper, and it was written by a vile, lying man, +and I hope you will put it up and say nothing about it."</p> + +<p>"It is a vile, lying paper, Margaret; but the lies are against my +son, and not against you."</p> + +<p>"He is a man, and knows what he is about, and it does not signify to +him. But, aunt, I won't talk about it, and there's an end of it."</p> + +<p>"I hope he does know what he is about," said Lady Ball. "I hope he +does. But you, as you say, are a woman, and therefore it specially +behoves you to know what you are about."</p> + +<p>"I am not doing anything to anybody," said Margaret.</p> + +<p>Lady Ball had now refolded the offensive newspaper, and restored it +to her pocket. Perhaps she had done as much with it as she had from +the first intended. At any rate, she brought it forth no more, and +made no further intentionally direct allusion to it. "I don't suppose +you really wish to do any injury to anybody," she said.</p> + +<p>"Does anybody accuse me of doing them an injury?" Margaret asked.</p> + +<p>"Well, my dear, if I were to say that I accused you, perhaps you +would misunderstand me. I hope—I thoroughly expect, that before I +leave you, I may be able to say that I do not accuse you. If you will +only listen to me patiently for a few minutes, Margaret—which I +couldn't get you to do, you know, before you went away from the +Cedars in that very extraordinary manner—I think I can explain to +you something which—" Here Lady Ball became embarrassed, and paused; +but Margaret gave her no assistance, and therefore she began a new +sentence. "In point of fact, I want you to listen to what I say, and +then, I think—I do think—you will do as we would have you."</p> + +<p>Whom did she include in that word "we"? Margaret had still sufficient +vitality not to let the word pass by unquestioned. "You mean yourself +and John?" said she.</p> + +<p>"I mean the family," said Lady Ball rather sharply. "I mean the whole +family, including those dear girls to whom I have been in the +position of a mother since my son's wife died. It is in the name of +the Ball family that I now speak, and surely I have a right."</p> + +<p>Margaret thought that Lady Ball had no such right, but she would not +say so at that moment.</p> + +<p>"Well, Margaret, to come to the point at once, the fact is this. You +must renounce any idea that you may still have of becoming my son's +wife." Then she paused.</p> + +<p>"Has John sent you here to say this?" demanded Margaret.</p> + +<p>"I don't wish you to ask any such question as that. If you had any +real regard for him I don't think you would ask it. Consider his +difficulties, and consider the position of those poor children! If he +were your brother, would you advise him, at his age, to marry a woman +without a farthing, and also to incur the certain disgrace which +would attach to his name after—after all that has been said about it +in this newspaper?"—then, Lady Ball put her hand upon her +pocket—"in this newspaper, and in others?"</p> + +<p>This was more than Margaret could bear. "There would be no disgrace," +said she, jumping to her feet.</p> + +<p>"Margaret, if you put yourself into a passion, how can you understand +reason? You ought to know, yourself, by the very fact of your being +in a passion, that you are wrong. Would there be no disgrace, after +all that has come out about Mr Maguire?"</p> + +<p>"No, none—none!" almost shouted this modern Griselda. "There could +be no disgrace. I won't admit it. As for his marrying me, I don't +expect it. There is nothing to bind him to me. If he doesn't come to +me I certainly shall not go to him. I have looked upon it as all over +between him and me; and as I have not troubled him with any +importunities, nor yet you, it is cruel in you to come to me in this +way. He is free to do what he likes—why don't you go to him? But +there would be no disgrace."</p> + +<p>"Of course he is free. Of course such a marriage never can take place +now. It is quite out of the question. You say that it is all over, +and you are quite right. Why not let this be settled in a friendly +way between you and me, so that we might be friends again? I should +be so glad to help you in your difficulties if you would agree with +me about this."</p> + +<p>"I want no help."</p> + +<p>"Margaret, that is nonsense. In your position you are very wrong to +set your natural friends at defiance. If you will only authorise me +to say that you renounce this <span class="nowrap">marriage—"</span></p> + +<p>"I will not renounce it," said Margaret, who was still standing up. +"I will not renounce it. I would sooner lose my tongue than let it +say such a word. You may tell him, if you choose to tell him +anything, that I demand nothing from him; nothing. All that I once +thought mine is now his, and I demand nothing from him. But when he +asked me to be his wife he told me to be firm, and in that I will +obey him. He may renounce me, and I shall have nothing with which to +reproach him; but I will never renounce him—never." And then the +modern Griselda, who had been thus galvanised into vitality, stood +over her aunt in a mood that was almost triumphant.</p> + +<p>"Margaret, I am astonished at you," said Lady Ball, when she had +recovered herself.</p> + +<p>"I can't help that, aunt."</p> + +<p>"And now let me tell you this. My son is, of course, old enough to do +as he pleases. If he chooses to ruin himself and his children by +marrying, anybody—even if it were out of the streets—I can't help +it. Stop a moment and hear me to the end." This she said, as her +niece had made a movement as though towards the door. "I say, even if +it were out of the streets, I couldn't help it. But nothing shall +induce me to live in the same house with him if he marries you. It +will be on your conscience for ever that you have brought ruin on the +whole family, and that will be your punishment. As for me, I shall +take myself off to some solitude, and—there—I—shall—die." Then +Lady Ball put her handkerchief up to her face and wept copiously.</p> + +<p>Margaret stood still, leaning upon the table, but she spoke no word, +either in answer to the threat or to the tears. Her immediate object +was to take herself out of the room, but this she did not know how to +achieve. At last her aunt spoke again: "If you please, I will get you +to ask your landlady to send for a cab." Then the cab was procured, +and Buggins, who had come home for his dinner, handed her ladyship +in. Not a word had been spoken during the time that the cab was being +fetched, and when Lady Ball went down the passage, she merely said, +"I wish you good-bye, Margaret."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye," said Margaret, and then she escaped to her own bedroom.</p> + +<p>Lady Ball had not done her work well. It was not within her power to +induce Margaret to renounce her engagement, and had she known her +niece better, I do not think that she would have made the attempt. +She did succeed in learning that Margaret had received no renewal of +an offer from her son,—that there was, in fact, no positive +engagement now existing between them; and with this, I think, she +should have been satisfied. Margaret had declared that she demanded +nothing from her cousin, and with this assurance Lady Ball should +have been contented. But she had thought to carry her point, to +obtain the full swing of her will, by means of a threat, and had +forgotten that in the very words of her own menace she conveyed to +Margaret some intimation that her son was still desirous of doing +that very thing which she was so anxious to prevent. There was no +chance that her threat should have any effect on Margaret. She ought +to have known that the tone of the woman's mind was much too firm for +that. Margaret knew—was as sure of it as any woman could be +sure—that her cousin was bound to her by all ties of honour. She +believed, too, that he was bound to her by love, and that if he +should finally desert it, he would be moved to do so by mean motives. +It was no anger on the score of Mr Maguire that would bring him to +such a course, no suspicion that she was personally unworthy of being +his wife. Our Griselda, with all her power of suffering and +willingness to suffer, understood all that, and was by no means +disposed to give way to any threat from Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>When she was upstairs, and once more in solitude, she disgraced +herself again by crying. She could be strong enough when attacked by +others, but could not be strong when alone. She cried and sobbed upon +her bed, and then, rising, looked at herself in the glass, and told +herself that she was old and ugly, and fitted only for that hospital +nursing of which she had been thinking. But still there was something +about her heart that bore her up. Lady Ball would not have come to +her, would not have exercised her eloquence upon her, would not have +called upon her to renounce this engagement, had she not found all +similar attempts upon her own son to be ineffectual. Could it then be +so, that, after all, her cousin would be true to her? If it were so, +if it could be so, what would she not do for him and for his +children? If it were so, how blessed would have been all these +troubles that had brought her to such a haven at last! Then she tried +to reconcile his coldness to her with that which she so longed to +believe might be the fact. She was not to expect him to be a lover +such as are young men. Was she young herself, or would she like him +better if he were to assume anything of youth in his manners? She +understood that life with him was a serious thing, and that it was +his duty to be serious and grave in what he did. It might be that it +was essential to his character, after all that had passed, that the +question of the property should be settled finally, before he could +come to her, and declare his wishes. Thus flattering herself, she put +away from her her tears, and dressed herself, smoothing her hair, and +washing away the traces of her weeping; and then again she looked at +herself in the glass to see if it were possible that she might be +comely in his eyes.</p> + +<p>The months of January and February slowly wore themselves away, and +during the whole of that time Margaret saw her cousin but once, and +then she met him at Mr Slow's chambers. She had gone there to sign +some document, and there she had found him. She had then been told +that she would certainly lose her cause. No one who had looked into +the matter had any doubt of that. It certainly was the case that +Jonathan Ball had bequeathed property which was not his at the time +he made the will, but which at the time of his death, in fact, +absolutely belonged to his nephew, John Ball. Old Mr Slow, as he +explained this now for the seventh or eighth time, did it without a +tone of regret in his voice, or a sign of sorrow in his eye. Margaret +had become so used to the story now, that it excited no strong +feelings within her. Her wish, she said, was, that the matter should +be settled. The lawyer, with almost a smile on his face, but still +shaking his head, said that he feared it could not be settled before +the end of April. John Ball sat by, leaning his face, as usual, upon +his umbrella, and saying nothing. It did, for a moment, strike Miss +Mackenzie as singular, that she should be reduced from affluence to +absolute nothingness in the way of property, in so very placid a +manner. Mr Slow seemed to be thinking that he was, upon the whole, +doing rather well for his client.</p> + +<p>"Of course you understand, Miss Mackenzie, that you can have any +money you require for your present personal wants."</p> + +<p>This had been said to her so often, that she took it as one of Mr +Slow's legal formulas, which meant nothing to the laity.</p> + +<p>On that occasion also Mr Ball walked home with her, and was very +eloquent about the law's delays. He also seemed to speak as though +there was nothing to be regretted by anybody, except the fact that he +could not get possession of the property as quick as he wished. He +said not a word of anything else, and Margaret, of course, submitted +to be talked to by him rather than to talk herself. Of Lady Ball's +visit he said not a word, nor did she. She asked after the children, +and especially after Jack. One word she did say:</p> + +<p>"I had hoped Jack would have come to see me at my lodgings."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps he had better not," said Jack's father, "till all is +settled. We have had much to trouble us at home since my father's +death."</p> + +<p>Then of course she dropped that subject. She had been greatly +startled on that day on hearing her cousin called Sir John by Mr +Slow. Up to that moment it had never occurred to her that the man of +whom she was so constantly thinking as her possible husband was a +baronet. To have been Mrs Ball seemed to her to have been possible; +but that she should become Lady Ball was hardly possible. She wished +that he had not been called Sir John. It seemed to her to be almost +natural that people should be convinced of the impropriety of such a +one as her becoming the wife of a baronet.</p> + +<p>During this period she saw her sister-in-law once or twice, who on +those occasions came down to Arundel Street. She herself would not go +to Gower Street, because of the presence of Miss Colza. Miss Colza +still continued to live there, and still continued very much in +arrear in her contributions to the household fund. Mrs Mackenzie did +not turn her out, because she would,—so she said,—in such case get +nothing. Mrs Tom was by this time quite convinced that the property +would, either justly or unjustly, go into the hands of John Ball, and +she was therefore less anxious to make any sacrifice to please her +sister-in-law.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I don't see why you should be so bitter against her," said +Mrs Tom. "I don't suppose she told the clergyman a word that wasn't +true."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie declined to discuss the subject, and assured Mrs Tom +that she only recommended the banishment of Miss Colza because of her +apparent unwillingness to pay.</p> + +<p>"As for the money," said Mrs Tom, "I expect Mr Rubb to see to that. I +suppose he intends to make her Mrs Rubb sooner or later."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie, having some kindly feeling towards Mr Rubb, would +have preferred to hear that Miss Colza was likely to become Mrs +Maguire. During these visits, Mrs Tom got more than one five-pound +note from her sister-in-law, pleading the difficulty she had in +procuring breakfast for lodgers without any money for the baker. +Margaret protested against these encroachments, but, still, the money +would be forthcoming.</p> + +<p>Once, towards the end of February, Mrs Buggins seduced her lodger +down into her parlour in the area, and Miss Mackenzie thought she +perceived that something of the old servant's manners had returned to +her. She was more respectful than she had been of late, and made no +attempts at smart, ill-natured speeches.</p> + +<p>"It's a weary life, Miss, this you're living here, isn't it?" said +she.</p> + +<p>Margaret said that it was weary, but that there could be no change +till the lawsuit should be settled. It would be settled, she hoped, +in April.</p> + +<p>"Bother it for a lawsuit," said Mrs Buggins. "They all tells me that +it ain't any lawsuit at all, really."</p> + +<p>"It's an amicable lawsuit," said Miss Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"I never see such amicableness! 'Tis a wonder to hear, Miss, how +everybody is talking about it everywheres. Where we was last +night—that is, Buggins and I—most respectable people in the copying +line—it isn't only he as does the copying, but she too; nurses the +baby, and minds the kitchen fire, and goes on, sheet after sheet, all +at the same time; and a very tidy thing they make of it, only they do +straggle their words so;—well, they were saying as it's one of the +most remarkablest cases as ever was know'd."</p> + +<p>"I don't see that I shall be any the better because it's talked +about."</p> + +<p>"Well, Miss Margaret, I'm not so sure of that. It's my belief that if +one only gets talked about enough, one may have a'most anything one +chooses to ask for."</p> + +<p>"But I don't want to ask for anything."</p> + +<p>"But if what we heard last night is all true, there's somebody else +that does want to ask for something, or, as has asked, as folks say."</p> + +<p>Margaret blushed up to the eyes, and then protested that she did not +know what Mrs Buggins meant.</p> + +<p>"I never dreamed of it, my dear; indeed, I didn't, when the old lady +come here with her tantrums; but now, it's as plain as a pikestaff. +If I'd a' known anything about that, my dear, I shouldn't have made +so free about Buggins; indeed, I shouldn't."</p> + +<p>"You're talking nonsense, Mrs Buggins; indeed, you are."</p> + +<p>"They have the whole story all over the town at any rate, and in the +lane, and all about the courts; and they declare it don't matter a +toss of a halfpenny which way the matter goes, as you're to become +Lady Ball the very moment the case is settled."</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie protested that Mrs Buggins was a stupid woman,—the +stupidest woman she had ever heard or seen; and then hurried up into +her own room to hug herself in her joy, and teach herself to believe +that what so many people said must at last come true.</p> + +<p>Three days after this, a very fine, private carriage, with two +servants on a hammer cloth, drove up to the door in Arundel Street, +and the maid-servant, hurrying upstairs, told Miss Mackenzie that a +beautifully-dressed lady downstairs was desirous of seeing her +immediately.</p> + + +<p><a name="c26" id="c26"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XXVI</h3> +<h3>Mrs Mackenzie of Cavendish Square<br /> </h3> + + +<p>"My dear," said the beautifully-dressed lady, "you don't know me, I +think;" and the beautifully-dressed lady came up to Miss Mackenzie +very cordially, took her by the hand, smiled upon her, and seemed to +be a very good-natured person indeed. Margaret told the lady that she +did not know her, and at that moment was altogether at a loss to +guess who the lady might be. The lady might be forty years of age, +but was still handsome, and carried with her that easy, self-assured, +well balanced manner, which, if it be not overdone, goes so far to +make up for beauty, if beauty itself be wanting.</p> + +<p>"I am your cousin, Mrs Mackenzie,—Clara Mackenzie. My husband is +Walter Mackenzie, and his father is Sir Walter Mackenzie, of +Incharrow. Now you will know all about me."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I know you," said Margaret.</p> + +<p>"I ought, I suppose, to make ever so many apologies for not coming to +you before; but I did call upon you, ever so long ago; I forget when, +and after that you went to live at Littlebath. And then we heard of +you as being with Lady Ball, and for some reason, which I don't quite +understand, it has always been supposed that Lady Ball and I were not +to know each other. And now I have heard this wonderful story about +your fortune, and about everything else, too, my dear; and it seems +all very beautiful, and very romantic; and everybody says that you +have behaved so well; and so, to make a long story short, I have come +to find you out in your hermitage, and to claim cousinship, and all +that sort of thing."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I'm very much obliged to you, Mrs +<span class="nowrap">Mackenzie—"</span></p> + +<p>"Don't say it in that way, my dear, or else you'll make me think you +mean to turn a cold shoulder on me for not coming to you before."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no."</p> + +<p>"But we've only just come to town; and though of course I heard the +story down in <span class="nowrap">Scotland—"</span></p> + +<p>"Did you?"</p> + +<p>"Did I? Why, everybody is talking about it, and the newspapers have +been full of it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mrs Mackenzie, that is so terrible."</p> + +<p>"But nobody has said a word against you. Even that stupid clergyman, +who calls you the lamb, has not pretended to say that you were his +lamb. We had the whole story of the Lion and the Lamb in the +<i>Inverary Interpreter</i>, but I had no idea that it was you, then. But +the long and the short of it is, that my husband says he must know +his cousin; and to tell the truth, it was he that sent me; and we +want you to come and stay with us in Cavendish Square till the +lawsuit is over, and everything is settled."</p> + +<p>Margaret was so startled by the proposition, that she did not know +how to answer it. Of course she was at first impressed with a strong +idea of the impossibility of her complying with such a request, and +was simply anxious to find some proper way of refusing it. The +Incharrow Mackenzies were great people who saw much company, and it +was, she thought, quite out of the question that she should go to +their house. At no time of her career would she have been, as she +conceived, fit to live with such grand persons; but at the present +moment, when she grudged herself even a new pair of gloves out of the +money remaining to her, while she was still looking forward to a +future life passed as a nurse in a hospital, she felt that there +would be an absolute unfitness in such a visit.</p> + +<p>"You are very kind," she said at last with faltering voice, as she +meditated in what words she might best convey her refusal.</p> + +<p>"No, I'm not a bit kind; and I know from the tone of your voice that +you are meditating a refusal. But I don't mean to accept it. It is +much better that you should be with us while all this is going on, +than that you should be living here alone. And there is no one with +whom you could live during this time so properly, as with those who +are your nearest relatives."</p> + +<p>"But, Mrs Mackenzie—"</p> + +<p>"I suppose you are thinking now of another cousin, but it's not at +all proper that you should go to his house;—not as yet, you know. +And you need not suppose that he'll object because of what I said +about Lady Ball and myself. The Capulets and the Montagues don't +intend to keep it up for ever; and, though we have never visited Lady +Ball, my husband and the present Sir John know each other very well."</p> + +<p>Mrs Mackenzie was not on that occasion able to persuade Margaret to +come at once to Cavendish Square, and neither was Margaret able to +give a final refusal. She did not intend to go, but she could not +bring herself to speak a positive answer in such a way as to have +much weight with Mrs Mackenzie. That lady left her at last, saying +that she would send her husband, and promising Margaret that she +would herself come in ten days to fetch her.</p> + +<p>"Oh no," said Margaret; "it will be very good-natured of you to come, +but not for that."</p> + +<p>"But I shall come, and shall come for that," said Mrs Mackenzie; and +at the end of the ten days she did come, and she did carry her +husband's cousin back with her to Cavendish Square.</p> + +<p>In the meantime Walter Mackenzie had called in Arundel Street, and +had seen Margaret. But there had been given to her advice by a +counsellor whom she was more inclined to obey than any of the +Mackenzies. John Ball had written to her, saying that he had heard of +the proposition, and recommending her to accept the invitation given +to her.</p> + +<p>"Till all this trouble about the property is settled," said he, "it +will be much better that you should be with your cousins than living +alone in Mrs Buggins' lodgings."</p> + +<p>After receiving this Margaret held out no longer but was carried off +by the handsome lady in the grand carriage, very much to the delight +of Mrs Buggins.</p> + +<p>Mrs Buggins' respect for Miss Mackenzie had returned altogether since +she had heard of the invitation to Cavendish Square, and she +apologised, almost without ceasing, for the liberty she had taken in +suggesting that Margaret should drink tea with her husband.</p> + +<p>"And indeed, Miss, I shouldn't have proposed such a thing, were it +ever so, if I had suspected for a hinstant how things were a going to +be. For Buggins is a man as knows his place, and never puts himself +beyond it! But you was that close, <span class="nowrap">Miss—"</span></p> + +<p>In answer to this Margaret would say that it didn't signify, and that +it wasn't on that account; and I have no doubt but that the two women +thoroughly understood each other.</p> + +<p>There was a subject on which, in spite of all her respect, Mrs +Buggins ventured to give Miss Mackenzie much advice, and to insist on +that advice strongly. Mrs Buggins was very anxious that the future +"baronet's lady" should go out upon her grand visit with a proper +assortment of clothing. That argument of the baronet's lady was the +climax of Mrs Buggins' eloquence: "You, my dear, as is going to be +one baronet's lady is going to a lady who is going to be another +baronet's lady, and it's only becoming you should go as is becoming."</p> + +<p>Margaret declared that she was not going to be anybody's lady, but +Mrs Buggins altogether pooh-poohed this assertion.</p> + +<p>"That, Miss, is your predestination," said Mrs Buggins, "and well +you'll become it. And as for money, doesn't that old party who found +it all out say reg'lar once a month that there's whatever you want to +take for your own necessaries? and you that haven't had a shilling +from him yet! If it was me, I'd send him in such a bill for +necessaries as 'ud open that old party's eyes a bit, and hurry him up +with his lawsuits."</p> + +<p>The matter was at last compromised between her and Margaret, and a +very moderate expenditure for smarter clothing was incurred.</p> + +<p>On the day appointed Mrs Mackenzie again came, and Margaret was +carried off to Cavendish Square. Here she found herself suddenly +brought into a mode of life altogether different from anything she +had as yet experienced. The Mackenzies were people who went much into +society, and received company frequently at their own house. The +first of these evils for a time Margaret succeeded in escaping, but +from the latter she had no means of withdrawing herself. There was +very much to astonish her at this period of her life, but that which +astonished her perhaps more than anything else was her own celebrity. +Everybody had heard of the Lion and the Lamb, and everybody was aware +that she was supposed to represent the milder of those two favourite +animals. Everybody knew the story of her property, or rather of the +property which had never in truth been hers, and which was now being +made to pass out of her hands by means of a lawsuit, of which +everybody spoke as though it were the best thing in the world for all +the parties concerned. People, when they mentioned Sir John Ball to +her—and he was often so mentioned—never spoke of him in harsh +terms, as though he were her enemy. She observed that he was always +named before her in that euphuistic language which we naturally use +when we speak to persons of those who are nearest to them and dearest +to them. The romance of the thing, and not the pity of it, was the +general subject of discourse, so that she could not fail to perceive +that she was generally regarded as the future wife of Sir John Ball.</p> + +<p>It was the sudden way in which all this had come upon her that +affected her so greatly. While staying in Arundel Street she had been +altogether ignorant that the story of the Lion and the Lamb had +become public, or that her name had been frequent in men's mouths. +When Mrs Buggins had once told her that she was thus becoming famous, +she had ridiculed Mrs Buggins' statement. Mrs Buggins had brought +home word from some tea-party that the story had been discussed among +her own friends; but Miss Mackenzie had regarded that as an accident. +A lawyer's clerk or two about Chancery Lane or Carey Street might by +chance hear of the matter in the course of their daily work;—that it +should be so, and that such people talked of her affairs distressed +her; but that had, she was sure, been all. Now, however, in her new +home she had learned that Mr Maguire's efforts had become notorious, +and that she and her history were public property. When all this +first became plain to her, it overwhelmed her so greatly that she was +afraid to show her face; but this feeling gradually wore itself away, +and she found herself able to look around upon the world again, and +ask herself new questions of the future, as she had done when she had +first found herself to be the possessor of her fortune.</p> + +<p>When she had been about three weeks with the Mackenzies, Sir John +Ball came to see her. He had written to her once before that, but his +letter had referred simply to some matter of business. When he was +shown into the drawing-room in Cavendish Square, Mrs Mackenzie and +Margaret were both there, but the former in a few minutes got up and +left the room. Margaret had wished with all her heart that her +hostess would remain with them. She was sure that Sir John Ball had +nothing to say that she would care to hear, and his saying nothing +would seem to be of no special moment while three persons were in the +room. But his saying nothing when special opportunity for speaking +had been given to him would be of moment to her. Her destiny was in +his hands to such a degree that she felt his power over her to amount +almost to a cruelty. She longed to ask him what her fate was to be, +but it was a question that she could not put to him. She knew that he +would not tell her now; and she knew also that the very fact of his +not telling her would inflict upon her a new misery, and deprive her +of the comfort which she was beginning to enjoy. If he could not tell +her at once how all this was to be ended, it would be infinitely +better for her that he should remain away from her altogether.</p> + +<p>As soon as Mrs Mackenzie had left the room he began to describe to +her his last interview with the lawyers. She listened to him, and +pretended to interest herself, but she did not care two straws about +the lawyers. Point after point he explained to her, showing the +unfortunate ingenuity with which his uncle Jonathan had contrived to +confuse his affairs, and Margaret attempted to appear concerned. But +her mind had now for some months past refused to exert itself with +reference to the mode in which Mr Jonathan Ball had disposed of his +money. Two years ago she had been told that it was hers; since that, +she had been told that it was not hers. She had felt the hardship of +this at first; but now that feeling was over with her, and she did +not care to hear more about it. But she did care very much to know +what was to be her future fate.</p> + +<p>"And when will be the end of it, John?" she asked him.</p> + +<p>"Ha! that seems so hard to say. They did name the first of April, but +it won't be so soon as that. Mr Slow said to-day about the end of +April, but his clerk seems to think it will be the middle of May."</p> + +<p>"It is very provoking," said Margaret.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is," said John Ball, "very provoking; I feel it so. It +worries me so terribly that I have no comfort in life. But I suppose +you find everything very nice here."</p> + +<p>"They are very kind to me."</p> + +<p>"Very kind, indeed. It was quite the proper thing for them to do; and +when I heard that Mrs Mackenzie had been to you in Arundel Street, I +was delighted."</p> + +<p>Margaret did not dare to tell him that she would have preferred to +have been left in Arundel Street; but that, at the moment, was her +feeling. If, when all this was over, she would still have to earn her +bread, it would have been much better for her not to have come among +her rich relations. What good would it then do her to have lived two +or three months in Cavendish Square?</p> + +<p>"I wish it were all settled, John," she said; and as she spoke there +was a tear standing in the corner of each eye.</p> + +<p>"I wish it were, indeed," said John Ball; but I think that he did not +see the tears.</p> + +<p>It was on her tongue to speak some word about the hospital; but she +felt that if she did so now, it would be tantamount to asking him +that question which it did not become her to ask; so she repressed +the word, and sat in silence.</p> + +<p>"When the day is positively fixed for the hearing," said he, "I will +be sure to let you know."</p> + +<p>"I wish you would let me know nothing further about it, John, till it +is all settled."</p> + +<p>"I sometimes almost fancy that I wish the same thing," said he, with +a faint attempt at a smile; and after that he got up and went his +way.</p> + +<p>This was not to be endured. Margaret declared to herself that she +could not live and bear it. Let the people around her say what they +would, it could not be that he would treat her in this way if he +intended to make her his wife. It would be better for her to make up +her mind that it was not to be so, and to insist on leaving the +Mackenzies' house. She would go, not again to Arundel Street, but to +some lodging further away, in some furthest recess of London, where +no one would come to her and flurry her with false hopes, and there +remain till she might be allowed to earn her bread. That was the mood +in which Mrs Mackenzie found her late in the afternoon on the day of +Sir John Ball's visit. There was to be a dinner party in the house +that evening, and Margaret began by asking leave to absent herself.</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, Margaret," said Mrs Mackenzie; "I won't have anything of +the kind."</p> + +<p>"I cannot come down, Mrs Mackenzie; I cannot, indeed."</p> + +<p>"That is absolute nonsense. That man has been saying something unkind +to you. Why do you mind what he says?"</p> + +<p>"He has not said anything unkind; he has not said anything at all."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's the grief, is it?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know what you mean by grief; but if you were situated as I +am you would perceive that you were in a false position."</p> + +<p>"I am sure he has been saying something unkind to you."</p> + +<p>Margaret hardly knew how to tell her thoughts and feelings, and yet +she wished to tell them. She had resolved that she would tell the +whole to Mrs Mackenzie, having convinced herself that she could not +carry out her plan of leaving Cavendish Square without some +explanation of the kind. She did not know how to make her speech with +propriety, so she jumped at the difficulty boldly. "The truth is, Mrs +Mackenzie, that he has no more idea of marrying me than he has of +marrying you."</p> + +<p>"Margaret, how can you talk such nonsense?"</p> + +<p>"It is not nonsense; it is true; and it will be much better that it +should all be understood at once. I have nothing to blame him for, +nothing; and I don't blame him; but I cannot bear this kind of life +any longer. It is killing me. What business have I to be living here +in this way, when I have got nothing of my own, and have no one to +depend on but myself?"</p> + +<p>"Then he must have said something to you; but, whatever it was, you +cannot but have misunderstood him."</p> + +<p>"No; he has said nothing, and I have not misunderstood him." Then +there was a pause. "He has said nothing to me, and I am bound to +understand what that means."</p> + +<p>"Margaret, I want to put one question to you," said Mrs Mackenzie, +speaking with a serious air that was very unusual with her,—"and you +will understand, dear, that I only do so because of what you are +saying now."</p> + +<p>"You may put any question you please to me," said Margaret.</p> + +<p>"Has your cousin ever asked you to be his wife, or has he not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he has. He has asked me twice."</p> + +<p>"And what answer did you make him?"</p> + +<p>"When I thought all the property was mine, I refused him. Then, when +the property became his, he asked me again, and I accepted him. +Sometimes, when I think of that, I feel so ashamed of myself, that I +hardly dare to hold up my head."</p> + +<p>"But you did not accept him simply because you had lost your money."</p> + +<p>"No; but it looks so like it; does it not? And of course he must +think that I did so."</p> + +<p>"I am quite sure he thinks nothing of the kind. But he did ask you, +and you did accept him?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes."</p> + +<p>"And since that, has he ever said anything to you to signify that the +match should be broken off?"</p> + +<p>"The very day after he had asked me, Mr Maguire came to the Cedars +and saw me, and Lady Ball was there too. And he was very false, and +told my aunt things that were altogether untrue. He said that—that I +had promised to marry him, and Lady Ball believed him."</p> + +<p>"But did Mr Ball believe him?"</p> + +<p>"My aunt said all that she could against me, and when John spoke to +me the next day, it was clear that he was very angry with me."</p> + +<p>"But did he believe you or Mr Maguire when you told him that Mr +Maguire's story was a falsehood from beginning to end?"</p> + +<p>"But it was not a falsehood from beginning to end. That's where I +have been so very, very unfortunate; and perhaps I ought to say, as I +don't want to hide anything from you, so very, very wrong. The man +did ask me to marry him, and I had given him no answer."</p> + +<p>"Had you thought of accepting him?"</p> + +<p>"I had not thought about that at all, when he came to me. So I told +him that I would consider it all, and that he must come again."</p> + +<p>"And he came again."</p> + +<p>"Then my brother's illness occurred, and I went to London. After that +Mr Maguire wrote to me two or three times, and I refused him in the +plainest language that I could use. I told him that I had lost all my +fortune, and then I was sure that there would be an end of any +trouble from him; but he came to the Cedars on purpose to do me all +this injury; and now he has put all these stories about me into the +newspapers, how can I think that any man would like to make me his +wife? I have no right to be surprised that Lady Ball should be so +eager against it."</p> + +<p>"But did Mr Ball believe you when you told him the story?"</p> + +<p>"I think he did believe me."</p> + +<p>"And what did he say?"</p> + +<p>Margaret did not answer at once, but sat with her fingers up among +her hair upon her brow:</p> + +<p>"I am trying to think what were his words," she said, "but I cannot +remember. I spoke more than he did. He said that I should have told +him about Mr Maguire, and I tried to explain to him that there had +been no time to do so. Then I said that he could leave me if he +liked."</p> + +<p>"And what did he answer?"</p> + +<p>"If I remember rightly, he made no answer. He left me saying that he +would see me again the next day. But the next day I went away. I +would not remain in the house with Lady Ball after what she had +believed about me. She took that other man's part against me, and +therefore I went away."</p> + +<p>"Did he say anything as to your going?"</p> + +<p>"He begged me to stay, but I would not stay. I thought it was all +over then. I regarded him as being quite free from any engagement, +and myself as being free from any necessity of obeying him. And it +was all over. I had no right to think anything else."</p> + +<p>"And what came next?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing. Nothing else has happened, except that Lady Ball came to me +in Arundel Street, asking me to renounce him."</p> + +<p>"And you refused?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; I would do nothing at her bidding. Why should I? She had been +my enemy throughout, since she found that the money belonged to her +son and not to me."</p> + +<p>"And all this time you have seen him frequently?"</p> + +<p>"I have seen him sometimes about the business."</p> + +<p>"And he has never said a word to you about your engagement to him?"</p> + +<p>"Never a word."</p> + +<p>"Nor you to him?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no! how could I speak to him about it?"</p> + +<p>"I would have done so. I would not have had my heart crushed within +me. But perhaps you were right. Perhaps it was best to be patient."</p> + +<p>"I know that I have been wrong to expect anything or to hope for +anything," said Margaret. "What right have I to hope for anything +when I refused him while I was rich?"</p> + +<p>"That has nothing to do with it."</p> + +<p>"When he asked me again, he only did it because he pitied me. I don't +want to be any man's wife because he pities me."</p> + +<p>"But you accepted him."</p> + +<p>"Yes; because I loved him."</p> + +<p>"And now?" Again Miss Mackenzie sat silent, still moving her fingers +among the locks upon her brow. "And now, Margaret?" repeated Mrs +Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"What's the use of it now?"</p> + +<p>"But you do love him?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I love him. How shall it be otherwise? What has he done to +change my love? His feelings have changed, and I have no right to +blame him. He has changed; and I hate myself, because I feel that in +coming here I have, as it were, run after him. I should have put +myself in some place where no thought of marrying him should ever +have come again to me."</p> + +<p>"Margaret, you are wrong throughout."</p> + +<p>"Am I? Everybody always says that I am always wrong."</p> + +<p>"If I can understand anything of the matter, Sir John Ball has not +changed."</p> + +<p>"Then, why—why—why?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, yes, exactly; why? Why is it that men and women cannot always +understand each other; that they will remain for hours in each +other's presence without the power of expressing, by a single word, +the thoughts that are busy within them? Who can say why it is so? Can +you get up and make a clean breast of it all to him?"</p> + +<p>"But I am a woman, and am very poor."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and he is a man, and, like most men, very dumb when they have +anything at heart which requires care in the speaking. He knows no +better than to let things be as they are; to leave the words all +unspoken till he can say to you, 'Now is the time for us to go and +get ourselves married;' just as he might tell you that now was the +time to go and dine."</p> + +<p>"But will he ever say that?"</p> + +<p>"Of course he will. If he does not say so when all this business is +off his mind, when Mr Maguire and his charges are put at rest, when +the lawyers have finished their work, then come to me and tell me +that I have deceived you. Say to me then, 'Clara Mackenzie, you have +put me wrong, and I look to you to put me right.' You will find I +will put you right."</p> + +<p>In answer to this, Margaret was able to say nothing further. She sat +for a while with her face buried in her hands thinking of it all, +asking herself whether she might dare to believe it all. At last, +however, she went up to dress for dinner; and when she came down to +the drawing-room there was a smile upon her face.</p> + +<p>After that a month or six weeks passed in Cavendish Square, and there +was, during all that time, no further special reference to Sir John +Ball or his affairs. Twice he was asked to dine with the Mackenzies, +and on both occasions he did so. On neither of those evenings did he +say very much to Margaret; but, on both of them he said some few +words, and it was manifestly his desire that they should be regarded +as friends.</p> + +<p>And as the spring came on, Margaret's patience returned to her, and +her spirits were higher than they had been at any time since she +first discovered that success among the Stumfoldians at Littlebath +did not make her happy.</p> + + +<p><a name="c27" id="c27"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XXVII</h3> +<h3>The Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar<br /> </h3> + + +<p>In the spring days of the early May there came up in London that year +a great bazaar,—a great charity bazaar on behalf of the orphan +children of negro soldiers who had fallen in the American war. +Tidings had come to this country that all slaves taken in the +revolted States had been made free by the Northern invaders, and that +these free men had been called upon to show their immediate gratitude +by becoming soldiers in the Northern ranks. As soldiers they were +killed in battle, or died, and as dead men they left orphans behind +them. Information had come that many of these orphans were starving, +and hence had arisen the cause for the Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar. +There was still in existence at that time, down at South Kensington, +some remaining court or outstanding building which had belonged to +the Great International Exhibition, and here the bazaar was to be +held. I do not know that I can trace the way in which the idea grew +and became great, or that anyone at the time was able to attribute +the honour to the proper founder. Some gave it all to the Prince of +Wales, declaring that his royal highness had done it out of his own +head; and others were sure that the whole business had originated +with a certain philanthropical Mr Manfred Smith who had lately come +up in the world, and was supposed to have a great deal to do with +most things. Be that as it may, this thing did grow and become great, +and there was a list of lady patronesses which included some +duchesses, one marchioness, and half the countesses in London. It was +soon manifest to the eyes of those who understood such things, that +the Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar was to be a success, and therefore +there was no difficulty whatsoever in putting the custody of the +stalls into the hands of proper persons. The difficulty consisted in +rejecting offers from persons who undoubtedly were quite proper for +such an occasion. There came to be interest made for permission to +serve, and boastings were heard of unparalleled success in the bazaar +line. The Duchess of St Bungay had a happy bevy of young ladies who +were to act as counter attendants under her grace; and who so happy +as any young lady who could get herself put upon the duchess's staff? +It was even rumoured that a certain very distinguished person would +have shown herself behind a stall, had not a certain other more +distinguished person expressed an objection; and while the rumour was +afloat as to the junior of those two distinguished persons, the +young-ladydom of London was frantic in its eagerness to officiate. +Now at that time there had become attached to the name of our poor +Griselda a romance with which the west-end of London had become +wonderfully well acquainted. The story of the Lion and the Lamb was +very popular. Mr Maguire may be said to have made himself odious to +the fashionable world at large, and the fate of poor Margaret +Mackenzie with her lost fortune, and the additional misfortune of her +clerical pledged protector, had recommended itself as being truly +interesting to all the feeling hearts of the season. Before May was +over, gentlemen were enticed to dinner parties by being told—and +untruly told—that the Lamb had been "secured;" as on the previous +year they had been enticed by a singular assurance as to Bishop +Colenso; and when Margaret on one occasion allowed herself to be +taken to Covent Garden Theatre, every face from the stalls was turned +towards her between the acts.</p> + +<p>Who then was more fit to take a stall, or part of a stall at the +Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar, than our Griselda? When the thing +loomed so large, lady patronesses began to be aware that mere +nobodies would hardly be fit for the work. There would have been +little or no difficulty in carrying out a law that nobody should take +a part in the business who had not some handle to her name, but it +was felt that such an arrangement as that might lead to failure +rather than glory. The commoner world must be represented but it +should be represented only by ladies who had made great names for +themselves. Mrs Conway Sparkes, the spiteful poetess, though she was +old and ugly as well as spiteful, was to have a stall and a bevy, +because there was thought to be no doubt about her poetry. Mrs +Chaucer Munro had a stall and a bevy; but I cannot clearly tell her +claim to distinction, unless it was that she had all but lost her +character four times, but had so saved it on each of those occasions +that she was just not put into the Index Expurgatorius of fashionable +society in London. It was generally said by those young men who +discussed the subject, that among Mrs Chaucer Munro's bevy would be +found the most lucrative fascination of the day. And then Mrs +Mackenzie was asked to take a stall, or part of a stall, and to bring +Griselda with her as her assistant. By this time the Lamb was most +generally known as "Griselda" among fashionable people.</p> + +<p>Now Mrs Mackenzie was herself a woman of fashion, and quite open to +the distinction of having a part assigned to her at the great bazaar +of the season. She did not at all object to a booth on the left hand +of the Duchess of St Bungay, although it was just opposite to Mrs +Chaucer Munro. She assented at once.</p> + +<p>"But you must positively bring Griselda," said Lady Glencora +Palliser, by whom the business of this mission was conducted.</p> + +<p>"Of course, I understand that," said Mrs Mackenzie. "But what if she +won't come?"</p> + +<p>"Griseldas are made to do anything," said Lady Glencora, "and of +course she must come."</p> + +<p>Having settled the difficulty in this way, Lady Glencora went her +way, and Mrs Mackenzie did not allow Griselda to go to her rest that +night till she had extracted from her a promise of acquiescence, +which, I think, never would have been given had Miss Mackenzie +understood anything of the circumstances under which her presence was +desired.</p> + +<p>But the promise was given, and Margaret knew little or nothing of +what was expected from her till there came up, about a fortnight +before the day of the bazaar, the great question of her dress for the +occasion. Previous to that she would fain have been energetic in +collecting and making things for sale at her stall, for she really +taught herself to be anxious that the negro soldiers' orphans should +have provision made for them; but, alas! her energy was all +repressed, and she found that she was not to be allowed to do +anything in that direction.</p> + +<p>"Things of that sort would not go down at all now-a-days, Margaret," +said Mrs Mackenzie. "Nobody would trouble themselves to carry them +away. There are tradesmen who furnish the stalls, and mark their own +prices, and take back what is not sold. You charge double the +tradesman's price, that's all."</p> + +<p>Margaret, when her eyes were thus opened, of course ceased to make +little pincushions, but she felt that her interest in the thing was +very much lowered. But a word must be said as to that question of the +dress. Miss Mackenzie, when she was first interrogated as to her +intentions, declared her purpose of wearing a certain black silk +dress which had seen every party at Mrs Stumfold's during Margaret's +Littlebath season. To this her cousin demurred, and from demurring +proceeded to the enunciation of a positive order. The black silk +dress in question should not be worn. Now Miss Mackenzie chose to be +still in mourning on the second of June, the day of the bazaar, her +brother having died in September, and had no fitting garment, so she +said, other than the black silk in question. Whereupon Mrs Mackenzie, +without further speech to her cousin on the subject, went out and +purchased a muslin covered all over with the prettiest little frecks +of black, and sent a milliner to Margaret, and provided a bonnet of +much the same pattern, the gayest, lightest, jauntiest, falsest, most +make-belief-mourning bonnet that ever sprang from the art of a +designer in bonnets—and thus nearly broke poor Margaret's heart.</p> + +<p>"People should never have things given them, who can't buy for +themselves," she said, with tears in her eyes, "because of course +they know what it means."</p> + +<p>"But, my dearest," said Mrs Mackenzie, "young ladies who never have +any money of their own at all always accept presents from all their +relations. It is their special privilege."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, young ladies; but not women like me who are waiting to find +out whether they are ruined or not."</p> + +<p>The difficulty, however, was at last overcome, and Margaret, with +many inward upbraidings of her conscience, consented to wear the +black-freckled dress.</p> + +<p>"I never saw anybody look so altered in my life," said Mrs Mackenzie, +when Margaret, apparelled, appeared in the Cavendish Square +drawing-room on the morning in question. "Oh, dear, I hope Sir John +Ball will come to look at you."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense! he won't be such a fool as to do anything of the kind."</p> + +<p>"I took care to let him know that you would be there;" said Mrs +Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"You didn't?"</p> + +<p>"But I did, my dear."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear, what will he think of me?" ejaculated Margaret; but +nevertheless I fancy that there must have been some elation in her +bosom when she regarded herself and the freckled muslin in the glass.</p> + +<p>Both Mrs Mackenzie and Miss Mackenzie had more than once gone down to +the place to inspect the ground and make themselves familiar with the +position they were to take. There were great stalls and little +stalls, which came alternately; and the Mackenzie stall stood next to +a huge centre booth at which the duchess was to preside. On their +other hand was the stall of old Lady Ware, and opposite to them, as +has been before said, the doubtful Mrs Chaucer Munro was to hold +difficult sway over her bevy of loud nymphs. Together with Mrs +Mackenzie were two other Miss Mackenzies, sisters of her husband, +handsome, middle-aged women, with high cheek-bones and fine +brave-looking eyes. All the Mackenzies, except our Griselda, were +dressed in the tartan of their clan; and over the stall there was +some motto in Gaelic, "Dhu dhaith donald dhuth," which nobody could +understand, but which was not the less expressive. Indeed, the +Mackenzie stall was got up very well; but then was it not known and +understood that Mrs Mackenzie did get up things very well? It was +acknowledged on all sides that the Lamb, Griselda, was uncommonly +well got up on this occasion.</p> + +<p>It was understood that the ladies were to be assembled in the bazaar +at half-past two, and that the doors were to be thrown open to the +public at three o'clock. Soon after half-past two Mrs Mackenzie's +carriage was at the door, and the other Mackenzies having come up at +the same time, the Mackenzie phalanx entered the building together. +There were many others with them, but as they walked up they found +the Countess of Ware standing alone in the centre of the building, with +her four daughters behind her. She had on her head a wonderful tiara, +which gave to her appearance a ferocity almost greater than was +natural to her. She was a woman with square jaws, and a big face, and +stout shoulders: but she was not, of her own unassisted height, very +tall. But of that tiara and its altitude she was proud, and as she +stood in the midst of the stalls, brandishing her umbrella-sized +parasol in her anger, the ladies, as they entered, might well be +cowed by her presence.</p> + +<p>"When ladies say half-past two," said she, "they ought to come at +half-past two. Where is the Duchess of St Bungay? I shall not wait +for her."</p> + +<p>But there was a lady there who had come in behind the Mackenzies, +whom nothing ever cowed. This was the Lady Glencora Palliser, the +great heiress who had married the heir of a great duke, pretty, +saucy, and occasionally intemperate, in whose eyes Lady Ware with her +ferocious tiara was simply an old woman in a ridiculous head-gear. +The countess had apparently addressed herself to Mrs Mackenzie, who +had been the foremost to enter the building, and our Margaret had +already begun to tremble. But Lady Glencora stepped forward, and took +the brunt of the battle upon herself.</p> + +<p>"Nobody ever yet was so punctual as my Lady Ware," said Lady +Glencora.</p> + +<p>"It is very annoying to be kept waiting on such occasions," said the +countess.</p> + +<p>"But my dear Lady Ware, who keeps you waiting? There is your stall, +and why on earth should you stand here and call us all over as we +come in, like naughty schoolboys?"</p> + +<p>"The duchess said expressly that she would be here at half-past two."</p> + +<p>"Who ever expects the dear duchess to keep her word?" said Lady +Glencora.</p> + +<p>"Or whoever cared whether she does or does not?" said Mrs Chaucer +Munro, who, with her peculiar bevy, had now made her way up among the +front rank.</p> + +<p>Then to have seen the tiara of Lady Ware, as it wagged and nodded +while she looked at Mrs Munro, and to have witnessed the high moral +tone of the ferocity with which she stalked away to her own stall +with her daughters behind her,—a tragi-comedy which it was given to +no male eyes to behold,—would have been worth the whole +after-performance of the bazaar. No male eyes beheld that scene, as +Mr Manfred Smith, the manager, had gone out to look for his duchess, +and missing her carriage in the crowd, did not return till the bazaar +had been opened. That Mrs Chaucer Munro did not sink, collapsed, +among her bevy, must have been owing altogether to that callousness +which a long habit of endurance produces. Probably she did feel +something as at the moment there came no titter from any other bevy +corresponding to the titter which was raised by her own. She and her +bevy retired to their allotted place, conscious that their time for +glory could not come till the male world should appear upon the +scene. But Lady Ware's tiara still wagged and nodded behind her +counter, and Margaret, looking at her, thought that she must have +come there as the grand duenna of the occasion.</p> + +<p>Just at three o'clock the poor duchess hurried into the building in a +terrible flurry, and went hither and thither among the stalls, not +knowing at first where was her throne. Unkind chance threw her at +first almost into the booth of Mrs Conway Sparkes, the woman whom of +all women she hated the most; and from thence she recoiled into the +arms of Lady Hartletop who was sitting serene, placid, and contented +in her appointed place.</p> + +<p>"Opposite, I think, duchess," Mrs Conway Sparkes had said. "We are +only the small fry here."</p> + +<p>"Oh, ah; I beg pardon. They told me the middle, to the left."</p> + +<p>"And this is the middle to the right," said Mrs Conway Sparkes. But +the duchess had turned round since she came in, and could not at all +understand where she was.</p> + +<p>"Under the canopy, duchess," just whispered Lady Hartletop. Lady +Hartletop was a young woman who knew her right hand from her left +under all circumstances of life, and who never made any mistakes. The +duchess looked up in her confusion to the centre of the ceiling, but +could see no canopy. Lady Hartletop had done all that could be +required of her, and if the duchess were to die amidst her +difficulties it would not be her fault. Then came forth the Lady +Glencora, and with true charity conducted the lady-president to her +chair, just in time to avoid the crush, which ensued upon the opening +of the doors.</p> + +<p>The doors were opened, and very speedily the space of the bazaar +between the stalls became too crowded to have admitted the safe +passage of such a woman as the Duchess of St Bungay; but Lady +Glencora, who was less majestic in her size and gait, did not find +herself embarrassed. And now there arose, before the general work of +fleecing the wether lambs had well commenced, a terrible discord, as +of a brass band with broken bassoons, and trumpets all out of order, +from the further end of the building,—a terrible noise of most +unmusical music, such as Bartholomew Fair in its loudest days could +hardly have known. At such a diapason one would have thought that the +tender ears of May Fair and Belgravia would have been crushed and +cracked and riven asunder; that female voices would have shrieked, +and the intensity of fashionable female agony would have displayed +itself in all its best recognised forms. But the crash of brass was +borne by them as though they had been rough schoolboys delighting in +a din. The duchess gave one jump, and then remained quiet and +undismayed. If Lady Hartletop heard it, she did not betray the +hearing. Lady Glencora for a moment put her hands to her ears as she +laughed, but she did it as though the prettiness of the motion were +its only one cause. The fine nerves of Mrs Conway Sparkes, the +poetess, bore it all without flinching; and Mrs Chaucer Munro with +her bevy rushed forward so that they might lose nothing of what was +coming.</p> + +<p>"What are they going to do?" said Margaret to her cousin, in alarm.</p> + +<p>"It's the play part of the thing. Have you not seen the bills?" Then +Margaret looked at a great placard which was exhibited near to her, +which, though by no means intelligible to her, gave her to understand +that there was a show in progress. The wit of the thing seemed to +consist chiefly in the wonderful names chosen. The King of the +Cannibal Islands was to appear on a white charger. King +Chrononhotonthologos was to be led in chains by Tom Thumb. Achilles +would drag Hector thrice round the walls of Troy; and Queen Godiva +would ride through Coventry, accompanied by Lord Burghley and the +ambassador from Japan. It was also signified that in some back part +of the premises a theatrical entertainment would be carried on +throughout the afternoon, the King of the Cannibal Islands, with his +royal brother and sister Chrononhotonthologos and Godiva, taking +principal parts; but as nobody seemed to go to the theatre the +performers spent their time chiefly in making processions through and +amidst the stalls, when, as the day waxed hot, and the work became +heavy, they seemed to be taken much in dudgeon by the various bevies +with whose business they interfered materially.</p> + +<p>On this, their opening march, they rushed into the bazaar with great +energy, and though they bore no resemblance to the characters named +in the playbill, and though there was among them neither a Godiva, a +Hector, a Tom Thumb, or a Japanese, nevertheless, as they were +dressed in paint and armour after the manner of the late Mr +Richardson's heroes, and as most of the ladies had probably been +without previous opportunity of seeing such delights, they had their +effect. When they had made their twenty-first procession the thing +certainly grew stale, and as they brought with them an infinity of +dirt, they were no doubt a nuisance. But no one would have been +inclined to judge these amateur actors with harshness who knew how +much they themselves were called on to endure, who could appreciate +the disgusting misery of a hot summer afternoon spent beneath dust +and paint and tin-plate armour, and who would remember that the +performers received payment neither in <i>éclat</i> nor in thanks, nor +even in the smiles of beauty.</p> + +<p>"Can't somebody tell them not to come any more?" said the duchess, +almost crying with vexation towards the end of the afternoon.</p> + +<p>Then Mr Manfred Smith, who managed everything, went to the rear, and +the king and warriors were sent away to get beer or cooling drinks at +their respective clubs.</p> + +<p>Poor Mr Manfred Smith! He had not been present at the moment in which +he was wanted to lead the duchess to her stall, and the duchess never +forgave him. Instead of calling him by his name from time to time, +and enabling him to shine in public as he deserved to shine,—for he +had worked at the bazaar for the last six weeks as no professional +man ever worked at his profession,—the duchess always asked for +"somebody" when she wanted Mr Smith, and treated him when he came as +though he had been a servant hired for the occasion. One very +difficult job of work was given to him before the day was done; "I +wish you'd go over to those young women," said the duchess, "and say +that if they make so much noise, I must go away."</p> + +<p>The young women in question were Mrs Chaucer Munro and her bevy, and +the commission was one which poor Manfred Smith found it difficult to +execute.</p> + +<p>"Mrs Munro," said he, "you'll be sorry to hear—that the duchess—has +got—a headache, and she thinks we all might be a little quieter."</p> + +<p>The shouts of the loud nymphs were by this time high. "Pooh!" said +one of them. "Headache indeed!" said another. "Bother her head!" said +a third. "If the duchess is ill, perhaps she had better retire," said +Mrs Chaucer Munro. Then Mr Manfred Smith walked off sorrowfully +towards the door, and seating himself on the stool of the money-taker +by the entrance, wiped off the perspiration from his brow. He had +already put on his third pair of yellow kid gloves for the occasion, +and they were soiled and torn and disreputable; his polished boots +were brown with dust; the magenta ribbon round his neck had become a +moist rope; his hat had been thrown down and rumpled; a drop of oil +had made a spot upon his trousers; his whiskers were draggled and out +of order, and his mouth was full of dirt. I doubt if Mr Manfred Smith +will ever undertake to manage another bazaar.</p> + +<p>The duchess I think was right in her endeavour to mitigate the riot +among Mrs Munro's nymphs. Indeed there was rioting among other nymphs +than hers, though her noise and their noise was the loudest; and it +was difficult to say how there should not be riot, seeing what was to +be the recognised manner of transacting business. At first there was +something of prettiness in the rioting. The girls, who went about +among the crowd, begging men to put their hands into lucky bags, +trading in rose-buds, and asking for half-crowns for cigar lighters, +were fresh in their muslins, pretty with their braided locks, and +perhaps not impudently over-pressing in their solicitations to male +strangers. While they were not as yet either aweary or habituated to +the necessity of importunity, they remembered their girlhood and +their ladyhood, their youth and their modesty, and still carried with +them something of the bashfulness of maidenhood; and the young men, +the wether lambs, were as yet flush with their half-crowns, and the +elder sheep had not quite dispensed the last of their sovereigns or +buttoned up their trousers pockets. But as the work went on, and the +dust arose, and the prettinesses were destroyed, and money became +scarce, and weariness was felt, and the heat showed itself, and the +muslins sank into limpness, and the ribbons lost their freshness, and +braids of hair grew rough and loose, and sidelocks displaced +themselves—as girls became used to soliciting and forgetful of their +usual reticences in their anxiety for money, the charm of the thing +went, and all was ugliness and rapacity. Young ladies no longer moved +about, doing works of charity; but harpies and unclean birds were +greedy in quest of their prey.</p> + +<p>"Put a letter in my post-office," said one of Mrs Munro's bevy, who +officiated in a postal capacity behind a little square hole, to a +young man on whom she pounced out and had caught him and brought up, +almost with violence.</p> + +<p>The young man tendered some scrap of paper and a sixpence.</p> + +<p>"Only sixpence!" said the girl.</p> + +<p>A cabman could not have made the complaint with a more finished +accent of rapacious disgust.</p> + +<p>"Never mind," said the girl, "I'll give you an answer."</p> + +<p>Then, with inky fingers and dirty hands, she tendered him some +scrawl, and demanded five shillings postage. "Five shillings!" said +the young man. "Oh, I'm <span class="nowrap">d——"</span></p> + +<p>Then he gave her a shilling and walked away. She ventured to give one +little halloa after him, but she caught the duchess's eye looking at +her, and was quiet.</p> + +<p>I don't think there was much real flirting done. Men won't flirt with +draggled girls, smirched with dust, weary with work, and soiled with +heat; and especially they will not do so at the rate of a shilling a +word. When the whole thing was over, Mrs Chaucer Munro's bevy, lying +about on the benches in fatigue before they went away, declared that, +as far as they were concerned, the thing was a mistake. The +expenditure in gloves and muslin had been considerable, and the +returns to them had been very small. It is not only that men will not +flirt with draggled girls, but they will carry away with them +unfortunate remembrances of what they have seen and heard. Upon the +whole it may be doubted whether any of the bevies were altogether +contented with the operations on the occasion of the Negro Soldiers' +Orphan Bazaar.</p> + +<p>Miss Mackenzie had been, perhaps, more fortunate than some of the +others. It must, however, be remembered that there are two modes of +conducting business at these bazaars. There is the travelling +merchant, who roams about, and there is the stationary merchant, who +remains always behind her counter. It is not to be supposed that the +Duchess of St Bungay spent the afternoon rushing about with a lucky +bag. The duchess was a stationary trader, and so were all the ladies +who belonged to the Mackenzie booth. Miss Mackenzie, the lamb, had +been much regarded, and consequently the things at her disposal had +been quickly sold. It had all seemed to her to be very wonderful, and +as the fun grew fast and furious, as the young girls became eager in +their attacks, she made up her mind that she would never occupy +another stall at a bazaar. One incident, and but one, occurred to her +during the day; and one person came to her that she knew, and but +one. It was nearly six, and she was beginning to think that the weary +work must soon be over, when, on a sudden, she found Sir John Ball +standing beside her.</p> + +<p>"Oh, John!" she said, startled by his presence, "who would have +thought of seeing you here?"</p> + +<p>"And why not me as well as any other fool of my age?"</p> + +<p>"Because you think it is foolish," she answered, "and I suppose the +others don't."</p> + +<p>"Why should you say that I think it foolish? At any rate, I'm glad to +see you looking so nice and happy."</p> + +<p>"I don't know about being happy," said Margaret,—"or nice either for +the matter of that."</p> + +<p>But there was a smile on her face as she spoke, and Sir John smiled +also when he saw it.</p> + +<p>"Doesn't she look well in that bonnet?" said Mrs Mackenzie, turning +round to the side of the counter at which he was standing. "It was my +choice, and I absolutely made her wear it. If you knew the trouble I +had!"</p> + +<p>"It is very pretty," said Sir John.</p> + +<p>"Is it not? And are you not very much obliged to me? I'm sure you +ought to be, for nobody before has ever taken the trouble of finding +out what becomes her most. As for herself, she's much too +well-behaved a young woman to think of such vanities."</p> + +<p>"Not at present, certainly," said Margaret.</p> + +<p>"And why not at present? She looks on those lawyers and their work as +though there was something funereal about them. You ought to teach +her better, Sir John."</p> + +<p>"All that will be over in a day or two now," said he.</p> + +<p>"And then she will shake off her dowdiness and her gloom together," +said Mrs Mackenzie. "Do you know I fancy she has a liking for pretty +things at heart as well as another woman."</p> + +<p>"I hope she has," said he.</p> + +<p>"Of course you do. What is a woman worth without it? Don't be angry, +Margaret, but I say a woman is worth nothing without it, and Sir John +will agree with me if he knows anything about the matter. But, +Margaret, why don't you make him buy something? He can't refuse you +if you ask him."</p> + +<p>If Miss Mackenzie could thereby have provided for all the negro +soldiers' orphans in existence, I do not think that she could at that +moment have solicited him to make a purchase.</p> + +<p>"Come, Sir John," continued Mrs Mackenzie, "you must buy something of +her. What do you say to this paper-knife?"</p> + +<p>"How much does the paper-knife cost?" said he, still smiling. It was +a large, elaborate, and perhaps, I may say, unwieldy affair, with a +great elephant at the end of it.</p> + +<p>"Oh! that is terribly dear," said Margaret, "it costs two pounds +ten."</p> + +<p>Thereupon he put his hand into his pocket, and taking out his purse, +gave her a five-pound note.</p> + +<p>"We never give change," said Mrs Mackenzie: "do we, Margaret?"</p> + +<p>"I'll give him change," said Margaret.</p> + +<p>"I'll be extravagant for once," said Sir John, "and let you keep the +whole."</p> + +<p>"Oh, John!" said Margaret.</p> + +<p>"You have no right to scold him yet," said Mrs Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>Margaret, when she heard this, blushed up to her forehead, and in her +confusion forgot all about the paper-knife and the money. Sir John, I +fancy, was almost as much confused himself, and was quite unable to +make any fitting reply. But, just at that moment, there came across +two harpies from the realms of Mrs Chaucer Munro, eagerly intent upon +their prey.</p> + +<p>"Here are the lion and the lamb together," said one harpy. "The lion +must buy a rose to give to the lamb. Sir Lion, the rose is but a poor +half-crown." And she tendered him a battered flower, leering at him +from beneath her draggled, dusty bonnet as she put forth her +untempting hand for the money.</p> + +<p>"Sir Lion, Sir Lion," said the other harpy, "I want your name for a +raffle."</p> + +<p>But the lion was off, having pushed the first harpy aside somewhat +rudely. That tale of the Lion and the Lamb had been very terrible to +him; but never till this occasion had any one dared to speak of it +directly to his face. But what will not a harpy do who has become +wild and dirty and disgusting in the pursuit of half-crowns?</p> + +<p>"Now he is angry," said Margaret. "Oh, Mrs Mackenzie, why did you say +that?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; he is angry," said Mrs Mackenzie, "but not with you or me. Upon +my word, I thought he would have pushed that girl over; and if he +had, he would only have served her right."</p> + +<p>"But why did you say that? You shouldn't have said it."</p> + +<p>"About your not scolding him yet? I said it, my dear, because I +wanted to make myself certain. I was almost certain before, but now I +am quite certain."</p> + +<p>"Certain of what, Mrs Mackenzie?"</p> + +<p>"That you'll be a baronet's wife before me, and entitled to be taken +out of a room first as long as dear old Sir Walter is alive."</p> + +<p>Soon after that the bazaar was brought to an end, and it was supposed +to have been the most successful thing of the kind ever done in +London. Loud boasts were made that more than eight hundred pounds had +been cleared; but whether any orphans of any negro soldiers were ever +the better for the money I am not able to say.</p> + + +<p><a name="c28" id="c28"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XXVIII</h3> +<h3>Showing How the Lion Was Stung by the Wasp<br /> </h3> + + +<p>It may be remembered that Mr Maguire, when he first made public that +pretty story of the Lion and the Lamb, declared that he would give +the lion no peace till that beast had disgorged his prey, and that he +had pledged himself to continue the fight till he should have +succeeded in bringing the lamb back to the pleasant pastures of +Littlebath. But Mr Maguire found some difficulty in carrying out his +pledge. He was willing enough to fight, but the weapons with which to +do battle were wanting to him. The <i>Christian Examiner</i>, having got +so far into the mess, and finding that a ready sale did in truth +result from any special article as to the lion and the lamb, was +indeed ready to go on with the libel. The <i>Christian Examiner</i> +probably had not much to lose. But there arose a question whether +fighting simply through the columns of the <i>Christian Examiner</i> was +not almost tantamount to no fight at all. He wanted to bring an +action against Sir John Ball, to have Sir John Ball summoned into +court and examined about the money, to hear some truculent barrister +tell Sir John Ball that he could not conceal himself from the scorn +of an indignant public behind the spangles of his parvenu baronetcy. +He had a feeling that the lion would be torn to pieces, if only a +properly truculent barrister could be got to fix his claws into him. +But, unfortunately, no lawyer,—not even Solomon Walker, the Low +Church attorney at Littlebath,—would advise him that he had any +ground for an action. If indeed he chose to proceed against the lady +for a breach of promise of marriage, then the result would depend on +the evidence. In such case as that the Low Church attorney at +Littlebath was willing to take the matter up. "But Mr Maguire was, of +course, aware," said Solomon Walker, "that there was a prejudice in +the public mind against gentlemen appearing as parties to such +suits." Mr Maguire was also aware that he could adduce no evidence of +the fact beyond his own unsupported, and, in such case, untrue word, +and declared therefore to the attorney, in a very high tone indeed, +that on no account would he take any step to harass the lady. It was +simply against Sir John Ball that he wished to proceed. "Things would +come out in that trial, Mr Walker," he said, "which would astonish +you and all the legal world. A rapacious scheme of villainy has been +conceived and brought to bear, through the stupidity of some people +and the iniquity of others, which would unroll itself fold by fold as +certainly as I stand here, if it were properly handled by a competent +barrister in one of our courts of law." And I think that Mr Maguire +believed what he was saying, and that he believed, moreover, that he +was speaking the truth when he told Mr Walker that the lady had +promised to marry him. Men who can succeed in deceiving no one else +will succeed at last in deceiving themselves. But the lawyer told +him, repeating the fact over and over again, that the thing was +impracticable; that there was no means of carrying the matter so far +that Sir John Ball should be made to appear in a witness box. +Everything that Sir John had done he had done legally; and even at +that moment of the discussion between Mr Walker and Mr Maguire, the +question of the ownership of the property was being tried before a +proper tribunal in London. Mr Maguire still thought Mr Walker to be +wrong,—thought that his attorney was a weak and ignorant man; but he +acknowledged to himself the fact that he in his unhappy position was +unable to get any more cunning attorney to take the matter in hand.</p> + +<p>But the <i>Christian Examiner</i> still remained to him, and that he used +with diligence. From week to week there appeared in it articles +attacking the lion, stating that the lion was still being watched, +that his prey would be snatched from him at last, that the lamb +should even yet have her rights, and the like. And as the thing went +on, the periodical itself and the writer of the article became +courageous by habit, till things were printed which Sir John Ball +found it almost impossible to bear. It was declared that he was going +to desert the lamb, now that he had taken all the lamb's property; +and that the lamb, shorn of all her fleece, was to be condemned to +earn her bread as a common nurse in the wards of a common +hospital,—all which information came readily enough to Mr Maguire by +the hands of Miss Colza. The papers containing these articles were +always sent to Sir John Ball and to Miss Mackenzie, and the articles +were always headed, "The Lion and the Lamb." Miss Mackenzie, in +accordance with an arrangement made to that purpose, sent the papers +as soon as they came to Mr Slow, but Sir John Ball had no such ready +way of freeing himself from their burden. He groaned and toiled under +them, going to his lawyer with them, and imploring permission to +bring an action for libel against Mr Maguire. The venom of the +unclean animal's sting had gone so deep into him, that, fond as he +was of money, he had told his lawyer that he would not begrudge the +expense if he could only punish the man who was hurting him. But the +attorney, who understood something of feeling as well as something of +money, begged him to be quiet at any rate till the fate of the +property should be settled. "And if you'll take my advice, Sir John, +you will not notice him at all. You may be sure that he has not a +shilling in the world, and that he wants you to prosecute him. When +you have got damages against him, he will be off out of the country."</p> + +<p>"But I shall have stopped his impudent ribaldry," said Sir John Ball. +Then the lawyer tried to explain to him that no one read the +ribaldry. It was of no use. Sir John read it himself, and that was +enough to make him wretched.</p> + +<p>The little fable which made Sir John so unhappy had not, for some +months past, appeared in any of the metropolitan newspapers; but when +the legal inquiry into the proper disposition of Mr Jonathan Ball's +property was over, and when it was known that, as the result of that +inquiry, the will in favour of the Mackenzies was to be set aside and +the remains of the property handed over to Sir John, then that very +influential newspaper, which in the early days of the question had +told the story of the Lion and the Lamb, told it all again, tearing, +indeed, the Littlebath <i>Christian Examiner</i> into shreds for its +iniquity, but speaking of the romantic misfortune of the lamb in +terms which made Sir John Ball very unhappy. The fame which accrued +to him from being so publicly pointed out as a lion, was not fame of +which he was proud. And when the writer in this very influential +newspaper went on to say that the world was now looking for a +termination of this wonderful story, which would make it pleasant to +all parties, he was nearly beside himself in his misery. He, a man of +fifty, of slow habits, with none of the buoyancy of youth left in +him, apt to regard himself as older than his age, who had lived with +his father and mother almost on an equality in regard to habits of +life, the father of a large family, of which the eldest was now +himself a man! Could it be endured that such a one as he should enter +upon matrimony amidst the din of public trumpets and under a halo of +romance? The idea of it was frightful to him. On the very day on +which the result of the legal investigation was officially +communicated to him, he sat in the old study at the Cedars with two +newspapers before him. In one of these there was a description of his +love, which he knew was intended as furtive ridicule, and an +assurance to the public that the lamb's misfortunes would all be +remedied by the sweet music of the marriage bell. What right had any +one to assert publicly that he intended to marry any one? In his +wretchedness and anger he would have indicted this newspaper also for +a libel, had not his lawyer assured him that, according to law, there +was no libel in stating that a man was going to be married. The other +paper accused him of rapacity and dishonesty in that he would not +marry the lamb, now that he had secured the lamb's fleece; so that, +in truth, he had no escape on either side; for Mr Maguire, having at +last ascertained that the lamb had, in very truth, lost all her +fleece, was no longer desirous of any personal connection, and felt +that he could best carry out his pledge by attacking the possessor of +the fleece on that side. Under such circumstances, what was such a +man as Sir John Ball to do? Could he marry his cousin amidst the +trumpets, and the halo, and the doggrel poetry which would abound? +Was it right that he should be made a mark for the finger of scorn? +Had he done anything to deserve this punishment?</p> + +<p>And it must be remembered that from day to day his own mother, who +lived with him, who sat with him late every night talking on this one +subject, was always instigating him to abandon his cousin. It had +been admitted between them that he was no longer bound by his offer. +Margaret herself had admitted it,—"does not attempt to deny it," as +Lady Ball repeated over and over again. When he had made his offer he +had known nothing of Mr Maguire's offer, nor had Margaret then told +him of it. Such reticence on her part of course released him from his +bond. So Lady Ball argued, and against this argument her son made no +demur. Indeed it was hardly possible that he should comprehend +exactly what had taken place between his cousin and Mr Maguire. His +mother did not scruple to assure him that she must undoubtedly at one +time have accepted the man's proposal. In answer to this John Ball +would always assert his entire reliance on his cousin's word.</p> + +<p>"She did it without knowing that she did so," Lady Ball would answer; +"but in some language she must have assented."</p> + +<p>But the mother was never able to extract from the son any intimation +of his intention to give up the marriage, though she used threats and +tears, ridicule and argument,—appeals to his pride and appeals to +his pocket. He never said that he certainly would marry her; he never +said so at least after that night on which Margaret in her bedroom +had told him her story with reference to Mr Maguire; but neither did +he ever say that he certainly would not marry her. Lady Ball gathered +from all his words a conviction that he would be glad to be released, +if he could be released by any act on Margaret's behalf, and +therefore she had made her attempt on Margaret. With what success the +reader will, I hope, remember. Margaret, when she accepted her +cousin's offer, had been specially bidden by him to be firm. This +bidding she obeyed, and on that side there was no hope at all for +Lady Ball.</p> + +<p>I fear there was much of cowardice on Sir John's part. He had, in +truth, forgiven Margaret any offence that she had committed in +reference to Mr Maguire. She had accepted his offer while another +offer was still dragging on an existence after a sort, and she had +not herself been the first to tell him of these circumstances. There +had been offence to him in this, but that offence he had, in truth, +forgiven. Had there been no Littlebath <i>Christian Examiner</i>, no tale +of the Lion and the Lamb, no publicity and no ridicule, he would +quietly have walked off with his cousin to some church, having gone +through all preliminary ceremonies in the most silent manner possible +for them, and would have quietly got himself married and have carried +Margaret home with him. Now that his father was dead and that his +uncle Jonathan's money had come to him, his pecuniary cares were +comparatively light, and he believed that he could be very happy with +Margaret and his children. But then to be pointed at daily as a lion, +and to be asked by all his acquaintances after the lamb! It must be +owned that he was a coward; but are not most men cowards in such +matters as that?</p> + +<p>But now the trial was over, the money was his own, Margaret was left +without a shilling in the world, and it was quite necessary that he +should make up his mind. He had once told his lawyer, in his +premature joy, on that very day on which Mr Maguire had come to the +Cedars, that everything was to be made smooth by a marriage between +himself and the disinherited heiress. He had since told the lawyer +that something had occurred which might, perhaps, alter this +arrangement. After that the lawyer had asked no question about the +marriage; but when he communicated to his client the final +intelligence that Jonathan Ball's money was at his client's disposal, +he said that it would be well to arrange what should be done on Miss +Mackenzie's behalf. Sir John Ball had assumed very plainly a look of +vexation when the question was put to him.</p> + +<p>"I promised Mr Slow that I would ask you," said the lawyer. "Mr Slow +is of course anxious for his client."</p> + +<p>"It is my business and not Mr Slow's," said Sir John Ball, "and you +may tell him that I say so."</p> + +<p>Then there had been a moment's silence, and Sir John had felt himself +to be wrong.</p> + +<p>"Pray tell him also," said Sir John, "that I am very grateful to him +for his solicitude about my cousin, and that I fully appreciate his +admirable conduct both to her and me throughout all this affair. When +I have made up my mind what shall be done, I will let him know at +once."</p> + +<p>As he walked down from his lawyer's chambers in Bedford Row to the +railway station he thought of all this, and thought also of those +words which Mrs Mackenzie had spoken to him in the bazaar. "You have +no right to scold him yet," she had said to Margaret. Of course he +had understood what they meant, and of course Margaret had understood +them also. And he had not been at all angry when they were spoken. +Margaret had been so prettily dressed, and had looked so fresh and +nice, that at that moment he had forgotten all his annoyances in his +admiration, and had listened to Mrs Mackenzie's cunning speech, not +without confusion, but without any immediate desire to contradict its +necessary inference. A moment or two afterwards the harpies had been +upon him, and then he had gone off in his anger. Poor Margaret had +been unable to distinguish between the effects produced by the speech +and by the harpies; but Mrs Mackenzie had been more clever, and had +consequently predicted her cousin's speedy promotion in the world's +rank.</p> + +<p>Sir John, as he went home, made up his mind to one of two +alternatives. He would either marry his cousin or halve Jonathan +Ball's money with her. He wanted to marry her, and he wanted to keep +the money. He wanted to marry her especially since he had seen how +nice she looked in black-freckled muslin; but he wanted to marry her +in silence, without any clash of absurd trumpets, without +ridicule-moving leading articles, and fingers pointed at the +triumphant lion. He made up his mind to one of those alternatives, +and resolved that he would settle which on that very night. His mind +should be made up and told to his mother before he went to bed. +Nevertheless, when the girls and Jack were gone, and he was left +alone with Lady Ball, his mind had as yet been made up to nothing!</p> + +<p>His mother gave him no peace on this subject. It was she who began +the conversation on this occasion.</p> + +<p>"John," she said, "the time has come for me to settle the question of +my residence."</p> + +<p>Now the house at Twickenham was the property of the present baronet, +but Lady Ball had a jointure of five hundred a year out of her late +husband's estate. It had always been intended that the mother should +continue to live with her son and grandchildren in the very probable +event of her being left a widow; and it was felt by them all that +their means were not large enough to permit, with discretion, +separate households; but Lady Ball had declared more than once with +extreme vehemence that nothing should induce her to live at the +Cedars if Margaret Mackenzie should be made mistress of the house.</p> + +<p>"Has the time come especially to-day?" he asked in reply.</p> + +<p>"I think we may say it has come especially to-day. We know now that +you have got this increase to your income, and nothing is any longer +in doubt that we cannot ourselves settle. I need not say that my +dearest wish is to remain here, but you know my mind upon that +subject."</p> + +<p>"I cannot see any possible reason for your going."</p> + +<p>"Nor can I—except the one. I suppose you know yourself what you mean +to do about your cousin. Everybody knows what you ought to do after +the disgraceful things that have been put into all the newspapers."</p> + +<p>"That has not been Margaret's fault."</p> + +<p>"I am by no means so sure of that. Indeed, I think it has been her +fault; and now she has made herself notorious by being at this +bazaar, and by having herself called a ridiculous name by everybody. +Nothing will make me believe but what she likes it."</p> + +<p>"You are ready to believe any evil of her, mother; and yet it is not +two years since you yourself wished me to marry her."</p> + +<p>"Things are very different since that; very different indeed. And I +did not know her then as I do now, or I should never have thought of +such a thing, let her have had all the money in the world. She had +not misbehaved herself then with that horrible curate."</p> + +<p>"She has not misbehaved herself now," said the son, in an angry +voice.</p> + +<p>"Yes, she has, John," said the mother, in a voice still more angry.</p> + +<p>"That's a matter for me to judge. She has not misbehaved herself in +my eyes. It is a great misfortune,—a great misfortune for us +both,—the conduct of this man; but I won't allow it to be said that +it was her fault."</p> + +<p>"Very well. Then I suppose I may arrange to go. I did not think, +John, that I should be turned out of your father's house so soon +after your father's death. I did not indeed."</p> + +<p>Thereupon Lady Ball got out her handkerchief, and her son perceived +that real tears were running down her face.</p> + +<p>"Nobody has ever spoken of your going except yourself, mother."</p> + +<p>"I won't live in the house with her."</p> + +<p>"And what would you have me do? Would you wish me to let her go her +way and starve by herself?"</p> + +<p>"No, John; certainly not. I think you should see that she wants for +nothing. She could live with her sister-in-law, and have the interest +of the money that the Rubbs took from her. It was your money."</p> + +<p>"I have explained to you over and over again, mother, that that has +already been made over to Mrs Tom Mackenzie; and that would not have +been at all sufficient. Indeed, I have altogether made up my mind +upon that. When the lawyers and all the expenses are paid, there will +still be about eight hundred a year. I shall share it with her."</p> + +<p>"John!"</p> + +<p>"That is my intention; and therefore if I were to marry her I should +get an additional income of four hundred a year for myself and my +children."</p> + +<p>"You don't mean it, John?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed I do, mother. I'm sure the world would expect me to do as +much as that."</p> + +<p>"The world expect you! And are you to rob your children, John, +because the world expects it? I never heard of such a thing. Give +away four hundred a year merely because you are afraid of those +wretched newspapers! I did expect you would have more courage."</p> + +<p>"If I do not do one, mother, I shall do the other certainly."</p> + +<p>"Then I must beg you to tell me which you mean to do. If you gave her +half of all that is coming to you, of course I must remain here +because you could not live here without me. Your income would be +quite insufficient. But you do owe it to me to tell me at once what I +am to do."</p> + +<p>To this her son made no immediate answer, but sat with his elbow on +the table, and his head upon his hand looking moodily at the +fire-place. He did not wish to commit himself if he could possibly +avoid it.</p> + +<p>"John, I must insist upon an answer," said his mother. "I have a +right to expect an answer."</p> + +<p>"You must do what you like, mother, independently of me. If you think +you can live here on your income, I will go away, and you shall have +the place."</p> + +<p>"That's nonsense, John. Of course you want a large house for the +children, and I, if I must be alone, shall only want one room for +myself. What should I do with the house?" Then there was silence +again for a while.</p> + +<p>"I will give you a final answer on Saturday," he said at last. "I +shall see Margaret before Saturday."</p> + +<p>After that he took his candle and went to bed. It was then Tuesday, +and Lady Ball was obliged to be contented with the promise thus made +to her.</p> + +<p>On Wednesday he did nothing. On the Thursday morning he received a +letter which nearly drove him mad. It was addressed to him at the +office of the Shadrach Fire Insurance Company, and it reached him +there. It was as <span class="nowrap">follows—</span><br /> </p> + + +<blockquote> +<p class="jright">Littlebath, — June, 186—.</p> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smallcaps">Sir</span>,</p> + +<p>You are no doubt fully aware of all the efforts which I +have made during the last six months to secure from your +grasp the fortune which did belong to my dear—my dearest +friend, Margaret Mackenzie. For as my dearest friend I +shall ever regard her, though she and I have been +separated by machinations of the nature of which she, as I +am fully sure, has never been aware. I now ascertain that +some of the inferior law courts have, under what pressure +I know not, set aside the will which was made twenty years +ago in favour of the Mackenzie family, and given to you +the property which did belong to them. That a superior +court would reverse the judgment, I believe there is +little doubt; but whether or no the means exist for me to +bring the matter before the higher tribunals of the +country I am not yet aware. Very probably I may have no +such power, and in such case, Margaret Mackenzie is, +to-day, through your means, a beggar.</p> + +<p>Since this matter has been before the public you have +ingeniously contrived to mitigate the wrath of public +opinion by letting it be supposed that you purposed to +marry the lady whose wealth you were seeking to obtain by +legal quibbles. You have made your generous intentions +very public, and have created a romance that has been, I +must say, but little becoming to your age. If all be true +that I heard when I last saw Miss Mackenzie at Twickenham, +you have gone through some ceremony of proposing to her. +But, as I understand, that joke is now thought to have +been carried far enough; and as the money is your own, you +intend to enjoy yourself as a lion, leaving the lamb to +perish in the wilderness.</p> + +<p>Now I call upon you to assert, under your own name and +with your own signature, what are your intentions with +reference to Margaret Mackenzie. Her property, at any rate +for the present, is yours. Do you intend to make her your +wife, or do you not? And if such be your intention, when +do you purpose that the marriage shall take place, and +where?</p> + +<p>I reserve to myself the right to publish this letter and +your answer to it; and of course shall publish the fact if +your cowardice prevents you from answering it. Indeed +nothing shall induce me to rest in this matter till I know +that I have been the means of restoring to Margaret +Mackenzie the means of decent livelihood.</p> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="ind10">I have +the honour to be, Sir,</span><br /> +<span class="ind12">Your very humble servant,</span></p> + +<p class="ind15"><span class="smallcaps">Jeremiah Maguire</span>.</p> + +<p class="noindent">Sir John Ball, Bart., &c., &c,<br /> +<span class="ind2">Shadrach Fire Office.</span><br /> </p> +</blockquote> + + +<p>Sir John, when he had read this, was almost wild with agony and +anger. He threw up his hands with dismay as he walked along the +passages of the Shadrach Office, and fulminated mental curses against +the wasp that was able to sting him so deeply. What should he do to +the man? As for answering the letter, that was of course out of the +question; but the reptile would carry out his threat of publishing +the letter, and then the whole question of his marriage would be +discussed in the public prints. An idea came across him that a free +press was bad and rotten from the beginning to the end. This creature +was doing him a terrible injury, was goading him almost to death, and +yet he could not punish him. He was a clergyman, and could not be +beaten and kicked, or even fired at with a pistol. As for prosecuting +the miscreant, had not his own lawyer told him over and over again +that such a prosecution was the very thing which the miscreant +desired. And then the additional publicity of such a prosecution, and +the twang of false romance which would follow and the horrid +alliteration of the story of the two beasts, and all the ridicule of +the incidents, crowded upon his mind, and he walked forth from the +Shadrach office among the throngs of the city a wretched and almost +despairing man.</p> + + +<p><a name="c29" id="c29"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XXIX</h3> +<h3>A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed<br /> </h3> + + +<p>When the work of the bazaar was finished all the four Mackenzie +ladies went home to Mrs Mackenzie's house in Cavendish Square, very +tired, eager for tea, and resolved that nothing more should be done +that evening. There should be no dressing for dinner, no going out, +nothing but idleness, tea, lamb chops, and gossip about the day's +work. Mr Mackenzie was down at the House, and there was no occasion +for any domestic energy. And thus the evening was passed. How Mrs +Chaucer Munro and the loud bevy fared among them, or how old Lady +Ware and her daughters, or the poor, dear, bothered duchess or Mr +Manfred Smith, or the kings and heroes who had appeared in paint and +armour, cannot be told. I fear that the Mackenzie verdict about the +bazaar in general was not favourable and that they agreed among +themselves to abstain from such enterprises of charity in future. It +concerns us now chiefly to know that our Griselda held up her head +well throughout that evening, and made herself comfortable and at her +ease among her cousins, although it was already known to her that the +legal decision had gone against her in the great case of Ball <i>v.</i> +Mackenzie. But had that decision been altogether in her favour the +result would not have been so favourable to her spirits, as had been +that little speech made by Mrs Mackenzie as to her having no right as +yet to scold Sir John for his extravagance,—that little speech made +in good humour, and apparently accepted in good humour even by him. +But on that evening Mrs Mackenzie was not able to speak to Margaret +about her prospects, or to lecture her on the expediency of regarding +the nicenesses of her dress in Sir John's presence, because of the +two other cousins. The two other cousins, no doubt, knew all the +story of the Lion and the Lamb, and talked to their sister-in-law, +Clara, of their other cousin, Griselda, behind Griselda's back; and +were no doubt very anxious that Griselda should become a baronet's +wife; but among so large a party there was no opportunity for +confidential advice.</p> + +<p>On the next morning Mrs Mackenzie and Margaret were together, and +then Mrs Mackenzie began:</p> + +<p>"Margaret, my dear," said she, "that bonnet I gave you has been worth +its weight in gold."</p> + +<p>"It cost nearly as much," said Margaret, "for it was very expensive +and very light."</p> + +<p>"Or in bank-notes either, because it has shown him and me and +everybody else that you needn't be a dowdy unless you please. No man +wishes to marry a dowdy, you know."</p> + +<p>"I suppose I was a dowdy when he asked me."</p> + +<p>"I wasn't there, and didn't know you then, and can't say. But I do +know that he liked the way you looked yesterday. Now, of course, +he'll be coming here before long."</p> + +<p>"I dare say he won't come here again the whole summer."</p> + +<p>"If he did not, I should send for him."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mrs Mackenzie!"</p> + +<p>"And oh, Griselda! Why should I not send for him? You don't suppose +I'm going to let this kind of thing go on from month to month, till +that old woman at the Cedars has contrived to carry her point. +Certainly not."</p> + +<p>"Now that the matter is settled, of course, I shall not go on staying +here."</p> + +<p>"Not after you're married, my dear. We couldn't well take in Sir John +and all the children. Besides, we shall be going down to Scotland for +the grouse. But I mean you shall be married out of this house. Don't +look so astonished. Why not? There's plenty of time before the end of +July."</p> + +<p>"I don't think he means anything of the kind; I don't indeed."</p> + +<p>"Then he must be the queerest man that ever I met; and I should say +about the falsest and most heartless also. But whether he means to do +that or does not, he must mean to do something. You don't suppose +he'll take all your fortune away from you, and then leave you without +coming to say a word to you about it? If you had disputed the matter, +and put him to all manner of expense; if, in short, you had been +enemies through it all, that might have been possible. But you have +been such a veritable lamb, giving your fleece to the shearer so +meekly,—such a true Griselda, that if he were to leave you in that +way, no one would ever speak to him again."</p> + +<p>"But you forget Lady Ball."</p> + +<p>"No, I don't. He'll have a disagreeable scene with his mother, and I +don't pretend to guess what will be the end of that; but when he has +done with his mother, he'll come here. He must do it. He has no +alternative. And when he does come, I want you to look your best. +Believe me, my dear, there would be no muslins in the world and no +starch, if it was not intended that people should make themselves +look as nice as possible."</p> + +<p>"Young people," suggested Margaret.</p> + +<p>"Young people, as you call them, can look well without muslin and +without starch. Such things were intended for just such persons as +you and me; and as for me, I make it a rule to take the goods the +gods provide me."</p> + +<p>Mrs Mackenzie's philosophy was not without its result, and her +prophecy certainly came true. A few days passed by and no lover came, +but early on the Friday morning after the bazaar, Margaret, who at +the moment was in her own room, was told that Sir John was below in +the drawing-room with Mrs Mackenzie. He had already been there some +little time, the servant said, and Mrs Mackenzie had sent up with her +love to know if Miss Mackenzie would come down. Would she go down? Of +course she would go to her cousin. She was no coward. Indeed, a true +Griselda can hardly be a coward. So she made up her mind to go to her +cousin and hear her fate.</p> + +<p>The last four-and-twenty hours had been very bitter with Sir John +Ball. What was he to do, walking about with that man's letter in his +pocket—with that reptile's venom still curdling through his veins? +On that Thursday morning, as he went towards his office, he had made +up his mind, as he thought, to go to Margaret and bid her choose her +own destiny. She should become his wife, or have half of Jonathan +Ball's remaining fortune, as she might herself elect. "She refused +me," he said to himself, "when the money was all hers. Why should she +wish to come to such a house as mine, to marry a dull husband and +undertake the charge of a lot of children? She shall choose herself." +And then he thought of her as he had seen her at the bazaar, and +began to flatter himself that, in spite of his dullness and his +children, she would choose to become his wife. He was making some +scheme as to his mother's life, proposing that two of his girls +should live with her, and that she should be near to him, when the +letter from Mr Maguire was put into his hands.</p> + +<p>How was he to marry his cousin after that? If he were to do so, would +not that wretch at Littlebath declare, through all the provincial and +metropolitan newspapers, that he had compelled the marriage? That +letter would be published in the very column that told of the +wedding. But yet he must decide. He must do something. They who read +this will probably declare that he was a weak fool to regard anything +that such a one as Mr Maguire could say of him. He was not a fool, +but he was so far weak and foolish; and in such matters such men are +weak and foolish, and often cowardly.</p> + +<p>It was, however, absolutely necessary that he should do something. He +was as well aware as was Mrs Mackenzie that it was essentially his +duty to see his cousin, now that the question of law between them had +been settled. Even if he had no thought of again asking her to be his +wife, he could not confide to any one else the task of telling her +what was to be her fate. Her conduct to him in the matter of the +property had been exemplary, and it was incumbent on him to thank her +for her generous forbearance. He had pledged himself also to give his +mother a final answer on Saturday.</p> + +<p>On the Friday morning, therefore, he knocked at the Mackenzies' house +door in Cavendish Square, and soon found himself alone with Mrs +Mackenzie. I do not know that even then he had come to any fixed +purpose. What he would himself have preferred would have been +permission to postpone any action as regards his cousin for another +six months, and to have been empowered to use that time in crushing +Mr Maguire out of existence. But this might not be so, and therefore +he went to Cavendish Square that he might there decide his fate.</p> + +<p>"You want to see Margaret, no doubt," said Mrs Mackenzie, "that you +may tell her that her ruin is finally completed;" and as she thus +spoke of her cousin's ruin, she smiled her sweetest smile and put on +her pleasantest look.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do want to see her presently," he said.</p> + +<p>Mrs Mackenzie had stood up as though she were about to go in quest of +her cousin, but had sat down again when the word presently was +spoken. She was by no means averse to having a few words of +conversation about Margaret, if Sir John should wish it. Sir John, I +fear, had merely used the word through some instinctive idea that he +might thereby stave off the difficulty for a while.</p> + +<p>"Don't you think she looked very well at the Bazaar?" said Mrs +Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"Very well, indeed," he answered; "very well. I can't say I liked the +place."</p> + +<p>"Nor any of us, I can assure you. Only one must do that sort of thing +sometimes, you know. Margaret was very much admired there. So much +has been said of this singular story about her fortune, that people +have, of course, talked more of her than they would otherwise have +done."</p> + +<p>"That has been a great misfortune," said Sir John, frowning.</p> + +<p>"It has been a misfortune, but it has been one of those things that +can't be helped. I don't think you have any cause to complain, for +Margaret has behaved as no other woman ever did behave, I think. Her +conduct has been perfect."</p> + +<p>"I don't complain of her."</p> + +<p>"As for the rest, you must settle that with the world yourself. I +don't care for any one beyond her. But, for my part, I think it is +the best to let those things die away of themselves. After all, what +does it matter as long as one does nothing to be ashamed of oneself? +People can't break any bones by their talking."</p> + +<p>"Wouldn't you think it very unpleasant, Mrs Mackenzie, to have your +name brought up in the newspapers?"</p> + +<p>"Upon my word I don't think I should care about it as long as my +husband stood by me. What is it after all? People say that you and +Margaret are the Lion and the Lamb. What's the harm of being called a +lamb or a lion either? As long as people are not made to believe that +you have behaved badly, that you have been false or cruel, I can't +see that it comes to much. One does not, of course, wish to have +newspaper articles written about one."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed."</p> + +<p>"But they can't break your bones, nor can they make the world think +you dishonest, as long as you take care that you are honest. Now, in +this matter, I take it for granted that you and Margaret are going to +make a match of <span class="nowrap">it—"</span></p> + +<p>"Has she told you so?"</p> + +<p>Mrs Mackenzie paused a moment to collect her thoughts before she +answered; but it was only for a moment, and Sir John Ball hardly +perceived that she had ceased to speak.</p> + +<p>"No," she said; "she has not told me so. But I have told her that it +must be so."</p> + +<p>"And she does not wish it?"</p> + +<p>"Do you want me to tell a lady's secret? But in such a case as this +the truth is always the best. She does wish it, with all her +heart,—as much as any woman ever wished for anything. You need have +no doubt about her loving you."</p> + +<p>"Of course, Mrs Mackenzie, I should take care in any case that she +were provided for amply. If a single life will suit her best, she +shall have half of all that she ever thought to be her own."</p> + +<p>"And do you wish it to be so?"</p> + +<p>"I have not said that, Mrs Mackenzie. But it may be that I should +wish her to have the choice fairly in her own power."</p> + +<p>"Then I can tell you at once which she would choose. Your offer is +very generous. It is more than generous. But, Sir John, a single life +will not suit her; and my belief is, that were you to offer her the +money without your hand, she would not take a farthing of it."</p> + +<p>"She must have some provision."</p> + +<p>"She will take none from you but the one, and you need be under no +doubt whatsoever that she will take that without a moment's doubt as +to her own future happiness. And, Sir John, I think you would have +the best wife that I know anywhere among my acquaintance." Then she +stopped, and he sat silent, making no reply. "Shall I send to her +now?" said Mrs Mackenzie.</p> + +<p>"I suppose you might as well," said Sir John.</p> + +<p>Then Mrs Mackenzie got up and left the room, but she did not herself +go up to her cousin. She felt that she could not see Margaret without +saying something of what had passed between herself and Sir John, and +that it would be better that nothing should be said. So she went away +to her own room, and dispatched her maid to send the lamb to the +lion. Nevertheless, it was not without compunction, some twang of +feminine conscience, that Mrs Mackenzie gave up this opportunity of +saying some last important word, and perhaps doing some last +important little act with regard to those nicenesses of which she +thought perhaps too much. Mrs Mackenzie's philosophy was not without +its truth; but a man of fifty should not be made to marry a woman by +muslin and starch, if he be not prepared to marry her on other +considerations.</p> + +<p>When the message came, Margaret thought nothing of the muslin and +starch. The bonnet that had been worth its weight in gold, and the +black-freckled dress, were all forgotten. But she thought of the +words which her cousin John had spoken to her as soon as they had got +through the little gate into the grounds of the Cedars when they had +walked back together from the railway station at Twickenham; and she +remembered that she had then pledged herself to be firm. If he +alluded to the offer he had then made, and repeated it, she would +throw herself into his arms at once, and tell him that she would +serve him with all her heart and all her strength as long as God +might leave them together. But she was quite as strongly determined +to accept from him for herself no other kind of provision. That money +which for a short while had been hers was now his; and she could have +no claim upon him unless he gave her the claim of a wife. After what +had passed between them she would not be the recipient of his +charity. Certain words had been written and spoken from which she had +gathered the existence, in Mr Slow's mind, of some such plan as this. +His client should lose her cause meekly and graciously, and should +then have a claim for alms. That had been the idea on which Mr Slow +had worked. She had long made up her mind that Mr Slow should be +taught to know her better, if the day for such offering of alms +should ever come. Perhaps it had come now. She took up a little scarf +that she wore ordinarily and folded it tight across her shoulders, +quite forgetful of muslin and starch, as she descended to the +drawing-room in order that this question might be solved for her.</p> + +<p>Sir John met her almost at the door as she entered.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid you've been expecting me to come sooner," he said.</p> + +<p>"No, indeed; I was not quite sure that you would come at all."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; I was certain to come. You have hardly received as yet any +official notification that your cause has been lost."</p> + +<p>"It was not my cause, John," she said, smiling, "and I received no +other notification than what I got through Mrs Mackenzie. Indeed, as +you know, I have regarded this law business as nonsense all through. +Since what you and Mr Slow told me, I have known that the property +was yours."</p> + +<p>"But it was quite necessary to have a judgment."</p> + +<p>"I suppose so, and there's an end of it. I, for one, am not in the +least disappointed,—if it will give you any comfort to know that."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe that any other woman in England would have lost her +fortune with the equanimity that you have shown."</p> + +<p>She could not explain to him that, in the first days of dismay caused +by that misfortune, he had given her such consolation as to make her +forget her loss, and that her subsequent misery had been caused by +the withdrawal of that consolation. She could not tell him that the +very memory of her money had been, as it were, drowned by other hopes +in life,—by other hopes and by other despair. But when he praised +her for her equanimity, she thought of this. She still smiled as she +heard his praise.</p> + +<p>"I suppose I ought to return the compliment," she said, "and declare +that no cousin who had been kept so long out of his own money ever +behaved so well as you have done. I can assure you that I have +thought of it very often,—of the injustice that has been +involuntarily done to you."</p> + +<p>"It has been unjust, has it not?" said he, piteously, thinking of his +injuries. "So much of it has gone in that oilcloth business, and all +for nothing!"</p> + +<p>"I'm glad at any rate that Walter's share did not go."</p> + +<p>He knew that this was not the kind of conversation which he had +desired to commence, and that it must be changed before anything +could be settled. So he shook himself and began again.</p> + +<p>"And now, Margaret, as the lawyers have finished their part of the +business, ours must begin."</p> + +<p>She had been standing hitherto and had felt herself to be strong +enough to stand, but at the sound of these words her knees had become +weak under her, and she found a retreat upon the sofa. Of course she +said nothing as he came and stood over her.</p> + +<p>"I hope you have understood," he continued, "that while all this was +going on I could propose no arrangement of any kind."</p> + +<p>"I know you have been very much troubled."</p> + +<p>"Indeed I have. It seems that any blackguard has a right to publish +any lies that he likes about any one in any of the newspapers, and +that nobody can do anything to protect himself! Sometimes I have +thought that it would drive me mad!"</p> + +<p>But he again perceived that he was getting out of the right course in +thus dwelling upon his own injuries. He had come there to alleviate +her misfortunes, not to talk about his own.</p> + +<p>"It is no good, however, talking about all that; is it, Margaret?"</p> + +<p>"It will cease now, will it not?"</p> + +<p>"I cannot say. I fear not. Whichever way I turn, they abuse me for +what I do. What business is it of theirs?"</p> + +<p>"You mean their absurd story—calling you a lion."</p> + +<p>"Don't talk of it, Margaret."</p> + +<p>Then Margaret was again silent. She by no means wished to talk of the +story, if he would only leave it alone.</p> + +<p>"And now about you."</p> + +<p>Then he came and sat beside her, and she put her hand back behind the +cushion on the sofa so as to save herself from trembling in his +presence. She need not have cared much, for, let her tremble ever so +much, he had then no capacity for perceiving it.</p> + +<p>"Come, Margaret; I want to do what is best for us both. How shall it +be?"</p> + +<p>"John, you have children, and you should do what is best for them."</p> + +<p>Then there was a pause again, and when he spoke after a while, he was +looking down at the floor and poking among the pattern on the carpet +with his stick.</p> + +<p>"Margaret, when I first asked you to marry me, you refused me."</p> + +<p>"I did," said she; "and then all the property was mine."</p> + +<p>"But afterwards you said you would have me."</p> + +<p>"Yes; and when you asked me the second time I had nothing. I know all +that."</p> + +<p>"I thought nothing about the money then. I mean that I never thought +you refused me because you were rich and took me because you were +poor. I was not at all unhappy about that when we were walking round +the shrubbery. But when I thought you had cared for that +<span class="nowrap">man—"</span></p> + +<p>"I had never cared for him," said Margaret, withdrawing her hand from +behind the pillow in her energy, and fearing no longer that she might +tremble. "I had never cared for him. He is a false man, and told +untruths to my aunt."</p> + +<p>"Yes, he is, a liar,—a damnable liar. That is true at any rate."</p> + +<p>"He is beneath your notice, John, and beneath mine. I will not speak +of him."</p> + +<p>Sir John, however, had an idea that when he felt the wasp's venom +through all his blood, the wasp could not be altogether beneath his +notice.</p> + +<p>"The question is," said he, speaking between his teeth, and hardly +pronouncing his words, "the question is whether you care for me."</p> + +<p>"I do," said she turning round upon him; and as she did so our +Griselda took both his hands in hers. "I do, John. I do care for you. +I love you better than all the world besides. Whom else have I to +love at all? If you choose to think it mean of me, now that I am so +poor, I cannot help it. But who was it told me to be firm? Who was it +told me? Who was it told me?"</p> + +<p>Lady Ball had lost her game, and Mrs Mackenzie had been a true +prophet. Mrs Mackenzie had been one of those prophets who knew how to +assist the accomplishment of their own prophecies, and Lady Ball had +played her game with very indifferent skill. Sir John endeavoured to +say a word as to that other alternative that he had to offer, but the +lamb was not lamb-like enough to listen to it. I doubt even whether +Margaret knew, when at night she thought over the affairs of the day, +that any such offer had been made to her. During the rest of the +interview she was by far the greatest talker, and she would not rest +till she had made him swear that he believed her when she said, that +both in rejecting him and accepting him, she had been guided simply +by her affection. "You know, John," she said, "a woman can't love a +man all at once."</p> + +<p>They had been together for the best part of two hours, when Mrs +Mackenzie knocked at the door. "May I come in?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," said Margaret.</p> + +<p>"And may I ask a question?" She knew by the tone of her cousin's +voice that no question could come amiss.</p> + +<p>"You must ask him," said Margaret, coming to her and kissing her.</p> + +<p>"But, first of all," said Mrs Mackenzie, shutting the door and +assuming a very serious countenance, "I have news of my own to tell. +There is a gentleman downstairs in the dining-room who has sent up +word that he wants to see me. He says he is a clergyman."</p> + +<p>Then Sir John Ball ceased to smile, and look foolish, but doubled his +fist, and went towards the door.</p> + +<p>"Who is it?" said Margaret, whispering.</p> + +<p>"I have not heard his name, but from the servant's account of him I +have not much doubt myself; I suppose he comes from Littlebath. You +can go down to him, if you like, Sir John; but I would not advise +it."</p> + +<p>"No," said Margaret, clinging to his arm, "you shall not go down. +What good can you do? He is beneath you. If you beat him he will have +the law of you—and he is a clergyman. If you do not, he will only +revile you, and make you wretched." Thus between the two ladies the +baronet was restrained.</p> + +<p>It was Mr Maguire. Having learned from his ally, Miss Colza, that +Margaret was staying with her cousins in Cavendish Square, he had +resolved upon calling on Mrs Mackenzie, and forcing his way, if +possible, into Margaret's presence. Things were not going well with +him at Littlebath, and in his despair he had thought that the best +chance to him of carrying on the fight lay in this direction. Then +there was a course of embassies between the dining-room and +drawing-room in the Mackenzie mansion. The servant was sent to ask +the gentleman his name, and the gentleman sent up to say that he was +a clergyman,—that his name was not known to Mrs Mackenzie, but that +he wanted to see her most particularly for a few minutes on very +special business. Then the servant was despatched to ask him whether +or no he was the Rev. Jeremiah Maguire, of Littlebath, and under this +compulsion he sent back word that such was his designation. He was +then told to go. Upon that he wrote a note to Mrs Mackenzie, setting +forth that he had a private communication to make, much to the +advantage of her cousin, Miss Margaret Mackenzie. He was again told +to go; and then told again, that if he did not leave the house at +once, the assistance of the police would be obtained. Then he went. +"And it was frightful to behold him," said the servant, coming up for +the tenth time. But the servant no doubt enjoyed the play, and on one +occasion presumed to remark that he did not think any reference to +the police was necessary. "Such a game as we've had up!" he said to +the coachman that afternoon in the kitchen.</p> + +<p>And the game that they had in the drawing-room was not a bad game +either. When Mr Maguire would not go, the two women joined in +laughing, till at last the tears ran down Mrs Mackenzie's face.</p> + +<p>"Only think of our being kept prisoners here by a one-eyed +clergyman."</p> + +<p>"He has got two eyes," said Margaret. "If he had ten he shan't see +us."</p> + +<p>And at last Sir John laughed; and as he laughed he came and stood +near Margaret; and once he got his arm round her waist, and Griselda +was very happy. At the present moment she was quite indifferent to Mr +Maguire and any mode of fighting that he might adopt.</p> + + +<p><a name="c30" id="c30"></a> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHAPTER XXX</h3> +<h3>Conclusion<br /> </h3> + + +<p>Things had not been going well with Mr Maguire when, as a last +chance, he attempted to force an entrance into Mrs Mackenzie's +drawing-room. Things, indeed, had been going very badly with him. Mr +Stumfold at Littlebath had had an interview with the editor of the +<i>Christian Examiner</i>, and had made that provincial Jupiter understand +that he must drop the story of the Lion and the Lamb. There had been +more than enough of it, Mr Stumfold thought; and if it were +continued, Mr Stumfold would—would make Littlebath too hot to hold +the <i>Christian Examiner</i>. That was the full meaning of Mr Stumfold's +threat; and, as the editor knew Mr Stumfold's power, the editor +wisely turned a cold shoulder upon Mr Maguire. When Mr Maguire came +to the editor with his letter for publication, the editor declared +that he should be happy to insert it—as an advertisement. Then there +had been a little scene between Mr Maguire and the editor, and Mr +Maguire had left the editorial office shaking the dust from off his +feet. But he was a persistent man, and, having ascertained that Miss +Colza was possessed of some small share in her brother's business in +the city, he thought it expedient to betake himself again to London. +He did so, as we have seen; and with some very faint hope of +obtaining collateral advantage for himself, and some stronger hope +that he might still be able to do an injury to Sir John Ball, he went +to the Mackenzies' house in Cavendish Square. There his success was +not great; and from that time forward the wasp had no further power +of inflicting stings upon the lion whom he had persecuted.</p> + +<p>But some further annoyance he did give to Griselda. He managed to +induce Mrs Tom Mackenzie to take him in as a lodger in Gower Street, +and Margaret very nearly ran into his way in her anxiety to befriend +her sister-in-law. Luckily she heard from Mr Rubb that he was there +on the very day on which she had intended to visit Gower Street. Poor +Mrs Mackenzie got the worst of it; for of course Mr Maguire did not +pay for his lodgings. But he did marry Miss Colza, and in some way +got himself instituted to a chapel at Islington. There we will leave +him, not trusting much in his connubial bliss, but faintly hoping +that his teaching may be favourable to the faith and morals of his +new flock.</p> + +<p>Of Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, we must say a few words. His first +acquaintance with our heroine was not made under circumstances +favourable to him. In that matter of the loan, he departed very +widely from the precept which teaches us that honesty is the best +policy. And when I feel that our Margaret was at one time really in +danger of becoming Mrs Rubb,—that in her ignorance of the world, in +the dark gropings of her social philosophy, amidst the difficulties +of her solitude, she had not known whether she could do better with +herself and her future years, than give herself, and them, and her +money to Mr Samuel Rubb, I tremble as I look back upon her danger. It +has been said of women that they have an insane desire for matrimony. +I believe that the desire, even if it be as general as is here +described, is no insanity. But when I see such a woman as Margaret +Mackenzie in danger from such a man as Samuel Rubb, junior, I am +driven to fear that there may sometimes be a maniacal tendency. But +Samuel Rubb was by no means a bad man. He first hankered after the +woman's money, but afterwards he had loved the woman; and my female +reader, if she agrees with me, will feel that that virtue covers a +multitude of sins.</p> + +<p>And he was true to the promise that he made about the loan. He did +pay the interest of the money regularly to Mrs Mackenzie in Gower +Street, and after a while was known in that house as the recognised +lover of Mary Jane, the eldest daughter. In this way it came to pass +that he occasionally saw the lady to whose hand he had aspired; for +Margaret, when she was assured that Mr Maguire and his bride were +never likely to be seen in that locality, did not desert her nephews +and nieces in Gower Street.</p> + +<p>But we must go back to Sir John Ball. As soon as the coast was clear +in Cavendish Square, he took his leave of Margaret. Mrs Mackenzie had +left the room, desiring to speak a word to him alone as he came down.</p> + +<p>"I shall tell my mother to-night," he said to Margaret. "You know +that all this is not exactly as she wishes it."</p> + +<p>"John," she said, "if it is as you wish it, I have no right to think +of anything beyond that."</p> + +<p>"It is as I wish it," said he.</p> + +<p>"Then tell my aunt, with my love, that I shall hope that she will +receive me as her daughter."</p> + +<p>Then they parted, and Margaret was left alone to congratulate herself +over her success.</p> + +<p>"Sir John," said Mrs Mackenzie, calling him into the drawing-room; +"you must hear my congratulations; you must, indeed."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said he, looking foolish; "you are very good."</p> + +<p>"And so is she. She is what you may really call good. She is as good +as gold. I know a woman when I see her; and I know that for one like +her there are fifty not fit to hold a candle to her. She has nothing +mean or little about her—nothing. They may call her a lamb, but she +can be a lioness too when there is an occasion."</p> + +<p>"I know that she is steadfast," said he.</p> + +<p>"That she is, and honest, and warm hearted; and—and Oh! Sir John, I +am so happy that it is all to be made right, and nice, and +comfortable. It would have been very sad if she hadn't gone with the +money; would it not?"</p> + +<p>"I should not have taken the money—not all of it."</p> + +<p>"And she would not have taken any. She would not have taken a penny +of it, though we need not mind that now; need we? But there is one +thing I want to say; you must not think I am interfering."</p> + +<p>"I shan't think that after all that you have done."</p> + +<p>"I want her to be married from here. It would be quite proper; +wouldn't it? Mr Mackenzie is a little particular about the grouse, +because there is to be a large party at Incharrow; but up to the 10th +of August you and she should fix any day you like."</p> + +<p>Sir John showed by his countenance that he was somewhat taken aback. +The 10th of August, and here they were far advanced into June! When +he had left home this morning he had not fully made up his mind +whether he meant to marry his cousin or not; and now, within a few +hours, he was being confined to weeks and days! Mrs Mackenzie saw +what was passing in his mind; but she was not a woman to be driven +easily from her purpose.</p> + +<p>"You see," she said, "there is so much to think of. What is Margaret +to do, if we leave her in London when we go down? And it would really +be better for her to be married from her cousin's house; it would, +indeed. Lady Ball would like it better—I'm sure she would—than if +she were to be living alone in the town in lodgings. There is always +a way of doing things; isn't there? And Walter's sisters, her own +cousins, could be her bridesmaids, you know."</p> + +<p>Sir John said that he would think about it.</p> + +<p>"I haven't spoken to her, of course," said Mrs Mackenzie; "but I +shall now."</p> + +<p>Sir John, as he went eastwards into the city, did think about it; and +before he had reached his own house that evening, he had brought +himself to regard Mrs Mackenzie's scheme in a favourable light. He +was not blind to the advantage of taking his wife from a house in +Cavendish Square, instead of from lodgings in Arundel Street; and he +was aware that his mother would not be blind to that advantage +either. He did not hope to be able to reconcile her to his marriage +at once; and perhaps he entertained some faint idea that for the +first six months of his new married life the Cedars would be quite as +pleasant without his mother as with her; but a final reconciliation +would be more easy if he and his wife had the Mackenzies of Incharrow +to back them, than it could be without such influence. And as for the +London gossip of the thing, the finale to the romance of the Lion and +the Lamb, it would be sure to come sooner or later. Let them have +their odious joke and have done with it!</p> + +<p>"Mother," he said, as soon as he could find himself alone with Lady +Ball that day, not waiting for the midnight conference; "mother, I +may as well tell you at once. I have proposed to Margaret Mackenzie +again to-day."</p> + +<p>"Oh! very well."</p> + +<p>"And she has accepted me."</p> + +<p>"Accepted you! of course she has; jumped at the chance, no doubt. +What else should a pauper do?"</p> + +<p>"Mother, that is ungenerous."</p> + +<p>"She did not accept you when she had got anything."</p> + +<p>"If I can reconcile myself to that, surely you can do so. The matter +is settled now, and I think I have done the best in my power for +myself and my children."</p> + +<p>"And as for your mother, she may go and die anywhere."</p> + +<p>"Mother, that is unfair. As long as I have a house over my head, you +shall share it, if you please to do so. If it suits you to go +elsewhere, I will be with you as often as may be possible. I hope, +however, you will not leave us."</p> + +<p>"That I shall certainly do."</p> + +<p>"Then I hope you will not go far from me."</p> + +<p>"And when is it to be?" said his mother, after a pause.</p> + +<p>"I cannot name any day; but some time before the 10th of August."</p> + +<p>"Before the 10th of August! Why, that is at once. Oh! John; and your +father not dead a year!"</p> + +<p>"Margaret has a home now with her cousins in Cavendish Square; but +she cannot stay there after they go to Scotland. It will be for her +welfare that she should be married from their house. And as for my +father's death, I know that you do not suspect me of disrespect to +his memory."</p> + +<p>And in this way it was settled at the Cedars; and his mother's +question about the time drove him to the resolution which he himself +had not reached. When next he was in Cavendish Square he asked +Margaret whether she could be ready so soon, and she replied that she +would be ready on any day that he told her to be ready.</p> + +<p>Thus it was settled, and with a moderate amount of nuptial festivity +the marriage feast was prepared in Mrs Mackenzie's house. Margaret +was surprised to find how many dear friends she had who were +interested in her welfare. Miss Baker wrote to her most +affectionately; and Miss Todd was warm in her congratulations. But +the attention which perhaps surprised her most was a warm letter of +sisterly affection from Mrs Stumfold, in which that lady rejoiced +with an exceeding joy in that the machinations of a certain wolf in +sheep's clothing had been unsuccessful. "My anxiety that you should +not be sacrificed I once before evinced to you," said Mrs Stumfold; +"and within the last two months Mr Stumfold has been at work to put +an end to the scurrilous writings which that wolf in sheep's clothing +has been putting into the newspapers." Then Mrs Stumfold very +particularly desired to be remembered to Sir John Ball, and expressed +a hope that, at some future time, she might have the honour of being +made acquainted with "the worthy baronet."</p> + +<p>They were married in the first week in August, and our modern +Griselda went through the ceremony with much grace. That there was +much grace about Sir John Ball, I cannot say; but gentlemen, when +they get married at fifty, are not expected to be graceful.</p> + +<p>"There, my Lady Ball," said Mrs Mackenzie, whispering into her +cousin's ear before they left the church; "now my prophecy has come +true; and when we meet in London next spring, you will reward me for +all I have done for you by walking out of a room before me."</p> + +<p>But all these honours, and, what was better, all the happiness that +came in her way, Lady Ball accepted thankfully, quietly, and with an +enduring satisfaction, as it became such a woman to do.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MISS MACKENZIE***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 24000-h.txt or 24000-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/0/0/24000">http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/0/0/24000</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution.</p> + + + +<pre> +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/license">http://www.gutenberg.org/license)</a>. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS,' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's +eBook number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII, +compressed (zipped), HTML and others. + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks replace the old file and take over +the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed. +VERSIONS based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving +new filenames and etext numbers. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org">http://www.gutenberg.org</a> + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +EBooks posted prior to November 2003, with eBook numbers BELOW #10000, +are filed in directories based on their release date. If you want to +download any of these eBooks directly, rather than using the regular +search system you may utilize the following addresses and just +download by the etext year. + +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext06/">http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext06/</a> + + (Or /etext 05, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00, 99, + 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90) + +EBooks posted since November 2003, with etext numbers OVER #10000, are +filed in a different way. The year of a release date is no longer part +of the directory path. The path is based on the etext number (which is +identical to the filename). The path to the file is made up of single +digits corresponding to all but the last digit in the filename. For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/GUTINDEX.ALL">http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/GUTINDEX.ALL</a> + +*** END: FULL LICENSE *** +</pre> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/24000.txt b/24000.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..38ea268 --- /dev/null +++ b/24000.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15969 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Miss Mackenzie, by Anthony Trollope + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Miss Mackenzie + + +Author: Anthony Trollope + + + +Release Date: December 28, 2007 [eBook #24000] +Most recently updated: October 15, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MISS MACKENZIE*** + + +E-text prepared by Joseph E. Loewenstein, M.D. + + + +MISS MACKENZIE + +by + +ANTHONY TROLLOPE + +First published in book form in 1865 + + + + + + + +CONTENTS + + I. The Mackenzie Family + II. Miss Mackenzie Goes to Littlebath + III. Miss Mackenzie's First Acquaintances + IV. Miss Mackenzie Commences Her Career + V. Showing How Mr Rubb, Junior, Progressed at Littlebath + VI. Miss Mackenzie Goes to the Cedars + VII. Miss Mackenzie Leaves the Cedars + VIII. Mrs Tom Mackenzie's Dinner Party + IX. Miss Mackenzie's Philosophy + X. Plenary Absolutions + XI. Miss Todd Entertains Some Friends at Tea + XII. Mrs Stumfold Interferes + XIII. Mr Maguire's Courtship + XIV. Tom Mackenzie's Bed-Side + XV. The Tearing of the Verses + XVI. Lady Ball's Grievance + XVII. Mr Slow's Chambers + XVIII. Tribulation + XIX. Showing How Two of Miss Mackenzie's Lovers Behaved + XX. Showing How the Third Lover Behaved + XXI. Mr Maguire Goes to London on Business + XXII. Still at the Cedars + XXIII. The Lodgings of Mrs Buggins, Nee Protheroe + XXIV. The Little Story of the Lion and the Lamb + XXV. Lady Ball in Arundel Street + XXVI. Mrs Mackenzie of Cavendish Square + XXVII. The Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar + XXVIII. Showing How the Lion Was Stung by the Wasp + XXIX. A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed + XXX. Conclusion + + + + +CHAPTER I + +The Mackenzie Family + + +I fear I must trouble my reader with some few details as to the early +life of Miss Mackenzie,--details which will be dull in the telling, +but which shall be as short as I can make them. Her father, who had +in early life come from Scotland to London, had spent all his days in +the service of his country. He became a clerk in Somerset House at +the age of sixteen, and was a clerk in Somerset House when he died at +the age of sixty. Of him no more shall be said than that his wife had +died before him, and that he, at dying, left behind him two sons and +a daughter. + +Thomas Mackenzie, the eldest of those two sons, had engaged himself +in commercial pursuits--as his wife was accustomed to say when she +spoke of her husband's labours; or went into trade, and kept a shop, +as was more generally asserted by those of the Mackenzie circle who +were wont to speak their minds freely. The actual and unvarnished +truth in the matter shall now be made known. He, with his partner, +made and sold oilcloth, and was possessed of premises in the New +Road, over which the names of "Rubb and Mackenzie" were posted in +large letters. As you, my reader, might enter therein, and purchase +a yard and a half of oilcloth, if you were so minded, I think that +the free-spoken friends of the family were not far wrong. Mrs Thomas +Mackenzie, however, declared that she was calumniated, and her +husband cruelly injured; and she based her assertions on the fact +that "Rubb and Mackenzie" had wholesale dealings, and that they sold +their article to the trade, who re-sold it. Whether or no she was +ill-treated in the matter, I will leave my readers to decide, having +told them all that it is necessary for them to know, in order that a +judgement may be formed. + +Walter Mackenzie, the second son, had been placed in his father's +office, and he also had died before the time at which our story is +supposed to commence. He had been a poor sickly creature, always +ailing, gifted with an affectionate nature, and a great respect for +the blood of the Mackenzies, but not gifted with much else that was +intrinsically his own. The blood of the Mackenzies was, according to +his way of thinking, very pure blood indeed; and he had felt strongly +that his brother had disgraced the family by connecting himself with +that man Rubb, in the New Road. He had felt this the more strongly, +seeing that "Rubb and Mackenzie" had not done great things in their +trade. They had kept their joint commercial head above water, but +had sometimes barely succeeded in doing that. They had never been +bankrupt, and that, perhaps, for some years was all that could be +said. If a Mackenzie did go into trade, he should, at any rate, have +done better than this. He certainly should have done better than +this, seeing that he started in life with a considerable sum of +money. + +Old Mackenzie,--he who had come from Scotland,--had been the +first-cousin of Sir Walter Mackenzie, baronet, of Incharrow, and +he had married the sister of Sir John Ball, baronet, of the Cedars, +Twickenham. The young Mackenzies, therefore, had reason to be proud +of their blood. It is true that Sir John Ball was the first baronet, +and that he had simply been a political Lord Mayor in strong +political days,--a political Lord Mayor in the leather business; but, +then, his business had been undoubtedly wholesale; and a man who gets +himself to be made a baronet cleanses himself from the stains of +trade, even though he have traded in leather. And then, the present +Mackenzie baronet was the ninth of the name; so that on the higher +and nobler side of the family, our Mackenzies may be said to have +been very strong indeed. This strength the two clerks in Somerset +House felt and enjoyed very keenly; and it may therefore be +understood that the oilcloth manufactory was much out of favour with +them. + +When Tom Mackenzie was twenty-five--"Rubb and Mackenzie" as he +afterwards became--and Walter, at the age of twenty-one, had been +for a year or two placed at a desk in Somerset House, there died one +Jonathan Ball, a brother of the baronet Ball, leaving all he had in +the world to the two brother Mackenzies. This all was by no means a +trifle, for each brother received about twelve thousand pounds when +the opposing lawsuits instituted by the Ball family were finished. +These opposing lawsuits were carried on with great vigour, but with +no success on the Ball side, for three years. By that time, Sir John +Ball, of the Cedars, was half ruined, and the Mackenzies got their +money. It is needless to say much to the reader of the manner in +which Tom Mackenzie found his way into trade--how, in the first +place, he endeavoured to resume his Uncle Jonathan's share in the +leather business, instigated thereto by a desire to oppose his Uncle +John,--Sir John, who was opposing him in the matter of the will,--how +he lost money in this attempt, and ultimately embarked, after +some other fruitless speculations, the residue of his fortune in +partnership with Mr Rubb. All that happened long ago. He was now a +man of nearly fifty, living with his wife and family,--a family of +six or seven children,--in a house in Gower Street, and things had +not gone with him very well. + +Nor is it necessary to say very much of Walter Mackenzie, who had +been four years younger than his brother. He had stuck to the office +in spite of his wealth; and as he had never married, he had been +a rich man. During his father's lifetime, and when he was quite +young, he had for a while shone in the world of fashion, having been +patronised by the Mackenzie baronet, and by others who thought that a +clerk from Somerset House with twelve thousand pounds must be a very +estimable fellow. He had not, however, shone in a very brilliant way. +He had gone to parties for a year or two, and during those years had +essayed the life of a young man about town, frequenting theatres and +billiard-rooms, and doing a few things which he should have left +undone, and leaving undone a few things which should not have been +so left. But, as I have said, he was weak in body as well as weak +in mind. Early in life he became an invalid; and though he kept his +place in Somerset House till he died, the period of his shining in +the fashionable world came to a speedy end. + +Now, at length, we will come to Margaret Mackenzie, the sister, our +heroine, who was eight years younger than her brother Walter, and +twelve years younger than Mr Rubb's partner. She had been little more +than a child when her father died; or I might more correctly say, +that though she had then reached an age which makes some girls young +women, it had not as yet had that effect upon her. She was then +nineteen; but her life in her father's house had been dull and +monotonous; she had gone very little into company, and knew very +little of the ways of the world. The Mackenzie baronet people had not +noticed her. They had failed to make much of Walter with his twelve +thousand pounds, and did not trouble themselves with Margaret, who +had no fortune of her own. The Ball baronet people were at extreme +variance with all her family, and, as a matter of course, she +received no countenance from them. In those early days she did not +receive much countenance from any one; and perhaps I may say that she +had not shown much claim for such countenance as is often given to +young ladies by their richer relatives. She was neither beautiful +nor clever, nor was she in any special manner made charming by any +of those softnesses and graces of youth which to some girls seem to +atone for a want of beauty and cleverness. At the age of nineteen, +I may almost say that Margaret Mackenzie was ungainly. Her brown +hair was rough, and did not form itself into equal lengths. Her +cheek-bones were somewhat high, after the manner of the Mackenzies. +She was thin and straggling in her figure, with bones larger than +they should have been for purposes of youthful grace. There was +not wanting a certain brightness to her grey eyes, but it was a +brightness as to the use of which she had no early knowledge. At +this time her father lived at Camberwell, and I doubt whether the +education which Margaret received at Miss Green's establishment for +young ladies in that suburb was of a kind to make up by art for that +which nature had not given her. This school, too, she left at an +early age--at a very early age, as her age went. When she was nearly +sixteen, her father, who was then almost an old man, became ill, and +the next three years she spent in nursing him. When he died, she was +transferred to her younger brother's house,--to a house which he had +taken in one of the quiet streets leading down from the Strand to +the river, in order that he might be near his office. And here for +fifteen years she had lived, eating his bread and nursing him, till +he also died, and so she was alone in the world. + +During those fifteen years her life had been very weary. A moated +grange in the country is bad enough for the life of any Mariana, but +a moated grange in town is much worse. Her life in London had been +altogether of the moated grange kind, and long before her brother's +death it had been very wearisome to her. I will not say that she +was always waiting for some one that came not, or that she declared +herself to be aweary, or that she wished that she were dead. But the +mode of her life was as near that as prose may be near to poetry, or +truth to romance. For the coming of one, who, as things fell out in +that matter, soon ceased to come at all to her, she had for a while +been anxious. There was a young clerk then in Somerset House, one +Harry Handcock by name, who had visited her brother in the early days +of that long sickness. And Harry Handcock had seen beauty in those +grey eyes, and the straggling, uneven locks had by that time settled +themselves into some form of tidiness, and the big joints, having +been covered, had taken upon themselves softer womanly motions, +and the sister's tenderness to the brother had been appreciated. +Harry Handcock had spoken a word or two, Margaret being then +five-and-twenty, and Harry ten years her senior. Harry had spoken, +and Margaret had listened only too willingly. But the sick brother +upstairs had become cross and peevish. Such a thing should never +take place with his consent, and Harry Handcock had ceased to speak +tenderly. + +He had ceased to speak tenderly, though he didn't cease to visit the +quiet house in Arundel Street. As far as Margaret was concerned he +might as well have ceased to come; and in her heart she sang that +song of Mariana's, complaining bitterly of her weariness; though the +man was seen then in her brother's sickroom regularly once a week. +For years this went on. The brother would crawl out to his office in +summer, but would never leave his bedroom in the winter months. In +those days these things were allowed in public offices; and it was +not till very near the end of his life that certain stern official +reformers hinted at the necessity of his retiring on a pension. +Perhaps it was that hint that killed him. At any rate, he died +in harness--if it can in truth be said of him that he ever wore +harness. Then, when he was dead, the days were gone in which Margaret +Mackenzie cared for Harry Handcock. Harry Handcock was still +a bachelor, and when the nature of his late friend's will was +ascertained, he said a word or two to show that he thought he was not +yet too old for matrimony. But Margaret's weariness could not now be +cured in that way. She would have taken him while she had nothing, or +would have taken him in those early days had fortune filled her lap +with gold. But she had seen Harry Handcock at least weekly for the +last ten years, and having seen him without any speech of love, she +was not now prepared for the renewal of such speaking. + +When Walter Mackenzie died there was a doubt through all the +Mackenzie circle as to what was the destiny of his money. It was well +known that he had been a prudent man, and that he was possessed of a +freehold estate which gave him at least six hundred a year. It was +known also that he had money saved beyond this. It was known, too, +that Margaret had nothing, or next to nothing, of her own. The old +Mackenzie had had no fortune left to him, and had felt it to be a +grievance that his sons had not joined their richer lots to his +poorer lot. This, of course, had been no fault of Margaret's, but it +had made him feel justified in leaving his daughter as a burden upon +his younger son. For the last fifteen years she had eaten bread to +which she had no positive claim; but if ever woman earned the morsel +which she required, Margaret Mackenzie had earned her morsel during +her untiring attendance upon her brother. Now she was left to her +own resources, and as she went silently about the house during those +sad hours which intervened between the death of her brother and +his burial, she was altogether in ignorance whether any means of +subsistence had been left to her. It was known that Walter Mackenzie +had more than once altered his will--that he had, indeed, made many +wills--according as he was at such moments on terms of more or less +friendship with his brother; but he had never told to any one what +was the nature of any bequest that he had made. Thomas Mackenzie had +thought of both his brother and sister as poor creatures, and had +been thought of by them as being but a poor creature himself. He had +become a shopkeeper, so they declared, and it must be admitted that +Margaret had shared the feeling which regarded her brother Tom's +trade as being disgraceful. They, of Arundel Street, had been idle, +reckless, useless beings--so Tom had often declared to his wife--and +only by fits and starts had there existed any friendship between +him and either of them. But the firm of Rubb and Mackenzie was not +growing richer in those days, and both Thomas and his wife had felt +themselves forced into a certain amount of conciliatory demeanour by +the claims of their seven surviving children. Walter, however, said +no word to any one of his money; and when he was followed to his +grave by his brother and nephews, and by Harry Handcock, no one knew +of what nature would be the provision made for his sister. + +"He was a great sufferer," Harry Handcock had said, at the only +interview which took place between him and Margaret after the death +of her brother and before the reading of the will. + +"Yes indeed, poor fellow," said Margaret, sitting in the darkened +dining-room, in all the gloom of her new mourning. + +"And you yourself, Margaret, have had but a sorry time of it." He +still called her Margaret from old acquaintance, and had always done +so. + +"I have had the blessing of good health," she said, "and have been +very thankful. It has been a dull life, though, for the last ten +years." + +"Women generally lead dull lives, I think." Then he had paused for +a while, as though something were on his mind which he wished to +consider before he spoke again. Mr Handcock, at this time, was bald +and very stout. He was a strong healthy man, but had about him, to +the outward eye, none of the aptitudes of a lover. He was fond of +eating and drinking, as no one knew better than Margaret Mackenzie; +and had altogether dropped the poetries of life, if at any time any +of such poetries had belonged to him. He was, in fact, ten years +older than Margaret Mackenzie; but he now looked to be almost twenty +years her senior. She was a woman who at thirty-five had more of the +graces of womanhood than had belonged to her at twenty. He was a man +who at forty-five had lost all that youth does for a man. But still I +think that she would have fallen back upon her former love, and found +that to be sufficient, had he asked her to do so even now. She would +have felt herself bound by her faith to do so, had he said that such +was his wish, before the reading of her brother's will. But he did no +such thing. "I hope he will have made you comfortable," he said. + +"I hope he will have left me above want," Margaret had replied--and +that had then been all. She had, perhaps, half-expected something +more from him, remembering that the obstacle which had separated them +was now removed. But nothing more came, and it would hardly be true +to say that she was disappointed. She had no strong desire to marry +Harry Handcock whom no one now called Harry any longer; but yet, for +the sake of human nature, she bestowed a sigh upon his coldness, when +he carried his tenderness no further than a wish that she might be +comfortable. + +There had of necessity been much of secrecy in the life of Margaret +Mackenzie. She had possessed no friend to whom she could express her +thoughts and feelings with confidence. I doubt whether any living +being knew that there now existed, up in that small back bedroom in +Arundel Street, quires of manuscript in which Margaret had written +her thoughts and feelings,--hundreds of rhymes which had never met +any eye but her own; and outspoken words of love contained in letters +which had never been sent, or been intended to be sent, to any +destination. Indeed these letters had been commenced with no name, +and finished with no signature. It would be hardly true to say that +they had been intended for Harry Handcock, even at the warmest period +of her love. They had rather been trials of her strength,--proofs +of what she might do if fortune should ever be so kind to her as to +allow of her loving. No one had ever guessed all this, or had dreamed +of accusing Margaret of romance. No one capable of testing her +character had known her. In latter days she had now and again dined +in Gower Street, but her sister-in-law, Mrs Tom, had declared her +to be a silent, stupid old maid. As a silent, stupid old maid, the +Mackenzies of Rubb and Mackenzie were disposed to regard her. But how +should they treat this stupid old maid of an aunt, if it should now +turn out that all the wealth of the family belonged to her? + +When Walter's will was read such was found to be the case. There +was no doubt, or room for doubt, in the matter. The will was dated +but two months before his death, and left everything to Margaret, +expressing a conviction on the part of the testator that it was his +duty to do so, because of his sister's unremitting attention to +himself. Harry Handcock was requested to act as executor, and was +requested also to accept a gold watch and a present of two hundred +pounds. Not a word was there in the whole will of his brother's +family; and Tom, when he went home with a sad heart, told his wife +that all this had come of certain words which she had spoken when +last she had visited the sick man. "I knew it would be so," said Tom +to his wife. "It can't be helped now, of course. I knew you could not +keep your temper quiet, and always told you not to go near him." How +the wife answered, the course of our story at the present moment does +not require me to tell. That she did answer with sufficient spirit, +no one, I should say, need doubt; and it may be surmised that things +in Gower Street were not comfortable that evening. + +Tom Mackenzie had communicated the contents of the will to his +sister, who had declined to be in the room when it was opened. "He +has left you everything,--just everything," Tom had said. If Margaret +made any word of reply, Tom did not hear it. "There will be over +eight hundred a year, and he has left you all the furniture," Tom +continued. "He has been very good," said Margaret, hardly knowing how +to express herself on such an occasion. "Very good to you," said Tom, +with some little sarcasm in his voice. "I mean good to me," said +Margaret. Then he told her that Harry Handcock had been named as +executor. "There is no more about him in the will, is there?" said +Margaret. At the moment, not knowing much about executors, she had +fancied that her brother had, in making such appointment, expressed +some further wish about Mr Handcock. Her brother explained to her +that the executor was to have two hundred pounds and a gold watch, +and then she was satisfied. + +"Of course, it's a very sad look-out for us," Tom said; "but I do not +on that account blame you." + +"If you did you would wrong me," Margaret answered, "for I never once +during all the years that we lived together spoke to Walter one word +about his money." + +"I do not blame you," the brother rejoined; and then no more had been +said between them. + +He had asked her even before the funeral to go up to Gower Street and +stay with them, but she had declined. Mrs Tom Mackenzie had not asked +her. Mrs Tom Mackenzie had hoped, then--had hoped and had inwardly +resolved--that half, at least, of the dying brother's money would +have come to her husband; and she had thought that if she once +encumbered herself with the old maid, the old maid might remain +longer than was desirable. "We should never get rid of her," she had +said to her eldest daughter, Mary Jane. "Never, mamma," Mary Jane had +replied. The mother and daughter had thought that they would be on +the whole safer in not pressing any such invitation. They had not +pressed it, and the old maid had remained in Arundel Street. + +Before Tom left the house, after the reading of the will, he again +invited his sister to his own home. An hour or two had intervened +since he had told her of her position in the world, and he was +astonished at finding how composed and self-assured she was in the +tone and manner of her answer. "No, Tom, I think I had better not," +she said. "Sarah will be somewhat disappointed." + +"You need not mind that," said Tom. + +"I think I had better not. I shall be very glad to see her if she +will come to me; and I hope you will come, Tom; but I think I will +remain here till I have made up my mind what to do." She remained in +Arundel Street for the next three months, and her brother saw her +frequently; but Mrs Tom Mackenzie never went to her, and she never +went to Mrs Tom Mackenzie. "Let it be even so," said Mrs Tom; "they +shall not say that I ran after her and her money. I hate such airs." +"So do I, mamma," said Mary Jane, tossing her head. "I always said +that she was a nasty old maid." + +On that same day,--the day on which the will was read,--Mr Handcock +had also come to her. "I need not tell you," he had said, as he +pressed her hand, "how rejoiced I am--for your sake, Margaret." +Then she had returned the pressure, and had thanked him for his +friendship. "You know that I have been made executor to the will," he +continued. "He did this simply to save you from trouble. I need only +promise that I will do anything and everything that you can wish." +Then he left her, saying nothing of his suit on that occasion. + +Two months after this,--and during those two months he had +necessarily seen her frequently,--Mr Handcock wrote to her from his +office in Somerset House, renewing his old proposals of marriage. His +letter was short and sensible, pleading his cause as well, perhaps, +as any words were capable of pleading it at this time; but it was not +successful. As to her money he told her that no doubt he regarded it +now as a great addition to their chance of happiness, should they +put their lots together; and as to his love for her, he referred her +to the days in which he had desired to make her his wife without a +shilling of fortune. He had never changed, he said; and if her heart +was as constant as his, he would make good now the proposal which she +had once been willing to accept. His income was not equal to hers, +but it was not inconsiderable, and therefore as regards means they +would be very comfortable. Such were his arguments, and Margaret, +little as she knew of the world, was able to perceive that he +expected that they would succeed with her. + +Little, however, as she might know of the world, she was not prepared +to sacrifice herself and her new freedom, and her new power and her +new wealth, to Mr Harry Handcock. One word said to her when first +she was free and before she was rich, would have carried her. But an +argumentative, well-worded letter, written to her two months after +the fact of her freedom and the fact of her wealth had sunk into +his mind, was powerless on her. She had looked at her glass and +had perceived that years had improved her, whereas years had not +improved Harry Handcock. She had gone back over her old aspirations, +aspirations of which no whisper had ever been uttered, but which had +not the less been strong within her, and had told herself that she +could not gratify them by a union with Mr Handcock. She thought, or +rather hoped, that society might still open to her its portals,--not +simply the society of the Handcocks from Somerset House, but that +society of which she had read in novels during the day, and of which +she had dreamed at night. Might it not yet be given to her to know +clever people, nice people, bright people, people who were not heavy +and fat like Mr Handcock, or sick and wearisome like her poor brother +Walter, or vulgar and quarrelsome like her relatives in Gower Street? +She reminded herself that she was the niece of one baronet, and the +first-cousin once removed of another, that she had eight hundred +a year, and liberty to do with it whatsoever she pleased; and she +reminded herself, also, that she had higher tastes in the world than +Mr Handcock. Therefore she wrote to him an answer, much longer than +his letter, in which she explained to him that the more than ten +years' interval which had elapsed since words of love had passed +between them had--had--had--changed the nature of her regard. After +much hesitation, that was the phrase which she used. + +And she was right in her decision. Whether or no she was doomed to be +disappointed in her aspirations, or to be partially disappointed and +partially gratified, these pages are written to tell. But I think +we may conclude that she would hardly have made herself happy by +marrying Mr Handcock while such aspirations were strong upon her. +There was nothing on her side in favour of such a marriage but a +faint remembrance of auld lang syne. + +She remained three months in Arundel Street, and before that period +was over she made a proposition to her brother Tom, showing to what +extent she was willing to burden herself on behalf of his family. +Would he allow her, she asked, to undertake the education and charge +of his second daughter, Susanna? She would not offer to adopt her +niece, she said, because it was on the cards that she herself might +marry; but she would promise to take upon herself the full expense +of the girl's education, and all charge of her till such education +should be completed. If then any future guardianship on her part +should have become incompatible with her own circumstances, she +should give Susanna five hundred pounds. There was an air of business +about this which quite startled Tom Mackenzie, who, as has before +been said, had taught himself in old days to regard his sister as a +poor creature. There was specially an air of business about her +allusion to her own future state. Tom was not at all surprised that +his sister should think of marrying, but he was much surprised that +she should dare to declare her thoughts. "Of course she will marry +the first fool that asks her," said Mrs Tom. The father of the large +family, however, pronounced the offer to be too good to be refused. +"If she does, she will keep her word about the five hundred pounds," +he said. Mrs Tom, though she demurred, of course gave way; and when +Margaret Mackenzie left London for Littlebath, where lodgings had +been taken for her, she took her niece Susanna with her. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +Miss Mackenzie Goes to Littlebath + + +I fear that Miss Mackenzie, when she betook herself to Littlebath, +had before her mind's eye no sufficiently settled plan of life. She +wished to live pleasantly, and perhaps fashionably; but she also +desired to live respectably, and with a due regard to religion. How +she was to set about doing this at Littlebath, I am afraid she did +not quite know. She told herself over and over again that wealth +entailed duties as well as privileges; but she had no clear idea what +were the duties so entailed, or what were the privileges. How could +she have obtained any clear idea on the subject in that prison which +she had inhabited for so many years by her brother's bedside? + +She had indeed been induced to migrate from London to Littlebath by +an accident which should not have been allowed to actuate her. She +had been ill, and the doctor, with that solicitude which doctors +sometimes feel for ladies who are well to do in the world, had +recommended change of air. Littlebath, among the Tantivy hills, would +be the very place for her. There were waters at Littlebath which she +might drink for a month or two with great advantage to her system. It +was then the end of July, and everybody that was anybody was going +out of town. Suppose she were to go to Littlebath in August, and stay +there for a month, or perhaps two months, as she might feel inclined. +The London doctor knew a Littlebath doctor, and would be so happy to +give her a letter. Then she spoke to the clergyman of the church she +had lately attended in London who also had become more energetic in +his assistance since her brother's death than he had been before, +and he also could give her a letter to a gentleman of his cloth at +Littlebath. She knew very little in private life of the doctor or of +the clergyman in London, but not the less, on that account, might +their introductions be of service to her in forming a circle of +acquaintance at Littlebath. In this way she first came to think of +Littlebath, and from this beginning she had gradually reached her +decision. + +Another little accident, or two other little accidents, had nearly +induced her to remain in London--not in Arundel Street, which was to +her an odious locality, but in some small genteel house in or about +Brompton. She had written to the two baronets to announce to them +her brother's death, Tom Mackenzie, the surviving brother, having +positively refused to hold any communication with either of them. +To both these letters, after some interval, she received courteous +replies. Sir Walter Mackenzie was a very old man, over eighty, who +now never stirred away from Incharrow, in Ross-shire. Lady Mackenzie +was not living. Sir Walter did not write himself, but a letter came +from Mrs Mackenzie, his eldest son's wife, in which she said that +she and her husband would be up in London in the course of the next +spring, and hoped that they might then have the pleasure of making +their cousin's acquaintance. This letter, it was true, did not come +till the beginning of August, when the Littlebath plan was nearly +formed; and Margaret knew that her cousin, who was in Parliament, had +himself been in London almost up to the time at which it was written, +so that he might have called had he chosen. But she was prepared to +forgive much. There had been cause for offence; and if her great +relatives were now prepared to take her by the hand, there could be +no reason why she should not consent to be so taken. Sir John Ball, +the other baronet, had absolutely come to her, and had seen her. +There had been a regular scene of reconciliation, and she had gone +down for a day and night to the Cedars. Sir John also was an old man, +being over seventy, and Lady Ball was nearly as old. Mr Ball, the +future baronet, had also been there. He was a widower, with a large +family and small means. He had been, and of course still was, a +barrister; but as a barrister he had never succeeded, and was now +waiting sadly till he should inherit the very moderate fortune which +would come to him at his father's death. The Balls, indeed, had not +done well with their baronetcy, and their cousin found them living +with a degree of strictness, as to small expenses, which she herself +had never been called upon to exercise. Lady Ball indeed had a +carriage--for what would a baronet's wife do without one?--but it did +not very often go out. And the Cedars was an old place, with grounds +and paddocks appertaining; but the ancient solitary gardener could +not make much of the grounds, and the grass of the paddocks was +always sold. Margaret, when she was first asked to go to the Cedars, +felt that it would be better for her to give up her migration to +Littlebath. It would be much, she thought, to have her relations near +to her. But she had found Sir John and Lady Ball to be very dull, and +her cousin, the father of the large family, had spoken to her about +little except money. She was not much in love with the Balls when she +returned to London, and the Littlebath plan was allowed to go on. + +She made a preliminary journey to that place, and took furnished +lodgings in the Paragon. Now it is known to all the world that the +Paragon is the nucleus of all that is pleasant and fashionable at +Littlebath. It is a long row of houses with two short rows abutting +from the ends of the long row, and every house in it looks out upon +the Montpelier Gardens. If not built of stone, these houses are built +of such stucco that the Margaret Mackenzies of the world do not know +the difference. Six steps, which are of undoubted stone, lead up to +each door. The areas are grand with high railings. The flagged way +before the houses is very broad, and at each corner there is an +extensive sweep, so that the carriages of the Paragonites may be +made to turn easily. Miss Mackenzie's heart sank a little within her +at the sight of all this grandeur, when she was first taken to the +Paragon by her new friend the doctor. But she bade her heart be of +good courage, and looked at the first floor--divided into dining-room +and drawing-room--at the large bedroom upstairs for herself, and two +small rooms for her niece and her maid-servant--at the kitchen in +which she was to have a partial property, and did not faint at the +splendour. And yet how different it was from those dingy rooms in +Arundel Street! So different that she could hardly bring herself to +think that this bright abode could become her own. + +"And what is the price, Mrs Richards?" Her voice almost did fail her +as she asked this question. She was determined to be liberal; but +money of her own had hitherto been so scarce with her that she still +dreaded the idea of expense. + +"The price, mem, is well beknown to all as knows Littlebath. We never +alters. Ask Dr Pottinger else." + +Miss Mackenzie did not at all wish to ask Dr Pottinger, who was at +this moment standing in the front room, while she and her embryo +landlady were settling affairs in the back room. + +"But what is the price, Mrs Richards?" + +"The price, mem, is two pound ten a week, or nine guineas if taken by +the month--to include the kitchen fire." + +Margaret breathed again. She had made her little calculations over +and over again, and was prepared to bid as high as the sum now named +for such a combination of comfort and splendour as Mrs Richards was +able to offer to her. One little question she asked, putting her lips +close to Mrs Richards' ear so that her friend the doctor should not +hear her through the doorway, and then jumped back a yard and a half, +awe-struck by the energy of her landlady's reply. + +"B---- in the Paragon!" Mrs Richards declared that Miss Mackenzie did +not as yet know Littlebath. She bethought herself that she did know +Arundel Street, and again thanked Fortune for all the good things +that had been given to her. + +Miss Mackenzie feared to ask any further questions after this, and +took the rooms out of hand by the month. + +"And very comfortable you'll find yourself," said Dr Pottinger, as +he walked back with his new friend to the inn. He had perhaps been +a little disappointed when he saw that Miss Mackenzie showed every +sign of good health; but he bore it like a man and a Christian, +remembering, no doubt, that let a lady's health be ever so good, she +likes to see a doctor sometimes, especially if she be alone in the +world. He offered her, therefore, every assistance in his power. + +"The assembly rooms were quite close to the Paragon," he said. + +"Oh, indeed!" said Miss Mackenzie, not quite knowing the purport of +assembly rooms. + +"And there are two or three churches within five minutes' walk." Here +Miss Mackenzie was more at home, and mentioned the name of the Rev. +Mr Stumfold, for whom she had a letter of introduction, and whose +church she would like to attend. + +Now Mr Stumfold was a shining light at Littlebath, the man of men, if +he was not something more than mere man, in the eyes of the devout +inhabitants of that town. Miss Mackenzie had never heard of Mr +Stumfold till her clergyman in London had mentioned his name, and +even now had no idea that he was remarkable for any special views in +Church matters. Such special views of her own she had none. But Mr +Stumfold at Littlebath had very special views, and was very specially +known for them. His friends said that he was evangelical, and his +enemies said that he was Low Church. He himself was wont to laugh at +these names--for he was a man who could laugh--and to declare that +his only ambition was to fight the devil under whatever name he might +be allowed to carry on that battle. And he was always fighting the +devil by opposing those pursuits which are the life and mainstay of +such places as Littlebath. His chief enemies were card-playing and +dancing as regarded the weaker sex, and hunting and horse-racing--to +which, indeed, might be added everything under the name of sport--as +regarded the stronger. Sunday comforts were also enemies which he +hated with a vigorous hatred, unless three full services a day, with +sundry intermediate religious readings and exercitations of the +spirit, may be called Sunday comforts. But not on this account should +it be supposed that Mr Stumfold was a dreary, dark, sardonic man. +Such was by no means the case. He could laugh loud. He could be very +jovial at dinner parties. He could make his little jokes about little +pet wickednesses. A glass of wine, in season, he never refused. +Picnics he allowed, and the flirtation accompanying them. He himself +was driven about behind a pair of horses, and his daughters were +horsewomen. His sons, if the world spoke truth, were Nimrods; but +that was in another county, away from the Tantivy hills, and Mr +Stumfold knew nothing of it. In Littlebath Mr Stumfold reigned over +his own set as a tyrant, but to those who obeyed him he was never +austere in his tyranny. + +When Miss Mackenzie mentioned Mr Stumfold's name to the doctor, the +doctor felt that he had been wrong in his allusion to the assembly +rooms. Mr Stumfold's people never went to assembly rooms. He, a +doctor of medicine, of course went among saints and sinners alike, +but in such a place as Littlebath he had found it expedient to have +one tone for the saints and another for the sinners. Now the Paragon +was generally inhabited by sinners, and therefore he had made his +hint about the assembly rooms. He at once pointed out Mr Stumfold's +church, the spire of which was to be seen as they walked towards the +inn, and said a word in praise of that good man. Not a syllable would +he again have uttered as to the wickednesses of the place, had not +Miss Mackenzie asked some questions as to those assembly rooms. + +"How did people get to belong to them? Were they pleasant? What did +they do there? Oh--she could put her name down, could she? If it was +anything in the way of amusement she would certainly like to put her +name down." Dr Pottinger, when on that afternoon he instructed his +wife to call on Miss Mackenzie as soon as that young lady should be +settled, explained that the stranger was very much in the dark as to +the ways and manners of Littlebath. + +"What! go to the assembly rooms, and sit under Mr Stumfold!" said Mrs +Pottinger. "She never can do both, you know." + +Miss Mackenzie went back to London, and returned at the end of a week +with her niece, her new maid, and her boxes. All the old furniture +had been sold, and her personal belongings were very scanty. The +time had now come in which personal belongings would accrue to her, +but when she reached the Paragon one big trunk and one small trunk +contained all that she possessed. The luggage of her niece Susanna +was almost as copious as her own. Her maid had been newly hired, and +she was almost ashamed of the scantiness of her own possessions in +the eyes of her servant. + +The way in which Susanna had been given up to her had been +oppressive, and at one moment almost distressing. That objection +which each lady had to visit the other,--Miss Mackenzie, that is, and +Susanna's mamma,--had never been overcome, and neither side had given +way. No visit of affection or of friendship had been made. But as it +was needful that the transfer of the young lady should be effected +with some solemnity, Mrs Mackenzie had condescended to bring her to +her future guardian's lodgings on the day before that fixed for the +journey to Littlebath. To so much degradation--for in her eyes it was +degradation--Mrs Mackenzie had consented to subject herself; and Mr +Mackenzie was to come on the following morning, and take his sister +and daughter to the train. + +The mother, as soon as she found herself seated and almost before she +had recovered the breath lost in mounting the lodging-house stairs, +began the speech which she had prepared for delivery on the occasion. +Miss Mackenzie, who had taken Susanna's hand, remained with it in her +own during the greater part of the speech. Before the speech was done +the poor girl's hand had been dropped, but in dropping it the aunt +was not guilty of any unkindness. "Margaret," said Mrs Mackenzie, +"this is a trial, a very great trial to a mother, and I hope that you +feel it as I do." + +"Sarah," said Miss Mackenzie, "I will do my duty by your child." + +"Well; yes; I hope so. If I thought you would not do your duty by +her, no consideration of mere money would induce me to let her go +to you. But I do hope, Margaret, you will think of the greatness of +the sacrifice we are making. There never was a better child than +Susanna." + +"I am very glad of that, Sarah." + +"Indeed, there never was a better child than any of 'em; I will +say that for them before the child herself; and if you do your duty +by her, I'm quite sure she'll do hers by you. Tom thinks it best +that she should go; and, of course, as all the money which should +have gone to him has come to you"--it was here, at this point that +Susanna's hand was dropped--"and as you haven't got a chick nor a +child, nor yet anybody else of your own, no doubt it is natural that +you should wish to have one of them." + +"I wish to do a kindness to my brother," said Miss Mackenzie--"and to +my niece." + +"Yes; of course; I understand. When you would not come up to see us, +Margaret, and you all alone, and we with a comfortable home to offer +you, of course I knew what your feelings were towards me. I don't +want anybody to tell me that! Oh dear, no! 'Tom,' said I when he +asked me to go down to Arundel Street, 'not if I know it.' Those were +the very words I uttered: 'Not if I know it, Tom!' And your papa +never asked me to go again--did he, Susanna? Nor I couldn't have +brought myself to. As you are so frank, Margaret, perhaps candour is +the best on both sides. Now I am going to leave my darling child in +your hands, and if you have got a mother's heart within your bosom, I +hope you will do a mother's duty by her." + +More than once during this oration Miss Mackenzie had felt inclined +to speak her mind out, and to fight her own battle; but she was +repressed by the presence of the girl. What chance could there be of +good feeling, of aught of affection between her and her ward, if on +such an occasion as this the girl were made the witness of a quarrel +between her mother and her aunt? Miss Mackenzie's face had become +red, and she had felt herself to be angry; but she bore it all with +good courage. + +"I will do my best," said she. "Susanna, come here and kiss me. Shall +we be great friends?" Susanna went and kissed her; but if the poor +girl attempted any answer it was not audible. Then the mother threw +herself on the daughter's neck, and the two embraced each other with +many tears. + +"You'll find all her things very tidy, and plenty of 'em," said Mrs +Mackenzie through her tears. "I'm sure we've worked hard enough at +'em for the last three weeks." + +"I've no doubt we shall find it all very nice," said the aunt. + +"We wouldn't send her away to disgrace us, were it ever so; though of +course in the way of money it would make no difference to you if she +had come without a thing to her back. But I've that spirit I couldn't +do it, and so I told Tom." After this Mrs Mackenzie once more +embraced her daughter, and then took her departure. + +Miss Mackenzie, as soon as her sister-in-law was gone, again took the +girl's hand in her own. Poor Susanna was in tears, and indeed there +was enough in her circumstances at the present moment to justify her +in weeping. She had been given over to her new destiny in no joyous +manner. + +"Susanna," said Aunt Margaret, with her softest voice, "I'm so glad +you have come to me. I will love you very dearly if you will let me." + +The girl came and clustered close against her as she sat on the sofa, +and so contrived as to creep in under her arm. No one had ever crept +in under her arm, or clung close to her before. Such outward signs of +affection as that had never been hers, either to give or to receive. + +"My darling," she said, "I will love you so dearly." + +Susanna said nothing, not knowing what words would be fitting for +such an occasion, but on hearing her aunt's assurance of affection, +she clung still closer to her, and in this way they became happy +before the evening was over. + +This adopted niece was no child when she was thus placed under +her aunt's charge. She was already fifteen, and though she was +young-looking for her age,--having none of that precocious air of +womanhood which some girls have assumed by that time,--she was a +strong healthy well-grown lass, standing stoutly on her legs, with +her head well balanced, with a straight back, and well-formed though +not slender waist. She was sharp about the shoulders and elbows, as +girls are--or should be--at that age; and her face was not formed +into any definite shape of beauty, or its reverse. But her eyes were +bright--as were those of all the Mackenzies--and her mouth was not +the mouth of a fool. If her cheek-bones were a little high, and the +lower part of her face somewhat angular, those peculiarities were +probably not distasteful to the eyes of her aunt. + +"You're a Mackenzie all over," said the aunt, speaking with some +little touch of the northern burr in her voice, though she herself +had never known anything of the north. + +"That's what mamma's brothers and sisters always tell me. They say I +am Scotchy." + +Then Miss Mackenzie kissed the girl again. If Susanna had been sent +to her because she had in her gait and appearance more of the land of +cakes than any of her brothers and sisters, that at any rate should +do her no harm in the estimation of her aunt. Thus in this way they +became friends. + +On the following morning Mr Mackenzie came and took them down to the +train. + +"I suppose we shall see you sometimes up in London?" he said, as he +stood by the door of the carriage. + +"I don't know that there will be much to bring me up," she answered. + +"And there won't be much to keep you down in the country," said he. +"You don't know anybody at Littlebath, I believe?" + +"The truth is, Tom, that I don't know anybody anywhere. I'm likely to +know as many people at Littlebath as I should in London. But situated +as I am, I must live pretty much to myself wherever I am." + +Then the guard came bustling along the platform, the father kissed +his daughter for the last time, and kissed his sister also, and our +heroine with her young charge had taken her departure, and commenced +her career in the world. + +For many a mile not a word was spoken between Miss Mackenzie and her +niece. The mind of the elder of the two travellers was very full of +thought,--of thought and of feeling too, so that she could not bring +herself to speak joyously to the young girl. She had her doubts as to +the wisdom of what she was doing. Her whole life, hitherto, had been +sad, sombre, and, we may almost say, silent. Things had so gone with +her that she had had no power of action on her own behalf. Neither +with her father, nor with her brother, though both had been invalids, +had anything of the management of affairs fallen into her hands. Not +even in the hiring or discharging of a cookmaid had she possessed +any influence. No power of the purse had been with her--none of +that power which belongs legitimately to a wife because a wife is a +partner in the business. The two sick men whom she had nursed had +liked to retain in their own hands the little privileges which their +position had given them. Margaret, therefore, had been a nurse in +their houses, and nothing more than a nurse. Had this gone on for +another ten years she would have lived down the ambition of any more +exciting career, and would have been satisfied, had she then come +into the possession of the money which was now hers, to have ended +her days nursing herself--or more probably, as she was by nature +unselfish, she would have lived down her pride as well as her +ambition, and would have gone to the house of her brother and have +expended herself in nursing her nephews and nieces. But luckily for +her--or unluckily, as it may be--this money had come to her before +her time for withering had arrived. In heart, and energy, and desire, +there was still much of strength left to her. Indeed it may be said +of her, that she had come so late in life to whatever of ripeness was +to be vouchsafed to her, that perhaps the period of her thraldom had +not terminated itself a day too soon for her advantage. Many of her +youthful verses she had destroyed in the packing up of those two +modest trunks; but there were effusions of the spirit which had +flown into rhyme within the last twelve months, and which she still +preserved. Since her brother's death she had confined herself to +simple prose, and for this purpose she kept an ample journal. All +this is mentioned to show that at the age of thirty-six Margaret +Mackenzie was still a young woman. + +She had resolved that she would not content herself with a lifeless +life, such as those few who knew anything of her evidently expected +from her. Harry Handcock had thought to make her his head nurse; and +the Tom Mackenzies had also indulged some such idea when they gave +her that first invitation to come and live in Gower Street. A word +or two had been said at the Cedars which led her to suppose that +the baronet's family there would have admitted her, with her eight +hundred a year, had she chosen to be so admitted. But she had +declared to herself that she would make a struggle to do better with +herself and with her money than that. She would go into the world, +and see if she could find any of those pleasantnesses of which she +had read in books. As for dancing, she was too old, and never yet +in her life had she stood up as a worshipper of Terpsichore. Of +cards she knew nothing; she had never even seen them used. To the +performance of plays she had been once or twice in her early days, +and now regarded a theatre not as a sink of wickedness after the +manner of the Stumfoldians, but as a place of danger because of +difficulty of ingress and egress, because the ways of a theatre were +far beyond her ken. The very mode in which it would behove her to +dress herself to go out to an ordinary dinner party, was almost +unknown to her. And yet, in spite of all this, she was resolved to +try. + +Would it not have been easier for her--easier and more +comfortable--to have abandoned all ideas of the world, and have put +herself at once under the tutelage and protection of some clergyman +who would have told her how to give away her money, and prepare +herself in the right way for a comfortable death-bed? There was much +in this view of life to recommend it. It would be very easy, and +she had the necessary faith. Such a clergyman, too, would be a +comfortable friend, and, if a married man, might be a very dear +friend. And there might, probably, be a clergyman's wife, who would +go about with her, and assist in that giving away of her money. +Would not this be the best life after all? But in order to reconcile +herself altogether to such a life as that, it was necessary that she +should be convinced that the other life was abominable, wicked, and +damnable. She had seen enough of things--had looked far enough into +the ways of the world--to perceive this. She knew that she must go +about such work with strong convictions, and as yet she could not +bring herself to think that "dancing and delights" were damnable. +No doubt she would come to have such belief if told so often enough +by some persuasive divine; but she was not sure that she wished to +believe it. + +After doubting much, she had determined to give the world a trial, +and, feeling that London was too big for her, had resolved upon +Littlebath. But now, having started herself upon her journey, she +felt as some mariner might who had put himself out alone to sea in +a small boat, with courage enough for the attempt, but without that +sort of courage which would make the attempt itself delightful. + +And then this girl that was with her! She had told herself that it +would not be well to live for herself alone, that it was her duty to +share her good things with some one, and therefore she had resolved +to share them with her niece. But in this guardianship there was +danger, which frightened her as she thought of it. + +"Are you tired yet, my dear?" said Miss Mackenzie, as they got to +Swindon. + +"Oh dear, no; I'm not at all tired." + +"There are cakes in there, I see. I wonder whether we should have +time to buy one." + +After considering the matter for five minutes in doubt, Aunt Margaret +did rush out, and did buy the cakes. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +Miss Mackenzie's First Acquaintances + + +In the first fortnight of Miss Mackenzie's sojourn at Littlebath, +four persons called upon her; but though this was a success as far +as it went, those fourteen days were very dull. During her former +short visit to the place she had arranged to send her niece to a +day school which had been recommended to her as being very genteel, +and conducted under moral and religious auspices of most exalted +character. Hither Susanna went every morning after breakfast, and +returned home in these summer days at eight o'clock in the evening. +On Sundays also, she went to morning church with the other girls; so +that Miss Mackenzie was left very much to herself. + +Mrs Pottinger was the first to call, and the doctor's wife contented +herself with simple offers of general assistance. She named a baker +to Miss Mackenzie, and a dressmaker; and she told her what was the +proper price to be paid by the hour for a private brougham or for a +public fly. All this was useful, as Miss Mackenzie was in a state +of densest ignorance; but it did not seem that much in the way of +amusement would come from the acquaintance of Mrs Pottinger. That +lady said nothing about the assembly rooms, nor did she speak of the +Stumfoldian manner of life. Her husband had no doubt explained to +her that the stranger was not as yet a declared disciple in either +school. Miss Mackenzie had wished to ask a question about the +assemblies, but had been deterred by fear. Then came Mr Stumfold in +person, and, of course, nothing about the assembly rooms was said +by him. He made himself very pleasant, and Miss Mackenzie almost +resolved to put herself into his hands. He did not look sour at her, +nor did he browbeat her with severe words, nor did he exact from her +the performance of any hard duties. He promised to find her a seat in +his church, and told her what were the hours of service. He had three +"Sabbath services," but he thought that regular attendance twice +every Sunday was enough for people in general. He would be delighted +to be of use, and Mrs Stumfold should come and call. Having promised +this, he went his way. Then came Mrs Stumfold, according to promise, +bringing with her one Miss Baker, a maiden lady. From Mrs Stumfold +our friend got very little assistance. Mrs Stumfold was hard, +severe, and perhaps a little grand. She let fall a word or two which +intimated her conviction that Miss Mackenzie was to become at all +points a Stumfoldian, since she had herself invoked the countenance +and assistance of the great man on her first arrival; but beyond +this, Mrs Stumfold afforded no comfort. Our friend could not have +explained to herself why it was so, but after having encountered Mrs +Stumfold, she was less inclined to become a disciple than she had +been when she had seen only the great master himself. It was not +only that Mrs Stumfold, as judged by externals, was felt to be more +severe than her husband evangelically, but she was more severe also +ecclesiastically. Miss Mackenzie thought that she could probably obey +the ecclesiastical man, but that she would certainly rebel against +the ecclesiastical woman. + +There had been, as I have said, a Miss Baker with the female +minister, and Miss Mackenzie had at once perceived that had Miss +Baker called alone, the whole thing would have been much more +pleasant. Miss Baker had a soft voice, was given to a good deal of +gentle talking, was kind in her manner, and prone to quick intimacies +with other ladies of her own nature. All this Miss Mackenzie felt +rather than saw, and would have been delighted to have had Miss Baker +without Mrs Stumfold. She could, she knew, have found out all about +everything in five minutes, had she and Miss Baker been able to sit +close together and to let their tongues loose. But Miss Baker, poor +soul, was in these days thoroughly subject to the female Stumfold +influence, and went about the world of Littlebath in a repressed +manner that was truly pitiable to those who had known her before the +days of her slavery. + +But, as she rose to leave the room at her tyrant's bidding, she spoke +a word of comfort. "A friend of mine, Miss Mackenzie, lives next door +to you, and she has begged me to say that she will do herself the +pleasure of calling on you, if you will allow her." + +The poor woman hesitated as she made her little speech, and once cast +her eye round in fear upon her companion. + +"I'm sure I shall be delighted," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"That's Miss Todd, is it?" said Mrs Stumfold; and it was made +manifest by Mrs Stumfold's voice that Mrs Stumfold did not think much +of Miss Todd. + +"Yes; Miss Todd. You see she is so close a neighbour," said Miss +Baker, apologetically. + +Mrs Stumfold shook her head, and then went away without further +speech. + +Miss Mackenzie became at once impatient for Miss Todd's arrival, +and was induced to keep an eye restlessly at watch on the two +neighbouring doors in the Paragon, in order that she might see Miss +Todd at the moment of some entrance or exit. Twice she did see a +lady come out from the house next her own on the right, a stout +jolly-looking dame, with a red face and a capacious bonnet, who +closed the door behind her with a slam, and looked as though she +would care little for either male Stumfold or female. Miss Mackenzie, +however, made up her mind that this was not Miss Todd. This lady, she +thought, was a married lady; on one occasion there had been children +with her, and she was, in Miss Mackenzie's judgment, too stout, too +decided, and perhaps too loud to be a spinster. A full week passed +by before this question was decided by the promised visit,--a week +during which the new comer never left her house at any hour at which +callers could be expected to call, so anxious was she to become +acquainted with her neighbour; and she had almost given the matter +up in despair, thinking that Mrs Stumfold had interfered with her +tyranny, when, one day immediately after lunch--in these days Miss +Mackenzie always lunched, but seldom dined--when one day immediately +after lunch, Miss Todd was announced. + +Miss Mackenzie immediately saw that she had been wrong. Miss Todd was +the stout, red-faced lady with the children. Two of the children, +girls of eleven and thirteen, were with her now. As Miss Todd walked +across the room to shake hands with her new acquaintance, Miss +Mackenzie at once recognised the manner in which the street door had +been slammed, and knew that it was the same firm step which she had +heard on the pavement half down the Paragon. + +"My friend, Miss Baker, told me you had come to live next door to +me," began Miss Todd, "and therefore I told her to tell you that +I should come and see you. Single ladies, when they come here, +generally like some one to come to them. I'm single myself, and these +are my nieces. You've got a niece, I believe, too. When the Popes +have nephews, people say all manner of ill-natured things. I hope +they ain't so uncivil to us." + +Miss Mackenzie smirked and smiled, and assured Miss Todd that she +was very glad to see her. The allusion to the Popes she did not +understand. + +"Miss Baker came with Mrs Stumfold, didn't she?" continued Miss Todd. +"She doesn't go much anywhere now without Mrs Stumfold, unless when +she creeps down to me. She and I are very old friends. Have you known +Mr Stumfold long? Perhaps you have come here to be near him; a great +many ladies do." + +In answer to this, Miss Mackenzie explained that she was not a +follower of Mr Stumfold in that sense. It was true that she had +brought a letter to him, and intended to go to his church. In +consequence of that letter, Mrs Stumfold had been good enough to call +upon her. + +"Oh yes: she'll come to you quick enough. Did she come with her +carriage and horses?" + +"I think she was on foot," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Then I should tell her of it. Coming to you, in the best house in +the Paragon, on your first arrival, she ought to have come with her +carriage and horses." + +"Tell her of it!" said Miss Mackenzie. + +"A great many ladies would, and would go over to the enemy before the +month was over, unless she brought the carriage in the meantime. I +don't advise you to do so. You haven't got standing enough in the +place yet, and perhaps she could put you down." + +"But it makes no difference to me how she comes." + +"None in the least, my dear, or to me either. I should be glad to see +her even in a wheelbarrow for my part. But you mustn't suppose that +she ever comes to me. Lord bless you! no. She found me out to be past +all grace ever so many years ago." + +"Mrs Stumfold thinks that Aunt Sally is the old gentleman himself," +said the elder of the girls. + +"Ha, ha, ha," laughed the aunt. "You see, Miss Mackenzie, we run very +much into parties here, as they do in most places of this kind, and +if you mean to go thoroughly in with the Stumfold party you must tell +me so, candidly, and there won't be any bones broken between us. I +shan't like you the less for saying so: only in that case it won't be +any use our trying to see much of each other." + +Miss Mackenzie was somewhat frightened, and hardly knew what answer +to make. She was very anxious to have it understood that she was not, +as yet, in bond under Mrs Stumfold--that it was still a matter of +choice to herself whether she would be a saint or a sinner; and she +would have been so glad to hint to her neighbour that she would like +to try the sinner's line, if it were only for a month or two; only +Miss Todd frightened her! And when the girl told her that Miss Todd +was regarded, ex parte Stumfold, as being the old gentleman himself, +Miss Mackenzie again thought for an instant that there would be +safety in giving way to the evangelico-ecclesiastical influence, and +that perhaps life might be pleasant enough to her if she could be +allowed to go about in couples with that soft Miss Baker. + +"As you have been so good as to call," said Miss Mackenzie, "I hope +you will allow me to return your visit." + +"Oh, dear, yes--shall be quite delighted to see you. You can't hurt +me, you know. The question is, whether I shan't ruin you. Not that I +and Mr Stumfold ain't great cronies. He and I meet about on neutral +ground, and are the best friends in the world. He knows I'm a lost +sheep--a gone 'coon, as the Americans say--so he pokes his fun at me, +and we're as jolly as sandboys. But St Stumfolda is made of sterner +metal, and will not put up with any such female levity. If she pokes +her fun at any sinners, it is at gentlemen sinners; and grim work it +must be for them, I should think. Poor Mary Baker! the best creature +in the world. I'm afraid she has a bad time of it. But then, you +know, perhaps that is the sort of thing you like." + +"You see I know so very little of Mrs Stumfold," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"That's a misfortune will soon be cured if you let her have her own +way. You ask Mary Baker else. But I don't mean to be saying anything +bad behind anybody's back; I don't indeed. I have no doubt these +people are very good in their way; only their ways are not my ways; +and one doesn't like to be told so often that one's own way is broad, +and that it leads--you know where. Come, Patty, let us be going. +When you've made up your mind, Miss Mackenzie, just you tell me. +If you say, 'Miss Todd, I think you're too wicked for me,' I shall +understand it. I shan't be in the least offended. But if my way +isn't--isn't too broad, you know, I shall be very happy to see you." + +Hereupon Miss Mackenzie plucked up courage and asked a question. + +"Do you ever go to the assembly rooms, Miss Todd?" + +Miss Todd almost whistled before she gave her answer. "Why, Miss +Mackenzie, that's where they dance and play cards, and where the +girls flirt and the young men make fools of themselves. I don't go +there very often myself, because I don't care about flirting, and I'm +too old for dancing. As for cards, I get plenty of them at home. I +think I did put down my name and paid something when I first came +here, but that's ever so many years ago. I don't go to the assembly +rooms now." + +As soon as Miss Todd was gone, Miss Mackenzie went to work to reflect +seriously upon all she had just heard. Of course, there could be no +longer any question of her going to the assembly rooms. Even Miss +Todd, wicked as she was, did not go there. But should she, or should +she not, return Miss Todd's visit? If she did she would be thereby +committing herself to what Miss Todd had profanely called the broad +way. In such case any advance in the Stumfold direction would be +forbidden to her. But if she did not call on Miss Todd, then she +would have plainly declared that she intended to be such another +disciple as Miss Baker, and from that decision there would be no +recall. On this subject she must make up her mind, and in doing so +she laboured with all her power. As to any charge of incivility which +might attach to her for not returning the visit of a lady who had +been so civil to her, of that she thought nothing. Miss Todd had +herself declared that she would not be in the least offended. But +she liked this new acquaintance. In owning all the truth about Miss +Mackenzie, I must confess that her mind hankered after the things of +this world. She thought that if she could only establish herself as +Miss Todd was established, she would care nothing for the Stumfolds, +male or female. + +But how was she to do this? An establishment in the Stumfold +direction might be easier. + +In the course of the next week two affairs of moment occurred to +Miss Mackenzie. On the Wednesday morning she received from London a +letter of business which caused her considerable anxiety, and on the +Thursday afternoon a note was brought to her from Mrs Stumfold,--or +rather an envelope containing a card on which was printed an +invitation to drink tea with that lady on that day week. This +invitation she accepted without much doubt. She would go and see +Mrs Stumfold in her house, and would then be better able to decide +whether the mode of life practised by the Stumfold party would be +to her taste. So she wrote a reply, and sent it by her maid-servant, +greatly doubting whether she was not wrong in writing her answer on +common note-paper, and whether she also should not have supplied +herself with some form or card for the occasion. + +The letter of business was from her brother Tom, and contained an +application for the loan of some money,--for the loan, indeed, of a +good deal of money. But the loan was to be made not to him but to +the firm of Rubb and Mackenzie, and was not to be a simple lending +of money on the faith of that firm, for purposes of speculation or +ordinary business. It was to be expended in the purchase of the +premises in the New Road, and Miss Mackenzie was to have a mortgage +on them, and was to receive five per cent for the money which she +should advance. The letter was long, and though it was manifest +even to Miss Mackenzie that he had written the first page with much +hesitation, he had waxed strong as he had gone on, and had really +made out a good case. "You are to understand," he said, "that this +is, of course, to be done through your own lawyer, who will not allow +you to make the loan unless he is satisfied with the security. Our +landlords are compelled to sell the premises, and unless we purchase +them ourselves, we shall in all probability be turned out, as we have +only a year or two more under our present lease. You could purchase +the whole thing yourself, but in that case you would not be sure of +the same interest for your money." He then went on to say that Samuel +Rubb, junior, the son of old Rubb, should run down to Littlebath +in the course of next week, in order that the whole thing might be +made clear to her. Samuel Rubb was not the partner whose name was +included in the designation of the firm, but was a young man,--"a +comparatively young man,"--as her brother explained, who had lately +been admitted to a share in the business. + +This letter put Miss Mackenzie into a twitter. Like all other single +ladies, she was very nervous about her money. She was quite alive to +the beauty of a high rate of interest, but did not quite understand +that high interest and impaired security should go hand in hand +together. She wished to oblige her brother, and was aware that she +had money as to which her lawyers were looking out for an investment. +Even this had made her unhappy, as she was not quite sure whether +her lawyers would not spend the money. She knew that lone women were +terribly robbed sometimes, and had almost resolved upon insisting +that the money should be put into the Three per Cents. But she had +gone to work with figures, and having ascertained that by doing so +twenty-five pounds a year would be docked off from her computed +income, she had given no such order. She now again went to work with +her figures, and found that if the loan were accomplished it would +add twenty-five pounds a year to her computed income. Mortgages, she +knew, were good things, strong and firm, based upon landed security, +and very respectable. So she wrote to her lawyers, saying that she +would be glad to oblige her brother if there were nothing amiss. Her +lawyers wrote back, advising her to refer Mr Rubb, junior, to them. +On the day named in her brother's letter, Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, +arrived at Littlebath, and called upon Miss Mackenzie in the Paragon. + +Miss Mackenzie had been brought up with contempt and almost with +hatred for the Rubb family. It had, in the first instance, been the +work of old Samuel Rubb to tempt her brother Tom into trade; and he +had tempted Tom into a trade that had not been fat and prosperous, +and therefore pardonable, but into a trade that had been troublesome +and poor. Walter Mackenzie had always spoken of these Rubbs +with thorough disgust, and had persistently refused to hold any +intercourse with them. When, therefore, Mr Samuel Rubb was announced, +our heroine was somewhat inclined to seat herself upon a high horse. + +Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, came upstairs, and was by no means the sort +of person in appearance that Miss Mackenzie had expected to see. In +the first place, he was, as well as she could guess, about forty +years of age; whereas she had expected to see a young man. A man who +went about the world especially designated as junior, ought, she +thought, to be very young. And then Mr Rubb carried with him an +air of dignity, and had about his external presence a something of +authority which made her at once seat herself a peg lower than she +had intended. He was a good-looking man, nearly six feet high, with +great hands and feet, but with a great forehead also, which atoned +for his hands and feet. He was dressed throughout in black, as +tradesmen always are in these days; but, as Miss Mackenzie said +to herself, there was certainly no knowing that he belonged to +the oilcloth business from the cut of his coat or the set of his +trousers. He began his task with great care, and seemed to have none +of the hesitation which had afflicted her brother in writing his +letter. The investment, he said, would, no doubt, be a good one. Two +thousand four hundred pounds was the sum wanted, and he understood +that she had that amount lying idle. Their lawyer had already seen +her lawyer, and there could be no doubt as to the soundness of the +mortgage. An assurance company with whom the firm had dealings was +quite ready to advance the money on the proposed security, and at +the proposed rate of interest, but in such a matter as that, Rubb +and Mackenzie did not wish to deal with an assurance company. They +desired that all control over the premises should either be in their +own hands, or in the hands of someone connected with them. + +By the time that Mr Samuel Rubb had done, Miss Mackenzie found +herself to have dismounted altogether from her horse, and to be +pervaded by some slight fear that her lawyers might allow so +favourable an opportunity for investing her money to slip through +their hands. + +Then, on a sudden, Mr Rubb dropped the subject of the loan, and Miss +Mackenzie, as he did so, felt herself to be almost disappointed. And +when she found him talking easily to her about matters of external +life, although she answered him readily, and talked to him also +easily, she entertained some feeling that she ought to be offended. +Mr Rubb, junior, was a tradesman who had come to her on business, and +having done his business, why did he not go away? Nevertheless, Miss +Mackenzie answered him when he asked questions, and allowed herself +to be seduced into a conversation. + +"Yes, upon my honour," he said, looking out of the window into the +Montpelier Gardens, "a very nice situation indeed. How much better +they do these things in such a place as this than we do up in London! +What dingy houses we live in, and how bright they make the places +here!" + +"They are not crowded so much, I suppose," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"It isn't only that. The truth is, that in London nobody cares what +his house looks like. The whole thing is so ugly that anything not +ugly would be out of place. Now, in Paris--you have been in Paris, +Miss Mackenzie?" + +In answer to this, Miss Mackenzie was compelled to own that she had +never been in Paris. + +"Ah, you should go to Paris, Miss Mackenzie; you should, indeed. Now, +you're a lady that have nothing to prevent your going anywhere. If I +were you, I'd go almost everywhere; but above all, I'd go to Paris. +There's no place like Paris." + +"I suppose not," said Miss Mackenzie. + +By this time Mr Rubb had returned from the window, and had seated +himself in the easy chair in the middle of the room. In doing so he +thrust out both his legs, folded his hands one over the other, and +looked very comfortable. + +"Now I'm a slave to business," he said. "That horrid place in the New +Road, which we want to buy with your money, has made a prisoner of me +for the last twenty years. I went into it as the boy who was to do +the copying, when your brother first became a partner. Oh dear, how I +did hate it!" + +"Did you now?" + +"I should rather think I did. I had been brought up at the Merchant +Taylors' and they intended to send me to Oxford. That was five years +before they began the business in the New Road. Then came the crash +which our house had at Manchester; and when we had picked up the +pieces, we found that we had to give up university ideas. However, +I'll make a business of it before I'm done; you see if I don't, Miss +Mackenzie. Your brother has been with us so many years that I have +quite a pleasure in talking to you about it." + +Miss Mackenzie was not quite sure that she reciprocated the pleasure; +for, after all, though he did look so much better than she had +expected, he was only Rubb, junior, from Rubb and Mackenzie's; and +any permanent acquaintance with Mr Rubb would not suit the line of +life in which she was desirous of moving. But she did not in the +least know how to stop him, or how to show him that she had intended +to receive him simply as a man of business. And then it was so seldom +that anyone came to talk to her, that she was tempted to fall away +from her high resolves. "I have not known much of my brother's +concerns," she said, attempting to be cautious. + +Then he sat for another hour, making himself very agreeable, and at +the end of that time she offered him a glass of wine and a biscuit, +which he accepted. He was going to remain two or three days in the +neighbourhood, he said, and might he call again before he left? +Miss Mackenzie told him that he might. How was it possible that +she should answer such a question in any other way? Then he got up, +and shook hands with her, told her that he was so glad he had come +to Littlebath, and was quite cordial and friendly. Miss Mackenzie +actually found herself laughing with him as they stood on the floor +together, and though she knew that it was improper, she liked it. +When he was gone she could not remember what it was that had made her +laugh, but she remembered that she had laughed. For a long time past +very little laughter had come to her share. + +When he was gone she prepared herself to think about him at length. +Why had he talked to her in that way? Why was he going to call again? +Why was Rubb, junior, from Rubb and Mackenzie's, such a pleasant +fellow? After all, he retailed oilcloth at so much a yard; and little +as she knew of the world, she knew that she, with ever so much good +blood in her veins, and with ever so many hundreds a year of her own, +was entitled to look for acquaintances of a higher order than that. +She, if she were entitled to make any boast about herself--and she +was by no means inclined to such boastings--might at any rate boast +that she was a lady. Now, Mr Rubb was not a gentleman. He was not a +gentleman by position. She knew that well enough, and she thought +that she had also discovered that he was not quite a gentleman in his +manners and mode of speech. Nevertheless she had liked him, and had +laughed with him, and the remembrance of this made her sad. + +That same evening she wrote a letter to her lawyer, telling him that +she was very anxious to oblige her brother, if the security was +good. And then she went into the matter at length, repeating much of +what Mr Rubb had said to her, as to the excellence of mortgages in +general, and of this mortgage in particular. After that she dressed +herself with great care, and went out to tea at Mrs Stumfold's. This +was the first occasion in her life in which she had gone to a party, +the invitation to which had come to her on a card, and of course she +felt herself to be a little nervous. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +Miss Mackenzie Commences Her Career + + +Miss Mackenzie had been three weeks at Littlebath when the day +arrived on which she was to go to Mrs Stumfold's party, and up to +that time she had not enjoyed much of the society of that very social +place. Indeed, in these pages have been described with accuracy all +the advancement which she had made in that direction. She had indeed +returned Miss Todd's call, but had not found that lady at home. +In doing this she had almost felt herself to be guilty of treason +against the new allegiance which she seemed to have taken upon +herself in accepting Mrs Stumfold's invitation; and she had done it +at last not from any firm resolve of which she might have been proud, +but had been driven to it by ennui, and by the easy temptation of +Miss Todd's neighbouring door. She had, therefore, slipped out, and +finding her wicked friend to be not at home, had hurried back again. +She had, however, committed herself to a card, and she knew that Mrs +Stumfold would hear of it through Miss Baker. Miss Baker's visit +she had not returned, being in doubt where Miss Baker lived, being +terribly in doubt also whether the Median rules of fashion demanded +of her that she should return the call of a lady who had simply come +to her with another caller. Her hesitation on this subject had been +much, and her vacillations many, but she had thought it safer to +abstain. For the last day or two she had been expecting the return of +Mr Rubb, junior--keeping herself a prisoner, I fear, during the best +hours of the day, so that she might be there to receive him when he +did come; but though she had so acted, she had quite resolved to +be very cold with him, and very cautious, and had been desirous +of seeing him solely with a view to the mercantile necessities of +her position. It behoved her certainly to attend to business when +business came in her way, and therefore she would take care to be at +home when Mr Rubb should call. + +She had been to church twice a day on each of the Sundays that she +had passed in Littlebath, having in this matter strictly obeyed the +hints which Mr Stumfold had given for her guidance. No doubt she had +received benefit from the discourses which she had heard from that +gentleman each morning; and, let us hope, benefit also from the much +longer discourses which she had heard from Mr Stumfold's curate on +each evening. The Rev. Mr Maguire was very powerful, but he was also +very long; and Miss Mackenzie, who was hardly as yet entitled to rank +herself among the thoroughly converted, was inclined to think that +he was too long. She was, however, patient by nature, and willing to +bear much, if only some little might come to her in return. What of +social comfort she had expected to obtain from her churchgoings I +cannot quite define; but I think that she had unconsciously expected +something from them in that direction, and that she had been +disappointed. + +But now, at nine o'clock on this appointed evening, she was of +a certainty and in very truth going into society. The card said +half-past eight; but the Sun had not yoked his horses so far away +from her Tyre, remote as that Tyre had been, as to have left her in +ignorance that half-past eight meant nine. When her watch showed her +that half-past eight had really come, she was fidgety, and rang the +bell to inquire whether the man might have probably forgotten to send +the fly; and yet she had been very careful to tell the man that she +did not wish to be at Mrs Stumfold's before nine. + +"He understands, Miss," said the servant; "don't you be afeard; he's +a-doing of it every night." + +Then she became painfully conscious that even the maid-servant knew +more of the social ways of the place than did she. + +When she reached the top of Mrs Stumfold's stairs, her heart was in +her mouth, for she perceived immediately that she had kept people +waiting. After all, she had trusted to false intelligence in that +matter of the hour. Half-past eight had meant half-past eight, +and she ought to have known that this would be so in a house so +upright as that of Mrs Stumfold. That lady met her at the door, and +smiling--blandly, but, perhaps I might be permitted to say, not so +blandly as she might have smiled--conducted the stranger to a seat. + +"We generally open with a little prayer, and for that purpose our +dear friends are kind enough to come to us punctually." + +Then Mr Stumfold got up, and pressed her hand very kindly. + +"I'm so sorry," Miss Mackenzie had uttered. + +"Not in the least," he replied. "I knew you couldn't know, and +therefore we ventured to wait a few minutes. The time hasn't been +lost, as Mr Maguire has treated us to a theological argument of great +weight." + +Then all the company laughed, and Miss Mackenzie perceived that Mr +Stumfold could joke in his way. She was introduced to Mr Maguire, who +also pressed her hand; and then Miss Baker came and sat by her side. +There was, however, at that moment no time for conversation. The +prayer was begun immediately, Mr Stumfold taking this duty himself. +Then Mr Maguire read half a chapter in the Bible, and after that Mr +Stumfold explained it. Two ladies asked Mr Stumfold questions with +great pertinacity, and these questions Mr Stumfold answered very +freely, walking about the room the while, and laughing often as he +submitted himself to their interrogations. And Miss Mackenzie was +much astonished at the special freedom of his manner,--how he spoke +of St Paul as Paul, declaring the saint to have been a good fellow; +how he said he liked Luke better than Matthew, and how he named +even a holier name than these with infinite ease and an accustomed +familiarity which seemed to delight the other ladies; but which at +first shocked her in her ignorance. + +"But I'm not going to have anything more to say to Peter and Paul at +present," he declared at last. "You'd keep me here all night, and the +tea will be spoilt." + +Then they all laughed again at the absurd idea of this great and good +man preferring his food,--his food of this world,--to that other food +which it was his special business to dispense. There is nothing which +the Stumfoldian ladies of Littlebath liked so much as these little +jokes which bordered on the profanity of the outer world, which made +them feel themselves to be almost as funny as the sinners, and gave +them a slight taste, as it were, of the pleasures of iniquity. + +"Wine maketh glad the heart of woman, Mrs Jones," Mr Stumfold would +say as he filled for the second time the glass of some old lady of +his set; and the old lady would chirrup and wink, and feel that +things were going almost as jollily with her as they did with that +wicked Mrs Smith, who spent every night of her life playing cards, or +as they had done with that horrid Mrs Brown, of whom such terrible +things were occasionally whispered when two or three ladies found +themselves sufficiently private to whisper them; that things were +going almost as pleasant here in this world, although accompanied by +so much safety as to the future in her own case, and so much danger +in those other cases! I think it was this aptitude for feminine +rakishness which, more than any of his great virtues, more even than +his indomitable industry, made Mr Stumfold the most popular man in +Littlebath. A dozen ladies on the present occasion skipped away to +the tea-table in the back drawing-room with a delighted alacrity, +which was all owing to the unceremonious treatment which St Peter and +St Paul had received from their pastor. + +Miss Mackenzie had just found time to cast an eye round the room and +examine the scene of Mr Stumfold's pleasantries while Mr Maguire was +reading. She saw that there were only three gentlemen there besides +the two clergymen. There was a very old man who sat close wedged +in between Mrs Stumfold and another lady, by whose joint dresses +he was almost obliterated. This was Mr Peters, a retired attorney. +He was Mrs Stumfold's father, and from his coffers had come the +superfluities of comfort which Miss Mackenzie saw around her. Rumour, +even among the saintly people of Littlebath, said that Mr Peters +had been a sharp practitioner in his early days;--that he had been +successful in his labours was admitted by all. + +"No doubt he has repented," Miss Baker said one day to Miss Todd. + +"And if he has not, he has forgotten all about it, which generally +means the same thing," Miss Todd had answered. + +Mr Peters was now very old, and I am disposed to think he had +forgotten all about it. + +The other two gentlemen were both young, and they stood very high +in the graces of all the company there assembled. They were high +in the graces of Mr Stumfold, but higher still in the graces of Mrs +Stumfold, and were almost worshipped by one or two other ladies whose +powers of external adoration were not diminished by the possession +of husbands. They were, both of them, young men who had settled +themselves for a time at Littlebath that they might be near Mr +Stumfold, and had sufficient of worldly wealth to enable them to pass +their time in semi-clerical pursuits. + +Mr Frigidy, the elder, intended at some time to go into the Church, +but had not as yet made sufficient progress in his studies to justify +him in hoping that he could pass a bishop's examination. His friends +told him of Islington and St Bees, of Durham, Birkenhead, and other +places where the thing could be done for him; but he hesitated, +fearing whether he might be able to pass even the initiatory gates +of Islington. He was a good young man, at peace with all the +world--except Mr Startup. With Mr Startup the veracious chronicler +does not dare to assert that Mr Frigidy was at peace. Now Mr Startup +was the other young man whom Miss Mackenzie saw in that room. + +Mr Startup was also a very good young man, but he was of a fiery +calibre, whereas Frigidy was naturally mild. Startup was already an +open-air preacher, whereas Frigidy lacked nerve to speak a word above +his breath. Startup was not a clergyman because certain scruples +impeded and prevented him, while in the bosom of Frigidy there +existed no desire so strong as that of having the word reverend +attached to his name. Startup, though he was younger than Frigidy, +could talk to seven ladies at once with ease, but Frigidy could not +talk to one without much assistance from that lady herself. The +consequence of this was that Mr Frigidy could not bring himself to +love Mr Startup,--could not enable himself to justify a veracious +chronicler in saying that he was at peace with all the world, Startup +included. + +The ladies were too many for Miss Mackenzie to notice them specially +as she sat listening to Mr Maguire's impressive voice. Mr Maguire she +did notice, and found him to be the possessor of a good figure, of +a fine head of jet black hair, of a perfect set of white teeth, of +whiskers which were also black and very fine, but streaked here and +there with a grey hair,--and of the most terrible squint in his right +eye which ever disfigured a face that in all other respects was +fitted for an Apollo. So egregious was the squint that Miss Mackenzie +could not keep herself from regarding it, even while Mr Stumfold +was expounding. Had she looked Mr Maguire full in the face at the +beginning, I do not think it would so much have mattered to her; but +she had seen first the back of his head, and then his profile, and +had unfortunately formed a strong opinion as to his almost perfect +beauty. When, therefore, the defective eye was disclosed to her, her +feelings were moved in a more than ordinary manner. How was it that a +man graced with such a head, with such a mouth and chin and forehead, +nay, with such a left eye, could be cursed with such a right eye! She +was still thinking of this when the frisky movement into the tea-room +took place around her. + +When at this moment Mr Stumfold offered her his arm to conduct her +through the folding doors, this condescension on his part almost +confounded her. The other ladies knew that he always did so to a +newcomer, and therefore thought less of it. No other gentleman took +any other lady, but she was led up to a special seat,--a seat of +honour as it were, at the left hand side of a huge silver kettle. +Immediately before the kettle sat Mrs Stumfold. Immediately before +another kettle, at another table, sat Miss Peters, a sister of Mrs +Stumfold's. The back drawing-room in which they were congregated +was larger than the other, and opened behind into a pretty garden. +Mr Stumfold's lines in falling thus among the Peters, had fallen +to him in pleasant places. On the other side of Miss Mackenzie sat +Miss Baker, and on the other side of Mrs Stumfold stood Mr Startup, +talking aloud and administering the full tea-cups with a conscious +grace. Mr Stumfold and Mr Frigidy were at the other table, and Mr +Maguire was occupied in passing promiscuously from one to the other. +Miss Mackenzie wished with all her heart that he would seat himself +somewhere with his face turned away from her, for she found it +impossible to avert her eyes from his eye. But he was always +there, before her sight, and she began to feel that he was an evil +spirit,--her evil spirit, and that he would be too many for her. + +Before anybody else was allowed to begin, Mrs Stumfold rose from her +chair with a large and completely filled bowl of tea, with a plate +also laden with buttered toast, and with her own hands and on her own +legs carried these delicacies round to her papa. On such an occasion +as this no servant, no friend, no Mr Startup, was allowed to +interfere with her filial piety. + +"She does it always," said an admiring lady in an audible whisper +from the other side of Miss Baker. "She does it always." + +The admiring lady was the wife of a retired coachbuilder, who was +painfully anxious to make her way into good evangelical society at +Littlebath. + +"Perhaps you will put in the sugar for yourself," said Mrs Stumfold +to Miss Mackenzie as soon as she returned. On this occasion Miss +Mackenzie received her cup the first after the father of the house, +but the words spoken to her were stern to the ear. + +"Perhaps you will put in the sugar yourself. It lightens the labour." + +Miss Mackenzie expressed her willingness to do so and regretted that +Mrs Stumfold should have to work so hard. Could she be of assistance? + +"I'm quite used to it, thank you," said Mrs Stumfold. + +The words were not uncivil, but the tone was dreadfully severe, and +Miss Mackenzie felt painfully sure that her hostess was already aware +of the card that had been left at Miss Todd's door. + +Mr Startup was now actively at work. + +"Lady Griggs's and Miss Fleebody's--I know. A great deal of +sugar for her ladyship, and Miss Fleebody eats muffin. Mrs Blow +always takes pound-cake, and I'll see that there's one near her. +Mortimer,"--Mortimer was the footman,--"is getting more bread and +butter. Maguire, you have two dishes of sweet biscuits over there; +give us one here. Never mind me, Mrs Stumfold; I'll have my innings +presently." + +All this Mr Frigidy heard with envious ears as he sat with his own +tea-cup before him at the other table. He would have given the world +to have been walking about the room like Startup, making himself +useful and conspicuous; but he couldn't do it--he knew that he +couldn't do it. Later in the evening, when he had been sitting by +Miss Trotter for two hours--and he had very often sat by Miss Trotter +before--he ventured upon a remark. + +"Don't you think that Mr Startup makes himself a little forward?" + +"Oh dear yes, very," said Miss Trotter. "I believe he's an excellent +young man, but I always did think him forward, now you mention it. +And sometimes I've wondered how dear Mrs Stumfold could like so much +of it. But do you know, Mr Frigidy, I am not quite sure that somebody +else does like it. You know who I mean." + +Miss Trotter said much more than this, and Mr Frigidy was comforted, +and believed that he had been talking. + +When Mrs Stumfold commenced her conversation with Mr Startup, Miss +Baker addressed herself to Miss Mackenzie; but there was at first +something of stiffness in her manner,--as became a lady whose call +had not been returned. + +"I hope you like Littlebath," said Miss Baker. + +Miss Mackenzie, who began to be conscious that she had done wrong, +hesitated as she replied that she liked it pretty well. + +"I think you'll find it pleasant," said Miss Baker; and then there +was a pause. There could not be two women more fitted for friendship +than were these, and it was much to be hoped, for the sake of our +poor, solitary heroine especially, that this outside crust of manner +might be broken up and dispersed. + +"I dare say I shall find it pleasant, after a time," said Miss +Mackenzie. Then they applied themselves each to her own bread and +butter. + +"You have not seen Miss Todd, I suppose, since I saw you?" Miss Baker +asked this question when she perceived that Mrs Stumfold was deep +in some secret conference with Mr Startup. It must, however, be +told to Miss Baker's credit, that she had persistently maintained +her friendship with Miss Todd, in spite of all the Stumfoldian +influences. Miss Mackenzie, at the moment less brave, looked round +aghast, but seeing that her hostess was in deep conference with her +prime minister, she took heart of grace. "I called, and I did not see +her." + +"She promised me she would call," said Miss Baker. + +"And I returned her visit, but she wasn't at home," said Miss +Mackenzie. + +"Indeed," said Miss Baker; and then there was silence between them +again. + +But, after a pause, Miss Mackenzie again took heart of grace. I +do not think that there was, of nature, much of the coward about +her. Indeed, the very fact that she was there alone at Littlebath, +fighting her own battle with the world, instead of having allowed +herself to be swallowed up by the Harry Handcocks, and Tom +Mackenzies, proved her to be anything but a coward. "Perhaps, Miss +Baker, I ought to have returned your visit," said she. + +"That was just as you like," said Miss Baker with her sweetest smile. + +"Of course, I should have liked it, as I thought it so good of you to +come. But as you came with Mrs Stumfold, I was not quite sure whether +it might be intended; and then I didn't know,--did not exactly +know,--where you lived." + +After this the two ladies got on very comfortably, so long as they +were left sitting side by side. Miss Baker imparted to Miss Mackenzie +her full address, and Miss Mackenzie, with that brightness in her +eyes which they always assumed when she was eager, begged her new +friend to come to her again. + +"Indeed, I will," said Miss Baker. After that they were parted by a +general return to the front room. + +And now Miss Mackenzie found herself seated next to Mr Maguire. She +had been carried away in the crowd to a further corner, in which +there were two chairs, and before she had been able to consider the +merits or demerits of the position, Mr Maguire was seated close +beside her. He was seated close beside her in such a way as to make +the two specially separated from all the world beyond, for in front +of them stood a wall of crinoline,--a wall of crinoline divided +between four or five owners, among whom was shared the eloquence of +Mr Startup, who was carrying on an evangelical flirtation with the +whole of them in a manner that was greatly pleasing to them, and +enthusiastically delightful to him. Miss Mackenzie, when she found +herself thus entrapped, looked into Mr Maguire's eye with dismay. +Had that look been sure to bring down upon her the hatred of that +reverend gentleman, she could not have helped it. The eye fascinated +her, as much as it frightened her. But Mr Maguire was used to have +his eye inspected, and did not hate her. He fixed it apparently on +the corners of the wall, but in truth upon her, and then he began: + +"I am so glad that you have come among us, Miss Mackenzie." + +"I'm sure that I'm very much obliged." + +"Well; you ought to be. You must not be surprised at my saying +so, though it sounds uncivil. You ought to feel obliged, and the +obligation should be mutual. I am not sure, that when all things are +considered, you could find yourself in any better place in England, +than in the drawing-room of my friend Stumfold; and, if you will +allow me to say so, my friend Stumfold could hardly use his +drawing-room better, than by entertaining you." + +"Mr Stumfold is very good, and so is she." + +"Mr Stumfold is very good; and as for Mrs Stumfold, I look upon her +as a very wonderful woman,--quite a wonderful woman. For grasp of +intellect, for depth of thought, for tenderness of sentiment--perhaps +you mightn't have expected that, but there it is--for tenderness of +sentiment, for strength of faith, for purity of life, for genial +hospitality, and all the domestic duties, Mrs Stumfold has no equal +in Littlebath, and perhaps few superiors elsewhere." + +Here Mr Maguire paused, and Miss Mackenzie, finding herself obliged +to speak, said that she did not at all doubt it. + +"You need not doubt it, Miss Mackenzie. She is all that, I tell you; +and more, too. Her manners may seem a little harsh to you at first. I +know it is so sometimes with ladies before they know her well; but it +is only skin-deep, Miss Mackenzie,--only skin-deep. She is so much in +earnest about her work, that she cannot bring herself to be light and +playful as he is. Now, he is as full of play as a young lamb." + +"He seems to be very pleasant." + +"And he is always just the same. There are people, you know, who say +that religion is austere and melancholy. They never could say that +if they knew my friend Stumfold. His life is devoted to his clerical +duties. I know no man who works harder in the vineyard than Stumfold. +But he always works with a smile on his face. And why not, Miss +Mackenzie? when you think of it, why not?" + +"I dare say it's best not to be unhappy," said Miss Mackenzie. She +did not speak till she perceived that he had paused for her answer. + +"Of course we know that this world can make no one happy. What are we +that we should dare to be happy here?" + +Again he paused, but Miss Mackenzie feeling that she had been +ill-treated and trapped into a difficulty at her last reply, +resolutely remained silent. + +"I defy any man or woman to be happy here," said Mr Maguire, looking +at her with one eye and at the corner of the wall with the other in +a manner that was very terrible to her. "But we may be cheerful,--we +may go about our work singing psalms of praise instead of songs of +sorrow. Don't you agree with me, Miss Mackenzie, that psalms of +praise are better than songs of sorrow?" + +"I don't sing at all, myself," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"You sing in your heart, my friend; I am sure you sing in your heart. +Don't you sing in your heart?" Here again he paused. + +"Well; perhaps in my heart, yes." + +"I know you do, loud psalms of praise upon a ten-stringed lute. But +Stumfold is always singing aloud, and his lute has twenty strings." +Here the voice of the twenty-stringed singer was heard across the +large room asking the company a riddle. + +"Why was Peter in prison like a little boy with his shoes off?" + +"That's so like him," said Mr Maguire. + +All the ladies in the room were in a fever of expectation, and Mr +Stumfold asked the riddle again. + +"He won't tell them till we meet again; but there isn't one here +who won't study the life of St Peter during the next week. And what +they'll learn in that way they'll never forget." + +"But why was he like a little boy with his shoes off?" asked Miss +Mackenzie. + +"Ah! that's Stumfold's riddle. You must ask Mr Stumfold, and he won't +tell you till next week. But some of the ladies will be sure to find +it out before then. Have you come to settle yourself altogether at +Littlebath, Miss Mackenzie?" + +This question he asked very abruptly, but he had a way of looking at +her when he asked a question, which made it impossible for her to +avoid an answer. + +"I suppose I shall stay here for some considerable time." + +"Do, do," said he with energy. "Do; come and live among us, and be +one of us; come and partake with us at the feast which we are making +ready; come and eat of our crusts, and dip with us in the same dish; +come and be of our flock, and go with us into the pleasant pastures, +among the lanes and green hedges which appertain to the farm of +the Lord. Come and walk with us through the Sabbath cornfields, +and pluck the ears when you are a-hungered, disregarding the broad +phylacteries. Come and sing with us songs of a joyful heart, and let +us be glad together. What better can you do, Miss Mackenzie? I don't +believe there is a more healthy place in the world than Littlebath, +and, considering that the place is fashionable, things are really +very reasonable." + +He was rapid in his utterance, and so full of energy, that Miss +Mackenzie did not quite follow him in his quick transitions. She +hardly understood whether he was advising her to take up an abode in +a terrestrial Eden or a celestial Paradise; but she presumed that he +meant to be civil, so she thanked him and said she thought she would. +It was a thousand pities that he should squint so frightfully, as in +all other respects he was a good-looking man. Just at this moment +there seemed to be a sudden breaking up of the party. + +"We are all going away," said Mr Maguire. "We always do when Mrs +Stumfold gets up from her seat. She does it when she sees that her +father is nodding his head. You must let me out, because I've got to +say a prayer. By-the-bye, you'll allow me to walk home with you, I +hope. I shall be so happy to be useful." + +Miss Mackenzie told him that the fly was coming for her, and then he +scrambled away into the middle of the room. + +"We always walk home from these parties," said Miss Baker, who +had, however, on this occasion, consented to be taken away by Miss +Mackenzie in the fly. "It makes it come so much cheaper, you know." + +"Of course it does; and it's quite as nice if everybody does it. But +you don't walk going there?" + +"Not generally," said Miss Baker; "but there are some of them who +do that. Miss Trotter always walks both ways, if it's ever so wet." +Then there were a few words said about Miss Trotter which were not +altogether good-natured. + +Miss Mackenzie, as soon as she was at home, got down her Bible and +puzzled herself for an hour over that riddle of Mr Stumfold's; but +with all her trouble she could not find why St Peter in prison was +like a little boy with his shoes off. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +Showing How Mr Rubb, Junior, Progressed at Littlebath + + +A full week had passed by after Mrs Stumfold's tea-party before Mr +Rubb called again at the Paragon; and in the meantime Miss Mackenzie +had been informed by her lawyer that there did not appear to be any +objection to the mortgage, if she liked the investment for her money. + +"You couldn't do better with your money,--you couldn't indeed," said +Mr Rubb, when Miss Mackenzie, meaning to be cautious, started the +conversation at once upon matters of business. + +Mr Rubb had not been in any great hurry to repeat his call, and Miss +Mackenzie had resolved that if he did come again she would treat him +simply as a member of the firm with whom she had to transact certain +monetary arrangements. Beyond that she would not go; and as she so +resolved, she repented herself of the sherry and biscuit. + +The people whom she had met at Mr Stumfold's had been all ladies and +gentlemen; she, at least, had supposed them to be so, not having +as yet received any special information respecting the wife of the +retired coachbuilder. Mr Rubb was not a gentleman; and though she was +by no means inclined to give herself airs,--though, as she assured +herself, she believed Mr Rubb to be quite as good as herself,--yet +there was, and must always be, a difference among people. She had no +inclination to be proud; but if Providence had been pleased to place +her in one position, it did not behove her to degrade herself by +assuming a position that was lower. Therefore, on this account, and +by no means moved by any personal contempt towards Mr Rubb, or the +Rubbs of the world in general, she was resolved that she would not +ask him to take any more sherry and biscuits. + +Poor Miss Mackenzie! I fear that they who read this chronicle of her +life will already have allowed themselves to think worse of her than +she deserved. Many of them, I know, will think far worse of her than +they should think. Of what faults, even if we analyse her faults, has +she been guilty? Where she has been weak, who among us is not, in +that, weak also? Of what vanity has she been guilty with which the +least vain among us might not justly tax himself? Having been left +alone in the world, she has looked to make friends for herself; and +in seeking for new friends she has wished to find the best that might +come in her way. + +Mr Rubb was very good-looking; Mr Maguire was afflicted by a terrible +squint. Mr Rubb's mode of speaking was pleasant to her; whereas she +was by no means sure that she liked Mr Maguire's speech. But Mr +Maguire was by profession a gentleman. As the discreet young man, +who is desirous of rising in the world, will eschew skittles, and in +preference go out to tea at his aunt's house--much more delectable as +skittles are to his own heart--so did Miss Mackenzie resolve that it +would become her to select Messrs Stumfold and Maguire as her male +friends, and to treat Mr Rubb simply as a man of business. She was +denying herself skittles and beer, and putting up with tea and an old +aunt, because she preferred the proprieties of life to its pleasures. +Is it right that she should be blamed for such self-denial? But now +the skittles and beer had come after her, as those delights will +sometimes pursue the prudent youth who would fain avoid them. Mr +Rubb was there, in her drawing-room, looking extremely well, shaking +hands with her very comfortably, and soon abandoning his conversation +on that matter of business to which she had determined to confine +herself. She was angry with him, thinking him to be very free and +easy; but, nevertheless, she could not keep herself from talking to +him. + +"You can't do better than five per cent," he had said to her, "not +with first-class security, such as this is." + +All that had been well enough. Five per cent and first-class security +were, she knew, matters of business; and though Mr Rubb had winked +his eye at her as he spoke of them, leaning forward in his chair +and looking at her not at all as a man of business, but quite in a +friendly way, yet she had felt that she was so far safe. She nodded +her head also, merely intending him to understand thereby that she +herself understood something about business. But when he suddenly +changed the subject, and asked her how she liked Mr Stumfold's set, +she drew herself up suddenly and placed herself at once upon her +guard. + +"I have heard a great deal about Mr Stumfold," continued Mr Rubb, not +appearing to observe the lady's altered manner, "not only here and +where I have been for the last few days, but up in London also. He is +quite a public character, you know." + +"Clergymen in towns, who have large congregations, always must so be, +I suppose." + +"Well, yes; more or less. But Mr Stumfold is decidedly more, and not +less. People say he is going in for a bishopric." + +"I had not heard it," said Miss Mackenzie, who did not quite +understand what was meant by going in for a bishopric. + +"Oh, yes, and a very likely man he would have been a year or two ago. +But they say the prime minister has changed his tap lately." + +"Changed his tap!" said Miss Mackenzie. + +"He used to draw his bishops very bitter, but now he draws them mild +and creamy. I dare say Stumfold did his best, but he didn't quite get +his hay in while the sun shone." + +"He seems to me to be very comfortable where he is," said Miss +Mackenzie. + +"I dare say. It must be rather a bore for him having to live in the +house with old Peters. How Peters scraped his money together, nobody +ever knew yet; and you are aware, Miss Mackenzie, that old as he is, +he keeps it all in his own hands. That house, and everything that is +in it, belongs to him; you know that, I dare say." + +Miss Mackenzie, who could not keep herself from being a little +interested in these matters, said that she had not known it. + +"Oh dear, yes! and the carriage too. I've no doubt Stumfold will be +all right when the old fellow dies. Such men as Stumfold don't often +make mistakes about their money. But as long as old Peters lasts I +shouldn't think it can be quite serene. They say that she is always +cutting up rough with the old man." + +"She seemed to me to behave very well to him," said Miss Mackenzie, +remembering the carriage of the tea-cup. + +"I dare say it is so before company, and of course that's all right; +it's much better that the dirty linen should be washed in private. +Stumfold is a clever man, there's no doubt about that. If you've been +much to his house, you've probably met his curate, Mr Maguire." + +"I've only been there once, but I did meet Mr Maguire." + +"A man that squints fearfully. They say he's looking out for a wife +too, only she must not have a father living, as Mrs Stumfold has. +It's astonishing how these parsons pick up all the good things that +are going in the way of money." Miss Mackenzie, as she heard this, +could not but remember that she might be regarded as a good thing +going in the way of money, and became painfully aware that her face +betrayed her consciousness. + +"You'll have to keep a sharp look out," continued Mr Rubb, giving her +a kind caution, as though he were an old familiar friend. + +"I don't think there's any fear of that kind," said Miss Mackenzie, +blushing. + +"I don't know about fear, but I should say that there is great +probability; of course I am only joking about Mr Maguire. Like the +rest of them, of course, he wishes to feather his own nest; and why +shouldn't he? But you may be sure of this, Miss Mackenzie, a lady +with your fortune, and, if I may be allowed to say so, with your +personal attractions, will not want for admirers." + +Miss Mackenzie was very strongly of opinion that Mr Rubb might not +be allowed to say so. She thought that he was behaving with an +unwarrantable degree of freedom in saying anything of the kind; +but she did not know how to tell him either by words or looks that +such was the case. And, perhaps, though the impertinence was almost +unendurable, the idea conveyed was not altogether so grievous; it +had certainly never hitherto occurred to her that she might become +a second Mrs Stumfold; but, after all, why not? What she wanted +was simply this, that something of interest should be added to her +life. Why should not she also work in the vineyard, in the open +quasiclerical vineyard of the Lord's people, and also in the private +vineyard of some one of the people's pastors? Mr Rubb was very +impertinent, but it might, perhaps, be worth her while to think of +what he said. As regarded Mr Maguire, the gentleman whose name had +been specially mentioned, it was quite true that he did squint +awfully. + +"Mr Rubb," said she, "if you please, I'd rather not talk about such +things as that." + +"Nevertheless, what I say is true, Miss Mackenzie; I hope you don't +take it amiss that I venture to feel an interest about you." + +"Oh! no," said she; "not that I suppose you do feel any special +interest about me." + +"But indeed I do, and isn't it natural? If you will remember that +your only brother is the oldest friend that I have in the world, how +can it be otherwise? Of course he is much older than me, and very +much older than you, Miss Mackenzie." + +"Just twelve years," said she, very stiffly. + +"I thought it had been more, but in that case you and I are nearly of +an age. As that is so, how can I fail to feel an interest about you? +I have neither mother, nor sister, nor wife of my own; a sister, +indeed, I have, but she's married at Singapore, and I have not seen +her for seventeen years." + +"Indeed." + +"No, not for seventeen years; and the heart does crave for some +female friend, Miss Mackenzie." + +"You ought to get a wife, Mr Rubb." + +"That's what your brother always says. 'Samuel,' he said to me just +before I left town, 'you're settled with us now; your father has as +good as given up to you his share of the business, and you ought to +get married.' Now, Miss Mackenzie, I wouldn't take that sort of thing +from any man but your brother; it's very odd that you should say +exactly the same thing too." + +"I hope I have not offended you." + +"Offended me! no, indeed, I'm not such a fool as that. I'd sooner +know that you took an interest in me than any woman living. I would, +indeed. I dare say you don't think much of it, but when I remember +that the names of Rubb and Mackenzie have been joined together for +more than twenty years, it seems natural to me that you and I should +be friends." + +Miss Mackenzie, in the few moments which were allowed to her for +reflection before she was obliged to answer, again admitted to +herself that he spoke the truth. If there was any fault in the matter +the fault was with her brother Tom, who had joined the name of +Mackenzie with the name of Rubb in the first instance. Where was this +young man to look for a female friend if not to his partner's family, +seeing that he had neither wife nor mother of his own, nor indeed a +sister, except one out at Singapore, who was hardly available for any +of the purposes of family affection? And yet it was hard upon her. It +was through no negligence on her part that poor Mr Rubb was so ill +provided. "Perhaps it might have been so if I had continued to live +in London," said Miss Mackenzie; "but as I live at Littlebath--" Then +she paused, not knowing how to finish her sentence. + +"What difference does that make? The distance is nothing if you come +to think of it. Your hall door is just two hours and a quarter from +our place of business in the New Road; and it's one pound five and +nine if you go by first-class and cabs, or sixteen and ten if you put +up with second-class and omnibuses. There's no other way of counting. +Miles mean nothing now-a-days." + +"They don't mean much, certainly." + +"They mean nothing. Why, Miss Mackenzie, I should think it no trouble +at all to run down and consult you about anything that occurred, +about any matter of business that weighed at all heavily, if nothing +prevented me except distance. Thirty shillings more than does it all, +with a return ticket, including a bit of lunch at the station." + +"Oh! and as for that--" + +"I know what you mean, Miss Mackenzie, and I shall never forget how +kind you were to offer me refreshment when I was here before." + +"But, Mr Rubb, I hope you won't think of doing such a thing. What +good could I do you? I know nothing about business; and really, to +tell the truth, I should be most unwilling to interfere--that is, you +know, to say anything about anything of the kind." + +"I only meant to point out that the distance is nothing. And as to +what you were advising me about getting married--" + +"I didn't mean to advise you, Mr Rubb!" + +"I thought you said so." + +"But, of course, I did not intend to discuss such a matter +seriously." + +"It's a most serious subject to me, Miss Mackenzie." + +"No doubt; but it's one I can't know anything about. Men in business +generally do find, I think, that they get on better when they are +married." + +"Yes, they do." + +"That's all I meant to say, Mr Rubb." + +After this he sat silent for a few minutes, and I am inclined to +think that he was weighing in his mind the expediency of asking +her to become Mrs Rubb, on the spur of the moment. But if so, his +mind finally gave judgment against the attempt, and in giving such +judgment his mind was right. He would certainly have so startled +her by the precipitancy of such a proposition, as to have greatly +endangered the probability of any further intimacy with her. As it +was, he changed the conversation, and began to ask questions as to +the welfare of his partner's daughter. At this period of the day +Susanna was at school, and he was informed that she would not be home +till the evening. Then he plucked up courage and begged to be allowed +to come again,--just to look in at eight o'clock, so that he might +see Susanna. He could not go back to London comfortably, unless he +could give some tidings of Susanna to the family in Gower Street. +What was she to do? Of course she was obliged to ask him to drink tea +with them. "That would be so pleasant," he said; and Miss Mackenzie +owned to herself that the gratification expressed in his face as he +spoke was very becoming. + +When Susanna came home she did not seem to know much of Mr Rubb, +junior, or to care much about him. Old Mr Rubb lived, she knew, near +the place of business in the New Road, and sometimes he came to Gower +Street, but nobody liked him. She didn't remember that she had ever +seen Mr Rubb, junior, at her mother's house but once, when he came to +dinner. When she was told that Mr Rubb was very anxious to see her, +she chucked up her head and said that the man was a goose. + +He came, and in a very few minutes he had talked over Susanna. He +brought her a little present,--a work-box,--which he had bought for +her at Littlebath; and though the work-box itself did not altogether +avail, it paved the way for civil words, which were more efficacious. +On this occasion he talked more to his partner's daughter than to +his partner's sister, and promised to tell her mamma how well she +was looking, and that the air of Littlebath had brought roses to her +cheeks. + +"I think it is a healthy place," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"I'm quite sure it is," said Mr Rubb. "And you like Mrs Crammer's +school, Susanna?" + +She would have preferred to have been called Miss Mackenzie, but was +not disposed to quarrel with him on the point. + +"Yes, I like it very well," she said. "The other girls are very nice; +and if one must go to school, I suppose it's as good as any other +school." + +"Susanna thinks that going to school at all is rather a nuisance," +said Miss Mackenzie. + +"You'd think so too, aunt, if you had to practise every day for an +hour in the same room with four other pianos. It's my belief that I +shall hate the sound of a piano the longest day that I shall live." + +"I suppose it's the same with all young ladies," said Mr Rubb. + +"It's the same with them all at Mrs Crammer's. There isn't one there +that does not hate it." + +"But you wouldn't like not to be able to play," said her aunt. + +"Mamma doesn't play, and you don't play; and I don't see what's the +use of it. It won't make anybody like music to hear four pianos all +going at the same time, and all of them out of tune." + +"You must not tell them in Gower Street, Mr Rubb, that Susanna talks +like that," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Yes, you may, Mr Rubb. But you must tell them at the same time that +I am quite happy, and that Aunt Margaret is the dearest woman in the +world." + +"I'll be sure to tell them that," said Mr Rubb. Then he went away, +pressing Miss Mackenzie's hand warmly as he took his leave; and as +soon as he was gone, his character was of course discussed. + +"He's quite a different man, aunt, from what I thought; and he's not +at all like old Mr Rubb. Old Mr Rubb, when he comes to drink tea +in Gower Street, puts his handkerchief over his knees to catch the +crumbs." + +"There's no great harm in that, Susanna." + +"I don't suppose there's any harm in it. It's not wicked. It's not +wicked to eat gravy with your knife." + +"And does old Mr Rubb do that?" + +"Always. We used to laugh at him, because he is so clever at it. He +never spills any; and his knife seems to be quite as good as a spoon. +But this Mr Rubb doesn't do things of that sort." + +"He's younger, my dear." + +"But being younger doesn't make people more ladylike of itself." + +"I did not know that Mr Rubb was exactly ladylike." + +"That's taking me up unfairly; isn't it, aunt? You know what I meant; +and only fancy that the man should go out and buy me a work-box. +That's more than old Mr Rubb ever did for any of us, since the first +day he knew us. And, then, didn't you think that young Mr Rubb is a +handsome man, aunt?" + +"He's all very well, my dear." + +"Oh; I think he is downright handsome; I do, indeed. Miss +Dumpus,--that's Mrs Crammer's sister,--told us the other day, that +I was wrong to talk about a man being handsome; but that must be +nonsense, aunt?" + +"I don't see that at all, my dear. If she told you so, you ought to +believe that it is not nonsense." + +"Come, aunt; you don't mean to tell me that you would believe all +that Miss Dumpus says. Miss Dumpus says that girls should never laugh +above their breath when they are more than fourteen years old. How +can you make a change in your laughing just when you come to be +fourteen? And why shouldn't you say a man's handsome, if he is +handsome?" + +"You'd better go to bed, Susanna." + +"That won't make Mr Rubb ugly. I wish you had asked him to come and +dine here on Sunday, so that we might have seen whether he eats his +gravy with his knife. I looked very hard to see whether he'd catch +his crumbs in his handkerchief." + +Then Susanna went to her bed, and Miss Mackenzie was left alone to +think over the perfections and imperfections of Mr Samuel Rubb, +junior. + +From that time up to Christmas she saw no more of Mr Rubb; but she +heard from him twice. His letters, however, had reference solely +to business, and were not of a nature to produce either anger or +admiration. She had also heard more than once from her lawyer; and a +question had arisen as to which she was called upon to trust to her +own judgment for a decision. Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie had wanted the +money at once, whereas the papers for the mortgage were not ready. +Would Miss Mackenzie allow Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie to have the +money under these circumstances? To this inquiry from her lawyer +she made a rejoinder asking for advice. Her lawyer told her that he +could not recommend her, in the ordinary way of business, to make any +advance of money without positive security; but, as this was a matter +between friends and near relatives, she might perhaps be willing to +do it; and he added that, as far as his own opinion went, he did not +think that there would be any great risk. But then it all depended +on this:--did she want to oblige her friends and near relatives? In +answer to this question she told herself that she certainly did wish +to do so; and she declared,--also to herself,--that she was willing +to advance the money to her brother, even though there might be some +risk. The upshot of all this was that Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie +got the money some time in October, but that the mortgage was not +completed when Christmas came. It was on this matter that Mr Rubb, +junior, had written to Miss Mackenzie, and his letter had been of a +nature to give her a feeling of perfect security in the transaction. +With her brother she had had no further correspondence; but this did +not surprise her, as her brother was a man much less facile in his +modes of expression than his younger partner. + +As the autumn had progressed at Littlebath, she had become more and +more intimate with Miss Baker, till she had almost taught herself +to regard that lady as a dear friend. She had fallen into the habit +of going to Mrs Stumfold's tea-parties every fortnight, and was +now regarded as a regular Stumfoldian by all those who interested +themselves in such matters. She had begun a system of district +visiting and Bible reading with Miss Baker, which had at first been +very agreeable to her. But Mrs Stumfold had on one occasion called +upon her and taken her to task,--as Miss Mackenzie had thought, +rather abruptly,--with reference to some lack of energy or indiscreet +omission of which she had been judged to be guilty by that +highly-gifted lady. Against this Miss Mackenzie had rebelled mildly, +and since that things had not gone quite so pleasantly with her. She +had still been honoured with Mrs Stumfold's card of invitation, and +had still gone to the tea-parties on Miss Baker's strenuously-urged +advice; but Mrs Stumfold had frowned, and Miss Mackenzie had felt the +frown; Mrs Stumfold had frowned, and the retired coachbuilder's wife +had at once snubbed the culprit, and Mr Maguire had openly expressed +himself to be uneasy. + +"Dearest Miss Mackenzie," he had said, with charitable zeal, "if +there has been anything wrong, just beg her pardon, and you will find +that everything has been forgotten at once; a more forgiving woman +than Mrs Stumfold never lived." + +"But suppose I have done nothing to be forgiven," urged Miss +Mackenzie. + +Mr Maguire looked at her, and shook his head, the exact meaning of +the look she could not understand, as the peculiarity of his eyes +created confusion; but when he repeated twice to her the same words, +"The heart of man is exceeding treacherous," she understood that he +meant to condemn her. + +"So it is, Mr Maguire, but that is no reason why Mrs Stumfold should +scold me." + +Then he got up and left her, and did not speak to her again that +evening, but he called on her the next day, and was very affectionate +in his manner. In Mr Stumfold's mode of treating her she had found no +difference. + +With Miss Todd, whom she met constantly in the street, and who always +nodded to her very kindly, she had had one very remarkable interview. + +"I think we had better give it up, my dear," Miss Todd had said to +her. This had been in Miss Baker's drawing-room. + +"Give what up?" Miss Mackenzie had asked. + +"Any idea of our knowing each other. I'm sure it never can come to +anything, though for my part I should have been so glad. You see you +can't serve God and Mammon, and it is settled beyond all doubt that +I'm Mammon. Isn't it, Mary?" + +Miss Baker, to whom this appeal was made, answered it only by a sigh. + +"You see," continued Miss Todd, "that Miss Baker is allowed to know +me, though I am Mammon, for the sake of auld lang syne. There have +been so many things between us that it wouldn't do for us to drop +each other. We have had the same lovers; and you know, Mary, that +you've been very near coming over to Mammon yourself. There's a sort +of understanding that Miss Baker is not to be required to cut me. +But they would not allow that sort of liberty to a new comer; they +wouldn't, indeed." + +"I don't know that anybody would be likely to interfere with me," +said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Yes, they would, my dear. You didn't quite know yourself which way +it was to be when you first came here, and if it had been my way, +I should have been most happy to have made myself civil. You have +chosen now, and I don't doubt but what you have chosen right. I +always tell Mary Baker that it does very well for her, and I dare say +it will do very well for you too. There's a great deal in it, and +only that some of them do tell such lies I think I should have tried +it myself. But, my dear Miss Mackenzie, you can't do both." + +After this Miss Mackenzie used to nod to Miss Todd in the street, but +beyond that there was no friendly intercourse between those ladies. + +At the beginning of December there came an invitation to Miss +Mackenzie to spend the Christmas holidays away from Littlebath, and +as she accepted this invitation, and as we must follow her to the +house of her friends, we will postpone further mention of the matter +till the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +Miss Mackenzie Goes to the Cedars + + +About the middle of December Mrs Mackenzie, of Gower Street, received +a letter from her sister-in-law at Littlebath, in which it was +proposed that Susanna should pass the Christmas holidays with her +father and mother. "I myself," said the letter, "am going for three +weeks to the Cedars. Lady Ball has written to me, and as she seems +to wish it, I shall go. It is always well, I think, to drop family +dissensions." The letter said a great deal more, for Margaret +Mackenzie, not having much business on hand, was fond of writing +long letters; but the upshot of it was, that she would leave Susanna +in Gower Street, on her way to the Cedars, and call for her on her +return home. + +"What on earth is she going there for?" said Mrs Tom Mackenzie. + +"Because they have asked her," replied the husband. + +"Of course they have asked her; but that's no reason she should go. +The Balls have behaved very badly to us, and I should think much +better of her if she stayed away." + +To this Mr Mackenzie made no answer, but simply remarked that he +would be rejoiced in having Susanna at home on Christmas Day. + +"That's all very well, my dear," said Mrs Tom, "and of course so +shall I. But as she has taken the charge of the child I don't think +she ought to drop her down and pick her up just whenever she pleases. +Suppose she was to take it into her head to stop at the Cedars +altogether, what are we to do then?--just have the girl returned upon +our hands, with all her ideas of life confused and deranged. I hate +such ways." + +"She has promised to provide for Susanna, whenever she may not +continue to give her a home." + +"What would such a promise be worth if John Ball got hold of her +money? That's what they're after, as sure as my name is Martha; and +what she's after too, very likely. She was there once before she went +to Littlebath at all. They want to get their uncle's money back, and +she wants to be a baronet's wife." + +The same view of the matter was perhaps taken by Mr Rubb, junior, +when he was told that Miss Mackenzie was to pass through London on +her way to the Cedars, though he did not express his fears openly, as +Mrs Mackenzie had done. + +"Why don't you ask your sister to stay in Gower Street?" he said to +his partner. + +"She wouldn't come." + +"You might at any rate ask her." + +"What good would it do?" + +"Well; I don't know that it would do any good; but it wouldn't do any +harm. Of course it's natural that she should wish to have friends +about her; and it will only be natural too that she should marry some +one." + +"She may marry whom she pleases for me." + +"She will marry whom she pleases; but I suppose you don't want to see +her money go to the Balls." + +"I shouldn't care a straw where her money went," said Thomas +Mackenzie, "if I could only know that this sum which we have had from +her was properly arranged. To tell you the truth, Rubb, I'm ashamed +to look my sister in the face." + +"That's nonsense. Her money is as right as the bank; and if in such +matters as that brothers and sisters can't take liberties with each +other, who the deuce can?" + +"In matters of money nobody should ever take a liberty with anybody," +said Mr Mackenzie. + +He knew, however, that a great liberty had been taken with his +sister's money, and that his firm had no longer the power of +providing her with the security which had been promised to her. + +Mr Mackenzie would take no steps, at his partner's instance, towards +arresting his sister in London; but Mr Rubb was more successful +with Mrs Mackenzie, with whom, during the last month or two, he had +contrived to establish a greater intimacy than had ever previously +existed between the two families. He had been of late a good deal in +Gower Street, and Mrs Mackenzie had found him to be a much pleasanter +and better educated man than she had expected. Such was the language +in which she expressed her praise of him, though I am disposed to +doubt whether she herself was at all qualified to judge of the +education of any man. He had now talked over the affairs of Margaret +Mackenzie with her sister-in-law, and the result of that talking +was that Mrs Mackenzie wrote a letter to Littlebath, pressing Miss +Mackenzie to stay a few days in Gower Street, on her way through +London. She did this as well as she knew how to do it; but still +there was that in the letter which plainly told an apt reader that +there was no reality in the professions of affection made in it. Miss +Mackenzie became well aware of the fact as she read her sister's +words. Available hypocrisy is a quality very difficult of attainment +and of all hypocrisies, epistolatory hypocrisy is perhaps the +most difficult. A man or woman must have studied the matter very +thoroughly, or be possessed of great natural advantages in that +direction, who can so fill a letter with false expressions of +affection, as to make any reader believe them to be true. Mrs +Mackenzie was possessed of no such skill. + +"Believe her to be my affectionate sister-in-law! I won't believe +her to be anything of the kind," Margaret so spoke of the writer to +herself, when she had finished the letter; but, nevertheless, she +answered it with kind language, saying that she could not stay in +town as she passed through to the Cedars, but that she would pass +one night in Gower Street when she called to pick up Susanna on her +return home. + +It is hard to say what pleasure she promised herself in going to +the Cedars, or why she accepted that invitation. She had, in truth, +liked neither the people nor the house, and had felt herself to +be uncomfortable while she was there. I think she felt it to be a +duty to force herself to go out among people who, though they were +personally disagreeable to her, might be socially advantageous. If +Sir John Ball had not been a baronet, the call to the Cedars would +not have been so imperative on her. And yet she was not a tufthunter, +nor a toady. She was doing what we all do,--endeavouring to choose +her friends from the best of those who made overtures to her +of friendship. If other things be equal, it is probable that a +baronet will be more of a gentleman and a pleasanter fellow than a +manufacturer of oilcloth. Who is there that doesn't feel that? It +is true that she had tried the baronet, and had not found him very +pleasant, but that might probably have been her own fault. She had +been shy and stiff, and perhaps ill-mannered, or had at least accused +herself of these faults; and therefore she resolved to go again. + +She called with Susanna as she passed through London, and just saw +her sister-in-law. + +"I wish you could have stayed," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +"I will for one night, as I return, on the 10th of January," said +Miss Mackenzie. + +Mrs Mackenzie could not understand what Mr Rubb had meant by saying +that that old maid was soft and pleasant, nor could she understand +Susanna's love for her aunt. "I suppose men will put up with anything +for the sake of money," she said to herself; "and as for children, +the truth is, they'll love anybody who indulges them." + +"Aunt is so kind," Susanna said. "She's always kind. If you wake her +up in the middle of the night, she's kind in a moment. And if there's +anything good to eat, it will make her eyes quite shine if she sees +that anybody else likes it. I have known her sit for half an hour +ever so uncomfortable, because she would not disturb the cat." + +"Then she must be a fool, my dear," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +"She isn't a fool, mamma; I'm quite sure of that," said Susanna. + +Miss Mackenzie went on to the Cedars, and her mind almost misgave her +in going there, as she was driven up through the dull brick lodges, +which looked as though no paint had touched them for the last thirty +years, up to the front door of the dull brick house, which bore +almost as dreary a look of neglect as the lodges. It was a large +brick house of three stories, with the door in the middle, and three +windows on each side of the door, and a railed area with a kitchen +below the ground. Such houses were built very commonly in the +neighbourhood of London some hundred and fifty years ago, and they +may still be pleasant enough to the eye if there be ivy over them, +and if they be clean with new paint, and spruce with the outer care +of gardeners and the inner care of housemaids; but old houses are +often like old ladies, who require more care in their dressing than +they who are younger. Very little care was given to the Cedars, and +the place therefore always looked ill-dressed. On the right hand as +you entered was the dining-room, and the three windows to the left +were all devoted to the hall. Behind the dining-room was Sir John's +study, as he called it, and behind or beyond the hall was the +drawing-room, from which four windows looked out into the garden. +This might have been a pretty room had any care been taken to make +anything pretty at the Cedars. But the furniture was old, and the +sofas were hard, and the tables were rickety, and the curtains which +had once been red had become brown with the sun. The dinginess of +the house had not struck Miss Mackenzie so forcibly when she first +visited it, as it did now. Then she had come almost direct from +Arundel Street, and the house in Arundel Street had itself been very +dingy. Mrs Stumfold's drawing-rooms were not dingy, nor were her own +rooms in the Paragon. Her eye had become accustomed to better things, +and she now saw at once how old were the curtains, and how lamentably +the papers wanted to be renewed on the walls. She had, however, been +drawn from the neighbouring station to the house in the private +carriage belonging to the establishment, and if there was any sense +of justice in her, it must be presumed that she balanced the good +things with the bad. + +But her mind misgave her, not because the house was outwardly dreary, +but in fear of the inward dreariness of the people--or in fear +rather of their dreariness and pride combined. Old Lady Ball, though +naturally ill-natured, was not ill-mannered, nor did she give herself +any special airs; but she knew that she was a baronet's wife, that +she kept her carriage, and that it was an obligation upon her to +make up for the poverty of her house by some little haughtiness of +demeanour. There are women, high in rank, but poor in pocket, so +gifted with the peculiar grace of aristocracy, that they show by +every word spoken, by every turn of the head, by every step taken, +that they are among the high ones of the earth, and that money has +nothing to do with it. Old Lady Ball was not so gifted, nor had she +just claim to such gifts. But some idea on the subject pervaded her +mind, and she made efforts to be aristocratic in her poverty. Sir +John was a discontented, cross old man, who had succeeded greatly +in early life, having been for nearly twenty years in Parliament, +but had fallen into adversity in his older days. The loss of that +very money of which his niece, Miss Mackenzie was possessed, was, +in truth, the one great misfortune which he deplored; but that +misfortune had had ramifications and extensions with which the reader +need not trouble himself; but which, altogether, connected as they +were with certain liberal aspirations which he had entertained +in early life, and certain political struggles made during his +parliamentary career, induced him to regard himself as a sort of +Prometheus. He had done much for the world, and the world in return +had made him a baronet without any money! He was a very tall, thin, +gray-haired, old man, stooping much, and worn with age, but still +endowed with some strength of will, and great capability of making +himself unpleasant. His son was a bald-headed, stout man, somewhat +past forty, who was by no means without cleverness, having done +great things as a young man at Oxford; but in life he had failed. +He was a director of certain companies in London, at which he used +to attend, receiving his guinea for doing so, and he had some small +capital,--some remnant of his father's trade wealth, which he nursed +with extreme care, buying shares here and there and changing his +money about as his keen outlook into City affairs directed him. I do +not suppose that he had much talent for the business, or he would +have grown rich; but a certain careful zeal carried him on without +direct loss, and gave him perhaps five per cent for his capital, +whereas he would have received no more than four and a half had he +left it alone and taken his dividends without troubling himself. As +the difference did not certainly amount to a hundred a-year, it can +hardly be said that he made good use of his time. His zeal deserved a +better success. He was always thinking of his money, excusing himself +to himself and to others by the fact of his nine children. For myself +I think that his children were no justification to him; as they would +have been held to be none, had he murdered and robbed his neighbours +for their sake. + +There had been a crowd of girls in the house when Miss Mackenzie had +paid her former visit to the Cedars,--so many that she had carried +away no remembrance of them as individuals. But at that time the +eldest son, a youth now just of age, was not at home. This hope of +the Balls, who was endeavouring to do at Oxford as his father had +done, was now with his family, and came forward to meet his cousin +as the old carriage was driven up to the door. Old Sir John stood +within, in the hall, mindful of the window air, and Lady Ball, a +little mindful of her dignity, remained at the drawing-room door. +Even though Miss Mackenzie had eight hundred a-year, and was +nearly related to the Incharrow family, a further advance than the +drawing-room door would be inexpedient; for the lady, with all her +virtues, was still sister to the man who dealt in retail oilcloth in +the New Road! + +Miss Mackenzie thought nothing of this, but was well contented to be +received by her hostess in the drawing-room. + +"It's a dull house to come to, my dear," said Lady Ball; "but blood +is thicker than water, they say, and we thought that perhaps you +might like to be with your cousins at Christmas." + +"I shall like it very much," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"I suppose you must find it rather sad, living alone at Littlebath, +away from all your people?" + +"I have my niece with me, you know." + +"A niece, have you? That's one of the girls from Gower Street, I +suppose? It's very kind of you, and I dare say, very proper." + +"But Littlebath is a very gay place, I thought," said John Ball, the +third and youngest of the name. "We always hear of it at Oxford as +being the most stunning place for parties anywhere near." + +"I suppose you play cards every night of your life," said the +baronet. + +"No; I don't play cards," said Miss Mackenzie. "Many ladies do, but +I'm not in that set." + +"What set are you in?" said Sir John. + +"I don't think I am in any set. I know Mr Stumfold, the clergyman +there, and I go to his house sometimes." + +"Oh, ah; I see," said Sir John. "I beg your pardon for mentioning +cards. I shouldn't have done it, if I had known that you were one of +Mr Stumfold's people." + +"I am not one of Mr Stumfold's people especially," she said, and then +she went upstairs. + +The other John Ball came back from London just in time for +dinner--the middle one of the three, whom we will call Mr Ball. He +greeted his cousin very kindly, and then said a word or two to his +mother about shares. She answered him, assuming a look of interest in +his tidings. + +"I don't understand it; upon my word, I don't," said he. "Some of +them will burn their fingers before they've done. I don't dare do it; +I know that." + +In the evening, when John Ball,--or Jack, as he was called in the +family,--had left the drawing-room, and the old man was alone with +his son, they discussed the position of Margaret Mackenzie. + +"You'll find she has taken up with the religious people there," said +the father. + +"It's just what she would do," said the son. + +"They're the greatest thieves going. When once they have got their +eyes upon money, they never take them off again." + +"She's not been there long enough yet to give any one a hold upon +her." + +"I don't know that, John; but, if you'll take my advice, you'll find +out the truth at once. She has no children, and if you've made up +your mind about it, you'll do no good by delay." + +"She's a very nice woman, in her way." + +"Yes, she's nice enough. She's not a beauty; eh, John? and she won't +set the Thames on fire." + +"I don't wish her to do so; but I think she'd look after the girls, +and do her duty." + +"I dare say; unless she has taken to run after prayer-meetings every +hour of her life." + +"They don't often do that after they're married, sir." + +"Well; I know nothing against her. I never thought much of her +brothers, and I never cared to know them. One's dead now, and as for +the other, I don't suppose he need trouble you much. If you've made +up your mind about it, I think you might as well ask her at once." +From all which it may be seen that Miss Mackenzie had been invited to +the Cedars with a direct object on the part of Mr Ball. + +But though the old gentleman thus strongly advised instant action, +nothing was done during Christmas week, nor had any hint been given +up to the end of the year. John Ball, however, had not altogether +lost his time, and had played the part of middle-aged lover better +than might have been expected from one the whole tenor of whose life +was so thoroughly unromantic. He did manage to make himself pleasant +to Miss Mackenzie, and so far ingratiated himself with her that he +won much of her confidence in regard to money matters. + +"But that's a very large sum of money?" he said to her one day as +they were sitting together in his father's study. He was alluding to +the amount which she had lent to Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie, and had +become aware of the fact that as yet Miss Mackenzie held no security +for the loan. "Two thousand five hundred pounds is a very large sum +of money." + +"But I'm to get five per cent, John." They were first cousins, but it +was not without some ceremonial difficulty that they had arrived at +each other's Christian names. + +"My dear Margaret, their word for five per cent is no security. Five +per cent is nothing magnificent. A lady situated as you are should +never part with her money without security--never: but if she does, +she should have more than five per cent." + +"You'll find it's all right, I don't doubt," said Miss Mackenzie, +who, however, was beginning to have little inward tremblings of her +own. + +"I hope so; but I must say, I think Mr Slow has been much to blame. +I do, indeed." Mr Slow was the attorney who had for years acted +for Walter Mackenzie and his father, and was now acting for Miss +Mackenzie. "Will you allow me to go to him and see about it?" + +"It has not been his fault. He wrote and asked me whether I would let +them have it, before the papers were ready, and I said I would." + +"But may I ask about it?" + +Miss Mackenzie paused before she answered: + +"I think you had better not, John. Remember that Tom is my own +brother, and I should not like to seem to doubt him. Indeed, I do not +doubt him in the least--nor yet Mr Rubb." + +"I can assure you that it is a very bad way of doing business," said +the anxious lover. + +By degrees she began to like her cousin John Ball. I do not at all +wish the reader to suppose that she had fallen in love with that +bald-headed, middle-aged gentleman, or that she even thought of him +in the light of a possible husband; but she found herself to be +comfortable in his company, and was able to make a friend of him. +It is true that he talked to her more of money than anything else; +but then it was her money of which he talked, and he did it with an +interest that could not but flatter her. He was solicitous about her +welfare, gave her bits of advice, did one or two commissions for her +in town, called her Margaret, and was kind and cousinly. The Cedars, +she thought, was altogether more pleasant than she had found the +place before. Then she told herself that on the occasion of her +former visit she had not been there long enough to learn to like the +place or the people. Now she knew them, and though she still dreaded +her uncle and his cross sayings, and though that driving out with her +aunt in the old carriage was tedious, she would have been glad to +prolong her stay there, had she not bound herself to take Susanna +back to school at Littlebath on a certain day. When that day came +near--and it did come very near before Mr Ball spoke out--they +pressed her to prolong her stay. This was done by both Lady Ball and +by her son. + +"You might as well remain with us another fortnight," said Lady +Ball during one of these drives. It was the last drive which Miss +Mackenzie had through Twickenham lanes during that visit to the +Cedars. + +"I can't do it, aunt, because of Susanna." + +"I don't see that at all. You're not to make yourself a slave to +Susanna." + +"But I'm to make myself a mother to her as well as I can." + +"I must say you have been rather hasty, my dear. Suppose you were to +change your mode of life, what would you do?" + +Then Miss Mackenzie, blushing slightly in the obscure corner of the +carriage as she spoke, explained to Lady Ball that clause in her +agreement with her brother respecting the five hundred pounds. + +"Oh, indeed," said Lady Ball. + +The information thus given had been manifestly distasteful, and the +conversation was for a while interrupted; but Lady Ball returned to +her request before they were again at home. + +"I really do think you might stop, Margaret. Now that we have all got +to know each other, it will be a great pity that it all should be +broken up." + +"But I hope it won't be broken up, aunt." + +"You know what I mean, my dear. When people live so far off they +can't see each other constantly; and now you are here, I think you +might stay a little longer. I know there is not much attraction--" + +"Oh, aunt, don't say that! I like being here very much." + +"Then, why can't you stay? Write and tell Mrs Tom that she must keep +Susanna at home for another week or so. It can't matter." + +To this Miss Mackenzie made no immediate answer. + +"It is not only for myself I speak, but John likes having you here +with his girls; and Jack is so fond of you; and John himself is quite +different while you are here. Do stay!" + +Saying which Lady Ball put out her hand caressingly on Miss +Mackenzie's arm. + +"I'm afraid I mustn't," said Miss Mackenzie, very slowly. "Much as I +should like it, I'm afraid I mustn't do it. I've pledged myself to go +back with Susanna, and I like to be as good as my word." + +Lady Ball drew herself up. + +"I never went so much out of my way to ask any one to stay in my +house before," she said. + +"Dear aunt! don't be angry with me." + +"Oh no! I'm not angry. Here we are. Will you get out first?" + +Whereupon Lady Ball descended from the carriage, and walked into the +house with a good deal of dignity. + +"What a wicked old woman she was!" virtuous readers will say; "what a +wicked old woman to endeavour to catch that poor old maid's fortune +for her son!" + +But I deny that she was in any degree a wicked old woman on that +score. Why should not the two cousins marry, and do very well +together with their joint means? Lady Ball intended to make a +baronet's wife of her. If much was to be taken, was not much also to +be given? + +"You are going to stay, are you not?" Jack said to her that evening, +as he wished her good-night. She was very fond of Jack, who was a +nice-looking, smooth-faced young fellow, idolised by his sisters over +whom he tyrannised, and bullied by his grandfather, before whom he +quaked. + +"I'm afraid not, Jack; but you shall come and see me at Littlebath, +if you will." + +"I should like it, of all things; but I do wish you'd stay: the house +is so much nicer when you are in it!" + +But of course she could not stay at the request of the young lad, +when she had refused the request of the lad's grandmother. + +After this she had one day to remain at the Cedars. It was a +Thursday, and on the Friday she was to go to her brother's house on +her way to Littlebath. On the Thursday morning Mr Ball waylaid her on +the staircase, as she came down to breakfast, and took her with him +into the drawing-room. There he made his request, standing with her +in the middle of the room. + +"Margaret," he said, "must you go away and leave us?" + +"I'm afraid I must, John," she said. + +"I wish we could make you think better of it." + +"Of course I should like to stay, but--" + +"Yes, there's always a but. I should have thought that, of all people +in the world, you were the one most able to do just what you please +with your time." + +"We have all got duties to do, John." + +"Of course we have; but why shouldn't it be your duty to make your +relations happy? If you could only know how much I like your being +here?" + +Had it not been that she did not dare to do that for the son which +she had refused to the mother, I think that she would have given way. +As it was, she did not know how to yield, after having persevered so +long. + +"You are all so kind," she said, giving him her hand, "that it goes +to my heart to refuse you; but I'm afraid I can't. I do not wish to +give my brother's wife cause to complain of me." + +"Then," said Mr Ball, speaking very slowly, "I must ask this favour +of you, that you will let me see you alone for half an hour after +dinner this evening." + +"Certainly," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Thank you, Margaret. After tea I will go into the study, and perhaps +you will follow me." + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +Miss Mackenzie Leaves the Cedars + + +There was something so serious in her cousin's request to her, and so +much of gravity in his mode of making it, that Miss Mackenzie could +not but think of it throughout the day. On what subject did he wish +to speak to her in so solemn and special a manner? An idea of the +possibility of an offer no doubt crossed her mind and fluttered her, +but it did not do more than this; it did not remain fixed with her, +or induce her to resolve what answer she would give if such offer +were made. She was afraid to allow herself to think that such a thing +could happen, and put the matter away from her,--uneasily, indeed, +but still with so much resolution as to leave her with a conviction +that she need not give any consideration to such an hypothesis. + +And she was not at a loss to suggest to herself another subject. Her +cousin had learned something about her money which he felt himself +bound to tell her, but which he would not have told her now had she +consented to remain at the Cedars. There was something wrong about +the loan. This made her seriously unhappy, for she dreaded the +necessity of discussing her brother's conduct with her cousin. + +During the whole of the day Lady Ball was very courteous, but rather +distant. Lady Ball had said to herself that Margaret would have +stayed had she been in a disposition favourable to John Ball's hopes. +If she should decline the alliance with which the Balls proposed to +honour her, then Lady Ball was prepared to be very cool. There would +be an ingratitude in such a proceeding after the open-armed affection +which had been shown to her which Lady Ball could not readily bring +herself to forgive. Sir John, once or twice during the day, took up +his little sarcasms against her supposed religious tendencies at +Littlebath. + +"You'll be glad to get back to Mr Stumfold," he said. + +"I shall be glad to see him, of course," she answered, "as he is a +friend." + +"Mr Stumfold has a great many lady friends at Littlebath," he +continued. + +"Yes, a great many," said Miss Mackenzie, understanding well that she +was being bullied. + +"What a pity that there can be only one Mrs Stumfold," snarled the +baronet; "it's often a wonder to me how women can be so foolish." + +"And it's often a wonder to me," said Miss Mackenzie, "how gentlemen +can be so ill-natured." + +She had plucked up her spirits of late, and had resented Sir John's +ill-humour. + +At the usual hour Mr Ball came home to dinner, and Miss Mackenzie, as +soon as she saw him, again became fluttered. She perceived that he +was not at his ease, and that made her worse. When he spoke to the +girls he seemed hardly to mind what he was saying, and he greeted his +mother without any whispered tidings as to the share-market of the +day. + +Margaret asked herself if it could be possible that anything was very +wrong about her own money. If the worst came to the worst she could +but have lost that two thousand five hundred pounds and she would be +able to live well enough without it. If her brother had asked her for +it, she would have given it to him. She would teach herself to regard +it as a gift, and then the subject would not make her unhappy. + +They all came down to dinner, and they all went in to tea, and the +tea-things were taken away, and then John Ball arose. During tea-time +neither he nor Miss Mackenzie had spoken a word, and when she got up +to follow him, there was a solemnity about the matter which ought to +have been ludicrous to any of those remaining, who might chance to +know what was about to happen. It must be supposed that Lady Ball +at any rate did know, and when she saw her middle-aged niece walk +slowly out of the room after her middle-aged son, in order that a +love proposal might be made from one to the other with advantage, +she must, I should think, have perceived the comic nature of the +arrangement. She went on, however, very gravely with her knitting, +and did not even make an attempt to catch her husband's eye. + +"Margaret," said John Ball, as soon as he had shut the study door; +"but, perhaps, you had better sit down." + +Then she sat down, and he came and seated himself opposite to her; +opposite her, but not so close as to give him any of the advantages +of a lover. + +"Margaret, I don't know whether you have guessed the subject on which +I wish to speak to you; but I wish you had." + +"Is it about the money?" she asked. + +"The money! What money? The money you have lent to your brother? Oh, +no." + +Then, at that moment, Margaret did, I think, guess. + +"It's not at all about the money," he said, and then he sighed. + +He had at one time thought of asking his mother to make the +proposition for him, and now he wished that he had done so. + +"No, Margaret, it's something else that I want to say. I believe you +know my condition in life pretty accurately." + +"In what way, John?" + +"I am a poor man; considering my large family, a very poor man. I +have between eight and nine hundred a year, and when my father and +mother are both gone I shall have nearly as much more; but I have +nine children, and as I must keep up something of a position, I have +a hard time of it sometimes, I can tell you." + +Here he paused, as though he expected her to say something; but she +had nothing to say and he went on. + +"Jack is at Oxford, as you know, and I wish to give him any chance +that a good education may afford. It did not do much for me, but he +may be more lucky. When my father is dead, I think I shall sell this +place; but I have not quite made up my mind about that;--it must +depend on circumstances. As for the girls, you see that I do what I +can to educate them." + +"They seem to me to be brought up very nicely; nothing could be +better." + +"They are good girls, very good girls, and so is Jack a very good +fellow." + +"I love Jack dearly," said Miss Mackenzie, who had already come to +a half-formed resolution that Jack Ball should be heir to half her +fortune, her niece Susanna being heiress to the other half. + +"Do you? I'm so glad of that." And there was actually a tear in the +father's eye. + +"And so I do the girls," said Margaret. "It's something so nice to +feel that one has people really belonging to one that one may love. +I hope they'll know Susanna some day, for she's a very nice girl,--a +very dear girl." + +"I hope they will," said Mr Ball; but there was not much enthusiasm +in the expression of this hope. + +Then he got up from his chair, and took a turn across the room. "The +truth is, Margaret, that there's no use in my beating about the bush. +I shan't say what I've got to say a bit the better for delaying it. +I want you to be my wife, and to be mother to those children. I +like you better than any woman I've seen since I lost Rachel, but +I shouldn't dare to make you such an offer if you had not money of +your own. I could not marry unless my wife had money, and I would not +marry any woman unless I felt I could love her--not if she had ever +so much. There! now you know it all. I suppose I have not said it as +I ought to do, but if you're the woman I take you for that won't make +much difference." + +For my part I think that he said what he had to say very well. I do +not know that he could have done it much better. I do not know that +any other form of words would have been more persuasive to the woman +he was addressing. Had he said much of his love, or nothing of his +poverty; or had he omitted altogether any mention of her wealth, her +heart would have gone against him at once. As it was he had produced +in her mind such a state of doubt, that she was unable to answer him +on the moment. + +"I know," he went on to say, "that I haven't much to offer you." He +had now seated himself again, and as he spoke he looked upon the +ground. + +"It isn't that, John," she answered; "you have much more to give than +I have a right to expect." + +"No," he said. "What I offer you is a life of endless trouble and +care. I know all about it myself. It's all very well to talk of a +competence and a big house, and if you were to take me, perhaps we +might keep the old place on and furnish it again, and my mother +thinks a great deal about the title. For my part I think it's only +a nuisance when a man has not got a fortune with it, and I don't +suppose it will be any pleasure to you to be called Lady Ball. You'd +have a life of fret and worry, and would not have half so much money +to spend as you have now. I know all that, and have thought a deal +about it before I could bring myself to speak to you. But, Margaret, +you would have duties which would, I think, in themselves, have a +pleasure for you. You would know what to do with your life, and would +be of inestimable value to many people who would love you dearly. +As for me, I never saw any other woman whom I could bring myself to +offer as a mother to my children." All this he said looking down at +the floor, in a low, dull, droning voice, as though every sentence +spoken were to have been the last. Then he paused, looked into her +face for a moment, and after that, allowed his eyes again to fall on +the ground. + +Margaret was, of course, aware that she must make him some answer, +and she was by no means prepared to give him one that would be +favourable. Indeed, she thought she knew that she could not marry +him, because she felt that she did not love him with affection of the +sort which would be due to a husband. She told herself that she must +refuse his offer. But yet she wanted time, and above all things, she +wished to find words which would not be painful to him. His dull +droning voice, and the honest recital of his troubles, and of her +troubles if she were to share his lot, had touched her more nearly +than any vows of love would have done. When he told her of the heavy +duties which might fall to her lot as his wife, he almost made her +think that it might be well for her to marry him, even though she did +not love him. "I hardly know how to answer you, you have taken me so +much by surprise," she said. + +"You need not give me an answer at once," he replied; "you can think +of it." As she did not immediately say anything, he presumed that she +assented to this proposition. "You won't wonder now," he said, "that +I wished you to stay here, or that my mother wished it." + +"Does Lady Ball know?" she asked. + +"Yes, my mother does know." + +"What am I to say to her?" + +"Shall I tell you, Margaret, what to say? Put your arms round her +neck, and tell her that you will be her daughter." + +"No, John; I cannot do that; and perhaps I ought to say now that I +don't think it will ever be possible. It has all so surprised me, +that I haven't known how to speak; and I am afraid I shall be letting +you go from me with a false idea. Perhaps I ought to say at once that +it cannot be." + +"No, Margaret, no. It is much better that you should think of it. No +harm can come of that." + +"There will be harm if you are disappointed." + +"I certainly shall be disappointed if you decide against me; but not +more violently so, if you do it next week than if you do it now. But +I do hope that you will not decide against me." + +"And what am I to do?" + +"You can write to me from Littlebath." + +"And how soon must I write?" + +"As soon as you can make up your mind. But, Margaret, do not decide +against me too quickly. I do not know that I shall do myself any good +by promising you that I will love you tenderly." So saying he put out +his hand, and she took it; and they stood there looking into each +other's eyes, as young lovers might have done,--as his son might have +looked into those of her daughter, had she been married young and had +children of her own. In the teeth of all those tedious money dealings +in the City there was some spice of romance left within his bosom +yet! + +But how was she to get herself out of the room? It would not do for +such a Juliet to stay all the night looking into the eyes of her +ancient Romeo. And how was she to behave herself to Lady Ball, when +she should again find herself in the drawing-room, conscious as she +was that Lady Ball knew all about it? And how was she to conduct +herself before all those young people whom she had left there? And +her proposed father-in-law, whom she feared so much, and in truth +disliked so greatly--would he know all about it, and thrust his +ill-natured jokes at her? Her lover should have opened the door for +her to pass through; but instead of doing so, as soon as she had +withdrawn her hand from his, he placed himself on the rug, and leaned +back in silence against the chimney-piece. + +"I suppose it wouldn't do," she said, "for me to go off to bed +without seeing them." + +"I think you had better see my mother," he replied, "else you will +feel awkward in the morning." + +Then she opened the door for herself, and with frightened feet crept +back to the drawing-room. She could hardly bring herself to open +the second door; but when she had done so, her heart was greatly +released, as, looking in, she saw that her aunt was the only person +there. + +"Well, Margaret," said the old lady, walking up to her; "well?" + +"Dear aunt, I don't know what I am to say to you. I don't know what +you want." + +"I want you to tell me you have consented to become John's wife." + +"But I have not consented. Think how sudden it has been, aunt!" + +"Yes, yes; I can understand that. You could not tell him at once that +you would take him; but you won't mind telling me." + +"I would have told him so in an instant, if I had made up my mind. Do +you think I would wish to keep him in suspense on such a matter? If +I could have felt that I could love him as his wife, I would have +told him so instantly,--instantly." + +"And why not love him as his wife--why not?" Lady Ball, as she asked +the question, was almost imperious in her eagerness. + +"Why not, aunt? It is not easy to answer such a question as that. A +woman, I suppose, can't say why she doesn't love a man, nor yet why +she does. You see, it's so sudden. I hadn't thought of him in that +way." + +"You've known him now for nearly a year, and you've been in the house +with him for the last three weeks. If you haven't seen that he has +been attached to you, you are the only person in the house that has +been so blind." + +"I haven't seen it at all, aunt." + +"Perhaps you are afraid of the responsibility," said Lady Ball. + +"I should fear it certainly; but that alone would not deter me. I +would endeavour to do my best." + +"And you don't like living in the same house with me and Sir John." + +"Indeed, yes; you are always good to me; and as to my uncle, I know +he does not mean to be unkind. I should not fear that." + +"The truth is, I suppose, Margaret, that you do not like to part with +your money." + +"That's unjust, aunt. I don't think I care more for my money than +another woman." + +"Then what is it? He can give you a position in the world higher than +any you could have had a hope to possess. As Lady Ball you will be +equal in all respects to your own far-away cousin, Lady Mackenzie." + +"That has nothing to do with it, aunt." + +"Then what is it?" asked Lady Ball again. "I suppose you have no +absolute objection to be a baronet's wife." + +"Suppose, aunt, that I do not love him?" + +"Pshaw!" said the old woman. + +"But it isn't pshaw," said Miss Mackenzie. "No woman ought to marry a +man unless she feels that she loves him." + +"Pshaw!" said Lady Ball again. + +They had both been standing; and as everybody else was gone Miss +Mackenzie had determined that she would go off to bed without +settling herself in the room. So she prepared herself for her +departure. + +"I'll say good-night now, aunt. I have still some of my packing to +do, and I must be up early." + +"Don't be in a hurry, Margaret. I want to speak to you before you +leave us, and I shall have no other opportunity. Sit down, won't +you?" + +Then Miss Mackenzie seated herself, most unwillingly. + +"I don't know that there is anyone nearer to you than I am, my dear; +at any rate, no woman; and therefore I can say more than any other +person. When you talk of not loving John, does that mean--does it +mean that you are engaged to anyone else?" + +"No, it does not." + +"And it does not mean that there is anyone else whom you are thinking +of marrying?" + +"I am not thinking of marrying anyone." + +"Or that you love any other man?" + +"You are cross-questioning me, aunt, more than is fair." + +"Then there is some one?" + +"No, there is nobody. What I say about John I don't say through any +feeling for anybody else." + +"Then, my dear, I think that a little talk between you and me may +make this matter all right. I'm sure you don't doubt John when he +says that he loves you very dearly. As for your loving him, of course +that would come. It is not as if you two were two young people, and +that you wanted to be billing and cooing. Of course you ought to be +fond of each other, and like each other's company; and I have no +doubt that you will. You and I would, of course, be thrown very much +together, and I'm sure I'm very fond of you. Indeed, Margaret, I have +endeavoured to show that I am." + +"You've been very kind, aunt." + +"Therefore as to your loving him, I really don't think there need +be any doubt about that. Then, my dear, as to the other part of +the arrangement,--the money and all that. If you were to have any +children, your own fortune would be settled on them; at least, that +could be arranged, if you required it; though, as your fortune all +came from the Balls, and is the very money with which the title was +intended to be maintained, you probably would not be very exacting +about that. Stop a moment, my dear, and let me finish before you +speak. I want you particularly to think of what I say, and to +remember that all your money did come from the Balls. It has been +very hard upon John,--you must feel that. Look at him with his heavy +family, and how he works for them!" + +"But my uncle Jonathan died and left his money to my brothers before +John was married. It is twenty-five years ago." + +"Well I remember it, my dear! John was just engaged to Rachel, and +the marriage was put off because of the great cruelty of Jonathan's +will. Of course I am not blaming you." + +"I was only ten years old, and uncle Jonathan did not leave me a +penny. My money came to me from my brother; and, as far as I can +understand, it is nearly double as much as he got from Sir John's +brother." + +"That may be; but John would have doubled it quite as readily as +Walter Mackenzie. What I mean to say is this, that as you have the +money which in the course of nature would have come to John, and +which would have been his now if a great injustice had not been +done--" + +"It was done by a Ball, and not by a Mackenzie." + +"That does not alter the case in the least. Your feelings should be +just the same in spite of that. Of course the money is yours and you +can do what you like with it. You can give it to young Mr Samuel +Rubb, if you please." Stupid old woman! "But I think you must feel +that you should repair the injury which was done, as it is in your +power to do so. A fine position is offered you. When poor Sir John +goes, you will become Lady Ball, and be the mistress of this house, +and have your own carriage." Terribly stupid old woman! "And you +would have friends and relatives always round you, instead of being +all alone at such a place as Littlebath, which must, I should say, +be very sad. Of course there would be duties to perform to the dear +children; but I don't think so ill of you, Margaret, as to suppose +for an instant that you would shrink from that. Stop one moment, +my dear, and I shall have done. I think I have said all now; but +I can well understand that when John spoke to you, you could not +immediately give him a favourable answer. It was much better to leave +it till to-morrow. But you can't have any objection to speaking out +to me, and I really think you might make me happy by saying that it +shall be as I wish." + +It is astonishing the harm that an old woman may do when she goes +well to work, and when she believes she can prevail by means of her +own peculiar eloquence. Lady Ball had so trusted to her own prestige, +to her own ladyship, to her own carriage and horses, and to the +rest of it, and had also so misjudged Margaret's ordinary mild +manner, that she had thought to force her niece into an immediate +acquiescence by her mere words. The result, however, was exactly +the contrary to this. Had Miss Mackenzie been left to herself after +the interview with Mr Ball: had she gone upstairs to sleep upon his +proposal, without any disturbance to those visions of sacrificial +duty which his plain statement had produced: had she been allowed +to leave the house and think over it all without any other argument +to her than those which he had used, I think that she would have +accepted him. But now she was up in arms against the whole thing. +Her mind, clear as it was, was hardly lucid enough to allow of her +separating the mother and son at this moment. She was claimed as a +wife into the family because they thought that they had a right to +her fortune; and the temptations offered, by which they hoped to +draw her into her duty, were a beggarly title and an old coach! No! +The visions of sacrificial duty were all dispelled. There was doubt +before, but now there was no doubt. + +"I think I will go to bed, aunt," she said very calmly, "and I will +write to John from Littlebath." + +"And cannot you put me out of my suspense?" + +"If you wish it, yes. I know that I must refuse him. I wish that I +had told him so at once, as then there would have been an end of it." + +"You don't mean that you have made up your mind?" + +"Yes, aunt, I do. I should be wrong to marry a man that I do not +love; and as for the money, aunt, I must say that I think you are +mistaken." + +"How mistaken?" + +"You think that I am called upon to put right some wrong that you +think was done you by Sir John's brother. I don't think that I am +under any such obligation. Uncle Jonathan left his money to his +sister's children instead of to his brother's children. If his money +had come to John, you would not have admitted that we had any claim, +because we were nephews and nieces." + +"The whole thing would have been different." + +"Well, aunt, I am very tired, and if you'll let me, I'll go to bed." + +"Oh, certainly." + +Then, with anything but warm affection, the aunt and niece parted, +and Miss Mackenzie went to her bed with a firm resolution that she +would not become Lady Ball. + +It had been arranged for some time back that Mr Ball was to accompany +his cousin up to London by the train; and though under the present +circumstances that arrangement was not without a certain amount of +inconvenience, there was no excuse at hand for changing it. Not a +word was said at breakfast as to the scenes of last night. Indeed, no +word could very well have been said, as all the family was present, +including Jack and the girls. Lady Ball was very quiet, and very +dignified; but Miss Mackenzie perceived that she was always called +"Margaret," and not "my dear," as had been her aunt's custom. Very +little was said by any one, and not a great deal was eaten. + +"Well; when are we to see you back again?" said Sir John, as Margaret +arose from her chair on being told that the carriage was there. + +"Perhaps you and my aunt will come down some day and see me at +Littlebath?" said Miss Mackenzie. + +"No; I don't think that's very likely," said Sir John. + +Then she kissed all the children, till she came to Jack. + +"I am going to kiss you, too," she said to him. + +"No objection in life," said Jack. "I sha'n't complain about that." + +"You'll come and see me at Littlebath?" said she. + +"That I will if you'll ask me." + +Then she put her face to her aunt, and Lady Ball permitted her cheek +to be touched. Lady Ball was still not without hope, but she thought +that the surest way was to assume a high dignity of demeanour, and +to exhibit a certain amount of displeasure. She still believed that +Margaret might be frightened into the match. It was but a mile and a +half to the station, and for that distance Mr Ball and Margaret sat +together in the carriage. He said nothing to her as to his proposal +till the station was in view, and then only a word. + +"Think well of it, Margaret, if you can." + +"I fear I cannot think well of it," she answered. But she spoke so +low, that I doubt whether he completely heard her words. The train +up to London was nearly full, and there he had no opportunity of +speaking to her. But he desired no such opportunity. He had said all +that he had to say, and was almost well pleased to know that a final +answer was to be given to him, not personally, but by letter. His +mother had spoken to him that morning, and had made him understand +that she was not well pleased with Margaret; but she had said nothing +to quench her son's hopes. + +"Of course she will accept you," Lady Ball had said, "but women like +her never like to do anything without making a fuss about it." + +"To me, yesterday, I thought she behaved admirably," said her son. + +At the station at London he put her into the cab that was to take her +to Gower Street, and as he shook hands with her through the window, +he once more said the same words: + +"Think well of it, Margaret, if you can." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +Mrs Tom Mackenzie's Dinner Party + + +Mrs Tom was ever so gracious on the arrival of her sister-in-law, but +even in her graciousness there was something which seemed to Margaret +to tell of her dislike. Near relatives, when they are on good terms +with each other, are not gracious. Now, Mrs Tom, though she was ever +so gracious, was by no means cordial. Susanna, however, was delighted +to see her aunt, and Margaret, when she felt the girl's arms round +her neck, declared to herself that that should suffice for her,--that +should be her love, and it should be enough. If indeed, in after +years, she could make Jack love her too, that would be better still. +Then her mind went to work upon a little marriage scheme that would +in due time make a baronet's wife of Susanna. It would not suit her +to become Lady Ball, but it might suit Susanna. + +"We are going to have a little dinner party to-day," said Mrs Tom. + +"A dinner party!" said Margaret. "I didn't look for that, Sarah." + +"Perhaps I ought not to call it a party, for there are only one or +two coming. There's Dr Slumpy and his wife; I don't know whether you +ever met Dr Slumpy. He has attended us for ever so long; and there +is Miss Colza, a great friend of mine. Mademoiselle Colza I ought to +call her, because her father was a Portuguese. Only as she never saw +him, we call her Miss. And there's Mr Rubb,--Samuel Rubb, junior. I +think you met him at Littlebath." + +"Yes; I know Mr Rubb." + +"That's all; and I might as well say how it will be now. Mr Rubb will +take you down to dinner. Tom will take Mrs Slumpy, and the doctor +will take me. Young Tom,"--Young Tom was her son, who was now +beginning his career at Rubb and Mackenzie's,--"Young Tom will take +Miss Colza, and Mary Jane and Susanna will come down by themselves. +We might have managed twelve, and Tom did think of asking Mr Handcock +and one of the other clerks, but he did not know whether you would +have liked it." + +"I should not have minded it. That is, I should have been very glad +to meet Mr Handcock, but I don't care about it." + +"That's just what we thought, and therefore we did not ask him. +You'll remember, won't you, that Mr Rubb takes you down?" After that +Miss Mackenzie took her nieces to the Zoological Gardens, leaving +Mary Jane at home to assist her mother in the cares for the coming +festival, and thus the day wore itself away till it was time for them +to prepare themselves for the party. + +Miss Colza was the first to come. She was a young lady somewhat older +than Miss Mackenzie; but the circumstances of her life had induced +her to retain many of the propensities of her girlhood. She was as +young looking as curls and pink bows could make her, and was by no +means a useless guest at a small dinner party, as she could chatter +like a magpie. Her claims to be called "Mademoiselle" were not very +strong, as she had lived in Finsbury Square all her life. Her father +was connected in trade with the Rubb and Mackenzie firm, and dealt, +I think, in oil. She was introduced with great ceremony, and having +heard that Miss Mackenzie lived at Littlebath, went off at score +about the pleasures of that delicious place. + +"I do so hate London, Miss Mackenzie." + +"I lived here all my life, and I can't say I liked it." + +"It is such a crowd, isn't it? and yet so dull. Give me Brighton! We +were down for a week in November, and it was nice." + +"I never saw Brighton." + +"Oh, do go to Brighton. Everybody goes there now; you really do see +the world at Brighton. Now, in London one sees nothing." + +Then came in Mr Rubb, and Miss Colza at once turned her attention to +him. But Mr Rubb shook Miss Colza off almost unceremoniously, and +seated himself by Miss Mackenzie. Immediately afterwards arrived +the doctor and his wife. The doctor was a very silent man, and as +Tom Mackenzie himself was not given to much talking, it was well +that Miss Colza should be there. Mrs Slumpy could take her share in +conversation with an effort, when duly assisted; but she could not +lead the van, and required more sprightly aid than her host was +qualified to give her. Then there was a whisper between Tom and Mrs +Tom and the bell was rung, and the dinner was ordered. Seven had been +the time named, and a quarter past seven saw the guests assembled +in the drawing-room. A very dignified person in white cotton gloves +had announced the names, and the same dignified person had taken the +order for dinner. The dignified person had then retreated downstairs +slowly, and what was taking place for the next half-hour poor Mrs +Mackenzie, in the agony of her mind, could not surmise. She longed +to go and see, but did not dare. Even for Dr Slumpy, or even for his +wife, had they been alone with her she would not have cared much. +Miss Colza she could have treated with perfect indifference--could +even have taken her down into the kitchen with her. Rubb, her own +junior partner, was nothing, and Miss Mackenzie was simply her +sister-in-law. But together they made a party. Moreover she had on +her best and stiffest silk gown, and so armed she could not have been +effective in the kitchen. And so came a silence for some minutes, in +spite of the efforts of Miss Colza. At last the hostess plucked up +her courage to make a little effort. + +"Tom," she said, "I really think you had better ring again." + +"It will be all right, soon," said Tom, considering that upon the +whole it would be better not to disturb the gentleman downstairs just +yet. + +"Upon my word, I never felt it so cold in my life as I did to-day," +he said, turning on Dr Slumpy for the third time with that remark. + +"Very cold," said Dr Slumpy, pulling out his watch and looking at it. + +"I really think you'd better ring the bell," said Mrs Tom. + +Tom, however, did not stir, and after another period of five minutes +dinner was announced. It may be as well, perhaps, to explain, that +the soup had been on the table for the last quarter of an hour or +more, but that after placing the tureen on the table, the dignified +gentleman downstairs had come to words with the cook, and had refused +to go on further with the business of the night until that ill-used +woman acceded to certain terms of his own in reference to the manner +in which the foods should be served. He had seen the world, and had +lofty ideas, and had been taught to be a tyrant by the weakness of +those among whom his life had been spent. The cook had alleged that +the dinner, as regarded the eating of it, would certainly be spoilt. +As to that, he had expressed a mighty indifference. If he was to have +any hand in them, things were to be done according to certain rules, +which, as he said, prevailed in the world of fashion. The cook, +who had a temper and who regarded her mistress, stood out long and +boldly, but when the housemaid, who was to assist Mr Grandairs +upstairs, absolutely deserted her, and sitting down began to cry, +saying: "Sairey, why don't you do as he tells you? What signifies its +being greasy if it hain't never to go hup?" then Sarah's courage gave +way, and Mr Grandairs, with all the conqueror in his bosom, announced +that dinner was served. + +It was a great relief. Even Miss Colza's tongue had been silent, +and Mr Rubb had found himself unable to carry on any further small +talk with Miss Mackenzie. The minds of men and women become so +tuned to certain positions, that they go astray and won't act when +those positions are confused. Almost every man can talk for fifteen +minutes, standing in a drawing-room, before dinner; but where is the +man who can do it for an hour? It is not his appetite that impedes +him, for he could well have borne to dine at eight instead of seven; +nor is it that matter lacks him, for at other times his eloquence +does not cease to flow so soon. But at that special point of the day +he is supposed to talk for fifteen minutes, and if any prolonged call +is then made upon him, his talking apparatus falls out of order and +will not work. You can sit still on a Sunday morning, in the cold, +on a very narrow bench, with no comfort appertaining, and listen for +half an hour to a rapid outflow of words, which, for any purpose +of instruction or edification, are absolutely useless to you. The +reading to you of the "Quae genus," or "As in praesenti," could not be +more uninteresting. Try to undergo the same thing in your own house +on a Wednesday afternoon, and see where you will be. To those ladies +and gentlemen who had been assembled in Mrs Mackenzie's drawing-room +this prolonged waiting had been as though the length of the sermon +had been doubled, or as if it had fallen on them at some unexpected +and unauthorised time. + +But now they descended, each gentleman taking his allotted lady, and +Colza's voice was again heard. At the bottom of the stairs, just +behind the dining-room door, stood the tyrant, looking very great, +repressing with his left hand the housemaid who was behind him. She +having observed Sarah at the top of the kitchen stairs telegraphing +for assistance, had endeavoured to make her way to her friend while +Tom Mackenzie and Mrs Slumpy were still upon the stairs; but the +tyrant, though he had seen the cook's distress, had refused and +sternly kept the girl a prisoner behind him. Ruat dinner, fiat +genteel deportment. + +The order of the construction of the dinner was no doubt a la Russe; +and why should it not have been so, as Tom Mackenzie either had or +was supposed to have as much as eight hundred a year? But I think +it must be confessed that the architecture was in some degree +composite. It was a la Russe, because in the centre there was a green +arrangement of little boughs with artificial flowers fixed on them, +and because there were figs and raisins, and little dishes with dabs +of preserve on them, all around the green arrangement; but the soups +and fish were on the table, as was also the wine, though it was +understood that no one was to be allowed to help himself or his +neighbour to the contents of the bottle. When Dr Slumpy once made +an attempt at the sherry, Grandairs was down upon him instantly, +although laden at the time with both potatoes and sea-kale; after +that he went round and frowned at Dr Slumpy, and Dr Slumpy understood +the frown. + +That the soup should be cold, everybody no doubt expected. It was +clear soup, made chiefly of Marsala, and purchased from the pastry +cook's in Store Street. Grandairs, no doubt, knew all about it, as he +was connected with the same establishment. The fish--Mrs Mackenzie +had feared greatly about her fish, having necessarily trusted its +fate solely to her own cook--was very ragged in its appearance, and +could not be very warm; the melted butter too was thick and clotted, +and was brought round with the other condiments too late to be of +much service; but still the fish was eatable, and Mrs Mackenzie's +heart, which had sunk very low as the unconsumed soup was carried +away, rose again in her bosom. Poor woman! she had done her best, and +it was hard that she should suffer. One little effort she made at the +moment to induce Elizabeth to carry round the sauce, but Grandairs +had at once crushed it; he had rushed at the girl and taken the +butter-boat from her hand. Mrs Mackenzie had seen it all; but what +could she do, poor soul? + +The thing was badly managed in every way. The whole hope of +conversation round the table depended on Miss Colza, and she was +deeply offended by having been torn away from Mr Rubb. How could +she talk seated between the two Tom Mackenzies? From Dr Slumpy Mrs +Mackenzie could not get a word. Indeed, with so great a weight on +her mind, how could she be expected to make any great effort in +that direction? But Mr Mackenzie might have done something, and she +resolved that she would tell him so before he slept that night. She +had slaved all day in order that he might appear respectable before +his own relatives, at the bottom of his own table--and now he would +do nothing! "I believe he is thinking of his own dinner!" she said to +herself. If her accusation was just his thoughts must have been very +sad. + +In a quiet way Mr Rubb did talk to his neighbour. Upstairs he had +spoken a word or two about Littlebath, saying how glad he was that +he had been there. He should always remember Littlebath as one of +the pleasantest places he had ever seen. He wished that he lived +at Littlebath; but then what was the good of his wishing anything, +knowing as he did that he was bound for life to Rubb and Mackenzie's +counting house! + +"And you will earn your livelihood there," Miss Mackenzie had +replied. + +"Yes; and something more than that I hope. I don't mind telling +you,--a friend like you,--that I will either spoil a horn or make a +spoon. I won't go on in the old groove, which hardly gives any of us +salt to our porridge. If I understand anything of English commerce, I +think I can see my way to better things than that." Then the period +of painful waiting had commenced, and he was unable to say anything +more. + +That had been upstairs. Now below, amidst all the troubles of Mrs +Mackenzie and the tyranny of Grandairs, he began again: + +"Do you like London dinner parties?" + +"I never was at one before." + +"Never at one before! I thought you had lived in London all your +life." + +"So I have; but we never used to dine out. My brother was an +invalid." + +"And do they do the thing well at Littlebath?" + +"I never dined out there. You think it very odd, I dare say, but I +never was at a dinner party in my life--not before this." + +"Don't the Balls see much company?" + +"No, very little; none of that kind." + +"Dear me. It comes so often to us here that we get tired of it. I do, +at least. I'm not always up to this kind of thing. Champagne--if you +please. Miss Mackenzie, you will take some champagne?" + +Now had come the crisis of the evening, the moment that was all +important, and Grandairs was making his round in all the pride of his +vocation. But Mrs Mackenzie was by no means so proud at the present +conjuncture of affairs. There was but one bottle of champagne. "So +little wine is drank now, that, what is the good of getting more? Of +course the children won't have it." So she had spoken to her husband. +And who shall blame her or say where economy ends, or where meanness +begins? She had wanted no champagne herself, but had wished to treat +her friends well. She had seized a moment after Grandairs had come, +and Mrs Slumpy was not yet there, to give instructions to the great +functionary. + +"Don't mind me with the champagne, nor yet Mr Tom, nor the young +ladies." + +Thus she had reduced the number to six, and had calculated that +the bottle would certainly be good for that number, with probably +a second glass for the doctor and Mr Rubb. But Grandairs had not +condescended to be put out of his way by such orders as these. The +bottle had first come to Miss Colza, and then Tom's glass had been +filled, and Susanna's--through no fault of theirs, innocent bairns, +"but on purpose!" as Mrs Mackenzie afterwards declared to her husband +when speaking of the man's iniquity. And I think it had been done on +purpose. The same thing occurred with Mary Jane--till Mrs Mackenzie, +looking on, could have cried. The girl's glass was filled full, and +she did give a little shriek at last. But what availed shrieking? +When the bottle came round behind Mrs Mackenzie back to Dr Slumpy, it +was dry, and the wicked wretch held the useless nozzle triumphantly +over the doctor's glass. + +"Give me some sherry, then," said the doctor. + +The little dishes which had been brought round after the fish, three +in number,--and they in the proper order of things should have been +spoken of before the champagne,--had been in their way successful. +They had been so fabricated, that all they who attempted to eat +of their contents became at once aware that they had got hold of +something very nasty, something that could hardly have been intended +by Christian cooks as food for men; but, nevertheless, there had +been something of glory attending them. Little dishes require no +concomitant vegetables, and therefore there had been no scrambling. +Grandairs brought one round after the other with much majesty, while +Elizabeth stood behind looking on in wonder. After the second little +dish Grandairs changed the plates, so that it was possible to partake +of two, a feat which was performed by Tom Mackenzie the younger. At +this period Mrs Mackenzie, striving hard for equanimity, attempted +a word or two with the doctor. But immediately upon that came the +affair of the champagne, and she was crushed, never to rise again. + +Mr Rubb at this time had settled down into so pleasant a little +series of whispers with his neighbour, that Miss Colza resolved once +more to exert herself, not with the praiseworthy desire of assisting +her friend Mrs Mackenzie, but with malice prepense in reference to +Miss Mackenzie. + +Miss Mackenzie seemed to be having "a good time" with her neighbour +Samuel Rubb, junior, and Miss Colza, who was a woman of courage, +could not see that and not make an effort. It cannot be told here +what passages there had been between Mr Rubb and Miss Colza. That +there had absolutely been passages I beg the reader to understand. +"Mr Rubb," she said, stretching across the table, "do you remember +when, in this very room, we met Mr and Mrs Talbot Green?" + +"Oh yes, very well," said Mr Rubb, and then turning to Miss +Mackenzie, he went on with his little whispers. + +"Mr Rubb," continued Miss Colza, "does anybody put you in mind of Mrs +Talbot Green?" + +"Nobody in particular. She was a thin, tall, plain woman, with red +hair, wasn't she? Who ought she to put me in mind of?" + +"Oh dear! how can you forget so? That wasn't her looks at all. We +all agreed that she was quite interesting-looking. Her hair was just +fair, and that was all. But I shan't say anything more about it." + +"But who do you say is like her?" + +"Miss Colza means Aunt Margaret," said Mary Jane. + +"Of course I do," said Miss Colza. "But Mrs Talbot Green was not at +all the person that Mr Rubb has described; we all thought her very +nice-looking. Mr Rubb, do you remember how you would go on talking to +her, till Mr Talbot Green did not like it at all?" + +"No, I don't." + +"Oh, but you did; and you always do." + +Then Miss Colza ceased, having finished that effort. But she made +others from time to time as long as they remained in the dining-room, +and by no means gave up the battle. There are women who can fight +such battles when they have not an inch of ground on which to stand. + +After the little dishes there came, of course, a saddle of mutton, +and, equally of course, a pair of boiled fowls. There was also a +tongue; but the a la Russe construction of the dinner was maintained +by keeping the tongue on the sideboard, while the mutton and chickens +were put down to be carved in the ordinary way. The ladies all +partook of the chickens, and the gentlemen all of the mutton. The +arrangement was very tedious, as Dr Slumpy was not as clever with +the wings of the fowls as he perhaps would have been had he not been +defrauded in the matter of the champagne; and then every separate +plate was carried away to the sideboard with reference to the tongue. +Currant jelly had been duly provided, and, if Elizabeth had been +allowed to dispense it, might have been useful. But Grandairs was too +much for the jelly, as he had been for the fish-sauce, and Dr Slumpy +in vain looked up, and sighed, and waited. A man in such a condition +measures the amount of cold which his meat may possibly endure +against the future coming of the potatoes, till he falls utterly +to the ground between two stools. So was it now with Dr Slumpy. He +gave one last sigh as he saw the gravy congeal upon his plate, but, +nevertheless, he had finished the unpalatable food before Grandairs +had arrived to his assistance. + +Why tell of the ruin of the maccaroni, of the fine-coloured +pyramids of shaking sweet things which nobody would eat, and by the +non-consumption of which nothing was gained, as they all went back to +the pastrycook's,--or of the ice-puddings flavoured with onions? It +was all misery, wretchedness, and degradation. Grandairs was king, +and Mrs Mackenzie was the lowest of his slaves. And why? Why had she +done this thing? Why had she, who, to give her her due, generally +held her own in her own house pretty firmly,--why had she lowered her +neck and made a wretched thing of herself? She knew that it would be +so when she first suggested to herself the attempt. She did it for +fashion's sake, you will say. But there was no one there who did +not as accurately know as she did herself, how absolutely beyond +fashion's way lay her way. She was making no fight to enter some +special portal of the world, as a lady may do who takes a house +suddenly in Mayfair, having come from God knows where. Her place in +the world was fixed, and she made no contest as to the fixing. She +hoped for no great change in the direction of society. Why on earth +did she perplex her mind and bruise her spirit, by giving a dinner a +la anything? Why did she not have the roast mutton alone, so that all +her guests might have eaten and have been merry? + +She could not have answered this question herself, and I doubt +whether I can do so for her. But this I feel, that unless the +question can get itself answered, ordinary Englishmen must cease to +go and eat dinners at each other's houses. The ordinary Englishman, +of whom we are now speaking, has eight hundred a year; he lives in +London; and he has a wife and three or four children. Had he not +better give it up and go back to his little bit of fish and his leg +of mutton? Let him do that boldly, and he will find that we, his +friends, will come to him fast enough; yes, and will make a gala day +of it. By Heavens, we have no gala time of it when we go to dine with +Mrs Mackenzie a la Russe! Lady Mackenzie, whose husband has ever +so many thousands a year, no doubt does it very well. Money, which +cannot do everything,--which, if well weighed, cannot in its excess +perhaps do much,--can do some things. It will buy diamonds and give +grand banquets. But paste diamonds, and banquets which are only +would-be grand, are among the poorest imitations to which the world +has descended. + +"So you really go to Littlebath to-morrow," Mr Rubb said to Miss +Mackenzie, when they were again together in the drawing-room. + +"Yes, to-morrow morning. Susanna must be at school the next day." + +"Happy Susanna! I wish I were going to school at Littlebath. Then I +shan't see you again before you go." + +"No; I suppose not." + +"I am so sorry, because I particularly wished to speak to you,--most +particularly. I suppose I could not see you in the morning? But, no; +it would not do. I could not get you alone without making such a fuss +of the thing." + +"Couldn't you say it now?" asked Miss Mackenzie. + +"I will, if you'll let me; only I suppose it isn't quite the thing to +talk about business at an evening party; and your sister-in-law, if +she knew it, would never forgive me." + +"Then she shan't know it, Mr Rubb." + +"Since you are so good, I think I will make bold. Carpe diem, as +we used to say at school, which means that one day is as good as +another, and, if so why not any time in the day? Look here, Miss +Mackenzie--about that money, you know." + +And Mr Rubb got nearer to her on the sofa as he whispered the word +money into her ear. It immediately struck her that her own brother +Tom had said not a word to her about the money, although they had +been together for the best part of an hour before they had gone up to +dress. + +"I suppose Mr Slow will settle all that," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Of course;--that is to say, he has nothing further to settle just +as yet. He has our bond for the money, and you may be sure it's all +right. The property is purchased, and is ours,--our own at this +moment, thanks to you. But landed property is so hard to convey. +Perhaps you don't understand much about that! and I'm sure I don't. +The fact is, the title deeds at present are in other hands, a mere +matter of form; and I want you to understand that the mortgage is not +completed for that reason." + +"I suppose it will be done soon?" + +"It may, or it may not; but that won't affect your interest, you +know." + +"I was thinking of the security." + +"Well, the security is not as perfect as it should be. I tell you +that honestly; and if we were dealing with strangers we should expect +to be called on to refund. And we should refund instantly, but at a +great sacrifice, a ruinous sacrifice. Now, I want you to put so much +trust in us,--in me, if I may be allowed to ask you to do so,--as to +believe that your money is substantially safe. I cannot explain it +all now; but the benefit which you have done us is immense." + +"I suppose it will all come right, Mr Rubb." + +"It will all come right, Miss Mackenzie." + +Then there was extracted from her something which he was able to take +as a promise that she would not stir in the matter for a while, but +would take her interest without asking for any security as to her +principal. + +The conversation was interrupted by Miss Colza, who came and stood +opposite to them. + +"Well, I'm sure," she said; "you two are very confidential." + +"And why shouldn't we be confidential, Miss Colza?" asked Mr Rubb. + +"Oh, dear! no reason in life, if you both like it." + +Miss Mackenzie was not sure that she did like it. But again she was +not sure that she did not, when Mr Rubb pressed her hand at parting, +and told her that her great kindness had been of the most material +service to the firm. "He felt it," he said, "if nobody else did." +That also might be a sacrificial duty and therefore gratifying. + +The next morning she and Susanna left Gower Street at eight, spent +an interesting period of nearly an hour at the railway station, and +reached Littlebath in safety at one. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +Miss Mackenzie's Philosophy + + +Miss Mackenzie remained quiet in her room for two days after her +return before she went out to see anybody. These last Christmas weeks +had certainly been the most eventful period of her life, and there +was very much of which it was necessary that she should think. She +had, she thought, made up her mind to refuse her cousin's offer; but +the deed was not yet done. She had to think of the mode in which she +must do it; and she could not but remember, also, that she might +still change her mind in that matter if she pleased. The anger +produced in her by Lady Ball's claim, as it were, to her fortune, +had almost evaporated; but the memory of her cousin's story of his +troubles was still fresh. "I have a hard time of it sometimes, I can +tell you." Those words and others of the same kind were the arguments +which had moved her, and made her try to think that she could love +him. Then she remembered his bald head and the weary, careworn look +about his eyes, and his little intermittent talk, addressed chiefly +to his mother, about the money-market,--little speeches made as he +would sit with the newspaper in his hand: + +"The Confederate loan isn't so bad, after all. I wish I'd taken a +few." + +"You know you'd never have slept if you had," Lady Ball would answer. + +All this Miss Mackenzie now turned in her mind, and asked herself +whether she could be happy in hearing such speeches for the remainder +of her life. + +"It is not as if you two were young people, and wanted to be billing +and cooing," Lady Ball had said to her the same evening. + +Miss Mackenzie, as she thought of this, was not so sure that Lady +Ball was right. Why should she not want billing and cooing as well as +another? It was natural that a woman should want some of it in her +life, and she had had none of it yet. She had had a lover, certainly, +but there had been no billing and cooing with him. Nothing of that +kind had been possible in her brother Walter's house. + +And then the question naturally arose to her whether her aunt had +treated her justly in bracketing her with John Ball in that matter of +age. John Ball was ten years her senior; and ten years, she knew, was +a very proper difference between a man and his wife. She was by no +means inclined to plead, even to herself, that she was too young +to marry her cousin; there was nothing in their ages to interfere, +if the match was in other respects suitable. But still, was not he +old for his age, and was not she young for hers? And if she should +ultimately resolve to devote herself and what she had left of +youth to his children and his welfare, should not the sacrifice be +recognised? Had Lady Ball done well to speak of her as she certainly +might well speak of him? Was she beyond all aptitude for billing and +cooing, if billing and cooing might chance to come in her way? + +Thinking of this during the long afternoon, when Susanna was at +school, she got up and looked at herself in the mirror. She moved up +her hair from off her ears, knowing where she would find a few that +were grey, and shaking her head, as though owning to herself that +she was old; but as her fingers ran almost involuntarily across her +locks, her touch told her that they were soft and silken; and she +looked into her own eyes, and saw that they were bright; and her hand +touched the outline of her cheek, and she knew that something of the +fresh bloom of youth was still there; and her lips parted, and there +were her white teeth; and there came a smile and a dimple, and a +slight purpose of laughter in her eye, and then a tear. She pulled +her scarf tighter across her bosom, feeling her own form, and then +she leaned forward and kissed herself in the glass. + +He was very careworn, soiled as it were with the world, tired out +with the dusty, weary life's walk which he had been compelled to +take. Of romance in him there was nothing left, while in her the +aptitude for romance had only just been born. It was not only that +his head was bald, but that his eye was dull, and his step slow. The +juices of life had been pressed out of him; his thoughts were all +of his cares, and never of his hopes. It would be very sad to be +the wife of such a man; it would be very sad, if there were no +compensation; but might not the sacrificial duties give her that +atonement which she would require? She would fain do something with +her life and her money,--some good, some great good to some other +person. If that good to another person and billing and cooing might +go together, it would be very pleasant. But she knew there was danger +in such an idea. The billing and cooing might lead altogether to +evil. But there could be no doubt that she would do good service if +she married her cousin; her money would go to good purposes, and her +care to those children would be invaluable. They were her cousins, +and would it not be sweet to make of herself a sacrifice? + +And then--Reader! remember that she was no saint, and that hitherto +very little opportunity had been given to her of learning to +discriminate true metal from dross. Then--she thought of Mr Samuel +Rubb, junior. Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, was a handsome man, about +her own age; and she felt almost sure that Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, +admired her. He was not worn out with life; he was not broken with +care; he would look forward into the world, and hope for things to +come. One thing she knew to be true--he was not a gentleman. But +then, why should she care for that? The being a gentleman was not +everything. As for herself, might there not be strong reason to doubt +whether those who were best qualified to judge would call her a lady? +Her surviving brother kept an oilcloth shop, and the brother with +whom she had always lived had been so retired from the world that +neither he nor she knew anything of its ways. If love could be +gained, and anything of romance; if some active living mode of life +could thereby be opened to her, would it not be well for her to give +up that idea of being a lady? Hitherto her rank had simply enabled +her to become a Stumfoldian; and then she remembered that Mr +Maguire's squint was very terrible! How she should live, what she +should do with herself, were matters to her of painful thought; but +she looked in the glass again, and resolved that she would decline +the honour of becoming Mrs Ball. + +On the following morning she wrote her letter, and it was written +thus: + + + 7 Paragon, Littlebath, January, 186--. + + MY DEAR JOHN, + + I have been thinking a great deal about what you said to + me, and I have made up my mind that I ought not to become + your wife. I know that the honour you have proposed to me + is very great, and that I may seem to be ungrateful in + declining it; but I cannot bring myself to feel that sort + of love for you which a wife should have for her husband. + I hope this will not make you displeased with me. It ought + not to do so, as my feelings towards you and to your + children are most affectionate. + + I know my aunt will be angry with me. Pray tell her from + me, with my best love, that I have thought very much of + all she said to me, and that I feel sure that I am doing + right. It is not that I should be afraid of the duties + which would fall upon me as your wife; but that the woman + who undertakes those duties should feel for you a wife's + love. I think it is best to speak openly, and I hope that + you will not be offended. + + Give my best love to my uncle and aunt, and to the girls, + and to Jack, who will, I hope, keep his promise of coming + and seeing me. + + Your very affectionate cousin, + + MARGARET MACKENZIE. + + +"There," said John Ball to his mother, when he had read the letter, +"I knew it would be so; and she is right. Why should she give up her +money and her comfort and her ease, to look after my children?" + +Lady Ball took the letter and read it, and pronounced it to be all +nonsense. + +"It may be all nonsense," said her son; "but such as it is, it is her +answer." + +"I suppose you'll have to go down to Littlebath after her," said Lady +Ball. + +"I certainly shall not do that. It would do no good; and I'm not +going to persecute her." + +"Persecute her! What nonsense you men do talk! As if any woman in her +condition could be persecuted by being asked to become a baronet's +wife. I suppose I must go down." + +"I beg that you will not, mother." + +"She is just one of those women who are sure to stand off, not +knowing their own minds. The best creature in the world, and really +very clever, but weak in that respect! She has not had lovers when +she was young, and she thinks that a man should come dallying about +her as though she were eighteen. It only wants a little perseverance, +John, and if you'll take my advice, you'll go down to Littlebath +after her." + +But John, in this matter, would not follow his mother's advice, and +declared that he would take no further steps. "He was inclined," he +said, "to think that Margaret was right. Why should any woman burden +herself with nine children?" + +Then Lady Ball said a great deal more about the Ball money, giving it +as her decided opinion that Margaret owed herself and her money to +the Balls. As she could not induce her son to do anything, she wrote +a rejoinder to her niece. + +"My dearest Margaret," she said, "Your letter has made both me and +John very unhappy. He has set his heart upon making you his wife, +and I don't think will ever hold up his head again if you will +not consent. I write now instead of John, because he is so much +oppressed. I wish you had remained here, because then we could have +talked it over quietly. Would it not be better for you to be here +than living alone at Littlebath? for I cannot call that little girl +who is at school anything of a companion. Could you not leave her as +a boarder, and come to us for a month? You would not be forced to +pledge yourself to anything further; but we could talk it over." + +It need hardly be said that Miss Mackenzie, as she read this, +declared to herself that she had no desire to talk over her own +position with Lady Ball any further. + +"John is afraid," the letter went on to say, "that he offended you +by the manner of his proposition; and that he said too much about +the children, and not enough about his own affection. Of course +he loves you dearly. If you knew him as I do, which of course you +can't as yet, though I hope you will, you would be aware that no +consideration, either of money or about the children, would induce +him to propose to any woman unless he loved her. You may take my word +for that." + +There was a great deal more in the letter of the same kind, in which +Lady Ball pressed her own peculiar arguments; but I need hardly say +that they did not prevail with Miss Mackenzie. If the son could not +induce his cousin to marry him, the mother certainly never would do +so. It did not take her long to answer her aunt's letter. She said +that she must, with many thanks, decline for the present to return +to the Cedars, as the charge which she had taken of her niece made +her presence at Littlebath necessary. As to the answer which she had +given to John, she was afraid she could only say that it must stand. +She had felt a little angry with Lady Ball; and though she tried not +to show this in the tone of her letter, she did show it. + +"If I were you I would never see her or speak to her again," said +Lady Ball to her son. + +"Very likely I never shall," he replied. + +"Has your love-making with that old maid gone wrong, John?" the +father asked. + +But John Ball was used to his father's ill nature, and never answered +it. + +Nothing special to our story occurred at Littlebath during the next +two or three months, except that Miss Mackenzie became more and +more intimate with Miss Baker, and more and more anxious to form an +acquaintance with Miss Todd. With all the Stumfoldians she was on +terms of mitigated friendship, and always went to Mrs Stumfold's +fortnightly tea-drinkings. But with no lady there,--always excepting +Miss Baker,--did she find that she grew into familiarity. With Mrs +Stumfold no one was familiar. She was afflicted by the weight of her +own position, as we suppose the Queen to be, when we say that her +Majesty's altitude is too high to admit of friendships. Mrs Stumfold +never condescended--except to the bishop's wife who, in return, had +snubbed Mrs Stumfold. But living, as she did, in an atmosphere of +flattery and toadying, it was wonderful how well she preserved her +equanimity, and how she would talk and perhaps think of herself, as a +poor, erring human being. When, however, she insisted much upon this +fact of her humanity, the coachmaker's wife would shake her head, and +at last stamp her foot in anger, swearing that though everybody was +of course dust, and grass, and worms; and though, of course, Mrs +Stumfold must, by nature, be included in that everybody; yet dust, +and grass, and worms nowhere exhibited themselves with so few of +the stains of humanity on them as they did within the bosom of Mrs +Stumfold. So that, though the absolute fact of Mrs Stumfold being +dust, and grass, and worms, could not, in regard to the consistency +of things, be denied, yet in her dustiness, grassiness, and worminess +she was so little dusty, grassy, and wormy, that it was hardly fair, +even in herself, to mention the fact at all. + +"I know the deceit of my own heart," Mrs Stumfold would say. + +"Of course you do, Mrs Stumfold," the coachmaker's wife replied. "It +is dreadful deceitful, no doubt. Where's the heart that ain't? But +there's a difference in hearts. Your deceit isn't hard like most of +'em. You know it, Mrs Stumfold, and wrestle with it, and get your +foot on the neck of it, so that, as one may say, it's always being +killed and got the better of." + +During these months Miss Mackenzie learned to value at a very low +rate the rank of the Stumfoldian circle into which she had been +admitted. She argued the matter with herself, saying that the +coachbuilder's wife and others were not ladies. In a general way she +was, no doubt, bound to assume them to be ladies; but she taught +herself to think that such ladyhood was not of itself worth a great +deal. It would not be worth the while of any woman to abstain from +having some Mr Rubb or the like, and from being the lawful mother +of children in the Rubb and Mackenzie line of life, for the sake of +such exceptional rank as was to be maintained by associating with +the Stumfoldians. And, as she became used to the things and persons +around her, she indulged herself in a considerable amount of social +philosophy, turning over ideas in her mind for which they, who saw +merely the lines of her outer life, would hardly have given her +credit. After all, what was the good of being a lady? Or was there +any good in it at all? Could there possibly be any good in making a +struggle to be a lady? Was it not rather one of those things which +are settled for one externally, as are the colour of one's hair and +the size of one's bones, and which should be taken or left alone, +as Providence may have directed? "One cannot add a cubit to one's +height, nor yet make oneself a lady;" that was the nature of Miss +Mackenzie's argument with herself. + +And, indeed, she carried the argument further than that. It was well +to be a lady. She recognised perfectly the delicacy and worth of the +article. Miss Baker was a lady; as to that there was no doubt. But, +then, might it not also be very well not to be a lady; and might +not the advantages of the one position be compensated with equal +advantages in the other? It is a grand thing to be a queen; but a +queen has no friends. It is fine to be a princess; but a princess has +a very limited choice of husbands. There was something about Miss +Baker that was very nice; but even Miss Baker was very melancholy, +and Miss Mackenzie could see that that melancholy had come from +wasted niceness. Had she not been so much the lady, she might have +been more the woman. And there could be no disgrace in not being a +lady, if such ladyhood depended on external circumstances arranged +for one by Providence. No one blames one's washerwoman for not being +a lady. No one wishes one's housekeeper to be a lady; and people are +dismayed, rather than pleased, when they find that their tailors' +wives want to be ladies. What does a woman get by being a lady? If +fortune have made her so, fortune has done much for her. But the good +things come as the natural concomitants of her fortunate position. +It is not because she is a lady that she is liked by her peers and +peeresses. But those choice gifts which have made her a lady have +made her also to be liked. It comes from the outside, and for it +no struggle can usefully be made. Such was the result of Miss +Mackenzie's philosophy. + +One may see that all these self-inquiries tended Rubb-wards. I do not +mean that they were made with any direct intention on her part to +reconcile herself to a marriage with Mr Samuel Rubb, or that she even +thought of such an event as probable. He had said nothing to her to +justify such thought, and as yet she knew but very little of him. +But they all went to reconcile her to that sphere of life which her +brother Tom had chosen, and which her brother Walter had despised. +They taught her to believe that a firm footing below was better than +what might, after a life's struggle, be found to be but a false +footing above. And they were brightened undoubtedly by an idea that +some marriage in which she could love and be loved was possible to +her below, though it would hardly be possible to her above. + +Her only disputant on the subject was Miss Baker, and she startled +that lady much by the things which she said. Now, with Miss Baker, +not to be a lady was to be nothing. It was her weakness, and I may +also say her strength. Her ladyhood was of that nature that it took +no soil from outer contact. It depended, even within her own bosom, +on her own conduct solely, and in no degree on the conduct of those +among whom she might chance to find herself. She thought it well +to pass her evenings with Mr Stumfold's people, and he at any rate +had the manners of a gentleman. So thinking, she felt in no wise +disgraced because the coachbuilder's wife was a vulgar, illiterate +woman. But there were things, not bad in themselves, which she +herself would never have done, because she was a lady. She would have +broken her heart rather than marry a man who was not a gentleman. It +was not unlady-like to eat cold mutton, and she ate it. But she would +have shuddered had she been called on to eat any mutton with a steel +fork. She had little generous ways with her, because they were the +ways of ladies, and she paid for them from off her own back and out +of her own dish. She would not go out to tea in a street cab, because +she was a lady and alone; but she had no objection to walk, with her +servant with her if it was dark. No wonder that such a woman was +dismayed by the philosophy of Miss Mackenzie. + +And yet they had been brought together by much that was alike in +their dispositions. Miss Mackenzie had now been more than six months +an inhabitant of Littlebath, and six months at such places is enough +for close intimacies. They were both quiet, conscientious, kindly +women, each not without some ambition of activity, but each a little +astray as to the way in which that activity should be shown. They +were both alone in the world, and Miss Baker during the last year or +two had become painfully so from the fact of her estrangement from +her old friend Miss Todd. They both wished to be religious, having +strong faith in the need of the comfort of religion; but neither of +them were quite satisfied with the Stumfoldian creed. They had both, +from conscience, eschewed the vanities of the world; but with neither +was her conscience quite satisfied that such eschewal was necessary, +and each regretted to be losing pleasures which might after all be +innocent. + +"If I'm to go to the bad place," Miss Todd had said to Miss Baker, +"because I like to do something that won't hurt my old eyes of an +evening, I don't see the justice of it. As for calling it gambling, +it's a falsehood, and your Mr Stumfold knows that as well as I +do. I haven't won or lost ten pounds in ten years, and I've no +more idea of making money by cards than I have by sweeping the +chimney. Tell me why are cards wicked? Drinking, and stealing, and +lying, and backbiting, and naughty love-making,--but especially +backbiting--backbiting--backbiting,--those are the things that the +Bible says are wicked. I shall go on playing cards, my dear, till Mr +Stumfold can send me chapter and verse forbidding it." + +Then Miss Baker, who was no doubt weak, had been unable to answer +her, and had herself hankered after the flesh-pots of Egypt and the +delights of the unregenerated. + +All these things Miss Baker and Miss Mackenzie discussed, and Miss +Baker learned to love her younger friend in spite of her heterodox +philosophy. Miss Mackenzie was going to give a tea-party,--nothing as +yet having been quite settled, as there were difficulties in the way; +but she propounded to Miss Baker the possibility of asking Miss Todd +and some few of the less conspicuous Toddites. She had her ambition, +and she wished to see whether even she might not do something to +lessen the gulf which separated those who loved the pleasures of the +world in Littlebath from the bosom of Mr Stumfold. + +"You don't know what you are going to do," Miss Baker said. + +"I'm not going to do any harm." + +"That's more than you can say, my dear." Miss Baker had learnt from +Miss Todd to call her friends "my dear." + +"You are always so afraid of everything," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Of course I am;--one has to be afraid. A single lady can't go about +and do just as she likes, as a man can do, or a married woman." + +"I don't know about a man; but I think a single woman ought to be +able to do more what she likes than a married woman. Suppose Mrs +Stumfold found that I had got old Lady Ruff to meet her, what could +she do to me?" + +Old Lady Ruff was supposed to be the wickedest old card-player in all +Littlebath, and there were strange stories afloat of the things she +had done. There were Stumfoldians who declared that she had been +seen through the blinds teaching her own maid piquet on a Sunday +afternoon; but any horror will get itself believed nowadays. How +could they have known that it was not beggar-my-neighbour? But piquet +was named because it is supposed in the Stumfoldian world to be the +wickedest of all games. + +"I don't suppose she'd do much," said Miss Baker; "no doubt she would +be very much offended." + +"Why shouldn't I try to convert Lady Ruff?" + +"She's over eighty, my dear." + +"But I suppose she's not past all hope. The older one is the more one +ought to try. But, of course, I'm only joking about her. Would Miss +Todd come if you were to ask her?" + +"Perhaps she would, but I don't think she'd be comfortable; or if she +were, she'd make the others uncomfortable. She always does exactly +what she pleases." + +"That's just why I think I should like her. I wish I dared to do what +I pleased! We all of us are such cowards. Only that I don't dare, I'd +go off to Australia and marry a sheep farmer." + +"You would not like him when you'd got him;--you'd find him very +rough." + +"I shouldn't mind a bit about his being rough. I'd marry a shoe-black +to-morrow if I thought I could make him happy, and he could make me +happy." + +"But it wouldn't make you happy." + +"Ah! that's just what we don't know. I shan't marry a shoe-black, +because I don't dare. So you think I'd better not ask Miss Todd. +Perhaps she wouldn't get on well with Mr Maguire." + +"I had them both together once, my dear, and she made herself quite +unbearable. You've no idea what kind of things she can say." + +"I should have thought Mr Maguire would have given her as good as she +brought," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"So he did; and then Miss Todd got up and left him, saying out loud, +before all the company, that it was not fair for him to come and +preach sermons in such a place as that. I don't think they have ever +met since." + +All this made Miss Mackenzie very thoughtful. She had thrown herself +into the society of the saints, and now there seemed to be no escape +for her; she could not be wicked even if she wished it. Having got +into her convent, and, as it were, taken the vows of her order, she +could not escape from it. + +"That Mr Rubb that I told you of is coming down here," she said, +still speaking to Miss Baker of her party. + +"Oh, dear! will he be here when you have your friends here?" + +"That's what I intended; but I don't think I shall ask anybody at +all. It is so stupid always seeing the same people." + +"Mr Rubb is--is--is--?" + +"Yes; Mr Rubb is a partner in my brother's house, and sells oilcloth, +and things of that sort, and is not by any means aristocratic. I know +what you mean." + +"Don't be angry with me, my dear." + +"Angry! I am not a bit angry. Why should I be angry? A man who keeps +a shop is not, I suppose, a gentleman. But then, you know, I don't +care about gentlemen,--about any gentleman, or any gentlemen." + +Miss Baker sighed, and then the conversation dropped. She had always +cared about gentlemen,--and once in her life, or perhaps twice, had +cared about a gentleman. + +Yes; Mr Rubb was coming down again. He had written to say that it was +necessary that he should again see Miss Mackenzie about the money. +The next morning after the conversation which has just been recorded, +Miss Mackenzie got another letter about the same money, of which it +will be necessary to say more in the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +Plenary Absolutions + + +The letter which Miss Mackenzie received was from old Mr Slow, her +lawyer; and it was a very unpleasant letter. It was so unpleasant +that it made her ears tingle when she read it and remembered that the +person to whom special allusion was made was one whom she had taught +herself to regard as her friend. Mr Slow's letter was as follows: + + + 7 Little St Dunstan Court, + April, 186--. + + DEAR MADAM, + + I think it proper to write to you specially, about the + loan made by you to Messrs Rubb and Mackenzie, as the sum + lent is serious, and as there has been conduct on the part + of some one which I regard as dishonest. I find that what + we have done in the matter has been regulated rather by + the fact that you and Mr Mackenzie are brother and sister, + than by the ordinary course of such business; and I + perceive that we had special warrant given to us for this + by you in your letter of the 23rd November last; but, + nevertheless, it is my duty to explain to you that Messrs + Rubb and Mackenzie, or,--as I believe to be the case, Mr + Samuel Rubb, junior, of that firm,--have not dealt with + you fairly. The money was borrowed for the purpose of + buying certain premises, and, I believe, was laid out in + that way. But it was borrowed on the special understanding + that you, as the lender, were to have the title-deeds of + that property, and the first mortgage upon them. It was + alleged, when the purchase was being made, that the money + was wanted before the mortgage could be effected, and you + desired us to advance it. This we did, aware of the close + family connection between yourself and one of the firm. + Of course, on your instruction, we should have done this + had there been no such relationship, but in that case we + should have made further inquiry, and, probably, have + ventured to advise you. But though the money was so + advanced without the completion of the mortgage, it was + advanced on the distinct understanding that the security + proffered in the first instance was to be forthcoming + without delay. We now learn that the property is mortgaged + to other parties to its full value, and that no security + for your money is to be had. + + I have seen both Mr Mackenzie and Mr Rubb, junior. As + regards your brother, I believe him to have been innocent + of any intention of the deceit, for deceit there certainly + has been. Indeed, he does not deny it. He offers to + give you any security on the business, such as the + stock-in-trade or the like, which I may advise you to + take. But such would in truth be of no avail to you as + security. He, your brother, seemed to be much distressed + by what has been done, and I was grieved on his behalf. Mr + Rubb,--the younger Mr Rubb,--expressed himself in a very + different way. He at first declined to discuss the matter + with me; and when I told him that if that was his way I + would certainly expose him, he altered his tone a little, + expressing regret that there should be delay as to the + security, and wishing me to understand that you were + yourself aware of all the facts. + + There can be no doubt that deceit has been used towards + you in getting your money, and that Mr Rubb has laid + himself open to proceedings which, if taken against him, + would be absolutely ruinous to him. But I fear they would + be also ruinous to your brother. It is my painful duty + to tell you that your money so advanced is on a most + precarious footing. The firm, in addition to their present + liabilities, are not worth half the money; or, I fear I + may say, any part of it. I presume there is a working + profit, as two families live upon the business. Whether, + if you were to come upon them as a creditor, you could get + your money out of their assets, I cannot say; but you, + perhaps, will not feel yourself disposed to resort to such + a measure. I have considered it my duty to tell you all + the facts, and though your distinct authority to us to + advance the money absolves us from responsibility, I must + regret that we did not make further inquiries before we + allowed so large a sum of money to pass out of our hands. + + I am, dear Madam, + Your faithful servant, + + JONATHAN SLOW. + + +Mr Rubb's promised visit was to take place in eight or ten days from +the date on which this letter was received. Miss Mackenzie's ears, as +I have said, tingled as she read it. In the first place, it gave her +a terrible picture of the precarious state of her brother's business. +What would he do,--he with his wife, and all his children, if things +were in such a state as Mr Slow described them? And yet a month or +two ago he was giving champagne and iced puddings for dinner! And +then what words that discreet old gentleman, Mr Slow, had spoken +about Mr Rubb, and what things he had hinted over and above what he +had spoken! Was it not manifest that he conceived Mr Rubb to have +been guilty of direct fraud? + +Miss Mackenzie at once made up her mind that her money was gone! But, +in truth, this did not much annoy her. She had declared to herself +once before that if anything was wrong about the money she would +regard it as a present made to her brother; and when so thinking of +it, she had, undoubtedly, felt that it was, not improbably, lost to +her. It was something over a hundred a year to be deducted from her +computed income, but she would still be able to live at the Paragon +quite as well as she had intended, and be able also to educate +Susanna. Indeed, she could do this easily and still save money, and, +therefore, as regarded the probable loss, why need she be unhappy? + +Before the morning was over she had succeeded in white-washing Mr +Rubb in her own mind. It is, I think, certainly the fact that women +are less pervious to ideas of honesty than men are. They are less +shocked by dishonesty when they find it, and are less clear in their +intellect as to that which constitutes honesty. Where is the woman +who thinks it wrong to smuggle? What lady's conscience ever pricked +her in that she omitted the armorial bearings on her silver forks +from her tax papers? What wife ever ceased to respect her husband +because he dealt dishonestly in business? Whereas, let him not go +to church, let him drink too much wine, let him go astray in his +conversation, and her wrath arises against these faults. But this +lack of feminine accuracy in the matter of honesty tends rather to +charity in their judgment of others, than to deeds of fraud on the +part of women themselves. + +Miss Mackenzie, who desired nothing that was not her own, who +scrupulously kept her own hands from all picking and stealing, gave +herself no peace, after reading the lawyer's letter, till she was +able to tell herself that Mr Rubb was to be forgiven for what he had +done. After all, he had, no doubt, intended that she should have the +promised security. And had not he himself come to her in London and +told her the whole truth,--or, if not the whole truth, as much of +it as was reasonable to expect that he should be able to tell her +at an evening party after dinner? Of course Mr Slow was hard upon +him. Lawyers always were hard. If she chose to give Messrs Rubb and +Mackenzie two thousand five hundred pounds out of her pocket, what +was that to him? So she went on, till at last she was angry with Mr +Slow for the language he had used. + +It was, however, before all things necessary that she should put Mr +Slow right as to the facts of the case. She had, no doubt, condoned +whatever Mr Rubb had done. Mr Rubb undoubtedly had her sanction for +keeping her money without security. Therefore, by return of post, she +wrote the following short letter, which rather astonished Mr Slow +when he received it-- + + + Littlebath, April, 186--. + + DEAR SIR, + + I am much obliged by your letter about the money; but the + truth is that I have known for some time that there was + to be no mortgage. When I was in town I saw Mr Rubb at my + brother's house, and it was understood between us then + that the matter was to remain as it is. My brother and his + partner are very welcome to the money. + + Believe me to be, + Yours sincerely, + + MARGARET MACKENZIE. + + +The letter was a false letter; but I suppose Miss Mackenzie did not +know that she was writing falsely. The letter was certainly false, +because when she spoke of the understanding "between us," having just +mentioned her brother and Mr Rubb, she intended the lawyer to believe +that the understanding was between them three; whereas, not a word +had been said about the money in her brother's hearing, nor was he +aware that his partner had spoken of the money. + +Mr Slow was surprised and annoyed. As regarded his comfort as a +lawyer, his client's letter was of course satisfactory. It absolved +him not only from all absolute responsibility, but also from the +feeling which no doubt had existed within his own breast, that he had +in some sort neglected the lady's interest. But, nevertheless, he was +annoyed. He did not believe the statement that Rubb and Mackenzie had +had permission to hold the money without mortgage, and thought that +neither of the partners had themselves so conceived when he had seen +them. They had, however, been too many for him--and too many also for +the poor female who had allowed herself to be duped out of her money. +Such were Mr Slow's feelings on the matter, and then he dismissed the +subject from his mind. + +The next day, about noon, Miss Mackenzie was startled almost out of +her propriety by the sudden announcement at the drawing-room door +of Mr Rubb. Before she could bethink herself how she would behave +herself, or whether it would become her to say anything of Mr Slow's +letter to her, he was in the room. + +"Miss Mackenzie," he said, hurriedly--and yet he had paused for a +moment in his hurry till the servant had shut the door--"may I shake +hands with you?" + +There could, Miss Mackenzie thought, be no objection to so ordinary +a ceremony; and, therefore, she said, "Certainly," and gave him her +hand. + +"Then I am myself again," said Mr Rubb; and having so said, he sat +down. + +Miss Mackenzie hoped that there was nothing the matter with him, and +then she also sat down at a considerable distance. + +"There is nothing the matter with me," said he, "as you are still so +kind to me. But tell me, have you not received a letter from your +lawyer?" + +"Yes, I have." + +"And he has done all in his power to blacken me? I know it. Tell me, +Miss Mackenzie, has he not blackened me? Has he not laid things to +my charge of which I am incapable? Has he not accused me of getting +money from you under false pretences,--than do which, I'd sooner have +seen my own brains blown out? I would, indeed." + +"He has written to me about the money, Mr Rubb." + +"Yes; he came to me, and behaved shamefully to me; and he saw +your brother, too, and has been making all manner of ignominious +inquiries. Those lawyers can never understand that there can be +anything of friendly feeling about money. They can't put friendly +feelings into their unconscionable bills. I believe the world would +go on better if there was no such thing as an attorney in it. I +wonder who invented them, and why?" + +Miss Mackenzie could give him no information on this point, and +therefore he went on: + +"But you must tell me what he has said, and what it is he wants us to +do. For your sake, if you ask us, Miss Mackenzie, we'll do anything. +We'll sell the coats off our backs, if you wish it. You shall never +lose one shilling by Rubb and Mackenzie as long as I have anything to +do with the firm. But I'm sure you will excuse me if I say that we +can do nothing at the bidding of that old cormorant." + +"I don't know that there's anything to be done, Mr Rubb." + +"Is not there? Well, it's very generous in you to say so; and you +always are generous. I've always told your brother, since I had the +honour of knowing you, that he had a sister to be proud of. And, Miss +Mackenzie, I'll say more than that; I've flattered myself that I've +had a friend to be proud of. But now I must tell you why I've come +down to-day; you know I was to have been here next week. Well, when +Mr Slow came to me and I found what was up, I said to myself at once +that it was right you should know exactly--exactly--how the matter +stands. I was going to explain it next week, but I wouldn't leave you +in suspense when I knew that that lawyer was going to trouble you." + +"It hasn't troubled me, Mr Rubb." + +"Hasn't it though, really? That's so good of you again! Now the +truth is--but it's pretty nearly just what I told you that day after +dinner, when you agreed, you know, to what we had done." + +Here he paused, as though expecting an answer. + +"Yes, I did agree." + +"Just at present, while certain other parties have a right to hold +the title-deeds, and I can't quite say how long that may be, we +cannot execute a mortgage in your favour. The title-deeds represent +the property. Perhaps you don't know that." + +"Oh yes, I know as much as that." + +"Well then, as we haven't the title-deeds, we can't execute the +mortgage. Perhaps you'll say you ought to have the title-deeds." + +"No, Mr Rubb, I don't want to say anything of the kind. If my money +can be of any assistance to my brother--to my brother and you--you +are welcome to the use of it, without any mortgage. I will show you a +copy of the letter I sent to Mr Slow." + +"Thanks; a thousand thanks! and may I see the letter which Mr Slow +wrote?" + +"No, I think not. I don't know whether it would be right to show it +to you." + +"I shouldn't think of doing anything about it; that is, resenting it, +you know. Only then we should all be on the square together." + +"I think I'd better not. Mr Slow, when he wrote it, probably did not +mean that I should show it to you." + +"You're right; you're always right. But you'll let me see your +answer." + +Then Miss Mackenzie went to her desk, and brought him a copy of the +note she had written to the lawyer. He read it very carefully, twice +over; and then she could see, when he refolded the paper, that his +eyes were glittering with satisfaction. + +"Miss Mackenzie, Miss Mackenzie," he said, "I think that you are an +angel!" + +And he did think so. In so much at that moment he was at any rate +sincere. She saw that he was pleased, and she was pleased herself. + +"There need be no further trouble about it," she said; and as she +spoke she rose from her seat. + +And he rose, too, and came close to her. He came close to her, +hesitated for a moment, and then, putting one hand behind her waist, +though barely touching her, he took her hand with his other hand. She +thought that he was going to kiss her lips, and for a moment or two +he thought so too; but either his courage failed him or else his +discretion prevailed. Whether it was the one or the other, must +depend on the way in which she would have taken it. As it was, he +merely raised her hand and kissed that. When she could look into his +face his eyes were full of tears. + +"The truth is," said he, "that you have saved us from ruin;--that's +the real truth. Damn all lying!" + +She started at the oath, but in an instant she had forgiven him +that too. There was a sound of reality about it, which reconciled +her to the indignity; though, had she been true to her faith as a +Stumfoldian, she ought at least to have fainted at the sound. + +"I hardly know what I am saying, Miss Mackenzie, and I beg your +pardon; but the fact is you could sell us up if you pleased. I didn't +mean it when I first got your brother to agree as to asking you for +the loan; I didn't indeed; but things were going wrong with us, and +just at that moment they went more wrong than ever; and then came the +temptation, and we were able to make everything right by giving up +the title-deeds of the premises. That's how it was, and it was I that +did it. It wasn't your brother; and though you may forgive me, he +won't." + +This was all true, but how far the truth should be taken towards +palliating the deed done, I must leave the reader to decide; and the +reader will doubtless perceive that the truth did not appear until +Mr Rubb had ascertained that its appearance would not injure him. I +think, however, that it came from his heart, and that it should count +for something in his favour. The tear which he rubbed from his eye +with his hand counted very much in his favour with Miss Mackenzie; +she had not only forgiven him now, but she almost loved him for +having given her something to forgive. With many women I doubt +whether there be any more effectual way of touching their hearts +than ill-using them and then confessing it. If you wish to get the +sweetest fragrance from the herb at your feet, tread on it and bruise +it. + +She had forgiven him, and taken him absolutely into favour, and he +had kissed her hand, having all but embraced her as he did so; but +on the present occasion he did not get beyond that. He lacked the +audacity to proceed at once from the acknowledgment of his fault to +a declaration of his love; but I hardly think that he would have +injured himself had he done so. He should have struck while the iron +was hot, and it was heated now nearly to melting; but he was abashed +by his own position, and having something real in his heart, having +some remnant of generous feeling left about him, he could not make +such progress as he might have done had he been cool enough to +calculate all his advantages. + +"Don't let it trouble you any more," Miss Mackenzie said, when he had +dropped her hand. + +"But it does trouble me, and it will trouble me." + +"No," she said, with energy, "it shall not; let there be an end of +it. I will write to Tom, and tell him that he is welcome to the +money. Isn't he my brother? You are both welcome to it. If it has +been of service to you, I am very happy that it should be so. And +now, Mr Rubb, if you please, we won't have another word about it." + +"What am I to say?" + +"Not another word." + +It seemed as though he couldn't speak another word, for he went to +the window and stood there silently, looking into the street. As he +did so, there came another visitor to Miss Mackenzie, whose ringing +at the doorbell had not been noticed by them, and Miss Baker was +announced while Mr Rubb was still getting the better of his feelings. +Of course he turned round when he heard the lady's name, and of +course he was introduced by his hostess. Miss Mackenzie was obliged +to make some apology for the gentleman's presence. + +"Mr Rubb was expected next week, but business brought him down to-day +unexpectedly." + +"Quite unexpectedly," said Mr Rubb, making a violent endeavour to +recover his equanimity. + +Miss Baker looked at Mr Rubb, and disliked him at once. It should be +remembered that she was twenty years older than Miss Mackenzie, and +that she regarded the stranger, therefore, with a saner and more +philosophical judgment than her friend could use,--with a judgment on +which the outward comeliness of the man had no undue influence; and +it should be remembered also that Miss Baker, from early age, and by +all the association of her youth, had been taught to know a gentleman +when she saw him. Miss Mackenzie, who was by nature the cleverer +woman of the two, watched her friend's face, and saw by a glance that +she did not like Mr Rubb, and then, within her own bosom, she called +her friend an old maid. + +"We're having uncommonly fine weather for the time of year," said Mr +Rubb. + +"Very fine weather," said Miss Baker. "I've called, my dear, to know +whether you'll go in with me next door and drink tea this evening?" + +"What, with Miss Todd?" asked Miss Mackenzie, who was surprised at +the invitation. + +"Yes, with Miss Todd. It is not one of her regular nights, you know, +and her set won't be there. She has some old friends with her,--a Mr +Wilkinson, a clergyman, and his wife. It seems that her old enemy and +your devoted slave, Mr Maguire, knows Mr Wilkinson, and he's going to +be there." + +"Mr Maguire is no slave of mine, Miss Baker." + +"I thought he was; at any rate his presence will be a guarantee that +Miss Todd will be on her best behaviour, and that you needn't be +afraid." + +"I'm not afraid of anything of that sort." + +"But will you go?" + +"Oh, yes, if you are going." + +"That's right; and I'll call for you as I pass by. I must see her +now, and tell her. Good-morning, Sir;" whereupon Miss Baker bowed +very stiffly to Mr Rubb. + +"Good-morning, Ma'am," said Mr Rubb, bowing very stiffly to Miss +Baker. + +When the lady was gone, Mr Rubb sat himself again down on the sofa, +and there he remained for the next half-hour. He talked about the +business of the firm, saying how it would now certainly be improved; +and he talked about Tom Mackenzie's family, saying what a grand thing +it was for Susanna to be thus taken in hand by her aunt; and he asked +a question or two about Miss Baker, and then a question or two about +Mr Maguire, during which questions he learned that Mr Maguire was not +as yet a married man; and from Mr Maguire he got on to the Stumfolds, +and learned somewhat of the rites and ceremonies of the Stumfoldian +faith. In this way he prolonged his visit till Miss Mackenzie began +to feel that he ought to take his leave. + +Miss Baker had gone at once to Miss Todd, and had told that lady that +Miss Mackenzie would join her tea-party. She had also told how Mr +Rubb, of the firm of Rubb and Mackenzie, was at this moment in Miss +Mackenzie's drawing-room. + +"I'll ask him to come, too," said Miss Todd. Then Miss Baker had +hesitated, and had looked grave. + +"What's the matter?" said Miss Todd. + +"I'm not quite sure you'll like him," said Miss Baker. + +"Probably not," said Miss Todd; "I don't like half the people I meet, +but that's no reason I shouldn't ask him." + +"But he is--that is, he is not exactly--" + +"What is he, and what is he not, exactly?" asked Miss Todd. + +"Why, he is a tradesman, you know," said Miss Baker. + +"There's no harm that I know of in that," said Miss Todd. "My uncle +that left me my money was a tradesman." + +"No," said Miss Baker, energetically; "he was a merchant in +Liverpool." + +"You'll find it very hard to define the difference, my dear," said +Miss Todd. "At any rate I'll ask the man to come;--that is, if it +won't offend you." + +"It won't in the least offend me," said Miss Baker. + +So a note was at once written and sent in to Miss Mackenzie, in which +she was asked to bring Mr Rubb with her on that evening. When the +note reached Miss Mackenzie, Mr Rubb was still with her. + +Of course she communicated to him the invitation. She wished that it +had not been sent; she wished that he would not accept it,--though +on that head she had no doubt; but she had not sufficient presence +of mind to keep the matter to herself and say nothing about it. +Of course he was only too glad to drink tea with Miss Todd. Miss +Mackenzie attempted some slight manoeuvre to induce Mr Rubb to go +direct to Miss Todd's house; but he was not such an ass as that; he +knew his advantage, and kept it, insisting on his privilege of coming +there, to Miss Mackenzie's room, and escorting her. He would have +to escort Miss Baker also; and things, as he thought, were looking +well with him. At last he rose to go, but he made good use of the +privilege of parting. He held Miss Mackenzie's hand, and pressed it. + +"You mustn't be angry," he said, "if I tell you that you are the best +friend I have in the world." + +"You have better friends than me," she said, "and older friends." + +"Yes; older friends; but none,--not one, who has done for me so much +as you have; and certainly none for whom I have so great a regard. +May God bless you, Miss Mackenzie!" + +"May God bless you, too, Mr Rubb!" + +What else could she say? When his civility took so decorous a shape, +she could not bear to be less civil than he had been, or less +decorous. And yet it seemed to her that in bidding God bless him with +that warm pressure of the hand, she had allowed to escape from her an +appearance of affection which she had not intended to exhibit. + +"Thank you; thank you," said he; and then at last he went. + +She seated herself slowly in her own chair near the window,--the +chair in which she was accustomed to sit for many solitary hours, and +asked herself what it all meant. Was she allowing herself to fall in +love with Mr Rubb, and if so, was it well that it should be so? This +would be bringing to the sternest proof of reality her philosophical +theory on social life. It was all very well for her to hold a bold +opinion in discussions with Miss Baker as to a "man being a man +for a' that," even though he might not be a gentleman; but was she +prepared to go the length of preferring such a man to all the world? +Was she ready to go down among the Rubbs, for now and ever, and give +up the society of such women as Miss Baker? She knew that it was +necessary that she should come to some resolve on the matter, as +Mr Rubb's purpose was becoming too clear to her. When an unmarried +gentleman of forty tells an unmarried lady of thirty-six that she is +the dearest friend he has in the world, he must surely intend that +they shall, neither of them, remain unmarried any longer. Then +she thought also of her cousin, John Ball; and some vague shadow +of thought passed across her mind also in respect of the Rev. Mr +Maguire. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +Miss Todd Entertains Some Friends at Tea + + +I believe that a desire to get married is the natural state of a +woman at the age of--say from twenty-five to thirty-five, and I think +also that it is good for the world in general that it should be so. I +am now speaking, not of the female population at large, but of women +whose position in the world does not subject them to the necessity of +earning their bread by the labour of their hands. There is, I know, +a feeling abroad among women that this desire is one of which it +is expedient that they should become ashamed; that it will be well +for them to alter their natures in this respect, and learn to take +delight in the single state. Many of the most worthy women of the day +are now teaching this doctrine, and are intent on showing by precept +and practice that an unmarried woman may have as sure a hold on the +world, and a position within it as ascertained, as may an unmarried +man. But I confess to an opinion that human nature will be found to +be too strong for them. Their school of philosophy may be graced +by a few zealous students,--by students who will be subject to the +personal influence of their great masters,--but it will not be +successful in the outer world. The truth in the matter is too clear. +A woman's life is not perfect or whole till she has added herself to +a husband. + +Nor is a man's life perfect or whole till he has added to himself a +wife; but the deficiency with the man, though perhaps more injurious +to him than its counterpart is to the woman, does not, to the outer +eye, so manifestly unfit him for his business in the world. Nor +does the deficiency make itself known to him so early in life, and +therefore it occasions less of regret,--less of regret, though +probably more of misery. It is infinitely for his advantage that he +should be tempted to take to himself a wife; and, therefore, for +his sake if not for her own, the philosophic preacher of single +blessedness should break up her class-rooms, and bid her pupils go +and do as their mothers did before them. + +They may as well give up their ineffectual efforts, and know that +nature is too strong for them. The desire is there; and any desire +which has to be repressed with an effort, will not have itself +repressed unless it be in itself wrong. But this desire, though by no +means wrong, is generally accompanied by something of a feeling of +shame. It is not often acknowledged by the woman to herself, and very +rarely acknowledged in simple plainness to another. Miss Mackenzie +could not by any means bring herself to own it, and yet it was there +strong within her bosom. A man situated in outer matters as she was +situated, possessed of good means, hampered by no outer demands, +would have declared to himself clearly that it would be well for him +to marry. But he would probably be content to wait a while and would, +unless in love, feel the delay to be a luxury. But Miss Mackenzie +could not confess as much, even to herself,--could not let herself +know that she thought as much; but yet she desired to be married, and +dreaded delay. She desired to be married, although she was troubled +by some half-formed idea that it would be wicked. Who was she, +that she should be allowed to be in love? Was she not an old +maid by prescription, and, as it were, by the force of ordained +circumstances? Had it not been made very clear to her when she +was young that she had no right to fall in love, even with Harry +Handcock? And although in certain moments of ecstasy, as when she +kissed herself in the glass, she almost taught herself to think that +feminine charms and feminine privileges had not been all denied to +her, such was not her permanent opinion of herself. She despised +herself. Why, she knew not; and probably did not know that she did +so. But, in truth, she despised herself, thinking herself to be too +mean for a man's love. + +She had been asked to marry him by her cousin Mr Ball, and she had +almost yielded. But had she married him it would not have been +because she thought herself good enough to be loved by him, but +because she held herself to be so insignificant that she had no right +to ask for love. She would have taken him because she could have been +of use, and because she would have felt that she had no right to +demand any other purpose in the world. She would have done this, had +she not been deterred by the rude offer of other advantages which had +with so much ill judgment been made to her by her aunt. + +Now, here was a lover who was not old and careworn, who was +personally agreeable to her, with whom something of the customary +romance of the world might be possible. Should she take him? She knew +well that there were drawbacks. Her perceptions had not missed to +notice the man's imperfections, his vulgarities, his false promises, +his little pushing ways. But why was she to expect him to be perfect, +seeing, as she so plainly did, her own imperfections? As for her +money, of course he wanted her money. So had Mr Ball wanted her +money. What man on earth could have wished to marry her unless she +had had money? It was thus that she thought of herself. And he had +robbed her! But that she had forgiven; and, having forgiven it, was +too generous to count it for anything. But, nevertheless, she was +ambitious. Might there not be a better, even than Mr Rubb? + +Mr Maguire squinted horribly; so horribly that the form and face of +the man hardly left any memory of themselves except the memory of +the squint. His dark hair, his one perfect eye, his good figure, +his expressive mouth, were all lost in that dreadful perversion of +vision. It was a misfortune so great as to justify him in demanding +that he should be judged by different laws than those which are used +as to the conduct of the world at large. In getting a wife he might +surely use his tongue with more freedom than another man, seeing that +his eye was so much against him. If he were somewhat romantic in his +talk, or even more than romantic, who could find fault with him? +And if he used his clerical vocation to cover the terrors of that +distorted pupil, can any woman say that he should be therefore +condemned? Miss Mackenzie could not forget his eye, but she thought +that she had almost brought herself to forgive it. And, moreover, +he was a gentleman, not only by Act of Parliament, but in outward +manners. Were she to become Mrs Maguire, Miss Baker would certainly +come to her house, and it might be given to her to rival Mrs +Stumfold--in running which race she would be weighted by no Mr +Peters. + +It is true that Mr Maguire had never asked her to marry him, but she +believed that he would ask her if she gave him any encouragement. Now +it was to come to pass, by a wonderful arrangement of circumstances, +that she was to meet these two gentlemen together. It might well be, +that on this very occasion, she must choose whether it should be +either or neither. + +Mr Rubb came, and she looked anxiously at his dress. He had on bright +yellow kid gloves, primrose he would have called them, but, if there +be such things as yellow gloves, they were yellow; and she wished +that she had the courage to ask him to take them off. This was beyond +her, and there he sat, with his gloves almost as conspicuous as Mr +Maguire's eye. Should she, however, ever become Mrs Rubb, she would +not find the gloves to be there permanently; whereas the eye would +remain. But then the gloves were the fault of the one man, whereas +the eye was simply the misfortune of the other. And Mr Rubb's hair +was very full of perfumed grease, and sat on each side of his head +in a conscious arrangement of waviness that was detestable. As she +looked at Mr Rubb in all the brightness of his evening costume, she +began to think that she had better not. At last Miss Baker came, and +they started off together. Miss Mackenzie saw that Miss Baker eyed +the man, and she blushed. When they got down upon the doorstep, +Samuel Rubb, junior, absolutely offered an arm simultaneously to each +lady! At that moment Miss Mackenzie hated him in spite of her special +theory. + +"Thank you," said Miss Baker, declining the arm; "it is only a step." + +Miss Mackenzie declined it also. + +"Oh, of course," said Mr Rubb. "If it's only next door it does not +signify." + +Miss Todd welcomed them cordially, gloves and all. "My dear," she +said to Miss Baker, "I haven't seen you for twenty years. Miss +Mackenzie, this is very kind of you. I hope we sha'n't do you any +harm, as we are not going to be wicked to-night." + +Miss Mackenzie did not dare to say that she would have preferred to +be wicked, but that is what she would have said if she had dared. + +"Mr Rubb, I'm very happy to see you," continued Miss Todd, accepting +her guest's hand, glove and all. "I hope they haven't made you +believe that you are going to have any dancing, for, if so, they +have hoaxed you shamefully." Then she introduced them to Mr and Mrs +Wilkinson. + +Mr Wilkinson was a plain-looking clergyman, with a very pretty wife. +"Adela," Miss Todd said to Mrs Wilkinson, "you used to dance, but +that's all done with now, I suppose." + +"I never danced much," said the clergyman's wife, "but have certainly +given it up now, partly because I have no one to dance with." + +"Here's Mr Rubb quite ready. He'll dance with you, I'll be bound, if +that's all." + +Mr Rubb became very red, and Miss Mackenzie, when she next took +courage to look at him, saw that the gloves had disappeared. + +There came also a Mr and Mrs Fuzzybell, and immediately afterwards Mr +Maguire, whereupon Miss Todd declared her party to be complete. + +"Mrs Fuzzybell, my dear, no cards!" said Miss Todd, quite out loud, +with a tragic-comic expression in her face that was irresistible. "Mr +Fuzzybell, no cards!" Mrs Fuzzybell said that she was delighted to +hear it. Mr Fuzzybell said that it did not signify. Miss Baker stole +a glance at Mr Maguire, and shook in her shoes. Mr Maguire tried to +look as though he had not heard it. + +"Do you play cards much here?" asked Mr Rubb. + +"A great deal too much, Sir," said Miss Todd, shaking her head. + +"Have you many Dissenters in your parish, Mr Wilkinson?" asked Mr +Maguire. + +"A good many," said Mr Wilkinson. + +"But no Papists?" suggested Mr Maguire. + +"No, we have no Roman Catholics." + +"That is such a blessing!" said Mr Maguire, turning his eyes up to +Heaven in a very frightful manner. But he had succeeded for the +present in putting down Miss Todd and her cards. + +They were now summoned round the tea-table,--a genuine tea-table at +which it was expected that they should eat and drink. Miss Mackenzie +was seated next to Mr Maguire on one side of the table, while Mr Rubb +sat on the other between Miss Todd and Miss Baker. While they were +yet taking their seats, and before the operations of the banquet had +commenced, Susanna entered the room. She also had been specially +invited, but she had not returned from school in time to accompany +her aunt. The young lady had to walk round the room to shake hands +with everybody, and when she came to Mr Rubb, was received with much +affectionate urgency. He turned round in his chair and was loud in +his praises. "Miss Mackenzie," said he, speaking across the table, +"I shall have to report in Gower Street that Miss Susanna has become +quite the lady." From that moment Mr Rubb had an enemy close to the +object of his affections, who was always fighting a battle against +him. + +Susanna had hardly gained her seat, before Mr Maguire seized an +opportunity which he saw might soon be gone, and sprang to his legs. +"Miss Todd," said he, "may I be permitted to ask a blessing?" + +"Oh, certainly," said Miss Todd; "but I thought one only did that at +dinner." + +Mr Maguire, however, was not the man to sit down without improving +the occasion. + +"And why not for tea also?" said he. "Are they not gifts alike?" + +"Very much alike," said Miss Todd, "and so is a cake at a +pastry-cook's. But we don't say grace over our buns." + +"We do, in silence," said Mr Maguire, still standing; "and therefore +we ought to have it out loud here." + +"I don't see the argument; but you're very welcome." + +"Thank you," said Mr Maguire; and then he said his grace. He said it +with much poetic emphasis, and Miss Mackenzie, who liked any little +additional excitement, thought that Miss Todd had been wrong. + +"You've a deal of society here, no doubt," said Mr Rubb to Miss +Baker, while Miss Todd was dispensing her tea. + +"I suppose it's much the same as other places," said Miss Baker. +"Those who know many people can go out constantly if they like it." + +"And it's so easy to get to know people," said Mr Rubb. "That's what +makes me like these sort of places so much. There's no stiffness +and formality, and all that kind of thing. Now in London, you don't +know your next neighbour, though you and he have lived there for ten +years." + +"Nor here either, unless chance brings you together." + +"Ah; but there is none of that horrid decorum here," said Mr Rubb. +"There's nothing I hate like decorum. It prevents people knowing each +other, and being jolly and happy together. Now, the French know more +about society than any people, and I'm told they have none of it." + +"I'm sure I can't say," said Miss Baker. + +"It's given up to them that they've got rid of it altogether," said +Mr Rubb. + +"Who have got rid of what?" asked Miss Todd, who saw that her friend +was rather dismayed by the tenor of Mr Rubb's conversation. + +"The French have got rid of decorum," said Mr Rubb. + +"Altogether, I believe," said Miss Todd. + +"Of course they have. It's given up to them that they have. They're +the people that know how to live!" + +"You'd better go and live among them, if that's your way of +thinking," said Miss Todd. + +"I would at once, only for the business," said Mr Rubb. "If there's +anything I hate, it's decorum. How pleasant it was for me to be asked +in to take tea here in this social way!" + +"But I hope decorum would not have forbidden that," said Miss Todd. + +"I rather think it would though, in London." + +"Where you're known, you mean?" asked Miss Todd. + +"I don't know that that makes any difference; but people don't do +that sort of thing. Do they, Miss Mackenzie? You've lived in London +most of your life, and you ought to know." + +Miss Mackenzie did not answer the appeal that was made to her. She +was watching Mr Rubb narrowly, and knew that he was making a fool of +himself. She could perceive also that Miss Todd would not spare him. +She could forgive Mr Rubb for being a fool. She could forgive him +for not knowing the meaning of words, for being vulgar and assuming; +but she could hardly bring herself to forgive him in that he did so +as her friend, and as the guest whom she had brought thither. She +did not declare to herself that she would have nothing more to do +with him, because he was an ass; but she almost did come to this +conclusion, lest he should make her appear to be an ass also. + +"What is the gentleman's name?" asked Mr Maguire, who, under the +protection of the urn, was able to whisper into Miss Mackenzie's ear. + +"Rubb," said she. + +"Oh, Rubb; and he comes from London?" + +"He is my brother's partner in business," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Oh, indeed. A very worthy man, no doubt. Is he staying with--with +you, Miss Mackenzie?" + +Then Miss Mackenzie had to explain that Mr Rubb was not staying with +her,--that he had come down about business, and that he was staying +at some inn. + +"An excellent man of business; I'm sure," said Mr Maguire. +"By-the-bye, Miss Mackenzie, if it be not improper to ask, have you +any share in the business?" + +Miss Mackenzie explained that she had no share in the business; and +then blundered on, saying how Mr Rubb had come down to Littlebath +about money transactions between her and her brother. + +"Oh, indeed," said Mr Maguire; and before he had done, he knew very +well that Mr Rubb had borrowed money of Miss Mackenzie. + +"Now, Mrs Fuzzybell, what are we to do?" said Miss Todd, as soon as +the tea-things were gone. + +"We shall do very well," said Mrs Fuzzybell; "we'll have a little +conversation." + +"If we could all banish decorum, like Mr Rubb, and amuse ourselves, +wouldn't it be nice? I quite agree with you, Mr Rubb; decorum is a +great bore; it prevents our playing cards to-night." + +"As for cards, I never play cards myself," said Mr Rubb. + +"Then, when I throw decorum overboard, it sha'n't be in company with +you, Mr Rubb." + +"We were always taught to think that cards were objectionable." + +"You were told they were the devil's books, I suppose," said Miss +Todd. + +"Mother always objected to have them in the house," said Mr Rubb. + +"Your mother was quite right," said Mr Maguire; "and I hope that you +will never forget or neglect your parent's precepts. I'm not meaning +to judge you, Miss Todd--" + +"But that's just what you are meaning to do, Mr Maguire." + +"Not at all; very far from it. We've all got our wickednesses and +imperfections." + +"No, no, not you, Mr Maguire. Mrs Fuzzybell, you don't think that Mr +Maguire has any wickednesses and imperfections?" + +"I'm sure I don't know," said Mrs Fuzzybell, tossing her head. + +"Miss Todd," said Mr Maguire, "when I look into my own heart, I see +well how black it is. It is full of iniquity; it is a grievous sore +that is ever running, and will not be purified." + +"Gracious me, how unpleasant!" said Miss Todd. + +"I trust that there is no one here who has not a sense of her own +wickedness." + +"Or of his," said Miss Todd. + +"Or of his," and Mr Maguire looked very hard at Mr Fuzzybell. Mr +Fuzzybell was a quiet, tame old gentleman, who followed his wife's +heels about wherever she went; but even he, when attacked in this +way, became very fierce, and looked back at Mr Maguire quite as +severely as Mr Maguire looked at him. + +"Or of his," continued Mr Maguire; "and therefore far be it from me +to think hardly of the amusements of other people. But when this +gentleman tells me that his excellent parent warned him against the +fascination of cards, I cannot but ask him to remember those precepts +to his dying bed." + +"I won't say what I may do later in life," said Mr Rubb. + +"When he becomes like you and me, Mrs Fuzzybell," said Miss Todd. + +"When one does get older," said Mr Rubb. + +"And has succeeded in throwing off all decorum," said Miss Todd. + +"How can you say such things?" asked Miss Baker, who was shocked by +the tenor of the conversation. + +"It isn't I, my dear; it's Mr Rubb and Mr Maguire, between them. One +says he has thrown off all decorum and the other declares himself to +be a mass of iniquity. What are two poor old ladies like you and I to +do in such company?" + +Miss Mackenzie, when she heard Mr Maguire declare himself to be a +running sore, was even more angry with him than with Mr Rubb. He, at +any rate, should have known better. After all, was not Mr Ball better +than either of them, though his head was bald and his face worn with +that solemn, sad look of care which always pervaded him? + +In the course of the evening she found herself seated apart from the +general company, with Mr Maguire beside her. The eye that did not +squint was towards her, and he made an effort to be agreeable to her +that was not altogether ineffectual. + +"Does not society sometimes make you very sad?" he said. + +Society had made her sad to-night, and she answered him in the +affirmative. + +"It seems that people are so little desirous to make other people +happy," she replied. + +"It was just that idea that was passing through my own mind. Men and +women are anxious to give you the best they have, but it is in order +that you may admire their wealth or their taste; and they strive to +be witty, amusing, and sarcastic! but that, again, is for the eclat +they are to gain. How few really struggle to make those around them +comfortable!" + +"It comes, I suppose, from people having such different tastes," said +Miss Mackenzie, who, on looking round the room, thought that the +people assembled there were peculiarly ill-assorted. + +"As for happiness," continued Mr Maguire, "that is not to be looked +for from society. They who expect their social hours to be happy +hours will be grievously disappointed." + +"Are you not happy at Mrs Stumfold's?" + +"At Mrs Stumfold's? Yes;--sometimes, that is; but even there I always +seem to want something. Miss Mackenzie, has it never occurred to you +that the one thing necessary in this life, the one thing--beyond a +hope for the next, you know, the one thing is--ah, Miss Mackenzie, +what is it?" + +"Perhaps you mean a competence," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"I mean some one to love," said Mr Maguire. + +As he spoke he looked with all the poetic vigour of his better eye +full into Miss Mackenzie's face, and Miss Mackenzie, who then could +see nothing of the other eye, felt the effect of the glance somewhat +as he intended that she should feel it. When a lady who is thinking +about getting married is asked by a gentleman who is frequently +in her thoughts whether she does not want some one to love, it is +natural that she should presume that he means to be particular; and +it is natural also that she should be in some sort gratified by that +particularity. Miss Mackenzie was, I think, gratified, but she did +not express any such feeling. + +"Is not that your idea also?" said he,--"some one to love; is not +that the great desideratum here below!" And the tone in which he +repeated the last words was by no means ineffective. + +"I hope everybody has that," said she. + +"I fear not; not anyone to love with a perfect love. Who does Miss +Todd love?" + +"Miss Baker." + +"Does she? And yet they live apart, and rarely see each other. They +think differently on all subjects. That is not the love of which I am +speaking. And you, Miss Mackenzie, are you sure that you love anyone +with that perfect all-trusting, love?" + +"I love my niece Susanna best," said she. + +"Your niece, Susanna! She is a sweet child, a sweet girl; she has +everything to make those love her who know her; but--" + +"You don't think anything amiss of Susanna, Mr Maguire?" + +"Nothing, nothing; Heaven forbid, dear child! And I think so highly +of you for your generosity in adopting her." + +"I could not do less than take one of them, Mr Maguire." + +"But I meant a different kind of love from that. Do you feel that +your regard for your niece is sufficient to fill your heart?" + +"It makes me very comfortable." + +"Does it? Ah! me; I wish I could make myself comfortable." + +"I should have thought, seeing you so much in Mrs Stumfold's house--" + +"I have the greatest veneration for that woman, Miss Mackenzie! I +have sometimes thought that of all the human beings I have ever met, +she is the most perfect; she is human, and therefore a sinner, but +her sins never meet my eyes." + +Miss Mackenzie, who did not herself regard Mrs Stumfold as being so +much better than her neighbours, could not receive this with much +rapture. + +"But," continued Mr Maguire, "she is as cold--as cold--as cold as +ice." + +As the lady in question was another man's wife, this did not seem +to Miss Mackenzie to be of much consequence to Mr Maguire, but she +allowed him to go on. + +"Stumfold I don't think minds it; he is of that joyous disposition +that all things work to good for him. Even when she's most obdurate +in her sternness to him--" + +"Law! Mr Maguire, I did not think she was ever stern to him." + +"But she is, very hard. Even then I don't think he minds it much. +But, Miss Mackenzie, that kind of companion would not do for me at +all. I think a woman should be soft and soothing, like a dove." + +She did not stop to think whether doves are soothing, but she felt +that the language was pretty. + +Just at this moment she was summoned by Miss Baker, and looking up +she perceived that Mr and Mrs Fuzzybell were already leaving the +room. + +"I don't know why you need disturb Miss Mackenzie," said Miss Todd, +"she has only got to go next door, and she seems very happy just +now." + +"I would sooner go with Miss Baker," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Mr Maguire would see you home," suggested Miss Todd. + +But Miss Mackenzie of course went with Miss Baker, and Mr Rubb +accompanied them. + +"Good-night, Mr Rubb," said Miss Todd; "and don't make very bad +reports of us in London." + +"Oh! no; indeed I won't." + +"For though we do play cards, we still stick to decorum, as you must +have observed to-night." + +At Miss Mackenzie's door there was an almost overpowering amount of +affectionate farewells. Mr Maguire was there as well as Mr Rubb, and +both gentlemen warmly pressed the hand of the lady they were leaving. +Mr Rubb was not quite satisfied with his evening's work, because he +had not been able to get near to Miss Mackenzie; but, nevertheless, +he was greatly gratified by the general manner in which he had been +received, and was much pleased with Littlebath and its inhabitants. +Mr Maguire, as he walked home by himself, assured himself that he +might as well now put the question; he had been thinking about it for +the last two months, and had made up his mind that matrimony would be +good for him. + +Miss Mackenzie, as she went to bed, told herself that she might have +a husband if she pleased; but then, which should it be? Mr Rubb's +manners were very much against him; but of Mr Maguire's eye she had +caught a gleam as he turned from her on the doorsteps, which made her +think of that alliance with dismay. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +Mrs Stumfold Interferes + + +On the morning following Miss Todd's tea-party, Mr Rubb called on +Miss Mackenzie and bade her adieu. He was, he said, going up to +London at once, having received a letter which made his presence +there imperative. Miss Mackenzie could, of course, do no more than +simply say good-bye to him. But when she had said so he did not even +then go at once. He was standing with his hat in hand, and had bade +her farewell; but still he did not go. He had something to say, and +she stood there trembling, half fearing what the nature of that +something might be. + +"I hope I may see you again before long," he said at last. + +"I hope you may," she replied. + +"Of course I shall. After all that's come and gone, I shall think +nothing of running down, if it were only to make a morning call." + +"Pray don't do that, Mr Rubb." + +"I shall, as a matter of course. But in spite of that, Miss +Mackenzie, I can't go away without saying another word about the +money. I can't indeed." + +"There needn't be any more about that, Mr Rubb." + +"But there must be, Miss Mackenzie; there must, indeed; at least, so +much as this. I know I've done wrong about that money." + +"Don't talk about it. If I choose to lend it to my brother and you +without security, there's nothing very uncommon in that." + +"No; there ain't; at least perhaps there ain't. Though as far as I +can see, brothers and sisters out in the world are mostly as hard to +each other where money is concerned as other people. But the thing +is, you didn't mean to lend it without security." + +"I'm quite contented as it is." + +"And I did wrong about it all through; I feel it so that I can't tell +you. I do, indeed. But I'll never rest till that money is paid back +again. I never will." + +Then, having said that, he went away. When early on the preceding +evening he had put on bright yellow gloves, making himself smart +before the eyes of the lady of his love, it must be presumed that +he did so with some hope of success. In that hope he was altogether +betrayed. When he came and confessed his fraud about the money, +it must be supposed that in doing so he felt that he was lowering +himself in the estimation of her whom he desired to win for his wife. +But, had he only known it, he thereby took the most efficacious step +towards winning her esteem. The gloves had been nearly fatal to him; +but those words,--"I feel it so that I can't tell you," redeemed the +evil that the gloves had done. He went away, however, saying nothing +more then, and failing to strike while the iron was hot. + +Some six weeks after this Mrs Stumfold called on Miss Mackenzie, +making a most important visit. But it should be first explained, +before the nature of that visit is described, that Miss Mackenzie had +twice been to Mrs Stumfold's house since the evening of Miss Todd's +party, drinking tea there on both occasions, and had twice met Mr +Maguire. On the former occasion they two had had some conversation, +but it had been of no great moment. He had spoken nothing then of +the pleasures of love, nor had he made any allusion to the dove-like +softness of women. On the second meeting he had seemed to keep aloof +from her altogether, and she had begun to tell herself that that +dream was over, and to scold herself for having dreamed at all--when +he came close up behind and whispered a word in her ear. + +"You know," he said, "how much I would wish to be with you, but I +can't now." + +She had been startled, and had turned round, and had found herself +close to his dreadful eye. She had never been so close to it before, +and it frightened her. Then again he came to her just before she +left, and spoke to her in the same mysterious way: + +"I will see you in a day or two," he said, "but never mind now;" and +then he walked away. She had not spoken a word to him, nor did she +speak a word to him that evening. + +Miss Mackenzie had never before seen Mrs Stumfold since her first +visit of ceremony, except in that lady's drawing-room, and was +surprised when she heard the name announced. It was an understood +thing that Mrs Stumfold did not call on the Stumfoldians unless she +had some great and special reason for doing so,--unless some erring +sister required admonishing, or the course of events in the life of +some Stumfoldian might demand special advice. I do not know that any +edict of this kind had actually been pronounced, but Miss Mackenzie, +though she had not yet been twelve months in Littlebath, knew that +this arrangement was generally understood to exist. It was plain +to be seen by the lady's face, as she entered the room, that some +special cause had brought her now. It wore none of those pretty +smiles with which morning callers greet their friends before they +begin their first gentle attempts at miscellaneous conversation. +It was true that she gave her hand to Miss Mackenzie, but she did +even this with austerity; and when she seated herself,--not on +the sofa as she was invited to do, but on one of the square, hard, +straight-backed chairs,--Miss Mackenzie knew well that pleasantness +was not to be the order of the morning. + +"My dear Miss Mackenzie," said Mrs Stumfold, "I hope you will pardon +me if I express much tender solicitude for your welfare." + +Miss Mackenzie was so astonished at this mode of address, and at the +tone in which it was uttered, that she made no reply to it. The words +themselves had in them an intention of kindness, but the voice and +look of the lady were, if kind, at any rate not tender. + +"You came among us," continued Mrs Stumfold, "and became one of us, +and we have been glad to welcome you." + +"I'm sure I've been much obliged." + +"We are always glad to welcome those who come among us in a proper +spirit. Society with me, Miss Mackenzie, is never looked upon as an +end in itself. It is only a means to an end. No woman regards society +more favourably than I do. I think it offers to us one of the most +efficacious means of spreading true gospel teaching. With these views +I have always thought it right to open my house in a spirit, as I +hope, of humble hospitality;--and Mr Stumfold is of the same opinion. +Holding these views, we have been delighted to see you among us, and, +as I have said already, to welcome you as one of us." + +There was something in this so awful that Miss Mackenzie hardly knew +how to speak, or let it pass without speaking. Having a spirit of +her own she did not like being told that she had been, as it were, +sat upon and judged, and then admitted into Mrs Stumfold's society +as a child may be admitted into a school after an examination. And +yet on the spur of the moment she could not think what words might +be appropriate for her answer. She sat silent, therefore, and Mrs +Stumfold again went on. + +"I trust that you will acknowledge that we have shown our good will +towards you, our desire to cultivate a Christian friendship with you, +and that you will therefore excuse me if I ask you a question which +might otherwise have the appearance of interference. Miss Mackenzie, +is there anything between you and my husband's curate, Mr Maguire?" + +Miss Mackenzie's face became suddenly as red as fire, but for a +moment or two she made no answer. I do not know whether I may as +yet have succeeded in making the reader understand the strength as +well as the weakness of my heroine's character; but Mrs Stumfold +had certainly not succeeded in perceiving it. She was accustomed, +probably, to weak, obedient women,--to women who had taught +themselves to believe that submission to Stumfoldian authority +was a sign of advanced Christianity; and in the mild-looking, +quiet-mannered lady who had lately come among them, she certainly did +not expect to encounter a rebel. But on such matters as that to which +the female hierarch of Littlebath was now alluding, Miss Mackenzie +was not by nature adapted to be submissive. + +"Is there anything between you and Mr Maguire?" said Mrs Stumfold +again. "I particularly wish to have a plain answer to that question." + +Miss Mackenzie, as I have said, became very red in the face. When it +was repeated, she found herself obliged to speak. "Mrs Stumfold, I do +not know that you have any right to ask me such a question as that." + +"No right! No right to ask a lady who sits under Mr Stumfold whether +or not she is engaged to Mr Stumfold's own curate! Think again of +what you are saying, Miss Mackenzie!" And there was in Mrs Stumfold's +voice as she spoke an expression of offended majesty, and in her +countenance a look of awful authority, sufficient no doubt to bring +most Stumfoldian ladies to their bearings. + +"You said nothing about being engaged to him." + +"Oh, Miss Mackenzie!" + +"You said nothing about being engaged to him, but if you had I should +have made the same answer. You asked me if there was anything between +me and him; and I think it was a very offensive question." + +"Offensive! I am afraid, Miss Mackenzie, you have not your spirit +subject to a proper control. I have come here in all kindness to warn +you against danger, and you tell me that I am offensive! What am I to +think of you?" + +"You have no right to connect my name with any gentleman's. You can't +have any right merely because I go to Mr Stumfold's church. It's +quite preposterous. If I went to Mr Paul's church"--Mr Paul was a +very High Church young clergyman who had wished to have candles in +his church, and of whom it was asserted that he did keep a pair of +candles on an inverted box in a closet inside his bedroom--"if I went +to Mr Paul's church, might his wife, if he had one, come and ask me +all manner of questions like that?" + +Now Mr Paul's name stank in the nostrils of Mrs Stumfold. He was +to her the thing accursed. Had Miss Mackenzie quoted the Pope, or +Cardinal Wiseman or even Dr Newman, it would not have been so bad. +Mrs Stumfold had once met Mr Paul, and called him to his face the +most abject of all the slaves of the scarlet woman. To this courtesy +Mr Paul, being a good-humoured and somewhat sportive young man, +had replied that she was another. Mrs Stumfold had interpreted the +gentleman's meaning wrongly, and had ever since gnashed with her +teeth and fired great guns with her eyes whenever Mr Paul was named +within her hearing. "Ribald ruffian," she had once said of him; "but +that he thinks his priestly rags protect him, he would not have dared +to insult me." It was said that she had complained to Stumfold; but +Mr Stumfold's sacerdotal clothing, whether ragged or whole, prevented +him also from interfering, and nothing further of a personal nature +had occurred between the opponents. + +But Miss Mackenzie, who certainly was a Stumfoldian by her own +choice, should not have used the name. She probably did not know +the whole truth as to that passage of arms between Mr Paul and Mrs +Stumfold, but she did know that no name in Littlebath was so odious +to the lady as that of the rival clergyman. + +"Very well, Miss Mackenzie," said she, speaking loudly in her wrath; +"then let me tell you that you will come by your ruin,--yes, by your +ruin. You poor unfortunate woman, you are unfit to guide your own +steps, and will not take counsel from those who are able to put you +in the right way!" + +"How shall I be ruined?" said Miss Mackenzie, jumping up from her +seat. + +"How? Yes. Now you want to know. After having insulted me in return +for my kindness in coming to you, you ask me questions. If I tell you +how, no doubt you will insult me again." + +"I haven't insulted you, Mrs Stumfold. And if you don't like to tell +me, you needn't. I'm sure I did not want you to come to me and talk +in this way." + +"Want me! Who ever does want to be reproved for their own folly? I +suppose what you want is to go on and marry that man, who may have +two or three other wives for what you know, and put yourself and your +money into the hands of a person whom you never saw in your life +above a few months ago, and of whose former life you literally know +nothing. Tell the truth, Miss Mackenzie, isn't that what you desire +to do?" + +"I find him acting as Mr Stumfold's curate." + +"Yes; and when I come to warn you, you insult me. He is Mr Stumfold's +curate, and in many respects he is well fitted for his office." + +"But has he two or three wives already, Mrs Stumfold?" + +"I never said that he had." + +"I thought you hinted it." + +"I never hinted it, Miss Mackenzie. If you would only be a little +more careful in the things which you allow yourself to say, it would +be better for yourself; and better for me too, while I am with you." + +"I declare you said something about two or three wives; and if there +is anything of that kind true of a gentleman and a clergyman, I don't +think he ought to be allowed to go about as a single gentleman. I +mean as a curate. Mr Maguire is nothing to me,--nothing whatever; and +I don't see why I should have been mixed up with him; but if there is +anything of that sort--" + +"But there isn't." + +"Then, Mrs Stumfold, I don't think you ought to have mentioned two +or three wives. I don't, indeed. It is such a horrid idea,--quite +horrid! And I suppose, after all, the poor man has not got one?" + +"If you had allowed me, I should have told you all, Miss Mackenzie. +Mr Maguire is not married, and never has been married, as far as I +know." + +"Then I do think what you said of him was very cruel." + +"I said nothing; as you would have known, only you are so hot. Miss +Mackenzie, you quite astonish me; you do, indeed. I had expected to +find you temperate and calm; instead of that, you are so impetuous, +that you will not listen to a word. When it first came to my ears +that there might be something between you and Mr Maguire--" + +"I will not be told about something. What does something mean, Mrs +Stumfold?" + +"When I was told of this," continued Mrs Stumfold, determined that +she would not be stopped any longer by Miss Mackenzie's energy; "when +I was told of this, and, indeed, I may say saw it--" + +"You never saw anything, Mrs Stumfold." + +"I immediately perceived that it was my duty to come to you; to come +to you and tell you that another lady has a prior claim upon Mr +Maguire's hand and heart." + +"Oh, indeed." + +"Another young lady,"--with an emphasis on the word young,--"whom he +first met at my house, who was introduced to him by me,--a young lady +not above thirty years of age, and quite suitable in every way to be +Mr Maguire's wife. She may not have quite so much money as you; but +she has a fair provision, and money is not everything; a lady in +every way suitable--" + +"But is this suitable young lady, who is only thirty years of age, +engaged to him?" + +"I presume, Miss Mackenzie, that in speaking to you, I am speaking to +a lady who would not wish to interfere with another lady who has been +before her. I do hope that you cannot be indifferent to the ordinary +feelings of a female Christian on that subject. What would you think +if you were interfered with, though, perhaps, as you had not your +fortune in early life, you may never have known what that was." + +This was too much even for Miss Mackenzie. + +"Mrs Stumfold," she said, again rising from her seat, "I won't talk +about this any more with you. Mr Maguire is nothing to me; and, as +far as I can see, if he was, that would be nothing to you." + +"But it would,--a great deal." + +"No, it wouldn't. You may say what you like to him, though, for the +matter of that, I think it a very indelicate thing for a lady to go +about raising such questions at all. But perhaps you have known him a +long time, and I have nothing to do with what you and he choose to +talk about. If he is behaving bad to any friend of yours, go and tell +him so. As for me, I won't hear anything more about it." + +As Miss Mackenzie continued to stand, Mrs Stumfold was forced to +stand also, and soon afterwards found herself compelled to go away. +She had, indeed, said all that she had come to say, and though she +would willingly have repeated it again had Miss Mackenzie been +submissive, she did not find herself encouraged to do so by the +rebellious nature of the lady she was visiting. + +"I have meant well, Miss Mackenzie," she said as she took her +leave, "and I hope that I shall see you just the same as ever on my +Thursdays." + +To this Miss Mackenzie made answer only by a curtsey, and then Mrs +Stumfold went her way. + +Miss Mackenzie, as soon as she was left to herself, began to cry. +If Mrs Stumfold could have seen her, how it would have soothed and +rejoiced that lady's ruffled spirit! Miss Mackenzie would sooner have +died than have wept in Mrs Stumfold's presence, but no sooner was the +front door closed than she began. To have been attacked at all in +that way would have been too much for her, but to have been called +old and unsuitable--for that was, in truth, the case; to hear herself +accused of being courted solely for her money, and that when in truth +she had not been courted at all; to have been informed that a lover +for her must have been impossible in those days when she had no +money! was not all this enough to make her cry? And then, was it the +truth that Mr Maguire ought to marry some one else? If so, she was +the last woman in Littlebath to interfere between him and that other +one. But how was she to know that this was not some villainy on the +part of Mrs Stumfold? She felt sure, after what she had now seen and +heard, that nothing in that way would be too bad for Mrs Stumfold to +say or do. She never would go to Mrs Stumfold's house again; that +was a matter of course; but what should she do about Mr Maguire? Mr +Maguire might never speak to her in the way of affection,--probably +never would do so; that she could bear; but how was she to bear the +fact that every Stumfoldian in Littlebath would know all about it? +On one thing she finally resolved, that if ever Mr Maguire spoke to +her on the subject, she would tell him everything that had occurred. +After that she cried herself to sleep. + +On that afternoon she felt herself to be very desolate and much in +want of a friend. When Susanna came back from school in the evening +she was almost more desolate than before. She could say nothing of +her troubles to one so young, nor yet could she shake off the thought +of them. She had been bold enough while Mrs Stumfold had been with +her, but now that she was alone, or almost worse than alone, having +Susanna with her,--now that the reaction had come, she began to tell +herself that a continuation of this solitary life would be impossible +to her. How was she to live if she was to be trampled upon in this +way? Was it not almost necessary that she should leave Littlebath? +And yet if she were to leave Littlebath, whither should she go, and +how should she muster courage to begin everything over again? If only +it had been given her to have one friend,--one female friend to whom +she could have told everything! She thought of Miss Baker, but Miss +Baker was a staunch Stumfoldian; and what did she know of Miss Baker +that gave her any right to trouble Miss Baker on such a subject? She +would almost rather have gone to Miss Todd, if she had dared. + +She laid awake crying half the night. Nothing of the kind had +ever occurred to her before. No one had ever accused her of any +impropriety; no one had ever thrown it in her teeth that she was +longing after fruit that ought to be forbidden to her. In her former +obscurity and dependence she had been safe. Now that she had begun +to look about her and hope for joy in the world, she had fallen into +this terrible misfortune! Would it not have been better for her to +have married her cousin John Ball, and thus have had a clear course +of duty marked out for her? Would it not have been better for her +even to have married Harry Handcock than to have come to this misery? +What good would her money do her, if the world was to treat her in +this way? + +And then, was it true? Was it the fact that Mr Maguire was +ill-treating some other woman in order that he might get her money? +In all her misery she remembered that Mrs Stumfold would not commit +herself to any such direct assertion, and she remembered also +that Mrs Stumfold had especially insisted on her own part of the +grievance,--on the fact that the suitable young lady had been met by +Mr Maguire in her drawing-room. As to Mr Maguire himself, she could +reconcile herself to the loss of him. Indeed she had never yet +reconciled herself to the idea of taking him. But she could not +endure to think that Mrs Stumfold's interference should prevail, or, +worse still, that other people should have supposed it to prevail. + +The next day was Thursday,--one of Mrs Stumfold's Thursdays,--and in +the course of the morning Miss Baker came to her, supposing that, as +a matter of course, she would go to the meeting. + +"Not to-night, Miss Baker," said she. + +"Not going! and why not?" + +"I'd rather not go out to-night." + +"Dear me, how odd. I thought you always went to Mrs Stumfold's. +There's nothing wrong, I hope?" + +Then Miss Mackenzie could not restrain herself, and told Miss Baker +everything. And she told her story, not with whines and lamentations, +as she had thought of it herself while lying awake during the past +night, but with spirited indignation. "What right had she to come to +me and accuse me?" + +"I suppose she meant it for the best," said Miss Baker. + +"No, Miss Baker, she meant it for the worst. I am sorry to speak +so of your friend, but I must speak as I find her. She intended to +insult me. Why did she tell me of my age and my money? Have I made +myself out to be young? or misbehaved myself with the means which +Providence has given me? And as to the gentleman, have I ever +conducted myself so as to merit reproach? I don't know that I was +ever ten minutes in his company that you were not there also." + +"It was the last accusation I should have brought against you," +whimpered Miss Baker. + +"Then why has she treated me in this way? What right have I given her +to be my advisor, because I go to her husband's church? Mr Maguire +is my friend, and it might have come to that, that he should be my +husband. Is there any sin in that, that I should be rebuked?" + +"It was for the other lady's sake, perhaps." + +"Then let her go to the other lady, or to him. She has forgotten +herself in coming to me, and she shall know that I think so." + +Miss Baker, when she left the Paragon, felt for Miss Mackenzie more +of respect and more of esteem also than she had ever felt before. But +Miss Mackenzie, when she was left alone, went upstairs, threw herself +on her bed, and was again dissolved in tears. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +Mr Maguire's Courtship + + +After the scene between Miss Mackenzie and Miss Baker more than +a week passed by before Miss Mackenzie saw any of her Littlebath +friends; or, as she called them with much sadness when speaking of +them to herself, her Littlebath acquaintances. Friends, or friend, +she had none. It was a slow, heavy week with her, and it is hardly +too much to say that every hour in it was spent in thinking of the +attack which Mrs Stumfold had made upon her. When the first Sunday +came, she went to church, and saw there Miss Baker, and Mrs Stumfold, +and Mr Stumfold and Mr Maguire. She saw, indeed, many Stumfoldians, +but it seemed that their eyes looked at her harshly, and she was +quite sure that the coachmaker's wife treated her with marked +incivility as they left the porch together. Miss Baker had frequently +waited for her on Sunday mornings, and walked the length of two +streets with her; but she encountered no Miss Baker near the church +gate on this morning, and she was sure that Mrs Stumfold had +prevailed against her. If it was to be thus with her, had she not +better leave Littlebath as soon as possible? In the same solitude she +lived the whole of the next week; with the same feelings did she go +to church on the next Sunday; and then again was she maltreated by +the upturned nose and half-averted eyes of the coachmaker's wife. + +Life such as this would be impossible to her. Let any of my readers +think of it, and then tell themselves whether it could be possible. +Mariana's solitude in the moated grange was as nothing to hers. In +granges, and such like rural retreats, people expect solitude; but +Miss Mackenzie had gone to Littlebath to find companionship. Had she +been utterly disappointed, and found none, that would have been bad; +but she had found it and then lost it. Mariana, in her desolateness, +was still waiting for the coming of some one; and so was Miss +Mackenzie waiting, though she hardly knew for whom. For me, if I am +to live in a moated grange, let it be in the country. Moated granges +in the midst of populous towns are very terrible. + +But on the Monday morning,--the morning of the second Monday after +the Stumfoldian attack,--Mr Maguire came, and Mariana's weariness +was, for the time, at an end. Susanna had hardly gone, and the +breakfast things were still on the table, when the maid brought her +up word that Mr Maguire was below, and would see her if she would +allow him to come up. She had heard no ring at the bell, and having +settled herself with a novel in the arm-chair, had almost ceased +for the moment to think of Mr Maguire or of Mrs Stumfold. There was +something so sudden in the request now made to her, that it took away +her breath. + +"Mr Maguire, Miss, the clergyman from Mr Stumfold's church," said the +girl again. + +It was necessary that she should give an answer, though she was ever +so breathless. + +"Ask Mr Maguire to walk up," she said; and then she began to bethink +herself how she would behave to him. + +He was there, however, before her thoughts were of much service to +her, and she began by apologising for the breakfast things. + +"It is I that ought to beg your pardon for coming so early," said he; +"but my time at present is so occupied that I hardly know how to find +half an hour for myself; and I thought you would excuse me." + +"Oh, certainly," said she; and then sitting down she waited for him +to begin. + +It would have been clear to any observer, had there been one present, +that Mr Maguire had practised his lesson. He could not rid himself +of those unmistakable signs of preparation which every speaker shows +when he has been guilty of them. But this probably did not matter +with Miss Mackenzie, who was too intent on the part she herself had +to play to notice his imperfections. + +"I saw that you observed, Miss Mackenzie," he said, "that I kept +aloof from you on the two last evenings on which I met you at Mrs +Stumfold's." + +"That's a long time ago, Mr Maguire," she answered. "It's nearly a +month since I went to Mrs Stumfold's house." + +"I know that you were not there on the last Thursday. I noticed it. +I could not fail to notice it. Thinking so much of you as I do, of +course I did notice it. Might I ask you why you did not go?" + +"I'd rather not say anything about it," she replied, after a pause. + +"Then there has been some reason? Dear Miss Mackenzie, I can assure +you I do not ask you without a cause." + +"If you please, I will not speak upon that subject. I had much rather +not, indeed, Mr Maguire." + +"And shall I not have the pleasure of seeing you there on next +Thursday?" + +"Certainly not." + +"Then you have quarrelled with her, Miss Mackenzie?" + +He said nothing now of the perfections of that excellent woman, of +whom not long since he had spoken in terms almost too strong for any +simple human virtues. + +"I'd rather not speak of it. It can't do any good. I don't know why +you should ask me whether I intend to go there any more, but as you +have, I have answered you." + +Then Mr Maguire got up from his chair, and walked about the room, +and Miss Mackenzie, watching him closely, could see that he was +much moved. But, nevertheless, I think he had made up his mind to +walk about the room beforehand. After a while he paused, and, still +standing, spoke to her again across the table. + +"May I ask you this question? Has Mrs Stumfold said anything to you +about me?" + +"I'd rather not talk about Mrs Stumfold." + +"But, surely, I may ask that. I don't think you are the woman to +allow anything said behind a person's back to be received to his +detriment." + +"Whatever one does hear about people one always hears behind their +backs." + +"Then she has told you something, and you have believed it?" + +She felt herself to be so driven by him that she did not know how +to protect herself. It seemed to her that these clerical people of +Littlebath had very little regard for the feelings of others in their +modes of following their own pursuits. + +"She has told you something of me, and you have believed her?" +repeated Mr Maguire. "Have I not a right to ask you what she has +said?" + +"You have no right to ask me anything." + +"Have I not, Miss Mackenzie? Surely that is hard. Is it not hard that +I should be stabbed in the dark, and have no means of redressing +myself? I did not expect such an answer from you;--indeed I did not." + +"And is not it hard that I should be troubled in this way? You talk +of stabbing. Who has stabbed you? Is it not your own particular +friend, whom you described to me as the best person in all the world? +If you and she fall out why should I be brought into it? Once for +all, Mr Maguire, I won't be brought into it." + +Now he sat down and again paused before he went on with his talk. + +"Miss Mackenzie," he said, when he did speak. "I had not intended to +be so abrupt as I fear you will think me in that which I am about to +say; but I believe you will like plain measures best." + +"Certainly I shall, Mr Maguire." + +"They are the best, always. If, then, I am plain with you, will you +be plain with me also? I think you must guess what it is I have to +say to you." + +"I hate guessing anything, Mr Maguire." + +"Very well; then I will be plain. We have now known each other for +nearly a year, Miss Mackenzie." + +"A year, is it? No, not a year. This is the beginning of June, and +I did not come here till the end of last August. It's about nine +months, Mr Maguire." + +"Very well; nine months. Nine months may be as nothing in an +acquaintance, or it may lead to the closest friendship." + +"I don't know that we have met so very often. You have the parish to +attend to, Mr Maguire." + +"Of course I have--or rather I had, for I have left Mr Stumfold." + +"Left Mr Stumfold! Why, I heard you preach yesterday." + +"I did preach yesterday, and shall till he has got another assistant. +But he and I are parted as regards all friendly connection." + +"But isn't that a pity?" + +"Miss Mackenzie, I don't mind telling you that I have found it +impossible to put up with the impertinence of that woman"--and +now, as he spoke, there came a distorted fire out of his imperfect +eye--"impossible! If you knew what I have gone through in attempting +it! But that's over. I have the greatest respect for him in the +world; a very thorough esteem. He is a hard-working man, and though +I do not always approve the style of his wit,--of which, by-the-bye, +he thinks too much himself,--still I acknowledge him to be a good +spiritual pastor. But he has been unfortunate in his marriage. No +doubt he has got money, but money is not everything." + +"Indeed, it is not, Mr Maguire." + +"How he can live in the same house with that Mr Peters, I can +never understand. The quarrels between him and his daughter are so +incessant that poor Mr Stumfold is unable to conceal them from the +public." + +"But you have spoken so highly of her." + +"I have endeavoured, Miss Mackenzie--I have endeavoured to think well +of her. I have striven to believe that it was all gold that I saw. +But let that pass. I was forced to tell you that I am going to leave +Mr Stumfold's church, or I should not now have spoken about her or +him. And now comes the question, Miss Mackenzie." + +"What is the question, Mr Maguire?" + +"Miss Mackenzie--Margaret, will you share your lot with mine? It is +true that you have money. It is true that I have none,--not even a +curacy now. But I don't think that any such consideration as that +would weigh with you for a moment, if you can find it in your heart +to love me." + +Miss Mackenzie sat thinking for some minutes before she gave her +answer--or striving to think; but she was so completely under the +terrible fire of his eye, that any thought was very difficult. + +"I am not quite sure about that," she said after a while. "I think, +Mr Maguire, that there should be a little money on both sides. You +would hardly wish to live altogether on your wife's fortune." + +"I have my profession," he replied, quickly. + +"Yes, certainly; and a noble profession it is,--the most noble," said +she. + +"Yes, indeed; the most noble." + +"But somehow--" + +"You mean the clergymen are not paid as they should be. No, they are +not, Miss Mackenzie. And is it not a shame for a Christian country +like this that it should be so? But still, as a profession, it has +its value. Look at Mrs Stumfold; where would she be if she were not a +clergyman's wife? The position has its value. A clergyman's wife is +received everywhere, you know." + +"A man before he talks of marriage ought to have something of his +own, Mr Maguire, besides--" + +"Besides what?" + +"Well, I'll tell you. As you have done me this honour, I think that +I am now bound to tell you what Mrs Stumfold said to me. She had +no right to connect my name with yours or with that of any other +gentleman, and my quarrel with her is about that. As to what she said +about you, that is your affair and not mine." + +Then she told him the whole of that conversation which was given in +the last chapter, not indeed repeating the hint about the three or +four wives, but recapitulating as clearly as she could all that had +been said about the suitable young lady. + +"I knew it," said he; "I knew it. I knew it as well as though I had +heard it. Now what am I to think of that woman, Miss Mackenzie?" + +"Of which woman?" + +"Of Mrs Stumfold, of course. It's all jealousy: every bit of it +jealousy." + +"Jealousy! Do you mean that she--that she--" + +"Not jealousy of that kind, Miss Mackenzie. Oh dear, no. She's as +pure as the undriven snow, I should say, as far as that goes. But she +can't bear to think that I should rise in the world." + +"I thought she wanted to marry you to a suitable lady, and young, +with a fair provision." + +"Pshaw! The lady has about seventy pounds a-year! But that would +signify nothing if I loved her, Miss Mackenzie." + +"There has been something, then?" + +"Yes; there has been something. That is, nothing of my +doing,--nothing on earth. Miss Mackenzie, I am as innocent as the +babe unborn." + +As he said this she could not help looking into the horrors of his +eyes, and thinking that innocent was not the word for him. + +"I'm as innocent as the babe unborn. Why should I be expected to +marry a lady merely because Mrs Stumfold tells me that there she is? +And it's my belief that old Peters has got their money somewhere, and +won't give it up, and that that's the reason of it." + +"But did you ever say you would marry her?" + +"What! Miss Floss, never! I'll tell you the whole story, Miss +Mackenzie; and if you want to ask any one else, you can ask Mrs +Perch." Mrs Perch was the coachbuilder's wife. "You've seen Miss +Floss at Mrs Stumfold's, and must know yourself whether I ever +noticed her any more than to be decently civil." + +"Is she the lady that's so thin and tall?" + +"Yes." + +"With the red hair?" + +"Well, it's sandy, certainly. I shouldn't call it just red myself." + +"Some people like red hair, you know," said Miss Mackenzie, thinking +of the suitable lady. Miss Mackenzie was willing at that moment to +forfeit all her fortune if Miss Floss was not older than she was! +"And that is Miss Floss, is it?" + +"Yes, and I don't blame Mrs Stumfold for wishing to get a husband for +her friend, but it is hard upon me." + +"Really, Mr Maguire, I think that perhaps you couldn't do better." + +"Better than what?" + +"Better than take Miss Floss. As you say, some people like red hair. +And she is very suitable, certainly. And, Mr Maguire, I really +shouldn't like to interfere;--I shouldn't indeed." + +"Miss Mackenzie, you're joking, I know." + +"Not in the least, Mr Maguire. You see there has been something about +it." + +"There has been nothing." + +"There's never smoke without fire; and I don't think a lady like Mrs +Stumfold would come here and tell me all that she did, if it hadn't +gone some way. And you owned just now that you admired her." + +"I never owned anything of the kind. I don't admire her a bit. Admire +her! Oh, Miss Mackenzie, what do you think of me?" + +Miss Mackenzie said that she really didn't know what to think. + +Then, having as he thought altogether disposed of Miss Floss, he +began again to press his suit. And she was weak; for though she gave +him no positive encouragement, neither did she give him any positive +denial. Her mind was by no means made up, and she did not know +whether she wished to take him or to leave him. Now that the thing +had come so near, what guarantee had she that he would be good to +her if she gave him everything that she possessed? As to her cousin +John Ball, she would have had many guarantees. Of him she could say +that she knew what sort of a man he was; but what did she know of +Mr Maguire? At that moment, as he sat there pleading his own cause +with all the eloquence at his command, she remembered that she did +not even know his Christian name. He had always in her presence been +called Mr Maguire. How could she say that she loved a man whose very +name she had not as yet heard? + +But still, if she left all her chances to run from her, what other +fate would she have but that of being friendless all her life? Of +course she must risk much if she was ever minded to change her mode +of life. She had said something to him as to the expediency of there +being money on both sides, but as she said it she knew that she would +willingly have given up her money could she only have been sure of +her man. Was not her income enough for both? What she wanted was +companionship, and love if it might be possible; but if not love, +then friendship. This, had she known where she could purchase it with +certainty, she would willingly have purchased with all her wealth. + +"If I have surprised you, will you say that you will take time to +think of it?" pleaded Mr Maguire. + +Miss Mackenzie, speaking in the lowest possible voice, said that she +would take time to think of it. + +When a lady says that she will take time to think of such a +proposition, the gentleman is generally justified in supposing that +he has carried his cause. When a lady rejects a suitor, she should +reject him peremptorily. Anything short of such peremptory reaction +is taken for acquiescence. Mr Maguire consequently was elated, called +her Margaret, and swore that he loved her as he had never loved woman +yet. + +"And when may I come again?" he asked. + +Miss Mackenzie begged that she might be allowed a fortnight to think +of it. + +"Certainly," said the happy man. + +"And you must not be surprised," said Miss Mackenzie, "if I make some +inquiry about Miss Floss." + +"Any inquiry you please," said Mr Maguire. "It is all in that woman's +brain; it is indeed. Miss Floss, perhaps, has thought of it; but I +can't help that, can I? I can't help what has been said to her. But +if you mean anything as to a promise from me, Margaret, on my word +as a Christian minister of the Gospel, there has been nothing of the +kind." + +She did not much mind his calling her Margaret; it was in itself such +a trifle; but when he made a fuss about kissing her hand it annoyed +her. + +"Only your hand," he said, beseeching the privilege. + +"Pshaw," she said, "what's the good?" + +She had sense enough to feel that with such lovemaking as that +between her and her lover there should be no kissing till after +marriage; or at any rate, no kissing of hands, as is done between +handsome young men of twenty-three and beautiful young ladies of +eighteen, when they sit in balconies on moonlight nights. A good +honest kiss, mouth to mouth, might not be amiss when matters were +altogether settled; but when she thought of this, she thought also of +his eye and shuddered. His eye was not his fault, and a man should +not be left all his days without a wife because he squints; but +still, was it possible? could she bring herself to endure it? + +He did kiss her hand, however, and then went. As he stood at the door +he looked back fondly and exclaimed-- + +"On Monday fortnight, Margaret; on Monday fortnight." + +"Goodness gracious, Mr Maguire," she answered, "do shut the door;" +and then he vanished. + +As soon as he was gone she remembered that his name was Jeremiah. She +did not know how she had learned it, but she knew that such was the +fact. If it did come to pass how was she to call him? She tried the +entire word Jeremiah, but it did not seem to answer. She tried Jerry +also, but that was worse. Jerry might have been very well had they +come together fifteen years earlier in life, but she did not think +that she could call him Jerry now. She supposed it must be Mr +Maguire; but if so, half the romance of the thing would be gone at +once! + +She felt herself to be very much at sea, and almost wished that she +might be like Mariana again, waiting and aweary, so grievous was +the necessity of having to make up her mind on such a subject. To +whom should she go for advice? She had told him that she would make +further inquiries about Miss Floss, but of whom was she to make them? +The only person to whom she could apply was Miss Baker, and she +was almost sure that Miss Baker would despise her for thinking of +marrying Mr Maguire. + +But after a day or two she did tell Miss Baker, and she saw at +once that Miss Baker did despise her. But Miss Baker, though she +manifestly did despise her, promised her some little aid. Miss Todd +knew everything and everybody. Might Miss Baker tell Miss Todd? +If there was anything wrong, Miss Todd would ferret it out to a +certainty. Miss Mackenzie, hanging down her head, said that Miss +Baker might tell Miss Todd. Miss Baker, when she left Miss Mackenzie, +turned at once into Miss Todd's house, and found her friend at home. + +"It surprises me that any woman should be so foolish," said Miss +Baker. + +"Come, come, my dear, don't you be hard upon her. We have all been +foolish in our days. Do you remember, when Sir Lionel used to be +here, how foolish you and I were?" + +"It's not the same thing at all," said Miss Baker. "Did you ever see +a man with such an eye as he has got?" + +"I shouldn't mind his eye, my dear; only I'm afraid he's got no +money." + +Miss Todd, however, promised to make inquiries, and declared her +intention of communicating what intelligence she might obtain direct +to Miss Mackenzie. Miss Baker resisted this for a little while, +but ultimately submitted, as she was wont to do, to the stronger +character of her friend. + +Miss Mackenzie had declared that she must have a fortnight to +think about it, and Miss Todd therefore knew that she had nearly a +fortnight for her inquiries. The reader may be sure that she did not +allow the grass to grow under her feet. With Miss Mackenzie the time +passed slowly enough, for she could only sit on her sofa and doubt, +resolving first one way and then another; but Miss Todd went about +Littlebath, here and there, among friends and enemies, filling up all +her time; and before the end of the fortnight she certainly knew more +about Mr Maguire than did anybody else in Littlebath. + +She did not see Miss Mackenzie till the Saturday, the last Saturday +before the all-important Monday; but on that day she went to her. + +"I suppose you know what I'm come about, my dear," she said. + +Miss Mackenzie blushed, and muttered something about Miss Baker. + +"Yes, my dear; Miss Baker was speaking to me about Mr Maguire. You +needn't mind speaking out to me, Miss Mackenzie. I can understand all +about it; and if I can be of any assistance, I shall be very happy. +No doubt you feel a little shy, but you needn't mind with me." + +"I'm sure you're very good." + +"I don't know about that, but I hope I'm not very bad. The long and +the short of it is, I suppose, that you think you might as +well--might as well take Mr Maguire." + +Miss Mackenzie felt thoroughly ashamed of herself. She could not +explain to Miss Todd all her best motives; and then, those motives +which were not the best were made to seem so very weak and mean by +the way in which Miss Todd approached them. When she thought of the +matter alone, it seemed to her that she was perfectly reasonable in +wishing to be married, in order that she might escape the monotony of +a lonely life; and she thought that if she could talk to Miss Todd +about the subject gently, for a quarter of an hour at a time every +day for two or three months, it was possible that she might explain +her views with credit to herself; but how could she do this to anyone +so very abruptly? She could only confess that she did want to marry +the man, as the child confesses her longing for a tart. + +"I have thought about it, certainly," she said. + +"Quite right," said Miss Todd; "quite right if you like him. Now for +me, I'm so fond of my own money and my own independence, that I've +never had a fancy that way,--not since I was a girl." + +"But you're so different, Miss Todd; you've got such a position of +your own." + +And Miss Mackenzie, who was at present desirous of marrying a very +strict evangelical clergyman, thought with envy of the social +advantages and pleasant iniquities of her wicked neighbour. + +"Oh, I don't know. I've a few friends, but that comes of being here +so long. And then, you see, I ain't particular as you are. I always +see that when a lady goes in to be evangelical, she soon finds a +husband to take care of her; that is, if she has got any money. It +all goes on very well, and I've no doubt they're right. There's my +friend Mary Baker, she's single still; but then she began very late +in life. Now about Mr Maguire." + +"Well, Miss Todd." + +"In the first place, I really don't think he has got much that he can +call his own." + +"He hasn't got anything, Miss Todd; he told me so himself." + +"Did he, indeed?" said Miss Todd; "then let me tell you he is a deal +honester than they are in general." + +"Oh, he told me that. I know he's got no income in the world besides +his curacy, and that he has thrown up." + +"And therefore you are going to give him yours." + +"I don't know about that, Miss Todd; but it wasn't about money that +I was doubting. What I've got is enough for both of us, if his wants +are not greater than mine. What is the use of money if people cannot +be happy together with it? I don't care a bit for money, Miss Todd; +that is, not for itself. I shouldn't like to be dependent on a +stranger; I don't know that I would like to be dependent again even +on a brother; but I should take no shame to be dependent on a husband +if he was good to me." + +"That's just it; isn't it?" + +"There's quite enough for him and me." + +"I must say you look at the matter in the most disinterested way. I +couldn't bring myself to take it up like that." + +"You haven't lived the life that I have, Miss Todd, and I don't +suppose you ever feel solitary as I do." + +"Well, I don't know. We single women have to be solitary +sometimes--and sometimes sad." + +"But you're never sad, Miss Todd." + +"Have you never heard there are some animals, that, when they're +sick, crawl into holes, and don't ever show themselves among the +other animals? Though it is only the animals that do it, there's a +pride in that which I like. What's the good of complaining if one's +down in the mouth? When one gets old and heavy and stupid, one can't +go about as one did when one was young; and other people won't care +to come to you as they did then." + +"But I had none of that when I was young, Miss Todd." + +"Hadn't you? Then I won't say but what you may be right to try and +begin now. But, law! what am I talking of? I am old enough to be your +mother." + +"I think it so kind of you to talk to me at all." + +"Well, now about Mr Maguire. I don't think he's possessed of much of +the fat of the land; but that you say you know already?" + +"Oh yes, I know all that." + +"And it seems he has lost his curacy?" + +"He threw that up himself." + +"I shouldn't be surprised--but mind I don't say this for certain--but +I shouldn't be surprised if he owed a little money." + +Miss Mackenzie's face became rather long. + +"What do you call a little, Miss Todd?" + +"Two or three hundred pounds. I don't call that a great deal." + +"Oh dear, no!" and Miss Mackenzie's face again became cheerful. "That +could be settled without any trouble." + +"Upon my word you are the most generous woman I ever saw." + +"No, I'm not that." + +"Or else you must be very much in love?" + +"I don't think I am that either, Miss Todd; only I don't care much +about money if other things are suitable. What I chiefly wanted to +know was--" + +"About that Miss Floss?" + +"Yes, Miss Todd." + +"My belief is there never was a greater calumny, or what I should +call a stronger attempt at a do. Mind I don't think much of your St +Stumfolda, and never did. I believe the poor man has never said a +word to the woman. Mrs Stumfold has put it into her head that she +could have Mr Maguire if she chose to set her cap at him, and, I dare +say, Miss Floss has been dutiful to her saint. But, Miss Mackenzie, +if nothing else hinders you, don't let that hinder you." Then Miss +Todd, having done her business and made her report, took her leave. + +This was on Saturday. The next day would be Sunday, and then on the +following morning she must make her answer. All that she had heard +about Mr Maguire was, to her thinking, in his favour. As to his +poverty, that he had declared himself, and that she did not mind. As +to a few hundred pounds of debt, how was a poor man to have helped +such a misfortune? In that matter of Miss Floss he had been basely +maligned,--so much maligned, that Miss Mackenzie owed him all her +sympathy. What excuse could she now have for refusing him? + +When she went to bed on the Sunday night such were her thoughts and +her feelings. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +Tom Mackenzie's Bed-Side + + +There was a Stumfoldian edict, ultra-Median-and-Persian in its +strictness, ordaining that no Stumfoldian in Littlebath should be +allowed to receive a letter on Sundays. And there also existed a +coordinate rule on the part of the Postmaster-General,--or, rather, +a privilege granted by that functionary,--in accordance with which +Stumfoldians, and other such sects of Sabbatarians, were empowered +to prohibit the letter-carriers from contaminating their special +knockers on Sunday mornings. Miss Mackenzie had given way to this +easily, seeing nothing amiss in the edict, and not caring much for +her Sunday letters. In consequence, she received on the Monday +mornings those letters which were due to her on Sundays, and on this +special Monday morning she received a letter, as to which the delay +was of much consequence. It was to tell her that her brother Tom was +dying, and to pray that she would be up in London as early on the +Monday as was practicable. Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, who had written +the letter in Gower Street, had known nothing of the Sabbatical +edicts of the Stumfoldians. + +"It is an inward tumour," said Mr Rubb, "and has troubled him long, +though he has said nothing about it. It is now breaking, and the +doctor says he can't live. He begs that you will come to him, as he +has very much to say to you. Mrs Tom would have written, but she is +so much taken up, and is so much beside herself, that she begs me to +say that she is not able; but I hope it won't be less welcome coming +from me. The second pair back will be ready for you, just as if it +were your own. I would be waiting at the station on Monday, if I knew +what train you would come by." + +This she received while at breakfast on the Monday morning, having +sat down a little earlier than usual, in order that the tea-things +might be taken away so as to make room for Mr Maguire. + +Of course she must go up to town instantly, by the first practicable +train. She perceived at once that she would have to send a message by +telegraph, as they would have expected to hear from her that morning. +She got the railway guide, and saw that the early express train had +already gone. There was, however, a mid-day train which would reach +Paddington in the afternoon. She immediately got her bonnet and went +off to the telegraph office, leaving word with the servant, that +if any one called "he" was to be told that she had received sudden +tidings which took her up to London. On her return she found that +"he" had not been there yet, and now she could only hope that he +would not come till after she had started. It would, of course, be +impossible, at such a moment as this, to make any answer to such a +proposition as Mr Maguire's. + +He came, and when the servant gave him the message at the door, he +sent up craving permission to see her but for a moment. She could not +refuse him, and went down to him in the drawing-room, with her shawl +and bonnet. + +"Dearest Margaret," said he, "what is this?" and he took both her +hands. + +"I have received word that my brother, in London, is very ill,--that +he is dying, and I must go to him." + +He still held her hands, standing close to her, as though he had some +special right to comfort her. + +"Cannot I go with you?" he said. "Let me; do let me." + +"Oh, no, Mr Maguire; it is impossible. What could you do? I am going +to my brother's house." + +"But have I not a right to be of help to you at such a time?" he +asked. + +"No, Mr Maguire; no right; certainly none as yet." + +"Oh! Margaret." + +"I'm sure you will see that I cannot talk of anything of that sort +now." + +"But you will not be back for ever so long." + +"I cannot tell." + +"Oh! Margaret; you will not leave me in suspense? After bidding me +wait a fortnight, you will not go away without telling me that you +will be mine when you come back? One word will do it." + +"Mr Maguire, you really must excuse me now." + +"One word, Margaret; only one word," and he still held her. + +"Mr Maguire," she said, tearing her hand from him, "I am astonished +at you. I tell you that my brother is dying and you hold me here, and +expect me to give you an answer about nonsense. I thought you were +more manly." + +He saw that there was a flash in her eye as he stepped back; so he +begged her pardon, and muttering something about hoping to hear from +her soon, took his leave. Poor man! I do not see why she should not +have accepted him, as she had made up her mind to do so. And to him, +with his creditors, and in his present position, any certainty in +this matter would have made so much difference! + +At the Paddington station Miss Mackenzie was met by her other lover, +Mr Rubb. Mr Rubb, however, had never yet declared himself as holding +this position, and did not do so on the present occasion. Their +conversation in the cab was wholly concerning her brother's state, or +nearly so. It seemed that there was no hope. Mr Rubb said that very +clearly. As to time the doctor would say nothing certain; but he had +declared that it might occur any day. The patient could never leave +his bed again; but as his constitution was strong, he might remain in +his present condition some weeks. He did not suffer much pain, or, at +any rate, did not complain of much; but was very sad. Then Mr Rubb +said one other word. + +"I am afraid he is thinking of his wife and children." + +"Would there be nothing for them out of the business?" asked Miss +Mackenzie. + +The junior partner at first shook his head, saying nothing. After a +few minutes he did speak in a low voice. "If there be anything, it +will be very little,--very little." + +Miss Mackenzie was rejoiced that she had given no definite promise to +Mr Maguire. There seemed to be now a job for her to do in the world +which would render it quite unnecessary that she should look about +for a husband. If her brother's widow were left penniless, with seven +children, there would be no longer much question as to what she would +do with her money. Perhaps the only person in the world that she +cordially disliked was her sister-in-law. She certainly knew no other +woman whose society would be so unpalatable to her. But if things +were so as Mr Rubb now described them, there could be no doubt about +her duty. It was very well indeed that her answer to Mr Maguire had +been postponed to that Monday. + +She found her sister-in-law in the dining-room, and Mrs Mackenzie, of +course, received her with a shower of tears. "I did think you would +have come, Margaret, by the first train." + +Then Margaret was forced to explain all about the letter and the +Sunday arrangements at Littlebath; and Mrs Tom was stupid and +wouldn't understand, but persisted in her grievance, declaring that +Tom was killing himself with disappointment. + +"And there's Dr Slumpy just this moment gone without a word to +comfort one,--not even to say about when it will be. I suppose you'll +want your dinner before you go up to see him. As for us we've had no +dinners, or anything regular; but, of course, you must be waited on." +Miss Mackenzie simply took off her bonnet and shawl, and declared +herself ready to go upstairs as soon as her brother would be ready to +see her. + +"It's fret about money has done it all, Margaret," said the wife. +"Since the day that Walter's shocking will was read, he's never been +himself for an hour. Of course he wouldn't show it to you; but he +never has." + +Margaret turned short round upon her sister-in-law on the stairs. + +"Sarah," said she, and then she stopped herself. "Never mind; it is +natural, no doubt, you should feel it; but there are times and places +when one's feelings should be kept under control." + +"That's mighty fine," said Mrs Mackenzie; "but, however, if you'll +wait here, I'll go up to him." + +In a few minutes more Miss Mackenzie was standing by her brother's +bedside, holding his hand in hers. + +"I knew you would come, Margaret," he said. + +"Of course I should come; who doubted it? But never mind that, for +here I am." + +"I only told her that we expected her by the earlier train," said Mrs +Tom. + +"Never mind the train as long as she's here," said Tom. "You've heard +how it is with me, Margaret?" + +Then Margaret buried her face in the bed-clothes and wept, and Mrs +Tom, weeping also, hid herself behind the curtains. + +There was nothing said then about money or the troubles of the +business, and after a while the two women went down to tea. In the +dining-room they found Mr Rubb, who seemed to be quite at home in the +house. Cold meat was brought up for Margaret's dinner, and they all +sat down to one of those sad sick-house meals which he or she who has +not known must have been lucky indeed. To Margaret it was nothing +new. All the life that she remembered, except the last year, had been +spent in nursing her other brother; and now to be employed about the +bed-side of a sufferer was as natural to her as the air she breathed. + +"I will sit with him to-night, Sarah, if you will let me," she said; +and Sarah assented. + +It was still daylight when she found herself at her post. Mrs +Mackenzie had just left the room to go down among the children, +saying that she would return again before she left him for the night. +To this the invalid remonstrated, begging his wife to go to bed. + +"She has not had her clothes off for the last week," said the +husband. + +"It don't matter about my clothes," said Mrs Tom, still weeping. She +was always crying when in the sick room, and always scolding when +out of it; thus complying with the two different requisitions of her +nature. The matter, however, was settled by an assurance on her part +that she would go to bed, so that she might be stirring early. + +There are women who seem to have an absolute pleasure in fixing +themselves for business by the bedside of a sick man. They generally +commence their operations by laying aside all fictitious feminine +charms, and by arraying themselves with a rigid, unconventional, +unenticing propriety. Though they are still gentle,--perhaps more +gentle than ever in their movements,--there is a decision in all they +do very unlike their usual mode of action. The sick man, who is not +so sick but what he can ponder on the matter, feels himself to be +like a baby, whom he has seen the nurse to take from its cradle, pat +on the back, feed, and then return to its little couch, all without +undue violence or tyranny, but still with a certain consciousness of +omnipotence as far as that child was concerned. The vitality of the +man is gone from him, and he, in his prostrate condition, debarred +by all the features of his condition from spontaneous exertion, +feels himself to be more a woman than the woman herself. She, if +she be such a one as our Miss Mackenzie, arranges her bottles with +precision; knows exactly how to place her chair, her lamp, and her +teapot; settles her cap usefully on her head, and prepares for the +night's work certainly with satisfaction. And such are the best women +of the world,--among which number I think that Miss Mackenzie has a +right to be counted. + +A few words of affection were spoken between the brother and +sister, for at such moments brotherly affection returns, and the +estrangements of life are all forgotten in the old memories. He +seemed comforted to feel her hand upon the bed, and was glad to +pronounce her name, and spoke to her as though she had been the +favourite of the family for years, instead of the one member of +it who had been snubbed and disregarded. Poor man, who shall say +that there was anything hypocritical or false in this? And yet, +undoubtedly, it was the fact that Margaret was now the only wealthy +one among them, which had made him send to her, and think of her, as +he lay there in his sickness. + +When these words of love had been spoken, he turned himself on his +pillow, and lay silent for a long while,--for hours, till the morning +sun had risen, and the daylight was again seen through the window +curtain. It was not much after midsummer, and the daylight came to +them early. From time to time she had looked at him, and each hour +in the night she had crept round to him, and given him that which he +needed. She did it all with a certain system, noiselessly, but with +an absolute assurance on her own part that she carried with her an +authority sufficient to ensure obedience. On that ground, in that +place, I think that even Miss Todd would have succumbed to her. + +But when the morning sun had driven the appearance of night from the +room, making the paraphernalia of sickness more ghastly than they had +been under the light of the lamp, the brother turned himself back +again, and began to talk of those things which were weighing on his +mind. + +"Margaret," he said, "it's very good of you to come, but as to +myself, no one's coming can be of any use to me." + +"It is all in the hands of God, Tom." + +"No doubt, no doubt," said he, sadly, not daring to argue such a +point with her, and yet feeling but little consolation from her +assurance. "So is the bullock in God's hands when the butcher is +going to knock him on the head, but yet we know that the beast +will die. Men live and die from natural causes, and not by God's +interposition." + +"But there is hope; that is what I mean. If God pleases--" + +"Ah, well. But, Margaret, I fear that he will not please; and what am +I to do about Sarah and the children?" + +This was a question that could be answered by no general +platitude,--by no weak words of hopeless consolation. Coming from +him to her, it demanded either a very substantial answer, or else +no answer at all. What was he to do about Sarah and the children? +Perhaps there came a thought across her mind that Sarah and the +children had done very little for her,--had considered her very +little, in those old, weary days, in Arundel Street. And those days +were not, as yet, so very old. It was now not much more than twelve +months since she had sat by the deathbed of her other brother,--since +she had expressed to herself, and to Harry Handcock, a humble wish +that she might find herself to be above absolute want. + +"I do not think you need fret about that, Tom," she said, after +turning these things over in her mind for a minute or two. + +"How, not fret about them? But I suppose you know nothing of the +state of the business. Has Rubb spoken to you?" + +"He did say some word as we came along in the cab." + +"What did he say?" + +"He said--" + +"Well, tell me what he said. He said, that if I died--what then? You +must not be afraid of speaking of it openly. Why, Margaret, they have +all told me that it must be in a month or two. What did Rubb say?" + +"He said that there would be very little coming out of the +business--that is, for Sarah and the children--if anything were to +happen to you." + +"I don't suppose they'd get anything. How it has been managed I don't +know. I have worked like a galley slave at it, but I haven't kept the +books, and I don't know how things have gone so badly. They have gone +badly,--very badly." + +"Has it been Mr Rubb's fault?" + +"I won't say that; and, indeed, if it has been any man's fault it has +been the old man's. I don't want to say a word against the one that +you know. Oh, Margaret!" + +"Don't fret yourself now, Tom." + +"If you had seven children, would not you fret yourself? And I hardly +know how to speak to you about it. I know that we have already had +ever so much of your money, over two thousand pounds; and I fear you +will never see it again." + +"Never mind, Tom; it is yours, with all my heart. Only, Tom, as it is +so badly wanted, I would rather it was yours than Mr Rubb's. Could I +not do something that would make that share of the building yours?" + +He shifted himself uneasily in his bed, and made her understand that +she had distressed him. + +"But perhaps it will be better to say nothing more about that," said +she. + +"It will be better that you should understand it all. The property +belongs nominally to us, but it is mortgaged to the full of its +value. Rubb can explain it all, if he will. Your money went to buy +it, but other creditors would not be satisfied without security. Ah, +dear! it is so dreadful to have to speak of all this in this way." + +"Then don't speak of it, Tom." + +"But what am I to do?" + +"Are there no proceeds from the business?" + +"Yes, for those who work in it; and I think there will be something +coming out of it for Sarah,--something, but it will be very small. +And if so, she must depend for it solely on Mr Rubb." + +"On the young one?" + +"Yes; on the one that you know." + +There was a great deal more said, and of course everyone will know +how such a conversation was ended, and will understand with what +ample assurance as to her own intentions Margaret promised that the +seven children should not want. As she did so, she made certain rapid +calculations in her head. She must give up Mr Maguire. There was no +doubt about that. She must give up all idea of marrying any one, and, +as she thought of this, she told herself that she was perhaps well +rid of a trouble. She had already given away to the firm of Rubb and +Mackenzie above a hundred a-year out of her income. If she divided +the remainder with Mrs Tom, keeping about three hundred and fifty +pounds a-year for herself and Susanna, she would, she thought, keep +her promise well, and yet retain enough for her own comfort and +Susanna's education. It would be bad for the prospects of young John +Ball, the third of the name, whom she had taught herself to regard as +her heir; but young John Ball would know nothing of the good things +he had lost. As to living with her sister-in-law Sarah, and sharing +her house and income with the whole family, that she declared to +herself nothing should induce her to do. She would give up half of +all that she had, and that half would be quite enough to save her +brother's children from want. In making the promise to her brother +she said nothing about proportions, and nothing as to her own future +life. "What I have," she said, "I will share with them and you may +rest assured that they shall not want." Of course he thanked her as +dying men do thank those who take upon themselves such charges; but +she perceived as he did so, or thought that she perceived, that he +still had something more upon his mind. + +Mrs Tom came and relieved her in the morning, and Miss Mackenzie was +obliged to put off for a time that panoply of sick-room armour which +made her so indomitable in her brother's bedroom. Downstairs she met +Mr Rubb, who talked to her much about her brother's affairs, and much +about the oilcloth business, speaking as though he were desirous +that the most absolute confidence should exist between him and her. +But she said no word of her promise to her brother, except that she +declared that the money lent was now to be regarded as a present made +by her to him personally. + +"I am afraid that that will avail nothing," said Mr Rubb, junior, +"for the amount now stands as a debt due by the firm to you, and the +firm, which would pay you the money if it could, cannot pay it to +your brother's estate any more than it can to yours." + +"But the interest," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"Oh, yes! the interest can be paid," said Mr Rubb, junior, but the +tone of his voice did not give much promise that this interest would +be forthcoming with punctuality. + +She watched again that night; and on the next day, in the afternoon, +she was told that a gentleman wished to see her in the drawing-room. +Her thoughts at once pointed to Mr Maguire, and she went downstairs +prepared to be very angry with that gentleman. But on entering the +room she found her cousin, John Ball. She was, in truth, glad to see +him; for, after all, she thought that she liked him the best of all +the men or women that she knew. He was always in trouble, but then +she fancied that with him she at any rate knew the worst. There was +nothing concealed with him,--nothing to be afraid of. She hoped that +they might continue to know each other intimately as cousins. Under +existing circumstances they could not, of course, be anything more to +each other than that. + +"This is very kind of you, John," she said, taking his hand. "How did +you know I was here?" + +"Mr Slow told me. I was with Mr Slow about business of yours. I'm +afraid from what I hear that you find your brother very ill." + +"Very ill, indeed, John,--ill to death." + +She then asked after her uncle and aunt, and the children, at the +Cedars. + +They were much as usual, he said; and he added that his mother would +be very glad to see her at the Cedars; only he supposed there was no +hope of that. + +"Not just at present, John. You see I am wholly occupied here." + +"And will he really die, do you think?" + +"The doctors say so." + +"And his wife and children--will they be provided for?" + +Margaret simply shook her head, and John Ball, as he watched her, +felt assured that his uncle Jonathan's money would never come in +his way, or in the way of his children. But he was a man used to +disappointment, and he bore this with mild sufferance. + +Then he explained to her the business about which he had specially +come to her. She had entrusted him with certain arrangements as to +a portion of her property, and he came to tell her that a certain +railway company wanted some houses which belonged to her, and that by +Act of Parliament she was obliged to sell them. + +"But the Act of Parliament will make the railway company pay for +them, won't it, John?" + +Then he went on to explain to her that she was in luck's way, "as +usual," said the poor fellow, thinking of his own misfortunes, and +that she would greatly increase her income by the sale. Indeed, it +seemed to her that she would regain pretty nearly all she had lost by +the loan to Rubb and Mackenzie. "How very singular," thought she to +herself. Under these circumstances, it might, after all, be possible +that she should marry Mr Maguire, if she wished it. + +When Mr Ball had told his business he did not stay much longer. He +said no word of his own hopes, if hopes they could be called any +longer. As he left her, he just referred to what had passed between +them. "This is no time, Margaret," said he, "to ask you whether you +have changed your mind?" + +"No, John; there are other things to think of now; are there not? +And, besides, they will want here all that I can do for them." + +She spoke to him with an express conviction that what was wanted of +her by him, as well as by others, was her money, and it did not occur +to him to contradict her. + +"He might have asked to see me, I do think," said Mrs Tom, when John +Ball was gone. "But there always was an upsetting pride about those +people at the Cedars which I never could endure. And they are as poor +as church mice. When poverty and pride go together I do detest them. +I suppose he came to find out all about us, but I hope you told him +nothing." + +To all this Miss Mackenzie made no answer at all. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +The Tearing of the Verses + + +Things went on in Gower Street for three or four weeks in the +same way, and then Susanna was fetched home from Littlebath. Miss +Mackenzie would have gone down herself but that she was averse to see +Mr Maguire. She therefore kept on her Littlebath lodgings, though Mrs +Tom said much to her of the wasteful extravagance in doing so. It was +at last settled that Mr Rubb should go down to Littlebath and bring +Susanna back with him; and this he did, not at all to that young +lady's satisfaction. It was understood that Susanna did not leave the +school, at which she had lately been received as a boarder; but the +holidays had come, and it was thought well that she should see her +father. During this time Miss Mackenzie received two letters from +Mr Maguire. In the first he pleaded hard for an answer to his offer. +He had, he said, now relinquished his curacy, having found the +interference of that terrible woman to be unendurable. He had left +his curacy, and was at present without employment. Under such +circumstances, "his Margaret" would understand how imperative it +was that he should receive an answer. A curacy, or, rather, a small +incumbency, had offered itself among the mines in Cornwall; but he +could not think of accepting this till he should know what "his +Margaret" might say to it. + +To this Margaret answered most demurely, and perhaps a little slily. +She said that her brother's health and affairs were at present in +such a condition as to allow her to think of nothing else; that +she completely understood Mr Maguire's position, and that it was +essential that he should not be kept in suspense. Under these +combined circumstances she had no alternative but to release him from +the offer he had made. This she did with the less unwillingness as +it was probable that her pecuniary position would be considerably +altered by the change in her brother's family which they were now +expecting almost daily. Then she bade him farewell, with many +expressions of her esteem, and said that she hoped he might be happy +among the mines in Cornwall. + +Such was her letter; but it did not satisfy Mr Maguire, and he wrote +a second letter. He had declined, he said, the incumbency among the +mines, having heard of something which he thought would suit him +better in Manchester. As to that, there was no immediate hurry, and +he proposed remaining at Littlebath for the next two months, having +been asked to undertake temporary duty in a neighbouring church for +that time. By the end of the two months he hoped that "his Margaret" +would be able to give him an answer in a different tone. As to her +pecuniary position, he would leave that, he said, "all to herself." + +To this second letter Miss Mackenzie did not find it necessary to +send any reply. The domestics in the Mackenzie family were not +at this time numerous, and the poor mother had enough to do with +her family downstairs. No nurse had been hired for the sick man, +for nurses cannot be hired without money, and money with the Tom +Mackenzies was scarce. Our Miss Mackenzie would have hired a nurse, +but she thought it better to take the work entirely into her own +hands. She did so, and I think we may say that her brother did not +suffer by it. As she sat by his bedside, night after night, she +seemed to feel that she had fallen again into her proper place, and +she looked back upon the year she had spent at Littlebath almost with +dismay. Since her brother's death, three men had offered to marry +her, and there was a fourth from whom she had expected such an offer. +She looked upon all this with dismay, and told herself that she was +not fit to sail, under her own guidance, out in the broad sea, amidst +such rocks as those. Was not some humbly feminine employment, such as +that in which she was now engaged, better for her in all ways? Sad +as was the present occasion, did she not feel a satisfaction in what +she was doing, and an assurance that she was fit for her position? +Had she not always been ill at ease, and out of her element, while +striving at Littlebath to live the life of a lady of fortune? She +told herself that it was so, and that it would be better for her to +be a hard-working, dependent woman, doing some tedious duty day by +day, than to live a life of ease which prompted her to longings for +things unfitted to her. + +She had brought a little writing-desk with her that she had carried +from Arundel Street to Littlebath, and this she had with her in the +sick man's bedroom. Sitting there through the long hours of night, +she would open this and read over and over again those remnants of +the rhymes written in her early days which she had kept when she made +her great bonfire. There had been quires of such verses, but she had +destroyed all but a few leaves before she started for Littlebath. +What were left, and were now read, were very sweet to her, and yet +she knew that they were wrong and meaningless. What business had such +a one as she to talk of the sphere's tune and the silvery moon, of +bright stars shining and hearts repining? She would not for worlds +have allowed any one to know what a fool she had been--either Mrs +Tom, or John Ball, or Mr Maguire, or Miss Todd. She would have been +covered with confusion if her rhymes had fallen into the hands of any +one of them. + +And yet she loved them well, as a mother loves her only idiot child. +They were her expressions of the romance and poetry that had been +in her; and though the expressions doubtless were poor, the romance +and poetry of her heart had been high and noble. How wrong the world +is in connecting so closely as it does the capacity for feeling and +the capacity for expression,--in thinking that capacity for the one +implies capacity for the other, or incapacity for the one incapacity +also for the other; in confusing the technical art of the man who +sings with the unselfish tenderness of the man who feels! But the +world does so connect them; and, consequently, those who express +themselves badly are ashamed of their feelings. + +She read her poor lines again and again, throwing herself back into +the days and thoughts of former periods, and telling herself that +it was all over. She had thought of encouraging love, and love had +come to her in the shape of Mr Maguire, a very strict evangelical +clergyman, without a cure or an income, somewhat in debt, and with, +oh! such an eye! She tore the papers, very gently, into the smallest +fragments. She tore them again and again, swearing to herself as she +did so that there should be an end of all that; and, as there was +no fire at hand, she replaced the pieces in her desk. During this +ceremony of the tearing she devoted herself to the duties of a single +life, to the drudgeries of ordinary utility, to such works as those +she was now doing. As to any society, wicked or religious,--wicked +after the manner of Miss Todd, or religious after the manner of St +Stumfolda,--it should come or not, as circumstances might direct. She +would go no more in search of it. Such were the resolves of a certain +night, during which the ceremony of the tearing took place. + +It came to pass at this time that Mr Rubb, junior, visited his dying +partner almost daily, and was always left alone with him for some +time. When these visits were made Miss Mackenzie would descend to the +room in which her sister-in-law was sitting, and there would be some +conversation between them about Mr Rubb and his affairs. Much as +these two women disliked each other, there had necessarily arisen +between them a certain amount of confidence. Two persons who are much +thrown together, to the exclusion of other society, will tell each +other their thoughts, even though there be no love between them. + +"What is he saying to him all these times when he is with him?" +said Mrs Tom one morning, when Miss Mackenzie had come down on the +appearance of Mr Rubb in the sick room. + +"He is talking about the business, I suppose." + +"What good can that do? Tom can't say anything about that, as to how +it should be done. He thinks a great deal about Sam Rubb; but it's +more than I do." + +"They must necessarily be in each other's confidence, I should say." + +"He's not in my confidence. My belief is he's been a deal too clever +for Tom; and that he'll turn out to be too clever--for me, and--my +poor orphans." Upon which Mrs Tom put her handkerchief up to her +eyes. "There; he's coming down," continued the wife. "Do you go up +now, and make Tom tell you what it is that Sam Rubb has been saying +to him." + +Margaret Mackenzie did go up as she heard Mr Rubb close the +front door; but she had no such purpose as that with which her +sister-in-law had striven to inspire her. She had no wish to make +the sick man tell her anything that he did not wish to tell. In +considering the matter within her own breast, she owned to herself +that she did not expect much from the Rubbs in aid of the wants of +her nephews and nieces; but what would be the use of troubling a +dying man about that? She had agreed with herself to believe that +the oilcloth business was a bad affair, and that it would be well to +hope for nothing from it. That her brother to the last should harass +himself about the business was only natural; but there could be +no reason why she should harass him on the same subject. She had +recognised the fact that his widow and children must be supported by +her; and had she now been told that the oilcloth factory had been +absolutely abandoned as being worth nothing, it would not have caused +her much disappointment. She thought a great deal more of the railway +company that was going to buy her property under such favourable +circumstances. + +She was, therefore, much surprised when her brother began about the +business as soon as she had seated herself. I do not know that the +reader need be delayed with any of the details that he gave her, or +with the contents of the papers which he showed her. She, however, +found herself compelled to go into the matter, and compelled also +to make an endeavour to understand it. It seemed that everything +hung upon Samuel Rubb, junior, except the fact that Samuel Rubb's +father, who now never went near the place, got more than half the net +profits; and the further fact, that the whole thing would come to an +end if this payment to old Rubb were stopped. + +"Tom," said she, in the middle of it all, when her head was aching +with figures, "if it will comfort you, and enable you to put all +these things away, you may know that I will divide everything I have +with Sarah." + +He assured her that her kindness did comfort him; but he hoped better +than that; he still thought that something better might be arranged +if she would only go on with her task. So she went on painfully +toiling through figures. + +"Sam drew them up on purpose for you, yesterday afternoon," said he. + +"Who did it?" she asked. + +"Samuel Rubb." + +He then went on to declare that she might accept all Samuel Rubb's +figures as correct. + +She was quite willing to accept them, and she strove hard to +understand them. It certainly did seem to her that when her money was +borrowed somebody must have known that the promised security would +not be forthcoming; but perhaps that somebody was old Rubb, whom, as +she did not know him, she was quite ready to regard as the villain in +the play that was being acted. Her own money, too, was a thing of the +past. That fault, if fault there had been, was condoned; and she was +angry with herself in that she now thought of it again. + +"And now," said her brother, as soon as she had put the papers back, +and declared that she understood them. "Now I have something to say +to you which I hope you will hear without being angry." He raised +himself on his bed as he said this, doing so with difficulty and +pain, and turning his face upon her so that he could look into her +eyes. "If I didn't know that I was dying I don't think that I could +say it to you." + +"Say what, Tom?" + +She thought of what most terrible thing it might be possible that +he should have to communicate. Could it be that he had got hold, or +that Rubb and Mackenzie had got hold, of all her fortune, and turned +it into unprofitable oilcloth? Could they in any way have made her +responsible for their engagements? She wished to trust them; she +tried to avoid suspicion; but she feared that things were amiss. + +"Samuel Rubb and I have been talking of it, and he thinks it had +better come from me," said her brother. + +"What had better come?" she asked. + +"It is his proposition, Margaret." Then she knew all about it, and +felt great relief. Then she knew all about it, and let him go on till +he had spoken his speech. + +"God knows how far he may be indulging a false hope, or deceiving +himself altogether; but he thinks it possible that you might--might +become fond of him. There, Margaret, that's the long and the short +of it. And when I told him that he had better say that himself, he +declared that you would not bring yourself to listen to him while I +am lying here dying." + +"Of course I would not." + +"But, look here, Margaret; I know you would do much to comfort me in +my last moments." + +"Indeed, I would, Tom." + +"I wouldn't ask you to marry a man you didn't like,--not even if it +were to do the children a service; but if that can be got over, the +other feeling should not restrain you when it would be the greatest +possible comfort to me." + +"But how could it serve you, Tom?" + +"If that could be arranged, Rubb would give up to Sarah during his +father's life all the proceeds of the business, after paying the +old man. And when he dies, and he is very old now, the five hundred +a-year would be continued to her. Think what that would be, +Margaret." + +"But, Tom, she shall have what will make her comfortable without +waiting for any old man's death. It shall be quite half of my income. +If that is not enough it shall be more. Will not that do for her?" + +Then her brother strove to explain as best he could that the mere +money was not all he wanted. If his sister did not like this man, if +she had no wish to become a married woman, of course, he said, the +plan must fall to the ground. But if there was anything in Mr Rubb's +belief that she was not altogether indifferent to him, if such an +arrangement could be made palatable to her, then he would be able to +think that he, by the work of his life, had left something behind him +to his wife and family. + +"And Sarah would be more comfortable," he pleaded. "Of course, she +is grateful to you, as I am, and as we all are. But given bread is +bitter bread, and if she could think it came to her, of her own +right--" + +He said ever so much more, but that ever so much more was quite +unnecessary. His sister understood the whole matter. It was desirable +that she, by her fortune, should enable the widow and orphans of +her brother to live in comfort; but it was not desirable that this +dependence on her should be plainly recognised. She did not, however, +feel herself to be angry or hurt. It would, no doubt, be better +for the family that they should draw their income in an apparently +independent way from their late father's business than that they +should owe their support to the charity of an aunt. But then, how +about herself? A month or two ago, before the Maguire feature in +her career had displayed itself so strongly, an overture from Mr +Rubb might probably not have been received with disfavour. But now, +while she was as it were half engaged to another man, she could not +entertain such a proposition. Her womanly feeling revolted from it. +No doubt she intended to refuse Mr Maguire. No doubt she had made up +her mind to that absolutely, during the ceremony of tearing up her +verses. And she had never had much love for Mr Maguire, and had felt +some--almost some, for Mr Rubb. In either case she was sure that, had +she married the man,--the one man or the other,--she would instantly +have become devoted to him. And I, who chronicle her deeds and +endeavour to chronicle her thoughts, feel equally sure that it would +have been so. There was something harsh in it, that Mr Maguire's +offer to her should, though never accepted, debar her from the +possibility of marrying Mr Rubb, and thus settling all the affairs of +her family in a way that would have been satisfactory to them and not +altogether unsatisfactory to her; but she was aware that it did so. +She felt that it was so, and then threw herself back for consolation +upon the security which would still be hers, and the want of security +which must attach itself to a marriage with Mr Rubb. He might make +ducks, and drakes, and oilcloth of it all; and then there would be +nothing left for her, for her sister-in-law, or for the children. + +"May I tell him to speak to yourself?" her brother asked, while she +was thinking of all this. + +"No, Tom; it would do no good." + +"You do not fancy him, then." + +"I do not know about fancying; but I think it will be better for me +to remain as I am. I would do anything for you and Sarah, almost +anything; but I cannot do that." + +"Then I will say nothing further." + +"Don't ask me to do that." + +And he did not ask her again, but turned his face from her and +thought of the bitterness of his death-bed. + +That evening, when she went down to tea, she met Samuel Rubb standing +at the drawing-room door. + +"There is no one here," he said; "will you mind coming in? Has your +brother spoken to you?" + +She had followed him into the room, and he had closed the door as he +asked the question. + +"Yes, he has spoken to me." + +She could see that the man was trembling with anxiety and eagerness, +and she almost loved him that he was anxious and eager. Mr Maguire, +when he had come a wooing, had not done it badly altogether, but +there had not been so much reality as there was about Sam Rubb while +he stood there shaking, and fearing, and hoping. + +"Well," said he, "may I hope--may I think it will be so? may I ask +you to be mine?" + +He was handsome in her eyes, though perhaps, delicate reader, he +would not have been handsome in yours. She knew that he was not a +gentleman; but what did that matter? Neither was her sister-in-law +Sarah a lady. There was not much in that house in Gower Street that +was after the manner of gentlemen and ladies. She was ready to throw +all that to the dogs, and would have done so but for Mr Maguire. She +felt that she would like to have allowed herself to love him in spite +of the tearing of the verses. She felt this, and was very angry with +Mr Maguire. But the facts were stern, and there was no hope for her. + +"Mr Rubb," she said, "there can be nothing of that kind." + +"Can't there really, now?" said he. + +She assured him in her strongest language, that there could be +nothing of that kind, and then went down to the dining-room. + +He did not venture to follow her, but made his way out of the house +without seeing anyone else. + +Another fortnight went by, and then, towards the close of September, +came the end of all things in this world for poor Tom Mackenzie. He +died in the middle of the night in his wife's arms, while his sister +stood by holding both their hands. Since the day on which he had +endeavoured to arrange a match between his partner and his sister he +had spoken no word of business, at any rate to the latter, and things +now stood on that footing which she had then attempted to give them. +We all know how silent on such matters are the voices of all in the +bereft household, from the hour of death till that other hour in +which the body is consigned to its kindred dust. Women make mourning, +and men creep about listlessly, but during those few sad days +there may be no talk about money. So it was in Gower Street. The +widow, no doubt, thought much of her bitter state of dependence, +thought something, perhaps, of the chance there might be that her +husband's sister would be less good than her word, now that he was +gone--meditated with what amount of submission she must accept the +generosity of the woman she had always hated; but she was still +mistress of that house till the undertakers had done their work; and +till that work had been done, she said little of her future plans. + +"I'd earn my bread, if I knew how," she began, putting her +handkerchief up to her eyes, on the afternoon of the very day on +which he was buried. + +"There will be no occasion for that, Sarah," said Miss Mackenzie, +"there will be enough for us all." + +"But I would if I knew how. I wouldn't mind what I did; I'd scour +floors rather than be dependent, I've that spirit in me; and I've +worked, and moiled, and toiled with those children; so I have." + +Miss Mackenzie then told her that she had solemnly promised her +brother to divide her income with his widow, and informed her that +she intended to see Mr Slow, the lawyer, on the following day, with +reference to the doing of this. + +"If there is anything from the factory, that can be divided too," +said Miss Mackenzie. + +"But there won't. The Rubbs will take all that; of course they will. +And Tom put into it near upon ten thousand pounds!" + +Then she began to cry again, but soon interrupted her tears to ask +what was to become of Susanna. Susanna, who was by, looked anxiously +up into her aunt's eyes. + +"Susanna and I," said the aunt, "have thrown in our lot together, and +we mean to remain so; don't we, dear?" + +"If mamma will let me." + +"I'm sure it's very good of you to take one off my hands," said the +mother, "for even one will be felt." + +Then came a note to Miss Mackenzie from Lady Ball, asking +her to spend a few days at the Cedars before she returned to +Littlebath,--that is, if she did return,--and she consented to +do this. While she was there Mr Slow could prepare the necessary +arrangements for the division of the property, and she could then +make up her mind as to the manner and whereabouts of her future life. +She was all at sea again, and knew not how to choose. If she were a +Romanist, she would go into a convent; but Protestant convents she +thought were bad, and peculiarly unfitted for the followers of Mr +Stumfold. She had nothing to bind her to any spot, and something to +drive her from every spot of which she knew anything. + +Before she went to the Cedars Mr Rubb came to Gower Street and bade +her farewell. + +"I had allowed myself to hope, Miss Mackenzie," said he, "I had, +indeed; I suppose I was very foolish." + +"I don't know as to being foolish, Mr Rubb, unless it was in caring +about such a person as me." + +"I do care for you, very much; but I suppose I was wrong to think you +would put up with such as I am. Only I did think that perhaps, seeing +that we had been partners with your brother so long-- All the same, I +know that the Mackenzies are different from the Rubbs." + +"That has nothing to do with it; nothing in the least." + +"Hasn't it now? Then, perhaps, Miss Mackenzie, at some future time--" + +Miss Mackenzie was obliged to tell him that there could not possibly +be any other answer given to him at any future time than that which +she gave him now. He suggested that perhaps he might be allowed to +try again when the first month or two of her grief for her brother +should be over; but she assured him that it would be useless. At the +moment of her conference with him, she did this with all her energy; +and then, as soon as she was alone, she asked herself why she had +been so energetical. After all, marriage was an excellent state in +which to live. The romance was doubtless foolish and wrong, and the +tearing of the papers had been discreet, yet there could be no good +reason why she should turn her back upon sober wedlock. Nevertheless, +in all her speech to Mr Rubb she did do so. There was something in +her position as connected with Mr Maguire which made her feel that it +would be indelicate to entertain another suitor before that gentleman +had received a final answer. + +As she went away from Gower Street to the Cedars she thought of this +very sadly, and told herself that she had been like the ass who +starved between two bundles of hay, or as the boy who had fallen +between two stools. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +Lady Ball's Grievance + + +Miss Mackenzie, before she left Gower Street, was forced to make +some arrangements as to her affairs at Littlebath, and these were +ultimately settled in a manner that was not altogether palatable to +her. Mr Rubb was again sent down, having Susanna in his charge, and +he was empowered to settle with Miss Mackenzie's landlady and give +up the lodgings. There was much that was disagreeable in this. Miss +Mackenzie having just rejected Mr Rubb's suit, did not feel quite +comfortable in giving him a commission to see all her stockings and +petticoats packed up and brought away from the lodgings. Indeed, she +could give him no commission of the kind, but intimated her intention +of writing to the lodging-house keeper. He, however, was profuse +in his assurances that nothing should be left behind, and if Miss +Mackenzie would tell him anything of the way in which the things +ought to be packed, he would be so happy to attend to her! To him +Miss Mackenzie would give no such instructions, but, doubtless, she +gave many to Susanna. + +As to Susanna, it was settled that she should remain as a boarder at +the Littlebath school, at any rate for the next half-year. After that +there might be great doubt whether her aunt could bear the expense of +maintaining her in such a position. + +Miss Mackenzie had reconciled herself to going to the Cedars because +she would thus have an opportunity of seeing her lawyer and arranging +about her property, whereas had she been down at Littlebath there +would have been a difficulty. And she wanted some one whom she could +trust to act for her, some one besides the lawyer, and she thought +that she could trust her cousin, John Ball. As to getting away from +all her suitors that was impossible. Had she gone to Littlebath there +was one there; had she remained with her sister-in-law, she would +have been always near another; and, on going to the Cedars, she would +meet the third. But she could not on that account absolutely isolate +herself from everybody that she knew in the world. And, perhaps, she +was getting somewhat used to her suitors, and less liable than she +had been to any fear that they could force her into action against +her own consent. So she went to the Cedars, and, on arriving there, +received from her uncle and aunt but a moderate amount of condolence +as to the death of her brother. + +Her first and second days in her aunt's house were very quiet. +Nothing was said of John's former desires, and nothing about her own +money or her brother's family. On the morning of the third day she +told her cousin that she would, on the next morning, accompany him +to town if he would allow her. "I am going to Mr Slow's," said she, +"and perhaps you could go with me." To this he assented willingly, +and then, after a pause, surmised that her visit must probably have +reference to the sale of her houses to the railway company. "Partly +to that," she said, "but it chiefly concerns arrangements for my +brother's family." + +To this John Ball said nothing, nor did Lady Ball, who was present, +then speak. But Miss Mackenzie could see that her aunt looked at her +cousin, opening her eyes, and expressing concern. John Ball himself +allowed no change to come upon his face, but went on deliberately +with his bread and butter. "I shall be very happy to go with you," he +said, "and will either come and call for you when you have done, or +stay with you while you are there, just as you like." + +"I particularly want you to stay with me," said she, "and as we go up +to town I will tell you all about it." + +She observed that before her cousin left the house on that day, his +mother got hold of him and was alone with him for nearly half an +hour. After that, Lady Ball was alone with Sir John, in his own room, +for another half hour. The old baronet had become older, of course, +and much weaker, since his niece had last been at the Cedars, and was +now seldom seen about the house till the afternoon. + +Of all the institutions at the Cedars that of the carriage was the +most important. Miss Mackenzie found that the carriage arrangement +had been fixed upon a new and more settled basis since her last +visit. Then it used to go out perhaps as often as three times a week. +But there did not appear to be any fixed rule. Like other carriages, +it did, to a certain degree, come when it was wanted. But now there +was, as I have said, a settled basis. The carriage came to the door +on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, exactly at two o'clock, and +Sir John with Lady Ball were driven about till four. + +On the first Tuesday of her visit Miss Mackenzie had gone with her +uncle and aunt, and even she had found the pace to be very slow, and +the whole affair to be very dull. Her uncle had once enlivened the +thing by asking her whether she had found any lovers since she went +to Littlebath, and this question had perplexed her very much. She +could not say that she had found none, and as she was not prepared +to acknowledge that she had found any, she could only sit still and +blush. + +"Women have plenty of lovers when they have plenty of money," said +the baronet. + +"I don't believe that Margaret thinks of anything of the kind," said +Lady Ball. + +After that Margaret determined to have as little to do with the +carriage as possible, and on that evening she learned from her cousin +that the horses had been sold to the man who farmed the land, and +were hired every other day for two hours' work. + +It was on the Thursday morning that Miss Mackenzie had spoken of +going into town on the morrow, and on that day when her aunt asked +her about the driving, she declined. + +"I hope that nothing your uncle said on Tuesday annoyed you?" + +"Oh dear, no; but if you don't mind it, I'd rather stay at home." + +"Of course you shall if you like it," said her aunt; "and by-the-by, +as I want to speak to you, and as we might not find time after coming +home, if you don't mind it I'll do it now." + +Of course Margaret said that she did not mind it, though in truth she +did mind it, and was afraid of her aunt. + +"Well then, Margaret, look here. I want to know something about your +brother's affairs. From what I have heard, I fear they were not very +good." + +"They were very bad, aunt,--very bad indeed." + +"Dear, dear; you don't say so. Sir John always feared that it would +be so when Thomas Mackenzie mixed himself up with those Rubbs. And +there has gone half of Jonathan Ball's money,--money which Sir John +made! Well, well!" + +Miss Mackenzie had nothing to say to this; and as she had nothing to +say to it she sat silent, making no attempt at any words. + +"It does seem hard; don't it, my dear?" + +"It wouldn't make any difference to anybody now--to my uncle, I mean, +or to John, if the money was not gone." + +"That's quite true; quite true; only it does seem to be a pity. +However, that half of Jonathan's money which you have got, is not +lost, and there's some comfort in that." + +Miss Mackenzie was not called upon to make any answer to this; for +although she had lost a large sum of money by lending it to her +brother, nevertheless she was still possessed of a larger sum of +money than that which her brother Walter had received from Jonathan +Ball. + +"And what are they going to do, my dear--the children, I mean, and +the widow? I suppose there'll be something for them out of the +business?" + +"I don't think there'll be anything, aunt. As far as I can understand +there will be nothing certain. They may probably get a hundred and +twenty-five pounds a-year." This she named, as being the interest of +the money she had lent--or given. + +"A hundred and twenty-five pounds a-year. That isn't much, but it +will keep them from absolute want." + +"Would it, aunt?" + +"Oh, yes; at least, I suppose so. I hope she's a good manager. She +ought to be, for she's a very disagreeable woman. You told me that +yourself, you know." + +Then Miss Mackenzie, having considered for one moment, resolved to +make a clean breast of it all, and this she did with the fewest +possible words. + +"I'm going to divide what I've got with them, and I hope it will make +them comfortable." + +"What!" exclaimed her aunt. + +"I'm going to give Sarah half what I've got, for her and her +children. I shall have enough to live on left." + +"Margaret, you don't mean it?" + +"Not mean it? why not, aunt? You would not have me let them starve. +Besides, I promised my brother when he was dying." + +"Then I must say he was very wrong, very wicked, I may say, to exact +any such promise from you; and no such promise is binding. If you +ask Sir John, or your lawyer, they will tell you so. What! exact +a promise from you to the amount of half your income. It was very +wrong." + +"But, aunt, I should do the same if I had made no promise." + +"No, you wouldn't, my dear. Your friends wouldn't let you. And indeed +your friends must prevent it now. They will not hear of such a +sacrifice being made." + +"But, aunt--" + +"Well, my dear." + +"It's my own, you know." And Margaret, as she said this, plucked up +her courage, and looked her aunt full in the face. + +"Yes, it is your own, by law; but I don't suppose, my dear, that you +are of that disposition or that character that you'd wish to set all +the world at defiance, and make everybody belonging to you feel that +you had disgraced yourself." + +"Disgraced myself by relieving my brother's family!" + +"Disgraced yourself by giving to that woman money that has come +to you as your fortune has come. Think of it, where it came from!" + +"It came to me from my brother Walter." + +"And where did he get it? And who made it? And don't you know that +your brother Tom had his share of it, and wasted it all? Did it +not all come from the Balls? And yet you think so little of that, +that you are going to let that woman rob you of it--rob you and my +grandchildren; for that, I tell you, is the way in which the world +will look at it. Perhaps you don't know it, but all that property +was as good as given to John at one time. Who was it first took +you by the hand when you were left all alone in Arundel Street? Oh, +Margaret, don't go and be such an ungrateful, foolish creature!" + +Margaret waited for a moment, and then she answered-- + +"There's nobody so near to me as my own brother's children." + +"As to that, Margaret, there isn't much difference in nearness +between your uncle and your nephews and nieces. But there's a right +and a wrong in these things, and when money is concerned, people +are not justified in indulging their fancies. Everything here has +been told to you. You know how John is situated with his children. +And after what there has been between you and him, and after what +there still might be if you would have it so, I own that I am +astonished--fairly astonished. Indeed, my dear, I can only look on it +as simple weakness on your part. It was but the other day that you +told me you had done all that you thought necessary by your brother +in taking Susanna." + +"But that was when he was alive, and I thought he was doing well." + +"The fact is, you have been there and they've talked you over. It +can't be that you love children that you never saw till the other +day; and as for the woman, you always hated her." + +"Whether I love her or hate her has nothing to do with it." + +"Margaret, will you promise me this, that you will see Mr Slow and +talk to him about it before you do anything?" + +"I must see Mr Slow before I can do anything; but whatever he says, I +shall do it all the same." + +"Will you speak to your uncle?" + +"I had rather not." + +"You are afraid to tell him of this; but of course he must be told. +Will you speak to John?" + +"Certainly; I meant to do so going to town to-morrow." + +"And if he tells you you are wrong--" + +"Aunt, I know I am not wrong. It is nonsense to say that I am wrong +in--" + +"That's disrespectful, Margaret!" + +"I don't want to be disrespectful, aunt; but in such a case as this +I know that I have a right to do what I like with my own money. If +I was going to give it away to any other friend, if I was going to +marry, or anything like that,"--she blushed at the remembrance of +the iniquities she had half intended as she said this--"then there +might be some reason for you to scold me; but with a brother and +a brother's family it can't be wrong. If you had a brother, and +had been with him when he was dying, and he had left his wife and +children looking to you, you would have done the same." + +Upon this Lady Ball got up from her chair and walked to the door. +Margaret had been more impetuous and had answered her with much more +confidence than she had expected. She was determined now to say one +more word, but so to say it that it should not be answered--to strike +one more blow, but so to strike it that it should not be returned. + +"Margaret," she said, as she stood with the door open in her hands, +"if you will reflect where the money came from, your conscience will +tell you without much difficulty where it should go to. And when you +think of your brother's children, whom this time last year you had +hardly seen, think also of John Ball's children, who have welcomed +you into this house as their dearest relative. In one sense, +certainly, the money is yours, Margaret; but in another sense, and +that the highest sense, it is not yours to do what you please with +it." + +Then Lady Ball shut the door rather loudly, and sailed away along the +hall. When the passages were clear, Miss Mackenzie made her way up +into her own room, and saw none of the family till she came down just +before dinner. + +She sat for a long time in the chair by her bed-side thinking of her +position. Was it true after all that she was bound by a sense of +justice to give any of her money to the Balls? It was true that in +one sense it had been taken from them, but she had had nothing to do +with the taking. If her brother Walter had married and had children, +then the Balls would have not expected the money back again. It was +ever so many years,--five-and-twenty years, and more since the legacy +had been made by Jonathan Ball to her brother, and it seemed to her +that her aunt had no common sense on her side in the argument. Was it +possible that she should allow her own nephews and nieces to starve +while she was rich? She had, moreover, made a promise,--a promise to +one who was now dead, and there was a solemnity in that which carried +everything else before it. Even though the thing might be unjust, +still she must do it. + +But she was to give only half her fortune to her brother's family; +there would still be the half left for herself, for herself or +for these Balls if they wanted it so sorely. She was beginning to +hate her money. It had brought to her nothing but tribulation and +disappointment. Had Walter left her a hundred a year, she would, +not having then dreamed of higher things, have been amply content. +Would it not be better that she should take for herself some modest +competence, something on which she might live without trouble to her +relatives, without trouble to her friends she had first said,--but +as she did so she told herself with scorn that friends she had +none,--and then let the Balls have what was left her after she had +kept her promise to her brother? Anything would be better than such +persecution as that to which her aunt had subjected her. + +At last she made up her mind to speak of it all openly to her cousin. +She had an idea that in such matters men were more trustworthy than +women, and perhaps less greedy. Her cousin would, she thought, be +more just to her than her aunt had been. That her aunt had been very +unjust,--cruel and unjust,--she felt assured. + +She came down to dinner, and she could see by the manner of them all +that the matter had been discussed since John Ball's return from +London. Jack, the eldest son, was not at home, and the three girls +who came next to Jack dined with their father and grandfather. To +them Margaret endeavoured to talk easily, but she failed. They had +never been favourites with her as Jack was, and, on this occasion, +she could get very little from them that was satisfactory to her. +John Ball was courteous to her, but he was very silent throughout the +whole evening. Her aunt showed her displeasure by not speaking to +her, or speaking barely with a word. Her uncle, of whose voice she +was always in fear, seemed to be more cross, and when he did speak, +more sarcastic than ever. He asked her whether she intended to go +back to Littlebath. + +"I think not," said she. + +"Then that has been a failure, I suppose," said the old man. + +"Everything is a failure, I think," said she, with tears in her eyes. + +This was in the drawing-room, and immediately her cousin John came +and sat by her. He came and sat there, as though he had intended +to speak to her; but he went away again in a minute or two without +having uttered a word. Things went on in the same way till they +moved off to bed, and then the formal adieus for the night were made +with a coldness that amounted, on the part of Lady Ball, almost to +inhospitality. + +"Good-night, Margaret," she said, as she just put out the tip of her +finger. + +"Good-night, my dear," said Sir John. "I don't know what's the matter +with you, but you look as though you'd been doing something that you +were ashamed of." + +Lady Ball was altogether injudicious in her treatment of her niece. +As to Sir John, it made probably very little difference. Miss +Mackenzie had perceived, when she first came to the Cedars, that he +was a cross old man, and that he had to be endured as such by any one +who chose to go into that house. But she had depended on Lady Ball +for kindness of manner, and had been tempted to repeat her visits to +the house because her aunt had, after her fashion, been gracious to +her. But now there was rising in her breast a feeling that she had +better leave the Cedars as soon as she could shake the dust off her +feet, and see nothing more of the Balls. Even the Rubb connection +seemed to her to be better than the Ball connection, and less +exaggerated in its greediness. Were it not for her cousin John, she +would have resolved to go on the morrow. She would have faced the +indignation of her aunt, and the cutting taunts of her uncle, and +have taken herself off at once to some lodging in London. But John +Ball had meant to be kind to her when he came and sat close to her on +the sofa, and her soft heart relented towards him. + +Lady Ball had in truth mistaken her niece's character. She had found +her to be unobtrusive, gentle, and unselfish; and had conceived that +she must therefore be weak and compliant. As to many things she was +compliant, and as to some things she was weak; but there was in her +composition a power of resistance and self-sustenance on which Lady +Ball had not counted. When conscious of absolute ill-usage, she could +fight well, and would not bow her neck to any Mrs Stumfold or to any +Lady Ball. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +Mr Slow's Chambers + + +She came down late to breakfast on the following morning, not being +present at prayers, and when she came down she wore a bonnet. + +"I got myself ready, John, for fear I should keep you waiting." + +Her aunt spoke to her somewhat more graciously than on the preceding +evening, and accepted her apology for being late. + +Just as she was about to start Lady Ball took her apart and spoke one +word to her. + +"No one can tell you better what you ought to do than your cousin +John; but pray remember that he is far too generous to say a word for +himself." + +Margaret made no answer, and then she and her cousin started on foot +across the grounds to the station. The distance was nearly a mile, +and during the walk no word was said between them about the money. +They got into the train that was to take them up to London, and sat +opposite to each other. It happened that there was no passenger in +either of the seats next to him or her, so that there was ample +opportunity for them to hold a private conversation; but Mr Ball said +nothing to her, and she, not knowing how to begin, said nothing to +him. In this way they reached the London station at Waterloo Bridge, +and then he asked her what she proposed to do next. + +"Shall we go to Mr Slow's at once?" she asked. + +To this he assented, and at her proposition they agreed to walk to +the lawyer's chambers. These were on the north side of Lincoln's Inn +Fields, near the Turnstile, and Mr Ball remarked that the distance +was again not much above a mile. So they crossed the Strand together, +and made their way by narrow streets into Drury Lane, and then under +a certain archway into Lincoln's Inn Fields. To Miss Mackenzie, who +felt that something ought to be said, the distance and time occupied +seemed to be very short. + +"Why, this is Lincoln's Inn Fields!" she exclaimed, as she came out +upon the west side. + +"Yes; this is Lincoln's Inn Fields, and Mr Slow's chambers are over +there." + +She knew very well where Mr Slow's chambers were situated, but she +paused on the pavement, not wishing to go thither quite at once. + +"John," she said, "I thought that perhaps we might have talked over +all this before we saw Mr Slow." + +"Talked over all what?" + +"About the money that I want to give to my brother's family. Did not +my aunt tell you of it?" + +"Yes; she told me that you and she had differed." + +"And she told you what about?" + +"Yes," said he, slowly; "she told me what about." + +"And what ought I to do, John?" + +As she asked the question she caught hold of the lappet of his coat, +and looked up into his face as though supplicating him to give her +the advantage of all his discretion and all his honesty. + +They were still standing on the pavement, where the street comes out +from under the archway. She was gazing into his face, and he was +looking away from her, over towards the inner railings of the square, +with heavy brow and dull eye and motionless face. She was very eager, +and he seemed to be simply patient, but nevertheless he was working +hard with his thoughts, striving to determine how best he might +answer her. His mother had told him that he might model this woman to +his will, and had repeated to him that story which he had heard so +often of the wrong that had been done to him by his uncle Jonathan. +It may be said that there was no need for such repetition, as John +Ball had himself always thought quite enough of that injury. He had +thought of it for the last twenty years, almost hourly, till it was +graven upon his very soul. He had been a ruined, wretched, moody man, +because of his uncle Jonathan's will. There was no need, one would +have said, to have stirred him on that subject. But his mother, on +this morning, in the ten minutes before prayer-time, had told him +of it all again, and had told him also that the last vestige of his +uncle's money would now disappear from him unless he interfered to +save it. + +"On this very day it must be saved; and she will do anything you tell +her," said his mother. "She regards you more than anyone else. If you +were to ask her again now, I believe she would accept you this very +day. At any rate, do not let those people have the money." + +And yet he had not spoken to Margaret on the subject during the +journey, and would now have taken her to the lawyer's chambers +without a word, had she not interrupted him and stopped him. + +Nevertheless he had been thinking of his uncle, and his uncle's will, +and his uncle's money, throughout the morning. He was thinking of it +at that moment when she stopped him--thinking how hard it all was, +how cruel that those people in the New Road should have had and spent +half his uncle's fortune, and that now the remainder, which at one +time had seemed to be near the reach of his own children, should also +go to atone for the negligence and fraud of those wretched Rubbs. + +We all know with how strong a bias we regard our own side of any +question, and he regarded his side in this question with a very +strong bias. Nevertheless he had refrained from a word, and would +have refrained, had she not stopped him. + +When she took hold of him by the coat, he looked for a moment into +her face, and thought that in its trouble it was very sweet. She +leaned somewhat against him as she spoke, and he wished that she +would lean against him altogether. There was about her a quiet +power of endurance, and at the same time a comeliness and a womanly +softness which seemed to fit her altogether for his wants and +wishes. As he looked with his dull face across into the square, no +physiognomist would have declared of him that at that moment he was +suffering from love, or thinking of a woman that was dear to him. But +it was so with him, and the physiognomist, had one been there, would +have been wrong. She had now asked him a question, which he was bound +to answer in some way:--"What ought I to do, John?" + +He turned slowly round and walked with her, away from their +destination, round by the south side of the square, and then up along +the blank wall on the east side, nearly to the passage into Holborn, +and back again all round the enclosed space. She, while she was +speaking to him and listening to him, hardly remembered where she was +or whither she was going. + +"I thought," said he, in answer to her question, "that you intended +to ask Mr Slow's advice?" + +"I didn't mean to do more than tell him what should be done. He is +not a friend, you know, John." + +"It's customary to ask lawyers their advice on such subjects." + +"I'd rather have yours, John. But, in truth, what I want you to say +is, that I am right in doing this,--right in keeping my promise to my +brother, and providing for his children." + +"Like most people, Margaret, you want to be advised to follow your +own counsel." + +"God knows that I want to do right, John. I want to do nothing else, +John, but what's right. As to this money, I care but little for it +for myself." + +"It is your own, and you have a right to enjoy it." + +"I don't know much about enjoyment. As to enjoyment, it seems to me +to be pretty much the same whether a person is rich or poor. I always +used to hear that money brought care, and I'm sure I've found it so +since I had any." + +"You've got no children, Margaret." + +"No; but there are all those orphans. Am I not bound to look upon +them as mine, now that he has gone? If they don't depend on me, whom +are they to depend on?" + +"If your mind is made up, Margaret, I have nothing to say against it. +You know what my wishes are. They are just the same now as when you +were last with us. It isn't only for the money I say this, though, +of course, that must go a long way with a man circumstanced as I am; +but, Margaret, I love you dearly, and if you can make up your mind to +be my wife, I would do my best to make you happy." + +"I hadn't meant you to talk in that way, John," said Margaret. + +But she was not much flurried. She was now so used to these overtures +that they did not come to her as much out of the common way. And she +gave herself none of that personal credit which women are apt to take +to themselves when they find they are often sought in marriage. She +looked upon her lovers as so many men to whom her income would be +convenient, and felt herself to be almost under an obligation to +them for their willingness to put up with the incumbrance which was +attached to it. + +"But it's the only way I can talk when you ask me about this," said +he. Then he paused for a moment before he added, "How much is it you +wish to give to your brother's widow?" + +"Half what I've got left." + +"Got left! You haven't lost any of your money have you, Margaret?" + +Then she explained to him the facts as to the loan, and took care +to explain to him also, very fully, the compensatory fact of the +purchase by the railway company. "And my promise to him was made +after I had lent it, you know," she urged. + +"I do think it ought to be deducted; I do indeed," he said. "I am +not speaking on my own behalf now, as for the sake of my children, +but simply as a man of business. As for myself, though I do think I +have been hardly used in the matter of my uncle's money, I'll try to +forget it. I'll try at any rate to do without it. When I first knew +you, and found--found that I liked you so much, I own that I did have +hopes. But if it must be, there shall be an end of that. The children +don't starve, I suppose." + +"Oh, John!" + +"As for me, I won't hanker after your money. But, for your own sake, +Margaret--" + +"There will be more than enough for me, you know; and, John--" + +She was going to make him some promise; to tell him something of her +intention towards his son, and to make some tender of assistance to +himself; being now in that mind to live on the smallest possible +pittance, of which I have before spoken, when he ceased speaking or +listening, and hurried her on to the attorney's chambers. + +"Do what you like with it. It is your own," said he. "And we shall do +no good by talking about it any longer out here." + +So at last they made their way up to Mr Slow's rooms, on the first +floor in the old house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, and were informed +that that gentleman was at home. Would they be pleased to sit down in +the waiting-room? + +There is, I think, no sadder place in the world than the waiting-room +attached to an attorney's chambers in London. In this instance it was +a three-cornered room, which had got itself wedged in between the +house which fronted to Lincoln's Inn Fields, and some buildings in a +narrow lane that ran at the back of the row. There was no carpet in +it, and hardly any need of one, as the greater part of the floor was +strewed with bundles of dusty papers. There was a window in it, which +looked out from the point of the further angle against the wall of +the opposite building. The dreariness of this aspect had been thought +to be too much for the minds of those who waited, and therefore the +bottom panes had been clouded, so that there was in fact no power of +looking out at all. Over the fireplace there was a table of descents +and relationship, showing how heirship went; and the table was very +complicated, describing not only the heirship of ordinary real and +personal property, but also explaining the wonderful difficulties of +gavelkind, and other mysteriously traditional laws. But the table was +as dirty as it was complicated, and the ordinary waiting reader could +make nothing of it. There was a small table in the room, near the +window, which was always covered with loose papers; but these loose +papers were on this occasion again covered with sheets of parchment, +and a pale-faced man, of about thirty, whose beard had never yet +attained power to do more than sprout, was sitting at the table, and +poring over the parchments. Round the room, on shelves, there was a +variety of iron boxes, on which were written the names of Mr Slow's +clients,--of those clients whose property justified them in having +special boxes of their own. But these boxes were there, it must be +supposed, for temporary purposes,--purposes which might be described +as almost permanently temporary,--for those boxes which were allowed +to exist in absolute permanence of retirement, were kept in an iron +room downstairs, the trap-door into which had yawned upon Miss +Mackenzie as she was shown into the waiting-room. There was, however, +one such box open, on the middle of the floor, and sundry of the +parchments which had been taken from it were lying around it. + +There were but two chairs in the room besides the one occupied by the +man at the table, and these were taken by John Ball and his cousin. +She sat herself down, armed with patience, indifferent to the delay +and indifferent to the dusty ugliness of everything around her, as +women are on such occasions. He, thinking much of his time, and +somewhat annoyed at being called upon to wait, sat with his chin +resting on his umbrella between his legs, and as he did so he allowed +his eyes to roam around among the names upon the boxes. There was +nothing on any one of those up on the shelves that attracted him. +There was the Marquis of B----, and Sir C. D----, and the Dowager +Countess of E----. Seeing this, he speculated mildly whether Mr Slow +put forward the boxes of his aristocratic customers to show how well +he was doing in the world. But presently his eye fell from the shelf +and settled upon the box on the floor. There, on that box, he saw the +name of Walter Mackenzie. + +This did not astonish him, as he immediately said to himself that +these papers were being searched with reference to the business on +which his cousin was there that day; but suddenly it occurred to him +that Margaret had given him to understand that Mr Slow did not expect +her. He stepped over to her, therefore, one step over the papers, and +asked her the question, whispering it into her ear. + +"No," said she, "I had no appointment. I don't think he expects me." + +He returned to his seat, and again sitting down with his chin on +the top of his umbrella, surveyed the parchments that lay upon the +ground. Upon one of them, that was not far from his feet, he read the +outer endorsements written as such endorsements always are, in almost +illegible old English letters-- + +"Jonathan Ball, to John Ball, junior--Deed of Gift." + +But, after all, there was nothing more than a coincidence in this. +Of course Mr Slow would have in his possession all the papers +appertaining to the transfer of Jonathan Ball's property to the +Mackenzies; or, at any rate, such as referred to Walter's share of +it. Indeed, Mr Slow, at the time of Jonathan Ball's death, acted for +the two brothers, and it was probable that all the papers would be +with him. John Ball had known that there had been some intention +on his uncle's part, before the quarrel between his father and his +uncle, to make over to him, on his coming of age, a certain property +in London, and he had been told that the money which the Mackenzies +had inherited had ultimately come from this very property. His uncle +had been an eccentric, quarrelsome man, prone to change his mind +often, and not regardful of money as far as he himself was concerned. +John Ball remembered to have heard that his uncle had intended him to +become possessed of certain property in his own right the day that +he became of age, and that this had all been changed because of the +quarrel which had taken place between his uncle and his father. His +father now never spoke of this, and for many years past had seldom +mentioned it. But from his mother he had often heard of the special +injury which he had undergone. + +"His uncle," she had said, "had given it, and had taken it back +again,--had taken it back that he might waste it on those +Mackenzies." + +All this he had heard very often, but he had never known anything of +a deed of gift. Was it not singular, he thought, that the draft of +such a deed should be lying at his foot at this moment. + +He showed nothing of this in his face, and still sat there with his +chin resting on his umbrella. But certainly stronger ideas than usual +of the great wrongs which he had suffered did come into his head as +he looked upon the paper at his feet. He began to wonder whether he +would be justified in taking it up and inspecting it. But as he was +thinking of this the pale-faced man rose from his chair, and after +moving among the papers on the ground for an instant, selected this +very document, and carried it with him to his table. Mr Ball, as +his eyes followed the parchment, watched the young man dust it and +open it, and then having flattened it with his hand, glance over it +till he came to a certain spot. The pale-faced clerk, accustomed +to such documents, glanced over the ambages, the "whereases," the +"aforesaids," the rich exuberance of "admors.," "exors.," and +"assigns," till he deftly came to the pith of the matter, and then +he began to make extracts, a date here and a date there. John Ball +watched him all the time, till the door was opened, and old Mr Slow +himself appeared in the room. + +He stepped across the papers to shake hands with his client, and then +shook hands also with Mr Ball, whom he knew. His eye glanced at once +down to the box, and after that over towards the pale-faced clerk. +Mr Ball perceived that the attorney had joined in his own mind the +operation that was going on with these special documents, and the +presence of these two special visitors; and that he, in some measure, +regretted the coincidence. There was something wrong, and John Ball +began to consider whether the old lawyer could be an old scoundrel. +Some lawyers, he knew, were desperate scoundrels. He said nothing, +however; but, obeying Mr Slow's invitation, followed him and his +cousin into the sanctum sanctorum of the chambers. + +"They didn't tell me you were here at first," said the lawyer, in a +tone of vexation, "or I wouldn't have had you shown in there." + +John Ball thought that this was, doubtless, true, and that very +probably they might not have been put in among those papers had Mr +Slow known what was being done. + +"The truth is," continued the lawyer, "the Duke of F----'s man of +business was with me, and they did not like to interrupt me." + +Mr Slow was a grey-haired old man, nearer eighty than seventy, +who, with the exception of a fortnight's holiday every year which +he always spent at Margate, had attended those same chambers in +Lincoln's Inn Fields daily for the last sixty years. He was a stout, +thickset man, very leisurely in all his motions, who walked slowly, +talked slowly, read slowly, wrote slowly, and thought slowly; but +who, nevertheless, had the reputation of doing a great deal of +business, and doing it very well. He had a partner in the business, +almost as old as himself, named Bideawhile; and they who knew them +both used to speculate which of the two was the most leisurely. It +was, however, generally felt that, though Mr Slow was the slowest in +his speech, Mr Bideawhile was the longest in getting anything said. +Mr Slow would often beguile his time with unnecessary remarks; but Mr +Bideawhile was so constant in beguiling his time, that men wondered +how, in truth, he ever did anything at all. Of both of them it may be +said that no men stood higher in their profession, and that Mr Ball's +suspicions, had they been known in the neighbourhood of Lincoln's +Inn, would have been scouted as utterly baseless. And, for the +comfort of my readers, let me assure them that they were utterly +baseless. There might, perhaps, have been a little vanity about Mr +Slow as to the names of his aristocratic clients; but he was an +honest, painstaking man, who had ever done his duty well by those who +had employed him. + +Is it not remarkable that the common repute which we all give to +attorneys in the general is exactly opposite to that which every man +gives to his own attorney in particular? Whom does anybody trust so +implicitly as he trusts his own attorney? And yet is it not the case +that the body of attorneys is supposed to be the most roguish body in +existence? + +The old man seemed now to be a little fretful, and said something +more about his sorrow at their having been sent into that room. + +"We are so crowded," he said, "that we hardly know how to stir +ourselves." + +Miss Mackenzie said it did not signify in the least. Mr Ball said +nothing, but seated himself with his chin again resting on his +umbrella. + +"I was so sorry to see in the papers an account of your brother's +death," said Mr Slow. + +"Yes, Mr Slow; he has gone, and left a wife and very large family." + +"I hope they are provided for, Miss Mackenzie." + +"No, indeed; they are not provided for at all. My brother had not +been fortunate in business." + +"And yet he went into it with a large capital,--with a large capital +in such a business as that." + +John Ball, with his chin on the umbrella, said nothing. He said +nothing, but he winced as he thought whence the capital had come. And +he thought, too, of those much-meaning words: "Jonathan Ball to John +Ball, junior--Deed of gift." + +"He had been unfortunate," said Miss Mackenzie, in an apologetic +tone. + +"And what will you do about your loan?" said Mr Slow, looking over +to John Ball when he asked the question, as though inquiring whether +all Miss Mackenzie's affairs were to be talked over openly in the +presence of that gentleman. + +"That was a gift," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"A deed of gift," thought John Ball to himself. "A deed of gift!" + +"Oh, indeed! Then there's an end of that, I suppose," said Mr Slow. + +"Exactly so. I have been explaining to my cousin all about it. I hope +the firm will be able to pay my sister-in-law the interest on it, but +that does not seem sure." + +"I am afraid I cannot help you there, Miss Mackenzie." + +"Of course not. I was not thinking of it. But what I've come about is +this." Then she told Mr Slow the whole of her project with reference +to her fortune; how, on his death-bed, she had promised to give half +of all that she had to her brother's wife and family, and how she had +come there to him, with her cousin, in order that he might put her in +the way of keeping her promise. + +Mr Slow sat in silence and patiently heard her to the end. She, +finding herself thus encouraged to speak, expatiated on the solemnity +of her promise, and declared that she could not be comfortable till +she had done all that she had undertaken to perform. "And I shall +have quite enough for myself afterwards, Mr Slow, quite enough." + +Mr Slow did not say a word till she had done, and even then he +seemed to delay his speech. John Ball never raised his face from his +umbrella, but sat looking at the lawyer, whom he still suspected of +roguery. And if the lawyer were a rogue, what then about his cousin? +It must not be supposed that he suspected her; but what would come of +her, if the fortune she held were, in truth, not her own? + +"I have told my cousin all about it," continued Margaret, "and I +believe that he thinks I am doing right. At any rate, I would do +nothing without his knowing it." + +"I think she is giving her sister-in-law too much," said John Ball. + +"I am only doing what I promised," urged Margaret. + +"I think that the money which she lent to the firm should, at any +rate, be deducted," said John Ball, speaking this with a kind of +proviso to himself, that the words so spoken were intended to be +taken as having any meaning only on the presumption that that +document which he had seen in the other room should turn out to be +wholly inoperative and inefficient at the present moment. In answer +to these side-questions or corollary points as to the deduction or +non-deduction of the loan, Mr Slow answered not a word; but when +there was silence between them, he did make answer as to the original +proposition. + +"Miss Mackenzie," he said, "I think you had better postpone doing +anything in this matter for the present." + +"Why postpone it?" said she. + +"Your brother's death is very recent. It happened not above a +fortnight since, I think." + +"And I want to have this settled at once, so that there shall be no +distress. What's the good of waiting?" + +"Such things want thinking of, Miss Mackenzie." + +"But I have thought of it. All I want now is to have it done." + +A slight smile came across the puckered grey face of the lawyer as he +felt the imperative nature of the instruction given to him. The lady +had come there not to be advised, but to have her work done for her +out of hand. But the smile was very melancholy, and soon passed away. + +"Is the widow in immediate distress?" asked Mr Slow. + +Now the fact was that Miss Mackenzie herself had been in good funds, +having had ready money in her hands from the time of her brother +Walter's death; and for the last year she had by no means spent her +full income. She had, therefore, given her sister-in-law money, and +had paid the small debts which had come in, as such small debts will +come in, directly the dead man's body was under ground. Nay, some had +come in and had been paid while the man was yet dying. She exclaimed, +therefore, that her sister-in-law was not absolutely in immediate +want. + +"And does she keep the house?" asked the lawyer. + +Then Miss Mackenzie explained that Mrs Tom intended, if possible, to +keep the house, and to take some lady in to lodge with her. + +"Then there cannot be any immediate hurry," urged the lawyer; "and +as the sum of money in question is large, I really think the matter +should be considered." + +But Miss Mackenzie still pressed it. She was very anxious to make him +understand--and of course he did understand at once--that she had +no wish to hurry him in his work. All that she required of him was +an assurance that he accepted her instructions, and that the thing +should be done with not more than the ordinary amount of legal delay. + +"You can pay her what you like out of your own income," said the +lawyer. + +"But that is not what I promised," said Margaret Mackenzie. + +Then there was silence among them all. Mr Ball had said very little +since he had been sitting in that room, and now it was not he who +broke the silence. He was still thinking of that deed of gift, and +wondering whether it had anything to do with Mr Slow's unwillingness +to undertake the commission which Margaret wished to give him. At +last Mr Slow got up from his chair, and spoke as follows: + +"Mr Ball, I hope you will excuse me; but I have a word or two to say +to Miss Mackenzie, which I had rather say to her alone." + +"Certainly," said Mr Ball, rising and preparing to go. + +"You will wait for me, John," said Miss Mackenzie, asking this favour +of him as though she were very anxious that he should grant it. + +Mr Slow said that he might be closeted with Miss Mackenzie for some +little time, perhaps for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. John +Ball looked at his watch, and then at his cousin's face, and then +promised that he would wait. Mr Slow himself took him into the outer +office, and then handed him a chair; but he observed that he was not +allowed to go back into the waiting-room. + +There he waited for three-quarters of an hour, constantly looking at +his watch, and thinking more and more about that deed of gift. Surely +it must be the case that the document which he had seen had some +reference to this great delay. At last he heard a door open, and a +step along a passage, and then another door was opened, and Mr Slow +reappeared with Margaret Mackenzie behind him. John Ball's eyes +immediately fell on his cousin's face, and he could see that it was +very pale. The lawyer's wore that smile which men put on when they +wish to cover the disagreeable seriousness of the moment. + +"Good morning, Miss Mackenzie," said he, pressing his client's hand. + +"Good morning, sir," said she. + +The lawyer and Mr Ball then touched each other's hands, and the +former followed his cousin down the steps out into the square. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +Tribulation + + +When they were once more out in the square, side by side, Miss +Mackenzie took hold of her cousin's arm and walked on for a few steps +in silence, in the direction of Great Queen Street--that is to say, +away from the city, towards which she knew her cousin would go in +pursuit of his own business. And indeed the hour was now close at +hand in which he should be sitting as a director at the Shadrach +Fire Assurance Office. If not at the Shadrach by two, or, with all +possible allowance for the shortcoming of a generally punctual +director, by a quarter past two, he would be too late for his guinea; +and now, as he looked at his watch, it wanted only ten minutes to +two. He was very particular about these guineas, and the chambers of +the Shadrach were away in Old Broad Street. Nevertheless he walked on +with her. + +"John," she said, when they had walked half the length of that side +of the square, "I have heard dreadful news." + +Then that deed of gift was, after all, a fact; and Mr Slow, instead +of being a rogue, must be the honestest old lawyer in London! He must +have been at work in discovering the wrong that had been done, and +was now about to reveal it to the world. Some such idea as this had +glimmered across Mr Ball's mind as he had sat in Mr Slow's outer +office, with his chin still resting on his umbrella. + +But though some such idea as this did cross his mind, his thought on +the instant was of his cousin. + +"What dreadful news, Margaret?" + +"It is about my money." + +"Stop a moment, Margaret. Are you sure that you ought to tell it to +me?" + +"If I don't, to whom shall I tell it? And how can I bear it without +telling it to some one?" + +"Did Mr Slow bid you speak of it to me?" + +"No; he bade me think much of it before I did so, as you are +concerned. And he said that you might perhaps be disappointed." + +Then they walked on again in silence. John Ball found his position +to be very difficult, and hardly knew how to speak to her, or how to +carry himself. If it was to be that this money was to come back to +him; if it was his now in spite of all that had come and gone; if the +wrong done was to be righted, and the property wrested from him was +to be restored,--restored to him who wanted it so sorely,--how could +he not triumph in such an act of tardy restitution? He remembered all +the particulars at this moment. Twelve thousand pounds of his uncle +Jonathan's money had gone to Walter Mackenzie. The sum once intended +for him had been much more than that,--more he believed than double +that; but if twelve thousand pounds was now restored to him, how +different would it make the whole tenor of his life; Mr Slow said +that he might be disappointed; but then Mr Slow was not his lawyer. +Did he not owe it to his family immediately to go to his own +attorney? Now he thought no more of his guinea at the Shadrach, but +walked on by his cousin's side with his mind intently fixed on his +uncle's money. She was still leaning on his arm. + +"Tell me, John, what shall I do?" said she, looking up into his face. + +Would it not be better for them, better for the interests of them +both, that they should be separated? Was it probable, or possible, +that with interests so adverse, they should give each other good +advice? Did it not behove him to explain to her that till this should +be settled between them, they must necessarily regard each other as +enemies? For a moment or two he wished himself away from her, and was +calculating how he might escape. But then, when he looked down at +her, and saw the softness of her eye, and felt the confidence implied +in the weight of her hand upon his arm, his hard heart was softened, +and he relented. + +"It is difficult to tell you what you should do," he said. "At +present nothing seems to be known. He has said nothing for certain." + +"But I could understand him," she said, in reply; "I could see by +his face, and I knew by the tone of his voice, that he was almost +certain. I know that he is sure of it. John, I shall be a beggar, an +absolute beggar! I shall have nothing; and those poor children will +be beggars, and their mother. I feel as though I did not know where I +am, or what I am doing." + +Then an idea came into his head. If this money was not hers, it was +his. If it was not his, then it was hers. Would it not be well that +they should solve all the difficulty by agreeing then and there to be +man and wife? It was true that since his Rachel's death he had seen +no woman whom he so much coveted to have in his home as this one who +now leaned on his arm. But, as he thought of it, there seemed to be +a romance about such a step which would not befit him. What would +his mother and father say to him if, after all his troubles, he was +at last to marry a woman without a farthing? And then, too, would +she consent to give up all further consideration for her brother's +family? Would she agree to abandon her idea of assisting them, if +ultimately it should turn out that the property was hers? No; there +was certainly a looseness about such a plan which did not befit him; +and, moreover, were he to attempt it, he would probably not succeed. + +But something must be done, now at this moment. The guinea at the +Shadrach was gone for ever, and therefore he could devote himself for +the day to his cousin. + +"Are you to hear again from Mr Slow?" he said. + +"I am to go to him this day week." + +"And then it will be decided?" + +"John, it is decided now; I am sure of it. I feel that it is all +gone. A careful man like that would never have spoken as he did, +unless he was sure. It will be all yours, John." + +"So would have been that which your brother had," said he. + +"I suppose so. It is dreadful to think of; very dreadful. I can only +promise that I will spend nothing till it is decided. John, I wish +you would take from me what I have, lest it should go." And she +absolutely had her hand upon her purse in her pocket. + +"No," said he slowly, "no; you need think of nothing of that sort." + +"But what am I to do? Where am I to go while this week passes by?" + +"You will stay where you are, of course." + +"Oh John! if you could understand! How am I to look my aunt in the +face. Don't you know that she would not wish to have me there at all +if I was a poor creature without anything?" The poor creature did not +know herself how terribly heavy was the accusation she was bringing +against her aunt. "And what will she say when she knows that the +money I have spent has never really been my own?" + +Then he counselled her to say nothing about it to her aunt till after +her next visit to Mr Slow's and made her understand that he, himself, +would not mention the subject at the Cedars till the week was passed. +He should go, he said, to his own lawyer, and tell him the whole +story as far as he knew it. It was not that he in the least doubted +Mr Slow's honesty or judgment, but it would be better that the two +should act together. Then when the week was over, he and Margaret +would once more go to Lincoln's Inn Fields. + +"What a week I shall have!" said she. + +"It will be a nervous time for us both," he answered. + +"And what must I do after that?" This question she asked, not in the +least as desirous of obtaining from him any assurance of assistance, +but in the agony of her spirit, and in sheer dismay as to her +prospects. + +"We must hope for the best," he said. "God tempers the wind to the +shorn lamb." He had often thought of the way in which he had been +shorn, but he did not, at this moment, remember that the shearing had +never been so tempered as to be acceptable to his own feelings. + +"And in God only can I trust," she answered. As she said this, her +mind went away to Littlebath, and the Stumfoldians, and Mr Maguire. +Was there not great mercy in the fact, that this ruin had not found +her married to that unfortunate clergyman? And what would they all +say at Littlebath when they heard the story? How would Mrs Stumfold +exult over the downfall of the woman who had rebelled against her! +how would the nose of the coachmaker's wife rise in the air! and how +would Mr Maguire rejoice that this great calamity had not fallen upon +him! Margaret Mackenzie's heart and spirit had been sullied by no +mean feeling with reference to her own wealth. It had never puffed +her up with exultation. But she calculated on the meanness of others, +as though it was a matter of course, not, indeed, knowing that it was +meanness, or blaming them in any way for that which she attributed to +them. Four gentlemen had wished to marry her during the past year. It +never occurred to her now, that any one of these four would on that +account hold out a hand to help her. In losing her money she would +have lost all that was desirable in their eyes, and this seemed to +her to be natural. + +They were still walking round Lincoln's Inn Fields. "John," she +exclaimed suddenly, "I must go to them in Gower Street." + +"What, now, to-day?" + +"Yes, now, immediately. You need not mind me; I can get back to +Twickenham by myself. I know the trains." + +"If I were you, Margaret, I would not go till all this is decided." + +"It is decided, John; I know it is. And how can I leave them in such +a condition, spending money which they will never get? They must know +it some time, and the sooner the better. Mr Rubb must know it too. He +must understand that he is more than ever bound to provide them with +an income out of the business." + +"I would not do it to-day if I were you." + +"But I must, John; this very day. If I am not home by dinner, tell +them that I had to go to Gower Street. I shall at any rate be there +in the evening. Do not you mind coming back with me." + +They were then at the gate leading into the New Square, and she +turned abruptly round, and hurried away from him up into Holborn, +passing very near to Mr Slow's chambers. John Ball did not attempt +to follow her, but stood there awhile looking after her. He felt, +in his heart, and knew by his judgment, that she was a good woman, +true, unselfish, full of love, clever too in her way, quick in +apprehension, and endowed with an admirable courage. He had heard her +spoken of at the Cedars as a poor creature who had money. Nay, he +himself had taken a part in so speaking of her. Now she had no money, +but he knew well that she was a creature the very reverse of poor. +What should he do for her? In what way should he himself behave +towards her? In the early days of his youth, before the cares of the +world had made him hard, he had married his Rachel without a penny, +and his father had laughed at him, and his mother had grieved over +him. Tough and hard, and careworn as he was now, defiled by the price +of stocks, and saturated with the poison of the money market, then +there had been in him a touch of romance and a dash of poetry, and +he had been happy with his Rachel. Should he try it again now? The +woman would surely love him when she found that he came to her in her +poverty as he had before come to her in her wealth. He watched her +till she passed out of his sight along the wall leading to Holborn, +and then he made his way to the City through Lincoln's Inn and +Chancery Lane. + +Margaret walked straight into Holborn, and over it towards Red Lion +Square. She crossed the line of the omnibuses, feeling that now she +must spend no penny which she could save. She was tired, for she had +already walked much that morning, and the day was close and hot; +but nevertheless she went on quickly, through Bloomsbury Square and +Russell Square, to Gower Street. As she got near to the door her +heart almost failed her; but she went up to it and knocked boldly. +The thing should be done, let the pain of doing it be what it might. + +"Laws, Miss Margaret! is that you?" said the maid. "Yes, missus is +at home. She'll see you, of course, but she's hard at work on the +furniture." + +Then she went directly up into the drawing-room and there she found +her sister-in-law, with her dress tucked up to her elbows, with a +cloth in her hand, rubbing the chairs. + +"What, Margaret! Whoever expected to see you? If we are to let the +rooms, it's as well to have the things tidy, isn't it? Besides, a +person bears it all the better when there's anything to do." + +Then Mary Jane, the eldest daughter, came in from the bedroom behind +the drawing-room, similarly armed for work. + +Margaret sat down wearily upon the sofa, having muttered some word +in answer to Mrs Tom's apology for having been found at work so soon +after her husband's death. + +"Sarah," she said, "I have come to you to-day because I had something +to say to you about business." + +"Oh, to be sure! I never thought for a moment you had come for +pleasure, or out of civility, as it might be. Of course I didn't +expect that when I saw you." + +"Sarah, will you come upstairs with me into your own room?" + +"Upstairs, Margaret? Oh yes, if you please. We shall be down +directly, my dear, and I dare say Margaret will stay to tea. We tea +early, because, since you went, we have dined at one." + +Then Mrs Tom led the way up to the room in which Margaret had watched +by her dying brother's bed-side. + +"I'm come in here," said Mrs Tom, again apologising, "because the +children had to come out of the room behind the drawing-room. Miss +Colza is staying with us, and she and Mary Jane have your room." + +Margaret did not care much for all this; but the solemnity of the +chamber in which, when she last saw it, her brother's body was lying, +added something to her sadness at the moment. + +"Sarah," she said, endeavouring to warn her sister-in-law by the tone +of her voice that her news was bad news, "I have just come from Mr +Slow." + +"He's the lawyer, isn't he?" + +"Yes, he's the lawyer. You know what I promised my brother. I went to +him to make arrangements for doing it, and when there I heard--oh, +Sarah, such dreadful news!" + +"He says you're not to do it, I suppose!" And in the woman's voice +and eyes there were signs of anger, not against Mr Slow alone, but +also against Miss Mackenzie. "I knew how it would be. But, Margaret, +Mr Slow has got nothing to do with it. A promise is a promise; and a +promise made to a dying man! Oh, Margaret!" + +"If I had it to give I would give it as surely as I am standing here. +When I told my brother it should be so, he believed me at once." + +"Of course he believed you." + +"But Sarah, they tell me now that I have nothing to give." + +"Who tells you so?" + +"The lawyer. I cannot explain it all to you; indeed, I do not as +yet understand it myself; but I have learned this morning that the +property which Walter left me was not his to leave. It had been given +away before Mr Jonathan Ball died." + +"It's a lie!" said the injured woman,--the woman who was the least +injured, but who, with her children, had perhaps the best excuse for +being ill able to bear the injury. "It must be a lie. It's more than +twenty years ago. I don't believe and won't believe that it can be +so. John Ball must have something to do with this." + +"The property will go to him, but he has had nothing to do with it. +Mr Slow found it out." + +"It can't be so, not after twenty years. Whatever they may have done +from Walter, they can't take it away from you; not if you've spirit +enough to stand up for your rights. If you let them take it in that +way, I can't tell you what I shall think of you." + +"It is my own lawyer that says so." + +"Yes, Mr Slow; the biggest rogue of them all. I always knew that of +him, always. Oh, Margaret, think of the children! What are we to do? +What are we to do?" And sitting down on the bedside, she put her +dirty apron up to her eyes. + +"I have been thinking of them ever since I heard it," said Margaret. + +"But what good will thinking do? You must do something. Oh! Margaret, +after all that you said to him when he lay there dying!" and the +woman, with some approach to true pathos, put her hand on the spot +where her husband's head had rested. "Don't let his children come +to beggary because men like that choose to rob the widow and the +orphan." + +"Every one has a right to what is his own," said Margaret. "Even +though widows should be beggars, and orphans should want." + +"That's very well of you, Margaret. It's very well for you to say +that, who have friends like the Balls to stand by you. And, perhaps, +if you will let him have it all without saying anything, he will +stand by you firmer than ever. But who is there to stand by me and +my children? It can't be that after twenty years your fortune should +belong to anyone else. Why should it have gone on for more than +twenty years, and nobody have found it out? I don't believe it can +come so, Margaret, unless you choose to let them do it. I don't +believe a word of it." + +There was nothing more to be said upon that subject at present. Mrs +Tom did indeed say a great deal more about it, sometimes threatening +Margaret, and sometimes imploring her; but Miss Mackenzie herself +would not allow herself to speak of the thing otherwise than as an +ascertained fact. Had the other woman been more reasonable or less +passionate in her lamentations Miss Mackenzie might have trusted +herself to tell her that there was yet a doubt. But she herself felt +that the doubt was so small, and that, in Mrs Tom's mind, it would +be so magnified into nearly a certainty on the other side, that +she thought it most discreet not to refer to the exact amount of +information which Mr Slow had given to her. + +"It will be best for us to think, Sarah," she said, trying to turn +the other's mind away from the coveted income which she would never +possess--"to think what you and the children had better do." + +"Oh, dear! oh, dear! oh, dear!" + +"It is very bad; but there is always something to be done. We must +lose no time in letting Mr Rubb know the truth. When he hears how it +is, he will understand that something must be done for you out of the +firm." + +"He won't do anything. He's downstairs now, flirting with that girl +in the drawing-room, instead of being at his business." + +"If he's downstairs, I will see him." + +As Mrs Mackenzie made no objection to this, Margaret went downstairs, +and when she came near the passage at the bottom, she heard the +voices of people talking merrily in the parlour. As her hand was +on the lock of the door, words from Miss Colza became very audible. +"Now, Mr Rubb, be quiet." So she knocked at the door, and having been +invited by Mr Rubb to come in, she opened it. + +It may be presumed that the flirting had not gone to any perilous +extent, as there were three or four children present. Nevertheless +Miss Colza and Mr Rubb were somewhat disconcerted, and expressed +their surprise at seeing Miss Mackenzie. + +"We all thought you were staying with the baronet's lady," said Miss +Colza. + +Miss Mackenzie explained that she was staying at Twickenham, but that +she had come up to pay a visit to her sister-in-law. "And I've a word +or two I want to say to you, Mr Rubb, if you'll allow me." + +"I suppose, then, I'd better make myself scarce," said Miss Colza. + +As she was not asked to stay, she did make herself scarce, taking the +children with her up among the tables and chairs in the drawing-room. +There she found Mary Jane, but she did not find Mrs Mackenzie, who +had thrown herself on the bed in her agony upstairs. + +Then Miss Mackenzie told her wretched story to Mr Rubb,--telling it +for the third time. He was awe-struck as he listened, but did not +once attempt to deny the facts, as had been done by Mrs Mackenzie. + +"And is it sure?" he asked, when her story was over. + +"I don't suppose it is quite sure yet. Indeed, Mr Slow said it was +not quite sure. But I have not allowed myself to doubt it, and I do +not doubt it." + +"If he himself had not felt himself sure, he would not have told +you." + +"Just so, Mr Rubb. That is what I think; and therefore I have given +my sister-in-law no hint that there is a chance left. I think you had +better not do so either." + +"Perhaps not," said he. He spoke in a low voice, almost whispering, +as though he were half scared by the tidings he had heard. + +"It is very dreadful," she said; "very dreadful for Sarah and the +children." + +"And for you too, Miss Mackenzie." + +"But about them, Mr Rubb. What can you do for them out of the +business?" + +He looked very blank, and made no immediate answer. + +"I know you will feel for their position," she said. "You do; do you +not?" + +"Indeed I do, Miss Mackenzie." + +"And you will do what you can. You can at any rate ensure them the +interest of the money--of the money you know that came from me." + +Still Mr Rubb sat in silence, and she thought that he must be +stonyhearted. Surely he might undertake to do that, knowing, as he so +well knew, the way in which the money had been obtained, and knowing +also that he had already said that so much should be forthcoming out +of the firm to make up a general income for the family of his late +partner. + +"Surely there will be no doubt about that, Mr Rubb." + +"The Balls will claim the debt," said he hoarsely; and then, in +answer to her inquiries, he explained that the sum she had lent +had not, in truth, been hers to lend. It had formed part of the +money that John Ball could claim, and Mr Slow held in his hands an +acknowledgement of the debt from Rubb and Mackenzie. Of course, Mr +Ball would claim that the interest should be paid to him; and he +would claim the principal too, if, on inquiry, he should find that +the firm would be able to raise it. "I don't know that he wouldn't be +able to come upon the firm for the money your brother put into the +business," said he gloomily. "But I don't think he'll be such a fool +as that. He'd get nothing by it." + +"Then may God help them!" said Miss Mackenzie. + +"And what will you do?" he asked. + +She shook her head, but made him no answer. As for herself she had +not begun to form a plan. Her own condition did not seem to her to be +nearly so dreadful as that of all these young children. + +"I wish I knew how to help you," said Samuel Rubb. + +"There are some positions, Mr Rubb, in which no one but God can +help one. But, perhaps--perhaps you may still do something for the +children." + +"I will try, Miss Mackenzie." + +"Thank you, and may God bless you; and He will bless you if you try. +'Who giveth a drop of water to one of them in my name, giveth it also +to me.' You will think of that, will you not?" + +"I will think of you, and do the best that I can." + +"I had hoped to have made them so comfortable! But God's will be +done; God's will be done. I think I had better go now, Mr Rubb. There +will be no use in my going to her upstairs again. Tell her from me, +with my love, that she shall hear from me when I have seen the +lawyer. I will try to come to her, but perhaps I may not be able. +Good-bye, Mr Rubb." + +"Good-bye, Miss Mackenzie. I hope we shall see each other sometimes." + +"Perhaps so. Do what you can to support her. She will want all that +her friends can do for her." So saying she went out of the room, and +let herself out of the front door into the street, and began her walk +back to the Waterloo Station. + +She had not broken bread in her sister-in-law's house, and it was now +nearly six o'clock. She had taken nothing since she had breakfasted +at Twickenham, and the affairs of the day had been such as to give +her but little time to think of such wants. But now as she made her +weary way through the streets she became sick with hunger, and went +into a baker's shop for a bun. As she ate it she felt that it was +almost wrong in her to buy even that. At the present moment nothing +that she possessed seemed to her to be, by right, her own. Every +shilling in her purse was the property of John Ball, if Mr Slow's +statement were true. Then, when the bun was finished, as she went +down by Bloomsbury church and the region of St Giles's back to the +Strand, she did begin to think of her own position. What should she +do, and how should she commence to do it? She had declared to herself +but lately that the work for which she was fittest was that of +nursing the sick. Was it not possible that she might earn her bread +in this way? Could she not find such employment in some quarter where +her labour would be worth the food she must eat and the raiment she +would require? There was a hospital somewhere in London with which +she thought she had heard that John Ball was connected. Might not he +obtain for her a situation such as that? + +It was past eight when she reached the Cedars, and then she was very +tired,--very tired and nearly sick also with want. She went first +of all up to her room, and then crept down into the drawing-room, +knowing that she should find them at tea. When she entered there was +a large party round the table, consisting of the girls and children +and Lady Ball. John Ball, who never took tea, was sitting in his +accustomed place near the lamp, and the old baronet was half asleep +in his arm-chair. + +"If you were going to dine in Gower Street, Margaret, why didn't you +say so?" said Lady Ball. + +In answer to this, Margaret burst out into tears. It was not the +unkindness of her aunt's voice that upset her so much as her own +weakness, and the terrible struggle of the long day. + +"What on earth is the matter?" said Sir John. + +One of the girls brought her a cup of tea, but she felt herself to be +too weak to take it in her hand, and made a sign that it should be +put on the table. She was not aware that she had ever fainted, but a +fear came upon her that she might do so now. She rallied herself and +struggled, striving to collect her strength. + +"Do you know what is the matter with her, John?" said Lady Ball. + +Then John Ball asked her if she had had dinner, and when she did not +answer him he saw how it was. + +"Mother," he said, "she has had no food all day; I will get it for +her." + +"If she wants anything, the servants can bring it to her, John," said +the mother. + +But he would not trust the servants in this matter, but went out +himself and fetched her meat and wine, and pressed her to take it, +and sat himself beside her, and spoke kind words into her ear, and at +last, in some sort, she was comforted. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +Showing How Two of Miss Mackenzie's Lovers Behaved + + +Mr Ball, on his return home to the Cedars, had given no definite +answer to his mother's inquiries as to the day's work in London, and +had found it difficult to make any reply to her that would for the +moment suffice. She was not a woman easily satisfied with evasive +answers; but, nevertheless, he told her nothing of what had occurred, +and left her simply in a bad humour. This conversation had taken +place before dinner, but after dinner she asked him another question. + +"John, you might as well tell me this; are you engaged to Margaret +Mackenzie?" + +"No, I am not," said her son, angrily. + +After that his mother's humour had become worse than before, and in +that state her niece had found her when she returned home in the +evening, and had suffered in consequence. + +On the next morning Miss Mackenzie sent down word to say she was +not well, and would not come down to breakfast. It so happened that +John Ball was going into town on this day also, the Abednego Life +Office holding its board day immediately after that of the Shadrach +Fire Office, and therefore he was not able to see her before she +encountered his mother. Lady Ball went up to her in her bedroom +immediately after breakfast, and there remained with her for some +time. Her aunt at first was tender with her, giving her tea and only +asking her gentle little questions at intervals; but as the old +lady became impatient at learning nothing, she began a system of +cross-questions, and at last grew to be angry and disagreeable. Her +son had distinctly told her that he was not engaged to his cousin, +and had in fact told her nothing else distinctly; but she, when +she had seen how careful he had been in supplying Margaret's wants +himself, with what anxious solicitude he had pressed wine on her; +how he had sat by her saying soft words to her--Lady Ball, when she +remembered this, could not but think that her son had deceived her. +And if so, why had he wished to deceive her? Could it be that he had +allowed her to give away half her money, and had promised to marry +her with the other half? There were moments in which her dear son +John could be very foolish, in spite of that life-long devotion +to the price of stocks, for which he was conspicuous. She still +remembered, as though it were but the other day, how he had persisted +in marrying Rachel, though Rachel brought nothing with her but a +sweet face, a light figure, a happy temper, and the clothes on her +back. To all mothers their sons are ever young, and to old Lady Ball +John Ball was still young, and still, possibly, capable of some such +folly as that of which she was thinking. If it were not so, if there +were not something of that kind in the wind why should he--why should +she--be so hard and uncommunicative in all their answers? There lay +her niece, however, sick with the headache, and therefore weak, and +very much in Lady Ball's power. The evil to be done was great, and +the necessity for preventing it might be immediate. And Lady Ball +was a lady who did not like to be kept in the dark in reference to +anything concerning her family. Having gone downstairs, therefore, +for an hour or so to look after her servants, or, as she had said, +to allow Margaret to have a little sleep, she returned again to the +charge, and sitting close to Margaret's pillow, did her best to find +out the truth. + +If she could only have known the whole truth; how her son's thoughts +were running throughout the day, even as he sat at the Abednego +board, not on Margaret with half her fortune, but on Margaret with +none! how he was recalling the sweetness of her face as she looked up +to him in the square, and took him by his coat, and her tears as she +spoke of the orphan children, and the grace of her figure as she had +walked away from him, and the persistency of her courage in doing +what she thought to be right! how he was struggling within himself +with an endeavour, a vain endeavour, at a resolution that such a +marriage as that must be out of the question! Had Lady Ball known all +that, I think she would have flown to the offices of the Abednego +after her son, and never have left him till she had conquered his +heart and trampled his folly under her feet. + +But she did not conquer Margaret Mackenzie. The poor creature lying +there, racked, in truth, with pain and sorrow, altogether incapable +of any escape from her aunt's gripe, would not say a word that might +tend to ease Lady Ball's mind. If she had told all that she knew, all +that she surmised, how would her aunt have rejoiced? That the money +should come without the wife would indeed have been a triumph! And +Margaret in telling all would have had nothing to tell of those +terribly foolish thoughts which were then at work in the City. To her +such a state of things as that which I have hinted would have seemed +quite as improbable, quite as unaccountable, as it would have done +to her aunt. But she did not tell all, nor in truth did she tell +anything. + +"And John was with you at the lawyer's," said Lady Ball, attempting +her cross-examination for the third time. "Yes; he was with me +there." + +"And what did he say when you asked Mr Slow to make such a settlement +as that?" + +"He didn't say anything, aunt. The whole thing was put off." + +"I know it was put off; of course it was put off. I didn't suppose +any respectable lawyer in London would have dreamed of doing such a +thing. But what I want to know is, how it was put off. What did Mr +Slow say?" + +"I am to see him again next week." + +"But not to get him to do anything of that kind?" + +"I can't tell, aunt, what he is to do then." + +"But what did he say when you made such a proposition as that? Did he +not tell you that it was quite out of the question?" + +"I don't think he said that, aunt." + +"Then what did he say? Margaret, I never saw such a person as you +are. Why should you be so mysterious? There can't be anything you +don't want me to know, seeing how very much I am concerned; and I do +think you ought to tell me all that occurred, knowing, as you do, +that I have done my very best to be kind to you." + +"Indeed there isn't anything I can tell--not yet." + +Then Lady Ball remained silent at the bed-head for the space, +perhaps, of ten minutes, meditating over it all. If her son was, in +truth, engaged to this woman, at any rate she would find that out. If +she asked a point-blank question on that subject, Margaret would not +be able to leave it unanswered, and would hardly be able to give a +directly false answer. + +"My dear," she said, "I think you will not refuse to tell me plainly +whether there is anything between you and John. As his mother, I have +a right to know?" + +"How anything between us?" said Margaret, raising herself on her +elbow. + +"Are you engaged to marry him?" + +"Oh, dear! no." + +"And there is nothing of that sort going on?" + +"Nothing at all." + +"You are determined still to refuse him?" + +"It is quite out of the question, aunt. He does not wish it at all. +You may be sure that he has quite changed his mind about it." + +"But he won't have changed his mind if you have given up your plan +about your sister-in-law." + +"He has changed it altogether, aunt. You needn't think anything more +about that. He thinks no more about it." + +Nevertheless he was thinking about it this very moment, as he voted +for accepting a doubtful life at the Abednego, which was urged on the +board by a director, who, I hope, had no intimate personal relations +with the owner of the doubtful life in question. + +Lady Ball did not know what to make of it. For many years past she +had not seen her son carry himself so much like a lover as he had +done when he sat himself beside his cousin pressing her to drink +her glass of sherry. Why was he so anxious for her comfort? And why, +before that, had he been so studiously reticent as to her affairs? + +"I can't make anything out of you," said Lady Ball, getting up from +her chair with angry alacrity; "and I must say that I think it very +ungrateful of you, seeing all that I have done for you." + +So saying, she left the room. + +What, oh, what would she think when she should come to know the +truth? Margaret told herself as she lay there, holding her head +between her hands, that she was even now occupying that room and +enjoying the questionable comfort of that bed under false pretences. +When it was known that she was absolutely a pauper, would she then +be made welcome to her uncle's house? She was now remaining there +without divulging her circumstances, under the advice and by the +authority of her cousin; and she had resolved to be guided by him in +all things as long as he would be at the trouble to guide her. On +whom else could she depend? But, nevertheless, her position was very +grievous to her, and the more so now that her aunt had twitted her +with ingratitude. When the servant came to her, she felt that she +had no right to the girl's services; and when a message was brought +to her from Lady Ball, asking whether she would be taken out in the +carriage, she acknowledged to herself that such courtesy to her was +altogether out of place. + +On that evening her cousin said nothing to her, and on the next day +he went again up to town. + +"What, four days running, John!" said Lady Ball, at breakfast. + +"I have particular business to-day, mother," said he. + +On that evening, when he came back, he found a moment to take +Margaret by the hand and tell her that his own lawyer also was to +meet them at Mr Slow's chambers on the day named. He took her thus, +and held her hand closely in his while he was speaking, but he said +nothing to her more tender than the nature of such a communication +required. + +"You and John are terribly mysterious," said Lady Ball to her, a +minute or two afterwards. "If there is anything I do hate it's +mystery in families. We never had any with us till you came." + +On the next day a letter reached her which had been redirected from +Gower Street. It was from Mr Maguire; and she took it up into her own +room to read it and answer it. The letter and reply were as follows: + + + Littlebath, Oct., 186--. + + DEAREST MARGARET, + + I hope the circumstances of the case will, in your + opinion, justify me in writing to you again, though I am + sorry to intrude upon you at a time when your heart must + yet be sore with grief for the loss of your lamented + brother. Were we now all in all to each other, as I + hope we may still be before long, it would be my sweet + privilege to wipe your eyes, and comfort you in your + sorrow, and bid you remember that it is the Lord who + giveth and the Lord who taketh away. Blessed be the name + of the Lord. I do not doubt that you have spoken to + yourself daily in those words, nay, almost hourly, since + your brother was taken from you. I had not the privilege + of knowing him, but if he was in any way like his sister, + he would have been a friend whom I should have delighted + to press to my breast and carry in my heart of hearts. + + But now, dearest Margaret, will you allow me to intrude + upon you with another theme? Of course you well know the + subject upon which, at present, I am thinking more than on + any other. May I be permitted to hope that that subject + sometimes presents itself to you in a light that is not + altogether disagreeable. When you left Littlebath so + suddenly, carried away on a mission of love and kindness, + you left me, as you will doubtlessly remember, in a state + of some suspense. You had kindly consented to acknowledge + that I was not altogether indifferent to you. + + +"That's not true," said Margaret to herself, almost out loud; "I +never told him anything of the kind." + + + And it was arranged that on that very day we were to have + had a meeting, to which--shall I confess it?--I looked + forward as the happiest moment of my life. I can hardly + tell you what my feelings were when I found that you were + going, and that I could only just say to you, farewell. If + I could only have been with you when that letter came I + think I could have softened your sorrow, and perhaps then, + in your gentleness, you might have said a word which would + have left me nothing to wish for in this world. But it has + been otherwise ordered, and, Margaret, I do not complain. + + But what makes me write now is the great necessity that + I should know exactly how I stand. You said something in + your last dear letter which gave me to understand that you + wished to do something for your brother's family. Promises + made by the bed-sides of the dying are always dangerous, + and in the cases of Roman Catholics have been found to be + replete with ruin. + + +Mr Maguire, no doubt, forgot that in such cases the promises are made +by, and not to, the dying person. + + + Nevertheless, I am far from saying that they should not + be kept in a modified form, and you need not for a moment + think that I, if I may be allowed to have an interest in + the matter, would wish to hinder you from doing whatever + may be becoming. I think I may promise you that you will + find no mercenary spirit in me, although, of course, I am + bound, looking forward to the tender tie which will, I + hope, connect us, to regard your interests above all other + worldly affairs. If I may then say a word of advice, it is + to recommend that nothing permanent be done till we can + act together in this matter. Do not, however, suppose that + anything you can do or have done, can alter the nature of + my regard. + + But now, dearest Margaret, will you not allow me to press + for an immediate answer to my appeal? I will tell you + exactly how I am circumstanced, and then you will see + how strong is my reason that there should be no delay. + Very many people here, I may say all the elite of the + evangelical circles, including Mrs Perch--[Mrs Perch was + the coachmaker's wife, who had always been so true to Mrs + Stumfold]--desired that I should establish a church here, + on my own bottom, quite independent of Mr Stumfold. The + Stumfolds would then soon have to leave Littlebath, there + is no doubt of that, and she has already made herself + so unendurable, and her father and she together are so + distressing, that the best of their society has fallen + away from them. Her treatment to you was such that I + could never endure her afterwards. Now the opening for a + clergyman with pure Gospel doctrines would be the best + thing that has turned up for a long time. The church would + be worth over six hundred a year, besides the interest of + the money which would have to be laid out. I could have + all this commenced at once, and secure the incumbency, + if I could myself head the subscription list with two + thousand pounds. It should not be less than that. You will + understand that the money would not be given, though, no + doubt, a great many persons would, in this way, be induced + to give theirs. But the pew rents would go in the first + instance to provide interest for the money not given, but + lent; as would of course be the case with your money, if + you would advance it. + + I should not think of such a plan as this if I did not + feel that it was the best thing for your interests; that + is, if, as I fondly hope, I am ever to call you mine. + Of course, in that case, it is only common prudence on + my part to do all I can to insure for myself such a + professional income, for your sake. For, dearest Margaret, + my brightest earthly hope is to see you with everything + comfortable around you. If that could be arranged, it + would be quite within our means to keep some sort of + carriage. + + +Here would be a fine opportunity for rivalling Mrs Stumfold! That was +the temptation with which he hoped to allure her. + + + But the thing must be done quite immediately; therefore + let me pray you not to postpone my hopes with unnecessary + delay. I know it seems unromantic to urge a lady with + any pecuniary considerations, but I think that under the + circumstances, as I have explained them, you will forgive + me. + + Believe me to be, dearest Margaret, + Yours, with truest, + Most devoted affection, + + JEREH. MAGUIRE. + + +One man had wanted her money to buy a house on a mortgage, and +another now asked for it to build a church, giving her, or promising +to give her, the security of the pew rents. Which of the two was +the worst? They were both her lovers, and she thought that he was +the worst who first made his love and then tried to get her money. +These were the ideas which at once occurred to her upon her reading +Mr Maguire's letter. She had quite wit enough to see through the +whole project; how outsiders were to be induced to give their +money, thinking that all was to be given; whereas those inside the +temple,--those who knew all about it,--were simply to make for +themselves a good speculation. Her cousin John's constant solicitude +for money was bad; but, after all, it was not so bad as this. She +told herself at once that the letter was one which would of itself +have ended everything between her and Mr Maguire, even had nothing +occurred to put an absolute and imperative stop to the affair. Mr +Maguire pressed for an early answer, and before she left the room she +sat down and wrote it. + + + The Cedars, Twickenham, October, 186--. + + DEAR SIR + + +Before she wrote the words, "Dear Sir," she had to think much of +them, not having had as yet much experience in writing letters to +gentlemen; but she concluded at last that if she simply wrote "Sir," +he would take it as an insult, and that if she wrote "My dear Mr +Maguire," it would, under the circumstances, be too affectionate. + + + DEAR SIR, + + I have got your letter to-day, and I hasten to answer it + at once. All that to which you allude between us must be + considered as being altogether over, and I am very sorry + that you should have had so much trouble. My circumstances + are altogether changed. I cannot explain how, as it would + make my letter very long; but you may be assured that such + is the case, and to so great an extent that the engagement + you speak of would not at all suit you at present. Pray + take this as being quite true, and believe me to be + + Your very humble servant, + + MARGARET MACKENZIE. + + +I feel that the letter was somewhat curt and dry as an answer to +an effusion so full of affection as that which the gentleman had +written; and the fair reader, when she remembers that Miss Mackenzie +had given the gentleman considerable encouragement, will probably +think that she should have expressed something like regret at so +sudden a termination to so tender a friendship. But she, in truth, +regarded the offer as having been made to her money solely, and as +in fact no longer existing as an offer, now that her money itself was +no longer in existence. She was angry with Mr Maguire for the words +he had written about her brother's affairs; for his wish to limit +her kindness to her nephews and nieces, and also for his greediness +in being desirous of getting her money at once; but as to the main +question, she thought herself bound to answer him plainly, as she +would have answered a man who came to buy from her a house, which +house was no longer in her possession. + +Mr Maguire when he received her letter, did not believe a word of it. +He did not in the least believe that she had actually lost everything +that had once belonged to her, or that he, if he married her now, +would obtain less than he would have done had he married her before +her brother's death. But he thought that her brother's family and +friends had got hold of her in London; that Mr Rubb might very +probably have done it; and that they were striving to obtain command +of her money, and were influencing her to desert him. He thinking so, +and being a man of good courage, took a resolution to follow his +game, and to see whether even yet he might not obtain the good things +which had made his eyes glisten and his mouth water. He knew that +there was very much against him in the race that he was desirous of +running, and that an heiress with--he did not know how much a year, +but it had been rumoured among the Stumfoldians that it was over +a thousand--might not again fall in his way. There were very many +things against him, of which he was quite conscious. He had not a +shilling of his own, and was in receipt of no professional income. He +was not altogether a young man. There was in his personal appearance +a defect which many ladies might find it difficult to overcome; and +then that little story about his debts, which Miss Todd had picked +up, was not only true, but was some degrees under the truth. No +doubt, he had a great wish that his wife should be comfortable; but +he also, for himself, had long been pining after those eligible +comforts, which when they appertain to clergymen, the world, with so +much malice, persists in calling the flesh-pots of Egypt. Thinking +of all this, of the position he had already gained in spite of his +personal disadvantages, and of the great chance there was that his +Margaret might yet be rescued from the Philistines, he resolved upon +a journey to London. + +In the meantime Miss Mackenzie's other lover had not been idle, and +he also was resolved by no means to give up the battle. + +It cannot be said that Mr Rubb was not mercenary in his views, but +with his desire for the lady's money was mingled much that was +courageous, and something also that was generous. The whole truth +had been told to him as plainly as it had been told to Mr Ball, and +nevertheless he determined to persevere. He went to work diligently +on that very afternoon, deserting the smiles of Miss Colza, and made +such inquiries into the law of the matter as were possible to him; +and they resulted, as far as Miss Mackenzie was concerned, in his +appearing late one afternoon at the front door of Sir John Ball's +house. On the day following this Miss Mackenzie was to keep her +appointment with Mr Slow, and her cousin was now up in London among +the lawyers. + +Miss Mackenzie was sitting with her aunt when Mr Rubb called. +They were both in the drawing-room; and Lady Ball, who had as yet +succeeded in learning nothing, and who was more than ever convinced +that there was much to learn, was not making herself pleasant to her +companion. Throughout the whole week she had been very unpleasant. +She did not quite understand why Margaret's sojourn at the Cedars +had been and was to be so much prolonged. Margaret, feeling herself +compelled to say something on the subject, had with some hesitation +told her aunt that she was staying till she had seen her lawyer +again, because her cousin wished her to stay. + +In answer to this, Lady Ball had of course told her that she was +welcome. Her ladyship had then cross-questioned her son on that +subject also, but he had simply said that as there was law business +to be done, Margaret might as well stay at Twickenham till it was +completed. + +"But, my dear," Lady Ball had said, "her law business might go on for +ever, for what you know." + +"Mother," said the son, sternly, "I wish her to stay here at present, +and I suppose you will not refuse to permit her to do so." + +After this, Lady Ball could go no further. + +On the day on which Mr Rubb was announced in the drawing-room, +the aunt and niece were sitting together. "Mr Rubb--to see Miss +Mackenzie," said the old servant, as he opened the door. + +Miss Mackenzie got up, blushing to her forehead, and Lady Ball rose +from her chair with an angry look, as though asking the oilcloth +manufacturer how he dared to make his way in there. The name of the +Rubbs had been specially odious to all the family at the Cedars since +Tom Mackenzie had carried his share of Jonathan Ball's money into the +firm in the New Road. And Mr Rubb's appearance was not calculated to +mitigate this anger. Again he had got on those horrid yellow gloves, +and again had dressed himself up to his idea of the garb of a man of +fashion. To Margaret's eyes, in the midst of her own misfortunes, he +was a thing horrible to behold, as he came into that drawing-room. +When she had seen him in his natural condition, at her brother's +house, he had been at any rate unobjectionable to her; and when, +on various occasions, he had talked to her about his own business, +pleading his own cause and excusing his own fault, she had really +liked him. There had been a moment or two, the moments of his +bitterest confessions, in which she had in truth liked him much. But +now! What would she not have given that the old servant should have +taken upon himself to declare that she was not at home. + +But there he was in her aunt's drawing-room, and she had nothing to +do but to ask him to sit down. + +"This is my aunt, Lady Ball," said Margaret. + +"I hope I have the honour of seeing her ladyship quite well," said Mr +Rubb, bowing low before he ventured to seat himself. + +Lady Ball would not condescend to say a word, but stared at him in a +manner that would have driven him out of the room had he understood +the nature of such looks on ladies' faces. + +"I hope my sister-in-law and the children are well," said Margaret, +with a violent attempt to make conversation. + +"Pretty much as you left them, Miss Mackenzie; she takes on a good +deal; but that's only human nature; eh, my lady?" + +But her ladyship still would not condescend to speak a word. + +Margaret did not know what further to say. All subjects on which it +might have been possible for her to speak to Mr Rubb were stopped +from her in the presence of her aunt. Mr Rubb knew of that great +calamity of which, as yet, Lady Ball knew nothing,--of that great +calamity to the niece, but great blessing, as it would be thought by +the aunt. And she was in much fear lest Mr Rubb should say something +which might tend to divulge the secret. + +"Did you come by the train?" she said, at last, reduced in her agony +to utter the first unmeaning question of which she could think. + +"Yes, Miss Mackenzie, I came by the train, and I am going back by the +5.45, if I can just be allowed to say a few words to you first." + +"Does the gentleman mean in private?" asked Lady Ball. + +"If you please, my lady," said Mr Rubb, who was beginning to think +that he did not like Lady Ball. + +"If Miss Mackenzie wishes it, of course she can do so." + +"It may be about my brother's affairs," said Margaret, getting up. + +"It is nothing to me, my dear, whether they are your brother's or +your own," said Lady Ball; "you had better not interrupt your uncle +in the study; but I daresay you'll find the dining-room disengaged." + +So Miss Mackenzie led the way into the dining-room, and Mr Rubb +followed. There they found some of the girls, who stared very hard at +Mr Rubb, as they left the room at their cousin's request. As soon as +they were left alone Mr Rubb began his work manfully. + +"Margaret," said he, "I hope you will let me call you so now that you +are in trouble?" + +To this she made no answer. + +"But perhaps your trouble is over? Perhaps you have found out that it +isn't as you told us the other day?" + +"No, Mr Rubb; I have found nothing of that kind; I believe it is as I +told you." + +"Then I'll tell you what I propose. You haven't given up the fight, +have you? You have not done anything?" + +"I have done nothing as yet." + +"Then I'll tell you my plan. Fight it out." + +"I do not want to fight for anything that is not my own." + +"But it is your own. It is your own of rights, even though it should +not be so by some quibble of the lawyers. I don't believe twelve +Englishmen would be found in London to give it to anybody else; I +don't indeed." + +"But my own lawyer tells me it isn't mine, Mr Rubb." + +"Never mind him; don't you give up anything. Don't you let them make +you soft. When it comes to money nobody should give up anything. Now +I'll tell you what I propose." + +She now sat down and listened to him, while he stood over her. It was +manifest that he was very eager, and in his eagerness he became loud, +so that she feared his words might be heard out of the room. + +"You know what my sentiments are," he said. At that moment she did +not remember what his sentiments were, nor did she know what he +meant. "They're the same now as ever. Whether you have got your +fortune, or whether you've got nothing, they're the same. I've +seen you tried alongside of your brother, when he was a-dying, and, +Margaret, I like you now better than ever I did." + +"Mr Rubb, at present, all that cannot mean anything." + +"But doesn't it mean anything? By Jove! it does though. It means just +this, that I'll make you Mrs Rubb to-morrow, or as soon as Doctors' +Commons, and all that, will let us do it; and I'll chance the money +afterwards. Do you let it just go easy, and say nothing, and I'll +fight them. If the worst comes to the worst, they'll be willing +enough to cry halves with us. But, Margaret, if the worst does come +to be worse than that you won't find me hard to you on that account. +I shall always remember who helped me when I wanted help." + +"I am sure, Mr Rubb, I am much obliged to you." + +"Don't talk about being obliged, but get up and give me your hand, +and say it shall be a bargain." Then he tried to take her by the hand +and raise her from the chair up towards him. + +"No, no, no!" said she. + +"But I say yes. Why should it be no? If there never should come a +penny out of this property I will put a roof over your head, and will +find you victuals and clothes respectably. Who will do better for you +than that? And as for the fight, by Jove! I shall like it. You'll +find they'll get nothing out of my hands till they have torn away my +nails." + +Here was a new phase in her life. Here was a man willing to marry her +even though she had no assured fortune. + +"Margaret," said he, pleading his cause again, "I have that love +for you that I would take you though it was all gone, to the last +farthing." + +"It is all gone." + +"Let that be as it may, we'll try it. But though it should be all +gone, every shilling of it, still, will you be my wife?" + +It was altogether a new phase, and one that was inexplicable to her. +And this came from a man to whom she had once thought that she might +bring herself to give her hand and her heart, and her money also. She +did not doubt that if she took him at his word he would be good to +her, and provide her with shelter, and food and raiment, as he had +promised her. Her heart was softened towards him, and she forgot his +gloves and his shining boots. But she could not bring herself to say +that she would love him, and be his wife. It seemed to her now that +she was under the guidance of her cousin, and that she was pledged to +do nothing of which he would disapprove. He would not approve of her +accepting the hand of a man who would be resolved to litigate this +matter with him. + +"It cannot be," she said. "I feel how generous you are, but it cannot +be." + +"And why shouldn't it be?" + +"Oh, Mr Rubb, there are things one cannot explain." + +"Margaret, think of it. How are you to do better?" + +"Perhaps not; probably not. In many ways I am sure I could not do +better. But it cannot be." + +Not then, nor for the next twenty minutes, but at last he took his +answer and went. He did this when he found that he had no more +minutes to spare if he intended to return by the 5.45 train. Then, +with an angry gesture of his head, he left her, and hurried across to +the front door. Then, as he went out, Mr John Ball came in. + +"Good evening, sir," said Mr Rubb. "I am Mr Samuel Rubb. I have just +been seeing Miss Mackenzie, on business. Good evening, sir." + +John Ball said never a word, and Samuel Rubb hurried across the +grounds to the railway station. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +Showing How the Third Lover Behaved + + +"What has that man been here for?" Those were the first words which +Mr Ball spoke to his cousin after shutting the hall-door behind +Mr Rubb's back. When the door was closed he turned round and saw +Margaret as she was coming out of the dining-room, and in a voice +that sounded to her as though he were angry, asked her the above +question. + +"He came to see me, John," said Miss Mackenzie, going back into the +dining-room. "He was my brother's partner." + +"He said he came upon business; what business could he have?" + +It was not very easy for her to tell him what had been Mr Rubb's +business. She had no wish to keep anything secret from her cousin, +but she did not know how to describe the scene which had just taken +place, or how to acknowledge that the man had come there to ask her +to marry him. + +"Does he know anything of this matter of your money?" continued Mr +Ball. + +"Oh yes; he knows it all. He was in Gower Street when I told my +sister-in-law." + +"And he came to advise you about it?" + +"Yes; he did advise me about it. But his advice I shall not take." + +"And what did he advise?" + +Then Margaret told him that Mr Rubb had counselled her to fight it +out to the last, in order that a compromise might at any rate be +obtained. + +"If it has no selfish object in view I am far from saying that he is +wrong," said John Ball. "It is what I should advise a friend to do +under similar circumstances." + +"It is not what I shall do, John." + +"No; you are like a lamb that gives itself up to the slaughterer. I +have been with one lawyer or the other all day, and the end of it +is that there is no use on earth in your going to London to-morrow, +nor, as far as I can see, for another week to come. The two lawyers +together have referred the case to counsel for opinion,--for an +amicable opinion as they call it. From what they all say, Margaret, +it seems to me clear that the matter will go against you." + +"I have expected nothing else since Mr Slow spoke to me." + +"But no doubt you can make a fight, as your friend says." + +"I don't want to fight, John; you know that." + +"Mr Slow won't let you give it up without a contest. He suggested +a compromise,--that you and I should divide it. But I hate +compromises." She looked up into his face but said nothing. "The +truth is, I have been so wronged in the matter, the whole thing has +been so cruel, it has, all of it together, so completely ruined me +and my prospects in life, that were it any one but you, I would +sooner have a lawsuit than give up one penny of what is left." Again +she looked at him, but he went on speaking of it without observing +her. "Think what it has been, Margaret! The whole of this property +was once mine! Not the half of it only that has been called yours, +but the whole of it! The income was actually paid for one half-year +to a separate banking account on my behalf, before I was of age. Yes, +paid to me, and I had it! My uncle Jonathan had no more legal right +to take it away from me than you have to take the coat off my back. +Think of that, and of what four-and-twenty thousand pounds would have +done for me and my family from that time to this. There have been +nearly thirty years of this robbery!" + +"It was not my fault, John." + +"No; it was not your fault. But if your brothers could pay me back +all that they really owe me, all that the money would now be worth, +it would come to nearly a hundred thousand pounds. After that, what +is a man to say when he is asked to compromise? As far as I can see, +there is not a shadow of doubt about it. Mr Slow does not pretend +that there is a doubt. How they can fail to see the justice of it is +what passes my understanding!" + +"Mr Slow will give up at once, I suppose, if I ask him?" + +"I don't want you to ask him. I would rather that you didn't say a +word to him about it. There is a debt too from that man Rubb which +they advise me to abandon." + +In answer to this, Margaret could say nothing, for she knew well that +her trust in the interest of that money was the only hope she had of +any maintenance for her sister-in-law. + +After a few minutes' silence he again spoke to her. "He desires to +know whether you want money for immediate use." + +"Who wants to know?" + +"Mr Slow." + +"Oh no, John. I have money at the bankers', but I will not touch it." + +"How much is there at the bankers?" + +"There is more than three hundred pounds; but very little more; +perhaps three hundred and ten." + +"You may have that." + +"John, I don't want anything that is not my own; not though I had to +walk out to earn my bread in the streets to-morrow." + +"That is your own, I tell you. The tenants have been ordered not to +pay any further rents, till they receive notice. You can make them +pay, nevertheless, if you wish it; at least, you might do so, till +some legal steps were taken." + +"Of course, I shall do nothing of the kind. It was Mr Slow's people +who used to get the money. And am I not to go up to London +to-morrow?" + +"You can go if you choose, but you will learn nothing. I told Mr Slow +that I would bid you wait till I heard from him again. It is time now +for us to get ready for dinner." + +Then, as he was going to leave the room, she took him by the coat and +held him again,--held him as fast as she had done on the pavement in +Lincoln's Inn Fields. There was a soft, womanly, trusting weakness in +the manner of her motion as she did this, which touched him now as it +had touched him then. + +"John," she said, "if there is to be so much delay, I must not stay +here." + +"Why not, Margaret?" + +"My aunt does not like my staying; I can see that; and I don't think +it is fair to do so while she does not know all about it. It is +something like cheating her out of the use of the house." + +"Then I will tell her." + +"What, all? Had I not better go first?" + +"No; you cannot go. Where are you to go to? I will tell her +everything to-night. I had almost made up my mind to do so already. +It will be better that they should both know it,--my father and my +mother. My father probably will be required to say all that he knows +about the matter." + +"I shall be ready to go at once if she wishes it," said Margaret. + +To this he made no answer, but went upstairs to his bedroom, and +there, as he dressed, thought again, and again, and again of his +cousin Margaret. What should he do for her, and in what way should he +treat her? The very name of the Mackenzies he had hated of old, and +their names were now more hateful to him than ever. He had correctly +described his own feelings towards them when he said, either truly or +untruly, that they had deprived him of that which would have made his +whole life prosperous instead of the reverse. And it seemed as though +he had really thought that they had been in fault in this,--that they +had defrauded him. It did not, apparently, occur to him that the only +persons he could blame were his uncle Jonathan and his own lawyers, +who, at his uncle's death, had failed to discover on his behalf what +really were his rights. Walter Mackenzie had been a poor creature +who could do nothing. Tom Mackenzie had been a mean creature who had +allowed himself to be cozened in a petty trade out of the money which +he had wrongfully acquired. They were odious to him, and he hated +their memories. He would fain have hated all that belonged to them, +had he been able. But he was not able to hate this woman who clung to +him, and trusted him, and felt no harsh feelings towards him, though +he was going to take from her everything that had been hers. She +trusted him for advice even though he was her adversary! Would he +have trusted her or any other human being under such circumstances? +No, by heavens! But not the less on that account did he acknowledge +to himself that this confidence in her was very gracious. + +That evening passed by very quietly as far as Miss Mackenzie was +concerned. She had some time since, immediately on her last arrival +at the Cedars, offered to relieve her aunt from the trouble of making +tea, and the duty had then been given up to her. But since Lady +Ball's affair in obtaining possession of her niece's secret, the post +of honour had been taken away. + +"You don't make it as your uncle likes it," Lady Ball had said. + +She made her little offer again on this evening, but it was rejected. + +"Thank you, no; I believe I had better do it myself," had been the +answer. + +"Why can't you let Margaret make tea? I'm sure she does it very +well," said John. + +"I don't see that you can be a judge, seeing that you take none," his +mother replied; "and if you please, I'd rather make the tea in my own +house as long as I can." + +This little allusion to her own house was, no doubt, a blow at her +son, to punish him in that he had dictated to her in that matter of +the continued entertainment of her guest; but Margaret also felt it +to be a blow at her, and resolved that she would escape from the +house with as little further delay as might be possible. Beyond this, +the evening was very quiet, till Margaret, a little after tea, took +her candle and went off wearily to her room. + +But then the business of the day as regarded the Cedars began; for +John Ball, before he went to bed, told both his father and his +mother the whole story,--the story, that is, as far as the money +was concerned, and also as far as Margaret's conduct to him was +concerned; but of his own feelings towards her he said nothing. + +"She has behaved admirably, mother," he said; "you must acknowledge +that, and I think that she is entitled to all the kindness we can +show her." + +"I have been kind to her," Lady Ball answered. + +This had taken place in Lady Ball's own room, after they had left Sir +John. The tidings had taken the old man so much by surprise, that he +had said little or nothing. Even his caustic ill-nature had deserted +him, except on one occasion, when he remarked that it was like his +brother Jonathan to do as much harm with his money as was within his +reach. + +"My memory in such a matter is worth nothing,--absolutely nothing," +the old man had said. "I always supposed something was wrong. I +remember that. But I left it all to the lawyers." + +In Lady Ball's room the conversation was prolonged to a late hour of +the night, and took various twists and turns, as such conversations +will do. + +"What are we to do about the young woman?" That was Lady Ball's main +question, arising, no doubt, from the reflection that the world would +lean very heavily on them if they absolutely turned her out to starve +in the streets. + +John Ball made no proposition in answer to this, having not as yet +made up his mind as to what his own wishes were with reference to the +young woman. Then his mother made her proposition. + +"Of course that money due by the Rubbs must be paid. Let her take +that." But her son made no reply to this other than that he feared +the Rubbs were not in a condition to pay the money. + +"They would pay her the interest at any rate," said Lady Ball, "till +she had got into some other way of life. She would do admirably for a +companion to an old lady, because her manners are good, and she does +not want much waiting upon herself." + +On the next morning Miss Mackenzie trembled in her shoes as she came +down to breakfast. Her uncle, whom she feared the most, would not be +there; but the meeting with her aunt, when her aunt would know that +she was a pauper and that she had for the last week been an impostor, +was terrible to her by anticipation. But she had not calculated that +her aunt's triumph in this newly-acquired wealth for the Ball family +would, for the present, cover any other feeling that might exist. Her +aunt met her with a gracious smile, was very urbane in selecting a +chair for her at prayers close to her own, and pressed upon her a +piece of buttered toast out of a little dish that was always prepared +for her ladyship's own consumption. After breakfast John Ball again +went to town. He went daily to town during the present crisis; and, +on this occasion, his mother made no remark as to the urgency of his +business. When he was gone Lady Ball began to potter about the house, +after her daily custom, and was longer in her pottering than was +usual with her. Miss Mackenzie helped the younger children in their +lessons, as she often did; and when time for luncheon came, she +had almost begun to think that she was to be allowed to escape any +conversation with her aunt touching the great money question. But +it was not so. At one she was told that luncheon and the children's +dinner was postponed till two, and she was asked by the servant to go +up to Lady Ball in her own room. + +"Come and sit down, my dear," said Lady Ball, in her sweetest voice. +"It has got to be very cold, and you had better come near the fire." +Margaret did as she was bidden, and sat herself down in the chair +immediately opposite to her aunt. + +"This is a wonderful story that John has told me," continued her +aunt--"very wonderful." + +"It is sad enough for me," said Margaret, who did not feel inclined +to be so self-forgetful in talking to her aunt as she had been with +her cousin. + +"It is sad for you, Margaret, no doubt. But I am sure you have within +you that conscientious rectitude of purpose that you would not wish +to keep anything for yourself that in truth belongs to another." + +To this Margaret answered nothing, and her aunt went on. + +"It is a great change to you, no doubt; and, of course, that is the +point on which I wish to speak to you most especially. I have told +John that something must be done for you." + +This jarred terribly on poor Margaret's feelings. Her cousin had said +nothing, not a word as to doing anything for her. The man who had +told her of his love, and asked her to be his wife, not twelve months +since,--who had pressed her to be of all women the dearest to him +and the nearest,--had talked to her of her ruin without offering her +aid, although this ruin to her would enrich him very greatly. She +had expected nothing from him, had wanted nothing from him; but by +degrees, when absent from him, the feeling had grown upon her that he +had been hard to her in abstaining from expressions of commiseration. +She had yielded to him in the whole affair, assuring him that nothing +should be done by her to cause him trouble; and she would have been +grateful to him if in return he had said something to her of her +future mode of life. She had intended to speak to him about the +hospital; but she had thought that she might abstain from doing so +till he himself should ask some question as to her plans. He had +asked no such question, and she was now almost determined to go +away without troubling him on the subject. But if he, who had once +professed to love her, would make no suggestion as to her future +life, she could ill bear that any offer of the kind should come from +her aunt, who, as she knew, had only regarded her for her money. + +"I would rather," she replied, "that nothing should be said to him on +the subject." + +"And why not, Margaret?" + +"I desire that I may be no burden to him or anybody. I will go away +and earn my bread; and even if I cannot do that, my relations shall +not be troubled by hearing from me." + +She said this without sobbing, but not without that almost hysterical +emotion which indicates that tears are being suppressed with pain. + +"That is false pride, my dear." + +"Very well, aunt. I daresay it is false; but it is my pride. I may be +allowed to keep my pride, though I can keep nothing else." + +"What you say about earning your bread is very proper; and I and John +and your uncle also have been thinking of that. But I should be glad +if some additional assistance should be provided for you, in the +event of old age, you know, or illness. Now, as to earning your +bread, I remarked to John that you were peculiarly qualified for +being a lady's companion." + +"For being what, aunt?" + +"For being companion to some lady in the decline of life, who would +want to have some nice mannered person always with her. You have the +advantage of being ladylike and gentle, and I think that you are +patient by disposition." + +"Aunt," said Miss Mackenzie, and her voice as she spoke was hardly +gentle, nor was it indicative of much patience. Her hysterics also +seemed for the time to have given way to her strong passionate +feeling. "Aunt," she said, "I would sooner take a broom in my hand, +and sweep a crossing in London, than lead such a life as that. What! +make myself the slave of some old woman, who would think that she had +bought the power of tyrannising over me by allowing me to sit in the +same room with her? No, indeed! It may very likely be the case that I +may have to serve such a one in the kitchen, but it shall be in the +kitchen, and not in the drawing-room. I have not had much experience +in life, but I have had enough to learn that lesson!" + +Lady Ball, who during the first part of the conversation had been +unrolling and winding a great ball of worsted, now sat perfectly +still, holding the ball in her lap, and staring at her niece. She was +a quick-witted woman, and it no doubt occurred to her that the great +objection to living with an old lady, which her niece had expressed +so passionately, must have come from the trial of that sort of +life which she had had at the Cedars. And there was enough in Miss +Mackenzie's manner to justify Lady Ball in thinking that some such +expression of feeling as this had been intended by her. She had +never before heard Margaret speak out so freely, even in the days +of her undoubted heiress-ship; and now, though she greatly disliked +her niece, she could not avoid mingling something of respect and +something almost amounting to fear with her dislike. She did not +dare to go on unwinding her worsted, and giving the advantage of her +condescension to a young woman who spoke out at her in that way. + +"I thought I was advising you for the best," she said, "and I hoped +that you would have been thankful." + +"I don't know what may be for the best," said Margaret, again +bordering upon the hysterical in the tremulousness of her voice, "but +that I'm sure would be for the worst. However, I've made up my mind +to nothing as yet." + +"No, my dear; of course not; but we all must think of it, you know." + +Her cousin John had not thought of it, and she did not want any one +else to do so. She especially did not want her aunt to think of it. +But it was no doubt necessary that her aunt should consider how long +she would be required to provide a home for her impoverished niece, +and Margaret's mind at once applied itself to that view of the +subject. "I have made up my mind that I will go to London next week, +and then I must settle upon something." + +"You mean when you go to Mr Slow's?" + +"I mean that I shall go for good. I have a little money by me, which +John says I may use, and I shall take a lodging till--till--till--" +Then she could not go on any further. + +"You can stay here, Margaret, if you please;--that is till something +more is settled about all this affair." + +"I will go on Monday, aunt. I have made up my mind to that." It was +now Saturday. "I will go on Monday. It will be better for all parties +that I should be away." Then she got up, and waiting no further +speech from her aunt, took herself off to her own room. + +She did not see her aunt again till dinner-time, and then neither of +them spoke to each other. Lady Ball thought that she had reason to +be offended, and Margaret would not be the first to speak. In the +evening, before the whole family, she told her cousin that she had +made up her mind to go up to London on Monday. He begged her to +reconsider her resolution, but when she persisted that she would do +so, he did not then argue the question any further. But on the Sunday +he implored her not to go as yet, and did obtain her consent to +postpone her departure till Tuesday. He wished, he said, to be at +any rate one day more in London before she went. On the Sunday she +was closeted with her uncle who also sent for her, and to him she +suggested her plan of becoming nurse at a hospital. He remarked that +he hoped that would not be necessary. + +"Something will be necessary," she said, "as I don't mean to eat +anybody's bread but my own." + +In answer to this he said that he would speak to John, and then that +interview was over. On the Monday morning John Ball said something +respecting Margaret to his mother which acerbated that lady more than +ever against her niece. He had not proposed that anything special +should be done; but he had hinted, when his mother complained of +Margaret, that Margaret's conduct was everything that it ought to be. + +"I believe you would take anybody's part against me," Lady Ball had +said, and then as a matter of course she had been very cross. The +whole of that day was terrible to Miss Mackenzie, and she resolved +that nothing said by her cousin should induce her to postpone her +departure for another day. + +In order to insure this by a few minutes' private conversation with +him, and also with the view of escaping for some short time from the +house, she walked down to the station in the evening to meet her +cousin. The train by which he arrived reached Twickenham at five +o'clock, and the walk occupied about twenty minutes. She met him just +as he was coming out of the station gate, and at once told him that +she had come there for the sake of walking back with him and talking +to him. He thanked her, and said that he was very glad to meet her. +He also wanted to speak to her very particularly. Would she take his +arm? + +She took his arm, and then began with a quick tremulous voice to tell +him of her sufferings at the house. She threw no blame on her aunt +that she could avoid, but declared it to be natural that under such +circumstances as those now existing her prolonged sojourn at her +aunt's house should be unpleasant to both of them. In answer to all +this, John Ball said nothing, but once or twice lifted up his left +hand so as to establish Margaret's arm more firmly on his own. She +hardly noticed the motion, but yet she was aware that it was intended +for kindness, and then she broke forth with a rapid voice as to her +plan about the hospital. "I think we can manage better than that, at +any rate," said he, stopping her in the path when this proposal met +his ear. But she went on to declare that she would like it, that she +was strong and qualified for such work, that it would satisfy her +aspirations, and be fit for her. And then, after that, she declared +that nothing should induce her to undertake the kind of life that had +been suggested by her aunt. "I quite agree with you there," said he; +"quite. I hate tabbies as much as you do." + +They had now come to a little gate, of which John Ball kept a key, +and which led into the grounds belonging to the Cedars. The grounds +were rather large, and the path through them extended for half a +mile, but the land was let off to a grazier. When inside the wall, +however, they were private; and Mr Ball, as soon as he had locked +the gate behind him, stopped her in the dark path, and took both her +hands in his. The gloom of the evening had now come round them, and +the thick trees which formed the belt of the place, joined to the +high wall, excluded from them nearly all what light remained. + +"And now," said he, "I will tell you my plan." + +"What plan?" said she; but her voice was very low. + +"I proposed it once before, but you would not have it then." + +When she heard this, she at once drew both her hands from him, and +stood before him in an agony of doubt. Even in the gloom, the trees +were going round her, and everything, even her thoughts, were obscure +and misty. + +"Margaret," said he, "you shall be my wife, and the mother of my +children, and I will love you as I loved Rachel before. I loved you +when I asked you at Christmas, but I did not love you then as I love +you now." + +She still stood before him, but answered him not a word. How often +since the tidings of her loss had reached her had the idea of such +a meeting as this come before her! how often had she seemed to +listen to such words as those he now spoke to her! Not that she had +expected it, or hoped for it, or even thought of it as being in truth +possible; but her imagination had been at work, during the long hours +of the night, and the romance of the thing had filled her mind, and +the poetry of it had been beautiful to her. She had known--she had +told herself that she knew--that no man would so sacrifice himself; +certainly no such man as John Ball, with all his children and his +weary love of money! But now the poetry had come to be fact, and the +romance had turned itself into reality, and the picture formed by her +imagination had become a living truth. The very words of which she +had dreamed had been spoken to her. + +"Shall it be so, my dear?" he said, again taking one of her hands. +"You want to be a nurse; will you be my nurse? Nay; I will not ask, +but it shall be so. They say that the lovers who demand are ever the +most successful. I make my demand. Tell me, Margaret, will you obey +me?" + +He had walked on now, but in order that his time might be sufficient, +he led her away from the house. She was following him, hardly knowing +whither she was going. + +"Susanna," said he, "shall come and live with the others; one more +will make no difference." + +"And my aunt?" said Margaret. + +It was the first word she had spoken since the gate had been locked +behind her, and this word was spoken in a whisper. + +"I hope my mother may feel that such a marriage will best conduce +to my happiness; but, Margaret, nothing that my mother can say will +change me. You and I have known something of each other now. Of you, +from the way in which things have gone, I have learned much. Few men, +I take it, see so much of their future wives as I have seen of you. +If you can love me as your husband, say so at once honestly, and then +leave the rest to me." + +"I will," she said, again whispering; and then she clung to his hand, +and for a minute or two he had his arm round her waist. Then he took +her, and kissed her lips, and told her that he would take care of +her, and watch for her, and keep her, if possible, from trouble. + +Ah, me, how many years had rolled by since last she had been kissed +in that way! Once, and once only, had Harry Handcock so far presumed, +and so far succeeded. And now, after a dozen years or more, that game +had begun again with her! She had boxed Harry Handcock's ears when he +had kissed her; but now, from her lover of to-day, she submitted to +the ceremony very tamely. + +"Oh, John," she said, "how am I to thank you?" But the thanks were +tendered for the promise of his care, and not for the kiss. + +I think there was but little more said between them before they +reached the door-step. When there, Mr Ball, speaking already with +something of marital authority, gave her his instructions. + +"I shall tell my mother this evening," he said, "as I hate mysteries; +and I shall tell my father also. Of course there may be something +disagreeable said before we all shake down happily in our places, but +I shall look to you, Margaret, to be firm." + +"I shall be firm," she said, "if you are." + +"I shall be firm," was the reply; and then they went into the house. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +Mr Maguire Goes to London on Business + + +Mr Maguire made up his mind to go to London, to look after his +lady-love, but when he found himself there he did not quite know what +to do. It is often the case with us that we make up our minds for +great action,--that in some special crisis of our lives we resolve +that something must be done, and that we make an energetic start; but +we find very soon that we do not know how to go on doing anything. It +was so with Mr Maguire. When he had secured a bed at a small public +house near the Great Western railway station,--thinking, no doubt +that he would go to the great hotel on his next coming to town, +should he then have obtained the lady's fortune,--he scarcely knew +what step he would next take. Margaret's last letter had been written +to him from the Cedars, but he thought it probable that she might +only have gone there for a day or two. He knew the address of the +house in Gower Street, and at last resolved that he would go boldly +in among the enemy there; for he was assured that the family of the +lady's late brother were his special enemies in this case. It was +considerably past noon when he reached London, and it was about three +when, with a hesitating hand, but a loud knock, he presented himself +at Mrs Mackenzie's door. + +He first asked for Miss Mackenzie, and was told that she was not +staying there. Was he thereupon to leave his card and go away? He had +told himself that in this pursuit of the heiress he would probably be +called upon to dare much, and if he did not begin to show some daring +at once, how could he respect himself, or trust to himself for future +daring? So he boldly asked for Mrs Mackenzie, and was at once shown +into the parlour. There sat the widow, in her full lugubrious weeds, +there sat Miss Colza, and there sat Mary Jane, and they were all busy +hemming, darning, and clipping; turning old sheets into new ones; for +now it was more than ever necessary that Mrs Mackenzie should make +money at once by taking in lodgers. When Mr Maguire was shown into +the room each lady rose from her chair, with her sheet in her hands +and in her lap, and then, as he stood before them, at the other side +of the table, each lady again sat down. + +"A gentleman as is asking for Miss Margaret," the servant had said; +that same cook to whom Mr Grandairs had been so severe on the +occasion of Mrs Mackenzie's dinner party. The other girl had been +unnecessary to them in their poverty, and had left them. + +"My name is Maguire, the Rev. Mr Maguire, from Littlebath, where I +had the pleasure of knowing Miss Mackenzie." + +Then the widow asked him to take a chair, and he took a chair. + +"My sister-in-law is not with us at present," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +"She is staying for a visit with her aunt, Lady Ball, at the Cedars, +Twickenham," said Mary Jane, who had contrived to drop her sheet, and +hustle it under the table with her feet, as soon as she learned that +the visitor was a clergyman. + +"Lady Ball is the lady of Sir John Ball, Baronet," said Miss Colza, +whose good nature made her desirous of standing up for the honour of +the family with which she was, for the time, domesticated. + +"I knew she had been at Lady Ball's," said the clergyman, "as I heard +from her from thence; but I thought she had probably returned." + +"Oh dear, no," said the widow, "she ain't returned here, nor don't +mean. We haven't the room for her, and that's the truth. Have we, +Mary Jane?" + +"That we have not, mamma; and I don't think aunt Margaret would think +of such a thing." + +Then, thought Mr Maguire, the Balls must have got hold of the +heiress, and not the Mackenzies, and my battle must be fought at the +Cedars, and not here. Still, as he was there, he thought possibly he +might obtain some further information; and this would be the easier, +if, as appeared to be the case, there was enmity between the Gower +Street family and their relative. + +"Has Miss Mackenzie gone to live permanently at the Cedars?" he +asked. + +"Not that I know of," said the widow. + +"It isn't at all unlikely, mamma, that it may be so, when you +consider everything. It's just the sort of way in which they'll most +likely get over her." + +"Mary Jane, hold your tongue," said her mother; "you shouldn't say +things of that sort before strangers." + +"Though I may not have the pleasure of knowing you and your amiable +family," said Mr Maguire, smiling his sweetest, "I am by no means a +stranger to Miss Mackenzie." + +Then the ladies all looked at him, and thought they had never seen +anything so terrible as that squint. + +"Miss Mackenzie is making a long visit at the Cedars," said Miss +Colza, "that is all we know at present. I am told the Balls are +very nice people, but perhaps a little worldly-minded; that's to be +expected, however, from people who live out of the west-end from +London. I live in Finsbury Square, or at least, I did before I came +here, and I ain't a bit ashamed to own it. But of course the west-end +is the nicest." + +Then Mr Maguire got up, saying that he should probably do himself the +pleasure of calling on Miss Mackenzie at the Cedars, and went his +way. + +"I wonder what he's after," said Mrs Mackenzie, as soon as the door +was shut. + +"Perhaps he came to tell her to bear it all with Christian +resignation," said Miss Colza; "they always do come when anything's +in the wind like that; they like to know everything before anybody +else." + +"It's my belief he's after her money," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +"With such a squint as that!" said Mary Jane; "I wouldn't have him +though he was made of money, and I hadn't a farthing." + +"Beauty is but skin deep," said Miss Colza. + +"And it's manners to wait till you are asked," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +Mary Jane chucked up her head with disdain, thereby indicating that +though she had not been asked, and though beauty is but skin deep, +still she held the same opinion. + +Mr Maguire, as he went away to a clerical advertising office in the +neighbourhood of Exeter Hall, thought over the matter profoundly. +It was clear enough to him that the Mackenzies of Gower Street were +not interfering with him; very probably they might have hoped and +attempted to keep the heiress among them; that assertion that there +was no room for her in the house--as though they were and ever had +been averse to having her with them--seemed to imply that such was +the case. It was the natural language of a disappointed woman. But +if so, that hope was now over with them. And then the young lady had +plainly exposed the suspicions which they all entertained as to the +Balls. These grand people at the Cedars, this baronet's family at +Twickenham, must have got her to come among them with the intention +of keeping her there. It did not occur to him that the baronet or the +baronet's son would actually want Miss Mackenzie's money. He presumed +baronets to be rich people; but still they might very probably be as +dogs in the manger, and desirous of preventing their relative from +doing with her money that active service to humanity in general which +would be done were she to marry a deserving clergyman who had nothing +of his own. + +He made his visit to the advertising office, and learned that +clergymen without cures were at present drugs in the market. He +couldn't understand how this should be the case, seeing that the +newspapers were constantly declaring that the supply of university +clergymen were becoming less and less every day. He had come from +Trinity, Dublin and after the success of his career at Littlebath, +was astonished that he should not be snapped at by the retailers of +curacies. + +On the next day he visited Twickenham. Now, on the morning of that +very day Margaret Mackenzie first woke to the consciousness that +she was the promised wife of her cousin John Ball. There was great +comfort in the thought. + +It was not only, nor even chiefly, that she who, on the preceding +morning, had awakened to the remembrance of her utter destitution, +now felt that all those terrible troubles were over. It was not +simply that her great care had been vanquished for her. It was this, +that the man who had a second time come to her asking for her love, +had now given her all-sufficient evidence that he did so for the sake +of her love. He, who was so anxious for money, had shown her that he +could care for her more even than he cared for gold. As she thought +of this, and made herself happy in the thought, she would not rise +at once from her bed, but curled herself in the clothes and hugged +herself in her joy. + +"I should have taken him before, at once, instantly, if I could have +thought that it was so," she said to herself; "but this is a thousand +times better." + +Then she found that the pillow beneath her cheek was wet with her +tears. + +On the preceding evening she had been very silent and demure, and her +betrothed had also been silent. There had been no words about the +tea-making, and Lady Ball had been silent also. As far as she knew, +Margaret was to go on the following day, but she would say nothing on +the subject. Margaret, indeed, had commenced her packing, and did not +know when she went to bed whether she was to go or not. She rather +hoped that she might be allowed to go, as her aunt would doubtless +be disagreeable; but in that, and in all matters now, she would of +course be guided implicitly by Mr Ball. He had told her to be firm, +and of her own firmness she had no doubt whatever. Lady Ball, with +all her anger, or with all her eloquence, should not talk her out of +her husband. She could be firm, and she had no doubt that John Ball +could be firm also. + +Nevertheless, when she was dressing, she did not fail to tell herself +that she might have a bad time of it that morning,--and a bad time of +it for some days to come, if it was John's intention that she should +remain at the Cedars. She was convinced that Lady Ball would not +welcome her as a daughter-in-law now as she would have done when the +property was thought to belong to her. What right had she to expect +such welcome? No doubt some hard things would be said to her; but +she knew her own courage, and was sure that she could bear any hard +things with such a hope within her breast as that which she now +possessed. She left her room a little earlier than usual, thinking +that she might thus meet her cousin and receive his orders. And in +this she was not disappointed; he was in the hall as she came down, +and she was able to smile on him, and press his hand, and make her +morning greetings to him with some tenderness in her voice. He looked +heavy about the face, and almost more careworn than usual, but he +took her hand and led her into the breakfast-room. + +"Did you tell your mother, John?" she said, standing very close to +him, almost leaning upon his shoulder. + +He, however, did not probably want such signs of love as this, and +moved a step away from her. + +"Yes," said he, "I told both my father and my mother. What she says +to you, you must hear, and bear it quietly for my sake." + +"I will," said Margaret. + +"I think that she is unreasonable, but still she is my mother." + +"I shall always remember that, John." + +"And she is old, and things have not always gone well with her. She +says, too, that you have been impertinent to her." + +Margaret's face became very red at this charge, but she made no +immediate reply. + +"I don't think you could mean to be impertinent." + +"Certainly not, John; but, of course, I shall feel myself much more +bound to her now than I was before." + +"Yes, of course; but I wish that nothing had occurred to make her so +angry with you." + +"I don't think that I was impertinent, John, though perhaps it might +seem so. When she was talking about my being a companion to a lady, +I perhaps answered her sharply. I was so determined that I wouldn't +lead that sort of life, that, perhaps I said more than I should have +done. You know, John, that it hasn't been quite pleasant between us +for the last few days." + +John did know this, and he knew also that there was not much +probability of pleasantness for some days to come. His mother's last +words to him on the preceding evening, as he was leaving her after +having told his story, did not give much promise of pleasantness for +Margaret. "John," she had said, "nothing on earth shall induce me to +live in the same house with Margaret Mackenzie as your wife. If you +choose to break up everything for her sake, you can do it. I cannot +control you. But remember, it will be your doing." + +Margaret then asked him what she was to do, and where she was to +live. She would fain have asked him when they were to be married, but +she did not dare to make inquiry on that point. He told her that, for +the present, she must remain at the Cedars. If she went away it would +be regarded as an open quarrel, and moreover, he did not wish that +she should live by herself in London lodgings. "We shall be able to +see how things go for a day or two," he said. To this she submitted +without a murmur, and then Lady Ball came into the room. + +They were both very nervous in watching her first behaviour, but were +not at all prepared for the line of conduct which she adopted. John +Ball and Margaret had separated when they heard the rustle of her +dress. He had made a step towards the window, and she had retreated +to the other side of the fire-place. Lady Ball, on entering the room, +had been nearest to Margaret, but she walked round the table away +from her usual place for prayers, and accosted her son. + +"Good-morning, John," she said, giving him her hand. + +Margaret waited a second or two, and then addressed her aunt. + +"Good-morning, aunt," she said, stepping half across the rug. + +But her aunt, turning her back to her, moved into the embrasure of +the window. It had been decided that there was to be an absolute cut +between them! As long as she remained in that house Lady Ball would +not speak to her. John said nothing, but a black frown came upon his +brow. Poor Margaret retired, rebuked, to her corner by the chimney. +Just at that moment the girls and children rushed in from the study, +with the daily governess who came every morning, and Sir John rang +for the servants to come to prayers. + +I wonder whether that old lady's heart was at all softened as she +prayed? whether it ever occurred to her to think that there was any +meaning in that form of words she used, when she asked her God to +forgive her as she might forgive others? Not that Margaret had in +truth trespassed against her at all; but, doubtless, she regarded +her niece as a black trespasser, and as being quite qualified for +forgiveness, could she have brought herself to forgive. But I fear +that the form of words on that occasion meant nothing, and that she +had been delivered from no evil during those moments she had been on +her knees. Margaret sat down in her accustomed place, but no notice +was taken of her by her aunt. When the tea had been poured out, John +got up from his seat and asked his mother which was Margaret's cup. + +"My dear," said she, "if you will sit down, Miss Mackenzie shall have +her tea." + +"I will take it to her," said he. + +"John," said his mother, drawing her chair somewhat away from the +table, "if you flurry me in this way, you will drive me out of the +room." + +Then he had sat down, and Margaret received her cup in the usual way. +The girls and children stared at each other, and the governess, who +always breakfasted at the house, did not dare to lift her eyes from +off her plate. + +Margaret longed for an opportunity of starting with John Ball, and +walking with him to the station, but no such opportunity came in her +way. It was his custom always to go up to his father before he left +home, and on this occasion Margaret did not see him after he quitted +the breakfast table. When the clatter of the knives and cups was +over, and the eating and drinking was at an end, Lady Ball left the +room and Margaret began to think what she would do. She could not +remain about the house in her aunt's way, without being spoken to, +or speaking. So she went to her room, resolving that she would not +leave it till the carriage had taken off Sir John and her aunt. Then +she would go out for a walk, and would again meet her cousin at the +station. + +From her bedroom window she could see the sweep before the front of +the house, and at two o'clock she saw and heard the lumbering of the +carriage as it came to the door, and then she put on her hat to be +ready for her walk; but her uncle and aunt did not, as it seemed, +come out, and the carriage remained there as a fixture. This had been +the case for some twenty minutes, when there came a knock at her own +door, and the maid-servant told her that her aunt wished to see her +in the drawing-room. + +"To see me?" said Margaret, thoroughly surprised, and not a little +dismayed. + +"Yes, Miss; and there's a gentleman there who asked for you when he +first come." + +Now, indeed, she was dismayed. Who could be the gentleman? Was it Mr +Slow, or a myrmidon from Mr Slow's legal abode? Or was it Mr Rubb +with his yellow gloves again? Whoever it was there must be something +very special in his mission, as her aunt had, in consequence, +deferred her drive, and was also apparently about to drop her purpose +of cutting her niece's acquaintance in her own house. + +But we will go back to Mr Maguire. He had passed the evening and the +morning in thinking over the method of his attack, and had at last +resolved that he would be very bold. He would go down to the Cedars, +and claim Margaret as his affianced bride. He went, therefore, down +to the Cedars, and in accordance with his plan as arranged, he gave +his card to the servant, and asked if he could see Sir John Ball +alone. Now, Sir John Ball never saw any one on business, or, indeed, +not on business; and, after a while, word was brought out to Mr +Maguire that he could see Lady Ball, but that Sir John was not well +enough to receive any visitors. Lady Ball, Mr Maguire thought, would +suit him better than Sir John. He signified his will accordingly, and +on being shown into the drawing-room, found her ladyship there alone. + +It must be acknowledged that he was a brave man, and that he was +doing a bold thing. He knew that he should find himself among +enemies, and that his claim would be ignored and ridiculed by the +persons whom he was about to attack; he knew that everybody, on first +seeing him, was affrighted and somewhat horrified; he knew too,--at +least, we must presume that he knew,--that the lady herself had given +him no promise. But he thought it possible, nay, almost probable, +that she would turn to him if she saw him again; that she might own +him as her own; that her feelings might be strong enough in his +favour to induce her to throw off the thraldom of her relatives, and +that he might make good his ground in her breast, even if he could +not bear her away in triumph out of the hands of his enemies. + +When he entered the room Lady Ball looked at him and shuddered. +People always did shudder when they saw him for the first time. + +"Lady Ball," said he, "I am the Rev. Mr Maguire, of Littlebath." + +She was holding his card in her hand, and having notified to him that +she was aware of the fact he had mentioned, asked him to sit down. + +"I have called," said he, taking his seat, "hoping to be allowed to +speak to you on a subject of extreme delicacy." + +"Indeed," said Lady Ball, thinking to catch his eye, and failing in +the effort. + +"I may say of very extreme delicacy. I believe your niece, Miss +Margaret Mackenzie, is staying here?" In answer to this, Lady Ball +acknowledged that Miss Mackenzie was now at the Cedars. + +"Have you any objection, Lady Ball, to allowing me to see her in your +presence?" + +Lady Ball was a quick-thinking, intelligent, and, at the same time, +prudent old lady, and she gave no answer to this before she had +considered the import of the question. Why should this clergyman want +to see Margaret? And would his seeing her conduce most to her own +success, or to Margaret's? Then there was the fact that Margaret was +of an age which entitled her to the right of seeing any visitor who +might call on her. Thinking over all this as best she could in the +few moments at her command, and thinking also of this clergyman's +stipulation that she was to be present at the interview, she +said that she had no objection whatever. She would send for Miss +Mackenzie. + +She rose to ring the bell, but Mr Maguire, also rising from his +chair, stopped her hand. + +"Pardon me for a moment," said he. "Before you call Margaret to come +down I would wish to explain to you for what purpose I have come +here." + +Lady Ball, when she heard the man call her niece by her Christian +name, listened with all her ears. Under no circumstances but one +could such a man call such a woman by her Christian name in such +company. + +"Lady Ball," he said, "I do not know whether you may be aware of it +or no, but I am engaged to marry your niece." + +Lady Ball, who had not yet resumed her seat, now did so. + +"I had not heard of it," she said. + +"It may be so," said Mr Maguire. + +"It is so," said Lady Ball. + +"Very probably. There are many reasons which operate upon young +ladies in such a condition to keep their secret even from their +nearest relatives. For myself, being a clergyman of the Church of +England, professing evangelical doctrines, and therefore, as I had +need not say, averse to everything that may have about it even a +seeming of impropriety, I think it best to declare the fact to you, +even though in doing so I may perhaps give some offence to dear +Margaret." + +It must, I think, be acknowledged that Mr Maguire was true to +himself, and that he was conducting his case at any rate with +courage. + +Lady Ball was doubtful what she would do. It was on her tongue to +tell the man that her niece's fortune was gone. But she remembered +that she might probably advance her own interests by securing an +interview between the two lovers of Littlebath in her own presence. +She never for a moment doubted that Mr Maguire's statement was true. +It never occurred to her that there had been no such engagement. +She felt confident from the moment in which Mr Maguire's important +tidings had reached her ears that she had now in her hands the means +of rescuing her son. That Mr Maguire would cease to make his demand +for his bride when he should hear the truth, was of course to be +expected; but her son would not be such an idiot, such a soft fool, +as to go on with his purpose when he should learn that such a secret +as this had been kept back from him. She had refused him, and taken +up with this horrid, greasy, evil-eyed parson when she was rich; and +then, when she was poor,--even before she had got rid of her other +engagement, she had come back upon him, and, playing upon his pity, +had secured him in her toils. Lady Ball felt well inclined to thank +the clergyman for coming to her relief at such a moment. + +"It will be best that I should ask my niece to come down to you," +said she, getting up and walking out of the room. + +But she did not go up to her niece. She first went to Sir John and +quieted his impatience with reference to the driving, and then, after +a few minutes' further delay for consideration, she sent the servant +up to her niece. Having done this she returned to the drawing-room, +and found Mr Maguire looking at the photographs on the table. + +"It is very like dear Margaret, very like her, indeed," said he, +looking at one of Miss Mackenzie. "The sweetest face that ever my +eyes rested on! May I ask you if you have just seen your niece, Lady +Ball?" + +"No, sir, I have not seen her; but I have sent for her." + +There was still some little delay before Margaret came down. She +was much fluttered, and wanted time to think, if only time could be +allowed to her. Perhaps there had come a man to say that her money +was not gone. If so, with what delight would she give it all to her +cousin John! That was her first thought. But if so, how then about +the promise made to her dying brother? She almost wished that the +money might not be hers. Looking to herself only, and to her own +happiness, it would certainly be better for her that it should not be +hers. And if it should be Mr Rubb with the yellow gloves! But before +she could consider that alternative she had opened the door, and +there was Mr Maguire standing ready to receive her. + +"Dearest Margaret!" he exclaimed. "My own love!" And there he stood, +with his arms open, as though he expected Miss Mackenzie to rush into +them. He was certainly a man of very great courage. + +"Mr Maguire!" said she, and she stood still near the door. Then she +looked at her aunt, and saw that Lady Ball's eyes were keenly fixed +upon her. Something like the truth, some approximation to the facts +as they were, flashed upon her in a moment, and she knew that she had +to bear herself in this difficulty with all her discretion and all +her fortitude. + +"Margaret," exclaimed Mr Maguire, "will you not come to me?" + +"What do you mean, Mr Maguire?" said she, still standing aloof from +him, and retreating somewhat nearer to the door. + +"The gentleman says that you are engaged to marry him," said Lady +Ball. + +Margaret, looking again into her aunt's face, saw the smile of +triumph that sat there, and resolved at once to make good her ground. + +"If he has said that, he has told an untruth,--an untruth both +unmanly and unmannerly. You hear, sir, what Lady Ball has stated. Is +it true that you have made such an assertion?" + +"And will you contradict it, Margaret? Oh, Margaret! Margaret! you +cannot contradict it." + +The reader must remember that this clergyman no doubt thought and +felt that he had a good deal of truth on his side. Gentlemen when +they make offers to ladies, and are told by ladies that they may +come again, and that time is required for consideration, are always +disposed to think that the difficulties of the siege are over. And +in nine cases out of ten it is so. Mr Maguire, no doubt, since +the interview in question, had received letters from the lady +which should at any rate have prevented him from uttering any such +assertion as that which he had now made; but he looked upon those +letters as the work of the enemy, and chose to go back for his +authority to the last words which Margaret had spoken to him. He knew +that he was playing an intricate game,--that all was not quite on the +square; but he thought that the enemy was playing him false, and that +falsehood in return was therefore fair. This that was going on was a +robbery of the Church, a spoiling of Israel, a touching with profane +hands of things that had already been made sacred. + +"But I do contradict it," said Margaret, stepping forward into the +room, and almost exciting admiration in Lady Ball's breast by her +demeanour. "Aunt," said she, "as this gentleman has chosen to come +here with such a story as this, I must tell you all the facts." + +"Has he ever been engaged to you?" asked Lady Ball. + +"Never." + +"Oh, Margaret!" again exclaimed Mr Maguire. + +"Sir, I will ask you to let me tell my aunt the truth. When I was at +Littlebath, before I knew that my fortune was not my own,"--as she +said this she looked hard into Mr Maguire's face--"before I had +become penniless, as I am now,"--then she paused again, and still +looking at him, saw with inward pleasure the elongation of her +suitor's face, "this gentleman asked me to marry him." + +"He did ask you?" said Lady Ball. + +"Of course I asked her," urged Mr Maguire. "There can be no denying +that on either side." + +He did not now quite know what to do. He certainly did not wish to +impoverish the Church by marrying Miss Mackenzie without any fortune. +But might it not all be a trick? That she had been rich he knew, and +how could she have become poor so quickly? + +"He did ask me, and I told him that I must take a fortnight to +consider of it." + +"You did not refuse him, then?" said Lady Ball. + +"Not then, but I have done so since by letter. Twice I have written +to him, telling him that I had nothing of my own, and that there +could be nothing between us." + +"I got her letters," said Mr Maguire, turning round to Lady Ball. "I +certainly got her letters. But such letters as those, if they are +written under dictation--" + +He was rather anxious that Lady Bell should quarrel with him. In the +programme which he had made for himself when he came to the house, a +quarrel to the knife with the Ball family was a part of his tactics. +His programme, no doubt, was disturbed by the course which events had +taken, but still a quarrel with Lady Ball might be the best for him. +If she were to quarrel with him, it would give him some evidence that +this story about the loss of the money was untrue. But Lady Ball +would not quarrel with him. She sat still and said nothing. "Nobody +dictated them," said Margaret. "But now you are here, I will tell you +the facts. The money which I thought was mine, in truth belongs to my +cousin, Mr John Ball, and I--" + +So far she spoke loudly, With her face raised, and her eyes fixed +upon him. Then as she concluded, she dropped her voice and eyes +together. "And I am now engaged to him as his wife." + +"Oh, indeed!" said Mr Maguire. + +"That statement must be taken for what it is worth," said Lady Ball, +rising from her seat. "Of what Miss Mackenzie says now, I know +nothing. I sincerely hope that she may find that she is mistaken." + +"And now, Margaret," said Mr Maguire, "may I ask to see you for one +minute alone?" + +"Certainly not," said she. "If you have anything more to say I will +hear it in my aunt's presence." She waited a few moments, but as he +did not speak, she took herself back to the door and made her escape +to her own room. + +How Mr Maguire took himself out of the house we need not stop to +inquire. There must, I should think, have been some difficulty in the +manoeuvre. It was considerably past three when Sir John was taken +out for his drive, and while he was in the carriage his wife told him +what had occurred. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +Still at the Cedars + + +Margaret, when she had reached her own room, and seated herself +so that she could consider all that had occurred in quietness, +immediately knew her own difficulty. Of course Lady Ball would give +her account of what had occurred to her son, and of course John would +be angry when he learned that there had been any purpose of marriage +between her and Mr Maguire. She herself took a different view of the +matter now than that which had hitherto presented itself. She had not +thought much of Mr Maguire or his proposal. It had been made under a +state of things differing much from that now existing, and the change +that had come upon her affairs had seemed to her to annul the offer. +She had learned to regard it almost as though it had never been. +There had been no engagement; there had hardly been a purpose in +her own mind; and the moment had never come in which she could have +spoken of it to her cousin with propriety. + +That last, in truth, was her valid excuse for not having told him the +whole story. She had hardly been with him long enough to do more than +accept the offer he had himself made. Of course she would have told +him of Mr Maguire,--of Mr Maguire and of Mr Rubb also, when first an +opportunity might come for her to do so. She had no desire to keep +from his knowledge any tittle of what had occurred. There had been +nothing of which she was ashamed. But not the less did she feel that +it would have been well for her that she should have told her own +story before that horrid man had come to the Cedars. The story would +now first be told to him by her aunt, and she knew well the tone in +which it would be told. + +It occurred to her that she might even yet go and meet him at the +station. But if so, she must tell him at once, and he would know that +she had done so because she was afraid of her aunt, and she disliked +the idea of excusing herself before she was accused. If he really +loved her, he would listen to her, and believe her. If he did +not--why then let Lady Ball have her own way. She had promised to be +firm, and she would keep her promise; but she would not intrigue with +the hope of making him firm. If he was infirm of purpose, let him +go. So she sat in her room, even when she heard the door close after +his entrance, and did not go down till it was time for her to show +herself in the drawing-room before dinner. When she entered the room +was full. He nodded at her with a pleasant smile, and she made up her +mind that he had heard nothing as yet. Her uncle had excused himself +from coming to table, and her aunt and John were talking together in +apparent eagerness about him. For one moment her cousin spoke to her +before dinner. + +"I am afraid," he said, "that my father is sinking fast." + +Then she felt quite sure that he had as yet heard nothing about Mr +Maguire. + +But it was late in the evening, when other people had gone to bed, +that Lady Ball was in the habit of discussing family affairs with +her son, and doubtless she would do so to-night. Margaret, before +she went up to her room, strove hard to get from him a few words of +kindness, but it seemed as though he was not thinking of her. + +"He is full of his father," she said to herself. + +When her bed-candle was in her hand she did make an opportunity to +speak to him. + +"Has Mr Slow settled anything more as yet?" she asked. + +"Well, yes. Not that he has settled anything, but he has made a +proposition to which I am willing to agree. I don't go up to town +to-morrow, and we will talk it over. If you will agree to it, all the +money difficulties will be settled." + +"I will agree to anything that you tell me is right." + +"I will explain it all to you to-morrow; and, Margaret, I have told +Mr Slow what are my intentions,--our intentions, I ought to say." She +smiled at him with that sweet smile of hers, as though she thanked +him for speaking of himself and her together, and then she took +herself away. Surely, after speaking to her in that way, he would not +allow any words from his mother to dissuade him from his purpose? + +She could not go to bed. She knew that her fate was being discussed, +and she knew that her aunt at that very time was using every argument +in her power to ruin her. She felt, moreover, that the story might +be told in such a way as to be terribly prejudicial to her. And now, +when his father was so ill, might it not be very natural that he +should do almost anything to lessen his mother's troubles? But to her +it would be absolute ruin; such ruin that nothing which she had yet +endured would be in any way like it. The story of the loss of her +money had stunned her, but it had not broken her spirit. Her misery +from that had arisen chiefly from the wants of her brother's family. +But if he were now to tell her that all must be over between them, +her very heart would be broken. + +She could not go to bed while this was going on, so she sat +listening, till she should hear the noise of feet about the house. +Silently she loosened the lock of her own door, so that the sound +might more certainly come to her, and she sat thinking what she might +best do. It had not been quite eleven when she came upstairs, and at +twelve she did not hear anything. And yet she was almost sure that +they must be still together in that small room downstairs, talking of +her and of her conduct. It was past one before she heard the door of +the room open. She heard it so plainly, that she wondered at herself +for having supposed for a moment that they could have gone without +her noticing them. Then she heard her cousin's heavy step coming +upstairs. In passing to his room he would not go actually by her +door, but would be very near it. She looked through the chink, having +carefully put away her own candle, and could see his face as he came +upon the top stair. It wore a look of trouble and of pain, but not, +as she thought, of anger. Her aunt, she knew, would go to her room by +the back stairs, and would go through the kitchen and over the whole +of the lower house, before she would come out on the landing to which +Margaret's room opened. Then, seeing her cousin, the idea occurred +to her that she would have it all over on that very night. If he +had heard that which changed his purpose, why should she be left in +suspense? He should tell her at once, and at once she would prepare +herself for her future life. + +So she opened the door a little way, and called to him. + +"John," she said, "is that you?" + +She spoke almost in a whisper, but, nevertheless, he heard her very +clearly, and at once turned towards her room. + +"Come in, John," she said, opening the door wider. "I wish to speak +to you. I have been waiting till you should come up." + +She had taken off her dress, and had put on in place of it a white +dressing-gown; but of this she had not thought till he was already +within the room. "I hope you won't mind finding me like this, but I +did so want to speak to you to-night." + +He, as he looked at her, felt that he had no objection to make to her +appearance. If that had been his only trouble concerning her he would +have been well satisfied. When he was within the room, she closed the +lock of the door very softly, and then began to question him. + +"Tell me," she said, "what my aunt has been saying to you about that +man that came here to-day." + +He did not answer her at once, but stood leaning against the bed. + +"I know she has been telling you," continued Margaret. "I know she +would not let you go to bed without accusing me. Tell me, John, what +she has told you." + +He was very slow to speak. As he had sat listening to his mother's +energetic accusation against the woman he had promised to marry, +hearing her bring up argument after argument to prove that Margaret +had, in fact, been engaged to that clergyman,--that she had intended +to marry that man while she had money, and had not, up to that day, +made him fully understand that she would not do so,--he had himself +said little or nothing, claiming to himself the use of that night +for consideration. The circumstances against Margaret he owned to +be very strong. He felt angry with her for having had any lover at +Littlebath. It was but the other day, during her winter visit to +the Cedars, that he had himself proposed to her, and that she had +rejected him. He had now renewed his proposal, and he did not like to +think that there had been any one else between his overtures. And he +could not deny the strength of his mother's argument when she averred +that Mr Maguire would not have come down there unless he had had, as +she said, every encouragement. Indeed, throughout the whole affair, +Lady Ball believed Mr Maguire, and disbelieved her niece; and +something of her belief, and something also of her disbelief, +communicated itself to her son. But, still, he reserved to himself +the right of postponing his own opinion till the morrow; and as he +was coming upstairs, when Margaret saw him through the chink of the +door, he was thinking of her smiles, of her graciousness, and her +goodness. He was remembering the touch of her hand when they were +together in the square, and the feminine sweetness with which she had +yielded to him every point regarding her fortune. When he did not +speak to her at once, she questioned him again. + +"I know she has told you that Mr Maguire has been here, and that she +has accused me of deceiving you." + +"Yes, Margaret, she has." + +"And what have you said in return; or rather, what have you thought?" + +He had been leaning, or half sitting, on the bed, and she had placed +herself beside him. How was it that she had again taken him by the +coat, and again looked up into his face with those soft, trusting +eyes? Was it a trick with her? Had she ever taken that other man by +the coat in the same way, and smitten him also with the battery of +her eyes? The loose sleeve of her dressing-gown had fallen back, and +he could see that her arm was round and white, and very fair. Was +she conversant with such tricks as these? His mother had called her +clever and cunning as a serpent. Was it so? Had his mother seen with +eyes clearer than his own, and was he now being surrounded by the +meshes of a false woman's web? He moved away from her quickly, and +stood upon the hearth-rug with his back to the empty fire grate. + +Then she stood up also. + +"John," she said, "if you have condemned me, say so. I shall defend +myself for the sake of my character, but I shall not ask you to come +back to me." + +But he had not condemned her. He had not condemned her altogether, +neither had he acquitted her. He was willing enough to hear her +defence, as he had heard his mother's accusation; but he was desirous +of hearing it without committing himself to any opinion. + +"I have been much surprised," he said, "by what my mother has now +told me,--very much surprised indeed. If Mr Maguire had any claim +upon your hand, should you not have told me?" + +"He had no claim; but no doubt it was right that I should tell you. I +was bound by my duty to tell you everything that had occurred." + +"Of course you were--and yet you did not do it." + +"But I was not so bound before what you said to me in the shrubbery +last night? Remember, John, it was but last night. Have I had a +moment to speak to you?" + +"If there was any question of engagement between you and him, you +should have told it me then, on the instant." + +"But there was no question. He came to me one day and made me an +offer. I will tell you everything, and I think you will believe me. +I found him holding a position of respect, at Littlebath, and I was +all alone in the world. Why should I not listen to him? I gave him no +answer, but told him to speak to me again after a while. Then came my +poor brother's illness and death; and after that came, as you know, +the loss of all my money. In the meantime Mr Maguire had written, +but as I knew that my brother's family must trust to me for their +support--that, at least, John was my hope then--I answered him that +my means were not the same as before, and that everything must be +over. Then he wrote to me again after I had lost my money, and once +I answered him. I wrote to him so that he should know that nothing +could come of it. Here are all his letters, and I have a copy of +the last I wrote to him." So saying, she pulled the papers out +of her desk,--the desk in which still lay the torn shreds of her +poetry,--and handed them to him. "After that, what right had he to +come here and make such a statement as he did to my aunt? How can he +be a gentleman, and say what was so false?" + +"No one says that he is a gentleman," replied John Ball, as he took +the proffered papers. + +"I have told you all now," said she; and as she spoke, a gleam of +anger flashed from her eyes, for she was not in all respects a +Griselda such as she of old. "I have told you all now, and if further +excuse be wanting, I have none further to make." + +Slowly he read the letters, still standing up on the hearth-rug, and +then he folded them again into their shapes, and slowly gave them +back to her. + +"There is no doubt," said he, "as to his being a blackguard. He was +hunting for your money, and now that he knows you have got none, he +will trouble you no further." Then he made a move from the place on +which he stood, as if he were going. + +"And is that to be all, John?" she said. + +"I shall see you to-morrow," he replied. "I am not going to town." + +"But is that to be all to-night?" + +"It is very late," and he looked at his watch. "I do not see that any +good can come of talking more about it now. Good-night to you." + +"Good-night," she said. Then she waited till the door was closed, and +when he was gone she threw herself upon the bed. Alas! alas! Now once +more was she ruined, and her present ruin was ruin indeed. + +She threw herself on the bed, and sobbed as though she would have +broken her heart in the bitterness of her spirit. She had told him +the plainest, simplest truest story, and he had received it without +one word of comment in her favour,--without one sign to show that her +truthfulness had been acknowledged by him! He had told her that this +man, who had done her so great an injury, was a blackguard; but of +her own conduct he had not allowed himself to speak. She knew that +his judgment had gone against her, and though she felt it to be +hard,--very hard,--she resolved that she would make no protest +against it. Of course she would leave the Cedars. Only a few hours +since she had assured herself that it was her duty henceforward to +obey him in everything. But that was now all changed. Whatever he +might say to the contrary, she would go. If he chose to follow her +whither she went, and again ask her to be his wife she would receive +him with open arms. Oh, yes; let him only once again own that she was +worthy of him, and then she would sit at his feet and confess her +folly, and ask his pardon a thousand times for the trouble she had +given him. But unless he were to do this she would never again beg +for favour. She had made her defence, and had, as she felt, made it +in vain. She would not condescend to say one other word in excuse of +her conduct. + +As for her aunt, all terms between Lady Ball and herself must be at +an end. Lady Ball had passed a day with her in the house without +speaking to her, except when that man had come, and then she had +taken part with him! Her aunt, she thought, had been untrue to +hospitality in not defending the guest within her own walls; she had +been untrue to her own blood, in not defending her husband's niece; +but, worse than all that, ten times worse, she had been untrue as +from one woman to another! Margaret, as she thought of this, rose +from the bed and walked wildly through the room unlike any Griselda. +No; she would have no terms with Lady Ball. Lady Ball had understood +it all, though John had not done so! She had known how it all was, +and had pretended not to know. Because she had an object of her own +to gain, she had allowed these calumnies to be believed! Let come +what might, they should all know that Margaret Mackenzie, poor, +wretched, destitute as she was, had still spirit enough to resent +such injuries as these. + +In the morning she sent down word by one of her young cousins that +she would not come to breakfast, and she asked that some tea might be +sent up to her. + +"Is she in bed, my dear?" asked Lady Ball. + +"No, she is not in bed," said Jane Ball. "She is sitting up, and has +got all her things about the room as though she were packing." + +"What nonsense!" said Lady Ball; "why does she not come down?" + +Then Isabella, the eldest girl, was sent up to her, but Margaret +refused to show herself. + +"She says she would rather not; but she wants to know if papa will +walk out with her at ten." + +Lady Ball again said that this was nonsense, but tea and toast were +at last supplied to her, and her cousin promised to be ready at the +hour named. Exactly at ten o'clock, Margaret opened the schoolroom +door, and asked one of the girls to tell her father that she would be +found on the walk leading to the long shrubbery. + +There on the walk she remained, walking slowly backwards and forwards +over a space of twenty yards, till he joined her. She gave him her +hand, and then turned towards the long shrubbery, and he, following +her direction, walked at her side. + +"John," she said, "you will not be surprised at my telling you that, +after what has occurred, I shall leave this place to-day." + +"You must not do that," he said. + +"Ah, but I must do it. There are some things John, which no woman +should bear or need bear. After what has occurred it is not right +that I should incur your mother's displeasure any longer. All my +things are ready. I want you to have them taken down to the one +o'clock train." + +"No, Margaret; I will not consent to that." + +"But, John, I cannot consent to anything else. Yesterday was a +terrible day for me. I don't think you can know how terrible. What I +endured then no one has a right to expect that I should endure any +longer. It was necessary that I should say something to you of what +had occurred, and that I said last night. I have no further call to +remain here, and, most positively, I shall go to-day." + +He looked into her face and saw that she was resolved, but yet he was +not minded to give way. He did not like to think that all authority +over her was passing out of his hands. During the night he had +not made up his mind to pardon her at once. Nay, he had not yet +told himself that he would pardon her at all. But he was prepared +to receive her tears and excuses, and we may say that, in all +probability, he would have pardoned her had she wept before him +and excused herself. But though she could shed tears on this +matter,--though, doubtless, there were many tears to be shed by +her,--she would shed no more before him in token of submission. If he +would first submit, then, indeed, she might weep on his shoulder or +laugh on his breast, as his mood might dictate. + +"Margaret," he said, "we have very much to talk over before you can +go." + +"There will be time for that between this and one. Look here, John; I +have made up my mind to go. After what took place yesterday, it will +be better for us all that we should be apart." + +"I don't see that, unless, indeed, you are determined to quarrel +with us altogether. I suppose my wishes in the matter will count for +something." + +"Yesterday morning they would have counted for everything; but not +this morning." + +"And why not, Margaret?" + +This was a question to which it was so difficult to find a reply, +that she left it unanswered. They both walked on in silence for some +paces, and then she spoke again. + +"You said yesterday that you had been with Mr Slow, and that you had +something to tell me. If you still wish to tell me anything, perhaps +you can do so now." + +"Everything seems to be so much changed," said he, speaking very +gloomily. + +"Yes," said she; "things are changed. But my confidence in Mr Slow, +and in you, is not altered. If you like it, you can settle everything +about the money without consulting me. I shall agree to anything +about that." + +"I was going to propose that your brother's family should have the +debt due by the Rubbs. Mr Slow thinks he might so manage as to secure +the payment of the interest." + +"Very well; I shall be delighted that it should be so. I had hoped +that they would have had more, but that of course is all over. I +cannot give them what is not mine." + +But this arrangement, which would have been pleasant enough +before,--which seemed to be very pleasant when John Ball was last +in Mr Slow's chambers, telling that gentleman that he was going to +make everything smooth by marrying his cousin,--was not by any means +so pleasant now. He had felt, when he was mentioning the proposed +arrangement to Margaret, that the very naming of it seemed to imply +that Mr Maguire and his visit were to go for nothing. If Mr Maguire +and his visit were to go for much--to go for all that which Lady Ball +wished to make of them--then, in such a case as that, the friendly +arrangement in question would not hold water. If that were to be so, +they must all go to work again, and Mr Slow must be told to do the +best in his power for his own client. John Ball was by no means +resolved to obey his mother implicitly and make so much of Mr Maguire +and his visit as all this; but how could he help doing so if Margaret +would go away? He could not as yet bring himself to tell her that Mr +Maguire and the visit should go altogether for nothing. He shook his +head in his trouble, and pished and pshawed. + +"The truth is, Margaret, you can't go to-day." + +"Indeed I shall, John," said she, smiling. "You would hardly wish to +keep me a prisoner, and the worst you could do would be to keep my +luggage from me." + +"Then I must say that you are very obstinate." + +"It is not very often that I resolve to have my own way; but I have +resolved now, and you should not try to balk me." + +They had now come round nearly to the house, and she showed, by the +direction that she took, that she was going in. + +"You will go?" said he. + +"Yes," said she; "I will go. My address will be at the old house in +Arundel Street. Shall I see you again before I go?" she asked him, +when she stood on the doorstep. "Perhaps you will be busy, and I had +better say goodbye." + +"Good-bye," said he, very gloomily; but he took her hand. + +"I suppose I had better not disturb my uncle. You will give him my +love. And, John, you will tell some one about my luggage; will you +not?" + +He muttered some affirmative, and then went round from the front of +the house, while she entered the hall. + +It was now half-past eleven, and she intended to start at half-past +twelve. She went into the drawing-room and not finding her aunt, rang +the bell. Lady Ball was with Sir John, she was told. She then wrote a +note on a scrap of paper, and sent it in: + + + DEAR AUNT, + + I leave here at half-past twelve. Perhaps you would like + to see me before I go. + + M. M. + + +Then, while she was waiting for an answer, she went into the school +room, and said good-bye to all the children. + +"But you are coming back, aunt Meg," said the youngest girl. + +Margaret stooped down to kiss her, and, when the child saw and felt +the tears, she asked no further questions. + +"Lady Ball is in the drawing-room, Miss," a servant said at that +moment, and there she went to fight her last battle! + +"What's the meaning of this, Margaret?" said her aunt. + +"Simply that I am going. I was to have gone on Monday, as you will +remember." + +"But it was understood that you were to stop." + +For a moment or two Margaret said nothing. + +"I hate these sudden changes," said Lady Ball; "they are hardly +respectable. I don't think you should leave the house in this way, +without having given notice to any one. What will the servants think +of it?" + +"They will probably think the truth, aunt. They probably thought +that, when they saw that you did not speak to me yesterday morning. +You can hardly imagine that I should stay in the house under such +circumstances as that." + +"You must do as you like, of course." + +"In this instance I must, aunt. I suppose I cannot see my uncle?" + +"It is quite out of the question." + +"Then I will say good-bye to you. I have said good-bye to John. +Good-bye, aunt," and Margaret put out her hand. + +But Lady Ball did not put out hers. + +"Good-bye, Margaret," she said. "There are circumstances under which +it is impossible for a person to make any expression of feeling that +may be taken for approbation. I hope a time may come when these +things shall have passed away, and that I may be able to see you +again." Margaret's eyes, as she made her way out of the room were +full of tears, and when she found herself outside the hall door, and +at the bottom of the steps, she was obliged to put her handkerchief +up to them. Before her on the road was a boy with a donkey cart +and her luggage. She looked round furtively, half-fearing, half +hoping--hardly expecting, but yet thinking, that she might again see +her cousin. But he did not show himself to her as she walked down to +the railway station by herself. As she went she told herself that she +was right; she applauded her own courage, but what, oh! what was she +to do? Everything now was over for her. Her fortune was gone. The man +whom she had learned to love had left her. There was no place in the +world on which her feet might rest till she had made one for herself +by the work of her hands. And as for friends--was there a single +being in the world whom she could now call her friend? + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +The Lodgings of Mrs Buggins, Nee Protheroe + + +It was nearly the end of October when Miss Mackenzie left the Cedars +and at that time of the year there is not much difficulty in getting +lodgings in London. The house which her brother Walter occupied in +Arundel Street had, at his death, remained in the hands of an old +servant of his, who had bought her late master's furniture with her +savings, and had continued to live there, letting out the house in +lodgings. Her former mistress had gone to see her once or twice +during the past year, and it had been understood between them, that +if Miss Mackenzie ever wanted a room for a night or two in London, +she could be accommodated at the old house. She would have preferred +to write to Hannah Protheroe,--or Mrs Protheroe, as she was now +called by brevet rank since she had held a house of her own,--had +time permitted her to do so. But time and the circumstances did not +permit this, and therefore she had herself driven to Arundel Street +without any notice. + +Mrs Protheroe received her with open arms, and with many promises +of comfort and attendance,--as was to be expected, seeing that Mrs +Protheroe was, as she thought, receiving into her house the rich +heiress. She proffered at once the use of her drawing-room and of the +best bedroom, and declared that as the house was now empty, with the +exception of one young gentleman from Somerset House upstairs, she +would be able to devote herself almost exclusively to Miss Mackenzie. +Things were much changed from those former days in which Hannah +Protheroe used frequently to snub Margaret Mackenzie, being almost of +equal standing in the house with her young mistress. And now Margaret +was called upon to explain, that low as her standing might have been +then, at this present moment it was even lower. She had indeed the +means of paying for her lodgings, but these she was called upon to +husband with the minutest economy. The task of telling all this was +difficult. She began it by declining the drawing-room, and by saying +that a bedroom upstairs would suffice for her. + +"You haven't heard, Hannah, what has happened to me," she said, when +Mrs Protheroe expressed her surprise at this decision. "My brother's +will was no will at all. I do not get any of his property. It all +goes under some other will to my cousin, Mr John Ball." + +By these tidings Hannah was of course prostrated, and driven into a +state of excitement that was not without its pleasantness as far as +she was concerned. Of course she objected that the last will must be +the real will, and in this way the matter came to full discussion +between them. + +"And, after all, that John Ball is to have everything!" said Mrs +Protheroe, holding up both her hands. By this time Hannah Protheroe +had got herself comfortably into a chair, and no doubt her personal +pleasure in the evening's occupation was considerably enhanced by the +unconscious feeling that she was the richer woman of the two. But she +behaved very well, and I am inclined to think, in preparing buttered +muffins for her guest, she was more particular in the toasting, and +more generous with the butter, than she would have been had she been +preparing the dainty for drawing-room use. And when she learned that +Margaret had eaten nothing since breakfast, she herself went out +and brought in a sweetbread with her own hand, though she kept a +servant whom she might have sent to the shop. And, for the honour of +lodging-house keepers, I protest that that sweetbread never made its +appearance in any bill. + +"You will be more comfortable down here with me, won't you, my dear, +than up there, with not a creature to speak to?" + +In this way Mrs Protheroe made her apology for giving Miss Mackenzie +her tea downstairs, in a little back parlour behind the kitchen. It +was a tidy room, with two wooden armchairs, and a bit of carpet over +the flags in the centre, and a rug before the fire. Margaret did +not inquire why it smelt of tobacco, nor did Mrs Protheroe think +it necessary to give any explanation why she went up herself at +half-past seven to answer the bell at the area; nor did she say +anything then of the office messenger from Somerset House, who often +found this little room convenient for his evening pipe. So was passed +the first evening after our Griselda had left the Cedars. + +The next day she sat at home doing nothing,--still talking to Hannah +Protheroe, and thinking that perhaps John Ball might come. But he +did not come. She dined downstairs, at one o'clock, in the same +room behind the kitchen, and then she had tea at six. But as Hannah +intimated that perhaps a gentleman friend would look in during +the evening, she was obliged to betake herself, after tea, to the +solitude of her own room. As Hannah was between fifty and sixty, and +nearer the latter age than the former, there could be no objection to +her receiving what visitors she pleased. The third day passed with +Miss Mackenzie the same as the second, and still no cousin came to +see her. The next day, being Sunday, she diversified by going to +church three times; but on the Sunday she was forced to dine alone, +as the gentleman friend usually came in on that day to eat his bit of +mutton with his friend, Mrs Protheroe. + +"A most respectable man, in the Admiralty branch, Miss Margaret, and +will have a pension of twenty-seven shillings and sixpence a week in +a year or two. And it is so lonely by oneself, you know." + +Then Miss Mackenzie knew that Hannah Protheroe intended to become +Hannah Buggins, and she understood the whole mystery of the tobacco +smoke. + +On the Monday she went to the house in Gower Street, and communicated +to them the fact that she had left the Cedars. Miss Colza was in the +room with her sister-in-law and nieces, and as it was soon evident +that Miss Colza knew the whole history of her misfortune with +reference to the property, she talked about her affairs before Miss +Colza as though that young lady had been one of her late brother's +family. But yet she felt that she did not like Miss Colza, and once +or twice felt almost inclined to resent certain pushing questions +which Miss Colza addressed to her. + +"And have you quarrelled with all the Ball family?" the young lady +asked, putting great emphasis on the word all. + +"I did not say that I had quarrelled with any of them," said Miss +Mackenzie. + +"Oh! I beg pardon. I thought as you came away so sudden like, and as +you didn't see any of them since, you know--" + +"It is a matter of no importance whatever," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"No: none in the least," said Miss Colza. And in this way they made +up their minds to hate each other. + +But what did the woman mean by talking in this way of all the Balls, +as though a quarrel with one of the family was a thing of more +importance than a quarrel with any of the others? Could she know, or +could she even guess, anything of John Ball and of the offer he had +made? But this mystery was soon cleared up in Margaret's mind, when, +at Mrs Mackenzie's request, they two went upstairs into that lady's +bedroom for a little private conversation. + +The conversation was desired for purposes appertaining solely to the +convenience of the widow. She wanted some money, and then, with tears +in her eyes, she demanded to know what was to be done. Miss Colza +paid her eighteen shillings a week for board and lodging, and that +was now two weeks in arrear; and one bedroom was let to a young man +employed in the oilcloth factory, at seven shillings a week. + +"And the rent is ninety pounds, and the taxes twenty-two," said Mrs +Mackenzie, with her handkerchief up to her eyes; "and there's the +taxman come now for seven pound ten, and where I'm to get it, unless +I coined my blood, I don't know." + +Margaret gave her two sovereigns which she had in her purse, and +promised to send her a cheque for the amount of the taxes due. +Then she told as much as she could tell of that proposal as to the +interest of the money due from the firm in the New Road. + +"If it could only be made certain," said the widow, who had fallen +much from her high ideas since Margaret had last seen her. Things +were greatly changed in that house since the day on which the dinner, +a la Russe, had been given under the auspices of Mr Grandairs. "If +it can only be made certain. They still keep his name up in the firm. +There it is as plain as life over the place of business"--she would +not even yet call it a shop--"Rubb and Mackenzie; and yet they won't +let me know anything as to how matters are going on. I went there the +other day, and they would tell me nothing. And as for Samuel Rubb, he +hasn't been here this last fortnight, and I've got no one to see me +righted. If you were to ask Mr Slow, wouldn't he be able to see me +righted?" + +Margaret declared that she hardly knew whether that would come +within Mr Slow's line of business, and that she did not feel herself +competent to give advice on such a point as that. She then explained, +as best she could, that her own affairs were not as yet settled, but +that she was led to hope, from what had been said to her, that the +interest due by the firm on the money borrowed might become a fixed +annual income for Mrs Mackenzie's benefit. + +After that it came out that Mr Maguire had again been in Gower +Street. + +"And he was alone, for the best part of half an hour, with that young +woman downstairs," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +"And you saw him?" Margaret asked. + +"Oh, yes; I saw him afterwards." + +"And what did he say?" + +"He didn't say much to me. Only he gave me to understand--at least, +that is what I suppose he meant--that you and he-- He meant to say, +that you and he had been courting, I suppose." + +Then Margaret understood why Miss Colza had desired to know whether +she had quarrelled with all the Balls. In her open and somewhat +indignant speech in the drawing-room at the Cedars, she had declared +before Mr Maguire, in her aunt's presence, that she was engaged to +marry her cousin, John Ball. Mr Maguire had now enlisted Miss Colza +in his service, and had told Miss Colza what had occurred. But still +Miss Mackenzie did not thoroughly understand the matter. Why, she +asked herself, should Mr Maguire trouble himself further, now that he +knew that she had no fortune? But, in truth, it was not so easy to +satisfy Mr Maguire on that point, as it was to satisfy Miss Mackenzie +herself. He believed that the relatives of his lady-love were +robbing her, or that they were, at any rate, taking advantage of her +weakness. If it might be given to him to rescue her and her fortune +from them, then, in such case as that, surely he would get his +reward. The reader will therefore understand why Miss Colza was +anxious to know whether Miss Mackenzie had quarrelled with all the +Balls. + +Margaret's face became unusually black when she was told that she +and Mr Maguire had been courting, but she did not contradict the +assertion. She did, however, express her opinion of that gentleman. + +"He is a mean, false, greedy man," she said, and then paused a +moment; "and he has been the cause of my ruin." She would not, +however, explain what she meant by this, and left the house, without +going back to the room in which Miss Colza was sitting. + +About a week afterwards she got a letter from Mr Slow, in which that +gentleman,--or rather the firm, for the letter was signed Slow and +Bideawhile,--asked her whether she was in want of immediate funds. +The affair between her and her cousin was not yet, they said, in a +state for final settlement, but they would be justified in supplying +her own immediate wants out of the estate. To this she sent a reply, +saying that she had money for her immediate wants, but that she would +feel very grateful if anything could be done for Mrs Mackenzie and +her family. Then she got a further letter, very short, saying that a +half-year's interest on the loan had, by Mr Ball's consent, been paid +to Mrs Mackenzie by Rubb and Mackenzie. + +On the day following this, when she was sitting up in her bedroom, +Mrs Protheroe came to her, dressed in wonderful habiliments. She +wore a dark-blue bonnet, filled all round with yellow flowers, and a +spotted silk dress, of which the prevailing colour was scarlet. She +was going, she said, to St Mary-le-Strand, "to be made Mrs Buggins +of." She tried to carry it off with bravado when she entered the +room, but she left it with a tear in her eye, and a whimper in her +throat. "To be sure, I'm an old woman," she said before she went. +"Who has said that I ain't? Not I; nor yet Buggins. We is both of us +old. But I don't know why we is to be desolate and lonely all our +days, because we ain't young. It seems to me that the young folks is +to have it all to themselves, and I'm sure I don't know why." Then +she went, clearly resolved, that as far as she was concerned, the +young people shouldn't have it all to themselves; and as Buggins was +of the same way of thinking, they were married at St Mary-le-Strand +that very morning. + +And this marriage would have been of no moment to us or to our little +history, had not Mr Maguire chosen that morning, of all mornings +in the year, to call on Miss Mackenzie in Arundel Street. He had +obtained her address--of course, from Miss Colza; and, not having +been idle the while in pushing his inquiries respecting Miss +Mackenzie's affairs, had now come to Arundel Street to carry on the +battle as best he might. Margaret was still in her room as he came, +and as the girl could not show the gentleman up there, she took him +into an empty parlour, and brought the tidings up to the lodger. Mr +Maguire had not sent up his name; but a personal description by the +girl at once made Margaret know who was there. + +"I won't see him," said she, with heightened colour, grieving greatly +that the strong-minded Hannah Protheroe,--or Buggins, as it might +probably be by that time,--was not at home. "Martha, don't let him +come up. Tell him to go away at once." + +After some persuasion, the girl went down with the message, which she +softened to suit her own idea of propriety. But she returned, saying +that the gentleman was very urgent. He insisted that he must see Miss +Mackenzie, if only for an instant, before he left the house. + +"Tell him," said Margaret, "that nothing shall induce me to see him. +I'll send for a policeman. If he won't go when he's told, Martha, you +must go for a policeman." + +Martha, when she heard that, became frightened about the spoons and +coats, and ran down again in a hurry. Then she came up again with a +scrap of paper, on which a few words had been written with a pencil. +This was passed through a very narrow opening in the door, as +Margaret stood with it guarded, fearing lest the enemy might carry +the point by an assault. + +"You are being robbed," said the note, "you are, indeed,--and my only +wish is to protect you." + +"Tell him that there is no answer, and that I will receive no more +notes from him," said Margaret. Then, at last, when he received that +message, Mr Maguire went away. + +About a week after that, another visitor came to Miss Mackenzie, and +him she received. But he was not the man for whose coming she in +truth longed. It was Mr Samuel Rubb who now called, and when Mrs +Buggins told her lodger that he was in the parlour, she went down +to see him willingly. Her life was now more desolate than it had +been before the occurrence of that ceremony in the church of St +Mary-le-Strand; for, though she had much respect for Mr Buggins, of +whose character she had heard nothing that was not good, and though +she had given her consent as to the expediency of the Buggins' +alliance, she did not find herself qualified to associate with Mr +Buggins. + +"He won't say a word, Miss," Hannah had pleaded, "and he'll run and +fetch for you like a dog." + +But even when recommended so highly for his social qualities, +Buggins, she felt, would be antipathetic to her; and, with many +false assurances that she did not think it right to interrupt a +newly-married couple, she confined herself on those days to her own +room. + +But when Mr Rubb came, she went down to see him. How much Mr +Rubb knew of her affairs,--how far he might be in Miss Colza's +confidence,--she did not know; but his conduct to her had not been +offensive, and she had been pleased when she learned that the first +half year's interest had been paid to her sister-in-law. + +"I'm sorry to hear of all this, Miss Mackenzie," said he, when he +came forward to greet her. He had not thought it necessary, on this +occasion, to put on his yellow gloves or his shiny boots, and she +liked him the better on that account. + +"Of all what, Mr Rubb?" said she. + +"Why, about you and the family at the Cedars. If what I hear is true, +they've just got you to give up everything, and then dropped you." + +"I left Sir John Ball's house on my own account, Mr Rubb; I was not +turned out." + +"I don't suppose they'd do that. They wouldn't dare to do that; not +so soon after getting hold of your money. Miss Mackenzie, I hope +I shall not anger you; but it seems to me to be the most horridly +wicked piece of business I ever heard of." + +"You are mistaken, Mr Rubb. You forget that the thing was first found +out by my own lawyer." + +"I don't know how that may be, but I can't bring myself to believe +that it all is as they say it is; I can't, indeed." + +She merely smiled, and shook her head. Then he went on speaking. + +"I hope I'm not giving offence. It's not what I mean, if I am." + +"You are not giving any offence, Mr Rubb; only I think you are +mistaken about my relatives at Twickenham." + +"Of course, I may be; there's no doubt of that. I may be mistaken, +like another. But, Miss Mackenzie, by heavens, I can't bring myself +to think it." As he spoke in this energetic way, he rose from his +chair, and stood opposite to her. "I cannot bring myself to think +that the fight should be given up." + +"But there has been no fight." + +"There ought to be a fight, Miss Mackenzie; I know that there ought. +I believe I'm right in supposing, if all this is allowed to go by the +board as it is going, that you won't have, so to say, anything of +your own." + +"I shall have to earn my bread like other people; and, indeed, I am +endeavouring now to put myself in the way of doing so." + +"I'll tell you how you shall earn it. Come and be my wife. I think +we've got a turn for good up at the business. Come and be my wife. +That's honest, any way." + +"You are honest," said she, with a tear in her eye. + +"I am honest now," said he, "though I was not honest to you once;" +and I think there was a tear in his eye also. + +"If you mean about that money that you have borrowed, I am very +glad of it--very glad of it. It will be something for them in Gower +Street." + +"Miss Mackenzie, as long as I have a hand to help myself with, they +shall have that at least. But now, about this other thing. Whether +there's nothing to come or anything, I'll be true to my offer. I'll +fight for it, if there's to be a fight, and I'll let it go if there's +to be no fight. But whether one way or whether the other, there shall +be a home for you when you say the word. Say it now. Will you be my +wife?" + +"I cannot say that word, Mr Rubb." + +"And why not?" + +"I cannot say it; indeed, I cannot." + +"Is it Mr Ball that prevents you?" + +"Do not ask me questions like that. Indeed, indeed, indeed, I cannot +do as you ask me." + +"You despise me, like enough, because I am only a tradesman?" + +"What am I myself, that I should despise any man? No, Mr Rubb, I am +thankful and grateful to you; but it cannot be." + +Then he took up his hat, and, turning away from her without any word +of adieu, made his way out of the house. + +"He really do seem a nice man, Miss," said Mrs Buggins. "I wonder you +wouldn't have him liefer than go into one of them hospitals." + +Whether Miss Mackenzie had any remnant left of another hope, +or whether all such hope had gone, we need not perhaps inquire +accurately. Whatever might be the state of her mind on that score, +she was doing her best to carry out her purpose with reference to the +plan of nursing; and as she could not now apply to her cousin, she +had written to Mr Slow upon the subject. + +Late in November yet another gentleman came to see her, but when he +came she was unfortunately out. She had gone up to the house in Gower +Street, and had there been so cross-questioned by the indefatigable +Miss Colza that she had felt herself compelled to tell her +sister-in-law that she could not again come there as long as Miss +Colza was one of the family. It was manifest to her that these +questions had been put on behalf of Mr Maguire, and she had therefore +felt more indignant than she would have been had they originated in +the impertinent curiosity of the woman herself. She also informed +Mrs Mackenzie that, in obedience to instructions from Mr Slow, she +intended to postpone her purpose with reference to the hospital till +some time early in the next year. Mr Slow had sent a clerk to her +to explain that till that time such amicable arrangement as that to +which he looked forward to make could not be completed. On her return +from this visit to Gower Street she found the card,--simply the +card,--of her cousin, John Ball. + +Why had she gone out? Why had she not remained a fixture in the +house, seeing that it had always been possible that he should come? +But why! oh, why! had he treated her in this way, leaving his card +at her home, as though that would comfort her in her grievous +desolation? It would have been far better that he should have left +there no intimation of his coming. She took the card, and in her +anger threw it from her into the fire. + +But yet she waited for him to come again. Not once during the next +ten days, excepting on the Sunday, did she go out of the house during +the hours that her cousin would be in London. Very sad and monotonous +was her life, passed alone in her own bedroom. And it was the more +sad, because Mrs Buggins somewhat resented the manner in which her +husband was treated. Mrs Buggins was still attentive, but she made +little speeches about Buggins' respectability, and Margaret felt that +her presence in the house was an annoyance. + +At last, at the end of the ten days, John Ball came again, and +Margaret, with a fluttering heart, descended to meet him in the empty +parlour. + +She was the first to speak. As she had come downstairs, she had made +up her mind to tell him openly what were her thoughts. + +"I had hoped to have seen you before this, John," she said, as she +gave him her hand. + +"I did call before. Did you not get my card?" + +"Oh, yes; I got your card. But I had expected to see you before that. +The kind of life that I am leading here is very sad, and cannot be +long continued." + +"I would have had you remain at the Cedars, Margaret; but you would +not be counselled by me." + +"No; not in that, John." + +"I only mention it now to excuse myself. But you are not to suppose +that I am not anxious about you, because I have not seen you. I have +been with Mr Slow constantly. These law questions are always very +tedious in being settled." + +"But I want nothing for myself." + +"It behoves Mr Slow, for that very reason, to be the more anxious on +your behalf; and, if you will believe me, Margaret, I am quite as +anxious as he is. If you had remained with us, I could have discussed +the matter with you from day to day; but, of course, I cannot do so +while you are here." + +As he was talking in this way, everything with reference to their +past intercourse came across her mind. She could not tell him that +she had been anxious to see him, not with reference to the money, +but that he might tell her that he did not find her guilty on that +charge which her aunt had brought against her concerning Mr Maguire. +She did not want assurances of solicitude as to her future means +of maintenance. She cared little or nothing about her future +maintenance, if she could not get from him one kind word with +reference to the past. But he went on talking to her about Mr Slow, +and the interest, and the property, and the law, till, at last, in +her anger, she told him that she did not care to hear further about +it, till she should be told at last what she was to do. + +"As I have got nothing of my own," she said, "I want to be earning my +bread, and I think that the delay is cruel." + +"And do you think," said he, "that the delay is not cruel to me +also?" + +She thought that he alluded to the fact that he could not yet obtain +possession of the income for his own purposes. + +"You may have it all at once, for me," she said. + +"Have all what?" he replied. "Margaret, I think you fail to see the +difficulties of my position. In the first place, my father is on his +deathbed!" + +"Oh, John, I am sorry for that." + +"And, then, my mother is very bitter about all this. And how can I, +at such a time, tell her that her opinion is to go for nothing? I am +bound to think of my own children, and cannot abandon my claim to the +property." + +"No one wants you to abandon it. At least, I do not." + +"What am I to do, then? This Mr Maguire is making charges against +me." + +"Oh, John!" + +"He is saying that I am robbing you, and trying to cover the robbery +by marrying you. Both my own lawyer, and Mr Slow, have told me that a +plain statement of the whole case must be prepared, so that any one +who cares to inquire may learn the whole truth, before I can venture +to do anything which might otherwise compromise my character. You +do not think of all this, Margaret, when you are angry with me." +Margaret, hanging down her head, confessed that she had not thought +of it. + +"The difficulty would have been less, had you remained at the +Cedars." + +Then she again lifted her head, and told him that that would have +been impossible. Let things go as they might, she knew that she had +been right in leaving her aunt's house. + +There was not much more said between them, nor did he give her any +definite promise as to when he would see her again. He told her +that she might draw on Mr Slow for money if she wanted it, but that +she again declined. And he told her also not to withdraw Susanna +Mackenzie from her school at Littlebath--at any rate, not for +the present; and intimated also that Mr Slow would pay the +schoolmistress's bill. Then he took his leave of her. He had spoken +no word of love to her; but yet she felt, when he was gone, that her +case was not as hopeless now as it had seemed to be that morning. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +The Little Story of the Lion and the Lamb + + +During those three months of October, November, and December, Mr +Maguire was certainly not idle. He had, by means of pertinacious +inquiry, learned a good deal about Miss Mackenzie; indeed, he had +learned most of the facts which the reader knows, though not quite +all of them. He had seen Jonathan Ball's will, and he had seen Walter +Mackenzie's will. He had ascertained, through Miss Colza, that John +Ball now claimed the property by some deed said to have been executed +by Jonathan Ball previous to the execution of his will; and he +had also learned, from Miss Mackenzie's own lips, in Lady Ball's +presence, that she had engaged herself to marry the man who was thus +claiming her property. Why should Mr Ball want to marry her,--who +would in such a case be penniless,--but that he felt himself +compelled in that way to quell all further inquiry into the thing +that he was doing? And why should she desire to marry him, but that +in this way she might, as it were, go with her own property, and not +lose the value of it herself when compelled to surrender it to her +cousin? That she would have given herself, with all her property, to +him,--Maguire,--a few months ago, Mr Maguire felt fully convinced, +and, as I have said before, had some ground for such conviction. He +had learned also from Miss Colza, that Miss Mackenzie had certainly +quarrelled with Lady Ball, and that she had, so Miss Colza believed, +been turned out of the house at the Cedars. Whether Mr Ball had or +had not abandoned his matrimonial prospects, Miss Colza could not +quite determine. Having made up her mind to hate Miss Mackenzie, and +therefore, as was natural, thinking that no gentleman could really +like such "a poor dowdy creature," she rather thought that he had +abandoned his matrimonial prospects. Mr Maguire had thus learned much +on the subject; but he had not learned this:--that John Ball was +honest throughout in the matter, and that the lawyers employed in it +were honest also. + +And now, having got together all this information, and he himself +being in a somewhat precarious condition as to his own affairs, Mr +Maguire resolved upon using his information boldly. He had a not +incorrect idea of the fitness of things, and did not fail to tell +himself that were he at that moment in possession of those clerical +advantages which his labours in the vineyard should have earned +for him, he would not have run the risk which he must undoubtedly +incur by engaging himself in this matter. Had he a full church +at Littlebath depending on him, had Mr Stumfold's chance and Mr +Stumfold's success been his, had he still even been an adherent of +the Stumfoldian fold, he would have paused before he rushed to the +public with an account of Miss Mackenzie's grievance. But as matters +stood with him, looking round upon his own horizon, he did not +see that he had any course before him more likely to lead to good +pecuniary results, than this. + +The reader has been told how Mr Maguire went to Arundel Street, +and how he was there received. But that reception did not at all +daunt his courage. It showed him that the lady was still under the +Ball influence, and that his ally, Miss Colza, was probably wrong +in supposing that the Ball marriage was altogether off. But this +only made him the more determined to undermine that influence, and +to prevent that marriage. If he could once succeed in convincing +the lady that her best chance of regaining her fortune lay in his +assistance, or if he could even convince her that his interference +must result, either with or without her good wishes, in dividing her +altogether from the Ball alliance, then she would be almost compelled +to throw herself into his arms. That she was violently in love with +him he did not suppose, nor did he think it at all more probable that +she should be violently in love with her cousin. He put her down +in his own mind as one of those weak, good women, who can bring +themselves easily to love any man, and who are sure to make useful +wives, because they understand so thoroughly the nature of obedience. +If he could secure for her her fortune, and could divide her from +John Ball, he had but little doubt that she would come to him, +in spite of the manner in which she had refused to receive him +in Arundel Street. Having considered all this, after the mode of +thinking which I have attempted to describe, he went to work with +such weapons as were readiest to his hands. + +As a first step, he wrote boldly to John Ball. In this letter +he reasserted the statement he had made to Lady Ball as to Miss +Mackenzie's engagement to himself, and added some circumstances +which he had not mentioned to Lady Ball. He said, that having become +engaged to that lady, he had, in consequence, given up his curacy +at Littlebath, and otherwise so disarranged his circumstances, as +to make it imperative upon him to take the steps which he was now +taking. He had come up to London, expecting to find her anxious +to receive him in Gower Street, and had then discovered that she +had been taken away to the Cedars. He could not, he said, give any +adequate description of his surprise, when, on arriving there, he +heard from the mouth of his own Margaret that she was now engaged to +her cousin. But if his surprise then had been great and terrible, how +much greater and more terrible must it have been when, step by step, +the story of that claim upon her fortune revealed itself to him! He +pledged himself, in his letter, as a gentleman and as a Christian +minister, to see the matter out. He would not allow Miss Mackenzie +to be despoiled of her fortune and her hand,--both of which he had +a right to regard as his own,--without making known to the public a +transaction which he regarded as nefarious. Then there was a good +deal of eloquent indignation the nature and purport of which the +reader will probably understand. + +Mr Ball did not at all like this letter. He had that strong feeling +of disinclination to be brought before the public with reference +to his private affairs, which is common to all Englishmen; and +he specially had a dislike to this, seeing that there would be a +question not only as to money, but also as to love. A gentleman does +not like to be accused of a dishonest attempt to possess himself of a +lady's property; but, at the age of fifty, even that is almost better +than one which charges him with such attempt against a lady's heart. +He knew that he was not dishonest, and therefore could endure the +first. He was not quite sure that he was not, or might not become, +ridiculous, and therefore feared the latter very greatly. He could +not ignore the letter, and there was nothing for it but to show it to +his lawyer. Unfortunately, he had told this lawyer, on the very day +of Mr Maguire's visit to the Cedars, that all was to be made smooth +by his marriage with Miss Mackenzie; and now, with much misery +and many inward groanings, he had to explain all this story of Mr +Maguire. It was the more painful in that he had to admit that an +offer had been made to the lady by the clergyman, and had not been +rejected. + +"You don't think there was more than that?" asked the lawyer, having +paved the way for his question with sundry apologetic flourishes. + +"I am sure there was not," said John Ball. "She is as true as the +Gospel, and he is as false as the devil." + +"Oh, yes," said the lawyer; "there's no doubt about his falsehood. +He's one of those fellows for whom nothing is too dirty. Clergymen +are like women. As long as they're pure, they're a long sight purer +than other men; but when they fall, they sink deeper." + +"You needn't be afraid of taking her word," said John Ball. "If all +women were as pure as she is, there wouldn't be much amiss with +them." His eyes glittered as he spoke of her, and it was a pity that +Margaret could not have heard him then, and seen him there. + +"You don't think she has been--just a little foolish, you know?" + +"I think she was very foolish in not bidding such a man to go about +his business, at once. But she has not been more so than what she +owns. She is as brave as she is good, and I don't think she would +keep anything back." + +The result was that a letter was written by the lawyer to Mr Maguire, +telling Mr Maguire that any further communication should be made +to him; and also making a slight suggestion as to the pains and +penalties which are incurred in the matter of a libel. Mr Maguire had +dated his letter from Littlebath, and there the answer reached him. +He had returned thither, having found that he could take no further +immediate steps towards furthering his cause in London. + +And now, what steps should he take next? More than once he thought +of putting his own case into the hands of a lawyer; but what was a +lawyer to do for him? An action for breach of promise was open to +him, but he had wit enough to feel that there was very little chance +of success for him in that line. He might instruct a lawyer to look +into Miss Mackenzie's affairs, and he thought it probable that he +might find a lawyer to take such instructions. But there would be +much expense in this, and, probably, no result. Advancing logically +from one conclusion to another, he at last resolved that he must rush +boldly into print, and lay the whole iniquity of the transaction open +to the public. + +He believed--I think he did believe--that the woman was being +wronged. Some particle of such belief he had, and fostering himself +with this, he sat himself down, and wrote a leading article. + +Now there existed in Littlebath at this time a weekly periodical +called the _Christian Examiner_, with which Mr Maguire had for some +time had dealings. He had written for the paper, taking an earnest +part in local religious subjects; and the paper, in return, had +very frequently spoken highly of Mr Maguire's eloquence, and of Mr +Maguire's energy. There had been a give and take in this, which all +people understand who are conversant with the provincial, or perhaps +I might add, with the metropolitan press of the country. The paper +in question was not a wicked paper, nor were the gentlemen concerned +in its publication intentionally scurrilous or malignant; but it was +subject to those great temptations which beset all class newspapers +of the kind, and to avoid which seems to be almost more difficult, in +handling religious subjects, than in handling any other. The editor +of a _Christian Examiner_, if, as is probable, he have, of his own, +very strong and one-sided religious convictions, will think that +those who differ from him are in a perilous way, and so thinking, +will feel himself bound to tell them so. The man who advocates one +line of railway instead of another, or one prime minister as being +superior to all others, does not regard his opponents as being +fatally wrong,--wrong for this world and for the next,--and he can +restrain himself. But how is a newspaper writer to restrain himself +when his opponent is incurring everlasting punishment, or, worse +still, carrying away others to a similar doom, in that they read, and +perhaps even purchase, that which the lost one has written? In this +way the contents of religious newspapers are apt to be personal; +and heavy, biting, scorching attacks, become the natural vehicle of +_Christian Examiners_. + +Mr Maguire sat down and wrote his leading article, which on the +following Saturday appeared in all the glory of large type. The +article shall not be repeated here at length, because it contained +sundry quotations from Holy Writ which may as well be omitted, +but the purport of it shall be explained. It commenced with a +dissertation against an undue love of wealth,--the _auri sacra +fames_, as the writer called it; and described with powerful unction +the terrible straits into which, when indulged, it led the vile, +wicked, ugly, hideous, loathsome, devilish human heart. Then there +was an eloquent passage referring to worms and dust and grass, and +a quotation respecting treasures both corruptible and incorruptible. +Not at once, but with crafty gradations, the author sloped away to +the point of his subject. How fearful was it to watch the way in +which the strong, wicked ones,--the roaring lions of the earth, +beguiled the ignorance of the innocent, and led lonely lambs into +their slaughter-houses. All this, much amplified, made up half +the article; and then, after the manner of a pleasant relater of +anecdotes, the clerical story-teller began his little tale. When, +however, he came to the absolute writing of the tale, he found it +to be prudent for the present to omit the names of his hero and +heroine--to omit, indeed, the names of all the persons concerned. He +had first intended boldly to dare it all, and perhaps would yet have +done so had he been quite sure of his editor. But his editor he found +might object to these direct personalities at the first sound of the +trumpet, unless the communication were made in the guise of a letter, +with Mr Maguire's name at the end of it. After a while the editor +might become hot in the fight himself, and then the names could +be blazoned forth. And there existed some chance,--some small +chance,--that the robber-lion, John Ball, might be induced to drop +his lamb from his mouth when he heard this premonitory blast, and +then the lion's prey might be picked up by--"the bold hunter," Mr +Maguire would probably have said, had he been called upon to finish +the sentence himself; anyone else might, perhaps, say, by the jackal. +The little story was told, therefore, without the mention of any +names. Mr Maguire had read other little stories told in another +way in other newspapers, of greater weight, no doubt, than the +Littlebath _Christian Examiner_, and had thought that he could +wield a thunderbolt as well as any other Jupiter; but in wielding +thunderbolts, as in all other operations of skill, a man must first +try his 'prentice hand with some reticence; and thus he reconciled +himself to prudence, not without some pangs of conscience which +accused him inwardly of cowardice. + +"Not long ago there was a lady in this town, loved and respected by +all who knew her." Thus he began, and then gave a not altogether +inaccurate statement of the whole affair, dropping, of course, his +own share in the concern, and accusing the vile, wicked, hideous, +loathsome human heart of the devouring lion, who lived some miles +to the west end of London, of a brutal desire and a hellish scheme +to swallow up the inheritance of the innocent, loved, and respected +lamb, in spite of the closest ties of consanguinity between them. And +then he went on to tell how, with a base desire of covering up from +the eyes of an indignant public his bestial greediness in having made +this dishonest meal, the lion had proposed to himself the plan of +marrying the lamb! It was a pity that Maguire had not learned--that +Miss Colza had not been able to tell him--that the lion had once +before expressed his wish to take the lamb for his wife. Had he +known that, what a picture he would have drawn of the disappointed +vindictive king of the forest, as lying in his lair at Twickenham he +meditated his foul revenge! This unfortunately was unknown to Mr +Maguire and unsuspected by him. + +But the article did not end here. The indignant writer of it went on +to say that he had buckled on his armour in support of the lamb, and +that he was ready to meet the lion either in the forest or in any +social circle; either in the courts of law or before any Christian +arbitrator. With loud trumpetings, he summoned the lion to appear and +plead guilty, or to stand forward, if he dared, and declare himself +innocent with his hand on his heart. If the lion could prove himself +to be innocent the writer of that article offered him the right hand +of fellowship, an offer which the lion would not, perhaps, regard +as any strong inducement; but if the lion were not innocent--if, as +the writer of that article was well aware was the case, the lion was +basely, greedily, bestially guilty, then the writer of that article +pledged himself to give the lion no peace till he had disgorged his +prey, and till the lamb was free to come back, with all her property, +to that Christian circle in Littlebath which had loved her so warmly +and respected her so thoroughly. + +Such was the nature of the article, and the editor put it in. After +all, what, in such matters, is an editor to do? Is it not his +business to sell his paper? And if the editor of a _Christian +Examiner_ cannot trust the clergyman he has sat under, whom can he +trust? Some risk an editor is obliged to run, or he will never sell +his paper. There could be little doubt that such an article as this +would be popular among the religious world of Littlebath, and that it +would create a demand. He had his misgivings--had that poor editor. +He did not feel quite sure of his lion and his lamb. He talked the +matter over vehemently with Mr Maguire in the little room in which +he occupied himself with his scissors and his paste; but ultimately +the article was inserted. Who does not know that interval of triumph +which warms a man's heart when he has delivered his blow, and +the return blow has not been yet received? The blow has been so +well struck that it must be successful, nay, may probably be +death-dealing. So felt Mr Maguire when two dozen copies of the +_Christian Examiner_ were delivered at his lodgings on the Saturday +morning. The article, though printed as a leading article, had been +headed as a little story,--"The Lion and the Lamb,"--so that it might +more readily attract attention. It read very nicely in print. It +had all that religious unction which is so necessary for _Christian +Examiners_, and with it that spice of devilry, so delicious to +humanity that without it even _Christian Examiners_ cannot be made +to sell themselves. He was very busy with his two dozen damp copies +before him,--two dozen which had been sent to him, by agreement, as +the price of his workmanship. He made them up and directed them with +his own hand. To the lion and the lamb he sent two copies, two to +each. To Mr Slow he sent a copy, and another to Messrs Slow and +Bideawhile, and a third to the other lawyer. He sent a copy to Lady +Ball and one to Sir John. Another he sent to the old Mackenzie, +baronet at Incharrow, and two more to the baronet's eldest son, and +the baronet's eldest son's wife. A copy he sent to Mrs Tom Mackenzie, +and a copy to Miss Colza; and a copy also he sent to Mrs Buggins. +And he sent a copy to the Chairman of the Board at the Shadrach Fire +Office, and another to the Chairman at the Abednego Life Office. A +copy he sent to Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, and a copy to Messrs Rubb and +Mackenzie. Out of his own pocket he supplied the postage stamps, and +with his own hand he dropped the papers into the Littlebath +post-office. + +Poor Miss Mackenzie, when she read the article, was stricken almost +to the ground. How she did hate the man whose handwriting on the +address she recognised at once! What should she do? In her agony +she almost resolved that she would start at once for the Cedars and +profess her willingness to go before all the magistrates in London +and Littlebath, and swear that her cousin was no lion and that she +was no lamb. At that moment her feelings towards the Christians +and _Christian Examiners_ of Littlebath were not the feelings of +a Griselda. I think she could have spoken her mind freely had Mr +Maguire come in her way. Then, when she saw Mrs Buggins's copy, her +anger blazed up afresh, and her agony became more intense. The horrid +man must have sent copies all over the world, or he would never have +thought of sending a copy to Mrs Buggins! + +But she did not go to the Cedars. She reflected that when there she +might probably find her cousin absent, and in such case she would +hardly know how to address herself to her aunt. Mr Ball, too, might +perhaps come to her, and for three days she patiently awaited his +coming. On the evening of the third day there came to her, not Mr +Ball, but a clerk from Mr Slow, the same clerk who had been with her +before, and he made an appointment with her at Mr Slow's office on +the following morning. She was to meet Mr Ball there, and also to +meet Mr Ball's lawyer. Of course she consented to go, and of course +she was on Mr Slow's staircase exactly at the time appointed. Of what +she was thinking as she walked round Lincoln's Inn Fields to kill a +quarter of an hour which she found herself to have on hand, we will +not now inquire. + +She was shown at once into Mr Slow's room, and the first thing that +met her eyes was a copy of that horrible _Christian Examiner_, lying +on the table before him. She knew it instantly, and would have known +it had she simply seen a corner of the printing. To her eyes and +to her mind, no other printed paper had ever been so ugly and so +vicious. But she saw that there was also another newspaper under the +_Christian Examiner_. Mr Slow brought her to the fire, and gave her +a chair, and was very courteous. In a few moments came the other +lawyer, and with him came John Ball. + +Mr Slow opened the conference, all the details of which need not be +given here. He first asked Miss Mackenzie whether she had seen that +wicked libel. She, with much energy and, I may almost say, with +virulence, declared that the horrid paper had been sent to her. She +hoped that nobody suspected that she had known anything about it. +In answer to this, they all assured her that she need not trouble +herself on that head. Mr Slow then told her that a London paper had +copied the whole story of the "Lion and the Lamb," expressing a hope +that the lion would be exposed if there was any truth in it, and the +writer would be exposed if there was none. + +"The writer was Mr Maguire, a clergyman," said Miss Mackenzie, with +indignation. + +"We all know that," said Mr Slow, with a slight smile on his face. +Then he went on reading the remarks of the London paper, which +declared that the Littlebath _Christian Examiner_, having gone so +far, must, of necessity, go further. The article was calculated to +give the greatest pain to, no doubt, many persons; and the innocence +or guilt of "the Lion," as poor John Ball was called, must be made +manifest to the public. + +"And now, my dear Miss Mackenzie, I will tell you what we propose to +do," said Mr Slow. He then explained that it was absolutely necessary +that a question of law should be tried and settled in a court of +law, between her and her cousin. When she protested against this, he +endeavoured to explain to her that the cause would be an amicable +cause, a simple reference, in short, to a legal tribunal. Of course, +she did not understand this, and, of course, she still protested; but +after a while, when she began to perceive that her protest was of no +avail, she let that matter drop. The cause should be brought on as +soon as possible, but could not be decided till late in the spring. +She was told that she had better make no great change in her own +manner of life till that time, and was again informed that she could +have what money she wanted for her own maintenance. She refused to +take any money: but when the reference was made to some proposed +change in her life, she looked wistfully into her cousin's face. He, +however, had nothing to say then, and kept his eyes intently fixed +upon the carpet. + +Mr Slow then took up the _Christian Examiner_, and declared to her +what was their intention with reference to that. A letter should +be written from his house to the editor of the London newspaper, +giving a plain statement of the case, with all the names, explaining +that all the parties were acting in perfect concert, and that the +matter was to be decided in the only way which could be regarded as +satisfactory. In answer to this, Miss Mackenzie, almost in tears, +pointed out how distressing would be the publicity thus given to her +name "particularly"--she said, "particularly--" But she could not go +on with the expression of her thoughts, or explain that so public a +reference to a proposal of marriage from her cousin must be doubly +painful to her, seeing that the idea of such a marriage had been +abandoned. But Mr Slow understood all this, and, coming over to her, +took her gently by the hand. + +"My dear," he said, "you may trust me in this as though I were your +father. I know that such publicity is painful; but, believe me, it is +the best that we can do." + +Of course she had no alternative but to yield. + +When the interview was over, her cousin walked home with her to +Arundel Street, and said much to her as to the necessity for this +trial. He said so much, that she, at last, dimly understood that +the matter could not be set at rest by her simple renouncing of the +property. Her own lawyer could not allow her to do so; nor could he, +John Ball, consent to receive the property in such a manner. "You +see, by that newspaper, what people would say of me." + +But had he not the power of making everything easy by doing that +which he himself had before proposed to do? Why did he not again say, +"Margaret, come and be my wife?" She acknowledged to herself that he +had a right to act as though he had never said those words,--that the +facts elicited by Mr Maguire's visit to the Cedars were sufficient to +absolve him from his offer. But yet she thought that they should have +been sufficient also to induce him to renew it. + +On that occasion, when he left her at the door in Arundel Street, he +had not renewed his offer. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +Lady Ball in Arundel Street + + +On Christmas Day Miss Mackenzie was pressed very hard to eat her +Christmas dinner with Mr and Mrs Buggins, and she almost gave way. +She had some half-formed idea in her head that should she once +sit down to table with Buggins, she would have given up the fight +altogether. She had no objection to Buggins, and had, indeed, no +strong objection to put herself on a par with Buggins; but she felt +that she could not be on a par with Buggins and with John Ball at +the same time. Why it should be that in associating with the man +she would take a step downwards, and might yet associate with the +man's wife without taking any step downwards, she did not attempt to +explain to herself. But I think that she could have explained it had +she put herself to the task of analysing the question, and that she +felt exactly the result of such analysis without making it. At any +rate, she refused the invitation persistently, and ate her wretched +dinner alone in her bedroom. + +She had often told herself, in those days of her philosophy at +Littlebath, that she did not care to be a lady; and she told herself +now the same thing very often when she was thinking of the hospital. +She cosseted herself with no false ideas as to the nature of the work +which she proposed to undertake. She knew very well that she might +have to keep rougher company than that of Buggins if she put her +shoulder to that wheel. She was willing enough to do this, and had +been willing to encounter such company ever since she left the +Cedars. She was prepared for the roughness. But she would not put +herself beyond the pale, as it were, of her cousin's hearth, moved +simply by a temptation to relieve the monotony of her life. When the +work came within her reach she would go to it, but till then she +would bear the wretchedness of her dull room upstairs. She wondered +whether he ever thought how wretched she must be in her solitude. + +On New Year's Day she heard that her uncle was dead. She was already +in mourning for her brother, and was therefore called upon to make no +change in that respect. She wrote a note of condolence to her aunt, +in which she strove much, and vainly, to be cautious and sympathetic +at the same time, and in return received a note, in which Lady Ball +declared her purpose of coming to Arundel Street to see her niece as +soon as she found herself able to leave the house. She would, she +said, give Margaret warning the day beforehand, as it would be very +sad if she had her journey all for nothing. + +Her aunt, Lady Ball, was coming to see her in Arundel Street! What +could be the purpose of such a visit after all that had passed +between them? And why should her aunt trouble herself to make it +at a period of such great distress? Lady Ball must have some very +important plan to propose, and poor Margaret's heart was in a +flutter. It was ten days after this before the second promised note +arrived, and then Margaret was asked to say whether she would be at +home and able to receive her aunt's visit at ten minutes past two on +the day but one following. Margaret wrote back to say that she would +be at home at ten minutes past two on the day named. + +Her aunt was old, and she again borrowed the parlour, though she was +not now well inclined to ask favours from Mrs Buggins. Mrs Buggins +had taken to heart the slight put upon her husband, and sometimes +made nasty little speeches. + +"Oh dear, yes, in course, Miss Margaret; not that I ever did think +much of them Ballses, and less than ever now, since the gentleman was +kind enough to send me the newspaper. But she's welcome to the room, +seeing as how Mr Tiddy will be in the City, of course; and you're +welcome to it, too, though you do keep yourself so close to yourself, +which won't ever bring you round to have your money again; that it +won't." + +Lady Ball came and was shown into the parlour, and her niece went +down to receive her. + +"I would have been here before you came, aunt, only the room is not +mine." + +In answer to this, Lady Ball said that it did very well. Any room +would answer the present purpose. Then she sat down on the sofa from +which she had risen. She was dressed, of course, in the full weeds +of her widowhood, and the wide extent of her black crape was almost +awful in Margaret's eyes. She did not look to be so savage as her +niece had sometimes seen her, but there was about her a ponderous +accumulation of crape, which made her even more formidable than she +used to be. It would be almost impossible to refuse anything to a +person so black, so grave, so heavy, and so big. + +"I have come to you, my dear," she said, "as soon as I possibly could +after the sad event which we have had at home." + +In answer to this, Margaret said that she was much obliged, but she +hoped that her aunt had put herself to no trouble. Then she said a +word or two about her uncle,--a word or two that was very difficult, +as of course it could mean nothing. + +"Yes," said the widow, "he has been taken from us after a long and +useful life. I hope his son will always show himself to be worthy of +such a father." + +After that there was silence in the room for a minute or two, during +which Margaret waited for her aunt to begin; but Lady Ball sat +there solid, grave, and black, as though she thought that her very +presence, without any words, might be effective upon Margaret as a +preliminary mode of attack. Margaret herself could find nothing to +say to her aunt, and she, therefore, also remained silent. Lady Ball +was so far successful in this, that when three minutes were over her +niece had certainly been weakened by the oppressive nature of the +meeting. She had about her less of vivacity, and perhaps also less of +vitality, than when she first entered the room. + +"Well, my dear," said her aunt at last, "there are things, you know, +which must be talked about, though they are ever so disagreeable;" +and then she pulled out of her pocket that abominable number of the +Littlebath _Christian Examiner_. + +"Oh, aunt, I hope you are not going to talk about that." + +"My dear, that is cowardly; it is, indeed. How am I to help talking +about it? I have come here, from Twickenham, on purpose to talk about +it." + +"Then, aunt, I must decline; I must, indeed." + +"My dear!" + +"I must, indeed, aunt." + +Let a man or a woman's vitality be ever so thoroughly crushed and +quenched by fatigue or oppression--or even by black crape--there will +always be some mode of galvanising which will restore it for a time, +some specific either of joy or torture which will produce a return +of temporary energy. This Littlebath newspaper was a battery of +sufficient power to put Margaret on her legs again, though she +perhaps might not be long able to keep them. + +"It is a vile, lying paper, and it was written by a vile, lying man, +and I hope you will put it up and say nothing about it." + +"It is a vile, lying paper, Margaret; but the lies are against my +son, and not against you." + +"He is a man, and knows what he is about, and it does not signify to +him. But, aunt, I won't talk about it, and there's an end of it." + +"I hope he does know what he is about," said Lady Ball. "I hope he +does. But you, as you say, are a woman, and therefore it specially +behoves you to know what you are about." + +"I am not doing anything to anybody," said Margaret. + +Lady Ball had now refolded the offensive newspaper, and restored it +to her pocket. Perhaps she had done as much with it as she had from +the first intended. At any rate, she brought it forth no more, and +made no further intentionally direct allusion to it. "I don't suppose +you really wish to do any injury to anybody," she said. + +"Does anybody accuse me of doing them an injury?" Margaret asked. + +"Well, my dear, if I were to say that I accused you, perhaps you +would misunderstand me. I hope--I thoroughly expect, that before I +leave you, I may be able to say that I do not accuse you. If you +will only listen to me patiently for a few minutes, Margaret--which +I couldn't get you to do, you know, before you went away from the +Cedars in that very extraordinary manner--I think I can explain to +you something which--" Here Lady Ball became embarrassed, and paused; +but Margaret gave her no assistance, and therefore she began a new +sentence. "In point of fact, I want you to listen to what I say, and +then, I think--I do think--you will do as we would have you." + +Whom did she include in that word "we"? Margaret had still sufficient +vitality not to let the word pass by unquestioned. "You mean yourself +and John?" said she. + +"I mean the family," said Lady Ball rather sharply. "I mean the +whole family, including those dear girls to whom I have been in the +position of a mother since my son's wife died. It is in the name of +the Ball family that I now speak, and surely I have a right." + +Margaret thought that Lady Ball had no such right, but she would not +say so at that moment. + +"Well, Margaret, to come to the point at once, the fact is this. You +must renounce any idea that you may still have of becoming my son's +wife." Then she paused. + +"Has John sent you here to say this?" demanded Margaret. + +"I don't wish you to ask any such question as that. If you had any +real regard for him I don't think you would ask it. Consider his +difficulties, and consider the position of those poor children! If he +were your brother, would you advise him, at his age, to marry a woman +without a farthing, and also to incur the certain disgrace which +would attach to his name after--after all that has been said about +it in this newspaper?"--then, Lady Ball put her hand upon her +pocket--"in this newspaper, and in others?" + +This was more than Margaret could bear. "There would be no disgrace," +said she, jumping to her feet. + +"Margaret, if you put yourself into a passion, how can you understand +reason? You ought to know, yourself, by the very fact of your being +in a passion, that you are wrong. Would there be no disgrace, after +all that has come out about Mr Maguire?" + +"No, none--none!" almost shouted this modern Griselda. "There could +be no disgrace. I won't admit it. As for his marrying me, I don't +expect it. There is nothing to bind him to me. If he doesn't come +to me I certainly shall not go to him. I have looked upon it as all +over between him and me; and as I have not troubled him with any +importunities, nor yet you, it is cruel in you to come to me in this +way. He is free to do what he likes--why don't you go to him? But +there would be no disgrace." + +"Of course he is free. Of course such a marriage never can take place +now. It is quite out of the question. You say that it is all over, +and you are quite right. Why not let this be settled in a friendly +way between you and me, so that we might be friends again? I should +be so glad to help you in your difficulties if you would agree with +me about this." + +"I want no help." + +"Margaret, that is nonsense. In your position you are very wrong to +set your natural friends at defiance. If you will only authorise me +to say that you renounce this marriage--" + +"I will not renounce it," said Margaret, who was still standing up. +"I will not renounce it. I would sooner lose my tongue than let +it say such a word. You may tell him, if you choose to tell him +anything, that I demand nothing from him; nothing. All that I once +thought mine is now his, and I demand nothing from him. But when he +asked me to be his wife he told me to be firm, and in that I will +obey him. He may renounce me, and I shall have nothing with which to +reproach him; but I will never renounce him--never." And then the +modern Griselda, who had been thus galvanised into vitality, stood +over her aunt in a mood that was almost triumphant. + +"Margaret, I am astonished at you," said Lady Ball, when she had +recovered herself. + +"I can't help that, aunt." + +"And now let me tell you this. My son is, of course, old enough to +do as he pleases. If he chooses to ruin himself and his children by +marrying, anybody--even if it were out of the streets--I can't help +it. Stop a moment and hear me to the end." This she said, as her +niece had made a movement as though towards the door. "I say, even +if it were out of the streets, I couldn't help it. But nothing shall +induce me to live in the same house with him if he marries you. It +will be on your conscience for ever that you have brought ruin on the +whole family, and that will be your punishment. As for me, I shall +take myself off to some solitude, and--there--I--shall--die." Then +Lady Ball put her handkerchief up to her face and wept copiously. + +Margaret stood still, leaning upon the table, but she spoke no word, +either in answer to the threat or to the tears. Her immediate object +was to take herself out of the room, but this she did not know how to +achieve. At last her aunt spoke again: "If you please, I will get you +to ask your landlady to send for a cab." Then the cab was procured, +and Buggins, who had come home for his dinner, handed her ladyship +in. Not a word had been spoken during the time that the cab was being +fetched, and when Lady Ball went down the passage, she merely said, +"I wish you good-bye, Margaret." + +"Good-bye," said Margaret, and then she escaped to her own bedroom. + +Lady Ball had not done her work well. It was not within her power to +induce Margaret to renounce her engagement, and had she known her +niece better, I do not think that she would have made the attempt. +She did succeed in learning that Margaret had received no renewal +of an offer from her son,--that there was, in fact, no positive +engagement now existing between them; and with this, I think, she +should have been satisfied. Margaret had declared that she demanded +nothing from her cousin, and with this assurance Lady Ball should +have been contented. But she had thought to carry her point, to +obtain the full swing of her will, by means of a threat, and had +forgotten that in the very words of her own menace she conveyed to +Margaret some intimation that her son was still desirous of doing +that very thing which she was so anxious to prevent. There was no +chance that her threat should have any effect on Margaret. She ought +to have known that the tone of the woman's mind was much too firm +for that. Margaret knew--was as sure of it as any woman could be +sure--that her cousin was bound to her by all ties of honour. She +believed, too, that he was bound to her by love, and that if he +should finally desert it, he would be moved to do so by mean motives. +It was no anger on the score of Mr Maguire that would bring him to +such a course, no suspicion that she was personally unworthy of +being his wife. Our Griselda, with all her power of suffering and +willingness to suffer, understood all that, and was by no means +disposed to give way to any threat from Lady Ball. + +When she was upstairs, and once more in solitude, she disgraced +herself again by crying. She could be strong enough when attacked by +others, but could not be strong when alone. She cried and sobbed upon +her bed, and then, rising, looked at herself in the glass, and told +herself that she was old and ugly, and fitted only for that hospital +nursing of which she had been thinking. But still there was something +about her heart that bore her up. Lady Ball would not have come to +her, would not have exercised her eloquence upon her, would not have +called upon her to renounce this engagement, had she not found all +similar attempts upon her own son to be ineffectual. Could it then +be so, that, after all, her cousin would be true to her? If it were +so, if it could be so, what would she not do for him and for his +children? If it were so, how blessed would have been all these +troubles that had brought her to such a haven at last! Then she tried +to reconcile his coldness to her with that which she so longed to +believe might be the fact. She was not to expect him to be a lover +such as are young men. Was she young herself, or would she like him +better if he were to assume anything of youth in his manners? She +understood that life with him was a serious thing, and that it was +his duty to be serious and grave in what he did. It might be that it +was essential to his character, after all that had passed, that the +question of the property should be settled finally, before he could +come to her, and declare his wishes. Thus flattering herself, she put +away from her her tears, and dressed herself, smoothing her hair, and +washing away the traces of her weeping; and then again she looked at +herself in the glass to see if it were possible that she might be +comely in his eyes. + +The months of January and February slowly wore themselves away, and +during the whole of that time Margaret saw her cousin but once, and +then she met him at Mr Slow's chambers. She had gone there to sign +some document, and there she had found him. She had then been told +that she would certainly lose her cause. No one who had looked into +the matter had any doubt of that. It certainly was the case that +Jonathan Ball had bequeathed property which was not his at the +time he made the will, but which at the time of his death, in fact, +absolutely belonged to his nephew, John Ball. Old Mr Slow, as he +explained this now for the seventh or eighth time, did it without a +tone of regret in his voice, or a sign of sorrow in his eye. Margaret +had become so used to the story now, that it excited no strong +feelings within her. Her wish, she said, was, that the matter should +be settled. The lawyer, with almost a smile on his face, but still +shaking his head, said that he feared it could not be settled before +the end of April. John Ball sat by, leaning his face, as usual, upon +his umbrella, and saying nothing. It did, for a moment, strike Miss +Mackenzie as singular, that she should be reduced from affluence to +absolute nothingness in the way of property, in so very placid a +manner. Mr Slow seemed to be thinking that he was, upon the whole, +doing rather well for his client. + +"Of course you understand, Miss Mackenzie, that you can have any +money you require for your present personal wants." + +This had been said to her so often, that she took it as one of Mr +Slow's legal formulas, which meant nothing to the laity. + +On that occasion also Mr Ball walked home with her, and was very +eloquent about the law's delays. He also seemed to speak as though +there was nothing to be regretted by anybody, except the fact that he +could not get possession of the property as quick as he wished. He +said not a word of anything else, and Margaret, of course, submitted +to be talked to by him rather than to talk herself. Of Lady Ball's +visit he said not a word, nor did she. She asked after the children, +and especially after Jack. One word she did say: + +"I had hoped Jack would have come to see me at my lodgings." + +"Perhaps he had better not," said Jack's father, "till all is +settled. We have had much to trouble us at home since my father's +death." + +Then of course she dropped that subject. She had been greatly +startled on that day on hearing her cousin called Sir John by Mr +Slow. Up to that moment it had never occurred to her that the man of +whom she was so constantly thinking as her possible husband was a +baronet. To have been Mrs Ball seemed to her to have been possible; +but that she should become Lady Ball was hardly possible. She wished +that he had not been called Sir John. It seemed to her to be almost +natural that people should be convinced of the impropriety of such a +one as her becoming the wife of a baronet. + +During this period she saw her sister-in-law once or twice, who on +those occasions came down to Arundel Street. She herself would not go +to Gower Street, because of the presence of Miss Colza. Miss Colza +still continued to live there, and still continued very much in +arrear in her contributions to the household fund. Mrs Mackenzie did +not turn her out, because she would,--so she said,--in such case get +nothing. Mrs Tom was by this time quite convinced that the property +would, either justly or unjustly, go into the hands of John Ball, and +she was therefore less anxious to make any sacrifice to please her +sister-in-law. + +"I'm sure I don't see why you should be so bitter against her," said +Mrs Tom. "I don't suppose she told the clergyman a word that wasn't +true." + +Miss Mackenzie declined to discuss the subject, and assured Mrs Tom +that she only recommended the banishment of Miss Colza because of her +apparent unwillingness to pay. + +"As for the money," said Mrs Tom, "I expect Mr Rubb to see to that. I +suppose he intends to make her Mrs Rubb sooner or later." + +Miss Mackenzie, having some kindly feeling towards Mr Rubb, would +have preferred to hear that Miss Colza was likely to become Mrs +Maguire. During these visits, Mrs Tom got more than one five-pound +note from her sister-in-law, pleading the difficulty she had in +procuring breakfast for lodgers without any money for the baker. +Margaret protested against these encroachments, but, still, the money +would be forthcoming. + +Once, towards the end of February, Mrs Buggins seduced her lodger +down into her parlour in the area, and Miss Mackenzie thought she +perceived that something of the old servant's manners had returned to +her. She was more respectful than she had been of late, and made no +attempts at smart, ill-natured speeches. + +"It's a weary life, Miss, this you're living here, isn't it?" said +she. + +Margaret said that it was weary, but that there could be no change +till the lawsuit should be settled. It would be settled, she hoped, +in April. + +"Bother it for a lawsuit," said Mrs Buggins. "They all tells me that +it ain't any lawsuit at all, really." + +"It's an amicable lawsuit," said Miss Mackenzie. + +"I never see such amicableness! 'Tis a wonder to hear, Miss, how +everybody is talking about it everywheres. Where we was last +night--that is, Buggins and I--most respectable people in the copying +line--it isn't only he as does the copying, but she too; nurses the +baby, and minds the kitchen fire, and goes on, sheet after sheet, all +at the same time; and a very tidy thing they make of it, only they do +straggle their words so;--well, they were saying as it's one of the +most remarkablest cases as ever was know'd." + +"I don't see that I shall be any the better because it's talked +about." + +"Well, Miss Margaret, I'm not so sure of that. It's my belief that if +one only gets talked about enough, one may have a'most anything one +chooses to ask for." + +"But I don't want to ask for anything." + +"But if what we heard last night is all true, there's somebody else +that does want to ask for something, or, as has asked, as folks say." + +Margaret blushed up to the eyes, and then protested that she did not +know what Mrs Buggins meant. + +"I never dreamed of it, my dear; indeed, I didn't, when the old lady +come here with her tantrums; but now, it's as plain as a pikestaff. +If I'd a' known anything about that, my dear, I shouldn't have made +so free about Buggins; indeed, I shouldn't." + +"You're talking nonsense, Mrs Buggins; indeed, you are." + +"They have the whole story all over the town at any rate, and in the +lane, and all about the courts; and they declare it don't matter a +toss of a halfpenny which way the matter goes, as you're to become +Lady Ball the very moment the case is settled." + +Miss Mackenzie protested that Mrs Buggins was a stupid woman,--the +stupidest woman she had ever heard or seen; and then hurried up into +her own room to hug herself in her joy, and teach herself to believe +that what so many people said must at last come true. + +Three days after this, a very fine, private carriage, with two +servants on a hammer cloth, drove up to the door in Arundel Street, +and the maid-servant, hurrying upstairs, told Miss Mackenzie that +a beautifully-dressed lady downstairs was desirous of seeing her +immediately. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +Mrs Mackenzie of Cavendish Square + + +"My dear," said the beautifully-dressed lady, "you don't know me, I +think;" and the beautifully-dressed lady came up to Miss Mackenzie +very cordially, took her by the hand, smiled upon her, and seemed to +be a very good-natured person indeed. Margaret told the lady that +she did not know her, and at that moment was altogether at a loss to +guess who the lady might be. The lady might be forty years of age, +but was still handsome, and carried with her that easy, self-assured, +well balanced manner, which, if it be not overdone, goes so far to +make up for beauty, if beauty itself be wanting. + +"I am your cousin, Mrs Mackenzie,--Clara Mackenzie. My husband +is Walter Mackenzie, and his father is Sir Walter Mackenzie, of +Incharrow. Now you will know all about me." + +"Oh, yes, I know you," said Margaret. + +"I ought, I suppose, to make ever so many apologies for not coming to +you before; but I did call upon you, ever so long ago; I forget when, +and after that you went to live at Littlebath. And then we heard of +you as being with Lady Ball, and for some reason, which I don't quite +understand, it has always been supposed that Lady Ball and I were not +to know each other. And now I have heard this wonderful story about +your fortune, and about everything else, too, my dear; and it seems +all very beautiful, and very romantic; and everybody says that you +have behaved so well; and so, to make a long story short, I have come +to find you out in your hermitage, and to claim cousinship, and all +that sort of thing." + +"I'm sure I'm very much obliged to you, Mrs Mackenzie--" + +"Don't say it in that way, my dear, or else you'll make me think you +mean to turn a cold shoulder on me for not coming to you before." + +"Oh, no." + +"But we've only just come to town; and though of course I heard the +story down in Scotland--" + +"Did you?" + +"Did I? Why, everybody is talking about it, and the newspapers have +been full of it." + +"Oh, Mrs Mackenzie, that is so terrible." + +"But nobody has said a word against you. Even that stupid clergyman, +who calls you the lamb, has not pretended to say that you were +his lamb. We had the whole story of the Lion and the Lamb in the +_Inverary Interpreter_, but I had no idea that it was you, then. But +the long and the short of it is, that my husband says he must know +his cousin; and to tell the truth, it was he that sent me; and we +want you to come and stay with us in Cavendish Square till the +lawsuit is over, and everything is settled." + +Margaret was so startled by the proposition, that she did not know +how to answer it. Of course she was at first impressed with a strong +idea of the impossibility of her complying with such a request, +and was simply anxious to find some proper way of refusing it. The +Incharrow Mackenzies were great people who saw much company, and it +was, she thought, quite out of the question that she should go to +their house. At no time of her career would she have been, as she +conceived, fit to live with such grand persons; but at the present +moment, when she grudged herself even a new pair of gloves out of +the money remaining to her, while she was still looking forward to +a future life passed as a nurse in a hospital, she felt that there +would be an absolute unfitness in such a visit. + +"You are very kind," she said at last with faltering voice, as she +meditated in what words she might best convey her refusal. + +"No, I'm not a bit kind; and I know from the tone of your voice that +you are meditating a refusal. But I don't mean to accept it. It is +much better that you should be with us while all this is going on, +than that you should be living here alone. And there is no one with +whom you could live during this time so properly, as with those who +are your nearest relatives." + +"But, Mrs Mackenzie--" + +"I suppose you are thinking now of another cousin, but it's not at +all proper that you should go to his house;--not as yet, you know. +And you need not suppose that he'll object because of what I said +about Lady Ball and myself. The Capulets and the Montagues don't +intend to keep it up for ever; and, though we have never visited Lady +Ball, my husband and the present Sir John know each other very well." + +Mrs Mackenzie was not on that occasion able to persuade Margaret to +come at once to Cavendish Square, and neither was Margaret able to +give a final refusal. She did not intend to go, but she could not +bring herself to speak a positive answer in such a way as to have +much weight with Mrs Mackenzie. That lady left her at last, saying +that she would send her husband, and promising Margaret that she +would herself come in ten days to fetch her. + +"Oh no," said Margaret; "it will be very good-natured of you to come, +but not for that." + +"But I shall come, and shall come for that," said Mrs Mackenzie; +and at the end of the ten days she did come, and she did carry her +husband's cousin back with her to Cavendish Square. + +In the meantime Walter Mackenzie had called in Arundel Street, +and had seen Margaret. But there had been given to her advice by +a counsellor whom she was more inclined to obey than any of the +Mackenzies. John Ball had written to her, saying that he had heard of +the proposition, and recommending her to accept the invitation given +to her. + +"Till all this trouble about the property is settled," said he, "it +will be much better that you should be with your cousins than living +alone in Mrs Buggins' lodgings." + +After receiving this Margaret held out no longer but was carried off +by the handsome lady in the grand carriage, very much to the delight +of Mrs Buggins. + +Mrs Buggins' respect for Miss Mackenzie had returned altogether +since she had heard of the invitation to Cavendish Square, and she +apologised, almost without ceasing, for the liberty she had taken in +suggesting that Margaret should drink tea with her husband. + +"And indeed, Miss, I shouldn't have proposed such a thing, were it +ever so, if I had suspected for a hinstant how things were a going to +be. For Buggins is a man as knows his place, and never puts himself +beyond it! But you was that close, Miss--" + +In answer to this Margaret would say that it didn't signify, and that +it wasn't on that account; and I have no doubt but that the two women +thoroughly understood each other. + +There was a subject on which, in spite of all her respect, Mrs +Buggins ventured to give Miss Mackenzie much advice, and to insist on +that advice strongly. Mrs Buggins was very anxious that the future +"baronet's lady" should go out upon her grand visit with a proper +assortment of clothing. That argument of the baronet's lady was the +climax of Mrs Buggins' eloquence: "You, my dear, as is going to be +one baronet's lady is going to a lady who is going to be another +baronet's lady, and it's only becoming you should go as is becoming." + +Margaret declared that she was not going to be anybody's lady, but +Mrs Buggins altogether pooh-poohed this assertion. + +"That, Miss, is your predestination," said Mrs Buggins, "and well +you'll become it. And as for money, doesn't that old party who +found it all out say reg'lar once a month that there's whatever you +want to take for your own necessaries? and you that haven't had a +shilling from him yet! If it was me, I'd send him in such a bill for +necessaries as 'ud open that old party's eyes a bit, and hurry him up +with his lawsuits." + +The matter was at last compromised between her and Margaret, and a +very moderate expenditure for smarter clothing was incurred. + +On the day appointed Mrs Mackenzie again came, and Margaret was +carried off to Cavendish Square. Here she found herself suddenly +brought into a mode of life altogether different from anything she +had as yet experienced. The Mackenzies were people who went much into +society, and received company frequently at their own house. The +first of these evils for a time Margaret succeeded in escaping, but +from the latter she had no means of withdrawing herself. There was +very much to astonish her at this period of her life, but that which +astonished her perhaps more than anything else was her own celebrity. +Everybody had heard of the Lion and the Lamb, and everybody was aware +that she was supposed to represent the milder of those two favourite +animals. Everybody knew the story of her property, or rather of +the property which had never in truth been hers, and which was now +being made to pass out of her hands by means of a lawsuit, of which +everybody spoke as though it were the best thing in the world for +all the parties concerned. People, when they mentioned Sir John Ball +to her--and he was often so mentioned--never spoke of him in harsh +terms, as though he were her enemy. She observed that he was always +named before her in that euphuistic language which we naturally use +when we speak to persons of those who are nearest to them and dearest +to them. The romance of the thing, and not the pity of it, was the +general subject of discourse, so that she could not fail to perceive +that she was generally regarded as the future wife of Sir John Ball. + +It was the sudden way in which all this had come upon her that +affected her so greatly. While staying in Arundel Street she had +been altogether ignorant that the story of the Lion and the Lamb had +become public, or that her name had been frequent in men's mouths. +When Mrs Buggins had once told her that she was thus becoming famous, +she had ridiculed Mrs Buggins' statement. Mrs Buggins had brought +home word from some tea-party that the story had been discussed among +her own friends; but Miss Mackenzie had regarded that as an accident. +A lawyer's clerk or two about Chancery Lane or Carey Street might by +chance hear of the matter in the course of their daily work;--that it +should be so, and that such people talked of her affairs distressed +her; but that had, she was sure, been all. Now, however, in her new +home she had learned that Mr Maguire's efforts had become notorious, +and that she and her history were public property. When all this +first became plain to her, it overwhelmed her so greatly that she was +afraid to show her face; but this feeling gradually wore itself away, +and she found herself able to look around upon the world again, and +ask herself new questions of the future, as she had done when she had +first found herself to be the possessor of her fortune. + +When she had been about three weeks with the Mackenzies, Sir John +Ball came to see her. He had written to her once before that, but his +letter had referred simply to some matter of business. When he was +shown into the drawing-room in Cavendish Square, Mrs Mackenzie and +Margaret were both there, but the former in a few minutes got up +and left the room. Margaret had wished with all her heart that her +hostess would remain with them. She was sure that Sir John Ball had +nothing to say that she would care to hear, and his saying nothing +would seem to be of no special moment while three persons were in the +room. But his saying nothing when special opportunity for speaking +had been given to him would be of moment to her. Her destiny was in +his hands to such a degree that she felt his power over her to amount +almost to a cruelty. She longed to ask him what her fate was to be, +but it was a question that she could not put to him. She knew that he +would not tell her now; and she knew also that the very fact of his +not telling her would inflict upon her a new misery, and deprive her +of the comfort which she was beginning to enjoy. If he could not tell +her at once how all this was to be ended, it would be infinitely +better for her that he should remain away from her altogether. + +As soon as Mrs Mackenzie had left the room he began to describe to +her his last interview with the lawyers. She listened to him, and +pretended to interest herself, but she did not care two straws about +the lawyers. Point after point he explained to her, showing the +unfortunate ingenuity with which his uncle Jonathan had contrived to +confuse his affairs, and Margaret attempted to appear concerned. But +her mind had now for some months past refused to exert itself with +reference to the mode in which Mr Jonathan Ball had disposed of his +money. Two years ago she had been told that it was hers; since that, +she had been told that it was not hers. She had felt the hardship of +this at first; but now that feeling was over with her, and she did +not care to hear more about it. But she did care very much to know +what was to be her future fate. + +"And when will be the end of it, John?" she asked him. + +"Ha! that seems so hard to say. They did name the first of April, but +it won't be so soon as that. Mr Slow said to-day about the end of +April, but his clerk seems to think it will be the middle of May." + +"It is very provoking," said Margaret. + +"Yes, it is," said John Ball, "very provoking; I feel it so. It +worries me so terribly that I have no comfort in life. But I suppose +you find everything very nice here." + +"They are very kind to me." + +"Very kind, indeed. It was quite the proper thing for them to do; and +when I heard that Mrs Mackenzie had been to you in Arundel Street, I +was delighted." + +Margaret did not dare to tell him that she would have preferred to +have been left in Arundel Street; but that, at the moment, was her +feeling. If, when all this was over, she would still have to earn her +bread, it would have been much better for her not to have come among +her rich relations. What good would it then do her to have lived two +or three months in Cavendish Square? + +"I wish it were all settled, John," she said; and as she spoke there +was a tear standing in the corner of each eye. + +"I wish it were, indeed," said John Ball; but I think that he did not +see the tears. + +It was on her tongue to speak some word about the hospital; but she +felt that if she did so now, it would be tantamount to asking him +that question which it did not become her to ask; so she repressed +the word, and sat in silence. + +"When the day is positively fixed for the hearing," said he, "I will +be sure to let you know." + +"I wish you would let me know nothing further about it, John, till it +is all settled." + +"I sometimes almost fancy that I wish the same thing," said he, with +a faint attempt at a smile; and after that he got up and went his +way. + +This was not to be endured. Margaret declared to herself that she +could not live and bear it. Let the people around her say what they +would, it could not be that he would treat her in this way if he +intended to make her his wife. It would be better for her to make +up her mind that it was not to be so, and to insist on leaving the +Mackenzies' house. She would go, not again to Arundel Street, but to +some lodging further away, in some furthest recess of London, where +no one would come to her and flurry her with false hopes, and there +remain till she might be allowed to earn her bread. That was the mood +in which Mrs Mackenzie found her late in the afternoon on the day of +Sir John Ball's visit. There was to be a dinner party in the house +that evening, and Margaret began by asking leave to absent herself. + +"Nonsense, Margaret," said Mrs Mackenzie; "I won't have anything of +the kind." + +"I cannot come down, Mrs Mackenzie; I cannot, indeed." + +"That is absolute nonsense. That man has been saying something unkind +to you. Why do you mind what he says?" + +"He has not said anything unkind; he has not said anything at all." + +"Oh, that's the grief, is it?" + +"I don't know what you mean by grief; but if you were situated as I +am you would perceive that you were in a false position." + +"I am sure he has been saying something unkind to you." + +Margaret hardly knew how to tell her thoughts and feelings, and yet +she wished to tell them. She had resolved that she would tell the +whole to Mrs Mackenzie, having convinced herself that she could +not carry out her plan of leaving Cavendish Square without some +explanation of the kind. She did not know how to make her speech with +propriety, so she jumped at the difficulty boldly. "The truth is, Mrs +Mackenzie, that he has no more idea of marrying me than he has of +marrying you." + +"Margaret, how can you talk such nonsense?" + +"It is not nonsense; it is true; and it will be much better that it +should all be understood at once. I have nothing to blame him for, +nothing; and I don't blame him; but I cannot bear this kind of life +any longer. It is killing me. What business have I to be living here +in this way, when I have got nothing of my own, and have no one to +depend on but myself?" + +"Then he must have said something to you; but, whatever it was, you +cannot but have misunderstood him." + +"No; he has said nothing, and I have not misunderstood him." Then +there was a pause. "He has said nothing to me, and I am bound to +understand what that means." + +"Margaret, I want to put one question to you," said Mrs Mackenzie, +speaking with a serious air that was very unusual with her,--"and +you will understand, dear, that I only do so because of what you are +saying now." + +"You may put any question you please to me," said Margaret. + +"Has your cousin ever asked you to be his wife, or has he not?" + +"Yes, he has. He has asked me twice." + +"And what answer did you make him?" + +"When I thought all the property was mine, I refused him. Then, when +the property became his, he asked me again, and I accepted him. +Sometimes, when I think of that, I feel so ashamed of myself, that I +hardly dare to hold up my head." + +"But you did not accept him simply because you had lost your money." + +"No; but it looks so like it; does it not? And of course he must +think that I did so." + +"I am quite sure he thinks nothing of the kind. But he did ask you, +and you did accept him?" + +"Oh, yes." + +"And since that, has he ever said anything to you to signify that the +match should be broken off?" + +"The very day after he had asked me, Mr Maguire came to the Cedars +and saw me, and Lady Ball was there too. And he was very false, and +told my aunt things that were altogether untrue. He said that--that I +had promised to marry him, and Lady Ball believed him." + +"But did Mr Ball believe him?" + +"My aunt said all that she could against me, and when John spoke to +me the next day, it was clear that he was very angry with me." + +"But did he believe you or Mr Maguire when you told him that Mr +Maguire's story was a falsehood from beginning to end?" + +"But it was not a falsehood from beginning to end. That's where I +have been so very, very unfortunate; and perhaps I ought to say, as +I don't want to hide anything from you, so very, very wrong. The man +did ask me to marry him, and I had given him no answer." + +"Had you thought of accepting him?" + +"I had not thought about that at all, when he came to me. So I told +him that I would consider it all, and that he must come again." + +"And he came again." + +"Then my brother's illness occurred, and I went to London. After that +Mr Maguire wrote to me two or three times, and I refused him in the +plainest language that I could use. I told him that I had lost all +my fortune, and then I was sure that there would be an end of any +trouble from him; but he came to the Cedars on purpose to do me all +this injury; and now he has put all these stories about me into the +newspapers, how can I think that any man would like to make me his +wife? I have no right to be surprised that Lady Ball should be so +eager against it." + +"But did Mr Ball believe you when you told him the story?" + +"I think he did believe me." + +"And what did he say?" + +Margaret did not answer at once, but sat with her fingers up among +her hair upon her brow: + +"I am trying to think what were his words," she said, "but I cannot +remember. I spoke more than he did. He said that I should have told +him about Mr Maguire, and I tried to explain to him that there had +been no time to do so. Then I said that he could leave me if he +liked." + +"And what did he answer?" + +"If I remember rightly, he made no answer. He left me saying that +he would see me again the next day. But the next day I went away. +I would not remain in the house with Lady Ball after what she had +believed about me. She took that other man's part against me, and +therefore I went away." + +"Did he say anything as to your going?" + +"He begged me to stay, but I would not stay. I thought it was all +over then. I regarded him as being quite free from any engagement, +and myself as being free from any necessity of obeying him. And it +was all over. I had no right to think anything else." + +"And what came next?" + +"Nothing. Nothing else has happened, except that Lady Ball came to me +in Arundel Street, asking me to renounce him." + +"And you refused?" + +"Yes; I would do nothing at her bidding. Why should I? She had been +my enemy throughout, since she found that the money belonged to her +son and not to me." + +"And all this time you have seen him frequently?" + +"I have seen him sometimes about the business." + +"And he has never said a word to you about your engagement to him?" + +"Never a word." + +"Nor you to him?" + +"Oh, no! how could I speak to him about it?" + +"I would have done so. I would not have had my heart crushed within +me. But perhaps you were right. Perhaps it was best to be patient." + +"I know that I have been wrong to expect anything or to hope for +anything," said Margaret. "What right have I to hope for anything +when I refused him while I was rich?" + +"That has nothing to do with it." + +"When he asked me again, he only did it because he pitied me. I don't +want to be any man's wife because he pities me." + +"But you accepted him." + +"Yes; because I loved him." + +"And now?" Again Miss Mackenzie sat silent, still moving her fingers +among the locks upon her brow. "And now, Margaret?" repeated Mrs +Mackenzie. + +"What's the use of it now?" + +"But you do love him?" + +"Of course I love him. How shall it be otherwise? What has he done +to change my love? His feelings have changed, and I have no right to +blame him. He has changed; and I hate myself, because I feel that +in coming here I have, as it were, run after him. I should have put +myself in some place where no thought of marrying him should ever +have come again to me." + +"Margaret, you are wrong throughout." + +"Am I? Everybody always says that I am always wrong." + +"If I can understand anything of the matter, Sir John Ball has not +changed." + +"Then, why--why--why?" + +"Ah, yes, exactly; why? Why is it that men and women cannot always +understand each other; that they will remain for hours in each +other's presence without the power of expressing, by a single word, +the thoughts that are busy within them? Who can say why it is so? Can +you get up and make a clean breast of it all to him?" + +"But I am a woman, and am very poor." + +"Yes, and he is a man, and, like most men, very dumb when they have +anything at heart which requires care in the speaking. He knows no +better than to let things be as they are; to leave the words all +unspoken till he can say to you, 'Now is the time for us to go and +get ourselves married;' just as he might tell you that now was the +time to go and dine." + +"But will he ever say that?" + +"Of course he will. If he does not say so when all this business is +off his mind, when Mr Maguire and his charges are put at rest, when +the lawyers have finished their work, then come to me and tell me +that I have deceived you. Say to me then, 'Clara Mackenzie, you have +put me wrong, and I look to you to put me right.' You will find I +will put you right." + +In answer to this, Margaret was able to say nothing further. She sat +for a while with her face buried in her hands thinking of it all, +asking herself whether she might dare to believe it all. At last, +however, she went up to dress for dinner; and when she came down to +the drawing-room there was a smile upon her face. + +After that a month or six weeks passed in Cavendish Square, and there +was, during all that time, no further special reference to Sir John +Ball or his affairs. Twice he was asked to dine with the Mackenzies, +and on both occasions he did so. On neither of those evenings did +he say very much to Margaret; but, on both of them he said some few +words, and it was manifestly his desire that they should be regarded +as friends. + +And as the spring came on, Margaret's patience returned to her, and +her spirits were higher than they had been at any time since she +first discovered that success among the Stumfoldians at Littlebath +did not make her happy. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +The Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar + + +In the spring days of the early May there came up in London that +year a great bazaar,--a great charity bazaar on behalf of the orphan +children of negro soldiers who had fallen in the American war. +Tidings had come to this country that all slaves taken in the +revolted States had been made free by the Northern invaders, and that +these free men had been called upon to show their immediate gratitude +by becoming soldiers in the Northern ranks. As soldiers they were +killed in battle, or died, and as dead men they left orphans behind +them. Information had come that many of these orphans were starving, +and hence had arisen the cause for the Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar. +There was still in existence at that time, down at South Kensington, +some remaining court or outstanding building which had belonged to +the Great International Exhibition, and here the bazaar was to be +held. I do not know that I can trace the way in which the idea grew +and became great, or that anyone at the time was able to attribute +the honour to the proper founder. Some gave it all to the Prince of +Wales, declaring that his royal highness had done it out of his own +head; and others were sure that the whole business had originated +with a certain philanthropical Mr Manfred Smith who had lately come +up in the world, and was supposed to have a great deal to do with +most things. Be that as it may, this thing did grow and become +great, and there was a list of lady patronesses which included some +duchesses, one marchioness, and half the countesses in London. It was +soon manifest to the eyes of those who understood such things, that +the Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar was to be a success, and therefore +there was no difficulty whatsoever in putting the custody of the +stalls into the hands of proper persons. The difficulty consisted in +rejecting offers from persons who undoubtedly were quite proper for +such an occasion. There came to be interest made for permission to +serve, and boastings were heard of unparalleled success in the bazaar +line. The Duchess of St Bungay had a happy bevy of young ladies who +were to act as counter attendants under her grace; and who so happy +as any young lady who could get herself put upon the duchess's staff? +It was even rumoured that a certain very distinguished person would +have shown herself behind a stall, had not a certain other more +distinguished person expressed an objection; and while the rumour +was afloat as to the junior of those two distinguished persons, the +young-ladydom of London was frantic in its eagerness to officiate. +Now at that time there had become attached to the name of our poor +Griselda a romance with which the west-end of London had become +wonderfully well acquainted. The story of the Lion and the Lamb was +very popular. Mr Maguire may be said to have made himself odious +to the fashionable world at large, and the fate of poor Margaret +Mackenzie with her lost fortune, and the additional misfortune of her +clerical pledged protector, had recommended itself as being truly +interesting to all the feeling hearts of the season. Before May was +over, gentlemen were enticed to dinner parties by being told--and +untruly told--that the Lamb had been "secured;" as on the previous +year they had been enticed by a singular assurance as to Bishop +Colenso; and when Margaret on one occasion allowed herself to be +taken to Covent Garden Theatre, every face from the stalls was turned +towards her between the acts. + +Who then was more fit to take a stall, or part of a stall at the +Negro Soldiers' Orphan Bazaar, than our Griselda? When the thing +loomed so large, lady patronesses began to be aware that mere +nobodies would hardly be fit for the work. There would have been +little or no difficulty in carrying out a law that nobody should +take a part in the business who had not some handle to her name, but +it was felt that such an arrangement as that might lead to failure +rather than glory. The commoner world must be represented but it +should be represented only by ladies who had made great names for +themselves. Mrs Conway Sparkes, the spiteful poetess, though she was +old and ugly as well as spiteful, was to have a stall and a bevy, +because there was thought to be no doubt about her poetry. Mrs +Chaucer Munro had a stall and a bevy; but I cannot clearly tell her +claim to distinction, unless it was that she had all but lost her +character four times, but had so saved it on each of those occasions +that she was just not put into the Index Expurgatorius of fashionable +society in London. It was generally said by those young men who +discussed the subject, that among Mrs Chaucer Munro's bevy would +be found the most lucrative fascination of the day. And then Mrs +Mackenzie was asked to take a stall, or part of a stall, and to bring +Griselda with her as her assistant. By this time the Lamb was most +generally known as "Griselda" among fashionable people. + +Now Mrs Mackenzie was herself a woman of fashion, and quite open to +the distinction of having a part assigned to her at the great bazaar +of the season. She did not at all object to a booth on the left hand +of the Duchess of St Bungay, although it was just opposite to Mrs +Chaucer Munro. She assented at once. + +"But you must positively bring Griselda," said Lady Glencora +Palliser, by whom the business of this mission was conducted. + +"Of course, I understand that," said Mrs Mackenzie. "But what if she +won't come?" + +"Griseldas are made to do anything," said Lady Glencora, "and of +course she must come." + +Having settled the difficulty in this way, Lady Glencora went her +way, and Mrs Mackenzie did not allow Griselda to go to her rest that +night till she had extracted from her a promise of acquiescence, +which, I think, never would have been given had Miss Mackenzie +understood anything of the circumstances under which her presence was +desired. + +But the promise was given, and Margaret knew little or nothing of +what was expected from her till there came up, about a fortnight +before the day of the bazaar, the great question of her dress for +the occasion. Previous to that she would fain have been energetic in +collecting and making things for sale at her stall, for she really +taught herself to be anxious that the negro soldiers' orphans +should have provision made for them; but, alas! her energy was +all repressed, and she found that she was not to be allowed to do +anything in that direction. + +"Things of that sort would not go down at all now-a-days, Margaret," +said Mrs Mackenzie. "Nobody would trouble themselves to carry them +away. There are tradesmen who furnish the stalls, and mark their +own prices, and take back what is not sold. You charge double the +tradesman's price, that's all." + +Margaret, when her eyes were thus opened, of course ceased to make +little pincushions, but she felt that her interest in the thing was +very much lowered. But a word must be said as to that question of +the dress. Miss Mackenzie, when she was first interrogated as to her +intentions, declared her purpose of wearing a certain black silk +dress which had seen every party at Mrs Stumfold's during Margaret's +Littlebath season. To this her cousin demurred, and from demurring +proceeded to the enunciation of a positive order. The black silk +dress in question should not be worn. Now Miss Mackenzie chose to be +still in mourning on the second of June, the day of the bazaar, her +brother having died in September, and had no fitting garment, so she +said, other than the black silk in question. Whereupon Mrs Mackenzie, +without further speech to her cousin on the subject, went out and +purchased a muslin covered all over with the prettiest little frecks +of black, and sent a milliner to Margaret, and provided a bonnet of +much the same pattern, the gayest, lightest, jauntiest, falsest, +most make-belief-mourning bonnet that ever sprang from the art of a +designer in bonnets--and thus nearly broke poor Margaret's heart. + +"People should never have things given them, who can't buy for +themselves," she said, with tears in her eyes, "because of course +they know what it means." + +"But, my dearest," said Mrs Mackenzie, "young ladies who never have +any money of their own at all always accept presents from all their +relations. It is their special privilege." + +"Oh, yes, young ladies; but not women like me who are waiting to find +out whether they are ruined or not." + +The difficulty, however, was at last overcome, and Margaret, with +many inward upbraidings of her conscience, consented to wear the +black-freckled dress. + +"I never saw anybody look so altered in my life," said Mrs Mackenzie, +when Margaret, apparelled, appeared in the Cavendish Square +drawing-room on the morning in question. "Oh, dear, I hope Sir John +Ball will come to look at you." + +"Nonsense! he won't be such a fool as to do anything of the kind." + +"I took care to let him know that you would be there;" said Mrs +Mackenzie. + +"You didn't?" + +"But I did, my dear." + +"Oh, dear, what will he think of me?" ejaculated Margaret; but +nevertheless I fancy that there must have been some elation in her +bosom when she regarded herself and the freckled muslin in the glass. + +Both Mrs Mackenzie and Miss Mackenzie had more than once gone down +to the place to inspect the ground and make themselves familiar with +the position they were to take. There were great stalls and little +stalls, which came alternately; and the Mackenzie stall stood next +to a huge centre booth at which the duchess was to preside. On their +other hand was the stall of old Lady Ware, and opposite to them, as +has been before said, the doubtful Mrs Chaucer Munro was to hold +difficult sway over her bevy of loud nymphs. Together with Mrs +Mackenzie were two other Miss Mackenzies, sisters of her husband, +handsome, middle-aged women, with high cheek-bones and fine +brave-looking eyes. All the Mackenzies, except our Griselda, were +dressed in the tartan of their clan; and over the stall there was +some motto in Gaelic, "Dhu dhaith donald dhuth," which nobody could +understand, but which was not the less expressive. Indeed, the +Mackenzie stall was got up very well; but then was it not known and +understood that Mrs Mackenzie did get up things very well? It was +acknowledged on all sides that the Lamb, Griselda, was uncommonly +well got up on this occasion. + +It was understood that the ladies were to be assembled in the bazaar +at half-past two, and that the doors were to be thrown open to the +public at three o'clock. Soon after half-past two Mrs Mackenzie's +carriage was at the door, and the other Mackenzies having come up at +the same time, the Mackenzie phalanx entered the building together. +There were many others with them, but as they walked up they found +the Countess of Ware standing alone in the centre of the building, +with her four daughters behind her. She had on her head a wonderful +tiara, which gave to her appearance a ferocity almost greater than +was natural to her. She was a woman with square jaws, and a big face, +and stout shoulders: but she was not, of her own unassisted height, +very tall. But of that tiara and its altitude she was proud, and as +she stood in the midst of the stalls, brandishing her umbrella-sized +parasol in her anger, the ladies, as they entered, might well be +cowed by her presence. + +"When ladies say half-past two," said she, "they ought to come at +half-past two. Where is the Duchess of St Bungay? I shall not wait +for her." + +But there was a lady there who had come in behind the Mackenzies, +whom nothing ever cowed. This was the Lady Glencora Palliser, the +great heiress who had married the heir of a great duke, pretty, +saucy, and occasionally intemperate, in whose eyes Lady Ware with her +ferocious tiara was simply an old woman in a ridiculous head-gear. +The countess had apparently addressed herself to Mrs Mackenzie, who +had been the foremost to enter the building, and our Margaret had +already begun to tremble. But Lady Glencora stepped forward, and took +the brunt of the battle upon herself. + +"Nobody ever yet was so punctual as my Lady Ware," said Lady +Glencora. + +"It is very annoying to be kept waiting on such occasions," said the +countess. + +"But my dear Lady Ware, who keeps you waiting? There is your stall, +and why on earth should you stand here and call us all over as we +come in, like naughty schoolboys?" + +"The duchess said expressly that she would be here at half-past two." + +"Who ever expects the dear duchess to keep her word?" said Lady +Glencora. + +"Or whoever cared whether she does or does not?" said Mrs Chaucer +Munro, who, with her peculiar bevy, had now made her way up among the +front rank. + +Then to have seen the tiara of Lady Ware, as it wagged and nodded +while she looked at Mrs Munro, and to have witnessed the high +moral tone of the ferocity with which she stalked away to her own +stall with her daughters behind her,--a tragi-comedy which it was +given to no male eyes to behold,--would have been worth the whole +after-performance of the bazaar. No male eyes beheld that scene, as +Mr Manfred Smith, the manager, had gone out to look for his duchess, +and missing her carriage in the crowd, did not return till the bazaar +had been opened. That Mrs Chaucer Munro did not sink, collapsed, +among her bevy, must have been owing altogether to that callousness +which a long habit of endurance produces. Probably she did feel +something as at the moment there came no titter from any other bevy +corresponding to the titter which was raised by her own. She and +her bevy retired to their allotted place, conscious that their time +for glory could not come till the male world should appear upon the +scene. But Lady Ware's tiara still wagged and nodded behind her +counter, and Margaret, looking at her, thought that she must have +come there as the grand duenna of the occasion. + +Just at three o'clock the poor duchess hurried into the building in +a terrible flurry, and went hither and thither among the stalls, not +knowing at first where was her throne. Unkind chance threw her at +first almost into the booth of Mrs Conway Sparkes, the woman whom of +all women she hated the most; and from thence she recoiled into the +arms of Lady Hartletop who was sitting serene, placid, and contented +in her appointed place. + +"Opposite, I think, duchess," Mrs Conway Sparkes had said. "We are +only the small fry here." + +"Oh, ah; I beg pardon. They told me the middle, to the left." + +"And this is the middle to the right," said Mrs Conway Sparkes. But +the duchess had turned round since she came in, and could not at all +understand where she was. + +"Under the canopy, duchess," just whispered Lady Hartletop. Lady +Hartletop was a young woman who knew her right hand from her left +under all circumstances of life, and who never made any mistakes. +The duchess looked up in her confusion to the centre of the ceiling, +but could see no canopy. Lady Hartletop had done all that could +be required of her, and if the duchess were to die amidst her +difficulties it would not be her fault. Then came forth the Lady +Glencora, and with true charity conducted the lady-president to her +chair, just in time to avoid the crush, which ensued upon the opening +of the doors. + +The doors were opened, and very speedily the space of the bazaar +between the stalls became too crowded to have admitted the safe +passage of such a woman as the Duchess of St Bungay; but Lady +Glencora, who was less majestic in her size and gait, did not find +herself embarrassed. And now there arose, before the general work of +fleecing the wether lambs had well commenced, a terrible discord, as +of a brass band with broken bassoons, and trumpets all out of order, +from the further end of the building,--a terrible noise of most +unmusical music, such as Bartholomew Fair in its loudest days could +hardly have known. At such a diapason one would have thought that the +tender ears of May Fair and Belgravia would have been crushed and +cracked and riven asunder; that female voices would have shrieked, +and the intensity of fashionable female agony would have displayed +itself in all its best recognised forms. But the crash of brass was +borne by them as though they had been rough schoolboys delighting +in a din. The duchess gave one jump, and then remained quiet and +undismayed. If Lady Hartletop heard it, she did not betray the +hearing. Lady Glencora for a moment put her hands to her ears as +she laughed, but she did it as though the prettiness of the motion +were its only one cause. The fine nerves of Mrs Conway Sparkes, the +poetess, bore it all without flinching; and Mrs Chaucer Munro with +her bevy rushed forward so that they might lose nothing of what was +coming. + +"What are they going to do?" said Margaret to her cousin, in alarm. + +"It's the play part of the thing. Have you not seen the bills?" Then +Margaret looked at a great placard which was exhibited near to her, +which, though by no means intelligible to her, gave her to understand +that there was a show in progress. The wit of the thing seemed +to consist chiefly in the wonderful names chosen. The King of +the Cannibal Islands was to appear on a white charger. King +Chrononhotonthologos was to be led in chains by Tom Thumb. Achilles +would drag Hector thrice round the walls of Troy; and Queen Godiva +would ride through Coventry, accompanied by Lord Burghley and the +ambassador from Japan. It was also signified that in some back part +of the premises a theatrical entertainment would be carried on +throughout the afternoon, the King of the Cannibal Islands, with his +royal brother and sister Chrononhotonthologos and Godiva, taking +principal parts; but as nobody seemed to go to the theatre the +performers spent their time chiefly in making processions through and +amidst the stalls, when, as the day waxed hot, and the work became +heavy, they seemed to be taken much in dudgeon by the various bevies +with whose business they interfered materially. + +On this, their opening march, they rushed into the bazaar with great +energy, and though they bore no resemblance to the characters named +in the playbill, and though there was among them neither a Godiva, +a Hector, a Tom Thumb, or a Japanese, nevertheless, as they were +dressed in paint and armour after the manner of the late Mr +Richardson's heroes, and as most of the ladies had probably been +without previous opportunity of seeing such delights, they had their +effect. When they had made their twenty-first procession the thing +certainly grew stale, and as they brought with them an infinity of +dirt, they were no doubt a nuisance. But no one would have been +inclined to judge these amateur actors with harshness who knew how +much they themselves were called on to endure, who could appreciate +the disgusting misery of a hot summer afternoon spent beneath dust +and paint and tin-plate armour, and who would remember that the +performers received payment neither in _eclat_ nor in thanks, nor +even in the smiles of beauty. + +"Can't somebody tell them not to come any more?" said the duchess, +almost crying with vexation towards the end of the afternoon. + +Then Mr Manfred Smith, who managed everything, went to the rear, and +the king and warriors were sent away to get beer or cooling drinks at +their respective clubs. + +Poor Mr Manfred Smith! He had not been present at the moment in which +he was wanted to lead the duchess to her stall, and the duchess never +forgave him. Instead of calling him by his name from time to time, +and enabling him to shine in public as he deserved to shine,--for he +had worked at the bazaar for the last six weeks as no professional +man ever worked at his profession,--the duchess always asked for +"somebody" when she wanted Mr Smith, and treated him when he came +as though he had been a servant hired for the occasion. One very +difficult job of work was given to him before the day was done; "I +wish you'd go over to those young women," said the duchess, "and say +that if they make so much noise, I must go away." + +The young women in question were Mrs Chaucer Munro and her bevy, and +the commission was one which poor Manfred Smith found it difficult to +execute. + +"Mrs Munro," said he, "you'll be sorry to hear--that the duchess--has +got--a headache, and she thinks we all might be a little quieter." + +The shouts of the loud nymphs were by this time high. "Pooh!" said +one of them. "Headache indeed!" said another. "Bother her head!" said +a third. "If the duchess is ill, perhaps she had better retire," +said Mrs Chaucer Munro. Then Mr Manfred Smith walked off sorrowfully +towards the door, and seating himself on the stool of the money-taker +by the entrance, wiped off the perspiration from his brow. He had +already put on his third pair of yellow kid gloves for the occasion, +and they were soiled and torn and disreputable; his polished boots +were brown with dust; the magenta ribbon round his neck had become a +moist rope; his hat had been thrown down and rumpled; a drop of oil +had made a spot upon his trousers; his whiskers were draggled and out +of order, and his mouth was full of dirt. I doubt if Mr Manfred Smith +will ever undertake to manage another bazaar. + +The duchess I think was right in her endeavour to mitigate the riot +among Mrs Munro's nymphs. Indeed there was rioting among other nymphs +than hers, though her noise and their noise was the loudest; and it +was difficult to say how there should not be riot, seeing what was to +be the recognised manner of transacting business. At first there was +something of prettiness in the rioting. The girls, who went about +among the crowd, begging men to put their hands into lucky bags, +trading in rose-buds, and asking for half-crowns for cigar lighters, +were fresh in their muslins, pretty with their braided locks, and +perhaps not impudently over-pressing in their solicitations to male +strangers. While they were not as yet either aweary or habituated +to the necessity of importunity, they remembered their girlhood and +their ladyhood, their youth and their modesty, and still carried with +them something of the bashfulness of maidenhood; and the young men, +the wether lambs, were as yet flush with their half-crowns, and the +elder sheep had not quite dispensed the last of their sovereigns or +buttoned up their trousers pockets. But as the work went on, and the +dust arose, and the prettinesses were destroyed, and money became +scarce, and weariness was felt, and the heat showed itself, and the +muslins sank into limpness, and the ribbons lost their freshness, +and braids of hair grew rough and loose, and sidelocks displaced +themselves--as girls became used to soliciting and forgetful of their +usual reticences in their anxiety for money, the charm of the thing +went, and all was ugliness and rapacity. Young ladies no longer moved +about, doing works of charity; but harpies and unclean birds were +greedy in quest of their prey. + +"Put a letter in my post-office," said one of Mrs Munro's bevy, who +officiated in a postal capacity behind a little square hole, to a +young man on whom she pounced out and had caught him and brought up, +almost with violence. + +The young man tendered some scrap of paper and a sixpence. + +"Only sixpence!" said the girl. + +A cabman could not have made the complaint with a more finished +accent of rapacious disgust. + +"Never mind," said the girl, "I'll give you an answer." + +Then, with inky fingers and dirty hands, she tendered him some +scrawl, and demanded five shillings postage. "Five shillings!" said +the young man. "Oh, I'm d----" + +Then he gave her a shilling and walked away. She ventured to give one +little halloa after him, but she caught the duchess's eye looking at +her, and was quiet. + +I don't think there was much real flirting done. Men won't flirt with +draggled girls, smirched with dust, weary with work, and soiled with +heat; and especially they will not do so at the rate of a shilling a +word. When the whole thing was over, Mrs Chaucer Munro's bevy, lying +about on the benches in fatigue before they went away, declared +that, as far as they were concerned, the thing was a mistake. The +expenditure in gloves and muslin had been considerable, and the +returns to them had been very small. It is not only that men will +not flirt with draggled girls, but they will carry away with them +unfortunate remembrances of what they have seen and heard. Upon the +whole it may be doubted whether any of the bevies were altogether +contented with the operations on the occasion of the Negro Soldiers' +Orphan Bazaar. + +Miss Mackenzie had been, perhaps, more fortunate than some of the +others. It must, however, be remembered that there are two modes +of conducting business at these bazaars. There is the travelling +merchant, who roams about, and there is the stationary merchant, who +remains always behind her counter. It is not to be supposed that the +Duchess of St Bungay spent the afternoon rushing about with a lucky +bag. The duchess was a stationary trader, and so were all the ladies +who belonged to the Mackenzie booth. Miss Mackenzie, the lamb, had +been much regarded, and consequently the things at her disposal had +been quickly sold. It had all seemed to her to be very wonderful, and +as the fun grew fast and furious, as the young girls became eager +in their attacks, she made up her mind that she would never occupy +another stall at a bazaar. One incident, and but one, occurred to her +during the day; and one person came to her that she knew, and but +one. It was nearly six, and she was beginning to think that the weary +work must soon be over, when, on a sudden, she found Sir John Ball +standing beside her. + +"Oh, John!" she said, startled by his presence, "who would have +thought of seeing you here?" + +"And why not me as well as any other fool of my age?" + +"Because you think it is foolish," she answered, "and I suppose the +others don't." + +"Why should you say that I think it foolish? At any rate, I'm glad to +see you looking so nice and happy." + +"I don't know about being happy," said Margaret,--"or nice either for +the matter of that." + +But there was a smile on her face as she spoke, and Sir John smiled +also when he saw it. + +"Doesn't she look well in that bonnet?" said Mrs Mackenzie, turning +round to the side of the counter at which he was standing. "It was my +choice, and I absolutely made her wear it. If you knew the trouble I +had!" + +"It is very pretty," said Sir John. + +"Is it not? And are you not very much obliged to me? I'm sure +you ought to be, for nobody before has ever taken the trouble of +finding out what becomes her most. As for herself, she's much too +well-behaved a young woman to think of such vanities." + +"Not at present, certainly," said Margaret. + +"And why not at present? She looks on those lawyers and their work as +though there was something funereal about them. You ought to teach +her better, Sir John." + +"All that will be over in a day or two now," said he. + +"And then she will shake off her dowdiness and her gloom together," +said Mrs Mackenzie. "Do you know I fancy she has a liking for pretty +things at heart as well as another woman." + +"I hope she has," said he. + +"Of course you do. What is a woman worth without it? Don't be angry, +Margaret, but I say a woman is worth nothing without it, and Sir +John will agree with me if he knows anything about the matter. But, +Margaret, why don't you make him buy something? He can't refuse you +if you ask him." + +If Miss Mackenzie could thereby have provided for all the negro +soldiers' orphans in existence, I do not think that she could at that +moment have solicited him to make a purchase. + +"Come, Sir John," continued Mrs Mackenzie, "you must buy something of +her. What do you say to this paper-knife?" + +"How much does the paper-knife cost?" said he, still smiling. It was +a large, elaborate, and perhaps, I may say, unwieldy affair, with a +great elephant at the end of it. + +"Oh! that is terribly dear," said Margaret, "it costs two pounds +ten." + +Thereupon he put his hand into his pocket, and taking out his purse, +gave her a five-pound note. + +"We never give change," said Mrs Mackenzie: "do we, Margaret?" + +"I'll give him change," said Margaret. + +"I'll be extravagant for once," said Sir John, "and let you keep the +whole." + +"Oh, John!" said Margaret. + +"You have no right to scold him yet," said Mrs Mackenzie. + +Margaret, when she heard this, blushed up to her forehead, and in her +confusion forgot all about the paper-knife and the money. Sir John, I +fancy, was almost as much confused himself, and was quite unable to +make any fitting reply. But, just at that moment, there came across +two harpies from the realms of Mrs Chaucer Munro, eagerly intent upon +their prey. + +"Here are the lion and the lamb together," said one harpy. "The lion +must buy a rose to give to the lamb. Sir Lion, the rose is but a +poor half-crown." And she tendered him a battered flower, leering +at him from beneath her draggled, dusty bonnet as she put forth her +untempting hand for the money. + +"Sir Lion, Sir Lion," said the other harpy, "I want your name for a +raffle." + +But the lion was off, having pushed the first harpy aside somewhat +rudely. That tale of the Lion and the Lamb had been very terrible to +him; but never till this occasion had any one dared to speak of it +directly to his face. But what will not a harpy do who has become +wild and dirty and disgusting in the pursuit of half-crowns? + +"Now he is angry," said Margaret. "Oh, Mrs Mackenzie, why did you say +that?" + +"Yes; he is angry," said Mrs Mackenzie, "but not with you or me. Upon +my word, I thought he would have pushed that girl over; and if he +had, he would only have served her right." + +"But why did you say that? You shouldn't have said it." + +"About your not scolding him yet? I said it, my dear, because I +wanted to make myself certain. I was almost certain before, but now I +am quite certain." + +"Certain of what, Mrs Mackenzie?" + +"That you'll be a baronet's wife before me, and entitled to be taken +out of a room first as long as dear old Sir Walter is alive." + +Soon after that the bazaar was brought to an end, and it was supposed +to have been the most successful thing of the kind ever done in +London. Loud boasts were made that more than eight hundred pounds had +been cleared; but whether any orphans of any negro soldiers were ever +the better for the money I am not able to say. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +Showing How the Lion Was Stung by the Wasp + + +It may be remembered that Mr Maguire, when he first made public that +pretty story of the Lion and the Lamb, declared that he would give +the lion no peace till that beast had disgorged his prey, and that +he had pledged himself to continue the fight till he should have +succeeded in bringing the lamb back to the pleasant pastures of +Littlebath. But Mr Maguire found some difficulty in carrying out his +pledge. He was willing enough to fight, but the weapons with which +to do battle were wanting to him. The _Christian Examiner_, having +got so far into the mess, and finding that a ready sale did in +truth result from any special article as to the lion and the lamb, +was indeed ready to go on with the libel. The _Christian Examiner_ +probably had not much to lose. But there arose a question whether +fighting simply through the columns of the _Christian Examiner_ was +not almost tantamount to no fight at all. He wanted to bring an +action against Sir John Ball, to have Sir John Ball summoned into +court and examined about the money, to hear some truculent barrister +tell Sir John Ball that he could not conceal himself from the scorn +of an indignant public behind the spangles of his parvenu baronetcy. +He had a feeling that the lion would be torn to pieces, if only a +properly truculent barrister could be got to fix his claws into him. +But, unfortunately, no lawyer,--not even Solomon Walker, the Low +Church attorney at Littlebath,--would advise him that he had any +ground for an action. If indeed he chose to proceed against the lady +for a breach of promise of marriage, then the result would depend +on the evidence. In such case as that the Low Church attorney at +Littlebath was willing to take the matter up. "But Mr Maguire was, +of course, aware," said Solomon Walker, "that there was a prejudice +in the public mind against gentlemen appearing as parties to such +suits." Mr Maguire was also aware that he could adduce no evidence of +the fact beyond his own unsupported, and, in such case, untrue word, +and declared therefore to the attorney, in a very high tone indeed, +that on no account would he take any step to harass the lady. It was +simply against Sir John Ball that he wished to proceed. "Things would +come out in that trial, Mr Walker," he said, "which would astonish +you and all the legal world. A rapacious scheme of villainy has been +conceived and brought to bear, through the stupidity of some people +and the iniquity of others, which would unroll itself fold by fold as +certainly as I stand here, if it were properly handled by a competent +barrister in one of our courts of law." And I think that Mr Maguire +believed what he was saying, and that he believed, moreover, that +he was speaking the truth when he told Mr Walker that the lady had +promised to marry him. Men who can succeed in deceiving no one else +will succeed at last in deceiving themselves. But the lawyer told +him, repeating the fact over and over again, that the thing was +impracticable; that there was no means of carrying the matter so +far that Sir John Ball should be made to appear in a witness box. +Everything that Sir John had done he had done legally; and even at +that moment of the discussion between Mr Walker and Mr Maguire, the +question of the ownership of the property was being tried before a +proper tribunal in London. Mr Maguire still thought Mr Walker to be +wrong,--thought that his attorney was a weak and ignorant man; but he +acknowledged to himself the fact that he in his unhappy position was +unable to get any more cunning attorney to take the matter in hand. + +But the _Christian Examiner_ still remained to him, and that he used +with diligence. From week to week there appeared in it articles +attacking the lion, stating that the lion was still being watched, +that his prey would be snatched from him at last, that the lamb +should even yet have her rights, and the like. And as the thing +went on, the periodical itself and the writer of the article became +courageous by habit, till things were printed which Sir John Ball +found it almost impossible to bear. It was declared that he was going +to desert the lamb, now that he had taken all the lamb's property; +and that the lamb, shorn of all her fleece, was to be condemned +to earn her bread as a common nurse in the wards of a common +hospital,--all which information came readily enough to Mr Maguire by +the hands of Miss Colza. The papers containing these articles were +always sent to Sir John Ball and to Miss Mackenzie, and the articles +were always headed, "The Lion and the Lamb." Miss Mackenzie, in +accordance with an arrangement made to that purpose, sent the papers +as soon as they came to Mr Slow, but Sir John Ball had no such ready +way of freeing himself from their burden. He groaned and toiled +under them, going to his lawyer with them, and imploring permission +to bring an action for libel against Mr Maguire. The venom of the +unclean animal's sting had gone so deep into him, that, fond as he +was of money, he had told his lawyer that he would not begrudge the +expense if he could only punish the man who was hurting him. But the +attorney, who understood something of feeling as well as something +of money, begged him to be quiet at any rate till the fate of the +property should be settled. "And if you'll take my advice, Sir John, +you will not notice him at all. You may be sure that he has not a +shilling in the world, and that he wants you to prosecute him. When +you have got damages against him, he will be off out of the country." + +"But I shall have stopped his impudent ribaldry," said Sir John +Ball. Then the lawyer tried to explain to him that no one read the +ribaldry. It was of no use. Sir John read it himself, and that was +enough to make him wretched. + +The little fable which made Sir John so unhappy had not, for some +months past, appeared in any of the metropolitan newspapers; but when +the legal inquiry into the proper disposition of Mr Jonathan Ball's +property was over, and when it was known that, as the result of that +inquiry, the will in favour of the Mackenzies was to be set aside and +the remains of the property handed over to Sir John, then that very +influential newspaper, which in the early days of the question had +told the story of the Lion and the Lamb, told it all again, tearing, +indeed, the Littlebath _Christian Examiner_ into shreds for its +iniquity, but speaking of the romantic misfortune of the lamb in +terms which made Sir John Ball very unhappy. The fame which accrued +to him from being so publicly pointed out as a lion, was not fame +of which he was proud. And when the writer in this very influential +newspaper went on to say that the world was now looking for a +termination of this wonderful story, which would make it pleasant to +all parties, he was nearly beside himself in his misery. He, a man +of fifty, of slow habits, with none of the buoyancy of youth left +in him, apt to regard himself as older than his age, who had lived +with his father and mother almost on an equality in regard to habits +of life, the father of a large family, of which the eldest was now +himself a man! Could it be endured that such a one as he should enter +upon matrimony amidst the din of public trumpets and under a halo +of romance? The idea of it was frightful to him. On the very day +on which the result of the legal investigation was officially +communicated to him, he sat in the old study at the Cedars with two +newspapers before him. In one of these there was a description of +his love, which he knew was intended as furtive ridicule, and an +assurance to the public that the lamb's misfortunes would all be +remedied by the sweet music of the marriage bell. What right had any +one to assert publicly that he intended to marry any one? In his +wretchedness and anger he would have indicted this newspaper also for +a libel, had not his lawyer assured him that, according to law, there +was no libel in stating that a man was going to be married. The other +paper accused him of rapacity and dishonesty in that he would not +marry the lamb, now that he had secured the lamb's fleece; so that, +in truth, he had no escape on either side; for Mr Maguire, having +at last ascertained that the lamb had, in very truth, lost all her +fleece, was no longer desirous of any personal connection, and felt +that he could best carry out his pledge by attacking the possessor +of the fleece on that side. Under such circumstances, what was such +a man as Sir John Ball to do? Could he marry his cousin amidst the +trumpets, and the halo, and the doggrel poetry which would abound? +Was it right that he should be made a mark for the finger of scorn? +Had he done anything to deserve this punishment? + +And it must be remembered that from day to day his own mother, who +lived with him, who sat with him late every night talking on this one +subject, was always instigating him to abandon his cousin. It had +been admitted between them that he was no longer bound by his offer. +Margaret herself had admitted it,--"does not attempt to deny it," as +Lady Ball repeated over and over again. When he had made his offer he +had known nothing of Mr Maguire's offer, nor had Margaret then told +him of it. Such reticence on her part of course released him from his +bond. So Lady Ball argued, and against this argument her son made +no demur. Indeed it was hardly possible that he should comprehend +exactly what had taken place between his cousin and Mr Maguire. His +mother did not scruple to assure him that she must undoubtedly at one +time have accepted the man's proposal. In answer to this John Ball +would always assert his entire reliance on his cousin's word. + +"She did it without knowing that she did so," Lady Ball would answer; +"but in some language she must have assented." + +But the mother was never able to extract from the son any intimation +of his intention to give up the marriage, though she used threats and +tears, ridicule and argument,--appeals to his pride and appeals to +his pocket. He never said that he certainly would marry her; he never +said so at least after that night on which Margaret in her bedroom +had told him her story with reference to Mr Maguire; but neither did +he ever say that he certainly would not marry her. Lady Ball gathered +from all his words a conviction that he would be glad to be released, +if he could be released by any act on Margaret's behalf, and +therefore she had made her attempt on Margaret. With what success +the reader will, I hope, remember. Margaret, when she accepted her +cousin's offer, had been specially bidden by him to be firm. This +bidding she obeyed, and on that side there was no hope at all for +Lady Ball. + +I fear there was much of cowardice on Sir John's part. He had, in +truth, forgiven Margaret any offence that she had committed in +reference to Mr Maguire. She had accepted his offer while another +offer was still dragging on an existence after a sort, and she had +not herself been the first to tell him of these circumstances. There +had been offence to him in this, but that offence he had, in truth, +forgiven. Had there been no Littlebath _Christian Examiner_, no tale +of the Lion and the Lamb, no publicity and no ridicule, he would +quietly have walked off with his cousin to some church, having gone +through all preliminary ceremonies in the most silent manner possible +for them, and would have quietly got himself married and have carried +Margaret home with him. Now that his father was dead and that his +uncle Jonathan's money had come to him, his pecuniary cares were +comparatively light, and he believed that he could be very happy with +Margaret and his children. But then to be pointed at daily as a lion, +and to be asked by all his acquaintances after the lamb! It must be +owned that he was a coward; but are not most men cowards in such +matters as that? + +But now the trial was over, the money was his own, Margaret was left +without a shilling in the world, and it was quite necessary that +he should make up his mind. He had once told his lawyer, in his +premature joy, on that very day on which Mr Maguire had come to the +Cedars, that everything was to be made smooth by a marriage between +himself and the disinherited heiress. He had since told the lawyer +that something had occurred which might, perhaps, alter this +arrangement. After that the lawyer had asked no question about +the marriage; but when he communicated to his client the final +intelligence that Jonathan Ball's money was at his client's disposal, +he said that it would be well to arrange what should be done on Miss +Mackenzie's behalf. Sir John Ball had assumed very plainly a look of +vexation when the question was put to him. + +"I promised Mr Slow that I would ask you," said the lawyer. "Mr Slow +is of course anxious for his client." + +"It is my business and not Mr Slow's," said Sir John Ball, "and you +may tell him that I say so." + +Then there had been a moment's silence, and Sir John had felt himself +to be wrong. + +"Pray tell him also," said Sir John, "that I am very grateful to him +for his solicitude about my cousin, and that I fully appreciate his +admirable conduct both to her and me throughout all this affair. When +I have made up my mind what shall be done, I will let him know at +once." + +As he walked down from his lawyer's chambers in Bedford Row to the +railway station he thought of all this, and thought also of those +words which Mrs Mackenzie had spoken to him in the bazaar. "You have +no right to scold him yet," she had said to Margaret. Of course he +had understood what they meant, and of course Margaret had understood +them also. And he had not been at all angry when they were spoken. +Margaret had been so prettily dressed, and had looked so fresh and +nice, that at that moment he had forgotten all his annoyances in his +admiration, and had listened to Mrs Mackenzie's cunning speech, not +without confusion, but without any immediate desire to contradict its +necessary inference. A moment or two afterwards the harpies had been +upon him, and then he had gone off in his anger. Poor Margaret had +been unable to distinguish between the effects produced by the speech +and by the harpies; but Mrs Mackenzie had been more clever, and had +consequently predicted her cousin's speedy promotion in the world's +rank. + +Sir John, as he went home, made up his mind to one of two +alternatives. He would either marry his cousin or halve Jonathan +Ball's money with her. He wanted to marry her, and he wanted to keep +the money. He wanted to marry her especially since he had seen how +nice she looked in black-freckled muslin; but he wanted to marry +her in silence, without any clash of absurd trumpets, without +ridicule-moving leading articles, and fingers pointed at the +triumphant lion. He made up his mind to one of those alternatives, +and resolved that he would settle which on that very night. His +mind should be made up and told to his mother before he went to bed. +Nevertheless, when the girls and Jack were gone, and he was left +alone with Lady Ball, his mind had as yet been made up to nothing! + +His mother gave him no peace on this subject. It was she who began +the conversation on this occasion. + +"John," she said, "the time has come for me to settle the question of +my residence." + +Now the house at Twickenham was the property of the present baronet, +but Lady Ball had a jointure of five hundred a year out of her late +husband's estate. It had always been intended that the mother should +continue to live with her son and grandchildren in the very probable +event of her being left a widow; and it was felt by them all that +their means were not large enough to permit, with discretion, +separate households; but Lady Ball had declared more than once with +extreme vehemence that nothing should induce her to live at the +Cedars if Margaret Mackenzie should be made mistress of the house. + +"Has the time come especially to-day?" he asked in reply. + +"I think we may say it has come especially to-day. We know now that +you have got this increase to your income, and nothing is any longer +in doubt that we cannot ourselves settle. I need not say that my +dearest wish is to remain here, but you know my mind upon that +subject." + +"I cannot see any possible reason for your going." + +"Nor can I--except the one. I suppose you know yourself what you mean +to do about your cousin. Everybody knows what you ought to do after +the disgraceful things that have been put into all the newspapers." + +"That has not been Margaret's fault." + +"I am by no means so sure of that. Indeed, I think it has been her +fault; and now she has made herself notorious by being at this +bazaar, and by having herself called a ridiculous name by everybody. +Nothing will make me believe but what she likes it." + +"You are ready to believe any evil of her, mother; and yet it is not +two years since you yourself wished me to marry her." + +"Things are very different since that; very different indeed. And I +did not know her then as I do now, or I should never have thought of +such a thing, let her have had all the money in the world. She had +not misbehaved herself then with that horrible curate." + +"She has not misbehaved herself now," said the son, in an angry +voice. + +"Yes, she has, John," said the mother, in a voice still more angry. + +"That's a matter for me to judge. She has not misbehaved herself +in my eyes. It is a great misfortune,--a great misfortune for us +both,--the conduct of this man; but I won't allow it to be said that +it was her fault." + +"Very well. Then I suppose I may arrange to go. I did not think, +John, that I should be turned out of your father's house so soon +after your father's death. I did not indeed." + +Thereupon Lady Ball got out her handkerchief, and her son perceived +that real tears were running down her face. + +"Nobody has ever spoken of your going except yourself, mother." + +"I won't live in the house with her." + +"And what would you have me do? Would you wish me to let her go her +way and starve by herself?" + +"No, John; certainly not. I think you should see that she wants for +nothing. She could live with her sister-in-law, and have the interest +of the money that the Rubbs took from her. It was your money." + +"I have explained to you over and over again, mother, that that has +already been made over to Mrs Tom Mackenzie; and that would not have +been at all sufficient. Indeed, I have altogether made up my mind +upon that. When the lawyers and all the expenses are paid, there will +still be about eight hundred a year. I shall share it with her." + +"John!" + +"That is my intention; and therefore if I were to marry her I should +get an additional income of four hundred a year for myself and my +children." + +"You don't mean it, John?" + +"Indeed I do, mother. I'm sure the world would expect me to do as +much as that." + +"The world expect you! And are you to rob your children, John, +because the world expects it? I never heard of such a thing. Give +away four hundred a year merely because you are afraid of those +wretched newspapers! I did expect you would have more courage." + +"If I do not do one, mother, I shall do the other certainly." + +"Then I must beg you to tell me which you mean to do. If you gave +her half of all that is coming to you, of course I must remain here +because you could not live here without me. Your income would be +quite insufficient. But you do owe it to me to tell me at once what I +am to do." + +To this her son made no immediate answer, but sat with his elbow +on the table, and his head upon his hand looking moodily at the +fire-place. He did not wish to commit himself if he could possibly +avoid it. + +"John, I must insist upon an answer," said his mother. "I have a +right to expect an answer." + +"You must do what you like, mother, independently of me. If you think +you can live here on your income, I will go away, and you shall have +the place." + +"That's nonsense, John. Of course you want a large house for the +children, and I, if I must be alone, shall only want one room for +myself. What should I do with the house?" Then there was silence +again for a while. + +"I will give you a final answer on Saturday," he said at last. "I +shall see Margaret before Saturday." + +After that he took his candle and went to bed. It was then Tuesday, +and Lady Ball was obliged to be contented with the promise thus made +to her. + +On Wednesday he did nothing. On the Thursday morning he received a +letter which nearly drove him mad. It was addressed to him at the +office of the Shadrach Fire Insurance Company, and it reached him +there. It was as follows-- + + + Littlebath, -- June, 186--. + + SIR, + + You are no doubt fully aware of all the efforts which I + have made during the last six months to secure from your + grasp the fortune which did belong to my dear--my dearest + friend, Margaret Mackenzie. For as my dearest friend + I shall ever regard her, though she and I have been + separated by machinations of the nature of which she, as I + am fully sure, has never been aware. I now ascertain that + some of the inferior law courts have, under what pressure + I know not, set aside the will which was made twenty years + ago in favour of the Mackenzie family, and given to you + the property which did belong to them. That a superior + court would reverse the judgment, I believe there is + little doubt; but whether or no the means exist for me + to bring the matter before the higher tribunals of the + country I am not yet aware. Very probably I may have + no such power, and in such case, Margaret Mackenzie is, + to-day, through your means, a beggar. + + Since this matter has been before the public you have + ingeniously contrived to mitigate the wrath of public + opinion by letting it be supposed that you purposed to + marry the lady whose wealth you were seeking to obtain by + legal quibbles. You have made your generous intentions + very public, and have created a romance that has been, I + must say, but little becoming to your age. If all be true + that I heard when I last saw Miss Mackenzie at Twickenham, + you have gone through some ceremony of proposing to her. + But, as I understand, that joke is now thought to have + been carried far enough; and as the money is your own, you + intend to enjoy yourself as a lion, leaving the lamb to + perish in the wilderness. + + Now I call upon you to assert, under your own name and + with your own signature, what are your intentions with + reference to Margaret Mackenzie. Her property, at any rate + for the present, is yours. Do you intend to make her your + wife, or do you not? And if such be your intention, when + do you purpose that the marriage shall take place, and + where? + + I reserve to myself the right to publish this letter and + your answer to it; and of course shall publish the fact + if your cowardice prevents you from answering it. Indeed + nothing shall induce me to rest in this matter till I + know that I have been the means of restoring to Margaret + Mackenzie the means of decent livelihood. + + I have the honour to be, Sir, + Your very humble servant, + + JEREMIAH MAGUIRE. + + Sir John Ball, Bart., &c., &c, + Shadrach Fire Office. + + +Sir John, when he had read this, was almost wild with agony and +anger. He threw up his hands with dismay as he walked along the +passages of the Shadrach Office, and fulminated mental curses against +the wasp that was able to sting him so deeply. What should he do to +the man? As for answering the letter, that was of course out of the +question; but the reptile would carry out his threat of publishing +the letter, and then the whole question of his marriage would be +discussed in the public prints. An idea came across him that a free +press was bad and rotten from the beginning to the end. This creature +was doing him a terrible injury, was goading him almost to death, and +yet he could not punish him. He was a clergyman, and could not be +beaten and kicked, or even fired at with a pistol. As for prosecuting +the miscreant, had not his own lawyer told him over and over again +that such a prosecution was the very thing which the miscreant +desired. And then the additional publicity of such a prosecution, +and the twang of false romance which would follow and the horrid +alliteration of the story of the two beasts, and all the ridicule of +the incidents, crowded upon his mind, and he walked forth from the +Shadrach office among the throngs of the city a wretched and almost +despairing man. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed + + +When the work of the bazaar was finished all the four Mackenzie +ladies went home to Mrs Mackenzie's house in Cavendish Square, very +tired, eager for tea, and resolved that nothing more should be done +that evening. There should be no dressing for dinner, no going out, +nothing but idleness, tea, lamb chops, and gossip about the day's +work. Mr Mackenzie was down at the House, and there was no occasion +for any domestic energy. And thus the evening was passed. How Mrs +Chaucer Munro and the loud bevy fared among them, or how old Lady +Ware and her daughters, or the poor, dear, bothered duchess or Mr +Manfred Smith, or the kings and heroes who had appeared in paint +and armour, cannot be told. I fear that the Mackenzie verdict about +the bazaar in general was not favourable and that they agreed among +themselves to abstain from such enterprises of charity in future. It +concerns us now chiefly to know that our Griselda held up her head +well throughout that evening, and made herself comfortable and at her +ease among her cousins, although it was already known to her that the +legal decision had gone against her in the great case of Ball _v._ +Mackenzie. But had that decision been altogether in her favour the +result would not have been so favourable to her spirits, as had been +that little speech made by Mrs Mackenzie as to her having no right as +yet to scold Sir John for his extravagance,--that little speech made +in good humour, and apparently accepted in good humour even by him. +But on that evening Mrs Mackenzie was not able to speak to Margaret +about her prospects, or to lecture her on the expediency of regarding +the nicenesses of her dress in Sir John's presence, because of the +two other cousins. The two other cousins, no doubt, knew all the +story of the Lion and the Lamb, and talked to their sister-in-law, +Clara, of their other cousin, Griselda, behind Griselda's back; and +were no doubt very anxious that Griselda should become a baronet's +wife; but among so large a party there was no opportunity for +confidential advice. + +On the next morning Mrs Mackenzie and Margaret were together, and +then Mrs Mackenzie began: + +"Margaret, my dear," said she, "that bonnet I gave you has been worth +its weight in gold." + +"It cost nearly as much," said Margaret, "for it was very expensive +and very light." + +"Or in bank-notes either, because it has shown him and me and +everybody else that you needn't be a dowdy unless you please. No man +wishes to marry a dowdy, you know." + +"I suppose I was a dowdy when he asked me." + +"I wasn't there, and didn't know you then, and can't say. But I do +know that he liked the way you looked yesterday. Now, of course, +he'll be coming here before long." + +"I dare say he won't come here again the whole summer." + +"If he did not, I should send for him." + +"Oh, Mrs Mackenzie!" + +"And oh, Griselda! Why should I not send for him? You don't suppose +I'm going to let this kind of thing go on from month to month, till +that old woman at the Cedars has contrived to carry her point. +Certainly not." + +"Now that the matter is settled, of course, I shall not go on staying +here." + +"Not after you're married, my dear. We couldn't well take in Sir John +and all the children. Besides, we shall be going down to Scotland for +the grouse. But I mean you shall be married out of this house. Don't +look so astonished. Why not? There's plenty of time before the end of +July." + +"I don't think he means anything of the kind; I don't indeed." + +"Then he must be the queerest man that ever I met; and I should say +about the falsest and most heartless also. But whether he means to +do that or does not, he must mean to do something. You don't suppose +he'll take all your fortune away from you, and then leave you without +coming to say a word to you about it? If you had disputed the matter, +and put him to all manner of expense; if, in short, you had been +enemies through it all, that might have been possible. But you have +been such a veritable lamb, giving your fleece to the shearer so +meekly,--such a true Griselda, that if he were to leave you in that +way, no one would ever speak to him again." + +"But you forget Lady Ball." + +"No, I don't. He'll have a disagreeable scene with his mother, and +I don't pretend to guess what will be the end of that; but when he +has done with his mother, he'll come here. He must do it. He has no +alternative. And when he does come, I want you to look your best. +Believe me, my dear, there would be no muslins in the world and no +starch, if it was not intended that people should make themselves +look as nice as possible." + +"Young people," suggested Margaret. + +"Young people, as you call them, can look well without muslin and +without starch. Such things were intended for just such persons as +you and me; and as for me, I make it a rule to take the goods the +gods provide me." + +Mrs Mackenzie's philosophy was not without its result, and her +prophecy certainly came true. A few days passed by and no lover came, +but early on the Friday morning after the bazaar, Margaret, who at +the moment was in her own room, was told that Sir John was below in +the drawing-room with Mrs Mackenzie. He had already been there some +little time, the servant said, and Mrs Mackenzie had sent up with her +love to know if Miss Mackenzie would come down. Would she go down? Of +course she would go to her cousin. She was no coward. Indeed, a true +Griselda can hardly be a coward. So she made up her mind to go to her +cousin and hear her fate. + +The last four-and-twenty hours had been very bitter with Sir John +Ball. What was he to do, walking about with that man's letter in his +pocket--with that reptile's venom still curdling through his veins? +On that Thursday morning, as he went towards his office, he had made +up his mind, as he thought, to go to Margaret and bid her choose her +own destiny. She should become his wife, or have half of Jonathan +Ball's remaining fortune, as she might herself elect. "She refused +me," he said to himself, "when the money was all hers. Why should she +wish to come to such a house as mine, to marry a dull husband and +undertake the charge of a lot of children? She shall choose herself." +And then he thought of her as he had seen her at the bazaar, and +began to flatter himself that, in spite of his dullness and his +children, she would choose to become his wife. He was making some +scheme as to his mother's life, proposing that two of his girls +should live with her, and that she should be near to him, when the +letter from Mr Maguire was put into his hands. + +How was he to marry his cousin after that? If he were to do so, would +not that wretch at Littlebath declare, through all the provincial +and metropolitan newspapers, that he had compelled the marriage? +That letter would be published in the very column that told of the +wedding. But yet he must decide. He must do something. They who read +this will probably declare that he was a weak fool to regard anything +that such a one as Mr Maguire could say of him. He was not a fool, +but he was so far weak and foolish; and in such matters such men are +weak and foolish, and often cowardly. + +It was, however, absolutely necessary that he should do something. He +was as well aware as was Mrs Mackenzie that it was essentially his +duty to see his cousin, now that the question of law between them had +been settled. Even if he had no thought of again asking her to be +his wife, he could not confide to any one else the task of telling +her what was to be her fate. Her conduct to him in the matter of the +property had been exemplary, and it was incumbent on him to thank her +for her generous forbearance. He had pledged himself also to give his +mother a final answer on Saturday. + +On the Friday morning, therefore, he knocked at the Mackenzies' +house door in Cavendish Square, and soon found himself alone with +Mrs Mackenzie. I do not know that even then he had come to any +fixed purpose. What he would himself have preferred would have been +permission to postpone any action as regards his cousin for another +six months, and to have been empowered to use that time in crushing +Mr Maguire out of existence. But this might not be so, and therefore +he went to Cavendish Square that he might there decide his fate. + +"You want to see Margaret, no doubt," said Mrs Mackenzie, "that you +may tell her that her ruin is finally completed;" and as she thus +spoke of her cousin's ruin, she smiled her sweetest smile and put on +her pleasantest look. + +"Yes, I do want to see her presently," he said. + +Mrs Mackenzie had stood up as though she were about to go in quest +of her cousin, but had sat down again when the word presently +was spoken. She was by no means averse to having a few words of +conversation about Margaret, if Sir John should wish it. Sir John, I +fear, had merely used the word through some instinctive idea that he +might thereby stave off the difficulty for a while. + +"Don't you think she looked very well at the Bazaar?" said Mrs +Mackenzie. + +"Very well, indeed," he answered; "very well. I can't say I liked the +place." + +"Nor any of us, I can assure you. Only one must do that sort of thing +sometimes, you know. Margaret was very much admired there. So much +has been said of this singular story about her fortune, that people +have, of course, talked more of her than they would otherwise have +done." + +"That has been a great misfortune," said Sir John, frowning. + +"It has been a misfortune, but it has been one of those things that +can't be helped. I don't think you have any cause to complain, for +Margaret has behaved as no other woman ever did behave, I think. Her +conduct has been perfect." + +"I don't complain of her." + +"As for the rest, you must settle that with the world yourself. I +don't care for any one beyond her. But, for my part, I think it is +the best to let those things die away of themselves. After all, what +does it matter as long as one does nothing to be ashamed of oneself? +People can't break any bones by their talking." + +"Wouldn't you think it very unpleasant, Mrs Mackenzie, to have your +name brought up in the newspapers?" + +"Upon my word I don't think I should care about it as long as my +husband stood by me. What is it after all? People say that you and +Margaret are the Lion and the Lamb. What's the harm of being called a +lamb or a lion either? As long as people are not made to believe that +you have behaved badly, that you have been false or cruel, I can't +see that it comes to much. One does not, of course, wish to have +newspaper articles written about one." + +"No, indeed." + +"But they can't break your bones, nor can they make the world think +you dishonest, as long as you take care that you are honest. Now, in +this matter, I take it for granted that you and Margaret are going to +make a match of it--" + +"Has she told you so?" + +Mrs Mackenzie paused a moment to collect her thoughts before she +answered; but it was only for a moment, and Sir John Ball hardly +perceived that she had ceased to speak. + +"No," she said; "she has not told me so. But I have told her that it +must be so." + +"And she does not wish it?" + +"Do you want me to tell a lady's secret? But in such a case as +this the truth is always the best. She does wish it, with all her +heart,--as much as any woman ever wished for anything. You need have +no doubt about her loving you." + +"Of course, Mrs Mackenzie, I should take care in any case that she +were provided for amply. If a single life will suit her best, she +shall have half of all that she ever thought to be her own." + +"And do you wish it to be so?" + +"I have not said that, Mrs Mackenzie. But it may be that I should +wish her to have the choice fairly in her own power." + +"Then I can tell you at once which she would choose. Your offer is +very generous. It is more than generous. But, Sir John, a single life +will not suit her; and my belief is, that were you to offer her the +money without your hand, she would not take a farthing of it." + +"She must have some provision." + +"She will take none from you but the one, and you need be under no +doubt whatsoever that she will take that without a moment's doubt as +to her own future happiness. And, Sir John, I think you would have +the best wife that I know anywhere among my acquaintance." Then she +stopped, and he sat silent, making no reply. "Shall I send to her +now?" said Mrs Mackenzie. + +"I suppose you might as well," said Sir John. + +Then Mrs Mackenzie got up and left the room, but she did not herself +go up to her cousin. She felt that she could not see Margaret without +saying something of what had passed between herself and Sir John, +and that it would be better that nothing should be said. So she went +away to her own room, and dispatched her maid to send the lamb to the +lion. Nevertheless, it was not without compunction, some twang of +feminine conscience, that Mrs Mackenzie gave up this opportunity +of saying some last important word, and perhaps doing some last +important little act with regard to those nicenesses of which she +thought perhaps too much. Mrs Mackenzie's philosophy was not without +its truth; but a man of fifty should not be made to marry a woman +by muslin and starch, if he be not prepared to marry her on other +considerations. + +When the message came, Margaret thought nothing of the muslin and +starch. The bonnet that had been worth its weight in gold, and the +black-freckled dress, were all forgotten. But she thought of the +words which her cousin John had spoken to her as soon as they had +got through the little gate into the grounds of the Cedars when they +had walked back together from the railway station at Twickenham; and +she remembered that she had then pledged herself to be firm. If he +alluded to the offer he had then made, and repeated it, she would +throw herself into his arms at once, and tell him that she would +serve him with all her heart and all her strength as long as God +might leave them together. But she was quite as strongly determined +to accept from him for herself no other kind of provision. That money +which for a short while had been hers was now his; and she could +have no claim upon him unless he gave her the claim of a wife. After +what had passed between them she would not be the recipient of his +charity. Certain words had been written and spoken from which she had +gathered the existence, in Mr Slow's mind, of some such plan as this. +His client should lose her cause meekly and graciously, and should +then have a claim for alms. That had been the idea on which Mr Slow +had worked. She had long made up her mind that Mr Slow should be +taught to know her better, if the day for such offering of alms +should ever come. Perhaps it had come now. She took up a little scarf +that she wore ordinarily and folded it tight across her shoulders, +quite forgetful of muslin and starch, as she descended to the +drawing-room in order that this question might be solved for her. + +Sir John met her almost at the door as she entered. + +"I'm afraid you've been expecting me to come sooner," he said. + +"No, indeed; I was not quite sure that you would come at all." + +"Oh, yes; I was certain to come. You have hardly received as yet any +official notification that your cause has been lost." + +"It was not my cause, John," she said, smiling, "and I received no +other notification than what I got through Mrs Mackenzie. Indeed, as +you know, I have regarded this law business as nonsense all through. +Since what you and Mr Slow told me, I have known that the property +was yours." + +"But it was quite necessary to have a judgment." + +"I suppose so, and there's an end of it. I, for one, am not in the +least disappointed,--if it will give you any comfort to know that." + +"I don't believe that any other woman in England would have lost her +fortune with the equanimity that you have shown." + +She could not explain to him that, in the first days of dismay caused +by that misfortune, he had given her such consolation as to make her +forget her loss, and that her subsequent misery had been caused by +the withdrawal of that consolation. She could not tell him that the +very memory of her money had been, as it were, drowned by other hopes +in life,--by other hopes and by other despair. But when he praised +her for her equanimity, she thought of this. She still smiled as she +heard his praise. + +"I suppose I ought to return the compliment," she said, "and declare +that no cousin who had been kept so long out of his own money +ever behaved so well as you have done. I can assure you that I +have thought of it very often,--of the injustice that has been +involuntarily done to you." + +"It has been unjust, has it not?" said he, piteously, thinking of his +injuries. "So much of it has gone in that oilcloth business, and all +for nothing!" + +"I'm glad at any rate that Walter's share did not go." + +He knew that this was not the kind of conversation which he had +desired to commence, and that it must be changed before anything +could be settled. So he shook himself and began again. + +"And now, Margaret, as the lawyers have finished their part of the +business, ours must begin." + +She had been standing hitherto and had felt herself to be strong +enough to stand, but at the sound of these words her knees had become +weak under her, and she found a retreat upon the sofa. Of course she +said nothing as he came and stood over her. + +"I hope you have understood," he continued, "that while all this was +going on I could propose no arrangement of any kind." + +"I know you have been very much troubled." + +"Indeed I have. It seems that any blackguard has a right to publish +any lies that he likes about any one in any of the newspapers, and +that nobody can do anything to protect himself! Sometimes I have +thought that it would drive me mad!" + +But he again perceived that he was getting out of the right course in +thus dwelling upon his own injuries. He had come there to alleviate +her misfortunes, not to talk about his own. + +"It is no good, however, talking about all that; is it, Margaret?" + +"It will cease now, will it not?" + +"I cannot say. I fear not. Whichever way I turn, they abuse me for +what I do. What business is it of theirs?" + +"You mean their absurd story--calling you a lion." + +"Don't talk of it, Margaret." + +Then Margaret was again silent. She by no means wished to talk of the +story, if he would only leave it alone. + +"And now about you." + +Then he came and sat beside her, and she put her hand back behind +the cushion on the sofa so as to save herself from trembling in his +presence. She need not have cared much, for, let her tremble ever so +much, he had then no capacity for perceiving it. + +"Come, Margaret; I want to do what is best for us both. How shall it +be?" + +"John, you have children, and you should do what is best for them." + +Then there was a pause again, and when he spoke after a while, he was +looking down at the floor and poking among the pattern on the carpet +with his stick. + +"Margaret, when I first asked you to marry me, you refused me." + +"I did," said she; "and then all the property was mine." + +"But afterwards you said you would have me." + +"Yes; and when you asked me the second time I had nothing. I know all +that." + +"I thought nothing about the money then. I mean that I never thought +you refused me because you were rich and took me because you were +poor. I was not at all unhappy about that when we were walking round +the shrubbery. But when I thought you had cared for that man--" + +"I had never cared for him," said Margaret, withdrawing her hand from +behind the pillow in her energy, and fearing no longer that she might +tremble. "I had never cared for him. He is a false man, and told +untruths to my aunt." + +"Yes, he is, a liar,--a damnable liar. That is true at any rate." + +"He is beneath your notice, John, and beneath mine. I will not speak +of him." + +Sir John, however, had an idea that when he felt the wasp's venom +through all his blood, the wasp could not be altogether beneath his +notice. + +"The question is," said he, speaking between his teeth, and hardly +pronouncing his words, "the question is whether you care for me." + +"I do," said she turning round upon him; and as she did so our +Griselda took both his hands in hers. "I do, John. I do care for you. +I love you better than all the world besides. Whom else have I to +love at all? If you choose to think it mean of me, now that I am so +poor, I cannot help it. But who was it told me to be firm? Who was it +told me? Who was it told me?" + +Lady Ball had lost her game, and Mrs Mackenzie had been a true +prophet. Mrs Mackenzie had been one of those prophets who knew how to +assist the accomplishment of their own prophecies, and Lady Ball had +played her game with very indifferent skill. Sir John endeavoured to +say a word as to that other alternative that he had to offer, but the +lamb was not lamb-like enough to listen to it. I doubt even whether +Margaret knew, when at night she thought over the affairs of the day, +that any such offer had been made to her. During the rest of the +interview she was by far the greatest talker, and she would not rest +till she had made him swear that he believed her when she said, that +both in rejecting him and accepting him, she had been guided simply +by her affection. "You know, John," she said, "a woman can't love a +man all at once." + +They had been together for the best part of two hours, when Mrs +Mackenzie knocked at the door. "May I come in?" + +"Oh, yes," said Margaret. + +"And may I ask a question?" She knew by the tone of her cousin's +voice that no question could come amiss. + +"You must ask him," said Margaret, coming to her and kissing her. + +"But, first of all," said Mrs Mackenzie, shutting the door and +assuming a very serious countenance, "I have news of my own to tell. +There is a gentleman downstairs in the dining-room who has sent up +word that he wants to see me. He says he is a clergyman." + +Then Sir John Ball ceased to smile, and look foolish, but doubled his +fist, and went towards the door. + +"Who is it?" said Margaret, whispering. + +"I have not heard his name, but from the servant's account of him I +have not much doubt myself; I suppose he comes from Littlebath. You +can go down to him, if you like, Sir John; but I would not advise +it." + +"No," said Margaret, clinging to his arm, "you shall not go down. +What good can you do? He is beneath you. If you beat him he will have +the law of you--and he is a clergyman. If you do not, he will only +revile you, and make you wretched." Thus between the two ladies the +baronet was restrained. + +It was Mr Maguire. Having learned from his ally, Miss Colza, that +Margaret was staying with her cousins in Cavendish Square, he had +resolved upon calling on Mrs Mackenzie, and forcing his way, if +possible, into Margaret's presence. Things were not going well +with him at Littlebath, and in his despair he had thought that the +best chance to him of carrying on the fight lay in this direction. +Then there was a course of embassies between the dining-room and +drawing-room in the Mackenzie mansion. The servant was sent to ask +the gentleman his name, and the gentleman sent up to say that he was +a clergyman,--that his name was not known to Mrs Mackenzie, but that +he wanted to see her most particularly for a few minutes on very +special business. Then the servant was despatched to ask him whether +or no he was the Rev. Jeremiah Maguire, of Littlebath, and under this +compulsion he sent back word that such was his designation. He was +then told to go. Upon that he wrote a note to Mrs Mackenzie, setting +forth that he had a private communication to make, much to the +advantage of her cousin, Miss Margaret Mackenzie. He was again told +to go; and then told again, that if he did not leave the house at +once, the assistance of the police would be obtained. Then he went. +"And it was frightful to behold him," said the servant, coming up for +the tenth time. But the servant no doubt enjoyed the play, and on one +occasion presumed to remark that he did not think any reference to +the police was necessary. "Such a game as we've had up!" he said to +the coachman that afternoon in the kitchen. + +And the game that they had in the drawing-room was not a bad game +either. When Mr Maguire would not go, the two women joined in +laughing, till at last the tears ran down Mrs Mackenzie's face. + +"Only think of our being kept prisoners here by a one-eyed +clergyman." + +"He has got two eyes," said Margaret. "If he had ten he shan't see +us." + +And at last Sir John laughed; and as he laughed he came and stood +near Margaret; and once he got his arm round her waist, and Griselda +was very happy. At the present moment she was quite indifferent to Mr +Maguire and any mode of fighting that he might adopt. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +Conclusion + + +Things had not been going well with Mr Maguire when, as a last +chance, he attempted to force an entrance into Mrs Mackenzie's +drawing-room. Things, indeed, had been going very badly with him. Mr +Stumfold at Littlebath had had an interview with the editor of the +_Christian Examiner_, and had made that provincial Jupiter understand +that he must drop the story of the Lion and the Lamb. There had +been more than enough of it, Mr Stumfold thought; and if it were +continued, Mr Stumfold would--would make Littlebath too hot to hold +the _Christian Examiner_. That was the full meaning of Mr Stumfold's +threat; and, as the editor knew Mr Stumfold's power, the editor +wisely turned a cold shoulder upon Mr Maguire. When Mr Maguire came +to the editor with his letter for publication, the editor declared +that he should be happy to insert it--as an advertisement. Then there +had been a little scene between Mr Maguire and the editor, and Mr +Maguire had left the editorial office shaking the dust from off his +feet. But he was a persistent man, and, having ascertained that Miss +Colza was possessed of some small share in her brother's business +in the city, he thought it expedient to betake himself again to +London. He did so, as we have seen; and with some very faint hope of +obtaining collateral advantage for himself, and some stronger hope +that he might still be able to do an injury to Sir John Ball, he went +to the Mackenzies' house in Cavendish Square. There his success was +not great; and from that time forward the wasp had no further power +of inflicting stings upon the lion whom he had persecuted. + +But some further annoyance he did give to Griselda. He managed to +induce Mrs Tom Mackenzie to take him in as a lodger in Gower Street, +and Margaret very nearly ran into his way in her anxiety to befriend +her sister-in-law. Luckily she heard from Mr Rubb that he was there +on the very day on which she had intended to visit Gower Street. Poor +Mrs Mackenzie got the worst of it; for of course Mr Maguire did not +pay for his lodgings. But he did marry Miss Colza, and in some way +got himself instituted to a chapel at Islington. There we will leave +him, not trusting much in his connubial bliss, but faintly hoping +that his teaching may be favourable to the faith and morals of his +new flock. + +Of Mr Samuel Rubb, junior, we must say a few words. His first +acquaintance with our heroine was not made under circumstances +favourable to him. In that matter of the loan, he departed very +widely from the precept which teaches us that honesty is the best +policy. And when I feel that our Margaret was at one time really in +danger of becoming Mrs Rubb,--that in her ignorance of the world, in +the dark gropings of her social philosophy, amidst the difficulties +of her solitude, she had not known whether she could do better with +herself and her future years, than give herself, and them, and her +money to Mr Samuel Rubb, I tremble as I look back upon her danger. It +has been said of women that they have an insane desire for matrimony. +I believe that the desire, even if it be as general as is here +described, is no insanity. But when I see such a woman as Margaret +Mackenzie in danger from such a man as Samuel Rubb, junior, I am +driven to fear that there may sometimes be a maniacal tendency. But +Samuel Rubb was by no means a bad man. He first hankered after the +woman's money, but afterwards he had loved the woman; and my female +reader, if she agrees with me, will feel that that virtue covers a +multitude of sins. + +And he was true to the promise that he made about the loan. He did +pay the interest of the money regularly to Mrs Mackenzie in Gower +Street, and after a while was known in that house as the recognised +lover of Mary Jane, the eldest daughter. In this way it came to pass +that he occasionally saw the lady to whose hand he had aspired; for +Margaret, when she was assured that Mr Maguire and his bride were +never likely to be seen in that locality, did not desert her nephews +and nieces in Gower Street. + +But we must go back to Sir John Ball. As soon as the coast was clear +in Cavendish Square, he took his leave of Margaret. Mrs Mackenzie had +left the room, desiring to speak a word to him alone as he came down. + +"I shall tell my mother to-night," he said to Margaret. "You know +that all this is not exactly as she wishes it." + +"John," she said, "if it is as you wish it, I have no right to think +of anything beyond that." + +"It is as I wish it," said he. + +"Then tell my aunt, with my love, that I shall hope that she will +receive me as her daughter." + +Then they parted, and Margaret was left alone to congratulate herself +over her success. + +"Sir John," said Mrs Mackenzie, calling him into the drawing-room; +"you must hear my congratulations; you must, indeed." + +"Thank you," said he, looking foolish; "you are very good." + +"And so is she. She is what you may really call good. She is as good +as gold. I know a woman when I see her; and I know that for one like +her there are fifty not fit to hold a candle to her. She has nothing +mean or little about her--nothing. They may call her a lamb, but she +can be a lioness too when there is an occasion." + +"I know that she is steadfast," said he. + +"That she is, and honest, and warm hearted; and--and Oh! Sir John, +I am so happy that it is all to be made right, and nice, and +comfortable. It would have been very sad if she hadn't gone with the +money; would it not?" + +"I should not have taken the money--not all of it." + +"And she would not have taken any. She would not have taken a penny +of it, though we need not mind that now; need we? But there is one +thing I want to say; you must not think I am interfering." + +"I shan't think that after all that you have done." + +"I want her to be married from here. It would be quite proper; +wouldn't it? Mr Mackenzie is a little particular about the grouse, +because there is to be a large party at Incharrow; but up to the 10th +of August you and she should fix any day you like." + +Sir John showed by his countenance that he was somewhat taken aback. +The 10th of August, and here they were far advanced into June! When +he had left home this morning he had not fully made up his mind +whether he meant to marry his cousin or not; and now, within a few +hours, he was being confined to weeks and days! Mrs Mackenzie saw +what was passing in his mind; but she was not a woman to be driven +easily from her purpose. + +"You see," she said, "there is so much to think of. What is Margaret +to do, if we leave her in London when we go down? And it would really +be better for her to be married from her cousin's house; it would, +indeed. Lady Ball would like it better--I'm sure she would--than if +she were to be living alone in the town in lodgings. There is always +a way of doing things; isn't there? And Walter's sisters, her own +cousins, could be her bridesmaids, you know." + +Sir John said that he would think about it. + +"I haven't spoken to her, of course," said Mrs Mackenzie; "but I +shall now." + +Sir John, as he went eastwards into the city, did think about it; +and before he had reached his own house that evening, he had brought +himself to regard Mrs Mackenzie's scheme in a favourable light. He +was not blind to the advantage of taking his wife from a house in +Cavendish Square, instead of from lodgings in Arundel Street; and +he was aware that his mother would not be blind to that advantage +either. He did not hope to be able to reconcile her to his marriage +at once; and perhaps he entertained some faint idea that for the +first six months of his new married life the Cedars would be quite as +pleasant without his mother as with her; but a final reconciliation +would be more easy if he and his wife had the Mackenzies of Incharrow +to back them, than it could be without such influence. And as for the +London gossip of the thing, the finale to the romance of the Lion and +the Lamb, it would be sure to come sooner or later. Let them have +their odious joke and have done with it! + +"Mother," he said, as soon as he could find himself alone with Lady +Ball that day, not waiting for the midnight conference; "mother, I +may as well tell you at once. I have proposed to Margaret Mackenzie +again to-day." + +"Oh! very well." + +"And she has accepted me." + +"Accepted you! of course she has; jumped at the chance, no doubt. +What else should a pauper do?" + +"Mother, that is ungenerous." + +"She did not accept you when she had got anything." + +"If I can reconcile myself to that, surely you can do so. The matter +is settled now, and I think I have done the best in my power for +myself and my children." + +"And as for your mother, she may go and die anywhere." + +"Mother, that is unfair. As long as I have a house over my head, +you shall share it, if you please to do so. If it suits you to go +elsewhere, I will be with you as often as may be possible. I hope, +however, you will not leave us." + +"That I shall certainly do." + +"Then I hope you will not go far from me." + +"And when is it to be?" said his mother, after a pause. + +"I cannot name any day; but some time before the 10th of August." + +"Before the 10th of August! Why, that is at once. Oh! John; and your +father not dead a year!" + +"Margaret has a home now with her cousins in Cavendish Square; but +she cannot stay there after they go to Scotland. It will be for her +welfare that she should be married from their house. And as for my +father's death, I know that you do not suspect me of disrespect to +his memory." + +And in this way it was settled at the Cedars; and his mother's +question about the time drove him to the resolution which he himself +had not reached. When next he was in Cavendish Square he asked +Margaret whether she could be ready so soon, and she replied that she +would be ready on any day that he told her to be ready. + +Thus it was settled, and with a moderate amount of nuptial +festivity the marriage feast was prepared in Mrs Mackenzie's house. +Margaret was surprised to find how many dear friends she had who +were interested in her welfare. Miss Baker wrote to her most +affectionately; and Miss Todd was warm in her congratulations. But +the attention which perhaps surprised her most was a warm letter of +sisterly affection from Mrs Stumfold, in which that lady rejoiced +with an exceeding joy in that the machinations of a certain wolf in +sheep's clothing had been unsuccessful. "My anxiety that you should +not be sacrificed I once before evinced to you," said Mrs Stumfold; +"and within the last two months Mr Stumfold has been at work to put +an end to the scurrilous writings which that wolf in sheep's clothing +has been putting into the newspapers." Then Mrs Stumfold very +particularly desired to be remembered to Sir John Ball, and expressed +a hope that, at some future time, she might have the honour of being +made acquainted with "the worthy baronet." + +They were married in the first week in August, and our modern +Griselda went through the ceremony with much grace. That there was +much grace about Sir John Ball, I cannot say; but gentlemen, when +they get married at fifty, are not expected to be graceful. + +"There, my Lady Ball," said Mrs Mackenzie, whispering into her +cousin's ear before they left the church; "now my prophecy has come +true; and when we meet in London next spring, you will reward me for +all I have done for you by walking out of a room before me." + +But all these honours, and, what was better, all the happiness that +came in her way, Lady Ball accepted thankfully, quietly, and with an +enduring satisfaction, as it became such a woman to do. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MISS MACKENZIE*** + + +******* This file should be named 24000.txt or 24000.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/0/0/24000 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://www.gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: +http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/24000.zip b/24000.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5431526 --- /dev/null +++ b/24000.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..95460f6 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #24000 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/24000) |