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diff --git a/40406-0.txt b/40406-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ffc7f28 --- /dev/null +++ b/40406-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5798 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40406 *** + + MARY SEAHAM, + A NOVEL. + + BY MRS. GREY, + + AUTHOR OF "THE GAMBLER'S WIFE," &c. &c. + + + IN THREE VOLUMES. + VOL. II. + + LONDON: + COLBURN AND CO., PUBLISHERS, + GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. + 1852. + + Notice is hereby given that the Publishers of this work reserve to + themselves the right of publishing a Translation in France. + + LONDON: + Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street. + + + + +MARY SEAHAM. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Then close and closer, clinging to his side, + Frank as the child, and tender as the bride, + Words, looks, and tears themselves combine the balm, + Lull the fierce pang, and steal the soul to calm! + + THE NEW TIMON. + + +Trevor returned. Arthur Seaham entered the house one afternoon, having +been out in the grounds with Mr. de Burgh to find Mary and Eugene in the +drawing-room together. + +The meeting between the intended brothers-in-law was cordial enough to +satisfy even Mary's anxious wishes on the occasion, and she was +delighted to sit by Eugene's side and hear the two converse together +with the ease and fluency of those who have made up their minds to like, +and to be liked by the other. Arthur, standing up before the fire, his +clear eyes all the while scanning, with a critical interest he attempted +not much to disguise, the countenance and expression of his sister's +undeniably handsome intended--a scrutiny which, had Mary's love for +Eugene been of a less assured and confiding character, might have made +her a little nervous for the result, for she knew well her brother +Arthur's glance to be a very Ithuriel spear in the way of discernment +and discrimination; that although so young and guileless of heart, when +compared with many of his age, he was clearer and wiser of head than +many of more years and greater worldly experience, and that no outward +gloss, no specious disguise could blind or beguile him to bestow +admiration or approval where it was not deserved. + +As it was, since he had prepared her for his being very critically +disposed, she was obliged to rest satisfied, when, the first time they +were alone together after this opening interview, Arthur pronounced his +decided satisfaction as to the good looks of his intended +brother-in-law, but to her more anxious question, of "And you really +like him?" he replied; "And I am sure I shall really like him very much +when he has proved himself as thoroughly good a husband as I can desire +for my dear Mary." + +She laughed, and told him he was very cautious, but she must make +allowances, poor fellow! for she still believed him to be a little bit +jealous; an imputation well founded or not, as it might be, Arthur did +not attempt to contradict; and perhaps--particularly as time went on, +and day after day he saw more plainly in how strong a manner was his +sister's heart enthralled by this her new affection--how hopelessly the +stream of former interests, former feeling had turned into this +new-formed channel. How, though he had found her sisterly love still +unimpaired, it could now form but a tributary stream to the full +abounding river which had arisen to engulph her heart; nay, more, +experiencing how He, the once chief object of her affection, had become +as nothing in comparison with the exalted place he had before held in +her regard, how in her lover's presence he must feel himself as nothing, +or even _de trop_--and in his absence but the temporary substitute, ill +able to divert the yearning sigh, the longing look, the anxious thought +for the beloved one's return. + +No wonder if the young man did experience, as many are compelled to +suffer under similar circumstances, a sensation slightly analogous to +the one of which his sister had playfully accused him--and therefore was +compelled to be still more watchful over himself, lest such sentiment +might in any degree interfere with the just and unprejudiced estimate he +desired to take of Eugene Trevor's merits. + + "'Tis difficult to see another, + A passing stranger of a day, + Who never hath been friend or brother, + Pluck with a look her heart away; + 'Tis difficult at once to crush + The rebel murmur in the breast, + To press the heart to earth, and hush + Its bitter jealousy to rest, + And difficult--the eye gets dim, + The lip wants power to smile on _Him_." + +But on one point Arthur Seaham soon became fully satisfied, and much did +it tend to overcome any invidious promptings of the heart against his +future brother; for the young man's love towards his sister was in the +main most essentially unselfish. Day by day showed him only more surely, +not only how she loved Eugene--but the ardour and devotion with which +she was also beloved by him. + +It was impossible to be daily and hourly the witness of their +intercourse--to watch the anxiety with which he regarded her every +motion; the earnest attention with which he hung upon her every +word--the adoring affection with which he gazed upon her sweet +expressive countenance, and not be assured that his love was, for the +present at least, deep, earnest and sincere? + +And was not this enough to disarm the brother of all present criticism, +and divert the more close and jealous inquiry which must come hereafter. +To continue in the words of that favourite poet, from which we find +ourselves so often quoting, as coming so naturally and gracefully to +our aid in description of the present case. + + "I never spoke of wealth or race + To one who asked so much from me; + I looked but in my sister's face, + And mused if she would happier be; + And I began to watch his mood, + And feel with him love's trembling care, + And bade God bless him as he wooed + That loving girl so fond and fair." + + * * * * * + +And Trevor--he was able with perfect sincerity and unreserve to satisfy +Mary's mind as to his unfeigned admiration and approval of her darling +brother. There was no jealousy to interfere here, on his part. + +Jealousy? Ah! the most prone to such infirmity, could with difficulty +have conjured up the shadow of an excuse for similar weakness in his +case. Had he not won over--secured to himself as much, quite as much +exclusive love as he could either desire or deserve? Besides, we have by +this time perceived that Trevor was by no means a man unable to +appreciate the good and beautiful in mind and character; and how much of +these were to be found in his young brother-in-law elect! He entered +with the most kindly interest into his plans and prospects for the +future, and often as he watched Arthur Seaham's countenance--as to all +professing any interest in the matter, he with open-hearted animation +discoursed, or laid before them his views or intentions connected with +his future career--the half regretful, half admiring gaze with which +Eugene Trevor regarded the young man, might have seemed to express the +question to be rising in his mind, as to when he could remember to have +been so young, so pure, so fresh, so open, happy-hearted. + +When indeed? + +Perhaps never, Eugene Trevor; for there are minds, in which--like the +fruits and flowers of foreign climes, matured by the sunshine of an +hour--passions, tastes, principles, incompatible with youth and purity +and openness of heart, have either, by nature or the foreign sun of +circumstances, struck their roots and flourished in the very morning of +their possessors' lives, and thus, their very youth has been like age. + +Once Arthur Seaham rode over to Montrevor with Eugene Trevor. He came +back in high spirits, pleased with the place, and amused with the +expedition altogether. + +"You will have a fine old home, Mary," he said, "some of these days, for +Trevor tells me everything will be altered, whenever the house is his, +and that during his father's lifetime, he does not suppose you and he +will be a great deal there, but live in London, and other places, which +perhaps is as well, considering it might be rather a gloomy home for a +permanence if matters continued as they now are; what with the dear old +close father, and that fine-lady housekeeper, from whom I received a +very cynical glance, as I stumbled upon her in the passage, and who +holds, it seems, such a tight hand over her master and his +establishment. But I don't object to the old gentleman himself, either. +No! he is a rare old Solomon, and was very civil and flattering to me, +with reference to his approval of his son's choice of such a modest, +discreet, well-behaved young lady, for my sister. He even was so kind as +to make amends for a very indifferent luncheon--(Trevor was obliged to +give me on the sly) by presenting me at parting with an excellent piece +of advice. His son had begun enlightening him as to my intention of +entering upon the profession of the law, for the purpose of making +money, which I saw at once raised me immeasurably in his estimation, and +leading me aside when we were about to start, with so mysterious and +important an expression, that I began to imagine that the jolly old +fellow was going to present me with five hundred pounds on the spot, he +whispered anxiously in my ears, as if my very life depended on what he +was about to say: + +"'That's right, young Sir, that's right--make money--make it as long and +as much as you can. Make money--make money--and then,' with a very +expressive and emphatic pause, 'and then--keep it.'" + +Mary could not help laughing at her brother's ludicrous description, +though she told him he was an impertinent boy, thus to deride the +foibles of her venerable father-in-law. As to anything in his +character--or even aught with reference to Marryott, as at all affecting +her happiness at Montrevor--seemed to cast no shade of anxiety over her +mind. On this point she was as uncareful and unforeseeing as became +those traits in her general character we have before remarked. + +"By the bye," exclaimed her brother, either _à-propos_ to reflections to +which his late visits at Montrevor had given rise, or with reference to +hints Mr. de Burgh had once or twice let fall upon the subject, "by the +bye, I want to ask you what has become of Trevor's unfortunate brother?" + +Mary was unable to give the required information. + +"The fact is," she said, "the idea is one so very painful, even to me, +that I never bring a subject forward which must undoubtedly be one +doubly distasteful and distressing to Eugene. He never broaches it +himself--I will, however, ask him the question whenever I may have the +opportunity. It might be a comfort to him if I once broke the ice and +conversed with him sometimes on the subject." + +It was therefore in consequence of this kindly intentioned resolve, that +one day when walking alone with Eugene through the park home from +church, he--talking in a more confidential tone than was his usual wont, +on matters connected with his family affairs, and affecting their future +prospects--she placed her hand on his, and with the gentlest, tenderest +sympathy in her tone and manner, murmured, "And where, Eugene, is your +poor brother?" But she repented ere the words had passed her lips; for +Eugene perceptibly started, and paused abruptly for a single moment, +turning a wild, quick glance upon her, whilst though he answered but by +the single word "Abroad!" it was enough to show that his voice was thick +and husky as he thus replied. In a moment, however, he seemed to recover +himself from the very great shock her abrupt, and as she feared, +ill-judged question had occasioned him, and passing his hand across his +brow, quickly pursued his way. + +Grieved at what she had done, Mary walked on in silence; till Eugene, as +if he feared she must have been impressed by the signs of emotion into +which he had been surprised, suddenly began to laugh, although the laugh +had in it a tone constrained and unnatural. + +"I fear, Mary, I frightened you just now," he said, "but the fact is, +you rather frightened me by your sudden question. It sounded almost as +solemn and startling as the same inquiry must have done to Cain +after--after you know what wicked deed." + +"Indeed, dear Eugene?" Mary answered with concern, yet inwardly +surprised at the careless tone and manner her lover had now assumed with +reference to that distressing subject. + +"I am sorry, very sorry, I pained you by my abruptness, but the sad +subject was so much in my thoughts at the moment, and I had so long +wished to ask you something about your poor brother, that--" + +"Oh yes--of course--certainly, my dearest Mary, I quite understand, and +shall be very glad to give you some information concerning the poor +fellow. Just at the first start you must suppose it rather painful to +bring myself to think or speak upon, as you justly observe, so very sad +a subject. My poor brother is, as I said before, abroad, travelling I +believe--of course under guardianship. He was," and his voice faltered +as if from strong emotion, "he was in confinement for a very short time, +but that, thank God! was found unnecessary; and now, as I told you, he +is abroad. I cannot say exactly where just now." + +And having hurriedly uttered these particulars, the delivery of which +seemed to cost him much, he passed his handkerchief over his brow, on +which, even in this clear fresh November atmosphere, there had been +wrung forth some burning drops--and hastened on his pale and pitying +companion, who gently pressed his arm in silent token of her love and +sympathy. + +"Mary," he murmured in a low agitated tone, fervently returning that +mute acknowledgment, "Mary, you will never forsake me?" + +"Forsake you, Eugene! why should I forsake you?" + +"Not even if they told you I was unworthy of you--if they tried to +separate us by lies and false inventions?" + +"Dear--dear, Eugene, what can make you talk thus?--forsake you! never: +even if they were so wicked. Why even if you were really what they +represented--" + +"What--what? you would not forsake me _then_?" + +"Cain's wife forsook not her husband, and yet his crime was greater than +anything you could ever have committed," she answered in a gentle, +cheerful voice. + +"True--true--true," hurriedly he replied, (but why had he been fool +enough to put Cain into her head?)--"True, dear Mary, you are an angel, +but then Cain's faithful friend was his wife. I meant, if _before_ we +were married, they tried to separate us by such measures,--or if for +instance," he added quite cheerfully and naturally, "if, as you quite +seem to think possible, I am sorry to perceive, I did turn out a +villain." + +"Then," Mary answered firmly and gravely, "the course of conduct I must +pursue would be a question of right and wrong; it is difficult for me +indeed, to realize to myself such a position of affairs; but I know--I +feel," with a self-accusing sigh, "what my heart would at present +dictate--that I could never of my own accord forsake you, Eugene--never +could cancel the engagement which binds us to each other--unless +indeed," she added, "you, Eugene, should desire it." + +"_I_ desire, it!" he repeated with a laugh of tender scorn, "what in the +world could now arise to render our separation, for a day even, +desirable in my eyes? No, the time will soon be here when, you know, +Mary, what you have promised--that we shall never again be obliged to +part." + +Strange--strange world of contradiction; strange indeed, that in so very +brief a space of time the same enthusiastic speaker should be the +first-- + +But we must not anticipate. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + The nuptial day was fix'd, the plighting kiss + Glowed on my lips; that moment the abyss, + Which hid by moss-grown time yet yawned as wide + Beneath my feet, divorced me from her side. + A letter came-- + + THE NEW TIMON. + + +"There is a tide in the affairs of man," and Mary's we have seen, from +the time of her first arrival at Silverton, has seemed to run on to the +full, with a most uninterrupted flow of smooth prosperity most alarming. + +It was quite the latter end of November that the first break in the +party assembled at Silverton was occasioned by the departure of Arthur +Seaham for Scotland, where he went for the purpose both of seeing his +sister Alice, and arranging several matters of business, and at the +same time to consult his brother-in-law, Mr. Gillespie, whose opinion +and legal experience he held in high estimation, concerning the measures +to be adopted with reference to his intended professional studies. + +By Christmas, however, Arthur would be in London, and there again meet +Mary, who in less than ten days from his departure was to accompany the +de Burgh's to town, Trevor also proceeding thither. + +Mrs. de Burgh had persuaded her husband that it was quite indispensable +for her well-doing that her confinement--expected in January--should +occur under the auspices of a celebrated London practitioner, and Mr. de +Burgh, very persuadable on this anxious point, had taken a house for the +occasion. + +"And then of course," Mrs. de Burgh resumed complacently, "we shall +remain for the season. I shall then be able to look out for a nursery +governess for the children, and be in town for your wedding, dear Mary, +all quite comfortably." + +Mary, nevertheless, was not to continue the guest of her cousins in +Brook Street, though they expressed their willingness to accommodate her +therein; she preferred, all things considered, to avail herself of the +invitation of her former guardians, the uncle and aunt Majoribanks, to +visit them in their roomy mansion in Portman Square. + +Trevor was anxious that his marriage should take place, if possible, +very early in the spring, and the preliminaries necessary to that event +were to be set on foot immediately after the assemblage of the aforesaid +parties in town; whilst to thicken the plot, and to render the aspect of +coming events still more _couleur de rose_ in the eyes of the happy +_fiancée_, the morning before Arthur's arrival, Mary received a letter +from her sister Agnes, announcing--along with many delighted and +affectionate congratulations from the late bride on the event, which was +to render her dear Mary, she hoped, as happy as herself in her new +estate--the joyful news of her intended return to England in time to +take upon herself the management and superintendance of her sister's +wedding; for kind Sir Hugh insisted that it should be his part to give +the wedding breakfast, at the best house he could take for the occasion; +whilst at the same time, it seems the worthy baronet and his young wife +had gone so far as to decide that the intended couple could do no better +than repair to the baronet's seat in Wales after the happy event for, +their honeymoon, Glan Pennant being now let to strangers. + + * * * * * + +Poor Mary! she had been taking a long and delightful ride with her lover +the day after Arthur left Silverton. There had been no shadow, no cloud, +cast upon the calm, confiding transport of her heart, as they discussed +together their happy prospects--the episode of that Sunday walk had +never been in the slightest degree renewed, nay, seemed as if by either +party quite forgotten. + +Trevor was more gay, more gentle, more tender this day than she had ever +seen him; and when he lifted her from her horse at the door at +Silverton, and as he did so, caught the faintest sound of a gentle, +breeze-like sigh heaved from her bosom, he, with an anxious solicitude +which made Mary smile, looked into her face, and asked quite fearfully, +"why she so sighed?" + +"I do not know, indeed, dear Eugene," was the reply, "unless it be that +I am _too happy_." + + * * * * * + +The following morning, Mary and the de Burghs were assembled at the +breakfast-table, the children present as usual, but Eugene had not yet +made his appearance; his letters, or rather his letter, for there was +but one this day, lay as usual by his plate on the table. + +"Louey, put that letter down; have I not told you a hundred times, not +to pull about other people's things?" called out Mr. de Burgh to his +young daughter, whose meddling little fingers seemed irresistibly +attracted by the red seal upon this unopened document, as well as by the +endeavour to test her literary powers by deciphering the printed letters +composing the post mark. + +"Louey, pray do as you are told, and do not make your papa so cross and +fidgetty," her mother rejoined. + +"Just like the rest of her sex," remarked Mr. de Burgh, sarcastically, +"always fond of prying and peeping. I have little doubt, but that if I +were not here, the seal and direction would be carefully inspected by +more than one pair of ladies' eyes--eh, Mary?" + +Mary with playful indignation denied the insinuation, whilst Mrs. de +Burgh was exclaiming contemptuously, that he always had such bad, absurd +ideas, when the discussion was terminated by the entrance of the +unconscious object of the conversation, who after having finished his +morning greeting, proceeded to seat himself at the table, and seeing his +letter, took it up, glanced at the direction and broke the seal, while +Louey, who after her last received reproof, had slid round to Mary's +chair, convicted and ashamed; with her large dark eyes watched this +proceeding on Eugene's part with the most attentive interest. + +The first cover was thrown aside--another sealed letter was enclosed--at +that direction he also looked, and even the child, had she watched his +countenance instead of his fingers, might have been struck by its +immediate change; the deep flush succeeded by the deadly pallor which +overspread his face. He gave a quick uneasy glance around, but no one +was observing him, and then again fixing his eyes anxiously upon the +address, was about to turn and break the seal, when his elbow was +touched, and the little girl who had glided round to possess herself of +her former object of ambition--the seal on the discarded envelope--now +whispered in his ear: + +"Don't break that beautiful seal--give it to me." + +Trevor started, and looked at first as much confused and disconcerted, +as if he had been required by the young lady to yield the letter itself +for public inspection; but recovering himself in a moment, he, as if +mechanically, obeyed the child's injunction, tearing off the impression; +and thus recovering her prize, together with another polite request, +from her father, not to be such a tiresome bore, she returned with it +to her former refuge, laying it before Mary for her particular +inspection, who glancing carelessly towards the impression, perceived it +to be the Trevor coat-of-arms, together with the initials "E. T." + +Eugene in the meantime having hastily glanced his eye over the writing +inside, thrust the letter into his pocket, and proceeded to make a hasty +but indifferent breakfast. + +He did not join the ladies as usual during the few first hours of that +morning--but Mr. de Burgh informed them in answer to their inquiry, when +he came once into the drawing-room, that "Trevor was sitting in the +library, deep in meditation over the 'Times.'" At last he made his +appearance for a short time, and sat down by Mary's side, but in so very +abstracted and absent a mood, that she began to be possessed with secret +misgivings that something had occurred to annoy him, though she kept +this feeling to herself. + +Mrs. de Burgh's quick perception also discovered that something was +indeed amiss, and she playfully told Eugene that he was very stupid, +and must take another ride with Mary after luncheon to brisk him up. + +But looking down on the ground, in the same altered moody manner which +characterized his present demeanour, he murmured that he was afraid he +should be obliged to leave Silverton early in the afternoon. + +Mrs. de Burgh, on hearing this, and struck still more by his peculiar +manner, glanced inquiringly at her cousin, and was preparing to rise in +order to leave him alone with Mary, when Eugene suddenly got up from his +chair, and, making some excuse for absenting himself, quitted the +apartment. + +Mary made no remark on this demeanour of her lover, but silently and +quietly pursued her occupation. It was not in her nature, as we before +remarked, to fret or torment herself, or others, by easily excited +fears, or fanciful misgivings. She was fearful, indeed, that Eugene was +suffering under some temporary anxiety or annoyance, occasioned, +perhaps, by the letter he had received that morning; but nothing more +serious entered her imagination. + +Eugene did not come in to luncheon, but of that meal he seldom partook, +and when once, through the open door, Mary caught sight of him standing +darkly in an adjoining room, his eyes fixed earnestly upon her, she +smiled her own sweet, affectionate, confiding smile, which he returned +with a kind of subdued, melancholy tenderness. She found herself at +length in the drawing-room alone, and heard Eugene's step slowly +approaching. He half opened the door, and seeing that no one was with +her, entered the apartment. She held out her hand as he drew near, and +seizing it, he pressed it passionately to his lips. + +"Mary," he murmured, in a low, thrilling tone, whilst he gazed long and +earnestly into her face, till her soft eyes shrank, like flowers at +noon, beneath the dark, wild gleam which shone upon them. "My dear, +good, best-beloved Mary," then his arm encircled her waist, he pressed +her trembling form against his heart, imprinted a burning kiss upon her +lips, and ere Mary had recovered from the first strong surprise with +which this sudden ardour in her lover's conduct naturally inspired her, +he had left the room, and Mrs. de Burgh entering soon after to ask her +to drive, she heard that Eugene was gone! + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + Still must fate, stern, cold, reproving, + Link but to divide the heart---- + Must it teach the young and loving + First to prize and then to part. + + L. E. L. + + +The second day after Eugene Trevor's departure, Mary received a letter +from him, short, hurried, though affectionate, and mentioning that some +troublesome and rather annoying business obliged him to leave Montrevor. +He did not say for how long, or where he was going, but Mary sent her +letter, in answer, directed to Montrevor. + +She did not hear from him again. + +There wanted but two days to the one fixed for the journey to London. +The preparations necessarily preceding the removal, as well as her +naturally patient and tranquil disposition, had hitherto prevented Mary +from dwelling too uneasily on her lover's silence. After all, it had +only been for a few days, and she knew him to be naturally no great +letter-writer. The tiresome business which had taken him from home +probably engaged much of his time and attention, and he was anxious to +have it over before they met again. + +But when, on coming down to breakfast the morning of the above-mentioned +day, her anxious glance for the wished for letter was again +disappointed, she could not forbear giving vent to the anxious +exclamation, "No letter again from Eugene!" + +She glanced as she spoke towards her cousin Louis, and perceived his +regard fixed upon her, with so anxious, so grave an expression of +concern, that her heart instantly misgave her, though she said nothing +more at the time. + +Mrs. de Burgh entered the breakfast-room soon after, looking quite +unconscious, merely inquiring of Mary what news the post had brought; +and only remarked that Eugene was a very idle fellow, when Mary's +dejected silence bespoke her to have been disappointed in the results of +its delivery; immediately after breakfast Mary heard Mr. de Burgh say, +"Olivia, I wish to speak to you in the library," an unusual occurrence, +unless there was anything of very especial consequence to be +communicated, and then she heard the door shut upon them. + +She waited half an hour in a state of anxious suspense, which in vain +she strove to reason with herself was unnecessary and uncalled for. What +had this interview to do with her--with Eugene? But no--it would not do; +her heart still beat nervously in her bosom, and she strained her ears +at every sound, to listen whether it might not be the opening of the +library door, and her cousin's appearance, to reassure her, no doubt, +silly apprehension. + +Mary was reminded by all this of her feelings on the occasion of her +anticipated interview with Louis, after his having been informed of her +engagement with Eugene, and the step she had taken to put an end to the +nervous impulse under which she then had laboured. + +No doubt she would find her intrusion on this occasion perfectly +uncalled for; but still her presence was never unwelcome, and to relieve +her mind of its present uneasiness, she could at that moment have braved +any contingency. + +So to the library she proceeded, opened the door, and entered. + +"But what is the use of telling her anything about it, poor thing! till +she gets to London? For Heaven's sake, wait till then." + +This was what she heard; and if there had been any doubt on Mary's mind, +as to whether these words bore reference to herself, the confused and +disconcerted countenances of both Mr. and Mrs. de Burgh, when they +became aware of her presence, too fully assured her on that point; and +advancing, pale and trembling, towards her cousins, she at once faltered +forth: + +"Louis--Olivia! have you heard anything of Eugene? Is he ill? or what +has happened?" and then she burst into tears. + +"No, no, dear Mary, there is nothing the matter with Trevor--he is quite +well." + +Mr. de Burgh hastened to confirm this, and in the gentlest, kindest +manner made her sit down by his side. + +"The fact is," he said, "I have had a letter from him this morning, +which may possibly damp your spirits a little for the moment, although +it can, of course, be of no ultimate importance, only defer expected +happiness to a remoter period." + +Mary, drying her eyes, anxiously waited for him to proceed. + +"Trevor writes me word that his marriage, owing, it seems, to some +rather serious business, must of necessity be postponed, he does not say +till when. But you see," he continued, breaking off into a more cheerful +and encouraging tone of voice, "there is nothing so fatally unfortunate +in this." + +No, indeed, it was not the bare fact those words conveyed which bowed +down Mary's trembling spirit, and gave such wan and wintry sadness to +the smile with which she attempted to acknowledge her cousin's +comforting words. It was not the mere intelligence that her marriage was +postponed which fell like a cloud upon her soul, it was that dark +presentiment which often on occasions of less or greater magnitude +assails the mind of man, that the happy prosperity of his life has +reached its culminating point: that the point is turned, and henceforth +it must take a downward course. + +"But why," she faltered, now glancing towards Mrs. de Burgh, who sat +silent and distressed, "why did he not write and tell me this himself?" + +"I think, dear Mary, Louis had better tell you what Eugene said in his +letter, which was to him, not to me. I will come back presently," and +rising, Mrs. de Burgh kissed Mary's pale cheek, and gladly made her +escape from the thing she particularly dreaded--painful circumstances +over which she could have no control; so Mary once more turned her +plaintive glance of inquiry upon her cousin Louis. + +"Here is his letter!" Mr. de Burgh replied; "if you would like to read +it, it may be as well that you should do so, as it is all I know, or +understand about the matter." + +Mary took the letter in her trembling hand, and steadying it as she +could--read in her lover's hand-writing the following communication, +which, from the concise, unvarnished manner in which it was conveyed, +led one rather to suspect that it had never been intended for the eye of +his tender-hearted lady-love, but, with the well-known proverb +respecting "fine words," &c. uppermost in his mind--penned rather for +the private benefit of one of his own strong-minded species. + + "Dear de Burgh, + + "You will, I am sure, be surprised, when I tell you that + circumstances have lately arisen which render it impossible that my + marriage can take place as soon as I had hoped and expected. I need + not tell you that my distress and vexation are extreme, the more + so, that I am forced to be convinced of the expediency, nay, + necessity of this postponement, finding it quite impossible, under + the present position of affairs, that with any justice to Mary, + our union could be concluded. Of course more particular explanation + will be required; but I write this merely to beg that either you or + Olivia will break to her this intelligence, of which I feel it + right she should not be kept in ignorance, I am myself quite + unequal to communicate with her upon the subject. Tell her only + that I am concerned and disappointed beyond expression, that I will + write to her brother more fully, or to any of her friends who may + desire it; but that I cannot, dare not, trust myself to put pen to + paper to address her till I can see my way more clearly. + + "Believe me, ever, dear de Burgh, + + "Yours most sincerely, + + "EUGENE TREVOR." + +A large tear rolled down Mary's cheek as she refolded and laid aside the +letter. + +"Poor Eugene!" she murmured gently, "how unhappy he seems to be! You +will write to him, Louis; will you not?" she added: "If so, do tell him +I am grieved, disappointed, for his sake, but that he must not distress +and harass himself on my account--that he must be patient till these +obstacles are removed. Our happiness has, till now, been too great and +uninterrupted for us to have expected that it could continue without any +thing to rise and mar the smoothness of its course; we shall only prize +it the more when it is restored, and love each other the more firmly for +this little reverse." + +"Had you not better perhaps write and tell him all this yourself?" said +Mr. de Burgh, with a smile of kind and gentle interest. + +"I think perhaps I had better not," she answered sadly. "You see he does +not like to write to me upon the subject, so perhaps it would distress +him the more to hear from me just now. I know it is a peculiarity in +Eugene to shrink from the direct discussion of any circumstance painful +and annoying to his feelings. Tell him therefore, also--if you, Louis, +will be so kind as to write--not to think it necessary to enter into any +particulars at present, with my brother, or any one else. It is quite +bad enough for him to be troubled by these affairs, without further +annoyance being added to the business. I am quite satisfied with what he +has imparted--quite satisfied as to the expediency and necessity of our +marriage being deferred--that I can wait, and shall be content patiently +to wait, as long as it shall be required." + +Yes, Mary, wait--wait--learn patiently to wait--it is woman's lesson, +which, sooner or later, your sex must learn, and of which your meek soul +will have but too full experience! The cup of joy so temptingly +presented "to lips that may not drain," but instead--the sickening hope +deferred--the long heart thirst--yet still to patiently hold on, +awaiting meekly her lingering reward. "Bearing all things, believing all +things, hoping all things, enduring all things." + +The few last days previous to a departure, is under any circumstances, +generally a somewhat uncomfortable and unsettled period. Our Silverton +party were doubly relieved by its expiration. Eugene's letter seemed to +have cast a damp over their general spirits. + +Mrs. de Burgh, evidently puzzled and perplexed, was at a loss how to +treat the subject, when discussing it with Mary; whilst Louis, far from +seeming elated at this hitch in an affair of which he had always +professed such unqualified disapprobation, was evidently sorry and +annoyed at this disturbance of his cousin's peace of mind, and whilst +more than ever, kind and affectionate in his demeanour towards herself, +was unusually out of humour with every one around him. + +As for Mary, she walked about more like a person half awakening from a +long and happy dream, who feels herself struggling hard not to break the +pleasant spell. It seemed to her, that there was a dull and silent +vacuum reigning over the large mansion, she had never before perceived. +She looked wearily from the window upon the dreary December scene, and +it seemed that almost for the first time she became aware that it was +not the bright summer month which had marked her first arrival. She felt +that now, she also would be glad to go. + +What! glad to leave the spot where, who knows poor Mary, but that the +brief bright summer time of your existence has passed and gone? For +there is a summer time in the life of every mortal being--a more or +less bright, passionate ecstatic season of enjoyment, though +wofully--fearfully evanescent are the flowers and leaves which mark some +mortals' summer time. + +But why lament for this--if, may be, the autumn with its calm cool +chastened light be longer thine? + +The morning of departure arrived--and pale and passive in the midst of +all the bustle and excitement attendant on the starting of a large +family party, composed of servants, children, a lady suffering from the +nervous and uncomfortable feelings attendant on her situation, and a +rather fidgetty, impatient husband--pale and passive, yet with an +inwardly bruised and sinking sensation of the heart, Mary entered the +carriage, and was soon borne far away from the vicinity of Silverton and +Montrevor. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + Oh, thou dark and gloomy city! + Let me turn my eyes from thee; + Sorrow, sympathy nor pity, + In thy presence seems to be; + Darkness like a pall hath bound thee-- + Shadow of thy world within-- + With thy drear revealings round me, + Love seems vain, and hope a sin. + + L. E. L. + + +Mary on her arrival in London, went straight to Portman Square, where +she was received with affectionate gladness by her venerable relations. + +They, of course, had been amongst the first to be made aware of their +niece's matrimonial prospects, and proud and happy did the intelligence +render the worthy pair. Full and hearty were the congratulations poured +upon the pale and drooping _fiancée_,--to be silenced for the time by +the dejected answer: + +"Yes, dear aunt, but for the present our marriage is postponed." + +After this first ordeal, there was something not ungenial to Mary's +state of mind in the orderly and quiet monotony of the old-fashioned, +yet comfortable establishment of the Majoribanks. Their daughter was +remarkable for nothing but that indolence of habit and disposition which +a long sojourn in the luxurious East often engenders, and made little +more impression upon Mary's mind, than the costly shawls in which the +orientalized lady at rare intervals appeared enveloped; whilst some +little creatures, chattering in an outlandish tongue, and attended by a +dark-hued ayah, only occasionally excited her present vague, languid +powers of interest and attention. + +London in December bears by no means an inviting and exhilarating +aspect; still there are moods and conditions of minds with which at this +season it better assimilates than in its more bright and genial periods. +No glare, or glitter, or display then distracts our spirits. Over the +vast city and its ever-moving myriads, seems to hang one dark, thick, +impenetrable veil, beneath whose dingy folds, joy and misery, innocence +and crime, indigence and wealth, alike hurry on their way, +undistinguishable and indistinct. Men are to our eyes "as trees +walking,"--by faint, uncertain glimpses we alone recognise the face of +friend or foe, who see us not--or, in our turn, are seen, by those we +unconsciously pass by. + +Then, and there, in the "dark grey city," more than in "the green +stillness of the country," we can retire into the sanctuary of our own +sad hearts--or beneath this vague and dreamy influence the poet's heart +may wander undisturbed, and as he "hears and feels the throbbing heart +of man," may calmly image forth his destined theme for thought, or song. +"The river of life that flows through streets, tumultuous, bearing along +so many gallant hearts, so many wrecks of humanity;--the many homes and +households, each a little world in itself, revolving round its +fireside, as a central sun; all forms of human joy, and suffering +brought into that narrow compass; and to be in this, and be a part of +this, acting, thinking, rejoicing, sorrowing with his fellow-men." + +Poor Mary! she too went forth, and walked, or drove, as beneath one dim, +broad shadow; everything without her and within, vague, dreamy, and +indistinct, except when some pale face or dark eye startled her +momentarily from her trance, by their fancied or seeming similitude to +that loved being, whom some suddenly eclipsing power, like the one now +veiling the wintry sun, had hidden from her aching sight,--but of whom, +each day, she lived in sure but anxious anticipation of receiving +tidings either in person or by letter. + +Mary had not written to her brother Arthur on the subject of Eugene's +letter till she came to London, then so lightly did she touch upon the +matter it contained, giving her brother merely to understand that her +marriage was deferred for a short period; that he only in his reply +expressed pleasure at the idea that he was not to lose her quite so +soon, and at the same time mentioned his intention of remaining in +Edinburgh a little longer than he had previously intended, according to +the urgent solicitations of his sister Alice, who had so few +opportunities of enjoying the society of her relations--and at the same +time, for the more interested purpose of reaping as long as he was able +the benefit of his lawyer brother-in-laws' valuable counsel and +assistance on the subject upon which his mind was so keenly set; +affording so excellent a preparation for those regular studies, in +which, after the Christmas vacation, he was to engage as member of the +Middle Temple. + +And thus the affectionate brother remained in perfect ignorance that +anything was amiss in the concerns of his favourite sister, during this +protracted absence. But the old couple of course soon began to require +some more defined explanation as to the state of affairs, and an +interview with Mr. de Burgh, when he called one morning to see Mary, did +not tend to throw any very satisfactory light upon the subject. All that +he could inform them concerning the matter was, that some business was +pending, which would prevent the marriage from taking place as soon as +had been intended; that Mrs. de Burgh had heard from her cousin, Mr. +Trevor, who seemed to be considerably distressed by this impediment, and +to shrink from holding any direct communion with his betrothed until +matters had assumed a more favourable aspect; that he announced his +intention of coming up to town as soon as he could possibly leave his +father, who was suffering from another dangerous attack of illness. +Until such time he, Mr. de Burgh, supposed there was nothing to be done, +particularly as Mary's own solicitations were most urgent to that +effect; and she, indeed, poor girl, always professed herself perfectly +satisfied that all was right. + +Ah, how could it be otherwise? the bare idea was treason to her +confiding, trustful heart. + +Mary did not see a great deal of Mrs. de Burgh after her first arrival. + +It is astonishing how great a barrier a few streets and squares of the +metropolis can form against the intercourse of dearest and most +familiar friends. Mrs. de Burgh was ill at first and uncomfortable +herself, and it only distressed her to see Mary under the present +unsatisfactory aspect of affairs. Then her confinement intervened, and +after that she was surrounded by other friends, whose society was +unassociated with the painful feelings, which by that time had occurred +to throw a still greater constraint over her intercourse with the pale, +sad Mary. + +How characteristic this is of the general friendship of worldly people. +How warm, how bright, has been the affection showered upon us when we +were gay, glad, or hopeful. But let some cloud arise to dim our aspect, +let our spirits droop, our brow be overcast, then, though they may not +love us less--though they may feel for and pity us, nay, would do much +to restore our happiness, if in their power; yet if that cannot +be--then--"come again when less sad and sorrowful, when your lips once +more can give back smile for smile--when your voice has lost these notes +of deep dejection, _then_, oh, come again, and we will with open arms +receive you, and our love be as fond, as fervent, as unconstrained; but +till then--away! you chide our spirits, you restrain our mirth." + +This is the language which seems to breathe from every altered look and +tone of our worldly friends. + + * * * * * + +Mary went one day to see her cousin. She found Olivia on the sofa, +looking a little delicate, but only the more beautiful from that cause, +as well as from the subdued, softened expression of her countenance. + +Her husband sat affectionately by her side, the brightest satisfaction +beaming from his handsome features, gazing upon his lovely wife, and +new-born son, a fine healthy infant, resting on the mother's bosom. + +It was altogether a perfect picture of happy family prosperity, and +tears of heartfelt pleasure rose to Mary's eyes at the sight. + +She wished and prayed that it might be an earnest of the establishment +of a happier and better state of things between that married pair; that +the long slumbering, or diverted demonstration of affection, now +reawakened or recalled, might never again be put to silence, or lose +their reasserted power. Alas! for the transitory nature of pure and holy +influences like the present, upon the light, inconstant, or the worldly +hearted; influences of time, or circumstances, which like the shaken +blossoms of the spring, the breath of vanity or dissipation can in a +moment dispel and scatter to the ground. + + "They never came to fruit, and their sweet lives soon are o'er, + But we lived an hour beneath them, and never dreamed of more." + +At least thus we regret to say, it proved with regard to any temporary +influence to which Mrs. de Burgh might have been subjected. For her +convalescence, and the allurements and temptations of the ensuing +season, tended too surely to the overthrow of those hopes and +aspirations, in which poor Mary so rejoiced, in behalf of her cousin +Louis and his beautiful wife. But this is wandering from the regular +progress of our story. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + I am not false to thee, yet now + Thou hast a cheerful eye; + With flushing cheek and drooping brow, + I wander mournfully. + + Thou art the same; thy looks are gay, + Thy step is light and free, + And yet, with truth, my heart can say, + I am not false to thee. + + MRS. NORTON. + + +Spring was fast advancing. Arthur Seaham had returned some time from +Scotland, and had entered as a student of the Temple. The Morgans had +arrived in London, yet the cloud seemed only to thicken the more round +Mary's prospects. + +The friends had ceased to pain her ears by any open animadversion of her +lover. They seemed to wait in moody silence the issue of affairs; the +dangerous and precarious condition, in which they had ascertained that +his father still remained--giving rise, in a great measure, to the idea +suggested by a vague hint from the son, that on this circumstance +depended the removal of the impediment which he professed had arisen +against his marriage--still excusing his non-appearance. + +And Mary--though not to hear mention of that beloved name, was to her +almost as great an agony, as to know that injurious and suspicious +thoughts were silently harboured in the breast of those around her, +against that one loved being; and though her cheek day by day was +becoming more pale, her heart more sinking--yearning for her lover's +exculpation--yet more she still lived hopefully, trustfully, sure that +all would eventually be right. + +Day by day, she thought "he will be here," sometimes that he might even +then be in London, only waiting to make his presence known until his +anxious consultations with his lawyers had set his mind more at rest. + +Mary was sometimes induced to accept the urgent solicitations of her +sister Agnes to accompany herself and Sir Hugh, to such places of public +amusement as the yet early season rendered admissible. + +Lady Morgan, blooming and happy as ever youthful wife could be; with her +indulgent husband, upon whom his continental sojourn, together with the +influence of his handsome young spouse, had produced quite a polishing +and refining effect, were established in a fashionable hotel, for the +short space of time which now, alas! that there was no marriage to be +celebrated, they intended--this season--to remain in London. + +One night, when on the point of issuing from their private box at one of +the minor theatres, where they had been witnessing the performance of a +famous actress, a party of men, who had apparently occupied one of the +lower boxes on the same side of the house, rushed quickly past, laughing +and talking with light and careless glee. + +Some glanced slightly on the young Lady Morgan; who happened to stand +forward at the time, and whose appearance momentarily attracted their +attention; but Mary, without being seen from her position behind her +sister, caught sight of the party as they passed. + +Why did the beatings of her heart stand still--that sick faint chill +creep over her? could it be--oh, could it indeed be Eugene! nearly +foremost of that group, whose dark eye had flashed that cursory glance +upon her sister, as he hurried by--whose voice, in that well known +cheerful laugh (at least so it had ever been to Mary's ears) had echoed +on her heart, her anxious, longing, saddened heart? + +Oh! could it be--and was it thus she now beheld him--he, whose last +embrace still thrilled her frame--whose parting kiss still lingered on +her lips--unconscious of her presence, careless, unthinking of her +grief. + +Yes, thus she first beheld him, for whom she had so long watched and +waited,--and wept, when none were near. + +"Mary dear, are you there?" her sister said looking back, when they had +stepped out into the passage. "But, my dear darling, how pale you look. +Sir Hugh," she exclaimed quite reproachfully to her husband, "pray give +Mary your arm," and with repentant alacrity the Baronet hastened to +offer his assistance to his half-fainting sister-in-law. "It was the +heat--the gas," poor Mary murmured; "she would be better when they went +into the air." + +And she did then seem to revive, and entering the carriage, told not a +word of what had occurred to trouble her; nor hinted the fact of having +seen Eugene, (if indeed her bewildered fancy had not deceived her), even +to her brother, when she saw him on the morrow. + +No, still in hope and trust, she waited patiently. The very next night +but one after this occurrence, she was again called for by her sister +and brother-in-law, to accompany them to the opera, but just re-opened +for the season. + +Oh! the wistful earnestness of that sad eye, straining its aching sight +to discern some inmate of the opposite boxes, of the stalls below, who, +for one deceiving moment, made her heart beat fast, by some fancied +similitude with the object of her thoughts. But no, the vision of the +night before was not to be renewed on this occasion, though of its +reality--which at times she was almost inclined to doubt--she was not to +leave the house quite unassured. + +Mary and her sister were waiting in the round room, expecting the return +of Sir Hugh, who had gone to look for the carriage; Lady Morgan, talking +to a gentleman with whom she was acquainted, when Mary's attention was +rivetted by the colloquy between two men, who had previously passed them +in the vestibule, and near whom they again found themselves standing, +evidently without the former being aware of their vicinity. + +"Oh, yes!" said one, "that was Lady Morgan, the young wife of the rich +Sir Hugh, the Welsh baronet, more than twice her age; a fine looking +young woman; but did you see that pale, pretty girl who was with them; +do you know that she is Miss Seaham, her sister, Eugene Trevor's +intended." + +"Ah, indeed? I saw Trevor to-day, and congratulated him, but I thought +he did not seem much to like the subject." + +"No indeed; I hear he is rather trying to back out of the affair. Some +spoke in the wheel, I suppose about money matters, and the old father +who was thought to be dying, seems to have picked up again." + +"Well, I should think there were a few things besides money, which would +rather stand in the way," was the reply, and then the speakers lowered +their voices as they talked on, and Mary heard--and wished to hear no +more. + +"Dear Agnes, shall we go on? There is Sir Hugh coming," and Lady Morgan +felt a gentle pressure on her fair round arm, and looking back, caught +sight once more of her sister's pale and piteous countenance. + +"My poor, dear Mary, these places certainly do not suit you," whispered +her affectionate young _chaperone_, as she passed her sister's trembling +arm through hers, and pressed onwards through the crowd to meet her +husband. "I must really carry you back with me as soon as possible to +our mountain breezes." + +"Would that I had never left them, Aggy!" murmured poor Mary in low +plaintive accents, whilst an uncontrollable flood of tears came to her +full heart's relief. + + * * * * * + +The very next day, Mary set out on one of those expeditions, which at +this time might be called her only real enjoyment--namely, her visits to +her brother in his chambers at the Temple; often, as was the case on +this occasion, to bring him back to dine in Portman Square. + +The Majoribanks' chariot, with its fat, slow, sleek horses, and steady +attendants, being conceded to her special use this evening; she went +forth heavy at heart, but anxiously striving to rally her spirits, to +meet her brother with that cheerfulness which in his society she ever +strove (and found it less difficult than under other circumstances) to +assume. It was rather early to proceed straight to the Temple, and +therefore Mary had agreed with her aunt, that she should go first to +execute some commissions in the opposite direction. + +We can easily imagine from what source alone the interest could spring, +with which her sad eyes gazed through the carriage windows, as she +passed through some of the streets in this quarter. + +Did she not know that somewhere in this vicinity, Eugene always lodged +when he came to town. And oh! to be passing perhaps the very door of the +house that contained him, was the gasping utterance of her heart, as she +swallowed down the tears which struggled upwards at this suggestion. + +"But he--he does not care--he can be happy and cheerful without me," was +the still more bitter thought which succeeded, as she shrank back in the +carriage in dark and tearless dejection. + +But from this she is aroused by one of those matter-of-fact realities of +common life, which form fortunate and salutary breaks in the tragic, or +the romance of man's existence. + +The carriage stops before a fancy workshop in Bond Street, where many +colours for her aunt's worsted work are to be matched or chosen. + +Mary does not herself alight; but gives a few directions to the well +initiated footman, who knows perfectly how to give the order--better +indeed perhaps than she herself--and sits in patient abstraction till +the man's return. He reappears, puts the parcel into the carriage, then +draws abruptly back, for some one has touched his arm, and signs that he +should give place. + +Mary languidly lifts her eyes, and Eugene is before her. The place and +circumstance of this meeting, admitted not at first of any very open +demonstration of feeling, such as must necessarily have been excited. A +few low, hurried, agitated sentences were uttered by Trevor, as he bent +forward into the carriage towards Mary, whose pale lips could scarcely +articulate incoherent expressions of her sudden joy. + +Then, by a peremptory gesture from the gentleman, the servant is +commanded to let down the steps. He obeys. Trevor springs in. The door +is closed; a moment's whispered consultation, and in faltering tones +Mary gives orders to be driven to the Temple, and the carriage rolls off +in that direction. + +Once more alone together--once more by Eugene's side--Mary sees already +the cloud dispersed--fear, doubt, misgiving, vanished from her path. + +How comes it, then, that misery and bewilderment is the confused +impression which this interview shall afterwards leave upon her mind? +How is it, that for the most part of that long way, she sits weeping +silently, her cold hand trembling in the burning palm of Eugene?--he now +in low, despairing accents bemoaning his grief, his pain--now +passionately cursing his wretched fortunes, his fatal circumstances? + +But no explanation--no hope--no promised deliverance from the sorrow or +the evil. + +Once, indeed, in a low and hurried tone, he breathed into her ear the +notion of a clandestine marriage--a secret union--one to be kept +concealed till such a time as the present necessity for secresy should +be at an end; the idea probably suggested to his mind by passing one of +those dark, often magnificent, but almost unfrequented churches, so well +suited, to all appearance, for the celebration of mysterious rites and +secret ceremonies, which rear their heads in some of the close, dark +streets of the city. But the firm, though gentle withdrawal of her hand, +the look of almost cold astonishment which marked her reception of this +desperate proposition, sufficed to convey to Eugene Trevor's mind the +full conviction that with all her yielding tenderness, her feminine +weakness of disposition, never must he hope to tempt his gentle, +pure-hearted love from the right, straight road of principle and duty +into any crooked path of deviating, or questionable proceeding. + +"No, no, Eugene!" seemed to speak the sadly averted countenance. "No, +no, Eugene; the grief, the sin, the shame, whatever it may be, that now +stands between us, can never be set aside, be overstepped by such +unworthy means as you suggest. I can suffer, I can wait, I can make +every other sacrifice for your sake; but I cannot err--I cannot thus +deceive." + +But suddenly, during the dreary pause that succeeded, Mary's eye +recognises some passing object, calling forth a momentary interest in +her mind, even in this moment of concentrated absorption of feeling. + +She makes a quick forward movement of surprise; but when Eugene looked +inquiringly, as if to discern the cause of her apparent interest, the +momentary excitement died away, and she answered with melancholy +composure: + +"It was only that I saw Mr. Temple pass--he of whom, you know, I told +you once." + +"What--who--Eus--Temple I mean, did you say? Are you certain--quite +certain?" he exclaimed, with anxious, eager excitement, far surpassing +any which the recognition had excited in her own breast; "are you +sure--quite sure that it was he?" + +"Yes" with a sigh; "I do not think I could be mistaken, for he looked so +earnestly into the carriage; but why--why, Eugene," looking at her lover +with a faint, melancholy smile, and some expression of surprise, "why +should it thus excite you?" + +"My own dear love," Eugene now said, regaining possession of her hand, +and trying also to assume a forced smile, as well as tone of careless +unconcern, "I was not particularly excited, but you know I cannot help +feeling a slight degree of interest in that man after what you told me. +And did he see us? you, dearest, I mean?" he continued, still with a +degree of anxious solicitude in his tone. + +"Yes, I think, I am almost sure, he did," she wearily replied, and then +her exhausted feelings sunk her again into a state of hopeless, listless +dejection. + +And Eugene sat too, for a few minutes, plunged in anxious, thoughtful +silence, from which he was aroused by a glance towards the windows, +reminding him that they were approaching closely to Mary's destination. + +Immediately, with an exclamation of despair, he pulls the check-string +and the carriage stops; the servant is at the door. There was but a +bewildered hasty parting. Trevor springs out into the street, turns upon +Mary one expressive, eager glance, and he is gone! The carriage +proceeds a little way, and then rolls within the Temple gates, and Mary +is found by her brother, when he comes hurrying down to meet her, pale, +trembling, nearly hysterical, from the effects of all her nerves and +feelings had undergone. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + Me, the still "London" not the restless "Town" + (The light plume fluttering o'er Cybele's crown,) + Delights;--for there the grave romance hath shed + Its hues, and air grows solemn with the dead. + + THE NEW TIMON. + + + Lives of great men all remind us + We can make our lives sublime, + And, departing, leave behind us + Footprints on the sands of time. + + LONGFELLOW. + + +What was the matter?--what had happened?--was Arthur Seaham's anxious +inquiry, when having for greater privacy entered the carriage, he had +sat a few minutes by Mary's side, tenderly and soothingly holding her +hand--till the first paroxysm of emotion, (which to his astonishment +and dismay, greeted his first appearance) was in a degree subsided. + +A few broken words, threw light upon the matter. She had seen--she had +just parted from Eugene. Arthur pressed no further question at the +moment, but proposed taking her up-stairs to his chambers, to give her +wine to recruit the poor girl's agitated spirits; but this Mary +declined. She only wanted air; she felt suffocated by the heat and +confinement of the carriage. She would like to get out, and walk home. + +But the brother would not agree to this. It would be much too far for +her to walk just now. No, the carriage should wait, and they might take +a few turns in the court and gardens. The students were all in +Hall--they would be quite undisturbed. To the court then they +accordingly proceeded, Mary leaning on her brother's arm, and the quiet +refreshment of that quaint old spot, upon this mild spring evening; its +fresh green grass plot, sparkling fountain and overhanging elms, just +then putting forth their early shoots, and between which the venerable +walls and buttresses, of the Temple Hall, revealed their sober beauties; +the sweet notes of a thrush sounding from the garden below. All these +combined, affording as it did, so strong a contrast to the din, stir, +and turmoil from without, as well as the bewildering disquiet and +agitation through which her mind had lately passed, did not fail to +produce its soothing influence on poor Mary's nerves and spirits; and +seated upon one of the benches of the court, she was able, with +tolerable composure, to unburden the trouble of her heart to that dear, +kind brother, till it became almost a soothing relief to dilate upon the +distressing, and unsatisfactory nature of the late interview with her +lover. + +Arthur listened sorrowfully and compassionately to his sister's +melancholy relation of the blight, which had fallen on the unalloyed +happiness of which he had found her in such full enjoyment on his return +to England. He remembered her bright and happy countenance then--and the +change it now exhibited, so touched and saddened the young man's +feelings at the time, that he only held Mary's hand, and sympathized, +soothed, and cheered with words of encouragement--neither expressing +blame, anger, or suspicion, against the originating source of all this +woe. + +But at length when Mary said: "And now, dear Arthur, I want +you to assist me, I think something should be done--something +ascertained--anything will be better than this miserable state of +uncertainty and suspense," he looked up quickly with a sudden, impatient +flash from his bright blue eye, and answered: + +"Yes indeed, Mary. I think so too, something must, and shall be done." + +"But listen to me dear Arthur," she continued mildly. "What I should +wish to ascertain would be, whether, under the present circumstances of +affairs--whatever they may be--Eugene's engagement to me, involves him +in any unforseen trouble or annoyance; for," she added very sadly, "if I +thought that were the case--" + +"Would you give him up?" her brother quickly rejoined, with something of +pleasurable hope lighting up his countenance, as he seized upon the idea +suggested. + +"Give him up! Oh, cruel words and easily spoken!" Mary averted her head, +but with a deep drawn sigh, and forced calmness, continued: "I could +never give Eugene up, unless," and again a sorrowful sigh, as she +thought upon similar words spoken in a formerly recorded conversation, +"unless Eugene himself desired it; or, that I discovered it was +necessary or expedient, to his comfort or prosperity that I should do +so. If it were really so; or, should it be more for his ease that some +definite period, one of any length, or duration, should be agreed upon, +for the postponement of our marriage, he need not fancy I should +impatiently shrink from such an engagement. And it is this, that I +should like to be conveyed to Eugene. I would write--but writing is so +very painful, and unsatisfactory, under such circumstances; I can quite +enter into poor Eugene's feelings on that point. I would ask you, dear +Arthur, to go and speak to him--if," and she looked anxiously into her +brother's face, "if I could be _quite certain_, if I could quite trust +you in the matter--if I could be perfectly sure that you would not +allow your jealous affection for myself, to outrun your kindness and +consideration towards Eugene. Arthur, if you went to him could you +promise. Oh, I am sure you will not take from me the stay, and comfort, +I can in this emergency feel alone in you--you will promise that no +harsh, reproachful, or uncourteous word shall escape your lips, on the +subject of my concerns." + +"Mary, dear," the young man replied with still somewhat of a knit and +moody brow, "I will do anything to serve and please you; but I only want +open and straight forward dealings in this affair. It is all this +equivocating, tantalizing mystery that I can neither abide or +understand. But," he continued, as Mary again droopingly listened to his +words, "I am not so selfish as to let any impatient temper of my own, +stand in the way of your comfort or gratification; I will do all that +you desire. I will go to Trevor, and _on this occasion_, act and speak, +as from your own trusting, loving, self." + +Mary's spirit was again calmed and revived by this promise of her +brother's, and after a little more anxious conversation on the subject, +Arthur Seaham sought further to compose her spirits and divert her mind, +before leaving the classic spot in which they found themselves. He +conducted her down the Italian descent into the garden with the broad +river gliding sluggishly below that parterre, which in the summer months +from its trees and flowers, is so deserving of the name, but which a +poet's hand has made to bloom with "roses above the real." + +He strove also to excite and amuse her intelligent fancy by pointing +out, and particularizing some of the principal points and buildings of +this ancient and interesting seat of learning, ran over the names of +those, who from "the great of old," to more modern, but none the less +eminent instances, had either in connection with law, literature, or +wit, graced or sanctified its precincts by their presence and abode. And +he playfully asserted that, amongst those, he, Arthur Seaham, intended +most surely one day to rank. + +"Bye the bye, talking of great men, Mary," the young man suddenly +exclaimed, "from whom do you think I have had a visit, to-day? From Mr. +Temple." + +"Indeed!" answered Mary, with no slight display of interest, "then I was +right, it really was him who passed us just now." + +"Yes, no doubt it was, for he had scarcely left me a quarter of an hour, +before you arrived; he is on the eve of leaving England for the +continent, and came, I fancy, to carry away the latest intelligence +concerning you, Mary; for he made anxious enquiry with regard to your +marriage, the report of which, it seems, reached his ears; though it +appears he left Wales some months ago, and has since been living, in +great seclusion, in some quiet, antiquated nook, in this very +neighbourhood. Mary, what can be the history of that man? What a +superior being does his countenance, his whole bearing, bespeak him to +be, and yet--that some blight has fallen upon his existence, is but too +evident. He gives one the idea of some being led forth from a higher +sphere, + + "'To act some other spirit's destiny, + Not allowed to hit the scope + At which their nature aims-- + Who pass away,'" + +continued the young man, in the words of the suggested quotation: + + "'Having in themselves + A better destiny all unfulfilled, + A holier, milder being, unenvolved!' + +"But, dear Mary, he is much altered since I saw him last. He was then +like one in whom suffering had been nobly subdued, a holy calm seemed to +have settled on his soul, a strength, not his own, to have been +vouchsafed him. To-day he looked ill in body, and worn in mind. I cannot +but think that since that time he has suffered, and is still suffering, +from some newly arisen source of pain, or disquietude; and my dear +sister," Arthur added, with a smile of playful accusation, "I cannot +help suspecting that you have something to do with the distress, now +weighing on the mind of this remarkable, but most mysterious man. The +agitation of his voice and manner when he spoke of you, Mary, was not +to be concealed." + +"Oh, Arthur, do not say so!" Mary exclaimed, with sorrowful earnestness, +shrinking from the idea of herself being the cause of sufferings, such +as she now so well could understand, but especially to that good, great, +and almost venerated man. "And what did you tell him about my +engagement?" she faintly enquired. + +"All I knew, Mary; with him I felt reserve to be both useless and +unnecessary. He listened to my intelligence with the greatest interest +and attention, but in silence, and almost immediately after, arose to +take his leave. I ventured to add, that I was sure it would have given +you pleasure to have seen him. He shook his head with a sad smile, and +said, 'he had seen _you_ more than once since you came to London.' Dear +Mary, you seem as if doomed to mystery in your lovers; and shall I tell +you something more singular still? I was much struck by something in +Temple which strongly reminded me of Trevor. Not exactly feature, and +not at all expression, but a something I cannot well define." + +Mary sadly shook her head. There had been at times some vague impression +of the same kind made upon her own mind; but at present fancy was too +languid to realise the suggestion. + +They returned to the carriage, for though the early dinner-hour of their +kind, old-fashioned relations had been deferred expressly for their +nephew's convenience, they almost feared that they should even now have +trespassed on the good old people's consideration. + +But Mary regretfully parted from the calm and silent spot, over which +the shades of evening were now fast gathering, imparting a still greater +air of solemn tranquillity to the scene. And often in days to come, when +the poignant anguish then and there so softened and assuaged, had again +died away, never to be recalled by the powers of memory--the place, and +the hour, would float back upon her recollection--like the oasis +amidst the parching sterility of the desert, to the grateful +traveller--divested of all but their vague soothing and pleasurable +associations. + +On their way back to Arthur's chamber door, they fell in with several of +his fellow students, just coming out of Hall. + +They all respectfully stepped aside, and made way for "Seaham and his +sister." + +Arthur had already rendered himself not only a most popular and general +favourite, but much respected, member of the Temple community, by his +sociable, engaging--yet at the same time, steady, gentlemanly, and +superior conduct and deportment. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + Oh, what authority and show of truth + Can cunning sin cover itself withal! + + SHAKESPEARE. + + + Thus men go wrong with an ingenious skill, + Bend the straight rule to their own crooked will. + + COWPER. + + +That same night, Arthur Seaham called on Eugene Trevor at the hotel, in +which he had easily ascertained the latter to be established. + +He did not entertain much hope of finding him at home at that hour, but +purposed proceeding there to demand an interview the following day. He +was more fortunate than he expected. + +He was told that Mr. Trevor was in the house, and it was not a little in +Eugene's favour (in the brother's eyes) that he found him seated in a +private room in the hotel, plunged in melancholy meditation, over the +remains of a solitary dinner. + +He looked up a little startled and surprised, when the name of his +visitor was announced; but immediately arose, and shook hands cordially +with the young man, expressing his pleasure at seeing him again. Then +when the waiter, who staid to clear the table, had withdrawn and closed +the door, and Arthur, who had replied to his greeting with somewhat of +distant gravity, had seated himself silently on an opposite chair, +Trevor at once, with eyes a little averted, said: + +"Seaham, I can well guess what business has brought you here to-night. +You come, of course, to speak upon the subject of your sister." + +"I have come _to-night, from_ my sister," was the calm, but somewhat +emphasized reply. + +"Indeed!" with a nervous uncertainty in his tone, which had not been +perceptible in his former utterance. "She, Mary, told you, I suppose, of +that most wretched meeting this afternoon." + +"She did," Arthur Seaham again coldly replied; "and it was the nature of +that meeting which made her desirous to communicate with you, through +me, feeling herself unequal to treat the subject, as fully and +satisfactorily as she had wished, by letter." + +He again paused; and Trevor fixed his eyes upon the young man's face in +anxious, agitated inquiry. + +"You cannot suppose," Arthur continued, with an effort at calm +moderation in his tone, "that the interview to which you allude was +calculated much to raise my sister's spirits, or throw much light on her +present clouded and uncertain prospects." + +Trevor bowed his head in moody assent. + +"You are quite right," he muttered gloomily, a darkness gathering over +his brow; "and it is but natural that you, her brother, should require, +and demand, further explanation and satisfaction." + +"_That_, I again repeat, is not the point which brought me here on _this +occasion_," Arthur rejoined. "I come, bound by a promise to my sister, +to speak and act this night, as in her name and person, therefore, you +can rest well assured," with a mingling of bitterness and tender feeling +in his tone, "that in her case no explanation or satisfaction is +required. No, rather, I have to assure you, that her trust and +confidence still remain unmoved, and only for your own sake does she now +desire and propose, that matters should be put on a more defined and +certain footing; either that she should not be suffered to stand any +longer in the way of your happiness or advantage, by the continuance of +your now vague and uncertain engagement, or----" + +But Trevor, with much eager agitation, at this point interrupted him. + +"Mary--your sister," he exclaimed, "she surely cannot, does not wish to +give me up?" + +The brother looked steadily into the speaker's face, as if to ascertain +that the emotion, which by his tone and manner bespoke the excitement +this suggestion had caused, was truthfully imaged there; and on the +whole he was not dissatisfied by the inspection; at least, if the deep +glow first overspreading his brow, and then the ashy paleness +succeeding, could be interpreted as corresponding signs of feeling; and +he replied, though with something of suppressed bitterness: + +"Her unselfish, womanly nature does not carry her so far. She is willing +to make any sacrifice of her own feelings, her happiness, her affections +if assured that it would tend to the removal of those--of course +unforeseen, difficulties and annoyances"--with some severe stress upon +the latter words, "which your engagement to her seems suddenly to have +been the means of scattering on your path. Or if not this," he hastily +added, as Trevor again made an effort to interrupt him, "or if not this, +at least she proposes that some definite period be assigned, during +which full opportunity and leisure be accorded you for the arrangement +or removal of the present obstacles to your marriage." + +Trevor rose abruptly, and for, several minutes paced the apartment in +agitated silence. Then he returned to his seat, and with more calm +determination addressed his companion. + +"Seaham!" he said, bending low his head as he spoke, with his downcast +eyes only at intervals raised from the ground, "Seaham, let me explain +to you a little the circumstances of my present position, and then you +will be better able to comprehend the embarrassing perplexity of my +affairs." + +Arthur looked up hopefully--now at least some light was to be thrown on +the impenetrable mystery of the few last months. + +"It is a painful subject," continued Trevor, speaking indeed as if with +difficulty; "but I must not shrink from breaking it now to you. You are +aware of the situation of my unfortunate brother?" + +Seaham murmured assent. + +"And therefore of the ambiguous position in which I at the same time +stand, with regard to my father's property--" + +Arthur again assented, but observed, that Mr. de Burgh had certainly +given him reason to suppose, that he--Mr. Eugene Trevor's possession of +the Montrevor property after his father's death--at least, in trust for +his elder brother, was almost a decided arrangement, and that his +inheritance to the most considerable part of his father's large fortune +was certain; but whether or not this were the case, his sister's friends +had been perfectly satisfied that even as a younger son, he must be +amply provided for. Eugene hastened to interrupt Arthur Seaham by +saying: + +"And believe me, when I declare, that till the day I parted from your +sister at Silverton, I never entertained a misgiving as to the +possibility of any such obstacle, as I then, to my dismay, found to +exist against the speedy completion of my marriage. The state of the +case is this: My father is, and has ever been, very peculiar in his +pecuniary views and arrangements. He has, as you were made to +understand, most surely, and decidedly favoured me, with regard to the +inheritance. I do stand in every possible respect in the position of an +elder son; but at the same time, he has more than nullified any present +advantage such an arrangement could procure for me, by having so +arranged his affairs, that during his lifetime I have, under the present +circumstances, no power to make any settlement on my wife." + +"Under what circumstances?" quietly demanded the embryo lawyer. + +"That brings me again to that one most painful point. If the present +state of my unfortunate brother was clearly ascertained, then, perhaps, +proceedings, from which our feelings in the first instance shrunk, might +be taken, which would effectually do away with the ambiguity of my +present circumstances and position." + +"And why cannot the fact you mention be ascertained?" persisted Arthur, +though in a tone of the most delicate consideration. + +"Because," answered Trevor, with a hesitation and embarrassment of +manner, which passed well for painful emotion, "because, for the last +few years, my brother has entirely eluded the _surveillance_ of his +friends and guardians. No clue can be found, no trace of him discovered. +Every search and enquiry has been--and still is in prosecution; some +doubts even are entertained as to his death." He paused; then passing +his hand over his brow, as if to prevent further discussion of a subject +against which his feelings sensitively shrank, he finally added: "My +lawyer will confirm what I have said, concerning the exertions I have +made on this point, if you like to refer to him," and he mentioned the +name and address of the family man of business. + +Arthur Seaham mused in silence for several minutes; then said: + +"I am therefore to understand, that during the life time of your father, +or till your brother's destination is ascertained, no further steps can +be taken with regard to your marriage. One circumstance rather surprises +me, that your father, aware as he must have been of the restraint thus +imposed upon your powers of making a settlement upon your wife, allowed +you to involve yourself so far in a matrimonial engagement. Nay, seemed +in a certain degree to favour, and encourage your design." + +"That" Trevor replied, "I fear is only to be understood by those, who +are as well acquainted with the peculiar points of my father's +disposition as myself. The quiet manner in which he took the +intelligence of my intended marriage, I own surprised me at the time, +knowing his extreme aversion to any measure, or proceeding, calculated +in the least degree, to touch upon his ruling passion, or as I may now +term it in his present stage of existence--his ruling weakness; that is +to say, any measure that would in the least degree disturb, or infringe +upon the close and arbitrary arrangements of his financial +affairs--arrangements which it is the one business of his existence to +maintain inviolate and undisturbed. I now discover how little cause I +had to thank him for his seemingly easy acquiescence in my intended +marriage, and that he has treated me," he added in a subdued and injured +tone, "far from well or kindly in the matter." + +"And you are entirely dependant on his--as it seems most tyrannical +pleasure?" demanded Seaham, an angry flush mounting to his brow; the +position in which the cruel, sordid, cunning of the old man's conduct +had placed his sister, making the most impression on his feelings. + +"Most unfortunately so!" was Trevor's reply; "it has been the aim, and +purpose, of my father's existence to render his children, and all those +with whom he had to do, as much as possible dependant on his most +arbitrary and capricious will. You would not think this perhaps, to +behold him now--to all appearance, that meek and mild old man. But so +it is; see him as I have lately seen him, on what was supposed to be his +dying bed, and you would then have full proof and specimen before your +eyes of the ruling passion strong in death." + +"From all this then--I am to conclude," said Arthur Seaham, "that one of +the two arrangements suggested by my sister are the only alternatives; +either," and he looked again steadily into Eugene's face, "that you give +up at once all further engagement." + +"To that!" interrupted Trevor, starting from his seat in sudden +excitement, "to that, tell your sister," he exclaimed passionately, "I +cannot, _will not consent_. Remind her of the promise she once made to +me upon the subject, and tell her, that on my part, no power on earth +shall compel me to give her up. No," he murmured, his eye gleaming +around from beneath his now darkened brow, as if seeking to address with +dark defiance some hidden foe, "no threats, no vengeful malice shall +ever force me to do that." + +Seaham regarded him with surprise, but thought to himself: "This man +certainly loves my sister with a strength and sincerity not to be +mistaken," and then with rather softened feeling, he said: + +"But you will agree perhaps to her other proposition?" + +"I do--I must," with eager energy, "there is as you observed, no other +alternative. Say, some months--perhaps a year. In that time much may be +effected." + +Trevor leant his elbow upon the mantelpiece, and pressed his brow upon +his hand, in unquiet thought. Seaham rose. + +"A year then," he repeated, "for a year, I may tell my sister you agree +to the necessity of postponing matters. During that time," he added with +marked significance, "I shall be constantly to be found in London." + +"And your sister?" Trevor eagerly demanded. + +"Mary will very shortly proceed to Scotland, where she may probably +remain some time with my sister who lives in Edinburgh." + +"What, so far?" Trevor exclaimed impatiently. + +"I cannot see," the brother replied with some _hauteur_, "that a greater +vicinity under present circumstances, would be either necessary or +desireable. Interviews for instance, such as the one by which my +sister's feelings were so distressed to-day, can be neither for her +happiness or advantage." + +Trevor had no more to say. He shook hands with Arthur, who appeared to +have no further desire to remain. Like one subdued and exhausted in mind +and body, almost silently he suffered the young man to take his leave. + +Seaham merely repeated that he should be found, or could be referred to +at any time at the Temple, and in a few moments had quitted the hotel. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + Let us then be up and doing, + With a heart for any fate, + Still achieving, still pursuing, + Learn to labour and to wait. + + LONGFELLOW. + + +In less than a fortnight from the period of this interview, Mary +escorted by her brother-in-law, Mr. Gillespie, who had been in London on +business, left England for Edinburgh. + +This plan was much more accordant with her state of feeling at this +period, than would have been that of accompanying her sister Agnes into +Wales, as the latter was so affectionately anxious she should have done. + +It would have been melancholy for her just then to have found her dear +old home, Glan Pennant, in the hands of strangers, and there is +something still more melancholy to the feelings in revisiting familiar +scenes, associated as they may be in the mind with naught but happy +careless memories, when over the spirit of our dream has passed like a +blight some subduing change, such as was now overshadowing Mary's +happiness. + + "It wrings the heart to see each thing the same, + Tread over the same steps, and then to find + The difference in the heart. It is so sad, + So very lonely to be the sole one + In whom there is a sign of change." + +Besides it was very long since she had seen her sister Alice, so tied to +home by her many domestic cares and duties. + +Agnes' life was one as yet all holiday enjoyment--her heart bounding +with delight at the prospect of an establishment in her beautiful +country home--in her own dear neighbourhood. + +"There was no sorrow in her note"--and Mary perceived and rejoiced in +the conviction that her younger sister's happiness needed no additional +weight. Next to being happy herself, she desired most the power of +bestowing happiness on others, and a real pleasure she knew would be her +presence to that excellent elder sister. She would seek in some degree +to aid and lighten her cares and avocations. It would have been better +perhaps had she gone there, long ago. But could she bring her heart to +accede to this assumption? + +Oh, no! not yet--not now--not ever could that be. + + "I hold it true, what'er betide, + I feel it when I sorrow most, + 'Tis better to have lov'd and lost + Than never to have loved at all." + +This, rather we assume, was the language of that faithful heart, still +clinging too tenderly to the intense happiness of the past, to grudge +the anguish of its bewildering reverse. + +Clouds had arisen to obscure the heaven of her certain happiness--her +once full hope had been deferred, but the day of despondency or of +sickening weariness had not yet arrived. + +Her lover's explanatory interview with her brother had effectually +cleared, from her all believing mind, many a vague dread and anxious +misgiving, which at one time were beginning to disturb her spirit; and +again she could set herself to wait patiently, buoyed up by her all +enduring love--her steadfast entire trust. But this hope, and trust, +beautiful in themselves, could they be set alone on the frail and +futile creature? + +"Hope in the Lord, wait patiently for Him, and he shall give thee thy +heart's desire. Commit thy way unto Him, and trust in Him, and He will +bring it to pass." + +Surely Mary's meek obedient soul, must have drawn its greatest strength +and patience from the dictates of this high and holy invocation. + +There was too, something perhaps most providentially salutary and +effective, in the atmosphere of the home, where at this particular +moment Mary had been led to take up her abode. + +Here in the example afforded by her sister Alice's adaptation, and +appropriation of herself--her tastes, and her talents, to that one +ultimate end of all, feelings and powers; the performance of her duty, +in that state of life which had been assigned to her--Mary's gentle +mind, too prone perhaps, by nature to rest in passive enjoyment, and in +the barren luxury of emotions, might receive a lesson, strengthening and +benificial for its future need. + + "That life is not all poetry + To gentle measures set," + + "That Heaven must be won, not dreamed." + +How a mind and character, that from amongst all her sisters, had been +the one most answering to her own, had effectually roused itself from +the shadowy Paradise of her earlier years, to meet the real demands of +life--to embrace its actual duties, and defy its uncongenial pains--and +not only this, but to find therein, more than in the pleasanter summer +paths of earlier days, or in those refined indulgences in which her +spirit still loved at times to cherish, true happiness and peace. + + "I have found peace in the bright earth, + And in the sunny sky, + I have found it in the summer seas, + And where dreams murmur by. + + "I find it in the quiet tone + Of voices that I love, + By the flickering of a twilight fire, + And in a leafless grove. + + "I find it in the silent flow + Of solitary thought, + In calm, half-meditated dreams, + And reasonings self-taught. + + "But seldom have I found such peace + As in the soul's deep joy, + Of passing onward free from harm, + Through every day's employ." + +And even her brother-in-law, Mr. Gillespie, though of a less kindred +soul, and with those matter of fact and prosaic points of +character--attributes in his case, both national and professional. Even +in his companionship, she found something bracing and effectual, such as +she might not have done with more yielding and indulgent friends. + +Her darling brother--it had been her former happy dream to pass her +unmarried days in his companionship; and she might have been with him +now, had it not been deemed, at present, neither convenient or +expedient. + +She must in that case have shared her brother's chambers in London; and +at her age, and under her peculiar circumstances, such an arrangement +could scarcely be available, without being an interruption to her +brother's important studies and pursuits, though he would have made any +present sacrifice for his sister's sake. + +Ah, yes! or why did he turn his eyes so steadily from a sight so +fascinating to his heart as was that cherub face, which often looked +down upon him from a pew of the Temple Church--or bravely resist the +flattering attention and repeated hospitalities of the eminent counsel, +that cherub's father, in whose house-- + + "He saw her upon nearer view, + A spirit, but a woman too," + +and who seemed in every way inclined to bestow her notice on the +promising, agreeable student of the Middle Temple? + +Why?--but because he determined to allow no cherub face to usurp the +foremost place in his affections, no "ladye love," with form however +beautiful, to become the reigning, mistress of his house and hearth +until that beloved sister of his youth had secured a dearer, better +home. + +Besides, under any circumstances, he was not such a fool as to think of +marrying for many a year yet; a pretty business it would be if over the +dingy pages of Blackstone, and the year book, was for ever flitting the +bewitching, radiant face of Carrie Elliott. + +Thus, then, for a time shall we leave our heroine, whose fortunes, like +the gentle flowing course of a glistening river, we have hitherto so +undeviatingly pursued; whilst we turn aside, not willingly, to trace +through their darker, wilder mazes, the fate and fortunes of those two +beings, whom an inscrutable Providence had ordained should hold such +important influence over her destiny. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + Farewell; and if a soul where hatred's gall + Melts into pardon, that embalmeth all, + Can with forgiveness bless thee; from remorse + Can pluck the stone which interrupts the course + Of thought to God; and bid the waters rest + Calm in Heaven's smile--poor fellow-man, be blest! + + THE NEW TIMON. + + +Eugene Trevor was fated to encounter another interview of importance +before he laid down to rest that night, or rather morning, succeeding +the meeting with Arthur Seaham. + +He had gone forth, very soon after the departure of the latter, to seek +diversion for his disturbed and troubled spirit by excitement--that most +common resource of man under similar circumstances--offered in the shape +of those amusements belonging to the sporting club of which he was a +member. + +He returned to the hotel more than one hour after midnight, to be +informed that a gentleman was waiting to see him on particular business. + +"At this time of night?" was the impatient reply. "Who in the world can +it be?" + +The gentleman had not given his name; he had come more than two hours +ago, but had expressed his intention of remaining to await Mr. Trevor's +return. + +Eugene, with a certain uncomfortable feeling of misgiving at his heart, +proceeded to the apartment into which his unseasonable visitor had been +shown. Two candles burnt dimly on the table. Dark, pale, haggard, as the +imperfect light gleamed upon his features, looked the lover of the +gentle Mary, thus returning from those midnight excitements in which he +had plunged to dispel too haunting thoughts and vivid memories connected +with her pure and holy image; but a something of strange and startled +wildness was added to their expression, as his eyes fixed themselves +first uncertainly--and then gradually and clearly identified the face +and form of him who stood up to receive him--that tall, commanding form, +before which his own seemed to shrink into insignificance--that face, +as pale as was his own, but from before whose calm, steady gaze his eyes +for an instant quailed so fearfully. + +"Eustace!"--"Eugene!" were the only words or signs of greeting exchanged +between them, and Trevor, as if momentarily overcome by the emotions +excited by the _rencontre_ with his mysterious visitor, sank upon a +chair by the table, and with perturbed and agitated demeanour, passed +his burning hand across his heated brow; whilst the other still stood +erect, looking down upon him with that stern and steady eye, almost +appalling in its intensity. + +"To what am I indebted for this visit?" Eugene murmured at length, in +hoarse and sullen accents, slightly lifting up his head. "I thought--" + +"You thought," replied the same deep, rich voice we last heard sounding +(though then in very different accents,) upon the Welsh hill side in +Mary Seaham's ear. "You thought, Eugene, that before this coming dawn, +many leagues of sea would be between us. And so it would have been, had +you not your own self broken the promise which bound me to that vow." + +"Pshaw!" was the reply, in accents of impatient irony "a mere +accidental, unavoidable meeting, whose only fruit was the further to +overwhelm with despairing wretchedness her, for whose happiness and +welfare you profess such _disinterested_ regard." + +"Yes!" was the calm, unmoved reply. "I saw her face turned towards me at +the time, that face I had used to behold serene, happy, innocent as the +angels in Heaven, and in its woeful change I read--" + +"Your own most righteous work," interrupted Eugene, with a bitter +mocking laugh. "Had you seen her some time past, before the day when +you, like a spirit of evil, stepped in between us, you might have beheld +a sight which perhaps had pleased you even less; that angel face +brightened and beautified by her love for _me_." + +"You are right, it would have pleased me even less, it would have seemed +to my eyes, like the dove spreading her silver plumes, all glittering in +the treacherous sunshine, to meet the vulture who has marked it for its +prey. Yet to-day, I seemed not to read upon that pale and tear-stained +countenance, the mere passing misery of the moment--that misery of +which I wish not to deny having been myself the inflictor--but that +which I might have seen--that which I once saw settled on a mother's +face; or still more haunting, terrible, impression, the despairing +misery one might image of a fallen angel, dragged down from her high +estate, by an unholy, unnatural alliance with a spirit of another +sphere. For, Eugene, your own heart, your own conscience must convict +you, that light with darkness, righteousness with unrighteousness, +Christ with Belial, have as much in common, as yourself, your nature, +your life, your principles, have to do with those of Mary Seaham; and +that to unite yourself with her, would be, I repeat, either to draw her +down to your own level--or, more blessed alternative, to break her +heart. But both of these destinies I had hoped to have seen averted. You +had assured me, it was easier for you to resign that 'mess of pottage' +as you slightingly denominated the inestimable treasure your soul had +greedily, but more harmlessly marked as your own, than the birthright of +which you were iniquitously possessed. You had assured me, that you +would find plausible means--and in that, I doubted not your powers, or +your will, if it were but to serve your own interest--to break off, not +only your engagement, but all further communication with Mary Seaham; +but, Eugene, I _doubt_ you. My back once turned--my _espionage_ +abandoned, as I promised it should be, from the time I set my foot on +another shore, what will there then be to bound or restrain your +grasping, avaricious desires. I shall find myself twice trampled in the +dust, and Mary," his voice trembled as he spoke, "she whom I would save +from a fate, in my eyes, worse than death, she become your prize, your +sacrifice, your victim." + +He whom Eustace thus severely addressed, retained a moment's moody +defiant silence. + +"Your intention then, is to remain in England," he said at length, with +an assumption of haughty unconcern, though there might be perceived a +quivering of the eyelids, and an expression of anxious perturbation in +his downcast glance. "The old man," with trembling irony in his tone, +"will doubtless receive you gladly, and there will be nothing to retard +the nuptials of Mary and myself." + +"No, nothing, if she--if Mary Seaham can consent to wed the man"--he +slightly unbared his wrist--"the man who has done this--the man whose +name must henceforth ring in her ears as a proverb, a reproach, a +by-word through the paths of society--the man whose very children shall +rise up and scorn him--whom God and man must alike reprobate and +condemn." + +Eugene Trevor shrank back as from before some deadly serpent discovered +to his view. His eye quailed fearfully--his lips and cheek became of a +livid, ashy hue. + +"Eustace," he murmured, in a voice of almost abject +deprecation--"Eustace, your feelings of revenge and hatred carry you too +far. You have repented of the agreement made between us, and have come +thus to threaten and intimidate me. _I_ never meant to draw back from my +part of the engagement; but if my promise has no weight in your +consideration, how am I to give you further pledge of my sincerity? I +swear to you," he continued, eagerly, "that, during the meeting to-day +with Mary Seaham, into which I was accidentally surprised, I held out no +hope--no promise which could give her reason to suppose that the +obstacle to our marriage could now or ever be removed. We parted with +that understanding; and to-night," he spoke in a low and hurried voice, +"she sent her brother here to break off our engagement, which could only +be maintained on such uncertain, uncomfortable terms." + +"And you consented?" + +"What else had I to do?" + +"Now may Heaven be praised," was the low, deep, earnest answer--the +voice of the speaker swelling as into a strain of rich, clear music; +whilst with upraised eyes, and countenance lit up with holy adoration, +he thus ejaculated: "Now Heaven be praised, who sends His angels to +protect his little ones from the powers and spirits of darkness! +Eugene," he proceeded, again turning to his companion, but with a +subdued and softened expression, "you, too, thank your God, that from +this additional sin you have been mercifully preserved; from that +offence which it were better that a millstone were hung about your neck +than that you should commit. You, too, have your reward: take it. I +leave it in your hands. I will trouble you no more. Home, name, country, +and heritage, I willingly resign; but remember, on that one condition. +Retain it only inviolate, for from the ends of the world, its broken +faith, its most secret violation, would recall me. Farewell, Eugene! +Should we never meet again on earth, believe that I forgive you all +offences against me. Nor put down either to revenge, or even _madness_, +that which He who seeth the heart will, I humbly trust, justify in the +eyes of men and angels, before His judgment throne, on the last great +day of account; and there and then, where sin and wrong, and +wretchedness, shall be done away, may we both meet sanctified, +reconciled, and renewed." + +He was gone. No other parting sign was given; and he, who had now added +one more sin to the already dark catalogue of his offences, the purchase +of his freedom from a dreaded evil by a lie, was left darkling and +alone. + +As those two had met, so they parted--those two men whom our readers may +already have divined were brothers. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + True, earnest sorrows; rooted miseries; + .... vexations, ripe and blown, + Sure-footed griefs; solid calamities; + Plain demonstrations, evident and clear, + Touching their proofs e'en from the very bone-- + These are the sorrows here. + + HERBERT. + + +More than six and thirty years have passed since Mr. Trevor, the present +proprietor of Montrevor, had taken to himself a wife, young, lovely, of +good family, and endowed with much excellence, both of mind and +disposition. + +Miss Mainwaring had consented, in obedience to her parents' wishes, to +bestow her hand upon this rich and handsome suitor, death having +deprived her of the first object of her young affections. + +Of a gentle and confiding disposition, she had not doubted but that one +so pleasing and gentlemanly in his manners and demeanour in society, so +assiduous and devoted in his attentions during courtship, would prove an +amiable, affectionate husband; and that in resigning her future destiny +into his hands, she was securing to herself that calm happiness to +which, (the first bright dreams of youth mellowed and subdued), she +alone aspired. + +Her trust was deceived--her hopes disappointed; too soon was it revealed +to her sick heart that Henry Trevor, the courteous and agreeable member +of society, was not the same Henry Trevor of domestic life; that Henry +Trevor the lover, was a very different person to Henry Trevor the +husband; that she had been wedded--for her beauty?--no; woman's natural +vanity might have forgiven that:--for her fortune? no; that was +comparatively insignificant to count much, even in the close +calculations of him, into whose well-stored coffers it was carelessly +flung:--for her gentle virtues, her superior qualities of mind?--no,--no +abstract love of these had had their part in her lover's choice; but +because in the submissive spirit--in the mild and gentle character of +her he saw as one + + "By suffering made sweet and meek," + +he had thought to find a fitting subject for his purpose and his +will--one easy to be bent, moulded, crushed, if it were necessary, into +the slave and minister of his favourite lust--his ruling passion--his +besetting sin--the grasping, covetous, all-devouring love of money! + +Scared and dismayed at the prospect opened, like some dark gulf so +suddenly before her eyes, Mrs. Trevor yielded nevertheless, not without +an effort, to the fate into which she had been betrayed. She had that +within her, a degree of sense and spirit, which moved her in her early +marriage days to use the gentle influence she hoped in some degree to +have obtained over her husband's affections; to effect some change in +the general system of affairs she saw daily growing up around her, as +well as to assert and maintain her own gentle dignity and comparative +independence as a woman and a wife. + +Alas! she knew not the nature of the being with whom she had to cope; it +was but as the falcon-hunted dove, fluttering within the fowler's +snare, or beneath the vulture's claw, the cords are but the tighter +drawn--the grasp more crushingly extended, till the victim feeling his +impotence to resist, resigns itself powerless to its fate. Mrs. Trevor +struggled no more. All thought of influence was at an end, except indeed +that which her gentle virtues, her submissive tears, like the droppings +of water upon a stone, might in time be permitted to effect. + +Her wounded affections withdrew into the still sanctuary of her own +mind, whilst in patient meekness she performed her duties as a wife. +This was all Mr. Trevor required. He had gained his point; he had bent +her to his will. She superintended and accommodated herself to the close +and grinding economy he exacted in his house. She sacrificed all +extravagant tastes, all expensive inclinations, bestowed charity and +kindness alone from the resources of her own scanty, grudgingly-accorded +allowance. Even in her less responsible requirements she gave him full +satisfaction. + +Mrs. Trevor bore to her husband just three sons--healthy, +promising boys--none of those superfluous, money-frittering +excrescences--daughters! These sons all were disposable, convertible to +some aim or end. There was the heir--that necessary machine to keep the +greedily-preserved fortune and property in future train; there was a +second son to secure the good fat family living from escaping into +extraneous hands, and there was yet another to place in the lucrative +and distinguished banking-house, in which Mr. Trevor was a sleeping +partner. Yes, in this she had done well and wisely, and the husband was +in the end content. But in the first instance, even here, he was not +entirely satisfied with his wife's conduct. Nature had rebelled against +the young mother's affording nourishment to her eldest born. Other aid +was required, and this unwarrantable and unnecessary infraction upon the +rules and exactions of maternity, sank the parent considerably in her +lord and master's valuation and esteem. The second time she proved more +successful--oh, how fully successful, if to that success were to be +attributed not only the pure health, the more refined vigour of body +which distinguished the mother's own nursling above his eldest brother, +the suckling of a farmer's burly daughter; but that nobler nature, +those high-toned qualities of mind and disposition, which grew with his +growth and strengthened with his years--and oh, how too successful if +from that mother's breast he imbibed his own sad heritage of suffering +and of wrong! + +On the third, and last occasion, which presented itself, the face of +affairs assumed a different aspect. Mr. Trevor, either because he +grudged his wife as would not have been at all inconsistent with his +character, the extreme pleasure she experienced in the former case, and +the excessive fondness with which this child had naturally wound itself +around its nursing mother's heart. Whether from these, or still more +unworthy notices, this time Mr. Trevor, on some capricious arbitrary +plea, objected to his wife indulging in the same natural enjoyment, +himself selecting the individual, who was to supplant her in this +office. The wife of a tenant on his estate, about to emigrate to +Australia, but who preferred remaining behind for some years in service. + +Mabel Marryott fulfilled her hired duties well by her patron's infant; +so well, that according to her master's orders, she was afterwards +retained, as general superintendant of the nursery establishment, though +her influence did not long continue limited to that office; and it was +Mabel Marryott, whose daily business it soon became, to attend upon the +little Eugene in his morning visits to his father's study; where +sometimes, for an hour together, upon table or floor, as accorded best +with his age, or fancy, he sat and played the mimic miser, with his +favourite toys--the shining heaps of glittering gold or silver, always +produced on these occasions, to amuse and keep him quiet; whilst in that +distant room above, where we have seen the unconscious Mary spend so +happy an hour, sat the wife and mother, struggling with the inward +anguish of an injured, wounded spirit, or straining the little Eustace +to her heart, calling him, in deep, earnest accents of endearment, her +darling--her own boy--her precious nursling; beseeching him never to +forsake her, to stand by his own mother--to love, and to protect her, +till the boy's dark, fervent eyes, would suffuse with tears, and he +would promise, with the little full and throbbing heart beating against +her breast, always to be "mamma's own boy," and never to leave her even +when he was a man; and the heir--he, in the meantime, had probably made +his escape to the stable-yard, to the grooms and stable-boys, for whose +society he, from his earliest days, shewed much inclination, to the +danger both of his neck and his morals, by the lessons in horse-riding +or loose talking he there received--tastes and propensities with which +his mother found herself powerless to interfere. Mrs. Marryott did not +object. Master Trevor was neither a manageable or engaging child; these +tastes and habits took him off her hands; Mr. Trevor saw only that they +made the boy bold and healthy. They were propensities and amusements +which cost him nothing; so he desired that he might not be pestered any +more by the representations of his anxious mother; she might make one +milksop if she wished, but leave the other alone; Marryott would see he +came to no real harm. + +The boy was to go to Eton when he was twelve. He might, his father +continued, be allowed to take his own course till then; and Mrs. Trevor, +though not suffered to interfere in any other department, was expected +to take upon herself the arduous office of instructress to this one, as +well as to her other two boys, who were also to be kept at home till +they had attained the before-mentioned age. + +Mr. Trevor had no idea of his wife's talents being put to no better +purpose than the solace and amusement of her own lonely, joyless +existence; and the poor lady was too willing to enter on a task, which +promised a means of drawing her children towards her in closer +intercourse than was otherwise permitted. Such was the cruel jealousy, +which dared to prevent the mother from acquiring too great an influence +and ascendancy over the children's affections. + +Long, however, before the time assigned, Mrs. Trevor was forced to +represent to the father her insufficiency and unfitness for the duty +imposed upon her. + +The thick-headed, mulish-tempered Henry, his heart and mind ever with +his dogs and horses, very soon began to require some stronger hand and +firmer will than she possessed to force him into any degree of +application; whilst the two other boys, the one high-spirited and +talented in the extreme--the younger taught to look upon his mother in +little better light than that of a slighted and despised +dependant--became even earlier, above or beyond her strength and power +for the work. + +But in vain might she remonstrate. + +"You are idle, you are idle," was all the answer or relief she obtained. + +So she began again, and persevered--much to the wear and tear of body +and nerves. But that was nothing. It was an employment--and should have +been an interest and amusement rather than an hardship. + +And so the mother laboured on with all a mother's patience and +long-suffering, bearing rather than contending against the many +difficulties and discouragements which beset the task. + +One rich reward was its attendant--the satisfactory fruit which crowned +her efforts, however comparatively weak and inefficient they might be, +as concerned her noble son, Eustace; not but that pain and trouble of a +certain kind were her portion, even here. But it was a pleasureable +pain, how exceeded by the ample recompense it afforded. + +What fervent gratitude--what deep, strong affection did every tear she +shed, every sigh she breathed in his cause, fan into life, water into +vigour in that young pupil's breast! How was she adored, revered, upheld +supreme at least in the heart of one being in the world. + +Eustace Trevor, as those of generous and superior natures generally are +found to be, was a child of naturally impetuous disposition and +independent spirit. Though full of genius, and promise of bright things +to come, it could not be but that he sometimes grieved his gentle +teacher, and gave her patient spirit pain. + +But ah, the contrite grief; the self-indignant sorrow of the child which +ever followed on such occasions; how was he prostrate in body and spirit +before the beloved being, whom he had so offended. How the elder brother +dull, and unrefined in feeling, rather than unamiable at heart, would +stare with stupid amazement at such animated demonstrations in the +penitent; whilst the younger--what a glance of cold surprise from his +dark eye--what a look almost of disdain in his young countenance, as he +sat, and watched, and wondered to see such affection--such zeal +displayed in the cause of one he was used to behold, so scorned, so +slighted so dishonoured, by those who had gained ascendancy over his +young mind. + +It was worth while to love his father--to seek to please and propitiate +him--or even Mabel Marryott. But _she_! what could she do? what +influence, did _she_ possess over her children, or any one else either +for good or evil? + +Yet the boy Eugene was by no means an unaffectionate or unengaging +child, nor devoid of amiability of character; had it not been for the +early influences which impressed, and moulded his mind and disposition. + +His father and Mabel Marryott both loved him in their way; the former +suffering him to win a greater ascendancy over his close shut heart, +than that which any other individual ever attained. Nay, to him he even +relaxed in some degree his strongest, and most guarded point of +impregnability--his purse strings. + +When his elder brothers as children, obtained their grudgingly acceded +shillings and sixpences, the more valuable crown piece, or sometimes +half-sovereign was bestowed upon the favoured Eugene--to be triumphantly +produced at the neighbouring town, where he occasionally rode with his +brother Eustace, for the gratification of any taste or appetite, in +which he might choose to indulge; whilst the other expended his scanty +store on some trifling gift he thought might gratify, or please his much +loved mother. Yes, this was the most galling of all poor Mrs. Trevor's +catalogue of grievances--the unjust and cruel partiality exhibited by +her husband in the treatment of these two younger boys; for the eldest, +Henry, though neither favoured or in any way much regarded by his +father, at any rate met with neither injustice or unkindness--inasmuch +as neither his nature or propensities, rendered him worthy or desirous +of any greater degree of privilege or advantage, than he obtained--and +he was sent to Eton at thirteen, when all that was to be done for him +was done, that was necessary and proper. But the second son, +Eustace--whether it was the boy's disposition, so antagonistic in every +respect to his father's; or that it was her own unfortunate attachment +to this child, or that child's love for herself which drew upon his +innocent head this unhappy distinction; whether it was this cruel +jealousy on her husband's part, or the secret influence on the same, +account, of her insidious enemy, Mabel Marryott. However it might be, a +spirit and system, it might almost be termed persecution, was maintained +by the father towards this son from his childhood upwards. He felt +doubtless too the reflection, which the zealous love of the boy for his +mother cast upon his own conduct in that respect. Never did Mr. Trevor +forgive a proof of this spirit, shown forth by the young Eustace in the +instance we are about to record. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + Is there not + A reverence in the very name of "mother" + Could thrill the ruffian purpose? + + SHIEL. + + + He is the second born of flesh + And is his mother's favourite. + + BYRON. + + +It was Eugene's birthday. He had coaxed Marryott to give him a treat of +cakes and fruit in the garden summer-house. His brothers were invited, +and even his father honoured the party with his presence. + +Marryott presided over the entertainment. Eustace had been out of the +way, and did not arrive until the others were assembled. He made his +appearance at the banquet all bright, animated expectation, having but +just heard of the unwonted indulgence provided him, and prepared to +partake in it with full boyish enjoyment. + +But at the threshold he paused. By one quick glance, his eye had taken +in each individual of the collected group. A sudden thought seemed to +press upon the wild beatings of his heart. A cloud overshadowed the +quick brightness of his brow. + +"Come along, Eustace!" cried the boy Eugene, "if you mean to come at +all." + +But no, he did not stir. There he stood, rooted to the spot, his +changing countenance betokening the struggle of strong feeling passing +through his breast, another glance--from which shot forth a gleam of +noble fire--around, and then his dark, full eye fixed itself with calmer +sternness upon his young brother's face. + +"No, thank you, Eugene," he said firmly, "I cannot come. My mother she +is all alone in the house. I must go to _her_," and instantly he turned, +and + + "Went away with a step strong and slow, + His arch'd lip press'd, and his clear eye undimmed, + As if it were a diamond, and his form + Borne proudly up, as if his heart breathed through." + +On one occasion, Mrs. Trevor heard the voice of her husband raised in +long and angry accents. She listened with trembling misgiving as to the +object of his reprehension, but when to words sounds succeeded, plainly +betokening bodily chastisement, she could no longer refrain, but +hastened to the spot from whence they proceeded. + +It was Mr. Trevor's study, and on opening the door and entering, she +found indeed her beloved boy Eustace under the hands of his father +undergoing severe and painful punishment; Eugene standing by like a +young Saul, witnessing the martyrdom of a Saint Stephen, holding his +brother's coat over his arm, a little pale perhaps, but watching with a +tolerably cold and steady eye the proceedings of the parental +persecution. + +The look and tone of sore distress with which the gentle intercessor +supplicated for mercy, shamed even the unloving husband into compliance. + +He released his victim, who turned aside with tearless eyes, but every +vein of his noble brow swollen with suppressed anguish. + +But every thought of his own suffering or disgrace seemed soon to be +forgotten in the pain and grief he saw upon his mother's countenance, as +with trembling voice she made inquiry into the offence which had called +down such unwonted severity upon the culprit. + +"He is a squandering spendthrift," was the father's reply; "and you, +Madam, with your fine ideas and lessons, have helped to make him so; but +I will teach him better. He was at the same trick once before, and I +warned him of the consequences. A long time will it be before he gets +another shilling from me, to waste upon a set of rascally vagabonds +lurking about the premises, seeking what they may devour." + +"Mother!" said the boy firmly, "they were a party of poor mechanics, +turned out of their homes and deprived of all means of getting their +bread. One man carried his poor little girl, dying from starvation, in +his arms; what better could I do?" + +Another sharp blow from the father cut short the explanation, and +Eustace was ordered to leave the room, not to approach his mother, or +touch a morsel of food, save bread and water, for the remainder of the +day. + +The boy obeyed in silence, but with a bursting heart, and Mrs. Trevor +remained to listen, in resigned sorrow, to the anathemas poured forth +against her darling--of his evil and corrupt dispositions, and the +fearful predictions, that she would live one day to see him turn out the +disgrace and ruin of the family. + +"Only see, Madam, in this one instance the difference between these two +boys. Eugene, bring your money-box." + +The boy, with complacent alacrity, produced a small casket, and opening +it with a key attached to a ribbon round his neck, exhibited indeed a +shining store of silver pieces, slightly interspersed with gold. + +"Eugene is indeed a rich boy," the mother observed very gravely. + +"Yes, and a good, and wise, and prudent boy, and he shall be richer +still some of these days; I will see to that. Yes, _he_ can--he may +afford to be generous; he knows how to bestow his gifts in the right +direction. Eugene, show your mother what I have allowed you to buy out +of your savings for your attached and valued friend." + +The boy, in the same manner as before, uncovered a parcel lying on the +table, and thereby displayed a roll of rich and handsome silk. + +"Is it not beautiful, mamma?" he exclaimed innocently; "it is for +Marryott; this is her birthday you know." + +Mrs. Trevor's lip quivered. She looked pale, and turned away her head. + +When were _her_ birthdays so remembered? + +"May I take it to her, papa?" + +"Yes, yes, take it away, boy!" said Mr. Trevor, rather impatiently; and +Eugene, proudly shouldering his offering, marched off triumphantly with +it to Marryott's apartments. + +A silent pause ensued. It was broken by Mrs. Trevor, quietly suggesting +the advisability of a more regular and impartial allowance being +bestowed upon the two younger boys, remarking that she feared the +present arrangement was likely to be prejudicial to the characters of +both, perhaps to their future conduct through life. + +The mother spoke more firmly, more courageously than usual. Perhaps the +incident which had just been enacted, had a little hardened and +strengthened her spirit for the encounter. But her words were of little +avail. + +"Not at all, not at all," was the angry interruption. "Allow me, Madam, +to act as I please on that point. I give what I please, and withhold +what I please, as I see fit and proper; and I have found out pretty well +before to-day, that whilst I could trust one boy with a whole bank of +money, the other is not, nor ever will be, worthy to possess one +shilling of his own. I shall, therefore, act accordingly, and beg you +will not attempt to interfere upon the subject; it is my department, not +yours." + +Mrs. Trevor could only sigh, and was about to retire. But no. She must +first undergo another ordeal. + +The door opened, and Eugene re-appeared, attended by Marryott. + +"She is so pleased, papa, and so obliged," cried the boy, "and is come +to thank you." + +Mrs. Trevor arose with gentle dignity. + +Mabel Marryott had not been apprised of her mistress' presence in the +library, but the expression of her well-disciplined countenance--that +"face formed to conceal"--scarcely evinced this fact as she paused upon +the threshold, and with the utmost composure and respect, apologised for +her intrusion; but begged to be allowed to express her grateful thanks +for the beautiful present which her dear master Eugene had just brought +to her. It was much too handsome for her, appealing with the greatest +deference to Mrs. Trevor; but she would gladly wear it for her dear +boy's sake. + +"Do--do so, Marryott, it is Eugene's present--quite his own," Mr. Trevor +replied with some embarrassment of manner. + +"Indeed, Sir?" with the utmost simplicity; "well, I must say, he is +always a dear generous child," and she stooped and kissed the boy, who +rather unwillingly submitted to his nurse's fondling. Mrs. Trevor knew +that this was the same woman, who had so short a time ago betrayed her +generous child Eustace, to the unjust anger of his father, and there was +something in this present demonstration of affection towards this other, +which went greatly against her feelings. + +She rose--never with all her provocations, was her mild ladylike +deportment laid aside, and said: + +"Eugene, dear, open the door for me; I am going up-stairs." + +The boy, though unaccustomed to any such _exigeant_ demands on his +respectful attention, from his mother, nor trained to yield them +unasked, shook off Marryott's arm, still encircling his waist, and +willingly obeyed, running to comply with the request. Mrs. Trevor left +the room as Eustace had done not long before, in silence, and with a +swelling heart, whilst Mrs. Marryott's glance after her retreating +figure, seemed to ask what was the meaning of this undue assumption of +importance in her unassuming mistress. + + * * * * * + +The same partial fate which attended the young Eustace under his +father's roof, extended itself to his life at school. In the rather +inferior establishment to which he, and his younger brother were +sent--one very unworthy and inefficient to develope the genius and +talent, inherent in the boy--qualities which nevertheless struggled +forth, spite of all disadvantages, into life and power, too little +appreciated by others--there the favour of the sycophant master, was +lavished exclusively on the rich father's favourite, to the apparent +detriment and depreciation of the other. The high and generous spirit of +the boy, was reported as ill-disposed and unruly, and treated +accordingly with severity, or more properly speaking, tyranny and +injustice. + +A crushing or hardening effect upon the mind and character, must have +inevitably been the result of such a process, had it not been for the +superior nature of the being upon whom it worked; to say nothing of that +counter charm which ever lay upon his heart, a talisman against the +power of every evil influence--his mother's love. But there was one +effect produced by the state of things we have endeavoured to show +forth, which could not be averted. We mean the seed of future misery, +thereby sown between the youthful brothers. + +In early childhood there had subsisted between them an affection almost +bordering upon enthusiasm, remarkable in children of their age; in the +younger how soon, like every other good and truthful inclination of his +heart and character, contracted and undermined by the still more +pernicious influence to which by his different circumstances he was +exposed. It might have been supposed that were the invidious feelings of +envy, or jealousy, to be engendered in either mind by the system of +partiality to which they were subjected in such a lamentable degree, it +would have been in that of the least favoured; but jealousy belonged not +to the noble nature of Eustace. + +Sad surprise--indignant risings in his breast against the injustice of +his father's conduct, were the consequence, but no invidious feeling +against the rival object himself. That one indeed, he would ever have +loved and cherished, borne with and forgiven, as in those young days, +whilst any evidence of brotherly feeling was given in exchange. But +no--it was the favoured one, as we often see to be the case--the rich +and favoured one, who began to envy his poorer brother, even the scanty +portion which fell to his share. + +And of what was there in those early days that Eugene could envy +Eustace? + +What but that boon, which though influenced outwardly to despise--his +inherent taste for the good and beautiful, caused him secretly to covet, +above every other gift--the fervent love which he saw bestowed by his +despised, but angelic mother, on the child, whose affection drew it so +freely forth--love how ready to be poured as largely on his own head, +but for the barrier of slight, coldness, and constraint she saw so soon +interposed between herself and that else equally beloved child. + +Oh! the pain, to mark the glances of that dark, clear eye grow cold and +dim, when turned upon her--the once open brow + + "Cloud with mistrust, and the unfettered lip + Curled with the iciness of constant scorn." + +But all this belongs more properly to a later, and, alas! darker period +of the lives of those it is our task to trace, and to which we must +hasten forward; that period, in which boyhood merges into manhood, and +the seed sown for good or ill springs forth, and bears--some thirty, +some sixty, and some an hundred-fold. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + Have I not had to wrestle with my lot? + Have I not suffered things to be forgiven? + Have I not had my brain sear'd, my heart riven? + + BYRON. + + +It was Mr. Trevor's good pleasure to bestow the church living in his +gift upon his second son. On the same principle, we suppose--as it was +the fashion, at that period--more we trust than in the present time--for +the least promising and least talented of a family to be devoted to the +sacred service of the church--did the father, we conclude, in the +present instance select for this purpose the son least esteemed and +honoured in his eyes, without any regard to the inclinations of his own +heart, or his fitness for that vocation. + +Eustace Trevor was sent to College, on as small an allowance as could in +decency be accorded, and commanded there to prepare himself for Holy +Orders. + +How can we describe the trials, the struggles, the discouragements which +beset the path of one who, under more propitious circumstances, might +have passed on to such high and distinguished grades of honour and +distinction? + +His noble character and conspicuous talents, drew down upon him the +love, admiration, and honour of those around him; yet to some degree the +galling hand which had laid heavy on his boyhood oppressed his powers +even then. + +Great and good as was the young man's nature, + + "Temptation hath a music for all ears, + And mad ambition triumpheth to all, + And the ungovernable thought within + Will be in every bosom eloquent." + +The very superiority of Eustace Trevor's nature, his high, and serious +estimate of the holy nature of the profession which had been forced upon +him, soon caused the youth to recoil with conscientious horror from +embracing it upon such terms. He laid his scruples before his father, +who with contemptuous indignation told him he might then starve, or beg, +for by no other means should he obtain from him a farthing of +subsistence--and his mother, whilst she sympathized in his feelings on +the subject, still encouraged and besought him to make himself worthy of +the sacred vocation, and bring down those high thoughts and aspirations +which rendered it incompatible with his desires. + +This was the substance of her mild, soft pleadings in the anxious cause: + + "My son, oh leave the world alone! + Safe on the steps of Jesus' throne + Be tranquil and be blest." + +Encouraged by this strong persuasion, Eustace Trevor promised for her +dear sake to do all in his power to satisfy her solicitude, and +reconcile his own conscience on the point. + +Eugene in the meantime was given a place in the great banking +establishment before alluded to, a position which only served to throw +the young man in the way of all the temptations and dissipations of a +London life, and rather to overthrow those expectations of Mr. Trevor, +as to the money saving propensities of his favourite. + +In his fondness for money, he might indeed show himself a worthy son of +his father, for to attain it by all attainable means soon became his +actual object. Yet to whatever pitch this inclination might arrive in +later years, in these his days of youthful folly, "to spend and not to +hoard," was certainly his distinguishing propensity; thus affording his +father plentiful opportunities for displaying to the full, the partial +injustice of his conduct towards his younger children. + +One of the most striking instances in this particular was exhibited a +few years after the establishment of Eustace at College, when Eugene was +about nineteen. The latter unexpectedly one summer evening arrived at +Montrevor from London, in no very happy state of mind. + +Gambling was unfortunately one of the pleasures, or more properly +speaking passions, which assailed the young man most strongly in this +early part of his career. He had just lost a considerable sum of money +at the late Derby; and this was the first time that he found himself +obliged to confess this delinquency to his father, and apply for the +amount necessary for the payment of the debt of honour thus incurred. + +He could scarcely flatter himself that Mr. Trevor's hitherto partial +favour could avail him in a case of such unwonted enormity. Forfeiture +of that favour, perhaps a refusal of his application; anger, disgrace at +home, ignominy, dishonour abroad, all stared him in the face. Eugene +entered the house at night, and went straight to Mabel Marryott's +apartment, where, scarcely noticing the eager and astounded greeting of +his foster-mother, he threw himself upon a seat, and leaning his elbows +upon the table, he buried his face in his hands, and remained plunged in +moody silence. + +In vain for some time Marryott questioned him, as to what had happened +to occasion his sudden return, and the discomposure under which he +appeared to labour. But at length, having shaken off the hand she so +caressingly placed on his shoulder (for some years the young man had +begun to discourage any similar demonstrations from his quondam nurse), +he called for some wine; and having drank off a bumper, he then came out +with the abrupt communication, that he had lost a thousand pounds, and +that she must manage to get it from his father. + +Mrs. Marryott was astounded. + +"Lost a thousand pounds!" Mr. Trevor to be informed of this, and coolly +asked to supply it. The boy was mad to think of such a thing. No +favouritism would indeed avail to cover such an enormity in his father's +eyes. She, with all her confidence in the influence she possessed, would +not risk the office of intercession in such an outrageous instance, at +such a time too, when Mr. Trevor was overlooking the accounts of his +brother Eustace, who had just returned from College, and into a fine +state of mind she assured him his father was worked up by the +employment. Then, in anticipation of the paternal indignation she +prepared him to receive, Mrs. Marryott ventured to bestow upon her +foster-son some severe strictures upon the imprudence of his conduct, +all which Job's comfort the young man was in no mood to receive with +patient equanimity. + +Starting from his seat, he rudely told her to hold her tongue, for if +she did not choose to help him he must go to some one who would; and +rushing up stairs, he went straight to his mother's sitting-room. Mrs. +Trevor was alone, seated near the open window, with her eyes fixed sadly +on the church spire rising amidst the distant trees, and pointing with +such solemn silence to that blessed home, for which the wounded spirit +must have so often yearned. + +"Eugene!" she exclaimed in surprise, as, turning her sorrowful +countenance towards the opening door, she beheld her son; and Eugene +having slightly returned the pressure of her outstretched hand, threw +himself down upon the nearest seat, in much the same state of moody +dejection as he had previously done in the apartment of Marryott. + +But there seemed something more soothing in the atmosphere of his +present position--something in the subdued and holy calm of the maternal +presence, which had never before impressed him in the like degree. + +Perhaps it had been a relief to his jealous spirit to find his mother +thus alone, unaccompanied, as was usually the case when he was in the +house, by the envied Eustace, to be the witness of his discomfiture, and +an auditor of his misfortune. And when, perceiving that something was +amiss, she approached, and, without inquiry, sat down silently by his +side, he did not now shrink from the fair soft hand which, with almost +timid tenderness, was placed in gentle sympathy on his arm, but burst +forth at once in softened accents of appeal with the grievous fact. + +"Mother, what am I to do? I have lost upon the Derby a thousand pounds; +have it I must immediately. I cannot tell my father; some one must get +it out of him. Marryott won't--will you?" + +The mother withdrew the hand which, emboldened by her young son's +unwonted show of confiding consideration, had ventured to begin to part +the dark matted locks from his heated brow. Nor was this done from +dismay at the chief purport of this desperate intelligence, but from the +cold pang with which these concluding words struck upon her ear: +"Marryott won't--will you?" + +It had not then been the impulse of his filial heart, as for a few brief +minutes she had gladly hoped, to fly to his mother in his distress. He +had gone to another first, and only come to her as a last resource--as +often when a boy had been the case, when Marryott, for fear of his +father's displeasure at the expense, had refused him some +indulgence--some of those "good things" we have heard the man Eugene so +feelingly deplore, and with which the mother had supplied him from her +own too circumscribed resources. + +Had not the present emergency been out of the question to her limited +powers, how willingly would she in the same manner have relieved her son +of his pressing anxiety. + +As it was, the momentary pang of bitterness allayed, without giving way +to any irritating manifestation of her feelings, with regard to his +astounding communication, she only expressed her sorrow at his +misfortune and perplexity; and refused not to take upon herself the +office he demanded of her. + +"Alas, Eugene! you know the extent of the influence I possess," she +sadly observed. "I can but break to your father what you have related, +and trust to his general indulgence towards you, rather than to any +regard he may be inclined to pay to entreaties of mine in your behalf." + +"Exactly; that is all I want, mother; tell him that I will work hard at +that d--d bank for the next year--that I will make it up to him in some +way--anything in the world; but if he does not let me have it, I must +blow my brains out--that's all." + +And the mother, sadly sighing over the ruinous course--ruinous as +regarded his soul's welfare--in which her son had so early embarked--and +she, without any power to influence or to restrain--left the room. + +Mrs. Trevor entered the library with no willing step. She knew well how +she should find her husband occupied, and the disagreeable nature of her +mission was less repugnant to her feelings than the pain which would +most probably be in store for her in her other son's behalf. + +And here indeed she did find her Eustace undergoing a more torturing +mental ordeal than that of the physical chastisement to which she had on +a former occasion seen him exposed in that same apartment; his noble, +generous spirit goaded almost beyond the power of endurance, as +compelled to sit there before his father, and submit to the most close, +exact, and grinding examination of every detail and minutiæ of his last +year's expenses, a process accompanied, as was every item of the amount, +with the most bitter and angry comments on his so-called profligacy and +extravagance--the galling and degrading nature of which ordeal every +young man, blameless and well-principled as he may be, will be able +fully to appreciate. + +The mother cast an involuntary glance of tender concern upon the victim, +and then approached her husband. + +"Well, Madam, are you too come to assist me in this delightful +business?" + +"No, Mr. Trevor," in a trembling voice. "I have come to speak to you +upon another subject--about Eugene." + +"Eugene! what in the world have you got to say about him?" + +"He has returned home in much distress; he has been unfortunate, and +requires your assistance, though at the same time is fearful of your +displeasure." + +"The devil he is! well, I am a happy individual. Have I not enough on my +hands already," with a vindictive glance at Eustace, "without being +bored in this fresh quarter? I suppose he wants his allowance advanced; +but be so good as to tell him, Madam, that until I have finished the +delectable business in which I am engaged, he must please to wait. What +the deuce did he come running down here for, wasting his time and my +money. A letter, I should think, would have answered his purpose; +really, one would suppose I was made of millions." + +"But, Mr. Trevor, I am sorry to say that Eugene's case is of greater, +more immediate importance than you imagine. Eugene, I grieve to tell +you, has lost a very considerable sum of money at Epsom, and requires an +immediate remittance for payment (as it is called) of his debt of +honour." + +Mr. Trevor changed colour, and an involuntary oath escaped his lips. But +something--perhaps it was the glance he saw exchanged between the mother +and son--caused him to restrain any further ebullition of the feeling +with which this revelation inwardly inspired him. + +For he fancied--how unjustly may be imagined--that something of +triumphant exultation was expressed in that glance, that it was now the +father's favourite on whom was about to descend his displeasure--perhaps +the present forfeiture of his former favour. This was most fortunate for +Eugene. It turned the course of his passion into another channel. + +"And what, allow me to ask," he proceeded with forced composure, "may be +the amount of this unfortunate involvement?" + +Mrs. Trevor, in a low tone, named the sum. + +Its extent probably exceeded Mr. Trevor's expectation, and the +expression of his countenance plainly indicated the struggle of +contending feelings within his breast. + +He took two or three strides about the room, then ordered Eugene to be +sent to him. + +"Nay, Madam, pray do not you trouble yourself," as Mrs. Trevor was +preparing to leave the room, too willing to escape from the scene of +whatever nature which was to follow; and he rang the bell, and desired +Eugene to be summoned. + +In a few minutes, during which no one spoke--Mrs. Trevor sitting pale +and patient, Eustace walking to the window with a look of weary disgust +upon his countenance, whilst Mr. Trevor's dark eye glanced alternately +the one from the other, with the wary suspicious glare of an angry +animal--Eugene entered, prepared for the worst, with a dogged +indifference of countenance and threw himself upon a chair behind his +father. + +"Well, Sir, and what is this I hear of you?" Mr. Trevor commenced. "Lost +a thousand pounds! a pretty story truly; and want me to give you the +money. Really one would think you were heir to twenty thousand a-year, +instead of a younger son," with a significant glance towards the window, +"totally and entirely dependent on my bounty." + +There was nothing very encouraging in the letter of this exordium. +Something, however, in the manner in which it was spoken, seemed to give +hope and courage to the culprit; for shaking off his sullen moodiness, +he sprang from his seat, and approaching his father, began to pour into +his ear, in earnest humble strains, a string of protestations, +representations, and excuses, relating to the subject of his loss--on +the true Spartan principle, accusing the failure rather than the +committal of the deed--showing how it had been, by the most unforeseen +turn of luck, that he had not won _thousands_, instead of losing _one_; +the good fortune which had attended him, on each preceding occasion of +the kind; finally declaring his determination to do better for the +future, or at any rate so manage, that he would blow his brains out +rather than again trouble his father. + +"Well, well, Sir, this all sounds very plausible, indeed," was Mr. +Trevor's reply, having listened with becoming gravity and consideration +to the defence; "but I would advise you to give up this losing trade of +gambling you have commenced. You will find it, let me tell you, far less +profitable in the end than sticking to your bank. In the meantime, to +extricate you from your present dilemma, and enable you to turn over a +new leaf for the future--this also being in your case the first trouble +you have given me--I will write you a cheque for what you require; but +remember, this is the last time you must expect from me anything of the +sort. Your brother there will tell you how I have plenty to do with one +younger son's worthless extravagance--" + +"Mr. Trevor, you are cruelly unjust," interposed the mother's trembling +voice, indignant tears swelling to her eyelids. "You know that one half +of what you bestow so freely upon Eugene would amply cover all that +Eustace owes--" + +"Mrs. Trevor, may I request your silence on the subject?" thundered her +husband. "Have I not often told you, that I desire no interference +between myself and the affairs of my sons. Supposing I do act with the +cruel injustice you so flatteringly ascribe to me, what then? have I not +a right to do what I will with my own?" + +And, suiting the action to the words, his hand trembling with agitation, +he hastened to achieve--that to him almost incredible thing--to write a +cheque and present it to his youngest son for a thousand pounds, with a +certain feeling, or at any rate the appearance, of unmurmuring alacrity. + +So does one bad feeling at the time being, govern even our worst of +passions. + +Eugene on his part did not, as may well be supposed, trouble himself to +analyse the merits of his father's unexpected generosity. + +He was really overcome with gratitude at the ready manner in which his +anxiety and trouble were thus alleviated. He thanked his father with +earnest emotion, and repeated protestations of never again requiring +such beneficence at his hands. + +Mr. Trevor waved him away. He had done the deed--he had shown forth his +own perfect independence of will and power--satisfied his own bad +feelings towards the object of his unnatural aversion, and mortified--as +seemed his constant aim--the partial feelings, as he deemed them of his +gentle wife towards her second son. And now the ruling passion began +again to struggle into power. + +The remembrance that he had just signed away a thousand pounds of his +close-kept hoards, without more demur than in former times he might have +bestowed a half-crown piece upon the boy, began to stir within his +breast no very great feeling of satisfaction. + +Eugene knew his father too well to risk any further provocation of the +feelings he could pretty plainly divine, and hastened to beat a +triumphant retreat, purposing to leave Montrevor that same night. + +In the exuberance of his feelings, he would probably, at least by a +glance, have thanked his mother for the service she had so auspiciously +rendered him; but Mrs. Trevor's looks were sorrowfully averted, and he +passed her by, not caring to irritate his father by any more manifest +token of attention. He did, however, stop to shake hands with Eustace as +he passed the window near which he stood--the first greeting exchanged +between the brothers, who had not met before for several months. + +Eustace Trevor returned his brother's greeting with no lack of kindly +warmth. He had stood mute and motionless as a statue throughout the late +trying scene which had been enacted. No sign of dark passion--of +envious, hateful feeling could have been read upon that countenance, +pale as marble, and beautiful in its nobly-suppressed emotion. Only +once--that time when his mother had raised her meek voice in his +defence, had an expression of strong feeling--a mixture of disdain, +indignation, and grateful affection--broke forth over his countenance, +and his dark, full eyes turned upon that much-loved champion with a +glance not to be described, whilst his lips moved as if he were about to +entreat her not to distress herself for his sake, when his father's +angry interruption had more effectually supplied any deprecation on his +part to that effect. + +But now, having returned, as we have said, his brother's greeting in a +manner which showed no particle of invidious feeling to have been +excited against the object of such unjust and unmerited favouritism; +when, too, his mother had softly and sadly left the room, without daring +to cast another look upon the beloved object for whom her heart was +bleeding; he came forth and stood before his father, with a firm and +composed mien and countenance. + +"Father!" he said. + +Mr. Trevor was looking over some drawer in his _escritoire_, with no +very happy expression of countenance. + +"Well, Sir?" glancing upwards, speaking in the most sharp, irritated +tone and manner, "what in the name of ---- do you want now? I must +request you to pester me no more to-night, we will return to the +pleasant task of settling the rest of your debts to-morrow." + +"No, father--that cannot be. I am no longer a child--a boy; and +it is not in the nature of man to bear, even from a father, +injustice--degradation, such as that to which I am subjected. I ask you +then, that this very night, on this very spot, for once, and for ever, +to let my account be settled between us; and never I solemnly swear, +here or hereafter shall you be troubled by me or my concerns. What I ask +is, that you will give me down a sum of money, just sufficient to pay my +expenses out of this country, and let me work for my bread by the sweat +of my brow, like others whom I know, in one of the distant colonies; for +this I say will be preferable, far preferable, to what you now make me +endure--far more accordant with my feelings of right and honour, than +shackled, degraded in every point, to be goaded, drawn into a profession +for which, besides the original disinclination I felt to embrace it, I +have been rendered still more unfit by the treatment I have received. +Viewing the office as I do, in a light far too sacred to be entered upon +by one, in the spirit and temper of mind to which you have reduced me." + +"Well, Sir, well; I admire your pious principles; do as you please; +give up this living. Many a better man than you, no doubt, will be glad +to have it. Go off to Botany Bay, if you will--but beg, borrow, or steal +your way out as you like. I must decline advancing you a farthing +towards that laudable design; all the money you ever get out of me, goes +to making you a parson; choose that, or beggary; for do not suppose that +you will be coming over me a second prodigal son. Go, riot as you will, +but not from me will ever come the wherewithals. Eat the husks, if you +please; but as for the ring, and the fatted calf, and all that--" + +"Sir!" interrupted the young man, by a strong effort suppressing the +resentment these taunting words fired in his breast from breaking +through the limits of filial respect. "Far be it from me, to expect such +things at your hands. No, truly, the very husks of the fields _would_ be +far sweeter to my taste than the begrudged bread eaten in my father's +house. And, refused as I am the just and reasonable demand I have made +to-night--determined as you are to show the cruelly childish dependence +to which you have reduced me, willingly would I embrace the other +alternative, and by the sweat of my brow, unaided by you, gain my daily +subsistence, were it not for the one consideration which draws me back, +and renders me powerless to resist--my mother." + +"Come, come, Sir; no more of this," interrupted Mr. Trevor impatiently, +wincing consciously--as he generally did from any allusion of the +kind--at this observation of the zealous son, as if he feared the +reflection on his own conduct which it implied. "No doubt, as you have +now found that I am not to be threatened out of another thousand pounds +to-night, you have plenty of considerations in reserve to reconcile your +dainty stomach to the loaves and fishes so cruelly forced upon you, in +preference to the husks to which it so nobly aspired. There--you had +better go and learn to practise, first, the duty, and obedience, and all +that you will have to preach to us bye and bye. Let me hear," in a tone +of taunting irony, "what shall be your first text." + +"Fathers, provoke not your children to anger!" was the reply which +thrilled in low, deep accents from the young man's voice through the +dusky apartment. But the servant for whom Mr. Trevor had some minutes +before rang impatiently, entering the next moment with lights, the +impression, whatever might have been its nature, which it made upon the +hearer, was dissipated, and a conclusion put to one of those dark, +painful interviews such as it is our unpleasing task to record, which +within that long, low library were enacted. Alas! more dark and dreadful +still are those which have to follow. + +Poor Mary Seaham! how would your gentle spirit have quailed with +shuddering dread, if a vision of what had there been witnessed had dimly +passed before your sight--those calm, sweet eyes there fixed with such +trustful and admiring confidence, upon that venerable old man--have +shrunk with horror and aversion, could "the light of other days" but +have revealed in all its naked hideousness, the spirit--which now +chained and incapacitated in its decrepitude and weakness--had once +worked with such hateful power within that aged form; but what even +this, to the knowledge of other things which it might also have +revealed--the close and active part which he--who then sat by her side, +as an angel of light to her infatuated eyes--had taken in some of these +deeds of darkness. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + In its train + Follow all things unholy--love of gold-- + + The phantom comes and lays upon his lids + A spell that murders sleep, and in his ear + Whispers a deathless word, and on his brain + Breathes a fierce thirst no water will allay-- + He is its slave henceforth! + + N. P. WILLIS. + +It is often to be found, that men of strongest and least regulated +passions, calculating, cautious, as may be the nature of their general +character, are the most easily rendered subserviant to any influence or +weakness to which they in the first instance, have capriciously chosen +to lay themselves open. + +Thus it was with Mr. Trevor. His unjust partiality towards his youngest +son turned against him, so far, that the latter gradually gained an +ascendency over his father's mind, for we cannot exactly call it his +affections, which no one, not even the favourite Marryott, had ever been +known to attain in so extended a measure, and effect. To Eugene Trevor's +credit, it may at least be said, that he was not one, so far as his +outward conduct and demeanour were concerned, to abuse such a position; +on the contrary, he was rather disposed to conciliate the continuance of +it, by every seeming mark of gratitude, and duty, never, however, +neglecting in any direct, or indirect way to turn to advantage the +propitious circumstances of his case. + +This habit had long engendered that peculiar respectfulness of manner +and demeanour, which we had occasion to remark so undeviatingly +maintained by the son, towards the miserly parent. + +But perhaps a bond of union had then been established between the father +and son, of a more subtle and secret character, than any were aware; the +consciousness on the parent's part, of having pardoned and covered in +the son, more than he had any right ever to have so covered or forgiven; +the son subdued in some measure to grateful subjection towards that +parent, from the consciousness of what had by him been concealed, and +overlooked; a bond of union, the more strengthened and annealed as years +wore on, and showed the harmony of character and propensity, however +differently they might as yet be shown forth, which subsisted between +them. + +Alas! when evil, not good cements the union of man with man--when hand +joins hand, for deeds or purposes of darkness--especially when by such +unholy links are seen connected, parent with child--child with parent! +However, all this might be--there was certainly a suspicious cloak over +one era of Eugene Trevor's early history, under which no member of his +family save his father ever penetrated. + +We allude to a period, two years perhaps after the event, which has +lately been brought forward, when he was suddenly removed from the +business in which he had for a period held a kind of sinacure office; +and ever afterwards was tacitly suffered by his father to live at large, +either at home or abroad, following no other profession or pursuit, but +those pleasures and practices, to which he was but too strongly +addicted. + +There is then good reason to suppose that the liberality of his father +on the occasion we have quoted, did not put a stop to further losses and +embarrassments of the same nature on Eugene's part; and one dark +instance will prove at least, to what extremity he was once driven, at +the same time as it exemplified the little confidence he was disposed as +yet to place, in the kindness and long suffering of a parent, whose +character and disposition he had too much acute insight and observation +not to be perfectly able to appreciate. He knew that in his father's +breast existed a passion wherein neither reason, nor benevolence, nor +natural affection, nor any other faculty had in other cases the least +influence--whilst in his own breast could he have analyzed its +propensities with equal exactness, he might have read the love, and +aspiring after the attainment of the same unrighteous mammon, as deep, +and vehement, in its development, though as yet subservient in a degree, +to other feelings--the slave--not as yet the master spirit of other +appetites and propensities. And alas! in the instance we are about to +record--how strongly is it proved that a great activity of this passion, +if the moral qualities of the mind be low--if there exist no honest or +honourable means, or a desire to pursue those means by which it can be +gratified--dishonesty, dishonour, every dark and crooked way and means, +may be the fearful consequences. + + * * * * * + +There came another evening when Eugene Trevor returned clandestinely to +Montrevor, without, as on former occasions, seeking to make his arrival +known to any member of the establishment. But Mr. Trevor was not long in +being apprized by Marryott, that his youngest son had some hours since +entered the house, and had gone straight to his bed-room, from which he +had not since made his appearance, and she wished to know whether she +had not better go and see what was the matter? + +Perhaps Mr. Trevor had his misgivings as to something being in the wind +in that quarter, which it were as well that he might see to in _propria +persona_, therefore, he told Marryott that he would go up stairs +himself, and find out what the boy was about. + +He accordingly proceeded to that distant part of the mansion, which +contained the sordid rooms, allotted from their boyhood, to the sons of +the family, and entered the one appropriated to Eugene's use. + +Mr. Trevor's stealthy entrance enabled him to stand some minutes without +notice, for the young man was seated with his back to the door, leaning +over a table, seemingly in the anxious examination of a small bundle of +papers he held in his hand, and on which the keen eye of the observer +fixed itself with suspicious surprize, for they were evidently bank +notes. + +Suddenly the father made a cautious movement forward--something had +caught his eye. It was one of these same papers, which the draught from +the open window had probably, unperceived by the owner, wafted from the +table to the ground, just behind the young man's chair. + +The father stooped; and having clutched it in his grasping hand, +curiously scanned his prize; yes, it was to all appearance one of those +precious things, after which his soul lusted--a monied note--a note for +£20 on the London Bank in which he had so great concern. + +But how was this? His hand trembled as he held it for stricter +examination further from his eyes. Perhaps his heart misgave him from +the first. How had the boy become possessed of all this money? + +Ah! a new light flashed upon him, and he became deadly pale. + +That well practised vision, that sharp witted perception was not to be +deceived. The astounding, stunning truth miraculously flashed upon his +senses, that the paper he held within his grasp was no true genuine +bank-note on the firm of Maynard, Trevor and Co., but that _it was +forged_. + +One moment after, and Eugene Trevor felt a sharp nervous grasp laid upon +his arm. He started violently, and the terrified ashy countenance he +turned towards his father, would at once have convicted him in the eye +of the beholder of any capital offence of which he might have been +suspected. + +"Wretched boy, what have you done?" gasped the father, as with one hand +maintaining his hold on the culprit's arm, with the other he held the +accusing note before his shrinking eye, glaring at the same time +fearfully upon him. "This--this--" in accents tremulous between rage and +horror, "I know, I feel convinced, is _forged_!" + +The son sat pale and trembling, but attempted not a word of explanation +or denial. + +"And the others--the same?" + +They were passively yielded for inspection. All--all--alike! + +"Do you wished to be hanged, Sir?" almost shrieked the father. + +"I must have money--those might have passed for such." + +"Might?--yes, and you might, I say, be hanged." + +"Well, if I were hanged, what then? Life's not worth having without +money," was the dark and moody rejoinder. + +"And why should you ever be in want of money?" Mr. Trevor replied in a +low, trembling voice. + +"Why? why--when I see how you serve Eustace." + +"Eustace!" in a tone of impatient scorn; "what's Eustace to do with +you?" + +"Or if I could be content to live the life that Harry leads," was the +sullen continuation, "I might perhaps do very well; but as I have in +some degree tastes and inclinations beyond those of a groom or a jockey, +I must have money somehow or another, for accidental emergencies like +the present. There was nothing left for me but this," pointing to the +notes, "or to blow my brains out, to which alternative I suppose I have +now arrived." + +"Tut, tut--nonsense!" replied the agitated father; "why did you not come +to me?" + +"You?--why, after that thousand pounds you gave me, I could not expect +you'd supply me with all I want now." + +"And who--who," continued Mr. Trevor, still livid with horror and dismay +at the dreadful risk his son had run, rather than at the crime he had +perpetuated; "who, in the name of Heaven, was your abettor in this +preposterous scheme?" + +Eugene Trevor, after a little hesitation, named his accomplice--of +course, an _attaché_ of the Bank in question--a young man of low birth +and principles, with whom Eugene Trevor had formed this dreadful +confederacy, and who was subsequently removed from the bank by the +connivance of Mr. Trevor, about the same time, as his young patron was, +as we have before mentioned, mysteriously taken from the business. + +"None of these notes have yet been circulated," the father inquired in +terrified anxiety. + +"No; not yet. I brought them down here, and Wilson was to follow, as you +gave me leave to ask him; and then I was to consider over with him the +best way of proceeding." + +Mr. Trevor mused for a moment; then gathering up the notes in his long, +thin fingers, carefully, nay, even delicately, as if he could not away +with some sentiment of tender respect even for that which only bore the +semblance of his heart's idol; he bade his son, in a low hoarse tone, to +get up, and follow him down stairs. + +Eugene mechanically obeyed; and his father stealthily preceded him back +to his library, the door of which they having both entered, he carefully +closed and bolted. + +Eugene sank upon a chair, with blanched cheeks, and trembling in every +limb. He had not tasted food all day; but, more than this, the act of +moving from one room to the other had probably roused his mental powers, +and his not yet quite depraved or hardened heart became more sensible to +the horrors of the risk, and the enormity of the crime from which he had +been providentially rescued. + +His father, seeing the condition his son was in, produced a small flask +he kept near him for his private use in cases of emergency (he never, +generally speaking, partook of wine or spirits), and poured him out a +sparing quantity. + +The son looked at the glass contemptuously, swallowed its contents; then +seized the bottle his father had incautiously left within his reach, +emptied it of at least half of the remainder, and drank it clean off. + +Mr. Trevor, in the meantime, had turned away, to enter upon the business +in hand. Holding the dangerous papers still clutched fearfully in his +grasp, he looked around to determine how most securely to dispose of +them. + +It would have been easy to have committed them at once to the flames, +if any such means of destruction had been provided; and thus every +memento of his son's guilt might have perished for ever; but though a +chilly April evening, no fire at such an advanced period was suffered to +burn upon the miser's cheerless hearth. So he looked from that hopeless +quarter for some other resource; and going to his _escritoire_, unlocked +it, and in one of its most secret recesses deposited those deeds of +intended wrong, destined to afford long, long after their very existence +was forgotten, a striking example of the fact, that sin, however at the +time covered or concealed, seldom fails to bear forth some fruit of woe, +be it to ourselves or others, in future years. + +Mr. Trevor then proceeded to open another drawer, and glancing towards +his son, carefully selected some bank-notes therefrom, brought them to +Eugene, and thrust them hastily into his hand, as if he feared the +impulse might have evaporated ere the act was accomplished. They were +the exact number of those he had counted of the forged notes. + +The young man looked on them at first with a bewildered and uncertain +gaze; then, overcome probably by the reaction of feeling, burst forth +into a paroxysm of tears, with which he covered his father's hand, as he +gave vent to a torrent of thanks and deprecations against such +undeserved generosity. + +The aged man--for even then, though scarce past sixty, Mr. Trevor from +appearance might have been so denominated--that old, old heart having +long imparted the influence of years to his character and demeanour, he +seemed by this fervent recognition of his unjust--indeed, under the +circumstances of the case--iniquitous indulgence, to be spurred on to an +effusion of warmth towards his favourite, almost monomaniacal in its +extent. Again he seized his keys, and, one after another, threw open +wide chest after chest, drawer after drawer of his spacious treasures; +showing, with layers of notes to a great amount, heaps of shining +gold--the gathered hoards of years; with which, besides the enormous +deposits with which the bank of Maynard and Co. was enriched, this +"exceeding rich man" kept to feast his eyes and delight his heart with +their sensible and tangible presence. + +"There boy--there," he exclaimed, observing with a kind of exulting +gratification the impression this display made upon the young man's +countenance--how his eye kindled, and his breath came short and quick, +as if with the covetous delight which found such sympathy in his own +breast, "is not that worth living for, think ye.... Well, well, never +forget again, nor waste and want, as you have lately begun to do; but +wait, and watch, and learn to do like me, and who knows but some day or +another...." + +He paused, and glanced significantly from his coffers to his son, from +his son to his coffers. + +"Harry will be a lucky fellow," murmured Eugene, averting his +countenance, over which, at those words, a brightening gleam had passed. + +"Pooh, that fool!" + +"That fool, Sir, is your eldest son for all that," laughed the other. + +"And if he is, what's that? it's my own, all that.... Besides," lowering +his voice, "mark me, he'll break his neck some of these days." + +"Not he, Harry's too good a rider for that; and you know a fool is sure +to live for ever; but even if he died, there's Eustace." + +"Eustace--curse him!" was the fatherly ejaculation. + +Even the calculating brother now looked a little shocked, and when just +at that moment there came a gentle knock at the door, both started, like +guilty creatures as they were. But the old man glancing at his coffers +with nervous alarm, hurriedly bade his son to wait, shutting them up, +and making them fast with hurried trepidation ere the inopportune +intruder was admitted. It proved to be only Marryott, who presented +herself with a smooth and unsuspecting countenance, to ask whether Mr. +Eugene would not come and partake of the supper she had provided for him +in her own room. And Eugene, though at first about to profess himself +not hungry, on second thoughts, and a glance from his father, changed +his mind, shook hands affectionately with his foster-mother, and +consented to avail himself of her considerate attentions. + +A change had come over the young man's dream; a new vista opened before +his eyes; Satan had showed him the kingdoms of the world, and the glory +of them; he must bow the knee and worship. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + Blest order, which in power dost so excel, + + * * * * * + + Fain would I draw nigh, + Fain put thee on; exchanging my lay sword + For that of th' Holy Word. + + HERBERT. + + +About a year from this time an uncle of Mrs. Trevor's died, leaving +twenty thousand pounds to his niece's second son, Eustace, his god-son; +and the persecuted young man thus found himself, by this unexpected +behest, placed in a position which rendered him to a degree independent +of the tyranny and bondage to which he had been hitherto subjected by +his father, and at liberty, if so had been his pleasure, to relinquish +the profession which had in such an arbitrary manner been forced upon +him. But it was not thus to be. Very different now was the nature of +the case. He stood a free man--free to choose or to reject the path of +life before him, and the spirit which had struggled so fiercely in the +ignoble chains which bound it to that course, now disenthralled, turned +as naturally as the eagle to the sun, to that high and holy service for +which he had been prepared. + +The proud and restless spirit, soothed and tranquillized, yielded itself +as a little child to the scarcely-breathed wishes of his mother, that +the struggles he had so long and nobly endured in bringing down his +rebellious thoughts and contrary inclinations--the hard studies to which +he had devoted himself to fit him according to his own high standard for +the important vocation, might not be thrown away; but that before she +left this world of sin and sorrow, she might have the happiness of +seeing her beloved son wedded to that profession, which in her eyes +offered the only fold of security and protection from the snares and +temptations which beset the path of manhood--"the bosom of the Church." + +Eustace was fully persuaded that his father would now withdraw the +living he had before so pertinaciously awarded him; for he plainly +perceived the increasing enmity the bestowal of his uncle's little +fortune, had raised against him in the breast of his unnatural parent, +an act purposely, no doubt, made by the testator, to secure it from the +well-known cupidity of his niece's husband. But what if this were the +case? The forfeiture of this benefice would but the more fully satisfy +his own mind, as to the disinterestedness of the change affected in his +feelings with respect to that profession. + +Therefore from this period did Eustace Trevor set himself with heart and +soul more fully to prepare for the sacred office, and having shone with +increased brilliancy in the path of learning, covered with honours and +distinctions, stood ready for the ceremony of ordination. + +But this event was retarded; first, by the severe attack of brain-fever, +the result probably of the course of hard and long-sustained study, +which nearly brought him to the brink of the grave, and prostrated his +strength for many an after day; and by the time he had sufficiently +recovered, another event had occurred, the nature of which seemed likely +to effect a most important change in the aspect of his future career. + +Mr. Trevor's words, spoken in cruel levity, with reference to his eldest +son, became verified in a manner not often found precedented in the +course of the world's history. The body of the unfortunate Henry Trevor +was brought home one morning to his father's house, it having been found +lying on the road, where, on returning home the night before in a state +of intoxication--a vice to which he had been unhappily addicted--he had +been thrown from his horse, and, as it appeared, killed upon the spot. + +And Eustace Trevor stood in that brother's place--eldest son, and heir +to all that would have been his! + +It is not often that such instances are afforded us in the order of +God's dealings; instances which, to our blind sight, cannot but appear +wisely and providentially appointed. + +We would fain cut down the barren tree, that the good and fruitful may +flourish in its room. But the husbandman wills it not. We would fain +root out the tares: but he orders that they should flourish on. The evil +weeds grow apace; whilst too often the flower withers, and fades ere it +be yet noon. + +But here men said all was right. Poor Henry Trevor! removed from a +sphere in which he could never have played but so ignoble a part; making +room for one of whom none could desire better to fill his place, as heir +and future representative of a house and family of such wealth and +consideration as that of Trevor, and so noble and brilliant a successor +to its present miserly head. + +Few in any way acquainted with Eustace's superiority of character, +hesitated to look upon the death of the first-born but as a source of +congratulation rather than of condolence to the new heir, and to +posterity. So do men err in their calculations of good and evil! + +Little did they know the wild heritage of woe this seeming good did +bring about! Seldom has the death of an unlamented eldest son proved so +direful in its consequences. + +The catastrophe in question, of course interrupted, for a while, the +intended ordination of Eustace Trevor. It was naturally supposed that no +further thought would be entertained of his entering the Church, either +by himself or family. Indeed, we will not say but that his change of +circumstances altered also, in some degree, his own ideas upon the +subject. + +New prospects, new duties, new spheres of action for his transcendant +talents, seemed to open before his view. Even Mrs. Trevor might have +seemed tacitly to bend to the new position of circumstances. It was, +however, difficult for the son to gain any insight into the wishes of +his father upon the subject; for some time after his brother's death he +was denied all access to that parent's presence: Mr. Trevor's vindictive +feeling against his second son not suffering him to bear the sight of +him in the new position he now was placed. + +No one, indeed, save Eugene and Marryott, from this time were suffered +often to approach him. The former, from the period recorded in the last +chapter, spent much of his time at Montrevor; his favour and influence +with his father increasing day by day. At this treatment, Eustace could +be neither much astonished or grieved. For his mother's sake alone did +he ever make Montrevor his abode, and her failing health, which had +received a further shock from the violent end of her unfortunate son, +drew him more anxiously than ever to her side. + +He laid his future destiny in her hands. If she still desired him to +embrace the office of priesthood, no change of fortune should induce him +further to demur. + +And no change of fortune _could_ alter the mother's heart's desire on +that score; but she knew that worldly consideration spoke otherwise. Was +it for her to gainsay the wisdom of the world, perhaps the dictates of +her son's own heart? + +She bade him further pause and consider the question ere he took the +indissoluble step, which would bind him so firmly to the service of his +God. She advised him to go and try the world, to look upon its pride, +its ambition, and its pleasure. He went. Courted, flattered, and +admired, all these allurements beckoned him away. The world smiled upon +the eldest son, and not only the world; he in whose heart of hearts +hatred and envy were darkly smouldering against one whom fortune had at +once so unexpectedly favoured, and raised above himself--he also in +that smiling world spoke him fair, and walked with him as friend--and +this was his brother. + +How was it then that Eustace Trevor finally returned to his original +intention? Was his eye even then opened to see the hollowness of all +that thus surrounded him, or that returning thence to his mother's side, +he beheld her fading form, her anxious eye, and determined in his heart +that her fainting spirit should be rejoiced--her last days cheered by +the accomplishment of her soul's earnest desire. + +Was it in bitterness of soul at his father's cruel hatred? The still +more cruel suspicion that dawned upon his perception, in spite of all +outward seeming, that the heart of his brother was turned against him +more darkly still; and that he felt it to be absolutely necessary to +secure himself a definite occupation and object in life, ere the time +came when the only light of his paternal home would be quenched with his +mother's life, and he become a voluntary exile from its portals? Be it +as it may, Eustace Trevor, without giving notice of his intentions to +any of his family, went to Oxford, and was finally ordained, having by +consent of the bishop, in consideration of the long preparation and many +accidental delays which had postponed the event--his long-tested +readiness and ability for the important vocation--been excused the +year's probation which must generally intervene, and was admitted on the +close coming occasion to the office of priesthood. + + "Dread searcher of the hearts, + Thou who didst seal + Thy servant's choice, oh help him in his parts, + Else helpless found, to turn and teach Thy love." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + The first dark day of nothingness, + The last of danger and distress. + + BYRON. + + +Thus signed and sealed, a devoted soldier of the church of God, +"fearless yet trembling," Eustace Trevor went forth, and proceeded to +his home--for home he must always term the spot which contained his +mother. + +In his mind was a conflict of many and full fraught feelings. There was +the consciousness of the great and responsible charge he had that day +taken, and the new colouring it must henceforth cast upon his future +existence--accompanied by a calm and holy joy (as at the same time, that +peace and good-will to all men warmed his heart, yes even to his +enemies) the world seemed to fade from his estimation, and the kingdom +of Heaven and its righteousness, to be the only one on which his soul +was fixed. + +But perhaps a less high-toned, but no less pure and holy emotion was the +one which, unknown to himself, most strongly predominated over the +rest--the idea of his mother. The glad surprise he had prepared for her +suffering spirit, the joy he knew would fill those sorrow-dimmed eyes, +when she learnt the consummation of her heart's desire on his behalf! + +It would be difficult to conceive aright the depth and strength of the +affection which, fed by "love and grief, and indignation," had grown +with the growth, and strengthened with the strength of Eustace Trevor +towards his mother; therefore its expression to some might appear +exaggeration, but such it was, and the nearer he now approached the +demesne of Montrevor, the more was his mind filled with her pure and +holy image, and all the happiness he hoped for, both present and future, +seemed to concentrate in that one point. + +The possibility of losing her, seemed to become a thing he could not +allow himself to think was possible. It was but sorrow and mental +suffering which had affected her precious health. Happiness should again +restore it; he would have a home to offer her. Power or principle could +not bind her to the one, where wrongs, dishonour, and grief, had been so +long her portion. He would bear her away to more healthful air, and with +his love and devotion bind up her broken heart, and heal her bruised +spirit. He had enough to provide for her in comfort, if not in luxury; +and what luxury--what scarcely comfort, had she ever tasted in her +husband's penurious abode? + +If a thought of the day when those princely possessions he entered would +be his, crossed his mind, the idea was but fraught with painful regret; +scarcely daring, as he did, to extend his dreams so far as to +contemplate the possibility of _her_ being alive when that day came, to +profit by the circumstance--to find all the grief, and wrong, and +slight, and dishonour which had marked her existence in her husband's +wealthy house, exchanged for the honour, power and dominion--to say +nothing of the peace and prosperity--which should gild her latter days, +as mistress of her son's rich inheritance. + +Yet at the same time it may be truly said no dark thoughts, no covetous +desire which might have sprung too naturally from this train of ideas in +any other breast, was hereby suggested. No, he felt too great a calm, a +peace and contentment, in the present aspect of his life, as contrasted +with the struggles and trials which had been its early portion, not to +have contemplated such a _bouleversement_ as that to which we allude +with any feeling save that of horror and distaste. No--he had seen and +proved enough of the hateful sin of covetousness, for any such feeling +to have gained admittance in his breast; nay, not indeed to have fled +from its very idea, as from a serpent. + +"They that will be rich fall into a temptation and a snare, and into +many foolish and hurtful lusts, which draw men into destruction and +perdition. For the love of money is the root of evil, which, when some +coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves +through with many sorrows. But thou, man of God, flee from these things +and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, +meekness." + +Thus, in a frame and state of mind which it would have been far from +the thoughts of man to conceive as the presager of misery, dark and +horrible, Eustace Trevor approached his father's house. + +It was night, and the mansion seemed wrapped in more than its customary +gloom and darkness. Every window was closed and shuttered--all save one, +and from that the only ray of light visible on its whole extent +glittered through the open casement. + +It was enough--the light came from his mother's chamber. The star of his +home shone forth, as it had ever done, to cheer and welcome his +approach. He did not seek admittance at the front door. That had never +been the privilege of himself or brothers during their boyhood, or their +custom by choice in later years. + +There was a more private entrance, through which, after having left +their horse or other vehicle at the stables, the young Trevors could +enter or issue at their pleasure--safe from the _espionage_ or uncertain +welcome of their father. To this Eustace had now recourse. He tried it, +and finding the doors beyond his expectations unsecured, passed through, +making his way by a back staircase to his mother's apartments, without +encountering a domestic or any person on his route. + +The house was still and silent as the grave. He entered the boudoir. +There was no lamp or candle burning there, but the clear light reflected +from the adjoining chamber, of which the door was ajar, seemed to +indicate that his mother had retired for the night. + +Softly he stepped across the floor to make known to her his arrival. He +knew she was expecting him about this time, therefore no fear of +startling her too much by his sudden appearance presented itself to his +mind--no fear indeed! He listened. All was still--only a slight breeze +through the window, (he vaguely wondered that it was open at this hour +though the night indeed was close and still), faintly rustled the canopy +of the bed and flared the waxen tapers standing on the table. If his +mother were there, she undoubtedly slept. + +He glanced around the room before advancing further to ascertain the +fact, and was struck by the cold and unnatural order pervading the +apartment. It was the sign which first chilled his blood and impressed +him with a vague but horrible dread. Yet he stood no longer; with a +firm though somewhat quickened step he approached, laid his hand upon +the drapery, which was slightly drawn round the head of the bed, and +beheld his mother. + +She slept indeed--how fast, how well, one look alone sufficed to reveal! +But Eustace's eye turned not from the gaze which had first fixed itself +upon that marble brow. + + "He gazed--how long we gaze in spite of pain, + And know, but dare not own, we gaze in vain. + In life itself she was so still and fair, + That death with gentler aspect withered there." + +The long faded beauty of her youth seemed to have returned to Mrs. +Trevor's countenance, as there in "the rapture of repose," she lay. + +Yet the son's eye became glazed in its intensity, as if the sight was +one of horror and fearfulness, whilst the hue of the cold sleeper's +cheek, was life, and health, and beauty, compared with that which +settled on his face. + +A female servant of the establishment came and found him still standing +thus. The woman's startled alarm at first was great. To behold that tall +statue-like figure in the chamber she had left, deserted by all living. +But any weak demonstration of her fear was awed into reason and +collectiveness, by the recognition of her dead mistress' son, who at +length, as she stood transfixed in her first paroxism of terror to the +spot, turned his face towards her, revealing a countenance on which no +passionate emotion, no strong grief, nothing but a stern, fearful +composure, was visible, and demanded in a low, hollow voice: + +"When did she die?" + +"This morning at nine o'clock," the woman answered, weeping. + + "It was enough--she died; what reck'd it how?" + +Eustace waved his hand in sign for her to depart. She obeyed +immediately, closing the door instinctively behind her; seeming at once +to feel and understand that he who had most right to command, within +that chamber, had arrived. + +And all through the lonely watches of that night; lock and bolt from +within, secured, shut out from all intrusion, the agonized communion of +the living with the peaceful sorrowless dead. The living in his agony +which no tongue could tell; the dead, whose life might have been called +one long painful sigh--one sympathetic groan, lying there, serene, +senseless, smiling on his pain. But too great had been the shock of the +deep waters which now overwhelmed his soul, for Eustace Trevor to +consider, and bless God that it was so. He that but an hour before had +come on his way rejoicing--his spirit lifted up as it were on eagles' +wings, "from this dim spot which men call earth," to heaven, now was as +a crushed worm--a broken reed,--stricken to the ground in hopeless, +powerless despair! + +"Why hast thou smitten me, and there is no healing for me? I looked for +peace and there is no good; for the time of healing, and behold +trouble!" + +Such is man in his best estate; his highest strength is +weakness--altogether vanity. Let the Almighty call forth his storm to +break upon his head; let him wither his gourd--his spirit faints, and is +ready to die. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + Oh wretch! without a tear, without a thought, + Save joy above the ruin thou hast wrought. + + * * * * * + + Look on thy earthly victims and despair. + + BYRON. + + +When the morning arrived, some one came knocking for admittance at the +door of the chamber of death. The knock was several times repeated +before it gained any answer or attention; but finally a slow and heavy +tread was heard traversing the apartment; the bolt was feebly drawn, the +door opened, and Eustace Trevor stood face to face with Mabel Marryott. + +Prepared as she was for this meeting, and in some degree for its being +one of no pleasing nature, the woman could not but recoil before the wan +and haggard countenance which presented itself to her view. + +Her stony eye shrunk--her bloodless heart quailed at first sight of +those signs of mighty grief which one night's agony had imprinted there. +But perhaps it was not so much his appearance as the glance, Eustace, +still holding the door in his hand, fixed upon her, which thus affected +her; and he, favoured by this movement on her part, was about, without +the utterance of a word, again to close the door in her face, when +quickly recovering from her momentary weakness she prevented the action, +by stepping quickly forward, and attempted to pass him by. But no; +firmly he remained within the doorway, effectually frustrating any such +endeavour. Mabel Marryott looked at him with an air of affected +surprise, her cool, unabashed demeanour perfectly restored. + +"Mr. Eustace," she said, and there was an insolent tinge of patronising +pity in her tone; "will you allow me, Sir?" + +"No; I will not," was the reply which burst forth in accents, which, if +there were aught of human in her mould, must have shook her very soul to +its centre; "you are not wanted here; you have done enough--you have +helped to kill her; what can you desire more? Begone!--tempt me not to +call down the curse of Heaven upon ..." + +"Eustace--Eustace--this is folly; this is madness!" said a voice behind +him; and the fearful words were stayed on Eustace's lips, when he looked +up, and beheld his brother. Eugene Trevor, looking very pale and ill +himself, came forward, and with a glance at Marryott took his brother's +arm, and led him back through the chamber of death into the boudoir +beyond, closing the door behind them. + +"Good heavens! Eustace, how ill you look! You must not give way in that +manner--it is weak, it is unmanly. This has been a blow to us all; but +you know it was not altogether unexpected. Her health has long been +failing." + +But his brother did not heed him. He had lain his head down upon a table +near the seat on which he sunk. Those cold, inadequate words did not +touch his deep fathomless grief. But still, the sight and presence of +one whom, she at least had loved, seemed to have some effect in soothing +the passionate excitement of misery into which the sight of her she had +every reason to abhor, had worked him. He forgot even at the time to +think how ill that love had been requited, and scalding tears, + + "The very weakness of the brain, + Which still confessed without relieving pain," + +were trickling from his burning eye-balls, when again he raised his +face, and turned it towards his brother. + +"Eugene, who was with her?" he asked, while at the same time he +murmured: "Not that woman?" + +"No--I think not; it was so sudden at the last, that I believe, not even +her maid knew of it till she came into her room in the morning. The +doctor says it was paralysis of the heart." + +"Yes--yes, I see; deserted, neglected, even in the hour of death!" + +"I saw her the night before, before going to bed," rejoined the other, +without noticing this interruption. "She seemed pretty well then, but +did not notice me much--she only asked for you;" and there was something +of sullen bitterness in the tone of voice in which these words were +uttered. + +His listener groaned. + +"And why was I not sent for--_why_?" he repeated with agonized emphasis. +"Oh, need I ask that question?" + +"I told you, that to the last she was not considered in danger," +continued the other with some impatience; "of course, there could have +been no motive." + +"No motive; no not more than there ever has been, for all that has been +done to wither her heart and shorten her days--not more than there has +ever been for the course of cruel, wanton persecution, which would fain, +I believe, have crushed the very life blood out of my heart also. But +that--that is nothing now; it is the thought of her alone which tortures +my soul to madness. To think of all she was made to endure, for my sake +and her own--that placid martyred saint; and then no effort made to +bring me to her side, to soothe her dying pangs, as I alone could do; +her last glance seeking for her son in vain; her eyes closed perhaps by +her murderess.... Eugene, has _he_ dared to look upon her?" + +"Who! my father?" + +"Yes; _your_ father." + +"I really do not know whether he has been here, or not, since...." + +"He could not--he dare not; only a wretch like her could venture to +enter there--to look upon that angel face, and not see utter despair and +condemnation breathed forth from each cold feature upon her destroyer." + +"Eustace this is strong language; grief has weakened and excited your +brain; you want rest and refreshment." + +"Rest and refreshment? All the rest I can take is watching by her side, +guarding her from any desecrating approach; all refreshment, that which +her cold, calm presence can afford. Strong language did you call it, +Eugene? Can your mother's son think any language too strong to express +his hatred--abhorrence--against her mighty wrongs? You cannot be in +league with those who have destroyed her?" + +"I never interfered in those matters," Eugene murmured coldly, but with +downcast looks. "It does no good, and is no business of ours, and if you +had taken my advice, Eustace, you would have done the same. It would +have been the better for you. It is this sort of thing which +exasperates my father against you." + +Oh the look of mingled scorn, surprise, and sorrowful reproach, which +Eugene Trevor, on lifting up his eyes, saw turned upon him. They shrunk +again abashed before its power, and ere he dared again to lift them, he +heard the slow heavy footsteps of his brother returning to the chamber +of death. + +Eugene did not follow there, but rising, went down stairs the other way +straight to his father's library. Marryott was there, having doubtless +been reporting to her master the unfavourable reception she had received +from his eldest son. + +Mr. Trevor sat in his dressing-gown cowering over the embers of a scanty +fire. He looked feeble and haggard, and altogether might have been taken +for many years beyond his real age. It could not be, we know, that grief +had thus affected him; but certainly from this period the old +enchanter's wand seemed more and more to have been wrested from his +hold, some blight to have fallen upon that cruel and covetous man; +something which bowed his spirit into the impotence, almost dotage of +premature old age; converting the tyrant into the slave--the man of +strong passions into the tool of the passions of others--in all +respects, indeed, save that which touched in any degree upon the +mainspring of his being--the darling lust--which coiled like a serpent +round his heart-strings; nothing but the hand of death could tear away +his covetousness. How was this? Could it be that the words spoken in the +bitterness of his son's agonized spirit, had thus been brought to bear +upon him, that he _had_ dared to look upon his dead wife's angel's face, +and that the sight had cursed him. + + "Lo! the spell now works around thee, + And the clankless chain has bound thee, + O'er thy heart and brain together + Hath the word been passed, now wither." + +He turned round on his son's entrance with a look of nervous dread. + +"Oh, it is you, Eugene! Marryott has been telling me what is going on up +stairs." + +"Pshaw!" the young man exclaimed, as he threw himself down on a chair, +"one must not mind him just now, poor fellow, he is quite distracted." + +"I should say so, indeed," sneered the woman significantly. + +"But he will not come here, I hope," continued Mr. Trevor, anxiously. "I +desire that he is not allowed to come near me. I cannot, I will not see +him!" + +"No fear of that, Sir," answered the son coldly; "he is not very likely +to trouble _you_ with his presence." + +"Well, well, that's all right; let him rave as much as he likes out of +my sight. And now give me a drop of brandy, Marryott, and stir up the +fire gently, only just gently. It's very cold." + +And the victim of conscience cowered and shivered over the scanty flame +thus excited. + +"Eugene, stay!" he continued, "don't you go; I don't like to be left, +and there's so much business to be talked over, such trouble and +expense." And the miser set about to calculate grudgingly the cost of +his wife's funeral. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + Oh, lie not down, poor mourner, + On the cold earth in despair; + Why give the grave thy homage? + Does the spirit moulder there? + Cling to the Cross, thou lone one, + For it hath power to save. + If the Christian's hope forsake thee, + There's no hope beyond the grave. + + HAYNES BAYLEY. + + +If it be terrible to look upon the face of the beloved dead in the first +hours of dissolution-- + + "Before decay's effacing finger + Hath swept the cheek where beauty lingers," + +--what must it be when hour after hour, like the worm in the bud, the +tyrant's power steals on its insiduous way, and we stand and gaze our +last, and see and feel it _must_ be so! + +Yet through all this, from which strong man so often shrinks, leaving to +woman's exhaustless fidelity the sacred care and mournful duty to the +departed, did Eustace Trevor--"Love mastering agony"--maintain his +watch, never allowing himself to be persuaded to quit the precincts of +that chamber, till that dreadful moment which was to cover from his eyes +all that in this world was precious to his heart--till a day more +dreadful still should arrive to force it to a close. Night followed day, +and morning chased away the shadows of darkness; but day and night were +both alike to the dimmed eyes--the stunned senses of the mourner. He +never slept, and but sufficient of the food placed for him in the +neighbouring room, as barely might preserve existence, ever passed his +lips. He saw no one, but occasionally his brother, and an inferior +domestic; no other dared approach him. Thus far he had triumphed. + +For the rest, stunned and enfeebled, it was to him but as a dark +bewildered dream, wherein he played his part; nor knew whether friend or +foe were standing by his side, if those who loved, or those who hated +him, were mingling in the solemn rite. The darkness of the sepulchre +seemed to have engulphed every sense or feeling of his soul. + +He was taken home from the church almost in a state of insensibility, +from which it seems that he awoke only too soon to consciousness and +woe. Late in the evening, at dark, he was heard by some of the awed +domestics seeking the deserted apartment of their mistress, and the +following morning was not to be found within the house. + +This was reported, and after some search the miserable young man was +discovered, wet with the dews of heaven, stretched upon the turf which +enclosed the family mausoleum, which had been open to receive the +remains of his mother, and where he had probably lain all night. + +He was carried back to his chamber, and placed under medical care, his +brother showing much anxious solicitude on his behalf. The doctor, +however, the common attendant on the family, pronounced his malady to be +merely the effect of long fasting, watching and mental distress, and +which it only required proper measures to allay; whilst for the better +assurance of these measures being carried out, the worthy practitioner +placed his patient under the peculiar care and superintendance of his +great ally, Mrs. Marryott, whose skill and prudence he held in most +subservient and sycophantish esteem. And with most seeming assiduity, +Mrs. Marryott entered upon the duties thus imposed. + +If anything were likely to fan into flame the fever, already raging in +the veins of the unhappy Eustace it would be, as is easily to be +supposed, this most repugnant infliction he was powerless to resist. In +vain he protested, as far as his feeble strength would allow him, +against the repugnant imposition of such odious services upon him, +entreating the assistance of his brother in his release, repulsing the +detested woman's attentions, and refusing to touch the food or medicines +offered by her hand. + +His brother soothed or reasoned. The doctor told him he must not be +agitated--felt his pulse, shook his head. Still that Marryott's hateful +face, with its serpent smile, hung over him, uttering smooth words in +oily accents in his shrinking ear, or creeping noiselessly about the +room, whilst his fascinated eye fain would follow loathingly. No wonder, +then, maddened and excited, that the fever raged more intensely, till, +mounting higher and higher, his very brain seemed on fire; every image, +loved or hated, became distorted and indistinct to his mind; till, +finally, he lay prostrate, raving, struggling, delirious, beneath the +power of that fearful malady, which had attacked him once before--a +brain fever! + + * * * * * + +It was a cold, stormy November night. The father and son sat together +close beside the library fire, after dinner; the latter musing absently +over a newspaper he held before him, the former deep in the examination +of an old leather pocket-book, where accounts and memorandums concerning +money matters were noted down. + +The door opened; both looked sharply round: it was Marryott. She put her +head in at the door, and begged Mr. Eugene to come and speak to her. +Eugene turned pale, started up, and hastened to obey the summons. Mr. +Trevor looked after him, put his note-book carefully into his pocket, +picked up, and appeared to peruse the newspaper his son had thrown down; +but ever and anon, at every sound that met his ear, his small dark eye +might be seen peering eagerly towards the door. + +"Well, well," turning eagerly towards Eugene, as he entered, looking +still paler than when he left the room, but taking his seat as before, +without speaking a word; "well, well, what's the matter? Where have you +been?" + +"With Marryott, talking to her. Panton has just come." + +"Well, well--how is he?--worse?" + +"Why, yes--I cannot say there is much improvement; but here's Marryott," +as the door again opened; "she can tell you more about him and Panton's +opinion." + +Marryott entered, and stationed herself beside Mr. Trevor's chair, +keeping her eyes fixed upon Eugene, as he sat leaning his elbows on his +knees, and looking nervously down upon the ground. + +"Well, well, Marryott, is he very bad? What does Panton think of him +now?" + +"He thinks very badly of him, indeed, Mr. Trevor," was her answer, in a +solemn, mysterious voice. + +"Really, really; Does he think that he will die?" + +The woman cleared her throat. + +"No, not quite that, though some might think it even worse." + +She paused, and tried to catch Eugene's pertinaciously averted eye. + +"Go on, go on. What, in the name of Heaven, is it then? Is he mad?" + +"It is shocking to see him, Sir," Marryott hastened to rejoin, as if not +sorry to have been spared the direct utterance of this communication; +"and Mr. Panton has great fears whether his reason is not to an alarming +degree affected. He cannot leave him; his violence becomes frightfully +increased. Mr. Eugene saw how he was just now. If this continues, some +measures must be taken. It is very dangerous to those about him." + +She paused. + +"Eh! Eugene, Eugene! This won't do, Eugene! What is to be done?" +exclaimed the old man, in sudden panic, as he looked up. "He can't come +here--can he? Dangerous! Why, he must not stay here then. I can't keep a +madman in the house. Put him on a straight-waistcoat, and take him to +the asylum till he is better. I won't have him here, I tell you," cried +the tender father. + +"Hush, Sir, pray!--this is going too far," said Eugene, rising, and +looking very grave and shocked. "I hope nothing so very extreme as this +will be necessary, though indeed at present my brother is in a very +fearful state. Panton has just sent for his assistant, as I should wish +to keep the servants out of the way as much as possible; it would be +making the dreadful affair too public." + +"Well, well, what does that matter? It must come out some time or +another. Did I not always say he was mad?" and a horrid gleam of +something like exultation passed over the old man's countenance; "did he +not always from a boy play the madman?" + +Eugene listened with attentive consideration to his father's words, then +looking up, met the significant glance of Marryott fixed upon him. + +He turned away, and stood thoughtfully gazing into the fire. A pause of +some length succeeded. Mr. Trevor had sat for some time musing, or +rather calculating also, whilst Marryott stood watching with cold +interest and curiosity, the progress of a train of thought, of which +her insinuations had kindled the first spark. + +At length Eugene felt his arm touched. His father had made his way close +up to his side. + +"I say Eugene," and he whispered--but not so low that the third person +should not overhear--some words in his ear. + +His unhappy listener shrank as if the serpent's breath had in reality +fanned his cheek. But he only shrank--he did not flee; and those "evil +thoughts" from whence stand ready to pour forth like a flood, that +fearful category of crime the gospel enumerates--were working within his +breast, waiting but that same breath to breathe them forth into life and +action. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + A light broke in upon my brain; + It ceased, and then it came again; + And then by dull degrees came back + My senses to their wonted track. + + BYRON. + + +It created no little consternation amongst the establishment of +Montrevor, when it was delicately set about, amongst them, that Mr. +Eustace Trevor, that noble, fine, generous-hearted young gentleman was +_mad_! Some, said, no wonder, coming home as he did, to find his mother, +whom he loved so well, dead. Others told how, indeed, they had been near +his room, and heard his ravings. One woman could testify of what she had +seen of his strange grief exhibited in the chamber of death. Some few +shook their heads mysteriously, but preserved discreet--though +significant silence. + +Vague reports got abroad, of course to this same effect. Neighbours +called to inquire. Mr. Trevor and his youngest son were not visible; but +the cautious answers given at the door concerning the health of Eustace, +served but to confirm the fearful suspicions now let loose. + +Some few of the suffering young man's particular friends, amongst them +young de Burgh of Silverton, made efforts to visit him in person, but +this was declared to be so perfectly impracticable, that every endeavour +of the sort was obliged to be relinquished; and at length it became +pretty generally known that Eustace Trevor was removed from Montrevor, +though it was not exactly ascertained where, and under what +circumstances. + +Eugene Trevor still kept himself shut up, inaccessible to every visitor, +and even the servants were not a set disposed to be very communicative +concerning the family affairs; indeed, immediately after Mrs. Trevor's +death, although at no time had it been on a very extensive scale, a +great reduction had been made in the establishment--it was compressed +into the smallest possible compass for the exigencies of the large +house. + +All the domestics perhaps knew on the subject was, that on a certain +day, about a fortnight after Mrs. Eustace had been taken so very ill, +Mr. Panton had brought, besides his assistant, another medical gentleman +to the house. One of the Trevor carriages had been brought round, and +Mr. Eustace was carried down stairs and conveyed away therein by the two +doctors; his state of mind--as Mrs. Marryott reported--having arrived at +a pitch which rendered it absolutely necessary that he should be placed +under more close and immediate medical treatment. + +As for Mr. Eugene, it seemed that he took his brother's condition +greatly to heart. They never saw a gentleman look so ill. He scarcely +touched a morsel of food, nor left the house to breathe the fresh air, +but sat shut up in the library with the old gentleman; which must, they +all thought, be very bad for him, both in mind and body--worse even than +going off to London and racketting there, as they heard was his wont, +though he did manage to keep it so snug and make himself such a +favourite with his father. They wondered indeed how he managed with the +old gentleman. They well knew how poor Mr. Eustace had been treated, +and should always think Mr. Trevor had helped to drive him mad; but it +was only like the proverb which says that "one man may steal a horse out +of the field, whilst another may not as much as look over the hedge." + + * * * * * + +There is a pretty looking country-house about five miles distant from +Montrevor, of which travellers as they pass generally ask the name, and +are astonished when they hear its nature and appropriation; so little, +excepting perhaps the wall surrounding the premises, is there in its +exterior, as seen from the road, calculated to give the beholder an idea +of its belonging to any such class of institution as it really does. The +interior too, on a stranger's first entrance, would not be likely to +enlighten him. There are pretty drawing-rooms below, looking upon lawns +and gardens, in which well-dressed people are seen to sit or walk; and +who give one little idea, by their carriage, behaviour, or even +sometimes by their conversation, what has brought them there, and under +which dreadful malady they are supposed to be labouring. + +They seem to be treated in the kindest manner, and entertained and +accommodated as in every way would be accordant with the immense sum +which has gained for them the privilege of an entrance into this asylum +of wealthy woe; for woe--yes, one of those worst of woes flesh is heir +to--lies concealed beneath the glittering surface of appearances such as +we are describing. And few would wish to pierce, even if allowed, +farther into "the secrets of that prison-house," lest sounds or sights +which freeze the blood and harrow the soul might be listened to and +revealed. + +In a remote chamber of this mansion, between whose close grated windows +the light of day but feebly straggled through blinds which debarred all +outward view, Eustace Trevor had opened his eyes, and for the first time +for many a day felt his brain cool, his mind clear, his vision +disentangled from those false and disturbed images which hitherto had so +tormented it, and reduced him an unconscious unresisting prey into the +hand of the enemy. The crisis had passed--a deep but healthy sleep had +succeeded. "The wild fever had swept away like an angry red cloud, and +the refreshing summer rain began to fall upon the parched earth." + +But where and under what circumstances did this change find him? + +He had no assured remembrance of what had been. It only seemed to him at +first that he had awoke out of a long, disturbed and painful slumber, of +which confused dreams and horrid visions had composed the greater +portion. He felt that he had been ill, and was feeble beyond +description--too feeble at first to turn his eyes around--to raise his +hands, upon which, clasped together on his breast, there seemed to lay, +as upon his other limbs, some dead and oppressive weight. + +He closed his eyes--the light, faint as it was, pained his long +unconscious sight--and yielded himself again to that passive state of +immovability to which he seemed reduced. + +He lay for some time in this manner, memory and consciousness working +their way by dull degrees within his soul. There was a profound +stillness reigning round him, which induced the drowsiness of +exhaustion, and he was relapsing into a half wakeful dose, when the +rumbling of carriage-wheels broke faintly on the silence; and soon +after, a confused movement in the house more effectually, but still +vaguely aroused his attention. Then followed the hushed sound of human +voices; and one, raised above all others, in a terrible, but, as it +were, quickly stifled shriek, caused him fearfully to start up in a +sitting posture upon the bed. + +He heard no other sound but that of a door being closed and fastened +heavily, and, as it seemed, at no great distance from his own. Yet at +the same moment, as by an instinctive sympathy with the ideas suggested +in his mind, he tried to move his arms once more. Still they resisted +every freedom of action. He struggled--he looked--he felt what a cold, +leaden power it was, that thus constrained them, and strength seemed to +return as fiercely. The unfortunate Eustace struggled to tear his wrists +asunder. But no--more than the strength of a stronger man than he was +needed to tear away those bonds; for it was under no mere physical +weakness, but bonds of iron, against which he had to contend, and his +efforts served but to gall and bruise the limbs they encircled. + +Eustace gazed around him. His eyes fixed upon the grated window, and a +look of indescribable horror stole over that fine but emaciated +countenance. He tried to put his feet to the ground, and found them too +strongly bound together; but still he managed to move them from the bed +upon the floor, and thus he sat, and again gazed round his prison walls. + +Suddenly a man appeared by his side. The captive--for such he might be +called--met the firm, peculiar regard this person fixed upon him, with +the full, clear glance of his powerful dark eyes; then looking down at +the chains which bound him, said in a tone of earnest, but composed +inquiry: + +"Good heavens! do you mean to say that all this has been necessary? +Where am I? Where is Mr. Panton? Can I speak to him?" + +"Mr. Panton is not in attendance at present upon you; but there is +another gentleman, who will visit you at the appointed time. He is now +engaged." + +"Oh, very well; but at least be so good as to relieve me from these +shackles. I am perfectly sane now, you see, at any rate; and weak +enough, God knows! to be perfectly harmless," he added, as sinking back +upon the pillows, he faintly offered his hands for the required release. + +"When Dr. Miller arrives, Sir," replied the man, "I have no doubt your +wishes will be obeyed; but I cannot take upon myself to do anything of +the kind without his authority. In less than an hour he will be here. +Till then, Sir," with decision, turning the bed-clothes over the +patient, "be so good as to lie as quiet as possible, and take this light +nourishment I have brought you." + +"No, no, Sir! Till Dr. Miller arrives, I consent--because I have no +power to do otherwise--to lie here chained like a maniac, but not a drop +of nourishment do I take till I am at liberty to receive it in my own +hands. To have it sent down my throat that way, I cannot allow; so +attempt it on your peril. You see as well as possible that I am not +_mad_ now, if I have ever been so, which I very much doubt. I have had a +brain fever I imagine. I had one once before in my life; but this last +may have been more violent in its effects, and at its height I suppose I +was incarcerated as a lunatic here. You see, Sir, I have a pretty clear +idea of the true state of the case, so take care what you do. And now be +so good as to let this Dr. Miller be sent to me with as little delay as +possible." + +The keeper, for such he was, did not attempt any further parley. He +only said soothingly that he should be obeyed, watched his noble-looking +charge turn and resettle himself as conveniently as he could, with an +air of disdainful pride, upon his pallet-couch, and departed to report +concerning him. + +In about an hour Dr. Miller arrived. Eustace fixed his eyes calmly and +firmly upon him as he stood by his bedside, looking gravely and +anxiously into his patient's face. But when the medical man proceeded in +the same way to feel his pulse, Eustace said, yielding with a wan smile +his fettered wrists: + +"I think, Doctor, you will be able to manage that better without these +cuffs--ornaments which I can, if you please, dispense with at your +leisure." + +But the doctor with silent deliberation performed his office; then +relaxing his hold, and fixing his eyes again earnestly on his patient, +said after another silent pause: + +"Yes, Sir, you are better--certainly better; and a week or two of quiet +I hope may perfectly restore you. Jefferies, you are wanted." + +And in obedience to his sign, the assistant, who reappeared at the +moment, proceeded to undo the fastenings of both legs and arms; and +whilst so doing, the doctor and his factotum significantly looked at +each other, as on removing the clumsy apparatus intended as handcuffs, +the fearfully lacerated and wounded state of poor Eustace Trevor's +wrists became visible. + +"These are, indeed, awkward customers," whispered the man. + +"Most unnecessary!" was the low-toned reply. + +The fact was, that the ignorant, time-serving village doctor--a +particular ally of Marryott's,--had taken upon himself thus to torture +the insensible man, knowing perfectly that the greater semblance of +insanity he could substantiate in his patient, the more he should gain +favour in the sight of Marryott and her employers. + +Eagerly the imprisoned one sat up, and watched the progress of this +operation, as if like an enchained eagle awaiting his release to spread +his wings and take its sunward flight. But at the same moment as the +bonds relaxed their hold, a sudden faintness came over him, and sinking +back again upon his pillow, he gasped an entreaty for water. + +It was given to him, with other restoratives. The doctor forbade him to +speak, gave further orders to the assistant, and left the room. And that +day, and the next, and throughout the week, Eustace was treated as any +other man recovering from a dangerous fever might have been; and day +after day, as gradually he felt his strength returning, was he the more +content to submit calmly, and patiently, to the discipline to which he +was subjected--the perfect quiet imposed upon him, feeling as he did, +that thus the sooner would he be able to exact that explanation as to +his present position, and his release therefrom, which he so earnestly +desired. + +We will not attempt to imagine the thoughts and feelings which must have +worked within the soul of the sick man, as he lay there, within that +grated chamber. + +"Fearfulness and trembling have taken hold upon me, and a horrible dread +has overwhelmed me." + +The very idea of finding himself in such a place, was enough of itself +to affect the strongest mind with revolting feelings. But with that +idea, the dark doubt, and uncertainty as to the circumstances attendant +on his position--whether the cause had really justified the dreadful +measures which had been employed; or if--equally revolting idea!--the +unnatural persecution which had haunted him from his birth, had taken +this last dark means of wreaking itself on its victim; if so, to what +extent might it not be carried? And at the best, had not enough already +been done to fix the brand of madness for ever on his name-- + + "Blighting his life in best of his career." + +We need not say, how agonizing thoughts of his late mother mingled with +this sterner woe, how he seemed to float alone on a stormy sea of +trouble, that star of light which once alone had illumined his darkness, +now withdrawn to shine upon a higher, purer sphere, till in moments of +despair he was tempted, poor, unfortunate young man! to implore of +Heaven that those deep black waters might engulph him for ever in their +depth--that he might die! for "what now was his life good unto him?" + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + Feel I not wrath with those who placed me here, + Who have debased me in the minds of men, + Debarring me the usage of my own, + Blighting my life in best of its career, + Branding my thoughts as things to spurn and fear. + + BYRON. + + +A week passed thus, and at the close, Eustace was not only permitted to +leave his bed, but was removed during the day to a lower room, opening +upon an enclosed court, into which, though still feeble, he was +permitted to stroll at his pleasure, undisturbed by the sight or +presence of any of the wretched inmates of the establishment. Here his +proud form at length one day confronted the doctor; and as he drew near, +to inquire after his patient, Eustace thus accosted him: + +"Having so far recovered, Doctor, I suppose you will now be so good as +to satisfy my mind by answering a few questions I am naturally anxious +to put to you. First of all, how long may I have remained in that house +before I became conscious of being chained up like a wild beast in his +den?" + +"My dear Sir, it is our practice never to allow our patients to agitate +or excite themselves by any discussion upon the subject of their late +illnesses; but I may tell you so far, that you came under my charge here +the night before the day from which I may date the period of your +convalescence." + +"And in what state was I conveyed here? I now seem to have some slight +recollection of feeling myself borne along in a carriage; but it is all +confused like the rest." + +"No doubt, Sir; but your question I must beg to decline answering: it is +one of those which are forbidden." + +"And by whose authority was I committed to this place, may I be +permitted to inquire _that_?" + +The doctor hesitated, but looking on his patient, there was something in +his countenance and demeanour which seemed to exert its due weight on +one--the secret of whose profession was influence over others, and a +thorough knowledge of the workings of the countenances of those with +whom they have to deal. + +"By the proper authorities in such cases, Sir--the certificates of two +medical practitioners and your near relation." + +"My father, I conclude?" + +"No, Sir; the party who stood forward on this occasion, was your +brother." + +"My brother!" + +Those words were repeated as if with them a weight of lead had fallen on +the listener's heart, and stunned it. + +Eustace Trevor stood transfixed for a moment, in silent thought; then +turning from the doctor's inquisitive gaze, took two or three turns +along the grass, with folded arms, and head sunk low upon his bosom. + +At last he paused, and stood once more before the doctor, who still +remained steadfastly regarding him. + +"I suppose, at any rate, that now, Sir, there can be no reason for my +remaining any longer under your charge?" + +"I hope, indeed, Mr. Trevor, that there may be but a very little time +necessary." + +"_Necessary!_ No, I should think not. To-night, Sir, it is my wish to +leave your establishment." + +The doctor smiled soothingly. + +"Come, my dear Sir, not quite so fast as all that--you are not +quite--quite well yet." + +"Quite well, Sir, as far as concerns your branch of the profession; and +when I tell you that, it is my firm conviction that I never ought to +have been here, and that I shall take care to make this generally known, +I think you will see the expediency of making no attempt to detain me, +contrary to my inclination." + +The doctor again smiled compassionately. When were his unhappy patients +ever known to remain, according to their own pleasure, within those +walls? + +"Very well, Sir--very well; no threats are needed--I only wait your +friends' consent." + +"_My friends!_" and there was a mournful intonation on these words. +"Well, Sir," with a commanding air, "be so good as to gain that consent +as soon as possible--my father's, my brother's, and of one called Mabel +Marryott, I conclude. I might not be so inclined to await patiently +their decision, were I not unwilling," glancing at the high wall +surrounding him, and towards the spot where he knew a keeper, in the +absence of the doctor, watched his movements unseen, "to employ that +physical force, which I see is expected in this place." + +The doctor bowed complacently and withdrew, after stealing a significant +look at his attendant minister. But the warning it intended to imply, +was not needed. The spirit of Eugene Trevor was bowed down to the very +dust with its load of bitterness. + +He returned into the house, and remained that evening plunged in a dark +dejection, which he felt the necessity of shaking off, lest that +horrible thing should indeed creep over his mind, of which he was +accused. + +The following morning he again made application to Dr. Miller concerning +his release, but received only an equivocal reply. + +His brother was from home, and the necessary answer was not to be +obtained; his father--he was ill, and they feared to bring the subject +before him. Eustace reasoned, then commanded as to the expediency of +waiving all such forms, and his dismissal being given without further +prevarication or delay. This was declined civilly, as to a reasonable +being; but still the mind of the unfortunate prisoner was irritated and +goaded, by perceiving that every precaution was taken for the security +of his person. He was loth to having recourse to any violent attempt to +perpetrate his escape; but when one day, after time had gone on, and he +plainly saw that some other authority than the doctor's influenced his +detention; a feeling almost of real distraction began to take possession +of his mind, and he determined that those hated walls should hold him no +longer--that like a very madman, if it must be so, he would break his +bonds and make the very neighbourhood ring with the wrongs he had +received. + +Though his noble spirit pined, his physical strength was returning. He +often measured with his eye the form of the keeper, who so skilfully +managed to dog his steps and movements, and thought how little it would +take him, if it ever was needed, to fell that, comparatively speaking, +puny form to the ground, or that of any one who attempted to oppose his +lawful exit from that house. A providential accident came at length to +his aid. + +One afternoon, when seated drearily, meditating over his fate, and +endeavouring to invent expedients for his immediate emancipation, in the +private sitting-room accorded to him, he heard a noise in the passage--a +scraping of feet and sounds of horrid laughter. All this had become +natural to his ear; but it just occurred to him to look out of the door +into the anteroom, where his constant _attaché_ was generally in +attendance. He was gone. Some peculiar exigency had demanded his +immediate services towards the unfortunate, whose voice he had just +heard. + +A few hasty strides and Eustace was in the outer corridor: it was empty. +He stood one second irresolute, which way to turn; then offered up a +silent prayer to Heaven and started forward, he knew not whither. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + Howsoever these things be, a long farewell to Locksley Hall, + Now for me the woods may wither, now for me the roof-tree fall. + + TENNYSON. + + +The shades of evening were closing over Montrevor, and candles had just +been lighted in the library, earlier than usual, as it seemed, for the +completion of some urgent business with which its occupants were +employed. + +There were three individuals seated round the writing-table: Mr. Trevor, +his son Eugene, and a third person, who, with pen in hand, with +parchment opened before him, looked what he really was--a lawyer. He +wrote some time in silence, the old man rocking himself backwards and +forwards in his chair, as if nervous and weary; and the other leaning +over the table, watching the proceedings of the scribe with anxious +interest plainly revealed in his dark, but handsome countenance. At +length, finishing with a flourish, the man of business looked up, and +asked for the witnesses. + +Eugene Trevor was about hastily to rise and ring the bell, when, as if +by fortunate coincidence, Mabel Marryott entered the room. + +"Oh, exactly; here is one, at any rate," he said, resuming his seat; and +the woman advancing, was directed by the lawyer to sign the papers on +which he had been occupied. + +Marryott still held the pen in her hand, having accomplished the act, +and was glancing at her master's son with something of a congratulatory +leer upon her countenance, as he bent over eagerly towards the document, +whilst Mr. Trevor's shrill voice, at the same moment, was raised in +irritated inquiry, as to who was to be the other witness; exclaiming, +that they had better make haste and call some one else, and let the +business be at an end. + +"No need of that--_I_ am here as witness!" exclaimed a deep, low voice, +whose thrilling tones burst upon the listeners' ears like thunder before +the lightning flash. + +Three of the assembled party, at least--the father, the son and that +guilty woman--shrank from the fire of that dark, full eye, which glanced +accusingly down upon them; for Eustace Trevor stood suddenly in the +midst, at the very table round which was collected the startled group. + +A faint shriek escaped the lips of Mr. Trevor, accompanied by the words: + +"Secure him--he is mad!" + +But no one stirred. There was something more powerful than the fear of +madness in their hearts, which kept the others rooted to the spot +whereon they sat or stood. + +The lawyer indeed, as was most natural considering the reported facts on +which his late business had been founded, cast a timid glance towards +the door, and, had he dared, would have risen to seek that aid which he +concluded would be requisite. + +There was besides something in the appearance of the unhappy man before +him, which accorded with Mr. A.'s preconceived idea of his circumstances +and condition--his countenance wild and haggard from the recent +excitement and exertion which had attended his escape, as well as from +the uneffaced effects of grief and illness--his disordered and unusual +appearance; and the lawyer turned a glance towards his brother, to +ascertain what was to be done; but Eugene sat shrinking and ashy pale, +endeavouring but in vain to meet with anything like composure, that +steadfast glance the _madman_ fixed upon his face. + +A touch upon his arm, made Mr. A. look round. It was Mabel Marryott who +thus sought to attract his attention; and in obedience to her +significant glance, he was about to rise stealthily and leave the room, +when a voice of stern command detained him. + +"Be so good, Sir, as to remain where you are for the present. I may be +allowed perhaps to glance my eye over this document, in which I have my +suspicions I am in no small degree concerned." + +There was no resisting the tone in which these words were uttered. No +hand save one, and that a woman's, was raised to prevent the firm but +quiet movement with which the speaker stretched forth his hand and +lifted the parchment from the table--Mabel Marryott alone made a sharp +but ineffectual movement, as if with all the power of her malignant will +she would have secured the paper from the wronged one's grasp. + +Perfect silence reigned whilst Eustace Trevor stood and read the paper +through from beginning to end--a deed which, under plea of his own +insanity and consequent incompetency, signed over to his brother Eugene, +as guardian and trustee, the whole management and power over the +entailed estate of Montrevor and the property appertaining thereto, at +such time as he, Eustace Trevor, as heir-at-law, should by the testator +Henry Trevor's death, come into nominal possession. + +This, of course drawn out with legal amplitude and precision, Eustace +attentively perused; then, when some probably were expecting its +destruction, the document was calmly replaced upon the table. + +"And now, Sir," turning to the lawyer, "you will perhaps do me the +favour to withdraw; and you, woman, I desire you to do the same." + +It was wonderful to see the power which the calm and lofty indignation, +swelling in that wronged man's breast, seemed to exercise over the +minds of those who so late had triumphantly trampled upon his very +heart. + +As for the lawyer, he hesitated not to rise, and prepare to obey that +implied command; for he saw that neither of his employers were inclined +to interfere. + +The old man sat as one paralyzed, and the younger with compressed lips, +and contracted downcast brow, seemed to await in sullen silence and +discomfort the issue of the powerful scene; and Marryott even, though +she paused for a moment, considered better of it, and swept from the +apartment with the air of a Lady Macbeth. Those three were then left +together alone. The injured face to face with the foes of his own +household--his father and his brother! + +What should he say to these? or rather to him--his brother? To the +other, he had long ceased to look but as on one who had forfeited all +right to the name of father. "For what one amongst ye, who if his son +ask a fish will he give him a serpent; or if he ask for bread will give +him a stone," and by what better manner of speech figure forth all that +old man had ever done by him, his luckless son? Nay, if this were +all--if he could but have paused here, and forgotten how that father had +played the part of husband to a sainted mother; but he looked not on +_him_ now--he looked only to him, that mother's son; from whom, in spite +of all he might have ever had to reprobate and forgive, it had not +entered into his thoughts to conceive cruel perfidy such as that, of +which since entering that room he had become but the more fully +convinced he had been made the victim; and the bitterness of +death--during that first instant that he thus stood reading in his +brother Eugene's sullen, downcast brow, a too certain confirmation of +his guilt--overwhelmed his soul. + +But it passed over, and was gone; and a just and righteous indignation +re-asserted its dominion in its place. + +"Eugene," he said, "that paper," and he pointed to the legal document +before him, "throws but too clear a light on the transactions of which I +have been made the victim. Oh, how could you allow that demon, +covetousness, to gain such empire over your heart? Cain, in the angry +passion of the moment, slew his brother; but you, in cold-blooded +calculation, could bend yourself to an act which time and +circumstances, perhaps remote, could alone turn to your advantage." + +"Eustace!" stammered his brother; "I excuse this intemperate language on +your part, for of course you cannot appreciate the circumstances of the +case; but any one would be ready to justify the necessary, but painful, +course of conduct to which we were reduced. In whatever state of mind +you may be now, there are others to testify as to the fact--" + +"Pshaw! justify--who will justify one, who, during the temporary +delirium of a brain fever, confined his own brother to a madhouse! +affixed to his name that stamp and stigma which must cling to it for the +remainder of his days; or, still more unwarrantable and cruel, the +evident attempts to detain him in that madhouse, long after any +reasonable possible excuse was afforded? But I can plainly read the +motive which thus influenced you--too plainly, alas! Eugene, two months +ago I had not conceived such conduct possible; but I know you _now_. I +think I can pretty well divine what has been the course of conduct you +have pursued; you have been to London, perhaps--" + +He paused. There was no denial. + +"You went to your clubs; and there very surely took means to establish +the fact of your eldest brother's melancholy condition--his insanity, +his confinement!" + +Eugene Trevor in a hoarse and angry voice would have attempted some +reply, but Eustace's indignant voice overpowered him. + +"And then you brought that man down," he continued, "to fill up the +measure of your iniquity, and one scratch of the pen alone was needed +now to make it good. Let it be done. That paper of his, that base and +villainous forgery, now lies before me at my mercy. But I scorn to touch +it. I treat it as it is--a worthless, valueless nothing. If I but chose +to follow your example--go, call my friends and neighbours about me, +declare before them all the unnatural fraud which has been practised +upon me; yes, show them this," and he bared his blackened, wounded +wrists, "and ring in their astounded ears, what, and _for what_, it +entered a brother's heart to conceive an act of such atrocity; then, do +you think that I could not manage to make those who knew, and cared for +me, credit my testimony before that of an abandoned woman and two +ignorant time-serving country doctors? Ask Dr. Miller, would he even +dare to say, my attack was anything but the temporary delirium of +fever?" + +"Merciful heavens, Eugene!" murmured Mr. Trevor, trying in an under tone +to gain his younger son's attention, without being heard by the other. +"Is there no one at hand to stop him--to secure him?" + +But Eustace caught the muttered syllables, and turned sternly round. + +"No one, Sir; who will dare to do it? Think not that I entered _your_ +house without precaution against what I there had every reason to +expect. These," drawing a brace of pistols from his pocket, "I found +opportunity to obtain; and should one of these poor trembling menials by +your orders, dare--" + +"Eugene! Eugene! are they loaded? for the love of Heaven save me; he +will murder us all!" Mr. Trevor exclaimed in terror. + +"Eustace! this is indeed madness!" the brother would have said, but +shame choked the words within his throat; "this violence is most +uncalled for. What motive could there now be on our part for having +recourse to such expedients as you seem to fear. I assure you, you are +quite at liberty to remain, or depart at your pleasure; and as for what +has been done, I am quite ready to answer for my conduct," he added +doggedly, "if you choose to drag the matter forward so publicly." + +"Would you be so prepared, Eugene? Dare not repeat that falsehood, +wretched man. Fear not, I will not drag you forward to such a test. I +hate, I curse you not for what you have done, but the cause, the sin +which brought you to commit it. I do abhor, nay, I am sickened unto +death, of the very world in which I have suffered so much, and in which +sin so despicable and revolting can exist; still more with the home (if +it be not sacrilege to use that hallowed name in such a case) in which +it asserts such hateful power. The very air I breathe beneath it seems +to choke me; if all the gold which fills the coffers of its master were +laid in heaps before my feet, that would not make it tolerable to my +heart. Rejoice then, when I swear that never under this roof together +with you two--my most unnatural relations, shall I again set my foot. I +have borne and suffered too much within its walls. I willingly resign +all sonship, brotherhood, with those who have trampled on every human +tie. I leave you to carry out, as far as in you lies, your hearts' +desires. I shake the very dust off my feet, and depart. I leave this +place to-night, this country, perhaps, to-morrow, caring not that for +the present the stigma you have cast upon my name must remain. You, Sir, +should we never meet again on earth, may Heaven forgive! _You_, Eugene, +farewell; _we_ may meet again in this world, but never again as +brothers." + +He turned, and was gone. None saw him depart. He went out into the dark +night; and many within that house who had heard of his startling +arrival, concluded that he had been secretly restored to the asylum from +which he had made his escape. Only a few days after, an old servant, +much attached to Mrs. Trevor and her second son, who on his dismissal +from Montrevor had served Eustace during his residence at Oxford, +appeared at the hall, with authority from his master to gather and pack +up all the effects belonging to him; and having done so without +molestation, he silently conveyed them away. + +He threw no light upon the subject, or on his master's destination. +Indeed, it was soon afterwards ascertained, by those chiefly interested +in the matter, that he was equally ignorant on the point as themselves. + +Eugene Trevor remained for some time at Montrevor, then returned to the +world, to find the general impression apparently continuing as it was +before, concerning the derangement and consequent confinement of his +brother. Then it was deemed advisable to report that the unhappy young +man was so far recovered, that he had gone abroad under proper +guardianship; and the world, too busy with its own affairs to keep up +any long-sustained interest or inquiry into the fate and fortune of +those removed out of their light, were contented to suppose this to be +the case; and when some years had run their course, as we have seen, and +nothing more had been seen or heard of the unhappy Eustace Trevor, many +gave him up as lost for ever to society, and Eugene, gay, prosperous, +and invested with all importance and privilege in his father's house, +had soon assumed in the eyes of the world a certain--though it might be +somewhat equivocal--position as heir, under some few restrictions, to +the property and estates of Montrevor. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + Fain would I fly the haunts of men; + I seek to shun, not hate mankind. + My breast requires the sullen glen, + Whose gloom may suit a darkened mind. + Oh that to me the wings were given + Which bear the turtle to her nest! + Then would I cleave the vault of Heaven, + To flee away, and be at rest. + + BYRON. + + +On the borders of a lake in one of the wildest and most remote parts of +North Wales, stands a rude inn, the resort, during the proper season of +the year, of those who for the sake of the fishing the lake affords, are +content to put up with the homely fare and simple accommodation it +affords. But when that time has passed away--when the calm, glittering +lake is deformed by constant rains, and lashed into fury by the driving +storms of winter--when those majestic mountains have exchanged their +ever-varying glories for mists and blackness, have donned their wintry +garb, and are in character with wintry skies--there cannot be imagined a +more desolate and dreary scene than that spot presents; and the inn, of +course, stands comparatively tenantless. Yet for three whole winter +months, a gentleman of whom none of nobler appearance had ever perhaps +honoured it with their presence, made that humble hostelry his abode. + +Alone he came, and alone he remained. He dispatched or received no +communication from beyond those mist-covered mountains which surrounded +him; but little did those simple, unsophisticated people care to wonder +or inquire. Unimportuned by curiosity, the visitor pursued his solitary +existence, climbing those bleak and trackless mountains, or tossing upon +the stormy lake. No sound of human voice, but in the uncouth and unknown +language of the country, scarcely every falling on his ear. + +He had some few books with him, but he scarcely read, save in one, the +Bible. Plenty of money the stranger was provided with, for he paid his +expenses handsomely, and gave often freely to those few poor who came +in his way; but yet his very name remained a mystery, if that could be +called mystery, which none cared to inquire or ascertain; and when the +first warm beams of springtide sun melted the snow upon the +mountain-tops, as suddenly as he came, so he departed, none knew or +asked whither. + +But he did not, as it seems, go far. In a small Welsh town, not twenty +miles distant, a few days after, and that stranger, who it seemed had, +uninjured, so roughly exposed himself to the fatigues and inclemency of +the wintry weather during his sojourn in his late retreat, lay +dangerously ill in a comfortable little inn belonging to the place; +unknown here also, but tended with all the disinterested care and +kindness which seldom fails to cheer the stranger in that mountain land. +Skilful medical attendance was happily provided; and the fever, against +whose advances the sufferer, with a peculiarly nervous dread, seemed to +battle--by proper means was subdued, and the sick man partially +recovered. + +As he lay upon his bed one of the first mornings after his +convalescence, a merry peal from the bells of the neighbouring church +burst upon his ear. Merrier and merrier they continued to ring, and the +invalid turned sadly and wearily round upon his pillow, as if he would +fain have escaped from sounds of joy, harmonizing so little with his +lonely heart. + +"Truly there is a joy with which the stranger intermeddleth not." + +But still those sounds, as if in very mockery and despite, continued to +clash forth at intervals during the day, caring little for the sick +hearts and wounded spirits upon which that merriment might chance to +jar. + +"You are very gay," the stranger said with a melancholy smile to his +landlady, when she came to attend him that day; and the remark was +answered by the ready information, that the bells were this day ringing +on occasion of a marriage which that morning had taken place in the +neighbourhood, the bride being a young lady of a family of long standing +in these parts. The gentleman, a widower and a Scotchman, &c. But all +this her listener heeded not. + + * * * * * + + "Bells thou soundest merrily + When the bridal party + To the church doth hie; + Bells thou soundest solemnly, + When on Sabbath mornings, + Fields deserted lie." + +It was Sunday morning, and all the people of the place were flocking to +the Welsh service of the church; but the English stranger mingled not +with these. No--rather as he had turned wearily away from the mad music +of the marriage-bell, did his languid footsteps turn aside, when now in +more solemn cadence it sounded in his ear. + +Not as yet was his soul attuned to enter that house of God, and offer up +prayers and praises with a thankful heart. To that lonely man, it would +have been indeed requiring a song, a melody, in his heaviness--to "sing +the Lord's song in a strange land." + +He left the quiet town--crossed the bridge above the swift-flowing +river, and wandered far away, slowly, as his partially-renewed strength +alone would admit, and resting often, but still as if he breathed more +freely the farther and farther he felt himself proceeding from the +haunts of men; whilst at every step he took, beauty and magnificence, +decking that bright spring morning in their best array, met his +enchanted view; and the sense of enjoyment seemed to return, and that of +loneliness to be--removed. + +For the young man's mood was one of those most sensitively to realise +the idea, that "high mountains are a feeling, but the hum of human +cities torture." + +Thus he wandered on, till a hamlet, crowned by the woods of one or two +gentlemen's seats, came in view; and he was forced by his weakness to +stop, and crave a cup of milk at a quiet farm in its outskirts, its +simple inmates also inviting him to sit down and rest; and then he found +that time had passed much swifter than he thought, for it was long past +noon. + +Whilst he was lingering still, the church bells here too began to ring; +and Eustace Trevor (for he it was) felt that he could not escape from +the voice which seemed to cry unto his soul: "Let us go up into the +house of the Lord." + +The little church appeared to be almost empty, when he first entered; +but an old lady and gentleman came in at the same time, and seeing the +stranger, immediately offered him a seat in their large square pew; and +he, though far from willingly, could not but accept the civility. + +Other members were added to the congregation, and then a clergyman of +infirm appearance entered the reading-desk, awaiting but that the noise +of the school-children's feet mounting to the little gallery should +cease, to commence in a feeble voice the service. + +Inattentive the ear--insensible the heart of that man who, having +suffered deeply, finds himself unaffected, when first, after some period +of cessation, prayer after prayer, clause after clause of our beautiful +Liturgy breathes upon his ear. + +Eustace Trevor was not that man; and fervent were the emotions inspired +in a breast which long had yielded itself to a kind of morbid gloomy +insensibility; and it was, perhaps, only the presence of strangers which +rendered him able to restrain them from their more open demonstration. +Not, however, was it until the wild voices of the mountain children, +enriched by notes of less untamed beauty, were raised in songs of +praise, that any outward object diverted the absorption of his rapt +spirit. + +Then Eustace Trevor lifted up his eyes, and could not fail to remark +three young ladies also in the gallery, who stood side by side, mingling +their voices with the humble choir; and their appearance at once fixed +his attention, not so much for any personal beauty they might possess, +as for the goodness, innocence, and unaffected devotion shining so +clearly on each upturned face. In proof of which it might have been +observed, that after the first general glance over the group, it was not +so much on the elder of the sisters, lovely in a most striking degree, +neither upon the blooming Hebe of fifteen, as upon that pale, and +gentle-looking girl, who stood between the two, on whom the stranger's +eye more especially lingered--and loved her, even as he gazed. + +For there was something in the pensive sweetness of those eyes--the open +purity of the brow--the meek and quiet, yet high-toned spirit, which +shone from every feature of the young girl's face, that went directly to +his heart. His excited fancy even travelled so far, as to behold in her +a likeness to that being who had passed into the heavens; and once--only +once, when her voice in sweet but timid accents swelled singly in the +choir, he held his breath to catch each low, yet thrilling tone, "for it +sounds to him like his mother's voice singing in Paradise." + +Eustace Trevor returned to the inn, but more than once during the +following week did the stranger turn his pony's head towards the valley +of Ll---- (we will spare our readers a name they perhaps would not be +able to read aright); and on Sunday afternoon, he did not fail again to +seek the village church, expecting that it would be for the last +time--for he purposed departing on the morrow--it not suiting his +intentions to remain in any one place so long as to draw down upon +himself remark or inquiry. + +And perhaps a few weeks more, had he carried out his designs, might have +found him a wanderer on a foreign shore. But who can tell what a day may +bring forth? + +It was early when he arrived at the church, the bells even had not +began; and on repairing to a retired part of the church-yard, where a +lovely view was to be obtained, he suddenly came in contact with the +clergyman who had officiated the previous Sunday. + +He bowed to Eustace--who returned the salutation--and passed on with +feeble steps, having regarded the stranger somewhat curiously; but +scarcely had the latter reached his destined resting-place, when he +heard a footstep approaching, and looking round saw the clergyman had +returned, and immediately accosted him. + +"Sir," speaking with evident difficulty, "I must beg you to excuse the +liberty I am taking in thus addressing you; but may I ask--I scarcely +dare to hope it to be the case--may I ask," glancing at Eustace's black +garb, and the deep crape round his hat, "whether by any chance you are a +clergyman?" + +Eustace was taken by surprise, but a melancholy smile crossed his +features, as he looked and murmured an affirmative. + +The inquirer's countenance evidently brightened. + +"I conclude, Sir, that you are a stranger in these parts," he rejoined. +"I think I saw you here last Sunday--I scarcely know whether you will +not think me very bold, when I ask you whether you would be so very +obliging as to assist me in the service this afternoon? A friend whom I +expected has failed me at the last moment; and you will hear, by my +voice, that if I am able to get through a ten minutes' sermon, it will +be as much as I can manage." + +Eustace Trevor thought so indeed--but the sudden demand upon his +services almost bewildered him, and for a moment he was silent. The +clergyman looked a little surprised at the apparent hesitation, a +perception of which recalled Eustace to recollection. + +What right had he to refuse--what excuse could he offer? + +He looked upon the evidently suffering man, and said he should be happy +to lend him the assistance he required. + +The clergyman thanked him warmly, and they walked together to the +vestry. + +Eustace Trevor, with strange feelings, found himself thus called to +enter upon the duties of the profession, it had become almost like a +dream to him ever to have embraced. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + This man + Is of no common order, as his front + And presence here denote. + + BYRON. + + +"Oh Lord correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou +bring me to nothing." + +Not an eye perhaps amongst that little congregation that was not lifted +up, when, in thrilling strains, like the rich deep notes of an organ, +the stranger's voice swept through the low arches of the simple temple, +in that opening sentence of the service. + +Not one amongst them, the most simple and illiterate, who did not hold +their breath as he proceeded, lest they should lose one note of a voice + + "Most musical, most melancholy," + +which gave such new magic to each familiar word of prayer, or praise, +or exhortation he offered up. + +"Who could that be? who read the prayers, Mary?" said Selina Seaham to +her sister, when they left the church. "It is the same stranger who sat +in our pew last Sunday." + +"What a beautiful voice!" was the answer. + +"Most beautiful; but more than that, Mary, I never saw a more striking +looking person." + +"I did not look at him," was the quiet reply; "I only _felt_ that the +prayers and lessons were read as _we_ seldom hear them." + +"Poor Mr. Wynne! it was painful to listen to him afterwards. It is +really cruel that he cannot get a more regular assistant: Sir Hugh +should really manage it for him. Mary, do use your influence over the +worthy Baronet when he returns," the sister added slyly. + +Mary blushed, and shook her head. She had a short time ago yielded up +all claims upon the influence she might so largely have possessed; but +ere the following Sunday came round, the wishes of the young ladies, in +this respect, had been satisfied beyond their most sanguine +expectations. + + * * * * * + +Eustace Trevor had not been able to escape from the church, at the close +of the service, without a renewal of the clergyman's thanks for the +services he had so obligingly rendered him. Indeed, even then he did not +seem at all inclined to part from his stranger friend; and after a +little more conversation respecting the beauties of the neighbourhood, +he offered--seeing that Eustace also had his horse in readiness--to +conduct him a little _en détour_ from the route back to ----, in order +to show him the view from his own house, most romantically situated +amidst the woods on the high ground flanking the valley. Eustace could +not well decline the offer, and they rode on together. + +His companion had soon shown himself to be a man of higher birth and +education, than are usually found amongst ministers of such remote +districts of the Principality. He had been settled for many years in +this living, and was enthusiastic in his love and admiration of the +country; so much so, that it seemed not even his failing health could +induce him to relinquish his post; although, as it had been the case +this afternoon, both himself and congregation often ran the risk of +being put to great inconvenience and extremity: the asthmatic complaint +under which he laboured being of a most uncertain and capricious +character, and the English service being entirely dependant on his +powers. + +All this the good man communicated to Eustace on the way. His frank and +simple confidence on every subject connected with himself and his +concerns, without the least demonstration of curiosity respecting his +companion, winning gradually on Eustace's sensations of security and +ease, he accepted the clergyman's invitation to enter his abode; the +beauty and romantic seclusion of whose situation excited his deep +admiration and envy. + +The original, but amiable and intelligent conversation of its possessor, +won more and more on his favour and confidence; the other, on his part, +evidently felt himself to be in the society of a being to whom some more +than common degree of interest attached. His keen observant eye saw +imprinted upon that striking countenance more than any mere bodily +illness, from which the stranger reported himself to have but lately +recovered. The snares of death might have encompassed him round about, +and the pains of hell got hold of him; but they were those sorrows and +pains such as the Psalmist himself had gained such deep experience of, +rather than any physical affliction which had engraven those strong +signs there. + +It was truly, as a great writer of the day has expressed himself, "the +mournfulest face that ever was seen--an altogether tragic, +heart-affecting face. There was in it, as foundation, the softness, +tenderness, gentle affection, as of a child; but all this, as it were, +congealed into sharp, isolated, hopeless pain; a silent pain--silent and +scornful. The lip curled, as it were, in a kind of god-like disdain of +the thing that is eating out his heart; as if he whom it had power to +torture were greater than the cause." + +"The eye, too, that dark earnest eye, looking out as in a kind of +surprise, a kind of inquiry, why the world was of that sort!" + +Mr. Wynne had many questions put to him concerning the remarkable +looking stranger, from the ladies of Glan Pennant, when they met the +next day. All he could tell them was, that the stranger was perfectly +unknown to him, that he had no idea even of his name; that he now +talked of leaving the neighbourhood early that week, but Mr. Wynne +added, he was to call at the inn at ----, and hoped to find that he was +able to persuade his new acquaintance to remain and explore a little +longer the beauties of the vicinity, and at the same time, he slyly +added, "give them a second benefit of his beautiful voice." The young +ladies as slyly hoped their worthy friend might have his hopes crowned +with success. And their desire was not ungratified. The following Sunday +the beautiful voice once more made itself heard. + +A great deal had taken place to change the tenor of Eustace Trevor's +views and purposes during that one short week. Only too readily had he +yielded to the parting persuasions of Mr. Wynne, that he would at least +extend his stay beyond the day he had mentioned as having been fixed for +his departure. Nay, even as he turned his horse's head back towards +----, had the yearning desire diffused itself through his heart, that +instead of that hopeless, homeless, outcast fate to which he had devoted +himself, it could have been his lot to find a little spot of earth like +that in which this day he had first performed the duties of a +profession he had once thought to commence under such different +circumstances--a spot, from the spirit of beauty, innocence, purity and +peace, seeming to breathe around, as contrasted with that world--that +_home_, from which he had been driven, appeared to his imagination +scarcely less than a little heaven upon earth, a different sphere to any +in which he had yet existed. + +But this was but an imaginary suggestion--a dream-like fancy which +vaguely flitted across his mind, ill accordant with his dark and bitter +destiny. The very next day his new friend called. They rode out again +together, and one or two such meetings only served to strengthen between +these two men, of such different ages, characters and circumstances, +that strange and sudden liking which is often found to spring up between +two passing strangers of to-day, as necessarily as flowers expand from +bud to blossom in the course of a few sunny and dewy hours of one vernal +morning. As much then was elicited from Eustace, as revealed pretty +clearly to the other the purposeless circumstances of his present +position-- + + "A bark sent forth to sail alone, + At midnight on the moonlight sea." + +Why not then, like himself, be content to tarry in the little haven of +peace where Providence had guided him? Why again return to drift at +large upon that lonely ocean? + +Eustace Trevor shook his head with a melancholy smile, though at the +same time his pale brow flushed at the suggestion. + +"That cannot be, my good Sir," he said, "unless at least you can +guarantee for me such seclusion in this wild and lonely region of yours +as accords with the peculiar circumstances of my case. You will be +afraid of me when I say, that it is my wish to conceal my place of +destination from every person in the world, beyond these mountains, to +whom my name could possibly be known." + +Mr. Wynne paused at first, with a look of surprise; but after for a +moment steadily fixing his eyes upon the noble countenance of Eustace, +he exclaimed: + +"Not at all, not at all, my dear Sir. I am quite satisfied with +believing that you have the best reasons for such a course of conduct; +that misfortune, not any fault of your own, has reduced you to such an +alternative. And I can assure you, you have come to the right place for +getting rid of old friends or enemies, whichever they may be; for during +the twenty years I have been settled here, not one of those of whom I +formerly could boast has ever found his way unbidden over these +impregnable barriers; so set your mind at rest on that score. Come and +stay with me at my hermitage, till such time as you see fit; and then, +if you tire of the company of an old fellow like myself, we can find you +out another as secure." + +"My dear Sir, this kindness on your part is beyond the expression of +mere common thanks. Alas! were it only possible that I could avail +myself of it; but the facts connected with my present position are of +such a peculiar nature, that unless you are made fully acquainted with +them, it is impossible that you can rightly appreciate the extent of +security I desire; and yet, though your confidence, thank God! is not +misplaced, those facts are of such a sort as make it almost impossible +for me to reveal them. At the same time, of your generous trust, which +has not yet allowed you to seek enlightenment even as to my name, +nothing would induce me to take further advantage. Either I leave this +place to-morrow, or my _incognito_, as far as concerns yourself, must +be removed." + +"And why not, if that is the only alternative which presents itself, +tell your sad history to the old man; what then? In his breast it will +lie as safely buried as if you committed the secret to yonder lichened +rock. You are young, Sir; you have written in your countenance that +which bespeaks you one of a higher order of intellect and capacity than +befits this narrow sphere; but yet for a time, till this storm is blown +over, tarry here." + +We need not pursue word for word, step by step, the relation, with the +issue of which my readers are fully acquainted. We have only to say, +that Eustace Trevor finally confided his whole history to Mr. Wynne, +under the strictest promise of secrecy; and that the good man listened +with the quiet, unwondering spirit which spoke his knowledge of that +world lying in wickedness, or rather, the desperate wickedness of the +human heart; and whilst clearly perceiving the morbid nature of the +feelings which had prompted the victim of such wickedness to so +extraordinary a course of proceeding, the interest of his own romantic +mind was but the more excited; and keenly he entered into every plan +which might facilitate the detention of Eustace, taking upon himself to +have, accompanied with all secrecy and silence, every arrangement made +necessary to his comfort and convenience. Even with regard to the +assumed name the latter saw it expedient to embrace, and to which he did +not see any objection, Mr. Wynne came to his aid. + +He had once, many years ago, a dear friend named Edward Temple, now no +more--by such he should be known for the present, and under that +appellation he should yield him any voluntary assistance in the duties +of his profession as might accord with his taste and inclination. So +then it was arranged, and under these circumstances the so-named Edward +Temple became established at Ll----. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + I never thought a life could be + So flung upon one hope, as mine, dear love, on thee. + + N. P. WILLIS. + + +No sooner did old Mr. Majoribanks learn from the rector that he had +prevailed upon Mr. Temple to fix his residence amongst them, than he was +anxious to pay the stranger every possible attention and civility, +calling upon him to invite him to dinner, or do anything that might +contribute in any way to his comfort and happiness. But Mr. Wynne was +obliged to subdue this impulse of hospitality, making the good old +gentleman and his family to understand that Mr. Temple being driven, by +some heavy private affliction, to the alleviation of his sorrows by +solitude and seclusion, the kindest thing would be, for the present, +till the poignancy of his feelings should be softened by time, to +refrain as much as possible from crossing his wishes in this respect. +The inmates of Glan Pennant, in the most delicate manner, respected and +carried out these instructions; so that, by some gentle and gradual +attraction, rather than by any outward effort on their part, did the +recluse seem finally drawn towards them in more close and intimate +communication; till finally, he became not only, as at first--the silent +and secret minister to all those little schemes of charity and +benevolence the young ladies had so much at heart--but also their +personal assistant and supporter. + +Often during the time they were thus thrown intimately together, did Mr. +Wynne, like others perhaps besides, think it could not be but that the +lovely Selina Seaham, the flower of Glan Pennant, as the good clergyman +was wont to call her, would charm away the sorrows of that noble heart; +and as for the impression Edward Temple might make on that young lady, +he thought it was a case decided. However it might have been on that +latter point, we have seen that our hero's heart escaped the predicted +spell--although in other ways he might esteem and admire the fair +lady--and how another charm had secretly enthralled him. + + * * * * * + +It had been in no slight degree startling to Eustace Trevor to discover +the relationship existing between the Seahams and his friend de Burgh; +and at first it had nearly determined him to leave the place, lest in +any way this fact should tend to his betrayal. But Mr. Wynne soon made +it his business to ascertain for his satisfaction that no such chance +existed. + +Glan Pennant was not visited by any of the young ladies' relations, and +never had been for many years. Even the wedding of the last married +sister had been unattended by any of them, and indeed it was very rare +that regular visitors of any sort came to the place. Sir Hugh Morgan +occasionally had a friend or two in a bachelor way, whose society was +not much in his line, or likely to consist of any of Eustace's former +acquaintance, being generally natives of his own country. + +So far Eustace Trevor's mind was set at rest, though still the fact of +the relationship haunted his fancy as a strange striking coincidence. +Little did he divine all that this coincidence was destined farther to +comprise. Little did he conceive when in his solitary rambles after his +settlement at Ll---- he sometimes chanced to meet that young and gentle +girl, who had so attracted his interest and attention that first Sunday +in the gallery of the church; sometimes tracking with fond alacrity the +footsteps of her brother to some lake or mountain stream--or seated in +some shady dell, or on some heathy hill, with her sweet smile and dreamy +eyes bent upon her book--or plunged in pensive reverie--little did he +divine what dream, or rather the mere shadow of a dream, his appearance +might chance to dissipate. + +It may appear unnatural, that during those few years of acquaintance +with one so worthy to win the love and admiration of a mind like Mary +Seaham's--under circumstances too, which, considering the nature of her +disposition, might have seemed peculiarly favourable to produce that +end--no corresponding sentiments had been awakened in her breast towards +Eustace Trevor. + +Indeed, we scarcely think it likely this could have proved the case, had +the feelings she inspired in his breast been earlier made apparent; but +it must be remembered that Mary was very young when Eustace Trevor first +came to Ll----, that he arrived too, arrayed in attributes exactly +suited to banish from a mind like hers any ideas connected with that of +love. + +The mighty sorrow of which Mr. Wynne had spoken, and which sat so +plainly written on his beautiful countenance--every superior excellence +of mind and character, more intimate acquaintance only served to +heighten--had conspired to render him, in the estimation of the young +girl's child-like, but high-toned mind, as one of that order of beings +towards whom reverence and admiration were the only feelings to which, +without presumption, one like her could ever dare to aspire. + +There was, besides, a distant melancholy reserve in his manner, she +imagined, more apparent in his bearing towards herself than to her +sisters, which still more effectually contributed to produce this +effect; while her sisters, on their part, although equally enthusiastic +in their admiration of their new friend, were much more inclined to look +upon him in the light of a common mortal like themselves--one indeed for +whom it would have been no such great stretch of presumption to +entertain feelings of a less exalted character; though the careless +youth of the one put all such considerations out of the question, and +the good sense of the other stifled any rising inclination of her heart +to bestow its affections--when it became too soon plainly evident how +little chance existed of winning a corresponding return--from him who, +two years after his arrival, calmly assisted in the ceremony which +united her to the young officer, who had proved himself less +invulnerable to the powers of attraction she possessed. Yet far was +Eustace Trevor from being naturally prone to coldness and insensibility +on a point like this; he was one + + "To gaze on woman's beauty as a star, + Whose purity and distance make it fair." + +And fair indeed did it seem to him, when on his night of darkness it +shone forth with so bright and clear a light as in the daughters of Glan +Pennant. But that light to him must be indeed far distant, for the +morbid sensibility with which he contemplated the dark features of his +past history, cast its blasting influence even over this purest and most +natural point of his heart's ambition; and mournfully he would silence +any allusions his friend would venture to make upon the subject. + +His was not a fate he could solicit any being, blessing and blessed like +those fair girls, to share; and sadly would he seek to quench the +feeling which, day by day, year by year--as the gentle excellence, the +sweet attractions of Mary Seaham were more and more developed--gathered +strength within his heart. + +This it was which made her deem his manner cold and distant, in +comparison with that he evinced towards her sisters. Little did she +imagine how the spirit of that noble-minded man bowed down before her +mild, unconscious might; how, if he turned away coldly from her soft +words and timid glance, it was because he feared their power might draw +forth a manifestation of that he had vowed to himself to conceal-- + + "I might not dim thy fortune bright, + With love so sad as mine." + +No--we see he kept his secret but too well--so well, that not only the +object herself, but even his anxious and much-interested friend Mr. +Wynne, never suspected a truth which would have given him such +unfeigned delight. + +A year before the period at which our story opens, and soon after +performing, to his no great satisfaction, the marriage ceremony for his +lovely young friend Selina Seaham, the worthy man had left Ll----; +yielding at length to the persuasions of his friends that he would, +according to the advice of the medical men, try the effect of a year or +two's sojourn on the continent in alleviating his troublesome and +obstinate, if not mortal, complaint. + +An efficient substitute had been found to fill his place. Eustace Trevor +also remained, as we have seen, continuing to render those services +which, year by year, had only been the more valuable and +distinguished--services never to be erased from the memories of that +little flock, with whom, during his ministry amongst them, he had +rendered himself equally honoured and beloved. But the following year, +as we have seen, brought events of no small importance to the fates and +fortunes of the principal personages of our history. + +The determination of the Majoribanks to leave Glan Pennant, the marriage +of Agnes Seaham, the peculiar nature of Mary's circumstances; and how, +consequent on those events, finally influenced by the last +consideration, Eustace Trevor in that momentous interview on the heathy +hill's side--casting his future hopes of happiness on one die--gave way +to the long-checked, long-concealed impulses of his heart, and poured +forth his tale of love upon her startled ear. Need we recapitulate the +sequel, "How pale the startled lady stood" on the borders of that green +and silent hill. + +It was too late to open before her eyes the treasure which had so long +been within her reach. He had failed to touch that chord, by which alone +the heart of woman can be moved--Mary's heart so pure, so good, was yet +a woman's. What, that for months and years devotedly he had lingered by +her side, loving her in secret with a love so fervent and so deep, she +had remained insensible to that hidden spell; whilst one glance from the +stranger's dark eyes--one low thrilling tone of his flattering voice had +sufficed to pluck away her heart. But so it was, and so it oft-times is; +and there is little need to tell again how Eustace Trevor, his last reed +broken, his last ray of light extinguished, turned away to seek his sad +and silent home-- + + "The shadow of a starless night," + +thrown upon that world, in which henceforth he must move so desolate and +alone. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + + Thou too art gone--and so is my delight, + And therefore do I weep, and inly bleed, + With this last bruise upon a broken reed. + Thou too art ended--what is left me now? + For I have anguish yet to bear--and how? + + BYRON. + + +As may be supposed, the peaceful vale of Ll---- from this time forth +became an altered place to Eustace Trevor. "There are places in the +world we never wish to see again, however dear they be to us." Such to +his disappointed heart was Mary Seaham's deserted home, and every spot +in the vicinity haunted by associations connected with that loved being. +Yet he lingered, pursuing his former avocations, partly from principle, +partly from the painful pleasure thus afforded, partly from the anxious +desire to remain upon the spot, where alone he could hope to receive +tidings of his lost one. + +A strange restless foreboding had been excited in his mind from the +first moment that he had heard of Mary's intended destination; and it +was this, no doubt, which in a great measure urged him to take the +decisive step which had proved so unavailing. Not of course had he in +any way embodied the real nature of the misfortune his ominous fears +presented; that event would indeed have seemed a coincidence too fearful +to be conceived probable; but besides there being something most +repellant to his feelings in the idea of that gentle object of his +heart's unhappy affections wandering away into the sphere now so darkly +associated in his mind--some presentiment of danger and sorrow to +herself, quite unconnected with any selfish considerations, had darkly +mingled. All through that summer then, whose brightness to him was gone; +all that autumn too, till like his own fallen hopes, the yellow leaf lay +thick around, "and the days were dark and dreary," he stayed; +then--then--had reached his ears, at first by vague and dull report, +tidings which froze into the very ice of winter the life-blood in his +heart--Miss Mary Seaham was going to be married to a very rich and +handsome gentleman of those parts; and his name--yes, that was it--he +would have thanked Heaven on his knees, had it been any other name on +earth--that name. It came with terrible exactness, that name was "Eugene +Trevor." Then, indeed, a dreadful feeling of horror, of despair, +assailed him. His cup of bitterness was full; could malignant fate do +more to crush him? + +Mary Seaham, the wife of his brother! Of him who had dealt so +treacherously by him, who without cause, had proved himself his deadly +enemy. _His_ wife? nay his victim. Another angel victim, of +covetousness, tyranny, and vice. It must not, nay, it _should_ not be; +anything--everything must be done to avert the sacrifice. In a word, +every other consideration was at an end. He left Ll---- and went to +London; there he traced out that faithful servant to whom we have +alluded, and through him took steps to gain a too sure confirmation of +what he had heard, and besides that, many particulars concerning the +mode of life of his brother, during the interval of their separation, +which only served to invest with fresh horror, the idea of his union +with Mary. + +His course was taken. He wrote to his brother the momentous letter, +which turned the current of poor Mary's bliss. + + * * * * * + +"When you and I parted, Eugene, nearly five years ago, it was with the +sole determination on my part, never again to seek communication with a +man who had acted as none other, than _a brother_, could have acted, +without drawing upon himself the just retribution on my part, such +conduct so justly deserved, I mean the public exposure of its villainy +to society--to the world. But as it was--more in sorrow than in +anger--sorrow which in the estimation of those less scrupulous and +sensitive than myself, might have been deemed carried to a morbid and +irrational extent--in sorrow of heart, the bitterness of death could +hardly surpass, sorrow and amazement that such perfidy could exist in +one I had loved as my own mother's son; the impulse of my grieved and +wounded spirit prompted me to act in a manner exactly the reverse. My +determination had been to repair to some distant foreign land. But mere +accident, or I should say, hidden Providence, ordered it otherwise. I +spent the winter in a wild unfrequented part of North Wales; and on +leaving that, was taken ill at a small town, some miles distant. A few +weeks more and circumstances caused me to fix my wandering steps in a +secluded valley, where for the few succeeding years I assisted the +clergyman of the place in the duties of his profession, and in +conformity with the course of conduct I was pursuing, under the name of +Edward Temple. Does this give you any clue to the motive of the present +unwelcome communication? Have you ever heard that unfamiliar name pass +the lips of her, whom report tells me you are to make your wife--the +lips, I mean, of Mary Seaham? if so as it would have been but natural, +she may have further spoken, and told you of the love she had inspired +in that same Edward Temple's breast; and you smiled, no doubt, in pity +at the disappointed ambition of the country curate. Eugene, now indeed, +I own that you have honourably won that--to which, in comparison, all +that by wrong and treachery you ever sought to rob me is as dross +indeed, in my estimation--the love of as pure a heart, as angel-like a +spirit as ever breathed in the form of woman. But this, Eugene, must +suffice you; here your triumph must end; unless, indeed, you care to +prove your affection by a stronger test than I imagine it would be able +to stand; for at once I come to the point, and tell you Eugene, that I +cannot suffer this concerted marriage of yours to take place, without a +powerful effort on my part, to avert it--to save the pure and gentle +being whom I shall ever love, from the fate that marriage, I feel, must +ever entail upon her. + +"That it springs from no bitter feelings of disappointment or rivalry, +on my part; but is as disinterested in its nature, as if I had never +loved Mary Seaham but as a brother might have loved a sister, God truly +knows; but it would be throwing words away, I fear, to attempt to +convince one like you--in whose imagination the possibility of any such +purity and disinterestedness of motive cannot exist. Well, interpret it +as you may--only break off this engagement, which, from what I hear of +the sentiments of some of her friends, will not be so very difficult. +Break it off, and for what I care, the world may still think me mad; for +what I care, you may still retain the position you now hold--so much as +it appears, to your own satisfaction and contentment--in the eyes of +society. Refuse to do this, and I come forward, and ask the world--ask +her friends--ask Mary herself, whether a man who had acted as you have +done, is worthy to be her husband; and then, I am much mistaken, if when +that delusive veil, which now robes her idol, be thus withdrawn--she, +yes, Mary, does not shrink with horror, from what is there revealed. + +"Spare yourself, Eugene--spare her--spare her pure eyes, her innocent +spirit this exposure. You will say, the alternative is as cruel--that +her affection is too great to bear the destruction of her hopes, without +such pain and grief as none who really loved her, as _I_ profess to do, +would willingly inflict. + +"This may be--her love may be true, and deep. The tears she may shed at +its destruction be bitter--time may be required to heal the wound. But +were these tears to swell the ocean's tide, or the wound to prove +incurable, far better even this, than to live the life--to die the +miserable death of your father's wife--of her husband's mother! + +"And what in your career, Eugene, even setting aside that one crime, +with which I am personally concerned, is there, which can ensure her +any better destiny? + +"No; your mode of life during the last five years, I have taken measures +to ascertain. Can you deny that it has been one long course of sin, of +profligacy? + +"One dark deed, followed by atonement and remorse, might have been less +baneful to her happiness, than the systematic career of vice you now +habitually pursue. + +"What more can I add; but that I shall expect your written answer. I +feel assured you will, no less than myself, desire, if possible, to +avoid all personal communication. Direct to the General Post Office, +London, where, till I am assured that my object is properly secured, I +shall remain; and now, Eugene, farewell! God knows, that everything in +the terms and substance of this letter, which may appear dictated by a +harsh or threatening spirit, springs rather from the wretched +circumstances of the case, our most unnatural and unavoidable position, +one towards another--not from the temper of my mind towards you. Heaven +be my witness, that I would gladly give my heart's blood at this moment, +to discover that the past was but a horrid dream, and that now, as in +years gone by, I could without fear, that the very air would repeat the +words in mocking echo, sign myself, + + "Your affectionate brother, + + "EUSTACE TREVOR." + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + + There is a tide in the affairs of men, + Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; + Omitted, all the voyage of their life + Is bound in shallows and in miseries. + On such a full sea are we now afloat; + And we must take the current when it serves, + Or lose our ventures. + + SHAKSPEARE. + + +It is not necessary to describe with much detail the effect produced by +this letter, on the mind of Eustace Trevor, or the mode of conduct he +pursued in the emergency. + +We have already made the reader acquainted with the half measures he +pursued--the crooked paths he attempted, in order to extricate himself +from the threefold difficulty in which he found himself placed. His +answer in the first instance, to his brother's first startling address, +had been of that character which usually marks the tone of the +offender, when the injured one dares to rise up and interfere with his +ill-deserved security, and ill-earned joys; but though in language +fierce and vindictive, he might appear to set fear and threatening at +defiance, there was too much implied acquiescence, in the power these +threats exercised over his mind--in the testy assurance which +accompanied his reply (how far true we have seen) that his marriage was +not in any such immediate question as Eustace seemed to imagine--that +his father's state of health rendered it an affair of most uncertain +termination--till finally, a second letter from his brother, brought +him, at last, to declare in terms, the bitterness of which may be well +imagined, that he had put off his marriage _sine die_, in further proof +of which, he was to hold no further communication by person or letter +with Mary Seaham;--he then hoped that Eustace might be satisfied, and +that he would have left England. + +That he might prevail on Mary to consent to a private marriage, was now +probably the object of Eugene's mind. For to relinquish, without a +struggle, any acquisition on which he had set his heart, would have +been contrary to his nature; and then there was the probability of his +father's death, securing to him so large a provision, rendering him in a +pecuniary point of view, independent of any threats his brother might +please to put into execution; for as far as Mary was concerned, he +relied too much on the power he had gained over her devoted, gentle +affections, to fear that any accusation brought against him by his +brother, would influence her against him. Eustace might then claim his +own rights, and he would not dispute them. Nay, Mary once his own, he +reckoned too much on that brother's, (in his heart, acknowledged +generosity of spirit,) to fear that he would persevere in carrying out +his threatened, and in that case, unavailing exposure. It was in this +light, probably, that he viewed the case, when Eugene first came to +London. Eustace, too, we find, had not left town. Either he had been led +to doubt the truth of his brother's protestations, or was unable to +resist the temptation of lingering where Mary was, when he could again, +and for the last time, perhaps, hope to catch a passing glance of her +sweet face,--pale, sad, and changed, since he had last seen it--but +better thus to his mind, than bright and glowing with that dangerous +infatuation by which she was to be allured to certain misery. + +We will not deny that Eustace Trevor's feelings and course of conduct on +the occasion, may seem carried to a morbid, some may almost deem, an +unwarrantable excess. But then it must be remembered, that all his +lifetime through, + + "From mighty wrong to petty perfidy;" + +he had suffered enough to bring any man of his sensitively high-pitched +tone of mind to this extremity. + +There was one point especially, which had become the ruling power of his +mind--that phantom which by night or day--haunted his imagination. The +remembrance of his mother: her wrongs and misery. + + "A potent spell, a mighty talisman, + The imperishable memory of the dead, + Sustained by love, and grief, and indignation, + So vivid were the forms within his brain, + His very eyes, when shut, made pictures of them." + +Could he then image forth another? She who had filled up that yearning +vacuum in his bleeding heart, the death of his mother had occasioned; +imagine her, such was the horrid fancy which had taken possession of his +mind--picture Mary entering that same house--assuming that same +position--the victim of the same evil influences to which she had been +exposed. The thought would have been one almost to turn his brain, had +he deemed it not to be averted. As it was, the suffering that its very +idea had caused, was sufficient to produce that change in his +appearance, on which Arthur Seaham had commented, when to gain more +certain information concerning his sister, Eustace Trevor had visited +him at the Temple; a change, which no former griefs and trials, dark and +dreadful though they had been, had in so striking a manner been able to +inflict. For man is Godlike in his strength--his spirit may sustain him +under burdens it were otherwise difficult to bear--but touch only a +chord--break only a tie which binds him to a woman's delicate love, + + "And his strong spirit bendeth like a reed." + +On Eustace's return from the visit to the Temple, he had proof positive +of his brother not having kept his pledge, in one most important +respect; for he saw the lovers together, and the painful interview +between the brothers was the consequence--the issue of which we need not +recapitulate. + +Another day, and Eustace Trevor had turned his back upon the English +shore, to track the footsteps of his friend Mr. Wynne in his travels on +the continent, still retaining the assumed name of Temple; and Eugene in +as short a space of time, was again breathing freely his accustomed +atmosphere--a London world. + +We do not mean to say that his love for Mary Seaham was so soon +forgotten--that love which for the last few months had exercised a purer +and more softening influence upon his spirits, than any other feeling, +perhaps, had ever before effected. + +It was still like some soft, sweet, dream of night, which often haunts +and mingles in the thoughts and actions of the day; and his marriage +with the gentle Mary, the settled purpose and intention of his heart. + +But the smooth course of that love had received a check--met with a +disturbing force--his love had not quality or strength to overstep. + +This to a worldling is a dangerous test; for love to him is but "a thing +apart." There are so many other resources wherefrom to drain, when that +one silvery stream of life is checked or troubled. + +Why then not plunge into these broad abounding waters, which will bear +him on, no matter how turbid be their depth beneath the glittering +surface--no matter where, but on only--on too smooth, open, too +unrestrained a course. As to the stability of his feelings with regard +to Mary, Eugene felt little doubt his affections had been called forth +to an unprecedented degree. For the first time in his life, he felt what +it was to have his desires fixed on an object, in every way worthy of +esteem. + + "Pure, lovely, and of good report," + +and a new and wonderful fascination had been the effect produced upon +his mind. Whilst under its immediate influence, he had seemed to exist +in another sphere, to breathe another atmosphere, to have become a new +creature; and he had contemplated his marriage with a calm, tranquil +delight, as the completion of a still more certain renovation and +transformation of his existence. + +Its untoward interruption, therefore, had provoked and disappointed him +beyond measure--beyond even the fear and inconvenience of those serious +consequences into which the circumstances of the case had otherwise +threatened him. Irritated and embarrassed by the trouble and perplexity +in which the affair involved him, we will not say, however, but that in +the end this one year's certain postponement of his marriage, as decided +in his interview with Arthur Seaham, had not in a great degree relieved +his mind in the emergency. In one year, as he had said, much might +happen to change the aspect of affairs. At any rate breathing time was +afforded, in which he might, without danger to himself, indulge in the +consciousness of knowing that a tender heart was all his own. For the +sequel time would provide. + +In the meantime what had he to do, but to pursue his former career, and +hush the voice of conscience in the excitement of the crowd. + + "To follow all that peace disdains to seek, + Where revel calls, and laughter vainly loud, + False to the heart, distorts the hollow cheek, + And leave the flagging spirits still more weak." + +That the mind of man need indeed be more than human to withstand such +counter-influences has been well tested. + + "Amidst such scenes, love's flower too soon is blighted." + + * * * * * + +What different courses marked the existence of Mary Seaham and Eugene +Trevor, during the lengthened interval which is to follow, may easily be +imagined--different as the streamlet's course through the quiet valley, +to the river's, rolling its darkened waters through the streets +tumultuous of defiling cities! + +Let us then, now that our less pleasing task is accomplished, restrain +our footsteps as much as possible to the streamlet's course; that is to +say, in the ensuing pages, let us follow more closely Mary Seaham's +career than that of her lover's. + + "Not through each devious path, each changeful year of existence, + But as a traveller follows a streamlet's course through the valley: + Far from its margin at times, and seeing the gleam of its water + Here and there, in some open space, and at intervals only; + Then drawing nearer its banks, through sylvan glooms that conceal it, + Though he behold it not, he can hear its continuous murmur, + Happy at length if he find the spot when it reaches an outlet." + + +END OF VOL. II. + + + LONDON: + Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street. + + +[Transcriber's Note: Hyphen and spelling variations within each volume +and between volumes left as printed.] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mary Seaham, Volume 2 of 3, by +Elizabeth Caroline Grey + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40406 *** |