CHAPTER XXVIII.
SHOWING HOW MAJOR GRANTLY TOOK A WALK.
Major Grantly drove his gig into the yard of the "Red Lion" atAllington, and from thence walked away at once to Mrs. Dale's house.When he reached the village he had hardly made up his mind as to theway in which he would begin his attack; but now, as he went downthe street, he resolved that he would first ask for Mrs. Dale. Mostprobably he would find himself in the presence of Mrs. Dale and herdaughter, and of Grace also, at his first entrance; and if so, hisposition would be awkward enough. He almost regretted now that he hadnot written to Mrs. Dale, and asked for an interview. His task wouldbe very difficult if he should find all the ladies together. But hewas strong in the feeling that when his purpose was told it wouldmeet the approval at any rate of Mrs. Dale; and he walked boldlyon, and bravely knocked at the door of the Small House, as he hadalready learned that Mrs. Dale's residence was called by all theneighbourhood. Nobody was at home, the servant said; and then, whenthe visitor began to make further inquiry, the girl explained thatthe two young ladies had walked as far as Guestwick Cottage, and thatMrs. Dale was at this moment at the Great House with the squire. Shehad gone across soon after the young ladies had started. The maid,however, was interrupted before she had finished telling all this tothe major, by finding her mistress behind her in the passage. Mrs.Dale had returned, and had entered the house from the lawn.
"I am here now, Jane," said Mrs. Dale, "if the gentleman wishes tosee me."
Then the major announced himself. "My name is Major Grantly," saidhe; and he was blundering on with some words about his own intrusion,when Mrs. Dale begged him to follow her into the drawing-room. He hadmuttered something to the effect that Mrs. Dale would not know whohe was; but Mrs. Dale knew all about him, and had heard the wholeof Grace's story from Lily. She and Lily had often discussed thequestion whether, under existing circumstances, Major Grantly shouldfeel himself bound to offer his hand to Grace, and the mother anddaughter had differed somewhat on the matter. Mrs. Dale had held thathe was not so bound, urging that the unfortunate position in whichMr. Crawley was placed was so calamitous to all connected with him,as to justify any man, not absolutely engaged, in abandoning thethoughts of such a marriage. Mrs. Dale had spoken of Major Grantly'sfather and mother and brother and sister, and had declared heropinion that they were entitled to consideration. But Lily hadopposed this idea very stoutly, asserting that in an affair of lovea man should think neither of father or brother or mother or sister."If he is worth anything," Lily had said, "he will come to hernow,--now in her trouble; and will tell her that she at least has gota friend who will be true to her. If he does that, then I shall thinkthat there is something of the poetry and nobleness of love left."In answer to this Mrs. Dale had replied that women had no right toexpect from men such self-denying nobility as that. "I don't expectit, mamma," said Lily. "And I am sure that Grace does not. Indeed Iam quite sure that Grace does not expect even to see him ever again.She never says so, but I know that she has made up her mind aboutit. Still I think he ought to come." "It can hardly be that a man isbound to do a thing, the doing of which, as you confess, would bealmost more than noble," said Mrs. Dale. And so the matter had beendiscussed between them. But now, as it seemed to Mrs. Dale, the manhad come to do this noble thing. At any rate he was there in herdrawing-room, and before either of them had sat down he had contrivedto mention Grace. "You may not probably have heard my name," he said,"but I am acquainted with your friend, Miss Crawley."
"I know your name very well, Major Grantly. My brother-in-law wholives over yonder, Mr. Dale, knows your father very well,--or he didsome years ago. And I have heard him say that he remembers you."
"I recollect. He used to be staying at Ullathorne. But that is a longtime ago. Is he at home now?"
"Mr. Dale is almost always at home. He very rarely goes away, and Iam sure would be glad to see you."
Then there was a little pause in the conversation. They had managedto seat themselves, and Mrs. Dale had said enough to put her visitorfairly at his ease. If he had anything special to say to her, he mustsay it,--any request or proposition to make as to Grace Crawley, hemust make it. And he did make it at once. "My object in coming toAllington," he said, "was to see Miss Crawley."
"She and my daughter have taken a long walk to call on a friend, andI am afraid they will stay for lunch; but they will certainly be homebetween three and four, if that is not too long for you to remain atAllington."
"O dear, no," said he. "It will not hurt me to wait."
"It certainly will not hurt me, Major Grantly. Perhaps you will lunchwith me?"
"I'll tell you what, Mrs. Dale; if you'll permit me, I'll explainto you why I have come here. Indeed, I have intended to do so allthrough, and I can only ask you to keep my secret, if after all itshould require to be kept."
"I will certainly keep any secret that you may ask me to keep," saidMrs. Dale, taking off her bonnet.
"I hope there may be no need of one," said Major Grantly. "The truthis, Mrs. Dale, that I have known Miss Crawley for some time,--nearlyfor two years now, and--I may as well speak it out at once,--I havemade up my mind to ask her to be my wife. That is why I am here."Considering the nature of the statement, which must have beenembarrassing, I think that it was made with fluency and simplicity.
"Of course, Major Grantly, you know that I have no authority with ouryoung friend," said Mrs. Dale. "I mean that she is not connected withus by family ties. She has a father and mother, living, as I believe,in the same county with yourself."
"I know that, Mrs. Dale."
"And you may, perhaps, understand that, as Miss Crawley is nowstaying with me, I owe it in a measure to her friends to ask youwhether they are aware of your intention."
"They are not aware of it."
"I know that at the present moment they are in great trouble."
Mrs. Dale was going on, but she was interrupted by Major Grantly."That is just it," he said. "There are circumstances at present whichmake it almost impossible that I should go to Mr. Crawley and ask hispermission to address his daughter. I do not know whether you haveheard the whole story?"
"As much, I believe, as Grace could tell me."
"He is, I believe, in such a state of mental distress as to be hardlycapable of giving me a considerate answer. And I should not know howto speak to him, or how not to speak to him, about this unfortunateaffair. But, Mrs. Dale, you will, I think, perceive that the samecircumstances make it imperative upon me to be explicit to MissCrawley. I think I am the last man to boast of a woman's regard, butI had learned to think that I was not indifferent to Grace. If thatbe so, what must she think of me if I stay away from her now?"
"She understands too well the weight of the misfortune which hasfallen upon her father, to suppose that any one not connected withher can be bound to share it."
"That is just it. She will think that I am silent for that reason. Ihave determined that that shall not keep me silent, and, therefore,I have come here. I may, perhaps, be able to bring comfort to her inher trouble. As regards my worldly position,--though, indeed, it willnot be very good,--as hers is not good either, you will not thinkyourself bound to forbid me to see her on that head."
"Certainly not. I need hardly say that I fully understand that,as regards money, you are offering everything where you can getnothing."
"And you understand my feeling?"
"Indeed, I do,--and appreciate the great nobility of your love forGrace. You shall see her here, if you wish it,--and to-day, if youchoose to wait." Major Grantly said that he would wait and would seeGrace on that afternoon. Mrs. Dale again suggested that he shouldlunch with her, but this he declined. She then proposed that heshould go across and call upon the squire, and thus consume his time.But to this he also objected. He was not exactly in the humour, hesaid, to renew so old and so slight an acquaintance at that time. Mr.Dale would probably have forgotten him, and would be sure to ask whathad brought him to Allington. He would go and take a walk, he
said,and come again exactly at half-past three. Mrs. Dale again expressedher certainty that the young ladies would be back by that time, andMajor Grantly left the house.
Mrs. Dale when she was left alone could not but compare the goodfortune which was awaiting Grace, with the evil fortune which hadfallen on her own child. Here was a man who was at all points agentleman. Such, at least, was the character which Mrs. Dale at onceconceded to him. And Grace had chanced to come across this man, andto please his eye, and satisfy his taste, and be loved by him. Andthe result of that chance would be that Grace would have everythinggiven to her that the world has to give worth acceptance. She wouldhave a companion for her life whom she could trust, admire, love, andof whom she could be infinitely proud. Mrs. Dale was not at all awarewhether Major Grantly might have five hundred a year to spend, orfive thousand,--or what sum intermediate between the two,--nor didshe give much of her thoughts at the moment to that side of thesubject. She knew without thinking of it,--or fancied that she knew,that there were means sufficient for comfortable living. It wassolely the nature and character of the man that was in her mind, andthe sufficiency that was to be found in them for a wife's happiness.But her daughter, her Lily, had come across a man who was ascoundrel, and, as the consequence of that meeting, all her life wasmarred! Could any credit be given to Grace for her success, or anyblame attached to Lily for her failure? Surely not the latter! Howwas her girl to have guarded herself from a love so unfortunate, orhave avoided the rock on which her vessel had been shipwrecked? Thenmany bitter thoughts passed through Mrs. Dale's mind, and she almostenvied Grace Crawley her lover. Lily was contented to remain as shewas, but Lily's mother could not bring herself to be satisfied thather child should fill a lower place in the world than other girls. Ithad ever been her idea,--an idea probably never absolutely utteredeven to herself, but not the less practically conceived,--that it isthe business of a woman to be married. That her Lily should have beenwon and not worn, had been, and would be, a trouble to her for ever.
Major Grantly went back to the inn and saw his horse fed, and smokeda cigar, and then, finding that it was still only just one o'clock,he started for a walk. He was careful not to go out of Allington bythe road he had entered it, as he had no wish to encounter Grace andher friend on their return into the village; so he crossed a littlebrook which runs at the bottom of the hill on which the chief streetof Allington is built, and turned into a field-path to the left assoon as he had got beyond the houses. Not knowing the geography ofthe place he did not understand that by taking that path he wasmaking his way back to the squire's house; but it was so; and aftersauntering on for about a mile and crossing back again over thestream, of which he took no notice, he found himself leaning across agate, and looking into a paddock on the other side of which was thehigh wall of a gentleman's garden. To avoid this he went on a littlefurther and found himself on a farm road, and before he could retracehis steps so as not to be seen, he met a gentleman whom he presumedto be the owner of the house. It was the squire surveying his homefarm, as was his daily custom; but Major Grantly had not perceivedthat the house must of necessity be Allington House, having beenaware that he had passed the entrance to the place, as he enteredthe village on the other side. "I'm afraid I'm intruding," he said,lifting his hat. "I came up the path yonder, not knowing that itwould lead me so close to a gentleman's house."
"There is a right of way through the fields on to the Guestwickroad," said the squire, "and therefore you are not trespassing in anysense; but we are not particular about such things down here, and youwould be very welcome if there were no right of way. If you are astranger, perhaps you would like to see the outside of the old house.People think it picturesque."
Then Major Grantly became aware that this must be the squire, andhe was annoyed with himself for his own awkwardness in having thuscome upon the house. He would have wished to keep himself altogetherunseen if it had been possible,--and especially unseen by this oldgentleman, to whom, now that he had met him, he was almost bound tointroduce himself. But he was not absolutely bound to do so, and hedetermined that he would still keep his peace. Even if the squireshould afterwards hear of his having been there, what would itmatter? But to proclaim himself at the present moment would bedisagreeable to him. He permitted the squire, however, to lead himto the front of the house, and in a few moments was standing on theterrace hearing an account of the architecture of the mansion.
Squire Dale and Major Grantly.]
"You can see the date still in the brickwork of one of thechimneys,--that is, if your eyes are very good you can see it,--1617.It was completed in that year, and very little has been done to itsince. We think the chimneys are pretty."
"They are very pretty," said the major. "Indeed, the house altogetheris as graceful as it can be."
"Those trees are old, too," said the squire, pointing to two cedarswhich stood at the side of the house. "They say they are older thanthe house, but I don't feel sure of it. There was a mansion herebefore, very nearly, though not quite, on the same spot."
"Your own ancestors were living here before that, I suppose?" saidGrantly, meaning to be civil.
"Well, yes; two or three hundred years before it, I suppose. If youdon't mind coming down to the churchyard, you'll get an excellentview of the house;--by far the best that there is. By-the-by, wouldyou like to step in and take a glass of wine?"
"I'm very much obliged," said the major, "but indeed I'd rather not."Then he followed the squire down to the churchyard, and was shown thechurch as well as the view of the house, and the vicarage, and a viewover to Allington woods from the vicarage gate, of which the squirewas very fond, and in this way he was taken back on to the Guestwickside of the village, and even down on to the road by which he hadentered it, without in the least knowing where he was. He looked athis watch and saw that it was past two. "I'm very much obliged toyou, sir," he said, again taking off his hat to the squire, "and ifI shall not be intruding I'll make my way back to the village."
"What village?" said the squire.
"To Allington," said Grantly.
"This is Allington," said the squire; and as he spoke, Lily Dale andGrace Crawley turned a corner from the Guestwick road and came closeupon them. "Well, girls, I did not expect to see you," said thesquire; "your mamma told me you wouldn't be back till it was nearlydark, Lily."
"We have come back earlier than we intended," said Lily. She ofcourse had seen the stranger with her uncle, and knowing the ways ofthe squire in such matters had expected to be introduced to him. Butthe reader will be aware that no introduction was possible. It neveroccurred to Lily that this man could be the Major Grantly of whom sheand Grace had been talking during the whole length of the walk home.But Grace and her lover had of course known each other at once, andGrantly, though he was abashed and almost dismayed by the meeting, ofcourse came forward and gave his hand to his friend. Grace in takingit did not utter a word.
"Perhaps I ought to have introduced myself to you as Major Grantly?"said he, turning to the squire.
"Major Grantly! Dear me! I had no idea that you were expected inthese parts."
"I have come without being expected."
"You are very welcome, I'm sure. I hope your father is well? I usedto know him some years ago, and I daresay he has not forgotten me."Then, while the girls stood by in silence, and while Grantly wasendeavouring to escape, the squire invited him very warmly to sendhis portmanteau up to the house. "We'll have the ladies up from thehouse below, and make it as little dull for you as possible." Butthis would not have suited Grantly,--at any rate would not suit himtill he should know what answer he was to have. He excused himselftherefore, pleading a positive necessity to be at Guestwick thatevening, and then, explaining that he had already seen Mrs. Dale, heexpressed his intention of going back to the Small House in companywith the ladies, if they would allow him. The squire, who did not asyet quite understand it all, bade him a formal adieu, and Lily ledthe way home down behind the churchyard wall and through t
he bottomof the gardens belonging to the Great House. She of course knew nowwho the stranger was, and did all in her power to relieve Grace ofher embarrassment. Grace had hitherto not spoken a single word sinceshe had seen her lover, nor did she say a word to him in their walkto the house. And, in truth, he was not much more communicative thanGrace. Lily did all the talking, and with wonderful female skillcontrived to have some words ready for use till they all foundthemselves together in Mrs. Dale's drawing-room. "I have caught amajor, mamma, and landed him," said Lily laughing, "but I'm afraid,from what I hear, that you had caught him first."