CHAPTER XVIII.
CONTRAST.
"Lady Theobald will put a stop to it," was the general remark. "It willcertainly not occur again."
This was said upon the evening of the first gathering upon Miss Belinda'sgrass-plat, and at the same time it was prophesied that Mr. FrancisBarold would soon go away.
But neither of the prophecies proved true. Mr. Francis Barold did _not_return to London; and, strange to say, Lucia was seen again and againplaying croquet with Octavia Bassett, and was even known to spendevenings with her.
Perhaps it might be that an appeal made by Miss Belinda to her ladyshiphad caused her to allow of these things. Miss Belinda had, in fact, madea private call upon my lady, to lay her case before her.
"I feel so very timid about every thing," she said, almost with tears,"and so fearful of trusting myself, that I really find it quite a trial.The dear child has such a kind heart--I assure you she has a kind heart,dear Lady Theobald,--and is so innocent of any intention to do wrong--Iam sure she is innocent,--that it seems cruel to judge her severely. Ifshe had had the benefit of such training as dear Lucia's. I am convincedthat her conduct would have been most exemplary. She sees herself thatshe has faults: I am sure she does. She said to me only last night, inthat odd way of hers,--she had been sitting, evidently thinking deeply,for some minutes,--and she said, 'I wonder if I shouldn't be nicer if Iwere more like Lucia Gaston.' You see what turn her mind must have taken.She admires Lucia so much."
"Yesterday evening at dinner," said Lady Theobald severely, "Luciainformed me that _she_ admired your niece. The feeling seems to bemutual."
Miss Belinda colored, and brightened visibly.
"Did she, indeed?" she exclaimed. "How pleased Octavia will be to hearit! Did she, indeed?" Then, warned by a chilliness, and lack of response,in her ladyship's manner, she modified her delight, and became apologeticagain. "These young people are more--are less critical than we are," shesighed. "Octavia's great prettiness"--
"I think," Lady Theobald interposed, "that Lucia has been taught to feelthat the body is corruptible, and subject to decay, and that mere beautyis of small moment."
Miss Belinda sighed again.
"That is very true," she admitted deprecatingly; "very true indeed."
"It is to be hoped that Octavia's stay in Slowbridge will provebeneficial to her," said her ladyship in her most judicial manner. "Theatmosphere is wholly unlike that which has surrounded her during herprevious life."
"I am sure it will prove beneficial to her," said Miss Belinda eagerly."The companionship of well-trained and refined young people cannot failto be of use to her. Such a companion as Lucia would be, if you wouldkindly permit her to spend an evening with us now and then, wouldcertainly improve and modify her greatly. Mr. Francis Barold is--is, Ithink, of the same opinion; at least, I fancied I gathered as much from afew words he let fall."
"Francis Barold?" repeated Lady Theobald. "And what did Francis Baroldsay?"
"Of course it was but very little," hesitated Miss Belinda; "but--but Icould not help seeing that he was drawing comparisons, as it were.Octavia was teaching Mr. Poppleton to play croquet; and she was ratherexhilarated, and perhaps exhibited more--freedom of manner, in aninnocent way,--quite in an innocent, thoughtless way,--than is exactlycustomary; and I saw Mr. Barold glance from her to Lucia, who stood near;and when I said, 'You are thinking of the contrast between them,' heanswered, 'Yes, they differ very greatly, it is true;' and of course Iknew that my poor Octavia could not have the advantage in his eyes. Shefeels this herself, I know. She shocked me the other day, beyondexpression, by telling me that she had asked him if he thought she wasreally fast, and that she was sure he did. Poor child! she evidently didnot comprehend the dreadful significance of such terms."
"A man like Francis Barold does understand their significance," said LadyTheobald; "and it is to be deplored that your niece cannot be taught whather position in society will be if such a reputation attaches itself toher. The men of the present day fight shy of such characters."
This dread clause so impressed poor Miss Belinda by its solemnity, thatshe could not forbear repeating it to Octavia afterward, though it is tobe regretted that it did not produce the effect she had hoped.
"Well, I must say," she observed, "that if some men fought a little shyerthan they do, I shouldn't mind it. You always _do_ have about half adozen dangling around, who only bore you, and who will keep asking you togo to places, and sending you bouquets, and asking you to dance when theycan't dance at all, and only tear your dress, and stand on your feet. Ifthey would 'fight shy,' it would be splendid."
To Miss Belinda, who certainly had never been guilty of the indecorum ofhaving any member of the stronger sex "dangling about" at all, this wasvery trying.
"My dear," she said, "don't say 'you always have;' it--it really seems tomake it so personal."
Octavia turned around, and fixed her eyes wonderingly upon her blushingcountenance. For a moment she made no remark, a marvellous thoughtshaping itself slowly in her mind.
"Aunt Belinda," she said at length, "did nobody ever"--
"Ah, no, my dear! No, no, I assure you!" cried Miss Belinda, in thegreatest possible trepidation. "Ah, dear, no! Such--such thingsrarely--very rarely happen in--Slowbridge; and, besides, I couldn'tpossibly have thought of it. I couldn't, indeed!"
She was so overwhelmed with maidenly confusion at the appalling thought,that she did not recover herself for half an hour at least. Octavia,feeling that it would not be safe to pursue the subject, only uttered oneword of comment,--
"Gracious!"