CHAPTER III.
_In Which Glastonbury Meets the Very Last Person in the World He Expected, and the Strange Consequences_.
WHEN Glastonbury arrived at the mansion of the good old duchess, hefound nobody in the drawing-room but a young man of distinguishedappearance, whose person was unknown to him, but who neverthelessgreeted him with remarkable cordiality. The good Glastonbury returned,with some confusion, his warm salutation.
'It is many years since we last met, Mr. Glastonbury,' said the youngman. 'I am not surprised you have forgotten me. I am Digby; perhaps yourecollect me?'
'My dear child! My dear lord! You have indeed changed! You are a man,and I am a very old one.' 'Nay! my dear sir, I observe little change.Believe me, I have often recalled your image in my long absence, and Ifind now that my memory has not deceived me.'
Glastonbury and his companion fell into some conversation about thelatter's travels, and residence at Rome, in the midst of which theirhostess entered.
'I have asked you, my dear sir, to meet our family circle,' said herGrace, 'for I do not think I can well ask you to meet any who love youbetter. It is long since you have seen Digby.'
'Mr. Glastonbury did not recognise me, grandmamma,' said Lord Montfort.
'These sweet children have all grown out of your sight, Mr.Glastonbury,' said the duchess; 'but they are very good. And as forDigby, I really think he comes to see his poor grandmother every day.'
The duke and duchess, and two young daughters, were now announced.
'I was so sorry that I was not at home when you called, Glastonbury,'said his Grace; 'but I thought I should soon hear of you atgrandmamma's.'
'And, dear Mr. Glastonbury, why did you not come up and see me?' saidthe younger duchess.
'And, dear Mr. Glastonbury, do you remember me?' said one beautifuldaughter.
'And me, Mr. Glastonbury, me? I am Isabella.'
Blushing, smiling, bowing, constrained from the novelty of hissituation, and yet every now and then quite at ease when his earrecalled a familiar voice, dear Mr. Glastonbury was gratified and happy.The duke took him aside, and they were soon engaged in conversation.
'How is Henrietta to-day, Digby?' enquired Isabella.
'I left her an hour ago; we have been riding, and expected to meet youall. She will be here immediately.'
There was a knock, and soon the drawing-room door opened, and MissTemple was announced.
'I must make papa's apologies,' said Henrietta, advancing and embracingthe old duchess. 'I hope he may get here in the evening: but he bademe remind your Grace that your kind invitation was only provisionallyaccepted.'
'He is quite right,' said the old lady; 'and indeed I hardly expectedhim, for he told me there was a public dinner which he was obligedto attend. I am sure that our dinner is a very private one indeed,'continued the old lady with a smile. 'It is really a family party,though there is one member of the family here whom you do not know, mydear Miss Temple, and whom, I am sure, you will love as much as all ofus do. Digby, where is------'
At this moment dinner was announced. Lord Montfort offered his arm toHenrietta. 'There, lead the way,' said the old lady; 'the girls mustbeau themselves, for I have no young men to-day for them. I suppose manand wife must be parted, so I must take my son's arm; Mr. Glastonbury,you will hand down the duchess.' But before Glastonbury's name wasmentioned Henrietta was half-way down stairs.
The duke and his son presided at the dinner. Henrietta sat on one sideof Lord Montfort, his mother on the other. Glastonbury sat on the righthand of the duke, and opposite their hostess; the two young ladiesin the middle. All the guests had been seated without Glastonbury andHenrietta recognising each other; and, as he sat on the same side ofthe table as Miss Temple, it was not until Lord Montfort asked Mr.Glastonbury to take wine with him, that Henrietta heard a name thatmight well indeed turn her pale.
Glastonbury! It never entered into her head at the moment that it wasthe Mr. Glastonbury whom she had known. Glastonbury! what a name! Whatdreadful associations did it not induce! She looked forward, she caughtthe well-remembered visage; she sunk back in her chair. But HenriettaTemple had a strong mind; this was surely an occasion to prove it. Mr.Glastonbury's attention was not attracted to her: he knew, indeed, thatthere was a lady at the table, called Henrietta, but he was engrossedwith his neighbours, and his eye never caught the daughter of Mr.Temple. It was not until the ladies rose to retire that Mr. Glastonburybeheld that form which he had not forgotten, and looked upon a ladywhose name was associated in his memory with the most disastrous andmournful moments of his life. Miss Temple followed the duchess out ofthe room, and Glastonbury, perplexed and agitated, resumed his seat.
But Henrietta was the prey of emotions far more acute and distracting.It seemed to her that she had really been unacquainted with the stateof her heart until this sudden apparition of Glastonbury. How his imagerecalled the past! She had schooled herself to consider it all a dream;now it lived before her. Here was one of the principal performers inthat fatal tragedy of Armine. Glastonbury in the house, under the sameroof as she? Where was Ferdinand? There was one at hand who could tellher. Was he married? She had enjoyed no opportunity of ascertaining itsince her return: she had not dared to ask. Of course he was married;but was he happy? And Glastonbury, who, if he did not know all, knewso much. How strange it must be to Glastonbury to meet her! DearGlastonbury! She had not forgotten the days when she so fondly listenedto Ferdinand's charming narratives of all his amiable and simple life!Dear, dear Glastonbury, whom she was so to love! And she met him now,and did not speak to him, or looked upon him as a stranger; and he--hewould, perhaps, look upon her with pity, certainly with pain. O Life!what a heart-breaking thing is life! And our affections, our sweet andpure affections, fountains of such joy and solace, that nourish allthings, and make the most barren and rigid soil teem with life andbeauty, oh! why do we disturb the flow of their sweet waters, andpollute their immaculate and salutary source! Ferdinand, FerdinandArmine, why were you false?
The door opened. Mr. Glastonbury entered, followed by the duke and hisson. Henrietta was sitting in an easy chair, one of Lord Montfort'ssisters, seated on an ottoman at her side, held her hand. Henrietta'seye met Glastonbury's; she bowed to him.
'How your hand trembles, Henrietta!' said the young lady.
Glastonbury approached her with a hesitating step. He blushed faintly,he looked exceedingly perplexed. At length he reached her, and stoodbefore her, and said nothing.
'You have forgotten me, Mr. Glastonbury,' said Henrietta; for it wasabsolutely necessary that some one should break the awkward silence, andshe pointed to a chair at her side.
'That would indeed be impossible,' said Glastonbury.
'Oh, you knew Mr. Glastonbury before,' said the young lady. 'Grandmamma,only think, Henrietta knew Mr. Glastonbury before.'
'We were neighbours in Nottinghamshire,' said Henrietta, in a quicktone.
'Isabella,' said her sister, who was seated at the piano, 'the harpawaits you.' Isabella rose, Lord Montfort was approaching Henrietta,when the old duchess called to him.
Henrietta and Glastonbury were alone.
'This is a strange meeting, Mr. Glastonbury,' said Henrietta.
What could poor Glastonbury say? Something he murmured, but not verymuch to the purpose. 'Have you been in Nottinghamshire lately?' saidHenrietta.
'I left it about ten days back with-----,' and here Glastonbury stopped,'with a friend,' he concluded.
'I trust all your friends are well,' said Henrietta, in a tremulousvoice.
'No; yes; that is,' said Glastonbury, 'something better than they were.'
'I am sorry that my father is not here,' said Miss Temple; 'he has alively remembrance of all your kindness.'
'Kindness, I fear,' said Glastonbury, in a melancholy tone, 'that wasmost unfortunate.'
'We do not deem it so, sir,' was the reply.
'My dear young lady,' said Glastonbury, but his voice faltered as headded, 'w
e have had great unhappiness.'
'I regret it,' said Henrietta. 'You had a marriage, I believe, expectedin your family?'
'It has not occurred,' said Glastonbury.
'Indeed!'
'Alas! madam,' said her companion, 'if I might venture indeed to speakof one whom I will not name, and yet-----'
'Pray speak, sir,' said Miss Temple, in a kind, yet hushed voice.
'The child of our affections, madam, is not what he was. God, in Hisinfinite mercy, has visited him with great afflictions.'
'You speak of Captain Armine, sir?'
'I speak indeed of my broken-hearted Ferdinand; I would I could sayyours. O Miss Temple, he is a wreck.' 'Yes! yes!' said Henrietta in alow tone.
'What he has endured,' continued Glastonbury, 'passes all descriptionof mine. His life has indeed been spared, but under circumstances thatalmost make me regret he lives.'
'He has not married!' muttered Henrietta.
'He came to Ducie to claim his bride, and she was gone,' saidGlastonbury; 'his mind sunk under the terrible bereavement. For weekshe was a maniac; and, though Providence spared him again to us, andhis mind, thanks to God, is again whole, he is the victim of aprofound melancholy, that seems to defy alike medical skill and worldlyvicissitude.'
'Digby, Digby!' exclaimed Isabella, who was at the harp, 'Henrietta isfainting.' Lord Montfort rushed forward just in time to seize her coldhand.
'The room is too hot,' said one sister.
'The coffee is too strong,' said the other.
'Air,' said the young duchess.
Lord Montfort carried Henrietta into a distant room. There was a balconyopening into a garden. He seated her on a bench, and never quittedher side, but contrived to prevent anyone approaching her. The womenclustered together.
'Sweet creature!' said the old duchess, 'she often makes me tremble;she has but just recovered, Mr. Glastonbury, from a long and terribleillness.'
'Indeed!' said Glastonbury.
'Poor dear Digby,' continued her grace, 'this will quite upset himagain. He was in such spirits about her health the other day.'
'Lord Montfort?' enquired Glastonbury.
'Our Digby. You know that he is to be married to Henrietta next month.'
'Holy Virgin!' muttered Glastonbury; and, seizing advantage of theconfusion, he effected his escape.
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BOOK VI. [CONTINUED]