CHAPTER VII.
In the course of the evening Lady Annabel requested Lord Cadurcis andhis cousin to take up their quarters at the villa. Independent of thedelight which such an invitation occasioned him, Cadurcis was doublygratified by its being given by her. It was indeed her unpromptedsolicitation; for neither Herbert nor even Venetia, however muchthey desired the arrangement, was anxious to appear eager for itsfulfilment. Desirous of pleasing her husband and her daughter; alittle penitent as to her previous treatment of Cadurcis, now thattime and strange events had combined to soften her feelings; and wonby his engaging demeanour towards herself, Lady Annabel had of mereimpulse resolved upon the act; and she was repaid by the general airof gaiety and content which it diffused through the circle.
Few weeks indeed passed ere her ladyship taught herself even tocontemplate the possibility of an union between her daughter andLord Cadurcis. The change which had occurred in her own feelings andposition had in her estimation removed very considerable barriers tosuch a result. It would not become her again to urge the peculiarityof his temperament as an insuperable objection to the marriage; thatwas out of the question, even if the conscience of Lady Annabelherself, now that she was so happy, were perfectly free from anyparticipation in the causes which occasioned the original estrangementbetween Herbert and herself. Desirous too, as all mothers are, thather daughter should be suitably married, Lady Annabel could not shuther eyes to the great improbability of such an event occurring, nowthat Venetia had, as it were, resigned all connection with her nativecountry. As to her daughter marrying a foreigner, the very idea wasintolerable to her; and Venetia appeared therefore to have resumedthat singular and delicate position which she occupied at Cherbury inearlier years, when Lady Annabel had esteemed her connection with LordCadurcis so fortunate and auspicious. Moreover, while Lord Cadurcis,in birth, rank, country, and consideration, offered in every view ofthe ease so gratifying an alliance, he was perhaps the only Englishmanwhose marriage into her family would not deprive her of the society ofher child. Cadurcis had a great distaste for England, which he seizedevery opportunity to express. He continually declared that he wouldnever return there; and his habits of seclusion and study so entirelyaccorded with those of her husband, that Lady Annabel did not doubtthey would continue to form only one family; a prospect so engaging toher, that it would perhaps have alone removed the distrust which shehad so unfortunately cherished against the admirer of her daughter;and although some of his reputed opinions occasioned her doubtlessconsiderable anxiety, he was nevertheless very young, and far fromemancipated from the beneficial influence of his early education. Shewas sanguine that this sheep would yet return to the fold where oncehe had been tended with so much solicitude. When too she called tomind the chastened spirit of her husband, and could not refrain fromfeeling that, had she not quitted him, he might at a much earlierperiod have attained a mood so full of promise and to her so cheering,she could not resist the persuasion that, under the influence ofVenetia, Cadurcis might speedily free himself from the dominion ofthat arrogant genius to which, rather than to any serious conviction,the result of a studious philosophy, she attributed his indifferenceon the most important of subjects. On the whole, however, it was withno common gratification that Lady Annabel observed the strong andintimate friendship that arose between her husband and Cadurcis. Theywere inseparable companions. Independently of the natural sympathybetween two highly imaginative minds, there were in the superiorexperience, the noble character, the vast knowledge, and refined tasteof Herbert, charms of which Cadurcis was very susceptible Cadurcis hadnot been a great reader himself, and he liked the company of one whosemind was at once so richly cultured and so deeply meditative: thus heobtained matter and spirit distilled through the alembic of another'sbrain. Jealousy had never had a place in Herbert's temperament; now hewas insensible even to emulation. He spoke of Cadurcis as he thought,with the highest admiration; as one without a rival, and in whosepower it was to obtain an imperishable fame. It was his liveliestpleasure to assist the full development of such an intellect, and topour to him, with a lavish hand, all the treasures of his taste, hislearning, his fancy, and his meditation. His kind heart, his winningmanners, his subdued and perfect temper, and the remembrance of therelation which he bore to Venetia, completed the spell which boundCadurcis to him with all the finest feelings of his nature. It was,indeed, an intercourse peculiarly beneficial to Cadurcis, whose careerhad hitherto tended rather to the development of the power, than therefinement of his genius; and to whom an active communion with anequal spirit of a more matured intelligence was an incident rather tobe desired than expected. Herbert and Cadurcis, therefore, spent theirmornings together, sometimes in the library, sometimes wandering inthe chestnut woods, sometimes sailing in the boat of the brig, forthey were both fond of the sea: in these excursions, George was ingeneral their companion. He had become a great favourite with Herbert,as with everybody else. No one managed a boat so well, althoughCadurcis prided himself also on his skill in this respect; and Georgewas so frank and unaffected, and so used to his cousin's habits, thathis presence never embarrassed Herbert and Cadurcis, and they read orconversed quite at their ease, as if there were no third person tomar, by his want of sympathy, the full communion of their intellect.The whole circle met at dinner, and never again parted until at a latehour of night. This was a most agreeable life; Cadurcis himself, goodhumoured because he was happy, doubly exerted himself to ingratiatehimself with Lady Annabel, and felt every day that he was advancing.Venetia always smiled upon him, and praised him delightfully for hisdelightful conduct.
In the evening, Herbert would read to them the manuscript poem ofCadurcis, the fruits of his Attic residence and Grecian meditations.The poet would sometimes affect a playful bashfulness on this head,perhaps not altogether affected, and amuse Venetia, in a whisper, withhis running comments; or exclaim with an arch air, 'I say, Venetia,what would Mrs. Montague and the Blues give for this, eh? I can fancyHannah More in decent ecstasies!'