CHAPTER VI.
_Birds of a Feather_
WE WILL go and make a morning call. The garish light of day, that neversuits a chamber, was broken by a muslin veil, which sent its softenedtwilight through a room of moderate dimensions but of princelydecoration, and which opened into a conservatory. The choice saloon washung with rose-coloured silk, which diffused a delicate tint over theinlaid and costly cabinets. It was crowded with tables covered with_bijouterie_. Apparently, however, a road had been cut through thefurniture, by which you might wind your way up to the divinity of thetemple. A ravishing perfume, which was ever changing, wandered throughthe apartment. Now a violet breeze made you poetical; now a rosy galecalled you to love. And ever and anon the strange but thrilling breathof some rare exotic summoned you, like an angel, to opening Eden. Allwas still and sweet, save that a fountain made you, as it were, moreconscious of silence; save that the song of birds made you, as it were,more sensible of sweetness.
Upon a couch, her small head resting upon an arm covered with bracelets,which blazed like a Sol-dan's treasure, reclined Mrs. Dallington Vere.
She is in thought. Is her abstracted eye fixed in admiration upon thattwinkling foot which, clothed in its Russian slipper, looks like aserpent's tongue, small, red, and pointed; or does a more seriousfeeling than self-admiration inspire this musing? Ah! a cloud coursesover that pellucid brow. Tis gone, but it frowned like the harbinger ofa storm. Again! A small but blood-red blush rises into that clear cheek.It was momentary, but its deep colour indicated that it came from theheart. Her eye lights up with a wild and glittering fire, but the flashvanishes into darkness, and gloom follows the unnatural light. Sheclasps her hands; she rises from an uneasy seat, though supported by athousand pillows, and she paces the conservatory.
A guest is announced. It is Sir Lucius Grafton.
He salutes her with that studied courtesy which shows they are onlyfriends, but which, when maintained between intimate acquaintance,sometimes makes wicked people suspect that they once perhaps were more.She resumes her seat, and he throws himself into an easy chair which isopposite.
'Your note I this moment received, Bertha, and I am here. You perceivethat my fidelity is as remarkable as ever.'
'We had a gay meeting last night.'
'Very much so. So Lady Araminta has at last shown mercy.'
'I cannot believe it.'
'I have just had a note from Challoner, preliminary, I suppose, tomy trusteeship. You are not the only person who holds my talents forbusiness in high esteem.'
'But Ballingford; what will he say?'
'That is his affair; and as he never, to my knowledge, spoke to thepurpose, his remarks now, I suppose, are not fated to be much moreapropos.'
'Yet he can say things. We all know----'
'Yes, yes, we all know; but nobody believes. That is the motto of thepresent day; and the only way to neutralise scandal, and to counteractpublicity.'
Mrs. Dallington was silent, and looked uneasy; and her friend perceivingthat, although she had sent to him so urgent a billet, she did notcommunicate, expressed a little surprise.
'But you wish to see me, Bertha?'
'I do very much, and to speak to you. For these many days I haveintended it; but I do not know how it is, I have postponed and postponedour interview. I begin to believe,' she added, looking up with a faintsmile, 'I am half afraid to speak.'
'Good God!' said the Baronet, really alarmed, 'you are in no trouble?'
'Oh, no! make yourself easy. Trouble, trouble! No, no! I am not exactlyin trouble. I am not in debt; I am not in a scrape; but--but--but I amin something--something worse, perhaps: I am in love.'
The Baronet looked puzzled. He did not for a moment suspect himself tobe the hero; yet, although their mutual confidence was illimitable, hedid not exactly see why, in the present instance, there had beensuch urgency to impart an event not altogether either unnatural ormiraculous.
'In love!' said Sir Lucius; 'a very proper situation for the prettiestwoman in London. Everybody is in love with you; and I heartily rejoicethat some one of our favoured sex is about to avenge our sufferings.'
'_Point de moquerie_, Lucy! I am miserable.'
'Dear little pigeon, what is the matter?'
'Ah, me!'
'Speak,-speak,' said he, in a gay tone; 'you were not made for sighs,but smiles. Begin----'
'Well, then, the young Duke----'
'The deuce!' said Sir Lucius, alarmed.
'Oh! no! make yourself easy,' said Mrs. Dallington, smiling; 'nocounterplot, I assure you, although really you do not deserve tosucceed.'
'Then who is it?' eagerly asked Sir Lucius.
'You will not let me speak. The young Duke----'
'Damn the Duke!'
'How impatient you are, Lucy! I must begin with the beginning. Well, theyoung Duke has something to do with it.'
'Pray be explicit.'
'In a word, then,' said Mrs. Dallington, in a low voice, but with anexpression of earnestness which Sir Lucius had never before remarked, 'Iam in love, desperately in love, with one whom hitherto, in accordancewith your wishes, I have been driving into the arms of another.Our views, our interests are opposite; but I wish to act fairly, ifpossible; I wish to reconcile them; and it is for this purpose that Ihave summoned you this morning.'
'Arundel Dacre!' said Sir Lucius, quietly, and he rapped his cane on hisboot. The blood-red spot again rose in his companion's cheek.
There was silence for a moment. Sir Lucius would not disturb it, andMrs. Dallington again spoke.
'St. James and the little Dacre have again met. You have my secret. I donot ask your good services with Arundel, which I might at another time;but you cannot expect me to work against myself. Depend, then, no longeron my influence with May Dacre; for to be explicit, as we have alwaysbeen, most heartily should I rejoice to see her a duchess.'
'The point, Bertha,' said Sir Lucius, very quietly, 'is not that I canno longer count upon you as an ally; but I must, I perceive, reckon youan opponent.'
'Cannot we prevent this?' asked Mrs. Dallington with energy.
'I see no alternative,' said Sir Lucius, shaking his head with greatunconcern. 'Time will prove who will have to congratulate the other.'
'My friend,' said Mrs. Dallington, with briskness and decision, 'noaffectation between us. Drop this assumed unconcern. You know, you knowwell, that no incident could occur to you at this moment more mortifyingthan the one I have communicated, which deranges your plans, andprobably may destroy your views. You cannot misconceive my motives inmaking this not very agreeable communication. I might have pursued myobject without your knowledge and permission. In a word, I might havebetrayed you. But with me every consideration has yielded to friendship.I cannot forget how often, and how successfully, we have combined. Ishould grieve to see our ancient and glorious alliance annulled. I amyet in hopes that we may both obtain our objects through its medium.'
'I am not aware,' said Sir Lucius, with more feeling, 'that I have givenyou any cause to complain of my want of candour. We are in a difficultposition. I have nothing to suggest, but I am ready to listen. You knowhow ready I am to adopt all your suggestions; and I know how seldom youhave wanted an expedient.'
'The little Dacre, then, must not marry her cousin; but we cannotflatter ourselves that such a girl will not want to marry some one;I have a conviction that this is her decisive season. She must beoccupied. In a word, Lucy, some one must be found.'
The Baronet started from his chair, and nearly knocked down a table.
'Confound your tables, Bertha,' said he, in a pettish tone; 'I can neverconsult in a room full of tables.' He walked into the conservatory, andshe followed him. He seemed plunged in thought. They were again silent.Suddenly he seized her hand and led her back to the sofa, on which theyboth sat down.
'My dear friend,' he said, in a tone of agitated solemnity. 'I willconceal no longer from you what I have sometimes endeavoured to concealfrom myself: I love that girl
to distraction.' 'You!'
'Yes; to distraction. Ever since we first met her image has haunted me.I endeavoured to crush a feeling which promised only to plunge me intoanxiety, and to distract my attention from my important objects; butin vain, in vain. Her unexpected appearance yesterday has revived mypassion with triple fervour. I have passed a sleepless night, and risewith the determination to obtain her.'
'You know your own power, Lucius, better perhaps than I do, or theworld. We rank it high; none higher; yet, nevertheless, I look upon thisdeclaration as insanity.'
He raised her hand to his lips, and pressed it with delicate warmth, andsummoned his most insinuating tone. 'With your aid, Bertha, I should notdespair!'
'Lucy, I am your friend; perhaps your best friend: but these Dacres!Would it were anyone but a Dacre! No, no, this cannot be.'
'Bertha, you know me better than the world: I am a roue, and you aremy friend; but, believe me, I am not quite so vain as to indulge fora moment in the idea that May Dacre should be aught to me but what allmight approve and all might honour. Yes, I intend her for my wife.'
'Your wife! You are, indeed, premature.'
'Not quite so premature as you perhaps imagine. Know, then, that thegreat point is on the eve of achievement. Urged by the information whichAfy thinks she unconsciously obtains from Lachen, and harrowed by theidea that I am about to tear her from England, she has appealed to theDuke in a manner to which they were both unused. Hitherto her dociletemper has not permitted her to abuse her empire. Now she exertsher power with an energy to which he believed her a stranger. He isstaggered by his situation. He at the same time repents having so rashlyengaged the feelings of a woman, and is flattered that he is so loved.They have more than once consulted upon the expediency of an elopement.'
'This is good news.'
'O! Bertha, you must feel like me before you can estimate it. Yes!'he clenched his fist with horrible energy, 'there is no hell like adetested wife!'
They were again silent; but when she thought that his emotion hadsubsided, she again recalled their consideration to the object of theirinterview.
'You play a bold game, indeed; but it shall not fail from any deficiencyon my part. But how are we to proceed at present? Who is to interest thefeelings of the little Dacre at once?'
'Who but her future husband? What I want you to do is this: we shallcall; but prepare the house to receive us not only as acquaintances, butas desirable intimates. You know what to say. I have an idea that thedivine creature entertains no very unfavourable opinion of your obedientslave; and with her temper I care not for what she will not probablyhear, the passing opinion of a third person. I stand at present, thanksto Afy, very high with the public; and you know, although my lifehas not the least altered, that my indiscretions have now a dashof discretion in them; and a reformed rake, as all agree, is thepersonification of morality. Prepare my way with the Dacres, and allwill go right. And as for this Arundel, I know him not; but you havetold me enough to make me consider him the most fortunate of men. As forlove between cousins, I laugh at it. A glance from you will extinguishthe feeble flame, as a sunbeam does a fire: and for the rest, the worlddoes me the honour to believe that, if Lucius Grafton be remarkable forone thing more than another, it is for the influence he attains overyoung minds. I will get acquainted with this boy; and, for once, letlove be unattended by doubt.'
Long was their counsel. The plans we have hinted at were analysed,canvassed, weighed, and finally matured. They parted, after a longmorning, well aware of the difficulties which awaited their fulfilment,but also full of hope.