CHAPTER XIII.
_Joy's Beginning_
ANOTHER week brought another letter from the Earl of Fitz-pompey.
The Earl of Fitz-pompey to the Duke of St. James. [Read this alone.]
'My dear George,
'I beg you will not be alarmed by the above memorandum, which I thoughtit but prudent to prefix. A very disagreeable affair has just takenplace, and to a degree exceedingly alarming; but it might have turnedout much more distressing, and, on the whole, we may all congratulateourselves at the result. Not to keep you in fearful suspense, I beg torecall your recollection to the rumour which I noticed in my last, ofthe intention of Lady Aphrodite Grafton to oppose the divorce. Afew days back, her brother Lord Wariston, with whom I was previouslyunacquainted, called upon me by appointment, having previously requesteda private interview. The object of his seeing me was no less than tosubmit to my inspection the letters by aid of which it was anticipatedthat the divorce might be successfully opposed. You will be astoundedto hear that these consist of a long series of correspondence of Mrs.Dallington Vere's, developing, I am shocked to say, machinations of avery alarming nature, the effect of which, my dear George, was no lessthan very materially to control your fortunes in life, and those of thatcharming and truly admirable lady whom you have delighted us all so muchby declaring to be our future relative.
'From the very delicate nature of the disclosures, Lord Wariston feltthe great importance of obtaining all necessary results without makingthem public; and, actuated by these feelings, he applied to me, bothas your nearest relative, and an acquaintance of Sir Lucius, and, as heexpressed it, and I may be permitted to repeat, as one whose experiencein the management of difficult and delicate negotiations was notaltogether unknown, in order that I might be put in possession of thefacts of the case, advise and perhaps interfere for the common good.
'Under these circumstances, and taking into consideration the extremedifficulty attendant upon a satisfactory arrangement of the affair,I thought fit, in confidence, to apply to Arundel, whose talents Iconsider of the first order, and only equalled by his prudence and calmtemper. As a relation, too, of more than one of the parties concerned,it was perhaps only proper that the correspondence should be submittedto him.
'I am sorry to say, my dear George, that Arundel behaved in a veryodd manner, and not at all with that discretion which might have beenexpected both from one of his remarkably sober and staid disposition,and one not a little experienced in diplomatic life. He exhibited themost unequivocal signs of his displeasure at the conduct of the partiesprincipally concerned, and expressed himself in so vindictive a manneragainst one of them, that I very much regretted my application, andrequested him to be cool.
'He seemed to yield to my solicitations, but I regret to say hiscomposure was only feigned, and the next morning he and Sir LuciusGrafton met. Sir Lucius fired first, without effect, but Arundel's aimwas more fatal, and his ball was lodged in the thigh of his adversary.Sir Lucius has only been saved by amputation; and I need not remark toyou that to such a man life on such conditions is scarcely desirable.All idea of a divorce is quite given over. The letters in question werestolen from his cabinet by his valet, and given to a soubrette of hiswife, whom Sir Lucius considered in his interest, but who, as you see,betrayed him.
'For me remained the not very agreeable office of seeing Mrs. DallingtonVere. I made known to her, in a manner as little offensive as possible,the object of my visit. The scene, my dear George, was trying; and Ithink it hard that the follies of a parcel of young people should reallyplace me in such a distressing position. She fainted, &c, and wishedthe letters to be given up, but Lord Wariston would not consent to this,though he promised to keep their contents secret provided she quittedthe country. She goes directly; and I am well assured, which is not theleast surprising part of this strange history, that her affairs are in astate of great distraction. The relatives of her late husband areabout again to try the will, and with prospect of success. She has beennegotiating with them for some time through the agency of Sir LuciusGrafton, and the late _expose_ will not favour her interests.
'If anything further happens, my dear George, depend upon my writing;but Arundel desires me to say that on Saturday he will run down to Dacrefor a few days, as he very much wishes to see you and all. With ourunited remembrance to Mr. and Miss Dacre,
'Ever, my dear George,
'Your very affectionate uncle,
'Fitz-pompey.'
The young Duke turned with trembling and disgust from these darkterminations of unprincipled careers; and these fatal evidences ofthe indulgence of unbridled passions. How nearly, too, had he beenshipwrecked in this moral whirlpool! With what gratitude did he notinvoke the beneficent Providence that had not permitted the innate seedsof human virtue to be blighted in his wild and neglected soul! Withwhat admiration did he not gaze upon the pure and beautiful being whosevirtue and whose loveliness were the causes of his regeneration, thesources of his present happiness, and the guarantees of his future joy!
Four years have now elapsed since the young Duke of St. James was unitedto May Dacre; and it would not be too bold to declare, that duringthat period he has never for an instant ceased to consider himselfthe happiest and the most fortunate of men. His life is passed in theagreeable discharge of all the important duties of his exalted station,and his present career is by far a better answer to the lucubrations ofyoung Duncan Macmorrogh than all the abstract arguments that ever yetwere offered in favour of the existence of an aristocracy.
Hauteville House and Hauteville Castle proceed in regular course. Thesemagnificent dwellings will never erase simple and delightful Rosemountfrom the grateful memory of the Duchess of St. James. Parliament, andin a degree society, invite the Duke and Duchess each year to themetropolis, and Mr. Dacre is generally their guest. Their most intimateand beloved friends are Arundel and his wife, and as Lady Caroline nowheads the establishment of Castle Dacre, they are seldom separated.But among their most agreeable company is a young gentleman styled bycourtesy Dacre, Marquess of Hauteville, and his young sister, who hasnot yet escaped from her beautiful mother's arms, and who beareth theblooming title of the Lady May.
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