CHAPTER XIII.
THE DASTARDLY PLOT IS REVEALED.
Every thought and feeling was now merged in intense interest andcuriosity regarding the participants in the strange union, which wasbeing consummated before them. Who was the beautiful bride, so perfectin form, so graceful in bearing, so elegantly and richly adorned?
Who the strange groom?
The parts of the plotting lovers of the play had hitherto been takenby the brother and sister--Walter and Alice Kerby, who were well-knownin society.
But of course every one reasoned that they could not both officiate asprincipals in the scene now being enacted before them.
The figure and bearing of that veiled bride upon the stage weresimilar to that of Miss Kerby; but that young lady was known to beengaged to a young lawyer who was now seated with the audience;therefore, no one, who knew her, believed for a moment that she couldbe personating the masked bride now standing before the altar, whilethe groom beside her was neither so stout nor as tall as Walter Kerby.
The ceremony proceeded, according to the Episcopal form, although theyoung minister was known to be a Universalist, and when he reached thecharge, calling for any one "who could show just cause why the twobefore him should not be joined in lawful wedlock, to speak or foreverhold his peace," those sitting nearest the stage were startled to seethe bride shiver, from head to foot, while a deadly pallor seemed tosettle over that portion of her face that was visible, and to evenextend over her neck.
The service went on without any interruption, the groom making theresponses in clear, unfaltering tones, although those of his companionwere scarcely audible. When the symbol of their union was called for,it was also noticed that Edith shrank from having the ring placed uponher finger, but it was only a momentary hesitation, and the servicewas soon completed with all due solemnity.
After the blessing, when the couple arose from their knees, the maidof honor stepped forward, and, lifting the mask of the bride, adjustedit above her forehead with the jeweled pin, while the audience satspell-bound, awaiting with breathless suspense the revelation thatwould ensue.
At the same moment the groom also removed the covering from his face,when those who could see him instantly recognized him as EmilCorrelli, the handsome and wealthy brother of the hostess of theevening.
His countenance was white to ghastliness, betraying that he waslaboring under great excitement and mental strain.
But the fair young bride! who was she?
Not one in that great company recognized her for the moment, forscarcely any one had ever seen her before--excepting those, of course,who had been guests in the house during the week, and these failed toidentify her in the exquisite costume which was so different from thesimple black dresses which she had always worn, and enveloped, as shewas, in that voluminous, mist-like veil.
The clergyman omitted nothing, and immediately, upon the lifting ofthe masks, greeted and congratulated the young couple with everyappearance of cordiality and sincerity.
To poor, reluctant Edith the whole affair had been utterly distastefuland repulsive.
Indeed, she had felt as if she was almost guilty of a crime inallowing herself to participate lightly in anything of so sacred anature, and, throughout the entire ceremony, she had shivered andtrembled with mingled nervousness and repugnance.
When the ring--an unusually massive circlet of gold--had been slippedupon her finger, she had involuntarily tried to withdraw her hand fromthe clasp of the man who was holding it, a sensation of deadlyfaintness almost overpowering her for the moment.
But feeling that she must not fail madam and spoil everything at thislast moment, she braced herself to go on with the farce (?) to theend.
She was so relieved when it was ended, so eager to get away from theplace and have the dread ordeal over, that she scarcely heard a wordthe clergyman uttered while congratulating her. She was dimlyconscious of the clasp of his hand and the sound of his voice, but didnot even notice the hated name by which he addressed her.
Neither had she once glanced at the groom, though as he took her handand laid it upon his arm, when they turned to go out, she wonderedvaguely why he should continue to hold it clasped in his, and whatmade his clinging fingers tremble so.
But Emil Correlli, now that his scheme was accomplished, led her, withan air of mingled triumph and joy which sat well upon him, directlyout to the ladies' dressing-room, where they found madam aloneawaiting them.
She could not have been whiter if she had been dead, and her teethwere actually chattering with nervousness as the two came toward her,Edith still with bowed head and downcast eyes--her brother beamingwith the exultation he could not conceal.
But she braced herself to meet them with a brave front.
"Dear child, you went through it beautifully," she said, in acaressing voice as she took Edith into her arms and kissed her uponthe forehead. "Let me thank and congratulate you--and you also, Emil."
At the sound of this name, Edith uttered a cry of dismay and turnedher glance, for the first time, upon the man at her side.
"You!" she gasped, starting away from him with a gesture of horror,and marble could not have been whiter, nor a statue more frozen thanshe for a moment after making this amazing discovery.
"Hush!" imperatively exclaimed Mrs. Goddard, who quickly arose to theemergency. "Do not make a scene. It could not be helped--some one hadto take Mr. Kerby's place, and Emil, arriving at the last moment, waspressed into the service the same as yourself."
"How could you? It was cruel! it was wicked! I never would haveconsented had I suspected," cried the girl, in a voice resonant withindignation.
"Hush!" again commanded madam, "you must not--you shall not spoileverything now. The actors are all to hold an informal reception inthe parlors while this room is being cleared for dancing, and you twomust take your places with them--"
"I will not! I will not lend myself to such a wretched farce foranother moment!" Edith exclaimed, and never for an instant suspectingthat it was anything but a farce.
The face of Mrs. Goddard was a study, as was also her brother's, asthese resolute words fell upon her ears; but she had no intention ofundeceiving the girl at present, for she knew that if she threw up thecharacter which she had thus far been impersonating, their plot wouldbe ruined and a fearful scandal follow.
If they could only trick her into standing with the others to receivethe congratulations of her guests--to be publicly addressed as, andappear to assent to the name of, Mrs. Correlli, she believed it wouldbe comparatively easy later on to convince her of the truth and compelher to yield to the inevitable.
But she saw that Edith was thoroughly aroused--that she felt she hadbeen badly used--that she had been shamefully imposed upon by havingbeen cheated into figuring thus before hundreds of people with a manwho was obnoxious to her.
Madam was at her wits' end, for the girl's resolute air and blazingeyes plainly indicated that she did not intend to be trifled with anylonger.
She shot a glance of dismay at her brother, only to see a dark frownupon his brow, while he angrily gnawed his under lip.
She feared that, with his customary impulse, he might becontemplating revealing the truth, and such a course she well knewwould result in a scene that would ruin the evening for everybody.
But just at this instant the bridesmaids came trooping into the roomand created a blessed diversion.
"Here we are, dear Mrs. Goddard," a gay girl exclaimed. "Didn't it allgo off beautifully, and isn't it time we were in our places for thereception?"
"Yes, yes; run along, all of you. Lead the way, Nellie, please--youknow how to go up through the billiard-room," said Mrs. Goddard,nervously, as she gently pushed the girl toward the stairway. Thenbending toward Edith, she whispered, imploringly:
"I beg, I entreat you, Edith, not to spoil everything--everybody willwonder why you are not with the others, and I cannot explain why yourefused to stand with my brother. Go! go! you must not keep my guestswaiting. Em
il, take her," and with an imperative gesture to herbrother, she swept on toward the stairway after the others to arrangethem effectively in the drawing-room.
Emil Correlli shot a searching look into the face of the girl besidehim.
It was cold and proud, the beautiful eyes still glowing withindignation. But resolving upon a bold move, he reached down, took herhand, and laid it upon his arm.
"Pardon me just this once," he said, humbly, "and let me add myentreaties to my sister's," and he tried gently to force her towardthe stairway.
Edith drew herself up and took her hand from his arm.
"Go on," she said, haughtily, "and I will follow. Since I have beentricked into this affair so far, a little more of the same follycannot matter, and rather than subject Mrs. Goddard to a publicmortification, I will yield the point."
She made a gesture for him to proceed, and he turned to obey, a gleamof triumph leaping into his eyes at her concession.
Without a word they swiftly made their way back into the house anddown to the elegant parlors where, at the upper end, the first objectto greet their eyes was a beautiful floral arch with an exquisitemarriage bell suspended from it.
On either side of this the bridesmaids and ushers had taken theirplaces, and into the center of it Emil Correlli now led his companion.
And now ensued the last and most fiendish act in the dastardly plot.
Hardly were they in their places when the guests came pouring into theroom, and the ushers began their duties of presentation, while Edith,with a sinking heart, but growing every moment more indignant anddisgusted with what appeared to her only a horrible and senselessmockery, was obliged to respond to hundreds of congratulations andbear in silence being addressed as Mrs. Correlli.
It galled her almost beyond endurance--it was torture beyonddescription to her proud and sensitive spirit to be thus associatedwith one for whom she had no respect, and who had made himself all themore obnoxious by lending himself to the deception which had just beenpracticed upon her.
Once, when there was a little pause, she turned haughtily upon the manat her side.
"Why am I addressed thus?" she demanded.
"Why do you allow it? Why do you not correct these people and tellthem to use the name that was used in the play rather than yours?"
The man grew white about the lips at these questions.
"Perhaps they forget--I--I suppose it seems more natural to address meby my name," he faltered.
"I do not like it--I will not submit to it a moment longer," Edithindignantly returned.
"Hush! it is almost over," said her companion, in a swift whisper, asothers came forward just then, and she was obliged, though rebelliousand heart-sick, to submit to the ordeal.
But it was over at last, for, as the introductions were made, theguests passed back to the carriage-house, which had been cleared fordancing, and where the musicians were discoursing alluring strains inrhythmic measure.
Even the bridesmaids and ushers, tempted by the sounds, at lastdeserted their posts, and Emil Correlli and his victim were finallyleft alone, the sole occupants of the drawing-room.
"Will you come and dance?" he inquired, as he turned a pleading lookupon her. "Just once, to show that you forgive me for what I have doneto-night."
"No, I cannot," said Edith, coldly and wearily. "I am going directlyupstairs to divest myself of this mocking finery as soon as possible."
A swift, hot flush suffused Emil Correlli's face, at these words.
"Pray do not speak so bitterly and slightingly of what has made you,in my eyes at least, the most beautiful woman in this house to-night,"he said, with a look of passionate yearning in his eyes.
"Flattery from you, sir, after what has occurred, is, to speak mildly,exceedingly unbecoming," Edith haughtily responded and turned proudlyaway from him as if about to leave the room.
But, at that moment, Mr. Goddard, who had not presented himselfbefore, came hurriedly forward and confronted them. His face was verypale, but there was an angry light in his eyes and a bitter sneer uponhis lips.
"Well, Correlli, I am bound to confess that you have stolen a marchupon us to-night, in fine style," he remarked, in a mocking tone, "andmadam--Mrs. Correlli, I should say--allow me to observe that you haveoutshone yourself this evening, both as an actress and a beauty!Really, the surprise, the _denouement_, to which you have treated ussurpasses anything in my experience; it was certainly worthy of aDumas! Permit me to offer you my heartiest congratulations."
Edith crimsoned with anger to her brows and shot a look of scorn atthe man, for his manner was bitterly insolent and his tone had beenviolent with wounded feeling and derision throughout his speech.
"Let this wretched farce end here and now," she said, straighteningherself and lifting her flashing eyes to his face. "I am heartily sickof it, and I trust you will never again presume to address me by thename that you have just used."
"Indeed! and are you so soon weary of your new title? Not yet an houra bride, and sick of your bargain!" retorted Gerald Goddard, with amocking laugh.
"I am no 'bride,' as you very well know, sir," spiritedly returnedEdith.
The man regarded her with a look of astonishment.
He had been very much interested in his wife's clever play, until thelast act, when he had been greatly startled by the change in theleading characters, both of whom he had instantly recognized in spiteof their masks. He wondered why they had been substituted for Aliceand Walter Kerby; when, upon also recognizing the clergyman, it hadflashed upon him that this last scene was no "play"--it was to be a_bona fide_ marriage planned, no doubt, by his wife for some secretreason best known to her and the young couple.
He did not once suspect that Edith was being tricked into an unwillingunion.
He had known that Emil Correlli was fond of her, but he had notsupposed he would care to make her his wife, although he had no doubtthe girl would gladly avail herself of such an offer. Evidently thecourtship had been secretly and successfully carried on; still, hecould not understand why they should have adopted this exceedinglystrange way to consummate their union, when there was nothing to standin the way of a public marriage, if they desired it.
He was bitterly wounded and chagrined upon realizing how he had beenignored in the matter by all parties, and thus allowed to rushheadlong into the piece of folly which he had committed, earlier inthe evening, in connection with Edith.
Thus he had held himself aloof from the couple until every one elsehad left the parlors, when he mockingly saluted them as alreadydescribed.
"No bride?" he repeated, skeptically.
"No, sir. I told you it was simply a farce. I was merely appealed toto take the place, in the play, of Miss Kerby, who was called home bytelegram," Edith explained.
Mr. Goddard glanced from her to his brother-in-law in unfeignedperplexity.
"What are you saying?" he demanded. "Do you mean to tell me that youbelieve that last act was a farce?--that you do not know that you havebeen really and lawfully married to the man beside you?"
"Certainly I have not! What do you mean, sir, by such an unwarrantableassertion?" spiritedly retorted the young girl, but losing every atomof color, as a suspicion of the terrible truth flashed through hermind.
Gerald Goddard turned fiercely upon his brother-in-law at this, for healso now began to suspect treachery.
"What does she mean?" he cried, sternly. "Has she been led into thisthing blindfolded?"
"I think it would be injudicious to make a scene here," Emil Correllireplied, in a low tone, but with white lips, as he realized that themoment which he had so dreaded had come at last.
"What do you mean? Why do you act and speak as if you believed thatmockery to be a reality?" exclaimed Edith, looking from one face tothe other with wildly questioning eyes.
"Edith," began Mr. Goddard, in an impressive tone, "do you not knowthat you are this man's wife?--that the ceremony on yonder stage was,in every essential, a legal one, and performed by the Re
v. Mr. ---- ofthe ---- church in Boston?"
"No! never! I do not believe it. They never would have dared do such adastardly deed!" panted the startled girl, in a voice of horror.
Then drawing her perfect form erect, she turned with a witheringglance to the craven at her side.
"Speak!" she commanded. "Have you dared to play this miserable trickupon me?"
Emil Correlli quailed beneath the righteous indignation expressed inher flashing glance; his eyes drooped, and conscious guilt was shownin his very attitude.
"Forgive me--I loved you so," he stammered, and--she was answered.
She threw out her hands in a gesture of repudiation and horror; sheflashed one withering, horrified look into his face, then, with a moanof anguish, she swayed like a reed broken by the tempest, and wouldhave fallen to the floor in her spotless robes had not Gerald Goddardcaught her senseless form in his arms, and, lifting her by mainstrength, he bore her from the room and upstairs to her own chamber.