XXI
From that day forward their life resumed its old channel in generaloutward aspect.
Perhaps the most remarkable feature in their exploit was its comparativeeffectiveness as an expedient for the end designed,--that of restoringcalm assiduity to the study of astronomy. Swithin took up his oldposition as the lonely philosopher at the column, and Lady Constantinelapsed back to immured existence at the house, with apparently not afriend in the parish. The enforced narrowness of life which her limitedresources necessitated was now an additional safeguard against thediscovery of her relations with St. Cleeve. Her neighbours seldomtroubled her; as much, it must be owned, from a tacit understanding thatshe was not in a position to return invitations as from any selfishcoldness engendered by her want of wealth.
At the first meeting of the secretly united pair after their shorthoneymoon they were compelled to behave as strangers to each other. Itoccurred in the only part of Welland which deserved the name of a villagestreet, and all the labourers were returning to their midday meal, withthose of their wives who assisted at outdoor work. Before the eyes ofthis innocent though quite untrustworthy group, Swithin and his Viviettecould only shake hands in passing, though she contrived to say to him inan undertone, 'My brother does not return yet for some time. He has goneto Paris. I will be on the lawn this evening, if you can come.' It wasa fluttered smile that she bestowed on him, and there was no doubt thatevery fibre of her heart vibrated afresh at meeting, with such reserve,one who stood in his close relation to her.
The shades of night fell early now, and Swithin was at the spot ofappointment about the time that he knew her dinner would be over. It wasjust where they had met at the beginning of the year, but many changeshad resulted since then. The flower-beds that had used to be so neatlyedged were now jagged and leafy; black stars appeared on the pale surfaceof the gravel walks, denoting tufts of grass that grew unmolested there.Lady Constantine's external affairs wore just that aspect which suggeststhat new blood may be advantageously introduced into the line; and newblood had been introduced, in good sooth,--with what social resultremained to be seen.
She silently entered on the scene from the same window which had givenher passage in months gone by. They met with a concerted embrace, andSt. Cleeve spoke his greeting in whispers.
'We are quite safe, dearest,' said she.
'But the servants?'
'My meagre staff consists of only two women and the boy; and they areaway in the other wing. I thought you would like to see the inside of myhouse, after showing me the inside of yours. So we will walk through itinstead of staying out here.'
She let him in through the casement, and they strolled forward softly,Swithin with some curiosity, never before having gone beyond the libraryand adjoining room. The whole western side of the house was at this timeshut up, her life being confined to two or three small rooms in the south-east corner. The great apartments through which they now whisperinglywalked wore already that funereal aspect that comes from disuse andinattention. Triangular cobwebs already formed little hammocks for thedust in corners of the wainscot, and a close smell of wood and leather,seasoned with mouse-droppings, pervaded the atmosphere. So seldom wasthe solitude of these chambers intruded on by human feet that more thanonce a mouse stood and looked the twain in the face from the arm of asofa, or the top of a cabinet, without any great fear.
Swithin had no residential ambition whatever, but he was interested inthe place. 'Will the house ever be thrown open to gaiety, as it was inold times?' said he.
'Not unless you make a fortune,' she replied laughingly. 'It is mine formy life, as you know; but the estate is so terribly saddled withannuities to Sir Blount's distant relatives, one of whom will succeed mehere, that I have practically no more than my own little private incometo exist on.'
'And are you bound to occupy the house?'
'Not bound to. But I must not let it on lease.'
'And was there any stipulation in the event of your re-marriage?'
'It was not mentioned.'
'It is satisfactory to find that you lose nothing by marrying me, at allevents, dear Viviette.'
'I hope you lose nothing either--at least, of consequence.'
'What have I to lose?'
'I meant your liberty. Suppose you become a popular physicist(popularity seems cooling towards art and coquetting with science now-a-days), and a better chance offers, and one who would make you a newer andbrighter wife than I am comes in your way. Will you never regret this?Will you never despise me?'
Swithin answered by a kiss, and they again went on proceeding like acouple of burglars, lest they should draw the attention of the cook orGreen.
In one of the upper rooms his eyes were attracted by an old chamberorgan, which had once been lent for use in the church. He mentioned hisrecollection of the same, which led her to say, 'That reminds me ofsomething. There is to be a confirmation in our parish in the spring,and you once told me that you had never been confirmed. What shockingneglect! Why was it?'
'I hardly know. The confusion resulting from my father's death caused itto be forgotten, I suppose.'
'Now, dear Swithin, you will do this to please me,--be confirmed on thepresent occasion?'
'Since I have done without the virtue of it so long, might I not dowithout it altogether?'
'No, no!' she said earnestly. 'I do wish it, indeed. I am made unhappywhen I think you don't care about such serious matters. Without theChurch to cling to, what have we?'
'Each other. But seriously, I should be inverting the established orderof spiritual things; people ought to be confirmed before they aremarried.'
'That's really of minor consequence. Now, don't think slightingly ofwhat so many good men have laid down as necessary to be done. And, dearSwithin, I somehow feel that a certain levity which has perhaps shownitself in our treatment of the sacrament of marriage--by making aclandestine adventure of what is, after all, a solemn rite--would be wellatoned for by a due seriousness in other points of religious observance.This opportunity should therefore not be passed over. I thought of itall last night; and you are a parson's son, remember, and he would haveinsisted on it if he had been alive. In short, Swithin, do be a goodboy, and observe the Church's ordinances.'
Lady Constantine, by virtue of her temperament, was necessarily eitherlover or _devote_, and she vibrated so gracefully between these twoconditions that nobody who had known the circumstances could havecondemned her inconsistencies. To be led into difficulties by thosemastering emotions of hers, to aim at escape by turning round and seizingthe apparatus of religion--which could only rightly be worked by the veryemotions already bestowed elsewhere--it was, after all, but Nature's well-meaning attempt to preserve the honour of her daughter's conscience inthe trying quandary to which the conditions of sex had given rise. AsViviette could not be confirmed herself, and as Communion Sunday was along way off, she urged Swithin thus.
'And the new bishop is such a good man,' she continued. 'I used to havea slight acquaintance with him when he was a parish priest.'
'Very well, dearest. To please you I'll be confirmed. My grandmother,too, will be delighted, no doubt.'
They continued their ramble: Lady Constantine first advancing into roomswith the candle, to assure herself that all was empty, and then callinghim forward in a whisper. The stillness was broken only by thesewhispers, or by the occasional crack of a floor-board beneath theirtread. At last they sat down, and, shading the candle with a screen, sheshowed him the faded contents of this and that drawer or cabinet, or thewardrobe of some member of the family who had died young early in thecentury, when muslin reigned supreme, when waists were close to arm-pits,and muffs as large as smugglers' tubs. These researches amonghabilimental hulls and husks, whose human kernels had long ago perished,went on for about half an hour; when the companions were startled by aloud ringing at the front-door bell.