Wild Margaret. Garvice Charles

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СКАЧАТЬ is not a Wouvermans, my lord," she said.

      The earl smiled, and stood with folded hands regarding her.

      "No, my lord. That is, I think not. It is not even a copy, but an imitation – oh, forgive me!" she broke off, blushing.

      "No, no!" he said, gently; "there is nothing to forgive. Tell me why you think so? But I warn you – " and he smiled with mock gravity – "this picture cost several thousand pounds!"

      "I can't help it," said Margaret, desperate on behalf of truth. "It is not a Wouvermans! He never painted a horse like that – never! I have copied dozens of his pictures. I should know a horse of his if I met it in the streets, my lord," and her eyebrows came together again in almost piteous assertion.

      He looked at the picture keenly; then, with a slight air of surprise, he said:

      "I think you are right! But it is a clever forgery – "

      "Oh, clever!" said Margaret, with light scorn.

      "Are you an artist?" he asked, after a second's pause.

      "Yes, my lord," she said, modestly.

      "Yes! Ah, I understand your inability to keep outside the gallery. An artist" – his piercing eyes rested on her downcast face – "my pictures are honored by your attention, Miss Hale. Permit me to repeat my invitation. I hope you will pay the gallery many visits. If you should care to copy any of the pictures, pray do so!"

      "Oh, my lord!" said Margaret, and her face lit up as if a ray of sunlight had passed across it.

      There was no ill-bred admiration in his gray eyes, only a deep and steady regard.

      "Copy any you choose," he said. "As to the De la Roche – "

      He paused, for a hurried footstep was heard behind them, and Mrs. Hale's voice anxiously calling "Margaret."

      At sight of the earl she stopped short, turned pale, and dropped a profound curtsey.

      "Oh, my lord! I – we – beg your pardon! My granddaughter lost her way – " then she seemed unable to go any further.

      The earl turned to her with the calm, impassive manner he had worn when Margaret had seen him first.

      "Do not apologize, Mrs. Hale," he said. "Your granddaughter is perfectly welcome. She is an artist, I hear?"

      "Yes, my lord," faltered the old lady, as if she were confessing some great sin of Margaret's.

      "Yes, and a capable one I am sure. She will probably like to copy some of the pictures. Please see that she is not disturbed."

      Then, leaving the old lady overwhelmed and bewildered, he inclined his head to Margaret and moved away. But as he raised the heavy curtain at the end of the gallery, he turned and looked aside at her with a grave smile.

      "The De la Roche shall be re-hung, and the false Wouvermans removed." Then murmuring "would that it were as easy to depose every other false pretender!" he let the curtain fall and disappeared.

      Margaret stood looking after him, her brows drawn together dreamily, and seemed to awake with a start when, with a gasp, the old lady turned to her, exclaiming:

      "Well, Margaret! To think that the earl – that his lordship – that – that – When I came in and saw him with you here I felt fit to sink into the ground! Oh, my dear, how ever did you come here?"

      "'My wayward feet were wont to stray,'" quoted Margaret, with a laugh.

      "What do you say?"

      "Oh, it was only a line from a poem, grandmamma. I lost my way, and the earl came in and found me – "

      "And – and spoke? And he wasn't angry? My dear, if I had been in your place, I should have longed for the earth to open and swallow me up!"

      Margaret laughed softly.

      "Of course you mustn't pay any attention to what he said: you mustn't take advantage of his offer about the copying of the pictures. Copy the pictures! Good gracious! as if you'd take such a liberty!"

      Margaret opened her eyes.

      "I certainly did think of taking it," she said.

      "Oh, dear, no; it would never do!" exclaimed the old lady. "It was only politeness on his part to make you feel at your ease, and to show that he wasn't angry. As to his meaning it, why of course he didn't!"

      "I had an impression that great noblemen like the earl always meant what they said; but that's only my ignorance, grandma, and, of course, I'll do as you wish. But," with a wistful glance down the gallery, "I had looked forward to painting some of them."

      "Well, never mind, my dear," said the old lady soothingly; "you can come and look at them – sometimes, when the earl's out or away from the Court. It would never do for him to find you here again."

      "No. I suppose next time he wouldn't find it incumbent upon him to be polite. Well, let's go now, grandma," and she turned with a sigh.

      "Not that way!" exclaimed Mrs. Hale, in a horrified whisper, as Margaret went toward a door; "that leads direct to his lordship's private apartments."

      Margaret laughed.

      "It is quite evident that I mustn't venture out of your rooms alone again, grandma, or I shall get into serious trouble!"

      "That you certainly will. But it's excusable, my dear; there aren't many places so big, and such a maze like. It took even me a long time to find my way about."

      She opened the proper door as she spoke, and nearly ran against a portly gentleman, who was dignified looking enough to be the earl's brother.

      "Bless my heart, Mr. Stibbings!" exclaimed Mrs. Hale. The butler puffed out a response in a hushed voice – everybody's voice was hushed at Leyton Court – then looked at Margaret and made a respectful bow.

      "My granddaughter, Margaret, Mr. Stibbings," said the old lady, proudly.

      The butler appeared surprised. He had taken Margaret for a visitor, and had been wondering how on earth she had got into the place without his knowing it?

      "In – deed, Mrs. Hale! Glad to see you, miss."

      "Yes, Mr. Stibbings; and, would you believe it, she's been in our picture-gallery, and – "

      But Mr. Stibbings seemed too hurried and full of suppressed excitement to attend.

      "Mrs. Hale, ma'am, you'll scarcely credit it, but – " he drew nearer and lowered his voice to a whisper.

      "Bless my heart!" exclaimed the old lady. "Dear, dear me! What is to be done? Will he stay, do you think? You'll let me know at once, there will be a great deal to see to – "

      "Yes, yes," said the butler. "I'm going to find out. He has only just been announced. I don't know yet whether the earl will see him. Extraordinary, isn't it?" and he hurried on his way.

      "Ex – tra – ordinary!" responded the old lady, staring at Margaret.

      "What has happened, grandma?" asked Margaret, with a laugh.

      "It's СКАЧАТЬ