Sir Brook Fossbrooke, Volume II.. Lever Charles James

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СКАЧАТЬ interval to him seemed like an age of torture and doubt. Weak, and broken by illness, his fierce spirit was nothing the less bold and defiant; and over and over as he waited there, he swore to himself to bring Trafford to a severe reckoning if he found that he had wronged his sister.

      “How noble of her to hide all this sorrow from me, because she saw my suffering! What a fine nature! And it is with hearts like these fellows trifle and temper, till they end by breaking them! Poor thing! might it not be better to leave her in the delusion of thinking him not a scoundrel, than to denounce and brand him?”

      As he thus doubted and debated with himself, she entered the room. Her look was now calm and composed, but her face was lividly pale, and her very lips bloodless. “Tom,” said she, gravely, “I don’t think I would let you see this letter but for one reason, which is, that it will convince you that you have no cause of quarrel whatever with him.”

      “Give it to me, – let me read it,” burst he in, impatiently; “I have neither taste nor temper for any more riddles, – leave me to find my own road through this labyrinth.”

      “Shall I leave you alone, Tom?” said she, timidly, as she handed him the letter.

      “Yes, do so. I think all the quicker when there’s none by me.” He turned his back to the light, as he sat down, and began the letter.

      “I believe I ought to tell you first,” said she, as she stood with her hand on the lock of the door, “the circumstances under which that was written.”

      “Tell me nothing whatever, – let me grope out my own road;” and now she moved away and left him.

      He read the letter from beginning to end, and then re-read it. He saw there were many allusions to which he had no clew; but there was a tone in it which there was no mistaking, and that tone was treachery. The way in which the writer deprecated all possible criticism of her life, at the outset, showed how sensitive she was to such remark, and how conscious of being open to it. Tom knew enough of life to be aware that the people who affect to brave the world are those who are past defying it. So far at least he felt he had read her truly; but he had to confess to himself that beyond this it was not easy to advance.

      On the second reading, however, all appeared more clear and simple. It was the perfidious apology of a treacherous woman for a wrong which she had hoped, but had not been able, to inflict. “I see it all,” cried Tom; “her jealousy has been stimulated by discovering Trafford’s love for Lucy, and this is her revenge. It is just possible, too, she may have entangled him. There are meshes that men can scarcely keep free of. Trafford may have witnessed the hardship of her daily life – seen the indignities to which she submits – and possibly pitied her; if he has gone no further than this, there is no great mischief. What a clever creature she must be!” thought he again, – “how easy it ought to be for a woman like that to make a husband adore her; and yet these women will not be content with that. Like the cheats at cards, they don’t care to win by fair play.” He went to the door, and called out “Lucy!”

      The tone of his voice sounded cheerily, and she came on the instant.

      “How did you meet after this?” asked he, as she entered.

      “We have not met since that. I left the Priory, and came abroad three days after I received it.”

      “So then that was the secret of the zeal to come out and nurse poor brother Tom, eh?” said he, laughing.

      “You know well if it was,” said she, as her eyes swam in tears.

      “No, no, my poor dear Lu, I never thought so; and right glad am I to know that you are not to live in companionship with the woman who wrote that letter.”

      “You think ill of her?”

      “I will not tell you half how badly I think of her; but Trafford is as much wronged here as any one, or else I am but a sorry decipherer of mysterious signs.”

      “Oh, Tom!” cried she, clasping his hand and looking at him as though she yearned for one gleam of hope.

      “It is so that I read it; but I do not like to rely upon my own sole judgment in such a case. Will you trust me with this letter, and will you let me show it to Sir Brooke? He is wonderfully acute in tracing people’s real meaning through all the misty surroundings of expression. I will go over to Cagliari at once, and see him. If all be as I suspect, I will bring them back with me. If Sir Brook’s opinion be against mine, I will believe him to be the wiser man, and come back alone.”

      “I consent to everything, Tom, if you will give me but one pledge, – you must give it seriously, solemnly.”

      “I guess what you mean, Lucy; your anxious face has told the story without words. You are afraid of my hot temper. You think I will force a quarrel on Trafford, – yes, I knew what was in your thoughts. Well, on my honor I will not. This I promise you faithfully.”

      She threw herself into his arms and kissed him, muttering, in a low voice, “My own dear brother,” in his ear.

      “It is just as likely you may see me back again tomorrow, Lucy, and alone too. Mind that, girl! The version I have taken of this letter may turn out to be all wrong. Sir Brook may show me how and where and why I have mistaken it; and if so, Lu, I must have a pledge from you, – you know what I mean.”

      “You need none, Tom,” said she, proudly; “you shall not be ashamed of your Sister.”

      “That was said like yourself, and I have no fears about you now. You will be anxious – you can’t help being anxious, my poor child – about all this; but your uncertainty shall be as short as I can make it. Look out for me, at all events, with the evening breeze. I’ll try and catch the land-wind to take me up. If I fly no ensign, Lucy, I am alone; if you see the ‘Jack,’ it will mean I have company with me. Do you understand me?”

      She nodded, but did not speak.

      “Now, Lu, I’ll just get my traps together, and be off; that light Tramontana wind will last till daybreak, and by that time the sea-breeze will carry me along pleasantly. How I ‘d like to have you with me!”

      “It is best as it is, Tom,” said she, trying to smile.

      “And if all goes wrong, – I mean if all does not go right, – Lucy, I have got a plan, and I am sure Sir Brook won’t oppose it. We ‘ll just pack up, wish the lead and the cobalt and the rest of it a good-bye, and start for the Cape and join father. There’s a project after your own heart, girl.”

      “Oh, Tom dearest, if we could do that!”

      “Think over it till we meet again, and it will at least keep away darker thoughts.”

      CHAPTER II. BY THE MINE AT LA VANNA

      The mine of Lavanna, on which Sir Brook had placed all his hopes of future fortune, was distant from the town of Cagliari about eighteen miles. It was an old, a very old shaft; Livy had mentioned it, and Pliny, in one of his letters, compares people of sanguine and hopeful temperament with men who believe in the silver ore of Lavanna. There had therefore been a traditionary character of failure attached to the spot, and not impossibly this very circumstance had given it a greater value in Fossbrooke’s estimation; for he loved a tough contest with fortune, and his experiences had given him many such.

      Popular opinion certainly set down the mine as a disastrous enterprise, and the list of those who had been ruined by the speculation was a long one. Nothing daunted by all he СКАЧАТЬ