The Three Brides. Yonge Charlotte Mary

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ enchanted.  And do you know what was Julius’s first introduction to her?  It was at a great school-feast, where they had the regimental children as well as the town ones.  A poor little boy went off in an epileptic fit, and Julius found her holding him, with her own hand in his mouth to hinder the locking of the teeth.  He said her fingers were bitten almost to the bone, but she made quite light of it.”

      “That was nice!” said Anne; but then, with a startled glance, and in an undertone, she added, “Are they Christians?”

      Joanna Bowater paused for a moment between dismay and desire for consideration, and in that moment her father called to her, “Jenny, do you remember the dimensions of those cottages in Queckett’s Lane?” and she had to come and serve for his memory, while he was indoctrinating a younger squire with the duties of a landlord.

      Meanwhile Mrs. Bowater was, for the tenth time, consulting her old friend upon Mrs. Hornblower’s capabilities of taking care of Herbert, and betraying a little disappointment that his first sermon had not yet been heard; and when his voice was complimented, she hoped Julius would spare it—too much exertion could not be good for so young a man, and though dear Herbert looked so strong, no one would believe how much sleep he required.  Then she observed, “We found Camilla Vivian—Lady Tyrrell I mean—calling.  Have you seen her?”

      “No.”

      “Well, she really seems improved!”

      “Mr. Bowater has been telling me she is handsomer than ever!”

      “Oh yes!  That’s all gentlemen think of; but I meant in other ways.  She seems full of the rebuilding of St. Nicholas, and to be making great friends with your new daughter.  You don’t think,” lowering her voice, “that Raymond would have any objection to meeting her?”

      “Certainly not!”

      “I did not suppose he would, but I thought I would just ask you.  It would be rather marked not to invite him for the 3rd, you know; and Jenny was always so fond of poor Emily, kept up a correspondence with her to the last.  It was the first time she had met the little one since they came back.  Not that she is little now, she is very tall and quite handsome even by the side of Edith.  We just saw Lady Rosamond—a sweet face—and Herbert perfectly raves about her!”

      “She is a most unselfish warm-hearted creature!” said Mrs. Poynsett.

      “I am so glad!  And Miles’s wife, I hope she will come.  Poor thing, she looks very poorly.”

      “Yes, I am very anxious about her.  If she is not better in a day or two, I shall insist on her having advice.”

      “Poor dear, I don’t wonder!  But she had better come to Strawyers; Jenny will cheer her if any one can, and we shall have a nice lively party, I hope!  She will only mope the more if she never goes out.”

      “I am afraid she is hardly equal to it; besides, poor child,” added Mrs. Poynsett, “she seems to have been strictly brought up, and to think our ways rather shocking; and Miles wrote to me not to press her to go into society till he comes home.”

      “Ah! well, I call that a mistake!” puffed out good-humoured Mrs. Bowater.  “Very bad for the poor girl’s spirits.  By the bye, I hope Julius does not object to Herbert’s dancing—not at a public ball, you know, but at home—for if he did, I would try to arrange something else, it would be so hard for the poor boy to have to look on.”

      “I don’t know, I don’t think he could,” said the mother, considering.

      “You see, we thought of a dinner-party for as many as possible.  Frank and Charlie won’t mind dining in the schoolroom, I know, and having the rest for a dance in the evening; but if Julius did think it unclerical—Jenny says he won’t, and papa laughs, and says, ‘Poh! poh!  Julius is no fool;’ but people are so much more particular than they used to be, and I would not get the dear boy into a scrape for the world.”

      Mrs. Poynsett undertook to ascertain his opinions on this knotty point, and to let her know if they were adverse; and then she begged for a visit from Jenny, whose brother had no accommodation for her in his lodgings.  She could not be spared till after the entertainment on the 3rd, nor till a visit from her married sister was over; but afterwards, her mother was delighted that she should come and look after Herbert, who seemed as much on the maternal mind as if he had not batted his way through Eton, and boated it through Oxford.

      Mrs. Poynsett obtained her word with Julius in good time that evening.  He laughed a little.  “Poor Herbs! when will people understand that it is the spirit of the thing, the pursuit, not the individual chance participation in any particular amusement, that is unclerical, as they are pleased to call it?”

      “What do you think of Herbert?”

      “A boy, and a very nice boy; but if he doesn’t get his healthful play somehow, he will burst out like a closed boiler some day.”

      “A muscular Christian on your hands?”

      “Not theoretically, for he has been well taught; but it’s a great animal that needs to work off its steam, and if I had known it, I would not have undertaken the problem of letting him do that, without setting up bad habits, or scandalizing the parish and Bindon—who is young the other way, and has no toleration.  We had this morning’s service in a state of siege from all the dogs.  Herbert thought he had shut them safely up, but they were all at his heels in the churchyard; and though he rated them home, and shut all the doors, we heard them whining and scratching at each in turn.”

      “I thought I should have died of it,” said Rosamond, entering.  “His face grew red enough to set his surplice on fire, and Mr. Bindon glared at him, and he missed his verse in the Psalm; for there was the bull terrier, crouching and looking abject at the vestry-door, just restrained by his eye from coming further.”

      “What shall you do about it, Julius?” asked his mother, much amused.

      “Oh, that will remedy itself.  All dogs learn to understand the bell.”

      And then the others began to drop in, and were told of the invitation that was coming.

      “I say, Rosamond,” cried Charlie, “can brothers and sisters-in-law dance together?”

      “That depends on how the brothers-in-law dance,” returned Rosamond.  “Some one, for pity’s sake, play a waltz!—Come along Charlie! the hall is a sweet place for it!—Whistle, Julius!—Frank, whistle!”

      And away she whirled.  Frank, holding out his hands, was to his surprise accepted by Cecil, and disappeared with her into the hall.  Julius stood by the mantelpiece, with the first shadow on his brow his mother had seen since his arrival.  Presently he spoke in a defensive apologetic tone: “She has always been used to this style of thing.”

      “Most naturally,” said the mother.

      “Not that they ever did more than their position required, and Lady Rathforlane is a truly careful mother.  Of course some things might startle you stay-at-home people; but in all essentials—”

      “I see what you mean.”

      “And what seems like rattle is habit.”

      “Simple gaieté de cœur!”

      “So it is better to acquiesce till it subsides of itself.  You see it is hard, after such a life of change and variety, to settle down СКАЧАТЬ