The Ordeal of Richard Feverel. Volume 5. George Meredith

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      "Oh, yes! I saw you and was sure my darling would win." And again she threw on him the cold water of that solicitude about wine. "Mr. Harley must have the best, you know, and we never drink it, and I'm so silly, I don't know good wine, and if you would send Tom where he can get good wine. I have seen to the dinner."

      "So that's why you didn't come to meet me?"

      "Pardon me, darling."

      Well, I do, but Mountfalcon doesn't, and Lady Judith thinks you ought to have been there."

      "Ah, but my heart was with you!"

      Richard put his hand to feel for the little heart: her eyelids softened, and she ran away.

      It is to say much of the dinner that Adrian found no fault with it, and was in perfect good-humour at the conclusion of the service. He did not abuse the wine they were able to procure for him, which was also much. The coffee, too, had the honour of passing without comment. These were sound first steps toward the conquest of an epicure, and as yet Cupid did not grumble.

      After coffee they strolled out to see the sun set from Lady Judith's grounds. The wind had dropped. The clouds had rolled from the zenith, and ranged in amphitheatre with distant flushed bodies over sea and land: Titanic crimson head and chest rising from the wave faced Hyperion falling. There hung Briareus with deep-indented trunk and ravined brows, stretching all his hands up to unattainable blue summits. North-west the range had a rich white glow, as if shining to the moon, and westward, streams of amber, melting into upper rose, shot out from the dipping disk.

      "What Sandoe calls the passion-flower of heaven," said Richard under his breath to Adrian, who was serenely chanting Greek hexameters, and answered, in the swing of the caesura, "He might as well have said cauliflower."

      Lady Judith, with a black lace veil tied over her head, met them in the walk. She was tall and dark; dark-haired, dark-eyed, sweet and persuasive in her accent and manner. "A second edition of the Blandish," thinks Adrian. She welcomed him as one who had claims on her affability. She kissed Lucy protectingly, and remarking on the wonders of the evening, appropriated her husband. Adrian and Lucy found themselves walking behind them.

      The sun was under. All the spaces of the sky were alight, and Richard's fancy flamed.

      "So you're not intoxicated with your immense triumph this morning?" said

      Lady Judith

      "Don't laugh at me. When it's over I feel ashamed of the trouble I've taken. Look at that glory!—I'm sure you despise me for it."

      "Was I not there to applaud you? I only think such energies should be turned into some definitely useful channel. But you must not go into the Army."

      "What else can I do?"

      "You are fit for so much that is better."

      "I never can be anything like Austin."

      "But I think you can do more."

      "Well, I thank you for thinking it, Lady Judith. Something I will do.

      A man must deserve to live, as you say.

      "Sauces," Adrian was heard to articulate distinctly in the rear, "Sauces are the top tree of this science. A woman who has mastered sauces sits on the apex of civilization."

      Briareus reddened duskily seaward. The West was all a burning rose.

      "How can men see such sights as those, and live idle?" Richard resumed.

      "I feel ashamed of asking my men to work for me.—Or I feel so now."

      "Not when you're racing the Begum, I think. There's no necessity for you to turn democrat like Austin. Do you write now?"

      "No. What is writing like mine? It doesn't deceive me. I know it's only the excuse I'm making to myself for remaining idle. I haven't written a line since—lately."

      "Because you are so happy."

      "No, not because of that. Of course I'm very happy…" He did not finish.

      Vague, shapeless ambition had replaced love in yonder skies. No Scientific Humanist was by to study the natural development, and guide him. This lady would hardly be deemed a very proper guide to the undirected energies of the youth, yet they had established relations of that nature. She was five years older than he, and a woman, which may explain her serene presumption.

      The cloud-giants had broken up: a brawny shoulder smouldered over the sea.

      "We'll work together in town, at all events," said Richard,

      "Why can't we go about together at night and find out people who want help?"

      Lady Judith smiled, and only corrected his nonsense by saying, "I think we mustn't be too romantic. You will become a knight-errant, I suppose. You have the characteristics of one."

      "Especially at breakfast," Adrian's unnecessarily emphatic gastronomical lessons to the young wife here came in.

      "You must be our champion," continued Lady Judith: "the rescuer and succourer of distressed dames and damsels. We want one badly."

      "You do," said Richard, earnestly: "from what I hear: from what I know!" His thoughts flew off with him as knight-errant hailed shrilly at exceeding critical moment by distressed dames and damsels. Images of airy towers hung around. His fancy performed miraculous feats. The towers crumbled. The stars grew larger, seemed to throb with lustre. His fancy crumbled with the towers of the air, his heart gave a leap, he turned to Lucy.

      "My darling! what have you been doing?" And as if to compensate her for his little knight-errant infidelity, he pressed very tenderly to her.

      "We have been engaged in a charming conversation on domestic cookery," interposed Adrian.

      "Cookery! such an evening as this?" His face was a handsome likeness of

      Hippias at the presentation of bridecake.

      "Dearest! you know it's very useful," Lucy mirthfully pleaded.

      "Indeed I quite agree with you, child," said Lady Judith, and I think you have the laugh of us. I certainly will learn to cook some day."

      "Woman's mission, in so many words," ejaculated Adrian.

      "And pray, what is man's?"

      "To taste thereof, and pronounce thereupon."

      "Let us give it up to them," said Lady Judith to Richard. "You and I never will make so delightful and beautifully balanced a world of it."

      Richard appeared to have grown perfectly willing to give everything up to the fair face, his bridal Hesper.

      Neat day Lucy had to act the coward anew, and, as she did so, her heart sank to see how painfully it affected him that she should hesitate to go with him to his father. He was patient, gentle; he sat down by her side to appeal to her reason, and used all the arguments he could think of to persuade her.

      "If we go together and make him see us both: if he sees he has nothing to be ashamed of in you—rather everything to be proud of; if you are only near him, you will not have to speak a word, and I'm certain—as certain as that I live—that in a week we shall be settled СКАЧАТЬ