Arthur complied with his request, and pressing the right one, Richard continued,
"I joined this once with another, a tiny, little hand, now laid away beneath the Southern flowers; and you said after me, "I, Arthur, take thee, Nina, for my wife." You remember it, don"t you?"
Arthur could not speak, and, save the violent start which Edith gave, there came no answer to Richard"s question as he went on:
"It is only a few weeks since I learned who was that boy husband of eighteen and that girlish bride of fifteen and a half, but I know it now. I know it all, and this explains much that has been strange in me of late. Edith," and he felt for her bowed head, "Edith, I have here Nina"s letter, written by stealth, and brought by Victor to me, and you must read it to us--then tell me, if you can, why I have so long been deceived?"
Edith had glanced at the beginning, and with a choking voice she said,
"No, no, oh, Richard, no. Don"t require it of me. Anything but that. I never knew she wrote it. I never meant--oh, Richard, Richard!"
She laid her head now on his knee and sobbed aloud, while he continued:
"You must read it to me, "Tis the only punishment I shall inflict upon you."
"Read it, Edith," Arthur said, withdrawing one of his hands from Richard"s, and resting it upon her head thus to re-a.s.sure her,
Richard guessed his intention and laid his own on Arthur"s. Edith felt the gentle, forgiving pressure, even through the wounded, bandaged hand, and this it was which gave her strength to read that message, which brought Nina before them all, a seemingly living, breathing presence. And when it was finished there was heard in that library more than one "great cry, like the breaking up of the ice on the Northern ponds."
Richard was the calmest of the three. The contents of the letter were not new to him, and did not touch so tender a chord as that which thrilled and quivered in Arthur"s heart as he listened to the words of his sweet child-wife, the golden haired Nina. Though dead she was all powerful yet, and Nina, from her grave, swayed a mightier sceptre than Nina living could have done.
"Edith," Richard said, when her agitation had in a measure subsided, "you have read the letter, now tell me, is it true?
Crazy people do not always see or hear aright. Did Nina? Has Arthur loved you all the time?"
"Spare Edith," Arthur cried; "And question me. I did love Edith Hastings, even when I had no right so to do."
"And would you ask her to be your wife if there were no Richard in the way, and she was free as when you first knew and loved her?"
Arthur knew the blind man was not trifling with him, and he answered promptly,
"I would, but she will bear me witness that never since Nina died, have I sought, by word or deed, to influence her decision."
"I believe you," Richard said; "and now, let us compare our love for her, one with the other. Let us see which is the stronger of the two. Do you love Edith so much that you would give her to another, if you knew she loved that other best? If she were promised to you by a vow she dared not break, would you give her to me, supposing I was preferred before you?"
Arthur was very white, as he answered,
"That would not be one-half so hard as the yielding her to one whom she did not love, and, Richard, I have done this. I have given her to you, even when I knew that a word from me would have kept her from you."
"That is hardly an answer to my question," Richard rejoined, "but it shows how honorable you have been. I question whether I could have done as much. Your sense of right and wrong was stronger than your love."
"But," said Arthur, quickly interrupting him, "you must not think that I loved Edith less, because I did not speak. Silence only fed the flame, and she cannot be so inexpressibly dear to you as she is to me. Oh, Richard, Richard, you do not know how much I love her."
"Don"t I?" and Richard smiled mournfully; then turning to Edith, he continued, And you, my darling, I would hear from you now. Is it Richard or Arthur you prefer?"
"Oh, Richard," Edith cried, "I meant to keep my vow, and never let you know. I was going to be a true, a faithful wife, even if it killed me--I certainly was--but, forgive me, Richard, I did love Arthur first, Arthur best, Arthur most of all," and again the "great cry" smote on Richard"s ear, touching a chord like that which is touched in a mother"s bosom when she hears her suffering infant"s wail.
"Edith," he said, "if I insist upon it, will you still be my wife?"
"Yes, Richard, and it will not be so dreadful now that you know I do love Arthur best, for I do, I do, I can"t help it, and I have tried so hard. He is young like me, and then I loved him first, I loved him best."
And in this last the whole was embodied. Edith loved Arthur best.
Richard knew she did, and turning to Arthur, he continued,
"And what will you do if I insist? Will memories of the love you bore your lost Nina sustain and comfort you?"
Richard spoke half-tauntingly, but Arthur conquered the emotion of anger he felt arising within him at this allusion to the past, and answered mildly,
"As I hope for Heaven, I did love my poor Nina at the last, with a love which, had it been sooner born, would have made me a happier man; and Nina knew it too, I told her so before she died, and I would fain have kept her with me, but I could not, and now, if I lose Edith, too, it will not be so hard, because I did love Nina, and sweet memories of her will keep my soul from fainting, when I am far away from her little grave, far away from you, and far away from Edith."
Arthur arose to leave the room, but Richard held him back, saying to him,
"You have answered well. Now listen to me. Edith Hastings cannot be dearer to you than she is to me, but think you I will compel her to be mine? Should I be happy, knowing that always in her dreams another arm than mine encircled her dear form, that other lips than mine were pressed to hers, which moaned in sleep not Richard"s, but Arthur"s name? And this would surely be. The wife I mockingly called mine would be yours in spirit; whether on land or sea, and I ask for no such bride. Were I sure I could win her love, even though it might not be in years, not all the powers of earth should wrest her from me. But I cannot. Such is her temperament that she would give me only hatred, and I do not deserve this from her."
"Oh, I wouldn"t, I wouldn"t," Edith sobbed, and Richard continued,
"Hush, my child, I know how it would be, even if I did forget it for a time. You must not be the blind man"s wife, though the giving you up is like tearing me asunder. And now, Edith, let me hold you once more as I never shall hold you again. It will make me strong to do what I must do."
Edith could not move, but Arthur lifted her up, and placing her in Richard"s lap, laid one of his own hands pityingly on the head of the blind man, whose tears dropped on Edith"s neck, as he breathed over her his farewell.
"Light of my eyes, joy of my heart, you know not what it costs me to give you up, but G.o.d in Heaven knows. He will remember all my pain, removing it in His own good time, and I shall yet be happy.
It is true, a black, dreary waste stretches on into the future, but beyond it, even in this world, the bright daylight is shining, and Richard will reach it at last,--will learn to think of you without a pang, to love you as his sister. Arthur, I give to you my darling. I release her from her vow, and may the kind Father bless you both, giving you every possible good. Let no sorrow for me mingle with your joy. I shall have grief and heaviness for a time, but I am strong to bear it. Morning will break at last. Let the wedding night be kept the same as is appointed, there need be no change, save in the bridegroom, and of that the world will all approve. And, Edith, if during the coming week I am not much with you, if I stay altogether in my room, do not try to see me. I once thought you would be my wife. I know you cannot now, and you must not come to me at present. But on your bridal night, I shall go with you to the church. It would look strangely if I did not. I shall return with you to the house, shall force myself to hear them call you by another name than mine, and then, the next morning Arthur must take you away--for a time, I mean. I know you will wish to thank me, but I"d rather you would not. G.o.d will reward me in some way for the sacrifice I make this day. Now, Edith, kiss me once, kiss me twice, with your arms around my neck.
Lay your soft cheek against mine. Yes--so--so--" and over the dark face there broke a shadowy smile, as Edith did his bidding, kissing him many, many times, and blessing him for the great happiness bestowed upon her.
"There, that will do. Now, Arthur, lead me to my room, and sit with me until this horrid giddiness is gone, and my heart beats more naturally."
He put Edith from his lap--pa.s.sed his hand slowly over her face as if thus he would remember it, and then, leaning heavily on Arthur"s arm, tottered from the room--the n.o.ble Richard who had made this mighty sacrifice.
CHAPTER x.x.xVII.
THE BRIDAL.
The week went by as all weeks will, whether laden with happiness or pain, and the rosy light of the 15th morning broke over the New England hills and over Collingwood, where the servants, headed by Grace Atherton, were all astir, and busy with their preparations for the festive scene of the coming night. Edith had made strenuous efforts to have the party given up, sending message after message to Richard, who, without any good reason for it, was determined upon this one point, and always answered "No."
He had adhered to his resolution of staying in his room, and Edith had not seen him since the eventful day when he had made the great sacrifice. Arthur, however, was admitted daily to his presence, always coming from those interviews with a sad look upon his face, as if his happiness were not unmixed with pain. And still Richard tried to be cheerful, talking but little of Edith, and appearing so calm when he did mention her, that a casual observer would have said he did not care.
In the village nothing was talked about save the change of bridegrooms and the approaching wedding, and when the morning came, others than the inmates of Collingwood were busy and excited.
It was a glorious day, for leafy June had donned her gala robes for the occasion, and every heart, save one, beat with joy, as the sun rose higher and higher in the heavens, nearer and nearer the appointed hour. Richard could not be glad, and that bridal day was the saddest he had ever known. Not even Arthur was permitted to be with him, and none save Victor saw the white, still anguish creeping over his face as hour after hour went by, and from the sounds without he knew that they had come whose business it was to array his Edith in her bridal robes of costly satin and fleecy lace. Then two more hours dragged heavily on, and going to his window he felt that the sun was setting. It was time his own toilet was commenced, and like a little child he submitted himself to Victor, groaning occasionally as he heard the merry laugh of the bridesmaids on the stairs, and remembered a time when he, too, felt as light, as joyous as they, aye, and almost as young. He was strangely altered now, and looked far older than his years, when, with his wedding garments on, he sat in his arm-chair waiting for the bride. He had sent Victor for her, knowing it would be better to meet her once before the trying moment at the altar. Edith obeyed the summons, and in all her wondrous beauty, which this night shone forth resplendently, she came and stood before him, saying softly,
"Richard, I am here."
There was no need to tell him that. He knew she was there, and drawing her to his side, he said,
"I am glad that I am blind for once, for should I behold you as you are, I could not give you up. Kneel down here, darling, and let me feel how beautiful you are."