"Thank you, sir. And please sign my name to it, not yourn--my name--James Madison Monroe Mortimer."
"Yes, Jim."
"And please direct it to Mistress Catherine Maria Mortimer, most in general called by friends, Aunt Katie, as is housekeeper at Tanglewood."
Ishmael complied with his requests as far as discretion permitted.
"And now, sir, please read it all out aloud to me, so I can hear how it sound."
Ishmael complied with this request also, and read the letter aloud, to the immense delight of Jim, who earnestly expressed his approbation in the emphatic words:
"Now--that--is--beautiful! Thank y", sir! That is ekal to anything as ever I heard out"n the pulpit--and sides which, sir, it is all true, true as gospel, sir. It is just exactly what I thinks and how I feels and what I wants to say, only I aint got the words. Won"t mother be proud o" that letter nyther? Why, laws, sir, the ole "oman "ll get the minister to read that letter. And then she"ll make everybody as comes to the house as can read, read it over and over again for the pride she takes in it, till she"ll fairly know it all by heart," etc., etc., etc.
For Jim went on talking and smiling and covering the writer all over with grat.i.tude and affection, until he was interrupted by the stopping of a carriage, the ringing of a door bell, and the sound of a sudden arrival.
"There"s Master Walter Middleton now, as sure as the world! I must run!
Dinner"ll be put on the table soon"s ever he"s changed his dress. I"m a thousand times obleeged to you, sir. I am, indeed, everlasting obleeged!
I wish I could prove it some way. Mother"ll be so pleased." And talking all the way downstairs, Jim took himself and his delight away.
Ishmael sighed, and arose to dress for dinner. His kindness had not been without its reward. The little divertis.e.m.e.nt of Jim"s letter had done him good. Blessed little offices of loving-kindness--what ministering angels are they to the donor as well as the receiver! With some degree of self-possession Ishmael completed his toilet and turned to leave the room, when the sound of someone rushing up the stairs like a storm arrested his steps.
Then a voice sounded outside:
"Which is Ishmael"s room? Bother! Oh, here it is!" and Bee"s door was opened. "No! calico! Ah! now I"m right."
And the next instant Walter Middleton burst open the door and rushed in, exclaiming joyfully, as he seized and shook the hands of his friend:
"Ah, here you are, old fellow! G.o.d bless you! How glad I am to see you!
You are still the first love of my heart, Ishmael. Damon, your Pythias has not even a sweetheart to dispute your empire over him. How are you?
I have heard of your success. Wasn"t is glorious! You"re a splendid fellow, Ishmael, and I"m proud of you. You may have Bee, if you want her. I always thought there was a bashful kindness between you two. And there isn"t a reason in the world why you shouldn"t have her. And so her Royal Highness, the Princess Claudia, has caught a Lord, has she? Well, you know she always said she would, and she has kept her word. But, I say, how are you? How do you wear your honors? How do the toga and the bays become you? Turn around and let us have a look at you." And so the affectionate fellow rattled on, shaking both Ishmael"s hands every other second, until he had talked himself fairly out of breath.
"And how are you, dear Walter? But I need not ask; you look so well and happy," said Ishmael, as soon as he could get in a word.
"Me? Oh, I"m well enough. Nought"s never in danger. I"ve just graduated, you know; with the highest honors, they say. My thesis won the great prize; that was because you were not in the same cla.s.s, you know. I have my diploma in my pocket; I"m an M.D.; I can write myself doctor, and poison people, without danger of being tried for murder! isn"t that a privilege? Now let my enemies take care of themselves! Why don"t you congratulate me, you--"
"I do, with all my heart and soul, Walter!"
"That"s right! only I had to drag it from you. Well, so I"m to be "best man" to this n.o.ble bridegroom. Too much honor. I am not prepared for it.
One cannot get ready for graduating and marrying at the same time. I don"t think I have got a thing fit to wear. I wrote to Bee to buy me some fine shirts, and some studs, and gloves, and handkerchiefs, and hair oil, and things proper for the occasion. I wonder if she did?"
"I don"t know. I know that she has been overwhelmed with care for the last month, too much care for a girl, so it is just possible that she has had no opportunity. Indeed, she has a great deal to think of and to do."
"Oh, it won"t hurt her; especially if it consists of preparations for the wedding."
A bell rang.
"There now, Ishmael, there is that diabolical dinner-bell! You may look, but it is true: a dinner-bell that peals out at seven o"clock in the evening is a diabolical dinner-bell. At college we dine at twelve meridian, sharp, and sup at six. It is dreadful to sit at table a whole hour, and be bored by seeing other people eat, and pretending to eat yourself, when you are not hungry. Well, there"s no help for it. Come down and be bored, Ishmael."
They went down into the drawing room, where quite a large circle of near family connections were a.s.sembled.
Walter Middleton was presented to the Viscount Vincent, who was the only stranger, to him, present.
Claudia was there, looking as calm, as self-possessed and queenly, as if she had not pa.s.sed through a storm of pa.s.sion two hours before.
Ishmael glanced at her and saw the change with amazement, but he dared not trust himself to look again.
The dinner party, with all this trouble under the surface, pa.s.sed off in superficial gayety. The guests separated early, because the following morning would usher in the wedding day.
CHAPTER LXVI.
THE MARRIAGE MORNING.
I trust that never more in this world"s shade Thine eyes will be upon me: never more Thy face come back to me. For thou hast made My whole life sore.
Fare hence, and be forgotten.... Sing thy song, And braid thy brow, And be beloved and beautiful--and be In beauty baleful still ... a Serpent Queen To others not yet curst in loving thee As I have been!
--_Meredith_.
Ishmael awoke. After a restless night, followed by an hour"t complete forgetfulness, that more nearly resembled the swoon of exhaustion than the sleep of health, Ishmael awoke to a new sense of wretchedness.
You who have suffered know what such awakenings are. You have seen someone dearer than life die; but hours, days, or weeks of expectation have gradually prepared you for the last scene; and though you have seen the dear one die, and though you have wept yourself half blind and half dead, you have slept the sleep of utter oblivion, which is like death; but you have at last awakened and returned to consciousness to meet the shock of memory and the sense of sorrow a thousand times more overwhelming than the first blow of bereavement had been.
Or you have been for weeks looking forward to the parting of one whose presence is the very light of your days. And in making preparations for that event the thought of coming separation has been somewhat dulled; but at last all is ready; the last night has come; you all separate and go to bed, with the mutual injunction to be up early in the morning for the sake of seeing "him"--it may be some brave volunteer going to war--off; after laying awake nearly all night you suddenly drop into utter forgetfulness of impending grief, and into some sweet dream of pleasantness and peace. You awake with a start; the hour has come; the hour of parting; the hour of doom.
Yes, whatever the grief may be, it is in the hour of such awakenings we feel it most poignantly.
Thus it was with Ishmael. The instant he awoke the spear of memory transfixed his soul. He could have cried out in his agony. It took all his manhood to control his pain. He arose and dressed himself and offered up his morning worship and went to the breakfast room, resolved to pa.s.s through the day"s fiery ordeal, cost what it might.
Claudia was not at breakfast. In fact, she seldom or never appeared at the breakfast table; and this morning of all mornings it was quite natural she should be absent. But Mrs. Middleton and Bee, Judge Merlin, Mr. Middleton, Mr. Brudenell, Walter, and Ishmael were present. It was in order that people should be merry on a marriage morning; but somehow or other that order was not followed. Judge Merlin, Mrs. Middleton, and Bee were unusually grave and silent; Mr. Brudenell was always sad; Ishmael was no conventional talker, and therefore could not seem other than he was--very serious. It was quite in vain that Mr. Middleton and Walter tried to get up a little jesting and badinage. And when the constraint of the breakfast table was over everyone felt relieved.
"Remember," said Mrs. Middleton, with her hand upon the back of her chair, "that the carriages will be at the door at half-past ten; it is now half-past nine."
"And that means that we have but an hour to get on our wedding garments," said Walter. "Bee, have you got my finery ready?"
"You will find everything you require laid out on your bed, Walter."
"You are the best little sister that ever was born. I doubt whether I shall let Ishmael, or anyone else, hate you until I get a wife of my own; and even then I don"t know but what I shall want you home to look after her and the children!" rattled Walter, careless or un.o.bservant of the deep blush that mantled the maiden"s face.
"Ishmael," said the judge, "I wish you to take the fourth seat in the carriage with myself and daughter and Beatrice. Will you do so?"
Ishmael"s emotions nearly choked him, but he answered:
"Certainly, if you wish."
"The four bridesmaids will fill the second carriage, and Mr. and Mrs.
Middleton, Mr. Brudenell and Walter the third, I do not know the arrangements made for our other friends; but I dare say it is all right.
Oh, Ishmael, I feel as though we were arranging a procession to the grave instead of the altar," he added, with a heavy sigh. Then correcting himself, he said: "But this is all very morbid. So no more of it."