"Possibly, Jonker; but I cannot hide my meaning in fine words. I must speak plainly. I would rather live on bread and water than be beholden to another for these luxuries."
With this she left the room, giving me a defiant look, which I returned by a shake of the head, to signify how much I disapproved of her conduct and the intemperance of her language.
Whilst we stood staring at each other, we three gentlemen, in a state of stupefaction, she just put her head in at the door and said--
"Captain, you will attend to the housekeeping duties to-day; I am going for a ride."
"At your service, Commandant," answered Rolf, bringing his hand to his cap in military fashion.
I could not help expressing my amazement at the coolness with which he treated the whole affair.
"What could I say, Jonker; such outbursts are not new to me. I saw this morning that the weather-gla.s.s stood at storm. The quicker and more violent the storm, the sooner it is over; and you know an old soldier is proof against weather."
"I am glad I warned you beforehand, nephew, of my granddaughter"s temper," said the General, with a deep sigh, without raising his head to look at me. "Once she"s got an idea into her head, there is no opposing her; she"ll drive through anything, like a man on his hobby-horse; she never reasons."
I thought to myself, she reasons only too logically for you; and he evidently felt it, for throughout the whole scene he had sat with his head down, nervously playing with his ring.
"Come, General, don"t be cast down," said Rolf, cheerily: "we"ll maintain our alliance against the common foe, and the wind will change again."
As he spoke he unfolded a long, small parcel; it contained a riding-whip. "I am afraid the moment is inopportune," he said; "and yet she will need it. Who knows but she"ll accept my present?"
"I hope not," I said to myself; "that would lower her in my esteem."
"She deserves to be chastised with it," interposed the General, now giving vent to his pent-up rage.
"Yes, Excellency, that we ought to have done twenty years ago. It was a mistake to promote her to the command before we had taught her the discipline."
"A great mistake," sighed the General.
Rolf now set to work to attend to his housekeeping duties, and I excused myself under the pretext of having letters to write; for I had a great wish to be alone and reflect on all I had seen and heard this morning.
CHAPTER XX.
Once in my room, I threw off my coat, loosened my collar, and made myself quite comfortable before commencing a letter to Overberg.
Suddenly there came a polite rap at my door, and, when I opened it, who should stand before me but Major Frank in person. She was dressed in her riding-habit, and brought me an inkstand, which she placed on the table, then took a chair quite at her ease, though she could see I was not pleased at being surprised in my shirt-sleeves. However, I put on my coat and demanded the object of her visit, as I scarcely believed her sole object was to supply me with an inkstand; and I pointed out to her I had got my own writing-case with me. My freezing manner seemed to disappoint her, so she said--
"I wished to ask a favour of you, but I see I disturb you."
I was still silent.
"Have you a strap amongst your luggage which I can use as a riding-whip? You know I have lost mine."
"I can lend you my ruler. Will that do?"
She grew very red, and after a pause she said--
"I see you are in no humour to render me a service."
"I am always ready to serve a lady who exercises the privileges of her s.e.x. Why did you not send for me, if you wished to ask me anything?"
"Ah!" she exclaimed, in an injured tone, "my want of etiquette causes your ill-humour. I have come into your room. Well, pa.s.s it over--you know I am so little of "a lady.""
"That"s only too true, Major."
"Major!" she repeated angrily, opening her large eyes in astonishment. "I thought you disliked my nickname."
"Not since I have seen the soldier in action. But I should like to know to which cla.s.s of majors you belong, tambour-major or sergeant-major? For I believe the command of a regiment is usually given to a man of refinement--to a person, in fact, who can make himself respected by his gentleman-like behaviour and dignity; but after the scene I witnessed this morning----"
"Leopold!" she cried, deadly pale, her lips quivering, "this is a personal insult. Do you mean it as such?"
I was surprised at the change, for I had expected her to wreak her anger on me now. But she sat quite still, as if nailed to her chair; so I continued--
"My remarks only apply to the disagreeable character it pleases you to a.s.sume."
Still no answer. And I began to be embarra.s.sed in my turn, which embarra.s.sment was only increased by her breaking out in a plaintive tone--
"Leopold, you strike deeper than you suppose."
"Francis," I cried, changing my tone, "believe me, it is not my intention to wound you; I wish to cure you."
I was going to take her hand, when she sprang up as if she had received an electric shock, and said in her bitterest tone--
"I will not be cured by you; I am what I am, and don"t you waste your precious time on such a disagreeable creature as you think me to be."
"Oh, Francis! I am not deceived in you, and I will try to cure you in spite of yourself. When you made such a terrible scene in my presence this morning, I understood you. It meant this: He is staying here to study the character of Major Frank; well now, he shall see it in all its rudeness and insufferableness, and we shall see how long he will stay in spite of me. Miss Mordaunt, I have seen through your intentions, and I am not to be frightened away by the rude mask you have put on."
"A mask! I am no masker!" she cried, stamping her foot with rage. "You, Jonker van Zonshoven, come from the Hague, a town full of maskers, to tell me this, me whose chief defect or merit--which you like--is to have broken with all social hypocrisies, me whose chief pride is to speak my mind plainly without regard of persons. I did not think it necessary to measure my words in your presence; it appeared to me you had made yourself one of the family, and I thought it best you should know the relationship in which we stand to each other."
"Just so," I replied, smiling. "You acknowledge that in raising your voice several notes too high when you gave those two humiliated men a piece of your mind, your real object was to drive a third person out of the house. Be sincere, Francis, confess the truth."
I tried in vain to look her in the face whilst I spoke. She had turned her head away, and was kicking the leg of the table.
"I observe, and not for the first time, that you can be disagreeable when you like," she remarked, after a long pause.
"I confess it; but an evasion is not an answer, Francis."
"Well then, yes, it is true; I wished you to leave for your own sake. But never believe, Leopold, whatever stories you hear about me, that I am deceitful, that I would play a part. I was myself when I made the scene--violent, angry, and burning with indignation. I have my whims and fancies, that I know; but I never feign--that would ill become me; for, I may say, I have too much good in me to act falsely. Yet there are so many contradictory feelings in me that I sometimes stand surprised at myself. And let me tell you, Leo, I came here to seek consolation from you, but your tone and your words have bitterly disappointed me, so much so that for a moment I have asked myself whether you were one of those sn.o.bs in patent-leather boots, who, while expressing horror at an ungloved hand, are yet not afraid of soiling its whiteness by boxing your wife"s ears. Because I did not observe the form of sending a servant to ask you to come to my room, you receive me as you did, and repulse me with mocking words!"
It was now my turn to feel piqued, and I should have answered sharply had I not succeeded in controlling myself.