"Your driver will have told you he recognized Major Frank."
"That"s but too true; and don"t you, Francis, consider it a great insult that people dare to call you by such a name?"
"Oh, I don"t mind it in the least! I know they have given me this nickname. I am neither better nor worse for it. I know, also, that I am pointed at as a Cossack or a cavalry officer by the people round, and am stared at because I dress to suit my own convenience, and not according to the latest fashions."
"But a woman should try to please others in her way of dressing. In my opinion, a woman"s first duty is to make herself agreeable. Can we not show our good taste even in the simplest and plainest attire?"
She coloured a little.
"Do you imagine, then, that I have no taste at all, because I have put on this s.h.a.ggy cloak to protect me from the east winds?" she demanded sharply.
"I do not judge from that single article of dress; I am referring to the ensemble, and one gets a bad opinion of a young lady"s taste when she wraps up her face in an unsightly red handkerchief."
"Which gives her the appearance of a gamekeeper with the toothache,"
she interposed, with a quick, bold air. "Well now, that"s easily remedied, if the wind will respect my billyc.o.c.k;" and hereupon she untied the handkerchief and unpinned her riding-habit.
CHAPTER XI.
As she stepped forward, the long train of her riding-habit added to the beauty of her slender figure. Now, indeed, I could see that she was not ugly, though she had done her best to render herself unattractive. It is true her features were sharp and irregular, but neither rude nor coa.r.s.e. In her face there was an expression of haughtiness and firmness, that spoke loudly of conscientious strength and independent character. It was clear that she had struggled and suffered a good deal, without allowing it to rob her of her natural cheerfulness and good spirits. Her large blue eyes expressed an open-heartedness which inspired confidence. That they could gleam with indignation, or glow with enthusiasm, I had already experienced.
She walked along with considerable difficulty, for her dress caused her to trip at almost every step. I offered her my arm, but she refused it. Suddenly she stood quite still and said--
"Forgive me, Leo, for the unmerciful way in which I laughed at you, when I saw the "mess" your driver had brought you into. I was not laughing at you personally; but I am always so tickled when I see the so-called "lords of creation" making themselves ridiculous, that I could not restrain my laughter."
"Oh, I bear you no malice, Francis, on that account; but how is it you are so embittered against my s.e.x?"
"Major Frank," she answered, "has but too often had occasion to study the character of men."
"That is to say, that after over-confidence in the brilliant uniforms which have proved deceptive, Major Frank has decided to revenge herself on civilians as well as military men."
"You are quite mistaken. Major Frank is acquainted with all the ranks from corporal to general; and in civil life she has had an opportunity of studying men wearing court dress, decorations, and orders. And this is the conclusion she has come to: that discipline is the best means of bringing out whatever good there is in a man, whilst at the same time it keeps the evil within bounds."
"What you say is not very encouraging for your future husband, Francis."
"My future husband!" she cried, with a bitter laugh. "Now I see you are a perfect stranger in these parts, Leopold. But you need not trouble yourself about me; I shall never marry."
"Who knows? Circ.u.mstances may induce----"
"Me to take a husband," she interrupted, growing indignant. "Listen, Leo: you know nothing about me, and what you think you know will have been told you by slanderous tongues. Therefore I will not take offence at what you have said; but I request you not to think so meanly of me as to believe I would sacrifice my name and my person on the altar of Mammon, and make a mariage de raison--the most unreasonable and immoral union that can exist."
"Many a proud lady who once thought as you do, Francis," I answered, "has been induced by the counsel of her friends to change her state of "single blessedness," which is such a mark for calumny and lies----"
"And you would have me take a husband to serve as a shield against these?" she cried, vehemently. "No, Leopold van Zonshoven, when you once know Francis Mordaunt, you will find she does not fear calumniators, and that she disdains to seek protection from them in the way you recommend!"
"Forewarned is forearmed," and I now understood that it behoved me to proceed cautiously. Still I determined to try a ruse of war. Looking her steadfastly in the face, I said--
"And suppose my visit to the Werve were expressly for the purpose of seeking your hand in marriage?"
"My hand! It is not true you come with such a purpose!" she exclaimed in a bitter tone.
"But let us suppose it to be true; what would your answer be?"
"If I thought you came with any such intentions, I should simply leave you where you are, in the middle of the heath, to find your way to the Werve as best you could. There"s my answer."
And she started off as fast as she could go.
"Listen, Francis," I said, rejoining her. "If such had been my object in visiting the Castle, your answer would not stop me. I am obstinate enough myself; but, as I would not willingly wound the feelings of any lady (pardon me the use of this word), I should take good care not to make her an offer in such a brusque manner, and, above all, not until I had some hopes of receiving a favourable answer."
"Be it so; but I must tell you I see neither wit nor humour in your kind of pleasantry."
In another instant a gust of wind carried away her felt hat, and then her net, causing her golden hair to fall over her shoulders in rich profusion. At this moment I thought her worthy to sit for a Madonna. I could not believe my eyes, or rather I could not remove my eyes from her, so much was I struck with wonder and admiration. She doubtless read her triumph in my looks, and seemed for an instant to enjoy it. Decidedly, then, she had not lost all the feminine instincts, though the time of their duration was short on any single occasion.
"Well," she said, "you are very polite. You stand as if you were nailed to the ground, instead of running after my hat."
I did not suffer her to say this twice, but, running after the ugly old hat, caught it just before it could disappear in one of the sand pits. She followed me, but unfortunately caught the train of her riding-habit in a bush, which tripped her, and caused her to fall with her beautiful locks of hair amongst the briers. At first she refused all a.s.sistance, but in the end she was obliged to let me disentangle her hair--a circ.u.mstance which annoyed her much more than the accident itself. I knelt beside her, and heaven knows with what care I loosened one lock after the other. This, however, was a work of time, as she was very impatient, and her struggles were every now and then undoing the little I had accomplished.
"Now you see into what a predicament your precious advice has brought me; how much more practical my own arrangement was! The handkerchief looked inelegant, if you like, but it would have prevented me this trouble. Why did I swerve from my principles? Why was I led astray by other people"s ideas?"
At last I could say, "You are free!" at the same time holding out my hand to a.s.sist her in rising. But no, she would have no further aid from me; and bounding up like a hart, requested me to walk on in front whilst she arranged her dress. She was not long about it, and when she overtook me the hateful handkerchief was tied round her hat again, and I had lost my right to protest against it.
She now took my arm of her own accord, and said gaily, "This I do, Leo, to recompense you for being so generous as not to revenge yourself by laughing at me in my distress."
"Laugh at you, Francis! I was frightened."
"There was not much to be frightened about; but I was really afraid you would mock me and pay me back in my own coin."
As we walked on we continued to discuss the subject of female propriety, she claiming the right to live according to her own ideas, without any regard for public opinion; I maintaining that reserve and gentleness are more becoming in a woman, from every point of view, than trying to set public opinion at defiance. She, however, interrupted the conversation by pointing out the Werve to me as soon as we came in sight of it.
"Now," she said, "I request you to tell me plainly the object of your visit to the General, before I introduce you to the house."
"I have already told you: I wish to make the acquaintance of my mother"s relations."
"I shall feel better satisfied," she rejoined, "if you will promise me not to trouble the poor old gentleman about business matters."
I had no difficulty in conscientiously giving such a promise. Then Francis continued--
"I must also warn you the General is not alone. We have a certain Captain Rolf, an old pensioned officer, quartered at the Werve; he is of rude manners and ill-educated, for he has risen from the ranks; but he has a good heart, and my grandfather could not do without his company. Our way of treating each other may surprise you, perhaps annoy you. Even when I was a child he called me his colonel, and flew anywhere at a wink from me; and he does so still, though his movements have been rendered more tardy by his stiff legs and rheumatism. Fishing is his favourite amus.e.m.e.nt since he has been obliged to give up shooting. I employ him as my gamekeeper; and when the cook is ill, he prefers frying a beefsteak and making the soup himself, to going on short commons. In fact, he is a gastronome, and since he obtained his pension his whole time seems to be occupied with the grand question: "What shall we eat to day?" And, alas! grandfather is no less interested in the same subject, so that most of their morning conversation is about the dishes to be prepared for the dinner."
As we drew near the manor-house Francis gently withdrew her arm from mine, and stepped on sharply as we heard the clock in the village church-steeple strike one, saying--
"I know I am being waited for impatiently, and half the garrison will have turned out in search of me."