"But gentlemen don"t catch up ladies like bags of meal, and poke them into carriages in this way. It is evident that you need looking after, and it is high time I undertook your society manners. Now, do mind what you are about, and don"t get yourself or me into a sc.r.a.pe if you can help it," besought Rose, feeling that on many accounts she had gone farther and fared worse.
"I"ll behave like a Turveydrop: see if I don"t."
Mac"s idea of the immortal Turveydrop"s behavior seemed to be a peculiar one; for, after dancing once with his cousin, he left her to her own devices, and soon forgot all about her in a long conversation with Professor Stumph, the learned geologist. Rose did not care; for one dance proved to her that that branch of Mac"s education _had_ been sadly neglected, and she was glad to glide smoothly about with Steve, though he was only an inch or two taller than herself. She had plenty of partners, however, and plenty of chaperons; for all the young men were her most devoted, and all the matrons beamed upon her with maternal benignity.
Charlie was not there; for when he found that Rose stood firm, and had moreover engaged Mac as a permanency, he would not go at all, and retired in high dudgeon to console himself with more dangerous pastimes. Rose feared it would be so; and, even in the midst of the gayety about her, an anxious mood came over her now and then, and made her thoughtful for a moment. She felt her power, and wanted to use it wisely; but did not know how to be kind to Charlie without being untrue to herself and giving him false hopes.
"I wish we were all children again, with no hearts to perplex us and no great temptations to try us," she said to herself, as she rested a moment in a quiet nook while her partner went to get a gla.s.s of water.
Right in the midst of this half-sad, half-sentimental reverie, she heard a familiar voice behind her say earnestly,--
"And allophite is the new hydrous silicate of alumina and magnesia, much resembling pseudophite, which Websky found in Silesia."
"What _is_ Mac talking about!" she thought: and, peeping behind a great azalea in full bloom, she saw her cousin in deep converse with the professor, evidently having a capital time; for his face had lost its melancholy expression and was all alive with interest, while the elder man was listening as if his remarks were both intelligent and agreeable.
"What is it?" asked Steve, coming up with the water, and seeing a smile on Rose"s face.
She pointed out the scientific _tete-a-tete_ going on behind the azalea, and Steve grinned as he peeped, then grew sober and said in a tone of despair,--
"If you had seen the pains I took with that fellow, the patience with which I brushed his wig, the time I spent trying to convince him that he must wear thin boots, and the fight I had to get him into that coat; you"d understand my feelings when I see him now."
"Why, what is the matter with him?" asked Rose.
"Will you take a look, and see what a spectacle he has made of himself. He"d better be sent home at once, or he will disgrace the family by looking as if he"d been in a row."
Steve spoke in such a tragic tone that Rose took another peep and did sympathize with Dandy; for Mac"s elegance was quite gone. His tie was under one ear, his posy hung upside down, his gloves were rolled into a ball, which he absently squeezed and pounded as he talked, and his hair looked as if a whirlwind had pa.s.sed over it; for his ten fingers set it on end now and then, as they had a habit of doing when he studied or talked earnestly. But he looked so happy and wide awake, in spite of his dishevelment, that Rose gave an approving nod, and said behind her fan,--
"It _is_ a trying spectacle, Steve: yet, on the whole, I think his own odd ways suit him best; and I fancy we shall yet be proud of him, for he knows more than all the rest of us put together. Hear that now,"
and Rose paused, that they might listen to the following burst of eloquence from Mac"s lips:--
"You know Frenzel has shown that the globular forms of silicate of bis.m.u.th at Schneeburg and Johanngeorgenstadt are not isometric, but monoclinic in crystalline form; and consequently he separates them from the old eulyt.i.te, and gives them the new name Agricolite."
"Isn"t it awful? Let us get out of this before there"s another avalanche, or we shall be globular silicates and isometric crystals in spite of ourselves," whispered Steve with a panic-stricken air; and they fled from the hail-storm of hard words that rattled about their ears, leaving Mac to enjoy himself in his own way.
But when Rose was ready to go home, and looked about for her escort, he was nowhere to be seen; for the professor had departed, and Mac with him, so absorbed in some new topic that he entirely forgot his cousin, and went placidly home, still pondering on the charms of geology. When this pleasing fact dawned upon Rose, her feelings may be imagined. She was both angry and amused: it was so like Mac to go mooning off and leave her to her fate. Not a hard one, however; for, though Steve was gone with Kitty before her flight was discovered, Mrs. Bliss was only too glad to take the deserted damsel under her wing, and bear her safely home.
Rose was warming her feet, and sipping the chocolate which Phebe always had ready for her, as she never ate suppers; when a hurried tap came at the long window whence the light streamed, and Mac"s voice was heard softly asking to be let in "just for one minute."
Curious to know what had befallen him, Rose bade Phebe obey his call; and the delinquent cavalier appeared, breathless, anxious, and more dilapidated than ever: for he had forgotten his overcoat; his tie was at the back of his neck now; and his hair as rampantly erect as if all the winds of heaven had been blowing freely through it, as they had; for he had been tearing to and fro the last half-hour trying to undo the dreadful deed he had so innocently committed.
"Don"t take any notice of me; for I don"t deserve it: I only came to see that you were safe, cousin, and then go hang myself, as Steve advised," he began, in a remorseful tone, that would have been very effective, if he had not been obliged to catch his breath with a comical gasp now and then.
"I never thought _you_ would be the one to desert me," said Rose, with a reproachful look; thinking it best not to relent too soon, though she was quite ready to do it when she saw how sincerely distressed he was.
"It was that confounded man! He was a regular walking encyclopaedia; and, finding I could get a good deal out of him, I went in for general information, as the time was short. You know I always forget every thing else when I get hold of such a fellow."
"That is evident. I wonder how you came to remember me at all,"
answered Rose, on the brink of a laugh: it was so absurd.
"I didn"t till Steve said something that reminded me: then it burst upon me, in one awful shock, that I"d gone and left you; and you might have knocked me down with a feather," said honest Mac, hiding none of his iniquity.
"What did you do then?"
"Do! I went off like a shot, and never stopped till I reached the Hopes"--
"You didn"t walk all that way?" cried Rose.
"Bless you, no: I ran. But you were gone with Mrs. Bliss: so I pelted back again to see with my own eyes that you were safe at home,"
answered Mac, wiping his hot forehead, with a sigh of relief.
"But it is three miles at least each way; and twelve o"clock, and dark and cold. O Mac! how could you!" exclaimed Rose, suddenly realizing what he had done, as she heard his labored breathing, saw the state of the thin boots, and detected the absence of an overcoat.
"Couldn"t do less, could I?" asked Mac, leaning up against the door and trying not to pant.
"There was no need of half-killing yourself for such a trifle. You might have known I could take care of myself for once, at least, with so many friends about. Sit down this minute. Bring another cup, please, Phebe: this boy isn"t going home till he is rested and refreshed after such a run as that," commanded Rose.
"Don"t be good to me: I"d rather take a scolding than a chair, and drink hemlock instead of chocolate if you happen to have any ready,"
answered Mac, with a pathetic puff, as he subsided on to the sofa, and meekly took the draught Phebe brought him.
"If you had any thing the matter with your heart, sir, a race of this sort might be the death of you: so never do it again," said Rose, offering her fan to cool his heated countenance.
"Haven"t got any heart."
"Yes, you have, for I hear it beating like a trip-hammer, and it is my fault: I ought to have stopped as we went by, and told you I was all right."
"It"s the mortification, not the miles, that upsets me. I often take that run for exercise, and think nothing of it; but to-night I was so mad I made extra good time, I fancy. Now don"t you worry, but compose your mind, and "sip your dish of tea," as Evelina says," answered Mac, artfully turning the conversation from himself.
"What do you know about Evelina?" asked Rose, in great surprise.
"All about her. Do you suppose I never read a novel?"
"I thought you read nothing but Greek and Latin, with an occasional glance at Websky"s pseudophites and the monoclinics of Johanngeorgenstadt."
Mac opened his eyes wide at this reply, then seemed to see the joke, and joined in the laugh with such heartiness that Aunt Plenty"s voice was heard demanding from above, with sleepy anxiety,--
"_Is_ the house afire?"
"No, ma"am, every thing is safe, and I"m only saying good-night,"
answered Mac, diving for his cap.
"Then go at once, and let that child have her sleep," added the old lady, retiring to her bed.
Rose ran into the hall, and, catching up her uncle"s fur coat, met Mac as he came out of the study, absently looking about for his own.
"You haven"t got any, you benighted boy! so take this, and have your wits about you next time, or I won"t let you off so easily," she said, holding up the heavy garment, and peeping over it, with no sign of displeasure in her laughing eyes.
"Next time! Then you do forgive me? You will try me again, and give me a chance to prove that I"m not a fool?" cried Mac, embracing the big coat with emotion.
"Of course I will; and, so far from thinking you a fool, I was much impressed with your learning to-night, and told Steve that we ought to be proud of our philosopher."