Adela, in another part of the field, had released herself by a consummate use of the same weapon Wilfrid had so clumsily handled. Her object was to put an end to the absurd and compromising sighs of Edward Buxley; and she did so with the amiable contempt of a pupil dismissing a first instructor in an art "We saw from the beginning it could not be, Edward." The enamoured caricaturist vainly protested that he had not seen it from the beginning, and did not now. He recalled to her that she had said he was "her first." She admitted the truth, with eyes dwelling on him, until a ringlet got displaced. Her first. To be that, sentimental man would perish in the fires. To have been that will sometimes console him, even when he has lived to see what a thing he was who caught the budding fancy. The unhappy caricaturist groaned between triumph as a leader, and anguish at the prospect of a possible host of successors. King in that pure bosom, the thought would come--King of a mighty line, mayhap! And sentimental man, awakened to this disastrous view of things, endures shrewder pangs of rivalry in the contemplation of his usurping posterity than if, as do they, he looked forward to a tricked, perfumed, pommaded whipster, pirouetting like any Pierrot--the enviable image of the one who realized her first dream, and to whom specially missioned angels first opened the golden gates of her heart.
"I have learnt to see, Edward, that you do not honour me with a love you have diverted from one worthier than I am;" and in answer to the question whether, though having to abjure her love, she loved him: "No, no; it is my Arabella I love. I love, I will love, no one but her"--with sundry caressing e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.ns that spring a thirst for kisses, and a tender "putting of the case," now and then.
So much for Adela"s part in the conflict. Edward was unaware that the secret of her mastering him was, that she was now talking common-sense in the tone of sentiment. He, on the contrary, talked sentiment in the tone of common-sense. Of course he was beaten: and O, you young lovers, when you hear the dear lips setting what you call the world"s harsh language to this music, know that an hour has struck for you! It is a fatal sound to hear. Edward believed that his pleading had produced an effect when he saw Miss Adela"s bosom rise as with a weight on it. The burden of her thoughts was--"How big and heavy Edward"s eyes look when he is not amusing!" To get rid of him she said, as with an impa.s.sioned coldness, "Go." Her figure, repeating this under closed eyelids, was mysterious, potent. When he exclaimed, "Then I will go," her eyelids lifted wide: she shut them instantly, showing at the same time a slight tightening-in of the upper lip. You beheld a creature tied to the stake of Duty.
But she was exceedingly youthful, and had not reckoned upon man"s being a live machine, possessing impulses of his own. A violent seizure of her waist, and enough of kisses to make up the sum popularly known as a "shower," stopped her performance. She struggled, and muttered pa.s.sionately to be released. "We are seen," she hazarded. At the repet.i.tion, Edward, accustomed to dread the warning, let her go and fled. Turning hurriedly about, Adela found that she had spoken truth unawares, and never wished so much that she had lied. Sir Twickenham Pryme came forward to her, with his usual stiff courtly step.
"If you could have been a little--a little earlier," she murmured, with an unflurried face, laying a trembling hand in his; and thus shielded herself from a suspicion.
"Could I know that I was wanted?" He pressed her hand.
"I only know that I wish I had not left your side," said she--adding, "Though you must have thought me what, if I were a man, you Members of Parliament would call "a bore," for asking perpetual questions."
"Nay, an apposite interrogation is the guarantee of a proper interest in the subject," said the baronet.
Cornelia was very soon reverted to.
"Her intellect is contemplative," said Adela, exhibiting marvellous mental composure. "She would lose her unerring judgement in active life.
She cannot weigh things in her mind rapidly. She is safe if her course of action is clear."
Sir Twickenham reserved his opinion of the truth of this. "I wonder whether she can forgive those who offend or insult her, easily?"
A singular pleasure warmed Adela"s veins. Her cheeks kindling, she replied, giving him her full face. "No; if they are worthy of punishment. But--" and now he watched a downcast profile--"one must have some forgiveness for fools."
"Indeed, you speak like charity out of the windows of wisdom," said the baronet.
"Do you not require in Parliament to be tolerant at times?" Adela pursued.
He admitted it, and to her outcry of "Oh, that n.o.ble public life!"
smiled deprecatingly--"My dear young lady, if you only knew the burden it brings!"
"It brings its burden," said Adela, correcting, with a most proper instinct, another enthusiastic burst. "At the same time the honour is above the load. Am I talking too romantically? You are at least occupied."
"Nine-tenths of us to no very good purpose," the baronet appended.
She rejoined: "If it were but a fraction, the good done would survive."
"And be more honourable to do, perhaps," he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed. "The consolation should be great."
"And is somehow small," said she; and they laughed softly.
At this stage, Adela was "an exceedingly interesting young person"
in Sir Twickenham"s mental register. He tried her on politics and sociology. She kept her ears open, and followed his lead carefully--venturing here and there to indicate an opinion, and suggesting dissent in a pained interrogation. Finally, "I confess,"
she said, "I understand much less than I am willing to think; and so I console myself with the thought that, after all, the drawing-room, and the... the kitchen?--well, an educated "female" must serve her term there, if she would be anything better than a mere ornament, even in the highest walks of life--I mean the household is our sphere. From that we mount to companionship--if we can."
Amazement of Sir Twickenham, on finding his own thought printed, as it were, on the air before him by these pretty lips!
The conversation progressed, until Adela, by chance, turned her eyes up a cross pathway and perceived her sister Cornelia standing with Mr.
Barrett under a beech. The man certainly held one of her hands pressed to his heart; and her att.i.tude struck a doubt whether his other hand was disengaged or her waist free. Adela walked nervously on without looking at the baronet; she knew by his voice presently that his eyes had also witnessed the sight. "Two in a day," she thought; "what will he imagine us to be!" The baronet was thinking: "For your sister exposed, you display more agitation than for yourself insulted."
Adela found Arabella in so fresh a mood that she was sure good news had been heard. It proved that Mrs. Chump had sent a few lines in a letter carried by Braintop, to this effect: "My dears all! I found your father on his back in bed, and he discharged me out of the room; and the sight of me put him on his legs, and you will soon see him. Be civil to Mr.
Braintop, who is a faithful young man, of great merit, and show your grat.i.tude to--Martha Chump."
Braintop confirmed the words of the letter: and then Adela said--"You will do us the favour to stay and amuse yourself here. To-night there will be a bed at Brookfield."
"What will he do?" Arabella whispered.
"a.s.sociate with the Tinleys," returned Adela.
In accordance with the sentiment here half concealed, Brookfield soon showed that it had risen from the hour of depression when it had simply done its duty. Arabella formed an opposition-Court to the one in which she had studied; but Mr. Pericles defeated her by constantly sending to her for advice concerning the economies of the feast. Nevertheless, she exhibited good pretensions to social queendom, both personal and practical; and if Freshfield Sumner, instead of his crisp waspish comments on people and things, had seconded her by keeping up a two-minutes" flow of talk from time to time, she might have thought that Lady Gosstre was only luckier than herself--not better endowed.
Below, the Tinleys and their set surrounded Mr. Pericles--prompting him, as was seen, to send up continual messages. One, to wit, "Is there to be dancing to-night?" being answered, "Now, if you please," provoked sarcastic cheering; and Laura ran up to say, "How kind of you! We appreciate it. Continue to dispense blessings on poor mortals."
"By the way, though" (Freshfield took his line from the calm closed lips of his mistress), "poor mortals are not in the habit of climbing Olympus to ask favours."
"I perceived no barrier," quoth Laura.
"Audacity never does."
"Pray, how am I to be punished?"
Freshfield paused for a potent stroke. "Not like Semele. She saw the G.o.d:--you never will!"
While Laura was hanging on the horrid edge between a false laugh and a starting blush, Arabella said: "That visual excommunication has been p.r.o.nounced years ago, Freshfield."
"Ah! then he hasn"t changed his name in heaven?" Laura touched her thus for the familiar use of the gentle-man"s Christian name.
"You must not imagine that very great changes are demanded of those who can be admitted."
"I really find it hotter than below," said Laura, flying.
Arabella"s sharp eyes discerned a movement in Lady Gosstre"s circle; and she at once went over to her, and entreated the great lady, who set her off so well, not to go. The sunset fronted Besworth Lawn; the last light of day was danced down to inspiriting music: and now Arabella sent word for Besworth hall-doors and windows to be opened; and on the company beginning to disperse, there beckoned promise of a brilliant supper-table.
"Admirable!" said Lady Gosstre, and the encomium was general among the crowd surrounding Arabella; for up to this point the feasting had been delicate, and something like plain hunger prevailed. Indeed, Arabella had heard remarks of a bad nature, which she traced to the Tinley set, and bore with, to meet her present reward. Making light of her triumph, she encouraged Freshfield to start a wit-contest, and took part in it herself, with the gaiety of an unoccupied mind. Her sisters had aforetime more than once challenged her supremacy, but they bowed to it now; and Adela especially did when, after a ringing hit to Freshfield (which the Tinleys might also take to their own bosoms), she said in an undertone, "What is there between C. and--?" Surprised by this astonishing vigilance and power of thinking below the surface while she performed above it, Adela incautiously turned her face toward the meditative baronet, and was humiliated by Arabella"s mute indication of contempt for her coming answer. This march across the lawn to the lighted windows of Besworth was the culmination of Brookfield"s joy, and the crown for which it had striven; though for how short a term it was to be worn was little known. Was it not a very queenly sphere of Fine Shades and Nice Feelings that Brookfield had realized?
In Arabella"s conscience lay a certain reproach of herself for permitting the "vice of a lower circle" to cling to her--viz., she had still betrayed a stupid hostility to the Tinleys: she had rejoiced to see them incapable of mixing with any but their own set, and thus be stamped publicly for what they were. She had struggled to repress it, and yet, continually, her wits were in revolt against her judgement.
Perhaps one reason was that Albert Tinley had haunted her steps at an early part of the day; and Albert--a sickening City young man, "full of insolence, and half eyegla.s.s," according to Freshfield--had once ventured to propose for her.
The idea that the Tinleys strove to catch at her skirts made Arabella spiteful. Up to the threshold of Besworth, Freshfield, Mr. Powys, Tracy, and Arabella kept the wheel of a dazzling run of small-talk, throwing intermittent sparks. Laura Tinley would press up, apparently to hear, but in reality (as all who knew her could see) with the object of being a rival representative of her s.e.x in this ill.u.s.trious rare encounter of divine intelligences. "You are anxious to know?" said Arabella, hesitatingly.
"To know, dear?" echoed Laura.
"There was, I presumed, something you did not hear." Arabella was half ashamed of the rudeness to which her antagonism to Laura"s vulgarity forced her.
"Oh! I hear everything," Laura a.s.sured her.
"Indeed!" said Arabella. "By the way, who conducts you?" (Laura was on Edward Burley"s arm.) "Oh! will you go to"--such and such an end of the table. "And if, Lady Gosstre, I may beg of you to do me the service to go there also," was added aloud; and lower, but quite audibly, "Mr.
Pericles will have music, so there can be no talking." This, with the soupcon of a demi-shrug; "You will not suffer much" being implied.