"What first took Mr. Murray to the blacksmith"s hovel? Why is he so anxious that his visits should remain undiscovered? After all, is there some latent n.o.bility in his character? Is he so much better or worse than I have thought him? Perhaps his love for Gertrude has softened his heart, perhaps that love may be his salvation. G.o.d grant it! G.o.d grant it!"
The evening breeze rose and sang solemnly through the pine trees, but to her it seemed only to chant the melancholy refrain, "My pretty Gertrude, my pretty Gertrude."
The chill light of stars fell on the orphan"s pathway, and over her pale features, where dwelt the reflection of a loneliness--a silent desolation, such as she had never realized, even when her grandfather was s.n.a.t.c.hed from her clinging arms. She pa.s.sed through the orchard, startling a covey of partridges that nestled in the long gra.s.s, and a rabbit that had stolen out under cover of dusk; and when she came to the fountain, she paused and looked out over the dark, quiet grounds.
Hitherto duty had worn a smiling, loving countenance, and walked gently by her side as she crossed the flowery vales of girlhood; now, the guide was transformed into an angel of wrath, pointing with drawn sword to the gate of Eden.
As the girl"s light fingers locked themselves tightly, her beautiful lips uttered mournfully:
"What hast thou done, O soul of mine That thou tremblest so?
Hast thou wrought His task, and kept the line He bade thee go?
Ah! the cloud is dark, and day by day I am moving thither: I must pa.s.s beneath it on my way-- G.o.d pity me! Whither?"
When Mrs. Murray went to her own room later than usual that night, she found Edna sitting by the table, with her Bible lying open on her lap, and her eyes fixed on the floor.
"I thought you were fast asleep before this. I sat up waiting for St. Elmo, as I wished to speak to him about some engagements for to- morrow."
The lady of the house threw herself wearily upon the lounge, and sighed as she unclasped her bracelets and took off the diamond cross that fastened her collar.
"Edna, ring for Hagar."
"Will you not let me take her place to-night? I want to talk to you before I go to sleep."
"Well, then, unlace my gaiters and take down my hair. Child, what makes you look so very serious?"
"Because what I am about to say saddens me very much. My dear Mrs.
Murray, I have been in this house five peaceful, happy, blessed years; I have become warmly attached to everything about the home where I have been so kindly sheltered during my girlhood, and the thought of leaving it is exceedingly painful to me."
"What do you mean, Edna? Have you come to your senses at last, and consented to make Gordon happy?"
"No, no. I am going to New York to try to make my bread."
"You are going to a lunatic asylum! Stuff! nonsense! What can you do in New York? It is already overstocked with poor men and women, who are on the verge of starvation. Pooh! pooh! you look like making your bread. Don"t be silly."
"I know that I am competent now to take a situation as teacher in a school, or family, and I am determined to make the experiment immediately. I want to go to New York because I can command advantages there which no poor girl can obtain in any Southern city; and the magazine for which I expect to write is published there. Mr.
Manning says he will pay me liberally for such articles as he accepts, and if I can only get a situation which I hear is now vacant, I can easily support myself. Mrs. Powell received a letter yesterday from a wealthy friend in New York who desires to secure a governess for her young children, one of whom is deformed. She said she was excessively particular as to the character of the woman to whose care she committed her crippled boy, and that she had advertised for one who could teach him Greek. I shall ask Mrs.
Powell and Mr. Hammond to telegraph to her to-morrow and request her not to engage any one till a letter can reach her from Mr. Hammond and myself. I believe he knows the lady, who is very distantly related to Mrs. Powell. Still, before I took this step, I felt that I owed it to you to acquaint you with my intention."
"It is a step which I cannot sanction. I detest that Mrs. Powell--I utterly loathe the sound of her name, and I should be altogether unwilling to see you domesticated with any of her "friends." I am surprised that Mr. Hammond could encourage any such foolish scheme on your part."
"As yet he is entirely ignorant of my plan, for I have mentioned it to no one except yourself; but I do not think he will oppose it.
Dear Mrs. Murray, much as I love you, I cannot remain here any longer, for I could not continue to owe my bread even to your kind and tender charity. You have educated me, and only G.o.d knows how inexpressibly grateful I am for all your goodness; but now, I could no longer preserve my self-respect or be happy as a dependent on your bounty."
She had taken Mrs. Murray"s hand, and while tears gathered in her eyes, she kissed the fingers and pressed them against her cheek.
"If you are too proud to remain here as you have done for so many years, how do you suppose you can endure the humiliations and affronts which will certainly be your portion when you accept a hireling"s position in the family of a stranger? Don"t you know that of all drudgery that required of governesses is most fraught with vexation and bitterness of spirit? I have never treated you as an upper servant, but loved you and shielded you from slights and insults as if you were my niece or my daughter. Edna, you could not endure the lot you have selected; your proud, sensitive nature would be galled to desperation. Stay here and help me keep house; write and study as much as you like, and do as you please; only don"t leave me."
She drew the girl to her bosom, and while she kissed her, tears fell on the pale face.
"Oh, Mrs. Murray! it is hard to leave you! For indeed I love you more than you will ever believe or realize; but I must go! I feel it is my duty, and you would not wish me to stay here and be unhappy."
"Unhappy here! Why so? Something is wrong, and I must know just what it is. Somebody has been meddling--taunting you. Edna, I ask a plain question, and I want the whole truth. You and Estelle do not like each other; is her presence here the cause of your determination to quit my house?"
"No, Mrs. Murray; if she were not here I should still feel it my duty to go out and earn my living. You are correct in saying we do not particularly like each other; there is little sympathy between us, but no bad feeling that I am aware of, and she is not the cause of my departure."
Mrs. Murray was silent a moment, scrutinizing the face on her shoulder.
"Edna, can it be my son? Has some harsh speech of St. Elmo"s piqued and wounded you?"
"Oh! no. His manner toward me is quite as polite, nay, rather more considerate than when I first came here. Beside, you know, we are almost strangers; sometimes weeks elapse without our exchanging a word."
"Are you sure you have not had a quarrel with him? I know you dislike him; I know how exceedingly provoking he frequently is; but, child, he is unfortunately const.i.tuted; he is bitterly rude to everybody, and does not mean to wound you particularly."
"I have no complaint to make of Mr. Murray"s manner to me. I do not expect or desire that it should be other than it is. Why do you doubt the sincerity of the reason I gave for quitting dear old Bocage? I have never expected to live here longer than was necessary to qualify myself for the work I have chosen."
"I doubt it because it is so incomprehensible that a young girl, who might be Gordon Leigh"s happy wife and mistress of his elegant home, surrounded by every luxury, and idolized by one of the n.o.blest, handsomest men I ever knew, should prefer to go among strangers and toil for a scanty livelihood. Now I know something of human nature, and I know that your course is very singular, very unnatural. Edna, my child! My dear, little girl! I can"t let you go. I want you! I can"t spare you! I find I love you too well, my sweet comforter in all my troubles! My only real companion!"
She clasped the orphan closer and wept.
"Oh! you don"t know how precious your love is to my heart, dear, dear Mrs. Murray! In all this wide world whom have I to love me but you and Mr. Hammond? Even in the great sorrow of leaving you, it will gladden me to feel that I possess so fully your confidence and affection. But I must go away; and after a little while you will not miss me; for Estelle will be with you, and you will not need me. Oh, it is hard to leave you! it is a bitter trial! But I know what my duty is; and were it even more difficult, I would not hesitate. I hope you will not think me unduly obstinate when I tell you, that I have fully determined to apply for that situation in New York."
Mrs. Murray pushed the girl from her, and, with a sob, buried her face in her arms.
Edna waited in vain for her to speak, and finally she stooped and kissed one of the hands, and said brokenly as she left the room:
"Good-night--my dearest--my best friend. If you could only look into my heart and see how it aches at the thought of separation, you would not add the pain of your displeasure to that which I already suffer."
When the orphan opened her eyes on the following morning, she found a note pinned to her pillow:
"MY DEAR EDNA: I could not sleep last night in consequence of your unfortunate resolution, and I write to beg you, for my sake if not for your own, to reconsider the matter. I will gladly pay you the same salary that you expect to receive as governess, if you will remain as my companion and a.s.sist at Le Bocage. I cannot consent to give you up; I love you too well, my child, to see you quit my house. I shall soon be an old woman, and then what should I do without my little orphan girl? Stay with me always, and you shall never know what want and toil and hardship mean. As soon as you are awake, come and kiss me good-morning, and I shall know that you are my own dear, little Edna. "Affectionately yours, "ELLEN MURRAY."
Edna knelt and prayed for strength to do what she felt duty sternly dictated; but, though her will did not falter her heart bled, as she wrote a few lines thanking her benefactress for the affection that had brightened and warmed her whole lonely life, and a.s.suring her that the reasons which induced her to leave Le Bocage were imperative and unanswerable.
An hour later she entered the breakfast-room, and found the members of the family already a.s.sembled. While Mrs. Murray was cold and haughty, taking no notice of Edna"s salutation, Estelle talked gayly with Mr. Allston concerning a horseback ride they intended to take that morning; and Mr. Murray, leaning back in his chair, seemed engrossed in the columns of the London Times which contained a recent speech of Gladstone"s. Presently he threw down the paper, looked at his watch and ordered his horse.
"St. Elmo, where are you going? Do allow yourself to be prevailed upon to wait and ride with us."
Estelle"s tone was musical and coaxing as she approached her cousin and put one of her fingers through the b.u.t.ton-hole of his coat.
"Not for all the kingdoms that Satan pointed out from the pinnacle of Mount Quarantina! I have as insuperable an objection to const.i.tuting one of a trio as some superst.i.tious people have to forming part of a dinner-party of thirteen. Where am I going? To that "Sea of Serenity" which astronomers tell us is located in the left eye of the face known in common parlance as the man in the moon. Where am I going? To Western Ross-shire, to pitch my tent and smoke my cigar in peace, on the brink of that blessed Loch Maree, whereof Pennant wrote."
He shook off Estelle"s touch, walked to the mantel-piece, and, taking a match from the china case, drew it across the heel of his boot.
"Where is Loch Maree? I do not remember ever to have seen the name,"
said Mrs. Murray, pushing aside her coffee-cup.
"Oh! pardon me, mother, if I decline to undertake your geographical education. Ask that incipient Isotta Nogarole, sitting there at your right hand. Doubtless she will find it a pleasing task to instruct you in Scottish topography, while I have an engagement that forces me most reluctantly and respectfully to decline the honor of enlightening you. Confound these matches! they are all damp."
Involuntarily Mrs. Murray"s eyes turned to Edna, who had not even glanced at St. Elmo since her entrance. Now she looked up, and though she had not read Pennant, she remembered the lines written on the old Druidic well by an American poet. Yielding to some inexplicable impulse, she slowly and gently repeated two verses: