"Not very long," said Lady Dalrymple, with her usual bland good-nature.
"A nice place this," continued the Baron.
"Yes."
"And do you keep your health, ma"am?" inquired the Baron, with some anxiety.
"Thanks," said Lady Dalrymple; which observation set the Baron"s mind wondering what she meant by that.
"Pray, ma"am," said he, after a pause, "might you be any relation to a young lady friend of mine that"s staying here named Minnie Fay?"
"A little," said Lady Dalrymple; which remark set the Baron again wondering. And he was about to return to the charge with another and more direct question, when his attention was arrested by the sound of footsteps on the stairs; so he sat bolt upright, and stared hard at the door. There was the rustle of a dress. The Baron rose. So did the Reverend Saul Tozer. The lady appeared. It was not Minnie. It was Mrs.
Willoughby.
Now during the Baron"s visit there had been some excitement up stairs.
The ladies had told the servants that they were not at home to any callers that day. They had found with consternation how carelessly the Baron had brushed aside their little cobweb regulation, and had heard his voice as he strove to keep up an easy conversation with their aunt. Whereupon an earnest debate arose. They felt that it was not fair to leave their aunt alone with the Baron, and that one of them should go to the rescue. To Mrs. Willoughby"s amazement, Minnie was anxious to go. To this she utterly objected. Minnie insisted, and Mrs.
Willoughby was in despair. In vain she reproached that most whimsical of young ladies. In vain she reminded her of the Baron"s rudeness on a former occasion. Minnie simply reminded her that the Baron had saved her life. At last Mrs. Willoughby actually had to resort to entreaties, and thus she persuaded Minnie not to go down. So she went down herself, but in fear and trembling, for she did not know at what moment her voluble and utterly unreliable sister might take it into her head to follow her.
The Baron, who had risen, full of expectation, stood looking at her, full of disappointment, which was very strongly marked on his face.
Then he recollected that Minnie was "not at home," and that he must wait till she did get home. This thought, and the hope that he would not now have long to wait, brought back his friendly glow, and his calm and his peace and his good-will toward the whole human race, including the ladies in the room. He therefore bowed very low, and, advancing, he made an effort to shake hands; but Mrs. Willoughby had already known the dread pressure which the Baron gave, and evaded him by a polite bow. Thereupon the Baron introduced the Reverend Saul Tozer.
The Baron took out his watch, looked at it, frowned, coughed, put it back, and then drummed with his fingers on the arm of the chair.
"Will it be long, ma"am," asked the Baron, "before Minnie gets back?"
"She is not out," said Mrs. Willoughby.
"Not out?"
"No."
"Why, the thundering fool of a servant went and told me that she was not at home!"
"She is at home," said Mrs. Willoughby, sweetly.
"What! at home!" cried the Baron. "And does she know _I"m_ here?"
"She does."
"Then why in thunder don"t she come down?" cried the Baron, wonderingly.
"Because she is indisposed."
"Indisposed?"
"Yes."
This was the information which Mrs. Willoughby had decided to give to the Baron. Minnie had stipulated that his feelings should not be hurt; and this seemed to her to be the easiest mode of dealing with him.
"Indisposed!" cried the Baron.
"Yes."
"Oh dear! Oh, I hope, ma"am--I do hope, ma"am, that she ain"t very bad. Is it any thing serious--or what?"
"Not _very_ serious; she has to keep her room, though."
"She ain"t sick abed, I hope?"
"Oh no--not so bad as that!"
"Oh dear! it"s all _me_, I know. _I"m_ to blame. She made this journey--the poor little pet!--just to see me; and the fatigue and the excitement have all been too much. Oh, I might have known it! Oh, I remember now how pale she looked yesterday! Oh dear! what"ll I do if any thing happens to her? Oh, do tell me--is she better?--did she pa.s.s a good night?--does she suffer any pain?--can I do any thing for her?--will you take a little message from me to her?"
"She is quite easy now, thanks," said Mrs. Willoughby; "but we have to keep her perfectly quiet; the slightest excitement may be dangerous."
Meanwhile the Reverend Saul had become wearied with sitting dumb, and began to look around for some suitable means of taking part in the conversation. As the Baron had introduced him to society, he felt that it was his duty to take some part so as to a.s.sert himself both as a man, a scholar, and a clergyman. So, as he found the Baron was monopolizing Mrs. Willoughby, he gradually edged over till he came within ear-shot of Lady Dalrymple, and then began to work his way toward a conversation.
"This, ma"am," he began, "is truly an interesting spot."
Lady Dalrymple bowed.
"Yes, ma"am. I"ve been for the past few days surveying the ruins of antiquity. It is truly a soul-stirring spectacle."
"So I have heard," remarked Lady Dalrymple, cheerfully.
"Every thing around us, ma"am," continued the Reverend Saul, in a dismal voice, "is subject to dissolution, or is actually dissolving.
How forcible air the words of the Psalmist: "Our days air as the gra.s.s, or like the morning flower; when blasting winds sweep o"er the vale, they wither in an hour." Yes, ma"am, I have this week stood in the Roman Forum. The Coliseum, also, ma"am, is a wonderful place. It was built by the Flavian emperors, and when completed could hold eighty thousand spectators seated, with about twenty thousand standing. In hot weather these spectators were protected from the rays of the sun by means of awnings. It is a mighty fabric, ma"am!"
"I should think so," said Lady Dalrymple.
"The arch of t.i.tus, ma"am, is a fine ruin. It was originally built by the emperor of that name to commemorate the conquest of Jerusalem. The arch of Septimius Severus was built by the Emperor of that name, and the arch of Constantine was built by the emperor of _that_ name. They are all very remarkable structures."
"I"m charmed to hear you say so."
"It"s true, ma"am; but let me add, ma"am, that the ruins of this ancient city do not offer to my eyes a spectacle half so melancholy as the great moral ruin which is presented by the modern city. For, ma"am, when I look around, what do I see? I behold the Babylon of the Apocalypse! Pray, ma"am, have you ever reflected much on that?"
"Not to any great extent," said Lady Dalrymple, who now began to feel bored, and so arose to her feet. The Reverend Saul Tozer was just getting on a full head of conversational steam, and was just fairly under way, when this sad and chilling occurrence took place. She rose and bowed to the gentlemen, and began to retreat.
All this time the Baron had been pouring forth to Mrs. Willoughby his excited interrogatories about Minnie"s health, and had asked her to take a message. This Mrs. Willoughby refused at first.
"Oh no!" said she; "it will really disturb her too much. What she wants most is perfect quiet. Her health is really _very_ delicate, and I am _excessively_ anxious about her."
"But does she--does she--is she--can she walk about her own room?"
stammered the Baron.
"A little," said Mrs. Willoughby. "Oh, I hope in a few weeks she may be able to come down. But the very _greatest_ care and quiet are needed, for she is in such a _very_ delicate state that we watch her night and day."
"A few weeks!" echoed the Baron, in dismay. "Watch her night and day!"