"So you would say, if you saw her," said Fred, seizing with avidity at the opening, then offered, to coincide with an opinion he was half afraid to broach. "She is perfectly foreign in look, dress, and demeanour--with all the mannerism of Paris life, graceful and pleasing in her address; and they, at least one of them, a downright boor--the other, giving him credit for good looks and good nature, yet immeasurably _her_ inferior in every respect."
"Is she pretty, Frederic?" said Sybella, not lifting her eyes from her work as she spoke.
"I should say pretty," replied he, with hesitation, as if qualifying his praise by a word which did not imply too much. "I prefer a quieter style of beauty, for my own part; less dazzle, less sparkling effect; something to see every day, and to like the better the more one sees it"--and he placed his arm around his sister"s waist, and gazed at her as if to give the interpretation to his speech.
"You have made me quite curious to see her, Fred," said Sybella. "The very fact of finding one like her in such a place has its interest."
"What if you were to visit her, my dear?" said Sir Marmaduke; "the attention would only be a proper one; you have books and music, here, besides, which she might be glad to have in a region so remote as this."
Frederic never spoke a word, but anxiously awaited his sister"s answer.
"I should like it greatly; what says Fred to the notion?"
"I see nothing against it," replied he, with a well-affected indifference. "She is a most lady-like person; and, if it be your intention to pa.s.s a few weeks longer in this solitude, would be of infinite value for companionship."
"A few weeks longer!--I shall remain till Christmas, boy," said his father, with determination. "I have taken a fancy to Ireland; and my intention is to go up to Dublin for a few months in winter, and return here in the spring."
This was at once approaching the very subject which Frederic had journeyed to determine; but, whether it was that the time seemed unfavourable, or that his own ideas in the matter had undergone some modification since his arrival, he contented himself with simply a doubtful shake of the head, as if distrusting Sir Marmaduke"s firmness, and did not endeavour to oppose his determination by a single argument of any kind. On the contrary, he listened with patience, and even seeming interest to his father"s detailed account of his project--how he had already given orders to secure a house in Stephen"s-green for the winter, intending to make acquaintances with the gentry of the capital, and present himself and his daughter at the viceregal court.
"Sybella may as well make her debut in society here as in London," said Sir Marmaduke. "Indeed I am not sure but the provincial boards are the best for a first appearance. In any case, such is the line I have laid down for myself; and if it only secured me against a sea voyage to England in such a season, I shall be amply repaid for my resolve."
Against the season of his return, too, Sir Marmaduke hoped to make such additions to the Lodge as should render it more comfortable as a residence; various plans for which were heaped upon the library table, and littered the chairs about the room.
Miss Travers had already given her hearty concurrence to all her father"s schemes, and seconded, most ably, every one of his views by such arguments as she was possessed of; so that Frederic, even if disposed to record his opposition, saw that the present was not an opportune moment; and prudently reserved for another time, what, if unsuccessful now, could never be recurred to with advantage.
The conversation on these topics lasted long. They discussed with interest every detail of their plans; for so it is--the pleasures of castle building are inexhaustible, and the very happiest realities of life are poor and vague, compared with the resources provided by our hopes and fancies. The slightest grounds of probability are enough to form a foundation--but there is no limit to the superstructure we raise above.
In the indulgence of this view, they continued to chat till a late hour, and parted for the night in high good humour with each other--a visit to the O"Donoghue being the plan for the succeeding day"s accomplishment.
CHAPTER XXII. A MORNING VISIT.
On the afternoon of the following day, Sir Marmaduke, accompanied by his son and daughter, bent their steps towards the castle of the O"Donoghue. The day was a fine and bright one, with a blue sky above, and a hard frosty surface on the earth beneath, and made walking as pleasant as open air and exercise can render it. The carriage was ordered to meet them on their return; less, indeed, on account of the distance, than that the shortness of the day made the precaution reasonable.
Chatting agreeably, on they went. The time slipped rapidly away. Now, adverting to the bold and majestic scenery around them--now, speaking of the people, their habits, their prejudices, and their leanings, or anon discussing the O"Donoghue family, which, of all the puzzling themes the land presented, was certainly not the least embarra.s.sing to them.
"We must think of some means of evincing our grat.i.tude to this boy, Fred," said Sir Marmaduke, in a whisper. "You appear to have found the matter more difficult than you antic.i.p.ated."
"Very true, sir. In the early part of my visit, it was rendered impossible, by the interruption of the elder brother; and, in the latter part, somehow, I believe, I--I actually begin to fear, I forgot it altogether. However, I have thought of one thing; and it should be done without a moment"s loss of time. You must write to Carden, the law agent, and stop any proceedings Hemsworth may have begun against these people. It would be most disgraceful to think that, while professing sentiments of good feeling and friendliness, we were using the arm of the law to hara.s.s and distress them."
"I"ll do it at once, Fred--by this night"s post. In truth, I never understood the point at issue between us; nor can I clearly see Hemsworth"s reason for the summary course he has taken with them. There must be more in it than I know of."
"The castle stands proudly, as seen from this point," said Sybella, who felt somewhat wearied of a conversation maintained in a voice too low for her to hear; and the remark had the effect of recalling them _to_ other thoughts, in discussing which, they arrived at the old keep of Carrig-na-curra.
Whether recent events had sharpened Kerry O"Leary to a more acute sense of his duties as butler, or that Kate O"Donoghue had exerted some influence in bringing about so desirable an object, we know not; but at the very first summons of the hall-door bell, he made his appearance, his ordinary costume being augmented, if not improved, by a pair of very un-weldy top-boots of his master"s, which reached somewhere to the middle of the thigh, and were there met by a green velvet waistcoat, from the same wardrobe, equally too large and voluminous for its present owner.
Visitors at the O"Donoghue house were generally of a character which Kerry felt necessary to close the door against. They unhappily came, not with the ceremonial of a visiting card, but with some formidable missive of the law, in the shape of a distress warrant--a lat.i.tat--or that meeker and less-dreaded engine, a protested bill. It was, then, with a considerable relief to his anxieties, that his eye caught the flutter of a lady"s dress, as he peeped from the small cas.e.m.e.nt beside the door, and his heart expanded in a little thanksgiving of its own, as he unbarred the portal to admit her.
Having informed his visitors that the family were at home, he preceded them to the drawing-room, with a step, the noise of which happily drowned the t.i.ttering it was impossible to subdue, at beholding him. To prevent the awkwardness which Sir Marmaduke foresaw might arise, from the blundering announcement Kerry would inevitably make of their names, he having repeated over and over as he went along, by way of refreshing his memory, "Sir Marmaduke, Sir Marmaduke Travers," the old gentleman stepped forward as the door opened, and presented himself by name, introducing his daughter at the same time.
The O"Donoghue, seated in his chair, half rose, for it was one of his gouty days, and he could not stir without great difficulty, and with an air and voice which bespoke the gentleman, welcomed his guests.
Herbert"s eyes gleamed with delight as he gazed on the party; and Sir Archibald, bowing with an ancient grace that would have suited a courtier of a century previous, presented chairs to each, going through the ceremonial of a new obeisance to every one of the group. Kate O"Donoghue was not in the room, nor Mark--the latter, indeed, had not returned to the castle since the day previous.
The ordinary greetings over, and Sir Marmaduke having expressed, in well-chosen phrase, the grat.i.tude he had so long laboured to acquit, the conversation became easy and agreeable. Sir Marmaduke, seating himself next O"Donoghue, had entered into a discussion of the state of the country and the people--Frederic, beside Herbert"s chair, was conversing with the boy by lively sallies and pleasant stories, that flowed the more rapidly as the listener was an eager one; while Sir Archibald, standing in an att.i.tude of respectful attention, had engaged Miss Travers in a conversation about the glen and its scenery, to which his own correct taste and thorough appreciation of the picturesque, gave a charm and piquancy that already interested her deeply. So naturally easy and unaffected was the tone of their reception, that all astonishment at finding their host so superior to their antic.i.p.ation, was merged in the pleasure that Travers felt in the interview. The good-tempered heartiness of the O"Donoghue himself--his frank speech, his ready humour, won each moment more and more on Sir Marmaduke. Frederic, too, never grew wearied of the fresh and joyous spirit which gleamed out at every look and word from Herbert, whose ardent temperament and high-hearted nature caught up the enthusiasm of a spirit like his own; and, as for Sybella, the charm of Sir Archy"s manner, whose perfection was its adaptation to the society of ladies, delighted her greatly, and she soon forgot any slight inclination to smile at the precision of language, where deep sound sense and high feeling were conveyed, with only the fault of pedantry. While thus agreeably engaged on all sides, the door opened, and Kate entered, but so noiselessly withal, that she was in the midst of the party, before they knew of her approach.
Recognising Frederic Travers with a gracious smile, she received Sir Marmaduke"s salutation with a deep courtesy, and then, as if similarity of years required a less ceremonious introduction, took her seat beside Miss Travers, with an air of mingled kindness and cordiality she so well knew how to a.s.sume. As in an orchestra, amid the swell of many instruments, where deep-toned thunders mingle with sounds of softer influence, some one strain will rise, from time to time, suggestive of feelings apart from the rest, with higher and n.o.bler sympathies around it, so did her voice, heard among the others, sound thus sweetly. Her words came winged with a fine expression, which look and gesture could alone give them--and in the changing colour of her cheek, her brilliant brow, her lips, even in silence eloquent, there was a character of loveliness as much above mere beauty, as life transcends the marble.
The more perfect regularity of Sybella"s features--their cla.s.sic outline--their chaste correctness in every line and lineament--seemed cold and inanimate when contrasted with the more expressive loveliness of Kate O"Donoghue. The fearless character of her mind, too, was blended with so much of womanly delicacy and refinement--the wish to please, so a.s.sociated with a seeming forgetfulness of self, that every act and every gesture teemed with a charm of interest, for which there is no word, save "fascination;" even that slightly foreign accent, of which we have already spoken, served to individualize all she said, and left it graven on the heart long after the words were spoken.
Frederic Travers watched with eager delight the effect these gifts were producing upon his sister. He saw the pleasure with which Sybella listened; he recognised, even already, the symptoms of that conquest by which mind subdues mind, and was overjoyed as he looked.
To Sir Marmaduke"s gracefully-expressed hope, that this visit should form the prelude to their nearer intimacy, the O"Donoghue, with a touch of sadness in his voice, replied--that he himself was an invalid, whose steps never wandered beyond the precincts of his home; but his brother-in-law, and his niece, and the boys--they would all, he was certain, avail themselves of such a neighbourhood.
Sir Archibald bowed low, and somewhat stiffly perhaps, in accordance with a pledge thus given without his concurrence; but Herbert"s bright eyes grew brighter, and his cheek flushed with delight at the bare antic.i.p.ation of the thought.
"And you, Miss O"Donoghue," said Sir Marmaduke, turning towards Kate.
"Our humble library at the lodge, is perfectly at your service, the only condition we ask is, that you come and choose from it in person."
"That promise is already most kindly made, father," interrupted Sybella, whose pleased look showed how she had been captivated by her new friend.
While their smiles and gracious words went round, the door was suddenly opened by Kerry O"Leary, who, forgetful of the visitors, in _his_ eager anxiety as the bearer of news, cried out--
[Ill.u.s.tration: 221]
"There"s a shindy, master dear! Such a row! May I never die in sin, if ever I seen the equal of it!"
"What does he mean?--is the fellow mad?" cried the O"Donoghue, angrily, while Sir Archy, bending on him a most ominous frown, muttered--
"Have ye lost a" decency tegether. Ye daft loon, what ails ye?"
"I ax your pardon, and the qualities pardon," said Kerry, with an expression of abject misery for his unceremonious "entree." "But, if you seen it, sorra bit but you"d forgive me."
"There has been good fun somewhere, I"m certain," cried out Frederick Travers, whose curiosity to learn Kerry"s intelligence could no longer be repressed.
"What is it, then, Kerry?" said the O"Donoghue. "Let us hear it all."
""Tis Master Mark, good luck to him," cried Kerry, overjoyed at the permission to speak out freely. "He was over at Ballyvourney with the greyhounds, when he seen that dirty spalpeen, Sam Wylie, wid a process-sarver along wid him, noticin" the tenants. The server was a stranger, and he didn"t touch him; but he made the boys put Sam on Nick Malone"s mule, and give him a fair start, and they run him down the mountain, with a fine view, and ran into him there at the horse-pond, where the mule flung him head over heels; and begorra, you wouldn"t know "twas a Christian, if you seen him this minit dripping wet, and the duck-weed all hanging round him--and he"s running still--for he thinks Master Mark will take the life of him before he stops."
A roar of laughter from Frederic, joined in by Herbert, and at last by the O"Donoghue himself, for some moments prevented a word of commentary on this outrageous proceeding, when Sir Marmaduke, rising slowly, said--
"I am a stranger here, very ignorant of the country and its habits; but I have yet to learn that any man, in the just discharge of his duty, should be thus treated. I call upon you, sir, to investigate this affair, and if it be, as we have heard it, to make reparation----"
"Ye hae muckle reason for what ye say, sir," interposed Sir Archy; "but the freaks and follies o" young men hae a license here, I doubt ye are na used to."
"I"ll lay my life on it, Mark was right," called out the O"Donoghue.
"The boy never makes any mistake in these matters."
"If the fellow were insolent," said Frederic, "your son has served him properly."