ACRES OF- BOOKS 14* PACIFIC AVKMttf LM BACW. MY LADY A STORY OF LONG AGO BY MARGUERITE BOUVET AUTHOR OF "SWEET WILLIAM," "LITTLE MARJORIE'S LOVE STORY," " PRINCE TIP-TOP," ETC. KUustratet) lig HELEN MAITLAND ARMSTRONG CHICAGO A. C. McCLURG AND COMPANY 1894 COPYRIGHT BY A. C. McCLURG AND CO. A. D. 1894 Alt rights reserved 2061816 Marguerite Bouvet^- o H, what a mystery, what a strange, sweet mystery, it is, that the heart of woman should turn to one man in the whole world, one man amongst all other of God's crea- tures, and love him and live for him alone, and make it sweeter to die for him than love any other ! And yet that love is the one thing which is the bread and sunshine of the heart, that feeds and warms its every pulse, and brings forth in the time of life's harvest the richest pro- ducts of the soul. How barren is a life with- out it, and who would not suffer all the delicious torments that it brings for the sake of living once its golden hours of joy ! Sor- row is love's shadow, and those who love must sorrow, much or little, according to their strength; yet they that have lived 254 MY LADY: through both will say with me, how many of life's sorrows vanish at the memory of a single happy hour ! My Lady is a well-born woman, strong and tender. All that her love had led her to do, I would have you believe, was because of her youth, her quick, impetuous nature, and from no lack of maidenly reserve. She had never known such a love as the one that came upon her so swift and sudden and unawares during those brief summer days. She knew nothing of its wily strength, its un- relenting grasp, its maddening fever ; and hence she did her own heart's promptings, which, I am sure, are never otherwise than upright and good. For many weeks after the scene of that luckless night, she lay in perfect unconsciousness of everything around her. Her brain was on fire, and she tossed and turned upon her hot pillow night and day. She would moan and rave about him, and beseech me to go to the cross-road to meet him in her stead, fancying herself still back to that time, and say to him how it was that she could not come herself, being very ill. And this I would feign to do for her A STORY OF LONG AGO. 255 peace. 1 love not to dwell on those sorry times ; even now my heart grows sick with thinking of them, and there are happier days coming, to which I would hasten in preference. I never left her bed's side from the time we laid her there till I with my own arms lifted her from it, and carried her to the win- dow to behold the dying glory of the warm autumn days. For of course she grew well and strong and rosy again, her illness not being so grievous as we had fancied at first, and the wound on her pretty face having healed so well under my care as to seem scarcely more than a pin-scratch. Still it was there, plain enough to my jealous eyes, who could not bear that her fairness should be marred in any way whatsoever. There it was indeed, stretching from her delicate eyebrow down to the little dimple next her chin, a fine line, hardly more visible than a thread, save that it grew white whenever her cheeks flushed, and rosy' when she paled. Once or twice she begged me to bring her the looking-glass, that she might see how changed she was ; but I, fearing to grieve her, 256 MY LADY: did make some pretext or other to forget it. When she was well enough to walk herself to the mirror, no look of disappointment or regret came over her face when she saw the red symbol of her impetuous love, for she had not the silly vanity to be disturbed by so small a matter, she said. She laughed at me, instead, for my vain fears, saying, "Why would you not let me see myself, you wily Mistress Anne ! Did you think I should pine for the loss of a little beauty? I am still good enough for you to look at, am I not? Then that is quite enough." Whereupon I would cover her with kisses, and tell her that she was a hundredfold more beautiful now than she had ever been, as in truth she was. For in the long days when she lay there on her white bed, slowly regaining strength, and drinking in the quiet, pleasurable draught of life renewed, she had had much time to ponder and learn wisdom, and she was suddenly grown gentle and womanly. Her love had not changed, not hers ; it had only ripened into a fairer and gentler thing. All through the time of my darling's ill- A STORY OP LONG AGO. 257 ness, there had been a mighty to do round in the village about her, and those who had known her kindly ministry could not now do enough to show their good feeling. So that I was at my wits' end to know what to do with the flowers and sweetmeats, and the many love -tokens that came to her from all the neighbors and country-folk. When she walked with Madame and me, to take her first airing, you might have thought she was the Empress Josephine herself, such a joyous clamoring as there was ! I remem- ber seeing a village mother who had come out to her door with the rest of the com- munity to bid my Lady good-health, smack her youngster roundly for an unmannerly lad, because the urchin had not lifted his cap when the pretty lady went by. My dear Monsieur Philippe, who had left us for his last year of college while my darling was still quite low, did nothing but write letters to inquire how she did ; and he sent her such magnificent gifts at Christmas time from that gay city of Paris, that my eyes would not go shut for looking at them. And Monsieur Dancourt But I will leave 17 258 MY LADY: all that Monsieur Dancourt did until another chapter, for you will surely wish to hear a whole chapter more about him. And as to dear old Master Lion, a per- sonage whom I beg you to believe we find it impossible to praise over- much, he having so well rid us of that pestilence, Francois, who I rejoice to say has never since shown his ugly face in Provence, Master Lion, I repeat, did conduct himself throughout my Lady's illness in a way which might well stand an example to any dog ; never utter- ing so much as a whimper when he knew her to be asleep, lying outside her door all through the night, and when admitted to her bedside, coming as quietly as a lamb to rest his brown muzzle on her white coverlet to receive his morning caress. In faith, I never saw 'twixt maid and dog such perfect, true devotion. That is why I have had to make much of him in these pages, he being part and pith of our household, sharing our joys and bemoaning our griefs as heartily as any human friend. My Lady cannot think too well of him, and no more can I, though he and I have had many a difference of A STORY OF LONG AGO. 259 opinion, at various times, upon matters of our own, in spite of which I do affirm with- out fear of contradiction that he is the very paragon of dogs. It was in the early autumn, and on a Sab- bath eve, the day a year since Monsieur Lucien Dancourt had left us for his foreign warfare. My darling was sitting near a window listening to the sounds of Even- Song that came floating on the evening breeze from the windows of the little chapel in the distance. She had been silent much of that day; perhaps the sad anniversary was in her mind, as it was in mine. I saw that she was listening intently now, for it was a favorite vesper-chant, one that she used to love when a child. She had never known why she loved it better than all other music ; but now her heart understood all that was tender and beautiful ; and in that chant there is one strain so pure and mystic that it lifts one near to Heaven, a strain that holds one for a single second in perfect ecstasy, and then dies away in a murmur that is like the sighing of angels. I saw her 260 MY LADY: tremble here ; I myself was moved by the sweet sound, for there is naught that so stirs up one's inner self, when one is sad of spirit, as hearing some beloved music that speaks to one of happy times gone by. I, who have but scanty knowledge of the gentle art, and am but a simple, foolish old woman, as you have guessed ere this, even I have felt its thrill so keenly at times that I would fain cry out with pain or joy, I know not which. I was about to go to my darling to cheer her up a bit, for I could never bear to see her bright young face with that pensive look upon it ; but ere I plucked up my courage to disturb the cat that lay sleeping in my lap, and lay my spectacles and stitching down, in walks my young Marquis, who was now again with us, having finished his colleging and come off with all the honors, as I was certain he would do. He never let a day go by without happening in twice or thrice, always as welcome as are pleasant surprises, and bringing ever with him cheeriness and good-fellowship. The two were to all outward appearances on the same old friendly terms as in the days of their childhood, the best A STORY OF LONG AGO. 261 of friends and the dearest of cousins ; one would never have imagined anything else. My Lady brightened up the minute she saw him. " Oh, Philippe, what a merry sight you jire, always appearing when one most wants you ! " " Well, Lady mine," he said, laughing and with much feint of deference, " speak ! what is it you want with me? You know that your wishes are my statutes," or some such pretty foolery. " Nothing but your bright companion- ship," said my Lady. " I am afraid I am growing old and grumpy of late. I have done naught but sit beside this window and think, and think, and think of nothing." " Then I will give you somewhat to think on," said my young master, and sat down near her. " Lucien has written asking leave to come to Saint- Rambert. The campaign is well-nigh ended for a time, and he has done such deeds of valor, and won so much glory to himself, that he must needs lay that aside, and come and be with us to forget his grandeur, else he shall grow in vanity." 262 MY LADY: My darling paled at the words and seemed much agitated. She did not look at Phi- lippe, but out of the window, saying after a pause, "Why should he not come if he chooses?" and I could not tell from her tone whether she was distressed or pleased. Philippe looked at her very closely, but her eyes were still fixed on the garden, and he could not guess any better than I did what her thoughts were. " I think, this time, that Lucien comes for your sake, Maidie dear," he said very low, as if almost afraid to breathe the secret that had been intrusted to him, " and it is you who must give him leave. Will you not see him, and receive him kindly? " She covered her face with her hands. " I have been such a wilful, unruly child ! " she said, laughing a little nervously through her tears. " What can he think of me now ? how can he wish to see me ? " and she laid her head on the window-ledge. " Have no fear of that, Maidie," said my young master. " Lucien is a true nobleman ; perhaps he can tell you better than I why he wishes to see you." A STORY OF LONG AGO. 263 They sat in silence for a long time, and I watched them, my heart all in a flutter. " Coming again ! " thought I ; " well, it 's a pretty time indeed ! How long was it since, a twelvemonth to-day, did I not say? Now I suppose we shall have plenty more crazy doings, and I must needs begin once more my sentinel duty." Yet I waited anxiously to hear what my darling would say further. When the young Marquis rose to go, she stretched out her hand to him, and said quite gently, " Tell him that he may come, Philippe." 264 MY LADY: CHAPTER XX. HE heart of woman is a wayward thing, I might have known it, I, with all my vast experience of which I so oft do vaunt myself! But I had a fond fancy that my Maidie was un- like other women, the which she is in many ways, being fairer and gentler and more loving, to my thinking; still, in the matter of hearts women are mostly alike, a puzzle at best, and full of contradictions. Now, I had thought, in spite of what I may have said to the contrary, that matters would surely go smoothly on, when Monsieur Lucien came this time. He had not made a confidante of me, nor could I well read his thoughts, he being so far away in that land A STOKY Of LONG AGO. 265 of fighting and of savage folk; but this is what I guessed from things Monsieur Philippe said now and then, and from cer- tain events which befell subsequently. Monsieur Lucien, after leaving my dar- ling in such a piteous state as she was on the night of his going away, and all for love of him too, must have had a deal to think about during his long journey across the blue Mediterranean, and I believe that it was not all about the glory he meant to achieve under his Emperor's colors, either ! I ween that his eyes and heart were opened now to a path of life more attractive and more enviable than that which leads only to glory and renown. I, for my part, could never understand why he had not loved her from the very first, and thus saved us a world of trouble. But, as I have already said, he was a mystery, and you might as well try to solve the riddle of the sphinx as to fathom his thoughts. All I do know is that when he was away from my darling and did fully comprehend the depth and strength of her nature, man-like he began to think of her tenderly, and marvelled at 266 MY LADY: his own stupidity in having been so slow about it ; and he longed to say sweet things to her, the which he could not do that day in the wood, for his being dumb almost with surprise. He had thought 'twas only a passing thought that she and Philippe cared for each other, and yet it could not be, else Philippe had confided the secret to him ; they had never withheld anything from each other, he and my young Marquis. So her tender love was justly and rightly his, he thought. That he should love her in return was but a debt of friendship to Philippe, and a most sweet and easy task for himself. But now a whole sea was be- tween them and a year's absence might make a change in her ; and the very thought of this made him frantic, so that he could not be at peace in his own heart. During that long year of absence he had learned to love her truly, ah, yes, to love her truly and well, as 'twas his nature to do all things he did well. And he did come back to Saint-Rambert in quest of his happiness, ere the summer roses began to droop or the distant hills had lost their A STORY OF LONG AGO. 267 mantle of bright green. He came with his heart full of expectation, and many honeyed words were on his tongue, thinking to win that sweet confession from her once again with only a glance or a word. Now, this showed plainly that he had little knowledge of a woman's heart, so fragile a thing, so like a sensitive flower, that opens when you turn away from it, and closes when you come too near. I remember well how it all came about, for now I think of it 'twas not so very long ago ; I remember how that I was in as much excitement as if it had been my own time of courting, as it was verily my dotage in such matters. For folk, they say, are in love twice in their lives, at sixteen for themselves, and at sixty again for others. It was in the morning that he came, when all the earth is fresh and laughing, when a lover's tread is light and his heart buoyant with hope. He came alone, and I fancy he thought to make their first meet- ing sweet, and free from any constraint at the recollection of what had passed between them a year since, by many soft and plead- 268 MY LADY: ing words, and his acting the part of a lover on the spot. But not so. When my Lady held out her hand to him, she did so with a quiet dignity that forbade anything further than a friendly greeting, and which struck him, as it did me, with a sudden chill, as when a gust of ice- laden mountain wind makes winter of a bright summer day. She showed no emotion, save that her cheeks grew a little paler, and the line across the left one stood out like a rosy thread. But that was whilst he kissed her hand, and he saw it not. Afterwards she was as serious and reserved as though she had been talk- ing to her confessor. The little medal he had given her, and which always hung about her throat, was not visible now, though I knew full well where it lay hid. She was so changed, so demure all in a minute, that I hardly knew my darling ; while he seemed to lose his wits and tongue all at once, he who had been so ready with pretty phrases, and I could not but pity his discomfiture. What was it that had come over her? I pondered ; true, she had grown older, and A STOKY OF LONG AGO. 269 much wiser in the past year, and more lovely, of which I saw he took full notice; but I knew that in her heart she loved him, and I could not see why she should of a sudden turn so chilly and forbidding towards him, like the maidens on a stage. Perhaps it was a cover for whatever else she felt and wished to hide from him. She knew that she had been unwise, she had con- fessed it to me, in speaking of her love, since ; and I had often repeated to her what my dear old mother used to say to me years ago, " Never let a man ken how deep is the well of thy love for him, else he will surely draw from it too freely." But there was naught for her to feel ashamed in what she had done, that I could see, and he was far too generous of mind to think it. You see, as soon as he was in trouble, I began to swerve, and my sym- pathy, turning traitor, was all with him. He tried to cross the barrier that she had raised between them, by making mention of their last conscious parting, and hum- bling himself after the fashion of brave men in defeat, calling himself an idle fool 270 MY LADY: for letting slip from him a heart so brave and loving as her own. " But you asked me to forget that day," she said, looking at him without changing color, " and I have tried to do your bidding." " But I," he cried, with more fervor than I had ever seen in him before, " I cannot forget it ! Did you not on that day stake your life for mine ! I have never ceased to think of it since I left you, and I had hoped " She stopped the words. "Then let me ask you to forget it now; I should wish it so ; " and she looked away from him. But his eyes grew dark and liquid as he saw her white hand go up unconsciously to her wounded cheek, and though he remained silent, I knew his heart was as sorely wounded. When he had left her, and was well along the road, where he walked slowly and with saddened countenance, as though the ghosts of his fond hopes walked in his wake, my darling ran to me and threw herself in my arms and cried excitedly, while I scolded her, as well as I could ever do, for her A STORY OF LONG AGO. 271 strange behavior toward Monsieur Lucien; and then, by way of reparation, I had to humor her a bit, and have her in my own chamber for that evening's meal, which was always a recompense to her when a child. And there I coaxed and comforted her, and made her tell me her true feelings, while she laughed and cried over her tea, during the pleasing narrative. But I knew that she had learned a wise lesson, for all that, and that she would not fail to win the love that was so dear to her. For many weeks my darling kept him in suspense, always kind, always friendly, but never giving him a look or a word of encouragement ; and yet the more reserved she was, the more eager he, and the stronger grew her hold upon him. For he was not the man to be disheartened at a first failure, nor to give up hope after one defeat ; he who had fought the wars in Egypt, and wore a row of golden honors across .his chest, recording his valiant deeds. But she was wise now, for her years, was my Maidie, and even when she knew truly that 272 MY LADY: his heart was hers, as he had shown it by a thousand proofs, she, woman-like, would have him dwell on the uncertainty of winning her back to him, and suffer all the sweet, delicious pangs of love's lesson. A S7VRY OF LONG AGO. 273 CHAPTER XXI. WOULD fain let you guess all that came to pass at Saint-Rambert that autumn, save that there is one thing about it which you would not guess, perhaps, unless I told it you, and which concerns my dear young Marquis, Monsieur Philippe. I doubt much if I have dwelt enough, in the telling of my story, on his many noble qualities, or made you fully sensible of his great and generous nature ; but I would have you bear with me patiently till the closing of this chapter, and learn what he did for my Lady, ere the next Christmas-tide, and you shall tell me then what you think of him. Through all the time of my Maidie's and Monsieur Lucien's love-making, I never saw him once looking as if he envied his friend 18 274 MY LADY; a minute's happiness. He was their verita- ble good angel, comforting them when they were disconsolate, and rejoicing with them when their time of rejoicing came. For that time came, of course, as it must come sooner or later in people's lives. Just how or when it came about for my darling, I cannot tell exactly ; for when once I saw that matters could not be made smooth with continual fretting, and sitting up o' nights to think of them, I left off my fretting and watching ; and immediately matters shaped themselves as by a magic hand. That is why I cannot tell you more of what Monsieur Lucien said to my Lady that morning, when, coming home from chapel, I found them sitting together in her little gar- den. At first I could not believe my eyes, and stared, and stared, and leaned up against the wall for support ; for there, if you will believe me, was my haughty Lady meekly reposing in Monsieur Lucien's arms, her head resting on his shoulder, completely vanquished by the flood of tender words he was pouring forth into her willing ears ; and there too sat Master Lion, as bold and A STORY OF LONG AGO. 275 shameless as you please, looking at them with the air of one who had brought the whole matter about. They took no more notice of me than of the crickets chirping round about them ; and I could not turn away, knowing they would forgive my shar- ing their first sweet happiness. For, at the sight of these two young creatures, pledging their faith and love to one another at last, out of the very fulness of their hearts, my old eyes grew dim, and through a mist of tears I saw my own young days, a sweet memory that stood awhile before me like a picture. I saw a maiden not so tall or so fair as my Lady, but with a face full as happy, and I saw, too, a stalwart youth standing by her side, who wore no badge of honor save that of honesty and truth, but who to me was the noblest of God's noblemen. I saw the little house away back in good old England, the little house with its climbing roses, that peered and smiled at us with faces no less smiling than our own. I saw the clear skies overhead, smelt the sweet scent of the haw- thorn, felt all the radiance of that summer day so long, so long ago, on whose memory 276 MY LADY: so many winters have settled and yet not buried. It was all there like a dear one re- turned to me from the dead, and for one mo- ment I was young again, until the sound of my darling's voice brought me back across the half-century, and I looked and saw that her lover was smiling down at her and saying, " Sweetheart, will you not now believe that I love you most truly, and forgive me that I learned not the precious lesson sooner?" His head was bending down close to hers, so that it rested against her bright hair. " Forgive you ! " she cried, and she was at his feet again, not like the mad child she had been on that dreadful day in the wood, but like a sweet, penitent woman, as though she had been the one to seek forgiveness. " You must not kneel to me, my own sweet Maidie ! " he cried, raising her quickly to him ; and his eyes were so earnest, so full of love, as he looked at her, that my Lady paled with joy beneath the ardent gaze. Her own lids fell for a moment, as a tender flower droops under the burning eye of day, or as if she had caught a glimpse of Paradise and was dazzled by its glory. Again the A STORY OF LONG AGO. 77 old gesture came back; unconsciously her hand went up and covered the wounded cheek. But he removed it very gently, and kissed that same cheek many times over. And then I saw how truly handsome he was, and that the face which had been so grave was both manly and tender ; and I could not help loving him for that he had brought such happiness to my darling. Thus they rested silent awhile, their lips dumb for the very joy that was in them. In that supreme hour of life's happiness, the soul has thoughts for which the lips can find no words. Then they walked out of the garden to- gether, all in a blissful dream, towards the chateau, whither my dear Philippe, Heaven bless his brave heart ! awaited them. And Master Lion, who had witnessed the whole scene unblushingly, followed at their side, wagging his bushy tail with unrestrained contentment. Now, to add to their good -fortune, my young Marquis had chosen that very day to do what he had had it in his mind to do for many years, though in a different way, per- haps. It was the year of his majority ; and 278 MY LADY: he was become, since the last springtime, not only the sole master of Saint-Rambert, but also the master of all his noble impulses. Therefore, when he met the happy lovers in the great entrance-hall, he came to them and kissed my Lady, and took his friend's hand, saying, " Let this be a happy day for me as well as you, and let me make it such by giv- ing back to my dear cousin the home that is her own by right, and of which she has been deprived too long. Maidie dear, the old chateau is yours ; " and he laid a great bundle of papers in her hand, which seemed to me more like a doomsday-book, so full of awful words were they, than like the return of my darling's fortunes. My Lady uttered a cry, and Monsieur Lucien grasped Philippe by the shoulder. "What have you done, Philippe?" they both cried at once. " Nothing but my sweetest duty," he an- swered, with a laugh which showed there was no regret whatever lurking in his unselfish heart. " And now that I am your guest, and you my hosts," he said, " I shall deem it ill A STORY OF LONG AGO. 279 hospitality if you dispute my word, and I shall be constrained to build me a new cha- teau where the Dependance now stands, if I may not live in peace with you." " Ah, no, Philippe," cried my Lady, drop- ping all the dreadful papers and coming close to him, " you shall never leave us, shall he, dearest?" and she looked to her lover to confirm her words. " Never, never, and you must leave the old home as it stands, the dear old house where we have all been happy. Promise me that, Philippe ; you can refuse me nothing to-day?" and Philippe promised. Then, as she stood there amongst those who loved her so well, for Madame was also come to welcome her, she, having in mind her cousin Philippe's generous act, pointed to the high chimney which bore the bright heraldry of Saint-Rambert, and the golden letters that she loved, and which seemed all the brighter to-day for the joy that was in her heart, and turning to her lover she said, " It is the truth, Lucien, is it not? ' Love conquers all things.' " " Ah, yes, my own, it is the most blessed 28 o MY LADY: of all truths, and we shall abide by it for- ever ! " and he drew her head to him so that it rested on his breast. Now, not very long after the happening of all these exciting events, my darling ap- peared before me one morning with some- thing on her slender finger, a precious thing indeed, a circlet of yellow gold with tiny sparkling jewels inlaid to shape certain letters. All her playful winsome ways were come back to her now that she was, happy, and at first she made as if she would not show it me, holding her hand behind her back, and then holding it out again kitten- like, and saying, "You must not read the words upon it, mistress mine." " Fie, fie, upon you, little elf ! " I cried, " will you not let your old nurse be happy with you?" and the very next instant she was hanging on my neck, kissing and coddling me as she used to do when she was little, and had been a bit naughty. I took the precious hand in mine, and turned the fair gem upon it round and round till I had read the words AMOR VINCIT OMNIA ! "A circlet of yellow gold on her slender ringer." A STORY OF LONG AGO. 283 And now, what more can I tell you, hav- ing come to the very end of my story, save that my darling is happy and that we are all so with her, and that, as she would go no- where but to England for my sake on her wedding-journey, and would take no one to attend her but myself, I have lately seen my dear David and his family of little Davids, sturdy and bonnie as himself, who opened their mouths and eyes very wide at sight of me, for being so very fine, and having seen so much of the world ; and that, returning thence in safety, we are all living in peace and quiet, as all sensible folk should do, to- gether at the great chateau; and that the wars being ended by the great Emperor's downfall, Monsieur Lucien has turned his thoughts to other things of no less worth. And you may see for yourself, any day you chance to happen in our fair land of Pro- vence, the old chateau as it stands to-day, tall and strong and stately, while all the glowing autumn landscape lies blushing at its feet ; there it will stand for many years to come, when we shall be no more, and others look upon it to remember my young master's 284 MY LADY. good deed, of which it is a symbol ; for a good deed lives on to make even the dead blessed. As for my dear young Marquis, my brave Philippe, the worthiest young nobleman of his noble name, he has not yet found the woman to take my darling's place in his heart, although it is some years now, as I write, since all these things have happened. Indeed, I doubt much if there be anywhere else in the world a woman quite good enough for him ; but if he ever does find her, as I hope he may, for his own happiness, I will surely tell you of it on another page. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. SEP 1 3 .URL DEC 1 1 1978 --...-_. ,_,._ . * c.i \t_ii_.i